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Evidence of Iran Arming Iraqi Insurgents; String of Deadly Bombings Erupt in Baghdad; Winter Wallop
Aired February 12, 2007 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed.
I'm Tony Harris.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Heidi Collins.
Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on this Monday, February 12th.
Here's what's on the rundown.
Iran's leaders accuse the U.S., linking Tehran to armor-piercing explosives, the munitions used by Iraqi insurgents to target American GIs.
HARRIS: The Iraq war the opening theme for the 2008 presidential race. Senators Clinton and Obama and their strategies. Republican Bill Bennett, Democrat Donna Brazile, their views this hour.
COLLINS: It's called Da Vinci. A robot giving doctors a steady hand with heart surgery. Joystick medicine in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And at the top this hour, pointing the finger at Iran. The U.S. accusing Iran of arming insurgents in Iraq. Now military officials offer what they say is proof. But some lawmakers on the Hill are skeptical.
Let's go to Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
Barbara, good to spend a couple of minutes with you this morning.
First of all, what is this alleged Iranian connection?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, the U.S. military has been tracking this for many, many months now. Behind the scenes it's been a matter of great controversy as to how much they would actually bring out in public, whether they really could connect the dots, if you will, that some of these weapons in Iraq can be traced all the back to Iran.
Over the weekend, a briefing. You see some of the material here that was passed out to reporters showing the damage that has been caused.
Front and center, explosively formed penetrators. These are very advanced IEDs, roadside bombs that the U.S. says are being manufactured and shipped in from Iran.
They say that they believe that this Iranian connection really is all traced back to Iran's supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Can they prove it? Well, they say, no, it's not ironclad.
They're very aware some people are skeptical, but they say this is really the evidence that they have gathered. And their feeling is that weapons coming in from Iran, Tony, are now responsible for the deaths of more than 170 U.S. troops.
HARRIS: I think we're all very concerned about these EFPs, explosively-formed penetrators that you just mentioned, Barbara.
Listen, along with me, to Defense Secretary Robert Gates from the weekend and then let's talk about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Iran is very much involved in providing either the technology or the weapons themselves for these explosively-formed projectiles. Now, they don't represent a big percentage of the IED attacks, but they're extremely lethal.
HARRIS: Barbara, I think you've told us a little bit about what they are. What then becomes the military's response to these EFPs?
STARR: Well, let's explain to people just a bit further, Tony.
HARRIS: Great.
STARR: When the secretary said they are so lethal, why? What's he really talking about?
These can penetrate the heaviest U.S. armor. Secretary Gates, the director of the CIA, now openly saying that these types of weapons from Iran can basically punch through an Abrams tank. That's the heaviest armor the U.S. has. So what to do about it becomes a problem.
You know, they are buying better armor all the time. But four years into the war, this is still going on. And what the military says is they have got to dismantle these networks of operatives that are running these types of weapons in from Iran.
HARRIS: Yes.
Barbara, I am constantly reminded that most of the American casualties are taking place in Anbar Province, the heart of the Sunni insurgency. So are we to believe now that the Shia groups are using Iranian arms to target American soldiers?
STARR: Yes. You know, looking at the map that you've just put up, look towards southern Iraq, the border with Iran, and there is a -- there is just overwhelming evidence that there is quite a close connection in the south between Iraqi, Shia, Arab, though they are -- and Iranian Shia groups -- Persian though they are. And much of the violence now occurring there, being backed by Shia militia groups in the south, Shia militia groups and death squads in Baghdad. A very great feeling now that much of that is responsible as well for the violence.
HARRIS: CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr this morning.
Barbara, thank you.
STARR: Sure.
COLLINS: New developments and a staggering death toll in Iraq. A string of deadly bombings erupts in central Baghdad. Nearly 300 people dead or wounded. And the timing yet the latest trigger in the sectarian violence that plagues the country.
CNN's Arwa Damon is live from Baghdad now.
