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Congress Debating Raising Death Benefit for Soldiers; Iraqi President Declares Election a Success; Fans Calmer on Second Day of Michael Jackson Jury Selection

Aired February 01, 2005 - 13:00   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.


MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Miguel Marquez, live in Santa Maria, California, where Michael Jackson has just shown up for his second day of his child molestation trial. I'll tell you about that and what's coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: The president will talk about confronting problems that he feels like it's his responsibility and the responsibility of elected officials to confront.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Presidential preview. The first lady gives us a sneak peek at what you'll hear in the State of the Union address.

MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: The ultimate power pucker. Prime Minister Tony Blair gets a big smack that leaves him smiling.

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

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

O'BRIEN: A U.S. soldier pays the ultimate price in combat. The U.S. government pays the soldier's family $12,420. It's a death benefit that's gone up only gradually since Congress created it back in 1908.

Realizing no amount can compensate the loss of a father, mother, son or daughter, thousands of miles from home, the Pentagon nevertheless wants to boost the benefit more than eightfold. We get the story from CNN's Lindsey Arent, joining us now from Washington -- Lindsey.

LINDSEY ARENT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Miles.

Now, the Senate Armed Services Committee just wrapped up a hearing on how to increase the death benefits for survivors of U.S. troops killed in combat. Now the issue here is how do you assign a dollar value to the death of a U.S. service member in combat?

So far, more than 1,500 have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001. And some lawmakers earlier today expressed outrage at what they say are the, quote, "paltry and miserly sums" families get when a loved one dies in combat.

Meanwhile, they also praised President Bush for including an increase in the death gratuity to family members in his 2006 budget proposal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: Any man or woman good enough to risk their lives in defense of our country ought to know that if they're called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, that they can be confident that their families will be well taken care of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARENT: Now, under the current system, families of troops killed in combat receive a one-time, tax-free payment from the government of $12,420. Now, with the administration's new proposal, that benefit would grows to $100,000.

In the meantime, troops' optional life insurance coverage would also rise from $250,000 to $400,000 for those killed in a designated combat zone. Now, under this new plan, all troops would get a life insurance benefit, and the Pentagon would pay for the premiums.

All told, if the proposal is passed in its current form, all those killed in a designated combat zone would receive at least $250,000 in government benefits. And those changes would be retroactive to any service member killed in combat since October 2001, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Lindsay Arent, thank you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: U.S. troops in Baghdad are investigating a chilling image on an Islamic web site. It purportedly shows a U.S. soldier, apparently a hostage, with a rifle to his head and a threat on his life.

A group called Mujahideen Brigade says that it killed several of the G.I.'s comrades and will kill him too, if the U.S. doesn't free all the Iraqis it's holding. Those claims have not been corroborated.

No losers, all winners. Two days post-Iraq election an unofficial proclamation from the soon to be former interim president. As for the turnout, the president claims tens of thousands of would-be voters were turned away because polling sites ran out of ballots.

We're still at least a week away from knowing who really won seats in the new assembly, which will draft a constitution and choose the new head of state.

CNN's Jeff Koinange with more from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two days after landmark elections, the country that was in a lockdown finally allowing Iraqis to venture into the street. Vehicle traffic also allowed in the streets for the first time. Baghdad Airport and the country's borders also reopened.

All this, as vote counting continued across the country. First in the provinces where the votes will be tallied before being sent on to Baghdad where they will be collated and, according to officials, results announced in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the country's outgoing president, Ghazi al-Yawar, in his first post-election press conference, congratulating Iraqis for turning out in numbers, saying now was a time for all Iraqis to unite as one.

But when pressed further about the question that's probably on everyone's lips here, just when will U.S. troops be withdrawing, he was less forthcoming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GHAZI AL-YAWAR, IRAQI PRESIDENT (through translator): There is a timetable for the withdrawal of these forces. There is a timetable, which has not been put to paper yet. This depends on the speed of building the Iraqi security forces and armed forces. This is not a difficult task. Secondly, we should protect our borders and accomplish security throughout the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: Meanwhile, a new audiotape, purportedly by terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, says all Sunnis to reject what he calls a Sunni takeover, saying Baghdad will never be ruled by Shias.

