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Live From...
No WMD Stockpiles in Iraq; Samarra Offensive Over; The Life of Rodney Dangerfield
Aired October 06, 2004 - 14:29 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: Stories now in the news -- a Florida appeals court rules Rush Limbaugh's medical records were seized properly as part of an investigation. That investigation centers on whether the radio host illegally tried to purchase prescription painkillers. His doctor's offices were raided by investigators, and Limbaugh's attorney says his client's privacy rights were violated. Limbaugh has not been charged and says he will continue to appeal.
President Bush says Senator John Kerry has a strategy of retreat in Iraq. The president came out swinging in a speech in Pennsylvania following his slide in the polls. The race is now considered by some as a dead heat, two days before the second presidential debate.
European officials are opening the door to a possible membership for Turkey, but a final decision could take years. Turkey has long tried to enter the expanding union, seeing itself as a bridge between Muslim countries and Europe.
And big news in Barbados, the Tiger Woods wedding. That's right. He married that Swedish model - I won't even attempt to say her name -- at the exclusive Sandy Lane resort as Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities looked on. The couple spent their wedding night on a yacht.
Go ahead, Miles, name privacy.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You can just call her Yoko.
PHILLIPS: A new report from the CIA shed some light on the status of Iraq's nuclear program before the war. The full report is to be presented to Congress beginning in just a few moments.
Live pictures right now of the Hearing Room, Senate Armed Service Committee. You'll be seeing some pictures from there throughout the afternoon as that report is made public.
Joining us to talk about the Duelfer Report and its findings in advance is Ken Robinson, who has been combing through what we know about it just now. Ken, good to have you back with us.
KEN ROBINSON, CNN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Thanks, Miles.
O'BRIEN: First of all, what do we know about Richard (sic) Duelfer?
ROBINSON: Richard (sic) Duelfer was a former State Department employee, and in 1993 he joined the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq, UNSCOM, as the deputy commissioner working for Ambassador Richard Butler.
O'BRIEN: And of course, we know he is Charles Duelfer, my -- I misspoke there. And that's the first place we should start.
But nevertheless, he has a long lineage in working in this part of the world. Interesting that he was chosen by the CIA, I suspect, as the definitive person to come up with this so-called definitive study.
ROBINSON: Well, what's interesting to me about it, David Kay had been a former member of UNSCOM, as well. Charles Duelfer had been very critical of the CIA when he was at the United Nations. Critical is not the most accurate word -- he was hard on the Central Intelligence Agency in their attempts to do things, because he was representing, at that time, an international organization, the United Nations.
And so, he took that job very seriously and made sure that he protected the equities of the United Nations and its investigation of Iraq and tried to make sure the worlds didn't collide.
O'BRIEN: So, I guess it was important from the CIA perspective to pick somebody who would have credibility with his report.
ROBINSON: Very credible.
O'BRIEN: Somebody that had some criticism on the record.
Let's talk about what he said on the record. A year ago today, little bit of a revealing statement, he wrote -- I guess it was an op- ed piece in "The Washington Post," Charles Duelfer.
Let's take a very, very brief excerpt. It's a very long piece.
Basically what he says is, "Future reports," meaning ultimately the one we're about to see today that he authored, and some 1,000 pages or so, "will have to show in verifiable detail the extent of these prohibited programs, but these findings will not greatly surprise experiences U.N. inspectors."
And then, he goes on to say, "Hussein had long differentiated between retaining weapons and sustaining the capability to produce weapons. Experience has also shown that Iraq tended to pursue whatever relevant research was allowed or was deemed undetectable."
To what extent has this presaged -- has that op-ed presaged what is being released today?
ROBINSON: Well, everyone comes at an investigation with certain hypotheses or certain biases. And his are very clear, and they're all on the record for years. However, he's one of the most qualified people to have observed the delaying, the denying, the obfuscation, the problems that occurred with Scott Ritter and the confrontations that happened with Iraq that led to the Clinton administration doing bombing operations on them.
And so, he came with a clear understanding of what he was up against, and he had not made up his mind yet.
O'BRIEN: All right. And then finally, I mean, he was a part of this particular document here. It's -- weighty documents.
ROBINSON: Very weighty document.
O'BRIEN: ... task.
ROBINSON: Literally, he wrote the book. This was the report that was produced by the United Nations on Iraq and the Kuwait conflict, and it describes all of the UNSCOM inspections that preceded them leaving Iraq in February of '98 when they -- I mean, January of '98 when they finally left.
In this report, there are enormous examples of all the different ways that Iraq tried to maintain and sustain its ability to start up a program as they were trying to destroy that which had been produced.
O'BRIEN: So, I guess the real key is how you look at this, how imminent was the threat. And that is something that's going to play out over the coming days as this report is released.
Looks like things are about to heat up there. We'll be bringing that to you as soon as the relevant portions come on. And we'll bring them to you live, of course.
Ken Robinson, thank you very much.
ROBINSON: Thank you, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Well, U.S.-led forces are targeting insurgents throughout Iraq. The focus is on retaking unstable areas so that reconstruction can begin. Now, a key military leader today declared the offensive in the city of Samarra a success and added that things are returning to normal.
Major General John Batiste says that 127 insurgents were killed, 128 others were captured. The commander of the 1st Infantry Division joins us now by videophone from Tikrit to talk about the latest moves to root out that insurgency.
Major General, it's great to talk to you again. First of all, tell us the latest of what's happening in Tikrit right now.
