Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsnight Aaron Brown

Elizabeth Smart Alive, Home With Family

Aired March 12, 2003 - 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.


AARON BROWN, HOST: Good evening again, everyone. I'm not sure what the adjective ought to be. Incredible, remarkable, unbelievable all fit today's news that young Elizabeth Smart was found alive.
These stories just don't end this way. Sometimes they end well, when a family member kidnaps a child. But virtually never when it's a stranger, as seems the case here.

There is, of course, a tremendous amount we do not know tonight. We don't know where this child has been. We don't know the conditions under which she was held. We don't know if she was assaulted.

We'll know all of that eventually, but not tonight. We know one key fact tonight, one that trumps all others, one we never imagined reporting: Elizabeth Smart is alive. This may not be the most important story of this day, but it surely is the best story of the day. And after weeks of reporting some of the most depressing news imaginable, we welcome the chance to report something wonderful, and we will do it tonight with considerable joy.

Good news, but many questions to answer. So where was she? Who's behind it all? How is she doing? We begin The Whip in Salt Lake City tonight, and Rusty Dornin. Rusty, a headline.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, what we do know is Elizabeth Smart is back in the loving arms of her family, and we're beginning to learn the story. We'll tell you more.

BROWN: Rusty, thank you. We'll have a lot on Elizabeth Smart tonight, but there is more as well.

To Iraq next. Intense diplomacy at the U.N. Richard Roth once again. Richard, a headline.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, grab a bench, pull up a seat. The Security Council deadlock on Iraq is focused now on something called benchmarks. Call this volume "How to win votes and disarm Iraq, too" -- Aaron.

BROWN: Richard, thank you.

And to the White house, where the president continued to press allies, reluctant and otherwise. John King is there. John, a headline.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, on the one hand some progress from the White House perspective. The administration says it is close, if not already in hand of at least a majority on the Council. Not enough to pass the resolution, but a majority. Yet also some conflicting signals. Some say the president, who was so adamant about having the vote this week, might let it slip to next week -- Aaron.

BROWN: John, thank you. Back to you and the rest shortly.

Also coming up tonight, a lot, as we said, on Elizabeth Smart. We'll talk with the mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky Anderson; the deputy district attorney for the city, Kent Morgan. We'll talk with a reporter who has been following this story for nine months now, Pat Reavy of the "Deseret News."

Also tonight, Alessio Vinci with the troops. The Marines in Kuwait learning something that just might help disarm an Iraqi someday, being able to talk to them. All of that in the hour ahead.

We begin with Elizabeth Smart, who was reunited with her parents tonight nine months and seven days after she vanished. We hesitate to call this an absolutely happy ending. Only the best one imaginable.

Better would have been a 9-year-old never having seen her 14- year-old sister spirited out of their bedroom at gunpoint. Better would have been parents never having to mark their daughter's 15th birthday without her, knowing the odds were that they would never see her again. Better would be a man not dying in jail under suspicion of being a monster. Better would be a 15-year-old girl whose only bad memories of the last nine months are algebra and acne.

But if Elizabeth Smart, now a 15-year-old girl with nine months of horrors to deal with, she is also tonight against all odds a 15- year-old girl back where all 15-year-old girls belong: with her family. It's a good way to get back to CNN's Rusty Dornin in Salt Lake -- Rusty.

DORNIN: Aaron, if you could say a community is elated, this is it. Salt Lake City is already covered with blue balloons and blue ribbons. Blue is the favorite color for Elizabeth Smart.

Now we've heard a lot from family, a lot from friends, and of course a lot from police. But the man I think many have always wanted to hear the words from is her father, Ed Smart, who took this investigation personally. He mounted several volunteer searches, never gave up, was always coming back to the Salt Lake City police, always asking people to get her picture out and to get her name out. And tonight he was able to talk to the folks who care with the best of all news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: I am so, so very glad that this has a happy ending. And I just want to thank everyone for their prayers, their love and support, not just here in Utah, but across the nation, across the world, because we've had that kind of support. And it just goes back to the importance. All of the children out there deserve to come home to their parents the way Elizabeth has come back to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: We don't know a lot of details about the suspect. We do know his name is Brian David Mitchell. He went by the name of Emmanuel. He was a drifter who worked at the Smart home at one time.

Now it was Mary Katherine (ph), Elizabeth Smart's younger sister, said she recognized a voice or that she knew who the person was that took her sister. Today, Salt Lake City police talked about how she was found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF RICK DINSE, SALT LAKE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT: Earlier today, about 1:00, some police officers from the city of Sandy were dispatched to a location where one of the people that we had been looking for was identified, or at least a suspected individual that may have been the individuals we were looking for were identified.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF STEPHEN CHAPMAN, SANDY POLICE DEPARTMENT: After some questioning we were convinced that it was Elizabeth Smart. We were also convinced that it was the suspect that Salt Lake City was wanting to speak with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: Now Elizabeth was found in a routine traffic stop in Sandy, Utah. Now that's a few miles from Salt Lake City here. Apparently, from what we can understand, she may have been taken on a cross-country trip during her nine months of abduction.

She was taken from Utah to San Diego to Atlanta, and back here to Utah. But, as I said, her picture has always been out there, always in the communities of Utah in particular. And it was a very sharp- eyed couple that spotted something suspicious on the streets of Sandy today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANITA DICKERSON, SECOND EYEWITNESS TO CALL POLICE: And my husband said, well, that may be, you know, the person they're looking for in the Elizabeth Smart case. And when he said that, then I leaned over and actually looked at the man in the face, and I said, "I believe that is him."

And so I asked him to pull off the road, and I got out of the car, walked towards the back as they were walking up the sidewalk, and I looked him in the face. He looked at me, and I turned around, went back to my husband, and I said, "That's him. Let me have your cell phone." And I called.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: And it was very quickly after that that police were able to identify Elizabeth Smart. Apparently, she was wearing a dark wig, but was in the car with the suspect. Tonight, of course, we hear from many joyous family members.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID SMART, ELIZABETH'S UNCLE: If you want to talk about heroes in this story, Mary Katherine (ph) is our hero. Mary Katherine (ph)...

(APPLAUSE)

SMART: ... Mary Katherine (ph) has steadfast in what she knew and what she didn't know. And when she did remember, she came forward and had the courage to go forward to her parents and tell them that it might be Emmanuel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM SMART, ELIZABETH'S UNCLE: We knew that statistically it was not -- that it would be nothing less than a miracle, but we've always believed in miracles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: And believe me, I've covered so many of these missing children stories in the last year, and really, this is like a miracle, even for those of us who have covered these stories. Now, tonight, of course, Elizabeth Smart is home. She was taken to the hospital, given a brief checkup.

Apparently, she's doing very well. And Aaron, she's back with her mother and father and her brother and sisters' arms.

BROWN: Honestly, who would have thought? Miracles, that works for me. Thank you. We don't get many of these in this business. It's a nice one to get.

The presence of mind of that couple in Sandy, Utah, today, to see this guy, to connect it, to stop, to go take a second look, all of that. We'll have more as we go along on the family press conference later in the program. We'll talk to the mayor of Salt Lake, assistant district attorney, and others.

Joining us now is a family friend of the Smarts who brought Elizabeth's young brother to the police station to be reunited with his sister. Missy Larsen joins us. Good to see you.

MISSY LARSEN, FAMILY FRIEND: Thank you.

BROWN: You know there are a million questions, I suppose. And the best ones to me are the most obvious. How did you find out?

LARSEN: You know I am Chris Thomas's (ph) business partner. So we have been involved with the media from the very beginning. And so as soon as Ed called Chris, Chris called me and said, "Are you sitting down?"

And I couldn't believe it. I -- you know, I didn't believe him.

BROWN: And then tell me what happened next. You went -- did you go to the home? Did you go to the police station? Where did you go?

LARSEN: No. At that point, Ed was in Sandy, Utah, and he had gone to identify Elizabeth. And Chris at that point had not heard from Ed, and nobody had heard from Ed, but we did have a confirmation from the FBI that, yes, Elizabeth had been found. So we quickly went to the police department, and I connected with the family there, and from there I went to pick up her youngest brother for the family.

BROWN: Have you seen Elizabeth?

LARSEN: Yes, I did. And she looked very healthy. She looked great. She was so elated to -- I didn't see her interaction with her other brothers and sisters and with her parents, but I did with her youngest brother, and she was so thrilled to see him. And there were a lot of tears and a lot of hugging.

BROWN: Did she seem in a daze? Did she seem anything other than just joyful?

