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CNN Live Today

Following the Kerry and Bush Campaigns; Scott Peterson Trial

Aired October 27, 2004 - 11:00   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.


RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now. And here's a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."
Recommendations from the September 11th Commission probably won't become law before the election. This hour, a group of 9/11 families is suspected to weigh in on the intelligence reform legislation. They're urging lawmakers not to rush to pass the reforms. Yesterday, another group of families criticized lawmakers for the delay.

Amnesty International today renewed its call for an independent investigation of prisoner abuse in Iraq. The group also wants an independent probe of alleged prisoner abuse in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay. The organization denies trying to influence the presidential election with the release of its report on this particular day.

The prosecution begins its rebuttal case today in the Scott Peterson murder trial. The defense wrapped up its case yesterday after calling 14 witnesses over six days. Peterson did not take the stand. We're going to have a live update on the trial. It's in about 15 minutes for you.

And the Cassini traveled more than two billion miles to snap these pictures of the Titan. That's a moon. It's Saturn's largest moon, as a matter of fact, and its atmosphere may hold clues to the Earth's early development. Later this hour, we're going to talk with an astronomer about the significance of these never before seen images.

It is one minute after 11:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 8:01 on the West. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Rick Sanchez.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Daryn Kagan.

As the campaigns wind down, the rhetoric is heating up. Political energy is focused on the upper Midwest today, just six days until the presidential election. No clear favorite in the polls. Every campaign appearance is potentially decisive.

President George Bush is in Pennsylvania right now, where a campaign event is about to begin. A live report is just ahead. Afterward, the president makes two more campaign stops in Ohio before ending his day with another appearance in Michigan.

Senator John Kerry is stumping in Minnesota and Iowa today. A live picture right now. He is wrapping up an event in Sioux City, Iowa. We'll get an update from there in just a few minutes. Later this afternoon, the senator will be in Rochester, Minnesota, and then return to Iowa this evening for a rally in Cedar Rapids.

SANCHEZ: Let's tell you where we're going to kick off our political coverage this hour. We will do so with CNN's Kelly Wallace, who is following the Kerry campaign. She is joining us from Sioux City, Iowa, as a matter of fact.

Good morning again, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Rick.

Well, Kerry's advisers said that the senator's speech here would be a speech focusing on the economic issues affecting the middle class. But when the senator got up to the podium, and in his prepared remarks, he is focusing, for the third day in a row, on those missing explosives in Iraq, hammering away at the Bush administration. And in comments a short time ago, he singled out President Bush and Vice President Cheney, accusing them of making excuses and not taking responsibility for what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Vice President Cheney, who is becoming the chief minister of disinformation...

(APPLAUSE)

KERRY: ... he echoed that it's not the administration's fault, and he even criticized those who raised the subject. Now, my friends, my fellow Americans, this is a growing scandal, and the American people deserve a full and honest explanation of how it happened and what the president is going to do about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Now, there are risks for Senator Kerry, who is continuing to speak here in Sioux City. Number one, negative attacks could turn off some of those undecided voters. Number two, the senator going on the attack, even as some of his advisers acknowledge it is possible that those explosives were missing once American troops or before American troops arrived at the facility in question.

To all this, a senior Kerry adviser saying, "This campaign will continue to hit this issue hard because it believes it gets to the heart of the criticism of the president. Just what did he do and what did he not do before the war in Iraq?"

There's also a strategic move here, Rick. This campaign very much trying to make this race as much about the president's handling of the situation in Iraq as everything else.

The senator here in Iowa, later to Minnesota. We've been talking about how these are two states Al Gore won in 2000 and two states John Kerry is very much trying to win this year. Two states where President Bush and his aides are spending a great deal of time in as well.

SANCHEZ: I'm curious, Kelly. I know the senator has been critical of the administration on the 380 tons of weapons that seem to be missing. How about the comment yesterday by Prime Minister Allawi, where he's criticizing the coalition, in essence, for not protecting those 49 new Iraqi trainees? Has that been mentioned on the campaign trail as well?

WALLACE: It has. You haven't really heard it from Senator Kerry at the podium, but you are hearing it from his advisers.

