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CORRECTED COPY; Al Qaeda Associate Takes Saudis Up on Amnesty Offer; More Terrorist Sites on Web
Aired July 13, 2004 - 13:58 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.
CORRECTED COPY
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with an offer one al Qaeda associate couldn't refuse. Khaled al-Harbi caught on video conversing with Osama bin Laden about 9/11 turned himself in at the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
The Saudi government has temporarily offered leniency to terror suspects who surrender. And Harbi is the third to take advantage of it. CNN's Nic Robertson is following development from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Khaled al-Harbi, according to a source close to Saudi intelligence, is a sick and frail man in need of urgent medical treatment. According to this particular source, he turned himself in, Khaled al-Harbi, turned himself in on the Iranian border. He was then taken to the Saudi embassy in Tehran. From there, flown on a private jet to Saudi Arabia.
When he landed in Saudi Arabia he was taken away in an ambulance. Before doing so, he made a statement, essentially saying that he had taken up the Saudi offer of amnesty for members of al Qaeda.
KHALED AL-HARBI (through translator): I called the embassy and we felt that we were welcome, that we were among family. Thank god for this blessing. I came because I abide the word of god and that of the caretaker of the holy sites. This initiative from the caretaker of holy sites and the king is an opportunity. Our country is the country of Islam.
Undoubtedly, any logical man would thank god and should take advantage of this opportunity.
ROBERTSON: According to the same source close to Saudi intelligence, Saudi officials say this is a huge psychological blow for Al Qaeda. The reason they say this is that Khaled Al-Harbi was a close associate of Osama bin Laden, sat next to him in a videotape released in December 2001, where Khaled Al-Harbi praised Osama bin Laden's September the eleventh attacks that year, praised him for the number of people who'd been killed in those attacks.
Also, Khaled Al-Harbi fought alongside Osama bin Laden in the 1980s inside Afghanistan, against the Soviet occupation. According to this particular source, al Qaeda should really have been able to take care of Khaled Al-Harbi. The fact that this frail man, as they describe him, has had to come to the Saudi authorities to receive treatment for his condition is an indication that al Qaeda, they say, is in disarray, and al Qaeda is unable even to take care of those people who are considered close associates of Osama bin Laden.
According to Saudi officials -- well, according to the same Saudi source close to Saudi intelligence -- Saudi officials now face a tricky issue, because Khaled Al-Harbi did not commit any attacks in Saudi Arabia. They say, however, he certainly is not a free man.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: More terrorists are posting their sinister plotlines online. Experts say that suspicious chatter in chat rooms is growing, as terrorists use the World Wide Web to spread their talk about terrorism. CNN's Kelly Arena has this report.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This Web site reads, in part, "Oh, Allah, destroy America and shake it." This one says, "The decisive battle is approaching." Such threats are not new to terror experts who scan hundreds of al Qaeda-related Web sites daily. But recently, some say there is more reason to worry.
Experts say threats are coming with greater frequency and from more reliable sources.
EVAN KOHLMANN, GLOBAL TERROR-ALERT.COM: A lot of the chatter that we're seeing is not coming from unidentified, unspecified sources on Internet chat boards. It's coming from the same sources that have predicted the four terrorist acts that have actually occurred.
ARENA: One such source warned of attacks in Spain three months before the bombings there in March, and distributed video of the beheading of American Nick Berg. It's called Global Islamic Media.
KOHLMANN: He's now saying that the death blows in the approaching battles are coming, that the death blows are upon us, and that these death blows will not only be horrible, but that they are sure to happen.
ARENA: Some of the potential targets mentioned include hospitals, parks, airports, and houses of worship.
GABRIEL WEIMANN, U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE: We see many targets mentioned. And if you are involved in psychological warfare, you know that the more targets you mention, the more panic you cause, and it will be harder to defend against attacks.
ARENA: Once more, Weimann says even if the postings are pure propaganda, they help terrorists accomplish their goal.
WEIMANN: I think Al Qaeda knows that one of the most important venues of terrorism is the psychological impact. That is, you can widen the scope of the victims by enlarging it to the people who are affected psychologically.
