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60 Years After Fighting Ended Veterans of World War II Being Honored With Memorial

Aired May 28, 2004 - 14:30   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: They've been called the greatest generation. Now, almost 60 years after fighting ended, veterans of World War II are being honored with a long overdue memorial. CNN's Sean Callebs is on the National mall with on the preparations -- Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Fredricka. A lot of excitement building to tomorrow's celebration. Behind me you can see just a sea of chairs, a pretty good indication they are expecting tens of thousands of people out here for the ceremony.

Throughout the day we have heard a number of rehearsals for the dignitaries, the pageantry, the music. All designed as tribute to those dubbed the greatest generation. They'll have a pretty good view of the memorial tomorrow but there are concerns that day in and day out, actually getting to that site is going to be difficult for many.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS (voice-over): Sitting like two bookends, arches recognizing U.S. involvement in the Pacific and European theaters greet visitors.

Below, names etched in granite, sites of great battles that stretch from the beginning of fighting to the end of the war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This memorial is beautiful. Not only for the guys that fought, but for the people that were behind them. The country was behind them.

CALLEBS: Four thousand bronze stars, a sobering design once you realize each one symbolizes 100 U.S. troops who died. Overall, 400,000 lost their lives.

The centerpiece, a refurbished rainbow pool to allow for quiet reflection.

One detail sorely missing, adequate parking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's true. There's limited parking really anywhere in Washington, especially around here.

CALLEBS: Especially considering most World War II vets are in their 80s.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that there should be parking down here for the veterans.

CALLEBS: The National Park Service is going to extraordinary lengths this holiday weekend to assist elderly veterans, providing bus service and expanded drop-off service. And BUSH: making sure plenty of medical service is nearby. It's estimated hundreds of thousands of people will be here Saturday. The Park Service fears as many as one in four vets will need some kind of medical aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: There's really no easy way to say this, but the best estimates, about a thousand World War II veterans are passing away each day. And even though Tomorrow marks the opening, it's actually been opened to visitors for 30 days. And the Park Service said it wanted to do everything possible to allow World War II veterans to see the memorial as soon as possible. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Sean Callebs, thanks very much from Washington.

And of course CNN will have wall-to-wall coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication beginning tomorrow. Paula Zahn will be leading our coverage at 2:00 Eastern time tomorrow on right here on CNN -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That dedication kicks off a summer of high-profile events and ceremonies all of which fall under the shadow of this week's terror warning by the Justice Department. While that department says there is a clear and present danger of terror, the Department of Homeland Security has not raised the nation's threat level. CNN's Jeanne Meserve looks into the apparent disconnect between the two agencies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On Wednesday morning, before the Justice Department press conference, an administration sources says the president asked Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge if they were in sync.

They said yes, believing he was referring to the release of lookouts for suspicious persons. But Homeland was caught off guard by Ashcroft's dire interpretation of the current intelligence. On this, they were not in sync.

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: This disturbing intelligence indicates al Qaeda's specific intention to hit the United States hard.

TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We could go back over the past two years and pick out threat reports of pretty much the same substance.

MESERVE: Thursday they still appeared out of sync with Ashcroft repeating his take on the threat reporting.

ASHCROFT: Its multiply sourced, credible intelligence that's growing -- that's a stream of intelligence that has been corroborated.

MESERVE: An administration officials says the Department of Justice has been taken to task for not coordinating with Homeland and other agencies. All parties involved have been asked to insure the greatest cooperation when announcing threat information, said the official.

One state homeland official says they could have told us ahead of time, and homeland officials expressed concern that the lack of coordination undermined the department's relationship with state and local officials who were left, one official said, shrugging their shoulders and wondering what to do.

Some say it left the public in the same state.

DAVID HEYMAN, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: I think it confuses them and frankly angers them because they don't know what to expect from their government and what's the credible thing that they're supposed to be responding to.

