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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

President Bush's missing military records turn up. Deadly alligator attack in Florida takes a woman's life

Aired July 23, 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.


CAROL LIN, HOST: Good evening from Atlanta. I'm Carol Lin. Anderson Cooper is off tonight.
President Bush's missing military records finally turn up. We'll tell you what they show and what they don't.

360 starts now.

LIN: The new target, media vehicles. Could this be a plot used by a homegrown group to disrupt the Democratic convention?

President Bush asked the Urban League in Detroit for their votes, while Senator Kerry prepares for Boston from Colorado, his birth state.

A deadly alligator attack in Florida takes a woman's life.

He keeps winning and winning and winning. Ken Jennings makes the game of "Jeopardy" look easy. He goes face-to-face with our own champ.

And in our special series, the pampered life. The glam squad makes them up and tones them down. The posses of the rich and famous.

ANNOUNCER: This is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

LIN: We begin tonight with the case of the missing records, President Bush's missing service records. Much has been made of them over the course of the last few months, and just a few weeks ago, the government reported some of them had been destroyed by mistake.

Turns out the records weren't destroyed. They have been found. But whether the information in them puts an end to the questions about the president's service during the Vietnam War, or merely stirs it up again, remains to be seen.

Here's CNN's Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just two weeks ago, the Pentagon said payroll records covering three months of President Bush's National Guard service in 1972 had been inadvertently destroyed in an unsuccessful effort to preserve deteriorating microfilm. But now officials say a mixup of the microfilm numbers by the Defense, Finance, and Accounting Service was to blame. In a letter to CNN and other news organizations, the chief of the Pentagon's Freedom of Information Office wrote, "The records, which were presumed to have been destroyed and unrecoverable, have been located."

Critics of President Bush have accused him of being AWOL from the Alabama National Guard for a 12-month period in 1972 and '73. The newly found records cover the third quarter of 1972 -- July, August, and September -- and do not appear to show any payments during that time, or the two months prior.

The five-month gap begins in May of 1972, when Mr. Bush moved from Texas to Alabama to work on a senatorial campaign and transferred from the Texas to Alabama Air National Guard.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: Now, the Democratic National Committee was quick to jump on this story, issuing a statement calling the, quote, "supposed discovery of the documents" highly questionable.

And while the documents do document a five-month period in which it appears President Bush may not have shown up for guard service, the White House insists they show no relevant new information and that the documents they released back in February show that President Bush, in fact, completed his full guard obligation in the months after that and received an honorable discharge, Carol.

LIN: All right, thanks very much, Jamie McIntyre.

The president did spend some of his day out looking for votes. No surprise in that. But where he went looking may be a surprise.

Here's CNN's White House correspondent Dana Bash.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a standard candidate request.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm here to ask for your vote.

BASH: But this is a Republican with the worst showing among African-Americans since Barry Goldwater ran for president in 1964. So after some audible laughter...

BUSH: No, I know, I know, I know. Listen, Republican Party's got a lot of work to do. I understand that.

BASH: Thirty-two minutes into his speech that was getting a polite but less than enthusiastic response, the National Urban League crowd seemed to perk up. Well, some did, anyway.

BUSH: I'm going to ask African-American voters to consider some questions. Does the Democrat Party take African-American voters for granted? I know plenty of politicians assume they have your vote. But do they earn it? And do they deserve it?

BASH: This, just one week after Mr. Bush unapologetically snubbed the NAACP for the fourth year in a row because of what aides called partisan, hostile comments about him.

John Kerry showed up for both conventions.

Mr. Bush's campaign insists his free market policies and some of his social agenda, which he played up, will help make inroads in the black community. The president still has his work cut out for him. A recent poll shows only 12 percent of African-Americans support Mr. Bush, compared to only 81 percent for Senator Kerry.

A hard sell, but one Kerry supporter in the crowd says, at least he's selling.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He did ask for the vote. And I think that any good candidate ought to ask for the vote. I'm not sure he changed my mind, but he certainly gave me some things to think about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Now, as for the Kerry campaign, they call all this nothing more than damage control after the NAACP flap. They say that the president's policy policies, when black voters will look at them, will turn them away from Mr. Bush and not turn them towards Mr. Bush, Carol.

LIN: Dana Bash at the White House.

Here's a surprise. Boston, one of the oldest cities in the country, witness to so much American history, called the cradle of liberty, has never before been the site of a nominating convention. The one that begins Monday is Boston's first.

We have two reporters standing by to bring us up to speed on how Boston is getting ready. Jeanne Meserve will bring us the security angle in just a moment.

But first, CNN's Frank Buckley is on the road with the man who is about to go from candidate to nominee. Frank?

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, Senator Kerry was here in Denver today. This, his birthplace, just outside of Denver. Senator Kerry now embarking on a preconvention tour that will take him across six states during seven days.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY (voice-over): John Kerry kicked off his preconvention tour near Fitzsimmons Army Hospital, where he was born.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Guess which wing of the hospital the maternity ward was in? Ladies and gentlemen, you got it. I'm not making this up, I promise. I was born in the West Wing.

BUCKLEY: Kerry's campaign to occupy the White House West Wing has been officially under way since last September. But the coming week and the convention ahead are key periods for the Massachusetts senator to try to define himself to voters on his own terms.

Kerry, determined not to be labeled as a Massachusetts liberal.

KERRY: We're off, as John said, to an America that is stronger at home, and is again respected in the world.

BUCKLEY: The Kerry campaign hopes to excite undecided and inattentive voters about John Kerry, while simultaneously striking a chord among the party faithful that's already generated passion against the incumbent president, George Bush, the issue of war in Iraq.

KERRY: And in our administration, John and I pledge to you, we will never go to war because we want to. The United States of America should only go to war because it has to.

BUCKLEY: Polling shows Kerry in a tight race with President Bush, a new CNN-"USA Today"-Gallup poll showing Kerry is the stronger candidate on handling issues like health care and the economy. But when asked who would better handle terrorism, Bush is the choice among those polled, 56 to 38 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The principal danger sign is that Bush is seen as a strong leader, and that translates into a major advantage on terrorism. That's a big issue to a lot of Americans, and Kerry has to prove that he is a strong leader, and he can represent the public to the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: As Senator Kerry works to make that case during the next several days, he will surround himself with veterans in virtually every campaign stop, reminders, Carol, that he has led Americans during war in the past, Carol.

LIN: All right, thanks very much, Frank.

Boston's first convention is also the first since 9/11. And that means organizers absolutely have to see the political event as an obvious target for international terrorists and even homegrown ones.

CNN's homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve shows us what it's going to take to protect the Boston site.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With an anticipated 15,000 members of the media congregating in Boston, the FBI says it has received "unconfirmed information that a domestic group is planning to disrupt the convention by attacking media vehicles with explosives or incendiary devices" like Molotov cocktails.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not looking at a widespread threat perpetrated by truly dangerous individuals.

MESERVE: Government officials say the threat comes from anarchists. An undercover investigation continues.

In the run-up to the convention, authorities have been eager to emphasize communications and information sharing.

TOM RIDGE, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: The Department of Homeland Security has forged strong partnerships across the federal government and with state and local governments, law enforcement, and the private sector.

MESERVE: But word of the media threat dribbled out with some key players left out of the loop. Although some local media got word of the threat from the Boston FBI field office Thursday night, many national media outlets and their security personnel were not informed through official channels until Friday. When asked if this is how threat information is supposed to be disseminated, one official said, I hope not. Another called it B-grade communications.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It can be a very serious problem if we're dealing with a very short time span between the information about the threat and the reality of people needing to take some basic protective measures.

MESERVE: Convention security is tightening. Transit police are doing random checks of passenger bags. And Friday night, North Station, a major transportation hub, will shut, and a security perimeter will be established around the Fleet Center.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: Despite the warning about a possible disruption by a domestic group, officials say there is no credible or specific information indicating that any foreign terrorists are planning to attack the convention. Back to you, Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much, Jeanne Meserve.

A first-of-its-kind missile defense system tops our look at news cross-country. Fort Greely (ph), Alaska, the U.S. military deployed a new ground-based missile interceptor to shoot down long-range enemy missiles. The U.S. plans to spend more than $50 billion over the next five years on the system.

Eagle, Colorado, a potentially huge legal victory for Kobe Bryant. The judge in his sexual assault case ruled today that his accuser's sex life during the week of their encounter can be used against her at trial. The judge said the details are relevant to help determine the cause of her injuries and source of DNA evidence. Bryant's trial begins August 27.

Fort Myers, Florida, alligator attack ends in tragedy. Fifty- four-year-old Jannie Melsick (ph) died today after being mauled by a 12-foot alligator Wednesday. She died in surgery to treat an infection caused by the alligator bites.

And that's a look at stories cross-country tonight.

360 next, al Qaeda's looming threat. Find out what's putting security officials on high alert.

Plus, a missing pregnant jogger. Find out why her husband's behavior before her disappearance is raising eyebrows.

And the million-dollar man, "Jeopardy"'s new hot shot is our special guest.

But first, your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All the sources agree that al Qaeda is very much on the lookout for opportunities and for targets. That much we know. But what else, if anything, is also known?

Well, with some insight, here's CNN justice correspondent, Kelli Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's more than just chatter. Senior intelligence officials say they have "credible and fairly specific information" that al Qaeda is poised to attack. It's just not specific enough.

RIDGE: Although we know not the time and the place and the method, credible reports indicate that al Qaeda is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack against the United States.

