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The Situation Room
New Message from bin Laden; Japan's PM Visits Graceland
Aired June 30, 2006 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Kitty.
To our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you tonight's top stories.
Happening now, it's 7:00 p.m. here in Washington, where there's word a new message from Osama bin Laden may be on the way. Do his tapes contain clues which could lead us to the Al Qaeda leader?
Talking and driving. Is it as bad as drinking and driving? It's 5:00 p.m. in Utah where a new study offers disturbing findings about cell phone use behind the wheel.
And it's 6:00 p.m. in Memphis where Japan's prime minister sings and plays air guitar at the home of Elvis Presley. President Bush treats his guest to a trip he'll never forget. You may not forget it either. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm John king. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
At any moment now, we're told we could see a new tape from Osama bin Laden. An Arabic language Web site has just announced it will soon post a message from the Al Qaeda leader on Somalia and Iraq. It's the same Islamic Web site that released today's bin Laden message eulogizing terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death. And it's the same Web site that's carried so many Al Qaeda messages before. For more information on this, we turn now to CNN's Brian Todd -- Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, this pattern of advance notice on the Internet, then a posted audio message, is raising attention in intelligence circles in the media. But a key question, does it point in the physical direction of the Al Qaeda leader?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
On the eve of yet another new message by Osama bin Laden, analysts say the one we have in hand isn't a lot different from his previous threats.
OSAMA BIN LADEN, LEADER OF AL QAEDA (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We will continue, God willing, to fight you and your allies everywhere in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan until we drain your money and kill your men.
TODD: But what clues can we get from how the message was sent to where Osama bin Laden might be? We first got word the message was coming on Wednesday, almost like getting advance work on a politician's speech. By late Thursday night Eastern time, it was posted on an Islamic Web site complete with split-screen graphics and pictures.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: So there was sort of a production outlet to this, which is important.
TODD: But experts like Peter Bergen say these Internet postings leave the trail to bin Laden colder than it was when Al Qaeda sent messages on tapes to the Arab TV network al Jazeera.
BERGEN: When they were sending them all to al Jazeera -- or a lot of them to al Jazeera -- there was at least the kind of theoretical idea that you could trace the chain of custody through the tape back from al Jazeera back to bin Laden. Now, you can't trace the chain of custody back because they're posting these things directly on jihadist websites at some anonymous Internet cafe that could be anywhere in Pakistan.
TODD: Possibly more helpful to intelligence? A system of couriers reportedly used by Al Qaeda to track down freelance cameramen, bring them to bin Laden and his associates, and record their messages. Analysts say that system, reported by the Associated Press, at least allows for the possibility of intercepting operatives in the field.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Something else to consider, the timing between Abu Musab al- Zarqawi's death and bin Laden's last message addressing it. That's about three weeks. CNN national security adviser John McLaughlin believes that that means bin Laden may not be moving around nearly as much, that he may be tucked away in a secure location somewhere and harder to find -- John?
KING: Brian Todd for us. Interesting reporting, Brian. And we will continue, of course, to watch and see if that new tape does indeed materialize. Brian Todd, again, thank you very much.
And in Iraq, disturbing tales of rape and murder. The U.S. military wants to know if two American soldiers sexually assaulted then killed an Iraqi woman along with a child and two others. Our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has details of that -- Jamie?
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, the allegations are serious, including charges of rape, murder and possible cover-up. But at this point, no one has been charged, and the investigation is just getting under way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Army sources say the allegations came up during combat stress debriefing sessions with soldiers who served in the same unit as Privates Kristian Menchaka and Thomas Tucker, the two soldiers abducted and murdered by insurgents two weeks ago.
According to a senior Army official, two soldiers from the 502nd infantry regimen told military counselors they heard about an incident in March in which two soldiers supposedly raped an Iraqi woman, and then one of the soldiers allegedly killed her and her three family members, including a child.
The secondhand account was enough to prompt Major General James Thurman to order a criminal probe. A brief statement issued by the military in Iraq says a preliminary inquiry found sufficient information existed to recommend a criminal investigation into the incident. An Army official says one of the suspects is confined to base in Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad, the same area where it's alleged the four Iraqi civilians were killed in their home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And an Army source says that a second suspect was actually discharged from the service before the investigation, and for reasons that the Army will not disclose. That person is believed to be in the United States and is now wanted for questioning -- John?
KING: Jamie McIntyre for us on this beginning investigation. Jamie, thank you very much.
Israeli aircraft and artillery kept up the pounding of Palestinian targets in Gaza today, reportedly hitting a militant training camp. Israeli television reports the kidnapped soldier is alive, and Israeli ground forces have held off on a full-scale offensive to try to get diplomats to gain his release. But the Hamas- led Palestinian government says it won't give in to force. CNN's John Vause has the latest now live from Gaza City -- John?
