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Malibu Wildfire; Iraq Gun Battle; Baghdad Hot Zones; The First 100 Hours; children And Weight
Aired January 09, 2007 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody, I'm Heidi Collins.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Spend a second hour in the NEWSROOM this morning and stay informed. Here's what's on the rundown.
Ten hours in Baghdad. In the air, on the ground, U.S. and Iraqi forces locked in a major battle with insurgents.
COLLINS: And spectacular fire burning homes of the rich and famous in Malibu. Today an arson team looks at the possibility this inferno was set.
HARRIS: Ready, set, legislate. House Democrats launch a 100 hour law making spree this Tuesday, January 9th. You are in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Ocean front property obliterated. Take a look at these pictures. A very fast moving wildfire whipped through Malibu. Investigators are now looking into the cause. CNN's Chris Lawrence is in Malibu. He's joining us now live with the very latest.
Chris, what is the latest? We're hearing a little bit about arson now?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Heidi, the investigators wouldn't go so far as to call this fire suspicious, but they are not ruling anything out. And expect now the sun has come up to get a real handle on exactly what caused this fire.
Right now you can see the fire contained, but embers are still smoldering literally just maybe 30, 40 yards from the ocean. One firefighter put it best when he said, anything that could burn, did burn.
What we saw last night were just incredible pictures. I mean when you see these flames just literally blowing down the slope towards the homes that are built here on the shoreline. And then, just a few minutes later, you could see the flames boiling inside the skeletons of what remained of those homes.
Some of the people who live here say they could see flames shooting as high as 100 to 150 feet in the air. And they described what it's like living in one of the most beautiful, and yet at times most dangerous places in the country. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a tragedy for the people involved, no matter how rich they are. It's their personal space. It's their personal belongings. Their personal mementos. So it's a tragedy for them, even if it's just one home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've seen it all, uh-huh. We've seen it all. But I'm down here directly. Cher is up above on this side and I'm down below. And in 1993, the fire burned down to the street again and we almost lost a house that time. So it's, you know, we always say, welcome to paradise here in Malibu. It's frightening.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAWRENCE: Yes. Although one person was treat for smoke inhalation, there were no serious injuries. But just about an hour ago, we saw firefighters rescue this dog from one of the homes here on the street here, on Malibu Road. And it was -- it's hard to tell from there, but we could hear him just wheezing and coughing out phlegm and like that.
And you could see he had somewhat of a cut or perhaps a small burn on one of his legs. He was in pretty bad shape, really laboring to breathe. He had smoke damage to his lungs. And they rushed that dog to the vet.
And the woman who was taking care of him was pretty concerned because she had another dog out here as well. The firefighter have not found that dog yet. But it just goes to show you, while people are able to evacuate, sometimes when the fire moves this quickly, it can be a lot tougher for the pets to get out as well.
Heidi.
COLLINS: Poor little guy.
Chris, I also want to ask you, I realize that investigators are still trying to find the cause and sometimes that can take, you know, quite some time. Are they giving you any reason as to why there's a little bit of talk about suspiciousness or possible arson?
LAWRENCE: Well, I think some of it has to do with the point of origin. One of the fire captains here told me that the point of origin was right near a highway. So they have located that point of origin. And now that the sun is up, they'll be taking a closer look at that and hoping to pinpoint exactly how it started.
COLLINS: Yes, you also think about cigarettes going out windows, too, but certainly don't want to speculate. So we know that you'll be watching that for us. Chris Lawrence live from Malibu.
Thanks, Chris.
HARRIS: A stark reminder of the instability in Iraq. U.S. military jets and helicopters swoop in to a raging gun battle in central Baghdad. About 1,000 U.S. and Iraqi forces locked in a fierce firefight with insurgents. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is about a half mile away and he joins us with the very latest.
And, Ryan, first of all, has the fighting subsided?
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The fighting has subsided. It quieted down on the Haifa Street area just a couple of hours ago after 10 hours of fighting. Some of the fiercest fighting we have seen in the Iraqi capital in months.
It began just before dawn. Several hundred U.S. and Iraqi troops on one side battling an unknown number of insurgents in that Haifa Street area, right in the heart of Baghdad. The U.S. and Iraqi military both saying that among those fighters, several members of al Qaeda and several insurgents from the Baathist strand of the insurgency here.
