Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Senate Grills Top U.S. Generals; U.S. Soldier Pleads Guilty to Prisoner Abuse Charges

Aired May 19, 2004 - 15:00   ET

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

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


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You're watching LIVE FROM. I'm Kyra Phillips. Let's check the headlines.
Pentagon officials deny that a U.S. military attack in Iraq mistakenly targeted a wedding party, killing dozens of innocent civilians. Our report is that this was not a wedding party, that these were anti-coalition forces that fired first and that U.S. troops returned fire, destroying several vehicles and killing a number of them. That's according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

An official said the incident occurred in a remote area of western Iraq about 3:00 a.m. local time, did not have a number of the number of Iraqis killed, but did not dispute accounts that put the toll at more than 40. The spokesperson also said that weapons were recovered after that engagement.

President Bush says he expects the selection of Iraq's interim president and top ministers within the next two weeks. Mr. Bush insists that he's still committed to transferring power from the U.S. occupying authority to the new Iraqi government on June 30.

Place blame on the terrorists, not each other, that was the advice that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had for the panel investigating what happened on 9/11 and the lessons learned. The commission has spent the past two days in New York hearing from city leaders, victims' families and first-responders.

Israel denies Palestinian charges that one of its helicopters fired a missile killing at least 18 marchers in southern Gaza today. The military says it is investigating the possibility that tank fire on an abandoned structure caused the casualties. An Israeli government spokesperson expressions regret over the loss of life, however it happened.

Now, up first this hour, responsibility, yes, blame not necessarily. The stars came out on Capitol Hill on the shoulders of the top two U.S. commanders in the Iraq war and the new commander of Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. The generals told the Senate Armed Services Committee they accept responsibility for the Iraqi inmate abuse scandal, but never ordered anybody to mistreat anybody.

We get the details now from CNN's Sean Callebs in our Washington bureau -- Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra. The U.S. commander of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is taking responsibility for the abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. But it doesn't end there. General John Abizaid says U.S. military personnel who have already received reprimands may also face criminal prosecution and he says the investigation is far from over. Abizaid says troops at the prison and the entire chain of command, all the way up to him, will be investigated to find out what led to the abuse and the humiliation of the detainees.

Abizaid was one of three generals testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Military leaders were asked, was the abuse the product of the actions of a few or was it something more?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CMDR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We understood that there were problems in the detainee system linked to the intelligence system, linked to the political system that had to be addressed, and we were working on them. But I would also like to remind you that these images are not the kind of thing that we thought was happening out there, that anyone in the chain of command would have condoned or allowed to be practiced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: General Ricardo Sanchez is denying a published report that says he approved tactics such as sleep deprivation, excessive noise to soften up detainees in an effort to get them to break. The military leaders also talked on the broader topic of future military operations in Iraq with the June 30 deadline to transfer power looming.

General Abizaid says he believes the insurgency will grow and get more violent after a new Iraqi leadership takes power. He says it's possible more U.S. troops will be needed in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABIZAID: We should not kid ourselves about the violent times ahead. Yet, we should also understand that despite the images of Abu Ghraib and burning Humvees that constantly play on our media screens, we are winning the battle against extremism. Our troops are confident. They win tactical battle after tactical battle. They work with Iraqis and Afghanis to build viable security forces. And one day, these viable security forces will allow us to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: On another topic, Committee Chairman John Warner says congressional members will see even more graphic photographs of abuse of Iraqi detainees. He says the Pentagon discovered yet another disc of pictures. Military leaders also testified today that limited prisoner abuse has been found in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where suspected Taliban fighters are being held -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Sean Callebs from our Washington bureau, thanks you. Well, the Senate grilling followed a court-martial proceeding half a world away in Baghdad. Specialist Jeremy Sivits, the first person to be tried in the abuse scandal, pled guilty as part of a deal with prosecutors.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck has details on his sentence and what happens from here.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lots of security around the Baghdad setting for the court-martial of U.S. Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits and the arraignment of three other U.S. soldiers involved in abuses at Abu Ghraib prison outside of Baghdad. In his court-martial, Sivits broke down twice as he described the sometimes brutal beatings that some prisoners received and the sexual humiliation that they were subjected to and photographed by U.S. soldiers.