Arwa, yes, the timing and the anniversary of the Samarra bombing.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, it was another one of those utterly tragic day of violence in the capital, Baghdad, coming, yes, as you just mentioned, as the nation, the Iraqi prime minister himself was commemorating the anniversary of the Al-Askariya bombing, that mosque, the holy Shia shrine that was bombed in Samarra a year ago, according to the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the single event that many people here point to as being the main event that fully divided, catapulted Iraq's sectarian war here to an entirely new level.
Today's violence saw scores of Iraqis dead, over 170 wounded, in the span of just 20 minutes after four explosions happened in the capital. Three of those explosions car bombs. All of them occurring in what is known as the Shorja marketplace. It is the capital's main wholesale marketplace.
The car bombs detonating at the perfume and clothes part of the market, setting entire buildings ablaze. The flames burned in the -- you could see the flames in the Baghdad skyline for hours, just a thick plume of black smoke.
Images from the scene show the utter chaos, the devastation as Iraqi fighters -- firefighters struggle to put out the flames. Truly a horrific day for Baghdad and Iraqis, serving only -- this type of violence really serves only to further paralyze this already frightened population -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Arwa, did you get a chance to talk with people on the streets very much? I mean, it's such a chaotic scene there. I realize how difficult that can be. Are they talking about this anniversary and this escalation in violence now in relation to it?
DAMON: Well, Heidi, a few people that we have gotten the chance to speak to are saying that they really weren't surprised that there was this devastating level of violence today. They were expecting it on the anniversary of the Samarra bombing. They're expecting some sort of attack to take place. But that being said, the Samarra bombing is not really at the forefront of anyone's thoughts these days. Most people really just trying to get through each day alive. And today's attacks really underscoring how the simplest of tasks can get you killed.
I mean, just imagine, you're going out to the marketplace to buy last-minute groceries, or you're on your way to work, and all of a sudden, you're confronted with such utter devastation and chaos -- Heidi.
COLLINS: I'm sure it's an incredible struggle.
HARRIS: Yes.
COLLINS: All right. CNN's Arwa Damon, coming to us live from Baghdad.
Thanks, Arwa.
HARRIS: How about this, snow that swallows your doors, blocks your windows? Look at these pictures. That's what parts of upstate New York dealing with today. Enjoy while you can.
After more than a week of snow, some places have 11 feet on the ground. I guess you'll be able to enjoy that for a long time here.
The region is getting a break today. But another winter blast is on the way. And it's not just New York.
Parts of the Midwest also coping with snow and cold. This the scene in Cincinnati, Ohio,
Indianapolis also bracing for more winter weather. Storm watches, warnings now in place across the state of Indiana.
Meteorologist Chad Myers with us now from the CNN weather center. And Reggie Aqui...
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Where is he?
HARRIS: Hey, where is -- yes, where is he? He's in that -- I guess he's behind that mound of snow there.
Reggie, where are you?
REGGIE AQUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're back here. We are back here.
Yes, well, we are buried, that's where we are. Buried in snow.
A hundred inches here in Mexico, New York. And this is what that looks like. A lot of it gets compacted down and a lot of it also gets pushed to the side, and that's when you get these big snowdrifts as a result.
And because of that, you have to be very careful when you're walking out on the street. Especially when there's a Mack truck coming behind you.
But I wanted to show you that these streets are in really good shape. And that's how people are getting to work and getting to school today. It is a whole lot of work, though, just digging out of this mess.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AQUI (voice over): Mary McSweeney's small shovel is no match for the massive amount of snow, six to 10 feet that fell here in upstate New York. But she's determined to make it out.
MARY MCSWEENEY, OSWEGO RESIDENT: This has been surviving in the long haul. I got out twice this week. I'm working on three times. I would like to go to church.
AQUI: John Johnston runs a snow blowing business. It's a job seemingly without end.
JOHN JOHNSTON, OSWEGO RESIDENT: It's a lot of snow, and it just seems to keep coming and coming and coming. It isn't stopping. That's what's really the pain. It just don't seem to stop.
