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CNN Live Today
George W. Bush: The Road Ahead; Wrap-Up for Rice Hearings
Aired January 19, 2005 - 10:30 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are right at the half hour. Welcome back. I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez. Certainly a lot going on. Here's what's happening right now, in fact, in the news.
We are getting a clearer picture of the tsunami devastation in Indonesia's Aceh province that has been so much talked about. The U.N. says in some towns, more than three quarters of the people died and all houses were destroyed. The health situation is Aceh is being described as precarious still. Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of disease. The latest count shows more than 212,000 people died in 11 nations from last month's tsunami.
The Senate panel is expected to send Condoleezza Rice's nomination to the full Senate sometime today. The secretary of state nominee has suddenly been facing tough questioning this morning on U.S. policy, specifically in Iraq. Ms. Rice wouldn't estimate when some of the U.S. troops can return home, but she did promise a review of Iraq policy after this month's elections.
Rice, as you see in these live pictures, as we continue to follow the hearings for you, is expected to win Senate approval, and there may be some kind of vote sometime today; official vote tomorrow, though.
Also hearings continue today in the nomination of Michael Levitt to be secretary of Health and Human Services. Levitt is a former Utah governor and head of the EPA. Members of the Senate panel yesterday pressed Levitt for a permanent FDA commissioner. The agency has had an acting chief for months now. The FDA has come under fire recently for its drug approval process.
And potential jurors in the trial of Bernard Ebbers will fill out questionnaires today. Ebbers is accused of planning an $11 billion accounting fraud leading to the downfall of WorldCom. The bankruptcy is considered the largest ever in American business history. Opening statements in their case could begin sometime next week.
KAGAN: Let's check the pulse out there on the eve of President Bush's second term. Americans generally feeling more optimistic than they did at the start of the first term. According to a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, 52 percent of those surveyed said they expect the next four years to be above average or even outstanding. That's up from 47 percent from four years ago, but pessimism is also on the rise. The poll found 42 percent anticipate the president's second term will be below average or even poor. That is up from 36 percent in January 2001.
Political contributions may begin with the candidate's campaign, but they don't end there. In fact, the time for big donations is after the elections.
CNN's Judy Woodruff has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Who's paying for this? And this? And this? No, it's not you, the taxpayer, unless of course you want it to be.
DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: We're a nation at war, but we believe it's important that through privately raised money we ought to go forward with the inaugural festivities.
WOODRUFF: The fact is nearly after of the inaugural budget is made up from money from big business, huge companies and Wall Street rainmakers looking for an in with the administration. Under the campaign finance laws, these corporations are prohibited from giving directly to candidates, but there is no legal cap on the amount they can pump into the inaugural fund, and those who pony up likely expect a lot of bang for their buck.
None of this is new. Corporations have funneled money into the inaugurations of past presidents as well.
GEORGE BUSH SR., FMR. PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States.
WOODRUFF: But this is the first time the law requires the inaugural committee to disclose its list of donors.
THOMAS EDSALL, "WASHINGTON POST": It is an economic decision they are making. They're saying that it is worth the $250,000, $500,000, whatever, to do this, that the benefits fall into their company or their trade association are well worth that investment.
WOODRUFF: So let's follow the money. Team bush is hoping to raise $40 million for this week's official festivities. As of Friday it had nearly $30 million in its coffers. On itself Web site, the inaugural committee lists 200 donors. More than half are corporations or firms. Among those who have given $250,000, hotel giant Marriott International, Communications titan AT&T, pharmaceutical goliath Pfizer, and Time Warner, the parent company of CNN.
EDSALL: There are a whole group, a network of donors, all of which are -- almost all of which have various interests with government that they pursue, and find contributing to be a beneficial part of the process.
WOODRUFF: And we're just talking about the official events here. All this week, lobbyists and corporations are wining and dining the powerful at a slew of private parties across Washington. And for shindigs like these, reporting requirements vary, making that money trail a tough one to follow.
Judy Woodruff, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Let's talk a little bit more about this if we possibly could, more about inaugurations. Is presidential historian, or I should say -- joining us now is -- got a little ahead of myself, presidential historian and CNN analyst Barbara Kellerman from Harvard University.
Barbara Kellerman, thanks so much professor for being with us.
BARBARA KELLERMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Good morning.
SANCHEZ: I certainly appreciate it.
Let's talk about the money first, since it was such a big part of Judy's report there. When did money become such a big part of these inaugural balls and the entire inaugural process?