Sivits said in his summation in his testimony towards the end of the trial that he -- he apologized. He said the abuse shouldn't have happened. He apologized to the Iraqi people, to the detainees, to the court, to the Army, to his unit, and to his family. But contrition wasn't enough. Military prosecutors said the acts committed at Abu Ghraib were horrendous, appalling and simply wrong. He said the soldiers took advantage of others who were vulnerable. And the judge agreed. Sivits was sentenced to a year in prison, a reduction in rank, and a bad conduct discharge.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Other news across America now.

A court-martial under way in Fort Stewart, Georgia, for a National Guardsman accused of deserting his union in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia went on furlough in the U.S. last October and disappeared for five months. He calls the Iraq conflict an oil-driven war and says he doesn't want to fight for that.

A 12-year-old Muslim girl has won the right to wear a head scarf to her Oklahoma school. In a settlement with the Justice Department, the Oklahoma public school district is dropping its dress code provision that banned the Muslim hijab. The sixty grader's school has suspended her twice for wearing it.

City officials in Baltimore have broken with past procedure by putting a child before television cameras in hopes it will lead to her parents.

Malini Bawa (ph) has that story. She's from CNN affiliate WMAR.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALINI BAWA (ph), WMAR REPORTER (voice-over): She can tell her first name is Courtney (ph), but doesn't know her last name, phone number or address. The city's social services department desperate to find her family is taking the unusual step of allowing the child to appear before reporters and cameras.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She says She's Courtney. She says she's 3 1/2. She says she's Puerto Rican. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. I'm assuming that's true because little kids don't normally not tell the truth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell us what your name is.

BAWA: Though overwhelmed by the cameras, Courtney is physically healthy, seems bright and curious.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What kind of toy is it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Winnie the Pooh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Winnie the Pooh?

BAWA: Authorities say a man left the child with a stranger about 10 days ago.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A woman was approached by a man with a child who said this was his daughter and he was living in an abandoned warehouse with her. He was from New York. He was attempting to get, find someone who would cash some money orders for him so he could rent an apartment and asked her if she would care for the child.

BAWA: Courtney is now in foster care, but authorities must try to reunite her with her parents or with other relatives able to care for her. Until then, her future is in legal limbo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't want her to live in a sort of holding pattern waiting for something to happen. She deserves a home of her own and a place to call home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Baltimore officials are asking that anyone who knows young Courtney to please contact the city's department of social services.

A special tribute on Broadway for actor Tony Randall, forever Felix Unger to many fans. And wounded in Iraq and now back in action, a soldier who will inspire you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: In Lower Manhattan today, the man dubbed America's mayor for his leadership on 9/11, 2001, said until that horrible day -- quote -- "We never thought there would be planes used as missiles." Rudy Giuliani testified before the 9/11 Commission, which has already taken note of confusion and miscommunications at ground zero.

The former mayor defended his first-responders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: I would urge you in evaluating their performance to put it in the context of no one ever has encountered an attack like this. No one ever has had to have dealt with the recovery and search effort or anywhere near this dimension.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son was murdered! Murdered because of incompetence and the radios that didn't work.

THOMAS KEAN, CHAIRMAN, 9/11 COMMISSION: You are simply wasting time at this point that could be used for question. Please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, the radios that you may have heard there mentioned amid the shouting are the fire department radios that malfunctioned or were improperly operated during attempts to evacuate the towers. Giuliani acknowledged firefighters were grappling with new radios that they found complicated and difficult, two words that also apply to running New York City on a day of historic catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: Our backup command center, our No. 2 backup command center would have been the police department. Seven World Trade Center was the primary one. The backup was the police academy. The number three would have been MetroTech in Brooklyn, which is fully equipped to be a command center.

We made the decision to use the policy academy because we didn't want to leave this island. We didn't want to leave Manhattan. We thought it would be a terrible statement if the city government left the island of Manhattan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Giuliani is scheduled to be among the guests tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE." That's at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

It's called service above and beyond the call of duty. And it definitely applies to Army Specialist Garth Stewart.

CNN's Gary Tuchman introduces us to one wounded soldier with an inspiring sense of duty.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Army Specialist Garth Stewart has just graduated from a hand-to-hand combat class at Fort Benning, Georgia. And he's done it as an amputee. The Minnesota native was wounded in Iraq from a land mine. Now he's back on active duty and has volunteered to go back into combat.

