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CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown

Trent Lott Apologizes Again; Bernard Law Steps Down; Kissinger Resigns From September 11 Commission

Aired December 13, 2002 - 22:00   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST: And good evening from Washington. Aaron is in Atlanta in a war training program. I'm sure he will tell you what that was like when he's back on Monday.
The stories this day couldn't be more different, but there is something that binds them together. At the center of all three stories is a very powerful man facing criticism that he simply didn't get it. There's Senator Trent Lott, and the comments that seemed to many like nostalgia for the bad old days in the south. Senator Lott tried to make his case with another apology this afternoon.

There's the priest abuse scandal in Boston and how it was handled or mishandled by Cardinal Bernard Law. Critics, even some of his own priests, have been calling on him to resign for showing more sympathy, more accommodation to an accused priest than to an abused child. Well, today, the cardinal resigned and the Vatican accepted.

And one more resignation from former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger from a brand new independent commission to look into September 11. At first, Kissinger said he could decide for himself whether there were conflicts of interest in his enormous list of high- profile contacts and clients. Something that did not go over well with critics. Well, today, Kissinger gave into the argument.

Three powerful men, three controversies. But among the three, Senator Lott is holding out. He wants to keep his leadership post. And how his latest explanation goes over may well determine whether the furor that he's created is a one-week wonder or something that will stretch into the new Congress.

And so we begin with "The Whip" and the swirl of controversy around Senator Lott. Congressional Correspondent Jonathan Karl is on that story for us -- John, the headline.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Judy, Senator Lott has apologized yet again. This time in a full-blown 30-minute press conference where, among other things, he spoke about his experience growing up in the segregated south.

WOODRUFF: And on to the resignation today of Boston's cardinal. Jason Carroll is in Boston following that -- Jason, a headline.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Judy, this is a day that many thought would never come. Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law wanted to see the church through the sex abuse crisis. But today, the pope accepted his resignation. Now the question is, will Law's resignation be enough to let the healing begin -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. And we will talk to you in a moment, Jason.

It has been a very busy week in terms of the developments for the countries named as part of the so-called access of evil. White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is on that story for us -- Suzanne, the headline.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Judy, when the president first talked about it in the state of the union address, this access of evil, Iraq, Iran and North Korea, there were some who thought he was being melodramatic, but not anymore. The Bush administration facing potential threats now from all three.

WOODRUFF: All right. We'll be back with all three of you in a moment.

Also coming up tonight, some of the less pressing questions of life at this time of the year. Just how bad is it to re-gift, to give someone a present that someone else gave you? Should you give your boss a holiday present? Well, we'll have a mix of etiquette and morality with Randy Cohen, better known as the Ethicist.

And when a book is so much more than a book. Pocket-sized novels made especially for a soldier on the move. A wonderful bit of World War II tradition is being revived. That's segment seven tonight.

But our top story tonight: the fate of the most powerful Republican in the Senate. Some scandals begin with a boom. But this one was more of a slow build. Senator Lott made his comments last week and, slowly but surely, new revelations have come out that magnify the damage. The fact that he made a similar statement seeming to support segregation two decades ago.

Allegations that he backed segregation in his fraternity days. So it would be hard to overstate just how important today's news conference was. As one journalist put it earlier, Senator Lott needed nothing short of a checker (ph) speech. That's the speech that allowed Richard Nixon to stay on the Eisenhower presidential ticket after a fundraising controversy.

Did the senator succeed? Once again, here is Jonathan Karl.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL (voice-over): Alternately contrite and defensive, Senator Lott sought to make it clear his praise of Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential campaign does not mean he favors segregation.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: Segregation is a stain on our nation's soul. There's no other way to describe it. It represents one of the lowest moments in our nation's history. And we can never forget that.

KARL: He spoke of his personal experience in the segregated south.

LOTT: I lived through those troubled times in the south. And, along with the south, I have learned from the mistakes of our past. I have asked, and I'm asking for forbearance and forgiveness as I continue to learn from my own mistakes.

KARL: And he apologized yet again for at least the third time this week. But as sorry as he says he is, resigning is out of the question.

LOTT: But you know I'm not about to resign for an accusation that I'm something that I'm not.

KARL: Despite the president's harsh rebuke of Lott on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said, "Senator Lott was candid and forthright. He apologized again and rightly so. I reiterate, the president does not think he needs to resign."

Lott's harshest critics were not satisfied, though. Including the Congressional Black Caucus, which reaffirmed its call for a formal Senate censure, a move senior Democratic senators are seriously considering. Lott drew praise from one of his conservative critics, but he said Lott still must go because he is a political liability for Republicans.

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: And he admitted that he had a blind spot. He admitted that. How many other blind spots does Senator Lott have? I forgive him, I applaud his speech, but he is a weak man. And he is prey to the Democrats, and they will eat him alive.

KARL: Most of Lott's Republican colleagues in the Senate responded with silence. And a few put out paper statements, including Olympia Snow, who called Lott's latest statement, "a significant first step." And John Warner, one said Lott deserves a fair chance to prove his commitment to racial equality.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARL: And Judy, CNN has learned that shortly after Trent Lott's press conference, there was a conference call of 20 Republican senators talking about the fallout. A couple of things of significance coming out of that conference call.

One, there was consensus on the call that, if the Democrats try to introduce a censure resolution censuring Trent Lott, Republicans would move to include in that resolution a censure of Robert Byrd for a racial slur he said in an interview last year. But also, I am told, that two key senators on that call, Bill Frist and Don Nichols, two Republicans that are talked about as possible successors to Trent Lott should he be forced out, both expressed grave concerns about what this episode has done to the prospects for the party when they come back in session next year, the party here in the Congress.

Both had grave concerns. But, Judy, I should also tell you that most of the Republicans on that call spoke out, saying that they would support Trent Lott.

WOODRUFF: So Jon, what happens next?

KARL: Well, it's a great question. Most of the Republicans here have said absolutely nothing publicly, which is really outstanding. Usually, when one of their own is being attacked by Democrats, they rally to that person's defense. None of the Republicans were on any television program tonight coming out answering questions about that.

There were some paper statements, but nothing further. Now Trent Lott has also given a message to his Republican colleagues. And that message is, if he is forced to resign, he would resign not only as majority leader, but he would resign from the Senate entirely. And that would lead the Democratic governor of Mississippi to appoint his successor.

Some Republicans, I am told, view that as somewhat of a threat, because that would whittle the Republican lead back if that Democratic governor appointed a Democrat. That would bring the Republican lead here in the Senate back to 50-50, with the vice president being the tie-breaking vote.

So there's a lot of concern among Republicans what would it mean if Trent Lott was forced out. That's a very major concern for them. Right now, most of them think that he will ride this out. But no one is willing to predict that entirely.

WOODRUFF: All right. Jon Karl at the Capitol.

Facing questions or perhaps declining to face questions about conflicts of interest. Henry Kissinger today resigned from the independent commission investigating the events of September 11. Mr. Kissinger was appointed by the president to chair the commission only last month. Critics call the former secretary of state too close to powerful national and international figures truly to be independent.

In his letter of resignation, Mr. Kissinger said that it would take too long to liquidate his consulting form, which was the source of some of the potential conflicts. Former Senator George Mitchell, who was to have been the commission's vice chairman, resigned just two days ago, also citing potential conflicts of interest.

He was replaced by former Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton (ph). No word yet on who will replace Kissinger, but we assume this is a problem the White House would rather not have on its plate right now.

Well, some perspective now on Kissinger and on what Senator Lott needed to accomplish and whether he did from one of the hosts of "CROSSFIRE," Bob Novak.

Bob, is Trent Lott any more secure in his position as a leader after this?

BOB NOVAK, HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Yes, I think he is, Judy. I think he had to do several things. One was he to have a press conference. He hadn't had one which is open to all questions.

Secondly, he had to have an unconditional, total apology for his statement, whether it really was needed or not. In fact, it was needed politically, we know.

And third, he had to have a further step of reconciliation. And he embraced the idea of Jack Kemp that he should speak to some groups of African-Americans, and he has arranged with Bob Johnson (ph) of BET (ph) partly to have (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

So he did all the things that he to do. And I would say that the odds have moved from the probability, when we started this day, that he was not long for this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the probability he will stay.

