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CNN Live Today
Bush Submits 2006 Fiscal Budget to Congress; Rice Secures Future Palestinian and Israel Meeting at White House; Patriots Win Super Bowl
Aired February 07, 2005 - 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.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR: Here's what's happening right now in the news.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush's new spending plan is coming out right now. The purse strings are tight for this 2006 fiscal year budget. One hundred fifty programs have been targeted for major cut backs or elimination. But there is more funding for Defense and Homeland Security in the $2.5 trillion budget. We have some more details in a live report that is just ahead.
In the meantime, a three-hour hostage situation at the Spanish Consulate in Switzerland has ended. A Spanish official says three attackers beat a security guard and took two consulate employees hostage. The three workers had been taken out of the building, but there is no word about where the hostage takers are. Authorities don't believe the incident is a terror-related one.
Doctors at a Rome hospital have decided Pope John Paul II needs to stay there a few more days. Now, today's statement from the Vatican says the pontiff's health continues to improve. The pope made a brief appearance from a window on Sunday, giving a blessing. And as you recall, he was taken to the hospital last Tuesday with breathing problems.
Three times is a charm for the New England Patriots. The Pats beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in last night's Super Bowl, sparking celebrations from the field in Jacksonville to homes all across New England. It is the Patriots' third Super Bowl win in four years. And we will have a live report this hour.
Well, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, sitting in for Daryn Kagan today.
SANCHEZ: I'm Rick Sanchez.
And at this hour, President Bush is releasing his budget. And the White House says this is the leanest of his presidency. Here's the question, though. As a lot of people will be framing this argument, is it lean as the White House is saying? Or is it mean, as you'll hear many others, including many Democrats say?
It's $2.5 trillion budget. It's going to face a lot of opposition from both parties on Capitol Hill. It targets some 150 programs from downsizing or actually, downright elimination in many cases. It's a bare bones nature of the spending plan. It's in keeping with President Bush's vow to cut in half the nation's $427 billion deficit.
Let's try and take it apart for you now. Here's CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry. He's on Capitol Hill following this latest news.
Ed, over to you.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick. That's right, some of these cuts will have such a deep impact on people all across the country, that they're never going to see the light of day. These cuts will end up getting blocked right here on Capitol Hill, where the budget was formally presented this morning by President Bush's staff sent up to Capitol Hill.
It's important to remember that while President Bush's budget is coming out, it's just a proposal a blueprint. The details actually have to be implemented by members of Congress and both parties.
And you're going to see a lot of people on both sides of aisle already saying some of these cuts are dead on arrival. And here's why. They will affect people all across the country, some our viewers across the nation. Specifically, schools. Out of the 150 federal programs that are being targeted that you mentioned, one-third of those program affect education spending. That's going to be something that Democrats will be harping on today and for the next few weeks.
Also health spending. Medicaid in particular will be facing a lot of cuts. That's health care for the poor. Democrats also zeroing in on cuts affecting veterans, affecting environmental programs, also affecting Amtrak. Amtrak is going to see a loss in its subsidy. It's going to see a loss of over $200 million in railroad rehabilitation. So anybody who uses rail transportation is going to see a real impact across the country.
And what Democrats are saying is that they see the Pentagon budget soaring to some $419 billion per year at the same time. And they say while they realize we're at war right now, and the Pentagon needs to be well funded, there also needs here at home. Some Republicans agree with that.
But other Republicans, like Senator John Cornyn said this morning that at a time of war and a time of deep budget deficits, the president is making the right decision to start reining in the federal purse strings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (D), BUDGET COMMITTEE: It is the constitutional responsibility of Congress to pass a budge, and then to appropriate the funds to run the federal government. And we will take that seriously. But I think it does send a very good message that we're going to show some restraint on federal spending. Because obviously, given the expenses of our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the deficit; which we are in the process of shrinking by half; according to the president's instructions in the next five years, we've got to be physically more responsible than we have been in the past. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: The big political question now is going to be, how this budget affects the rest of President Bush's second term agenda here on Capitol Hill. Sense we've already seen reports and estimates that the transition costs for Social Security reform, the transition to private accounts could cost some $2 trillion with all of this talk now in this budget about cuts, about deficits.