LARSEN: You know, she seemed tired. You know, she was in the hallway and she was coming out and probably overwhelmed. I'm sure it's been a very overwhelming experience. So it wasn't that she -- you know you couldn't see the full elation. She just seemed relieved and relieved to be with her family, and just so in a way -- just a comfort to be able to hold her little brother and to hug him.

BROWN: I imagine. Tell me what you know about her right now. Is she at home? Is she still with police? Where is she?

LARSEN: She was with police for quite a while. She was being questioned. I don't know what happened in that because obviously that's behind closed doors.

So I don't know what came out of that. From there they did take her to be checked out medically. And I don't know whether she is still there at the hospital or at the police station, or if she's come home at this point. So, no. I do know she is with both her mother and father.

BROWN: And you've talked to her parents, right?

LARSEN: Yes.

BROWN: Just tell me what their -- the first thing they said to you was. LARSEN: We found her. You know it was just tearful and happy and elated. And, you know, just in a way in shock. Because this day has been dreamed of, it has been thought of as a miracle, and here it is a miracle. And I don't know, you know, more than anything they were just in shock and happy and very tearful.

BROWN: Well, I suspect they and a lot of other people, both in Salt Lake and around the country, had the same feeling, shock and very happy that this ended the way it did. Missy, thanks. I know it's been a pretty crazy few hours for you. We appreciate your time tonight. Thank you.

LARSEN: Thank you very much.

BROWN: A bit more now on where this thing goes from here. Obviously, this is very early in an investigation, way too early to talk about specific charges, we suppose. Kent Morgan is a deputy district attorney in Salt Lake City. And Mr. Morgan joins us now.

Good to have you with us. Where were you when you found out?

KENT MORGAN, DEPUTY ATTORNEY, SALT LAKE DISTRICT: I was in my office. I received a phone call from one of the members of the media. And this individual asked if I'd heard any rumors. And of course, I had heard some rumors. But not this one.

And when she confirmed it, then I confirmed it myself. And I'm still in a little bit of a shock over the wonderful outcome of this case.

BROWN: What was it like in the DA's office? I mean, obviously, there's a -- you guys, you men and women, at some point will have to do business on this. What was the mood like there?

MORGAN: Well, I think everybody was elated. I think everybody was happy to see what was certainly not an expected result come about. The older characters, of course, get very weighty at this point, because now we know we have a great deal of work to start on beginning tomorrow morning.

BROWN: Is there any question at all about whether she was kidnapped?

MORGAN: I believe the investigation at this point would show that she did not leave her home involuntarily.

BROWN: She did not leave involuntarily or voluntarily?

MORGAN: Let me just put it straight. She was taken out of her house at knife-point against her will.

BROWN: OK. There's no question that she was -- in your office's mind, that she was kidnapped and held against her will?

MORGAN: Those are the facts we have at this point. BROWN: OK. Where does the prosecution -- where do the prosecutors go next literally? I mean, you start talking to detectives. What's the next step?

MORGAN: Well, there are two stages in this. The first stage is to make sure that all police officers have everything they need. We want to make sure that if they need search warrants or any court order process they have it. We want to ensure that as the evidence is gathered that it's done in an orderly fashion, as the police in this state always do.

And then it will go into the second phase. The second phase will be to assess the information that we have, see what rises to the level of evidence, and then we'll pare it down to what matches the violations of state and federal statutes.

BROWN: And will there be a -- I'm looking for a word. I want to say skirmish, but maybe that's not the best. About who gets to try the case first, whether it's a federal case or a state case?

MORGAN: I think there will be a lot of discussion about where the case will best be prosecuted. I hope it's not a skirmish. I don't think it will be. I think what will happen here is that the U.S. attorney's office and the district attorney's office will determine what is the most just prosecution and what will do the best for the interest of justice by both of our offices.

BROWN: Mr. Morgan, thanks for your time. This is -- I can't imagine you expected this day to play out quite the way it has, and we appreciate some of your time tonight. Thank you. Good luck.

MORGAN: You bet, sir.

BROWN: Kent Morgan, the deputy district attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ahead on NEWSNIGHT, more on the Smart case. A look at some of the strange twists and turns. We'll talk with a reporter who covered them all. We'll talk to the mayor as well.

Later, we'll head to the U.N., where they're still talking about when to vote and what it is they're going to vote on. A long way to go here. This is NEWSNIGHT on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: It's not always clear why one story more than another captures our attention and yours. Lots of theories about that. But today is not the day for it.

The case touched people. Elizabeth Smart did. Lots of them. They hung on every theory and even the smallest of facts, and there were far more of the former than the latter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

E. SMART: We can't express in words how much we miss Elizabeth.

BROWN (voice-over): For a time last summer, the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart was as familiar a story to most Americans as the looming war with Iraq is today.

E. SMART: Elizabeth needs to come home now. We fervently ask you to reflect on one thing that transcends all boundaries, races, religions, and cultures, and that's the power of love.

BROWN: She was, it was believed, kidnapped from her bedroom by a stranger on the 4th of June. The family's images of her captured on home video. The 14-year-old girl playing the harp, barbecuing at the beach, strolling along the shore. Those images were replayed endlessly on cable and broadcast TV, as were the daily news conferences of her parents, Ed and Lois Smart.

LOIS SMART, ELIZABETH'S MOTHER: Elizabeth, we love you. Our hearts are close together. I'm wearing the special necklace you gave me on my birthday.

BROWN: The Smart family seemed to be on television constantly. Here with Larry King the day after the 4th of July holiday last year.

LARRY KING, "LARRY KING LIVE": What keeps your hope going, Ed? I mean, every time we see you you're very sad and very hopeful. Is that contradictory?

E. SMART: Well, it's just -- it's sad that she's not here. It's sad that, you know, someone would break into our house. I can't believe that somebody would be willing to do that, come in and take one of our children.

BROWN: Reward money was offered, $250,000 from the Salt Lake City Police. And suspicion at first centered on this man, Richard Ricci. He was a sometime handyman at the Smarts' home and a man with a criminal past. He was arrested days after the Smart kidnapping on unrelated charges and died two months later in jail of a brain hemorrhage. But he was never charged in connection with Elizabeth's kidnapping.

E. SMART: We'd just appreciate it if you have got her to please let her go. Please.

BROWN: A second man, described as a drifter by police, Brent Michael Edmunds (ph), was also the focus of the investigation. He eventually turned up in a West Virginia hospital and no police action resulted. Weeks turned into months, however, and there was no public progress.

But another man, one far less widely known, became of interest to police. He was Brian David Mitchell, described by authorities as a vagabond preacher. Only last month did Elizabeth's younger sister, Mary Katherine (ph), tell police that a man she knew as Emmanuel -- in fact he was Brian Mitchell -- resembled in some way the man who took Elizabeth. E. SMART: Mary Katherine (ph) talked about features and familiarities, but she did not -- you know, she wasn't able to come out and say, of course, it was Emmanuel or it was this person. But there were some likenesses, there were some familiarities, and it is truly a miracle to me that she was able to come up with him.

BROWN: Some family members became upset with police in Salt Lake for not focusing enough on Brian Mitchell. "They should have caught this guy by now," said Tom Smart, an uncle who has often spoken on the family's behalf. Ironically, those comments were published today in a Salt Lake City newspaper only hours before Elizabeth Smart was found alive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: More on this remarkable story from someone who's been covering it for the "Deseret News" in Salt Lake. Pat Reavy joins us. Pat, good to have you with us. Just tell me what it was like in the newsroom when the news broke.

PAT REAVY, STAFF WRITER, "DESERET NEWS": As you can imagine, it was just unbelievable. I was out covering another story at the time. And as soon as news got out, it just spread like wildfire.

My cell phone just was going crazy from police officers, from other members of the media, saying, did you hear, did you hear, is it true? And I think just shock and disbelief was -- and still even now I think people are like unbelievable this happened.

BROWN: There was a point in this saga, and it always happens, I suppose, where the national media by and large moved on to other things, other stories, other events. How much attention on a daily or weekly basis was the story getting in Salt Lake? Was it still front page?

REAVY: No, I wouldn't say it's been front page for a while. You know, based mostly on what developments were new. I think last time maybe on the front of the local section was when this Emmanuel character, when a sketch release was made of him, which turned out to be Mitchell. When his family, stepsons spoke out about him.

But other than that it's kind of been hit and miss. And I think a lot of people were looking towards, OK, how are we going to do a one-year anniversary story, sadly enough. I think just the fact this happened today completely out of the blue -- no, but it hadn't been on the front page for a while.

