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CNN Sunday Morning
At Least 17 Dead in Suicide Bombings in Baghdad; Kerry, Bush Hit Campaign Trail
Aired October 10, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: And at 8 a.m. the next hour of CNN SUNDAY begins right now.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Coming to you live from the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is October 10, 8 a.m. here in Atlanta, 6 a.m. in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Good morning to everyone. I'm Erica Hill.
GRIFFIN: And I'm Drew Griffin. Thanks for being with us this morning.
Let's get right to the news, shall we? Two suicide car bombs explode in separate sections of Baghdad this morning. At least 17 die in one attack. One of the car bombs apparently exploded prematurely before reaching its intended target, which was an Iraqi police academy.
Israel's bloody offensive in Gaza stretches to 11 days. Overnight Israeli aircraft launched strikes on a refugee camp in northern Gaza. Palestinian sources report at least seven people wounded in the attacks.
In Egypt the death toll from Thursday's terrorists bombings in Taba rises to 34. Attackers struck the Hilton there and nearby camping areas. Nine of the dead are Egyptians, five Israelis and 20 remaining unidentified.
HILL: Here's what coming up, 23 three days until the presidential election. Do you know where your candidates are? Well of course they're cramming and campaigning before their last debate duel. We'll bring you a live report from both camps.
In Iraq, the calm after the storm. Now that the smoke has cleared from the fierce fighting in Samarra, U.S. troops try to repair the damage and restore good will. We'll tell you how they're doing it.
Politics, prayer and the presidential election. What used to be a lighting rod issue for politicians is now openly discussed. We'll examine the issue of religion in politics.
GRIFFIN: We'll begin this hour inside the classroom of politics 101. You might say final exams are coming and the president and his opponent are each trying to ace the exams, like two ambitious students studying their ABCs on the economy days before their final debate. We have reporters traveling with both President George Bush and Senator John Kerry and we begin with White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, who is down on the ranch with the President in Crawford, Texas.
Good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. President Bush is at his Crawford ranch. That is where his aides say that he is preparing informally for the next debate.
This very much after the president is emboldened by his performance on Friday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES: He can run, but he cannot hide.
(APPLAUSE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): A new campaign line with a distinctly familiar ring. Once a warning often directed at Osama bin Laden and the terrorists, now at his opponent, Senator John Kerry.
BUSH: Several of the statements last night simply don't pass the credibility test. With a straight face he said, I have only had one position on Iraq.
(LAUGHTER)
BUSH: I could barely contain myself.
(LAUGHTER)
BUSH: He must think we've been on another planet. And he tries to tell us he has had only one position. He can run, but he cannot hide.
(CHEERS)
MALVEAUX: Hide from his 20 year voting record in the Senate that is. Heading into the final weeks of the campaign the president's strategy is to use Kerry's record to portray him as someone who will say one thing, but do another.
BUSH: And then Senator Kerry was asked to look into the camera and promise he would not raise taxes for anyone who earns less than $200,000 a year. The problem is to keep that promise he would have to break almost all of his other ones.
MALVEAUX: That message delivered in three battleground states in one day. At the same time the president is playing up his own economic policies in preparation for Wednesday's final debate, which will focus on domestic issues like employment. BUSH: To create jobs in America we must be wise about how we spend your money and keep your taxes low. We're not going to let the senator tax you. We're going to whip him in November.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: I spoke with adviser Karl Rove, who said the strategy continues to use Kerry's record against him to show that he is what they call, a tax and spend liberal. As for Kerry, he says he says he characterizes him as someone who has amnesia, not from a medical flaw, but what he says is a character flaw.
GRIFFIN: Suzanne, we're heading into a very rough week, I anticipate. Thanks for that report from Crawford, Texas.
HILL: Well, for his part, Senator Kerry will be stopping in Florida today before heading off to New Mexico to study up for Wednesday's debate. Frank Buckley is in Miami this morning.
