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Lou Dobbs Tonight
Tribal Leaders Killed in Baghdad Hotel Bombing; Immigration Bill Headed for A Vote; H1-B Visas Causing Problems
Aired June 25, 2007 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: LOU DOBBS TONIGHT starts right now -- Lou.
LOU DOBBS, HOST: Thank you, Wolf.
Tonight the illegal alien movement making a desperate last stand to save amnesty. One day before a critical vote in the Senate, President Bush, the Democratic Party leadership, corporate interests and socioethnocentric special interests lining up to rescue amnesty. We'll have complete coverage.
Also tonight, are some senators effectively trying to muzzle free speech in this country, because they don't like talk show -- talk radio show hosts? We'll tell you who's really distorting the truth.
And troubling new evidence that employers are abusing our visa program, importing cheap foreign labor to compete with American workers.
We'll have that report, and we'll examine tonight a Supreme Court ruling that could affect one of our most important constitutional principles, separation of church and state.
All of that and much more, and all the day's news, straight ahead here tonight.
ANNOUNCER: This is LOU DOBBS TONIGHT. News, debate and opinion, for Monday June 25. Live from New York, Lou Dobbs.
DOBBS: Good evening, everybody.
We begin tonight in Iraq, where terrorists today struck a serious blow against American efforts to defeat the insurgency. A suicide bomber killed seven powerful tribal leaders who were meeting at a Baghdad hotel. Among the sheikhs, five Sunnis from Anbar province who had joined the fight against al Qaeda.
That attack raising serious questions about the ability of American troops to protect tribal leaders trying to ally themselves with the United States.
Michael Ware has our report from Baghdad -- Michael.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, the war in Iraq drones on, exacting its toll in human life. Three car and truck bombings in the country today, which claimed 46 lives. However, of those, the one that has unleashed the greatest political shock waves in the country is a bombing at the Mansour Hotel in the center of the capital, shortly before midday.
The hotel, just a few hundred yards from the international zone and the U.S. embassy. A largely western-style hotel, the explosion ripped through its front lobby shortly before lunch.
Twelve were killed in the attack and 21 wounded. Of those who were killed, at least seven were tribal sheikhs in a meeting under the government's reconciliation plan, believed to have been a show of support for the ailing Maliki government.
Right now all attention is focused on al Qaeda for responsibility for this attack, although the organization is yet to make any claim.
However, alternative theories to the attack have already begun to surface in Baghdad, with some speculating that this may have been the work of a rogue government faction, striking against political opponents who resided in that hotel.
Either way, many questions still surround this attack. Yet, late this evening, Baghdad time, the U.S. embassy played its hand, releasing a statement that clearly identified the attack as the work of a suicide bomber and categorically attributing it to al Qaeda.
Now, in terms of the reconciliation process and al Qaeda's upswing in attacks on anyone involved in this program to bring this country back together, the question is what can America do to protect participants like the seven sheikhs killed today? And the simple answer is, nothing at all -- Lou.
DOBBS: Michael Ware, reporting from Baghdad.
There are also concerns tonight about the quality of Iraqi security forces. U.S. generals now saying the Iraqi forces suffer from a shortage of fully trained troops and vital equipment.
Iraqi forces are critical, of course, to the success of American strategy, because those forces are required in order for American troops to leave Iraq.
Jamie McIntyre reports from the Pentagon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The suicide bomber who managed to kill a dozen people at this Baghdad hotel struck a blow against the heart of the U.S. strategy.
Most of the victims were Sunni or Shia tribal leaders, who were meeting as part of the reconciliation effort the U.S.-led offensive is designed to promote.
The U.S. strategy also hinges on another questionable premise: that Iraqi security forces are going to be able to keep al Qaeda from coming back to places like Diyala province, where they have been driven out by the U.S.-led offensive.
It was just a year ago Diyala was around over to some of Iraq's best army brigades, only to have the province become an al Qaeda stronghold.
BRIG. GEN. DANA PITTARD, COMMANDER, IRAQ ASSISTANCE GROUP: Clearly the 5th Iraqi Army Division wasn't ready, for many reasons.
MCINTYRE: Brigadier General Dana Pittard is leaving Iraq after a stint in charge of training Iraqi forces. His pointed warning: while improving they are not ready yet, especially in Diyala province.
PITTARD: Do not draw down too quickly when we think there's a glimmer of success.
MCINTYRE: That theme was echoed over the weekend by frontline commanders, who, while heaping praise on Iraqi forces that are fighting, say they are still too green and far too few in number.
MAJ. GEN. RICK LYNCH, U.S. ARMY: There's not enough of them. There's not enough of them.
