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Judge Under Federal Protection; Iraqi Insurgents Target Police, Soldiers; President Bush Awards Congressional Gold Medal to Jackie Robinson

Aired March 02, 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: Here's what's happening now in the news.
It's a national day of mourning in Iraq for the 127 killed in Monday's car bombing in Hillah. Amid the mourning, the violence continues, 13 killed today in two Baghdad car bombings.

President Bush says it's time for Syria to get its troops and its intelligence agents out of Lebanon, his toughest language yet on this issue. Mr. Bush says the world is united in calling for democratic reforms in Lebanon.

The Supreme Court considers an emotional church-state issue. Justices heard arguments about displaying the Ten Commandments on government property. At issue, do the displays amount to a government endorsement of religion? Outside, demonstrators gathered on both sides of that debate.

Steve Fossett's solo flight around the world will keep going across the Pacific, despite some fuel problems. He's headed toward Hawaii now. He is running low on fuel. Maybe it was a leak, maybe a censor malfunction. Maybe it just was not filled up right. A decision on whether to scrap the flight could come once he reaches Hawaii.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, tantalizing leads in connection with the murders at the home of a federal judge who was threatened by white supremacists.

At this hour, U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow is being protected by federal agents at an undisclosed location. Authorities say they have not yet established a motive, but they're taking a hard look at some notorious hate groups.

CNN's Sean Callebs has the latest now from Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. Marshal Service is providing security for Judge Joan Lefkow and her surviving family members, this after the judge returned to her home on Monday night and discovered the bodies of her 89-year-old mother and that of her 64-year-old husband, Michael Lefkow. Both had been shot in the head. Authorities are examining a number of items today, including the possibility that a suspicious car could have been parked in the Lefkows' neighborhood the day of the killing. CNN yesterday approached a couple at a nearby church. They simply didn't want to talk about it. They were very tight-lipped, also a broken window. Authorities are trying to see if they can get any fingerprints. Police also went through the Lefkows' trash, trying to see if they could gain information from the crime scene there.

A number of suspicious phone calls coming to the Lefkows' home on Sunday night. That's widely reported in Chicago today, apparently, those calls coming from inside a correctional facility. The judge apparently answered one of those phone calls and no one was on the other end. It was simply silent.

Now, police are also looking at the possibility that a hate group, a white supremacist, 33-year-old Matthew Hale, could possibly have been involved in this. Now, Hale is waiting sentencing next month for trying to hire an FBI informant to kill the judge, this after the judge presided over a ruling that went against Hale involving a copyright infringement. Judge Lefkow ruling that Hale could no longer use the name World Church of the Creator, because an Oregon-based group already had a copyright on that name.

But authorities are not limiting the investigation to that. They say they are also looking at her very large docket to see if there were any cases that could have led to this kind of activity. This is an investigation that is in its infancy. But police have really stepped up in the North Chicago area and we'll be following the story.

In Chicago, I'm Sean Callebs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, once again, the authorities need help in solving this crime. The local police hot line is 312-744-8445. You can see it right there on your screen, once again, 312-744-8445.

O'BRIEN: In the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, a public relations expert on the stand today testifying about the fallout from a television documentary on the pop star that aired back in 2003. Ann Kite testified the program was an absolute disaster for Jackson, says she was called in to help undo the damage. Kite says she was fired after she voiced concerns about the way Jackson's camp allegedly might be treating the family of the boy featured in that documentary.

Nearing an end in the murder case against actor Robert Blake. Closing arguments got under way a little over two hours ago, the prosecutors telling jurors Blake crossed the line. She says Blake ambushed his wife outside a restaurant after failing to persuade other people to kill her. No evidence from the crime scene has been linked directly to Blake, and his attorneys have attacked the credibility of the state's key witnesses. The case could go to the jury on Friday.

PHILLIPS: Other news across America, Wichita, Kansas. Police say they may have more information connecting Dennis Rader to the BTK killings. Whatever that is will have to wait. They're keeping it to themselves right now. The charges against Rader, first-degree murder times ten.

Shock, tragedy and disbelief. Police say a Tennessee teenager shot a school bus driver this morning in front of dozens of fellow youngsters. The driver is dead. It happened in rural Stewart County. Where the boy got the gun and what motivated him to use it, well, it's all unknown. We're expecting a live press conference. We'll think it when it happens.

Jessica Marie Lunsford's trail gets colder by the day. The 9- year-old went missing one week ago, last seen in her bed. Police today repeated their plea for any information on her whereabouts or condition. Search teams with dogs are grid-searching a one-square- mile area around the girl's Citrus County, Florida, home. Police don't believe Jessica ran away. Still, there are no clues. There are no strong leads either.

O'BRIEN: It's no big deal. That's the response from federal and local officials to report terrorists were planning an attack on New York's Grand Central Terminal. Details of the alleged plot were published in a Spanish newspaper.

The paper says authorities had apparently come across the plan whiling investigating this crime, last year's deadly bombings at four Madrid train stations. The evidence cited by the newspaper includes sketches of the train station, Grand Central, that is. However, U.S. officials are downplaying the significance of those reports.

Stay to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Turning to Iraq now, insurgents are again employing a favorite tactic. They triggered three separate car bombings today, targeting Iraqi police and soldiers and a Sunni mosque. More than a dozen people were killed on what was already a day of mourning.

More on the violence now from CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day began like so many others, with a suicide bombing and death, six killed and 28 wounded outside an Army recruitment center at 7:09 a.m. Two hours later, a second suicide attack, an Iraqi army convoy the target, seven dead, two wounded.

It was supposed to be a national day of mourning for the 127 killed two days ago in the deadliest blast since the insurgency began. Monday's blasts did jolt Iraqis.

ISMAIL ZAYER, JOURNALIST: It's like a shock, shock in a sense of that Iraqi people felt like celebrating their victory going to that election. ROBERTSON: Four weeks and a day since the elections, the Hillah blast may have punctured the joy of voting, but far from being deflated, some Iraqis at least seem to be hardening against the insurgents.

Turath Jamil is an 18-year-old student.

TURATH JAMIL, IRAQI STUDENT: They kill only the innocent people, our police, our people, the Iraqi people. So I am completely against this war.

ROBERTSON: This classmate, Waleed Said, is 20.

WALEED SAID, IRAQI STUDENT: They shouldn't do this. They're innocent. They just shouldn't do that. And I wish they won't do it again.

ROBERTSON: A recent anti-insurgent P.R. blitz on Iraqi TV appears to be helping reshape attitudes, breaking down barriers.

ZAYER: In the past, they were terrifying society. They are unknown. They are masked. They are killing them, cutting heads. But now they show them as criminals, as thugs.

ROBERTSON: And that may be paying off for these U.S. soldiers on a mission to hand out frozen chickens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want to inform us about (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) help.

ROBERTSON: Help from a first-time informant that leads to this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is gunpowder. It was on a roof. This is the bomb.

ROBERTSON: And other bomb-making equipment around the impoverished, ramshackle house that, without help, no security force would have found.

(on camera): It may be too soon to say that Iraqis can withstand whatever the insurgents inflict on them. But if the blast in Hillah can be measured beyond the death toll, it maybe confirms a change in mood here, that the insurgents are increasingly resented.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Other news around the world for you.

Facing off over nukes at the U.N., atomic watchdogs, board of governors meeting in Austria. The U.S. accuses Tehran of deceiving the U.N. in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran says it barred U.N. inspectors from sensitive sites out of fear leaked information could be used against them in a military strike.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says the ball remains in Tehran's court to clear up lingering suspicions about its program.