More violence, this time in the northern town of Irbil, at the home of a top Kurdish official, where two of his bodyguards noticed a bomb outside and tried to defuse it, when it exploded, killing both of them.

As Iraqis await the final results, signs of normality gradually returning, as a nation slowly gets back on its feet.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: In Washington, inauguration fuss has given way to State of the Union fuss. And Laura Bush has a front row center seat for both. CNN's Candy Crowley asked the first lady for some first impressions of the president's address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The president will talk about fronting problems that he feels like it's his responsibility and the responsibility of elected officials to confront and certainly one of those is Social Security, to figure out what we can do, have everybody, the united -- in the United States Congress, and the president, can come together to make sure that Social Security will be viable in the future, when all of us who are Baby Boomers are on Social Security and then there are fewer, at that point, younger workers who are putting money into Social Security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Now, you can see the rest of Candy's interview on CNN's "INSIDE POLITICS." It's at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, 12:30 Pacific. That's right after this program.

And the big event is tomorrow, 9 p.m. Eastern, special coverage on CNN beginning with "PAULA ZAHN NOW" at 8 Eastern, 5 on the West Coast.

PHILLIPS: Another day of spectacle in Santa Maria. Day two of jury selection in the State of California versus Michael Jackson is getting under way this hour.

CNN's Miguel Marquez is there -- Miguel.

MARQUEZ: Yes, the spectacle somewhat smaller today, somewhat diminished spectacle, I suppose. Fewer fans here. About -- maybe about 50 right now, outside.

But Mr. Jackson just arrived a few moments ago for his second day. And the big surprise, I suppose, if there is such a thing is that he was not wearing white. He was wearing black. He jumped out of the suburban, as usual. The umbrella goes up and Mr. Jackson was met by his lawyer, and I believe his jury consultant, who is helping them select the 12 people and eight alternates who will eventually judge them.

Said a brief hello and good morning to them and then went into the Santa Maria court complex here.

The crowd to greet them this morning was somewhat smaller all day, if we can come out to a live shot here. You can see that the crowd is already dissipating, as well. Probably around 30, 40 people out here, and many of them are streaming out of here.

Mr. Jackson will be in court today to watch jurors cycle through there. Three hundred jurors will cycle through today, just like yesterday. They will be excused for hardship reasons, that is, if they can't serve six months on a jury. Yesterday, more than half said they could serve on the jury.

At the end of the process, all of them will fill out questionnaires. And based on those questionnaires, both the defense and the prosecution will select which jurors they think can sit on the jury. Then next week, they'll start questioning whichever jurors are left, and that's a process expected to take two to four weeks.

And then the opening arguments begin. And we'll see how long this trial goes: four, maybe five, possibly six months -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Miguel, you've explained how the scene has kind of tamed down a bit. That is definitely obvious. Did the judge actually ask Michael Jackson to slow it down a bit, drop the entourage, dress differently? Were there any restrictions put on him? Because he did make quite a scene last time, bringing in truckloads of fans.

MARQUEZ: No. The judge has not asked for any of that. What the judge wants is inside the courtroom, the decorum inside that courtroom to be maintained. He also doesn't want the jurors to be bothered, but he has not asked Jackson to do anything differently outside the courtroom. He's not trying to control his life outside.

He did -- the only reason Jackson didn't bring his family and friends into court this time was because there just wasn't space. It's a fairly small courtroom. They have to get 150 jurors in there each time. It's the same reason media is not able to get into the courtroom in the numbers we normally are. There's just not space to handle that many jurors and all the lawyers, the judge and his staff and the defendant.

PHILLIPS: All right. Miguel Marquez, thanks so much. We'll check in with you -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Snatched, south of the border. A father searching for his missing daughter since Mexican authorities appear to be not eager to help out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm doing fine, and you?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: It's sort of like "Watson, come quickly, I need you." Seems like a mundane phone call. But before yesterday, it was impossible to do in the metropolis of Mink, Louisiana. We'll call up a resident enjoying phone service for the first time ever and ask her what she thinks of junk calls.

And watch this. You know what's going to happen, right? Yes! Nothing but net. A buzzer ball turns into a game-winner. We'll shoot and score later on LIVE FROM.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Developments out of the United Nations right now. News just in that Bill Clinton may have a new job. Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth has the latest.

