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CNN Live Saturday

Today Marks Second Anniversary Of Iraq War; Jessica Lunsford's Body Found; Fans Wary Over McGwire's Testimony

Aired March 19, 2005 - 16:00   ET

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

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


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY SCHINDLER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S MOTHER: Please, please, please save my little girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN ANCHOR: The mother of Terri Schiavo pleads with officials and lawmakers to save her daughter's life 24 hours after her feeding tube is removed. We're awaiting a live news conference from Clearwater, Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: Jessie's home now and she's right here with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAKHTIAR: Anguish from a Florida father following news that the body of her missing daughter has been found just yards from where she disappeared.

And one of biggest stars in baseball's history dodges fastballs from Congress about steroids. How pro athletes may be setting bad examples for youngsters.

Hello. And welcome everyone to CNN Saturday. I'm Rudi Bakhtiar. All that and more after this check of the headlines for you.

More insurgent violence in Iraq today, on this, the second anniversary of the start of the war. Three Iraqi police officers were killed, six others wounded, when a bomb exploded during a funeral procession in Kirkuk. People around the world are marking this anniversary in different ways. Full details coming up in less than 15 minutes.

An explosion has shattered the evening calm near a British school in the Qatari capital of Doha. Many ex-pats live in that neighborhood. New video from the scene shows people being transported in ambulances. The school was not open, but many people were apparently attending a play in the school's theater.

And Lebanon's president has canceled plans to attend Monday's Arab summit after a bomb blast rocked an East Beirut suburb shortly after midnight. Eleven people were wounded in that explosion. Political tensions have been high in Lebanon since the assassination of a beloved former prime minister just last month.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

And now we begin with a frenzy of activity aimed at getting Terri Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted. A full day has passed since the tube was removed. And today congressional leaders apparently have struck a deal aimed at prolonging Schiavo's life. We're covering the story from a number of angles. First let's go to CNN national correspondent Bob Franken. He is live in Clearwater, Florida -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Rudi, this is where all the politics, all the maneuvering in Washington and Tallahassee has meaning. This is the hospice in back of me where Terri Schiavo has lived for so many years, and where the feeding tube, the nutrition tube was removed yesterday. That created that frenzy that you talked about which is aimed at reinserting the tube.

This will not the first time this has happened. It's happened a couple other times before. Before there was action on the part of one legislature or another, some sort of action to have it reinserted.

Now this is going to go into federal court. And this will continue to go on.

The family of Terri Schiavo, her parents and the sister, the Schindlers went in just a while ago. They had no comment, they have no comment yet on what they have now heard about from Washington, but they had comments for all politicians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

M. SCHINDLER: I am begging Governor Bush and the politicians in Tallahassee, President Bush and the politicians in Washington, please, please, please save my little girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, of course there are two sides to this story, as we well know. Terri Schiavo's husband is the one who has guardianship. He is the one who for so long has tried to get the tube removed. And he has an entirely different view on what has been going on with the politicians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SCHIAVO, HUSBAND OF TERRI SCHIAVO: I should be with my wife right now holding her hand, but I felt the importance to get out there and talk about what the Congress -- this government is doing. They're stepping into my personal life, and they're getting in the middle of something they know nothing about. They don't have the facts. And it's sad. It's sad what this government is doing. And if they can do it to me, they'll do it to everybody in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: So the controversy over Terri Schiavo continues as she rests in the peace of the hospice in back of me. She has been in the state since she first had her cardiac arrest. It's been since 1990 -- Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: Bob Franken in Clearwater, Florida. Thank you, Bob.

The long battle over Terri Schiavo's fate is far from over. The U.S. Senate will reconvene in less than an hour from now in the Schiavo case. The House is expected to go into emergency session tomorrow.

CNN congressional correspondent Joe Johns is following the developments from Capitol Hill. He's joining us live.

Hello, Joe, what can you tell us?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Rudi. Just a little while ago, House majority leader Tom DeLay indicating at a news conference at the Capitol that an agreement apparently has been reached on this matter. They believe and they hope that that agreement will lead to the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. Majority leader Tom DeLay talked about that a little while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TOM DELAY, (R) MAJORITY LEADER: We are confident that this compromise addresses everyone's concerns. We are confident it will provide Ms. Schiavo a clear and appropriate avenue for appeal in federal court. And most importantly, we are confident that this compromise will restore nutrition and high padres to Ms. Schiavo as long as that appeal endures.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Now, we're told that not everyone on Capitol Hill agrees with that compromise, that they say they have come up with. However, we'll have to see what happens. We'll start watching for the important moments. The first important moment comes around 5:00 Eastern time, just a little less than an hour from now, when the Senate is expected to come back into session for the purpose of adjournment, we're told. At that time, Senate majority leader Bill Frist or his agent, another member of the Senate of course, would be expected to try to offer this compromise to be passed.

After that, we're told the House of Representatives likely to call an emergency session, 1:00 tomorrow afternoon, or an emergency session at midnight tomorrow night. Now, these are things, of course that are affected by the resumes of the House of Representatives and what they're trying to do is to figure out a way to get this compromise through with as little opposition as possible.

Now, what is the compromise? Last week, there was an attempt to create legislation on Terri Schiavo, but the House and Senate passed different versions of the same bill. They say they hope they have worked out the main disagreements, which included protecting the rights of the states and state courts, as well as making sure that this bill did not apply broadly to a whole class or group of people who could be deemed in a similar situation with Terri Schiavo. They want this bill to apply directly to her to keep from making law with unintended consequences.

Back to you, Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: CNN congressional correspondent Joe Johns, thank you.

Now any legislation on Terri Schiavo could ultimately end up on President Bush's desk. CNN's Dana Bash is live in Crawford, Texas, where the president is spending the weekend. What can you tell us, Dana?

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Rudi, perhaps it's just another example of the intensity and, of course, the time crunch surrounding this particular issue that we, just minutes after Tom DeLay had his press conference got a statement from the White House, which is somewhat rare on a Saturday.

And essentially what White House spokeswoman Jeanne Mamo said is we are supportive of the efforts by congressional leaders. We remain in close contact with Congress. And the president is being kept apprised.

Now, you didn't hear anything in there about the president promising to sign the bill, but certainly White House sources tell us that it is almost certain that the president would do so if and when he got a piece of legislation like what Tom DeLay was talking about to essentially allow Terri Schiavo's family to get this into federal court.

Now, the president was in Florida for most of the day yesterday. He spent some time with his brother, the governor Jeb Bush, and the two talked about this issue. He has been, of course, very emotional and intensely involved in this particular issue for years.

And the president has been quite careful in some of his language with this. He did put out a written statement late last week where again he said, that when there is serious question or doubt about a particular case, that it's always important to favor what he calls life.

So the president has made this an issue about life, as have many perhaps cultural conservatives. That is the way they see this particular issue. We ahead from the president's Scott McClellan over and over again calling this particular issue the subject of a culture of life. So that is certainly the way the president sees it, even though if they does sign a piece of legislation, as Joe was just reporting, it won't have a particular opinion on whether or not they support having this feeding tube in or not having the feeding tube in. It would simply send a piece of -- allow a procedure to change from just state court to federal court -- Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: All right. Dana Bash in Crawford, Texas, thank you.

The legislation being worked on in Congress would allow Terri Schiavo to continue to be fed while her case is in the federal court. But could the bill survive a legal challenge itself?

We posed that question to our legal roundtable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER: Now, an effort is being made to get Congress to jump into a strictly states' rights kind of case. So from a constitutional law perspective, even though, Rudi, this is a very emotional case, the reality is that this is for place for the Congress. Since 1803, that law has been clear.

So the bottom line is even if Congress enacts legislation, and no one has talked about this yet, it's likely to be held unconstitutional. Congress cannot intervene in this case.

BAKHTIAR: Richard, do you agree with Avery?

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I'm going to pass out, because actually I do agree with Avery.

BAKHTIAR: That's a first for us here.

