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Brazen Attack on U.S. Consulate in Jeddah; Intelligence Reform

Aired December 06, 2004 - 14:00   ET

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

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


TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Explosives and a gun battle. Militants attack an American consulate in Saudi Arabia. We're live with the latest.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: How did an Army ranger and former pro football Pat Tillman die in Afghanistan? The Army reopens its investigation. We're live from the Pentagon.

HARRIS: Food safety fears. Who is safeguarding America's food supply from tear attacks? Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (SINGING): It's like this. It's like that. It was poetry but now they call it rap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Poetry with a political punch. I don't remember it being this much fun in English class. Live this hour, poetry jammers break it down.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris, in for Miles O'Brien. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

We begin this hour with terror in Jeddah, a daring and deadly assault on a fortified U.S. consulate, again sending shock waves throughout the Saudi kingdom. At least eight people were killed in a three-hour ordeal involving guns and grenades and militants, snipers and hostages in a Red Sea port city of two million. We get the latest from CNN's Andrea Koppel at the State Department -- Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Tony, this brazen, broad daylight attack happened at about 11:15 in the morning local time. State Department officials and security forces, both Saudi and American, are stil trying to piece together exactly how this happened.

There were, as you pointed out, five gunmen. Three were killed. They're believed to be linked to al Qaeda. Two of them in custody right now. State Department officials say they are trying to figure out how it happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: Obviously we're concerned when armed intruders penetrate the defensive measures and enter -- enter a diplomatic facility. So we're going to be looking -- we're going to be looking at exactly what happened and how it happened in order to sort of assess what the vulnerabilities were.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: State Department spokesmen Adam Ereli basically laying out the fact that the U.S. does not believe that there were any hostages that were held. The Saudis are saying differently though.

They've told me there were some hostages that were being held during this three-hour ordeal, which was really dramatic. If you could only imagine what it was like for the people on the ground there.

You had the gunmen approach the consulate. There was an exchange of gunfire with -- with American contractors who were guarding the consulate.

It's a huge walled embassy. They threw -- the attackers threw grenades at the embassy, were able to penetrate the grounds, and got right up to the door of the U.S. Consulate, which is hundreds of feet inside this enormous walled facility.

This is the first time, Tony, that militants have been able to carry out an attack against an American facility in the Saudi kingdom. They've worried about it. American officials have worried about it and been afraid something like this would happen. They had intelligence over the last couple of years that this was in the works.

They didn't know where. They didn't know when. And today, obviously, the attackers were successful. But no Americans were killed or injured in the attack.

Back to you.

HARRIS: Andrea, that's a good description of the consulate itself. But give us a sense of the city of Jeddah. How would you describe it?

KOPPEL: I've never been there, Tony. It's the Red Sea port. It's supposed to be a very beautiful place that's on the west coast of Saudi Arabia. But I have never visited there personally.

I can tell you that Secretary Powell was there over the summer. And it's supposed to be a really lovely place.

HARRIS: OK. Andrea Koppel, thank you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: The next few hours, maybe even minutes, will tell the tale of intel reform on Capitol Hill. Either a so-called framework will hold up, and a bill that's held up for weeks will be put to a vote, or the whole thing will collapse, leaving it to the next Congress to pick up the pieces. CNN's Ed Henry tells us supporters are hopeful but time is not on their side.

What's new, Ed?

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.

That's right, as we reported earlier this afternoon, congressional negotiators now believe they have the framework for a deal on the 9/11 intelligence reform bill more than three years after those searing terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Four sources close to the talks are now telling CNN that with help from Vice President Cheney, who's been on the phone today -- he has always been in previous days, but frenetic talks today.

Hill negotiators have now worked out some language clarifying the chain of command issue we've heard so much about. This is Republican House Armed Services chairman Duncan Hunter, who has been holding up the deal in part because he feels that this new director of national intelligence would interfere with the military's chain of command and could put troops in the field at risk.

