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CNN Sunday Morning

Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson Announce Runs for Presidency; Bush Preps SOTU with Health Care Tax Cut Proposal

Aired January 21, 2007 - 09:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hillary, Obama, Sam, and now Bill Richardson? What a week it's been on the campaign trail. And we are still more than two years away from Election Day. Can you believe it? A lot of names in the ring.
It is Saturday, January 21st. Good morning. From the CNN Center right here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm T.J. Holmes. Good morning to you all. This hour, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is expected to throw his hat into the ring for the 2008 presidential election along with some others who did that this weekend. We will have much more from the campaign trail in just a moment. But first, we have a check of the other headlines this hour.

NGUYEN: "Now in the News," a two-state manhunt is under way right now. Police in Indiana and Illinois are looking for this man who allegedly abducted his ex-girlfriend and their four children. One of those kids may be in serious medical distress right now due to asthma. We have a live report that is just ahead.

Now we'll take you to Istanbul. Reports today of a confession in the killing Friday of a Turkish-Armenian journalist. The official Turkish news agency says the alleged teenage gunman told police he was angry at the reporter. Police say they arrested the boy yesterday after receiving a tip from his father.

HOLMES: Tsunami watchers in the Pacific are closely monitoring the aftermath of a 7.3 earthquake that struck a couple of hours ago off the coast of northeastern Indonesia. So far no sign of a tsunami, but experts warn one is still possible from a quake this large.

And a potentially dangerous situation developing now off the southwestern coast of England. A disabled cargo ship now leaning badly to one side. That sent about 50 containers overboard, and some may have been loaded with hazardous and explosive materials. And now several of those containers are washing up on shore.

NGUYEN: Well, tonight, the "Crocodile Hunter's" final documentary airs on the Discovery Channel called "The Ocean's Deadliest." This contains no footage from the day Steve Irwin was killed. That happened last September when Irwin was stabbed by a stingray off of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The show does air at 8:00 Eastern.

(WEATHER REPORT) HOLMES: We now want to get back to the massive manhunt in Indiana and Illinois. Four children allegedly abducted at gunpoint by their father. Their mother also taken. The suspect is 30-year-old Jerry White. Police say he had just come to Elkhart, Indiana, recently and may have been stalking the children. The latest now on this developing story, we're joined on the phone by CNN's Keith Oppenheim in St. Joseph, Michigan.

Keith, if you can, reset the scene here kind of for our viewers and remind us all how or what the situation was that led now to this manhunt and Amber Alert.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN ANCHOR: You've got it, T.J. Good morning. And police in Elkhart, Indiana, are telling me that Jerry White, a 30- year-old man, is on the run with his ex-girlfriend, Kimberly Walker, and her four children. And police said that Jerry White is the father of the children as well.

Investigators say that White is armed and dangerous and that over the weekend he came to his ex-girlfriend's home in Elkhart and he held her, the children at gunpoint for quite a while and that he shot the boyfriend of Walker's sister twice. Police are telling me that the shooting victim is still alive in critical condition.

But in the meantime, police say that Jerry White forced Kimberly Walker and the four children to go with him and that he may have gone to the Chicago area where he has relatives.

A problem, T.J., is that two cars police thought that Jerry Walker may have been driving have been recovered in Elkhart. So there has been an Amber Alert on this story, but a great problem is that investigators aren't sure what vehicle has or is being used in this kidnapping.

And another thing that you referred to before I'll mention is that the oldest of the children, 9-year-old Jalen (ph), is reported to have severe asthmatic conditions and that he needs a ventilator every couple of hours. So that is obviously going to be a very dangerous situation for the oldest son. So a tenuous situation here because there isn't a vehicle that police have as a description to help motorists that are out on the freeways to figure out which car could be on the run with the children.

HOLMES: All right. And that is the tough part there. They don't know what to tell people to look out for, just to get familiar with those faces, and if you see them, certainly get a hold of the authorities.

Keith Oppenheim for us at St. Joseph, Michigan, appreciate the update. Thank you so much.

NGUYEN: And this just in as we get on to politics, the Democratic field getting more crowded this morning. Just moments ago, media outlets began reporting New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has officially positioned himself for the 2008 race. He's forming his own presidential exploratory committee, and the first step toward a White House bid. Richardson can now start raising money and that will give him a better gauge of whether he can be a real contender in the 2008 presidential race.

