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Mexican President Visits Western United States; 'American Idol' Finale Set For Tonight; Snipers Face Off in Court

Aired May 24, 2006 - 15:00   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.
And we begin with the killings that terrorized millions of people. And they are being relived this week in a Maryland courtroom. There, the two convicted snipers are facing off, the one-time protege standing up to his one-time mentor.

CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from the courthouse -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, 21-year-old Lee Boyd Malvo just wrapped up his testimony in the murder trial of John Allen Muhammad, his -- his mentor and father figure.

And, after the lunch break, Muhammad pursued again a rather detailed, fact-based line of questioning, talking to Malvo about guns, different types of weapons, getting him to name different parts of a gun.

And then he really started targeting, zeroing on whether or not Malvo had tried to get any particular benefits for himself by saying he would plead guilty to the six murders here in Montgomery County, and that he would testify against Muhammad.

And Muhammad said to Malvo -- quote -- "Let me understand, you made a plea deal with no benefit to you at all?" And Malvo said, "That is correct."

And, shortly after that, then prosecutor Kay (ph) Winfree had her chance to ask a couple of additional questions. And, early on, when Malvo was questioning -- Muhammad was questioning Malvo, Muhammad talked to him about how Malvo had seen him as a father figure, had watched Muhammad interact with his children, and wanted to be treated that why.

And Muhammad asked Malvo, he said -- quote -- "You say the way I treated you was the way you wanted to be treated."

And Malvo said: "Yes, for a period of time. Yes."

And so Winfree went back and asked Malvo: You know, but -- but you said he had started to treat you differently. What -- what was different?

And Malvo looked at the -- the prosecutor, and he said: Mr. Muhammad did not use and get his children to murder other people. And, then, a dramatic final statement, Malvo's last words in the courtroom. Winfree asked him: You know, of all the things that he testified to in court yesterday and today, how did he know these things? Did anyone coach him? Did anyone persuade him to say something, put words in his mouth?

And, in response to her question, he said: I was there. He was there. And I know what we both did -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kathleen, what do you think? When could we hear of a verdict?

KOCH: Hard to say, because we had been given the impression that Malvo would be the last witness for the prosecution, but the prosecution has called yet another witness, as Malvo wrapped up. So, we don't know. They may now bring back additional witnesses to rebut points that Muhammad made in his questioning of Malvo.

And, then, of course, Muhammad has to present his case, call his witnesses. So, we're still looking at probably several days -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kathleen Koch, thanks so much.

Let's get freight to Fredricka Whitfield once again, working another developing story for us.

Hey, Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, thanks so much.

Well, Kyra, back to that three-alarm fire in Houston, Texas, south Houston. It's taking place in an abandoned apartment building, which is called the Regency Arms Apartments. Well, apparently, that building was slated for demolition anyway, but, somehow, something has sparked this fire, no reported injuries.

That's the good news. A number of firefighters are on the scene there right now, trying to put it out. But we don't know anything more about how it may have started. It's taking place in south Houston -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. We will follow those live pictures from our affiliate KTRK and check in with you. Thanks, Fred.

Well, guest workers from Mexico, immigration, legal and otherwise, subjects on which many of you have strong opinions. And this week, the president of Mexico is giving Americans his side in person. Vicente Fox is on a four-day tour of Western states.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Salt Lake City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mexican President Vicente Fox has wrapped up his quick visit to the state of Utah. He's now moving on to Washington.

But, before leaving here, he gave a speech before a joint session of the Utah legislature, where President Vicente Fox acknowledged that his country has a lot of work to do, in terms of creating economic opportunity and jobs, so that there isn't this influx of illegal immigration heading north.

But, at the same time, President Fox says that this isn't just a U.S. problem to solve on its own, that it needs the help of Mexico to solve this. In his words, he wants Mexico to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.

And one of the ways of doing that, as he has mentioned in the last several weeks, is a guest program -- guest-worker program. The president of Mexico alluded to that in this speech before the Utah legislature.

VICENTE FOX, MEXICAN PRESIDENT: Since the beginning of my administration, the government of Mexico has promoted the establishment of a new system that regulates the movement of people across, back and forth our border in a manner which is legal, is safe, and it's orderly.

