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CNN Live Today

Torture Allegations in Iraq; War and Politics; Bush in Asia

Aired November 15, 2005 - 11:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," here's a look at what's happening.
Thousands of South Korean farmers clash with police today in a violent demonstration in Seoul. You see it here. The farmers were protesting a bill to open up the country's rice market.

And they vow to disrupt this week's Asia-Pacific summit that President Bush is scheduled to attend. Some protesters shouted, "No to Bush!" during that demonstration.

Vice President Dick Cheney speaks this hour at the University of Tennessee. It is a groundbreaking ceremony for the Howard Baker Center for Public policy. Now, Baker served three terms in the U.S. Senate, was chief of staff for President Reagan, and was appointed U.S. ambassador to Japan in 2001. The ceremony marks his 80th birthday.

Police in northern Virginia believe they've disconnected the cell phone bandit with the arrest of Candice Rose Martinez. Police captured the 19-year-old woman and two men around 3:30 this morning in Fairfax County, Virginia. Martinez is suspected of robbing four banks between October 12 and November 4, and in three of them cameras show someone looking like her apparently talking on a cell phone.

Well, the grizzly bears of Yellowstone Park are being taken off the endangered species list. The Department of Interior made the announcement last hour. The number of grizzlies in the Yellowstone area has nearly tripled in the 30 years since the bears were placed on that list. Wildlife officials estimate the number at more than 600 currently.

Good morning and welcome to CNN LIVE TODAY. It is 10:00 a.m. in Minneapolis, Minnesota; 11:00 in Atlanta, Georgia; and 7:00 in Baghdad.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen.

First, allegations of torture in Iraq today. This time the detainees were under the control of Iraqi forces.

Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson has been looking into this story, and he joins me now from Baghdad.

Nic, what have you learned?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, over the weekend a U.S. military unit was out searching for a 15-year- old boy who'd been missing since September. What they stumbled across -- and perhaps they had an idea of where they were going because there were 20 vehicles involved -- they came across a building that was full of detainees, they said. Some of the detainees needing medical treatment, which they provided.

Now, an Iraqi police officer at the scene said that some of the people there had clearly been tortured. We spoke today with the deputy ministry -- minister of interior in Iraq. He said the building was an Iraqi Ministry of Interior building, and he confirmed that there had been abuses at that facility, and he said he was shocked by what he'd seen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUSSEIN KAMAL, IRAQI DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): I have never seen such a situation like this during the past two years in Baghdad. This is the worst and cannot be allowed.

I saw signs of physical abuse by brutal beating. One or two detainees were paralyzed, and some had their skin peeled off various parts of their body.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, he said at this Ministry of Interior detention facility there are 161 detainees. He said that a special police unit had been conducting interrogations there, but he said the reason for the abuses, he believed, was a lack of proper facilities to hold detainees.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAMAL (through translator): In my opinion, if we had enough standard detention facilities nothing of what we saw would have happened. A major problem we face is that there are not enough places to contain these detainees after the preliminary investigation is through with them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, he said that there will be an investigation, not only of what happened but also a thorough investigation of all the Ministry of Interior employees who may or may not have been involved in this. The U.S. military, it is now in control of the facility. They themselves have detained some of the people working at that facility, and Iraq's prime minister in the last hour or so has also added his call to the need for a thorough investigation -- Betty.

NGUYEN: It sounds like a disturbing situation. Nic Robertson, thank you from Baghdad.

Now war and politics. With the president out of the country, leading Senate Republicans are pushing a plan to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq starting next year. Votes are set this hour, and they're largely symbolic. But with midterm elections next fall, it shows growing worry in the president's own party.

CNN Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry is at Capitol Hill this morning.

Ed, I've got to ask you, though, how does this plan differ from the ones that the Democrats are pushing?