And what we are hearing specifically is that there is this framework for a deal. And in an interview earlier this afternoon with my colleague, Joe Johns, of CNN, here is what Duncan Hunter had to say about this framework.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R), ARMED SERVICES CHAIRMAN: We've just got a little more work, a little more discussion to do, and some -- we think some drafting and all the typical things that you do when you wrap up a fairly large bill. But we think we've got some good -- between us and the Senate some good language that and good provisions that will protect our troops with a solid chain of command. And so we're -- I'm optimistic that we're going to be able to move this thing forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Now, that leaves one other major issue to be dealt with. Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner has been pushing to have tough immigration provisions included in this legislation.

Now, we're being told by Republican leadership sources here on Capitol Hill that they have been advising the White House in recent days that the key to forging a deal is to improve it and please Duncan Hunter, who, as we just heard, seems happy with the way talks are going. But these Republican leadership sources have been advising the White House to not be quite as concerned about the immigration provisions.

That means Republicans, as well as Democrats we've spoken to, believe that they can push off these immigration provisions until next year and have that dealt with in a separate vote. But this chain of command issue was too critical, especially in the middle of the war on terror, to punt until next year or any other year.

So basically, there's a feeling here on the Hill on both sides of the aisle that they can push this through with Hunter on board, if, in fact, he finalizes approval and if he can get it passed without the immigration provisions. Now, Mr. Sensenbrenner is a whole other matter.

His office is telling us that he still has not signed on to this deal. But Republican leadership people think they can maybe get this through without his support.

Now, this caps off a frenetic day of lobbying. Some 9/11 families have been up here lobbying for this bill again today. They've also been holding a vigil outside the White House, demanding action. And at a press conference this morning with former 9/11 Commission member Tim Roemer, Roemer put this in very stark terms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIMOTHY ROEMER, FMR. 9/11 COMMISSIONER: We have a 57-year-old system that is the status quo that allowed 3,000 people to die on our homeland. We need to change it. If Congress and the White House doesn't change it, they've preserved the status quo and more body bags may have to happen before we get changes in the future. That should not take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: But there are other 9/11 families who have also been holding press conferences. They say that they disagree with what the former 9/11 commissioners are saying. These 9/11 families believe that in particular the immigration provisions need to be included, that that is key to reform, and that any bill that passes without those provisions should not really be called reform -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Ed Henry live from Capitol Hill. Thanks -- Tony.

HARRIS: Intelligence reform, terror attacks, Iraqi and Palestinian politics, they're all on the radar at the White House today as President Bush engages in shuffle diplomacy with two visiting presidents and a king. One by one, the heads of state of Iraq, Senegal and Jordan have filed in and out of the Oval Office for private talks and fireplace photo opportunities, during one of which Mr. Bush addressed the consulate siege in Jeddah.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The attacks in Saudi Arabia remind us that the terrorists are still on the move. They're interested in affecting the will of free countries.

They -- they want us to leave Saudi Arabia. They want us to leave Iraq. They want us to grow timid and weary in the face of their willingness to kill randomly and kill innocent people. And that's why these elections in Iraq are very important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: With King Abdullah, Mr. Bush said he discussed not just Iraq, but a window of opportunity in which peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians may be resumed.

PHILLIPS: Other news "Around the World" now.

In France, still missing. Luggage with hidden plastic explosives inside still have not turn up. French police were using the luggage Friday to train bomb-sniffing dogs at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. They have since stopped using that procedure. Four Air France flights were searched at two U.S. airports over the weekend, but nothing was found.

In Canada, another airport search is under way. Hundreds of uniforms and badges worn by Canadian airport screeners have gone missing. Canada's transport minister assures Canadians there's nothing to worry about despite fears that the missing uniforms could fall in the hands of terrorists.

In Spain, terrorists target a day meant for unity. Seven bombs exploded in cities across the country after warnings from the Basque separatist group ETA. At least five people were hurt. The bombings coincide with celebrations marking Spain's Constitution Day.