We have pursued this course with the firm conviction that a legal, safe, orderly migration, with full respect to human rights and to dignity, will benefit, directly benefit, the security and prosperity of both nations.

(APPLAUSE)

LAVANDERA: President Fox received a standing ovation after his speech before the Utah legislators, but, outside the Capitol, quite a different story, some 50 protesters showing up to complain about what they see as Vicente Fox trying to influence American policy, especially as the U.S. Senate is debating immigration reform.

Vicente Fox entered the Capitol with chants of "Fix Mexico" and "Close the borders."

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Salt Lake City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: The immigration debate, fittingly enough, is diverse. It's about entitlement, race, security, patriotism, and, in many cases, pure economics.

A public servant in Oregon says illegal immigration -- or immigrants, rather, from Mexico costs his country money, and he wants to be paid back.

Here's CNN's Dan Simon with a report that first aired on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John Trumbo drinks 20 cups of coffee a day. But that's not why he's so charged up lately.

JOHN TRUMBO, UMATILLA COUNTY, OREGON, SHERIFF: That's six.

SIMON: Trumbo is the sheriff of Umatilla County in Oregon and the author of a controversial letter to Mexican President Vicente Fox.

(on camera): What do you say to your critics, who would argue that this is nothing more than a P.R. stunt?

TRUMBO: It's not a P.R. stunt. It's about right and wrong.

SIMON (voice-over): In this letter written in February, Trumbo demands that the Mexican government pay his county more than $318,000 for the incarceration of illegal immigrants at the Umatilla jail. That's how much he says it cost local taxpayers last year.

TRUMBO: The thing that bothers me about this whole situation, Dan, is that people have broken the law to come into my home and break the law again, and I don't like that. It's not right.

SIMON: Oregon's farmland communities are a magnet for Mexicans seeking work. Illegal immigration here has soared in a state that's not used to large number of immigrants. Trumbo says that means more crime.

TRUMBO: It just stands to reason -- the more people, more problems.

SIMON: That spike, Trumbo says, has contributed to a severe cash crunch. He says he can only afford nine deputies, but needs three times that to handle the workload. He also doesn't have enough staff to run the jail, so, he needs to leave nearly half the beds empty, even though he faces an overflow of prisoners.

TRUMBO: The fact that we have beds being taken up by illegal immigrants is an issue with me, because those are beds that could be used by local offenders.

SIMON: Trumbo says the jail lets out about 14 people every day because of a staff shortage. But some Hispanic residents have criticized the sheriff for his letter, some calling him a racist. Those we spoke to declined to go on camera. We checked with the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C. They also declined to comment publicly.

TRUMBO: This is not about race. It's about right and wrong. It just happens to be that Mexico is in our border, and that's why we're focusing on that.

SIMON (on camera): Have you heard anything back from President Fox?

TRUMBO: No.

SIMON (voice-over): But that doesn't mean the sheriff plans on letting him off the hook. He's already got a running tab for 2006. Dan Simon, CNN, Pendleton, Oregon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Tune into to "ANDERSON COOPER 360" weeknights, 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

A horse barn is coming down in Michigan, which wouldn't necessarily be news, if it weren't part of the weeklong search for Jimmy Hoffa. A demolition company is hard at work on the Hidden Dreams Farm in Milford, federal agents, working on a tip that the former Teamster chief's remains are somewhere on that property. The farm was once owned by a Hoffa associate and is near where Hoffa vanished in 1975.

Well, it's either really funny or really bizarre, or both. The feds, as they tear up a Michigan pasture, looking for Hoffa, a nearby bakery has its take on the search. The Milford Baking Company is cooking up Hoffa cupcakes. And, yes, that's a little hand coming up through the icing that looks like the dirt. The owner of the bakery says an FBI agent bought a few to take to the farm where the search is going on right now.

Feds believe they have dug up new dirt on reputed mob boss John Gotti Jr. Gotti faces a new indictment less than two months before a second retrial on racketeering charges. The new charges say the son of the "Teflon Don" never gave up his life of crime, contradicting Gotti's claim that he went legit in the 1990s. The feds allege Gotti tampered with witnesses in two different cases.

Two homeless men killed by hit-and-run drivers six years apart -- tragic accidents or murder for money? Get this. Two elderly women are suspected of befriending those men, buying insurance policies for them, then killing them to cash in.