BROWN: So until this afternoon there was no buzz over the last day or so that anything was happening? It just came from nowhere?

REAVY: It really did. It just came out of left field. Obviously, we've heard on how the Smarts were feeling that maybe more attention should be put on Mitchell. Police, however, were saying, you know, we're following leads. And Salt Lake City Police keeping a fairly low key throughout the last several months of the investigation. So really I guess I'd have to say no buzz was being generated in this story.

BROWN: What are you hearing right now?

REAVY: Concerning?

BROWN: Where she was, how she is, what went on. Are you hearing any of the -- I'm curious how you're going to write your story. Any of the detail of the last nine months?

REAVY: You know, it's really I think a mystery. I think everyone's heard by now that possibly she's been out of state, possibly she's been to San Diego and Atlanta. Of course, police, in the news conference today, remaining extremely tight-lipped exactly about where she's been, what possibly the motivation could have been for the kidnapping.

You know, was she abused, was Mitchell armed when police stopped him today. These are just questions that we don't know, and I think it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the coming days.

BROWN: I think it's going to be really interesting. Pat, thank you. Pat Reavy of the "Deseret Sun," who's been writing about this for the last nine months.

Obviously, it's not just family that's celebrating tonight. An entire city is celebrating as well. Salt Lake is a city that, in my experience, at least, is perhaps a tighter, more connected in many ways than most cities. Rocky Anderson is the mayor, and he joins us tonight.

I'll start with you the same way I started with everybody else. Just tell me where you were when you heard.

MAYOR ROCKY ANDERSON, SALT LAKE CITY: I was in my office. The police chief called, gave me the great news. We ran right over to the police station. And...

BROWN: What did he say?

ANDERSON: He told me that they had found Elizabeth Smart and her abductors and that Elizabeth was alive and seemingly well.

BROWN: And do you remember what you said?

ANDERSON: I don't remember my response other than, that is so terrific, I'm thrilled, I'll be right over.

BROWN: And you went where at that point?

ANDERSON: Well, at that point, I actually called Ed Smart on his cell phone Ed and I have developed a good relationship over the past nine months. And Ed answered his cell phone.

He was with Elizabeth at the time. And he was crying out of pure joy. And we had a short conversation, and then I told him I would see him over at the police station and met he and his wife and all the rest of their children when I got over to the police station.

BROWN: And what was that moment like? That must have been something.

ANDERSON: It was unbelievable. Elizabeth wasn't there at the time. And actually, when I got there, it was just Elizabeth and Lois. The other children came in later.

And they were I think stunned. There's a lot emotionally to settle in, especially for young children at that point. Later, I've got to say, it was one of the most touching moments of the day when I -- when Elizabeth did come up later on, and I saw her pick up her youngest brother and hold him so closely, I didn't think she would ever let him go.

BROWN: Tell me where she is now, and tell me what you know about what the next 24, 48 hours are going to be like for her.

ANDERSON: Well, I know that after some questioning at the police station and the reunion with her family and some discussions there, she was going to be taken to the hospital for examination. And then I think she's going to be with her family tonight.

And I hope that they get some time to just be left alone and let all this settle in. This family has been absolutely remarkable. They never gave up hope. Ed Smart is one of the most tenacious individuals.

He and his brother Tom kept pushing and pushing. And I must say, after -- as they kept pushing during these nine months and getting more and more information out, the media was so great about this. And I think if it had not been for the media reporting on this all the way along, and if it weren't for Tom and Ed Smart and Lois, their tenacious efforts, we wouldn't be at this point where we are today.

BROWN: Mayor, it's good to talk to you. I can't imagine there have been many better days in your tenure as mayor of Salt Lake. This is a nice one. It's good to have you with us. Thank you.

ANDERSON: I can definitely tell you there hasn't been a happier day since I've been mayor. This has just been extraordinary.

BROWN: I'll bet it is. Thank you, sir, very much. Rocky Anderson, who's the mayor in Salt Lake City.

Later in the program, we'll run some of the family news conference, if you missed that. It was powerful and interesting. That's coming up. After a short break, we'll come back with the other major story of the day. We'll go over to the United Nations and get the latest on what they may be voting on and when that vote will happen.

Around the world, this is NEWSNIGHT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Well, good news led the program. Now on to the rest.

In the desert, with a sandstorm blowing, U.S. and British troops have moved to final gathering points close to the border with Iraq. General Tommy Franks met today with his command team, which is assembled now in Qatar. Chemical detection trucks began patrolling the streets of Kuwait in case of a Scud missile attack by the Iraqis. All signs on the ground say a war could come in a matter of days.

But for a few days, and a few days only, they are the backdrop to the debate taking place in London and Washington and here in New York at the U.N. Security Council, a debate that went deep into the evening.

So we turn once again to CNN's Richard Roth for the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH (voice-over): It was a last-ditch diplomatic appeal by the British to win votes from undecided Security Council nations. Britain introduced six so-called benchmarks, or conditions, that Iraq must obey or face military force.

To demonstrate cooperation, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would have to make a statement in Arabic on state radio and television announcing Iraq has concealed weapons of mass destruction and now renounces their use. Benchmark two: At least 30 Iraqi scientists would be made available for interviews outside of Iraq. Baghdad would also have to surrender and explain all anthrax it possesses; 10,000 liters is one U.N. estimate.

Iraq would also have to destroy all remaining Al Samoud missiles and components. Condition five says Iraq would have to give evidence on all unmanned aerial vehicles. And it would have to surrender all mobile chemical and biological production facilities.

JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: This is a trial balloon for an alternative approach to see if we can keep the council together and adopt a resolution that will work.

ROTH: Britain badly needs a second resolution back home. And assigning tests for Iraq to cooperate is one way of garnering support from uncommitted delegates. But Britain was all alone on this move. The co-sponsors of the existing resolution on the table, the U.S. and Spain, were conspicuously absent from the benchmarks idea.

The deadline of March 17 for the resolution still holds, though a veto from Russia or France is a very live possibility. A confident Russia could afford to have some fun with the benchmarks.

QUESTION: Those benches on which you're sitting, are they leaving marks?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH: And at the end of this evening's consultations, Britain and the United States both said they would consider dropping the March 17 deadline if there was traction or acceptance by the undecided council members and the others. Initial reaction, though, from Russia and France negative, one diplomat saying the U.S. and Britain are trying to pull some sneaky tricks.

However, the U.S. ambassador did say that, if there is some traction and coalescing around the council, one option available is a modest extension of that March 17 deadline, very brief, said Ambassador John Negroponte -- Aaron.

BROWN: Richard, thank you -- Richard Roth at the United Nations.

On to the White House next: the president again trying to line up a majority of votes. The State Department believes they are close. John King has the duty at the White House tonight.

John, are they real confident or feigning confidence?

KING: Well, they're confident, Aaron, that they have a majority, at least eight votes. It takes nine, what Ari Fleischer today called a super majority, to pass a resolution in the council.

And, of course, France has said it is adamant it will veto any resolution it believes clears the way for war -- so still uphill diplomacy for the administration, much of this being done and the lead being taken, in fact, as Richard just noted, by the British; also some give in the administration today, in the sense that the president has been adamant the vote be this week. Officials now say it is possible -- not likely, but possible -- they could let the diplomacy go over into next week if progress is being made -- also give of another sort, some officials saying this is a much more remote possibility.

But it is now possible there will be no vote at all, that the United States, Britain, and Spain could come to the conclusion that it is better to go to war without a second resolution. If in fact then a resolution would then be vetoed, that could cause even more problems in Europe. What does the president think about all this? Aides say they concede it is a very confusing moment. It has been more than three days, though, since we've heard from the president, Ari Fleischer today saying that is necessary because this moment is both so urgent and so delicate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And the president wants to conduct this diplomacy in a way that he thinks is the most effective. And the way to do it most effectively, in his judgment, is through the serious and private consultation. And for the president to get drawn into a public discussion of this provision, that provision, this much time, that much time, would put him in a position of either just not answering any questions about it because he won't negotiate in public or pursuing it the way he has.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: More phone calls expected tomorrow -- the presidents of Russia and Pakistan among those Mr. Bush called today. Diplomatic muddle is what one senior Bush aide called all this.

This much is clear, though. Once the United Nations' debate is wrapped up, win or lose, the administration plans to pivot quickly. It is still possible, Aaron, that, by the end of this week, by Friday night, we could hear the president delivering his own ultimatum to Saddam Hussein. That, of course, could slip into next week if the diplomacy drags on as well -- Aaron.