MCINTYRE: Major General Rick Lynch commands troops south of Baghdad, and his counterpart to the north, Brigadier General Mick Bednarek over the weekend told the Associated Press Iraqi troops are not quite up to the job yet.
But in his latest briefing with reporters, Bednarek insisted he thinks Iraqis will come through in the end.
BRIG. GEN. MICK BEDNAREK, 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION: The Iraqi army soldiers are good. They are holding firm. They are in the fight. They're doing what they're told. They're following their leaders.
MCINTYRE: General Pittard says Diyala's capital of Baquba, where he once commanded a brigade, offers a sober lesson on what happens if the U.S. is too anxious to leave.
PITTARD: I nearly shed a tear when I saw Baquba today, that the markets aren't up, the projects that we had spent so much time on, together with the Iraqi government, are now in many places in shambles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: General Raymond Odierno, the second in command in Iraq, suggested that maybe U.S. troops will be able to leave in early spring. But General Pittard, who's in charge of training those troops in some places will warn that that may be too soon, particularly in Diyala. He said he didn't think necessarily they would be ready to leave at that point -- Lou.
DOBBS: Not ready to leave. Is there any good news at all from Iraq? Because every statement from every general, whether being rotated out of Iraq or in command, seems to offer increasingly the view that time is required, patience is required, that we need far more time in order to stand up, as they put it, the Iraqi security forces.
MCINTYRE: Lou, when I went through the statements by the commanders both yesterday and today and listened to what they said again, what really struck me was, you could have taken these -- gotten these same comments a year ago.
Again that there are challenges, things are improving; it's not quite ready yet. It just doesn't sound that much different than what we heard a year ago when they were employing a slightly different strategy.
So, you know, what can I say, except that we're hearing the same thing again. And we're not seeing the progress that people had hoped to be seeing by this time.
DOBBS: Jamie, thank you very much. Jamie McIntyre reporting from the Pentagon.
American casualties in Iraq continue to rise. Fourteen more of our troops have been killed, 12 killed Saturday alone. Eight-four of our troops have now been killed in Iraq so far this month; 3,561 of our troops killed since the war began; 26,129 troops wounded, 11,742 of them seriously.
The White House today said President Bush talked with the Iraqi prime minister about the conduct of the war. White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino said the president re-emphasized the importance of advancing political reconciliation. Perino said the Iraqi prime minister gave President Bush an update on reform legislation before the Iraqi parliament.
The White House tonight is lobbying hard to win support for a key part of the president's domestic agenda, his legislation to give amnesty. The Senate grand compromise on amnesty is hanging in the balance, supporters and opponents of the legislation preparing for what will be a critical vote at high noon in the Senate tomorrow.
Dana Bash has our report from Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Backed by a motivated grassroots campaign, opponents of the immigration bill are engaged in a last- ditch effort to block the Senate from restarting debate.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: The more we've debated the bill, the more I have come convinced that this legislation is not only dysfunctional but unless corrected, some provisions of this bill present an actual danger to our nation.
BASH: GOP leadership sources tell CNN it's going to be close, but they do think the Senate will clear the 60-vote hurdle Tuesday to get immigration back on the floor. SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY WHIP: I do think that there are votes there to proceed to -- to proceed to the bill. You know, my argument would be should we not even try to make this a better bill? Should we not even try to deal with this issue?
BASH: Even if the bill passes its first do or die test, the fate of immigration is still murky at best.
First, there will be two dozen votes on amendments intended to change the measure, and supporters warn some jeopardize their fragile bipartisan compromise.
For example, Republicans could turn against the bill if an amendment from Democrat Bob Menendez to give more weight to family ties in getting a green card passes.
SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: What has been a -- a bedrock principle of immigration law for well over four decades should not be totally abandoned, in that family in our society does have a value.
BASH: Some senators say they support reviving debate but will not necessarily vote for the final immigration legislation. Opponents call that disingenuous.
SEN. JIM DEMINT (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I think we do still have a shot to stop it, but it's only going to be if the American people raise the level of their voices in the next 24 hours.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, is an example of how many Republicans are going to approach this. Tomorrow he is going to vote yes on a motion to actually restart debate on immigration, but he has not decided, according to an aide, how he's going to vote on a series of final votes later in the week and won't decide that until he sees how this bill has changed, or Lou, what amendments will pass this week -- Lou.
DOBBS: But he will support cloture tomorrow?
BASH: That is correct.
DOBBS: Dana Bash from Capitol Hill. Thank you very much.
