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The Situation Room
President Bush Speaks at Camp David; Jeb Bush Issues State of Emergency in Parts of Florida; New Political Wrangling on Capitol Hill over Iraq; Bill Clinton's Fundraising Success
Aired June 12, 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, Susan.
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: the first hurricane warnings of the season. It's 4:00 p.m. in Clearwater, Florida, one of the cities now bracing for Tropical Storm Alberto. We are tracking the storm and whether it's an early sign of more dangerous days ahead.
Also this hour, President Bush holds a strategy session on Iraq. Will it help pave the way for a pullout of troops or a bump up in the polls?
It's 4:00 p.m. here in Washington and we have some brand new poll numbers on the public's changing view of the Iraq vision.
And Bill Clinton's new money trail: it's 4:00 p.m. in Orlando, Florida, where the former president is once again raking in dollars for Democrats. What's the secret to his political fund raising success?
I'm Wolf Blitzer, you are in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(MUSIC)
BLITZER: Right now, Tropical Storm Alberto is lumbering towards Florida's Gulf Coast. It's on the brink of becoming the first hurricane to threaten the United States this year. Hurricane warnings are now in effect from the Tampa Bay area over to Tallahassee. With Katrina and other devastating storms on the minds of many people, Florida's governor, Jeb Bush, is warning coastal residents to take Alberto very seriously.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JEB BUSH (R) FLORIDA: We are activated to Level 1 here, which is the 24-hour activation. Our team is working with local officials and doing everything that we have learned how to do over dealing with all of these hurricanes.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: Susan Candiotti is joining us from Clearwater Beach. We'll go to her in a moment, but first let's get the latest forecast from our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras.
Jacqui?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Wolf, Alberto could turn into a hurricane at any time now. It's packing winds at 70 miles per hour. It has to be 74 for this to become a hurricane. I want you to take note of what's happening right down here on our visible satellite map. Look how this area of cloudiness and thunderstorms is just blossoming at this hour.
If this continues to strengthen and move this way, this is going to bring in some very nasty feeder bands into the Tampa Bay area, and that is going to be just hours away. The hurricane warnings have already been posted from the Ochlockonee River, extending downing to Longboat Key. That means hurricane conditions in 24 hours or less.
We do expect to see tropical storm force winds arriving, now, likely later on this evening. We could see some of those gusts pushing on through, especially with the heavy squalls. We will start to see wind gusts around 50-plus miles per hour.
Here's that forecast track for you, bringing it up to hurricane strength within the next 6-12 hours or so, and then making landfall sometime tomorrow, we think. And then crossing the peninsula and heading on up towards the Carolinas.
Of course, by that time, it no longer will be a tropical storm. Rainfall one of the biggest stories with this system, concerned about some flash flooding, despite Florida being very dry, all of this rain coming in at one time.
This is our forecast over the next 48 hours of how much rain we are anticipating. Notice some big cities, like Tampa Bay, expecting to see 3-5 inches of rainfall easy, with locally heavier amounts, and right into the Big Bend area, where we are expecting landfall to occur. That's where we do think some of the heaviest of rain is.
One other threat that we're dealing with at this hour: tornadoes. We do have a watch in effect across much of the Florida peninsula. That will be ongoing throughout the evening.
Wolf?
BLITZER: And that's normal, when there are hurricane warnings, for tornadoes to start to develop, is that right?
JERAS: That's right. There's lots of spins in hurricanes and tropical storms, Wolf, and as they interact with land, you get a little friction. We often get weak little spinners, as we call them -- F-0 or F-1, possibly, tornadoes. They are weak ones, but they certainly can cause some damage, so we do need to take them seriously.
BLITZER: All right, Jacqui, we're going to stay with you. We're going to come back to you. The next forecast coming up at the top of the hour, so we'll get that as well. We'll also speak at the top of the hour with Dr. Max Mayfield.
Let's bring in Susan Candiotti. She's on the scene in Clearwater Beach.
Susan, it looks relatively calm right now.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, throughout the day until not long ago, we were just hammered by those feeder bands that you've been hearing about, because, remember, the storm extending out almost 250 miles.
Now the sun has peeked out. But as you just heard, that won't last very long, and we'll be getting a lot more rain and higher winds as the evening goes on.
Here in Florida, the governor, Jeb Bush, has now issued a State of Emergency and has ordered mandatory evacuations for several counties in low-lying areas. Also he just said that 17 shelters will be opening up shortly, again, for people in areas where they are expecting inland flooding because of the rain. We are expecting anywhere from 8-10 inches and storm surges that could go maybe 8-10 feet above normal.
Also 7,500 National Guardsmen have been put on standby, just in case they are needed. And people have been furiously gathering up sand for sandbags to protect their homes and property. But you still have a lot of people here who have blue tarps from last hurricane season, because, Wolf, they've been unable to get construction workers to come in, Roof repair people, or they have run out of money. There aren't enough roofing materials to go around. So people here are concerned with this high wind and rain that is expected, as to how well they're going to make out.