ARENA (on camera): Officials are taking the Web chatter very seriously and have reached out to a variety of experts for assistance. Many are convinced that Al Qaeda is prepared to strike and are intent on not missing any clues.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Back in this country, severe summer weather dominates news across America. Officials are tallying flood damage from up to eight inches of rain in parts of northeastern Maryland. Cecil County alone saw 32 water rescues last night. Despite some close calls, no deaths or serious injuries are reported.
There are no reports of injuries in flood-ravaged Burlington County, New Jersey either, but the governor is declaring it a disaster area. Up to 13 inches of rain broke at least five small dams last night. Five hundred people had to evacuate their homes. And a huge wall of dust rolled through Phoenix, Arizona last night. That dust storm actually brought some rain with it. The high winds downed some trees but did no severe damage.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Well, as the race for the White House heats up, President Bush is in Marquette, Michigan, kicking off a two-day campaign swing through the Midwest. Live pictures now. Marquette is in a mostly rural area that hasn't seen a visit from a sitting president in almost a century, believe it or not.
Mr. Bush is closely following Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry's trail through the heartland. And he's challenging Kerry's claim as a champion of conservative values.
The Democrats have their prime time speakers scheduled set for the presidential convention in Boston, the week of July 26th. The Kerry-Edwards campaign says that the opening night will highlight their plans for America's future. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Former Vice President Al Gore will speak. Then, on Tuesday night, fellow Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. And John Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, will highlight Kerry's record of service.
Then vice presidential candidate John Edwards will speak on security and defense on Wednesday. He'll be introduced by his wife, Elizabeth. And former Senator Max Cleland of Georgia will introduce Kerry Thursday at the opening ceremony. The latest Gallup Poll shows the Kerry-Edwards Democratic ticket is more popular than the Republican Bush-Cheney ticket.
Let's get to Princeton, New Jersey and the Gallup Poll's Editor- in-Chief, Frank Newport. Hi, Frank.
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP: Hello, Kyra. Indeed, a lot of looking, I should say, to see if the announcement of Edwards as Kerry's vice president last week produced a bounce. I would say, at most, a mini bounce. As you say, the Edwards ticket, the Edwards- Kerry ticket slightly ahead now of Bush and Cheney, but not by a lot -- about four points, all in all.
It's 50 likely voters, 50 percent of likely voters say they would be voting for Kerry and Edwards and about 46 percent say they would be voting for the Bush-Cheney ticket. That's right over here. That is an improvement. That's why I say it's a mini bounce from when we polled last in June.
However, if you go back to early June, you find Kerry had a lead then. So I don't think this is anything extraordinary at this point. Probably not going to see any major movements in these poll numbers until the Boston Convention when, typically, the Democratic candidates, for their convention, would get a bounce.
One other interesting fact. We did do a CNN-USA Today Gallup Poll just in the State of North Carolina over the weekend. Why? Well, that's the home state, of course, of John Edwards. He's the senator from North Carolina. Did that state suddenly come into play? It's usually a Republican state when it comes to the presidential race. No.
Here's the data among likely voters in North Carolina, 56 to 41, a major spread for Bush and Cheney. Bush won it by 13 points back in 2000. So Kyra, right now, we're not seeing any evidence that the Edwards addition to the Democratic ticket is making a great deal of difference in that southern state.
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk about President Bush's controversial refusal to speak at the NAACP convention. Actually, some say that it was a refusal to speak there. Others say that it was a scheduling problem. Let's talk about that convention in Philadelphia. Has it had any fallout for him?
NEWPORT: Well, the bottom line is that Republican candidates just don't do well at all among the black voting constituency in this country. We've just finished our annual Gallup Poll update on black- white attitudes in this country. Over 800 African-Americans in this major national sample. We did ask, Bush job approval -- look at the numbers, 79 percent disapproval.
We asked black Americans, "Who would you vote for? Would it be Kerry or would it be Bush?" No surprise here. Historically, this has been what we've found in exit polls -- 81 to 12, blacks overwhelmingly would vote for Kerry.
