Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
President Obama Visits Troops in Iraq; Taliban Threat Rising; Italy's Search for Survivors
Aired April 07, 2009 - 11:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A quick update to tell you about on the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at then-President Bush. It happened in Baghdad in December. Now an Iraqi appeals court has cut the man's prison sentence from three years to one. That's because he had no criminal record.
Throwing your shoe is an insult in Arab culture. The act made the man something of a folk hero in the region.
It seems the insult is spreading beyond the Arab world. India's version of homeland security secretary -- look at this -- got a sneaker tossed at him in New Delhi today. The journalist who threw the shoe apparently felt the official wasn't giving him a straight answer to his question. That man was taken into custody but was released without charges.
Boy.
"It's great to see the troops." That comment from President Obama just after he landed in Baghdad on an unannounced visit today. The president is in Iraq right now, arriving there from Turkey about two-and-a-half hours ago.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen joins us live from Baghdad.
And Fred, good to talk to you.
What do we know about the president's visit?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony.
Yes, the first thing the president did when he touched down here in Baghdad is he went to visit some of the troops that are serving here in Iraq, held a speech to those troops saying that it was now time to transition from the U.S. to the Iraqis, taking over security for themselves. He's also saying there still a lot of work to be done in Iraq.
Now, to underscore that a little bit, what's going on right now at that U.S. military base here in Baghdad is that the president is meeting with Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to talk about the political situation here in this country. Of course there are still a lot of issues to be resolved. Chief among them is political reconciliation between the groups here in Iraq, especially power sharing between the Sunni and the Shia. There's been a lot of political tension over the past weeks between these groups, and certainly the president believes that his presence here could help resolve some of those issues.
However, the White House is making very clear that the prime concern and the prime aim of this visit here to Baghdad is for the president to visit the troops and to show them his support and his gratitude for their work that they are doing here in Iraq -- Tony.
HARRIS: Hey, Fred, just a quick question here. Last hour, we weren't absolutely sure that the meeting was going to happen between President Obama and Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki. Is that meeting in fact going to happen, or is it actually taking place right now?
PLEITGEN: That's actually a very good question, because things have sort of changed since the last time that we talked. That meeting is, in fact, under way right now.
What was going to happen originally is that the president was going to go from that military base which is on the outskirts of Baghdad into the Green Zone, in central Baghdad, on a helicopter, to meet with the prime minister. But because of bad weather, he wasn't able to take off from that military base. Therefore, Iraq's prime minister drove into that military base to meet the U.S. president there, and that meeting is currently under way -- Tony.
HARRIS: All right. Our Frederik Pleitgen in Baghdad for us.
Fred, appreciate it. Thank you.
President Obama's next to last stop on his overseas trip was Turkey. During the visit, he tried to rebuild ties with Turkey and to reach out to the Muslim world. Before leaving Istanbul, the president held a town hall meeting with university students. He urged them not to buy into stereotypes about the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have to listen carefully to each other. We have to focus on places where we can find common ground and respect each other's views, even when we disagree. And if we do so, I believe we can bridge some of our differences and divisions that we've had in the past.
A part of that process involves giving you a better sense of America. I know that the stereotypes of the United States are out there. And I know that many of them are formed not by direct exchange or dialogue, but by television shows and movies and misinformation, sometimes suggesting that America has become selfish and crass, or that we don't care about the world beyond us. And I'm here to tell you that that's not the country that I know and it's not the country that I love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: How is the president's message playing to voters here at home? I'll discuss that and his series of apologies for past U.S. actions with a couple of top political analysts in just a couple of minutes.
An alleged assassination plot against President Obama now being discredited. A senior U.S. official tells CNN Turkish authorities have released the suspect. They do not believe the presidents' life was ever really in danger. Initial reports said the suspect was posing as a reporter and planned to stab President Obama. The man was arrested Friday, two days before the president arrived in Turkey.
Teaming up to tackle a common enemy, the Obama administration now planning to host trilateral talks next month with Afghan and Pakistani officials. U.S. Special Envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke announced the meeting today at a news conference with Pakistan's foreign minister. Holbrooke explained why the two countries must help each other in the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD HOLBROOKE, SPECIAL ENVOY FOR AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN: We believe that Pakistan's interests and American interests run in parallel, and that the United States and Pakistan face a common strategic threat, a common enemy, and a common challenge. And therefore, a common task. And we have had a long and complicated history, our two countries, and we cannot put the past behind us, but we must learn from it and move forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen was also present at that news conference. Earlier, he spoke exclusively to CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr about the increased threat from the Taliban.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Marines step up combat operations across southern Afghanistan, U.S. commanders are reviewing significant new intelligence about the insurgent threat.
