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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Kobe Bryant Preliminary Hearing Underway; Nine Remaining Democratic Presidential Candidates Face Off; Six Month Anniversary Of Fall Of Bagdad Sees More Violence

Aired October 09, 2003 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): High stakes as Democratic presidential hopefuls go head to head.

Guns, porn and Nazi paraphernalia: a shocking stash in the home of a priest.

Exactly six months after the fall of Saddam, reality and rhetoric in the new Iraq.

Guarding the world's most dangerous prisoners. We take you on patrol.

Caught on tape: a couple viciously killed by grizzly bears in the Alaskan wilderness.

Two journalists under cover expose the secrets of the Raelian cult.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Hey, good evening to you. Thanks for joining us on 360. A lot going on tonight.

A surprising development today in the case of Kobe Bryant. The basketball player's defense team decided not to waive a preliminary hearing in the sexual assault case against him. The hearing is still under way right now at this moment.

CNN's Gary Tuchman has been following it all day long closely from Eagle, Colorado. He joins us now.

Gary, some shocking details discussed in court today.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There were a lot of details that were very lurid, Anderson. We do want to warn our viewers about that.

We can tell you, a short time ago, a detective with the Eagle County Sheriff's Office testified that blood was found on Kobe Bryant's T-shirt that he was wearing that night in the hotel. And the blood was tested, and the DNA results show beyond a mathematical certainty it was the blood of the alleged victim in this case.

Now, this has been going on now for about two and a half hours, this preliminary hearing. The whole purpose to see of there's probable cause to bound the case to trial. According to the detective, who has testified for much of the day today, he said this woman who worked in the hotel was excited that Kobe Bryant was coming to the hotel to be a guest, that when Kobe Bryant got there, he said he wanted a tour.

She gave him a tour of the hotel. She admits she was flirting with him. They went back to his room.

She says, according to this detective, they began kissing on the neck and on the mouth, and that was OK with her. But at that point, she says, "he began to grope her, touching her breasts and buttocks area." The detective says the woman started getting scared.

According to the detective, the woman then said that Kobe Bryant grabbed her by the neck, bent her over a chair, and then started performing sexual intercourse. The detective says the woman said, "No," she started crying, but the sexual intercourse continued for five minutes. The woman ultimately left the woman, told a bellhop about what happened, and the bellhop then followed her home.

Now, about five minutes ago, the defense began its cross- examination of this detective. During the prosecution questioning, prosecutors showed pictures. They showed one picture of a bruise on the woman's jaw, and also a picture of many lacerations on the woman's private parts.

But the defense attorney said to the detective, "How come there were no wounds on the neck," and asked the detective very specifically, "Did you look at her neck?"

He said, "Yes." "Was there a red mark?" He said, "No." "Was there a bruise?" "No."

"Was there a scratch?" "No." "Was there a finger mark?" "No." "Was there nothing?" And he said, "No."

That's the line of questioning we assume is taking place right now as defense attorneys try to zealously help their client, Kobe Bryant. One more thing we have to mention to you which caused a gasp in the court, five minutes after Pamela Mackey (ph), the defense attorney, started talking to the detective, she said the alleged victim's name. You're not allowed to do that, and she says it was an accident.

But everyone started gasping in the court. The judge said, "Please be more careful." And she said she would be more careful. This preliminary hearing is expected to last at least for a couple hours longer -- Anderson.

COOPER: Gary, how did Kobe Bryant appear in court today?

TUCHMAN: Kobe Bryant looked studied, he looked serious. He was not here with his wife. He's been paying attention all the time. Talking very little with his attorneys, who are sitting by him on the table.

COOPER: All right. Gary Tuchman following it very closely for us and we'll continue to. Thanks very much, Gary.

What impact will any of this have in the case if it ultimately goes to trial? 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle-Newsom is also in Eagle. She joins us live.

Kimberly, thanks for being with us. A lot to talk about. Basically, this detective testifying that Kobe Bryant's accuser told him that there was mutual flirting going on, that she consented to kissing, and that's about it.

How significant is that? Will that come back to hurt her in the ultimate trial?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, LEGAL ANALYST: I don't think so, because right away at that point is when she said that she needed to leave. He wanted her to stay. She asked if she could have an autograph. He said, no, when you come back later. And she had said that she was tired and she wanted to go home. And from there, we saw where things really start to change from being friendly and flirtatious, where she was flattered, to where she was actually scared and concerned and anxious to leave that actual hotel room.

COOPER: How significant is the blood evidence that was learned about in the court today on Kobe Bryant's T-shirt?

NEWSOM: It's very damaging evidence. It corroborates the victim's statements and the physical evidence that was observed on her person by the sexual assault nurses that examined her, that she had injuries to her vaginal area, some lacerations, and there was some evidence of bleeding there as well. And, as she testified, due to the nonconsensual act that occurred between herself and Kobe Bryant.

I think this is very damaging physical evidence against Kobe Bryant. It's going to be difficult for the defense to overcome. And so far, right now, the prosecution has put in a very strong case.

COOPER: I suppose the defense will argue that it happened -- this blood evidence happened even though the sex was consensual. How surprised were you, Kimberly, though, that the defense actually went ahead with this preliminary hearing?

NEWSOM: I think we were all surprised. But once we saw what Pamela Mackey (ph) was able to do in there, she's very effective, a great lawyer, and asked some pointed questions. And definitely there were some problems with the lead detective's testimony that he gave. He's already had to correct himself on some inconsistencies, refer to his notes quite a bit.

The prosecution's case could definitely have been put in better in terms of evidentiary points and issues. The defense has been able to make some points against stressing that there were no physical injuries around the neck, as Gary point out earlier. And I think that's damaging for the prosecution and dispels what people thought was going to be corroborated evidence to show that this was against her will and that he was holding her down during this act.

COOPER: So you think the defense was actually able to get across a good part of its case.

NEWSOM: Absolutely. And I think again that the prosecution's witness, the detective in this case, definitely struggled and had some problems on the stand. And those are the type of things that should be avoided through careful preparation. And unfortunately we didn't see that here today.

COOPER: All right. Well, it's still going on, cross-examining going on right now. We're going to keep following this. Kimberly Guilfoyle-Newsom, good to talk to you. We'll check in with you a little bit later on.

I want to move on to our other big story tonight, however. Less than an hour from now, about 54 minutes, to be exact, the gloves come off. The nine remaining Democratic presidential candidates face off in Phoenix. The pressure is on for candidates to try to distinguish themselves from the pack.

CNN's Dan Lothian is in Arizona with a preview. Dan, good evening.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good evening, Anderson. I want to give you a sense of what's happening outside the venue tonight.

To my left, camera right, a lot of protesters and also supporters of the candidates out here. From the protesters, we see signs about education, health care, and trade. And of course, the supporters of the various candidates, some of whom have already arrived here, taken a few moments to shake hands with the crowd. We saw John Kerry and Howard Dean stop and talk to some of the members -- supporters here in the crowd out in front of the venue.

One of the things that we will see tonight, when you hear it from the experts and strategists who have been following this campaign up to this point, is that we will probably see the candidates focusing more on Wesley Clark. As you might remember, the last debate in New York, every time he was asked a question about specific issues, where he stood on specific issues, he usually took a pass, saying that he had only been in the race for a few days, did not have a lot of time to develop his platform, but would be doing so. What is expected tonight is that the candidates will specifically go after him.

Now, this all comes as the latest CNN-"USA Today" Gallup Poll of registered Democrats shows that Clark is leading the pack with 21percent, Dean with 16 percent. Kerry and Lieberman are at 13 percent, and Gephardt with 8 percent.

One other issue of course that no doubt will be addressed today will be the war in Iraq. President Bush was in New Hampshire today defending his position of sending troops into Iraq. Today, Howard Dean was at Arizona State University talking to a crowd, a rally there, and saying that what President Bush did was wrong and his words "As commander in chief, I would not send troops into combat without telling the American people the whole truth about what's going on."

So no doubt tonight it will be an interesting night. As you mentioned, gloves coming off on the issues of the war in Iraq. Some other common issues as well, as health care, education, and specifically for this area, immigration and trade -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Dan, thanks very much. I just want to clarify, that poll you showed, that was a nationwide poll, wasn't it, Dan?

LOTHIAN: That's correct.

COOPER: OK, great. Not the local poll. Thanks very much, Dan.

The debate is moderated by CNN's own Judy Woodruff. You can catch it all right here live on CNN. Live coverage begins 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

A late story coming into us tonight from Gaza. Witnesses and Palestinian sources say hundreds of Israeli tanks were rolling into the Gaza city of Rafa (ph). The sources also say the Israeli Apache helicopters were flying overhead, with machinegun fire directed into some parts of the city streets. Bulldozers, other vehicles are said to be moving along with the tanks.

All right. Let's quickly check other stories right now around the globe. Here's the "UPLINK."

Ramallah, West Bank: doctors are strongly denying reports the Palestinian Authority president is seriously ill. An aide says the 74-year-old Arafat has only a minor stomach ailment, responding, of course, to -- they say it's responding to treatment. They say he did not suffer a mild heart attack and is not being treated for stomach cancer, as some news reports claim.

La Paz, Bolivia: violent clashes. Military troops and hundreds of protesters battle over calls for the resignation of Bolivia's president. This is the 11th day of a general strike. At least one person died.

