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Medals awarded to Senator John Kerry Cause Concern, European Muslims Swear Allegiance to Osama bin Laden, Major Developments in Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson Cases

Aired April 26, 2004 - 19:00   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, I'm Anderson Cooper.
A violent day in Fallujah might be a preview of things to come. That's next on 360.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): Fighting rages in Fallujah, who took the cease out of ceasefire?

Why are medals won by John Kerry more than 30 years ago an issue in this year's presidential campaign?

A new front in the war on terror, European Muslims swearing allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

Major developments in the Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant cases, we'll have the latest.

And, got a problem, pop a pill, is our country suffering from prescription overkill?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Good evening.

We begin tonight a tattered ceasefire in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. U.S. Marines battle it out with Iraqi insurgents with deadly consequences.

About 30 miles to the north in Baghdad, a massive explosion at a suspicious shop and today the Arabic news channel Al Aribiya aired this videotape. On it a militant group threatens to kill the three Italian hostages you're looking at right now unless Italian citizens organize demonstrations against Italy's military involvement in Iraq.

With more on the day's developments across Iraq here's CNN's Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): It doesn't look much like a ceasefire. One coalition soldier died and ten Marines were wounded in a three and a half hour firefight on Monday that killed eight Iraqi fighters in Fallujah officials said. The intense but sporadic firefights though are nothing compared to what could happy if the shaky agreement for the U.S. not to attack first falls through.

In the south, the U.S. Army locked in a standoff with the Shia militia group that seized control of Najaf this month is moving into a base camp vacated by Spanish troops withdrawn in a political move by their government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Spanish groups are withdrawing and American troops are moving in to maintain a presence in the bases and to demonstrate to the people of Najaf that we have not forgotten them.

ARRAF: The Army is careful not to go into Najaf itself but a senior military official said across the river from Najaf and Kufa Monday night the Army was attacking forces from Muqtada al-Sadr's militia. The military has warned insurgents to remove stockpiles of weapons they say are located in schools, shrines and mosques.

And, in Baghdad, an explosion at a suspected chemical arms factory killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded five others. The blast leveled part of the building as U.S. troops searched it setting military vehicles on fire. A group of Iraqis cheered that the vehicles burned.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARRAF: And while the majority of Iraqis long for the violence to end there is still a small but effective minority that's supporting these attacks and coalition officials say effectively holding the rest of the country hostage -- Anderson.

COOPER: Difficult day. Jane Arraf thanks very much.

Here's a quick news note for you on the first U.S. Coast Guardsman killed off the shores of Iraq. The Guardsman, Nathan Bruckenthal and two U.S. sailors were killed Saturday when a boat packed with explosives blew up as they attempted to board it off the coast of Basra in the Persian Gulf. Bruckenthal is the first member of the Coast Guard to die in combat since the Vietnam War.

Back here at home, Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is on the defensive over, of all things, his Vietnam medals. On the campaign trail in West Virginia today he called the dispute a phony controversy stirred up by Republicans.

CNN's Senior Political Correspondent, Candy Crowley reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KERRY (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And what we have to decide is that we're going to keep coming back until this war ends.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thirty-three years ago at the end of a weeklong protest, members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War through their medals over a fence at the capital, among them 27-year-old John Kerry.

KERRY: And in a real sense this administration forced us to return our medals because beyond the perversion of the war these leaders themselves denied us the integrity those symbols supposedly gave our lives.

CROWLEY: In fact, Kerry threw his ribbons and other people's medals over the fence. He did not return his own medals.

KERRY: I didn't have them with me. It was very simple and I threw some medals back that belonged to some folks who asked me to throw them back for them.

CROWLEY: It took several years before it was widely known Kerry had not returned his own medals but he said he never misled anyone. There it lay until this, a 1971 interview just after the protest with Washington TV Station WRC unearthed by the "New York Times."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many did you give back John?

KERRY: I gave back, I can't remember, six, seven, eight, nine medals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, you were awarded the Bronze Star, a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.

KERRY: Well, and above that I gave back my others.

CROWLEY: During a testy interview with ABC this morning, Kerry shoved back.

KERRY: George Bush has yet to explain to America whether or not and tell the truth about whether he showed up for duty.

CROWLEY: Kerry now says he never made any distinction between medals and ribbons. Returning one is the same as the other.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: In other news today, Kobe Bryant was back in court today for a hearing that could decide some crucial issues, including whether the jury will hear details about his accuser's sex life.

Gary Tuchman joins us live outside the courtroom in Eagle, Colorado. Gary, today's session was closed to the media, I know, but you've been outside the courtroom monitoring the comings and goings. What can you tell us?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. Due to the nature of the testimony we are not allowed inside, Anderson, but we are allowed in the hallways and we can tell you during this sexual history of the accuser hearing many of her friends and peers have gone into the courtroom. We are told some of those friends have testified in her behalf but others have had some not so nice things to say about the alleged victim in this case.

This is a very crucial hearing that may be nearing its conclusion now. Kobe Bryant's attorneys want the woman's sexual history part of it to be used in a trial before a jury. They say that she had sex with three different men over a 72-hour period surrounding her encounter with Kobe Bryant. They say that injuries she suffered could have come from one of those other men. Prosecutors do now acknowledge she had sex with anyone else and say either way it is irrelevant to the case.

Just last week the judge announced that medical records of this woman would not be allowed to be used in a trial. Kobe Bryant's attorneys have alleged she tried to kill herself twice. It affects her credibility. But they will, Kobe Bryant's attorneys, be able to bring it up during a trial if they have witnesses who come up and talk about it. Once again, no trial date set yet -- Anderson.

COOPER: And still underway the court proceedings today, Gary Tuchman thanks.

Michael Jackson says it was his decision to rework his defense team. You might wonder with just four days until his arraignment why would he let go of his high profile lead attorneys. Well today, Jackson issued a statement that fills in some of the blanks.

Ted Rowlands has more from Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson says it was his decision to fire Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman, indicating that he was unhappy with the amount of legal attention that he was getting. For the past few months, Mark Geragos has been spending much of his time defending Scott Peterson in a high profile murder case.

In a written statement, Jackson said: "It is imperative that I have the full attention of those who are representing me. My life is at stake. Therefore, I must feel confident that my interests are the highest priority."

On ABC News "Good Morning America," Brafman indicated that it may not have been Michael Jackson as much as the people around him that made the decision.

BENJAMIN BRAFMAN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: There are too many people around Michael Jackson who seek to weigh in on every decision. I think that's probably a fair observation.

ROWLANDS: Los Angeles attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. has been added to Jackson's legal team. Mesereau's last high profile client was actor Robert Blake. The two split earlier this year citing irreconcilable differences. Mesereau met with Jackson and family members in Orlando, Florida over the weekend. BRIAN OXMAN, JACKSON FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The family doesn't want to have comments on this. They don't want to have -- we want to make this a very professional, a very intelligent defense.

ROWLANDS: Mesereau did say he'll be with his new client this week in court. Jackson, who was charged with seven counts of lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 15 is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday on a sealed grand jury indictment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: And Friday's arraignment is expected to be a spectacle on par with Jackson's first court appearance. Once again, Jackson's fans are being offered free transportation from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara County so they can support the King of Pop -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Ted Rowlands thanks very much.

A white supremacist leader found guilty today of trying to have a federal judge killed. That story tops our look at news "Cross Country."

In Chicago, 32-year-old Matthew Hale, convicted on four of the five charges against him. Hale's attorneys argued that he never asked anyone to kill the judge and that the FBI used an informant to draw him into the plot. The jury apparently didn't buy it.

Syracuse, New York, a 5-year-old girl who had been kidnapped on Saturday was found Sunday afternoon bound in duct tape and hidden under a tarp in an abandoned warehouse. She was cold and crying but OK. Police are now looking for a thin white or possibly Hispanic man in his 40s.

Washington now, after four weeks of records, the price of gasoline came down but just barely. The average price of regular gas nationwide is just over $1.81 a gallon. The price came down one-tenth of a cent this week. It is still 26 cents a gallon higher today than it was one year ago.

In New York, Bill Clinton's book, it's coming out in late June just a few weeks before the Democratic National Convention. The first printing of the memoirs of the former president will be 1.5 million copies.

A publishing source describes that as huge. His wife Hillary's book last year sold well over a million copies, so stay tuned. That's a look at stories "Cross Country" tonight.

A priest charged in a brutal murder and allegations of ritual abuse. Did this man, this priest kill a nun more than 20 years ago? We'll take a closer look at this bizarre case.

Plus, weight loss, sex, depression and the search for a magic cure, have we become a pill-popping nation, part of our weeklong special series. Also ahead tonight, doctors permitted to refuse patients because of their beliefs. A proposed Michigan law has some asking is this a license for discrimination, all that is ahead.

First, let's take a look at your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Ugly, rainy day here in New York.

A cold case reopened with a twist. That's our story now. Twenty-four years ago, a nun sadistically slain, her body found in a hospital chapel. Police now say a priest is behind the crime.

