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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Captives Freed; Crisis and Opportunity; Raw Politics; Rudy's Run

Aired April 04, 2007 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening again. I'm John Roberts in New York sitting in tonight for Anderson.
With pets dying and pet owners suing, 360 goes to the source of the toxic ingredient that got into all that dog and cat food. See what happens when cameras show up at the warehouse in China and what the company says about its responsibility or lack of it for so much misery.

First though, the 15 British sailors and marines heading home in the morning after nearly two weeks in captivity. But not before one last photo op, wearing Iranian suits, greeting the Iranian president, speaking the Iranian line.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. FELIX CARMAN, ROYAL NAVY: I can understand why you are insulted by our apparent intrusion into your waters. I'd like to say that no harm was meant to the Iranian people or its territories whatsoever and I hope that this experience will help to build a relationship between our countries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Britain maintains that the 15 were not in Iranian waters. Prime Minister Blair today crediting patient diplomacy for their release, backed by the threat of military strength.

Neither side admitting to giving up anything to end the crisis. That's what they say. There's a lot more that we don't know, and perhaps much that we'll never know about what, if anything, Britain gave up to get their people back.

But if the lyrics are a mystery, the music sounds awfully familiar to some people, including former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, who says he's heard this song before.

I spoke to him earlier tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Ambassador Bolton, the resolution of this hostage crisis, does that prove that quiet diplomacy is the correct way to approach Iran?

JOHN BOLTON, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: I'm afraid it proves the opposite. I think Ahmadinejad emerges as a win/win for him here. He had a victory by taking the hostages and now he has another victory by what is effectively a unilateral decision to give them back to the British as an Easter present.

I think that the Iranians had really learned the answer to the question they posed by taking the hostages in the first place -- would there be a stiff response from Britain? And the answer to that was no. So it's actually not all that surprising that they've capitalized on that and now appear gracious and have people happy that they've given the hostages back.

ROBERTS: Ambassador, the "National Review Online" said in an editorial, quote, "By committing an act of war, Iran has simultaneously made itself look peaceful and made the West look impotent." If you were Britain, how would you have approached this crisis?

BOLTON: Well, I think that you have to look at this hostage taking not as an isolated incident, but part of a larger scheme that Iran is pursuing to project its power in the Middle East and really globally, part and parcel to their effort to acquire nuclear weapons, their support for Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist groups.

This was a way of probing the British and the Europeans and the West as a whole to see what would happen in the face of this outrageous act. And what they saw was no push back. So if I were in Tehran, the conclusion I would draw would be full speed ahead on the nuclear weapons program and possibly other even bolder actions against the U.S. and the U.K. and Iraq.

ROBERTS: We should point out, Ambassador Bolton, that no one has yet proven that they are actually trying to acquire nuclear weapons. They certainly are trying to enrich uranium.

But again, if you were a British diplomat, if you were the prime minister or the foreign secretary, how would you have approached this?

BOLTON: Well, let me just take issue with you on the nuclear weapons question, because I think this is a very important point. There are many, many things we know about what Iran is up to, things that the I.A.E.A., the International Atomic Energy Agency has found out. For example, that Iran is -- has the technical know-how to form uranium or plutonium metal in the hollow hemispheres. That is a critical step to creating a nuclear weapon and has nothing to do with civil nuclear power. And you don't acquire that information out of an abstract interest in physics. That's just one small point. But I don't think there really can be any doubt what Iran's intentions are.

Do we have proof that would stand up in a criminal court of law? No, but we've got a very substantial amount of evidence.

Now, in terms of what the British should do, I think they should have tried harder with their European colleagues to move toward economic sanctions. Again, because you can't see this hostage taking as an isolated incident. You have to see it as part of a bigger picture. ROBERTS: Bottom line, Ambassador Bolton, do you think that Iran is emboldened from this little episode?

BOLTON: I don't think there's any question about it. I think it's great that the hostages are free, their families know they're secure. But in terms of the bigger political picture, there's often a lot of debate, who's up and who's down in Tehran -- are the moderates up, are the hard-liners up?

Look at that celebration today. The spotlight was on Ahmadinejad the whole time. He made the call. He gets the credit for the hostages getting out. He stage managed this to his advantage. He's the one pushing the nuclear weapons program. I think we've got real trouble ahead.

ROBERTS: John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, thanks for being with us. Appreciate it.

