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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Hours Until New Hampshire Primary; Opening Statements Tomorrow in Martha Stewart Trial
Aired January 26, 2004 - 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): Bouncing back? Can Dean catch Kerry in New Hampshire?
The politics of WMD. Will the former weapons inspector's disclosures matter in the race for President?
What makes political polls so suspect? Notes on who really elects a President.
Martha Stewart on trial. The jury is set. Who are the two men the case could hinge on?
We begin our special series, "Gambling Nation." Tonight, the gambling personality. Do you have it?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.
COOPER: Good evening. Welcome to 360.
Just hours away from the first vote in the New Hampshire primary, and the latest tracking poll still suggests John Kerry is the candidate with the edge. Just moments ago, this poll, released from the University of New Hampshire, chose Kerry with an 11 point advantage over Dean, 36 percent to 25 percent. Edwards in third with 13. But Clark and Lieberman are not far behind.
Our team of reporters is covering all the action on the campaign trail. CNN's Kelly Wallace is with the Kerry camp. CNN's senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley, with Dean. Dan Lothian is tracking Clark. And Jeanne Meserve is following both Edwards and Lieberman for us tonight.
Let's begin with Kelly Wallace in Derry, New Hampshire.
Kelly, Kerry is still leading in the polls. How confident is his campaign right now?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, they're cautiously optimistic. The campaign saying it hopes to win tomorrow, but also saying that the fight will not be over after New Hampshire. One top adviser saying tonight, this is just one step in the marathon for delegates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE (voice-over): A final 16-hour, seven-stop dash through New Hampshire in the air and on the ground, with John Kerry's aides saying the race will be tight and the front-runner himself going store-to-store for votes.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's go meet some people here.
WALLACE: The goal now, trying to win over the uncommitted, like Thomas Frangos, a 46-year-old construction company owner who watched Kerry in Portsmouth and later got a ride on his campaign bus.
THOMAS FRANGOS, UNDECIDED VOTER: Well, I like what he says. I have certain issues about the economy that I don't think he has addressed.
KERRY: You were in the Marines?
WALLACE: The Massachusetts senator faced some of his toughest questioning in days at a college when a Vietnam veteran asked how Kerry, a Vietnam vet himself who protested that war, could have backed the war resolution for Iraq.
KERRY: If any of you in New Hampshire believe that with my record I would have taken the authority that we were given in order to get the inspectors in and have a legitimate threat of force and go to war as a last resort, if you think I would have gone to war the way George Bush did, don't vote for me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And the campaign is also looking beyond New Hampshire, with advisers saying they have the $1.5 million needed to run advertisements in all seven of the February 3 primary states. And Senator Kerry's first stop after New Hampshire will be Missouri, the biggest delegate prize in the next round of primaries -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Kelly Wallace, thanks very much. Get indoors now, Kelly. It's cold there in New Hampshire.
Howard Dean is chasing Kerry, hoping for a New Hampshire comeback. The negative attention from last week's Iowa loss seems to have faded for Dr. Dean. We get the latest now from CNN senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His cold is gone, his wife is still here, and his standing in the polls is better. Howard Dean seems to have his campaign legs back.
HOWARD DEAN (D), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Where was John Kerry when George Bush was giving out all this misinformation about Saddam having something to do with al Qaeda? He was voting in favor of the war, and it turned out all the reasons the president gave us were not true. Foreign policy expertise depends on patients and judgment. I question Senator Kerry's judgment.
CROWLEY: He is back on offense. The question is whether he's moving fast enough to catch John Kerry.
DEAN: If you want to change America, then I need your vote tomorrow. I need your help.
CROWLEY: The campaign says it has money enough to get through March. But a New Hampshire loss would be hard on the coffers. Losing Iowa was expensive. Dean hoped to clear the field early. Instead, he has spent more than expected in the Hawkeye State, then flew east to pump money into New Hampshire.
DEAN: I'm Howard Dean, and I approved this message.
CROWLEY: According to ad consultants for CNN, Dean has spent at least $1.1 million on advertising in New Hampshire this past week. Half a million more than anybody else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY: Late in the day, Anderson, the Kerry campaign responded to Howard Dean's attack on Kerry's judgment. The campaign put out a press release saying they're surprised that Dean would raise the issue of judgment given his "erratic statements during the course of the campaign." It also said that New Hampshire voters are going to see Dean's words for what they are, a last desperate attack -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Candy Crowley in Manchester. Thanks, Candy.
Well, Clark hit the campaign trail hard today with 11 events. And along the way, had to backtrack for some comments he made against his opponents.
CNN's Dan Lothian reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WESLEY CLARK (D), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You guys are up here early, huh?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He skipped Iowa to build his base of support in New Hampshire. But Retired General Wesley Clark is struggling in the polls with just hours to go before the primary. Saying he's pleased with his campaign, Clark stepped up his pitch as the outsider.
CLARK: I'm not part of the problems in Washington. I have never taken money from lobbyists. I have never cut a deal. I've never run for votes.
LOTHIAN: In a grueling final-day push, the retired general is visiting all of the state's 10 counties, shaking hands, making short speeches, answering questions, then hitting the road. But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Dogged for weeks by reports of missteps, Clark was forced to clarify this statement made in a restaurant in Keene, New Hampshire.
CLARK: Unlike all the rest of the people in this race, I did grow up poor.
I overstated that. And I apologize.
LOTHIAN: Then Clark appeared to be taking a swipe at Yale grads, Kerry, Dean, Lieberman and Bush with this statement...
CLARK: I didn't go to Yale. My parents couldn't have afforded to send me there.
LOTHIAN: ... explained it this way.
CLARK: I'm just trying to talk about myself.
LOTHIAN: Clark says voters only care about real issues, like health care, jobs, and national security.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOTHIAN: One other note on Clark. He said at one of the speeches that he made today that he paid his own way through college. At West Point, of course, the bill is paid by the government.
On a lighter note, Anderson, today joining the press on the bus was actress Drew Barrymore. She's doing a documentary, a political documentary. Of course it was a little mild distraction -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Dan Lothian, thanks very much from Concord.
Like Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards hope to sneak up on John Kerry from behind in New Hampshire. For Lieberman, this battle may be do or die.
Jeanne Meserve is in Manchester following the Lieberman and Edwards campaigns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Join me in this cause. Join me in this campaign.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Unity, optimism, opportunity. John Edwards has given this speech over and over and over again, but delivered it a few more times Monday as he tries to pull off a third place finish. As to differentiate himself from front-runner John Kerry, Edwards tried to adhere to his credo of not directly attacking fellow Democrats.
EDWARDS: If we want real change in America, real change in Washington, it is my belief that it takes somebody who is not a Washington insider to do that. MESERVE: Edwards' crowds were large. And the candidate hopes that means a strong finish.
EDWARDS: You give me a shot at George Bush and I will give you the White House.
MESERVE: Meanwhile, Joe Lieberman scoured New Hampshire to find and convert Independent voters, including those who lean Republican.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The Independents will play a critical role for me tomorrow. I'm counting on them.
MESERVE: Polls show Lieberman well back in the pack. The candidate insists he will do better than expected but won't define what it means.
(on camera): So all those people are saying Joe Lieberman is toast. What is Joe Lieberman saying?
LIEBERMAN: Yes. Joe Lieberman is a loaf of bread that continues to rise. No toast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: Lieberman's staff is insisting he will go on to compete in the next round of primaries, no matter what happens here tomorrow -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Jeanne Meserve, thanks from Manchester.
Now to tonight's "Buzz" question. Is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? What do you think? Vote now, cnn.com/360. We're going to have the results at the end of the program tonight.
Senate Democrats today called for an independent investigation into how the U.S. intelligence community could have been so wrong about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Former chief CIA weapons inspector David Kay now says he doesn't think Saddam Hussein had any WMDs before the U.S. launched its war on Iraq. That, of course, directly contradicts President Bush's assertions made before the war that they did.
Here is David Ensor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since being replaced, weapons inspector David Kay has been talking, blaming the CIA, his employers until Friday, not the White House, for getting it wrong on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
DAVID KAY, FMR. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I actually think the intelligence community owes the president, rather than the president owing the American people. ENSOR: Administration officials liked that last comment and they liked Kay's statement that Baghdad was actively working to produce a biological weapon using the poison ricin right up until the American invasion. But a statement that he now believes no stockpiles of weapons existed in Iraq before the war has put the administration on the defensive.
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, the former dictator sits in captivity. He can no longer harbor or support terrorists.
ENSOR: Noticeably absent from the vice president's speech was the presumption he expressed only last week that weapons would be found in Iraq. And the president's spokesman, too, is no longer insisting that weapons will be found. On Capitol Hill, Democrats saw Kay's statements as another reason the intelligence committees should look into what went wrong at the CIA and at the White House.
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MINORITY LEADER: We simply cannot afford to ignore what happened, why it happened, and how we can prevent it from happening again.
REP. JANE HARMAN (D), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: The administration, I think we are now learning, selectively picked that intelligence which supported its point of view.
ENSOR: Senior administration officials said it will be up to George Tenet to provide answers if no weapons are found. The director of Central Intelligence is due on Capitol Hill for hearings in February and in March.
HARMAN: It is an election year. No one is missing it. And unfortunately, comments on both sides are fodder for the presidential campaign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR: Anderson.
COOPER: The U.S. and other intelligence agencies were essentially fooled. How is he saying that happened? What's his belief on how that happened?
ENSOR: David Kay says that he now believes that scientists were faking programs and fooling, among others, Saddam Hussein. He said there was such a corrupt system under way in Iraq and the whole thing was unraveling so fast that that was the situation. Not only did the U.S. get fooled, but so did the leader of Iraq.
COOPER: Interesting. All right. David Ensor, thanks very much.
Right now we are following a number of developing stories "Cross Country" for you. Let's take a look.
Across the Midwest and East Coast snow and ice. Unusual winter weather stretching as far south as Georgia. It's being blamed for more than two dozen deaths. It has also left thousands of people without power and caused many travel delays.