Here's CNN's Keith Oppenheim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know he could never live with that for 24 years, never Father Jerry, never.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The priest people in Toledo called Father Jerry was taken into custody and arraigned in court. Father Gerald Robinson is charged with killing Sister Margaret Ann Pahl in 1980. Back then the two worked at Toledo's Mercy Hospital and it was actually Robinson, shown in the center background, who presided over Sister Pahl's funeral. Now, police believe the priest killed Sister Pahl by strangling her and stabbing her 30 times.

STEVER FORRESTER, DETECTIVE, TOLEDO POLICE: We have some evidence now that we believe indicated that some type of ceremony took place.

OPPENHEIM: Police said that evidence includes the multiple stabbings and the covering of the body with an altar cloth. The case reopened when a recent complaint about Father Robinson led investigators to make a match between the priest and what police believe is the murder weapons. Investigators used a technology called blood transfer patterns. The priest's attorney cast doubt on that evidence and says his client is not guilty.

JOHN THEBES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: All my (unintelligible) will be toward trying to gain his release from the county jail.

CATHERINE FLAGEL, SISTER OF VICTIM: After all these years, I really didn't think that they'd ever find out who it was.

OPPENHEIM: The nun's sister was taken aback by the news of the arrest as were the faithful in Toledo.

FATHER MICHAEL BILLIAN, DIOCESE OF TOLEDO: Whenever this kind of event happens it's a blow to the church.

OPPENHEIM: So far, police have not identified a clear motive and explained why a priest, seen by many as a moral leader, would murder another servant of the church.

Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: A new security screening scheme in the U.K. that tops our look at global stories in tonight's "Up Link."

In London, Britain lays out a plan to introduce high tech identity cards, that's one of them, to curb terrorism and illegal immigration. Now the government wants to set up a database of people's facial dimensions, their iris images and their fingerprints. Government officials concede the ideas probably won't prevent terror but they say it will help.

Beijing now democratic progress contained. The Chinese Parliament dashes Hong Kong's hopes for direct elections in 2007 and 2008. Officials in Beijing say drastic political reform would hurt Hong Kong's long term prosperity.

In North Korea an emergency appeal by the Red Cross. The humanitarian aid organization is trying to raise more than $1.2 million to buy food, clothing and cooking fuel for up to 10,000 North Koreans affected by last week's train blast.

The explosion of two trains destroyed 40 percent of the town where it happened killing at least 161 people. Late today, the White House said it will give $100,000 to the Red Cross for North Korean aid.

In Paris, was Princess Diana's death planned? Britain's most senior police officer and a team of detectives are in France right now to probe the circumstances surrounding Diana's death. They are investigating various conspiracy theories, some of which involve the British royal family and intelligence agencies, and that is a look at tonight's "Up Link."

So, are you tired? Are you anxious? Are you happy? Are you sad? These days it seems like there's a pill to solve all your problems, whatever they are, but have we become a pill-popping nation? That's our special series. It starts tonight just ahead.

Also coming up, calls for jihad in Europe, will this be a new front in the war on terror?

And a little later raw politics, strategies of attack. The candidates stay on message that is until they change that, all that ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, pill-popping nation, can't beat the blues, can't lose weight, can't perform in bed? If you believe all those TV commercials the cure is just a couple pills away.

All this week in our series "Pill-popping Nation," we're going to look at America's obsession with prescription drugs but are all these drugs doing more harm than good?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: To treat seasonal allergies -- bone loss -- erectile dysfunction -- overactive bladder -- do you want to stay in the game? Heartburn pain was part of my life. Once a day just one pill, ask your doctor. Ask your doctor. Ask your child's doctor.

COOPER (voice-over): You've seen the ads on TV, in magazines, on billboards, even on phone booths. Happiness, they seem to say, comes in the form of a pill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't been feeling like myself for a while. I was tired, felt down.

COOPER: The ads are often so vague consumers can't help but believe they have the symptoms and need help. It turns out America is the only country, besides New Zealand, that allows drug companies to advertise directly to consumers. One reason perhaps we buy more than half the prescription drugs sold worldwide, $163 billion worth. But are the ads really a good thing? Doctors seem divided.

DR. RICHARD DOLINAR, ARIZONA ENDOCRINOLOGY: By informing the patients of what treatments are out there and what symptoms and diseases to look out for, it helps bring them into the office.

DR. SIDNEY WOLFE, DIRECTOR, PUBLIC CITIZEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH GROUP: They're leaving out information about safety. They're exaggerating information about effectiveness and people are being led to think that the drugs are much better than they are.

COOPER: We now have drugs for conditions that were once simply part of life, menopause, baldness, obesity, impotence, and it's not just adults taking these drugs. The FDA estimates in 2002, 11 million children were prescribed antidepressants more than two million of them were under the age of 11.

It's not surprise then that prescription drugs are the second most abused drugs in the country behind marijuana. We take so many drugs, in fact, that some EPA researchers are worried about the effects of all these drugs on the environment when they've left our bodies and end up in the sewer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And I never even thought of that.

Earlier I spoke with a man who knows a thing or two about the prescription drug industry. In the late '70s during the Carter administration Joseph Califano served as Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, better known today as Health and Human Services. Califano is now Chairman of the National Center for Addiction and Substance abuse at Columbia University.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Secretary Califano, the drug companies say these ads, these direct to consumer ads, are educational. You've been opposed to them for a long time, why?

JOSEPH CALIFANO, JR., FOUNDER, NATL. CTR. ON ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Well, when I was secretary of HEW I banned direct to consumer ads because I think that what they do is they get patients to put pressure on doctors to provide medicine for them that may or may not be good for them. I think you can talk to any number of physicians who will say that.

COOPER: And the doctors, I guess, are often so overworked and busy and need to see so many patients to make ends meet they just sort of dole out these prescriptions.

CALIFANO: We have promiscuous prescribing by too many American physicians. What happens is a typical family doctor always has 30 or 40 patients waiting in his office. He finds the painkiller, let's say OxyContin that is supposed to be used only in the most extreme cases but he gives it to a few patients and they say, God I feel great now and he just starts prescribing it because that gets the patients off his back. This is a serious part of the problem of the pill-popping that goes on in this country.

COOPER: And, if we've become a nation of pill poppers and the problem is, you know, with over prescription of legal medication. That also, I suppose, leads to illegal use of these drugs.

CALIFANO: Yes, it does and in a lot of ways. I mean I've said often, I mean, one, these drugs that parents take, drugs like OxyContin or Percodan or Vicodin, which when crushed or snorted can also produce a real high, children, teenagers often take their parents' drugs and use them to produce the high. Now there are lots of ways drugs are available. One way is by using your parents' drugs. Another way is over the Internet.

COOPER: It's remarkably easy. You've done studies on this on finding drugs without a prescription on the Internet.

CALIFANO: In the matter of a week, a couple of people were able to identify about 500 sites on the Internet through which addictive, dangerous prescription drugs could be obtained.

All you needed from almost all the sites was a click and a credit card, no age limitations, no prescriptions required. So, what we've said is parents must monitor their kids using the Internet because the Internet is an enormous source of drugs.

COOPER: Joseph Califano thank you very much for being on the program.

CALIFANO: OK, thank you Anderson.

COOPER: Well that leads us to today's buzz question. What do you think? Are Americans too dependent on pills to solve their problems? Log onto cnn.com/360 to vote results at the end of the program tonight.

Our series "Pill-popping Nation" continues tomorrow night with a look at the dark side of sex drugs. They're not just for impotence anymore. Now teens and 20-somethings and just about everyone else are using sex drugs recreationally, mixing them with powerful illegal drugs, a potentially dangerous combination.

On Wednesday, "Mother's Little Helper," in the '60s the Rolling Stones referred to it as valium. Times have changed. Now there's Zanax (ph), OxyContin and many other drugs to keep you going but going where is the question.

On Thursday, weight loss drugs, those desperate to be thin holding out hope for a miracle pill.

And on Friday, over medicating our kids those who are diagnosed as depressed. Is the Prozac nation giving rise to the Prozac nursery?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): A new front in the war on terror? European Muslims swearing allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

Major developments in the Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant cases, we'll have the latest, 360 continues.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for top stories in "The Reset." In Washington the president's poll numbers are getting better, even as the war in Iraq grows increasingly unstable and violent. President Bush's approval rating is 48 percent, that is five points higher, than it was early April. 43 percent of Americans disapprove of the president's job performance.

A gun battle with insurgent in the city of Fallujah has left one American dead and 10 others wounded. It lasted more than 3 hours. Coalition officials still stress they are still trying to give the quote political tract a chance to work.

In Amman, Jordanian officials say they have broken up and alleged al Qaeda terror plot. This footage shows a late night raid on an apartment house in which several suspects were captured. The plan allegedly was to use massive explosions to disperse a deadly cloud of chemicals in the city center. According to Jordanian officials, now, several of those captured confessed their involvement on Jordanian national television.