BOLTON: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Whether or not you agree with Ambassador Bolton's view of who comes out on top here, it is hard to deny that Iran has a boatload of motives for amping up the crisis and ratcheting it down -- Iran and Syria, as CNN's Tom Foreman explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): With American ships and warplanes still cruising nearby waters, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was effectively thumbing his nose and waving hello to the Western powers. Smiling and shaking hands with the sailors he had imprisoned amid so much fanfare it looked like a party.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very grateful for your forgiveness.

FOREMAN: The British have insisted all along their troops did not stray into Iranian waters and must be returned.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Throughout we have taken a measured approach, firm, but calm; not negotiating, but not confronting either.

FOREMAN: But Iran appeared to be holding almost all the cards, trotting the sailors out on TV to give what the Iranians called confessions and in the process, distracting the world from putting pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, its alleged involvement in the Iraq War and its support for militant groups elsewhere in the Middle East.

Bruce Riedel is a former intelligence officer who has been studying Iran since the American hostage crisis, which started in November of 1979 and lasted 444 days.

BRUCE RIEDEL, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: It's demonstrating to the West, to the United Kingdom and the United States, that if they want to play hardball, Iran can play hardball just as well and it doesn't play by the rules.

FOREMAN (on camera): According to a great many foreign affairs analysts, Iran wants to become quite simply the super power of the Middle East. With significant influence over the new government of Iraq, control -- or a great deal of control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world's oil flows and nuclear weapons capable of striking any enemy near or far.

(voice-over): And other nations want more power, too. Syria's now saying it helped negotiate the release of those sailors. And in the glow of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit, is calling itself a peacemaker. Never mind that Syria has been a back door for insurgents into Iraq.

IMAD MOUSTAPHA, SYRIAN AMBASSADOR: They have been saying time and again that we want to be a part of the solution. We don't want to be a part of the problem.

FOREMAN: There is an old strategy in politics, create a problem, then make it go away and you look like a hero. Iran is pushing time and again to the brink of armed conflict with America and its allies, then giving up just enough ground to keep war from breaking out, to look at least to some, like I hero.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Some additional perspective now on Syria's part in the crisis and the region. In our first hour we heard a bit from CNN's Christiane Amanpour on the subject.

More now from our conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Christiane, what do you make of this claim from Syria that it helped to broker the release of these 15 Brits? What would it have done?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it would be a very good thing for Syria to have done, especially vis-a-vis it's cold relations with the West. Syria obviously is one of the countries with very, very close relations with Iran. We don't have any independent confirmation that it did actually do that, but it would make sense if the West reached out to Syria to try to mediate, that it might have done that.

The issue being that it does have good relations with Iran and the two presidents do talk and have met.

ROBERTS: Syria and Iran are taking all of this heat over the nuclear program, over Iraq, over supplying weapons and fighters in the Iraq war. Suddenly they're portraying themselves as the good guys. There's a bit of a disconnect going on here.

AMANPOUR: Well, look, I think Syria, for sure, is very keen to be seen as an important player. Iran as well. But there's a difference between both those countries now in terms of where the United States certainly is reacting to them.

The U.S. still has an embassy there. It doesn't have the same kind of relationship with Iran. It's true that the U.S. has had no real high level contacts with Syria since 2003. And so the visit of the House speaker is an important one in that respect.

ROBERTS: This message that Nancy Pelosi brought from Olmert in Israel and then conversely the message that she conveyed from Assad back to Olmert, is this the smallest crack in the door of a potential diplomatic breakthrough here in the Middle East?

AMANPOUR: Well, certainly the Syria/Israel track has been absolutely frozen for several years.

I have been just recently in Israel and was picking up also from there that they were keen in exploring how they could pick up that track again. I think messages is one thing, getting back on the peace train is another thing. Probably quite far from that. And historically, the issue of peace between Israel and Syria, without peace between Israel and the Palestinians, has proved rather tricky.

If you remember Ehud Barak tried to do that, sort of doing an end run against the Palestinians towards the Syrians. And it didn't work, it didn't go anywhere.

ROBERTS: After Nancy Pelosi delivered this message, Christiane, we saw some clarification from Ehud Olmert's office, saying, wait a minute here, what we meant to have said was that if Syria renounces terrorism, then perhaps we're ready to open negotiations.

It didn't look like Nancy Pelosi had conveyed that and that's a very important point for the Israelis.

AMANPOUR: Well, I don't think we know exactly what Nancy Pelosi did convey and I'm sure she did convey that if she was being briefed properly because that's the bottom line (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of any negotiations. There are -- there are preconditions and one of those is the terrorism issue. Of course, since 2003, there's been the issue of Syria and Lebanon, most especially last year, the issue of Syria supporting Hezbollah. And so I would say that those parameters would be on anybody's mind.