HARRIS: An emotion day in a California courtroom.

PHILLIPS: Scott Peterson's lawyers are hoping to save his life. We're live from the courthouse just ahead on LIVE FROM.

HARRIS: Investigators get personal with pop star Michael Jackson. The latest on what they're searching for straight ahead.

And Governor Schwarzenegger lights up the real thing when it comes to Christmas trees. But do most Americans prefer live or fake trees? The answer has some folks crying, "Bah, hum bug."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And just a couple of minutes ago, Health and Human Services secretary Tommy Thompson was asked to clarify his comments from Friday referring to the safety of the food supply here in the United States. You'll remember that he said that he was surprised that terrorists hadn't attacked the United States food supply because it seemed, in his opinion, easy to do. Here are his comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: ... issued another rule on food safety. This is the fourth, as you know.

When we came in, in the new administration, there was nothing in the law that allowed FDA to reject, there was nothing in the law that required companies to register. And there was nothing in which we could have administrative detention of food supplies coming into the country. We did those three things. The last one, which was the one we issued today, is recordkeeping. So we will have moved a long way towards improving the food safety.

We've gone from 12,000 inspections when I first arrived four years ago, to this year we're going to hit close to 100,000 inspections, which is almost a 700-percent increase over what it was.

It's still not -- I'm still not comfortable. I still think we've got a ways to go in regards to protecting our food safety. But it's not looking at one specific country.

It's the overall fact that imports are increasing. The number of inspectors are staying constant, about 1,500 for all inspectors in FDA.

We are getting more technology. We're going to be requesting in the budget more technology. There's new technology out there that we need. We need to have all of these tools.

We've come a long way, but I'm still not satisfied. I still believe we've got a ways to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. Comments there from the outgoing secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, trying to clarify his comments from Friday about the safety of the food supply in this country, saying that he has upped the inspection program but he is still not happy. And he still says that more needs to be done.

We'll continue to follow the story -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It's been an emotional rollercoaster for the family of football star-turned-war hero Pat Tillman. The Army has offered changing explanations about the circumstances of his death. Now there are new and troubling questions. Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has that -- Barb.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello to you.

Well, the Army has now confirmed it quietly, several weeks ago, reopened the investigation into the death of Army Ranger Corporal Pat Tillman. Of course Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in what was first described as a Taliban ambush. Tillman perhaps best remembered for having given up his very lucrative professional football career with the Arizona Cardinals, joining the military to go fight in the war on terrorism.

He was killed in Afghanistan on April 22 in what was first described as a Taliban ambush. And it was several weeks later that the Army then said it thought it was most likely that Tillman was killed in a friendly fire incident, fratricide, killed by other soldiers during this very confusing firefighter that was going on.

But now, Kyra, the investigation has been reopened. Military sources tell CNN the Army leadership felt that there were simply a number of unanswered questions they wanted to go back and look at. And, as well, Tillman's mother, Mary Tillman, has gone to Senator John McCain, we are told, and asked a number of very pointed questions on her own.

Senator McCain then contacting the Army and asking that all of this be looked into. Again, what they are doing is looking into exactly what did happen, the role that various soldiers played during this firefight, and how the entire matter was investigated.

Now, Steven Coll, a reporter for "The Washington Post," has also looked into all of this. He spoke earlier this morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" about the investigation into the entire incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVEN COLL, "WASHINGTON POST" That they essentially were indiscriminate in the judgment of the Army's own investigators. They didn't identify their targets, they didn't follow their own training.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: This all referring to the on going questions about whether the Rangers, the Army soldiers who were there during this firefight, simply besides it being confusing and difficult, didn't pay attention to their own doctrine and their own training and engaged in some indiscriminate firing that led to people being killed. Now, Kyra, all of this back open book again, being looked at. The investigation continues -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon. Thank you.