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, with Israeli fighter jets still in the skies over Gaza, we have the first word which may confirm that the kidnapped Israeli soldier is still alive. It comes from Israeli state-run television, which has reported tonight that a Palestinian doctor has seen Gilad Shalit shall it and treated him for injuries to his abdomen and also to his arm.
And for the second day, Israel has held off on a major offensive to the north to give diplomats more time to try and negotiate the freedom for the 19-year-old corporal.
But the Israeli artillery continues, hundreds of rounds are being fired again today. And the Israeli air force continues with multiple air strikes, more than 30 in the past 24 hours. And in the past hour or so, Hamas training grounds have been hit in the central part of Gaza. No word there on casualties -- John?
KING: And, John, you mentioned these training grounds hit, the air strikes throughout the past day. What is the Hamas government saying about this and how it might respond?
VAUSE: Well, we've seen the Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya publicly for the first time after Friday prayers. He was defiant, saying that Israel is trying to destroy the Hamas government. But he says the Israelis will not succeed. And he warns this military action is only complicating efforts to try and win the freedom of the 19- year-old Israeli corporal -- John?
KING: John Vause for us in Gaza City. John, thank you very much.
And after today, the ranch in Crawford, Texas, may no longer be good enough for VIP visitors. Japan's prime minister Junichiro Koizumi has been a loyal ally to President Bush.
But the prime minister idolizes Elvis Presley. So the president went all out today, flying his friend the prime minister to the Presley mansion in Memphis. There was singing, air guitar, a day neither leader will forget any time soon. Our White House correspondent Elaine Quijano has that story from Memphis.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: John, today President Bush got an earful from a world leader, but the unforgettable experience was music to his ears.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN: Love me tender.
QUIJANO: In the Jungle Room at Graceland, an impromptu performance by one of President Bush's staunchest international allies.
KOIZUMI: Wise men say only fools rush in.
QUIJANO: The president often cites his unlikely friendship with Japanese prime minister and Elvis fanatic Junichiro Koizumi as an example of how freedom and democracy can turn formerly warring countries into allies.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Prime minister, thank you for agreeing to come here. A lot of Americans are thrilled you're here, particularly at Graceland. It means a lot to our country that you be that interested in one of America's icons, Elvis Presley.
QUIJANO: Their alliance is bolstered by a close personal relationship. Exactly five years ago at Camp David, the two tossed aside the careful choreography planned by advisors and playfully tossed a baseball to each other.
Since then, their connection has shaped foreign policy. A former Bush aid said after September 11th, Koizumi made clear that Japan stood with President Bush in fighting the war on terror.
MICHAEL GREEN, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: He sent handwritten notes to the president throughout the difficult days after 9/11 and really stood up as a friend and an ally.
QUIJANO: But that ally is stepping down in September, and President Bush is losing the backing of the person he's called his best international friend. Friday's pilgrimage to Elvis' Memphis mansion was the president's thank you, and the White House pulled out all the stops.
As the prime minister boarded Air Force One in Washington, Elvis music played on the overhead speakers. There were fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches on the menu, though neither leader tried one. And the culmination for the wide-eyed Koizumi? A private tour of Graceland by Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie and wife Priscilla.
KOIZUMI: To dream the impossible. My dream came true.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: After Graceland, the two leaders sampled some Memphis barbecue from the world famous Rendezvous restaurant. They then parted ways with their next and last official meeting set to take place next month at the G8 summit in Russia -- John?
KING: Even presidents and prime ministers get a play day.
Coming up, driving while talking. Find out why researchers say using your cell phone may be just as dangerous as driving drunk, even if you're doing it hands free.
Plus, life after Fidel Castro. A look at what the United States may do after the dictator dies.
Plus, he made his mark during September 11th. Now, a former top cop comes to terms with legal troubles, ends up guilty. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: New developments tonight in the ongoing debate over cell phone safety. Which would you guess is worse, driving while intoxicated or driving while talking on the phone? CNN's Tom Foreman is here with a look at a surprising new study.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN ANALYST: I think, like a lot of stories, when they're too good to be true, they may be too good to be true. Nonetheless, it's an interesting study and worth looking at.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
In their study of 40 drivers taking 160 trips in a driving simulator, researchers at the University of Utah expected a few fender benders. But they did not expect was that legally drunk -- yes, drunk test subjects -- would do better than drivers on cell phones.