KELLERMAN: Well, in general, Rick, it's fair to say that with each passing inauguration, things seem to get more elaborate and more expensive, just as politics in general does. The $40 million that's being put on -- the price tag that's being put on this particular series of celebrations is high, but probably not surprising, even though some people have taken issue with the fact that this is a wartime ceremony, and so forth and so on.
But the Bush campaign, the Bush White House, and indeed many prominent Democrats, including former President Clinton, have not denied them this celebration and said it's a perfectly appropriate thing to do, even given the circumstances that we're in.
SANCHEZ: Any major differences between inaugurations the second time around? In other words, for presidents who have been re-elected as opposed to the first time they had their inaugural process?
KELLERMAN: Well, there's a particular task that second-term presidents have, and there have not been that many in American history. The most recent ones, of course, are Reagan and Clinton. There's a particular task they have. And that's on the one hand to establish a clear sense of continuity with the past. That is their own past, which they obviously can't deny. But at the same time, they need to strike something of a fresh cord, some indication of change, some indication that the next four years will be full of interesting and new programs that will not make people sort of suffer from the dreary enwe (ph) that one might think would be the case with another four years to come.
SANCHEZ: Is it important to have a moment -- I think back to JFK and "ask not what your country to do for you." I think back to Jimmy Carter and the famous Jimmy walk. That was something unexpected and kind of freaked out, if I can use that term, some of his security detail. Is it important to have a moment? KELLERMAN: Well, Rick, I think every president strives for, to use your term, a moment, whether it's somehow symbolic, as was the Carter walk, or a phrase in an inauguration speech that lives on in history. Every president would love to have such a moment. But in fact, second-term inaugural speeches, second-term inaugurations, celebrations are not historically known for such a moment. So if, in fact, this particular incumbent president is able to strike a brand new fresh cord, he will be better than some of his peers, at least in that regard.
SANCHEZ: Last time around, he was protested quite a bit. Of course it was understandable, given the closeness of the election. There is some talk that there's an expectation of some protests this time around, but how do you see it? As vehement as what we saw last time, or less?
KELLERMAN: Well, it's hard to say. This time, the issue, of course, is entirely different. The president has had -- at least he considers that he has had a very clear mandate. And certainly in comparison with four years ago, he has.
On the other hand, we're now a nation at war, and we know very well there are some people who are in deep opposition to what's going on in Iraq. In fact, we're seeing it during the Rice hearings as we speak here today.
So it's not clear whether this will be that striking. My guess is that it will not deviate particularly from the past. Don't forget I might remind you that President Nixon had protesters during his second inauguration.
So even if there are protesters out there, they are likely to be very well circumscribed, and I'm sure the Bush administration will do absolutely everything they can to not have the protesters intrude on what they consider a fair, and just and honorable celebration.
SANCHEZ: And we'll be watching it. Barbara Kellerman, our thanks for helping us out this morning from Harvard University.
KELLERMAN: Thank you, Rick.
CNN, by the way, is the place to follow all the inaugural celebrations and the special events associated with it. Keep it right here throughout the day. We will have for you continuous live coverage.
KAGAN: A lot more to do today. Still to come in this hour of CNN's LIVE TODAY, she is part of a neighborhood watch, a global neighborhood watch, a look at how this suburban mom hunts down terrorist from the comfort of her own home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Growing up and spending most of my life in Florida, I'm probably not the right person to be doing this interview. But let me tell you what happens about this time of the year to so many people living in the United States who maybe don't live in places like San Diego or Texas or Florida. They get a little tired of the snow, they get a little tired of the cold. They decide they need a break. So we've got some advice for those people.
And Gerri Willis is here to provide. Gerri, I understand you're far, far away today. Where are you?
GERRI WILLIS, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm in Vegas, baby. And enjoying it.
SANCHEZ: Whatever happens there, stays there, by the way.
WILLIS: That's right. That's right.
SANCHEZ: Let's start with the packages. Because people, when they want to travel, the first thing they do is well, I want to get a package. Package, is that the way to go?
WILLIS: No, not necessarily, especially now. Here's what you need to know about packages. They're based on fixed airline rates. That means that when prices drop, you don't get the break. So you can save $500, $600 if you book your own airline. You definitely want to do it. One great place to go, bestfares.com. Can help you compare and find that lowest airfare out there -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you should take advantage of the fare wars, I imagine, right now. Because there's a lot going on between the air -- a lot of competition is good for us.