Well, a new opinion poll shows widespread opposition to the Senate's amnesty legislation. In fact, 47 percent of voters polled oppose the legislation, compared with 30 percent who support it. That according to the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll.
Twenty-four -- twenty-two percent, rather, of Americans do not have an opinion on the legislation.
Coming up next here, much more on amnesty and the battle for it on Capitol Hill and the deep divisions within the Republican Party and the Democratic Party on this critically important issue.
Also, troubling new evidence of the efforts of corporate elites to import cheap foreign labor to compete with American workers.
And local law enforcement agencies, legislators and educators accelerating their efforts to tackle our immigration crisis. because the federal government has done nothing to secure our borders.
Stay with us. We're coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Growing division tonight with the Republican Party over the president's calls for amnesty, many Republicans lawmakers saying the showdown could cost the GOP votes in next year's presidential election.
The lawmakers also telling the president not to waste any of the little political capital he has remaining on amnesty.
Lisa Sylvester has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Marchers crowded the streets of Los Angeles, demanding amnesty. In the same neighborhood, counter protesters called for an end to illegal immigration.
Just as this issue has divided the city, it's also created a major rift with the Republican national party. Many Republican lawmakers see amnesty as the quickest route out of their jobs next election. But the White House is actively pushing to legalize millions of illegal aliens.
DANA PERINO, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We're going to have a vigorous debate in the Senate this week. We're glad that the bill is going to be called back up.
DEMINT: To take the nation's most emotionally charged issue and try to ram it down America's throat at a time when there's not a high level of trust for what we're doing up here just doesn't make sense.
PERINO: Hill Republicans are warning the president not to waste any precious political clout he may have left on immigration. The president needs his party on other issues, including Iraq, trade, and the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Education Act.
So why does the president continue to stick to his position on immigration, even when it runs contrary to the rest of his base?
REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: There's no reverse left in that pickup truck. I mean, it only goes forward. And that's a virtue in a president, it's a virtue in a leader, but it can sometimes be a source of frustration.
I personally think the president would do well to take a half step back from this immigration debate. SYLVESTER: President Bush is not backing down, even as his ratings plunge. According to a "Newsweek" poll, only 26 percent of Americans approve of the way Mr. Bush is handling his job.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SYLVESTER: Now the White House has been leaning on Republicans in the Senate, hoping to get that 60 votes that they need for the crucial vote cloture tomorrow -- Lou.
DOBBS: Lisa, and we should also point out in that same "Newsweek" poll, 63 percent of those polled think the president is mishandling the issue of illegal immigration and border security. And that dismal performance is only exceeded by their view of his conduct of the war in Iraq.
Lisa, thank you very much. Lisa Sylvester from Washington.
Let's take a look at some of your thoughts now.
Pete in Chicago wrote in to say, "Lou, I am tired of hearing you complain that our federal government doesn't work. In August 2001, I applied for a copy of my citizenship papers with INS. In May of 2007, I received it. You can see for yourself how fast and efficient they are."
Janet in Oregon: "Dear Mr. Dobbs, once big business has succeeded in driving down the wages of all the workers in the United States, who will be left to buy their products?"
John in Texas: "If our government can't be trusted to enforce the law, what is the point of passing a new law?"
We'll have more of your thoughts here later.
A new opinion poll gives former senator, Fred Thompson, a clear lead in a critically important Republican primary race, even though Thompson isn't yet a candidate.
The Mason-Dixon Poll of voters in Nevada giving Fred Thompson 25 percent support among likely caucus goers, 5 percent more than his nearest rival, Mitt Romney.
Meanwhile, Democrats stepping up their attacks against Thompson. Democratic strategists telling the Politico that Thompson's populist style could prove extremely appealing to voters in next year's election.
Coming up next, a serenade from Senator Ted Kennedy. We'll have that for you.
And a new push to control the debate over amnesty? A special report on political correctness run amok, again. Still, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) DOBBS: The Senate's grand compromise could dramatically increase the number of H1-B visas from 65,000 to 180,000. It would also expand the number of exemptions to those limits. It's a bill that favors, by a wide margin, corporate America and further -- further disadvantages American workers.
Bill Tucker has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All H1-B visa workers do not look like this. Some even look like this. Most do work at technology companies, based on the latest data available from the government, data which is incomplete but revealing, nonetheless.
Five of the top six employers of H1-B visa workers in 2006 were Indian companies. They were issued 18,453 visas. In total, almost 20,000 visas issued in 2006 went to Indian outsourcing companies, and the data shows it was not American workers who benefited but foreign workers.
JOHN MIANO, ATTORNEY: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, between 2000 and 2005, the United States' employment for computer workers grew by about 332,000.
