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The Situation Room

Bird Flu Discovered in Greece; Saddam Hussein Likely Plotting Own Defense; CIA Leak Cliffhanger; Seeking Justice; Saddam's Trials; DeLay Nixed Deal; Avian Flu in Europe

Aired October 17, 2005 - 16:59   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 coming up on 5:00 p.m. here in Washington, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where news and information from around the world arrive in one place at the same time.
Happening now, it's almost 5:00 p.m. It is 5:00 p.m.

Over at the White House, a focus of the CIA leak probe, the president and his staff deflecting questions, but contingency plans reportedly in place.

It's 4:00 p.m. along much of the Gulf Coast. Officials throughout the region are watching Wilma, the record-tying 21st named storm of the Atlantic season.

And it's midnight in Athens, Greece, where health officials are now confirming that country's first known case of bird flu. Three European countries are now reporting the virus. The rest of the continent bracing for it to spread.

I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

This hour, new salt for the president's political wounds. Our just-released poll shows Mr. Bush's job approval rating at 39 percent, the third survey in the last week to give him a rating below 40 percent. And Mr. Bush's standing with the public could get even worse if -- and it's still a huge "if" -- if a member of his administration is indicted in the CIA leak investigation.

Our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is following the story. She's joining us now live from the north lawn -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, a Republican insider who's close to the White House tells me that it's like the elephant in the room that everyone is pretending is not there. And he simply says look to the next eight weeks that are going to be critical.

You've got the CIA investigation, the Miers nomination, of course, and these investigations of the Republican Party. He says if the White House can get through the next eight weeks, they should be able to regain their footing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MALVEAUX (voice over): Just days away from the federal grand jury deadline. Special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald will decide whether he'll seek criminal charges against anyone for leaking the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Legal sources say Fitzgerald is also considering lesser charges like perjury or obstructions of justice.

Most of Fitzgerald's attention seems to be focused on Karl Rove, President Bush's top political adviser who testified for the fourth time on Friday, and Scooter Libby, the vice president's chief of staff, who's testified numerous times before as well.

Rove denies leaking but has admitted to talking with reporters about the fact that former ambassador Joe Wilson's wife worked at the CIA. According to "TIME" magazine, Rove already has a contingency plan if he's indicted to resign or to go on unpaid leave, a scenario the president refused to talk about.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. President, would you expect a member of your administration to resign or take leave if they were indicted?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're not going to -- I'm not going to prejudge the outcome of the investigation.

MALVEAUX: But Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said, "There is absolutely no truth whatsoever to the report that Mr. Rove has made contingency plans concerning his possible indictment."

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Karl is here at the White House doing his duties as he always does.

MALVEAUX: But Washington insiders says conventional wisdom is that Rove or any top official faced with charges would have no choice but to step down. And already there's speculation about who would move in as part of Mr. Bush's new team.

DAVID GERGEN, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR: I would imagine the president would ask Ed Gillespie to step in and take that role. He's a very senior person who's experienced, the president likes him, relied on him.

MALVEAUX: But Republican sources say until Fitzgerald makes his next move, everyone is just holding their breath. Even the White House acknowledged they may not get a head's up if any target letters are presented to staff indicating possible charges.

MCCLELLAN: We'd want to necessarily know here at the White House what letters or information goes out from the special prosecutor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And Wolf, a Republican insider tells me that -- he says it now is time to basically press the reset button, and that it's time for a major shakeup here at the White House. But he says there are very few people that can give the president that kind of candid assessment -- Wolf. BLITZER: We've heard a lot of attention on Louis "Scooter" Libby and Karl Rove, Suzanne, but is there suspicion, fear at the White House, that others might be implicated in this whole CIA leak investigation?

MALVEAUX: We've heard some other names come up. We've heard the former White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer's name mentioned as well. But really at this point it is anybody's guess what is going to happen.

He may come forward and say there are no charges at this time. There's a clear indication, there are some hints that there are going to be some charges, but he is winding this up certainly in the next couple of weeks.

BLITZER: We'll watch and we'll wait. Thanks very much. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.

Turning now to the long-awaited trial against Saddam Hussein. The first trial is set to begin in Iraq this coming Wednesday. Saddam Hussein allegedly ordered and tortured the killing -- and killing of scores of Iraqis in a small town north of Baghdad after an unsuccessful attempt on his life back in 1982.

One woman who is sure Saddam Hussein had her family murdered says she wants Saddam to be executed seven times over. How are other victims' relatives reacting?

