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The Situation Room
President Bush Heads To Mexico To Discuss Immigration Reform; Republicans Split Over Guest Worker Program; Jack Abramoff Sentenced; Cleaning House In Congress; Zacarias Moussaoui Case Moves To Jury; Officers Involved In New Orleans Police Brutality Case Charged; Democrats Try To Convince American Public They're Strong On National Security; Ted Kennedy Interview; U.N. Approves Non-Binding Statement Demanding Iran Suspend Uranium Enrichment
Aired March 29, 2006 - 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: Thanks very much, Ali.
And to our viewers, you are 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 today's top stories.
Happening now, it's 3:00 p.m. in Cancun. President Bush flies to Mexico this hour as the immigration battle rages at home. Is there room for compromise? I'll ask an unlikely ally of the president, Senator Ted Kennedy.
It's 4:00 p.m. in Miami where the former super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff is sentenced for fraud. We're going to tell you what the Congress is doing or not doing to try to clean up its act.
And it's 4:00 p.m. here in Washington. Who will do a better job keeping America safe? Republicans have laid claim to the national security title but can Democrats muscle in before the midterm elections?
I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
President Bush this hour heads off to a three-way summit in Mexico. On the agenda U.S. immigration reform and proposals to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to become legal. The president raised that issue here in Washington just a short while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My judgment is you cannot enforce the border without having a temporary guest worker program. The two go hand in hand. There are people doing jobs Americans will not do. Many people who have come into our country are helping our economy grow. That's just a fact of life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: President Bush will meet with his Mexican and Canadian counterparts in Cancun.
Our White House correspondent Elaine Quijano is already there. She's joining us live -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, when President Bush sits down with the leaders of Mexico and Canada this week, he'll bring with him long standing views on immigration policy, views shaped by his West Texas upbringing, but also his time in the Texas Governor's Mansion.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO (voice-over): In this 1999 interview, then presidential candidate George W. Bush outlined the beliefs that continue to drive his immigration policy today.
BUSH: We've got to enforce the borders. But I understand family values don't stop at the Rio Grande River. And see, what I understand is, is that when you are a man who's got kids to feed and you are making 50 cents, and you look up north and see the chance to make $50 and your kids are hungry, that you're going to come.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN SPANISH).
QUIJANO: In the months after his election, the president began pushing comprehensive immigration reform, but September 11th happened and any thought of opening the borders was viewed as too risky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: Now, of course, with the election year immigration debate boiling over and the president's approval rating in the 30s, it is clear some of his fellow Republicans have no problem distancing themselves from their president on this divisive issue -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Elaine, thank you very much. Elaine Quijano, already in Cancun.
Remember, there will be three world leaders at the summit in Cancun, only one Lou Dobbs though. Lou has already crossed the border in hot pursuit of the answers in the immigration controversy. You won't want to miss the "Broken Borders" special report. Lou Dobbs live in Mexico, that's coming up in less than two hours only here on CNN.
Meanwhile, the full Senate is expected to begin debate on immigration reform later today. Senator Ted Kennedy has been very outspoken on the issue. My conversation with the Democratic senator from Massachusetts only a few minutes away here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Meanwhile, just in the last few minutes, a brand new development in the House of Representatives over immigration. Our congressional correspondent Dana Bash is joining us live from Capitol Hill.
What's going on, Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well, we're going to wait right now for the Senate to start debating immigration. The storyline there, of course, has been that there is a desire -- a split among Republicans, but a desire among some to get a guest worker program through the Senate.
But big picture, the open question has been well, what happens if they do with the House of Representatives? Because Republicans there have been pretty hardlined, saying that they want to stick to border security when it comes to immigration and are not interested in any kind of guest worker program.
Well, earlier today, the House speaker, Dennis Hastert, seemed to open the door a little bit on that issue. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), HOUSE SPEAKER: We're going to look at all alternatives. We're not going to discount anything right now. Our first priority is to protect the border, and we also know that there's a need in some sectors of this economy for a guest worker program. But, you know, we want to see what the Senate comes forward and we'll go through the conference process.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, that particular comment, the fact that he said that he knows there is a need in some sectors of our economy for a guest worker program, that sounded a lot like President Bush and, of course, the advocates of this in the Senate.
Now, again, this is perhaps just a baby step. He's not endorsing this but I just talked to Senator Lindsey Graham on the way here. He, of course, is a Republican who very much supports this idea. He essentially cheered when I showed him what the speaker said. He said that's huge.