London, England: Catholic Church and condoms. The BBC reports that Roman Catholics in some countries worse hit by the AIDS virus are getting some bad advice, being told by the Church that condoms shouldn't be used because they don't prevent transmission of HIV because they are not guaranteed to block sperm. The Roman Catholic Church opposes any form of artificial contraception.

And Loch Ness, Scotland: underwater marathon. Lloyd Scott (ph) walked 26 miles along the lake bottom. Apparently it took him 12 days. He was raising money for kids with leukemia. By the way, no sighting of the sea monster.

And that is tonight's "UPLINK."

A case of unholy harassment: a priest busted with guns and porn. Find out why he was reportedly making obscene calls to a Catholic school.

Plus, was cloning humans all a hoax? They are back, the Raelians. We'll take you under cover with the Raelians. Find out what is really driving the rather bizarre group.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let him out, Rick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: And cellblock reality. We'll take you inside a maximum security prison as part of our weeklong series: "Sex, Violence and Favors: Life Behind Bars."

First, let's take a look at the top stories on tonight's network evening newscasts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, you all know the Democrats have been campaigning heavily in New Hampshire. Today, President Bush showed up in the state. The campaign style appearance is part of a White House push to reinforce support for the president's policies in Iraq. Mr. Bush defended his decision to have U.S. troops drive Saddam Hussein out of power.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I acted because I was not about to leave the security of the American people in the hands of a madman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: A couple other Iraq-related stories. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is rarely at a loss for words. But he canceled a scheduled news conference today, and some sources say it's because he wanted to avoid more questions about his dealings with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

President Bush recently appointed Rice head of his Iraq Stabilization Group, while Rumsfeld said he wasn't consulted about the appointment. He is shrugging off assertions the move has in any way diminished his status.

COOPER: In Iraq, there was more bloodshed on the streets of Baghdad. Today, an anniversary of sorts. It has been exactly six months since Baghdad fell. Six months since American troops reached the center of the city and that statue came tumbling down.

Today, a suicide car bomb outside a police station killed eight Iraqi officers, wounded 32 others. A grenade attack killed a U.S. soldier, and a Spanish official was shot to death outside his home. CNN's Jane Arraf has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): A new day, a new attack. This one an apparent suicide bomb at an Iraqi police station. It's the first of its kind in a sprawling Shia Muslim neighborhood. It used to be called Saddam City but was one of the places where he was most hated.

Six months after the fall of the regime, the attack seems a deliberate reminder that nowhere is safe. "Where is security," asks street vendor Nejja Natullah (ph)? "The coalition forces patrol around and say that security is in place when it's not. Whether you sit at home or go to work, you just feel insecure."

Then the so-called Sunni Muslim triangle around Baghdad where millions of Iraqi live, peace is elusive for Iraqis and for U.S. troops who never expected to be here this long. Iraqis have made accommodations. Brides pass through security and barbed wire to get to their honeymoon hotels.

Things are better than immediately after the war. Hospitals and schools looted floor to ceiling have reopened. As this engineer makes clear, what they tend to think about the U.S. is complicated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know that Saddam, he wasn't a good man. He was a dictator. He was a criminal. But I don't think that it justifies the -- that they come here and occupy our country.

ARRAF: Criticism of authorities that in Saddam Hussein's Iraq could never have been uttered.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARRAF: Now, there's no doubt that Iraqis are freer, and there's no doubt there are small signs that some things are improving. But these attacks today, daring and different, are perhaps an even bigger sign that this is still a very troubled place -- Anderson.

COOPER: A very dangerous place. Jane Arraf, thanks very much for that from Baghdad

A lot happening "Cross Country" tonight to tell you about.

Galveston, Texas: remarkable rescue. CNN affiliate KHOU is reporting a woman fell out of a shrimp boat into the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night. She apparently remained in the water 24 hours before she found an abandoned oilrig, the one you just saw, reportedly painted "SOS" on the platform. Someone, not sure who, saw it, and the Coast Guard came to the rescue. That's the platform right there.

Let's go to Detroit, Michigan: FBI flip-flop. The FBI rescinds its award for exceptional public service of this man, a Muslim activist, Ahmad Hamad (ph). Hamad (ph) is regional director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Sources say the problem isn't with him, but with some of his associates.

Near Bakersfield, California: Chong's bongs. Actor Tommy Chong is behind bars serving nine months for conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia over the Internet. His attorneys are trying to get him out while the sentence is appealed. They figure, eh, six month house arrest is about all he deserves.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: moving day for the liberty bell. The 250-year-old cracked symbol of democracy was wheeled across Philadelphia's Independence Mall this morning, hoisted into its new home. The transfer is part of a $314 million makeover at the mall.

That's a quick look "Cross Country."

Well, Catholic Church officials in New York say they are shocked by the allegations against a 64-year-old priest. Reverend John Johnston -- that's his name -- he's been charged with aggravated harassment, weapons possession, and possession of stolen property. And the police who arrested him say they found Nazi paraphernalia and pornography in his apartment. It all began with some disturbing phone calls.

Deborah Feyerick has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors say the calls made by the priest were vulgar, filled with curses and obscenities. So why did 64-year-old Reverend John Johnston allegedly do it? Police don't know. What they say is, in the last two months, Johnston made at least eight harassing calls to the principal of Brooklyn's Bishop Lawkland (ph) High School.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you go to Catholic school, you know, you're not expecting a priest to do that.

FEYERICK: The harassing phone calls led police to Johnston's apartment. Police say they found Nazi materials; flags, daggers and helmets, according to one source, plus a stash of gay porn, three guns -- one of them unlicensed -- and a bushel of cash. But his lawyer says Johnston is a World War II buff and also has British, American and Russian memorabilia. He says the unlicensed gun is registered not in New York, but in New Jersey, and notes that possessing pornography may be distasteful, but it's not illegal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His demeanor is fine, but he's upset that he's arrested, obviously.

FEYERICK: For the last 25 years, Johnston has been a visiting priest at St. Martin of Tours Church. Law enforcement sources say he stole $88,000 from parishioners. When he was arrested, Johnston told police it was his "401k plan."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's certainly going to hurt people. You know, it will hurt us. FEYERICK: Johnston recently retired from teaching English and religion at a New Jersey Catholic school. Officials at the all-boy school have alerted parents and offered counseling. The Newark Archdiocese says Johnston has no records of charges or complaints.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And Deborah Feyerick joins us right now. Deb, certainly the Nazi paraphernalia, the porn, it's all titillating. I guess the real issue for law enforcement is the money.

FEYERICK: That's the big issue. It's almost $90,000. And Johnston is maintaining that the money wasn't just sitting around in his apartment, that it wasn't in a big bag. That, in fact, it was not visible.

And that's a big issue, because if police went in there and they didn't have a search warrant, if they got it without a search warrant, then it could be inadmissible. So right now the lawyers are fighting back to say, you know, the cops are making it seem like it's much more than it really is.

COOPER: All right. Deborah Feyerick, thanks very much.

Still a lot ahead. Life behind bars, just how brutal is it? We'll take you inside a maximum security prison.

Also tonight, they claim to clone humans. We'll take you undercover into the bizarre world of the Raelians.

And a little bit later: eaten alive by a bear. A famous researcher and his girlfriend mauled in Alaska, all caught on tape. Find out just what went wrong.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And you are looking at a live picture right now from Phoenix, Arizona. Less than an hour away, about 35 minutes away from the Democratic Presidential debate. You can watch it here exclusively on CNN, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. CNN's Judy Woodruff will be moderating it.

We continue with our weeklong look at life behind bars. All this week we've focused on prisoners. Now you are about to meet one of the nation's nearly half-million corrections officers, men and women with some of the toughest, most dangerous jobs imaginable.

This week, we got an exclusive look inside a maximum security prison in Trenton, New Jersey. A violent place where Officer Deanicio Pagan (ph) puts his life on the line every day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let him out, Rick. Sound off.

DEANICIO PAGAN, CORRECTIONS OFFICER: I love New Jersey State Prison because this is the max. This is the last stop on the A train. Anything that can go wrong, it will go wrong here.

COOPER (voice-over): Forty-four year old corrections officer, Deanicio Pagan (ph), has seen it all. The maximum security state prison in New Jersey is home to nearly 2,000 murderers, robbers and rapists, the most violent inmates in the system.

PAGAN: You've got from five years to 220 years around here. The worst of the worst. They really could care less about you.

You know a guy doing 220 years, so what if he stabs you? So they take him back to court. What are they going to give him, more time?

COOPER: Officer Pagan (ph) and his partner handle as many as 99 inmates by themselves. Inside the cellblocks they don't carry any weapons.

PAGAN: Once you break that door, your life is in your hands. You are totally unarmed.

PAGAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is this bell right here. This bell is a whistle on my chest.

Attention in the area.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

PAGAN: Whenever that button is pressed, your heart starts to race. Your adrenaline starts running, because you really don't know who is involved in this call. It can be an inmate, an inmate attack, it could also be one of us being assaulted. So that's the panic button for us.

COOPER: Some 32,000 corrections officers were assaulted by inmates nationwide last year. Prisons are overcrowded. Officials struggle to maintain control.

PAGAN: The west compound. We call it the wild, wild west.

COOPER: There are parts of this prison Officer Pagan (ph) never enters alone.