The well the European Union is home to 15,000 Muslims, and with immigration, that number is expect to double by the year 2015. Many of these people are young, poor and unemployed. There is an open call by many radical Muslims in England to bring jihad to European streets. The clerics are urging the violent overthrow of western democracy.

CNN's terrorism analyst, Peter Bergen has been tracking these guys. He joins us now from Washington.

Good evening, Peter.

Are these guys serious?

Should we be worried about them?

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM EXPERT: Somewhat. I mean, I meet both of them, one is called Abu Hamza and the guy called Sheik Bakri. Had them both in London before 9/11. They're very (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, they are calling for jihad. They're regarded somewhat as a joke by serious political figures and serious religious figures. Unfortunately, jokes can turn deadly serious and they are calling or have called for people to go to jihad and Cashmere and Chechen and Yemen. And people -- young, impressional men go off and do these sorts of things.

COOPER: Even if it's blow hard, people listen to blow hards. And just last week, I understand Sheik Mohammed called for -- if European countries go by that truce that bin Laden had released that tape about, than -- sort of it's open season.

BERGEN: I think that's very interesting. I mean, bin Laden called for an truce of up to three months, which would mean it would expire some time in the middle of July. Here's Sheik Bakri saying, you know, when that truce is up it's open season. That's quite disturbing. Clearly there are British, young British, second generation Muslims who are very alienated, live in sort of industrialized cities, like Manchester and Leeds (ph) which don't have a lot of -- the economy not doing very well and these are the sorts of people who may be inspired to do something. And the article in today's "New York Times," also said the Iraq war is proving to be a real carrying call to arms for these people, as it is around the Muslim world.

COOPER: That's helping rally people. Do you think these guys, Sheikh Mohammed -- the other one, are actually recruiting people for al Qaeda?

BERGEN: No. Because, I think if they really were, they would be in prison. The fact they're out on the streets, while they're very talkative, it indicates they may not be the real deal. There are people I met in the course of reporting my book on al Qaeda in London who are now in prison, who had stronger links. These guys claim they have rhetorical they links, in fact they don't really. What they do, is they go out and incite there followers to go to Yemen or Chechnya or Cashmere or now perhaps Iraq. So they are sort of operating in the name of al Qaeda but they are not part of the organization.

COOPER: All right, Peter Bergen, thanks very much. CNN's terrorist analyst, good to talk to you.

Moving now to the battle for the White House. Both the Bush and Kerry campaigns are trying to stay on message this week with major media buys and plenty of tough talk. It is a weekly search, of course, to focus attention on preferred issues. Though, as we've seen today, sometimes the message gets lost in "Raw Politics."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: This was not how Democrats hoped to kick off the week, John Kerry answering questions about what he did with and said about 30-year-old war medals.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We threw away the symbols of the war. I'm proud I stood up and fought against it.

COOPER: The message was supposed to be jobs.

KERRY: This is the worst jobs record in the United States since Herbert Hoover and the great depression. The first president to lose jobs over the course of four years.

COOPER: But messages sometimes change. With Vice President Dick Cheney preparing to make a speech, criticizing national security Kerry's record, the Democrats launch and take.

TERRY MCAULIFFE, DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN: Why should we believe what the vice president says about John Kerry, especially when it comes to defending our country. For four years Cheney hasn't been straight with the American people. Why should we start believing him now?

COOPER: Cheney's speech was the first stop in the Republicans two week winning the war on terror tour, designed to hammer home a simple message, John Kerry is weak on defense.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Senator Kerry's record on defense majors is more consistent. From the beginning of his career in the U.S. Senate 20 years ago Senator Kerry has repeatedly called for major reductions or outright cancellations of important weapons systems.

COOPER: They hope to stay on task before the president and vice president will testify before the 9/11 Commission. And Democrats will try to remind voters of the 1 year anniversary of the president's mission accomplish speech. Staying on message while punching and counter punching. That is "Raw Politics."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, at least, one person said they were surprised by the message of Vice President Dick Cheney. The president of West Manchester College, where Vice President Cheney delivered that speech, and speaking out with e-mail.

Fletcher M. Lamkin, said he "was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry- bashing for a large portion of his speech." Lamkin, went on to say, he had been told the speech would only be about foreign policy including issues in Iraq.

No one knows about politics than my next guests, "CROSSFIRE " co- host Tucker Carlson and James Carville.

COOPER: Tucker, all this attention on John Kerry's medals, whether he did or not throw them away 30 years ago?

Is this a real controversy or is this an attempt by Republicans to obscure the one year anniversary of the mission accomplished banner?

TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": I mean, strictly speaking it's not much of a story. Who cares who medals they were. And I don't think people would care if it weren't for the fact John Kerry has just relentlessly beat this Vietnam heroic story, which is a real story, an admirable story, but he's beat it almost to death. Once John Kerry, makes his Vietnam experience, the very center of his campaign, as he has done, it's fair to ask him, does your story make sense. And in this case, it doesn't.

Did you see him on GMA this morning, it was embarrassing. He couldn't answer the question.

COOPER: Well, James, why can't he just answer the question?

JAMES CARVILLE, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Well first of all, this might be the silliest ass thing I've ever seen. And this is an indictment of the media, as to opposed to anybody else you're asking me about this. We bogged down in a war. There was no plan for it. The reason we went to was proven to be fraudulent. We are asking somebody about what they did with the medals they did 30 years ago. It just goes to show you how the White House press corps manipulates people.

COOPER: Well, James, let me talk to you about John Kerry's attempt to really target Dick Cheney this week?

Is that because they think Dick Cheney is more vulnerable than President Bush?

CARVILLE: First of all, Cheney has been giving speeches of John Kerry. I don't think he has had lack of attacks or contrast with President Bush. Obviously anybody who read's Woodward's book or knows anything about this administration, it was Dick Cheney who talked Bush into this war...

COOPER: But do

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Do Democrats see him as less likable than President Bush?

CARVILLE: I don't think it matters who's likable. They're both one and the same. It is their policies that have caused this deficit to skyrocket. It was their idea to get us into this disastrous war when they had no plan to get us out of. Who the hell cares who's more likable. CARLSON: It's interesting to me -- I would just point out that John Kerry voted for this war that James so denounces now. But contrast the attacks, Dick Cheney gets up today, and gives his speech and points out correctly and interestingly that John Kerry is complimenting now the first President Bush for his coalition in the first Gulf War. Well, of course, John Kerry voted against that war. Now, contrast that to Kerry's attacks on Cheney, which are along the lines of the ones you just heard from James, he didn't serve in Vietnam, he's not as patriotic as I am, he's not the man I am. You have attacks on one side based on policy and the other personal attacks.

CARVILLE: You know, Dick Cheney was the architect of this disaster in Iraq. He is the architect of our policy of unilateralism which is causing us to be hated around the world. It was their choice not to do anything about rising health care costs. And no amount of changing the subject matter can take that away. They're going to be held accountable in November. And all this shenanigans is not going to matter.

CARLSON: That's all fair but to attack a man for not serving in Vietnam as James just did...

COOPER: Tucker, do you think voters have already made up their mind?

I mean, do you think all this stuff is just shenanigans?

CARLSON: I do think that is actually an excellent point. I mean, the fact is, the "Washington Post" did a marvelous series on this in the last couple of days. Polls show people have by and large made up their minds. There is a very a narrow band in the middle who hasn't decided who they are going vote for. As, it turns, it's just the nature of reelection campaign that the challenger is more easily defined than the incumbent. People know what they think about George W. Bush, they are learning what they think about John Kerry. And so the George Bush campaign has a much better opportunity than the Kerry Campaign has right now to define it's opponent and that's what they are doing.

CARVILLE: I wish you could define his accomplishments, but unfortunately the Bush campaign can't do that.

COOPER: We are going to leave it there. James Carville, Tucker Carlson, thanks very much.

COOPER: Well, coming up, morals and medical care. Should doctors be able to define you treatment if they don't like something about you or about the treatment. A proposed Michigan law is supposed to protect religious freedom, but does it go too far?

Two sides sound off, coming up.

Michael Jackson's new defense team, how his legal shuffle may I next the case.

And singer Billy Joel racks up in third hit in two years, with his car. We'll explain coming up in "The Current."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, a new law making its way through the Michigan legislature has some groups worried less healthcare will be available to those who need it most. The law will allow doctors to refuse treatment if they have a moral problem with the treatment they're asking to provide. Gay rights groups are attacking the proposal, as are those advocating stem cell research. The bill has passed Michigan House, and now headed to the state senate.

With me now from Lansing, Michigan, Republican State Representative Scott Hummell, he's one of the sponsors of the bill.

And from Detroit we have State Representative Chris Kolb, a Democrat.

Gentleman appreciate both of you being on the program. Representative Hummell, let me start off with you. The bill that you are a co-sponsor of, it's ostensibly to protect doctors, their religious freedom, if they have a moral -- if they're morally opposed to say performing abortion or prescribing a morning after pill, this law would allow them not to. Some gay rights groups are saying it would also allow a doctor not to treat a say a gay or lesbian person if they didn't like that person. Is that true?

