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The Situation Room
Off-year Election Highlights; Ethics Classes for White House Staffers; Who Leaked Word of the Secret CIA Prisoners?
Aired November 08, 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: I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information from around the world are arriving all the time.
Happening now across America, Election Day. It's 4:00 p.m. in Virginia, where Democrats are trying to hold onto the governor's mansion as a Republican gets a last-minute pitch from President Bush. Will that help or hurt?
In New Jersey, it's been a nasty and negative race for governor, as two multimillionaires put their own money into mud-slinging.
And it's 1:00 p.m. in California, where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger puts his prestige and perhaps his own political future, on the line through a series of unpopular ballot initiatives.
In all of these races and others, the stakes are also very high for a Bush administration battered by political troubles.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
How are Washington's bitter political battles and recent Republican setbacks playing in the rest of the country? A handful of big political contests may give a good indication how the voters feel about the president, his agenda and possible alternatives.
Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider is standing by in Los Angeles. CNN's Chris Huntington is in New Jersey. Dana Bash over at the White House. Also with us, our senior analyst Jeff Greenfield.
But let's begin in Virginia, a so-called red state with a blue streak very often in the governor's mansion. The race for governor has been very tight.
Kimberly Osias is joining us now, live from Richmond with more. Kimberly?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And hello, Wolf. Well, the national implications are definitely here, because of course, the president's approval rating at an all-time low. Really, this is sort of a litmus test for the president, really an indicator of how those 2006 mid-term elections could go. Both candidates for the governor's spot casting their ballots in Virginia earlier today, Jerry Kilgore and Tim Kaine. I guess we can certainly imagine how they voted. Now, this is a situation, a race, that is so tight, each vote counts. Now, one thing that will really be playing into the cards here is the Independent factor. The Independent candidate, state Senator Russell Potts, he is a Republican running about 4 percent in the polls right now. Now, he could actually siphon enough votes away from Kilgore to hand Kaine a victory.
A lot of political capital at play here. Just last night, at a last-minute get out the vote rally, the president, fresh off his trip from South America, appearing with Kilgore at a hangar in Virginia. Quite an interesting step for Kilgore, who has definitely distanced himself from the president in the past.
Now, you mentioned that historically, Virginia swings red. Now, also, since 1973, of interest to note, that the person in the White House -- that party has not taken the state seat.
Wolf.
BLITZER: Kimberly Osias reporting for us from Richmond. Thank you, Kimberly, very much.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called today's rare special election in that state, and he's been pushing a series of proposals billed as part of his reform agenda. They deal with tenure for teachers, union dues, a state spending cap and redistricting. All of them could be in trouble, and that could mean trouble for the governor.
We're going to go to California in just a moment, but first, let's go out north of California, Oregon, right now. They're just introducing the winners of the Powerball out there, $340 million. Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... mother-in-law, Frances Jean, and the buyer of the ticket, I should say. My father-in-law Robert Cheney, and my wife, Carolyn West. And then all the family members that go along with it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Thanks. Now, Steve does this a lot, I think. So Frances, you know, as the 17, I want to know here, both of you that have been worried about who bought the ticket, you know, 17. Looks pretty good.
So, anyway, here's Frances. She can talk a little bit about buying the ticket, where she got the ticket, which is another one of those unanswered questions and things like that.
FRANCES JEAN CHENEY: Well, I bought the ticket at Ray's Food Place in Jacksonville. And I just -- I'm still in disbelief that we've won the big one. We have a long road ahead of us. And I just pray every day that the Lord will lead us and guide us in how to handle this blessing that he has bestowed on us. It's a very serious responsibility. And I just hope we do right by him and the money he has given us to take care of. And I'm just glad we were able to share with our family. And that's all I can say. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In speaking with the family while they've been here, one of the interesting purchases that has been made -- perhaps Frances, do you want to tell that little story?
F. CHENEY: Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About Mr. Cheney's brand spanking new ride?
F. CHENEY: Yes. For the past year or so, he's been wanting to get a yellow Hummer. So needless to say, there is one in our driveway now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But he tells the story better.
F. CHENEY: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll let Bob tell it.
ROBERT CHENEY: Well, we was coming back from the (INAUDIBLE), the hospital. And then (INAUDIBLE) said, did you see that, everybody, yellow Hummer? So we made it through the turn and went back and I bought it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Carolyn, you want to share anything? They're married. Can't you tell? Questions? Mark.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tell us a little bit about yourselves, as far as how long you've lived in Oregon and if you lived anywhere else and how you got here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll start with Frances right here.
