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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

4 Civilian Contrators Brutally Killed In Iraq; Air America Started Broadcasting This Week; A Look At Survivor Characteristics

Aired March 31, 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): Fierce fighting continues in Pakistan. Who are al Qaeda fighters really protecting?

More bombings in Baghdad. Iraqis brace for a tense weekend on the anniversary of the war.

Bush vows to finish the job in Iraq, but how tough is the work ahead?

Terror attacks, natural disasters, freak accidents. Do you have what it takes to survive against all odds?

A loaded gun stashed in a sandbox. The three grade school students plot to kill a classmate during recess.

And the passion over "Passion." What is it about one movie that's making some people do the strangest things?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

COOPER: Welcome to 360. We begin with breaking news. CNN has just learned that the U.S. military is dropping all criminal charges against former Guantanamo Army Chaplain James Yee. The Army captain was arrested, you may remember, last September at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amidst much publicity on suspicion that he was part of an espionage ring. First accused of spying, Captain Yee ultimately was charged with adultery and mishandling classified information while assigned to Task Force Guantanamo, where he tended to the religious needs of Taliban and al Qaeda detainees, the only Muslim chaplain in the Army to do that. We're going to have more on this developing story coming up in a live report.

Again, this is breaking news just coming into CNN. We are gathering information, we're going to bring it to you shortly in just a few moments.

Moving on, it is 5:00 a.m. right now in Pakistan, 3:00 a.m. in Baghdad, one year to the day since shock and awe, the start of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Tonight, the State Department is warning Americans to be careful, saying it remains deeply concerned al Qaeda is planning more deadly attacks overseas and here at home. All day in Pakistan, Pakistani forces say they have been pounding 300 to 400 foreign militants with artillery fire on the ground while helicopters attack from above. Among them, possibly Osama bin Laden's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. We're covering all the angles tonight. CNN's Nic Robertson in Islamabad, Walter Rodgers in Baghdad, and at the White House, Dana Bash. We begin in Pakistan. Nic, what's the latest on the ongoing battle?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, the battle is turning into a standoff, but it is a standoff that Pakistani officials say they have the upper hand in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Using heavy artillery overnight, backed up by Cobra attack helicopters and troops by day, Pakistani military officials claim to be stepping up their pressure on as many as 400 al Qaeda members holed up in mud-built compounds near the Afghan border.

MAJ. GEN. SHOUKAT SULTAN, PAKISTANI ARMY: They have actually underestimated the resistance that they're going to face. That (UNINTELLIGIBLE) probably they were not in that much strength. So they actually barged into hardened terrorist camp.

ROBERTSON: Burnt out army trucks, an indication of the ferocity of the fight so far. Itself, Pakistani officials believe, an indication the al Qaeda fighters are protecting a high-valued target.

Although Pakistani officials won't say publicly who they think they may have, privately Pakistani intelligence and military sources still maintain what CNN first reported Thursday, that intercepts and interrogations indicate Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy, is surrounded by thousands of Pakistani troops.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Nic, is there any concern on the part of the Pakistanis that he may, or anyone who is there may be able to escape? How tight is this noose?

ROBERTSON: Well, it's spent over about a 19-square mile area that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sources tell us...

COOPER: Clearly lost audio contact with Nic Robertson. We will have another update from him shortly.

The U.S. may double the bounty for Osama bin Laden. The House of Representatives has voted unanimously to increase the reward for capturing the mass murderer to $50 million -- this, of course, up from $25 million. To appeal to people in remote rural areas, like the Pakistan-Afghan border. The bill also gives the State Department leeway in offering rewards in the form of cars, household appliances, and other goods, instead of cash. It's like "Let's Make a Deal." However, the deal is not done. The bill now goes to the Senate.

In Baghdad today, a frighteningly familiar sound, explosions marking the first anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. Three mortars or rockets fired into the green zone where the U.S.-led coalition has its headquarters. No reports of damage or injuries. The attack wasn't much of a surprise, though a visit from Secretary of State Colin Powell was. In Baghdad, CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this first anniversary of the Iraq war, the U.S. secretary of state was in Baghdad defending the American-led invasion and occupation.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Thank you.

RODGERS: Meeting with American soldiers, Secretary Powell assured them what we are doing is right.

POWELL: There are those who are determined to stop us. They don't want Iraqis to be free. They don't want Iraqis to have democracy.

RODGERS: Powell met privately with Paul Bremer, the American in charge of rebuilding Iraq, this amid increasing evidence the U.S.-led coalition is fraying. South Korea said it's canceled plans to send 3,000 troops to Kirkuk, due to security concerns. The Spanish are pulling out.

Later, Powell met tough questioning, a reporter suggesting there was no terrorism in Iraq until after the Americans invaded, and that now the world is less safe. The secretary replied, "this is not the time to hide."

POWELL: This is not the time to say let's stop what we're doing and pull back.

RODGERS: There was no sidestepping this awkward moment, however. Iraqi journalists walking out of Powell's presser, protesting after two Arab journalists were killed at a U.S. military checkpoint. And Baghdad residents remember the war a year ago differently. Another protest calling on the Americans to go home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: And this weekend, Baghdad is on a high security alert, braced for more possible trouble -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Walter Rodgers, thanks, live from Baghdad.

Today President Bush marked the first anniversary of the war by calling it "a brave and historic achievement," and he's once again urging support in the global war on terror. White House correspondent Dana Bash has the day's developments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the year anniversary of the Iraq war that divided America and key allies, a call for unity on the broader war on terrorism.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There can be no separate peace with the terrorist enemy. Any sign of weakness or retreat simply validates terrorist violence and invites more violence for all nations.

BASH: Last week's attack in Spain, the subsequent political defeat of an ally there and deadly bombings in Iraq has the administration working to keep a shaky U.S.-led coalition together. The president cited attacks from Saudi Arabia to Russia, warning every nation is vulnerable.

BUSH: Each attack is designed to demoralize our people and divide us from one another.

BASH: In the White House East Room, officials from more than 80 nations, including France, Germany and Russia, who actively opposed the Iraq war. Mr. Bush said all now agree Saddam Hussein's removal makes the Middle East more safe.

BUSH: Those differences belong to the past.

BASH: But differences remain. France's foreign minister said Friday the world is a more dangerous place because of the Iraq war. Though security is still a problem, the transition to democracy facing challenges. The president called the day one year ago he ordered air strikes a day of deliverance.

BUSH: Who would prefer that Saddam's torture chambers still be open? Who would wish that more mass graves were still being filled?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: But the president only made passing reference to essential reason for war, weapons of mass destruction, which have not yet been found. Democrats were quick to criticize Mr. Bush, saying that the war in Iraq has taken away from the war on terror and made it harder -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Dana Bash at the White House, thanks.

Before President Bush spoke today about Iraq, John Kerry, his likely Democratic opponent in the race for the White House, released a statement. He said, quote, "simply put, this president didn't tell the truth about the war from the beginning and our country is paying the price."

Kerry said today he voted to give President Bush the authority to go to war only when Mr. Bush made promises to members of Congress before the invasion. Kerry didn't give specifics on the promises today, but he says they were broken.

The war, of course, began around 9:35 p.m. East Coast time one year ago today. Let's quickly flash back. The first major attack in what the Pentagon called its shock and awe campaign began around 5:35 a.m. Baghdad time, about 90 minutes after the U.S. deadline for Saddam Hussein to step down had passed. That night President Bush went on television.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: My fellow citizens, at this hour American and coalition forces are in the early stage of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger. On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: One year ago. The U.S. plan was to drop more than 1,500 bombs and missiles across Iraq in the first 24 hours of the campaign.

Now let's go to the Pentagon for an update on the news that just broke moments ago, all criminal charges being dropped right now against Guantanamo Army Chaplain James Yee. Let's get the details from CNN senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. Jamie, it's a breaking story, what do you know?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you remember Chaplain Yee was arrested in Jacksonville after it was discovered that there was documents on his computer that suggested he might have been spying after his contact with Guantanamo detainees. He offered a deal in which he would be granted immunity and in return cooperate and give a debriefing under lie detector tests, but the government now, the general in charge has decided no, they will instead drop the charges against James Yee.

The reason, they say is because to proceed would put national security evidence in the trial that would compromise national security. He still, however, faces charges of pornography and adultery based on things they found on his computer. He'll get nonjudicial punishment in article 15 for that. Still unclear if he'll get an honorable discharge -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Jamie McIntyre, thanks.

Right now we're following a number of developing stories for you across the country. Let's take a look.

Information, please: your cell phone number -- listen to this -- your cell phone may soon be available if you dial 411. Five of the nation's six biggest carriers are working to compile their customers' names and numbers in a single directory. They expect to have 70 percent of the nation's 156 million numbers in the book by the end of the year. If you do not want the number to be listed you should probably contact your cell phone provider to withdraw consent.

Phoenix, Arizona: probable jail time. Prosecutors today ask that Catholic bishop Thomas O'Brien spend six months in jail and four years on probation for his conviction of leaving the scene of a fatal traffic accident. The bishop struck and killed a man walking along the street last year.