BROWN: John, thank you -- our senior White House correspondent, John King.

Coming up, we'll have more on this. We'll talk with Patrick Tyler of "The New York Times" about Iraq.

And later, in segment seven, we'll have some of the additional moments from the Elizabeth Smart family news conference.

Much more to do tonight. This is NEWSNIGHT on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: And next on NEWSNIGHT, we talk with Patrick Tyler of "The New York Times" about what may happen next over at the United Nations.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Few questions short of whether or not we go to war as a country have stirred as much controversy as how much that war might cost. The administration has been tiptoeing around this one, not wanting to blur the message or stir up doubts. We'll know when we get there, is the line you hear from the White House. And no doubt, in the strictest sense, that is correct.

Others say that isn't enough. A bipartisan panel of experts has come up with a ballpark figure, at least $20 billion a year and as many as 200,000 troops.

Patrick Tyler is writing about all of this for "The New York Times," and Mr. Tyler joins us tonight.

Nice to have you here.

PATRICK TYLER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Thanks.

BROWN: What do you hear as far as a date? Are they going to move the date back from the 17th?

TYLER: I think that's the leverage they're using. They'll move it if they can attract more support for the resolution.

BROWN: How far back?

TYLER: I don't think beyond the end of next week, or possibly to the following Monday, the 24th. Those are the dates we're hearing today.

BROWN: And does -- was the administration -- let me ask this differently. Is it your view that the administration has eight votes?

TYLER: It's my view that anyone who says, for instance, they have all three African votes today is taking a public position that is based on hope, perhaps, more than reality. I think these votes are -- we're not going to know them, as people have said, until the day of the vote.

BROWN: It's that fluid?

TYLER: It is.

BROWN: Or just people aren't showing their cards?

TYLER: At the beginning of this, people said that this was all going to be about money, what these countries could be offered, what they wanted.

And it's interesting that a lot of these votes have not been about money. They've been about principle and, of course, national interests, which includes money. These states are calculating, what is best for us to do? And they see the dinosaurs, the large countries, fighting, and they're trying to calculate their national interests.

BROWN: In a piece you wrote on the 8th, you led it with a quote from the Russian foreign minister: "It's quite clear that the way in which we resolve this problem will determine not just the future of Iraq," talking broadly about the future of the Security Council, the United Nations, multilateralism, all of that.

Assuming for a second that this resolution does not pass, has the world of multilateralism shifted?

TYLER: It has shifted, to an extent.

I mean, the president went to the United Nations, against some advice in his administration, last September and took a gamble that he could coalesce a majority that would authorize military action against Iraq if Saddam Hussein didn't disarm. I think there was a great deal of response to that. France, Germany, the other countries of Europe really welcomed that outstretched hand from President Bush and really were looking for a collaboration.

I think the diplomacy has gotten off the rails since the 1st of the year. It's not necessarily any one party's fault.

BROWN: I was going to ask that. Is it that somebody blew it, in a sense, or is it that these countries simply see the problem differently and have different interests?

TYLER: That's part of it.

These countries also, I think, are fighting for a template, a new paradigm of collective action. And the outreached -- outstretched hand of President Bush convinced them that he was looking for partners. And they enthusiastically jumped in. When they saw that the military timetable was dragging the president toward shorter timeframes that would undermine the process that Hans Blix and the U.N. weapons inspectors were reasonably laying out, I think this is what mostly caused the derailment.

BROWN: Do you care to hazard a guess whether the resolution passes or not?

TYLER: I think there's a very good chance a resolution will pass, because, in the end, those nations are going to vote for the institution and they're going to vote for collective response.

And if the administration, the British, the Americans, and the Spanish give them enough of a figure leaf, an extended deadline, these benchmarks, which are very tough, that might be enough to sign them up.

BROWN: Thanks for coming in. It's nice to meet you. And your work is terrific.

TYLER: Thanks a lot.

BROWN: Thank you, Patrick Tyler of "The New York Times."

When we come back, we'll go out to the Kuwait desert, where the Marines are going to language class for a good reason.

A short break first. This is NEWSNIGHT from New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Next on NEWSNIGHT: Alessio Vinci with the troops in Kuwait.

A short break first.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: The latest now from our reporters who've joined up with the troops preparing for a possible war with Iraq. Alessio Vinci tonight is with the Marines in the Kuwaiti desert learning to wield an indispensable weapon: the ability to communicate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Training for war in the Kuwaiti desert, it is not just about guns and military toys. Sometimes, it is simply about knowing the language.

SGT. NASSER MANASTERI, CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP: (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) He raised his hands up, all right? (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) He's got a weapon.

VINCI: And the culture. MANASTERI: I'll go over it again. You don't want to point your shoes at anybody. You don't want to put your feet up on the table. You don't want to give the thumbs-up or the A-OK sign, because that's derogatory in this part of the world.

VINCI: Sergeant Nasser Manasteri was born in Lebanon before moving to the U.S. He speaks fluent Arabic, one of a few in his entire battalion. He spent most of this morning teaching several platoons the basics of Arabic and Islamic culture.

MANASTERI: I think it's a cultural shock for them to be out here, because of the different attitudes and culture. But they're slowly picking it up and they're accepting it. They want to learn as much as possible as what they can, because the more they know -- knowledge is power.

Stop. No.

VINCI: The class includes learning phrases like "Raise your hands" or "Put your weapon down."

MANASTERI: (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) I'm going to search you.

VINCI: Or, more simply, "Stop" or "Don't move," all keywords to help defuse a potentially dangerous situation with Iraqi soldiers or even civilians.

LANCE CORP. JACOB ANDERSON, U.S. MARINES: And, also, if we're like in an environment and we have to search them, well, we'll have to let them know that we're searching them.

VINCI (on camera): How do you say, "I want to search you"?

ANDERSON: Oh, that is (SPEAKING IN ARABIC)

VINCI (voice-over): Clearly, in a few short classes, they won't be able to turn these Marines into fluent Arabic speakers.

(on camera): And what if one of the Marines does not remember the right word or communication breaks down? Well, said one of them, pointing at his weapon, "I also speak M-16 and everyone understands it."

Alessio Vinci, CNN, with the U.S. Marines in the Kuwaiti desert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Segment seven next: the case of Elizabeth Smart.

This is NEWSNIGHT on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: No morning papers, because morning papers around the country and around the world are remaking their front page to include the Elizabeth Smart case. And we end with that tonight with her family, on a day when their miracle finally came true.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: She looks very healthy. She looks very, very healthy. She's grown a lot. And I'm just so absolutely thrilled. I just -- I couldn't believe it. In fact, I had to take a double-take and pull her back away from me and say, is it really you?

All of the children out there deserve to come home to their parents, the way Elizabeth has come back to us. And I just hope and pray that Congress will quickly pass the AMBER Alert, so that those children will have a better chance, because they cross the state line and they're out of commission. And we need to have this here. We really do. But I just am so grateful and so thankful.

Thank you very much.

QUESTION: Ed, can you describe Elizabeth's demeanor? You said she looked good. She was bigger. But she's been through this horrible ordeal. Is she still scared? Is she excited? Is she happy?

E. SMART: I don't know. I mean, it was just -- I'm sure she was just thrilled to be back. I just -- such happiness and such love. And I just held her, held her the whole way home.

MISSY LARSEN, SMART FAMILY SPOKESPERSON: I just brought her little brother William in. And as William and she saw each other, it was such a wonderful reunion for them to just hug. And they -- he would hug her and look at her and hug her and look at her and couldn't believe, I think, as a 4-year-old now, that his sister is home.

DAVID SMART, UNCLE OF ELIZABETH SMART: With the darkness that surrounds us in these times of the possibility of war that could be coming upon us and a miracle that has been brought to us, an incredible miracle that has been brought to our family, words cannot express how grateful we are for the prayers around the world.

Do miracles still exist? And the answer is yes. And we have Elizabeth back.

TOM SMART, UNCLE OF ELIZABETH SMART: This neighborhood, the Federal Heights neighborhood, everybody's been ripped up. Everybody's helped. Everybody's prayed to do whatever they can. We thank God for all the searchers, for all the people. In the history of the world, I don't think a little girl has been prayed for more than Elizabeth Smart. And we thank you for answering those prayers.

CYNTHIA SMART-OWENS, AUNT OF ELIZABETH SMART: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: It's a nice day to have this job.

We'll see you tomorrow at 10:00 Eastern time. We hope you'll join us.

Good night for all of us at NEWSNIGHT.