FRANK DREWS, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH: I think that is a fair statement. I mean, what we have found is a significant increase in accident rates when driving and conversing on a cell phone. And we didn't find this increase in our study when people were legally drunk.
FOREMAN: Professor Drews demonstrated what he found. He conducted half our interview by cell phone while he was in the simulator. And just like his subjects, he says he was hitting the brakes more slowly, having trouble following the flow of traffic...
(on-camera): What's the speed limit where you are?
DREWS: It is actually a good question. I don't know.
FOREMAN: And several times, he nearly crashed.
DREWS: There's a big. Oh, my gosh.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: Well, now, there are some questions about this study, as flashy as it may seem. For example, most of the people involved in this were just barely drunk. People who are involved in drunk driving accidents are usually significant above the legal limit. So there's a big difference right there.
Another recent study also suggested that while cell phones are distracting, other thing like trying to pick up things in your car, your CD player, you iPod, trying to mess with the kids, being distracted by things on the road side, even being tired are actually more dangerous than cell phone use. So don't be lured too easily into making this go too far because even this professor doesn't do that.
KING: And does the cell phone industry take this seriously or not?
FOREMAN: Yes, you bet they do. About one in ten drivers is believed to be using a cell phone at any given moment. What the cell phone industry says is, "Look, we're happy to look at this study. We're looking at other studies that suggest they're not such a big problem."
And the biggest evidence they point to is real life. The number of cell phones has gone out through the roof, about 213 million cell phone users in this country, and yet auto accidents have not been skyrocketing as people have driven with them. They're saying the proof is in the pudding. Let's look at these results, let's pay attention to it, but let's not jump to big conclusions.
KING: Maybe send you out to that simulator to further investigate.
FOREMAN: I have more of it tonight on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."
KING: And we will watch. Tom Foreman, thank you very much.
He's a 9/11 icon who was once the president's pick for Homeland Security chief. Now, ex-police commissioner Bernard Kerik is pleading guilty to taking thousands of dollars in gifts while he was in office. Once again, CNN's Brian Todd here with the details -- Brian?
TODD: John, less than two years ago, many believed there were no limits to Bernard Kerik's career track, a stark contrast to the image we saw this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
New York City's former top cop, once nominated to be the nation's top security official, walks out of a Bronx courthouse a convicted criminal. Bernard Kerik avoids jail time only by pleading guilty to a pair of misdemeanors and agreeing to pay a $221,000 fine.
BERNARD KERIK, FORMER NYC POLICE COMMISSIONER: The last year and a half has been a tremendous burden on me and my family. There's been ups and downs. But today, as Joe said, this is a finality. This is -- you know, it's over.
TODD: Kerik's once-meteoric career has long been over.
KERIK: Thank you, Mr. President.
TODD: This plea agreement caps an investigation that began in December 2004 after Kerik withdrew his nomination as Homeland Security secretary.
BUSH: I was disappointed that the nomination of Bernard Kerik didn't go forward.
TODD: That nomination was sunk by questions about the immigration status of Kerik's nanny. This investigation ends with Kerik admitting he received tens of thousands of dollars in apartment renovations from a company seeking contracts with the city, a company that authorities say has ties to organized crime. This occurred while Kerik served as New York's corrections commissioner.
KERIK: It is my fault.
TODD: But he also admits failing to report a personal loan and improperly accepting a gift while he was police commissioner.
ROSE GILL HEARN, N.Y. DEPARTMENT OF INVESTIGATIONS: It is now a matter of public record that he abused his public position to benefit himself financially.
TODD: Bernard Kerik's rise was as impressive as it was improbable. According to his autobiography, he went from being the son of a prostitute to enlist as a military policeman, became a Manhattan beat cop, New York's top prison official, then the stoic police commissioner who never left Mayor Rudy Giuliani's side in the aftermath of September 11th, a carefully cultivated image now shattered.
KERIK: I should have been more sophisticated in my dealings. From this point on, it's back to work.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: That means back to work as a security consultant in the Middle East, which the plea agreement allows. Before his Homeland Security nomination went bust, Kerik had worked for Rudy Giuliani's firm, continuing an association seen as crucial to Kerik's rise.
Now analysts they say it's in Kerik's, and especially Giuliani's, best interest for the two to stay as far from each other as possible. But even today, John, Giuliani praised Kerik's service to the country and New York.
KING: Standing by his friend. Brian, that's a remarkable fall. Brian Todd, thank you very much.