HOLMES: And Richardson's name already had been bandied about a bit as a possible number two on the Democratic ticket. Well, a new number one now closer to the race. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton forming her own exploratory committee. But for Republican Senator Sam Brownback, no more committees. He's ready to start the actual campaign.

We get more now from CNN's senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If life was fair, this guy would be today's political headline.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I announce today that I'm forming a presidential exploratory committee.

CROWLEY: Hillary Clinton, one of the marquee names of the '08 race, made official what everyone assumed, she's going to run for president. "I'm in," she said, "I'm in to win."

In true new age form, she said so on her Web site. The cozy warm setting, the hand gestures, the just us folks approach designed to offset the rap that she is cool, aloof.

CLINTON: So let's talk. Let's chat. Let's start a dialogue about your ideas and mine, because the conversation in Washington has been just a little one-sided lately, don't you think?

CROWLEY: As the highest profile woman ever to run for the Oval Office, she walks an interesting line, somewhere between showing her approachable side as a politician and her tough side as a potential commander-in-chief. Saddled with her yes vote on Iraq, Clinton, fresh off a headline-grabbing trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, is now one of the most visible critics of the war's execution.

Clinton supporters hope an upcoming vote against supporting the president's increase in troops will give Clinton a do-over.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: The people will judge you on that merits.

CROWLEY: Camp Clinton says she did not move up her announcement to shove Barack Obama off center stage, where he's been since announcing his own exploratory committee. But certainly the Clinton announcement was designed for maximum bang, to grab headlines in Sunday papers and keep the Sunday talk shows talking.

Obama said he welcomes Clinton as an ally in the race, not a competitor. Like that'll last. SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: Thank you guys for being here.

CROWLEY: Meanwhile, back in Topeka...

BROWNBACK: Today, my family and I are taking the first steps on the yellow brick road to the White House.

CROWLEY: Sam Brownback is a conservative Republican who is against abortion and the use of embryos for stem cell research. He is against tax increases and for a flat tax. He supported the war, but not a troop increase.

He is no household name, but Brownback was unruffled by Saturday's Hillary-fest. There are 22 months left to make a mark.

BROWNBACK: People worry about, OK, she is much better known than you are. But in the age of 24-hour media and cable television, name identification can skyrocket rapidly.

CROWLEY: What Brownback and Clinton do have in common is a need to put together a staff and raise some money, both of which are easier to do if you have a household name. Life is not fair and neither is politics.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Topeka, Kansas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: And what do all of these new additions mean for the 2008 race? "AMERICAN MORNING" with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien looks at the countdown to the first elections test in New Hampshire. That is beginning at 6:00 Eastern tomorrow. And this note for you here, the first presidential debate will be April 4th, another -- and 5th -- on the 5th, right here on CNN, your election 2008 campaign headquarters.

NGUYEN: Well, it has been a deadly weekend for U.S. troops in Iraq. Twelve soldiers were killed in the crash of a military helicopter in the Diyala province just northeast of Baghdad yesterday. Five more U.S. troops were killed in an attack Karbala.

Meanwhile, additional U.S. troops are arriving in Iraq as part of President Bush's new strategy. The military says the brigade from the 82nd Airborne will help Iraqi forces secure Baghdad.

Now political news out of Iraq today to tell you about, Iraqi officials say radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's group is ending its boycott of parliament. Al-Sadr's bloc withdrew to protest a meeting between the Iraqi prime minister and President Bush.

Speaking of the war in Iraq, expected to be a major focus of President Bush's State of the Union speech, but the president will also focus on his domestic agenda in Tuesday's address. CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now live from the White House with a State of the Union preview.

So what do you think he'll be talking about, health care among the items?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Certainly, Betty. A little bit of everything. President Bush this weekend actually hunkered down at Camp David right now, putting the finishing touches on Tuesday night's State of the Union Address.

It does come at a politically difficult time for the president, lame duck president with Democrats in control of Congress for the first time in 12 years. His new Iraq strategy very much under the microscope right now, and more criticism expected after this weekend, as you mentioned, one of the deadliest for U.S. forces in Iraq since the war began.