So in answer to your question, certainly, there's not a lot more damage that could be done to the Republican ticket among the black voters in this country. They're overwhelmingly Democratic, as you can see.
PHILLIPS: All right. The Senate debate over a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriages. Is there a public consensus on this controversy? NEWPORT: It depends on how you define consensus. I sound like a lawyer there. Clearly, a majority, 51 percent, say they actually support the concept of an amendment that would limit marriage to just a man and a woman -- see the number there, 51 percent. So that's a majority.
But under the constitution, of course, the consensus to change the constitution needs to be numbers like two-thirds and three- quarters of various legislative bodies. We're seeing nothing like that at the moment. So clearly, we don't have the kind of super majority support that the founding fathers said would be necessary to amend the constitution.
PHILLIPS: All right. Frank Newport, thank you so much. Captured in Iraq. Will a government's negotiations with the kidnappers save a hostage? A live report from Baghdad straight ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm pretty sure he's just scared. He wouldn't do anything to hurt anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kind kitty or 600-pound menace? A tiger on the loose in Florida, and Tarzan is leading the search party. We're not kidding. It's too bizarre, but all true. The rest of that story just ahead on LIVE FROM...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Now, the high price of freedom in Iraq. In the case of Filipino kidnap victim Angelo de la Cruz, that price appears to be a hasty departure of Filipino peacekeeping troops, and a source in Baghdad says Manila is willing to pay it. Still, the whole affair is shrouded in secrecy and doubt. But CNN's Jane Arraf is trying to peer through.
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Kyra, there appears to be what many people would see as deliberate confusion on the part of the Philippine government here, and perfectly natural, one must say. On the one hand here, they're trying to convince the kidnappers that they should release Angelo de la Cruz, a truck driver who has become a symbol, perhaps, for the millions of Philippine workers in the Middle East, who leave their families to work far from home to send back money to support their children.
Now, here in Baghdad, diplomats have said that he is still expected to be released today, although it is almost the end of the day, and no word as to whether he has been. Indications, in fact, that he has not yet been released. Also, no word as to when exactly the Philippines might withdraw those troops. Simply, they have said that they would do it as soon as possible.
Here in Baghdad, the Iraqi government is saying that it discourages countries like the Philippines from negotiating with these hostage takers. And the foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, speaking in Brussels, said essentially, it's a very difficult situation, because they're not sure who's behind this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOSHYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: The difficulty is, really, we don't know who are these people. The criminal gangs, they don't have an address, they don't have any negotiating mechanisms. So we do our best to do that through intermediaries and through our local security and police authorities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: What we do know is that de la Cruz, like many of these hostages, was kidnapped near Fallujah, where there's been a lot of unrest that just will not stop. As for who the captors are, we know the name of the group -- still don't know who they are exactly, though -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jane, if indeed these peacekeeping troops pull out, how will that affect operations in Iraq?
ARRAF: It won't make a huge dent, Kyra. We have to remember, these are 51 people. They're policemen, other soldiers. It's not a huge contingent, but the value of them is essentially that this is a really key U.S. ally, and if the Philippines starts pulling out its workers, then other countries could follow. And that's really what the U.S. is looking at and what Iraq is looking at as well, not to mention the precedent set by negotiating with hostage takers -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jane Arraf, live from Baghdad. Thanks so much. Well, day in and day out, much of what the world heard from post-Saddam, pre-sovereign Iraq came from U.S. Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. Well, today, the coalition military spokesman is stateside, and CNN's Barbara Starr sought him out -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi to you, Kyra. Well, it's the same uniform that we saw in Iraq, but Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, the man the world came to watch for so many months on that podium in Baghdad, is now out of Iraq for his first week out of country. He was back in the Pentagon today, just for a few days, before he moves on to his next assignment.
