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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Did Saudi Prince Promise Bush a Deal?; Alarm Bells in the Homeland
Aired April 19, 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): Exclusive allegations of an oil price arrangement. Did a Saudi prince promise the president a sweet crude deal?
Alarm bells in the homeland. Officials warn upcoming high profile events might be a target for terror.
Murder on ice? An NHL hockey player is accused of planning a hit on his roommate.
Can you live longer by eating less? A new study says restricting your diet could have life-extending results.
And what are the worst songs of all time? Don't worry, be happy, we have the list.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.
COOPER: Good evening to you. We begin with ripple effects in Washington, as Bob Woodward's new book about the Bush administration hits stores nationwide. Tonight, questions about President Bush's plan for war in Iraq, and whether Secretary of State Colin Powell was an unwilling warrior. No surprise. The book also has presidential hopeful John Kerry fired up and speaking out. We'll get to all of that with developments. Senior White House correspondent John King and CNN's Kelly Wallace has reaction from the Kerry camp. We begin at the White House. John?
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, the White House is taking issue with a few things in that new book by Bob Woodward, but most officials say they like it very much, so much so if you go to the Bush/Cheney reelection campaign Web site there it is. When you click suggested reading list is Bob Woodward's book.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING (voice-over): A new ambassador for post-war Iraq, and new questions about the administration's secret planning that led to war in the first place. John Negroponte, currently the U.S. Ambassador the United Nations is the President's choice to be the White House point man in Baghdad when a new Iraqi government assumes power June 30th.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No doubt in my mind he'll do a very good job and there's no doubt in my mind that Iraq will be free and democratic and peaceful.
KING: The announcement came as the administration faced questions about journalist Bob Woodward's new book, including a charge the white house secretly diverted $700 million in funds appropriated to the war against al Qaeda to plan to the war in Iraq. Some democrats in Congress want an accounting. The White House said it did nothing wrong and kept key members of Congress informed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We followed the law, we followed the custom in how we brief, particularly on sensitive security measures, and those measures were followed.
KING: The book also says the Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States was briefed on the final war plan before Secretary of State Powell. Not so says Powell.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I was intimately familiar with the plan and I was aware that Prince Bandar was being briefed on the plan.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KING: And at the Pentagon tonight officials say they have gone back and looked at the records of how those millions and millions of dollars were spent in Iraq war planning and Anderson, tonight the Pentagon is convinced it did absolutely nothing wrong.
COOPER: All right, John King. Thanks very much. Another allegation made in Woodward's book that the Saudi Prince Bandar promised President Bush his kingdom would pump you will oil production and thereby lower gas prices in time for the November election. The White House and the Saudi government deny the allegation, and on the campaign trail, John Kerry weighed in. Here's CNN's Kelly Wallace.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Florida, John Kerry pounced on the latest controversy facing his White House rival.
SEN. JOHN KERRY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And if, as Bob Woodward reports, it is true it that gas supplies and prices in America are tied to the American election and tied to a secret White House deal, then that is outrageous and unacceptable to the American people.
WALLACE: In his new book "Plan of Attack" Woodward reports that Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. and Bush family plan, promised the Saudis would increase oil production in the months before the election. Woodward writes:
"According to Prince Bandar, the Saudis hope to fine tune oil prices over ten months to prime the economy for 2004."
KERRY: It's my prayer that Americans are not being held hostage to a secret deal between the White House and a Saudi prince.
WALLACE: The White House fired back, saying there was no secret deal. The Saudis in a statement said, quote:
"We do not use oil for political purposes... Saudi Arabia also does not interfere in elections."
But with the average price of gasoline at a record high for the fourth week in a row, Kerry and his fellow Democratic lawmakers are seizing on what they believe could be a winning issue for them.
SEN. RON WYDEN, (D) OREGON: I can understand why any President would want gas prices to be low with an election coming fast. But what about what the American families want?
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALLACE: And in the latest CNN/US Today/Gallup poll, Americans say the economy is the most important issue to them and give John Kerry higher markets than President Bush when it comes to the handling of that issue, but, Anderson, on issues such as terrorism and Iraq, the President still holds a significant lead over his Democratic rival.
COOPER: All right, Kelly Wallace, thanks very much.
Coming up, reaction to the oil deal allegation from former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Robert Jordan.
Here's a fast fact on why leaks aren't always something to be plugged. Bob Woodward's book went from number 22 on Amazon.com's bestseller list on Friday, before the Associated Press reported the details of what's in the book, to number 1 by Sunday. The book wasn't even released until today.
Well, a new tactic unveiled today on the homeland security front. An antiterrorism task force is in the works. Its goal, to protect Americans at several high-profile events in the coming months. CNN'S homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve reports on the plan that gained momentum after a deadly attack overseas.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The bullets have stopped ricocheting across the streets long enough for this man to take a stroll with his family. And things may be staying quiet if the cease fire holds. Coalition authorities announced the pact Monday.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: We had a problem with that report. We'll get back to it later.
The Pentagon is gearing up for a terror test. Here's a quick news note. Over a three-day period in early May, the military will release an invisible nontoxic gas into the air around the Pentagon. In the exercise dubbed "Pentagon Shield" sensors will read how the gas spreads, revealing how a chemical or biological weapon may spread throughout the building's air system. The military plans to use the information to develop an advanced protection system for the Pentagon.
Well, what's the reaction from local law enforcement agencies to the new task force? Coming up you're going to hear from New York police commissioner Raymond Kelly.
Several developments in Iraq tonight. Spain's new government made it official announcing its 1300 troops will pull out of the Iraq in the coming weeks. We'll get to that in a moment, but first, there's progress in peace talks in Fallujah. CNN's Karl Penhaul reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PENHAUL (voice-over): The bullets have stopped ricocheting along this Fallujah street long enough to allow this man to stake a stroll with his family, and things may be staying quiet if a new cease fire deal holds. Coalition authorities announced the pact Monday after days of talks with the cities civic and religious leaders. The key condition?
DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESMAN: The parties agree to call on citizens and groups to immediately turn in all illegal weapons. Illegal weapons defined as mortars, RPGs, machine guns, sniper rifles, ID-making materials, grenades and surface to air missiles.
PENHAUL: If they do, several concessions to allow the city to mop up after two weeks of fighting between marines and insurgents.
SENOR: Coalition forces will allow unfettered access to the Fallujah General Hospital, to treat the sick and injured. The parties agreed to arrange for the removal and burial of the dead, and the provision of food and medicine in isolated areas of the city.
PENHAUL: Coalition authorities say the legal system will be rebuilt, and now, they say, they'll leave it to the Iraqis to hunt down those responsible for mutilating four U.S. contractors on March 31, murders that sparked the coalition crackdown. If Monday's deal doesn't hold, the Coalition's warning is blunt.
SENOR: In the absence of a true cease-fire, major hostilities could resume on short notice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PENHAUL: In the light of today's deal, Coalition sources tell us fresh humanitarian supplies could begin moving back into Fallujah as early as this week, and that could be an early test for the new cease- fire deal, depending on whether insurgents to target aid convoys and any military vehicles that may be traveling alongside them, Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Karl Penhaul, live in Baghdad. Thank very much, Karl. A new tactic unveiled today on the homeland security front as we just mentioned. An antiterrorism task force is in the works. Jeanne Meserve has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The terrorist bombing of trains in Madrid just before the Spanish elections may have influenced the results, and has certainly influenced the thinking of U.S. intelligence analysts. According to an administration official, this summer's political conventions, the election, the inaugural, as well as the g-8 summit in Georgia which will bring together world leaders are now of more concern to security officials than other large symbolic events like the Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice says the U.S. election cycle might prove too tempting a target for terrorists to pass up.
TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: At this time, obviously we do not have specific threat information around any of these events, but ladies and gentlemen we do have our common sense. And we don't need a change in the threat level to make us safer and more secure.
MESERVE: To improve the nation's preparation for all the high- profile events on the calendar, Ridge announced a new interagency working group to include his own department, the Departments of Justice, Energy, Transportation and others. It will pay particular attention to critical infrastructures such as chemical plants and the electrical grid. Increasing coordination with state and local governments and the private sector. Some are asking why this wasn't done sooner.
REP. CAROLYN MALONEY, (D) NEW YORK: My question is, what has he been doing all this time? His job is to protect the American people. I don't see what he's proposing is any different from what he's been charged with from day one.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
MESERVE: That's not to say the potential for attack isn't real. An intelligence intercept led to a warning on law enforcement on April 9 about possible attacks over Easter and Passover. The advisory warned of in-place persons posing threats to soft targets like shopping malls. Though the information was not specific or corroborated, it was another reminder the nation must prepare. Anderson?
