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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Interview with Ari Fleischer; President Bush Launches 60 Day Tour To Sell Social Security Changes; FDA Pulls Popular Drugs Avandamet, Paxil From Shelves

Aired March 04, 2005 - 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.


ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Good evening from New York. I'm Anderson Cooper.
Here's what's happening right now.

President Bush is pushing Social Security reform today, launching a 60-day blitz through 60 cities. At a stop in New Jersey, the president focused on looming financial problems for the system.

Friendly fire at a military checkpoint in Iraq. U.S. forces shoot at a rapidly approaching car carrying this woman, an Italian journalist who was just freed from her kidnappers. She was wounded, but an Italian intelligence officer was killed. The U.S. military says the soldiers had tried to warn the car's driver.

And U.S. officials have seized batches of Glaxo-SmithKline's diabetes drug, Avandamet, and antidepressant Paxil CR. The FDA says the drugs' manufacturing did not meet the standards, but it hasn't seen any immediate risk to consumers.

And our top story tonight, Martha Stewart living at home and under house arrest.

360 starts now.

Martha Stewart back in the mansion, basking in her newfound freedom. Tonight, what happens now to her business empire? And whatever happened to the cast of characters who landed her in jail?

A 19-year-old Marine recruit drowns after being grabbed and shoved by an instructor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a death waiting to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Tonight, new allegations, and new concerns. Was this just an unfortunate accident? Or are some military recruits being pushed too hard?

Michael Jackson's defense scores big with the jury. Why did prosecutors show the accuser's mother praising Jackson, calling him a father figure? Tonight, we take you inside the courtroom for a case court watchers say the prosecution is failing to win.

He was the White House spin doctor, the president's spokesman on 9/11, WMD, and the war in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We've reached and impasse between the media and the government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Tonight, we go 360 with Ari Fleischer. Has the White House gone too far in manipulating the media?

And chimps gone wild. A birthday party for a chimpanzee turns into a vicious attack on humans. Tonight, what made these playful primates attack the hands that fed them?

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

COOPER: And good evening again.

Five months do not a lifetime make. On the other hand, if those five months are spent in prison, they do sharply divide a life into before and after.

For Martha Stewart, this was day one of her life after. Probably she was not able to pick fresh lemons there at the federal prison camp in West Virginia. So here she is, back home today, doing just that, one significant improvement right off the bat.

Her rambling country estate is better than the slammer in many other ways as well.

Allan Chernoff reports on what a difference a day makes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart arrived home at 2:30 in the morning, yet she was up early, petting her horses and walking one of her dogs. Martha was showing her lighter side, sharing a joke about -- what else? -- food, trying to yell above the noise of a news media helicopter.

MARTHA STEWART: This is a funny story. We asked the guards every day for a cappuccino -- you know, just as a joke. And they'd come in with their cups of coffee and stuff. And so I get here. And I have a spot for a cappuccino machine, and it didn't work. So I don't have any cappuccino.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: Instead of cappuccino, Stewart sent hot cocoa to the papparazzi. She picked lemons from her greenhouse, then showed them off. STEWART: And these are my first lemons in five months. I'm really looking forward to having some hot lemonade...

CHERNOFF: By the end of the weekend, Stewart is to be fitted with an electronic ankle bracelet -- like this -- that will enforce her five months of home detention. She is permitted out 48 hours a week for grocery shopping, visiting doctors, and work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: And there will be plenty of that, with a magazine column, two television shows, and an upcoming book on baking. The remarketing of Martha has just begun. Anderson?

COOPER: Allan Chernoff, thanks for that from Bedford, New York tonight. Who knew you could -- I didn't even know you could pick lemons this time of the year. What do I know? Things (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- are they -- do they -- I guess they grow on trees, right? Of course, lemon trees.

Anyway, things may be looking up for Martha Stewart personally, but the stock of her company is headed the other way, at least today. A fast fact for you now. Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia gained value all the time Ms. Stewart was in jail, gained yesterday as well after she was released, but the stock was down today sharply, closing at 30.75, that's off $3.20 a share.

Martha Stewart herself is no longer CEO of the company.

House arrest sounds like a pretty plush form of punishment, especially if the house in question is, well, pretty plush -- 20,000 square feet plush, we're talking about. But did you ever wonder what it is really like to be confined to your home?

CNN's Adaora Udoji investigates.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart, a trend-setting icon, guest at the hottest parties, hanging with the rich and famous. But after her stint in prison, you won't see her as much out on the town.

RON FRISHCHETT, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: House arrest is punishment. There's no question about it. And she'll be wearing an ankle bracelet all the time.

UDOJI (on camera): That's not all. No luxury shopping at her favorite designer stores here on Fifth Avenue.

(voice-over): For five months, she's on lockdown at her sprawling Bedford, New York, estate. To some, not hard time at all. But she can literally not leave her house -- not to walk the grounds, not to feed her animals. She is allowed to leave 48 hours a week, to work, go grocery shopping, see the doctor, and attend church. Anything more -- say, taking off to Los Angeles -- she has to talk to the judge first. (on camera): She's going to have to be accountable to someone just about every minute of her day.

FRISHCHETT: Oh, there's no question about that. I mean, when she leaves, assuming she's got to attend a meeting, she has to call her probation officer and say, I'm going to be out from 10:00 to 6:00, and this is where I'll be, so they could turn off the device.

UDOJI (voice-over): She had such great plans before prison.

STEWART: I would like to be back as early in March as possible, in order to plant the new spring garden and to truly get things growing again.

UDOJI: Now she knows planting will to wait.

The woman who built an empire will have curfews and weekly schedules approved by federal officers. But she'll still be making lots of money, free to begin work on a mega-TV deal, two new shows.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I cannot wait until she comes out of jail and we can work together.

UDOJI: Free to have lavish parties, looking good with the help of friends like celebrity hairstylist Frederick Fuquai (ph).

She can't leave but her famous buddies can visit, say federal officials, party till the wee hours of the night, as long as they don't have criminal records.

House arrest brings the domestic diva one step closer to making good on that prediction, fulfilling an all-American comeback.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UDOJI: And Stewart is off to one heck of a time -- one heck of a start, I should say. Criminal lawyers we spoke to say the bottom line is this. If Stewart follows all the rules -- she keeps her curfews, tells her probation officer what she's up to -- then she'll have plenty of room to get back to work.

If not, the judge could send her back to prison. But, Anderson, no one expects that.

COOPER: I'm savoring my hot lemonade. Mmm. Thank you, Adaora.

It seems pretty safe to say that Martha Stewart herself is going to be just fine, thank you very much. A new reality TV show, her business is in good shape. She's under house arrest. But, you know, it's mansion arrest, really, is what we're talking about.

We wondered what has happened to the other players in the Stewart drama. We asked Heidi Collins to look into it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart's stint in the stir has come to an end. And, yes, life does go on. But there were other players in this corporate saga, starting with the man who sat beside the domestic diva at the defense table.

Peter Bacanovic, Martha's stockbroker-turned-convicted co- conspirator. He was a bright light at Merrill Lynch, with a reputation for charming high-priced and high-profile clients. He couldn't, though, charm the jury. Bacanovic was convicted of conspiring with his most famous client, committing perjury before the Securities and Exchange Commission, lying to investigators, and obstructing justice.

In January, he started serving his five-month sentence at the minimum security facility at Nellis ir Force Base in Nevada. And some tabloid gossip mongerers say he's hankering for a Hollywood career after he serves his sentence.

KURT ANDERSEN, PUBLIC RADIO HOST, STUDIO 360: Bacanovic, whatever he did wrong, and however bad you think his crimes were, is not a snitch. He stood by -- he kept to the story. And I think, in the long run, people in cases like this, in crimes like this, regard loyalty probably as a higher virtue than obeying the law.

UDOJI: Ah, the snitch. That would be Doug Faneuil. He was Bacanovic's assistant at Merrill Lynch, who ratted out both his boss and Martha, testifying he was told to make the famous phone call that started it all, warning Martha of the stock selloff -- and bought himself a deal for a misdemeanor charge and a $2,000 fine.

Some said Faneuil fell on hard times after the trial. He worked for a while at a Soho art gallery which closed. Now, all we have are those gossip mongerers to go on again. They say Faneuil is now working for a private collector.

Then there's Mariana Pasternak, who comes under the heading, With friends like this, who needs enemies? She was taking a trip with Martha when the tipoff telephone call came in, then testified against her in court. She told the jury that Martha said, "Isn't it nice to have a broker who tells you those things?" And with those words, Martha's goose was, well, just about perfectly prepared.

Pasternak is back in Fairfield County, Connecticut, running her real estate firm, but probably down one best bud.

ANDERSEN: It's as good as any story -- novel from the 19th or 20th century, and better than most soap operas that I know about. So whether we should care or not is sort of beside the point. We do, just because it's an irresistible tale.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: So whether they admit it or not, there are plenty of people out there who will follow what happens to Martha and her cronies, perhaps now more than ever, Anderson.