They are pointing to this as another example of what they call the incompetence, the blunders by this administration regarding the situation in Iraq. So you are hearing every situation that happen, every incident. They are sort of really kind of pulling -- hammering away at, trying to sort of also narrow the advantage the president has, Rick, when it comes to national security.

We know we look at poll after poll. The president always leading by some 20 points, when asked who can better handle terrorism. So they're trying to narrow that gap as well by hitting hard on these comments, just like the ones you mentioned.

SANCHEZ: Yes. And it sounds like everything in Iraq is dictating what he talks about on a -- on a daily basis. Kelly Wallace bringing us the very latest here on the John Kerry campaign trail. Thanks so much. And we'll get back to you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's turn now to the Bush campaign. For that, we go to CNN's Dana Bash, who is in Pennsylvania as well.

Good morning.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

And, of course, what the Bush campaign wants to do is to stay on their offensive message. That today is to be talking to -- straight to Democrats, what President Bush likes to call discerning Democrats, like Zell Miller, the Democratic senator from Georgia.

He'll be reaching out to Democrats in places like here, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where they are socially conservative, historically Democratic. But he thinks that he can get them to their side -- his side. Perhaps -- if he does that, perhaps it will help him win this state. But that certainly will be an uphill battle.

Now, with regard to what Senator Kerry is continuing to do, which is to challenge President Bush to answer some questions on this missing explosives issue, we are told now that the president will address that issue. Has not done so at all over the past 24 hours or so, even though he has been asked by reporters.

We are told by a Bush spokesman that Mr. Bush will address the issue at this rally, and essentially we're told he will try to turn it back on Senator Kerry and say that he will do anything to get elected. That is something we have heard yesterday from Dick Cheney, again today from Dick Cheney, saying that Senator Kerry didn't have all facts and he still is hitting President Bush on this issue. And here's what Dick Cheney said earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, in the closing days of this campaign, John Kerry is trying every which way to cover up his record of weakness on national defense. But he can't do it. It won't work. As we like to say in Wyoming, you can put all the lipstick you want on a pig, but at the end of the day, it's still a pig.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So there you see the way the Bush campaign has begun to and is continuing to try to hit back on Senator Kerry on this issue of the missing explosives, is by saying that he does not have all the facts, and that he -- essentially they're saying he does not have the credibility on the issue of Iraq to question this administration. But clearly, this is something that the Bush administration has not wanted to do.

They have not wanted to have the president himself respond because they understand that that takes away from their message of the day, which again is trying to appeal to Democrats. But the president, we are told, will do that later today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Dana Bash in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Thank you.

Now, all this campaigning is costing a lot. In fact, the 2004 elections are expected to cost nearly $4 billion. We're going to talk about that with Larry Noble of the Center for Responsive Politics later this hour.

Our political coverage continues in prime time. "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" looks at voter registration and charges of misconduct. That's tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

SANCHEZ: As you might expect, more political finger-pointing today over those 380 tons of missing explosives in Iraq, as our correspondents alluded to. The Iraqis notified U.N. weapons monitors earlier this month that the stockpile of high explosives was simply missing.

CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" talked with two senators from opposite sides of the aisle about who, if anyone, should be held responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: It's obviously the president's fault. There isn't any question.

Look, the fact is -- let me read you what General Abizaid said just a year ago when he came into the United States Senate. He said, "There is more ammunition in Iraq than any place I've ever seen in my life. And it's not securable. I wish I could tell you we had it under control, but we don't." He went on to say, "There is certainly not enough forces anywhere to guard the ammunition in Iraq."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R), GEORGIA: This is a non-story. I mean, we have members of the press who happen to be embedded with the 101st Airborne when they went into this area of Iraq on the 10th of April, 2003, and both NBC and Fox are both reporting that these weapons were not seen by them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Pentagon officials say the site was searched repeatedly but the high explosives were simply never found.

KAGAN: The defense rests, already. Up next, Scott Peterson's fate is just days away from being in the hands of the jury. We are live from the courthouse in northern California coming up next.

SANCHEZ: Also, the head of the FCC gets a stern lecture. It's a heated exchange, as Howard Stern plays caller on a talk radio show.

KAGAN: And later, religion and reaction. How George W. Bush's faith is becoming a lightning rod overseas.