WOODRUFF: But what do you make of Jon Karl's reporting just a moment ago, that on this conference call of 20-some Republican senators, that Senators Frist and Nickles, two people who have been mentioned as potential leadership successors, still expressing grave concern?

NOVAK: Well the relationship between Senator Nickles and Senator Lott is not very good, as you know, of course. Senator Nickles was interested in running against Lott for majority leader this last time -- Republican leader -- and didn't get enough votes. So I don't think that's terribly important.

I believe that this -- that he has weathered the storm for now. And one of the reasons is, I believe, that there is a preponderance of opinions, they don't want the Congressional Black Caucus and the news media and the Democratic leadership to pick the Republican leader of the Senate. There are some Republicans I've talked to who think he is going to be a liability in the campaign. The campaign is a long way off.

WOODRUFF: Well, that's my next question. Assuming he does survive for now -- those were your words, Bob -- does he emerge from this as a weak leader for the Republicans in the Senate?

NOVAK: Well he was -- a lot people consider him a weak leader anyway. And that's one of the reasons some people would like to get rid of him. It has nothing to do with this 17-second statement he made at Strom Thurmond's birthday party. A lot of the people who want to get rid of him have really no interest in what he said. And a lot people in the conservative moment think he's a weak leader.

I don't think that he is the key to Republican success in the campaign. The question is, is he a liability, and that has yet to be determined.

WOODRUFF: Just quickly, the Kissinger episode, how much how much of an embarrassment for the White House of him stepping down?

NOVAK: It was an embarrassment. That is a much bigger embarrassment than the Lott affair. They had to -- when they're putting an important appointment like this, they had to bet that. So they knew that all of his clients, these conflict of interest problems would be solved. I'd say the Democrats were equally culpable with George Mitchell. This is a comic (ph) opera (ph) buffet. I think can anybody in this gang shoot straight?

WOODRUFF: Well, we'll see, from here on out. All right. Bob Novak, thanks very much.

Appreciate you stopping by tonight.

NOVAK: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Well, it seemed a rhetorical flourish, as much as anything else. A memorable shorthand way to describe a trio of potentially trouble-making countries. But now, not very long after being called an access of evil, those countries really do seem to be making trouble all at once. Here is Suzanne Malveaux on a rhetorical flourish come to very menacing life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush raised more than a few eyebrows when he labeled Iraq, North Korea and Iran members of an axis of evil. Now the administration is simultaneously being confronted with threats from all three. But the White House strategy is decidedly different for each.

Iraq claims it has no weapons of mass destruction. The White House says otherwise. The Bush administration is engaged in diplomacy, backed by military might. But the White House says it will hold off on military action until it has examined Iraq's declaration on weapons of mass destruction more thoroughly.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We have always said that we want to carefully review the document in terms of reviewing not only what is in it, but what is not in it.

MALVEAUX: But for North Korea no talk at all of military action, despite the fact this country recently admitted to developing a secret nuclear weapons program. It now plans to reactivate several nuclear facilities and wants to turn away international monitors. Instead, the White House is urgently consulting with allies, including South Korea and Japan.

President Bush stresses he wants a peaceful solution, but will not negotiate with North Korea to disarm. North Korea is the closest to having a nuclear weapons program, White House aides say, but most least likely to use them. Because it needs US economic and humanitarian aid.

FLEISCHER: The world cannot just be treated as a photo copy machine, where policies on one part of the world need to be identically copied for another.

MALVEAUX: As for Iran, commercial satellite photos taken in September show that Iran has secretly been building large nuclear facilities at two locations. The administration says despite Iran's claims, they are not for peaceful means. But while the White House says it has grave concerns about Iran's nuclear facilities, it will wait for an update from international monitors.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: While the Bush administration continues to grapple with all three members of the axis of evil, the White House says that the focus remains on public enemy number one: Saddam Hussein and Iraq -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Suzanne reporting from the White House, thanks very much.

And we will talk more about how to deal with Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

Coming up next: the end of an era in the Boston Catholic Church as Cardinal Law resigns. But is that the end of the scandal?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: On now to the priest abuse scandal and today's resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law. One of the victims had a two- word response: "Thank heaven." It seemed just a few weeks back that Cardinal Law might well ride out this scandal. But newly released documents and a revolt by dozens of Boston priests clearly brought the situation to a critical mass.

Once again, here's Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): Cardinal Bernard Law had hoped he would be the man to lead the Boston Archdiocese through the sex abuse crisis. Early Friday, it became clear he could not.

CHRISTOPHER COYNE, BOSTON ARCHDIOCESE: The resignation of Cardinal Law as Archbishop of Boston is just one more moment of sadness over the whole timeline of great sadness and grief that has touched the archdioceses.

CARROLL: Shortly after the pope accepted Law's resignation, Law released a statement saying, "It is my fervent prayer that this action may help the Archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity, which are so desperately needed. To all of those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness."

But forgiveness is something victims af alleged sexual abuse, like Chris Fulchino, may not be ready for.

CHRIS FULCHINO, ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIM: And I'm glad that the cardinal did resign. I'm glad that this day has finally come.

CARROLL: Chris and his father Thomas represent two generations of abuse. Both say they were abused as children by different priests. In Chris's case, the abuse allegedly happened at age 13, when Cardinal Law transferred Father John Geghan to his parish, even though Geghan faced previous allegations of abuse. Geghan, now defrocked, is serving a 10-year sentence for molesting other children.

SUSAN FULCHINO, MOTHER: The cardinal knowingly put a pedophile in my church and didn't give me a chance to know about it, and took this little boy's happiness.

C. FULCHINO: Every day I relive the torment that happened that day. The memories just keep running right through my head and it just doesn't stop. And there's no way of stopping it. And I hope that today will help that.

CARROLL: Law's resignation is not the end of the scandal. A criminal trial against one priest, Father Paul Shanley, still pending. The attorney general considering whether Cardinal Law and other clergy should face criminal charges for failing to supervise priests accused of abuse. And civil suits against the archdiocese could total more than $1 million. Bankruptcy still a possibility.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just because Cardinal Bernard Law resigned doesn't mean everything is OK now. There's enormous rot, enormous decay within the Archdiocese of Boston. We've all seen that for years, and now it has to cleanse itself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Law is the first American archbishop to resign because of the sex abuse scandal. The pope named auxiliary bishop Richard Lennon (ph) to take over the archdiocese until a permanent replacement can be found. It is said that Lennon (ph) is a wise man, a man who is willing to listen. And Judy, Lennon (ph) is going to have to draw on all of his talents to do his part to help lead the church through this crisis; a crisis which is clearly not over yet -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Jason, what is the feeling of the church people you are talking to? Is there a sense of relief after today's resignation, or is there just a sense that they're bracing themselves for the next thing that's coming along down the road for them?

CARROLL: I think it's a combination of emotions. You talk to some of the victims and even some parishioners. There is still a great deal of anger in this community. With some other people, there is a great deal of sadness. Sadness that it had to come to Cardinal Law having to finally resign. The overwhelming sense that I get from a number of people is a sense of relief that at least one part of this is over. But, as I said earlier, there's still many more parts to come -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Jason, thank you very much. I know you've been following this story for a long time indeed.

Well, there was a certain finality to Cardinal Law's resignation today. But that may well be deceiving, as Jason just suggested. The Boston Archdiocese, not to mention countless others around the country, are still facing hundreds of lawsuits on certain finances and leaders on the edge.

So we want to look at today's news and what we should be looking at going forward. In New York, joining us, Rod Dreher, who has written extensively about the scandal for the "National Review." And, in Massachusetts, Steve, Krueger, he is executive director of "Voice for the Faithful." That's a group that's been pushing for reform in the church.

Rod Dreher, just quickly, what caused the cardinal to resign today? What pushed him to the brink after weeks and months of saying he wasn't going to do it?

ROD DREHER, NATIONAL REVIEW: I think the key event was the letter that those 58 priests in Boston signed requesting the cardinal to resign. I think that made an enormous impact on the Vatican. We knew -- although the revelations that had come out, and there are still revelations coming out -- we knew that the attorney general of Massachusetts put Cardinal Law under criminal subpoena last Friday. But I think that letter by the priests showing that they were basically in revolt against the cardinal, that made an enormous impression on the Vatican. And I think they must have realized that the game was up.

WOODRUFF: So, Steve Kreuger, just how much of the problem is eliminated with the departure of Cardinal Law?