Now, again, it went on for 10 hours. A huge gun battle involving heavy machine gun fire, mortar fire, small arms fire. And within a couple hours after it began at dawn, the U.S. military brought in several aircraft, Apache attack helicopters, the AH-64s, hovering over the Iraqi capital, looking for targets, looking for snipers, looking for those positions that the U.S. military's troops on the ground couldn't find. Also the U.S. military bringing in fixed wing attack aircraft, unusual, even for Baghdad with its high level of violence. We saw F-18s in the skies over the Iraqi capital today.
It has quieted down. The defense ministry says that the troops killed about 50 insurgents. The Iraqi defense ministry also saying that they detained a couple dozen more insurgents, among them some fighters.
Tony.
HARRIS: So, Ryan, how do we -- or do we know at this point how this battle even began?
CHILCOTE: Our understanding is that this battle really began on Saturday. That's when a group of Iraqi police and soldiers went into the Haifa Street area to recover some bullet-ridden bodies. Some of those bullet-ridden bodies you're always hearing about that are dumped on the streets of the Iraqi capital. They went to recover 27 bodies that had been dumped in that area, when they came under fire from insurgents. They held their ground for about a day, then they requested more Iraqi troops and finally requested support from U.S. troops.
The U.S. military tells us that they had been planning to go into this area anyway to clean it up or clear it from the insurgents that were operating in that area. But they moved up those plans. They arrived in the Haifa Street area just before dawn and, within a couple hours, brought in that aircraft to provide air support for both the U.S. and Iraqi troops in that gun battle.
Tony.
HARRIS: CNN's Ryan Chilcote for us in Baghdad.
Ryan, appreciate it. Thank you.
COLLINS: President Bush behind closed doors today. He's hammering out final details now of his new Iraq plan. Sources tells us he wants to send at least 20,000 more U.S. troops into the region. Even before he unveils the details of his primetime address, some Democrats are vowing to challenge that surge. CNN will have extensive primetime coverage tomorrow before and after the president's address to the nation. You can join us in the NEWSROOM all day tomorrow, then watch our primetime coverage beginning at 7:00 Eastern.
HARRIS: Flashpoint, Baghdad. CNN's Tom Foreman looks at the hot spots where any new U.S. forces may be needed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What exactly could a troop surge do? Let's go right to the touch table and take a look at Baghdad. That's Iraq. Here's Baghdad, about 6 million people in a country of about 25 million.
You've heard many times talk about the palace where Saddam used to live and where that fit into all this. The palace is right here. This is the Tigris River that runs all along the edges out here.
Now when we look at what the U.S. has been able to control so far, we're going to pull this out a little bit and take a look at the greater city of Baghdad. There's that area that we were talking about right in the middle. This is the palace area, which is largely under control by coalition troops. This is the airport over here. Also largely controlled. Coalition troops control ground up here.
But what do they not control so much? Well, look at this. There are hot spots here of resistance, of these militias and various other insurgents. And I'm going to put a big "SC" over here. That stands for Sadr City. This is the home to the radical cleric, Muqtada al- Sadr.
Let's get a cleaner picture of that on our big wall map here. These are the areas controlled by the coalition. And right in the middle of them, these are all the red areas that are controlled by others that will have to be rooted out. And Sadr City is going to be one of the big hot zones.
Nobody has a really good count on how many people are at work there. But what we do know is that this is a warren (ph) of tight little streets and tight blocks filled with many Shia who are very concerned about making sure that their group, their ethnic group, stays in charge of Iraq in the future. That's why Sadr City, undeniably, will be a big flashpoint.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Just one more reminder. Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy is planning to make a speech on the subject of Iraq. That is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time this afternoon. And we will, of course, bring you at least portions of that speech live here in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Target, al Qaeda. Location, Somalia. A senior Pentagon official said the U.S. launched at least one air strike in the African nation, close to the Kenyan border. The official says the targets were al Qaeda operatives. The U.S. has been looking for suspects in the deadly 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa. Islamist extremists in the region are accused of giving them safe haven. It is unclear whether there were any casualties.
Meanwhile, a Pentagon official said the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower has moved within striking distance of Somalia, but its jets have not been put to use. This is the first reported military action by the U.S. in Somalia since the deadly Blackhawk down incident in the early '90s.
