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The Situation Room
BRAC Accepts Majority of DoD Closures; Bush Speaks to Military Families; Supreme Battle Rejoined; Family in Iraq
Aired August 24, 2005 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 4:00 p.m. here in Washington, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where news and information from around the world arrive in one place simultaneously.
Happening now -- in defense of Iraq, it's 2:00 p.m. in Idaho, where President Bush tried once again to rally support for his war policy even as his poll numbers keep slipping.
Bases uncovered. This hour the winners and the losers. Now that the commission has weighed in on which military facilities should be shut down.
And a painful question, what does a fetus feel? New research ratchets up the political and scientific debate.
I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Up first, the president's latest appeal to stay the course in Iraq. This is the third day in a row he's talked publicly about the conflict and his critics. A new poll may help explain why he's doing all of that. The president's job approval rating has hit a new low in the Harris Poll, falling to 40 percent. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed nationwide disapprove of the way he's handling his job.
Let's bring in our White House correspondent Dana Bash. She is traveling with the president in Idaho. Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well the president came out to a jam-packed arena here. We're told that 10,000 tickets were given out. It was actually a scene that we haven't seen almost since the presidential campaign.
The president came out, and had a line similar to what we heard over the past three days -- defending the war in Iraq, explaining why it's important to stay there. But he had a new twist -- a personal twist, if you will.
The White House is well aware that the antiwar movement has sort of rallied behind one mother. Well the president decided to introduce the country to another mother, somebody by the name of Tammy Pruett. Her husband just came back from Iraq. One son came back from Iraq, but four others are still serving there. So the president discussed her, pointed her out in the audience.
The Pruett family actually have been profiled on CNN, first profiled more than a year ago. The White House knew about that, and, in fact, the Pruetts were contacted by the White House, they said to reporters here today, asked if they would be willing to talk to reporters and they certainly did.
But meanwhile, Wolf, the president's main message was really to hit back at Cindy Sheehan's main message, that is that troops should come out of Iraq. The president said once again that would be a bad thing.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: An immediate withdrawal of our troops in Iraq or the broader Middle East as some have called for, would only embolden the terrorists and create a staging ground to launch more attacks against America and free nations. So long as I'm the president, we will stay, we will fight, and we will win the war on terror.
BASH: Now, Wolf, the president also said over and over in various ways that it would be not in America's safety concerns -- or actually would hurt America's safety -- if the U.S. pulled out of Iraq, apparently in response to some polls that we have seen including the latest CNN poll that shows the highest number, 50 percent of Americans feel that they are less safe now because of being in Iraq.
And last I should tell you, Wolf, the president is, as we believe, still at this hour meeting with family members of 19 soldiers who were killed in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
BLITZER: Even as the president meets with these family members of troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of his critics are pointing out that he has so far refused to attend even one of the funerals for the more than 1,800 almost 1,900 U.S. troops who were killed in Iraq. Is the White House confirming that?
BASH: Well, that's true. The White House has not -- or the president, I should say, hasn't gone to any funerals. And when you ask the White House about that, what the president's aides say is that it would be very difficult for the president to go to all of the funerals. That is why, when he comes to military bases, he takes the time to meet with the families of those who were killed. This is about two-and-a-half hours on his schedule.
And it's interesting to note that the other thing that they talk about is privacy. This is the president's schedule here, Wolf. He's got about two-and-a-half hours on it that just really doesn't say anything. It doesn't say explicitly that he is meeting with these families. We know from his aides that he is. They do try to be careful about privacy. But I can tell you they are very well aware of the criticism of the fact that he doesn't exactly talk about those who have fallen. That's why we heard him today in his speech acknowledge those from the National Guard who were killed and also on Monday, as well.
BLITZER: All right. Dana Bash traveling with the president today. Dana, thanks very much.
Cindy Sheehan is due back in Texas in a little while to resume her antiwar protests near the president's ranch. She has been away for almost a week in California to be with her ailing mother. Fellow protesters have carried on without her. Sheehan's critics are carrying on as well. Conservative activist and military families take what they call the "You Don't Speak For Me, Cindy" tour to San Diego today. They expect to reach Crawford themselves on Saturday.
Now, the votes are in from the commissioners reviewing military base closings, and they made it clear they are not willing to rubber stamp the Pentagon's wishes, at least not completely.
Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry is joining us to take a closer look, who won, who lost, in this very important matter. Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld insists that not an ounce of politics has played a role in this process. But when you take a close look at the winners and losers here on Capitol Hill, the political dynamics are fascinating.
