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D.C. Confidential; Cindy Ashore; Protests and Politics

Aired July 06, 2005 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Give up your sources or go to jail. Pictures now from a U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., where a couple of reporters are facing the deadline of a lifetime.
One storm blows onshore while another looms, threatening the U.S. mainland and oil supplies. We're tracking the storms this hour.

Police and protesters clashing as world leaders, including President Bush, gather in Scotland. What's all the shouting about? We're live on the story.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM begins right now.

The bylines are well known, the headlines they could probably do without these days. But reporters Matt Cooper of "TIME" magazine and Judith Miller of "The New York Times" are once again our top story, our top story, as a federal judge in Washington decides whether to send them to jail for refusing to tell a grand jury who leaked the name of a top-secret CIA operative. A hearing gets under way any second now, and CNN's Kelly Wallace has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In court documents demanding the testimony of the two reporters, federal special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald wrote, "Journalists are not entitled to promise complete confidentiality -- no one in America is."

He said the testimony of Matthew Cooper of "TIME" magazine remains necessary for his investigation into who leaked the name of a covert CIA agent. Last week, "TIME" magazine chose to turn over e- mails and other internal documents. Time, Inc.'s editor-in-chief, Norman Pearlstine, told CNN's Soledad O'Brien he hoped this would mean Cooper was no longer in legal jeopardy.

NORMAN PEARLSTINE, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, TIME, INC.: Because my own view is that by turning over this information, we obviate the need for Matt to even testify, let alone be incarcerated. But I can't speak for Judge Hogan (ph).

WALLACE: The special prosecutor also opposed the request of Cooper and Judith Miller of "The New York Times" to be placed under house arrest or be sent to a prison of their own choosing.

Wrote Fitzgerald, "Forced vacation at a comfortable home is not a compelling form of coercion." Cooper and Miller and their attorneys declined to comment.

In an exclusive interview late last month, Miller, who never actually wrote a story about the agent in question, said she would never reveal her confidential sources.

JUDITH MILLER, "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER: This is either a principle or it's not. And for me, it's a kind of cardinal principle of our profession. You don't rat on sources.

WALLACE: The person who first reported the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame, syndicated columnist Robert Novak, who is also a CNN contributor. Last week on CNN's "INSIDE POLITICS," Novak, whose role in the investigation remains a mystery, said he hoped Miller and Cooper would not go to jail.

ROBERT NOVAK, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: I deplore the thought of reporters -- I've been a reporter all my life -- going to jail for any period of time for not revealing sources. But my lawyer said I cannot answer any specific questions about this case until it is resolved, which I hope is very soon.

WALLACE (on camera): And now the stage is set for a high-stakes hearing in a federal courtroom Wednesday afternoon, with Miller and Cooper facing the possibility of spending the next 120 days behind bars.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In full disclosure on our part, "TIME" magazine and CNN are both owned by Time Warner.

Well, we're following two tropical weather systems very closely. In the central Caribbean, Tropical Storm Dennis could power into a hurricane by the end of the day, and Tropical Storm Cindy weakened into a tropical depression once moving ashore on the Louisiana- Mississippi coast. Torrential rain and storm surge flooded streets in many areas of the northern Gulf Coast.

Here's how it was for Matt Barrentine of affiliate WALA in Dauphin Island, Alabama.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT BARRENTINE, WALA REPORTER: Conditions on Dauphin Island this morning have been pretty windy as Tropical Storm Cindy makes her way into land. Now, Dauphin Island is right at the mouth of Mobile Bay and the wind has been ferocious all morning long. Now it's been quite some time before there's been rainfall on this island, several hours at least. Most of that fell during the overnight hours and did flood some of the main roadways here. So that is starting to drain out. But the wind has become a big issue here right along the seashore. In fact, we're going to take just a little bit of a look down the beach; you can see the waves smashing into the beach. Wind really gusting, blowing things around. Highest gust I've recorded on my handheld wind meter has been 59 miles per hour. About 15 miles per hour below hurricane strength.

So it has been pretty nasty down here at the coast, but the conditions inland might actually be worse. There have been many tornado warnings in inland areas as the squall lines have made their way inland. So that's been a pretty big issue. But for now, it's just a pretty big wind event at the coast.

Reporting from Dauphine Island, I'm Matt Barrentine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, also keeping an eye on the storms, but from a very dry spot, Rob Marciano -- Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, elsewhere "Across America," a possible change of venue in the missing Idaho children case. Police expect the attorney for Joseph Duncan, that man right there, to ask that the trial be moved to another location.

Duncan, a convicted sex offender, is charged with two counts of kidnapping. Shasta Groene, missing since May 16, was found in Duncan's custody early Saturday. Her brother Dylan is feared dead.

A favorite of social conservatives out with a new book. In it, Republican Senator Rick Santorum compares abortion to slavery, questions the importance of diversity in schools, and urges some mothers to stay at home to raise children. Santorum is seen as a possible presidential candidate in 2008.