Our Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour gives us a sense of their rage and their suffering.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The Moussa (ph) family finally found what they were looking for, the fate of two young daughters, Karama (ph) and Halima (ph), and their 17-year-old son Mohammed. This document, stamped by Iraqi security headquarters, says they "executed the three criminals." They accused them of belonging to an anto-Saddam Shiite party.

Neshla (ph), their surviving sister, says, "I was only five years old when they stormed our house and dragged my sister out by her clothes. We lived in fear all the time. I knew when they took anyone we would never see them again."

For more than 20 years, their father, Nama Yussef Moussa (ph), tried in vein to find out what had happened to his children.

"Every week I went to the security department," he says. "They humiliated and hit me. And that's the only answer I got from them."

(on camera): There are tens of thousands of Iraqis just like the Moussas (ph) who for decades have been victims of Saddam Hussein's petty political revenge. Although his trial will likely deal with the vast crimes against humanity and genocide committed during his rule, families like the Moussas (ph) say they, too, need justice. (voice over): More than 300 mass graves have been unearthed so far in Iraq and testify to the massive crimes and atrocities committed by Saddam's regime. But the banality of his daily evil is reflected by the Moussa (ph) family tragedy.

"I am a mother who's lost her children and I need him to be punished," says Bahia Moussa (ph).

"If I had the chance, I would hit that tyrant in the face," says her husband, Nama Moussa (ph).

But Neshla (ph), who saw her sister wrenched from the family, says a careful trial is too good for Saddam Hussein.

"Everyone knows Saddam is a criminal," she says. "We don't need this long process. He should be executed immediately."

They all say they are grateful that they have at least survived to see Saddam pay for his crimes.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Saddam Hussein's trial comes just days after Iraq's historic constitutional referendum, for which partial results suggest the charter will pass.

Joining us now is William Cohen. He's our CNN world affairs analyst, a former defense secretary during the Clinton administration. He's chairman and CEO of The Cohen Group here in Washington.

Mr. Secretary, the referendum looks like it's going to pass. We don't have official numbers. They're checking, rechecking, making sure it's on track.

How big of a deal will this be toward setting the stage for a U.S. withdrawal?

WILLIAM COHEN, FMR. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Oh, I think it's a very important step in the process. We don't know yet whether it will be ratified, but it appears that way. About 70 percent of the vote has been tallied, some 11 million people have voted out of a possible 15.5. And so it's -- they're still counting the ballots at some 5,800 polling places. It's going to take some time.

Assuming it does in fact pass, it then sets the stage for the votes coming up for the new parliament, and that will lead inevitably to a -- I think a judgment on the part of our military and the government to start reducing our forces there. So very important.

I think we have to curb our enthusiasm for the moment, however. A very positive development, our ambassador, Khalilzad, has made a very important statement in terms of helping to shape the constitution as such and make sure there's flexibility that a vote can come about in a year and not eight years. He deserves a great deal of commendation for his efforts in that regard.

BLITZER: The -- a key member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, whom you know quite well, I spoke with her yesterday about the U.S. military presence in Iraq. Listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I believe that our forces are really the lightning rod for the Sunni-Shia problem. And it can't be solved that way. It has to be solved politically.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: As you know, there's a growing number of analysts, observers suggesting that the U.S. presence there is part of the problem, not part of the solution, because, as she says, it's a lightning rod and sort of galvanizes this opposition.

COHEN: Yes, but I think that everyone recognizes that during the crucial times, the vote that took place over the weekend, the fact that there was so little violence, the fact that there was a major presence by the U.S., was very important. That will be important for the vote coming up in December as well.

Then I think we can start talking about merging the reality of the political need to start reducing the forces there, with the military requirement that they be restricted and start to be reduced. So I think what's happening is military strategy and political reality is coming to the fore, and I think we'll see a substantial reduction by the beginning of mid spring.

BLITZER: We're bracing for the start of the Saddam Hussein trial on Wednesday. And we assume it will be televised not only around the world, but in Iraq as well. That will be refreshing to all those who hate Saddam Hussein, but it could further galvanize, could further strengthen the opposition, the insurgency, those who still love Saddam Hussein.

What's your take on this?

COHEN: Well, it's up to the Iraqis, of course, the government to decide when the appropriate time to try Saddam Hussein. What is key is that the trial be as open as possible, that it appear, and in reality, have fairness built into it, so it's not simply the substitution of a "kangaroo court" for Saddam's method of justice, for the bullet to the brain.