Los Angeles, now, child porn charges dropped. Actor Paul Reubens, formerly Peewee Herman off the hook for what he claimed is a historical art collection. The former TV star did plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possessing obscene material and will have to register as a sex offender through till the end of a three-year probation.

Spring wildfires: government forecasters think continuing drought conditions in the midwest will lead to, and I quote, large and destructive wildfires in some areas. The snow and rainfall this winter was above average, but even so the forecasters still think this could be a dangerous fire season.

New York City now, no kisses. Virgin Atlantic Airways decided today today to scrap plans to install bright red porcelain urinals, you see them right there, with the trade name of kisses in the men's room of its executive club at JFK International Airport. As you can see, the urinals look like a woman's mouth. There were complaints, as you can imagine. Not going to happen.

That's a look at stories across the country for you tonight.

Murder, plot in the playground. Three elementary school students accused of burying a .22 caliber handgun in the sandbox at their school. You will not believe the reason why.

Plus Saddam Hussein on eBay? U.S. troops try to make a buck off some looted goods.

and shocking video. A president shot, the assassination attempt caught on tape. It's not in the U.S., but the shots did threaten to derail an election. We'll have that and the tape ahead.

And from shark bites and natural disasters to terrorist attacks. Do you have what it takes to survive? Part of our week-long series "Against All Odds."

First, let's take a look inside the box. The top stories on tonight's network newscasts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for "Justice Served." A shocking murder plot averted in a playground. Investigators say that two second grade boys and an 11-year-old schoolmate are under arrest for plotting to shoot and stab a third grade girl. CNN's Kimberly Osias has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Forsythe, Montana is rural hamlet east of Billings, 1250 strong, not much trouble happens in these parts until this week on this school playground.

Three young boys say they were teased, taunted and kicked by a third grade girl. So the boys, a 7 and 8-year-old in the second grade and an 11-year-old fifth grader took matters into their own hands. They brought a ..22 caliber handgun to the playground, loaded it with two bullets and buried it under the sand, along with the box of 50 bullets, then they waited for recess.

MICHAEL HAYWORTH, ROSEBUD COUNTY ATTORNEY: This is an extraordinarily serious situation. These individuals are still young individuals. I believe that they can comprehend the difference between harming someone and not harming someone.

OSIAS: The plan was thwarted with just an hour to spare by a classmate who told school officials he'd seen the gun in one of the youngster's backpacks. The three are charged as juveniles with conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon.

It's not clear how the case will proceed, since nothing like this has happened here before. If tried and convicted, they could spend the rest of their childhood locked in detention.

KELLY ANDERSON, FORSYTHE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL: It just reminds you that these things can happen anywhere.

OSIAS: Even in Forsythe, Montana. Kimberly Osias, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: We're tracking a number of developing stories around the globe. Let's check the "Uplink."

Taiwan, close call. Look at this video. On the eve of presidential elections, the president and vice president both were shot while campaigning. The red circle shows the bullet hole through their vehicle. They were rushed to the hospital. The president has already been released. Their injuries not life-threatening. Weekend elections still planned. Scary situation there.

Belgrade, Serbia, Montenegro: protests now. Serbs demonstrate for their kin in Kosovo, where 3 days of ethnic clashes left dozens dead and about 600 people injured. More than 1,600 French, German and NATO troops will be pouring into Kosovo over the coming days to help quell the worst bout of violence between ethnic Albanians and Serbs since 1999.

London, now: Dasani recall. Coca-cola is pulling its Dasani brand bottled water out of the UK market. That is after levels of a toxin were found to exceed legal British standards. Coke says, the recall is precautionary.

Santa Marta, Colombia: community in danger. The United Nations today warned that indigenous Indian communities may be in danger of extinction. They're constantly targeted by far right paramilitaries and Marxist rebels. Colombia has 1 million native Indians

Havana, Cuba: movie for lent. The Catholic church is holding private screenings of Mel Gibson's controversial movie, "The Passion of the Christ." It's been shown before its official release in Latin America. Now, the church didn't get special permission from producers, they just apparently downloaded the film from a pirate site on the Internet.

That's a quick look at tonight's "Uplink."

Some amazing stories of survival, if the unthinkable happened to you, could you survive? Do you have what it takes to make it against all odds in a natural disaster, a wild fire, the like? Part of our week long series coming up.

Also tonight the latest on the fight in Pakistan, what happened to that imminent attack? And we're going to look back at the anniversary of the war, shock and awe. Those are images from one year ago. We're going to talk with former CIA director, James Woolsey.

Also, "The Passion of the Christ," a huge hit provoking debate and big audiences, but some folks don't seem to really get the point. When is too much passion not a good thing? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In this age of terror and war, the line that separates someone who survives from someone who does not can be very thin indeed. Whether you find yourself facing terror or dealing with a natural disaster, tornado, wildfire or avalanche, would you have what it takes to survive? Tonight we wrap up our series, "Against All Odds" with a look at what makes a survivor. I spoke with Laurence Gonzales, author of "Deep Survival," who lives, who dies and why. I started off by asking him what separates the person who survives from the person who does not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURENCE GONZALES, EXPERT ON SURVIVAL: The main thing that separates the survivor from the one who perishes is attitude. Believe it or not, people tend to think that equipment and training is the most important thing and it certainly helps but believe it or not, it's attitude and the attitude starts with taking responsibility for yourself.

COOPER: And so they don't give into panic. They don't give in to feeling sorry for themselves and they figure out a way to get out of a situation.

GONZALES: Yes, this is the example of the surfing girl who got her arm bit off, Bethany Hamilton. She remained incredibly calm in the face of a really catastrophic event and I suspect it came from living a life of learning to stay calm in situations that surfing takes you into.

COOPER: You also write in your book about denial being a reason that makes some people not survive. What do you mean?

GONZALES: Yes, well, a lot of people, for example, in the World Trade Center, instead of believing the evidence of their senses that something really bad was going on, they just sat there and waited and that's a typical thing. Lots of people, for example, if the hotel fire alarm goes off they just go back to sleep, they say oh, it's a false alarm. The survivor will get up and investigate. The survivor, I say, perceive and believe. COOPER: Some people are able to go really to extremes that other people say I would never be able to do that. I think in the case of Aaron Ralston (ph), the young man who was out hiking in the wilderness and got his arm caught by a rock, a huge boulder and ended up cutting off his own arm.

GONZALES: We all are fascinated by that case because we want to know, could we do that? I think the answer is how you have lived your life up to that point. Surviving is not just dealing with an emergency at the moment. It's a way of life. So that when you reach that moment you're able to deal with it.

COOPER: Do you think it makes a big difference as to why you got into that situation in the first place? I talked to a woman recently who jumped out of an airplane and both her parachutes failed to open, she ended up surviving, but badly injured. She didn't ever ask, why me, because she felt she had voluntarily put herself in that situation jumping out of that airplane. It was her choice.

GONZALES: Survivors don't sit around bemoaning their fate. They don't tend to ask, why me.

COOPER: You say children of survivors, indicating that we're all born survivors, and yet you all say some 90 percent of people end up panicking in situations, how do you learn how to be a better survivor or to be a survivor if you're not?

GONZALES: You have to practice in your daily life dealing with the small challenges that life brings you in the same way that you would deal with a big challenge. When we talk about the 12 traits of great survivors, there are definite traits that you can look for in yourself.

COOPER: Are they ones that you can just sort of wheel off or...

GONZALES: I usually break the 12 down into four for the sake of convenience and brevity and they are to, first of all, take responsibility for yourself. Secondly, to perceive and believe. Really believe the evidence of your senses and say, I see trouble, it's really coming. The next thing is to make a plan. Use this information that you've taken in through your senses, assess yourself and make a plan and the fourth thing is take action. It's surprisingly difficult in a crisis to translate thought into action. Some people just freeze. So in those four things are embodied lots of other traits that I describe in more detail, but those are the basic steps that a survivor takes and, of course, it all begins with remaining calm within yourself the way Bethany did.

COOPER: It's a fascinating subject. Laurence Gonzales, appreciate you joining us, thanks very much.

GONZALES: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Coming up, war, terror and secret intelligence. Former CIA director James Woolsey joins us live with insights on both.

And some developing breaking news we're following, a former chaplain at Guantanamo Bay charged with espionage has all the charges dropped. Find out why ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: New York, New York: The Martha Stewart trial, a new one? Lawyers for the homemaking diva filed papers in federal court a short time ago to have her guilty verdict overturned. They say she should be granted a new trial, because one of the jurors who convicted her lied about his own criminal record.

San Juan, Puerto Rico: major U.S. Navy base closed. The U.S. military officially shut down the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station following a successful campaign to stop using the neighboring island of Vieques for war games. It used to be one of the largest bases in the world.

