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Suicidal Intentions, Deadly Results; Deadly day for Marines in Iraq; Second-Term Agenda

Aired January 26, 2005 - 13:59   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: Glendale's police chief says a suicidal man caused today's deadly train derailment, and he's still alive. At least 10 others are dead. That story coming up.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, a chopper down, an investigation on. It's the deadliest day yet for U.S. troops since that invasion began. We'll bring you the latest this hour.

PHILLIPS: Meet the brave women running for office in Iraq. Christiane Amanpour with a story of dreams, danger and democracy in action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am going to continue to speak directly to the American people about this issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: The president talks about his Social Security plan and the rest of his second-term agenda. We're live from the White House, of course.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

Suicidal intentions, deadly results. Police in southern California say a man deliberately left his SUV parked on train tracks, causing a massive derailment today. At least 10 people are known dead, more than 100 passengers are injured.

Our Ted Rowlands is live on the scene in Glendale, California, with more -- Ted.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the operation has now changed from a search and rescue to a recovery mode. They are trying to retrieve the remaining bodies that are still in this wreckage. There are three trains in all involved.

Just after 6:00 a.m. local time here, a Metrolink commuter train hit an automobile at a train crossing. That train then was derailed and hit another commuter train coming in the opposite direction. One or both of the trains then struck a Union Pacific train which was parked. The result, 10 people dead, at least, more than 100 injured. And these train cars are all mangled together. And as you can see from the video, they are still actively going through the wreckage and recovering any remaining bodies that are there.

Meanwhile, the investigation has continued as to why this individual would park his car inside -- on this train track. They say that he may have had suicidal intentions.

There's a 26-year-old man who has been arrested from Compton in Los Angeles area. They say that he parked his car on the tracks, got out of his car as the train approached, or before the train approached, and literally watched the train hit his car. And then he watched the derailment and the collision, which happened afterwards.

They say this individual, they believe, was trying to commit suicide and had second thoughts. They have arrested him, and they do plan to charge him with homicide.

Meanwhile, the injured have been taken to local hospitals here. In all, more than 100 people have been injured because of the train derailment. Five local hospitals have taken the more seriously injured. Others have been treated here on scene as well.

And then there's the problem of reuniting these folks with family members. They are trying to coordinate that effort as well.

The bottom line here, a horrific accident. People on these trains have been telling us that some were asleep and they woke up. It was dark and it was smoky inside these trains. They tried to get out. The doors were sealed. A really horrific accident here caused by an individual trying to commit suicide who, as we said, had second thoughts -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Ted Rowlands live from the scene there in Glendale, California. Thanks, Ted -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: We are nearing the end of the deadliest days for U.S. forces in Iraq since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom four days away from what's supposed to be a turning point in that endeavor. Thirty-five Marines and two soldiers killed. Most of them in a helicopter crash that might have been an accident. Hostilities, nonetheless, abound ahead of Sunday's election.

We got all the top developments from CNN's Christiane Amanpour, who is in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been the deadliest day for the U.S. military since the war ended. Thirty-one U.S. Marines were killed when their transport helicopter crashed in the western part of Iraq just near the Jordanian border. U.S. officials are saying that the Marines were on a routine mission.

It happened, we're told, in the predawn hours, about 1:20 a.m. local Iraqi time. We don't know the cause, and officials say that that is under investigation.

Marine officials, when confirming to CNN that these 31 Marines had been killed, pointed us away from the direction of hostile file as while they were continuing to investigate this. They also said that there was bad weather, and that might have been the cause. Again, we're not sure until the full investigation is completed.

In other casualties in Iraq today, four U.S. Marines were killed in combat operations. One U.S. soldier was killed in an ambush on a convoy that he was on. And there's been other Iraqi election violence as well.