They're going to be a lot of questions raised by people in both parties about whether or not Social Security reform is something we can afford right now -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry following that story for us.
And we should let you know at this point that we're going to be giving you a glimpse into something somewhat new. In about 15 minutes, President Bush is going to be holding a meeting with members of his new cabinet.
CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is at her post. She's going to be joining us and following up on that for us in just a little bit.
Betty, over to you.
NGUYEN: Turning from Washington to the Middle East, and the revitalized diplomacy linking the two. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met this morning with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Their West Bank gathering comes on the eve of Abbas' major summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
CNN's Guy Raz is in the West Bank town of Ramallah where he filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice couldn't have chosen a more critical moment to visit this region. A fragile and delicate period of calm has been established between Israelis and Palestinians. And Miss Rice called this a momentous opportunity, perhaps a period to revive the peace process.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: This is the most promising moment for progress between Palestinians and Israelis in recent years. Over the past two days, I have had intensive and productive discussions with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Based on those discussions and on our ongoing efforts with both parties, I depart the region confident of the success of the meeting tomorrow between President Abbas and Prime Minister Sharon.
RAZ: The secretary of state made two very important announcements. The first is the appointment of Lieutenant General William Ward, who will serve as the U.S. security coordinator here in the region. Now, Mr. Ward will be in charge of making sure that both Israelis and Palestinians continue to coordinate security matters, and also live up to their end of the bargains. On the Palestinian side Mr. Ward will help bolster Palestinian security forces. He'll also be here to make sure that Israeli defense forces, Israeli Armed Forces, continue to withdraw from Palestinian population centers.
At the same time, Condoleezza Rice announced an active U.S. re- engagement in the peace process. A new renewed U.S. commitment to take a very active role in the process. In fact, Condoleezza Rice made a personal pledge that she, herself, will come to the region as much as possible in order to keep the two sides talking.
Now, Palestinian leaders will certainly welcome this news. Palestinian officials have long sought U.S. involvement, active U.S. engagement in the process, believing that it would fail without any U.S. involvement. The Israeli government long preferred bilateral talks, direct negotiations with Palestinian officials.
But ultimately, both sides know that Condoleezza Rice is coming here on a mission from the White House. Essentially not only to show the White House's renewed commitment in the process but also to show the Bush administration's confidence in the new Palestinian leadership.
Guy Raz, CNN, Ramallah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Following up on that story with a look at Iran. Secretary Rice also used the Middle East as her stage to address some of the rising tensions in Iran. She says that now it's diplomacy rather than military action. That's the preferred way to prevent Iran from developing any nuclear weapons.
Now that, interestingly enough, drew this terse reply from former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rofsanjani. He says, "The United States would not dare to attack us. And we've got used to this nonsense," he goes on to say. "Miss Rice," he continues, "is a bit emotional but talks tough. And She cannot be tough herself." Direct quote.
NGUYEN: Now, the fight for Iraq and the country's bloodiest day since national elections were held eight days ago. A suicide bomber struck outside a Mosul hospital this morning, killing 12 police officers and wounding at least four others. The bomber apparently targeted the site because it's a temporary police station once used as a recruitment center.
This mangled wreckage is all that remains of a car bomb that exploded outside another police station; this one in Baquba. A U.S. military commander tells CNN that 15 civilians were killed and 16 others wounded.
And CNN has learned that insurgents launched two unsuccessful attempts this weekend to shoot down U.S. military aircraft. Military sources say Friday's incident involved a C-130 aircraft that fired decoy flares to escape a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. The other took place yesterday when a C-17 was targeted by small arms fire, but not hit during takeoff from Baghdad International Airport.
SANCHEZ: This has no doubt been one of the nation's best-kept secrets for what? Some 30 years now. Who was the man who helped reveal the Watergate scandal? Still to come, the man named deep throat may soon be revealed. We're going to tell you why.
Also, Harry Smith standing by with Super Bowl stuff.
What you got, Larry?
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, coming up, once again Patriots are champions of the Super Bowl. But I'll tell you the one word they refuse to say the morning after.
