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Rumsfeld Vows Speedy Action on Guantanamo Trials; Interview with Actor Bob Newhart

Aired July 18, 2005 - 14:31   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Headlines "Now in the News."
President Bush responds today to the cloud of suspicion over White House aide Karl Rove and his reported role in blowing the cover of a U.S. intelligence operative. In a subtle change, Mr. Bush now says he will not employ a person who committed a crime. He had previously pledged to fire the person who leaked information exposing Valerie Plame of the CIA.

Hurricane Emily hit the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, where thousands of tourists had huddled for cover. Early reports indicate most of the area's popular resorts survived unscathed. Emily weakened before entering the Gulf of Mexico, but could strengthen again on its path toward the Mexican mainland and possibly southern Texas.

Israeli demonstrators take to the streets again to protest the plan to remove Israeli settlements from Gaza. The Israeli pull-out is to occur next month.

And the Texas Rangers' Kenny Rogers surrounded today to authorities on charges of assault. The misdemeanor charges stem from Rogers' dust-up with two television photographers, both of whom he shoved. The picture was released on bond.

ASAP. That's how soon Donald Rumsfeld says military trials for two detainees will resume. Last week's federal court ruling on the legality of those tribunals cleared the way for them to go full steam ahead, and it could signal speedy action for other detainees.

Our Jamie McIntyre is live at the Pentagon. Hello, Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Tony. Well, that's right. Armed with that federal court opinion on Friday, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld announced today that the Pentagon would proceed quickly to send two of these detainees before military commissions. At an appearance at the Pentagon, Rumsfeld hailed the court decision as vindication of the Bush administration's decision not to grant the detainees prisoner of war status.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: The court's ruling marks an advance in the global struggle against extremists and aids the effort to protect innocent life. It vindicates the president's determination to treat suspected terrorists humanely, but not to grant them the protections of the Geneva Conventions as a matter of right. (END VIDEO CLIP)

RUMSFELD: Rumsfeld did not name the two, but he referred to one as a person who served as a personal bodyguard and driver for Osama bin Laden. That description would fit Salim Ahmed Hamdan, the Yemeni whose challenge was the basis of the Friday ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals. The other one is David Hicks. He's an Australian accused of having fought alongside the Taliban against U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The announcement coincided with the visit of Australian Prime Minister John Howard, whose government is a close ally with the U.S. Howard said he is satisfied the military commission process will provide, in his words, a proper measure of justice for David Hicks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: We welcome the appeals court decision in the United States, which removes a roadblock to a speedy adjudication of Mr. Hicks' position. The allegations against him are particularly serious, and we look forward to them being dealt with before the tribunal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCINTYRE: Now, right now there are about 520 terror suspects at Guantanamo. Of those, four have already been charged, eight are about to be charged. And today, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said with this court ruling, they'll be preparing charges against additional detainees, as well -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Jamie, thank you.

News around the world now. Protecting children and pets from the dangers of anti-freeze. A Senate sub-committee is considering legislation to add a bittering agent to anti-freeze to keep it from being swallowed. Three states currently require such measures. The Senate bill would create a national law.

Spectacular pictures out of Dudleyville, Arizona. Firefighters are battling a wildfire that's already destroyed three homes and ten other buildings and forced the evacuation of a mobile home park. The Indian Hills fire started Sunday and has so far charred 250 acres.

In New Jersey, the problem is too much water. Thunderstorms caused flash flooding yesterday in several parts of Middlesex County. Today, engineers are checking out the damage. For a time, nearly 100 homes were evacuated. State officials say the waters have receded in at least two of the affected towns.

After a disaster, it's almost a matter of routine for agencies to come in and coordinate recovery efforts. That's not the case in La Conchita, California. Six months after a landslide devastated the hillside community, the pile of mud and rubble is still there. Add to that a brewing legal battle.

Here's our Peter Viles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If Mike Bell walks just a few blocks from his California house he comes face to face with it, the killer hillside. When the hill gave way in January, ten people were buried alive.

MIKE BELL, LA CONCHITA HOMEOWNER: One of my neighbors said, oh, my god. Look. And we turned and looked up the alley. And you can see the hill fail.

