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Air France Flight Diverted to Maine; Republican Speaks Out Against Bolton, Nomination Makes it to Senate Floor
Aired May 12, 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.
O'BRIEN: Well, that Air France jet we've been telling you about for the past few hours, AirBus A-330, was supposed to go Charles de Gaulle to Logan, 169 souls aboard -- little detour to Bangor, Maine. Flight 332 was diverted on the orders of Homeland Security when a name on the passenger list was found to match one on the no-fly list. We get the latest once again from CNN's Kathleen Koch, who's watching things, as you see, pictures from just a little while ago, final approach there in Bangor.
Here's Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, as you can see, we don't need to confirm. You can see with your eyes there that Air France Flight 332 did land in Bangor, Maine, roughly a half an hour ago.
As you said, the flight was originally destined for Boston from Paris, but U.S. security officials diverted it over the Atlantic after they learned that there was a person on board who's name was on the no-fly list.
FBI and homeland security agents, we're told, did meet the flight, an Airbus 330, carrying 169 passengers, when it landed. We're also told that the agents are on board now.
A Transportation Security Administration spokesperson says that what happened is Air France missed the fact that this passenger, their name was a positive match. Air France responded in a written statement that is, quote, "fully compliant with U.S. authorities" and that, quote, "the safety and security of our passengers are our highest priority."
Now, right now what happens is the Transportation Security Administration e-mails the no-fly list regularly to airlines overseas. They then are in turn supposed to check the passengers' names against that list before they board.
But after the plane backs away from the gate, airlines outside the U.S. electronically transmit the passenger manifest to the U.S. government, which then double checks it against an even larger terrorist watch list.
Now Miles, as we watch this video, it's important to keep in mind a note of caution. A senior government official told our Kelli Arena that a passenger on the Air France plane, though this passenger has a name similar to one on the watch list, the passenger's physical description does not match. So this very well could be a case of mistaken identity. The TSA says that such incidents do happen roughly once a month.
So there is no word yet on whether or not this individual is actually a threat or when the plane will be allowed to head onto its destination -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. We do expect a press conference very shortly on this, Kathleen. Maybe some of our questions will be asked. But you've got to ask the question, if it's a name that is similar and the identity doesn't match, why would they still divert airplane?
KOCH: Abundance of caution, Miles. You heard those three words many, many times. You heard those words yesterday when that small plane came into the restricted zone, the no-fly zone around Washington, D.C. No one wants to take any chances when it comes to terrorism.
O'BRIEN: All right. Kathleen Koch in Washington. Thank you very much. As soon as we hear about that press conference, we'll let you know -- Kyra.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Well, happening right now, the Bolton battle. A big test in Washington for President Bush and for the controversial diplomat that the president seeks to install for a crucial mission.
Let's go straight to the White House for this one. CNN's Ed Henry standing by -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
That's right, a big development in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today as a top Republican issued a scathing attack on John Bolton. You can see the committee is still meeting right now.
And here at the White House officials are watching that Senate action very closely, because President Bush has put a lot of political capital on the line with this nomination.
Republican Senator George Voinovich, who a couple of weeks back slowed this nomination down, came out strong today, said he believes John Bolton has been arrogant and bullying in his handling of subordinates while working at the State Department.
Voinovich said he will not -- he will not block the nomination from going to the Senate floor, but he will vote against it on the Senate floor. And he hopes the Republican led Senate will defeat this nomination, and Voinovich said that in very blunt terms.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. GEORGE VOINOVICH (R-OH), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: It's not the behavior of a true leader who upholds the kind of democracy that President Bush is seeking to promote globally. This is not the behavior that should be endorsed as the face of the United States to the world community in the United Nations. Rather Mr. Chairman, it is my opinion that John Bolton is the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Here at the White House, press secretary Scott McClellan trying to find sunshine amid the storm clouds, saying he's glad that Senator Voinovich will not block this nomination at the committee level, will let it go to the Senate floor.
McClellan also reiterating the president's support, saying Mr. Bush believes that this is the right man at the right time, and just the right person to shake up the United Nations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: John Bolton is a strong voice for reform, at a time when the United Nations is beginning efforts to move forward on reform. He's exactly the kind of person we need at the United Nations. He brings a lot of unique qualifications to the position, and a great amount of experience and passion. And sometimes a little bluntness but the president believes that is exactly what is needed at the United Nations during this time of reform.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: The bottom line is that with 55 Republicans in the Senate, the White House -- White House is still confident they can get the votes to confirm Bolton.
However, if Democrats decide to fill bust the nomination, Republicans need 60 votes, and with the Republicans like Voinovich defecting, reaching 60 votes will be tougher and tougher -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: We're following it. Ed Henry, live from the White House, thanks.
O'BRIEN: All right. This Bolton battle seems to have dragged on forever. Are the Democrats playing politics or is John Bolton just too abrasive to get things done at the U.N.?