What are the details, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, several sources telling us, Kyra, that former President Bill Clinton will be named the United Nations, new point man for tsunami relief. Clinton is already involved with former President Bush in a fund- raising campaign to get relief and reconstruction aid. Those two former presidents will be going to the region.

But overall, moving on from there Secretary-General Kofi Annan later today is expected to name Bill Clinton as his point person on tsunami reconstruction. Also, a U.N. spokesperson saying he hopes that whoever is named, which will be Bill Clinton, that person could possibly negotiate on some world trouble spots, in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, where there are strong rebel movements. And Bill Clinton certainly has a lot of experience in negotiating between two differing sides.

The envoy, according to the U.N. spokesman, could help facilitate peace negotiations -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Other news out of the U.N. there, talking about the Sudan, Richard. With the 70,000 people dead since last April, the millions more forced to flee their homes, the talks of crimes concerning torture and rape, what is this debate that's intensifying over how to prosecute alleged war crimes right now?

ROTH: Right, a lot of the focus on this special U.N. commission report on what happened in Darfur was whether it was genocide or not. And now that this commission has said it's not genocide but there's certainly a lot of murders, rapes, torture, and mass violence against people, what to do about it?

The trouble is the U.N. Security Council, surprise, surprise, is divided. The U.S. does not want anybody who is going to be charged to be sent to the international criminal court. The U.S. doesn't support that. While other countries on the council think it should go to the court. There are also countries such as China and Russia that don't want sanctions.

So there's still a lot of debate and arguing still to go. And critics say it's outrageous that violence and mass murder still goes on in Darfur, Sudan, while the international community dawdles -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: How can that not be defined as genocide?

ROTH: Well, they -- these investigators, legal experts, said it wasn't genocide. Though Secretary-General Annan says there may have been some intent to commit genocide.

And to show, really, the pace of lack of progress, let's listen to China's ambassador, who I asked today about why the delays, even in the light of this report, which said that there was possibly crimes against humanity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's only a few men (ph) with such a large country so I think verification, investigations, is still need. But I think that we must find a best venue, a best mechanism, for these legal actions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: So China's ambassador saying more time is need. It's a big country.

That was the whole purpose of this special commission of inquiry established by Kofi Annan, was to determine whether there was genocide or just what was going on there.

Kofi Annan thinks the international criminal court would be a logical place for any suspects to be tried -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Richard Roth, live from the U.N., thanks Richard -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, from a manmade crisis to one that was beyond anyone's control. Newly released amateur video shows Banda Aceh, Indonesia, as it was being rocked by an earthquake last month.

The footage was shot by a local resident who was at a stadium to tape a marathon. He kept rolling, as you can see, as the speakers fell, cars shook, people collapsed to the ground in fear. Of course, no one imagined what was to follow. And these are some pictures that really tell the story.

Incredibly compelling footage, when the tsunami struck. Here people ride literally a river of debris, some forced to flatten themselves to avoid being crushed against a bridge, as you saw there. Truly astounding stuff. Let's just watch it for one moment here.

That in one shot, tells you an awful lot about the tragedy that we saw unfold immediately after Christmas along the Indian Ocean.

Today, in Banda Aceh, officials raised the death toll. More than 108,000 people known dead in Indonesia alone; more than 127,000 are still considered missing.

PHILLIPS: Now in Sri Lanka, the desperate search for a happy ending amid overwhelming loss. This 3-month-old boy is officially known as Baby 81. But he is the embodiment of hope in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka.

Hospital officials have been overwhelmed by rival claims of at least nine women who say this child is theirs. But just one of those nine has filed a court case.

In a ruling tomorrow, a judge may rule that DNA testing is required. In the meantime, doctors are allowing the women to visit the boy twice a week on condition that she not lift him from his crib.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Night after night, thinking where is she? Where's her friend?

PHILLIPS: Missing south of the border. One family's search reveals a troubling trend: Americans disappearing in Mexico. A CNN investigation.

Later on LIVE FROM...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson is not entitled to a jury of other pop stars. That's not what jury of your peers means.

PHILLIPS: Judging Jackson, we'll go in depth with a legal expert.

Tomorrow on LIVE FROM: President Bush laying out his agenda. What's in it for you? We'll preview his State of the Union address.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: News across America now.