During the same time period, the United States imported about 330,000 H1-B workers for computer occupations.
TUCKER: The situation for engineers was even worse, with 95,000 H1-B visas issued in the same period for engineering, yet according to the Department of Labor, engineering jobs shrank by almost 124,000 jobs.
The visa is often referred to as being for the brightest and the best. But, the visa is broken up into four levels of classifications, with levels 1 and 2 being the lowest-skilled positions, and 87 percent of the visas went to those categories.
RON HIRA, ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: We really don't know whether those workers are working at level one. We know that they're being paid level one wages.
And what's interesting, at level one is if you look at the description of it, it's basically for interns, for people who have zero experience.
TUCKER: No one knows how many H1-B workers there are currently in the country or where they are.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCKER: Which is why critics of the visa program say one of the most important changes that Congress could make would be to simply mandate that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service make a full disclosure of all the H1-B visa data every year. You know, Lou, currently as we reported, the agency only reports a summary of that data. And as we reported a number of times, they've been late a couple years in getting that data out.
DOBBS: Late a couple years. By that we don't mean late just two years.
TUCKER: Right.
DOBBS: But two years...
TUCKER: By two years.
DOBBS: ... have gone by before providing even the summary information.
But to just put this in some perspective, what we're really reporting here is that the H1-B visa program, which by the way, we should point out Bill Gates, the world's wealthiest man, who is not exactly without a stake in this issue, sat before Senator Kennedy in a one-man hearing and said he wants unlimited visas.
The fact is we don't know who has the visas. We do know that Indian companies who are outsourcing the -- to American companies rather than providing the American jobs are the principle beneficiaries of those, and that most of those jobs are low-skill jobs, are being paid at intern levels.
I guess we should say in the case of category one. How in the world can the United States Congress, with this information in front of all of us, sit there or stand there on the Senate floor with straight faces and talk about this issue without any basis for their positions?
TUCKER: I guess they're just blinded by the corporate donations, Lou. Money from the high-tech companies is the only answer I can think of.
DOBBS: The American worker. And where is AFL-CIO? Where in the world are all the labor organizations in this country, who should be standing up and demanding that the American worker not lose his and her rights that have been so hard fought for and won over the course of the past century? It is mind-boggling to me.
Bill Tucker, thank you very much.
And we'll continue to put the facts before not only this audience but even the recalcitrant legislators who represent us all in Washington, D.C.
Stunning new details today about an Australian immigrant -- oh, man -- who was hired for a top job at a California Republican Party. The Australian -- now, personally I love Australians. I mean, it's a great country. I love all Australian people. I want to make that clear. But the Australian has abruptly resigned after reports that he has a long history of immigration law violations. His name is Michael Kamburowski. He is the California GOP's chief operating officer. It turns out he was ordered deported out of this country in 2001. He spent a month in jail just about for visa violations in 2004.
He's filed a $5 million wrongful arrest lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. The "San Francisco Chronicle" reporting that that is the case.
And the chairman of the California Republican Party, Ron Nehring, claims to have had no knowledge of the immigration law violations when the party decided to hire Kamburowski, because they could not find a U.S. citizen qualified for his job.
Kamburowski is not the only foreigner hired by the California GOP. They're having a hard time out there in California finding a competent Republican, apparently. The job of director of research and political technology is a Canadian, hired on an H1-B visa.
All of this, of course, giving new meaning to President Bush's frequent assertions that immigrants, he usually is referring to the legal immigrants. I guess that would apply, at least at some point, to Mr. Kamburowski -- that Americans are filling jobs that Americans aren't doing. Certainly, not in the Republican Party in California.
Coming up next here, the worst fire in the Lake Tahoe region of California in more than a century. We'll have a live report for you from Lake Tahoe.
Also, the Supreme Court, handing down a rule that could affect the escalating battle over separation of church and state. And free speech. Two constitutional authorities join us here to assess the impact of these decisions.
The federal government has failed to secure our borders, leaving it to state and local lawmakers to deal with what is nothing less than a national crisis.
We'll continue in one moment. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: State legislators, fed up with the federal government's inability to secure our borders, are increasingly taking action on their own to deal with our illegal immigration crisis. Legislators in all 50 states have introduced more than 1,100 immigration-related bills and resolutions this year, all targeting the critical issues in their communities caused by our illegal immigration crisis. Christine Romans has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tom Horne is the Arizona schools chief, and he knows firsthand about border security. TOM HORNE, ARIZONA DEPT. OF EDUCATION: It's totally broken, and I think it's a total outrage that the federal government does not enforce the border.
