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DNA Evidence May Exonerate Executed Man; President Bush's Poll Numbers Improve Slightly; Secret Program Monitors Muslim Sites In U.S. For Radioactive Material; Daschle Rejects Bush Claim On Wiretapping Approval; Bush OKs U.S. Troop Reduction; Marc Chagall and Picasso Art Stolen; Bob Novak Leaves CNN; Robert Novak Interview; Some Churches Closed Christmas Sunday?; Judge Rules In Favor Of Woman In David Letterman Case

Aired December 23, 2005 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Kitty.
And to our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you the day's top stories.

Happening now, it's 7:00 p.m. in Richmond, Virginia. Did that commonwealth execute the wrong man? More than a decade later, a DNA test could clear his name or tie him to a murder.

Here in Washington and several other cities around the country, federal agents are always on guard against a possible dirty bomb plot. Does that mean it's fair or legal to monitor Muslim mosques, homes and businesses?

And right here, Robert Novak speaks out about his controversial role in the CIA leak story and looks back on his 25 years at CNN. The interview, that's coming up.

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

Up to the very last minute he was led to an electric chair, strapped in and executed, a death row inmate swore his innocence, once saying -- and let me quote -- "They are going to kill me, and I am innocent." Roger Keith Coleman was executed in Virginia in 1992. Now, there are new efforts to determine if the wrong man was put to death.

Let's begin our coverage. CNN's Brian Todd joining us with details -- Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, an official in Governor Mark Warner's office insists the governor has not gone through a recent epiphany on capital punishment, even though last month he commuted the death sentence of one death row inmate and now he's about to make a move that could change the course of history and alter the death penalty debate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) TODD (voice-over): An official in Virginia Governor Mark Warner's office confirms to CNN the governor is preparing to sign an order for new DNA tests that could exonerate a man executed in 1992.

If these tests are done and do exonerate Roger Coleman, death penalty opponents say it would be the first time an executed convict is scientifically proven innocent since the death penalty was reinstated in the U.S. in 1976. But officials in the governor's office stress the evidence could also further implicate Coleman in the crime.

Coleman was convicted of the 1981 rape and murder of his sister- in-law, Wanda McCoy. He maintained his innocence until the very end, claiming he was elsewhere when the crime occurred.

ROGER COLEMAN, CONVICTED KILLED PUT TO DEATH IN 1992: I'm innocent. I did not kill Wanda McCoy, and I did not rape Wanda McCoy. I will fight to prove I'm innocent until I'm either free or dead.

TODD: Governor Warner's aides say he hopes to sign the order for the DNA testing before he leaves office on January 14th.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: Officials in the governor's office say the evidence that would be tested is now in the hands of a California doctor who was hired by the defendant. And they're working out final details where a third, more objective party, a forensics lab, would do the testing -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Brian Todd reporting. Thanks, Brian, very much.

And this is just coming in to CNN, a new presidential poll, some new numbers at a time when the president has been struggling with the flap over secret spying and setbacks in Congress. It's the first survey to come out since his primetime speech to the nation on Iraq and the formal news conference that followed the next day.

Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, has the numbers. She's joining us from the White House -- Suzanne?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, it's very clear the Bush administration wants to get this year behind them. And White House officials are convinced they have turned a corner here, if you take a latest look at the Gallup poll here showing the president's handling of his job as president, 43 percent approve, 53 percent disapprove. That certainly is better than what you saw about six weeks ago, when it looked in the mid-30s or so.

Here's the progression of how those numbers changed after a rough October, November months. In November, President Bush going from 37 percent approval, 60 percent disapprove, to 38 percent approval, 57 disapprove, to December, 41 percent approve, 56 percent disapprove. And then today, 43 percent and 53 percent disapprove.

The hope here, of course, aides believe is that these numbers will only get better. And what they're hoping for is turning the corner, some modest legislative victories, getting their Supreme Court pick nominated. But, of course, both Bush aides and political analysts say the one wild card in all of this, Wolf, is Iraq -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you very much.

Turning now to the "CNN Security Watch." Government sources say federal authorities in this region and a number of other locations around the United States have been secretly monitoring predominantly Muslim sites, including mosques, for traces of radiation. Let's get some details. Our homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve standing by -- Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, according to several government officials we talked to, the monitoring has taken place without warrants, outside more than 100 Muslim-related sites in the Washington area, including mosques, businesses and homes.

It has been conducted by the FBI, with the technical expertise of Energy Department nuclear emergency support teams, and it began shortly after 9/11. Sites in New York, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas and Seattle have also been monitored with the aim of detecting whether any terrorists are gathering enough material to build a radiological dispersal device.