It is not over. More snow and ice on the way for tomorrow.
Los Angeles, California: Patriot Act problems. For the first time, a federal judge has called part of the Patriot Act unconstitutional. The judge struck down a section that bars giving expert advise and assistance to foreign terrorist groups. She says the wording is too vague.
Washington, D.C.: no to cow blood. The FDA is outlawing cow blood in livestock feed in response to the country's first known case of mad cow disease. And that type of feed is believed to have helped the disease spread in Britain and other countries. The FDA is also banning the use of cow brains and other parts in dietary supplements.
Pasadena, California: giddy about Mars. NASA's Opportunity rover has sent this new 180-degree image. It's hard to see on TV, I know. It shows how different grains of dust are covering the planet's surface. Scientists are examining why some gray colored grains turn red when they're squished.
I didn't know "squished" was a scientific term. Anyway, NASA also reports progress in fixing its other rover Spirit that stopped sending data last week.
That's a look at stories "Cross Country" for you tonight.
The jury is set for Martha Stewart's trial. We're gong to take a look at the two men who may make or break the government's case.
Also ahead, do you have a gambling personality? Casinos are studying what makes some of us gamble big. Find out how in part one of our special series, "Gambling Nation."
Plus, "The Passion," the surprising story of what happened during filming of the now controversial Mel Gibson movie.
All that ahead. But first, let's take a look "Inside the Box" at the top stories on tonight's network newscasts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well big news in the trial of Martha Stewart. The jury is set and opening statements start tomorrow. A jury of eight women and four men was finalized today after just five days of jury selection.
Business correspondent Allan Chernoff is following the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The jury that will sit in judgment of Martha Stewart includes a minister, a translator, computer technician, and a pharmacist who emigrated from Uganda. Martha Stewart's attorney, Robert Morvillo, initially tried to exclude the pharmacist from the jury pool, claiming she doesn't speak proper English.
Judge Miriam Cedarbaum pointed out the woman merely has an accent. Jury consultants are argued women are likely to judge Martha Stewart favorably, though some attorneys wonder.
HOWARD WILSON, ATTORNEY: And women will say it is only because she's a successful woman that they're chasing her. And as a result, they will have the kind of -- it will be helpful to her. But in my view, that just doesn't work.
CHERNOFF: Judge Cedarbaum is placing limits on Martha Stewart's defense. She ruled the defense cannot argue the government had improper motives in investigating Martha Stewart. Nor can the defense claim Stewart is being prosecuted for asserting her innocence.
The government's first witness is an official from ImClone, the company whose stock Martha Stewart sold. An officer from Merrill Lynch is set to testify second, and star witness, Douglas Faneuil, assistant to Stewart's broker, and co-defendant, Peter Bacanovic is third.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: The judge has promised coffee and muffins for the jurors at 9:30 in the morning, and opening arguments are scheduled for 10:00 Eastern Time -- Anderson.
COOPER: I assume the coffee and muffins are not provided by Martha Stewart. I guess it's provided by the judge. All right. Thanks very much.
CHERNOFF: Provided by...
COOPER: By the court? All right.
CHERNOFF: By the government. That's right.
COOPER: All right. Thanks. We'll see how good they are.
We're going to have more about the trial and some of the key players we can expect to see on the stand with 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom later on in the program tonight.
We're tracking a number of developing stories right now around the globe. Let's check the "UpLink."
Cairo, Egypt: building collapse -- terrible -- 33 people were injured when a 12-story building collapsed. Sixteen others may still be trapped in the rubble. So far, no deaths have been reported. It isn't known exactly what caused the blast.
Bangkok, Thailand: another bird flu death. Thai officials confirm that a 6-year-old boy there has died from the virus. They say 10 other human cases are suspected. Five of those people have already died. The disease has spread to Indonesia, Pakistan. Six people have died from bird flu in Vietnam. London: a knighthood for Bill Gates. Buckingham Palace says Microsoft chairman Bill Gates will receive an honorary knighthood. He's being recognized for his contribution to enterprise in Britain. But you don't have to call him "sir," in case you're wondering. The title is reserved for citizens of Britain and the Commonwealth.
Vatican City, take a look at this. The pope keeping it real. Pope John Paul II treated to an exhibition by a Polish break-dancing troop. I didn't know break-dancing was big in Poland, but apparently it is.
The pope waved his approval as dancers spun around on their heads on the Vatican's marble floors to music from a small boom box. There it is in the background. In the end, he gave them his blessing, saying, "Artistic talent is a gift from god."
And that is a look at tonight's "UpLink."
Well, in Houston today, they are getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday, an event tens of millions of Americans will watch and no doubt wager on as well. All this week on 360 we're bringing you a special series, "Gambling Nation."
Here is what you can expect.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): In 2002, it was estimated that Americans spent nearly $70 billion on gambling. That's not counting gambling's newest cash cow, the Internet. What is it that drives Americans to take such chances, knowing the odds are stacked against winning and, as the saying goes, the house always comes out ahead? All this week in our series, "Gambling Nation," we'll be examining America's love- hate relationship with gambling.
Tonight, do you have a gambling personality? Eighty percent of Americans gamble at one time or another. What is it that makes them keep coming back for more? What are the casinos doing to lure them in?
On Wednesday, we'll look at gambling's latest phenomenon, poker. Some 80 million Americans now play the game. And it is fast becoming a television sensation. We'll go behind the scenes with the world's greatest female poker player and learn a few tricks of the trade.
Thursday, some consider casinos to be a savior for states in the red. But who is actually getting rich? "TIME" Magazine estimates that the $5 billion in profits from Native American casinos would place them in the top 20 of all Fortune 500 companies. But you may think twice before letting a casino come to your back yard.
On Friday, we'll wrap up our series with a look at sports gambling. More than $380 billion is bet each year on sports events in this country. Has sports gambling our new national pastime, and is it fast becoming an out of control addiction?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: All that ahead this week. Tonight, do you have a gambling personality? That's part one of our series, "Gambling Nation." That's coming up next.
Plus, double trouble on the set of Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion."
And Howard Dean on a comeback? Our political experts in New Hampshire weigh in.
All that ahead. But first, today's "Buzz" is this: is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? Vote now, cnn.com/360. Results at the end of the program.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT REP. DE NIRO, ACTOR, "CASINO": The rule is to keep them playing and keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they lose. In the end, we get it all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That's a gambling tip from the 1995 movie "Casino" starring Robert De Niro. With the Super Bowl coming up, a lot of Americans will be placing bets. But casinos can't rely on big sports events for income. They need regular customers. And to get them, they do whatever they can to figure out who has a gambling personality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usually once a week, sometimes twice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thirty to 40 weekends a year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every weekend.
COOPER (voice-over): Regular gamblers like these are the lifeblood of casinos. Figuring out who they are and what they like can translate into big bucks. Each year some 50 million Americans gamble away $26 billion at casinos.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like the rush. I like when my heart beats fast.
COOPER: According to a congressional commission, we spend more money each year on gambling than we do on groceries? Who are these gamblers? Casinos spend a lot of time and money trying to answer that question.
Through surveys and studies, they have identified certain characteristics that make up a gambling personality. The results may surprise you. The typical gambler is a middle age woman, household income about $50,000, 20 percent higher than the overall U.S. population.
Gamblers may throw money away at casinos, but elsewhere they are stingy with their cash. Fifty-six percent are coupon clippers, 62 percent bargain shop. And as for faith, that blessing of the dice before a big roll is more likely a nod to lady luck than divine intervention. Gamblers are 11 percent less likely to attend a place of worship than non-gamblers.
Why would casinos collect such seemingly random bits of information? Well, to put it in gambling terms, it helps the house stack the odds against you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: It certainly does that. Once casinos have the informs about their customers, what do they do with it? Well, today I spoke with Bill Eadington, director of the Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada Reno. I asked him if there is actually such a thing as a gambling personality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL EADINGTON, DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR STUDY OF GAMBLING AND COMMERCIAL GAMING: Well, there are some personalities that are more prone to gambling. People who work in high-risk occupations or that have a lot of uncertainty in their occupation, such as people who work in sales, people who work in construction, small businessmen, they are all, I think, attracted to gambling.
People who are risk takers as a group, who might be more prone to experiment with alcohol and tobacco and drugs, or who are involved in exciting activities, they tend to fit the profile. Furthermore, people older, say over 40 or 45, whose children have left home and who therefore have the time and discretionary income, these tend to be very good customers for gaming operations.
COOPER: And, I mean, you read some of the techniques that casinos use to keep players. Not only get them in their door, but to keep them at the table gambling longer. It reads almost sort of like pop psychology. What are some of those tricks of the trade?
EADINGTON: Well, probably the most important single thing is food. Good food within a casino environment allows the player to stay there and not leave the physical facility. Interestingly, in jurisdictions throughout the world that have banned smoking in casinos, they find a very dramatic reduction in revenues primarily because smokers go outside and may of them do not come back in.
COOPER: On things like slot machines, I've read that some casinos sort of employ the psychological experiments of BF Skinner, a noted scientists, who did behavioral studies with rats, basically trying to figure out ways to reward slot machine goers to stay longer by giving out smaller rewards, I guess getting people to hope a big one is coming just around the corner.
EADINGTON: Yes. Well, you know, the psychology of slot machines has been well known for a number of decades. In the last five or 10 years, we have seen a real revolution among the slot machine manufacturers by developing much more entertaining games, games that have secondary games within them. Large jackpots, of course, are very attractive. A lot of suspense that can develop as a player goes for a big prize.
All of these techniques are variations of Pavlov and Skinner.
COOPER: I also understand they even study the colors that people respond to in casinos. What colors do people respond to most?
EADINGTON: They tend to respond more to warm colors. There also have been experiments with smells. The smell of money, in particular, tends to be a very attractive, positive reinforce for customers.
COOPER: There's been some talk, though, of even sort of constructing casino floors like mazes so that it's difficult for people to get around, so they kind of stay put where they are.