One big winner, Connecticut. The New London Submarine Base will stay open. That will save 15,000 jobs including maybe the job of Republican Congressman Rob Simmons. A lot of people believe that saving his seat in Congress was contingent on saving this military base.
Another winner as well today, Senator Joe Lieberman, a Bush ally who was jubilant.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: Oh, great for the state. I mean, great for America, but this would have been a terrible blow to our state economically and thousands of jobs all around the southeast of the state. So we're home. Thank God.
HENRY: Another winner, Maine, home to two moderate Republican senators, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Key swing votes on much of President Bush's agenda here on Capitol Hill. They learned today that the Portsmouth Shipyard will stay open, saving some 9,000 jobs.
Another winner, Texas, which found out today that the Red River Army Depot will stay open. Texas, of course, the home state of the president of the United States.
A big loser, though, is Mississippi. Republican Senator Trent Lott had been trying desperately to keep open the Pascagoula Shipyard, that instead will close. Very interesting that this very week Trent Lott is currently on a book tour promoting his memoirs in which he takes some shots at President Bush for allegedly helping to push him out as majority leader a couple of years ago. There's no way to prove whether or not this is political payback, but clearly no love lost between this Republican senator and the White House. And Lott was left wanting in trying to save that shipyard.
The bottom line here, though, is that they still have to get the OK of the president and the Congress, but that's expected to come in the next few weeks.
Wolf. BLITZER: Ed Henry reporting for us. A very important story. Ed, thanks very much.
Let's check back with Jack Cafferty. He's monitoring all the news that we have here. What's going on this hour, Jack?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: What did he say, there's no politics involved in those base closing decisions?
BLITZER: Never, ever, ever. There's no politics whatsoever.
CAFFERTY: Let me ask you a question. If Trent Lott was still the majority leader in the Senate do you think that Pascagoula Shipyard would be shut down? No, I don't think so. Probably not. Anyway, that's not the subject this hour.
What we have here, Wolf, this hour is a revelation from the "Cafferty File". Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is saying that the government's border control efforts need to be toughened. He wants to figure out how once and for all to deal with illegal immigration, smuggling and gang violence along the U.S.- Mexican border. How about closing the border?
Chertoff's remarks came after the governors of Arizona and New Mexico declared states of emergency in their states in the last two weeks. Chertoff said that he'll add beds for detainees, expedite deportation by having more judges and lawyers available, and try to track down more illegal immigrants who don't show up for their hearings. That would be all of them.
These illegal immigrants are captured when they cross the border. They are given a slip that says you have to show up in Los Angeles County for a deportation hearing. You think they show up? Of course they don't show up. They don't ever show up for these things.
So maybe we could just stop the illegal immigrants from coming into the country in the first place. I mean, it's a concept. Unbelievable.
The question, is Michael Chertoff's call for strengthening the borders too little, too late? CaffertyFile@CNN.com. It's just an obscenity, what's happening on that border down there.
BLITZER: You're going to get a lot of e-mail on this one, Jack. Listen to this. I want to update our viewers on Pat Robertson. Pat Robertson now has issued a statement -- we have it here -- a written statement formally apologizing for his comments earlier in the week suggesting that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, should be assassinated.
In this latest statement, he say this, "Is it right to call for assassination? No. And I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him."
Jack, earlier this morning on his own "700 CLUB," he said he was misinterpreted by the news media when he said the U.S. should "take him out." He meant kidnapping or something else. But now he's actually acknowledging, yes, he in that earlier statement he called for the assassination of the Venezuelan president.
What do you make of all of this?
CAFFERTY: Why is it when these morons manage to get both their feet squarely in their mouth, it's all of a sudden it's always the news media's fault? I mean, we saw the sound bite. He said we should take him out. I mean, which part of that phrase don't you understand?
He's like a little kid who didn't get any attention, so he goes through the house tipping over the prize vases hoping mom will notice. And then when mom notices and goes about kicking his little behind, he goes, I'm sorry. I didn't really mean it. I mean, he's just a dope.
BLITZER: All right. Jack, we'll check back with you in a little while.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
BLITZER: The U.S. Supreme Court battle, going on. That's coming up. Some influential groups are taking sides for and against the nominee John Roberts. Will their views matter when all is said and done?
Plus, fetal pain. In our "Culture Wars" segment, new research adding fuel to the overall abortion debate.
And what would bring the top California politicians of both parties together? Find out here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Thirteen days and counting until a possible watershed moment here in Washington -- the confirmation hearings for the U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts.