HARRIS: And I want to take you to Capitol Hill now as senators -- right now you're looking at Lee Hamilton, a co-chairman of the 9/11 Commission. And the senators right now are taking a look at a new bill that would implement more of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. As you know, the House is also looking at language as well, trying to craft a bill to implement those same recommendations from the 9/11 Commission report.
As a matter of fact, it is part of this legislative package set up for the first 100 hours of the new Congress. Certainly the House. So that is a hearing that is going on right now. We will continue to follow that and, of course, take a look at the work that is being done on the House side as well later today in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: The clock just about to begin ticking, but can Democrats score? A look at the 100 hour House agenda ahead in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Battling childhood obesity. One school takes the challenge and that has some parents fighting mad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're saying children are obese that are not obese.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Heated debates, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: If your iPod rings, answer it. Techies chirping about an iPod phone. And Steve Jobs expected to make the call today. Macworld in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And whatever it was, the media was all over it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That odor. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This foul odor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A suspicious odor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This strange odor, whatever it may be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The gas, or whatever it might be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The gases, if they are gases.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or whatever it is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The smell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Were we spared in that? Were we . . .
COLLINS: Yes, I don't think we talked about it at all.
HARRIS: No. Not much. If you don't count two hours of the show.
Sniffing out the stink in Gotham ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Here's a live shot of Capitol Hill. A lot going to be going on there a little bit later today. On the clock, in fact, on Capitol Hill. House Democrats are the timekeepers. They want to pass six major bills in 100 hours starting today. CNN's political contributor, Amy Walter, also with the Cook Political Report, is joining us now from Washington.
Good morning to you, Amy.
AMY WALTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
COLLINS: As you well know, the Democrats begin their 100 hours in less than two hours. A lot of rules here as to when that clock is actually going to be ticking down and when it is not. Is this a political ploy or is this really a good strategy?
WALTER: Well, I think it is, actually, a very good strategy. If Democrats had any problems coming in the wake of this elections, it's that, you know, voters really saw this election, not so much as a mandate for Democrats, as it was an election against the status quo, against the Republicans control of Congress. So Democrats really needed to get out there, show that they had an agenda, show that they actually stood up for something. And so passing legislation very quickly and efficiently, looking like they're unified, I think that was very important.
These bills that they're taking up, not particularly controversial, especially among their caucus. And so I think this is gives them then some early success. Hopefully for -- you know, Democrats are hoping that what this does is then give them a chance going into the 2008 election to show voters, look, here's who we are, here's what we stand for and we actually pass the stuff.
COLLINS: Yes, so I think maybe that was the strategy, was it not, Amy, to choose legislation that they know has broad support.
WALTER: Exactly. I mean, beyond the bipartisan -- I know we have so much talk now about bipartisan, reaching across the aisle and all of that still going on in Washington. But really for the leadership, for Democratic leadership, some of their bigger concerns are among members of their own party.
Remember, there are a number of Democrats, especially some of these freshmen, who were elected in Republican districts. Districts that Bush won. These are very vulnerable folks coming up in the 2008 election. So what Democrats want to focus on, of course not the divisions between their party, but the things that bring them together.
COLLINS: All right. And the big issue right now, obviously, Iraq. Everyone from Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid on down is speaking out about it. In fact we heard just a little while ago Nancy Pelosi saying that no matter what, Democrats will not pull funding for our troops in Iraq. Harry Reid, though, a little bit different on that. He didn't say that they would, but he said that they were looking into everything. So not sure, are they on the same page?
WALTER: I think so. You know, some of it is a mater of semantics. But, look, Democrats across the board say this election, it was a reference to the president's handling of Iraq, on the Iraq war in general. And Democrats have to stand up and take note of that, that the voters really made their voice clear in this election.
The question is, just what does Congress actually do? We all know this and we've been hearing it now for the last couple weeks, Congress has the power of the purse.
COLLINS: Money.
WALTER: Exactly. And what are they going to do? Are they going to really cut off funding? The other question is, again, it's a PR battle. Who's going to win the battle between the president and Congress on just exactly who's doing what and who's most supportive of the troops or finding a new strategy in Iraq.
COLLINS: Let's listen, in fact, to a little bit of sound that we have gathered here to what some other members of Congress have had to say on this issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I'm saying two things. We will always support the troops who are there. If the president wants to expand the mission, that's a conversation he has to have with the Congress of the United States. But it's not a carte blanche, a blank check to him to do whatever he wishes there. SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN, (D) FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: I think it is unconstitutional to say, we're going to tell you. You can go, but we're going to micro manage the war. When we wrote the Constitution, the intention was to give the commander in chief the authority how to use the forces, when you authorize him to be able to use the forces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Amy, under the Constitution, the president has broad war-making powers. As we've just said, of course the Congress controls the spending. So who's right?