ARENA: Officials say al Qaeda members captured recently in countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have provided information an attack is being coordinated, some say by Osama bin Laden himself. The information isn't just coming from detainees, but from multiple sources, and it's consistent.

RICHARD FALKENRATH, FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER: This is different. This is more serious, more specific, and more centrally led than anything that we've seen in a long time. And hence, it's being taken very seriously. I would not be surprised in the least if the government decides to raise the national threat level to orange...

ARENA: Officials say the threat is just as serious as it was in the summer of 2001, just before the attack on September 11.

FALKENRATH: The most likely sort -- forms of attack, I think, will be relatively small conventional explosives set off in multiple sites simultaneously. ARENA: This week, the FBI asked authorities in Mexico to be on the lookout for alleged al Qaeda operative Adnan El Shukrijumah. Officials very concerned about the porous Mexican border.

An even bigger fear, that there is a cell already in the United States that has been in place even before September 11.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: And unfortunately, law enforcement sources say, there's nothing specific on that front either, Carol.

LIN: Thanks very much, Kelli.

An Egyptian diplomat is kidnapped in Iraq. And that tops our look at global stories in the uplink. The third-ranking official at the Egyptian embassy in Baghdad has been kidnapped. This videotape of him with his captors was shown on Al Jazeera today. The kidnappers say they took the diplomat hostage in response to Egypt's offer of help to Iraq in security matters.

The U.S. Congress says that civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan are being threatened with genocide. A resolution was passed unanimously on Thursday, and backers hope that its passage will pressure the international community to take action.

In Lans le Soignee (ph), France, Lance Armstrong is aiming for his record sixth win. He holds a four-minute lead in the race, which ends on Sunday in Paris.

And that's tonight's uplink.

360 next, Bush and Kerry in a dead heat. Will the conventions give either one the bounce they need? James Carville and Bob Novak step into the "CROSSFIRE."

Also tonight, rolling out the red carpet. Inside the celebrity lifestyle, part of our special series, Star Treatment.

And a little later, get out your claws. Hot stuff at the box office. A sneak peek in The Weekender.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Most polls show George Bush and John Kerry deadlocked heading into the convention next week. That's making "CROSSFIRE"'s James Carville and Bob Novak wonder, what will it take for Kerry to tee himself up for a convention bounce?

I spoke with James Carville and Bob Novak earlier from Boston's Fenway Park.

Bob, let me begin with you. Most of the polls are showing, including CNN-"USA Today"'s Gallup poll, shows that John Kerry and George W. Bush are neck and neck, within 2 percentage points. Do you think, so close to the conventions, that President Bush has good reason to be worried?

ROBERT NOVAK, "CROSSFIRE": Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I would say he would be worried if he was about 10 points behind or 17 points behind, like his father was in 1988, and then won. No, I don't think he's got reason to be worried. This is what they expected, what I expected, that it was going to be a very tight race. The only surprise is that both their totals are so high. That means there's very few people who don't know how they're going to vote.

And my personal reporting confirms what the polls show. There's a very small universe of undecided voters out there. And the strategists, the geniuses on both sides, are trying to figure out what's going to appeal to them.

LIN: All right. James...

NOVAK: And that's what the, that's what the whole point of this convention is, of Senator Kerry trying to appeal to those undecided voters.

LIN: All right. James, there seems to be a little bit of a disconnect, though, because some of the polling shows that more than half the country, those polled, believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction. So why isn't John Kerry benefiting more from this?

JAMES CARVILLE, "CROSSFIRE": Well, I think, A, he's benefiting a pretty good bit. He's, like, 48 percent, which, you know, is not a number to be at going into your convention. And B, traditionally, challengers don't get a lot of attention until a campaign really starts. Hopefully he'll get some more attention here, and he'll be able to help himself some.

He's not going to get the bump that traditionally got because he enters his convention at a higher number than any challenger that I know has ever entered his political convention.

So we got to be kind of realistic here...

LIN: Well, James, do you think that there's a large part of the population out there who simply doesn't know John Kerry? This is his opportunity to reintroduce himself to that segment of the public. What...

CARVILLE: Yes, yes, yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

LIN: ... does he need to do at the convention to do that?

CARVILLE: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE), well, I mean, I think he's the, A, he's got to tell people not just who he is, but what he stands for. And I think there's a -- people think there's a difference between your biography and your vision or your program. I think the two have to be connected. Hopefully Senator Kerry will be able to connect that.

LIN: Bob, with the race so tight, and both candidates looking for fresh constituencies, President Bush addressed the national meeting of the Urban League, and he made a flat-out appeal for their votes. Given his snub to the NAACP, given the fact that he only captured a single-digit percentage of the African-American vote in 2000, do you think this is a waste of his time?

NOVAK: It's not a waste of his time, because the National Urban League has treated him with courtesy as the president of the United States, even though they're not for him, while the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) NAACP has created him with contempt. Treated him with contempt.

And, you know, Carol, I guarantee you George W. Bush is relying on the black vote, he might as well sit it out. It's not going to be where he wins the election. Those people are for Kerry, and they are hard.

CARVILLE: Well, Bob, because "those people," they're our people. And we're glad that the African-American community is...

LIN: All right.

CARVILLE: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Democrats, we're proud to have them.

LIN: All right.

CARVILLE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

LIN: Thanks very much, James Carville, Bob Novak.

NOVAK: You're welcome, Carol.

LIN: He keeps winning and winning and winning. Ken Jennings makes the game of "Jeopardy" look easy. He goes face-to-face with our own champ.

ANDERSON COOPER 360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back to 360.

With his party's presidential nomination locked in, you might think next week's Democratic National Convention is just a formality for John Kerry. But recent history shows the convention can help make or break a candidacy.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL CLINTON: I end tonight where it all began for me. I still believe in a place called Hope.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And with that, Bill Clinton emerged from the 1992 Democratic Party convention at Madison Square Garden in New York with a ton of political momentum, enough to propel him to the White House and defeat an incumbent president named George Bush.

Now, another Democratic challenger wants to do exactly the same thing. And John Kerry is looking to Bill Clinton's 1992 convention playbook for guidance.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Bill Clinton's 1992 convention is the most successful convention on record. Until that convention, Bill Clinton was running behind. Not only was he running behind, he was running third going into the Democratic convention in '92. Ross Perot was first, George Bush was second. Clinton seemed hopeless. The convention turned everything around.

BLITZER: Kerry advisers recognize the carefully choreographed Clinton convention helped introduce the then-former Arkansas governor to a then-still-large chunk of the American public that didn't like President Bush, but was not yet ready to commit to Clinton.

Everything was scripted, including his walk to the convention from Macy's department store and his biographical film produced by his Hollywood friends, Harry Tomason (ph) and Linda Bloodworth Tomason.

James Carville was Clinton's campaign manager.

CARVILLE: We had to connect Clinton's plan to his bio, and we knew that people didn't know a lot about him, and we also knew that we connected the kind of man with Hope and what his life experiences was, that we thought it would work pretty good, and it did.

BLITZER: The Kerry team has been working for months preparing for this convention. And yes, there will be a slick Hollywood- produced film that will tell his life story.

KERRY: The race to the finish line begins.

BLITZER: The Kerry team is also studying the failed 1988 presidential campaign of another Massachusetts politician, Michael Dukakis, but for another reason. Dukakis emerged from his convention in Atlanta with a big bounce in the polls, only to see it disappear in the subsequent weeks after George Bush's convention in New Orleans.

SCHNEIDER: George Bush the first moved into the lead at that convention, took it away from Dukakis, and never lost it. How did he do it? By reminding voters that things were pretty good under Ronald Reagan. Why would you ever want to change?

BLITZER: The latest public opinion polls show this race is still very much neck and neck, well within the margin of error.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Mark Hacking's pregnant wife vanished during a morning jog in Salt Lake City. And since then his world has spiraled out of control, revealing lies about his life, and raising questions about whether he knows more than he is telling, questions that even his own father is asking. In a moment to the husband's brother.

First an update on case from CNN's Ted Rowlands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police and volunteers spent another unsuccessful day looking for 27-year-old Lori Hacking. She was reported missing Monday morning by her husband, Mark.

THELMA SOARES, LORI'S MOTHER: My baby is still out there somewhere, and we need to find her.

ROWLANDS: Salt lake city police confirm Monday morning before calling authorities about his wife's disappearance, Mark Hacking checked with friends to see if she was with them and went out and bought a brand-new mattress for their bed. Investigators have removed a number of items from the couple's home in Salt Lake City for forensic testing. Police also say they were called to this hotel Tuesday morning and found Mark Hacking outside. It was then his family says he was taken to a hospital for psychiatric care, where they say he remains. Mark Hacking's father says he asked his son if he had anything to do with his wife's disappearance.

DOUGLAS HACKING, LORI'S FATHER-IN-LAW: I have to tell you that he looked me in the eye and he said no.

ROWLANDS: Family members say Mark and Lori Hacking were high school sweethearts who married 5-years-ago. They say they don't believe he had anything to do with his wife's disappearance, but they acknowledge they're shocked after finding out Wednesday he lied after being accepted to medical school. Hacking, they say, has spent the last two years lying to everyone including his wife, that he's been in school. The family even planned a graduation party for him in May. But on the day of the ceremony, they say, he claimed he was sick.

PAUL SOARES, LORI'S BROTHER: Poor Mark, he wasn't able to go to the graduation. He took pictures of him in his cap and gown. He had thought everything out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: And police confirm also that they seized a dumpster at a local church here. They say they are possessing the contents of that for potential evidence as well. The family remains solidly together, the two families. And they remain behind Mark Hacking, saying whatever he's been doing in the last two years doesn't matter, what matters now is that Lori Hacking is still missing.