But he sat down with CNN here in the Pentagon to talk about his time in Baghdad, his work with both the Western and Iraqi press corps, walking that fine line between political and military operations. And he talked in-depth about one of the toughest times, one of the toughest periods he had in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, FMR. COALITION SPOKESMAN: Clearly, Abu Ghraib was the biggest challenge, because the actions of the few were so non-reflective of what the 135,000 American soldiers on the ground were doing. But those pictures spread throughout the country and formed an impression in the minds of the Iraqis that were reflected in the questions asked by the reporters.
And the hardest part was to try to explain to them rationally, unemotionally, that what we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, that conduct we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, but it was not reflective of the honorable service performed by 135,000 soldiers over there every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: General Kimmitt went on to give us a little peek behind the scenes at some of the more lighthearted moments in Baghdad, some of the relationships that he did develop with the members of the Iraqi press corps, talking about the day the Iraqis trounced the coalition in a soccer game -- something that was not well publicized by the coalition.
He is about to move on to another job at the U.S. Central Command. He'll be back in that region. But he is out of Iraq, at least for now. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Well, he's not out of fans. What's this I hear about his biggest fan?
STARR: Indeed. We got General Kimmitt to get a little more reflective and personal about his time in Iraq. It turns out he has one very big fan, and that's his mother. He told us that due to modern age technology, television, his mother, his quite elderly mother was able to watch his briefings every day on TV. And if she did not see him on television, she would become worried. And once he realized that, he said, "If I wasn't going to be on TV, I had to call my mom." So even big, tough generals have moms too.
PHILLIPS: But we still will not call him a momma's boy, right?
STARR: Not to his face.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: There we go.
STARR: Or behind his back.
PHILLIPS: Yes, right. Or on national television. Barbara Starr, thank you so much. Well, you can catch Barbara's profile of General Kimmitt tonight on "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN." That's at 10 Eastern, 7 Pacific, only here on CNN.
Well, a host of failures. That's what a six-month inquiry into Britain's prewar intelligence is expected to show. That report goes public tomorrow. And today, Prime Minister Tony Blair pored over the findings afterward, insisting that that war was justified.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: With the history of Saddam, and what he did not just to his own country but to the wider world, we are better, safer, more secure without him in office. And I think what is interesting with the transfer of sovereignty a couple of weeks ago is that you can feel the situation changing.
Now, it's far too early to be anything other than immensely cautious. But I think you can get a sense from Iraq that the Iraqi people know very well now the prospect they have for the future. These terrorists and former Saddam people are actually their enemy, not people fighting a war of liberation for them.
And you've only got to imagine what the Middle East would be like if Iraq reaches the position they want to see and we want to see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Blair has also acknowledged that weapons of mass destruction, the reason cited for going to war, may never be found in Iraq. It's illegal. Companies are cracking down on it. But millions of Americans are still doing it, and the number is rising. We'll upload the newest data on computer file-sharing a little later on LIVE FROM....
And fashion statement? But can you get CNN on it? We're tuning into the T-shirts later on LIVE FROM...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MARKET REPORT)
PHILLIPS: And welcome back. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is LIVE FROM.... I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half-hour. What would you do if a tiger were running loose in your neighborhood? Well, wait until you see what people in one Florida neighborhood are doing to try and catch Bobo today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did my undergraduate education from Iraq. I feel I owe them something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Repaying a debt to a war-torn homeland. A professor proving that one man can make a very big difference. But first, here's what's happening in the news.
Surrendering to the Saudis, an Al Qaeda associate with ties to Osama bin Laden is now in Riyadh. Khaled Al-Harbi gave himself up in Iran after the Saudi government offered leniency to terror suspects who surrender this month. More perspective from CNN's Octavia Nasr in about 30 minutes from now.
