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Kerry to Deliver Major Speech on Military; Hunt for Osama bin Laden: Missed Opportunity?; Suspect Arrested in Ohio Highway Shootings
Aired March 17, 2004 - 12:00 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Not too bad here in New York today. It looks worse than it actually is.
We have lot of news, though, we're following this hour. Including this: failed policies that drive potential allies away. That's precisely what John Kerry is saying of the Bush administration's strategies in Iraq. This hour, the Democrat who wants to be president of the United States lays out his own plans for the U.S. military. We'll have live coverage.
The man wanted for a string of highway shootings in Ohio is arrested in Las Vegas. We're live on what led to his capture.
And as Martha Stewart waits to hear her sentence, her daughter speaks out in an exclusive interview.
First, let's check some of the headlines.
Newly arrived American troops in action in Iraq. Units of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division have launched an operation in Baghdad with the help of Iraqi forces. The sweeps are aimed at weeding out insurgents and confiscating weapons.
In parts of the Northeast, they're pulling the snow shovels back out of storage. With three days left until spring, more than half a foot of snow has fallen on Boston, even more on western New York. And more could fall as the week progresses.
Also this hour, lucky charms at the White House. In a ceremony marking St. Patrick's Day, Mr. and Mrs. Bush received the Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, who arrived bearing a bowl of lucky Irish shamrock.
Also this hour, John Kerry delivers a major address on the U.S. military. He'll attack President Bush on the war in Iraq, plus matters affecting U.S. troops, their families and American veterans. The Kerry speech comes as the Bush campaign is touting the fall of Saddam Hussein in the war that was launched one year ago this week.
CNN's Bob Franken is joining us now from Washington where he has more.
Bob, set the stage for us.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it also comes, Wolf, on the day that he is going to suspend the campaign and begin a bit of a respite, a bit of a vacation. But before he goes, he's going to George Washington University within this hour, and is going to sharply criticize the Bush administration.
Of course, Vice President Cheney is expected later today to stoutly defend the record of the administration and the reasons for going into Iraq. You can see the room where we expect John Kerry to appear. He'll be joined by, among others, the former chief of staff during the Clinton administration, former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Alright will also be there.
As Kerry says of the war, "We are still bogged down in Iraq." He will criticize "failed policies that are driving allies away with a steady loss of lives that continue to be mounting." Those are parts of the excerpts from the Senator Kerry speech that we're expecting.
Of course, there is a tremendous debate that's going on in the United States right now about the war in Iraq. The administration has continued to try and make the point that because of its conduct in the war on terrorism and the war on Iraq, it deserves re-election. Kerry says that the opposite is true.
He will also spend considerable time doing what he's done before, and that is attacking the administration's handling of the U.S. military, both in terms of overextending it in its treatment of the soldiers, as well as treatment of veterans. But the principal thing to watch is the debate that is going to be developed today between John Kerry speaking against the administration, of course, for his candidacy for president.
He'll also be speaking on a day where the person who was just elected to be Spanish prime minister made it very clear that he would be very happy if John Kerry replaced George W. Bush as the president. Kerry, of course, has come under some harsh Republican criticism for making a claim that some leaders overseas had made that point.
He's refused to identify them. Though one has gone public now. But the principal focus today is Iraq -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Bob, is there any indication that Kerry will directly respond to the challenge from both the president and the vice president to name names? If he's making an accusation, they say the American public has a right to know specific details, who is telling him this.
FRANKEN: Well, no indication thus far. Kerry makes the point that to do so would violate the confidence of conversations and could possibly disrupt diplomacy. And he's been steadfast thus far in refusing to make those identities known. The White House has responded by saying that if he doesn't do so, then perhaps he's making the whole thing up.
BLITZER: Bob Franken covering this story for us in Washington.
Bob, thanks very much. For its part, the Bush administration is trotting out some of its own big guns for the Iraq anniversary week. After a speech yesterday in Denver, Vice President Cheney is to speak this afternoon at the Reagan Presidential Library in California. CNN will air the speech. That's live beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. That's in the coming hour here on CNN.
Cheney will speak on security matters, including the war on terrorism and Iraq. You'll want to stay with CNN for that.
In the meantime, a highly classified now widely-publicized videotape is the talk of Washington, D.C. Who leaked it, and does it show the U.S. had Osama bin Laden in its sights a year before 9/11?