F. CHENEY: Well, we moved here in '89 to Goat Hill (ph), just outside Medford, and stayed there about ten years and then moved back to Missouri, where we've been for the last six years. And due to Bob's health and other things, we decided to move back to the valley. I've always loved the valley, the river, the mountains and everything.
So we returned here. And I guess it was providential that we moved to Jacksonville and, I don't know. But we've moved from Southern California. We had a business down there for about 28 years and moved there from Maryland, where I was born. And he's from West Virginia.
BLITZER: That's Frances Cheney we're listening to. Her husband, Bob Cheney, he's sitting down, as you can see. Steve West and Carolyn, that is the son and daughter. The in-laws are there. They have won, the four of them, $340 million in the Powerball. They're out in Salem, Oregon, right now. They are very, very rich people, and clearly, clearly, very happy people as a result of this, as well. Congratulations to Steve West, his wife Carolyn, Bob and Frances Cheney. They're going to split this jackpot and we'll be very happy for them.
Let's go south of Oregon right now, to California once again, where an important election is going to be taking place, has been taking place all day. The results will be coming in tonight. Let's head out to L.A. Our senior analyst, our political analyst Bill Schneider, is standing by with some perspective. What's at stake for Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill, tonight?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: His name is not on the ballot here in California, but people are voting on initiatives that he put on the ballot. In fact, he called this election. It's a special election. Some voters are complaining that it's an unnecessary expense. But he says it's an essential part of his reform agenda for changing the way government and politics work here in California.
What's at stake for him? Nothing less than his political future. If these initiatives fail, there will be a lot of questions about his reelection campaign next year. He could draw some more well-known contenders into the race. On the other hand, if he wins some or all of these initiatives, it would be a big step forward in his attempt to change government in California.
BLITZER: A bold initiative by the governor. We'll see if it plays out well for him or not. Bill Schneider, stand by, as well.
We've looked at Virginia, California. New Jersey, another important race happening right now. The governor's race in that state is the most expensive in New Jersey history, with a pair of multimillionaires pouring their own money into a nasty contest of name-calling and personal attacks.
CNN's Chris Huntington is joining us now live from East Brunswick, New Jersey, with more on this contest. Chris?
CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, good afternoon.
Well, these two candidates don't need the Powerball to fund their campaigns. As you mentioned, record spending in this campaign that has turned dirty, particularly in the last couple of weeks. The issues all but put aside in favor of allegations of marital infidelity and the like.
The latest twist? One of the candidates using a statement from his opponent's ex-wife in an attack ad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTINGTON (voice-over): The battle to be the next governor of the Garden State between Democrat Jon Corzine and Republican Douglas Forrester has jumped the gutter right into the sewer.
A new Forrester campaign ad quotes Corzine's ex-wife Joanne, telling the "New York Times" that Jon did let his family down and will let New Jersey down, too.
SEN. JON CORZINE (D), N.J. GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I totally disagree with the premises of them, but that's the opinion that my former wife holds. And you know, she has a right to speak out.
DOUGLASS FORRESTER (R), N.J. GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: Issues that have to do with the principles of how he would govern and his relationships with the political bosses, I think is important for people to know.
HUNTINGTON: Corzine countered by comparing Forrester's ethics to those of the Bush White House.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the final days of the campaign, Doug Forrester has brought the Bush/Rove smear tactics to our state.
HUNTINGTON: Both candidates are multimillionaires and have spent a combined $70 million on the campaign. The latest polls show Corzine leading, but only by a slim margin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTINGTON (on camera): Now, over the weekend and into the early part of this week, Forrester has closed what was a double-digit lead by Corzine down to the mid single digits. A lot of people are crediting, particularly that advertisement featuring Joanne Corzine. So, it may have worked a little bit.
We'll have to see how the polls play out. Both candidates have already voted. As expected, they've been conducting whirlwind last-day tours around the state here to try to rally voters.
Wolf, one of the biggest issues here in this state is of course, will be voter turnout. There are more independents than there are registered Republicans and Democrats combined. So, getting out the vote and particularly getting out those fence sitters will be crucial.
BLITZER: Chris Huntington in New Jersey. Thanks Chris, very much.
It may be an off-year election with only a handful of major races, but the party that fares best will have some bragging rights going into next year's congressional elections.
