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CNN Live Today

Merck Recalls Vioxx; Bombings Kill 45 People in Iraq; Wife Pleas for Hostage's Life; Iraqi a Major Issue in Debate Tonight

Aired September 30, 2004 - 10:00   ET

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

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


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone from the CNN headquarters in Atlanta I'm Carol Lin. Darin's got the day off.
Well, at least 45 people are now dead today after a series of Baghdad area car bombings. One U.S. soldier was among the victims. And in the most spectacular attack, two bombs went off almost simultaneously at the opening of a water pumping station. An Iraqi official attributed the bump up in violence to insurgent frustration with the new government's achievements.

And the company that makes Vioxx says it's pulling the arthritis drug off the market. Merck and Company's voluntary withdrawal is based on a clinical trial showing a possible risk of cardiovascular complications. Shares of Merck fell in reaction to that news.

And it's D-Day in Miami. President Bush faces John Kerry in the first of three debates. Tonight's contest will focus on international policy and homeland security. Now, our latest poll shows that nearly one in five registered voters say the presidential debates will make a difference in how they vote in November.

And hands across the water, in a show of solidarity against terrorism, Attorney General John Ashcroft and European Union justice officials today, agreed on new measures to improve intelligence sharing. The U.S. will dispatch an FBI agent to the European Police Agency while the E.U. will post two agents in Washington.

And a man held by the U.S. as an enemy combatant for nearly three years is expected to go free today, under an agreement reached between the government and Yaser Hamdi's attorney. Hamdi will be returned to Saudi Arabia. But the restriction deal is called a lot in deal is being called "unenforceable" by Saudi authorities.

Meantime, we begin with a stunning development in the drug industry. and it's sending shock waves through Wall Street. Merck and Company has announced a voluntary withdrawal of the arthritis drug Vioxx. We're going to have the impact on the financial markets a little bit later.

But first we want to go to our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

This is a pretty big deal, frankly, Sanjay. Very popular drug.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Very popular drug, one of the biggest medical pharmaceutical stories I've heard in some time. Two-point five billion dollar drug, this Vioxx drug is. Now, when you talk about Vioxx, this is the medication, it's called an anti-inflammatory. It's used to treat osteo-arthritis. It's also used to treat aches and pains. A lot of people have heard about this medication. It became popular first in 1999, that's when it was released. And it talks specifically about the fact that it would reduce the risk of ulcers. Today it was being recalled. The CEO of the company Raymond Gilmartin had this statement to make earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYMOND GILMARTIN, CEO, MERCK & CO.: We're tracking this action because we believe that it best serves the interest of patients. We believe it would have been possible to continue to market Vioxx with labeling that would incorporate this new data. However, given the availability of new -- alternative therapies and the questions raised by the data, we concluded that a voluntary withdrawal is the responsible course to take.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: And some of the folks I talked to, just to be clear as well, said it's likely there would have been enough pressure based on some of these new studies that people would have recommended, mandated even that the drug be recalled. This is a voluntary recall. But it probably would have happened anyway.

LIN: All right. So you have Vioxx in your medicine cabinet and you use it to control your arthritis or pain should you stop using it flat-out?

GUPTA: Yes. That's probably going to be the best advice. And that's surprising to some people because we're not trying to alarm people. On the other hand, there are good medications that are alternatives to Vioxx. I actually talked to a couple doctors, including my own this morning. And they said listen, if you are someone who takes Vioxx you probably should stop. You should definitely talk to your doctor about what an alternative should be. There are a lot of medications out there to treat osteo-arthritis, as well as aches and pains that people get.

LIN: All right. Good advice. Thanks.

GUPTA: All right. Thanks, Carol.

LIN: Thanks very much, Sanjay.

All right, we're going to have much more on the impact, the financial impact of Merck's decision coming up in this half hour.

But in the meantime, we want to Iraq right now, a lot of news out of that country. A series of explosions have thundered across Iraq. Dozens of people are dead and even more are injured.