ROMANS: He figures the federal government owes Arizona $750 million to cover the cost of educating children in his state illegally, an education federal law requires. His office has also documented the practice of children routinely crossing the border to attend school in Arizona at taxpayer expense.
Arizona policy is that students who live in Mexico can attend Arizona schools, as long as they pay tuition. His office says that rarely happens.
Realities like these prompting frustrated states to act.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 1,100 bills restricting illegal immigration are up for consideration as of May 1st. These states have passed their own immigration reform.
LETICIA VAN DE PUTTE, NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES: They run the range from employment to human trafficking to barring benefits. I think states are fed up with the inactivity at the federal level, and they're beginning to take action themselves.
ROMANS: States are considering restricting drivers' licenses, punishing landlords and allowing local law enforcement to ask immigration status. And above all, 41 states considering prohibiting employment, the magnet for illegal immigration.
This state and local activity a direct result, many say, of porous borders, but not everyone is pleased that states and towns are taking action.
ANGELO FALCON, NATIONAL INST. FOR LATINO POLICY: If they want to give the message to Latinos and other immigrants that they're not wanted, that message is coming across loud and clear.
ROMANS: He says the federal government has a abdicated its authority on immigration policy, but says state action is divisive, and results in contradictory policies.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Now, one county government that's been tough on illegal hiring finds itself in the midst of a fight with state legislators. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy on New York's Long Island currently fighting for more than $300 million in sales tax revenue that could be in jeopardy, he says, because of his refusal to support a day labor center for workers in the country illegally. So a real fight over his action at the local level, at the state level, he says his opponents are going after.
DOBBS: Well, to be very clear, at least a couple members of the state legislature saying because he wouldn't build a day labor center or wouldn't support them, they're going to punish Levy and all the residents of his county. That's the kind of nonsense we're watching here.
And the gentleman who said that if these legislatures want to send the message to Latinos -- did you notice that word Latinos -- as if Latino equals illegal immigrant in this country, illegal alien? And you know who keeps drawing that equation? The Latino and Hispanic ethno-centric interests, who are seeking amnesty and open borders. It is -- it is remarkable what they are doing and what the mainstream media is permitting them to do. It is disgusting.
ROMANS: He said Latino and other immigrants. And a lot of the folks who are advocates for some of this reform at the state level say they're talking about illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is what they're targeting.
DOBBS: But that's why "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," and a host of other wise, responsible, if somewhat liberal, I think it's fair to say, news organizations, are simply distorting the distinction between legal and illegal immigration in this country, and doing so quite advisedly as a matter of editorial policy. A tremendous, in my opinion, disservice to their readers.
Thank you very much, Christine Romans. At least somebody is trying to do something. It's going to be fascinating to watch what happens in Washington, D.C. tomorrow in the United States Senate.
Those who support amnesty for illegal aliens in this country are using increasingly controlling language to try to shape the debate. You've probably noticed that. That's one of the reasons we use the expression "illegal aliens" on this broadcast, because it's definitive and it's accurate. You may wonder why some people use "undocumented workers," or "undocumented immigrants," when in fact they have lots of documents generally; they're just fraudulent.
Now, some lawmakers are trying to bring back an extinct law to further limit media coverage and perhaps free speech. Kitty Pilgrim has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Feinstein says the media, especially talk radio, has presented a one-sided view of immigration. She told Fox News she is thinking of new legislation to demand what she calls fairness.
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I do believe in fairness. I remember when there was a Fairness Doctrine, and I think there was much more serious correct reporting to people.
PILGRIM: The so-called 1949 Fairness Doctrine was repealed in 1987, because the FCC found it to have, quote, "chilling effect" on public debate and likely violated the First Amendment.
DENNIS WHARTON, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS: Stations tended to simply avoid presenting serious issues of controversial importance, for fear that they would get thousands of dollars in fines, or, to the very extreme, have their licenses yanked by the FCC. PILGRIM: Some say reviving this law is a blatant political ploy, and invoking it is an attempt to squelch frank and honest coverage of illegal immigration.
ADAM THIERER, PROGRESS & FREEDOM FOUNDATION: Well, indeed, every time you hear someone talk about reviving the Fairness Doctrine, it's almost always because they think their view points are potentially not carrying the day.
PILGRIM: Current media is in fact rife with politically correct language, designed to skew the debate on immigration. Much of today's coverage, like the politicians it mimics, are using politically correct words like "undocumented workers." That is new. A flashback to 1986 stories, even by the same writer, uses "illegal aliens," a term now frequently labelled as discriminatory.