They are hoping that they can take baby steps but, of course, this is going to be a long process. It is anybody's guess as to what exactly will happen, whether they can get this guest worker program through and to the president's desk ultimately, Wolf.
BLITZER: And, Dana, just to give our viewers some context on this guest worker program, if he's leaving the door open now to guest workers as the president has done, so many Democrats have done, that's going to infuriate a lot of that Republican base who hate the idea of having guest workers here.
BASH: No question about it. You know, it's unclear in terms of the speaker's personal views on this issue. He's been very careful. In fact, the entire leadership, including the majority leader, John Boehner, they have been very careful not to rule anything in or out in recent days.
But there is no question, conservatives, many of them, very much think that this is essentially applauding illegal behavior and that this is something that can't stand. And that's where the divide is in the Republican Party, Wolf.
BLITZER: Dana, thank you very much. And remember, coming up, my interview with Senator Ted Kennedy on this hot button issue of immigration reform. We'll move on, get back to that shortly.
He was a high-flying lobbyist who crashed hard. Jack Abramoff, who used to court members of Congress, was in a Miami courtroom today to hear his sentence. But that's only part of the story.
Let's turn to our Brian Todd. He's joining us here in Washington with the rest -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a big part of that story is that Jack Abramoff got a lenient sentence today under federal guidelines: five years, 10 months in prison, a fine of more than $21 million. That's for pleading guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy charges in the purchase of floating casinos in Florida six years ago.
The reason for that leniency? Abramoff's cooperation with prosecutors, and hundreds of letters like these written on his behalf. While many on Capitol Hill are running from Abramoff right now, one letter to the judge stood out to us.
Republican Congressman's Dana Rohrabacher's note to Judge Paul Huck said, in part, "in an earlier life, he was respected by me and others who knew him as a person who put principle over profit." Another letter, sent from former Abramoff colleague Laurence Latourette, also spoke to the judge and he spoke to us recently about Abramoff, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURENCE LATOURETTE, FORMER ABRAMOFF COLLEAGUE: He didn't see lines that other people saw and were scared of, so he went over them and that was one of the reasons for his success and ultimately why he crashed and burned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: Where will Abramoff serve his time? The Florida judge left that open, saying he'll work with defense attorneys and try to place Abramoff somewhere near his Washington area home, and at a facility where he can practice his Orthodox Jewish faith. The judge also said he could reduce Abramoff's sentence pending the outcome of other investigations -- Wolf.
BLITZER: There's a separate case right here in D.C. Where does that stand now as far as Abramoff cooperating with federal investigators?
TODD: That's ongoing, Wolf. There are two investigations here in Washington: a Senate investigation of how Abramoff allegedly billed his Indian tribe clients out of millions of dollars, and a Justice Department investigation.
Abramoff has pleaded guilty separately to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion charges in here Washington, and he is cooperating with federal prosecutors in that investigation. That probe, as we know, could touch some members of Congress, as well. So this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as Abramoff's dealings with the courts.
BLITZER: Brian Todd, thanks very much.
And as we just reported, Jack Abramoff has been sentenced to five years, 10 months in prison. That's the minimum under his plea agreement in Florida.
For more on those letters that may have influenced the judge's decisions, let's go to our Internet reporter, Jacki Schechner -- Jacki.
JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, some 262 letters, they range from heartfelt to straightforward to just plain bizarre. We spent much of our day looking through them. Let me show you some of these.
First from Sarah Abramoff, his 12-year-old daughter, talking about how the media has portrayed her father as "an evil man." We've also got his father in law weighing in, saying he's a wonderful father and husband. There are also family friends who say they don't know the man who is being described "by the media."
We also have here somebody who is a National Hockey League referee who knows him and says that Jack Abramoff just lost sight of the black and white. There's also the ones who talk about how Jack Abramoff helped them in college, a college friend who lost 75 pounds thanks to Jack Abramoff.
There's the family friend, the neighbor, who Jack Abramoff helped find a lost hamster on a Friday night. These range in some more strange ones talking about his driver, Wolf, who says that he knows because he was his driver that Jack was faithful to his wife. You can read more of these letters online, CNN.com/situationreport.
BLITZER: Jacki, thank you very much.
At the peak of the Abramoff scandal, members of the Congress were vowing to clean house. How's that effort of the lobbying reform doing right now?
Our congressional correspondent Andrea Koppel is joining us with more. Little bit of a reality check, Andrea. What's going on?