While the FBI is not confirming the existence of the secret program, it has issued a statement saying, "The FBI does not target any group based on ethnicity, political or religious belief. At the same time, when intelligence information suggests a threat to publish safety, particularly involving weapons of mass destruction, investigators will go where the intelligence information takes them."

The Council on American Islamic Relations says it is disturbed by the revelations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIHAD AWAD, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: We would like to see evidence or even, you know, small pieces of evidence that causes the government to be concerned about the Muslim community. The Muslim community had no link of 9/11, had no link to terrorism. This is the most peaceful minority that you have, and it's being targeted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Officials say search warrants or court orders are not needed because the monitoring is done outside from areas authorities consider public property, like parking lots -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Jeanne Meserve reporting. Thanks, Jeanne, very much.

A new salvo today in the domestic spying dispute between the president and the Congress. The latest broadside comes from the former Senate Democratic leader. Let's get details. Andrea Koppel standing by in the newsroom -- Andrea? ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, in the days since this story first broke, President Bush has forcefully defended his actions, claiming that, after 9/11, Congress authorized him to use, quote, "all necessary and appropriate force to go after those terrorists responsible, even if that is meant signing off on secret wiretaps of American citizens."

But in an op-ed in today's "Washington Post," Tom Daschle, the former Democratic leader of the Senate, challenged Mr. Bush's claim, writing, quote, "I did not and never would have supported giving authority to the president for such wiretaps. The president should explain the specific legal justification for his authorization of these actions."

It appears that's exactly what the Bush administration is trying to do. Just hours after Mr. Bush left the White House yesterday to start his Christmas vacation, the Department of Justice fired off a five-page letter to the leaders of congressional intelligence committees, saying the wiretapping is, quote, "crucial to our national security."

The letter also argues that the nation's security trumps privacy concerns of individuals targeted for eavesdropping by the government -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Andrea Koppel, thanks very much.

Let's go to the CNN Center in Atlanta now. Zain Verjee standing by with a closer look at some other stories making news -- Zain?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, an Italian prosecutor has asked Interpol to try to detain 22 people said to be CIA agents. He acted after a court in Milan issued arrest warrants valid in any European Union nation. The prosecutor says the 22 were involved in kidnapping a terror suspect in Italy and flying him to Egypt where he was allegedly tortured.

A passenger plane with 23 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff today in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan. A Russian news agency says everyone on board the plane was killed. The plane crashed near the capital, Baku. Police say that rain's hampering the search for the plane's flight recorders.

And if you're waiting for friends or relatives heading your way for the holidays, be a little patient if they're a little late. There are about 51 million people on the road with them. That's the estimate from AAA. That's a 1.7 percent increase from last year, despite higher gas prices.

Wolf, you looking forward to the holidays? And Jack?

BLITZER: I certainly am. So is Jack. All of us are. In fact, let's go to Jack. Jack's in New York -- Jack?

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm going to be on the road about 8:01. And I'd appreciate if those 51 million people would just pull over to the side so I can get home.

(LAUGHTER)

VERJEE: I'll arrange it for you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: I'm getting a feedback in my earpiece. I'm going to take it out.

BLITZER: All right.

CAFFERTY: With only a week left before we close out 2005, it's time to look ahead as the old year breathes its last. Time to leave behind all the stuff that didn't work, come up with a new set of plans for the coming year.

Trouble is, many of us can come up with grandiose plans for the new year, only to watch our enthusiasm for things like losing weight, being more patient, or working harder disappear beneath the accumulating snows of winter.

Nevertheless, hope springs eternal. Maybe this year will prevail. So here's the question: What's your New Year's resolution for 2006? You can e-mail us at CaffertyFile@CNN.com or you can go to CNN.com/caffertyfile. We'll go back to you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Jack. We'll get back to you later this hour.

Coming up, a first in the push to downsize U.S. forces in Iraq. We'll tell you what the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, is now saying about reducing troop levels.

Also ahead, my interview with Robert Novak. He's taking questions on the CIA leak investigation and much more as he ends 25 years of reporting and punditry right here on CNN.

And later, David Letterman, a victim of stalkers, now accused of being one himself. We'll tell you about a very bizarre allegation that Letterman calls ridiculous, but a judge seems to be taking seriously. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: President Bush has given the OK for a drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq. It's not a big troop cut, but there are signs that others may follow. Let's go to the Pentagon. Our Barbara Starr is standing by with details -- Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld made it official in Iraq. It's a modest step, but 7,500 troops that were headed for Iraq have had their deployment orders canceled.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Because the conditions here in Iraq have evolved favorably, we've made a decision to reduce our brigades from 17 to 15 and to increase some of our assistance to the training and equipping and -- of the Iraqi security forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: So about 7,500 troops not having to go to Iraq, at least not right away. The overall goal is to, hopefully, they say, by this time next year, have just about 100,000 troops in Iraq.