COOPER: All right, Jeanne Meserve, thanks very much for that report. We're going to talk to New York's police commissioner Raymond Kelly a little bit later on in the program.
The nine-year anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing tops our look at news Cross Country. After a silent remembrance, children of bombing victims read the names of those lost in the federal building, then several hundred walked to the national memorial site. In McAllister, bombing conspirator Terry Nichols remains on trial for murder with a possibility death penalty.
In New York, a minor train collision, an Amtrak work train going about 10 miles an hour bumped a stationary commuter train in a Penn Station tunnel during morning rush hour today. 130 people suffered minor injuries.
Also in New York, a setback for a young football star as a federal appeals court is siding with the NFL, blocking Maurice Clarett and others who aren't three years out of high school from entering the pro football draft this weekend.
Still in New York, standing up to the FCC, several big media companies, civil rights groups and artists are asking the FCC to rescind the decision on the f-word used on TV by rock star Bono. The group says the ruling is chilling free speech in their words and forcing several classic rock songs to be edited.
In Los Angeles, Tom Brokaw signing off, really. NBC confirms the nightly news anchor since 1983 is retiring on December 1. Brian Williams who was named as Brokaw's successor in 2002 will take over the program the next day.
That's a quick look at stories Cross Country tonight.
An alleged serial killer behind bars after almost three decades on the loose. We'll tell you how police finally cracked this unsolved mystery.
Plus counting calories may really count. A new study says cutting back on the calories you consume may seriously extend your life. Could it work for you? Find out ahead.
And, yeah, it's the number one song on the billboard charts right now. What are the worst songs of all time? We've got the list. See if your least favorite is on it. That ahead.
First let's have a quick look at the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well, police in Kansas City think they have found the man responsible for a serial murder spree that spanned three decades. Their break in the case: old evidence, new money, modern technology and a fresh determination to crack unsolved cases. CNN's Keith Oppenheim has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
MIKE SANDERS, JACKSON CO. PROSECUTOR: Today we are publicly announcing the charge of Mr. Lorenzo Gilyard with a total of 12 counts.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 12 counts of murder is what suspect Lorenzo Gilyard faces for crimes that began more than 25 years ago. With that, Gilyard will become the individual charged with more murders than any person in Kansas City history. Police say the victims were all women, mostly prostitutes and many walked the streets in a tight 30-block area of Kansas City.
SANDERS: All were killed by strangulation, all were young: between the ages of 15 and 36.
OPPENHEIM: Last Friday Gilyard was arrested in Kansas City. But he had been investigated much earlier. A blood sample was actually taken from Lorenzo Gilyard in 1987, but then the DNA technology to link him to the killings wasn't available, but two years ago, Kansas City police got a federal grant that made a difference.
CHRISTINE OLSSON, SENIOR CRIMINALIST: And when we received that grant, we received funding to go back and do testing on old cases that we previously had not tested with the new technology.
OPPENHEIM: Kansas City cold case investigators say they matched Gilyard's DNA to all 12 victims.
RICK EASLEY, KC CHIEF OF POLICE: And I certainly hope that this arrest will help you with your grieving, help bring closure to the loss of your loved one.
OPPENHEIM: As police consoled families of some victims, they sought to make contact with the relatives of others. A strange case where the DNA lasted as evidence as a trail that otherwise would have gone cold. Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COOPER: Well Spain's withdrawal from Iraq tops our check of stories around the globe in tonight's Uplink. In Madrid the defense minister says it will take less than six weeks to pull his country's troops out of Iraq, although it's unclear when the 1400 peacekeepers will begin leaving. Spain's new prime minister announced the pullout earlier today.
Beijing, China, a secret visit, North Korean President Kim Jong- Il said to be holding closed-doors nuclear talks with Chinese leaders. If so, his visit comes just days after Vice President Dick Cheney urged China to step up the pressure on Kim during his tour of Asia.
In Jerusalem, Holocaust Memorial Day, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pays tribute to the six million Jews killed by Nazis. Sirens sounded across Israel signaling a nationwide moment of silence.
Buenos Ares, Argentina, a national hero hospitalized; soccer legend Diego Maradonna still in intensive clear where he is being treated for heart and lung problems. The 43 year-old's ailment unclear at this point, but doctors say it appears to be unrelated to drugs.
Moscow, Russia, follicles of steel, a 14-year-old with Hollywood ambitions pulls two trams more than three meters with his hair. Three years ago, he used his ponytail, apparently, to pull a fighter jet half that distance. He says one day he'd like to be a famous actor like Bruce Lee or Steven Segal. We cannot make this stuff up.
Well, dieting your way to better health. How to prevent heart attacks, stroke and diabetes, the trick may be in the calories.
Also tonight, a pro hockey player and an alleged murder for hire plot. What would drive a highly paid athlete to extreme measures? The latest on the investigation.
And President Bush and the Saudis, is their close relationship a bit too close? We'll ask a former U.S. ambassador.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: A low-calorie diet has long been the most obvious way to lose weight, but now researchers at Washington University think cutting calories may actually help you look better and live longer. Studies on animals suggest such benefits. But the question is, "Will it work for humans?" Here's medical correspondent Christy Feig.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New research shows people who drastically reduce the number of calories in their diet actually reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes.
DR. STUART SEIDES, CARDIOLOGIST: I think one would bet if one had to bet that these folks will probably live longer. It is not-- certainly not proven by this study.
FEIG: The researchers found 18 people who had been eating this very low-calorie diet of 1100 to just under 2,000 calories a day, then compared them to 18 people that ate like the average American, consuming anywhere from nearly 2000 calories a day to more than 3500. Those on the restricted diet have more of the good and less of the dangerous cholesterol. The heart benefit has been seen in real life. During World War II, the shortage of food in some Northern European countries led to a drop in death from heart disease. When the war ended, deaths rose again. Although experts can't explain why drastic calorie reduction seems to have these benefits, they do say it should be done only with a nutritionist or you could end up malnourished. Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COOPER: Exclusive allegations of an oil price arrangement. Did a Saudi prince promise the President a sweet crude deal?
Alarm bells in the homeland. Officials warn upcoming high- profile events might be a target for terror.
And what are the worst songs of all time? Don't worry, be happy. We'll have the list when 360 continues.
ANNOUNCER: Known for both her beauty and brains, Jordan's Queen Rania is an eloquent and passionate spokesperson for her country. Committed to bridging the gap between the Middle East and the West, she and her husband King Abdullah II have friendly ties with the United States, and are recognized for their modern approach to governing. Rania has not been afraid to take on controversial issues at home, speaking out for women's and children's rights. She has taken on tab book subjects like child abuse and a practice known as honor killings, the custom of murdering female relatives who have committed adultery or lost their virginity before marriage.
In what many called a fairy tale life, Rania, a Palestinian from a middle-class family fell in love with a prince. She became Jordan's queen in 1993, when from his deathbed King Hussein unexpectedly named his son successor. They now have three children, and Rania considers motherhood her most important role.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Let's get you caught up on tonight's top stories with The Reset.
Hershey, Pennsylvania; Patriot Act on the line, President Bush today urged Congress to renew the antiterrorism Patriot Act and strengthen it before it expires next year. The act, passed overwhelmingly after 9/11, but now some critics on both the left and right say it gives federal agents too much power.
Batavia, Ohio; a family's hope; the family of Keith Maupin say they were chilled but relieved to see the video. Relieved because his status went from unknown to captured. The family says they have high hopes of seeing him again.
Cheyenne, Wyoming, NORAD hijacking drills. A NORAD spokesman said a unit of its Air Defense Command simulated a hijacked airliner crashing into a building in the U.S., this done well before the 9/11 attacks. Since 9/11, NORAD has conducted many hijacking simulations and intercepted two attempted hijackings from Cuba.
Washington, DC; King Abdullah isn't coming, yet the King of Jordan is postponing his trip to Washington, rescheduling for May 1. Jordan says the king is delaying his trip to clarify the Bush administration's position towards the Mid-East peace process and the West Bank.
Also in Washington, record gas prices. U.S. gas prices are hitting record highs for the fourth straight week, increasing 2.7 cents over last week to $1.81 a gallon, according to U.S. government reports.
