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Lou Dobbs Tonight
President Bush Addresses United Nations; China Still Shipping Dangerous Food Products to America?
Aired September 25, 2007 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KITTY PILGRIM, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight: The federal government has decided that the enforcement of our immigration law does matter, in one case at least.
Also, a troubling new warning about the safety of our food and the government's inability to protect you. The FDA today admitted that some Chinese food imports are still -- quote -- "substandard."
And your government at work. The Congress and the White House want to borrow even more money at the same time as middle-class families struggle to survive.
And among my guests, television host John Ratzenberger. He has launched a national campaign to prevent this country from becoming what he calls a slave nation.
All that, much more, straight ahead tonight.
ANNOUNCER: This is LOU DOBBS TONIGHT: news, debate, and opinion for Tuesday, September 25.
Live from New York, sitting in for Lou Dobbs, Kitty Pilgrim.
PILGRIM: Good evening, everybody.
President Bush today demanded that the United Nations live up to its pledge to fight for freedom. In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly, the president blasted the U.N. for failing to stop repression in countries such as Myanmar. The president barely mentioned Iran or Iraq during his speech. But President Bush later met with the Iraqi prime minister and called on Iraqi leaders to agree to political reforms.
We begin our coverage with White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. And Suzanne joins us tonight in the studio -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Kitty, it was really interesting, because this is a group the president has gone before year after year, asking for assistance with the Iraq war. We heard little of that today, really indicating, suggesting some questions that maybe he's given up on the United Nations altogether.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was unlike any speech President Bush had given before the United Nations. No mention of evildoers, although one of the so-called, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, sat in the 14th row, barely a line about Iraq or Iran. The focus of his fury?
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Americans are outraged by the situation in Burma.
MALVEAUX: Yes, Burma, also known as Myanmar. Mr. Bush has been talking a lot lately about the fight for democracy there, even announcing new sanctions against its military dictatorship. But it's hardly stolen the headlines from his Iraq war.
DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: When George W. Bush gives a speech and the headline is Burma, you know he's sort of off his normal message.
MALVEAUX: So what was the message? For the president it was a direct challenge to world leaders.
BUSH: To free people from tyranny and violence, hunger and disease, illiteracy and ignorance and poverty and despair.
MALVEAUX: But some political analysts see Mr. Bush's new focus as a sign that, after taunting the U.N. for potentially becoming irrelevant, then pleading for them for years to support his Iraq war, the Iraq mission may end much like it began, with little international support.
GERGEN: The president really has given up on the United Nations as a forum or a weapon in the fight against terrorism. They always thought they didn't need the U.N., that they could do it alone and there's been very little help since.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Also notable is that the president only using one line to address the situation dealing with Iran, and never mentioned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran's name in that speech. Really there was a sense here from the White House, a strategy they did not want to give him a public forum, an international platform if you will to go mano a mano.
And obviously, Kitty, it seems as if Ahmadinejad has gotten enough attention on his own.
PILGRIM: It certainly seems so, and not a bad strategy all in all.
Thanks very much, Suzanne Malveaux.
MALVEAUX: Thanks.
PILGRIM: The military rulers of Myanmar today ignored President Bush and announced tough new security measures to stop anti-government protests. Well, the government imposed curfews in two of the biggest cities in Myanmar and sent troops to the capital of Yangon. Now, the crackdown by the military regime follows the biggest anti-government protest in Myanmar in two decades. Tens of thousands of Buddhist monks have been joined by others in pro-democracy protests for more than a week.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad returned to the podium in New York today, this time at the United Nations. President Ahmadinejad strongly criticized the United States in a rambling speech to the U.N. General Assembly. And he also declared that what he called the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed.
Richard Roth reports from the United Nations -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Kitty, I think some Americans are going to say, the president of Iran went to Columbia University and didn't get much of an education.
He repeated familiar themes with years ago, but it was a much more direct attack on the United States. The entire speech was a blast at Washington and the U.S. for everything from morals to ethics to trampling on human rights to violating the sovereignty of other nations in the Middle East.
The Iranian president, while he spoke, there was only one U.S. diplomat, a note-taker, sitting in the audience. And as you noted, the Iranian leader used the language that he considers this nuclear dispute case now closed with the West.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Fortunately, the IAEA has recently tried to regain its legal role as supporter of the rights of its members while supervising nuclear activities. We see this as a correct approach adopted by the agency.
Previously, they illegally insisted on politicizing the Iranian nation's nuclear case, but today, because of the resistance of the Iranian nation, the issue is back to the agency.
And I officially announce that in our opinion the nuclear issue of Iran is now closed and has turned into an ordinary agency matter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Outside the United Nations, earlier, there were demonstrators against the Iranian leader, who, by the way, at a press conference now going on, said, when he said the case was closed, he meant politically closed with the West. So, we really haven't moved along at all.
Many of these people in the streets were Iranian-Americans who denounced Ahmadinejad and they certainly want regime change back home.
