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Bush Names Negroponte as National Intelligence Director Nominee; Painkillers Under the Microscope

Aired February 17, 2005 - 15:00   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Checking stories now in the news.
Smart, highly respected, a sound choice, just a sampling of the reaction to President Bush's nomination of John Negroponte to the new and powerful position of national intelligence director. We'll get reaction from the Pentagon straight ahead.

Keeping the pressure on Syria. President Bush says Damascus is out of step with the progress in the Middle East. The White House has been ratcheting up its rhetoric since Monday's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Mr. Bush says an international investigation will help determine whether Syria was indeed involved.

Political arm-twisting in Iraq. After election results were certified today, the United Iraqi Alliance, backed by a leading Shiite cleric, got 48 percent of the vote. A Kurdish alliance and Prime Minister Allawi's list round out the top three. No single group achieved the two-thirds majority needed to pick a president and two deputy presidents, however.

Microsoft recalling more than 14 million Xbox video players. The company says a faulty power cord can cause them to overheat. In the U.S., the recall affects all Xboxes made before October 24, 2003. Replacement cords can be ordered at Xbox.com.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, from one tough to another. Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte is President Bush's choice to be the first-ever director of national intelligence. The veteran diplomat was nominated today to the task of retooling the U.S. intel bureaucracy to prevent the 9/11s of the future.

Here is President Bush on the job his nominee faces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: John's nomination comes at an historic moment for our intelligence services.

In the war against terrorists who target innocent civilians and continue to seek weapons of mass murder, intelligence is our first line of defense.

His service in Iraq during these past few historic months has given him something that will prove an incalculable advantage for an intelligence chief, an unvarnished and up-close look at a deadly enemy. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: This is a diplomat who has been around the clock, as we said, an ambassador to Iraq and before that, America's man at the U.N. He's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, former deputy to the president for national security affairs, an ambassador to Mexico, the Philippines, also Honduras. He's also a graduate of Yale.

O'BRIEN: If he doesn't know him already, the new intelligence czar will become deeply acquainted with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. They'll work closely together. How is that likely to go?

Standing by at the Pentagon, CNN's Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. MILITARY AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is a tough political infighter. If there's been any doubt about that, just look at the way he's handled himself in congressional hearings yesterday and today, fielding tough questions.

He doesn't give an inch when he thinks he's right. And there is a potential flash point here between the new intelligence director of the Pentagon, and that is over control of intelligence gathering by the Pentagon. The Pentagon has insisted it wants operational control of that intelligence. It's been assured by members of Congress it will get that, but the ultimate power in Washington, as you well know, Miles, is the power of the budget.

And that goes to the new national intelligence director. So, how will they get along? Well, Pentagon officials are downplaying the idea there is going to be any major tug of war here. Obviously, there is always tension when there are competing interests. But the Pentagon says -- Rumsfeld says that the Pentagon is essentially long on capabilities and that the intelligence community is long on what he calls authorities.

And he says they will work it out over the coming weeks and months, a way of working together to make sure they serve the national interests. They both have the same interests at heart. Rumsfeld, pressed on the Hill today about how that would happen, he said it was too complicated to get into in a short press briefing, but they will be working out ways to work together.

And don't forget that Negroponte, as the ambassador to Iraq, worked just side-by-side with the U.S. military commander there, General Casey, who is in charge of the military, very, very close coordination. And Pentagon officials point to that as an example of how they think they will be able to work closely with Negroponte in his new role as the top intelligence guy.

O'BRIEN: Nothing simple about the job or the relationships. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about our security. This is the place, 24/7 -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Other news across America. Looking for a helping hand, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Capitol Hill today lobbying for a larger piece of the federal pie. The Golden State is faced with an $8 billion budget shortfall. Next half-hour, "INSIDE POLITICS" looks at the political stakes that he faces.

Is the Big Apple also the world's second home? New York City leaders think so and are looking to trademark that slogan and a few others. It's likely to take two years to get a patent.

Gambling and shopping, what's more American? A developer wants to marry the two at the Mall of America. Publicly, Minnesota's leadership is remaining neutral on that subject.

O'BRIEN: Under the microscope today, commonly prescribed painkillers that have been getting a bad rap lately. At issue now, is that rap justified? A highly critical panel of doctors is deciding that right now.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has been monitoring all of this and joins us now.

This is tough for these so-called, what is it, COX-3, right?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Two.

O'BRIEN: COX-2.

COHEN: Very close.