George Casey, the general in charge of U.S. troops, he will now be reviewing troop levels every three to four months. And what commanders insist is this is not in response to domestic political pressure but, instead, to pressure the Iraqis to train more of their security forces so they can take over security in their own country -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Barbara, besides staying alive, what's the new focus of the U.S. troops in Iraq?

STARR: The absolute new focus is train, train, train the Iraqis, try to continually get more U.S. troops out of frontline combat positions throughout 2006, get those Iraqi security forces trained up. That's the road home for U.S. forces -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

Let's turn now to some of our CNN reporters, with a look at stories making news around the world.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Aneesh Raman in Baghdad. Reports tonight that a Sudanese diplomat and five other Sudanese nationals were kidnapped in the capital just as they were leaving prayers at a Baghdad mosque. No claims of responsibility have been made, no demands, either.

A top adviser to Sudan's president was involved in setting up a recent Iraq reconciliation conference that took place in Cairo. That on the ground is thought to perhaps be behind the kidnapping. So far, over 240 foreigners have been kidnapped in Iraq since the war began. Meanwhile, Iraqis continue to be kidnapped on a daily basis.

SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Sohn Jie-ae in Seoul, South Korea. The famed stem-cell doctor, Hwang Woo-suk, apologized to the nation, apologized for causing such shock and disappointment, and resigned as professor of Seoul National University, but this only after a panel from Seoul National found that he had fabricated data in a paper submitted to the journal of science.

The panel said that, in that paper, Doctor Hwang had fabricated data and photographs and made it seem as if he had 11 patient-specific stem-cell lines when he had only two. The research paper had been hailed as a major breakthrough in finding ways to cure and treat diseases such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes. In South Korea, Dr. Hwang had been hailed a national hero, and now he's considered a national disgrace. FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is Fionnuala Sweeney in London.

Little Toga has now been missing for almost a week. Officials at his zoo said he was probably stolen Saturday and warned he wouldn't survive much longer if he were out by himself, and they've increased the finder's fee for him to over $17,000.

The little jackass penguin is three months old. He's only one foot tall and, so far, has lived off regurgitated food his parents give him. He was a chubby little penguin before he disappear, and it was hoped he would survive because of his robust nature. But now hope is fading, as the zoo has not had any indications he's still alive.

There are different scenarios of what may have happened to Toga. The zoo thinks he may have been stolen as a Christmas present or as a prank. Whatever it is, many people here and around the world desperately hope he may still be home for Christmas -- Wolf?

BLITZER: Fionnuala Sweeney, thank you very much.

Still to come here in THE SITUATION ROOM, a brazen art gallery heist. Thieves took just seconds to take thousands of dollars worth of artwork. We'll tell you how their crime went down.

Later, Robert Novak's parting shots. My interview with the always outspoken pundit on his final day -- that would be today -- here at CNN. Find out how much he's willing to say about the CIA leak probe and more.

You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In California, someone is coveting two rare works of art. Our Zain Verjee is in the CNN Center in Atlanta with details of a brazen art heist -- Zain?

VERJEE: Wolf, in the rarified world of art appreciation, they appear to have very fine taste. Police in southern California hope to catch the thieves caught in this surveillance video. They were inside the Modern Masters Fine Art Gallery near Palm Springs, but not for very long.

After forcing open a side door, police say it took them less than two minutes to steal two artworks valued at almost $90,000. Empty spaces now mark where the stolen works once hanged. One work was by Pablo Picasso, a picture of a partially nude woman looking out a window, the rare Picasso was painted back in 1959. And the second stolen piece is Marc Chagall. It's a lithograph titled "The Tribe of Dan." And it was completed in 1964.

Now, police, Wolf, think that the thieves made off in a silver Mercedes.

BLITZER: Zain, thank you very much. Zain Verjee reporting. Just ahead here in THE SITUATION ROOM, he's been in the news in the CIA leak investigation. Now he's here in THE SITUATION ROOM talking about the case, the big political stories, and his 25-year career at CNN. See how far he's willing to go in our interview. That's coming up.

And later, closed for Christmas. Why are some churches shutting their doors on one of the holiest days of the year? Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. Whether you agree or disagree with Robert Novak, few would dispute he's an original, a one-of-a-kind journalist, columnist, pundit and man who's been with CNN for all of its 25 years. Today is Bob's last day with this network. It's been quite a ride, culminating with his controversial role in that CIA leak story.