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's been three months since the Abramoff scanned dominated headlines and just weeks since former Congressman Bob Ney was forced to resign, convicted of accepting bribes.
Now at this very hour, senators are voting on the floor, poised to take the first push really, the first major change in lobbying reform in years.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KOPPEL (voice-over): The Senate lobbying bill would ban one of the most symbolic issues of lobbying reform, all gifts and meals. It also agrees to increase from one to two years the amount of time former lawmakers must wait before they can lobby their colleagues. And the bill requires more disclosure by lobbyists. But some believe what started off months ago with a bang...
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: So it's like any other evil. Unless you eradicate it, it is going to grow.
KOPPEL: ... has ended with a whimper. A move by some senators to create an independent office to oversee lobbying disclosure failed.
SEN. BARAK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: Well, one of the greatest travesties of these scandals is not what Congress did but what it didn't do.
KOPPEL: Also not in the bill, a ban on privately funded travel and a ban on the use of corporate jets.
MELANIE SLOANE, CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBILITY & ETHICS: I think what they have done is really just a red herring. It's a way to say that they dealt with the issue of lobbying reform. It is a way to make themselves look better in their campaigns. When they are asked about lobbying reform, they will be able to say, oh, look, I voted for something.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOPPEL: But even after the Senate wraps up its work today on lobbying reform, the House is still struggling with its version. As things stand right now, House Republicans are split on key parts of the proposed reforms, but Republican leaders insist they want to bring it to a vote before the Easter recess.
But, Wolf, what is not on the agenda either in the House or the Senate is campaign finance reform. Remember, it's an election year -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Andrea, thank you very much.
Lets go up to New York. Jack Cafferty is standing by again with "The Cafferty File" -- Jack.
CAFFERTY: They do all of this stuff with a straight face too. Have you noticed, Wolf?
BLITZER: Lobbying reform.
CAFFERTY: Earnestness and serious demeanor. We're policing ourselves here in the nation's capital and you taxpayers need not worry. Unbelievable.
President Bush is going to go to Cancun. He's not on spring break. He's going down there for a summit meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Immigration reform will be on the agenda. The outcome should be interesting, considering how much noise the debate over illegal aliens has generated in the last few weeks here in the United States and Washington and on the streets of major cities all around the country.
The president has said he supports a guest worker program, but he doesn't support the idea of amnesty for illegal aliens. Here's the question. What should be President Bush's priority while he's in Mexico?
You can email your thoughts to caffertyfile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/caffertyfile. Not a word about campaign finance reform down there in the nation's capital, Wolf?
BLITZER: Maybe that will be next year.
CAFFERTY: Or maybe not.
BLITZER: Maybe not. Thanks, Jack.
Coming up, so who is stronger on security? Would it be Democrats or Republicans? Both sides making new arguments today. We are going to go in depth on an issue that could decide this November's election.
Plus, in the battle over border security, he's one of the loudest voices. I'll speak with Senator Ted Kennedy about the political fight over immigration.
And on this day after the Israeli elections, Palestinians swear in a new cabinet under Hamas. Next hour, we'll go live to Jerusalem for all of today's dramatic events. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There is an important development in the case of Zacarias Moussaoui coming in right now. Let's go to the news room.
Mary Snow has got the details -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, just a few minutes ago the case has gone now to a jury in the case of Zacarias Moussaoui. The jury of nine men and three women will begin its first part of deliberations. Moussaoui was taken out of the courtroom. He screamed as he left the courtroom. And he said victory for al Qaeda and Moussaoui, God curse you all.
The judge has given the jurors instructions. This is kind of a complicated case because this trial to decide whether or not Moussaoui is sentenced to life or death is divided into two parts. In this first part right now the jury must answer only one thing and that is whether or not Moussaoui's false statements to federal agents following his arrest in August 2001 contributed to any of the nearly 3,000 deaths in September 11. The case is now to the jury -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. We will be watching that jury and of course bring the verdict as soon as we get it. Thanks very much, Mary, for that. There is also a developing story we're getting out of New Orleans in that highly publicized case of alleged police brutality that was caught on videotape.
Our Susan Roesgen is in New Orleans. She has got the latest. What do we know, Susan?
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is the case of the 64-year-old man who was tackled by two New Orleans police officers and two Los Angeles-based FBI agents shortly after Hurricane Katrina when he was in the French Quarter on Bourbon Street.
Robert Davis says he went up to one of the officers and asked him what time the city curfew was, and he has no idea why they jumped him. In fact the two police officers were fired not long after.