Earlier in the General Assembly, on Iran, the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, said, we need firmness and dialogue with Iran, but he acted very strongly that there should be more sanctions on Tehran if it fails to comply.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLAS SARKOZY, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Iran is entitled to nuclear power for civilian purposes. But, if we allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, we would incur an unacceptable risk to the stability of the region and the stability of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Also blasting Iran was the president who spoke right before him, Argentina's president, Kitty, who is still angry that Iran has not complied with prosecutors in Argentina following the deaths of hundreds in two bombings there in the earlier '90s. Argentina appealing to the world for help with Iran, but it seems like right now no one can do anything with Iran.
PILGRIM: Thanks very much, Richard Roth -- thanks, Richard.
Insurgents in Iraq today killed another one of our troops. Now, the soldier was killed by a bomb in Diyala Province north of Baghdad; 58 of our troops have been killed so far this month; 3,800 of our troops have been killed since the war began, and 2,809 of our troops have been wounded, 12,577 seriously.
Suspected al Qaeda terrorists in Iraq stepped up their attacks against Iraqis. A suicide bomber in Baquba killed 24 people. The bomber's target was a reconciliation meeting between Sunni and Shiite leaders. And another suicide bomber attacked the police headquarters in the southern city of Basra. At least three Iraqi police officers were killed in that attack.
The Pentagon today insisted our military in Iraq obey the rules of war. It followed published reports that Army snipers baited suspected insurgents with materials such as ammunition, and then shot them.
Jamie McIntyre reports from the Pentagon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Facing a cunning foe that uses every trick in the book to kill U.S. troops and innocent civilians, the U.S. military has developed some secret countertactics, including putting out bait, such as discarded weapons or bomb-making materials to trick the insurgents into revealing themselves.
But the Pentagon insists, unlike its enemy, the U.S. fights by the rules.
MAJ. GEN. RICHARD SHERLOCK, JOINT STAFF OPERATIONAL PLANNING DIRECTOR: Any program, whether it was a secret program or an overt program, would have to abide by the laws of land warfare. The laws of land warfare do not include engaging someone simply for picking something up on the battlefield. MCINTYRE: But that's not how the leader of a sniper team described the baiting tactic in a sworn statement reported by "The Washington Post" Monday.
"If someone found the item, picked it up and attempted to leave with the item, we would engage the individual," said Captain Matthew Didier in defense of one of his soldiers charged with murder.
The Pentagon admits there are a variety of ways bait is used in what's called asymmetric warfare. In fact, a special asymmetric warfare group came up with the tactics in some cases after learning lessons from insurgents. But officials deny the program permits indiscriminate killing. And legal experts say deception is a tried- and-true military strategy.
EUGENE FIDELL, PRESIDENT, INSTITUTE OF MILITARY JUSTICE: I think it is possible to have a baiting strategy that does comply with the laws of war. The problem is that you can't put the system on automatic pilot, so anyone who takes the bait then becomes fair game for a sniper round.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: Since the precise tactics remain classified, there's no way that outside experts can say if they go too far. The issue is central to murder charges against three Army snipers accused of planting bait on Iraqis after they were shot dead. Defense attorneys for the three soldiers are arguing that they believe they were following the same secret policy -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Thanks very much, Jamie McIntyre.
Still to come: blunt new warnings about the safety of our food, and Christine Romans will have the report -- Christine.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kitty, a top FDA official today told lawmakers that Chinese companies are still exporting substandard food products to the United States -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Thanks, Christine, that report coming up.
Also a stunning new estimate of the cost of our illegal immigration crisis. Now one county on our southern border is bearing a huge cost.
The Department of Homeland Security is actually taking action to enforce our immigration law, part of it at least. Imagine that. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PILGRIM: The federal government may finally be taking some action to enforce our nation's immigration laws. The Department of Homeland Security is suing Illinois to block a new state law. Well, that law would bar a federal plan to crack down on employers of illegal aliens. And, as Bill Tucker reports, the lawsuit says Illinois is in conflict with federal law.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Department of Homeland Security has sued the state of Illinois. It's over a federal government online program where employers can check whether their employees are allowed to work in the United States.
Illinois has decided to outlaw employers in its state from using the program. The Department of Homeland Security says, that's usurping federal law. In legal speak, the lawsuit -- quote -- "seeks to invalidate an Illinois state law that frustrates our ability to assist employers in making sure their work force is legal, and, in doing so, conflicts with federal law."
On his blog, Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff is more plainspoken -- quote -- "The American people have been loud and clear about their desire to see our nation's immigration laws enforced. We are taking aggressive steps to do that."
And Chertoff says the Illinois law is in effect illegally getting in the way. Illinois' governor and the attorney general have not responded to multiple requests from LOU DOBBS TONIGHT for a reaction. Perhaps they are stunned.
Advocates for immigration law enforcement are certainly amazed.