LIN: So many questions. Thanks very much, Ted.

We do have a lot of questions and the mystery surrounding this family. Joining us from Salt Lake City now is Lance Hacking. He is the brother of Mark Hacking. Lance, thanks so much for being with us.

Is your brother still...

LANCE HACKING, BROTHER OF MARK HACKING: You're welcome. LIN: Is your brother still hospitalized?

L. HACKING: Yes, that's correct.

LIN: Your father said that he -- your brother's -- psychologically crashed. Describe his condition -- have you had a chance to talk to him and has he told you about what happened?

L. HACKING: I was actually up, and I saw Mark not too long ago, just a little bit earlier today. He's looking really good, in my opinion. It was nice to go up and give him another hug, to let him know we're all rooting for him. You know, he's doing pretty good.

LIN: What does he tell you about what he thinks happened to Lori, his wife?

L. HACKING: You know, I actually haven't asked him.

LIN: You haven't?

L. HACKING: You know, he's had a lot of those questions -- no. I'm letting the -- you know, the police are taking care of that business. All proper authorities are helping there, and we're fully supportive. We want them to do a good job, to ask all the right questions. But in that capacity, as far as Mark is concerned, I'm his brother and I'm there to support him, to love him, and that's what I want to do.

LIN: Why do you think he told you stories about going to medical school, the big plans of moving to North Carolina?

L. HACKING: You know, and that's kind of the big, hard thing for me, is to think that there was something that happened that made him feel like he had to do that. I don't know if it was the feel of inadequacy. I don't know. I haven't talked to him about what caused that. It just breaks my heart he felt he couldn't turn to us.

LIN: I mean, the lies that went on for so long.

Do you think that the psychological crash he's going through now, the reasons why he's been hospitalized, go back months if not years?

L. HACKING: You know, I don't think so. Everything that we know about Mark, every person we've talked to, including the last time I saw him, was in June, he was the fun-loving guy, perfect around children. My wife and I have had him watch our children on numerous occasions. And he's just as great as can be. I don't think this has anything to do with the past history.

LIN: If he's having psychological problems now, would it suggest to you or raise questions in your mind that it might explain why Lori disappeared?

L. HACKING: And for me, I don't really know what he's going through. I know it's definitely a hard time. My experience with him is when I've gone up to talk to him, it's just that he's having a lot of grief over the disappearance of Lori. Which I, you know, understand it. If I was to lose the love of my life and didn't know where she was at, I would probably be in the same boat.

LIN: So when your father looked Mark in the eye and asked him, did you have anything to do with Lori's disappearance, and Mark said, no, do you believe your brother?

L. HACKING: I absolutely do. Everything that I know -- the Mark that I know could never have done something like this.

LIN: Why do you think then that Salt Lake Police say he's a person of interest, which has work become a code word for something short of a suspect?

Just that they're looking for that physical evidence.

L. HACKING: Well, I think that he obviously should be a point of interest. Just as anybody that was around Lori -- if we had met somebody that said they're at the park or somebody had seen somebody at the park. All those people should be a point of interest. Hopefully all of them get investigated very thoroughly. I'm grateful they're doing that.

LIN: So what do you want to say -- how many people are out there now, more than 1,200, more than 1,200 searching for Lori.

What do you want to say to them?

L. HACKING: You know what, we absolutely -- both families have nothing to say but thanks and gratitude for what you're doing. The response today has been great. It's been more than double, maybe even triple of what we had yesterday. We're find a lot of people home, it's been really effective. We're really excited about all the lead and evidence that you guys are pulling up for us so we really, really appreciate it.

LIN: What's the strongest lead so far?

L. HACKING: Go ahead.

LIN: What's strongest lead you've had so far, the thing that really intrigues you that makes sense?

L. HACKING: I'm sorry, what was the strongest thing that intrigued me so far?

LIN: The lead. Yes, you said that you've gotten lots of leads.

What's most intriguing lead that you have got son far?

L. HACKING: And mostly I'm -- mostly what we do is collect the leads and let the police department take care of that, in order that we don't somehow compromise the investigation. I think most interesting things are things related to the park. Just you know, the people that were around at the time, the things that they saw at the time. I think that part's been the most interesting. And I'm anxious to see the results of the investigation on those.

LIN: Lance Hacking, thank you very much. Our good wishes to your family and let's hope that Lori Hacking is found very soon.

L. HACKING: Thank you, thank you for helping us find her.

LIN: Back with more 360 in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Looking good means everything in Hollywood. There are hot parties and movie premieres to attend and around practically every corner the paparazzi. Most stars don't shine in the spotlight on their own, though. Get this, a P.U.H., or personal umbrella holder has kept P. Diddy from getting wet. Other stars take it much farther. CNN's Jason Bellini takes us inside Hollywood's pampered life as we wrap up our special series "Star Treatment."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Paris Hilton on a shoot for "YM" magazine. An assembled dream team makes her cover- ready. Her trusted makeup artist, Troy Jensen, knows every inch of her famous face.

PARIS HILTON, MODEL: I love Troy. He's my favorite makeup artist. I've been working with him for year. He just knows how to make a girl look like a goddess.

BELLINI: That's why stars keep Jensen on speed dial. He's an essential component of the glam squad.

TROY JENSEN, MAKEUP ARTIST: When you're in a business that where you're scrutinized, every little thing that you do, and, you know, you're not allowed to grow older, you're not allowed to be imperfect, you're not allowed to have a bad day, sometimes you've got to compensate.

BELLINI: That's where Phillip Block, celebrity stylist comes in.

PHILLIP BLOCK, STYLIST: This is like a stick-on bra.

BELLINI (on camera): For many stars is it a team effort? Putting them out there and having them maintain this persona?

BLOCK: I think Hillary Clinton said it best, it takes a small village. Actually, sometimes it takes a large village. A-list celebrity has to have a personal assistant, publicist, manager, agents, trainer, maid, hair, makeup. Then you get into some that have a cook and a nutritionist. Some might need a spiritual guru, others just go to Kabbalah.

BELLINI: Block says he dresses both the star and her ego.

BLOCK: I found something sparkly.

You have to know the right moment to tell them what you have to tell them. Full disclosure isn't always appropriate immediately.

BELLINI: Some of the squad are paid to kiss butt, others are paid to shape it.

DAVID KIRSCH, CELEBRITY FITNESS TRAINER: "Glamour" magazine this month called me the butt man. I love that. That's one of my monikers, OK? I will sculpt, tone, lift, reduce, round anyone's butt in the world. If you come into me with carb-face, a carb-pies (ph), I'm going to know you ate the pizza, the bagels, whatever it was.

BELLINI: David Kirsch trains model Heidi Klum.

KIRSCH: She came to me after she had her beautiful body. We sculpted, toned, fed her, and she's unbelievable.

BELLINI: In an age of celebrity worship, celebrities themselves worship their own stars.

HILTON: I love Troy. He rocks.

BELLINI: Jason Bellini, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And a lot of stuff you saw right there, the stars get absolutely for free. They don't pay for it. They are so pampered, those Hollywood stars.

Joining me from New York, Michael Lewities, the executive news editor of "Star" magazine. Michael, you know it best. You've interviewed -- your magazine has interviewed many of these star. In fact, in an interview, you guys did with Will Smith, he actually admitted it.

This is what he said to you guys: very, very rarely do I pay for anything that I have on. I try to work stuff. If I'm wearing it to a premiere, I'll make sure it's in a magazine. And then they give it to me for free. I mean, he boldly just admits to it.

MICHAEL LEWITIES, STAR: Well, you have to give the guy credit that he's honest about it. The man loves clothes and he doesn't like paying $600 for a t-shirt or $400 for shoes. He likes getting it for free. And I asked you the same question. If you were to get it for free, why would you want to pay for it.

LIN: Maybe because I can afford it. What's 600 bucks to him? It's loose change. You have more choices...

LEWITIES: It is loose pay for him. It's not that much money for him. But the truth is, there is also a certain amount of power that goes with it. If you feel that you can get it for free, well, then, it makes you a bigger star. And if lots of designers are throwing clothes at you, and begging you for you to wear their clothes, well, then, it makes you just an even bigger star.

LIN: Well, speaking of making demand, Sharon Stone in her latest contract to do the follow-up to -- the big sequel to her movie, said -- in her contract, five pages of demand. Is that right?

LEWITIES: Yes.

LIN: A Cadillac for her pilates instructor, cars for her stylist, hair dresser, convertible, for herself.

LEWITIES: That's correct. And a chef, and six first-class tickets if she can't get a private jet, and pagers, free nannies, everything you could think of, asked for.

And why not? But there's also a good reason why the studio would agree to that. They want to make her feel as comfortable as possible when she's make the film. They don't want her to think about, oh, who's minding my son? Or is my hairstylist going to get here on time? She knows the hairtylist is going to get there on time, because she made sure that they have a car for her.

LIN: A basic instinct for good business, wouldn't you say?

LEWITIES: Absolutely.

LIN: Do any stars actually reject the free stuff? Do they ever say, no, no thanks, not for me?

LEWITIES: There are a number of stars who turn down things, becuase, even when they get these free bags, essentially a company could say that if they gave a free bag with a whole bunch of products to the person, that that person uses those product.