MESERVE (on camera): Ashcroft's press conference has had one positive impact. Twenty-four hours after releasing photographs of seven people with suspected ties to terrorism, the FBI has received over 2,000 tips and it's asking for more.

Meanwhile, a Justice Department official disputes that Homeland was ever out of the loop, saying DHS was at the table every step of the way.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The terror warning and lack of specifics associated with it have a lot of tongues wagging about its timing and possible political impact. Joining us is CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Bill, what are you hearing about the possible political motivations?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: What we're hearing is that people are very confused by this. And when they hear news that the government seems to be confused what do they make of it? Some people make of it politics.

You know I got an interesting e-mail, Fredricka, from a viewer. I'll change her name. She said, the following message. "My name is," I'll say "Mary Smith." "I'm from California and I approve this message. I'm sick of all these stupid terrorist warnings from the Bush administration. They seem to put them out every time things seem to be going not that well. What are we supposed to do?" she writes. "Look up, look down, look sideways, run, walk, hide in the basement? Stick your terrorist warnings up your Ashcroft."

I'd say she's probably a Democrat.

WHITFIELD: Oh boy. I'd say those are some fiery words. Let's talk about some other kinds of confusion that have come about these terror warnings, particularly local and state jurisdictions that have criticized the administration for not allowing them to be in the loop. So how politically damaging is this?

SCHNEIDER: Yes. It's damaging because Americans find if the government doesn't know what it's doing or doesn't appear to know what it's doing and if they can't coordinate this effort, then Americans really don't know how seriously to take them.

We're hearing all kinds of news that people are beginning to travel again and regaining confidence. And then, all of a sudden, this comes out and they're not sure what to make of it. The threat level has not been changed.

I'd say it's creating a political problem for the administration which, just like that viewer who wrote in, a lot of people believe there is politics behind it.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about Al Gore. He is certainly fired up about his recommended firing of some Bush cabinet members. Let's listen in to what he had to say recently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE, FRM. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We simply cannot afford to further increase the risk to our country with more blunders by this team! Donald Rumsfeld ought to resign immediately as the chief architect of this plan!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Your thoughts on the Republican reaction to the Democrats' viewing of this?

SCHNEIDER: The Democrats' reaction is actually interesting because there are Democrats out there who say why can't John Kerry sound like that? Democrats are angry, they're frustrated, they think Bush areas poll numbers are failing, they see terror warnings as evidence that the administration may be trying to manipulate public reaction. And they want someone to call the administration on it.

John Kerry gave a cautious speech, he advertised himself as someone who can keep the country safe. But the mood of Democrats right now is angry. And they think maybe we need someone who can vocalize that anger. If not they're worrying that Ralph Nader may be the guy who has that issue.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about Senator John McCain. He certainly has been dubbed the real uniter between the Democrats and the Republicans. But his name keeps bring brought about a vice presidential candidate with John Kerry. He says no way, Jose. I'm not doing it. It's still a spotter for Conan O'Brien last night. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CONAN O'BRIEN, "LATE NIGHT": There is first of all, a lot of speculation lately -- rumor, speculation that you might be a vice presidential candidate with John Kerry, form kind of a bipartisan juggernaut. Any truth to that at all?

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Look, I spent several years in North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States?

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Poking a little fun out of all that. Bill, why wouldn't this go away when he's made it very clear, John McCain has?

SCHNEIDER: It's the issue that won't die no matter what McCain says because it captures the moment politically. Right now, Americans are looking for someone to deliver what Governor Bush promised in 2000 but didn't really deliver. He said he was going to be a uniter and not a divider and the country is being torn apart, mostly by the war in Iraq.

Americans are looking for uniter. And that is exactly why John Kerry doesn't sound like Al Gore, because he knew that Democrats rejected the Howard Dean campaign because they knew a harsh, partisan campaign that rallied the Democratic base wasn't going to win. Americans are not going to trade a president who's dividing the country from the right who for a president who's going to divide the country from the left.