Still to come tonight on THE SITUATION ROOM, a deadly ride at Disney. Now doctors weigh in. What happened, and what's the risk to other riders? We'll ask CNN's senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
And who will the United States send to Cuba when its dictator dies? We'll tell you about a new plan to turn the communist nation into a democracy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: And Zain Verjee joins us now with other news making headlines -- Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: John, a tornado swept through a section of upstate New York near Buffalo late this afternoon. Witnesses say the tornado, at one point -- the funnel itself -- touched down on the New York State thruway picking up a truck and slamming it against a concrete barrier. There are no immediate reports of injuries.
Just hours ago, a judge in Orlando threw out the confession of a man charged with raping and killing a 9-year-old Florida girl last year. John Couey is said to have told police that he kidnapped and raped Jessica Lunsford before burying her alive.
But in today's decision, the judge said that the confession is inadmissible because Couey requested, but was not provided with, a lawyer. Prosecutors say they have enough other evidence to convict him.
U.S. Navy units are, at this hour, preparing to go ahead with exercises in the Pacific that activists say could harm whales and other marine animals. Environmental groups sued the government this week to prevent the Navy from using sonar, which they say affects the behaviour of marine animals. Today, the Defense Department skirted the suit by granting the Navy a national security exemption. Naval officials say that they've developed procedures to protect the animals.
And John, this looks worse than it actually was. Four people were on board this Chicago Fire Department helicopter when it was forced to make a hard landing on Chicago's south side near busy Lakeshore Drive. It's not really clear if it landed upside down or if it flipped over. It's also not known what caused the crash. No serious injuries are reported -- John?
KING: No serious injuries. Zain, thank you very much. We'll see you a bit later in the program.
And just ahead, the space shuttle gets a green light for launch over the objections of NASA's chief engineer and top safety officer. Is Discovery in danger?
And the United States has big plans for Cuba after Castro. Could the death of the dictator be followed by democracy? You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Wolf Blitzer is off today. I'm John King. There's an unprecedented could of controversy surrounding tomorrow's scheduled liftoff of space shuttle Discovery. CNN's space correspondent Miles O'Brien is live for us at the Kennedy Space Center with details of serious concerns amongst some key safety players -- Miles?
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: John, I can't remember in all the launches I have covered exactly this kind of controversy in the run-up to a space shuttle launch. This is the first time in space shuttle program history that engineers have decided to launch a space shuttle knowing in advance that there is a problem that is not solved which is in the category of probable and catastrophic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Before a space shuttle can fly, agency brass, engineers, contractors, astronauts must all sign on the dotted line, written proof they believe the launch is as safe as it can be. But this time around, two of the signatures come with a catch. The agency's chief engineer Chris Scolese and chief safety officer Bryan O'Connor penning in they are no go for launch.
CHRIS SCOLESE, NASA CHIEF ENGINEER: Where the community is coming from is if we can prevent the problem or mitigate the problem, that's what we should do.
O'BRIEN: O'Connor and Scolese are concerned about three dozen pieces of foam on Discovery's external fuel tank, so-called ice frost rams, that could fall off during launch, damaging the orbiter, orecisely the scenario that inflicted a fatal breech on Columbia's heat shield 3 1/2 years ago, dooming the crew of seven. Shuttle engineers are busy trying to redesign the vulnerable ice frost rams, but NASA administrator Mike Griffin is unwilling to wait.
MICHAEL GRIFFIN, NASA ADMINISTRATOR: We are electing to take the risk. We do not believe we're risking crew.
O'BRIEN: Griffin says if falling foam damages Discovery, engineers will know about it this time, and the crew take refuge on the space station pending a rescue mission. O'Connor and Scolese say they will not appeal that decision.
WILLIAM GERSTENMAIER, ASSOCIATE NASA ADMINISTRATOR: They do not object to us flying, and they understand the reasons and the rationale that we laid out in the review for flight.
O'BRIEN: Griffin says he's anxious to fly now because the shuttle program is slated to end in 2010, and NASA is committed to flying at least 16 missions to complete the international space station. He worries delays now will lead to dangerous schedule pressure later.
GRIFFIN: I'm willing to take some programmatic risk now in order to prevent an excessive buildup of programmatic risk later on. This is, in fact, that you pay know do.
O'BRIEN: So Griffin has overruled his worried deputies knowing full well it could mean sudden death for the space shuttle program.
GRIFFIN: If we were to lose another vehicle, I will tell you right now that I would be moving to figure out a way to shut the program down. I think at that point, we're done.
O'BRIEN: With that much at stake, the debate over shuttle safety is reaching a boil. Charlie Camarda, an astronaut who flew on the shuttle mission last summer and the most recently, the top engineer in Houston, this week was suddenly reassigned after rubbing senior managers the wrong way and expressing reservations about mission safety. The shuttle's sunset years seem destined to be anything but tranquil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Just a little while ago, the NASA administrator was asked once again about the reassignment of Charlie Camarda, the astronaut and engineer. He says that was completely unrelated to this particular launch of this space shuttle. It was a management decision, which, because of its timing, has been interpreted as something to do with this launch -- John.