Bob is with us here in THE SITUATION ROOM today. And in our exclusive interview, I'll ask him about the leak probe, much more. We'll have a wide-ranging, no-holds-barred conversation.

First, though, a look back at a remarkable career so far. Here's our national correspondent, Bruce Morton.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bob Novak's been in the news lately because he was the reporter who printed the name of Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame, and said she worked for the CIA. He has always said he didn't know she was covert and was never told disclosure would endanger her.

ROBERT NOVAK, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I have been told, not by the official sources at the CIA, but by the unofficial sources, that she was not a covert operative whose life was in danger.

BLITZER: Because this is significant...

MORTON: But there's a lot more to Novak than one story. He's written a column, first, with the late Rowland Evans, then alone for more than 40 years. And they joined CNN when this network began in 1980.

ROWLAND EVANS, CNN'S "EVANS AND NOVAK": I'm Rowland Evans. For the next 30 minutes and each week hereafter, Robert Novak and I will hold a controversial news figure in the camera's eye.

MORTON: Tough questions, good reporting.

NOVAK: Are you worried about the Moral Majority and the right- wing of the party?

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't -- no, I'm not. MORTON: Made some news. Then-Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney predicting Mikhail Gorbachev's failure to reform the Soviet Union in 1989.

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the bottom line is that, if I had to guess today, I would guess that he would ultimately fail. That is to say that he will not be able to reform the Soviet economy, to turn it into an efficient modern society.

MORTON: Evans died in 2001. Novak kept going to wherever the news was.

NOVAK: I'm Robert Novak in Tokyo at the prime minister's official residence. My guest is Kiichi Miyazawa, prime minister of Japan.

From the Blue House in Seoul, Korea, to question the president of the Republic of Korea, Kim Young Sam.

MORTON: American politics is his true love, and he hasn't missed covering a political convention since 1960.

NOVAK: George, I've been told by the Reagan people that both Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford will come to the hall tonight after Reagan is nominated.

MORTON: He has a nickname, the Prince of Darkness. "I like to cause trouble and stir up strife," he said once. And he had a chance to do that, not just on "Evans and Novak," but on other CNN broadcasts, "Crossfire" and "Capital Gang."

AL HUNT, CNN'S "CAPITOL GANG": Bob Novak is to unattributed sources what Baryshnikov is to ballet.

MARK SHIELDS, CNN'S "CAPITOL GANG": Putting Bob Novak in charge of pardoning would be like putting Shelley Winters in charge of Twinkies.

ROBERT MCNAMARA, FORMER DEFENSE SECRETARY: Mr. Novak, let me say something to your face.

NOVAK: Yes.

MCNAMARA: I deeply resent the implication -- you are implying I'm a communist.

NOVAK: I did not imply at all.

MCNAMARA: You sure as hell did. And I deeply resent it.

NOVAK: I never said you were.

(CROSSTALK)

NOVAK: I say your judgment is bad, and I think you're performing a disservice to your country.

MCNAMARA: A service for the Soviets.

NOVAK: A disservice to your country.

MCNAMARA: That is absurd.

MORTON: He's done other things, father, grandfather, jumped out of a plane on CNN at age 72, converted to Roman Catholicism in 1998. "We all know that Bob is Catholic," then-Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan quipped. "The question is, will he become a Christian?"

In public, at any rate, the take-no-prisoners questions continue. His game is hardball.

Since he's nicknamed a prince, I thought about saying goodbye in Shakespeare's phrase, "Good night, sweet prince." But then I thought, "No. Bob would object to sweet." And he'd be right.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And now the man himself, Bob Novak, is here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Bob, wolf.

NOVAK: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: We're going to get to the CIA leak and other issues in a few moments. Let's talk about some of the issues right now on the agenda, the president of the United States, George W. Bush, he's been in office now for five years, approaching his sixth year. You've been a good conservative all these years. Are you satisfied with the way he's conducted himself? Has he been a good conservative, from your perspective?

NOVAK: I think it's a mixed bag, Wolf. I think his tax policy has been terrific. I think we would be in the depths of the economy if it weren't for the fact that he took a tough stand, a courageous stand in cutting the capital gains cuts, tax, the dividend tax, other income taxes.

I think, like most -- all Republican presidents, he hasn't done enough to reduce the size of the government. Nobody wants to bite that bullet.

The thing that I took issue with him, I didn't think we should have gone into Iraq. It was a few of us conservatives that thought it was a bad idea. Once we get there, you can't bug out. You can't...

BLITZER: What was so bad about going in and getting rid of Saddam Hussein?

NOVAK: It was wonderful getting rid of him. I'd like to get rid of a lot of dictators, but we can't send the U.S. military around the world to get rid of every dictator.