ROBERTS: But what do you think of the prospects for opening up a dialogue between Israel and Syria? Is this just so much wishful thinking or is it possible?

AMANPOUR: Well, it's possible. It's been sort of tried before. I think that it is possible. Syria does want to come in out of the cold. Israel has been talking about -- we were struck actually in Israel by how warm a reception the so-called Arab peace initiative that was going on last week, what a warm reception it got by the Israeli government and by Prime Minister Olmert. Clearly, there is a possibility. But there seems to be nothing on the horizon right now. All those sort of peace issues have been really in deep freeze for such a long time.

ROBERTS: Well, perhaps this is just the very slightest opening in the door.

Christiane Amanpour, good to see you again. Thanks very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: One quick note from the Pentagon tonight. The Army says it is investigating the possibility that two soldiers killed in Iraq back in February may have been the victims of friendly fire.

Initial reports were that the Specialist Alan McPeek and Private Matthew Zeimer died in action.

Still to come tonight, the race for the White House and Rudy's run. The former New York City Mayor, one-on-one, does he think that his third wife, who has now become a tabloid magnet, is going to hurt his campaign?

First though, Erica Hill joins us now with a 360 bulletin -- Erica.

ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, the parents of American Taliban John Walker Lindh have called on President Bush to free their son. They say it isn't fair that an Australian man was recently sentenced to just nine months for aiding terror. Lindh is serving 20 years in prison. You may recall, he was captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan in November of 2001 when he was fighting for the Taliban.

Across parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas, a big cleanup after some very nasty weather. Several homes were damaged when violent thunderstorms hit, bringing hail as big as softballs and gale force winds.

Meantime, in St. Albans, West Virginia, a mudslide sent a boulder rolling down a hill. A train hit that boulder. The locomotive left the tracks, part of it ending up in a river. Luckily though, no injuries.

And in Broward County, Florida, new records released on the death of Anna Nicole Smith. According to the medical examiner's office, all of the 11 prescription drugs found in Smith's hotel room were prescribed by a single doctor. The report also shows that even though all the medication was intended for Smith, many of those prescriptions bore Howard K. Stern's name instead -- John.

ROBERTS: It's a real tangled web there, Erica. We have prescription drugs that were prescribed perhaps under a pseudonym that made their way to her. I think it's safe to say we haven't heard the last of this particular aspect of that case.

HILL: No, I think it is safe to say that, John. ROBERTS: Erica, we'll see you later on this hour, thanks.

HILL: See you in a bit.

ROBERTS: Coming up, what Rudy Giuliani said about not just abortion, but public funding for it. That's coming up.

And so is this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS (voice-over): Want to know what's killing our pets? Do what we did and go to China.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course it's not good for us. We want to clear our name.

ROBERTS: Find out what happened when we demanded answers from the company that made the tainted ingredient. We're keeping them honest.

Also, call them porn again Christians.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have given over to lust, fantasies, masturbation and pornography. You are on dangerous ground.

ROBERTS: In person, online, saving souls from temptations of the flesh, tonight on 360.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, HOST, "TONIGHT SHOW": Hillary Clinton set the mark for raising $26 million for her presidential campaign in the first quarter of 2007. Mitt Romney, the Republican right behind her with $23 million. That's something Hillary hasn't felt in 20 years -- a man breathing down her neck, boy, that's...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Well, not exactly a subtle joke there by Jay Leno. While his punch line is silly, the premise of it is not. The fact is, to be president you need money and plenty of it. That's the reality. And that is raw politics for tonight.

CNN's Candy Crowley has the latest on the skyrocketing war chests.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, there's only one way to start "raw politics" tonight -- Obama, oh wow -- $25 million in three months, putting Obama in the same league with $26 million Hillary Clinton and leaving everybody else scrambling in the minors. The Obama number establishes him as a power player and puts a serious crimp in the plans of Camp Clinton to muscle everyone else out of the race with a sense of inevitability.

Obama released his numbers three days after everyone else went out with theirs, leading one to suspect he might have deliberately stalled for maximum impact. Gee, you think?

And throw another Republican into the pool. Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson officially announced his candidacy. Not much money there and little name recognition. Look for Thompson to rely on the frequent driver strategy. He has spent nearly every weekend in Iowa since the beginning of the year, traveling so far to 30 of 99 counties. Keep driving.

Mitt Romney has found a way to spend some of that $20 mill he raised in the first quarter. The Republican's champion fundraiser is putting ads up in Iowa and New Hampshire, having proven he is well- known among donors. Now Romney's got to introduce himself to voters.