From a remote mountain hideaway, Lebanese opposition leaders are calling for the immediate withdraw of Syrian troops and intelligence assets from Lebanon. They also want an international investigation into the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Many blame Syria for the former prime minister's killing. Syria's president has said the withdraw could come in the next few months.

Top honors to Microsoft mogul Bill Gates. Queen Elizabeth II made him an honorary knight today for his humanitarian efforts. Since he wasn't born in England, you're not supposed to call him sir, unless, of course, you work for him, in which case you snap your heels and say, sir, yes, sir.

PHILLIPS: Whatever you say.

Well, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up an explosive issue, whether the Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. A live report from Washington straight ahead.

O'BRIEN: Plus, they're two of the biggest killers in America, cancer and weight, and now new word the two are related. We'll tell you how.

PHILLIPS: And the best-dressed list is out with all your favorite stars. And, of course, one CNN anchor is on it. And it ain't me and Miles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, where do you draw the constitutional line when it comes to religious expression? The Supreme Court is taking up that emotional question today. It's hearing cases from Texas and Kentucky involving displays of the Ten Commandments on government property. It's the first time the high court has taken up the issue since 1980.

Our Bill Prasad joins me now from Washington with highlights from today's arguments -- Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Kyra.

They shouted amen. They prayed. They called each other hypocrites in front of the Supreme Court. Inside, a highly controversial issue. Today, the men and women who sometimes make the law were being asked to make a decision on what many people call God's law.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD (voice-over): Thou shalt not exhibit the Ten Commandments on public property. That's what protesters demanded in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN, NATIONAL REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT: They are religious. Our government has no business sanctioning them through their display.

PRASAD: The high court heard two cases. In Kentucky, framed copies of the Ten Commandments were hung in two courthouses. In Texas, a man filed suit seeking the removal of a six-foot-tall monument containing the Ten Commandments. He believes Texas crossed the line separating church and state. Fighting the suit is the Texas attorney general.

GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: We made clear to the court that the Ten Commandments is of historical significance as a symbol of law in this country.

PRASAD: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia challenged those who want to ban the displays. He pointed to monuments carrying the Ten Commandments in some town squares and legislator proclamations invoking God's name. Scalia said he didn't know why one is good and the other is bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's one true God and only one true God. And we need to keep his law. We need them posted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD: The Bush administration has weighed in on this issue, saying it supports the displays in Texas and Kentucky. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision this June -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: We'll stay on the story. Bill Prasad, thanks so much -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Little football players with big dreams are encouraged to eat up to become big and strong. But when they grow into 300-pound linebackers, holy moly, that's not what mom was thinking. That might be a little much, according to one researcher. We'll explain in just a moment.

And, later, you likely know about the connection between your weight and the risk of heart disease, but there's another big risk if you're packing extra pounds.

LIVE FROM will be right back with that as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Live to Washington, D.C. right now.

It's an honor that many Americans would call long overdo, but not just baseball fans, the family of the late Jackie Robinson -- a shot there of Rachel Robinson -- accepting the Congressional Gold today at the Capitol.

Let's listen in to the president.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... Gold Medal to Mrs. Robinson.

It's a great tradition of our Congress to honor fantastic and noble Americans. And we're doing just the thing today with Jack Roosevelt Robinson. You know, he was a great ballplayer. Anybody who follows baseball knows how great he was.

He has fantastic statistics, MVPs, all the big honors you could get. But his electricity was unbelievable. Think about this. This is a guy who inspired little 7-year-olds to dream of wearing 42 and dashing for home in Brooklyn, and a 7-year-old like me, hoping to get his Topps baseball card, even though I was an avid Giants' fan.

He was an amazing guy. And his story was powerful then and it is powerful today. His story is one that shows what one person can do to hold America account -- to account to its founding promise of freedom and equality.

It's a lesson for people coming up to see. One person can make a big difference in setting the tone of this country. He always fought for what he called first-class citizenship. It's an interesting phrase, isn't it? First-class citizenship, not-second class, not third-class, first-class citizenship for all.

As John Kerry mentioned, it started in the Army. Obviously, it -- it really manifested itself on the baseball field. After all, it was Branch Rickey who said he was looking for a man to cross the color line who could play baseball and had the character necessary to do so. Jackie Robinson had both. And that's why we're honoring him in today.

I found Martin Luther King's quote about him interesting. I'm sure you will, too. He said, "He was a freedom rider before freedom rides." That's a pretty high compliment, when you think about it. He was -- to me, it just says courage and decency and honor. This son of Georgia sharecroppers was taught by his mother that the best weapon against racism was the use of his talent, his God-given talent, not to waste a minute.

And he didn't. And that spirit passed on from mother to son, and now son to family, still lives through the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a noble cause to help academically gifted students of color go to college. I know the Dodgers will continue to support that foundation. I hope baseball continues to do so as well.

It's my honor now to join Speaker Hastert and Senator Stevens in presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Rachel Robinson in the name of her husband, the great baseball star and great American Jackie Robinson.

(APPLAUSE)

RACHEL ROBINSON, WIFE OF JACKIE ROBINSON: What a thrilling moment for me and for my family. Thank you, Mr. President, and Mr. Speaker.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the Robinson family, most of whom are with us today, and members of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, also represented here, are deeply honored to have the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal bestowed on our beloved Jack.

Will my family please stand, my extended family, which includes the foundation, please stand?

(APPLAUSE)

ROBINSON: I wish to express our gratitude to the Congress, the sponsors of the bill, Major League Baseball, and all who worked so hard for its passage.

From an early age to the end of his life, Jack was determined to fight for equal opportunities and freedom for all Americans. He fully appreciated the promise of America and passionately felt that social change was imperative and possible. His resolve was strengthened when he served as a young lieutenant in the segregated United States Army and later as a pioneer in baseball, when, through necessity, he began to assume the activist role.

Jack brought flourish of energy and integrity to the struggle against institutionalized racism and the pervasive, destructive attitudes that followed. However, his belief was in the future. His quest was for individual and groups to be able to fulfill their potential, fully participate as citizens and live in dignity.

It was a difficult time for all. And it came with immeasurable cost to African-Americans and the social fabric of our nation. Eventually, we witnessed and participated in major social change and take great pride in the progress made.

Even so, we are acutely aware of the complex challenges we continue to face and the need for the younger generation to stay hopeful and active. In this regard, I'm proud to say that Jackie Robinson's legacy and spirit lives on, in part through the work of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The foundation is celebrating its 32nd year as a highly successful organization providing college scholarships and leadership development training.

Our scholars and alumni are achieving, are breaking barriers nationwide, are representing the ideals and values of the man being honored here today.

It is my passionate hope that this tribute and the inspiring unity or sense of unity that I'm feeling here today will contribute to the continued striving for social justice and will inspire our young people to join the effort and press forward with determination and courage.

This medal confirms what we know. Jackie Robinson stands as a heroic role model for all Americans who believe in justice and equality. Once again, my thanks to all for this generous expression of appreciation for a life well-lived.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: Jackie Robinson, truly an American hero.

You just heard from his widow, Rachel Robinson, side by side with the president of the United States there, as she receives the Congressional Gold Medal today, in honor of her husband, Jackie Robinson, who was baseball's first black player in 1947 and a pioneer in the nation's civil rights movement, finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

More LIVE FROM right after a quick break.