COOPER: No doubt, she continues to fascinate. Heidi Collins, thanks very much for that.

A gas explosion at a New Jersey pet store, that tops our look at stories cross-country right now.

Take a look at the damage you see there. The blast caused the roof of this PetCo store in Eatontown to collapse. All five people in the store were rescued. One was trapped for more than an hour. He ended up using the cell phone to talk rescuers to where he was. All are expected to be just fine. Up to 200 small animals were also in the store. No word on whether any of them were injured.

We take you now to the Florida Keys. Nineteen dolphins stranded in shallow water have died. Most of them were euthanized. Veterinarians say there was no other choice, since they were in critical condition. They hope that a near-60 other dolphins can be nursed back to health. We'll have the latest in a live report a little bit later on tonight.

And in Los Angeles right now, jury deliberations are under way in the Robert Blake murder trial. He's accused of shooting his wife to death outside a restaurant almost four years ago. If he's convicted, he could face life in prison.

That's a quick look at stories right now cross-country.

Coming up next on 360, a Marine Corps training death. A 19-year- old recruit drowns during exercises. Did his drill instructors push him too far? Tonight, an officer gives us an inside look in what he calls, quote, "a death waiting to happen." We'll also hear from the young man's parents.

Also ahead, chimpanzees attack. A man critically injured. Find out how a birthday party for a pet went so terribly wrong.

And a little bit later, video and a sister at the Michael Jackson trial. Find out why the pop star called it all very good.

All that ahead. First, your picks, the most popular stories right now on CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: That's videotape of a young Marine recruit about to be grabbed and shoved by an instructor last month at the Marine training base on Parris Island, South Carolina. There you see the grab. The young man died in an exercise a day after this videotape was made.

Given the kinds of appalling terrorist threats this country is facing, there's no question that America needs its military to be as fit as possible. But at what cost? Was the death of Jason Tharp a tragic, isolated incident? Or a safety concern too often ignored?

Beyond the headlines with CNN Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nineteen-year-old Jason Tharp drowned at Parris Island February 8, a day after he was seen in a videotape taken by WEAPONS INSPECTORS-TV being shoved by a swim instructor.

The South Carolina station reported he apparently resisted going into the water.

It was that incident that prompted Marine Captain Delbert Marriott to contact CNN.

CAPT. DELBERT MARRIOTT, U.S. MARINE CORPS: My motivation is that a recruit drowned. My motivation is that for three months, I was telling them this was going to be a problem. If we find a correlation or we don't find a correlation, it still doesn't change the fact that someone identified a problem.

MCINTYRE: Last year, Marriott's assignment was to review swim training at Camp Johnson, North Carolina, where many of the Parris Island trainers are trained. The scathing conclusion of his November 30 report -- "I found the biggest issue to be the complete disregard for safety." In a follow-up e-mail a week later, he warned superiors that drill sergeants were -- quote -- "doing their own thing, and someone will die because of it."

MCINTYRE (on camera): That's pretty strong stuff.

MARRIOTT: It is.

MCINTYRE: Was anything done at that point?

MARRIOTT: No. They're still down there instructing right now.

MCINTYRE (voice-over): "His accusations are totally false," is how Marriott's commander reacted when contacted by CNN. Lieutenant Colonel Gary Lambertson told CNN he immediately stopped the practices questioned by Marriott pending further review.

Marriott documented the difficulty of one of those practices in this videotape. Could instructors do something required of their instructors-in-training, swim the demanding crawl stroke for nearly two miles, gradually shedding full combat gear?

Marriott says the strong swimmers struggled, and one gave up.

MARRIOTT: If they have a hard time doing this stroke, imagine about the lance corporal that feels he needs to do this stroke to pass the course. He may drown trying to do the crawl stroke for 3,600 yards.

MCINTYRE: The Marine Corps argues there's no connection between the arduous training for top instructors at Camp Johnson and the basic course for fresh recruits at Parris Island. Marriott disagrees.

MARRIOTT: I mean, we're the lead school. So if we've given an impression that this kind of training is OK, well, when they go out to their commands, they're going to do the same type of training. MCINTYRE: In his original report, Marriott also warned about sharking -- instructors yanking students underwater while they played underwater hockey.

MARRIOTT: During the underwater hockey, the student was expected to go to the bottom of the pool holding their breath, and push a 10- pound weight to the other side. Now, this in full combat gear. Instructors jumped on students' backs whether they were participating or not.

MCINTYRE (on camera): It was an accident waiting to happen?

MARRIOTT: Absolutely it was. It was a death waiting to happen.

MCINTYRE (on camera): A Marine Corps spokesman declined to appear on camera, but vigorously disputed that the procedures now under review at Camp Johnson are unsafe, pointing out there's never been a drowning there, or even a rescue. And, he said, the three separate investigations into the death of Jason Tharp will include a thorough review of procedures at Parris Island as well.

(voice-over): Marriott, an accomplished triathlete, wants out of the Marine Corps and admits he doesn't have a spotless record. But he insists he has no personal agenda.

MARRIOTT: My motivation is that no one's going to apologize to this family. I'll apologize. I'm sorry. I wish I could have done something.

MCINTYRE: Jamie McIntyre, CNN, Camp Johnson, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, earlier I talked to the family that Captain Marriott just apologized to in that piece -- the parents of Jason Tharp, the young Marine whose death on Parris Island gave rise to all these questions about the way the Marines treat recruits.

Johnny and Linda Tharp spoke from West Virginia.

Johnny, it's been almost a month since Jason died. How are you two holding up?

JOHNNY THARP, SON DIED DURING MARINE TRAINING: It's just hard going on day by day without him.

COOPER: Linda, does it seem real at this point?

LINDA THARP, SON DIED DURING MARINE TRAINING: It seems like a dream. And I'm hoping I'll wake up, and that's what it is. But it's hard when you lose a child, and you don't know what happened, and still waiting on answers.

COOPER: And I know you've seen that video that was taken of your son, really just the day before he died. It was shot February 7. How does he look to you in that video? I mean, he looks (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know, he looks awfully thin, but I don't know what he was like before boot camp.

JOHNNY THARP: No, that wasn't him. It didn't look anything like him. He was sick, and just looked like he was disoriented. He didn't look well at all to us.

COOPER: Linda, is it a comfort for you to see that video, or does it make it harder?

LINDA THARP: It makes it harder, knowing what he went through and seeing how they mistreated him. It's just so hard to see that. I mean, that tape goes over in our minds every minute of every day. How could they do that? I mean, how could they mistreat the boys that's there? I just don't understand.

COOPER: I want to read to you something. We contacted the Marine Corps at Parris Island. Here's what they said about this video. They said -- quote -- "The tape depicted a suspected violation of the strict procedures at Parris Island that govern physical contact with recruits. The five Marines depicted in the video have all been suspended from their duties pending the outcome of the investigation."

But the Marine Corps spokesman added they have not concluded the behavior seen on the tape is responsible for the death of your son. Do you agree?

JOHNNY THARP: No. There's something suspicious there when he's gets treated one day like that, and the next day he's gone. That brings up a lot of questions.

COOPER: I know he enrolled in the Marines to pay for college, and wrote you letters in the weeks leading up to his death, saying he wanted out. I want to read you what he wrote on February 2, just six days before he died. He said -- quote -- "If you can get me out, I will be forever grateful. I don't care about the money. My health is in jeopardy because we don't have enough time to eat, and I'm getting sicker and sicker."

Linda, did you (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I mean, when you got that letter, what did you think?

LINDA THARP: I knew we had to do something, and I knew we had to do it quick. And that's when we got the letter, on a Saturday. And I tried to get in touch with the recruiters on that same Saturday, which I had no -- I couldn't get in touch with them. Sunday I tried. Monday I did get a hold of them. And they were supposed to call down there to check about getting him out and then let us know, which we didn't hear anything until Tuesday night that he was gone.

COOPER: Well, Linda and Johnny Tharp, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I appreciate you being with us. And we'll be following the story and hope you find the answers you're looking for. Thank you so much for being with us, Johnny and Linda.

JOHNNY THARP: Thank you.

LINDA THARP: Thank you.

COOPER: Coming up next on 360, a judge's family murdered, and now white supremacists are praising the killing on the Internet. Take (UNINTELLIGIBLE), take a closer look at their hate-filled messages.

Also ahead tonight, a rescue mission. Dozens of dolphins stranded on the Florida coast. Tonight, the round-the-clock effort to keep them alive. We'll tell you the latest ahead.

Also, later on in the program, speaking for the president, former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer on how he stayed on message. And boy, did he ever. We're covering all the angles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, tonight the FBI's offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest for the murders of a federal judge's husband and mother. They were shot to death Monday inside the Chicago home of Federal Court Judge Joan Lefkow, who was once marked for death by a white supremacist.

This has been one of the most-viewed stories all day on CNN.com. 360's Rudi Bakhtiar looks into these Web stories to bring you an angle you won't see anywhere else. Rudi, what did you find out today?

RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'll tell you, Anderson, it was a tough one today, because while these killings are sparked outrage, some extremists on the Internet are praising whoever is committing these brutal crimes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR (voice-over): While authorities in Chicago try to solve the murders, supremacists are praising them. For many extremists, Lefkow is the enemy who convicted supremacist Matthew Hale, who tried to have her assassinated.

On a posting on the Aryan Nation's home page, Lefkow and her family are called -- quote -- "legitimate targets." Comments labeled Lefkow as a member of what some believe is the Zionist Occupational Government, or ZOG. The message goes on to say -- quote -- "It's our opinion concerning this incident that all employees of this evil beast system we call ZOG should take this as a lesson, you can be reached."

And there are others. Another posting on an extremist message board applauded the murders. One ended with this chilling quote -- "Let's hope it's only the beginning."

As vile as they are, these words of hate are protected under the Constitution. We spoke to First Amendment attorney Harold Farringer (ph), who says racist remarks, no matter how offensive, do fall under free speech. The only way they would cross the line and become a crime is if the words were determined to create an imminent risk of violence, amounting to a clear and present danger.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: And Anderson, one example of imminent risk of violence would be if you're in a movie theater, there are a lot of people there, it's crowded, and you yell "Fire" and create panic, danger. But under any other circumstances, no.

COOPER: Matt Hale has made a statement, I guess, through his mom. He's in jail for threatening her in the first place.

BAKHTIAR: Exactly. And next month, he's awaiting sentencing for that. He made a statement yesterday through his mother. This is what he said. He said, "There is no way that any supporter of mine could commit such a heinous crime." He totally condemns it.

COOPER: All right.

BAKHTIAR: So that's where he stands on it.

COOPER: Rudi Bakhtiar, thanks very much.

Michael Jackson's defense scores big with the jury. Why did prosecutors show the accuser's mother praising Jackson, calling him a father figure? Tonight, we take you inside the courtroom for a case court watchers say the prosecution is failing to win.

He was the White House spin doctor, the president's spokesman on 9/11, WMD, and the war in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLEISCHER: We've reached an impasse between the media and the government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Tonight, we go 360 with Ari Fleischer. Has the White House gone too far in manipulating the media?

And chimps gone wild. A birthday party for a chimpanzee turns into a vicious attack on humans. Tonight, what made these playful primates attack the hands that fed them?

360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Off the Florida Keys tonight, a battle to save dozens of dolphins. Nineteen of the dolphins who were stranded in shallow water since Wednesday have died; 13 of them were euthanized. Biologists say they were just too sick to survive. The 31 remaining dolphins have been moved to a pen. They're being rehabilitated until they're healthy enough to be released. Joining us from the scene in Marathon, Florida, is Cheva Heck, spokeswoman for NOAA. Cheva, we appreciate you being with us. What's the latest on the stranded dolphins? What is being done right now? CHEVA HECK, NOAA SPOKESWOMAN: We have about 31 animals in the pen here, live -- many of them free-swimming. We have others that are being supported by volunteers in preparation to be transported tonight to a rehabilitation facility in Miami. The rest will follow at some point tomorrow.

COOPER: I know it's a difficult, dangerous procedure, even at this point. Blood tests were done on the dolphins. What do they show?

HECK: We have some initial results back, and for many of the animals, they show that they were dehydrated. In some, they show high white blood cell counts, which could indicate an infection. We don't know what kind yet. Some of the animals that were sicker and had a poor prognosis for continued survival, in the interests of ending their suffering, they were euthanized earlier today -- about 13. The remaining animals, once they're moved into rehabilitation, we'll be doing more blood tests to try to determine possibly what may have caused them to strand, and what their illness may be.

COOPER: Dolphins I guess are known to beach themselves. I mean, we've seen this kind of thing before, when they are sick or disoriented, but not really in this large number. Any idea why these mammals, which are normally deep-water, swam up so close to land?

HECK: We don't have an idea yet why these animals stranded, and we won't until some of that medical work comes back. But I can tell you that this is the fourth such mass stranding of this species, the rough-toothed dolphin, in the southeast region this year.

COOPER: So these 31 dolphins that you have now, I mean, are they out of the woods? Are they safe? Or could they still develop some sort of problem even though they're being watched over?

HECK: Yes. They are definitely not out of the woods, even though they are judged well enough to go into rehabilitation. They are not being released directly back into the ocean, into the wild, because they are sick. They are dehydrated. They are malnourished. And we want to get them well enough to have a possibility for a successful release, so they just don't re-strand once they leave this facility. We want to make sure that they're properly hydrated and fed and get back to as close to normal as possible.

COOPER: You guys have had hundreds of volunteers over the last three days. How important has their role been? And what are they doing now?

HECK: Their role is incredibly important. We've had hundreds of people from the local community come out in response to news reports. Some of those volunteers right now are supporting the animals that are being prepared to go to rehabilitation tonight, helping to keep them -- keep their blow holes above water, keep their stress level down. Others are keeping an eye on the remaining dolphins, notifying the veterinarians of any possible health problems so that they can attend to those as quickly as possible. And the community has just been wonderful in terms of the outpouring of support. Donations of food have been coming in, wet suits, towels, everything has been supplied to these volunteers. And we really appreciate that effort on the part of the Florida Keys community.

COOPER: Well, that's great to hear, and let's hope these 31 dolphins make it and make it back out into freedom. Cheva Heck, thanks very much.

HECK: You're very welcome.

COOPER: Another story to tell you about, a strange story. Chimpanzees. You know, in TV and movies they seem all fun, lovable, inside their cages. But as we found out yesterday, they can turn violent. Four chimps at this animal refuge in Havila, California -- but not these in particular -- broke free from their cages, mauling one man and injuring his wife. Workers killed two of the chimps, recaptured the other two. And just in tonight, just in to CNN, a 911 tape describing the horror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fire department. What is the address of your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am, I need an ambulance here immediately. The Animal Haven Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Attacked by two chimpanzees. He's very critical.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. I'm going to get some information and we're going to get you help right out here.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are the animals loose?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are the animals...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Listen, yes. There are still two chimpanzees loose. They are not dangerous. The two that did attack him are down. I have just shot them. OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chimpanzees if they're deceased...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The two that attacked the person are deceased. They've been shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The two that have attacked the person are deceased. They have been shot. They are down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. I need to address this, sir. What part of the body was bitten?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Face, back. His face is tore up really bad. His back is tore up. Legs. From what I saw, they were just attacking him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. When did this happen, Mark?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: That was the 911 call. It's the first time we've heard that. The victims were in fact quite fond of chimps, and were at the refuge visiting a chimp that they once owned, a chimp they called Moe, for its birthday. CNN's Rusty Dornin has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It began as a celebration and ended with nothing to celebrate. St. James Davis and his wife LaDonna were visiting a chimpanzee Moe at the Animal Haven Ranch in Kern County, California. Moe once lived in the couple's home like a son, and they came to celebrate his 39th birthday. Moe had come to live at the ranch last year. The Davis' were overjoyed.

LADONNA DAVIS, CHIMP OWNER: Moe lived in our home with us for over 33 years. He is sweet and warm-hearted and has been the light of our lives.

DORNIN: The ranch was his second sanctuary. The chimp was removed from the couple's home in 1999 after he had bit the finger of a friend who was visiting the family. But during this birthday visit Thursday, two other chimps in an adjacent cage suddenly attacked St. James, mauling him critically and injuring LaDonna. The son-in-law of the ranch owner shot one of the aggressive chimps.

COMMANDER HAL CHEALANDER, KERN COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT: He had to go back in and reload, and came back out and shot and ultimately killed the chimpanzee that was advancing on Mr. Davis.

DORNIN: Two other female chimps escaped, but were later rounded up.

(on camera): Ranch owners declined comment on the incident, but neighbors told us it was not uncommon to see the chimps on the property, and they seemed very well cared for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were concerned about the animals, and they also had bins of oranges for them and all kind of treats and things. So they kept them pretty well occupied.

DORNIN (voice-over): No one knows why it happened. State Fish and Game investigators are most concerned about how the animals escaped. They plan to test the dead chimps for rabies. Moe was not involved in the attack. But for St. James, a man who has dedicated his life to caring for animals like these, the attack was both a physical and emotionally brutal encounter. His family, though, has said they aren't ready to comment on his condition. The permit for the facility expires in three weeks. In the meantime, Moe remains inside.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Havala, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, coming up next on 360, the Michael Jackson trial. A video is played that some say could help the pop star. We're going to take you inside the courtroom.

Plus, speaking for the president tonight, we go 360 with former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. Does the White House try to manipulate the media? And do they do a good job of it? Put that question to him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, TONIGHT SHOW: Let's see what's happening in the news that I'm allowed to talk about. You know about this gag order? I'm a potential witness in the Michael Jackson trial. As you know, there's a gag order for everyone involved in the Michael Jackson trial. In fact, I believe I'm the first person over the age of 12 that has been gagged by Michael Jackson.