An "F" for effort. World Health Organization officials say that everyone has failed miserably in getting life-saving drugs to those afflicted with HIV. At the International AIDS Conference, they noted only 7 percent of the 6 million people in poor countries who need treatment receive it. More at 10 p.m. on CNN's "NEWSNIGHT." Steroids and sports, a young man said to be a college athlete hides his identity as he testifies on Capitol Hill about who's using and who's providing; the subject of debate on "PAULA ZAHN NOW" 8 p.m. tonight. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
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Aired July 13, 2004 - 13:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CORRECTED COPY
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with an offer one al Qaeda associate couldn't refuse. Khaled al-Harbi caught on video conversing with Osama bin Laden about 9/11 turned himself in at the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
The Saudi government has temporarily offered leniency to terror suspects who surrender. And Harbi is the third to take advantage of it. CNN's Nic Robertson is following development from London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Khaled al-Harbi, according to a source close to Saudi intelligence, is a sick and frail man in need of urgent medical treatment. According to this particular source, he turned himself in, Khaled al-Harbi, turned himself in on the Iranian border. He was then taken to the Saudi embassy in Tehran. From there, flown on a private jet to Saudi Arabia.
When he landed in Saudi Arabia he was taken away in an ambulance. Before doing so, he made a statement, essentially saying that he had taken up the Saudi offer of amnesty for members of al Qaeda.
KHALED AL-HARBI (through translator): I called the embassy and we felt that we were welcome, that we were among family. Thank god for this blessing. I came because I abide the word of god and that of the caretaker of the holy sites. This initiative from the caretaker of holy sites and the king is an opportunity. Our country is the country of Islam.
Undoubtedly, any logical man would thank god and should take advantage of this opportunity.
ROBERTSON: According to the same source close to Saudi intelligence, Saudi officials say this is a huge psychological blow for Al Qaeda. The reason they say this is that Khaled Al-Harbi was a close associate of Osama bin Laden, sat next to him in a videotape released in December 2001, where Khaled Al-Harbi praised Osama bin Laden's September the eleventh attacks that year, praised him for the number of people who'd been killed in those attacks.
Also, Khaled Al-Harbi fought alongside Osama bin Laden in the 1980s inside Afghanistan, against the Soviet occupation. According to this particular source, al Qaeda should really have been able to take care of Khaled Al-Harbi. The fact that this frail man, as they describe him, has had to come to the Saudi authorities to receive treatment for his condition is an indication that al Qaeda, they say, is in disarray, and al Qaeda is unable even to take care of those people who are considered close associates of Osama bin Laden.
According to Saudi officials -- well, according to the same Saudi source close to Saudi intelligence -- Saudi officials now face a tricky issue, because Khaled Al-Harbi did not commit any attacks in Saudi Arabia. They say, however, he certainly is not a free man.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: More terrorists are posting their sinister plotlines online. Experts say that suspicious chatter in chat rooms is growing, as terrorists use the World Wide Web to spread their talk about terrorism. CNN's Kelly Arena has this report.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This Web site reads, in part, "Oh, Allah, destroy America and shake it." This one says, "The decisive battle is approaching." Such threats are not new to terror experts who scan hundreds of al Qaeda-related Web sites daily. But recently, some say there is more reason to worry.
Experts say threats are coming with greater frequency and from more reliable sources.
EVAN KOHLMANN, GLOBAL TERROR-ALERT.COM: A lot of the chatter that we're seeing is not coming from unidentified, unspecified sources on Internet chat boards. It's coming from the same sources that have predicted the four terrorist acts that have actually occurred.
ARENA: One such source warned of attacks in Spain three months before the bombings there in March, and distributed video of the beheading of American Nick Berg. It's called Global Islamic Media.
KOHLMANN: He's now saying that the death blows in the approaching battles are coming, that the death blows are upon us, and that these death blows will not only be horrible, but that they are sure to happen.
ARENA: Some of the potential targets mentioned include hospitals, parks, airports, and houses of worship.
GABRIEL WEIMANN, U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE: We see many targets mentioned. And if you are involved in psychological warfare, you know that the more targets you mention, the more panic you cause, and it will be harder to defend against attacks.
ARENA: Once more, Weimann says even if the postings are pure propaganda, they help terrorists accomplish their goal.
WEIMANN: I think Al Qaeda knows that one of the most important venues of terrorism is the psychological impact. That is, you can widen the scope of the victims by enlarging it to the people who are affected psychologically.