CNN LIVE TODAY is back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: The prosecution begins calling rebuttal witnesses today in the Scott Peterson murder trial. The defense rested its case after calling only 14 witnesses. And Peterson was not among them.

Our Kimberly Osias is covering the trial. She is in Redwood City, California, with the latest.

Kimberly, good morning.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, experts have really called the defense's case lackluster and disappointing. In part because defense attorney Mark Geragos failed to deliver on promises, promises he made to jurors back in opening statements.

We were really expecting to hear testimony from several key witnesses. Two were promised but weren't delivered.

One of them was famed forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee. He was ready here in a hotel in Redwood City, but never got the call. In fact, he checked out just last night, without ever take the stand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS (voice-over): Six days, 14 witnesses, and now the defense has rested, without putting the accused, Scott Peterson, on the stand. The final witness, Modesto policeman Michael Hicks. He's the arresting officer in a burglary that happened in the Peterson's Dry Creek neighborhood on December 26, two days after Laci Peterson disappeared.

Defense attorney Mark Geragos implied it could have been that burglar who killed Laci. Experts say the defense failed to hammer it home for jurors.

JIM HAMMER, LEGAL ANALYST: I think at the end of the prosecution case, Geragos was in a very strong position to argue a reasonable doubt case, and he did a very -- an excellent job in cross examining most of the prosecution witnesses. But now, again, the jury is going to say, OK, is it the burglars, or is it Scott Peterson? And I think the case is much more compelling it's Scott Peterson.

OSIAS: The prosecution contends Scott Peterson killed his pregnant wife and their unborn son Christmas Eve 2002, then dumped their bodies in the San Francisco Bay. Those remains washed ashore that April, two miles from where Scott Peterson had gone fishing.

In June's opening arguments, Geragos promised to show the baby was born alive, after Scott had come under police scrutiny, thereby proving his "stone cold innocence." But that never happened.

ROBERT TALBOTT, LAW PROFESSOR, S.F. UNIVERSITY: I think the jury probably expected more right from the opening statement. Probably from the dramatic presence of Mark Geragos, the jury, I would think, would have expected a dramatic ending.

OSIAS: Monday, Scott's parents testified for the defense, largely to provide an explanation for his behavior the day of his arrest, something Scott presumably could have done for himself as a witness. While the defense failed to show that someone other than Scott killed Laci, all it needed to do was raise reasonable doubt about the strength of the prosecution's case.

JOHN PETERSON, SCOTT'S BROTHER: The truth stands on its own. And that we got enough of our case when the prosecution's case was on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS: Today, we are expecting to hear rebuttal witnesses from the prosecution. About seven or eight are expected. Now, Daryn, we don't know just who those witnesses will be. In fact, Daryn, there is much we don't know about this case, because so much has gone on behind closed doors in judge's chambers with both attorneys -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kimberly Osias, in Redwood City, California.

SANCHEZ: In the world of radio broadcasting, this is a classic match-up. Things getting heated between Howard Stern and FCC chairman Michael Powell. The two got into a verbal duel during a radio call-in show in Sacramento. The shock jock, as he's often called, known for racy radio talk, called in to question Powell's credentials as the head of the commission.

Listen in.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MICHAEL POWELL, FCC CHAIRMAN: I think you have a right to be concerned about the way the indecency fines are done. But rather than attack me personally, you can challenge the regime. But the entire commission has voted on those fines. The commission has a statute that it's required to enforce.

HOWARD STERN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Michael, you just...

POWELL: ... and I think it's a cheap shot to say just because my father's famous, I don't belong in my position, even though I've served longer than any commissioner in decades at the commission. If you don't believe the commission should have any right to draw limits, I think that's a respectable position, but it doesn't happen to be the law.

STERN: Michael -- well, Michael, it's not a cheap shot to say to you that your father got you your position, and I'll tell you why. The guys like me who came from nowhere, out of nothing, who worked their way up and committed themselves to broadcasting, and a career in broadcasting, have to answer to you. And it is a question as to how you got to where you got to. And let's face it, you got to the head of the FCC -- you got to the front of the class the way George W. Bush got out of the draft.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Michael Powell, as you know, is of course the son of Secretary of State Colin Powell. He was appointed to the commission under President Clinton but became the chairman under President Bush. Clear Channel Communications has been fined nearly $500,000 by the FCC for indecent material in the Howard Stern radio show.

