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CNN Sunday Morning
Shiites Attacked in Baghdad; Bombs Explode in Mosul; U.S. Commander's Fresh Plan; Generation Debt; Kidnapped Baby Found
Aired March 11, 2007 - 9:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Sunday morning March 11, 9:00 a.m. eastern time. Hope you changed all the clocks or you're doing so now. I'm Melissa Long at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Both T.J. and Betty are off this morning.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And they picked the right weekend, one less hour, right.
LONG: Yeah, exactly.
LEMON: I'm Don Lemon, its 9:00 a.m. here in the east, 6:00 a.m. out west. As we said, we hope you remembered to change your clocks and there's a lot going on this morning, so why don't we get right to it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the person that has this baby is listening, I would just implore them please take him to some place safe and drop him off, if need be. And that's our main concern right now is the safety of this child.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: Just four days old, the baby girl was stolen from the maternity ward yesterday, and precious time is ticking away as police are hunting for the alleged abductor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm 101 years old. How are you going to run after a mugger?
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: This next story is terrible. It's an elderly attack. This video will make your blood boil. Take a look at this, police say the mugger's next victim, look at him, attacking an old woman. His next victim was 85 years old.
LONG: High alert, major security preparations as President Bush is traveling to a city with a violent reputation.
LEMON: And these protesters aren't the only cause for concern there, you're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING. LONG: There are leads but no baby yet. We are following this story out of Lubbock, Texas this morning, where everybody is talking about that newborn baby, abducted about 31 hours ago from a nursery in Lubbock. A desperate search is underway, CNN's Keith Oppenheim joins us now this morning living from Lubbock with the latest in the efforts to find this little girl and the woman suspected of taking her. Good morning, Keith.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Melissa. And police tell us they are trying to follow credible leads in this case and still trying to pinpoint the location of this newborn. The baby's name is Mychael Darthard. She is just four days old and just five pounds. Vulnerable, she's jaundiced and she needs to get special medical attention. It was at 1:20 a.m. on Saturday morning, yesterday morning that authorities alerted that Mychael had been abducted. You're looking at pictures of the suspect in a surveillance video from the Lakeside Medical Center here. Police described the suspect as an African-American woman about 5'3" to'5"'5" inches tall, she's posing as a hospital employee and police are saying that she possibly left in a red pickup truck. Earlier, we spoke to Gwen Stafford, who is the senior vice president from the medical center about whether security here has now changed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GWEN STAFFORD, SENIOR VP.,. COVENANT MEDICAL CENTER: It's heightened, let me tell you that. We do have security officers here. There is an awareness among staff, physicians, everyone, to certainly be alert. The system is still working and we had a crisis management team put together immediately to work on how we can improve things.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
OPPENHEIM: I also asked Gwen Stafford, Melissa, how this could have happened. And she said the key to it was this suspect posed as an employee that she was a good imposter. She would not tell me whether or not the suspect had inside knowledge of the security here at Lakeside Medical Center, but obviously the fact that she was able to pull it off was key to be able to walk out of this building with a baby. Back to you.
LONG: Really brazen abduction. I read something about police possibly saying there was another person inside that red pickup truck?
OPPENHEIM: We have seen that on a flyer that there was also an African-American male seen associated with that pickup truck, but I haven't gotten more information than that. So it's possible that she may have had some help in getting away from here, but we haven't confirmed that yet.
LONG: All right, again, the search continues this morning for that newborn, just four days old. Keith Oppenheim live from Lubbock, Texas. Keith thank you.
LEMON: If you are just joining us this morning, brace yourself. You're about to see a brutal, brutal crime against really this time a helpless victim. Sandra Bookman of affiliate WABC has all the shocking details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm 101 years old, how are you going to run after a mugger?
SANDRA BOOKMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rose Morat's face is bat erred and bruised after a violent struggle with a mugger in the lobby of her Queen's apartment building. The assault caught on videotape in disturbing detail. You can see rose on her way to church with the help of a walker. The young man, she thought was opening the door turns on her, punching her repeatedly before taking her purse and rummaging through her pockets. Bleeding profusely, this century old woman musters the strength to try to get her purse back and that's when this thief knocks her and her walker to the ground.