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the bottom line, Betty, is here on the heel of these polls showing sliding support for the president and the war in Iraq, the Republican-led Senate is on the verge of passing, probably on a bipartisan basis, a basic push to get the Bush administration to be held more accountable on progress in Iraq, come up to Capitol Hill for more regular, quarterly reports, but also demanding a way to find a way to win and finally end the war in Iraq.

It's important to note, though, that the Democratic amendment you referred to is about to be defeated, and the reason there is that it includes a provision that basically calls for a flexible timetable to start withdrawing the troops. And Republicans would not go for that. So you're going to see that amendment fail in a few moments.

What Democrats are saying is they need that timetable because that is really going to be the stick that is going to force the Iraqis to take on a larger share of the burden of the security forces and the security responsibilities in Iraq. And this timetable is out there, it's being pushed by for -- pushed by Democrats.

Here's Senator Joe Biden talking about it a few moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Before we ever got into this open debate, the American people in droves are leaving this, not just because Americans are dying as tragic as it is, because they think they have a plan. What I think all Democrats and Republicans have finally decided to do is tell us the plan, Stan. Tell us, Mr. President, what's the plan? It's the first time this is happening.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: Now, that amendment is expected to fail. Republicans saying that any kind of timetable, flexible or otherwise, is a cut- and-run strategy. They say they will not go for it.

But what's really interesting is that the Republican Senate majority leader has basically taken the Democratic amendment, accepted about 90 percent of it, just cut out that flexible timetable, and now will have that as an alternative after the Democratic amendment fails. We're told that Democratic leaders like leader Harry Reid, the whip, Dick Durbin, will support this Republican amendment.

So at the end of the day, what we'll have is wide bipartisan support for a plan that calls for more accountability from the Bush administration, calls for them to find a way to end the war in Iraq. And that is something, as you mentioned, Betty, with the president overseas right now, pretty remarkable development -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's definitely putting some pressure on the president. Thank you, Ed Henry, on Capitol Hill.

There is new violence in Iraq today. The U.S. military says three Marines have been killed in combat in western Iraq. They were taking part in the insurgent crackdown Operation Steel Curtain.

And seven Iraqi police officers were also killed today in separate incidents. This car bombing outside a Baghdad restaurant killed two of those officers.

President Bush's approval rating hits a new low point due largely to the war in Iraq. In a new CNN "USA-Today"-Gallup poll, just 37 percent of those surveyed approve of Mr. Bush's job performance. That is two points below his ranking in a survey last month.

Sixty percent say they disapprove of the president's performance. And more than half of those polled say they trust Mr. Bush less than previous presidents.

The president is fighting back, though, blasting critics who say the manipulated prewar intelligence -- there was manipulated prewar intelligence in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Some Democrats who voted to authorize the use of force are now rewriting the past. They're playing politics with this issue. And they are sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. And that's irresponsible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: President Bush arrived in Japan today, the first stop on his eight-day tour of Asia. The agenda includes issues ranging from beef imports and pirated CDs to trade and security.

White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is traveling with the president. And she has more now from Kyoto, Japan, on the hopes and expectations for the president's trip.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A scene President Bush hopes does not repeat on this overseas trip. Anti-American protests overshadowed his free trade agenda in Latin America just 10 days ago. But while his audience in Asia will be warmer and more polite, top advisers are already setting the stage for low expectations.

STEPHEN HADLEY, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: He's not looking for any specific deliverables or specific outcomes.

MALVEAUX: His first stop is his friendliest, Japan. He'll meet with his closest ally in the region, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Here, it's all about the beef.

Mr. Bush is pushing Koizumi to lift Japan's ban against U.S. beef imposed two years ago over mad cow disease. While thanking Japan for its help in Iraq, Mr. Bush will press Koizumi to keep Japanese troops on the ground through Iraq's elections in December, even though Japanese troop levels there have been reduced.

The second stop, South Korea. Here expect to see thousands of protesters taking to the streets. Less aggressive than the ones Mr. Bush faced in Argentina, but out in full force against globalization.