EADINGTON: Yes. And the trick on that is to do it in a manner where the player does not become anxious or feel apprehensive, but rather is happy to be lost and enjoys the discovery of new things around the corner.
COOPER: But it is true, very few clocks around, no windows around. And that is a very conscious effort to sort of keep people disoriented the rest of the time.
EADINGTON: Well, for the most part. There -- in recent years, because of the rampant proliferation of casinos, we now have casinos of almost every variety. But the old Las Vegas model is indeed no windows, no clocks, no indicator of day or night.
COOPER: It's a fascinating subject. Bill Eadington, we appreciate you joining us. Thanks very much.
EADINGTON: My pleasure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, gone are the days of only rolling the dice in Vegas or Atlantic City. Here's a fast fact for you. Two decades ago, only two states had legal gambling, New Jersey and Nevada. Today, 48 states have some form of legal gambling. The ones who don't, Hawaii and Utah.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): The latest polls show a shrinking lead in New Hampshire. Just who is the leader of the pack?
And lightning strikes on the set of a film about Jesus.
360 continues.
(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Here's what's happening in the next 30 minutes on 360, politics and polls. The front-runner is the middle of the pack tomorrow without a vote cast.
Can polls be trusted?
That's in "Fresh Print" coming up.
Opening statements tomorrow in the Martha Stewart trial. A mostly female jury has been picked. We'll examine the key players.
And Mel Gibson's "Passion." There's plenty of controversy surrounding the controversy on Jesus' life. There is twists you may not know about.
First, let's look at the top stories in tonight's "Reset."
All up and down the Eastern U.S. from Philadelphia to Atlanta, two winter storms have left a glaze of treacherous ice and snow. It is tough on the highways as you can see. The storm has caused wide spread school and road closings, flight delays as well, power outages, at least 28 traffic deaths.
In Washington, the budget forecast as perfect storm of federal red ink flooding the nation over the next decade. A non-partisan agency predict the deficit will reach a record $477 billion this year and accumulate to 2.4 trillion dollars between 2004 and 2013.
In Rome, Vice President Dick Cheney today thanked Italy for the supporting in the war in Iraq. And continued sending consular signals to other European nation that is did not. As he met with the Italian prime minister, you see him here, Cheney didn't answer when he was asked if intelligence on Iraq before the war was faulty.
In Buckeye, Arizona, negotiators are growing weary in the ninth day of hostage crisis. It is still going on. They believe that the two inmates holding a female guard in the tower are getting tired as well. The prisoner's released her male co-worker on Saturday.
Well, with hours to go until the polls open in New Hampshire, the candidates are in last-minute frenzy, the press is scrambling and voters are ready to play their part.
With me to handicap the race are two people who know what's like to watch a campaign come down to the wire. Donna Brazil is Al Gore's former campaign manager, she is now a CNN political analyst and Tucker Carlson, is the co-host of CNN's "CROSSFIRE" program.
Both of you appreciate you joining us.
Tucker, let me start with you. I want to look at some of these newest polling numbers from the University of New Hampshire. Kerry 36 percent, Dean 25, Edwards 13, then Clark and Lieberman. Can Howard Dean's campaign absorb a second straight loss, coming in second here? TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST "CROSSFIRE": That's likely what's going to happen. The momentum seems to be on Dean's side, but it is unlikely he will win tomorrow. That put it is back into a condition of guerrilla war, which is what I think what he used to, what he's good at. The Dean campaign is the Viet Cong. They can march 50 mile on a bowl of rice and truck tire sandals and sleep in tree. I mean, that's the sort of the way they have been operating the last year and a half. Going for him he has a really clear, crystal clear message, same as it has always been, a little toned down. The news sort of sweeter Howard Dean with his wife at his side as a prop works pretty well for him. I don't see any indication he's going to stop campaigning after a loss tomorrow and I don't see why he needs to.
COOPER: Donna, isn't Howard Dean in a little bit of a jam, because if he does come out swinging, I mean, he's in second place, If he goes on the offensive, won't people paint him as being unhinged, as being too negative, too aggressive?
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think Howard Dean has to find the right fit. Let me tell you why. He has a strong base across the country. His team is very energized. If he goes too soft and cuddly, too soon, he may lose them. He has to keep the right amount of fire under his belly, but tempered by talking about issues that matter to people. Howard Dean is still in the hunt up here. He may not come in first, but I believe he'll come in a strong second.
COOPER: Tucker, let's talk about Lieberman, lets talk about Edwards and -- can they survive a fourth place finish?
CARLSON: Kind of hard to see how they do it. I mean, Edwards is I think shooting third, and I think that's absolutely plausible, that he'll get there. And from there he moves on to South Carolina which he could very well win. John Kerry hasn't been spending a lot of time in the state. Lieberman probably -- probably is not going to rise above single digits. Who knows. Hard to see what happens after a loss like that here. But the saddest and I think most interesting story is General Clark. The rationale for his campaign sort of disappeared after Iowa. He was essentially a place holder. If you were not interested in voting for Howard Dean, if you remember the Democratic Establishment who saw Dean as a threat to your whole party, then you were for Clark. I mean, now, if you want to vote for a war hero or southerner, you have two far more experienced options. Really hard to see what happens to General Clark after tomorrow.
COOPER: Donna, do you see him dropping out?
Do you think Clark is the one to watch in terms of dropping out if he does not place in the top three?
BRAZILE: He is not going to drop out. General Clark has a lot of money to bank. They spent it well in advance of the New Hampshire primary. Look what happened was the guys came out of Iowa with momentum and took his bounce. I think General Clark will go into the south and South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Missouri and try to regroup and regain his footing. COOPER: All right. Tucker, I want to ask you -- want to show you the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallap poll showing who Democratic voters think really has the best chance of beating President Bush. Kerry, got 56 percent, Dean 16 percent, Clark 9 and the rest.
Are voters more concerned about the electability of a candidate than particular issues?
Is that what's bringing them to the polls?
Is that what makes them cast a vote or a particular candidate you think?
CARLSON: It's kind of amazing. I mean, this is a long-time argument on people that follow politics. Do voters vote tactically or strategically in the way they just suggested or do they vote for the guy they like most, who they've meet, you know, who is right on the issues. And there is growing evidence that they vote tactically. They see the ultimate goal as beating the president, and they want to vote for the person who is best able to do that. It's really clear that was behind Dean's -- sort of the collapse of his campaign in Iowa, as voters -- Democrats woke up one day and said it's been great being with you, but you are kind of unelectable. I'm going to move too to someone who can beat Bush.
COOPER: Donna, do you here that as well?
I mean, I read an account of someone giving a focus group. I think it was the Gephardt campaign was giving a focus was giving a focus group a couple weeks ago. And he found all the people in the focus groups were like little political pundits. They were all saying the electability really isn't there.
Is that true?
BRAZILE: Look, I think that's what happened to Dick Gephardt. Ultimately, they looked at him and said, you know, we voted for you 15 years ago, and look what happened you didn't go anywhere. So, we want somebody who can win, who can go the distance. And it is clear to me that as we get closer to the election, Democrats are looking for someone that can beat George Bush. They know that Dick, and you know, these Democrats support them on the issues, but they want somebody who can stand toe to toe with the president in the fall. And it says a lot about the Bush campaign. Because you know what, there are no Democrats out there to come on board the Republican campaign this fall.
COOPER: All right, we're going to leave it there. Donna Brazile, Tucker Carlson, see you guys up in New Hampshire, thanks very much for joining us tonight.
And this brings us to tonight's "Buzz" question. Is electability more important than the candidates stance on the issues?
What do you think?
Vote now right now cnn.com/360. We're going to have the results at the end of the program.
For tonight's edition of "Fresh Print," we are focusing a new polling, including a new poll from "Newsweek" that puts John Kerry on top in New Hampshire, tomorrow in the White House come February, and it may seem as maybe even an Oscar favorite next month.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: "Newsweek's" new poll showing John Kerry beating President Bush 49 to 46 percent isn't quite what it seems, not for the same reasons all polling is a little suspect, remember Howard Dean, because, ironically, surveying the national population can miss the big picture. Why, well, as 2000 reminded us, the subsequently population doesn't elect a president. The electoral college does. That's why the real issue is less how many votes they get and more where they get them. In 2000 it looked like Bush Owned most of the nation. That's an accident of geography. You get a different picture when you map states by population, not by size which we've done here. In the blue states of his, Al Gore got almost 6.5 million votes that didn't help him because they were extra votes coming on top of the margin he needed to win the state.
If he had gotten those same votes, but in Florida, West Virginia and Missouri, he would be president. So unless Kerry can convince about three million Californians and New Yorkers to move south, the only sure thing about November is that the winner's margin of victory could still be as thin as a single dangling chad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Dangling chads. Who can forget.
Now, to raw politics, where you get a chance to see just what it's like out there on the campaign trail. Not a polished message from a candidate, more of an in-your-face look at the day-to-day work of getting elected president in America. Jason Bellini has got the camera today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Kerry supporters abandoned their corner of Elm Street.
Instead of going around Wesley Clark's supporters, they marched through them.
Dennis Kucinich's supporters lay claim to a corner a block away.
BELLINI (on camera): I hate to break it to you, but you guys are outnumbered out here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So? We'll make up in enthusiasm. We've got issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been called by almighty God.
BELLINI (voice-over): The candidate who clearly has issues is Bob Haines.
(on camera): And you're running for president of what?
BOB HAINES, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president of what do you think?
BELLINI: I don't know. I've never seen you before.
HAINES: I ran for president of the United States also in 1996, campaigned in 15 states.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, sir. OK? Great.
BELLINI: Do you think talking to these people today is going to help?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course.
BELLINI: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?
BELLINI: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To tell them I support him, I flew all the way from Michigan to support. I don't fly here for nothing, right?
BELLINI (voice-over): If you hate politics, this truly is a nightmare on Elm Street.