Good morning.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica. Senator Kerry here in Florida, the state that decided the 2000 election by a mere 537 votes. It's a state that both campaigns believe they have a chance of winning this time around.
Senator Kerry here this morning in Miami to attend church services. Last night he was here in the Miami area attending a town hall meeting. The topic there, health care issues.
Senator Kerry's focus on health care and other domestic issues expected to continue through to election day. A Kerry adviser saying though that it will sound like stereo because Kerry will also continue to be strongly critical of President Bush on the war in Iraq.
Last night though it was health care. Here's what Senator Kerry had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me tell you something. My plan for health care for America not only will cover every child in America, day one. You go to school you're enrolled in health care. You go to day care you're enrolled in health care.
(APPLAUSE)
KERRY: You go to child care, you're enrolled in health care. Every child in America is going to have health care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Senator Kerry's plan calls for a number of things. Among them, cutting health care premiums by $1,000 per year, lowering the costs of prescription drug medications. In part, my allowing the reimportation of drugs from Canada and allowing Americans to enroll in the same health care plan that's offered to members of Congress.
Meanwhile, the Kerry campaign is pleased with Senator Kerry's results in the debate that took place in St. Louis on Friday night. They believe that post debate surveys indicate that Senator Kerry helped himself in a number of areas including likability and the confidence of voters in his ability to lead.
Later today, as you said, Senator Kerry travels to New Mexico where he's going to be doing his debate prep for Wednesday's third and last presidential debate.
Erica.
HILL: Keeping him busy. Keeping you busy too, Frank. Have a good day. Frank Buckley joining us from Florida.
With just 23 days left until you decide who will be president, the candidates are also storming the airways. Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards appears on CNN's "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer today coming next at 12 p.m. eastern.
The candidates meet for their third and final debate on Wednesday in Arizona, as we said. On the agenda here, domestic issues. So our e-mail question for you today is, if you had a chance what question would you ask of the candidates?
You can e-mail us at wam@cnn.com. We'll be reading your replies throughout the morning right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
GRIFFIN: Overseas in Afghanistan the vote is over, but should it stand. An election monitor says yes, others say no. Here's what did happen. Millions of Afghans went to the poll Saturday in the first direct Democratic election there. Opposition candidates want to scrap the vote claiming fraud, but the head of an international monitoring group says the people have made their choice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMB. ROBERT BARRY, ELECTION MONITOR: Our teams were deeply impressed by the fact that millions of Afghan men and women turned out yesterday in Iran and Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan, waited patiently in line often in snow, rain and dust, in the face of threats to their lives and cast their votes with enthusiasm.
We do not yet know what their choices are, but we know these choices should be respected.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: We will have more on this controversial and historic election in our next hour. Hekmat Karzai is the first secretary to the Afghan Embassy in the U.S., the cousin of the president. He'll joining us around 9:30 eastern time. HILL: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has left Iraq after visiting U.S. Marines in the western part of the country. Rumsfeld said the violence in Iraq could get worse before the January election. But he also says, Iraqi security forces might be strong enough by then to allow some U.S. troops to leave the country.
At the same time the U.S. military says a Marine was killed on Saturday. It happened in the region Rumsfeld visited. One thousand seventy eight military personnel has now died in Iraq.
Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces have ousted insurgents in Samarra, but not without some fierce fighting and some heavy damage. Now U.S. troops are trying to repair broken buildings and repair broken spirits.
Here's CNN's Jane Arraf.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After the fighting in Samarra, a more complicated battle begins. To get across their message that the U.S. wants to help rebuild Samarra, these troops from the First Infantry Division are handing out radios...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the frequency right there.
ARRAF: ...tuned to a coalition channel that's a mix of music and public service announced. One of them tells Iraqis where they can go to file claims with the military for losses and damage.
A week ago U.S. troops were being shot at from these alleys. Now they're venturing down the same narrow streets taking compensation to the people.
Captain George Rodriguez from the Second Battalion 108th Infantry inspects a barber shop that's been hit by gun fire.