KRIS KOBACH, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: This is the first time that the federal government has sued a state in recent years where we have seen states and cities deliberately undermining federal immigration law and, in some cases, deliberately contradicting and violating federal immigration law.
TUCKER: The Illinois law goes into effect on January 1, unless DHS prevails, and the law is overturned.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TUCKER: Now, according to the DHS, more than 23,000 companies nationwide are currently enrolled in the E-Verify program, including 800 companies in Illinois alone. E-Verify used to be known as Basic Pilot, Kitty, for those who may be hearing that word for the first time and wondering what the heck is that program.
PILGRIM: Bill, you know, we have been reporting for months and months and months about different states taking a different approach and setting their own laws. Is this, to your knowledge, the first time that the federal government has stepped forward and taken exception?
TUCKER: This is the first time in this administration where they have said, no, you cannot make the decision to not enforce immigration law. So, it's very interesting. It's why Kris Kobach was so amazed to see the suit be filed. So, it will be interesting to see it as it goes through the courts.
PILGRIM: It's a fascinating new development. Thanks very much, Bill Tucker.
Well, San Diego County today voted to bill the federal government for the cost of providing services to illegal aliens in the community.
As Casey Wian reports, the county alone now spends more than $100 million a year on the illegal immigration crisis, and the county wants that money back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): San Diego County's illegal alien population has more than doubled during the past 10 years to about 210,000. A new study commissioned by the county estimates that nearly 7 percent of its residents are not legal residents. It found illegal aliens cost the county more than $101 million in law enforcement, health care, and social services.
The study's authors say their results must be treated with caution because of a lack of reliable data. But they believe illegal aliens also cost county hospitals $155 million in unreimbursed emergency medical care. Altogether, that's about a quarter of a billion dollars, or 20 percent of the entire San Diego County budget.
REP. BRIAN BILBRAY (R), CALIFORNIA: You will hear people talking in certain aspects and say, without illegal immigration, what would the cost of lettuce cost? Well, let me just tell you, with $244 million in one county, you could sure buy a whole lot of lettuce for that. So I think it really comes down to the fact that illegal immigration does not pay, is not good, and it's a financial disaster, and it's a moral violation of the responsibility of the federal government.
WIAN: The study did not take into account taxes paid by illegal aliens. Even so, San Diego's Board of Supervisors voted to send a bill to Congress for the county's illegal-immigration-related costs.
BILL HORN, SAN DIEGO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: The county of San Diego taxpayers are bearing an unfair burden for a porous border. And it's the federal government's job to enforce the border. They have refused to do it and I think they should face the consequences of their action.
WIAN: It's the latest example of local governments from coast to coast and border to border struggling to cope with the issue. In July a federal judge overturned a law in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, that sought to repel illegal immigrants.
JACQUELINE BYERS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES: Many of our counties would just welcome some guidance. And the fact that we haven't received any from the federal government is creating things like the Hazleton decision, which has got a lot of our counties running now because they had put laws in place and now they are afraid that they're going to be drug to court by outsiders. WIAN: Even so, Byers says taxpayers are demanding their county governments do something about the cost of illegal immigration, which in San Diego adds up to $1,336 per illegal alien.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: And that, of course, does not include other costs, such as the education of illegal aliens that are paid through state and federal taxes -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Casey, perhaps local lawmakers are finally hearing the words of the American people when they tell them they want immigration solved.
WIAN: Absolutely.
(CROSSTALK)
PILGRIM: ... illegal influx.
WIAN: Yes. People have talked about this as a partisan issue for a long time. These local government are not Democrats. They're not Republicans, conservatives, liberals. They are just sick and tired of being charged with these bills for the consequences of the federal government's failure to secure the borders -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Thanks very much, Casey Wian.
Well, Mexico is fast becoming one of the most dangerous countries in the world. The crime rate is soaring despite tough efforts by its president to quell the violence; 375 serious crimes a day were reported for the first six months of this year. Murders, kidnappings reached record levels. Major crimes, homicides, kidnappings, drug trafficking rose 25 percent over the first half of this year.
And gangland-style executions are up 155 percent. Most of this violence is attributed to drug cartels and the groups that are competing for lucrative drug-smuggling routes to the United States.
Coming up, food imports are skyrocketing. So, is the government taking the necessary steps to ensure that imported food is safe? We will have a report.
And the White House and Congress face off over children's health care. Both say they want to help children, so what's the problem? We will have that story.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PILGRIM: Disturbing testimony today about potentially dangerous food imports. Today, the FDA admitted a long history of concern about the quality and safety of imports from communist China.
But, as Christine Romans reports, China continues to export substandard food to the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS (voice-over): Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro taking issue with the suggestion 76 million food-borne illnesses a year is statistically insignificant.
REP. ROSA DELAURO (D), CONNECTICUT: Five thousand unsuspecting people get a product, take it home, eat it, get sick. They, their family, a senior, a child dies. That's something for us to be very, very concerned about.
ROMANS: But Georgia Congressman Jack Kingston says food importers are doing a good job.