Jason Bellini, Manchester, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: "Nightmare on Elm Street." Pretty good, Jason.
A teenager sentenced to life behind bars out of jail tonight. What led to freedom for Lionel Tate? The controversy just ahead.
Martha Stewart gets ready to plead her case. The potential legal tactics in "Justice Served."
And later, Barbara Walters makes news and a big decision. We take that move to "The Nth Degree."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for "Justice Served." A jury of eight women, four men will decide the fate of Martha Stewart and her former stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic. The panel includes a reverend, a translator and a pharmacist familiar with Stewart's recipes. Opening statements begin tomorrow. Here to talk about the trial and its key players, 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. Good to see you, Kimberly.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, 360 LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, hi, Anderson. COOPER: More women on the jury than men, does that favor Martha Stewart? Someone was saying, it does.
NEWSOM: Tough to say, but I think on balance it's going to end up favoring the defense. I think women might be more reluctant to come down hard on Martha. They see her as someone who is very independent, who is an entrepreneur, has worked hard to get to where she is, and that she's being picked on. And why are other people, specifically men in this business, not getting prosecuted and they're making a scapegoat out of her?
COOPER: In addition to the trial, they also picked six alternates for the jury. That seems like a lot to me.
NEWSOM: It is a lot of alternates. What that tells me is that we're in for a long trial, and I think they had such difficulty getting the jury, because so many people had opinions one way or the other about this case. Some people rooting Martha on as they were leaving, being excused, that they expected there may be some movement. Some people could be excused if they're expressing opinions during the pendancy of these proceedings.
COOPER: Let's talk about the two men who really are going to be key in this case. One, witness for the prosecution, Doug Faneuil, who was the assistant to Martha Stewart's stockbroker...
NEWSOM: Correct.
COOPER: ... Peter Bacanovic. He has -- he is testifying for the prosecution.
NEWSOM: Yeah. And some people think he's a hero, that he's a whistle-blower, that he is taking on Martha Stewart, this billionaire, success, and what an incredibly admirable thing. Other people think, well, he's selling out and he's turning on her and turning on Bacanovic.
COOPER: But his testimony is crucial because he's the one who supposedly had the conversation with Martha Stewart?
NEWSOM: That's correct. And he directly contradicts both Martha Stewart's and Peter Bacanovic's version of what occurred. So at the end of the day, you are either going to have to believe Martha Stewart and Peter, or you're going to believe the assistant. And that's what this comes down to. So expect them to attack his credibility hard in this case.
COOPER: And Peter Bacanovic, who is on trial with Martha Stewart, going to be sitting next to her in the same courtroom, same charges, more or less, their stories have to continue to go parallel? Or else -- I mean, if Peter Bacanovic suddenly changes his story, that could be very bad news for Martha Stewart?
NEWSOM: Well, it would be game over for Martha Stewart. He has to hold strong and hold fast. And he has. He has got a lot to lose in this case. So he's not only someone -- you know, they worked together, essentially. He worked for her. But she was also a friend of his. So he's really stood by her side. They've maintained their stories.
But again, they are going to come after him hard and say he cannot be trusted, that he does not have credibility, that he's slick and, you know, plays fast and loose with the rules here, that he altered documents all to cover this up.
COOPER: It is a fascinating world, basically, and how they're all -- I mean, this guy, Doug Faneuil, I read, got the job because, you know, a sort of society figure in New York recommended him to Peter Bacanovic, who's a big society figure in New York. It's all very...
NEWSOM: Tangled web we weave.
COOPER: It's a pretty tangled web that's been...
NEWSOM: In the Upper East Side.
COOPER: Exactly. These people weave a very tangled web.
NEWSOM: Complete with a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bag seen going into the jury selection. So a lot of comments about this, about what's right, what should she wear, relating with jurors.
COOPER: It's fascinating how interested people are in this case. The trial begins tomorrow, going to be a lot of attention. Kimberly, good to see you. Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom.
All right. Well, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a teenage killer is free tonight. Lionel Tate left prison just a couple of hours ago. Tate had served three years of a life sentence for killing a 6-year- old playmate. You may remember the case. Tate had said the death was an accident, happened as he was trying to imitate pro wrestles. With the latest, national correspondent Susan Candiotti joins us live from Ft. Lauderdale. Good evening, Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Anderson. Yes, for the first time in three years, Lionel Tate, believed to be the youngest person in Florida ever sentenced to life without parole, is indeed free, free on bond. But not completely. He is only free after an appeals court threw out his conviction for the first degree murder of Tiffany Eunick on a technicality. Again, his victim, 6- year-old Tiffany Eunick. Tate convicted of her fatal beating. His defense said he was imitating wrestling moves.
Well, instead of retrying him, which the state could have done, he and his mother agreed to plead guilty to second degree murder. Tonight, Lionel is not speaking. His mother is talking for him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHLEEN GROSSETT-TATE, LIONEL TATE'S MOTHER: I just want to thank all the people who have prayed for our family and for Tiffany's family. And just continue to pray for us, because we're going to need it. This is a new chapter in our lives. And this is going to go on forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: In court briefly today, Lionel was not asked to say anything. He will, however, on Thursday, when he will have to accept responsibility for what he did, and presumably say he is sorry.
Now, his victim's mother, disappointed that Lionel's mother keeps insisting that what happened here was an accident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEWEESE EUNICK-PAUL, VICTIM'S MOTHER: Tiffany should always be a part of that equation. Every time they look at Lionel, they should always think about Tiffany and they should always be reminded that Tiffany is not here because of Lionel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Lionel Tate at home will be wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet. Once he pleads guilty to second degree murder, he will have house arrest for one year, then have 10 years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service. He will get another chance. His victim's mother says her daughter will not.
Back to you, Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Susan in Ft. Lauderdale tonight. Thanks very much, Susan Candiotti.
We're also tracking the Hollywood buzz tonight. Regis Philbin using a lifeline, will the game show comeback? And details ahead in tonight's "Current."
Also, electrifying trouble while filming a controversial movie about Jesus. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: All right. Time to check on the pop culture "Current." Let's see what's going on. ABC is bringing Regis Philbin back to prime time with a new version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." The new episodes will air in February. No schedule for when ABC will milk it dry again.
Meredith Phillips, ABC's latest bachelorette may be a familiar face to some viewers. The model's face appeared on boxes for two microsoft programs. It is not clear whether her career will be helped or hurt by this scandalous discovery about her taboo past.
Melinda Gates met with Indian prostitutes over the weekend to discuss the spread of AIDS. Gates is perhaps the most famous person to meet with third world prostitutes since Neil Bush.
And President Bush's niece, Lauren Bush will be a special correspondent for ET's coverage of the Super Bowl. Her work starts tonight as part of the national leave no Bush child behind program.
O'Magi made a big-budget movie and people were so passionate about hating it that they denounced it without ever haveing seen it. Actor Mel Gibson has a new movie coming and it is is already getting that kind of reaction. It's a film about the last day of Jesus Christ's life. Charles Feldman has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mel Gibson spent millions of his own money to make this movie about the crucifixion. It is set to open next month on Ash Wednesday in some 2,000 theaters. But as controversy mounts, Gibson told a religious television network he is not an anti-Semite.
MEL GIBSON, ACTOR: It is ludicrous to think this. I don't want to lynch Jews. It is not what I'm about. I love them. I pray for them.
FELDMAN: The "Passion of the Christ" has only been shown to select audiences. One Jewish leader who saw it is very upset.
RABBI MARVIN HIER, SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER: There's no question the audience is going to come out there saying it was the Jews. And there we have the collective deicide issue thrown up here in the 21st century.
FELDMAN: Gibson belongs to an ultraconservative Catholic sect that does not recognize papal authority or the dictum of the second Vatican council that repudiates a blood guilt which holds all Jews responsible for Christ's death. So when a "Wall Street Journal" article claimed the pope saw the movie and proclaimed it is as it was, it seemed like a good thing for the marketing of the film. Problem is the Vatican said the pope said no such thing.
There was even a story circulating that the actor playing Jesus was struck twice by lightning while filming suggesting a sort of divine movie review. Turns out he was actually hit only once and he's fine. Charles Feldman, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Barbara Walters is making news not reporting it today. She's stepping down from her duties on "20/20." We're going to take the legend to the "Nth Degree."
For tomorrow we'll be in New Hampshire as the voting draws to a close in the nation's first primary 2004. Join us for what could be a pretty historic night.
First, today's "Buzz." Is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? What do you think? Vote now. CNN.com/360. We'll have results when we come back.
Time now for the buzz. We asked you, 's lengthability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? 34 pes yes. 66 said no. Not a scientific poll. Just your buzz.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for "The Buzz." We asked you, "is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues?" 34 percent of you said yes. 66 said no. Not a scientific poll, just your buzz. We appreciate it.
Tonight, taking Barbara Walters to the "Nth Degree." Well, that is it. After 25 years, Barbara Walters is stepping down as co-host of the ABC news magazine "20/20." This really is the end of an era. When you add the 13 years she spent before "20/20" waking the country up on NBC's "Today Show," it comes out this way. Barbara Walters has been on television at the top of her game longer than I have been alive. She made history against tough odds becoming the first female network evening news anchor in 1976 and she's pretty much been making history ever since.
Extraordinary interviews and questions it seemed only she could ask, often moving her subject to tears, if they knew what was good for them. So why is Walters leaving? It's not that "20/20" isn't doing well. The show averages about 10 million viewers a week, about the same as AC 360 would if you counted every time my mom replays the tapes.
Walters says she just wants more flexibility in her life. That's fine, I suppose. But what about us? How will we know who the interesting or important or infuriating people are now without Barbara Walters to lead us to them. I suppose the lady deserves a break. After 40 years or so of first-class journalism, Barbara Walters has certainly earned it.
That's all the time we have. Thanks for watching. I'm Anderson Cooper. Coming up next, "Paula Zahn Now."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Tomorrow in Martha Stewart Trial>
Aired January 26, 2004 - 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): Bouncing back? Can Dean catch Kerry in New Hampshire?