WALTER: Well, that is right. So the question then is, just how does Congress inject itself in a way to change the debate. While they may not be able to have a physical or tangible ability to tell the president how to conduct war, they can have an impact on how the American public is getting this information about the war. Certainly that's why we're going to see Democrats come out immediately after the president -- well actually they've come out even before the president makes his speech on Wednesday. You'll see them in the immediate aftermath. Let's see who is able then to make their case to the public in a way that is considered the most effective.
And the president has the benefit of having the bully pulpit. Members of Congress don't get the television and networks to say, OK, here's an hour of time or how much time you need. He gets to sell it. He has his own time now in front of the American public.
Now Democrats have to come out and say, here's how we're going to respond to this. We're going to see a lot of oversight hearings. How those come across. Do they look like they're too partisan? Do they look like they're actually moving the ball forward? That is yet to be seen.
But certainly what we do know is that, especially from a year ago, or a couple years ago, the president does not have the benefit of the doubt with the American public on Iraq that he once did. So Democrats, I think, are in a much better position, certainly than they were a year ago or two years ago.
COLLINS: But it's interesting to talk about, too, as the way things may change as we inch closer and closer to November of 2008. So many members of Congress putting themselves in the hat for president. How could that change the discussion?
WALTER: Yes. That's always part of the equation. And, look, it's also the reason I think the Democrats came out with this 100 hour plan. We do know that by the time we reach the summer, the fall, Heidi, we're going to be full into the 2008 presidential election.
What Congress does tends to get overshadowed. Certainly Iraq may overshadow so many of these domestic agendas. So I think we're going to see a number of individual members of Congress trying to set their own way forward.
But I think from the Democratic Party, if there's anything that they are worried about, it is that they do not look strong enough on security. You've heard Speaker Pelosi talking about, we're not going to cut off funding from the troops. We are supportive of the troops. Looking like Democrats do have an agenda and are strong enough on defense becomes very important once there is a nominee for president on the Democratic side who then will carry that party's agenda forward.
COLLINS: Yes, and that September 11th Commission bill being looked at today and throughout the week.
WALTER: That's right.
COLLINS: So one of the first pieces of legislation they will try to tackle.
WALTER: That's right.
COLLINS: Amy Walter, appreciate your insights here today.
WALTER: Thanks, Heidi.
HARRIS: All right. We're focused on it now. So, once again, let's go back to the Senate chambers. The Senate Homeland Security committee is taking testimony today what it would take to implement the rest of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Co-chair of the 9/11 Commission, Lee Hamilton, is testifying. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg also testifying. And, as you know, passing a bill to implement the complete slate of the 9/11 Commission recommendations is part of the 100 hour legislative blitz for the Democrats. So we will continue to follow these developments throughout the morning and afternoon here in the NEWSROOM.
Still to come, a raging wildfire sweeps through Malibu. The rich and famous losing oceanfront homes. That is ahead in the NEWSROOM.
Steve Jobs. What surprise might he reveal at this year's Macworld expo. A live report ahead in the NEWSROOM.
And the new report card for kids that has some parents fighting mad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're saying children are obese that are not obese.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: The outrage ahead in the NEWSROOM,
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Heidi, what's happening with the New York Stock Exchange? I can't see that far.
COLLINS: Well, the numbers are up a little bit by about, oh, say, 22. It was 23 a second ago. But still sitting there at 12,446.
What did we talk about earlier today, oil. Low, low, low.
HARRIS: Yes.
COLLINS: Steve Jobs, bringing you iPods.
HARRIS: Steve Jobs.
COLLINS: Some big business stories today we'll be following a little bit later on.
HARRIS: So your child comes home from school with a letter warning you about their weight. A valid school concern or something best left to parents and their child's doctor?
COLLINS: It certainly would be a heated debate, I think. Surbani Banangi (ph) of affiliate WHDH has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SURBANI BANANGI, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): If your child was overweight or underweight, for that matter, by national standards, would you want to know?
