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Immigration Reform Back on the Agenda; Tenet Tells All about Pre-War Intelligence

Aired April 29, 2007 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Inferno on the interstate, a fiery crash makes one of the toughest commutes in the country a whole lot worse. Also, paying for the war in Iraq, Democrats want a time line for troops. President Bush promises a veto, so now what?
Plus, dust in the wind. No, not the 1970's hit, we're talking about a storm that's making life miserable for millions.

Hello, everyone I'm Fredericka Whitfield and you are in the NEWSROOM. First this hour, gearing up again for immigration reform. A second stab by President Bush at one of the nation's pressing problems, among the hurdles still to be scaled, agreement on the status of millions of workers who yearn to be U.S. citizens, but came to this country illegally. Joining us live from Los Angeles CNN's Peter Viles. Peter?

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, another of those immigration marches today here in Los Angeles as we gear up for more marches Tuesday, the march here today dedicated to the plight of the children of illegal immigrants. As you probably know, children born in this country are United States citizens and can never be forced to leave the country but their parents if they came here illegally can be deported. At the march today, the organizers saying this is wrong, this is ripping apart American families, it's unfair, other families are having to live in fear. We spoke with one of the organizers of the march and also a couple of the children who are marching today on behalf of other children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUDIA SANTOS, MARCHER: The children in our group they're aware that although they are born here, they are from immigrant parents and the possibility, the way the immigration law is right now of them being separated from their parents is very likely. And that's something that children don't want absolutely to have to happen.

JUDITH MEJIA, MARCHER: I want my mom back. [Inaudible]

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where is your mom right now? And when did she leave?

MEJIA: When I was kind of little.

DAVID ACEVEDA, MARCHER: And these laws are really wrong. And people -- kids -- fathers are being taken away from them. That's not good. (END OF VIDEO CLIP)

VILES: Obviously a very emotional issue. Now, on the other side of this debate, advocates for tougher enforcement of border laws will say, wait a minute. The United States government does not split up families. If someone is deported, they can always bring their children with them to another country, be it Mexico or El Salvador. In addition, these folks will say if you have come to this country illegally, you have put yourself at risk of being deported.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK MARTIN, FED. FOR AMERICAN IMMIGRATION REFORM: It creates hardship. There's no doubt about that. But any time that parents have broken the law, the children are going to pay a penalty and we don't, for example, suggest that people who have committed crimes don't go to prison because of the fact there's going to be hard on their children.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

VILES: Now, I want to go back for a moment Fredricka to that little girl we heard from earlier who was sobbing about being separated from her mother. Just to be clear on that situation, that little girl's name is Judith Mejia. She lives east of Los Angeles in Riverside County. Her mother was not deported but her mother was here illegally and made a calculation that turned out to be very unfortunate that maybe she could return to Mexico and come back to the United States illegally. So she returned to Mexico four years ago in hopes of coming in illegally and has been unable to do so, so has been separated from her daughter for four years. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: So peter, what exactly are a lot of the demonstrators asking for at this point? Are they saying, yes, we do need some sort of reform? Are they specifically demanding that, yes, many people who have entered here illegally ought to now be allowed some sort of residency or U.S. citizenship status? What specifically are many people en masse asking for there at that demonstration?

VILES: In general, the people in this march are in line with the Catholic Church here in Southern California which has said that people -- these people here in this country should have citizenship. They should have a path to citizenship and they should get it sooner rather than later. As you know in Washington, the debate is not quite as far toward amnesty as there where the Senate and the House -- the bill that the Senate passed was citizenship eventually. Maybe over a period of several years but this crowd in general wants a path to citizenship right away for people who are here illegally.

WHITFIELD: Peter Viles, thanks so much.