KAGAN: Well, speaking of the Bush administration, the boss, President Bush, speaking in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We're getting word from our Dana Bash, who is traveling with the president, that he will for the first time make comments about the story of the almost 400 tons of missing explosives in Iraq. When the president does make those comments, we will go back live to Pennsylvania.

SANCHEZ: And we'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to CNN LIVE TODAY. I'm Rick Sanchez.

KAGAN: And I'm Daryn Kagan. In this morning's "World Wrap," a bold plan to vacate Jewish settlements in Gaza is causing political fireworks in Israel. The Knesset approved the plan yesterday.

The "Jerusalem Post" reports that afterward Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fired two Likud ministers for voting against the plan. Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others are threatening to quit the Sharon government unless the issue is put to a national referendum, which appears unlikely at this point.

SANCHEZ: Shock and anger in a mostly Muslim province in Thailand. The government has revealed that dozens of people detained after a riot later suffocated inside trucks. Six people died in the Tuesday melee, and more than 1,000 people were arrested afterward. The detainees were packed tightly into four trucks, and officials say 78 died en route to the detention facility.

KAGAN: And in Japan, a woman who survived a landslide for four days with her two small children died shortly after she was rescued. The slide that engulfed their car was triggered by a large quake over the weekend. The 2-year-old boy was rescued, but his 3-year-old sister is still trapped inside that car.

SANCHEZ: And back here in the United States, some wicked weather out West to show you. California seeing some heavy rains, and a strong storm is sweeping part of the state, flooding homes and dropping several inches of rain.

October could be the wettest October the state has ever recorded, we're told. In southern California, high winds and heavy rain has caused flash flood warnings and fears of mudslides as well.

KAGAN: It is turning out to be a nasty autumn and soon to be winter for southern California.

SANCHEZ: You bet. Orelon Sidney is standing by to check on that and other things.

As a matter fact, I'm told now by our producer that George Bush may have gotten to that point in the speech where he refers to the 380 tons of weapons that have been missing in Iraq. Let's go now live to the president.

BUSH: ... his way, we would still be taking our global test, Saddam Hussein would still be in power. He would control all those weapons and explosives, and could have shared them with our terrorist enemies. Now the senator is making wild charges about missing explosives when his top foreign policy adviser admits, "We do not know the facts."

Think about that. The senator's denigrating the action of our troops and commanders in the field without knowing the facts.

Unfortunately, that's part of a pattern of saying almost anything to get elected. Like when Senator Kerry charged that our military failed to get Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora, even though our top military commander, General Tommy Franks, said the senator's understanding of events does not square with reality and our intelligence reports place bin Laden in any of several different countries at the time.

Our military's now investigating a number of possible scenarios, including that the explosives may have been moved before our troops even arrived at the site. This investigation's important and it's ongoing, and a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: When it comes to your security, when it comes to the security of our families, my opponent takes a very different approach. He says that September the 11th did not change him much at all.

(BOOING)

BUSH: And his policies make that clear. He says the war on terror is primarily a law enforcement and intelligence-gathering operation.

Well, September the 11th changed me. I remember the day I was in the -- at ground zero, September the 4th, 2001. Today, I will never forget there were workers and hard hats there yelling at me at the top of their lung, "Whatever it takes."

I remember a man grabbed me by the arm and he looked me square in the eye, and he said, "Do not let me down." Ever since that day, I wake up every morning trying to figure out how to better protect America. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.

(APPLAUSE)

SANCHEZ: We should mention, Orelon Sidney was preempted when we learned that the president was going to be speaking about this newsworthy item that we've all been following this week. As you heard, he criticized Senator Kerry, say the senator is speaking about things that he is not well versed on. We're certainly going to continue to follow this development throughout the day.

KAGAN: And including, we're following Senator Kerry's campaign event later today and hear what he has to say on the same topic.

Also, you have seen the candidates. You have heard their promises. But do you have any idea of the money behind the messages?