Our national security correspondent, David Ensor, is joining us now live from Washington with more on this sensitive story.
David, what have you learned?
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it does show that the U.S. had Osama bin Laden in its sights a year before 9/11. And yes, there will be an investigation into who leaked this video, which is highly classified, according to U.S. officials, as is routine when there is a disclosure like this of unauthorized disclosure of material like this. There will be an investigation within the CIA, which made the video, and they will decide whether or not to refer the matter to the Department of Justice.
Now, in these pictures is a group of people at Tarnak Farms in Afghanistan in the year 2000, late in the year. One of them dressed in white, taller than the others. Analysts have said then and they say now that they believe that individual was Osama bin Laden.
Now, this picture was taken by an unarmed predator drone surveillance aircraft controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency. There was no way to attack the target right then and there. Officials say it would have taken three to seven hours to get cruise missiles or bombs on the target.
The Clinton administration had tried to hit bin Laden back in '98, and he had moved while the cruise missiles were in the air. So it was not practical to successfully attack him at that particular site. But certainly shows they were looking for him -- Wolf.
BLITZER: David, the predator drones, in those days, they were unarmed. But since then, they've been unarmed with these hellfire missiles. Do you have any indication that there were weapons aboard these drones in those days that could have launched a strike, obviously killing all those people in that picture we just saw?
ENSOR: No. There were no hellfire missiles or any other kind of weapons on the predator at the time. However, efforts were under way to try to fit them on and make it work and to decide who would have the trigger authority, whether it would be the Pentagon or the CIA.
All that was resolved within months. And early in 2001, I'm told, there were hellfire missiles on predators in the air. And, in fact, one was successfully used against a senior Al Qaeda operative in Yemen not too long ago -- Wolf.
BLITZER: The reason the CIA and other security agencies are so sensitive about this videotape being released, David, is because it shows to not only the American public but to enemies of the U.S. government out there how accurate and how precise these kinds of cameras can be. And it gives the other side, if you will, additional information for which they could take defensive pleasures. Is that why they're launching this investigation right now, to see why this tape was released, who leaked it and how much damage has been done to U.S. national security?
ENSOR: Well, the tape is highly classified. And you're right about some of the reasons that it is highly classified. That revealing how good the technology is always a disadvantage for those who are trying to use in it the nation's national security interests.
Now, that said, nobody is getting terribly excited about this. Leaks, as we all know, are pretty common in this town. And this is a political year. There are those around town who might see advantage in putting this tape out in public at this point -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. We'll see what happens with this particular leaked investigation, not just leak of sensitive information, but actually videotape that potentially could cause some problems for U.S. national security. But David Ensor will be covering all these aspects for us not only throughout the day but in the weeks and days to come.
Thanks, David, very much.
U.S.-led forces are stepping up their search for Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda operatives. And one of the places they're looking for him, obviously, is in Afghanistan, where Washington's top diplomat met briefly this morning with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. The secretary of state, Colin Powell, praised Afghanistan for its role in the war on terror, its own progress toward democracy, and the intensifying manhunt along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: If Taliban elements are forced from Pakistan back into Afghanistan as a result of actions on the Pakistan side of the border, I'm sure our military forces here working with Afghan forces will deal with those elements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Powell also praised Pakistan for its increasing role in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Powell visits Pakistan later today.
Now to the freeway shootings that have terrorized Columbus, Ohio. The man considered a suspect is under arrest in Las Vegas and is under interrogation by the FBI. His name is Charles McCoy, Jr., and police say the man has a history of mental illness.
CNN's Sean Callebs is live in Columbus. He's joining us with the latest.
Sean, set the scene for us on what's happening today.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, right now members of the task force here in Columbus, Ohio, are on their way to Las Vegas to meet with the federal investigators who have been talking with Charles McCoy so far this morning, and also have their first opportunity to talk with the 28-year-old suspect as well.
Here's what we know. Authorities out in Vegas got a tip that McCoy was in the area. They staked out a Budget Suites motel where he was reportedly staying. He pulled up in the 1999 green Geo Metro.
Now, remember authorities here portrayed McCoy as someone who should be considered armed and very dangerous. As you mentioned, mentally unstable. Someone with suicidal, possibly homicidal tendencies. But when authorities approached McCoy, identified themselves, he surrendered without incident.