STATE REP. SCOTT HUMMELL (R), MICHIGAN: I strongly disagree with that statement, and here's why Mr. Cooper. The bill actually focuses on services and procedures. Healthcare providers have to state in writing what services they're objecting to, and it doesn't focus on groups or groups of people at all.

COOPER: But it may not mention those groups, but legally, under the law, it would allow that, no?

HUMMELL: No. Not at all. We have equal protection clause in the United States constitution that addresses that.

COOPER: Not for a sexual orientation, though?

HUMMELL: As a healthcare provider, if I provide a service for individual a, I have to provide the same heart attack service for individual b. If I object to a healthcare service for one, than I can object to the other. It doesn't allow me to discriminate one to the other. It focuses on services.

COOPER: Representative Kolb, why do you oppose this bill if it protects religious freedom and protecting doctors moral beliefs why oppose it?

STATE REP. CHRIS KOLB (D), MICHIGAN: I think it potentially can really hinder access to the healthcare, especially in rural area areas. For the patient, it that says care providers belief system is more important than the patient's care, and that's a problem. To your point about whether sexual would be covered, the bill has a section that says that, you can not object based on a classification of a patient or a group of patients that are covered by the states non- discrimination statute.

Unfortunately, in the state of Michigan, sexual orientation and gender expression is not covered, and thus, I believe there's a loophole there big enough to drive a mack (ph) truck through, that would allow a healthcare provider to state an objection based on someone's sexual orientation. That's something we must definitely close in this bill.

COOPER: Representative Hummell, is that something you would be willing to close?

HUMMELL: I think the real battle for Representative Kolb is the Elliot-Larson Civil Rights Act which he's referring to. I don't think this legislation is the piece to address that. If you open it for one group, who's to say another group and then he started defining groups of people. Again the focus on services. I think if Representative Kolb wants to fight this battle and the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act, that's the place to do it.

COOPER: Representative Kolb?

KOLB: The bill clearly says you can't object to a person who's covered under Elliot-Larson but then I guess it means you can't object to providing care to a person who's not covered by Elliot-Larson. That's plain discriminatory.

COOPER: Representative Hummell, Representative Kolb raises the point that in basically trying to put the doctor's rights and feelings ahead of the best possible patient care. Do you agree with it?

HUMMELL: What it addresses is again on services such as abortion, human cloning, genetic testing. We have a lot of issues out there that are coming down the pike, we're not sure how it will impact the public. To say that it impacts or puts the doctors' rights ahead of the patients, I don't agree with. Emergency situations are addressed in the bill. The provider has to address emergency situations. Again, as far as services go, it's based on services, not on a particular person or what they may or may not do.

COOPER: I know the bill has passed the House, it still has not passed in the Senate yet, then it has to be signed by the governor, we'll be following it closely. Representative Scott Hummell and Representative Chris Kolb, appreciate you being on the program.

A legal shuffle coming up. Just days before his arraignment the king of pop ditches his defense team for a new one. Just ahead.

Plus packing heat at the bar. We'll take one state's potential lethal change to the Nth Degree.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for Justice Served. Two high profile cases to talk about. Kobe Bryant is back in Eagle, Colorado, where a pretrial hearing will determine how much, if any of his alleged victim's sexual history will be allowed at trial. And the self-proclaimed king of pop plays musical chairs, shaking up his defense team just days before his arraignment. Covering both these stories for us tonight 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom.

Good to see you, Kimberly. Let's talk, Michael Jackson, the timing of this, four days before he's being arraigned. Is this a wise idea?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, 360 LEGAL ANALYST: It's not a good idea to change attorneys. But this is a personal decision he has to make and if he's going to do it, do this musical chairs with lawyers, it's better to do it now before the arraignment. I think there's been some rumblings about this going on for months so it's really not surprising.

COOPER: In a statement, Jackson said -- he said this today. "It is imperative that I have the full attention of those who are representing me. My life is at stake therefore I must feel confident that my interests are of the highest priority."

Seems like Jackson is talking about Mark Geragos and his representation of Scott Peterson.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Sure and think about it. Maybe things have really sunk in with Michael Jackson and he realizes how serious these charges are and the amount of time that he's looking at. Remember before where he's on top of the van dancing, et cetera, I think we're seeing a little bit of a different attitude. But what we're looking at here is does he feel that Mark could devote the time? Of course, Mark Geragos' team will say, yes, they've invested a lot of time on this, they've been working on this case even before it was ever charged. And, of course, Ben Brafman, a very skilled attorney, I think they could handle the case and I think that this is again a decision that Michael has to make.

COOPER: You talk about Michael Jackson dancing on top of the car at the last hearing. We now hear he's already offering to bus in people to this arraignment which is likely to happen on Friday. Can this new attorney really control Michael Jackson?

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Oh, my gosh. Good luck. We saw what happened with Robert Blake. Robert Blake was doing interviews with anyone who would talk to him, he was outside the courthouse in (UNINTELLIGIBLE), doing his own little variety show, singing and dancing and playing the guitar. And we saw that case fall apart and that relationship due to quote-unquote "irreconcilable differences" and again the same term being used here in this case to describe the disillusion.

COOPER: Well, Benjamin Brafman, Michael Jackson's -- one of his former attorneys, said that the new attorney has to realize that it's not business as usual. What do you think he means?

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: What he's talking about is Nation of Islam. That there are a lot more people involved here. And too many chefs are going to spoil the soup, I think, in this case. COOPER: In fact, he said that. He said there were just too many people involved.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Everyone telling Michael all different things. We're hearing reports that even the family is upset, you know, frustrated because everyone wants in, everyone wants to have some influence and say. Michael's got a bunch of people talking to him. At the end of the day, it is so disruptive to the attorney/client relationship. What Mesereau has to do is go in and take charge and say, you want me to take this case, you do what I say, we work together and you can't be influenced by these outside people trying to put in their two cents.

COOPER: Kobe Bryant case, very briefly, some testimony this week about this woman's alleged sexual history. Interestingly the defense team wants the word victim not used in the courtroom. I've never heard of that.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: For this defense, nothing's off limits. We saw them use the victim's name six times in a row in the courtroom. Now, they're asking that the word victim not be used. Good luck. When we charge cases as prosecutors the word, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) alleged -- you put victim and then the name. It's always used by prosecutors. I'll be surprised if the judge does that. He shouldn't agree to that in this case.

COOPER: All right. Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom, thanks very much.

Time to check on pop news in tonight's Current. Some lighter stuff. Oprah Winfrey says she can understands that many women wish they could have her life and she can relate but it's OK to be just who you are. During the sold-out stop on a speaking tour promoting individuality, Winfrey told an audience in Atlanta that she grew up wishing she could be Diana Ross. The nearly 3,000 women attending say that really helped change their thinking and now they wish they could be Diana Ross.

Singer Billy Joel was in another car accident over the weekend. Police say Joel lost control of his car in Long Island and crashed into a house. This was Joel's second car accident in four months, the third in two years. Police say there was no evidence that drugs or alcohol were a factor. Our guess is the house must have been speeding.

Mona Lisa is deteriorating. The Louvre Museum plans an exhaustive technical study to find out what's happening to Da Vinci's masterpiece. The Louvre says the thin panel of wood the work is painted on has become deformed since experts last examined it. Somewhere Dan Brown is feverishly researching the more thrilling conspiratorial aspects of wood composition.

And responding to a critical lack of award shows, VH1 is airing its first annual VH1 hip-hop honors in October including a mix of old and current rappers. VH1 may not be the obvious choice to be handing out hip-hop awards. It was either that or digging up old news reels for "I love the 20's." And if a law changes in one state you better think twice before getting in a bar fight, we take to the Nth Degree just ahead.

Plus tomorrow. We continue our series, "Pill-Popping Nation" with a look at the dark side of sex-enhancing drugs, they're not just for impotence anymore. First today's buzz. "Are Americans too dependent on pills to solve their problems?" What do you think? Log on to CNN.com/360. Cast your vote. Results when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for the buzz. We asked "are Americans too dependent on pills to solve their problems?" Here's what you said. Strong opinions on this one. The emails are pouring in. 88 percent of you said yes, 12 percent of you said no. Not a scientific poll but it is your buzz. We appreciate it.

Tonight, taking a bar bet to the Nth Degree. The Arizona Senate is debating an interesting bill this week -- well, an interesting change actually which would allow folks who have the necessary permit to carry their concealed weapons into establishments that serve alcohol as long as they don't, themselves, drink any. So it's not exactly a return to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) days we all know from the movies.

First of all, in the saloons of the wild west, the weapons weren't concealed and booze was just fine, mandatory almost whether you were or weren't carrying a gun. As for modern day Arizona, restaurant and bar owners don't like the proposed change at all although the NRA does. We say no problem. All you have to do is keep your eyes open. The rough neck with the boilermaker in front of him. Go ahead, pick a fight with him if you want. But stay away from that guy nursing a glass of milk, he's packing heat. I'm Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Coming up next, "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 26, 2004 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, I'm Anderson Cooper.
A violent day in Fallujah might be a preview of things to come. That's next on 360.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): Fighting rages in Fallujah, who took the cease out of ceasefire?