White House officials say that while President Bush will talk about Iraq, he will really focus more broadly on the war on terrorism. He won't literally be repeating point for point the details of the new plan that he laid out in that speech just about two weeks ago.

Now, on the domestic side, White House spokesperson Dana Perino says President Bush will unveil, quote, "a positive, comprehensive agenda that will improve the daily lives of the American people." Now not a lot of specifics given on that, but we're told the president will discuss energy, immigration, his education policies.

No real brand new initiatives expected other than one that we have been told about by a White House official, and that is a new health care tax deduction that the president will propose of $7,500 for individuals, $15,000 for families. And that would be whether or not they buy their own health insurance or whether it's provided by their employer.

And, Betty, that basically is an incentive that the president has come up with to try to get people to purchase health care insurance. Back to you.

NGUYEN: All right. Kathleen, we thank you for that. And CNN is the place to be for complete coverage of the president's State of the Union Address. Primetime coverage begins with a two-hour special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM" followed immediately by the speech and response. Then at 10:30, Anderson Cooper is live in D.C. with immediate worldwide reaction. Plus, don't miss a special midnight edition of "LARRY KING LIVE," all from the best political team on television. Again, our primetime coverage begins Tuesday night at 7:00 Eastern.

And just very quickly, before we get to this e-mail, just wanted to make note that it is confirmed that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is running, at least going to have that exploratory committee, in the first step to run for the presidency. And there is a video on his Web site that we're going to be running very shortly so you'll hear from him. Again, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson saying that he will have an exploratory committee in place. And that's the first step in running for president.

HOLMES: All right. But -- stay tuned for that. But meanwhile, the public face of Islamic extremism in Britain. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day, you will conquer Rome!

(CROWD SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day you will conquer the White House!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And straight ahead: "The War Within." CNN's Christiane Amanpour investigates what could be a new breeding ground for terrorists.

NGUYEN: Also, a tale of two cities, why it's the best of times and worst of times for people in New Orleans.

And later...

(INAUDIBLE VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Did you hear that? CNN's Warrior One is now this man's million-dollar ride. CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: As we just told you a moment ago, media outlets now reporting, and certainly, Bill Richardson reporting to us all that he is in fact getting into the game. The crowded Democratic field getting a little more crowded. He has announced on his Web site that he will enter the 2008 presidential race. He has formed an exploratory committee which now allows him to legally try to put some money together and put his campaign together to possibly seek the White House.

He would become the first Hispanic president of the United States as well, we just saw Hillary Clinton get into the game, she could be the first woman. Barack Obama is in the game, he could be the first black president. So a lot happening on the Democratic side, but...

NGUYEN: A lot of firsts.

HOLMES: But yes, a lot of firsts there. And Governor Bill Richardson, the New Mexico governor now, here is his statement from his Web site.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Hello. This is Governor Bill Richardson. Today I'm announcing the formation of a presidential campaign exploratory committee with a clear intention of declaring my candidacy for president in the very near future.

I'm taking this step because we have to repair the damage that's been done to our country over the last six years. Our reputation in the world is diminished. Our economy has languished. And civility and common decency in government have perished.

The next president of the United States must get our troops out of Iraq without delay. Before I became governor of New Mexico, I served as congressman, ambassador to the United Nations, and as secretary of energy. I know the Middle East well, and it's clear that our presence in Iraq isn't helping anyone.

Our next president must also be able to help create jobs here at home. In New Mexico, one of the poorest states in the nation, we've created 84,000 new jobs, many of them in high-tech industries like renewable energy, aerospace, and manufacturing.

We've done that with innovative approaches like a tax credit for companies that create good-paying jobs, tax incentives for start-up high-tech businesses targeting job creation in rural areas. We've made substantial investments in public education and health care, and we've done it while balancing the budget and cutting taxes.

Fiscal discipline is a big part of sustained economic growth, the kind of growth that creates good jobs and actually reduces poverty. Our next president must be able to start reversing global warming and make real progress on energy independence. And that means making a real commitment to renewable sources of energy and conservation.

As energy secretary, I increased efficiency standards and saved billions in energy costs. As governor of New Mexico, we're requiring 10 percent of all energy come from renewable sources and we're moving to 20 percent. We've provided incentives for solar, wind, biofuel and other renewables.