The protests are tied to the Asian-Pacific economic conference summit in Busan, where 21 member nations will try to jumpstart stalled trade talks and work on a united response to the avian flu threat.

Separately, Mr. Bush will meet with South Korea's president, Roh Moo-Hyun, on strategies to convince North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

China is Mr. Bush's third stop, where he will try to push Beijing to open markets to balance trade, reform its currency, and crack down on copyright violations.

HADLEY: We had some good statements from the Chinese side. And the issue is, just how can they be now translated into concrete action?

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush pointedly met with the Tibetan religious leader the Dalai Lama at the White House before he left, calling attention to China's poor record on human rights and religious freedom.

DEREK MITCHELL, CTR. FOR STRATEGIC & INTL. STUDIES: It's all sort of atmospheric when it comes to China. A lot of it's symbolism. And he'll go there, he'll make the soundings on currency, on intellectual property rights, on religious freedom. And I think those things are important for domestic political reasons.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush's final stop, Mongolia, where the weather is expected to be cold but the reception quite warm. Even though he's expected to be on the ground for only a few hours.

(on camera): While the president works to rehabilitate his image as a world leader abroad, the latest CNN poll shows he may need to do the same at home, with a 37 percent approval rating.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Kyoto, Japan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: It's a big day for America's seniors. For the first time in its 40-year history, Medicare offers prescription drug coverage.

Seniors can sign up starting today. Enrollment runs through May 15. And you can register after that, but you'll pay a late fee. Now, actual prescription drug coverage begins New Year's Day. And anyone eligible for Medicare can use the prescription benefit. That's around 43 million Americans.

Under the standard benefit, the typical senior will pay a premium averaging about $32 a month. There's a $250 annual deductible. And you still pay a quarter of your drug costs until you spend $2,250.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE LEAVITT, HHS SECRETARY: What we're actually doing is what they want. We're doing it a slightly different way. We're just saying we're going to enroll everyone automatically, and everyone will be enrolled.

I don't think we'll lose any of them. They were, I read -- they will miss 1 percent. I don't think we're going to miss any. If there are, we'll go back and work through those.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Democrats are introducing a bill today to extend the sign-up period until November 2006. Many people complained the registration process and choice of 40 or more plans available to most seniors is just simply confusing.

Well, how difficult is it? Our guests will show us during this hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. We're going to have an expert here to help a senior actually navigate through the sign-up process to determine exactly how difficult this is. We'll start that in about 10 minutes from now.

Right now, though, we want to get you up to date on the weather outside because it's severe in many places. Bonnie Schneider joins us with a look at that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: We're going to be talking about a rare breakthrough. A deal is announced in the Middle East. But will it repair the road to peace?

And an arrest this morning in a string of robberies allegedly by the so-called cell phone bandit. But there's another mystery in the case. We'll tell you about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Want to take a look at the Big Board today. Looking at the Dow, it's up 15.77 at 10712. And the Nasdaq in negative territory, down $3.84 at this hour.

Want to show you some interesting developments on Capitol Hill today. We're going to be showing you Samuel Alito. He is there meeting with Senator Dianne Feinstein of California. Here's that new video just in to us right now. As you know, Samuel Alito is in a bid to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. He is meeting with many senators in that bid. And he has just met with Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, representing California.

We're going to take a listen to what they had to say during today's meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: This is not a press conference, but if you want to ask me some questions -- thanks, Judge.

JUDGE SAMUEL ALITO, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: Thank you, Senator.

FEINSTEIN: You're very welcome.

QUESTION: Did you ask the judge...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step up a little closer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll want to step up here.

FEINSTEIN: Oh, all right.

QUESTION: Did you ask the judge about the job application issue with his comments about abortion?

FEINSTEIN: Yes, I did.

QUESTION: And?

FEINSTEIN: And what he told me was this: he said, first of all, it was different then. He said, "I was an advocate seeking a job, it was a political job. And that was 1985."