Joining me now to kick around these questions, former Republican congressman, Bob Barr. He's going to listen with us as we dip into this hearing for just a moment. Senator Joe Biden.
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: That's mildly remarkable. And I would also point out that, notwithstanding the fact -- let's assume, let's grant as my friend from Florida, the great trial lawyer that he was and is might say, let's argue this in the alternative here. Let's assume every one of us are being totally partisan.
Even if that were true, it doesn't undercut a single thing we're saying. Sometimes even when you're partisan you're right. And I would argue that just look at the number of significant present and former administration officials who said, "Uh-huh, bad idea." O'BRIEN: All right. Joe Biden. I'm going to put this straight to Bob Barr, our analyst. Joe Biden, he does have a point there. Several people have come up time and again, and have talked about, well, the simple way to describe Bolton style is a bully. Is that the right person to put in that seat at the United Nations?
BOB BARR (R), FORMER CONGRESSMAN: The right person to put in the seat at the United Nations is whoever the president wants. This is the ambassador who is appointed by the president of the United States, and he's there to do the president's -- to reflect the president's views on behalf of this country.
And I say to George Voinovich, "How dare you get up there and say that you want some pansy, cocktail -- cocktail party bureaucrat?"
O'BRIEN: No, wait, wait, wait, now -- he's simply saying....
BARR: I know exactly what he's saying.
O'BRIEN: He's simply saying, Bob, that there's a little bit of -- diplomacy is named diplomacy for a reason, right? You want to get...
BARR: Maybe that's -- maybe that's why we never get anything done at the United Nations, because we send a bunch of folks up there who, like George Voinovich, would rather be at a bunch of cocktail parties, sipping tea with their little finger sticking out rather than somebody who will actually get in these people's face and tell them to get their act together. I say that's exactly what we need, and President Bush is right.
O'BRIEN: I bet it's more than tea. Let's -- let's listen to one more point from Senator Voinovich. Not that first one, if we could put up the second one that we were planning on. Because I think we just heard the other one. Let's listen to Senator Voinovich as he elaborates on his points here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOINOVICH: We must recognize that, to be successful in this war, one of our most important tools is public diplomacy. After hours of deliberation, telephone calls, personal conversations, reading hundreds of pages of transcripts and asking for guidance from above, I've come to the determination that the United States can do better than John Bolton.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: All right. You know, they say that war is the failure of diplomacy. And the fact is, it sounds like John Bolton is a warrior. So is it appropriate to have a warrior in a diplomatic role? Isn't he miscast?
BARR: No, John Bolton is perfectly cast to go -- the lion's den up in New York, we need somebody who will go up there and set these people straight, Miles. We don't need somebody up there who will play the same kind of games, go to the cocktail parties, sip the tea, say all the nice things to the right people and worry about getting them upset. That's precisely what we no longer need up there. That may be what George Voinovich likes, but I don't think that's what we don't need at the United Nations.
O'BRIEN: But doesn't -- doesn't a person like that run the risk of becoming marginalized to the point of irrelevancy?
BARR: The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is never going to be marginalized. That organization depends on us. They cannot afford to ignore us, and we need to make sure that we remember that, as well.
O'BRIEN: All right. Bob Barr, let's shift gears. Yesterday you were in the Capitol as the fighter jets flew overhead in hot pursuit of that Cessna 150, and you witnessed some of those evacuations. I'm curious if you think that was a good call?
BARR: I frankly was embarrassed, as a citizen of this country, the greatest nation on the face of the earth. As a former member of that great body that is the United States Congress, I was embarrassed to see people running around like scared rabbits with nothing more to go on than a Cessna having inadvertently strayed into Washington, D.C., airspace.
We really need to do a better job of, one, measuring our response to some sort of known or realistic threat, but simply a small plane like that on which there was no evidence, apparently, whatsoever, of hostile intent to bring the one entire branch of government to an absolute standstill and have people go scurrying around like a bunch of scared rabbits, I don't think sends the right message to the world.
O'BRIEN: I think more than anything, don't you have the sense that walking away from this I don't feel any safer. As a matter of fact, it scares me. It gives me a sort of Keystone Kops feel to the whole approach?
BARR: It really indicates that -- that we are not able yet, really, or willing -- willing to measure our response based on the known or realistic threat out there. And the example of the plane being diverted to Bangor, Maine, is another example.
Either we are assuring ourselves through various international treaties and U.S. laws that people are not bringing weapons or explosives onto planes, or we're not. And if, in fact, we are, then there was no reason why that plane couldn't have gone onto its final destination and then the government could have checked out this individual. And if we were not assured that the plane didn't have explosives on it, then what have we been doing the last 3 1/2 years?