So therefore there's a lot of pressure on him to become a symbol of unification. What better way to do that than to put a Republican, John McCain on the ticket? John McCain is Mr. Bipartisan right now.

WHITFIELD: You say John Kerry doesn't sound like Al Gore. Well, the Bush administration is saying that John Kerry is starting to sound an awful like George Bush, especially as John Kerry was a little bit more specific on his position on Iraq.

How damaging is that for John Kerry? He seems to be dealing with an identity crisis five months before the election day.

SCHNEIDER: What he's trying to do is essentially reach for the center. It's what nominees usually do once they're assured of the nomination to try to tell the American voters, look, I can deal with the problems that Bush is struggling with and do it right.

What he's saying is that we cannot abandon Iraq. We cannot walk out of there because we'll leave that country in a nest of terrorists. Do we want another Afghanistan?

He's claiming he can turn Bush's Iraq policy into a success because it appears to be failing, Kerry says. And the problem is a lot of Democrats listen to him and say, wait a minute, is what we want to do turn Bush's Iraq policy into a success? They're not so sure. But Kerry is clearly reaching for the center in this campaign.

WHITFIELD: Bill Schneider, thanks very much. Always good talking to you. Have a good weekend.

SCHNEIDER: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Miles.

O'BRIEN: More rain expected in the already flooded Dominican Republic. The latest from the region straight ahead.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Miguel Marques live in Santa Maria, California. A date has been set for the trial of the King of Pop and it's sooner than any of us expected. I'll tell you about it coming up.

O'BRIEN: Michael Jackson was not there for the hearing but we'll have full details on exactly what went on in court. Stay with us for that and more!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Villages under water, others caked in mud on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Days of torrential rain have left thousands homeless an hundreds, perhaps thousands dead. CNN's Susan Candiotti is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in the Dominican Republic authorities aren't taking any chances and plan to drop disinfectant from the sky over the small town of Jimani, population 10,000, to prevent the onset of disease from decomposing bodies.

At least 340 people confirmed dead, another 375 reportedly missing in that area alone after Sunday's very powerful storm swept through carrying away with it a lot of homes with sleeping families inside. That storm passing through in the dead of night.

They are continuing to fly in emergency supplies, doctors, drinking water, and food. And plan to try to come up with at least temporary shelter there for as many as several thousand people who remain homeless.

Now, in neighboring Haiti, another critical situation. The small town of Mapou, 30 miles outside of the capital of Port-au-Prince, officials tell me much of that town remains under ten feet of water. Many people getting around on makeshift rafts. Emergency supplies being flown into that area by a U.S.-led international force out of Port-au-Prince.

Of course our soldiers and those from Canada and other countries continue to be located there since the ouster of President Aristide back in February.

A lot of the roads are washed out to that area, I am told. That small town is locate in the bottom of a valley. And so that's why a lot of the water has remained in that area.

Now, unfortunately, they are predicting rain over this weekend which won't help the cleanup situation but authorities there plan to continue to fly in relief supplies as often as they can.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Santa Domingo, the Dominican Republic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: And now to the Michael Jackson child molestation case. A trial date penciled in. One of several matters on the agenda at a hearing in Santa Maria today. And that's where we find CNN's Miguel Marques -- Miguel.

MARQUES: Seems my permanent place in life here, Miles. And there was a lot of legal lifting in the courtroom today. And Jackson was not here, though. There was one Jackson here, Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson's father came in court today. The only thing he said as he left court today is that they had a good day. What did that consist of, because it all it depends on your point of view.

One is a trial date set for his son. September 13, 2004, this year, a few months. Sooner than any of us really expected. Certainly sooner than the defense or the prosecution was expecting.

The judge, Rodney Melville, superior court judge here in Santa Barbara County, indicated this a bull's eye that he's aiming for because he wants the issues regarding discovery and evidence to be worked out at a much faster pace than he sees going.