L.A. detectives connected the includes, arrested the women last week, after several months of surveillance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DETECTIVE DENNIS KILCOYNE, LOS ANGELES POLITICS DEPARTMENT: When we have surveillance on people, and we see them out talking to other elderly men, we can't sit by and wait until something else happens or another body's found in an alley.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: So, how do police think that Helen Golay and Olga Rutterschmidt carried out their alleged scheme?

Mark Coogan of CNN affiliate KCAL has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARK COOGAN, KCAL REPORTER (voice-over): The women are charged with fraudulently collecting nearly $2.5 million in life insurance payments from two homeless men who later turned up dead in alleys, victims of hit and runs. Paul Vados was killed in 1999, Kenneth McDavid last June. By chance, police connected the cases and now suspect the women did the driving.

KILCOYNE: You know, the cobwebs are cleared out. The file is located. And there's the Paul Vados 1999 incident. And, sure enough, the same two little old ladies, Olga and Helen, were doing the same thing then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And she seemed to have a lot of money.

COOGAN: Neighbors had varying opinions of Olga Rutterschmidt, the woman from Hollywood.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very sweet, I thought she was, but kind of crazy.

ANDY JACKSON, NEIGHBOR: I remember her most for her screaming in the middle of the night. If anybody had a TV set running, like, after 11:00, she would be screaming: Turn it down. Turn it down.

COOGAN: Police think the women may have met one victim at the Hollywood Presbyterian Church while volunteering for charity. At the Hungarian Reform Church, we were told that Rutterschmidt recently tried to befriend an elderly man from Rumania living at the church.

Right now, both women are charged with mail fraud and are in a federal lockup without bail. And that's fine with Rutterschmidt's neighbor Andy Jackson.

JACKSON: I feel sorry for her cell mate.

(LAUGHTER)

COOGAN: A detective said he thinks you don't just wake up one morning at age 68 and decide it's time to start killing people. Police are concerned there could be more victims. Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division at 213- 485-2129.

In Santa Monica, Mark Coogan, KCAL-9 News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And we have been working more on that information that Dana Bash has been bringing us from the Hill.

Dana, I'm being told a little addition to this investigation surrounding Congressman William Jefferson?

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra, on a couple of fronts now, I can tell you, legal and political.

First of all, the legal -- on the legal front, I can tell you that there was a motion filed by Congressman William Jefferson's attorney today in a D.C. court, formally asking for them, for the Justice Department, to return all of the materials that they took in the weekend raid of his office here on Capitol Hill.

This motion was filed with the same judge who approved the search warrant, and it says that it was an unprecedented search that offends the separation of powers embodied in the United States Constitution and violates the absolute privilege and immunity that members of Congress enjoy under the so-called speech and debate clause in the Constitution.

Those are the same constitutional issues that we have been hearing members of Congress cite over the last 24 hours or so, saying that they are also, of course, very upset about this.

Now, on that political front, there also is going to be a statement, a joint statement, Kyra, from both the House speaker and the Democratic leader of the House, Nancy Pelosi -- we should expect that momentarily -- essentially saying that they believe -- that they agree with Congressman Jefferson's attorney, that they believe that the Department of Justice should return those documents, all of the materials that they took, and also that the people who were involved, the FBI agents and so forth, who were looking at them, who have looked at them, should basically be frozen out of this particular -- this particular investigation.

So, that is something that we're getting from -- in a bipartisan statement, which is highly unusual these days in -- here in Washington, from them. And then, of course, we have the actual legal motion that was filed in court, essentially saying the same thing formally -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Dana, do we have any idea what kind of documents these are specifically and -- and why he would want them back?

BASH: Well, we -- we -- our understanding is that, from the -- from the affidavit that was given for this subpoena, that they were looking for a lot of different things, computer records, phone, a fax, a file, for example, that one of his aides apparently told investigators was in his office about one of the business deals that he was doing.

We don't -- certainly don't have all of the details, but essentially what they are saying is that they don't think it was lawful for them, for the Justice Department, for the FBI agents, to go into his office, regardless of what they took. But it was a constitutional breach, as far as the -- Congressman Jefferson and his attorney are concerned, and, of course, as far as Republicans, most interestingly, Republicans are concerned.