ADM. MICHAEL MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: The insurgency has grown dramatically over the last year, and the weather is starting to get a lot warmer. So we expect the fighting to pick up considerably.
STARR: Mullen spoke exclusively to CNN on his way to Pakistan. The Pakistanis are telling the U.S. they're worried the thousands of additional U.S. troops headed to southern Afghanistan will push insurgents into southern Pakistan and create a new safe haven in the region that the Pakistanis cannot control.
(on camera): One man in particular U.S. troops are looking for goes by the battlefield name "Zakir" (ph). He was released from Guantanamo Bay. U.S. troops think he's now operating in southern Afghanistan. (voice-over): CNN has also learned the U.S. has new intelligence that Mullah Omar, the spiritual leader of the Taliban, has ordered insurgent factions to coordinate and step up attacks against U.S. troops.
There's particular concern about this man, Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of a Pakistani Taliban faction. U.S. intelligence believes he controls thousands of fighters. One U.S. official bluntly says Mehsud specializes in suicide bombers.
U.S. commanders are now up against a shadowy Taliban force that is increasingly targeting Afghan civilians.
BRIG. GEN. JOHN NICHOLSON, REGIONAL COMMAND SOUTH, STABILIZATION: Their form of justice is replacing elders with mullahs or other Taliban representatives, and then enforcing justice at the barrel of a gun.
STARR: The U.S. believes the Taliban goal remains unchanged: attacks and intimidation against the people, and to kill as many U.S. troops as they can.
(on camera): Still, the Marines say they are ready and equipped to deal with whatever threat comes their way.
Barbara Starr, CNN, Forward Operating Base Delaram.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And tonight, a CNN exclusive. Vice President Joe Biden in "THE SITUATION ROOM." He sits down with host Wolf Blitzer and Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger. That's happening at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
You know, a clearer picture is emerging about the shooting in Binghamton, New York. We will tell you what police are saying now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: In Italy, rescuers are frantically searching for those missing after a deadly quake. But in recent hours, there's been really no good news. The death toll has reached 207.
CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney is live from an area where survivors left homeless have set up a camp.
Fionnuala, if you would, describe the mood there at that camp.
FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the mood, Tony, as you might ascertain, is really quite somber. People are actually somewhat still in shock, mainly because the magnitude of this quake which struck here at 3:30 on Monday morning, waking people from their beds, was such a force that it should not have caused the destruction it did. And questions are beginning to be asked here about the quality of the buildings, some not as old as 10 years, that crumbled under the magnitude of this quake. Let's give you a sense of where we are right now.
We are in one of the many tent cities that are being set up by the Italian volunteer civil services. This particular piazza is a sports field, and these 100 tents were established in the last few hours for some 700 or so families who have nowhere else to go.
The tragedy for the 17,000 people left homeless here is that the ones who are still here two days later, suffering through aftershocks, are really only here because they have nowhere else to go. Everyone else has gone.
And as one walks through the city, one sees apartment buildings with the shutters closed, with clothes left on laundry lines. Nobody is inside any of their buildings at all. Everyone is out on the street. Nothing is open except the odd cafe.
There are lots of police, as one might imagine. But one of the great things that the Italians do very well here is that they react and respond very quickly in crises like this. And they have experience with natural disasters.
So this is why you see this being one of the many tent cities that are being established just in the last 24 hours. In this case, just in the last few hours.
And even clowns being brought in to entertain some of the children here. But really, very much a subdued state of shock. People are still missing, and Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, said earlier today that the search and rescue operation would continue for another 48 hours. After that, he didn't believe that anybody could be found alive under the rubble.
So there are people still waiting to find their loved ones, and there are still coffins that are filling up with people's remains who are being brought up from the rubble. So this city very much, as you can imagine, in a state of shock -- Tony.
HARRIS: Fionnuala, you hinted at something that was a part of our discussion about this quake yesterday, and I want to follow up with you on this.
Is there a growing sense in the aftermath of this quake that there were a number of buildings that should have been brought up to current building codes that, if they had, might not have been devastated, might not have crumbled under the weight of this earthquake?
SWEENEY: Well, that is what is being now raised in the Italian media, particularly, because this area is earthquake-prone. And as one drives through the city or walks around the city, one sees rumble on the outskirts of the city like one might in any kind of town or major city. But as you go through, you begin to realize that nearly every single building has been affected.
There are apartment buildings somehow still standing, but the bottom rung of the apartments have just completely disappeared. It looks, in some cases, like a war zone. And I think the question now being asked is, how could these buildings, so many of them, crumble, causing so much destruction? Two hundred and nine people are reported to have died, and really the feeling growing here that that death toll should have been and could have been in a country like Italy much lower.