SANCHEZ: Up next, we're going to be pulling back the curtain on campaign spending with one who knows. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired October 27, 2004 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now. And here's a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."
Recommendations from the September 11th Commission probably won't become law before the election. This hour, a group of 9/11 families is suspected to weigh in on the intelligence reform legislation. They're urging lawmakers not to rush to pass the reforms. Yesterday, another group of families criticized lawmakers for the delay.

Amnesty International today renewed its call for an independent investigation of prisoner abuse in Iraq. The group also wants an independent probe of alleged prisoner abuse in Afghanistan and at Guantanamo Bay. The organization denies trying to influence the presidential election with the release of its report on this particular day.

The prosecution begins its rebuttal case today in the Scott Peterson murder trial. The defense wrapped up its case yesterday after calling 14 witnesses over six days. Peterson did not take the stand. We're going to have a live update on the trial. It's in about 15 minutes for you.

And the Cassini traveled more than two billion miles to snap these pictures of the Titan. That's a moon. It's Saturn's largest moon, as a matter of fact, and its atmosphere may hold clues to the Earth's early development. Later this hour, we're going to talk with an astronomer about the significance of these never before seen images.

It is one minute after 11:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 8:01 on the West. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Rick Sanchez.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Daryn Kagan.

As the campaigns wind down, the rhetoric is heating up. Political energy is focused on the upper Midwest today, just six days until the presidential election. No clear favorite in the polls. Every campaign appearance is potentially decisive.

President George Bush is in Pennsylvania right now, where a campaign event is about to begin. A live report is just ahead. Afterward, the president makes two more campaign stops in Ohio before ending his day with another appearance in Michigan.

Senator John Kerry is stumping in Minnesota and Iowa today. A live picture right now. He is wrapping up an event in Sioux City, Iowa. We'll get an update from there in just a few minutes. Later this afternoon, the senator will be in Rochester, Minnesota, and then return to Iowa this evening for a rally in Cedar Rapids.

SANCHEZ: Let's tell you where we're going to kick off our political coverage this hour. We will do so with CNN's Kelly Wallace, who is following the Kerry campaign. She is joining us from Sioux City, Iowa, as a matter of fact.

Good morning again, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Rick.

Well, Kerry's advisers said that the senator's speech here would be a speech focusing on the economic issues affecting the middle class. But when the senator got up to the podium, and in his prepared remarks, he is focusing, for the third day in a row, on those missing explosives in Iraq, hammering away at the Bush administration. And in comments a short time ago, he singled out President Bush and Vice President Cheney, accusing them of making excuses and not taking responsibility for what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Vice President Cheney, who is becoming the chief minister of disinformation...

(APPLAUSE)

KERRY: ... he echoed that it's not the administration's fault, and he even criticized those who raised the subject. Now, my friends, my fellow Americans, this is a growing scandal, and the American people deserve a full and honest explanation of how it happened and what the president is going to do about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Now, there are risks for Senator Kerry, who is continuing to speak here in Sioux City. Number one, negative attacks could turn off some of those undecided voters. Number two, the senator going on the attack, even as some of his advisers acknowledge it is possible that those explosives were missing once American troops or before American troops arrived at the facility in question.

To all this, a senior Kerry adviser saying, "This campaign will continue to hit this issue hard because it believes it gets to the heart of the criticism of the president. Just what did he do and what did he not do before the war in Iraq?"

There's also a strategic move here, Rick. This campaign very much trying to make this race as much about the president's handling of the situation in Iraq as everything else.

The senator here in Iowa, later to Minnesota. We've been talking about how these are two states Al Gore won in 2000 and two states John Kerry is very much trying to win this year. Two states where President Bush and his aides are spending a great deal of time in as well.

SANCHEZ: I'm curious, Kelly. I know the senator has been critical of the administration on the 380 tons of weapons that seem to be missing. How about the comment yesterday by Prime Minister Allawi, where he's criticizing the coalition, in essence, for not protecting those 49 new Iraqi trainees? Has that been mentioned on the campaign trail as well?

WALLACE: It has. You haven't really heard it from Senator Kerry at the podium, but you are hearing it from his advisers.

They are pointing to this as another example of what they call the incompetence, the blunders by this administration regarding the situation in Iraq. So you are hearing every situation that happen, every incident. They are sort of really kind of pulling -- hammering away at, trying to sort of also narrow the advantage the president has, Rick, when it comes to national security.

