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The Situation Room

Paul McCartney Break-Up Takes Public Turn; Feds Play Down NFL Stadium Security Threat; Interview with Rep. Peter King

Aired October 18, 2006 - 17:00   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He says he treated her badly. He says he's been advised not to respond publicly.
But the break up of the Paul McCartney-Heather Mills marriage has nevertheless taken a very public turn with the leak of alleged court papers to the British media.

Here's CNN's Paula Hancocks in London with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was described as a lavish wedding held in a 17th century castle in Ireland. Thanking well wishers who camped out at the castle gates, former Beatle Paul McCartney and Heather Mills looked happy and in love.

But four years later, they are in the process of a bitter divorce, a divorce which is fast becoming one of the most acrimonious and high profile in years. And a court date hasn't even been set yet.

British tabloid, "The Daily Mail," says it received leaked court papers allegedly filed by Heather Mills citing unreasonable conduct and mistreatment by Paul McCartney. The law firm for Mills says it will not comment on leaked or allegedly leaked documents, but their client stands by everything that has been filed at court on her behalf and intends to prove its truth in due course should this be necessary.

And McCartney's lawyers say McCartney would very much like to respond in public and in detail to the allegations, but he recognizes on advice that the only correct forum for his response is in the current divorce proceedings: "Our client will be defending these allegations vigorously and appropriately."

But could this alleged leak have any impact on the divorce itself?

BARBARA SIMPSON, DIVORCE LAWYER: It's about two people and when there's that level of invective being bandied around against them and there's one way of stopping it, then that way is settlement. So, really, it puts pressure on the person who feels worst about it.

HANCOCKS: When the couple initially announced their separation in May of this year, they suggested they wanted amicable proceedings for the sake of their 3-year-old daughter, Beatrice.

But that hasn't happened. In an echo of the bitter fight between Britain's Prince Charles and Princess Diana, McCartney and Mills have hired the same divorce lawyers as the royal couple. And there's a lot at stake. McCartney stands to lose a substantial part of his $1.5 billion fortune.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, London.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

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

Happening now, is there a potential threat to NFL stadiums?

A Web site warns of a plots in several pro-football cities this weekend. We'll tell you what the federal government is saying about this breaking news in our CNN Security Watch.

It's midnight in Iraq, where American troops are paying a heavy price. The White House suggests the soaring death toll is the cost of a future victory, as the Pentagon prepares to send Marine Reserve units back to Iraq.

And it's 6:00 a.m. in Tokyo, where Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warns the U.S. will do whatever it takes to defend its allies, even as two former presidents blast President Bush for his handling of the North Korean problem.

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

We begin with the breaking news and our CNN Security Watch. A Web site claiming that seven NFL football stadiums will be hit with radiological dirty bombs this weekend. Federal authorities are playing down the potential threat, but let's get the latest from our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve.

She's joining us now live from Michigan -- Jeanne, tell our viewers what we know.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this Web site posted a message saying that dirty bombs would be detonated simultaneously outside stadiums in seven cities that are hosting NFL games this Sunday. They are Miami, New York, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland. The explosions, the posting says, will be marking the end of Ramadan.

A spokesman for the National Football League says the League was informed of this posting yesterday and law enforcement sources say that meetings are taking place between the NFL, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to discuss the situation.

The Department of Homeland Security, in addition, has sent a note out to state and local authorities and others in the private sector, advising them of this information, but saying that there is no credible intelligence to support this threat, no credible information that these attacks are going to take place.

A spokesman says they are simply passing on this information out of an abundance of caution so that local entities and private entities can make whatever decisions they deem appear about security in their communities and at their facilities.

CNN has spoken to a Web site expert, who says that this particular Web site where this message was posted is not renowned for posting reliable or accurate Jihadist messages, that perhaps it was pasted there after being posted elsewhere, and, indeed, CNN has found similar wording elsewhere on the Internet.

The Department of Homeland Security is advising people to go about their business as normal, to attend large gatherings, including these football games this weekend. They simply believe these claims are so spectacular that they are likely not to be true -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Jeanne, thank you very much.

And let me just repeat the names of those seven NFL stadiums that potentially could be targeted -- New York, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland.

Let's bring in the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

New York Republican Congressman Peter King is joining us on the phone from Long Island.

Congressman, I understand you've been briefed on this matter by the Department of Homeland Security.

What can you tell us?

REP. PETER KING (R-NY), CHAIRMAN, HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE: Yes, Wolf, I can.