KING: Miles, you know this place better than anybody on Earth. Administrator Griffin taking a huge personal, you might say political risk here, putting his credibility on the line. What is the buzz inside NASA? Does he have support? Is it split?
O'BRIEN: It's a split decision here. There's a lot of real concern here among the engineering community about this. But at the root of all this, you have to remember that no one here believes that the decision they're making today is putting the crew in direct jeopardy. Even if that foam falls off, even it causes a serious piece of damage to Discovery, that crew has the option of staying at the space station and waiting for a rescue mission. So given all of that, people here understand the decision, may not have voted for it but understand it.
KING: Understand it. Now, Miles, take us through the next several hours. What are you looking for in terms of whether there will be other factors, like weather or anything else, that could delay this liftoff?
O'BRIEN: Yes, so far, there aren't any technical issues at all that they're concerned about here. Of course, that can change in a heartbeat. We'll be watching very closely tomorrow morning when they start fueling up the fuel tanks. There are some sensors there that have been giving them some trouble. That will happen in the 6:00 a.m. timeframe.
Tomorrow afternoon, we'll be watching the weather. It's Florida, it's the summer. The launch time is 3:49 p.m., just when those thunderstorms build up. And as a result, the weather forecast is 60 percent no-go. In other words, a 60 percent chance the weather will delay the launch. But John, I've been here, and they've had 90 percent no-go forecasts and they've lit the candles. So you never know.
KING: We're glad you're there. CNN's Miles O'Brien, the best in the business, at Cape Canaveral watching for this awaited launch of Discovery. Miles will be there tomorrow, and of course CNN will bring you that launch live. Our coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow. As Miles just noted, scheduled liftoff time, 3:49. Stay tuned to CNN tonight and throughout the day tomorrow. We'll continue to track this.
And tomorrow's shuttle launch, of course, will bring NASA one step closer to its goal of finishing the International Space Station and ultimately retiring the shuttle program within the next four years.
So then what? It's back to the moon and beyond. Internet reporter Jacki Schechner has more -- Jacki.
JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: John, the animation that you're watching behind me is NASA's preparations for how we're going to get to the moon and then from there get on to Mars. The idea it to set up a lunar outpost, and at that point they will do further space exploration, and eventually they hope, space colonization.
Now, if they get back to the moon, it will be the first time since they have done so since 1972. They expect that to happen as soon as 2018. The big news today is they've named the rockets that are going to propel the spaceship off into space. Again, those are Aries I and Aries V. Want to make sure I pronounce these correctly. They are the Greek name for the word "Mars."
Now, of course, again, this will be the first time we get there since 1972, something to look forward to -- John.
KING: Jacki Schechner, thank you very much.
And back to Florida for a troubling story. He'd gone to Disney World for a day of fun, but a 12-year-old boy left Disney World unconscious and was pronounced dead a short while later.
Now, the same ride he passed out on is back open. More now from CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti in Orlando -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, tonight, a Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, family is grieving after autopsy results are in on their 12-year-old son, who collapsed and died during a one-minute ride at the MGM Studios, a ride called the Rock 'n' Roller coaster.
Let's show you what the medical examiner had to say following the autopsy. These are preliminary findings. Quote, "no evidence of injury was found, but congenital heart abnormalities were detected, which will be further evaluated. The cause of death will be left pending until results of the additional studies are obtained."
We can tell you that the Rock 'n' Roller coaster at MGM Studios did reopen this morning after an all-day, all-night inspection by a Disney engineering team that was observed by someone from the state of Florida. The ride was pronounced safe and reopened this morning. Passengers were let back on.
We talked to some of them who said that while they were troubled by what happened, they were not concerned about getting on the ride. This is a ride that goes from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds, takes off like a rocket.
What happened yesterday was this: The family was on the ride, 12- year-old Michael Russell went limp, lost consciousness. When they got off the ride, his father, who was with the Green Berets and is an Iraqi war veteran, immediately administered CPR on his son, but was unable to revive him.
A team of paramedics also arrived, about three minutes after a call came in from 911 but was also unable to revive the boy, and he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly thereafter.
It is not known whether a defibrillator, which was not immediately available at the ride, would have made a difference in this case. Of course, the examination will go on. John, back to you.
KING: Joined by CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He is at the CNN Center in Atlanta.