He did not have a weapon on him. Authorities were trying to get a search warrant to check his car, as well as the motel room.
We will learn more in a matter of hours. At 3:30 Eastern Time, the task force here will hold a news conference. They issued a short statement a short while ago saying that the arrest of McCoy, or having him in custody, does not bring the investigation here to an end. That there is much more that could be on the to bring this to what they call a successful conclusion
Now, Gail Knisley is the one fatal victim who was killed in the 24 shootings that really terrorized this capital city over the past 10 months. Also at that news conference, her son will be there, Tim Knisley. And he's expected to make a brief statement.
There's a certain sense of relief in Columbus today, and also anxiety, as people wait to hear more information about this suspect. It has certainly been a very difficult time for McCoy's family as well.
Amy Walton, McCoy's sister, yesterday made a very impassioned plea for McCoy to contact her or his mother. Amy also made a statement -- Amy Walton also made a statement this morning thanking police for their assistance, keeping the family informed of what was going on.
In a televised statement, she also said that their family was deeply saddened when they heard of the death of Gail Knisley, saying that they are a member of this community as well. And like everyone else, they are proud that this has come to a peaceful conclusion.
So, Wolf, we're just waiting for that news conference to find out the very latest if and when Charles McCoy will be extradited back here to Columbus to answer questions that a lot of people in this area still have.
BLITZER: Still lots of questions in Columbus, indeed around the nation as well. Sean Callebs reporting for us. Sean, thanks very much.
And this note to our viewers. We expect to hear more about the capture of Charles McCoy, Jr. later this hour, as Sean just said. The FBI in Las Vegas has scheduled a news conference for 12:30 p.m. Eastern. We'll have live coverage of that.
Also, the sheriff's department in Columbus has scheduled a news conference for 3:30 p.m. Eastern. CNN will have live coverage of that as well.
A rallying cry in Spain. Supporters stand behind the man whose party fell from power in the wake of the Madrid terror bombings. We'll take you live to Spain.
We're also standing by to hear from John Kerry. A major foreign policy speech, a speech on the U.S. military.
All that coming up this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(INTERRUPTED BY BREAKING NEWS)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
bin Laden: Missed Opportunity?; Suspect Arrested in Ohio Highway Shootings>
Aired March 17, 2004 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Not too bad here in New York today. It looks worse than it actually is.
We have lot of news, though, we're following this hour. Including this: failed policies that drive potential allies away. That's precisely what John Kerry is saying of the Bush administration's strategies in Iraq. This hour, the Democrat who wants to be president of the United States lays out his own plans for the U.S. military. We'll have live coverage.
The man wanted for a string of highway shootings in Ohio is arrested in Las Vegas. We're live on what led to his capture.
And as Martha Stewart waits to hear her sentence, her daughter speaks out in an exclusive interview.
First, let's check some of the headlines.
Newly arrived American troops in action in Iraq. Units of the Army's 1st Cavalry Division have launched an operation in Baghdad with the help of Iraqi forces. The sweeps are aimed at weeding out insurgents and confiscating weapons.
In parts of the Northeast, they're pulling the snow shovels back out of storage. With three days left until spring, more than half a foot of snow has fallen on Boston, even more on western New York. And more could fall as the week progresses.
Also this hour, lucky charms at the White House. In a ceremony marking St. Patrick's Day, Mr. and Mrs. Bush received the Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, who arrived bearing a bowl of lucky Irish shamrock.
Also this hour, John Kerry delivers a major address on the U.S. military. He'll attack President Bush on the war in Iraq, plus matters affecting U.S. troops, their families and American veterans. The Kerry speech comes as the Bush campaign is touting the fall of Saddam Hussein in the war that was launched one year ago this week.
CNN's Bob Franken is joining us now from Washington where he has more.
Bob, set the stage for us.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it also comes, Wolf, on the day that he is going to suspend the campaign and begin a bit of a respite, a bit of a vacation. But before he goes, he's going to George Washington University within this hour, and is going to sharply criticize the Bush administration.
Of course, Vice President Cheney is expected later today to stoutly defend the record of the administration and the reasons for going into Iraq. You can see the room where we expect John Kerry to appear. He'll be joined by, among others, the former chief of staff during the Clinton administration, former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Alright will also be there.