In the city of Kirkuk, to the north, several car bombs, and there have been attacks against polling stations, which are effectively schools that are going to be used as voting centers on Sunday. In those attacks, there have not been any reported deaths or injuries but damage to buildings. The effect is to intimidate the voters ahead of Sunday's election.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Today's events bring to 1,418, the number of U.S. forces killed in Iraq since the war began in March of 2003. 10,622 GIs wounded now. With that as a backdrop, the U.S. general in charge went to Capitol Hill today, where he briefed reporters briefly on the helicopter crash and on the pending elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CENTCOM COMMANDER: It was not a special mission. It was a routine mission in support of the elections. That's all I know.

I think it's a dangerous environment that we operate in Iraq. We all understand that. And again, our condolences to the families.

The security situation on the ground, of course, in 14 out of the 18 provinces, we believe that the security situation is relatively stable. There are four provinces where the security situation is difficult. It's in western Baghdad, the Al Anbar Province (UNINTELLIGIBLE) province. That having been said, we believe that a combination of Iraqi security forces and coalition forces will make the situation stable enough for voting to take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Later this hour, we'll cover those issues and more with our own military analyst, retired Major General Don Shepperd.

PHILLIPS: Discouraging at times, amazing throughout. President Bush's perspective on Iraq's evolution one of many issues to come up in his first news conference of his second term.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has the headlines. Hi, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Kyra.

It's a press conference that lasted about 48 minutes or so. He covered a wide range of issues, domestic, as well as foreign policy issues. The president, of course, offered his condolences to the victims and the families of those -- those Marines who were killed in that helicopter crash in Iraq earlier today.

But the president did not dwell on that. He didn't focus on that. Rather, he was looking at the big picture, the broader picture, the U.S. mission inside of Iraq.

The president also focusing as well on what he says his mission is, to spread democracy around the world, to end tyranny around the globe. And the president, clearly in a White House strategy, of course, saying that he believes that the mere existence of elections in Iraq will mean success.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The notion that, you know, somehow we're not making progress, I just don't subscribe to. I mean, we're having elections. And I think people need to put this moment in history in proper context.

That context, of course, starts with whether or not the world will be better off with Saddam Hussein in power and whether or not Americans will be more secure. After all, I've always felt the Iraqi theater is a part of the war on terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The president also, of course, trying to convince naysayers that his domestic agenda is also realistic. He focused specifically on the centerpiece of that agenda, reforming Social Security. Even moderate Republicans, however, have expressed a great deal of doubt.

The president again saying that he believes the creation of these private accounts will ultimately make the Social Security system solvent. But the president did not use the same kind of language we've heard before. And he didn't call it a crisis. Rather, he called it a problem. And he did acknowledge that he thought that this was politically sensitive, if not politically risky for the Republicans, as well as the Democrats to take on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Social Security has been an issue that, you know, has made people nervous. I understand that. I mean it's -- you know, people felt like it was the third rail of American politics. That means if you touch it, you will have -- there will be political death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, the president also acknowledges, of course, as well as his aides, that he has a very small window of opportunity, perhaps as little as six months, really, to push forward his agenda through Congress. Some people say as much as two years before he becomes somewhat a lame-duck president in his second term. But he certainly hopes that that issue, specifically Social Security, does not mean the political death, of course, for many of his colleagues, Republicans, who are looking forward at their re-election prospects -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne, we know the Senate voted on Condi Rice. How soon for the swearing-in?

MALVEAUX: Well, a senior administration official tells us it will happen this evening here at the White House, the official ceremony, the swearing in by a judge. Now, this is something that is close to the press, but we'll see, however, tomorrow if she's going to show up at the State Department for her first day.

She will be there at 8:15 in the morning, we're told, greeted by staff, greeted by applause. It is the tradition at the State Department. And then on Friday, that's when it's expected that there will be a kind of ceremonial swearing in that will take place at the State Department. We do expect that the president, in all likelihood, will attend that event -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux live from the White House. Thanks so much.

Other news "Across America" now.

Bracing for trouble. An unstable hillside has prompted evacuations in Mission Viejo, California. Residents in six homes were asked to leave yesterday. More rain is forecast for the area today, raising fears that the slope could give way, as it's been weakened by a series of earlier storms.