And a new study says there is absolutely no link between childhood vaccinations and the development of diabetes. The study, published in this week's "New England Journal of Medicine" looked at vaccination records in cases of Type I diabetes for close to three- quarters of a million Danish children born between 1990 and 2000.

And that is a quick look at "The Reset".

More now on that terrible day in Iraq. A roadside bomb killing 5 U.S. troops west of Baghdad, and 4 American civilians; contractors who were brutally killed on the streets of Fallujah. Kelly McCann is a former U.S. Marine officer, specializing in counterterrorism, now a private security consultant and a CNN contributator. He's with us from Washington.

And Kelly, good evening, thanks for being on the show. Are these type of contractors -- what's their role in Iraq right now?

Clearly we're having trouble with Kelly -- obviously having some trouble with Kelly's audio. We'll try fix the problem and get back to you on that.

Just moments ago, as we mentioned, the University of Wisconsin student found after 4 days was released from a hospital. Jonathan Freed is live from Chicago with the lastest, including the search for the suspect. Jonathan what do you know?

JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, I can tell you that just before 1:00 p.m. Central Time a passerby spotted somebody in a marshy area about two miles from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, spotted somebody that they believed looked like the person everybody has been look for for four days. And about a half hour after that, police confirmed that they found Audrey Seiler. Tremendous relief. And here is the sound from the family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KEITH SEILER, AUDREY'S FATHER: Audrey was overjoyed to return back to us. Just relieved, glad to be warm, to see her friends and family, a bit surprised at the big hullabaloo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREED: Now, police have been searching the area with dogs and a helicopter that's equipped with an infrared system. Basically, the ground here is wet and cold and they are hoping that is going to enable them to find the body if there is a body, the warm body of a suspect that's out there somewhere.

Now, the suspect is armed with a gun and a knife, according to police. He is, as described, a white male, late 20s, early 30s, about 5'11, 6 feet, last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans and a black cap.

Now, police say that they have secured a perimeter around the area and that they're closing in on it. Here is what they have to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We still have officers outset up on the perimeter currently right now dealing with that particular situation. That has not been resolved. We have a secure perimeter. And they are right now they're in the process of dealing with that particular situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREED: And Anderson, doctors today say that they were somewhat surprised by how good a condition they found Audrey in. Perhaps one of the reasons why she was released from the hospital after being there for, by my watch, less than five hours -- Anderson.

COOPER: A lot of questions still unanswered. Jonathan Freed thanks very much for that report. Joining us now from Madison, Peter Spear, provost of the University of Wisconsin, where Audrey goes to school. Provost, thanks very much for being with us. The moment you heard, what did you think?

PETER SPEAR, PROVOST U OF WISCONSIN: Relief. We were thrilled to hear that she was found safely.

COOPER: What has been, the last several days like? What has it been like on campus for you and the other students?

SPEAR: We've all been very concerned. It's good to see the community, the campus community coming together. There was a vigil planned for tonight. I think that will be a celebration. We used this opportunity to remind students of things, precautions they should take in order to remain safe on campus. In fact, it is a very safe campus. Happily, this is a very rare kind of circumstance for us.

COOPER: I was listening to the press conference that happened a short while ago, the emergency room doctor said when she was found, Audrey was described as dehydrated, had some muscle aches, but that she was smiling. Does that sound like the Audrey you know, optimistic?

SPEAR: Well, I never met Audrey. I'm looking forward to doing that. Certainly, that she's smiling and feeling good and able to leave the hospital, as I just heard, is good news, indeed.

COOPER: How is this incident, if in any way, going to change life on campus, change campus security?

SPEAR: Well, at present, from what we know about this, there's no reason to believe it's anything other than an isolated incident. We have orientation for our incoming students. We give them tips about being safe. We have safe ride and safe walk programs, police phones and call boxes on campus. We give them tips about things to do, such as staying with a friend if they're out at night after dark, and this makes us more vigilant, I think. Basically, I think we have good programs in place.

COOPER: Well, it is a happy evening for audrey, for her family, and for everyone else who has looking for her. Provost Spear, we appreciate you being with us tonight. Thank you very much

I want to go back now to that gruesome day in Iraq, in Fallujah. Four American civilians, contractors were brutally killed and dragged through the streets. In Washington, we're joined by Kelly McCann, former U.S. marine specializing in counterterrorism.

Kelly, good to see you again? Hope the audio works this time. What do contractors do in Iraq right now?

KELLY MCCANN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Basically, they're doing a bunch of things different. They run convoy security, they protect people, run protective services details. In this case, it appear that is they were providing security for food distribution points. Combat services support.

COOPER: They're doing the work that U.S. troops used to do.

MCCANN: They're known primarily as force multipliers. Contractors on the battle field are nothing new. They basically relieve combat troops as combatants to go forward and do what they need to do so they don't have to pay as much attention to securing logistics, supply chain, things like taht.

COOPER: And is it fair to say that virtually all these contractors have a military background if not a special forces background?

MCCANN: Absolutely. In fact, this place is no place for amateurs. The majority of men there are former infantry people, former special forces people, people who know well the perils of the combat environment.

COOPER: The reason they do it? Is there a particularly good pay in this kind of work for someone who has a special forces background?

MCCANN: In particular, Iraq has been kind of a gold rush situation. In this business, the more danger there is, the more money you're likely to make. There are also some overhead items that companies sending people over there have to pay attention to. These are screened, selected, trained. They all get predeployment trainging. In fact, the company that these men work for has a good reputation for having quality people on the ground.

It is just a very dangerous place. And I think that if you look at the incidents that happened with the military, why wouldn't they happen to anybody who is over there trying to rebuild and restructure? So, you know, there are going to be some casualties as we go forward in Iraq -- Anderson.

COOPER: And the military likes contractors. You call the force multipliers, simply, because they don't have enough troops on the ground, or that these troops are somehow -- that these contractors, these civilians are somehow -- I don't want to say they are more expendable. But in a harsh way they are.

MCCANN: Not necessarily expendable. They have to have D/B/A insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, life insurance. There are a lot of tickets you need to be a contractor there. But what they do do, is allow combatant commanders to focus on their mission.

There may be, for instance, people who need to be protected. Not necessarily a military function, so what they do is, they'll hire contractors who have qualifications to do that. In a lot of cases, they are a blessing on the battlefield, not a detraction.

COOPER: Absolutely. All right, Kelly McCann, appreciate you joining us, thanks.

Liberals add their voice for radio. Coming up, Air America: the left goes head to head against the right. Look for the differences and maybe even the similarities.

Also, tonight, a Texas woman accused of a horrific crime. Police believe she killed her kids. She's on trial right now. We'll look at that.

And a little bit later, she's got all the right moves. A teenage girl shows the guys how to dunk like a champion. She's a slam dunk champion. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, on the dawn of what some hope is a liberal radio revolution began today at noon. Air America, that's what it's called, premiered in six markets and over the Internet with Al Franken leading the left what they say is the conservative grip of the radio dial. Both conservative and liberals took on the same issues today on the radio, but they took different sides as, you might imagine.

CNN's Kelly Wallace tuned in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL FRANKEN, "O'FRANKEN FACTOR": An end to the right-wing dominance of talk radio, the beginning of a battle for truth.

SEAN HANNITY, "SEAN HANNITY": One of the reasons we're so giddy today, I am telling you. Here's a hint. They really are dull.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You got the sense conservative host Sean Hannity was talking about the new competition. The nation's first liberal radio network called Air America which features liberals like actress Janeane Garofalo and comedian Al Franken. As for Franken's show, he spent much of his debut targeting Bush.

FRANKEN: We can't trust this guy.

WALLACE: While Hannity focused on John Kerry.

HANNITY: He'll say anything to get elected.

WALLACE: The two covered similar ground.

FRANKEN: This administration is asleep at the wheel.

WALLACE: But directly opposite perspectives.

HANNITY: George Bush, in the spring he added to the existing Clinton strategy.

WALLACE: Both shows featured Democrats, former senator and September 11 Commission member, Bob Kerrey with Franken. Current Senator Jon Corzine with Hannity.

HANNITY: Haven't they said to you, isn't he a jerk?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People think, it's pretty entertaining.

WALLACE: And that's the striking difference. Maybe it was just opening day jitters, but Franken's show and jokes fell flat like this skit with a bottom imitating conservative Ann Coulter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's your name?

FRANKEN: Javia (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you responsible for these (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

WALLACE: A sign of the challenges ahead. In some cities, Franken's liberal show runs directly against conservative Rush Limbaugh.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WALLACE: Here is another major difference. While Franken and his colleagues on Air America can be seen on just six stations around the country, Rush Limbaugh appears on 600 stations nationwide. And Anderson, perhaps a sign of how Rush Limbaugh is not worried about his new competition, today, he took the day off.

COOPER: OK, that's a good sign there. All right, Kelly Wallace, thanks very much.

So, will Air America succeed?