The question was, was it necessary in the national interest?

BLITZER: Was it?

NOVAK: I didn't think it was. I didn't think it at the time. Because I said several times on this network that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

BLITZER: How did you know that and the president of the United States, the vice president of the United States were convinced that there were apparently?

NOVAK: Because my sources -- I don't run my own CIA. My sources didn't think there were, in the military, people I trusted.

And the indication by the inspectors indicated there was no weapons. But the point...

BLITZER: Do you -- let me...

(CROSSTALK)

NOVAK: Sure.

BLITZER: Was the president sold a bill of goods on Iraq?

NOVAK: I think they got in a mindset where they really wanted change of government, and then it was a need to find reasons for a change of government.

BLITZER: Why was that?

NOVAK: I believe that they felt that this was the key to American foreign policy.

I think it was -- they thought it was very important to our ally, Israel, to get rid of him, to peace in the Middle East, and then you kind of think of reasons to get it done.

But let me say, Wolf, that I really do believe that once you are in there with American troops on the ground and the commitment of this country, I think it is highly irresponsible to get out.

I'm so disappointed in Congressman John Murtha, who's a great public figure, talking about redeployment, of forces getting out.

I think we are going to get out at a slow rate. But a rapid redeployment would be a disaster for this country.

BLITZER: Because you remember when he ran for president in 1999 and 2000, he ran against the notion of nation building. He thought that was a huge mistake. NOVAK: I still think nation building is a bad idea. But we're in -- Wolf, we're in nation building and, once you start, you can't say, gee, I didn't think this was -- this isn't much fun; we have to get out.

BLITZER: I want to get to some other issues in a moment, but we have to take a quick commercial break. You remember what quick commercial breaks were all about.

NOVAK: I know. I love quick commercial breaks.

BLITZER: Stand by for a moment. Bob Novak, much more on the CIA leak's bombshell, Bob Novak's role in outing the operative, Valerie Plame Wilson. What does he think about the use of anonymous sources now, and does he think Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation is having a chilling effect on journalism? More of our exclusive conversation with Bob Novak. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. On July 14, 2003, Robert Novak published a column that left and indelible mark on his career and on the Bush White House. He wrote about former ambassador Joe Wilson, who questioned the president's justification for war in Iraq. And he disclosed that Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, was a CIA operative.

Two years later, the investigation of that leak led the special prosecutor to indict the Vice President Dick Cheney's then-chief of staff Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who has since resigned. Bob Novak hasn't given any interviews since Libby's indictment until now. He's still here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

Welcome back. Before we get to some of the other stuff, what do you make of the indictment of Lewis "Scooter" Libby?

NOVAK: Wolf, I haven't discussed this case on the advice of my lawyers. I was set to go on CNN at the time of the indictment of Libby and tell about my role of the case, things I haven't disclosed on the grounds that the case was over. And to my amazement the special prosecutor continued the case and late summoned a new grand jury.

So I was very disappointed because if I had been able to go on CNN to discuss that case, then I would have done my regular commentary on CNN for the rest of the year until the conclusion of my contract, which is now. So I was very disappointed...

BLITZER: So you were surprised on that day when he indicted Scooter Libby that the whole thing wasn't resolved and still continuing?

NOVAK: Oh, yes. We found that out that morning. And I was all set to go on. I was writing a column. My newspapers were prepared to have a special column. And we were going to have -- it was Friday remember? And we were going to have a Saturday column running... BLITZER: I remember vividly.

NOVAK: ... in "The Washington Post." So it was very disappointing to me. And I still -- if this investigation ever comes to an end, and it will come to an end, then I will be writing a column. Unfortunately, I won't be with CNN anymore.

BLITZER: Let me read to you what you wrote, just to be precise. These were the sensitive words. "Wilson never worked for the CIA, but his wife Valerie Plame is an agency operative on weapons of mass destruction. Two senior administration officials told me Wilson's wife suggested sending him to Niger to investigate the Italian report. The CIA says its counter-proliferation officials selected Wilson and asked his wife to contact him." Do you regret writing that story?

NOVAK: Well, it's a very interesting question. I probably do because it's caused me so much trouble. I don't think I did anything wrong, but as a practical matter, it wasn't a big scoop. You know, I think it was in the seventh paragraph of a 13-paragraph story or 11- paragraph story. And so it was just a throw-away line. And the whole column was not abusive toward Joe Wilson in any way.

BLITZER: The argument was that it was designed, releasing her name, to undermine him and to question his credentials.

NOVAK: Yes. And I have said that that wasn't the case.

BLITZER: Why was it necessary to publish her name? Didn't CIA officials try to dissuade you from doing so?