O'BRIEN: I added one to it. It's like "Spinal Tap." I went up one.

COX-2 inhibitors. And they're really under the microscope, aren't they?

COHEN: That's right.

They've been under the microscope ever since FDA whistle-blower David Graham last fall said that, because of them, there had been thousands of heart attacks that did not have to happen. He said that studies showed -- and these are studies from the National Cancer Institute, since then, a study from Harvard Medical School -- that showed that people who take these drugs have an increased risk of having heart attacks and strokes.

So, the FDA decided to have three days of hearings worth of hearings yesterday, today and tomorrow to decide if anything should be done based on this science, because, on the one hand, you have that science. On the other hand, you have lots of people saying that these drugs, which include Celebrex and Vioxx, which has since been taken off the market, they say that these drugs have helped them control what has been very, very difficult-to-control pain for them.

Let's hear from one patient who testified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With my skepticism aside, I tried the new drug and, within weeks, saw a remarkable difference. I was able to attend school full-time vs. part-time. I was able to manage my home better. And, most importantly, I was able to be a mom I wanted to be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Another patient said that she tried all sorts of pain relief for her arthritis, but it was finally these COX-2 inhibitors that helped her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because of arthritis medications that did not work in my years, I ended up going through 16 surgeries; 12 of those were joint replacements. I've been hospitalized for over 312 days and have, indeed, taken over 35 arthritis medications, including every single nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory. I'm a standing benefit in front of you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Now, again, Dr. David Graham, who did these studies at the Food and Drug Administration, he says that for any one person who are taking these drugs, the increased risk, your increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke is really pretty small.

But, Miles, when you consider the millions upon millions of people who are taking these drugs, that means many more chances of those people having heart attacks and strokes.

O'BRIEN: We just saw two people. They were obviously very supportive of it. Obviously, they're hearing from kind of both sides, if you will, in all this. Extraordinary for the FDA to do this. What ultimately might this committee recommend to the FDA as a whole?

COHEN: Right. It's very unusual for the FDA to take three days and to hear from people, patients and doctors, in the way that they have. At the end, a whole array of things could happen.

This advisory committee might recommend that no changes be made. They might recommend that stronger warnings go on these products. They might recommend in the extreme -- this would be the extreme recommendation -- that these products be taken off the market. Again, concerns about COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, also concerns about Aleve. There is a whole array of things that they could do.

They might say maybe one should come off the market and not another. They might just want to tweak the warnings a little bit. It's a whole array of things.

O'BRIEN: All right, Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Wait until they get those COX-3 inhibitors. That will be another story.

COHEN: That's right.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: All right, we're far from finished with our coverage of important subject matter like this. A special report tonight, 10:00 p.m. Eastern, "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" has "Popular Painkillers: The Dangers of Overprescribing." That is 10:00 Eastern right here on CNN. Tune in for that.

PHILLIPS: He was to professional football what Jackie Robinson was to Major League Baseball. Ahead on LIVE FROM, a family's fight to preserve the amazing legacy of Fritz Pollard. It pays off.

And the governator as uniter. Arnold Schwarzenegger puts his political reputation on the line on Capitol Hill. Judy Woodruff will have that story on "INSIDE POLITICS."

O'BRIEN: I'm watching.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's the most prestigious award in football, the Hall of Fame. And in a few months, these men will be inducted, longtime quarterback for the Miami Dolphins Dan Marino, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young and NFL champion quarterback, running back and head coach Fritz Pollard. Yes, Fritz Pollard.

I know, many of you probably never heard of him, right? Well, you should have, but, unfortunately, because of racism, you didn't. Now that's about to change and you're going to get and earful from me about this renaissance man, a courageous American who broke barriers and records from athletics to business.

And his grandson, Fritz Pollard III, joins us live from Washington as he gets ready to accept his grandfather's NFL Hall of Fame award.

You've been pushing for this for more than a decade, Fritz. Are you excited?

FRITZ POLLARD III, GRANDSON OF FRITZ POLLARD: Oh, very excited. I'm still on cloud nine since I heard the notification from the president of the Hall of Fame.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's about time, I will tell you what, all these years later.

Let's talk about your grandfather. I mean, truly, he was the Jackie Robinson of football. Tell me about the stories, because I know he loved to tell you stories and the family stories about what he experienced on the field, discrimination wise.