In Boston, Massachusetts; a Kenyan's big finish. For the thirteenth time in the last 14 years a Kenyan has one the Boston Marathon. Timothy Cherigat won today with a time of two hours, 10 minutes, 37 seconds. Another Kenyan, Catherine--I'm going to mess up her name--Catherine Ndereba, won the women's race as well. Sorry about that, Catherine. That's it for the stories in the Reset.
Well, as Americans face sticker shock at the gas pump, there are stunning new allegations in the book "Plan of Attack" by Bob Woodward. The claim: That the Saudi royal family offered to boost President Bush's bid for re-election by helping keep gas prices low before November.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): Bob Woodward claims Saudi Ambassador Bandar bin Sultan told President Bush, "oil prices are high and they could go down very quickly. That's the Saudi pledge. Certainly over the summer or as we get closer to the election, they could increase production several million barrels a day and the price would drop significantly."
Neither the White House nor the Saudi royal family deny Prince Bandar's offer to keep oil prices within a certain range, but both say it had nothing to do with helping President Bush get reelected.
"We do not use oil for political purposes. Saudi Arabia also does not interfere in elections," said the kingdom in a statement released today. The Bush administration has long called Saudi Arabia an important ally, and Prince Bandar is a close friend of the Bush family. Bandar has been ambassador to the U.S. for 25 years and he has extraordinary access to top officials in the government. In fact, according to Bob Woodward, the prince was given a top-secret briefing about the Iraq war plan two days before Secretary of State Colin Powell was.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Colin Powell said today he was included in all the military planning preparations, quote, "I was briefed on a regular basis," he says, "I was intimately familiar with the plan. I was aware that Prince Bandar was being briefed on the plan."
Earlier, I spoke with Robert Jordan, he was U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2001 to 2003 and is a personal friend of President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Ambassador Jordan, according to Bob Woodward, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld briefed Prince Bandar in a top-secret briefing about the plan for war in Iraq two days before Secretary of State Colin Powell even knew of the plan. Do you think that's true, and if so, that would seem to be rather remarkable, no?
ROBERT JORDAN, FMR. U.S AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: Well, I think, Anderson, everyone needs to take a deep breath here and not hyperventilate too much about the snippets we hear. Certainly at the time frame in question, it was obvious that one needed to at least give some thought to what would happen if Saddam continued to violate United Nations security council resolutions. It would not be surprising at that time to be -- to start making some contingency plans.
COOPER: But does it surprise you that they would brief a -- basically a member of the Saudi government ahead of the secretary of state? JORDAN: Well, I have no doubt that the secretary of state was well-informed about the general nature of plans going forward. Whether or not he saw this particular plan at this particular time is almost irrelevant. It was important to bring the Saudis into the planning for this, because so much depended upon their permissions to use air space, logistics and so forth.
COOPER: Bob Woodward also writes of another meeting in the Oval Office, Prince Bandar meeting with the president. I'm going to quote from Bob Woodward here. He says, "Bandar wanted Bush to know that the Saudis hoped to fine-tune oil prices to prime the economy in 2004. What was key Bandar understood, were the economic conditions before a presidential election." Do you think this is true?
JORDAN: The fact of the matter is that the Saudis are going to act in their national interest. The United States has, for many, many years, urged the Saudis and OPEC to keep crude prices within a rough band of $22 to $28 a barrel. It wouldn't be unusual for the Saudis and OPEC to realize that they can't get too far ahead of that curve.
COOPER: But you can understand why -- there is a lot of skepticism on the part of many in America not only toward Saudi Arabia, but when they see a member of the Saudi government, this Ambassador Bandar, basically having sort of easy access to the highest levels of the government. Why does this one man have such amazing access?
JORDAN: For one thing, I think it's important to realize that many, many ambassadors have access in the United States, Prince Bandar happens to have been there longer than anyone else, he's been there 25 years. He had access in the Clinton White House as well.
COOPER: But it goes beyond political. There are very close personal ties -- there was an article in the "New Yorker" describing almost a familial relationship between Prince Bandar and the first President Bush.
JORDAN: I think you simply have to put all of this in context. There has been no suggestion that I can think of and certainly nothing that I witnessed during my two years as ambassador that would make me believe that either of them would put their own personal relationships ahead of their own national interests. In fact, in many cases we've had serious disagreements with the Saudis, as history reflects.
COOPER: Today, John Kerry has said that if this alleged deal by Bob Woodward, if it is, in fact, true, he says it's quote, "outrageous, unacceptable to the American people." Would you agree with that, that if it is true?
JORDAN: Well, look, I know the president has expressed his concerns about the price of oil. Others in the administration have done the same thing. It wouldn't be unusual for the Saudis to be responsive to that. I think it's pretty silly to be talking about getting the Saudis involved in an American election.
COOPER: Ambassador Jordan, thanks for being on the program. JORDAN: My pleasure.
COOPER: Today's buzz is this. Do you believe the Saudis would manipulate oil prices to influence the election? Log on to CNN.com/360, cast your votes. Results at the end of the program tonight.
Today Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced a new antiterrorism task force to coordinate security preparations for a number of high-profile events set to take place in Washington D.C. and right here in New York City in the coming months. Events that could be targets for terrorists. Are we doing enough to prevent attacks? Joining me now in New York City, Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Thanks for being with us.
How do you go about -- we're going to have the Republican National Convention here in New York City. There are a number of other high-profile events here and in Washington. As a police force, how do you go about preparing for something like that?
RAYMOND KELLY, NYPD COMMISSIONER: Well, we do a lot of planning. We've been planning for the Republican National Convention for probably a year and a half. We have a lot of major events here in New York City. We have a big experienced police force. I think we've done everything we reasonably can to prepare for a major event like the Republican National Convention.
COOPER: CNN'S Jeanne Meserve was reporting earlier in the evening that there was an intelligence advisory out, I guess an intercept, and in the intercept it said that there were in place persons who would perhaps go after soft targets here in the United States, this was a pre-Easter vacation. Are you concerned, do you believe that there are terrorists in place in the United States?
KELLY: That's certainly a very real possibility. Again, like so many other pieces of information put out, it lacks specificity, so it gets us thinking, but doesn't give us specific information. But certainly I think that's a real possibility, and something we have to be concerned about.
COOPER: New York City now has their own sort of intelligence bureau. I know you obviously can't talk too much about it. How important has that been in terms of -- how effective is it?
KELLY; I think it's been very effective. We have about 500 people in our intelligence division, we actually have people assigned overseas, we have people in Tel Aviv, in Lyon, France, which is where Interpol is in the U.K., in Canada, and in Singapore. They give us pieces of information that they get from other law enforcement agencies. It's been helpful. We are able to have our detectives in Madrid the day of the bombing, we've gotten some very useful information from that visit. We have to be on the cutting edge. We have to react quickly. We feel ourselves to be on top of the target list here so we get information as quickly as possible.
COOPER: The Madrid bombing, let's talk about that for a moment. Did that change anything in the way you view New York City, what might be vulnerable?
KELLY: It did. It changed some of our tactics, some of the approaches that we used to protect our transit system. We have a transit bureau that has 2,800 police officers in it, and we do a variety of things in that system. We have sweeps, we have what we call T.O.M.S, train on a maintenance sweeps where officers get on every car of a train, we have searches where you'll see a lot of uniformed officers, they'll move, they'll come back, it's on a regular basis. We've increased a number of plainclothes officers in the system. We've done a lot. We did get information from Madrid, it did cause us to change some of our tactics.
COOPER: Commissioner Raymond Kelly, thanks for being on the program.
KELLY: Thank you.
COOPER: Well, murder for hire. Coming up, an NHL player accused of plotting to kill his roommate. Bizarre case just ahead. .
And do you remember this little ditty? Is it too sexy for the worst songs of all time list? Or did it make the cut? We'll have that ahead.
Plus having your way with the chicken man. The new Internet toy you just kind of have to see to believe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well, somewhere in a California jail, a pro hockey player for the St. Louis Blues sits in his cell awaiting extradition to the St. Louis area. Police say Mike Danton and a 19-year-old woman plotted to kill one of Danton's acquaintances. It is a bizarre story that has left a chilling effect on his teammates. CNN's Matt Morrison has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT MORRISON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The arrest of 23- year-old NHL Mike Danton last week on charges he tried to engineer a murder for hire scheme left his St. Louis Blues teammates grasping for answers.
BRYCE SALVADOR, ST. LOUIS BLUES TEAMMATE: It's unfortunate, because he's a great guy, and hopefully, you know, something, you know, is misunderstood here and it all works out.