HARRIS: Pleas and persuasion. Family and friends of Scott Peterson try to convince a jury to spare his life as the penalty phase continues today. CNN's Rusty Dornin is live in Redwood City, California, with the details.

Hi, Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And 14 of those witnesses, Tony, will be talking about that same theme, that Scott Peterson was a great guy, he was caring, he was responsible, he was mature, he never got angry, he never got in trouble at school. The question that some legal analysts are saying, with all these glowing reports, is the jury really going to buy this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM HAMMER, LEGAL ANALYST: Based upon Scott Peterson's background and history, this crime is all the more shocking. Because he seems like the last guy on Earth who would have killed his wife. The problem with that defense is it makes him the most dangerous man on Earth, the man that no wife would ever suspect, which makes Laci Peterson even more a victim, which increases the chances, it seems to me, of a death penalty case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: The jurors have been listening intently, very stone- faced. A couple of them have been taking notes. Laci Peterson's family, the Rochas, were not in court for the last few days last week when the other family members were testifying, but they did come into court late this morning.

Now, Scott Peterson's uncle has been talking about him as a child and as an adult. Also, the judge did tell the jury to expect to get this case for deliberation on Thursday morning. That there will be a few witnesses testifying on Wednesday morning, they may recess early, then they will begin deliberations and will be sequestered on Thursday. He also said the sentence, no matter what that's going to be, looks like it's going to be February 25 -- Tony.

HARRIS: Rusty Dornin, live from Redwood City, California. Rusty, thanks for that.

Ahead, poetry that will really move you. The best of def poetry jam.

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Rhonda Schaffler in New York. It's big, but is it safe? I'll tell you what's behind some safety concerns about the Hummer.

That's coming up on LIVE FROM. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: BellSouth stepping up the battle for its cable -- with its cable rivals, I guess.

HARRIS: Really? Really?

PHILLIPS: Rhonda -- that's what Rhonda says.

HARRIS: Rhonda, is that true? Come on now.

SCHAFFLER: It is.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired December 6, 2004 - 14:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Explosives and a gun battle. Militants attack an American consulate in Saudi Arabia. We're live with the latest.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: How did an Army ranger and former pro football Pat Tillman die in Afghanistan? The Army reopens its investigation. We're live from the Pentagon.

HARRIS: Food safety fears. Who is safeguarding America's food supply from tear attacks? Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (SINGING): It's like this. It's like that. It was poetry but now they call it rap.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Poetry with a political punch. I don't remember it being this much fun in English class. Live this hour, poetry jammers break it down.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris, in for Miles O'Brien. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

We begin this hour with terror in Jeddah, a daring and deadly assault on a fortified U.S. consulate, again sending shock waves throughout the Saudi kingdom. At least eight people were killed in a three-hour ordeal involving guns and grenades and militants, snipers and hostages in a Red Sea port city of two million. We get the latest from CNN's Andrea Koppel at the State Department -- Andrea.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Tony, this brazen, broad daylight attack happened at about 11:15 in the morning local time. State Department officials and security forces, both Saudi and American, are stil trying to piece together exactly how this happened.

There were, as you pointed out, five gunmen. Three were killed. They're believed to be linked to al Qaeda. Two of them in custody right now. State Department officials say they are trying to figure out how it happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: Obviously we're concerned when armed intruders penetrate the defensive measures and enter -- enter a diplomatic facility. So we're going to be looking -- we're going to be looking at exactly what happened and how it happened in order to sort of assess what the vulnerabilities were.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: State Department spokesmen Adam Ereli basically laying out the fact that the U.S. does not believe that there were any hostages that were held. The Saudis are saying differently though.

They've told me there were some hostages that were being held during this three-hour ordeal, which was really dramatic. If you could only imagine what it was like for the people on the ground there.

You had the gunmen approach the consulate. There was an exchange of gunfire with -- with American contractors who were guarding the consulate.