REP. JACK KINGSTON (R), GEORGIA: You don't stay in business when you're importing a bad product.
ROMANS: Still, even the Grocery Manufacturers Association is asking for more funds for the Food and Drug Administration. And the FDA told lawmakers it has a -- quote -- "history of concern about Chinese food exports."
DR. DAVID ACHESON, ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR FOOD PROTECTION, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION: Where we have to go is to ensure that whatever processes those manufacturers are using in China, when they want to import into the United States, meets our standards.
ROMANS: During the last five years, FDA-regulated food imports from China jumped more than 140 percent. China now a major supplier of seafood, canned vegetables, fruit juices, honey and processed foods. The FDA has banned five kinds of fish from China.
At this hearing, both consumer advocates and industry called for more resources for the FDA to keep up. But approaches differ. The food industry says the federal government could solve the problem with a carrot.
CARL NIELSEN, FDAIMPORTS.COM: And the incentive is if you help us build this safe supply stream, we will let your (INAUDIBLE) fly. We will audit on either side of the border. We don't have to do all of this in the traditional border.
ROMANS: While consumer advocates want more inspections on foreign producers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: The FDA admitted it does not have a system to evaluate food safety country by country, even as imports are exploding. And the FDA's David Acheson warned lawmakers that food-borne illness from domestic or imported food, Kitty, is nothing to be complacent about.
PILGRIM: Oh, it certainly isn't. And the long history of concern by the FDA, you can see the long history of concern because of the rejects that are listed on their own Web site, and so it's not such a big admission on their part, is it?
ROMANS: And the short history is what really has got people concerned. Five kinds of fish banned, an FDA alert on vegetable protein. Some major concerns about what's coming in right now.
This was first raised, a strategy for improving import safety, more than nine or 10 years ago and that's something that concerned the chairwoman of this hearing today. She said 10 years ago we were talking about how to fix import safety. Since then, it's only exploded. What's our government been doing?
PILGRIM: Well, certainly, the pressure is right now.
Thanks very much, Christine Romans.
And there are labeling laws to let you know where your food comes from, but powerful lobbyists are keeping those country-of-origin labeling -- they're called COOL laws -- from being enforced.
Now, Congress passed COOL laws as part of the farm bill five years ago. They were never implemented. Supporters of the bill say COOL laws are important because we're becoming increasingly dependent on imported food. In fact, as food imports have shot up in the past decade, food inspections have dropped sharply. The FDA currently inspects less than 1 percent of the food imports that it regulates.
And that brings us to the subject of tonight's poll. Do you trust the federal government to enforce the laws that protect American consumers from dangerous food products? Yes or no. Cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We will bring you the results later in the broadcast.
And also coming up, deeper and deeper in debt. And we're not talking about families here. It's the federal government. We will have a report.
Did former President Bill Clinton pressure a magazine to kill a negative story on his wife? Well, we will hear from three of the nation's leading radio talk show hosts on that and more.
And we will go live to Manchester, New Hampshire, and the CNN Election Express will have the very latest in the presidential poll numbers in this make-or-break state for the presidential hopefuls.
So, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PILGRIM: Talks continue between striking United Auto Workers and the country's largest carmaker, General Motors.
Now, 73,000 union members walked off the job at plants around the country yesterday morning. General Motors and the UAW are fighting over job security. This strike has shut down operations at 80 facilities in 30 states. The impact of the strike is spreading. The Teamsters union says its members will support the strike and won't deliver GM cars or parts. Well, as America's workers and middle class continue to struggle, the federal government is looking to borrow more money.
As Lisa Sylvester reports, America's already strapped middle class may have to shoulder that burden.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Home prices are down, credit is tight. Across the country, families are tightening their belts. But Congress seems to be doing just the opposite -- maxing out spending. And now the federal government is considering raising the debt limit $850 billion. That brings the national IOUs to $9.8 trillion.
SEN. TOM COBURN (R), OKLAHOMA: There's no incentive and there's no courage among the members of Congress to do what is necessary, that every family has to do every day. They have to make priorities about the money that they have. We don't make priorities. We just go to the bank and borrow more money.
SYLVESTER: For those keeping track, this the fifth time in six years Congress has had to raise the debt limit or risk defaulting on its financial obligations. The debt limit is now $3 trillion higher than it was in 2001 -- a 50 percent increase.
So why should average Americans care?
It increases the chances of higher interest rates and higher taxes. And this just the beginning.
JD FOSTER, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: Our real problem is that once you go beyond the next two years and you look at what's happening with the major programs for seniors -- Medicare and Social Security -- that spending starts to soar past the receipts dedicated to those programs.
SYLVESTER: President Bush this week scolded the Democratically Congress for not holding the line on spending. Democrats are blaming the president for the soaring costs of the war. Both parties favor programs that are politically popular, but don't help the federal bottom line.