If you hear that the NBA is going Snipe hunting, it's no prank. It's thanks to an amazing, at the buzzer, nothing but net sinker that was shot by one Jordan Snipes. Here it is. Oh, man. They're still slack-jawed at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. And Snipes is basking in the glow of local hero after the shot earned a Division III hoops victory over Randolph Macon.

In other court action, the traction's not only on the tennis shoes; it's on the head of a Detroit Piston, Richard Hamilton. Hamilton's being paid by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to promote their Assurance triple tread tires. See tread here and now here. No word on how much Goodyear paid for Hamilton's promotional 'do, but he also got a free set of tires. The style should last about a week before it's retired.

All right. Now to Mink, Louisiana, a tiny community that has at last entered the 19th Century. Never mind the rest of us are already in the 21st century. Mink has finally been introduced to the invention of one Alexander Graham Bell.

We couldn't be more thrilled to say that 83-year-old Louise Bolton is joining us on the phone from Mink on her brand new telephone.

Can you hear me OK, Louise?

LOUISE BOLTON, MINK RESIDENT: Yes, ma'am, I can.

PHILLIPS: So tell me about your new telephone. What does it feel like to actually talk with someone via phone?

BOLTON: Oh, it's the nicest addition to my house in a long, long, long, long time. We've waited so long for it. PHILLIPS: Well, now, I understand you've been trying to get phone service there in Mink for 35 years. What have you been doing for 35 years to try and get this to happen?

BOLTON: Well, what was I doing, about communication? Well, we'd either -- some of us was in hollering distance so we'd holler, yelling distance, rather, and we needed something, we'd yell to them and make each other known. Then if it's too far away, we'd drive -- we would drive.

And the nearest telephone was about seven miles from our house, and my husband's mother had a telephone. So we'd go over there and make our calls.

PHILLIPS: Wow. So you'd have to drive seven miles to get to a phone. Now, how many people are in Mink? I was reading about 100 people? Is that right?

BOLTON: No, not quite, no, not in Mink. A hundred people, sound more like the fish fry we had yesterday at -- celebrating phone service.

PHILLIPS: That's big-time. OK, how many people are actually in Mink?

BOLTON: Actually, in Mink, there's about 12.

PHILLIPS: Oh, my goodness.

BOLTON: We have seven residents, I think -- about 12, 12 people.

PHILLIPS: And...

BOLTON: We're mostly elderly people, you know?

PHILLIPS: Right.

BOLTON: And it's so convenient and so good for us to have -- for us to have phones in our homes where we don't have to get out and go somewhere, you know, to make a call.

PHILLIPS: Well, I think it's just terrific. And I understand you even got a call from the governor. So what's the next step, Louise? Is it call waiting?

BOLTON: I think I have that. In a package.

PHILLIPS: You got the special package deal, right?

BOLTON: No, I didn't get the call waiting. I'm sorry about that.

PHILLIPS: Oh, that's OK.

BOLTON: I got a long distance package. PHILLIPS: Oh, of course. It's a much better deal, I promise you. You don't need call waiting. It's really annoying anyway, because then everybody's beeping in on you. And I'm sure you're going to be getting a lot of calls.

BOLTON: Definitely, definitely.

PHILLIPS: Ah, Louise Bolton, well, look, we're going to call you once in awhile just to make sure it's still working, just to chitchat with you. Is that OK?

BOLTON: OK, that's OK, honey.

PHILLIPS: All right, Louise. Thank you so much.

BOLTON: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: OK. Bye-bye.

O'BRIEN: Kyra, did you ask her -- you didn't ask her about caller I.D.

PHILLIPS: That's right. You know what...

O'BRIEN: If she gets that, I hope she picks up your call.

PHILLIPS: Oh, come on now, Louise is...

O'BRIEN: She's sweet.

PHILLIPS: She's my friend. She's my friend.

O'BRIEN: Well, you know, you're in hollering distance from me but I'd still rather call you.

PHILLIPS: What's that, Miles? A little louder.

O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk about Vioxx, shall we?

More fallout from Vioxx. A consumer group is asking for a ban on the similar arthritis drug Celebrex. We get the latest on the story from Susan Lisovicz, who is well beyond hollering range there at the New York Stock Exchange.