O'BRIEN: I'm afraid we're fooling ourselves and making ourselves look like a fool all the while. Bob Barr, always a pleasure having you drop by.
BARR: Thank you, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Response to that small plane invading restricted airspace, a subject we've been talking a lot about today. Don't miss our interview, exclusive interview with one of the F-16 pilots who intercepted that plane, triggered the security alert at the Capitol and the White House. Kyra Phillips with the scoop.
Also, police in L.A., they kill a man on live television. The dramatic end to a high-speed chase.
And later, the defense reveals what it says is a key piece of evidence in the Michael Jackson trial. Stay with us.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: In 1960 this week, the FDA approved the first birth control pill. G.D. Searle pharmaceutical company introduced the drug during a time when birth control was a controversial issue.
At the age of 36, reggae's most widely known artist Bob Marley loses his battle to cancer on May 11, 1981. The Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame inductee was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just four years ago.
And in 1985, an outbreak of the deadly virus ebola claimed at least 250 lives.
And that is this week in history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: A great deal calmer today in the nation's capitol, compared to yesterday at this time. It was nothing short of pandemonium when startled security officials urgently ordered everyone out of some government buildings. Well, we quickly learned that an airplane, intentions unknown and unresponsive to air controllers, had entered restricted D.C. airspace.
Turns out the plane was a small one, single engine, two passengers. Both men were met enthusiastically by law enforcement personnel on the ground. They landed at the not so gentle urging of a pair of strike fighters who scrambled to meet them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. TIM LEHMANN, AIR NATIONAL GUARD F-16 PILOT: That was a difficult period. We were authorized to dispense flares, and I was the first one to pass that aircraft and dropping flares. When I did so, we did not get a response. The aircraft continued on its southward heading toward our nation's capitol.
The national capitol region is defended with a layered defense, and as a target of interest turns up on the radar scope, decisions are already being made as to whether we consider this a high threat, medium threat or low threat, and those decisions are being made at a national command authority level, a very high level of the military chain of command and civilian chain of command.
And as they assessed this aircraft, a relatively light aircraft, they did not assess it as a high threat type of environment. So that order was never given to shoot it down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kind of put together a little timeline complete with pictures and video of yesterday's security alert in Washington. Click over to CNN.com. Look for a link to the timeline on the upper right hand of the front page.
O'BRIEN: A man driving a car police say was stolen during a home invasion robbery in Long Beach, California, led officers on a 20- minute high speed chase that ended in a hail of gunfire, killing the driver.
L.A. TV stations, naturally, provided live coverage, as they do there. The chase started on one freeway and proceeded to others, with the driver weaving one lane into another, at one point hitting a guardrail, as can you see there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But several patrol cars moving, and it looks like he was able to get out of being stuck there. And now he's on the gas. Or he tries to make a turn and hits a wall and doesn't hit anyone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The man tried to allude police on surfaced streets, going through red lights, occasionally driving against oncoming traffic.
The drama ended in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant, when the driver stopped his car, jumped out, brandishing a handgun. He was shot by police as he attempted to flee on foot, as you can see there. Ouch.
The man fell to the pavement. His gun flew from his hand and skidded away. Police shot him again as he writhed on the ground, reached into his pants pocket, appeared to pull something out. CNN decided against showing the final burst of gunfire because of its graphic nature.
Now, jurors in the Michael Jackson trial have seen the rest of a videotaped interview on the pop star. On it, a journalist who made a documentary about Jackson is heard praising Jackson's relationship with his own children.
Yesterday, the actor Macaulay Culkin testified he shared Jackson's bed many times as a child but was never sexually molested. He called the allegation against Jackson ridiculous.
PHILLIPS: Other news across America now.
In looking up, way up, nine stories up, a Ft. Lauderdale apartment house. That's where 69-year-old Gloria Jummati was cleaning her balcony yesterday and fell. Stay with me here. She landed on a canvas awning. She bounced. She bumped. She bruised a bit. She's fine. She should buy a lottery ticket.
This one, not so good news for five buffalo that made a break for it from a Colorado slaughterhouse. They didn't roam far. Police shot them dead. But here's the issue. They fired 120 more than rounds from semiautomatic rifles in a residential area. Nobody was hurt except, well, you know, the buffalo. Some cars and house were hit. It happened Monday. Police inquiry is under way.
And Nebraska can't catch a break from the weather. Earlier this week, tornadoes and golf ball-sized hail. Yesterday parts of Adams County got five inches of rain in less than two hours. Power is out, trees are down, basements are flooded. Busy day for cleanup crews in Nebraska.
Good fortune from a fortune cookie. Coming up, the huge payoff of dozens of people, courtesy of playing a hunch.
Later, find out why Bill Gates is predicting the downfall of Apple's iPod. Say it isn't so!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Right now, the vote is coming out here live from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As you know, the voting is taking place for the future of John Bolton in his nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Let's listen in.
SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R-IN), CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: And therefore, the nomination is reported, and the business meeting is concluded.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Mr. Chairman, before we conclude, I want to state to my colleagues what I said to you privately. We will have, so there is no delay -- we will have the minority views written and available to the committee by Monday.
LUGAR: I appreciate that.
BIDEN: So we...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, right at the end you said the nomination is reported to the floor, but without recommendation, is that correct?
LUGAR: That's correct. That was the motion.
I thank the distinguished ranking member and all members.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: All right. There you go, the final vote there straight from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the vote 10-8: 10 yes, of course, 8 no. It passed. The next level now for John Bolton being considered to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
We're going to take you straight to "INSIDE POLITICS" as -- OK, Judy? We are not going to "INSIDE POLITICS." That's coming up in a few minutes. We're getting your reaction and your feedback as this vote just came in by the second there.
JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": That's right, Kyra. We've been waiting all day long almost for this vote on the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, a committee that has apparently divided right along party lines, a committee that has been bitterly divided over the nomination of John Bolton, a controversial figure, someone who served in the State Department under the leadership of Colin Powell, the first term of the Bush administration.
And as you can see, the members of the Foreign Relations Committee breaking up after they divided as best I could tell, Kyra, along party lines. I was just getting hooked up, so to speak, with my earpiece. I couldn't hear the final call, but it certainly is going to the floor. But it will go without a recommendation, which means that it is not -- it is not a vote wherein the committee is saying this is someone we want. They are simply saying we want the full Senate to have a vote.
Now since Republicans hold the majority on the floor of the Senate, there's no reason to believe that John Bolton will not be confirmed, but this is a divided Foreign Relations Committee.
PHILLIPS: And Judy -- I hear you, folks -- OK, Judy, real quickly now, now that it heads to the Senate floor, of course, the White House saying Bolton, a longtime U.N. critic, is important to this position, considering what's taking place at U.N. and that reform needs to be promoted, considering the oil-for-food scandal.
Yet on the other side of things, of course, he's been referred to as this bull, you know, loose in the china shop. So what does this mean -- and Miles is coming across right here saying it's 10 Republicans, is that right?
O'BRIEN: Yes. All 10.
All 10 Republicans voted to send it to the floor. Complete partisan vote, Judy. No surprise, right?
WOODRUFF: Partisan vote, except you had a prominent member of the Republican side, Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, who delivered a blistering statement earlier today about John Bolton, said that he wasn't fit, in so many words, to serve. He said he's a poster child for what's wrong with diplomacy, and he went on and on, chapter and verse, very critical of John Bolton. But he did go on to say that he didn't want to be so arrogant as to impose his views on the Senate floor, that he wanted to have the Senate to have a chance to vote it. But it sounds to me like George Voinovich will not be voting for John Bolton when it comes up on the floor of the Senate.
O'BRIEN: OK. Thank you, Judy.
Let's send it to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Ed Henry at the White House. Surely, the administration has got to be pleased with this, because it seems -- well, I mean, nothing is certain until it happens, but clearly, the Senate is poised to nominate John Bolton to the United Nations or confirm his nomination, I should say, Ed?
HENRY: Well, Miles, it's a bit of a mixed bag for the administration. The White House certainly wanted this nomination to not just get out of the Foreign Relations Committee, but they wanted a positive recommendation.
As Judy was just saying, it was a bit of a blow today that Republican George Voinovich, once again, for the second time, came out hard against this nomination, had some very tough words, as Judy mentioned. That is bad enough. That's a difficulty.
But also the fact that a Republican-led committee could not get this out with a quote-unquote positive recommendation, the fact that it's basically going with no recommendation, just going straight to the floor. That's certainly not what the White House wanted.
But White House press secretary Scott McClellan, as you indicated, is trying to put a bit of sunshine on these -- on these difficult storm clouds that have developed over this nomination. McClellan saying a short while ago that basically they're happy here at White House that the nomination is at least getting out of committee.
And as you mentioned, they're still hopeful that the Republican- led Senate -- there are 55 Senate Republicans -- can have the votes to get this nomination passed. At this point, they only need 51 votes. The problem, though, Miles, that you have to hedge on is that if Democrats filibuster here, they will need 60 votes. And with the Republicans like George Voinovich defecting, it's harder and harder to get that 60 vote threshold -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Time is short here, but just quickly, are you hearing much word that there might be a filibuster afoot here?
HENRY: Well, I can tell you that senior Democrats like Chris Dodd are certainly considering it. We have not heard someone on Capitol Hill actually say that they will filibuster. That's something that they have to consider very carefully. But I can tell you Democrats are thinking about it, very much so -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. Ed Henry at the White House, thank you very much. We're plum out of time here.