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MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what's happening now in the news.

It's a national day of mourning in Iraq for the 127 killed in Monday's car bombing in Hillah. Amid the mourning, the violence continues, 13 killed today in two Baghdad car bombings.

President Bush says it's time for Syria to get its troops and its intelligence agents out of Lebanon, his toughest language yet on this issue. Mr. Bush says the world is united in calling for democratic reforms in Lebanon.

The Supreme Court considers an emotional church-state issue. Justices heard arguments about displaying the Ten Commandments on government property. At issue, do the displays amount to a government endorsement of religion? Outside, demonstrators gathered on both sides of that debate.

Steve Fossett's solo flight around the world will keep going across the Pacific, despite some fuel problems. He's headed toward Hawaii now. He is running low on fuel. Maybe it was a leak, maybe a censor malfunction. Maybe it just was not filled up right. A decision on whether to scrap the flight could come once he reaches Hawaii.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, tantalizing leads in connection with the murders at the home of a federal judge who was threatened by white supremacists.

At this hour, U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow is being protected by federal agents at an undisclosed location. Authorities say they have not yet established a motive, but they're taking a hard look at some notorious hate groups.

CNN's Sean Callebs has the latest now from Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. Marshal Service is providing security for Judge Joan Lefkow and her surviving family members, this after the judge returned to her home on Monday night and discovered the bodies of her 89-year-old mother and that of her 64-year-old husband, Michael Lefkow. Both had been shot in the head.

Authorities are examining a number of items today, including the possibility that a suspicious car could have been parked in the Lefkows' neighborhood the day of the killing. CNN yesterday approached a couple at a nearby church. They simply didn't want to talk about it. They were very tight-lipped, also a broken window. Authorities are trying to see if they can get any fingerprints. Police also went through the Lefkows' trash, trying to see if they could gain information from the crime scene there.

A number of suspicious phone calls coming to the Lefkows' home on Sunday night. That's widely reported in Chicago today, apparently, those calls coming from inside a correctional facility. The judge apparently answered one of those phone calls and no one was on the other end. It was simply silent.

Now, police are also looking at the possibility that a hate group, a white supremacist, 33-year-old Matthew Hale, could possibly have been involved in this. Now, Hale is waiting sentencing next month for trying to hire an FBI informant to kill the judge, this after the judge presided over a ruling that went against Hale involving a copyright infringement. Judge Lefkow ruling that Hale could no longer use the name World Church of the Creator, because an Oregon-based group already had a copyright on that name.

But authorities are not limiting the investigation to that. They say they are also looking at her very large docket to see if there were any cases that could have led to this kind of activity. This is an investigation that is in its infancy. But police have really stepped up in the North Chicago area and we'll be following the story.

In Chicago, I'm Sean Callebs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, once again, the authorities need help in solving this crime. The local police hot line is 312-744-8445. You can see it right there on your screen, once again, 312-744-8445.

O'BRIEN: In the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, a public relations expert on the stand today testifying about the fallout from a television documentary on the pop star that aired back in 2003. Ann Kite testified the program was an absolute disaster for Jackson, says she was called in to help undo the damage. Kite says she was fired after she voiced concerns about the way Jackson's camp allegedly might be treating the family of the boy featured in that documentary.

Nearing an end in the murder case against actor Robert Blake. Closing arguments got under way a little over two hours ago, the prosecutors telling jurors Blake crossed the line. She says Blake ambushed his wife outside a restaurant after failing to persuade other people to kill her. No evidence from the crime scene has been linked directly to Blake, and his attorneys have attacked the credibility of the state's key witnesses. The case could go to the jury on Friday.

PHILLIPS: Other news across America, Wichita, Kansas. Police say they may have more information connecting Dennis Rader to the BTK killings. Whatever that is will have to wait. They're keeping it to themselves right now. The charges against Rader, first-degree murder times ten.

Shock, tragedy and disbelief. Police say a Tennessee teenager shot a school bus driver this morning in front of dozens of fellow youngsters. The driver is dead. It happened in rural Stewart County. Where the boy got the gun and what motivated him to use it, well, it's all unknown. We're expecting a live press conference. We'll think it when it happens.

Jessica Marie Lunsford's trail gets colder by the day. The 9- year-old went missing one week ago, last seen in her bed. Police today repeated their plea for any information on her whereabouts or condition. Search teams with dogs are grid-searching a one-square- mile area around the girl's Citrus County, Florida, home. Police don't believe Jessica ran away. Still, there are no clues. There are no strong leads either.

O'BRIEN: It's no big deal. That's the response from federal and local officials to report terrorists were planning an attack on New York's Grand Central Terminal. Details of the alleged plot were published in a Spanish newspaper.

The paper says authorities had apparently come across the plan whiling investigating this crime, last year's deadly bombings at four Madrid train stations. The evidence cited by the newspaper includes sketches of the train station, Grand Central, that is. However, U.S. officials are downplaying the significance of those reports.

Stay to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Turning to Iraq now, insurgents are again employing a favorite tactic. They triggered three separate car bombings today, targeting Iraqi police and soldiers and a Sunni mosque. More than a dozen people were killed on what was already a day of mourning.

More on the violence now from CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day began like so many others, with a suicide bombing and death, six killed and 28 wounded outside an Army recruitment center at 7:09 a.m. Two hours later, a second suicide attack, an Iraqi army convoy the target, seven dead, two wounded.

It was supposed to be a national day of mourning for the 127 killed two days ago in the deadliest blast since the insurgency began. Monday's blasts did jolt Iraqis.

ISMAIL ZAYER, JOURNALIST: It's like a shock, shock in a sense of that Iraqi people felt like celebrating their victory going to that election.

ROBERTSON: Four weeks and a day since the elections, the Hillah blast may have punctured the joy of voting, but far from being deflated, some Iraqis at least seem to be hardening against the insurgents.

Turath Jamil is an 18-year-old student.

TURATH JAMIL, IRAQI STUDENT: They kill only the innocent people, our police, our people, the Iraqi people. So I am completely against this war.

ROBERTSON: This classmate, Waleed Said, is 20.

WALEED SAID, IRAQI STUDENT: They shouldn't do this. They're innocent. They just shouldn't do that. And I wish they won't do it again.

ROBERTSON: A recent anti-insurgent P.R. blitz on Iraqi TV appears to be helping reshape attitudes, breaking down barriers. ZAYER: In the past, they were terrifying society. They are unknown. They are masked. They are killing them, cutting heads. But now they show them as criminals, as thugs.

ROBERTSON: And that may be paying off for these U.S. soldiers on a mission to hand out frozen chickens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want to inform us about (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) help.

ROBERTSON: Help from a first-time informant that leads to this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is gunpowder. It was on a roof. This is the bomb.

ROBERTSON: And other bomb-making equipment around the impoverished, ramshackle house that, without help, no security force would have found.

(on camera): It may be too soon to say that Iraqis can withstand whatever the insurgents inflict on them. But if the blast in Hillah can be measured beyond the death toll, it maybe confirms a change in mood here, that the insurgents are increasingly resented.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Other news around the world for you.

Facing off over nukes at the U.N., atomic watchdogs, board of governors meeting in Austria. The U.S. accuses Tehran of deceiving the U.N. in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran says it barred U.N. inspectors from sensitive sites out of fear leaked information could be used against them in a military strike.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says the ball remains in Tehran's court to clear up lingering suspicions about its program.