POLLARD: Well, there was some discrimination. But it was not so much from his teammates. It was more from the people in the stands. His teammates, since he was so small, he got the baggiest uniform. And it was easy to pick him out. So his teammates got the point to protect him. They would all wear baggy uniforms and they would even go to the point of putting on black face to cover him, so they couldn't pick out who he was coming into the stadium.

PHILLIPS: That's amazing. So other team members, they were the ones that purposefully tackled him and would drive their cleats into his legs? I was reading these awful things.

POLLARD: Well, that was the thing. They were trying to get him out of the game. When you have got a star player and if you can get him out of the game, sometimes, they just take a player off the bench and just take him in to try to get him out of the game. And if they're both thrown out, they don't care, because this guy doesn't play.

PHILLIPS: So, let's talk about what an amazing athlete he was. Tell me a story that grandpa told you about playing and what did he that really just wowed the fans and wowed his fellow players.

POLLARD: Well, one of the things, when he was in high school, his brother was in the stands, who played had a band, his brother Hughes. And there was a team that was trying to hurt him and put him out of the game. And his brother came out of the stands in band uniform, went over to the coach, said, put me in.

And he went in for one play, took the other player out and went back -- went over to his brother and said, now you can go in and play. And he went in and played and starred in the game.

PHILLIPS: That's awesome.

Well, he also set the world record in the low hurdles. I want to mention that.

Now, as time went on, he actually received a loan from John Rockefeller Jr. And that helped your grandfather move forward. Tell us about what that did for your grandfather.

POLLARD: That's correct.

It was phenomenal. When he met John Rockefeller Sr. was when my grandfather was at Brown and he had a little clothing business to pay his way through school. He was the best-dressed man on campus. So, when John Rockefeller was there visiting his grandson, he heard about this Fritz Pollard and he wanted to meet him because he reminded him so much of himself.

So, he went over and met my grandfather. And he went and saw the dean and he cut a hole in the wall and he had a second room to expand his business. So he told him, whenever he was ready to set up in business, come see him in New York. And that's what he did.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Well, and he became the founder of one of the nation's first black-owned securities firm. He established the firstly weekly black tabloid, managed Suntan Movie Studio in Harlem, founded coal delivery companies. And he was a theatrical agent. And he booked black talent in white clubs in New York. And is it true that he promoted Dizzy Gillespie?

POLLARD: That's correct. And Ella Fitzgerald was one of his contacts. He had Paul Robeson, who also was a teammate of his with his team, the Brown Bombers. And if you needed somebody for -- if you needed a black athlete or black talent, you came to my grandfather. He had -- he had it locked up.

PHILLIPS: Fritz, why haven't we heard more about your grandfather? I understand you even had to school sportswriters on your grandfather and everything that he did.

POLLARD: Yes. Well, I think, really, it's more of the -- the older sportswriters did know who he was. But, as times have changed, you know, and they've retired or passed on, a lot of the sportswriters were much younger and they hadn't heard.

And I think I blame that mainly because of sort of the change in the way it is in the United States with all walks of life. Before, when I was younger, we would all go and visit a relative and we'd all sit and listen to the stories. Well, now, with the advent of television and DVDs and everything, with all these other things that kids can do, they didn't want to sit and listen to the stories of their family's heritage and what went on. So they were missing out.

PHILLIPS: Who was your grandfather's hero? Who was there saying, Fritz, don't give up; keep going?

POLLARD: I would probably say it was his brother Leslie. And Leslie went to Dartmouth. And he was -- he was a dental student at Dartmouth. And they say Leslie was a better athlete than my grandfather.

PHILLIPS: Unbelievable. Your whole family is just unbelievable.

Now, he died at the age of 92 from Alzheimer's. What do you think he would say to all this publicity now and finally getting into the Hall of Fame, and here you are on CNN all of these years later, getting the chance to talk about his amazing life?

POLLARD: His eyes would sparkle and he'd just have that little shy grin on his face that he always did, you know? I showed you. I knew I'd be here. And you tried to keep me out, but here I am. No matter what you tried to do, I'm still here.

PHILLIPS: Fritz Pollard III, come August 7, you're going to accept that award, your grandfather finally in the Hall of Fame. I hope that we'll be able to talk to you then.

POLLARD: Oh, I will be looking forward to it.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Fritz.

POLLARD: Thank you very much.

O'BRIEN: Wow, what a family. What a great story.

PHILLIPS: You should read about this whole entire family, from Fritz all the way up to grandfather. It's unbelievable.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Truly amazing.