We know we look at poll after poll. The president always leading by some 20 points, when asked who can better handle terrorism. So they're trying to narrow that gap as well by hitting hard on these comments, just like the ones you mentioned.

SANCHEZ: Yes. And it sounds like everything in Iraq is dictating what he talks about on a -- on a daily basis. Kelly Wallace bringing us the very latest here on the John Kerry campaign trail. Thanks so much. And we'll get back to you -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's turn now to the Bush campaign. For that, we go to CNN's Dana Bash, who is in Pennsylvania as well.

Good morning.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

And, of course, what the Bush campaign wants to do is to stay on their offensive message. That today is to be talking to -- straight to Democrats, what President Bush likes to call discerning Democrats, like Zell Miller, the Democratic senator from Georgia.

He'll be reaching out to Democrats in places like here, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where they are socially conservative, historically Democratic. But he thinks that he can get them to their side -- his side. Perhaps -- if he does that, perhaps it will help him win this state. But that certainly will be an uphill battle.

Now, with regard to what Senator Kerry is continuing to do, which is to challenge President Bush to answer some questions on this missing explosives issue, we are told now that the president will address that issue. Has not done so at all over the past 24 hours or so, even though he has been asked by reporters.

We are told by a Bush spokesman that Mr. Bush will address the issue at this rally, and essentially we're told he will try to turn it back on Senator Kerry and say that he will do anything to get elected. That is something we have heard yesterday from Dick Cheney, again today from Dick Cheney, saying that Senator Kerry didn't have all facts and he still is hitting President Bush on this issue. And here's what Dick Cheney said earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, in the closing days of this campaign, John Kerry is trying every which way to cover up his record of weakness on national defense. But he can't do it. It won't work. As we like to say in Wyoming, you can put all the lipstick you want on a pig, but at the end of the day, it's still a pig.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: So there you see the way the Bush campaign has begun to and is continuing to try to hit back on Senator Kerry on this issue of the missing explosives, is by saying that he does not have all the facts, and that he -- essentially they're saying he does not have the credibility on the issue of Iraq to question this administration. But clearly, this is something that the Bush administration has not wanted to do.

They have not wanted to have the president himself respond because they understand that that takes away from their message of the day, which again is trying to appeal to Democrats. But the president, we are told, will do that later today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Dana Bash in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Thank you.

Now, all this campaigning is costing a lot. In fact, the 2004 elections are expected to cost nearly $4 billion. We're going to talk about that with Larry Noble of the Center for Responsive Politics later this hour.

Our political coverage continues in prime time. "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN" looks at voter registration and charges of misconduct. That's tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

SANCHEZ: As you might expect, more political finger-pointing today over those 380 tons of missing explosives in Iraq, as our correspondents alluded to. The Iraqis notified U.N. weapons monitors earlier this month that the stockpile of high explosives was simply missing.

CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING" talked with two senators from opposite sides of the aisle about who, if anyone, should be held responsible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: It's obviously the president's fault. There isn't any question.

Look, the fact is -- let me read you what General Abizaid said just a year ago when he came into the United States Senate. He said, "There is more ammunition in Iraq than any place I've ever seen in my life. And it's not securable. I wish I could tell you we had it under control, but we don't." He went on to say, "There is certainly not enough forces anywhere to guard the ammunition in Iraq."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SAXBY CHAMBLISS (R), GEORGIA: This is a non-story. I mean, we have members of the press who happen to be embedded with the 101st Airborne when they went into this area of Iraq on the 10th of April, 2003, and both NBC and Fox are both reporting that these weapons were not seen by them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Pentagon officials say the site was searched repeatedly but the high explosives were simply never found.

KAGAN: The defense rests, already. Up next, Scott Peterson's fate is just days away from being in the hands of the jury. We are live from the courthouse in northern California coming up next.

SANCHEZ: Also, the head of the FCC gets a stern lecture. It's a heated exchange, as Howard Stern plays caller on a talk radio show.

KAGAN: And later, religion and reaction. How George W. Bush's faith is becoming a lightning rod overseas.