ARENA (on camera): Officials are taking the Web chatter very seriously and have reached out to a variety of experts for assistance. Many are convinced that Al Qaeda is prepared to strike and are intent on not missing any clues.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Back in this country, severe summer weather dominates news across America. Officials are tallying flood damage from up to eight inches of rain in parts of northeastern Maryland. Cecil County alone saw 32 water rescues last night. Despite some close calls, no deaths or serious injuries are reported.
There are no reports of injuries in flood-ravaged Burlington County, New Jersey either, but the governor is declaring it a disaster area. Up to 13 inches of rain broke at least five small dams last night. Five hundred people had to evacuate their homes. And a huge wall of dust rolled through Phoenix, Arizona last night. That dust storm actually brought some rain with it. The high winds downed some trees but did no severe damage.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Well, as the race for the White House heats up, President Bush is in Marquette, Michigan, kicking off a two-day campaign swing through the Midwest. Live pictures now. Marquette is in a mostly rural area that hasn't seen a visit from a sitting president in almost a century, believe it or not.
Mr. Bush is closely following Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry's trail through the heartland. And he's challenging Kerry's claim as a champion of conservative values.
The Democrats have their prime time speakers scheduled set for the presidential convention in Boston, the week of July 26th. The Kerry-Edwards campaign says that the opening night will highlight their plans for America's future. Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Former Vice President Al Gore will speak. Then, on Tuesday night, fellow Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy. And John Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, will highlight Kerry's record of service.
Then vice presidential candidate John Edwards will speak on security and defense on Wednesday. He'll be introduced by his wife, Elizabeth. And former Senator Max Cleland of Georgia will introduce Kerry Thursday at the opening ceremony. The latest Gallup Poll shows the Kerry-Edwards Democratic ticket is more popular than the Republican Bush-Cheney ticket.
Let's get to Princeton, New Jersey and the Gallup Poll's Editor- in-Chief, Frank Newport. Hi, Frank.
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP: Hello, Kyra. Indeed, a lot of looking, I should say, to see if the announcement of Edwards as Kerry's vice president last week produced a bounce. I would say, at most, a mini bounce. As you say, the Edwards ticket, the Edwards- Kerry ticket slightly ahead now of Bush and Cheney, but not by a lot -- about four points, all in all.
It's 50 likely voters, 50 percent of likely voters say they would be voting for Kerry and Edwards and about 46 percent say they would be voting for the Bush-Cheney ticket. That's right over here. That is an improvement. That's why I say it's a mini bounce from when we polled last in June.
However, if you go back to early June, you find Kerry had a lead then. So I don't think this is anything extraordinary at this point. Probably not going to see any major movements in these poll numbers until the Boston Convention when, typically, the Democratic candidates, for their convention, would get a bounce.
One other interesting fact. We did do a CNN-USA Today Gallup Poll just in the State of North Carolina over the weekend. Why? Well, that's the home state, of course, of John Edwards. He's the senator from North Carolina. Did that state suddenly come into play? It's usually a Republican state when it comes to the presidential race. No.
Here's the data among likely voters in North Carolina, 56 to 41, a major spread for Bush and Cheney. Bush won it by 13 points back in 2000. So Kyra, right now, we're not seeing any evidence that the Edwards addition to the Democratic ticket is making a great deal of difference in that southern state.
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk about President Bush's controversial refusal to speak at the NAACP convention. Actually, some say that it was a refusal to speak there. Others say that it was a scheduling problem. Let's talk about that convention in Philadelphia. Has it had any fallout for him?
NEWPORT: Well, the bottom line is that Republican candidates just don't do well at all among the black voting constituency in this country. We've just finished our annual Gallup Poll update on black- white attitudes in this country. Over 800 African-Americans in this major national sample. We did ask, Bush job approval -- look at the numbers, 79 percent disapproval.
We asked black Americans, "Who would you vote for? Would it be Kerry or would it be Bush?" No surprise here. Historically, this has been what we've found in exit polls -- 81 to 12, blacks overwhelmingly would vote for Kerry.