Hello, Susan.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired February 1, 2005 - 13:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Miguel Marquez, live in Santa Maria, California, where Michael Jackson has just shown up for his second day of his child molestation trial. I'll tell you about that and what's coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: The president will talk about confronting problems that he feels like it's his responsibility and the responsibility of elected officials to confront.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Presidential preview. The first lady gives us a sneak peek at what you'll hear in the State of the Union address.

MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: The ultimate power pucker. Prime Minister Tony Blair gets a big smack that leaves him smiling.

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

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

O'BRIEN: A U.S. soldier pays the ultimate price in combat. The U.S. government pays the soldier's family $12,420. It's a death benefit that's gone up only gradually since Congress created it back in 1908.

Realizing no amount can compensate the loss of a father, mother, son or daughter, thousands of miles from home, the Pentagon nevertheless wants to boost the benefit more than eightfold. We get the story from CNN's Lindsey Arent, joining us now from Washington -- Lindsey.

LINDSEY ARENT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Miles.

Now, the Senate Armed Services Committee just wrapped up a hearing on how to increase the death benefits for survivors of U.S. troops killed in combat. Now the issue here is how do you assign a dollar value to the death of a U.S. service member in combat?

So far, more than 1,500 have died in Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001. And some lawmakers earlier today expressed outrage at what they say are the, quote, "paltry and miserly sums" families get when a loved one dies in combat.

Meanwhile, they also praised President Bush for including an increase in the death gratuity to family members in his 2006 budget proposal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: Any man or woman good enough to risk their lives in defense of our country ought to know that if they're called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, that they can be confident that their families will be well taken care of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARENT: Now, under the current system, families of troops killed in combat receive a one-time, tax-free payment from the government of $12,420. Now, with the administration's new proposal, that benefit would grows to $100,000.

In the meantime, troops' optional life insurance coverage would also rise from $250,000 to $400,000 for those killed in a designated combat zone. Now, under this new plan, all troops would get a life insurance benefit, and the Pentagon would pay for the premiums.

All told, if the proposal is passed in its current form, all those killed in a designated combat zone would receive at least $250,000 in government benefits. And those changes would be retroactive to any service member killed in combat since October 2001, Miles.

O'BRIEN: Lindsay Arent, thank you -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: U.S. troops in Baghdad are investigating a chilling image on an Islamic web site. It purportedly shows a U.S. soldier, apparently a hostage, with a rifle to his head and a threat on his life.

A group called Mujahideen Brigade says that it killed several of the G.I.'s comrades and will kill him too, if the U.S. doesn't free all the Iraqis it's holding. Those claims have not been corroborated.

No losers, all winners. Two days post-Iraq election an unofficial proclamation from the soon to be former interim president. As for the turnout, the president claims tens of thousands of would-be voters were turned away because polling sites ran out of ballots.

We're still at least a week away from knowing who really won seats in the new assembly, which will draft a constitution and choose the new head of state.

CNN's Jeff Koinange with more from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two days after landmark elections, the country that was in a lockdown finally allowing Iraqis to venture into the street. Vehicle traffic also allowed in the streets for the first time. Baghdad Airport and the country's borders also reopened.

All this, as vote counting continued across the country. First in the provinces where the votes will be tallied before being sent on to Baghdad where they will be collated and, according to officials, results announced in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the country's outgoing president, Ghazi al-Yawar, in his first post-election press conference, congratulating Iraqis for turning out in numbers, saying now was a time for all Iraqis to unite as one.

But when pressed further about the question that's probably on everyone's lips here, just when will U.S. troops be withdrawing, he was less forthcoming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GHAZI AL-YAWAR, IRAQI PRESIDENT (through translator): There is a timetable for the withdrawal of these forces. There is a timetable, which has not been put to paper yet. This depends on the speed of building the Iraqi security forces and armed forces. This is not a difficult task. Secondly, we should protect our borders and accomplish security throughout the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: Meanwhile, a new audiotape, purportedly by terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, says all Sunnis to reject what he calls a Sunni takeover, saying Baghdad will never be ruled by Shias.

More violence, this time in the northern town of Irbil, at the home of a top Kurdish official, where two of his bodyguards noticed a bomb outside and tried to defuse it, when it exploded, killing both of them.