CNN's senior international correspondent Brent Sadler joins me live from Baghdad with these latest developments -- Brent. BRENT SADLER, CNN SR. INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. A deadly day in Baghdad. Let's talk about the most serious of the various car bombs that have gone off not just in the capital but throughout the country. Two massive blasts apparently targeted in an area, where a U.S. convoy was passing at the same time, as a ceremony was taking place to commemorate the reopening of a water treatment plant in the central area of the city. Now, this blast resulted in the horrendous deaths and injures of dozens of children. U.S. troops were giving candy out to the kids just about the same time as this blast went off. So an official ceremony for the reopening of that plant in a district of the Iraqi capital, heavy loss of life there. Not clear if the U.S. convoy was the target of the ceremony itself, but certainly a lot of injuries.

Nearby about the same time, another blast believed to be a car bomb. And then other attacks against various elements of the security forces, Iraqi and American. Two U.S. soldiers killed, one in a rocket attack outside Baghdad. And another U.S. soldier killed in a suicide car bomb strike on the western outskirts of the capital at Abu Ghraib, on the way to the notorious rebel strong hold of Fallujah.

Also, near the Syrian border in the rebellious town Tal Afar, another car bomb attacked in the marketplace there, again with many more injures. This after Fallujah, the insurgent stronghold was again targeted by U.S. warplanes, trying to knock out insurgent activity of the top terror suspect Abu Musab al Zarqawi. But the militants striking back in the capital, at the same time, as we're seeing an escalation of military activity against insurgent strongholds -- Carol.

LIN: All right. More on this story throughout the morning. Thank you very much, Brent.

In the meantime, another story we're following out of Iraq is the ordeal of Kenneth Bigley, the British engineer abducted three weeks ago. Yesterday, the Arabic language news network al Jazeera aired this video of him begging the British government to secure his release. Now, the two Americans who were abducted with him have both been beheaded. And Bigley's wife is issuing a similar plea in her native Thailand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOMBAT BIGLEY, BRITISH HOSTAGE WIFE (through translator): Tony Blair can save his life and is the only one that can. It seems like he is waiting for Tony Blair to say a word or anything.

JACK STRAW, FOREIGN SECRETARY, U.K.: Absolutely no change in our policy. We can't negotiate for the release of terrorist in the sense of agreeing to pay ransom. Or, for example, arranging the release of prisoners and such demands regardless of such demands. But that does not stop us saying we would like to hear from the terrorists. I doubt that we will. But of course we would, because we want to secure Mr. Bigley's release.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LIN: Now specifically in this case, the kidnappers were asking for the release of female prisoners in two prisons in Iraq. The U.S. coalition says there are no female prisoners and British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said his government will not negotiate with terrorists.

Well, the ongoing violence in Iraq is sure to be a central debating point in tonight's prime-time face-off between George W. Bush and John Kerry. It will be the first of three debates. And analysts say frankly, the most important.

CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is traveling with the president joins me now from Miami -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. Well, the president at this hour is in Stuart, Florida with his brother, the governor of Florida. And they are touring some areas where federal relief agencies are trying to help some of the citizens, who have been really hurt by the way the hurricanes in this state have ravaged the areas. Now, this is sort of an imagery two-for, Carol. The president is able to express his concern and say that federal aids are helping and working. And also able to show that he's himself working, and that he's not necessarily concerned about the debate tonight; that he's not cramming for it.

Well, that debate, of course, is on Iraq. And the White House, the president's aides are helping that what he can do is cement the idea that they've been talking about for months, that John Kerry is not fit to be commander in chief.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(CHANTING)

BASH (voice-over): It's the Republican rallying cry, one the president hopes the debate will cement.

GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My opponent has had seven or eight different positions on Iraq.

BASH: Perhaps the most devastating flip-flop fodder is Kerry appearing to contradict himself explaining his vote against a bill funding troops in Iraq.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.

BASH: President Bush already hitting Kerry, for voting for the war and against funding, seized on his opponent's explanation and uses it every chance he gets.

BUSH: Not a lot of people talk like that here in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

BUSH: I don't know here on the town square of Saint Cloud whether many people talk that way.

(LAUGHTER)

BUSH: I don't think a lot of people speak that way in Bangor, Maine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

BUSH: There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat.