This has to be a very thorough, prepared -- and have the appearance and the reality of fairness to the process. So the timing could in fact spike the violence. That's why we're going to see a continuation of the size of our military there.

Were I making a recommendation, I might have a different recommendation in terms of the timing. But they have decided to go forward. Under those circumstances, we have to keep a significant presence, and then we'll see, as this political process starts to unfold, we will see we'll see a reduction, in my judgement, starting at least by mid spring.

BLITZER: All right. William Cohen, thanks very much.

Time now for "The Cafferty File." Jack Cafferty standing by in New York. He's got another question to share with us and all of you right now -- Jack.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, I was just listening to the interview there with Mr. Cohen about the Saddam Hussein thing. If he's convicted, do you suppose they'll execute him in public? I mean, Hussein wasn't bashful about killing people in broad daylight all over that country for a lot of years.

BLITZER: Well, that's a good question. Let's ask William Cohen what he thinks.

COHEN: I think that they will carry out whatever punishment they have in a traditional Iraqi fashion. If it is the Iraqi tradition to have a public execution, they might very well have that.

I don't think we're going to be able to impose our standards. I assume the United Nations may want to come in and try to mollify some of the critics, or at least moderate the position of the Iraqi government if there is a conviction. But I think that's up to the Iraqi people to decide whether they want it public or private.

What has to happen, however, is that trial must be seen as being fairly conducted in order to have the credibility that I think the Iraqi government is going to want to have going in the future.

BLITZER: I suspect, Jack, it's going to be public.

CAFFERTY: You know, they could -- they could raise a lot of money selling tickets to that thing.

BLITZER: They probably could.

CAFFERTY: All right. On to other things. Thanks, Wolf.

Calling the prom a weekend-long orgy, one New York high school principal has canceled the spring event altogether, called it off for next spring right now. Administrators at Long Island's Roman Catholic Kellenberg Memorial High School say that the prom has just gotten out of had.

They're fed up, they say, with students spending a thousand dollars on formal wear, hiring limos with booze inside, attending parties where alcohol sex and drugs are rumored to be part of the action. One group of students reportedly had put down $10,000. They were going to rent a house in the Hamptons that cost $20,000 for the prom weekend.

School officials say sometimes it's the parents who are part of the problem since they pay for all of this stuff. Some parents say now that they're looking into organizing a prom without school sponsorship.

So here is the question this hour: What's too much when it comes to a high school prom? CaffertyFile@CNN.com. I'll read some letters in a half-hour or so -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Jack. Thanks very much. Good question.

Coming up, storm alert in the Caribbean, Wilma is gaining strength. How soon might it become a hurricane? The new forecast, that's coming up.

Plus, new reason to fear that bird flu is spreading. Take a closer look at where it is right now, discuss the dangers worldwide.

And something of a high seas adventure for a member of the United States Senate. The full story, that's coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There's a new forecast just out this hour for Tropical Storm Wilma, the 21st named storm of the Atlanta hurricane season, now the most active since 1933.

Our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is tracking Wilma from the CNN hurricane center in Atlanta.

(WEATHER REPORT)

BLITZER: From Texas to the Carolinas, officials are quietly contemplating the unthinkable, another hurricane striking the United States.

CNN's John Zarrella is joining us now live from Miami with more.

You're contemplating the unthinkable, I assume, John?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf, that's for sure. It's the hurricane season that just won't end. As Jacqui was saying, still way too early to tell whether Wilma will impact the United States, but that's certainly a possibility.

No matter what happens, this storm is historic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA (voice over): There it is. See that blob in the Caribbean?

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: W -- that's W.

ZARRELLA: That's right, Governor. W, for Wilma, yet another pain-in-the-neck storm Florida's Jeb Bush has to worry about.

J. BUSH: This storm is a volatile storm. We really don't know where it's going to go. ZARRELLA: Not only volatile, historic. Number 21. Since 1851, when record-keeping began, there has been only one other year, 1933, that saw 21 tropical storms and hurricanes form.

This is the name-that-storm board at the National Hurricane Center. The spaghetti lines represent the paths of the 21 storms so far this year, beginning with Tropical Storm Arlene in early June. Dennis hit Florida's panhandle in July.

(on camera): Get back! Get back! Get back! It's coming apart.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Look over there!

ZARRELLA: It's coming apart.