And recently, Toby Maguire, as a matter of fact, he got a gift certificate to Nutra fit. Now, he has no problem with the company, but he didn't want to be known as a person who is endorsing a particular product. So, while they were send him free food for a week, he said, you know, thanks, I think your food is wonderful, but I don't want to take it, because I don't want to show like I'm supporting it.

LIN: Right. And doesn't it get embarrassing for stars, then, if people find out they don't pay for their stuff?

LEWITIES: Well, particularly for a person like Oprah Winfrey, who the rumor is, when she gets these things she writes checks back to the company to reimburse them. She has so much money, it's so embarrassing. She said, please, don't send it to me, I can afford it.

LIN: Michael, if we could only be so unfortunately to get all that stuff. Thank you so much.

LEWITIES: Thank you.

LIN: Well, here's your chance to see our series all at once. All you have to do is "Watch the Star" treatment, a special edition of 360 tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.

Today's "Buzz" is this, "if you were a tv news producer what would you lead with today? Politic, Iraq, Missing Jogger, Alligator Attack?" Log on to CNN.com/360 to vote. Results at the end of the show.

360 Next, Matt Damon in "The Bourne Supremacy." We're going to review the spy thriller in "The Weekender."

And the Jeopardy champion, unstoppable, unbeatable. A visit from the quiz master.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Hollywood doesn't want Halle Berry to purr in "Catwoman," they want her to roar. And with good reason, with the Oscar winner's star status, studio executives hope "Catwoman" has 9 lives. But will this kitty be declawed by fickle film goers.

In a moment, film critic Elvis Mitchell gives us his review. But first, want you to watch a clip with Halle Berry battling Sharon Stone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHARON STONE, ACTRESS: If you don't have an identity why keep it a secret?

HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: Because you killed me. It was me you flushed down the pipes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Elvis Mitchell join us now from New York.

ELVIS MITCHELL, "NEW YORK TIMES" FILM CRITIC: I'm sorry. That was just such a touching clip.

(CROSSTALK)

LIN: The acting.

MITCHELL: Oh, my god. And Sharon Stone!

LIN: She's back.

MITCHELL: Not exactly. It's a movie that is so monstrously silly it should be tested for steroids.

LIN: $90 million didn't buy a quality action film here?

MITCHELL: Shocking, isn't it? You know, these bargain basement prices. It's kind of weird because we've had this summer they demythologize "Troy." They demythologize "King Arthur." And they give too much myth to "Catwoman." Who cares if she fell into a sewer and got these weird superpowers that don't mean anything? It's basically taken that subplot from Michelle Pfeiffer from "Batman Returns" and making a whole movie out of it.

LIN: What do you think the filmmakers were trying to do?

MITCHELL: Get people to come to the theaters.

LIN: Just because of Halle Berry and Sharon Stone...

MITCHELL: We should say this is a historic moment. A $90 million movie featuring an African-American actress who got $12 million. And Halle Berry has so much audience rapport, people may go for it for two or three days.

LIN: Let's talk about the follow up to "The Bourne Identity." "The Bourne Supremacy." What did you make of this? Matt Damon's comeback here.

MITCHELL: It's actually a really terrific movie. It's directed by a guy named Paul Greengrass. He did a wonderful little movie two years ago called "Bloody Sunday" about the uprising in Ireland in 1972. This movie has velocity, momentum. It's not particularly smart but it's so polished and professional, you just stay out of the way. And Damon really has some really good intimate moments when he's trying to chase down who he is and what it is he's capable of an it's a tough thing to pull off.

LIN: The "New York Times" called it a glamorized sense of tourism under duress.

MITCHELL: Well, if the "New York Times" said that, that must be right.

LIN: A lot of traveling going on. You loved a little independent film called "Maria Full Of Grace." Why is that?

MITCHELL: Because it's a movie about what really happens to a woman who is basically sort of stripped of her humanity. This is sort of the real-life version of "Catwoman." This poor woman -- this wonderful actress played by Catalina Morano (ph). It's a Colombian woman who basically becomes a drug mule and comes to the United States and basically ruins the lives of everybody around her. It's really an incredibly intimate and powerful and emotionally stunning movie.

LIN: All right, not "Catwoman" indeed. Thank you very much, Elvis Mitchell. Have a great weekend.

MITCHELL: You, too.

LIN: Alex, "JEOPARDY" champion for $1,000. The answer, Ken Jennings. He shares the secret to his winning wave next on 360.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX TREBEK, HOST, "JEOPARDY": We go to Ken Jennings. He had $42,000. Who are Reagan, Ronald Wilson Reagan and Bill Jefferson Clinton? And you risked only $10,000.

You're doing this just to bug me, aren't you? You've tied the record for the third time. $1,246,660

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Wow, it's that kind of quick thinking that makes Ken Jennings the "Jeopardy" juggernaut. He's made more money than any other "Jeopardy" winner. And a victory tonight means Jennings will return in September for the game show's new season.

Since "Jeopardy's" already aired on the East Coast, we actually know whether or not that will happen. But we're not going to spoil it for the rest of the country. What we will tell you is that we have our own "Jeopardy" juggernaut here at CNN, Anderson Cooper who spoke with Ken Jennings about the sweet taste of victory.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: All right, Ken. I got to start off by saying it is nice to talk to a "Jeopardy" champion. As a former jeopardy champion, I feel, you know, finally someone I can talk to.

KEN JENNINGS, "JEOPARDY" CHAMPION: It's a pleasure to be here. You're a great player yourself, Anderson.

COOPER: Thank you. I make no illusions. Mine was a dumbed-down edition of "Jeopardy." You are on your 38th show. Congratulations. I got to ask though, when the other contestants see you show up, do they just quake in their boots?

JENNINGS: There is the moment when the "Jeopardy" people tell them, here's Ken Jennings, our 38-day champion. Most people are like, no, come on, really? How many days? Really?

COOPER: I would pay money to be there to see the scared rabbit look in their eyes when they actually first lay their eyes on you. I became obsessed with buzzer theory. I went online and did all this research about how to use the buzzer. I understand you believe it's all about the buzzer in some part, too?

JENNINGS: Well, it helps to know all the answers, obviously. To get on the show, you have to pass a very hard test. Pretty much if you're there, you know most of the answers anyway. It's going to be the buzzer that separates the winner from the two non-winners.

COOPER: Now explain for those non-"Jeopardy" cognicenti (ph), what buzzer theory is. My understanding was, you ignore the lights that they tell you about, that people at home can't see, but they're are on the side of the screen, and you do it all based on Trebek's voice, way to beat buzz.

JENNINGS: There's some very narrow window where if you buzz too early -- you can't buzz while Alex is reading the question. If you buzz too early you'll get locked out. If you buzz too late, you will get beat. It's about waiting for that split second and just sort of finding a rhythm, I guess.

COOPER: The fact that you've been on the show so many times, I guess you do get to call him Alex. I still call him Trebek or Mr. Trebek. I understand you actually practice buzzing in at home. How did that work?

JENNINGS: I tried a bit. I sort of felt like a bit of a dork. I'd be standing behind my La-Z-Boy, holding one of my child's baby toys that was about the same size, I figured, as the "Jeopardy" buzzer and I'd be furiously pumping my thumb up and down on that thing, just trying to beat the contestants I could see on TV.

COOPER: Because they say if you buzz in too early, you're blocked out for like a fifth of a second. That's what I read online. I don't know if it's really true or not.

JENNINGS: That's right. That's what they told me.

COOPER: As they say on "Jeopardy" when you're in doubt, guess Canada or Etruscans (ph).

JENNINGS: I didn't know that. I'll keep that in mind.

COOPER: Seriously. Canada, there's always a clue about Canada in there and I actually guessed -- there was -- on my run there was a thing about, anytime it says North America it means Canada. That's my little "Jeopardy" clue for you, Ken.

JENNINGS: That's true. There was some question about the least populous country in the G-8 and I guessed Canada and it was right.

COOPER: I am hoping to be invited back on "Jeopardy" someday because we didn't have a tournament of champions. I wanted to go a head to head with Tucker Carlson. Because I could take him like that.

JENNINGS: You could totally take Tucker Carlson. You grab him by the bowtie.

COOPER: Exactly, boom, right there. I'd get him on movies, I'd get him on just about anything. I want to show a little clip, Ken, of my time at "Jeopardy". I did get some questions wrong. I'd like to ask for you advice after this. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: What is the Supreme Court?

TREBEK: No.

COOPER: What?

TREBEK: Anderson.

COOPER: What is "Who Is Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?"

TREBEK: No. COOPER: Oy!

TREBEK: Maria?

What is "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof."

Anderson, don't beat up on yourself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Any advice for me? What can I do better?

JENNINGS: I sort of liked the "oy." Sort of like Monica Seles playing "Jeopardy" or something.

COOPER: I feel it's a full contact sport. All right, Ken. This is the last question. What is your favorite "Jeopardy" category?

JENNINGS: I'm not going to answer in the form of a question, but I really like the movie categories. I've just seen thousands of movies. I own way too many DVDs according to my wife and so I...

COOPER: You got it in right before the buzzer there. Ken Jennings, thanks very much and good luck to you on "Jeopardy." You're a remarkable "Jeopardy" champion. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Time now for the "Buzz." Earlier we asked if you were a TV news producer, what would you lead with today?

Iraq wins with 42 percent of the vote. Our producers picked politics, a close second with 40 percent. Not scientific but there you go.

I'm Carol Lin. Anderson Cooper live from the Democratic convention in Boston on Monday.