As Iraqis await the final results, signs of normality gradually returning, as a nation slowly gets back on its feet.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: In Washington, inauguration fuss has given way to State of the Union fuss. And Laura Bush has a front row center seat for both. CNN's Candy Crowley asked the first lady for some first impressions of the president's address.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The president will talk about fronting problems that he feels like it's his responsibility and the responsibility of elected officials to confront and certainly one of those is Social Security, to figure out what we can do, have everybody, the united -- in the United States Congress, and the president, can come together to make sure that Social Security will be viable in the future, when all of us who are Baby Boomers are on Social Security and then there are fewer, at that point, younger workers who are putting money into Social Security.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Now, you can see the rest of Candy's interview on CNN's "INSIDE POLITICS." It's at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, 12:30 Pacific. That's right after this program.

And the big event is tomorrow, 9 p.m. Eastern, special coverage on CNN beginning with "PAULA ZAHN NOW" at 8 Eastern, 5 on the West Coast.

PHILLIPS: Another day of spectacle in Santa Maria. Day two of jury selection in the State of California versus Michael Jackson is getting under way this hour.

CNN's Miguel Marquez is there -- Miguel.

MARQUEZ: Yes, the spectacle somewhat smaller today, somewhat diminished spectacle, I suppose. Fewer fans here. About -- maybe about 50 right now, outside.

But Mr. Jackson just arrived a few moments ago for his second day. And the big surprise, I suppose, if there is such a thing is that he was not wearing white. He was wearing black. He jumped out of the suburban, as usual. The umbrella goes up and Mr. Jackson was met by his lawyer, and I believe his jury consultant, who is helping them select the 12 people and eight alternates who will eventually judge them.

Said a brief hello and good morning to them and then went into the Santa Maria court complex here.

The crowd to greet them this morning was somewhat smaller all day, if we can come out to a live shot here. You can see that the crowd is already dissipating, as well. Probably around 30, 40 people out here, and many of them are streaming out of here.

Mr. Jackson will be in court today to watch jurors cycle through there. Three hundred jurors will cycle through today, just like yesterday. They will be excused for hardship reasons, that is, if they can't serve six months on a jury. Yesterday, more than half said they could serve on the jury.

At the end of the process, all of them will fill out questionnaires. And based on those questionnaires, both the defense and the prosecution will select which jurors they think can sit on the jury. Then next week, they'll start questioning whichever jurors are left, and that's a process expected to take two to four weeks.

And then the opening arguments begin. And we'll see how long this trial goes: four, maybe five, possibly six months -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Miguel, you've explained how the scene has kind of tamed down a bit. That is definitely obvious. Did the judge actually ask Michael Jackson to slow it down a bit, drop the entourage, dress differently? Were there any restrictions put on him? Because he did make quite a scene last time, bringing in truckloads of fans.

MARQUEZ: No. The judge has not asked for any of that. What the judge wants is inside the courtroom, the decorum inside that courtroom to be maintained. He also doesn't want the jurors to be bothered, but he has not asked Jackson to do anything differently outside the courtroom. He's not trying to control his life outside.

He did -- the only reason Jackson didn't bring his family and friends into court this time was because there just wasn't space. It's a fairly small courtroom. They have to get 150 jurors in there each time. It's the same reason media is not able to get into the courtroom in the numbers we normally are. There's just not space to handle that many jurors and all the lawyers, the judge and his staff and the defendant.

PHILLIPS: All right. Miguel Marquez, thanks so much. We'll check in with you -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Snatched, south of the border. A father searching for his missing daughter since Mexican authorities appear to be not eager to help out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm doing fine, and you?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: It's sort of like "Watson, come quickly, I need you." Seems like a mundane phone call. But before yesterday, it was impossible to do in the metropolis of Mink, Louisiana. We'll call up a resident enjoying phone service for the first time ever and ask her what she thinks of junk calls.

And watch this. You know what's going to happen, right? Yes! Nothing but net. A buzzer ball turns into a game-winner. We'll shoot and score later on LIVE FROM.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Developments out of the United Nations right now. News just in that Bill Clinton may have a new job. Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth has the latest.