AQUI: The snow is so deep, even the snow removal experts need backup. His seven kids, whose schools are closed, are pressed into service.
JOSHUA JOHNSTON, OSWEGO RESIDENT: Old Man Winter is going down with a fight.
AQUI: Joshua Johnston helps his dad clear his 50th driveway this week. At least he is on relatively solid ground.
In this photo from Redfield, New York, these volunteer firefighters shovel out their roof. It's images like these that have the mayor of Mexico on edge.
MAYOR TERRY GRIMSHAW, MEXICO, NEW YORK: What's scary now is we've had a couple buildings collapse, and that always scares people.
AQUI: And this is an area that doesn't scare easily. They're used to 150 inches of snow a year. But 100 in a week?
JOHN JOHNSTON: I never have liked winter. I don't like winter anymore, especially after this year. It's been a bad year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AQUI: See those guys up there on the roof? Well, they're taking a little break. And who can blame them.
They have to shovel off that roof because it's just getting so heavy, there's a danger that the roof could potentially collapse. And that is what folks are worried about here. They're also worried about a lot of big icicles that are hanging from some of these -- some of these awnings and some of the houses. So they're going to have to deal with that for a long time.
I, however, have been just dying to have something the last couple of hours.
HARRIS: What are you doing?
AQUI: Businesses are starting to open.
HARRIS: Yes?
AQUI: There's a pizza place here, Tony. Pizza.
HARRIS: Right? You're going to get a slice of pizza?
AQUI: There's a pizza place...
AQUI: I'm getting a slice of pizza as soon as I'm done with you.
HARRIS: Well, you're done with me. Go ahead. Enjoy. Go enjoy a slice of pizza, Reggie.
AQUI: I'm gone. I'm out of here.
HARRIS: OK. See you.
Reggie Aqui in Mexico, New York.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: A health system broken and in need of repair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems to be a different country here. It really does.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT: That's sad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it is. It's quite sad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The uninsured and the poor are getting a little bit of help in the Big Easy, ahead in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Remembering Jessica Lunsford. Her father continues his crusade even as her suspected murderer heads to trial.
That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Tragedy for a Maryland family. Two brothers are dead after one tried to rescue the other from an icy pond.
That story coming up here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: Jury selection begins today in Miami in the long- awaited John Couey trial. He's accused of killing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford nearly two years ago. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against the convicted sex offender. His trial was moved 300 miles to Miami after a judge decided that an impartial jury could not be found in Tavares.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA'S FATHER: It's hard to speak about the trial. You know, what can I say?
I mean, it's not my ballgame. This is the state attorney's job. All we can do is just wait and watch and see. But, you know, you can bet that the system will work and justice will prevail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Jessica's father, Mark Lunsford, spent yesterday talking to people at a biker rally, raising money for the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation. He's a driving force behind sex offender legislation in Florida and other states.
HARRIS: A heartbreaking tragedy on a frozen pond in Maryland. Two brothers losing their lives. Authorities say 8-year-old Jarris Robinson fell through the ice first. Twelve-year-old Aaron died trying to save his brother.
Details now from WBOC's Lisa Bryant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA BRYANT, REPORTER, WBOC (voice over): Jenise Robinson is living out every mother's worst nightmare.
JENISE ROBINSON, MOTHER: I just kept crying, you know. I want to see my babies. They kept telling me, "No, you have to clam down. You can't see them."
BRYANT: Her two sons, 8-year-old Jarris and 12-year-old Aaron, drowned in this pond Sunday afternoon. Robinson says Jarris climbed this fence and was playing on the ice when it broke beneath him. His 12-year-old brother went into the water to try to save him.
ROBINSON: And I'd just say that my 12-year-old lost his life trying to save his 8-year-old brother.
BRYANT: When neighborhood kids ran to Janise to tell her what had happened, she called 911 and ran to a neighbor for help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She was crying. She said, "The boys are in the water."