That's what I asked the co-host of CNN's "CROSSFIRE," James Carville and Tucker Carlson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST "CROSSFIRE": I sort of like the name of the show, the "O'Franken Factor." I mean, if he keeps up the clever in it will work. There is clearly, is an audience for the liberal side. I mean, "The New York Times," best seller book list every week for past six months has almost half anti-Bush rants. So clearly people want to here it, the question is, can pounding just pounding on Bush day after day sustain an audience? I suspect not. I think, there has to be some kind of liberal ideology beyond that. And there really isn't one.

COOPER: But James, I mean, if this is such a good idea why haven't they been able to get into more markets?

They are only in a couple of cities right now, a couple of low rated stations.

JAMES CARVILLE, CO-HOST "CROSSFIRE": My guess is that people want to see how it works. I did a preliminary show. I did something with the "O'Franken Factor." I think Tucker's right. I mean, lets give it a chance and see what happens. And conservative talk radio did alright by just pounding on nothing, pounding on Clinton for eight years.

COOPER: Tucker, what do you think is the success to conservative radio is?

I mean, Rush Limbaugh is on some 600 stations.

CARLSON: Well, Rush Limbaugh is talented, whether you listen to him or not. He's smart. He understands broadcasting. He's good at communicating ideas. And there are ideas on his show. It is not pounding on Clinton or pounding on the left. I mean, there is a discrete conservative ideology, a conservative position, sort of agreed upon on a bunch of different issues, and that matters. And third and most important Rush Limbaugh has a pretty good sense of humor. You wonder -- I think Al Franken has a decent sense of humor or used to before he became sort of obsessed with Bush. Maybe there are other liberals with a sense of humor, I haven't met them. I would love to. COOPER: James, I mean, there are some who say it easier to do conservative radio? The ideas are clearer. The joke is the liberals are parsing things and equivocating things.

CARVILLE: The problem is that conservatives talk and liberals think. And radio is a lot more easy for people that talk all the time as opposed to people that happen to think. And that's generally why conservatives you know, are on the radio and liberals are writing books because ideas take a while to form. For instance invading Iraq backed on a bunch of lies is a conservative idea, it's a stupid idea.

(CROSSTALK)

CARVILLE: That kind of thing. The liberal, the Democrat, most Democrats are actually working trying or find work (AUDIO GAP).

(CROSSTALK)

CARLSON: Actually -- I think that's -- he points to two things. First, the idea that liberals are some too thoughtful for the medium of radio. That's a pretty arrogant point of view. Second, in fact, working class people vote Republican, that's not my opinion. It is actually borne out by the statistics.

COOPER: Will it really help John Kerry (AUDIO GAP) in targeting station in Ohio and Florida in the coming nights?

CARLSON: See, that's the problem right there. As soon as you start a radio show as sort of an auxiliary arm of a presidential campaign, it kind of undercuts your whole mission which of course is to tell the truth or truth as you see. As soon as you're seeing it as strictly a partisan apparatus, you are a hack at that point. To succeed, I think they have to take their own positions...

CARVILLE: Thank god Rush Limbaugh is not partisan. I mean, I understand he's not a partisan guy, just all he is someone who spouts out ideas.

CARLSON: That's not a fair criticism. Actually, Rush Limbaugh, for all his faults, actually, does attack Republicans from time to time when he disagrees with them. You have to do that or you have no credibility.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: All right, we'll see how that works. James Carville Tucker Carlson, appreciate it, thanks.

CARLSON: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Time now to "Justice Served." In Texas a mother on trial, charged with the unthinkable, stoning two of her own sons to death and severely injuring a third. emotionally grueling for those in the courtroom as they watched a videotaped confession of the crime. CNN's, Eric Philips picks it up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At first glance this looks like average home video, but the yellow tapes just begins to tell what happens at this east Texas home. 8-year-old Joshua Laney and 6-year-old brother beaten to death, their infant brother permanently injured all by their own mother, 39-year-old Deanna Laney. She confessed in video tape interview with a psychiatrist.

DEANNA LANEY, ON TRIAL FOR KILLING CHILDREN: I believe the lord told me to do this.

PHILIPS: Late in the evening last Mother's Day weekend, Laney went into her 14 month old son's room, placed him on the floor and struck him in the head with a rock. Then she led her other two sons outside bashing them in the head with larger rocks. Laney immediately called 911.

LANEY: I just killed my boys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you use?

LANEY: A rock.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You hit your boys with a rock?

LANEY: Yes. That's just what I was told to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who told you to do that?

LANEY: God.

PHILIPS: Now she's on trial after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of capital murder and causing serious injury to a child. A prosecution expert has testified that delusions made her believe God told her to do it.

DR. PARK DIETZ, PSYCHIATRIST: And she struggled over whether to obey God or to selfishly keep her children.

PHILIPS: Laney's husband, Keith, was asleep when this happened. He remains dumbfounded.

KEITH LANEY, DEFENDANT'S HUSBAND: Because I don't under.

PHILIPS: Nevertheless, he is standing by his wife. The jury will decide whether she was sane when she killed their children.

Eric Philips, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Unbelievable. This isn't, of course, the first case of its kind. Let's flashback to 1994. Remember Susan Smith, she lead the country on a wild goose chase for nine days for blaming a fictitious black man for car jacking her Mazda with her son still in the car. She later confessed to strapping her two sons into their car seats and then rolling the car into the lake where they drowned. Her husband took the stand against her. Called for the death penalty. In the end, the jury sentenced her to life in prison with eligibility for parole.

Well, a girl show the boys a thing or two on how to play b-ball.

COOPER: Also tonight, is it true? Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee back together again? Find out later on in "The Current."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER; All right. Time to check on pop news in tonight's "Current." Let's take a look.

A New Jersey multimillionaire will be the next tourist in space. Greg Olsen will pay Russia $20 million for the trip. While in orbit, Olsen will conduct experiments. Most importantly, he'll study the effects of weightlessnes on rich, bored Americans.

Hollywood insiders are wondering if Pamela Anderson is back with Tommy Lee? The 2 were reportedly seen together in Florida over the weekend. One eyewitness says they were even holding hands, testing, perhaps, the only type of physical contact we haven't seen yet perform.

Is Drea DiMatteo about to get bumpe? The "Sopranos" snitch will co-star as a wisecracking Italian-American hairdresser in the "Friends" spin off "Joey," proving that if you whack the character, you can't kill a stereotype.

And actor Chris Klein is sounding off on why he's marrying actress Katie Holmes. Klein says getting married will help the relation shep get bigger. If that fails, doctors recommend Viagra.

Now a different kind of sport. The slam dunk. The most electrifying play in basketball. The greats, of course, make it look easy: Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb. But have you heard of Candace Parker? Well, she's 17, 6'3, and last night, she became the first female to win a national high school slam dunk competition, three times. She did it. I asked Candace about the first time she ever dunked.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDACE PARKER, WON SLAM DUNK CONTEST: When I was 15 years old, I dunked for the first time with my dad in a gym.

COOPER: Now the night you got the three, the first time, were you confident you could do it?

PARKER: I was pretty confident, up until I got down to crunch time and I didn't know what other dunks I was going to do. So, I tried one I had never done before. Thank god it worked out.

COOPER: You will start playing ball for Tennessee next year. I was looking up some stats, only five dunks have been recorded in women's college basketball games. Do you think you can up that record?

PARKER: Hopefully. Right now I'm just focused on playing in the McDonald's all-American game and hopefully next year going to Tennessee. If it happens, then great.

COOPER: Your brother plays professionally, your father played for Iowa. Did you grow up playing ball?

PARKER: Basketball is in my blood. My first love was soccer. After a couple years my parents talked some sense into me. And I realized there's not many 6'3 forwards in soccer, so I switched over to basketball.

COOPER: Yes, that's definitely true. Do you get flak from your brother or other guys about dunking.

PARKER: No. They're all supportive and encourage me to continue, show me some techniques on dunking and everything.

COOPER: I guess they can't say much. Because you can outdunk them.

PARKER: No. I wouldn't say that.

COOPER: Congratulations on the accomplishment. And I hope you have a great year at Tennessee. Candace Parker, thanks very much.

PARKER: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: So, are you tired of all that finger pointing in politics? Coming up in the Nth Degree, we found new ways to play the blame game.

Plus tomorrow teaching terror: an exlusive on documents used to spread the ideology of al Qaeda.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Tonight taking finger pointing to the "Nth Degree." Now that Condoleezza Rice is going testify before the 9/11 commission, we thought Republicans and Democrats might want to think about all that finger pointing. It is surprising really, because these are accomplished people. And you think they could do more with their fingers than point at one another.

What about shadow puppets? Those testifying could cast either donkeys or elephants on the wall and answer to the question they've been asked. Evidently, one or the other is always appropriate. Or there's alwasy that great old hand game, rock, paper, scissors. Paper would be the Democrats, scissors the Republicans and rock, well rock would be the sort of wild card, sometimes the CIA, sometimes Saddam, sometimes Osama bin Laden.

We'll leave the details to the people who are actually involved, except to say that, it would be good to see them stop giving eachother the finger.