New presidential numbers from New Hampshire showing it's still a tie in the state between John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, with Mitt Romney coming on strong.

Undeclared Newt Gingrich and Fred Thompson barely register in the poll. Message from voters, get in or get out.

And finally, Democratic Presidential Contender Joe Biden was asked whether he favors the impeachment of George Bush. Mr. Biden said, quote, "you could make a case that articles of impeachment might be appropriate, but ladies and gentlemen, politics is the art of the possible, not the constitutional." If you need a translation, Biden later explained, he is opposed to impeachment as counterproductive, adding with a smile, I don't want Cheney.

And that, John, is raw politics.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Candy Crowley for us tonight from the granite state of New Hampshire.

As Candy just pointed out, in New Hampshire Rudy Giuliani is neck and neck with John McCain in the Republican presidential race.

Giuliani wants to talk about the issues. It seems that what many people want to know about is his personal life, specifically his marriage to his third wife.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS (voice-over): For New Yorkers the ballad of Rudy and Judi Giuliani is so familiar, it's become essentially background music. But now the rest of America is getting a first listen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honestly, it's no different that campaigning in New York.

ROBERTS: Especially with the Gotham tabloids once again in hot pursuit. To be fair, the recent headlines are all about Judi, not Rudy.

The "New York Post" -- "Judi's Secret Hubby." Mrs. Giuliani reveals the former mayor is actually her third husband. She, of course, is his third wife.

Not to be outdone, the "Daily News" -- "Judith's First Hubby Speaks Out." For the record, he proclaims her a terrific lady.

ANDREW KIRTZMAN, CORRESPONDENT, WCBS-TV: Rudy Giuliani has a messy, private life. And Republicans don't like a mess.

ROBERTS: Over the past month, Giuliani aides have tried to get all that messy stuff out in the open, hoping it will be old hat by the time voters start paying attention.

The disclosure of Mrs. Giuliani's first marriage, a strategic decision as she becomes more visible on the campaign trail. Still, the Judi Giuliani rollout hasn't been without hiccups.

JUDI GIULIANI, RUDY GIULIANI'S THIRD WIFE: I wanted to tell you all a little bit about how Rudy and I came to be our team together.

ROBERTS: Her first big speech didn't make a great impression. And some people were put off by her husband's answer to this question last week from ABC's Barbara Walters.

BARBARA WALTERS, ABC: If and when you are president, would Mrs. Giuliani sit in on cabinet meetings?

RUDY GIULIANI (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If she wanted to. If it were relevant to something that she was interested in, that would be something that I'd be very, very comfortable with.

ROBERTS: Later, Giuliani said his wife probably won't attend most cabinet meetings.

Then the New York tabs were at it again. "Judi's Dog Days" -- reports that in an old sales job, Mrs. Giuliani demonstrated medical equipment on live dogs that were later euthanized.

KIRTZMAN: In fairness to Judith Giuliani, the tabloids in New York City are now feeling free do go after her. And they're digging up whatever they can about her. And it's -- I guess it's a hallowed New York tradition. It's not pretty to watch and it's not necessarily fair. But they're doing what they do.

ROBERTS: Late Monday, Rudy Giuliani fired back.

R. GIULIANI: Attack me all you want. There's plenty to attack me about. Please do it, you know, maybe show a little decency.

ROBERTS: A familiar tune for New Yorkers. A new one for the rest of America.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS (on camera): So there's the back story for you.

And earlier tonight, CNN's Dana Bash sat down with Rudy Giuliani. The interview was revealing. It's also exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You've surprised a lot of people in the fact that you are way ahead in many polls nationally. A lot of political observers say how can Rudy Giuliani -- he was so socially moderate, be doing well among Republican voters?

R. GIULIANI: There are a lot of Republicans who are willing to look at the whole record and to take a look at, what can he do for us in terms of dealing with terrorism? What can he do for us in dealing with the economy? Is he going to be the fiscal conservative...

(CROSSTALK)

BASH: Let me -- let me ask you about that record.

R. GIULIANI: Sure.

BASH: For example, on abortion. You're a self-described pro- choice Republican. There's a woman out there who says I like Rudy Giuliani because I think he's going to keep me safe. He's going to lower my taxes. He's going to get our budget balanced. But I want to know, is he going to have the same position that he did as president that he did as mayor, which is to protect and defend my right to choose. What would President Giuliani say?

R. GIULIANI: Same position. I'm in the same position now that I was 12 years ago when I ran for mayor or as mayor, which is personally opposed to abortion, don't like it, hate it, would advise that woman have an adoption rather than abortion. I'll help you find the money for it. But it's your choice. It's an individual right. You get to make that choice.