(voice over): Katrina made landfall in August. Rita four weeks later in September. Now here is the spaghetti bowl for 1933.

But no one really knows how many storms formed that year. There were no hurricane Hunter planes, no satellites. Some storms might easily have gone completely undetected, or...

RICHARD PASCH, HURRICANE FORECASTER: I do recall there was one case of a storm that perhaps may have been counted twice.

ZARRELLA: The eighth storm that year -- they weren't named back then, just numbered -- made landfall near Nags Head, North Carolina. Move inland in flooded Washington, D.C.

With six weeks left in the hurricane season, there's still plenty of time to break the record with a number 22.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: So what's the next name? So what's the next name? The hurricane center doesn't use U or Q or X or Y or Z. So what do they do? They go to the Greek alphabet.

So the next storm that might form would be Alpha. Imagine, Wolf, we started the season with Arlene, we could end the season with Alpha -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Or Beta, who knows.

ZARRELLA: Or Beta.

BLITZER: This hurricane season isn't over until November 30.

ZARRELLA: That's right, November 30. Just let's hope we don't get to Omega.

BLITZER: All right. John Zarrella, thank you very much.

We're getting this story in now, and we want to show our viewers some pictures of what we're getting. The Associated Press reporting now that about 2,000 people in Taunton, Massachusetts -- that's south of Boston -- are being evacuated this afternoon because a dam is buckling, threatening to flood neighborhoods down stream.

These are live pictures you're seeing of the Whittingdon Pond Dam (ph) on the Mill River. Emergency manager officials saying it's in danger of failing. The mayor there, Robert Nunes, declared a state of emergency around 3:00 p.m. Eastern. That's a little bit more than two -- about two-and-a-half hours or so ago.

Told residents who live near the river to head to a shelter in the field house at Taunton High School. Let me quote the mayor.

He said, "We have seen additional buckling of the dam over the last hour or so. There's no flooding yet, but the water levels are rising quickly."

We'll keep watching this story for you, get some more information as it becomes available.

But up next, the bird flu scare, it gets even scarier. Is another confirmed case a sign of an epidemic to come, maybe even a pandemic?

And what has the reporter Judith Miller done to her own reputation and the reputation of "The New York Times"? We'll examine the CIA leak investigation and the news media's role in it, for better or for worse.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Understandably, there's lots of concern about bird flu, but more common varieties can also be dangerous and deadly.

CNN's Ali Velshi is in New York with the "Bottom Line" on news about the flu vaccine.

What are you picking up, Ali?

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're beginning flu season. It starts in October, ends in May. And remember that regular influenza affects a lot of people, makes a lot of people sick, and kills a number of people in this country.

We now heard today from Chiron. Chiron, if you recall, was a company, one of a few that make regular influenza vaccinations. Their majority -- not majority-owned. Novartis has a big stake in them.

Last year their plant in Liverpool, England, was shut down by U.K. authorities, and that resulted in 50 million doses of flu vaccine not being available. You will recall last year, Wolf, there were shortages across the United States of flu vaccine, and authorities asking people not to get it if they didn't need it.

Well, today, Chiron has -- the government has allowed three batches of dosage out from Chiron. The FDA saying, as a result of that, there will be significantly more flu vaccine available this flu season than there was last year. They're stopping short of saying there will be enough, because typically Chiron has 50 million doses. They're estimating that 18 to 26 will be available -- 18 to 26 million doses.

So more than last year, maybe not enough -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Well, at least a lot more than last year. Thanks very much, Ali, for that.

Coming up, we'll have more on the bird flu and a new case in Europe. Could the virus turn up right here in the United States? We'll get some perspective from a top medical expert.

And the senator and the daring rescue attempt, how Ted Kennedy tried to help some endangered fishermen.

You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Just days after the first confirmed case of a deadly avian flu that was confirmed in Europe, there's fear the virus may be spreading across the continent.

Our Zain Verjee has been monitoring our international desk and getting more on this -- Zain.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Greek officials are confirming a case of avian flu. Now they're awaiting test results to confirm whether it's the deadly strain that world health officials fear will mutate and lead to a pandemic that could kill millions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE (voice-over): A confirmed case of bird flu has been found on Inousses in Greece. But it's not known whether it's the deadly strain. The small island is located just off the coast of Turkey, where a case of the deadly avian flu virus, H5N1, was discovered just over a week ago.

And, last week, Rumanian experts found the deadly strain in the Black Sea region. Since then, thousands of birds have been slaughtered in Rumania, in an effort to keep the virus from spreading, while other countries are taking steps to keep it out all together.