For the Bush administration, the stakes are very, very high. Let's turn to our White House correspondent Dana Bash. How are they viewing it there, Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're actually trying to downplay just how high the stakes are in today's elections. But they realize, Wolf, no matter what they say, the results will be measured against the president's low public approval.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASH (voice-over): His name is not on any ballot, but the impact and extent of the president's slump may be.
MARK ROZELL, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: Should the Republican candidate lose, a lot of people are going to say that Bush was part of the problem.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George W. Bush. BASH: Virginia's GOP gubernatorial candidate kept Mr. Bush at arm's length until election eve. Finally deciding the troubled president could still help rally the base.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Turn out that vote.
BASH: But many conservative activists are angry at Mr. Bush over government spending and the Harriet Miers nomination. And some say they'll take it out on GOP candidates.
RICHARD VIGUERIE, CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST: My Web site, conservativehq.com, did a poll of 5,000 conservative activists and donors. And universally, they are very, very disappointed, discouraged -- to a large extent, sitting on the sidelines waiting for signals that this president is going to govern as he promised as a conservative.
BASH: White House allies played down the idea that off-year governors' elections are in any way a referendum on the president, insisting local issues like high property taxes in New Jersey and traffic problems in Virginia matter most.
And Republicans say recent history shows no correlation between presidential standing and these governors' races. In 2001, right after 9/11, Mr. Bush was at 87 percent in the polls. Democrats won both New Jersey and Virginia. In 1997, Bill Clinton had a 59 percent approval and Republicans won both states.
BASH (on camera): And Wolf, it is the bigger trends that have Republicans most concerned as they look towards 2006. They, of course, control the White House and Congress. And it is increasingly obvious when you look at the data that Americans think that people in control, officials in control, can't solve their problems.
BLITZER: Dana Bash reporting for us at the White House. We'll be checking back with you, Dana. Thanks very much.
Let's head up to New York. Jack Cafferty getting ready for his first question of the day. Hi, Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Wolf. Regardless of whether it's necessary or not, you'd think the White House would have called it something else.
Beginning today, an estimated 3,000 White House staffers are going to be required to attend hour-long briefings on ethics and the handling of classified information.
The classes follow the indictment of Scooter Libby and the CIA leak investigation. Everybody has to go, even Karl Rove. He wasn't in class today, but he is expected to show up for class tomorrow.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush thought it was important to have these refresher briefings for all White House staff in light of recent circumstances. But don't you think they could have called it something else, like protecting national secrets or safeguarding classified information? No, they call it ethics classes. Ethics refresher classes.
Here's the question. How do you feel about mandatory ethics classes in the White House? The email address, CaffertyFile@CNN.com or you can go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile.
Wolf, it occurs to me that trying to teach ethics in Washington, D.C., might be a little like trying to teach chickens how to play football.
BLITZER: You know, Jack, we have ethics classes at CNN. You know that they bring over the lawyers. They make sure we know what we're doing, that we don't do anything inappropriate, which I think is fine.
CAFFERTY: Well, good. Then next time you can go for me when we have them classes.
BLITZER: Thanks very much. Jack Cafferty, we'll check back with you in a little while.
Coming up, Republicans want to know who leaked classified information concerning the CIA. No, not in the Valerie Plame case, but a new probe into who told the "Washington Post" about alleged secret prisons run by the CIA.
And science versus intelligent design. Which should be taught in schools? On this Election Day, some voters are actually weighing in on the subject.
And are lawyers in the Saddam Hussein trial being killed off? Another member of the defense team representing Hussein's co- conspirators assassinated today in Baghdad. Now, the remaining lawyers want some big changes.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: More fireworks today on Capitol Hill. One Republican senator says he believes a fellow GOP senator may actually be behind the leak of some classified information, secret U.S. prisons overseas.
Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry is joining us now live with more. What's going on, Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist today launched a special joint investigation of who leaked this story to the "Washington Post".
Senior officials up here say they believe it was former and current CIA officials. And indeed, if you look at the "Washington Post" story, they did quote current and former CIA officials.
But a very curious development in the last hour. Republican Senator Trent Lott stunned reporters by declaring that this subject was actually discussed at a Senate Republican luncheon -- Republican senators only -- last Tuesday, the day before the story ran in the "Washington Post". Lott noted that Vice President Cheney was also in the room for that discussion, and Lott said point blank -- quote -- "a lot of it came out of that room last Tuesday," pointing to the room where the lunch was held in the Capitol.
He added of senators -- quote -- "we can't keep our mouths shut." And then he added about the vice president -- quote -- "he was up here last week and he talked up here in that room right there, in a roomful of nothing but senators and every word that was said in there went right to the newspaper."