HARRIS: CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney for us.
Fionnuala, appreciate it. Thank you.
A Canadian pilot in the hot seat. Federal investigators say this man, Adam Leon, is accused of stealing a plane in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He crossed the U.S. border and led a 783-mile chase across the United States.
Now, all along the way, he ignored the American fighter planes that were chasing him. Investigators say he buzzed the capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, causing the building to be evacuated, and meandered across Illinois before bringing the plane down on a dirt road in eastern Missouri. From there, police say Leon went to a grocery store nearby, bought a Gatorade, and waited.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
"The plane landed. Someone stole it". And, you know, "Just be careful."
And, you know, we kind of got suspicious of the guy, you know. And probably 10, 15 minutes later, cops come in and kind of surrounded him at the table, and he was just sitting there calm. You know, and talked to him, ended up arresting him, and took him out of here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, investigators say Leon emigrated from Turkey, changed his name, and last year became a Canadian citizen.
President Obama as been acknowledging past mistakes by the U.S. and reaching out to Muslims during his trip overseas. How is that playing around the world, and specifically here at home?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Eight days on the road, President Obama is on his way home with a stop in Baghdad. He arrived there from Turkey, where he tried to clear the air with Muslims.
Here is Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before the Turkish parliament, the president of the United States looked to begin a new era with the Muslim world. To Turkey, he stressed the ties that bind, the battle against al Qaeda in Afghanistan, NATO membership, and the personal touch.
OBAMA: The United States has been enriched by Muslim-Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim majority country. I know, because I am one of them.
CROWLEY: U.S. ties with Turkey, always complicated, got more so in the Bush era, when Turkey refused to allow U.S. troops to use Turkish soil to enter Iraq.
OBAMA: I know that the trust that binds the United States and Turkey has been strained. And I know that strain is shared in many places where the Muslim faith is practiced.
So let me say this as clearly as I can. The United States is not and will never be at war with Islam.
CROWLEY: Former President George Bush made the same point many times, but both Europe and the Muslim world had stopped listening.
It is the advantage of a new face dealing with old problems -- showing up can help. Showing up can be a beginning.
OBAMA: We're going to be able to, I think, shape a set of strategies that can bridge the divide between the Muslim world and the West, that can make us more prosperous and more secure.
CROWLEY: It will take more than the Obama era to fully bridge the kind of gap that exists between the U.S. and much of the Muslim world. On one side, there is resentment that the U.S. is too close to Israel at political and human cost to Palestinians.
On the other, there is mistrust. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll asked Americans if they think the U.S. should trust Muslim allies as much as other allies. The country's split -- 51 percent said yes, 48 percent said no. Making amends with the Muslim world is not just about a single war, it's about attitudes, here and overseas.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Day after day, country after country, the president tried to repair America's strained relationships with key allies, but critics say his gestures of reconciliation amounted to apology after apology after apology.
Peter Fenn is a Democratic political consultant and adviser to the Gore campaign in 2000.
Peter, good to see you. It's been some time.
And Cheri Jacobus is a Republican strategist and writes a column for "The Hill" newspaper.
And Cheri, good to see you again. CHERI JACOBUS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Thank you. Good to be here.
HARRIS: It's been a long time since we've done this.
Cheri, you obviously believe the president went too far in sending this sort of conciliatory tone and his remarks...
JACOBUS: I do.
HARRIS: ... in Europe.
Make your argument.
And them, Peter, respond.
JACOBUS: Well, it doesn't even have to be me making the argument. There was a German newspaper who used the word "meek" in describing his attitude on this trip. And they actually thought that was a positive thing.
Now, you know, Europe is obviously not as strong as the United States, or at least the United States has been. We are a superpower. And this president did not go on this trip as though we were a superpower.
He's been apologetic. I think his comment really, quite specifically, addressing President Bush, President George W. Bush, his immediate predecessor, were pretty negative and unnecessary and gave a wrong message...
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: OK. You know, I was going to ask you next to cite a couple of examples of this. You were mentioning a comment that really bothers you. What was that?
JACOBUS: Yes. Well, he was apologizing for perceived arrogance, of U.S. arrogance in Europe. And the thing is, we are a superpower. We come to the aid of the rest of the world. We have for over a century. And if sometimes that's perceived as arrogance, so be it. That is not the most important point.
We are a superpower -- or at least we have been. And that's not -- are we saying that Europe has never been arrogant or the individual countries within Europe have been arrogant? It was a rather ridiculous statement.