GINA HURLEY, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES: And we know that there's a correlation between juvenile diabetes and adult diabetes. Obesity and diabetes. Obesity and chronic heart disease. So we're sharing this information, just like we would share any other information we gather about a child.
BANANGI: Hienas (ph) Elementary School has sent home letters to parents about their child's weight, screened along with vision, hearing and signs of Scoliosis. Something meant to be a helpful hand taken by many as an unwanted nose in their business.
HOPE KINGSBURY, PARENT: Yes, I don't think that pointing out a child's obesity or skinniness is really -- I mean it's something that parents should be concerned with, but I don't think it's something that the school should outwardly have to make known.
ELAINE MORAIS, PARENT: I think it's horrible. They're saying children are obese that are not obese.
BANANGI: The letter, sent home in sealed envelopes, give each child's body mass index. Computer generated using age, gender, height and weight.
HURLEY: Children's weight and obesity has increased three times. It has tripled since 1970.
BANANGI: Despite the spike, many parents seem more worried about children's self-esteem and body image than body fat.
RICHARD MCDONALD, PARENT: I feel as though it stigmatisms the children very much. I think it makes the child feel, the child stands out from everybody else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Want to get this news to you now as it comes in here to us at CNN. Our affiliate television stations in Las Vegas are reporting two students have been shot at Western High School. These are the first pictures coming in to us from our affiliate there, KVBC. You see the yellow police tape there.
Again, two students apparently have been shot at Western High School. This information coming in to us from our affiliates at Las Vegas. CNN, of course, working to confirm the information. Western High School. Apparently the students have been transported to a hospital.
The parking lot, as you see now, has been taped off and police all over the place trying to determine what happened and what the situation is now. I don't see a lot of people running around. Not sure what shot that is that we have, but hopefully they have contained the situation. And we'll get more information just as soon as possible as we work to confirm the story out of Las Vegas.
HARRIS: And still to come, the political plan for Iraq. 2008 presidential hopefuls are coming up with their own strategies, as the president pushes his new strategy. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Steve Jobs. What surprise might he reveal at this year's Macworld expo. Well, we've kind of already talked about it a little here, but we will have a live report of it coming up in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: This just in to CNN, a developing story we're following in Las Vegas right now, CNN has now confirmed that two students have been shot at Western High School in Las Vegas.
The injured students, we understand, have been transported to a local trauma center for treatment. We have no idea the extent of their injuries at this time.
The parking lot, as you can see right now, has been taped off. Las Vegas metro police are obviously on the scene right now. You're getting a view of the parking lot of Western High School from our local affiliate there.
But once again, the breaking news at this time is that two students have been shot at Western High School there in Las Vegas. The injured students have been transported to a local trauma center. No word yet of the extent of the type of injuries sustained, how severe.
The parking lot, as you can see, has been taped off. We will continue to follow developments here and bring you the very latest as we can. COLLINS: It may be one of the most fierce firefights of the entire war. 1,000 U.S. and Iraq forces battling insurgents in the heart of Baghdad. The running gun battle lasted for more than ten hours. So intense, our camera crews kept a very safe distance. U.S. military sources say dozens of insurgents have been killed or wounded.
In fact CNN's Arwa Damon is embedded with the U.S. Army's 3rd Stryker Brigade. She is joining us now by phone from Baghdad. Arwa, tell us what you saw.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, it was one of the most intense fighting that I have seen in quite some time, certainly the troops here saying it was the most intense fighting of their deployment.
This firefight lasted for ten hours. That previously pretty much unheard of in the capital where the insurgents have a tendency to fire off a couple shots and then hide in the shadows of the local populous.
Here, the insurgents, which the U.S. has identified as being Sunni extremists stood their ground for ten hours. U.S. forces moved in with their Iraqi Army counterparts at dawn under cover of darkness, as light began to show, that is when the real firefight began.
And it was everything involving rocket propelled grenades, mortar rounds that shook entire buildings. Sniper fire, machine-gun fire. At one point U.S. forces were pinned down on rooftops for hours because of the intensity of the rounds that were coming in, literally ricocheting within feet.
We also saw very sophisticated tactics being used by these insurgents. We saw them traveling in small groups. They would regroup at points in time when the fire-fighting became too intense as U.S. forces were returning firepower with everything at their disposal.
They also brought in Apache gunships that fired hellfire missiles into some of the locations. Another interesting thing that we would see insurgents firing from one location for example, they were firing rocket propelled grenades and machine gunfire from a mosque.