Well, at least -- justice came late, but at least it came in this case.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it was like 70-something years later.

O'BRIEN: Wow. Wow. Unbelievable. Too bad he's not alive to appreciate it and enjoy it.

PHILLIPS: He's looking down.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

The biggest draw in New York City may not be a new musical or a big concert.

PHILLIPS: People are flocking to the city for this. Find out why a splash of orange is meaning a lot of green for Big Apple hotel owners.

O'BRIEN: It's art, Kyra. It's art.

PHILLIPS: What did I say?

O'BRIEN: It's art. No.

PHILLIPS: Oh.

O'BRIEN: You said it right. I'm just trying to tell folks.

PHILLIPS: I'm going to see it this weekend, as a matter of fact. I'm going.

O'BRIEN: Me, too.

PHILLIPS: I'm going. The Gates?

O'BRIEN: Yes.

PHILLIPS: You're going?

O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm going.

PHILLIPS: Oh.

O'BRIEN: See you there.

PHILLIPS: All right.

O'BRIEN: All right.

And there is that bizarre tuxedo and the prince and the woman, and they're going to get married. And, apparently, they're not going to go to a chapel to do it. I guess Las Vegas? Is that it? I don't know.

PHILLIPS: Yes. I heard the Elvis Chapel, actually.

O'BRIEN: Maybe Branson, Missouri. I don't know.

PHILLIPS: In the limo.

O'BRIEN: Got take a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Hoop fans are gearing up for the big NBA All-Star Game Sunday night, but the action is already under way online.

CNN's Veronica De La Cruz has more from the dot-com desk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN QUICKCAST: SI.com takes you courtside with our coverage of the NBA all-star weekend. Now, to get the ball rolling, SI's Jack McCallum gives his top five NBA all-star moments from the 5'7 Spud Webb winning the slam dunk contest in 1986 to the infamous Kobe Bryant getting booed off the court in 2002.

And the countdown is on. The trade deadline is February 24. Marty Burns gives you a wrap on the top six teams he says will make a splash before the big day.

New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas made two huge moves last year, acquiring Stephon Marbury and then Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed. What type of move will the Knicks make this year to stay in the game?

Finally, from the cover of "Sports Illustrated" to the court this weekend, all eyes are on LeBron James. The now 20-year-old phenom made the leap from high school to the pros and from no name to brand name when Nike paid James a whopping $90 million before he ever set foot on an NBA court.

For the inside scoop on NBA all-star weekend, you can log on to SI. com/NBA.

From the dot-com news desk in Atlanta, I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Live to Stanford, California, right now.

I guess you could say he captured our heart because of his heart. This is actually the mother of little baby Jerrick De Leon. Her name is Maria Lourdes De Leon. And this is pick of little Jerrick. Now, he may have the heart the size of a grape, but let me tell you what. In the field of cardiac surgery, it's one of the most important in the world. Let's listen in.

DR. MARIA LOURDES DE LEON, MOTHER: I'm a mother. I think I was always looking for the good side of it. I was really hopeful, because I'm thinking, if they've done it before, my baby will survive it. I know it.

QUESTION: Is it kind of a mixture of preparing for the worst and hoping for the best?

DE LEON: Well, like what I said, I usually tend to just block the negative things out and just hope for the best.

QUESTION: Are you in a celebration mode now or is it still...

(CROSSTALK)

DE LEON: Oh, definitely. No, no, no.

Like I said, when he told me that he tolerated the heart surgery, I am very confident that they can handle the prematurity issues now. So, I think my baby has the same chance as any other premature baby.

QUESTION: How has your time been with your baby now?

DE LEON: Oh, it's ups and downs. There will be little things here and now.

PHILLIPS: Here is what is so amazing about little baby Jerrick, is that he was born more than 13 weeks early. He weighed only 700 grams. This is his mother right here talking to reporters.

That is just slightly more than 1 1/2 pounds. And he survived open-heart surgery. Look at -- look -- it's just incredible when you look at his size. It happened at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. And they believe this is the smallest baby ever to survive this type of surgery. We're going to continue to follow his condition and his progress. It's pretty incredible.

O'BRIEN: You know, that picture with the hand. By the way, the mother is a pediatrician, so she's fully aware of what the stakes were here. The chances of this baby's survival they said was zero. And, truly, this is a miracle of modern medicine. And it's quite a remarkable story. We wish that family well. And we wish Jerrick a happy and healthy life.