MORRISON: A criminal complaint alleges Danton used a friend, a 19-year-old college student Katie Wolfmeyer, to hire a hitman to kill an unidentified male acquaintance.
The plot failed, and details contained in the FBI's affidavit, like the pair argued other Danton's alleged promiscuity and alcohol use, and according to an FBI wiretap, quote, "Danton also felt the acquaintance was going to leave him," unquote, left questions about a possible motive. DERRICK GOOLD, ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH: It implies on first read maybe a romantic entanglement, or maybe that's what we want to see there, but really it's something that you would say of many different people in your life.
MORRISON: His agent says Danton recently came to him for help with emotional problems, including paranoia. Danton was formerly named Mike Jefferson, but changed his name in 2002 after a long estrangement from his family.
GOOLD: He certainly has a lot of emotional baggage that he was carrying with him, and he was reluctant to talk about publicly. Privately with his teammates, he spoke about some of it, but even they had a sense that there was something much deeper going on.
MORRISON: On the ice, Danton was known as an agitator, instigating fights and drawing penalties from opponents. Both Danton and Wolfmeyer remain in custody on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
Matt Morrison, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, if this was indeed a murder for hire plot, it's not the first time it's happened in professional sports. Let's flash back now to two cases. Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin had a hit taken out on him back in 1996. A man paid almost $3,000 for someone to kill Irvin because of alleged threats the football player made to the man's girlfriend. In 1999, football player Rae Carruth hatched a plot to kill his pregnant former girlfriend. Carruth had a man pull alongside her car and shoot her five times as she drove. Adams died, the baby survived. Carruth is serving 24 years in prison.
Well, "Justice Served" now with the Jayson Williams trial entering its third month. A mistake by the prosecutors opens the door for Williams' legal team to call more witnesses. CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors call the failure to turn over a key report on the shotgun an oversight, but Jayson Williams and his legal team say otherwise.
Williams' lawyers reopened their case, questioning the gun maker's chief engineer, labeling his solo inspection of the gun, in their words, "secretive."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's your term, secretive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, there was nobody there from the other side during your examination?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct. FEYERICK: Long before the trial began, prosecutors asked Browning executive Larry Nelson to examined the 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun. He did, taking it apart. But during their presentation, prosecutors never brought that up, maintaining only two people dismantled the gun, the state police sergeant working for prosecutors and the defense expert.
Williams' lawyer tried to show prosecutors didn't want Williams to have the gun maker's report too soon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there language in there, "no rush on the report, in fact, take my time, no sense in letting defense have access to it early?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it does.
FEYERICK: On cross-examination, prosecutors tried to stress the gun engineer took the shotgun apart only after Williams' own expert had analyzed it. The shotgun that killed limo driver Gus Christofi is a critical piece of evidence. Williams says it malfunctioned and fired accidentally. Prosecutors say it fired because Williams pulled the trigger.
(on camera): It was the first day back for the jury in three weeks. One juror was excused after the death of a family member. What effect the delay and the new testimony will likely have is anyone's guess. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, on a far lighter note, the worst songs of all time have been announced. Among them, this little gem. Oh, we can't forget this one.
Coming up, what reeks more than "Ice Ice Baby?" Find out as we give you the list of the worst songs ever. What do you think should be on the list? And the ones that we think should have made the cut.
Also tonight, a chicken order like you wouldn't believe. Served up, well, any way you want it. I don't know what that's about.
And a little bit later in "The Current," Kevin Spacey's spaced- out trip to the park in the wee hours of morning. What was going on? We'll find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
COOPER: Ah, memories. Good times. The new issue of "Blender" magazine lists their picks for the 50 worst songs ever. Now, as with any best or worst list, we nod in knowing agreement with some choices, shake our heads in utter disbelief at others. It's hard to say what's more surprising about this list. The songs that were picked or the ones that were left out. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CELINE DION, SINGER (singing): My heart will go on and on
COOPER (voice-over): OK. We'll give them this one. At number 50, the chest-thumping tribute to the ultimate sinking ship may have been over the top. But right said Fred?
The bald British rockers brought a whole new beat to the runways and to club kids. How can you dis the Beatles, even if it is for "Obla-Di, Oblad-Da" or Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" or The Doors? Yet, Led Hampson (ph) or Yanni slipped by without a mention. The Ricky Martin hit was number 39 on the all-time worst list, but really how bad could it have been if it was worthy of a remake? Even the music world's sacred cows couldn't escape. Both Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All" and Bette Midler's "From a Distance" made it on to the list. And we'll give the judges at "Blender." They showed no fear, not even of the Claymate (ph), "American Idol" runner- up Clay Aiken had the 11th worst song with "Invisible."
OK. This much perkiness can get on a music lover's nerves, and Vanilla Ice is no Eminem. But what was the No. 1 worst song of all time? "We built this city" by Starship or Jefferson Starship, or Jefferson Airplane, whatever. No doubt a controversial choice. Kenny G., count yourself lucky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Enough already.
All right. Time to check on some pop news in tonight's "Current." Let's take a look. David Hasselhoff will reportedly reprise his role as Michael Knight for a movie version of "Knight Rider," giving fans a chance to find out who's had more body work since the show, the car or Hasselhoff.
Kevin Spacey admits he lied to police when he reported being mugged in a London park. The actor now says he was walking his dog in a park at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday and was conned into giving his cell phone to a man who then ran away. Spacey apologized for lying about the mugging, but that story about being in the park at 4:00 a.m. to walk his dog? He's sticking with it.
Both Phish and The Dead will be touring this summer. Phish starts in New York. The Dead in Tennessee. You can keep track of both bands on the Internet or by looking for the large smoke cloud formations forming above each one.
"Kill Bill Volume 2" was tops of the box office this weekend, raking in an estimated $26 million. We hear "The Punisher" was trying to make a run at No. 1 but backed off after Uma Thurman threatened to disembowel it. "The Punisher" came in at two.
Well, we all know the Internet was created for something like this. A chicken man who, with just a click of the mouse, will do whatever you want it to do, even lay an egg. Jeanne Moos explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is chicken you serve and now there's subservient chicken.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bend over, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want him to do a hand-stand.
MOOS: The subservient chicken will do almost anything you tell him. Type "touch your toes," he'll touch his toes. Hop on one foot? Even do the moonwalk. The subservient chicken has become a web sensation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a smart chicken.
MOOS: Don't expect this bird to do anything foul.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Tickle his butt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tickle his butt?
MOOS: Tasteless commands like "give the bird" will result in a wagging finger, and not the one you asked for. This is Burger King's attempt at what's called viral marketing, creating buzz on the Internet for its revised slogan.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Poke your brains out.
MOOS: Folks tend to think the subservient chicken is live, responding to their commands.
You believe the chicken is there?
Actually the chicken was taped performing 400 commands, then turned into a computer program. The chicken suit was created by the Stan Winston studio, famed for everything from "Jurassic Park" dinosaurs to Budweiser frogs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about lay an egg?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I knew you'd like that one. Actually, it's the chicken's favorite move. We also like telling it to snap its garter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was designed to be Victorian-esque.
MOOS: Why just order chicken, when you can order one around?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Die.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Aw. Coming up, by chance, did you notice President Bush's new look today? We'll take that to the "Nth degree."
And tomorrow, working under fire. American contractors on risking it all to rebuild Iraq and make a lot of money.
First today's buzz. Do you believe the Saudis would manipulate oil prices to influence the election? You can log on to CNN.com/360 to vote right now. We'll have results when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for the buzz. Earlier we asked, do you believe the Saudis would manipulate oil prices to influence the election? More than 25,000 of you voted. 87 percent of you said yes, 13 percent no. Not a scientific poll, just your buzz.
Tonight, taking the cover-up to the "Nth Degree." We haven't picked up the phone or sent someone over to the White House to ask the question directly, but we've gone over the videotape with what you might call a fine-toothed comb. Here, you have a look.
This is the president during his primetime news conference a week ago. Look at the area above his forehead and between his ears, the region specialists call the hair area. Now then here you have the president today seven days later. Again, look at the area above the forehead and between the ears. You may need to see this again.
Either our monitors badly need adjusting, or the president's hair is not only shorter and neater, but it's also a good several shades darker than it was a week ago. We can't say for a fact what exactly accounts for this change, but we can say that we here at 360 strongly believe silvery hair is way better than dark hair. Anyone with access to some shoe polish can have dark hair, but silvery hair, well, you can't get panache like that out of a tin. I'm Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Coming up next, "PAULA ZAHN NOW."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 19, 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): Exclusive allegations of an oil price arrangement. Did a Saudi prince promise the president a sweet crude deal?