From a remote mountain hideaway, Lebanese opposition leaders are calling for the immediate withdraw of Syrian troops and intelligence assets from Lebanon. They also want an international investigation into the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Many blame Syria for the former prime minister's killing. Syria's president has said the withdraw could come in the next few months.

Top honors to Microsoft mogul Bill Gates. Queen Elizabeth II made him an honorary knight today for his humanitarian efforts. Since he wasn't born in England, you're not supposed to call him sir, unless, of course, you work for him, in which case you snap your heels and say, sir, yes, sir.

PHILLIPS: Whatever you say. Well, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up an explosive issue, whether the Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. A live report from Washington straight ahead.

O'BRIEN: Plus, they're two of the biggest killers in America, cancer and weight, and now new word the two are related. We'll tell you how.

PHILLIPS: And the best-dressed list is out with all your favorite stars. And, of course, one CNN anchor is on it. And it ain't me and Miles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, where do you draw the constitutional line when it comes to religious expression? The Supreme Court is taking up that emotional question today. It's hearing cases from Texas and Kentucky involving displays of the Ten Commandments on government property. It's the first time the high court has taken up the issue since 1980.

Our Bill Prasad joins me now from Washington with highlights from today's arguments -- Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Kyra.

They shouted amen. They prayed. They called each other hypocrites in front of the Supreme Court. Inside, a highly controversial issue. Today, the men and women who sometimes make the law were being asked to make a decision on what many people call God's law.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD (voice-over): Thou shalt not exhibit the Ten Commandments on public property. That's what protesters demanded in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN, NATIONAL REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT: They are religious. Our government has no business sanctioning them through their display.

PRASAD: The high court heard two cases. In Kentucky, framed copies of the Ten Commandments were hung in two courthouses. In Texas, a man filed suit seeking the removal of a six-foot-tall monument containing the Ten Commandments. He believes Texas crossed the line separating church and state. Fighting the suit is the Texas attorney general.

GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: We made clear to the court that the Ten Commandments is of historical significance as a symbol of law in this country.

PRASAD: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia challenged those who want to ban the displays. He pointed to monuments carrying the Ten Commandments in some town squares and legislator proclamations invoking God's name. Scalia said he didn't know why one is good and the other is bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's one true God and only one true God. And we need to keep his law. We need them posted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD: The Bush administration has weighed in on this issue, saying it supports the displays in Texas and Kentucky. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision this June -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: We'll stay on the story. Bill Prasad, thanks so much -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Little football players with big dreams are encouraged to eat up to become big and strong. But when they grow into 300-pound linebackers, holy moly, that's not what mom was thinking. That might be a little much, according to one researcher. We'll explain in just a moment.

And, later, you likely know about the connection between your weight and the risk of heart disease, but there's another big risk if you're packing extra pounds.

LIVE FROM will be right back with that as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Live to Washington, D.C. right now.

It's an honor that many Americans would call long overdo, but not just baseball fans, the family of the late Jackie Robinson -- a shot there of Rachel Robinson -- accepting the Congressional Gold today at the Capitol.

Let's listen in to the president.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... Gold Medal to Mrs. Robinson.

It's a great tradition of our Congress to honor fantastic and noble Americans. And we're doing just the thing today with Jack Roosevelt Robinson. You know, he was a great ballplayer. Anybody who follows baseball knows how great he was.

He has fantastic statistics, MVPs, all the big honors you could get. But his electricity was unbelievable. Think about this. This is a guy who inspired little 7-year-olds to dream of wearing 42 and dashing for home in Brooklyn, and a 7-year-old like me, hoping to get his Topps baseball card, even though I was an avid Giants' fan.

He was an amazing guy. And his story was powerful then and it is powerful today. His story is one that shows what one person can do to hold America account -- to account to its founding promise of freedom and equality. It's a lesson for people coming up to see. One person can make a big difference in setting the tone of this country. He always fought for what he called first-class citizenship. It's an interesting phrase, isn't it? First-class citizenship, not-second class, not third-class, first-class citizenship for all.

As John Kerry mentioned, it started in the Army. Obviously, it -- it really manifested itself on the baseball field. After all, it was Branch Rickey who said he was looking for a man to cross the color line who could play baseball and had the character necessary to do so. Jackie Robinson had both. And that's why we're honoring him in today.

I found Martin Luther King's quote about him interesting. I'm sure you will, too. He said, "He was a freedom rider before freedom rides." That's a pretty high compliment, when you think about it. He was -- to me, it just says courage and decency and honor. This son of Georgia sharecroppers was taught by his mother that the best weapon against racism was the use of his talent, his God-given talent, not to waste a minute.

And he didn't. And that spirit passed on from mother to son, and now son to family, still lives through the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a noble cause to help academically gifted students of color go to college. I know the Dodgers will continue to support that foundation. I hope baseball continues to do so as well.

It's my honor now to join Speaker Hastert and Senator Stevens in presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Rachel Robinson in the name of her husband, the great baseball star and great American Jackie Robinson.

(APPLAUSE)

RACHEL ROBINSON, WIFE OF JACKIE ROBINSON: What a thrilling moment for me and for my family.

Thank you, Mr. President, and Mr. Speaker.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the Robinson family, most of whom are with us today, and members of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, also represented here, are deeply honored to have the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal bestowed on our beloved Jack.

Will my family please stand, my extended family, which includes the foundation, please stand?

(APPLAUSE)

ROBINSON: I wish to express our gratitude to the Congress, the sponsors of the bill, Major League Baseball, and all who worked so hard for its passage.

From an early age to the end of his life, Jack was determined to fight for equal opportunities and freedom for all Americans. He fully appreciated the promise of America and passionately felt that social change was imperative and possible. His resolve was strengthened when he served as a young lieutenant in the segregated United States Army and later as a pioneer in baseball, when, through necessity, he began to assume the activist role.

Jack brought flourish of energy and integrity to the struggle against institutionalized racism and the pervasive, destructive attitudes that followed. However, his belief was in the future. His quest was for individual and groups to be able to fulfill their potential, fully participate as citizens and live in dignity.

It was a difficult time for all. And it came with immeasurable cost to African-Americans and the social fabric of our nation. Eventually, we witnessed and participated in major social change and take great pride in the progress made.

Even so, we are acutely aware of the complex challenges we continue to face and the need for the younger generation to stay hopeful and active. In this regard, I'm proud to say that Jackie Robinson's legacy and spirit lives on, in part through the work of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The foundation is celebrating its 32nd year as a highly successful organization providing college scholarships and leadership development training.

Our scholars and alumni are achieving, are breaking barriers nationwide, are representing the ideals and values of the man being honored here today.

It is my passionate hope that this tribute and the inspiring unity or sense of unity that I'm feeling here today will contribute to the continued striving for social justice and will inspire our young people to join the effort and press forward with determination and courage.

This medal confirms what we know. Jackie Robinson stands as a heroic role model for all Americans who believe in justice and equality. Once again, my thanks to all for this generous expression of appreciation for a life well-lived.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: Jackie Robinson, truly an American hero.

You just heard from his widow, Rachel Robinson, side by side with the president of the United States there, as she receives the Congressional Gold Medal today, in honor of her husband, Jackie Robinson, who was baseball's first black player in 1947 and a pioneer in the nation's civil rights movement, finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

More LIVE FROM right after a quick break.