WILLIS: It's amazing. I mean, you really have to check this out. Southwest just extended its big sale through February 3rd, as you probably know. Delta's been slashing fares as much as 50 percent in some market places. And you know how this works, Rick, once one of these big airlines starts cutting prices, everybody does it. American, Continental, Northwest. And it's not just airfares, it's lift tickets for skiing. United and Frontier well cutting prices there.
SANCHEZ: Hey, Gerri, we're going to have to interrupt you. Hopefully we'll be able to get to you in just a little bit. We got something going on. Daryn, over to you.
WILLIS: Yes, we want to go back live to Washington, D.C. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrapping up their question and answer session with secretary of state nominee Condoleezza Rice. Our Ed Henry standing by to tell us what happens next.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Daryn. That's right. You see Condoleezza Rice greeting senators like Chris Dodd on the Democratic side of the aisle. But tempers have been flaring all morning. They have wrapped up the questions for today, the second day of Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearings. Now the committee will recess for a few minutes, let Condoleezza Rice leave, then they will have a committee business meeting and they will bring her up for vote. It looks like there will only be a couple of Democrats -- certainly Democrat Barbara Boxer of California appears she's going to vote against this nomination. She again went on the attack this morning, just like she did most of yesterday, late morning, early afternoon. Joe Biden, though, the top Democrat in this committee, says he's going to vote for her, though he has reservations. John Kerry looked yesterday like he might be voting against the nomination. But just a couple of Democrats probably voting against her. She's going to get through the committee.
She'll move for a full vote by the Senate tomorrow when they come into session at 10:00 a.m., before the president is sworn in for a second term. One quick note about the tempers flaring. Just a moment ago, the top Democrat on this committee, who I mentioned, Joe Biden, point blank told Condoleezza Rice don't listen to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Biden said he quote, "he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about." It was a very tense moment. But you can see Democrats getting very frustrated. They think that they did not get straight answers from Condoleezza Rice and they have not gotten straight answers from other cabinet nominees who have come before the Senate as well -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Ed, we're hearing the possibility that some senators just passing on the vote instead of voting for or against her. Have you heard anything about that?
HENRY: We have not specifically heard that. It wouldn't be a surprise for some Democrats to perhaps vote present, not actually want to come out against Condoleezza Rice, but want to show almost a protest.
Because the bottom line here is, as I mentioned, a lot of Democrats, starting with Barbara Boxer and Joe Biden are saying they're not getting straightforward answers. In particular, they were zeroing in on what they see as shifting rationale for why we went to war in Iraq. Also, Joe Biden in particular zeroing in on this claim that Condoleezza Rice has repeated and also he was referring to Donald Rumsfeld has said repeatedly that we have trained 120,000 Iraqi officers. Joe Biden insists that the number is 4,000. There's obviously a big gulf there.
Now, our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr says there's a little difference in the numbers. Joe Biden may only be talking about about 4,000 officers in the Iraqi army, where as Condoleezza Rice is talking about special forces, border patrol agents. The bottom line is nobody is sure exactly how many officers have been trained. But the Democrats are frustrated. They are saying that this administration is not acknowledging mistakes in Iraq and that is another thing they've been hitting Condoleezza Rice hard on all morning -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. We will check back with you. Looking forward to the committee vote and then as you said, going to the full Senate tomorrow. Much more ahead on that. And we're going to take a break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Tonight here on CNN, we're going to have a special in- depth look at the U.S. national security called "Defending America." For three hours, our reporters and producers explore the issues that concern most Americans.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and they're also going to look at some of the important angles that you may not have thought about. Some experts from tonight's program, CNN's Thelma Gutierrez, offers a unique look at counter-terrorism right at the grassroots level.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Somewhere deep in the heartland of America...
ANNIE, CYBER SPY: You will wear the coat and you will wear it zipped up.
Let's see if you washed her face. Get your coat on.
GUTIERREZ: ... a citizen warrior starts her day.
ANNIE: There's your buddy. Have a good day.
GUTIERREZ: Call her Annie. She won't reveal her real name, her kids' faces or even where they live, because by day, this 49-year-old woman is a stay-at-home mom. But by night, her mundane life in the burbs becomes a hunt for terrorists.
ANNIE: I am getting ready to visit some Islamic extremist militant forums.
GUTIERREZ: Annie the housewife becomes Annie the cyber spy.
ANNIE: These are a few of my favorite forums.
GUTIERREZ: Trolling sites she never new existed.
ANNIE: Al Ansar, Castle Forum.