Alarm bells in the homeland. Officials warn upcoming high profile events might be a target for terror.
Murder on ice? An NHL hockey player is accused of planning a hit on his roommate.
Can you live longer by eating less? A new study says restricting your diet could have life-extending results.
And what are the worst songs of all time? Don't worry, be happy, we have the list.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.
COOPER: Good evening to you. We begin with ripple effects in Washington, as Bob Woodward's new book about the Bush administration hits stores nationwide. Tonight, questions about President Bush's plan for war in Iraq, and whether Secretary of State Colin Powell was an unwilling warrior. No surprise. The book also has presidential hopeful John Kerry fired up and speaking out. We'll get to all of that with developments. Senior White House correspondent John King and CNN's Kelly Wallace has reaction from the Kerry camp. We begin at the White House. John?
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, the White House is taking issue with a few things in that new book by Bob Woodward, but most officials say they like it very much, so much so if you go to the Bush/Cheney reelection campaign Web site there it is. When you click suggested reading list is Bob Woodward's book.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING (voice-over): A new ambassador for post-war Iraq, and new questions about the administration's secret planning that led to war in the first place. John Negroponte, currently the U.S. Ambassador the United Nations is the President's choice to be the White House point man in Baghdad when a new Iraqi government assumes power June 30th.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No doubt in my mind he'll do a very good job and there's no doubt in my mind that Iraq will be free and democratic and peaceful.
KING: The announcement came as the administration faced questions about journalist Bob Woodward's new book, including a charge the white house secretly diverted $700 million in funds appropriated to the war against al Qaeda to plan to the war in Iraq. Some democrats in Congress want an accounting. The White House said it did nothing wrong and kept key members of Congress informed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We followed the law, we followed the custom in how we brief, particularly on sensitive security measures, and those measures were followed.
KING: The book also says the Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States was briefed on the final war plan before Secretary of State Powell. Not so says Powell.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I was intimately familiar with the plan and I was aware that Prince Bandar was being briefed on the plan.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
KING: And at the Pentagon tonight officials say they have gone back and looked at the records of how those millions and millions of dollars were spent in Iraq war planning and Anderson, tonight the Pentagon is convinced it did absolutely nothing wrong.
COOPER: All right, John King. Thanks very much. Another allegation made in Woodward's book that the Saudi Prince Bandar promised President Bush his kingdom would pump you will oil production and thereby lower gas prices in time for the November election. The White House and the Saudi government deny the allegation, and on the campaign trail, John Kerry weighed in. Here's CNN's Kelly Wallace.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Florida, John Kerry pounced on the latest controversy facing his White House rival.
SEN. JOHN KERRY, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And if, as Bob Woodward reports, it is true it that gas supplies and prices in America are tied to the American election and tied to a secret White House deal, then that is outrageous and unacceptable to the American people.
WALLACE: In his new book "Plan of Attack" Woodward reports that Prince Bandar, the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. and Bush family plan, promised the Saudis would increase oil production in the months before the election. Woodward writes:
"According to Prince Bandar, the Saudis hope to fine tune oil prices over ten months to prime the economy for 2004."
KERRY: It's my prayer that Americans are not being held hostage to a secret deal between the White House and a Saudi prince.
WALLACE: The White House fired back, saying there was no secret deal. The Saudis in a statement said, quote:
"We do not use oil for political purposes... Saudi Arabia also does not interfere in elections."
But with the average price of gasoline at a record high for the fourth week in a row, Kerry and his fellow Democratic lawmakers are seizing on what they believe could be a winning issue for them.
SEN. RON WYDEN, (D) OREGON: I can understand why any President would want gas prices to be low with an election coming fast. But what about what the American families want?
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALLACE: And in the latest CNN/US Today/Gallup poll, Americans say the economy is the most important issue to them and give John Kerry higher markets than President Bush when it comes to the handling of that issue, but, Anderson, on issues such as terrorism and Iraq, the President still holds a significant lead over his Democratic rival.
COOPER: All right, Kelly Wallace, thanks very much.
Coming up, reaction to the oil deal allegation from former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Robert Jordan.
Here's a fast fact on why leaks aren't always something to be plugged. Bob Woodward's book went from number 22 on Amazon.com's bestseller list on Friday, before the Associated Press reported the details of what's in the book, to number 1 by Sunday. The book wasn't even released until today.
Well, a new tactic unveiled today on the homeland security front. An antiterrorism task force is in the works. Its goal, to protect Americans at several high-profile events in the coming months. CNN'S homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve reports on the plan that gained momentum after a deadly attack overseas.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The bullets have stopped ricocheting across the streets long enough for this man to take a stroll with his family. And things may be staying quiet if the cease fire holds. Coalition authorities announced the pact Monday.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: We had a problem with that report. We'll get back to it later.
The Pentagon is gearing up for a terror test. Here's a quick news note. Over a three-day period in early May, the military will release an invisible nontoxic gas into the air around the Pentagon. In the exercise dubbed "Pentagon Shield" sensors will read how the gas spreads, revealing how a chemical or biological weapon may spread throughout the building's air system. The military plans to use the information to develop an advanced protection system for the Pentagon.
Well, what's the reaction from local law enforcement agencies to the new task force? Coming up you're going to hear from New York police commissioner Raymond Kelly.
Several developments in Iraq tonight. Spain's new government made it official announcing its 1300 troops will pull out of the Iraq in the coming weeks. We'll get to that in a moment, but first, there's progress in peace talks in Fallujah. CNN's Karl Penhaul reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
PENHAUL (voice-over): The bullets have stopped ricocheting along this Fallujah street long enough to allow this man to stake a stroll with his family, and things may be staying quiet if a new cease fire deal holds. Coalition authorities announced the pact Monday after days of talks with the cities civic and religious leaders. The key condition?
DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESMAN: The parties agree to call on citizens and groups to immediately turn in all illegal weapons. Illegal weapons defined as mortars, RPGs, machine guns, sniper rifles, ID-making materials, grenades and surface to air missiles.
PENHAUL: If they do, several concessions to allow the city to mop up after two weeks of fighting between marines and insurgents.
SENOR: Coalition forces will allow unfettered access to the Fallujah General Hospital, to treat the sick and injured. The parties agreed to arrange for the removal and burial of the dead, and the provision of food and medicine in isolated areas of the city.
PENHAUL: Coalition authorities say the legal system will be rebuilt, and now, they say, they'll leave it to the Iraqis to hunt down those responsible for mutilating four U.S. contractors on March 31, murders that sparked the coalition crackdown. If Monday's deal doesn't hold, the Coalition's warning is blunt.
SENOR: In the absence of a true cease-fire, major hostilities could resume on short notice.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PENHAUL: In the light of today's deal, Coalition sources tell us fresh humanitarian supplies could begin moving back into Fallujah as early as this week, and that could be an early test for the new cease- fire deal, depending on whether insurgents to target aid convoys and any military vehicles that may be traveling alongside them, Anderson.
COOPER: All right, Karl Penhaul, live in Baghdad. Thank very much, Karl. A new tactic unveiled today on the homeland security front as we just mentioned. An antiterrorism task force is in the works. Jeanne Meserve has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The terrorist bombing of trains in Madrid just before the Spanish elections may have influenced the results, and has certainly influenced the thinking of U.S. intelligence analysts. According to an administration official, this summer's political conventions, the election, the inaugural, as well as the g-8 summit in Georgia which will bring together world leaders are now of more concern to security officials than other large symbolic events like the Fourth of July celebration on the National Mall. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice says the U.S. election cycle might prove too tempting a target for terrorists to pass up.
TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: At this time, obviously we do not have specific threat information around any of these events, but ladies and gentlemen we do have our common sense. And we don't need a change in the threat level to make us safer and more secure.
MESERVE: To improve the nation's preparation for all the high- profile events on the calendar, Ridge announced a new interagency working group to include his own department, the Departments of Justice, Energy, Transportation and others. It will pay particular attention to critical infrastructures such as chemical plants and the electrical grid. Increasing coordination with state and local governments and the private sector. Some are asking why this wasn't done sooner.
REP. CAROLYN MALONEY, (D) NEW YORK: My question is, what has he been doing all this time? His job is to protect the American people. I don't see what he's proposing is any different from what he's been charged with from day one.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
MESERVE: That's not to say the potential for attack isn't real. An intelligence intercept led to a warning on law enforcement on April 9 about possible attacks over Easter and Passover. The advisory warned of in-place persons posing threats to soft targets like shopping malls. Though the information was not specific or corroborated, it was another reminder the nation must prepare. Anderson?