Gorged by a buck and lived to tell about it. Eighty-four-year- old Alfred Tibbers (ph) in good shape today after he was attacked by a 300-pound deer. Well, the big bug crashed through a window into his house yesterday and gorged his arms. Police ended up shooting the deer in a bathroom.

Another winter headache is taking aim at New England. Forecasters say a new storm could dump up to 10 inches of snow on areas still digging out from last weekend's blizzard. And to make matters worse, winds could kick up around the Cape Cod area, producing near-blizzard-like conditions.

O'BRIEN: A dangerous mission in a dangerous place. Why today's helicopter accident in western Iraq cost so many lives. We'll talk with a former general about flying combat missions.

And as the countdown to Iraq's elections continues, we'll meet an ex-pat Iraqi living here in the U.S. She'll tell us what it means to her to have this chance when so many Iraqis in America aren't signing up to vote.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: As we mentioned earlier, the investigation continues into today's helicopter crash in Iraq. It killed at least 31 Marines. It comes just four days ahead of scheduled elections in the country. We probably don't need to tell you that at this point but, nonetheless, we do.

Joining us is retired Air Force Major General Don Shepperd. He's one of our military analysts.

General Shepperd, good to have you with us here in Atlanta today.

Let's just talk about the basics, what we know about this particular event. First of all, it happened sort of outside the -- well, well outside the Sunni Triangle. This was over near the border of Jordan, right?

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Our route was the town, and so we're near the Jordanian border. It's been a fairly calm area.

It's pretty unlikely that this was combat-related. In other words, an insurgent firing a rocket or a missile at it.

Reportedly bad weather. And we make all this stuff look so easy. It's easy to forget that this is dangerous stuff that we do. We do almost everything that we do at night, we do it lots of times in bad weather and hilly terrain. And so we just have to wait and investigate and make sure we find out what really happened.

O'BRIEN: And helicopter operations, by their very nature, really are among the most dangerous things that we do, the U.S. military does on a routine basis, absent anybody shooting at them.

SHEPPERD: Yes. There's about three reasons.

First of all, it's difficult to fly. It's more difficult to fly than an airplane.

Second, it always takes place close to the ground. And so when something happens, you don't have time to react before you -- before you get to the ground. And then third, because you're low, people are more likely to shoot at you and more likely to hit you when they do.

O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk a little bit about the craft involved. This is a Marine craft. This is called the CH-53 Super Stallion.

This fleet of helicopters, this class of helicopters, literally the largest helicopters in the west. Tremendous capability for carrying upwards of 50 people without combat gear. Less with the gear on, 30-something. It's a big beast and a workhorse isn't it?

SHEPPERD: It's a big beast and a workhouse, about 70,000 pounds. It carries 37 combat-equipped troops with all their gear, can be reconfigured for 55 troops without gear and 24 litter patients (ph).

It can carry a small armored vehicle. It can carry Howitzers. It's the big heavy lift. That's what it does.

O'BRIEN: And I don't know if you saw in that particular visual, there's a boom on the front which allows it to go and refuel, so it can go on these extended missions.

SHEPPERD: Yes. The range of it is about 500 miles out and back, about 1,000 miles without refueling. But with refueling, it can go limitless.

O'BRIEN: All right. So, once again, underscores the dangers which perhaps we overlook in the course of our reporting on every day. But this is obviously very dangerous operations that under way.

Let's have a word or two about elections here. Whatever the cause on this, this crash, it just adds to the general feeling of instability in the run-up to this election. Give us a sense, as best you can determine, what U.S. forces are doing, and if they're going to be able to handle this nationwide election. They're going to be spread awfully thin, aren't they ?

SHEPPERD: They're going to be spread thin because the election is taking place in many, many places, many polling places. What they're doing is cordoning off areas, they're conducting offensive operations on suspected insurgents to interdict them before they can do this. They are coordinating with Iraqi forces, some of which have been infiltrated.

No matter what they do, there are going to be attacks across the country and people are going to be killed. It's going to be dangerous.