The politics of WMD. Will the former weapons inspector's disclosures matter in the race for President?
What makes political polls so suspect? Notes on who really elects a President.
Martha Stewart on trial. The jury is set. Who are the two men the case could hinge on?
We begin our special series, "Gambling Nation." Tonight, the gambling personality. Do you have it?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.
COOPER: Good evening. Welcome to 360.
Just hours away from the first vote in the New Hampshire primary, and the latest tracking poll still suggests John Kerry is the candidate with the edge. Just moments ago, this poll, released from the University of New Hampshire, chose Kerry with an 11 point advantage over Dean, 36 percent to 25 percent. Edwards in third with 13. But Clark and Lieberman are not far behind.
Our team of reporters is covering all the action on the campaign trail. CNN's Kelly Wallace is with the Kerry camp. CNN's senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley, with Dean. Dan Lothian is tracking Clark. And Jeanne Meserve is following both Edwards and Lieberman for us tonight.
Let's begin with Kelly Wallace in Derry, New Hampshire.
Kelly, Kerry is still leading in the polls. How confident is his campaign right now?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, they're cautiously optimistic. The campaign saying it hopes to win tomorrow, but also saying that the fight will not be over after New Hampshire. One top adviser saying tonight, this is just one step in the marathon for delegates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE (voice-over): A final 16-hour, seven-stop dash through New Hampshire in the air and on the ground, with John Kerry's aides saying the race will be tight and the front-runner himself going store-to-store for votes.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's go meet some people here.
WALLACE: The goal now, trying to win over the uncommitted, like Thomas Frangos, a 46-year-old construction company owner who watched Kerry in Portsmouth and later got a ride on his campaign bus.
THOMAS FRANGOS, UNDECIDED VOTER: Well, I like what he says. I have certain issues about the economy that I don't think he has addressed.
KERRY: You were in the Marines?
WALLACE: The Massachusetts senator faced some of his toughest questioning in days at a college when a Vietnam veteran asked how Kerry, a Vietnam vet himself who protested that war, could have backed the war resolution for Iraq.
KERRY: If any of you in New Hampshire believe that with my record I would have taken the authority that we were given in order to get the inspectors in and have a legitimate threat of force and go to war as a last resort, if you think I would have gone to war the way George Bush did, don't vote for me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And the campaign is also looking beyond New Hampshire, with advisers saying they have the $1.5 million needed to run advertisements in all seven of the February 3 primary states. And Senator Kerry's first stop after New Hampshire will be Missouri, the biggest delegate prize in the next round of primaries -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Kelly Wallace, thanks very much. Get indoors now, Kelly. It's cold there in New Hampshire.
Howard Dean is chasing Kerry, hoping for a New Hampshire comeback. The negative attention from last week's Iowa loss seems to have faded for Dr. Dean. We get the latest now from CNN senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His cold is gone, his wife is still here, and his standing in the polls is better. Howard Dean seems to have his campaign legs back.
HOWARD DEAN (D), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Where was John Kerry when George Bush was giving out all this misinformation about Saddam having something to do with al Qaeda? He was voting in favor of the war, and it turned out all the reasons the president gave us were not true. Foreign policy expertise depends on patients and judgment. I question Senator Kerry's judgment.
CROWLEY: He is back on offense. The question is whether he's moving fast enough to catch John Kerry.
DEAN: If you want to change America, then I need your vote tomorrow. I need your help.
CROWLEY: The campaign says it has money enough to get through March. But a New Hampshire loss would be hard on the coffers. Losing Iowa was expensive. Dean hoped to clear the field early. Instead, he has spent more than expected in the Hawkeye State, then flew east to pump money into New Hampshire.
DEAN: I'm Howard Dean, and I approved this message.
CROWLEY: According to ad consultants for CNN, Dean has spent at least $1.1 million on advertising in New Hampshire this past week. Half a million more than anybody else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY: Late in the day, Anderson, the Kerry campaign responded to Howard Dean's attack on Kerry's judgment. The campaign put out a press release saying they're surprised that Dean would raise the issue of judgment given his "erratic statements during the course of the campaign." It also said that New Hampshire voters are going to see Dean's words for what they are, a last desperate attack -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Candy Crowley in Manchester. Thanks, Candy.
Well, Clark hit the campaign trail hard today with 11 events. And along the way, had to backtrack for some comments he made against his opponents.
CNN's Dan Lothian reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WESLEY CLARK (D), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You guys are up here early, huh?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He skipped Iowa to build his base of support in New Hampshire. But Retired General Wesley Clark is struggling in the polls with just hours to go before the primary. Saying he's pleased with his campaign, Clark stepped up his pitch as the outsider.
CLARK: I'm not part of the problems in Washington. I have never taken money from lobbyists. I have never cut a deal. I've never run for votes.
LOTHIAN: In a grueling final-day push, the retired general is visiting all of the state's 10 counties, shaking hands, making short speeches, answering questions, then hitting the road. But it wasn't all smooth sailing. Dogged for weeks by reports of missteps, Clark was forced to clarify this statement made in a restaurant in Keene, New Hampshire.
CLARK: Unlike all the rest of the people in this race, I did grow up poor.
I overstated that. And I apologize.
LOTHIAN: Then Clark appeared to be taking a swipe at Yale grads, Kerry, Dean, Lieberman and Bush with this statement...
CLARK: I didn't go to Yale. My parents couldn't have afforded to send me there.
LOTHIAN: ... explained it this way.
CLARK: I'm just trying to talk about myself.
LOTHIAN: Clark says voters only care about real issues, like health care, jobs, and national security.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOTHIAN: One other note on Clark. He said at one of the speeches that he made today that he paid his own way through college. At West Point, of course, the bill is paid by the government.
On a lighter note, Anderson, today joining the press on the bus was actress Drew Barrymore. She's doing a documentary, a political documentary. Of course it was a little mild distraction -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Dan Lothian, thanks very much from Concord.
Like Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards hope to sneak up on John Kerry from behind in New Hampshire. For Lieberman, this battle may be do or die.
Jeanne Meserve is in Manchester following the Lieberman and Edwards campaigns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Join me in this cause. Join me in this campaign.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Unity, optimism, opportunity. John Edwards has given this speech over and over and over again, but delivered it a few more times Monday as he tries to pull off a third place finish. As to differentiate himself from front-runner John Kerry, Edwards tried to adhere to his credo of not directly attacking fellow Democrats.
EDWARDS: If we want real change in America, real change in Washington, it is my belief that it takes somebody who is not a Washington insider to do that. MESERVE: Edwards' crowds were large. And the candidate hopes that means a strong finish.
EDWARDS: You give me a shot at George Bush and I will give you the White House.
MESERVE: Meanwhile, Joe Lieberman scoured New Hampshire to find and convert Independent voters, including those who lean Republican.
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The Independents will play a critical role for me tomorrow. I'm counting on them.
MESERVE: Polls show Lieberman well back in the pack. The candidate insists he will do better than expected but won't define what it means.
(on camera): So all those people are saying Joe Lieberman is toast. What is Joe Lieberman saying?
LIEBERMAN: Yes. Joe Lieberman is a loaf of bread that continues to rise. No toast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: Lieberman's staff is insisting he will go on to compete in the next round of primaries, no matter what happens here tomorrow -- Anderson.
COOPER: All right. Jeanne Meserve, thanks from Manchester.
Now to tonight's "Buzz" question. Is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? What do you think? Vote now, cnn.com/360. We're going to have the results at the end of the program tonight.
Senate Democrats today called for an independent investigation into how the U.S. intelligence community could have been so wrong about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Former chief CIA weapons inspector David Kay now says he doesn't think Saddam Hussein had any WMDs before the U.S. launched its war on Iraq. That, of course, directly contradicts President Bush's assertions made before the war that they did.
Here is David Ensor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since being replaced, weapons inspector David Kay has been talking, blaming the CIA, his employers until Friday, not the White House, for getting it wrong on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.
DAVID KAY, FMR. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I actually think the intelligence community owes the president, rather than the president owing the American people. ENSOR: Administration officials liked that last comment and they liked Kay's statement that Baghdad was actively working to produce a biological weapon using the poison ricin right up until the American invasion. But a statement that he now believes no stockpiles of weapons existed in Iraq before the war has put the administration on the defensive.
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, the former dictator sits in captivity. He can no longer harbor or support terrorists.
ENSOR: Noticeably absent from the vice president's speech was the presumption he expressed only last week that weapons would be found in Iraq. And the president's spokesman, too, is no longer insisting that weapons will be found. On Capitol Hill, Democrats saw Kay's statements as another reason the intelligence committees should look into what went wrong at the CIA and at the White House.
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MINORITY LEADER: We simply cannot afford to ignore what happened, why it happened, and how we can prevent it from happening again.
REP. JANE HARMAN (D), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: The administration, I think we are now learning, selectively picked that intelligence which supported its point of view.
ENSOR: Senior administration officials said it will be up to George Tenet to provide answers if no weapons are found. The director of Central Intelligence is due on Capitol Hill for hearings in February and in March.
HARMAN: It is an election year. No one is missing it. And unfortunately, comments on both sides are fodder for the presidential campaign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ENSOR: Anderson.
COOPER: The U.S. and other intelligence agencies were essentially fooled. How is he saying that happened? What's his belief on how that happened?
ENSOR: David Kay says that he now believes that scientists were faking programs and fooling, among others, Saddam Hussein. He said there was such a corrupt system under way in Iraq and the whole thing was unraveling so fast that that was the situation. Not only did the U.S. get fooled, but so did the leader of Iraq.
COOPER: Interesting. All right. David Ensor, thanks very much.
Right now we are following a number of developing stories "Cross Country" for you. Let's take a look.
Across the Midwest and East Coast snow and ice. Unusual winter weather stretching as far south as Georgia. It's being blamed for more than two dozen deaths. It has also left thousands of people without power and caused many travel delays.