Today the grand jury here in New Orleans has come back with serious charges against them, felony charges that carry prison time. The charges are false imprisonment and second-degree battery. Now, Wolf, we don't know if the grand jury actually saw this videotape that it seems the entire planet has seen played over and over on CNN not long after the hurricane.
But in fact Robert Davis told me himself that he's never seen it. He says his lawyers and his family say he shouldn't see it, and he says he doesn't want to see the videotape of his getting beaten on Bourbon Street -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right Susan. We'll continue to watch this story. Thank you very much. Susan Roesgen in New Orleans.
Coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM, Senator Ted Kennedy and President Bush rarely these days see eye to eye but on a certain hot topic, they do. We are going to tell you where they agree when the senior senator from Massachusetts joins us right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. That is coming up.
Just ahead, president speaks out again on Iraq. Is his political strategy working? I'll ask two experts, Paul Begala and J.C. Watts. They are standing by in today's "Strategy Session." Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Who's tougher? Republicans have long draped themselves in the mantle of national security. But ahead of the midterm elections this year, Democrats are trying very hard to persuade the American public they can do a better job keeping Americans safe. CNN correspondent Dana Bash once again joining us once again from Capitol Hill.
BASH: Democrats here on Capitol Hill are very candid about why they are trying to step up their talk about national security right now. They see that the public is souring on President Bush and his signature issue, which is national security and especially Iraq, and they are essentially trying to take advantage of that for this election year. Let's listen to the Democratic leader, Harry Reid. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: The president can give all of the speeches that he wants but nothing will change the fact that his Iraq policy is wrong. Two weeks ago he told the American people that Iraqis would control their country by the end of the year. But last week he told us the troops would be there until at least 2009. These mixed messages from President Bush are taking America in the wrong direction and jeopardizing Iraq's chance for success.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: There you hear Harry Reid talking about President Bush in a very familiar way, essentially slamming him on his Iraq policy, but he was also standing with about 100 Democratic lawmakers. The point the Democrats are trying to make today are a couplefold.
First of all that, yes, they are against the president they are but trying to move away from that and toward the fact that they do have a plan, a broad plan. They put out this document, which has some of the ideas that we have heard before, but it is also about trying to show unity. You saw about 100 Democratic lawmakers standing together.
One of the big issues has been and still is that Democrats, especially on Iraq, do not necessarily speak with one voice. Here's one example of why Democrats are trying to take advantage right now. Look at these poll numbers. When asked who would do a better job on Iraq specifically, leading up to the last election in July of '03, Republicans had a huge advantage: 51 to 40 percent. In the latest poll this month that has flipped. Democrats were 36 percent now 48 percent. The issue has flipped.
Democrats feel that they have an advantage but look at this number. The question of whether or not Americans think Democrats in Congress have a clear plan on Iraq. Almost seven in of ten Americans say the answer to that is no. That's still the issue that is vexing Democrats that they don't necessarily have a clear plan on Iraq.
They didn't try to come up with one in this plan that they put out today, but they are banking on the fact that this is President Bush's war and that the American people see that issue and nothing else, and that perhaps the anger at him will be so great that they will elect Democrats. Republicans are banking on that not happening and they are certainly gearing up their campaign to make sure people say you don't like us, well look at Democrats. They would be worse, Wolf.
BLITZER: Dana, thank you very much. Dana Bash on Capitol Hill. I want to show our viewers a live picture we're getting in right now from Andrews Air Force Base. You see Air Force One. The president getting ready to walk up those red carpeted steps. He'll be taking off momentarily for Cancun, Mexico, a summit with the leaders of Canada and Mexico.
The hot topic on the agenda, immigration, specifically, illegal immigration here in the United States as well as trade relations. Canada, the United States and Mexico members of NAFTA. We'll watch the president. He's got a three or four-hour flight to Cancun right now.
Republicans won't be easily nudged aside when it does come to national security. Let's bring in our senior analyst Jeff Greenfield joining us from New York for more on this sensitive matter.
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Today's efforts by congressional Democrats to stake out that claim on the national security issue can be traced back to the last two elections, where doubts about the party and its candidates cost them. But widen the focus and you see that weak on defense charge has been hurting the Democratic party for a much longer time.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REID: The president can give all of the speeches he wants, but nothing will change the fact that his Iraq policy is wrong.
GREENFIELD (voice-over): It's not hard to understand why Democratic party leaders want to take a take no prisoner stand on national security matters.