BASH: One last question on abortion. There's something, you know, on YouTube from 1989. It's flying around the Internet. It's a clip of you. And I'll read it to you. I'll read it to you. On abortion. There must be public funding for abortions for poor women. We cannot deny any woman the right to make her own decision about abortion because she lacks resources. Then you said, at the time, about then-President Bush, I've also stated that I disagree with President Bush's veto last week of public funding for abortion. Is that also going to be your position?

R. GIULIANI: Probably. I mean I'd have to reexamine all of those issues and exactly what was at stake then. It is a long time ago. But generally, that's my view. Abortion's wrong. Abortion shouldn't happen. Personally, you should counsel people to that extent. When I was mayor, adoptions went up, abortions went down. But ultimately, it's a constitutional right, and therefore if it's a constitutional right, ultimately, even if you do it on a state by state basis, you have to make sure the people are protected.

BASH: So you support taxpayer money or public funding for abortion in some cases?

R. GIULIANI: If it would deprive someone of a constitutional right, yes. I mean, if that's the status of the law, then I would. Yes.

BASH: We're talking about your record and your personal views on issues. But as you well know, your personal life and your family has been scrutinized and probably will continue to be scrutinized over the next several months.

One of the things that has come up is your son, and he has gone public and said that there's a rift between you two. Have you -- have you reached to him?

R. GIULIANI: Of course I have. My conversations with my son are very, very private. They are between my son and I. I love him. He loves me. My wife Judith loves all of our children. We've got issues. Every American family in one way or another, I guess, has issues. I mean, a lot of people have communicated with me about it, even given me advice about it because they've gone through similar kinds of things.

Look, I would prefer that there wasn't any scrutiny of my private life. However, I was the mayor of New York. I'm used to it. I'm ready for it. I just ask -- and you can look at anything you want you have a right to. The only thing I ask you to do is look at my public record because there's a way in which you can test how the issues in my private life affect my performance in office. You can look at what I accomplished. I think the reason that you look, meaning the press, looks at my private life and have a right to, is to figure out what kind of president will he make? How will this affect him? Will it distract him? Will it hurt him? Well, I went through all these issues, took the city from the worst crime situation in the country to the safest large city in America. Took the city from the worst welfare situation in the country to the best welfare to work situation. Took the city from a deficit to a surplus and got us through September 11. And all these personal things were going on at the same time. So I don't think it affects my job performance.

BASH: Mayor Giuliani, thank you very much. Appreciate your time.

R. GIULIANI: Thanks. Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: True, not an easy fellow to distract. A real multitasker.

Ahead on 360, planet in peril. You won't believe the difference that just one degree and can make. Also tonight, in search of a killer. We've been telling you about thousands of pets at risk from tainted food. We're determined to find the source even if it takes us halfway around the world. See what our cameras uncovered in China.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: The tainted pet food story, it's not going way. Just the opposite, and the numbers tell you why, more than half of American households have at least one dog or cat. There's the raw data. The pet population in the United States includes 63 million dogs, and more than 81 million cats.

In 2005, Americans spent more than $14 billion on dog and cat food. That's a record high. To give you some idea of the impact, some pet owners are now making home-cooked meals for their animals. Pet food cookbooks are flying off the shelves. Some have sold out on Amazon.com. Pet owners are going to great links to avoid the toxic ingredient traced to a company in China. But the company says it's not to blame.

CNN's Joe Johns is "Keeping Them Honest."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pet food investigation starts its long path on the other side of the world at a rundown warehouse in China, where employees started covering up what appeared to be sacks of grain when our cameras arrived.

The Food and Drug Administration has ordered the seizure of wheat gluten entering the U.S. that comes from the company inside the warehouse, Xuzhou Anying Biological. Its wheat gluten was found to be contaminated with the chemical melamine, which testing has suggested is toxic to pets.

But the company is claiming it's only a middleman and not the source of the problem. The company said it was astonished by what it called rumors from the United States. Xuzhou Anying has also said it did not export directly to the U.S., that it sold the product to another Chinese company, which probably exported it. This woman at the warehouse told CNN: "We want to clear our name."

Meanwhile, back in the United States, Menu Foods, manufacturer of nearly 100 brands that it recalled, is being sued by angry pet owners who unknowingly gave their animals the suspect food.

DAWN MAJERCZYK, PET OWNER: He died six days after I fed him. All his organs shut down.

BEN DELONG, PET OWNER: She would get up, walk five or 10 feet, kind of in a diagonal motion, and then just lay down and groan. And I knew it was time to euthanize the cat.