PAGAN: That's their world out there. That yard out there, that's their world. We try to go in there as deeply prepared as possible. As you can see, there's too much to handle with 150- something officers on a shift. We have 200, 300 inmates in that yard. It's not that easy to get there.

COOPER: For Officer Pagan (ph), every day is a battle, every moment could be fatal. Inside this prison, he says, there is no such thing as a good day.

PAGAN: Hey man, what? They want to know who the killers are. What do you want me to do?

There is a bad day every day. It goes through out of hand and we neutralize it back to bad. If you're going to feel that this is OK and this is a walk in the park, I think you are in the wrong line of business.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): Two journalists under cover expose the secrets of the Raelian cult.

And a deadly grizzly bear attack caught on tape.

We'll be right back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Less than half an hour away from the Democratic presidential debate. Let's show you a live shot right now. Nine candidates are going to be taking the gloves off in Phoenix, Arizona, right in this hall. You can watch it exclusively here on CNN. First, let's take a look at tonight's "Reset."

Eagle, Colorado testimony continues. That's a live shot right outside the hearing room where it is going on at this moment. The preliminary hearing into rape charges against Kobe Bryant continues. Details of that just ahead.

Washington, Gitmo controversy. The Supreme Court is being asked to consider the government's treatment of terrorism suspects detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Several friend (ph) of the court briefs have been filed, saying the detainment policy violates the Constitution, the Geneva accords and international law.

Fairfax, Virginia insanity. That's what lawyers for accused Washington area sniper Lee Boyd Malvo say they will argue. Not guilty by reason of insanity. They say Malvo was indoctrinated by his coconspirator John Allen Mohammed.

Washington, Robertsons's remarks. The State Department is protesting remarks by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson. Apparently during an interview on his cable television show, Robertson asked a guest whether the State Department should be blown up with a nuclear device.

Atlanta, snubbing out smokes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes regularly is down slightly. The percentage of black men who smoke has fallen to 27 percent. That's about the same as white men.

And that is tonight's "Reset."

Right now let's go back to the top story the evening. The preliminary hearing in the sexual assault case against Kobe Bryant. There has been some graphic testimony today. CNN national correspondent Gary Tuchman is our man on the story. He joins us now live. Gary what's the latest? GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, this alleged crime occurred exactly 100 days ago. In the last two hours, we've learned far more about the prosecution evidence than we have over the past 99-plus days.

Here's the notable prosecution evidence we've heard in the last couple of hours. No cameras allowed inside that's why we need to tell you. First of all, according to the prosecution, the woman, the 19- year-old accuser did, indeed, flirt with Kobe Bryant when he came to the hotel where she worked, did indeed, kiss him consensually.

But the prosecution says, that's where the consensualness stopped. At that point, according to the accuser, and relayed today by a detective with the sheriff's office, Kobe Bryant held the woman's neck with two hands, forced her to bend over a chair and then had sexual intercourse with her.

Now, according to the prosecution, blood has been found on Kobe Bryant's shirt. That blood, with DNA testing done on it, is the woman's blood, according to the detectives.

One other thing, the defense just started its cross-examination. The defense said, if her neck was being held by Kobe Bryant, they asked the detective, why were there no marks? No red marks, no scratches, no finger marks? The detective said there were no marks whatsoever.

They did show injuries to her private area and an injury to her jaw. It should last another hour or two before the judge calls it off per the night. He'll make a decision at a later date whether there is probable cause to bound this case over to trial -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, we'll continue following this very closely in the next half hour. Gary Tuchman, thanks very much.

Quick news note for you now. How Americans perceive sexual assault may play an important role if Kobe Bryant ever faces a jury. The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault conducted a statewide poll last year. While most people said no means no, 40 percent believe that allowing touching under the clothes amounts to consent to intercourse. 22 percent thought that agreeing to go back to someone's home after a date was a sign of consent, and 21 percent said a woman can't claim she was raped unless she actively fought off the sexual advance. There was no significant difference in the responses between men and women to these questions. Perceptions among some Americans.

How quickly we forget. Next, our chance to update you on a story that once was everywhere and then vanished into the cable news ether. We got an e-mail from a viewer asking whatever happened to the Raelians? Now, how could anyone forget those fun-loving Raelians who late last year claimed to have claimed a baby.

Baby Eve will turn out one pretty soon, right? Right.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COOPER (voice-over): Let's be honest. The TV news business lunged for the Raelians like a junkie getting his stash after a few days in detox.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: A controversial claim has the medical world on edge today.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Clone A, that's the company that claims to have create the first human clone.

TUCKER CARLSON, HOST "CROSSFIRE": The cloning lady. She just testified under oath that the clones are real.

COOPER: The plotline was hard to resist. So was the cast of characters. Rael, who became a one-day style-icon with his Nehru meets Star Trek outfit. He was the spiritual leader of the group who believed cloning will bring us closer to our true alien ancestors.

Then there was Brigitte Boisselier: follower, muse and chief scientist, who told the world that the Raelians had succeeded with their grand cloning experiment. Finally, the baby Eve. Supposedly living in Israel.

Now we in the media were all over this story. Can't deny that. But we weren't the gullible dupes some made us out to be.

(on-camera): Yes, the human cloning -- Anderson.

Thanks, Anderson.

(voice-over): No proof was ever provided. No babies brought forth. The story seemed to disappear. The most we saw of the Raelians after that was, well too much of the Raelians frankly. They staged a small naked protest of the war in Iraq. We have a request for the Raelians. Put your clothes back on and bring us the cloned baby you promised. We're waiting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, it could be a very long wait. Two journalists say they infiltrated the Raelians over a nine-month period and say low- level members still seem believe that baby Eve, like the truth, is somewhere out there. Earlier I spoke with reporter Brigitte McCann and photographer Chantal Poirier of the "Calgary Sun" in Canada. I asked them what surprised them most about the Raelians?

BRIGITTE MCCANN, "CALGARY SUN": Probably the way they are indoctrinated and believe every word, every single word that Claude Raelian says.

COOPER: They do believe it? Everything about the UFOs, the sensual meditation, all of it?

MCCANN: Yes, they really do believe that Claude Raelian is the last of the prophets and therefore, whatever he says is true. COOPER: They are known for this sensual meditation. Chantal, did you ever feel threatened in any way or sort of physically come on to?

CHANTALL POIRIER, "CALGARY SUN": Yes. A few times, because people were very insisting to hit on me. So that was confusing.

COOPER: Brigitte Boisselier is a woman who became known to many American's in the last year. She made these claims about the cloned babies. How is she viewed inside the movement by other Raelians?

MCCANN: She was this big star. People looked grateful for all the publicity that she brought to the movement and how she, because of her announcement last December, their movement was known around the world.

COOPER: They saw it as a big publicity coup?

MCCANN: For sure. They were -- they saw the publicity was very nice and they -- Claude Raelian spoke of himself and his movement as a marketing geniuses.

COOPER: Chantal, do you think they really believe, though, that there are some babies who have been cloned somewhere?

POIRIER: Some people believe it. But maybe Brigitte can answer this?

MCCANN: Personally, I don't believe it. From what I saw over there, there's no evidence whatever that they existed. The members over there don't know anything about it, don't question it. It's a taboo subject. No one talks about it. Even the leaders make fun of the media that took the story seriously and wanted proof.

COOPER: And I know, Brigitte, any time you brought it up, people sort of grew suspicious of you. Chantal, you were able to take some photos. We're able to look at some of them. Were you ever worried you were going to get discovered?

POIRIER: Yes, because I did a lot of pictures. I made 500 pictures. So some of them I made them openly, like this, to my face, open to everybody. Some of them I presented the camera was broken and then make picture and myself, and sometimes I used Brigitte as a screen to hide the camera and make the picture underneath her arm or over her shoulder.

COOPER: And what was the initiation like? I know there was an intensive program in the beginning.

MCCANN: Well, actually it was the two week that we spent with the Raelians 24 hours a day. And at one point we got interrogated just to test our faith, to see if we had really faith in the prophets.

COOPER: It's a fascinating look inside this movement. Certainly very controversial. Appreciate both of you joining us. Thank you very much. MCCANN: Thank you.

COOPER: I want to quickly point out a Raelian spokesman gave us a statement about this article in the "Calgary Sun." "The reporters misrepresented themselves when they joined the seminar. We welcomed them with open arms, but they lied about their identities. The reporter left with a very sensational approach with everything she wrote about and tried to scare people." That is what the Raelians say.

Arnold Schwarzenegger leads off tonight's "Current." Let's take a look.

It is not just Austrians beaming with testosterone-powered pride today. The hard bodies of Baghdad are rejoicing as well. Iraq's top gym changed its name from Elegant Bodies to the Arnold Classic. Nice to know water and electricity have returned not just to help rebuild Iraq, but to rebuild Iraqis' rock-hard abs.

The coolest dog at Pop's Malt Shop, the comic book character Archie is the new "it" boy in a campaign to stop teen drinking in Westchester County, New York.

Some kids reacted to the announcement with blank stares and a question, Archie who? It is believed Charlie Brown is considering becoming a teen role model as well. His name has been floated as the next poster boy for abstinence, or early childhood balding. And of course, Peppermint Patty is finally considering coming out. That's a quick check of "The Current" tonight.