And we wish we had more time for LIVE FROM, but we don't.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired February 17, 2005 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Checking stories now in the news.
Smart, highly respected, a sound choice, just a sampling of the reaction to President Bush's nomination of John Negroponte to the new and powerful position of national intelligence director. We'll get reaction from the Pentagon straight ahead.

Keeping the pressure on Syria. President Bush says Damascus is out of step with the progress in the Middle East. The White House has been ratcheting up its rhetoric since Monday's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Mr. Bush says an international investigation will help determine whether Syria was indeed involved.

Political arm-twisting in Iraq. After election results were certified today, the United Iraqi Alliance, backed by a leading Shiite cleric, got 48 percent of the vote. A Kurdish alliance and Prime Minister Allawi's list round out the top three. No single group achieved the two-thirds majority needed to pick a president and two deputy presidents, however.

Microsoft recalling more than 14 million Xbox video players. The company says a faulty power cord can cause them to overheat. In the U.S., the recall affects all Xboxes made before October 24, 2003. Replacement cords can be ordered at Xbox.com.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, from one tough to another. Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte is President Bush's choice to be the first-ever director of national intelligence. The veteran diplomat was nominated today to the task of retooling the U.S. intel bureaucracy to prevent the 9/11s of the future.

Here is President Bush on the job his nominee faces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: John's nomination comes at an historic moment for our intelligence services.

In the war against terrorists who target innocent civilians and continue to seek weapons of mass murder, intelligence is our first line of defense.

His service in Iraq during these past few historic months has given him something that will prove an incalculable advantage for an intelligence chief, an unvarnished and up-close look at a deadly enemy. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: This is a diplomat who has been around the clock, as we said, an ambassador to Iraq and before that, America's man at the U.N. He's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, former deputy to the president for national security affairs, an ambassador to Mexico, the Philippines, also Honduras. He's also a graduate of Yale.

O'BRIEN: If he doesn't know him already, the new intelligence czar will become deeply acquainted with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. They'll work closely together. How is that likely to go?

Standing by at the Pentagon, CNN's Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. MILITARY AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld is a tough political infighter. If there's been any doubt about that, just look at the way he's handled himself in congressional hearings yesterday and today, fielding tough questions.

He doesn't give an inch when he thinks he's right. And there is a potential flash point here between the new intelligence director of the Pentagon, and that is over control of intelligence gathering by the Pentagon. The Pentagon has insisted it wants operational control of that intelligence. It's been assured by members of Congress it will get that, but the ultimate power in Washington, as you well know, Miles, is the power of the budget.

And that goes to the new national intelligence director. So, how will they get along? Well, Pentagon officials are downplaying the idea there is going to be any major tug of war here. Obviously, there is always tension when there are competing interests. But the Pentagon says -- Rumsfeld says that the Pentagon is essentially long on capabilities and that the intelligence community is long on what he calls authorities.

And he says they will work it out over the coming weeks and months, a way of working together to make sure they serve the national interests. They both have the same interests at heart. Rumsfeld, pressed on the Hill today about how that would happen, he said it was too complicated to get into in a short press briefing, but they will be working out ways to work together.

And don't forget that Negroponte, as the ambassador to Iraq, worked just side-by-side with the U.S. military commander there, General Casey, who is in charge of the military, very, very close coordination. And Pentagon officials point to that as an example of how they think they will be able to work closely with Negroponte in his new role as the top intelligence guy.

O'BRIEN: Nothing simple about the job or the relationships. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about our security. This is the place, 24/7 -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Other news across America. Looking for a helping hand, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Capitol Hill today lobbying for a larger piece of the federal pie. The Golden State is faced with an $8 billion budget shortfall. Next half-hour, "INSIDE POLITICS" looks at the political stakes that he faces.

Is the Big Apple also the world's second home? New York City leaders think so and are looking to trademark that slogan and a few others. It's likely to take two years to get a patent.

Gambling and shopping, what's more American? A developer wants to marry the two at the Mall of America. Publicly, Minnesota's leadership is remaining neutral on that subject.

O'BRIEN: Under the microscope today, commonly prescribed painkillers that have been getting a bad rap lately. At issue now, is that rap justified? A highly critical panel of doctors is deciding that right now.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has been monitoring all of this and joins us now.

This is tough for these so-called, what is it, COX-3, right?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Two.

O'BRIEN: COX-2.

COHEN: Very close.

O'BRIEN: I added one to it. It's like "Spinal Tap." I went up one.