PHILLIPS: Judy Woodruff with "INSIDE POLITICS." Of course, you'll have more on this straight right, right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
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Aired May 12, 2005 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
O'BRIEN: Well, that Air France jet we've been telling you about for the past few hours, AirBus A-330, was supposed to go Charles de Gaulle to Logan, 169 souls aboard -- little detour to Bangor, Maine. Flight 332 was diverted on the orders of Homeland Security when a name on the passenger list was found to match one on the no-fly list. We get the latest once again from CNN's Kathleen Koch, who's watching things, as you see, pictures from just a little while ago, final approach there in Bangor.
Here's Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, as you can see, we don't need to confirm. You can see with your eyes there that Air France Flight 332 did land in Bangor, Maine, roughly a half an hour ago.
As you said, the flight was originally destined for Boston from Paris, but U.S. security officials diverted it over the Atlantic after they learned that there was a person on board who's name was on the no-fly list.
FBI and homeland security agents, we're told, did meet the flight, an Airbus 330, carrying 169 passengers, when it landed. We're also told that the agents are on board now.
A Transportation Security Administration spokesperson says that what happened is Air France missed the fact that this passenger, their name was a positive match. Air France responded in a written statement that is, quote, "fully compliant with U.S. authorities" and that, quote, "the safety and security of our passengers are our highest priority."
Now, right now what happens is the Transportation Security Administration e-mails the no-fly list regularly to airlines overseas. They then are in turn supposed to check the passengers' names against that list before they board.
But after the plane backs away from the gate, airlines outside the U.S. electronically transmit the passenger manifest to the U.S. government, which then double checks it against an even larger terrorist watch list.
Now Miles, as we watch this video, it's important to keep in mind a note of caution. A senior government official told our Kelli Arena that a passenger on the Air France plane, though this passenger has a name similar to one on the watch list, the passenger's physical description does not match. So this very well could be a case of mistaken identity. The TSA says that such incidents do happen roughly once a month.
So there is no word yet on whether or not this individual is actually a threat or when the plane will be allowed to head onto its destination -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. We do expect a press conference very shortly on this, Kathleen. Maybe some of our questions will be asked. But you've got to ask the question, if it's a name that is similar and the identity doesn't match, why would they still divert airplane?
KOCH: Abundance of caution, Miles. You heard those three words many, many times. You heard those words yesterday when that small plane came into the restricted zone, the no-fly zone around Washington, D.C. No one wants to take any chances when it comes to terrorism.
O'BRIEN: All right. Kathleen Koch in Washington. Thank you very much. As soon as we hear about that press conference, we'll let you know -- Kyra.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Well, happening right now, the Bolton battle. A big test in Washington for President Bush and for the controversial diplomat that the president seeks to install for a crucial mission.
Let's go straight to the White House for this one. CNN's Ed Henry standing by -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
That's right, a big development in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today as a top Republican issued a scathing attack on John Bolton. You can see the committee is still meeting right now.
And here at the White House officials are watching that Senate action very closely, because President Bush has put a lot of political capital on the line with this nomination.
Republican Senator George Voinovich, who a couple of weeks back slowed this nomination down, came out strong today, said he believes John Bolton has been arrogant and bullying in his handling of subordinates while working at the State Department.
Voinovich said he will not -- he will not block the nomination from going to the Senate floor, but he will vote against it on the Senate floor. And he hopes the Republican led Senate will defeat this nomination, and Voinovich said that in very blunt terms.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. GEORGE VOINOVICH (R-OH), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: It's not the behavior of a true leader who upholds the kind of democracy that President Bush is seeking to promote globally. This is not the behavior that should be endorsed as the face of the United States to the world community in the United Nations. Rather Mr. Chairman, it is my opinion that John Bolton is the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Here at the White House, press secretary Scott McClellan trying to find sunshine amid the storm clouds, saying he's glad that Senator Voinovich will not block this nomination at the committee level, will let it go to the Senate floor.
McClellan also reiterating the president's support, saying Mr. Bush believes that this is the right man at the right time, and just the right person to shake up the United Nations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: John Bolton is a strong voice for reform, at a time when the United Nations is beginning efforts to move forward on reform. He's exactly the kind of person we need at the United Nations. He brings a lot of unique qualifications to the position, and a great amount of experience and passion. And sometimes a little bluntness but the president believes that is exactly what is needed at the United Nations during this time of reform.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: The bottom line is that with 55 Republicans in the Senate, the White House -- White House is still confident they can get the votes to confirm Bolton.
However, if Democrats decide to fill bust the nomination, Republicans need 60 votes, and with the Republicans like Voinovich defecting, reaching 60 votes will be tougher and tougher -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: We're following it. Ed Henry, live from the White House, thanks.
O'BRIEN: All right. This Bolton battle seems to have dragged on forever. Are the Democrats playing politics or is John Bolton just too abrasive to get things done at the U.N.?