STEVE KRUEGER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL: Cardinal Law's resignation addresses the immediate crisis. But it does not address the cause of the problem or the long-term solution to it. In "The Pilot" (ph) this past week in the editorial section it indicated that...

WOODRUFF: This is the Catholic publication.

KRUEGER: Yes, correct, within the Archdiocese of Boston. It indicated that part of the cause of the problem was a cultural of secrecy and authoritarianism. And that culture remains today. And that's a culture that can only be changed by the laity stepping forward, holding their bishops accountable, acknowledging to themselves and the church that they're part of the solution to this problem. And to have the bishops work collaboratively with the laity.

WOODRUFF: But Rod Dreher, to do something like that, changing a culture, I mean, you're talking about something that takes years to accomplish.

DREHER: That's true. And there's really no way through this but forward and painfully. I think that over the past year a lot of lay Catholics have been shocked and terribly saddened and angered by what we've seen. And a lot of priests have too. I talk to priests all the time, and they are grieving and they are angry with the rest of us.

And I think that's why the significance of these 58 priests in Boston doing what they did will have a great reverberation throughout the whole country. Because there has to be priests all around this country who are hearing from their people they see every Sunday in church. They know how people are hurting and how angry people are.

And I think a lot of priests might be wondering, I have to speak out too. If those priests in Boston had the courage to speak out, then why can't I? Because, I'll tell you what, Cardinal Law is by no means the only bishop in this country to have handled this sex abuse crisis in the way that he has.

WOODRUFF: So Steve Krueger, what kind of repercussions do you see taking place throughout the country? Not just in the Boston area, but all throughout the country?

KRUEGER: Well, I think that the repercussions could be enormous. What gave rise was to this crisis was the public nature of the files of the priest who had committed acts of sexual abuse. There are countless files in the other 160 dioceses throughout this country that have not had the transparency of sunlight put on them.

When those files become public, this crisis will occur over and over again across the country. What is called for today is to have all of those files made public...

WOODRUFF: But how do you know that that's going to happen?

KRUEGER: Well, ultimately, it will be a combination of factors. I think that one of those factors will be the laity stepping forward in very large numbers, coming off of the sidelines, acknowledging that this problem exists and holding their bishops accountable. And holding the bishops accountable to what they said they were going to do at the bishop's conference down in Washington, when they said that they were going to also hold each other accountable to putting this problem behind us.

As long as there are secret files, this problem will not be behind us.

DEHER: Steve is right, Judy. I have to say that it's very hard to overemphasize the key role that Judge Constance Sweeney (ph), that very brave Catholic judge in Boston, has played in bringing this scandal to national attention. If she hasn't gotten fed up with the church's cover-ups, with sealing these files and keeping them hidden, she got fed up with it, she released it and she kept releasing it over the course of the year, when she saw that Cardinal Law was lying in his testimony. She has played a very key role here.

WOODRUFF: Well, I think one of the most important points both of you are making tonight is that it's not just Boston. But this is going to have an effect on what happens throughout this country in the Catholic Church.

Rod Dreher, Steve Krueger, we thank you both for being with us tonight -- thank you.

A little later on NEWSNIGHT, the revival of a program to give books to American troops. And up next, while we're focused on Iraq, is Iraq a bigger troublemaker popping up in North Korea?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: We touched tipped already on the several curves that North Korea has thrown this country recently. But there is more to say about those unpleasant surprises and what to do about them. And whether there may be more.

We're joined now by Wendy Sherman who served as the Clinton administration's adviser on matters Korean. Thank you for being here.

We learned today that in the last day or so that North Korea is reactivating these plants for nuclear power which they say they need for electricity. Is this something the United States should be worried about?

AMB. WENDY SHERMAN, FRM. CLINTON ADVISER ON NORTH KOREA: I think the United States, sadly, has to be very worried about it. In 1993 we faced a similar crisis where North Korea was having its nuclear reactor plant up and running and was considering reprocessing this spent fuel, a byproduct of that into plutonium which is used to make nuclear bombs.

We probably came close to war we have come since the armistice 50 years ago on the Korean Peninsula. It was a very dangerous time. And unfortunately, we may be facing such a dangerous time again.

WOODRUFF: The North Koreans would have one believe that the United States provoked them to do this. Because the U.S. has decided not to ship the oil that North Korea says it desperately needs for fuel purposes. What about this argument that they make?

SHERMAN: There is a great deal of brinkmanship going on here by the North Koreans who are quite adept at getting themselves into a difficult place and very bad at getting themselves out.

in fact, North Korea was carrying on a secretly highly-enriched uranium program, another way to produce nuclear bombs. We found out about it. We asked them to dismantle it. They said they had a right to build nuclear weapons. They didn't say they had them yet. We don't know that. And we said until you dismantle them we're going to suspend -- not end -- of heavy fuel oil.

But I think the administration also needed to begin talking with North Korea to help them climb down off this very dangerous point. And that's been a subject of a great deal of argumentation within the administration.

WOODRUFF: But that's now less likely or more likely to happen as a result of this event?

SHERMAN: It's probably less likely to happen. But it's more important that it do happen. And in fact, out administration, the Bush administration is talking to South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, the European Union to try to get a united front to help North Korea back away from what could be very a dangerous path.

WOODRUFF: The Axis of Evil. The president identified not just North Korea and not just Iran, but clearly Iraq. That has been the administration's main focus.

But here we find that North Korea comes along, and it is the closest of the three, is that correct, to being able to build a nuclear weapon? For some to look at this -- if you were on another planet and you looked at the United States now. You would say, has the attention been in the wrong place?

SHERMAN: I think the reason that the Bush administration has put the attention on Iraq because the United Nations is a united front with Iraq. Iraq has invaded other countries. North Korea has not. It had some little skirmishes but no invasions. They haven't been particularly taken hostile act towards other people except in small ways.

And because Iraq has defied U.N. inspection sanctions again and again. The IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which inspects nuclear plants, has been in North Korea at this plant that they are considering starting up again. And if they kick the IAEA out, we will be back to the crisis of 1993. We will be on the precipice of a potential war.

WOODRUFF: So right now you're saying the United States should talk to the North Koreans in some form or fashion, which you're saying the administration, that we know, has been reluctant to do. And the focus on Iraq remains where it is while all of this is going on?

SHERMAN: Unfortunately, we have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, as they say. I think the United States is going to have to pay attention to all three.

In fact North Korea is taking this action in part because they know we are preoccupied with Iraq. They want to get our attention. They want to put us in difficult place, have a lot of leverage. They know the Bush administration does not want a crisis right now.

So they're using that. They're pretty good at calculating these kinds of situations. There is also a South Korean election coming up. And they are trying to effect that as well.

WOODRUFF: And we haven't even mentioned the third leg of the stool, Iran. The administration saying over the last day that Iran now appears to be involved in having facilities to make nuclear weapons. A subject for another conversation. Wendy Sherman, thank you for stopping by.

Still to come on NEWSNIGHT, the president's smallpox plan is officially announced.

And we will meet a young man who survived the Washington sniper attack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Next on NEWSNIGHT, the president announces his smallpox vaccination plan, and a young sniper victim meets the public.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: A few stories from around the nation tonight, beginning with the president's announcement on smallpox. Mr. Bush said that he would get the small pox vaccination himself along with about a half million U.S. troops in high risk parts of the world. Also taking the vaccine, health care teams who would respond to any smallpox attack. The government will make vaccine available to the public in late spring although that's going to be entirely voluntary.

On to the anthrax investigation. In another day of searches, about 100 federal agents, including divers, searched in woods and ponds near Frederick, Maryland, for evidence in last year's attacks. The FBI search is on public land several miles from where Dr. Stephen Hatfill once lived. Hatfill is an ex-Army scientist who the government has labeled a person of interest in the case. Hatfill maintains he is innocent.

A top aide to Vice-President Cheney is leaving, the second top woman leave after presidential adviser Karen Hughes left last summer. Mary Matalin, the vice president's top PR strategist is leaving her job for the private sector. She'll remain as informal political adviser to the White House.

Like Hughes, Matalin said she was looking for a job opportunity and that would leave her with more flexibility to be with her family.