Why are medals won by John Kerry more than 30 years ago an issue in this year's presidential campaign?

A new front in the war on terror, European Muslims swearing allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

Major developments in the Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant cases, we'll have the latest.

And, got a problem, pop a pill, is our country suffering from prescription overkill?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Good evening.

We begin tonight a tattered ceasefire in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. U.S. Marines battle it out with Iraqi insurgents with deadly consequences.

About 30 miles to the north in Baghdad, a massive explosion at a suspicious shop and today the Arabic news channel Al Aribiya aired this videotape. On it a militant group threatens to kill the three Italian hostages you're looking at right now unless Italian citizens organize demonstrations against Italy's military involvement in Iraq.

With more on the day's developments across Iraq here's CNN's Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): It doesn't look much like a ceasefire. One coalition soldier died and ten Marines were wounded in a three and a half hour firefight on Monday that killed eight Iraqi fighters in Fallujah officials said. The intense but sporadic firefights though are nothing compared to what could happy if the shaky agreement for the U.S. not to attack first falls through.

In the south, the U.S. Army locked in a standoff with the Shia militia group that seized control of Najaf this month is moving into a base camp vacated by Spanish troops withdrawn in a political move by their government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Spanish groups are withdrawing and American troops are moving in to maintain a presence in the bases and to demonstrate to the people of Najaf that we have not forgotten them.

ARRAF: The Army is careful not to go into Najaf itself but a senior military official said across the river from Najaf and Kufa Monday night the Army was attacking forces from Muqtada al-Sadr's militia. The military has warned insurgents to remove stockpiles of weapons they say are located in schools, shrines and mosques.

And, in Baghdad, an explosion at a suspected chemical arms factory killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded five others. The blast leveled part of the building as U.S. troops searched it setting military vehicles on fire. A group of Iraqis cheered that the vehicles burned.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ARRAF: And while the majority of Iraqis long for the violence to end there is still a small but effective minority that's supporting these attacks and coalition officials say effectively holding the rest of the country hostage -- Anderson.

COOPER: Difficult day. Jane Arraf thanks very much.

Here's a quick news note for you on the first U.S. Coast Guardsman killed off the shores of Iraq. The Guardsman, Nathan Bruckenthal and two U.S. sailors were killed Saturday when a boat packed with explosives blew up as they attempted to board it off the coast of Basra in the Persian Gulf. Bruckenthal is the first member of the Coast Guard to die in combat since the Vietnam War.

Back here at home, Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry is on the defensive over, of all things, his Vietnam medals. On the campaign trail in West Virginia today he called the dispute a phony controversy stirred up by Republicans.

CNN's Senior Political Correspondent, Candy Crowley reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KERRY (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And what we have to decide is that we're going to keep coming back until this war ends.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thirty-three years ago at the end of a weeklong protest, members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War through their medals over a fence at the capital, among them 27-year-old John Kerry.

KERRY: And in a real sense this administration forced us to return our medals because beyond the perversion of the war these leaders themselves denied us the integrity those symbols supposedly gave our lives.

CROWLEY: In fact, Kerry threw his ribbons and other people's medals over the fence. He did not return his own medals.

KERRY: I didn't have them with me. It was very simple and I threw some medals back that belonged to some folks who asked me to throw them back for them.

CROWLEY: It took several years before it was widely known Kerry had not returned his own medals but he said he never misled anyone. There it lay until this, a 1971 interview just after the protest with Washington TV Station WRC unearthed by the "New York Times."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many did you give back John?

KERRY: I gave back, I can't remember, six, seven, eight, nine medals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, you were awarded the Bronze Star, a Silver Star and three Purple Hearts.

KERRY: Well, and above that I gave back my others.

CROWLEY: During a testy interview with ABC this morning, Kerry shoved back.

KERRY: George Bush has yet to explain to America whether or not and tell the truth about whether he showed up for duty.

CROWLEY: Kerry now says he never made any distinction between medals and ribbons. Returning one is the same as the other.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: In other news today, Kobe Bryant was back in court today for a hearing that could decide some crucial issues, including whether the jury will hear details about his accuser's sex life.

Gary Tuchman joins us live outside the courtroom in Eagle, Colorado. Gary, today's session was closed to the media, I know, but you've been outside the courtroom monitoring the comings and goings. What can you tell us?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. Due to the nature of the testimony we are not allowed inside, Anderson, but we are allowed in the hallways and we can tell you during this sexual history of the accuser hearing many of her friends and peers have gone into the courtroom. We are told some of those friends have testified in her behalf but others have had some not so nice things to say about the alleged victim in this case.

This is a very crucial hearing that may be nearing its conclusion now. Kobe Bryant's attorneys want the woman's sexual history part of it to be used in a trial before a jury. They say that she had sex with three different men over a 72-hour period surrounding her encounter with Kobe Bryant. They say that injuries she suffered could have come from one of those other men. Prosecutors do now acknowledge she had sex with anyone else and say either way it is irrelevant to the case.

Just last week the judge announced that medical records of this woman would not be allowed to be used in a trial. Kobe Bryant's attorneys have alleged she tried to kill herself twice. It affects her credibility. But they will, Kobe Bryant's attorneys, be able to bring it up during a trial if they have witnesses who come up and talk about it. Once again, no trial date set yet -- Anderson.

COOPER: And still underway the court proceedings today, Gary Tuchman thanks.

Michael Jackson says it was his decision to rework his defense team. You might wonder with just four days until his arraignment why would he let go of his high profile lead attorneys. Well today, Jackson issued a statement that fills in some of the blanks.

Ted Rowlands has more from Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson says it was his decision to fire Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman, indicating that he was unhappy with the amount of legal attention that he was getting. For the past few months, Mark Geragos has been spending much of his time defending Scott Peterson in a high profile murder case.

In a written statement, Jackson said: "It is imperative that I have the full attention of those who are representing me. My life is at stake. Therefore, I must feel confident that my interests are the highest priority."

On ABC News "Good Morning America," Brafman indicated that it may not have been Michael Jackson as much as the people around him that made the decision.

BENJAMIN BRAFMAN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: There are too many people around Michael Jackson who seek to weigh in on every decision. I think that's probably a fair observation.

ROWLANDS: Los Angeles attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. has been added to Jackson's legal team. Mesereau's last high profile client was actor Robert Blake. The two split earlier this year citing irreconcilable differences. Mesereau met with Jackson and family members in Orlando, Florida over the weekend. BRIAN OXMAN, JACKSON FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The family doesn't want to have comments on this. They don't want to have -- we want to make this a very professional, a very intelligent defense.

ROWLANDS: Mesereau did say he'll be with his new client this week in court. Jackson, who was charged with seven counts of lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 15 is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday on a sealed grand jury indictment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: And Friday's arraignment is expected to be a spectacle on par with Jackson's first court appearance. Once again, Jackson's fans are being offered free transportation from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara County so they can support the King of Pop -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Ted Rowlands thanks very much.

A white supremacist leader found guilty today of trying to have a federal judge killed. That story tops our look at news "Cross Country."

In Chicago, 32-year-old Matthew Hale, convicted on four of the five charges against him. Hale's attorneys argued that he never asked anyone to kill the judge and that the FBI used an informant to draw him into the plot. The jury apparently didn't buy it.

Syracuse, New York, a 5-year-old girl who had been kidnapped on Saturday was found Sunday afternoon bound in duct tape and hidden under a tarp in an abandoned warehouse. She was cold and crying but OK. Police are now looking for a thin white or possibly Hispanic man in his 40s.

Washington now, after four weeks of records, the price of gasoline came down but just barely. The average price of regular gas nationwide is just over $1.81 a gallon. The price came down one-tenth of a cent this week. It is still 26 cents a gallon higher today than it was one year ago.

In New York, Bill Clinton's book, it's coming out in late June just a few weeks before the Democratic National Convention. The first printing of the memoirs of the former president will be 1.5 million copies.

A publishing source describes that as huge. His wife Hillary's book last year sold well over a million copies, so stay tuned. That's a look at stories "Cross Country" tonight.

A priest charged in a brutal murder and allegations of ritual abuse. Did this man, this priest kill a nun more than 20 years ago? We'll take a closer look at this bizarre case.

Plus, weight loss, sex, depression and the search for a magic cure, have we become a pill-popping nation, part of our weeklong special series. Also ahead tonight, doctors permitted to refuse patients because of their beliefs. A proposed Michigan law has some asking is this a license for discrimination, all that is ahead.

First, let's take a look at your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Ugly, rainy day here in New York.

A cold case reopened with a twist. That's our story now. Twenty-four years ago, a nun sadistically slain, her body found in a hospital chapel. Police now say a priest is behind the crime.