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 July 23, 2004 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, HOST: Good evening from Atlanta. I'm Carol Lin. Anderson Cooper is off tonight.
President Bush's missing military records finally turn up. We'll tell you what they show and what they don't.

360 starts now.

LIN: The new target, media vehicles. Could this be a plot used by a homegrown group to disrupt the Democratic convention?

President Bush asked the Urban League in Detroit for their votes, while Senator Kerry prepares for Boston from Colorado, his birth state.

A deadly alligator attack in Florida takes a woman's life.

He keeps winning and winning and winning. Ken Jennings makes the game of "Jeopardy" look easy. He goes face-to-face with our own champ.

And in our special series, the pampered life. The glam squad makes them up and tones them down. The posses of the rich and famous.

ANNOUNCER: This is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

LIN: We begin tonight with the case of the missing records, President Bush's missing service records. Much has been made of them over the course of the last few months, and just a few weeks ago, the government reported some of them had been destroyed by mistake.

Turns out the records weren't destroyed. They have been found. But whether the information in them puts an end to the questions about the president's service during the Vietnam War, or merely stirs it up again, remains to be seen.

Here's CNN's Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just two weeks ago, the Pentagon said payroll records covering three months of President Bush's National Guard service in 1972 had been inadvertently destroyed in an unsuccessful effort to preserve deteriorating microfilm. But now officials say a mixup of the microfilm numbers by the Defense, Finance, and Accounting Service was to blame. In a letter to CNN and other news organizations, the chief of the Pentagon's Freedom of Information Office wrote, "The records, which were presumed to have been destroyed and unrecoverable, have been located."

Critics of President Bush have accused him of being AWOL from the Alabama National Guard for a 12-month period in 1972 and '73. The newly found records cover the third quarter of 1972 -- July, August, and September -- and do not appear to show any payments during that time, or the two months prior.

The five-month gap begins in May of 1972, when Mr. Bush moved from Texas to Alabama to work on a senatorial campaign and transferred from the Texas to Alabama Air National Guard.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: Now, the Democratic National Committee was quick to jump on this story, issuing a statement calling the, quote, "supposed discovery of the documents" highly questionable.

And while the documents do document a five-month period in which it appears President Bush may not have shown up for guard service, the White House insists they show no relevant new information and that the documents they released back in February show that President Bush, in fact, completed his full guard obligation in the months after that and received an honorable discharge, Carol.

LIN: All right, thanks very much, Jamie McIntyre.

The president did spend some of his day out looking for votes. No surprise in that. But where he went looking may be a surprise.

Here's CNN's White House correspondent Dana Bash.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a standard candidate request.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm here to ask for your vote.

BASH: But this is a Republican with the worst showing among African-Americans since Barry Goldwater ran for president in 1964. So after some audible laughter...

BUSH: No, I know, I know, I know. Listen, Republican Party's got a lot of work to do. I understand that.

BASH: Thirty-two minutes into his speech that was getting a polite but less than enthusiastic response, the National Urban League crowd seemed to perk up. Well, some did, anyway.

BUSH: I'm going to ask African-American voters to consider some questions. Does the Democrat Party take African-American voters for granted? I know plenty of politicians assume they have your vote. But do they earn it? And do they deserve it?

BASH: This, just one week after Mr. Bush unapologetically snubbed the NAACP for the fourth year in a row because of what aides called partisan, hostile comments about him.

John Kerry showed up for both conventions.

Mr. Bush's campaign insists his free market policies and some of his social agenda, which he played up, will help make inroads in the black community. The president still has his work cut out for him. A recent poll shows only 12 percent of African-Americans support Mr. Bush, compared to only 81 percent for Senator Kerry.

A hard sell, but one Kerry supporter in the crowd says, at least he's selling.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He did ask for the vote. And I think that any good candidate ought to ask for the vote. I'm not sure he changed my mind, but he certainly gave me some things to think about.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Now, as for the Kerry campaign, they call all this nothing more than damage control after the NAACP flap. They say that the president's policy policies, when black voters will look at them, will turn them away from Mr. Bush and not turn them towards Mr. Bush, Carol.

LIN: Dana Bash at the White House.

Here's a surprise. Boston, one of the oldest cities in the country, witness to so much American history, called the cradle of liberty, has never before been the site of a nominating convention. The one that begins Monday is Boston's first.

We have two reporters standing by to bring us up to speed on how Boston is getting ready. Jeanne Meserve will bring us the security angle in just a moment.

But first, CNN's Frank Buckley is on the road with the man who is about to go from candidate to nominee. Frank?

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, Senator Kerry was here in Denver today. This, his birthplace, just outside of Denver. Senator Kerry now embarking on a preconvention tour that will take him across six states during seven days.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY (voice-over): John Kerry kicked off his preconvention tour near Fitzsimmons Army Hospital, where he was born.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Guess which wing of the hospital the maternity ward was in? Ladies and gentlemen, you got it. I'm not making this up, I promise. I was born in the West Wing.

BUCKLEY: Kerry's campaign to occupy the White House West Wing has been officially under way since last September. But the coming week and the convention ahead are key periods for the Massachusetts senator to try to define himself to voters on his own terms.

Kerry, determined not to be labeled as a Massachusetts liberal.

KERRY: We're off, as John said, to an America that is stronger at home, and is again respected in the world.

BUCKLEY: The Kerry campaign hopes to excite undecided and inattentive voters about John Kerry, while simultaneously striking a chord among the party faithful that's already generated passion against the incumbent president, George Bush, the issue of war in Iraq.

KERRY: And in our administration, John and I pledge to you, we will never go to war because we want to. The United States of America should only go to war because it has to.

BUCKLEY: Polling shows Kerry in a tight race with President Bush, a new CNN-"USA Today"-Gallup poll showing Kerry is the stronger candidate on handling issues like health care and the economy. But when asked who would better handle terrorism, Bush is the choice among those polled, 56 to 38 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The principal danger sign is that Bush is seen as a strong leader, and that translates into a major advantage on terrorism. That's a big issue to a lot of Americans, and Kerry has to prove that he is a strong leader, and he can represent the public to the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: As Senator Kerry works to make that case during the next several days, he will surround himself with veterans in virtually every campaign stop, reminders, Carol, that he has led Americans during war in the past, Carol.

LIN: All right, thanks very much, Frank.

Boston's first convention is also the first since 9/11. And that means organizers absolutely have to see the political event as an obvious target for international terrorists and even homegrown ones.

CNN's homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve shows us what it's going to take to protect the Boston site.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With an anticipated 15,000 members of the media congregating in Boston, the FBI says it has received "unconfirmed information that a domestic group is planning to disrupt the convention by attacking media vehicles with explosives or incendiary devices" like Molotov cocktails.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not looking at a widespread threat perpetrated by truly dangerous individuals.

MESERVE: Government officials say the threat comes from anarchists. An undercover investigation continues.

In the run-up to the convention, authorities have been eager to emphasize communications and information sharing.

TOM RIDGE, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: The Department of Homeland Security has forged strong partnerships across the federal government and with state and local governments, law enforcement, and the private sector.

MESERVE: But word of the media threat dribbled out with some key players left out of the loop. Although some local media got word of the threat from the Boston FBI field office Thursday night, many national media outlets and their security personnel were not informed through official channels until Friday. When asked if this is how threat information is supposed to be disseminated, one official said, I hope not. Another called it B-grade communications.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It can be a very serious problem if we're dealing with a very short time span between the information about the threat and the reality of people needing to take some basic protective measures.

MESERVE: Convention security is tightening. Transit police are doing random checks of passenger bags. And Friday night, North Station, a major transportation hub, will shut, and a security perimeter will be established around the Fleet Center.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MESERVE: Despite the warning about a possible disruption by a domestic group, officials say there is no credible or specific information indicating that any foreign terrorists are planning to attack the convention. Back to you, Carol.

LIN: Thank you very much, Jeanne Meserve.

A first-of-its-kind missile defense system tops our look at news cross-country. Fort Greely (ph), Alaska, the U.S. military deployed a new ground-based missile interceptor to shoot down long-range enemy missiles. The U.S. plans to spend more than $50 billion over the next five years on the system.

Eagle, Colorado, a potentially huge legal victory for Kobe Bryant. The judge in his sexual assault case ruled today that his accuser's sex life during the week of their encounter can be used against her at trial. The judge said the details are relevant to help determine the cause of her injuries and source of DNA evidence. Bryant's trial begins August 27.

Fort Myers, Florida, alligator attack ends in tragedy. Fifty- four-year-old Jannie Melsick (ph) died today after being mauled by a 12-foot alligator Wednesday. She died in surgery to treat an infection caused by the alligator bites.

And that's a look at stories cross-country tonight.

360 next, al Qaeda's looming threat. Find out what's putting security officials on high alert.

Plus, a missing pregnant jogger. Find out why her husband's behavior before her disappearance is raising eyebrows.

And the million-dollar man, "Jeopardy"'s new hot shot is our special guest.

But first, your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All the sources agree that al Qaeda is very much on the lookout for opportunities and for targets. That much we know. But what else, if anything, is also known?

Well, with some insight, here's CNN justice correspondent, Kelli Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's more than just chatter. Senior intelligence officials say they have "credible and fairly specific information" that al Qaeda is poised to attack. It's just not specific enough.

RIDGE: Although we know not the time and the place and the method, credible reports indicate that al Qaeda is moving forward with its plans to carry out a large-scale attack against the United States.

ARENA: Officials say al Qaeda members captured recently in countries including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have provided information an attack is being coordinated, some say by Osama bin Laden himself. The information isn't just coming from detainees, but from multiple sources, and it's consistent.