MAJ. GEN. JOHN BATISTE, U.S. MILITARY: Well, hello. Yes, we're into the final phase of the operation on day six to return the city to normalcy, start the reconstruction, improve the quality of life for the Iraqi people and, probably most importantly, put them back to work.
PHILLIPS: Now, General, when we look at what happened in Samarra, I talked to one of your colonels the other day, talking about that city has be retaken from the insurgency. What was so successful there that you're hoping to implement in Tikrit as you engage in this offensive right now?
BATISTE: Well, we don't have a problem in Tikrit right now. But in Samarra, the good new story was the performance of the Iraqi security forces.
PHILLIPS: Well, you'll have to forgive me. What offensive are you -- did you refer to in that last question? You were not talking about Tikrit. What city were you talking about?
BATISTE: Talking about Samarra. The Iraqi security forces that were with us in that operation did a fantastic job.
PHILLIPS: Oh, OK. So, reports are saying that you have completely retaken that city from insurgents. Are you telling me that that's not the case, that you are still engaged in this offensive?
BATISTE: No. No, not at all. We are finished with the offensive within Samarra, and we're into the final phase to return the city to normalcy and start the reconstruction.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about that. It was -- the first sign of a real successful offensive, because you had Iraqi troops side by side with U.S. soldiers. Tell me about the relationships you've been able to build with these Iraqi soldiers as you train with them and as you now go into combat with them?
BATISTE: Well, there's a couple of different examples. The Iraqi National Guard -- battalions, in this case three battalions that have been training with us for some time -- for the past seven months, as a matter of fact.
And for this particular operation, we had three battalions -- the 7th Iraqi Army Battalion, the 37th Commando Battalion, and a special police battalion from the Ministry of the Interior. All three of these battalions joined us in a couple of days before the offensive in enough time to conduct rehearsals and pull them on to the team.
PHILLIPS: General, while we watch the successful operations go down side by side with Iraqi troops, of course we continue to see a lot of violence throughout Iraq. We see children being targeted and, most recently, Ambassador Paul Bremer coming forward saying there was a mistake in the strategy in Iraq, and there just weren't enough troops post Saddam Hussein.
Do you agree with that?
BATISTE: Let me answer that by saying that while we were conducting the operation in Samarra, at the same time we were conducting a battalion task force level air assault into an objective in the vicinity of Sharkak (ph), at the same time we were conducting a battalion level operation in the vicinity of Muqdadiyah. And at the same time, we were conducting a battalion level operation south of Balad. So, I think we had plenty of flexibility. Add to that the Iraqi security forces. They really do bring a lot to the fight now.
PHILLIPS: Major General John Batiste, we've had the unique opportunity to talk to you on a regular basis. And I know you're busy, and we appreciate your time, sir. Thank you.
BATISTE: You bet.
O'BRIEN: Putting a spin on the vice presidential debates. Two polls show two different winners. So, where do the campaigns go from here? Up next, we'll ask the "CROSSFIRE" guys, Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala.
Also, I scream, you scream, they're all screaming for ice cream -- while learning about the Democratic election process. We'll scoop into that story just ahead.
And remembering Rodney. We'll take a look back at the comedic legend who entertained us with his classic one-liners.
PHILLIPS: What's the one liner?
O'BRIEN: I don't get any respect. Whatever.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, in just a few weeks, Americans will vote in the presidential elections. And the process is familiar to most, but for some, it's not so elementary. A Pennsylvania school wanted future voters of America to be prepared. So, it fashioned an election to teach students the ABCs of voting.
Karin Mallett of our affiliate WFMZ has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARIN MALLETT, REPORTER, WFMZ (voice-over): It sure looks official, there are names in the book, an official stamps on the cards, and ballots box, but the voters look a bit young. Decked out in their patriotic best, students are registering to vote at Conrad Weiser East Elementary School in Wernersville.
LYNN HASSLER, CONRAD WEISER EAST ELEMENTARY: We want them to understand what the process is that actually adults go through.
MALLETT: These young students may not know who's running for president, but kindergartners do know what kind of ice cream they like.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Chocolate.
MALLETT: And what kind they don't. UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I don't like chocolate ice cream. I've tried it before, and I didn't like it.
MALLETT: So, once the registration process is complete, instead of voting for president, today's vote is for vanilla or chocolate ice cream.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Vanilla.
MALLETT: It's a clear choice for some, but a tough one for those on the fence.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I like both.
MALLETT (on camera): Now, independents may ask where's the strawberry, or what about a write-in candidate like mint chocolate chip or chocolate chip cookie dough? Is the democratic process reduced to just two choices for ice cream? And what if you're absent today? Does your vote count?
HASSLER: We just wanted to keep things simple since this is elementary school.
MALLETT: So, vanilla or chocolate it is. A practice session years in advance for a process that's hundreds of years old.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I feel proud.
MALLETT: And at the end of the day, it was a tight race, but there is a winner. Chocolate's 294 votes to vanilla's 238. There will be no recount.
In Wernersville, Pennsylvania, Karin Mallett for CNN..
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: I work with Miles, I don't get any respect. I get no respect.
O'BRIEN: Celebrating a comedic legend that's gone, but certainly not forgotten.
PHILLIPS: That's right, we're talking about Rodney Dangerfield, the life and times of his pretty incredible life, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Well, the running mates are off and running again with both campaigns grinning and spinning. The guys from "CROSSFIRE" -- Paul Begala, Tucker Carlson -- keeping score from Cleveland. Gentlemen, good to see you both enjoying Cleveland, great town, nice people. Good library, right?
TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Great place.
O'BRIEN: Yeah. PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Wonderful. Library -- the Cleveland Museum of Art, where we're sitting out in front of, actually took us around and tried to culturate (ph) us. As you know the old saying, you can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.
So, that was...
CARLSON: So it is with us.
PHILLIPS: Gosh. That's bad.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's move on.
CARLSON: That was a good line. I like that.
BEGALA: Not a bad line.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks to the "CROSSFIRE" guys. We're going to take a break. We'll be back with more tomorrow. Drive safely.
Let's -- let's talk about the debate, shall we? It's a push, right? It's just a toss-up. It means nothing. Paul, you first?
BEGALA: You know, it was a toss-up last night. Democrats think they have an opening, because frankly Vice President Cheney in his very monotone solid serious way dissembled several times.
Some of them silly and little, like when he said that he'd never met John Edwards. Turns out he met him three times and sat next to him for three hours at a prayer breakfast. The vice president so into his prayer that he didn't know John Edwards was sitting six inches off his right elbow.
More importantly, Cheney made the claim that he had never even suggested that Iraq somehow had something to do with 9/11. Simply not true. I mean, some of the others networks have the tape of when Cheney was on "Meet the Press," and they've been playing that tape endlessly. And it really clearly shows that Cheney wasn't forthcoming last night.
So, I think they've got a strategic problem in today mopping some of the things Cheney said last night.
CARLSON: Well, I mean, Tucker, that -- it's not just that one occasion on "Meet the Press." There were other occasions when the vice president made that link and made it frequently. So, to deny that is probably not the smartest thing.
What's your takeaway on this debate?
CARLSON: Well, I mean, he's denying the explicit link. He's denying that he said that Saddam was involved in the planning of 9/11. There's no doubt, had there been no 9/11, we wouldn't have invaded Iraq.
O'BRIEN: So, this is one of those... CARLSON: ... of many people that the two are linked...
O'BRIEN: This is one of those it depending on the meaning of "is" is denials, then. Parsing words.
CARLSON: Yeah. I mean, look, the idea of the fact that we're still debating why we went to war in the first place says something pretty damning, I think, maybe about the war itself, and I think that hurts the Bush administration.
On the other hand, the Cheney -- rather, the Kerry campaign still can't explain Kerry's vote from the first Gulf War. So, you heard last night a fascinating exchange, I thought, John Edwards point to the first Gulf War as an example of a war well prosecuted. Well, of course -- and Kerry does the same. Kerry voted against that war.
So, it just makes that neither side can get its talking points straight, i actually think the Bush people at least a little more consistent, even if you disagree with them.
But the Kerry position doesn't make any sense at all. If you follow through his -- the logical conclusion of Kerry's position on Iraq is we need to pull out immediately. It's the wrong war. Why are we still there? He should just say that, be Dennis Kucinich. It might work.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk about what's going to...
BEGALA: People should put...
O'BRIEN: Can we talk about what's going to happen just -- in fact, that debate bored me, quite frankly. So, let's talk about what's going on on Capitol Hill today. I just -- it didn't do it for me.
This latest report from Duelfer, which is going to supposedly be the definitive look on the WMD issue -- what happened, what was there, what's there now -- it seems to me both parties can exploit this document the way it is at least reported to be written.
Paul, you agree?
BEGALA: Well, I think it's a lot easier for the Democrats to exploit the document, because Charlie Duelfer -- of course, the person President Bush sent over there -- the second person Mr. Bush has sent, David Kay was the first -- both have now come back and said definitively no weapons of mass destruction.
And more importantly, according to "The Washington Post" this morning, the Duelfer Report says there wasn't a program of weapons of mass destruction. There was no threat to America from Saddam Hussein in Iraq. We went to war in the wrong country for the wrong reasons in the wrong place, as John Kerry said. And Bush seems very upset when Kerry says that. I think Kerry's right. I think the report shows that he was right.
O'BRIEN: Tucker, final thought?
CARLSON: On the other hand -- on the other hand -- right, I mean, every policymaker at the time in the Congress and the Executive Branch was working off the same information. Everybody was wrong. Everyone assumed. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone -- from Mrs. Clinton to France believed that there was an ongoing weapons program of some significance in Iraq, and there wasn't.
I mean, it's a big deal. There's no denying that. And it may undermine the reasoning for the war in the first place. I'm willing to believe that it does. But to say that it's the result of the Bush administration lying, that's a crock. That's childish. Come on...
O'BRIEN: All right.
BEGALA: There were plenty of dissenting views, and the president didn't listen to any of them.
CARLSON: I never -- I never heard anybody say...
BEGALA: You sat next to me and heard them every day.
CARLSON: You never said there are no WMD. Nobody said that.
BEGALA: Said there's no threat.
CARLSON: OK, that's a good question.
O'BRIEN: All right, from Mrs. Clinton to France. I guess that is the left-wing conspiracy right there. All right, gentlemen...
CARLSON: ... that's the whole thing.
O'BRIEN: ... Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala still in Cleveland.
BEGALA: Au revoir. Isn't that what they say?
O'BRIEN: Au revoir.
PHILLIPS: Oh, jeez.
O'BRIEN: Mon dieu. He started off with a mon dieu.
All right, well, it's been a rough week, I tell you. This morning when I put on my underwear, I could hear the Fruit of the Loom guys laughing at me.