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







Aired March 12, 2003 - 22:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AARON BROWN, HOST: Good evening again, everyone. I'm not sure what the adjective ought to be. Incredible, remarkable, unbelievable all fit today's news that young Elizabeth Smart was found alive.
These stories just don't end this way. Sometimes they end well, when a family member kidnaps a child. But virtually never when it's a stranger, as seems the case here.

There is, of course, a tremendous amount we do not know tonight. We don't know where this child has been. We don't know the conditions under which she was held. We don't know if she was assaulted.

We'll know all of that eventually, but not tonight. We know one key fact tonight, one that trumps all others, one we never imagined reporting: Elizabeth Smart is alive. This may not be the most important story of this day, but it surely is the best story of the day. And after weeks of reporting some of the most depressing news imaginable, we welcome the chance to report something wonderful, and we will do it tonight with considerable joy.

Good news, but many questions to answer. So where was she? Who's behind it all? How is she doing? We begin The Whip in Salt Lake City tonight, and Rusty Dornin. Rusty, a headline.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, what we do know is Elizabeth Smart is back in the loving arms of her family, and we're beginning to learn the story. We'll tell you more.

BROWN: Rusty, thank you. We'll have a lot on Elizabeth Smart tonight, but there is more as well.

To Iraq next. Intense diplomacy at the U.N. Richard Roth once again. Richard, a headline.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, grab a bench, pull up a seat. The Security Council deadlock on Iraq is focused now on something called benchmarks. Call this volume "How to win votes and disarm Iraq, too" -- Aaron.

BROWN: Richard, thank you.

And to the White house, where the president continued to press allies, reluctant and otherwise. John King is there. John, a headline.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Aaron, on the one hand some progress from the White House perspective. The administration says it is close, if not already in hand of at least a majority on the Council. Not enough to pass the resolution, but a majority. Yet also some conflicting signals. Some say the president, who was so adamant about having the vote this week, might let it slip to next week -- Aaron.

BROWN: John, thank you. Back to you and the rest shortly.

Also coming up tonight, a lot, as we said, on Elizabeth Smart. We'll talk with the mayor of Salt Lake City, Rocky Anderson; the deputy district attorney for the city, Kent Morgan. We'll talk with a reporter who has been following this story for nine months now, Pat Reavy of the "Deseret News."

Also tonight, Alessio Vinci with the troops. The Marines in Kuwait learning something that just might help disarm an Iraqi someday, being able to talk to them. All of that in the hour ahead.

We begin with Elizabeth Smart, who was reunited with her parents tonight nine months and seven days after she vanished. We hesitate to call this an absolutely happy ending. Only the best one imaginable.

Better would have been a 9-year-old never having seen her 14- year-old sister spirited out of their bedroom at gunpoint. Better would have been parents never having to mark their daughter's 15th birthday without her, knowing the odds were that they would never see her again. Better would be a man not dying in jail under suspicion of being a monster. Better would be a 15-year-old girl whose only bad memories of the last nine months are algebra and acne.

But if Elizabeth Smart, now a 15-year-old girl with nine months of horrors to deal with, she is also tonight against all odds a 15- year-old girl back where all 15-year-old girls belong: with her family. It's a good way to get back to CNN's Rusty Dornin in Salt Lake -- Rusty.

DORNIN: Aaron, if you could say a community is elated, this is it. Salt Lake City is already covered with blue balloons and blue ribbons. Blue is the favorite color for Elizabeth Smart.

Now we've heard a lot from family, a lot from friends, and of course a lot from police. But the man I think many have always wanted to hear the words from is her father, Ed Smart, who took this investigation personally. He mounted several volunteer searches, never gave up, was always coming back to the Salt Lake City police, always asking people to get her picture out and to get her name out. And tonight he was able to talk to the folks who care with the best of all news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: I am so, so very glad that this has a happy ending. And I just want to thank everyone for their prayers, their love and support, not just here in Utah, but across the nation, across the world, because we've had that kind of support. And it just goes back to the importance. All of the children out there deserve to come home to their parents the way Elizabeth has come back to us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: We don't know a lot of details about the suspect. We do know his name is Brian David Mitchell. He went by the name of Emmanuel. He was a drifter who worked at the Smart home at one time.

Now it was Mary Katherine (ph), Elizabeth Smart's younger sister, said she recognized a voice or that she knew who the person was that took her sister. Today, Salt Lake City police talked about how she was found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF RICK DINSE, SALT LAKE CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT: Earlier today, about 1:00, some police officers from the city of Sandy were dispatched to a location where one of the people that we had been looking for was identified, or at least a suspected individual that may have been the individuals we were looking for were identified.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF STEPHEN CHAPMAN, SANDY POLICE DEPARTMENT: After some questioning we were convinced that it was Elizabeth Smart. We were also convinced that it was the suspect that Salt Lake City was wanting to speak with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: Now Elizabeth was found in a routine traffic stop in Sandy, Utah. Now that's a few miles from Salt Lake City here. Apparently, from what we can understand, she may have been taken on a cross-country trip during her nine months of abduction.

She was taken from Utah to San Diego to Atlanta, and back here to Utah. But, as I said, her picture has always been out there, always in the communities of Utah in particular. And it was a very sharp- eyed couple that spotted something suspicious on the streets of Sandy today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANITA DICKERSON, SECOND EYEWITNESS TO CALL POLICE: And my husband said, well, that may be, you know, the person they're looking for in the Elizabeth Smart case. And when he said that, then I leaned over and actually looked at the man in the face, and I said, "I believe that is him."

And so I asked him to pull off the road, and I got out of the car, walked towards the back as they were walking up the sidewalk, and I looked him in the face. He looked at me, and I turned around, went back to my husband, and I said, "That's him. Let me have your cell phone." And I called.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: And it was very quickly after that that police were able to identify Elizabeth Smart. Apparently, she was wearing a dark wig, but was in the car with the suspect. Tonight, of course, we hear from many joyous family members.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID SMART, ELIZABETH'S UNCLE: If you want to talk about heroes in this story, Mary Katherine (ph) is our hero. Mary Katherine (ph)...

(APPLAUSE)

SMART: ... Mary Katherine (ph) has steadfast in what she knew and what she didn't know. And when she did remember, she came forward and had the courage to go forward to her parents and tell them that it might be Emmanuel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM SMART, ELIZABETH'S UNCLE: We knew that statistically it was not -- that it would be nothing less than a miracle, but we've always believed in miracles.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: And believe me, I've covered so many of these missing children stories in the last year, and really, this is like a miracle, even for those of us who have covered these stories. Now, tonight, of course, Elizabeth Smart is home. She was taken to the hospital, given a brief checkup.

Apparently, she's doing very well. And Aaron, she's back with her mother and father and her brother and sisters' arms.

BROWN: Honestly, who would have thought? Miracles, that works for me. Thank you. We don't get many of these in this business. It's a nice one to get.

The presence of mind of that couple in Sandy, Utah, today, to see this guy, to connect it, to stop, to go take a second look, all of that. We'll have more as we go along on the family press conference later in the program. We'll talk to the mayor of Salt Lake, assistant district attorney, and others.

Joining us now is a family friend of the Smarts who brought Elizabeth's young brother to the police station to be reunited with his sister. Missy Larsen joins us. Good to see you.

MISSY LARSEN, FAMILY FRIEND: Thank you.

BROWN: You know there are a million questions, I suppose. And the best ones to me are the most obvious. How did you find out?

LARSEN: You know I am Chris Thomas's (ph) business partner. So we have been involved with the media from the very beginning. And so as soon as Ed called Chris, Chris called me and said, "Are you sitting down?"

And I couldn't believe it. I -- you know, I didn't believe him.

BROWN: And then tell me what happened next. You went -- did you go to the home? Did you go to the police station? Where did you go?

LARSEN: No. At that point, Ed was in Sandy, Utah, and he had gone to identify Elizabeth. And Chris at that point had not heard from Ed, and nobody had heard from Ed, but we did have a confirmation from the FBI that, yes, Elizabeth had been found. So we quickly went to the police department, and I connected with the family there, and from there I went to pick up her youngest brother for the family.

BROWN: Have you seen Elizabeth?

LARSEN: Yes, I did. And she looked very healthy. She looked great. She was so elated to -- I didn't see her interaction with her other brothers and sisters and with her parents, but I did with her youngest brother, and she was so thrilled to see him. And there were a lot of tears and a lot of hugging.

BROWN: Did she seem in a daze? Did she seem anything other than just joyful?