As Kerry says of the war, "We are still bogged down in Iraq." He will criticize "failed policies that are driving allies away with a steady loss of lives that continue to be mounting." Those are parts of the excerpts from the Senator Kerry speech that we're expecting.
Of course, there is a tremendous debate that's going on in the United States right now about the war in Iraq. The administration has continued to try and make the point that because of its conduct in the war on terrorism and the war on Iraq, it deserves re-election. Kerry says that the opposite is true.
He will also spend considerable time doing what he's done before, and that is attacking the administration's handling of the U.S. military, both in terms of overextending it in its treatment of the soldiers, as well as treatment of veterans. But the principal thing to watch is the debate that is going to be developed today between John Kerry speaking against the administration, of course, for his candidacy for president.
He'll also be speaking on a day where the person who was just elected to be Spanish prime minister made it very clear that he would be very happy if John Kerry replaced George W. Bush as the president. Kerry, of course, has come under some harsh Republican criticism for making a claim that some leaders overseas had made that point.
He's refused to identify them. Though one has gone public now. But the principal focus today is Iraq -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Bob, is there any indication that Kerry will directly respond to the challenge from both the president and the vice president to name names? If he's making an accusation, they say the American public has a right to know specific details, who is telling him this.
FRANKEN: Well, no indication thus far. Kerry makes the point that to do so would violate the confidence of conversations and could possibly disrupt diplomacy. And he's been steadfast thus far in refusing to make those identities known. The White House has responded by saying that if he doesn't do so, then perhaps he's making the whole thing up.
BLITZER: Bob Franken covering this story for us in Washington.
Bob, thanks very much. For its part, the Bush administration is trotting out some of its own big guns for the Iraq anniversary week. After a speech yesterday in Denver, Vice President Cheney is to speak this afternoon at the Reagan Presidential Library in California. CNN will air the speech. That's live beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern. That's in the coming hour here on CNN.
Cheney will speak on security matters, including the war on terrorism and Iraq. You'll want to stay with CNN for that.
In the meantime, a highly classified now widely-publicized videotape is the talk of Washington, D.C. Who leaked it, and does it show the U.S. had Osama bin Laden in its sights a year before 9/11?
Our national security correspondent, David Ensor, is joining us now live from Washington with more on this sensitive story.
David, what have you learned?
DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it does show that the U.S. had Osama bin Laden in its sights a year before 9/11. And yes, there will be an investigation into who leaked this video, which is highly classified, according to U.S. officials, as is routine when there is a disclosure like this of unauthorized disclosure of material like this. There will be an investigation within the CIA, which made the video, and they will decide whether or not to refer the matter to the Department of Justice.
Now, in these pictures is a group of people at Tarnak Farms in Afghanistan in the year 2000, late in the year. One of them dressed in white, taller than the others. Analysts have said then and they say now that they believe that individual was Osama bin Laden.
Now, this picture was taken by an unarmed predator drone surveillance aircraft controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency. There was no way to attack the target right then and there. Officials say it would have taken three to seven hours to get cruise missiles or bombs on the target.
The Clinton administration had tried to hit bin Laden back in '98, and he had moved while the cruise missiles were in the air. So it was not practical to successfully attack him at that particular site. But certainly shows they were looking for him -- Wolf.
BLITZER: David, the predator drones, in those days, they were unarmed. But since then, they've been unarmed with these hellfire missiles. Do you have any indication that there were weapons aboard these drones in those days that could have launched a strike, obviously killing all those people in that picture we just saw?
ENSOR: No. There were no hellfire missiles or any other kind of weapons on the predator at the time. However, efforts were under way to try to fit them on and make it work and to decide who would have the trigger authority, whether it would be the Pentagon or the CIA.
All that was resolved within months. And early in 2001, I'm told, there were hellfire missiles on predators in the air. And, in fact, one was successfully used against a senior Al Qaeda operative in Yemen not too long ago -- Wolf.
BLITZER: The reason the CIA and other security agencies are so sensitive about this videotape being released, David, is because it shows to not only the American public but to enemies of the U.S. government out there how accurate and how precise these kinds of cameras can be. And it gives the other side, if you will, additional information for which they could take defensive pleasures. Is that why they're launching this investigation right now, to see why this tape was released, who leaked it and how much damage has been done to U.S. national security?
ENSOR: Well, the tape is highly classified. And you're right about some of the reasons that it is highly classified. That revealing how good the technology is always a disadvantage for those who are trying to use in it the nation's national security interests.