"I'm now a judge. You know, I've been on the circuit court for 15 years. And it's very different."

"I'm not an advocate. I don't give heed to my personal views. What I do is interpret the law."

And I believe he was very sincere in what he said. And he talked about Roe in particular, about having had many reviews. Didn't use the word "well settled," but did use the word "stare decisis."

And I agree with one thing. I mean, we talked about labels, and I don't really think he can be labeled in that sense.

He is an independent thinker. He thinks for himself. He's got clearly a very good mind. And as I said to him, that the real part of this that matters is what you say on the record that's transcribed and becomes fact or record for all time. And that, of course, will begin on January the 9th.

QUESTION: What was your overall impression of the man? QUESTION: Did you like that explanation?

FEINSTEIN: Let me go to Caroline first and then...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: You've been listening to Senator Dianne Feinstein talk about her meeting with Samuel Alito as he tries to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court.

We're going to bring in now CNN Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry, who has been listening to this.

I found it very interesting that despite the memo that has been released dealing with Samuel Alito's views on Roe versus Wade, Senator Feinstein said that he talked a little about it and he was very sincere in his answers there.

What did you determine from that?

HENRY: Well, this is the rub right here. And when you heard stare decisis, I'm sure you've been brushing up on your Latin to get ready for these Alito confirmation hearings. It basically is a suggestion that you accept legal precedent in a case like Roe v. Wade, setting the course for legalized abortion.

We've actually heard this from Judge Alito in previous meetings with senators. It's taking on new significance because it's coming after the revelation about this 1985 memo.

But what it basically means is Judge Alito is suggesting to these senators, Feinstein a key swing vote potentially on the Senate Judiciary Committee, that he might believe in these legal precedents and would not try to overturn Roe v. Wade. And the point would be that even though in this 1985 memo he said he does not believe that there's a constitutional right to abortion, that might be his personal belief, but he would not let that affect his views or his rulings as a Supreme Court justice.

There's some question about whether or not that really will come forth, whether or not he can separate those two. And Democrats are certainly, at these confirmation hearings, some of them, will make the case that, A, he can not separate his personal views from his decision making, and B, they'll also try to make the case that it's not really a personal view, that when you say that you don't believe there's a constitutional right, that's not your personal belief, you're making a legal case that you don't believe there's a constitutional right.

So there's going to be a big fight over this, no question about it -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Speaking of fights, we want to take you to the floor of the Senate, where we were talking just a little earlier about the Democratic plan to ask the president to provide a timetable for troop withdrawal out of Iraq. Where is that vote right now? Do you know?

HENRY: Well, we've just been talking about Senator Feinstein, so I want to take a peek at the Senate floor myself.

The vote is under way on the Democratic amendment. That's sponsored by Carl Levin of Michigan and the Senate Democratic leader, Harry Reid.

As I mentioned a bit earlier this hour, the bottom line is this Democratic amendment has a push for a framework, a plan from the administration finally to come to the Congress and lay out how they're going to win the war in Iraq, how they're going to get out. And it has a very key provision, which is a flexible timetable to start withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

After this vote -- this Democratic amendment is expected to fail. After this vote, there will be a Republican amendment that will come up for a vote, and the significance there is about 90 percent of it is the exact same writing, the same language as the Democratic amendment.

It will be a stern message to the Bush administration, come up with a plan, come up here to Capitol Hill more regularly and lay out the progress in Iraq, and let's find a way to end and win the war in Iraq. But it strikes that provision calling for a flexible timetable.

Republicans say that's cutting and running. But the bottom line is that on a bipartisan basis, the Senate in a few moments after this vote will vote to tell the Bush administration, find a way to get out of Iraq -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. Thank you.

Well, you know, it is a big day for seniors. Today is enrollment day when it comes to that Medicare drug benefit plan. We are going to talk to a senior who is going to be going through the process right here on LIVE TODAY, and we're going to determine how difficult it is, or is it just smooth sailing? We'll see.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Authorities in Iowa are searching for two convicted killers who escaped from the state penitentiary. Now, it's not clear how the pair got away from the maximum security lockup. They were last seen yesterday evening.

