Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Anti-Iran Protests Continue Outside United Nations; Sudan's President Opposes U.N. Force; Saddam Hussein on Trial; Kidnapped Infant Returned Safely; Last Flight for the Tomcat; Atlantis Unthreatened by Space Debris, NASA Says

Aired September 20, 2006 - 14:00   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: For Venezuela's president the devil is not in the details but in the White House. Hugo Chavez turned his speech at the U.N. today into a fiery anti-American rant, referring to President Bush as the devil and warning the American people they're in danger.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. HUGO CHAVEZ, VENEZUELA (through translator): Because their threat is in their own house, the devil is right at home. The devil, the devil himself is right in the house.

And the devil came here yesterday. Yesterday, the devil came here. Right here. Right here. And it smells of sulfur still today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Oh, no, he was just getting started. He says President Bush acts like he owns the world, but he says the world won't stand for it much longer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHAVEZ (through translator): I have the feeling, dear world dictator, that you are going to live the rest of your days as a nightmare because the rest of us are standing up, all those of us who are rising up against American imperialism who are shouting for equality, for respect, for the sovereignty of nations. Yes, you can call us extremists, but we are rising up against the empire, against the model of domination.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Chavez wasn't kind to his hosts either. He says the current United Nations system is worthless.

Well, it's been a real war of words at the United Nations this week, and for President Bush words mean a lot, especially when it comes to Iran.

Our very own Wolf Blitzer sat down with the president today. In fact, just as he wrapped up a three-day trip to the United Nations. Mr. Bush is warning the rest of the world to take Iran at its word.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My judgment is you've got to take everybody's word seriously in this world. You can't -- again, you can't just hope for the best. You've got to assume that the leader when he says that he would like to destroy Israel means what he says. If you take -- if you say, well, gosh, maybe he doesn't mean it, and you turn out to be wrong, you have not done your duty as a world leader.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: He said a whole lot more. President Bush going to be in "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer. Please, don't miss this one- on-one conversation with the president tonight at 7:00 Eastern, only on CNN.

Well, the Iranian president's attacks on Israel are getting more jeers than cheers outside the United Nations. Our Aneesh Raman in New York outside that protest site. Aneesh they were promising tens of thousands. What's the turnout so far?

Yes, our estimate on the ground, Carol, was about 20,000 to 30,000. The speakers were estimating it higher, saying about 35,000 to 40,000.

It is just wrapping up, the demonstration behind me, and we'll zoom in a little bit to give you a sense of what was going on.

It was a pro-Israel rally more than it was anti-Iranian, organized by a consortium of Jewish organizations within the United States. They were speaking out on two points.

One, calling for the immediate release of the Israeli soldiers whose kidnapping sparked, of course, the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Some family members of one of those soldiers spoke to the crowd. Also, a dynamic speech from the New York governor, George Pataki, who warned the world that a repeat of what happened with Nazi Germany against the Jews could be taking place with Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in his statements denying the Holocaust existed and saying that Israel should be wiped off the map.

Now, the demonstrators understand Iran's president is -- and his country are a legitimate member of the United Nations and they understood that he was coming to speak to the General Assembly under that pretense, but they wanted this voice to be heard, as well, the American voice that condemns the statements that had been made by Iran's president.

As I said, it's just wrapping up. And on the fringes you might be able to see some people in the yellow shirts. That's a remnant of yesterday's protest against the Thai prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. They've gone down in number, of course, given the news that he might not be in power anymore -- Carol.

LIN: So, Aneesh, if folks out there got a chance to even listen to the Iranian president, I'm wondering, do they have any reaction? I mean, here he is right here in the United States at a world body blasting the president and this very country.

RAMAN: Yes, the reaction to the speech specifically, there wasn't much. People essentially didn't even listen to it, or in a general sense were dismayed that Iran's president was arriving into the United Nations hall, seen, of course, as a legitimate leader like any other, given the statements that have been made.

The Israeli delegation left their seats empty last night when Iran's president spoke. The U.S. delegation had only one low-level officer there to listen to what Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had to say.