And the youngest victim of the Washington-area sniper spoke out today. Iran Brown said today that he credits God for his speedy recovery from the gunshot wounds and that he's ready to get back into the business of being a kid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IRAN BROWN, SNIPER VICTIM: I feel great and am looking forward to picking up my life where I left off. That includes a lot of basketball and hanging out with my friends. I want to thank everybody for sending all the cards and gifts while I was in the hospital. Each one of them gave me strength to get better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Hanging out with friend sounds good. The 13-year-old was shot outside his Maryland school on October the 7th.

And -- sorry about that pause there -- looking around the world now. In Iraq, U.N. weapons inspectors trying to visit Baghdad's Communicable Disease Control Center, found the facility deserted and its door locked. It was not an innocent explanation, however. Today is Friday, the Muslim Holy Day, the first one inspectors have experienced in this go-round.

Phone calls were made are, the door was opened and as far as we know, nothing harmful was sound.

In Venezuela, the general strike now in its 12th day continues very seriously to threaten that nation's stability, as well as the global oil supply, since Venezuela is the world's fifth largest exporter of oil. The White House today urged Venezuelans on both sides to refrain from violence and also pressed embattled President Hugo Chavez to schedule early elections. The strike was launched by opponents of President Chavez.

And finally, in Moscow today the return of the Prodigal Papers. The American ambassador gave back an archive of Communist Party documents, seized by Germans marching through the Soviet Union during the Second World War and then claimed by the U.S. once Germany had been defeated. For American scholars, these yellowed papers were for decades a treasure trove of information on the works of the Soviet system. The successors of that system say they are happy to have the archives back. We bet.

And ahead on NEWSNIGHT, arming our troops with reading material. Reviving a World War II program.

And up next, is it ethical to regift? And other important moral issue for the holidays.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: We hope you'll forgive the pun, but this truly is someone who can tell if you've been naughty or nice this holiday season and he doesn't need the red suit, either.

It is Randy Cohen, the ethicist who answers questions every week in the Sunday "New York Times" Magazine. He is in New York tonight. May I tell you, I love your column.

RANDY COHEN, ETHICIST: Yes, you may.

WOODRUFF: I think I know the answer to this first question, but I'm going to let you answer it. And that is, Should we give presents to our bosses?

COHEN: Not unless you want to lose your job many places. Many companies have policies that forbid it, and for good reason. If someone has control over hiring and firing and promoting you, it can be delicate business for them to ask for a gift. It tiptoes awfully close to extortion, doesn't it?

WOODRUFF: What about other people arrested the workplace; people who work for you, or people who are your colleagues?

COHEN: Gifts tend to flow down. The king gives gifts to the subjects. When they go the other way, that's called a tax or extortion, so that's probably not so good.

If you're giving to the people who work for you, very nice. I encourage that sort of thing. But a gift should be given voluntarily, and gifts are often exchanged among equals as a gesture of affection. That's a gift in its purest sense.

WOODRUFF: What is not appropriate to give as a gift to -- at work? COHEN: Clothing is very tricky. My guideline is, if you haven't actually seen the part of the body that the body is meant to cover, you probably shouldn't be giving it.

WOODRUFF: So you could give shoes.

COHEN: Shoes are always appreciated. You know, who wouldn't like a pair of shoes?

WOODRUFF: Let's see. What about what we call regifting? Somebody giving you a gift. You don't really have any use for it...

COHEN: Very delicate. Once a gift is given, it's yours. That is the essential quality of gifts. That they come with no strings. So, in that sense, you are free to pass a gift along. It can actually be quite a virtuous thing to do.

Say someone is giving you Buddy Holly 45s and you're not a fan and you know someone who is. How generous of you to pass it on.

But the guideline here, I think is do no harm for physicians and giftgivers. That if someone has given you something as a gesture of action, you should be tactful in passing it on.

WOODRUFF: Someone suggests -- I asked you know, many of these charitable organizations will send you Christmas labels or even cards -- holiday cards. And if you didn't send them back, a charitable contribution, should you send back the cards and the labels or what?

COHEN: I'm surprised how often I get that question at the column. At least once a week. Sometimes twice a week.

And I think you are free to use it. Again, it's a gift. It was given with no strings. It's yours to do with as you see fit -- those kind of address labels. And if you do go ahead and use them, you do no harm. In fact, you advertise the charity. It's not an announcement that you've given. It just gets the name of the charity and out there and where's the harm in that?

WOODRUFF: But you probably should send them a little something.

What about Randy Cohen, you receive a gift, and you just -- it's not something that you like. And the person is standing there. What do you say?

COHEN: This is where my acting talent comes in. It's so difficult. When someone's being kind to you, the last thing you should do is be unkind to them. So you're meant display pleasure at least that someone cared enough about you to give you that ugly vase -- that you have to bear in mind that the ugly sweater is from the heart and really practice that look of Oh, how kind of you to think of me.

WOODRUFF: And our mothers taught us to say that.

And one last thing: thank you notes. Our mothers also taught us to write those? How important are they?.

COHEN: Oh, my mother is online now. And she will be telling me when I get home that that's not nearly good enough. I think now we have moved into the area of etiquette rather than ethics. And it's governed a lot by custom. People certainly do appreciate that thank-you note, and if someone has treated you with kindness and has given you a gift, why not. Where's the harm?

WOODRUFF: But not an e-mail thank-you note.

COHEN: It seems to convey so much less, don't you think? As my mother will tell me in e-mail, when I get home, I know she will, and she's right. She always is.

WOODRUFF: Well, Mrs. Cohen, we are glad that you taught your son well. Randy Cohen, thanks very much. Good to see you. Have a good holiday, and we'll talk to you soon.

COHEN: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Coming up next on NEWSNIGHT, reviving a World War II program, books for the troops.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: And finally from us, anyone who loves books will tell you about the joy of getting into the mind of a stranger. Escaping to another world where even for a few minutes, you can put your own problems aside.

Well, we can't think of a place where you might need that more than in the trenches. It is a World War II tradition that is being revived for a different kind of war, helping a new group of young Americans to ease the hardship of being so far from home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT ADATT, STAFF SERGEANT 94TH INFANTRY DIVISION: In World War II, I was a member of a rifle platoon in the 94th Infantry Division. I think it was Oliver Wendell Holmes who said that war is basically organized boredom, but it's punctuated, as I said somewhere, by sheer terror. So you spend a great deal of time doing nothing. These books then came in, very nice.

ANDREW CARROLL, THE LEGACY PROJECT: The Armed Services Editions are one of the great forgotten stories of World War II. The military, the government, the publishing industry all got together and worked, distributed over 120 million paperback books to the troops. All different titles -- mysteries, biographies, anthologies of poetry and humor, and they just sent them out all over the world to the armed forces.

ADATT: We got regular rations once a week of cigarettes and candy bars. They came in with that and were distributed along with that.

CARROLL: They stopped doing this in 1947. I've always wanted to bring them back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are free. These are going out all over the world to troops throughout Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, all over. We have got three other titles going out. A book called "War Letters," we're doing Shakespeare's "Henry V" and Sun-Tzu's "The Art of War." Even though the first four we're doing are military titles, we can do anything. Humor, romance, westerns, mysteries, biographies. You name it. But again, we'd love to get feedback from you all, because we want to get books you guys want.

COMMANDER JOSEPH CREED: For enlisted men, you've got six hours on the job, maybe six hours off. And during that six hours off, you're worried about eating, sleeping and just resting up for the next watch. And sometimes you get in such a cycle that you've got to do something off-task just to rejuvenate the mind.

CHIEF QUARTER MASTER JOHN ALLBEE: When we're at sea, we have a lot of times to work and be on watch. But when we want to relax, it's nice to have something to read that's a good read.

ENSIGN ANDREW BUCHER: I'm a big fan of history. So reading something like this would be great out at sea. Just help us know where we came from and what we're working towards in the military service, in the Navy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here you go, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much. There you go.

The Americans are more cognizant of our troops overseas and what they are going through and hardships they endure. And hopefully, you know, it would be a bit of a morale boost, something to read, something to enjoy. An indication from back home, a tangible reminder that we are thinking of you all and that we are behind you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: And something to take their minds off what they might be involved in in the weeks and months to come.

That's NEWSNIGHT for tonight. Thank you for watching. I'm Judy Woodruff in Washington. Aaron returns on Monday night.