NOVAK: Well, they said they would rather that I didn't. But my information was it was well-known.

BLITZER: What was well-known?

NOVAK: Her name.

BLITZER: Well-known to whom? Because it had never been published.

NOVAK: No, no, it hadn't been published, but it was well-known around town.

BLITZER: Because there are suggestions now that she's come under death threat, that she's lost her career, she's no longer able to good out on clandestine operations for the CIA.

NOVAK: Well, I can't go into a lot of details, but I can tell you what I've said before publicly. And that was that the CIA people said that it was highly unlikely she would ever go on another operation. This was before I wrote this.

BLITZER: Here's what you said the other day, at least according to the "Raleigh News & Observer," December 14, 2005: "I'm confident the president knows who the source is. I'd be amazed if he doesn't. So I say don't bug me, don't bug 'Washington Post' reporter Bob Woodward, bug the president as to whether he should reveal who the source is." You were talking about your initial source for this story, is that right?

NOVAK: I was giving a speech, as I do every couple of years, to a conservative think tank called "The John Locke Foundation" in Raleigh. And I've spoken there for years. And I've said a lot of outrageous things to them, and it never gets in the paper. I'd made the bum reporter's mistake. I didn't think there would be any reporters there.

So that was a stupid thing for me to say. I was just kind of -- it wasn't in the speech, it was in the -- I had given a speech for about 40 minute. We had about ten minutes of Q&A, and that was the last question. It's always the last question that does you in. That was a dumb thing to say.

BLITZER: Was it dumb to say it, or was it not true? Do you believe the president knows who your source is?

NOVAK: It was dumb to say it.

BLITZER: But you do believe the president...

NOVAK: I'm not going to say. I thought it was an off-the-record operation. And I really don't want to go any further into it. I'm embarrassed that it appeared in print. I thought it was just in a private setting, so I don't want to go further into it.

BLITZER: I want to talk about your career at CNN, but one final question on the CIA leak. Other reporter who have testified before the grand jury --whether Tim Russert or Judy Miller, Matt Cooper -- afterwards, they've come out and explained their role, what happened, what didn't happen, which is their right to do so. Why can't you do that now?

NOVAK: I can't tell you why I can't do it. I've been advised by counsel not to, my lawyers. And I take their advice except when I'm saying something stupid to -- something I thought was off the record. I have said repeatedly I will describe my role when this investigation is over, and I'll explain why I haven't said anything. But I can't -- and I'll be happy to. I'll be delighted to when this investigation is over, but not until then.

BLITZER: And you're anxious to do that, I assume.

NOVAK: Yes, I am.

BLITZER: And you're anxious for this investigation to be over. Your late partner, Rollie Evans, who was a good friend of mine too, a great journalist in his own right -- listen to what he said here on CNN before he passed away about you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLAND EVANS, CNN'S EVANS & NOVAK: He's a very all-embracing kind of person, very shrewd, very smart, very smart fellow. Economics, politics and sports. Very diligent follower of sports. But for the show, politics, economics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: You remember Rollie Evans, obviously, a lot better than I do.

NOVAK: One of the great reporters.

BLITZER: He was a great guy. When you did all those shows, Evans & Novak here on CNN, who was your favorite guest? Looking back over all of those years.

NOVAK: I think my favorite guest was Boris Yeltsin. It was very hard to get an interview with him. We had him scheduled in Moscow one year, and he didn't show up on a Saturday night. I was told never schedule Boris Yeltsin on a Saturday night at night. And so we got him in the daytime in his office the next year.

And he was really fascinating. Nobody really knew where he was coming from. And what he really said in that interview was that they were abandoning communism. That was the first time it really came over, and that he didn't believe in socialism, didn't believe in the communist system.

And that was -- Wolf, that was one of the last interviews he ever gave because a lot of thuggish aides got involved with him and were demanding money a little money in order to do an interview. And you'll find that there was almost no interviews by American networks after that.

BLITZER: Because we wouldn't pay for interviews with leaders like that. The final "Crossfire." You were on with Paul Begala. Listen to Paul Begala from that final "Crossfire."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NOVAK: I went around on that 2004 election, about two or three times, maybe it was even more, Paul and I went to mass together. And people would come up and say, "How can you guys go to church together?" Well, I think we actually believe in the same God. Can you imagine that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Actually you were talking about Paul Begala. That was James Carville. You had another episode with James Carville on CNN, as you remember.

NOVAK: A lot of episodes on CNN.

BLITZER: As our viewers will recall. What kind of relationship -- even when you and James, or when you and Paul, got into it, you did have a pretty decent relationship with these guys, a civil, cordial relationship.