It is not over. More snow and ice on the way for tomorrow.
Los Angeles, California: Patriot Act problems. For the first time, a federal judge has called part of the Patriot Act unconstitutional. The judge struck down a section that bars giving expert advise and assistance to foreign terrorist groups. She says the wording is too vague.
Washington, D.C.: no to cow blood. The FDA is outlawing cow blood in livestock feed in response to the country's first known case of mad cow disease. And that type of feed is believed to have helped the disease spread in Britain and other countries. The FDA is also banning the use of cow brains and other parts in dietary supplements.
Pasadena, California: giddy about Mars. NASA's Opportunity rover has sent this new 180-degree image. It's hard to see on TV, I know. It shows how different grains of dust are covering the planet's surface. Scientists are examining why some gray colored grains turn red when they're squished.
I didn't know "squished" was a scientific term. Anyway, NASA also reports progress in fixing its other rover Spirit that stopped sending data last week.
That's a look at stories "Cross Country" for you tonight.
The jury is set for Martha Stewart's trial. We're gong to take a look at the two men who may make or break the government's case.
Also ahead, do you have a gambling personality? Casinos are studying what makes some of us gamble big. Find out how in part one of our special series, "Gambling Nation."
Plus, "The Passion," the surprising story of what happened during filming of the now controversial Mel Gibson movie.
All that ahead. But first, let's take a look "Inside the Box" at the top stories on tonight's network newscasts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well big news in the trial of Martha Stewart. The jury is set and opening statements start tomorrow. A jury of eight women and four men was finalized today after just five days of jury selection.
Business correspondent Allan Chernoff is following the case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The jury that will sit in judgment of Martha Stewart includes a minister, a translator, computer technician, and a pharmacist who emigrated from Uganda. Martha Stewart's attorney, Robert Morvillo, initially tried to exclude the pharmacist from the jury pool, claiming she doesn't speak proper English.
Judge Miriam Cedarbaum pointed out the woman merely has an accent. Jury consultants are argued women are likely to judge Martha Stewart favorably, though some attorneys wonder.
HOWARD WILSON, ATTORNEY: And women will say it is only because she's a successful woman that they're chasing her. And as a result, they will have the kind of -- it will be helpful to her. But in my view, that just doesn't work.
CHERNOFF: Judge Cedarbaum is placing limits on Martha Stewart's defense. She ruled the defense cannot argue the government had improper motives in investigating Martha Stewart. Nor can the defense claim Stewart is being prosecuted for asserting her innocence.
The government's first witness is an official from ImClone, the company whose stock Martha Stewart sold. An officer from Merrill Lynch is set to testify second, and star witness, Douglas Faneuil, assistant to Stewart's broker, and co-defendant, Peter Bacanovic is third.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: The judge has promised coffee and muffins for the jurors at 9:30 in the morning, and opening arguments are scheduled for 10:00 Eastern Time -- Anderson.
COOPER: I assume the coffee and muffins are not provided by Martha Stewart. I guess it's provided by the judge. All right. Thanks very much.
CHERNOFF: Provided by...
COOPER: By the court? All right.
CHERNOFF: By the government. That's right.
COOPER: All right. Thanks. We'll see how good they are.
We're going to have more about the trial and some of the key players we can expect to see on the stand with 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom later on in the program tonight.
We're tracking a number of developing stories right now around the globe. Let's check the "UpLink."
Cairo, Egypt: building collapse -- terrible -- 33 people were injured when a 12-story building collapsed. Sixteen others may still be trapped in the rubble. So far, no deaths have been reported. It isn't known exactly what caused the blast.
Bangkok, Thailand: another bird flu death. Thai officials confirm that a 6-year-old boy there has died from the virus. They say 10 other human cases are suspected. Five of those people have already died. The disease has spread to Indonesia, Pakistan. Six people have died from bird flu in Vietnam. London: a knighthood for Bill Gates. Buckingham Palace says Microsoft chairman Bill Gates will receive an honorary knighthood. He's being recognized for his contribution to enterprise in Britain. But you don't have to call him "sir," in case you're wondering. The title is reserved for citizens of Britain and the Commonwealth.
Vatican City, take a look at this. The pope keeping it real. Pope John Paul II treated to an exhibition by a Polish break-dancing troop. I didn't know break-dancing was big in Poland, but apparently it is.
The pope waved his approval as dancers spun around on their heads on the Vatican's marble floors to music from a small boom box. There it is in the background. In the end, he gave them his blessing, saying, "Artistic talent is a gift from god."
And that is a look at tonight's "UpLink."
Well, in Houston today, they are getting ready for Super Bowl Sunday, an event tens of millions of Americans will watch and no doubt wager on as well. All this week on 360 we're bringing you a special series, "Gambling Nation."
Here is what you can expect.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): In 2002, it was estimated that Americans spent nearly $70 billion on gambling. That's not counting gambling's newest cash cow, the Internet. What is it that drives Americans to take such chances, knowing the odds are stacked against winning and, as the saying goes, the house always comes out ahead? All this week in our series, "Gambling Nation," we'll be examining America's love- hate relationship with gambling.
Tonight, do you have a gambling personality? Eighty percent of Americans gamble at one time or another. What is it that makes them keep coming back for more? What are the casinos doing to lure them in?
On Wednesday, we'll look at gambling's latest phenomenon, poker. Some 80 million Americans now play the game. And it is fast becoming a television sensation. We'll go behind the scenes with the world's greatest female poker player and learn a few tricks of the trade.
Thursday, some consider casinos to be a savior for states in the red. But who is actually getting rich? "TIME" Magazine estimates that the $5 billion in profits from Native American casinos would place them in the top 20 of all Fortune 500 companies. But you may think twice before letting a casino come to your back yard.
On Friday, we'll wrap up our series with a look at sports gambling. More than $380 billion is bet each year on sports events in this country. Has sports gambling our new national pastime, and is it fast becoming an out of control addiction?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: All that ahead this week. Tonight, do you have a gambling personality? That's part one of our series, "Gambling Nation." That's coming up next.
Plus, double trouble on the set of Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion."
And Howard Dean on a comeback? Our political experts in New Hampshire weigh in.
All that ahead. But first, today's "Buzz" is this: is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? Vote now, cnn.com/360. Results at the end of the program.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT REP. DE NIRO, ACTOR, "CASINO": The rule is to keep them playing and keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they lose. In the end, we get it all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That's a gambling tip from the 1995 movie "Casino" starring Robert De Niro. With the Super Bowl coming up, a lot of Americans will be placing bets. But casinos can't rely on big sports events for income. They need regular customers. And to get them, they do whatever they can to figure out who has a gambling personality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Usually once a week, sometimes twice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thirty to 40 weekends a year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every weekend.
COOPER (voice-over): Regular gamblers like these are the lifeblood of casinos. Figuring out who they are and what they like can translate into big bucks. Each year some 50 million Americans gamble away $26 billion at casinos.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like the rush. I like when my heart beats fast.
COOPER: According to a congressional commission, we spend more money each year on gambling than we do on groceries? Who are these gamblers? Casinos spend a lot of time and money trying to answer that question.
Through surveys and studies, they have identified certain characteristics that make up a gambling personality. The results may surprise you. The typical gambler is a middle age woman, household income about $50,000, 20 percent higher than the overall U.S. population.
Gamblers may throw money away at casinos, but elsewhere they are stingy with their cash. Fifty-six percent are coupon clippers, 62 percent bargain shop. And as for faith, that blessing of the dice before a big roll is more likely a nod to lady luck than divine intervention. Gamblers are 11 percent less likely to attend a place of worship than non-gamblers.
Why would casinos collect such seemingly random bits of information? Well, to put it in gambling terms, it helps the house stack the odds against you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: It certainly does that. Once casinos have the informs about their customers, what do they do with it? Well, today I spoke with Bill Eadington, director of the Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada Reno. I asked him if there is actually such a thing as a gambling personality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL EADINGTON, DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR STUDY OF GAMBLING AND COMMERCIAL GAMING: Well, there are some personalities that are more prone to gambling. People who work in high-risk occupations or that have a lot of uncertainty in their occupation, such as people who work in sales, people who work in construction, small businessmen, they are all, I think, attracted to gambling.
People who are risk takers as a group, who might be more prone to experiment with alcohol and tobacco and drugs, or who are involved in exciting activities, they tend to fit the profile. Furthermore, people older, say over 40 or 45, whose children have left home and who therefore have the time and discretionary income, these tend to be very good customers for gaming operations.
COOPER: And, I mean, you read some of the techniques that casinos use to keep players. Not only get them in their door, but to keep them at the table gambling longer. It reads almost sort of like pop psychology. What are some of those tricks of the trade?
EADINGTON: Well, probably the most important single thing is food. Good food within a casino environment allows the player to stay there and not leave the physical facility. Interestingly, in jurisdictions throughout the world that have banned smoking in casinos, they find a very dramatic reduction in revenues primarily because smokers go outside and may of them do not come back in.
COOPER: On things like slot machines, I've read that some casinos sort of employ the psychological experiments of BF Skinner, a noted scientists, who did behavioral studies with rats, basically trying to figure out ways to reward slot machine goers to stay longer by giving out smaller rewards, I guess getting people to hope a big one is coming just around the corner.
EADINGTON: Yes. Well, you know, the psychology of slot machines has been well known for a number of decades. In the last five or 10 years, we have seen a real revolution among the slot machine manufacturers by developing much more entertaining games, games that have secondary games within them. Large jackpots, of course, are very attractive. A lot of suspense that can develop as a player goes for a big prize.
All of these techniques are variations of Pavlov and Skinner.
COOPER: I also understand they even study the colors that people respond to in casinos. What colors do people respond to most?
EADINGTON: They tend to respond more to warm colors. There also have been experiments with smells. The smell of money, in particular, tends to be a very attractive, positive reinforce for customers.
COOPER: There's been some talk, though, of even sort of constructing casino floors like mazes so that it's difficult for people to get around, so they kind of stay put where they are.