BUSH: The people who knocked these buildings down, will hear all of us soon.
GREENFIELD: After the attacks of September 11, 2001, with president donning the mantle of a wartime president, his political guru Karl Rove told Republicans that we can go to the country on the issue of being strong on defending America. They did. The issue was a key to the Republican recapture of the U.S. Senate in 2002.
And in 2004, President Bush's approval ratings on the terror issue, combined with a relentless campaign to paint John Kerry as an indecisive waffler was key to the president's narrow reelection.
BUSH: Thank you, all. We had a long night. And a great night.
GREENFIELD: But the Democrats dilemma on the security issue really began decades ago. In fact, the last time Democrats won a national election where that issue mattered was in 1964, when Barry Goldwater seemed to hawkish for many voters.
Then Vietnam split the party. President Carter seemed weak on the Iranian hostage crisis issue. President Reagan redefined Republicans as the party of stronger defense. Only when the Cold War's end took that issue off the table, did Democrats win back the White House.
Now, Democrats believe that they can use the response to Katrina, the Dubai ports deal and the difficulties in Iraq to reclaim the security issue on competence grounds. Republicans unsurprisingly have a different notion, that they can continue to paint the Democratic opposition as soft on terror. Here, for instance, is how President Bush described the Democrats objections to warrantless wiretaps. BUSH: They ought to take their message to the people. Say vote for me. I promise we are not going to have a terror surveillance program.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GREENFIELD: It's a measure of just how much Democrats have been hurt by the security issue that at a time when the president's approval ratings are low and polls say voters would prefer that Democrats control the Congress, they are looking to define themselves on the security issue more than seven months before the mid terms. Believing that if voters don't trust them on the security issue, the others won't matter all that much. Wolf?
BLITZER: They are probably right on that. Thank you very much, Jeff, for that. Remember, stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security. We want to show you once again some live pictures we're getting in from Andrews Air Force base outside of Washington.
There it is, always a majestic sight. Air Force One beginning to roll. The president, his entourage, getting ready for this long flight to Cancun, Mexico, where he'll be meeting with the president of Mexico, Vicente Fox, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper.
A three-way summit. The leaders of NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, will be having talks there on all sorts of issues including illegal immigration into the United States, free trade, national security, and more. We're watching the president throughout this summit in Cancun, Mexico. Should be there in about three or four hours.
Meanwhile, as he travels, the battle in the U.S. Senate today expected to square off over immigration reform. The Democratic senator Ted Kennedy took the Senate floor for an impassioned appeal to give illegal immigrants a chance to become legal. In fact, eventually, become legal citizens of this country. Does President Bush have an unlikely ally in the immigration fight?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Joining us now is Senator Ted Kennedy.
Senator, thanks very much. Welcome back to THE SITUATION ROOM.
Why is it fair to give those who came to here illegally the opportunity, in effect, to jump ahead of the line, and become legal residents of the United States at the expense, as the critics say, of so many others who go through the law, go through the process and wait patiently in line?
SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: It isn't, and that's not what our bill does. Basically, what our bill does, is the following: for those that are here in the United States, the undocumented aliens, what this legislation says, Look, if you have paid your taxes, if you have worked, if you've been a good citizen, no problems with the law, then you go to the end of the line. And after all those that are out there now are coming into the United States, after they're all here in the United States, then you get on the track to be able to earn your citizenship.
And to earn your citizenship, you're going to have to continue to demonstrate a work ethic, you're going to have to pay a penalty. You have to be a good citizen. And I think that is what we're talking about, earning the right to be a citizen. That's what, basically, that aspect of our legislation is all about.
Look, we have about 12 million undocumented here. The alternative is, are we going to deport them? That's a cost of $240 billion, just financially, plus what the kind of disruption that that would have in terms of families, and finally, the destruction it would have, in terms of the American economy.
We're looking for a program that is going to work, that's workable, that's going to be tough, in terms of border security, is going to have a limited, verifiable guest-worker program, and is also going to permit people to earn their citizenship where they start at the end of the line and where they demonstrate the qualities that all Americans like: hard-working, providing for their families.
BLITZER: Why isn't this a form of amnesty, as the critics insist it is?
KENNEDY: Because amnesty means forgiveness. Amnesty means "pardoned." We are not forgiving, we're not pardoning. Every individual that wants to follow that course is going to pay a penalty, and every individual is going to go to the back of the line and have to earn their way through. It'll take them 11 years to become citizens, and during that period of time, they're going to have to work hard, pay their taxes, play by the rules.