NGUYEN: Hmm. And in watching the big game send you scrambling in search of a big screen? Before you head out to that electronic store, we have tips to help you make your purchase.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: That's the end of the big game. And can you believe that after this game a lot of folks in New England were just kind of yawning? No big groups, small groups of fans only. They took to the streets in Boston last night to celebrate the Patriots' other Super Bowl win, as if to say been here, done that. The final: New England 24, Philadelphia, 2.
About a thousand police officers were patrolling to make sure the scene wasn't too rowdy. It wasn't. Two people died in separate post- season celebrations in Boston last year. The streets will be more crowds tomorrow, though, when the city hosts an organized parade for the players and the coaches.
Now, the Patriots, you can say did just enough to win their third Super Bowl in four years. Can you say dynasty? They performed methodically with a well-executed game plan. They seemed to have a smothering defense as well, according to most of the people who were watching the game. The Patriots limited the Eagles to only 45 yards on the ground. The intercepted Jonathan McNabb three times. They sacked him four times.
Heck, here's CNN's Larry Smith. He's joining us Jacksonville. He saw it and he's got his take as well.
Larry, what did you think?
SMITH: Well, I'll tell you what, they're just -- they're a phenomenal team. And you know, the fans up in Boston, you know World Series title, a couple of Super Bowl wins, yes you know, we're the city of champions right now. It's becoming old hat for them.
But you know, when you consider how the NFL is set up these days, you really begin to appreciate what the Patriots have accomplished. Keep in mind, parody is alive in well in the NFL. One-third of the league, 11 teams have reached the Super Bowl in the last seven years. And yet only New England has come away with multiple championship rings.
Last nights 24-21 win made Philadelphia the ninth consecutive victim of this juggernaut. Back-to-back Super Bowl titles, three Super Bowl victories in four years, and yet this Patriots team still will not call itself a dynasty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, QUARTERBACK, PATRIOTS: I never say we're the craps and you guys say we're the craps sometimes.
(LAUGHTER)
BRADY: And so I'm not going to say we're good. If you guys think that we're great then you know, we accept the compliments but we still work pretty hard.
MATT LIGHT, OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, PATRIOTS: I haven't watched football long enough in my lifetime to, you know, tell you where we rank in all of the other former Super Bowls, or Super Bowl teams, or winning teams. I have no idea where we rank in that. All I know is this group of guys deserves this championship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Well, New England head coach bill Bilchik is called a genius. He is now 9 and 1 in the post season. That ties the legendary offense Vince Lombardi for the best playoff record in all time among NFL head coach.
But the challenge will begin next year. He loses his top two assistants to head coaching jobs elsewhere, but still a very young nucleus to work with. Last night's MVP, wide receiver Deion Branch is only 25 years old. And Tom Brady, just 27 years old, four years as a starter. Already now three Super Bowl championships. This team outstanding. And the way they played again, as a team, not individually.
Let's go back to you.
SANCHEZ: All right. Good job. We appreciate that. We'll certainly be checking back with you a little later -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Well, there are no Super Bowl security snafus reported, although a small plane was diverted after violating restricted airspace. And a man who has crashed more than 30 Super Bowls without a ticket was arrested by a sharp-eyed officer.
Federal, state, local agencies kept a close eye on security inside and outside Alltel Stadium. CNN had exclusive entry into two command posts. And we'll get the behind the scenes look in a report from national correspondent Susan Candiotti. That is coming up in our next hour. SANCHEZ: He is the anonymous source who helped bring down an administration. Still to come, it's a 30-year mystery surrounding the man who whispered Watergate secrets. He may soon be uncovered. Talking, of course, about Deep Throat. And that fellow who you just saw right there says he knows who it is.
NGUYEN: But this lady, Gerri Willis is going to join us with "Top Five Tips."
Hey, Gerri.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey there. When it comes to buying a TV set, more and more people are saying super size mine. We'll tell you how to buy a big screen TV when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. Perhaps you watched the Super Bowl on a friend's big screen television. Now you are salivating over buying your own. Before you plunk down your money or go to a retailer for some financing, just stop right there. You need to listen to today's "Top Five Tips" from CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis who joins us now.
Good morning to you, Gerri.
WILLIS: hey there, Betty. Good to see you. Tip No. 1 here, one size does not fit all. If you're buying one of the big screen TVs, you may think well, I'll buy the biggest one I can afford.