And one last thing -- the governor also said that they were doing a hurricane prep exercise just this very day, and now he's admitting that they might have to push things back, as we are obviously getting storms earlier and earlier in the hurricane season.
Wolf?
BLITZER: If any state is prepared for a hurricane, it's Florida. They have had about eight hurricanes over the past two years. Are people getting blase, though, about this, or, based on your interaction with people in Clearwater where you are, are they getting ready for at least a serious tropical storm, if not an actual hurricane?
CANDIOTTI: I think times have changed, clearly, after last hurricane season. People are taking things more seriously. But you are also going to have people who will not and who will wait until the last second to prepare.
In this case, because it is a tropical storm, it is not being forecast as a hurricane just yet, although that could a happen -- certainly not a major hurricane. So people here are stepping back a little bit. Nevertheless, they know that they have to have some supplies at the ready, because, just in case there is a power outage at the very least, they have to be prepared for that.
Wolf?
BLITZER: People should take a tropical storm -- certainly a Category 1 hurricane -- very, very seriously. This is no light matter. Susan we're going to check back with you often. Thank you very much.
We're tracking the storm here in THE SITUATION ROOM. The next advisory from the National Hurricane Center is expected to come out right at the top of the hour. Max Mayfield, the director of the National Hurricane Center -- he's going to join us live right here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
And remember, stay with CNN, your hurricane headquarters.
President Bush and his top Iraq war advisers are meeting right now, a two-day planned session over at Camp David in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland. It's a fresh opportunity for the president to play up a new success in Iraq, the killing of the terrorist leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Many Republicans are hoping Zarqawi's death will give the president and his party some relief from their election-year troubles. Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, is standing by with some new poll numbers, but let's go up near Camp David. Our White House correspondent, Ed Henry, is standing by with the latest.
Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the president sees some momentum from Iraq with the death of al-Zarqawi, as you mentioned, but also the formation of a new government. He's trying to capitalize on some of that good news, pivot off of the good news, capitalize it and try to find a way to push forward on the situation in Iraq.
The president kicked off these two days of talks this morning with a briefing from his top war commanders who were piped in by videoconference. What they basically talked about, what White House officials are now calling "the post-Zarqawi climate" in Iraq. It's very much mixed signals about that climate, the White House walking -- really going through a balancing act here, clearly billing this as good news, but on the other hand, a senior official today saying that climate is still, quote, "serious and vexing," and that it's, quote, "too early to tell what will happen with all of the violence."
And the president himself, once again, while he was touting the death of al-Zarqawi, was saying basically it's too early to talk about U.S. troop cut backs. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You're making a significant difference. And again, please give my best congratulations to the troops on the ground for bringing Zarqawi to justice.
I fully recognize that's not going to end the war; on the other hand, it was a major blow to al Qaeda and the killers and terrorists that are trying to spread violence, to stop the emergence of a new democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, the president very clearly there once again trying to lower expectations for the summit. But just a few moments ago, I spoke to John Podesta, the former chief of staff for former president Bill Clinton, who handled several summits here, including at Camp David with Mideast peace talks, and he said the very nature of coming to Camp David really does raise expectations for the president, puts some pressure on him to come out with something new, to deliver on something to reassure the American people.
And White House counselor Dan Bartlett today very clearly trying to shift that pressure ever so gently to the Iraqi leaders. Dan Bartlett saying that this is a, quote, "fundamental break point right now for the Iraqi people," and that "all the U.S. government is trying to do is help as much as they can."
The strategy from the White House really seems to be trying to get the U.S. government in as supportive a role as possible, as quickly as possible, very much trying to shift the burden. In fact, that is what we are going to see tomorrow in the second day of these talks, Wolf. Extraordinary that the White House will be basically piping in by videoconference, the new Iraqi prime minister, as well as several of the Iraqi cabinet ministers, Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed, the president just moments ago spoke with reporters at Camp David. Let's listen in, we are getting the tape right now.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
BUSH: ... meaningful day. We have spent a lot of time talking to our team in Baghdad about the way forward in Iraq. We have spent time talking about the security situation in Iraq and what we intend to do to help the Iraqi government bring security to neighborhoods in Baghdad and Basra. We talked about the economic situation in Iraq. We talked about the energy situation in Iraq. We've talked about a variety of matters with Ambassador Khalilzad and General Casey and General Abizaid.
As you can see, I not only have my national security team here, I've got members of my Cabinet as well. We all agree that we have got to continue to help this new government move forward.
Success in Iraq will depend upon the capacity of the new government to provide for its people. We recognize that. We're encouraged by the formation of a unity government and we recognize our responsibility is to help that new government. And tomorrow we'll be meeting with the new government via SVTS, and that'll be a very interesting experience for all of us, to be able to talk to our respective counterparts.