(CHEERING)

BASH: The reality, the senator did vote for an amendment approving Iraq funds, only if paid for by repealing tax cuts. When that measure failed, he voted against the bill to protest what he called a flawed and costly war plan. Now, in some pre-debate damage control, Kerry admits his voting for it and against it line was an inarticulate moment.

BASH (on camera): How hard it is to explain those votes.

BOB DOLE (R), KANSAS, FMR. SENATOR: You can't.

BASH (voice-over): Bob Dole was the last senator to challenge an incumbent president, and says he can relate. Thousands of votes to defend legislative lingo that's hard to translate.

DOLE: I think it's just -- it's hard to be a senator and run for president. You've got this thing you vote for bills, you vote for this. And you know I could be attacked if it's there. If you can explain it, if Kerry can explain it, he's a better man than I was. I couldn't explain it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Now, Senator Dole said he tried to use his 1996 debates to try to change public perception, particularly on the votes that the Clinton campaign used against him. That's what President Bush's team is really hoping for, to essentially cement this idea that John Kerry is a flip-flopper. But they do know, Carol, that the president is going to be on the defense, particularly on the war with Iraq. That's something that he's been practicing on how to deal with.

LIN: All right. We'll see how the practice turns out tonight. Thanks for very much, Dana. In the meantime, aides to John Kerry say the Democratic challenger is ready to go toe-to-toe with the president. Kerry has been in Bar Harbor, Florida, preparing for tonight's debate. And he comes in to tonight's showdown hoping for a knockout punch or at least a decisive blow. Now, polls show President Bush maintaining his post convention lead, with the election now a little more than a month away.

Stay with CNN, of course, for extensive coverage of that debate. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, Wolf Blitzer and CNN's election team kick off our prime-time coverage at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

Meantime, Washington residents on alert. Scientists warn mount St. Helens could erupt perhaps as early as today. A live report is straight ahead.

And joining me to talk about tonight's debate, Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu and Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Straight ahead.

Later, from the streets of New York to our studio, Avenue Q joins me later for a street level look at the race for the White House. This is the puppet version of the debate.

CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Stay tuned because we're going to have an update on the impact of the Merck stock. On the Merck stock, a decision by Merck to withdraw one of its most popular pain relievers, Vioxx. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: New polling of three crucial swing states shows voter sentiment is fluid ahead of tonight's debate. For example, a CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows Florida, well, showing President Bush with an average of a five-percentage point lead among registered voters. Expanding to a nine-percentage point edge among likely voters.

Now in Ohio, Kerry holds a four-percentage point lead, the same as the margin of error among registered voters. Now, among likely voters, however, the president has a narrow lead. And the numbers are almost mirror images in Pennsylvania, with Kerry again leading among registered voters and the president among likely voters.

Well, Republican voters in those three states seem more motivated to go to the polls in November. But that could change after the debates. Two senators join me now from Washington to talk about tonight's debate. Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu and Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, representing both the Kerry and the Bush campaigns these two esteemed women.

Thank you very much for joining me this morning.

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: Thank you.

SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D), LOUISIANA: Thank you, Carol.

LIN: Senator Landrieu, you've seen the polls. And as much as we can tell it's a pretty good indication of where people stand. How is John Kerry preparing for tonight's debate? What does he need to do?

LANDRIEU: Well, first of all, all the pollsters will tell you that this race is very close and it's still fluid. And these debates are going to have a great influence. I think that President Bush will do very well tonight. He considers himself a wartime president. This is on ground that he feels comfortable. The debate is fairly scripted. So I think he'll do well.

But the issue is for the American people, does George Bush deserve to be re-elected? His statements about Iraq have been wrong from the very beginning. There were no weapons of mass destruction. We could not get in and out in six months. The war has cost us $200 billion. And it's getting more and more evident to the American people that there is no real plan for stability and peace, and an exit strategy.

We've got men and women on the line. Thousands of lives have been lost. And the question is, does George Bush's record deserve to be reaffirmed and re-elected? And I think Senator Kerry's going to make a strong case against that tonight.