And just as he did, last year President Bush is asking Congress for a comprehensive overhaul of immigration law. The idea to gain control of the nation's borders, give businesses low wage workers and offer illegal immigrants that path that Peter was talking about to U.S. citizenship. Mr. Bush spoke yesterday in Miami at a commencement address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Washington, we're in the midst of an important discussion about immigration. Our current immigration system is in need of reform. It is not working. We need a system where our laws are respected, we need a system that meets the legitimate needs of our economy, and we need a system that treats people with dignity and helps newcomers assimilate into our society.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The president's first push for immigration reform went down in flames last year amid forceful opposition by a group of House Republicans. One reform that did emerge, approval of a plan to place hundreds of miles of security fencing along the border with Mexico. Amid ramped up security efforts, more than a million people were arrested last year trying to illegally cross the Mexican border. Best estimates put the total of illegal immigrants in the country today at about 12 million. And if you watch his show, you know what he thinks about illegal immigration. Lou Dobbs had a very, shall I say, heated discussion on that topic with CNN NEWSROOM's Rick Sanchez. Here's a taste.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Should there not be a little bit of room for tolerance? Are we not judged by how we treat the least amongst us?

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: I don't think you could find a more tolerant nation in the world could you Rick? This nation brings in lawfully more than 2 million immigrants a year.

SANCHEZ: And that's what makes --

DOBBS: But let me finish.

SANCHEZ: Go ahead.

DOBBS: That is more than the rest of the world combined. And yet, I hear the effrontery that this is not a welcoming nation.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And you'll hear much more in the Sunday spotlight tonight at 10:00 eastern. And the entire network is turning the spotlight on the issue of immigration this week, Tuesday we'll have coverage throughout the day. And among other things we're covering immigration rallies across the country. Then Wednesday night, Lou Dobbs is live in Hazleton, Pennsylvania for a broken borders town hall meeting. It's a CNN prime time special Wednesday night 8:00 eastern.

A new government study suggests race isn't a factor in the likelihood of a driver being stopped by police. But the report released today by the Justice Department shows African-American and Latino drivers are more prone to being searched and arrested than white drivers based on statistics from 2005 between 8 and 9 percent of all three races were stopped by police. Blacks, however, were nearly three times as likely to undergo a search and nearly twice as likely to be arrested than white drivers.

A devastating traffic accident in Oakland, California right near the San Francisco Bay Bridge. A tanker truck carrying thousands of gallons of gas crashed on the highway interchange and burst into flames. The inferno caused the overpass above to collapse onto the crash site. And this is what it looked like after the fire was put out. Amazingly, the driver survived and no one else was hurt.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL KEMPTON, DIRECTOR, CALTRANS: The vehicle allegedly traveling at a high rate of speed or over the speed limit at least, went out of control. There was a fire. The fire was particularly hot. That is a steel structure. As a result of the fire and the length of time that it burned, damage was done to the structure and the 580 ramp collapsed down on to the 880 ramp.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Officials say the roads could take months to fix. They're urging commuters to use public transit to avoid massive back- ups. This video was taken by a viewer who grabbed his camera when he saw the crash and we'll talk to him live in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.

The former head of the CIA appears bent on clearing his name and evening up old scores. With a scathing book due out on book stands tomorrow, George Tenet is making the rounds deflecting blame for the war in Iraq and naming names. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The former CIA director describes palpable tension between himself and Vice President Cheney before and after the Iraq invasion. In his new book, "At the Center of the Storm," George Tenet boasts of helping to kill a speech Cheney planned just before the war linking al Qaeda and Iraq. Tenet writes that during the fingerpointing over pre-war intelligence, the president publicly supported him. But at a meeting he had with then Secretary of State Colin Powell, quote, "Colin let me know that other officials, particularly the vice president, had quite another view." The quote excerpted in "The New York Times" and confirmed to CNN by two sources familiar with the book. Assistants for Cheney and Powell say they won't comment before reading the book. Then there is this comment from the vice president on NBC's "Meet the Press" in September.