More than 30 officers and police dogs combed the area around the prison. And authorities throughout Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri are on the lookout.

We want to get you up to speed on what's happening today as well, because it is enrollment day. As we mentioned a little bit earlier, today is the first day for seniors to sign up in Medicare's new prescription drug benefit.

Bureaucrats wrote the plan, and some are finding it a bit complex. Your particular situation will depend, of course, on several things: your income, your health, your prescription needs, and whether you want a streamlined plan or fully-loaded model, shall we say.

Our guests are going to register for the prescription drug benefit at medicarey.gov. Vicki Mikels is with GeorgiaCare. She's joining us. That is a program that assists with Medicare recipients.

And Teresa Shields is our prescription plan enrollee today.

Theresa, I want to start with you because you're actually an AARP member. So are you kind of familiar with this already?

TERESA SHIELDS, MEDICARE ENROLLEE: Yes, I am.

NGUYEN: All right. So what made you decide to go with this plan? Because there are a lot of options out there.

SHIELDS: Well, it's what best suits my needs. It is a prescription rate that I can afford. And I have to make sure that all the drugs I need, you know, were available to me at the pharmacy that I'm going to use and on the plan that I take.

So this is why I decided that, you know, I need it, because I do save some money with the plan.

NGUYEN: Right. And I think what you said is very key, that the plan is available at the pharmacy that you use. And we're going to get into that in just a moment.

But Vicki, I need to talk to you for a minute, because I know that Teresa is a little more savvy than some of the folks who have never seen this before and are going through the mounds of information. There's a lot to this plan, a lot of choices, and a lot of seniors are finding it confusing.

Are you hearing that as well today as enrollment begins?

VICKI MIKELS, GEORGIACARES: Yes, a lot of people are overwhelmed by this new benefit and how to go through the process of choosing one that meets their needs and when they need to do it.

NGUYEN: So how are you helping them answer those questions? Because indeed there are a lot of questions. In fact, in some states there are between, what, three dozen plans? There are simply so many choices.

MIKELS: Yes, there are so many choices. The "Medicare and You" handbook that was mailed to all Medicare households contains a good deal of information and also some helpful phone numbers.

Our program, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, is funded nationally by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to answer Medicare beneficiaries' questions about these plans. And we also operate toll-free hotlines so that they can call us, or they can call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask some questions.

NGUYEN: Teresa, I'm going to ask you because you're the person involved directly in this, when we talk about those choices, you've gone through the choices, you've seen what's out there. And you brought up a very interesting point that a lot of seniors have been mentioning.

So you may have 40 choices, right? But say your pharmacy only takes two of those plans. So what kind of choice is that? Did you run into that problem?

SHIELDS: Well, I haven't -- it's not limited to that few amount. I have a pharmacy that will take 80 percent of the plans that are available. So I had a very good, you know, selection to make my choices from.

NGUYEN: Did you find any part of this just really kind of overwhelming with so much on the table?

SHIELDS: Yes. And then there were some plans I wanted to look into that weren't even offered in the area where I live. That's a problem that I had.

There were more plans for Atlanta, in the Atlanta area, than any other area. And I guess because of the population. But I was, you know, disappointed that I didn't have some of those available to me.

NGUYEN: So what would have made it easier for you, do you think? Maybe if it was simplified, you got three or four plans, and there you go? Or do you like having all of these choices, it gives you flexibility?

SHIELDS: All of the choices don't bother me that much. But what bothers me is that there are some people who cannot make these decisions, the elderly who cannot go through this and make these plans and decide what's best for them. So that to me is the biggest problem.

NGUYEN: Yes, that is a problem.