And legislators want any program using such terms to have to change their language to suit government regulations.
JAMES GATTUSO, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: They're pointing out particular shows that bother them. And that makes troublesome federal regulation of really -- almost appalling from a constitutional sense.
PILGRIM: And undermines free speech.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: The media today has millions of voices -- cable, satellite, broadcast TV, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, blogs. To suggest that a particular view is not being heard or that one is being heard too much is simply preposterous. There are plenty of competing viewpoints, Lou.
DOBBS: And honestly, it's important that people remember that that was not always the case. And in point of fact, this nation owes, in my opinion, a strong debt of gratitude to those talk show hosts over the past -- particularly the last decade -- who are representing a viewpoint that you could not find on any broadcast network or, for that matter, certainly on any cable news network in the country. And without those voices, millions of people in this country would not have had their views expressed or even part of the national debate.
PILGRIM: You're absolutely right, Lou. And they told us today there's about 7 million blogs out there. So even a new element of debate.
DOBBS: Well, those blogs that are critical, for example, of me, I think we need to insist on a fairness.
(LAUGHTER)
DOBBS: Thank you very much, Kitty Pilgrim.
That brings us to the subject of our poll tonight. Do you believe the government should regulate fairness in media? Yes or no. Cast your vote, loudobbs.com, we'll have the results here in just a matter of moments.
Leading amnesty Senator Edward Kennedy paying a musical tribute to one of his supporters during a call to the Univision radio show "Piolin." And the senator sang his version of the song honoring the Mexican state.
Just take a listen to this. You won't believe it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Shall I sing my song?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, why not.
KENNEDY: OK. (singing in Spanish).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a great singer.
KENNEDY: Well, I thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: All right. I think we're going to hear the rest of that, aren't we? You've got to hear the ending. You got the ending? That's it. Well, that was a brilliant piece of editing on our part. The part that I really like was really the ending. We'll get that for you here later in the broadcast.
The senator and the program's host also discussing, of course, immigration reform. Senator Kennedy assuring his fellow amnesty advocates he will not disappoint them.
We'll see. It's up to you.
With Senator Kennedy's singing skills, he may want to consider moving down to the Texas border town of El Cenizo. The town uses Spanish as its official language. The majority of the town's 6,500 residents are American citizens who speak both Spanish and English. Yet all the city council's meetings are conducted in Spanish. The town has declared itself a sanctuary for illegal aliens, by the way. A local ordinance prohibits city employees from reporting people found to be in this country illegally. Quite a town.
The escalating war between Mexico's drug cartels is worsening despite a stepped-up effort by the government of Mexico's President Felipe Calderon. So far this year, more than 1,000 people killed in drug violence in Mexico. Some of the violence spreading to this side of the border.
Harris Whitbeck has a report on Mexico's efforts to control the cartels and violence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just a few years ago, federal agents in Mexico City would tool around town in souped-up cars, wearing cowboy boots, flashing badges and brandishing assault rifles. The public's perception of them was such that many people would say they preferred to encounter a thief than a cop.
But that began to change when this man, Genaro Garcia, took over Mexico's version of the FBI in 2005. He claims to have cleaned up its act, modernized it, and the bureau's image began to change.
Now in his new job as the secretary of security, he hopes to do the same with the federal police force.
GENARO GARCIA, MEXICAN SECURITY SECRETARY: (through translator): Millions of Mexicans want to see their country free of delinquents. One way of doing this is to professionalize and clean up the police forces.
WHITBECK: He started Monday, by announcing the removal of 284 medium and high-level police commanders from the force. He said, while none of them are currently suspected of specific acts of corruption, all would be investigated and required to take professional development courses if they want to return to the force.
JORGE CHABAT, SECURITY ANALYST: I think it's a clean-up, and I think it's the good -- the right way to do this kind of thing. I think there are some chances of being successful. Obviously, the problem with the police in Mexico, especially the police that is in charge of fighting drug trafficking, is that drug money is so huge and it's very difficult to combat it. You know, the money coming from drug trafficking.
WHITBECK: The secretary of security's office recently said drug traffickers find it too easy to buy off members of the police forces.
(on camera): According to the Mexican government, police salaries are so low and corruption so widespread, it only costs drug traffickers about $400 a month to keep a corrupt officer on their payroll. With the removal of hundreds of police chiefs today, the hope is that change will come from the top down.
Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Mexico City.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DOBBS: Coming up next, the Supreme Court today handing down several rulings, two on free speech and one in favor of the Bush administration. We'll have that report.
