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The Situation Room
South Asian Earthquake; Supreme Court Nomination Controversy
Aired October 10, 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 at the same place simultaneously.
Happening now, the president's Supreme Court nominee in trouble -- and a minister who supports her under fire. Can Harriet Miers overcome a revolt from the right? And does James Dobson know something about her that other conservatives don't?
A voice of experience in the confirmation wars. Live this hour, Robert Bork. He famously was blocked from the highest court. Does he think Miers should get the same treatment?
And Arnold Schwarzenegger finding a role model. Can the governor dig himself out of a political hole by following Senator John McCain's lead?
I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
We'll get to all of that shortly. But up first this hour, more on the horror in South Asia. More than 30,000 people are feared dead from a massive earthquake this weekend, most of them in Pakistan. Scattered bodies are a far more common sight than the rare survivor pulled from the wreckage.
CNN's Becky Anderson is joining us now live from Islamabad. We saw that dramatic scene moments ago, about an hour or so ago, Becky, where they pulled this little kid, survivor, from the rubble. We don't know what happened to the mother, although I understand there's been some developments.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. She was pulled from the rubble alive about an hour later, Wolf.
Scenes of utter despair and devastation across this region. And then a small glimmer of hope. Think about it. These guys, the search and rescue team from Britain and the Pakistani army, have been working flat out for more than 60 hours at this scene here in Islamabad. This is Pakistan's capital, of course. This was one of the towers of a fairly affluent apartment complex. It just completely collapsed. It pancaked on 8:50 on Saturday morning local time. Now, this is now Monday night, pretty much just towards midnight here now, or maybe just past -- I think it's just past -- so an awfully long time.
What these search and rescue guys told me was this, that on Saturday afternoon, they thought they heard that mother asking after her child and they've kept going and they've kept going. They pulled out three people yesterday, and they pulled out two today just in the last hour -- a child and its mother. They've been raced by ambulance to hospital to great cheers of jubilation here.
For most of today, this has been a vigil effectively. Lots and lost and lots of people -- family, relatives, spectators, if you will -- just standing, watching this emergency procedure.
Now, it's an extremely difficult situation here. They have got heavy lifting gear. They have got equipment they need. But ultimately, Wolf, they are searching in the rubble behind me with their hands and with shovels.
Wolf.
BLITZER: Becky, this is one small part, a very small part, of this disaster. Islamabad relatively untouched, although it looks horrendous behind you, this apartment building collapse. Tell our viewers what has happened elsewhere in Pakistan.
ANDERSON: Yes, I mean you're absolutely right. This is a relatively safe area ultimately for those who were involved in this earthquake in the South Asian region, 7.6 magnitude -- there were 26 aftershocks, don't forget, some of which were as large as a 6.2 magnitude -- as I say, some 65 hours ago.
This is what we know effectively today -- although, let me tell you, information is very difficult to come by. But effectively what we're being told is this. Upwards of some 30,000 people are dead. Tens of thousands of people are injured. And best estimates at this point are between 1 million and 2.5 million people displaced, most of those up north of this Pakistani capital Islamabad. About 95 kilometers north up on the border in Northern Pakistan and in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. So that is where most of the devastation is.
I was talking to the U.N. just earlier on and they told me this -- that 80 percent of structures are completely demolished in those northern regions. It's extremely mountainous, as you know, Wolf, and extremely difficult to get to. Eighty percent of the structures gone -- that means schools, houses, anything that was there, absolutely gone.
Millions -- as I say between, 1 million and 2.5 million people displaced. And what they're saying is they, they need winterized tents. They need 200,000 winterized tents now because it's the end of the monsoon season in that area and it's extremely cold at night. They also need stoves. And what they need more than anything else is helicopters. And those, as we hear, are coming from the U.S. today.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Becky Anderson, thank you very much. We'll get back with you. Becky Anderson is in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
For more on the earthquake and its devastation and the effort to deliver aid, let's once again bring in our Zain Verjee from the CNN Center in Atlanta. Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Wolf. While Pakistan suffered enormously from this weekend's catastrophic earthquake, at least 983 people have been killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Indian police are saying thousand more people are injured. And officials expect the death toll to climb well past 1,000.
The U.S. military helicopters are on the ground in Pakistan. Eight choppers have been brought in from neighboring Afghanistan to assist relief and recovery efforts. Washington's also pledged an initial contribution of $50 million. U.S. military airlifts through the week will ferry in blankets, water and food.