What are the details, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, several sources telling us, Kyra, that former President Bill Clinton will be named the United Nations, new point man for tsunami relief. Clinton is already involved with former President Bush in a fund- raising campaign to get relief and reconstruction aid. Those two former presidents will be going to the region.

But overall, moving on from there Secretary-General Kofi Annan later today is expected to name Bill Clinton as his point person on tsunami reconstruction. Also, a U.N. spokesperson saying he hopes that whoever is named, which will be Bill Clinton, that person could possibly negotiate on some world trouble spots, in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, where there are strong rebel movements. And Bill Clinton certainly has a lot of experience in negotiating between two differing sides.

The envoy, according to the U.N. spokesman, could help facilitate peace negotiations -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Other news out of the U.N. there, talking about the Sudan, Richard. With the 70,000 people dead since last April, the millions more forced to flee their homes, the talks of crimes concerning torture and rape, what is this debate that's intensifying over how to prosecute alleged war crimes right now?

ROTH: Right, a lot of the focus on this special U.N. commission report on what happened in Darfur was whether it was genocide or not. And now that this commission has said it's not genocide but there's certainly a lot of murders, rapes, torture, and mass violence against people, what to do about it?

The trouble is the U.N. Security Council, surprise, surprise, is divided. The U.S. does not want anybody who is going to be charged to be sent to the international criminal court. The U.S. doesn't support that. While other countries on the council think it should go to the court. There are also countries such as China and Russia that don't want sanctions.

So there's still a lot of debate and arguing still to go. And critics say it's outrageous that violence and mass murder still goes on in Darfur, Sudan, while the international community dawdles -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: How can that not be defined as genocide?

ROTH: Well, they -- these investigators, legal experts, said it wasn't genocide. Though Secretary-General Annan says there may have been some intent to commit genocide.

And to show, really, the pace of lack of progress, let's listen to China's ambassador, who I asked today about why the delays, even in the light of this report, which said that there was possibly crimes against humanity.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's only a few men (ph) with such a large country so I think verification, investigations, is still need. But I think that we must find a best venue, a best mechanism, for these legal actions.

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ROTH: So China's ambassador saying more time is need. It's a big country.

That was the whole purpose of this special commission of inquiry established by Kofi Annan, was to determine whether there was genocide or just what was going on there.

Kofi Annan thinks the international criminal court would be a logical place for any suspects to be tried -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Richard Roth, live from the U.N., thanks Richard -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, from a manmade crisis to one that was beyond anyone's control. Newly released amateur video shows Banda Aceh, Indonesia, as it was being rocked by an earthquake last month.

The footage was shot by a local resident who was at a stadium to tape a marathon. He kept rolling, as you can see, as the speakers fell, cars shook, people collapsed to the ground in fear. Of course, no one imagined what was to follow. And these are some pictures that really tell the story.

Incredibly compelling footage, when the tsunami struck. Here people ride literally a river of debris, some forced to flatten themselves to avoid being crushed against a bridge, as you saw there. Truly astounding stuff. Let's just watch it for one moment here.

That in one shot, tells you an awful lot about the tragedy that we saw unfold immediately after Christmas along the Indian Ocean.

Today, in Banda Aceh, officials raised the death toll. More than 108,000 people known dead in Indonesia alone; more than 127,000 are still considered missing.

PHILLIPS: Now in Sri Lanka, the desperate search for a happy ending amid overwhelming loss. This 3-month-old boy is officially known as Baby 81. But he is the embodiment of hope in Kalmunai, Sri Lanka.

Hospital officials have been overwhelmed by rival claims of at least nine women who say this child is theirs. But just one of those nine has filed a court case.

In a ruling tomorrow, a judge may rule that DNA testing is required. In the meantime, doctors are allowing the women to visit the boy twice a week on condition that she not lift him from his crib.

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PHILLIPS (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Night after night, thinking where is she? Where's her friend?

PHILLIPS: Missing south of the border. One family's search reveals a troubling trend: Americans disappearing in Mexico. A CNN investigation.

Later on LIVE FROM...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson is not entitled to a jury of other pop stars. That's not what jury of your peers means.

PHILLIPS: Judging Jackson, we'll go in depth with a legal expert.

Tomorrow on LIVE FROM: President Bush laying out his agenda. What's in it for you? We'll preview his State of the Union address.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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PHILLIPS: News across America now.

