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CNN Live Saturday

President Bush Warns of Further Bloodshed in Iraq; Rush Limbaugh Stll Dealing With Drug Problem; Death Toll Spikes in Iraq

Aired April 29, 2006 - 16:00   ET

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

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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour, the staggering death toll in Iraq, and President Bush says prepare for more sacrifices.

Plus, those red blistery sun burns aren't all you need to worry about when it comes to sun exposures. The dangers you might not be aware of.

And then, the New Orleans Jazz Fest. We're there with legendary musician Herbie Hancock.

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, and all that and more after this check of the headlines.

Speaking out on the streets of New York, thousands of anti-war protesters are calling on President Bush to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq.

Underscoring the persistent dangers in Iraq, a roadside bomb killed another U.S. soldier southwest of Baghdad, 69 American troops have died this month, making April the deadliest month for U.S. troops this year.

In New Jersey, smoke is choking the skyline. Fire crews are working, an apparent brushfire in Seacaucus. CNN is monitoring this story and we'll bring you the latest developments when they become available.

Throwing in the towel. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi indicated today he will resign next week. Burlusconi's party lost razor thin elections earlier this month, but the billionaire media mogul refused to accept defeat until now.

A vacation in Fiji took a turn for the worst for Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. The 62-year-old has been hospitalized with a mild concussion after purportedly falling out of a palm tree.

Our top story, devastating twisters tore through East Texas today. We just got in these incredible pictures a few moments ago. Tornadoes hit five communities outside Houston. Homes were damaged and power lines and trees were toppled, but so far, no reported injuries.

Another storm system did major damage yesterday in North Texas. Planes were tossed around outside Dallas. Straight-line winds and baseball-size hail turned several homes and businesses into rubble. Two people there were hurt.

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WHITFIELD: And now to Iraq and the sudden spike in American deaths. Sixty nine troops have died this month, more than double the number from March and the highest monthly toll since November. In his radio address, President Bush said Iraq is on the brink of a new chapter, but he warned that America's sacrifice there is not yet over. We'll start at the White House with CNN's Elaine Quijano.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Bush is warning that there will be more tough fighting ahead in Iraq, and in his words, more days of sacrifice and struggle. That, as the U.S. death toll is now approaching 2,400. Mr. Bush, in his radio address, said the attackers are resorting to desperate acts of violence. As we've seen that violence not just aimed at American forces, but also Iraqi leaders trying to form a unity government.

President Bush says the Iraqi leadership has shown courage in the face of terrorist threats. He also praised the Iraqis for taking steps to break through a four-month impasse over choosing a new prime minister.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Last weekend, the people of Iraq formed a national unity government. This is an important milestone on the road to democracy in Iraq and it marks the beginning of a new chapter in America's involvement.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

QUIJANO: So the question, what will that new chapter bring? The Bush administration and even the president's critics say that getting a national unity government in place is critical. A permanent government in place in Iraq is so important. Once that happens, officials hope that there can be eventually a draw down in the number of U.S. forces stationed in Iraq.

But with the Iraq war now entering its fourth year, President Bush has watched public opinion of his handling of the Iraq war continue to fall as well as his overall approval rating now in the low 30s. Nevertheless, Mr. Bush insisting that the steps taken to a new government is evidence there is progress being made and he's appealing to the American people, once again, for patience. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Thank you. Well, now, an exclusive CNN interview with the U.S. general over day-to-day duties throughout Iraq. Lieutenant General Peter Chiarelli is commander of the multi-national corps in Iraq. He's on his second tour of duty now and he is a consummate can-do optimist. CNN's Ryan Chilcote met the general out in the field.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Your military commanders on the ground say their biggest problem right now, a lot of them are saying it's not the insurgents, but these militias. Militias, armed men that owe their allegiance not to the Iraqi military but to these various sects. There are thousands of these guys, some people say more than in the Iraqi military. This problem's been growing, and the U.S. military hasn't done anything about it and the Iraqi government hasn't done anything about it. What are you going to do?