And in Guatemala, entire communities look like mass graveyards. Mudslides triggered by torrential rains from Hurricane Stan have killed more than 640 people across Central America and Southern Mexico. Hundreds more are missing. It's feared that the death toll could top 1,000 in one Guatemalan town alone.
Wolf.
BLITZER: I've been up in that area of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir. It's beautiful. It's magnificent. The mountains reminded me a lot of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. But you know this area very well. Explain to our viewers why it's so difficult right now to get close to the devastation where the epicenter was?
VERJEE: It's in such a remote area, Wolf. And as you point out, it's a very mountainous region. It's a hilly area and it's just very difficult to access. You've got populations all over this area that are scattered. You have roads that have become extremely inaccessible, which is why Becky Anderson mentioned a moment ago, and the Pakistani government has been appealing so much over the past hours for helicopters because it's the only way to get into these areas and bring food and blankets and water and aid to the people that need it most.
It's a difficult terrain. The U.S. military, as I just mentioned, has given eight helicopters and more are expected by other countries. And Pakistan is just hoping to get aid to these people in these remote areas -- . One official said within the next 24 hours.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Zain, thank you very much. Let's hope for the best. Simply a devastated area. And we're going to have much more coming up on the earthquake in Pakistan and the region throughout this program here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
But let's move on to other news we're following, including the big uproar right here in Washington. It's been one week since President Bush tapped Harriet Miers for the U.S. Supreme Court but it may feel like a lot longer for both of them. The backlash over her nomination seems to be getting stronger by the day. And now one of the few conservatives publicly defending Miers is caught up in a bit of a controversy himself. Let's bring in our congressional correspondent Ed Henry. Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that's right. In fact, conservatives continue to pound away at Harriet Miers and now one of her leading conservative supporters is under fire, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY, (voice over): Top senators want Christian conservative James Dobson to testify about whether he got any promises from the White House that Harriet Miers will be a reliable vote on the Supreme Court.
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, (R-PA) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: There are backroom deals. And if there is something which bears upon a precondition as to how a nominee is going to vote, I think that's a matter that ought to be known by the Judiciary Committee and the American people.
HENRY: After speaking with White House aide Karl Rove and other Bush allies, Dobson announced his support for Miers and hinted he has inside information suggesting she's solidly against abortion.
JAMES DOBSON, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY: I can't reveal it all because I do know things that, you know, I'm privy to that I can't describe because of confidentiality.
HENRY: The White House insists Rove did not tell Dobson how Miers will rule on specific cases, while Miers has privately said she's made no vows about how she'll vote. Not good enough for Democrats who join Specter in calling for Dobson to testify.
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY, (D-VT) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: No Supreme Court nomination should be conducted with winks and nods. It should be done out in the open with the American people knowing exactly what's involved.
HENRY: The sparring comes as conservatives stepped up their attacks on Miers, charging she's a blank slate who is not guaranteed to pull the high court to the right.
PATRICK BUCHANAN, CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST: President Bush gave the conservatives a wet mitten across the face with this nomination.
HENRY: Republican leaders note conservatives initially had similar concerns about Chief Justice John Roberts and are confident Miers will quiet the doubters as well.
DOBSON: I think, at the end of the day, the support in the Senate for Harriet Miers and the Republican conference in the Senate is going to be rock solid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: That was James Dobson who led the fight to try and stop Arlen Specter from becoming chairman because of his support for abortion rights. Now that he has the gavel, Specter may now put Dobson in the hot seat and that could make for some very interesting political theater.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Ed Henry, thank you very much.
James Dobson's claims about Harriet Miers making it into the "Cafferty File" today. Jack is in New York and he's smiling as only Jack can do.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: I love this. I mean, I this is just going to this is going to be one of the great shows, unless she backs away, and one of the great shows we've seen in awhile. If the Miers nomination to be a Supreme Court justice wasn't in trouble before, it is now. And by the way, it was in big trouble before.
With the evangelical leader, Dobson, hinting he might have secret information about Miers views on such issues as abortion and with his acknowledgment that he talked with Karl Rove at the White House about her nomination, Miers' opponents have been handed a loaded gun. Even if Dobson is called before the Senate Judiciary Committee and actually testifies, there will always be a suspicion that we're not getting the whole story on her.
Nevertheless, all that being said, I can't wait for the hearings. I mean, I wish they'd start this afternoon.
Here's the question. Should evangelical leader James Dobson have to testify, be subpoenaed and be forced to testify at Harriet Miers' confirmation hearings?
CaffertyFile - one word -- @CNN.com. I hope he does. And I hope she does and I just I mean, I just can't wait. This is going to be a dream for people like me.