And what we have seen today is a real escalation, not only legally, but politically, Kyra, between Republicans here in Congress and the Bush White House, specifically the Bush Justice Department.

PHILLIPS: All right, Dana Bash, thanks so much.

BASH: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: We are going to stay on that story. The news keep coming. We will keep bringing it to you -- more LIVE FROM next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: His home is a jail cell, instead of palace, but Saddam Hussein continues to insist on the respect and fear that he no longer gets. That makes each day of his crimes-against-humanity trial an adventure.

And that wasn't all today, as Arwa Damon explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The session opened with what has become an almost daily exchange.

SADDAM HUSSEIN, FORMER IRAQI PRESIDENT (through translator): I am the president of Iraq. You elected me.

DAMON: And then this from the chief judge:

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): You were president. You are now a defendant.

DAMON: But this session centered on a witness, the man who for years was the English-speaking face of Iraq to the outside world. Former Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz denied that the former head of the secret police, Barzan Hassan, participated in torture or execution of people in Dujail, where a failed assassination attempt was made against Saddam Hussein.

TARIQ AZIZ, FORMER IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Barzan is my friend. He was the director of the intelligence and was not involved in Dujail. I was deputy prime minister, and I knew what everyone did. This is my testimony.

DAMON: Aziz insisted the Dujail assassination attempt was just one of a series of attacks against the then president, and that no immediate retribution was taken.

AZIZ (through translator): When President Saddam was targeted, his bodyguards were soldiers. They did not lash out at people. People were taken to court and tried. His bodyguards did not shoot people.

DAMON: Tariq Aziz looked frail in court. The 70-year-old witness appeared wearing what looked like a pajama shirt. Aziz, like many of the defendants on trial, lacked much of his past aura of authority.

(on camera): Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants actually appear more worn down when you see them in person than on the TV screens. In fact, many of the courtroom nuances are lost in the TV broadcast, from the lawyers falling asleep, to the press corps periodically erupting into laughter, amused by some of the courtroom antics.

(voice over): But despite the constant power struggle between the formerly feared members of Saddam Hussein's regime and the judge, the outbursts of the defendants are more subdued than in the past, as if they have accepted that the trial is going to move forward with or without them.

Each session brings the trial one day closer to a verdict, a verdict that might bring their death sentence.

Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Let's honor some of our fallen heroes.

Army Staff Sergeant Christian Longsworth of Newark, New Jersey, was killed last week when his convoy came under fire in the Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan. He was the baby in the family. His mother, Cecilia, saved every letter and picture he sent home during his eight years in the military. Through tears, she said he was a beautiful son, beautiful brother, and a beautiful friend.

Marine Captain Brian Letendre of Woodbridge, Virginia, had two loves, the Marines and his family. A fellow Marine who fought beside him in Iraq said Letendre wanted to be with his wife and son, but he would not be at peace with himself if he didn't go to Iraq. His wife, Autumn, says their 3-year-old son, Dillon, is the spitting image of his father. She wants to make sure he grows up knowing what kind of person his father was. Captain Letendre was killed in combat in Anbar Province, Iraq, earlier this month.

Army Staff Sergeant Marion Flint Jr. of Baltimore was killed last week when a roadside bomb went off near his vehicle in Baghdad. His stepmom says, God took care of him during his first tour in Iraq in 2003, and the family had hoped he would come home safely this time. Sergeant Flint leaves behind his wife, Danielle, and their two children. His family says his dream was to come home and become a Maryland State Trooper.

These are just three of the 2,458 who have died in Iraq and the 292 in Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes Afghanistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONI HICKS, GRANDMOTHER OF TAYLOR HICKS: I'm the grandmother of the "American Idol." I know I am. I just know I am.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Don't you love grandparents? They always get so excited for you.

Well, tonight's the night millions of Americans will tune in to see who becomes this "American Idol." Gray-haired soul stylist Taylor Hicks has been pumping up his "Soul Patrol" to take him to the top. And, last night, he took on a Stevie Wonder classic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Everyone is talking about the purple jacket. Scott (ph), I'm trying to get the scoop here on, you know, the clothes. I wasn't paying attention. I also got in trouble, because I said he also looks a little like George Clooney. But you guys are trying Michael McDonald and George Clooney combined, right.