Here's CNN's Keith Oppenheim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know he could never live with that for 24 years, never Father Jerry, never.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The priest people in Toledo called Father Jerry was taken into custody and arraigned in court. Father Gerald Robinson is charged with killing Sister Margaret Ann Pahl in 1980. Back then the two worked at Toledo's Mercy Hospital and it was actually Robinson, shown in the center background, who presided over Sister Pahl's funeral. Now, police believe the priest killed Sister Pahl by strangling her and stabbing her 30 times.

STEVER FORRESTER, DETECTIVE, TOLEDO POLICE: We have some evidence now that we believe indicated that some type of ceremony took place.

OPPENHEIM: Police said that evidence includes the multiple stabbings and the covering of the body with an altar cloth. The case reopened when a recent complaint about Father Robinson led investigators to make a match between the priest and what police believe is the murder weapons. Investigators used a technology called blood transfer patterns. The priest's attorney cast doubt on that evidence and says his client is not guilty.

JOHN THEBES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: All my (unintelligible) will be toward trying to gain his release from the county jail.

CATHERINE FLAGEL, SISTER OF VICTIM: After all these years, I really didn't think that they'd ever find out who it was.

OPPENHEIM: The nun's sister was taken aback by the news of the arrest as were the faithful in Toledo.

FATHER MICHAEL BILLIAN, DIOCESE OF TOLEDO: Whenever this kind of event happens it's a blow to the church.

OPPENHEIM: So far, police have not identified a clear motive and explained why a priest, seen by many as a moral leader, would murder another servant of the church.

Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: A new security screening scheme in the U.K. that tops our look at global stories in tonight's "Up Link."

In London, Britain lays out a plan to introduce high tech identity cards, that's one of them, to curb terrorism and illegal immigration. Now the government wants to set up a database of people's facial dimensions, their iris images and their fingerprints. Government officials concede the ideas probably won't prevent terror but they say it will help.

Beijing now democratic progress contained. The Chinese Parliament dashes Hong Kong's hopes for direct elections in 2007 and 2008. Officials in Beijing say drastic political reform would hurt Hong Kong's long term prosperity.

In North Korea an emergency appeal by the Red Cross. The humanitarian aid organization is trying to raise more than $1.2 million to buy food, clothing and cooking fuel for up to 10,000 North Koreans affected by last week's train blast.

The explosion of two trains destroyed 40 percent of the town where it happened killing at least 161 people. Late today, the White House said it will give $100,000 to the Red Cross for North Korean aid.

In Paris, was Princess Diana's death planned? Britain's most senior police officer and a team of detectives are in France right now to probe the circumstances surrounding Diana's death. They are investigating various conspiracy theories, some of which involve the British royal family and intelligence agencies, and that is a look at tonight's "Up Link."

So, are you tired? Are you anxious? Are you happy? Are you sad? These days it seems like there's a pill to solve all your problems, whatever they are, but have we become a pill-popping nation? That's our special series. It starts tonight just ahead.

Also coming up, calls for jihad in Europe, will this be a new front in the war on terror?

And a little later raw politics, strategies of attack. The candidates stay on message that is until they change that, all that ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, pill-popping nation, can't beat the blues, can't lose weight, can't perform in bed? If you believe all those TV commercials the cure is just a couple pills away.

All this week in our series "Pill-popping Nation," we're going to look at America's obsession with prescription drugs but are all these drugs doing more harm than good?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: To treat seasonal allergies -- bone loss -- erectile dysfunction -- overactive bladder -- do you want to stay in the game? Heartburn pain was part of my life. Once a day just one pill, ask your doctor. Ask your doctor. Ask your child's doctor.

COOPER (voice-over): You've seen the ads on TV, in magazines, on billboards, even on phone booths. Happiness, they seem to say, comes in the form of a pill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't been feeling like myself for a while. I was tired, felt down.

COOPER: The ads are often so vague consumers can't help but believe they have the symptoms and need help. It turns out America is the only country, besides New Zealand, that allows drug companies to advertise directly to consumers. One reason perhaps we buy more than half the prescription drugs sold worldwide, $163 billion worth. But are the ads really a good thing? Doctors seem divided.

DR. RICHARD DOLINAR, ARIZONA ENDOCRINOLOGY: By informing the patients of what treatments are out there and what symptoms and diseases to look out for, it helps bring them into the office.

DR. SIDNEY WOLFE, DIRECTOR, PUBLIC CITIZEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH GROUP: They're leaving out information about safety. They're exaggerating information about effectiveness and people are being led to think that the drugs are much better than they are.

COOPER: We now have drugs for conditions that were once simply part of life, menopause, baldness, obesity, impotence, and it's not just adults taking these drugs. The FDA estimates in 2002, 11 million children were prescribed antidepressants more than two million of them were under the age of 11.

It's not surprise then that prescription drugs are the second most abused drugs in the country behind marijuana. We take so many drugs, in fact, that some EPA researchers are worried about the effects of all these drugs on the environment when they've left our bodies and end up in the sewer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: And I never even thought of that.

Earlier I spoke with a man who knows a thing or two about the prescription drug industry. In the late '70s during the Carter administration Joseph Califano served as Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, better known today as Health and Human Services. Califano is now Chairman of the National Center for Addiction and Substance abuse at Columbia University.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Secretary Califano, the drug companies say these ads, these direct to consumer ads, are educational. You've been opposed to them for a long time, why?

JOSEPH CALIFANO, JR., FOUNDER, NATL. CTR. ON ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: Well, when I was secretary of HEW I banned direct to consumer ads because I think that what they do is they get patients to put pressure on doctors to provide medicine for them that may or may not be good for them. I think you can talk to any number of physicians who will say that.

COOPER: And the doctors, I guess, are often so overworked and busy and need to see so many patients to make ends meet they just sort of dole out these prescriptions.

CALIFANO: We have promiscuous prescribing by too many American physicians. What happens is a typical family doctor always has 30 or 40 patients waiting in his office. He finds the painkiller, let's say OxyContin that is supposed to be used only in the most extreme cases but he gives it to a few patients and they say, God I feel great now and he just starts prescribing it because that gets the patients off his back. This is a serious part of the problem of the pill-popping that goes on in this country.

COOPER: And, if we've become a nation of pill poppers and the problem is, you know, with over prescription of legal medication. That also, I suppose, leads to illegal use of these drugs.

CALIFANO: Yes, it does and in a lot of ways. I mean I've said often, I mean, one, these drugs that parents take, drugs like OxyContin or Percodan or Vicodin, which when crushed or snorted can also produce a real high, children, teenagers often take their parents' drugs and use them to produce the high. Now there are lots of ways drugs are available. One way is by using your parents' drugs. Another way is over the Internet.

COOPER: It's remarkably easy. You've done studies on this on finding drugs without a prescription on the Internet.

CALIFANO: In the matter of a week, a couple of people were able to identify about 500 sites on the Internet through which addictive, dangerous prescription drugs could be obtained.

All you needed from almost all the sites was a click and a credit card, no age limitations, no prescriptions required. So, what we've said is parents must monitor their kids using the Internet because the Internet is an enormous source of drugs.

COOPER: Joseph Califano thank you very much for being on the program.

CALIFANO: OK, thank you Anderson.

COOPER: Well that leads us to today's buzz question. What do you think? Are Americans too dependent on pills to solve their problems? Log onto cnn.com/360 to vote results at the end of the program tonight.

Our series "Pill-popping Nation" continues tomorrow night with a look at the dark side of sex drugs. They're not just for impotence anymore. Now teens and 20-somethings and just about everyone else are using sex drugs recreationally, mixing them with powerful illegal drugs, a potentially dangerous combination.

On Wednesday, "Mother's Little Helper," in the '60s the Rolling Stones referred to it as valium. Times have changed. Now there's Zanax (ph), OxyContin and many other drugs to keep you going but going where is the question.

On Thursday, weight loss drugs, those desperate to be thin holding out hope for a miracle pill.

And on Friday, over medicating our kids those who are diagnosed as depressed. Is the Prozac nation giving rise to the Prozac nursery?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): A new front in the war on terror? European Muslims swearing allegiance to Osama bin Laden.

Major developments in the Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant cases, we'll have the latest, 360 continues.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for top stories in "The Reset." In Washington the president's poll numbers are getting better, even as the war in Iraq grows increasingly unstable and violent. President Bush's approval rating is 48 percent, that is five points higher, than it was early April. 43 percent of Americans disapprove of the president's job performance.

A gun battle with insurgent in the city of Fallujah has left one American dead and 10 others wounded. It lasted more than 3 hours. Coalition officials still stress they are still trying to give the quote political tract a chance to work.

In Amman, Jordanian officials say they have broken up and alleged al Qaeda terror plot. This footage shows a late night raid on an apartment house in which several suspects were captured. The plan allegedly was to use massive explosions to disperse a deadly cloud of chemicals in the city center. According to Jordanian officials, now, several of those captured confessed their involvement on Jordanian national television.

The well the European Union is home to 15,000 Muslims, and with immigration, that number is expect to double by the year 2015. Many of these people are young, poor and unemployed. There is an open call by many radical Muslims in England to bring jihad to European streets. The clerics are urging the violent overthrow of western democracy.