HERMAN: I know the Atlanta studio will kill my mic if I tell you how I really feel about what Congress did here. But I must tell you, the issue really boils down to is how will we as a society agree to terminate someone's life when their wishes are that they do not want to stay alive if it is by an artificial means. That's really the issue at this point.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Again, the Senate reconvenes next hour in the Schiavo case. Stay with CNN throughout the night and tomorrow as the developments unfold. We'll have it all for you right here.

Elsewhere in Florida, a community is in mourning after the remains of a missing girl are found across the street from her own home. Nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford was the subject of an exhaustive three-week search that turned up nothing until police got a break, and brought in a registered sex offender. Authorities say John Couey confessed to killing Jessica and helped them find her body overnight. Jessica's father visited the scene and made an anguished statement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUNSFORD: I just want to say to everybody, to my community, to everyone that's seen Jessie's picture, that everyone heard me say time after time that she would be home. She's home now. And it's over.

And now we have a new struggle. And I need more people to support now the efforts that we tried to make to change things.

I love everybody for helping, for supporting, for even talking about it. But Jessie's home now. And she's right here with me. And she knows -- she knows it all. And all the parents out there, I know everybody does, but do it more often, make sure you get that hug and kiss every day before you leave that house. I did. I got mine. You just make sure you get yours and remember, love your children this much, and no one or nothing will come between you and them. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAKHTIAR: Powerful from Jessica's father. Well, Florida authorities say they will be seeking the death penalty for John Couey.

For more now on that investigation, let's go live to CNN's Sara Dorsey who's in Homosassa Springs.

Sara, what can you tell us?

SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rudi I can tell you that I am standing in a community that is wounded to its core right now. Only yesterday they still could hold on to the hope that little nine- year-old Jessica Lunsford could be brought home alive, but this morning we found out authorities had her body and that would not happy.

Today, neighbors are coming together bringing flowers and stuffed animals to a roadside memorial for the slain nine-year-old girl. And last night, as investigators searched desperately for Jessica's body, an impromptu candlelight vigil was held outside the Lunsford home.

Only hours after hearing of his daughter's tragic fate, Mark Lunsford, a rock through this entire ordeal led a rolling memorial. More than 300 people turned out on motorcycles to ride for his little girl.

John Couey is the man who has confessed to killing Jessica Lunsford. He, of course, gave authorities the tip that eventually led them to her body early this morning. This man is a convicted sex offender with a rap sheet that spans more than three decades.

Sheriff Jeff Dawsy, the man who has been leading this frustrating three week search had some choice words to say about Couey this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JEFF DAWSY, CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA: This guy is not a quality person by any means. You know, he has also, to my knowledge, a crackhead, and I don't think we'll actually ever be able to get a valid timeline about him. He's truly a piece of trash.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORSEY: Now, there are three other people charged in this case. All are charged with obstruction of justice. The sheriff says Couey told each of them that investigators were looking for them -- for him rather. None of them bothered to call authorities. Jessica's body currently is still in the state's hands. They are doing an autopsy on her. Once that is complete, her body will be given back to her family so she can have a proper burial.

Her mother is in Ohio. And she will be returning back here to Florida. She had this to say this morning about her daughter's alleged killer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA BRYANT, MOTHER: The man has hurt too many people, he's hurt too many children, and one of them is my daughter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORSEY: John Couey is currently under suicide watch. And we are told he is in the process of being brought back here to Florida from Georgia so he can face charges -- Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: Sara Dorsey in Homosassa Springs, thank you.

And we'll have much more on this case throughout the day. Also later, we're going to hear from Jessica's aunt. Susan Lunsford will be live on CNN at 6:00 Eastern, 3:00 Pacific.

These days, word of a missing child along with a picture can be spread sometimes within minutes of the disappearance. Coming up on CNN's -- CNN's Randi Kaye sits down with a mother whose daughter put a face on missing children.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is that moment of panic like? That first moment when you realize your child has disappeared?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the most scariest thing. I think my guilt started at that point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAKHTIAR: The 20-year-old mystery behind the disappearance of Cherie Mahan, whose face was the first to appear in America's mailboxes.

But first, 2 years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, where does the country stand? CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us as we look ahead in Iraq.

Also, it is round two in Iraq for the U.S. soldiers who originally invaded the country. Their thoughts on what has and hasn't been accomplished.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Today is the second anniversary of the second Iraq war. There are anti-U.S. protests around the globe going on. The largest demonstration was in London -- at least 45,000 people marched past the U.S. embassy there. Organizers say the turnout was closer to 100,000.

Then the next largest gathering of protesters was in Turkey, which is one of Iraq's neighbors, and heavily Muslim. There were demonstrations in several Turkish cities, including Istanbul where at least 10,000 people were in the streets.

And there was also a large demonstration in Rome. There it is. These protesters aren't just against the war, they want Italian troops in Iraq -- in the Iraq coalition pulled out immediately.

Well, President Bush marked the second anniversary of the war during his weekly radio address. He said the Iraqi people are taking charge of their own destiny. Our CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has spent much of the last two years in Iraq, but is here with us today. Nic, thank you for joining us.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: My pleasure.

BAKHTIAR: After two years, tell us where Iraq is headed to now.

ROBERTSON: It seems that the elections really were a point that Iraqi people can look at and say the insurgents threatened to precipitate a huge amount of violence and it didn't happen. So I think that encouraged people to know that the insurgency -- they didn't know how big and how bad it would get -- and I think they realized it wouldn't get any worse, it was on a plateau.

They also looked at the government who counted the votes in a very transparent way. And it gave them confidence in the new political process.

People are afraid of being kidnapped, they're afraid caught up in roadside bombs, or violence on the streets. But at the same time they're getting used to the fact there's this background violence, getting on with their lives. And they're beginning to see some of the big infrastructures projects that they expected to happen -- electricity, water -- to be put in place. They're beginning to see those begin to happen.

So I think you're beginning to see people accept the current situation and get on with their lives and have some faith that the political process is going to work.

BAKHTIAR: Let's talk about how the Iraqis are now perceiving the Americans. Has that changed?

ROBERTSON: There's been a huge amount of animosity towards the U.S. troops, because they're widely seen by people if their violence is going to be targeted at the troops, and if Iraqi people are nearby, they're going to get caught up in it.

There's anger, because they did have great expectations. The United States would arrive, the troops would arrive, they would have security, that didn't happen. Their electricity and water problems would be resolved, that didn't happen. But at the same time a lot of Iraqi people know, if you ask them, do you want the American troops to go? They'll say yes. Do you want them here until you have your own security? Yes. So the answer is quite often very conflicted.

And you do find people who are very grateful for what's happened. They're grateful for the elections, they're grateful that the electricity -- new power stations are being built and such like the United States is putting in the huge amount of money. But there is still this animosity, this feeling, particularly if you go into some of the tribal Sunni areas, that the United States is an occupying force and that they should carry on the fight.

So different views in different places, and even conflicting views from the same people.

BAKHTIAR: Now you brought up the Sunnis, let's talk about them. Not many had a chance to vote, you know, in January. How is it working? How is the system working to bring -- make them more involved in this political process?

ROBERTSON: Well, it seems that all the politicians, the Kurds from the north and Shias from the center and south, who did very well in the elections were well-represented in the turnout, they are saying all the right things. The they want to include the Sunnis in the process, that they will reach out to them.

And even some of the Sunni politicians who didn't want to take part in the elections, changed their minds at the last minute, realized that mistakes were made on their part, and have said that they want to get involved in the process.

There's a lot of good talk at the moment of including the Sunnis. But really the key decisions have to be made very soon to get them into the political process, and get in Sunnis who are influential enough in their own communities to bring on board the Sunni population. Because there are very likely going to be elections later in the year.

And the hope is that if you include Sunnis in the political process now, in the new government, give them good positions, that will encourage Sunnis to come out and vote later in the year. And therefore in the next elections later this year, you'll have a much more inclusive government, much better -- more representative of the people and help marginalize the insurgents, many of whom are Sunnis.

BAKHTIAR: Nic, do Iraqis believe that they are better off today than they were Saddam Hussein's regime? I know it varies from region to region.