It's a velvet jacket, Jason (ph)?

Oh, OK.

Well, most polls and judge Simon Cowell think that Hicks will be the man tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "AMERICAN IDOL")

SIMON COWELL, JUDGE: OK. Assuming that I was right, that the show was tied, then you have just won "American Idol."

(CROSSTALK)

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, Taylor might just bring purple sport coats into style now.

Well, there's still a lot of fans out there with McPheever. Katharine McPhee might not be the favorite, but she used her Broadway- style pipes to belt out a version of K.T. Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "AMERICAN IDOL")

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The winner gets a guaranteed record deal and potentially millions of ready-made fans.

Well, if you would like to let your favorite "Idol" know what you think, CNN's Larry King will give you the chance. The winner and the runner-up will both sit down with Larry in their first live prime-time interview after the big finale. If that's not enough, Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest will be there, too. And they will all take your calls. That's only on CNN, Friday, 9:00 Eastern, right here, on "LARRY KING LIVE."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... top new female vocalist of the year is Carrie Underwood.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: That's right, a big win for last year's "American Idol" champion, Carrie Underwood. The Oklahoma native came up a double winner at the Academy of Country Music Awards last night. She won best new female vocalist, and thanked the folks who made her famous.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARRIE UNDERWOOD, SINGER: I got a list this time.

I want to thank everyone in the academy who voted for me, Simon Fuller and everyone at 19, and, of course, everyone at "American Idol."

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

UNDERWOOD: Joe Galante, Bush Wa (ph), Teddy Skip (ph), Sydney Allen Wade (ph) and everyone...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: We would love to keep going through all the thank- yous, but she had quite a list there.

Underwood also won the award for single of the year for her hit song "Jesus, Take the Wheel."

Well, while the "American Idol" season is ending, the cash that the show generates is just beginning to roll in.

Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange with all the details.

Hey, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.

What a franchise "American Idol" is, after five seasons, still going strong, a 30-second spot tonight estimated to go for $1.3 million, big blue-chip advertisers like Cingular, Ford, Coke. And that's just a small part of this huge money-making machine.

On Saturday, tickets went on sale for the 52-city concert tour by the 10 finalists. That begins July 5. Today, RCA Records is releasing a C.D. compilation featuring the top 12. Critics say this year's disk could be the biggest ever, surpassing 2002's record of 643,000 C.D.s sold, at a time when the music industry really needs sales to pump it up.

The concert tour, a huge money-maker as well. Last year, it ranked number 37 for the year in revenue, according to trade magazine "Pollstar," raking in $16.9 million. This year's tour should be even bigger, because there will be 18 more performances. And tickets are more expensive. It's a long way from "American Idol"'s debut in 2002, when the show had trouble even persuading big venues to book the tour. What a mistake that was -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, who are you rooting for tonight?

LISOVICZ: I think Taylor's got it.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Are you an "American Idol" watcher on a regular basis?

LISOVICZ: Kyra, as you know, I had a bad knee injury this winter. I was reduced to the couch for many dark, long months. And for the first season, I started watching "American Idol." And I'm hooked.

And I -- so, I remember that Simon said a couple months ago, he said that everyone asks him about Taylor. He's always had a huge -- he's always been a huge hit with the fans. And I think that's going to bring him through. But I'm not feeling sorry for Kat either. They're both -- they both got priceless exposure for what they want to do in life. And good for them. Congratulations to both of them.

PHILLIPS: OK. Everyone says you're an insider because you called her Kat.

(LAUGHTER)

LISOVICZ: I told you, I'm hooked.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: I can -- I can just see you on the couch with your Bon Bons, watching "American Idol," your foot up in a cast, which, by the way, you tweaked your leg skiing, right?

LISOVICZ: I did.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

(LAUGHTER)

LISOVICZ: I did.

PHILLIPS: You got to be more careful.

LISOVICZ: I know. I had a lot of P.T., as in physical therapy. I'm ready to hit it again hard next season.

(CROSSTALK)

LISOVICZ: So, I may not be watching "American Idol" next season.

PHILLIPS: Well, I hope you had a cute therapist.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: All right.

(MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, no criminal charges for a pair of federal air marshals. They are the ones who shot dead an airline passenger in December. A man that was running through the plane making bomb threats and carrying a backpack. Florida state prosecutors released a report on the incident, officially calling the shooting justified. It turns out the man didn't have a bomb and suffered from a bipolar disorder.

Well a couple of close calls on runways at a major airport may be the fault of not enough sleep. There were two near misses at Chicago O'Hare Airport in March. A National Transportation Safety Board official says that both involved tired air traffic controllers. One incident involved a controller with a sleep disorder. The other two days later was a controller working on four hours of sleep. Well the NTSB official wants the Federal Aviation Administration to arrange fatigue awareness training for controllers at O'Hare, one of the busiest airports in the U.S.

Rebuilding the area around New York's Ground Zero has been marked with controversies, delays and a lot of waiting. There is a little less waiting now though. The 7 World Trade Center opened yesterday. It's the first skyscraper rebuilt after being destroyed in the 9/11 attacks. The 57-story building replaces a building that collapsed after falling debris from the Twin Towers sparked fires. World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein cut the ribbon and says he believes the building will be full of tenants by next year.

If Palestinians won't think peace, well, Israel won't wait. That's Ehud Olmert's message to the U.S. Congress. The Israeli prime minister got a standing ovation from a joint meeting of Congress this morning. He told lawmakers Israel wants to negotiate even though the militant group Hamas now heads the Palestinian government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The Palestinian leadership that fulfills its commitments and obligations will find us a willing partner in peace. But if they refuse, we will not give a terrorist regime a veto or the progress or allow it to take hope hostage. We cannot wait for the Palestinians forever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Olmert says that Israel will draw its own borders in the West Bank if Palestinians don't come to the table.

He wasn't a soldier, but you can still call him a war hero. The U.S. Postal Service has unveiled a stamp honoring the late Hiram Bingham IV. Bingham was an American diplomat in France during World War II. He granted visas to hundreds of Jews, allowing them to flee the advancing Nazi forces. Well over the years, many of them wrote to him. Here's just a small sample of those.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hiram Bingham had me into the office and told me how he would issue my family a visa to the U.S. after we had obtained the release of my father from the Gurs Concentration Camp. I can write a treaties about Consul Hiram Bingham did to save refugees during his posting as U.S. consulate at the American Consulate at Marseilles, France. He definitely helped to save my life and that of my parents and sister -- Ralph Hockley (ph).

I and my entire intermediate family, six persons in all, had received the lifesaving visas dated February 7th, 1941. I was just 10-years-old at the time and do not remember any details, other than a sense of relief that we were going to be able to escape the impending disaster, having already had three brushes with the Gestapo. Our parents are gone now, but there are quite a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren scattered in many parts of the United States and Canada, and some of us now reside in Israel. We have passed on the very aspect of their existence as having been dramatically altered by the actions of Hiram Bingham IV. To paraphrase my mother's saying, when he reaches paradise, he will find a multitude of greeters welcoming him and thanking him -- Rabbi Joseph Shackter (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: May I add my admiration and internal gratitude to Hiram Bingham. Of the three of my family he saved in 1941, I'm the last one alive, and I write this with trembling fingers and many a tear. May his name be honored forever. He saved my mother, my sister and I. Without him, we would not have been able to avoid the concentration camp to which we were assigned two days later. He provided us with a passport and he risked a great deal to do this. We cannot honor him enough, and I am grateful every day -- Ellie Sherman (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Once again today, remember Hiram Bingham IV.

Straight ahead, secret rights, an Indian warrior and the grandfather of the president. Those are the ingredients for a mystery. Who has the skull of Geronimo? Coming up, right here on LIVE FROM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Living behind barbed-wire, and watch closely for any signs of bird flu. Not chickens or turkeys, but the people who raise them in Romania. Hundreds of residents in the capital city are being quarantined because they may have come in contact with birds infected with the virus.

Local tests show three dead birds have tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain. No human cases have been confirmed, but authorities aren't taking any chances. They say the quarantine will last a week.