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 March 2, 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: Here's what's happening now in the news.
It's a national day of mourning in Iraq for the 127 killed in Monday's car bombing in Hillah. Amid the mourning, the violence continues, 13 killed today in two Baghdad car bombings.

President Bush says it's time for Syria to get its troops and its intelligence agents out of Lebanon, his toughest language yet on this issue. Mr. Bush says the world is united in calling for democratic reforms in Lebanon.

The Supreme Court considers an emotional church-state issue. Justices heard arguments about displaying the Ten Commandments on government property. At issue, do the displays amount to a government endorsement of religion? Outside, demonstrators gathered on both sides of that debate.

Steve Fossett's solo flight around the world will keep going across the Pacific, despite some fuel problems. He's headed toward Hawaii now. He is running low on fuel. Maybe it was a leak, maybe a censor malfunction. Maybe it just was not filled up right. A decision on whether to scrap the flight could come once he reaches Hawaii.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, tantalizing leads in connection with the murders at the home of a federal judge who was threatened by white supremacists.

At this hour, U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow is being protected by federal agents at an undisclosed location. Authorities say they have not yet established a motive, but they're taking a hard look at some notorious hate groups.

CNN's Sean Callebs has the latest now from Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. Marshal Service is providing security for Judge Joan Lefkow and her surviving family members, this after the judge returned to her home on Monday night and discovered the bodies of her 89-year-old mother and that of her 64-year-old husband, Michael Lefkow. Both had been shot in the head. Authorities are examining a number of items today, including the possibility that a suspicious car could have been parked in the Lefkows' neighborhood the day of the killing. CNN yesterday approached a couple at a nearby church. They simply didn't want to talk about it. They were very tight-lipped, also a broken window. Authorities are trying to see if they can get any fingerprints. Police also went through the Lefkows' trash, trying to see if they could gain information from the crime scene there.

A number of suspicious phone calls coming to the Lefkows' home on Sunday night. That's widely reported in Chicago today, apparently, those calls coming from inside a correctional facility. The judge apparently answered one of those phone calls and no one was on the other end. It was simply silent.

Now, police are also looking at the possibility that a hate group, a white supremacist, 33-year-old Matthew Hale, could possibly have been involved in this. Now, Hale is waiting sentencing next month for trying to hire an FBI informant to kill the judge, this after the judge presided over a ruling that went against Hale involving a copyright infringement. Judge Lefkow ruling that Hale could no longer use the name World Church of the Creator, because an Oregon-based group already had a copyright on that name.

But authorities are not limiting the investigation to that. They say they are also looking at her very large docket to see if there were any cases that could have led to this kind of activity. This is an investigation that is in its infancy. But police have really stepped up in the North Chicago area and we'll be following the story.

In Chicago, I'm Sean Callebs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, once again, the authorities need help in solving this crime. The local police hot line is 312-744-8445. You can see it right there on your screen, once again, 312-744-8445.

O'BRIEN: In the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, a public relations expert on the stand today testifying about the fallout from a television documentary on the pop star that aired back in 2003. Ann Kite testified the program was an absolute disaster for Jackson, says she was called in to help undo the damage. Kite says she was fired after she voiced concerns about the way Jackson's camp allegedly might be treating the family of the boy featured in that documentary.

Nearing an end in the murder case against actor Robert Blake. Closing arguments got under way a little over two hours ago, the prosecutors telling jurors Blake crossed the line. She says Blake ambushed his wife outside a restaurant after failing to persuade other people to kill her. No evidence from the crime scene has been linked directly to Blake, and his attorneys have attacked the credibility of the state's key witnesses. The case could go to the jury on Friday.

PHILLIPS: Other news across America, Wichita, Kansas. Police say they may have more information connecting Dennis Rader to the BTK killings. Whatever that is will have to wait. They're keeping it to themselves right now. The charges against Rader, first-degree murder times ten.

Shock, tragedy and disbelief. Police say a Tennessee teenager shot a school bus driver this morning in front of dozens of fellow youngsters. The driver is dead. It happened in rural Stewart County. Where the boy got the gun and what motivated him to use it, well, it's all unknown. We're expecting a live press conference. We'll think it when it happens.

Jessica Marie Lunsford's trail gets colder by the day. The 9- year-old went missing one week ago, last seen in her bed. Police today repeated their plea for any information on her whereabouts or condition. Search teams with dogs are grid-searching a one-square- mile area around the girl's Citrus County, Florida, home. Police don't believe Jessica ran away. Still, there are no clues. There are no strong leads either.

O'BRIEN: It's no big deal. That's the response from federal and local officials to report terrorists were planning an attack on New York's Grand Central Terminal. Details of the alleged plot were published in a Spanish newspaper.

The paper says authorities had apparently come across the plan whiling investigating this crime, last year's deadly bombings at four Madrid train stations. The evidence cited by the newspaper includes sketches of the train station, Grand Central, that is. However, U.S. officials are downplaying the significance of those reports.

Stay to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Turning to Iraq now, insurgents are again employing a favorite tactic. They triggered three separate car bombings today, targeting Iraqi police and soldiers and a Sunni mosque. More than a dozen people were killed on what was already a day of mourning.

More on the violence now from CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day began like so many others, with a suicide bombing and death, six killed and 28 wounded outside an Army recruitment center at 7:09 a.m. Two hours later, a second suicide attack, an Iraqi army convoy the target, seven dead, two wounded.

It was supposed to be a national day of mourning for the 127 killed two days ago in the deadliest blast since the insurgency began. Monday's blasts did jolt Iraqis.

ISMAIL ZAYER, JOURNALIST: It's like a shock, shock in a sense of that Iraqi people felt like celebrating their victory going to that election. ROBERTSON: Four weeks and a day since the elections, the Hillah blast may have punctured the joy of voting, but far from being deflated, some Iraqis at least seem to be hardening against the insurgents.

Turath Jamil is an 18-year-old student.

TURATH JAMIL, IRAQI STUDENT: They kill only the innocent people, our police, our people, the Iraqi people. So I am completely against this war.

ROBERTSON: This classmate, Waleed Said, is 20.

WALEED SAID, IRAQI STUDENT: They shouldn't do this. They're innocent. They just shouldn't do that. And I wish they won't do it again.

ROBERTSON: A recent anti-insurgent P.R. blitz on Iraqi TV appears to be helping reshape attitudes, breaking down barriers.

ZAYER: In the past, they were terrifying society. They are unknown. They are masked. They are killing them, cutting heads. But now they show them as criminals, as thugs.

ROBERTSON: And that may be paying off for these U.S. soldiers on a mission to hand out frozen chickens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want to inform us about (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) help.

ROBERTSON: Help from a first-time informant that leads to this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is gunpowder. It was on a roof. This is the bomb.

ROBERTSON: And other bomb-making equipment around the impoverished, ramshackle house that, without help, no security force would have found.

(on camera): It may be too soon to say that Iraqis can withstand whatever the insurgents inflict on them. But if the blast in Hillah can be measured beyond the death toll, it maybe confirms a change in mood here, that the insurgents are increasingly resented.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Other news around the world for you.

Facing off over nukes at the U.N., atomic watchdogs, board of governors meeting in Austria. The U.S. accuses Tehran of deceiving the U.N. in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran says it barred U.N. inspectors from sensitive sites out of fear leaked information could be used against them in a military strike.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says the ball remains in Tehran's court to clear up lingering suspicions about its program.