And basically it's what Jeanne has reported, an exhaustive intelligence analysis was done by the intelligence offices in the Department of Homeland Security. And there is nothing to substitute this threat. There's no chatter. There's no background information. There's nothing -- there's no other indicators that this could happen.

However, in the post-9/11 world in which we live there's always the fear that you don't know what you don't know. And when you get a threat this specific, it was felt, in an abundance of caution, essential to notify local police and the stadium authorities in those seven cities to be vigilant, which I would think means a certain increase in the level of security.

BLITZER: A lot of people, a lot of fans, as you can imagine, are pretty nervous hearing this if they're going to those games. Your advice to them, I assume, would be don't let this potential threat, if, in fact, it is a real threat, deter you.

KING: Well, Wolf, you know, I do not have tickets for this Sunday's game, for instance, at Giants Stadium. But if I did, I would go. We can't allow threats like this, especially when there's no substantiation for them, to alter our lives, because if we do, we're just going to be encouraging more of these non-credible type threats to occur in the future.

Having said that, you know, we -- we can't be certain, but we're as certain of this as we can be of anything. So this is always, you know, the slightly mixed message we're going to be getting in the post-9/11 world. And that's that we are very, very confident there is no credible threat, but at the same time, let's be cautious. Let's have an extra level of security. Let's everybody be more vigilant than they would be otherwise, but go ahead with our normal lives, the same as we've done, really, every day since September 11.

BLITZER: Didn't the Department of Homeland Security suggest to you that the federal government would be taking some additional steps out of an abundance of precaution at these seven stadiums?

KING: Wolf, I can't tell you exactly what's going to be done. That wouldn't be right. But I will say this. Obviously, the federal government is going to be working closely with the NFL, working closely with the local police and it will be a coordinated effort.

BLITZER: Peter King is the Republican congressman from New York.

He's chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Congressman, thanks very much for helping us better understand this story.

And stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

It's been a devastating month for American forces in Iraq. And now things are getting a whole lot worse. The U.S. military today announced the deaths of 11 more troops, 10 soldiers and a Marine. The White House says the strategy is to win, adding that that comes at a cost.

All of this comes as one of Iraq's top Army units suffers a major setback and as the Pentagon moves ahead with plans to send Marine Reservists back to Iraq for a second tour of duty.

let's get all the latest from our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, you know the mantra -- U.S. troops will stand down as Iraqi troops stand up. But some of those Iraqi troops that stood up have stumbled badly.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): For five days, Shia militiamen conducted a reign of terror in Balad, a largely Shia city turned over to one of Iraq's premier brigades under the U.S. strategy of standing up Iraqi forces to replace American troops.

As U.S. forces remained in their fortified base nearby, Iraqi troops failed to stop the killing of up to 100 Sunnis. It was a failure of a critical test for Iraqi forces, a failure foretold by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld last week, almost as if he knew the plan to turn over large areas of the country to Iraqi control was tenuous, at best.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Some even might go and not work out and have to be taken back, fixed and then given back to the Iraqis at some point. So that -- that -- I think one ought not to think of it as a perfectly smooth, predictable path.

MCINTYRE: The other linchpin of the current U.S. strategy, securing Baghdad first, has also taken a deadly turn. Ten American deaths in a single day has pushed the U.S. casualties to the highest monthly rate since the war began. And along with improvised bombs, increasingly, sniper attacks, as shown in this graphic video obtained from insurgents, are exacting a real and psychological toll as a weapon of terror against U.S. troops.

In a speech to the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld acknowledged the war is not going well, but again urged patience.

RUMSFELD: This war, like other wars, has not been a steady, smooth, upward path. To some, that's a surprise. To those who study history, it is not a surprise.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

MCINTYRE: And, Wolf, one more sign that the war is not slowing down. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, we're told by Marine officials, has approved the Marine Corps to do some contingency planning for the possibility of sending Reserve units back to Iraq for a second tour, something that active duty units have already done. But Marine officials stress there's been no decision on that. This is prudent planning in case they need to call on that capability -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Jamie, thank you.

So are Iraq's insurgents stepping up the violence in a move to sway the American people?

Is this wave of bloodshed a calculated move meant for a mass media audience?

And joining us now in Baghdad, our correspondent, Michael Ware -- Michael, how sophisticated are these insurgents?

You're talking to some of them.

How sophisticated are they in trying to affect U.S. public opinion through the media?