GUTIERREZ: Annie says she looks for suspicious postings and monitors live forums for ominous chatter into the wee hours of the morning.
(on camera) You don't speak Arabic? You don't read it.
ANNIE: Now, but we use software programs to translate it.
Ah, here we go.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Within minutes, Annie shows me step-by- step instructions for a suicide bomb belt and how to detonate explosives with a cell phone.
ANNIE: There's assassinations, recruiting, training.
GUTIERREZ: But Annie is mainly interested in the talk that goes on between extremist whose she says use code words and hymns to hide messages.
ANNIE: They also can insert pictures on their boards, and inside those pictures are embedded files.
GUTIERREZ: It's a sophisticated cat and mouse game. The government shuts the sites down, but they just pop up again.
ANNIE: We have several FBI contacts. We have the CIA, Secret Service.
GUTIERREZ: Annie and a half-dozen citizens from Canada to Singapore formed the group Phoenix Global Intelligence. They decipher information. Anything sensitive is turned over to authorities.
(on camera) But what if they say that they're not trained intelligence people? They don't even speak the language?
ANNIE: No. We're sort of like a global neighborhood watch program. And after 9/11, what did they tell you? Don't be afraid to call and report anything suspicious. That's what we're doing.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): The group claims cryptic electronic messages on the Internet that they intercepted warned of attacks in advance, like the explosion outside of the Al Arabyia television station in central Baghdad. Seven people were killed, 19 wounded.
ANNIE: We had intercepted messages two weeks before they were bombed.
GUTIERREZ: Taba, Egypt, terrorists attacked the Hilton Hotel last October. Thirty-four tourists die in the bloodbath.
ANNIE: There was another one that happened after we read it online.
GUTIERREZ: Riyadh City, May, 2003, cars packed with explosives detonate in three residential complexes. Thirty-five people are killed, including nine Americans.
ANNIE: There was information submitted to the FBI almost directly down to the time and location.
GUTIERREZ: We contacted the Office of Homeland Security and the FBI. Neither agency would comment on the citizen group or any tips they may have provided.
Computer security expert Clifford Neuman says private citizens can be extra eyes for the government, but they don't typically have the technology to crack codes.
PROF. CLIFFORD NEUMAN, COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERT: If you're looking at communications that are going on within a terrorist network, it is unlikely that a private citizen is going to see those communications or be able to understand those communications.
GUTIERREZ: before you write Annie and her group off as wannabe spies with too much time on their hands, one of the members, a mother from Montana did help catch a wannabe al Qaeda. She was a key witness in the government's case against a National Guardsman.
(on camera) Where was his mistake?
ANNIE: Probably posting on the Internet.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Posing as an Algerian extremist, Shannon Ross Miller exchanged e-mails with Ryan G. Anderson, a Muslim convert. In the e-mails, Anderson, part of a tank crew, promised to reveal U.S. vulnerabilities. Anderson was convicted of attempted treason and sentenced to life.
ANNIE: He responded to coming to a jihad and he didn't know he was talking to. He didn't ever stop to think, "Who is this person I'm talking to?"
GUTIERREZ: Annie says she has the perfect cover.
ANNIE: My family supports me. My mother, she's 80 and doesn't approve, of course.
GUTIERREZ: She says no one would suspect a Midwestern housewife working after-hours as a cyber spy.
Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, somewhere in the Midwest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: And be sure to tune in tonight when CNN's Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn and Aaron Brown host a primetime Security Watch special. "Defending America" begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific. And of course, we remind you to stay tuned day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
You have a piece running in that special, too, don't you?
SANCHEZ: Yes, we did a little investigative piece, traveled to a couple countries and made people think about things we were thinking about before 9/11, domestic terrorism.
KAGAN: And we'll see a bit more of that in the next hour.
SANCHEZ: That's right.
KAGAN: And a lot more ahead coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News." Live picture from Washington, D.C. Senator John Kerry having his say right now. It is round two for Condoleezza Rice. She was back before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a second day of confirmation hearings. Her testimony just wrapped up last hour. We expect a vote today on her nomination for secretary of state. We will go live to Capitol Hill in about two minutes. Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell says good-bye to his colleagues. He delivers his farewell speech to the State Department employees today. Powell said he'll be looking for opportunities to serve the public, but he says he has no plans to run for political office.
The death toll from the devastating tsunami in Asia passes another grim milestone. It's now risen to more than 212,000. That's according to CNN estimates. The increase came as Indonesia nearly doubled its death toll to more than a 166,000.