COOPER: All right, Jeanne Meserve, thanks very much for that report. We're going to talk to New York's police commissioner Raymond Kelly a little bit later on in the program.
The nine-year anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing tops our look at news Cross Country. After a silent remembrance, children of bombing victims read the names of those lost in the federal building, then several hundred walked to the national memorial site. In McAllister, bombing conspirator Terry Nichols remains on trial for murder with a possibility death penalty.
In New York, a minor train collision, an Amtrak work train going about 10 miles an hour bumped a stationary commuter train in a Penn Station tunnel during morning rush hour today. 130 people suffered minor injuries.
Also in New York, a setback for a young football star as a federal appeals court is siding with the NFL, blocking Maurice Clarett and others who aren't three years out of high school from entering the pro football draft this weekend.
Still in New York, standing up to the FCC, several big media companies, civil rights groups and artists are asking the FCC to rescind the decision on the f-word used on TV by rock star Bono. The group says the ruling is chilling free speech in their words and forcing several classic rock songs to be edited.
In Los Angeles, Tom Brokaw signing off, really. NBC confirms the nightly news anchor since 1983 is retiring on December 1. Brian Williams who was named as Brokaw's successor in 2002 will take over the program the next day.
That's a quick look at stories Cross Country tonight.
An alleged serial killer behind bars after almost three decades on the loose. We'll tell you how police finally cracked this unsolved mystery.
Plus counting calories may really count. A new study says cutting back on the calories you consume may seriously extend your life. Could it work for you? Find out ahead.
And, yeah, it's the number one song on the billboard charts right now. What are the worst songs of all time? We've got the list. See if your least favorite is on it. That ahead.
First let's have a quick look at the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well, police in Kansas City think they have found the man responsible for a serial murder spree that spanned three decades. Their break in the case: old evidence, new money, modern technology and a fresh determination to crack unsolved cases. CNN's Keith Oppenheim has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
MIKE SANDERS, JACKSON CO. PROSECUTOR: Today we are publicly announcing the charge of Mr. Lorenzo Gilyard with a total of 12 counts.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 12 counts of murder is what suspect Lorenzo Gilyard faces for crimes that began more than 25 years ago. With that, Gilyard will become the individual charged with more murders than any person in Kansas City history. Police say the victims were all women, mostly prostitutes and many walked the streets in a tight 30-block area of Kansas City.
SANDERS: All were killed by strangulation, all were young: between the ages of 15 and 36.
OPPENHEIM: Last Friday Gilyard was arrested in Kansas City. But he had been investigated much earlier. A blood sample was actually taken from Lorenzo Gilyard in 1987, but then the DNA technology to link him to the killings wasn't available, but two years ago, Kansas City police got a federal grant that made a difference.
CHRISTINE OLSSON, SENIOR CRIMINALIST: And when we received that grant, we received funding to go back and do testing on old cases that we previously had not tested with the new technology.
OPPENHEIM: Kansas City cold case investigators say they matched Gilyard's DNA to all 12 victims.
RICK EASLEY, KC CHIEF OF POLICE: And I certainly hope that this arrest will help you with your grieving, help bring closure to the loss of your loved one.
OPPENHEIM: As police consoled families of some victims, they sought to make contact with the relatives of others. A strange case where the DNA lasted as evidence as a trail that otherwise would have gone cold. Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COOPER: Well Spain's withdrawal from Iraq tops our check of stories around the globe in tonight's Uplink. In Madrid the defense minister says it will take less than six weeks to pull his country's troops out of Iraq, although it's unclear when the 1400 peacekeepers will begin leaving. Spain's new prime minister announced the pullout earlier today.
Beijing, China, a secret visit, North Korean President Kim Jong- Il said to be holding closed-doors nuclear talks with Chinese leaders. If so, his visit comes just days after Vice President Dick Cheney urged China to step up the pressure on Kim during his tour of Asia.
In Jerusalem, Holocaust Memorial Day, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon pays tribute to the six million Jews killed by Nazis. Sirens sounded across Israel signaling a nationwide moment of silence.
Buenos Ares, Argentina, a national hero hospitalized; soccer legend Diego Maradonna still in intensive clear where he is being treated for heart and lung problems. The 43 year-old's ailment unclear at this point, but doctors say it appears to be unrelated to drugs.
Moscow, Russia, follicles of steel, a 14-year-old with Hollywood ambitions pulls two trams more than three meters with his hair. Three years ago, he used his ponytail, apparently, to pull a fighter jet half that distance. He says one day he'd like to be a famous actor like Bruce Lee or Steven Segal. We cannot make this stuff up.
Well, dieting your way to better health. How to prevent heart attacks, stroke and diabetes, the trick may be in the calories.
Also tonight, a pro hockey player and an alleged murder for hire plot. What would drive a highly paid athlete to extreme measures? The latest on the investigation.
And President Bush and the Saudis, is their close relationship a bit too close? We'll ask a former U.S. ambassador.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: A low-calorie diet has long been the most obvious way to lose weight, but now researchers at Washington University think cutting calories may actually help you look better and live longer. Studies on animals suggest such benefits. But the question is, "Will it work for humans?" Here's medical correspondent Christy Feig.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New research shows people who drastically reduce the number of calories in their diet actually reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes.
DR. STUART SEIDES, CARDIOLOGIST: I think one would bet if one had to bet that these folks will probably live longer. It is not-- certainly not proven by this study.
FEIG: The researchers found 18 people who had been eating this very low-calorie diet of 1100 to just under 2,000 calories a day, then compared them to 18 people that ate like the average American, consuming anywhere from nearly 2000 calories a day to more than 3500. Those on the restricted diet have more of the good and less of the dangerous cholesterol. The heart benefit has been seen in real life. During World War II, the shortage of food in some Northern European countries led to a drop in death from heart disease. When the war ended, deaths rose again. Although experts can't explain why drastic calorie reduction seems to have these benefits, they do say it should be done only with a nutritionist or you could end up malnourished. Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COOPER: Exclusive allegations of an oil price arrangement. Did a Saudi prince promise the President a sweet crude deal?
Alarm bells in the homeland. Officials warn upcoming high- profile events might be a target for terror.
And what are the worst songs of all time? Don't worry, be happy. We'll have the list when 360 continues.
ANNOUNCER: Known for both her beauty and brains, Jordan's Queen Rania is an eloquent and passionate spokesperson for her country. Committed to bridging the gap between the Middle East and the West, she and her husband King Abdullah II have friendly ties with the United States, and are recognized for their modern approach to governing. Rania has not been afraid to take on controversial issues at home, speaking out for women's and children's rights. She has taken on tab book subjects like child abuse and a practice known as honor killings, the custom of murdering female relatives who have committed adultery or lost their virginity before marriage.
In what many called a fairy tale life, Rania, a Palestinian from a middle-class family fell in love with a prince. She became Jordan's queen in 1993, when from his deathbed King Hussein unexpectedly named his son successor. They now have three children, and Rania considers motherhood her most important role.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Let's get you caught up on tonight's top stories with The Reset.
Hershey, Pennsylvania; Patriot Act on the line, President Bush today urged Congress to renew the antiterrorism Patriot Act and strengthen it before it expires next year. The act, passed overwhelmingly after 9/11, but now some critics on both the left and right say it gives federal agents too much power.
Batavia, Ohio; a family's hope; the family of Keith Maupin say they were chilled but relieved to see the video. Relieved because his status went from unknown to captured. The family says they have high hopes of seeing him again.
Cheyenne, Wyoming, NORAD hijacking drills. A NORAD spokesman said a unit of its Air Defense Command simulated a hijacked airliner crashing into a building in the U.S., this done well before the 9/11 attacks. Since 9/11, NORAD has conducted many hijacking simulations and intercepted two attempted hijackings from Cuba.
Washington, DC; King Abdullah isn't coming, yet the King of Jordan is postponing his trip to Washington, rescheduling for May 1. Jordan says the king is delaying his trip to clarify the Bush administration's position towards the Mid-East peace process and the West Bank.
Also in Washington, record gas prices. U.S. gas prices are hitting record highs for the fourth straight week, increasing 2.7 cents over last week to $1.81 a gallon, according to U.S. government reports.
In Boston, Massachusetts; a Kenyan's big finish. For the thirteenth time in the last 14 years a Kenyan has one the Boston Marathon. Timothy Cherigat won today with a time of two hours, 10 minutes, 37 seconds. Another Kenyan, Catherine--I'm going to mess up her name--Catherine Ndereba, won the women's race as well. Sorry about that, Catherine. That's it for the stories in the Reset.