EADINGTON: Yes. And the trick on that is to do it in a manner where the player does not become anxious or feel apprehensive, but rather is happy to be lost and enjoys the discovery of new things around the corner.
COOPER: But it is true, very few clocks around, no windows around. And that is a very conscious effort to sort of keep people disoriented the rest of the time.
EADINGTON: Well, for the most part. There -- in recent years, because of the rampant proliferation of casinos, we now have casinos of almost every variety. But the old Las Vegas model is indeed no windows, no clocks, no indicator of day or night.
COOPER: It's a fascinating subject. Bill Eadington, we appreciate you joining us. Thanks very much.
EADINGTON: My pleasure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, gone are the days of only rolling the dice in Vegas or Atlantic City. Here's a fast fact for you. Two decades ago, only two states had legal gambling, New Jersey and Nevada. Today, 48 states have some form of legal gambling. The ones who don't, Hawaii and Utah.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): The latest polls show a shrinking lead in New Hampshire. Just who is the leader of the pack?
And lightning strikes on the set of a film about Jesus.
360 continues.
(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Here's what's happening in the next 30 minutes on 360, politics and polls. The front-runner is the middle of the pack tomorrow without a vote cast.
Can polls be trusted?
That's in "Fresh Print" coming up.
Opening statements tomorrow in the Martha Stewart trial. A mostly female jury has been picked. We'll examine the key players.
And Mel Gibson's "Passion." There's plenty of controversy surrounding the controversy on Jesus' life. There is twists you may not know about.
First, let's look at the top stories in tonight's "Reset."
All up and down the Eastern U.S. from Philadelphia to Atlanta, two winter storms have left a glaze of treacherous ice and snow. It is tough on the highways as you can see. The storm has caused wide spread school and road closings, flight delays as well, power outages, at least 28 traffic deaths.
In Washington, the budget forecast as perfect storm of federal red ink flooding the nation over the next decade. A non-partisan agency predict the deficit will reach a record $477 billion this year and accumulate to 2.4 trillion dollars between 2004 and 2013.
In Rome, Vice President Dick Cheney today thanked Italy for the supporting in the war in Iraq. And continued sending consular signals to other European nation that is did not. As he met with the Italian prime minister, you see him here, Cheney didn't answer when he was asked if intelligence on Iraq before the war was faulty.
In Buckeye, Arizona, negotiators are growing weary in the ninth day of hostage crisis. It is still going on. They believe that the two inmates holding a female guard in the tower are getting tired as well. The prisoner's released her male co-worker on Saturday.
Well, with hours to go until the polls open in New Hampshire, the candidates are in last-minute frenzy, the press is scrambling and voters are ready to play their part.
With me to handicap the race are two people who know what's like to watch a campaign come down to the wire. Donna Brazil is Al Gore's former campaign manager, she is now a CNN political analyst and Tucker Carlson, is the co-host of CNN's "CROSSFIRE" program.
Both of you appreciate you joining us.
Tucker, let me start with you. I want to look at some of these newest polling numbers from the University of New Hampshire. Kerry 36 percent, Dean 25, Edwards 13, then Clark and Lieberman. Can Howard Dean's campaign absorb a second straight loss, coming in second here? TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST "CROSSFIRE": That's likely what's going to happen. The momentum seems to be on Dean's side, but it is unlikely he will win tomorrow. That put it is back into a condition of guerrilla war, which is what I think what he used to, what he's good at. The Dean campaign is the Viet Cong. They can march 50 mile on a bowl of rice and truck tire sandals and sleep in tree. I mean, that's the sort of the way they have been operating the last year and a half. Going for him he has a really clear, crystal clear message, same as it has always been, a little toned down. The news sort of sweeter Howard Dean with his wife at his side as a prop works pretty well for him. I don't see any indication he's going to stop campaigning after a loss tomorrow and I don't see why he needs to.
COOPER: Donna, isn't Howard Dean in a little bit of a jam, because if he does come out swinging, I mean, he's in second place, If he goes on the offensive, won't people paint him as being unhinged, as being too negative, too aggressive?
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think Howard Dean has to find the right fit. Let me tell you why. He has a strong base across the country. His team is very energized. If he goes too soft and cuddly, too soon, he may lose them. He has to keep the right amount of fire under his belly, but tempered by talking about issues that matter to people. Howard Dean is still in the hunt up here. He may not come in first, but I believe he'll come in a strong second.
COOPER: Tucker, let's talk about Lieberman, lets talk about Edwards and -- can they survive a fourth place finish?
CARLSON: Kind of hard to see how they do it. I mean, Edwards is I think shooting third, and I think that's absolutely plausible, that he'll get there. And from there he moves on to South Carolina which he could very well win. John Kerry hasn't been spending a lot of time in the state. Lieberman probably -- probably is not going to rise above single digits. Who knows. Hard to see what happens after a loss like that here. But the saddest and I think most interesting story is General Clark. The rationale for his campaign sort of disappeared after Iowa. He was essentially a place holder. If you were not interested in voting for Howard Dean, if you remember the Democratic Establishment who saw Dean as a threat to your whole party, then you were for Clark. I mean, now, if you want to vote for a war hero or southerner, you have two far more experienced options. Really hard to see what happens to General Clark after tomorrow.
COOPER: Donna, do you see him dropping out?
Do you think Clark is the one to watch in terms of dropping out if he does not place in the top three?
BRAZILE: He is not going to drop out. General Clark has a lot of money to bank. They spent it well in advance of the New Hampshire primary. Look what happened was the guys came out of Iowa with momentum and took his bounce. I think General Clark will go into the south and South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Missouri and try to regroup and regain his footing. COOPER: All right. Tucker, I want to ask you -- want to show you the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallap poll showing who Democratic voters think really has the best chance of beating President Bush. Kerry, got 56 percent, Dean 16 percent, Clark 9 and the rest.
Are voters more concerned about the electability of a candidate than particular issues?
Is that what's bringing them to the polls?
Is that what makes them cast a vote or a particular candidate you think?
CARLSON: It's kind of amazing. I mean, this is a long-time argument on people that follow politics. Do voters vote tactically or strategically in the way they just suggested or do they vote for the guy they like most, who they've meet, you know, who is right on the issues. And there is growing evidence that they vote tactically. They see the ultimate goal as beating the president, and they want to vote for the person who is best able to do that. It's really clear that was behind Dean's -- sort of the collapse of his campaign in Iowa, as voters -- Democrats woke up one day and said it's been great being with you, but you are kind of unelectable. I'm going to move too to someone who can beat Bush.
COOPER: Donna, do you here that as well?
I mean, I read an account of someone giving a focus group. I think it was the Gephardt campaign was giving a focus was giving a focus group a couple weeks ago. And he found all the people in the focus groups were like little political pundits. They were all saying the electability really isn't there.
Is that true?
BRAZILE: Look, I think that's what happened to Dick Gephardt. Ultimately, they looked at him and said, you know, we voted for you 15 years ago, and look what happened you didn't go anywhere. So, we want somebody who can win, who can go the distance. And it is clear to me that as we get closer to the election, Democrats are looking for someone that can beat George Bush. They know that Dick, and you know, these Democrats support them on the issues, but they want somebody who can stand toe to toe with the president in the fall. And it says a lot about the Bush campaign. Because you know what, there are no Democrats out there to come on board the Republican campaign this fall.
COOPER: All right, we're going to leave it there. Donna Brazile, Tucker Carlson, see you guys up in New Hampshire, thanks very much for joining us tonight.
And this brings us to tonight's "Buzz" question. Is electability more important than the candidates stance on the issues?
What do you think?
Vote now right now cnn.com/360. We're going to have the results at the end of the program.
For tonight's edition of "Fresh Print," we are focusing a new polling, including a new poll from "Newsweek" that puts John Kerry on top in New Hampshire, tomorrow in the White House come February, and it may seem as maybe even an Oscar favorite next month.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: "Newsweek's" new poll showing John Kerry beating President Bush 49 to 46 percent isn't quite what it seems, not for the same reasons all polling is a little suspect, remember Howard Dean, because, ironically, surveying the national population can miss the big picture. Why, well, as 2000 reminded us, the subsequently population doesn't elect a president. The electoral college does. That's why the real issue is less how many votes they get and more where they get them. In 2000 it looked like Bush Owned most of the nation. That's an accident of geography. You get a different picture when you map states by population, not by size which we've done here. In the blue states of his, Al Gore got almost 6.5 million votes that didn't help him because they were extra votes coming on top of the margin he needed to win the state.
If he had gotten those same votes, but in Florida, West Virginia and Missouri, he would be president. So unless Kerry can convince about three million Californians and New Yorkers to move south, the only sure thing about November is that the winner's margin of victory could still be as thin as a single dangling chad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Dangling chads. Who can forget.
Now, to raw politics, where you get a chance to see just what it's like out there on the campaign trail. Not a polished message from a candidate, more of an in-your-face look at the day-to-day work of getting elected president in America. Jason Bellini has got the camera today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Kerry supporters abandoned their corner of Elm Street.
Instead of going around Wesley Clark's supporters, they marched through them.
Dennis Kucinich's supporters lay claim to a corner a block away.
BELLINI (on camera): I hate to break it to you, but you guys are outnumbered out here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So? We'll make up in enthusiasm. We've got issues.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been called by almighty God.
BELLINI (voice-over): The candidate who clearly has issues is Bob Haines.
(on camera): And you're running for president of what?
BOB HAINES, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president of what do you think?
BELLINI: I don't know. I've never seen you before.
HAINES: I ran for president of the United States also in 1996, campaigned in 15 states.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, sir. OK? Great.
BELLINI: Do you think talking to these people today is going to help?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course.
BELLINI: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?
BELLINI: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To tell them I support him, I flew all the way from Michigan to support. I don't fly here for nothing, right?
BELLINI (voice-over): If you hate politics, this truly is a nightmare on Elm Street.