LARSEN: You know, she seemed tired. You know, she was in the hallway and she was coming out and probably overwhelmed. I'm sure it's been a very overwhelming experience. So it wasn't that she -- you know you couldn't see the full elation. She just seemed relieved and relieved to be with her family, and just so in a way -- just a comfort to be able to hold her little brother and to hug him.

BROWN: I imagine. Tell me what you know about her right now. Is she at home? Is she still with police? Where is she?

LARSEN: She was with police for quite a while. She was being questioned. I don't know what happened in that because obviously that's behind closed doors.

So I don't know what came out of that. From there they did take her to be checked out medically. And I don't know whether she is still there at the hospital or at the police station, or if she's come home at this point. So, no. I do know she is with both her mother and father.

BROWN: And you've talked to her parents, right?

LARSEN: Yes.

BROWN: Just tell me what their -- the first thing they said to you was. LARSEN: We found her. You know it was just tearful and happy and elated. And, you know, just in a way in shock. Because this day has been dreamed of, it has been thought of as a miracle, and here it is a miracle. And I don't know, you know, more than anything they were just in shock and happy and very tearful.

BROWN: Well, I suspect they and a lot of other people, both in Salt Lake and around the country, had the same feeling, shock and very happy that this ended the way it did. Missy, thanks. I know it's been a pretty crazy few hours for you. We appreciate your time tonight. Thank you.

LARSEN: Thank you very much.

BROWN: A bit more now on where this thing goes from here. Obviously, this is very early in an investigation, way too early to talk about specific charges, we suppose. Kent Morgan is a deputy district attorney in Salt Lake City. And Mr. Morgan joins us now.

Good to have you with us. Where were you when you found out?

KENT MORGAN, DEPUTY ATTORNEY, SALT LAKE DISTRICT: I was in my office. I received a phone call from one of the members of the media. And this individual asked if I'd heard any rumors. And of course, I had heard some rumors. But not this one.

And when she confirmed it, then I confirmed it myself. And I'm still in a little bit of a shock over the wonderful outcome of this case.

BROWN: What was it like in the DA's office? I mean, obviously, there's a -- you guys, you men and women, at some point will have to do business on this. What was the mood like there?

MORGAN: Well, I think everybody was elated. I think everybody was happy to see what was certainly not an expected result come about. The older characters, of course, get very weighty at this point, because now we know we have a great deal of work to start on beginning tomorrow morning.

BROWN: Is there any question at all about whether she was kidnapped?

MORGAN: I believe the investigation at this point would show that she did not leave her home involuntarily.

BROWN: She did not leave involuntarily or voluntarily?

MORGAN: Let me just put it straight. She was taken out of her house at knife-point against her will.

BROWN: OK. There's no question that she was -- in your office's mind, that she was kidnapped and held against her will?

MORGAN: Those are the facts we have at this point. BROWN: OK. Where does the prosecution -- where do the prosecutors go next literally? I mean, you start talking to detectives. What's the next step?

MORGAN: Well, there are two stages in this. The first stage is to make sure that all police officers have everything they need. We want to make sure that if they need search warrants or any court order process they have it. We want to ensure that as the evidence is gathered that it's done in an orderly fashion, as the police in this state always do.

And then it will go into the second phase. The second phase will be to assess the information that we have, see what rises to the level of evidence, and then we'll pare it down to what matches the violations of state and federal statutes.

BROWN: And will there be a -- I'm looking for a word. I want to say skirmish, but maybe that's not the best. About who gets to try the case first, whether it's a federal case or a state case?

MORGAN: I think there will be a lot of discussion about where the case will best be prosecuted. I hope it's not a skirmish. I don't think it will be. I think what will happen here is that the U.S. attorney's office and the district attorney's office will determine what is the most just prosecution and what will do the best for the interest of justice by both of our offices.

BROWN: Mr. Morgan, thanks for your time. This is -- I can't imagine you expected this day to play out quite the way it has, and we appreciate some of your time tonight. Thank you. Good luck.

MORGAN: You bet, sir.

BROWN: Kent Morgan, the deputy district attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Ahead on NEWSNIGHT, more on the Smart case. A look at some of the strange twists and turns. We'll talk with a reporter who covered them all. We'll talk to the mayor as well.

Later, we'll head to the U.N., where they're still talking about when to vote and what it is they're going to vote on. A long way to go here. This is NEWSNIGHT on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: It's not always clear why one story more than another captures our attention and yours. Lots of theories about that. But today is not the day for it.

The case touched people. Elizabeth Smart did. Lots of them. They hung on every theory and even the smallest of facts, and there were far more of the former than the latter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

E. SMART: We can't express in words how much we miss Elizabeth.

BROWN (voice-over): For a time last summer, the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart was as familiar a story to most Americans as the looming war with Iraq is today.

E. SMART: Elizabeth needs to come home now. We fervently ask you to reflect on one thing that transcends all boundaries, races, religions, and cultures, and that's the power of love.

BROWN: She was, it was believed, kidnapped from her bedroom by a stranger on the 4th of June. The family's images of her captured on home video. The 14-year-old girl playing the harp, barbecuing at the beach, strolling along the shore. Those images were replayed endlessly on cable and broadcast TV, as were the daily news conferences of her parents, Ed and Lois Smart.

LOIS SMART, ELIZABETH'S MOTHER: Elizabeth, we love you. Our hearts are close together. I'm wearing the special necklace you gave me on my birthday.

BROWN: The Smart family seemed to be on television constantly. Here with Larry King the day after the 4th of July holiday last year.

LARRY KING, "LARRY KING LIVE": What keeps your hope going, Ed? I mean, every time we see you you're very sad and very hopeful. Is that contradictory?

E. SMART: Well, it's just -- it's sad that she's not here. It's sad that, you know, someone would break into our house. I can't believe that somebody would be willing to do that, come in and take one of our children.

BROWN: Reward money was offered, $250,000 from the Salt Lake City Police. And suspicion at first centered on this man, Richard Ricci. He was a sometime handyman at the Smarts' home and a man with a criminal past. He was arrested days after the Smart kidnapping on unrelated charges and died two months later in jail of a brain hemorrhage. But he was never charged in connection with Elizabeth's kidnapping.

E. SMART: We'd just appreciate it if you have got her to please let her go. Please.

BROWN: A second man, described as a drifter by police, Brent Michael Edmunds (ph), was also the focus of the investigation. He eventually turned up in a West Virginia hospital and no police action resulted. Weeks turned into months, however, and there was no public progress.

But another man, one far less widely known, became of interest to police. He was Brian David Mitchell, described by authorities as a vagabond preacher. Only last month did Elizabeth's younger sister, Mary Katherine (ph), tell police that a man she knew as Emmanuel -- in fact he was Brian Mitchell -- resembled in some way the man who took Elizabeth. E. SMART: Mary Katherine (ph) talked about features and familiarities, but she did not -- you know, she wasn't able to come out and say, of course, it was Emmanuel or it was this person. But there were some likenesses, there were some familiarities, and it is truly a miracle to me that she was able to come up with him.

BROWN: Some family members became upset with police in Salt Lake for not focusing enough on Brian Mitchell. "They should have caught this guy by now," said Tom Smart, an uncle who has often spoken on the family's behalf. Ironically, those comments were published today in a Salt Lake City newspaper only hours before Elizabeth Smart was found alive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: More on this remarkable story from someone who's been covering it for the "Deseret News" in Salt Lake. Pat Reavy joins us. Pat, good to have you with us. Just tell me what it was like in the newsroom when the news broke.

PAT REAVY, STAFF WRITER, "DESERET NEWS": As you can imagine, it was just unbelievable. I was out covering another story at the time. And as soon as news got out, it just spread like wildfire.

My cell phone just was going crazy from police officers, from other members of the media, saying, did you hear, did you hear, is it true? And I think just shock and disbelief was -- and still even now I think people are like unbelievable this happened.

BROWN: There was a point in this saga, and it always happens, I suppose, where the national media by and large moved on to other things, other stories, other events. How much attention on a daily or weekly basis was the story getting in Salt Lake? Was it still front page?

REAVY: No, I wouldn't say it's been front page for a while. You know, based mostly on what developments were new. I think last time maybe on the front of the local section was when this Emmanuel character, when a sketch release was made of him, which turned out to be Mitchell. When his family, stepsons spoke out about him.

But other than that it's kind of been hit and miss. And I think a lot of people were looking towards, OK, how are we going to do a one-year anniversary story, sadly enough. I think just the fact this happened today completely out of the blue -- no, but it hadn't been on the front page for a while.

BROWN: So until this afternoon there was no buzz over the last day or so that anything was happening? It just came from nowhere?