CNN's terrorism analyst, Peter Bergen has been tracking these guys. He joins us now from Washington.

Good evening, Peter.

Are these guys serious?

Should we be worried about them?

PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM EXPERT: Somewhat. I mean, I meet both of them, one is called Abu Hamza and the guy called Sheik Bakri. Had them both in London before 9/11. They're very (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You know, they are calling for jihad. They're regarded somewhat as a joke by serious political figures and serious religious figures. Unfortunately, jokes can turn deadly serious and they are calling or have called for people to go to jihad and Cashmere and Chechen and Yemen. And people -- young, impressional men go off and do these sorts of things.

COOPER: Even if it's blow hard, people listen to blow hards. And just last week, I understand Sheik Mohammed called for -- if European countries go by that truce that bin Laden had released that tape about, than -- sort of it's open season.

BERGEN: I think that's very interesting. I mean, bin Laden called for an truce of up to three months, which would mean it would expire some time in the middle of July. Here's Sheik Bakri saying, you know, when that truce is up it's open season. That's quite disturbing. Clearly there are British, young British, second generation Muslims who are very alienated, live in sort of industrialized cities, like Manchester and Leeds (ph) which don't have a lot of -- the economy not doing very well and these are the sorts of people who may be inspired to do something. And the article in today's "New York Times," also said the Iraq war is proving to be a real carrying call to arms for these people, as it is around the Muslim world.

COOPER: That's helping rally people. Do you think these guys, Sheikh Mohammed -- the other one, are actually recruiting people for al Qaeda?

BERGEN: No. Because, I think if they really were, they would be in prison. The fact they're out on the streets, while they're very talkative, it indicates they may not be the real deal. There are people I met in the course of reporting my book on al Qaeda in London who are now in prison, who had stronger links. These guys claim they have rhetorical they links, in fact they don't really. What they do, is they go out and incite there followers to go to Yemen or Chechnya or Cashmere or now perhaps Iraq. So they are sort of operating in the name of al Qaeda but they are not part of the organization.

COOPER: All right, Peter Bergen, thanks very much. CNN's terrorist analyst, good to talk to you.

Moving now to the battle for the White House. Both the Bush and Kerry campaigns are trying to stay on message this week with major media buys and plenty of tough talk. It is a weekly search, of course, to focus attention on preferred issues. Though, as we've seen today, sometimes the message gets lost in "Raw Politics."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: This was not how Democrats hoped to kick off the week, John Kerry answering questions about what he did with and said about 30-year-old war medals.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We threw away the symbols of the war. I'm proud I stood up and fought against it.

COOPER: The message was supposed to be jobs.

KERRY: This is the worst jobs record in the United States since Herbert Hoover and the great depression. The first president to lose jobs over the course of four years.

COOPER: But messages sometimes change. With Vice President Dick Cheney preparing to make a speech, criticizing national security Kerry's record, the Democrats launch and take.

TERRY MCAULIFFE, DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN: Why should we believe what the vice president says about John Kerry, especially when it comes to defending our country. For four years Cheney hasn't been straight with the American people. Why should we start believing him now?

COOPER: Cheney's speech was the first stop in the Republicans two week winning the war on terror tour, designed to hammer home a simple message, John Kerry is weak on defense.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Senator Kerry's record on defense majors is more consistent. From the beginning of his career in the U.S. Senate 20 years ago Senator Kerry has repeatedly called for major reductions or outright cancellations of important weapons systems.

COOPER: They hope to stay on task before the president and vice president will testify before the 9/11 Commission. And Democrats will try to remind voters of the 1 year anniversary of the president's mission accomplish speech. Staying on message while punching and counter punching. That is "Raw Politics."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, at least, one person said they were surprised by the message of Vice President Dick Cheney. The president of West Manchester College, where Vice President Cheney delivered that speech, and speaking out with e-mail.

Fletcher M. Lamkin, said he "was surprised and disappointed that Mr. Cheney chose to step off the high ground and resort to Kerry- bashing for a large portion of his speech." Lamkin, went on to say, he had been told the speech would only be about foreign policy including issues in Iraq.

No one knows about politics than my next guests, "CROSSFIRE " co- host Tucker Carlson and James Carville.

COOPER: Tucker, all this attention on John Kerry's medals, whether he did or not throw them away 30 years ago?

Is this a real controversy or is this an attempt by Republicans to obscure the one year anniversary of the mission accomplished banner?

TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": I mean, strictly speaking it's not much of a story. Who cares who medals they were. And I don't think people would care if it weren't for the fact John Kerry has just relentlessly beat this Vietnam heroic story, which is a real story, an admirable story, but he's beat it almost to death. Once John Kerry, makes his Vietnam experience, the very center of his campaign, as he has done, it's fair to ask him, does your story make sense. And in this case, it doesn't.

Did you see him on GMA this morning, it was embarrassing. He couldn't answer the question.

COOPER: Well, James, why can't he just answer the question?

JAMES CARVILLE, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Well first of all, this might be the silliest ass thing I've ever seen. And this is an indictment of the media, as to opposed to anybody else you're asking me about this. We bogged down in a war. There was no plan for it. The reason we went to was proven to be fraudulent. We are asking somebody about what they did with the medals they did 30 years ago. It just goes to show you how the White House press corps manipulates people.

COOPER: Well, James, let me talk to you about John Kerry's attempt to really target Dick Cheney this week?

Is that because they think Dick Cheney is more vulnerable than President Bush?

CARVILLE: First of all, Cheney has been giving speeches of John Kerry. I don't think he has had lack of attacks or contrast with President Bush. Obviously anybody who read's Woodward's book or knows anything about this administration, it was Dick Cheney who talked Bush into this war...

COOPER: But do

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Do Democrats see him as less likable than President Bush?

CARVILLE: I don't think it matters who's likable. They're both one and the same. It is their policies that have caused this deficit to skyrocket. It was their idea to get us into this disastrous war when they had no plan to get us out of. Who the hell cares who's more likable. CARLSON: It's interesting to me -- I would just point out that John Kerry voted for this war that James so denounces now. But contrast the attacks, Dick Cheney gets up today, and gives his speech and points out correctly and interestingly that John Kerry is complimenting now the first President Bush for his coalition in the first Gulf War. Well, of course, John Kerry voted against that war. Now, contrast that to Kerry's attacks on Cheney, which are along the lines of the ones you just heard from James, he didn't serve in Vietnam, he's not as patriotic as I am, he's not the man I am. You have attacks on one side based on policy and the other personal attacks.

CARVILLE: You know, Dick Cheney was the architect of this disaster in Iraq. He is the architect of our policy of unilateralism which is causing us to be hated around the world. It was their choice not to do anything about rising health care costs. And no amount of changing the subject matter can take that away. They're going to be held accountable in November. And all this shenanigans is not going to matter.

CARLSON: That's all fair but to attack a man for not serving in Vietnam as James just did...

COOPER: Tucker, do you think voters have already made up their mind?

I mean, do you think all this stuff is just shenanigans?

CARLSON: I do think that is actually an excellent point. I mean, the fact is, the "Washington Post" did a marvelous series on this in the last couple of days. Polls show people have by and large made up their minds. There is a very a narrow band in the middle who hasn't decided who they are going vote for. As, it turns, it's just the nature of reelection campaign that the challenger is more easily defined than the incumbent. People know what they think about George W. Bush, they are learning what they think about John Kerry. And so the George Bush campaign has a much better opportunity than the Kerry Campaign has right now to define it's opponent and that's what they are doing.

CARVILLE: I wish you could define his accomplishments, but unfortunately the Bush campaign can't do that.

COOPER: We are going to leave it there. James Carville, Tucker Carlson, thanks very much.

COOPER: Well, coming up, morals and medical care. Should doctors be able to define you treatment if they don't like something about you or about the treatment. A proposed Michigan law is supposed to protect religious freedom, but does it go too far?

Two sides sound off, coming up.

Michael Jackson's new defense team, how his legal shuffle may I next the case.

And singer Billy Joel racks up in third hit in two years, with his car. We'll explain coming up in "The Current."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, a new law making its way through the Michigan legislature has some groups worried less healthcare will be available to those who need it most. The law will allow doctors to refuse treatment if they have a moral problem with the treatment they're asking to provide. Gay rights groups are attacking the proposal, as are those advocating stem cell research. The bill has passed Michigan House, and now headed to the state senate.

With me now from Lansing, Michigan, Republican State Representative Scott Hummell, he's one of the sponsors of the bill.

And from Detroit we have State Representative Chris Kolb, a Democrat.

Gentleman appreciate both of you being on the program. Representative Hummell, let me start off with you. The bill that you are a co-sponsor of, it's ostensibly to protect doctors, their religious freedom, if they have a moral -- if they're morally opposed to say performing abortion or prescribing a morning after pill, this law would allow them not to. Some gay rights groups are saying it would also allow a doctor not to treat a say a gay or lesbian person if they didn't like that person. Is that true?