The speech overall, though, the tone from Iran's president -- and I've heard a number of them -- was quite soft in terms of rhetoric. Just a few weeks ago in Iran, he was much more vehement in his chastising of the U.S., of Israel, and their policies in the Middle East.

LIN: All right. That's what happens when you've got broadband. We're experimenting with the technology, but that was Aneesh Raman outside the United Nations talking about the crowd's reaction there to the Iranian president's speech last night.

Now, we also want to tell you about the growing crisis in Sudan. It is one of the top issues for African leaders meeting this week at the United Nations. Sudan's president acknowledges security forces are needed, but he says those forces won't come from the United Nations.

All right. CNN's African correspondent, Jeff Koinange, has more. He's standing by in Johannesburg, South Africa.

You know, Jeff, I don't understand the president of Sudan. First he says he's going to shoot at U.N. troops, he's not going to allow the African Union troops to stay. They are the only protection for these refugees in Darfur from -- from militias who are still raping and killing.

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol. It sounds like the Sudanese president is speaking from both sides of his mouth.

That speech, though, that interview he gave was ambiguous. A, we know he's vehemently opposed to U.N. troops. And B, he's hinting that he might extend the African Union mandate.

Now, take a look at this picture. There's been 7,000 African Union troops in the region -- talking about Darfur -- the size of Texas or France. At best, they've been ineffective, they are ill- trained and ill-equipped, and now he says he wants to extend their mandate for another maybe possibly three months.

What experts are saying, this is no doubt a temporary stay of execution. They are putting just a little Band-Aid on a wound that's festering, and they are not optimistic at all that this situation is going to get any better -- Carol. LIN: All right. Well, you know, September 30th, that's the deadline for the African Union troops to pull out, and the prediction by the world community is that there's going to be mass slaughters.

So how quickly do you think the world body can work to try to get some security in that country? I mean, is there any hope for these people as of October 1st?

KOINANGE: Well, that's a really good question, is there any hope? Look, more than 300,000 people have been killed, more than 2.5 million displaced.

What's the best thing that can happen? Well, more pressure has to be applied to the Sudanese government while he's in New York, Carol, because he's not listening to anybody right now.

Those African Union troops, if they are to stay for an extra 90 days, or whatever it is, they have to be amended. Seven thousand troops will not do the job. You need twice that, if not three times that.

That region is huge, it's large. The people are moving all the time, and they have to feel safe at the end of the day. The Sudanese president has to be pressured to make the right move, Carol, or else a lot of deaths will be resulted in the coming months.

LIN: You and I know that -- that would be inevitable if the world community doesn't step in.

Jeff Koinange, thank you.

In Iraq, another stormy session at the trial of Saddam Hussein. The defense stormed out, and the former dictator was thrown out.

CNN's Arwa Damon reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING ARABIC)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Sound familiar?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Sit down. The court has decided to send the defendant, Saddam Hussein -- to expel defendant Salah Hadi (ph).

Your father was an officer in the security. I challenge you to take him out.

DAMON: Yes, it was another day of the courtroom antics that Saddam Hussein and his defense team are infamous for. This time sparked by the Iraqi government's replacement of Chief Judge Abdullah al-Admiri, already under sharp criticism for being too lenient with the defense.

The final straw, his statement last week to Saddam Hussein. ABDULLAH AL-ADMIRI, JUDGE, SADDAM HUSSEIN TRIAL (through translator): You are not a dictator, not a dictator.

SADDAM HUSSEIN, FMR. IRAQI PRESIDENT (through translator): At any rate, I thank you. It is the people around a person that makes a dictator.

DAMON: His replacement, his deputy, Mohammed al-Khalifa (ph), who promptly resumed the proceedings with a court-appointed defense team and no Saddam. This is reminiscent of Saddam's first trial, when the original chief judge resigned blaming government interference. He, too, was replaced by a more hard-line jurist.

(on camera): And in the eyes of some observers, these actions by the Iraqi government serve only to lend credence to the defense's argument that there is too much influence and pressure by the government on the court.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: U.S. troops in Iraq may be in more danger than usual. Their leaders say attacks against them are on the rise, and things may get even worse as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan gets closer.

CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr at her post with more details -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the chief spokesman in -- for the U.S. military in Iraq briefed reporters earlier today and said indeed in the last week violence is on the rise against in Baghdad against Iraqi citizens. Violence and attacks against coalition, U.S. forces are also on the rise. That following a call for such attacks by al Qaeda leaders in Iraq.

General Caldwell talking about the fact that they do expect now even more violence as the holy month of Ramadan approaches. And General Caldwell talking very specifically about the concerns for the Iraqi citizens of Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM CALDWELL, U.S. ARMY SPOKESMAN: Through our interaction with local citizens and community leaders, indications are that public perception of security and confidence in the Baghdad security plan is, in fact, increasing. However, we have a sense from them that most Baghdad residents do not feel safe traveling outside of their neighborhoods because of the current security situation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Carol, a grim assessment for the people of Baghdad if they still, all this time later, don't feel safe traveling outside their own neighborhoods. Also, the military said now the people that they have arrested for sectarian violence, that they don't think they're necessarily tied to the Ministry of Interior, and that had been a major assessment that had been in place, that it was all tied to infiltration of militias into the Ministry of Interior. Now it may be a reassessment of who is behind the sectarian violence -- Carol.

LIN: That's interesting, because the accusations was that the Interior Ministry had its own army, its own weapons.

But Barbara, I want to follow up with you. The Pentagon also very much focused on what's happening right now in Afghanistan and whether there's a resurgence of the Taliban.

STARR: Yes, indeed, a lot of concern about that as well.

Another briefing here in the Pentagon. General Jim Jones, the U.S. Supreme -- Marine who is the supreme commander of NATO forces, talked to reporters today about the fighting in southern Afghanistan, about the resurgence of Taliban and, admittedly, he said, his own surprise about what is going on there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JAMES L. JONES, NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER, EUROPE: I think it's fair to say that it's primarily the Taliban that decided to make a test case of this region. And I have said that we were surprised by the level of violence. And that's true. But what's really most surprising is the change in the tactics because they decided to stand and fight in a fairly conventional linear sense, and they paid a very heavy price for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Carol, what he's talking about there, a linear sense? What General Jones is talking about is the surprise that U.S. and NATO forces have had in the last several weeks that the Taliban in southern Afghanistan are again fighting, have been fighting as organized units, not just a couple of hit-and-run attacks, but really fighting as organized military units -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon.

Thank you very much.

Now we've got some big news coming up on the business front in a couple of minutes. When the Fed speaks, Wall Street listens, and Wall Street listening very closely right now as the Fed is just moments away from announcing this latest decision on interest rates.

You're going to here if first right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All right. Up or down or steady as she goes? We've been waiting all day to find out what the Federal Reserve is going to do about interest rates. And now it's announcement time.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

LIN: Straight to the NEWSROOM now with Fredricka Whitfield working on breaking news, a developing story -- Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Right. Two stories actually taking place in California. Let's begin with one in the Bay area.

This involving a high school which is right now on lockdown because of a stabbing that involved at least two students who have been left injured from a stabbing taking place at John F. Kennedy High School in Fremont, California. The school is on lockdown. We're not being told anything more except that this stabbing may be gang- related. But that still has been to be verified and confirmed by authorities there.

And then in the Disneyland area, apparently a tourist bus and an 18-wheeler collide. Thirty people on this tourist bus.

It took place at an intersection there near Disneyland. Seven people have been transported to various hospitals. It's unclear what kinds of injuries they have sustained, but just that at least one passenger sustained some moderate injuries, the others possibly minor injuries. That's still unclear.

And it is has also caused a 20-gallon diesel spill there, so the hazmat teams are on the scene there not far away from Disneyland there near Anaheim.

Thanks so much -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thanks, Fred.

In the meantime, we're going to have more on yesterday's big story, Thailand's military coup. Who's really in charge and what's next?

The latest from Southeast Asia straight ahead from the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well, "We lied in the morning, we lied in the evening, and also at night." By the way, that's a quote. What if you actually heard those words from your government leader?

Well, they're not going over very well in Hungary, where violence continues as the prime minister insists on keeping his job despite his own damning words.