So tonight, folks, all Tito Jackson jokes. That's what we have tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Ouch, that hurt. A gag order isn't stopping the gags for Jay Leno there, who last night showcased what has been his A material, Michael Jackson. While Leno hurls zingers, the singer's defense lawyer was throwing barbs in court today at the family of the young accuser. CNN's Ted Rowlands has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Walking out of court, Michael Jackson expressed his pleasure with what many observers agree was a very good day for his defense team. The family of the boy Jackson is accused of molesting praised him extensively on a video played by the prosecution in court.

ANN BREMNER, LEGAL ANALYST: The prosecutor had to put this video on before the defense did, because it's so devastating to the prosecution.

ROWLANDS: The video is the raw footage of a planned documentary that was being assembled to help Jackson's public image. The tape seems to clearly help the defense claim that the family mistakenly was expecting Jackson to be a permanent part of their lives. On several occasions during the video, the victim's mother oddly described Michael Jackson as not just a celebrity helping a sick child, but as a father figure for her children.

At one point, she said -- quote -- "He's assisting me in filling the role of a father figure they've never had."

The victim's older sister spent a second day on the stand. On cross-examination at one point, she broke down, testifying about alleged abuse by her father. The sister answered she couldn't remember too many of the questions asked by Thomas Mesereau, Jackson's attorney.

Jackson's mother, his sister La Toya and brother Jermaine were all in court for the day. Jackson's publicist says he's ready for the long haul.

RAYMONE BAIN, JACKSON'S PUBLICIST: He feels that his defense team has done a good job. But it doesn't mean that he's ready to go out here and celebrate, because we have a long way to go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: The alleged victim's sister, who has now been in court for the better part of two days, is expected to be back on the stand when court resumes Monday morning for more cross-examination. Anderson?

COOPER: Ted Rowlands live in Santa Maria. Thanks, Ted.

360 next, the man who spoke for the president. Former Press Secretary Ari Fleischer with an insider look at the Bush White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There is no question this has been a successful mission. This, too, was a successful military operation. A tremendous success. A successful operation. The Iraqi regime is no more. Al Qaeda have been severely diminished. The threat is no more from the Iraqi regime. We continue to have confidence. The president is confident. He always had confidence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, those are some talking points from Ari Fleischer's glory days as White House Press Secretary, answering a slew of questions about Iraq, weapons search, and the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, and all sorts of things. Like all good press secretaries, Republican or Democrat, Fleischer mastered the art of sticking to his talking points, answering the questions he wanted to be asked. Now he's answering a few questions about his two and a half years of grilling by the White House press corps with his new book, "Taking Heat: The President, the Press and My Years in the White House." Earlier, I spoke with Ari Fleischer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Let's talk a little bit about the White House as it is now. Why doesn't President Bush have more press conferences? That's a frequent complaint.

ARI FLEISCHER, FRM. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yes, it is. And I think the real issue is does he take questions from the press frequently? The answer to that is yes. He regularly -- two, three, four days a week -- takes questions from the press pool three, four, five questions at a time. Yesterday he went to the CIA. He took about seven or eight questions. He doesn't like the big grand news conferences in the East Room, or the 45 minute long...

COOPER: Yeah. He's had less than I think 20 solo press conferences.

FLEISCHER: The fewest of any modern president.

COOPER: His father had I think 80, or something.

FLEISCHER: It's just his style. He just thinks there's too much posturing, too much peacocking at these events that are live and are so prominent.

COOPER: Does this White House stay on message better than any White House in recent times?

FLEISCHER: I think so. And I think frankly the reason for that is we all get along.

COOPER: No gossiping, no back...

FLEISCHER: Andy Card is a wonderful chief of staff who really runs that place with a soft, firm hand.

COOPER: Is there a purpose for the White House briefings? If it is largely a show where you come in with a set agenda in mind and points you want to make and you make those points no matter what and the -- some of these reporters are sort of peacocking around and want their points made, is there any purpose?

FLEISCHER: Well, I think there still is a purpose to it, absolutely. And I think particularly after September 11, the American people really tuned in to know what the government was doing. And there was a lot of information conveyed also. What we would talk about the alert level was going to go up or down, that we received this type of threat or that type of information. As vague as it was, there is still a helpful element in that.

COOPER: I want to read to you something from "New York Times" from October 14, 2002. It says, "to many reporters and producers, the briefings have become an exercise in frustration, a White House- produced television program in which they say they felt like unamused straight men, there to set up policy punchlines for Mr. Fleischer." You think that's true?

FLEISCHER: Well, I think that's a little overdone, because as I said, I think half of the briefing people ask questions that I can't answer or shouldn't answer -- but where the rubber hit the road problem, particularly for an administration that went to war. After September 11, Anderson, I was asked, will you use nuclear weapons in Afghanistan? Will you confirm that you've moved fighter aircraft to Pakistan? These briefings were live on Al-Jazeera. And even if they weren't, those are questions that no press secretary should answer.

COOPER: You know, we get a lot of e-mails from viewers who basically say the White House press corps is co-opted, that they're afraid to ask tough questions, afraid to ask you guys tough questions. I'm sure you see it differently. But they say these guys don't want to ask them because they don't want to get black-balled. They want their phone calls returned. They want their sources to continue calling them. So they're intimidated.

FLEISCHER: Well, that's an age-old issue for the reporters. And I happen to think the White House reporters are plenty capable, plenty tough, and they do their jobs.

COOPER: You actually write that the biggest problem isn't political bias, which you do think is a problem. It's a bias for conflict.

FLEISCHER: Yeah, exactly right. Take for example yesterday's "New York Times" front-page story about a new poll that they had that shows, according to this poll, trouble for the president on Social Security. It also had in that poll and said it in the story, that the president's job approval on Iraq is up 10 points. Every time his approval in Iraq went down, it was the headline. Now it's gone up. It was a part of the story, but why wasn't that the headline?

We've reached an impasse between the media and the government where the media focuses so strongly on what's gone wrong, what is bad, that the government then focuses on what's good, here's only what we're going to tell you that's good. And we talk past each other.

COOPER: You going to run for office?

FLEISCHER: Never.

COOPER: Never?

FLEISCHER: Oh, no. I spent 21 years...

COOPER: First rule of politics, never say never.

FLEISCHER: And I said it.

I've always worked in the government basically since college and now I'm enjoying a quieter life and a life in the private sector.

COOPER: It's a fascinating book. Ari Fleischer, thanks very much.

FLEISCHER: Thank you, Anderson.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: 360 next. Oh, the things you can collect. You wouldn't believe some of the wacky stuff you can bid for, like implants. Yes, implants. Take that to the Nth degree.

And on Monday, ever wonder why you can't understand the opposite sex? Maybe all the wiring in our brains. We reveal some of the secrets locked up inside your heads. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: We got a lot of e-mail about two stories in our program, Martha Stewart and the chimpanzees that attacked two humans. Here are just a couple of them.

About the chimpanzee story, Aura from Winterville, North Carolina writes, "shame on us. Why can't we just marvel at our wildlife instead of imprisoning it, experimenting on it, removing it from where it belongs, harming it and killing it. And circuses -- let's not even get started on that."

Regarding Martha Stewart, Shiryl of Collingswood, New Jersey writes, "this country is so backwards, we're glorifying a criminal. Martha Stewart blatantly lied to investigators. Who cares!.

And Susie from Estill Springs, Tennessee, had a different point of view, "you're too negative," she said." Put yourself in her shoes."

And finally Cat from Orange County, California wrote my favorite e-mail of the night, "'sup, Anderson." Cat wrote. "I have a question pour vous. Were you born with gray hair?"

You know, Cat, thanks for your question. I get that question a lot. And it was true I was born with gray hair. We even found one of my old baby pictures. I even had the same kind of hair as I did -- that's how I came out of the womb.

If you have something you want to say, send it to us at CNN.com/360.

Tonight, taking the rare collectible to the Nth Degree.

Imagine owning Barry Bonds' 73rd home run ball or Jose Canseco's actual syringe (ph). Of course you can't own either of those things, but you still can acquire another unique legal collectible. There it is in the hand of the woman auctioning it off on eBay. A woman who goes by the professional name of Tawny Peaks. That object wasn't always where it is now, by the way. It and a mate were once mounted under the skin on Ms. Peeks' rib cage.

The thing's a silicone breast implant -- so big that she was sued by a man who claimed he suffered whiplash after she wielded the one she's holding and its partner against him at a Florida nightclub back -- when they were still installed you understand.

The case was settled on the People's Court on TV. No damages were paid. As you can see the current high bid is $16,750. But you still have time.

Ms. Peaks has retired from topless dancing and is evidently trying to come to terms with her colorful past. You know, get the whole business off her chest.

Thanks very much for watching 360 this week. Have a great weekend. Be sure to watch CNN "PRIME CUTS" Sunday night.

CNN's primetime line-up continues with PAULA ZAHN NOW right after this news alert from our own Rudi Bakhtiar. Hey, Rudi.