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





Kissinger Resigns From September 11 Commission>


Aired December 13, 2002 - 22:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST: And good evening from Washington. Aaron is in Atlanta in a war training program. I'm sure he will tell you what that was like when he's back on Monday.
The stories this day couldn't be more different, but there is something that binds them together. At the center of all three stories is a very powerful man facing criticism that he simply didn't get it. There's Senator Trent Lott, and the comments that seemed to many like nostalgia for the bad old days in the south. Senator Lott tried to make his case with another apology this afternoon.

There's the priest abuse scandal in Boston and how it was handled or mishandled by Cardinal Bernard Law. Critics, even some of his own priests, have been calling on him to resign for showing more sympathy, more accommodation to an accused priest than to an abused child. Well, today, the cardinal resigned and the Vatican accepted.

And one more resignation from former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger from a brand new independent commission to look into September 11. At first, Kissinger said he could decide for himself whether there were conflicts of interest in his enormous list of high- profile contacts and clients. Something that did not go over well with critics. Well, today, Kissinger gave into the argument.

Three powerful men, three controversies. But among the three, Senator Lott is holding out. He wants to keep his leadership post. And how his latest explanation goes over may well determine whether the furor that he's created is a one-week wonder or something that will stretch into the new Congress.

And so we begin with "The Whip" and the swirl of controversy around Senator Lott. Congressional Correspondent Jonathan Karl is on that story for us -- John, the headline.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Judy, Senator Lott has apologized yet again. This time in a full-blown 30-minute press conference where, among other things, he spoke about his experience growing up in the segregated south.

WOODRUFF: And on to the resignation today of Boston's cardinal. Jason Carroll is in Boston following that -- Jason, a headline.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Judy, this is a day that many thought would never come. Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law wanted to see the church through the sex abuse crisis. But today, the pope accepted his resignation. Now the question is, will Law's resignation be enough to let the healing begin -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. And we will talk to you in a moment, Jason.

It has been a very busy week in terms of the developments for the countries named as part of the so-called access of evil. White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is on that story for us -- Suzanne, the headline.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Judy, when the president first talked about it in the state of the union address, this access of evil, Iraq, Iran and North Korea, there were some who thought he was being melodramatic, but not anymore. The Bush administration facing potential threats now from all three.

WOODRUFF: All right. We'll be back with all three of you in a moment.

Also coming up tonight, some of the less pressing questions of life at this time of the year. Just how bad is it to re-gift, to give someone a present that someone else gave you? Should you give your boss a holiday present? Well, we'll have a mix of etiquette and morality with Randy Cohen, better known as the Ethicist.

And when a book is so much more than a book. Pocket-sized novels made especially for a soldier on the move. A wonderful bit of World War II tradition is being revived. That's segment seven tonight.

But our top story tonight: the fate of the most powerful Republican in the Senate. Some scandals begin with a boom. But this one was more of a slow build. Senator Lott made his comments last week and, slowly but surely, new revelations have come out that magnify the damage. The fact that he made a similar statement seeming to support segregation two decades ago.

Allegations that he backed segregation in his fraternity days. So it would be hard to overstate just how important today's news conference was. As one journalist put it earlier, Senator Lott needed nothing short of a checker (ph) speech. That's the speech that allowed Richard Nixon to stay on the Eisenhower presidential ticket after a fundraising controversy.

Did the senator succeed? Once again, here is Jonathan Karl.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL (voice-over): Alternately contrite and defensive, Senator Lott sought to make it clear his praise of Strom Thurmond's 1948 segregationist presidential campaign does not mean he favors segregation.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: Segregation is a stain on our nation's soul. There's no other way to describe it. It represents one of the lowest moments in our nation's history. And we can never forget that.

KARL: He spoke of his personal experience in the segregated south.

LOTT: I lived through those troubled times in the south. And, along with the south, I have learned from the mistakes of our past. I have asked, and I'm asking for forbearance and forgiveness as I continue to learn from my own mistakes.

KARL: And he apologized yet again for at least the third time this week. But as sorry as he says he is, resigning is out of the question.

LOTT: But you know I'm not about to resign for an accusation that I'm something that I'm not.

KARL: Despite the president's harsh rebuke of Lott on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said, "Senator Lott was candid and forthright. He apologized again and rightly so. I reiterate, the president does not think he needs to resign."

Lott's harshest critics were not satisfied, though. Including the Congressional Black Caucus, which reaffirmed its call for a formal Senate censure, a move senior Democratic senators are seriously considering. Lott drew praise from one of his conservative critics, but he said Lott still must go because he is a political liability for Republicans.

ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: And he admitted that he had a blind spot. He admitted that. How many other blind spots does Senator Lott have? I forgive him, I applaud his speech, but he is a weak man. And he is prey to the Democrats, and they will eat him alive.

KARL: Most of Lott's Republican colleagues in the Senate responded with silence. And a few put out paper statements, including Olympia Snow, who called Lott's latest statement, "a significant first step." And John Warner, one said Lott deserves a fair chance to prove his commitment to racial equality.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KARL: And Judy, CNN has learned that shortly after Trent Lott's press conference, there was a conference call of 20 Republican senators talking about the fallout. A couple of things of significance coming out of that conference call.

One, there was consensus on the call that, if the Democrats try to introduce a censure resolution censuring Trent Lott, Republicans would move to include in that resolution a censure of Robert Byrd for a racial slur he said in an interview last year. But also, I am told, that two key senators on that call, Bill Frist and Don Nichols, two Republicans that are talked about as possible successors to Trent Lott should he be forced out, both expressed grave concerns about what this episode has done to the prospects for the party when they come back in session next year, the party here in the Congress.

Both had grave concerns. But, Judy, I should also tell you that most of the Republicans on that call spoke out, saying that they would support Trent Lott.

WOODRUFF: So Jon, what happens next?

KARL: Well, it's a great question. Most of the Republicans here have said absolutely nothing publicly, which is really outstanding. Usually, when one of their own is being attacked by Democrats, they rally to that person's defense. None of the Republicans were on any television program tonight coming out answering questions about that.

There were some paper statements, but nothing further. Now Trent Lott has also given a message to his Republican colleagues. And that message is, if he is forced to resign, he would resign not only as majority leader, but he would resign from the Senate entirely. And that would lead the Democratic governor of Mississippi to appoint his successor.

Some Republicans, I am told, view that as somewhat of a threat, because that would whittle the Republican lead back if that Democratic governor appointed a Democrat. That would bring the Republican lead here in the Senate back to 50-50, with the vice president being the tie-breaking vote.

So there's a lot of concern among Republicans what would it mean if Trent Lott was forced out. That's a very major concern for them. Right now, most of them think that he will ride this out. But no one is willing to predict that entirely.

WOODRUFF: All right. Jon Karl at the Capitol.

Facing questions or perhaps declining to face questions about conflicts of interest. Henry Kissinger today resigned from the independent commission investigating the events of September 11. Mr. Kissinger was appointed by the president to chair the commission only last month. Critics call the former secretary of state too close to powerful national and international figures truly to be independent.

In his letter of resignation, Mr. Kissinger said that it would take too long to liquidate his consulting form, which was the source of some of the potential conflicts. Former Senator George Mitchell, who was to have been the commission's vice chairman, resigned just two days ago, also citing potential conflicts of interest.

He was replaced by former Democratic Congressman Lee Hamilton (ph). No word yet on who will replace Kissinger, but we assume this is a problem the White House would rather not have on its plate right now.

Well, some perspective now on Kissinger and on what Senator Lott needed to accomplish and whether he did from one of the hosts of "CROSSFIRE," Bob Novak.

Bob, is Trent Lott any more secure in his position as a leader after this?

BOB NOVAK, HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Yes, I think he is, Judy. I think he had to do several things. One was he to have a press conference. He hadn't had one which is open to all questions.

Secondly, he had to have an unconditional, total apology for his statement, whether it really was needed or not. In fact, it was needed politically, we know.

And third, he had to have a further step of reconciliation. And he embraced the idea of Jack Kemp that he should speak to some groups of African-Americans, and he has arranged with Bob Johnson (ph) of BET (ph) partly to have (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

So he did all the things that he to do. And I would say that the odds have moved from the probability, when we started this day, that he was not long for this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the probability he will stay.