CNN's Nic Robertson has the latest from Budapest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the demonstrators seem to be divided into two different groups, the relatively peaceful group whose numbers are growing in the early hours of this evening outside the parliament here. They were numbered at about 10,000 last night.

There were men, women, children, people young and old. They have been going through sort of very nonviolent protests, in sharp contrast to the young men who had taken to the streets in the middle of the night between the hours of about midnight and 2:00 a.m. in the morning in the center of Budapest.

They were having running battles with the police here. The police firing tear gas, water cannon charges, on horseback as well, trying to drive back the crowds. They did manage to disperse them, but the police say overnight they arrested 98 people. They report there were 50 casualties overnight. Not clear how many of those are police, how many of those have been the demonstrators.

But what we are beginning to see emerging here is a isolation of the opposition parties here. We have seen the students who said they would protest on Thursday night vindicated. They will withdrawal that protest.

We have seen the prime minister. We have seen his political alliance partners and the mayor of this city call upon the opposition to drop their protest that's planned for Saturday. The oppositions say no, they're going to go ahead with that protest.

But what is emerging here in advance of local elections coming up in a couple of weeks is that the focus now seems to be, at least by the prime minister and his political allies, is to put the focus of these demonstration and, therefore, the blame for the violence on the political opposition here now under pressure to call off their demonstration on Saturday. No indication that's going to happen.

So right now the peaceful demonstrations outside the parliament continue, but the peace on the streets here in Budapest still appears to be at stake.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Budapest, Hungary.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Fresh off a flight from the United States, the prime minister of Thailand is in London, still far from the events that have pushed him out of office. Meanwhile, in Bangkok, martial law. Tanks and troops are decked out with yellow ribbons showing military allegiance to Thailand's king.

The army general who orchestrated yesterday's bloodless coup promises to return power to the people as soon as possible. Now, this is hardly the first coup in Thailand. This makes 18 since World War II.

Now, you, the viewers, have been helping us report from Bangkok. So for more on that let's check in with Fredricka Whitfield in the NEWSROOM.

Fred, lots of people filing in for us on I-News.

WHITFIELD: Exactly. And lots of folks filing in from Thailand, specifically.

Marc Kreich shot this video you're about to see from Bangkok earlier today. He says some 30 soldiers from the Thai Royal Army with Humvees and tanks were on guard near a major shopping center for tourists. Kreich also shot video of a similar scene near the king's palace and other governmental buildings.

And you'll notice most of the soldiers are wearing yellow ribbons. There are also ribbons on many of their tanks and military vehicles. This shows the soldiers' allegiance to Thailand's king.

Exchange student Thomas Palm e-mailed us this photograph right here. He says despite the heavy military presence, crowds he saw were peaceful and handing flowers to the soldiers.

Mark Lopus sent us these photos of tanks along one of the major highways into Bangkok. Mark says that soldiers seem to be everywhere but that life goes on. He was even taking time out to play golf today.

And Antonio Simonetti poses with some of the Thai children sitting on a tank just north of Bangkok. Simonetti says the mood is calm and relaxed, but that banks were closed and the ATM machines were not working.

And Julie Ann also found soldiers friendly in the city of Chang Mai, Thailand. She said that many of the troops were happy to get their pictures taken.

And you can see more video and photos just like these on our Web site. Just log on to CNN.com and you, too, can send an I-Report and join the world's most powerful news team -- Carol.

LIN: Fred, that takes a lot of guts, don't you think, as a tourist in the middle of a coup to walk up to soldiers and take pictures?

WHITFIELD: Yes. Yes, it really does. But I think because of that sense of calm, that certainly is what enabled a lot of these tourists so say, you know what, maybe there's no harm in taking these photographs. And so they apparently seized the opportunity.

LIN: Well, we love it when our viewers are in the middle of history. Great pictures out there.

Thanks, Fred.