Today some very influential people are weighing in on whether Roberts should get the job. Were there any surprises? Let's turn to our congressional correspondent, Joe Johns. Joe?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: ... Attack and defend John Roberts are suiting up for a fight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (voice-over): Challenging the conventional wisdom that Judge Roberts is a shoe-in, People for the American Way, a key liberal group, made an announcement Wednesday that was no surprise.
RALPH NEAS, PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY: I am here today to announce that People for the American Way will oppose the nomination of the Judge John Robbers to the Supreme Court.
JOHNS: The group made its decision after reviewing tens of thousands of recently released documents. Among the leading areas of concern, memos written by Roberts during the Reagan administration that show he favored narrowing the reach of the Voting Rights Act. He also expressed skepticism about the right to privacy.
NEAS: But when you look at his judicial philosophy, you realize with all the likeability and with all the legal skills, he truly is a wolf in sheep's clothing or maybe more accurately, an Antonin Scalia in sheep's clothing.
JOHNS: Right down the hall from this news conference at the National Press Club, a group of conservative women sharing their own starkly different views, defending Roberts, seeking to head off questions about his memos on women's rights.
LINDA CHAVEZ, CENTER FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: I knew Judge Roberts as a brilliant lawyer, as a very nice man. And I can say he doesn't have a sexist bone in his body.
JOHNS: But on the critical issue of abortion rights, the only woman on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Democrat Dianne Feinstein, issued a warning in a draft of a speech saying, "It would be very difficult for me to vote to confirm someone to the Supreme Court whom I know would overturn Roe v. Wade...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: Feinstein is not alone in the likelihood that tough questions will be asked at the hearing. We're also hearing, of course, that the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter, has written a second letter now, questioning the authority of the Supreme Court to overturn some Congressional statutes.
Wolf, back to you.
BLITZER: September 6, the day after Labor Day, the hearings -- the Judiciary Committee hearings are under way. We'll have extensive coverage of that. Joe, thank you very much.
Jean Meserve is watching a story unfold right now. Jean, I'm not exactly sure of the details, but you can update me and all of our viewers.
JEAN MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Customs and Border Protection is taking credit for stopping someone, a Jordanian man, who was later accused of having carried out a very devastating suicide bombing in Iraq. It was the Hillah bombing. It is said to have killed more people than any other single bombing in Iraq, more than 100 people.
According to CBP officials, this individual by the name of Raid Mansour al-Banna, a Jordanian, was trying to enter the United States on June 14 of 2003. He arrived at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
He was flagged for secondary questioning. He was taken to secondary by Customs and Border Protection officials. They questioned him extensively. On the basis of that, he was denied entry on the country and sent on his way out of the country the very next day. Apparently this individual, al-Banna, had tried to enter the U.S. twice before -- had entered the U.S. on a valid visa in 2001 and 2002. He was trying to use the 2002 visa again to get into the country. It was termed an overstay and that is why he was denied entry.
In addition, the officers who questioned him believed his intent probably was to work illegally in the U.S. The big question of course, did they realize that this man might have some terrorism connections?
In a memo that was written by Robert Bonner, the commissioner of Customs, to Michael Chertoff, the secretary of Homeland Security, he says it was not clear that al-Banna was a suicidal jihadist. And indeed U.S. officials say they can't say any more about it yet because of an ongoing investigation.
Wolf?
BLITZER: All right. Jeanne, we'll watch this story. Thanks very much, Jeanne Meserve, reporting from here in Washington.
And to our viewers, please stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Does a fetus feel pain? The results of a new study could fuel some fire over the whole issue of abortion. The story -- that's coming up in our "Culture Wars" segment.
No peace for the dead: We'll tell you about a controversy over some gravestones for those killed in combat.
Plus, did the cyclist Lance Armstrong use a performance-boosting drug? He says no. Does a new report prove otherwise? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're always getting news coming into CNN. Let's take a look at this. This is just coming into CNN right now. These are pictures, live pictures, that we're showing you -- or at least about to show you -- they're not available yet. But let's get them up there. If they are not available, I'll tell you what is going on. Let me briefly update you.
There has been a small plane crash, a light plane crash, in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. A woman is still trapped inside the plane. Rescue workers are trying to help her. These are the pictures -- now these are -- this is not a live picture, but these are pictures of this very small plane crash in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. We're going to get some more information on this -- get some more details. Once we do, we'll share them with you.
This hour, a new scientific study is a flashpoint in the overall abortion debate and in our "Culture Wars" segment. At issue, an argument often made by abortion opponents that fetuses feel pain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER (voice-over): One of the most emotionally charged questions of the abortion debate has been this -- does a fetus feel pain? University of California researchers say they don't until late in a pregnancy -- around 29 to 30 weeks.
