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Victim of Cheney Shooting Stable; New Abu Ghraib Photos Published; Homeland Security Secretary Testifies to Congress on Katrina

Aired February 15, 2006 - 12:59   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's the top of the hour. We're going to start LIVE FROM right now with a presser from Corpus Christi Hospital with the update on Harry Whittington, as you know, the 70- year-old lawyer that was injured in that hunting accident with the vice president.
Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

PETER BANKO, ADMIN., CHRISTUS SPOHN MEMORIAL HOSP.: On the personal comment side, this particular case has turned into one that not many physicians around the country have ever seen this type of injury on multiple occasions. So I think that is a backdrop for some of your thoughts and discussion.

We're trying to share as much information as possible and being open and honest with you, but we are not going to practice medicine on television.

Status update on Mr. Whittington. He's in stable condition in our ICU right now. He is actually in our ICU strictly due to personal privacy reasons. They are not -- he's not there due to his medical condition.

Is no longer in atrial fib. He's been converted to what's called a normal sinus rhythm, via -- with medication. He is hemodynamically stable. We are going through continuous monitoring and daily echocardiograms. We will be doing a 64-slice cat scan as a baseline study for his follow-up care when he returns home in Austin. At this point in time, that study does not change his course of treatment.

On a personal level, he's sitting up in a chair, eating regular food and has actually plans on doing some of his attorney work in his room today.

With that, we'll answer some questions. Now just some caveat for questions today, based on yesterday, if you start asking the same questions, two or three or four times, I'm going to cut off the press conference.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: The intensive care is a private room. It's a little bit more secure area of the hospital. More focused care from the staff. Not a lot of traffic. He just needs to rest yesterday. And that was the reason why we're still keeping him in ICU.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Required attention that normally get (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: No. But he's just receiving regular monitoring that we can also do on the floor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's his prognosis right now?

BANKO: He's doing extremely well, and we'll just continue monitoring and giving you more daily updates.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you elaborate?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know who's paying for the bill?

BANKO: I don't know who's paying for the bill.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has the president's office required his privacy?

BANKO: We are doing strictly on our own to protect his privacy, as well as the request of his family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you elaborate on the medication he's on right now?

BANKO: Again, we're not practicing medicine on television, so no details on medications.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: We can't comment on how many BB's are inside him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: That's the current plan. That may change over time. It may be a little bit less, but as of now, still another six days or so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You said he's no longer in cardiac fib. How long (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: A question here, the purpose of the CAT scan, the 64- slice CT, as we discussed yesterday, gives you a little bit image about where the BB is located. So that when he returns home to Austin and they do ongoing care with him, they know exactly where it's located. But it doesn't change his current course of treatment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that will be done here?

BANKO: That will be done here in Corpus Christi, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you satisfied (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: We're 100 percent satisfied that where the BB is it will remain.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor when you talk about the BB, how many BB's are...

BANKO: Again that's the second time that someone's asked that question. No comment on how many BB's are inside of him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Under the HIPAA act, if he wanted, he could stop all of this. I mean, you are very gracious with your time, but if he wanted to be private, he could keep all of this away from the public.

BANKO: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it his wish (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for the world to know these details about his medical condition?

BANKO: We review all these details with -- with his family. So they're aware of what we're talking about before we come out here. You're very right about HIPAA. And that's the benefit you all have. If Mr. Whittington decided nothing would be said, you would know nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did the White House have any role in providing information.

BANKO: That's an interesting question. You have to really understand health care. Health care is very collegial. Medicine is very collegial. Physicians when they turn over care to another group of physicians, like to keep the previous group involved. So the White House team was involved in his initial care out on the ranch. So it is just general common courtesy that physicians follow back with them, update them on the care that has been initiated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor, what problem are you looking for?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The slice scanner. If the 64-slice exactly locates the BB, wouldn't that be valuable information? And could that change your decision on whether to remove it from the heart or not?

DR. RICHARD BLANCHARD, CHRISTUS SPOHN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: Not one bit at all. We're very comfortable that we know where the location is at this point. That should any action be necessary, we are fully prepared to deal with it. A 64-slice CT would not change medical management one iota at this point in time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How long (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BLANCHARD: He was in a condition called atrial fibrillation. And he was in that for a very short period of time and has been converted to a normal sinus rhythm with the use of medication.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BLANCHARD: Age always plays a factor when you deal with any injury or disease process. It is part of the problem, the constellation of things that we consider. But he is doing well at this point and has exhibited, really, no complications further.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor, what kind of problems are you looking out for and what would you do if those problems arise?