The message to the Iraqi government is that we stand with you, that what you're doing is important, that democracy in Iraq is not only important to the 12 million people that went to the polls and their families, but democracy in Iraq is important in the war on terror, it's important we succeed in Iraq is important in the war on terror, it's important that we succeed in Iraq in order to make America more secure and the world a better place.
So I want to thank my Cabinet secretaries for being with me today, and other members of my team, to really have this very vital and important discussion.
I'll answer a couple of questions.
QUESTION: You said that you're going to listen to your U.S. commanders on the ground about the troops. And General Casey has said now that he thinks that gradual U.S. troop reductions could be made in the coming months.
So do you agree with this?
BUSH: Well, we -- as I've also said last time you asked me this question, which was a couple days ago, that we were going to make sure that we fully understand the Iraqi capability to be able to take the fight to the enemy and secure its country.
And the Iraqi defense minister is just in office. And General Casey, of course, will be making those assessments, as he told us today via the teleconference. He says he will make these proper assessments and come back to us and make recommendations to us.
Whatever we do will be based upon the conditions on the ground. And whatever we do will be toward a strategy of victory.
But this is a process of getting to know the -- understanding the Iraqi capabilities, particularly the command and control structure, and what our needs, what we need to do to help them achieve victory.
QUESTION: Mr. President, what do you think of the successor to Zarqawi that was named by Al Qaida? And how do you stop an insurgency that is still able to recruit people and continue to threaten attack?
BUSH: I think the successor to Zarqawi is going to be on our list to bring to justice.
What was the second part of your question?
QUESTION: How do you stop an insurgency that continues to be able to recruit people and continues to threaten attacks and carry them out?
BUSH: The best way to win this war against an insurgency is to stand up a unity government which is capable of defending itself but also providing tangible benefits to the people.
The Iraqs (sic) have got -- the Iraqis have got some wonderful assets. They've got energy, which they can use to the benefit of the people.
They're entrepreneurial. They've got a stable currency. They've got a small business sector that's growing. And ultimately, the Iraqi people are going to have to make up their mind: Do they want to live in terror or do they want to live in peace?
And the United States and our coalition will help them realize their ambitions if they choose to live in peace and hope, which we believe they will.
Remember, it wasn't all that long ago that 12 million people went to the polls and said: We want to live in a free society.
No question, the fighting is tough. No question, the enemy is violent and mean. But the enemy doesn't stand for anything. They have no message of hope; they have no positive philosophy. All they can do is kill and hope that the government splits up or that the American people lose their will.
And I keep reminding the American people that the stakes are worth it. It is worth it to help Iraq succeed. It is worth it to have a democracy in the Middle East. It is worth it to show other reformers and people who want to live in a free society what is possible.
QUESTION: Are you satisfied with what Iraq's neighbors and the international community are doing to help this new government or would you like to see them do more? And what should that be?
BUSH: Iraq's neighbors ought to do more to help them. And we are constantly working with our friends in the neighborhood to encourage them to support this new democracy.
And I recognize that there's some concerns about a Shia prime minister, you know, from different countries where there's Sunni representation, Sunni leadership.
But our message is that Iraq will show that it's possible for people of all faiths to live together. After all, they've got the most modern constitution in the history of the Middle East.
We expect our friends who have made commitments -- $13 billion -- to honor those commitments. Many of those countries are outside of the Middle East.
And so we'll continue. We discussed that today, as to how to continue to rally not only the neighborhood and Iraq's neighbors to the cause of the new democracy, but how to help others who have made a pledge to honor their pledge.
QUESTION: Mr. President, did you talk about oil production and maybe getting it back to prewar levels or anything?
BUSH: We did. We spent a lot of time in talking about energy and oil. Oil belongs to the Iraqi people. It's their asset. It is one of the -- the capacity to generate wealth from the ground distinguishes Iraq from Afghanistan, for example. It's something that I view as a very positive part of Iraqi future. And we talked about how to advise the government to best use that money for the benefit of the people.
Secondly, obviously, we spent time figuring out how to help strategize with the new ministries as to how to get oil production up. And recently have had oil production as high as a little over 2 million barrels a day, which is extremely positive.
The oil sector is very much like the rest of the infrastructure of Iraq. Saddam Hussein let it deteriorate. There wasn't much reinvestment, not much modernization. After all he was using money for his own personal gain and he wasn't spending the people's money on enhancing the infrastructure, and the oil infrastructure collapsed and deteriorated. And as a result, there's a lot of work that needs to be done on, for example, workovers; that is, to help old wells become revitalized, just a standard maintenance procedure.
So there's a maintenance program on to help the Iraqi people get their production up.
There's some unbelievably interesting exploration opportunities and the new government is going to have to figure out how best to lease the people's lands in a fair way.