And they spent a lot of time talking about that evidence today. Comes out in court today that between the discussions between the defense and prosecution, there's some 400 items of evidence that was taken from Mr. Jackson's home in various search warrants and storage lockers and other friends' homes. There's 105 items of evidence that the grand jury itself saw.

The prosecution saying that they've already released 2,200 pages of documents to the defense, 69 audiotapes, two videotapes and one CD- ROM. The defense believing there is a lot more out there they want to get their hands on and be able to figure out how they're going to make their case for Mr. Jackson's innocence.

The other thing discussed was a bail reduction. Mr. Jackson has been ordered to pay $3 million bail. his defense saying that his prior lawyers, Mr. Geragos, should have object to that because it's just extraordinarily high. Quoting the Santa Barbara County Bail Guidelines saying that if you killed somebody with a weapon of mass destruction in Santa Barbara County, you would be limited a bail of about $1 million. So Mr. Jackson's $3 million is too much.

Prosecution saying this is just a minuscule amount of what Mr. Jackson has. He's a flight risk, he's an international super star. And this guy could hit the road.

The next hearing in this is the 25th of June. We will possibly get redacted versions of the grand jury testimony. There may be about a thousand pages of that. We may also see the full indictment from the grand jury at that time, including this one conspiracy charge contained in that one charge are 20 overt acts of conspiracy lodged against Mr. Jackson and media corporations, including CNN, would like to see that public -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Miguel Marques, thank you very much -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: The numbers say it all. Just how much does America love its idol? Mary Snow will let us know in the business report coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MARKET UPDATE)

WHITFIELD: All right, coming up at the top of the hour, who will lead the new Iraq? We'll have the latest.

And honoring what's been called the greatest generations. Emotions are running high on the eve of the dedication ceremony for the World War II Memorial.

O'BRIEN: Could it really happen? Is the new film "The Day After Tomorrow" really fiction? It's Hollywood, folks! Anyway, we'll take a close look with one of our in-house experts when LIVE FROM... returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 28, 2004 - 14:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: They've been called the greatest generation. Now, almost 60 years after fighting ended, veterans of World War II are being honored with a long overdue memorial. CNN's Sean Callebs is on the National mall with on the preparations -- Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Fredricka. A lot of excitement building to tomorrow's celebration. Behind me you can see just a sea of chairs, a pretty good indication they are expecting tens of thousands of people out here for the ceremony.

Throughout the day we have heard a number of rehearsals for the dignitaries, the pageantry, the music. All designed as tribute to those dubbed the greatest generation. They'll have a pretty good view of the memorial tomorrow but there are concerns that day in and day out, actually getting to that site is going to be difficult for many.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS (voice-over): Sitting like two bookends, arches recognizing U.S. involvement in the Pacific and European theaters greet visitors.

Below, names etched in granite, sites of great battles that stretch from the beginning of fighting to the end of the war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This memorial is beautiful. Not only for the guys that fought, but for the people that were behind them. The country was behind them.

CALLEBS: Four thousand bronze stars, a sobering design once you realize each one symbolizes 100 U.S. troops who died. Overall, 400,000 lost their lives.

The centerpiece, a refurbished rainbow pool to allow for quiet reflection.

One detail sorely missing, adequate parking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's true. There's limited parking really anywhere in Washington, especially around here.

CALLEBS: Especially considering most World War II vets are in their 80s.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that there should be parking down here for the veterans.

CALLEBS: The National Park Service is going to extraordinary lengths this holiday weekend to assist elderly veterans, providing bus service and expanded drop-off service. And BUSH: making sure plenty of medical service is nearby. It's estimated hundreds of thousands of people will be here Saturday. The Park Service fears as many as one in four vets will need some kind of medical aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: There's really no easy way to say this, but the best estimates, about a thousand World War II veterans are passing away each day. And even though Tomorrow marks the opening, it's actually been opened to visitors for 30 days. And the Park Service said it wanted to do everything possible to allow World War II veterans to see the memorial as soon as possible. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Sean Callebs, thanks very much from Washington.