BRYANT: Schaeffer (ph) says it took rescue workers several minutes to get the boys out of the water. They were taken to George Chester General Hospital (ph), where they were pronounced dead just before 6:00. A tragedy friends like 9-year-old Ava McFall (ph) will never forget.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... if I prayed really hard. But they're still with us in our heart. That's all I can say.
BRYANT: Lisa Bryant, WBOC News, Cambridge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And nearly 18 months after Hurricane Katrina, and still thousands along the Gulf Coast lack even the most basic healthcare.
CNN's Susan Roesgen reports on a helping hand for New Orleans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They'll let you inside right here. Just tell them that she's handicapped and they'll let you park closer.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They started lining up in the middle of the night, waiting for a number until the numbers ran out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got two more.
ROESGEN: Five hundred meant the end of the line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But we're out of numbers and they're full to capacity.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Next, please.
ROESGEN: More than a year and a half after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans healthcare for the uninsured and the poor is so limited that almost 4,000 people waited hours to get help at this temporarily clinic, open for just one week.
Odessa Straughter had a job and health insurance before the hurricane and lost both.
ODESSA STRAUGHTER, UNINSURED NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: I didn't have the money to pay for my prescription, and it cost us. I mean, lots of money (ph). So this was a big help for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So we've got two medications here.
ROESGEN: The clinic was funded by a religious charity, Operation Blessing, at a cost of more than $500,000 just for the infrastructure and supplies. Clinic director Dr. Dale Betterton was an Army medic in Vietnam, and he has to remind himself that New Orleans is not a third world country.
DR. DALE BETTERTON, CLINIC DIRECTOR: It seems to be a different country here. It really does.
ROESGEN (on camera): That's sad.
BETTERTON: Yes, it is. It's quite sad. It's sad for the people that have to deal with the problems every day.
ROESGEN (voice over): In the end, 1,100 people had dental work, 1,200 got new glasses, and almost everybody got a prescription. The rest don't know where they'll go now that the volunteers have gone home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get here, get treated, get out. They want to help you. They really do.
ROESGEN: Susan Roesgen, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And quickly now, let's get you to Betty Nguyen in the NEWSROOM.
(NEWSBREAK)
HARRIS: On the trail of early voters. Two top Democrats on the road, but one issue is dominating the discussion. That story straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
And not ready to make nice, but ready for Grammy gold. Highlights from the awards show coming up in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
At the Grammys, one band's reunion may have been upstaged by another's redemption. Brooke Anderson has the highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STING, THE POLICE (SINGING): Roxanne...
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With that famous opening lyric, the newly reunited Police kicked off the 2007 Grammy Awards.
It was the first of many moments highlighting the best in music, from rock and pop to R&B and country.
The Dixie Chicks, shunned in the country music world for speaking out against President Bush in 2003, triumphed at the Grammys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Dixie Chicks!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Dixie Chicks!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Dixie Chicks.
ANDERSON: Took home all five awards they were nominated for, including album of the year for "Taking the Long Way," and both song of the year and record of the year for their defiant "Not Ready to Make Nice."
QUESTION: Is it vindication in a way? NATALIE MAINES, DIXIE CHICKS: I think if I ever felt vindication, it was when we finished the album, because for us that sort of is when it was like, ah, OK. We've said everything that, you know, has gone through our minds.
ANDERSON: Mary J. Blige, this year's most nominated performer, was also a multiple award winner, taking home three Grammys, including best R&B album for "The Breakthrough" and best R&B song for "Be Without You."
Former "American Idol" winner, now popular country singer, Carrie Underwood, took home two awards, including honors as best new artist.
Christina Aguilera in a tribute to the late James Brown brought the house to its feet as she dropped to her knees.
Other big winners were the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who scored four Grammys, including best rock album, and Ludacris, who took home two, including best rap song and best rap album.
LUDACRIS, GRAMMY WINNER: When I recorded this album, I made it a point to say to myself that I want to win a Grammy, and I'm going to, and it happened.