We have 70,000 permanent resident aliens now in the armed forces of the country, in Afghanistan and in Iraq, that are serving. These people want to work hard, they want to provide for their families, they want to contribute to this country.
They have qualities which we basically admire. They're the church-goers, our neighbors down the street that are working in these smaller stores. We ought to permit them to have the opportunity to earn.
BLITZER: If they follow all the stipulations that you put forward and your co-sponsors put forward, after 11 years they will be allowed to stay and become citizens of the United States.
KENNEDY: They will. That's exactly right.
BLITZER: And that's why the critics say, that in effect you're letting them receive amnesty.
KENNEDY: Amnesty -- you mean, if they now -- amnesty, as I mentioned before, means forgiveness, and it means pardon. It means that they go to the front of the line. They don't go to the front of the line. They pay a penalty and they go to the back of the line.
These are families -- why did these families come here? Basically -- and one of their qualities, and what do we admire -- these are individuals that want to work hard, they want to provide for their families, they want to -- 98 percent of the undocumented males are now working.
This is a crowd that works hard, plays by the rules, pays their taxes and wants to make America a better country. Now, what we're saying is, you don't go to the front of the line, you don't go to the middle of the line, but you go to the end of the line. And not only do you go to the end of the line, but we have 11 years to find out if you're going to work hard, you're going to pay your taxes and you're going to stay out of trouble.
If, in 11 years, you work hard, stay out of trouble, it seems to me that they ought to be able to earn their citizenship. I mean, that's what generations of immigrants did before; it's what my great- grandparents have done, and yours as well, and every other American's.
BLITZER: Let me ask you: basically, you're on the same page -- correct me if I'm wrong -- with the president, more or less, when it comes to this issue of illegal immigration.
KENNEDY: Well, we're not quite there yet, but I must say I admire the fact that the president's been talking about this issue, which is a highly-emotional issue. But we're not quite there yet, but we've made some important progress. It would certainly be Senator McCain's idea and mine that we could try and bring the president in.
Look, Wolf, at the most important time in our nation's history, Republicans and Democrats came together with the president and we passed our civil rights laws, knocking down walls of discrimination on race and religion, ethnicity, on disability on this. We've done that.
We've also come together on the Medicaid law. We came together on the higher education act. We came together. This is -- we've come together now, with a 12-6 vote, Republicans and Democrats alike. We could get the president, get a strong, bipartisan, and do something that is important for our country.
It's not going to be easy. Whenever you get the issues on immigration, it's highly volatile, like civil rights issues, but this is something that is in the immediate interest of our country and the long term interest of our nation.
BLITZER: You clearly feel passionate about it. Senator Kennedy, as usual, thanks for joining us.
KENNEDY: Thanks very much. Good to talk to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Senator Kennedy with me earlier. We're watching a developing story in Florida. Some serious wildfires, Miami-Dade County in south Florida. You see those fires right now. These are live pictures we're getting in. Parts of the Florida Turnpike actually closed due to this brush fire.
Authorities say the northbound and southbound lanes in northwest Miami-Dade County near Interstate-75 are now shut down. Fire rescue officials, according to the Associated Press are on the scene.
Smoke, as you can see, through these live pictures -- you don't see them there, but you can certainly see in some of the live pictures blowing into the air over the highway. There you see some of these pictures that are going on. It's devastating right now. We're watching these pictures.
We're going to go there and get you some more information on what's going on in Miami-Dade County in south Florida and bring you the latest. We'll take a look at all of that.
Also, here in Washington, the battle for Congress this November. Terrorism, national security could be the deciding factor. So which party is doing a better job battling terror? Coming up, our "Strategy Session." Paul Begala, J.C. Watts standing by.
And later, President Bush talks about, yes, Speedos. Speedos. If that doesn't keep you watching, I don't know what will. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Today in our "Strategy Session," the Democrats offer up their own national security platform. Republicans quick to fire right back. Can Democrats close the gap, convince the American public they're the party which will keep all of us safer?
Joining us now, our CNN political analyst, Democratic strategist Paul Begala, former Republican Congressman J.C. Watts. Here's how the Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid put it today. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REID: All of us understand that nothing we do is more important than protecting this great country of ours. That's why we're uniting behind a national security agenda that is tough and smart, an agenda that will provide the real security President Bush has promised but failed to deliver.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: What's behind this strategy, Paul?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, you heard him. First off, put the onus on Bush. The country right now has turned away from President Bush's leadership even on security. You know, and now -- so the Democrats have an opportunity. I think the Dubai ports deal really began to open the window for them, and then the long-running problems that people see in Iraq.