CAPTAIN GEORGE RODRIGUEZ, 108TH INFANTRY: I'll give you $750.
ARRAF: His offer of $750 though is rejected. The air conditioner alone cost $500 the owner tells him. They settle on $850 in U.S. cash.
This woman got $60 for a broken window. It was worth more, she says, but she was too embarrassed to haggle. Her son was killed by insurgents last year, she says, and although she's still afraid she says she's less so with U.S. forces in town.
(on camera): A week after the battle a lot of these shops are still littered with broken glass. It's one of the Army's main priorities now, repairing some of the damage and trying to restore some good will.
(voice-over): It's not an easy task in this historic city. Don't think it's a happy picture. Everyone is bitter. They need time to forget this tragedy, Sheik Abid-Hussein (ph) tells us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You and your soldiers are the futures of Iraq.
ARRAF: The top U.S. military official in Iraq, General George Casey, landed in Samarra to congratulate troops on what could be a model for over coming the insurgency.
GENERAL GEORGE CASEY, U.S. ARMY: What we're seeing is, is the Iraqis just need to have the freedom to get on with the reconstruction. And we're seeing that in those cities and hopefully we'll see it soon in many others.
ARRAF: But near one of Shia Islam's holiest sites, an imam has complained that U.S. forces have arrested some of his employees and confiscated their weapons. They've never had any problems with insurgents at the Mosque, he says, but he shakes hands with the general anyway.
(CROSSTALK)
ARRAF: In other parts of town, the military is busy putting towns people to work, cleaning trash and repairing power liens.
Back at the mosque, where some of the heaviest fighting took place, Iraqis watched to see what the U.S. presence will bring this time.
Jane Arraf, CNN, Samarra.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Two 80 foot transmission towers fell over in Wisconsin leaving lots of people without power, and there are questions now about what happened.
HILL: Plus the role of religion in presidential elections, and why this year is different. We'll talk about that in our SUNDAY MORNING religion segment.
GRIFFIN: And on "HOUSECALL" today, battling the flu without sufficient flu vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci talks about what the government is going to do to help.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: It's just about 8:15 here in the east, 5:15 out west. Here's a look at some of the other headlines making news across America.
In Milwaukee the lights are back on, but two transmission towers fell knocking out power to thousands of homes and the airport yesterday. Local authorities called the incident suspicious and they call in the FBI. In Colorado police arrested a couple of hundred protesters in Denver's Columbus Day parade including children. The protesters say Columbus' discovery led to the genocide of Native Americans.
On Capitol Hill the House approved a $14.5 billion bill helping hurricane victims and farmers hurt by drought. The Senate could vote as early as today.
GRIFFIN: Rob Marciano taking a look at the weather for us.
Good morning, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
GRIFFIN: Well, politics and religion, why this year's presidential candidates aren't shy about mixing the two. That's the topic of our SUNDAY MORNING religion segment, and that is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Welcome back, 8:20 now. Faith and politics our focus of our regular SUNDAY MORNING feature on religion.
Evangelist Pat Robertson gathered thousands of Christian supporters in Israel and their prayers are being heard in Washington.
CNN's Guy Raz explains that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then we will go to the polls and we will vote for the righteousness...
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Righteousness for these American Evangelicals is whatever is good for Israel. And when they vote in November most will vote for Israel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Israel will be the number one issue. That will determine for me which president I vote for.
RAZ: Diehard Christian backers of Israel are here prying at the Western Wall for divine intervention in the presidential election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To elect a leader that the people of America by a great majority Father. No close calls Father. We don't want any close calls. We want your servant to be chosen with a mandate.
RAZ (on camera): For these Christian Evangelicals, the gathering of Jews into Israel will hasten the return of Christ. So, when it comes to this fall's election, Israel will fare at the top of their agenda.