JOHNS (on camera): The Chicago law firm that held that news conference is looking for more plaintiffs. It said 200 people have signed on to the class-action lawsuit so far. It also wants a court to keep Menu from destroying the recalled food, claiming it's evidence.

(voice-over): According to the University of Guelph, here's what appears to be part of the scientific evidence. These are pictures of crystals found in the urine of cats believed to have been affected by the toxin. Toxicologists think the crystals are formed by melamine, which is a plastic derivative used as fertilizer. The question in the laboratory is whether the crystals are causing the kidney failure that is killing the pets.

STEVE HANSEN, ASPCA POISON CONTROL CENTER: It ends up in the kidneys and forms crystals. And there can be large amount of crystals in the kidney. Right now, pathologists are looking very carefully at the kidneys of cats to try and see if they can tell exactly what is happening.

JOHNS: As far as sick and dying pets, the count continues. FDA said it had 10,000 complaints, though it has registered only 14 deaths.

However, PetConnection.com, a pet owner Web site, claims it has received reports of more than 3,000 suspected deaths.

But the worst may be over. At this animal hospital in New York, the veterinarian was reporting no new cases.

DR. LOUISE MURRAY, BERGH MEMORIAL ANIMAL HOSPITAL: So, we did start seeing cases of kidney failure in cats several weeks ago, when the recall began. We treated the cats aggressively with intravenous fluids in our intensive care unit. And we're lucky, because our cats have all made it home.

JOHNS: And the ASPCA has said the number of calls it has been getting has dropped off substantially.

But the fallout may be just beginning. A Senate hearing could come next week. And the FDA investigation isn't over yet.

Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: If you are still concerned, you can find a list of the recalled pet foods from all companies on the Menu Foods Web site. Just go to menufoods.com/recall, menufoods.com/recall.

"On the Radar" tonight, some of the e-mails that we've been getting on this important story.

Valarie in Ray Township writes: "Our beloved pets need vindication. Please do not let them suffer and die in vain for the greed of the billionaires who only care about the bottom line. These cats and dogs are our children, not just our property."

From "G" in Albuquerque: "Thank you for the interview that pointed out the absurdity of the previously publicized estimates to pet deaths from tainted food. It seemed obvious," "G" writes, "that if seven out of 40 or 50 test animals died, and 60 million cans of food were recalled, there must be thousands of deaths."

And Karen in Cromwell, Connecticut, writes: "Hopefully your actions will help prompt the FDA to take a firmer stance on pet food safety so that this nightmare will never be repeated.

And there's this from Julia in South Burlington, Vermont: "We all appreciate the fact that you decided that you decided to listen to all of those voices that asked for you to air this recall segment. Thank you also on behalf of all of those now voiceless; one would like to think that our pets didn't die in vain."

As always, if you've got something to say, head to cnn.com/360 blog, follow the links and let us know what's on your mind.

All right. Stop me if you've heard this one before. A coyote goes into a sandwich shop. You will see what came next in a moment.

Also these stories.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS (voice-over): Call them "porn-again Christians."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're given over to lust, fantasies, masturbation and pornography, you are on dangerous ground.

ROBERTS: In person, online, saving souls from temptations of the flesh.

Later, the newest warning about a planet in peril, when it comes to global warming the point of no return may be a lot closer than we thought. The controversy and the facts, ahead on "360."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Our "What Is a Christian?" series continues this Holy Week. Earlier we showed you "God, Faith and Hard Science." Tomorrow, "Sex and Salvation."

For millions of Americans, temptation is just a click away. The porn industry knows it. Some pastors do, too. And they're hoping to save souls one download at a time.

CNN's David Mattingly reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pornography is a multibillion dollar industry. And it might be hard to miss, but somewhere among all the adult products and XXX pictures....

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You get a free Bible yet?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Real pastors, real church, real Bibles.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He loves porn stars, he loves you.

MATTINGLY: ... there's an all-out battle for souls. And Christians fear they are losing.

CRAIG GROSS, FOUNDER, XXXCHURCH.COM: Pornography is fantasy. It's not real. It doesn't bring you closer with your loved one. It tears you apart.

MATTINGLY: Craig Gross founded xxxchurch.com to help Christians struggling with the temptations of pornography. He believes the numbers are growing for both churchgoers and ministers.

GROSS: We watched Ted Haggard, that's not the start of porn boulevard, that's the end of porn boulevard.

MATTINGLY: Gross organizes church groups called "Porn and Pancakes" to get the issue out in the open. When prayer and Bible study aren't enough, he also offers free tattletale software.