NOVAK: I think, yes. We enjoyed our company, in fact, off camera. I try to be honest and not hypocritical. I didn't always enjoy their company on camera. I think there was a mismatch between us in one way because Paul and James, they were Democratic operatives. They were out there to help the Democratic Party.

And I was not a Republican operative. I'm not even a registered Republican. I'm a conservative. So you had one side was all for the Democrats and the other side was -- I tried to be even-handed, but from a right of center viewpoint.

BLITZER: And you're a journalist. They're not journalists, they're strategic political operatives.

NOVAK: That's right. Yes.

BLITZER: In that sense, it was sort of one-sided, not necessarily all that even. You're a great sports fan, as a lot of our viewers know. You love the University of Maryland basketball team, you love the Washington Wizards. I'm a season ticket holder, just like you. The Redskins you love. Did you ever think that maybe all these years, you would have been better off being a sports reporter than a political reporter?

NOVAK: Wolf, a lot of politicians think so. I started off as a sports writer. You mentioned I'm also a loyal alumnus of the University of Illinois, and I still am going out to their game with Michigan State on January 5th.

BLITZER: When they play Maryland, who do you root for?

NOVAK: I keep my mouth shut. I hate it when they play each other. But I covered the 1952 Rose Bowl for the " Champaign-Urbana Courier" between Illinois and Stanford. And then I took the train up to San Francisco and covered the East-West football game. I was then -- I wasn't even 21 years old then.

And I said, "Is it going to get any better than that as a sports writer?" The Korean war was going on, I was about to go into the army as an officer. And I said, "Gee, I think I'd like to do something more serious." I think I would have been out of place and frustrated as a sports writer. But I love it as a hobby, being a sports fan.

BLITZER: Me too. Bob Novak is finishing up his memoirs. We'll look forward to reading those. We'll look forward to spending some time with you at Wizards games and other sporting events here in Washington.

NOVAK: Can I say one other thing? I want to thank CNN for making this network available to me for 25 years. Never censored me once, ever. And I said some outrageous things. And it was a wonderful opportunity for me. I think I worked hard for CNN, but it was a wonderful opportunity, and I want to thank them.

BLITZER: And we want to thank you. We know you worked hard for CNN. Bob Novak, merry Christmas, happy New Year. And thanks for all your 25 excellent years. Let's hope the next 25 years are even better. NOVAK: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And up next, churches that give new meaning to I'll be home for Christmas. Find out what that means for Sunday morning services on this coming Sunday.

And David Letterman. He's the subject of a decision that may make a lot of people's top ten lists for unusual, strange, absurd, court rulings. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to THE SITUATION ROOM. Time now for "The Bottom Line." It's the first Christmas on a Sunday in over ten years. So why are some churches actually closing their doors and telling their members to stay home?

CNN's Chris Lawrence is joining us now with more on this story -- Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, most Roman Catholic and Protestant churches will be packed this Christmas. But because it falls on a Sunday, pastors at some of the other churches are thinking that their members may stay home with their families. They're canceling services and creating a bit of a controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Closed on Christmas. Pastors have canceled Sunday services at mega churches in Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, and Texas. They say the last time Christmas fell on a Sunday only a few people showed up to pray.

Critics say they're bowing to secular culture making church convenient. But Jehovah's witnesses believed God never intended Christ's birth to eclipse his life as a mature man.

And other churches like this one in Los Angeles won't celebrate at all. The pastor says there's nothing biblical about celebrating Christ's birth.

MICHAEL MORRISON, WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD: Many of the customs surrounding Christmas are not based on scripture.

LAWRENCE: Michael Morrison's church did not celebrate Christmas until ten years ago.

MORRISON: We were forbidding more than we should have.

LAWRENCE: The Worldwide Church of God still preaches that pretty lights and expensive gifts have nothing to do with Christmas. But even a small reverent celebration drove some parishioners away.

MORRISON: They accused us of being liberal. You are doing something that is not biblical, and we don't like that. And some of them left.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Yes, they ended up affiliating with other churches that continue to ignore the holiday. So while some department stores have been accused of taking Christ out of Christmas, some of these churches seem to be saying it's time to be taking Christmas out of Christ -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Lawrence in Los Angeles. Thank you very much for that.

It's surely not one of David Letterman's top ten funniest moments. A woman says he secretly sends her coded messages of love during his TV program. The woman wants him to stop. And now a judge has actually ruled in her favor.

CNN's Mary Snow is standing by in New York with this extremely bizarre story -- Mary.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, Wolf. And it's the ruling that is really raising eyebrows. David Letterman has been the victim of stalkers. But now a woman accuses him of stalking her through the airwaves.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): In a bizarre court filing, a New Mexico woman claims words like Oprah were code, and David Letterman's way of asking her to marry him. In a complaint she accuses the comedian of mental cruelty by harassing her with eye expressions and hand gestures on his show.