CHENEY: When George Tenet sat in the oval office and the president of the United States asked him directly, he said George, how good is the case against Saddam and weapons of mass destruction, the director of the CIA said, it's a slam dunk Mr. President, it's a slam dunk. TODD: Tenet fires back in the book and on CBS' "60 Minutes."

GEORGE TENET, FORMER CIA DIRECTOR: The hardest part of all this has just been listening to this for almost three years. Listening to the vice president go on "Meet the Press" on the fifth year of 9/11 and say, well George Tenet said "slam dunk" as if he needed me to say "slam dunk" to go to war with Iraq. As if he needed me to say that.

TODD: Tenet's former deputy, John McLaughlin, now CNN's national security adviser, was at that 2002 meeting where Tenet said "slam dunk." McLaughlin says the phrase has been taken out of context.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: What he meant was that it's a slam dunk that we can put more information into the mix to make it clearer why analysts believe there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

TODD (on camera): White House officials tell CNN the decision to go to war was based on many other reasons apart from the slam dunk comment. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And in response to Tenet's book, the Bush administration has already launched a counter attack. CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us live now. Elaine, in addition to criticizing the vice president, Tenet also had some rather harsh things to say about the secretary of state. Like what?

ELAINE QUIAJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. The former CIA director George Tenet criticizing Condoleezza Rice specifically noting during her time as national security adviser, he says she essentially sat on the sidelines of policy disputes about Iraq. In his book, Tenet blames Rice for a lack of coordination and strong leadership at the National Security Council after the Iraq war began. He says in his book, quote, "What we did not have is an integrated and open process in Washington that was organized to keep the peace. Nor did we have the unity of purpose and resources on the ground. Quite simply, the NSC did not do its job." Well, today on CNN's "LATE EDITION" Condoleezza Rice fired back and disputed Tenet's charge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: There were some things that went right and some things that went wrong. And you know what, we'll have a chance to look at that in history and I'll have a chance to reflect on that when I have a chance to write my book.

(END OF VIEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Tenet sharply criticized Vice President Dick Cheney, as well. And Tenet argues in his book that he believes the administration had essentially already made up its mind to go to war regardless of the intelligence. The White House says simply that is not true. They say that the president did consider a number of factors and did carefully weigh all of the available information before he made his decision. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: And what about a response from the White House that Tenet says he was made the scapegoat?

QUIJANO: Secretary Rice disputing that as well. She says that this was not an intelligence problem with George Tenet, it was not an intelligence problem with the United States. It was an intelligence problem worldwide. She said on "LATE EDITION" everybody thought including U.N. inspectors that Saddam Hussein did in fact have weapons of mass destruction. So as she said, there is no need here to blame anyone. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine Quijano at the White House, thanks so much.

Meantime, George Tenet will be joining Larry King tomorrow. "LARRY KING LIVE" starts at 9:00 eastern right here on CNN.

And we're going to turn to the current situation in Iraq. When the NEWSROOM rolls on, another deadly suicide bombing, another tough weekend for U.S. troops. We have the very latest.

Also, a sea of flags in Turkey where about a million people hit the streets to protest the country's shift towards a pro-Islamic government. What's at stake for the U.S.?

Plus, here in this country wildfires in the south, now out west, as well. Find out if weather will help or hurt the firefighters in both locations. You're in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: And now to Iraq where April will go down as one of the deadliest months for U.S. troops since the war began. Just this weekend, the Pentagon announced nine more American service members killed in roadside bombings near Baghdad and in combat operations in Anbar Province. So far this month alone, 99 U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq. Thirteen coalition forces including 12 Britons were also killed. The total number of U.S. deaths since the beginning of the war, 3,346. The total number of wounded U.S. service members in "Operation Iraqi Freedom," 24,912.

The army's new chief of staff says he wants to speed up a planned increase in the number of active duty soldiers. General George Casey says he'd like to accelerate by two years a plan to add 65,000 active duty personnel. General Casey told a group of army soldiers and families yesterday in Hawaii the army is stretched too thin and will remain that way until additional troops are trained and equipped.