Iraq, which shares a border with Turkey, has banned the import of all birds and poultry products. In Italy, experts are examining dead birds. And consumers there will see warning labels on poultry, telling them where the product came from. And, in France, the government is preparing to dispatch this portable machine. It would be used to kill contaminated birds.

But one look at the map shows how difficult it is to contain bird flu, the virus, having hit Southeast Asia, where it has killed some 60 people and now Europe, likely there by birds migrating from Russia. European health officials say, there's no reason for panic, but there is cause for concern.

DR. BRAM PALACHE, EUROPEAN UNION HEALTH OFFICIAL: At the stage where we are now, there's reason for governments and public health officials to take and plan the measures for pandemic preparedness.

VERJEE: And British health officials are so concerned, they're sending a fact-finding team to China and to Vietnam, where deadly outbreaks have already occurred. Their fears, shared by health officials worldwide, is that, although the virus has yet to pass from human to human, it could soon develop the ability to do so.

JOHN SKEHEL, BRITISH MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL: The more people it infects, the more likelihood there is that it will gain the ability, by mutation or whatever means, to pass from human to human. And that's the great concern. So, when that might occur, if it might occur, is simply something that's not predictable at the moment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: And there's late word from the European Union that if the bird flu virus found in Greece turns out to be the feared H5N1 strain, it will ban the import of live poultry, as well as poultry product, from the affected area -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Zain, thank you very much.

Let's get some more on the spread of bird flu and the potential impact right here in the United States.

For that, I'm joined by Dr. Michael Osterholm. He's director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research at the University of Minnesota.

Thanks very much, Dr. Osterholm, for joining us.

DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: Thank you.

BLITZER: This latest development, the fact that it's been found now in Greece, what does that say to you?

OSTERHOLM: Well, actually, it doesn't say much that's really of important public health consequence. I think we're overacting on that side of -- of the ledger, you might say.

The problem with H5N1, or avian flu, is a very serious problem. But, when you look at where we worry about a mutation, it's clearly in the Asian countries. In China, where there are 13 billion chickens, 1.3 billion people, that's where kind of the genetic mutation roulette table is playing right now. These cases we see moving to Europe, where they're flying -- and you saw in your footage here these confined barns, where there's going to be only limited transmission in chickens -- so, if you had to take your bet, while those are not necessarily a good thing, the real problem, still, is in Asia.

BLITZER: So, if you're worried about China or Vietnam, or some of the other Asian countries, are those countries doing enough, together with the World Health Organization, the United Nations, international teams? Are though all over this, to make sure that doesn't happen?

OSTERHOLM: Wolf, pandemic influenza is a reality.

We have had 10 pandemics in 300 years. Pandemic influenza is going to come back, just like hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis -- the point being is, in Asia, right now, this has become so ingrained in that very large animal population -- I just mentioned the number of birds in China alone.

Just think about this. Every 18 weeks, there's a new crop of birds, In other words, we harvest 13 million birds. Thirteen new million birds are hatched. Those are the ideal mixing vessel for this virus just to keep going. I don't understand, conceivably, how you can get this virus out of Asia. And I think think those of who work with it now say that's why we're so concerned. It's just a matter of time before that mutation occurs.

BLITZER: All right, so, what do we need to be doing right now, assuming this worst-case pandemic does develop? What do we have to be doing right here to protect literally millions of Americans?

OSTERHOLM: Well, first of all, let's just step back and say, even, under a worst-case scenario, a 1918-like scenario, what we're talking, literally, about 180 million deaths or more worldwide, 1.7, 1.9 million here.

That's a horrible message. And some people are just going to want to shut off the television and just walk out of life in general. The point is, 98 out of 100 of us are going to survive. So, our preparedness right now is not about vaccine and drugs so much, because that's going to take years, even if we started a Manhattan Project tonight.

And what we need to do is start the planning. How are we going to get through our communities? Are we going to have food? Are we going to have water Are we going to have heat? What other medical supplies do we need?

And you are going to hear very shortly from the Department of Health and Human Services a new plan coming out that really concentrates on those things, the kind of things that, kind of post- Katrina -- Katrina -- we saw we needed to have. And that's what we're looking for now.

BLITZER: Individuals watching this program right now, they are -- they are worried, obviously. What, if anything, can they do to improve the chances that they would survive a pandemic? For example, get a regular flu shot, would that help?