ROBERTSON: And that's a very difficult question to answer. If you ask the Kurds in the north, they would say yes, if you ask many Shias, they would say absolutely yes. They are the majority of the population in Iraq. They are now the majority in the government, they're going to have a political voice, they never had it before. As for the people in the center of Iraq and in some of the big cities as well where the violence continues, where the police aren't strong enough, the army isn't strong enough to provide security in the neighborhoods, where if you're a small businessman, your children could get kidnapped, because somebody is going to want to extort a ransom from you. So you ask people like that, and they would say no, my life has more uncertainty about it. I don't know if I'm going to be safe walking home. I don't know if I'm going to be kidnapped or get caught up in a roadside bomb.

So it's a very difficult question to answer. It's patchy. And I think in part that's part of the future of Iraq, a very stable Kurdish area in north, and increasingly stable south and center and smaller pockets where the insurgents are able to continue with their violence.

BAKHTIAR: Nic Robertson, our senior international correspondent, always good to have you in the house and talking to us, next to us. Thank you so much.

ROBERTSON: Thank you.

BAKHTIAR: All right. Coming up, opinions about the war from those still in the bull's-eye. Aneesh Raman asks U.S. troops about what they're seeing and when they think they'll be home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Welcome back, everyone.

On this, the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, there are many unanswered questions about the country's future. One of the biggest is, when will U.S. troops be able to come home? As Aneesh Raman reports, the forces on the ground would like to know as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two years on, the rituals of war remain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five minutes, we'll be ready to roll.

RAMAN: And for Captain Daniel Getchell who was part of the initial wave, so do the memories of those first weeks.

CAPT. CANIEL GETCHELL, U.S. ARMY: As I was coming in, I remember getting shot at, bullets whizzing by my head, an RPG went flying by...

RAMAN: But he is now back on his second tour, surveying progress made. Getchell was one of the first people to start recruiting Iraqi forces. And today trains more than he can handle, a sign he thinks of things getting better.

But at any given moment, a stark reminder emerges of things that haven't changed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir. GETCHELL: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) possible there's a foreign IED in our area.

GETCHELL: All right.

RAMAN: A potential car bomb forces the convoy to move on.

GETCHELL: It's a bit frustrating, but at the same time it seems like to me that the insurgents -- our enemies know that as long as Iraq progresses, it's a danger to them.

RAMAN (on camera): Two years on, today's Iraq is defined by complexity. Here in Taji, there are still strong-holds of pro-Saddam supporters. Yet here on the road, new forces, Iraqi security forces, continue to be trained.

(voice-over): Balancing it all is perhaps the military's greatest challenge. Major Clark Taylor first arrived as Baghdad fell, and now feels he must ensure that democracy rises.

MAJ. CLARK TAYLOR, U.S. ARMY: I have no problem coming back this time. I have no problem coming back if I have to come back again, because if we don't finish this now, our children are going to have to do it 20 years from now.

RAMAN: Conflicts like these change people. The things they witness...

GETCHELL: I've seen over here probably the best and the worst of humanity in general.

RAMAN: And the lessons learned from those they have lost.

TAYLOR: We value the small things and don't take things for granted. War is hard. It comes -- is a cost we all know that we can possibly have to pay when we volunteer to serve our country.

RAMAN: Two years on for these men, there's no anniversary to observe, simply work to be done.

Aneesh Raman, CNN, Taji, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Now in the news. Congressional leaders say they have agreed on a bipartisan bill to keep Terri Schiavo alive. Schiavo, who's severely brain damaged, had her feeding tube disconnected yesterday by order of a Florida court. Schiavo's parents want the tube reconnected over the objections of her husband. If passed by Congress, today's measure would allow the parents to pursue the case in federal court.

And North Korea's nuclear capability is expected to be the main topic of discussion during talks tomorrow between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Korean leaders. Today near Seoul, Rice toured a command center for U.S. and South Korea troops. The center would be battle headquarters in the event of a war with the communist north.

And police in Homosassa Springs, Florida say they have recovered the body of nine-year-old Jessica Marie Lunsford. Lunsford's body was found in a wooded area yards from her own home where she was last seen three weeks ago. Police say registered sex offender John Couey has confessed to kidnapping and killing her.

It is something that sends chills down the spine of every parent, the thought of their child being abducted. For a woman in Cabot, Pennsylvania, it wasn't just a chilling thought, her daughter went missing 20 years ago.

It's a case that has caused emotional turmoil in the lives of the girl's family and the investigators who were unable to find her. CNN's Randi Kaye has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANICE MCKINNEY, MOTHER OF MISSING GIRL: The past 20 years probably has been, a real torture.

KAYE: Words spoken by a mother in pain.

MCKINNEY: 4:00, the bus came, and we heard it. And she just never came up the driveway.

KAYE: A mother overwhelmed by grief and guilt.

MCKINNEY: I should have been there when Cherie got off the school bus and I wasn't.

KAYE: February 22, 1985, Cherie Mahan went to school and never came home.

MCKINNEY: I think that the last words that I probably told her was, you know, have a good day, and I do love you. That was probably as I took her down to the bus stop and she got on the bus.

KAYE (on camera): Did she tell you she loved you back?

MCKINNEY: Yes. She always told me that.

KAYE (voice-over): That day, Janice McKinney went from become the mother of a bubbly eight-year-old who loved rainbows and reading, to the mother of a missing child. It was Cherie who helped put a face on missing children nationwide, the first face ever on a "Have You Seen Me?" mailer delivered to homes around the country.

(on camera): What is that moment of panic like, that first moment when you realize your child has disappeared?

MCKINNEY: It's the most scariest thing. And I think my guilt started at that point, because up until that day, I was there. And if I would be there, she would -- I wouldn't be going through this.

KAYE: Ever since Cherie was old enough to go to school, Janice says she walked her daughter to and from the bus stop.

(on camera): It was a day just like this one, snow on the ground, the sun shining. Cherie got off her school bus right here. She had to go about 200 feet around that bend to get to her driveway, then another 300 feet to her front door. Investigators never found any footprints, which means Cherie never got far.

(voice-over): Janice called state police and tracked down Cherie's school bus. She had to be sure Cherie wasn't still on it.

Children on the bus told Janice and police Cherie got off at her regular stop with other children. Those young witnesses described a blue van right behind a bus with a snow-capped mountain and a skier painted on its side.

Investigators checked out hundreds of leads. No van, no Cherie.

(on camera): Is there any indication as you walk this way how far she got?

GLENN HALL, FRM. POLICE INVESTIGATOR: No. There was no sign of any tracks or anything.

KAYE: So, what does that tell you?

HALL: That apparently someone picked her up.

KAYE: Pretty quick?

HALL: Yes.

KAYE (voice-over): For retired trooper Glenn Hall who worked the case from day one, there is also guilt.

HALL: I feel that maybe there's something I overlooked at the time. But I followed every lead I got that night.

KAYE: With the case now entering its third decades, Trooper Hall remains convinced a stranger abducted Cherie, a stranger who knew the little girl's schedule and knew who the area.

Such crimes are rare. Of the thousands of children each year who are officially described as abducted, the vast majority are taken by someone they know. But every year about 100 children are taken by a stranger.

MCKINNEY: That was her dog and that was her cat.

KAYE: Janice gave birth to Cherie when she was just 16. They grew up together, she says. This year, Cherie would be 29. And this is what investigators think she might look like.

MCKINNEY: I don't know Cherie could be married and have children and have graduated. You know, I could be a grandmother.

KAYE: Cherie's mom works two jobs, barely sleeps, anything to keep out the dark thoughts.

Five years after Cherie was kidnapped, Janice had another child, Robert, now 15. After losing Cherie, Janice says she didn't want to go through life without being a mother.

Her son Robert is a soccer player with big plans to go away to college, something that doesn't sit so well with his mom.

MCKINNEY: He's never, ever gone anywhere without somebody. I mean, from the time he was able to walk until this day, I mean, I go to every soccer game, I stand by the door, worried that somebody could come in and take him.

KAYE: Janice works hard to keep Cherie close and her memory alive.

There is an angel at the family cemetery plot. Two decades and countless tears later, Janice is still not ready to place a gravestone here.

MCKINNEY: We live in a society where we need to see something. Until I see something or hold something or know something, it will -- I can't put it to rest yet.

KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN, Cabot, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Heartbreaking story there.

A lot of people think a sports hero came out this week with his reputation in tatters. In a minute, what some young players and fans think about Mark McGwire now.

And a little later, taking house theft to a whole new level.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Welcome back, everyone.

This is the time of year when baseball fans like to talk about spring training and prospects for the coming season. But after a high-profile congressional hearing this week, many baseball fans are talking about tarnished heroes and steroids. Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At New York's biggest sports talk radio station, fans vent about baseball's steroid scandal. Some say there's plenty of blame to go around.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where were the owners and doctors and trainers? TODD: A popular host now finds himself more jaded about baseball's lore.

CHRISTOPHER "MAD "DOG" RUSSO, WFAN RADIO HOST: It's about the romance of its history and its records and its ex-stars and Ruth and these great players, and baseball now has got huge issues, because we've hurt those people.

TODD: Much of the fallout centers on a former slugger, who seven years ago captured a nation's heart when he shattered the season homerun record. For Mark McGwire, that was the pinnacle. Were these responses his lowest point?

MARK MCGWIRE, FRM. MLB BASEBALL PLAYER: I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm a retired player.

I've accepted by my attorney's advice, not to comment on this issue.

TODD: In St. Louis, a pure baseball town where McGwire's bat made him a hero, and got a highway named after him, some fans are deflated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why do you have to have an attorney unless you have something to hide?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that definitely puts a damper on people's feelings towards Mark McGwire and whether he really is a great home run hitter, or if the steroids are a great homerun hitter.

TODD: This kid still believes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll still look up to him as a hitter.

TODD: We asked a commentator who often takes the public's ethical pulse, what we're to make of the spectacle of denies, evasions....

MCGWIRE: I'm here to make a positive influence on this.

TODD: ...and finger-pointing.

RAFAEL PALMEIRO, BALTIMORE ORIOLES: I have never used steroids, period.

MICHAEL JOSEPHSON, JOSEPHSON INST. FOR ETHICS: The fact of the matter is that this notion of whatever it takes to win is dominating an American culture in a very negative way. And I believe the public as a whole is going to be more and more disenchanted with this whole notion of what it is to be a sports hero.

TODD: A sentiment that may already be taking hold among young people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was younger with the home run race, that all inspired me. They were my role models. Now that I'm older now, I'm finding, like, out what they did to get there. And it's kind of heartbreaking.

TODD: We called representatives for Mark McGwire for comment on some of the criticism of him following the hearings. They didn't respond.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Many young people look up to professional athletes as role models. And there are concerns that steroid abuse is a growing problem among teenage athletes as well.

Joining us to discuss that is Dr. Bill Lloyd, a professor at the University of California Davis Medical Center.

Dr. Lloyd, thank you for joining us.

DR. BILL LLOYD, UC DAVIS: Hi, Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: How prevalent is steroid use among teenage athletes right now?

LLOYD: Rudi, it's a big problem for teenagers and preteenagers. You know, for every athlete that testified to Congress this week, there were tens of thousands of school-age children that take steroids.

The most recent government statistics we have take us back to 2002, which say 2.5 percent of eighth graders have tried steroids and probably a 1 million high school students across this country have used steroids to improve their athletic performance.

BAKHTIAR: Aren't they illegal? How are they gaining access to the steroids, doctor?

LLOYD: You're exactly right, steroids are illegal, dangerous, unhealthy and unfair. Most steroids come across the border. They're not manufactured locally. They can be stolen from local doctors or local clinics or hospitals. But as I mentioned, many come from Mexico across the border, where these drugs can be obtained without prescription. They take bulk loads of these across the border and coaches and other people sell them to athletes.

BAKHTIAR: Doctor, let's talk about some of the health drawbacks for teenagers, kids taking steroids. What can you tell us?

LLOYD: Well, you know Rudi, people who pay a lot to see a baseball game, to buy one of those tickets to watch some athlete who makes $15 million a year to hit the ball out of the park, they don't care much at all if that athlete's testicles shrink, but for young children who are taking these illegal steroids, they can have profound medical problems that can follow them throughout their life, even if they stop the steroids.

And there's no part of their body from the top of their head -- hair loss -- to the tips of their toes that can be affected. They're going to get into problems with glandular disturbance, they're going to have trouble growing to their proper height, they may have trouble with diabetes, high blood pressure and especially cholesterol.

We won't need to take all our time to let you know that there's many complex health problems that can come when teenagers and young children take these illegal substances.

BAKHTIAR: Parents take note.

And for parents who are listening, what are some telltale signs if they suspect that their kids might be using these steroids? Are there signs?

LLOYD: Rudi, there's a lot of signs both physical and behavioral. And You don't need to confuse them with the idea, well, this is happening because my teenager just happening to be growing. No, not at all. If you find that your young athlete has put on 20 pounds over the summer vacation, but isn't any taller, you might think about the use of steroids.

Unusual patterns of acne, not simply on the face, but perhaps on the chest and on the back that may have erupted all of a sudden. You know, your child didn't have a problem with acne before, and now over the past two months, it's become a big problem. You might think about that.

And also look out for behavioral problems. Certainly lots of teenagers are moody throughout adolescence, but if that behavior becomes erratic or violent, again, you should become very concerned and get in tough with the doctor and your coach to ask the question if your young teen might be involved with illegal steroids.

BAKHTIAR: So doctor, what can parents do to steer their kids away from steroids? What are some healthy ways that kids can be -- I guess, enhance their athletic ability without using steroids?

LLOYD: This is one problem with illegal substances that we truly can help with education. You know you talk about cocaine and heroin, we know the up side and the down side of those illegal substances are, but most young people don't know about the severe health problems that can come with these illegal substances.

So parents need to spend time with their children, first, to let them know that the illegal steroids are illegal, they're unfair and they're unhealthy. But also to reassure your children that you love them, and that you want them to do their best, and it's not important that they win a scholarship, it's important that they be satisfied with their life and enjoy their time playing sports.

BAKHTIAR: Great points there. Dr. Bill Lloyd of UC Davis, thank you so much for joining us.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

BAKHTIAR: All right. And still ahead here on CNN, something out of the a novel hits the beach. Why are giant squids washing up in California?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Welcome back, everyone. Carol Lin is here with me with a preview of what's to come at 6:00 p.m. Carol, what's coming up on your show?

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'm going to be talking with Jessica Lunsford (sic), who is the aunt of the murdered little girl. I think it's going to be a really tough interview, but I think the family wants to come out and say something on their behalf now that the little girl's body has been found.

BAKHTIAR: They must have devastated.

LIN: Yeah. Yeah. To talk to Jessica's aunt is going to be a thought one.

And at 10:00 tonight, I'm be talking with the brother of Terri Schiavo who is up in Washington, D.C as these dramatic events are unfolding. It's very possible for the House to pass legislation, could be on the president's desk as early as Monday that would enable a federal role. Which would mean the feeding tube may be reinserted into Terri Schiavo sometime early next week. But the clock is ticking on her case.

BAKHTIAR: Clock is ticking. All right. Thank you. Both of those sound interesting. And I'll be watching, Carol.

LIN: Thanks, Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: Thank you.

Checking news across America now, funeral rites for a man who owned 2 bars popular with gays are creating a bit of an uproar in Southern California. The family of John McHusker (ph) wanted funerals services in a Catholic church at the University of San Diego his alma mater, but San Diego's Roman Catholic bishop says, no. He says that McHusker's (ph) business activities clashed with the church's moral teachings.

And scientists in California are trying to determine why jumbo squid are washing up on the beach. More than 100 have been spotted on the Orange County coastline since Sunday. Humboldt Squid normally live farther south in the waters off of Mexico some 3,000 feet below the surface. One theory is that the squid are searching for food.

Also, police in East Texas are looking for some bold robbers accused of stealing a house. Get this, brick by brick. A local says that he and his officers noticed workers taking it down in broad daylight, but they apparently weren't suspicious due to other construction projects in the area.

And that is going to do it for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Straight ahead for you, live coverage of the Senate as senators convene to work on special legislation to save the life of Terri Schiavo. We'll be right back.