Sanjay, the medical examiner's report says the boy may have had congenital heart defects. Are these common? And if it hasn't been diagnosed previously, is there any way for a parent to know when you're going into a setting like this that your child could be at risk?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: The good news is they're not common, first of all, John. We're talking about some sort of congenital heart defect. For the most part, they are very hard to detect. I mean, you know, when you take your child in for a routine physical exam, doctors typically do the typical things including listening to the heart, listening to the chest for the lung sounds and things like that, but in order to detect some of these congenital heart defects -- and we obviously don't know which type this boy had -- you need more sophisticated testing, like an EKG, for example, which isn't routinely done on a young child. It is usually done on people who are somewhat older. Or even a more sophisticated test, like an echo cardiogram, sort of an ultrasound of the heart.
It's a difficult question, John, because you don't know who to screen. If the boy never had any problems at all, there would be no reason to order any of those tests. So it's a little bit of a tough thing.
But again, the good news, it's a relatively uncommon thing.
KING: You heard, Sanjay, Susan Candiotti's description of this ride. Roller coasters are getting faster, they're getting higher tech. The parks are responding to the desires and the wishes of children and others who ride these rides. She talked about the g forces. What effect could they have possibly had in this case?
GUPTA: A significant effect. Really, it is all about the g forces ultimately when you are talking about possibly causing or unmasking, if you will, some sort of problem, in this case a heart problem.
But let me point out something that's interesting and maybe not intuitive, John, is that the g forces really not dependent neither on the height nor the speed of a rollercoaster. I mean, they do make them higher and faster than ever before, but really -- what really decides the g forces are those turns, those corkscrew turns that Susan was describing. That's really where you are getting to some of these issues regarding g force and the subsequent pressures that those g forces can place on the heart, sometimes on the brain as well. There have been issues of brain injuries after some of these roller coasters.
But again, very unlikely, very unusual. And usually, not so much causing the problem, John, as was suspected already, unmasking a problem that already existed and had just never declared itself.
KING: CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you for your insights, Sanjay. Thank you very much.
GUPTA: Thank you.
KING: And up ahead tonight, the Bush administration has big plans to bring democracy to Cuba. But first, there's a complication. It has to wait for a dictator to die.
And his term as Japan's prime minister will soon end, but maybe he will find work as an Elvis impersonator. Coming up, the singing and the air guitar of Junichiro Koizumi.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: The bush administration is updating its plan to help usher Cuba out of communism in an eventual post-Castro era. There are some significant changes. CNN's Zain Verjee joins us with details.
VERJEE: John, it's always been believed that Fidel Castro's brother Raul would take over control of Cuba, but the U.S. hopes to take advantage of Castro's eventual death to move the country toward a democracy. The plans are outlined in a report to be issued next week. CNN's obtained a copy of the report. It shows the Bush administration eager to hit the ground running when the Castro regime comes to an end.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE (voice-over): He's ruled Cuba with an iron fist for almost half a century, but dictator Fidel Castro, who turns 80 in August, shows no sign of planning to relinquish power any time soon. When he does eventually die or become incapacitated, the U.S. plans to take immediate steps to create an environment that would help firmly nudge the country away from communism and toward democracy.
A new report, commissioned by President Bush himself, outlined some of those steps, including recommendations to provide U.S. assistance on the ground in Cuba within weeks to work with a transitional government. That might include training police and judges and planing for Democratic elections. The report also calls for Cuban exiles to play a prominent role, fostering reconciliation on the island. And in the meantime, the report advocates a new $80 million democracy fund to bolster Castro opposition in Cuba.
Washington's been working on post-Castro plans for years, and experts say while this report has little in the way of new ideas, the tone is notably different, with more emphasis on the U.S. supporting change in Cuba, rather than imposing it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
But John, it's not all as simple as putting a transitional government in place. Because U.S. law prohibits aid to Cuba, that government would have to meet many requirements to clear the way for the U.S. to help, including the release of political prisoners, steps toward resolving property claims and a lot more. That could take a while. And that means, as one expert put it, the U.S. could wind up being a spectator for a long time.
KING: Zain Verjee on this new report. If my count is right, this president is the tenth president of the United States to talk about a post-Castro Cuba. Thank you very much.
It's a vote that could impact millions of Americans but hardly any will get a chance to cast a ballot. Mexico is holding a presidential election this coming Sunday. CNN's Chris Lawrence explains why it is so important to the United States. Chris joins us live now from Los Angeles.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John a few days before the election, Mexico cuts off any media coverage it thinks could influence the vote. We've agreed to follow their rules, which mean we can't show you any polls or campaigns or even talk about the merits of one candidate or another, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't pay attention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Here's why Mexico's election is important to average Americans.