(voice-over): These self-described Christian Zionists believe that Jewish rule of Israel, including all the West Bank and Gaza, is part of a divine plan. A plan, they say, written in scripture. PAT ROBERTSON, EVANGELICAL LEADER: I see the rise of Islam to destroy Israel to take the land from the Jews to give East Jerusalem to Yasser Arafat, I see that as Satan's plan to prevent the return of Jesus Christ in glory.
RAZ: Pat Robertson says there are at least 50 million Evangelical Christians in America. They're one of the most important constituencies in George Bush's base and they don't want to be taken for granted.
ROBERTSON: If he touches Jerusalem and really gets serious about taken East Jerusalem and making it the capitol of a Palestinian state he'll loose virtually all Evangelical support. They'll form a third party.
RAZ: They call themselves Christian soldiers for Zion, marching to the same beat. What's good for Israel, they believe, is good for America.
Guy Raz, CNN Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Neither President Bush or Senator Kerry are shy about expressing their faith. But what does that tell us about them as men and who they appeal to?
Melissa Snarr is an assistant professor of ethics in society at Vanderbilt University Divinity School and joins us from there. Good morning to you.
MELISSA SNARR, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL: Good morning to you.
GRIFFIN: Let's talk about the election and faith. Both of these men pretty religious, but it doesn't really enter into the campaigns as much as you might think.
SNARR: Undoubtedly both of these men are deep men of faith and it does enter the campaigns, but in very different ways. In part how they talk about their faith on the campaign trail really relates to a Catholic upbringing and more born again Evangelical style.
GRIFFIN: Tell us about Senator Kerry and his Catholic upbringing. It became a problem that he wasn't bringing religion into his campaign. Because a lot of Catholics didn't even realize he was Catholic for a while.
SNARR: Sure. Part of what -- his upbringing was alter boy, Really always still carries a Bible and a rosary with him. He talked even at the Convention again on Friday night about the importance of his faith from Vietnam to today and Sunday to Sunday.
But he talks about faith in a way that's kind of Vatican II style where religious liberty is of utmost importance and attention to the poor and the neediest in the nation are also most important. So it's kind of how he looks at the world. Not necessarily talking in the same way that Bush does about his faith.
GRIFFIN: And if Senator Kerry is criticized for not introducing faith so much into his campaign, President Bush has been criticized the other way. He brings up a lot of citations in his speeches. Has he also had to walk a fine line between how much to interject in his campaign?
SNARR: He sure has. He has a real conversionist style of conversation about his faith, a real testimonial focus. But there's also a real wide range of Evangelicals. Actually 24, 27 percent of them are registered Democrats, 17 percent of them are independent. And it sets not only within that Evangelical base, but then also a real concern among Catholics, Jews and unaffiliated that you not talk too much about faith and to much in that kind of sectarian nature.
GRIFFIN: Well, Professor Snarr we enjoyed your comments this morning on our religion segment, and thanks for joining us from Vanderbilt. Thank you.
SNARR: Thank you.
HILL: We're going to take a look now at our e-mail question. We're asking you, what question would you ask at the next debate? And we've been getting some in this morning. This first one actually coming in from Charles is pretty appropriate to our religion segment this Sunday morning.
He says "how is Muslim indoctrination of youth different from Jewish, from Christian or from any other religion? As a follow up he would ask, in what place do you see religion in the world in say 100 or 500 years and where is civilization going? Some deep questions there from Charles.
GRIFFIN: And Patricia has a question for the moderator as well I guess. Please tell me why the press and everyone else in politics never mentions the costs of living. Has any of these people been to the grocery story lately? This is a big issue tot hose of us who have to eat.
We enjoy reading your e-mails and we're still gathering this morning on SUNDAY, wam@cnn.com. What question would you ask the presidential contenders? E-mail us right now we'll read them later in the morning.
HILL: Two big stories for you on "HOUSE CALL" today, finding the right alternative to Vioxx and finding a flu vaccine for you and your family. Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIH discusses the vaccine shortage just ahead after the headlines.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 10, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: And at 8 a.m. the next hour of CNN SUNDAY begins right now.