So now the Democrats are stepping in. As many critics like me have said, put forward your own plan, though. Don't just criticize. Put forward your own plan. Well, today they did it.
They have a credible plan on homeland security, most importantly on hunting down and killing terrorists. They want to double special forces, something Mr. Bush never proposed doing. I think it would be a great idea. They have solid actual ideas about national security they're putting forward. Good for them.
BLITZER: You know, this is an issue, arguably, that got the president reelected in 2004. Take a look, though, at how the gap between Democrats and Republicans is narrowing. In July 2003 after the U.S.-led invasion when we asked this question, which party would do a better job dealing with terrorism, 55 percent said Republicans, 29 percent said Democrats.
Now that margin has gone almost away if you add in the sampling error, 45 percent say Republicans, 41 percent say Democrats. Democrats now see an opening, and they're pouncing.
J.C. WATTS (R), FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: And, Wolf, if you believe in those polling number, I think you could find some numbers that would have the Democrats even up a few points. I saw some numbers earlier.
However, I'm almost tempted to laugh about this situation with the Democrats coming out with a proposal concerning national security. Paul, we've gone through two elections, 2002, 2004, a third one in 2006 since 9/11. Where has the plan been for the last four or five years?
And so what you see the president doing now, I think, is trying to drive this issue and get out there unscripted, talk about this. Wolf, I've been an advocate of that since the State of the Union to say you can't over-communicate in times like these. You can't allow the opposition to frame this issue.
I think the president will be OK if he'll continue doing what he's done earlier today, do a press conference, talk about these issues. But you can't allow the Democrats to define it. And again, I do think the Democrats are going to have challenges when you're against eavesdropping of the bad guys. You don't take seriously about the evil guys saying they want to do bad things to Americans. You're opposed...
BLITZER: They say they're not against it, they just want to make sure it's done legally.
WATTS: Well, that's what they say. But they're wanting to censure the president for eavesdropping. At best, it's a legal issue. A worst, it's a legal issue that needs to be defined. But to say that should be censured for that is a bit of a stretch.
BEGALA: Well, J.C. makes -- his first point is a very good one. Toward the end, I think he kind off track, but the first one is a very good one, which is Democrats didn't offer an alternative enough in the elections after 9/11. In '02, when Mr. Bush was, I think, dishonestly leading us into war, too many Democrats didn't say that. They went along with it. And they lost.
In '04, Senator Kerry at times challenged President Bush, like when he wimped out at Tora Bora and allowed bin Laden to live and escape inside of sending the 10th Armored Division in there to capture or kill him, but too often seemed conflicted about the war himself.
Now finally today, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi see the picture. Actually, Democrats are united, and they're focused on an agenda. We may like it or dislike it, but it's got real proposals in there to screen every single container that comes into our country. You know, if Hong Kong can do it, why can't America?
As I said, double special forces, which I love, to go out and capture and kill the terrorists. And Democrats now are gaining credibility on this because people want change.
BLITZER: How worried should Republicans -- your fellow Republicans, your former colleagues, especially in the House, how worried should they be?
WATTS: Wolf, any time you've got numbers where the president is today, you need to be concerned about that. And I think you're going to see Republicans -- they will rebound. You go through district after district.
None of those Republican members out there that's going to be up for reelection, senators or House members, none of them have been soft on terrorism. They've been very focused on that. I think the president's going to be fine, but I think he has to get out there and frame this issue and not allow Democrats to do that. I think the Democrats have been a good opposition party right now.
BEGALA: They are.
BLITZER: We've got to leave it right there. A good serious debate on national security. Let's hope it materializes. Thanks very much, J.C. and Paul.
Coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM, we'll have much more on one of our developing stories this hour. There's a major brush fire in the Sunshine State, shutting down parts of the Florida Turnpike right now. Take look at these live pictures.
And an Afghan man faced possible death for converting from Islam to Christianity. Now he's found a safe haven after days of imprisonment. We're going to tell you where he is and what has happened. Stay with us.
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BLITZER: We're following a developing story out of the United Nations. Just a short while ago, the United Nations Security Council and its 15 members unanimously approved what's being described as a non-binding statement demanding Iran suspend uranium enrichment. It gives Iran 30 days to cooperate with the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency.