Now, that said, nobody is getting terribly excited about this. Leaks, as we all know, are pretty common in this town. And this is a political year. There are those around town who might see advantage in putting this tape out in public at this point -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. We'll see what happens with this particular leaked investigation, not just leak of sensitive information, but actually videotape that potentially could cause some problems for U.S. national security. But David Ensor will be covering all these aspects for us not only throughout the day but in the weeks and days to come.
Thanks, David, very much.
U.S.-led forces are stepping up their search for Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda operatives. And one of the places they're looking for him, obviously, is in Afghanistan, where Washington's top diplomat met briefly this morning with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. The secretary of state, Colin Powell, praised Afghanistan for its role in the war on terror, its own progress toward democracy, and the intensifying manhunt along the Afghan-Pakistan border.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: If Taliban elements are forced from Pakistan back into Afghanistan as a result of actions on the Pakistan side of the border, I'm sure our military forces here working with Afghan forces will deal with those elements.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Powell also praised Pakistan for its increasing role in the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Powell visits Pakistan later today.
Now to the freeway shootings that have terrorized Columbus, Ohio. The man considered a suspect is under arrest in Las Vegas and is under interrogation by the FBI. His name is Charles McCoy, Jr., and police say the man has a history of mental illness.
CNN's Sean Callebs is live in Columbus. He's joining us with the latest.
Sean, set the scene for us on what's happening today.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, right now members of the task force here in Columbus, Ohio, are on their way to Las Vegas to meet with the federal investigators who have been talking with Charles McCoy so far this morning, and also have their first opportunity to talk with the 28-year-old suspect as well.
Here's what we know. Authorities out in Vegas got a tip that McCoy was in the area. They staked out a Budget Suites motel where he was reportedly staying. He pulled up in the 1999 green Geo Metro.
Now, remember authorities here portrayed McCoy as someone who should be considered armed and very dangerous. As you mentioned, mentally unstable. Someone with suicidal, possibly homicidal tendencies. But when authorities approached McCoy, identified themselves, he surrendered without incident.
He did not have a weapon on him. Authorities were trying to get a search warrant to check his car, as well as the motel room.
We will learn more in a matter of hours. At 3:30 Eastern Time, the task force here will hold a news conference. They issued a short statement a short while ago saying that the arrest of McCoy, or having him in custody, does not bring the investigation here to an end. That there is much more that could be on the to bring this to what they call a successful conclusion
Now, Gail Knisley is the one fatal victim who was killed in the 24 shootings that really terrorized this capital city over the past 10 months. Also at that news conference, her son will be there, Tim Knisley. And he's expected to make a brief statement.
There's a certain sense of relief in Columbus today, and also anxiety, as people wait to hear more information about this suspect. It has certainly been a very difficult time for McCoy's family as well.
Amy Walton, McCoy's sister, yesterday made a very impassioned plea for McCoy to contact her or his mother. Amy also made a statement -- Amy Walton also made a statement this morning thanking police for their assistance, keeping the family informed of what was going on.
In a televised statement, she also said that their family was deeply saddened when they heard of the death of Gail Knisley, saying that they are a member of this community as well. And like everyone else, they are proud that this has come to a peaceful conclusion.
So, Wolf, we're just waiting for that news conference to find out the very latest if and when Charles McCoy will be extradited back here to Columbus to answer questions that a lot of people in this area still have.
BLITZER: Still lots of questions in Columbus, indeed around the nation as well. Sean Callebs reporting for us. Sean, thanks very much.
And this note to our viewers. We expect to hear more about the capture of Charles McCoy, Jr. later this hour, as Sean just said. The FBI in Las Vegas has scheduled a news conference for 12:30 p.m. Eastern. We'll have live coverage of that.
Also, the sheriff's department in Columbus has scheduled a news conference for 3:30 p.m. Eastern. CNN will have live coverage of that as well.
A rallying cry in Spain. Supporters stand behind the man whose party fell from power in the wake of the Madrid terror bombings. We'll take you live to Spain.
We're also standing by to hear from John Kerry. A major foreign policy speech, a speech on the U.S. military.
All that coming up this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(INTERRUPTED BY BREAKING NEWS)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
bin Laden: Missed Opportunity?; Suspect Arrested in Ohio Highway Shootings>