O'BRIEN: Now, you mentioned Iraqi forces, the possibility of infiltration there, which just adds yet another dimension to this whole thing, another variable. And there's this -- this whole notion of whether the Iraqi forces are actually going to show up and do their job anyway, the training issue. At this point, if you're a military commander there, can you really count on the Iraqi forces?

SHEPPERD: You have to count on the Iraqi forces. You have to count on them to do the best they can, realizing that there's going to be some good and some bad.

There's no way to quickly create an effective Iraqi force. It requires equipment, it requires training, and time to work and confidence in their own leadership, which takes, in some cases, years, if not months. And we haven't had that yet.

O'BRIEN: And that is the point. It's a lot easier to create buck privates than it is true leadership in a military, right?

SHEPPERD: To turn out buck privates overnight, you can't turn out effective buck privates that can operate effectively as a unit overnight. O'BRIEN: What is your sense then? It's clearly going to be -- clearly, there will be attempts at violence. I think we can say that with a great degree of certainty. The question is, will the Iraqi people persevere?

SHEPPERD: I think so. I think you're going to see a large turnout. I think there's enthusiasm, particularly in the north and the south. The Sunni area is probably not going to be anywhere near as heavy a turnout, but it will probably heavier than some would expect. But the results of this election are going to be in the eyes of the beholder.

If you're a Sunni, you're going to think it's a farce. If you're the rest of the people, you're going to think it's the greatest thing ever. But it's a chance to vote and a start for the right direction for Iraq.

O'BRIEN: A turning point no matter which way it goes. Don Shepperd, retired major general, our military analyst, always a pleasure -- Kyra.

SHEPPERD: Pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Just ahead on LIVE FROM, we'll take a closer look at a controversial treatment to stop depression. Should shock therapy make a comeback?

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm David Haffenreffer from the New York Stock Exchange. Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Tom Jones are letting their voices be heard in court. I'll tell you what they're fighting for next on LIVE FROM.

Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Word now of another political pundit apparently on the Bush administration payroll. Syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher has repeatedly defended and promoted Mr. Bush's marriage initiative. But according to CNN's Howie Kurtz, she failed to mention she was paid more than $41,000 to do so.

She's now apologizing. This is what she writes...

"I was not paid to promote marriage. I was paid to produce particular research and writing products, articles, brochures, presentations which I produced. My lifelong experience in marriage research, public education and advocacy is the reason HHS hired me But the real truth is that it never occurred to me."

"On reflection, I think Howard is right. I should have disclosed a government contract when I later wrote about the Bush marriage initiative. I would have, if I had remembered it. My apologies to my readers."

Asked about this practice of paying commentators today, well, President Bush says that he had been unaware that pundits like Gallagher and columnist Armstrong Williams were paid to plug policies. He's ordering his cabinet secretaries not to hire anymore.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think it's a proper use of government funds to pay commentators to promote your policies?

BUSH: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to order that there...

BUSH: Therefore, I will not pay you to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fair enough. Are you ordering that there be an end to that practice?

BUSH: Yes, I am. I expect my cabinet secretaries to make sure that that practice doesn't go forward.

There needs to be independence. And Mr. Armstrong Williams admitted he made a mistake. And we didn't know about this in the White House.

And, you know, there needs to be a nice, independent relationship between the White House and the press and the administration and the press. And -- so, no, it shouldn't be going forward.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Williams made a mistake.

BUSH: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Williams made a mistake. Did the Department of Education make a mistake?

BUSH: Yes, they did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened to the people that made this decision?

BUSH: We've got new leadership going into the Department of Education. But all our cabinet secretaries must realize that we will not be paying, you know, commentators to advance our agenda. Our agenda ought to be able to stand on its own two feet. And I'm confident you'll be, over the course of the next four years, willing to give our different policies an objective look.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Side note, we are not on the payroll.

O'BRIEN: Absolutely not.

PHILLIPS: All right. Don Henley, Tom Jones, Sheryl Crow, they're getting ready for a Supreme Court showdown.