And Vicki, I want to ask you about that, because when seniors go to sit down and enroll in this, they are going to be seeing a number of choices. What are some of the questions that they need to ask themselves before they sit in front of that computer and try to enroll? Because it could take some time.

MIKELS: Right. They should, of course, have a list of their medications with them, and then they should consider the major points of this new benefit. The costs of the plan, including the monthly premium and the co-insurance for the prescriptions. The coverage to make sure that their prescriptions are included in the plan's formulary, or a list of preferred drugs, and then the convenience to make sure that it is available at the pharmacy of their choice, or through mail order, if that's their preference.

NGUYEN: I also want to know about the monthly premium. They should also look into the coverage gap and how all of this is going to affect their coverage. OK, so ladies, I know you're about to go through the system, Teresa. You're going to sign up today. And you know what, not only are you going to do it right here at CNN, but we're going to time you to see how long it takes. We're going to be watching. So best of luck to you. We'll see how you both navigate through the system.

Although I have to tell you, you're kind of cheating a little bit, Teresa, because you have Vicki there to help you, which sometimes a lot of seniors don't. But hey, you have an advantage, so take advantage of that.

Thank you both. We'll be checking in shortly.

SHIELDS: Thank you.

(NEWSBREAK)

NGUYEN: Stay tuned. We've got more on Medicare. As we just showed you, seniors are signing up today. We're going to keep a check of our senior, who's joining us and signing up through the Web. We'll see how long it takes and how difficult it truly is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Following a couple of events right now that are happening. Take a look at the left side of your screen. A vote is under way on the Senate floor to decide whether they will approve a Democratic proposal that calls for the president to outline a campaign plan with estimated dates for the phased redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq. And on the right side of your screen, you know that man, Vice President Dick Cheney. He is speaking at a groundbreaking for the start of construction on the Howard H. Baker Center for Public Policy. This is taking place at this hour.

But we do want to tell you that his speech just a few moments ago was disrupted by some protesters. Let's take a listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: Howard went to Washington in 1967 as the first popularly elected Republican senator from this great state.

Though young, Senator Baker was quickly judged to be wise beyond his years and gained the kind of respect usually reserved for an elder statesman. The great journalist Theodore White...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: So there you hear them. Protesters trying to disrupt that speech by Vice president Dick Cheney as he's delivering the keynote address. It didn't stop it, of course. As you know, and we just mentioned, this is happening at the groundbreaking ceremony for Howard Baker -- the center for public policy, which is being built there. And as you know, Howard Baker was a former U.S. senator and ambassador to Japan.

Well, authorities in Iowa are searching for two convicted killers who escaped from the state penitentiary. It's not clear how the pair got away from the maximum security lockup. They were last seen yesterday evening. More than 30 officers and police dogs did comb the area around that prison. And authorities throughout Iowa, Illinois and Missouri are on the lookout.

A Colorado woman accused of having sex-and-alcohol parties with high school boys has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. A spokesman for the district attorney's office says Silvia Johnson will be eligible for parole in 10 years. Authorities say Johnson admitted inviting teenaged students to her home for sex, drugs and alcohol, because she wanted to be considered a cool mom.

FBI agents, they have arrested a woman accused of robbing banks while she appeared to be talking on the cell phone. Authorities say Candice Rose Martinez was taken into custody early this morning in Fairfax County, Virginia. Martinez is suspected of robbing four banks in suburban Virginia between October 12th and November 4th. Cameras captured pictures of a woman apparently talking on the phone.

There you see her right there, during the robberies.

Well, using diversions and disguises is a pretty common tactic in robberies, right?

CNN's Dan Lothian examines the lengths some will go to try to avoid getting caught.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): The days of great train robberies maybe over, but inventing new and ingenious ways of holding up banks aren't.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She can call us.

LOTHIAN: Nineteen-year-old Candice Rose Martinez was allegedly spotting robbing four banks while talking on the phone in a Northern Virginia area.