Everybody talks about these issues. I've actually done it. Our next president must be able to restore our standing in the world. With my diplomatic and foreign policy experience, I am the best candidate to make America a respected international leader again. I just returned from Darfur in the Sudan, where we made progress in that troubled region of the world.

America must again become the international leader in fighting poverty and promoting democracy and human rights across the world. Our national security depends on it.

And, finally, our next president must be able to bring together a country that is divided and partisan. It's clear that Washington is broken and it's going to take a return to bipartisanship and simple respect for each other's views to get it fixed. Most public policy solutions these days are coming from governors and state government on issues like the environment, jobs, education, and health care. Governors are leading the way.

And that's because we can't be partisan or we won't get our jobs done. That's a lesson I've learned as governor, and that's what I'll do as president.

There are many more issues to talk about in the coming weeks and months. I can't do them all justice with a short statement. But let me say this, I'm not new to the challenges that face our country and our world, but I know we need new dedication to democratic principles and values. And we need a president with the experience to start the healing, both here and abroad.

Here in New Mexico we're in the middle of our legislative session, working to raise the minimum wage, expand health care, and crack down on sexual offenders and cut taxes for working families. I'm committed to seeing these efforts through.

However, the national debate about the future of our country has begun, and I believe I have a different perspective to offer. I know I'm not the favorite in this race. As an underdog and governor of a small Western state, I will not have the money that other candidates will have.

However, I believe these serious times demand serious people who have real world experience in solving the challenges we face. I humbly believe I'm the best-equipped candidate to meet these challenges.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: And there you have it, the statement from Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, releasing his statement just a short time ago, saying he's officially starting an exploratory committee to look at running for president of the United States. Touting his record there, just one of a number jumping into now a crowded Democratic field. I'm sure we'll have others jumping into it as well.

NGUYEN: Oh yes.

HOLMES: We're just getting started.

NGUYEN: Gets more crowded by the day, doesn't it.

HOLMES: Yes. It has been a good weekend.

NGUYEN: It sure has. Well, you just might consider this the ultimate glass ceiling.

HOLMES: Yes. Living in the White House as commander-in-chief, not the first lady. The Hillary race, a historical perspective ahead.

NGUYEN: Also later, a big check for a very good cause from the Iraqi desert to the driveway of this lucky fellow that you see right there in the red shirt. We'll tell you about the auction of CNN's Warrior One and what the new owner is planning to do with it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I announce today that I'm forming a presidential exploratory committee. I'm not just starting a campaign though, I'm beginning a conversation with you, with America, because we all need to be part of the discussion if we're all going to be part of the solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: So it is official. A woman is running for president of the United States. Oh, well, we could get technical and say Hillary Clinton is forming an exploratory committee, but it comes down to the same thing, a woman is running. And she is not the first, but this does feel a little bit different. We're talking this morning to Marie Wilson. She helped create the Take Your Daughter to Work movement and wrote a book about why women must help run the world. She joins us now from New York.

Good morning to you.

MARIE WILSON, THE WHITE HOUSE PROJECT: Good morning.

NGUYEN: Well, you've been predicting that Hillary Clinton will run for some time now. Why do you think she chose yesterday to announce?

WILSON: Well, I think for one thing she chose a Sunday because she got every paper in America. But I think it was time. If you look at this morning, it's a pretty good day for the country. You have a woman. You have a Latino. And you have an African-American man. So she had to get in there early and say that she was ready.

And I have to tell you, the country has never been more ready for a woman president.

NGUYEN: Well, why do you think that is? I mean, truly, is the country ready? I mean, she's got a lot of backing it seems right now, but we all haven't gone to the polls just yet. Is that pure speculation that she has got a lot of backing?

WILSON: Oh, I think she has an enormous amount of backing. But you have to remember that the polls are showing, whether you talk about the primaries or whether you talk about the support for a woman president -- which, by the way, is at 92 or 80 percent, I mean, it's all over the place, but it is no lower than 80 percent.

And whether you talk about the polls that have changed on the trust that actually this country now has for women to manage the hardest thing that's kept us out of the White House, and that is security, over half the voters now trust women at the same level as men to really make good decisions on foreign policy, homeland security and the economy. And we've had two secretaries of state that have made it normal to see women in those positions.

And it's just the right time. And she is really coming in, you know, no matter what day, it would be good for a woman.