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Aired January 19, 2005 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are right at the half hour. Welcome back. I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez. Certainly a lot going on. Here's what's happening right now, in fact, in the news.
We are getting a clearer picture of the tsunami devastation in Indonesia's Aceh province that has been so much talked about. The U.N. says in some towns, more than three quarters of the people died and all houses were destroyed. The health situation is Aceh is being described as precarious still. Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of disease. The latest count shows more than 212,000 people died in 11 nations from last month's tsunami.
The Senate panel is expected to send Condoleezza Rice's nomination to the full Senate sometime today. The secretary of state nominee has suddenly been facing tough questioning this morning on U.S. policy, specifically in Iraq. Ms. Rice wouldn't estimate when some of the U.S. troops can return home, but she did promise a review of Iraq policy after this month's elections.
Rice, as you see in these live pictures, as we continue to follow the hearings for you, is expected to win Senate approval, and there may be some kind of vote sometime today; official vote tomorrow, though.
Also hearings continue today in the nomination of Michael Levitt to be secretary of Health and Human Services. Levitt is a former Utah governor and head of the EPA. Members of the Senate panel yesterday pressed Levitt for a permanent FDA commissioner. The agency has had an acting chief for months now. The FDA has come under fire recently for its drug approval process.
And potential jurors in the trial of Bernard Ebbers will fill out questionnaires today. Ebbers is accused of planning an $11 billion accounting fraud leading to the downfall of WorldCom. The bankruptcy is considered the largest ever in American business history. Opening statements in their case could begin sometime next week.
KAGAN: Let's check the pulse out there on the eve of President Bush's second term. Americans generally feeling more optimistic than they did at the start of the first term. According to a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, 52 percent of those surveyed said they expect the next four years to be above average or even outstanding. That's up from 47 percent from four years ago, but pessimism is also on the rise. The poll found 42 percent anticipate the president's second term will be below average or even poor. That is up from 36 percent in January 2001.
Political contributions may begin with the candidate's campaign, but they don't end there. In fact, the time for big donations is after the elections.
CNN's Judy Woodruff has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Who's paying for this? And this? And this? No, it's not you, the taxpayer, unless of course you want it to be.
DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: We're a nation at war, but we believe it's important that through privately raised money we ought to go forward with the inaugural festivities.
WOODRUFF: The fact is nearly after of the inaugural budget is made up from money from big business, huge companies and Wall Street rainmakers looking for an in with the administration. Under the campaign finance laws, these corporations are prohibited from giving directly to candidates, but there is no legal cap on the amount they can pump into the inaugural fund, and those who pony up likely expect a lot of bang for their buck.
None of this is new. Corporations have funneled money into the inaugurations of past presidents as well.
GEORGE BUSH SR., FMR. PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States.
WOODRUFF: But this is the first time the law requires the inaugural committee to disclose its list of donors.
THOMAS EDSALL, "WASHINGTON POST": It is an economic decision they are making. They're saying that it is worth the $250,000, $500,000, whatever, to do this, that the benefits fall into their company or their trade association are well worth that investment.
WOODRUFF: So let's follow the money. Team bush is hoping to raise $40 million for this week's official festivities. As of Friday it had nearly $30 million in its coffers. On itself Web site, the inaugural committee lists 200 donors. More than half are corporations or firms. Among those who have given $250,000, hotel giant Marriott International, Communications titan AT&T, pharmaceutical goliath Pfizer, and Time Warner, the parent company of CNN.
EDSALL: There are a whole group, a network of donors, all of which are -- almost all of which have various interests with government that they pursue, and find contributing to be a beneficial part of the process.
WOODRUFF: And we're just talking about the official events here. All this week, lobbyists and corporations are wining and dining the powerful at a slew of private parties across Washington. And for shindigs like these, reporting requirements vary, making that money trail a tough one to follow.
Judy Woodruff, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Let's talk a little bit more about this if we possibly could, more about inaugurations. Is presidential historian, or I should say -- joining us now is -- got a little ahead of myself, presidential historian and CNN analyst Barbara Kellerman from Harvard University.
Barbara Kellerman, thanks so much professor for being with us.
BARBARA KELLERMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Good morning.
SANCHEZ: I certainly appreciate it.
Let's talk about the money first, since it was such a big part of Judy's report there. When did money become such a big part of these inaugural balls and the entire inaugural process?