JOHN IRONS, ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE: If you extend the Bush tax changes, if you reform the alternative minimum tax and if you make other changes to the tax code that a lot of people want, then it looks like the deficits will, perhaps, be unsustainable.
SYLVESTER: Unless the debt trend reverses, who is holding the bag?
Future generations left with a legacy of debt.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
SYLVESTER: Senator Tom Coburn's office has crunched the numbers. They estimate that a baby born today will be responsible for $400,000 of unfunded liabilities. That's why when the Senate takes up the issue, he wants a roll call vote so any senator who votes for the debt limit increase will have to go on record -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Thanks very much, Lisa Sylvester.
Very disturbing numbers, Lisa.
Well, a new showdown in Washington tonight, this time over taxpayer funded health care for children. President Bush is threatening to veto an expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Republicans say they are trying to keep down government spending. Democrats say they're trying to help working Americans.
Jessica Yellin reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In case you didn't get it, Democrats want you to know this fight is about kids.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Today I think more to the bible and I say to the president, Mr. President, please don't veto this bill. Please do not give new meaning to the words "suffer little children."
YELLIN: They say the cost of this bill is nothing compared to the war.
REP. RAHM EMANUEL, (D), ILLINOIS: For 41 days, the war in Iraq, the cost of the war in Iraq, would give all 10 million children of America health care.
YELLIN: And from the House floor, they warn Republicans will regret voting against this measure.
REP. DAVE LOEBSACK (D), IOWA: We have a moral obligation to protect and nurture our children.
YELLIN: The bipartisanship compromise the House is about to vote on continues health insurance coverage to more than six million kids whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid and it provides new funds to insure four million more children.
Republicans who oppose the measure insist it will cover families who make too much money. They say the way it's funded -- raising the tax on cigarettes to 61 cents a pack -- hits the poor the hardest, and they call it nationalized health care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This only the first battle in this Congress over who will control health care in America -- will it be parents, families and doctors, or will it be Washington bureaucrats?
That's what this debate is all about.
YELLIN: But they vote against it at their own political risk. This ad is now running against the Senate minority leader.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM TELEVISION AD, COURTESY AMERICANS UNITED FOR CHANGE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tell Mitch McConnell to stand up for the children in Kentucky, not the special interests in Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: Expect to see more ads like this as the fight continues. Even some Republicans say...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that that we Republicans will regret that our president vetoed this bill.
YELLIN: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, because of the political consequences of it.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
YELLIN: The Senate will vote on this bill later this week and the president is expected to veto it by Friday. Then look for Democrats to keep the pressure on Republicans by forcing them to vote on this measure over and over again -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Jessica, thank you, Jessica Yellin reporting.
Authorization for the SCHIP program expires on Sunday. The Congress is likely to keep the current program going, while the political battle over its future continues.
Well, the gap between Democratic frontrunners is growing in New Hampshire. New polls show Senator Hillary Clinton with a commanding lead.
And as Bill Schneider reports, a majority of Democrats are betting that Senator Clinton can beat Republicans in 2008.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): New Hampshire is Hillary Clinton's firewall. If she loses Iowa, where the race at this point is close, she's relying on New Hampshire to make her the comeback kid, just as it did for her husband in 1992.
Our new poll of New Hampshire Democrats shows so far so good. It's early, of course, and things could change. But right now, Clinton is leading Barack Obama by 23 points -- more than double her nine point lead in July.
What's behind her growing margin?
A majority of Democrats think Clinton has the best chance of beating the Republican next November. That's jumped 17 points since June. By running a tough, disciplined campaign, Clinton is resolving doubts about her electability.
PAUL MANUEL, SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE: They want to win in November. They're more about winning in November than anything else right now.
SCHNEIDER: Obama's support appears to have dropped, particularly among Independents, who can vote in the Democratic primary in New Hampshire.
MANUEL: Hillary emerges as the candidate with the most experience, the most potential of becoming president. And there's no particular reason. Obama hasn't made the case for voters to go to him as opposed to Hillary.
SCHNEIDER: What about Obama's claim that he can bring about change?
Oops. New Hampshire Democrats give Clinton the edge on change. After eight years of George W. Bush, changing back to the Clinton era sounds good to a lot of Democrats.
MANUEL: There's deep affection for President Bill Clinton. And, in a sense, New Hampshire Democrats feel that they were part of what launched his campaign in '92.
SCHNEIDER: Affection, however, is not what New Hampshire Democrats feel for his wife. She ranks third when Democrats are asked which candidate is most likable, after Obama and Edwards.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: Hillary Clinton is not first in the hearts of New Hampshire Democrats. First in their hearts is the desire to win -- Kitty.
PILGRIM: Bill, I see you're standing in front of the CNN Election Express bus.
It will log in some road miles, won't it?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, yes it does. It's going to be -- this the debut day of this bus on live television. We've been working out of the bus all day. It's a studio. It's really a health club. It's got a refrigerator. It's got everything you can want -- even a bed where I took a little snooze a little while ago.