NGUYEN: Well, do you think she's pretty much the best shot for a female ever becoming president?

WILSON: She's the best shot. They talk about the shot, but she's the best shot that I think the country has ever had. NGUYEN: Why is that?

WILSON: Well, first of all, her popularity, her experience, eight years in the White House, as well as now as a senator. Her service on the Armed Services Committee. The momentum that is building around the world for women's leadership. And, in this country, with Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the house, we now also have women at the head of the National Governors Association, the Democratic Governor's Association, the Democratic Mayors Group. This is just a really fertile climate for a woman to enter. And it's never been quite as good.

NGUYEN: Well, how do you take the focus off of her gender, the fact that she is a female running and really just put it on who is the best candidate?

WILSON: Well, you've hit the nail on the head because what the White House Project has been saying for the last eight years is, you have got have to have numbers. Because if you have one woman, it's very hard for her not to be looked at continually through the lens of gender or what she's wearing and who her husband is.

But -- and also, hard for her not to have to be tough enough. You know, the first woman always have to be man enough for the job. But Hillary Clinton, if anybody has ever had the ability to maybe skip over that kind of gender coverage, she might be the one because God knows she's had more gender attention than any woman in America, and she can raise money. And that's a big deal.

NGUYEN: Well, Condoleezza Rice had a lot of attention. Do you think we'll see a Republican female throw her name in the hat?

WILSON: Well, we have for the past couple of years. Right now she is pretty much distracted with the Middle Eastern situation, the war in Iraq. So I don't think so. I thought so a couple of years ago, but you will hear people talking about Susan Collins, the senator from Maine, as a vice presidential candidate or Kay Bailey Hutchison, senator from Texas. So you'll hear about women in the Democratic and the Republican parties. And that's good for the country.

NGUYEN: Marie Wilson, president of the White House Project, thanks for your time today.

WILSON: Thank you. It is a good day to be here.

HOLMES: And as we've been reporting, Bill Richardson now joining the Democratic logjam of potential presidential candidates, the New Mexico governor announcing on his Web site just moments ago that he's considering a presidential run in 2008. Richardson joins potential Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in launching exploratory committees this week.

Police in Indiana and Illinois looking for a man who allegedly abducted his girlfriend and their four children, one of those kids may be in serious medical distress right now. Police telling us last hour that they've now found the suspect's abandoned car. No word yet on what caused a U.S. military helicopter to crash in Diyala province of Iraq, just northeast of Baghdad. Twelve U.S. service members were killed. Five more American soldiers died in an attack in Karbala on Saturday. It was the third deadliest day for U.S. forces in Iraq since the war started.

Meanwhile, the build-up begins, more U.S. troops arriving in Iraq as part of President Bush's new strategy. Military says the brigade from the 82nd Airborne will help Iraqi forces secure Baghdad. The additional troops should be in place and fully operational around February 1.

And in Istanbul, reports today of a confession in the killing, Friday, of a prominent Turkish Armenian journalist. The official Turkish news agency said the alleged teenage gunman told police he was angry at the reporter. Police say they arrested the boy yesterday after receiving a tip from his father.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Well, a major winter storm just continues blowing east across the U.S. it's already caused lots of problems in the West. Snow blankets the ground from New Mexico through the Great Plains. This was the scene in Lubbock, Texas, with local residents taking advantage of the fresh snow for a little bit of fun. No fun, though, for motorists, however, snow and ice turned highways into treacherous thoroughfares across the country. At least eight traffic deaths were reported in three states yesterday, including four in Nebraska.

So, let's get the latest on this weather and where it's going next. CNN's Bonnie Schneider is in the Weather Center. Where is it headed to, Bonnie?

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well Betty, we see a lot of snow now, working towards the upper Midwest and yesterday we had heavy snow in Oklahoma, particularly north of I-40 and that's where our first i-Report comes from. In a town called Sweetwater, Oklahoma, where Ed Rather reported very large snowflake. Those are snowflakes that you see there, right outside his home and they seem to be about 5 to 6 inches across.

We also had reports of some wintry weather across much of Arizona and this report was taken by Bob Macon and he reports that it's very unusual to see this sort of weather in southeastern Arizona. I would agree with that, for sure.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Thank you, Bonnie.

HOLMES: Thank you, Bonnie and of course, as we know now, the Warrior, it's gone.