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


Aired March 4, 2005 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Good evening from New York. I'm Anderson Cooper.
Here's what's happening right now.

President Bush is pushing Social Security reform today, launching a 60-day blitz through 60 cities. At a stop in New Jersey, the president focused on looming financial problems for the system.

Friendly fire at a military checkpoint in Iraq. U.S. forces shoot at a rapidly approaching car carrying this woman, an Italian journalist who was just freed from her kidnappers. She was wounded, but an Italian intelligence officer was killed. The U.S. military says the soldiers had tried to warn the car's driver.

And U.S. officials have seized batches of Glaxo-SmithKline's diabetes drug, Avandamet, and antidepressant Paxil CR. The FDA says the drugs' manufacturing did not meet the standards, but it hasn't seen any immediate risk to consumers.

And our top story tonight, Martha Stewart living at home and under house arrest.

360 starts now.

Martha Stewart back in the mansion, basking in her newfound freedom. Tonight, what happens now to her business empire? And whatever happened to the cast of characters who landed her in jail?

A 19-year-old Marine recruit drowns after being grabbed and shoved by an instructor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a death waiting to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Tonight, new allegations, and new concerns. Was this just an unfortunate accident? Or are some military recruits being pushed too hard?

Michael Jackson's defense scores big with the jury. Why did prosecutors show the accuser's mother praising Jackson, calling him a father figure? Tonight, we take you inside the courtroom for a case court watchers say the prosecution is failing to win.

He was the White House spin doctor, the president's spokesman on 9/11, WMD, and the war in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We've reached and impasse between the media and the government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Tonight, we go 360 with Ari Fleischer. Has the White House gone too far in manipulating the media?

And chimps gone wild. A birthday party for a chimpanzee turns into a vicious attack on humans. Tonight, what made these playful primates attack the hands that fed them?

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

COOPER: And good evening again.

Five months do not a lifetime make. On the other hand, if those five months are spent in prison, they do sharply divide a life into before and after.

For Martha Stewart, this was day one of her life after. Probably she was not able to pick fresh lemons there at the federal prison camp in West Virginia. So here she is, back home today, doing just that, one significant improvement right off the bat.

Her rambling country estate is better than the slammer in many other ways as well.

Allan Chernoff reports on what a difference a day makes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart arrived home at 2:30 in the morning, yet she was up early, petting her horses and walking one of her dogs. Martha was showing her lighter side, sharing a joke about -- what else? -- food, trying to yell above the noise of a news media helicopter.

MARTHA STEWART: This is a funny story. We asked the guards every day for a cappuccino -- you know, just as a joke. And they'd come in with their cups of coffee and stuff. And so I get here. And I have a spot for a cappuccino machine, and it didn't work. So I don't have any cappuccino.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: Instead of cappuccino, Stewart sent hot cocoa to the papparazzi. She picked lemons from her greenhouse, then showed them off. STEWART: And these are my first lemons in five months. I'm really looking forward to having some hot lemonade...

CHERNOFF: By the end of the weekend, Stewart is to be fitted with an electronic ankle bracelet -- like this -- that will enforce her five months of home detention. She is permitted out 48 hours a week for grocery shopping, visiting doctors, and work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF: And there will be plenty of that, with a magazine column, two television shows, and an upcoming book on baking. The remarketing of Martha has just begun. Anderson?

COOPER: Allan Chernoff, thanks for that from Bedford, New York tonight. Who knew you could -- I didn't even know you could pick lemons this time of the year. What do I know? Things (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- are they -- do they -- I guess they grow on trees, right? Of course, lemon trees.

Anyway, things may be looking up for Martha Stewart personally, but the stock of her company is headed the other way, at least today. A fast fact for you now. Shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia gained value all the time Ms. Stewart was in jail, gained yesterday as well after she was released, but the stock was down today sharply, closing at 30.75, that's off $3.20 a share.

Martha Stewart herself is no longer CEO of the company.

House arrest sounds like a pretty plush form of punishment, especially if the house in question is, well, pretty plush -- 20,000 square feet plush, we're talking about. But did you ever wonder what it is really like to be confined to your home?

CNN's Adaora Udoji investigates.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart, a trend-setting icon, guest at the hottest parties, hanging with the rich and famous. But after her stint in prison, you won't see her as much out on the town.

RON FRISHCHETT, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: House arrest is punishment. There's no question about it. And she'll be wearing an ankle bracelet all the time.

UDOJI (on camera): That's not all. No luxury shopping at her favorite designer stores here on Fifth Avenue.

(voice-over): For five months, she's on lockdown at her sprawling Bedford, New York, estate. To some, not hard time at all. But she can literally not leave her house -- not to walk the grounds, not to feed her animals. She is allowed to leave 48 hours a week, to work, go grocery shopping, see the doctor, and attend church. Anything more -- say, taking off to Los Angeles -- she has to talk to the judge first. (on camera): She's going to have to be accountable to someone just about every minute of her day.

FRISHCHETT: Oh, there's no question about that. I mean, when she leaves, assuming she's got to attend a meeting, she has to call her probation officer and say, I'm going to be out from 10:00 to 6:00, and this is where I'll be, so they could turn off the device.

UDOJI (voice-over): She had such great plans before prison.

STEWART: I would like to be back as early in March as possible, in order to plant the new spring garden and to truly get things growing again.

UDOJI: Now she knows planting will to wait.

The woman who built an empire will have curfews and weekly schedules approved by federal officers. But she'll still be making lots of money, free to begin work on a mega-TV deal, two new shows.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I cannot wait until she comes out of jail and we can work together.

UDOJI: Free to have lavish parties, looking good with the help of friends like celebrity hairstylist Frederick Fuquai (ph).

She can't leave but her famous buddies can visit, say federal officials, party till the wee hours of the night, as long as they don't have criminal records.

House arrest brings the domestic diva one step closer to making good on that prediction, fulfilling an all-American comeback.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

UDOJI: And Stewart is off to one heck of a time -- one heck of a start, I should say. Criminal lawyers we spoke to say the bottom line is this. If Stewart follows all the rules -- she keeps her curfews, tells her probation officer what she's up to -- then she'll have plenty of room to get back to work.

If not, the judge could send her back to prison. But, Anderson, no one expects that.

COOPER: I'm savoring my hot lemonade. Mmm. Thank you, Adaora.

It seems pretty safe to say that Martha Stewart herself is going to be just fine, thank you very much. A new reality TV show, her business is in good shape. She's under house arrest. But, you know, it's mansion arrest, really, is what we're talking about.

We wondered what has happened to the other players in the Stewart drama. We asked Heidi Collins to look into it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart's stint in the stir has come to an end. And, yes, life does go on. But there were other players in this corporate saga, starting with the man who sat beside the domestic diva at the defense table.

Peter Bacanovic, Martha's stockbroker-turned-convicted co- conspirator. He was a bright light at Merrill Lynch, with a reputation for charming high-priced and high-profile clients. He couldn't, though, charm the jury. Bacanovic was convicted of conspiring with his most famous client, committing perjury before the Securities and Exchange Commission, lying to investigators, and obstructing justice.

In January, he started serving his five-month sentence at the minimum security facility at Nellis ir Force Base in Nevada. And some tabloid gossip mongerers say he's hankering for a Hollywood career after he serves his sentence.

KURT ANDERSEN, PUBLIC RADIO HOST, STUDIO 360: Bacanovic, whatever he did wrong, and however bad you think his crimes were, is not a snitch. He stood by -- he kept to the story. And I think, in the long run, people in cases like this, in crimes like this, regard loyalty probably as a higher virtue than obeying the law.

UDOJI: Ah, the snitch. That would be Doug Faneuil. He was Bacanovic's assistant at Merrill Lynch, who ratted out both his boss and Martha, testifying he was told to make the famous phone call that started it all, warning Martha of the stock selloff -- and bought himself a deal for a misdemeanor charge and a $2,000 fine.

Some said Faneuil fell on hard times after the trial. He worked for a while at a Soho art gallery which closed. Now, all we have are those gossip mongerers to go on again. They say Faneuil is now working for a private collector.

Then there's Mariana Pasternak, who comes under the heading, With friends like this, who needs enemies? She was taking a trip with Martha when the tipoff telephone call came in, then testified against her in court. She told the jury that Martha said, "Isn't it nice to have a broker who tells you those things?" And with those words, Martha's goose was, well, just about perfectly prepared.

Pasternak is back in Fairfield County, Connecticut, running her real estate firm, but probably down one best bud.

ANDERSEN: It's as good as any story -- novel from the 19th or 20th century, and better than most soap operas that I know about. So whether we should care or not is sort of beside the point. We do, just because it's an irresistible tale.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: So whether they admit it or not, there are plenty of people out there who will follow what happens to Martha and her cronies, perhaps now more than ever, Anderson.

COOPER: No doubt, she continues to fascinate. Heidi Collins, thanks very much for that.