LIN: Senator Hutchinson, these debates tend to be pretty scripted. A lot of rules imposed on what the candidates, you know, can and cannot actually do on stage. How effective, or how is George W. Bush going to respond to some of these charges by John Kerry? Especially on a day where now more than 45 people have been killed in a particularly violent car bombing in Iraq, and the daily death toll just simply mounts?

HUTCHISON: I think the -- that John Kerry has been dwelling on the past. And yes, President Bush's record is certainly there. But I think the American people know that we couldn't have anticipated an enemy that would blow up 34 children, which has happened as we speak. An enemy that would shoot children in the back, as happened in Russia. We've made adjustments and the president has made wise decisions.

And the president is talking about the future. Do you want a leader who is decisive and who is going to look out for America first? Or a leader that has proven time and time, and time and time again, that he cannot make a decision. He votes one way and then does something else. He says it would be irresponsible not to vote for $87 billion to support our troops in the field. And then turns around and votes against the $87 billion that support our troops in the field.

It's unbelievable that someone could be so wishy-washy and flip- flop so many types, and then ask to lead our country with clarity and vision.

LANDRIEU: Carol, can I just get... LIN: Senator Landrieu, even Senator Dole has said it's pretty tough for a senator to run for president, because Senator Kerry has a 20-plus year record on these kinds of votes. There may be explanations for each, but context is not always something that's given on the campaign trail.

LANDRIEU: Well, Carol, John Kerry's running because he has a record of service to this country. And let me just respond that the question is, are we defeating the enemy, or are we creating more enemies? That is the question. The terrorists were not in Iraq. They were in Afghanistan. And so, the Bush policies, are they, in fact, making our country safer? Are we building friends? Are we building a strong international coalition against terrorists?

Or are we, because of the lack of respect that the world has for this go it alone, arrogant foreign policy, are we, in fact, protecting America? That is the question.

And this answer of flip-flop for Kerry, it's George Bush that has said the wrong statement on this war from Day 1. There are no weapons of mass destruction. It's costing us $200 billion. He said it wouldn't cost that much. It's cost us lives and treasure. That's the issue tonight. I hope the American people are looking and they'll make the decisions about who should lead us forward.

LIN: Senator Hutchinson, if you could have one piece of advice for President Bush tonight, what does he need to be most cautious about?

HUTCHISON: Well, I think the president is right on target. I mean obviously he knows that John Kerry is a good debater. He's grown up debating. But the issue is who should lead our country with clarity and vision? Who's talking about the future? Who has been very firm in talking to these terrorists?

If the terrorists think that we are going to be weak and flabby and wishy-washy, they're going to take advantage of that weakness. We need to speak with firmness and with absolute commitment. The first thing a president has to do is protect the American people. And I think President Bush has shown the American people that he is not going to deterred by any rhetoric, or anybody else in the world from his purpose of protecting the American people, and our children, and grandchildren for the future of freedom in our country.

LIN: We'll have to leave it there. Thank you very much...

LANDRIEU: Thank you.

LIN: ... Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Mary Landrieu from -- Senator Landrieu is from the DNC headquarters there.

All right. All you have to do is click on to cnn.com/americavotes now and during tonight's contest, because we're going to have real-time commentary on the debates. And you can read about the history of presidential debates and check out the moderators for all of this year's debates. In the meantime, experts are warning Mount St. Helens is roaring back to life. How much of an eruption do they expect and when? A live report straight ahead.

And also searching for a hydrogen bomb lost in the 1950s. Where one man thinks it can be found. The answer coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: A team of scientists will troll the waters off the coast of Georgia in search of a hydrogen bomb. It was lost in 1958 when two military aircraft collided. A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel believes it's near Tybee Island, in a football sized area with unusually high levels of radiation. If it is, in fact, the H-bomb. Scientists will have to decide what to do. But it may pose no threat at all.

In the meantime, we'll talk about the dangers outweighing the benefits. Drug maker Merck voluntarily pulls its arthritis drug Vioxx from the shelves. Around the world a look at how the news is impacting Wall Street.