Bear attack caught on tape. A researcher and his girlfriend killed in Alaska. Did he put himself at risk? Take a closer look.

Also tonight: gloves off in Phoenix. Democrats debate exclusively here on CNN. It is just a few moments away. Find out if they all have what it takes to stay in the race. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And the crowd has gathered. You are looking at a live picture from Phoenix, Arizona. Less than 20 minutes away from the Democratic presidential debate. You can see it here exclusively on CNN, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. Should be a very interesting night.

I want to tell you about a story now out of Alaska. Timothy Treadwell was a man who lived for grizzly bears. But as he wrote in his book, "Among Grizzlies," the grizzly bear is one of the very few animals remaining on Earth that can kill a human in physical combat. And that's exactly what happened to this man and his companion. The bodies of Treadwell and Amie Huguenard were discovered Monday at their campsite on an Alaskan peninsula. Police also found audiotapes of their desperate fight to survive. The tapes are not being released, but it was reported that Treadwell said this. Quote: "Come out here. I'm being killed out here," to which his companion, Huguenard, replied, "play dead." The two screamed in desperate fear as Treadwell urged his companion to strike the bear. A brown bear was discovered sitting on top of two bodies at the campsite. Experts say it is likely they were eaten by the bear. A vicious and highly unusual attack. What happened to them, we may never know.

Joining us is Jewel Palovak. She was Timothy Treadwell's close friend, colleague and co-author of his book. Jewel, I appreciate you joining us. I know it's difficult for you to be here this evening.

Your thoughts on what happened to your friend.

JEWEL PALOVAK, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, GRIZZLY PEOPLE: Well, first off, I want to say that I don't want the way that Timothy and Amie were killed to overshadow Timothy's work. He was an adventurer that lived life to the fullest. He was a preservationist. He was an educator.

COOPER: He specialized in...

PALOVAK: He was an excellent steward of our planet.

COOPER: He specialized in getting very close to these bears. There are some who said, you know, he was playing with fire. Do you think he ever thought something like this could happen? Did you talk about that with him?

PALOVAK: He knew that something like this could happen. He was a guest in the secret world of the grizzly bear. He did it with respect and the utmost safety. Yet he knew that he could be terminated.

COOPER: What do you think went wrong out there?

PALOVAK: I do not know. The tapes have not been released. I'm not sure if it was a bear that he knew. If it was a bear that he didn't know. All I can say is that I know that everything was in order, that the camp was secure and the camp was safe. And I think it was just a freak accident.

COOPER: You have accompanied him many times with bears. What was it like being with him, with these bears so close?

PALOVAK: I actually never have gone out there to Alaska. Amie was the one who was with him.

COOPER: You certainly saw his love of the bears. You've seen these videos. What drove him? Why did he do this?

PALOVAK: He had a troubled youth. He needed some direction. He took a trip, a motorcycle trip to Alaska. Had some bear encounters and felt that bears let him live. So he dedicated his life to preserve them.

COOPER: Jewel Palovak, I appreciate you coming on. I know it's tough for you to talk about your friend. We appreciate you coming in and telling us a little bit about him. Thank you very much, Jewel.

PALOVAK: You're welcome.

COOPER: The bear story brings us to tonight's "Overkill." Each week in our "Overkill" segment, we like to look at a story the media has overcovered. Overkill. This week certainly it is the week of the tiger.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): The attack on Vegas showman Roy Horn, undeniably tragic, has become, well, cable news catnip. It has all the elements for a media sensation. A celebrity struggling for life. Plenty of eye-catching video. The interest is intense. So is the hyperbole.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roy has the will of 1,000 men. And I think probably a lesser man perhaps wouldn't have gotten to this point.

COOPER: TV news loves numbers, and this story came in three. First the tiger attacked Roy Horn on Friday. Second, a tiger attacked a woman in Arizona. Third, a tiger was discovered in a New York apartment. Its owner became an instant urban folk legend, Tigerman.

It's been the week of the tiger ever since.

Animal stories are always popular. Remember the summer of the shark? How many times did you see this video? Every time a new panda appears, so do the cameras. Every time an animal escapes, we want to watch.

This gorilla recently got out of a Boston Zoo. Nobody was hurt and the coverage didn't last too long.

So the week of the tiger is almost over. But you can be sure next week some other animal will be all over our TVs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: While it certainly captivates us in the media, it is important to point out, though, that people have lost their lives, and right now Roy Horn is struggling for his.

Who has the most to gain or lose? We'll find out. The stakes are high in tonight's Democratic presidential debate. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And you are looking at a live shot from Phoenix, Arizona. The debate among the nine Democratic presidential candidates. The battle to begin in just about 9 minutes. The battle for the White House heating up from Phoenix, Arizona. 10 minutes from the debate hosted by -- moderated by Judy Woodruff.

The latest candidate to enter the Democratic presidential race Wesley Clark, may find himself getting new scrutiny at tonight's debate. As we wait for the debate to being just minutes from now in Phoenix, are joined by political analyst Carlos Watson in San Francisco and Kirsten Powers right here with me in New York. Appreciate you both for being with us.

Kirsten, let's start off with you. Is Wesley Clark going to be the focus of a lot of attention tonight?

KIRSTEN POWERS, POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I think we're going to see tonight, for as much as in the past, this has all been about talking about George Bush and not attacking each other. The more we get into the primary the more we'll see candidates going after each other.

COOPER: The last debate Clark was saying, I've only been into this for 9 days.

POWERS: Right, the last debate, it was nine days into his campaign and he was able to get away with that. And he did get a little bit of a past. I think tonight, we're going to see other candidates really going after him and making him accountable and give specific on his plans and really, really focusing heavily on him. But also focusing on Dean because Dean really is the front-runner in the early states. So they have to take that seriously. It's going to be a duel.

COOPER: Carlos, let's bring you in here. This poll in New Hampshire showing Dean in the lead. Is he still the man to beat, at least tonight?

CARLOS WATSON, POLITICAL ANALYST: He is. The poll shows Dean with 29 points. Kerry is the next closest at 19. And interestingly enough here, Anderson, Clark is only at 5. Many analysts believe that Clark has stalled and some in the Clark campaign, including the recently departed campaign manager, Donnie Fowler had talked about not only skipping not only Iowa as they said they would originally, but skipping New Hampshire.

Guess where they want to focus? Maybe on Arizona, which, of course is where the debate is being held tonight. So, this is a big debate, not only for all nine candidates, but especially for Wesley Clark. Not only because the attention will be turned on him, but because Arizona may be his first chance for a big win on February 3.

COOPER: Kirsten, we were talking about it, there's been some controversy about Wesley Clark, about some speeches he made, campaign financing. Do you think that's going to be brought up tonight? Or do you think that's not an issue they'll pursue?

POWERS: I think it's something that Lieberman might bring up. He's been brining it up. I don't know how much traction he's going to get on it. The campaign has said there's really no there. They give the money back. But, you know, it's something that Lieberman might bring up. He's been focused on it.

COOPER: Carlos, who needs to jump out tonight? Who needs to step out from the pack? WATSON: A couple of people need to do well. This is really important for John Kerry who, frankly his, campaign has stalled. He's had key people quit, Chris Lane. So, he needs to show he can do more here.

This also is an important contest. Remember, Bob Graham became the first of the 10 candidates to drop out, dropping out just last week. Bad fund-raising reports came in for almost everybody, with the exception of Howard Dean and arguably Wesley Clark.

So a number of people who are in the middle of the pack, John Kerry, Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards need to show traction here and create some buzz.

COOPER: All right. We're going to have to leave it there. Kirsten Powers, Carlos Watson, appreciate you both for joining us.

Still to come, the "Nth degree" and debating the debate. I can see both sides of this argument.

And tomorrow, women who fall for killers. Our series of life behind bars asks the question, why do they do it? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON COOPER, (S) SINCERE PARTY: Tonight, debate and democracy to the "Nth degree." Just moments from now here on CNN, you'll see the best traditions of this great land play out before your eyes. The Democratic candidates for president gathered in Phoenix, Arizona, engaging in the crucial discourse of our time.

ANDERSON COOPER, (C) CYNICAL PARTY: Just a moment here. With all due consideration to this sincere gentlemen across from me, I ask the question that all freedom-loving cynical Americans want answered. Isn't this just political kabuki, nothing more than talk?

COOPER (S): Respectfully and with respect to the cynics, my good friend represents, I say, No. No. Our founding father surly imagined a grand moment such as this. Freedom of the press in full fragrant flower. The epic clash of ideas that makes this country great.

COOPER (C); Just a moment. Isn't this just another opportunity for the candidates to robotically mouth the same tired platitudes they've been mouthing for months. And records my team uncovered just moments ago clearly show you are only taking this position, because you yourself, will soon moderate your own forum with the Democratic candidates. Isn't this just a shameless attempt at free advertising?

COOPER (S): I know cynics. Cynics are friends of mine. You, sir, are no cynic. And yes, I will be moderating a forum for Democratic presidential candidates, America Rocks the Vote, November 4 at Fanueil Hall in Boston, exactly one year before the 2004 presidential election. And yes, it does start at 7:00 pm Eastern. Simulcast on CNN Radio. But that has nothing to do with the important debate you at home are about to witness. Whether you are Sincere or Cynical or somewhere in the middle, this is democracy in action. And it starts right now.