PHILLIPS: You think you've got problems? When I was a kid and wanted to play in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up. It's rough, I tell you.
O'BRIEN: All right. That was so lame.
PHILLIPS: That's was pretty bad.
O'BRIEN: That was so lame. It's feeble, but it's heartfelt. LIVE FROM tribute offered to a comic legend who will now live in our memories. Somehow, it's just not going to be the same without Rodney Dangerfield to kick himself around.
PHILLIPS: Dangerfield, as you know, died yesterday in Los Angeles at the age of 82 from complications following heart surgery in August. Thought he claimed he never got respect, but he did get respect, and we pay ours now.
CNN's Sibila Vargas with a look back at his life and laughs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rodney Dangerfield, like many other performers, used the Ed Sullivan stage as a catapult to stardom. But unlike others, it was there that his image was created.
RODNEY DANGERFIELD, COMEDIAN: I was in "The Ed Sullivan Show," and the fourth time I was there, I heard people talking. No respect. Respect me. If you don't want to respect -- I don't care what she was before, she's with me. Show some respect.
I said, I'm going to try that, and I learned no respect, the character. And that came about then. And I wrote the first joke. "I played hide and seek; they wouldn't even look for me," you know?
VARGAS: It was Dangerfield's image -- a rumpled dark suit, red tie, and no respect.
DANGERFIELD: Twenty years ago, I'm working my club in New York, Dangerfield's, right? I'm about to do this show. As I'm walking on, some man says to me, "Hey, Rodney, before you go on, do me a favor, let me have your autograph and some more butter."
VARGAS: For a man who claims he got no respect, he did pretty well. Lucrative commercial work...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why'd you do it, Rodney, because Lite tastes great?
VARGAS: ... and film success, beginning with "Caddyshack" in 1980.
DANGERFIELD: My type of character -- put me where I don't belong. Like in "Caddyshack," I was a loud mouth in a country club. And it was a very -- humorous situations can derive from that.
You buy a hat like this, I'll bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? Oh, it looks good on you, though.
"Back to School," put me in college and I don't belong there.
A little something for the kids. OK, take that. It's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have any kids.
DANGERFIELD: No, because we're here. Get yourself some kids.
VARGAS: "Back to School" earned more than $50 million. Then there was a Grammy for Best Comedy Album in 1981. Even a rap video...
(MUSIC -- RODNEY DANGERFIELD - "RAPPIN' RODNEY")
VARGAS: "Rappin' Rodney" became an MTV favorite in 1983. His film work continued with "Ladybugs," "Meet Wally Sparks," and "Little Nicky" with Adam Sandler.
During an appearance on stage at his New York nightclub, Dangerfield was asked why he doesn't appear there more often. In typical form, he answered, "I can't afford myself."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Thank you, Sibila Vargas.
O'BRIEN: And thank you, Rodney Dangerfield.
PHILLIPS: We're going to turn to the business world now and what we're hearing about Playboy's plans to take on the strip?
O'BRIEN: Rhonda Schaffler will join us from the New York Stock Exchange. I am not going to elaborate on that little line. Rhonda, take it away.
RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much.
Yes, the Playboy Bunny is trying to make a comeback on the club scene for all of you clubgoers. Playboy Enterprises is opening a nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It's going to debut in 2006, 16 years after the last club of its kind closed in the U.S. You'll notice we still have the video, though.
It will be staffed by waitresses wearing what we could say is the traditional outfit. On Wall Street, Playboy shares are up about six percent.
Nothing else is hopping, though. Stocks little changed. Oil prices are soaring to another record. The Dow is up about four points here. Nasdaq virtually flat.
And that is the latest from Wall Street. Miles, Kyra, all yours.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Rhonda. She did that quick like a bunny, if you know what I mean.
All right. That wraps up the second hour of LIVE FROM.
PHILLIPS: We promise no more jokes.
Now to take us through the next hour of political headlines, very serious Judy Woodruff with "INSIDE POLITICS." She's on the road in Cleveland, Ohio. Hi, Judy. O'BRIEN: Take my anchor, please.
JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": Not -- not so serious. Please!
PHILLIPS: OK, no. I'm not going to put you on the spot, Judy. Go ahead.
WOODRUFF: OK, thank you very much, maybe tomorrow. Thank you, both.
Well, two down and two to go. Once again, I am here in Cleveland, site of last night's vice presidential debate. Today on "INSIDE POLITICS," we'll look at how the candidates performed and if they drove their points home.
Plus, since we're in Cleveland, we thought we'd drop in on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and see how years of music have affected the political landscape.
"INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: In the news now -- no WMDs stockpiled in Iraq, that's what the Duelfer Report says. The long-awaited CIA assessment is released today, and Iraq is far from blameless, though. The report by inspector Charles Duelfer says that the government under Saddam Hussein tried to keep the capability to produce weapons of mass destruction despite U.N. sanctions.
A ruling on records, three appellate court judges say Florida investigators acted properly when they seized the medical records of radio talk show-meister Rush Limbaugh. Authorities are looking into whether he illegally tried to buy prescription painkillers. Limbaugh says he'll appeal again.
Shock jock Howard Stern moving his show to satellite radio. Stern will join Sirius Satellite Radio beginning January 2006. He says commercial radio is no longer safe for jocks like him. A number of radio stations that carry Stern's show have been fined by the FCC on charges of indecency.