OSTERHOLM: Regular flu shots are great to protect you against the flu. But they will have no impact on pandemic influenza.

What you want is a -- we all want a silver-bullet answer. Is Tamiflu going to work, this drug? It may have some benefit. We don't know. But it's going to be in short supply for everyone in the world. The bottom line is, our governments and our private sectors have to come together to help prepare, how to get through a 12- to 18-month period. That's hard news. That's not -- it's not the kind of news we want to hear, but it's true.

And so, what the bottom line message is, we're not going to stop this thing. And all we can do is get through it and know that we're going to have a lot of collateral damage as a result.

BLITZER: Any idea when this could happen?

OSTERHOLM: It could happen tonight. It could happen a year from now. If we're lucky enough to have it happen five years from now, that can give us much more time to prepare. And that's what we are trying to do.

We need more vaccines. We need more drugs. But, right now, they're a long ways off.

BLITZER: That's pretty frightening stuff, Dr. Osterholm, but I'm sure very realistic.

Thanks very much for joining us.

OSTERHOLM: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: Lou Dobbs is getting ready for his program at the top of the hour.

Lou, what are you working on?

LOU DOBBS, HOST, "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT": Well, Wolf, among other things we're working on for the broadcast at 6:00 p.m. Eastern here on CNN, we will be reporting on the destruction of America's middle class by some of our multinational corporations seeking profits in China, and why a rising number of our judges around the country say they will not hear cases that involve teenagers who want abortions.

And our not-so-friendly neighbor, Canada, our biggest oil supplier, is threatening now to sell more of its crude oil to China. We will have that special report.

And the popular online satirists JibJab.com taking on big-box retailers. We will be talking with the creators live at 6:00 p.m.

Please join us for all of that and a great deal more at the top of the hour -- now back to you, Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. We will look forward to it.

Thanks, Lou, very much.

Still to come here in THE SITUATION ROOM, a central figure in the CIA leak story -- that would be the reporter of "The New York Times," Judith Miller -- she has now told her story, but did she tell all? The unan -- unanswered questions and the fallout for "The New York Times."

Also, ahead, Senator Ted Kennedy to the rescue. The Democrat tries a new kind of public service and braves the waves, instead of making them.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Reporter Judith Miller finally has broken her silence about her role in the CIA leak investigation. But her account is giving new fuel to her critics, who are questioning her journalism and the way "The New York Times" handled the story.

CNN's Mary Snow reports from New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller has always maintained, she acted on principle for refusing to reveal a source's name.

JUDITH MILLER, SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": I served 85 days in jail because of my belief in the importance of upholding the confidential relationship journalists have with their sources.

SNOW: Now that Miller has written about her grand jury testimony, some critics question whether it was necessary for her to go to jail in the first place.

TOM ROSENSTIEL, PROJECT FOR EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM: I fear that we will look back on this in hindsight and think that Jody -- Judy Miller, rather than being a champion of the free press, has done it really serious damage.

SNOW: Tom Rosenstiel is the director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism.

ROSENSTIEL: Her account, I think, has struck most people in journalism as -- as weird and self-serving and not -- not journalistic.

SNOW: Miller's attorney, Robert Bennett.

ROBERT BENNETT, ATTORNEY FOR JUDITH MILLER: I think that's, frankly, an outrageous statement to make. Judy is a heroine here.

SNOW: Her employer, "The New York Times," didn't escape criticism for its management of Miller or the story.

But some, including Rosenstiel, credit the paper for its candor in a lengthy front-page story published Sunday. "The Times" quoted its own managing editor as saying, she regrets "The Times"' handling of the entire thing. "The Times," for its part, declined a request for an interview, saying in a statement: "We promised our readers a hard look at 'The Times'' part in the White House leak drama as soon as our reporter was out of legal jeopardy. We have delivered on that promise. We're relieved that we can finally put the story in the hands of our readers, who will draw their own conclusions."

Along with conclusions are questions about the Miller's revelations that she had security clearance, along with her special embedded status in Iraq. That's something the Society of Professional Journalists is looking into, although it plans to honor Miller with a First Amendment Award on Tuesday.

IRWIN GRATZ, PRESIDENT, SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS: We had a reporter who made a promise to a source, who not only kept that promise to the -- to the source, but was willing to go to jail to keep that promise to the source. We still think that's still meritorious.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And the Society of Professional Journalists also says that Miller's case underscores the need for a federal shield law for reporters -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Mary, thank you very much.