OCTAVIO PESCADOR, UCLA: Mexico's the third largest trading partner of the United States. LAWRENCE: Why its immigration policies matter.
ALBERTO AVILES, VOTER: If you snap your fingers and undocumenteds disappear from southern California, our economy would probably grind to a halt.
LAWRENCE: And why Americans may not need to worry about which candidate is elected.
PESCADOR: There is no way that no one, left, center or right will threaten their relationship with the U.S..
LAWRENCE: Doctor Octavio Pescador is a college professor. Alberto Aviles, a marketing director. Both are U.S. citizens who moved from Mexico many years ago.
AVILES: Just because we left the country, that doesn't mean that we are not Mexicans.
LAWRENCE: Aviles will drive to Tijuana Sunday. He's one of the few expatriates will who will actually cast a vote. More than 10 million Mexicans are living in the United States. Less than one percent requested absentee ballots.
AVILES: I'm disappointed on the way this prose was implemented.
LAWRENCE: Aviles says Mexicans living in the United States had to register in Mexico. Inconvenient for people who live far from the border and too risky for those in the U.S. illegally. After the election, Pescador says that Mexico's immigration policy could shift one or two ways. One candidate could request for money to create jobs in Mexico.
PESCADOR: In a nutshell it is help us help you.
LAWRENCE: And the other might be more willing to negotiate with the United States on a guest worker program.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: Now, the numbers are small, but the people here are very committed to this election. Bus caravans will be leaving southern California, taking people across the border to vote on Sunday.
KING: An important election worth watching. Chris Lawrence for us in Los Angeles, thank you.
Up ahead, doping allegations sideline two favorites on the eve of the Tour de France. Details of a scandal that's rocking the cycling world.
And Japan's leader gets all shook up at Graceland. The prime minister, the president and the king, CNN's JEANNE MOOS takes a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: Here's a look at some hot shots coming in from the Associated Press, pictures likely to be in your newspaper tomorrow. Ft. Bliss, Texas, soldiers fire 50 blasts for 50 states during their annual salute to the union.
In Chicago, a fire department helicopter makes an emergency landing just of Lakeshore Drive. No serious injuries.
Easton, Pennsylvania, thousands of homes up and down the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers are inundated with water, causing tens of millions of dollars of damage.
And Hamburg, Germany, the captain of Italy's world cup soccer team celebrate with his goalie at the end of the Italy versus Ukraine quarter final. Italy won that match 3-0. That's today's hot shots, pictures worth a thousand words.
And Zain Verjee joins us now with a look at other news making headlines around the world.
VERJEE: Hi John, this just in to CNN, Palestinian militants who claim to be holding a kidnapped Israeli soldier are demanding the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli media is reporting that the soldier is alive, but top Israeli officials have expressed reluctance to engage in any type of prisoner exchange. Israeli airstrikes have been pounding Gaza throughout the day. The most recent coming late this afternoon and targeting alleged training camps for militants. Earlier Israeli missiles hit the Palestinian interior ministry and just hours ago the Palestinian prime minister demanded a halt to the assault on Gaza. He says that the strikes will not result in the soldier's release.
CNN has just learned that the Bush administration is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the man believed to be al Qaeda's new leader in Iraq. The State Department identifies Abu Ayyub al-Masri as an Egyptian national and a known associate of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The Pentagon believes that al-Masri took over leadership of al Qaeda in Iraq after Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike earlier this month.
Another gruesome discovery today in what appears to be an increasingly violent turf war between drug gangs in Mexico. Authorities found two human heads in front of a government office in Acapulco. Four alleged drug traffickers were killed at the same location earlier this year. Authorities also discovered two decapitated corpses in another part of the city. Six severed heads have been found in Acapulco over the past six months.
Recently retired Lance Armstrong won't be at the Tour de France this year, and now neither will two of his main rivals. Just two days before the start of the world's most famous bike race, top riders Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich were suspended amid doping charges. They're among 58 riders charged in Spanish court with using performance- enhancing drugs.
Historians and religious scholars are being offered new and unprecedented insight into the Catholic Church's response to the rise of Nazism in Germany. Pope Benedict today announced he's opening all Vatican files, including those known as the secret archives from 1922 to 1939.
The archive issue has been for a long time a sore spot between Catholics and Jews, because of charges that church leaders have always turned a deaf ear to reports of the Holocaust -- John.
KING: Fascinating decision by the Vatican.
VERJEE: Yes.
KING: Zain Verjee, thank you very much. That's quite interesting. A lot more to be learned. Thank you, Zain.
Conservatives are bashing the "New York Times" for reporting on a once-secret banking surveillance program targeting terrorists. But in at least one case, maybe the pot calling the kettle black.