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


Aired March 19, 2005 - 16:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY SCHINDLER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S MOTHER: Please, please, please save my little girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN ANCHOR: The mother of Terri Schiavo pleads with officials and lawmakers to save her daughter's life 24 hours after her feeding tube is removed. We're awaiting a live news conference from Clearwater, Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: Jessie's home now and she's right here with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAKHTIAR: Anguish from a Florida father following news that the body of her missing daughter has been found just yards from where she disappeared.

And one of biggest stars in baseball's history dodges fastballs from Congress about steroids. How pro athletes may be setting bad examples for youngsters.

Hello. And welcome everyone to CNN Saturday. I'm Rudi Bakhtiar. All that and more after this check of the headlines for you.

More insurgent violence in Iraq today, on this, the second anniversary of the start of the war. Three Iraqi police officers were killed, six others wounded, when a bomb exploded during a funeral procession in Kirkuk. People around the world are marking this anniversary in different ways. Full details coming up in less than 15 minutes.

An explosion has shattered the evening calm near a British school in the Qatari capital of Doha. Many ex-pats live in that neighborhood. New video from the scene shows people being transported in ambulances. The school was not open, but many people were apparently attending a play in the school's theater.

And Lebanon's president has canceled plans to attend Monday's Arab summit after a bomb blast rocked an East Beirut suburb shortly after midnight. Eleven people were wounded in that explosion. Political tensions have been high in Lebanon since the assassination of a beloved former prime minister just last month.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

And now we begin with a frenzy of activity aimed at getting Terri Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted. A full day has passed since the tube was removed. And today congressional leaders apparently have struck a deal aimed at prolonging Schiavo's life. We're covering the story from a number of angles. First let's go to CNN national correspondent Bob Franken. He is live in Clearwater, Florida -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well Rudi, this is where all the politics, all the maneuvering in Washington and Tallahassee has meaning. This is the hospice in back of me where Terri Schiavo has lived for so many years, and where the feeding tube, the nutrition tube was removed yesterday. That created that frenzy that you talked about which is aimed at reinserting the tube.

This will not the first time this has happened. It's happened a couple other times before. Before there was action on the part of one legislature or another, some sort of action to have it reinserted.

Now this is going to go into federal court. And this will continue to go on.

The family of Terri Schiavo, her parents and the sister, the Schindlers went in just a while ago. They had no comment, they have no comment yet on what they have now heard about from Washington, but they had comments for all politicians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

M. SCHINDLER: I am begging Governor Bush and the politicians in Tallahassee, President Bush and the politicians in Washington, please, please, please save my little girl.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, of course there are two sides to this story, as we well know. Terri Schiavo's husband is the one who has guardianship. He is the one who for so long has tried to get the tube removed. And he has an entirely different view on what has been going on with the politicians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SCHIAVO, HUSBAND OF TERRI SCHIAVO: I should be with my wife right now holding her hand, but I felt the importance to get out there and talk about what the Congress -- this government is doing. They're stepping into my personal life, and they're getting in the middle of something they know nothing about. They don't have the facts. And it's sad. It's sad what this government is doing. And if they can do it to me, they'll do it to everybody in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: So the controversy over Terri Schiavo continues as she rests in the peace of the hospice in back of me. She has been in the state since she first had her cardiac arrest. It's been since 1990 -- Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: Bob Franken in Clearwater, Florida. Thank you, Bob.

The long battle over Terri Schiavo's fate is far from over. The U.S. Senate will reconvene in less than an hour from now in the Schiavo case. The House is expected to go into emergency session tomorrow.

CNN congressional correspondent Joe Johns is following the developments from Capitol Hill. He's joining us live.

Hello, Joe, what can you tell us?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Rudi. Just a little while ago, House majority leader Tom DeLay indicating at a news conference at the Capitol that an agreement apparently has been reached on this matter. They believe and they hope that that agreement will lead to the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. Majority leader Tom DeLay talked about that a little while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TOM DELAY, (R) MAJORITY LEADER: We are confident that this compromise addresses everyone's concerns. We are confident it will provide Ms. Schiavo a clear and appropriate avenue for appeal in federal court. And most importantly, we are confident that this compromise will restore nutrition and high padres to Ms. Schiavo as long as that appeal endures.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Now, we're told that not everyone on Capitol Hill agrees with that compromise, that they say they have come up with. However, we'll have to see what happens. We'll start watching for the important moments. The first important moment comes around 5:00 Eastern time, just a little less than an hour from now, when the Senate is expected to come back into session for the purpose of adjournment, we're told. At that time, Senate majority leader Bill Frist or his agent, another member of the Senate of course, would be expected to try to offer this compromise to be passed.

After that, we're told the House of Representatives likely to call an emergency session, 1:00 tomorrow afternoon, or an emergency session at midnight tomorrow night. Now, these are things, of course that are affected by the resumes of the House of Representatives and what they're trying to do is to figure out a way to get this compromise through with as little opposition as possible.

Now, what is the compromise? Last week, there was an attempt to create legislation on Terri Schiavo, but the House and Senate passed different versions of the same bill. They say they hope they have worked out the main disagreements, which included protecting the rights of the states and state courts, as well as making sure that this bill did not apply broadly to a whole class or group of people who could be deemed in a similar situation with Terri Schiavo. They want this bill to apply directly to her to keep from making law with unintended consequences.

Back to you, Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: CNN congressional correspondent Joe Johns, thank you.

Now any legislation on Terri Schiavo could ultimately end up on President Bush's desk. CNN's Dana Bash is live in Crawford, Texas, where the president is spending the weekend. What can you tell us, Dana?

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Rudi, perhaps it's just another example of the intensity and, of course, the time crunch surrounding this particular issue that we, just minutes after Tom DeLay had his press conference got a statement from the White House, which is somewhat rare on a Saturday.

And essentially what White House spokeswoman Jeanne Mamo said is we are supportive of the efforts by congressional leaders. We remain in close contact with Congress. And the president is being kept apprised.

Now, you didn't hear anything in there about the president promising to sign the bill, but certainly White House sources tell us that it is almost certain that the president would do so if and when he got a piece of legislation like what Tom DeLay was talking about to essentially allow Terri Schiavo's family to get this into federal court.

Now, the president was in Florida for most of the day yesterday. He spent some time with his brother, the governor Jeb Bush, and the two talked about this issue. He has been, of course, very emotional and intensely involved in this particular issue for years.

And the president has been quite careful in some of his language with this. He did put out a written statement late last week where again he said, that when there is serious question or doubt about a particular case, that it's always important to favor what he calls life.

So the president has made this an issue about life, as have many perhaps cultural conservatives. That is the way they see this particular issue. We ahead from the president's Scott McClellan over and over again calling this particular issue the subject of a culture of life. So that is certainly the way the president sees it, even though if they does sign a piece of legislation, as Joe was just reporting, it won't have a particular opinion on whether or not they support having this feeding tube in or not having the feeding tube in. It would simply send a piece of -- allow a procedure to change from just state court to federal court -- Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: All right. Dana Bash in Crawford, Texas, thank you.

The legislation being worked on in Congress would allow Terri Schiavo to continue to be fed while her case is in the federal court. But could the bill survive a legal challenge itself?

We posed that question to our legal roundtable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER: Now, an effort is being made to get Congress to jump into a strictly states' rights kind of case. So from a constitutional law perspective, even though, Rudi, this is a very emotional case, the reality is that this is for place for the Congress. Since 1803, that law has been clear.

So the bottom line is even if Congress enacts legislation, and no one has talked about this yet, it's likely to be held unconstitutional. Congress cannot intervene in this case.

BAKHTIAR: Richard, do you agree with Avery?

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I'm going to pass out, because actually I do agree with Avery.

BAKHTIAR: That's a first for us here.

HERMAN: I know the Atlanta studio will kill my mic if I tell you how I really feel about what Congress did here. But I must tell you, the issue really boils down to is how will we as a society agree to terminate someone's life when their wishes are that they do not want to stay alive if it is by an artificial means. That's really the issue at this point.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Again, the Senate reconvenes next hour in the Schiavo case. Stay with CNN throughout the night and tomorrow as the developments unfold. We'll have it all for you right here.