In the Judith Miller case, "The New York Times" has been put in the awkward position of reporting about one of its own reporters.

So, how is it playing out in the blogs?

Our Internet reporter, Jacki Schechner, is checking the situation online.

And what are you coming up with, Jacki?

JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Well, Wolf, the blogs have always considered themselves the watchdogs of the mainstream media.

So, yesterday's articles in "The New York Times" and the personal account by Judith Miller have given them plenty to talk about.

We start with Dan Gillmor, who is a journalist and author. And he says that this is damaging to the paper's reputation, thinking that he doesn't -- that the editors at "The New York Times" don't appreciate how hard this is going to hit. It's a sad day for "The Times" and for journalism.

His theme, basically, is that Judith Miller had too much control -- the same thing from Jay Rosen over at PressThink. He's a journalism professor at NYU that often weighs in, in very lengthy articles about issues like this, saying that "The New York "Time"" article itself was a very difficult piece of journalism for them to do. But their problem, again, was that they turned the wheels over to Judith Miller.

As for Judith Miller's personal essay, her personal account, the blogs were even more critical of her. For example, Seeing the Forest, by Dave Johnson -- this is a guy who blogged the Democratic National Convention. He is a -- a liberal blogger. He picks apart her words, that she can't recall why she has certain notes, and, then, when the notes are missing, she can't recall why those are missing, using words like "may," things that sort of couch where she's going.

Also, back to Jay Rosen at PressThink, he digs into Miller, claiming memory loss about the most important fact, who gave her Valerie Plame's name, basically weak, very weak.

And Arianna Huffington at The Huffington Post, who has been on this story all along, Wolf, essentially says, her not remembering who gave her Valerie Plame's name is as believable as Woodward and Bernstein not recalling who Deep Throat was. And, if you think about this -- if you believe what she says, then she went to jail for a source that she doesn't remember.

Wolf, we will send it back to you now.

BLITZER: All right, thanks very much, Jacki.

There's a new development coming in to CNN right now. Tom DeLay's indictment on campaign finance charges has cost him his powerful job as the House majority leader. Now there's word DeLay could have made a deal to save his leadership post, but he apparently rejected it.

Let's get the latest from our congressional correspondent, Ed Henry.

What's happening, Ed?

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that's right.

Last hour, we reported that, in fact, lawyers for Tom DeLay have now filed motions trying to dismiss these charges -- but buried in all of those legal papers, a very interesting nugget, as you mentioned, DeLay's lawyer, Dick DeGuerin, charging that, basically, that Texas prosecutor Ronnie Earle had come to DeLay's camp recently and offered that, that if he pled to a misdemeanor, rather than a felony, he would be able to save his job as majority leader.

Of course, the DeLay camp basically believes this suggests Ronnie Earle's case is not very strong, and he was trying to save face.

Here is the letter from DeLay's lawyer, alleging -- quote -- "Before the first indictment, you tried to coerce a guilty plea from Tom DeLay for a misdemeanor, stating the alternative was indictment for a felony, which would require his stepping down as majority leader of the United States House of Representatives. He turned you down flat, so you had him indicted, in spite of advice from others in your office that Tom DeLay had not committed any crime. In short, neither lack of evidence nor lack of law has deterred you."

HENRY: So, there, basically, the DeLay camp alleging that the case is not as strong; Ronnie Earle himself had doubts.

We have reached out to Ronnie Earle. So far, he is not commenting in response to this letter from DeLay's lawyer -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. They're at war with each other, legally, at least.

Thanks very much, Ed Henry, for that update.

Still ahead, the case of the canceled prom -- why one high school put an end to a teenage ritual.

And Senator Ted Kennedy wading through some rough waters. We will tell about his effort to help some stranded fisherman.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Six fishermen got more they bargained for when they set out for a jetty in Hyannis, Massachusetts. They found themselves trapped. And, although it was the fire department that eventually rescued them, it was Senator Ted Kennedy who first came to their aid.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Blustery day down here. And there were people out on the break water with a very, very high sea and increasing tide.

BLITZER (voice-over): The senator first saw them from his nearby home, as he was walking his dogs. It soon became clear, conditions were deteriorating, and the men were trapped.

KENNEDY: The people were out there, they -- they had fishing poles, but this wasn't a -- a good day for fishing -- a lot of good fishing out here, but today, I don't think was a -- a day for it.

BLITZER: Grabbing a friend in a nearby boat, Kennedy first called the fire department, then went to help the stranded group himself.