U.S. forces returned fire and the insurgents stopped using that location only to return to it to fire at U.S. and Iraqi troops again. This is an area that is in the heart of the capital known as Haifa Street. It has been involved for quite some time.
You saw it in intense battles in 2004, it was relatively under control back then and was handed over to the Iraqi security forces. It is currently under Iraqi control but the Iraqis requested U.S. backup to conduct this operation, to complete about two miles of this road. They're trying to clear it of weapons once and for all -- Heidi.
COLLINS: And Arwa, as we look at this video of everything that was happening earlier in the day, tell us the situation now. As you said, this was all part of an ongoing effort to secure Haifa Street. Is it secure?
DAMON: Well, Heidi, as the U.S. forces like to say, the insurgents always (INAUDIBLE) -- all that we really can tell you right now is that for about the last hour, we have not heard a shot fired and this comes as a relief to both the U.S. and Iraqi troops operating here.
They are exhausted. But again, the insurgents have a vote. It is likely that they could regroup to come back to fight another day. It is possible that the cells who are operating here have been affected. That will only really play out in the days to come Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Arwa Damon embedded with the U.S. Army's 3rd Stryker Brigade. Arwa, we appreciate the report. Thanks.
HARRIS: President Bush behind closed doors today. He is hammering out final details of his new plan for for Iraq. Sources tell us, he wants to send at least 20,000 more U.S. troops to the region.
Even before he unveils details of his primetime address, some Democrats vowing to challenge that surge. CNN will have a extensive prime-time coverage tomorrow before and after the president's address to the nation. Join us tomorrow beginning at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.
COLLINS: I want to take you quickly back to Las Vegas, Nevada, where CNN has confirmed there was a school shooting, the name of the school Western High School.
You're looking at a live shot of it now, the parking lot there. This is coming in from our affiliate KVBC in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also learning, that two students were shot, have been transported to a hospital, a trauma center.
Don't know their condition at this point but we will stay on top of this story, looking at a Google Earth map now. Give you a little bit better idea of where we're talking about.
Once again, CNN has confirmed, at least two people, two students wounded at Western High School outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, in a school shooting there. Again, we'll stay on top of it for you and bring you new details as we get them.
HARRIS: And back now for this new plan for Iraq, whatever it is, well it also brings challenges for the crop of presidential hopefuls, some more than others.
Here's senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY (voice-over): And you thought the argument over Iraq was about Bush administration policy. Perhaps you forget there's a presidential campaign under way.
Exhibit one: Democratic contender John Edwards. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I reject, categorically, what I call the McCain doctrine, which is an escalation of this war and a surge of troops.
CROWLEY: As they rev up for a presidential campaign in an anti- war climate, those close to John McCain say he recognizes his chances could be hurt by his super-hawk stance.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: To be of value, the surge must be substantial, and it must be sustained.
CROWLEY: "We're not stupid," said one McCain confidant. "We see the polling against a surge." But, off the record and on it, supports say there are reasons to believe McCain's creds will keep him afloat.
DAN SCHNUR, REPUBLICAN POLITICAL CONSULTANT: Number one is his own military record and his own history as a prisoner of war. Second, as a senator and as a politician, is his reputation as a straight shooter, as a straight talker. That means the voters are going to give him more of a hearing on his position, even if it's something with which they fundamentally disagree.
CROWLEY: Outside the Senate, it's easier to float the issue until things gel.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney have not taken a specific position on President Bush's soon-to-be-unveiled plan.
About to announce for president and currently in the Middle East, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas has said he would support it, if U.S. military leaders agree and it leads to a political solution.
But Democrats have focused attention on McCain.
GOV. TOM VILSACK (D), IOWA: I announce my candidacy to be the next president of the United States.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
CROWLEY: In one of his first acts as a presidential candidate, Iowa's Tom Vilsack called McCain, the Republican front-runner, his "party's leading authorities on military matters," and "flat-out wrong" on Iraq.
And the Democratic National Committee has jammed cyberspace, slamming McCain's positions.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Well, in just a little while, about an hour and 20 minutes from now, that clock starts ticking today on Capitol Hill. House Democrats aim to pass six major pieces of legislation in 100 hours. First up, a bill to implement recommendations from the 9/11 Commission. A couple of caveats to that 100-hour pledge, the Democrats will run the clock only when debating or voting on legislation. It will not run during procedural matters or general speeches. And whatever passes the House must of course still get through the more slowly moving Senate.