So in answer to your question, certainly, there's not a lot more damage that could be done to the Republican ticket among the black voters in this country. They're overwhelmingly Democratic, as you can see.
PHILLIPS: All right. The Senate debate over a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriages. Is there a public consensus on this controversy? NEWPORT: It depends on how you define consensus. I sound like a lawyer there. Clearly, a majority, 51 percent, say they actually support the concept of an amendment that would limit marriage to just a man and a woman -- see the number there, 51 percent. So that's a majority.
But under the constitution, of course, the consensus to change the constitution needs to be numbers like two-thirds and three- quarters of various legislative bodies. We're seeing nothing like that at the moment. So clearly, we don't have the kind of super majority support that the founding fathers said would be necessary to amend the constitution.
PHILLIPS: All right. Frank Newport, thank you so much. Captured in Iraq. Will a government's negotiations with the kidnappers save a hostage? A live report from Baghdad straight ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm pretty sure he's just scared. He wouldn't do anything to hurt anybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kind kitty or 600-pound menace? A tiger on the loose in Florida, and Tarzan is leading the search party. We're not kidding. It's too bizarre, but all true. The rest of that story just ahead on LIVE FROM...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Now, the high price of freedom in Iraq. In the case of Filipino kidnap victim Angelo de la Cruz, that price appears to be a hasty departure of Filipino peacekeeping troops, and a source in Baghdad says Manila is willing to pay it. Still, the whole affair is shrouded in secrecy and doubt. But CNN's Jane Arraf is trying to peer through.
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Kyra, there appears to be what many people would see as deliberate confusion on the part of the Philippine government here, and perfectly natural, one must say. On the one hand here, they're trying to convince the kidnappers that they should release Angelo de la Cruz, a truck driver who has become a symbol, perhaps, for the millions of Philippine workers in the Middle East, who leave their families to work far from home to send back money to support their children.
Now, here in Baghdad, diplomats have said that he is still expected to be released today, although it is almost the end of the day, and no word as to whether he has been. Indications, in fact, that he has not yet been released. Also, no word as to when exactly the Philippines might withdraw those troops. Simply, they have said that they would do it as soon as possible.
Here in Baghdad, the Iraqi government is saying that it discourages countries like the Philippines from negotiating with these hostage takers. And the foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari, speaking in Brussels, said essentially, it's a very difficult situation, because they're not sure who's behind this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOSHYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: The difficulty is, really, we don't know who are these people. The criminal gangs, they don't have an address, they don't have any negotiating mechanisms. So we do our best to do that through intermediaries and through our local security and police authorities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: What we do know is that de la Cruz, like many of these hostages, was kidnapped near Fallujah, where there's been a lot of unrest that just will not stop. As for who the captors are, we know the name of the group -- still don't know who they are exactly, though -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jane, if indeed these peacekeeping troops pull out, how will that affect operations in Iraq?
ARRAF: It won't make a huge dent, Kyra. We have to remember, these are 51 people. They're policemen, other soldiers. It's not a huge contingent, but the value of them is essentially that this is a really key U.S. ally, and if the Philippines starts pulling out its workers, then other countries could follow. And that's really what the U.S. is looking at and what Iraq is looking at as well, not to mention the precedent set by negotiating with hostage takers -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jane Arraf, live from Baghdad. Thanks so much. Well, day in and day out, much of what the world heard from post-Saddam, pre-sovereign Iraq came from U.S. Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. Well, today, the coalition military spokesman is stateside, and CNN's Barbara Starr sought him out -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi to you, Kyra. Well, it's the same uniform that we saw in Iraq, but Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, the man the world came to watch for so many months on that podium in Baghdad, is now out of Iraq for his first week out of country. He was back in the Pentagon today, just for a few days, before he moves on to his next assignment.