CNN LIVE TODAY is back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: The prosecution begins calling rebuttal witnesses today in the Scott Peterson murder trial. The defense rested its case after calling only 14 witnesses. And Peterson was not among them.

Our Kimberly Osias is covering the trial. She is in Redwood City, California, with the latest.

Kimberly, good morning.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, experts have really called the defense's case lackluster and disappointing. In part because defense attorney Mark Geragos failed to deliver on promises, promises he made to jurors back in opening statements.

We were really expecting to hear testimony from several key witnesses. Two were promised but weren't delivered.

One of them was famed forensic expert Dr. Henry Lee. He was ready here in a hotel in Redwood City, but never got the call. In fact, he checked out just last night, without ever take the stand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS (voice-over): Six days, 14 witnesses, and now the defense has rested, without putting the accused, Scott Peterson, on the stand. The final witness, Modesto policeman Michael Hicks. He's the arresting officer in a burglary that happened in the Peterson's Dry Creek neighborhood on December 26, two days after Laci Peterson disappeared.

Defense attorney Mark Geragos implied it could have been that burglar who killed Laci. Experts say the defense failed to hammer it home for jurors.

JIM HAMMER, LEGAL ANALYST: I think at the end of the prosecution case, Geragos was in a very strong position to argue a reasonable doubt case, and he did a very -- an excellent job in cross examining most of the prosecution witnesses. But now, again, the jury is going to say, OK, is it the burglars, or is it Scott Peterson? And I think the case is much more compelling it's Scott Peterson.

OSIAS: The prosecution contends Scott Peterson killed his pregnant wife and their unborn son Christmas Eve 2002, then dumped their bodies in the San Francisco Bay. Those remains washed ashore that April, two miles from where Scott Peterson had gone fishing.

In June's opening arguments, Geragos promised to show the baby was born alive, after Scott had come under police scrutiny, thereby proving his "stone cold innocence." But that never happened.

ROBERT TALBOTT, LAW PROFESSOR, S.F. UNIVERSITY: I think the jury probably expected more right from the opening statement. Probably from the dramatic presence of Mark Geragos, the jury, I would think, would have expected a dramatic ending.

OSIAS: Monday, Scott's parents testified for the defense, largely to provide an explanation for his behavior the day of his arrest, something Scott presumably could have done for himself as a witness. While the defense failed to show that someone other than Scott killed Laci, all it needed to do was raise reasonable doubt about the strength of the prosecution's case.

JOHN PETERSON, SCOTT'S BROTHER: The truth stands on its own. And that we got enough of our case when the prosecution's case was on.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS: Today, we are expecting to hear rebuttal witnesses from the prosecution. About seven or eight are expected. Now, Daryn, we don't know just who those witnesses will be. In fact, Daryn, there is much we don't know about this case, because so much has gone on behind closed doors in judge's chambers with both attorneys -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kimberly Osias, in Redwood City, California.

SANCHEZ: In the world of radio broadcasting, this is a classic match-up. Things getting heated between Howard Stern and FCC chairman Michael Powell. The two got into a verbal duel during a radio call-in show in Sacramento. The shock jock, as he's often called, known for racy radio talk, called in to question Powell's credentials as the head of the commission.

Listen in.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

MICHAEL POWELL, FCC CHAIRMAN: I think you have a right to be concerned about the way the indecency fines are done. But rather than attack me personally, you can challenge the regime. But the entire commission has voted on those fines. The commission has a statute that it's required to enforce.

HOWARD STERN, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Michael, you just...

POWELL: ... and I think it's a cheap shot to say just because my father's famous, I don't belong in my position, even though I've served longer than any commissioner in decades at the commission. If you don't believe the commission should have any right to draw limits, I think that's a respectable position, but it doesn't happen to be the law.

STERN: Michael -- well, Michael, it's not a cheap shot to say to you that your father got you your position, and I'll tell you why. The guys like me who came from nowhere, out of nothing, who worked their way up and committed themselves to broadcasting, and a career in broadcasting, have to answer to you. And it is a question as to how you got to where you got to. And let's face it, you got to the head of the FCC -- you got to the front of the class the way George W. Bush got out of the draft.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Michael Powell, as you know, is of course the son of Secretary of State Colin Powell. He was appointed to the commission under President Clinton but became the chairman under President Bush. Clear Channel Communications has been fined nearly $500,000 by the FCC for indecent material in the Howard Stern radio show.