ERICA HILL, CNN ANCHOR: Coming to you live from the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is October 10, 8 a.m. here in Atlanta, 6 a.m. in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Good morning to everyone. I'm Erica Hill.
GRIFFIN: And I'm Drew Griffin. Thanks for being with us this morning.
Let's get right to the news, shall we? Two suicide car bombs explode in separate sections of Baghdad this morning. At least 17 die in one attack. One of the car bombs apparently exploded prematurely before reaching its intended target, which was an Iraqi police academy.
Israel's bloody offensive in Gaza stretches to 11 days. Overnight Israeli aircraft launched strikes on a refugee camp in northern Gaza. Palestinian sources report at least seven people wounded in the attacks.
In Egypt the death toll from Thursday's terrorists bombings in Taba rises to 34. Attackers struck the Hilton there and nearby camping areas. Nine of the dead are Egyptians, five Israelis and 20 remaining unidentified.
HILL: Here's what coming up, 23 three days until the presidential election. Do you know where your candidates are? Well of course they're cramming and campaigning before their last debate duel. We'll bring you a live report from both camps.
In Iraq, the calm after the storm. Now that the smoke has cleared from the fierce fighting in Samarra, U.S. troops try to repair the damage and restore good will. We'll tell you how they're doing it.
Politics, prayer and the presidential election. What used to be a lighting rod issue for politicians is now openly discussed. We'll examine the issue of religion in politics.
GRIFFIN: We'll begin this hour inside the classroom of politics 101. You might say final exams are coming and the president and his opponent are each trying to ace the exams, like two ambitious students studying their ABCs on the economy days before their final debate. We have reporters traveling with both President George Bush and Senator John Kerry and we begin with White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, who is down on the ranch with the President in Crawford, Texas.
Good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. President Bush is at his Crawford ranch. That is where his aides say that he is preparing informally for the next debate.
This very much after the president is emboldened by his performance on Friday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES: He can run, but he cannot hide.
(APPLAUSE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): A new campaign line with a distinctly familiar ring. Once a warning often directed at Osama bin Laden and the terrorists, now at his opponent, Senator John Kerry.
BUSH: Several of the statements last night simply don't pass the credibility test. With a straight face he said, I have only had one position on Iraq.
(LAUGHTER)
BUSH: I could barely contain myself.
(LAUGHTER)
BUSH: He must think we've been on another planet. And he tries to tell us he has had only one position. He can run, but he cannot hide.
(CHEERS)
MALVEAUX: Hide from his 20 year voting record in the Senate that is. Heading into the final weeks of the campaign the president's strategy is to use Kerry's record to portray him as someone who will say one thing, but do another.
BUSH: And then Senator Kerry was asked to look into the camera and promise he would not raise taxes for anyone who earns less than $200,000 a year. The problem is to keep that promise he would have to break almost all of his other ones.
MALVEAUX: That message delivered in three battleground states in one day. At the same time the president is playing up his own economic policies in preparation for Wednesday's final debate, which will focus on domestic issues like employment. BUSH: To create jobs in America we must be wise about how we spend your money and keep your taxes low. We're not going to let the senator tax you. We're going to whip him in November.
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: I spoke with adviser Karl Rove, who said the strategy continues to use Kerry's record against him to show that he is what they call, a tax and spend liberal. As for Kerry, he says he says he characterizes him as someone who has amnesia, not from a medical flaw, but what he says is a character flaw.
GRIFFIN: Suzanne, we're heading into a very rough week, I anticipate. Thanks for that report from Crawford, Texas.
HILL: Well, for his part, Senator Kerry will be stopping in Florida today before heading off to New Mexico to study up for Wednesday's debate. Frank Buckley is in Miami this morning.
Good morning.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Erica. Senator Kerry here in Florida, the state that decided the 2000 election by a mere 537 votes. It's a state that both campaigns believe they have a chance of winning this time around.