THOMAS NOLAN, CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSOR: Her strategy on deception may simply be to appear ordinary. So ordinary that no one in the room or in the bank would ever consider that she would be the one to pass the note.

LOTHIAN: She's been dubbed the cell phone bandit. Names are often assigned based on what someone is wearing or carrying during the crime. This woman affectionately called the bag lady bandit was, as you might of guessed, always carrying a nice handbag while performing bank robbery sprees in Northern California. And it was the wig this woman wore during a two-day robbery spree across New York and Connecticut that earned her the name blonde bandit.

Boston University criminal justice professor and retired police officer Thomas Nolan says disguises and diversions prevents hurdles and opportunities.

NOLAN: Well it can stymie law enforcement, but it can also, in certain circumstances, assist law enforcement.

LOTHIAN: That's because a bandit who has a unique look and strikes repeatedly gets attention, is branded with a name and can quickly be tied to multiple crimes. Patterns are an investigator's best friend.

Whether they're wearing a disguise or using a diversion tactic, the one thing they all have in common, say law enforcement experts, is that eventually they will most likely be caught.

NOLAN: It's few and far between that people allude detection for any long period of time. Particularly if they're engaging in repeated offenses.

LOTHIAN: Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: This just in. An 18-year-old accused of killing his girlfriend's parents and fleeing with her has reportedly waived extradition back to Pennsylvania. David Ludwig is in custody in Indiana, where he was captured yesterday following a high-speed chase. His 14-year-old girlfriend, Kara Beth Borden, will likely return there today as well. And police say it is unclear whether Borden was kidnapped or whether she left willingly.

When we come back, we're going to give you a check on business today. And we're still following our senior who's in-house to show us how difficult or how simple it is to enroll in today's Medicare- benefit plan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MARKET REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, it's been about, I don't know, 15, 16 minutes, and the Medicare-enrollment process is continuing live right here. Actually, let me take that back. It's only been about 14 and-a-half minutes. We're going to check in now with Vicki And Teresa -- actually, when we come back from this break. To see how it's going, how close are they to getting through the system.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: This just in. We're going to take you back to Capitol Hill, where we have just learned that the Democratic proposal, which calls for the president to outline an estimated date for when troops will be withdrawn from Iraq has been defeated on the Senate floor. You see Carl Levin there talking about that. It was his bill, the Democratic proposal. So for now we go to the Republican plan. At least the senators go to the Republican plan, which is very similar, except it doesn't call for an exact timeline for withdrawal, but it does call for a progress report every three months until U.S. combat brigades have been withdrawn from Iraq. We'll see how that one fares on the Senate floor. But we're keeping a watch. Now let's get a check on our guest. She agreed to be our guinea pig, shall we say, and serve as our typical enrollee in the Medicare- prescription drug plan. Well, today is, as you know, the first day that you can sign up. Many people say it's a complex and confusing process. So Teresa Shields is getting help from Vicki Mikels from the group Georgia Cares. You guys have been at it for, I don't know, what, about 15, 16 minutes now.

Are you done with the enrollment process, Teresa?

SHIELDS: No, not yet.

NGUYEN: Really? What's taking so long?

SHIELDS: I think that there are so many people trying to get into this site that we can't, you know, get in so quickly.

NGUYEN: Oh, that could be a problem.

And, Vicki, let me ask you, is it just you that can't get online? Because you're there to help. You're kind of someone who's helping her cheat, shall we say.

MIKELS: Right. Well, it was -- the initial log-on was a little slow, but we have gone through and we've entered in her medications and searched for her preferred pharmacy, and we've gotten to the point now where we can look at the details and look at maybe choosing a plan.

NGUYEN: Okay. So you are in the system, it took a little while to get on, but you're in the system.

And, Teresa, when it comes to making these choices, because there are so many, how are you finding that process online?

SHIELDS: It's quicker this way because it tells you, you know, what your premium's going to be, what your yearly rate is going to be, so it gives you all the information that you need. Sometimes I think I would like to go back and try two or three others to see if they can be cheaper. I don't know yet.