My own view is that the government ought to use the oil as a way to unite the country and ought to think about having, you know, a tangible fund for the people so the people have faith in the central government.
Listen, thank you all for coming today. And tomorrow's going to be a fascinating day, and I'm looking forward to having discussions with our counterparts via SVTS.
Thank you.
BLITZER: That would be a teleconference the president is talking about from a secure line at Camp David. Tomorrow the president surrounded by members of his cabinet. They will be meeting via videoconference with the new leadership of the Iraqi government, the new prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and other members of the Iraqi government. That's scheduled for tomorrow.
In the meantime they are staying at Camp David. Our White House correspondent Ed Henry is there as well. I heard with interest the president say that he is going to put on the list of the most wanted now this guy who's the new successor to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and bring him to justice.
Clearly, a warning from the United States to the new leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq. I also heard him say that the United States, the Bush administration is going to leave it to the generals to decide anything about troop withdrawal over the next several months.
This is really an extraordinary meeting that the president has convened at Camp David. Two days not only with his national security team, but his secretary of energy, as we saw there, agriculture, other representatives of the cabinet suggesting there's a lot of work that he's planning in the next several months, as far as Iraq is concerned.
HENRY: That's right. And, Wolf, I think the very key is at the top of his remarks, the president said that success in Iraq will depend on the capacity of the new government in Iraq to deliver for its people. Very clearly there, the president trying to shift the burden, shift the responsibility to the Iraqi government. That's what that video conference tomorrow will be all about. The bottom line is this administration is trying to pass the torch.
BLITZER: Ed, stand by, we will be getting back to you for more on this. We are also standing by, we have a brand new poll that has just come out. Our Bill Schneider is going to be reporting on some new numbers as far as the American public is concerned as far as the war in Iraq is happening.
Also we will check the situation as far as Hurricane Alberto. Not hurricane, right now a tropical storm but any moment it could turn into a category one hurricane. We are watching that. A new forecast expected right at the top of the hour. People in Florida watching that very carefully.
Jack Cafferty is off this week, we will see him back in the SITUATION ROOM next Monday. Let's take a quick break. Much more news from THE SITUATION ROOM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. Let's bring in our senior political analyst Bill Schneider. He has got some brand new poll numbers as far as Iraq is concerned?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Wolf, Zarqawi, Haditha, what impact have they had on the American's public's view of Iraq?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Dramatic events in Iraq this month. The controversy over Haditha, the elimination of Zarqawi. President Bush's response was cautious.
BUSH: In the weeks ahead violence in Iraq may escalate. The terrorists and insurgents will seek to prove that they can carry on without Zarqawi.
SCHNEIDER: How do Americans think things are going in Iraq? A little better than three months ago, but most Americans continue to believe the war is not going well. The Haditha allegations were particularly troubling. SEN. JACK REED (R), RHODE ISLAND: If these allegations are true this is an incidence that dishonor the uniform and bring great pressure to bear on our mission in Iraq.
SCHNEIDER: The public is inclined to believe the allegations. Fifty-seven percent of Americans think it's fairly or very likely that U.S. troops have committed war crimes. Some see developments in Iraq as a good argument for the U.S. to begin withdrawing its forces.
REP. JOHN MURTHA (D), PENNSYLVANIA: We have the Iraqis trained, we have a government in place. Now it's time to set a time schedule for the withdrawal and redeployment of American forces.
SCHNEIDER: In March, most Americans wanted U.S. forces to withdraw from Iraq within the next year. Now the public is divided over whether to withdraw or stick it out. Americans are under no illusions about Iraq just like the expert.
KENNETH POLLACK, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Zarqawi was never more than just one component of the insurgency. So it's very difficult to see how his dealt has a real impact on where Iraq is headed.
SCHNEIDER: The public's view that the U.S. made a mistake getting involved in Iraq has hardly budged. Fifty-five percent said the war was a mistake two months ago, 55 percent still do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Americans certainly see the elimination of Zarqawi as a positive development, but did it turn opinion of the war in Iraq around? No. Wolf?
BLITZER: We will see what happens over the next several months. Thanks, Bill, for that. Bill Schneider, Ed Henry, by the way, are part of the best political team on television. CNN America's campaign headquarters.
Let's check in with Zain Verjee. Another week, a lot more news, Zain. What's the latest on other stories we are watching as far as Iraq is concerned?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, he's dead without a doubt. Abu Musab al Zarqawi's death, though, did not come instantaneously. Officials say he lived over 50 minutes after the first bomb fell. During that time he lapsed in and out of consciousness and was coughing up blood. Officials also say there was no way he could have survived injuries to his lungs in last week's strike. They positively identified Zarqawi through DNA testing.
In a statement on an Islamic Web site, al Qaeda in Iraq is vowing revenge. U.S. officials are calling those threats empty. We will bring you a lot more in the next hour.