Now, a story about one of America's most prestigious universities, a well-known family, and a legendary American-Indian leader. It's a story about secrets and bones and maybe about grave robbery. It's an 85-year-old riddle, and the solution may be hidden in the windowless headquarters of a mysterious society.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS (voice-over): The secretive Skull and Bones Society was founded at Yale University in 1832, and its members have included the elite of the elite. President Bush is a third-generation Bonesman. He follows his father, former President Bush, and his grandfather, former Senator Prescott Bush. That's where the story really gets interesting.

Many years ago, it's said, Prescott Bush and other Bonesmen dug up the grave of the legendary Apache leader Geronimo in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. historian Mark Wortman is the author of a new book about Yale men who served in the Air Corps during World War I. While he was doing his research, he uncovered a 1918 letter from a Bonesman that suggests the Geronimo story is more than just legend.

MARK WORTMAN, AUTHOR, "THE MILLIONAIRE'S UNIT": I found it and said, this is amazing. This is quite stunning to see this. It was laid out so clearly in straightforward language saying we've got Geronimo's skull, femurs and horse tack, and we've brought it back to the tomb, as they call, in New Haven.

PHILLIPS: Located on the Yale campus, the tomb is the windowless sanctum of Skull and Bones. Although the rituals conducted inside are shrouded in secrecy, it's said that to this very day, new members must kiss a skull during initiation rites. Are they kissing the skull of Geronimo?

WORTMAN: I think that at the time that they took it, they certainly believed that they had his skull, his femurs. Whether that's true or not, nobody at this point can know for sure until they bring it back out and let it be tested.

PHILLIPS: Geronimo's great grandson, Harlyn Geronimo, wants answers.

HARLYN GERONIMO, GERONIMO'S GREAT GRANDSON: I'm willing to volunteer and have my DNA taken, and the DNA from the skull, and do a genetic makeup.

PHILLIPS: Geronimo says he's hurt by the possibility his famous ancestor's bones were stolen and could possibly be a part of student rituals, so now the great grandson of Geronimo is asking for the help from the grandson of Prescott Bush.

GERONIMO: I'd like to see, you know, President Bush get involved in this issue and help return, you know, the remains that was taken and also the artifacts that was taken back to the family, you know, and have a proper burial, you know, and restore the dignity back to my great grandfather.

PHILLIPS: For now, the mystery continues. Does the club Skull and Bones have the remains of Geronimo? And if so, will it return them?

WORTMAN: If they do have his skull, if they are using it in these kinds of rituals, they need to stop and they need to understand that they are harming the legacy of Skull and Bones.

GERONIMO: Correct, you know, according to Apache tradition, you know, when you desecrated a grave like of this nature, you know, you upset the spirits. And sooner or later, you know, the spirits will come after you. And ultimately, you know, it's going to lead in death. That's what, you know, I was told, in our tradition.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, we were unable to get any comment on the story from the Skull and Bones Society, but we did get a comment from Yale. Here it is: "Skull and Bones is an independent organization that is responsible for its own activities, finances, et cetera. Like a number of other organizations, Skull and Bones was founded by Yale students but it's not a part of Yale. They have their own building and they have their own rules."

The statement goes on to say, quote, "if something illegal were going on, that would be the responsibility of the New Haven Police, but we have no reason to think that anything illegal is going on," unquote.

Well, check out our video of the day. Roll over in Michigan. A dash cam on a sheriff's cruiser, sees it all. What happens to the driver of the SUV? We're going to tell you when LIVE FROM returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: This is why you always buckle up. Oh. Terrible crash caught on tape in Michigan. An SUV rolling over several times before going off the road. Now, watch it again as we slow down the dashboard cam video. You can see a car swerved to avoid a merging vehicle, then hits the SUV. Police say a seatbelt saved the life of that driver. The driver of the other car has not come forward.

Now, an update on Lewis the cat. You may remember Lewis. Well, he got a bit of a bad rap on Sunset Circle in Fairfield, Connecticut. Neighbors claim that Lewis ambushed them. He even went after the Avon lady. Good grief. Now Lewis' owner is in court, trying to save his life. Here's reporter Jim Altman with our affiliate WTIC in Hartford.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ALTMAN, WTIC REPORTER (voice-over): This is Lewis, the feline villain whose attacks on about a half dozen of his Fairfield neighbors have earned him the name "the terrorist of Sunset Circle."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He will bite and he will scratch. You will get attacked right away.