The study, appearing today in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" concludes that doctors should not be required to discuss fetal pain with women seeking abortions. That's exactly what a bill proposed by Republican Senator Sam Brownback would require for women 20 weeks pregnant or more. That accounts for less than 2 percent of all abortions according to the Centers for Disease Control. Similar measures have been passed in three states, and are being considered by 19 others.
Senator Brownback, a fierce abortion opponent, says the new study of fetal pain seems to -- quote -- "Fly in the face of common experience and common sense". He says he's prepared for a robust debate on his bill.
Scientists are ready for a debate of their own. Some fetal researchers charge the California team's findings are flawed and biased, and that they have stuck their hands into a hornets' nest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Into the hornets' nest. Revelations that one author of the new fetal pain study is an administrator at a clinic that performs abortions, and another author worked for the abortion rights group NARAL in the past.
The "Journal for the American Medical Association" says its decision to publish this study was not politically motivated.
Now a follow-up to a recent "Culture Wars" report we had here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Florida State University will be allowed after all to use its Seminoles nickname in post-season play. The NCAA removed FSU from its controversial list of schools restricted from using Native American mascots. The organization that oversees college sports noted that Florida State's nickname is backed by the Seminole tribe of Florida.
Zain Verjee joining us once again from the CNN Center in Atlanta for a quick look at some other stories making news. Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings are spread along Florida's southeastern coast. Tropical Storm Katrina is picking up steam as it churns through the central Bahamas. Forecasters say the storm could reach hurricane proportions within 36 hours. Katrina is the eleventh named storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.
Landslides and massive flooding from days of torrential rains have sent countless people in central and southern Europe scrambling to high ground. Dozens of people have died, homes are buried or flooded and roads have just been washed away. Flooding has hit Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Especially hard hit is Romania, where 25 people are dead and thousands of homes destroyed.
The Army has singled out one of its colonels for its second highest award for valor. During a ceremony today in Baghdad, Colonel James Kaufman Jr. received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during a firefight last year in Iraq. Colonel Kaufman was wounded in the November gun battle during which he rallied Iraqi commandos to defend their position against insurgents. This is the first time this award has been given in Iraq.
Coming up in THE SITUATION ROOM, the president and the polls. We're going to take a closer look at Mr. Bush's numbers and how they add up for his Iraq policy.
Also ahead, the president dropped their names, now we'll get to know the four Pruett brothers serving their country in Iraq. And House Majority Leader Tom DeLay asks for a powerful helping hand.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Let's read between the lines of the president's poll numbers and what they say about support for his Iraq policy.
Let's bring in our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider. Bill, what's going on?
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Wolf, more polls and more bad news for President Bush. Here's the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Down. That's the word for President Bush's poll ratings. The latest number comes from the Harris Poll. When Bush got re-elected last November, 50 percent of Americans said he was doing an excellent or pretty good job. The president's rating slipped to 48 percent in February; 45 in June; and now 40, the lowest point ever for this president.
Iraq. That's the big issue on people's minds. In June, when the Harris Poll asked people to name the most important issues facing the country, 24 percent said Iraq. Now, 41 percent say Iraq. That's twice the number who say the economy, and four times the number who say gas prices.
Mounting death toll in Iraq, mounting criticism. But it's not just the losses, it's also a loss of confidence in the policy. Does the public think the U.S. is making progress in its efforts to establish security and democracy in Iraq? Or losing ground? Losing ground said 50 percent in a "Newsweek" poll taken earlier this month, compared with 40 percent who said the U.S. is making progress.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The U.S. military needs to take a much greater, more active role in protecting the Iraqi people.
SCHNEIDER: What about protecting the American people? By better than two to one, Americans do not believe the Iraq war has made them safer from terrorism -- a conclusion many reached after they saw what happened in London last month.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: The Harris Poll also shows ratings for Vice President Cheney down since June; Donald Rumsfeld, down; Republicans in Congress, down; Democrats in Congress, them, too down.
Anyone up? Yes. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
BLITZER: I wonder -- there's no easy explanation for that, as far as we can tell from these poll numbers why Condoleezza Rice is up and everybody else is down?
SCHNEIDER: Not any easy explanation, although, it's interesting that Colin Powell, even through the Iraq war, as he became less popular, his ratings stayed up, too. There's something about secretary of State.
BLITZER: That keeps them at least up in the poll numbers. Is there anything in any of these poll numbers that's showing that something is working for the president now a year into his second term?