And of course CNN will have wall-to-wall coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication beginning tomorrow. Paula Zahn will be leading our coverage at 2:00 Eastern time tomorrow on right here on CNN -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That dedication kicks off a summer of high-profile events and ceremonies all of which fall under the shadow of this week's terror warning by the Justice Department. While that department says there is a clear and present danger of terror, the Department of Homeland Security has not raised the nation's threat level. CNN's Jeanne Meserve looks into the apparent disconnect between the two agencies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On Wednesday morning, before the Justice Department press conference, an administration sources says the president asked Attorney General John Ashcroft and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge if they were in sync.

They said yes, believing he was referring to the release of lookouts for suspicious persons. But Homeland was caught off guard by Ashcroft's dire interpretation of the current intelligence. On this, they were not in sync.

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: This disturbing intelligence indicates al Qaeda's specific intention to hit the United States hard.

TOM RIDGE, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We could go back over the past two years and pick out threat reports of pretty much the same substance.

MESERVE: Thursday they still appeared out of sync with Ashcroft repeating his take on the threat reporting.

ASHCROFT: Its multiply sourced, credible intelligence that's growing -- that's a stream of intelligence that has been corroborated.

MESERVE: An administration officials says the Department of Justice has been taken to task for not coordinating with Homeland and other agencies. All parties involved have been asked to insure the greatest cooperation when announcing threat information, said the official.

One state homeland official says they could have told us ahead of time, and homeland officials expressed concern that the lack of coordination undermined the department's relationship with state and local officials who were left, one official said, shrugging their shoulders and wondering what to do.

Some say it left the public in the same state.

DAVID HEYMAN, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: I think it confuses them and frankly angers them because they don't know what to expect from their government and what's the credible thing that they're supposed to be responding to.

MESERVE (on camera): Ashcroft's press conference has had one positive impact. Twenty-four hours after releasing photographs of seven people with suspected ties to terrorism, the FBI has received over 2,000 tips and it's asking for more.

Meanwhile, a Justice Department official disputes that Homeland was ever out of the loop, saying DHS was at the table every step of the way.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The terror warning and lack of specifics associated with it have a lot of tongues wagging about its timing and possible political impact. Joining us is CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider. Bill, what are you hearing about the possible political motivations?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: What we're hearing is that people are very confused by this. And when they hear news that the government seems to be confused what do they make of it? Some people make of it politics.

You know I got an interesting e-mail, Fredricka, from a viewer. I'll change her name. She said, the following message. "My name is," I'll say "Mary Smith." "I'm from California and I approve this message. I'm sick of all these stupid terrorist warnings from the Bush administration. They seem to put them out every time things seem to be going not that well. What are we supposed to do?" she writes. "Look up, look down, look sideways, run, walk, hide in the basement? Stick your terrorist warnings up your Ashcroft."

I'd say she's probably a Democrat.

WHITFIELD: Oh boy. I'd say those are some fiery words. Let's talk about some other kinds of confusion that have come about these terror warnings, particularly local and state jurisdictions that have criticized the administration for not allowing them to be in the loop. So how politically damaging is this?

SCHNEIDER: Yes. It's damaging because Americans find if the government doesn't know what it's doing or doesn't appear to know what it's doing and if they can't coordinate this effort, then Americans really don't know how seriously to take them.

We're hearing all kinds of news that people are beginning to travel again and regaining confidence. And then, all of a sudden, this comes out and they're not sure what to make of it. The threat level has not been changed.

I'd say it's creating a political problem for the administration which, just like that viewer who wrote in, a lot of people believe there is politics behind it.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about Al Gore. He is certainly fired up about his recommended firing of some Bush cabinet members. Let's listen in to what he had to say recently.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE, FRM. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We simply cannot afford to further increase the risk to our country with more blunders by this team! Donald Rumsfeld ought to resign immediately as the chief architect of this plan!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Your thoughts on the Republican reaction to the Democrats' viewing of this?