Joining me now to kick around these questions, former Republican congressman, Bob Barr. He's going to listen with us as we dip into this hearing for just a moment. Senator Joe Biden.
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: That's mildly remarkable. And I would also point out that, notwithstanding the fact -- let's assume, let's grant as my friend from Florida, the great trial lawyer that he was and is might say, let's argue this in the alternative here. Let's assume every one of us are being totally partisan.
Even if that were true, it doesn't undercut a single thing we're saying. Sometimes even when you're partisan you're right. And I would argue that just look at the number of significant present and former administration officials who said, "Uh-huh, bad idea." O'BRIEN: All right. Joe Biden. I'm going to put this straight to Bob Barr, our analyst. Joe Biden, he does have a point there. Several people have come up time and again, and have talked about, well, the simple way to describe Bolton style is a bully. Is that the right person to put in that seat at the United Nations?
BOB BARR (R), FORMER CONGRESSMAN: The right person to put in the seat at the United Nations is whoever the president wants. This is the ambassador who is appointed by the president of the United States, and he's there to do the president's -- to reflect the president's views on behalf of this country.
And I say to George Voinovich, "How dare you get up there and say that you want some pansy, cocktail -- cocktail party bureaucrat?"
O'BRIEN: No, wait, wait, wait, now -- he's simply saying....
BARR: I know exactly what he's saying.
O'BRIEN: He's simply saying, Bob, that there's a little bit of -- diplomacy is named diplomacy for a reason, right? You want to get...
BARR: Maybe that's -- maybe that's why we never get anything done at the United Nations, because we send a bunch of folks up there who, like George Voinovich, would rather be at a bunch of cocktail parties, sipping tea with their little finger sticking out rather than somebody who will actually get in these people's face and tell them to get their act together. I say that's exactly what we need, and President Bush is right.
O'BRIEN: I bet it's more than tea. Let's -- let's listen to one more point from Senator Voinovich. Not that first one, if we could put up the second one that we were planning on. Because I think we just heard the other one. Let's listen to Senator Voinovich as he elaborates on his points here.
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VOINOVICH: We must recognize that, to be successful in this war, one of our most important tools is public diplomacy. After hours of deliberation, telephone calls, personal conversations, reading hundreds of pages of transcripts and asking for guidance from above, I've come to the determination that the United States can do better than John Bolton.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: All right. You know, they say that war is the failure of diplomacy. And the fact is, it sounds like John Bolton is a warrior. So is it appropriate to have a warrior in a diplomatic role? Isn't he miscast?
BARR: No, John Bolton is perfectly cast to go -- the lion's den up in New York, we need somebody who will go up there and set these people straight, Miles. We don't need somebody up there who will play the same kind of games, go to the cocktail parties, sip the tea, say all the nice things to the right people and worry about getting them upset. That's precisely what we no longer need up there. That may be what George Voinovich likes, but I don't think that's what we don't need at the United Nations.
O'BRIEN: But doesn't -- doesn't a person like that run the risk of becoming marginalized to the point of irrelevancy?
BARR: The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is never going to be marginalized. That organization depends on us. They cannot afford to ignore us, and we need to make sure that we remember that, as well.
O'BRIEN: All right. Bob Barr, let's shift gears. Yesterday you were in the Capitol as the fighter jets flew overhead in hot pursuit of that Cessna 150, and you witnessed some of those evacuations. I'm curious if you think that was a good call?
BARR: I frankly was embarrassed, as a citizen of this country, the greatest nation on the face of the earth. As a former member of that great body that is the United States Congress, I was embarrassed to see people running around like scared rabbits with nothing more to go on than a Cessna having inadvertently strayed into Washington, D.C., airspace.
We really need to do a better job of, one, measuring our response to some sort of known or realistic threat, but simply a small plane like that on which there was no evidence, apparently, whatsoever, of hostile intent to bring the one entire branch of government to an absolute standstill and have people go scurrying around like a bunch of scared rabbits, I don't think sends the right message to the world.
O'BRIEN: I think more than anything, don't you have the sense that walking away from this I don't feel any safer. As a matter of fact, it scares me. It gives me a sort of Keystone Kops feel to the whole approach?
BARR: It really indicates that -- that we are not able yet, really, or willing -- willing to measure our response based on the known or realistic threat out there. And the example of the plane being diverted to Bangor, Maine, is another example.
Either we are assuring ourselves through various international treaties and U.S. laws that people are not bringing weapons or explosives onto planes, or we're not. And if, in fact, we are, then there was no reason why that plane couldn't have gone onto its final destination and then the government could have checked out this individual. And if we were not assured that the plane didn't have explosives on it, then what have we been doing the last 3 1/2 years?
O'BRIEN: I'm afraid we're fooling ourselves and making ourselves look like a fool all the while. Bob Barr, always a pleasure having you drop by.