KAGAN: Well, speaking of the Bush administration, the boss, President Bush, speaking in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We're getting word from our Dana Bash, who is traveling with the president, that he will for the first time make comments about the story of the almost 400 tons of missing explosives in Iraq. When the president does make those comments, we will go back live to Pennsylvania.

SANCHEZ: And we'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to CNN LIVE TODAY. I'm Rick Sanchez.

KAGAN: And I'm Daryn Kagan. In this morning's "World Wrap," a bold plan to vacate Jewish settlements in Gaza is causing political fireworks in Israel. The Knesset approved the plan yesterday.

The "Jerusalem Post" reports that afterward Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fired two Likud ministers for voting against the plan. Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others are threatening to quit the Sharon government unless the issue is put to a national referendum, which appears unlikely at this point.

SANCHEZ: Shock and anger in a mostly Muslim province in Thailand. The government has revealed that dozens of people detained after a riot later suffocated inside trucks. Six people died in the Tuesday melee, and more than 1,000 people were arrested afterward. The detainees were packed tightly into four trucks, and officials say 78 died en route to the detention facility.

KAGAN: And in Japan, a woman who survived a landslide for four days with her two small children died shortly after she was rescued. The slide that engulfed their car was triggered by a large quake over the weekend. The 2-year-old boy was rescued, but his 3-year-old sister is still trapped inside that car.

SANCHEZ: And back here in the United States, some wicked weather out West to show you. California seeing some heavy rains, and a strong storm is sweeping part of the state, flooding homes and dropping several inches of rain.

October could be the wettest October the state has ever recorded, we're told. In southern California, high winds and heavy rain has caused flash flood warnings and fears of mudslides as well.

KAGAN: It is turning out to be a nasty autumn and soon to be winter for southern California.

SANCHEZ: You bet. Orelon Sidney is standing by to check on that and other things.

As a matter fact, I'm told now by our producer that George Bush may have gotten to that point in the speech where he refers to the 380 tons of weapons that have been missing in Iraq. Let's go now live to the president.

BUSH: ... his way, we would still be taking our global test, Saddam Hussein would still be in power. He would control all those weapons and explosives, and could have shared them with our terrorist enemies. Now the senator is making wild charges about missing explosives when his top foreign policy adviser admits, "We do not know the facts."

Think about that. The senator's denigrating the action of our troops and commanders in the field without knowing the facts.

Unfortunately, that's part of a pattern of saying almost anything to get elected. Like when Senator Kerry charged that our military failed to get Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora, even though our top military commander, General Tommy Franks, said the senator's understanding of events does not square with reality and our intelligence reports place bin Laden in any of several different countries at the time.

Our military's now investigating a number of possible scenarios, including that the explosives may have been moved before our troops even arrived at the site. This investigation's important and it's ongoing, and a political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: When it comes to your security, when it comes to the security of our families, my opponent takes a very different approach. He says that September the 11th did not change him much at all.

(BOOING)

BUSH: And his policies make that clear. He says the war on terror is primarily a law enforcement and intelligence-gathering operation.

Well, September the 11th changed me. I remember the day I was in the -- at ground zero, September the 4th, 2001. Today, I will never forget there were workers and hard hats there yelling at me at the top of their lung, "Whatever it takes."

I remember a man grabbed me by the arm and he looked me square in the eye, and he said, "Do not let me down." Ever since that day, I wake up every morning trying to figure out how to better protect America. I will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes.

(APPLAUSE)

SANCHEZ: We should mention, Orelon Sidney was preempted when we learned that the president was going to be speaking about this newsworthy item that we've all been following this week. As you heard, he criticized Senator Kerry, say the senator is speaking about things that he is not well versed on. We're certainly going to continue to follow this development throughout the day.

KAGAN: And including, we're following Senator Kerry's campaign event later today and hear what he has to say on the same topic.

Also, you have seen the candidates. You have heard their promises. But do you have any idea of the money behind the messages?

SANCHEZ: Up next, we're going to be pulling back the curtain on campaign spending with one who knows. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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