The death toll from that massive suicide bombing in Karbala, Iraq, climbed higher today. Officials now say 75 people were killed and 175 wounded when a car bomb exploded between two Shiite shrines. Bringing real security to Iraq is the number one goal of an international conference this week in Egypt. Well, today, Iran changed course and announced it will attend that meeting. Reporting from Baghdad now, CNN's Arwa Damon. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The Iraqi government is now saying that it is thankful and grateful to Iran for deciding to join the upcoming Iraq neighbors' conference set to take place in (INAUDIBLE) Egypt later on this week. That move welcomed by Iraqi prime minister and by a number of members of the Iraqi government, especially given the crucial role that Iran does play not just in the stability of Iraq but in the stability of the region. If Iran had not attended this conference, there are those who believe that much could not have been achieved but Iraqi foreign minister Hoshyar Zebari now saying that he had high hopes for the outcome.

HOSHYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: I think this conference is a very, very important event. And the presence of Iran with the United States, with Iraq, with other countries will put everybody under the international spotlight. And, will force them to live up to their commitments towards stabilizing Iraq. So this upcoming conference is a very, very important -- I think it's a turning point not only for Iraq security but for regional politics, as well.

DAMON: Regional politics playing out in the capital of Baghdad. During a surprise visit by the head of Iran's National Security Council Dr. (INAUDIBLE) to Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki. The two speaking about security and the efforts that both countries must undertake to try to stabilize Iraq. Prime Minister Maliki reaffirming his country's commitment to targeting terrorism inside Iraq, but also, stating that the instability that exists in Iraq risks spreading throughout the entire region. Iran's role in stabilizing Iraq, of course, very crucial. Iran has been accused and is believed to have according to the U.S. military continued to train fighters, militias operating inside Iraq providing them also with weapons and funding. On the political front, Iraq and Iran do maintain a fairly healthy relationship. But there are concerns about Iran's efforts to try to clamp down on its involvement in Iraq. Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Meantime, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will lead the U.S. delegation at the Iraq security conference in Egypt. On CNN's "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER" Rice did not rule out a direct encounter with Iranian officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: You're heading off to (INAUDIBLE) for a regional conference to deal with Iraq this week in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The Iranians today announced their foreign minister will be there as well, together with other regional leaders. Will you meet with the Iranian foreign minister when you're at (INAUDIBLE)?

RICE: I don't rule out that we'll encounter each other. But this isn't a U.S.-Iranian issue. This isn't an opportunity to talk about U.S.-Iran issues. This is really an opportunity for all of Iraq's neighbors to talk about how to stabilize Iraq and I look forward to this because everyone has said that they believe a stable Iraq is in their interest. Not everyone is acting as if a stable Iraq is in their interest and I think we want to talk about how we can all take actions and Iraq's neighbors can take actions to help the Iraqis secure themselves.

BLITZER: If you meet with the Iranian foreign minister, what would you say to him?

RICE: Well, I think we all know that if in fact everybody believes a secure Iraq is important then we need to stop the flow of foreign fighters, we need to stop the help to militias that then kill innocent Iraqis. Need to stop the flow of advanced IED technology, explosive device technology that's killing American soldiers. A stable Iraq is one in which its neighbors are doing the things that they need to do to help the Iraqis deal with the violent people who are trying to destabilize them, not to encourage and support those violent people.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a new report says a number of U.S.-led o reconstruction projects in Iraq are failing. Things like hospitals and power stations, the report was prepared by the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction. It says poor construction and petty looting are among the biggest problems. It also found generators without batteries, and equipment missing fuel lines. At a maternity hospital in Erbil, Iraqi workers either didn't know how to use some of the new equipment or didn't trust it.