Elsewhere in Florida, a community is in mourning after the remains of a missing girl are found across the street from her own home. Nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford was the subject of an exhaustive three-week search that turned up nothing until police got a break, and brought in a registered sex offender. Authorities say John Couey confessed to killing Jessica and helped them find her body overnight. Jessica's father visited the scene and made an anguished statement.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LUNSFORD: I just want to say to everybody, to my community, to everyone that's seen Jessie's picture, that everyone heard me say time after time that she would be home. She's home now. And it's over.

And now we have a new struggle. And I need more people to support now the efforts that we tried to make to change things.

I love everybody for helping, for supporting, for even talking about it. But Jessie's home now. And she's right here with me. And she knows -- she knows it all. And all the parents out there, I know everybody does, but do it more often, make sure you get that hug and kiss every day before you leave that house. I did. I got mine. You just make sure you get yours and remember, love your children this much, and no one or nothing will come between you and them. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAKHTIAR: Powerful from Jessica's father. Well, Florida authorities say they will be seeking the death penalty for John Couey.

For more now on that investigation, let's go live to CNN's Sara Dorsey who's in Homosassa Springs.

Sara, what can you tell us?

SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rudi I can tell you that I am standing in a community that is wounded to its core right now. Only yesterday they still could hold on to the hope that little nine- year-old Jessica Lunsford could be brought home alive, but this morning we found out authorities had her body and that would not happy.

Today, neighbors are coming together bringing flowers and stuffed animals to a roadside memorial for the slain nine-year-old girl. And last night, as investigators searched desperately for Jessica's body, an impromptu candlelight vigil was held outside the Lunsford home.

Only hours after hearing of his daughter's tragic fate, Mark Lunsford, a rock through this entire ordeal led a rolling memorial. More than 300 people turned out on motorcycles to ride for his little girl.

John Couey is the man who has confessed to killing Jessica Lunsford. He, of course, gave authorities the tip that eventually led them to her body early this morning. This man is a convicted sex offender with a rap sheet that spans more than three decades.

Sheriff Jeff Dawsy, the man who has been leading this frustrating three week search had some choice words to say about Couey this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JEFF DAWSY, CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA: This guy is not a quality person by any means. You know, he has also, to my knowledge, a crackhead, and I don't think we'll actually ever be able to get a valid timeline about him. He's truly a piece of trash.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORSEY: Now, there are three other people charged in this case. All are charged with obstruction of justice. The sheriff says Couey told each of them that investigators were looking for them -- for him rather. None of them bothered to call authorities. Jessica's body currently is still in the state's hands. They are doing an autopsy on her. Once that is complete, her body will be given back to her family so she can have a proper burial.

Her mother is in Ohio. And she will be returning back here to Florida. She had this to say this morning about her daughter's alleged killer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA BRYANT, MOTHER: The man has hurt too many people, he's hurt too many children, and one of them is my daughter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORSEY: John Couey is currently under suicide watch. And we are told he is in the process of being brought back here to Florida from Georgia so he can face charges -- Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: Sara Dorsey in Homosassa Springs, thank you.

And we'll have much more on this case throughout the day. Also later, we're going to hear from Jessica's aunt. Susan Lunsford will be live on CNN at 6:00 Eastern, 3:00 Pacific.

These days, word of a missing child along with a picture can be spread sometimes within minutes of the disappearance. Coming up on CNN's -- CNN's Randi Kaye sits down with a mother whose daughter put a face on missing children.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is that moment of panic like? That first moment when you realize your child has disappeared?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the most scariest thing. I think my guilt started at that point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BAKHTIAR: The 20-year-old mystery behind the disappearance of Cherie Mahan, whose face was the first to appear in America's mailboxes.

But first, 2 years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, where does the country stand? CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us as we look ahead in Iraq.

Also, it is round two in Iraq for the U.S. soldiers who originally invaded the country. Their thoughts on what has and hasn't been accomplished.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Today is the second anniversary of the second Iraq war. There are anti-U.S. protests around the globe going on. The largest demonstration was in London -- at least 45,000 people marched past the U.S. embassy there. Organizers say the turnout was closer to 100,000.

Then the next largest gathering of protesters was in Turkey, which is one of Iraq's neighbors, and heavily Muslim. There were demonstrations in several Turkish cities, including Istanbul where at least 10,000 people were in the streets.

And there was also a large demonstration in Rome. There it is. These protesters aren't just against the war, they want Italian troops in Iraq -- in the Iraq coalition pulled out immediately.

Well, President Bush marked the second anniversary of the war during his weekly radio address. He said the Iraqi people are taking charge of their own destiny. Our CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has spent much of the last two years in Iraq, but is here with us today. Nic, thank you for joining us.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: My pleasure.

BAKHTIAR: After two years, tell us where Iraq is headed to now.

ROBERTSON: It seems that the elections really were a point that Iraqi people can look at and say the insurgents threatened to precipitate a huge amount of violence and it didn't happen. So I think that encouraged people to know that the insurgency -- they didn't know how big and how bad it would get -- and I think they realized it wouldn't get any worse, it was on a plateau.

They also looked at the government who counted the votes in a very transparent way. And it gave them confidence in the new political process.

People are afraid of being kidnapped, they're afraid caught up in roadside bombs, or violence on the streets. But at the same time they're getting used to the fact there's this background violence, getting on with their lives. And they're beginning to see some of the big infrastructures projects that they expected to happen -- electricity, water -- to be put in place. They're beginning to see those begin to happen.

So I think you're beginning to see people accept the current situation and get on with their lives and have some faith that the political process is going to work.

BAKHTIAR: Let's talk about how the Iraqis are now perceiving the Americans. Has that changed?

ROBERTSON: There's been a huge amount of animosity towards the U.S. troops, because they're widely seen by people if their violence is going to be targeted at the troops, and if Iraqi people are nearby, they're going to get caught up in it.

There's anger, because they did have great expectations. The United States would arrive, the troops would arrive, they would have security, that didn't happen. Their electricity and water problems would be resolved, that didn't happen. But at the same time a lot of Iraqi people know, if you ask them, do you want the American troops to go? They'll say yes. Do you want them here until you have your own security? Yes. So the answer is quite often very conflicted.

And you do find people who are very grateful for what's happened. They're grateful for the elections, they're grateful that the electricity -- new power stations are being built and such like the United States is putting in the huge amount of money. But there is still this animosity, this feeling, particularly if you go into some of the tribal Sunni areas, that the United States is an occupying force and that they should carry on the fight.

So different views in different places, and even conflicting views from the same people.

BAKHTIAR: Now you brought up the Sunnis, let's talk about them. Not many had a chance to vote, you know, in January. How is it working? How is the system working to bring -- make them more involved in this political process?

ROBERTSON: Well, it seems that all the politicians, the Kurds from the north and Shias from the center and south, who did very well in the elections were well-represented in the turnout, they are saying all the right things. The they want to include the Sunnis in the process, that they will reach out to them.

And even some of the Sunni politicians who didn't want to take part in the elections, changed their minds at the last minute, realized that mistakes were made on their part, and have said that they want to get involved in the process.

There's a lot of good talk at the moment of including the Sunnis. But really the key decisions have to be made very soon to get them into the political process, and get in Sunnis who are influential enough in their own communities to bring on board the Sunni population. Because there are very likely going to be elections later in the year.

And the hope is that if you include Sunnis in the political process now, in the new government, give them good positions, that will encourage Sunnis to come out and vote later in the year. And therefore in the next elections later this year, you'll have a much more inclusive government, much better -- more representative of the people and help marginalize the insurgents, many of whom are Sunnis.

BAKHTIAR: Nic, do Iraqis believe that they are better off today than they were Saddam Hussein's regime? I know it varies from region to region.