And a fallen hero. Retired Vice Admiral James Stockdale, a decorated former POW, has died at the age of 81. Stockdale won the Medal of Honor for resisting his North Vietnamese captors. He later ran for vice president as Ross Perot's running mate in 1992. Stockdale had battled Alzheimer's Disease for several years.

Outside the G8 summit site in Scotland, it's police versus protesters. This was the scene a short time ago as riot police tried to keep demonstrators from storming the site of tomorrow's summit and the meeting place for the world's top leaders.

CNN's Matthew Chance has been in the middle of the action all day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As you can see, I'm standing in the middle of a field just on the outskirts of Auchterarder, a short distance from the Gleneagles Hotel, in fact. About a mile away or so. And you can see I'm amid a police line of riot police and a number of protesters.

Let's take a look around with the cameraman to show you the sort of scene that we are witnessing here.

There's many protesters here that have gathered. The protests started off initially as a peaceful protest. But this is exactly the kind of confrontation with the British police that many had expected would come from this G8 summit, of course, where so many issues are being debated, so many issues are being discussed that many people feel so passionately about.

At the moment, the sort of violence has been more or less sort of subdued between the police and the protesters. There have been a few stones that have been thrown, a few charges.

And we're just about to experience one now. But it's relatively low-level stuff. They are trying to push back the crowds here in the fields outside of Auchterarder.

They are using their batons, and you can see that people are putting their hands up and saying, you know, "Don't hit us." But the police are determined, it seems, to push back these crowds. They've got dogs.

And so there are -- I don't know whether you are still with me, here, but we are being charged by the police lines.

Press. Press. Press.

They're fine. Anyway, you have this picture.

Scotty, stay with us.

But basically, we are bringing you now live pictures of the police charge on the outskirts of the Gleneagles Hotel where the G8 summit is taking place. Thousands of protesters have come here to voice their concerns about global warming, about global poverty, about environmental concerns.

Other than that, as well -- and many hundreds of them have broken through the route. They've tried to penetrate the perimeter that has been put around Gleneagles to try and actually disrupt the summit itself. And this is the police action that we are seeing to prevent those protesters from getting any closer to Gleneagles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And again, that was CNN's Matthew Chance in the middle of it all outside the G8 summit site.

And the crowd simply went wild. London's Olympic dreams coming true. We've got details straight ahead on LIVE FROM.

And when someone told this 100-year-old woman to act her age, well, she hopped on a Harley. And we're all getting revved up for her when we come back on LIVE FROM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It may seem like a long way off, seven years, but in London the celebrations have already started. The British capital has been selected to host the 2012 summer Olympic games. London piped Paris at the post by just four votes.

CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney with the highlights.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SWEENEY (voice-over): To Londoners, it seemed like the longest wait in the world. The tension too much for some of Britain's Olympic stars. But when the announcement came...

JACQUES ROGGE, IOC PRESIDENT: The International Olympic Committee has the honor of announcing that the games of the 30th Olympiad in 2012 are awarded to the city of London.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Amazed. I never thought it would happen.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's brilliant. I think we deserve to win. We put the best bid in. And I can't wait for 2012.

SWEENEY: Jubilation, too, among British Olympic gold medalists.

KELLY HOLMES, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: It's going to motivate, inspire so many youngsters in different generations. Something that's going to last a lifetime.

SWEENEY: London was never considered the favorite, but Londoners knew it was always going to be a close race with their historic rival, Paris. A strong bid and last-minute lobbying by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who flew to Singapore to press the flesh, paid off.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Well, it's not often in this job that you sort of punch the air and do a little jig and embrace the next -- the person standing next to you. So, you know, I think that's between me and them.

But, no -- so it's a fantastic thing. And I'm absolutely thrilled. Obviously I am.

SWEENEY: He left Singapore before the vote, racing to Scotland to host the G8 summit, leaving behind him a very happy British delegation, including a royal former Olympic athlete.

PRINCESS ANNE, FMR. OLYMPIC ATHLETE: I had every confidence in the team. And I'm delighted for them, that we have succeeded. And I do have every confidence in them for the future.

SEBASTIAN COE, BRITISH OLYMPIC TEAM: I always felt that London had an outstanding chance of taking the prize as long as we decided what it really was that we wanted to say about ourselves, and what it was we really wanted to achieve. And it was my natural instinct to make our -- to make our strategy based around sports.

SWEENEY: Much of the east end of the city, sometimes called the forgotten London, will now be regenerated. A point not lost on the IOC voting members.

(on camera): The IOC's endorsement of London as the host city of the 2012 games may have given people something to celebrate. But once the party's over, the mammoth task of building the Olympic facilities begins. Organizers have just seven years to do it.