LT. GEN. PETER CHIARELLI, CMDR. MULTINATIONAL CORPS IN IRAQ: I think you've seen the new prime minister indicated that will be one of the first policy decisions he makes. I think you're seeing that and I believe that's exactly what will happen. This is a problem that the Iraqi government has got to solve. They are the ones that have to come up with the policy and the Iraqi armed forces will be ready to implement that policy.

CHILCOTE: If they ask the U.S. military to get involved in disarming these groups, is that something you're ready to do?

CHIARELLI: That's a decision that will be made, a policy decision that will be made, at levels above me. But I can tell you that I feel fully confident that the Iraqi security forces have the ability to work that problem.

CHILCOTE: U.S. casualties. Got more than 2,300 fatalities now. About 17,500 wounded. April is the deadliest month yet this year for U.S. troops. What's that say to you? Why are the numbers going up?

CHIARELLI: We had them go up this month. We had them go up this month. We had some casualties go up this month, but I've been at this for long enough that I know that you will have casualties one month that will be higher than other months.

We look at every one of them. And we learn from every casualty we have, and we believe that over time, using the techniques that we're using, that you're going to see those numbers fall.

CHILCOTE: Three years ago President Bush declared U.S. military's mission accomplished here. Do you think that there was an underappreciation, an underestimation of the challenges that lay ahead?

CHIARELLI: I wasn't here three years ago. I'm here today. And I realize we have challenges, but with soldiers like you saw today, we will, in fact, meet those challenges. They are ready to do the job.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And later this hour, "Coming Home," the 48th brigade returns. You'll hear from a member of the National Guard unit from Georgia that became famous through a single act of compassion.

They are up in arms and -- and they are upset about it. Politicians, like the rest of us, fuming over the high price of gas, but what are they driving? Or, being driven in? We'll find out, straight ahead.

Plus, undocumented workers hope to hit Americans in the pocketbook. We'll tell you why, straight ahead.

And then we're off to New Orleans for the Jazz Fest. And joining me, that man right there, music legend Herbie Hancock in the wind in the breeze, in the music. We're going to talk to him coming up.

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WHITFIELD: Well, live from the Big Easy, the 37th Annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is under way this weekend and next weekend. And one of this evening's big headliners, music legend Herbie Hancock. He joins us now from the Big Easy.

And Herbie, thanks so much for taking the time out. I know it's noisy out there, so hopefully we can get through this.

HERBIE HANCOCK, JAZZ LEGEND: Oh, it gets noisy. The music is great, though.

WHITFIELD: Oh, of course it is. Well, I know you are no newcomer to the New Orleans scene, as well as the Jazz Fest scene, so happy Jazz Fest. But post-Katrina, what are your impressions?

HANCOCK: Well, the spirit of New Orleans is still here. The people, still warm, still energetic and still supportive. And they love music. And that's good. And it's infectious, because all the tourists that come here, are getting caught up in that whole wave. And it's wonderful. It's a spirit of joy, in spite of Katrina.

WHITFIELD: And so why has it been so incredibly important that this music community gets together on this occasion and makes sure that Jazz Fest were to take place this year, despite what has happened to that city?

HANCOCK: Well, for one thing, New Orleans really, in a sense, represents the soul of America. And jazz is a model for democracy. Jazz is about sharing. It's about working together. It's about giving. And it's about teamwork. And it's so -- so many things that are part of the spirit of New Orleans itself.

So since the birthplace of jazz is arguably in New Orleans -- it's certainly in this area -- it's very important that even though, in a sense, the soul of America has been damaged, we have to repair that. We have to fix that. And we have to use mother nature as a wake-up call for things that we have to change in our policies. We have to change our viewpoints. We have to change what we do, so that we don't break the planet that is our home.

WHITFIELD: And this year, as you are at Jazz Fest, just as you've been there before, this year it has to feel different. Just even if it doesn't mean through the dialogue that you have with people, does it just have a feeling of a lot more powerful place, much more powerful of a gathering of people?