Plus, the fact that we have North Korea now testing these missiles while the president is on this European trip. That's a huge deal. And that should be addressed with more than just rhetoric. So I think he's, quite frankly, failing.
HARRIS: Well, Cheri, let me have you hold up for just a second.
And Peter, before you jump in here, I'm hoping this is the comment you are referring to. We pulled a couple that might fit into the category that you're discussing here, Cheri. So here is the president from Strasbourg, holding the town hall meeting. And let's roll this. And then -- I think this is what you're referring to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: There have been times when America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And Cheri, is that what you're referring to? Is that part of the comment you're referring to?
JACOBUS: Part of it. And I think that's rubbed a lot of Americans the wrong way.
That's not the attitude that the leader of the free world is supposed to take on his first big international trip. He should not be apologetic. He should not be running down his own country. He should not be running down his predecessor. There are too many big issues at stake, and he needs to show strength and credibility that is representative of this great nation.
HARRIS: Got you.
Peter, jump in.
PETER FENN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yes, I think I better jump in here.
Look, it's the start of baseball season. This trip was a grand slam homerun for this president. He has turned the world around now.
President Bush had the whole world with him on September 12th, 2001. He squandered that support.
The good news now -- and I think Cheri would have to agree with this -- if you look at the polls is that the people around the world appreciate this president, respect this president. He talked about arrogance on the parts of all nations, not just the United States. We are now -- we are making progress -- tremendous progress at the G-20. He made tremendous progress speaking about Islam. He's now gone to Iraq.
HARRIS: And Peter, let me jump in here.
Because Cheri, I get the criticism, and I've heard a lot of criticism over that first statement from the president. But it seemed to me the president was trying to say that no one has been perfect here on other side of the Atlantic. And what I haven't heard discussed much by critics of the president in this regard is this part of the statement. Let's roll that part of the statement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: In Europe, there is an anti-Americanism that is at once casual, but can also be insidious. Instead of recognizing the good that America so often does in the world, there have been times where Europeans choose to blame America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: OK. And you see what I'm getting at here, Cheri.
Are any of these countries -- Peter, hang on for just a second.
Are any of these countries, in your opinion, under the illusion now from the president's trip and his willingness to sound this tone that we are somehow a weak nation now?
JACOBUS: I think it was inappropriate for the president of the United States to go over there with that type of an attitude. He did not have to give a speech like that. He didn't even have to make a sweeping generalization.
You lead by example, you lead by strength. As you know, he asked for help in Afghanistan. Belgium is sending 35 military trainers over, and Spain is sending 12. That's all we're getting.
So I think he's more concerned with his personal popularity and being personally liked, which he is now in Europe, than about the strength of the United States. They're two very different things.
He even got -- it's gotten so bad that he had to go out there and say, I am not naive. When the president of the United States feels that it's necessary to proactively claim that he is not naive, I think we're in a sticky situation.
HARRIS: Peter?
FENN: I think we need a little balance here.
Look, the fact of the matter is that this has been an extraordinarily successful trip on all fronts, whether it is the Europeans supporting our activity in Afghanistan -- and Cheri, you ought to check some of those facts, because there's a lot more trainers going over and a lot more troops.
But the other part of this which I think is so important is the contribution to the world economy, to recognize that the United States is interdependent with other countries around the world. And what we'll see now is we'll see greater cooperation, greater ability to get things done around the world. And that's why his popularity, even in this country, is now 63 percent and why the American people are behind him.
JACOBUS: No, in this country, it's more polarized...
(CROSSTALK)
FENN: Let me just finish, Cheri, if I would. Let me just finish my statement. Then you can jump in.
The point here is that this is an extremely popular trip not only around the world, but here at home. That his standing around the world is just light years better than the previous president.
HARRIS: And Peter, let Cheri have the last word here.
JACOBUS: His personal popularity is not the important thing. It's the strength of this country and what we're able to do around the world. He's the most polarizing president in modern history in this country, if you look at the most recent polls.
HARRIS: Do you really believe that?
FENN: No, that's totally not true.
JACOBUS: When you look at the polls, yes, he is.
FENN: The polarization is the Republicans at 20 percent.
HARRIS: All right. We could do this for the next 20 minutes, and I've got to get to Wolf Blitzer.
Cheri, appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks for coming on.
JACOBUS: Thank you.
HARRIS: And Peter, good to talk to you again. Wow.
Tonight, a CNN exclusive. Vice President Joe Biden in "THE SITUATION ROOM." He just talked with host Wolf Blitzer and Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger.
And Wolf joins us now live.