COX-2 inhibitors. And they're really under the microscope, aren't they?

COHEN: That's right.

They've been under the microscope ever since FDA whistle-blower David Graham last fall said that, because of them, there had been thousands of heart attacks that did not have to happen. He said that studies showed -- and these are studies from the National Cancer Institute, since then, a study from Harvard Medical School -- that showed that people who take these drugs have an increased risk of having heart attacks and strokes.

So, the FDA decided to have three days of hearings worth of hearings yesterday, today and tomorrow to decide if anything should be done based on this science, because, on the one hand, you have that science. On the other hand, you have lots of people saying that these drugs, which include Celebrex and Vioxx, which has since been taken off the market, they say that these drugs have helped them control what has been very, very difficult-to-control pain for them.

Let's hear from one patient who testified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With my skepticism aside, I tried the new drug and, within weeks, saw a remarkable difference. I was able to attend school full-time vs. part-time. I was able to manage my home better. And, most importantly, I was able to be a mom I wanted to be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Another patient said that she tried all sorts of pain relief for her arthritis, but it was finally these COX-2 inhibitors that helped her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because of arthritis medications that did not work in my years, I ended up going through 16 surgeries; 12 of those were joint replacements. I've been hospitalized for over 312 days and have, indeed, taken over 35 arthritis medications, including every single nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory. I'm a standing benefit in front of you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Now, again, Dr. David Graham, who did these studies at the Food and Drug Administration, he says that for any one person who are taking these drugs, the increased risk, your increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke is really pretty small.

But, Miles, when you consider the millions upon millions of people who are taking these drugs, that means many more chances of those people having heart attacks and strokes.

O'BRIEN: We just saw two people. They were obviously very supportive of it. Obviously, they're hearing from kind of both sides, if you will, in all this. Extraordinary for the FDA to do this. What ultimately might this committee recommend to the FDA as a whole?

COHEN: Right. It's very unusual for the FDA to take three days and to hear from people, patients and doctors, in the way that they have. At the end, a whole array of things could happen.

This advisory committee might recommend that no changes be made. They might recommend that stronger warnings go on these products. They might recommend in the extreme -- this would be the extreme recommendation -- that these products be taken off the market. Again, concerns about COX-2 inhibitors like Celebrex, also concerns about Aleve. There is a whole array of things that they could do.

They might say maybe one should come off the market and not another. They might just want to tweak the warnings a little bit. It's a whole array of things.

O'BRIEN: All right, Elizabeth Cohen, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Wait until they get those COX-3 inhibitors. That will be another story.

COHEN: That's right.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: All right, we're far from finished with our coverage of important subject matter like this. A special report tonight, 10:00 p.m. Eastern, "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" has "Popular Painkillers: The Dangers of Overprescribing." That is 10:00 Eastern right here on CNN. Tune in for that.

PHILLIPS: He was to professional football what Jackie Robinson was to Major League Baseball. Ahead on LIVE FROM, a family's fight to preserve the amazing legacy of Fritz Pollard. It pays off.

And the governator as uniter. Arnold Schwarzenegger puts his political reputation on the line on Capitol Hill. Judy Woodruff will have that story on "INSIDE POLITICS."

O'BRIEN: I'm watching.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's the most prestigious award in football, the Hall of Fame. And in a few months, these men will be inducted, longtime quarterback for the Miami Dolphins Dan Marino, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young and NFL champion quarterback, running back and head coach Fritz Pollard. Yes, Fritz Pollard.

I know, many of you probably never heard of him, right? Well, you should have, but, unfortunately, because of racism, you didn't. Now that's about to change and you're going to get and earful from me about this renaissance man, a courageous American who broke barriers and records from athletics to business.

And his grandson, Fritz Pollard III, joins us live from Washington as he gets ready to accept his grandfather's NFL Hall of Fame award.

You've been pushing for this for more than a decade, Fritz. Are you excited?

FRITZ POLLARD III, GRANDSON OF FRITZ POLLARD: Oh, very excited. I'm still on cloud nine since I heard the notification from the president of the Hall of Fame.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's about time, I will tell you what, all these years later.

Let's talk about your grandfather. I mean, truly, he was the Jackie Robinson of football. Tell me about the stories, because I know he loved to tell you stories and the family stories about what he experienced on the field, discrimination wise.