Lott basically says he believes when all is said and done, this may wind up as an ethics investigation, in part, of a Republican senator, maybe a staffer, as well. Senator Frist's office not commenting on this development. The "Washington Post" not commenting either.
Wolf.
BLITZER: That would boomerang against Hastert and Frist if in fact this investigation they're calling for leads to a fellow Republican. And that entire luncheon, that meeting that the vice president had with Republican senators, that would be a bombshell.
HENRY: Absolutely, because it would boomerang, as you say. There was a lot of speculation in the Capitol a couple hours ago that maybe Republican leaders thought a Democrat was behind the leak. Maybe that's why they were putting forth this investigation, but instead, you're right. Now Senator Lott suggesting maybe a Republican senator had something to do with it -- very shocking, surprising.
But also I do want to make clear, as I mentioned, that CIA -- current and former CIA officials were quoted in that story on background without their names being used. So it's all very unclear. It could have been a Republican senator as well as CIA officials. Clearly, though, this could boomerang on the Republican leadership, Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. Let's get some analysis of this and today's elections. For that, we're joined by our senior analyst Jeff Greenfield and our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.
Candy, I'll start off with you on this latest potential bombshell out there. It's a strange way of developing a situation right now where the Republicans might wind up investigating themselves.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is, except for if I'm a Republican, I say we don't care where the truth goes, we just want to get to the bottom of it.
As you know, what the Democrats are trying to do this year and into next, the midterm election year, is to frame what they call the culture of corruption, all of these ethics problems. So insofar as the Republicans can sell this as, you know, we're ahead of the curve here, we don't care where it starts, that will probably help them in the push back for Democrats who clearly want to frame Republicans as the ones with the ethical problem.
BLITZER: What's -- on this Election Day, Jeff, what's your reaction to this latest development?
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: I don't -- well, the connection between this development and the election where most of the people have already voted in off-year elections, it doesn't exist in my view. This is going to be more of the kind of turmoil that all goes back to the ongoing fight about how we got into the Iraq war and what we should do about it.
I would like to point out, one thing about this election, you realize how many really, really rich people are involved and what's come of our politics. You've got here in New York City, a multibillionaire Mike Bloomberg dumping $70 million into this campaign. He's got ads running in Cantonese and Russian.
Across the river, in New Jersey, two centi-millionaires, Jon Corzine and Doug Forrester.
Down in Virginia, outgoing Governor Mark Warner, who has some interest in seeing if he can get a Democrat to succeed him because he's got presidential possibilities -- he's very, very wealthy.
And out in California, you have Arnold Schwarzenegger who's worth into a long distance phone number with the area code who's dumped millions of dollars two years ago into the recall and millions more into this current fight on the ballot initiatives.
It's really quite remarkable that we seem to be becoming more and more a nation where the key to running for office is to have millions of dollars. Maybe those lottery winners we saw earlier will run for governor of Oregon. They may be the only people who can afford to in the next few years.
BLITZER: An excellent analysis. Candy, big picture, what's at stake today?
CROWLEY: Well, you know, in the individual states, obviously in -- certainly in New Jersey and in Virginia, it's who's going to run the state and that sort of thing. The off-year elections are basically what parties will look at and if they win say, oh, this is the forerunner of what's to come in 2006.
These elections are watched very closely by insiders, people who may want to run, people who are thinking about retiring, donors, office holders, that sort of thing. So if you're a Republican and you're watching the Virginia race and the Republican wins, you've got Republicans saying to you, go ahead, stay in, don't retire. It's not as bad as we thought it was.
On the other hand, if a Democrat wins the gubernatorial race in Virginia, you have Democrats who are going to say, hey time to get in, the environment's good. So it's an insider sort of race now on a national level.
BLITZER: Candy Crowley and Jeff Greenfield, you're going to be sticking around throughout our coverage here on this Election Day. Thank you very much.
And remember, we'll have the first results coming in tonight in THE SITUATION ROOM, polls closing in Virginia 7:00 p.m. Eastern. We'll be on the air, 7:00 p.m. Eastern to bring you those results as we get them.
We're also following other races around the country including votes for mayor in New York City and in Detroit. We'll tell you what's going on in those contests.
Also on the ballot in some states today, science versus intelligent design, those issues being voted on in Pennsylvania and Kansas. We'll tell you all about that.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: He's been a troubleshooter in world trouble spots, nominated several times for a Nobel Prize, hasn't won yet but he's still trying. He's a former U.S. congressman, a former U.N. ambassador. He's an astute and charismatic politician who has not necessarily ruled out a presidential run someday.