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're definitely seeing that stepped up, Wolf, that campaign to reach out to an American audience at this critical time. Put it this way, certainly not the rank and file, the guys carrying the RPGs and the roadside bombs. But the leadership, the upper echelons of this insurgency, is very politically attuned. They're aware how sensitive this time is back in America in terms of domestic politics.

So they're playing to that. We've seen Jihadist Web sites call for these P.R. campaigns in the West to be ramped up. And now we're hearing directly, speaking to us at CNN, one of the largest blocs within the Iraqi insurgency, the Islamic Army, directly addressing an American audience, littered with American cultural and political references, calling on people to question President Bush's record on the war -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Some commentators, Michael, have compared it to the Tet offensive during the Vietnam War, when the Vietcong went on a major military offensive against the U.S. in Vietnam, with one eye on U.S. public opinion, to try to kill as many as Americans as possible, hoping that would demoralize the American public, which, in turn, would put pressure on LBJ and pother administration officials to start withdrawing.

Are they sophisticated enough -- do they see a parallel to what happened in Vietnam?

WARE: Oh, absolutely, Wolf. I mean we're seeing an upsurge in violence. This is merely a part of the fourth holy month of Ramadan offensive since the war began. So it's an upsurge for this holy month. We've seen this before.

But in terms of Vietnam, I mean the backbone of the insurgency, Wolf, is not al Qaeda. That's the most spectacular pocket of the insurgency. But the backbone are the members of Saddam's former military and security apparatus, some of whom were trained by America in the '80s, most of whom were certainly American allies during the Iran-Iraq War and the beneficiaries of American satellite imagery.

Now, these fellows are behind the bulk of the day to day attacks against U.S. forces.

I sat with these guys back in 2003. They said to me then that they know they won't defeat the U.S. on the battlefield, they will beat the U.S. they said, on that thing -- and they pointed to a television. They say we've read Ho Chi Minh. We've read Bodin Juanju (ph), the Vietnamese general. They studied Vietnam. They said that we believe we can wear down American public stamina in support of this war because our endurance for the bloodletting can out sustain that American political will.

So they're very, very closely watching the parallels -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Michael Ware reporting for us from Baghdad.

Michael, as I always say to you, be careful over there.

Thanks very much. WARE: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's go to New York and Jack Cafferty with "The Cafferty File" -- Jack.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Twenty days and counting until the mid-term elections. A lot of time left for a so-called October surprise. A lot of possibilities out there, too, on what might come along to affect the elections -- international threats like North Korea's nuclear tests, Iran's nuclear ambitions, the widely covered mess in Iraq, not to mention funding Osama bin Laden -- to the domestic issues like the Mark Foley sex scandal.

Many people think Karl Rove would be the architect behind an October surprise if it comes. It just so happens Rove told the "Washington Times" he's confident the Republicans will keep control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. He says the "Foley matter," his words, will have impact in some limited districts, but not overall. Perhaps Mr. Rove knows something we don't.

Here's the question -- is there time left before the mid-term elections for an October surprise? And, if so, what will it be?

E-mail us at caffertyfile@cnn.com or go to cnn.com/caffertyfile -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jack, thank you.

And still ahead, we'll get the latest on the North Korean nuclear crisis from our own Zain Verjee. She's the only television correspondent traveling with the secretary of state right now in Asia.

Also, new skirmishes in the war of words over who's to blame for the crisis. Former President Bill Clinton firing another volley at the Bush administration today. We'll have details for you.

Plus, did the U.S. take its eye off the ball, neglecting Afghanistan for the war in Iraq?

Some allies, British allies, now speaking out for the first time.

Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Hour by hour, concerns are mounting that North Korea is preparing for another nuclear test, as U.S. intelligence officials note suspicious activity at some North Korean sites, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is making the rounds in the region, urging Asian powers to stand up to the North and warning bluntly that the United States will stand behind its allies.

"THE SITUATION ROOM'S" Zain Verjee is the only television reporter traveling with the Secretary -- Zane.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in the region trying to get the powers here to take some real action against North Korea. She's also here to reassure the U.S.' allies.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

VERJEE (voice-over): The first stop in Asia and perhaps the easiest, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Tokyo. Japan was disturbed by North Korea's nuclear test and is on alert for a possible second.

The message from Secretary Rice to Japan -- don't worry, the U.S. stands with Japan. The defense alliance is strong.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range -- and I underscore full range -- of its deterrent and security commitments to Japan.

VERJEE: Japan's pacifist constitution means it can't use armed force and its own military is not up for battle. So Japan relies on the U.S. security umbrella to defend it from threats.