NGUYEN: Why not?
WILLIS: Well, you've got to pay tension to how big the room is that you're putting that TV set in.
NGUYEN: So you're telling me there is such a thing as a television that's just too big? Really, Gerri?
WILLIS: Oh, you bet. You bet you can overbuy. Here's the rule of thumb. You want the distance from your viewing point to the TV screen to be three to four times the screen height. Now, for most people that means you're going to be sitting eight to 11 feet way from the TV set, not right on top of it.
NGUYEN: I see. OK. When it comes to televisions there are plasmas, LCDs, all kinds of different televisions out there, DLP's. I could go on and on. How do you know which one will give you the best picture? And here's the kicker; it's going to last the longest, because there are concerns over plasmas burning out too quickly.
WILLIS: You bet. You've got to read up, definitely. It's so complicated the number of types and TVs out there. "Consumer Reports" has an online guide that's really helpful on this matter, gives you lots of details. But if you've been doing a little research already, you probably know those prices have gone up pretty dramatically, 22 percent since 2001.
Here's the good news. They're expected to come down this year. So that would be a good thing. Still in all, you're probably going to pay $5,000 for your big screen TV.
NGUYEN: Oh, they're coming down this year. Can you tell us when, because I really want a big screen?
WILLIS: If I knew when I wouldn't be doing this job.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: I go you. All right. Well, maybe you can tell us this. Where's the best place to shop for a big screen television?
WILLIS: Well, you might want to think about shopping online. And here's why. Some of those bricks and mortar stores may not have the TV you actually want. But if you shop online you can definitely get it. There are other good things as well, shopping online. You can get free shipping, which is a very big deal with these heavy TV sets. And some of the retailers are offering incentives now. Best Buy has a free DVD player to people buying one of the big, oversized TV sets. So think about that.
NGUYEN: So would you suggest going to the brick and mortar just to look at it and see it in its physical form, and then shopping online for the best deal?
WILLIS: You bet. You bet. And you definitely want to think about figuring your financing here. I said they're going to cost at least $5,000. That's a lot of money. So many people out there, they want to tap their home equity to buy one of these things. I say downsize if you can't afford it out of cash. Or at the very least put it on a low-interest rate credit card. But be careful because people overbuy and then you pay for this TV set for years and years, and years.
NGUYEN: Mm-hmm. And speaking of over buying, there's all types of bells and whistles that can come along with it. And you say go ahead. Go with those bells and whistles. Why is that?
WILLIS: Well, Betty, normally we wouldn't say this, but you know these things are so complicated. Anything could go wrong. You definitely want an extended warranty with these things and some professional installation. You need help with this. This is a complicated piece of machinery, a piece of equipment. You want make sure it gets up stalled right. And let's be realistic here; you want to make sure the remote work. Right? So you need somebody in your house to explain how it works.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Money well invested. Gerri Willis, thank you for your time and your tips as always. WILLIS: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: And so it doesn't break when it drops after you fight with somebody else in the house.
NGUYEN: For the remote.
SANCHEZ: Give me that thing.
Well, you know, there have been all sorts of predictions and guesses on the subject, but a fascination that America's had over this. Nothing has ever really been confirmed, though.
NGUYEN: Could we soon learn though, the identity of the secret source who helped bring down President Nixon? We'll take a closer look at some new information that is just ahead.
SANCHEZ: Also, a delay in Michael Jackson's jury selection. We're going to tell you why. That's story just ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back, everybody. We're just about at the midway point in the hour. I'm Rick Sanchez.
NGUYEN: I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Daryn Kagan.
A car bomb exploded this morning outside a police station in the rocky town of Baquba. Two hundred recruits had gathered inside, but none was injured. Now, outside officials say at least 15 civilians were killed and 16 wounded. And a suicide bomber targeted a temporary police station in Mosul, 12 police officers were killed there.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is finishing the Middle East leg of her trip with renewed confidence in the peace process. Rice met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas this morning just before his summit tomorrow with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon. She says the two men have accepted invitations to the White House.
Pope John Paul II will remain hospitalized for a few more days. The pope appeared at his Rome hospital window and delivered a brief blessing to the crowd. Meanwhile, the Vatican says the 84-year-old pontiff is improving from the flu and respiratory illness that caused him to be rushed to the hospital last week.