A gas explosion at a New Jersey pet store, that tops our look at stories cross-country right now.

Take a look at the damage you see there. The blast caused the roof of this PetCo store in Eatontown to collapse. All five people in the store were rescued. One was trapped for more than an hour. He ended up using the cell phone to talk rescuers to where he was. All are expected to be just fine. Up to 200 small animals were also in the store. No word on whether any of them were injured.

We take you now to the Florida Keys. Nineteen dolphins stranded in shallow water have died. Most of them were euthanized. Veterinarians say there was no other choice, since they were in critical condition. They hope that a near-60 other dolphins can be nursed back to health. We'll have the latest in a live report a little bit later on tonight.

And in Los Angeles right now, jury deliberations are under way in the Robert Blake murder trial. He's accused of shooting his wife to death outside a restaurant almost four years ago. If he's convicted, he could face life in prison.

That's a quick look at stories right now cross-country.

Coming up next on 360, a Marine Corps training death. A 19-year- old recruit drowns during exercises. Did his drill instructors push him too far? Tonight, an officer gives us an inside look in what he calls, quote, "a death waiting to happen." We'll also hear from the young man's parents.

Also ahead, chimpanzees attack. A man critically injured. Find out how a birthday party for a pet went so terribly wrong.

And a little bit later, video and a sister at the Michael Jackson trial. Find out why the pop star called it all very good.

All that ahead. First, your picks, the most popular stories right now on CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: That's videotape of a young Marine recruit about to be grabbed and shoved by an instructor last month at the Marine training base on Parris Island, South Carolina. There you see the grab. The young man died in an exercise a day after this videotape was made.

Given the kinds of appalling terrorist threats this country is facing, there's no question that America needs its military to be as fit as possible. But at what cost? Was the death of Jason Tharp a tragic, isolated incident? Or a safety concern too often ignored?

Beyond the headlines with CNN Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nineteen-year-old Jason Tharp drowned at Parris Island February 8, a day after he was seen in a videotape taken by WEAPONS INSPECTORS-TV being shoved by a swim instructor.

The South Carolina station reported he apparently resisted going into the water.

It was that incident that prompted Marine Captain Delbert Marriott to contact CNN.

CAPT. DELBERT MARRIOTT, U.S. MARINE CORPS: My motivation is that a recruit drowned. My motivation is that for three months, I was telling them this was going to be a problem. If we find a correlation or we don't find a correlation, it still doesn't change the fact that someone identified a problem.

MCINTYRE: Last year, Marriott's assignment was to review swim training at Camp Johnson, North Carolina, where many of the Parris Island trainers are trained. The scathing conclusion of his November 30 report -- "I found the biggest issue to be the complete disregard for safety." In a follow-up e-mail a week later, he warned superiors that drill sergeants were -- quote -- "doing their own thing, and someone will die because of it."

MCINTYRE (on camera): That's pretty strong stuff.

MARRIOTT: It is.

MCINTYRE: Was anything done at that point?

MARRIOTT: No. They're still down there instructing right now.

MCINTYRE (voice-over): "His accusations are totally false," is how Marriott's commander reacted when contacted by CNN. Lieutenant Colonel Gary Lambertson told CNN he immediately stopped the practices questioned by Marriott pending further review.

Marriott documented the difficulty of one of those practices in this videotape. Could instructors do something required of their instructors-in-training, swim the demanding crawl stroke for nearly two miles, gradually shedding full combat gear?

Marriott says the strong swimmers struggled, and one gave up.

MARRIOTT: If they have a hard time doing this stroke, imagine about the lance corporal that feels he needs to do this stroke to pass the course. He may drown trying to do the crawl stroke for 3,600 yards.

MCINTYRE: The Marine Corps argues there's no connection between the arduous training for top instructors at Camp Johnson and the basic course for fresh recruits at Parris Island. Marriott disagrees.

MARRIOTT: I mean, we're the lead school. So if we've given an impression that this kind of training is OK, well, when they go out to their commands, they're going to do the same type of training. MCINTYRE: In his original report, Marriott also warned about sharking -- instructors yanking students underwater while they played underwater hockey.

MARRIOTT: During the underwater hockey, the student was expected to go to the bottom of the pool holding their breath, and push a 10- pound weight to the other side. Now, this in full combat gear. Instructors jumped on students' backs whether they were participating or not.

MCINTYRE (on camera): It was an accident waiting to happen?

MARRIOTT: Absolutely it was. It was a death waiting to happen.

MCINTYRE (on camera): A Marine Corps spokesman declined to appear on camera, but vigorously disputed that the procedures now under review at Camp Johnson are unsafe, pointing out there's never been a drowning there, or even a rescue. And, he said, the three separate investigations into the death of Jason Tharp will include a thorough review of procedures at Parris Island as well.

(voice-over): Marriott, an accomplished triathlete, wants out of the Marine Corps and admits he doesn't have a spotless record. But he insists he has no personal agenda.

MARRIOTT: My motivation is that no one's going to apologize to this family. I'll apologize. I'm sorry. I wish I could have done something.

MCINTYRE: Jamie McIntyre, CNN, Camp Johnson, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, earlier I talked to the family that Captain Marriott just apologized to in that piece -- the parents of Jason Tharp, the young Marine whose death on Parris Island gave rise to all these questions about the way the Marines treat recruits.

Johnny and Linda Tharp spoke from West Virginia.

Johnny, it's been almost a month since Jason died. How are you two holding up?

JOHNNY THARP, SON DIED DURING MARINE TRAINING: It's just hard going on day by day without him.

COOPER: Linda, does it seem real at this point?

LINDA THARP, SON DIED DURING MARINE TRAINING: It seems like a dream. And I'm hoping I'll wake up, and that's what it is. But it's hard when you lose a child, and you don't know what happened, and still waiting on answers.

COOPER: And I know you've seen that video that was taken of your son, really just the day before he died. It was shot February 7. How does he look to you in that video? I mean, he looks (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know, he looks awfully thin, but I don't know what he was like before boot camp.

JOHNNY THARP: No, that wasn't him. It didn't look anything like him. He was sick, and just looked like he was disoriented. He didn't look well at all to us.

COOPER: Linda, is it a comfort for you to see that video, or does it make it harder?

LINDA THARP: It makes it harder, knowing what he went through and seeing how they mistreated him. It's just so hard to see that. I mean, that tape goes over in our minds every minute of every day. How could they do that? I mean, how could they mistreat the boys that's there? I just don't understand.

COOPER: I want to read to you something. We contacted the Marine Corps at Parris Island. Here's what they said about this video. They said -- quote -- "The tape depicted a suspected violation of the strict procedures at Parris Island that govern physical contact with recruits. The five Marines depicted in the video have all been suspended from their duties pending the outcome of the investigation."

But the Marine Corps spokesman added they have not concluded the behavior seen on the tape is responsible for the death of your son. Do you agree?

JOHNNY THARP: No. There's something suspicious there when he's gets treated one day like that, and the next day he's gone. That brings up a lot of questions.

COOPER: I know he enrolled in the Marines to pay for college, and wrote you letters in the weeks leading up to his death, saying he wanted out. I want to read you what he wrote on February 2, just six days before he died. He said -- quote -- "If you can get me out, I will be forever grateful. I don't care about the money. My health is in jeopardy because we don't have enough time to eat, and I'm getting sicker and sicker."

Linda, did you (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I mean, when you got that letter, what did you think?

LINDA THARP: I knew we had to do something, and I knew we had to do it quick. And that's when we got the letter, on a Saturday. And I tried to get in touch with the recruiters on that same Saturday, which I had no -- I couldn't get in touch with them. Sunday I tried. Monday I did get a hold of them. And they were supposed to call down there to check about getting him out and then let us know, which we didn't hear anything until Tuesday night that he was gone.

COOPER: Well, Linda and Johnny Tharp, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I appreciate you being with us. And we'll be following the story and hope you find the answers you're looking for. Thank you so much for being with us, Johnny and Linda.

JOHNNY THARP: Thank you.

LINDA THARP: Thank you.

COOPER: Coming up next on 360, a judge's family murdered, and now white supremacists are praising the killing on the Internet. Take (UNINTELLIGIBLE), take a closer look at their hate-filled messages.

Also ahead tonight, a rescue mission. Dozens of dolphins stranded on the Florida coast. Tonight, the round-the-clock effort to keep them alive. We'll tell you the latest ahead.

Also, later on in the program, speaking for the president, former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer on how he stayed on message. And boy, did he ever. We're covering all the angles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, tonight the FBI's offering a $50,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest for the murders of a federal judge's husband and mother. They were shot to death Monday inside the Chicago home of Federal Court Judge Joan Lefkow, who was once marked for death by a white supremacist.

This has been one of the most-viewed stories all day on CNN.com. 360's Rudi Bakhtiar looks into these Web stories to bring you an angle you won't see anywhere else. Rudi, what did you find out today?

RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'll tell you, Anderson, it was a tough one today, because while these killings are sparked outrage, some extremists on the Internet are praising whoever is committing these brutal crimes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR (voice-over): While authorities in Chicago try to solve the murders, supremacists are praising them. For many extremists, Lefkow is the enemy who convicted supremacist Matthew Hale, who tried to have her assassinated.

On a posting on the Aryan Nation's home page, Lefkow and her family are called -- quote -- "legitimate targets." Comments labeled Lefkow as a member of what some believe is the Zionist Occupational Government, or ZOG. The message goes on to say -- quote -- "It's our opinion concerning this incident that all employees of this evil beast system we call ZOG should take this as a lesson, you can be reached."

And there are others. Another posting on an extremist message board applauded the murders. One ended with this chilling quote -- "Let's hope it's only the beginning."

As vile as they are, these words of hate are protected under the Constitution. We spoke to First Amendment attorney Harold Farringer (ph), who says racist remarks, no matter how offensive, do fall under free speech. The only way they would cross the line and become a crime is if the words were determined to create an imminent risk of violence, amounting to a clear and present danger.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: And Anderson, one example of imminent risk of violence would be if you're in a movie theater, there are a lot of people there, it's crowded, and you yell "Fire" and create panic, danger. But under any other circumstances, no.

COOPER: Matt Hale has made a statement, I guess, through his mom. He's in jail for threatening her in the first place.

BAKHTIAR: Exactly. And next month, he's awaiting sentencing for that. He made a statement yesterday through his mother. This is what he said. He said, "There is no way that any supporter of mine could commit such a heinous crime." He totally condemns it.

COOPER: All right.

BAKHTIAR: So that's where he stands on it.

COOPER: Rudi Bakhtiar, thanks very much.

Michael Jackson's defense scores big with the jury. Why did prosecutors show the accuser's mother praising Jackson, calling him a father figure? Tonight, we take you inside the courtroom for a case court watchers say the prosecution is failing to win.

He was the White House spin doctor, the president's spokesman on 9/11, WMD, and the war in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FLEISCHER: We've reached an impasse between the media and the government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Tonight, we go 360 with Ari Fleischer. Has the White House gone too far in manipulating the media?

And chimps gone wild. A birthday party for a chimpanzee turns into a vicious attack on humans. Tonight, what made these playful primates attack the hands that fed them?

360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Off the Florida Keys tonight, a battle to save dozens of dolphins. Nineteen of the dolphins who were stranded in shallow water since Wednesday have died; 13 of them were euthanized. Biologists say they were just too sick to survive. The 31 remaining dolphins have been moved to a pen. They're being rehabilitated until they're healthy enough to be released. Joining us from the scene in Marathon, Florida, is Cheva Heck, spokeswoman for NOAA. Cheva, we appreciate you being with us. What's the latest on the stranded dolphins? What is being done right now? CHEVA HECK, NOAA SPOKESWOMAN: We have about 31 animals in the pen here, live -- many of them free-swimming. We have others that are being supported by volunteers in preparation to be transported tonight to a rehabilitation facility in Miami. The rest will follow at some point tomorrow.

COOPER: I know it's a difficult, dangerous procedure, even at this point. Blood tests were done on the dolphins. What do they show?

HECK: We have some initial results back, and for many of the animals, they show that they were dehydrated. In some, they show high white blood cell counts, which could indicate an infection. We don't know what kind yet. Some of the animals that were sicker and had a poor prognosis for continued survival, in the interests of ending their suffering, they were euthanized earlier today -- about 13. The remaining animals, once they're moved into rehabilitation, we'll be doing more blood tests to try to determine possibly what may have caused them to strand, and what their illness may be.

COOPER: Dolphins I guess are known to beach themselves. I mean, we've seen this kind of thing before, when they are sick or disoriented, but not really in this large number. Any idea why these mammals, which are normally deep-water, swam up so close to land?

HECK: We don't have an idea yet why these animals stranded, and we won't until some of that medical work comes back. But I can tell you that this is the fourth such mass stranding of this species, the rough-toothed dolphin, in the southeast region this year.

COOPER: So these 31 dolphins that you have now, I mean, are they out of the woods? Are they safe? Or could they still develop some sort of problem even though they're being watched over?

HECK: Yes. They are definitely not out of the woods, even though they are judged well enough to go into rehabilitation. They are not being released directly back into the ocean, into the wild, because they are sick. They are dehydrated. They are malnourished. And we want to get them well enough to have a possibility for a successful release, so they just don't re-strand once they leave this facility. We want to make sure that they're properly hydrated and fed and get back to as close to normal as possible.

COOPER: You guys have had hundreds of volunteers over the last three days. How important has their role been? And what are they doing now?

HECK: Their role is incredibly important. We've had hundreds of people from the local community come out in response to news reports. Some of those volunteers right now are supporting the animals that are being prepared to go to rehabilitation tonight, helping to keep them -- keep their blow holes above water, keep their stress level down. Others are keeping an eye on the remaining dolphins, notifying the veterinarians of any possible health problems so that they can attend to those as quickly as possible. And the community has just been wonderful in terms of the outpouring of support. Donations of food have been coming in, wet suits, towels, everything has been supplied to these volunteers. And we really appreciate that effort on the part of the Florida Keys community.

COOPER: Well, that's great to hear, and let's hope these 31 dolphins make it and make it back out into freedom. Cheva Heck, thanks very much.

HECK: You're very welcome.

COOPER: Another story to tell you about, a strange story. Chimpanzees. You know, in TV and movies they seem all fun, lovable, inside their cages. But as we found out yesterday, they can turn violent. Four chimps at this animal refuge in Havila, California -- but not these in particular -- broke free from their cages, mauling one man and injuring his wife. Workers killed two of the chimps, recaptured the other two. And just in tonight, just in to CNN, a 911 tape describing the horror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fire department. What is the address of your emergency?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am, I need an ambulance here immediately. The Animal Haven Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Attacked by two chimpanzees. He's very critical.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. I'm going to get some information and we're going to get you help right out here.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are the animals loose?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are the animals...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Listen, yes. There are still two chimpanzees loose. They are not dangerous. The two that did attack him are down. I have just shot them. OK?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chimpanzees if they're deceased...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The two that attacked the person are deceased. They've been shot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The two that have attacked the person are deceased. They have been shot. They are down.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. I need to address this, sir. What part of the body was bitten?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Face, back. His face is tore up really bad. His back is tore up. Legs. From what I saw, they were just attacking him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. When did this happen, Mark?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: That was the 911 call. It's the first time we've heard that. The victims were in fact quite fond of chimps, and were at the refuge visiting a chimp that they once owned, a chimp they called Moe, for its birthday. CNN's Rusty Dornin has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It began as a celebration and ended with nothing to celebrate. St. James Davis and his wife LaDonna were visiting a chimpanzee Moe at the Animal Haven Ranch in Kern County, California. Moe once lived in the couple's home like a son, and they came to celebrate his 39th birthday. Moe had come to live at the ranch last year. The Davis' were overjoyed.

LADONNA DAVIS, CHIMP OWNER: Moe lived in our home with us for over 33 years. He is sweet and warm-hearted and has been the light of our lives.

DORNIN: The ranch was his second sanctuary. The chimp was removed from the couple's home in 1999 after he had bit the finger of a friend who was visiting the family. But during this birthday visit Thursday, two other chimps in an adjacent cage suddenly attacked St. James, mauling him critically and injuring LaDonna. The son-in-law of the ranch owner shot one of the aggressive chimps.

COMMANDER HAL CHEALANDER, KERN COUNTY SHERIFF DEPT: He had to go back in and reload, and came back out and shot and ultimately killed the chimpanzee that was advancing on Mr. Davis.

DORNIN: Two other female chimps escaped, but were later rounded up.

(on camera): Ranch owners declined comment on the incident, but neighbors told us it was not uncommon to see the chimps on the property, and they seemed very well cared for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were concerned about the animals, and they also had bins of oranges for them and all kind of treats and things. So they kept them pretty well occupied.

DORNIN (voice-over): No one knows why it happened. State Fish and Game investigators are most concerned about how the animals escaped. They plan to test the dead chimps for rabies. Moe was not involved in the attack. But for St. James, a man who has dedicated his life to caring for animals like these, the attack was both a physical and emotionally brutal encounter. His family, though, has said they aren't ready to comment on his condition. The permit for the facility expires in three weeks. In the meantime, Moe remains inside.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Havala, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, coming up next on 360, the Michael Jackson trial. A video is played that some say could help the pop star. We're going to take you inside the courtroom.

Plus, speaking for the president tonight, we go 360 with former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. Does the White House try to manipulate the media? And do they do a good job of it? Put that question to him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, TONIGHT SHOW: Let's see what's happening in the news that I'm allowed to talk about. You know about this gag order? I'm a potential witness in the Michael Jackson trial. As you know, there's a gag order for everyone involved in the Michael Jackson trial. In fact, I believe I'm the first person over the age of 12 that has been gagged by Michael Jackson.