Wolf, so many areas where you could lead the discussion with the vice president. Give us an idea of what we can expect tonight in your interview with the vice president.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Gloria and I, Tony, had a wide-ranging interview with the vice president, and we focused in on all of the key issues facing the country right now. And we began with what's going on in Iraq right now, because as we were sitting down with the vice president in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House, the president of the United States was on the ground in Baghdad.
I had this exchange with the vice president...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: The president of the United States wrapped up his trip to Europe with a surprise visit to Baghdad. There's been an uptick in violence lately, suicide bombings.
How worried are you that the timeline that you have put forward for a withdrawal of U.S. combat forces is not going to be able to be materialized?
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm not worried about that at all. We will draw down along the timeline we suggested.
The president went for two reasons. One, to demonstrate to the troops -- and it shouldn't surprise anybody he was in Turkey, that he would take the time to go there. But secondly, also to meet with Maliki. And one of the things the president has said from the beginning is, in addition to us drawing down troops, Wolf, it was necessary for there to be further political accommodation between the Sunni, Shia, and the Kurds. And I'm sure that's going to be one of the messages he's going to be delivering and discussing with Prime Minister Maliki.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: He also went on to say, Tony, that he thought it would be several years before an American president could fly to Baghdad with an announcement in advance, along the lines of flying to Paris or London or Rome. He said that that's not going to happen given the secretive nature that would be required to protect the president of the United States. It could take several years, he said.
And then we went into all sorts of other issues, including the recent comments by the former vice president, Dick Cheney, that the U.S. is now less safe than it was during the Bush administration because of some of President Obama's policies that have been enacted in the war on terror. And the current vice president said in very strong words, Cheney is simply dead wrong.
HARRIS: Wow.
BLITZER: The United States, he says, is much safer now than it was during the eight years of the Bush administration. And then he goes on to explain why.
Two other significant points that I just want to our viewers...
HARRIS: Sure. Yes, take your time.
BLITZER: ... because they are going to hear the whole interview today between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
On jobs, he said the U.S. will continue to lose jobs every single month for the rest of this year before the economy turns around. So there's really not going to be any job creation this year.
And finally, he had some very strong words for the new Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, not to use Israeli military power to try to take out Iran's nuclear facilities with some sort of preemptive strike. And he goes into specifics on that as well.
So that's just a few of the nuggets that we went through.
HARRIS: Can't wait. BLITZER: A lot more coming up later in "The Situation Room." Tony, you'll be interested. I think our viewers will be interested as well.
HARRIS: Yes, absolutely. Wolf, appreciate it. Can't wait for it. Wolf Blitzer, "The Situation Room," 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time right here on CNN.
Wolf, appreciate it. Thanks for the time.
The Pentagon fighting to cut its budget. The defense chief's plan to slash military spending and jobs will no doubt spark a battle in Congress. Our Louise Schiavone reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOUISE SCHIAVONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): A stark recasting of the nation's defense spending from Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Slated for major cuts, missile defense programs, Navy ship building operations and the Army's $160 billion future combat systems program. Lawmakers and analysts agree the timing couldn't be worse for the aerospace industry.
MACKENZIE EAGLEN, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: We support about 830,000 direct middle class American jobs. Highly skilled, highly professional workforce that includes things like designers and engineers. That the nation actually needs to maintain this capability for the future.
SCHIAVONE: There's already an outcry against the cuts. This letter to the president comes from senators across the nation and across the political spectrum, stating in part "these proposals would amount to almost a 15 percent cut in the missile defense budget and a major reduction in our missile defense portfolio."
In the face of sharp criticism of the program, the defense secretary wants to pull the plug on plans for a new Marine One helicopter fleet well before its projected costs doubled to $13 billion. Mr. Gates said that his choices were not affected by fiscal pressures, even though he's decided to cut proposed military outlays amid an explosion of new domestic spending from bailouts to health care reform with Congress already saying yes to a $3.5 trillion budget.
TOM SCHATZ, CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE: At the same time that we're supposed to be defending our freedom through national security spending, there's a different threat to our freedom by a takeover of various segments of the economy, including health care. And there are real questions about which will make the country more secure and which will really protect our freedoms under the Constitution.
SCHIAVONE: The Pentagon chief's budget has to pass muster with Congress, where lawmakers are low (ph) to add more joblessness to the nation's current 8.5 percent unemployment rate.
Louise Schiavone for CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: You may be familiar with a Segway, a transportation device for one. Now one of the major U.S. carmakers is working on what is essentially a super Segway built for two. Could it help them turn things around?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So just past three hours into the trading day. As you can see, the Dow -- well, the Dow's been down all day, really, all morning, certainly. Down 167 points after a down session yesterday.