O'BRIEN: It's a good lineup. I don't know if they're going to be singing for us or mostly trying to tell us not to rip it and play it without paying for it, right, David?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired January 26, 2005 - 13:59   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Glendale's police chief says a suicidal man caused today's deadly train derailment, and he's still alive. At least 10 others are dead. That story coming up.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, a chopper down, an investigation on. It's the deadliest day yet for U.S. troops since that invasion began. We'll bring you the latest this hour.

PHILLIPS: Meet the brave women running for office in Iraq. Christiane Amanpour with a story of dreams, danger and democracy in action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am going to continue to speak directly to the American people about this issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: The president talks about his Social Security plan and the rest of his second-term agenda. We're live from the White House, of course.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

Suicidal intentions, deadly results. Police in southern California say a man deliberately left his SUV parked on train tracks, causing a massive derailment today. At least 10 people are known dead, more than 100 passengers are injured.

Our Ted Rowlands is live on the scene in Glendale, California, with more -- Ted.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the operation has now changed from a search and rescue to a recovery mode. They are trying to retrieve the remaining bodies that are still in this wreckage. There are three trains in all involved.

Just after 6:00 a.m. local time here, a Metrolink commuter train hit an automobile at a train crossing. That train then was derailed and hit another commuter train coming in the opposite direction. One or both of the trains then struck a Union Pacific train which was parked. The result, 10 people dead, at least, more than 100 injured. And these train cars are all mangled together. And as you can see from the video, they are still actively going through the wreckage and recovering any remaining bodies that are there.

Meanwhile, the investigation has continued as to why this individual would park his car inside -- on this train track. They say that he may have had suicidal intentions.

There's a 26-year-old man who has been arrested from Compton in Los Angeles area. They say that he parked his car on the tracks, got out of his car as the train approached, or before the train approached, and literally watched the train hit his car. And then he watched the derailment and the collision, which happened afterwards.

They say this individual, they believe, was trying to commit suicide and had second thoughts. They have arrested him, and they do plan to charge him with homicide.

Meanwhile, the injured have been taken to local hospitals here. In all, more than 100 people have been injured because of the train derailment. Five local hospitals have taken the more seriously injured. Others have been treated here on scene as well.

And then there's the problem of reuniting these folks with family members. They are trying to coordinate that effort as well.

The bottom line here, a horrific accident. People on these trains have been telling us that some were asleep and they woke up. It was dark and it was smoky inside these trains. They tried to get out. The doors were sealed. A really horrific accident here caused by an individual trying to commit suicide who, as we said, had second thoughts -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Ted Rowlands live from the scene there in Glendale, California. Thanks, Ted -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: We are nearing the end of the deadliest days for U.S. forces in Iraq since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom four days away from what's supposed to be a turning point in that endeavor. Thirty-five Marines and two soldiers killed. Most of them in a helicopter crash that might have been an accident. Hostilities, nonetheless, abound ahead of Sunday's election.

We got all the top developments from CNN's Christiane Amanpour, who is in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been the deadliest day for the U.S. military since the war ended. Thirty-one U.S. Marines were killed when their transport helicopter crashed in the western part of Iraq just near the Jordanian border. U.S. officials are saying that the Marines were on a routine mission.

It happened, we're told, in the predawn hours, about 1:20 a.m. local Iraqi time. We don't know the cause, and officials say that that is under investigation.

Marine officials, when confirming to CNN that these 31 Marines had been killed, pointed us away from the direction of hostile file as while they were continuing to investigate this. They also said that there was bad weather, and that might have been the cause. Again, we're not sure until the full investigation is completed.

In other casualties in Iraq today, four U.S. Marines were killed in combat operations. One U.S. soldier was killed in an ambush on a convoy that he was on. And there's been other Iraqi election violence as well.

In the city of Kirkuk, to the north, several car bombs, and there have been attacks against polling stations, which are effectively schools that are going to be used as voting centers on Sunday. In those attacks, there have not been any reported deaths or injuries but damage to buildings. The effect is to intimidate the voters ahead of Sunday's election.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Today's events bring to 1,418, the number of U.S. forces killed in Iraq since the war began in March of 2003. 10,622 GIs wounded now. With that as a backdrop, the U.S. general in charge went to Capitol Hill today, where he briefed reporters briefly on the helicopter crash and on the pending elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CENTCOM COMMANDER: It was not a special mission. It was a routine mission in support of the elections. That's all I know.