ROSE MORAT, 101-YEAR-OLD MUGGING VICTIM: I got a little angry, you know, and I said, oh, that so and so, I hope you get caught.
BOOKMAN: As Rose's neighbors rushed to her aid, police say her attacker jumped on his pink bike and pedaled over to the common life tower and 170th Street and found his second victim. 85-year-old Solange Elizee who suffers from Parkinson's and also uses a walker. This same suspect rode the elevator up with her, got off one floor below and ran up to Solange's door before she could get inside.
ELIZEE: He began to beat me, beat me in my face, a lot, and a lot of blood coming out of my mouth.
BOOKMAN: Solange's chin and arm were injured in the attack, but perhaps most upsetting, the suspect stole this widow's wedding ring that she has worn for 60 years. The suspect is being described as a male in his 30s.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: New York's police commissioner says, "We are pulling out all the stops to find him. He's assaulted two defenseless elderly women. We want to stop him before he strikes again." Now anyone with any information about the attacks should call, here's the number, please write this down, 1-800-577-TIPS. Again, 1-800-577-TIPS. New York City Police say they've received more than 1,000 tips so far.
LONG: Shiite pilgrims under attack again in Iraq, dozens are dead. There is new video to share with you this morning coming into us here at CNN. Police say a car bomb blast killed 31 Shiite pilgrims and wounded 25 others. The car bomb targeted pilgrims returning from a religious celebration in Karbala.
An Iraqi militant group threatens to kill a kidnapped German woman and her son. The group made that threat in an internet video that purportedly shows the pair. The group says it will kill them in 10 days unless Germany withdraws its 3,000 troops from Afghanistan. CNN could not independently confirm the authenticity of this video.
LEMON: All right, let's talk about Iraq now. We've heard rumblings, now it's official, President Bush has signed off on a military request to send 4,400 more troops to Iraq, this is in addition to the 21,500 troops he announced in January would be going to Iraq. The president is asking congress for $3.2 billion more to pay for the deployment. The military says the bulk of them will handle detainee operations. Iraqi and American diplomats both agree this weekend's conference on Iraq's future was constructive and worthwhile. The U.S. attended the Baghdad gathering along with Syria, Iran, nations with anti-American sentiments. Also attending, members of the permanent UN Security Council. Now they discussed ways to stabilize Iraq, but no big solutions, but the participant have agreed to meet again.
And a first hand look at the crisis in Iraq. Representative Duncan Hunter is part of a congressional delegation visiting Iraq and he joins us now from Baghdad. How are you doing, sir?
REP. DUNCAN HUNTER, (R) CALIFORNIA: Hey, doing good and we've had a good tour here. We just got back from the very dangerous western cities of Fallujah and Ramadi. The marines are making great strides out there, they've been pushing al Qaeda back, they've been losing -- al Qaeda has been losing ground, because we now have the locals helping the marines and we have seen basically good reports from General David Petraeus and his team of military leaders in the western AO.
LEMON: I want to ask you about -- this is your fifth trip as part of a coalition there since you became chair of the armed services committee in 2003, right. You're not the chair anymore, but you are the ranking Republican -- tell me about, again, just remind viewers about this delegation and why you're there, real quickly.
HUNTER: Well we're here to look at the progress that's been made with the new soldiers coming in, the reinforcements in Baghdad and in the western area where the marines for the first time are really getting the local Sunni population to stand with them against al Qaeda. Al Qaeda has -- the rough edges of al Qaeda have brought up a lot of Sunni resistance with a lot of the people in Ramadi and Fallujah coming over on the side of the United States marines. That's a new development, a hopeful development and we went out to Ramadi and Fallujah, I've been with Congressman Dan Born of Oklahoma and Randy Nogabauer(ph) of Texas, Ken Calvert, California.. It's been a good trip and the marines are making progress in the western area.
LEMON: As you talk about this progress, though, at least 31 people died in central Baghdad when a suicide car bomber attacked a truck carrying Shiite pilgrims there. So you're talking about this, but then yet we have 31 people who have died from a suicide car bomber.
HUNTER: Well that's true. You're going to have sectarian violence and you're going to have bombs going off in Iraq for the next 40 years. Just as you will never stop bombs from going off in Israel. Because of the neighborhood that you're in. But for the first time, we have seen the people of the western areas, in Fallujah and Ramadi, turning in favor of the United States' marines, and against al Qaeda. Because al Qaeda has murdered a number of the people in the western area and for the first time, you have the local police joining with the army, the Iraqi army and the American marines, that's good news.