SPC. GARTH STEWART, U.S. ARMY: Got to be diplomatic about this. Not necessarily singing the army's praises -- doesn't have as much to do with that as it does maybe to do with perhaps the camaraderie I feel with some of the people specifically in my platoon. Especially at the time I got injured. TUCHMAN: It's exceedingly rare for an amputee to go back to war but Stewart has received his medical clearance and could be redeployed with his unit in a matter of months.

SGT. MATT LARSEK, DIRECTOR, HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT PROGRAM: He can literally do everything that you can with two legs. So there's no issues whatsoever.

TUCHMAN: Stewart served as base gunner in a mortar platoon.

STEWART: First in my platoon without a doubt. Mortar skills, mortar gunning. I mean, I am not even bragging to say that.

TUCHMAN: Garth Stewart does say he plans to leave the army when his term of enlistment is up in June of 2005. He hopes to go to college and then possibly become a philosopher.

Is there anything about it, though, going back to war, without a leg that scares you?

STEWART: No. You're like 50 percent immune to land mines now.

TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN, Fort Benning, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(FINANCIAL UPDATE)

PHILLIPS: Next, the piano man has a new gig. And it has nothing to do with music. Find out in today's entertainment buzz.

And direct donation, give to needy schools and know exactly where your money goes, a lesson in making a difference.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: These pictures just coming to us from WBNS. This is Athens, Ohio, the home of Ohio University, more flooding causing a tremendous amount of trouble in southeast Ohio.

Take a look at these pictures here, motorists trying to get through and get out of their homes. The state is stepping in to help. Now, two counties that have been hit really hard by the flooding that happened yesterday and today, Governor Taft has declared a state of now for Perry and Athens counties. The declaration allows the state to provide assistance for both counties and is needed in case a federal declaration is sought.

We're told that firefighters and others have stepped in to help people get from their homes to the Red Cross areas that have been set up, a number of centers in both towns where people can go to. But take a look at these pictures. Unbelievable, this entire county practically underwater. Once again, Athens, Ohio, pictures coming to us via WBNS, a CNN affiliate. We're going to follow the conditions there.

Well, remembering Tony Randall. In New York, Broadway's marquee lights were dimmed in tribute to the late actor on Tuesday. Lights at other theaters, including Toronto's Royal Alex, were also dimmed to pay homage to his brilliance on the stage. Randall, best known for his work as Felix Unger on TV's "Odd Couple," died Tuesday after a battle with a prolonged illness. He was 84 years old.

Checking other entertainment headlines this Wednesday, will Whitney Houston get by with a little help from her friends? Well, the troubled diva has been in rehab of late, but her pal Natalie Cole plans to lend her support and her voice to a concert tour with Houston this summer. And just for good measure, Whitney's aunt Dionne, as in Dionne Warwick, fills out the bill.

And, hey, if Madonna can write a children's book, why not Billy Joel? The piano man has actually got a deal to write two books. The first one is due out in September. It's called, "Good Night, My Angel." And good night nerves. ABC just unveiled its fall prime-time schedule, but the popular "Alias" isn't on it. All of you Jennifer Garner fans, don't panic. The show is coming back in January with all-new episodes.

Well, have you ever opened your checkbook and wanted to help but stopped because you didn't know where your donation was going? What if you could choose exactly who to help and how? That's the thinking behind an inventive charity for needy schools. It's brand new, but already it's making a difference for. The teachers and students tell us how.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES BEST, DONORSCHOOSE.COM: That is X there and click this box right here.

I think I knew since I was a sophomore that I wanted to be a teacher. It seemed like the most challenging and helpful thing that I could do. My colleagues and I would be in the lunchroom talking about books we wanted our students to read, a trip we would take with them if there were just the funding for our best ideas, for helping the students learn.

For service, I think we could talk about the philanthropy account.

We started DonorsChoose as this organic experiment at Wings Academy. And word of mouth just started to spread beyond the Bronx to other public schoolteachers in New York City. DonorsChoose begins with a committed teacher who has got a great idea for helping their students learn. They go to DonorsChoose, write a one-page essay. DonorsChoose screens the teacher proposal to make sure that this is really a viable, well-explained idea.