END

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Democratic Presidential Candidates Face Off; Six Month Anniversary Of Fall Of Bagdad Sees More Violence>


Aired October 9, 2003 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): High stakes as Democratic presidential hopefuls go head to head.

Guns, porn and Nazi paraphernalia: a shocking stash in the home of a priest.

Exactly six months after the fall of Saddam, reality and rhetoric in the new Iraq.

Guarding the world's most dangerous prisoners. We take you on patrol.

Caught on tape: a couple viciously killed by grizzly bears in the Alaskan wilderness.

Two journalists under cover expose the secrets of the Raelian cult.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Hey, good evening to you. Thanks for joining us on 360. A lot going on tonight.

A surprising development today in the case of Kobe Bryant. The basketball player's defense team decided not to waive a preliminary hearing in the sexual assault case against him. The hearing is still under way right now at this moment.

CNN's Gary Tuchman has been following it all day long closely from Eagle, Colorado. He joins us now.

Gary, some shocking details discussed in court today.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There were a lot of details that were very lurid, Anderson. We do want to warn our viewers about that.

We can tell you, a short time ago, a detective with the Eagle County Sheriff's Office testified that blood was found on Kobe Bryant's T-shirt that he was wearing that night in the hotel. And the blood was tested, and the DNA results show beyond a mathematical certainty it was the blood of the alleged victim in this case.

Now, this has been going on now for about two and a half hours, this preliminary hearing. The whole purpose to see of there's probable cause to bound the case to trial. According to the detective, who has testified for much of the day today, he said this woman who worked in the hotel was excited that Kobe Bryant was coming to the hotel to be a guest, that when Kobe Bryant got there, he said he wanted a tour.

She gave him a tour of the hotel. She admits she was flirting with him. They went back to his room.

She says, according to this detective, they began kissing on the neck and on the mouth, and that was OK with her. But at that point, she says, "he began to grope her, touching her breasts and buttocks area." The detective says the woman started getting scared.

According to the detective, the woman then said that Kobe Bryant grabbed her by the neck, bent her over a chair, and then started performing sexual intercourse. The detective says the woman said, "No," she started crying, but the sexual intercourse continued for five minutes. The woman ultimately left the woman, told a bellhop about what happened, and the bellhop then followed her home.

Now, about five minutes ago, the defense began its cross- examination of this detective. During the prosecution questioning, prosecutors showed pictures. They showed one picture of a bruise on the woman's jaw, and also a picture of many lacerations on the woman's private parts.

But the defense attorney said to the detective, "How come there were no wounds on the neck," and asked the detective very specifically, "Did you look at her neck?"

He said, "Yes." "Was there a red mark?" He said, "No." "Was there a bruise?" "No."

"Was there a scratch?" "No." "Was there a finger mark?" "No." "Was there nothing?" And he said, "No."

That's the line of questioning we assume is taking place right now as defense attorneys try to zealously help their client, Kobe Bryant. One more thing we have to mention to you which caused a gasp in the court, five minutes after Pamela Mackey (ph), the defense attorney, started talking to the detective, she said the alleged victim's name. You're not allowed to do that, and she says it was an accident.

But everyone started gasping in the court. The judge said, "Please be more careful." And she said she would be more careful. This preliminary hearing is expected to last at least for a couple hours longer -- Anderson.

COOPER: Gary, how did Kobe Bryant appear in court today?

TUCHMAN: Kobe Bryant looked studied, he looked serious. He was not here with his wife. He's been paying attention all the time. Talking very little with his attorneys, who are sitting by him on the table.

COOPER: All right. Gary Tuchman following it very closely for us and we'll continue to. Thanks very much, Gary.

What impact will any of this have in the case if it ultimately goes to trial? 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle-Newsom is also in Eagle. She joins us live.

Kimberly, thanks for being with us. A lot to talk about. Basically, this detective testifying that Kobe Bryant's accuser told him that there was mutual flirting going on, that she consented to kissing, and that's about it.

How significant is that? Will that come back to hurt her in the ultimate trial?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, LEGAL ANALYST: I don't think so, because right away at that point is when she said that she needed to leave. He wanted her to stay. She asked if she could have an autograph. He said, no, when you come back later. And she had said that she was tired and she wanted to go home. And from there, we saw where things really start to change from being friendly and flirtatious, where she was flattered, to where she was actually scared and concerned and anxious to leave that actual hotel room.

COOPER: How significant is the blood evidence that was learned about in the court today on Kobe Bryant's T-shirt?

NEWSOM: It's very damaging evidence. It corroborates the victim's statements and the physical evidence that was observed on her person by the sexual assault nurses that examined her, that she had injuries to her vaginal area, some lacerations, and there was some evidence of bleeding there as well. And, as she testified, due to the nonconsensual act that occurred between herself and Kobe Bryant.

I think this is very damaging physical evidence against Kobe Bryant. It's going to be difficult for the defense to overcome. And so far, right now, the prosecution has put in a very strong case.

COOPER: I suppose the defense will argue that it happened -- this blood evidence happened even though the sex was consensual. How surprised were you, Kimberly, though, that the defense actually went ahead with this preliminary hearing?

NEWSOM: I think we were all surprised. But once we saw what Pamela Mackey (ph) was able to do in there, she's very effective, a great lawyer, and asked some pointed questions. And definitely there were some problems with the lead detective's testimony that he gave. He's already had to correct himself on some inconsistencies, refer to his notes quite a bit.

The prosecution's case could definitely have been put in better in terms of evidentiary points and issues. The defense has been able to make some points against stressing that there were no physical injuries around the neck, as Gary point out earlier. And I think that's damaging for the prosecution and dispels what people thought was going to be corroborated evidence to show that this was against her will and that he was holding her down during this act.

COOPER: So you think the defense was actually able to get across a good part of its case.

NEWSOM: Absolutely. And I think again that the prosecution's witness, the detective in this case, definitely struggled and had some problems on the stand. And those are the type of things that should be avoided through careful preparation. And unfortunately we didn't see that here today.

COOPER: All right. Well, it's still going on, cross-examining going on right now. We're going to keep following this. Kimberly Guilfoyle-Newsom, good to talk to you. We'll check in with you a little bit later on.

I want to move on to our other big story tonight, however. Less than an hour from now, about 54 minutes, to be exact, the gloves come off. The nine remaining Democratic presidential candidates face off in Phoenix. The pressure is on for candidates to try to distinguish themselves from the pack.

CNN's Dan Lothian is in Arizona with a preview. Dan, good evening.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good evening, Anderson. I want to give you a sense of what's happening outside the venue tonight.

To my left, camera right, a lot of protesters and also supporters of the candidates out here. From the protesters, we see signs about education, health care, and trade. And of course, the supporters of the various candidates, some of whom have already arrived here, taken a few moments to shake hands with the crowd. We saw John Kerry and Howard Dean stop and talk to some of the members -- supporters here in the crowd out in front of the venue.

One of the things that we will see tonight, when you hear it from the experts and strategists who have been following this campaign up to this point, is that we will probably see the candidates focusing more on Wesley Clark. As you might remember, the last debate in New York, every time he was asked a question about specific issues, where he stood on specific issues, he usually took a pass, saying that he had only been in the race for a few days, did not have a lot of time to develop his platform, but would be doing so. What is expected tonight is that the candidates will specifically go after him.

Now, this all comes as the latest CNN-"USA Today" Gallup Poll of registered Democrats shows that Clark is leading the pack with 21percent, Dean with 16 percent. Kerry and Lieberman are at 13 percent, and Gephardt with 8 percent.

One other issue of course that no doubt will be addressed today will be the war in Iraq. President Bush was in New Hampshire today defending his position of sending troops into Iraq. Today, Howard Dean was at Arizona State University talking to a crowd, a rally there, and saying that what President Bush did was wrong and his words "As commander in chief, I would not send troops into combat without telling the American people the whole truth about what's going on."

So no doubt tonight it will be an interesting night. As you mentioned, gloves coming off on the issues of the war in Iraq. Some other common issues as well, as health care, education, and specifically for this area, immigration and trade -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Dan, thanks very much. I just want to clarify, that poll you showed, that was a nationwide poll, wasn't it, Dan?

LOTHIAN: That's correct.

COOPER: OK, great. Not the local poll. Thanks very much, Dan.

The debate is moderated by CNN's own Judy Woodruff. You can catch it all right here live on CNN. Live coverage begins 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

A late story coming into us tonight from Gaza. Witnesses and Palestinian sources say hundreds of Israeli tanks were rolling into the Gaza city of Rafa (ph). The sources also say the Israeli Apache helicopters were flying overhead, with machinegun fire directed into some parts of the city streets. Bulldozers, other vehicles are said to be moving along with the tanks.

All right. Let's quickly check other stories right now around the globe. Here's the "UPLINK."

Ramallah, West Bank: doctors are strongly denying reports the Palestinian Authority president is seriously ill. An aide says the 74-year-old Arafat has only a minor stomach ailment, responding, of course, to -- they say it's responding to treatment. They say he did not suffer a mild heart attack and is not being treated for stomach cancer, as some news reports claim.

La Paz, Bolivia: violent clashes. Military troops and hundreds of protesters battle over calls for the resignation of Bolivia's president. This is the 11th day of a general strike. At least one person died.