WOODRUFF: But what do you make of Jon Karl's reporting just a moment ago, that on this conference call of 20-some Republican senators, that Senators Frist and Nickles, two people who have been mentioned as potential leadership successors, still expressing grave concern?

NOVAK: Well the relationship between Senator Nickles and Senator Lott is not very good, as you know, of course. Senator Nickles was interested in running against Lott for majority leader this last time -- Republican leader -- and didn't get enough votes. So I don't think that's terribly important.

I believe that this -- that he has weathered the storm for now. And one of the reasons is, I believe, that there is a preponderance of opinions, they don't want the Congressional Black Caucus and the news media and the Democratic leadership to pick the Republican leader of the Senate. There are some Republicans I've talked to who think he is going to be a liability in the campaign. The campaign is a long way off.

WOODRUFF: Well, that's my next question. Assuming he does survive for now -- those were your words, Bob -- does he emerge from this as a weak leader for the Republicans in the Senate?

NOVAK: Well he was -- a lot people consider him a weak leader anyway. And that's one of the reasons some people would like to get rid of him. It has nothing to do with this 17-second statement he made at Strom Thurmond's birthday party. A lot of the people who want to get rid of him have really no interest in what he said. And a lot people in the conservative moment think he's a weak leader.

I don't think that he is the key to Republican success in the campaign. The question is, is he a liability, and that has yet to be determined.

WOODRUFF: Just quickly, the Kissinger episode, how much how much of an embarrassment for the White House of him stepping down?

NOVAK: It was an embarrassment. That is a much bigger embarrassment than the Lott affair. They had to -- when they're putting an important appointment like this, they had to bet that. So they knew that all of his clients, these conflict of interest problems would be solved. I'd say the Democrats were equally culpable with George Mitchell. This is a comic (ph) opera (ph) buffet. I think can anybody in this gang shoot straight?

WOODRUFF: Well, we'll see, from here on out. All right. Bob Novak, thanks very much.

Appreciate you stopping by tonight.

NOVAK: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Well, it seemed a rhetorical flourish, as much as anything else. A memorable shorthand way to describe a trio of potentially trouble-making countries. But now, not very long after being called an access of evil, those countries really do seem to be making trouble all at once. Here is Suzanne Malveaux on a rhetorical flourish come to very menacing life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Bush raised more than a few eyebrows when he labeled Iraq, North Korea and Iran members of an axis of evil. Now the administration is simultaneously being confronted with threats from all three. But the White House strategy is decidedly different for each.

Iraq claims it has no weapons of mass destruction. The White House says otherwise. The Bush administration is engaged in diplomacy, backed by military might. But the White House says it will hold off on military action until it has examined Iraq's declaration on weapons of mass destruction more thoroughly.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We have always said that we want to carefully review the document in terms of reviewing not only what is in it, but what is not in it.

MALVEAUX: But for North Korea no talk at all of military action, despite the fact this country recently admitted to developing a secret nuclear weapons program. It now plans to reactivate several nuclear facilities and wants to turn away international monitors. Instead, the White House is urgently consulting with allies, including South Korea and Japan.

President Bush stresses he wants a peaceful solution, but will not negotiate with North Korea to disarm. North Korea is the closest to having a nuclear weapons program, White House aides say, but most least likely to use them. Because it needs US economic and humanitarian aid.

FLEISCHER: The world cannot just be treated as a photo copy machine, where policies on one part of the world need to be identically copied for another.

MALVEAUX: As for Iran, commercial satellite photos taken in September show that Iran has secretly been building large nuclear facilities at two locations. The administration says despite Iran's claims, they are not for peaceful means. But while the White House says it has grave concerns about Iran's nuclear facilities, it will wait for an update from international monitors.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: While the Bush administration continues to grapple with all three members of the axis of evil, the White House says that the focus remains on public enemy number one: Saddam Hussein and Iraq -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Suzanne reporting from the White House, thanks very much.

And we will talk more about how to deal with Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

Coming up next: the end of an era in the Boston Catholic Church as Cardinal Law resigns. But is that the end of the scandal?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: On now to the priest abuse scandal and today's resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law. One of the victims had a two- word response: "Thank heaven." It seemed just a few weeks back that Cardinal Law might well ride out this scandal. But newly released documents and a revolt by dozens of Boston priests clearly brought the situation to a critical mass.

Once again, here's Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): Cardinal Bernard Law had hoped he would be the man to lead the Boston Archdiocese through the sex abuse crisis. Early Friday, it became clear he could not.

CHRISTOPHER COYNE, BOSTON ARCHDIOCESE: The resignation of Cardinal Law as Archbishop of Boston is just one more moment of sadness over the whole timeline of great sadness and grief that has touched the archdioceses.

CARROLL: Shortly after the pope accepted Law's resignation, Law released a statement saying, "It is my fervent prayer that this action may help the Archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity, which are so desperately needed. To all of those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness."

But forgiveness is something victims af alleged sexual abuse, like Chris Fulchino, may not be ready for.

CHRIS FULCHINO, ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIM: And I'm glad that the cardinal did resign. I'm glad that this day has finally come.

CARROLL: Chris and his father Thomas represent two generations of abuse. Both say they were abused as children by different priests. In Chris's case, the abuse allegedly happened at age 13, when Cardinal Law transferred Father John Geghan to his parish, even though Geghan faced previous allegations of abuse. Geghan, now defrocked, is serving a 10-year sentence for molesting other children.

SUSAN FULCHINO, MOTHER: The cardinal knowingly put a pedophile in my church and didn't give me a chance to know about it, and took this little boy's happiness.

C. FULCHINO: Every day I relive the torment that happened that day. The memories just keep running right through my head and it just doesn't stop. And there's no way of stopping it. And I hope that today will help that.

CARROLL: Law's resignation is not the end of the scandal. A criminal trial against one priest, Father Paul Shanley, still pending. The attorney general considering whether Cardinal Law and other clergy should face criminal charges for failing to supervise priests accused of abuse. And civil suits against the archdiocese could total more than $1 million. Bankruptcy still a possibility.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just because Cardinal Bernard Law resigned doesn't mean everything is OK now. There's enormous rot, enormous decay within the Archdiocese of Boston. We've all seen that for years, and now it has to cleanse itself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Law is the first American archbishop to resign because of the sex abuse scandal. The pope named auxiliary bishop Richard Lennon (ph) to take over the archdiocese until a permanent replacement can be found. It is said that Lennon (ph) is a wise man, a man who is willing to listen. And Judy, Lennon (ph) is going to have to draw on all of his talents to do his part to help lead the church through this crisis; a crisis which is clearly not over yet -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Jason, what is the feeling of the church people you are talking to? Is there a sense of relief after today's resignation, or is there just a sense that they're bracing themselves for the next thing that's coming along down the road for them?

CARROLL: I think it's a combination of emotions. You talk to some of the victims and even some parishioners. There is still a great deal of anger in this community. With some other people, there is a great deal of sadness. Sadness that it had to come to Cardinal Law having to finally resign. The overwhelming sense that I get from a number of people is a sense of relief that at least one part of this is over. But, as I said earlier, there's still many more parts to come -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: All right. Jason, thank you very much. I know you've been following this story for a long time indeed.

Well, there was a certain finality to Cardinal Law's resignation today. But that may well be deceiving, as Jason just suggested. The Boston Archdiocese, not to mention countless others around the country, are still facing hundreds of lawsuits on certain finances and leaders on the edge.

So we want to look at today's news and what we should be looking at going forward. In New York, joining us, Rod Dreher, who has written extensively about the scandal for the "National Review." And, in Massachusetts, Steve, Krueger, he is executive director of "Voice for the Faithful." That's a group that's been pushing for reform in the church.

Rod Dreher, just quickly, what caused the cardinal to resign today? What pushed him to the brink after weeks and months of saying he wasn't going to do it?

ROD DREHER, NATIONAL REVIEW: I think the key event was the letter that those 58 priests in Boston signed requesting the cardinal to resign. I think that made an enormous impact on the Vatican. We knew -- although the revelations that had come out, and there are still revelations coming out -- we knew that the attorney general of Massachusetts put Cardinal Law under criminal subpoena last Friday. But I think that letter by the priests showing that they were basically in revolt against the cardinal, that made an enormous impression on the Vatican. And I think they must have realized that the game was up.

WOODRUFF: So, Steve Kreuger, just how much of the problem is eliminated with the departure of Cardinal Law?