SCHNEIDER: Well, not Social Security, not gas prices, not the economy. But there's one thing that's still doing pretty well. And that's his nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court. That's still drawing considerable public support. But remember, John Roberts' confirmation hearings haven't begun yet, so people aren't making up their minds very firmly. But so far, what they have heard is good.
BLITZER: All right. We'll have extensive coverage of those confirmation hearings beginning here on CNN -- our coverage that is -- on September 6. Bill Schneider, thanks very much.
It's Wednesday, August 24. Coming up in THE SITUATION ROOM, base closures. Today was decision day from a U.S. review commission. I'll discuss what happened. That's coming up in our SITUATION ROOM "Strategy Session."
And she is going back to Crawford, Texas. Cindy Sheehan resuming her mission. We'll tell you what the blogs are saying.
After seven straight Tour de France wins. Some are claiming it's not necessarily so, at least in France. A French report is out with some strong allegations against him. We'll tell you what that is about. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. We want to go right to Jerusalem right now. There's been an incident. We reported about it a little while ago.
CNN's Guy Raz is standing by on the phone with details. What has happened, guy? GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the details are still spare this evening. But what we do know at this hour is that just about an hour-and-a-half ago in the old, Old City of Jerusalem, a young religious Jewish student was stabbed to death nearby the Muslim marketplace. Now, that's just a few steps from the Jafa Gate. A second religious seminarian who was with him was very badly injured and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Now, we believe the incident occurred around 9:30 local time, in the evening. Two religious students, they were apparently studying at a Yeshiva religious seminary, a Jewish seminary in the Old City. They were making their way back to that seminary from the Western Wall when they were attacked. The attacker used a large kitchen knife, we understand, to stab the victims, leaving one man obviously critically wounded, who died a short time later.
The second man managed to crawl to a police station, alert the police who then took him to a hospital. We understand he is recovering now.
It's still unclear who his assailant was. But police do suspect, Wolf, that this was a politically motivated murder. And it certainly is the worst act of violence in Jerusalem's old city in quite some time -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. Guy Raz reporting. A very disturbing story in Jerusalem. We'll continue to watch that for our viewers.
Let's move on, though. In today's SITUATION ROOM "Strategy Session," our top stories this Wednesday: today's speech by the president about staying the course in Iraq, and the planned closure of several U.S. military facilities around the United States.
Joining in the discussion, our guests, Democratic strategist and CNN contributor Donna Brazile, Torie Clarke our Republican strategist and CNN contributor as well.
Can we call you both guests? You've been on this program...
VICTORIA CLARKE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I have to say, that was a little -- I thought a little distance there. I wasn't feeling the love.
BLITZER: Let's talk about -- contributors.
Let's listen to a little excerpt of what the president said earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In a free society, it is impossible to protect against every possible threat. And so the only way to defend our citizens, where we live, is to go after the terrorists where they live.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: Donna, that seems to make some sense? You want to go out and kill them someplace else before they come here and kill us.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, look, that is the president's story today in terms of why we're in Iraq. But the truth is that that's not the reason we went to Iraq. The reasons we went to Iraq, of course, all of those reasons have been proven false: weapons of mass destruction, connection with 9/11, nuclear threat. The reason why we are there now...
BLITZER: The president today didn't get into the reason why the U.S. went there, but he did say terrorists from around the world, especially in the Middle East, are flooding into Iraq right now. And if you allow that situation to continue, if the U.S. were to immediately pull out, they would have a base from which to train along the lines of what al Qaeda had in Afghanistan.
BRAZILE: There's no question that we just can't cut and run. I don't advocate that we cut and run. But I do advocate that we have a strategy to win, and a strategy to get our troops home as soon as possible, to train the Iraqi citizens and the Iraqi security forces. As the Secretary Rumsfeld and the president said on numerous occasions, let's train them to govern themselves and to close those borders. That's what we should have been doing for the last two years.
BLITZER: The president's message not getting out, all of the major national public opinion polls, We just had a number that Bill Schneider reported, the new Harris Poll, 40 percent job favorable rating. That's very, very low historically.
CLARKE: This is tough stuff. This is very, very hard stuff. And it's not going to be captured in a sound bite. And his numbers aren't going to come up dramatically one day at a time because of one speech.
But, I'd like to see a lot more of what we saw today. The two things that I thought were so significant. One, he gave really important perspective about how hard this is, what it's going to take, about the fact that the Iraqi people are at the beginning of a very important process in terms of their constitution and forming their government and he personalized it.