Meanwhile al Qaeda is apparently making staffing decisions similar to those of a major company. With Zarqawi dead, al Qaeda has already named his successor to run al Qaeda in Iraq. Today, Islamist Web sites report that his name is Sheikh Abu Hamza al Muhajer (ph). The name means The Immigrant. That implies the leader is not Iraqi, similar to the Jordanian born al Zarqawi.
Also in Iraq a bus burned by a bomb blast is a grim symbol of a deadly attack. Six oil workers are dead after a roadside bombing in Baghdad. Today over two dozen people died from violence in Iraq. Six died when a rocket apparently came out of nowhere and hit a market in Balad. Seven terrorists were killed in a raid in Baquba. During that raid, officials say two boys, ages six months, and four years were accidentally killed.
Meanwhile there is a new number for U.S. troop fatalities, 2,497 U.S. troops have died in Iraq since the war began.
Here in the U.S., New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says Lower Manhattan will suffer severely from recent cuts in anti- terror funding. Kelly told member of New York City's council that he will now have to hold off on a plan to install high-powered camera security surveillance system. Kelly says the funding cuts basically mean that the city can't afford the system now.
BLITZER: Zain, thank you for that.
Here in Washington on Capitol Hill, new political wrangling over Iraq. It comes on the heels of Abu Musab al Zarqawi's death. And while President Bush has been meeting with his Iraq war council at Camp David. Let's get all the latest developments from our congressional correspondent, Andrea Koppel.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, this is a copy of a draft resolution that Republican are still putting the finishing touches on. They expect to hopefully get it out to members later today and begin debate on it later this week. The title is, "The U.S. Will Prevail in the Global War on Terror." But the purpose is to build on what you just mentioned there, the success in killing al Zarqawi and also to try to build some momentum going into November. In particular, on the Iraq war.
I want to point out a couple of red flags that are going to jump out at Democrats if they stay in this draft language. One that has to do with declaring that it is not in the national security interests of the United States to set an arbitrary date for the withdrawal or redeployment of United States armed forces from Iraq.
Another red flag declares that the United States is committed to the completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free, secure and united Iraq.
These two graphs in particular, Wolf, are designed to try to flush out some of the Democrats who are going to be painted as not supporting U.S. troops in Iraq.
One GOP leadership aide I spoke with said that they have a two- pronged goal here, one, to try to show that the Republicans have a strategy for wining the war on terror and winning the war in Iraq. And the other is to try to bring over, perhaps, some Democrats, like, you know, some Democrats who have been seen as perhaps leaning more towards the Republican side of things on Iraq and flush out people like Jack Murtha of Pennsylvania, who came out last year calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
Now, on the other side, in the Senate this week, there will also be debate on Iraq, but not on this House resolution, rather, on a defense bill. We are expecting three Democratic amendments to be offered this week, all of them calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the war.
Two of the names won't surprise you, John Kerry and Russ Feingold. But the third should. It's Carl Levin of Michigan, who is one of the senior members of the Democratic Caucus, who is not seen -- he -- first of all, he's not throwing his hat into the presidential ring.
And, so, what he says will carry weight, Wolf, and could also complicate Harry Reid, the Democratic leader's efforts to try to beat the Republicans at their own game, to try to show his caucus as being united on Iraq -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Andrea Koppel, on Capitol -- Andrea Koppel, on Capitol Hill, thanks very much.
There's new information coming from the National Hurricane Center in Florida, as far as Tropical Storm Alberto is concerned.
Let's bring in our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras.
What's the latest assessment?
JERAS: Well, we are holding at status quo, Wolf, so, still a tropical storm now, winds at 70 miles per hour. So, it has not bumped up to hurricane status yet, according to the National Hurricane Center.
However, in the next six hours or so, probably by midnight tonight, we will be seeing this move up to a Category 1 hurricane. That's the official forecast.
Also, I want you to notice, this is an updated forecast track, still pretty much in the same line-of-fire area, right here into the Big Bend. However, the timing looks like it's going to be a little earlier, rather than later. And we could see this, as a hurricane, making landfall, already, by tomorrow morning, could happen maybe in the early afternoon hours.
But conditions are going downhill very rapidly. And I want to show you an area just off the coast of the Tampa-Saint Petersburg area. There, you see Clearwater Beach. Here in Saint Petersburg. We are in this little dry hole right now. But here comes a new wave of showers and thunderstorms, which are going to be extremely heavy.
And these could be arriving in the next hour, hour-and-a-half, torrential downpours, gusty winds, at 50-plus miles per hour. We are also seeing some very nasty weather moving through Melbourne and Orlando right now -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jacqui, we are going to stay all over this story. And we are going to check back with you at -- at the top of the hour. We are also going to be speaking with Max Mayfield from the National Hurricane Center.
In the meantime, let's check some other news on our "Political Radar" this Monday.