BLANCHARD: We are basically doing monitoring with echocardiogram daily. We are doing vital signs, watching him closely on a monitored situation. Should there be any deterioration or any signs which would be a downward trend, we would act immediately upon that. That has not existed at this point.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has the vice president's office contacted Mr. Whittington about the interview that the vice president's going to do today.

BANKO: Not that I'm not aware.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he plan to watch it, do you know?

BANKO: There's no TV in his room at this point of time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: No. It's a fairly common occurrence, that we've got a high-profile case, or a trauma case that we want to protect the person's privacy. That happens in a trauma center, as you can imagine, often, where at a local level if it's a high-profile case, we'll do that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will he be out in seven days?

BANKO: As of now, we're looking at another six days. But that could change. That could be less.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you know what sort of birdshot, whether steel whether lead and (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: The doctors, the physicians have looked into that. We can't comment on what type of BB's -- bird shot it was.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you characterize his demeanor, Mr. Whittington's demeanor?

BANKO: He was just really tired yesterday. I met with him last evening. I haven't seen him today. At all times, though, he conducts himself with -- as a true gentleman. I guess still kind of wonders what all of the hoopla's about.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any comment on the hoopla?

BANKO: Yes, just one. Kind of much ado about nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When he's out, what's the follow up procedure? What happens? BLANCHARD: When all is said and done, and he is discharged from the hospital, that communication will be give on to his personal physician and all of the records necessary for continuity. Care will be furnished, and he will get good outstanding follow-up care, as well.

BANKO: Dr. Blanchard, we had a question about what does hemodynamically stable mean.

BLANCHARD: Hemodynamically stable means that (AUDIO GAP) all of his vital sign continue to show a stable trend, not towards deterioration, either downward or upward. Hemodynamically stable is the best situation you could possibly have, and we like to hear that notation.

BANKO: One more question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

BANKO: No comment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When this incident happened, was there ever a point where his blood alcohol was tested?

BANKO: Again, that question was asked. No comment. Thank you all. We'll see you again -- we'll see you again at noon. No more questions. We'll see you at noon tomorrow. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Mum's not the word much longer. With each day of silence from Vice President Cheney, the pressure's been growing for him to say something, anything about the hunting accident that left a companion in intensive care.

Today he does plan to speak in a TV interview. Cheney's office has put out a few restatements, but critics, including the press secretary to President Bush, the former, are calling the VP's lack of face time a P.R. disaster.

The man Cheney accidentally shot remains, as you can see, at that Texas hospital in Corpus Christi. Harry Whittington suffered a minor heart attack yesterday when some of that bird shot that had hit him in the face, neck and chest, traveled to his heart.

We just heard from the hospital administrator, Peter Banko, in a live briefing. He says Whittington is in stable condition right now. We're going to continue to follow this story, of course.

Well, new and graphic images of an old and grisly problem. Prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib, humiliation and torture from 2003, illustrates anew in photographs obtained by Australian TV.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins me now with details.

Tell us about it, Barbara. BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, these images first broadcast yesterday on Australian news television on a program there, now making their way around the world via the Internet and other news channels.

When you look at these pictures, Kyra, you remember why this is all considered to be abuse. Under U.S. military law, pictures of detainees can only be taken for certification purposes, essentially to certify their condition. These pictures are illegal. These are clearly abusive pictures. One of the -- some of the many hundred now, that we certainly do know in possession of U.S. military investigators.

These pictures have been known about, of course, since the 2003- 2004 time frame, when the Abu Ghraib scandal first came to light. But some of these hundreds of pictures he Bush administration had filed a lawsuit from them being publicly shown, saying that they might incite violence across the Arab world and put U.S. troops at risk.

But now they are being shown. And it does certainly come at a very awkward time for the administration, especially now, after the violence that had been seen in the Arab world about the religious opposition to the cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. So a lot of concern, a lot of happiness today at the Pentagon that these pictures are now out there in the public domain, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Barbara, any word to why Donald Rumsfeld has cancelled his 1:30 briefing today?