He talked about people from Idaho in the Guard who have served in Iraq. He talked about Mrs. Pruett who has at least five members of her family who have served in Iraq.
And you really begin to sense that this president feels this every single day. That's something I think the American people need to see and hear more of. I hope we see more of him and senior members of the administration out there all the time talking about this.
BLITZER: But really, Donna, what's only -- the major way the president is going to reverse this downward spiral, as far as Iraq is concerned, is what happens in Iraq.
BRAZILE: Well, absolutely. That's what people are paying attention to. They want to know what is happening on the ground, and whether or not we're winning the war. Look, the more people see the president, the more likely they are not to support this war. It's getting like the Social Security debate when the more he went out there to sell the Social Security plan, his poll numbers began to drop. The same is true with Iraq.
So, I think the president needs to level with the American people, tell them how he plans to win, what's the strategy, and perhaps we'll see a change of picture in the polls.
BLITZER: Torie, put on your old hat as the Pentagon spokeswoman. Today the base closure commissioner finalizing what they're going to recommend to the president. He's expected...
CLARKE: Yeah. I'm so sorry I wasn't there today...
BLITZER: He's expected to approve it and Congress will let it go along. This is a huge deal. But there are so many politicians out there, communities that are affected that say politics is behind this.
CLARKE: Oh, absolutely not. But I'll tell you this problem, as you know, has bedeviled president and administrations going back to Kennedy. It's why the BRAC process was started in the first place.
BLITZER: BRAC is the Base Realignment and Closure Commission.
CLARKE: Base Realignment and Closure Commission. Because of accusations of politics.
Anybody who knows anything about this, including some of the toughest critics, some of the people out there yesterday and today complaining about their places being on the hit list, know thousands of people put thousands of man hours into making this process, the system, as legitimate and nonpartisan as possible. Politics has nothing to do with it It's a very painful process. It has to be done, because you want the maximum resources going to the war fighters, going to the resources of the people who are doing the really, really hard work there. You don't want it to go to excess facilities. You don't want it to go to bases and installations that are not as useful and productive as they could be. It's very hard, but so important.
BLITZER: Very quickly, Donna.
BRAZILE: Well we're crossing our fingers for Walter Reed here in the District of Columbia. So it's not politics.
BLITZER: The medical center that's on the hit list.
BRAZLE: That's a very important strategic homeland security facility for those of us who live in the nation's capital.
BLITZER: Donna, Torie, thanks very much.
CLARKE: Thank you.
BLITZER: Still ahead here in THE SITUATION ROOM, we'll meet a family that's going above and beyond the call of duty in Iraq. Plus, border patrols. Are we getting too little too late from the Department of Homeland Security? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Zain Verjee joining us now from the CNN Center with another look at some other stories making the news. Zain?
VERJEE: Wolf, an aviation expert calls it a miracle that at least 57 people walked away from yesterday's fiery plane crash in the Peruvian jungle. The plane went down on landing just two miles short of the runway at Pucullpa. There were 98 people on board, 31 are known dead. Crews are still searching for the remaining 10.
British officials have released a list of so-called unacceptable behaviors as part of the push to crackdown on extremism. The statement from Britain's home secretary says the list applies to foreign nationals in the United Kingdom who use means to promote terrorism. And among those means, running a Web site or producing materials for distribution in public speaking, engaging in those and other listed behaviors could result in deportation.
Two men have been arrested for letting a man-sized alligator loose in Los Angeles Lake. They were taken into custody in homes in suburban L.A., where police say they found more reptiles, drugs and remnants of a makeshift gator habitat. The alligator has been lurking in the 53-acre lake for two weeks, and has so far eluded authorities trying to capture him.
Wolf.
BLITZER: Eww. Yucky, yucky, yucky. Zain, let's get back to a very serious story, the deportation in Britain. In practical terms, who is going to be deported?
VERJEE: It's not really clear right now who may be deported, Wolf. The British authorities are saying that they are ready to act within just days against what they say are a number of names, either deporting them, as you say, or barring them from the United Kingdom. They have not revealed those identities, but we anticipate will do so.
Rights groups, though, Wolf, are extremely worried. They say, look, if people are deported from Britain, who knows which countries they'll end up in and how they'll be treated. Essentially, though, these counter terrorism efforts by the British authorities have support from the opposition parties, also, in the United Kingdom. But many Muslim groups as well as rights groups are concerned.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Zain. We'll get back to you shortly. Let's head over to New York. Jack Cafferty, the "Cafferty File". What's going on, Jack?