Senator Kerry here this morning in Miami to attend church services. Last night he was here in the Miami area attending a town hall meeting. The topic there, health care issues.
Senator Kerry's focus on health care and other domestic issues expected to continue through to election day. A Kerry adviser saying though that it will sound like stereo because Kerry will also continue to be strongly critical of President Bush on the war in Iraq.
Last night though it was health care. Here's what Senator Kerry had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me tell you something. My plan for health care for America not only will cover every child in America, day one. You go to school you're enrolled in health care. You go to day care you're enrolled in health care.
(APPLAUSE)
KERRY: You go to child care, you're enrolled in health care. Every child in America is going to have health care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Senator Kerry's plan calls for a number of things. Among them, cutting health care premiums by $1,000 per year, lowering the costs of prescription drug medications. In part, my allowing the reimportation of drugs from Canada and allowing Americans to enroll in the same health care plan that's offered to members of Congress.
Meanwhile, the Kerry campaign is pleased with Senator Kerry's results in the debate that took place in St. Louis on Friday night. They believe that post debate surveys indicate that Senator Kerry helped himself in a number of areas including likability and the confidence of voters in his ability to lead.
Later today, as you said, Senator Kerry travels to New Mexico where he's going to be doing his debate prep for Wednesday's third and last presidential debate.
Erica.
HILL: Keeping him busy. Keeping you busy too, Frank. Have a good day. Frank Buckley joining us from Florida.
With just 23 days left until you decide who will be president, the candidates are also storming the airways. Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards appears on CNN's "LATE EDITION" with Wolf Blitzer today coming next at 12 p.m. eastern.
The candidates meet for their third and final debate on Wednesday in Arizona, as we said. On the agenda here, domestic issues. So our e-mail question for you today is, if you had a chance what question would you ask of the candidates?
You can e-mail us at wam@cnn.com. We'll be reading your replies throughout the morning right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
GRIFFIN: Overseas in Afghanistan the vote is over, but should it stand. An election monitor says yes, others say no. Here's what did happen. Millions of Afghans went to the poll Saturday in the first direct Democratic election there. Opposition candidates want to scrap the vote claiming fraud, but the head of an international monitoring group says the people have made their choice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMB. ROBERT BARRY, ELECTION MONITOR: Our teams were deeply impressed by the fact that millions of Afghan men and women turned out yesterday in Iran and Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan, waited patiently in line often in snow, rain and dust, in the face of threats to their lives and cast their votes with enthusiasm.
We do not yet know what their choices are, but we know these choices should be respected.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: We will have more on this controversial and historic election in our next hour. Hekmat Karzai is the first secretary to the Afghan Embassy in the U.S., the cousin of the president. He'll joining us around 9:30 eastern time. HILL: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has left Iraq after visiting U.S. Marines in the western part of the country. Rumsfeld said the violence in Iraq could get worse before the January election. But he also says, Iraqi security forces might be strong enough by then to allow some U.S. troops to leave the country.
At the same time the U.S. military says a Marine was killed on Saturday. It happened in the region Rumsfeld visited. One thousand seventy eight military personnel has now died in Iraq.
Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces have ousted insurgents in Samarra, but not without some fierce fighting and some heavy damage. Now U.S. troops are trying to repair broken buildings and repair broken spirits.
Here's CNN's Jane Arraf.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After the fighting in Samarra, a more complicated battle begins. To get across their message that the U.S. wants to help rebuild Samarra, these troops from the First Infantry Division are handing out radios...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the frequency right there.
ARRAF: ...tuned to a coalition channel that's a mix of music and public service announced. One of them tells Iraqis where they can go to file claims with the military for losses and damage.
A week ago U.S. troops were being shot at from these alleys. Now they're venturing down the same narrow streets taking compensation to the people.
Captain George Rodriguez from the Second Battalion 108th Infantry inspects a barber shop that's been hit by gun fire.