BLITZER: You might have to wait 'til early December for those hearings, through, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes. But I mean it's you know, this is going to be like watching those super trains that go from the Tokyo Airport into downtown Tokyo, go off the tracks at maximum speed. I mean, you just won't see anything better than that.
BLITZER: OK, Jack, thanks very much.
CAFFERTY: You're welcome.
BLITZER: We'll get back to you soon, as well.
Coming up, is Harriet Miers being "Borked", as they say? We'll ask the man who should know firsthand. Robert Bork is standing by. His name became practically synonymous with a derailed Supreme Court nomination. He'll tell us what he thinks about Harriet Miers.
Also, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan for action for repairing his image. How does Senator John McCain fit in?
And a repeat performance for the president's top political strategist. That would be none other than Karl Rove himself. Is it a sign an indictment may be coming in the CIA leak probe?
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back.
If anyone understands what Supreme Court Nominee Harriet Miers may be going through right now, it could be Robert Bork. He famously lost his 1987 high court confirmation battle in one of the most bitter fights the Senate has ever seen. Two decades later, the conservative Robert Bork does not sound sympathetic to Harriet Miers, calling her nomination a "disaster." Robert Bork is here in THE SITUATION ROOM. He's joining us.
Judge, thanks very much for joining us.
JUDGE ROBERT BORK, FMR. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: Glad to be here.
BLITZER: You said it's a disaster on every level. Those are very strong words. Do you know this woman?
BORK: No, not at all. I don't think anybody does except George Bush.
BLITZER: Well, why is it -- why are you making up your mind that it's a disaster on every level without even talking to her, knowing her, getting a sense of where she's coming from?
BORK: Well, if you look at her record, you can't look at her record. There isn't any record that's relevant to the job she's up for.
BLITZER: The fact that she was president of the Dallas Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association.
BORK: No. If you know anything about bar association politics, it is not constitutional scholars who become president of the bar association. She has very little, if any, acquaintanceship with constitutional law and it's a very hard thing to get a hold of. You go onto the court and suddenly begin wrestling with it, in fact, you're likely to get it very wrong.
But I think it's a disaster for another reason. It's a slap in the face to the conservatives who have been building a legal movement. And they have plenty of very well qualified, conservative judges out there and conservative scholars out there who could have been chosen. And this is a demoralizing slap at them.
BLITZER: Listen to what Arlen Specter, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said yesterday. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPECTER: What you have here on Harriet Miers is not a rush to judgment, it's a stampede to judgment. She's faced tough -- one of the toughest lynch mobs ever assembled in Washington, D.C., and we really assembled some tough lynch mobs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Do you feel sympathetic for this woman?
BORK: Yes, I feel sympathetic with her. I think she ought to be rejected, but I feel sympathetic with her as a person.
BLITZER: Do you think Republicans, conservatives, should vote against her even though their president, George W. Bush, says, trust me on this one?
BORK: Well, trusting him is a little hard on this one because so many other issues in the past he has let the conservatives down. I think this is the final straw for a lot of . . .
BLITZER: Like what else has he let conservatives down?
BORK: Oh, immigration, he hasn't done anything about. Spending has gone wild. Signing the campaign finance bill while saying it was unconstitutional, and on and on and on. The deficit is getting out of control. He's not doing anything about it.
BLITZER: So you think this is sort of pent up anger within the conservative movement against him and this could be the final straw?
BORK: I think it is the final straw. The people -- the conservative movement was banking they said at least he's going to choose a judge like Scalia and Thomas. That's what he said he would do. There's no evidence that this is a judge like Scalia or Thomas.
And furthermore, what he's saying really is -- and it's true of the Roberts nomination, too. I supported Roberts. I think he'll make a wonderful judge. But he had no real paper trail. He had no record that people could look at. Miers has even less of a paper trail. And what he seems to be saying to conservatives is, don't write, don't take controversial positions because you will not be chosen as a nominee.
BLITZER: Your paper trail was so extensive that, in the aftermath of your experience, I guess it's been smart to look for people who may not necessarily have said or written all the things that you did.
BORK: I predicted that in a book I wrote after that was over. I predicted that the next candidates would be chosen if they didn't have a paper trail, particularly if they're nominated by a Republican president.
BLITZER: Is there an element, as some have suggested, of elitism here? That she went to SMU, Southern Methodist University Law School as opposed to the University of Chicago where you went to law school, or Harvard or Yale, and that elitism, and as Ed Gillespie, the former Republican Party chairman has suggested, sexism that she's a woman?