A new hearing in the CIA leak case today -- the former Cheney chief of staff, Lewis Scooter Libby, was back in federal court here in Washington. His lawyers and the special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, indicate there will not be an all-out war over executive privilege.
Libby recently won a judge's order for prosecutors to provide notes from some highly classified presidential briefings. Libby is seeking the documents in his defense against perjury and other charges.
Former Senator John Edwards is continuing a -- a swing through Iowa today. He is encouraged by his first-place showing in a new presidential poll in that state. Thirty percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers in Iowa named the 2004 vice president -- vice presidential nominee as their top White House contender in 2008. Senator Hillary Clinton -- get this -- widely seen by many Democrats as the front-runner, came in second in the Iowa poll with 26 percent.
The Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee, John Kerry, was a distant third, with 12 percent support. And the Iowa Governor, Tom Vilsack, he actually came in fourth with only 10 percent. That showing in his own state could make him think twice about his presidential prospects nationwide. But we shall see. It's still very, very early.
Coming up in our "Strategy Session," Paul Begala and Torie Clarke will have a lot more on those numbers and what they mean for the Democrats in 2008.
Also coming up: President Bush teams up with his top advisers on what to do next in Iraq. But is his strategy working?
Stay with us. Our "Strategy Session" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back to THE SITUATION ROOM. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
In our "Strategy Session" today: President Bush convenes his Iraq war council. His new poll numbers suggest he's gained some political ground after the killing of the terrorist Abu Musab al- Zarqawi.
Let's talk about Iraq and the 2008 field of dreams in Iowa.
Our CNN political analysts Paul Begala and Torie Clarke are here with us.
We heard from the president just a little while ago. Earlier, he also said this. I want you to listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I fully recognize that's not going to end the war. On the other hand, it was a major blow to al Qaeda and -- and the killers and terrorists that are trying to spread violence and stop the -- stop the emergence of a new democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: What do you make of this strategy of his to convene all of his national security team, plus other Cabinet members, bring them all up to Camp David for two days, and then do this new video teleconference with the new Iraqi government?
PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's a great idea. I hope it works.
Americans definitely think we are on the wrong path in Iraq. You saw Bill Schneider's poll numbers. You hear the same thing from a lot of formal -- former generals. Unusual for them to break ranks.
So, the president looks like he's listening and responding. It -- he's -- he's gathering his team. He's reassessing. I think this is terrific. I hope it works.
At the same time, out of range of the cameras, he has got an independent commission, co-chaired, I believe, by James Baker, his father's secretary of state, and Lee Hamilton, was the 9/11 Commission co-chairman, to also look at new policy options in Iraq.
So, my -- my hope, my prayer is that he's taken a new look at this, and he's going to find a new strategy, because the -- the current status quo is failing.
BLITZER: In this new CNN poll that Bill Schneider just reported on, there has been a little bit of an uptick, five points since March to now, as far as how things are going in Iraq. Thirty-eight percent in March said it was well -- going well. Forty-three percent said now.
I suppose that's a lot as a result of the -- the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi Wednesday, which was reported Thursday.
TORIE CLARKE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Sure.
And with -- with the backdrop -- I think we do a disservice by this obsession with polls, taking them every 20 minutes, on -- on these matters which take time to unfold.
Having said that, I don't think that's a surprise, the change in the numbers. The summit, I think, is wonderful, for some of the reasons Paul suggested, and because, if you look at the people who were there, it wasn't just the secretary of defense. It wasn't just the CIA. You don't win the war in Iraq just militarily. You don't win the broader war on terror with just your military assets.
It's going to take diplomatic, legal, economic. So, I think it was terrific that you do have all of them there, on the one hand. On the other hand, to keep the American people engaged, to help them understand this, and to support this very, very difficult effort, you have got to keep their attention.
So, by changing the scenery, changing the backdrop, changing the way they are discussing this and engaging the American people, I think it's very helpful.
BLITZER: Let's shift to Iowa for a second, because this poll that "The Des Moines Register," very serious newspaper, a newspaper...
BEGALA: Oh, it's a great newspaper.
BLITZER: ... you're -- you're familiar with, has John Edwards, all of a sudden, at 30 percent, Hillary Clinton, 26, John Kerry, 12, the governor of Iowa, Tom Vilsack, at only 10 percent.
What, if anything, should we draw from this?
BEGALA: Well, I draw a lot, because I'm a political junky.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: And I have -- I have got -- spent time out in Iowa...
(CROSSTALK)
CLARKE: He's been on the phone all day, and e-mails.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: It's a big deal.
BLITZER: It's interesting, though, isn't it?
BEGALA: I think it's very interesting.
It's a couple of things. John Edwards is now positioning himself to be an outsider. My party loves outsiders, particularly now, when everybody is fed up with Washington. So, here's John Edwards, who is not in any elected office. He's at the University of North Carolina, working on poverty and on grassroots issues, hotel workers' pay and things like that.