NGUYEN: Does it allow to you do that, Vicki?

MIKELS: Yes, it does. It allows you to really drill down and get whatever level of detail you want based on your personal preferences for pharmacy, or for home-delivered medications or...

NGUYEN: So you can test it. If you decide, you know what, I don't think I want to do it, let me try it this way and see if it makes my prescriptions cheaper, the system will allow you to do that?

MIKELS: Right, there's even an option that you can click on that says "lower my costs," and it will look at generic alternatives and mail order as an alternative for lower-cost prescription.

NGUYEN: I see. Teresa, at this point, have there been any points of confusion at all?

MIKELS: Not yet. But you know, but I'm not saying I'm not going to have any, probably later on when I really get down to, you know, thinking about is this really helping me -- I have tried to analyze it according to how much money I'm saving if I do this and do that. So that's my basic issue right now.

NGUYEN: I guess the way to ask it, though, since you do have Vicki there, have you had to stop and ask Vicki, what do I do now, what do I do here?

MIKELS: Not yet.

NGUYEN: OK. Well, that's a good sign, then. But again, you're with AARP, you're a member, a little more experienced, a little more savvy than some folks out there.

And, Vicki, when it comes to these plans, and seniors get online, can they get help? I mean, can they pick up the phone and ask someone to walk them through the process as they're going through it?

MIKELS: Oh, absolutely. 1-800-MEDICARE is available to beneficiaries 24 hours a day seven days a week, and every state has a SHIP program like the Georgia Cares program that also operates a toll- free hotline. And on the plan web sites themselves they'd be able to get a toll-free number to contact the prescription plan and ask for details about what medications they cover or don't cover.

NGUYEN: So, Teresa, quickly, I'm going to ask you, looking at the new system, the new plan, do you think it's better than the old one?

SHIELDS: The old plan I had no prescription coverage.

NGUYEN: Well, yes, exactly. But I mean just going through the process, is it easier this way online?

SHIELDS: For me, yes.

NGUYEN: Okay. Well, we appreciate you spending a little time with us today. And let me ask you, though, one more thing, Vicki. I know we're running short on time. But there still are changes, though. So when people enroll today, could these things change?

MIKELS: The plans themselves?

NGUYEN: Right. Things are still being tweaked.

MIKELS: Well, we do expect some of the information on this site to be tweaked, as you said. The plans won't really be changing for the next year. They can change their formularies but they have to send advance notice to the beneficiaries at least 60 days ahead of time if they're going to make any changes to the prescriptions they cover. And the beneficiaries can actually change plans once between January and May 15th and then again at the end of the year if they find the need to switch to a new plan -- NGUYEN: I'll have to write all that down. There's a lot of dates there. But thank you both, ladies. Best of luck to you, Teresa, as you navigate through the system.

SHIELDS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: To get your daily dose of health news online, speaking of online, all you have to do is log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.

We'll have a check of the weather. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: We're following a number of developments right now. You saw there just moments ago -- there he is again. On the left hand of your screen, Samuel Alito. He is meeting with Senator Saxby Chambliss in Washington, speaking with numerous senators in his bid to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court.

Now, on the right hand of your screen, the vote is under way on the Senate floor. This is a vote on the Republican plan to provide reports every three months on how the combat situations are going and when will troops be withdrawn from Iraq. That's a Republican plan. A Democratic plan earlier today was given the no vote by senators. That would have created an exact date of troop withdrawal from Iraq. So we're following the vote on the Republican plan that calls for reports every three months until combat brigades have been withdrawn from Iraq.

And we are also following something just in to CNN. A fourth American has died from wounds sustained in last week's triple hotel bombings in Jordan. No details on the American's identity or when the person died. As you recall, three Iraqi suicide bombers detonated explosives at three Amman hotels last week, killing some 57 people. And the latest word is that a fourth American has died from wounds in those bombings.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next.

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