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Aired February 7, 2005 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR: Here's what's happening right now in the news.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush's new spending plan is coming out right now. The purse strings are tight for this 2006 fiscal year budget. One hundred fifty programs have been targeted for major cut backs or elimination. But there is more funding for Defense and Homeland Security in the $2.5 trillion budget. We have some more details in a live report that is just ahead.
In the meantime, a three-hour hostage situation at the Spanish Consulate in Switzerland has ended. A Spanish official says three attackers beat a security guard and took two consulate employees hostage. The three workers had been taken out of the building, but there is no word about where the hostage takers are. Authorities don't believe the incident is a terror-related one.
Doctors at a Rome hospital have decided Pope John Paul II needs to stay there a few more days. Now, today's statement from the Vatican says the pontiff's health continues to improve. The pope made a brief appearance from a window on Sunday, giving a blessing. And as you recall, he was taken to the hospital last Tuesday with breathing problems.
Three times is a charm for the New England Patriots. The Pats beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in last night's Super Bowl, sparking celebrations from the field in Jacksonville to homes all across New England. It is the Patriots' third Super Bowl win in four years. And we will have a live report this hour.
Well, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, sitting in for Daryn Kagan today.
SANCHEZ: I'm Rick Sanchez.
And at this hour, President Bush is releasing his budget. And the White House says this is the leanest of his presidency. Here's the question, though. As a lot of people will be framing this argument, is it lean as the White House is saying? Or is it mean, as you'll hear many others, including many Democrats say?
It's $2.5 trillion budget. It's going to face a lot of opposition from both parties on Capitol Hill. It targets some 150 programs from downsizing or actually, downright elimination in many cases. It's a bare bones nature of the spending plan. It's in keeping with President Bush's vow to cut in half the nation's $427 billion deficit.
Let's try and take it apart for you now. Here's CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry. He's on Capitol Hill following this latest news.
Ed, over to you.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick. That's right, some of these cuts will have such a deep impact on people all across the country, that they're never going to see the light of day. These cuts will end up getting blocked right here on Capitol Hill, where the budget was formally presented this morning by President Bush's staff sent up to Capitol Hill.
It's important to remember that while President Bush's budget is coming out, it's just a proposal a blueprint. The details actually have to be implemented by members of Congress and both parties.
And you're going to see a lot of people on both sides of aisle already saying some of these cuts are dead on arrival. And here's why. They will affect people all across the country, some our viewers across the nation. Specifically, schools. Out of the 150 federal programs that are being targeted that you mentioned, one-third of those program affect education spending. That's going to be something that Democrats will be harping on today and for the next few weeks.
Also health spending. Medicaid in particular will be facing a lot of cuts. That's health care for the poor. Democrats also zeroing in on cuts affecting veterans, affecting environmental programs, also affecting Amtrak. Amtrak is going to see a loss in its subsidy. It's going to see a loss of over $200 million in railroad rehabilitation. So anybody who uses rail transportation is going to see a real impact across the country.
And what Democrats are saying is that they see the Pentagon budget soaring to some $419 billion per year at the same time. And they say while they realize we're at war right now, and the Pentagon needs to be well funded, there also needs here at home. Some Republicans agree with that.
But other Republicans, like Senator John Cornyn said this morning that at a time of war and a time of deep budget deficits, the president is making the right decision to start reining in the federal purse strings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (D), BUDGET COMMITTEE: It is the constitutional responsibility of Congress to pass a budge, and then to appropriate the funds to run the federal government. And we will take that seriously. But I think it does send a very good message that we're going to show some restraint on federal spending. Because obviously, given the expenses of our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the deficit; which we are in the process of shrinking by half; according to the president's instructions in the next five years, we've got to be physically more responsible than we have been in the past. (END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: The big political question now is going to be, how this budget affects the rest of President Bush's second term agenda here on Capitol Hill. Sense we've already seen reports and estimates that the transition costs for Social Security reform, the transition to private accounts could cost some $2 trillion with all of this talk now in this budget about cuts, about deficits.
They're going to be a lot of questions raised by people in both parties about whether or not Social Security reform is something we can afford right now -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry following that story for us.