STARR: Well, that's pretty interesting. A lot of political intrigue in the hallways right now at the Pentagon, Kyra.

The official word from Mr. Rumsfeld's aides is a scheduling conflict. That's always a time-worn Washington reason for canceling something.

But by all accounts, the secretary certainly was not anxious, No. 1, to talk about these prisoner abuse pictures. No. 2, Mr. Rumsfeld, of course, it is well known is very close personal friends with the vice president. Perhaps Mr. Rumsfeld did not want to face questions this afternoon from the Pentagon press corps about whether or not he had spoken to Mr. Cheney about that hunting accident.

Don Rumsfeld pretty much can solve any scheduling conflict he has and have a press conference when he wants to. This one had been announced. And now, it's cancelled -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Barbara Starr, thanks.

Former Army Corporal Charles Graner was said to be the ring leader of Abu Ghraib abuses. He's serving 10 years in prison now, the longest term imposed on any of the G.I.'s who were charged. And all seven low-ranking guards and two military intelligence troops have been disciplined.

Now reaction to the photos. Once again, CNN's Aneesh Raman is in Baghdad. He's been seeing what people have to say overseas.

Aneesh, what the word?

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, good afternoon. First to the military. A spokesman for multinational forces here says the timing in terms of the release of these new photos, is provocative and irresponsible. Also saying that these photos do not represent what is taking place in Abu Ghraib today.

Meantime, we spoke to Iraq's national security adviser. He was going into a security ministry meeting. Said he was aware of the story, he had not yet seen the photos but that this issue would be raised at the meeting. Iraq's government clearly intent on making sure that they are ready for any big protests or demonstrations that could emerge in the days to come.

The reaction of course, two years ago when those initial photos came out, it unleashed furry on the streets of Baghdad, throughout Iraq. And so they are concerned that once again can happen -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Aneesh, Raman, live from Baghdad. Thank you.

The violence is huge, but the victims, once again, are small. Three children were killed this morning in Baghdad when a bomb blew up near the path that they were taking to school. In all, 11 people were killed today in several attacks across the Iraqi capital. Four were police officers. One was an interior ministry official, who was caught along with his driver, in a drive-by shooting.

Now a televised appeal to a very select audience. Iraqi TV is airing ads aimed at the people who are holding and threatening to kill American journalist Jill Carroll. The medium is a state-run television station that's partly funded by the U.S. The message from Carroll's mother and a Sunni politician, set Carroll free.

She was snatched off a Baghdad six weeks ago while on assignment for the "Christian Science Monitor," which produced the ads. Her captors are demanding the release of all female Iraqi prisoners by February 28.

Among many Katrina survivors, FEMA is a four-letter word. And speaking of numbers, guess what else you could buy with $300 million FEMA spent on unused mobile homes? LIVE FROM shows and tells in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Multi-car accident in Arizona. Carol Lin following the details for us -- Carol.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Kyra, sad news. Three people -- at least three people dead and about 10 vehicles involved in a massive car accident on Interstate 8 near Stanfield, Arizona. This is the interstate that goes from parts of Arizona desert, all the way to San Diego, California. It appears that this was weather-related, according to the Associated Press. And in fact, right now, as you're looking at the wreckage there, you can see that the dust was kicked up by the wind. And so far, some of the first responders are saying that may have been the cause of this tragic accident -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Carol Lin, we're following those pictures, coming to us from KPNX out of Arizona. Thanks so much, Carol.

LIN: Sure.

PHILLIPS: In the eye of the post-Katrina firestorm, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff explaining his role in the much maligned hurricane response today to a sharply critical Senate panel.

CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve has the latest on his testimony -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, Secretary Chertoff is being hit hard on two fronts today. In a house report on Katrina and in a Senate hearing.