We'll be back tomorrow. Now, stay tuned for "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS."
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Aired October 6, 2004 - 14:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Stories now in the news -- a Florida appeals court rules Rush Limbaugh's medical records were seized properly as part of an investigation. That investigation centers on whether the radio host illegally tried to purchase prescription painkillers. His doctor's offices were raided by investigators, and Limbaugh's attorney says his client's privacy rights were violated. Limbaugh has not been charged and says he will continue to appeal.
President Bush says Senator John Kerry has a strategy of retreat in Iraq. The president came out swinging in a speech in Pennsylvania following his slide in the polls. The race is now considered by some as a dead heat, two days before the second presidential debate.
European officials are opening the door to a possible membership for Turkey, but a final decision could take years. Turkey has long tried to enter the expanding union, seeing itself as a bridge between Muslim countries and Europe.
And big news in Barbados, the Tiger Woods wedding. That's right. He married that Swedish model - I won't even attempt to say her name -- at the exclusive Sandy Lane resort as Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities looked on. The couple spent their wedding night on a yacht.
Go ahead, Miles, name privacy.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You can just call her Yoko.
PHILLIPS: A new report from the CIA shed some light on the status of Iraq's nuclear program before the war. The full report is to be presented to Congress beginning in just a few moments.
Live pictures right now of the Hearing Room, Senate Armed Service Committee. You'll be seeing some pictures from there throughout the afternoon as that report is made public.
Joining us to talk about the Duelfer Report and its findings in advance is Ken Robinson, who has been combing through what we know about it just now. Ken, good to have you back with us.
KEN ROBINSON, CNN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Thanks, Miles.
O'BRIEN: First of all, what do we know about Richard (sic) Duelfer?
ROBINSON: Richard (sic) Duelfer was a former State Department employee, and in 1993 he joined the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq, UNSCOM, as the deputy commissioner working for Ambassador Richard Butler.
O'BRIEN: And of course, we know he is Charles Duelfer, my -- I misspoke there. And that's the first place we should start.
But nevertheless, he has a long lineage in working in this part of the world. Interesting that he was chosen by the CIA, I suspect, as the definitive person to come up with this so-called definitive study.
ROBINSON: Well, what's interesting to me about it, David Kay had been a former member of UNSCOM, as well. Charles Duelfer had been very critical of the CIA when he was at the United Nations. Critical is not the most accurate word -- he was hard on the Central Intelligence Agency in their attempts to do things, because he was representing, at that time, an international organization, the United Nations.
And so, he took that job very seriously and made sure that he protected the equities of the United Nations and its investigation of Iraq and tried to make sure the worlds didn't collide.
O'BRIEN: So, I guess it was important from the CIA perspective to pick somebody who would have credibility with his report.
ROBINSON: Very credible.
O'BRIEN: Somebody that had some criticism on the record.
Let's talk about what he said on the record. A year ago today, little bit of a revealing statement, he wrote -- I guess it was an op- ed piece in "The Washington Post," Charles Duelfer.
Let's take a very, very brief excerpt. It's a very long piece.
Basically what he says is, "Future reports," meaning ultimately the one we're about to see today that he authored, and some 1,000 pages or so, "will have to show in verifiable detail the extent of these prohibited programs, but these findings will not greatly surprise experiences U.N. inspectors."
And then, he goes on to say, "Hussein had long differentiated between retaining weapons and sustaining the capability to produce weapons. Experience has also shown that Iraq tended to pursue whatever relevant research was allowed or was deemed undetectable."
To what extent has this presaged -- has that op-ed presaged what is being released today?
ROBINSON: Well, everyone comes at an investigation with certain hypotheses or certain biases. And his are very clear, and they're all on the record for years. However, he's one of the most qualified people to have observed the delaying, the denying, the obfuscation, the problems that occurred with Scott Ritter and the confrontations that happened with Iraq that led to the Clinton administration doing bombing operations on them.
And so, he came with a clear understanding of what he was up against, and he had not made up his mind yet.
O'BRIEN: All right. And then finally, I mean, he was a part of this particular document here. It's -- weighty documents.
ROBINSON: Very weighty document.
O'BRIEN: ... task.
ROBINSON: Literally, he wrote the book. This was the report that was produced by the United Nations on Iraq and the Kuwait conflict, and it describes all of the UNSCOM inspections that preceded them leaving Iraq in February of '98 when they -- I mean, January of '98 when they finally left.
In this report, there are enormous examples of all the different ways that Iraq tried to maintain and sustain its ability to start up a program as they were trying to destroy that which had been produced.
O'BRIEN: So, I guess the real key is how you look at this, how imminent was the threat. And that is something that's going to play out over the coming days as this report is released.
Looks like things are about to heat up there. We'll be bringing that to you as soon as the relevant portions come on. And we'll bring them to you live, of course.
Ken Robinson, thank you very much.
ROBINSON: Thank you, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Well, U.S.-led forces are targeting insurgents throughout Iraq. The focus is on retaking unstable areas so that reconstruction can begin. Now, a key military leader today declared the offensive in the city of Samarra a success and added that things are returning to normal.
Major General John Batiste says that 127 insurgents were killed, 128 others were captured. The commander of the 1st Infantry Division joins us now by videophone from Tikrit to talk about the latest moves to root out that insurgency.
Major General, it's great to talk to you again. First of all, tell us the latest of what's happening in Tikrit right now.