And, hundreds of homes destroyed, hundreds more threatened tonight as a wildfire is ripping through Lake Tahoe, California. We'll have that report next. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: Wildfires burned through the Lake Tahoe area today. Officials declaring a state of emergency. Those fires, the largest ever in the area. They've destroyed more than 200 homes and buildings, burned more than 2,500 acres. Thelma Gutierrez has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A raging forest fire ripped through the Lake Tahoe resort area Monday, leaving more than 200 homes and buildings in ashes. As many as 1,000 residents fled their homes, some on foot. Another 500 structures may be threatened by the blaze, and more evacuations may be imminent.
LT. KEVIN HOUSE, DORADO SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: This is far and above the biggest disaster that's happened to this community, I don't know, probably in forever.
GUTIERREZ: The fast-moving fire, which is believed to have been caused by human activity, started Sunday and has already charred nearly 2,500 acres. High winds fueled the flames, making the battle even more difficult for firefighters. The changing weather conditions and an increase in fire crews could make a difference.
HOUSE: That's the plan, is to step up and be more aggressive with the air assault as well as the ground crews that they have out there.
GUTIERREZ: The number of firefighters on the ground and in the air has been doubled to about 800. But with the return of high hinds and low humidity forecast for later in the week, they don't have much time to bring this blaze under control.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ: Here in the town of Meyers, which is about five miles outside of south Lake Tahoe, 240 homes have been completely destroyed, homes and buildings in this area.
You take a look right behind me. You can see the home here is still smoldering. Many residents very eager to get back into the community to find out if they have anything to return home to. But so far, Lou, fire officials say they will not be allowed back into this area just yet. It is too dangerous. Lou, back to you.
DOBBS: Thelma, thank you. Is there a likelihood that they will be able to control this fire overnight?
GUTIERREZ: Well, you know, the good news, Lou, is that for much of this day, firefighters were hoping to launch an air assault on this area, because the area is very rugged, very steep terrain. There was an inversion layer; the smoke was socked in, and so it was not safe enough to fly.
Just a short time ago, somehow the smoke lifted. We're seeing blue skies for the first. And the most important thing is that we're hearing choppers. They're flying over this area now, launching that aggressive air assault, which is exactly what firefighters needed. And in addition to that, you can see that it is not windy, and that is very good news -- Lou.
DOBBS: Good news indeed. Thank you very much, Thelma. Thelma Gutierrez, reporting from Lake Tahoe.
A prison inmate in Utah today allegedly grabbed a guard's gun and shot him to death. A heavily-tattooed prisoner was unshackled for a medical test, when he apparently grabbed the officer's weapon, shot the officer. That according to police in Salt Lake City. The inmate fled, but was captured by a civilian at a nearby fast food restaurant, who held him until police arrived.
A reminder now to vote on our poll. Do you believe the government should regulate fairness in media? Yes or no. Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results coming up here in just a few moments.
Georgia -- the state of Georgia today removing toothpaste from communist China, removing that toothpaste from state institutions of all sorts. The state removed more than 860,000 tubes of the so-called label Spring Fresh brand from prisons and hospitals housing the mentally ill and developmentally disabled. The toothpaste from China containing a poisonous chemical used in antifreeze and solvents. The FDA issued a warning about that toothpaste on June 1st.
Coming up at the top of the hour, "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Wolf Blitzer -- Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Lou. The legal process getting under way now for a policeman charged with the death of his pregnant girlfriend, and the woman's grieving mother is speaking out.
Are the immigration wars tearing the Republican Party apart? I'll ask conservative commentator and CNN contributor Bill Bennett.
And was the air at ground zero safe to breathe? A former official takes heat over lingering 9/11 health concerns. Could a presidential candidate also face the fallout?
All that, Lou, coming up right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
DOBBS: Looking forward to it, Wolf, thank you.
Coming up here next, the German government barring Tom Cruise from making a film there. We'll tell you why.
The administration wins a victory in the Supreme Court. We'll have that. We'll be talking with two top legal scholars. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: The German government has decided to forbid actor Tom Cruise from using German military bases to make a film based on the plot to kill Adolf Hitler, because Tom Cruise is a practicing Scientologist. According to Reuters, a German Defense Ministry spokesman calls Scientology, quote, "a cult," and said the filmmakers would be denied access so long as Tom Cruise is involved in that film. Germany does not recognize the Church of Scientology as a religion. And religion high on the agenda of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court today ruling that taxpayers cannot challenge the federal government's funding of social programs run by faith-based groups. The court also issuing a ruling that limits student speech.
And for more now on those rulings and their implications for all of us, I'm joined now by Richard Pildes. He is law professor, New York University. Abner Greene, law professor, Fordham University. Good to have you, gentlemen, with us.