And we should let you know at this point that we're going to be giving you a glimpse into something somewhat new. In about 15 minutes, President Bush is going to be holding a meeting with members of his new cabinet.
CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is at her post. She's going to be joining us and following up on that for us in just a little bit.
Betty, over to you.
NGUYEN: Turning from Washington to the Middle East, and the revitalized diplomacy linking the two. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met this morning with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Their West Bank gathering comes on the eve of Abbas' major summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
CNN's Guy Raz is in the West Bank town of Ramallah where he filed this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice couldn't have chosen a more critical moment to visit this region. A fragile and delicate period of calm has been established between Israelis and Palestinians. And Miss Rice called this a momentous opportunity, perhaps a period to revive the peace process.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: This is the most promising moment for progress between Palestinians and Israelis in recent years. Over the past two days, I have had intensive and productive discussions with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Based on those discussions and on our ongoing efforts with both parties, I depart the region confident of the success of the meeting tomorrow between President Abbas and Prime Minister Sharon.
RAZ: The secretary of state made two very important announcements. The first is the appointment of Lieutenant General William Ward, who will serve as the U.S. security coordinator here in the region. Now, Mr. Ward will be in charge of making sure that both Israelis and Palestinians continue to coordinate security matters, and also live up to their end of the bargains. On the Palestinian side Mr. Ward will help bolster Palestinian security forces. He'll also be here to make sure that Israeli defense forces, Israeli Armed Forces, continue to withdraw from Palestinian population centers.
At the same time, Condoleezza Rice announced an active U.S. re- engagement in the peace process. A new renewed U.S. commitment to take a very active role in the process. In fact, Condoleezza Rice made a personal pledge that she, herself, will come to the region as much as possible in order to keep the two sides talking.
Now, Palestinian leaders will certainly welcome this news. Palestinian officials have long sought U.S. involvement, active U.S. engagement in the process, believing that it would fail without any U.S. involvement. The Israeli government long preferred bilateral talks, direct negotiations with Palestinian officials.
But ultimately, both sides know that Condoleezza Rice is coming here on a mission from the White House. Essentially not only to show the White House's renewed commitment in the process but also to show the Bush administration's confidence in the new Palestinian leadership.
Guy Raz, CNN, Ramallah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Following up on that story with a look at Iran. Secretary Rice also used the Middle East as her stage to address some of the rising tensions in Iran. She says that now it's diplomacy rather than military action. That's the preferred way to prevent Iran from developing any nuclear weapons.
Now that, interestingly enough, drew this terse reply from former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rofsanjani. He says, "The United States would not dare to attack us. And we've got used to this nonsense," he goes on to say. "Miss Rice," he continues, "is a bit emotional but talks tough. And She cannot be tough herself." Direct quote.
NGUYEN: Now, the fight for Iraq and the country's bloodiest day since national elections were held eight days ago. A suicide bomber struck outside a Mosul hospital this morning, killing 12 police officers and wounding at least four others. The bomber apparently targeted the site because it's a temporary police station once used as a recruitment center.
This mangled wreckage is all that remains of a car bomb that exploded outside another police station; this one in Baquba. A U.S. military commander tells CNN that 15 civilians were killed and 16 others wounded.
And CNN has learned that insurgents launched two unsuccessful attempts this weekend to shoot down U.S. military aircraft. Military sources say Friday's incident involved a C-130 aircraft that fired decoy flares to escape a shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile. The other took place yesterday when a C-17 was targeted by small arms fire, but not hit during takeoff from Baghdad International Airport.
SANCHEZ: This has no doubt been one of the nation's best-kept secrets for what? Some 30 years now. Who was the man who helped reveal the Watergate scandal? Still to come, the man named deep throat may soon be revealed. We're going to tell you why.
Also, Harry Smith standing by with Super Bowl stuff.
What you got, Larry?
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, coming up, once again Patriots are champions of the Super Bowl. But I'll tell you the one word they refuse to say the morning after.
NGUYEN: Hmm. And in watching the big game send you scrambling in search of a big screen? Before you head out to that electronic store, we have tips to help you make your purchase.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: That's the end of the big game. And can you believe that after this game a lot of folks in New England were just kind of yawning? No big groups, small groups of fans only. They took to the streets in Boston last night to celebrate the Patriots' other Super Bowl win, as if to say been here, done that. The final: New England 24, Philadelphia, 2.