CAFFERTY: Hi, Wolf. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is saying that his department is drafting a plan to get tougher on illegal immigration smuggling and gang violence along the U.S.-Mexican border. Gee, what's the rush? Chertoff said he'll add beds for detainees, expedite deportations by having more judges and lawyers available, and try to track down more illegal immigrants who don't show for the hearings. That would be all of them.
The question is this. Is Michael Chertoff's call for strengthening our borders too little too late? Getting a lot of mail. Almost no one says, gee, the status quo on the Mexican border is just fine.
Tom in West Virginia writes, "This is locking the barn door after the mule is gone. A while back, the local sheriff was forced to release an illegal Sudanese immigrant he had captured a mile from me here in West Virginia, and I live so far back in the sticks they have to pipe in the sunshine. They are everywhere."
Gale in Brea, California. "Has Chertoff and the rest of the Bush administration been asleep for the last five years? Their big business employment policies are responsible for the invasion of illegals. Close the borders, put big businessman in prison for hiring illegal aliens and paying below the minimum wage."
Tyrone in Phoenix. "Cafferty's plan for border patrol, let's stop them in the first place. Someone in your position has the responsibility to try and move beyond this kind of stupidity. What we need is an intelligent and informed opinion which recognizes this problem is a complex and nuanced one. Only an equally nuanced and comprehensive solution will actually work."
Tyrone, if you're not a citizen of the United States, it's against the law to come here. I don't know what is exactly complex or nuanced about that.
Vincent writes, "Maybe you could broker a deal to get the old bricks from the Berlin Wall and reassemble them here to keep the illegals out."
And Robert in San Jose, California. "It is great to hear a journalist tell the unadulterated truth. You were three for three on your comments on Trent Lott, immigration, and Pat Robertson. The Silicon Valley loves you."
BLITZER: You are beloved, Jack, wherever you go around the country. Jack Cafferty, one of the most beloved men in America. Thanks very much, Jack. We'll check back with you in a few moments.
Casualties of war are on our "Political Radar". Some families that lost loved ones in Iraq are taking exception with a Bush administration policy. Fallen troops are being buried at Arlington National Cemetery here in Washington with the Pentagon slogans for their missions, like Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Department of Veterans Affairs says the headstone is not a P.R. move and families can decide not to get them. Some families say they did opt out and got the tombstone with a slogan anyway.
The House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is turning to the White House for help after months of being hammered by allegations of ethics violations. The "Dallas Morning News" reports Vice President Dick Cheney will headline a fundraiser for Tom DeLay in Houston next month.
Some of California's top politicians said Republicans and Democrats have now joined together. Led by the governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, they announced their support yesterday for a federal bill that would ban reproductive cloning. They say that bill would not restrict embryonic stem cell research, which they support. They say a competing bill would undermine stem cell research.
And check this out, this celebrity get-together. You can have lunch and go golfing next month with the singer Willie Nelson, the former governor and ex-wrestler Jesse Ventura and the writer musician Kinky Friedman. That's if you donate $5,000 to Friedman's campaign to be Texas governor. For $1,000 you just get lunch with the colorful threesome. We'll ask Kinky Friedman about this tomorrow. He'll join us here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
When we come back, later, Gary Hart. The former presidential hopeful has some tough love for his fellow Democrats. He joins us. That's coming up in the next hour.
But up next, a band of brothers now serving in Iraq, their story and their connection to President Bush.
Plus, so-called "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan is returning to Crawford, Texas, in the coming hour. What are the bloggers making out about what is going on?
And later, cyclist Lance Armstrong trying to ride out a controversy over whether he used a performance-boosting drug.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Recently we've heard a lot about Cindy Sheehan, the mourning mother on a mission to change President Bush's mind about staying the course in Iraq. Today the president introduced the country to another mother with a very personal stake in the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: Tammy has four sons serving in Iraq right now with the Idaho National Guard. Eric, Evan, Greg and Jeff. Last year, her husband Leon and another son Aaron returned from Iraq where they helped train Iraqi firefighters in Mosul.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: The president was referring to Tammy Pruett whose four sons are serving in Iraq. Our Alex Quade introduces us to them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX QUADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eric, an assistant manager at a Wal-Mart; Jeff, a grocery store clerk; Evan, a bartender; and Greg, a missionary. Four-citizen soldiers with something in common, their last name: Pruett. Four brothers deployed with different units in Kirkuk.
QUADE: Youngest brother Jeff is on house-to-house searches.
JEFF PRUETT, SERVING IN IRAQ: It's not a raid, you just knock and then you go in.