ANDERSON: Brook Anderson, CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, snowed in. We've been telling you about this all morning, showing you these amazing pictures.
Folks in New York bracing for possibly another round of it. Can you believe what our friends in parts of upstate New York are dealing with after more than a week of snow, around 11 feet in some places right now?
OK. The region is getting a bit of a breather, a bit of a break. But another winter blast is on the way. Folks in parts of the Midwest with their hands full with snow and cold. This the scene in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Indianapolis also bracing for more winter weather. Storm watches and warnings are now in place across the state of Indiana.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: Good morning once again, everybody. It's 11:30 now. I'm Heidi Collins.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: And I'm Tony Harris. Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. The SATs -- challenge or child's play?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: The section didn't seem that hard really.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, that's nice, head of the class, smart kid, ahead of his time in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: More politics and the presidential elections. Bill Bennett and Donna Brazile hash it out. That's not them. Coming up next in the NEWSRROM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's get you back to Betty now in the NEWSROOM, Betty, wondering if there's an update on, I'm presuming the driver of this -- look at this scene. Is there an update for us?
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have a little more information for you, but the pictures really speak for themselves there. This vehicle that you see upside down pretty much just drove off that top of the parking deck that you see there on the right-hand side of your screen. Don't know the condition of the person in the vehicle. But we did see just a little bit earlier when I spoke with you, Tony, paramedics, firefighters surrounding that person. That person has since been transported to a local hospital. Look at the scene right here. It's a good thing that this vehicle didn't fall any farther down than what it did. You can see, it's fallen on top of a building there and not on the asphalt where you see the fire truck below because that would have been several more feet that it would have fallen. So don't know if that's going to make a big difference in the condition of the person who was transported to the hospital.
Nonetheless, this is a four-story parking garage and this vehicle has at least fallen two to three of those stories. And, again, it's just a terrible sight to see. Hopefully this person will indeed survive the injuries. We don't know the extent of those injuries. But as soon as we do, we'll get an update for you.
HARRIS: Appreciate it, Betty. Thank you.
The Democrats top two contenders on the trail in early voting states. The message from voters is simple -- what about Iraq. CNN's Mary Snow takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Hillary Clinton took her presidential campaign literally into the living rooms of New Hampshire. There and at town hall meetings she was peppered with questions about Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to know if right here, right now, once and for all, without nuance, you can say that that war authorization vote was a mistake.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I have said, and I will repeat, it that knowing what I know now I would never have voted for it. SNOW: In Keane, she urged the crowd to turn up pressure on President Bush and the Republicans to change the course in Iraq and redeploy American troops.
CLINTON: We will not be there to baby-sit this multi-pronged civil war. They have to decide they want to end the sectarian violence.
SNOW: As Senator Clinton campaigned in New Hampshire, the man considered her top Democratic rival was doing the same in Iowa, the other early deciding state in the presidential races. Senator Obama headed there right after he announced Saturday he's running for president. There, too, came questions about Iraq.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am proud of the fact that I opposed this war from the start. I thought it was -- I thought it -- I thought it was a tragic mistake.
SNOW: Senator Obama has the distinction of never having to cast a vote to authorize the war since he was not in the Senate at the time. But at a campaign event Sunday, protesters were a reminder that no candidates are exempt from voters angry about Iraq. Mary Snow, CNN, Manchester, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: The politics of war, Democrats keeping the focus on Iraq as they drive toward 2008. Here to talk about now, it Bill Bennett, CNN contributor and host of Bill Bennett's "Morning in America," good morning to you Bill.
BILL BENNETT: Good morning.
COLLINS: And Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist and CNN political analyst. Hi there Donna.
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRAT STRATEGIST: Hey, Heidi.
COLLINS: Thank the both of you for being here, doing great thanks. I want to go back to that piece we just saw by Mary Snow if we could. You heard the New Hampshire voter asking flat out whether or not Hillary sees it as a mistake, her Iraq vote. Donna, let's start with you. Why is she hesitating to make that statement?