About a thousand police officers were patrolling to make sure the scene wasn't too rowdy. It wasn't. Two people died in separate post- season celebrations in Boston last year. The streets will be more crowds tomorrow, though, when the city hosts an organized parade for the players and the coaches.
Now, the Patriots, you can say did just enough to win their third Super Bowl in four years. Can you say dynasty? They performed methodically with a well-executed game plan. They seemed to have a smothering defense as well, according to most of the people who were watching the game. The Patriots limited the Eagles to only 45 yards on the ground. The intercepted Jonathan McNabb three times. They sacked him four times.
Heck, here's CNN's Larry Smith. He's joining us Jacksonville. He saw it and he's got his take as well.
Larry, what did you think?
SMITH: Well, I'll tell you what, they're just -- they're a phenomenal team. And you know, the fans up in Boston, you know World Series title, a couple of Super Bowl wins, yes you know, we're the city of champions right now. It's becoming old hat for them.
But you know, when you consider how the NFL is set up these days, you really begin to appreciate what the Patriots have accomplished. Keep in mind, parody is alive in well in the NFL. One-third of the league, 11 teams have reached the Super Bowl in the last seven years. And yet only New England has come away with multiple championship rings.
Last nights 24-21 win made Philadelphia the ninth consecutive victim of this juggernaut. Back-to-back Super Bowl titles, three Super Bowl victories in four years, and yet this Patriots team still will not call itself a dynasty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADY, QUARTERBACK, PATRIOTS: I never say we're the craps and you guys say we're the craps sometimes.
(LAUGHTER)
BRADY: And so I'm not going to say we're good. If you guys think that we're great then you know, we accept the compliments but we still work pretty hard.
MATT LIGHT, OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, PATRIOTS: I haven't watched football long enough in my lifetime to, you know, tell you where we rank in all of the other former Super Bowls, or Super Bowl teams, or winning teams. I have no idea where we rank in that. All I know is this group of guys deserves this championship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Well, New England head coach bill Bilchik is called a genius. He is now 9 and 1 in the post season. That ties the legendary offense Vince Lombardi for the best playoff record in all time among NFL head coach.
But the challenge will begin next year. He loses his top two assistants to head coaching jobs elsewhere, but still a very young nucleus to work with. Last night's MVP, wide receiver Deion Branch is only 25 years old. And Tom Brady, just 27 years old, four years as a starter. Already now three Super Bowl championships. This team outstanding. And the way they played again, as a team, not individually.
Let's go back to you.
SANCHEZ: All right. Good job. We appreciate that. We'll certainly be checking back with you a little later -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Well, there are no Super Bowl security snafus reported, although a small plane was diverted after violating restricted airspace. And a man who has crashed more than 30 Super Bowls without a ticket was arrested by a sharp-eyed officer.
Federal, state, local agencies kept a close eye on security inside and outside Alltel Stadium. CNN had exclusive entry into two command posts. And we'll get the behind the scenes look in a report from national correspondent Susan Candiotti. That is coming up in our next hour. SANCHEZ: He is the anonymous source who helped bring down an administration. Still to come, it's a 30-year mystery surrounding the man who whispered Watergate secrets. He may soon be uncovered. Talking, of course, about Deep Throat. And that fellow who you just saw right there says he knows who it is.
NGUYEN: But this lady, Gerri Willis is going to join us with "Top Five Tips."
Hey, Gerri.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey there. When it comes to buying a TV set, more and more people are saying super size mine. We'll tell you how to buy a big screen TV when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. Perhaps you watched the Super Bowl on a friend's big screen television. Now you are salivating over buying your own. Before you plunk down your money or go to a retailer for some financing, just stop right there. You need to listen to today's "Top Five Tips" from CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis who joins us now.
Good morning to you, Gerri.
WILLIS: hey there, Betty. Good to see you. Tip No. 1 here, one size does not fit all. If you're buying one of the big screen TVs, you may think well, I'll buy the biggest one I can afford.
NGUYEN: Why not?