What's going on here? Nasdaq tech heavy. Nasdaq is down 30 points. We're following the numbers for you throughout the day, Susan Lisovicz, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Struggling automakers General Motors is unveiling a new model. It's on two wheels and looks nothing like a Hummer. Cnnmoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our "Energy Fix" from New York.
And I've got to tell you, Poppy, it's hard to believe really that the company that built the Hummer could actually build what we're about to show everyone. I mean, come on.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: I know. It could be good-bye Hummer, and hello scooter. Look at these pictures, Tony. We saw them for the first time this morning. Take a look here. I'm not kidding. It's like the scooter mobile.
HARRIS: What is that thing?
HARLOW: What we're talking about here -- we'll show you another one in Time's Square -- General Motors teaming up with scooter maker Segway to develop exactly what you see here. It's a two-wheel electric vehicle. It's aimed at city drivers. The prototype unveiled right here in New York City at the auto show just about an hour or so ago. You see what it looks like.
Now, we also want to show you some video that we just got in. The name of this thing is the Puma (ph). Take a look at that. That's from the auto show today.
HARRIS: Oh, my.
HARLOW: It fits two people. It goes 35 miles an hour. That's pretty zippy in a . . .
HARRIS: Yes.
HARLOW: And you can go 35 miles between charges. This entire thing runs on a lithium-ion battery. So it is emission free. Tony, what do you think?
HARRIS: Well, what I'm thinking is, is that for the street or for the sidewalk? What is that for? I mean I can't imagine that you would drive that up and down the streets of Times Square. I mean how would you ever ensure that thing? But, OK, all question, all answers to come. You know, the timing on this I think is sort of interesting, Poppy.
HARLOW: Right.
HARRIS: GM is essentially on the brink of bankruptcy and here we go, it unveils an electric vehicle.
HARLOW: Right. You know, is this the viability plan for GM ? No. Right. The company's been working on it for 18 months. The timing, it says, is a coincidence. The Obama administration, as we know, criticizing GM for relying to much on big trucks and SUVs ala the Hummer.
But GM still makes the Hummer. But it's interesting, this morning a GM executive at the event said that if the Hummer is the ultimate in over-engineer transportation, this Puma is the opposite.
Let's pull some more pictures up here for you and show you what we're talking about but, obviously, this scooter is not going to help solve GM's problems. The company has less than two months to restructure or it will be thrown into bankruptcy. But GM is making an effort to build these smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles like the Puma, whether or not it's going to catch on. And a good point about insuring it, Tony. But, still, we'll see a lot to be seen, Tony.
HARRIS: So when will we see these scootermobiles on city streets?
HARLOW: No time line yet. It's for the street not the sidewalk, by the way. The unveiling is to get our initial reaction. Reaction from the public. They also don't know how much it's going to cost, but they do say it will cost about a third less than a typical car. And I would say, I hope so because I think it's about a third the size of that taxi cab over there.
HARRIS: Yes, yes, look at that.
HARLOW: So, but we'll see. A very interesting unveiling this morning, Tony.
HARRIS: Got to reinforce that thing to the hill (ph). Come on now, safety first. Come on.
Poppy, good to see you. Thank you.
HARLOW: You too.
HARRIS: A letter mailed to a New York television station may reveal more about the gunman in the Binghamton shooting. It's believe the note was written by Jiverly Wong, although officials are still working to verify that. They say Wong may have suffered from paranoia. The writer complains about under cover cops and says they tortured him and spread rumors about him. He also laments about his life. The letter is signed, have a nice day. Here's what officials said about the letter just minutes ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JOSEPH ZIKUSKI, BINGHAMTON POLICE: In regards to that letter, it's another piece of evidence in a very complex puzzle and it's going to take us weeks and months to determine what's going on. It's going to help us. I'm not going to comment much on its content. I'm not going to comment at all on its content. You can judge for yourself what that letter indicates to you.
Yesterday that letter was forwarded to the behavioral analysis unit of the FBI and it was no surprise that we got that letter. Myself and District Attorney Malon (ph) and Assistant Chief Yager (ph) were in contact with them either Friday or Saturday of last week and they told us to expect something like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, the violence in Binghamton and the weekend ambush of police in Pittsburgh have reignited the gun control debate. But as CNN's Jim Acosta reports, it is not likely Congress will change the gun laws.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): In Pittsburgh, the man accused of gunning down three police officers was afraid the government would take away his firearms, so says his friend.
EDWARD PERKOVIC, PITTSBURGH SUSPECT'S FRIEND: He just believed in his right to bear arms. He believed that hard economic times were going to, you know, put forth the gun bans and that sort of thing.
ACOSTA: But here's the reality. Despite mass shootings that have that left more than 40 people dead in five states over the last month, Congress is in no hurry to pass new gun control laws.