LEMON: And Representative Hunter, we thank you so much for joining us. Unfortunately we have to cut this short because we have some breaking news. Thank you, so much sir. We want to remind our viewers this will be a big part of "THIS WEEK AT WAR" and "LATE EDITION" which begins at 11:00 eastern, right here on CNN.
LONG: And that breaking news, Don, ties in to the baby we've been talking about, missing, just four days old. Keith Oppenheim joined just moments ago with the latest on the investigation and Keith I understand you're on the line?
OPPENHEIM: Yes.
LONG: Not yet on the line, ok, we're trying to establish a connection. .
LEMON: I think he's there.
LONG: Ok, Keith Oppenheim?
OPPENHEIM: Yeah, pardon me for not hearing you there. I was kind of walking through the hospital grounds here.
LONG: Some great news though. I'm trying to find Gwen Stafford who is the senior vice president of the Lakeside Medical Center. She just left a phone message on my cell phone indicating that the baby has been located. I'm trying to get that confirmed from her to speak to her individually. So you'll have to pardon me if I get a little out of breath while I'm talking to you, because I'm actually going through the hospital with a security officer to find her.
LEMON: Hey, Keith? Why don't you go find her, stay on the phone though, stay on the phone and then we'll talk about -- we'll talk about this, but she left a message on his cell phone. So Keith, stay on the phone, try to find her and well talk about this story. Go ahead.
LONG: Right, well apparently the baby now four days old, has been found in New Mexico. That's the latest information we have this morning. Again the baby was abducted from Lubbock, Texas yesterday morning about 1:20 a.m. in the morning local time, three days old at the time. Now obviously four days old. A newborn suffering from jaundice and in critical need of medical care.
LEMON: Yeah and I'm not sure, someone will have to tell me in my ear. I'm not sure the exact distance from New Mexico to Lubbock, Texas, just how many miles they happened to travel. It's right there on the border, so apparently they didn't get that far. Let's pull up the video of inside the hospital. This is the person they believe is responsible for that. This African American woman they say and inside that bag, which is just below our banner there, this tan bag, they believe that's where the baby -- she hid the baby inside of this. This jaundiced baby, this baby only three days old at the time when it was taken, four days old now. But again, the good news in all of this, reported from our Keith Oppenheim who's on the scene at the hospital in Lubbock, Texas, is that this baby has been found in New Mexico. We're not sure about the condition if anything.
LONG: Yeah I want to clarify as well this information coming from Gwen Stafford, the vice president there at that hospital. Now coming from police this morning, but again that's a message left on the voicemail. Keith Oppenheim has been following this story for more than 24 hours now.
LEMON: And Keith is still on the phone, he's trying to find her. So whenever Keith gets some new information feel free please Keith, to jump in because of course we want your information there. But again, there is that baby and you know just talking to the person at the hospital this morning during his interview, Gwen Stafford said, you know what, I am optimistic that we are going to find this baby and reunite this baby with its mother and its family and you know what, she was spot on, because again, apparently this baby has been found. The whole country has been pulling for this baby. Everyone, at least that I've come in contact with has been saying what happened to that baby? What's going on? Have they found that baby yet? So we know there's some interest. So we hear Keith, Keith do you have some new information for us.
OPPENHEIM: No only that I'm hearing that Gwen Stafford is coming down to the part of the hospital where I am. It's a little bit of a scramble to find it. She also indicated to me on the cell phone message I'll add that we are expecting a news conference or at least a statement soon from the Lubbock Police, so that's where we are right now. Details to come shortly I hope.
LONG: Ok, Keith, I understand are you're juggling a lot there. I wanted to tell you also kind of the distance if you've been tracking this baby and possibly its travels, Lubbock, Texas, to the site in New Mexico where the baby was apparently found about 100 miles, is that right? I didn't get the name of the town. Ok doing a little bit of Mapquest here for you, about a 100-mile distance there from Lubbock, Texas, from that hospital where this baby was removed yesterday morning about 1:20, 1:30 in the a.m., local time. If you are just turning on the television this morning, just learning about this baby, we want to give you a little bit more of the background. Again, it was a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, and yesterday morning, security cameras caught a woman who just didn't belong there. Here is the security cameras.