So tonight, folks, all Tito Jackson jokes. That's what we have tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Ouch, that hurt. A gag order isn't stopping the gags for Jay Leno there, who last night showcased what has been his A material, Michael Jackson. While Leno hurls zingers, the singer's defense lawyer was throwing barbs in court today at the family of the young accuser. CNN's Ted Rowlands has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Walking out of court, Michael Jackson expressed his pleasure with what many observers agree was a very good day for his defense team. The family of the boy Jackson is accused of molesting praised him extensively on a video played by the prosecution in court.

ANN BREMNER, LEGAL ANALYST: The prosecutor had to put this video on before the defense did, because it's so devastating to the prosecution.

ROWLANDS: The video is the raw footage of a planned documentary that was being assembled to help Jackson's public image. The tape seems to clearly help the defense claim that the family mistakenly was expecting Jackson to be a permanent part of their lives. On several occasions during the video, the victim's mother oddly described Michael Jackson as not just a celebrity helping a sick child, but as a father figure for her children.

At one point, she said -- quote -- "He's assisting me in filling the role of a father figure they've never had."

The victim's older sister spent a second day on the stand. On cross-examination at one point, she broke down, testifying about alleged abuse by her father. The sister answered she couldn't remember too many of the questions asked by Thomas Mesereau, Jackson's attorney.

Jackson's mother, his sister La Toya and brother Jermaine were all in court for the day. Jackson's publicist says he's ready for the long haul.

RAYMONE BAIN, JACKSON'S PUBLICIST: He feels that his defense team has done a good job. But it doesn't mean that he's ready to go out here and celebrate, because we have a long way to go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: The alleged victim's sister, who has now been in court for the better part of two days, is expected to be back on the stand when court resumes Monday morning for more cross-examination. Anderson?

COOPER: Ted Rowlands live in Santa Maria. Thanks, Ted.

360 next, the man who spoke for the president. Former Press Secretary Ari Fleischer with an insider look at the Bush White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There is no question this has been a successful mission. This, too, was a successful military operation. A tremendous success. A successful operation. The Iraqi regime is no more. Al Qaeda have been severely diminished. The threat is no more from the Iraqi regime. We continue to have confidence. The president is confident. He always had confidence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Well, those are some talking points from Ari Fleischer's glory days as White House Press Secretary, answering a slew of questions about Iraq, weapons search, and the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, and all sorts of things. Like all good press secretaries, Republican or Democrat, Fleischer mastered the art of sticking to his talking points, answering the questions he wanted to be asked. Now he's answering a few questions about his two and a half years of grilling by the White House press corps with his new book, "Taking Heat: The President, the Press and My Years in the White House." Earlier, I spoke with Ari Fleischer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Let's talk a little bit about the White House as it is now. Why doesn't President Bush have more press conferences? That's a frequent complaint.

ARI FLEISCHER, FRM. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yes, it is. And I think the real issue is does he take questions from the press frequently? The answer to that is yes. He regularly -- two, three, four days a week -- takes questions from the press pool three, four, five questions at a time. Yesterday he went to the CIA. He took about seven or eight questions. He doesn't like the big grand news conferences in the East Room, or the 45 minute long...

COOPER: Yeah. He's had less than I think 20 solo press conferences.

FLEISCHER: The fewest of any modern president.

COOPER: His father had I think 80, or something.

FLEISCHER: It's just his style. He just thinks there's too much posturing, too much peacocking at these events that are live and are so prominent.

COOPER: Does this White House stay on message better than any White House in recent times?

FLEISCHER: I think so. And I think frankly the reason for that is we all get along.

COOPER: No gossiping, no back...

FLEISCHER: Andy Card is a wonderful chief of staff who really runs that place with a soft, firm hand.

COOPER: Is there a purpose for the White House briefings? If it is largely a show where you come in with a set agenda in mind and points you want to make and you make those points no matter what and the -- some of these reporters are sort of peacocking around and want their points made, is there any purpose?

FLEISCHER: Well, I think there still is a purpose to it, absolutely. And I think particularly after September 11, the American people really tuned in to know what the government was doing. And there was a lot of information conveyed also. What we would talk about the alert level was going to go up or down, that we received this type of threat or that type of information. As vague as it was, there is still a helpful element in that.

COOPER: I want to read to you something from "New York Times" from October 14, 2002. It says, "to many reporters and producers, the briefings have become an exercise in frustration, a White House- produced television program in which they say they felt like unamused straight men, there to set up policy punchlines for Mr. Fleischer." You think that's true?

FLEISCHER: Well, I think that's a little overdone, because as I said, I think half of the briefing people ask questions that I can't answer or shouldn't answer -- but where the rubber hit the road problem, particularly for an administration that went to war. After September 11, Anderson, I was asked, will you use nuclear weapons in Afghanistan? Will you confirm that you've moved fighter aircraft to Pakistan? These briefings were live on Al-Jazeera. And even if they weren't, those are questions that no press secretary should answer.

COOPER: You know, we get a lot of e-mails from viewers who basically say the White House press corps is co-opted, that they're afraid to ask tough questions, afraid to ask you guys tough questions. I'm sure you see it differently. But they say these guys don't want to ask them because they don't want to get black-balled. They want their phone calls returned. They want their sources to continue calling them. So they're intimidated.

FLEISCHER: Well, that's an age-old issue for the reporters. And I happen to think the White House reporters are plenty capable, plenty tough, and they do their jobs.

COOPER: You actually write that the biggest problem isn't political bias, which you do think is a problem. It's a bias for conflict.

FLEISCHER: Yeah, exactly right. Take for example yesterday's "New York Times" front-page story about a new poll that they had that shows, according to this poll, trouble for the president on Social Security. It also had in that poll and said it in the story, that the president's job approval on Iraq is up 10 points. Every time his approval in Iraq went down, it was the headline. Now it's gone up. It was a part of the story, but why wasn't that the headline?

We've reached an impasse between the media and the government where the media focuses so strongly on what's gone wrong, what is bad, that the government then focuses on what's good, here's only what we're going to tell you that's good. And we talk past each other.

COOPER: You going to run for office?

FLEISCHER: Never.

COOPER: Never?

FLEISCHER: Oh, no. I spent 21 years...

COOPER: First rule of politics, never say never.

FLEISCHER: And I said it.

I've always worked in the government basically since college and now I'm enjoying a quieter life and a life in the private sector.

COOPER: It's a fascinating book. Ari Fleischer, thanks very much.

FLEISCHER: Thank you, Anderson.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: 360 next. Oh, the things you can collect. You wouldn't believe some of the wacky stuff you can bid for, like implants. Yes, implants. Take that to the Nth degree.

And on Monday, ever wonder why you can't understand the opposite sex? Maybe all the wiring in our brains. We reveal some of the secrets locked up inside your heads. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: We got a lot of e-mail about two stories in our program, Martha Stewart and the chimpanzees that attacked two humans. Here are just a couple of them.

About the chimpanzee story, Aura from Winterville, North Carolina writes, "shame on us. Why can't we just marvel at our wildlife instead of imprisoning it, experimenting on it, removing it from where it belongs, harming it and killing it. And circuses -- let's not even get started on that."

Regarding Martha Stewart, Shiryl of Collingswood, New Jersey writes, "this country is so backwards, we're glorifying a criminal. Martha Stewart blatantly lied to investigators. Who cares!.

And Susie from Estill Springs, Tennessee, had a different point of view, "you're too negative," she said." Put yourself in her shoes."

And finally Cat from Orange County, California wrote my favorite e-mail of the night, "'sup, Anderson." Cat wrote. "I have a question pour vous. Were you born with gray hair?"

You know, Cat, thanks for your question. I get that question a lot. And it was true I was born with gray hair. We even found one of my old baby pictures. I even had the same kind of hair as I did -- that's how I came out of the womb.

If you have something you want to say, send it to us at CNN.com/360.

Tonight, taking the rare collectible to the Nth Degree.

Imagine owning Barry Bonds' 73rd home run ball or Jose Canseco's actual syringe (ph). Of course you can't own either of those things, but you still can acquire another unique legal collectible. There it is in the hand of the woman auctioning it off on eBay. A woman who goes by the professional name of Tawny Peaks. That object wasn't always where it is now, by the way. It and a mate were once mounted under the skin on Ms. Peeks' rib cage.

The thing's a silicone breast implant -- so big that she was sued by a man who claimed he suffered whiplash after she wielded the one she's holding and its partner against him at a Florida nightclub back -- when they were still installed you understand.

The case was settled on the People's Court on TV. No damages were paid. As you can see the current high bid is $16,750. But you still have time.

Ms. Peaks has retired from topless dancing and is evidently trying to come to terms with her colorful past. You know, get the whole business off her chest.

Thanks very much for watching 360 this week. Have a great weekend. Be sure to watch CNN "PRIME CUTS" Sunday night.

CNN's primetime line-up continues with PAULA ZAHN NOW right after this news alert from our own Rudi Bakhtiar. Hey, Rudi.

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