RICHARD FALKENRATH, FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISER: This is different. This is more serious, more specific, and more centrally led than anything that we've seen in a long time. And hence, it's being taken very seriously. I would not be surprised in the least if the government decides to raise the national threat level to orange...

ARENA: Officials say the threat is just as serious as it was in the summer of 2001, just before the attack on September 11.

FALKENRATH: The most likely sort -- forms of attack, I think, will be relatively small conventional explosives set off in multiple sites simultaneously. ARENA: This week, the FBI asked authorities in Mexico to be on the lookout for alleged al Qaeda operative Adnan El Shukrijumah. Officials very concerned about the porous Mexican border.

An even bigger fear, that there is a cell already in the United States that has been in place even before September 11.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARENA: And unfortunately, law enforcement sources say, there's nothing specific on that front either, Carol.

LIN: Thanks very much, Kelli.

An Egyptian diplomat is kidnapped in Iraq. And that tops our look at global stories in the uplink. The third-ranking official at the Egyptian embassy in Baghdad has been kidnapped. This videotape of him with his captors was shown on Al Jazeera today. The kidnappers say they took the diplomat hostage in response to Egypt's offer of help to Iraq in security matters.

The U.S. Congress says that civilians in the Darfur region of Sudan are being threatened with genocide. A resolution was passed unanimously on Thursday, and backers hope that its passage will pressure the international community to take action.

In Lans le Soignee (ph), France, Lance Armstrong is aiming for his record sixth win. He holds a four-minute lead in the race, which ends on Sunday in Paris.

And that's tonight's uplink.

360 next, Bush and Kerry in a dead heat. Will the conventions give either one the bounce they need? James Carville and Bob Novak step into the "CROSSFIRE."

Also tonight, rolling out the red carpet. Inside the celebrity lifestyle, part of our special series, Star Treatment.

And a little later, get out your claws. Hot stuff at the box office. A sneak peek in The Weekender.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Most polls show George Bush and John Kerry deadlocked heading into the convention next week. That's making "CROSSFIRE"'s James Carville and Bob Novak wonder, what will it take for Kerry to tee himself up for a convention bounce?

I spoke with James Carville and Bob Novak earlier from Boston's Fenway Park.

Bob, let me begin with you. Most of the polls are showing, including CNN-"USA Today"'s Gallup poll, shows that John Kerry and George W. Bush are neck and neck, within 2 percentage points. Do you think, so close to the conventions, that President Bush has good reason to be worried?

ROBERT NOVAK, "CROSSFIRE": Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I would say he would be worried if he was about 10 points behind or 17 points behind, like his father was in 1988, and then won. No, I don't think he's got reason to be worried. This is what they expected, what I expected, that it was going to be a very tight race. The only surprise is that both their totals are so high. That means there's very few people who don't know how they're going to vote.

And my personal reporting confirms what the polls show. There's a very small universe of undecided voters out there. And the strategists, the geniuses on both sides, are trying to figure out what's going to appeal to them.

LIN: All right. James...

NOVAK: And that's what the, that's what the whole point of this convention is, of Senator Kerry trying to appeal to those undecided voters.

LIN: All right. James, there seems to be a little bit of a disconnect, though, because some of the polling shows that more than half the country, those polled, believe that the country is moving in the wrong direction. So why isn't John Kerry benefiting more from this?

JAMES CARVILLE, "CROSSFIRE": Well, I think, A, he's benefiting a pretty good bit. He's, like, 48 percent, which, you know, is not a number to be at going into your convention. And B, traditionally, challengers don't get a lot of attention until a campaign really starts. Hopefully he'll get some more attention here, and he'll be able to help himself some.

He's not going to get the bump that traditionally got because he enters his convention at a higher number than any challenger that I know has ever entered his political convention.

So we got to be kind of realistic here...

LIN: Well, James, do you think that there's a large part of the population out there who simply doesn't know John Kerry? This is his opportunity to reintroduce himself to that segment of the public. What...

CARVILLE: Yes, yes, yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

LIN: ... does he need to do at the convention to do that?

CARVILLE: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE), well, I mean, I think he's the, A, he's got to tell people not just who he is, but what he stands for. And I think there's a -- people think there's a difference between your biography and your vision or your program. I think the two have to be connected. Hopefully Senator Kerry will be able to connect that.

LIN: Bob, with the race so tight, and both candidates looking for fresh constituencies, President Bush addressed the national meeting of the Urban League, and he made a flat-out appeal for their votes. Given his snub to the NAACP, given the fact that he only captured a single-digit percentage of the African-American vote in 2000, do you think this is a waste of his time?

NOVAK: It's not a waste of his time, because the National Urban League has treated him with courtesy as the president of the United States, even though they're not for him, while the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) NAACP has created him with contempt. Treated him with contempt.

And, you know, Carol, I guarantee you George W. Bush is relying on the black vote, he might as well sit it out. It's not going to be where he wins the election. Those people are for Kerry, and they are hard.

CARVILLE: Well, Bob, because "those people," they're our people. And we're glad that the African-American community is...

LIN: All right.

CARVILLE: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Democrats, we're proud to have them.

LIN: All right.

CARVILLE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

LIN: Thanks very much, James Carville, Bob Novak.

NOVAK: You're welcome, Carol.

LIN: He keeps winning and winning and winning. Ken Jennings makes the game of "Jeopardy" look easy. He goes face-to-face with our own champ.

ANDERSON COOPER 360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back to 360.

With his party's presidential nomination locked in, you might think next week's Democratic National Convention is just a formality for John Kerry. But recent history shows the convention can help make or break a candidacy.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL CLINTON: I end tonight where it all began for me. I still believe in a place called Hope.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And with that, Bill Clinton emerged from the 1992 Democratic Party convention at Madison Square Garden in New York with a ton of political momentum, enough to propel him to the White House and defeat an incumbent president named George Bush.

Now, another Democratic challenger wants to do exactly the same thing. And John Kerry is looking to Bill Clinton's 1992 convention playbook for guidance.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Bill Clinton's 1992 convention is the most successful convention on record. Until that convention, Bill Clinton was running behind. Not only was he running behind, he was running third going into the Democratic convention in '92. Ross Perot was first, George Bush was second. Clinton seemed hopeless. The convention turned everything around.

BLITZER: Kerry advisers recognize the carefully choreographed Clinton convention helped introduce the then-former Arkansas governor to a then-still-large chunk of the American public that didn't like President Bush, but was not yet ready to commit to Clinton.

Everything was scripted, including his walk to the convention from Macy's department store and his biographical film produced by his Hollywood friends, Harry Tomason (ph) and Linda Bloodworth Tomason.

James Carville was Clinton's campaign manager.

CARVILLE: We had to connect Clinton's plan to his bio, and we knew that people didn't know a lot about him, and we also knew that we connected the kind of man with Hope and what his life experiences was, that we thought it would work pretty good, and it did.

BLITZER: The Kerry team has been working for months preparing for this convention. And yes, there will be a slick Hollywood- produced film that will tell his life story.

KERRY: The race to the finish line begins.

BLITZER: The Kerry team is also studying the failed 1988 presidential campaign of another Massachusetts politician, Michael Dukakis, but for another reason. Dukakis emerged from his convention in Atlanta with a big bounce in the polls, only to see it disappear in the subsequent weeks after George Bush's convention in New Orleans.

SCHNEIDER: George Bush the first moved into the lead at that convention, took it away from Dukakis, and never lost it. How did he do it? By reminding voters that things were pretty good under Ronald Reagan. Why would you ever want to change?

BLITZER: The latest public opinion polls show this race is still very much neck and neck, well within the margin of error.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Mark Hacking's pregnant wife vanished during a morning jog in Salt Lake City. And since then his world has spiraled out of control, revealing lies about his life, and raising questions about whether he knows more than he is telling, questions that even his own father is asking. In a moment to the husband's brother.

First an update on case from CNN's Ted Rowlands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police and volunteers spent another unsuccessful day looking for 27-year-old Lori Hacking. She was reported missing Monday morning by her husband, Mark.

THELMA SOARES, LORI'S MOTHER: My baby is still out there somewhere, and we need to find her.

ROWLANDS: Salt lake city police confirm Monday morning before calling authorities about his wife's disappearance, Mark Hacking checked with friends to see if she was with them and went out and bought a brand-new mattress for their bed. Investigators have removed a number of items from the couple's home in Salt Lake City for forensic testing. Police also say they were called to this hotel Tuesday morning and found Mark Hacking outside. It was then his family says he was taken to a hospital for psychiatric care, where they say he remains. Mark Hacking's father says he asked his son if he had anything to do with his wife's disappearance.

DOUGLAS HACKING, LORI'S FATHER-IN-LAW: I have to tell you that he looked me in the eye and he said no.

ROWLANDS: Family members say Mark and Lori Hacking were high school sweethearts who married 5-years-ago. They say they don't believe he had anything to do with his wife's disappearance, but they acknowledge they're shocked after finding out Wednesday he lied after being accepted to medical school. Hacking, they say, has spent the last two years lying to everyone including his wife, that he's been in school. The family even planned a graduation party for him in May. But on the day of the ceremony, they say, he claimed he was sick.

PAUL SOARES, LORI'S BROTHER: Poor Mark, he wasn't able to go to the graduation. He took pictures of him in his cap and gown. He had thought everything out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: And police confirm also that they seized a dumpster at a local church here. They say they are possessing the contents of that for potential evidence as well. The family remains solidly together, the two families. And they remain behind Mark Hacking, saying whatever he's been doing in the last two years doesn't matter, what matters now is that Lori Hacking is still missing.