STEVE KRUEGER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, VOICE OF THE FAITHFUL: Cardinal Law's resignation addresses the immediate crisis. But it does not address the cause of the problem or the long-term solution to it. In "The Pilot" (ph) this past week in the editorial section it indicated that...

WOODRUFF: This is the Catholic publication.

KRUEGER: Yes, correct, within the Archdiocese of Boston. It indicated that part of the cause of the problem was a cultural of secrecy and authoritarianism. And that culture remains today. And that's a culture that can only be changed by the laity stepping forward, holding their bishops accountable, acknowledging to themselves and the church that they're part of the solution to this problem. And to have the bishops work collaboratively with the laity.

WOODRUFF: But Rod Dreher, to do something like that, changing a culture, I mean, you're talking about something that takes years to accomplish.

DREHER: That's true. And there's really no way through this but forward and painfully. I think that over the past year a lot of lay Catholics have been shocked and terribly saddened and angered by what we've seen. And a lot of priests have too. I talk to priests all the time, and they are grieving and they are angry with the rest of us.

And I think that's why the significance of these 58 priests in Boston doing what they did will have a great reverberation throughout the whole country. Because there has to be priests all around this country who are hearing from their people they see every Sunday in church. They know how people are hurting and how angry people are.

And I think a lot of priests might be wondering, I have to speak out too. If those priests in Boston had the courage to speak out, then why can't I? Because, I'll tell you what, Cardinal Law is by no means the only bishop in this country to have handled this sex abuse crisis in the way that he has.

WOODRUFF: So Steve Krueger, what kind of repercussions do you see taking place throughout the country? Not just in the Boston area, but all throughout the country?

KRUEGER: Well, I think that the repercussions could be enormous. What gave rise was to this crisis was the public nature of the files of the priest who had committed acts of sexual abuse. There are countless files in the other 160 dioceses throughout this country that have not had the transparency of sunlight put on them.

When those files become public, this crisis will occur over and over again across the country. What is called for today is to have all of those files made public...

WOODRUFF: But how do you know that that's going to happen?

KRUEGER: Well, ultimately, it will be a combination of factors. I think that one of those factors will be the laity stepping forward in very large numbers, coming off of the sidelines, acknowledging that this problem exists and holding their bishops accountable. And holding the bishops accountable to what they said they were going to do at the bishop's conference down in Washington, when they said that they were going to also hold each other accountable to putting this problem behind us.

As long as there are secret files, this problem will not be behind us.

DEHER: Steve is right, Judy. I have to say that it's very hard to overemphasize the key role that Judge Constance Sweeney (ph), that very brave Catholic judge in Boston, has played in bringing this scandal to national attention. If she hasn't gotten fed up with the church's cover-ups, with sealing these files and keeping them hidden, she got fed up with it, she released it and she kept releasing it over the course of the year, when she saw that Cardinal Law was lying in his testimony. She has played a very key role here.

WOODRUFF: Well, I think one of the most important points both of you are making tonight is that it's not just Boston. But this is going to have an effect on what happens throughout this country in the Catholic Church.

Rod Dreher, Steve Krueger, we thank you both for being with us tonight -- thank you.

A little later on NEWSNIGHT, the revival of a program to give books to American troops. And up next, while we're focused on Iraq, is Iraq a bigger troublemaker popping up in North Korea?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: We touched tipped already on the several curves that North Korea has thrown this country recently. But there is more to say about those unpleasant surprises and what to do about them. And whether there may be more.

We're joined now by Wendy Sherman who served as the Clinton administration's adviser on matters Korean. Thank you for being here.

We learned today that in the last day or so that North Korea is reactivating these plants for nuclear power which they say they need for electricity. Is this something the United States should be worried about?

AMB. WENDY SHERMAN, FRM. CLINTON ADVISER ON NORTH KOREA: I think the United States, sadly, has to be very worried about it. In 1993 we faced a similar crisis where North Korea was having its nuclear reactor plant up and running and was considering reprocessing this spent fuel, a byproduct of that into plutonium which is used to make nuclear bombs.

We probably came close to war we have come since the armistice 50 years ago on the Korean Peninsula. It was a very dangerous time. And unfortunately, we may be facing such a dangerous time again.

WOODRUFF: The North Koreans would have one believe that the United States provoked them to do this. Because the U.S. has decided not to ship the oil that North Korea says it desperately needs for fuel purposes. What about this argument that they make?

SHERMAN: There is a great deal of brinkmanship going on here by the North Koreans who are quite adept at getting themselves into a difficult place and very bad at getting themselves out.

in fact, North Korea was carrying on a secretly highly-enriched uranium program, another way to produce nuclear bombs. We found out about it. We asked them to dismantle it. They said they had a right to build nuclear weapons. They didn't say they had them yet. We don't know that. And we said until you dismantle them we're going to suspend -- not end -- of heavy fuel oil.

But I think the administration also needed to begin talking with North Korea to help them climb down off this very dangerous point. And that's been a subject of a great deal of argumentation within the administration.

WOODRUFF: But that's now less likely or more likely to happen as a result of this event?

SHERMAN: It's probably less likely to happen. But it's more important that it do happen. And in fact, out administration, the Bush administration is talking to South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, the European Union to try to get a united front to help North Korea back away from what could be very a dangerous path.

WOODRUFF: The Axis of Evil. The president identified not just North Korea and not just Iran, but clearly Iraq. That has been the administration's main focus.

But here we find that North Korea comes along, and it is the closest of the three, is that correct, to being able to build a nuclear weapon? For some to look at this -- if you were on another planet and you looked at the United States now. You would say, has the attention been in the wrong place?

SHERMAN: I think the reason that the Bush administration has put the attention on Iraq because the United Nations is a united front with Iraq. Iraq has invaded other countries. North Korea has not. It had some little skirmishes but no invasions. They haven't been particularly taken hostile act towards other people except in small ways.

And because Iraq has defied U.N. inspection sanctions again and again. The IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which inspects nuclear plants, has been in North Korea at this plant that they are considering starting up again. And if they kick the IAEA out, we will be back to the crisis of 1993. We will be on the precipice of a potential war.

WOODRUFF: So right now you're saying the United States should talk to the North Koreans in some form or fashion, which you're saying the administration, that we know, has been reluctant to do. And the focus on Iraq remains where it is while all of this is going on?

SHERMAN: Unfortunately, we have to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time, as they say. I think the United States is going to have to pay attention to all three.

In fact North Korea is taking this action in part because they know we are preoccupied with Iraq. They want to get our attention. They want to put us in difficult place, have a lot of leverage. They know the Bush administration does not want a crisis right now.

So they're using that. They're pretty good at calculating these kinds of situations. There is also a South Korean election coming up. And they are trying to effect that as well.

WOODRUFF: And we haven't even mentioned the third leg of the stool, Iran. The administration saying over the last day that Iran now appears to be involved in having facilities to make nuclear weapons. A subject for another conversation. Wendy Sherman, thank you for stopping by.

Still to come on NEWSNIGHT, the president's smallpox plan is officially announced.

And we will meet a young man who survived the Washington sniper attack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Next on NEWSNIGHT, the president announces his smallpox vaccination plan, and a young sniper victim meets the public.

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WOODRUFF: A few stories from around the nation tonight, beginning with the president's announcement on smallpox. Mr. Bush said that he would get the small pox vaccination himself along with about a half million U.S. troops in high risk parts of the world. Also taking the vaccine, health care teams who would respond to any smallpox attack. The government will make vaccine available to the public in late spring although that's going to be entirely voluntary.

On to the anthrax investigation. In another day of searches, about 100 federal agents, including divers, searched in woods and ponds near Frederick, Maryland, for evidence in last year's attacks. The FBI search is on public land several miles from where Dr. Stephen Hatfill once lived. Hatfill is an ex-Army scientist who the government has labeled a person of interest in the case. Hatfill maintains he is innocent.

A top aide to Vice-President Cheney is leaving, the second top woman leave after presidential adviser Karen Hughes left last summer. Mary Matalin, the vice president's top PR strategist is leaving her job for the private sector. She'll remain as informal political adviser to the White House.

Like Hughes, Matalin said she was looking for a job opportunity and that would leave her with more flexibility to be with her family.