REAVY: It really did. It just came out of left field. Obviously, we've heard on how the Smarts were feeling that maybe more attention should be put on Mitchell. Police, however, were saying, you know, we're following leads. And Salt Lake City Police keeping a fairly low key throughout the last several months of the investigation. So really I guess I'd have to say no buzz was being generated in this story.

BROWN: What are you hearing right now?

REAVY: Concerning?

BROWN: Where she was, how she is, what went on. Are you hearing any of the -- I'm curious how you're going to write your story. Any of the detail of the last nine months?

REAVY: You know, it's really I think a mystery. I think everyone's heard by now that possibly she's been out of state, possibly she's been to San Diego and Atlanta. Of course, police, in the news conference today, remaining extremely tight-lipped exactly about where she's been, what possibly the motivation could have been for the kidnapping.

You know, was she abused, was Mitchell armed when police stopped him today. These are just questions that we don't know, and I think it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the coming days.

BROWN: I think it's going to be really interesting. Pat, thank you. Pat Reavy of the "Deseret Sun," who's been writing about this for the last nine months.

Obviously, it's not just family that's celebrating tonight. An entire city is celebrating as well. Salt Lake is a city that, in my experience, at least, is perhaps a tighter, more connected in many ways than most cities. Rocky Anderson is the mayor, and he joins us tonight.

I'll start with you the same way I started with everybody else. Just tell me where you were when you heard.

MAYOR ROCKY ANDERSON, SALT LAKE CITY: I was in my office. The police chief called, gave me the great news. We ran right over to the police station. And...

BROWN: What did he say?

ANDERSON: He told me that they had found Elizabeth Smart and her abductors and that Elizabeth was alive and seemingly well.

BROWN: And do you remember what you said?

ANDERSON: I don't remember my response other than, that is so terrific, I'm thrilled, I'll be right over.

BROWN: And you went where at that point?

ANDERSON: Well, at that point, I actually called Ed Smart on his cell phone Ed and I have developed a good relationship over the past nine months. And Ed answered his cell phone.

He was with Elizabeth at the time. And he was crying out of pure joy. And we had a short conversation, and then I told him I would see him over at the police station and met he and his wife and all the rest of their children when I got over to the police station.

BROWN: And what was that moment like? That must have been something.

ANDERSON: It was unbelievable. Elizabeth wasn't there at the time. And actually, when I got there, it was just Elizabeth and Lois. The other children came in later.

And they were I think stunned. There's a lot emotionally to settle in, especially for young children at that point. Later, I've got to say, it was one of the most touching moments of the day when I -- when Elizabeth did come up later on, and I saw her pick up her youngest brother and hold him so closely, I didn't think she would ever let him go.

BROWN: Tell me where she is now, and tell me what you know about what the next 24, 48 hours are going to be like for her.

ANDERSON: Well, I know that after some questioning at the police station and the reunion with her family and some discussions there, she was going to be taken to the hospital for examination. And then I think she's going to be with her family tonight.

And I hope that they get some time to just be left alone and let all this settle in. This family has been absolutely remarkable. They never gave up hope. Ed Smart is one of the most tenacious individuals.

He and his brother Tom kept pushing and pushing. And I must say, after -- as they kept pushing during these nine months and getting more and more information out, the media was so great about this. And I think if it had not been for the media reporting on this all the way along, and if it weren't for Tom and Ed Smart and Lois, their tenacious efforts, we wouldn't be at this point where we are today.

BROWN: Mayor, it's good to talk to you. I can't imagine there have been many better days in your tenure as mayor of Salt Lake. This is a nice one. It's good to have you with us. Thank you.

ANDERSON: I can definitely tell you there hasn't been a happier day since I've been mayor. This has just been extraordinary.

BROWN: I'll bet it is. Thank you, sir, very much. Rocky Anderson, who's the mayor in Salt Lake City.

Later in the program, we'll run some of the family news conference, if you missed that. It was powerful and interesting. That's coming up. After a short break, we'll come back with the other major story of the day. We'll go over to the United Nations and get the latest on what they may be voting on and when that vote will happen.

Around the world, this is NEWSNIGHT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Well, good news led the program. Now on to the rest.

In the desert, with a sandstorm blowing, U.S. and British troops have moved to final gathering points close to the border with Iraq. General Tommy Franks met today with his command team, which is assembled now in Qatar. Chemical detection trucks began patrolling the streets of Kuwait in case of a Scud missile attack by the Iraqis. All signs on the ground say a war could come in a matter of days.

But for a few days, and a few days only, they are the backdrop to the debate taking place in London and Washington and here in New York at the U.N. Security Council, a debate that went deep into the evening.

So we turn once again to CNN's Richard Roth for the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH (voice-over): It was a last-ditch diplomatic appeal by the British to win votes from undecided Security Council nations. Britain introduced six so-called benchmarks, or conditions, that Iraq must obey or face military force.

To demonstrate cooperation, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would have to make a statement in Arabic on state radio and television announcing Iraq has concealed weapons of mass destruction and now renounces their use. Benchmark two: At least 30 Iraqi scientists would be made available for interviews outside of Iraq. Baghdad would also have to surrender and explain all anthrax it possesses; 10,000 liters is one U.N. estimate.

Iraq would also have to destroy all remaining Al Samoud missiles and components. Condition five says Iraq would have to give evidence on all unmanned aerial vehicles. And it would have to surrender all mobile chemical and biological production facilities.

JEREMY GREENSTOCK, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: This is a trial balloon for an alternative approach to see if we can keep the council together and adopt a resolution that will work.

ROTH: Britain badly needs a second resolution back home. And assigning tests for Iraq to cooperate is one way of garnering support from uncommitted delegates. But Britain was all alone on this move. The co-sponsors of the existing resolution on the table, the U.S. and Spain, were conspicuously absent from the benchmarks idea.

The deadline of March 17 for the resolution still holds, though a veto from Russia or France is a very live possibility. A confident Russia could afford to have some fun with the benchmarks.

QUESTION: Those benches on which you're sitting, are they leaving marks?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROTH: And at the end of this evening's consultations, Britain and the United States both said they would consider dropping the March 17 deadline if there was traction or acceptance by the undecided council members and the others. Initial reaction, though, from Russia and France negative, one diplomat saying the U.S. and Britain are trying to pull some sneaky tricks.

However, the U.S. ambassador did say that, if there is some traction and coalescing around the council, one option available is a modest extension of that March 17 deadline, very brief, said Ambassador John Negroponte -- Aaron.

BROWN: Richard, thank you -- Richard Roth at the United Nations.

On to the White House next: the president again trying to line up a majority of votes. The State Department believes they are close. John King has the duty at the White House tonight.

John, are they real confident or feigning confidence?

KING: Well, they're confident, Aaron, that they have a majority, at least eight votes. It takes nine, what Ari Fleischer today called a super majority, to pass a resolution in the council.

And, of course, France has said it is adamant it will veto any resolution it believes clears the way for war -- so still uphill diplomacy for the administration, much of this being done and the lead being taken, in fact, as Richard just noted, by the British; also some give in the administration today, in the sense that the president has been adamant the vote be this week. Officials now say it is possible -- not likely, but possible -- they could let the diplomacy go over into next week if progress is being made -- also give of another sort, some officials saying this is a much more remote possibility.

But it is now possible there will be no vote at all, that the United States, Britain, and Spain could come to the conclusion that it is better to go to war without a second resolution. If in fact then a resolution would then be vetoed, that could cause even more problems in Europe. What does the president think about all this? Aides say they concede it is a very confusing moment. It has been more than three days, though, since we've heard from the president, Ari Fleischer today saying that is necessary because this moment is both so urgent and so delicate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: And the president wants to conduct this diplomacy in a way that he thinks is the most effective. And the way to do it most effectively, in his judgment, is through the serious and private consultation. And for the president to get drawn into a public discussion of this provision, that provision, this much time, that much time, would put him in a position of either just not answering any questions about it because he won't negotiate in public or pursuing it the way he has.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: More phone calls expected tomorrow -- the presidents of Russia and Pakistan among those Mr. Bush called today. Diplomatic muddle is what one senior Bush aide called all this.

This much is clear, though. Once the United Nations' debate is wrapped up, win or lose, the administration plans to pivot quickly. It is still possible, Aaron, that, by the end of this week, by Friday night, we could hear the president delivering his own ultimatum to Saddam Hussein. That, of course, could slip into next week if the diplomacy drags on as well -- Aaron.