NGUYEN: Yes.

HOLMES: But it was gone for a good price and, of course, for a good cause. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: $1 million!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Last night, CNN's Warrior One on the auction block. Find out how high the bidding went and who shelled out some serious cash for our overhauled Hummer.

NGUYEN: Plus, Saints fans hoping for a miracle on the road while still waiting for a miracle at home. CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: THE WAR WITHIN, Muslims fighting for control of the voice of Islam in Britain. Radicals spouting hate, moderates struggling to be heard. This weekend, chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour takes an in-depth look at this in WAR WITHIN. Here's a preview of the report from our new CNN Special Investigations Unit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The battle for Islam is, in the end, a battle of ideas. And tonight, on the campus of the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, there will be a debate between the mainstream and self-appointed apostles of Islamic holy war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the (INAUDIBLE) and welcome to (INAUDIBLE) Islamic violence can never be justified.

AMANPOUR: The small group of Islamic extremists who turn up at every rally and protest in Britain have come here to Ireland to debate moderate clerics who say their religion has been hijacked by the likes of Angum Chadrey (ph) and Omar Brooks (ph).

I'm very glad the Muslims, we drink the blood of the enemy, we can face them anywhere. That is Islamist jihads. (INAUDIBLE) is that I laugh when I kill and he says to his own people, (INAUDIBLE) he said, "I come to slaughter all of you. So anybody who understand the face of Muslims, he will face the banner of jihad."

AMANPOUR: There aren't many people following the banner of Omar Brooks, yet he and his colleagues here have loudly dominated the public debate about Islam, but tonight the moderates fight back.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These people, ladies and gentlemen, have a good look at them. They actually think if you kill children, if you kill women, you would go to heaven. You have no chance in hell, and you are a lawyer, Mr. Chadrey -- can I speak? You are a lawyer, and you would know that you can't go to heaven except if you claim insanity. This is not an ideology, it's a mental illness. (APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: THE WAR WITHIN, a CNN Special Investigations Unit report. That airs tonight at 8:00 Eastern. Again, that's right here on CNN.

NGUYEN: As we mentioned, tonight at 8:00 Eastern, we have a special report, Christiane Amanpour has a special report, THE WAR WITHIN, about the Muslim extremism in the U.K. Well right now Nicole Lapin has been online finding some resources to get us up to speed with terrorism, there.

Good morning.

NICOLE LAPIN, CNN.COM DESK: Good morning, Betty. Well, think of it this way, July 7, 2005, really changed the way Britain's feel like September 11, 2001 changed the way Americans do. But there's a fundamental difference. The radicals across the pond are, for the most part, homegrown. But they keep on growing and all the stats and all the pictures are right there online at our website, CNN.com. We have a snapshot of the 13 million Muslims living in the U.K.

Now, recent polls show that one in 10 British Muslims believe terrorists of 7/7 should be considered martyrs. Not all are extremists, of course, but there's a cultural tug-of-war going on right now between Muslims who espouse violence and Muslims who reject those who do.

So that got us thinking, how many Islamist cells are there in the U.K. right now. According to MI5 there are 30 suspected British terror cells and their website, right there, still has the threat level in the U.K. at severe and it's been there since August of last year when, of course, the plot to blow up transatlantic flights was foiled.

And then we wanted to check in with Scotland Yard because this is coming at the same time Scotland Yard is dealing with the threat of Northern Ireland attacks. They've, of course, been dealing with that threat at home for some time, but only recently have they added the number for a confidential anti-terror hotline, right there on their website.

And that's in large part because MI5 and other British intelligence sources say that five years ago they identified 250 terror suspects in the U.K. Well, two years later, that figure doubled and now it's estimated that intelligence is monitoring 1,600 terror suspects a year on British soil. So those are the numbers (INAUDIBLE) perspective for you from online. Betty and T.J.

NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Nicole Lapin, we appreciate it.

And you can see Nicole on CNN PIPELINE. Plus, this Tuesday, you can see PIPELINE for free all day long from the Oscar nominations to the president's State of the Union Address. Just log on to CNN.com/pipeline to check it out.

Coming up, we want to talk about the two faces of New Orleans. CNN's Sean Callebs has a tale of two cities.