Fionnuala Sweeney, CNN, Trafalgar Square, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And later in the show, a very personal look at the Olympics with gold medalist and record world holder Mal Whitfield. Recognize that name, or maybe even the face? Yes, Mal Whitfield, otherwise known as my dad -- see the resemblance -- that's coming up in about 15 minutes.

And in other news around the world, militant threat. A group that says it kidnapped Egypt's ambassador to Iraq is threatening to kill him. The threat has been posted on Islamic Web sites but cannot be corroborated by CNN. The envoy was abducted near his home in Baghdad on Saturday.

A grim outlook for Natalee Holloway. The FBI has told her family it's unlikely she's alive. Her father, David Holloway, says the FBI expects foul play is involved. He plans on returning to Aruba at the end of the week to rejoin the hunt for his daughter.

And a love child for the prince? Prince Albert of Monaco has admitted to fathering a child with a flight attendant. The prince, seen here at the funeral of his father, is not married and has no heir. A lawyer for the prince says the child, now 22 months old, will not be in line to the thrown and will not take the Grimaldi name.

The search goes on for a missing Navy SEAL in Afghanistan.

And just ahead on LIVE FROM, more on the shadowy world of covert operations and the Navy SEALs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In Europe, President Bush defends the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. He said all will be given fair trials. Human rights groups allege many have been abused, charges the U.S. has denied.

Our Ben Wedeman is touring that facility today and joins us now on the phone from Camp Delta -- Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Fredricka, we toured Camp Delta this morning, were able to see some of the detainees. The military is clearly very anxious to put across a very positive image of what is going on here. And certainly speaking with the officers and the guards involved, they insisted they're doing their best to treat the prisoners humanely.

Some of the prisoners, however, we were able to hear complaining somewhat. One of them we heard calling President Bush a "terrorist." But by and large, we're not allowed to have any sort of contact with the detainees, so we're not actually able to find out their perspective -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Ben, a U.S. contingent recently toured the halls throughout the camps in Guantanamo. Compare the notes. Based on your observations and their observations, how do you compare?

WEDEMAN: Well, I think the observations are based upon what we're allowed to see, which is very limited. For instance, there are very strict rules on the media.

We certainly cannot walk around Camp Delta freely. Our video -- we're not allowed to videotape faces or profiles of detainees. We can't speak with the detainees. But certainly, on the face of it, there is an effort being put forward by the administration of these camps to treat them as humanely as possible.

Now, I must point out that we have not had an opportunity to have any discussions or contact with the people involved in the interrogation of the detainees. And that is clearly one of the areas where a lot of the controversy lies -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And what's behind this sudden open-door policy of allowing so many guests to come in and view for themselves how detainees are being treated?

WEDEMAN: Well, I think it's a result of several things. The story published in "Newsweek" several months ago about alleged abuse of the Koran by prison guards, and the mounting calls by many people within the United States and around the world, including, for instance, former President Bill Clinton, saying the facility should be closed, that it's harming the image of the United States. So clearly the military and the Department of Defense and the Bush administration would like to counter some of these calls and claims and show that the facility is being well run and that it is necessary -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And oftentimes, to tour Guantanamo, even well before these detainees being held there from Afghanistan, it's been rather difficult for journalists to come and tour. You have to go through a very lengthy process in which to get the green light.

How much more difficult or perhaps easier was it for you this time around, given the climate of events taken place to be able to go to Gitmo?

WEDEMAN: It was relatively easy, actually. This is my first visit here. But my colleagues who have been here before say that the visit itself is fairly standard in terms of what we're allowed to see and where we're allowed to go. But by and large, the process of getting here was fairly pain-free -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Ben Wedeman, thank you very much for being on the telephone with us from your tour of Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

And now, this just in. As the hearing is just minutes under way in Washington at a U.S. district court involving two high-profile journalists, "TIME" magazine's" Matthew Cooper, as well as "New York Times'" Judith Miller, what is now being reported to us, that "TIME" magazine's Matt Cooper has now just told the judge there that he will agree to testify before a grand jury. And he will hopefully, according to the courtroom there, be revealing information about his sources as to how he got information about the CIA operative that he reported about.

Now, it's a not clear whether Judith Miller will comply as well. Already last week the editor-in-chief of "TIME" magazine, Norman Pearlstine, had handed over the notes, the written notes, as well as computer notes, from Matthew Cooper to the courthouse -- to the special prosecutor, rather.

Patrick Fitzgerald hoping that perhaps that would obviate the need for Matt Cooper to testify, but Matt Cooper was still being pressed to testify, and now he is agreeing to testify. As for Judith Miller, no notes had been handed over, as Matthew Cooper's had. And we're hoping and waiting to hear soon as to whether Judith Miller will indeed be testifying as to revealing her sources about the CIA operative's name.

More information as we get it as this hearing is just under way now for about 20 minutes.

Now, oil prices are spiking higher as the storm clouds gather in the Gulf of Mexico. Kathleen Hays has a check of the oil and the markets live from the New York Stock Exchange.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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