GROSS: You know you're caught. You know you're stuck.

MATTINGLY: Gross says there has been 300,000 downloads so far. Anytime the user visits a porn site, the program automatically alerts a friend, a spouse, or a pastor.

GROSS: If it slows you down just a bit and you start to think about, you know, the consequences and you might change your ways.

MATTINGLY: But when porn becomes an addiction, the only hope for some is to get away. At the Pure Life Ministries in rural central Kentucky, porn addicts spend six months on a desperate path to salvation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're given over to lust, fantasies, masturbation and pornography, you are on dangerous ground.

MATTINGLY (on camera): All of the men in this room have left behind jobs, homes and in some cases a wife and children. Some come here thinking, this is their last chance to break their porn addiction because after six months, that's it. They're not allowed to come back.

(voice-over): The program demands intense Bible study and discipline. Many here used to spend hours a day viewing porn and looking for ways to satisfy their fantasies, often resorting to prostitutes. This resident named Jerry believes getting closer to God will help him get way from the porn and the chat rooms that almost ruined his marriage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I cheated on my wife.

MATTINGLY (on camera): Was that driven by the pornography? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. Absolutely. You know, one thing leads to another. I mean, in time, it's just not enough.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Privacy here is nonexistent. New arrivals sleep 16 to a room. There's limited free time, but plenty of time for prayer.

(on camera): I don't see a television. I don't see any computers. Is that by design?

JEFF COLON, HEAD COUNSELOR, PURE LIFE MINISTRIES: Yes, it is. We try to avoid any outside temptation these men might have to deal with through TV or magazines.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): there are no books here either, except for the Bible and study materials, with scriptural lessons on guilt, anger, depression and selfishness. Head counselor Jeff Colon says the real test is leaving the structured environment and going home.

COLON: We do live in a sexualized culture, and it is difficult for these men when they leave here. It doesn't help.

MATTINGLY: The Kentucky ministry believes most of their residents will eventually gain control of their addictions. But when temptation is so readily available, every day can become a new test of faith.

David Mattingly, CNN, Williamstown, Kentucky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Faith, temptation, it's just part of the "360" special, "What Is a Christian?: Sex and Salvation," tomorrow at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

Still ahead, "Our Planet in Peril," have we reached a tipping point on global warming and is it too late to turn back?

Plus, a Coast Guard rescue involving a man, a bird and a very tall tree. It's our "Shot of the Day" when "360" continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Our Planet in Peril" series continues again tonight. In the last few months we have traveled from the rain forests of Brazil to Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. In all of these places we've looked at many different threats to humans, animals and the environment. Tonight we continue the series with a new and sobering report on global warming. And a frightening question: Are we approaching the point of no return?

Once again, here's CNN's David Mattingly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY (voice-over): The United Nations' global warming report, due on Friday, is expected to map out what some experts are calling a "highway to extinction." Produced by hundreds of the world's leading scientists, the question of how bad will it be in is being answered in a matter of degrees.

LINDA MEARNS, NATL. CTR.ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH: Even if we were able to stop emissions or stop them right at the level we're at right now, the whole climate system would still move forward, and we'd still see some small warming.

MATTINGLY: A moderate global temperature rise of just one degree Celsius or 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit is expected by the year 2020. Predictions of consequences include widespread droughts, cutting off water to more than a billion people. Another degree Celsius expected by 2050, and 2 billion people could go dry.

Experts say the wheels are already in motion for 20 to 30 percent of the world's species to go extinct.

CAMILLE PARMESAN, BIOLOGIST: If you look at those minimum projections, 1.8 degrees centigrade, which is about 2.5 to 3 degrees Fahrenheit, that's the conservative estimate. That's the least that we're going to get is two to three times what we've already had. And we've already had massive die-off of coral reefs, we've already lost 75 species of frog in the...

(SOUND EFFECT OBSCURING AUDIO)

PARMESAN: ... highlands of Costa Rica.

MATTINGLY: But it's the predictions of the human toll from global warming that make this report different from previous U.N. statements. The message for policymakers is that as temperatures rise, so could the numbers of people dying due to disease and drought.

Poor, fragile nations closer to the equator would be hit hardest, as water supplies dry up. But strangely enough, there could be more food. Wealthier nations to the north could benefit from longer growing seasons.

RICHARD KAUFMANN, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST: Under some of these scenarios that will change such that maybe Sweden will start to produce its own corn, but that's about as far as I can tell the only good news associated with climate change.