I'm Anderson Cooper, thanks for watching. "PAULA ZAHN NOW" is next.

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


Aired March 31, 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): Fierce fighting continues in Pakistan. Who are al Qaeda fighters really protecting?

More bombings in Baghdad. Iraqis brace for a tense weekend on the anniversary of the war.

Bush vows to finish the job in Iraq, but how tough is the work ahead?

Terror attacks, natural disasters, freak accidents. Do you have what it takes to survive against all odds?

A loaded gun stashed in a sandbox. The three grade school students plot to kill a classmate during recess.

And the passion over "Passion." What is it about one movie that's making some people do the strangest things?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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

COOPER: Welcome to 360. We begin with breaking news. CNN has just learned that the U.S. military is dropping all criminal charges against former Guantanamo Army Chaplain James Yee. The Army captain was arrested, you may remember, last September at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, amidst much publicity on suspicion that he was part of an espionage ring. First accused of spying, Captain Yee ultimately was charged with adultery and mishandling classified information while assigned to Task Force Guantanamo, where he tended to the religious needs of Taliban and al Qaeda detainees, the only Muslim chaplain in the Army to do that. We're going to have more on this developing story coming up in a live report.

Again, this is breaking news just coming into CNN. We are gathering information, we're going to bring it to you shortly in just a few moments.

Moving on, it is 5:00 a.m. right now in Pakistan, 3:00 a.m. in Baghdad, one year to the day since shock and awe, the start of the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Tonight, the State Department is warning Americans to be careful, saying it remains deeply concerned al Qaeda is planning more deadly attacks overseas and here at home. All day in Pakistan, Pakistani forces say they have been pounding 300 to 400 foreign militants with artillery fire on the ground while helicopters attack from above. Among them, possibly Osama bin Laden's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. We're covering all the angles tonight. CNN's Nic Robertson in Islamabad, Walter Rodgers in Baghdad, and at the White House, Dana Bash. We begin in Pakistan. Nic, what's the latest on the ongoing battle?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, the battle is turning into a standoff, but it is a standoff that Pakistani officials say they have the upper hand in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Using heavy artillery overnight, backed up by Cobra attack helicopters and troops by day, Pakistani military officials claim to be stepping up their pressure on as many as 400 al Qaeda members holed up in mud-built compounds near the Afghan border.

MAJ. GEN. SHOUKAT SULTAN, PAKISTANI ARMY: They have actually underestimated the resistance that they're going to face. That (UNINTELLIGIBLE) probably they were not in that much strength. So they actually barged into hardened terrorist camp.

ROBERTSON: Burnt out army trucks, an indication of the ferocity of the fight so far. Itself, Pakistani officials believe, an indication the al Qaeda fighters are protecting a high-valued target.

Although Pakistani officials won't say publicly who they think they may have, privately Pakistani intelligence and military sources still maintain what CNN first reported Thursday, that intercepts and interrogations indicate Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy, is surrounded by thousands of Pakistani troops.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Nic, is there any concern on the part of the Pakistanis that he may, or anyone who is there may be able to escape? How tight is this noose?

ROBERTSON: Well, it's spent over about a 19-square mile area that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) sources tell us...

COOPER: Clearly lost audio contact with Nic Robertson. We will have another update from him shortly.

The U.S. may double the bounty for Osama bin Laden. The House of Representatives has voted unanimously to increase the reward for capturing the mass murderer to $50 million -- this, of course, up from $25 million. To appeal to people in remote rural areas, like the Pakistan-Afghan border. The bill also gives the State Department leeway in offering rewards in the form of cars, household appliances, and other goods, instead of cash. It's like "Let's Make a Deal." However, the deal is not done. The bill now goes to the Senate.

In Baghdad today, a frighteningly familiar sound, explosions marking the first anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. Three mortars or rockets fired into the green zone where the U.S.-led coalition has its headquarters. No reports of damage or injuries. The attack wasn't much of a surprise, though a visit from Secretary of State Colin Powell was. In Baghdad, CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this first anniversary of the Iraq war, the U.S. secretary of state was in Baghdad defending the American-led invasion and occupation.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Thank you.

RODGERS: Meeting with American soldiers, Secretary Powell assured them what we are doing is right.

POWELL: There are those who are determined to stop us. They don't want Iraqis to be free. They don't want Iraqis to have democracy.

RODGERS: Powell met privately with Paul Bremer, the American in charge of rebuilding Iraq, this amid increasing evidence the U.S.-led coalition is fraying. South Korea said it's canceled plans to send 3,000 troops to Kirkuk, due to security concerns. The Spanish are pulling out.

Later, Powell met tough questioning, a reporter suggesting there was no terrorism in Iraq until after the Americans invaded, and that now the world is less safe. The secretary replied, "this is not the time to hide."

POWELL: This is not the time to say let's stop what we're doing and pull back.

RODGERS: There was no sidestepping this awkward moment, however. Iraqi journalists walking out of Powell's presser, protesting after two Arab journalists were killed at a U.S. military checkpoint. And Baghdad residents remember the war a year ago differently. Another protest calling on the Americans to go home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: And this weekend, Baghdad is on a high security alert, braced for more possible trouble -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Walter Rodgers, thanks, live from Baghdad.

Today President Bush marked the first anniversary of the war by calling it "a brave and historic achievement," and he's once again urging support in the global war on terror. White House correspondent Dana Bash has the day's developments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the year anniversary of the Iraq war that divided America and key allies, a call for unity on the broader war on terrorism.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There can be no separate peace with the terrorist enemy. Any sign of weakness or retreat simply validates terrorist violence and invites more violence for all nations.

BASH: Last week's attack in Spain, the subsequent political defeat of an ally there and deadly bombings in Iraq has the administration working to keep a shaky U.S.-led coalition together. The president cited attacks from Saudi Arabia to Russia, warning every nation is vulnerable.

BUSH: Each attack is designed to demoralize our people and divide us from one another.

BASH: In the White House East Room, officials from more than 80 nations, including France, Germany and Russia, who actively opposed the Iraq war. Mr. Bush said all now agree Saddam Hussein's removal makes the Middle East more safe.

BUSH: Those differences belong to the past.

BASH: But differences remain. France's foreign minister said Friday the world is a more dangerous place because of the Iraq war. Though security is still a problem, the transition to democracy facing challenges. The president called the day one year ago he ordered air strikes a day of deliverance.

BUSH: Who would prefer that Saddam's torture chambers still be open? Who would wish that more mass graves were still being filled?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: But the president only made passing reference to essential reason for war, weapons of mass destruction, which have not yet been found. Democrats were quick to criticize Mr. Bush, saying that the war in Iraq has taken away from the war on terror and made it harder -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Dana Bash at the White House, thanks.

Before President Bush spoke today about Iraq, John Kerry, his likely Democratic opponent in the race for the White House, released a statement. He said, quote, "simply put, this president didn't tell the truth about the war from the beginning and our country is paying the price."

Kerry said today he voted to give President Bush the authority to go to war only when Mr. Bush made promises to members of Congress before the invasion. Kerry didn't give specifics on the promises today, but he says they were broken.

The war, of course, began around 9:35 p.m. East Coast time one year ago today. Let's quickly flash back. The first major attack in what the Pentagon called its shock and awe campaign began around 5:35 a.m. Baghdad time, about 90 minutes after the U.S. deadline for Saddam Hussein to step down had passed. That night President Bush went on television.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: My fellow citizens, at this hour American and coalition forces are in the early stage of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger. On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: One year ago. The U.S. plan was to drop more than 1,500 bombs and missiles across Iraq in the first 24 hours of the campaign.

Now let's go to the Pentagon for an update on the news that just broke moments ago, all criminal charges being dropped right now against Guantanamo Army Chaplain James Yee. Let's get the details from CNN senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. Jamie, it's a breaking story, what do you know?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you remember Chaplain Yee was arrested in Jacksonville after it was discovered that there was documents on his computer that suggested he might have been spying after his contact with Guantanamo detainees. He offered a deal in which he would be granted immunity and in return cooperate and give a debriefing under lie detector tests, but the government now, the general in charge has decided no, they will instead drop the charges against James Yee.

The reason, they say is because to proceed would put national security evidence in the trial that would compromise national security. He still, however, faces charges of pornography and adultery based on things they found on his computer. He'll get nonjudicial punishment in article 15 for that. Still unclear if he'll get an honorable discharge -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. Jamie McIntyre, thanks.

Right now we're following a number of developing stories for you across the country. Let's take a look.

Information, please: your cell phone number -- listen to this -- your cell phone may soon be available if you dial 411. Five of the nation's six biggest carriers are working to compile their customers' names and numbers in a single directory. They expect to have 70 percent of the nation's 156 million numbers in the book by the end of the year. If you do not want the number to be listed you should probably contact your cell phone provider to withdraw consent.

Phoenix, Arizona: probable jail time. Prosecutors today ask that Catholic bishop Thomas O'Brien spend six months in jail and four years on probation for his conviction of leaving the scene of a fatal traffic accident. The bishop struck and killed a man walking along the street last year.