ROBERTSON: And that's a very difficult question to answer. If you ask the Kurds in the north, they would say yes, if you ask many Shias, they would say absolutely yes. They are the majority of the population in Iraq. They are now the majority in the government, they're going to have a political voice, they never had it before. As for the people in the center of Iraq and in some of the big cities as well where the violence continues, where the police aren't strong enough, the army isn't strong enough to provide security in the neighborhoods, where if you're a small businessman, your children could get kidnapped, because somebody is going to want to extort a ransom from you. So you ask people like that, and they would say no, my life has more uncertainty about it. I don't know if I'm going to be safe walking home. I don't know if I'm going to be kidnapped or get caught up in a roadside bomb.

So it's a very difficult question to answer. It's patchy. And I think in part that's part of the future of Iraq, a very stable Kurdish area in north, and increasingly stable south and center and smaller pockets where the insurgents are able to continue with their violence.

BAKHTIAR: Nic Robertson, our senior international correspondent, always good to have you in the house and talking to us, next to us. Thank you so much.

ROBERTSON: Thank you.

BAKHTIAR: All right. Coming up, opinions about the war from those still in the bull's-eye. Aneesh Raman asks U.S. troops about what they're seeing and when they think they'll be home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Welcome back, everyone.

On this, the second anniversary of the war in Iraq, there are many unanswered questions about the country's future. One of the biggest is, when will U.S. troops be able to come home? As Aneesh Raman reports, the forces on the ground would like to know as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two years on, the rituals of war remain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Five minutes, we'll be ready to roll.

RAMAN: And for Captain Daniel Getchell who was part of the initial wave, so do the memories of those first weeks.

CAPT. CANIEL GETCHELL, U.S. ARMY: As I was coming in, I remember getting shot at, bullets whizzing by my head, an RPG went flying by...

RAMAN: But he is now back on his second tour, surveying progress made. Getchell was one of the first people to start recruiting Iraqi forces. And today trains more than he can handle, a sign he thinks of things getting better.

But at any given moment, a stark reminder emerges of things that haven't changed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir. GETCHELL: Yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) possible there's a foreign IED in our area.

GETCHELL: All right.

RAMAN: A potential car bomb forces the convoy to move on.

GETCHELL: It's a bit frustrating, but at the same time it seems like to me that the insurgents -- our enemies know that as long as Iraq progresses, it's a danger to them.

RAMAN (on camera): Two years on, today's Iraq is defined by complexity. Here in Taji, there are still strong-holds of pro-Saddam supporters. Yet here on the road, new forces, Iraqi security forces, continue to be trained.

(voice-over): Balancing it all is perhaps the military's greatest challenge. Major Clark Taylor first arrived as Baghdad fell, and now feels he must ensure that democracy rises.

MAJ. CLARK TAYLOR, U.S. ARMY: I have no problem coming back this time. I have no problem coming back if I have to come back again, because if we don't finish this now, our children are going to have to do it 20 years from now.

RAMAN: Conflicts like these change people. The things they witness...

GETCHELL: I've seen over here probably the best and the worst of humanity in general.

RAMAN: And the lessons learned from those they have lost.

TAYLOR: We value the small things and don't take things for granted. War is hard. It comes -- is a cost we all know that we can possibly have to pay when we volunteer to serve our country.

RAMAN: Two years on for these men, there's no anniversary to observe, simply work to be done.

Aneesh Raman, CNN, Taji, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Now in the news. Congressional leaders say they have agreed on a bipartisan bill to keep Terri Schiavo alive. Schiavo, who's severely brain damaged, had her feeding tube disconnected yesterday by order of a Florida court. Schiavo's parents want the tube reconnected over the objections of her husband. If passed by Congress, today's measure would allow the parents to pursue the case in federal court.

And North Korea's nuclear capability is expected to be the main topic of discussion during talks tomorrow between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Korean leaders. Today near Seoul, Rice toured a command center for U.S. and South Korea troops. The center would be battle headquarters in the event of a war with the communist north.

And police in Homosassa Springs, Florida say they have recovered the body of nine-year-old Jessica Marie Lunsford. Lunsford's body was found in a wooded area yards from her own home where she was last seen three weeks ago. Police say registered sex offender John Couey has confessed to kidnapping and killing her.

It is something that sends chills down the spine of every parent, the thought of their child being abducted. For a woman in Cabot, Pennsylvania, it wasn't just a chilling thought, her daughter went missing 20 years ago.

It's a case that has caused emotional turmoil in the lives of the girl's family and the investigators who were unable to find her. CNN's Randi Kaye has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANICE MCKINNEY, MOTHER OF MISSING GIRL: The past 20 years probably has been, a real torture.

KAYE: Words spoken by a mother in pain.

MCKINNEY: 4:00, the bus came, and we heard it. And she just never came up the driveway.

KAYE: A mother overwhelmed by grief and guilt.

MCKINNEY: I should have been there when Cherie got off the school bus and I wasn't.

KAYE: February 22, 1985, Cherie Mahan went to school and never came home.

MCKINNEY: I think that the last words that I probably told her was, you know, have a good day, and I do love you. That was probably as I took her down to the bus stop and she got on the bus.

KAYE (on camera): Did she tell you she loved you back?

MCKINNEY: Yes. She always told me that.

KAYE (voice-over): That day, Janice McKinney went from become the mother of a bubbly eight-year-old who loved rainbows and reading, to the mother of a missing child. It was Cherie who helped put a face on missing children nationwide, the first face ever on a "Have You Seen Me?" mailer delivered to homes around the country.

(on camera): What is that moment of panic like, that first moment when you realize your child has disappeared?

MCKINNEY: It's the most scariest thing. And I think my guilt started at that point, because up until that day, I was there. And if I would be there, she would -- I wouldn't be going through this.

KAYE: Ever since Cherie was old enough to go to school, Janice says she walked her daughter to and from the bus stop.

(on camera): It was a day just like this one, snow on the ground, the sun shining. Cherie got off her school bus right here. She had to go about 200 feet around that bend to get to her driveway, then another 300 feet to her front door. Investigators never found any footprints, which means Cherie never got far.

(voice-over): Janice called state police and tracked down Cherie's school bus. She had to be sure Cherie wasn't still on it.

Children on the bus told Janice and police Cherie got off at her regular stop with other children. Those young witnesses described a blue van right behind a bus with a snow-capped mountain and a skier painted on its side.

Investigators checked out hundreds of leads. No van, no Cherie.

(on camera): Is there any indication as you walk this way how far she got?

GLENN HALL, FRM. POLICE INVESTIGATOR: No. There was no sign of any tracks or anything.

KAYE: So, what does that tell you?

HALL: That apparently someone picked her up.

KAYE: Pretty quick?

HALL: Yes.

KAYE (voice-over): For retired trooper Glenn Hall who worked the case from day one, there is also guilt.

HALL: I feel that maybe there's something I overlooked at the time. But I followed every lead I got that night.

KAYE: With the case now entering its third decades, Trooper Hall remains convinced a stranger abducted Cherie, a stranger who knew the little girl's schedule and knew who the area.

Such crimes are rare. Of the thousands of children each year who are officially described as abducted, the vast majority are taken by someone they know. But every year about 100 children are taken by a stranger.

MCKINNEY: That was her dog and that was her cat.

KAYE: Janice gave birth to Cherie when she was just 16. They grew up together, she says. This year, Cherie would be 29. And this is what investigators think she might look like.

MCKINNEY: I don't know Cherie could be married and have children and have graduated. You know, I could be a grandmother.

KAYE: Cherie's mom works two jobs, barely sleeps, anything to keep out the dark thoughts.

Five years after Cherie was kidnapped, Janice had another child, Robert, now 15. After losing Cherie, Janice says she didn't want to go through life without being a mother.

Her son Robert is a soccer player with big plans to go away to college, something that doesn't sit so well with his mom.

MCKINNEY: He's never, ever gone anywhere without somebody. I mean, from the time he was able to walk until this day, I mean, I go to every soccer game, I stand by the door, worried that somebody could come in and take him.

KAYE: Janice works hard to keep Cherie close and her memory alive.

There is an angel at the family cemetery plot. Two decades and countless tears later, Janice is still not ready to place a gravestone here.

MCKINNEY: We live in a society where we need to see something. Until I see something or hold something or know something, it will -- I can't put it to rest yet.

KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN, Cabot, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Heartbreaking story there.