I think it's a dangerous environment that we operate in Iraq. We all understand that. And again, our condolences to the families.

The security situation on the ground, of course, in 14 out of the 18 provinces, we believe that the security situation is relatively stable. There are four provinces where the security situation is difficult. It's in western Baghdad, the Al Anbar Province (UNINTELLIGIBLE) province. That having been said, we believe that a combination of Iraqi security forces and coalition forces will make the situation stable enough for voting to take place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Later this hour, we'll cover those issues and more with our own military analyst, retired Major General Don Shepperd.

PHILLIPS: Discouraging at times, amazing throughout. President Bush's perspective on Iraq's evolution one of many issues to come up in his first news conference of his second term.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux has the headlines. Hi, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Kyra.

It's a press conference that lasted about 48 minutes or so. He covered a wide range of issues, domestic, as well as foreign policy issues. The president, of course, offered his condolences to the victims and the families of those -- those Marines who were killed in that helicopter crash in Iraq earlier today.

But the president did not dwell on that. He didn't focus on that. Rather, he was looking at the big picture, the broader picture, the U.S. mission inside of Iraq.

The president also focusing as well on what he says his mission is, to spread democracy around the world, to end tyranny around the globe. And the president, clearly in a White House strategy, of course, saying that he believes that the mere existence of elections in Iraq will mean success.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The notion that, you know, somehow we're not making progress, I just don't subscribe to. I mean, we're having elections. And I think people need to put this moment in history in proper context.

That context, of course, starts with whether or not the world will be better off with Saddam Hussein in power and whether or not Americans will be more secure. After all, I've always felt the Iraqi theater is a part of the war on terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The president also, of course, trying to convince naysayers that his domestic agenda is also realistic. He focused specifically on the centerpiece of that agenda, reforming Social Security. Even moderate Republicans, however, have expressed a great deal of doubt.

The president again saying that he believes the creation of these private accounts will ultimately make the Social Security system solvent. But the president did not use the same kind of language we've heard before. And he didn't call it a crisis. Rather, he called it a problem. And he did acknowledge that he thought that this was politically sensitive, if not politically risky for the Republicans, as well as the Democrats to take on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Social Security has been an issue that, you know, has made people nervous. I understand that. I mean it's -- you know, people felt like it was the third rail of American politics. That means if you touch it, you will have -- there will be political death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, the president also acknowledges, of course, as well as his aides, that he has a very small window of opportunity, perhaps as little as six months, really, to push forward his agenda through Congress. Some people say as much as two years before he becomes somewhat a lame-duck president in his second term. But he certainly hopes that that issue, specifically Social Security, does not mean the political death, of course, for many of his colleagues, Republicans, who are looking forward at their re-election prospects -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne, we know the Senate voted on Condi Rice. How soon for the swearing-in?

MALVEAUX: Well, a senior administration official tells us it will happen this evening here at the White House, the official ceremony, the swearing in by a judge. Now, this is something that is close to the press, but we'll see, however, tomorrow if she's going to show up at the State Department for her first day.

She will be there at 8:15 in the morning, we're told, greeted by staff, greeted by applause. It is the tradition at the State Department. And then on Friday, that's when it's expected that there will be a kind of ceremonial swearing in that will take place at the State Department. We do expect that the president, in all likelihood, will attend that event -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Suzanne Malveaux live from the White House. Thanks so much.

Other news "Across America" now.

Bracing for trouble. An unstable hillside has prompted evacuations in Mission Viejo, California. Residents in six homes were asked to leave yesterday. More rain is forecast for the area today, raising fears that the slope could give way, as it's been weakened by a series of earlier storms.

Gorged by a buck and lived to tell about it. Eighty-four-year- old Alfred Tibbers (ph) in good shape today after he was attacked by a 300-pound deer. Well, the big bug crashed through a window into his house yesterday and gorged his arms. Police ended up shooting the deer in a bathroom.