North Korea's nuclear test appears to have pushed the two allies even closer.

ROBERT DUJARRIC, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC POLICY: The Japanese government and most Japanese experts believe that Japan's security is entirely dependent on the strong and stronger relationship with the United States.

VERJEE: More than 35,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan and underlining that commitment may help avert a nuclear arms race in this part of Asia.

TARO ASO, JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER: There is no need to arm ourselves with nuclear weapons either for Japan's own defense. We have this mutual defense treaty with the United States.

VERJEE: While on her three nation tour, Secretary Rice is also looking for assurances that the U.N. Security Council resolution will be enforced. She's focusing on measures like the inspection of ships to prevent North Korea from transferring or getting nuclear materials.

Japan has already imposed unilateral sanctions on North Korea, banning imports and exports and banning North Korean ships.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

VERJEE: China and South Korea may be harder for Secretary Rice to persuade. According to many regional analysts here, neither one of those countries wants to squeeze North Korea so hard economically that it collapses and they are the ones left to pick up the pieces -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Zane. Zain Verjee reporting for us from Tokyo. She's the only television reporter traveling with the secretary of state. Her reports will be coming up throughout this week.

Coming up next, though, did the United States set the stage for a Taliban come back in Afghanistan by going to war in Iraq?

We'll have details with some startling comments from British commanders on the ground in Afghanistan.

And the blame game over North Korea -- former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter weighing in on the controversy. We'll have details of what they're saying today.

Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Let's check in with Carol Costello for a closer look at some other important stories -- hi, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.

It saw a raging inferno earlier this month. Today a chemical plant in Apex, North Carolina saw yet another fire. Crews battled a much smaller blaze and evacuated several businesses. Officials say the fire was contained to a 55-gallon chemical drum, but big enough to cause smoke, fumes and burning eyes.

Almost two weeks ago, that same plant caught fire, forcing thousands of residents to flee.

In Upstate New York, a deadly snowstorm claims more lives. Officials say 12 people are now dead after last week's freak snowstorm in and near Buffalo. Two people died while shoveling snow and three died from carbon monoxide poisoning. More than 100,000 people still without power there.

It's one of those stories you might say could only happen in New York -- except it happened in New Jersey. Today, a car belonging to the mayor of New York City was stolen. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg was not in it. One of his personal employees was driving the 2001 Lexus in New Jersey when someone jumped in, punched him in the face and stole the car. Police say they found the car abandoned hours later.

And attention iPod owners -- your iPod could be infected with a virus. Apples says an unknown number of its video iPods are infected with the virus that affects computers with Microsoft's Windows operating system. Apple says the virus is on a very small number of video iPods, less than 1 percent of those shipped after September 12th. Apple's support Web site has information on how to remove the virus, so get on there to find out that hot information.

That's a look at the headlines -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Good, Carol.

Thank you very much.

And coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM, a Web site warns of dirty bomb attacks against seven NFL stadiums this weekend. Federal authorities say the threat is not credible.

But should you be concerned?

We'll have all the latest details in our CNN Security Watch.

And Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warns the U.S. will do whatever it takes to defend its Asian allies, even as two former U.S. presidents accuse President Bush of bungling the North Korean nuclear problem.

Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time.

Happening now, the Department of Homeland Security here in Washington advising the NFL of a threat on a Web site, alleging that dirty bombs could be used at seven NFL games this weekend. However, the government is very careful to say it does not consider this threat to be credible and officials are urging game goers to keep their plans.

Former President Bill Clinton is again defending his handling of North Korea. At a conference here in Washington today, he spoke out over what he called legitimate concerns over North Korea's nuclear test.

And no surrender amid rounds of defeat. After 22 rounds of voting, neither Venezuela nor Guatemala has earned the last seat on the United Nations Security Council. But the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, vowed his country will not surrender -- his word -- its bid. A twenty-third ballot is expected tomorrow.

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

Our CNN Security Watch and an update on the breaking news story we've been following this hour. The Department of Homeland Security warning the NFL and local officials of a possible threat to some NFL stadiums. It was posted on a Web site, saying seven stadiums could be targeted by dirty radiological bombs this weekend. They include the stadiums in Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Oakland and Cleveland, as well as Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

But the new -- but the homeland security officials are stressing they do not consider this threat credible. They're encouraging people to go about their business as usual.