LEMON: She's walking right out.
LONG: Dressed in hospital scrubs, as you see the blue on the bottom. Hospital style top with flowers on it. And this woman actually had interaction, according to Gwen Stafford with the mother in the mother's room as she was being cared for at that hospital. Apparently went in the room, left the room a couple of times, and eventually said, you know the baby has to go back to the nursery. Of course the baby didn't go to the nursery, the baby was abducted from that hospital.
LEMON: Hey, is Keith still there?
OPPENHEIM: Yes, I'm still here with you. LEMON: You're still on the phone, ok, Keith, real quickly because we have to take a short break. We're going to follow this but I want to know what's the scuttlebutt around the hospital now. What's -- describe the scene for us real quick?
OPPENHEIM: Well it's raining outside, and so I scrambled in to get in out of the rain as we were breaking down equipment and then I got the phone call and really, there aren't that many people around here, because it's still early on a Sunday morning and things are getting going, but I think the atmosphere is going to change quickly. It was one of sadness just moments ago and now I think it could turn to one of elation if all of this information proves to be correct.
LEMON: All right Keith, don't go anywhere, like I said, we're going to take a quick break. See if you can find that hospital worker, Gwen Stafford, who can give us some more information. So thank you so much for that.
LONG: Can't wait to hear from the mom, the family, after all of this.
LEMON: Yeah. We want to continue to follow this story. So we're going to take a quick break as I said and be right back with this developing story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LONG: And that breaking news, wonderful news this morning. The abducted newborn has been found. Missing more than 30 hours, but again found this morning, that's according to the Lubbock Police and the officers there at that hospital where she was abducted early yesterday morning. I want to read you some information now from the police department in Lubbock, Texas. Apparently the little girl was found in a Clovis, New Mexico hospital. And also the suspect was found at another location. In terms of geography, if you're trying to figure out where that is, Clovis is 100 miles from Lubbock, Texas. The suspect is now being questioned by authorities. Now of course people were concerned about the baby, not only because, of course, she was missing from her family, but because also she -- her health has been compromised. She is suffering from jaundice, needs medical care and again she was found in the hospital there. Clearly the person who made off with the child was listening to authorities, perhaps heard the news reports that the baby needed medical care. And we can report that the little girl is in good condition and arrangements are now being made to reunite her with her family in Lubbock.
LEMON: Yeah and we're hoping to hear from someone at the hospital very shortly but also important Lubbock Police Department plans to hold a press conference, 11:00 a.m. central, noon eastern. We'll have that for you right here on CNN.
Let's move on to other news as we continue to follow this developing story. If something happens, trust us, we'll bring it to you.
A massive security clamp down right now in Bogota, Colombia. President Bush arrives there later today. Protesters have already been out in force and there are other security concerns. Here's CNN's Karl Penhaul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Swooping over Bogota. Capital of the country with one of the most violent reputations in Latin America. The city police chief General Daniel Castiblanco is on high alert for potential attacks by ruthless cocaine cartels or powerful communist rebels.
GEN. DANIEL CASTIBLANCO, BOGOTA POLICE CHIEF: We're gathering a lot of electronic and human intelligence and carrying out operations as necessary. Right now, there is no problem for President Bush's visit, he says.
PENHAUL: Castiblanco believes neither the drug mobs nor the guerillas are as dangerous as they once were. The government and security forces have hit narco trafficking in subversive groups hard. We can control them and prevent any kind of attack he explains. Twenty-two thousand cops and thousands more soldiers will lock down Bogota Sunday. Castiblanco says Colombian and U.S. Secret Service snipers will take up positions on high buildings. Police motorcycles are ready, and riders receive final orders. They'll be part of the so-called security capsule around President Bush's motorcade. Thousands more police will guard (INAUDIBLE) plaza, adjacent to the palace where Bush and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe will meet. Two and a half miles away labor unions, the main center left opposition party and radical students are planning an anti-Bush rally, like this one during the week. Students fought running battles with riot police.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a demonstration of Colombian dignity. We will not become the slaves of U.S. imperialism he says.