BRAZILE: Senator Clinton has been a persistent and consistent critic of the president's handling of the war. For her to go back and begin to ruminate of what she would have done, could have done I think would be a stupid mistake. So I think she's doing the right thing in talking about the future, where we are now. She's proposed caps on the number of troops as of January 1st. And she's also for a phased redeployment and a transition of our mission from combat to providing logistical support and tamping (ph) down on insurgencies. So I think she's in a difficult box right now in terms of the Democratic primary. But Senator Clinton is not just looking at the primary. She's also looking at the general election. COLLINS: Bill, we know there's been criticism of the president of the United States for not admitting his mistakes outright. Should she be admitting this was a mistake to vote for the Iraq war?
BENNETT: I think she should be saying what she thinks. But what's interesting here, I think what's undeniable is that there is pressure for her to move to that position, pressure for her to move to the left. The energy in the Democratic Party now is on the left. It's on the position that Obama is taking which is all troops out. He has set a date. People say Obama is all generalities, generalities and bromides. To be fair to him, he's set a date. He says March 2008 they all need to be out. He's had his effect already because Hillary Clinton has moved somewhat in his direction, first with the thing that Donna mentioned about capping the troops. And then she most recently said, when she is elected president, if the troops aren't out, they'll be gone the next day.
COLLINS: It's an interesting story, that's for sure, when talking about the two of them as possible presidential contenders. In fact, let's bring Australian Prime Minister John Howard into this. I'm sure you've heard comments that he mentioned pretty controversial comments over the weekend about Senator Obama. Let's go ahead and listen first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I think he's wrong. If I were running al Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and pray as many times as possible for a victory not only for Obama but also for the Democrats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Prime Minister Howard still standing by his comments that he made today when the press checked in with him again, very critical of Obama's plan that we talked about moments ago, about bringing out U.S. forces from Iraq in March of 2008. Donna, what do you make of him coming into this discussion?
BRAZILE: I thought it was very odd for a head of another country to comment on our politics. But I think Senator Obama responded quite well to him and suggested that if would like to send more Australians into combat in Iraq go right ahead. Because the American people are clear right now, they would like to see the war in Iraq come to an end. They would like to see our troops come home as well.
COLLINS: Bill, he also said that it would be catastrophic for the west and would also have a tremendously adverse consequences for Australia. Your thoughts on him being in the middle of this?
BENNETT: He was asked about it, they do have troop there. He can make these comments. We commented on the Spanish election, remember, after the train, whether the train bombing, whether the president should be re-elected or not or whether that was to concede to terrorists to vote against it. You can see we're all in this together. I would say on the other hand while it's appropriate for him to answer the question when asked, it was appropriate for Obama to respond. I thought that was a pretty good response. If you guys are serious, you can ante up some more. But I agree with Howard. I think it would be a catastrophe and it would be a world catastrophe. I think that's where he gets the standing to say it. It would be bad for the entire civilized world.
COLLINS: Donna, can Senator Barack Obama get the nomination for his party?
BRAZILE: Absolutely. Look, most pundits right now are counting votes and I think Senator Obama has an excellent chance of winning the Democratic nomination. He's a fresh face in a sea of familiar faces. He's rallying people, energizing the electorate, expanding the electorate. He's giving hope to those who believe that it's time for a candidate from a different generation to speak about our problems and help solve them in the future.
COLLINS: Do you have concerns, Donna, about his experience? Usually I think we see governors running for president. We tend to look at them as people who have proven their leadership skills. He has not and he's got two years in the Senate. This has come up many times before.
BRAZILE: It's come up a lot, especially when you have somebody who has not been in Washington for a long time. But I think Senator Obama has good political judgment. He's a fast learner. He's someone who is ready and prepared to take on the great complex challenges of our time. People are excited about him because they do -- they believe he has the right set of experience in terms of his ability to bring the country together and to help lead us out of the war in Iraq.
COLLINS: Bill, if he gets the nomination, can he win the general election? It's a different question.