KELLERMAN: Well, in general, Rick, it's fair to say that with each passing inauguration, things seem to get more elaborate and more expensive, just as politics in general does. The $40 million that's being put on -- the price tag that's being put on this particular series of celebrations is high, but probably not surprising, even though some people have taken issue with the fact that this is a wartime ceremony, and so forth and so on.
But the Bush campaign, the Bush White House, and indeed many prominent Democrats, including former President Clinton, have not denied them this celebration and said it's a perfectly appropriate thing to do, even given the circumstances that we're in.
SANCHEZ: Any major differences between inaugurations the second time around? In other words, for presidents who have been re-elected as opposed to the first time they had their inaugural process?
KELLERMAN: Well, there's a particular task that second-term presidents have, and there have not been that many in American history. The most recent ones, of course, are Reagan and Clinton. There's a particular task they have. And that's on the one hand to establish a clear sense of continuity with the past. That is their own past, which they obviously can't deny. But at the same time, they need to strike something of a fresh cord, some indication of change, some indication that the next four years will be full of interesting and new programs that will not make people sort of suffer from the dreary enwe (ph) that one might think would be the case with another four years to come.
SANCHEZ: Is it important to have a moment -- I think back to JFK and "ask not what your country to do for you." I think back to Jimmy Carter and the famous Jimmy walk. That was something unexpected and kind of freaked out, if I can use that term, some of his security detail. Is it important to have a moment? KELLERMAN: Well, Rick, I think every president strives for, to use your term, a moment, whether it's somehow symbolic, as was the Carter walk, or a phrase in an inauguration speech that lives on in history. Every president would love to have such a moment. But in fact, second-term inaugural speeches, second-term inaugurations, celebrations are not historically known for such a moment. So if, in fact, this particular incumbent president is able to strike a brand new fresh cord, he will be better than some of his peers, at least in that regard.
SANCHEZ: Last time around, he was protested quite a bit. Of course it was understandable, given the closeness of the election. There is some talk that there's an expectation of some protests this time around, but how do you see it? As vehement as what we saw last time, or less?
KELLERMAN: Well, it's hard to say. This time, the issue, of course, is entirely different. The president has had -- at least he considers that he has had a very clear mandate. And certainly in comparison with four years ago, he has.
On the other hand, we're now a nation at war, and we know very well there are some people who are in deep opposition to what's going on in Iraq. In fact, we're seeing it during the Rice hearings as we speak here today.
So it's not clear whether this will be that striking. My guess is that it will not deviate particularly from the past. Don't forget I might remind you that President Nixon had protesters during his second inauguration.
So even if there are protesters out there, they are likely to be very well circumscribed, and I'm sure the Bush administration will do absolutely everything they can to not have the protesters intrude on what they consider a fair, and just and honorable celebration.
SANCHEZ: And we'll be watching it. Barbara Kellerman, our thanks for helping us out this morning from Harvard University.
KELLERMAN: Thank you, Rick.
CNN, by the way, is the place to follow all the inaugural celebrations and the special events associated with it. Keep it right here throughout the day. We will have for you continuous live coverage.
KAGAN: A lot more to do today. Still to come in this hour of CNN's LIVE TODAY, she is part of a neighborhood watch, a global neighborhood watch, a look at how this suburban mom hunts down terrorist from the comfort of her own home.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Growing up and spending most of my life in Florida, I'm probably not the right person to be doing this interview. But let me tell you what happens about this time of the year to so many people living in the United States who maybe don't live in places like San Diego or Texas or Florida. They get a little tired of the snow, they get a little tired of the cold. They decide they need a break. So we've got some advice for those people.
And Gerri Willis is here to provide. Gerri, I understand you're far, far away today. Where are you?
GERRI WILLIS, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm in Vegas, baby. And enjoying it.
SANCHEZ: Whatever happens there, stays there, by the way.
WILLIS: That's right. That's right.
SANCHEZ: Let's start with the packages. Because people, when they want to travel, the first thing they do is well, I want to get a package. Package, is that the way to go?
WILLIS: No, not necessarily, especially now. Here's what you need to know about packages. They're based on fixed airline rates. That means that when prices drop, you don't get the break. So you can save $500, $600 if you book your own airline. You definitely want to do it. One great place to go, bestfares.com. Can help you compare and find that lowest airfare out there -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Yes, you should take advantage of the fare wars, I imagine, right now. Because there's a lot going on between the air -- a lot of competition is good for us.