PENHAUL: Not all Colombians oppose Bush's trip.
ROBERTO MORAN, SALES REPRESENTATIVE: We know a lot of people don't agree with this, but we live in an age of globalization and I think it's good for us, this sales representative says.
BLANCA ESTLA MALAVER, STREET VENDOR: We should give him a big welcome. He's an important person and maybe our country will need to ask him for a loan some day, she tells me as she sells corn to feed the pigeons.
PENHAUL: General Castiblanco is scouring the skyline for any sign of trouble.
CASTIBLANCO: It's a tremendous personal and professional challenge to guarantee peace and security for the president of the United States he says. But he's confident President Bush is in safe hands.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE) LONG: And the breaking news is great news this morning. The newborn, the four day old baby abducted from a Lubbock, Texas, hospital early yesterday morning has been found.
LEMON: Has been found and joining us on the phone now, our very own Keith Oppenheim. He is on the scene. Keith what do you have for us?
OPPENHEIM: Well you're going to have to put up with a little low tech technology here because after running through the hospital to find Gwen Stafford who is the senior vice president and she's standing in the corridor of the hospital with me to tell me about how this information about the discovery of Mychael Darthard came down. Gwen as I pass the phone to you, just explain that it was about 7:30 local time this morning that you found out that the newborn was discovered?
STAFFORD: That's correct. The chief of police called me and said he good news that the baby had been located, was safe in Clovis, and I thanked him for all of that good work and we are arranging transportation for the baby and mommy to be reunited.
OPPENHEIM: Now, one of the questions that we have, and I don't know if you know the answer to it, Gwen, is whether or not the suspect, who apparently took the child, the newborn, into a hospital, whether she was doing so just to take care of the baby, whether she was turning the child in essentially? Do you have any answers to those questions?
STAFFORD: No, that's very unclear. I know that the FBI, since it's across state lines, have been involved in this. And the FBI and the Lubbock Police are working. So those details hopefully at 11:00 today will come out and the police will be able to answer those questions.
OPPENHEIM: Gwen you had told me that the family has not been speaking to the media up until this point, as they have been going through their anguish. But now that they got the news, do you have any sense of how they have reacted to this marvelous news?
STAFFORD: Clearly, I know they're happy. I have not really pushed the point where -- I think what she wants right now is to hold that baby in her arms and then we'll go from there. So we'll do it step by step. But mommy and baby getting together is what we want.
OPPENHEIM: We heard basic reports that baby Mychael is in good condition, although given that the baby has been jaundiced and is a newborn and needs special care anyway, what do you know of anything specifically about how the baby's health is?
STAFFORD: My understanding the physicians at Clovis, the physicians here at Covenant, the pediatricians are talking to one another arranging transfer. I think our sister hospital in Clovis did a wonderful job, and those doctors, so I think the good news is baby is going to be fine and they have been rendering the care that's needed.
OPPENHEIM: When might that baby be back in her family's arms?
STAFFORD: I'm hoping by noon, 1:00 today. The weather, it's raining here, so we're going to have to be getting transportation. So let's keep our fingers crossed and hopefully by 2:00 today, we'll have them back together.
OPPENHEIM: Ok, I'm going to now let it go back to both of you, but fascinating information about how this is coming down. I just will add that I have covered stories like this before, and when there is saturated media coverage on a story like this, it obviously becomes difficult for someone to negotiate with a child out in the world and that may be behind what happened here, that those were some of the questions that we still have, as to how authorities became aware that the baby was brought to Clovis, New Mexico, was Mychael Darthard. Back to you.
LEMON: Hey Keith, do you still have Gwen there, is she standing next to you?
OPPENHEIM: Yes, she is, she's with me.
LEMON: Can you ask her, her feelings now? I know the last couple of days for her have just been traumatic, ask her what's going through her head right now?
OPPENHEIM: You bet. Gwen, the question for you from Don Lemon is how are you doing? You have been really struggling with this for the last day. Now that this has finally turned, what are your personal reactions?
STAFFORD: Personal reactions are certainly with a joyous and grateful heart to the public and the media and the law enforcement and the grace of God and maybe St. Anthony all helped in this. So I'm very happy. I think I'll be happiest when I can really physically see that mommy holding that baby again.