DELEGATE ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, (D) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: The whole world thinks we are gun crazy. It's time for some sanity.
ACOSTA: Take Washington, D.C., Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has a bill that would give the district its first member of Congress with full voting rights. Pro-gun lawmakers are trying to attach a measure to the voting rights bill that could scrap nearly all of the district's tough firearm laws.
HOLMES NORTON: If this gun bill is attached to it and its (ph) blow back from somebody getting hurt in this city, they're going to look to see who let this get passed.
ACOSTA: And when Attorney General Eric Holder recently dangled the idea of bringing back the Clinton era ban on assault weapons . . .
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: There are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make. And among them would be to re- institute the ban on the sale of assault weapons. ACOSTA: The president of the National Rifle Association sounded the alarm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our divine rights, they might have been endowed by a creator, but they're preserved by mortals. If we mortals have the means and the will to make it stick.
ACOSTA: Since then, 65 pro-gun House Democrats have fired off a letter to Holder urging him to abandon the assault weapons ban. Many Democrats, like Senators Mark Warner and Jim Webb of Virginia, are getting elected with the help of NRA supporters.
STU ROTHENBERG, POLITICAL REPORT: I think if you step back and look at gun control as a political issue, you have to conclude that the NRA and opponents for more gun control have won.
ACOSTA: Gun control advocates say all of the recent shootings show current laws are not stopping gun violence and they aren't stopping firearm purchases either. The FBI says instant background checks on gun buyers are up. An indication weapons sales are soaring across the country.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Do you live along the coast? You know, it is never to early to start thinking about hurricane season. And we've got the latest forecast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So we want to get you to the severe weather center now and our main man, Chad Myers, is there.
And, you know what, Chad, we did this. We set aside some minutes -- well, I shouldn't say that because the minute I say we set aside minutes they'll wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap -- so that we can talk about the hurricane forecast. Dr. Phils, Dr. Grays, doctor who? You know, that doctor.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Dr. Flashback (ph). I don't even know what (INAUDIBLE), Dr. Gray.
Colorado State. They've been doing this now for 26-odd years and got really good last year. I mean they were right on the money. It's not so much the number that I'm looking at, it's how the number has changed from their fall forecast. The fall forecast was 1,473. Now they're at 1,262. That happened because they believed there's going to be an el Nino that happens that will cause more sheer in the Atlantic, that will tear the storms apart, there won't be as many of them.
HARRIS: I see what you're saying.
MYERS: Right now there's a la Nina still going on. I know it's getting weaker and so all these people don't e-mail me and that hey, wait, it's down to about neutral, because it is, but it has been la Nina for so long, I'm not sure that this is going to be an average or a below average season. This could certainly still be above average because of those conditions that are out there.
Now the water is colder in the Atlantic because it's been a pretty cold winter all in all.
HARRIS: Right. Right.
MYERS: I mean all in all, this cold air has gone south a long time. And if you're into spring break right now, tell me how the temperature is in Tampa at 61. You were hoping for 80. You didn't get anywhere near it. Well, that cold air has kind of pushed some of that water to the colder than normal stage. We like that.
HARRIS: Right.
MYERS: It's warmer than normal. Can kind of get you going more accurate. So, so far so good.
HARRIS: Yes, looks good. All right. Chad, thank you, sir.
MYERS: You're welcome.
HARRIS: We did OK.
Our financial experts are manning CNN's Help Desk to answer your financial questions, including, how does bankruptcy impact your efforts to prevent foreclosure?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Filing for bankruptcy and facing foreclosure. So what happens now? Just one of the money questions you want answered. For that, we turn to personal finance editor Gerri Willis and her team of experts at The Help Desk.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We want to get you answers to your financial question. Let's get straight to The Help Desk. Dani Babb is the author of "The Accidental Landlord" and Gary Schatsky is a financial planner and president of Objective Advice.
All right, guys, let's get to the first one. It's from Heilena in Maryland. "If you filed chapter 13 bankruptcy and fell behind on your mortgage due to a job loss, how long does it take for your mortgage company to foreclose on your property if they are not willing to work out a plan?"
Dani, this is one of those myriad of details that people are having in this market where they can't pay the mortgage, don't know anything about foreclosure. What can you really expect?
DANI BABB, AUTHOR, "THE ACCIDENTAL LANDLORD": Yes. Well, and Heilena in Maryland, it's about seven months on average. But it varies greatly for everyone else by state. Anywhere between three months and a little over a year. But here's one thing you should consider, and that is the new order to be able to allow bankruptcy judges to cram down the mortgage. So rather than losing the house, maybe adjust (ph) the principal balance to something that you can afford and not have the foreclosure on top of the bankruptcy on your record.