BORK: Sexism? I don't know where he gets that. That's an outrageous remark. There are women out there, such as Edith Jones and Owens (ph) and so forth, and who'd be welcome. So it's not sexism.
And it's not elitism. I didn't know what law school she went to. I didn't care what law school she went to. If she had a record indicating constitutional scholarship or constitutional thoughtfulness, yes, I'd support her. But she doesn't have that record. And people who do have that record are being turned down apparently because they're too controversial if their views are known.
BLITZER: Here's what Pat Robertson, the Reverend Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Coalition, told me yesterday on LATE EDITION. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAT ROBERTSON, CHRISTIAN COALITION FOUNDER: I think what the president wants is a vote that reflects his point of view. You know, some of these great, brilliant scholars go off the reservation. You look at some of the so-caused great scholars. They depart substantially from the presidents that picked them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Basically what he's saying he that he just wants a yes vote, someone who's going to support Scalia and Thomas on the right. And if she brings that vote, that's good enough for him.
BORK: Well, yes, where he gets this constitutional scholars business who have disappointed presidents and so forth, I don't know. Most of the nominees have not been constitutional scholars, although they had some familiarity with it.
BLITZER: Do you believe she will be confirmed? Or let me start off this way. Do you believe her nomination will be pulled, that she will withdraw her own nomination perhaps in the face of this up roar from the conservative right?
BORK: I doubt it. I doubt it. I think George Bush is a stubborn man and I think he is very, very much annoyed with the conservatives over this. And I think he will urge her to stay in and I think she'll stay in.
BLITZER: You stayed in 'til the very end.
BORK: That's right.
BLITZER: And you don't regret that?
BORK: Not a bit. No. I could count, and knew I was not going to -- I knew I was going to be defeated, but I didn't see why I should walk away, give them a hand, be that kind of a victory.
BLITZER: When I interviewed Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the number two Republican in the Senate, the majority whip, yesterday, he guaranteed virtually to me that all 55 Republicans would vote to confirm her despite what some of them are saying right now.
BORK: I hope he's wrong and that is a very terrible thing to contemplate.
BLITZER: You're not willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, huh?
BORK: What doubt? No. What we have here is somebody who has demonstrated no particular qualifications for this job, who's main qualification is she's a friend of the president who has not written so that she can -- has any idea that she ever engaged in any of the major issues of our time. And a demoralization of the conservative legal establishment, which is told, in effect, if you're productive, if you stand up out there, you're not going to be chosen.
BLITZER: Robert Bork, I hope you'll join us throughout the confirmation process and be an occasional visitor here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
BORK: I'll be glad to.
BLITZER: Thanks very much, Judge.
There's plenty of opinion and information about Harriet Miers online. Let's check in with our Internet reporter Abbi Tatton. She's standing by. Abbi?
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, if you want to read some of the published writings and interviews with Harriet Miers online, go to the Web site of Southern Methodist University. This is where the nominee went to law school. They are compiling in one place journal articles, court briefs that Miers has written. There's also an interview from her time as the president of the State Bar of Texas. And even an online chat that Harriet Miers did with the White House in the "Ask the White House" series in October of last year.
Wolf.
BLITZER: But there's still a ton of material out there that our viewers can go to, Abbi.
TATTON: Absolutely. Yes, again, Southern Methodist University trying to compile them in one place here from the Underwood Law Library.
BLITZER: Abbi Tatton reporting for us. Abbi, thank you very much.
Up next, more on Harriet Miers. She isn't the first Supreme Court nominee to face fierce opposition. We'll take a look back at other contentious confirmations.
Plus, he may be down in the polls and he's facing some tough election battles ahead. So how does Arnold Schwarzenegger turn it all around? He's got a plan and we'll share it with you. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Let's take a look at some of the "Hot Shots" coming in from our friends over at the AP, the Associated Press. Pictures likely to be in your newspapers tomorrow.
In Chiapas, Mexico, a rough ride home. Residents trying to cross raging flood waters to get back to neighborhoods that were cut off by Hurricane Stan.
In Baghdad, suspected insurgents blindfolded and bombed. These men were captured in a raid overnight and are believed to be responsible for kidnappings and murder.
Over in Australia, liftoff. A supersonic prototype jet from Japan is launched during a test flight. It's designed to reach Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound.
And finally, here in Las Vegas, sumo showdown. It was the grand championship match on the final day of the three-day tournament -- all part of an effort to bring the sport State-side. Good luck.
That's our "Hot Shots" for today.
The Bush White House has been trying to put a positive face on Harriet Miers' prospects of being confirm to the U.S. Supreme Court. She may make it through the Senate in the end, or she may go down in flames like some other nominees of the past.