OPPENHEIM: I'm just going to have you clarify that religious reference, because some people don't know who St. Anthony is. What do you mean by that?
STAFFORD: Saint Anthony is the patron saint of finding lost things, and I turned to him. Certainly god is the one that's really a part of this, but St. Anthony is renowned for finding lost things so happily he got to work pretty fast.
OPPENHEIM: Ok, Don. So I don't know if it's --
LEMON: There you go.
OPPENHEIM: -- police work or divine intervention, but there you have it.
LEMON: Hey, whatever it is, you know what, we'll take it because the baby has been found. And the folks there I'm sure are relying on their faith. Keith Oppenheim, fantastic job, thank you so much for bringing us this breaking news. This good end to a breaking news story that we have been following all weekend here on CNN.
LONG: It is of course always wonderful to share the good news in a breaking news situation. We are still hoping to hear from the police in Clovis, New Mexico again, that is where the baby was located just this morning. And also ahead --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I look at the amount of money she's paid over the years and it is just mind boggling.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, the perils of plastic, coming up in three minutes. Why congress may be cracking down on credit card companies.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: It is the bottom of the hour and we start with breaking news. Developing story, this four-day-old baby, found this morning in Lubbock, Texas yesterday, found this morning in Clovis, New Mexico. Found about 7:30 Local Time there, 8:30 Eastern and that's according to police in both those places, in Lubbock and also Clovis, New Mexico.
Just a short time, we also spoke with a representative from the hospital who confirms that information to our very own Keith Oppenheim. She says that the baby has been found, but anyone, no one will get any rest until this little baby, who was jaundiced and was in need medical attention, until she is in her mother's arms again.
But again, his is breaking news we are following right here on CNN. That little baby you're seeing right there has been found. We'll continue to update this developing story. I'm Don Lemon. T.J. and Betty off today. Joining me is Melissa Long.
MELISSA LONG, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks, Don.
Now, let's focus on international stories, as well today. In Iraq, Shiite pilgrims under attack in Baghdad. Police say a car bomb blast killed at least 31 Shiite pilgrims returning from a religious celebration in Karbala.
Elsewhere in Iraq, a bomb went off inside a Sunni political party headquarters in Mosul. Three were guards were killed in that attack.
Making Iraq safe and secure is a daunting mission, but the new top U.S. commander in Iraq has a fresh plan of action. CNN's Jennifer Eccleston has embedded with the U.S. troops in Anbar Province and she has this exclusive report. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's back, but this time he's the man in charge, now as the top commander in Iraq. He's revisiting troops and studying what is an ever-evolving battlefield. General David Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Forces, has a daunting task to secure this country and it all starts here, and the rest of Anbar Province, a major fault line in the fight to secure Iraq, a major front in the fight to secure its capital.
GEN DAVID PETRAEUS, CMDR MULTI-NATIONAL FORCES, IRAQ: Anbar Province has been a terrorist route from Syria all the way into Baghdad. In fact, it's almost a dagger pointed at Baghdad.
ECCLESTON: A route not only for terrorists, but for weapons too, smuggled across the border, ending up in Ramadi, Fallujah, and Baghdad.
In the past, American and Iraqi operations cleared Hit and other cities of insurgents, often fighting street by street. When they were secure, coalition forces moved out, and insurgents moved back in. The local population suffered.
PETRAEUS: They have killed their sheikhs, their sons, their brothers and they've had enough of that.
ECCLESTON: That game of cat and mouse, according to American forces, has come to an end. Iraqi police and Army, American soldiers, and Marines, increase their presence on the streets, created firm basis, a permanent presence in and around the city.
PETRAEUS: It's nice.
ECCLESTON: A signal to residents that they are here for the long run.
PETRAEUS: That it makes Iraqis feel they have a stake in the success of this new Iraq and that's absolutely vital. And again, we will certainly try to help provide the opportunity for them to do that without worrying about whether they can get to work that day or their child will be kidnapped on the way to school or something like that.
ECCLESTON: A plan so simple that it's now become a model for all of Anbar.
PETRAEUS: But you stayed.
ECCLESTON: the same model that general Petraeus now wants to replicate nationwide, part of being the new man in charge means providing a simple connection, showing that boots onto ground matter.
PETRAEUS: It's an honor for me.