WILLIS: It's amazing. I mean, you really have to check this out. Southwest just extended its big sale through February 3rd, as you probably know. Delta's been slashing fares as much as 50 percent in some market places. And you know how this works, Rick, once one of these big airlines starts cutting prices, everybody does it. American, Continental, Northwest. And it's not just airfares, it's lift tickets for skiing. United and Frontier well cutting prices there.
SANCHEZ: Hey, Gerri, we're going to have to interrupt you. Hopefully we'll be able to get to you in just a little bit. We got something going on. Daryn, over to you.
WILLIS: Yes, we want to go back live to Washington, D.C. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrapping up their question and answer session with secretary of state nominee Condoleezza Rice. Our Ed Henry standing by to tell us what happens next.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again, Daryn. That's right. You see Condoleezza Rice greeting senators like Chris Dodd on the Democratic side of the aisle. But tempers have been flaring all morning. They have wrapped up the questions for today, the second day of Condoleezza Rice's confirmation hearings. Now the committee will recess for a few minutes, let Condoleezza Rice leave, then they will have a committee business meeting and they will bring her up for vote. It looks like there will only be a couple of Democrats -- certainly Democrat Barbara Boxer of California appears she's going to vote against this nomination. She again went on the attack this morning, just like she did most of yesterday, late morning, early afternoon. Joe Biden, though, the top Democrat in this committee, says he's going to vote for her, though he has reservations. John Kerry looked yesterday like he might be voting against the nomination. But just a couple of Democrats probably voting against her. She's going to get through the committee.
She'll move for a full vote by the Senate tomorrow when they come into session at 10:00 a.m., before the president is sworn in for a second term. One quick note about the tempers flaring. Just a moment ago, the top Democrat on this committee, who I mentioned, Joe Biden, point blank told Condoleezza Rice don't listen to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Biden said he quote, "he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about." It was a very tense moment. But you can see Democrats getting very frustrated. They think that they did not get straight answers from Condoleezza Rice and they have not gotten straight answers from other cabinet nominees who have come before the Senate as well -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Ed, we're hearing the possibility that some senators just passing on the vote instead of voting for or against her. Have you heard anything about that?
HENRY: We have not specifically heard that. It wouldn't be a surprise for some Democrats to perhaps vote present, not actually want to come out against Condoleezza Rice, but want to show almost a protest.
Because the bottom line here is, as I mentioned, a lot of Democrats, starting with Barbara Boxer and Joe Biden are saying they're not getting straightforward answers. In particular, they were zeroing in on what they see as shifting rationale for why we went to war in Iraq. Also, Joe Biden in particular zeroing in on this claim that Condoleezza Rice has repeated and also he was referring to Donald Rumsfeld has said repeatedly that we have trained 120,000 Iraqi officers. Joe Biden insists that the number is 4,000. There's obviously a big gulf there.
Now, our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr says there's a little difference in the numbers. Joe Biden may only be talking about about 4,000 officers in the Iraqi army, where as Condoleezza Rice is talking about special forces, border patrol agents. The bottom line is nobody is sure exactly how many officers have been trained. But the Democrats are frustrated. They are saying that this administration is not acknowledging mistakes in Iraq and that is another thing they've been hitting Condoleezza Rice hard on all morning -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. We will check back with you. Looking forward to the committee vote and then as you said, going to the full Senate tomorrow. Much more ahead on that. And we're going to take a break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Tonight here on CNN, we're going to have a special in- depth look at the U.S. national security called "Defending America." For three hours, our reporters and producers explore the issues that concern most Americans.
SANCHEZ: Yes, and they're also going to look at some of the important angles that you may not have thought about. Some experts from tonight's program, CNN's Thelma Gutierrez, offers a unique look at counter-terrorism right at the grassroots level.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Somewhere deep in the heartland of America...
ANNIE, CYBER SPY: You will wear the coat and you will wear it zipped up.
Let's see if you washed her face. Get your coat on.
GUTIERREZ: ... a citizen warrior starts her day.
ANNIE: There's your buddy. Have a good day.
GUTIERREZ: Call her Annie. She won't reveal her real name, her kids' faces or even where they live, because by day, this 49-year-old woman is a stay-at-home mom. But by night, her mundane life in the burbs becomes a hunt for terrorists.
ANNIE: I am getting ready to visit some Islamic extremist militant forums.
GUTIERREZ: Annie the housewife becomes Annie the cyber spy.
ANNIE: These are a few of my favorite forums.
GUTIERREZ: Trolling sites she never new existed.
ANNIE: Al Ansar, Castle Forum.
GUTIERREZ: Annie says she looks for suspicious postings and monitors live forums for ominous chatter into the wee hours of the morning.