LIN: So many questions. Thanks very much, Ted.

We do have a lot of questions and the mystery surrounding this family. Joining us from Salt Lake City now is Lance Hacking. He is the brother of Mark Hacking. Lance, thanks so much for being with us.

Is your brother still...

LANCE HACKING, BROTHER OF MARK HACKING: You're welcome. LIN: Is your brother still hospitalized?

L. HACKING: Yes, that's correct.

LIN: Your father said that he -- your brother's -- psychologically crashed. Describe his condition -- have you had a chance to talk to him and has he told you about what happened?

L. HACKING: I was actually up, and I saw Mark not too long ago, just a little bit earlier today. He's looking really good, in my opinion. It was nice to go up and give him another hug, to let him know we're all rooting for him. You know, he's doing pretty good.

LIN: What does he tell you about what he thinks happened to Lori, his wife?

L. HACKING: You know, I actually haven't asked him.

LIN: You haven't?

L. HACKING: You know, he's had a lot of those questions -- no. I'm letting the -- you know, the police are taking care of that business. All proper authorities are helping there, and we're fully supportive. We want them to do a good job, to ask all the right questions. But in that capacity, as far as Mark is concerned, I'm his brother and I'm there to support him, to love him, and that's what I want to do.

LIN: Why do you think he told you stories about going to medical school, the big plans of moving to North Carolina?

L. HACKING: You know, and that's kind of the big, hard thing for me, is to think that there was something that happened that made him feel like he had to do that. I don't know if it was the feel of inadequacy. I don't know. I haven't talked to him about what caused that. It just breaks my heart he felt he couldn't turn to us.

LIN: I mean, the lies that went on for so long.

Do you think that the psychological crash he's going through now, the reasons why he's been hospitalized, go back months if not years?

L. HACKING: You know, I don't think so. Everything that we know about Mark, every person we've talked to, including the last time I saw him, was in June, he was the fun-loving guy, perfect around children. My wife and I have had him watch our children on numerous occasions. And he's just as great as can be. I don't think this has anything to do with the past history.

LIN: If he's having psychological problems now, would it suggest to you or raise questions in your mind that it might explain why Lori disappeared?

L. HACKING: And for me, I don't really know what he's going through. I know it's definitely a hard time. My experience with him is when I've gone up to talk to him, it's just that he's having a lot of grief over the disappearance of Lori. Which I, you know, understand it. If I was to lose the love of my life and didn't know where she was at, I would probably be in the same boat.

LIN: So when your father looked Mark in the eye and asked him, did you have anything to do with Lori's disappearance, and Mark said, no, do you believe your brother?

L. HACKING: I absolutely do. Everything that I know -- the Mark that I know could never have done something like this.

LIN: Why do you think then that Salt Lake Police say he's a person of interest, which has work become a code word for something short of a suspect?

Just that they're looking for that physical evidence.

L. HACKING: Well, I think that he obviously should be a point of interest. Just as anybody that was around Lori -- if we had met somebody that said they're at the park or somebody had seen somebody at the park. All those people should be a point of interest. Hopefully all of them get investigated very thoroughly. I'm grateful they're doing that.

LIN: So what do you want to say -- how many people are out there now, more than 1,200, more than 1,200 searching for Lori.

What do you want to say to them?

L. HACKING: You know what, we absolutely -- both families have nothing to say but thanks and gratitude for what you're doing. The response today has been great. It's been more than double, maybe even triple of what we had yesterday. We're find a lot of people home, it's been really effective. We're really excited about all the lead and evidence that you guys are pulling up for us so we really, really appreciate it.

LIN: What's the strongest lead so far?

L. HACKING: Go ahead.

LIN: What's strongest lead you've had so far, the thing that really intrigues you that makes sense?

L. HACKING: I'm sorry, what was the strongest thing that intrigued me so far?

LIN: The lead. Yes, you said that you've gotten lots of leads.

What's most intriguing lead that you have got son far?

L. HACKING: And mostly I'm -- mostly what we do is collect the leads and let the police department take care of that, in order that we don't somehow compromise the investigation. I think most interesting things are things related to the park. Just you know, the people that were around at the time, the things that they saw at the time. I think that part's been the most interesting. And I'm anxious to see the results of the investigation on those.

LIN: Lance Hacking, thank you very much. Our good wishes to your family and let's hope that Lori Hacking is found very soon.

L. HACKING: Thank you, thank you for helping us find her.

LIN: Back with more 360 in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Looking good means everything in Hollywood. There are hot parties and movie premieres to attend and around practically every corner the paparazzi. Most stars don't shine in the spotlight on their own, though. Get this, a P.U.H., or personal umbrella holder has kept P. Diddy from getting wet. Other stars take it much farther. CNN's Jason Bellini takes us inside Hollywood's pampered life as we wrap up our special series "Star Treatment."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Paris Hilton on a shoot for "YM" magazine. An assembled dream team makes her cover- ready. Her trusted makeup artist, Troy Jensen, knows every inch of her famous face.

PARIS HILTON, MODEL: I love Troy. He's my favorite makeup artist. I've been working with him for year. He just knows how to make a girl look like a goddess.

BELLINI: That's why stars keep Jensen on speed dial. He's an essential component of the glam squad.

TROY JENSEN, MAKEUP ARTIST: When you're in a business that where you're scrutinized, every little thing that you do, and, you know, you're not allowed to grow older, you're not allowed to be imperfect, you're not allowed to have a bad day, sometimes you've got to compensate.

BELLINI: That's where Phillip Block, celebrity stylist comes in.

PHILLIP BLOCK, STYLIST: This is like a stick-on bra.

BELLINI (on camera): For many stars is it a team effort? Putting them out there and having them maintain this persona?

BLOCK: I think Hillary Clinton said it best, it takes a small village. Actually, sometimes it takes a large village. A-list celebrity has to have a personal assistant, publicist, manager, agents, trainer, maid, hair, makeup. Then you get into some that have a cook and a nutritionist. Some might need a spiritual guru, others just go to Kabbalah.

BELLINI: Block says he dresses both the star and her ego.

BLOCK: I found something sparkly.

You have to know the right moment to tell them what you have to tell them. Full disclosure isn't always appropriate immediately.

BELLINI: Some of the squad are paid to kiss butt, others are paid to shape it.

DAVID KIRSCH, CELEBRITY FITNESS TRAINER: "Glamour" magazine this month called me the butt man. I love that. That's one of my monikers, OK? I will sculpt, tone, lift, reduce, round anyone's butt in the world. If you come into me with carb-face, a carb-pies (ph), I'm going to know you ate the pizza, the bagels, whatever it was.

BELLINI: David Kirsch trains model Heidi Klum.

KIRSCH: She came to me after she had her beautiful body. We sculpted, toned, fed her, and she's unbelievable.

BELLINI: In an age of celebrity worship, celebrities themselves worship their own stars.

HILTON: I love Troy. He rocks.

BELLINI: Jason Bellini, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And a lot of stuff you saw right there, the stars get absolutely for free. They don't pay for it. They are so pampered, those Hollywood stars.

Joining me from New York, Michael Lewities, the executive news editor of "Star" magazine. Michael, you know it best. You've interviewed -- your magazine has interviewed many of these star. In fact, in an interview, you guys did with Will Smith, he actually admitted it.

This is what he said to you guys: very, very rarely do I pay for anything that I have on. I try to work stuff. If I'm wearing it to a premiere, I'll make sure it's in a magazine. And then they give it to me for free. I mean, he boldly just admits to it.

MICHAEL LEWITIES, STAR: Well, you have to give the guy credit that he's honest about it. The man loves clothes and he doesn't like paying $600 for a t-shirt or $400 for shoes. He likes getting it for free. And I asked you the same question. If you were to get it for free, why would you want to pay for it.

LIN: Maybe because I can afford it. What's 600 bucks to him? It's loose change. You have more choices...

LEWITIES: It is loose pay for him. It's not that much money for him. But the truth is, there is also a certain amount of power that goes with it. If you feel that you can get it for free, well, then, it makes you a bigger star. And if lots of designers are throwing clothes at you, and begging you for you to wear their clothes, well, then, it makes you just an even bigger star.

LIN: Well, speaking of making demand, Sharon Stone in her latest contract to do the follow-up to -- the big sequel to her movie, said -- in her contract, five pages of demand. Is that right?

LEWITIES: Yes.

LIN: A Cadillac for her pilates instructor, cars for her stylist, hair dresser, convertible, for herself.

LEWITIES: That's correct. And a chef, and six first-class tickets if she can't get a private jet, and pagers, free nannies, everything you could think of, asked for.

And why not? But there's also a good reason why the studio would agree to that. They want to make her feel as comfortable as possible when she's make the film. They don't want her to think about, oh, who's minding my son? Or is my hairstylist going to get here on time? She knows the hairtylist is going to get there on time, because she made sure that they have a car for her.

LIN: A basic instinct for good business, wouldn't you say?

LEWITIES: Absolutely.

LIN: Do any stars actually reject the free stuff? Do they ever say, no, no thanks, not for me?

LEWITIES: There are a number of stars who turn down things, becuase, even when they get these free bags, essentially a company could say that if they gave a free bag with a whole bunch of products to the person, that that person uses those product.