And as we follow a violent day in Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld makes an admission that is sure to raise some eyebrows.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired September 30, 2004 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone from the CNN headquarters in Atlanta I'm Carol Lin. Darin's got the day off.
Well, at least 45 people are now dead today after a series of Baghdad area car bombings. One U.S. soldier was among the victims. And in the most spectacular attack, two bombs went off almost simultaneously at the opening of a water pumping station. An Iraqi official attributed the bump up in violence to insurgent frustration with the new government's achievements.

And the company that makes Vioxx says it's pulling the arthritis drug off the market. Merck and Company's voluntary withdrawal is based on a clinical trial showing a possible risk of cardiovascular complications. Shares of Merck fell in reaction to that news.

And it's D-Day in Miami. President Bush faces John Kerry in the first of three debates. Tonight's contest will focus on international policy and homeland security. Now, our latest poll shows that nearly one in five registered voters say the presidential debates will make a difference in how they vote in November.

And hands across the water, in a show of solidarity against terrorism, Attorney General John Ashcroft and European Union justice officials today, agreed on new measures to improve intelligence sharing. The U.S. will dispatch an FBI agent to the European Police Agency while the E.U. will post two agents in Washington.

And a man held by the U.S. as an enemy combatant for nearly three years is expected to go free today, under an agreement reached between the government and Yaser Hamdi's attorney. Hamdi will be returned to Saudi Arabia. But the restriction deal is called a lot in deal is being called "unenforceable" by Saudi authorities.

Meantime, we begin with a stunning development in the drug industry. and it's sending shock waves through Wall Street. Merck and Company has announced a voluntary withdrawal of the arthritis drug Vioxx. We're going to have the impact on the financial markets a little bit later.

But first we want to go to our senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

This is a pretty big deal, frankly, Sanjay. Very popular drug.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Very popular drug, one of the biggest medical pharmaceutical stories I've heard in some time. Two-point five billion dollar drug, this Vioxx drug is. Now, when you talk about Vioxx, this is the medication, it's called an anti-inflammatory. It's used to treat osteo-arthritis. It's also used to treat aches and pains. A lot of people have heard about this medication. It became popular first in 1999, that's when it was released. And it talks specifically about the fact that it would reduce the risk of ulcers. Today it was being recalled. The CEO of the company Raymond Gilmartin had this statement to make earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYMOND GILMARTIN, CEO, MERCK & CO.: We're tracking this action because we believe that it best serves the interest of patients. We believe it would have been possible to continue to market Vioxx with labeling that would incorporate this new data. However, given the availability of new -- alternative therapies and the questions raised by the data, we concluded that a voluntary withdrawal is the responsible course to take.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: And some of the folks I talked to, just to be clear as well, said it's likely there would have been enough pressure based on some of these new studies that people would have recommended, mandated even that the drug be recalled. This is a voluntary recall. But it probably would have happened anyway.

LIN: All right. So you have Vioxx in your medicine cabinet and you use it to control your arthritis or pain should you stop using it flat-out?

GUPTA: Yes. That's probably going to be the best advice. And that's surprising to some people because we're not trying to alarm people. On the other hand, there are good medications that are alternatives to Vioxx. I actually talked to a couple doctors, including my own this morning. And they said listen, if you are someone who takes Vioxx you probably should stop. You should definitely talk to your doctor about what an alternative should be. There are a lot of medications out there to treat osteo-arthritis, as well as aches and pains that people get.

LIN: All right. Good advice. Thanks.

GUPTA: All right. Thanks, Carol.

LIN: Thanks very much, Sanjay.

All right, we're going to have much more on the impact, the financial impact of Merck's decision coming up in this half hour.

But in the meantime, we want to Iraq right now, a lot of news out of that country. A series of explosions have thundered across Iraq. Dozens of people are dead and even more are injured.