London, England: Catholic Church and condoms. The BBC reports that Roman Catholics in some countries worse hit by the AIDS virus are getting some bad advice, being told by the Church that condoms shouldn't be used because they don't prevent transmission of HIV because they are not guaranteed to block sperm. The Roman Catholic Church opposes any form of artificial contraception.

And Loch Ness, Scotland: underwater marathon. Lloyd Scott (ph) walked 26 miles along the lake bottom. Apparently it took him 12 days. He was raising money for kids with leukemia. By the way, no sighting of the sea monster.

And that is tonight's "UPLINK."

A case of unholy harassment: a priest busted with guns and porn. Find out why he was reportedly making obscene calls to a Catholic school.

Plus, was cloning humans all a hoax? They are back, the Raelians. We'll take you under cover with the Raelians. Find out what is really driving the rather bizarre group.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let him out, Rick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: And cellblock reality. We'll take you inside a maximum security prison as part of our weeklong series: "Sex, Violence and Favors: Life Behind Bars."

First, let's take a look at the top stories on tonight's network evening newscasts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, you all know the Democrats have been campaigning heavily in New Hampshire. Today, President Bush showed up in the state. The campaign style appearance is part of a White House push to reinforce support for the president's policies in Iraq. Mr. Bush defended his decision to have U.S. troops drive Saddam Hussein out of power.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I acted because I was not about to leave the security of the American people in the hands of a madman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: A couple other Iraq-related stories. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is rarely at a loss for words. But he canceled a scheduled news conference today, and some sources say it's because he wanted to avoid more questions about his dealings with National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

President Bush recently appointed Rice head of his Iraq Stabilization Group, while Rumsfeld said he wasn't consulted about the appointment. He is shrugging off assertions the move has in any way diminished his status.

COOPER: In Iraq, there was more bloodshed on the streets of Baghdad. Today, an anniversary of sorts. It has been exactly six months since Baghdad fell. Six months since American troops reached the center of the city and that statue came tumbling down.

Today, a suicide car bomb outside a police station killed eight Iraqi officers, wounded 32 others. A grenade attack killed a U.S. soldier, and a Spanish official was shot to death outside his home. CNN's Jane Arraf has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): A new day, a new attack. This one an apparent suicide bomb at an Iraqi police station. It's the first of its kind in a sprawling Shia Muslim neighborhood. It used to be called Saddam City but was one of the places where he was most hated.

Six months after the fall of the regime, the attack seems a deliberate reminder that nowhere is safe. "Where is security," asks street vendor Nejja Natullah (ph)? "The coalition forces patrol around and say that security is in place when it's not. Whether you sit at home or go to work, you just feel insecure."

Then the so-called Sunni Muslim triangle around Baghdad where millions of Iraqi live, peace is elusive for Iraqis and for U.S. troops who never expected to be here this long. Iraqis have made accommodations. Brides pass through security and barbed wire to get to their honeymoon hotels.

Things are better than immediately after the war. Hospitals and schools looted floor to ceiling have reopened. As this engineer makes clear, what they tend to think about the U.S. is complicated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know that Saddam, he wasn't a good man. He was a dictator. He was a criminal. But I don't think that it justifies the -- that they come here and occupy our country.

ARRAF: Criticism of authorities that in Saddam Hussein's Iraq could never have been uttered.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARRAF: Now, there's no doubt that Iraqis are freer, and there's no doubt there are small signs that some things are improving. But these attacks today, daring and different, are perhaps an even bigger sign that this is still a very troubled place -- Anderson.

COOPER: A very dangerous place. Jane Arraf, thanks very much for that from Baghdad

A lot happening "Cross Country" tonight to tell you about.

Galveston, Texas: remarkable rescue. CNN affiliate KHOU is reporting a woman fell out of a shrimp boat into the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night. She apparently remained in the water 24 hours before she found an abandoned oilrig, the one you just saw, reportedly painted "SOS" on the platform. Someone, not sure who, saw it, and the Coast Guard came to the rescue. That's the platform right there.

Let's go to Detroit, Michigan: FBI flip-flop. The FBI rescinds its award for exceptional public service of this man, a Muslim activist, Ahmad Hamad (ph). Hamad (ph) is regional director of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Sources say the problem isn't with him, but with some of his associates.

Near Bakersfield, California: Chong's bongs. Actor Tommy Chong is behind bars serving nine months for conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia over the Internet. His attorneys are trying to get him out while the sentence is appealed. They figure, eh, six month house arrest is about all he deserves.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: moving day for the liberty bell. The 250-year-old cracked symbol of democracy was wheeled across Philadelphia's Independence Mall this morning, hoisted into its new home. The transfer is part of a $314 million makeover at the mall.

That's a quick look "Cross Country."

Well, Catholic Church officials in New York say they are shocked by the allegations against a 64-year-old priest. Reverend John Johnston -- that's his name -- he's been charged with aggravated harassment, weapons possession, and possession of stolen property. And the police who arrested him say they found Nazi paraphernalia and pornography in his apartment. It all began with some disturbing phone calls.

Deborah Feyerick has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors say the calls made by the priest were vulgar, filled with curses and obscenities. So why did 64-year-old Reverend John Johnston allegedly do it? Police don't know. What they say is, in the last two months, Johnston made at least eight harassing calls to the principal of Brooklyn's Bishop Lawkland (ph) High School.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you go to Catholic school, you know, you're not expecting a priest to do that.

FEYERICK: The harassing phone calls led police to Johnston's apartment. Police say they found Nazi materials; flags, daggers and helmets, according to one source, plus a stash of gay porn, three guns -- one of them unlicensed -- and a bushel of cash. But his lawyer says Johnston is a World War II buff and also has British, American and Russian memorabilia. He says the unlicensed gun is registered not in New York, but in New Jersey, and notes that possessing pornography may be distasteful, but it's not illegal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His demeanor is fine, but he's upset that he's arrested, obviously.

FEYERICK: For the last 25 years, Johnston has been a visiting priest at St. Martin of Tours Church. Law enforcement sources say he stole $88,000 from parishioners. When he was arrested, Johnston told police it was his "401k plan."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's certainly going to hurt people. You know, it will hurt us. FEYERICK: Johnston recently retired from teaching English and religion at a New Jersey Catholic school. Officials at the all-boy school have alerted parents and offered counseling. The Newark Archdiocese says Johnston has no records of charges or complaints.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And Deborah Feyerick joins us right now. Deb, certainly the Nazi paraphernalia, the porn, it's all titillating. I guess the real issue for law enforcement is the money.

FEYERICK: That's the big issue. It's almost $90,000. And Johnston is maintaining that the money wasn't just sitting around in his apartment, that it wasn't in a big bag. That, in fact, it was not visible.

And that's a big issue, because if police went in there and they didn't have a search warrant, if they got it without a search warrant, then it could be inadmissible. So right now the lawyers are fighting back to say, you know, the cops are making it seem like it's much more than it really is.

COOPER: All right. Deborah Feyerick, thanks very much.

Still a lot ahead. Life behind bars, just how brutal is it? We'll take you inside a maximum security prison.

Also tonight, they claim to clone humans. We'll take you undercover into the bizarre world of the Raelians.

And a little bit later: eaten alive by a bear. A famous researcher and his girlfriend mauled in Alaska, all caught on tape. Find out just what went wrong.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And you are looking at a live picture right now from Phoenix, Arizona. Less than an hour away, about 35 minutes away from the Democratic Presidential debate. You can watch it here exclusively on CNN, 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. CNN's Judy Woodruff will be moderating it.

We continue with our weeklong look at life behind bars. All this week we've focused on prisoners. Now you are about to meet one of the nation's nearly half-million corrections officers, men and women with some of the toughest, most dangerous jobs imaginable.

This week, we got an exclusive look inside a maximum security prison in Trenton, New Jersey. A violent place where Officer Deanicio Pagan (ph) puts his life on the line every day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let him out, Rick. Sound off.

DEANICIO PAGAN, CORRECTIONS OFFICER: I love New Jersey State Prison because this is the max. This is the last stop on the A train. Anything that can go wrong, it will go wrong here.

COOPER (voice-over): Forty-four year old corrections officer, Deanicio Pagan (ph), has seen it all. The maximum security state prison in New Jersey is home to nearly 2,000 murderers, robbers and rapists, the most violent inmates in the system.

PAGAN: You've got from five years to 220 years around here. The worst of the worst. They really could care less about you.

You know a guy doing 220 years, so what if he stabs you? So they take him back to court. What are they going to give him, more time?

COOPER: Officer Pagan (ph) and his partner handle as many as 99 inmates by themselves. Inside the cellblocks they don't carry any weapons.

PAGAN: Once you break that door, your life is in your hands. You are totally unarmed.

PAGAN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is this bell right here. This bell is a whistle on my chest.

Attention in the area.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

PAGAN: Whenever that button is pressed, your heart starts to race. Your adrenaline starts running, because you really don't know who is involved in this call. It can be an inmate, an inmate attack, it could also be one of us being assaulted. So that's the panic button for us.

COOPER: Some 32,000 corrections officers were assaulted by inmates nationwide last year. Prisons are overcrowded. Officials struggle to maintain control.

PAGAN: The west compound. We call it the wild, wild west.

COOPER: There are parts of this prison Officer Pagan (ph) never enters alone.