VILES: Six months later, there are shrines to the dead, damaged houses and something you can't see: a brewing legal battle. The county has always said the area was unsafe, but residents said they had no idea the hill would collapse the way it did.

BELL: No one had any clue that it would, or they wouldn't have be living here.

VILES: But the arguments about the future, too. Bell believes it is possible and feasible to stabilize the hill so it never collapses again.

BELL: I know for a fact it is. And the reason I know that is because there is reputable geological firms that have come into town, they've done a set of drawings on how to stabilize the whole hill.

VILES: But Ventura County doesn't want to touch the hill.

STEVE BENNETT, VENTURA COUNTY SUPERVISOR: If the county goes in and says we are going to stabilize that hill and we don't -- and something goes wrong and that hill slides, the liability for the taxpayers is enormous.

VILES: It is a local problem, but a national issue. After all, taxpayers help hurricane victims rebuild in Florida. Why not mudslide victims in California?

For one, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency that helps hurricane victims doesn't fix hillsides, period. And the county isn't convinced the hill could be fixed, even for $100 million.

BENNETT: No geologist will tell us that if you terrace a hill, we'll guarantee you it won't slide.

VILES: So it is a standoff, leaving a damaged town to live in the shadow of a dangerous hill.

Peter Viles for CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: He has made us all laugh as the sane man caught up in insanity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Larry. This is my brother Daryl. This is my other brother Daryl.

BOB NEWHART, ACTOR: Oh, hi, guys.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These gentlemen have a problem.

NEWHART: I know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Comedian and occasionally serious actor Bob Newhart joins us live from our Los Angeles studio, right after the break, right here on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, she is one lucky baby. She survived what has to be a parents' worst nightmare, nearly being crushed to death in a collapsed building. Safe at home today wiggling and smiling, she's showing no signs of her ordeal.

Jeff Rossen with our affiliate WABC in New York was there when she left the hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF ROSSEN, WABC REPORTER (voice-over): Dressed in lavender, looking as adorable as her eyes are gorgeous, 7-month-old Abby Lurensky is out of the hospital. She is the youngest survivor of Thursday's wall collapse.

(on camera): Do you want to say anything to the people who saved the baby?

(voice-over): The family ignored our questions. Their spokesperson said this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a photo-op only. Everybody was told it was photos only.

ROSSEN: Too bad, because the story is a miraculous one. The baby was in a stroller, push pushed down Broadway by her nanny. When the debris collapsed on top of her, it little Abby's stroller that paramedics say saved her life, creating a cushion of sorts. The nanny, the baby and three others were trapped the rubble. Rescue teams pulled the bricks and wood away and saved everyone. The nanny, Brunilda Tirado, is still in the hospital with broken bones, but will be OK. Seven-month-old Abby Lurensky and her parents are at home tonight. There aren't enough kisses in the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Yes, well said. That deluxe stroller that paramedics credit with saving Abby's life is called the Mountain Buggy Double Stroller, and it sells for more than $600. And you can bet today her parents think it's worth every penny. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWHART: Some people wonder if it isn't unusual for an accountant to become a comedian. It's unusual for a good accountant to become a comedian.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was booked everywhere. He played radio stations...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: All we've got to say is thank goodness we didn't lose him to H & R Block, because whether he's doing stand-up or sitcom, watching Bob Newhart is observing genius at work. And although fans of Newhart and the Bob Newhart show know he's wonderful as part of a comic cast, he can also do funny with one hand tied behind his back, as long as he's got a phone in the other hand.

You can't possibly know excited the LIVE FROM staff is to welcome Bob Newhart himself to our humble little show. You make us a big deal. And you're here, Bob, for a special occasion. That PBS is set to feature you, Bob Newhart, in a one-hour special, "American Masters," on Wednesday. It is good to see you. Good to talk to you, sir.

NEWHART: Thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: You American master, you. We had a chance to take a look at some of the clips, and this is such good fun. Are you excited about it? Are you happy with the treatment you're getting?

NEWHART: Well, I don't -- you know, I don't think of myself as an American master. And I'm certainly not considered an American master at home, but I'm glad that PBS thinks I'm an American master.

HARRIS: Well, what do you think when you take a look at some of these old clips and years gone by? Does it all take you back to those days, those times?