HOLMES: And then a little later, we will show this video one more time and explain what in the world is going on here with flying billboards, soccer players running for cover. Details are going to be flying your way in just a few minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Let's take you "Across America" for stories making news today. There is new information from the Kirkwood, Missouri police on the Shawn Hornbeck case. It seems the teen spoke to a police officer just 10 months after he was reported missing, apparently the officer was investigating a stolen bicycle complaint when he ran across Hornbeck. St. Louis Post Dispatch reports the boy introduced himself as Shawn Devlin, the last name of the man accused of kidnapping him.

HOLMES: And in McAllen, Texas, a Continental Airlines plane made an emergency landing after the pilot collapses in flight and dies. The co-pilot had to land the plane, landed it safely, and the airline says the 210 passengers were never in any danger. Continental said the pilot apparently died of natural causes. The plane was headed from Houston to Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

He apparently had gotten off an elevator and started running, whether he was being chased or chasing someone else or whatever, lost his balance, went into the window, and consequently went through the window.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: That is one long drop. The man the officer is talking about fell 17 floors before landing on a roof overhang. The say he has several broken bones and internal injuries, but he is still alive.

HOLMES: All right, and imagine going to your refrigerator and seeing this face looking right back at you. That's what happened to one woman in Tallahassee, Florida. Her husband shot the duck, put it in the refrigerator, but the little quacker did not give up. Pretty much played possum for two days. Now after a visit to the vet, tough little guy resting comfortably at an animal sanctuary and has been outfitted with a bullet-proof vest. He's good to go.

NGUYEN: A little cold but he's OK.

Well, for New Orleans Saints fans, it is the best of times. With Super Bowl dreams on the line today in Chicago, many in New Orleans, though, it's still the worst of times, much of the city, still a ghost-town, rebuilding efforts, going nowhere. CNN's Sean Callebs has this tale of two cities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One step from the Super Bowl, there is no question the New Orleans Saints are energizing this city -- cheering, smiling, celebrations. Images of the city flashed around the country. But lest anyone forget, this locals say, is a much more accurate picture.

CHUCK BACIGALUPI, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: There's so many people around here that are, you know, living in tents inside, you know, gutted houses because they just don't have the means.

CALLEBS: the Lower Ninth Ward, Lakeview. These are current pictures, not something from months ago.

BACIGALUPI: This neighbor over here hasn't done anything. Her refrigerator is still in there. It stinks, you know, there's rats, you know, there's more holes where there used to be houses than there are houses now.

CALLEBS: So come on, you say. It can't be that bad. We've seen Bourbon Street. After all, Brad and Angelina are moving to the city, right? Business leaders say tourism is slowly coming back, but, still...

EARL BERNHARDT, BOURBON STREET ALLIANCE: In normal times, these businesses, all of them, on the street would be doing better than they are, but times are tough, and the strong survive and the weak don't.

CALLEBS: And even though the French Quarter was spared when 80 percent of the city was flooded, there is no question it still suffers.

BERNHARDT: New Orleans is tourism. Without tourism, we're nothing.

CALLEBS: So few residents have been able to return to areas decimated after the levees gave way. They wonder where are city, state, and federal government leaders? Where is the money for rebuilding? But people here are resilient and they'll take the black and gold until the city starts seeing the green.

BACIGALUPI: Hopefully it'll come. This is helping the Saints win, and people are smiling.

Sean Callebs, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: They might just do it today.

HOLMES: Good luck to them all. Big football day, I know you're all ready to paint your face an all that stuff.

NGUYEN: Can't wait.

HOLMES: All right.

NGUYEN: Not!

HOLMES: Coming up, we giving back. We put our CNN Hummer up for auction to help raise money to help military families. The response, just overwhelming.

NGUYEN: And the amazing story of how much people are willing to give. You'll want to stay here for this one. It's good news, just a few minutes away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, this is not supposed to happen at a soccer match, but this...

NGUYEN: That is crazy. Look at that. Look at how close they're coming to the players right there. Boom!

HOLMES: This did happen at a soccer match the other day in South Africa.

NGUYEN: Yeah, as you can see some players narrowly -- I'm still looking at this video -- narrowly avoiding getting clipped when a powerful gust of wind sent signs just ripping across the field. Watch out! Wow. OK, enough of the video now, that T.J. loves so much, time to check in with Howard Kurtz in Washington to see what is ahead on CNN's RELIABLE SOURCES.