"Washington Post" media critic and host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES," Howard Kurtz, explains that story.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": John, the war of words over the president's role in disclosing classified information took a strange turn today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KURTZ (voice-over): The "Wall Street Journal's" conservative editorial page loves to bash the liberal press. So, with President Bush, Vice President Cheney and plenty of Republicans ripping the "New York Times" for disclosing a secret administration program to examine the banking records of terror suspects, Paul Gigot and his editorial page staff at "The Journal" had a prime opportunity.
There was just one little problem. The "Journal," along with the "New York Times" and the "Los Angeles Times," had published the same story about the same program last Friday. Today, the "Journal" editorial page smacked the "New York Times" anyway, using some rather self-serving language.
More than a few commentators have tried to link the "Journal" and "Times" at the hip: "We suspect that the 'Times' has tried to use the 'Journal' as its political heat shield, precisely because it knows out editors have more credibility on these matters."
Huh? Well, the editorial says the spokesman for Treasury Secretary John Snow contacted "Journal" reporter Glenn Simpson -- the newsroom operates independently of the editorial page -- and leaked him the banking story, after concluding that the "Times" was going to reject Snow's plea to kill the piece.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KURTZ: One problem with this narrative is that the "Journal" says its reporter had been pursuing the banking story long before the Bush administration dropped the information in his lap. The "Times"' decision to reveal this classified information was, without question, a controversial one, but the "Wall Street Journal" made the same decision -- John.
KING: Howie Kurtz for us. Thank you, Howie.
Now let's find out what's coming up in the next hour. Senior national correspondent John Roberts is in for Paula Zahn tonight. Hey, John.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Got to love a controversy. Thanks, John.
Tonight, a special hour that we're calling "Caught on Camera." Check out this incredible video. Shoplifting like you've never seen it before. Organized gangs taking stores for billions, hidden cameras that can make you or someone you love the victim of something that's shocking and repulsive. Why isn't it treated like a serious crime?
And could cameras on car dashboards make our highways safer?
Join me at the top of the hour for amazing pictures and memorable stories, all "Caught on Camera" -- John.
KING: John, we'll see you in just a few minutes. Thank you very much.
And still ahead here, air guitar at Graceland. The president, the prime minister, and the king of rock 'n' roll. Jeanne Moos -- who else -- is on that story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Today a president and a prime minister paid homage to The King. And at least one of the guests did one impressive impersonation.
CNN's Jeanne Moos lets you judge for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When a president and a prime minister meet, it usually sounds like this.
(MUSIC)
MOOS: But when that same prime minister goes to the home of The King ...
JUNICHIRO KOIZUMI, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER: Love me tender ...
(MUSIC)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I knew he loved Elvis. I didn't realize how much he loved Elvis. MOOS: Graceland brought out Prime Minister Koizumi's inner Elvis. He even put on Elvis sunglasses, transformed into an Elvis impersonator. All that was missing was the leather outfit.
(MUSIC)
MOOS: Elvis songs played aboard Air Force One as the two leaders flew down to Memphis. The press vehicles following the motorcade got into the swing. As they passed the "Heartbreak Hotel," we should have known Prime Minister Koizumi would break out in song.
KOIZUMI: Wise men say ...
MOOS: After all, he'd done it once before during a CNN interview.
KOIZUMI: I want you, I need you.
(MUSIC)
MOOS: The prime minister, who has the same birthday as Elvis, toured Graceland with Elvis' flesh and blood, daughter Lisa Marie and former wife Priscilla. Lisa Marie got an arm and an earful.
KOIZUMA: Hold me close, I want to hold you tight
MOOS: The prime minister called the hour-long tour a dream come true.
KOIZUMA: To dream the impossible dream
MOOS: It was as if the prime minister was possessed by Elvis. He spoke in Elvisisms.
KOIZUMA: Thank you very much for treating me nice. That's Elvis song. "Treat Me Nice."
MOOS: Even the hard-bitten press corps seemed bitten by the Elvis bug, donning those gold-framed glasses. President Bush managed to resist, seemingly bemused by his guest. The president is forever talking about how well they get along.
BUSH: Very friendly relationship.
He's a good friend.
That's how close our relationship is.
He's a good buddy.
MOOS: And while the president seemed smitten with the prime minister, the prime minister is smitten with Elvis.
(MUSIC)
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: And thanks for joining us. I'm John King in Washington. Be sure to join us for "LATE EDITION" this Sunday. Among the guests, Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres, and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.
Up next, "PAULA ZAHN" with John Roberts filling in. Hi, John.
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