NEWHART: Well, yes, you know, I always -- in the back of my mind, I thought it would probably last about five years, and then, you know, then the American public would get on to me and stop showing up. But that was 45 years ago, so I guess -- I guess I have a future in the business.

HARRIS: Oh, boy. Come on, Bob. When you were working as an accountant -- and, yes, you're right, by your own account, I guess you weren't a particularly good accountant. But when you were doing that kind of work, was it what you needed to do to pay the bills at that time until you found your way into what you truly loved?

NEWHART: Well, you know, Tony, I grew up in Chicago from a very pragmatic family and you went to college and you got a degree in something and you were an attorney or a doctor or an accountant. And that's what you did with your life. You know, the show business was certainly the furthest thing from my mind. And one of my jobs was, I was in charge of petty cash...

HARRIS: Oh, boy.

NEWHART: ... and the -- you know, the saleswoman would come in off the road and they'd give me receipts for motels or gas or whatever and I'd give them cash. And then, at the end of the day, I had to balance the -- what was left in petty cash against the receipts and it never balanced, you know. And everybody left at 5:00 and I was still there trying to -- so I did that for a couple months. I'd leave like, 8:30, 9:00 at night before I could finally...

HARRIS: Oh, come on, Bob.

NEWHART: No, I'm serious.

HARRIS: It was that tough of a job to do?

NEWHART: Yes, it never balanced.

HARRIS: It never balanced.

NEWHART: And, so, like it was -- it was under $1.50, so I said the hell with it. I took $1.50 out of my pocket and I put it in the petty cash then, a couple days later it was over $2.00, so I took the $2.00 bucks out. And the head of the accounting department said, Bob, these are not sound accountable principles, you know.

HARRIS: Yes, right, right.

NEWHART: But now I'm thinking with Enron, they seem like pretty sound economic principles.

HARRIS: Cha-ching, cha-ching. I've got to ask you -- you've had, boy, what, three, four, five lives in this business and now we see you on "E.R.," we see you on "Desperate Housewives."

NEWHART: Yes.

HARRIS: Are you wondering these days about the meetings in Hollywood that end with, "Get me Bob Newhart for 'Desperate Housewives'"?

NEWHART: Well, I was -- I was highly complimented that when the call came to be on "Desperate Housewives," because they could get anybody they wanted, you know. As I've said before, I think Schwarzenegger would have given up the governorship, you know, for a recurring role on "Desperate Housewives." And it's been a hoot. I did two last year, and it's a recurring role, and it's a hoot. It's a wonderfully written show and the people are wonderful to work with. And, I mean, at this stage of my life to be this busy, it's a hoot.

HARRIS: Hey, do you remember the first time someone said to you, you should be a comedian? NEWHART: Yes, I don't remember specifically who. I mean, it was in Chicago and somebody said, gee, you think funny and you ought to think about going to Broadway. And I always thought, yes, well, that's easy for you to say, you know, but what -- I'm the guy that has to go to Broadway and fall on his face. And then at one point, when I left accounting, I said I'm going to give it a shot and see what happens. And -- because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life saying, you know, I wonder what would have happened if.

So one thing led to another and another and there were about three or four years where really nothing was going on. And then I made -- I did a man on the street show in Chicago, a local man on the street show. And -- which was, you know -- in 1947 that would have been original programming, but in 1958, it wasn't exactly original programming. And then I made a record album and all of a sudden...

HARRIS: That was huge, that was huge. Your first one and you get the Grammy for it, and it is absolutely huge and revered today by comics and folks all over the world.

NEWHART: I really wasn't prepared -- I never thought it was going to sell the way it sold. And it went to number one and then the second album went to number two and then the second album went to number one and the first album went to number two. And I had a record which I wasn't even aware of that -- the most number of weeks to have the most -- have the number one and number two album. And that was recently broken by Guns n' Roses.

HARRIS: Right. Guns n' Roses? Yikes.

NEWHART: But, at least, you know -- at least it went to a friend.

HARRIS: One last question. We saw you a moment ago with a picture -- in a picture with Jack Benny. And I got to ask you something. Of your contemporaries who are no longer with us, who do you miss the most? Who do you miss palling around with the most?