CNN's senior international correspondent Brent Sadler joins me live from Baghdad with these latest developments -- Brent. BRENT SADLER, CNN SR. INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. A deadly day in Baghdad. Let's talk about the most serious of the various car bombs that have gone off not just in the capital but throughout the country. Two massive blasts apparently targeted in an area, where a U.S. convoy was passing at the same time, as a ceremony was taking place to commemorate the reopening of a water treatment plant in the central area of the city. Now, this blast resulted in the horrendous deaths and injures of dozens of children. U.S. troops were giving candy out to the kids just about the same time as this blast went off. So an official ceremony for the reopening of that plant in a district of the Iraqi capital, heavy loss of life there. Not clear if the U.S. convoy was the target of the ceremony itself, but certainly a lot of injuries.

Nearby about the same time, another blast believed to be a car bomb. And then other attacks against various elements of the security forces, Iraqi and American. Two U.S. soldiers killed, one in a rocket attack outside Baghdad. And another U.S. soldier killed in a suicide car bomb strike on the western outskirts of the capital at Abu Ghraib, on the way to the notorious rebel strong hold of Fallujah.

Also, near the Syrian border in the rebellious town Tal Afar, another car bomb attacked in the marketplace there, again with many more injures. This after Fallujah, the insurgent stronghold was again targeted by U.S. warplanes, trying to knock out insurgent activity of the top terror suspect Abu Musab al Zarqawi. But the militants striking back in the capital, at the same time, as we're seeing an escalation of military activity against insurgent strongholds -- Carol.

LIN: All right. More on this story throughout the morning. Thank you very much, Brent.

In the meantime, another story we're following out of Iraq is the ordeal of Kenneth Bigley, the British engineer abducted three weeks ago. Yesterday, the Arabic language news network al Jazeera aired this video of him begging the British government to secure his release. Now, the two Americans who were abducted with him have both been beheaded. And Bigley's wife is issuing a similar plea in her native Thailand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOMBAT BIGLEY, BRITISH HOSTAGE WIFE (through translator): Tony Blair can save his life and is the only one that can. It seems like he is waiting for Tony Blair to say a word or anything.

JACK STRAW, FOREIGN SECRETARY, U.K.: Absolutely no change in our policy. We can't negotiate for the release of terrorist in the sense of agreeing to pay ransom. Or, for example, arranging the release of prisoners and such demands regardless of such demands. But that does not stop us saying we would like to hear from the terrorists. I doubt that we will. But of course we would, because we want to secure Mr. Bigley's release.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LIN: Now specifically in this case, the kidnappers were asking for the release of female prisoners in two prisons in Iraq. The U.S. coalition says there are no female prisoners and British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said his government will not negotiate with terrorists.

Well, the ongoing violence in Iraq is sure to be a central debating point in tonight's prime-time face-off between George W. Bush and John Kerry. It will be the first of three debates. And analysts say frankly, the most important.

CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is traveling with the president joins me now from Miami -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. Well, the president at this hour is in Stuart, Florida with his brother, the governor of Florida. And they are touring some areas where federal relief agencies are trying to help some of the citizens, who have been really hurt by the way the hurricanes in this state have ravaged the areas. Now, this is sort of an imagery two-for, Carol. The president is able to express his concern and say that federal aids are helping and working. And also able to show that he's himself working, and that he's not necessarily concerned about the debate tonight; that he's not cramming for it.

Well, that debate, of course, is on Iraq. And the White House, the president's aides are helping that what he can do is cement the idea that they've been talking about for months, that John Kerry is not fit to be commander in chief.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(CHANTING)

BASH (voice-over): It's the Republican rallying cry, one the president hopes the debate will cement.

GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My opponent has had seven or eight different positions on Iraq.

BASH: Perhaps the most devastating flip-flop fodder is Kerry appearing to contradict himself explaining his vote against a bill funding troops in Iraq.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.

BASH: President Bush already hitting Kerry, for voting for the war and against funding, seized on his opponent's explanation and uses it every chance he gets.

BUSH: Not a lot of people talk like that here in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

BUSH: I don't know here on the town square of Saint Cloud whether many people talk that way.

(LAUGHTER)

BUSH: I don't think a lot of people speak that way in Bangor, Maine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!

BUSH: There's nothing complicated about supporting our troops in combat.