We're getting word from most of those stadiums named that they're working with federal and local law enforcement on this issue. Some are already indicating that security will be normal. But at least one stadium not named -- not named in this threat -- that would be in Tampa -- says they will have some increased security there as a precaution. Getting also some new information about the Web site where the dirty bomb threat initially appeared. Let's bring in our internet reporter Jacki Schechner, she has details. Jacki?

JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, this is the posting online that is being responded to today. Now, this is just an English language message board. It doesn't appear to have any particular theme to it. This posting was allegedly put online on October 12th, 2006. What we've blocked out is the name of the person who allegedly posted this. It's just white text on a black background and some of the details in the posting do talk about this dirty bomb threat on Sunday, October 22nd in seven U.S. cities. That the bombs will be delivered by truck. Now we did additional searches online and actually found the same text online on a different Web site, this is an anonymous question and answer Web site. The text seems to be broken up into sections. It was initially posted it appears October 3rd. Now it says Australia, but of course online it's difficult for that to actually mean anything. You just don't know where somebody is posting from. It talks about in the aftermath of these bombs there will be civil wars in the Middle East and in the United States, and the text says general chaos will rule. Again, Wolf, the Department of Homeland Security and the NFL are both saying no credible threat here.

BLITZER: All right, we'll stay on top of this story, Jacqui. Thanks very much.

We'll move on to other major stories though. With North Korea's neighbors nervous about a possible second nuclear test, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is making the rounds of the region, trying to rally the Asian allies. But there's already some sharp criticism of the Bush administration, not there necessarily, but back here at home. Let's go to CNN's Brian Todd. Brian?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, there is no doubt this is a crucial moment for Condoleezza Rice. Can she assure America's allies in Asia of their security in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test? And can these allies ban together to bolster U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang? But Secretary Rice may be getting into this already at a political disadvantage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): Right at this critical moment for Condoleezza Rice, two former presidents publicly blast her boss over his handling of North Korea.

BILL CLINTON: Our position has been weakened because for at least half -- I'm sorry, I don't know how many, but at least half of the last six years the administration has asked for funds to research the development of two new nuclear weapons.

TODD: Earlier this from the former president who once brokered a deal to pull the U.S. and North Korea from the brink.

JIMMY CARTER: All of that has now been thrown in the waste basket. The stupidest thing that our government can do if it has a real problem with someone is to refuse to talk to them. And to let them simmer and to threaten them.

TODD: No immediate reaction from White House officials. The remarks from Presidents Clinton and Carter come just one week after Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain get into a public sparring match over who's to blame for the North Korea crisis between the Clinton and Bush administrations. With midterm elections looming, prominent politicians in both parties seemingly can't refrain from the North Korea blame game. One of President Bush's former national security aides says that's a dangerous problem, especially as America's top diplomat tries to get North Korea's neighbors to apply credible pressure on North Korea.

MICHAEL GREEN, FORMER NATL. SECURITY OFFICIAL: We don't want Pyongyang to think that we're divided or we're not resolute in resisting and opposing the nuclear weapons program or that somehow election results in the U.S. could lead to a dramatically different policy.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: And Michael Green says Kim Jong Il might just wait this out until after the 2008 elections, wait for any political backing for sanctions to dissipate, then proceed with his nuclear program. Also taking in this political theater according to Green, South Korea and China, wondering if it's worth their while to pressure North Korea if there's no political unity in the U.S. Wolf?

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Brian Todd reporting. Let's get some more on this and other issues, joining us our CNN contributor Bill Bennett, he's also of the Claremont Institute and host of the radio program "Morning in America." What do you make of this current crisis with North Korea because the blame game clearly hovering over it?

BILL BENNETT, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: It's very serious. I'm sorry to see these two former presidents do that too. I saw you assiduously trying to get Condoleezza Rice in an interview you did a little while back to criticize President Clinton, she wouldn't do it. And I think that's the right posture. I think it's the wrong posture for these two presidents. Remember Hamilton and the federalist paper said former presidents should have to leave, go to Europe where we wouldn't hear from them. Now of course, you hear from them.

BLITZER: The president did criticize indirectly his predecessors recalling that agreement in '93 and '94 saying we tried those direct negotiations, face-to-face talks with North Korea and look what it got us.

BENNETT: I think what he was saying there is no matter what you would be doing in North Korea the last few years, they were hell bent on developing these weapons. Unless you sent the U.S. military in to occupy or destroy them, they were going to do it. But this kind of stuff from Carter and Clinton I think is not helpful.