And at that point, it is up on the web for citizen philanthropists to read through and to choose the proposals that speak to them. We call our donors citizen philanthropists. I figured that people giving to charity must have been becoming skeptical about writing a $200 check to an organization and not really knowing what was done with their money.

CHILDREN: Cool!

AMY CAI, TEACHER: We have a wonderful donor who decided to give you all these pencils because they know that it is hard for you guys to do your work without the pencils.

Believe it or not, things like paper, pencil, eraser, they constantly need to be replenished.

I want to give you some papers.

Tests was coming up. I need the paper to make copies so that they could practice. And it was great. It came right on time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was quite surprised. I thought -- I didn't know there was people out there that were that generous. They really helped us because, if we don't have paper, how can we learn?

LISA BEHNFELDT, TEACHER: My first proposal was for books. I got it within a couple of days. Now they take books home every day with them. Before maybe it was once a week, if that. The whole class is reading. And they enjoy just reading. They love to read.

Another excellent item I was able to get through DonorsChoose was a cash register, making it fun to learn money through play.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's pretend you have to buy something.

BEHNFELDT: The children are now accelerating with their learning because of it.

BEST: DonorsChoose purchases the materials for the teacher. We send a disposable camera, so that the teacher can take photographs of the activity taking place. Each student writes their donor a thank you note. The citizen philanthropist can see that the proposal they chose to fund had a major impact on the kids' lives.

CINDY ROSADO, TEACHER: DonorsChoose has been amazing, because I'm 17 years in. It has been like a shot of vitamin C. It has brought a lot of materials at a time that New York City really needs them.

BEST: Donors in 48 states have funded 2,400 teacher proposals which has been about $1.2 million worth of books, art supplies, science equipment. Wow.

I think this teacher wanted to do DNA analysis. We have just opened our doors in North Carolina. And we'll be expanding to Chicago, to Colorado, and the Bay Area of California in 2004.

Five to 10 years from now, I really hope that DonorsChoose is serving all public schools in the United States and that any committed teacher can get funding for the materials that their students need to learn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: That wraps up everything for us here on LIVE FROM.

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


Aired May 19, 2004 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You're watching LIVE FROM. I'm Kyra Phillips. Let's check the headlines.
Pentagon officials deny that a U.S. military attack in Iraq mistakenly targeted a wedding party, killing dozens of innocent civilians. Our report is that this was not a wedding party, that these were anti-coalition forces that fired first and that U.S. troops returned fire, destroying several vehicles and killing a number of them. That's according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

An official said the incident occurred in a remote area of western Iraq about 3:00 a.m. local time, did not have a number of the number of Iraqis killed, but did not dispute accounts that put the toll at more than 40. The spokesperson also said that weapons were recovered after that engagement.

President Bush says he expects the selection of Iraq's interim president and top ministers within the next two weeks. Mr. Bush insists that he's still committed to transferring power from the U.S. occupying authority to the new Iraqi government on June 30.

Place blame on the terrorists, not each other, that was the advice that former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had for the panel investigating what happened on 9/11 and the lessons learned. The commission has spent the past two days in New York hearing from city leaders, victims' families and first-responders.

Israel denies Palestinian charges that one of its helicopters fired a missile killing at least 18 marchers in southern Gaza today. The military says it is investigating the possibility that tank fire on an abandoned structure caused the casualties. An Israeli government spokesperson expressions regret over the loss of life, however it happened.

Now, up first this hour, responsibility, yes, blame not necessarily. The stars came out on Capitol Hill on the shoulders of the top two U.S. commanders in the Iraq war and the new commander of Abu Ghraib prison outside Baghdad. The generals told the Senate Armed Services Committee they accept responsibility for the Iraqi inmate abuse scandal, but never ordered anybody to mistreat anybody.

We get the details now from CNN's Sean Callebs in our Washington bureau -- Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Kyra. The U.S. commander of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is taking responsibility for the abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. But it doesn't end there. General John Abizaid says U.S. military personnel who have already received reprimands may also face criminal prosecution and he says the investigation is far from over. Abizaid says troops at the prison and the entire chain of command, all the way up to him, will be investigated to find out what led to the abuse and the humiliation of the detainees.