CAPTAIN GEORGE RODRIGUEZ, 108TH INFANTRY: I'll give you $750.
ARRAF: His offer of $750 though is rejected. The air conditioner alone cost $500 the owner tells him. They settle on $850 in U.S. cash.
This woman got $60 for a broken window. It was worth more, she says, but she was too embarrassed to haggle. Her son was killed by insurgents last year, she says, and although she's still afraid she says she's less so with U.S. forces in town.
(on camera): A week after the battle a lot of these shops are still littered with broken glass. It's one of the Army's main priorities now, repairing some of the damage and trying to restore some good will.
(voice-over): It's not an easy task in this historic city. Don't think it's a happy picture. Everyone is bitter. They need time to forget this tragedy, Sheik Abid-Hussein (ph) tells us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You and your soldiers are the futures of Iraq.
ARRAF: The top U.S. military official in Iraq, General George Casey, landed in Samarra to congratulate troops on what could be a model for over coming the insurgency.
GENERAL GEORGE CASEY, U.S. ARMY: What we're seeing is, is the Iraqis just need to have the freedom to get on with the reconstruction. And we're seeing that in those cities and hopefully we'll see it soon in many others.
ARRAF: But near one of Shia Islam's holiest sites, an imam has complained that U.S. forces have arrested some of his employees and confiscated their weapons. They've never had any problems with insurgents at the Mosque, he says, but he shakes hands with the general anyway.
(CROSSTALK)
ARRAF: In other parts of town, the military is busy putting towns people to work, cleaning trash and repairing power liens.
Back at the mosque, where some of the heaviest fighting took place, Iraqis watched to see what the U.S. presence will bring this time.
Jane Arraf, CNN, Samarra.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Two 80 foot transmission towers fell over in Wisconsin leaving lots of people without power, and there are questions now about what happened.
HILL: Plus the role of religion in presidential elections, and why this year is different. We'll talk about that in our SUNDAY MORNING religion segment.
GRIFFIN: And on "HOUSECALL" today, battling the flu without sufficient flu vaccine. Dr. Anthony Fauci talks about what the government is going to do to help.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HILL: It's just about 8:15 here in the east, 5:15 out west. Here's a look at some of the other headlines making news across America.
In Milwaukee the lights are back on, but two transmission towers fell knocking out power to thousands of homes and the airport yesterday. Local authorities called the incident suspicious and they call in the FBI. In Colorado police arrested a couple of hundred protesters in Denver's Columbus Day parade including children. The protesters say Columbus' discovery led to the genocide of Native Americans.
On Capitol Hill the House approved a $14.5 billion bill helping hurricane victims and farmers hurt by drought. The Senate could vote as early as today.
GRIFFIN: Rob Marciano taking a look at the weather for us.
Good morning, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
GRIFFIN: Well, politics and religion, why this year's presidential candidates aren't shy about mixing the two. That's the topic of our SUNDAY MORNING religion segment, and that is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Welcome back, 8:20 now. Faith and politics our focus of our regular SUNDAY MORNING feature on religion.
Evangelist Pat Robertson gathered thousands of Christian supporters in Israel and their prayers are being heard in Washington.
CNN's Guy Raz explains that story.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then we will go to the polls and we will vote for the righteousness...
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Righteousness for these American Evangelicals is whatever is good for Israel. And when they vote in November most will vote for Israel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Israel will be the number one issue. That will determine for me which president I vote for.
RAZ: Diehard Christian backers of Israel are here prying at the Western Wall for divine intervention in the presidential election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To elect a leader that the people of America by a great majority Father. No close calls Father. We don't want any close calls. We want your servant to be chosen with a mandate.
RAZ (on camera): For these Christian Evangelicals, the gathering of Jews into Israel will hasten the return of Christ. So, when it comes to this fall's election, Israel will fare at the top of their agenda.