BLITZER: Let's talk about some of the domestic issues, some of the social issues. There's a move afoot, at least according to the "Los Angeles Times," to try to force gays who are Republicans out of the party, and it's causing some consternation out there, especially among those gays like the log cabin Republicans who are very, very outspoken in their support of themselves as being gay men and women but also as being good Republicans.

BENNETT: I hadn't heard about this. Who's trying to force them out, Democrats, liberals?

BLITZER: No, no, there's Tony Perkins is the president of The Family Research Council, in an e-mail to supporters according to the "L.A. Times" today says, "Has the social agenda of the GOP been stalled by homosexual members and/or staffers?" All of this in the aftermath of the Mark Foley scandal.

BENNETT: I understand that in the Foley scandal it's obvious --

BLITZER: Let me rephrase the question. Is there a place in the GOP for gays and lesbians?

BENNETT: Of course, and they have been in the party for some time. It's interesting as these revelations have been coming out. You have Jim Kolbe, member of Congress, Republican, gay. The staff members, Fordham, the other fellow, gay, Republican staff members. So, obviously if somebody was watching they'd say are there more gays than the Republican staffers on Capitol Hill than non gays? So it's clear that there are gay people.

BLITZER: You Bill Bennett don't have a problem with this?

BENNETT: No, certainly not, and the vast majority of Republicans don't. But they are obviously concerned about the charges in the Foley case and these things that are arising now or being talked about in relation to Kolbe.

BLITZER: I want to play for you this little clip. There was a swearing in ceremony that the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had the other day at the State Department on October 10th, swearing in the new global AIDS coordinator for the U.S. who's a gay guy and he's got a gay partner. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: I'm truly honored and delighted to have the opportunity to swear in Mark Dibold as our next global AIDS coordinator. I'm pleased to do that in the presence of Mark's parents, Claire and Richard, his partner, Jason, and his mother-in-law Maryland. You have a wonderful family to support you, Mark, and I know that's always important to us. Welcome.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The first lady as you saw is there as well. I guess the concern among some in the Republicans some suggesting when she referred to his mother-in-law Maryland. What do you make of that?

BENNETT: I don't make much of it. The world has changed, and I think most Americans understand that, certainly most Republicans, most conservatives. There are some lines that people draw. Gay marriage, for example. But I think everyone accepts the fact that there are gay people with partners, they come to ceremonies like this. Secretary Rice recognizes them. I think there's an attempt, another attempt, there's all this talk about October surprise by Republicans. This is another attempt probably by the other side to suggest that this is some horrible, very bigoted party. It is not, it is a very open party, but it does say there are some things we're going to say no to.

BLITZER: Bottom line, who's going to win on November 7th?

BENNETT: Well, I don't know. Karl Rove seems to have the confidence Wolf that the Republicans will hold.

BLITZER: Doesn't he have to say that though?

BENNETT: Well, he does, but maybe he does know something. I think if Republicans, the center of the country, the center right, will think about the issues, even the things they're upset with Republicans about. If you think about immigration, think about the war on terror, if you think about taxes, spending, whatever they're upset about, they have to decide in their own minds whether a Democrat majority would be better or worse and I think in almost every case they'd conclude it's going to be worse.

BLITZER: A lot of people disagree with you, but that's the nature of the debate right now. Bill Bennett, thanks very much for coming in.

BENNETT: There are other people.

BLITZER: And still to come here in THE SITUATION ROOM, this intriguing question. Do you think there will be an October surprise in the upcoming midterm elections? And if so, what will it be? That's Jack's question. Your answers still head.

And fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, the U.S. war plan being criticized by military leaders of a close ally. We're going to tell you who's upset and why. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.

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BLITZER: Right now regarding the war in Afghanistan there are some critical comments about the U.S. war plan there, coming from military officials from America's closest ally. Let's turn once again to our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre. Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it may be a matter of debate in the United States but British military commanders have no problem coming and saying it flat out, that the U.S. took its eye off Afghanistan when it went to war against Iraq and that now the United States and its NATO allies are paying the price.

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GEN. DAVID RICHARDS, NATO: The end of 2001 the Taliban were defeated, weren't they? In a wonderful work by a lot of people, mainly American and Afghan. And it looked all pretty hunky dory. We thought it was all done. Success was there, and we could adopt a sort of peacetime approach to it and didn't treat it as aggressively as a problem that with the bit of a hindsight we should have done.

MCINTYRE (voice-over): David Richards is the top commander in Afghanistan right now and his view is echoed by other British generals in the south where the Taliban has come back to challenge NATO forces. One brigadier is quoted in the British press as saying, "International forces will have to stay in Afghanistan for 20 years." It's a view shared by both U.S. and NATO commanders.