BENNETT: It is a different question. I think it all depends. I think we'd be very strong with a couple of the people we have out there now. But I do think he's running a strong race. Something I don't understand, which is two criticisms. One he's inexperienced. It's Lincoln's birthday. He's got about as much experience as Abraham Lincoln, also from Illinois. The guys wrote the Federalist papers were in their late '20s, early '30s when they did this. This was a young person, a young man, men in those days, government. There's no reason he can't do this. By the way, I'm not supporting Obama for president.
But the one thing I do detect among the Clinton people is the sense of confidence. They think that this guy rose fast, he'll fall fast, comet across the sky. I'm not so sure. He puts more flesh on the bones here. He got a much more exciting reception, I understand, in New Hampshire than Hillary did. I think he's bad news for her, at least at this stage and certainly for John Edwards. So he's making trouble. He's a serious contender. Whether he can win in the general depends a lot if he gets the nomination, depends a lot on who we put up. BRAZILE: I was down in Virginia over the weekend and let me just tell you, the people of Richmond are very excited about Barack Obama. He'll be going down there this weekend to give (INAUDIBLE). I can tell you, just based on the audience reaction, they're ready for a President Obama.
COLLINS: All right, quickly, guys. Because this is happening today, I want to get your comments. You know that the House of Representatives is beginning their debate on the Iraq resolution. Will the resolution fare better there, do you think, than it has in the Senate, Bill?
BENNETT: Yes. It will pass. Because they don't have -- they don't have the same rules. And so it will probably pass. The question is how many Republicans do along with it? You got a Democrat majority, somewhere between 20 and 50. Yes, I think it will do better. But I'm not sure it's as big a deal.
COLLINS: Donna, last word.
BRAZILE: Look, it will pass but the most important thing is that the American people will finally hear a debate about our situation in Iraq and the best ways for our troops to come home as well as win the war on terror.
COLLINS: Bill Bennett and Donna Brazile, certainly appreciate your time here today.
BENNETT: Thank you.
HARRIS: Still to come, African-American women and premature birth, the rate is three times higher than that of white women. A new study looks at why. The findings ahead in the NEWSROOM.
A surgeon operates on his patient from across the room. Magic fingers? No robotic reach, an advance in heart repairs in the NEWSROOM.
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HARRIS: In our daily dose of medical news, African-American women have premature birth. Could it be a matter of genetics? A new study suggests yes. Researchers tracked more than 700,000 births in Missouri from 1989 the to 1997 and found African-American women three times more likely to give birth prematurely than white women. The study was adjusted for social and economic variables, education levels, medical problems and smoking. Get this, the rate of premature births was still higher among African-American women. The study appears in the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology" and was funded by the March of Dimes.
COLLINS: More than just tired, a working mom's exhaustion was linked to heart damage. Now she's on the mend after doctors got a helping hand from a robot. CNN's Chris Lawrence explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tiny robotic fingers are moving precisely around this woman's heart. Metal hands manipulated by the actual surgeon who sits several yards away. If all goes well, this mother of three will be back to work in a couple of weeks.
DR. DANIEL BETHENCOURT, LONG BEACH MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER: We don't crack the chest. We don't cut the bone. We don't have to rewire it back together.
LAWRENCE: For the last six months, Rene Lepage has been exhausted.
RENE LEPAGE, HEART SURGERY PATIENT: I would come home, make dinner, sit down. I would basically --
LAWRENCE: She's a working mom with three teenagers and chalked it up to that.
LEPAGE: I think women tend to rationalize. I'm a little tired, but I guess I have reason to be tired. So I never really thought it was a problem.
LAWRENCE: A doctor's visit detected a cause. Rene's heart valve was damaged and could possibly fail. She opted for surgery using a relatively new but minimally invasive system called da Vinci. It was initially developed to allow military doctors to remain in their city and operate on wounded soldiers miles away. Even the steadiest surgeon has minor vibrations in his hands. The da Vinci corrects for that shaking, allowing more precision than is humanly possible.