ALTMAN: He scratched and clawed his way to national news. The cat even has his own dog pound of sorts. With Lewis under house arrest, his owner Ruth Cisero appeared in a Bridgeport court. She faces charges of reckless endangerment and is trying to spare her cat's life. That's right: Lewis could be put to sleep.

GENE RICCIO, LEWIS' OWNER'S ATTORNEY: She's on pins and needles because the animal is important to her. It's a member of her family. And, you know, it's real hard for her.

ALTMAN: The case was continued until next month. That's when Cisero will see if she'll be granted accelerated rehabilitation and find out Lewis' fate.

RICCIO: I don't think that this situation remotely justified having Lewis put down.

ALTMAN: Cisero told us back in March that Lewis was "provoked" by some neighbors.

RUTH CISERO, LEWIS' OWNER: They poured glue on him. People have openly admitted to me that they've squirted him with a wide-open nozzle hose.

ALTMAN: Neighbor Janet Kettman was attacked twice, but the cat didn't get her tongue.

JANET KETTMAN, ALLEGED LEWIS VICTIM: Ship him off to a farm in Vermont. He would be happy as a clam up there. He'd have plenty of mice, lots of birds and everything else.

ALTMAN: But if Lewis stays in the neighbor, Janet says, he must be kept confined.

KETTMAN: If he gets loose again from restraint, total restraint, no recourse, put him down.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: All right, Janet. Well, Lewis may be a bad kitty, but he's one cool cat. Lewis has his own MySpace page. Talk about hip. Well, if you want to check it out go to myspace.com/lewisthecrazycat.

Time now to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, our own crazy cat of sorts. He's standing by in "THE SITUATION ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour. Hey, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks, Kyra.

A constitutional showdown over a Democratic congressman accused of corruption. Find out why Republicans are coming to his defense, and members of his own party want him to step down.

Plus, bird flu and the possibility of human-to-human transmission. Dr. Anthony Fauci is in "THE SITUATION ROOM." We'll find out about the government's plans to protect us from a pandemic.

Also, immigration, human rights, Iran, Israel, gas prices. I'll ask the former President Jimmy Carter about all these issues. He's here in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

And Jeb Bush football. We'll hear what he has to say about the possibility of becoming the next commissioner of the NFL.

All that, Kyra, coming up right at the top of the hour.

PHILLIPS: I thought Condoleezza Rice was -- had her hat in the ring, as well?

BLITZER: She wanted to be the commissioner of the NFL, but she's the secretary of state now, and she says the timing isn't good.

PHILLIPS: Ah, understandable. Thanks, Wolf.

So you think that you know your way around the globe, do you? I know an eighth grader from Illinois who could kick your butt in the geography department. Watch this, the final question of the 2006 National Geographic Bee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX TREBEK, HOST, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BEE: Name the mountains that tend across much of Wales, from the Irish Sea to the Bristol Channel.

Time is up. Neeraj did not have enough time to write down a response. Bonny Jain wrote down Cambrian. The correct response is Cambrian. Bonny Jain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: You knew the answer, right? Alex Trebek always pretends that he knows the answer. 12-year-old Bonny Jain from Moline, Illinois taking home an oversized check for 25 grand, but no time to rest for this brainiac. Bonny competes in the National Spelling Bee next week, and he's going to join me, right here tomorrow, in our second hour of LIVE FROM. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: So, can you imagine earning something and then not using it? When it comes to vacation time, apparently that happens to a lot of people. A full third of Americans don't use all their vacation time, according to a survey by the travel site Expedia.

Those workers leave an average of four days on the table, up from the three days reported on last year's survey. Some workers prefer money instead of time off, if the employer will agree. Others feel too much stress at work before and after vacations. Some are just too busy and some worry the boss will just hold it against them.

Lining up at the gas pumps, and it's not because there a shortage. At this particular station, it's because gas is the cheapest it will ever be. See, folks are filling up for free and, of course, you have to live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where drivers have been recognized as the safest in the nation.

The free gas is Allstate's way of saying, way to go, peeps.

Well, the closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street. Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange with the round up of the trading day. Hi, Susan.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

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