RICHARDS: And everyone knows it will probably take two generations to deliver, you know -- I hope it will happen earlier -- a sort of India in Afghanistan or even a Pakistan with its ever growing prosperity in Afghanistan.

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MCINTYRE: General Richards' assessment for the future is peppered with a lot of what he calls cautious optimism. He says NATO has inflicted the biggest defeat on the Taliban to date. But he says there's only a window of opportunity of about six months to bring some real tangible relief to the Afghan people or risk losing the hearts and minds to the Taliban. Wolf?

BLITZER: Jamie, thank you for that.

Still ahead here, is Congress in touch with the average American? We're going to tell you what our new poll says. We'll also hear from our own Lou Dobbs on what's going wrong for the middle class.

Religion and politics more and more they're getting mixed together. But what does the future hold? Stay with us. We'll be right back.

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BLITZER: Video sharing Web sites, Google's $1.6 billion purchase of youtube.com last week underscores the soaring popularity over the last year of these Web sites, but are some of these video sites violating copyright laws? One major music company says yes and now it's suing to prove it. Let's go to our internet reporter Abbi Tatton. Abbi?

ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Wolf, Universal Music Group has filed lawsuits against two Web sites it says are distributing copyrighted music videos online without permission. Videos like this one of Universal artist Mariah Carey shown here on the video sharing site grooper.com, recently acquired by Sony. The lawsuit says this video has been viewed over 50,000 times without Universal's permission. A similar lawsuit goes after bolt.com, and more music videos there. The CEO of bolt tells us today they're comfortable they comply with copyright law removing videos that violate copyright laws immediately when they're notified. Grouper didn't return our calls, but you'll notice that Youtube, the most popular of these video sharing sites, isn't a target of these lawsuits. That's because Youtube and Universal came to a licensing agreement last week. Wolf?

BLITZER: Abbi, thank you.

So is Congress in touch with average Americans? Most of you say no. A CNN poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation finds only 23 percent of those asked think members of Congress are focused on the needs of constituents while 74 percent think they're preoccupied by special interests. Lou Dobbs is getting ready for his special town meeting that begins tonight 7:00 p.m. eastern from Kansas City. Lou's joining us with a little bit of a preview. I take it Lou you're not surprised by this latest CNN poll?

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely not. Our audience has been telling us that for literally years now, and tonight we're going to be focusing on those issues, those challenges for working men and women in this country. Coming up at 6:00 though, first live from Kansas City, Missouri, we'll be reporting on the rising job insecurity all across this country as the war on the middle class is escalating. We'll have that special report and at 7:00 our special town hall meeting here in Kansas City. Also coming up at the top of the hour was there jury misconduct in the trial of two U.S. border patrol agents who were convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler? That drug smuggler was given immunity by the U.S. attorney. The border patrol agents as a result facing up to 20 years in jail. Does this government have any sense of priority? We'll have that story and a new congressional report saying radical Islamist terrorists are entering the United States across our southern border with Mexico.

The chairman of the Homeland Security subcommittee that wrote that report, the head of the investigation, Congressman Michael McCall joins us tonight. All of that and a great deal more still ahead here on CNN beginning at the top of the hour. We hope you'll be with us. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: All right, stand by, Lou. I want to talk a little bit about your special tonight, 7:00 p.m. eastern, "War on the Middle Class." It's also the title of your hot new book "War on the Middle Class," how the government, big business and special interest groups are waging war on the American dream and how to fight back. Those of our viewers who are going to watch your town hall meeting tonight in Kansas City, what do you hope they will emerge from, what will they gain by watching what you have to say tonight?

DOBBS: Well, the first thing we're going to do is we're going to give middle class families in this country, hard working men and women and their children, a voice, a voice that is ignored by our elected representatives in Washington, whether in the Congress or the Senate, the White House, whether Democrat or Republican. Tonight you're going to hear from them. And we're going to be talking about solutions to some of the most difficult problems and challenges facing middle class Americans all across this nation. And I know you're going to be fascinated by their stories and you're going to be hopeful after you hear some of the solutions. Wolf?

BLITZER: Who is the main culprit? Who's waging in your opinion this war on the middle class? DOBBS: The war on the middle class is straight forwardly being waged by public policies passed by both Democratic and Republican administrations, by Republican and Democratic Congresses over the past 20 years. This do nothing congress that has just gone home to campaign, leading the way and doing all but nothing for working men and women in this country. And we're going to get to the facts tonight, we're going to demonstrate what is a nonpartisan, independent reality that all Americans have to live with.