POLLARD: Well, there was some discrimination. But it was not so much from his teammates. It was more from the people in the stands. His teammates, since he was so small, he got the baggiest uniform. And it was easy to pick him out. So his teammates got the point to protect him. They would all wear baggy uniforms and they would even go to the point of putting on black face to cover him, so they couldn't pick out who he was coming into the stadium.

PHILLIPS: That's amazing. So other team members, they were the ones that purposefully tackled him and would drive their cleats into his legs? I was reading these awful things.

POLLARD: Well, that was the thing. They were trying to get him out of the game. When you have got a star player and if you can get him out of the game, sometimes, they just take a player off the bench and just take him in to try to get him out of the game. And if they're both thrown out, they don't care, because this guy doesn't play.

PHILLIPS: So, let's talk about what an amazing athlete he was. Tell me a story that grandpa told you about playing and what did he that really just wowed the fans and wowed his fellow players.

POLLARD: Well, one of the things, when he was in high school, his brother was in the stands, who played had a band, his brother Hughes. And there was a team that was trying to hurt him and put him out of the game. And his brother came out of the stands in band uniform, went over to the coach, said, put me in.

And he went in for one play, took the other player out and went back -- went over to his brother and said, now you can go in and play. And he went in and played and starred in the game.

PHILLIPS: That's awesome.

Well, he also set the world record in the low hurdles. I want to mention that.

Now, as time went on, he actually received a loan from John Rockefeller Jr. And that helped your grandfather move forward. Tell us about what that did for your grandfather.

POLLARD: That's correct.

It was phenomenal. When he met John Rockefeller Sr. was when my grandfather was at Brown and he had a little clothing business to pay his way through school. He was the best-dressed man on campus. So, when John Rockefeller was there visiting his grandson, he heard about this Fritz Pollard and he wanted to meet him because he reminded him so much of himself.

So, he went over and met my grandfather. And he went and saw the dean and he cut a hole in the wall and he had a second room to expand his business. So he told him, whenever he was ready to set up in business, come see him in New York. And that's what he did.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Well, and he became the founder of one of the nation's first black-owned securities firm. He established the firstly weekly black tabloid, managed Suntan Movie Studio in Harlem, founded coal delivery companies. And he was a theatrical agent. And he booked black talent in white clubs in New York. And is it true that he promoted Dizzy Gillespie?

POLLARD: That's correct. And Ella Fitzgerald was one of his contacts. He had Paul Robeson, who also was a teammate of his with his team, the Brown Bombers. And if you needed somebody for -- if you needed a black athlete or black talent, you came to my grandfather. He had -- he had it locked up.

PHILLIPS: Fritz, why haven't we heard more about your grandfather? I understand you even had to school sportswriters on your grandfather and everything that he did.

POLLARD: Yes. Well, I think, really, it's more of the -- the older sportswriters did know who he was. But, as times have changed, you know, and they've retired or passed on, a lot of the sportswriters were much younger and they hadn't heard.

And I think I blame that mainly because of sort of the change in the way it is in the United States with all walks of life. Before, when I was younger, we would all go and visit a relative and we'd all sit and listen to the stories. Well, now, with the advent of television and DVDs and everything, with all these other things that kids can do, they didn't want to sit and listen to the stories of their family's heritage and what went on. So they were missing out.

PHILLIPS: Who was your grandfather's hero? Who was there saying, Fritz, don't give up; keep going?

POLLARD: I would probably say it was his brother Leslie. And Leslie went to Dartmouth. And he was -- he was a dental student at Dartmouth. And they say Leslie was a better athlete than my grandfather.

PHILLIPS: Unbelievable. Your whole family is just unbelievable.

Now, he died at the age of 92 from Alzheimer's. What do you think he would say to all this publicity now and finally getting into the Hall of Fame, and here you are on CNN all of these years later, getting the chance to talk about his amazing life?

POLLARD: His eyes would sparkle and he'd just have that little shy grin on his face that he always did, you know? I showed you. I knew I'd be here. And you tried to keep me out, but here I am. No matter what you tried to do, I'm still here.

PHILLIPS: Fritz Pollard III, come August 7, you're going to accept that award, your grandfather finally in the Hall of Fame. I hope that we'll be able to talk to you then.

POLLARD: Oh, I will be looking forward to it.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Fritz.

POLLARD: Thank you very much.

O'BRIEN: Wow, what a family. What a great story.

PHILLIPS: You should read about this whole entire family, from Fritz all the way up to grandfather. It's unbelievable.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Truly amazing.

Well, at least -- justice came late, but at least it came in this case.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it was like 70-something years later.