WILLIS: Well, you've got to pay tension to how big the room is that you're putting that TV set in.
NGUYEN: So you're telling me there is such a thing as a television that's just too big? Really, Gerri?
WILLIS: Oh, you bet. You bet you can overbuy. Here's the rule of thumb. You want the distance from your viewing point to the TV screen to be three to four times the screen height. Now, for most people that means you're going to be sitting eight to 11 feet way from the TV set, not right on top of it.
NGUYEN: I see. OK. When it comes to televisions there are plasmas, LCDs, all kinds of different televisions out there, DLP's. I could go on and on. How do you know which one will give you the best picture? And here's the kicker; it's going to last the longest, because there are concerns over plasmas burning out too quickly.
WILLIS: You bet. You've got to read up, definitely. It's so complicated the number of types and TVs out there. "Consumer Reports" has an online guide that's really helpful on this matter, gives you lots of details. But if you've been doing a little research already, you probably know those prices have gone up pretty dramatically, 22 percent since 2001.
Here's the good news. They're expected to come down this year. So that would be a good thing. Still in all, you're probably going to pay $5,000 for your big screen TV.
NGUYEN: Oh, they're coming down this year. Can you tell us when, because I really want a big screen?
WILLIS: If I knew when I wouldn't be doing this job.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: I go you. All right. Well, maybe you can tell us this. Where's the best place to shop for a big screen television?
WILLIS: Well, you might want to think about shopping online. And here's why. Some of those bricks and mortar stores may not have the TV you actually want. But if you shop online you can definitely get it. There are other good things as well, shopping online. You can get free shipping, which is a very big deal with these heavy TV sets. And some of the retailers are offering incentives now. Best Buy has a free DVD player to people buying one of the big, oversized TV sets. So think about that.
NGUYEN: So would you suggest going to the brick and mortar just to look at it and see it in its physical form, and then shopping online for the best deal?
WILLIS: You bet. You bet. And you definitely want to think about figuring your financing here. I said they're going to cost at least $5,000. That's a lot of money. So many people out there, they want to tap their home equity to buy one of these things. I say downsize if you can't afford it out of cash. Or at the very least put it on a low-interest rate credit card. But be careful because people overbuy and then you pay for this TV set for years and years, and years.
NGUYEN: Mm-hmm. And speaking of over buying, there's all types of bells and whistles that can come along with it. And you say go ahead. Go with those bells and whistles. Why is that?
WILLIS: Well, Betty, normally we wouldn't say this, but you know these things are so complicated. Anything could go wrong. You definitely want an extended warranty with these things and some professional installation. You need help with this. This is a complicated piece of machinery, a piece of equipment. You want make sure it gets up stalled right. And let's be realistic here; you want to make sure the remote work. Right? So you need somebody in your house to explain how it works.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: Money well invested. Gerri Willis, thank you for your time and your tips as always. WILLIS: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: And so it doesn't break when it drops after you fight with somebody else in the house.
NGUYEN: For the remote.
SANCHEZ: Give me that thing.
Well, you know, there have been all sorts of predictions and guesses on the subject, but a fascination that America's had over this. Nothing has ever really been confirmed, though.
NGUYEN: Could we soon learn though, the identity of the secret source who helped bring down President Nixon? We'll take a closer look at some new information that is just ahead.
SANCHEZ: Also, a delay in Michael Jackson's jury selection. We're going to tell you why. That's story just ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back, everybody. We're just about at the midway point in the hour. I'm Rick Sanchez.
NGUYEN: I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Daryn Kagan.
A car bomb exploded this morning outside a police station in the rocky town of Baquba. Two hundred recruits had gathered inside, but none was injured. Now, outside officials say at least 15 civilians were killed and 16 wounded. And a suicide bomber targeted a temporary police station in Mosul, 12 police officers were killed there.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is finishing the Middle East leg of her trip with renewed confidence in the peace process. Rice met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas this morning just before his summit tomorrow with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon. She says the two men have accepted invitations to the White House.
Pope John Paul II will remain hospitalized for a few more days. The pope appeared at his Rome hospital window and delivered a brief blessing to the crowd. Meanwhile, the Vatican says the 84-year-old pontiff is improving from the flu and respiratory illness that caused him to be rushed to the hospital last week.
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