MATTINGLY: Debate over final wording of the report continues behind closed doors. The document is expected to be the cornerstone of international talks later this year on curbing emissions of greenhouse gases.

(on camera): Scientists involved in the U.N. report say the time has come to change the way we prepare for a hotter future. They say look for ways to adapt to the global warming that is already going on and look for ways to limit greenhouse gases to prevent even worse predicts from coming true.

David Mattingly, CNN, Atlanta. (END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Up next on "AC 360," workers moving old slot machines find a big jackpot. The questions is, will they get to keep it?

Plus, taking pet passion to new heights. Our :Shot of the Day" when "360" continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: A bird -- a whirlybird and a man up a tree. Coming up, it's our "Shot of the Day." But first, Erica Hill joins us once again with a "360" bulletin.

Hey, Erica.

ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: John, three Yale University students now facing criminal charges after torching a flag which was hanging from a house near campus. Two of the students are foreign nationals, the third was born in Pakistan but is now a U.S. citizen. No word on why they did it, but all three acknowledge it was a pretty stupid thing to do.

On Wall Street, markets ending the day in positive territory. The Dow gained 19, the Nasdaq was up 8, the S&P up slightly.

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, a little bit of jackpot at the old Sands Casino. It was closed last November, but crews moving out old slot machines just found $17,000 in coins, casino tokens, even a $100 bill. All of that money will go to the new owners of the hotel, that is, after they pay state taxes on the earnings.

And you know you see all kinds of things in a big city, but even Chicagoans a little surprised when this wild coyote walked into a downtown sandwich shop. Witnesses say it just calmly strolled in, sat down by the drinks cooler, while customers and employees backed out of the store.

Maybe it was just waiting for someone to take his order. Instead, though, John, animal control came in and got the coyote out. They released it back into the wild. And it turns out about 10 or 15 coyotes are apparently captured in Chicago every year. Who knew?

ROBERTS: We see them here in downtown New York from time to time.

HILL: Really?

ROBERTS: Walking around the Upper East Side, Central Park.

HILL: That's a nice stroll.

ROBERTS: Hey, I'll see your coyote and raise you a cockatoo.

HILL: A cockatoo. ROBERTS: A cockatoo. Here is tonight's "Shot," A Houston man spent four hours up a 60-foot pine tree in Houston yesterday for his beloved, that would be 6-year-old cockatoo named Geronimo, who was safely tucked inside his shirt. The man climbed the tree to rescue the $2,000 bird which had escaped from his home.

A Coast Guard rescue chopper had to get them down. There they are swinging out of the three. The 90-minute operation cost tax- payers about $10,000.

HILL: Whoa, 10 grand.

ROBERTS: Ten grand. The man said that he would do anything for the bird and has no regrets about what he does -- what he did. He does, however, plan to clip Geronimo's wings. Now this fellow is actually lucky that a helicopter came along and plucked him out of the tree because on occasion, when we have seen things go up trees, it doesn't quite turn out that well.

HILL: No.

ROBERTS: They certainly didn't send a helicopter for this fellow.

HILL: No, they didn't. Just a tranquilizer gun?

ROBERTS: They shot him in the butt with a tranquilizer, and he just happened to land on the trampoline.

HILL: You know, it has been a while since we saw the bear on the trampoline. Thanks for bring it back.

ROBERTS: Any excuse, Erica.

HILL: Before you know it, we'll see the squirrel again in the pool, maybe tomorrow.

ROBERTS: We can do that. Give me a minute. No, just kidding.

HILL: See you tomorrow, John.

ROBERTS: Thanks, Erica. And we want you to send us your shot ideas. If you see some amazing video, tell us about it at cnn.com/360. We'll put some of your best clips on the air.

One quick bit of breaking news. The Associated Press reporting that the 15 British captives have just arrived at the airport in Tehran. So they'll be heading home soon. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest on that, when there are live pictures we'll be sure to bring them to you. And we are back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Tomorrow on "AMERICAN MORNING," eating out and getting fat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Restaurants are onboard to help fight obesity. But don't come in and tell them what to cook what not to cook.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: "Portion Distortion," who's responsible, the restaurant or the customer? Find out tomorrow on "AMERICAN MORNING" beginning at 6:00 Eastern. The most news in the morning is on CNN.

And a reminder, we want you to help us "Keep Them Honest." If there is a wrong that needs to be made right in your community, tell us about it at cnn.com/360. For Anderson Cooper, I'm John Roberts. Thanks for joining us. I'll see you again tomorrow night. "LARRY KING" is next with guest host Terri Irwin, wife of the late Steve Irwin, the "Crocodile Hunter."

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