PILGRIM: It sounds absolutely fabulous.
Thanks very much.
Bill Schneider.
Well, the Supreme Court will review whether state voter identification laws are constitutional. The high court will examine an Indiana law passed two years ago and that law required photo I.D. be presented when voting. Now, opponents say voter I.D. laws discriminate against minorities and poor Americans. Missouri's voter I.D. law was ruled unconstitutional. Georgia, Arizona and Michigan have similar laws.
Still ahead, John Ratzenberger joins us to talk about his campaign to save middle class manufacturing jobs in the United States.
And did the Clinton campaign force a major magazine to kill a negative story on Senator Clinton?
We'll have that story and more with three of the best radio talk show hosts in the country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PILGRIM: Now joining me are three of the best radio talk show hosts in the country.
We're joined by Wilmer Leon of X.M. Radio, Sam Greenfield of WWRL in New York and Peter Boyles of KHOW in Denver.
And thank you, gentlemen, for being with us.
You know, let's start -- we've been talking about this Hillary Clinton "G.Q." discussion. "G.Q." admits that they did kill a story. What's not been actually established is whether Bill Clinton was involved in killing the story or not. But that's what many resources -- sources are reporting.
What's your view of that, Sam?
SAM GREENFIELD, WWRL IN NEW YORK: Well, if he did it, then he called up and said, could you do me a favor and kill this story, it might make her look bad, and somebody panicked because Bill Clinton called. And they said we'd better do what he says for reasons that escape me. And they killed it. But that's -- you know, I don't think that's uncommon.
PILGRIM: Yes?
GREENFIELD: I don't. I think...
PILGRIM: That's disturbing, it's not uncommon, isn't it?
GREENFIELD: No. Well, no, I think that people of influence sometimes call magazines and say what -- there -- Lazaroff, the woman who was married to the guy who runs a restaurant in L.A., they wrote an unfavorable review. She had all of her ads pulled and then they wrote a nice review so.
WILMER LEON, X.M. RADIO: Yes, I agree. I don't see it being uncommon. Now, if we were talking about some money had exchanged hands or some other kind of favors or gratuities had taken place, that's a whole another story. But Bill Clinton is looking out for the best interests of his wife. That's what a husband is supposed to do. He used his influence.
PILGRIM: OK.
Peter, you want to weigh in on this?
PETER BOYLES, KHOW IN DENVER: That's nothing new.
Sure, it's not new. A confidential magazine, the Hearst chain, Drew Pierson, you know, the legends of our business. It's always bartered off people in stories and I was not shocked at all, just like the other guys.
PILGRIM: All right.
I guess that -- everyone agrees on that one.
GREENFIELD: Yes.
We're so cynical, it's sad.
PILGRIM: Yes, it is very disturbing.
All right, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at Columbia University.
First of all, let's just cover the issue of the invite. This raised a lot of criticism.
What's your view, Sam?
GREENFIELD: I listened to the entire introduction, which was almost longer than his speech. If you think the guy's repugnant and you can't stand what he believes in, that's OK. Don't invite him. Just don't invite him. Say I find you repugnant, I don't want you to set foot on this.
But if you've invited him, then he's your guest and you can't spend 16 minutes saying and now this slug...
PILGRIM: Yes.
GREENFIELD: ...in every unimaginable way. You know, you're terrible, you stink, please welcome -- no.
PILGRIM: You know, while you bring this up, the president of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, did say some, you know, fairly -- he took issue with the president.
Let's -- we do have a clip of what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEE BOLLINGER, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT: I am only a professor, who is also a university president. And today I feel all the weight of the modern civilized world yearning to express their revulsion at what you stand for. I only wish I could do better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PILGRIM: That seems pretty strong. LEON: Lee Bollinger, get a life.
GREENFIELD: Calm down.
LEON: Yes. First of all, as a college professor and the president of an institution of higher learning whose own mission is stated that they're supposed to be developing and encouraging dialogue and intellect, this was -- this was ridiculous. And, by the way, President Bollinger, Ahmadinejad is not a dictator. He is a president of a theocratic republic. He was democratically elected.
What I really see in all of this...
PILGRIM: So you're glad that they invited him?
LEON: Well, I'm not glad that they invited him. I'm not glad -- whether they did or whether they didn't. For an -- I mean they were supposed to be encouraging dialogue.
So what's wrong with allowing a man to speak and listening to him?
The other thing...
BOYLES: It blew up.
PILGRIM: Right.
LEON: The other thing...
PILGRIM: Go ahead.
LEON: The other thing is that -- is that the way that Bollinger -- he should have saved his comments for the end, instead of -- instead of making all those ridiculous comments in the beginning in order to make Ahmadinejad comfortable so that he would be more open and speak, if they were that opposed to what he had to say.
PILGRIM: Peter, weigh in on this.
BOYLES: Look, they invited the guy to dinner. He showed up and they smacked him in the face. This is because they took so much heat. This is Columbia University, that booed and would not allow the Minutemen to be there. They didn't want done Don Rumsfeld there. They have a history of running people off or not allowing them to be there.