Coming up, the war at home over the war in Iraq. Congress wants to start pulling troops out. President Bush is promising to veto. We'll talk to both sides and see where we go from here.

Plus, take a look at these pictures. See those clouds? That is dust. More on the big dust-up for one city straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tragedy strikes players and fans of the St. Louis Cardinals' baseball team. 29-year-old relief pitcher Josh Hancock was killed in a traffic accident early this morning and we are getting in new information this hour that investigators say Hancock's SUV struck the rear of a tow truck that had stopped to help another vehicle. The St. Louis police chief spoke just a few minutes ago. He says the accident is still under investigation that it does not appear that speed or alcohol were factors in the crash.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. JOSEPH MOKWA, ST. LOUIS CHIEF OF POLICE: No alcoholic containers, alcoholic beverage containers or anything like that in the automobile. And we will recreate the accident scene but we may never know exactly what occurred. Apparently it appears that he just merely didn't see the tow truck.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: Hmm. Well, tonight's scheduled game between St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs has been postponed in light of this tragedy.

Well now, take a look at the skies over Phoenix yesterday. A major dust storm blasted the area, fueled by 50 mile an hour winds, power was out for several hours in a lot of places. Unfortunately, on the same day that temperatures there topped 100 for the first time this year. Here's an i-Report picture of the dust storm approaching, it was taken by Todd Gunn of Phoenix. The picture is looking east from the city at Squaw Peak.

And a huge swath of South Georgia is still on fire. Three new wildfires are now burning near a massive blaze that has scorched nearly 100 square miles. The biggest fire in Georgia history. Shifting winds and extremely dry air are fueling the flames and so far 18 homes have been destroyed. The fire is now 70 percent contained. That's somewhat encouraging but officials say depending on the weather, the blaze could rage on still for weeks.

(WEATHER REPORT)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT, IN THE NEWSROOM: Well Jacqui it looks like all of us except for the west coast just kind of skipped over spring. We're into summer now with those temperatures.

JERAS: Yeah, absolutely. Warmer than normal for many.

WHITFIELD: All right Jacqui. Thanks so much.

Well this week here in the United States and in Iraq, war funding is the big issue. What happens after President Bush's veto?

And about a million Turks flood Istanbul for an angry demonstration over the country's future and an important vote coming up this week. How concerned should the U.S. be about the political situation there?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Let's turn now to Tuesday's financial power play in Washington where no one, even Democrats, expect President Bush to back pedal from his vow to veto the Iraq war-funding bill. The sticking point being a definitive time line to pull out troops, a stipulation President Bush says he will not waiver on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've said this all along. My position has been consistent. I'm sorry it's come to this. In other words, I'm sorry that we have, you know, had this -- you know, the issue evolve the way it has but nevertheless it is what it is and it will be vetoed and it will be sustained.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: Democrats say the reason to cut funding the Iraq war is simple. The war is a losing proposition in both human and financial terms. But Brett McGurk the director for Iraq at the National Security Council disagrees with that assessment.

BRETT MCGURK, NATL. SEC. COUNCIL DIR. FOR IRAQ: What we have seen since the strategy started is the sectarian violence which are the extra judicial killings, the militia violence has gone down by about two thirds. We have a major problem with al Qaeda violence. Those are the suicide bombs that are the bomb that went off, for example, in Karbala yesterday. The five suicide attacks we saw in Baghdad about a week ago and that is -- it's important to differentiate between those two types of violence. Al Qaeda is trying to destroy the nation's democracy and we are trying to make sure they don't succeed.

WHITFIELD: But it is violence, nonetheless. You know, whether it's foreign fighters or whether it's sectarian violence and hearing Iraqi people who say they still don't have basic services from running water to electricity. So how does this administration measure progress- taking place in that country?