And recently, Toby Maguire, as a matter of fact, he got a gift certificate to Nutra fit. Now, he has no problem with the company, but he didn't want to be known as a person who is endorsing a particular product. So, while they were send him free food for a week, he said, you know, thanks, I think your food is wonderful, but I don't want to take it, because I don't want to show like I'm supporting it.

LIN: Right. And doesn't it get embarrassing for stars, then, if people find out they don't pay for their stuff?

LEWITIES: Well, particularly for a person like Oprah Winfrey, who the rumor is, when she gets these things she writes checks back to the company to reimburse them. She has so much money, it's so embarrassing. She said, please, don't send it to me, I can afford it.

LIN: Michael, if we could only be so unfortunately to get all that stuff. Thank you so much.

LEWITIES: Thank you.

LIN: Well, here's your chance to see our series all at once. All you have to do is "Watch the Star" treatment, a special edition of 360 tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.

Today's "Buzz" is this, "if you were a tv news producer what would you lead with today? Politic, Iraq, Missing Jogger, Alligator Attack?" Log on to CNN.com/360 to vote. Results at the end of the show.

360 Next, Matt Damon in "The Bourne Supremacy." We're going to review the spy thriller in "The Weekender."

And the Jeopardy champion, unstoppable, unbeatable. A visit from the quiz master.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Hollywood doesn't want Halle Berry to purr in "Catwoman," they want her to roar. And with good reason, with the Oscar winner's star status, studio executives hope "Catwoman" has 9 lives. But will this kitty be declawed by fickle film goers.

In a moment, film critic Elvis Mitchell gives us his review. But first, want you to watch a clip with Halle Berry battling Sharon Stone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHARON STONE, ACTRESS: If you don't have an identity why keep it a secret?

HALLE BERRY, ACTRESS: Because you killed me. It was me you flushed down the pipes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Elvis Mitchell join us now from New York.

ELVIS MITCHELL, "NEW YORK TIMES" FILM CRITIC: I'm sorry. That was just such a touching clip.

(CROSSTALK)

LIN: The acting.

MITCHELL: Oh, my god. And Sharon Stone!

LIN: She's back.

MITCHELL: Not exactly. It's a movie that is so monstrously silly it should be tested for steroids.

LIN: $90 million didn't buy a quality action film here?

MITCHELL: Shocking, isn't it? You know, these bargain basement prices. It's kind of weird because we've had this summer they demythologize "Troy." They demythologize "King Arthur." And they give too much myth to "Catwoman." Who cares if she fell into a sewer and got these weird superpowers that don't mean anything? It's basically taken that subplot from Michelle Pfeiffer from "Batman Returns" and making a whole movie out of it.

LIN: What do you think the filmmakers were trying to do?

MITCHELL: Get people to come to the theaters.

LIN: Just because of Halle Berry and Sharon Stone...

MITCHELL: We should say this is a historic moment. A $90 million movie featuring an African-American actress who got $12 million. And Halle Berry has so much audience rapport, people may go for it for two or three days.

LIN: Let's talk about the follow up to "The Bourne Identity." "The Bourne Supremacy." What did you make of this? Matt Damon's comeback here.

MITCHELL: It's actually a really terrific movie. It's directed by a guy named Paul Greengrass. He did a wonderful little movie two years ago called "Bloody Sunday" about the uprising in Ireland in 1972. This movie has velocity, momentum. It's not particularly smart but it's so polished and professional, you just stay out of the way. And Damon really has some really good intimate moments when he's trying to chase down who he is and what it is he's capable of an it's a tough thing to pull off.

LIN: The "New York Times" called it a glamorized sense of tourism under duress.

MITCHELL: Well, if the "New York Times" said that, that must be right.

LIN: A lot of traveling going on. You loved a little independent film called "Maria Full Of Grace." Why is that?

MITCHELL: Because it's a movie about what really happens to a woman who is basically sort of stripped of her humanity. This is sort of the real-life version of "Catwoman." This poor woman -- this wonderful actress played by Catalina Morano (ph). It's a Colombian woman who basically becomes a drug mule and comes to the United States and basically ruins the lives of everybody around her. It's really an incredibly intimate and powerful and emotionally stunning movie.

LIN: All right, not "Catwoman" indeed. Thank you very much, Elvis Mitchell. Have a great weekend.

MITCHELL: You, too.

LIN: Alex, "JEOPARDY" champion for $1,000. The answer, Ken Jennings. He shares the secret to his winning wave next on 360.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX TREBEK, HOST, "JEOPARDY": We go to Ken Jennings. He had $42,000. Who are Reagan, Ronald Wilson Reagan and Bill Jefferson Clinton? And you risked only $10,000.

You're doing this just to bug me, aren't you? You've tied the record for the third time. $1,246,660

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Wow, it's that kind of quick thinking that makes Ken Jennings the "Jeopardy" juggernaut. He's made more money than any other "Jeopardy" winner. And a victory tonight means Jennings will return in September for the game show's new season.

Since "Jeopardy's" already aired on the East Coast, we actually know whether or not that will happen. But we're not going to spoil it for the rest of the country. What we will tell you is that we have our own "Jeopardy" juggernaut here at CNN, Anderson Cooper who spoke with Ken Jennings about the sweet taste of victory.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: All right, Ken. I got to start off by saying it is nice to talk to a "Jeopardy" champion. As a former jeopardy champion, I feel, you know, finally someone I can talk to.

KEN JENNINGS, "JEOPARDY" CHAMPION: It's a pleasure to be here. You're a great player yourself, Anderson.

COOPER: Thank you. I make no illusions. Mine was a dumbed-down edition of "Jeopardy." You are on your 38th show. Congratulations. I got to ask though, when the other contestants see you show up, do they just quake in their boots?

JENNINGS: There is the moment when the "Jeopardy" people tell them, here's Ken Jennings, our 38-day champion. Most people are like, no, come on, really? How many days? Really?

COOPER: I would pay money to be there to see the scared rabbit look in their eyes when they actually first lay their eyes on you. I became obsessed with buzzer theory. I went online and did all this research about how to use the buzzer. I understand you believe it's all about the buzzer in some part, too?

JENNINGS: Well, it helps to know all the answers, obviously. To get on the show, you have to pass a very hard test. Pretty much if you're there, you know most of the answers anyway. It's going to be the buzzer that separates the winner from the two non-winners.

COOPER: Now explain for those non-"Jeopardy" cognicenti (ph), what buzzer theory is. My understanding was, you ignore the lights that they tell you about, that people at home can't see, but they're are on the side of the screen, and you do it all based on Trebek's voice, way to beat buzz.

JENNINGS: There's some very narrow window where if you buzz too early -- you can't buzz while Alex is reading the question. If you buzz too early you'll get locked out. If you buzz too late, you will get beat. It's about waiting for that split second and just sort of finding a rhythm, I guess.

COOPER: The fact that you've been on the show so many times, I guess you do get to call him Alex. I still call him Trebek or Mr. Trebek. I understand you actually practice buzzing in at home. How did that work?

JENNINGS: I tried a bit. I sort of felt like a bit of a dork. I'd be standing behind my La-Z-Boy, holding one of my child's baby toys that was about the same size, I figured, as the "Jeopardy" buzzer and I'd be furiously pumping my thumb up and down on that thing, just trying to beat the contestants I could see on TV.

COOPER: Because they say if you buzz in too early, you're blocked out for like a fifth of a second. That's what I read online. I don't know if it's really true or not.

JENNINGS: That's right. That's what they told me.

COOPER: As they say on "Jeopardy" when you're in doubt, guess Canada or Etruscans (ph).

JENNINGS: I didn't know that. I'll keep that in mind.

COOPER: Seriously. Canada, there's always a clue about Canada in there and I actually guessed -- there was -- on my run there was a thing about, anytime it says North America it means Canada. That's my little "Jeopardy" clue for you, Ken.

JENNINGS: That's true. There was some question about the least populous country in the G-8 and I guessed Canada and it was right.

COOPER: I am hoping to be invited back on "Jeopardy" someday because we didn't have a tournament of champions. I wanted to go a head to head with Tucker Carlson. Because I could take him like that.

JENNINGS: You could totally take Tucker Carlson. You grab him by the bowtie.

COOPER: Exactly, boom, right there. I'd get him on movies, I'd get him on just about anything. I want to show a little clip, Ken, of my time at "Jeopardy". I did get some questions wrong. I'd like to ask for you advice after this. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: What is the Supreme Court?

TREBEK: No.

COOPER: What?

TREBEK: Anderson.

COOPER: What is "Who Is Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?"

TREBEK: No. COOPER: Oy!

TREBEK: Maria?

What is "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof."

Anderson, don't beat up on yourself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Any advice for me? What can I do better?

JENNINGS: I sort of liked the "oy." Sort of like Monica Seles playing "Jeopardy" or something.

COOPER: I feel it's a full contact sport. All right, Ken. This is the last question. What is your favorite "Jeopardy" category?

JENNINGS: I'm not going to answer in the form of a question, but I really like the movie categories. I've just seen thousands of movies. I own way too many DVDs according to my wife and so I...

COOPER: You got it in right before the buzzer there. Ken Jennings, thanks very much and good luck to you on "Jeopardy." You're a remarkable "Jeopardy" champion. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Time now for the "Buzz." Earlier we asked if you were a TV news producer, what would you lead with today?

Iraq wins with 42 percent of the vote. Our producers picked politics, a close second with 40 percent. Not scientific but there you go.

I'm Carol Lin. Anderson Cooper live from the Democratic convention in Boston on Monday.

Up next, "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

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