But he sat down with CNN here in the Pentagon to talk about his time in Baghdad, his work with both the Western and Iraqi press corps, walking that fine line between political and military operations. And he talked in-depth about one of the toughest times, one of the toughest periods he had in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, FMR. COALITION SPOKESMAN: Clearly, Abu Ghraib was the biggest challenge, because the actions of the few were so non-reflective of what the 135,000 American soldiers on the ground were doing. But those pictures spread throughout the country and formed an impression in the minds of the Iraqis that were reflected in the questions asked by the reporters.
And the hardest part was to try to explain to them rationally, unemotionally, that what we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, that conduct we saw in those photos was absolutely wrong, but it was not reflective of the honorable service performed by 135,000 soldiers over there every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: General Kimmitt went on to give us a little peek behind the scenes at some of the more lighthearted moments in Baghdad, some of the relationships that he did develop with the members of the Iraqi press corps, talking about the day the Iraqis trounced the coalition in a soccer game -- something that was not well publicized by the coalition.
He is about to move on to another job at the U.S. Central Command. He'll be back in that region. But he is out of Iraq, at least for now. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Well, he's not out of fans. What's this I hear about his biggest fan?
STARR: Indeed. We got General Kimmitt to get a little more reflective and personal about his time in Iraq. It turns out he has one very big fan, and that's his mother. He told us that due to modern age technology, television, his mother, his quite elderly mother was able to watch his briefings every day on TV. And if she did not see him on television, she would become worried. And once he realized that, he said, "If I wasn't going to be on TV, I had to call my mom." So even big, tough generals have moms too.
PHILLIPS: But we still will not call him a momma's boy, right?
STARR: Not to his face.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: There we go.
STARR: Or behind his back.
PHILLIPS: Yes, right. Or on national television. Barbara Starr, thank you so much. Well, you can catch Barbara's profile of General Kimmitt tonight on "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN." That's at 10 Eastern, 7 Pacific, only here on CNN.
Well, a host of failures. That's what a six-month inquiry into Britain's prewar intelligence is expected to show. That report goes public tomorrow. And today, Prime Minister Tony Blair pored over the findings afterward, insisting that that war was justified.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: With the history of Saddam, and what he did not just to his own country but to the wider world, we are better, safer, more secure without him in office. And I think what is interesting with the transfer of sovereignty a couple of weeks ago is that you can feel the situation changing.
Now, it's far too early to be anything other than immensely cautious. But I think you can get a sense from Iraq that the Iraqi people know very well now the prospect they have for the future. These terrorists and former Saddam people are actually their enemy, not people fighting a war of liberation for them.
And you've only got to imagine what the Middle East would be like if Iraq reaches the position they want to see and we want to see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Blair has also acknowledged that weapons of mass destruction, the reason cited for going to war, may never be found in Iraq. It's illegal. Companies are cracking down on it. But millions of Americans are still doing it, and the number is rising. We'll upload the newest data on computer file-sharing a little later on LIVE FROM....
And fashion statement? But can you get CNN on it? We're tuning into the T-shirts later on LIVE FROM...
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PHILLIPS: And welcome back. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is LIVE FROM.... I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half-hour. What would you do if a tiger were running loose in your neighborhood? Well, wait until you see what people in one Florida neighborhood are doing to try and catch Bobo today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I did my undergraduate education from Iraq. I feel I owe them something.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Repaying a debt to a war-torn homeland. A professor proving that one man can make a very big difference. But first, here's what's happening in the news.
Surrendering to the Saudis, an Al Qaeda associate with ties to Osama bin Laden is now in Riyadh. Khaled Al-Harbi gave himself up in Iran after the Saudi government offered leniency to terror suspects who surrender this month. More perspective from CNN's Octavia Nasr in about 30 minutes from now.
An "F" for effort. World Health Organization officials say that everyone has failed miserably in getting life-saving drugs to those afflicted with HIV. At the International AIDS Conference, they noted only 7 percent of the 6 million people in poor countries who need treatment receive it. More at 10 p.m. on CNN's "NEWSNIGHT." Steroids and sports, a young man said to be a college athlete hides his identity as he testifies on Capitol Hill about who's using and who's providing; the subject of debate on "PAULA ZAHN NOW" 8 p.m. tonight. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
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