MCGURK: What we're looking at a number of factors. Again, it is very early in the new strategy. We looked at the situation at the end of last year and that was where sectarian violence was at an all-time high and we significantly changed course within a security area, focusing on securing the population. That is part of what the reinforcing our troops is about. On the diplomatic side with Iraq in the lead, there is going to be two important ministerial conferences in Egypt next week on Friday and Saturday. All of Iraq's neighbors will be there; Iran will be there, the permanent five members of the U.N. Security Council.

So on the diplomatic, the economic side, the security side we are doing a lot of new things but it is so early, it has only been a couple of months and it is going to be September where we have all of our inputs in place and we are able to assess where we are, what we might have to change, what's working and what is not working.

WHITFIELD: So it sounds like there is sometime based on what you are talking about when we talk about time line, and involves U.S. withdrawal, troops withdrawal, then a lot of folks get rather flustered particularly in the White House. So when you are talking about this new spending bill and its promise to withdraw U.S. troops by a certain time, if not for that withdrawal, would the president be vetoing this war-spending bill?

MCGURK: Well, the president said it's been about three months since the president sent up a funding bill and what we're getting back this week will be a withdrawal bill. The bill says that by July 1st if the Iraqi government hasn't met a series of benchmarks we have to start withdrawing and even if they do meet those benchmarks by October 1st we have to start withdrawing. That is unacceptable.

WHITFIELD: That's Brett McGurk of the National Security Council Director for Iraq.

Earlier, this afternoon, I also speak with another person, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez on this very topic who as a member of the House Armed Services Committee visited Iraq earlier this month and here's her assessment.

REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ, (D) CALIFORNIA: It has gotten significantly more dangerous even for a congressperson to travel there. The first time we used the road from the airport to the green zone. That is no longer used, now we get helicoptered in. This time when we were inside the green zone, we were fully armored. And on top of that, we had a 24-hour bodyguard on us. So it's got significantly more dangerous and that's not even going out really into the city where the Iraqis are facing, you know, really day-to-day combat zone.

WHITFIELD: So when General Petraeus says yes, it is complex, but, yes, there are signs of improvement, did you feel like you witnessed any of that?

SANCHEZ: Not really because we were within the green zone and then when they did take us out, they took us to a completely Shia area with a Shia mayor, where, of course, if you look at the majority of the government of the government you are going to see that it's majority Shia in a sense and so of course things are going to go well for that group of people.

But if you're, for example, somebody in Anbar, like one of the members of parliament that we met, who was from Anbar who said to us, quite frankly, look, you want to do something for us, feed my people. She said since you drew your troops into Baghdad that means that no foodstuffs are coming in to my area. That means my people are starving. You want to change something, put troops down there. Get them out of Baghdad.

WHITFIELD: So, how does this war-spending bill help address that? One, that, of course, provides some funding for the ongoing war and at the same time calls for a timetable of withdrawal?

SANCHEZ: Certainly. Well, first of all, realize that we have put more money in this bill than even the president has asked for so I think that he should sign it. Secondly, our troops have money at least until the end of June is what we have been told so we have time to negotiate with this president. Why are these time lines so important? Well, they're exactly the things that the president said in his January 10th address to the nation that the government of Iraq needed to do and that the economic situation had to get better. Those two pieces have not gotten better and that's the problem.

This is no longer about military might. We know our soldiers are the best. They have been doing a great job out there. But they're in the middle of some real civil strife. some really nasty al Qaeda people. Some insurgents from outside of the arena and they're all ganging up on our troops. We are now the target.

WHITFIELD: Well speaking of the government of Iraq then, the Iraqi foreign minister says that it is unhelpful to link this war- spending bill with any planed withdrawal. In his words, it adversely affects our plans and the military plans here. It emboldens our enemies. Does he not have a point?

SANCHEZ: Isn't that interesting that our own Defense Secretary Gates said it's a good thing that Congress is putting forth these deadlines because it is going to show the Iraqi parliament members in particular and this government that we don't have all day here. That the American people are not an ATM. That they just can't do this. These -- these members of parliament and this prime minister have to sit down and they have to negotiate the very difficult issue of how are we all going to get along together and as long as we just keep funding and we build walls between them and we put troops in between them, our troops, then they're not going to get to the table and get it done.