O'BRIEN: Wow. Wow. Unbelievable. Too bad he's not alive to appreciate it and enjoy it.

PHILLIPS: He's looking down.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

The biggest draw in New York City may not be a new musical or a big concert.

PHILLIPS: People are flocking to the city for this. Find out why a splash of orange is meaning a lot of green for Big Apple hotel owners.

O'BRIEN: It's art, Kyra. It's art.

PHILLIPS: What did I say?

O'BRIEN: It's art. No.

PHILLIPS: Oh.

O'BRIEN: You said it right. I'm just trying to tell folks.

PHILLIPS: I'm going to see it this weekend, as a matter of fact. I'm going.

O'BRIEN: Me, too.

PHILLIPS: I'm going. The Gates?

O'BRIEN: Yes.

PHILLIPS: You're going?

O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm going.

PHILLIPS: Oh.

O'BRIEN: See you there.

PHILLIPS: All right.

O'BRIEN: All right.

And there is that bizarre tuxedo and the prince and the woman, and they're going to get married. And, apparently, they're not going to go to a chapel to do it. I guess Las Vegas? Is that it? I don't know.

PHILLIPS: Yes. I heard the Elvis Chapel, actually.

O'BRIEN: Maybe Branson, Missouri. I don't know.

PHILLIPS: In the limo.

O'BRIEN: Got take a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Hoop fans are gearing up for the big NBA All-Star Game Sunday night, but the action is already under way online.

CNN's Veronica De La Cruz has more from the dot-com desk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN QUICKCAST: SI.com takes you courtside with our coverage of the NBA all-star weekend. Now, to get the ball rolling, SI's Jack McCallum gives his top five NBA all-star moments from the 5'7 Spud Webb winning the slam dunk contest in 1986 to the infamous Kobe Bryant getting booed off the court in 2002.

And the countdown is on. The trade deadline is February 24. Marty Burns gives you a wrap on the top six teams he says will make a splash before the big day.

New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas made two huge moves last year, acquiring Stephon Marbury and then Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed. What type of move will the Knicks make this year to stay in the game?

Finally, from the cover of "Sports Illustrated" to the court this weekend, all eyes are on LeBron James. The now 20-year-old phenom made the leap from high school to the pros and from no name to brand name when Nike paid James a whopping $90 million before he ever set foot on an NBA court.

For the inside scoop on NBA all-star weekend, you can log on to SI. com/NBA.

From the dot-com news desk in Atlanta, I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Live to Stanford, California, right now.

I guess you could say he captured our heart because of his heart. This is actually the mother of little baby Jerrick De Leon. Her name is Maria Lourdes De Leon. And this is pick of little Jerrick. Now, he may have the heart the size of a grape, but let me tell you what. In the field of cardiac surgery, it's one of the most important in the world. Let's listen in.

DR. MARIA LOURDES DE LEON, MOTHER: I'm a mother. I think I was always looking for the good side of it. I was really hopeful, because I'm thinking, if they've done it before, my baby will survive it. I know it.

QUESTION: Is it kind of a mixture of preparing for the worst and hoping for the best?

DE LEON: Well, like what I said, I usually tend to just block the negative things out and just hope for the best.

QUESTION: Are you in a celebration mode now or is it still...

(CROSSTALK)

DE LEON: Oh, definitely. No, no, no.

Like I said, when he told me that he tolerated the heart surgery, I am very confident that they can handle the prematurity issues now. So, I think my baby has the same chance as any other premature baby.

QUESTION: How has your time been with your baby now?

DE LEON: Oh, it's ups and downs. There will be little things here and now.

PHILLIPS: Here is what is so amazing about little baby Jerrick, is that he was born more than 13 weeks early. He weighed only 700 grams. This is his mother right here talking to reporters.

That is just slightly more than 1 1/2 pounds. And he survived open-heart surgery. Look at -- look -- it's just incredible when you look at his size. It happened at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. And they believe this is the smallest baby ever to survive this type of surgery. We're going to continue to follow his condition and his progress. It's pretty incredible.

O'BRIEN: You know, that picture with the hand. By the way, the mother is a pediatrician, so she's fully aware of what the stakes were here. The chances of this baby's survival they said was zero. And, truly, this is a miracle of modern medicine. And it's quite a remarkable story. We wish that family well. And we wish Jerrick a happy and healthy life.

And we wish we had more time for LIVE FROM, but we don't.

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