Let me begin -- Professor, let's start with faith-based funded by the federal government, challenges, what does this mean? The federal government can now support whatever faith-based initiative it wants and fund it?
RICHARD PILDES, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: Well, the Supreme Quart said that at least the courts aren't going to get involved in this fight about the role of religion in American politics. So if the executive branch, the president, funds various programs, taxpayers who just want to complain that it's unconstitutional for the president to do this, can't come to the federal courts and make that claim.
So they didn't approve the programs, but they said no one has the legal right to come into court and challenge them. So effectively, it's a fight between Congress and the president now.
DOBBS: So you may be an American citizen, it just doesn't count?
ABNER GREENE, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY: Yes, it's important to realize how broad this is. This case was just about conferences that the president was holding. But even if they ended up spending money on setting up churches or on funding expressly religious activities, this holding would not allow anyone to challenge that in federal court.
DOBBS: Gentlemen, what, I mean, this to me is -- there must be more -- as a layman, I'm a little buffaloed by it. Are you?
PILDES: Well, let me just say that this has always been an unusually complicated area of law. Religion is one of the most sensitive issues in American politics. We're the most religious democracy in the world. And drawing the lines about what is legitimate participation and what's going too far has always been very difficult for the courts.
If Congress passes a law that gives some sort of special preference to one religion, there's no question that's unconstitutional. But here, the issue is faith-based programs, which try to incorporate religious groups into government. Is that the kind of problem that the religion clauses were meant to deal with?
And also...
GREENE: Another key point is that the court has generally not allowed taxpayers to sue merely by saying some of my tax dollars are being used. The only area they have allowed that is in challenges to the establishment clause, in separation of church and state, and today's opinion cuts back on that.
DOBBS: So we wouldn't want to be encumbered by too much influence in our democratic republic. Thank you, Supreme Court. I know that isn't what you said; I'm just interpreting one possible view.
Going to the issue of rolling back McCain-Feingold. That is a pretty clear -- first upholding the appellate court decision on free speech. This looks like the end of that legislation.
PILDES: Well, there's no question, this decision today reflects the election of 2004 for the presidency, the new appointments on the Supreme Court. In effect, what the court, 5-4, today did is throw out the decision that had been issued three years ago on this very issue, and cut back half of what Congress tried to do in the McCain-Feingold law.
It held in effect half of that law to be unconstitutional.
DOBBS: So it's going to have an impact for 2008.
PILDES: Absolutely. You'll see it in elections...
DOBBS: There's another case that I frankly have to -- I laugh about every time I read it. Bong hits for Jesus. No more, according to the Supreme Court, restricting student free speech.
GREENE: Yes. It was a fairly narrow opinion by Chief Justice Roberts, saying that if a student is advocating unlawful action -- in this case illegal drug use -- the school can discipline him.
Interestingly, Justice Alito, another Bush appointee, wrote a more moderated opinion, saying that students do retain substantial free speech rights.
DOBBS: Good decisions?
PILDES: All of them?
DOBBS: Those three.
PILDES: Those three. The campaign finance one I disagree with. The religion one I disagree with. And I have not been able to take the bong hits for Jesus one seriously enough to really form an opinion, I confess.
GREENE: I think that they're all wrongly decided, actually.
DOBBS: Well, at least there's consistency and uniformity in your view. The Supreme Court can't say the same thing. Thank you very much, gentlemen. Appreciate you being here.
Coming up next, the results of our poll. As promised, the full audio of Senator Kennedy's serenade. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) DOBBS: We wanted you to hear the full extent of Senator Edward Kennedy's serenade on Univision radio with Piolin. Here's -- here's the song, and the ending.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNEDY: (singing in Spanish.)
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are a great singer.
KENNEDY: Well, I thank you. I thank you for that wonderful tribute, and more importantly, I thank you for your soul and your heart. And we're not going to let you down, my friend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DOBBS: Speaking to Piolin, the Univision radio disc jockey and host, Senator Kennedy promising strong results beginning at noon tomorrow in the U.S. Senate.
The results of our poll tonight: 87 percent of you say the federal government should not be in the business of regulating fairness in media.
We thank you for being with us tonight. Please join us here tomorrow when among our guests will be Senator Claire McCaskill and Senator John Cornyn, on amnesty. Will it successfully be rammed through the Senate and down the throats of Americans? All of that and more here tomorrow. Please join us.
Thanks for being with us tonight. Thanks for watching. Good night from New York. "THE SITUATION ROOM" begins now with Wolf Blitzer -- Wolf.
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