KENNEDY: And I came down here and, with a friend, went out there to try and urge these fellows to get off. But, just, as soon as I -- I got out there and got close to them, I could see the fire department.

BLITZER: With the situation safely in hand, Kennedy and his friend turned back. Fire officials commended the senator.

CAPTAIN CRAIG FARRENKOPF, HYANNIS FIRE DEPARTMENT: He thought he would do the prudent thing and run out and take care of -- take care of business. But, when he got back on the shore, he says, you guys can take care of that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The fisherman were treated for mild hypothermia. But none of them suffered any serious harm. As for Kennedy, he says he was just trying to be a good neighbor.

Lead access to the New York City subway warnings and now some reprimands.

Our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve, has new developments she's following.

What are you picking up, Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, we have heard that a very senior civilian employee of the Coast Guard came forward late Friday said, he might have been involved in this whole sequence of events, which resulted in some members of the public finding out early about the subway threat.

His security clearance has been revoked. He has been reassigned. And the investigation is continuing -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, we will monitor that.

Jeanne, thank you very much.

When we come back, Jack Cafferty unplugged on proms. That's coming up next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Number eight, Cal Ripken Jr.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's baseball's "Iron Man," a player's player, whose work ethic and energy made him a perennial fan favorite.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cal, we love you!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love Cal Ripken.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cal Ripken Jr. was born into a baseball family and stayed true to the family business throughout his 20-year career with the Baltimore Orioles.

Ripken was a great player, earning league MVP honors. But he's best known for the streak. Ripken played 2,632 conservative Major League Baseball games, breaking Lou Gehrig's record. The streak ended in 1998. And Ripken retired from baseball three years later.

CAL RIPKEN JR., FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER: It's been a great run, a fabulous career.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now 45, Ripken lives in Maryland with his wife, Kelly, and their two children. Baseball's Iron Man and his brother, Billy, have a baseball talk show on XM Satellite Radio.

RIPKEN: I really enjoy actually promoting and talking about the game and trying to -- to -- to push that and get a few more backstops built up around the country as well. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ripken also owns a minor league team, the Aberdeen IronBirds. And he has established the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, providing baseball programs to underprivileged kids.

RIPKEN: If I am remembered, I hope it's because, by living my dream, I was able to make a difference.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Jack Cafferty has been going through your e-mail. And he's joining us now live from New York -- Jack.

CAFFERTY: Wolf, administrators at Long Island's Roman Catholic Kellenberg Memorial High School say that the prom has just gotten out of hand. So, they canceled next spring's prom already. They say they're fed up with students spending thousands of dollars on formal wear, limousines, parties where alcohol, sex and drugs are rumored to be part of the action.

So, the question this hour is: What's too much when it comes to a high school prom?

Michele in Alexandria, Louisiana, writes: "Don't cancel the evening of debauchery for those poor little private school rich kids on the East Coast. Send them down here to French Quarter. By day, they could help rebuild, learn about human suffering. By night, they could see what adults to every day to relive prom night."

Dale in Philadelphia: "A Catholic high school concerned about it young men and young women getting together after the prom? I'd be more concerned about the Catholic priests getting together with the altar boys after mass."

Lawrence in Ohio: "When will the moral majority get a clue? Teenagers do after the prom what they do every day. Most times, this same behavior happens when the parents are at home. If they're not drinking and driving, let them have a good time."

Tyler writes from Tucson: "It's too much when you need a 30-foot- long Ford Excursion to drive around 10 snotty teenagers in these times of $3 gasoline. It's all just one lavish video game to them. P.S., will you ask Zain Verjee to go to the prom with me?"

(LAUGHTER)

CAFFERTY: In your dreams, Tyler.

(LAUGHTER)

CAFFERTY: Mike in Rich...

(LAUGHTER)

CAFFERTY: In Richmond, Virginia: "Great Question. I was sitting around in the backyard with my wife in our matching bronze bathtubs wondering the same thing. I think a congressional committee should explore the problem and search for answers. Either that, or ask the Minnesota Vikings what fair-market value on an orgy house is."

BLITZER: Tough stuff.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: All right, Jack. I will see you tomorrow.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Thank you. Thank you very much.

We are in THE SITUATION ROOM weekdays, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Eastern.

I will see you tomorrow.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now. Lou is standing by in New York.

Hi, Lou.

DOBBS: Hi, Wolf. Thank you.

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