HANCOCK: Well, what I noticed when I was coming here from the hotel that (INAUDIBLE) some of the devastation and realizing that some of the people not only lost their lives, but those who are alive lost everything that they had. You know, it's just remarkable that the spirit of thanks for any gesture, from New Orleans, a spirit of thanks for those who are trying to do anything just to bring the financial stability to this area to help repair the wounds. It's great to feel this warmth coming through.

WHITFIELD: Well, and I know, Herbie, it is loud out there, and we are glad it's loud, because that's what it's all about. But before we go, because we know that you're going to performing soon this evening, this afternoon, what are folks going to hear from you? Is it going to be a lot of what they're familiar with? Some of your older renditions? Or is it something or a lot of things from your new "Possibilities" CD?

HANCOCK: Well, I'm doing many things that I've recorded before. And the drummer, Brian Blade (ph), is from Shreveport, Louisiana, so I've got him playing with us, and Terrence Planchart (ph), the trumpet player who is actually from New Orleans, he's going to play a couple of tunes. Along with Marcus Miller (ph) on bass and (INAUDIBLE), a guitar player from Africa. And so with this quartet, it will be an appearance. We're going to cover a lot of territory.

WHITFIELD: Well, that is going to be fantastic. Sure wish I was there. But at least, you know, we get a little taste of it through this live shot. Thanks so much, Herbie Hancock, and have a great Jazz Fest.

Other news now across America.

In Aurora, Colorado, a tragic end to an illegal street race. One teenager is dead, and five others injured after the cars they were in lost control. Police say they were going up to 80 miles an hour.

Caught on tape, check out this alarming video. A woman in Salt Lake City crashes her SUV, just like that, right there, into a building. Police say she tried to run down the man who was dodging that vehicle, her husband. And it was in the lobby. He suffered a broken ankle and some bruises. His wife now faces an attempted homicide charge. Family and friends say the couple is going through a divorce.

And in Louisville, Kentucky, onlookers bask in the fiery glow of inflating hot air balloons. The great balloon rush hour race was a warm-up for the great balloon race today. It's all part of the festivities leading up to the Kentucky Derby, which is next Saturday, the first Saturday of every may.

Rush Limbaugh, photographed, fingerprinted and charged with prescription drug fraud. But the conservative talk show host won't have to stand trial.

CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti explains why. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Flashing a smile as he posed for a mug shot, Rush Limbaugh negotiated a deal that in the end can assure him a clean record.

ROY BLACK, LIMBAUGH'S ATTORNEY: What it does say is that he was addicted to prescription pain medication, which, of course he admitted back in 2003 when all this began. So he has adamantly said he has not committed a crime.

CANDIOTTI: According to his lawyers, the agreement with the Palm Beach State Attorney's Office goes like this. Limbaugh pleads not guilty to one count of doctor shopping. He must complete another year and a half of drug treatment. If he does, the charge will be dropped. Finally, the radio host must pay $30,000 to help offset the public cost of the investigation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe I'm talking to you.

CANDIOTTI: Rush Limbaugh's nightmare began in the fall of 2003. His former housekeeper sold a blockbuster story to the "National Enquirer." Wilma Kline claimed she illegally sold the popular conservative talk show host thousands of prescription painkillers including Oxycontin and Hydrocodone.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, TALK SHOW HOST: I don't know the scope of what I'm dealing with.

CANDIOTTI: A week later Limbaugh admitted a problem.

LIMBAUGH: I am addicted to prescription pain medication.

CANDIOTTI: With that Limbaugh left the air for a month of treatment. He blamed unrelenting pain from spine surgery years earlier. He claimed his former employee try to blackmail him and said he paid her what he called extortion money and was afraid to go to authorities.

Later that year investigators raided Limbaugh's doctors offices in Florida and California in search warrants, prosecutors said Limbaugh was part of an ongoing investigation that began a year earlier and appeared to be doctor shopping for painkillers, going from doctor to doctor to get more pills. Authorities said pharmacy records showed Limbaugh obtained more than 2,000 pills over a six-month period. Limbaugh claims local prosecutors are unfairly targeting him compared to others in similar predicaments. He says his constitutional right to privacy was violated by the raid. On the air, he also suggested Democrats were to blame.