And the youngest victim of the Washington-area sniper spoke out today. Iran Brown said today that he credits God for his speedy recovery from the gunshot wounds and that he's ready to get back into the business of being a kid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IRAN BROWN, SNIPER VICTIM: I feel great and am looking forward to picking up my life where I left off. That includes a lot of basketball and hanging out with my friends. I want to thank everybody for sending all the cards and gifts while I was in the hospital. Each one of them gave me strength to get better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Hanging out with friend sounds good. The 13-year-old was shot outside his Maryland school on October the 7th.

And -- sorry about that pause there -- looking around the world now. In Iraq, U.N. weapons inspectors trying to visit Baghdad's Communicable Disease Control Center, found the facility deserted and its door locked. It was not an innocent explanation, however. Today is Friday, the Muslim Holy Day, the first one inspectors have experienced in this go-round.

Phone calls were made are, the door was opened and as far as we know, nothing harmful was sound.

In Venezuela, the general strike now in its 12th day continues very seriously to threaten that nation's stability, as well as the global oil supply, since Venezuela is the world's fifth largest exporter of oil. The White House today urged Venezuelans on both sides to refrain from violence and also pressed embattled President Hugo Chavez to schedule early elections. The strike was launched by opponents of President Chavez.

And finally, in Moscow today the return of the Prodigal Papers. The American ambassador gave back an archive of Communist Party documents, seized by Germans marching through the Soviet Union during the Second World War and then claimed by the U.S. once Germany had been defeated. For American scholars, these yellowed papers were for decades a treasure trove of information on the works of the Soviet system. The successors of that system say they are happy to have the archives back. We bet.

And ahead on NEWSNIGHT, arming our troops with reading material. Reviving a World War II program.

And up next, is it ethical to regift? And other important moral issue for the holidays.

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WOODRUFF: We hope you'll forgive the pun, but this truly is someone who can tell if you've been naughty or nice this holiday season and he doesn't need the red suit, either.

It is Randy Cohen, the ethicist who answers questions every week in the Sunday "New York Times" Magazine. He is in New York tonight. May I tell you, I love your column.

RANDY COHEN, ETHICIST: Yes, you may.

WOODRUFF: I think I know the answer to this first question, but I'm going to let you answer it. And that is, Should we give presents to our bosses?

COHEN: Not unless you want to lose your job many places. Many companies have policies that forbid it, and for good reason. If someone has control over hiring and firing and promoting you, it can be delicate business for them to ask for a gift. It tiptoes awfully close to extortion, doesn't it?

WOODRUFF: What about other people arrested the workplace; people who work for you, or people who are your colleagues?

COHEN: Gifts tend to flow down. The king gives gifts to the subjects. When they go the other way, that's called a tax or extortion, so that's probably not so good.

If you're giving to the people who work for you, very nice. I encourage that sort of thing. But a gift should be given voluntarily, and gifts are often exchanged among equals as a gesture of affection. That's a gift in its purest sense.

WOODRUFF: What is not appropriate to give as a gift to -- at work? COHEN: Clothing is very tricky. My guideline is, if you haven't actually seen the part of the body that the body is meant to cover, you probably shouldn't be giving it.

WOODRUFF: So you could give shoes.

COHEN: Shoes are always appreciated. You know, who wouldn't like a pair of shoes?

WOODRUFF: Let's see. What about what we call regifting? Somebody giving you a gift. You don't really have any use for it...

COHEN: Very delicate. Once a gift is given, it's yours. That is the essential quality of gifts. That they come with no strings. So, in that sense, you are free to pass a gift along. It can actually be quite a virtuous thing to do.

Say someone is giving you Buddy Holly 45s and you're not a fan and you know someone who is. How generous of you to pass it on.

But the guideline here, I think is do no harm for physicians and giftgivers. That if someone has given you something as a gesture of action, you should be tactful in passing it on.

WOODRUFF: Someone suggests -- I asked you know, many of these charitable organizations will send you Christmas labels or even cards -- holiday cards. And if you didn't send them back, a charitable contribution, should you send back the cards and the labels or what?

COHEN: I'm surprised how often I get that question at the column. At least once a week. Sometimes twice a week.

And I think you are free to use it. Again, it's a gift. It was given with no strings. It's yours to do with as you see fit -- those kind of address labels. And if you do go ahead and use them, you do no harm. In fact, you advertise the charity. It's not an announcement that you've given. It just gets the name of the charity and out there and where's the harm in that?

WOODRUFF: But you probably should send them a little something.

What about Randy Cohen, you receive a gift, and you just -- it's not something that you like. And the person is standing there. What do you say?

COHEN: This is where my acting talent comes in. It's so difficult. When someone's being kind to you, the last thing you should do is be unkind to them. So you're meant display pleasure at least that someone cared enough about you to give you that ugly vase -- that you have to bear in mind that the ugly sweater is from the heart and really practice that look of Oh, how kind of you to think of me.

WOODRUFF: And our mothers taught us to say that.

And one last thing: thank you notes. Our mothers also taught us to write those? How important are they?.

COHEN: Oh, my mother is online now. And she will be telling me when I get home that that's not nearly good enough. I think now we have moved into the area of etiquette rather than ethics. And it's governed a lot by custom. People certainly do appreciate that thank-you note, and if someone has treated you with kindness and has given you a gift, why not. Where's the harm?

WOODRUFF: But not an e-mail thank-you note.

COHEN: It seems to convey so much less, don't you think? As my mother will tell me in e-mail, when I get home, I know she will, and she's right. She always is.

WOODRUFF: Well, Mrs. Cohen, we are glad that you taught your son well. Randy Cohen, thanks very much. Good to see you. Have a good holiday, and we'll talk to you soon.

COHEN: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Coming up next on NEWSNIGHT, reviving a World War II program, books for the troops.

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WOODRUFF: And finally from us, anyone who loves books will tell you about the joy of getting into the mind of a stranger. Escaping to another world where even for a few minutes, you can put your own problems aside.

Well, we can't think of a place where you might need that more than in the trenches. It is a World War II tradition that is being revived for a different kind of war, helping a new group of young Americans to ease the hardship of being so far from home.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT ADATT, STAFF SERGEANT 94TH INFANTRY DIVISION: In World War II, I was a member of a rifle platoon in the 94th Infantry Division. I think it was Oliver Wendell Holmes who said that war is basically organized boredom, but it's punctuated, as I said somewhere, by sheer terror. So you spend a great deal of time doing nothing. These books then came in, very nice.

ANDREW CARROLL, THE LEGACY PROJECT: The Armed Services Editions are one of the great forgotten stories of World War II. The military, the government, the publishing industry all got together and worked, distributed over 120 million paperback books to the troops. All different titles -- mysteries, biographies, anthologies of poetry and humor, and they just sent them out all over the world to the armed forces.

ADATT: We got regular rations once a week of cigarettes and candy bars. They came in with that and were distributed along with that.

CARROLL: They stopped doing this in 1947. I've always wanted to bring them back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are free. These are going out all over the world to troops throughout Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, all over. We have got three other titles going out. A book called "War Letters," we're doing Shakespeare's "Henry V" and Sun-Tzu's "The Art of War." Even though the first four we're doing are military titles, we can do anything. Humor, romance, westerns, mysteries, biographies. You name it. But again, we'd love to get feedback from you all, because we want to get books you guys want.

COMMANDER JOSEPH CREED: For enlisted men, you've got six hours on the job, maybe six hours off. And during that six hours off, you're worried about eating, sleeping and just resting up for the next watch. And sometimes you get in such a cycle that you've got to do something off-task just to rejuvenate the mind.

CHIEF QUARTER MASTER JOHN ALLBEE: When we're at sea, we have a lot of times to work and be on watch. But when we want to relax, it's nice to have something to read that's a good read.

ENSIGN ANDREW BUCHER: I'm a big fan of history. So reading something like this would be great out at sea. Just help us know where we came from and what we're working towards in the military service, in the Navy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here you go, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much. There you go.

The Americans are more cognizant of our troops overseas and what they are going through and hardships they endure. And hopefully, you know, it would be a bit of a morale boost, something to read, something to enjoy. An indication from back home, a tangible reminder that we are thinking of you all and that we are behind you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: And something to take their minds off what they might be involved in in the weeks and months to come.

That's NEWSNIGHT for tonight. Thank you for watching. I'm Judy Woodruff in Washington. Aaron returns on Monday night.

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