From a remote mountain hideaway, Lebanese opposition leaders are calling for the immediate withdraw of Syrian troops and intelligence assets from Lebanon. They also want an international investigation into the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Many blame Syria for the former prime minister's killing. Syria's president has said the withdraw could come in the next few months.

Top honors to Microsoft mogul Bill Gates. Queen Elizabeth II made him an honorary knight today for his humanitarian efforts. Since he wasn't born in England, you're not supposed to call him sir, unless, of course, you work for him, in which case you snap your heels and say, sir, yes, sir.

PHILLIPS: Whatever you say.

Well, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up an explosive issue, whether the Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. A live report from Washington straight ahead.

O'BRIEN: Plus, they're two of the biggest killers in America, cancer and weight, and now new word the two are related. We'll tell you how.

PHILLIPS: And the best-dressed list is out with all your favorite stars. And, of course, one CNN anchor is on it. And it ain't me and Miles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, where do you draw the constitutional line when it comes to religious expression? The Supreme Court is taking up that emotional question today. It's hearing cases from Texas and Kentucky involving displays of the Ten Commandments on government property. It's the first time the high court has taken up the issue since 1980.

Our Bill Prasad joins me now from Washington with highlights from today's arguments -- Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Kyra.

They shouted amen. They prayed. They called each other hypocrites in front of the Supreme Court. Inside, a highly controversial issue. Today, the men and women who sometimes make the law were being asked to make a decision on what many people call God's law.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD (voice-over): Thou shalt not exhibit the Ten Commandments on public property. That's what protesters demanded in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN, NATIONAL REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT: They are religious. Our government has no business sanctioning them through their display.

PRASAD: The high court heard two cases. In Kentucky, framed copies of the Ten Commandments were hung in two courthouses. In Texas, a man filed suit seeking the removal of a six-foot-tall monument containing the Ten Commandments. He believes Texas crossed the line separating church and state. Fighting the suit is the Texas attorney general.

GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: We made clear to the court that the Ten Commandments is of historical significance as a symbol of law in this country.

PRASAD: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia challenged those who want to ban the displays. He pointed to monuments carrying the Ten Commandments in some town squares and legislator proclamations invoking God's name. Scalia said he didn't know why one is good and the other is bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's one true God and only one true God. And we need to keep his law. We need them posted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD: The Bush administration has weighed in on this issue, saying it supports the displays in Texas and Kentucky. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision this June -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: We'll stay on the story. Bill Prasad, thanks so much -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Little football players with big dreams are encouraged to eat up to become big and strong. But when they grow into 300-pound linebackers, holy moly, that's not what mom was thinking. That might be a little much, according to one researcher. We'll explain in just a moment.

And, later, you likely know about the connection between your weight and the risk of heart disease, but there's another big risk if you're packing extra pounds.

LIVE FROM will be right back with that as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Live to Washington, D.C. right now.

It's an honor that many Americans would call long overdo, but not just baseball fans, the family of the late Jackie Robinson -- a shot there of Rachel Robinson -- accepting the Congressional Gold today at the Capitol.

Let's listen in to the president.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... Gold Medal to Mrs. Robinson.

It's a great tradition of our Congress to honor fantastic and noble Americans. And we're doing just the thing today with Jack Roosevelt Robinson. You know, he was a great ballplayer. Anybody who follows baseball knows how great he was.

He has fantastic statistics, MVPs, all the big honors you could get. But his electricity was unbelievable. Think about this. This is a guy who inspired little 7-year-olds to dream of wearing 42 and dashing for home in Brooklyn, and a 7-year-old like me, hoping to get his Topps baseball card, even though I was an avid Giants' fan.

He was an amazing guy. And his story was powerful then and it is powerful today. His story is one that shows what one person can do to hold America account -- to account to its founding promise of freedom and equality.

It's a lesson for people coming up to see. One person can make a big difference in setting the tone of this country. He always fought for what he called first-class citizenship. It's an interesting phrase, isn't it? First-class citizenship, not-second class, not third-class, first-class citizenship for all.

As John Kerry mentioned, it started in the Army. Obviously, it -- it really manifested itself on the baseball field. After all, it was Branch Rickey who said he was looking for a man to cross the color line who could play baseball and had the character necessary to do so. Jackie Robinson had both. And that's why we're honoring him in today.

I found Martin Luther King's quote about him interesting. I'm sure you will, too. He said, "He was a freedom rider before freedom rides." That's a pretty high compliment, when you think about it. He was -- to me, it just says courage and decency and honor. This son of Georgia sharecroppers was taught by his mother that the best weapon against racism was the use of his talent, his God-given talent, not to waste a minute.

And he didn't. And that spirit passed on from mother to son, and now son to family, still lives through the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a noble cause to help academically gifted students of color go to college. I know the Dodgers will continue to support that foundation. I hope baseball continues to do so as well.

It's my honor now to join Speaker Hastert and Senator Stevens in presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Rachel Robinson in the name of her husband, the great baseball star and great American Jackie Robinson.

(APPLAUSE)

RACHEL ROBINSON, WIFE OF JACKIE ROBINSON: What a thrilling moment for me and for my family. Thank you, Mr. President, and Mr. Speaker.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the Robinson family, most of whom are with us today, and members of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, also represented here, are deeply honored to have the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal bestowed on our beloved Jack.

Will my family please stand, my extended family, which includes the foundation, please stand?

(APPLAUSE)

ROBINSON: I wish to express our gratitude to the Congress, the sponsors of the bill, Major League Baseball, and all who worked so hard for its passage.

From an early age to the end of his life, Jack was determined to fight for equal opportunities and freedom for all Americans. He fully appreciated the promise of America and passionately felt that social change was imperative and possible. His resolve was strengthened when he served as a young lieutenant in the segregated United States Army and later as a pioneer in baseball, when, through necessity, he began to assume the activist role.

Jack brought flourish of energy and integrity to the struggle against institutionalized racism and the pervasive, destructive attitudes that followed. However, his belief was in the future. His quest was for individual and groups to be able to fulfill their potential, fully participate as citizens and live in dignity.

It was a difficult time for all. And it came with immeasurable cost to African-Americans and the social fabric of our nation. Eventually, we witnessed and participated in major social change and take great pride in the progress made.

Even so, we are acutely aware of the complex challenges we continue to face and the need for the younger generation to stay hopeful and active. In this regard, I'm proud to say that Jackie Robinson's legacy and spirit lives on, in part through the work of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The foundation is celebrating its 32nd year as a highly successful organization providing college scholarships and leadership development training.

Our scholars and alumni are achieving, are breaking barriers nationwide, are representing the ideals and values of the man being honored here today.

It is my passionate hope that this tribute and the inspiring unity or sense of unity that I'm feeling here today will contribute to the continued striving for social justice and will inspire our young people to join the effort and press forward with determination and courage.

This medal confirms what we know. Jackie Robinson stands as a heroic role model for all Americans who believe in justice and equality. Once again, my thanks to all for this generous expression of appreciation for a life well-lived.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: Jackie Robinson, truly an American hero.

You just heard from his widow, Rachel Robinson, side by side with the president of the United States there, as she receives the Congressional Gold Medal today, in honor of her husband, Jackie Robinson, who was baseball's first black player in 1947 and a pioneer in the nation's civil rights movement, finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

More LIVE FROM right after a quick break.

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

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





MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what's happening now in the news.

It's a national day of mourning in Iraq for the 127 killed in Monday's car bombing in Hillah. Amid the mourning, the violence continues, 13 killed today in two Baghdad car bombings.