They invited the guy to dinner. Talk radio and the reaction of this country blows up in Bollinger's face. He doesn't know what to do and neither does the president of Iran.
Look at the facial expressions on this guy. He expected a nine course meal and three different kinds of wine and dessert, and it blew up in his face. It blew up in Bollinger's face and nobody knows what to do. That's what happened.
LEON: And this is really a more of, I think, laying -- this whole rhetoric about being a dictator and the nuclear issue and how they treat their women...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
LEON: ...this was all the same kind of foolishness that we heard as we were leading up to war with Iraq.
BOYLES: Then were the...
(CROSSTALK)
PILGRIM: I'm sorry.
Go ahead.
BOYLES: Where were NOW people?
Where were the activists at Columbia, the National Organization of Women, gay rights people?
They should have been out there or in the audience screaming at him.
GREENFIELD: No, there's no gay people in Iran.
BOYLES: Look, folks, it's Columbia.
GREENFIELD: There's no reason to get upset.
BOYLES: Oh, because he's killed them all.
GREENFIELD: There's absolutely -- there's not one...
BOYLES: He's killed them all.
GREENFIELD: Didn't you hear him?
BOYLES: He's killed them all.
PILGRIM: There were a good number of protests.
BOYLES: No, I'm talking about in Columbia -- where were they outside protesting?
The life -- the left-wing has danced a wonderful dance with this guy and now they don't know what to do about it.
PILGRIM: Let's move on to the campaigns, because we really -- we have presidential -- CNN/WMUR New Hampshire -- just released, the latest poll numbers. These are new today. And this is Democrats. We don't have the Republicans because they're out subsequently.
But let's look at the Democratic primary voters' choice for nominee. This is New Hampshire -- Clinton, 43 percent; Obama, 20 percent; Edwards, 12 percent; and Richardson, 6 percent.
Clinton is by far and away the absolute hands down leader in this poll.
Sam, what's your what's your view?
GREENFIELD: This is what I think. I have no -- I have no horse in this race. But I think she's a tsunami. I think she's a tsunami. I think she -- look, George Bush is already talking about I'm going to give her advice on the war, as if the other candidates had vaporized.
She's going to get the nomination. Given the mood of the country right now, there's a better than even chance she's going to be president. I just think she can't be stopped.
I mean something may come up. It's a year from now. Something could certainly happen. But she has weathered everything and she's smart and she's careful.
PILGRIM: Do you believe that her position -- and I'll Wilmer this -- do you believe that her position on the war is clear enough?
Because it has been -- it has been a bit nebulous and there are some of her critics who are saying that it's actually too close to President Bush's.
LEON: Well, her position on the war seems to have developed over time. She did vote for it. Then she wanted to explain -- or she did not want to really accept responsibility for having made the mistake in voting for it. Now, she -- what she's showing us here is she's incredibly smart, incredibly well financed. And the key here now is don't make any mistakes. And so she has continued to define and refine the issue, as the public sentiment really demands that it be refined.
GREENFIELD: She's running this like she was taking the Hippocratic Oath -- first do no harm. Make no mistakes, even if it's at the point of being criticized for being too careful. Don't say anything that will live after this over. Just don't.
PILGRIM: And, Peter, you get the last word on this.
BOYLES: She's the next president of the United States. And the only person you can thank for that is George Bush.
PILGRIM: And do you think that there's anyone who can challenge her or do you think that it's...
BOYLES: No. I mean her running mate will be Obama. I know we've talked about this. They'll make a peace, as others have done in the past. And when the Republicans lick their wounds, there's only one person that they can turn to and say why did this happen. It's George Bush.
PILGRIM: All right.
Gentlemen, thank you very much.
LEON: Thank you.
GREENFIELD: Thank you.
BOYLES: Thank you.
PILGRIM: Sam Greenfield, Wilmer Leon, Peter Boyles.
Thank you.
BOYLES: Thank you .
PILGRIM: And a reminder now vote in tonight's poll -- do you trust the federal government to enforce the laws that protect American consumers from dangerous food products -- yes or no?
Cast your vote at loudobbs.com.
We'll bring you the results in just a few minutes.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PILGRIM: Coming up at the top of the hour, "THE SITUATION ROOM WITH WOLF BLITZER" -- Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Thanks, Kitty.
Spooky words -- the speaker of the House says one thing will haunt President Bush for as long as he's president. It concerns a major issue for America's children. Nancy Pelosi explaining in an exclusive one-on-one interview with me. That's coming up.
Donald Trump apparently has little love for Dan Rather. Trump calls the veteran journalist -- and I'm quoting now -- "a loser." You're going to find out why. More of my Donald Trump interview is coming up, as well.
And gay in Iran -- that country's president says gays don't exist there. But they do. And we're going to tell you how the president, Ahmadinejad's, regime treats them.