Abizaid was one of three generals testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Military leaders were asked, was the abuse the product of the actions of a few or was it something more?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CMDR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We understood that there were problems in the detainee system linked to the intelligence system, linked to the political system that had to be addressed, and we were working on them. But I would also like to remind you that these images are not the kind of thing that we thought was happening out there, that anyone in the chain of command would have condoned or allowed to be practiced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: General Ricardo Sanchez is denying a published report that says he approved tactics such as sleep deprivation, excessive noise to soften up detainees in an effort to get them to break. The military leaders also talked on the broader topic of future military operations in Iraq with the June 30 deadline to transfer power looming.

General Abizaid says he believes the insurgency will grow and get more violent after a new Iraqi leadership takes power. He says it's possible more U.S. troops will be needed in the region.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ABIZAID: We should not kid ourselves about the violent times ahead. Yet, we should also understand that despite the images of Abu Ghraib and burning Humvees that constantly play on our media screens, we are winning the battle against extremism. Our troops are confident. They win tactical battle after tactical battle. They work with Iraqis and Afghanis to build viable security forces. And one day, these viable security forces will allow us to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: On another topic, Committee Chairman John Warner says congressional members will see even more graphic photographs of abuse of Iraqi detainees. He says the Pentagon discovered yet another disc of pictures. Military leaders also testified today that limited prisoner abuse has been found in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, where suspected Taliban fighters are being held -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Sean Callebs from our Washington bureau, thanks you. Well, the Senate grilling followed a court-martial proceeding half a world away in Baghdad. Specialist Jeremy Sivits, the first person to be tried in the abuse scandal, pled guilty as part of a deal with prosecutors.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck has details on his sentence and what happens from here.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lots of security around the Baghdad setting for the court-martial of U.S. Army Specialist Jeremy Sivits and the arraignment of three other U.S. soldiers involved in abuses at Abu Ghraib prison outside of Baghdad. In his court-martial, Sivits broke down twice as he described the sometimes brutal beatings that some prisoners received and the sexual humiliation that they were subjected to and photographed by U.S. soldiers.

Sivits said in his summation in his testimony towards the end of the trial that he -- he apologized. He said the abuse shouldn't have happened. He apologized to the Iraqi people, to the detainees, to the court, to the Army, to his unit, and to his family. But contrition wasn't enough. Military prosecutors said the acts committed at Abu Ghraib were horrendous, appalling and simply wrong. He said the soldiers took advantage of others who were vulnerable. And the judge agreed. Sivits was sentenced to a year in prison, a reduction in rank, and a bad conduct discharge.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Other news across America now.

A court-martial under way in Fort Stewart, Georgia, for a National Guardsman accused of deserting his union in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Camilo Mejia went on furlough in the U.S. last October and disappeared for five months. He calls the Iraq conflict an oil-driven war and says he doesn't want to fight for that.

A 12-year-old Muslim girl has won the right to wear a head scarf to her Oklahoma school. In a settlement with the Justice Department, the Oklahoma public school district is dropping its dress code provision that banned the Muslim hijab. The sixty grader's school has suspended her twice for wearing it.

City officials in Baltimore have broken with past procedure by putting a child before television cameras in hopes it will lead to her parents.

Malini Bawa (ph) has that story. She's from CNN affiliate WMAR.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALINI BAWA (ph), WMAR REPORTER (voice-over): She can tell her first name is Courtney (ph), but doesn't know her last name, phone number or address. The city's social services department desperate to find her family is taking the unusual step of allowing the child to appear before reporters and cameras.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She says She's Courtney. She says she's 3 1/2. She says she's Puerto Rican. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. I'm assuming that's true because little kids don't normally not tell the truth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell us what your name is.

BAWA: Though overwhelmed by the cameras, Courtney is physically healthy, seems bright and curious.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What kind of toy is it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Winnie the Pooh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Winnie the Pooh?

BAWA: Authorities say a man left the child with a stranger about 10 days ago.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A woman was approached by a man with a child who said this was his daughter and he was living in an abandoned warehouse with her. He was from New York. He was attempting to get, find someone who would cash some money orders for him so he could rent an apartment and asked her if she would care for the child.