PAGAN: That's their world out there. That yard out there, that's their world. We try to go in there as deeply prepared as possible. As you can see, there's too much to handle with 150- something officers on a shift. We have 200, 300 inmates in that yard. It's not that easy to get there.

COOPER: For Officer Pagan (ph), every day is a battle, every moment could be fatal. Inside this prison, he says, there is no such thing as a good day.

PAGAN: Hey man, what? They want to know who the killers are. What do you want me to do?

There is a bad day every day. It goes through out of hand and we neutralize it back to bad. If you're going to feel that this is OK and this is a walk in the park, I think you are in the wrong line of business.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): Two journalists under cover expose the secrets of the Raelian cult.

And a deadly grizzly bear attack caught on tape.

We'll be right back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Less than half an hour away from the Democratic presidential debate. Let's show you a live shot right now. Nine candidates are going to be taking the gloves off in Phoenix, Arizona, right in this hall. You can watch it exclusively here on CNN. First, let's take a look at tonight's "Reset."

Eagle, Colorado testimony continues. That's a live shot right outside the hearing room where it is going on at this moment. The preliminary hearing into rape charges against Kobe Bryant continues. Details of that just ahead.

Washington, Gitmo controversy. The Supreme Court is being asked to consider the government's treatment of terrorism suspects detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Several friend (ph) of the court briefs have been filed, saying the detainment policy violates the Constitution, the Geneva accords and international law.

Fairfax, Virginia insanity. That's what lawyers for accused Washington area sniper Lee Boyd Malvo say they will argue. Not guilty by reason of insanity. They say Malvo was indoctrinated by his coconspirator John Allen Mohammed.

Washington, Robertsons's remarks. The State Department is protesting remarks by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson. Apparently during an interview on his cable television show, Robertson asked a guest whether the State Department should be blown up with a nuclear device.

Atlanta, snubbing out smokes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes regularly is down slightly. The percentage of black men who smoke has fallen to 27 percent. That's about the same as white men.

And that is tonight's "Reset."

Right now let's go back to the top story the evening. The preliminary hearing in the sexual assault case against Kobe Bryant. There has been some graphic testimony today. CNN national correspondent Gary Tuchman is our man on the story. He joins us now live. Gary what's the latest? GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, this alleged crime occurred exactly 100 days ago. In the last two hours, we've learned far more about the prosecution evidence than we have over the past 99-plus days.

Here's the notable prosecution evidence we've heard in the last couple of hours. No cameras allowed inside that's why we need to tell you. First of all, according to the prosecution, the woman, the 19- year-old accuser did, indeed, flirt with Kobe Bryant when he came to the hotel where she worked, did indeed, kiss him consensually.

But the prosecution says, that's where the consensualness stopped. At that point, according to the accuser, and relayed today by a detective with the sheriff's office, Kobe Bryant held the woman's neck with two hands, forced her to bend over a chair and then had sexual intercourse with her.

Now, according to the prosecution, blood has been found on Kobe Bryant's shirt. That blood, with DNA testing done on it, is the woman's blood, according to the detectives.

One other thing, the defense just started its cross-examination. The defense said, if her neck was being held by Kobe Bryant, they asked the detective, why were there no marks? No red marks, no scratches, no finger marks? The detective said there were no marks whatsoever.

They did show injuries to her private area and an injury to her jaw. It should last another hour or two before the judge calls it off per the night. He'll make a decision at a later date whether there is probable cause to bound this case over to trial -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, we'll continue following this very closely in the next half hour. Gary Tuchman, thanks very much.

Quick news note for you now. How Americans perceive sexual assault may play an important role if Kobe Bryant ever faces a jury. The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault conducted a statewide poll last year. While most people said no means no, 40 percent believe that allowing touching under the clothes amounts to consent to intercourse. 22 percent thought that agreeing to go back to someone's home after a date was a sign of consent, and 21 percent said a woman can't claim she was raped unless she actively fought off the sexual advance. There was no significant difference in the responses between men and women to these questions. Perceptions among some Americans.

How quickly we forget. Next, our chance to update you on a story that once was everywhere and then vanished into the cable news ether. We got an e-mail from a viewer asking whatever happened to the Raelians? Now, how could anyone forget those fun-loving Raelians who late last year claimed to have claimed a baby.

Baby Eve will turn out one pretty soon, right? Right.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COOPER (voice-over): Let's be honest. The TV news business lunged for the Raelians like a junkie getting his stash after a few days in detox.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: A controversial claim has the medical world on edge today.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Clone A, that's the company that claims to have create the first human clone.

TUCKER CARLSON, HOST "CROSSFIRE": The cloning lady. She just testified under oath that the clones are real.

COOPER: The plotline was hard to resist. So was the cast of characters. Rael, who became a one-day style-icon with his Nehru meets Star Trek outfit. He was the spiritual leader of the group who believed cloning will bring us closer to our true alien ancestors.

Then there was Brigitte Boisselier: follower, muse and chief scientist, who told the world that the Raelians had succeeded with their grand cloning experiment. Finally, the baby Eve. Supposedly living in Israel.

Now we in the media were all over this story. Can't deny that. But we weren't the gullible dupes some made us out to be.

(on-camera): Yes, the human cloning -- Anderson.

Thanks, Anderson.

(voice-over): No proof was ever provided. No babies brought forth. The story seemed to disappear. The most we saw of the Raelians after that was, well too much of the Raelians frankly. They staged a small naked protest of the war in Iraq. We have a request for the Raelians. Put your clothes back on and bring us the cloned baby you promised. We're waiting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, it could be a very long wait. Two journalists say they infiltrated the Raelians over a nine-month period and say low- level members still seem believe that baby Eve, like the truth, is somewhere out there. Earlier I spoke with reporter Brigitte McCann and photographer Chantal Poirier of the "Calgary Sun" in Canada. I asked them what surprised them most about the Raelians?

BRIGITTE MCCANN, "CALGARY SUN": Probably the way they are indoctrinated and believe every word, every single word that Claude Raelian says.

COOPER: They do believe it? Everything about the UFOs, the sensual meditation, all of it?

MCCANN: Yes, they really do believe that Claude Raelian is the last of the prophets and therefore, whatever he says is true. COOPER: They are known for this sensual meditation. Chantal, did you ever feel threatened in any way or sort of physically come on to?

CHANTALL POIRIER, "CALGARY SUN": Yes. A few times, because people were very insisting to hit on me. So that was confusing.

COOPER: Brigitte Boisselier is a woman who became known to many American's in the last year. She made these claims about the cloned babies. How is she viewed inside the movement by other Raelians?

MCCANN: She was this big star. People looked grateful for all the publicity that she brought to the movement and how she, because of her announcement last December, their movement was known around the world.

COOPER: They saw it as a big publicity coup?

MCCANN: For sure. They were -- they saw the publicity was very nice and they -- Claude Raelian spoke of himself and his movement as a marketing geniuses.

COOPER: Chantal, do you think they really believe, though, that there are some babies who have been cloned somewhere?

POIRIER: Some people believe it. But maybe Brigitte can answer this?

MCCANN: Personally, I don't believe it. From what I saw over there, there's no evidence whatever that they existed. The members over there don't know anything about it, don't question it. It's a taboo subject. No one talks about it. Even the leaders make fun of the media that took the story seriously and wanted proof.

COOPER: And I know, Brigitte, any time you brought it up, people sort of grew suspicious of you. Chantal, you were able to take some photos. We're able to look at some of them. Were you ever worried you were going to get discovered?

POIRIER: Yes, because I did a lot of pictures. I made 500 pictures. So some of them I made them openly, like this, to my face, open to everybody. Some of them I presented the camera was broken and then make picture and myself, and sometimes I used Brigitte as a screen to hide the camera and make the picture underneath her arm or over her shoulder.

COOPER: And what was the initiation like? I know there was an intensive program in the beginning.

MCCANN: Well, actually it was the two week that we spent with the Raelians 24 hours a day. And at one point we got interrogated just to test our faith, to see if we had really faith in the prophets.

COOPER: It's a fascinating look inside this movement. Certainly very controversial. Appreciate both of you joining us. Thank you very much. MCCANN: Thank you.

COOPER: I want to quickly point out a Raelian spokesman gave us a statement about this article in the "Calgary Sun." "The reporters misrepresented themselves when they joined the seminar. We welcomed them with open arms, but they lied about their identities. The reporter left with a very sensational approach with everything she wrote about and tried to scare people." That is what the Raelians say.

Arnold Schwarzenegger leads off tonight's "Current." Let's take a look.

It is not just Austrians beaming with testosterone-powered pride today. The hard bodies of Baghdad are rejoicing as well. Iraq's top gym changed its name from Elegant Bodies to the Arnold Classic. Nice to know water and electricity have returned not just to help rebuild Iraq, but to rebuild Iraqis' rock-hard abs.

The coolest dog at Pop's Malt Shop, the comic book character Archie is the new "it" boy in a campaign to stop teen drinking in Westchester County, New York.

Some kids reacted to the announcement with blank stares and a question, Archie who? It is believed Charlie Brown is considering becoming a teen role model as well. His name has been floated as the next poster boy for abstinence, or early childhood balding. And of course, Peppermint Patty is finally considering coming out. That's a quick check of "The Current" tonight.

Bear attack caught on tape. A researcher and his girlfriend killed in Alaska. Did he put himself at risk? Take a closer look.