It's a huge walled embassy. They threw -- the attackers threw grenades at the embassy, were able to penetrate the grounds, and got right up to the door of the U.S. Consulate, which is hundreds of feet inside this enormous walled facility.

This is the first time, Tony, that militants have been able to carry out an attack against an American facility in the Saudi kingdom. They've worried about it. American officials have worried about it and been afraid something like this would happen. They had intelligence over the last couple of years that this was in the works.

They didn't know where. They didn't know when. And today, obviously, the attackers were successful. But no Americans were killed or injured in the attack.

Back to you.

HARRIS: Andrea, that's a good description of the consulate itself. But give us a sense of the city of Jeddah. How would you describe it?

KOPPEL: I've never been there, Tony. It's the Red Sea port. It's supposed to be a very beautiful place that's on the west coast of Saudi Arabia. But I have never visited there personally.

I can tell you that Secretary Powell was there over the summer. And it's supposed to be a really lovely place.

HARRIS: OK. Andrea Koppel, thank you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: The next few hours, maybe even minutes, will tell the tale of intel reform on Capitol Hill. Either a so-called framework will hold up, and a bill that's held up for weeks will be put to a vote, or the whole thing will collapse, leaving it to the next Congress to pick up the pieces. CNN's Ed Henry tells us supporters are hopeful but time is not on their side.

What's new, Ed?

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.

That's right, as we reported earlier this afternoon, congressional negotiators now believe they have the framework for a deal on the 9/11 intelligence reform bill more than three years after those searing terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Four sources close to the talks are now telling CNN that with help from Vice President Cheney, who's been on the phone today -- he has always been in previous days, but frenetic talks today.

Hill negotiators have now worked out some language clarifying the chain of command issue we've heard so much about. This is Republican House Armed Services chairman Duncan Hunter, who has been holding up the deal in part because he feels that this new director of national intelligence would interfere with the military's chain of command and could put troops in the field at risk.

And what we are hearing specifically is that there is this framework for a deal. And in an interview earlier this afternoon with my colleague, Joe Johns, of CNN, here is what Duncan Hunter had to say about this framework.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R), ARMED SERVICES CHAIRMAN: We've just got a little more work, a little more discussion to do, and some -- we think some drafting and all the typical things that you do when you wrap up a fairly large bill. But we think we've got some good -- between us and the Senate some good language that and good provisions that will protect our troops with a solid chain of command. And so we're -- I'm optimistic that we're going to be able to move this thing forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Now, that leaves one other major issue to be dealt with. Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner has been pushing to have tough immigration provisions included in this legislation.

Now, we're being told by Republican leadership sources here on Capitol Hill that they have been advising the White House in recent days that the key to forging a deal is to improve it and please Duncan Hunter, who, as we just heard, seems happy with the way talks are going. But these Republican leadership sources have been advising the White House to not be quite as concerned about the immigration provisions.

That means Republicans, as well as Democrats we've spoken to, believe that they can push off these immigration provisions until next year and have that dealt with in a separate vote. But this chain of command issue was too critical, especially in the middle of the war on terror, to punt until next year or any other year.

So basically, there's a feeling here on the Hill on both sides of the aisle that they can push this through with Hunter on board, if, in fact, he finalizes approval and if he can get it passed without the immigration provisions. Now, Mr. Sensenbrenner is a whole other matter.

His office is telling us that he still has not signed on to this deal. But Republican leadership people think they can maybe get this through without his support.

Now, this caps off a frenetic day of lobbying. Some 9/11 families have been up here lobbying for this bill again today. They've also been holding a vigil outside the White House, demanding action. And at a press conference this morning with former 9/11 Commission member Tim Roemer, Roemer put this in very stark terms.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIMOTHY ROEMER, FMR. 9/11 COMMISSIONER: We have a 57-year-old system that is the status quo that allowed 3,000 people to die on our homeland. We need to change it. If Congress and the White House doesn't change it, they've preserved the status quo and more body bags may have to happen before we get changes in the future. That should not take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: But there are other 9/11 families who have also been holding press conferences. They say that they disagree with what the former 9/11 commissioners are saying. These 9/11 families believe that in particular the immigration provisions need to be included, that that is key to reform, and that any bill that passes without those provisions should not really be called reform -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Ed Henry live from Capitol Hill. Thanks -- Tony.