BAWA: Courtney is now in foster care, but authorities must try to reunite her with her parents or with other relatives able to care for her. Until then, her future is in legal limbo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't want her to live in a sort of holding pattern waiting for something to happen. She deserves a home of her own and a place to call home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Baltimore officials are asking that anyone who knows young Courtney to please contact the city's department of social services.

A special tribute on Broadway for actor Tony Randall, forever Felix Unger to many fans. And wounded in Iraq and now back in action, a soldier who will inspire you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: In Lower Manhattan today, the man dubbed America's mayor for his leadership on 9/11, 2001, said until that horrible day -- quote -- "We never thought there would be planes used as missiles." Rudy Giuliani testified before the 9/11 Commission, which has already taken note of confusion and miscommunications at ground zero.

The former mayor defended his first-responders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUDOLPH GIULIANI (R), FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK: I would urge you in evaluating their performance to put it in the context of no one ever has encountered an attack like this. No one ever has had to have dealt with the recovery and search effort or anywhere near this dimension.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My son was murdered! Murdered because of incompetence and the radios that didn't work.

THOMAS KEAN, CHAIRMAN, 9/11 COMMISSION: You are simply wasting time at this point that could be used for question. Please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, the radios that you may have heard there mentioned amid the shouting are the fire department radios that malfunctioned or were improperly operated during attempts to evacuate the towers. Giuliani acknowledged firefighters were grappling with new radios that they found complicated and difficult, two words that also apply to running New York City on a day of historic catastrophe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIULIANI: Our backup command center, our No. 2 backup command center would have been the police department. Seven World Trade Center was the primary one. The backup was the police academy. The number three would have been MetroTech in Brooklyn, which is fully equipped to be a command center.

We made the decision to use the policy academy because we didn't want to leave this island. We didn't want to leave Manhattan. We thought it would be a terrible statement if the city government left the island of Manhattan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Giuliani is scheduled to be among the guests tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE." That's at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

It's called service above and beyond the call of duty. And it definitely applies to Army Specialist Garth Stewart.

CNN's Gary Tuchman introduces us to one wounded soldier with an inspiring sense of duty.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Army Specialist Garth Stewart has just graduated from a hand-to-hand combat class at Fort Benning, Georgia. And he's done it as an amputee. The Minnesota native was wounded in Iraq from a land mine. Now he's back on active duty and has volunteered to go back into combat.

SPC. GARTH STEWART, U.S. ARMY: Got to be diplomatic about this. Not necessarily singing the army's praises -- doesn't have as much to do with that as it does maybe to do with perhaps the camaraderie I feel with some of the people specifically in my platoon. Especially at the time I got injured. TUCHMAN: It's exceedingly rare for an amputee to go back to war but Stewart has received his medical clearance and could be redeployed with his unit in a matter of months.

SGT. MATT LARSEK, DIRECTOR, HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT PROGRAM: He can literally do everything that you can with two legs. So there's no issues whatsoever.

TUCHMAN: Stewart served as base gunner in a mortar platoon.

STEWART: First in my platoon without a doubt. Mortar skills, mortar gunning. I mean, I am not even bragging to say that.

TUCHMAN: Garth Stewart does say he plans to leave the army when his term of enlistment is up in June of 2005. He hopes to go to college and then possibly become a philosopher.

Is there anything about it, though, going back to war, without a leg that scares you?

STEWART: No. You're like 50 percent immune to land mines now.

TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN, Fort Benning, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(FINANCIAL UPDATE)

PHILLIPS: Next, the piano man has a new gig. And it has nothing to do with music. Find out in today's entertainment buzz.

And direct donation, give to needy schools and know exactly where your money goes, a lesson in making a difference.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: These pictures just coming to us from WBNS. This is Athens, Ohio, the home of Ohio University, more flooding causing a tremendous amount of trouble in southeast Ohio.

Take a look at these pictures here, motorists trying to get through and get out of their homes. The state is stepping in to help. Now, two counties that have been hit really hard by the flooding that happened yesterday and today, Governor Taft has declared a state of now for Perry and Athens counties. The declaration allows the state to provide assistance for both counties and is needed in case a federal declaration is sought.

We're told that firefighters and others have stepped in to help people get from their homes to the Red Cross areas that have been set up, a number of centers in both towns where people can go to. But take a look at these pictures. Unbelievable, this entire county practically underwater. Once again, Athens, Ohio, pictures coming to us via WBNS, a CNN affiliate. We're going to follow the conditions there.