MAJ. GEN. JOHN BATISTE, U.S. MILITARY: Well, hello. Yes, we're into the final phase of the operation on day six to return the city to normalcy, start the reconstruction, improve the quality of life for the Iraqi people and, probably most importantly, put them back to work.
PHILLIPS: Now, General, when we look at what happened in Samarra, I talked to one of your colonels the other day, talking about that city has be retaken from the insurgency. What was so successful there that you're hoping to implement in Tikrit as you engage in this offensive right now?
BATISTE: Well, we don't have a problem in Tikrit right now. But in Samarra, the good new story was the performance of the Iraqi security forces.
PHILLIPS: Well, you'll have to forgive me. What offensive are you -- did you refer to in that last question? You were not talking about Tikrit. What city were you talking about?
BATISTE: Talking about Samarra. The Iraqi security forces that were with us in that operation did a fantastic job.
PHILLIPS: Oh, OK. So, reports are saying that you have completely retaken that city from insurgents. Are you telling me that that's not the case, that you are still engaged in this offensive?
BATISTE: No. No, not at all. We are finished with the offensive within Samarra, and we're into the final phase to return the city to normalcy and start the reconstruction.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, let's talk about that. It was -- the first sign of a real successful offensive, because you had Iraqi troops side by side with U.S. soldiers. Tell me about the relationships you've been able to build with these Iraqi soldiers as you train with them and as you now go into combat with them?
BATISTE: Well, there's a couple of different examples. The Iraqi National Guard -- battalions, in this case three battalions that have been training with us for some time -- for the past seven months, as a matter of fact.
And for this particular operation, we had three battalions -- the 7th Iraqi Army Battalion, the 37th Commando Battalion, and a special police battalion from the Ministry of the Interior. All three of these battalions joined us in a couple of days before the offensive in enough time to conduct rehearsals and pull them on to the team.
PHILLIPS: General, while we watch the successful operations go down side by side with Iraqi troops, of course we continue to see a lot of violence throughout Iraq. We see children being targeted and, most recently, Ambassador Paul Bremer coming forward saying there was a mistake in the strategy in Iraq, and there just weren't enough troops post Saddam Hussein.
Do you agree with that?
BATISTE: Let me answer that by saying that while we were conducting the operation in Samarra, at the same time we were conducting a battalion task force level air assault into an objective in the vicinity of Sharkak (ph), at the same time we were conducting a battalion level operation in the vicinity of Muqdadiyah. And at the same time, we were conducting a battalion level operation south of Balad. So, I think we had plenty of flexibility. Add to that the Iraqi security forces. They really do bring a lot to the fight now.
PHILLIPS: Major General John Batiste, we've had the unique opportunity to talk to you on a regular basis. And I know you're busy, and we appreciate your time, sir. Thank you.
BATISTE: You bet.
O'BRIEN: Putting a spin on the vice presidential debates. Two polls show two different winners. So, where do the campaigns go from here? Up next, we'll ask the "CROSSFIRE" guys, Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala.
Also, I scream, you scream, they're all screaming for ice cream -- while learning about the Democratic election process. We'll scoop into that story just ahead.
And remembering Rodney. We'll take a look back at the comedic legend who entertained us with his classic one-liners.
PHILLIPS: What's the one liner?
O'BRIEN: I don't get any respect. Whatever.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, in just a few weeks, Americans will vote in the presidential elections. And the process is familiar to most, but for some, it's not so elementary. A Pennsylvania school wanted future voters of America to be prepared. So, it fashioned an election to teach students the ABCs of voting.
Karin Mallett of our affiliate WFMZ has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARIN MALLETT, REPORTER, WFMZ (voice-over): It sure looks official, there are names in the book, an official stamps on the cards, and ballots box, but the voters look a bit young. Decked out in their patriotic best, students are registering to vote at Conrad Weiser East Elementary School in Wernersville.
LYNN HASSLER, CONRAD WEISER EAST ELEMENTARY: We want them to understand what the process is that actually adults go through.
MALLETT: These young students may not know who's running for president, but kindergartners do know what kind of ice cream they like.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Chocolate.
MALLETT: And what kind they don't. UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I don't like chocolate ice cream. I've tried it before, and I didn't like it.
MALLETT: So, once the registration process is complete, instead of voting for president, today's vote is for vanilla or chocolate ice cream.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Vanilla.
MALLETT: It's a clear choice for some, but a tough one for those on the fence.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I like both.
MALLETT (on camera): Now, independents may ask where's the strawberry, or what about a write-in candidate like mint chocolate chip or chocolate chip cookie dough? Is the democratic process reduced to just two choices for ice cream? And what if you're absent today? Does your vote count?
HASSLER: We just wanted to keep things simple since this is elementary school.
MALLETT: So, vanilla or chocolate it is. A practice session years in advance for a process that's hundreds of years old.
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I feel proud.
MALLETT: And at the end of the day, it was a tight race, but there is a winner. Chocolate's 294 votes to vanilla's 238. There will be no recount.
In Wernersville, Pennsylvania, Karin Mallett for CNN..
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: I work with Miles, I don't get any respect. I get no respect.
O'BRIEN: Celebrating a comedic legend that's gone, but certainly not forgotten.
PHILLIPS: That's right, we're talking about Rodney Dangerfield, the life and times of his pretty incredible life, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Well, the running mates are off and running again with both campaigns grinning and spinning. The guys from "CROSSFIRE" -- Paul Begala, Tucker Carlson -- keeping score from Cleveland. Gentlemen, good to see you both enjoying Cleveland, great town, nice people. Good library, right?
TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Great place.
O'BRIEN: Yeah. PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Wonderful. Library -- the Cleveland Museum of Art, where we're sitting out in front of, actually took us around and tried to culturate (ph) us. As you know the old saying, you can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.
So, that was...
CARLSON: So it is with us.
PHILLIPS: Gosh. That's bad.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's move on.
CARLSON: That was a good line. I like that.
BEGALA: Not a bad line.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks to the "CROSSFIRE" guys. We're going to take a break. We'll be back with more tomorrow. Drive safely.
Let's -- let's talk about the debate, shall we? It's a push, right? It's just a toss-up. It means nothing. Paul, you first?
BEGALA: You know, it was a toss-up last night. Democrats think they have an opening, because frankly Vice President Cheney in his very monotone solid serious way dissembled several times.
Some of them silly and little, like when he said that he'd never met John Edwards. Turns out he met him three times and sat next to him for three hours at a prayer breakfast. The vice president so into his prayer that he didn't know John Edwards was sitting six inches off his right elbow.
More importantly, Cheney made the claim that he had never even suggested that Iraq somehow had something to do with 9/11. Simply not true. I mean, some of the others networks have the tape of when Cheney was on "Meet the Press," and they've been playing that tape endlessly. And it really clearly shows that Cheney wasn't forthcoming last night.
So, I think they've got a strategic problem in today mopping some of the things Cheney said last night.
CARLSON: Well, I mean, Tucker, that -- it's not just that one occasion on "Meet the Press." There were other occasions when the vice president made that link and made it frequently. So, to deny that is probably not the smartest thing.
What's your takeaway on this debate?
CARLSON: Well, I mean, he's denying the explicit link. He's denying that he said that Saddam was involved in the planning of 9/11. There's no doubt, had there been no 9/11, we wouldn't have invaded Iraq.
O'BRIEN: So, this is one of those... CARLSON: ... of many people that the two are linked...
O'BRIEN: This is one of those it depending on the meaning of "is" is denials, then. Parsing words.
CARLSON: Yeah. I mean, look, the idea of the fact that we're still debating why we went to war in the first place says something pretty damning, I think, maybe about the war itself, and I think that hurts the Bush administration.
On the other hand, the Cheney -- rather, the Kerry campaign still can't explain Kerry's vote from the first Gulf War. So, you heard last night a fascinating exchange, I thought, John Edwards point to the first Gulf War as an example of a war well prosecuted. Well, of course -- and Kerry does the same. Kerry voted against that war.
So, it just makes that neither side can get its talking points straight, i actually think the Bush people at least a little more consistent, even if you disagree with them.
But the Kerry position doesn't make any sense at all. If you follow through his -- the logical conclusion of Kerry's position on Iraq is we need to pull out immediately. It's the wrong war. Why are we still there? He should just say that, be Dennis Kucinich. It might work.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk about what's going to...
BEGALA: People should put...
O'BRIEN: Can we talk about what's going to happen just -- in fact, that debate bored me, quite frankly. So, let's talk about what's going on on Capitol Hill today. I just -- it didn't do it for me.
This latest report from Duelfer, which is going to supposedly be the definitive look on the WMD issue -- what happened, what was there, what's there now -- it seems to me both parties can exploit this document the way it is at least reported to be written.
Paul, you agree?
BEGALA: Well, I think it's a lot easier for the Democrats to exploit the document, because Charlie Duelfer -- of course, the person President Bush sent over there -- the second person Mr. Bush has sent, David Kay was the first -- both have now come back and said definitively no weapons of mass destruction.
And more importantly, according to "The Washington Post" this morning, the Duelfer Report says there wasn't a program of weapons of mass destruction. There was no threat to America from Saddam Hussein in Iraq. We went to war in the wrong country for the wrong reasons in the wrong place, as John Kerry said. And Bush seems very upset when Kerry says that. I think Kerry's right. I think the report shows that he was right.
O'BRIEN: Tucker, final thought?
CARLSON: On the other hand -- on the other hand -- right, I mean, every policymaker at the time in the Congress and the Executive Branch was working off the same information. Everybody was wrong. Everyone assumed. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone -- from Mrs. Clinton to France believed that there was an ongoing weapons program of some significance in Iraq, and there wasn't.
I mean, it's a big deal. There's no denying that. And it may undermine the reasoning for the war in the first place. I'm willing to believe that it does. But to say that it's the result of the Bush administration lying, that's a crock. That's childish. Come on...
O'BRIEN: All right.
BEGALA: There were plenty of dissenting views, and the president didn't listen to any of them.
CARLSON: I never -- I never heard anybody say...
BEGALA: You sat next to me and heard them every day.
CARLSON: You never said there are no WMD. Nobody said that.
BEGALA: Said there's no threat.
CARLSON: OK, that's a good question.
O'BRIEN: All right, from Mrs. Clinton to France. I guess that is the left-wing conspiracy right there. All right, gentlemen...
CARLSON: ... that's the whole thing.
O'BRIEN: ... Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala still in Cleveland.
BEGALA: Au revoir. Isn't that what they say?
O'BRIEN: Au revoir.
PHILLIPS: Oh, jeez.
O'BRIEN: Mon dieu. He started off with a mon dieu.
All right, well, it's been a rough week, I tell you. This morning when I put on my underwear, I could hear the Fruit of the Loom guys laughing at me.