Jason Bellini, Manchester, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: "Nightmare on Elm Street." Pretty good, Jason.
A teenager sentenced to life behind bars out of jail tonight. What led to freedom for Lionel Tate? The controversy just ahead.
Martha Stewart gets ready to plead her case. The potential legal tactics in "Justice Served."
And later, Barbara Walters makes news and a big decision. We take that move to "The Nth Degree."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for "Justice Served." A jury of eight women, four men will decide the fate of Martha Stewart and her former stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic. The panel includes a reverend, a translator and a pharmacist familiar with Stewart's recipes. Opening statements begin tomorrow. Here to talk about the trial and its key players, 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. Good to see you, Kimberly.
KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, 360 LEGAL ANALYST: Yes, hi, Anderson. COOPER: More women on the jury than men, does that favor Martha Stewart? Someone was saying, it does.
NEWSOM: Tough to say, but I think on balance it's going to end up favoring the defense. I think women might be more reluctant to come down hard on Martha. They see her as someone who is very independent, who is an entrepreneur, has worked hard to get to where she is, and that she's being picked on. And why are other people, specifically men in this business, not getting prosecuted and they're making a scapegoat out of her?
COOPER: In addition to the trial, they also picked six alternates for the jury. That seems like a lot to me.
NEWSOM: It is a lot of alternates. What that tells me is that we're in for a long trial, and I think they had such difficulty getting the jury, because so many people had opinions one way or the other about this case. Some people rooting Martha on as they were leaving, being excused, that they expected there may be some movement. Some people could be excused if they're expressing opinions during the pendancy of these proceedings.
COOPER: Let's talk about the two men who really are going to be key in this case. One, witness for the prosecution, Doug Faneuil, who was the assistant to Martha Stewart's stockbroker...
NEWSOM: Correct.
COOPER: ... Peter Bacanovic. He has -- he is testifying for the prosecution.
NEWSOM: Yeah. And some people think he's a hero, that he's a whistle-blower, that he is taking on Martha Stewart, this billionaire, success, and what an incredibly admirable thing. Other people think, well, he's selling out and he's turning on her and turning on Bacanovic.
COOPER: But his testimony is crucial because he's the one who supposedly had the conversation with Martha Stewart?
NEWSOM: That's correct. And he directly contradicts both Martha Stewart's and Peter Bacanovic's version of what occurred. So at the end of the day, you are either going to have to believe Martha Stewart and Peter, or you're going to believe the assistant. And that's what this comes down to. So expect them to attack his credibility hard in this case.
COOPER: And Peter Bacanovic, who is on trial with Martha Stewart, going to be sitting next to her in the same courtroom, same charges, more or less, their stories have to continue to go parallel? Or else -- I mean, if Peter Bacanovic suddenly changes his story, that could be very bad news for Martha Stewart?
NEWSOM: Well, it would be game over for Martha Stewart. He has to hold strong and hold fast. And he has. He has got a lot to lose in this case. So he's not only someone -- you know, they worked together, essentially. He worked for her. But she was also a friend of his. So he's really stood by her side. They've maintained their stories.
But again, they are going to come after him hard and say he cannot be trusted, that he does not have credibility, that he's slick and, you know, plays fast and loose with the rules here, that he altered documents all to cover this up.
COOPER: It is a fascinating world, basically, and how they're all -- I mean, this guy, Doug Faneuil, I read, got the job because, you know, a sort of society figure in New York recommended him to Peter Bacanovic, who's a big society figure in New York. It's all very...
NEWSOM: Tangled web we weave.
COOPER: It's a pretty tangled web that's been...
NEWSOM: In the Upper East Side.
COOPER: Exactly. These people weave a very tangled web.
NEWSOM: Complete with a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bag seen going into the jury selection. So a lot of comments about this, about what's right, what should she wear, relating with jurors.
COOPER: It's fascinating how interested people are in this case. The trial begins tomorrow, going to be a lot of attention. Kimberly, good to see you. Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom.
All right. Well, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a teenage killer is free tonight. Lionel Tate left prison just a couple of hours ago. Tate had served three years of a life sentence for killing a 6-year- old playmate. You may remember the case. Tate had said the death was an accident, happened as he was trying to imitate pro wrestles. With the latest, national correspondent Susan Candiotti joins us live from Ft. Lauderdale. Good evening, Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Anderson. Yes, for the first time in three years, Lionel Tate, believed to be the youngest person in Florida ever sentenced to life without parole, is indeed free, free on bond. But not completely. He is only free after an appeals court threw out his conviction for the first degree murder of Tiffany Eunick on a technicality. Again, his victim, 6- year-old Tiffany Eunick. Tate convicted of her fatal beating. His defense said he was imitating wrestling moves.
Well, instead of retrying him, which the state could have done, he and his mother agreed to plead guilty to second degree murder. Tonight, Lionel is not speaking. His mother is talking for him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHLEEN GROSSETT-TATE, LIONEL TATE'S MOTHER: I just want to thank all the people who have prayed for our family and for Tiffany's family. And just continue to pray for us, because we're going to need it. This is a new chapter in our lives. And this is going to go on forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: In court briefly today, Lionel was not asked to say anything. He will, however, on Thursday, when he will have to accept responsibility for what he did, and presumably say he is sorry.
Now, his victim's mother, disappointed that Lionel's mother keeps insisting that what happened here was an accident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEWEESE EUNICK-PAUL, VICTIM'S MOTHER: Tiffany should always be a part of that equation. Every time they look at Lionel, they should always think about Tiffany and they should always be reminded that Tiffany is not here because of Lionel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Lionel Tate at home will be wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet. Once he pleads guilty to second degree murder, he will have house arrest for one year, then have 10 years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service. He will get another chance. His victim's mother says her daughter will not.
Back to you, Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Susan in Ft. Lauderdale tonight. Thanks very much, Susan Candiotti.
We're also tracking the Hollywood buzz tonight. Regis Philbin using a lifeline, will the game show comeback? And details ahead in tonight's "Current."
Also, electrifying trouble while filming a controversial movie about Jesus. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: All right. Time to check on the pop culture "Current." Let's see what's going on. ABC is bringing Regis Philbin back to prime time with a new version of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." The new episodes will air in February. No schedule for when ABC will milk it dry again.
Meredith Phillips, ABC's latest bachelorette may be a familiar face to some viewers. The model's face appeared on boxes for two microsoft programs. It is not clear whether her career will be helped or hurt by this scandalous discovery about her taboo past.
Melinda Gates met with Indian prostitutes over the weekend to discuss the spread of AIDS. Gates is perhaps the most famous person to meet with third world prostitutes since Neil Bush.
And President Bush's niece, Lauren Bush will be a special correspondent for ET's coverage of the Super Bowl. Her work starts tonight as part of the national leave no Bush child behind program.
O'Magi made a big-budget movie and people were so passionate about hating it that they denounced it without ever haveing seen it. Actor Mel Gibson has a new movie coming and it is is already getting that kind of reaction. It's a film about the last day of Jesus Christ's life. Charles Feldman has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mel Gibson spent millions of his own money to make this movie about the crucifixion. It is set to open next month on Ash Wednesday in some 2,000 theaters. But as controversy mounts, Gibson told a religious television network he is not an anti-Semite.
MEL GIBSON, ACTOR: It is ludicrous to think this. I don't want to lynch Jews. It is not what I'm about. I love them. I pray for them.
FELDMAN: The "Passion of the Christ" has only been shown to select audiences. One Jewish leader who saw it is very upset.
RABBI MARVIN HIER, SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER: There's no question the audience is going to come out there saying it was the Jews. And there we have the collective deicide issue thrown up here in the 21st century.
FELDMAN: Gibson belongs to an ultraconservative Catholic sect that does not recognize papal authority or the dictum of the second Vatican council that repudiates a blood guilt which holds all Jews responsible for Christ's death. So when a "Wall Street Journal" article claimed the pope saw the movie and proclaimed it is as it was, it seemed like a good thing for the marketing of the film. Problem is the Vatican said the pope said no such thing.
There was even a story circulating that the actor playing Jesus was struck twice by lightning while filming suggesting a sort of divine movie review. Turns out he was actually hit only once and he's fine. Charles Feldman, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Barbara Walters is making news not reporting it today. She's stepping down from her duties on "20/20." We're going to take the legend to the "Nth Degree."
For tomorrow we'll be in New Hampshire as the voting draws to a close in the nation's first primary 2004. Join us for what could be a pretty historic night.
First, today's "Buzz." Is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? What do you think? Vote now. CNN.com/360. We'll have results when we come back.
Time now for the buzz. We asked you, 's lengthability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues? 34 pes yes. 66 said no. Not a scientific poll. Just your buzz.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for "The Buzz." We asked you, "is electability more important than a candidate's stance on the issues?" 34 percent of you said yes. 66 said no. Not a scientific poll, just your buzz. We appreciate it.
Tonight, taking Barbara Walters to the "Nth Degree." Well, that is it. After 25 years, Barbara Walters is stepping down as co-host of the ABC news magazine "20/20." This really is the end of an era. When you add the 13 years she spent before "20/20" waking the country up on NBC's "Today Show," it comes out this way. Barbara Walters has been on television at the top of her game longer than I have been alive. She made history against tough odds becoming the first female network evening news anchor in 1976 and she's pretty much been making history ever since.
Extraordinary interviews and questions it seemed only she could ask, often moving her subject to tears, if they knew what was good for them. So why is Walters leaving? It's not that "20/20" isn't doing well. The show averages about 10 million viewers a week, about the same as AC 360 would if you counted every time my mom replays the tapes.
Walters says she just wants more flexibility in her life. That's fine, I suppose. But what about us? How will we know who the interesting or important or infuriating people are now without Barbara Walters to lead us to them. I suppose the lady deserves a break. After 40 years or so of first-class journalism, Barbara Walters has certainly earned it.
That's all the time we have. Thanks for watching. I'm Anderson Cooper. Coming up next, "Paula Zahn Now."
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