WILLIS: Now, that's a great idea.
GARY SCHATSKY, FINANCIAL PLANNER: You know what's interesting, in some cases, they're not even foreclosing. You know, they've filed the papers and the house is still there. I have one client who's going on a year and a half and they have not taken the home.
BABB: In some cases the banks don't know who owns it.
WILLIS: Yes, this can be bad news for you if you're still paying property taxes and the city or town is going after you for upkeep.
Let's look at the question in from Gayle. She asks, "one of my daughters is 24 years old and a full-time student in a doctoral program. Can she still be claimed as a dependent? She is on our health insurance policy until she turns 26."
Gary, this is an interesting question because it happens at both ends of the -- it happens with the young people and if you're supporting parents. The question of, what is dependency?
SCHATSKY: Well, first of all, she's 24 or over. Twenty-four actually is one of the deadline -- one of the hard numbers. If you're under 24 and you're a full-time student, you can be taken as a dependent. If you're 24 and over, you can be taken as a dependent if someone is providing more than half of their support and if their income is less than $3,500. So I don't know if she calls this good news or bad news, but her daughter could be a dependent forever.
WILLIS: That was a great answer, Gary.
Great answers from both of you today. Thanks, Dani, to you too.
The Help Desk is all about getting you answers. Send me an e- mail to gerri@cnn.com or log on to cnn.com/helpdesk to see more of our financial solutions.
And The Help Desk is everywhere. Make sure to check out the latest issue of "Money" magazine on news strands now.
HARRIS: As President Obama visits Camp Victory outside Baghdad, Iraqis are keeping the peace on streets around the country, but the dropping price of oil and the U.S. troop pull-out could impact the plan in the future. We'll explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So take a look at this. The satellite image seems to show a North Korean rocket in flight moving away from the Korean peninsula. You see it here. The flame from the propellant shows up as a white line. The North claims the rocket carried a satellite into orbit, but the U.S. says it was a test of a long-range missile. One that could perhaps reach Alaska.
President Obama is in Iraq this hour. His first visit to the country as commander in chief. The White House says the main purpose of the unannounced stop is to visit U.S. troops. The president helped award 10 metals of valor. He also talked with Iraq's president and prime minister. Mr. Obama may hear how the global financial crisis has hit Iraq and how it could put a hiccup in his troop withdrawal schedule. Our Frederik Pleitgen explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): They are the law in this Baghdad neighborhood. Members of a militia known as the Awakening Council. Former insurgence who switched sides and helped the U.S. rid these streets of al Qaeda extremists. With a promise they would get jobs in Iraq's official security forces.
ABU SAJAD, AWAKENING COUNCIL, (through translator): It's better for those who joined the Awakening Council to be integrated into the Iraqi security forces.
PLEITGEN: But it doesn't look like that will happen soon. Iraq's government is out of money and has put a freeze on hiring new police officers.
To make matters worse, the U.S. is due to pull combat troops out of Iraqi towns by late June. That means police officers, like these in Baghdad, will have to take on new duties with no reinforcement.
CAPT. SAFAA RAAD, IRAQI POLICE OFFICER, (through translator): If the government can't supply us with more staff, weapon, and other equipment, it will be a problem, especially after American troops pull out.
PLEITGEN: Iraq gets 95 percent of its revenue from oil, but the price of crude has taken a nose-dive. And with it, Baghdad's budget. In a CNN interview, the interior minister, responsible for the country's police, says he's trying to make ends meet and hoping for better days.
JAWAD AL-BOLANI, IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTER, (through translator): In the coming months, maybe oil prices will rise and we will be able to get a supplementary budget to cover the expenses.
PLEITGEN: But he concedes, if the oil price doesn't go up, Iraq might ask the U.S. to slow down its troop withdrawal.
AL-BOLANI: There will not be a withdrawal without planning that takes into consideration all of the problems we are facing in this country.
PLEITGEN: For now, the members of this Awakening Council stay they'll stay here and continue manning the checkpoint. But the question is, if the Iraq government doesn't follow through on its promise to integrate them into the security forces, how much longer will their patience last?
The biggest threat to Iraq's security these days it seems is the troubled economy.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And we are pushing forward with Kyra Phillips and the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Tony, thanks.
President Obama pushes forward his Iraq policy, making his first trip there as commander in chief. He's talking with troops and politicians about the war he campaigned so hard to end.
More survivors, more victims pulled from the rubble in L'Aquila, Italy. The earthquake toll? Two hundred and seven. The grief? Beyond calculation.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips, live from the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