(CHEERING)

BASH: The reality, the senator did vote for an amendment approving Iraq funds, only if paid for by repealing tax cuts. When that measure failed, he voted against the bill to protest what he called a flawed and costly war plan. Now, in some pre-debate damage control, Kerry admits his voting for it and against it line was an inarticulate moment.

BASH (on camera): How hard it is to explain those votes.

BOB DOLE (R), KANSAS, FMR. SENATOR: You can't.

BASH (voice-over): Bob Dole was the last senator to challenge an incumbent president, and says he can relate. Thousands of votes to defend legislative lingo that's hard to translate.

DOLE: I think it's just -- it's hard to be a senator and run for president. You've got this thing you vote for bills, you vote for this. And you know I could be attacked if it's there. If you can explain it, if Kerry can explain it, he's a better man than I was. I couldn't explain it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BASH: Now, Senator Dole said he tried to use his 1996 debates to try to change public perception, particularly on the votes that the Clinton campaign used against him. That's what President Bush's team is really hoping for, to essentially cement this idea that John Kerry is a flip-flopper. But they do know, Carol, that the president is going to be on the defense, particularly on the war with Iraq. That's something that he's been practicing on how to deal with.

LIN: All right. We'll see how the practice turns out tonight. Thanks for very much, Dana. In the meantime, aides to John Kerry say the Democratic challenger is ready to go toe-to-toe with the president. Kerry has been in Bar Harbor, Florida, preparing for tonight's debate. And he comes in to tonight's showdown hoping for a knockout punch or at least a decisive blow. Now, polls show President Bush maintaining his post convention lead, with the election now a little more than a month away.

Stay with CNN, of course, for extensive coverage of that debate. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, Wolf Blitzer and CNN's election team kick off our prime-time coverage at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

Meantime, Washington residents on alert. Scientists warn mount St. Helens could erupt perhaps as early as today. A live report is straight ahead.

And joining me to talk about tonight's debate, Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu and Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Straight ahead.

Later, from the streets of New York to our studio, Avenue Q joins me later for a street level look at the race for the White House. This is the puppet version of the debate.

CNN LIVE TODAY.

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LIN: Stay tuned because we're going to have an update on the impact of the Merck stock. On the Merck stock, a decision by Merck to withdraw one of its most popular pain relievers, Vioxx. We'll be right back.

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LIN: New polling of three crucial swing states shows voter sentiment is fluid ahead of tonight's debate. For example, a CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows Florida, well, showing President Bush with an average of a five-percentage point lead among registered voters. Expanding to a nine-percentage point edge among likely voters.

Now in Ohio, Kerry holds a four-percentage point lead, the same as the margin of error among registered voters. Now, among likely voters, however, the president has a narrow lead. And the numbers are almost mirror images in Pennsylvania, with Kerry again leading among registered voters and the president among likely voters.

Well, Republican voters in those three states seem more motivated to go to the polls in November. But that could change after the debates. Two senators join me now from Washington to talk about tonight's debate. Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu and Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison, representing both the Kerry and the Bush campaigns these two esteemed women.

Thank you very much for joining me this morning.

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: Thank you.

SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D), LOUISIANA: Thank you, Carol.

LIN: Senator Landrieu, you've seen the polls. And as much as we can tell it's a pretty good indication of where people stand. How is John Kerry preparing for tonight's debate? What does he need to do?

LANDRIEU: Well, first of all, all the pollsters will tell you that this race is very close and it's still fluid. And these debates are going to have a great influence. I think that President Bush will do very well tonight. He considers himself a wartime president. This is on ground that he feels comfortable. The debate is fairly scripted. So I think he'll do well.

But the issue is for the American people, does George Bush deserve to be re-elected? His statements about Iraq have been wrong from the very beginning. There were no weapons of mass destruction. We could not get in and out in six months. The war has cost us $200 billion. And it's getting more and more evident to the American people that there is no real plan for stability and peace, and an exit strategy.

We've got men and women on the line. Thousands of lives have been lost. And the question is, does George Bush's record deserve to be reaffirmed and re-elected? And I think Senator Kerry's going to make a strong case against that tonight.