Well, as Americans face sticker shock at the gas pump, there are stunning new allegations in the book "Plan of Attack" by Bob Woodward. The claim: That the Saudi royal family offered to boost President Bush's bid for re-election by helping keep gas prices low before November.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): Bob Woodward claims Saudi Ambassador Bandar bin Sultan told President Bush, "oil prices are high and they could go down very quickly. That's the Saudi pledge. Certainly over the summer or as we get closer to the election, they could increase production several million barrels a day and the price would drop significantly."
Neither the White House nor the Saudi royal family deny Prince Bandar's offer to keep oil prices within a certain range, but both say it had nothing to do with helping President Bush get reelected.
"We do not use oil for political purposes. Saudi Arabia also does not interfere in elections," said the kingdom in a statement released today. The Bush administration has long called Saudi Arabia an important ally, and Prince Bandar is a close friend of the Bush family. Bandar has been ambassador to the U.S. for 25 years and he has extraordinary access to top officials in the government. In fact, according to Bob Woodward, the prince was given a top-secret briefing about the Iraq war plan two days before Secretary of State Colin Powell was.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Colin Powell said today he was included in all the military planning preparations, quote, "I was briefed on a regular basis," he says, "I was intimately familiar with the plan. I was aware that Prince Bandar was being briefed on the plan."
Earlier, I spoke with Robert Jordan, he was U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 2001 to 2003 and is a personal friend of President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Ambassador Jordan, according to Bob Woodward, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld briefed Prince Bandar in a top-secret briefing about the plan for war in Iraq two days before Secretary of State Colin Powell even knew of the plan. Do you think that's true, and if so, that would seem to be rather remarkable, no?
ROBERT JORDAN, FMR. U.S AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA: Well, I think, Anderson, everyone needs to take a deep breath here and not hyperventilate too much about the snippets we hear. Certainly at the time frame in question, it was obvious that one needed to at least give some thought to what would happen if Saddam continued to violate United Nations security council resolutions. It would not be surprising at that time to be -- to start making some contingency plans.
COOPER: But does it surprise you that they would brief a -- basically a member of the Saudi government ahead of the secretary of state? JORDAN: Well, I have no doubt that the secretary of state was well-informed about the general nature of plans going forward. Whether or not he saw this particular plan at this particular time is almost irrelevant. It was important to bring the Saudis into the planning for this, because so much depended upon their permissions to use air space, logistics and so forth.
COOPER: Bob Woodward also writes of another meeting in the Oval Office, Prince Bandar meeting with the president. I'm going to quote from Bob Woodward here. He says, "Bandar wanted Bush to know that the Saudis hoped to fine-tune oil prices to prime the economy in 2004. What was key Bandar understood, were the economic conditions before a presidential election." Do you think this is true?
JORDAN: The fact of the matter is that the Saudis are going to act in their national interest. The United States has, for many, many years, urged the Saudis and OPEC to keep crude prices within a rough band of $22 to $28 a barrel. It wouldn't be unusual for the Saudis and OPEC to realize that they can't get too far ahead of that curve.
COOPER: But you can understand why -- there is a lot of skepticism on the part of many in America not only toward Saudi Arabia, but when they see a member of the Saudi government, this Ambassador Bandar, basically having sort of easy access to the highest levels of the government. Why does this one man have such amazing access?
JORDAN: For one thing, I think it's important to realize that many, many ambassadors have access in the United States, Prince Bandar happens to have been there longer than anyone else, he's been there 25 years. He had access in the Clinton White House as well.
COOPER: But it goes beyond political. There are very close personal ties -- there was an article in the "New Yorker" describing almost a familial relationship between Prince Bandar and the first President Bush.
JORDAN: I think you simply have to put all of this in context. There has been no suggestion that I can think of and certainly nothing that I witnessed during my two years as ambassador that would make me believe that either of them would put their own personal relationships ahead of their own national interests. In fact, in many cases we've had serious disagreements with the Saudis, as history reflects.
COOPER: Today, John Kerry has said that if this alleged deal by Bob Woodward, if it is, in fact, true, he says it's quote, "outrageous, unacceptable to the American people." Would you agree with that, that if it is true?
JORDAN: Well, look, I know the president has expressed his concerns about the price of oil. Others in the administration have done the same thing. It wouldn't be unusual for the Saudis to be responsive to that. I think it's pretty silly to be talking about getting the Saudis involved in an American election.
COOPER: Ambassador Jordan, thanks for being on the program. JORDAN: My pleasure.
COOPER: Today's buzz is this. Do you believe the Saudis would manipulate oil prices to influence the election? Log on to CNN.com/360, cast your votes. Results at the end of the program tonight.
Today Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced a new antiterrorism task force to coordinate security preparations for a number of high-profile events set to take place in Washington D.C. and right here in New York City in the coming months. Events that could be targets for terrorists. Are we doing enough to prevent attacks? Joining me now in New York City, Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Thanks for being with us.
How do you go about -- we're going to have the Republican National Convention here in New York City. There are a number of other high-profile events here and in Washington. As a police force, how do you go about preparing for something like that?
RAYMOND KELLY, NYPD COMMISSIONER: Well, we do a lot of planning. We've been planning for the Republican National Convention for probably a year and a half. We have a lot of major events here in New York City. We have a big experienced police force. I think we've done everything we reasonably can to prepare for a major event like the Republican National Convention.
COOPER: CNN'S Jeanne Meserve was reporting earlier in the evening that there was an intelligence advisory out, I guess an intercept, and in the intercept it said that there were in place persons who would perhaps go after soft targets here in the United States, this was a pre-Easter vacation. Are you concerned, do you believe that there are terrorists in place in the United States?
KELLY: That's certainly a very real possibility. Again, like so many other pieces of information put out, it lacks specificity, so it gets us thinking, but doesn't give us specific information. But certainly I think that's a real possibility, and something we have to be concerned about.
COOPER: New York City now has their own sort of intelligence bureau. I know you obviously can't talk too much about it. How important has that been in terms of -- how effective is it?
KELLY; I think it's been very effective. We have about 500 people in our intelligence division, we actually have people assigned overseas, we have people in Tel Aviv, in Lyon, France, which is where Interpol is in the U.K., in Canada, and in Singapore. They give us pieces of information that they get from other law enforcement agencies. It's been helpful. We are able to have our detectives in Madrid the day of the bombing, we've gotten some very useful information from that visit. We have to be on the cutting edge. We have to react quickly. We feel ourselves to be on top of the target list here so we get information as quickly as possible.
COOPER: The Madrid bombing, let's talk about that for a moment. Did that change anything in the way you view New York City, what might be vulnerable?
KELLY: It did. It changed some of our tactics, some of the approaches that we used to protect our transit system. We have a transit bureau that has 2,800 police officers in it, and we do a variety of things in that system. We have sweeps, we have what we call T.O.M.S, train on a maintenance sweeps where officers get on every car of a train, we have searches where you'll see a lot of uniformed officers, they'll move, they'll come back, it's on a regular basis. We've increased a number of plainclothes officers in the system. We've done a lot. We did get information from Madrid, it did cause us to change some of our tactics.
COOPER: Commissioner Raymond Kelly, thanks for being on the program.
KELLY: Thank you.
COOPER: Well, murder for hire. Coming up, an NHL player accused of plotting to kill his roommate. Bizarre case just ahead. .
And do you remember this little ditty? Is it too sexy for the worst songs of all time list? Or did it make the cut? We'll have that ahead.
Plus having your way with the chicken man. The new Internet toy you just kind of have to see to believe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well, somewhere in a California jail, a pro hockey player for the St. Louis Blues sits in his cell awaiting extradition to the St. Louis area. Police say Mike Danton and a 19-year-old woman plotted to kill one of Danton's acquaintances. It is a bizarre story that has left a chilling effect on his teammates. CNN's Matt Morrison has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATT MORRISON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The arrest of 23- year-old NHL Mike Danton last week on charges he tried to engineer a murder for hire scheme left his St. Louis Blues teammates grasping for answers.
BRYCE SALVADOR, ST. LOUIS BLUES TEAMMATE: It's unfortunate, because he's a great guy, and hopefully, you know, something, you know, is misunderstood here and it all works out.
MORRISON: A criminal complaint alleges Danton used a friend, a 19-year-old college student Katie Wolfmeyer, to hire a hitman to kill an unidentified male acquaintance.