For now though, Bill Richardson is the Democratic governor of New Mexico. He's the author of a new book entitled "Between Worlds," about his multicultural roots and his political rise to fame.He's joining us now live from New York. Governor, I forgot to say you're a former Energy secretary, as well. Pretty impressive resume. Let's talk politics briefly, then we'll move on. What's at stake for the Democrats today?
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Well, in New Jersey, a major, major governor's race. This is an independent state. It's not necessarily a slam-dunk Democratic state, but we have a first rate candidate, Senator Corzine. A lot of mud slinging in that race. It's very important that we retain that governorship.
In Virginia, the other state that is very important to us and to the Republicans, this is conservative, Republican state. But what's happening now is President Bush by his visit yesterday has nationalized the race. It's a state that is very close to the D.C. suburbs, so the current Republican problems are impacting at least in the Washington suburbs of the Virginia state.
So very important that we retain both governorships. We'll be happy if we keep one. Nonetheless, it shows the trends in the country -- especially in Virginia.
BLITZER: The polls show the president in deep trouble right now, but not necessarily enabling the Democrats to pick up, especially on some sensitive issues. A "Washington Post"/ABC News poll asks which party has strong leaders, the Democrats 35 percent, the Republicans 51 percent. The American public thinks the Republicans have stronger leaders than the Democrats.
RICHARDSON: Well, what we need to do as Democrats is we have to enunciate positive policies. We can't just be negative on the president. There's plenty of problems that the Republicans have caused. But at the same time, unless we as Democrats have a policy on national security, on Iraq, on defense, on healthcare, on making our schools better, on a lot of national issues, the public is going to stay where it is.
But it is a fact, Wolf, that the president's popularity is weak, that the negatives are very high, and it's incumbent upon us -- and these are governors races, however, and I do think that local issues dominate. In New Jersey, property taxes. In Virginia, issues relating to the economy, transportation system.
So I do believe that those trends favor us. Nonetheless, Republicans are very strong in Virginia. They have the registration advantage. A president coming in there and turning is base on in a last-minute is going to have an effect, but we are confident. We have a first rate candidate in Tim Kaine. And then Governor Warner, as you mention, is very, very popular.
BLITZER: In your book, "Between Worlds: The making of an American Life," you write this on page 348, "I supported President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq without a new resolution from the U.N. because I was persuaded that Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction posed a threat to the United States and our interests in the world. No weapons were found and now we know that our intelligence was deeply flawed. Had I known then what I know now I would not have supported the president's decision to go to war."
When you served in the Clinton administration, there was no doubt in your mind, and no doubt in the mind of President Clinton, that Saddam Hussein posed a threat and that he had weapons of mass destruction stockpiles, was there?
RICHARDSON: That's right. And I dealt with the inspectors, and they assured me that they were there. We saw intelligence. But what obviously happened is they must have been misplaced or replaced.
The fact is, Wolf, now with Iraq, we have got to start getting the truth. We've got to look at a political solution there. I don't think there's a military solution. We shouldn't be talking specifically about timetables for withdrawal. The military should do that. What we should be doing is talking, draw down a stable Iraq without American troops down the road, and we have to start thinking very much in that direction.
BLITZER: Over the years, you've made many sensitive trips to so- called very sensitive countries, shall we say, including North Korea, Saddam Hussein in the old days. You visited Syria -- in Damascus during some very sensitive moments.
The most recent trip you made was to North Korea. Here you are, the governor of New Mexico right now, you go to Pyongyang on this occasion to try to deal with them. I assume you wouldn't be going there unless you got a green light from the White House to do so.
RICHARDSON: Well, I wasn't an official envoy, I wasn't carrying messages or representing them, but they were supportive of the trip at that time. They gave me an Air Force plane.
I support their policy, and I think it's important that you don't have freelancing. I support their policy, which has changed, which is now I think the correct policy of having negotiations, diplomacy, negotiate directly with the North Koreans within the six-party talks, press hard for reforms in the area of elimination of all their nuclear weapons, press hard for issues like human rights.
And so I believe the policy right now makes sense. My hope is that we find a way to deal with the North Koreans, not talk about military options, not talk about additional sanctions, but diplomacy, where in exchange for having the North Koreans eliminate their nuclear weapons, the six-party countries don't attack them, give them food, fuel assistance. That's the makings of a deal.