Well, it didn't sound like a story that could possibly have a happy ending, but it did. Baby Abby is back in her mother's arms in Union, Missouri. Her safe return came after another woman realized that her sister-in-law's newborn had makeup covering a birthmark on her face, a birthmark that matched the police description of Baby Abby. Four felony charges have been filed against a woman named Shannon Torres Beck. Police say the suspect miscarried on the same day Stephanie Ochsenbine was attacked and her daughter was kidnapped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENNY OCHSENBINE, BABY ABBY'S GRANDFATHER: I myself tried to keep a positive attitude. I believe in god, and I prayed and prayed and prayed, and the whole family has prayed and everybody has prayed. And I believed that god was going to bring her back. So he succeeded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Well, the suspect lives just three miles away from the Ochsenbines. Police believe she may have been drawn to the home by an "It's a Girl" sign in the front yard.

Well, empty arms and burning questions in Indianapolis today, where a third family now mourns the death of a newborn after a fatal error at Methodist Hospital. The tiny preemies also died of overdoses of the drug Heparin. Now that's a blood thinner commonly used to prevent clots in intravenous tubes. It seems a pharmacy technician accidentally put adult doses into the cabinet in the neonatal unit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAM ODLE, METHODIST HOSPITAL PRES. & CEO: There's like a drug cabinet on the unit, and there are different drawers in that drug cabinet. And each drawer has a different drug in it, and it's computer-operated so you put in what drug you want, and that drawer opens. And then when you're done, that drawer closes, so those drugs are kept secure. In this case in that drawer, the wrong dose of medicine had been put in that drawer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Cold comfort for the families whose children are dead. Now three other premature infants are still being treated for Heparin overdose. Methodist Hospital is offering to pay for counseling and restitution for all six families involved, and it's also requiring at least two nurses to check and validate any dose of Heparin from now on.

All right, back to the NEWSROOM. Fredricka Whitfield working some -- two developing stories today -- Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, an update on those two stories we told you about earlier, taking place in California.

First to the one in the Bay Area, in Alameda County in Fremont, California, where a high school remains on lockdown. John F. Kennedy High School. You're looking at live pictures it now. The police reinforcements there outside of the school. in lockdown because two students were stabbed this morning, and it is believed to be a gang- related stabbing. One of the students suffered a nice wound to the wrist, the other stabbed in the stomach. And no parents are being permitted to come to the school to pick up any of their kids, so it's just up to police authorities and school officials to make the determination next about what happens in terms of the many students who are inside that school.

The other story taking place in Anaheim, California. A collision between a tour bus on the way to Disneyland with about 30 people on board, colliding with an 18-wheeler. You're looking at pictures right now that we're just able to get in. Seven people were injured. It's not clear what the injuries were, but this collision taking place in busy Disney Way, just a few paces away from Disneyland. And now you're seeing it appears that 18-wheeler or other traffic is being permitted to go by, as you see them trying to clear up the scene of that intersection.

Seven people injured from that accident. It's unclear what the extent of the injuries are. It doesn't appear to be any life- threatening injuries. They're also trying to deal with the 20 gallons of diesel fuel that has spilled in that area. So it's a real mess -- Carol.

LIN: OK, Fredricka, a lot of news out of California today.

WHITFIELD: There is indeed, as always.

LIN: Yes, big state. All right, thanks, Fred.

Well, the pope had more to say about his infamous quote from a 14th century text that disparages Islam. Will his latest words ease the controversy or add more fuel? What the pope is saying now, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: More words today from Pope Benedict XVI, but not the words many Muslims want to hear. CNN Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci has the latest of an uproar reaching all the way back to the 14th century.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): The pope did not offer the clear apology some Muslim leaders around the world have been waiting for, repeating instead that he was misunderstood and that his medieval quote describing Islam as violent and inhuman does not reflect his views.

POPE BENEDICT XVI (through translator): For the attentive reader of my words, it would be clear that I did not in any way wish to make my own the negative words which were pronounced by the medieval emperor in this dialogue, and that his contained polemic did not express my personal convictions.

VINCI: In the Islamic world, reaction to the pope remarks last week has been swift and tough. In these cartoons, published in the Middle East, Pope Benedict is compared to Hitler and Satan. And this animated cartoon showing Pope Benedict shooting a dove released by his predecessor John Paul II played repeatedly on the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera.