The plot failed, and details contained in the FBI's affidavit, like the pair argued other Danton's alleged promiscuity and alcohol use, and according to an FBI wiretap, quote, "Danton also felt the acquaintance was going to leave him," unquote, left questions about a possible motive. DERRICK GOOLD, ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH: It implies on first read maybe a romantic entanglement, or maybe that's what we want to see there, but really it's something that you would say of many different people in your life.
MORRISON: His agent says Danton recently came to him for help with emotional problems, including paranoia. Danton was formerly named Mike Jefferson, but changed his name in 2002 after a long estrangement from his family.
GOOLD: He certainly has a lot of emotional baggage that he was carrying with him, and he was reluctant to talk about publicly. Privately with his teammates, he spoke about some of it, but even they had a sense that there was something much deeper going on.
MORRISON: On the ice, Danton was known as an agitator, instigating fights and drawing penalties from opponents. Both Danton and Wolfmeyer remain in custody on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
Matt Morrison, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, if this was indeed a murder for hire plot, it's not the first time it's happened in professional sports. Let's flash back now to two cases. Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin had a hit taken out on him back in 1996. A man paid almost $3,000 for someone to kill Irvin because of alleged threats the football player made to the man's girlfriend. In 1999, football player Rae Carruth hatched a plot to kill his pregnant former girlfriend. Carruth had a man pull alongside her car and shoot her five times as she drove. Adams died, the baby survived. Carruth is serving 24 years in prison.
Well, "Justice Served" now with the Jayson Williams trial entering its third month. A mistake by the prosecutors opens the door for Williams' legal team to call more witnesses. CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors call the failure to turn over a key report on the shotgun an oversight, but Jayson Williams and his legal team say otherwise.
Williams' lawyers reopened their case, questioning the gun maker's chief engineer, labeling his solo inspection of the gun, in their words, "secretive."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's your term, secretive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, there was nobody there from the other side during your examination?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct. FEYERICK: Long before the trial began, prosecutors asked Browning executive Larry Nelson to examined the 12-gauge double-barrel shotgun. He did, taking it apart. But during their presentation, prosecutors never brought that up, maintaining only two people dismantled the gun, the state police sergeant working for prosecutors and the defense expert.
Williams' lawyer tried to show prosecutors didn't want Williams to have the gun maker's report too soon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is there language in there, "no rush on the report, in fact, take my time, no sense in letting defense have access to it early?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it does.
FEYERICK: On cross-examination, prosecutors tried to stress the gun engineer took the shotgun apart only after Williams' own expert had analyzed it. The shotgun that killed limo driver Gus Christofi is a critical piece of evidence. Williams says it malfunctioned and fired accidentally. Prosecutors say it fired because Williams pulled the trigger.
(on camera): It was the first day back for the jury in three weeks. One juror was excused after the death of a family member. What effect the delay and the new testimony will likely have is anyone's guess. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, on a far lighter note, the worst songs of all time have been announced. Among them, this little gem. Oh, we can't forget this one.
Coming up, what reeks more than "Ice Ice Baby?" Find out as we give you the list of the worst songs ever. What do you think should be on the list? And the ones that we think should have made the cut.
Also tonight, a chicken order like you wouldn't believe. Served up, well, any way you want it. I don't know what that's about.
And a little bit later in "The Current," Kevin Spacey's spaced- out trip to the park in the wee hours of morning. What was going on? We'll find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
COOPER: Ah, memories. Good times. The new issue of "Blender" magazine lists their picks for the 50 worst songs ever. Now, as with any best or worst list, we nod in knowing agreement with some choices, shake our heads in utter disbelief at others. It's hard to say what's more surprising about this list. The songs that were picked or the ones that were left out. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CELINE DION, SINGER (singing): My heart will go on and on
COOPER (voice-over): OK. We'll give them this one. At number 50, the chest-thumping tribute to the ultimate sinking ship may have been over the top. But right said Fred?
The bald British rockers brought a whole new beat to the runways and to club kids. How can you dis the Beatles, even if it is for "Obla-Di, Oblad-Da" or Simon & Garfunkel's "Sounds of Silence" or The Doors? Yet, Led Hampson (ph) or Yanni slipped by without a mention. The Ricky Martin hit was number 39 on the all-time worst list, but really how bad could it have been if it was worthy of a remake? Even the music world's sacred cows couldn't escape. Both Whitney Houston's "The Greatest Love of All" and Bette Midler's "From a Distance" made it on to the list. And we'll give the judges at "Blender." They showed no fear, not even of the Claymate (ph), "American Idol" runner- up Clay Aiken had the 11th worst song with "Invisible."
OK. This much perkiness can get on a music lover's nerves, and Vanilla Ice is no Eminem. But what was the No. 1 worst song of all time? "We built this city" by Starship or Jefferson Starship, or Jefferson Airplane, whatever. No doubt a controversial choice. Kenny G., count yourself lucky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Enough already.
All right. Time to check on some pop news in tonight's "Current." Let's take a look. David Hasselhoff will reportedly reprise his role as Michael Knight for a movie version of "Knight Rider," giving fans a chance to find out who's had more body work since the show, the car or Hasselhoff.
Kevin Spacey admits he lied to police when he reported being mugged in a London park. The actor now says he was walking his dog in a park at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday and was conned into giving his cell phone to a man who then ran away. Spacey apologized for lying about the mugging, but that story about being in the park at 4:00 a.m. to walk his dog? He's sticking with it.
Both Phish and The Dead will be touring this summer. Phish starts in New York. The Dead in Tennessee. You can keep track of both bands on the Internet or by looking for the large smoke cloud formations forming above each one.
"Kill Bill Volume 2" was tops of the box office this weekend, raking in an estimated $26 million. We hear "The Punisher" was trying to make a run at No. 1 but backed off after Uma Thurman threatened to disembowel it. "The Punisher" came in at two.
Well, we all know the Internet was created for something like this. A chicken man who, with just a click of the mouse, will do whatever you want it to do, even lay an egg. Jeanne Moos explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is chicken you serve and now there's subservient chicken.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bend over, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want him to do a hand-stand.
MOOS: The subservient chicken will do almost anything you tell him. Type "touch your toes," he'll touch his toes. Hop on one foot? Even do the moonwalk. The subservient chicken has become a web sensation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a smart chicken.
MOOS: Don't expect this bird to do anything foul.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Tickle his butt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tickle his butt?
MOOS: Tasteless commands like "give the bird" will result in a wagging finger, and not the one you asked for. This is Burger King's attempt at what's called viral marketing, creating buzz on the Internet for its revised slogan.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Poke your brains out.
MOOS: Folks tend to think the subservient chicken is live, responding to their commands.
You believe the chicken is there?
Actually the chicken was taped performing 400 commands, then turned into a computer program. The chicken suit was created by the Stan Winston studio, famed for everything from "Jurassic Park" dinosaurs to Budweiser frogs.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How about lay an egg?
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I knew you'd like that one. Actually, it's the chicken's favorite move. We also like telling it to snap its garter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was designed to be Victorian-esque.
MOOS: Why just order chicken, when you can order one around?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Die.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Aw. Coming up, by chance, did you notice President Bush's new look today? We'll take that to the "Nth degree."
And tomorrow, working under fire. American contractors on risking it all to rebuild Iraq and make a lot of money.
First today's buzz. Do you believe the Saudis would manipulate oil prices to influence the election? You can log on to CNN.com/360 to vote right now. We'll have results when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for the buzz. Earlier we asked, do you believe the Saudis would manipulate oil prices to influence the election? More than 25,000 of you voted. 87 percent of you said yes, 13 percent no. Not a scientific poll, just your buzz.
Tonight, taking the cover-up to the "Nth Degree." We haven't picked up the phone or sent someone over to the White House to ask the question directly, but we've gone over the videotape with what you might call a fine-toothed comb. Here, you have a look.
This is the president during his primetime news conference a week ago. Look at the area above his forehead and between his ears, the region specialists call the hair area. Now then here you have the president today seven days later. Again, look at the area above the forehead and between the ears. You may need to see this again.
Either our monitors badly need adjusting, or the president's hair is not only shorter and neater, but it's also a good several shades darker than it was a week ago. We can't say for a fact what exactly accounts for this change, but we can say that we here at 360 strongly believe silvery hair is way better than dark hair. Anyone with access to some shoe polish can have dark hair, but silvery hair, well, you can't get panache like that out of a tin. I'm Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Coming up next, "PAULA ZAHN NOW."
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