Our national correspondent Bruce Morton is here. He's got some thoughts. Bruce?
BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, how do you know when your nominee is in trouble? One sign is, when people who are usually with you, aren't.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. SAM BROWNBACK, (R-KS) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Harriet Miers doesn't have that track record and doesn't seem to be well formed in her judicial philosophy having never been on the bench.
MORTON, (voice over): Or maybe it's when people who usually attack your choices, don't.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER, (D-NY) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: And there's hope that Harriet Miers is a mainstream nominee.
MORTON: Sometimes it's ideological. Everyone agreed Robert Bork was very smart.
BORK: The question is never whether you like the statute. The question is, is it, in fact, contrary to the principles of the Constitution? MORTON: But Bork thought parts of the 1964 Civil Rights Act were unconstitutional, though he later changed his mind. And he said he'd vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, the decision which legalized a woman's right to an abortion. He probably lost some votes over that. He was not confirmed.
Sometimes it's personal, like the sexual harassment charges Anita Hill leveled against Clarence Thomas. But he counterattacked hard.
JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS, U.S. SUPREME COURT: And it is a message that unless you kowtow to an old order, this is what will happen to you. You will be lynched, destroyed, caricatured by a committee of the U.S. Senate rather than hung from a tree.
MORTON: He was confirmed. Critics say Miers hasn't been a judge, but neither had Chief Justice John Marshall, and history gives him high marks.
Critics say Miers is the president's friend, a crony. That did get Abe Fortas in trouble when Lyndon Johnson tried to promote him from justice to chief justice. But Fortas had accepted some questionable speaking fees and had, as a justice, given the president political advice. Nothing like that has happened here. And it's early days yet. No hearings until next month.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN, (R-TX) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: So I would ask everyone to take a deep breath, to look at her background and qualifications and give her a chance before the Judiciary Committee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MORTON: The hearings may matter a lot, Wolf. So may Mr. Bush's standing in the polls. The worse his numbers get, the easier it is for senators who have to run again to vote against him.
BLITZER: Interesting piece. Thanks very much. Good work. Bruce Morton reporting.
Up next, a dynamic duo on the campaign trail today. We'll tell you why John McCain is lending Arnold Schwarzenegger a helping hand.
Plus, President Bush is heading back to the hurricane ravaged region. Details on today's Gulf Coast trip in our "Political Radar."
Stick around because you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: This hour, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is getting some high profile help as he tries to sell his agenda and his reelection campaign to voters who have turned against him. Senator John McCain has two appearances with Schwarzenegger today.
And our Bill Schneider thinks at least one Republican may be learning something from the other. Bill, what's going on? BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Wolf, things don't look so good for Governor Schwarzenegger right now. But it's never a good idea to count him out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Can the terminator turn himself into the comeback kid? Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's latest vital signs are not good. A poll taken in late September shows the governor's job approval at 31 percent. Among Democrats, he's down to 17 percent approval; among independents, 26.
Schwarzenegger won the 2003 recall election with broad support that cut across party lines. He needs to recover that support if he's going to survive in California.
ALLEN HOFFENBLUM, REPUBLICAN POLITICAL ANALYST: He cannot win this election just on Republican base vote alone.
SCHNEIDER: So look who just showed up in California to campaign for Schwarzenegger's initiatives in the November 8 special election -- Mr. Bipartisanship come to save the terminator.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: I've said time after time I thought the system needs reform.
SCHNEIDER: McCain appeals to independents and Democrats. He's the reforminator. (INAUDIBLE) Schwarzenegger's ballot initiatives reform measures, that could carry some weight with voters disillusioned with Schwarzenegger.
Schwarzenegger has taken other steps to try to recover his centrist appeal. Last week, the action hero governor surprised Democrats by signing some bills they like, such as one to restrict the sale of ultra-violent video games to minors. He also pleased conservatives by vetoing a bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants to obtain special driver's licenses.
He probably...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you saw was a centrist governor, the type of governor most people thought they were voting for when he ran in the first place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: Governor Schwarzenegger has just agreed to debate his ballot measures with Democratic and union representatives and voters in a televised forum on October 24 in the San Francisco Bay area. That's where he's least popular. A showdown with the terminator in enemy territory. He'll be back.
BLITZER: Bill, what do I hear about this effort to possibly try a recall election against Schwarzenegger?
SCHNEIDER: Yes, a California physician from the Bay area has filed a petition with the secretary of state and started a Web site to gather signatures to recall Governor Schwarzenegger -- the same thing he did to his predecessor Governor Davis.