(on camera) You don't speak Arabic? You don't read it.
ANNIE: Now, but we use software programs to translate it.
Ah, here we go.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Within minutes, Annie shows me step-by- step instructions for a suicide bomb belt and how to detonate explosives with a cell phone.
ANNIE: There's assassinations, recruiting, training.
GUTIERREZ: But Annie is mainly interested in the talk that goes on between extremist whose she says use code words and hymns to hide messages.
ANNIE: They also can insert pictures on their boards, and inside those pictures are embedded files.
GUTIERREZ: It's a sophisticated cat and mouse game. The government shuts the sites down, but they just pop up again.
ANNIE: We have several FBI contacts. We have the CIA, Secret Service.
GUTIERREZ: Annie and a half-dozen citizens from Canada to Singapore formed the group Phoenix Global Intelligence. They decipher information. Anything sensitive is turned over to authorities.
(on camera) But what if they say that they're not trained intelligence people? They don't even speak the language?
ANNIE: No. We're sort of like a global neighborhood watch program. And after 9/11, what did they tell you? Don't be afraid to call and report anything suspicious. That's what we're doing.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): The group claims cryptic electronic messages on the Internet that they intercepted warned of attacks in advance, like the explosion outside of the Al Arabyia television station in central Baghdad. Seven people were killed, 19 wounded.
ANNIE: We had intercepted messages two weeks before they were bombed.
GUTIERREZ: Taba, Egypt, terrorists attacked the Hilton Hotel last October. Thirty-four tourists die in the bloodbath.
ANNIE: There was another one that happened after we read it online.
GUTIERREZ: Riyadh City, May, 2003, cars packed with explosives detonate in three residential complexes. Thirty-five people are killed, including nine Americans.
ANNIE: There was information submitted to the FBI almost directly down to the time and location.
GUTIERREZ: We contacted the Office of Homeland Security and the FBI. Neither agency would comment on the citizen group or any tips they may have provided.
Computer security expert Clifford Neuman says private citizens can be extra eyes for the government, but they don't typically have the technology to crack codes.
PROF. CLIFFORD NEUMAN, COMPUTER SECURITY EXPERT: If you're looking at communications that are going on within a terrorist network, it is unlikely that a private citizen is going to see those communications or be able to understand those communications.
GUTIERREZ: before you write Annie and her group off as wannabe spies with too much time on their hands, one of the members, a mother from Montana did help catch a wannabe al Qaeda. She was a key witness in the government's case against a National Guardsman.
(on camera) Where was his mistake?
ANNIE: Probably posting on the Internet.
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Posing as an Algerian extremist, Shannon Ross Miller exchanged e-mails with Ryan G. Anderson, a Muslim convert. In the e-mails, Anderson, part of a tank crew, promised to reveal U.S. vulnerabilities. Anderson was convicted of attempted treason and sentenced to life.
ANNIE: He responded to coming to a jihad and he didn't know he was talking to. He didn't ever stop to think, "Who is this person I'm talking to?"
GUTIERREZ: Annie says she has the perfect cover.
ANNIE: My family supports me. My mother, she's 80 and doesn't approve, of course.
GUTIERREZ: She says no one would suspect a Midwestern housewife working after-hours as a cyber spy.
Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, somewhere in the Midwest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: And be sure to tune in tonight when CNN's Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn and Aaron Brown host a primetime Security Watch special. "Defending America" begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 p.m. Pacific. And of course, we remind you to stay tuned day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
You have a piece running in that special, too, don't you?
SANCHEZ: Yes, we did a little investigative piece, traveled to a couple countries and made people think about things we were thinking about before 9/11, domestic terrorism.
KAGAN: And we'll see a bit more of that in the next hour.
SANCHEZ: That's right.
KAGAN: And a lot more ahead coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News." Live picture from Washington, D.C. Senator John Kerry having his say right now. It is round two for Condoleezza Rice. She was back before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a second day of confirmation hearings. Her testimony just wrapped up last hour. We expect a vote today on her nomination for secretary of state. We will go live to Capitol Hill in about two minutes. Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell says good-bye to his colleagues. He delivers his farewell speech to the State Department employees today. Powell said he'll be looking for opportunities to serve the public, but he says he has no plans to run for political office.
The death toll from the devastating tsunami in Asia passes another grim milestone. It's now risen to more than 212,000. That's according to CNN estimates. The increase came as Indonesia nearly doubled its death toll to more than a 166,000.
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