BLITZER: We're out of time, but a quick political question about your future. I look at this book "Between Worlds: The Making of an American Life." I see someone perhaps creating some groundwork for 2008, someone who wants perhaps to be president of the United States. You're not ruling that out, are you?
RICHARDSON: No, I'm not ruling it out. What I am saying is that I am running for reelection. I've got a lot more things to do as governor of New Mexico. I love my job. But, you know, after '06, we'll see if I'm reelected, and we'll see what happens.
BLITZER: Sounds like someone who might be interested in the White House. Governor, congratulations on the new book. We'll see you back here in Washington.
RICHARDSON: Thank you.
BLITZER: Thank you very much. Bill Richardson's got a new book out.
Up next, can the vote results in local races be counted as a message to President Bush? We'll talk about that and more in our "Strategy Session". That's coming up.
And faced with unyielding violence in recent days, the French prime minister says France is at an hour of truth. He's announcing a sweeping package of reforms to quell the unrest. We'll tell you what's going on.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: CNN's Zain Verjee standing by at the CNN Center in Atlanta with a closer look at some other stories making news. Hi, Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Wolf. There's been a shooting at a high school near Knoxville, in Tennessee. Authorities say the school principal, vice principal, and a teacher were shot at the Campbell County Comprehensive High School in the town of Jacksboro.
One victim is in critical condition, another is in serious condition. The condition of the third victim is not known. The sheriff's office says the suspected shooter's in custody. CNN affiliate WATE reports that the suspect is believed to be a student.
The chief lawyer for Saddam Hussein says the former Iraqi leader's trial should be moved to another country. Khalil al-Dulaymi saying that he is demanding a change of venue after the second member of his defense team was assassinated on a Baghdad street today. A third lawyer was wounded. Al-Dulaymi also called on the United Nations to investigate the killings. Amnesty International called on the U.S. and Iraqi governments to protect Hussein's lawyers.
The French president, Jacques Chirac, has declared a state of emergency today, giving local officials broad new powers to control riots. Local officials can now impose curfews at homes as well as hold suspected rioters under house arrest. The decree was approved after 12 nights of unrest in hundreds of French cities. The French prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, says the nation faces a moment of truth.
Wolf.
BLITZER: Zain, what's the assessment you're picking up, these new measures, the curfews, all the other measures the French government imposing to deal with these riots. Are they going to help?
VERJEE: Well, in the short term, experts say they may. But the real issue runs much, much deeper than that in France. You've got, for decades, immigrant communities feeling alienated and wounded and isolated from the rest of French society. They've really existed in a state of tension.
When you go to some of these suburbs, you know, what you see is very poor housing. The unemployment rate there is especially high. They don't get the opportunities to get any upward mobility really, and they're not really seen as full citizens. They have bad relations with the police. And so those issues have really festered to what they are today. And the suburbs have become somewhat of a powder keg, and what we're seeing on streets is the result.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Zain, thank you very much. We'll check back with you soon.
Coming up, are today's local and statewide races some gauge for President Bush's popularity? We'll discuss the national implications of today's voting. That's coming up in our "Strategy Session". And given that Lewis Scooter Libby is fighting an indictment, 3,000 White House staffers must now attend mandatory ethics classes in the White House. What do you think of that? Jack Cafferty is reading your email. He's with us.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. In today's "Strategy Session", we return to two issues we're following, maybe three issues: a major day for voters in Virginia, New Jersey, California and elsewhere; and whether or not the United States should torture terror detainees. Joining us in the discussion are two CNN political analysts, Paul Begala is a Democratic strategist, Bay Buchanan is president of American Cause.
Guys, thanks very much for joining us. I'm fascinated, first of all, by this call from the Republican leadership in the House and Senate for an investigation into this "Washington Post" story on these so-called black prisons run in Europe and elsewhere by the CIA.
Senators Frist and Speaker Hastert write to the Intelligence Committee's chairman, "We request that you immediately initiate a joint investigation into the possible release of classified information to the media alleging that the United States government may be detaining and interrogating terrorists at undisclosed locations abroad."
The ink was barely dry, Bay, on that letter before Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi said, you know, that information came from a strategy session we Republicans had with the vice president, and he suspects a Republican senator may have got the ball rolling in leaking this information. This whole thing could boomerang for the Republicans.
BAY BUCHANAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: It sure could, but better that we call for the investigation. I think all Republicans agree, nobody should be leaking information, classified information, to the press or anybody else for that matter.