BETHENCOURT: It's as if our hands and our wrists are inside the chest wall of the patient and so the combination of 3d vision, plus better flexibility of the instruments gives us dramatically better control.
LAWRENCE: Rene looks forward to having the energy of a 48-year- old instead of someone 20 years older.
LEPAGE: People depend on you, especially if you are a mom, you're running around, but you're really not good to anyone if you are not in good health.
LAWRENCE: Thanks to this surgery, she should be just fine. Chris Lawrence, CNN, Long Beach, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: The SATs, challenge or just child's play? A fifth grader, head of the class, ahead of his time, coming up in the NEWSROOM.
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COLLINS: Kyra Phillips joining us now because there's just an hour and eight minutes or so -- KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: an hour and eight minutes. Do you have it down to the seconds?
COLLINS: Or so.
PHILLIPS: I'm going to throw some more numbers at you, 631 days left under the presidential election. Thanks to the Iraq factor, it's already getting ugly. For Senator Hillary Clinton, it means getting defensive over her 2002 vote to go to war. For Senator Barack Obama, it means taking a pot shot from Australia's prime minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: I were running al Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and pray as many times as possible for victory not only for Obama, but also for the Democrats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Confidential to Mr. Howard, the elections are in November of '08, not March. Nevertheless, Obama's overseas dis this all of us talking. Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider joins us with his take.
Plus, the politics of pop music. For the Dixie Chicks hatch a nest full of Grammy gold thanks to their infamous dis on President Bush? Lead singer Natalie Manes (ph) seemed to say as much and we're going to be taking your e-mails on this hot topic. Join us at 1:00 Eastern from the CNN NEWSROOM. I remember, they were one of the first top country bands that I loved, a little two stepping into the Dixie Chicks. They went political and now winning all the Grammy's.
HARRIS: Can't wait. Welcome back, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Thank you. Good to be back.
COLLINS: Thanks, Kyra.
HARRIS: A perfect score. Look at this, a fifth grader makes the mark. We're not talking about any pop quiz for this math whiz. Roberta Romero of our affiliate KING has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTA ROMERO, KING: Meet 10-year-old Darryl Wu. Like most kids, he loves to ride his bike and goof off. Like most 10-year- olds, he likes to win. His trophies line the fireplace mantle and bookshelves in his home. His specialties, math and chess. Still, even with the array of awards and trophies, his latest victory is somewhat unexpected.
DARRYL WU, FIFTH GRADER: I did get a bit excited.
ROMERO: Just a bit excited. Late last year, the fifth grader decided to join his older brother and take the college entrance exam, the SATs.
WU: Like seventh and eighth graders can start taking the SAT. So my brother's in seventh grade. So I was wondering how I would do.
ROMERO: So how did he do? How about a perfect score, 800 in the math section.
WU: I half expected it. It still was very exciting.
ROMERO: Why would you half expect that?
WU: Because the section didn't seem that hard really.
ROMERO: Not that hard. Just for a perspective, the average math score was 518. Darryl credits his love of learning to his parents who have always encouraged him.
WU: They like try to motivate me.
MONICA SUNG, MOTHER: I think what we did is, we just let them pick what they want to do, what they want to study or read.
ROMERO: Darryl's room is filled with advanced books and science magazines. Reading is a favorite pastime. Are you afraid he's going to get smarter than you?
SUNG: I think he is.
ROMERO: As for Darryl Wu's future plans, he plans to finish fifth grade and maybe he'll take the SAT again. He still needs to get those perfect scores for reading and writing as well. In King County, Roberta Romero, KING 5 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: He's taking it just for fun. That's what he's doing.
HARRIS: Let's get him to Georgia Tech next year.
COLLINS: CNN NEWSROOM continues in one hour from now.
HARRIS: YOUR WORLD TODAY is next with news happening across the globe and here at home. I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: I'm Heidi Collins. Have a great day.
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