Another winter headache is taking aim at New England. Forecasters say a new storm could dump up to 10 inches of snow on areas still digging out from last weekend's blizzard. And to make matters worse, winds could kick up around the Cape Cod area, producing near-blizzard-like conditions.

O'BRIEN: A dangerous mission in a dangerous place. Why today's helicopter accident in western Iraq cost so many lives. We'll talk with a former general about flying combat missions.

And as the countdown to Iraq's elections continues, we'll meet an ex-pat Iraqi living here in the U.S. She'll tell us what it means to her to have this chance when so many Iraqis in America aren't signing up to vote.

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O'BRIEN: As we mentioned earlier, the investigation continues into today's helicopter crash in Iraq. It killed at least 31 Marines. It comes just four days ahead of scheduled elections in the country. We probably don't need to tell you that at this point but, nonetheless, we do.

Joining us is retired Air Force Major General Don Shepperd. He's one of our military analysts.

General Shepperd, good to have you with us here in Atlanta today.

Let's just talk about the basics, what we know about this particular event. First of all, it happened sort of outside the -- well, well outside the Sunni Triangle. This was over near the border of Jordan, right?

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Our route was the town, and so we're near the Jordanian border. It's been a fairly calm area.

It's pretty unlikely that this was combat-related. In other words, an insurgent firing a rocket or a missile at it.

Reportedly bad weather. And we make all this stuff look so easy. It's easy to forget that this is dangerous stuff that we do. We do almost everything that we do at night, we do it lots of times in bad weather and hilly terrain. And so we just have to wait and investigate and make sure we find out what really happened.

O'BRIEN: And helicopter operations, by their very nature, really are among the most dangerous things that we do, the U.S. military does on a routine basis, absent anybody shooting at them.

SHEPPERD: Yes. There's about three reasons.

First of all, it's difficult to fly. It's more difficult to fly than an airplane.

Second, it always takes place close to the ground. And so when something happens, you don't have time to react before you -- before you get to the ground. And then third, because you're low, people are more likely to shoot at you and more likely to hit you when they do.

O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk a little bit about the craft involved. This is a Marine craft. This is called the CH-53 Super Stallion.

This fleet of helicopters, this class of helicopters, literally the largest helicopters in the west. Tremendous capability for carrying upwards of 50 people without combat gear. Less with the gear on, 30-something. It's a big beast and a workhorse isn't it?

SHEPPERD: It's a big beast and a workhouse, about 70,000 pounds. It carries 37 combat-equipped troops with all their gear, can be reconfigured for 55 troops without gear and 24 litter patients (ph).

It can carry a small armored vehicle. It can carry Howitzers. It's the big heavy lift. That's what it does.

O'BRIEN: And I don't know if you saw in that particular visual, there's a boom on the front which allows it to go and refuel, so it can go on these extended missions.

SHEPPERD: Yes. The range of it is about 500 miles out and back, about 1,000 miles without refueling. But with refueling, it can go limitless.

O'BRIEN: All right. So, once again, underscores the dangers which perhaps we overlook in the course of our reporting on every day. But this is obviously very dangerous operations that under way.

Let's have a word or two about elections here. Whatever the cause on this, this crash, it just adds to the general feeling of instability in the run-up to this election. Give us a sense, as best you can determine, what U.S. forces are doing, and if they're going to be able to handle this nationwide election. They're going to be spread awfully thin, aren't they ?

SHEPPERD: They're going to be spread thin because the election is taking place in many, many places, many polling places. What they're doing is cordoning off areas, they're conducting offensive operations on suspected insurgents to interdict them before they can do this. They are coordinating with Iraqi forces, some of which have been infiltrated.

No matter what they do, there are going to be attacks across the country and people are going to be killed. It's going to be dangerous.

O'BRIEN: Now, you mentioned Iraqi forces, the possibility of infiltration there, which just adds yet another dimension to this whole thing, another variable. And there's this -- this whole notion of whether the Iraqi forces are actually going to show up and do their job anyway, the training issue. At this point, if you're a military commander there, can you really count on the Iraqi forces?