So while some in the Middle East are up in arms, how do the faithful in St. Peter's Square react to those cartoons?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, let's put it this way. Would it be offensive if I put a mustache or swastika on your head right now? You find that offensive, correct? Well, that's offensive to any human person, never mind the pope. That's sacreligious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would be much more offensive to see this picture. I think the pope has already explained the source of this text in his remarks, and has made his apology in an appropriate way.

VINCI: The Vatican has taken unusual steps to clarify the pope's remarks. His regrets Sunday were even printed in Arabic on the front page Vatican's official newspaper. The Vatican instructed its ambassadors in Muslim countries to explain the pope's words to both political and religious leaders.

And today, for the second time in three days, the pope said he hoped his remarks would open a frank dialogue about the role of religion, any religion, in the modern world.

When it comes to a dialogue with the Islamic world, this pope has a track record of being aggressive. He wants equal religious freedoms for Christians and the Islamic world.

(on camera): One notable example is this mosque here in Rome, the largest in Europe, built with a $20 million contribution from Saudi Arabia. Why, some Vatican officials ask, can Saudi Arabia build a mosque here in Rome, while Catholics in Saudi Arabia are prohibited from building churches?

(voice-over): For all the Vatican's attempts to ease tension, no one has explained why the pope used the inflammatory text it did. We wanted to ask the Vatican's highest representative for inter-religious dialogue about that, but the cardinal had no comment.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Religious roots on the campaign trail. Will an embattled senator's reactions to his questions about heritage hurt his re- election chances? That story straight ahead. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well, Massachusetts voters will make history when they choose their next governor. Deval Patrick won yesterday's Democratic primary. He could become the state's first African-American governor, and just the second ever elected governor in the U.S. His Republican opponent in November is Kerry Healey, and if she wins, she'll become the first woman ever elected Massachusetts governor. So a lot of history at stake. Now, politics and religion, very touchy subjects individually. Combined, they're another campaign controversy for a U.S. senator who's trying to keep his job.

CNN's Bob Franken reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When the question was asked, does Senator George Allen have Jewish ancestors, we certainly found out it is not the horseback riding, cowboy boot wearing, tobacco chewing senator's favorite topic.

SEN. GEORGE ALLEN, (R) VIRGINIA: Why is that relevant? My religion, Jim's religion, or the religious beliefs of anyone out there?

FRANKEN: Jim is Allen's Democratic opponent, James Webb. They were debating in a Virginia suburb when a local reporter asked about an article saying his mother might have been Jewish.

ALLEN: Let's ask questions about issues that really matter to people here in Virginia, and not make aspersions.

FRANKEN: Allen, who would not be interviewed by CNN, released a statement calling the questions especially reprehensible and any suggestion he was embarrassed about his newly discovered Jewish heritage, equally offensive and also absurd. Some Jewish leaders agreed the question was inappropriate.

RONALD GLANCZ, D.C. JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL: We all remember, and I have relatives actually who were killed during the Holocaust, so I think Jews are particularly sensitive to having that question asked.

FRANKEN: Allen has joined a "Who Knew" list that includes former presidential candidate Wesley Clark, Madeleine Albright, Senator John Kerry. In the case of Allen, his mother Edie (ph) was the daughter of a man whose family converted from Judaism to Christianity under duress in anti-semitic Europe. His father, of course, was the legendary coach in the NFL and devoted both Saturday and Sundays to football.

ALLEN: From my father's football teams, where you have people from all different parts of the country and different backgrounds, you don't care about it on a football team.

FRANKEN: Allen has repeatedly apologized for calling an Indian- American operative for his opponent a macaca, which we now know can be a derogatory term. And he's suddenly fighting a real tough campaign battle, so Democrats have jumped right in, as one might have expected, suggesting the senator needs anger management therapy.

(on camera): So now Senator Allen is acknowledging his Jewish heritage and counting on this becoming a tempest in a china (ph), which is Yiddish for tea pot, something he probably did not know.

Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Bob Franken is part of the best political team on television. You can see his reports on the SITUATION ROOM. Join Wolf Blitzer weekdays at 4:00 Eastern and again in primetime at 7:00.

Now from the Vietnam War to Shock and Awe in Iraq, the U.S. Navy's F-14 strike fighter has made history, even going Hollywood in the movie "Top Gun".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I'm good on the hand salute. And we are just about to go. And here it comes.