WHITFIELD: Well, rallies are held around the world today to mark the fourth anniversary of the start of ethnic bloodshed in Darfur, Sudan. The events are a culmination of the third global days for Darfur. A week long series of marches, discussions and activism, in Washington there was a rally in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House and protests went off in 35 other world capitals. In London, demonstrators handed a letter to a government minister urging Prime Minister Blair to push the international community to act.

And there were similar protests in Rome. Where demonstrators called on the United Nations to take a stronger stance. They want the U.N. to impose travel bans and freeze assets of those fermenting the violence.

Another rally took place outside Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. It's estimated that since 2003 at least 200,000 people have died in Darfur and more than 2.5 million have been displaced.

Nervous western diplomats kept a close watch on a huge demonstration in Turkey today as a secular Islamic nation Turkey have been both a stable influence in a troubled region and the U.S. ally. Now, there are fears that the delicate balance between Turkey's religious and political and military interests may be unraveling. CNN's Cal Perry reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAL PERRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It wants to be seen as the gateway to Europe but in the midst of a political and perhaps even military struggle, a million people were on Turkey's streets Sunday all because of this man. Abdullah Gul a prominent member of the Islamist-based ruling AK Party. Because his party is the majority in parliament, he's the only candidate being considered. But the Turkish military with a strong history of overthrowing governments inside Turkey has issued stark statements.

Warning it is watching. And it may step in. It is the belief of many that Gul will blur the lines between politics and religion, crossing against the historical tradition of secular governess in Turkey. He has been under fire from those who support a secular government. The U.S. and Europe have a vested interest in stability. During the first Gulf War, U.S. fighter jets were allowed to launch from Turkey flying over Iraq. But this time around, Turkey's Islamic- based parliament rejected it.

Turkey already a NATO member has been on a campaign to join the European Union for years. A potential economic cash cow for both Turkey and the EU. With a presidential vote scheduled for Wednesday in parliament and the opposition party already appealing the process to the Supreme Court, all eyes are now on Turkey. To see which direction this nation will choose.

Cal Perry, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, here in this country, she survived an unsuccessful presidential run in 2004 and on Friday night, Carol Moseley Braun survived a mugging. With a little help from some accidental heroes.

And a hiker falls 60 feet in a popular spot in Oregon. Both stories when we come right back. You are in THE NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Across America this Sunday crime strikes close to home for former Illinois Senator Carol Mosley Braun, the 59 year old was a former presidential candidate suffered a broken wrist yesterday during a mugging right at her front doorstep. A Braun's spokesperson says the mugger was trying to snatch Mrs. Braun's purse when a passer by came to her aid.

ZACHARY TRAYES-GIBSON, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO STUDENT: I heard a scream and turned and looked and saw a man on top of a woman, you know, just assaulting her, throwing punches and grabbing at her. We turned and just ran towards him. As we approached, virtually yelled out hey, he looked up and got up and ran in the opposite direction. So I chased him to the next block. At which point he stopped and hid behind cars. He just peels out.

WHITFIELD: At last report police were skill looking for that suspect. Next hour, we'll talk live with the good Samaritan that you just heard from Zachary Trayes-Gibson.

In Oregon, a 50-year-old hiker lives to tell his tale after surviving a 60-foot fall off a cliff yesterday. Authorities in Hood River County had to hoist the unidentified man from the popular Eagle Creek Trail in Cascade Lock. Paramedics took the man to an area hospital complaining of hip, rib and shoulder pain. But he is OK.