SHEPPERD: You have to count on the Iraqi forces. You have to count on them to do the best they can, realizing that there's going to be some good and some bad.

There's no way to quickly create an effective Iraqi force. It requires equipment, it requires training, and time to work and confidence in their own leadership, which takes, in some cases, years, if not months. And we haven't had that yet.

O'BRIEN: And that is the point. It's a lot easier to create buck privates than it is true leadership in a military, right?

SHEPPERD: To turn out buck privates overnight, you can't turn out effective buck privates that can operate effectively as a unit overnight. O'BRIEN: What is your sense then? It's clearly going to be -- clearly, there will be attempts at violence. I think we can say that with a great degree of certainty. The question is, will the Iraqi people persevere?

SHEPPERD: I think so. I think you're going to see a large turnout. I think there's enthusiasm, particularly in the north and the south. The Sunni area is probably not going to be anywhere near as heavy a turnout, but it will probably heavier than some would expect. But the results of this election are going to be in the eyes of the beholder.

If you're a Sunni, you're going to think it's a farce. If you're the rest of the people, you're going to think it's the greatest thing ever. But it's a chance to vote and a start for the right direction for Iraq.

O'BRIEN: A turning point no matter which way it goes. Don Shepperd, retired major general, our military analyst, always a pleasure -- Kyra.

SHEPPERD: Pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Just ahead on LIVE FROM, we'll take a closer look at a controversial treatment to stop depression. Should shock therapy make a comeback?

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm David Haffenreffer from the New York Stock Exchange. Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Tom Jones are letting their voices be heard in court. I'll tell you what they're fighting for next on LIVE FROM.

Stay tuned.

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PHILLIPS: Word now of another political pundit apparently on the Bush administration payroll. Syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher has repeatedly defended and promoted Mr. Bush's marriage initiative. But according to CNN's Howie Kurtz, she failed to mention she was paid more than $41,000 to do so.

She's now apologizing. This is what she writes...

"I was not paid to promote marriage. I was paid to produce particular research and writing products, articles, brochures, presentations which I produced. My lifelong experience in marriage research, public education and advocacy is the reason HHS hired me But the real truth is that it never occurred to me."

"On reflection, I think Howard is right. I should have disclosed a government contract when I later wrote about the Bush marriage initiative. I would have, if I had remembered it. My apologies to my readers."

Asked about this practice of paying commentators today, well, President Bush says that he had been unaware that pundits like Gallagher and columnist Armstrong Williams were paid to plug policies. He's ordering his cabinet secretaries not to hire anymore.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think it's a proper use of government funds to pay commentators to promote your policies?

BUSH: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to order that there...

BUSH: Therefore, I will not pay you to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fair enough. Are you ordering that there be an end to that practice?

BUSH: Yes, I am. I expect my cabinet secretaries to make sure that that practice doesn't go forward.

There needs to be independence. And Mr. Armstrong Williams admitted he made a mistake. And we didn't know about this in the White House.

And, you know, there needs to be a nice, independent relationship between the White House and the press and the administration and the press. And -- so, no, it shouldn't be going forward.

Yes, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Williams made a mistake.

BUSH: Who?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Williams made a mistake. Did the Department of Education make a mistake?

BUSH: Yes, they did.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened to the people that made this decision?

BUSH: We've got new leadership going into the Department of Education. But all our cabinet secretaries must realize that we will not be paying, you know, commentators to advance our agenda. Our agenda ought to be able to stand on its own two feet. And I'm confident you'll be, over the course of the next four years, willing to give our different policies an objective look.

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PHILLIPS: Side note, we are not on the payroll.

O'BRIEN: Absolutely not.

PHILLIPS: All right. Don Henley, Tom Jones, Sheryl Crow, they're getting ready for a Supreme Court showdown.

O'BRIEN: It's a good lineup. I don't know if they're going to be singing for us or mostly trying to tell us not to rip it and play it without paying for it, right, David?

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