STATE REP. SCOTT HUMMELL (R), MICHIGAN: I strongly disagree with that statement, and here's why Mr. Cooper. The bill actually focuses on services and procedures. Healthcare providers have to state in writing what services they're objecting to, and it doesn't focus on groups or groups of people at all.

COOPER: But it may not mention those groups, but legally, under the law, it would allow that, no?

HUMMELL: No. Not at all. We have equal protection clause in the United States constitution that addresses that.

COOPER: Not for a sexual orientation, though?

HUMMELL: As a healthcare provider, if I provide a service for individual a, I have to provide the same heart attack service for individual b. If I object to a healthcare service for one, than I can object to the other. It doesn't allow me to discriminate one to the other. It focuses on services.

COOPER: Representative Kolb, why do you oppose this bill if it protects religious freedom and protecting doctors moral beliefs why oppose it?

STATE REP. CHRIS KOLB (D), MICHIGAN: I think it potentially can really hinder access to the healthcare, especially in rural area areas. For the patient, it that says care providers belief system is more important than the patient's care, and that's a problem. To your point about whether sexual would be covered, the bill has a section that says that, you can not object based on a classification of a patient or a group of patients that are covered by the states non- discrimination statute.

Unfortunately, in the state of Michigan, sexual orientation and gender expression is not covered, and thus, I believe there's a loophole there big enough to drive a mack (ph) truck through, that would allow a healthcare provider to state an objection based on someone's sexual orientation. That's something we must definitely close in this bill.

COOPER: Representative Hummell, is that something you would be willing to close?

HUMMELL: I think the real battle for Representative Kolb is the Elliot-Larson Civil Rights Act which he's referring to. I don't think this legislation is the piece to address that. If you open it for one group, who's to say another group and then he started defining groups of people. Again the focus on services. I think if Representative Kolb wants to fight this battle and the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act, that's the place to do it.

COOPER: Representative Kolb?

KOLB: The bill clearly says you can't object to a person who's covered under Elliot-Larson but then I guess it means you can't object to providing care to a person who's not covered by Elliot-Larson. That's plain discriminatory.

COOPER: Representative Hummell, Representative Kolb raises the point that in basically trying to put the doctor's rights and feelings ahead of the best possible patient care. Do you agree with it?

HUMMELL: What it addresses is again on services such as abortion, human cloning, genetic testing. We have a lot of issues out there that are coming down the pike, we're not sure how it will impact the public. To say that it impacts or puts the doctors' rights ahead of the patients, I don't agree with. Emergency situations are addressed in the bill. The provider has to address emergency situations. Again, as far as services go, it's based on services, not on a particular person or what they may or may not do.

COOPER: I know the bill has passed the House, it still has not passed in the Senate yet, then it has to be signed by the governor, we'll be following it closely. Representative Scott Hummell and Representative Chris Kolb, appreciate you being on the program.

A legal shuffle coming up. Just days before his arraignment the king of pop ditches his defense team for a new one. Just ahead.

Plus packing heat at the bar. We'll take one state's potential lethal change to the Nth Degree.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for Justice Served. Two high profile cases to talk about. Kobe Bryant is back in Eagle, Colorado, where a pretrial hearing will determine how much, if any of his alleged victim's sexual history will be allowed at trial. And the self-proclaimed king of pop plays musical chairs, shaking up his defense team just days before his arraignment. Covering both these stories for us tonight 360 legal analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom.

Good to see you, Kimberly. Let's talk, Michael Jackson, the timing of this, four days before he's being arraigned. Is this a wise idea?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, 360 LEGAL ANALYST: It's not a good idea to change attorneys. But this is a personal decision he has to make and if he's going to do it, do this musical chairs with lawyers, it's better to do it now before the arraignment. I think there's been some rumblings about this going on for months so it's really not surprising.

COOPER: In a statement, Jackson said -- he said this today. "It is imperative that I have the full attention of those who are representing me. My life is at stake therefore I must feel confident that my interests are of the highest priority."

Seems like Jackson is talking about Mark Geragos and his representation of Scott Peterson.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Sure and think about it. Maybe things have really sunk in with Michael Jackson and he realizes how serious these charges are and the amount of time that he's looking at. Remember before where he's on top of the van dancing, et cetera, I think we're seeing a little bit of a different attitude. But what we're looking at here is does he feel that Mark could devote the time? Of course, Mark Geragos' team will say, yes, they've invested a lot of time on this, they've been working on this case even before it was ever charged. And, of course, Ben Brafman, a very skilled attorney, I think they could handle the case and I think that this is again a decision that Michael has to make.

COOPER: You talk about Michael Jackson dancing on top of the car at the last hearing. We now hear he's already offering to bus in people to this arraignment which is likely to happen on Friday. Can this new attorney really control Michael Jackson?

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Oh, my gosh. Good luck. We saw what happened with Robert Blake. Robert Blake was doing interviews with anyone who would talk to him, he was outside the courthouse in (UNINTELLIGIBLE), doing his own little variety show, singing and dancing and playing the guitar. And we saw that case fall apart and that relationship due to quote-unquote "irreconcilable differences" and again the same term being used here in this case to describe the disillusion.

COOPER: Well, Benjamin Brafman, Michael Jackson's -- one of his former attorneys, said that the new attorney has to realize that it's not business as usual. What do you think he means?

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: What he's talking about is Nation of Islam. That there are a lot more people involved here. And too many chefs are going to spoil the soup, I think, in this case. COOPER: In fact, he said that. He said there were just too many people involved.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Everyone telling Michael all different things. We're hearing reports that even the family is upset, you know, frustrated because everyone wants in, everyone wants to have some influence and say. Michael's got a bunch of people talking to him. At the end of the day, it is so disruptive to the attorney/client relationship. What Mesereau has to do is go in and take charge and say, you want me to take this case, you do what I say, we work together and you can't be influenced by these outside people trying to put in their two cents.

COOPER: Kobe Bryant case, very briefly, some testimony this week about this woman's alleged sexual history. Interestingly the defense team wants the word victim not used in the courtroom. I've never heard of that.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: For this defense, nothing's off limits. We saw them use the victim's name six times in a row in the courtroom. Now, they're asking that the word victim not be used. Good luck. When we charge cases as prosecutors the word, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) alleged -- you put victim and then the name. It's always used by prosecutors. I'll be surprised if the judge does that. He shouldn't agree to that in this case.

COOPER: All right. Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom, thanks very much.

Time to check on pop news in tonight's Current. Some lighter stuff. Oprah Winfrey says she can understands that many women wish they could have her life and she can relate but it's OK to be just who you are. During the sold-out stop on a speaking tour promoting individuality, Winfrey told an audience in Atlanta that she grew up wishing she could be Diana Ross. The nearly 3,000 women attending say that really helped change their thinking and now they wish they could be Diana Ross.

Singer Billy Joel was in another car accident over the weekend. Police say Joel lost control of his car in Long Island and crashed into a house. This was Joel's second car accident in four months, the third in two years. Police say there was no evidence that drugs or alcohol were a factor. Our guess is the house must have been speeding.

Mona Lisa is deteriorating. The Louvre Museum plans an exhaustive technical study to find out what's happening to Da Vinci's masterpiece. The Louvre says the thin panel of wood the work is painted on has become deformed since experts last examined it. Somewhere Dan Brown is feverishly researching the more thrilling conspiratorial aspects of wood composition.

And responding to a critical lack of award shows, VH1 is airing its first annual VH1 hip-hop honors in October including a mix of old and current rappers. VH1 may not be the obvious choice to be handing out hip-hop awards. It was either that or digging up old news reels for "I love the 20's." And if a law changes in one state you better think twice before getting in a bar fight, we take to the Nth Degree just ahead.

Plus tomorrow. We continue our series, "Pill-Popping Nation" with a look at the dark side of sex-enhancing drugs, they're not just for impotence anymore. First today's buzz. "Are Americans too dependent on pills to solve their problems?" What do you think? Log on to CNN.com/360. Cast your vote. Results when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Time now for the buzz. We asked "are Americans too dependent on pills to solve their problems?" Here's what you said. Strong opinions on this one. The emails are pouring in. 88 percent of you said yes, 12 percent of you said no. Not a scientific poll but it is your buzz. We appreciate it.

Tonight, taking a bar bet to the Nth Degree. The Arizona Senate is debating an interesting bill this week -- well, an interesting change actually which would allow folks who have the necessary permit to carry their concealed weapons into establishments that serve alcohol as long as they don't, themselves, drink any. So it's not exactly a return to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) days we all know from the movies.

First of all, in the saloons of the wild west, the weapons weren't concealed and booze was just fine, mandatory almost whether you were or weren't carrying a gun. As for modern day Arizona, restaurant and bar owners don't like the proposed change at all although the NRA does. We say no problem. All you have to do is keep your eyes open. The rough neck with the boilermaker in front of him. Go ahead, pick a fight with him if you want. But stay away from that guy nursing a glass of milk, he's packing heat. I'm Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Coming up next, "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

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