We proved that in the Plame investigation, the CIA leak, by making certain we had a prosecutor cooperating with them and supporting him. And I see no problems whatsoever with pursuing this and seeing exactly who it is that is leaking such information.
BLITZER: Do you have a problem with that "Washington Post" story and the potential damage it caused U.S. national security?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Yes, I think it was outrageous whoever leaked. I think it's terrible. We need classified information. Sometimes too much stuff gets classified. The political problem the Republicans are going to have now is people are going to start to say, we can't trust them with our national security and our national security secrets.
Here, they've leaked the name of a CIA agent undercover, and then allegedly lied about it to a grand jury. Now, according to Trent Lott, a Republican senator leaked this national security secret. I mean, that, plus the war itself is not going well, this is an enormous problem for Republicans. Generally, they're more trusted on national security, but that trust is eroding by the minute.
BLITZER: And as that is unfolding, the Democrats were on the warpath today saying they've got to speed up this entire prewar intelligence investigation. Listen to the Democratic leader in the Senate, Harry Reid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: Congress has worked very well over those years because we've had something called congressional oversight. If there's a problem, we have the committees that are set up. We have a chairman, we have a ranking member, and they do investigations.
It has not been done in this administration rarely. So I would think if the speaker and the majority leader in the Senate are interested in this, they should join with us in getting to the bottom of what went on in bringing this country to war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: What do you think about that?
BUCHANAN: You know, Harry Reid has been talking about this now for some time, and they called that secret meeting last week. And I think he was burnt on it. The senators, the Republican senators in particular, Roberts, made it very clear, the chairman of the committee, saying, we are doing it. We've got the first phase done. We told you the timetable for the second. It's being done very speedily. And so I don't think he has a case whatsoever. I think this is just Democrats looking for an issue.
BLITZER: Just another Democratic stunt, that's what a lot of Republicans say.
BEGALA: The problem is, we did go to war. We did go to war on bad intelligence. And a whole lot of people, the majority of Americans, agree with me that we were lied to. Congress should do something about it. I went and saw Senator Reid yesterday. He is incensed that the Congress is no longer acting like a coequal branch of government.
Partisanship aside, there's a congressional responsibility here. If the Congress was misled -- and I believe they were --, Congress ought to be investigating this. That's the point he's making. It's institutional far more than it is partisan.
BLITZER: Let's talk about elections. Today, you voted, I see. You live in Virginia, you live in Virginia. Congressman Rahm Emmanuel of Illinois, former colleague of yours in the Clinton administration, quoted as saying this, "Whatever the outcome of those elections" -- referring to today's elections - "it will have an impact on people's interpretations of the upcoming election in 2006," The midterm elections, the congressional elections next year. Do you agree with that?
BUCHANAN: I agree to some extent. New jersey, no. New Jersey's a Democratic state, it's anticipated it's going to elect a Democrat. That's no surprise to anybody. If there's an upset, if a Republican wins, it'll be a huge story.
BLITZER: If Forrester beats Corzine, that becomes a huge story.
BUCHANAN: A huge story, no question about it. But in Virginia, I think there's a lot going in here. And there's no question, if Kilgore loses, they're going to blame the president. And if he wins, the president's got a huge feather in his cap because he went down there just yesterday and had a big rally for the candidate. So I think there's no question people are going to look at this. But the question I think really, is, will it have an impact? And I don't think it will have that much of an impact.
BEGALA: Enormous impact on recruiting. If the Democrats can win in a really red state like Virginia, that's going to tell Democrats around the country, maybe this will be my year to run for the House, for the Senate, for governor in my state.
What's interesting, from a White House perspective, is where the president cannot go any longer. You know, we remember when Bush was at 89, wherever he went he was welcomed as a conquering hero. Now he can't go to New York, where the mayor's up, the Republican mayor. He can't go to New Jersey, he can't go to California. So he goes to Virginia where frankly, the local Republican didn't want him there and hid from his the last time.
Bush is a man without a party almost, right now. He's going to croak the Republicans, I think, across the board.
BUCHANAN: You know, I disagree. The president will go wherever he's asked, but he can raise a lot of money. And you see how fast those other fellows bring him on in the other states.
BLITZER: Bay Buchanan, Paul Begala, thanks very much. We'll see what happens later tonight when we'll start getting results in Virginia, 7:00 p.m. Eastern. We'll be here in THE SITUATION ROOM. We'll share with you all those results as soon as we get them.
Up next, maybe an indictment within their ranks had something to do with it. The White House staffers are going to class for a refresher course in ethics. What do you think about that? Jack Cafferty has been going through your email.