The woman requested a restraining order against Letterman. And Judge Daniel Sanchez of Santa Fe granted it ordering Letterman to stay at least 100 yards away from her.

HARVEY LEVIN, LAWYER, MANAGING EDITOR TMZ.COM: I think it is embarrassing for Santa Fe. It is so whacked out that the judge would have signed something like this.

SNOW: In the order the woman asked the judge, think of me and release me from this mental harassment. Letterman's lawyers call the claims absurd and frivolous and the judges order an unfortunate abuse of the judicial process.

But the comedian hasn't lost his sense of humor over it.

DAVID LETTERMAN, COMEDIAN: By the way, that wasn't a joke. It was a coded message.

SNOW: Judge Sanchez couldn't be reached for comment. But he told local station KOB-TV that he gives everybody their day in court if the allegations are made, and it is pled properly.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SNOW: Letterman is not the only person named in the woman's complaint. She also says Kelsey Grammar and Regis Philbin had secretly communicated with her over the airwaves -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Mary, thank you very much. Mary Snow for that very strange story.

And if you think the Letterman ruling sounds strange, wait until you read the actual court papers.

Our Internet reporter Jacki Schechner has done exactly that. She's joining us live -- Jacki.

JACKI SCHECHNER, INTERNET REPORTER: I got to tell you, Wolf, there's some interesting reading available online through the smokinggun.com. Here's what they've got online. They've got Colleen Nestler's request for a restraining order.

Now you heard in Mary's piece that she got one that granted David Letterman to stay 100 yards away from her. But if you look at the document itself. She actually asked that he stay at least 3 yards away from her. Granted she's in New Mexico. He's in New York. Not that difficult to do.

The other thing that is available online is seven pages describing what she calls the saga of their relationship. And, yes, those other people, Regis Philbin, Kelsey Grammar, mentioned in there.

She talks about how she started watching "Frasier," Kelsey Grammar's show, back in 1996 because the coded messages from David Letterman were coming that program as well -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Thank you very much Jacki for that.

Still ahead, promises, promises. Jack Cafferty has your new year's resolutions. He's going to tell us what you're writing, what you're promising. All of that when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's a fabulous way to end the week, that would be with Jack Cafferty with "The Cafferty File."

Hi Jack.

CAFFERTY: What are you doing for the holidays?

BLITZER: I'm going away to the sun and fun. I'm getting out of town a little bit. Got to recharge the batteries because we work hard here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

CAFFERTY: Yes, we do. Do you like to go like lie on the beach?

BLITZER: I like to sit.

CAFFERTY: Sit? BLITZER: Sit.

CAFFERTY: Why don't you lie on the beach?

BLITZER: Maybe I'll sit underneath or lie down on one of those lounges, you know.

CAFFERTY: All right.

BLITZER: Yes.

CAFFERTY: New Year's resolution time. We're all going to be away next year so we're going to get this traditional thing out of the way a few days early. What are your New Year's resolutions for 2006?

Tabitha in Bangor, Maine: "Not to make any stupid resolutions. We all live one day at a time. Do it today or don't do it, whatever it is you're fretting. And forget perfection. You are never going to be skinny enough or rich enough or exercise enough to live forever."

Margaret in Greeneville, South Carolina writes that "Americans vote career politicians, Republicans and Democrats, out of office."

Dennis in Shreveport, Louisiana: "My New Year's resolution is to start treating people I don't like better."

Ian in Providence, Rhode Island: "My resolution is to learn how to use my computer. A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing."

Some of these people are not well.

Tom in Delaware: "New Year's resolutions are a complete waste of time. Major decisions are made when I get fed up with my lot in life, not generally around Christmas and New Year. Strategies, inspiration, encouragement and motivation usually pop up when the need is there."

And finally this from Curtis in Portland, Maine: "I don't know. I've already quit smoking cigarettes. I rarely drink alcohol. I work out regularly. Apparently I have quit having sex. I mean, what else is there? Thanks for reminding me what I'm missing, Jack."

Happy New Year to you too, pal.

BLITZER: Sounds like a fun guy.

All right. Jack, you're going to take next week off? You got anything special planned?

CAFFERTY: I am. No, I am going to over eat and over sleep mostly I think is the agenda.

BLITZER: Well, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas, a happy New Year to all of our viewers, in fact, all of our viewers out there. Thanks very much for joining us. Have a wonderful, wonderful holiday, a great new year. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy Kwanzaa. Everything else as well.

I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

"PAULA ZAHN NOW" starts right now.

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