Los Angeles, now, child porn charges dropped. Actor Paul Reubens, formerly Peewee Herman off the hook for what he claimed is a historical art collection. The former TV star did plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of possessing obscene material and will have to register as a sex offender through till the end of a three-year probation.

Spring wildfires: government forecasters think continuing drought conditions in the midwest will lead to, and I quote, large and destructive wildfires in some areas. The snow and rainfall this winter was above average, but even so the forecasters still think this could be a dangerous fire season.

New York City now, no kisses. Virgin Atlantic Airways decided today today to scrap plans to install bright red porcelain urinals, you see them right there, with the trade name of kisses in the men's room of its executive club at JFK International Airport. As you can see, the urinals look like a woman's mouth. There were complaints, as you can imagine. Not going to happen.

That's a look at stories across the country for you tonight.

Murder, plot in the playground. Three elementary school students accused of burying a .22 caliber handgun in the sandbox at their school. You will not believe the reason why.

Plus Saddam Hussein on eBay? U.S. troops try to make a buck off some looted goods.

and shocking video. A president shot, the assassination attempt caught on tape. It's not in the U.S., but the shots did threaten to derail an election. We'll have that and the tape ahead.

And from shark bites and natural disasters to terrorist attacks. Do you have what it takes to survive? Part of our week-long series "Against All Odds."

First, let's take a look inside the box. The top stories on tonight's network newscasts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for "Justice Served." A shocking murder plot averted in a playground. Investigators say that two second grade boys and an 11-year-old schoolmate are under arrest for plotting to shoot and stab a third grade girl. CNN's Kimberly Osias has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Forsythe, Montana is rural hamlet east of Billings, 1250 strong, not much trouble happens in these parts until this week on this school playground.

Three young boys say they were teased, taunted and kicked by a third grade girl. So the boys, a 7 and 8-year-old in the second grade and an 11-year-old fifth grader took matters into their own hands. They brought a ..22 caliber handgun to the playground, loaded it with two bullets and buried it under the sand, along with the box of 50 bullets, then they waited for recess.

MICHAEL HAYWORTH, ROSEBUD COUNTY ATTORNEY: This is an extraordinarily serious situation. These individuals are still young individuals. I believe that they can comprehend the difference between harming someone and not harming someone.

OSIAS: The plan was thwarted with just an hour to spare by a classmate who told school officials he'd seen the gun in one of the youngster's backpacks. The three are charged as juveniles with conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon.

It's not clear how the case will proceed, since nothing like this has happened here before. If tried and convicted, they could spend the rest of their childhood locked in detention.

KELLY ANDERSON, FORSYTHE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL: It just reminds you that these things can happen anywhere.

OSIAS: Even in Forsythe, Montana. Kimberly Osias, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: We're tracking a number of developing stories around the globe. Let's check the "Uplink."

Taiwan, close call. Look at this video. On the eve of presidential elections, the president and vice president both were shot while campaigning. The red circle shows the bullet hole through their vehicle. They were rushed to the hospital. The president has already been released. Their injuries not life-threatening. Weekend elections still planned. Scary situation there.

Belgrade, Serbia, Montenegro: protests now. Serbs demonstrate for their kin in Kosovo, where 3 days of ethnic clashes left dozens dead and about 600 people injured. More than 1,600 French, German and NATO troops will be pouring into Kosovo over the coming days to help quell the worst bout of violence between ethnic Albanians and Serbs since 1999.

London, now: Dasani recall. Coca-cola is pulling its Dasani brand bottled water out of the UK market. That is after levels of a toxin were found to exceed legal British standards. Coke says, the recall is precautionary.

Santa Marta, Colombia: community in danger. The United Nations today warned that indigenous Indian communities may be in danger of extinction. They're constantly targeted by far right paramilitaries and Marxist rebels. Colombia has 1 million native Indians

Havana, Cuba: movie for lent. The Catholic church is holding private screenings of Mel Gibson's controversial movie, "The Passion of the Christ." It's been shown before its official release in Latin America. Now, the church didn't get special permission from producers, they just apparently downloaded the film from a pirate site on the Internet.

That's a quick look at tonight's "Uplink."

Some amazing stories of survival, if the unthinkable happened to you, could you survive? Do you have what it takes to make it against all odds in a natural disaster, a wild fire, the like? Part of our week long series coming up.

Also tonight the latest on the fight in Pakistan, what happened to that imminent attack? And we're going to look back at the anniversary of the war, shock and awe. Those are images from one year ago. We're going to talk with former CIA director, James Woolsey.

Also, "The Passion of the Christ," a huge hit provoking debate and big audiences, but some folks don't seem to really get the point. When is too much passion not a good thing? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In this age of terror and war, the line that separates someone who survives from someone who does not can be very thin indeed. Whether you find yourself facing terror or dealing with a natural disaster, tornado, wildfire or avalanche, would you have what it takes to survive? Tonight we wrap up our series, "Against All Odds" with a look at what makes a survivor. I spoke with Laurence Gonzales, author of "Deep Survival," who lives, who dies and why. I started off by asking him what separates the person who survives from the person who does not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURENCE GONZALES, EXPERT ON SURVIVAL: The main thing that separates the survivor from the one who perishes is attitude. Believe it or not, people tend to think that equipment and training is the most important thing and it certainly helps but believe it or not, it's attitude and the attitude starts with taking responsibility for yourself.

COOPER: And so they don't give into panic. They don't give in to feeling sorry for themselves and they figure out a way to get out of a situation.

GONZALES: Yes, this is the example of the surfing girl who got her arm bit off, Bethany Hamilton. She remained incredibly calm in the face of a really catastrophic event and I suspect it came from living a life of learning to stay calm in situations that surfing takes you into.

COOPER: You also write in your book about denial being a reason that makes some people not survive. What do you mean?

GONZALES: Yes, well, a lot of people, for example, in the World Trade Center, instead of believing the evidence of their senses that something really bad was going on, they just sat there and waited and that's a typical thing. Lots of people, for example, if the hotel fire alarm goes off they just go back to sleep, they say oh, it's a false alarm. The survivor will get up and investigate. The survivor, I say, perceive and believe. COOPER: Some people are able to go really to extremes that other people say I would never be able to do that. I think in the case of Aaron Ralston (ph), the young man who was out hiking in the wilderness and got his arm caught by a rock, a huge boulder and ended up cutting off his own arm.

GONZALES: We all are fascinated by that case because we want to know, could we do that? I think the answer is how you have lived your life up to that point. Surviving is not just dealing with an emergency at the moment. It's a way of life. So that when you reach that moment you're able to deal with it.

COOPER: Do you think it makes a big difference as to why you got into that situation in the first place? I talked to a woman recently who jumped out of an airplane and both her parachutes failed to open, she ended up surviving, but badly injured. She didn't ever ask, why me, because she felt she had voluntarily put herself in that situation jumping out of that airplane. It was her choice.

GONZALES: Survivors don't sit around bemoaning their fate. They don't tend to ask, why me.

COOPER: You say children of survivors, indicating that we're all born survivors, and yet you all say some 90 percent of people end up panicking in situations, how do you learn how to be a better survivor or to be a survivor if you're not?

GONZALES: You have to practice in your daily life dealing with the small challenges that life brings you in the same way that you would deal with a big challenge. When we talk about the 12 traits of great survivors, there are definite traits that you can look for in yourself.

COOPER: Are they ones that you can just sort of wheel off or...

GONZALES: I usually break the 12 down into four for the sake of convenience and brevity and they are to, first of all, take responsibility for yourself. Secondly, to perceive and believe. Really believe the evidence of your senses and say, I see trouble, it's really coming. The next thing is to make a plan. Use this information that you've taken in through your senses, assess yourself and make a plan and the fourth thing is take action. It's surprisingly difficult in a crisis to translate thought into action. Some people just freeze. So in those four things are embodied lots of other traits that I describe in more detail, but those are the basic steps that a survivor takes and, of course, it all begins with remaining calm within yourself the way Bethany did.

COOPER: It's a fascinating subject. Laurence Gonzales, appreciate you joining us, thanks very much.

GONZALES: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Coming up, war, terror and secret intelligence. Former CIA director James Woolsey joins us live with insights on both.

And some developing breaking news we're following, a former chaplain at Guantanamo Bay charged with espionage has all the charges dropped. Find out why ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: New York, New York: The Martha Stewart trial, a new one? Lawyers for the homemaking diva filed papers in federal court a short time ago to have her guilty verdict overturned. They say she should be granted a new trial, because one of the jurors who convicted her lied about his own criminal record.

San Juan, Puerto Rico: major U.S. Navy base closed. The U.S. military officially shut down the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station following a successful campaign to stop using the neighboring island of Vieques for war games. It used to be one of the largest bases in the world.

And a new study says there is absolutely no link between childhood vaccinations and the development of diabetes. The study, published in this week's "New England Journal of Medicine" looked at vaccination records in cases of Type I diabetes for close to three- quarters of a million Danish children born between 1990 and 2000.