BROWN: John, thank you -- our senior White House correspondent, John King.

Coming up, we'll have more on this. We'll talk with Patrick Tyler of "The New York Times" about Iraq.

And later, in segment seven, we'll have some of the additional moments from the Elizabeth Smart family news conference.

Much more to do tonight. This is NEWSNIGHT on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: And next on NEWSNIGHT, we talk with Patrick Tyler of "The New York Times" about what may happen next over at the United Nations.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Few questions short of whether or not we go to war as a country have stirred as much controversy as how much that war might cost. The administration has been tiptoeing around this one, not wanting to blur the message or stir up doubts. We'll know when we get there, is the line you hear from the White House. And no doubt, in the strictest sense, that is correct.

Others say that isn't enough. A bipartisan panel of experts has come up with a ballpark figure, at least $20 billion a year and as many as 200,000 troops.

Patrick Tyler is writing about all of this for "The New York Times," and Mr. Tyler joins us tonight.

Nice to have you here.

PATRICK TYLER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Thanks.

BROWN: What do you hear as far as a date? Are they going to move the date back from the 17th?

TYLER: I think that's the leverage they're using. They'll move it if they can attract more support for the resolution.

BROWN: How far back?

TYLER: I don't think beyond the end of next week, or possibly to the following Monday, the 24th. Those are the dates we're hearing today.

BROWN: And does -- was the administration -- let me ask this differently. Is it your view that the administration has eight votes?

TYLER: It's my view that anyone who says, for instance, they have all three African votes today is taking a public position that is based on hope, perhaps, more than reality. I think these votes are -- we're not going to know them, as people have said, until the day of the vote.

BROWN: It's that fluid?

TYLER: It is.

BROWN: Or just people aren't showing their cards?

TYLER: At the beginning of this, people said that this was all going to be about money, what these countries could be offered, what they wanted.

And it's interesting that a lot of these votes have not been about money. They've been about principle and, of course, national interests, which includes money. These states are calculating, what is best for us to do? And they see the dinosaurs, the large countries, fighting, and they're trying to calculate their national interests.

BROWN: In a piece you wrote on the 8th, you led it with a quote from the Russian foreign minister: "It's quite clear that the way in which we resolve this problem will determine not just the future of Iraq," talking broadly about the future of the Security Council, the United Nations, multilateralism, all of that.

Assuming for a second that this resolution does not pass, has the world of multilateralism shifted?

TYLER: It has shifted, to an extent.

I mean, the president went to the United Nations, against some advice in his administration, last September and took a gamble that he could coalesce a majority that would authorize military action against Iraq if Saddam Hussein didn't disarm. I think there was a great deal of response to that. France, Germany, the other countries of Europe really welcomed that outstretched hand from President Bush and really were looking for a collaboration.

I think the diplomacy has gotten off the rails since the 1st of the year. It's not necessarily any one party's fault.

BROWN: I was going to ask that. Is it that somebody blew it, in a sense, or is it that these countries simply see the problem differently and have different interests?

TYLER: That's part of it.

These countries also, I think, are fighting for a template, a new paradigm of collective action. And the outreached -- outstretched hand of President Bush convinced them that he was looking for partners. And they enthusiastically jumped in. When they saw that the military timetable was dragging the president toward shorter timeframes that would undermine the process that Hans Blix and the U.N. weapons inspectors were reasonably laying out, I think this is what mostly caused the derailment.

BROWN: Do you care to hazard a guess whether the resolution passes or not?

TYLER: I think there's a very good chance a resolution will pass, because, in the end, those nations are going to vote for the institution and they're going to vote for collective response.

And if the administration, the British, the Americans, and the Spanish give them enough of a figure leaf, an extended deadline, these benchmarks, which are very tough, that might be enough to sign them up.

BROWN: Thanks for coming in. It's nice to meet you. And your work is terrific.

TYLER: Thanks a lot.

BROWN: Thank you, Patrick Tyler of "The New York Times."

When we come back, we'll go out to the Kuwait desert, where the Marines are going to language class for a good reason.

A short break first. This is NEWSNIGHT from New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: Next on NEWSNIGHT: Alessio Vinci with the troops in Kuwait.

A short break first.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: The latest now from our reporters who've joined up with the troops preparing for a possible war with Iraq. Alessio Vinci tonight is with the Marines in the Kuwaiti desert learning to wield an indispensable weapon: the ability to communicate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Training for war in the Kuwaiti desert, it is not just about guns and military toys. Sometimes, it is simply about knowing the language.

SGT. NASSER MANASTERI, CIVIL AFFAIRS GROUP: (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) He raised his hands up, all right? (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) He's got a weapon.

VINCI: And the culture. MANASTERI: I'll go over it again. You don't want to point your shoes at anybody. You don't want to put your feet up on the table. You don't want to give the thumbs-up or the A-OK sign, because that's derogatory in this part of the world.

VINCI: Sergeant Nasser Manasteri was born in Lebanon before moving to the U.S. He speaks fluent Arabic, one of a few in his entire battalion. He spent most of this morning teaching several platoons the basics of Arabic and Islamic culture.

MANASTERI: I think it's a cultural shock for them to be out here, because of the different attitudes and culture. But they're slowly picking it up and they're accepting it. They want to learn as much as possible as what they can, because the more they know -- knowledge is power.

Stop. No.

VINCI: The class includes learning phrases like "Raise your hands" or "Put your weapon down."

MANASTERI: (SPEAKING IN ARABIC) I'm going to search you.

VINCI: Or, more simply, "Stop" or "Don't move," all keywords to help defuse a potentially dangerous situation with Iraqi soldiers or even civilians.

LANCE CORP. JACOB ANDERSON, U.S. MARINES: And, also, if we're like in an environment and we have to search them, well, we'll have to let them know that we're searching them.

VINCI (on camera): How do you say, "I want to search you"?

ANDERSON: Oh, that is (SPEAKING IN ARABIC)

VINCI (voice-over): Clearly, in a few short classes, they won't be able to turn these Marines into fluent Arabic speakers.

(on camera): And what if one of the Marines does not remember the right word or communication breaks down? Well, said one of them, pointing at his weapon, "I also speak M-16 and everyone understands it."

Alessio Vinci, CNN, with the U.S. Marines in the Kuwaiti desert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: Segment seven next: the case of Elizabeth Smart.

This is NEWSNIGHT on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROWN: No morning papers, because morning papers around the country and around the world are remaking their front page to include the Elizabeth Smart case. And we end with that tonight with her family, on a day when their miracle finally came true.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: She looks very healthy. She looks very, very healthy. She's grown a lot. And I'm just so absolutely thrilled. I just -- I couldn't believe it. In fact, I had to take a double-take and pull her back away from me and say, is it really you?

All of the children out there deserve to come home to their parents, the way Elizabeth has come back to us. And I just hope and pray that Congress will quickly pass the AMBER Alert, so that those children will have a better chance, because they cross the state line and they're out of commission. And we need to have this here. We really do. But I just am so grateful and so thankful.

Thank you very much.

QUESTION: Ed, can you describe Elizabeth's demeanor? You said she looked good. She was bigger. But she's been through this horrible ordeal. Is she still scared? Is she excited? Is she happy?

E. SMART: I don't know. I mean, it was just -- I'm sure she was just thrilled to be back. I just -- such happiness and such love. And I just held her, held her the whole way home.

MISSY LARSEN, SMART FAMILY SPOKESPERSON: I just brought her little brother William in. And as William and she saw each other, it was such a wonderful reunion for them to just hug. And they -- he would hug her and look at her and hug her and look at her and couldn't believe, I think, as a 4-year-old now, that his sister is home.

DAVID SMART, UNCLE OF ELIZABETH SMART: With the darkness that surrounds us in these times of the possibility of war that could be coming upon us and a miracle that has been brought to us, an incredible miracle that has been brought to our family, words cannot express how grateful we are for the prayers around the world.

Do miracles still exist? And the answer is yes. And we have Elizabeth back.

TOM SMART, UNCLE OF ELIZABETH SMART: This neighborhood, the Federal Heights neighborhood, everybody's been ripped up. Everybody's helped. Everybody's prayed to do whatever they can. We thank God for all the searchers, for all the people. In the history of the world, I don't think a little girl has been prayed for more than Elizabeth Smart. And we thank you for answering those prayers.

CYNTHIA SMART-OWENS, AUNT OF ELIZABETH SMART: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: It's a nice day to have this job.

We'll see you tomorrow at 10:00 Eastern time. We hope you'll join us.

Good night for all of us at NEWSNIGHT.

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