Well, I can tell you, this happens to just about every California governor. The only time it's ever succeeded is with Gray Davis. He needs 1 million signatures to do it. That usually requires a lot of money, which this physician doesn't seem to have so far.
BLITZER: All right. Bill Schneider, thank you very much.
Also on our "Political Radar" today, the deputy White House chief of staff Karl Rove preparing for what's expected to be his final appearance before a federal grand jury investigating that leak of a CIA operative's identity. His lawyer Robert Luskin today repeated Rove's denial of any wrongdoing, and sounded confident that his client would come out just fine. He would not say what day Rove will testify.
The special prosecutor in the case, Patrick Fitzgerald is believed to be wrapping up the investigation and weighing possible criminal charges.
Meantime, Fitzgerald reportedly is preparing to meet tomorrow with "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller. Miller was released from jail last month after the source she had been protecting released her from their confidentiality agreement.
President Bush heading out this hour for New Orleans again. The president meets later today with officials there to discuss rebuilding efforts. This is Mr. Bush's eighth trip to the hurricane-devastated Gulf Coast region.
Coming up, with friends like these, who needs enemies? Harriet Miers' rough road to confirmation, that's coming up next in our "Strategy Session."
And at the top of the hour, back to Pakistan, and the desperate search for survivors from that massive earthquake.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Time now for our "Strategy Session." CNN political analysts Bay Buchanan and Donna Brazile are here in THE SITUATION ROOM. Ladies, thanks very much for joining us.
Can he deliver, Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority whip? When I interviewed him yesterday he said all 55 Republicans, 100 percent, they are locked, they are going to be fine.
Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY WHIP: It's important to remember that the people who get to vote on this are the members of the United States Senate. And I haven't sensed any discontent of any consequence in the Republican conference in the Senate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: He's a good head counter, Bay. Do you think he's right?
BAY BUCHANAN, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN CAUSE: He's very good and he's also speaking out there very confidently as a mouthpiece for the administration. That's what they want to believe. That's what they're hoping is true.
But, I read in this morning's paper, that there's half of the Republican senators have already publicly stated some real concern, some hesitancy, they want to see more. And so ...
BLITZER: That was a story in the "Washington Times," but that doesn't necessarily mean that's going to be translated into nay votes.
BUCHANAN: Oh, it absolutely does not. And I think in fairness, at this stage what all of us should have to do, conservatives across the board, including those in the Congress, is to watch her now. She's been nominated.
The president's dug in. He's going to stay with her. So, let's see how she does, presents herself, speaks about that philosophy, judicial philosophy, of hers and what she believes the direction and movement of the court should be. And let's give her a chance. But as of right now, it's with real hesitancy and concern that I think that most of the senators are looking at this.
BLITZER: Bay is clearly opposed to Harriet Miers' nomination. But, Robert Bork, who himself was as they say "Borked," he came out very strong. You just saw him here in THE SITUATION ROOM only a few moments ago saying that this is pent up anger against the president on a whole host of issues from the conservative perspective.
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It's clear the conservatives are venting their frustration at the administration on a number of issues including the Miers nomination. But, I think at the end of the day that I'm sure that they will somehow or another rally to her side.
Meanwhile, Democrats are going to have to scrutinize Ms. Miers' record and to see if there's something in there that we can also talk about over the next couple weeks. We cannot allow the conservatives just to announce their opposition without Democrats coming up with their own strategy.
BLITZER: But you know, Donna, that with the Republicans and the conservatives fighting amongst themselves as they are right now, if the Democrats get too vocal, they can only screw things up from your perspective.
BRAZILE: And we've been known to do that. But, I think it's important to let the conservatives continue to vent their frustration and their anger at the White House and at Ms. Miers and to call on the White House as they've done in many instances over the weekend to withdraw her nomination. Meanwhile, I think Democrats got to be prepared to scrutinize her record and grill her on that when she comes before the hearing.
BUCHANAN: And that's the key. I suspect that the Republicans are saying we're going to grill her and Specter's saying he's going to ask the tough questions and then leak them to the White House, so she's very prepared.
But, what do the Democrats do? Are they going to ask her some really tough questions? And how does she do, Wolf? If she's does not do well, if she's fumbling, if it's clear that the qualifications concern becomes louder and louder, and more apparent, then either does she step back? Does the White House step back? Or do the Democrats say clearly she's not qualified, we're going to kill this one and embarrass the president.
BLITZER: You know, Dick Durbin, who is the minority whip in the Senate, was on LATE EDITION yesterday. And I want you to listen to what he said on this whole other side of this Harriet Miers confirmation process involving Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family religious conservative leader, and Karl Rove.
Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN, SEN. (D-IL), MINORITY WHIP: We have these reports from Reverend Dobson and others that they have inside information from the White House that she'll be just fine, from their point of view, on the issues. That is reprehensible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Is it smart though to start talking about bringing James Dobson to testify before the Judiciary Committee about his conversations, secret conversations, with Karl Rove and others in the White House?
BRAZILE: If Mr. Dobson received some assurances of how Mrs. Miers will vote on certain issues, yes, we should know about it. The American people deserve an opportunity to hear what Mr. Dobson heard and perhaps we should get in on the conversation. I agree. I think Senator Specter said it right. Mr. Dobson may have to come before the committee.
BLITZER: What do you think?
BUCHANAN: Well, I think they may be making a mistake because you're going to start rallying conservatives if it looks like you're taking on one of our own. Obviously, what Jim Dobson heard made him feel comfortable. They probably talked about her having this very strong conversion and being a member of that faith. And that's what assured him.
And so it looks as if you're trying to find out something that might have been a private conversation just assuring him that she is a solid person. But if you put Jim Dobson on the spot, he could rally conservatives better than anyone I know.
BLITZER: I think both of you saw the "Wall Street Journal" report today on Karl Rove. In that story, Jeb Bush, the governor of Florida, the brother of the president, simply said Karl Rove is "invaluable to the administration." But there's already some sense among nervous Republicans that Karl Rove's days may be nearing an end because of this grand jury investigation, the CIA leak. What do you make of this?
BRAZILE: Well, look, he is the central nervous system in the White House and the entire Republican majority. Karl must go before that grand jury and clarify what he said initially, that he had no recollection of talking about Mrs. Plame and if he can get his, I guess, his lines straight, he'll become -- he'll get cleared and be dismissed. If not, you know, Karl could face indictment.
BUCHANAN: Well, listen, nobody wants to be close and personal with a grand jury, especially not four times. And so this is obviously a concern for a lot of people. But, there is still no reason to think that he's going to be indicted. And so you have to wait and see.
But he is central. And I think the real problem is not that the administration wouldn't go forward and do very, very well in these next couple years if they can pull some things together if he stays or leaves. The key is the president. You know, you lose somebody that trusted, that close to you, it's hard to get back into the rhythm. I think you'll see Karen Hughes coming back.
BRAZILE: It will demoralize the entire White House and the Republican Party if something was to happen to Karl Rove.
BUCHANAN: No, no. There are some conservatives out there that would be cheering, my friend.
BLITZER: Well, we'll soon find out. Donna and Bay there, he may come out and say never mind.
BUCHANAN: Absolutely.
BLITZER: Couldn't find anything. We'll wait and see, we've got several days.
BUCHANAN: That's what we're hoping for.
BLITZER: We'll see what scrawls out.
Up next, should the evangelical leader James Dobson be forced to testify over Harriet Miers' confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee? That's our question this hour. Jack Cafferty has been going through your e-mail. He's standing by.
And also at the top of the hour, we'll have much more on our top story, that massive earthquake in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan.
Stick around. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: The president of the United States is over at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington, D.C., preparing to board Air Force One on a flight to New Orleans. There you see the president and the first lady. They just got off Marine One on that brief flight from the South Lawn of the White House over to Andrews Air Force Base.
They'll take Air Force One to New Orleans. They'll spend the night in New Orleans tonight. They're going to be meeting with local and state officials, getting an update on what's going on. They've got some more touring of the region tomorrow, and dealing with this situation resulting from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The president making his eighth trip to the Gulf Coast region since Hurricane Katrina hit.
CNN's Zain Verjee is joining us now from the CNN Center in Atlanta with a closer look at other stories making news. Hi, Zain.
VERJEE: Hi, Wolf. It's not even Halloween yet, but it sure looks like winter in parts of Colorado. A powerful snowstorm has stalled over the Centennial State. Up to 20 inches has fallen in some regions. The storm closed an 18-mile stretch of I-70, which is the main east- west route across Colorado. Electricity to 25,000 customers was knocked out when power lines just snapped. Dozens of schools canceled classes today.
It's the leading cause of infant death in the U.S., but pediatricians are saying there could be some simple ways to reduce Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. They recommend giving babies pacifiers at bedtime and they say that infants should sleep in the same room as parents, and that basically helps keep babies from falling into a deep sleep which can lead to SIDS.