And did a radio talk show host in Missouri mix a sport drink with a chemical, an anti-freeze, to kill his wife? It's a bizarre story. We're getting new details. We'll share those with you, as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Jack Cafferty's been going through your email. He's got responses to your question of the hour. He's joining us now live from New York. Jack? CAFFERTY: Wolf, they're requiring ethics classes at the White House. Among those who took the mandatory class this morning, Karl Rove, Harriet Miers, White House Chief of Staff Andy Card. In all, 3,000 White House staffers will be required to go to these classes. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush thought it was important to have these refresher briefings for all White House staff in light of recent circumstances. Translate that, the indictment of Scooter Libby in the CIA leak investigation.
So here's the question: How do you feel about mandatory ethics classes in the White House?
Some of this stuff we couldn't even put on the air.
Bill in Coryville, Pennsylvania: "That would be like making Charles Manson take lessons in how to be a productive citizen. It won't work."
Lois in Omaha: "Seems that some of the White House personnel need to take ethics lessons. On the other hand, if they've gotten as far as the White House without knowing right from wrong, will it really help?"
Bud in Kansas City, Kansas: "I thought Bush ran on restoring morals and dignity back to the White House, so why is this necessary? Why would he hire someone who would not measure up to those standards?"
Nicolas writers, "Scooter Libby and Karl Rove, folks who clearly know better, get investigated for leaking sensitive information, and I have to pay for mandatory seminars for 3,000 employees, who in all likelihood, will never even be in the same room of a classified document? Ridiculous."
And Pam in Dauphin, Alabama: "The White House teaching ethics is like Al Capone teaching tax law."
BLITZER: Pam in Dauphin, Alabama, has got a nice sense of humor. All right, Jack, thanks very much. We're going to get back with you very soon.
Still to come here in THE SITUATION ROOM, boiling with anger, roiling with rage. We'll take you live to France where officials are clamping down on rioters with curfews and more.
And there are new pictures from that pirate attack on a cruise ship, including actual pictures of the pirates and the damage they caused. We'll show you them here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There is new information coming in on that shooting in Tennessee. Let's immediately go to CNN's Zain Verjee. She's joining us from the CNN Center. What are we learning, Zain? VERJEE: Wolf, the Associated Press and two CNN affiliates are reporting that one of the three people shot in a Tennessee school has died. The assistant principal of the Campbell County Comprehensive High School in the town of Jacksboro reportedly is dead.
Now, two other school employees were wounded in the attack. A suspect is now in custody. He's actually believed to be a student at the school, Wolf, and in all, there are about 1,400 students at the school. No reports of students being wounded.
Wolf.
BLITZER: Sad story, indeed. All right, Zain, thank you very much.
Let's check some other stories on our "Political Radar" right now. Ohio voters are weighing in on a measure that would put a commission in charge of redistricting instead of lawmakers. Polls show public support lagging. Political analysts say that's partly because the proposal is very complex and voters having a hard time understanding it.
Incumbent Michael Bloomberg has a very comfortable lead heading into New York City's mayoral election today. Polls show him more than 30 points ahead of his Democratic challenger, the Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer. Analysts say Bloomberg outspent Ferrer on TV ads almost five to one.
And the debate over the teaching of so-called intelligent design is looming over the school board elections in Dover, Pennsylvania, where eight seats are up for grabs. And in Kansas, the Associated Press reports the state's school board has just approved new science standards which include the teaching of intelligent design, which casts doubt on the theory of evolution.
Our Internet reporter Abbi Tatton is also following this intelligent design story online. Abbi, what are you finding?
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that Kansas vote has been getting a lot of attention. And the board of education science standards have been looked at online all year. You can read them for yourself here at the Kansas State Department of Education Web site if you want to see just what has been voted on right.
Groups around the country on both sides of the debate have been following this closely. The Seattle-based Discovery Institute, who support intelligent design and its research, they've been following this story among others on their blog. On the other side, The Campaign to Defend the Constitution has included the intelligent design debate in its online campaign of emails and ads.
One individual, who is an online activist on this story, who's going to be disappointed today is Bobby Henderson. At his site, he caused somewhat of an Internet phenomenon earlier this year when he said to the Kansas School Board in an open letter, why don't you consider my alternate theory? He calls it the flying spaghetti monster. Yes, it's a joke, but it even garnered the attention of the Kansas School Board, who emailed him, saying, at least, thanks for the laugh.
Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Abbi. Thank you very much.
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