Also tonight: gloves off in Phoenix. Democrats debate exclusively here on CNN. It is just a few moments away. Find out if they all have what it takes to stay in the race. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And the crowd has gathered. You are looking at a live picture from Phoenix, Arizona. Less than 20 minutes away from the Democratic presidential debate. You can see it here exclusively on CNN, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. Should be a very interesting night.

I want to tell you about a story now out of Alaska. Timothy Treadwell was a man who lived for grizzly bears. But as he wrote in his book, "Among Grizzlies," the grizzly bear is one of the very few animals remaining on Earth that can kill a human in physical combat. And that's exactly what happened to this man and his companion. The bodies of Treadwell and Amie Huguenard were discovered Monday at their campsite on an Alaskan peninsula. Police also found audiotapes of their desperate fight to survive. The tapes are not being released, but it was reported that Treadwell said this. Quote: "Come out here. I'm being killed out here," to which his companion, Huguenard, replied, "play dead." The two screamed in desperate fear as Treadwell urged his companion to strike the bear. A brown bear was discovered sitting on top of two bodies at the campsite. Experts say it is likely they were eaten by the bear. A vicious and highly unusual attack. What happened to them, we may never know.

Joining us is Jewel Palovak. She was Timothy Treadwell's close friend, colleague and co-author of his book. Jewel, I appreciate you joining us. I know it's difficult for you to be here this evening.

Your thoughts on what happened to your friend.

JEWEL PALOVAK, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, GRIZZLY PEOPLE: Well, first off, I want to say that I don't want the way that Timothy and Amie were killed to overshadow Timothy's work. He was an adventurer that lived life to the fullest. He was a preservationist. He was an educator.

COOPER: He specialized in...

PALOVAK: He was an excellent steward of our planet.

COOPER: He specialized in getting very close to these bears. There are some who said, you know, he was playing with fire. Do you think he ever thought something like this could happen? Did you talk about that with him?

PALOVAK: He knew that something like this could happen. He was a guest in the secret world of the grizzly bear. He did it with respect and the utmost safety. Yet he knew that he could be terminated.

COOPER: What do you think went wrong out there?

PALOVAK: I do not know. The tapes have not been released. I'm not sure if it was a bear that he knew. If it was a bear that he didn't know. All I can say is that I know that everything was in order, that the camp was secure and the camp was safe. And I think it was just a freak accident.

COOPER: You have accompanied him many times with bears. What was it like being with him, with these bears so close?

PALOVAK: I actually never have gone out there to Alaska. Amie was the one who was with him.

COOPER: You certainly saw his love of the bears. You've seen these videos. What drove him? Why did he do this?

PALOVAK: He had a troubled youth. He needed some direction. He took a trip, a motorcycle trip to Alaska. Had some bear encounters and felt that bears let him live. So he dedicated his life to preserve them.

COOPER: Jewel Palovak, I appreciate you coming on. I know it's tough for you to talk about your friend. We appreciate you coming in and telling us a little bit about him. Thank you very much, Jewel.

PALOVAK: You're welcome.

COOPER: The bear story brings us to tonight's "Overkill." Each week in our "Overkill" segment, we like to look at a story the media has overcovered. Overkill. This week certainly it is the week of the tiger.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): The attack on Vegas showman Roy Horn, undeniably tragic, has become, well, cable news catnip. It has all the elements for a media sensation. A celebrity struggling for life. Plenty of eye-catching video. The interest is intense. So is the hyperbole.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roy has the will of 1,000 men. And I think probably a lesser man perhaps wouldn't have gotten to this point.

COOPER: TV news loves numbers, and this story came in three. First the tiger attacked Roy Horn on Friday. Second, a tiger attacked a woman in Arizona. Third, a tiger was discovered in a New York apartment. Its owner became an instant urban folk legend, Tigerman.

It's been the week of the tiger ever since.

Animal stories are always popular. Remember the summer of the shark? How many times did you see this video? Every time a new panda appears, so do the cameras. Every time an animal escapes, we want to watch.

This gorilla recently got out of a Boston Zoo. Nobody was hurt and the coverage didn't last too long.

So the week of the tiger is almost over. But you can be sure next week some other animal will be all over our TVs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: While it certainly captivates us in the media, it is important to point out, though, that people have lost their lives, and right now Roy Horn is struggling for his.

Who has the most to gain or lose? We'll find out. The stakes are high in tonight's Democratic presidential debate. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: And you are looking at a live shot from Phoenix, Arizona. The debate among the nine Democratic presidential candidates. The battle to begin in just about 9 minutes. The battle for the White House heating up from Phoenix, Arizona. 10 minutes from the debate hosted by -- moderated by Judy Woodruff.

The latest candidate to enter the Democratic presidential race Wesley Clark, may find himself getting new scrutiny at tonight's debate. As we wait for the debate to being just minutes from now in Phoenix, are joined by political analyst Carlos Watson in San Francisco and Kirsten Powers right here with me in New York. Appreciate you both for being with us.

Kirsten, let's start off with you. Is Wesley Clark going to be the focus of a lot of attention tonight?

KIRSTEN POWERS, POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I think we're going to see tonight, for as much as in the past, this has all been about talking about George Bush and not attacking each other. The more we get into the primary the more we'll see candidates going after each other.

COOPER: The last debate Clark was saying, I've only been into this for 9 days.

POWERS: Right, the last debate, it was nine days into his campaign and he was able to get away with that. And he did get a little bit of a past. I think tonight, we're going to see other candidates really going after him and making him accountable and give specific on his plans and really, really focusing heavily on him. But also focusing on Dean because Dean really is the front-runner in the early states. So they have to take that seriously. It's going to be a duel.

COOPER: Carlos, let's bring you in here. This poll in New Hampshire showing Dean in the lead. Is he still the man to beat, at least tonight?

CARLOS WATSON, POLITICAL ANALYST: He is. The poll shows Dean with 29 points. Kerry is the next closest at 19. And interestingly enough here, Anderson, Clark is only at 5. Many analysts believe that Clark has stalled and some in the Clark campaign, including the recently departed campaign manager, Donnie Fowler had talked about not only skipping not only Iowa as they said they would originally, but skipping New Hampshire.

Guess where they want to focus? Maybe on Arizona, which, of course is where the debate is being held tonight. So, this is a big debate, not only for all nine candidates, but especially for Wesley Clark. Not only because the attention will be turned on him, but because Arizona may be his first chance for a big win on February 3.

COOPER: Kirsten, we were talking about it, there's been some controversy about Wesley Clark, about some speeches he made, campaign financing. Do you think that's going to be brought up tonight? Or do you think that's not an issue they'll pursue?

POWERS: I think it's something that Lieberman might bring up. He's been brining it up. I don't know how much traction he's going to get on it. The campaign has said there's really no there. They give the money back. But, you know, it's something that Lieberman might bring up. He's been focused on it.

COOPER: Carlos, who needs to jump out tonight? Who needs to step out from the pack? WATSON: A couple of people need to do well. This is really important for John Kerry who, frankly his, campaign has stalled. He's had key people quit, Chris Lane. So, he needs to show he can do more here.

This also is an important contest. Remember, Bob Graham became the first of the 10 candidates to drop out, dropping out just last week. Bad fund-raising reports came in for almost everybody, with the exception of Howard Dean and arguably Wesley Clark.

So a number of people who are in the middle of the pack, John Kerry, Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards need to show traction here and create some buzz.

COOPER: All right. We're going to have to leave it there. Kirsten Powers, Carlos Watson, appreciate you both for joining us.

Still to come, the "Nth degree" and debating the debate. I can see both sides of this argument.

And tomorrow, women who fall for killers. Our series of life behind bars asks the question, why do they do it? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON COOPER, (S) SINCERE PARTY: Tonight, debate and democracy to the "Nth degree." Just moments from now here on CNN, you'll see the best traditions of this great land play out before your eyes. The Democratic candidates for president gathered in Phoenix, Arizona, engaging in the crucial discourse of our time.

ANDERSON COOPER, (C) CYNICAL PARTY: Just a moment here. With all due consideration to this sincere gentlemen across from me, I ask the question that all freedom-loving cynical Americans want answered. Isn't this just political kabuki, nothing more than talk?

COOPER (S): Respectfully and with respect to the cynics, my good friend represents, I say, No. No. Our founding father surly imagined a grand moment such as this. Freedom of the press in full fragrant flower. The epic clash of ideas that makes this country great.

COOPER (C); Just a moment. Isn't this just another opportunity for the candidates to robotically mouth the same tired platitudes they've been mouthing for months. And records my team uncovered just moments ago clearly show you are only taking this position, because you yourself, will soon moderate your own forum with the Democratic candidates. Isn't this just a shameless attempt at free advertising?

COOPER (S): I know cynics. Cynics are friends of mine. You, sir, are no cynic. And yes, I will be moderating a forum for Democratic presidential candidates, America Rocks the Vote, November 4 at Fanueil Hall in Boston, exactly one year before the 2004 presidential election. And yes, it does start at 7:00 pm Eastern. Simulcast on CNN Radio. But that has nothing to do with the important debate you at home are about to witness. Whether you are Sincere or Cynical or somewhere in the middle, this is democracy in action. And it starts right now.

END

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Democratic Presidential Candidates Face Off; Six Month Anniversary Of Fall Of Bagdad Sees More Violence>