And that is a quick look at "The Reset".

More now on that terrible day in Iraq. A roadside bomb killing 5 U.S. troops west of Baghdad, and 4 American civilians; contractors who were brutally killed on the streets of Fallujah. Kelly McCann is a former U.S. Marine officer, specializing in counterterrorism, now a private security consultant and a CNN contributator. He's with us from Washington.

And Kelly, good evening, thanks for being on the show. Are these type of contractors -- what's their role in Iraq right now?

Clearly we're having trouble with Kelly -- obviously having some trouble with Kelly's audio. We'll try fix the problem and get back to you on that.

Just moments ago, as we mentioned, the University of Wisconsin student found after 4 days was released from a hospital. Jonathan Freed is live from Chicago with the lastest, including the search for the suspect. Jonathan what do you know?

JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, I can tell you that just before 1:00 p.m. Central Time a passerby spotted somebody in a marshy area about two miles from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, spotted somebody that they believed looked like the person everybody has been look for for four days. And about a half hour after that, police confirmed that they found Audrey Seiler. Tremendous relief. And here is the sound from the family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KEITH SEILER, AUDREY'S FATHER: Audrey was overjoyed to return back to us. Just relieved, glad to be warm, to see her friends and family, a bit surprised at the big hullabaloo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREED: Now, police have been searching the area with dogs and a helicopter that's equipped with an infrared system. Basically, the ground here is wet and cold and they are hoping that is going to enable them to find the body if there is a body, the warm body of a suspect that's out there somewhere.

Now, the suspect is armed with a gun and a knife, according to police. He is, as described, a white male, late 20s, early 30s, about 5'11, 6 feet, last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans and a black cap.

Now, police say that they have secured a perimeter around the area and that they're closing in on it. Here is what they have to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We still have officers outset up on the perimeter currently right now dealing with that particular situation. That has not been resolved. We have a secure perimeter. And they are right now they're in the process of dealing with that particular situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREED: And Anderson, doctors today say that they were somewhat surprised by how good a condition they found Audrey in. Perhaps one of the reasons why she was released from the hospital after being there for, by my watch, less than five hours -- Anderson.

COOPER: A lot of questions still unanswered. Jonathan Freed thanks very much for that report. Joining us now from Madison, Peter Spear, provost of the University of Wisconsin, where Audrey goes to school. Provost, thanks very much for being with us. The moment you heard, what did you think?

PETER SPEAR, PROVOST U OF WISCONSIN: Relief. We were thrilled to hear that she was found safely.

COOPER: What has been, the last several days like? What has it been like on campus for you and the other students?

SPEAR: We've all been very concerned. It's good to see the community, the campus community coming together. There was a vigil planned for tonight. I think that will be a celebration. We used this opportunity to remind students of things, precautions they should take in order to remain safe on campus. In fact, it is a very safe campus. Happily, this is a very rare kind of circumstance for us.

COOPER: I was listening to the press conference that happened a short while ago, the emergency room doctor said when she was found, Audrey was described as dehydrated, had some muscle aches, but that she was smiling. Does that sound like the Audrey you know, optimistic?

SPEAR: Well, I never met Audrey. I'm looking forward to doing that. Certainly, that she's smiling and feeling good and able to leave the hospital, as I just heard, is good news, indeed.

COOPER: How is this incident, if in any way, going to change life on campus, change campus security?

SPEAR: Well, at present, from what we know about this, there's no reason to believe it's anything other than an isolated incident. We have orientation for our incoming students. We give them tips about being safe. We have safe ride and safe walk programs, police phones and call boxes on campus. We give them tips about things to do, such as staying with a friend if they're out at night after dark, and this makes us more vigilant, I think. Basically, I think we have good programs in place.

COOPER: Well, it is a happy evening for audrey, for her family, and for everyone else who has looking for her. Provost Spear, we appreciate you being with us tonight. Thank you very much

I want to go back now to that gruesome day in Iraq, in Fallujah. Four American civilians, contractors were brutally killed and dragged through the streets. In Washington, we're joined by Kelly McCann, former U.S. marine specializing in counterterrorism.

Kelly, good to see you again? Hope the audio works this time. What do contractors do in Iraq right now?

KELLY MCCANN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Basically, they're doing a bunch of things different. They run convoy security, they protect people, run protective services details. In this case, it appear that is they were providing security for food distribution points. Combat services support.

COOPER: They're doing the work that U.S. troops used to do.

MCCANN: They're known primarily as force multipliers. Contractors on the battle field are nothing new. They basically relieve combat troops as combatants to go forward and do what they need to do so they don't have to pay as much attention to securing logistics, supply chain, things like taht.

COOPER: And is it fair to say that virtually all these contractors have a military background if not a special forces background?

MCCANN: Absolutely. In fact, this place is no place for amateurs. The majority of men there are former infantry people, former special forces people, people who know well the perils of the combat environment.

COOPER: The reason they do it? Is there a particularly good pay in this kind of work for someone who has a special forces background?

MCCANN: In particular, Iraq has been kind of a gold rush situation. In this business, the more danger there is, the more money you're likely to make. There are also some overhead items that companies sending people over there have to pay attention to. These are screened, selected, trained. They all get predeployment trainging. In fact, the company that these men work for has a good reputation for having quality people on the ground.

It is just a very dangerous place. And I think that if you look at the incidents that happened with the military, why wouldn't they happen to anybody who is over there trying to rebuild and restructure? So, you know, there are going to be some casualties as we go forward in Iraq -- Anderson.

COOPER: And the military likes contractors. You call the force multipliers, simply, because they don't have enough troops on the ground, or that these troops are somehow -- that these contractors, these civilians are somehow -- I don't want to say they are more expendable. But in a harsh way they are.

MCCANN: Not necessarily expendable. They have to have D/B/A insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, life insurance. There are a lot of tickets you need to be a contractor there. But what they do do, is allow combatant commanders to focus on their mission.

There may be, for instance, people who need to be protected. Not necessarily a military function, so what they do is, they'll hire contractors who have qualifications to do that. In a lot of cases, they are a blessing on the battlefield, not a detraction.

COOPER: Absolutely. All right, Kelly McCann, appreciate you joining us, thanks.

Liberals add their voice for radio. Coming up, Air America: the left goes head to head against the right. Look for the differences and maybe even the similarities.

Also, tonight, a Texas woman accused of a horrific crime. Police believe she killed her kids. She's on trial right now. We'll look at that.

And a little bit later, she's got all the right moves. A teenage girl shows the guys how to dunk like a champion. She's a slam dunk champion. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, on the dawn of what some hope is a liberal radio revolution began today at noon. Air America, that's what it's called, premiered in six markets and over the Internet with Al Franken leading the left what they say is the conservative grip of the radio dial. Both conservative and liberals took on the same issues today on the radio, but they took different sides as, you might imagine.

CNN's Kelly Wallace tuned in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL FRANKEN, "O'FRANKEN FACTOR": An end to the right-wing dominance of talk radio, the beginning of a battle for truth.

SEAN HANNITY, "SEAN HANNITY": One of the reasons we're so giddy today, I am telling you. Here's a hint. They really are dull.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You got the sense conservative host Sean Hannity was talking about the new competition. The nation's first liberal radio network called Air America which features liberals like actress Janeane Garofalo and comedian Al Franken. As for Franken's show, he spent much of his debut targeting Bush.

FRANKEN: We can't trust this guy.

WALLACE: While Hannity focused on John Kerry.

HANNITY: He'll say anything to get elected.

WALLACE: The two covered similar ground.

FRANKEN: This administration is asleep at the wheel.

WALLACE: But directly opposite perspectives.

HANNITY: George Bush, in the spring he added to the existing Clinton strategy.

WALLACE: Both shows featured Democrats, former senator and September 11 Commission member, Bob Kerrey with Franken. Current Senator Jon Corzine with Hannity.

HANNITY: Haven't they said to you, isn't he a jerk?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People think, it's pretty entertaining.

WALLACE: And that's the striking difference. Maybe it was just opening day jitters, but Franken's show and jokes fell flat like this skit with a bottom imitating conservative Ann Coulter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's your name?

FRANKEN: Javia (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you responsible for these (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

WALLACE: A sign of the challenges ahead. In some cities, Franken's liberal show runs directly against conservative Rush Limbaugh.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WALLACE: Here is another major difference. While Franken and his colleagues on Air America can be seen on just six stations around the country, Rush Limbaugh appears on 600 stations nationwide. And Anderson, perhaps a sign of how Rush Limbaugh is not worried about his new competition, today, he took the day off.

COOPER: OK, that's a good sign there. All right, Kelly Wallace, thanks very much.

So, will Air America succeed?