All that, Kitty, coming up, a lot more, right there in "THE SITUATION ROOM".
PILGRIM: Thanks, Wolf.
This country's so-called free trade policies have cost this country millions of manufacturing jobs.
We spoke with actor John Ratzenberger, who is the host of the television show "Made In America".
We spoke to him about the state of manufacturing in the United States.
Now, Ratzenberger is also moderating seven town hall meetings around the country on the issues of trade and manufacturing jobs. (BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JOHN RATZENBERGER, KEEP IT MADE IN AMERICA, ACTOR: Well, I grew up in a factory town, Bridgeport, Connecticut. And that's one of the reasons I do my show, John Ratzenberger's "Made In America" on the Travel Channel, because I understand that it's the people who get up every morning and go to work and actually make something that's the basis -- that's the foundation of our entire civilization. And I think the people in Washington have forgotten that. It seems like they pass legislation that actually undermines the very foundation of -- on which we exist.
So I've come here to New Hampshire to do town hall meetings. The town hall meeting here -- this is the first one. And to get this on the presidential candidates', well, radar -- to have the people of the town start asking questions about when are you going to start supporting American workers?
What are you going to do about, you know, enforcing the trade agreements that are already in place?
(NOISE OF TRAIN PASSING)
RATZENBERGER: There's a train going by. I love that sound. That's the sound of America working, my favorite sound in the world.
PILGRIM: Since 2000, we've lost three million jobs in the manufacturing sector in this country.
Do you think the candidates are paying enough attention?
RATZENBERGER: You know, if they don't, you know, within six to 10 years, we're not going to have factories. If we don't have factories, we don't have workers. And they talk about us becoming a service society. No one's been able to explain what that even is. See, if you don't make something, then really there's -- that's actually what communities exist around. If you have a factory, they support the pizza place, they support the hardware store, the local tire shop. You're never going to see the name of a Chinese factory on your kids' little league uniform.
So the fabric of the entire community is affected and when I cross the country with my show, I see that time after time after time, is that no one's paying attention to the very people that make it possible for to us get up in the morning and do what we do.
PILGRIM: You know, we have seen a rash of dangerous imports, mainly from China, that -- things that are really dangerous to have in American homes -- children's toys with lead, tainted food, food that is inedible. And we're importing so much from overseas, especially from China...
RATZENBERGER: Right.
PILGRIM: Do you believe that that's a negative in the American economy right now? RATZENBERGER: Oh, sure it is, especially the fact that there is no regulation in China. An article in the Boston paper yesterday, I was down there, and the apple juice you're feeding your kids is coming from China. It's the concentrate, reconstituted apple juice. There's only one company, according to the article -- it's Martinelli's -- that uses American apples.
What happened?
Did we forget how to grow apples in Washington or the upper state in New York?
I don't think so.
Yes, it's a big danger. It's a very big danger because all we're doing is feeding the dragon that one day is going to turn its head and come after us.
PILGRIM: The Bush administration is pushing free trade agreements -- four of them currently. And they call any critic of these agreements protectionist.
Do you believe that label is accurate?
RATZENBERGER: You know, I kind of enjoy that label. It's -- if you boil it down, you know, like Tip O'Neill said, all politics is local. Your family you're going to protect. Your neighborhood, you're going to protect. You might love the people in the other neighborhoods, but you protect those around you.
It's the same thing with America. This is our neighborhood. This is our family. We should protect us, because once we give it all away, I don't know what happens.
Do we become a slave nation?
Do we take our marching orders from someone else?
And it seems to be heading in that direction.
So protectionist -- I think it's a good label.
PILGRIM: How -- what kind of turn out are you expecting tonight?
RATZENBERGER: They say it's going to be a full house tonight. So we'll see.
PILGRIM: Yes.
Well, we wish you every success with it.
And it's very nice that America is getting to hear about these sort of policies that make common sense in this country.
Thanks very much.
John Ratzenberger.
RATZENBERGER: It is common sense.
And tell Lou I hope his tonsils feel OK.
PILGRIM: Well, we did speak to Lou today. He is resting. He is also looking forward to coming back to work.
Next, the results of tonight's poll, more of your e-mails.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PILGRIM: The results of our tonight's poll -- 98 percent of you do not trust the federal government to enforce the laws that protect American consumers from dangerous food products.
Time now for more of your thoughts.
And we hear from Jim in Colorado: "It is time Americans get a backbone and start boycotting companies like Mattel -- products that say "distributed by or made in China."
And Gary in California: "Mattel is probably so excited about the profit increased by having their toys made by slave labor in China that they forgot to send specifications like, "do not use lead paint." I hope the American consumers boycott Mattel and put them under, and then we can apologize to China."
We love hearing from you.
Send us your thoughts at loudobbs.com.
And thanks for being with us tonight.
Please join us tomorrow.
For all of us here, thanks for watching.
Good night from New York.
"THE SITUATION ROOM" starts right now with Wolf Blitzer -- Wolf.
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