BLITZER: "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" comes up right at the top of the hour and that's immediately followed by a Lou Dobbs special "War on the Middle Class", 7:00 p.m. eastern. Lou we'll be watching your two hours of live television coming up here right after us. Thanks very much for doing this. Let's go to Jack Cafferty in New York with "The Cafferty File." Jack?

CAFFERTY: I lived in Kansas City for six years back in the 70's, late 60's, early 70's. What a great town and terrific people out there. That ought to be a good show tonight. The question this hour, is there time left before the midterm elections for an October surprise and if so what will it be? Mike writes from Marble Falls, Texas, "What might the October Surprise be? I don't know but today when I heard about the 'threat' at NFL games I immediately though of Karl Rove. And I never like to think about Karl Rove."

J.S. in Sylvania, Ohio, "What surprise? Just like the elections since 2000, Rove is feeling good because he has the election rigged. I should know. I live in Ohio." Bruce in Ontario, "Rove? Are you kidding? The concept of any Republicans getting re-elected is not just a surprise, it would be a disaster. How much more damage can the U.S. sustain due to the ravages of the right wing nut cases ruling the country." Larry in Princeton, Texas, "I think the surprise will most likely not occur until November when Rove's buddies at Diebold and ESS do the vote counting." And Jason in New York, "The Eisenhower Carrier Group sailed from Norfolk Naval base on October 3rd and is expected to arrive in the Persian Gulf on October 21st. You tell me."

And Todd in Pittsburgh, "Jack it doesn't matter, our representative republic came to an end yesterday, officially, with the signing by Dear Leader of the Military Commissions Act of 2006. Unfortunately, Madonna adopted a child and the controversy that caused had to be covered immensely, as it was more important than reporting on the withering away of habeas corpus here in the corporate fascist states of America."

We invite you to tune in tomorrow 7:00 for yet another special, tis the season for specials as we get going toward the elections here. We're going to look at everything that's broken with this government down there in Washington and how we might go about fixing it. We're interested in your ideas. You can e-mail us at jackbrokengovernment@cnn.com. You can send us your video at cnn.com/ireport and we hope you'll be with us 7:00 to 8:00 tomorrow night eastern time for a special on broken government. Wolf?

BLITZER: Sounds great, Jack. Thank you very much, Jack Cafferty, don't forget tomorrow night 7:00 p.m. eastern. Up next, religion and politics always a volatile mix. Likely to become even more so in the years ahead. Details ahead in our welcome to the future report and Miles O'Brien. Stay with us here in THE SITUATION ROOM.

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BLITZER: They are two of things you're supposedly not supposed to discuss in polite company. That would be religion and politics. But today the two increasingly are intertwined and likely to become even more so in the future. CNN's Miles O'Brien takes a look in our "Welcome to the Future" report. Miles?

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Wolf, Americans are evenly divided on the subject of religion and politics. Fifty one percent of us believe churches and other houses of worship should talk about social issues and politics. Forty-six percent of us believe churches should stay out of politics all together. With the country split on religion and politics what will the future hold? As senior fellow at the nonprofit think tank The Pew Forum, John Green studies faith and politics and how they interact in American society.

JOHN GREEN, THE PEW FORUM: And over the next several elections we'll see religion become even more important because literally every religious group will be part of the process.

O'BRIEN: Green says those groups include rapidly growing populations of Buddhists, Hindus, and American Muslims.

GREEN: The United States is so diverse religiously and both the Democratic and Republican parties have to have bigger religious coalitions in order to win elections.

O'BRIEN: Green says social issues such as the war in Iraq, same sex marriage, abortion and even the environment will continue to divide us, putting the burden on politicians.

GREEN: One of the critical ingredients for bridging that good divide is leadership. How political leaders or perhaps non political leaders come forward with solutions and alternatives that everyone can live with.

O'BRIEN: Green believes the outcome of the war in Iraq will impact America's political and religious future. In fact he says historians may one day look back at the Iraq war as a turning point for a whole new relationship between faith and politics in this country. Wolf?

BLITZER: Miles O'Brien, reporting for us. Miles, thanks very much. Remember, we're back in THE SITUATION ROOM tomorrow 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. eastern. Tonight and tomorrow night specials at 7:00, back to our regular schedule Friday. In the meantime, let's go to "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT." Lou is standing by in Kansas City, Lou?

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