BARR: Thank you, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Response to that small plane invading restricted airspace, a subject we've been talking a lot about today. Don't miss our interview, exclusive interview with one of the F-16 pilots who intercepted that plane, triggered the security alert at the Capitol and the White House. Kyra Phillips with the scoop.
Also, police in L.A., they kill a man on live television. The dramatic end to a high-speed chase.
And later, the defense reveals what it says is a key piece of evidence in the Michael Jackson trial. Stay with us.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: In 1960 this week, the FDA approved the first birth control pill. G.D. Searle pharmaceutical company introduced the drug during a time when birth control was a controversial issue.
At the age of 36, reggae's most widely known artist Bob Marley loses his battle to cancer on May 11, 1981. The Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame inductee was awarded his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame just four years ago.
And in 1985, an outbreak of the deadly virus ebola claimed at least 250 lives.
And that is this week in history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: A great deal calmer today in the nation's capitol, compared to yesterday at this time. It was nothing short of pandemonium when startled security officials urgently ordered everyone out of some government buildings. Well, we quickly learned that an airplane, intentions unknown and unresponsive to air controllers, had entered restricted D.C. airspace.
Turns out the plane was a small one, single engine, two passengers. Both men were met enthusiastically by law enforcement personnel on the ground. They landed at the not so gentle urging of a pair of strike fighters who scrambled to meet them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. COL. TIM LEHMANN, AIR NATIONAL GUARD F-16 PILOT: That was a difficult period. We were authorized to dispense flares, and I was the first one to pass that aircraft and dropping flares. When I did so, we did not get a response. The aircraft continued on its southward heading toward our nation's capitol.
The national capitol region is defended with a layered defense, and as a target of interest turns up on the radar scope, decisions are already being made as to whether we consider this a high threat, medium threat or low threat, and those decisions are being made at a national command authority level, a very high level of the military chain of command and civilian chain of command.
And as they assessed this aircraft, a relatively light aircraft, they did not assess it as a high threat type of environment. So that order was never given to shoot it down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kind of put together a little timeline complete with pictures and video of yesterday's security alert in Washington. Click over to CNN.com. Look for a link to the timeline on the upper right hand of the front page.
O'BRIEN: A man driving a car police say was stolen during a home invasion robbery in Long Beach, California, led officers on a 20- minute high speed chase that ended in a hail of gunfire, killing the driver.
L.A. TV stations, naturally, provided live coverage, as they do there. The chase started on one freeway and proceeded to others, with the driver weaving one lane into another, at one point hitting a guardrail, as can you see there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But several patrol cars moving, and it looks like he was able to get out of being stuck there. And now he's on the gas. Or he tries to make a turn and hits a wall and doesn't hit anyone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The man tried to allude police on surfaced streets, going through red lights, occasionally driving against oncoming traffic.
The drama ended in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant, when the driver stopped his car, jumped out, brandishing a handgun. He was shot by police as he attempted to flee on foot, as you can see there. Ouch.
The man fell to the pavement. His gun flew from his hand and skidded away. Police shot him again as he writhed on the ground, reached into his pants pocket, appeared to pull something out. CNN decided against showing the final burst of gunfire because of its graphic nature.
Now, jurors in the Michael Jackson trial have seen the rest of a videotaped interview on the pop star. On it, a journalist who made a documentary about Jackson is heard praising Jackson's relationship with his own children.
Yesterday, the actor Macaulay Culkin testified he shared Jackson's bed many times as a child but was never sexually molested. He called the allegation against Jackson ridiculous.
PHILLIPS: Other news across America now.
In looking up, way up, nine stories up, a Ft. Lauderdale apartment house. That's where 69-year-old Gloria Jummati was cleaning her balcony yesterday and fell. Stay with me here. She landed on a canvas awning. She bounced. She bumped. She bruised a bit. She's fine. She should buy a lottery ticket.
This one, not so good news for five buffalo that made a break for it from a Colorado slaughterhouse. They didn't roam far. Police shot them dead. But here's the issue. They fired 120 more than rounds from semiautomatic rifles in a residential area. Nobody was hurt except, well, you know, the buffalo. Some cars and house were hit. It happened Monday. Police inquiry is under way.
And Nebraska can't catch a break from the weather. Earlier this week, tornadoes and golf ball-sized hail. Yesterday parts of Adams County got five inches of rain in less than two hours. Power is out, trees are down, basements are flooded. Busy day for cleanup crews in Nebraska.
Good fortune from a fortune cookie. Coming up, the huge payoff of dozens of people, courtesy of playing a hunch.
Later, find out why Bill Gates is predicting the downfall of Apple's iPod. Say it isn't so!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Right now, the vote is coming out here live from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As you know, the voting is taking place for the future of John Bolton in his nomination to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Let's listen in.
SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R-IN), CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: And therefore, the nomination is reported, and the business meeting is concluded.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Mr. Chairman, before we conclude, I want to state to my colleagues what I said to you privately. We will have, so there is no delay -- we will have the minority views written and available to the committee by Monday.
LUGAR: I appreciate that.
BIDEN: So we...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Chairman, right at the end you said the nomination is reported to the floor, but without recommendation, is that correct?
LUGAR: That's correct. That was the motion.
I thank the distinguished ranking member and all members.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: All right. There you go, the final vote there straight from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the vote 10-8: 10 yes, of course, 8 no. It passed. The next level now for John Bolton being considered to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
We're going to take you straight to "INSIDE POLITICS" as -- OK, Judy? We are not going to "INSIDE POLITICS." That's coming up in a few minutes. We're getting your reaction and your feedback as this vote just came in by the second there.
JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": That's right, Kyra. We've been waiting all day long almost for this vote on the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, a committee that has apparently divided right along party lines, a committee that has been bitterly divided over the nomination of John Bolton, a controversial figure, someone who served in the State Department under the leadership of Colin Powell, the first term of the Bush administration.
And as you can see, the members of the Foreign Relations Committee breaking up after they divided as best I could tell, Kyra, along party lines. I was just getting hooked up, so to speak, with my earpiece. I couldn't hear the final call, but it certainly is going to the floor. But it will go without a recommendation, which means that it is not -- it is not a vote wherein the committee is saying this is someone we want. They are simply saying we want the full Senate to have a vote.
Now since Republicans hold the majority on the floor of the Senate, there's no reason to believe that John Bolton will not be confirmed, but this is a divided Foreign Relations Committee.
PHILLIPS: And Judy -- I hear you, folks -- OK, Judy, real quickly now, now that it heads to the Senate floor, of course, the White House saying Bolton, a longtime U.N. critic, is important to this position, considering what's taking place at U.N. and that reform needs to be promoted, considering the oil-for-food scandal.
Yet on the other side of things, of course, he's been referred to as this bull, you know, loose in the china shop. So what does this mean -- and Miles is coming across right here saying it's 10 Republicans, is that right?
O'BRIEN: Yes. All 10.
All 10 Republicans voted to send it to the floor. Complete partisan vote, Judy. No surprise, right?
WOODRUFF: Partisan vote, except you had a prominent member of the Republican side, Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, who delivered a blistering statement earlier today about John Bolton, said that he wasn't fit, in so many words, to serve. He said he's a poster child for what's wrong with diplomacy, and he went on and on, chapter and verse, very critical of John Bolton. But he did go on to say that he didn't want to be so arrogant as to impose his views on the Senate floor, that he wanted to have the Senate to have a chance to vote it. But it sounds to me like George Voinovich will not be voting for John Bolton when it comes up on the floor of the Senate.
O'BRIEN: OK. Thank you, Judy.
Let's send it to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Ed Henry at the White House. Surely, the administration has got to be pleased with this, because it seems -- well, I mean, nothing is certain until it happens, but clearly, the Senate is poised to nominate John Bolton to the United Nations or confirm his nomination, I should say, Ed?
HENRY: Well, Miles, it's a bit of a mixed bag for the administration. The White House certainly wanted this nomination to not just get out of the Foreign Relations Committee, but they wanted a positive recommendation.
As Judy was just saying, it was a bit of a blow today that Republican George Voinovich, once again, for the second time, came out hard against this nomination, had some very tough words, as Judy mentioned. That is bad enough. That's a difficulty.
But also the fact that a Republican-led committee could not get this out with a quote-unquote positive recommendation, the fact that it's basically going with no recommendation, just going straight to the floor. That's certainly not what the White House wanted.
But White House press secretary Scott McClellan, as you indicated, is trying to put a bit of sunshine on these -- on these difficult storm clouds that have developed over this nomination. McClellan saying a short while ago that basically they're happy here at White House that the nomination is at least getting out of committee.
And as you mentioned, they're still hopeful that the Republican- led Senate -- there are 55 Senate Republicans -- can have the votes to get this nomination passed. At this point, they only need 51 votes. The problem, though, Miles, that you have to hedge on is that if Democrats filibuster here, they will need 60 votes. And with the Republicans like George Voinovich defecting, it's harder and harder to get that 60 vote threshold -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Time is short here, but just quickly, are you hearing much word that there might be a filibuster afoot here?
HENRY: Well, I can tell you that senior Democrats like Chris Dodd are certainly considering it. We have not heard someone on Capitol Hill actually say that they will filibuster. That's something that they have to consider very carefully. But I can tell you Democrats are thinking about it, very much so -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: All right. Ed Henry at the White House, thank you very much. We're plum out of time here.
PHILLIPS: Judy Woodruff with "INSIDE POLITICS." Of course, you'll have more on this straight right, right after the break.
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