LIMBAUGH: The Democrats in this country still cannot defeat me in the arena of political ideas and so now they are trying to do so in the court of public opinion and the legal system.

CANDIOTTI: Prosecutors defended the search warrant.

JAMES MARTZ, PROSECUTOR: We have to notice the target of an investigation that we have to look at the felonies he committed?

CANDIOTTI: Eventually, despite appeals all of the way to Florida's Supreme Court, Limbaugh lost his privacy battle to keep his doctor's records out of prosecutor's hands and after a two and a half year long legal odyssey, the radio talk show host may soon be able to end his doctor-shopping scandal.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.

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WHITFIELD: Coming up, easy at the pump. If gas prices are hitting you hard, perhaps it's time to do something about it. We'll show you some cars that sip gas instead of guzzle it.

And we're also keeping an eye on your security. The latest message from al Qaeda's number two and why some are worried it's more than just talk.

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WHITFIELD: Checking your gas gauge today. Prices are still on the rise. On average, a gallon of regular unleaded costs you $2.93. You were paying much less a year ago, back then, it was $2.23.

Meantime, oil companies are really raging in it. But President Bush is rejecting calls to tax their surging profits. He says that won't ease the pain at the pump. The major oil companies have reported huge first-quarter profits.

Is big oil getting a big hand from the Republicans? The Democrats say yes. In the weekly radio address from the Democrats, Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak accuses Republicans of helping oil companies. He says, the GOP gave them big tax cuts in last year's energy bill.

When it comes to rising gas prices, there's a lot of talk from Washington. Some officials call for long-term change. Others, just scramble for quick fixes. But do those inside the Beltway ever follow their own advice? CNN's Bob Franken has been finding out in this report, which you may have first seen on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

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BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): When the Federal Reserve chairman speaks, everyone listens. Even when he states the obvious.

BEN BERNANKE, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: Rising energy prices pose a risk to both economic activity and inflation.

FRANKEN: Those rising energy prices are fueled in part by ever rising energy usage. The Fed chairman, for instance, is transported around town in the standard dignitary Cadillac limo. Figure around 16 miles to the gallon. According to published reports, he sold his Toyota Sienna minivan when he took the job. That got about 21 miles per gallon. The spike in energy prices has brought a spike in energy related media events.

REP. DENNIS HASTERT, (R) HOUSE SPEAKER: We've passed legislation time and time again with Democrats blocking it. But that was history. Now this is the future. And we need to move forward.

FRANKEN: But when House Speaker Dennis Hastert joined fellow Republicans at his news conference, he traveled there in an SUV. It gets approximately 15 miles to the gallon. Congressional leaders are driven around in SUVs. The same goes for Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. When some of her fellow Democrats engaged in their own finger-pointing, the reporters had a snarkey question. How had they gotten there?

REP. RAHM EMANUEL (D), ILLINOIS: Taurus. Ford Taurus. A little two-door -- four-door. It's a four-door. OK. I mean . . .

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER, (D) NEW YORK: Every one of us drove fuel efficient cars here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right here. Wait a second. Hold on. Hold on. Wait. No, no, I ain't doing this. I ain't -- you want to play that game? Chicago CTA Card, public transportation. Washington, D.C. public transportation. Any time you want, anywhere you want to go.

FRANKEN: Maybe so, but the fact is, the parking lots for members of Congress around the Capitol look like 'Gas Guzzlers R' Us,' which look like parking lots just about everywhere else in this country.

(on camera): When it comes to oil consumption in the United States, we might remember a saying from the old Pogo cartoon, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that report first aired on "AMERICAN MORNING." Start each weekday at 6:00 eastern, 3:00 pacific, only on CNN.

Hit them where it hurts, in the pocketbooks. That's what immigrants from coast to coast hope to do on Monday. We'll tell you why next.

Plus, the other side of the story. We told you how the death toll was climbing in Iraq. Well, up next, my discussion with a soldier just back from the region who says the U.S. has achieved a great deal.

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