NEWHART: Oh, God. There's so many friends. Dick Crenna. We lost Dick about a year ago. He was a dear, wonderful friend. So many friends. I miss Jack, of course.

HARRIS: Yes.

NEWHART: Jack -- I've always said Jack was the bravest comedian I've ever seen work, because he would take the time. He wasn't afraid of silence.

HARRIS: Yes. Well, I tell you what, Ed, it is great to talk to you. It is great to have you around and great to see you so busy and so appreciated all of these years after you got started in this crazy game. Be well.

NEWHART: Thank you.

HARRIS: You American master. And the show airs on PBS, I believe on July 20th? Is that correct?

NEWHART: On Wednesday.

HARRIS: Wednesday night. Bob Newhart, good to see you.

NEWHART: Thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: We'll take a break. More LIVE FROM, right after this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEWHART: You may not think you're saying anything by not saying anything, but actually are. You see I'm a trained observer of people and I've learned a great deal about you. That there is one piece of information that I need to complete the picture. Would you mind if I ask: What the hell do you want?

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, time is money and when you're waiting for food on an empty stomach, it can't come fast enough. But some restaurants may want to slow things down a bit. Allan Chernoff joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange to explain -- Allan?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, it is all about timing. Getting your food in a reasonable amount of time is usually a good thing, but rushing a customer through a meal is definitely a "no-no."

A new report says no matter how good the meal was, customers may not come back to a restaurant if they feel they were rushed. All this might seem like common sense for diners.

The study from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration is the first of its kind to lay out the cost of bad pacing for restaurant owners. Many restaurants, in fact, do try to boost revenue by cutting dining time, but now there's proof that can actually backfire. The survey's authors say one way restaurants can speed things up a bit: If a customer says, "check, please," bring it as soon as possible. Tony, I'm sure you've had to wait a few times for that check.

HARRIS: Yes. That's for sure. Hey, Allan, nothing moving too quickly on Wall Street today.

CHERNOFF: Well, that's probably a good thing, because stocks are to the downside. In disappointing earnings from Citigroup and 3M are giving investors some reason to sell.

At the moment, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is off by 50 points. That is the low of the session and the Nasdaq Composite is down by more than one-third-of-one percent. A drop in oil prices is helping to limit the losses. Crude oil down nearly a dollar, at just over 57 bucks a barrel. That is the latest from wall street. Tony, back to you.

HARRIS: Allan, thank you.

President Bush is quizzed on the CIA leak investigation. What he said and perhaps more importantly, didn't say ahead on LIVE FROM.

Also, Hurricane Emily has already made landfall once. Now it's back over water and regaining strength. We're live from the Texas Gulf Coast, where residents are bracing for the storm.

And a reality check when it comes to Ritalin: Should your child be on it? CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: "Now in the News:" The tail of the tape, a piece of duct tape with strands of blonde hair attached turns up at a beach in Aruba. Aruban investigators and the FBI will test the strands to determine if the hair belongs to Alabama missing teen Natalee Holloway.

Life in prison: Confessed bomber Eric Rudolph hears those words as a result of a plead deal he stuck with prosecutors. He was sentenced today for a 1998 bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. Sentencing for three Atlanta attacks will come in August.

In all, two people died and more than 100 were injured in the bombings. Rudolph agreed to plead guilty to the attacks to escape the death penalty.

And Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says trials will resume for two suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as soon as possible. He adds the Pentagon will also prepare charges against eight other suspected militants at Gitmo. On Friday, a federal court overturned a lower court ruling, saying Geneva Convention protections do not apply to al Qaeda and its members.

ANNOUNCER: CNN: Your hurricane headquarters.

HARRIS: One landfall down, one to go: Hurricane Emily is spinning in the Gulf of Mexico right now after crashing into the Yucatan peninsula early today. The storm looks spectacular from space, but on the ground it battered towns renowned for their sun and sand with fierce winds and torrential rain.

This was the scene in Cancun, Mexico. There was little structural damage, but the hurricane downed trees and blew roofs off of some bungalows. Many tourists rode the storm out in shelters and hotel conference rooms. Hurricane Emily's next landfall is expected on Mexico's mainland near the Texas border by late tomorrow.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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