He surges to the front among Iowa Caucus attendees. It's also, I think, perversely, as somebody who loves Hillary Clinton, good news for her, because it allows somebody else to share that spotlight for a while. Nobody wants to dance alone as a front-runner for that long.
CLARKE: Hmm.
BEGALA: It's a very difficult thing to do.
BLITZER: Because then you become the target.
BEGALA: Of everything.
BLITZER: They have a bullseye right on your back.
BEGALA: Sure.
The -- the only person it's bad news for is Tom Vilsack, who is a terrific governor of Iowa, but only getting 10 percent of his fellow Iowans' support. That -- that -- he's not starting out very well.
BLITZER: And this was a poll that "The Des Moines Register" did of likely Democratic caucus-goers, not of the whole state...
CLARKE: Right.
BLITZER: ... as a whole.
CLARKE: I don't think it's that surprising -- that much of a surprise for Edwards, because he's been there so much.
One, he did well there before. He has been there constantly. So, that's not that much of a surprise. I think it is a surprise for Kerry to be that far down. And it has got to be a little bit of a body blow. I know people don't think -- but he's still thinking, maybe I can be president of the United States.
But I -- you know, I will -- I will -- I will flip on what Paul said about Hillary Clinton. This just kind of taps into that air of invisibility and says, maybe she's not invisible. Maybe it's not a lock that she gets the nomination. And it might give some others some ideas, which just gives her a little more to deal with.
BEGALA: It's a good point. A big field breeds a bigger field, oddly...
CLARKE: Right.
BEGALA: ... because the more people think -- and -- and people who support Hillary, as I do, they need to know, this ain't a lock. This is not a shoo-in by any stretch. There's an enormously talented group of people who are already, in my party, talking about running. And I think that Torie is right. This may actually bring more people in.
BLITZER: It's a great thing for those of us who are political news junkies, like all of us are.
BEGALA: I love it, yes.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Not just the Democratic side. The Republicans are going to be playing... CLARKE: Thirty more.
BLITZER: ... in Iowa as well.
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Thanks to both of you...
CLARKE: Thank you.
BLITZER: ... for joining us.
Paul Begala and Torie Clarke, as you know, are part of the best political team on television -- CNN America's campaign headquarters.
Up next: the power of the blogs -- top Democrats show up at a first-of-its-kind political bloggers convention in Vegas. We are going to get the situation online. And our own Jeff Greenfield will weigh in as well.
Plus: Alberto closes in on Florida, but will it make it to hurricane status? I will speak live with Max Mayfield. He's the director of the National Hurricane Center. That's coming up right at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: What happens when you put some of the most powerful Democrats in a room with about 1,000 liberal bloggers?
Our Internet reporter, Abbi Tatton, has more on the first-of-its- kind convention in Vegas -- Abbi.
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, Daily Kos is the top liberal blogger out there.
Well, this was Yearly Kos, the first convention, as you have said, that just happened over the weekend, drawing more than 1,000 bloggers and different attendees there, and also some top Democrats.
Senator Minority Leader here Harry Reid, he was talking. He got standing ovations. It also attracted several potential Democratic presidential candidates for 2008. Retired General Wesley Clark was there -- there he is with his computer, and addressing the crowd -- also, New Mexico -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
Mark Warner, former Virginia governor, was also there, that he has been courting the netroots, as they're called. It's clear from his extensive features on his Web site.
It's clearer still after this weekend. Warner threw a big party, $50,000 or more for all the bloggers and attendees at the conference. When I spoke to a spokeswoman for Warner, she said that to reach 1,000 people, each with a much louder voice than other people, was a good investment -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Abbi, thanks for that.
Let's get some more now on the political power of bloggers and how that convention in Vegas is helping to change the face of presidential campaigning, at least potentially.
Jeff Greenfield, our senior analyst, has more -- Jeff.
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Well, Wolf, to judge by that crowd of bloggers and mainstream media types and important politicians who showed up for that gathering in Las Vegas last weekend, the political power of the blog -- of the Web, rather, is no longer a question of when. It is now.
But, when talking about the possibility of major political change, what really matters most, the medium or the message?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREENFIELD (voice-over): The netroots folks, a neat twist on the grassroots phrase, point to the fund-raising and organizing success that made Howard Dean a formidable candidate in 2004.
They point to the strong, though losing showings of congressional candidates, like Paul Hackett last year, and Francine Busby this year, in strong Republican districts, and to a strong primary challenge now forming to Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.
Remember, the civil rights movement was not a media-driven phenomenon at first. It grew from churches and political organizers, to a bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama, long before television amplified its story to the nation.
In the 1960s, when the Web was something you swept out of the attic, anti-Vietnam War organizers mounted primary challenges to pro- war Democrats, organized the Eugene McCarthy drive in New Hampshire in 1986 that drove Lyndon Johnson from the White House, and, ultimately, if briefly, took over the Democratic Party in 1972.