Tehran insists its nuclear program is for energy, peaceful purposes only. But the U.S. and the European Union fear Iran hopes to build nuclear weapons. We're watching this story. We'll have more details in the next hour here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
Here in Washington, there are also new developments happening right now on Capitol Hill in the effort to deal with lobbying reform. Let's go back to our congressional correspondent, Andrea Koppel. What's happening, Andrea?
KOPPEL: Wolf, the vote has begun. In fact, it should be wrapping up shortly on the floor of the Senate. This is the vote on the various lobbying reform measures that the Senate has decided to push through.
Not among them, this independent Office of Public Integrity. This would be in addition to the Ethics Committee. Senators couldn't find enough support for that. But there is going to an outright ban on all gifts and meals that lobbyists have been known to wine and dine senators with over the years.
There is also not going to be a ban on those private trips, those trips that we've seen so much on TV, whether it's in Scotland on those golfing trips or other luxury trips.
I would also like to make one quick correction, Wolf. A little while ago, I said that it was Congressman Bob Ney that resigned. Congressman Bob Ney is still in office. It's Randy "Duke" Cunningham who resigned and was convicted of bribery, Wolf
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Dana, for that. Up next, is he also the comedian-in-chief? President Bush cracking a few jokes before heading off to Mexico. Were they funny? You'll judge for yourself. Stay with us.
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BLITZER: On today's political radar, the president as comedian. He's on his way to Mexico right now. You just saw his plane, Air Force One, take off for that summit. Earlier though, at an event here in Washington, he took questions from the crowd. Here are some of those lighter moments.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: My name's Tom Melia. I'm with Freedom House. I gave the president a copy of our annual report, Freedom in the World, before he took the stage. As you noted, our reports have...
BUSH: Little print, no pictures. Go ahead.
QUESTION: It's the bible of freedom, yes. BUSH: I'm the funny guy. Go ahead.
It's obviously topic du jour. Pretty fancy, huh? Topic du jour. I don't want to ruin the image.
Final question. Then I'm going down to be with the president of Mexico and the prime minister of Canada. In Cancun. No Speedo suit here. Thankfully. Sorry to interrupt you. Just testing your concentration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Yes, Mr. President, we were listening. We had a little chuckle, as well.
Still to come, as President Bush heads off to Mexico, what should be at the top of his agenda? Jack Cafferty going through your email.
And we're also following a developing story. Get this, a member of the United States Congress in a physical altercation with a police officer. We're going to tell you what happened and who was involved. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
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BLITZER: Let's go right to New York. Jack Cafferty's standing by with "The Cafferty File" -- Jack?
CAFFERTY: Thanks, Wolf. President Bush heading to Cancun at this hour for a summit with Mexican President Vicente Fox and the Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. Immigration will be high on the list of things to talk about. The question is, what should President Bush's priority be while he's there?
Nick in Wallingford, Wisconsin, writes, "I truly he avoids any conversation with Vicente Fox, or we'll have another million illegals here by next Monday."
Marilyn says, "Bush's priority at Cancun should be to tell Vicente Fox the U.S. will no longer function as his safety vow for unhappy citizens of Mexico. Mexico, and other countries south of the U.S. do not lack for human or natural resources. Their governments are the problem.
Tony in Myrtle Beach: "Bush should concentrate on finding a nice, safe retirement home down there where he can be surrounded by those he represents."
Linda in Geneva, Florida: "President Bush's priority should be some arrangement for corroborating the identification of those Mexican citizens who are to be signed up as guest workers. That way, we can weed out those who are criminals escaping the Mexican justice system, and other undesirables who we really should be sending packing back to Mexico."
Darin in Yuma, Arizona: "With the bashing Bush takes in the media, he ought to just go for it, party like crazy, and get on the new 'Girls Gone Wild' video Cabo style."
Ed writes from Virginia City, Nevada, near my hometown, "Jack, he can do several things. Stay there for the next three years, try to find employment for Dick Cheney or Don Rumsfeld, search for weapons of mass destruction, or do an interview with Lou Dobbs." Then he adds in parentheses, "We know that ain't going to happen. I would pay money. I would pay a lot of money to see President Bush sit down with our man Lou Dobbs to discuss immigration."
Wouldn't you, Wolf?
BLITZER: I would money for that too, but I doubt it's going to happen.
CAFFERTY: It will never happen in our lifetime.
BLITZER: Well, we'll see. Maybe one of these days. Jack, thanks very much.
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