Yes, it get's kind of addicting, doesn't it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Yes, you recognize her? That's our very own Kyra Phillips, and she got a chance to fly in an F-14 at the beginning of the War in Iraq. And tomorrow, she's going to do it again for the last time.

Now the Navy is set to retire the legendary Tomcats. Kyra will have the honor of part of being those last flights, and she's taking all of us with her. We're going to have live coverage of the final flights beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. That girl's got guts.

All right, take a look at this. Space trash, is it a danger to Atlantis? NASA wants to make sure that the shuttle can get home safely, so we're going to take a look from the CNN NEWSROOM.

And this primetime programming note. A CNN primetime triple exclusive. At 7:00 President Bush goes one on one with our very Wolf Blitzer. And at 9:00 Former President Bill Clinton shares his vision for global change with Larry. And then at 10:00 Iran's president goes 360 with Anderson in another CNN exclusive. See them all. CNN tonight is beginning at 7:00 Eastern.

In the meantime, more from the CNN NEWSROOM next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: NASA sweeping aside concerns about space debris and Atlantis is heading home. Scientists still haven't identified the mysterious object seen outside the orbiting shuttle, but a pair of inspections turned up no damage, and officials say it's safe for Atlantis to land.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WAYNE HALE, SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM MANAGER: We're cleared for entry. Nothing was found to be missing or damaged on the thermal protection system, the heat shield of the Space Shuttle Atlantis or, in fact, any other part of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, so we feel very confident that we're in for a good landing opportunity tomorrow morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Well, Atlantis is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 6:21 Eastern tomorrow morning. CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" plans live coverage starting at 6:00 a.m.

Well, it's feeling like fall in parts of the country, except for those March winds. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras at the CNN Weather Center -- Jacqui.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: Somehow though, CNN's Jeanne Moos did not fall under his spell. How can that be? Here we go.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's Tickle Me Elmo, and there are those who are tickled by Elmo. Elmo fans lined up for the launch of TMX...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The X is for extreme.

MOOS: What's extreme was the hype, the countdown clock, the drummed up mysteries. Only 50 or so toy industry people supposedly knew what this 10th anniversary Elmo could do.

DIANE SAWYER, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Who is that? It is ...

MOOS: Elmo, unveiled on morning TV, transported by Brinks truck over to "The View."

"ELMO": Elmo, K?

ROSIE O'DONNELL, "THE VIEW": No!

MOOS: Every audience member got one, but what can the new Elmo do?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let us in! We need one or four!

MOOS: Every year, Elmo performs a new feat, though it's hard to top Chicken Dance Elmo from 2002.

Outside Toys 'R' Us, a kid yanked at the door, less than tickled about waiting for Elmo. And when at last they let folks in ...

CROWD: Elmo! Elmo!

MOOS: ...Elmo not only had the last laugh, but fall on the floor laughs. And after he falls, he gets up off the ground and laughs again.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a robot. That's practically alive.

MOOS: At 40 bucks per Elmo, folks loaded up.

(on camera): Only one?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll get more, baby. You don't worry about that.

MOOS (voice-over): And all that knee slapping will make you want to slap him.

"ELMO": Give Elmo a break, please.

MOOS (on camera): Give us a break, please!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, no, not the Elmo!

MOOS: I'm sorry.

(voice-over): It's worse on the Internet, where someone actually torched Elmo.

Elmo is not the only new red talking toy.

(MUSIC)

MOOS: Nothing super about these powers. Elmo K.O.'d Spiderman. If infectious laughter doesn't get you ...

(on camera): Can I tickle you?

(voice-over): ...infectious tickling might.

This guy bought a TMX Elmo to add to his collection.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I get my bungee cord?

MOOS (on camera): Yes, but where's Elmo's helmet?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He doesn't need one.

MOOS (voice-over): At least this back seat driver stays mum.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: I feel like parts of that we should have given a warning to parents. All right. Jeanne's report first aired on "AMERICAN MORNING" with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien, beginning at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

OK, coming up next, in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM, Wolf Blitzer is going to share his exclusive interview with the president. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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