Angela Merkel is poised to become Germany's first woman chancellor. She announced a power-sharing deal today between her Christian Democratic Party and the Social Democrats. Merkel would essentially succeed Gerhard Schroeder as chancellor if Germany's parliament approves the agreement. Merkel's party won a narrow victory in elections last month but not a clear-cut majority.
And a 9-year-old boy braved through pretty chilly waters to raise $30,000 in donations for Hurricane Katrina survivors. Fourth grader Johnny Wilson swam from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco today. He made the 1.4 mile swim in just under two hours. That's not bad. Wilson says he was tired, but he kept telling himself, I'm almost there.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. Good for him.
Getting back to the German chancellor, how did she reach that deal? How did they work that out, Schroeder and Merkel?
VERJEE: She had to make pretty big compromises, Wolf. The thing is, she had more votes in the elections. She had something like 450,000 more but they've decided to split the spoils 50/50. 8 cabinet seats for Schroeder's party, 8 cabinet seats for Merkel's party. And she's also given up three of the four main portfolios: Finance, Justice and Foreign. And she keeps defense. And the Germans are saying that she had to do this as an expression called "kurtin schlokin" (ph) swallow some pretty good toads to make this deal.
Can Jack say that, "kurtin schlokin?" (ph). Let me see if you can say it. First you'll say it, then I'll have Jack say it.
VERJEE: Kurtin schlokin (ph).
BLITZER: All right. Jack.
CAFFERTY: Certain schlokin (ph).
BLITZER: You got it.
VERJEE: Nein. Nein, Mein Herr. Kurtin Schlokin (ph).
CAFFERTY: Das es der (ph). Well, I ain't going to do that.
(LAUGHTER)
CAFFERTY: I did take a little German in college.
I want to know. Let's go back to the story about these babies sleeping in the same room as their parents, because it keeps the babies from falling into a deep sleep. It also keeps the parents from probably getting any sleep at all. I just wonder how good an idea that really is.
VERJEE: It's an idea. I don't know how good it is because I don't have kids.
CAFFERTY: I do. I've got four daughters and it's a terrible idea. Figure out some other way. Put them in their own room.
Senators from both parties say they want to call evangelical leader James Dobson. This is the guy back awhile ago, remember Wolf, who suggested that Bob Squarepants or SpongeBob SquarePants might be a gay character. Same guy, this Dobson. They think maybe he ought to be called before the Senate Judiciary Committee and forced to testify about the nomination of Harriet Miers to a seat on the Supreme Court.
Dobson has acknowledged talking to Karl Rove about the nomination of Ms. Miers and the senators want to know if he's been given some indication of how she's likely to vote on key issues.
So, the question this hour is, should evangelical leader James Dobson have to testify at Harriet Miers' confirmation hearings?
John in Odessa, Texas: "Yes. He certainly talked himself into an appearance. What the White House is evidently sharing with right-wing Christian groups should be shared with Congress as well.
Tony in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina writes: "Dobson opened his mouth, claimed he had inside information. Either he's lying about it, or Bush and company is lying when they deny it. He should not only have to testify, he should be hooked up to a lie detector at the same time.
Robert in Chicago writes: "I didn't vote for President Bush, but he has the right to name whoever he wants to the Supreme Court. The Senate has the right to accept or reject. What, if anything, the White House told to Dobson has no bearing on the process, it just gives the Cafferty File something to moan about."
And we're grateful.
Harry in Gallatin, Tennessee: "Who needs day-time TV soap operas? Just watch these hearings on the new Supreme Court nominee." They're going to be great. I mean, it'll be SRO in those chambers.
And Johnathan, Wolf, writes this from Overland Park, Kansas -- I actually used to live there: "Every day, as I'm enjoying THE SITUATION ROOM, out of nowhere, Wolf warns me that you're about to go through my e-mail. I jump up from my chair. I run upstairs, log on to my computer. I can never find you going through my e-mail. I just don't know how you do it. I'm beginning to think Wolf might be lying."
You do say that.
BLITZER; You see how Johnathan's...
You see how Johnathan spells his name? I don't think I've ever seen it spelled J-O-H-N-A-T-H-A-N. Have you?
CAFFERTY: No. It's usually J-O-N, right?
Maybe Johnathan misspelled his name.
BLITZER: Maybe he did. Overland Park, Kansas, a lovely place.
Thanks, Jack, very much.
CAFFERTY: It is a nice place.
BLITZER: Still to come, she's the talk of the blogs. Up next, Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers. And we'll get the situation online.
And later, our top story that earthquake in South Asia. Hurricanes in the United States. Are we seeing some signs, by the way, some religious signs that the end of days is near? The scripture and the speculation.
All that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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