That's what I asked the co-host of CNN's "CROSSFIRE," James Carville and Tucker Carlson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST "CROSSFIRE": I sort of like the name of the show, the "O'Franken Factor." I mean, if he keeps up the clever in it will work. There is clearly, is an audience for the liberal side. I mean, "The New York Times," best seller book list every week for past six months has almost half anti-Bush rants. So clearly people want to here it, the question is, can pounding just pounding on Bush day after day sustain an audience? I suspect not. I think, there has to be some kind of liberal ideology beyond that. And there really isn't one.

COOPER: But James, I mean, if this is such a good idea why haven't they been able to get into more markets?

They are only in a couple of cities right now, a couple of low rated stations.

JAMES CARVILLE, CO-HOST "CROSSFIRE": My guess is that people want to see how it works. I did a preliminary show. I did something with the "O'Franken Factor." I think Tucker's right. I mean, lets give it a chance and see what happens. And conservative talk radio did alright by just pounding on nothing, pounding on Clinton for eight years.

COOPER: Tucker, what do you think is the success to conservative radio is?

I mean, Rush Limbaugh is on some 600 stations.

CARLSON: Well, Rush Limbaugh is talented, whether you listen to him or not. He's smart. He understands broadcasting. He's good at communicating ideas. And there are ideas on his show. It is not pounding on Clinton or pounding on the left. I mean, there is a discrete conservative ideology, a conservative position, sort of agreed upon on a bunch of different issues, and that matters. And third and most important Rush Limbaugh has a pretty good sense of humor. You wonder -- I think Al Franken has a decent sense of humor or used to before he became sort of obsessed with Bush. Maybe there are other liberals with a sense of humor, I haven't met them. I would love to. COOPER: James, I mean, there are some who say it easier to do conservative radio? The ideas are clearer. The joke is the liberals are parsing things and equivocating things.

CARVILLE: The problem is that conservatives talk and liberals think. And radio is a lot more easy for people that talk all the time as opposed to people that happen to think. And that's generally why conservatives you know, are on the radio and liberals are writing books because ideas take a while to form. For instance invading Iraq backed on a bunch of lies is a conservative idea, it's a stupid idea.

(CROSSTALK)

CARVILLE: That kind of thing. The liberal, the Democrat, most Democrats are actually working trying or find work (AUDIO GAP).

(CROSSTALK)

CARLSON: Actually -- I think that's -- he points to two things. First, the idea that liberals are some too thoughtful for the medium of radio. That's a pretty arrogant point of view. Second, in fact, working class people vote Republican, that's not my opinion. It is actually borne out by the statistics.

COOPER: Will it really help John Kerry (AUDIO GAP) in targeting station in Ohio and Florida in the coming nights?

CARLSON: See, that's the problem right there. As soon as you start a radio show as sort of an auxiliary arm of a presidential campaign, it kind of undercuts your whole mission which of course is to tell the truth or truth as you see. As soon as you're seeing it as strictly a partisan apparatus, you are a hack at that point. To succeed, I think they have to take their own positions...

CARVILLE: Thank god Rush Limbaugh is not partisan. I mean, I understand he's not a partisan guy, just all he is someone who spouts out ideas.

CARLSON: That's not a fair criticism. Actually, Rush Limbaugh, for all his faults, actually, does attack Republicans from time to time when he disagrees with them. You have to do that or you have no credibility.

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: All right, we'll see how that works. James Carville Tucker Carlson, appreciate it, thanks.

CARLSON: Thanks.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Time now to "Justice Served." In Texas a mother on trial, charged with the unthinkable, stoning two of her own sons to death and severely injuring a third. emotionally grueling for those in the courtroom as they watched a videotaped confession of the crime. CNN's, Eric Philips picks it up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At first glance this looks like average home video, but the yellow tapes just begins to tell what happens at this east Texas home. 8-year-old Joshua Laney and 6-year-old brother beaten to death, their infant brother permanently injured all by their own mother, 39-year-old Deanna Laney. She confessed in video tape interview with a psychiatrist.

DEANNA LANEY, ON TRIAL FOR KILLING CHILDREN: I believe the lord told me to do this.

PHILIPS: Late in the evening last Mother's Day weekend, Laney went into her 14 month old son's room, placed him on the floor and struck him in the head with a rock. Then she led her other two sons outside bashing them in the head with larger rocks. Laney immediately called 911.

LANEY: I just killed my boys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you use?

LANEY: A rock.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You hit your boys with a rock?

LANEY: Yes. That's just what I was told to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who told you to do that?

LANEY: God.

PHILIPS: Now she's on trial after pleading not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of capital murder and causing serious injury to a child. A prosecution expert has testified that delusions made her believe God told her to do it.

DR. PARK DIETZ, PSYCHIATRIST: And she struggled over whether to obey God or to selfishly keep her children.

PHILIPS: Laney's husband, Keith, was asleep when this happened. He remains dumbfounded.

KEITH LANEY, DEFENDANT'S HUSBAND: Because I don't under.

PHILIPS: Nevertheless, he is standing by his wife. The jury will decide whether she was sane when she killed their children.

Eric Philips, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Unbelievable. This isn't, of course, the first case of its kind. Let's flashback to 1994. Remember Susan Smith, she lead the country on a wild goose chase for nine days for blaming a fictitious black man for car jacking her Mazda with her son still in the car. She later confessed to strapping her two sons into their car seats and then rolling the car into the lake where they drowned. Her husband took the stand against her. Called for the death penalty. In the end, the jury sentenced her to life in prison with eligibility for parole.

Well, a girl show the boys a thing or two on how to play b-ball.

COOPER: Also tonight, is it true? Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee back together again? Find out later on in "The Current."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER; All right. Time to check on pop news in tonight's "Current." Let's take a look.

A New Jersey multimillionaire will be the next tourist in space. Greg Olsen will pay Russia $20 million for the trip. While in orbit, Olsen will conduct experiments. Most importantly, he'll study the effects of weightlessnes on rich, bored Americans.

Hollywood insiders are wondering if Pamela Anderson is back with Tommy Lee? The 2 were reportedly seen together in Florida over the weekend. One eyewitness says they were even holding hands, testing, perhaps, the only type of physical contact we haven't seen yet perform.

Is Drea DiMatteo about to get bumpe? The "Sopranos" snitch will co-star as a wisecracking Italian-American hairdresser in the "Friends" spin off "Joey," proving that if you whack the character, you can't kill a stereotype.

And actor Chris Klein is sounding off on why he's marrying actress Katie Holmes. Klein says getting married will help the relation shep get bigger. If that fails, doctors recommend Viagra.

Now a different kind of sport. The slam dunk. The most electrifying play in basketball. The greats, of course, make it look easy: Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb. But have you heard of Candace Parker? Well, she's 17, 6'3, and last night, she became the first female to win a national high school slam dunk competition, three times. She did it. I asked Candace about the first time she ever dunked.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDACE PARKER, WON SLAM DUNK CONTEST: When I was 15 years old, I dunked for the first time with my dad in a gym.

COOPER: Now the night you got the three, the first time, were you confident you could do it?

PARKER: I was pretty confident, up until I got down to crunch time and I didn't know what other dunks I was going to do. So, I tried one I had never done before. Thank god it worked out.

COOPER: You will start playing ball for Tennessee next year. I was looking up some stats, only five dunks have been recorded in women's college basketball games. Do you think you can up that record?

PARKER: Hopefully. Right now I'm just focused on playing in the McDonald's all-American game and hopefully next year going to Tennessee. If it happens, then great.

COOPER: Your brother plays professionally, your father played for Iowa. Did you grow up playing ball?

PARKER: Basketball is in my blood. My first love was soccer. After a couple years my parents talked some sense into me. And I realized there's not many 6'3 forwards in soccer, so I switched over to basketball.

COOPER: Yes, that's definitely true. Do you get flak from your brother or other guys about dunking.

PARKER: No. They're all supportive and encourage me to continue, show me some techniques on dunking and everything.

COOPER: I guess they can't say much. Because you can outdunk them.

PARKER: No. I wouldn't say that.

COOPER: Congratulations on the accomplishment. And I hope you have a great year at Tennessee. Candace Parker, thanks very much.

PARKER: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: So, are you tired of all that finger pointing in politics? Coming up in the Nth Degree, we found new ways to play the blame game.

Plus tomorrow teaching terror: an exlusive on documents used to spread the ideology of al Qaeda.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Tonight taking finger pointing to the "Nth Degree." Now that Condoleezza Rice is going testify before the 9/11 commission, we thought Republicans and Democrats might want to think about all that finger pointing. It is surprising really, because these are accomplished people. And you think they could do more with their fingers than point at one another.

What about shadow puppets? Those testifying could cast either donkeys or elephants on the wall and answer to the question they've been asked. Evidently, one or the other is always appropriate. Or there's alwasy that great old hand game, rock, paper, scissors. Paper would be the Democrats, scissors the Republicans and rock, well rock would be the sort of wild card, sometimes the CIA, sometimes Saddam, sometimes Osama bin Laden.

We'll leave the details to the people who are actually involved, except to say that, it would be good to see them stop giving eachother the finger.

I'm Anderson Cooper, thanks for watching. "PAULA ZAHN NOW" is next.

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