There was a similar story on the right. The anti-tax movement in California, which had been a loser for years, won a landslide tax- limit victory in 1978, when the key medium was the increased tax assessment notices sent to voters shortly before the vote.
And while Ronald Reagan was often described as the great communicator, who put his acting skills to political use, it was his decades-long immersion in conservative ideas that gave his political career much of its punch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today is a day for morning and...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(END VIDEOTAPE) GREENFIELD: Now, there are powerful, even unique, qualities that the Web brings to politics, the speed with which it can challenge old media, the speed and efficiency with which it can raise funds, highlight longshot political races, fuel organizing.
But, as Howard Dean learned in 2004, all the money and organizational clout in the world won't mean all that much if voters don't embrace the message or the messenger -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jeff Greenfield, thank you for that excellent report.
Coming up, we are keeping a close eye on Alberto. Will the tropical storm turn into a hurricane? I will speak with the National Hurricane Center director, Max Mayfield. That's coming up right at the top of the hour.
Plus: He's been out of the Oval Office for nearly six years, but he still packs quite a punch on the campaign trail. We will follow former President Bill Clinton as he racks up Democratic dollars.
Stick around. You are in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Let's check back with Zain at the CNN Global Headquarters for a closer look at some other important stories making news -- Zain.
VERJEE: Wolf, today, near Tampa, Florida, a woman was sitting in her home, heard a loud bang, and decided to run.
Fortunately, she escaped injury after a small plane crashed into her home. Officials are investigating. The plane's pilot is dead, the co-pilot burned really badly. The house is at the end of a runway at a local airport. Now, it's not clear if the plane was taking off or landing.
Serious, but stable, that's the current medical condition of Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Doctors say he was hurt in a motorcycle accident today. Last year, the 24- year-old Roethlisberger was named the National Football League's rookie of the year. And, this past February, he led the Steelers to their Super Bowl win.
And it has not happened in 13 years. The nation's climb and murder rates make a major jump. A new FBI report says the murder rate jumped 4.8 percent last year and that the overall crime rate was up 2.5 percent. Experts say the fact that many people imprisoned in the 1980s are only now being let out is one cause for the spike -- Wolf.
BLITZER: We want to wish Ben Roethlisberger, Zain, a very speedy recovery, a great guy. He was our guest at the White House Correspondents Association Dinner here in Washington a few weeks ago. And we wish him a speedy recovery.
Coming up next: Alberto approaches Florida. But will the storm turn into a hurricane? I will talk with the National Hurricane Center director, Max Mayfield. That's coming up in a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Next up: Among Democrats, he's a rock star. But can former President Bill Clinton's campaigning help put the Democrats back in power?
Much more on top story, Tropical Storm Alberto -- the National Hurricane Center director, Max Mayfield, joins us live, right here in THE SITUATION ROOM, just moments from now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Former President Bill Clinton is in Florida today, helping fellow Democrats give Republicans a run for their money.
Our Mary Snow is keeping tabs on Bill Clinton and his 2006 money trail -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, for Democrats, he has become a hot ticket. President Clinton is raising millions on the campaign trail for candidates. And you can -- you can expect to see a lot more of him in the coming months.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): Whether it's the party faithful in Florida, Maine's gubernatorial race, or Arizona's Senate race, Democrats are turning to former President Bill Clinton to draw crowds and cash. Right now, he's on tap for more than two dozen fund-raisers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bill Clinton is still a rock star in the Democratic Party.
SNOW: On Sunday, in Coral Gables, Florida, Senator Bill Nelson's campaign says, President Clinton helped deliver 500,000 donor dollars.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I am truly a little out of practice at this.
(LAUGHTER)
CLINTON: You know, somebody else in my family has to get votes these days.
(LAUGHTER)
SNOW: That someone else, Senator Hillary Clinton, has gotten help from her husband as she seeks reelection in New York, even though Senator Clinton is seen as a big Democratic fund-raiser in her own right.
Still, she's getting competition for Bill Clinton's attention.
MASSIE RITSCH, CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS: Certainly, I would say that, right now, Bill Clinton is a more attractive headliner for your event than he was in 2000, for example, when you rarely saw Al Gore associating himself with Bill Clinton.
SNOW: That was in the wake of the impeachment scandal.
(MUSIC)
SNOW: In 2004, political observers say, Democrats started warming to President Clinton. But, they say, some parts of the country may still be cool to him.
RITSCH: I would expect that Democrats would call on Bill Clinton to show up in areas where Democrats traditionally do well and where they have more of a solid liberal base, than in the swing areas, where he might be more polarizing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: President Clinton's office says each fund-raiser he attends for candidates raises at least a half-million dollars, but, in many cases, well over $1 million -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mary, thank you.
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