HARRIS: Intelligence reform, terror attacks, Iraqi and Palestinian politics, they're all on the radar at the White House today as President Bush engages in shuffle diplomacy with two visiting presidents and a king. One by one, the heads of state of Iraq, Senegal and Jordan have filed in and out of the Oval Office for private talks and fireplace photo opportunities, during one of which Mr. Bush addressed the consulate siege in Jeddah.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The attacks in Saudi Arabia remind us that the terrorists are still on the move. They're interested in affecting the will of free countries.

They -- they want us to leave Saudi Arabia. They want us to leave Iraq. They want us to grow timid and weary in the face of their willingness to kill randomly and kill innocent people. And that's why these elections in Iraq are very important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: With King Abdullah, Mr. Bush said he discussed not just Iraq, but a window of opportunity in which peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians may be resumed.

PHILLIPS: Other news "Around the World" now.

In France, still missing. Luggage with hidden plastic explosives inside still have not turn up. French police were using the luggage Friday to train bomb-sniffing dogs at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. They have since stopped using that procedure. Four Air France flights were searched at two U.S. airports over the weekend, but nothing was found.

In Canada, another airport search is under way. Hundreds of uniforms and badges worn by Canadian airport screeners have gone missing. Canada's transport minister assures Canadians there's nothing to worry about despite fears that the missing uniforms could fall in the hands of terrorists.

In Spain, terrorists target a day meant for unity. Seven bombs exploded in cities across the country after warnings from the Basque separatist group ETA. At least five people were hurt. The bombings coincide with celebrations marking Spain's Constitution Day.

HARRIS: An emotion day in a California courtroom.

PHILLIPS: Scott Peterson's lawyers are hoping to save his life. We're live from the courthouse just ahead on LIVE FROM.

HARRIS: Investigators get personal with pop star Michael Jackson. The latest on what they're searching for straight ahead.

And Governor Schwarzenegger lights up the real thing when it comes to Christmas trees. But do most Americans prefer live or fake trees? The answer has some folks crying, "Bah, hum bug."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And just a couple of minutes ago, Health and Human Services secretary Tommy Thompson was asked to clarify his comments from Friday referring to the safety of the food supply here in the United States. You'll remember that he said that he was surprised that terrorists hadn't attacked the United States food supply because it seemed, in his opinion, easy to do. Here are his comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: ... issued another rule on food safety. This is the fourth, as you know.

When we came in, in the new administration, there was nothing in the law that allowed FDA to reject, there was nothing in the law that required companies to register. And there was nothing in which we could have administrative detention of food supplies coming into the country. We did those three things. The last one, which was the one we issued today, is recordkeeping. So we will have moved a long way towards improving the food safety.

We've gone from 12,000 inspections when I first arrived four years ago, to this year we're going to hit close to 100,000 inspections, which is almost a 700-percent increase over what it was.

It's still not -- I'm still not comfortable. I still think we've got a ways to go in regards to protecting our food safety. But it's not looking at one specific country.

It's the overall fact that imports are increasing. The number of inspectors are staying constant, about 1,500 for all inspectors in FDA.

We are getting more technology. We're going to be requesting in the budget more technology. There's new technology out there that we need. We need to have all of these tools.

We've come a long way, but I'm still not satisfied. I still believe we've got a ways to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. Comments there from the outgoing secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, trying to clarify his comments from Friday about the safety of the food supply in this country, saying that he has upped the inspection program but he is still not happy. And he still says that more needs to be done.