President Bush says it's time for Syria to get its troops and its intelligence agents out of Lebanon, his toughest language yet on this issue. Mr. Bush says the world is united in calling for democratic reforms in Lebanon.

The Supreme Court considers an emotional church-state issue. Justices heard arguments about displaying the Ten Commandments on government property. At issue, do the displays amount to a government endorsement of religion? Outside, demonstrators gathered on both sides of that debate.

Steve Fossett's solo flight around the world will keep going across the Pacific, despite some fuel problems. He's headed toward Hawaii now. He is running low on fuel. Maybe it was a leak, maybe a censor malfunction. Maybe it just was not filled up right. A decision on whether to scrap the flight could come once he reaches Hawaii.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First this hour, tantalizing leads in connection with the murders at the home of a federal judge who was threatened by white supremacists.

At this hour, U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow is being protected by federal agents at an undisclosed location. Authorities say they have not yet established a motive, but they're taking a hard look at some notorious hate groups.

CNN's Sean Callebs has the latest now from Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. Marshal Service is providing security for Judge Joan Lefkow and her surviving family members, this after the judge returned to her home on Monday night and discovered the bodies of her 89-year-old mother and that of her 64-year-old husband, Michael Lefkow. Both had been shot in the head.

Authorities are examining a number of items today, including the possibility that a suspicious car could have been parked in the Lefkows' neighborhood the day of the killing. CNN yesterday approached a couple at a nearby church. They simply didn't want to talk about it. They were very tight-lipped, also a broken window. Authorities are trying to see if they can get any fingerprints. Police also went through the Lefkows' trash, trying to see if they could gain information from the crime scene there.

A number of suspicious phone calls coming to the Lefkows' home on Sunday night. That's widely reported in Chicago today, apparently, those calls coming from inside a correctional facility. The judge apparently answered one of those phone calls and no one was on the other end. It was simply silent.

Now, police are also looking at the possibility that a hate group, a white supremacist, 33-year-old Matthew Hale, could possibly have been involved in this. Now, Hale is waiting sentencing next month for trying to hire an FBI informant to kill the judge, this after the judge presided over a ruling that went against Hale involving a copyright infringement. Judge Lefkow ruling that Hale could no longer use the name World Church of the Creator, because an Oregon-based group already had a copyright on that name.

But authorities are not limiting the investigation to that. They say they are also looking at her very large docket to see if there were any cases that could have led to this kind of activity. This is an investigation that is in its infancy. But police have really stepped up in the North Chicago area and we'll be following the story.

In Chicago, I'm Sean Callebs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now, once again, the authorities need help in solving this crime. The local police hot line is 312-744-8445. You can see it right there on your screen, once again, 312-744-8445.

O'BRIEN: In the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, a public relations expert on the stand today testifying about the fallout from a television documentary on the pop star that aired back in 2003. Ann Kite testified the program was an absolute disaster for Jackson, says she was called in to help undo the damage. Kite says she was fired after she voiced concerns about the way Jackson's camp allegedly might be treating the family of the boy featured in that documentary.

Nearing an end in the murder case against actor Robert Blake. Closing arguments got under way a little over two hours ago, the prosecutors telling jurors Blake crossed the line. She says Blake ambushed his wife outside a restaurant after failing to persuade other people to kill her. No evidence from the crime scene has been linked directly to Blake, and his attorneys have attacked the credibility of the state's key witnesses. The case could go to the jury on Friday.

PHILLIPS: Other news across America, Wichita, Kansas. Police say they may have more information connecting Dennis Rader to the BTK killings. Whatever that is will have to wait. They're keeping it to themselves right now. The charges against Rader, first-degree murder times ten.

Shock, tragedy and disbelief. Police say a Tennessee teenager shot a school bus driver this morning in front of dozens of fellow youngsters. The driver is dead. It happened in rural Stewart County. Where the boy got the gun and what motivated him to use it, well, it's all unknown. We're expecting a live press conference. We'll think it when it happens.

Jessica Marie Lunsford's trail gets colder by the day. The 9- year-old went missing one week ago, last seen in her bed. Police today repeated their plea for any information on her whereabouts or condition. Search teams with dogs are grid-searching a one-square- mile area around the girl's Citrus County, Florida, home. Police don't believe Jessica ran away. Still, there are no clues. There are no strong leads either.

O'BRIEN: It's no big deal. That's the response from federal and local officials to report terrorists were planning an attack on New York's Grand Central Terminal. Details of the alleged plot were published in a Spanish newspaper.

The paper says authorities had apparently come across the plan whiling investigating this crime, last year's deadly bombings at four Madrid train stations. The evidence cited by the newspaper includes sketches of the train station, Grand Central, that is. However, U.S. officials are downplaying the significance of those reports.

Stay to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Turning to Iraq now, insurgents are again employing a favorite tactic. They triggered three separate car bombings today, targeting Iraqi police and soldiers and a Sunni mosque. More than a dozen people were killed on what was already a day of mourning.

More on the violence now from CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The day began like so many others, with a suicide bombing and death, six killed and 28 wounded outside an Army recruitment center at 7:09 a.m. Two hours later, a second suicide attack, an Iraqi army convoy the target, seven dead, two wounded.

It was supposed to be a national day of mourning for the 127 killed two days ago in the deadliest blast since the insurgency began. Monday's blasts did jolt Iraqis.

ISMAIL ZAYER, JOURNALIST: It's like a shock, shock in a sense of that Iraqi people felt like celebrating their victory going to that election.

ROBERTSON: Four weeks and a day since the elections, the Hillah blast may have punctured the joy of voting, but far from being deflated, some Iraqis at least seem to be hardening against the insurgents.

Turath Jamil is an 18-year-old student.

TURATH JAMIL, IRAQI STUDENT: They kill only the innocent people, our police, our people, the Iraqi people. So I am completely against this war.

ROBERTSON: This classmate, Waleed Said, is 20.

WALEED SAID, IRAQI STUDENT: They shouldn't do this. They're innocent. They just shouldn't do that. And I wish they won't do it again.

ROBERTSON: A recent anti-insurgent P.R. blitz on Iraqi TV appears to be helping reshape attitudes, breaking down barriers. ZAYER: In the past, they were terrifying society. They are unknown. They are masked. They are killing them, cutting heads. But now they show them as criminals, as thugs.

ROBERTSON: And that may be paying off for these U.S. soldiers on a mission to hand out frozen chickens.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want to inform us about (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) help.

ROBERTSON: Help from a first-time informant that leads to this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is gunpowder. It was on a roof. This is the bomb.

ROBERTSON: And other bomb-making equipment around the impoverished, ramshackle house that, without help, no security force would have found.

(on camera): It may be too soon to say that Iraqis can withstand whatever the insurgents inflict on them. But if the blast in Hillah can be measured beyond the death toll, it maybe confirms a change in mood here, that the insurgents are increasingly resented.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Other news around the world for you.

Facing off over nukes at the U.N., atomic watchdogs, board of governors meeting in Austria. The U.S. accuses Tehran of deceiving the U.N. in its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran says it barred U.N. inspectors from sensitive sites out of fear leaked information could be used against them in a military strike.

IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei says the ball remains in Tehran's court to clear up lingering suspicions about its program.

From a remote mountain hideaway, Lebanese opposition leaders are calling for the immediate withdraw of Syrian troops and intelligence assets from Lebanon. They also want an international investigation into the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Many blame Syria for the former prime minister's killing. Syria's president has said the withdraw could come in the next few months.