Well, remembering Tony Randall. In New York, Broadway's marquee lights were dimmed in tribute to the late actor on Tuesday. Lights at other theaters, including Toronto's Royal Alex, were also dimmed to pay homage to his brilliance on the stage. Randall, best known for his work as Felix Unger on TV's "Odd Couple," died Tuesday after a battle with a prolonged illness. He was 84 years old.

Checking other entertainment headlines this Wednesday, will Whitney Houston get by with a little help from her friends? Well, the troubled diva has been in rehab of late, but her pal Natalie Cole plans to lend her support and her voice to a concert tour with Houston this summer. And just for good measure, Whitney's aunt Dionne, as in Dionne Warwick, fills out the bill.

And, hey, if Madonna can write a children's book, why not Billy Joel? The piano man has actually got a deal to write two books. The first one is due out in September. It's called, "Good Night, My Angel." And good night nerves. ABC just unveiled its fall prime-time schedule, but the popular "Alias" isn't on it. All of you Jennifer Garner fans, don't panic. The show is coming back in January with all-new episodes.

Well, have you ever opened your checkbook and wanted to help but stopped because you didn't know where your donation was going? What if you could choose exactly who to help and how? That's the thinking behind an inventive charity for needy schools. It's brand new, but already it's making a difference for. The teachers and students tell us how.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES BEST, DONORSCHOOSE.COM: That is X there and click this box right here.

I think I knew since I was a sophomore that I wanted to be a teacher. It seemed like the most challenging and helpful thing that I could do. My colleagues and I would be in the lunchroom talking about books we wanted our students to read, a trip we would take with them if there were just the funding for our best ideas, for helping the students learn.

For service, I think we could talk about the philanthropy account.

We started DonorsChoose as this organic experiment at Wings Academy. And word of mouth just started to spread beyond the Bronx to other public schoolteachers in New York City. DonorsChoose begins with a committed teacher who has got a great idea for helping their students learn. They go to DonorsChoose, write a one-page essay. DonorsChoose screens the teacher proposal to make sure that this is really a viable, well-explained idea.

And at that point, it is up on the web for citizen philanthropists to read through and to choose the proposals that speak to them. We call our donors citizen philanthropists. I figured that people giving to charity must have been becoming skeptical about writing a $200 check to an organization and not really knowing what was done with their money.

CHILDREN: Cool!

AMY CAI, TEACHER: We have a wonderful donor who decided to give you all these pencils because they know that it is hard for you guys to do your work without the pencils.

Believe it or not, things like paper, pencil, eraser, they constantly need to be replenished.

I want to give you some papers.

Tests was coming up. I need the paper to make copies so that they could practice. And it was great. It came right on time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was quite surprised. I thought -- I didn't know there was people out there that were that generous. They really helped us because, if we don't have paper, how can we learn?

LISA BEHNFELDT, TEACHER: My first proposal was for books. I got it within a couple of days. Now they take books home every day with them. Before maybe it was once a week, if that. The whole class is reading. And they enjoy just reading. They love to read.

Another excellent item I was able to get through DonorsChoose was a cash register, making it fun to learn money through play.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's pretend you have to buy something.

BEHNFELDT: The children are now accelerating with their learning because of it.

BEST: DonorsChoose purchases the materials for the teacher. We send a disposable camera, so that the teacher can take photographs of the activity taking place. Each student writes their donor a thank you note. The citizen philanthropist can see that the proposal they chose to fund had a major impact on the kids' lives.

CINDY ROSADO, TEACHER: DonorsChoose has been amazing, because I'm 17 years in. It has been like a shot of vitamin C. It has brought a lot of materials at a time that New York City really needs them.

BEST: Donors in 48 states have funded 2,400 teacher proposals which has been about $1.2 million worth of books, art supplies, science equipment. Wow.

I think this teacher wanted to do DNA analysis. We have just opened our doors in North Carolina. And we'll be expanding to Chicago, to Colorado, and the Bay Area of California in 2004.

Five to 10 years from now, I really hope that DonorsChoose is serving all public schools in the United States and that any committed teacher can get funding for the materials that their students need to learn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: That wraps up everything for us here on LIVE FROM.

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