(voice-over): These self-described Christian Zionists believe that Jewish rule of Israel, including all the West Bank and Gaza, is part of a divine plan. A plan, they say, written in scripture. PAT ROBERTSON, EVANGELICAL LEADER: I see the rise of Islam to destroy Israel to take the land from the Jews to give East Jerusalem to Yasser Arafat, I see that as Satan's plan to prevent the return of Jesus Christ in glory.
RAZ: Pat Robertson says there are at least 50 million Evangelical Christians in America. They're one of the most important constituencies in George Bush's base and they don't want to be taken for granted.
ROBERTSON: If he touches Jerusalem and really gets serious about taken East Jerusalem and making it the capitol of a Palestinian state he'll loose virtually all Evangelical support. They'll form a third party.
RAZ: They call themselves Christian soldiers for Zion, marching to the same beat. What's good for Israel, they believe, is good for America.
Guy Raz, CNN Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Neither President Bush or Senator Kerry are shy about expressing their faith. But what does that tell us about them as men and who they appeal to?
Melissa Snarr is an assistant professor of ethics in society at Vanderbilt University Divinity School and joins us from there. Good morning to you.
MELISSA SNARR, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY DIVINITY SCHOOL: Good morning to you.
GRIFFIN: Let's talk about the election and faith. Both of these men pretty religious, but it doesn't really enter into the campaigns as much as you might think.
SNARR: Undoubtedly both of these men are deep men of faith and it does enter the campaigns, but in very different ways. In part how they talk about their faith on the campaign trail really relates to a Catholic upbringing and more born again Evangelical style.
GRIFFIN: Tell us about Senator Kerry and his Catholic upbringing. It became a problem that he wasn't bringing religion into his campaign. Because a lot of Catholics didn't even realize he was Catholic for a while.
SNARR: Sure. Part of what -- his upbringing was alter boy, Really always still carries a Bible and a rosary with him. He talked even at the Convention again on Friday night about the importance of his faith from Vietnam to today and Sunday to Sunday.
But he talks about faith in a way that's kind of Vatican II style where religious liberty is of utmost importance and attention to the poor and the neediest in the nation are also most important. So it's kind of how he looks at the world. Not necessarily talking in the same way that Bush does about his faith.
GRIFFIN: And if Senator Kerry is criticized for not introducing faith so much into his campaign, President Bush has been criticized the other way. He brings up a lot of citations in his speeches. Has he also had to walk a fine line between how much to interject in his campaign?
SNARR: He sure has. He has a real conversionist style of conversation about his faith, a real testimonial focus. But there's also a real wide range of Evangelicals. Actually 24, 27 percent of them are registered Democrats, 17 percent of them are independent. And it sets not only within that Evangelical base, but then also a real concern among Catholics, Jews and unaffiliated that you not talk too much about faith and to much in that kind of sectarian nature.
GRIFFIN: Well, Professor Snarr we enjoyed your comments this morning on our religion segment, and thanks for joining us from Vanderbilt. Thank you.
SNARR: Thank you.
HILL: We're going to take a look now at our e-mail question. We're asking you, what question would you ask at the next debate? And we've been getting some in this morning. This first one actually coming in from Charles is pretty appropriate to our religion segment this Sunday morning.
He says "how is Muslim indoctrination of youth different from Jewish, from Christian or from any other religion? As a follow up he would ask, in what place do you see religion in the world in say 100 or 500 years and where is civilization going? Some deep questions there from Charles.
GRIFFIN: And Patricia has a question for the moderator as well I guess. Please tell me why the press and everyone else in politics never mentions the costs of living. Has any of these people been to the grocery story lately? This is a big issue tot hose of us who have to eat.
We enjoy reading your e-mails and we're still gathering this morning on SUNDAY, wam@cnn.com. What question would you ask the presidential contenders? E-mail us right now we'll read them later in the morning.
HILL: Two big stories for you on "HOUSE CALL" today, finding the right alternative to Vioxx and finding a flu vaccine for you and your family. Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIH discusses the vaccine shortage just ahead after the headlines.
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