In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, post-prom party plans take deadly turns. A teenager was killed and six others hurt in an one-car crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It happened early Saturday morning. When the SUV the teens were in flipped several times after hitting a concrete median. Police say none of the teens in that vehicle were wearing seat belts. The tragedy at Virginia Tech this month is highlighting a problem that some say has been ignored for too long. The issue of mental illness among college students. CNN's Gary Nurenberg has the story of one woman is hoping others can learn life saving lessons from her painful past.

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GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Brian Malmon killed himself at 22. Changing his sister's life.

ALISON MALMON, EXEC. DIRECTOR, ACTIVE MINDS: He was living in college just in secret living with a depression and psychosis and living with mental illness and not seeking help.

We have 65 chapters in 27 states. Plus D.C. and Canada.

NURENBERG: Brian's torment prompted his younger sister Allison to find Active Minds, an organization to motivate college kids with mental problems to get help.

A. MALMON: There's so much stigma around the issues, there's so much shame, Brian thought it was his fault, he thought that by acknowledging that something was wrong was kind of a life sentence and didn't realize that these are disorders that affect a lot of people and you can seek professional help and recovery is possible.

NURENBERG: But finding that help on campus isn't always easy or encouraged.

MELISSA STACHOWIAK, COLLEGE STUDENT: During freshman year, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I suffered with that for a while. And I realized that I wanted to talk to my friends about it and I got mixed reactions from everyone.

NURENBERG: The college-based chapters of Active Minds sponsor events designed to overcome the stigma.

DR. JOHN DAGES, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: They are a fantastic group here on campus.

NURENBERG: They often work with college counseling centers to publicize available help.

DAGES: We do depression screenings, we do eating disorder screenings. They collaborate with us in terms of helping us out in those programs.

NURENBERG: Students working in Active Minds chapters think that the Virginia Tech shootings will increase interest in school mental health programs.

TRISTAN HYLAND, ACTIVE MINDS VOLUNTEER: Everybody's going to become more interested to find out what they can do to help maybe prevent something like that from happening.

A. MALMON: We have seen a rise in people visiting our Website.

NURENBERG: Allison works full-time now on Active Minds, Brian's picture above her desk reminding her why.

Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.

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WHITFIELD: So perhaps you are worried about global warming and rising sea levels, well no need. You can get to Holland and the ark, that story behind the ship when we come back right.

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JERAS: Hello, everyone. I'm CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras with the allergy report on this Sunday. Still a lot of orange on the map today, that means a high pollen count. We are especially seeing big concentrations in the southwest for ragweed, also for grass pollen here. And then into the southeast, higher levels of tree pollen as well as into the northeastern corridor where you're seeing the blue? Nothing. Very low with the greens so it's doing pretty good in the upper Midwest.

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WHITFIELD: A look at some of your most popular videos on CNN.com today. i-reporter Paul Cochli (ph) talks to CNN about his video of a fiery truck crash in Oakland, California, it caused a portion of the Bay Bridge Freeway interchange to collapse.

And a new Noah's ark opens to the public. A Dutch creationist builds a boat based on biblical records as a testament to his faith.

And examining John Lennon's killer, the director of a small- budget film sees modern day relevance to what he calls the world's first stalker killing.

And a mass demonstration in Istanbul by Turks who fear the government is whittling away at the country's secular traditions.

A gruesome mystery that stumps scientists for years has finally been solved. A mass grave was found buried under a convent in a Portugal area three years ago. The convent gave the bones to forensic scientists who say they have finally figured out how all those people died using CSI techniques, the scientists concluded the victims some 3,000 of them were all killed by an earthquake and tsunami that devastated Lisbon in 1755.

We have more to come in THE NEWSROOM including a chat with the young man being hailed as a hero.

TRAYES-GIBSON: Heard the screams saw a woman on the ground with a man on top of her assaulting her.

WHITFIELD: He saved a former senator and presidential candidate from a mugger. We will talk to the good Samaritan. Also, a skate that nearly ended her career now she is making a come back on the ice, oh, that hurts to see that every time. The amazing story next in THE NEWSROOM.

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