SCHNEIDER: The Democrats' reaction is actually interesting because there are Democrats out there who say why can't John Kerry sound like that? Democrats are angry, they're frustrated, they think Bush areas poll numbers are failing, they see terror warnings as evidence that the administration may be trying to manipulate public reaction. And they want someone to call the administration on it.

John Kerry gave a cautious speech, he advertised himself as someone who can keep the country safe. But the mood of Democrats right now is angry. And they think maybe we need someone who can vocalize that anger. If not they're worrying that Ralph Nader may be the guy who has that issue.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about Senator John McCain. He certainly has been dubbed the real uniter between the Democrats and the Republicans. But his name keeps bring brought about a vice presidential candidate with John Kerry. He says no way, Jose. I'm not doing it. It's still a spotter for Conan O'Brien last night. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CONAN O'BRIEN, "LATE NIGHT": There is first of all, a lot of speculation lately -- rumor, speculation that you might be a vice presidential candidate with John Kerry, form kind of a bipartisan juggernaut. Any truth to that at all?

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Look, I spent several years in North Vietnamese prison camp, in the dark, fed with scraps. Do you think I want to do that all over again as vice president of the United States?

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Poking a little fun out of all that. Bill, why wouldn't this go away when he's made it very clear, John McCain has?

SCHNEIDER: It's the issue that won't die no matter what McCain says because it captures the moment politically. Right now, Americans are looking for someone to deliver what Governor Bush promised in 2000 but didn't really deliver. He said he was going to be a uniter and not a divider and the country is being torn apart, mostly by the war in Iraq.

Americans are looking for uniter. And that is exactly why John Kerry doesn't sound like Al Gore, because he knew that Democrats rejected the Howard Dean campaign because they knew a harsh, partisan campaign that rallied the Democratic base wasn't going to win. Americans are not going to trade a president who's dividing the country from the right who for a president who's going to divide the country from the left.

So therefore there's a lot of pressure on him to become a symbol of unification. What better way to do that than to put a Republican, John McCain on the ticket? John McCain is Mr. Bipartisan right now.

WHITFIELD: You say John Kerry doesn't sound like Al Gore. Well, the Bush administration is saying that John Kerry is starting to sound an awful like George Bush, especially as John Kerry was a little bit more specific on his position on Iraq.

How damaging is that for John Kerry? He seems to be dealing with an identity crisis five months before the election day.

SCHNEIDER: What he's trying to do is essentially reach for the center. It's what nominees usually do once they're assured of the nomination to try to tell the American voters, look, I can deal with the problems that Bush is struggling with and do it right.

What he's saying is that we cannot abandon Iraq. We cannot walk out of there because we'll leave that country in a nest of terrorists. Do we want another Afghanistan?

He's claiming he can turn Bush's Iraq policy into a success because it appears to be failing, Kerry says. And the problem is a lot of Democrats listen to him and say, wait a minute, is what we want to do turn Bush's Iraq policy into a success? They're not so sure. But Kerry is clearly reaching for the center in this campaign.

WHITFIELD: Bill Schneider, thanks very much. Always good talking to you. Have a good weekend.

SCHNEIDER: Thank you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Miles.

O'BRIEN: More rain expected in the already flooded Dominican Republic. The latest from the region straight ahead.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Miguel Marques live in Santa Maria, California. A date has been set for the trial of the King of Pop and it's sooner than any of us expected. I'll tell you about it coming up.

O'BRIEN: Michael Jackson was not there for the hearing but we'll have full details on exactly what went on in court. Stay with us for that and more!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Villages under water, others caked in mud on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. Days of torrential rain have left thousands homeless an hundreds, perhaps thousands dead. CNN's Susan Candiotti is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in the Dominican Republic authorities aren't taking any chances and plan to drop disinfectant from the sky over the small town of Jimani, population 10,000, to prevent the onset of disease from decomposing bodies.