Top honors to Microsoft mogul Bill Gates. Queen Elizabeth II made him an honorary knight today for his humanitarian efforts. Since he wasn't born in England, you're not supposed to call him sir, unless, of course, you work for him, in which case you snap your heels and say, sir, yes, sir.

PHILLIPS: Whatever you say. Well, the U.S. Supreme Court takes up an explosive issue, whether the Ten Commandments can be displayed on government property. A live report from Washington straight ahead.

O'BRIEN: Plus, they're two of the biggest killers in America, cancer and weight, and now new word the two are related. We'll tell you how.

PHILLIPS: And the best-dressed list is out with all your favorite stars. And, of course, one CNN anchor is on it. And it ain't me and Miles.

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PHILLIPS: Well, where do you draw the constitutional line when it comes to religious expression? The Supreme Court is taking up that emotional question today. It's hearing cases from Texas and Kentucky involving displays of the Ten Commandments on government property. It's the first time the high court has taken up the issue since 1980.

Our Bill Prasad joins me now from Washington with highlights from today's arguments -- Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Kyra.

They shouted amen. They prayed. They called each other hypocrites in front of the Supreme Court. Inside, a highly controversial issue. Today, the men and women who sometimes make the law were being asked to make a decision on what many people call God's law.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD (voice-over): Thou shalt not exhibit the Ten Commandments on public property. That's what protesters demanded in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN, NATIONAL REFORM JEWISH MOVEMENT: They are religious. Our government has no business sanctioning them through their display.

PRASAD: The high court heard two cases. In Kentucky, framed copies of the Ten Commandments were hung in two courthouses. In Texas, a man filed suit seeking the removal of a six-foot-tall monument containing the Ten Commandments. He believes Texas crossed the line separating church and state. Fighting the suit is the Texas attorney general.

GREG ABBOTT, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: We made clear to the court that the Ten Commandments is of historical significance as a symbol of law in this country.

PRASAD: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia challenged those who want to ban the displays. He pointed to monuments carrying the Ten Commandments in some town squares and legislator proclamations invoking God's name. Scalia said he didn't know why one is good and the other is bad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's one true God and only one true God. And we need to keep his law. We need them posted.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PRASAD: The Bush administration has weighed in on this issue, saying it supports the displays in Texas and Kentucky. The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision this June -- Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: We'll stay on the story. Bill Prasad, thanks so much -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Little football players with big dreams are encouraged to eat up to become big and strong. But when they grow into 300-pound linebackers, holy moly, that's not what mom was thinking. That might be a little much, according to one researcher. We'll explain in just a moment.

And, later, you likely know about the connection between your weight and the risk of heart disease, but there's another big risk if you're packing extra pounds.

LIVE FROM will be right back with that as well.

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PHILLIPS: Live to Washington, D.C. right now.

It's an honor that many Americans would call long overdo, but not just baseball fans, the family of the late Jackie Robinson -- a shot there of Rachel Robinson -- accepting the Congressional Gold today at the Capitol.

Let's listen in to the president.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... Gold Medal to Mrs. Robinson.

It's a great tradition of our Congress to honor fantastic and noble Americans. And we're doing just the thing today with Jack Roosevelt Robinson. You know, he was a great ballplayer. Anybody who follows baseball knows how great he was.

He has fantastic statistics, MVPs, all the big honors you could get. But his electricity was unbelievable. Think about this. This is a guy who inspired little 7-year-olds to dream of wearing 42 and dashing for home in Brooklyn, and a 7-year-old like me, hoping to get his Topps baseball card, even though I was an avid Giants' fan.

He was an amazing guy. And his story was powerful then and it is powerful today. His story is one that shows what one person can do to hold America account -- to account to its founding promise of freedom and equality. It's a lesson for people coming up to see. One person can make a big difference in setting the tone of this country. He always fought for what he called first-class citizenship. It's an interesting phrase, isn't it? First-class citizenship, not-second class, not third-class, first-class citizenship for all.

As John Kerry mentioned, it started in the Army. Obviously, it -- it really manifested itself on the baseball field. After all, it was Branch Rickey who said he was looking for a man to cross the color line who could play baseball and had the character necessary to do so. Jackie Robinson had both. And that's why we're honoring him in today.

I found Martin Luther King's quote about him interesting. I'm sure you will, too. He said, "He was a freedom rider before freedom rides." That's a pretty high compliment, when you think about it. He was -- to me, it just says courage and decency and honor. This son of Georgia sharecroppers was taught by his mother that the best weapon against racism was the use of his talent, his God-given talent, not to waste a minute.

And he didn't. And that spirit passed on from mother to son, and now son to family, still lives through the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The Jackie Robinson Foundation is a noble cause to help academically gifted students of color go to college. I know the Dodgers will continue to support that foundation. I hope baseball continues to do so as well.

It's my honor now to join Speaker Hastert and Senator Stevens in presenting the Congressional Gold Medal to Rachel Robinson in the name of her husband, the great baseball star and great American Jackie Robinson.

(APPLAUSE)

RACHEL ROBINSON, WIFE OF JACKIE ROBINSON: What a thrilling moment for me and for my family.

Thank you, Mr. President, and Mr. Speaker.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the Robinson family, most of whom are with us today, and members of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, also represented here, are deeply honored to have the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal bestowed on our beloved Jack.

Will my family please stand, my extended family, which includes the foundation, please stand?

(APPLAUSE)

ROBINSON: I wish to express our gratitude to the Congress, the sponsors of the bill, Major League Baseball, and all who worked so hard for its passage.

From an early age to the end of his life, Jack was determined to fight for equal opportunities and freedom for all Americans. He fully appreciated the promise of America and passionately felt that social change was imperative and possible. His resolve was strengthened when he served as a young lieutenant in the segregated United States Army and later as a pioneer in baseball, when, through necessity, he began to assume the activist role.

Jack brought flourish of energy and integrity to the struggle against institutionalized racism and the pervasive, destructive attitudes that followed. However, his belief was in the future. His quest was for individual and groups to be able to fulfill their potential, fully participate as citizens and live in dignity.

It was a difficult time for all. And it came with immeasurable cost to African-Americans and the social fabric of our nation. Eventually, we witnessed and participated in major social change and take great pride in the progress made.

Even so, we are acutely aware of the complex challenges we continue to face and the need for the younger generation to stay hopeful and active. In this regard, I'm proud to say that Jackie Robinson's legacy and spirit lives on, in part through the work of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. The foundation is celebrating its 32nd year as a highly successful organization providing college scholarships and leadership development training.

Our scholars and alumni are achieving, are breaking barriers nationwide, are representing the ideals and values of the man being honored here today.

It is my passionate hope that this tribute and the inspiring unity or sense of unity that I'm feeling here today will contribute to the continued striving for social justice and will inspire our young people to join the effort and press forward with determination and courage.

This medal confirms what we know. Jackie Robinson stands as a heroic role model for all Americans who believe in justice and equality. Once again, my thanks to all for this generous expression of appreciation for a life well-lived.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

PHILLIPS: Jackie Robinson, truly an American hero.

You just heard from his widow, Rachel Robinson, side by side with the president of the United States there, as she receives the Congressional Gold Medal today, in honor of her husband, Jackie Robinson, who was baseball's first black player in 1947 and a pioneer in the nation's civil rights movement, finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

More LIVE FROM right after a quick break.

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