PHILLIPS: You think you've got problems? When I was a kid and wanted to play in the sandbox, the cat kept covering me up. It's rough, I tell you.
O'BRIEN: All right. That was so lame.
PHILLIPS: That's was pretty bad.
O'BRIEN: That was so lame. It's feeble, but it's heartfelt. LIVE FROM tribute offered to a comic legend who will now live in our memories. Somehow, it's just not going to be the same without Rodney Dangerfield to kick himself around.
PHILLIPS: Dangerfield, as you know, died yesterday in Los Angeles at the age of 82 from complications following heart surgery in August. Thought he claimed he never got respect, but he did get respect, and we pay ours now.
CNN's Sibila Vargas with a look back at his life and laughs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rodney Dangerfield, like many other performers, used the Ed Sullivan stage as a catapult to stardom. But unlike others, it was there that his image was created.
RODNEY DANGERFIELD, COMEDIAN: I was in "The Ed Sullivan Show," and the fourth time I was there, I heard people talking. No respect. Respect me. If you don't want to respect -- I don't care what she was before, she's with me. Show some respect.
I said, I'm going to try that, and I learned no respect, the character. And that came about then. And I wrote the first joke. "I played hide and seek; they wouldn't even look for me," you know?
VARGAS: It was Dangerfield's image -- a rumpled dark suit, red tie, and no respect.
DANGERFIELD: Twenty years ago, I'm working my club in New York, Dangerfield's, right? I'm about to do this show. As I'm walking on, some man says to me, "Hey, Rodney, before you go on, do me a favor, let me have your autograph and some more butter."
VARGAS: For a man who claims he got no respect, he did pretty well. Lucrative commercial work...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why'd you do it, Rodney, because Lite tastes great?
VARGAS: ... and film success, beginning with "Caddyshack" in 1980.
DANGERFIELD: My type of character -- put me where I don't belong. Like in "Caddyshack," I was a loud mouth in a country club. And it was a very -- humorous situations can derive from that.
You buy a hat like this, I'll bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? Oh, it looks good on you, though.
"Back to School," put me in college and I don't belong there.
A little something for the kids. OK, take that. It's OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have any kids.
DANGERFIELD: No, because we're here. Get yourself some kids.
VARGAS: "Back to School" earned more than $50 million. Then there was a Grammy for Best Comedy Album in 1981. Even a rap video...
(MUSIC -- RODNEY DANGERFIELD - "RAPPIN' RODNEY")
VARGAS: "Rappin' Rodney" became an MTV favorite in 1983. His film work continued with "Ladybugs," "Meet Wally Sparks," and "Little Nicky" with Adam Sandler.
During an appearance on stage at his New York nightclub, Dangerfield was asked why he doesn't appear there more often. In typical form, he answered, "I can't afford myself."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Thank you, Sibila Vargas.
O'BRIEN: And thank you, Rodney Dangerfield.
PHILLIPS: We're going to turn to the business world now and what we're hearing about Playboy's plans to take on the strip?
O'BRIEN: Rhonda Schaffler will join us from the New York Stock Exchange. I am not going to elaborate on that little line. Rhonda, take it away.
RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much.
Yes, the Playboy Bunny is trying to make a comeback on the club scene for all of you clubgoers. Playboy Enterprises is opening a nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It's going to debut in 2006, 16 years after the last club of its kind closed in the U.S. You'll notice we still have the video, though.
It will be staffed by waitresses wearing what we could say is the traditional outfit. On Wall Street, Playboy shares are up about six percent.
Nothing else is hopping, though. Stocks little changed. Oil prices are soaring to another record. The Dow is up about four points here. Nasdaq virtually flat.
And that is the latest from Wall Street. Miles, Kyra, all yours.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Rhonda. She did that quick like a bunny, if you know what I mean.
All right. That wraps up the second hour of LIVE FROM.
PHILLIPS: We promise no more jokes.
Now to take us through the next hour of political headlines, very serious Judy Woodruff with "INSIDE POLITICS." She's on the road in Cleveland, Ohio. Hi, Judy. O'BRIEN: Take my anchor, please.
JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": Not -- not so serious. Please!
PHILLIPS: OK, no. I'm not going to put you on the spot, Judy. Go ahead.
WOODRUFF: OK, thank you very much, maybe tomorrow. Thank you, both.
Well, two down and two to go. Once again, I am here in Cleveland, site of last night's vice presidential debate. Today on "INSIDE POLITICS," we'll look at how the candidates performed and if they drove their points home.
Plus, since we're in Cleveland, we thought we'd drop in on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and see how years of music have affected the political landscape.
"INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: In the news now -- no WMDs stockpiled in Iraq, that's what the Duelfer Report says. The long-awaited CIA assessment is released today, and Iraq is far from blameless, though. The report by inspector Charles Duelfer says that the government under Saddam Hussein tried to keep the capability to produce weapons of mass destruction despite U.N. sanctions.
A ruling on records, three appellate court judges say Florida investigators acted properly when they seized the medical records of radio talk show-meister Rush Limbaugh. Authorities are looking into whether he illegally tried to buy prescription painkillers. Limbaugh says he'll appeal again.
Shock jock Howard Stern moving his show to satellite radio. Stern will join Sirius Satellite Radio beginning January 2006. He says commercial radio is no longer safe for jocks like him. A number of radio stations that carry Stern's show have been fined by the FCC on charges of indecency.
We'll be back tomorrow. Now, stay tuned for "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS."
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