QUADE: Training new Iraqi forces.
J. PRUETT: We'll let the police go in first. And we follow in behind.
QUADE: Jeff just turned 20.
(on camera): Do you think that your parents worry more about you because you are the youngest out here?
J. PRUETT: No. I think my out of her mind for every one of us. So, just because we're gone and we're in a combat zone.
GREG PRUETT, SERVING IN IRAQ: This is Hal comma radio check. Over. Hal base, hal base, this is hal comma radio check. Over.
QUADE: Middle brother Greg is a communication expert.
G. PRUETT: You know, let's say this antenna goes down and we get attacked really bad. We lose communications with the outside, and we can't call for backup if we need it or anything like that.
Now, being a radio operator, I hear everything that goes on. And so when I hear stuff is happening or hear about IEDs and stuff like that, I get a queasy feeling and say hopefully my brothers are OK, hopefully the guys out there are OK.
QUADE: Big brother Eric is a tank platoon commander who now patrols Kirkuk by Humvee and on foot. He's responsible for 23 soldiers and also trains Iraqi police.
ERIC PRUETT, SERVING IN IRAQ: It's difficult, we got two missions here. We have to provide security for ourselves and the people here. But we also got to at the same time make the people feel like we're here to help them, and not just be occupiers and that sort of thing.
ERIC PRUETT: Candy?
QUADE: And even on patrol...
ERIC PRUETT: Want a piece of candy?
QUADE: Eric never stops worrying about his brothers.
ERIC PRUETT: I'm concerned for all of us. I just have to trust that there's guys taking care of my brothers when I can't be there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whatever the broken numbering (ph) does and we try to fix it as fast as we can. QUADE: Evan's job is critical. He fixes the vehicles his brothers and their units use for missions and repairs those damaged by roadside bombs.
EVAN PRUETT, SERVING IN IRAQ: That keeps my brother's unit -- you know, that's infantry right now -- up and running. You know, they got to go through town and all that. And if they don't have vehicles that work, they can't do their jobs.
QUADE (on camera): You're still helping your brothers?
EVAN PRUETT: Yeah, I'm helping my brothers.
QUADE: Watching they're backsides.
EVAN PRUETT: Yeah, that's how I look at it is I'm helping my brothers get through their day.
QUADE (voice-over): While we're taping, a recruiter tries to sign Evan up for six more years.
EVAN PRUETT: The whole thought of being gone away from your family for, you know 18 months, a year, whatever it's going to be, it's tough. I just hope nothing bad happens. I just want us to be safe and all my brothers and everything and go home and be with our families.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Alex Quade reporting for us on the Pruett sons. The Pruett parents, by the way, are going to be our special guests tonight on PAULA ZAHN NOW. That airs at 8:00 p.m. Eastern only here on CNN.
Here in THE SITUATION ROOM, we're plugged into what is happening online today. Today, the "Peace Mom" who's led anti-war protests heading back to Crawford at this hour. Our Internet reporters Jacki Schechner and Abbi Tatton are standing by to take us "Inside the Blogs". Ladies?
JACKI SCHECNER, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.
Well, Cindy Sheehan made that announcement on the Huffingtonpost.com. "I'm going back to Crawford for my son," she says.
I wanted to show you the movement that continues online. This is liberal activist Michael Moore at MichaelMoore.com. He is linking to photographs and to information about Camp Casey, they are calling it down in Crawford. There's actually now two Camp Caseys they say, apparently there's a better breeze at Camp Casey one.
Also, wanted to show you some photographs from Crawford, update.blogspot.com. They're really organized at this point. They have camp meetings every morning to recruit volunteers for things like traffic duty, shuttle driving and kitchen help. And when they are not organizing, they are singing. They actually have now an unofficial theme song, "Sons and Daughters." You can download that at CrawfordorBust.com.
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: And if the liberal side of the blogosphere isn't your cup of tea. Then you can get some reporting from the conservative blogs as well. Eric Fifer is with the "National Review Online." His blog is the Buzz. He's down in Crawford, population 705. But he says that is going to get a little more crowded with the return of Cindy Sheehan.
He is blogging the preparations, saying everyone there right now, he's just updated, getting geared up for Cindy Sheehan's return. They are planning for what they think will be the largest crowd yet. There is even orientation and check in there at Camp Casey.
But he's also blogging the other side. Lots of posts on his site about camp reality. These are the pro-Bush demonstrators down there. Their story, many of -- many of them are moms with sons serving in Iraq over at the Buzz Blog.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. Abbi and Jacki, thanks very much.
END
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