Hi there, Howard.

HOWARD KURTZ, RELIABLE SOURCES: Hi Betty.

Coming up, Hillary Clinton takes the medial world by surprise. Will journalists remain cool toward the former first lady now she's in the presidential race? Obama fever hasn't let up. What explains the swoon over Barack Obama and why are some conservative journalists pushing a questionable story about his childhood?

Plus, the Duke debacle, now that the sexual assault case is collapsing, do journalists owe the lacrosse players an apology?

That and more ahead on RELIABLE SOURCES.

NGUYEN: That's coming up at 10:00 Eastern, followed by Wolf Blitzer and LATE EDITION at 11:00 and THIS WEEK AT WAR, that is at 1:00. So, you want to stay tuned to CNN as we go in-depth with the stories of the day.

HOLMES: And as we've been telling you, we're pretty proud here at CNN this morning.

NGUYEN: Yeah, we are. For many reasons, including this: Last night we auctioned off a hummer used by CNN to cover the war in Iraq. We called it Warrior One, the new owner may want to call it whatever he wants. The auction raised, though, over a million dollars for the Fisher House to benefit military families.

HOLMES: And CNN's John Roberts shows us what happened when Warrior One hit the auction block.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: And it's up for sale. 100 percent of the proceeds to a wonderful cause. It's up for sale! We'll start the bidding.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It had to be a record sale price for a Hummer, particularly one beaten and battered in war. But CNN's Warrior One reached an astonishing price of $1 million, plus another 250,000 in a straight donation before the gavel came down.

ANNOUNCER: I'm going to close the bid and say sold at a million plus 250,000. We raised $1,250,000 for the Fisher House.

ROBERTS: The Hummer was CNN's platform during the invasion of Iraq, carrying four from Kuwait to Baghdad, coming under fire in a battle near Baghdad University. Cameraman Scott McWhinnie remembers it well.

SCOTT MCWHINNIE, CNN CAMERAMAN: I know we heard the ting-tings of bullets coming off it and we were being fired at from a boat on the Tigris River.

ROBERTS: And on the way to the stage, one more battle when the massive V8 engine flooded and caught fire. High octane and anxiety, but it turned out to be nothing serious, particularly after the action it saw in Iraq. War and auctions, it seems, are hell.

It was the crew who called the Hummer home during the invasion who came up with the idea to rebuild it from the ground up on the "Overhauling" television show and donate the proceeds to charity. The beneficiary? Fisher House, which has built 38 homes on military bases and near V.A. hospitals to accommodate the families of servicemen and women needed medical care.

KEN FISHER, PRESIDENT, FISHER HOUSE: The need is growing every day, and with our programs as such, we're going to be building 21 houses in the next four years. So something like this is just going to be very, very important to the program and to the ongoing commitment that we've made to these families.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's so unique because it's one of a kind.

ROBERTS: For Dave Liniger who started RE/MAX Realty and heads up his own organization serving veterans, the whole concept was irresistible.

DAVE LINIGER, HUMMER AUCTION WINNER: The cause is fabulous, obviously. The vehicle is so much prettier in person than it looks on TV or looked in the catalog.

ROBERTS (on camera): How high are you willing to go?

LINIGER: Oh, I'm not going to tell you that. But we'll definitely bid on it. ROBERTS (voice-over): And bid he did. Though it looked like he was about to swoon at one point, all the way up to a cool million. Liniger says he plans to tour the Hummer across the nation, raising more money for veterans. For this old war horse, retirement is a long way off.

John Roberts, CNN, Scottsdale, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: He may want to keep a fire extinguisher on hand just in case.

HOLMES: It comes with one.

NGUYEN: It caught fire!

HOLMES: It comes with one. You pay a million bucks, your vehicle comes with a fire extinguisher.

Yeah, and it probably has a warranty of some type.

I like how John Roberts put it, he said, hey, it turned out to be no big deal. Fire? Car's on fire. No problem.

Well, stay tuned folks, because RELIABLE SOURCES, of course, up next followed by LATE EDITION and THIS WEEK AT WAR. Don't go anywhere.

NGUYEN: Yes. Fredricka Whitfield will be with you all morning long with live news updates.

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