We'll continue to follow the story -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: It's been an emotional rollercoaster for the family of football star-turned-war hero Pat Tillman. The Army has offered changing explanations about the circumstances of his death. Now there are new and troubling questions. Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has that -- Barb.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello to you.

Well, the Army has now confirmed it quietly, several weeks ago, reopened the investigation into the death of Army Ranger Corporal Pat Tillman. Of course Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in what was first described as a Taliban ambush. Tillman perhaps best remembered for having given up his very lucrative professional football career with the Arizona Cardinals, joining the military to go fight in the war on terrorism.

He was killed in Afghanistan on April 22 in what was first described as a Taliban ambush. And it was several weeks later that the Army then said it thought it was most likely that Tillman was killed in a friendly fire incident, fratricide, killed by other soldiers during this very confusing firefighter that was going on.

But now, Kyra, the investigation has been reopened. Military sources tell CNN the Army leadership felt that there were simply a number of unanswered questions they wanted to go back and look at. And, as well, Tillman's mother, Mary Tillman, has gone to Senator John McCain, we are told, and asked a number of very pointed questions on her own.

Senator McCain then contacting the Army and asking that all of this be looked into. Again, what they are doing is looking into exactly what did happen, the role that various soldiers played during this firefight, and how the entire matter was investigated.

Now, Steven Coll, a reporter for "The Washington Post," has also looked into all of this. He spoke earlier this morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" about the investigation into the entire incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVEN COLL, "WASHINGTON POST" That they essentially were indiscriminate in the judgment of the Army's own investigators. They didn't identify their targets, they didn't follow their own training.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: This all referring to the on going questions about whether the Rangers, the Army soldiers who were there during this firefight, simply besides it being confusing and difficult, didn't pay attention to their own doctrine and their own training and engaged in some indiscriminate firing that led to people being killed. Now, Kyra, all of this back open book again, being looked at. The investigation continues -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr live from the Pentagon. Thank you.

HARRIS: Pleas and persuasion. Family and friends of Scott Peterson try to convince a jury to spare his life as the penalty phase continues today. CNN's Rusty Dornin is live in Redwood City, California, with the details.

Hi, Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And 14 of those witnesses, Tony, will be talking about that same theme, that Scott Peterson was a great guy, he was caring, he was responsible, he was mature, he never got angry, he never got in trouble at school. The question that some legal analysts are saying, with all these glowing reports, is the jury really going to buy this?

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JIM HAMMER, LEGAL ANALYST: Based upon Scott Peterson's background and history, this crime is all the more shocking. Because he seems like the last guy on Earth who would have killed his wife. The problem with that defense is it makes him the most dangerous man on Earth, the man that no wife would ever suspect, which makes Laci Peterson even more a victim, which increases the chances, it seems to me, of a death penalty case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: The jurors have been listening intently, very stone- faced. A couple of them have been taking notes. Laci Peterson's family, the Rochas, were not in court for the last few days last week when the other family members were testifying, but they did come into court late this morning.

Now, Scott Peterson's uncle has been talking about him as a child and as an adult. Also, the judge did tell the jury to expect to get this case for deliberation on Thursday morning. That there will be a few witnesses testifying on Wednesday morning, they may recess early, then they will begin deliberations and will be sequestered on Thursday. He also said the sentence, no matter what that's going to be, looks like it's going to be February 25 -- Tony.

HARRIS: Rusty Dornin, live from Redwood City, California. Rusty, thanks for that.

Ahead, poetry that will really move you. The best of def poetry jam.

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Rhonda Schaffler in New York. It's big, but is it safe? I'll tell you what's behind some safety concerns about the Hummer.

That's coming up on LIVE FROM. Don't go away.

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PHILLIPS: BellSouth stepping up the battle for its cable -- with its cable rivals, I guess.

HARRIS: Really? Really?

PHILLIPS: Rhonda -- that's what Rhonda says.

HARRIS: Rhonda, is that true? Come on now.

SCHAFFLER: It is.

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