HARRIS: So we're talking about the House now as part of this ambitious slate of legislation, trying to come up with language for a bill, to move forward with all of the recommending days of the 9/11 commission. We know that is on the list, one of agenda items. We also this idea of passing an increase to the minimum wage. There four others that they will be taking on, attempting to at least get some work started on this week.
And what's the plan again, Heidi, the clock starts ticking during...
COLLINS: When they're debating or passing legislation, but not during procedural matters or general speeches, of which there are a couple today.
HARRIS: That's the clock right there, in the lower right?
COLLINS: Yes. Yes.
HARRIS: Above the Dow.
COLLINS: Yes, we're going to have it. Tick tick tick.
HARRIS: OK, great. All right.
We are also following developments in Las Vegas we have been telling you about over the last 20 minutes or so. Reports of a school shooting there confirmed now by CNN. Two students shot at Western High School. the injured students transported to a local trauma center. We will bring you the very latest on this story as we get it here in the NEWSROOM.
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COLLINS: I want to take you back quickly to Las Vegas and the situation there, where CNN has confirmed a school shooting taking place.
Our Betty Nguyen has more information to share with us -- Betty.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, hi, Heidi.
They mentioned that two people had been shot at this school, Western High School. What we are learning from the Associated Press though, is that the shooting, as you're seeing there from this video, occurred in the parking lot. You can see the yellow tape there and officers standing by.
Now school police Sergeant Ken Young that says shooting may have resulted from an off-campus road rage incident. Of course we're trying to learn some new details about that, some in-depth details.
But as far as we know, this high school shooting occurred in the parking lot, what you're seeing video of right now. Two people shot, they've been transported to trauma centers. And this shooting may have been the result of road rage, Heidi. We're going to keep delving into this and getting more information as it comes in, and when it does, we'll bring it straight to you.
COLLINS: OK, very good. Betty Nguyen, thanks.
HARRIS: Let's get the latest on this, from local reporter. His name is Luis Cruz. He with our affiliate in Las Vegas, KVBC.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LUIS CRUZ, KVBC REPORTER (on camera): This situation is still developing at western high school. Two students were shot here before school has even started. This all stems from a road rage incident that began at a convenience store a few blocks down the road. And police tell us that the suspects had some words with these two students, then they got in their car, the suspects followed them here to this parking lot at Western High School. The students were on their way to school. That's when they were shot. I don't know if you can see the green car behind me. But that's where the students were apparently shot inside. They were taken to University Medical Center, with what appears to be minor injuries at this point.
Students right now are still being allowed to go in and out of the school. Again, this happened before school even started, but police have cordoned off this whole area here, this whole parking lot. The suspect right now still is still out there. He fled in his car. Right now the description of the car is that is a blue Mustang. Initial reports of the suspect, all they told us was he was a black male, possibly in his 30s. So that is the situation from western high school here in Las Vegas at the moment.
I'm Luis Cruz -- Amy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: As you can see, the situation still ongoing there, simply because, as that affiliate reporter just told us, the suspect is at large. Apparently the two people who were shot on school grounds there, possibly as a result of road rage or parking rage, maybe at the school, minor injuries, and we're talking to authorities about what happened. They will continue to investigate and we'll bring more to you as we get it here.
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HARRIS: We are continuing to follow developments in Las Vegas. At least one person was wounded in a shooting that happened a short time ago in Las Vegas, at Western High School, apparently in the parking lot. The campus as you can see has been taped off.
But we are getting some indication, some indications that there is still activity inside the school, that students are still arriving and that classes may be moving forward today. That one person at least, who appears to have been wounded, has been taken to a local trauma center for treatment. No word yet on the extent of the injuries. We're continuing to follow this in the NEWSROOM. We will be back with more information in just a moment.
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COLLINS: Just into us now, confirming here at CNN that there has been a school shooting in Las Vegas, just outside of it, I should say, at Western High School. We are learning this -- that the suspect is still on the loose. The injuries are minor. Not exactly positive of how many people have been hurt.
We are hearing one from our affiliates. We are hearing two from other sources. Not necessarily students, either, possibly road-rage which could have resulted in people ending up in the school parking lot. So, we will continue to follow it and get more details, that we can confirm to you here, as soon as possible.
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