Chairman Susan Collins of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is a Republican. She minced no words in her opening statements, saying that FEMA's response to Katrina has to be judged a failure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: The federal department that was supposed to lead, direct and coordinate the federal response to Katrina was time and again late, uncertain and ineffective. A central purpose of this hearing is to learn why, in a crisis that called for decisive and speedy action, DHS was plagued by indecision and delay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Chertoff acknowledged some shortcomings in the government response and took responsibility. But he sharply rejected the charge that the Department of Homeland Security and the White House were not fully involved in preparations and response to the storm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: First of all, I have to say that the idea that this department and this administration and the president were somehow detached from Katrina is simply not correct, in my view and in my recollection of what happened. We were acutely aware of Katrina and the risk it posed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: There was a bit of drama in the hearing when a member of the audience rose to his feet and declared, "This is not America. Mothers and children are being thrown on the streets" an apparent reference to the curtailment of housing assistance to victims of Katrina. He was escorted from the room, although the chairman offered him the opportunity to stay and listen to proceedings.

One thing that has become clear, Chertoff is steaming about Michael Brown's testimony last Friday. Brown told the committee he circumvented Chertoff and went directly to the White House, saying that talking to Chertoff was a waste of time. Chertoff called that astonishing and said he had attributed his problems with Brown during Katrina to the pressures of the situation.

He also testified that he began to have doubts about Brown's ability to do his job on the Thursday after the storm.

Kyra back to you.

PHILLIPS: Now, Jeanne, later on today, we're going to hear about this 520-page report that was conducted on behalf of the House. And it sounds sort of like a broken record, but it looks like in this report, we're really going to see some specific examples pointing the finger from Michael Chertoff, all the way down to the mayor's level in New Orleans on what went wrong.

MESERVE: All across the board. Findings that people just didn't lead the way they were supposed to lead. Saying the response might have been better if the president had gotten involved earlier. Saying that the Department of Homeland Security did not execute its responsibilities well. Saying that the mayor and the governor should have evacuated the city of New Orleans earlier. Saying that the Department of Defense didn't coordinate well with the Department of Homeland Security. Saying that even nongovernmental organizations like the Red Cross weren't up to task. So a lot of blame being laid there in that House report that's due out in -- in about an hour's time.

PHILLIPS: Jeanne, just real quickly, from your sources, are you hearing about the possibility of FEMA and homeland security becoming two different entities once again? Do you think that that is going to be a main topic discussion?

MESERVE: You know, in this House report that's coming out in a short period of time, there's a lot of discussion of this. Was FEMA weakened by its incorporation into the Department of Homeland Security or not? And there are conflicting points of view expressed in that report.

It doesn't come to a conclusion, and I would say that, although there's a lot of debate on this issue right now in Washington, you can't say conclusively at this point what's going to happen.

PHILLIPS: Jeanne Meserve, thanks.

MESERVE: You bet.

PHILLIPS: No punches pulled, just plenty of fingers pointed in a House panel's report on the crisis of Katrina. That's what we were talking about with Jeanne right there. It's called a failure of initiative. And you may remember details that we previewed for you on Monday.

It said that the response was dismal, poorly planned, even though a disaster like Katrina had been predicted for years. It describes everyone, from President Bush on down, as mostly reactive, despite early warnings of the damage that Katrina could do.

And perhaps most disturbing, the report says the government did not heed the lessons of 9/11 and is in no better shape even now to protect the nation from disaster.

If you look close at the House select committee, you won't find Democrats. Democratic leaders boycotted when Republican refused to support an independent investigation. And now Dems say that the Republicans conclusions, while tough, don't go far enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: If we can't even see what the chain of command is, in this, in a clear way. So once again the Republicans have put on a one-sided review. Yes, they were critical of the White House. That was self-evident. That information was largely in the public domain. Because unless you have the views, the power of subpoena to get the documentation, get the e-mails now, we cannot fully understand everything that went wrong. And why is that important? It's important for the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Republican Congressman Tom Davis chairs the panel. We're expecting a new conference from him next hour.

And a new twist in a Chicago jailbreak. The six escapees aren't the only ones facing charges. We'll tell you who else is in trouble, coming up on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: You may need to check the fine print the next time you order McDonald's French fry. The fast food giant had been saying its fries were safe for people with wheat or dairy allergies, but a new note on McDonald's web site says the fries do contain wheat and milk ingredients. The company says they're not in the potatoes but in the cooking oil. This comes after an earlier disclosure that the fries had more trans fat than previously believed.

On Capitol Hill today, Congress is grilling a number of Internet companies here in the U.S. about their involvement in helping China censor the Web. Susan Lisovicz has the details now, live from the New York Stock Exchange.

Hi, Susan.

(STOCK REPORT)

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