A lot of people think a sports hero came out this week with his reputation in tatters. In a minute, what some young players and fans think about Mark McGwire now.

And a little later, taking house theft to a whole new level.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Welcome back, everyone.

This is the time of year when baseball fans like to talk about spring training and prospects for the coming season. But after a high-profile congressional hearing this week, many baseball fans are talking about tarnished heroes and steroids. Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At New York's biggest sports talk radio station, fans vent about baseball's steroid scandal. Some say there's plenty of blame to go around.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where were the owners and doctors and trainers? TODD: A popular host now finds himself more jaded about baseball's lore.

CHRISTOPHER "MAD "DOG" RUSSO, WFAN RADIO HOST: It's about the romance of its history and its records and its ex-stars and Ruth and these great players, and baseball now has got huge issues, because we've hurt those people.

TODD: Much of the fallout centers on a former slugger, who seven years ago captured a nation's heart when he shattered the season homerun record. For Mark McGwire, that was the pinnacle. Were these responses his lowest point?

MARK MCGWIRE, FRM. MLB BASEBALL PLAYER: I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm a retired player.

I've accepted by my attorney's advice, not to comment on this issue.

TODD: In St. Louis, a pure baseball town where McGwire's bat made him a hero, and got a highway named after him, some fans are deflated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why do you have to have an attorney unless you have something to hide?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that definitely puts a damper on people's feelings towards Mark McGwire and whether he really is a great home run hitter, or if the steroids are a great homerun hitter.

TODD: This kid still believes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll still look up to him as a hitter.

TODD: We asked a commentator who often takes the public's ethical pulse, what we're to make of the spectacle of denies, evasions....

MCGWIRE: I'm here to make a positive influence on this.

TODD: ...and finger-pointing.

RAFAEL PALMEIRO, BALTIMORE ORIOLES: I have never used steroids, period.

MICHAEL JOSEPHSON, JOSEPHSON INST. FOR ETHICS: The fact of the matter is that this notion of whatever it takes to win is dominating an American culture in a very negative way. And I believe the public as a whole is going to be more and more disenchanted with this whole notion of what it is to be a sports hero.

TODD: A sentiment that may already be taking hold among young people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was younger with the home run race, that all inspired me. They were my role models. Now that I'm older now, I'm finding, like, out what they did to get there. And it's kind of heartbreaking.

TODD: We called representatives for Mark McGwire for comment on some of the criticism of him following the hearings. They didn't respond.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: Many young people look up to professional athletes as role models. And there are concerns that steroid abuse is a growing problem among teenage athletes as well.

Joining us to discuss that is Dr. Bill Lloyd, a professor at the University of California Davis Medical Center.

Dr. Lloyd, thank you for joining us.

DR. BILL LLOYD, UC DAVIS: Hi, Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: How prevalent is steroid use among teenage athletes right now?

LLOYD: Rudi, it's a big problem for teenagers and preteenagers. You know, for every athlete that testified to Congress this week, there were tens of thousands of school-age children that take steroids.

The most recent government statistics we have take us back to 2002, which say 2.5 percent of eighth graders have tried steroids and probably a 1 million high school students across this country have used steroids to improve their athletic performance.

BAKHTIAR: Aren't they illegal? How are they gaining access to the steroids, doctor?

LLOYD: You're exactly right, steroids are illegal, dangerous, unhealthy and unfair. Most steroids come across the border. They're not manufactured locally. They can be stolen from local doctors or local clinics or hospitals. But as I mentioned, many come from Mexico across the border, where these drugs can be obtained without prescription. They take bulk loads of these across the border and coaches and other people sell them to athletes.

BAKHTIAR: Doctor, let's talk about some of the health drawbacks for teenagers, kids taking steroids. What can you tell us?

LLOYD: Well, you know Rudi, people who pay a lot to see a baseball game, to buy one of those tickets to watch some athlete who makes $15 million a year to hit the ball out of the park, they don't care much at all if that athlete's testicles shrink, but for young children who are taking these illegal steroids, they can have profound medical problems that can follow them throughout their life, even if they stop the steroids.

And there's no part of their body from the top of their head -- hair loss -- to the tips of their toes that can be affected. They're going to get into problems with glandular disturbance, they're going to have trouble growing to their proper height, they may have trouble with diabetes, high blood pressure and especially cholesterol.

We won't need to take all our time to let you know that there's many complex health problems that can come when teenagers and young children take these illegal substances.

BAKHTIAR: Parents take note.

And for parents who are listening, what are some telltale signs if they suspect that their kids might be using these steroids? Are there signs?

LLOYD: Rudi, there's a lot of signs both physical and behavioral. And You don't need to confuse them with the idea, well, this is happening because my teenager just happening to be growing. No, not at all. If you find that your young athlete has put on 20 pounds over the summer vacation, but isn't any taller, you might think about the use of steroids.

Unusual patterns of acne, not simply on the face, but perhaps on the chest and on the back that may have erupted all of a sudden. You know, your child didn't have a problem with acne before, and now over the past two months, it's become a big problem. You might think about that.

And also look out for behavioral problems. Certainly lots of teenagers are moody throughout adolescence, but if that behavior becomes erratic or violent, again, you should become very concerned and get in tough with the doctor and your coach to ask the question if your young teen might be involved with illegal steroids.

BAKHTIAR: So doctor, what can parents do to steer their kids away from steroids? What are some healthy ways that kids can be -- I guess, enhance their athletic ability without using steroids?

LLOYD: This is one problem with illegal substances that we truly can help with education. You know you talk about cocaine and heroin, we know the up side and the down side of those illegal substances are, but most young people don't know about the severe health problems that can come with these illegal substances.

So parents need to spend time with their children, first, to let them know that the illegal steroids are illegal, they're unfair and they're unhealthy. But also to reassure your children that you love them, and that you want them to do their best, and it's not important that they win a scholarship, it's important that they be satisfied with their life and enjoy their time playing sports.

BAKHTIAR: Great points there. Dr. Bill Lloyd of UC Davis, thank you so much for joining us.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

BAKHTIAR: All right. And still ahead here on CNN, something out of the a novel hits the beach. Why are giant squids washing up in California?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BAKHTIAR: Welcome back, everyone. Carol Lin is here with me with a preview of what's to come at 6:00 p.m. Carol, what's coming up on your show?

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'm going to be talking with Jessica Lunsford (sic), who is the aunt of the murdered little girl. I think it's going to be a really tough interview, but I think the family wants to come out and say something on their behalf now that the little girl's body has been found.

BAKHTIAR: They must have devastated.

LIN: Yeah. Yeah. To talk to Jessica's aunt is going to be a thought one.

And at 10:00 tonight, I'm be talking with the brother of Terri Schiavo who is up in Washington, D.C as these dramatic events are unfolding. It's very possible for the House to pass legislation, could be on the president's desk as early as Monday that would enable a federal role. Which would mean the feeding tube may be reinserted into Terri Schiavo sometime early next week. But the clock is ticking on her case.

BAKHTIAR: Clock is ticking. All right. Thank you. Both of those sound interesting. And I'll be watching, Carol.

LIN: Thanks, Rudi.

BAKHTIAR: Thank you.

Checking news across America now, funeral rites for a man who owned 2 bars popular with gays are creating a bit of an uproar in Southern California. The family of John McHusker (ph) wanted funerals services in a Catholic church at the University of San Diego his alma mater, but San Diego's Roman Catholic bishop says, no. He says that McHusker's (ph) business activities clashed with the church's moral teachings.

And scientists in California are trying to determine why jumbo squid are washing up on the beach. More than 100 have been spotted on the Orange County coastline since Sunday. Humboldt Squid normally live farther south in the waters off of Mexico some 3,000 feet below the surface. One theory is that the squid are searching for food.

Also, police in East Texas are looking for some bold robbers accused of stealing a house. Get this, brick by brick. A local says that he and his officers noticed workers taking it down in broad daylight, but they apparently weren't suspicious due to other construction projects in the area.

And that is going to do it for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Straight ahead for you, live coverage of the Senate as senators convene to work on special legislation to save the life of Terri Schiavo. We'll be right back.

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