LIN: Senator Hutchinson, these debates tend to be pretty scripted. A lot of rules imposed on what the candidates, you know, can and cannot actually do on stage. How effective, or how is George W. Bush going to respond to some of these charges by John Kerry? Especially on a day where now more than 45 people have been killed in a particularly violent car bombing in Iraq, and the daily death toll just simply mounts?

HUTCHISON: I think the -- that John Kerry has been dwelling on the past. And yes, President Bush's record is certainly there. But I think the American people know that we couldn't have anticipated an enemy that would blow up 34 children, which has happened as we speak. An enemy that would shoot children in the back, as happened in Russia. We've made adjustments and the president has made wise decisions.

And the president is talking about the future. Do you want a leader who is decisive and who is going to look out for America first? Or a leader that has proven time and time, and time and time again, that he cannot make a decision. He votes one way and then does something else. He says it would be irresponsible not to vote for $87 billion to support our troops in the field. And then turns around and votes against the $87 billion that support our troops in the field.

It's unbelievable that someone could be so wishy-washy and flip- flop so many types, and then ask to lead our country with clarity and vision.

LANDRIEU: Carol, can I just get... LIN: Senator Landrieu, even Senator Dole has said it's pretty tough for a senator to run for president, because Senator Kerry has a 20-plus year record on these kinds of votes. There may be explanations for each, but context is not always something that's given on the campaign trail.

LANDRIEU: Well, Carol, John Kerry's running because he has a record of service to this country. And let me just respond that the question is, are we defeating the enemy, or are we creating more enemies? That is the question. The terrorists were not in Iraq. They were in Afghanistan. And so, the Bush policies, are they, in fact, making our country safer? Are we building friends? Are we building a strong international coalition against terrorists?

Or are we, because of the lack of respect that the world has for this go it alone, arrogant foreign policy, are we, in fact, protecting America? That is the question.

And this answer of flip-flop for Kerry, it's George Bush that has said the wrong statement on this war from Day 1. There are no weapons of mass destruction. It's costing us $200 billion. He said it wouldn't cost that much. It's cost us lives and treasure. That's the issue tonight. I hope the American people are looking and they'll make the decisions about who should lead us forward.

LIN: Senator Hutchinson, if you could have one piece of advice for President Bush tonight, what does he need to be most cautious about?

HUTCHISON: Well, I think the president is right on target. I mean obviously he knows that John Kerry is a good debater. He's grown up debating. But the issue is who should lead our country with clarity and vision? Who's talking about the future? Who has been very firm in talking to these terrorists?

If the terrorists think that we are going to be weak and flabby and wishy-washy, they're going to take advantage of that weakness. We need to speak with firmness and with absolute commitment. The first thing a president has to do is protect the American people. And I think President Bush has shown the American people that he is not going to deterred by any rhetoric, or anybody else in the world from his purpose of protecting the American people, and our children, and grandchildren for the future of freedom in our country.

LIN: We'll have to leave it there. Thank you very much...

LANDRIEU: Thank you.

LIN: ... Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Mary Landrieu from -- Senator Landrieu is from the DNC headquarters there.

All right. All you have to do is click on to cnn.com/americavotes now and during tonight's contest, because we're going to have real-time commentary on the debates. And you can read about the history of presidential debates and check out the moderators for all of this year's debates. In the meantime, experts are warning Mount St. Helens is roaring back to life. How much of an eruption do they expect and when? A live report straight ahead.

And also searching for a hydrogen bomb lost in the 1950s. Where one man thinks it can be found. The answer coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.

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LIN: A team of scientists will troll the waters off the coast of Georgia in search of a hydrogen bomb. It was lost in 1958 when two military aircraft collided. A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel believes it's near Tybee Island, in a football sized area with unusually high levels of radiation. If it is, in fact, the H-bomb. Scientists will have to decide what to do. But it may pose no threat at all.

In the meantime, we'll talk about the dangers outweighing the benefits. Drug maker Merck voluntarily pulls its arthritis drug Vioxx from the shelves. Around the world a look at how the news is impacting Wall Street.

And as we follow a violent day in Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld makes an admission that is sure to raise some eyebrows.

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