If you hear that the NBA is going Snipe hunting, it's no prank. It's thanks to an amazing, at the buzzer, nothing but net sinker that was shot by one Jordan Snipes. Here it is. Oh, man. They're still slack-jawed at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. And Snipes is basking in the glow of local hero after the shot earned a Division III hoops victory over Randolph Macon.

In other court action, the traction's not only on the tennis shoes; it's on the head of a Detroit Piston, Richard Hamilton. Hamilton's being paid by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to promote their Assurance triple tread tires. See tread here and now here. No word on how much Goodyear paid for Hamilton's promotional 'do, but he also got a free set of tires. The style should last about a week before it's retired.

All right. Now to Mink, Louisiana, a tiny community that has at last entered the 19th Century. Never mind the rest of us are already in the 21st century. Mink has finally been introduced to the invention of one Alexander Graham Bell.

We couldn't be more thrilled to say that 83-year-old Louise Bolton is joining us on the phone from Mink on her brand new telephone.

Can you hear me OK, Louise?

LOUISE BOLTON, MINK RESIDENT: Yes, ma'am, I can.

PHILLIPS: So tell me about your new telephone. What does it feel like to actually talk with someone via phone?

BOLTON: Oh, it's the nicest addition to my house in a long, long, long, long time. We've waited so long for it. PHILLIPS: Well, now, I understand you've been trying to get phone service there in Mink for 35 years. What have you been doing for 35 years to try and get this to happen?

BOLTON: Well, what was I doing, about communication? Well, we'd either -- some of us was in hollering distance so we'd holler, yelling distance, rather, and we needed something, we'd yell to them and make each other known. Then if it's too far away, we'd drive -- we would drive.

And the nearest telephone was about seven miles from our house, and my husband's mother had a telephone. So we'd go over there and make our calls.

PHILLIPS: Wow. So you'd have to drive seven miles to get to a phone. Now, how many people are in Mink? I was reading about 100 people? Is that right?

BOLTON: No, not quite, no, not in Mink. A hundred people, sound more like the fish fry we had yesterday at -- celebrating phone service.

PHILLIPS: That's big-time. OK, how many people are actually in Mink?

BOLTON: Actually, in Mink, there's about 12.

PHILLIPS: Oh, my goodness.

BOLTON: We have seven residents, I think -- about 12, 12 people.

PHILLIPS: And...

BOLTON: We're mostly elderly people, you know?

PHILLIPS: Right.

BOLTON: And it's so convenient and so good for us to have -- for us to have phones in our homes where we don't have to get out and go somewhere, you know, to make a call.

PHILLIPS: Well, I think it's just terrific. And I understand you even got a call from the governor. So what's the next step, Louise? Is it call waiting?

BOLTON: I think I have that. In a package.

PHILLIPS: You got the special package deal, right?

BOLTON: No, I didn't get the call waiting. I'm sorry about that.

PHILLIPS: Oh, that's OK.

BOLTON: I got a long distance package. PHILLIPS: Oh, of course. It's a much better deal, I promise you. You don't need call waiting. It's really annoying anyway, because then everybody's beeping in on you. And I'm sure you're going to be getting a lot of calls.

BOLTON: Definitely, definitely.

PHILLIPS: Ah, Louise Bolton, well, look, we're going to call you once in awhile just to make sure it's still working, just to chitchat with you. Is that OK?

BOLTON: OK, that's OK, honey.

PHILLIPS: All right, Louise. Thank you so much.

BOLTON: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: OK. Bye-bye.

O'BRIEN: Kyra, did you ask her -- you didn't ask her about caller I.D.

PHILLIPS: That's right. You know what...

O'BRIEN: If she gets that, I hope she picks up your call.

PHILLIPS: Oh, come on now, Louise is...

O'BRIEN: She's sweet.

PHILLIPS: She's my friend. She's my friend.

O'BRIEN: Well, you know, you're in hollering distance from me but I'd still rather call you.

PHILLIPS: What's that, Miles? A little louder.

O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk about Vioxx, shall we?

More fallout from Vioxx. A consumer group is asking for a ban on the similar arthritis drug Celebrex. We get the latest on the story from Susan Lisovicz, who is well beyond hollering range there at the New York Stock Exchange.

Hello, Susan.

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