At least 340 people confirmed dead, another 375 reportedly missing in that area alone after Sunday's very powerful storm swept through carrying away with it a lot of homes with sleeping families inside. That storm passing through in the dead of night.

They are continuing to fly in emergency supplies, doctors, drinking water, and food. And plan to try to come up with at least temporary shelter there for as many as several thousand people who remain homeless.

Now, in neighboring Haiti, another critical situation. The small town of Mapou, 30 miles outside of the capital of Port-au-Prince, officials tell me much of that town remains under ten feet of water. Many people getting around on makeshift rafts. Emergency supplies being flown into that area by a U.S.-led international force out of Port-au-Prince.

Of course our soldiers and those from Canada and other countries continue to be located there since the ouster of President Aristide back in February.

A lot of the roads are washed out to that area, I am told. That small town is locate in the bottom of a valley. And so that's why a lot of the water has remained in that area.

Now, unfortunately, they are predicting rain over this weekend which won't help the cleanup situation but authorities there plan to continue to fly in relief supplies as often as they can.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Santa Domingo, the Dominican Republic.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: And now to the Michael Jackson child molestation case. A trial date penciled in. One of several matters on the agenda at a hearing in Santa Maria today. And that's where we find CNN's Miguel Marques -- Miguel.

MARQUES: Seems my permanent place in life here, Miles. And there was a lot of legal lifting in the courtroom today. And Jackson was not here, though. There was one Jackson here, Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson's father came in court today. The only thing he said as he left court today is that they had a good day. What did that consist of, because it all it depends on your point of view.

One is a trial date set for his son. September 13, 2004, this year, a few months. Sooner than any of us really expected. Certainly sooner than the defense or the prosecution was expecting.

The judge, Rodney Melville, superior court judge here in Santa Barbara County, indicated this a bull's eye that he's aiming for because he wants the issues regarding discovery and evidence to be worked out at a much faster pace than he sees going.

And they spent a lot of time talking about that evidence today. Comes out in court today that between the discussions between the defense and prosecution, there's some 400 items of evidence that was taken from Mr. Jackson's home in various search warrants and storage lockers and other friends' homes. There's 105 items of evidence that the grand jury itself saw.

The prosecution saying that they've already released 2,200 pages of documents to the defense, 69 audiotapes, two videotapes and one CD- ROM. The defense believing there is a lot more out there they want to get their hands on and be able to figure out how they're going to make their case for Mr. Jackson's innocence.

The other thing discussed was a bail reduction. Mr. Jackson has been ordered to pay $3 million bail. his defense saying that his prior lawyers, Mr. Geragos, should have object to that because it's just extraordinarily high. Quoting the Santa Barbara County Bail Guidelines saying that if you killed somebody with a weapon of mass destruction in Santa Barbara County, you would be limited a bail of about $1 million. So Mr. Jackson's $3 million is too much.

Prosecution saying this is just a minuscule amount of what Mr. Jackson has. He's a flight risk, he's an international super star. And this guy could hit the road.

The next hearing in this is the 25th of June. We will possibly get redacted versions of the grand jury testimony. There may be about a thousand pages of that. We may also see the full indictment from the grand jury at that time, including this one conspiracy charge contained in that one charge are 20 overt acts of conspiracy lodged against Mr. Jackson and media corporations, including CNN, would like to see that public -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Miguel Marques, thank you very much -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: The numbers say it all. Just how much does America love its idol? Mary Snow will let us know in the business report coming up.

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WHITFIELD: All right, coming up at the top of the hour, who will lead the new Iraq? We'll have the latest.

And honoring what's been called the greatest generations. Emotions are running high on the eve of the dedication ceremony for the World War II Memorial.

O'BRIEN: Could it really happen? Is the new film "The Day After Tomorrow" really fiction? It's Hollywood, folks! Anyway, we'll take a close look with one of our in-house experts when LIVE FROM... returns.

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