ECCLESTON: Getting out and meeting with those that are influential in the communities, like Sheikh Hikmahd, who also happens to be the mayor Hit. (on camera): Do you have a good feeling about the future?
SHEIKH HIKMAHD, HIT MAYOR: I hope, yeah. I hope. I hope.
PETRAEUS: I think the -- one of the crucial factors, as we discussed, is in fact the tribes. They have just have had it. So, you have the right circumstances, where the right commander with the right unit, with the right mind-set with good Iraqi partners can all of a sudden achieve a breakthrough.
ECCLESTON (voice-over): A public relations breakthrough today, but for the Iraqi public, they hope perhaps a long-term partnership in the making.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LONG: Jennifer Eccleston now joins us live from Iraq following that exclusive report. She has, again, been embedded with the troops in al Anbar province.
Jennifer, why is it that that area is just so crucial to securing other highly populated parts of Baghdad, especially the capital? Of Iraq -- especially the capital of Baghdad?
ECCLESTON: Yeah, Melissa, it is. And General Petraeus made that point over and over again, he made that connection over and over again that in order to secure Baghdad, they must secure Anbar. He said that much of the bomb-making material actually comes from Anbar, shuttled across the border from Syria and ending up wreaking havoc in the major population, particularly here, the capital of Baghdad. And today, we had a case in point.
A car bomb detonates near Shia pilgrims, coming home from a religious pilgrimages, 31 killed, 25 injured, 14 more killed by other bombings in the capital. So, the link is very much there.
But, on the other side to give you an idea of the danger that al Anbar also poses to U.S. forces. In February alone, some 40 American Marines, soldiers and sailors died there -- Melissa.
LONG: We've heard from Iraqi leaders, recently, worried that the sectarian violence in Iraq, could spread throughout the Middle East. How does the general feel about that?
ECCLESTON: Well, clearly he said everything in his power right now is to deal with Iraq, to make sure that certainly areas that have been problem areas throughout the country are dealt with in an effort, once again, to stabilize the most important area, this capital, home to five to six million people, the heart of the government.
Of course, the Sunni sectarian issues that are presently plaguing this company -- country, rather, the fear of that spreading over to other countries, voiced the by numerous leaders around the world and General Petraeus also keeping his eye on that, and hoping that, in his way, he can prevent that from taking place -- Melissa.
LONG: Jennifer Eccleston with her exclusive report after that interview with General David Petraeus.
Jennifer, thank you.
LEMON: We're following breaking news here on CNN. This just in, this baby found, baby missing from a Lubbock, Texas, hospital found this morning in Clovis, New Mexico. Police got a tip. We're going to find out if that's true. They found the baby at the hospital and a suspect in another location. We'll find out if that's true, now. Let's talk to the person that everyone wants to talk to now, Dan Blair, chief of police, Clovis, New Mexico.
All that true, chief?
CHIEF DAN BLAIR, CLOVIS, NEW MEXICO: No, not all of it, but...
LEMON: OK, what do you know?
BLAIR: What happened is we did receive information from the Lubbock Police Department. One of our patrol officers followed up on that information, conducted neighborhood interviews. With that information we did locate the child at a home here in Clovis. We later also located the person that abducted and kidnapped the child. The child has been taken to a local hospital for evaluation and that's the information I have right now.
LEMON: OK, so they were -- your police officers were doing some work because of what the Lubbock Police Department, information you'd gotten from them, and so you went to a neighborhood and you found this baby in a home?
BLAIR: From the information he had received and then we followed up on, it was in a local home here.
LEMON: In a local home. Was the suspect in that home with the baby?
BLAIR: No.
LEMON: No. Where did you find the suspect?
BLAIR: The suspect was pulling up at a home close to hers when the officers took her into custody.
LEMON: Pulling up at a home close to hers. I assume you mean that you found the baby in the home of the suspect, but the suspect wasn't there?
BLAIR: No.
LEMON: No? OK.
BLAIR: What our preliminary investigation has reveals that the suspect dropped the baby off at somebody's home to watch so they would watch the baby for a little while.
LEMON: OK, and so -- and then when you went to this home of the person that was watching the baby, you found the baby, that person gave you information as to where the other person lived?
BLAIR: We had that information, where the person lived. We just could not locate the suspect. We did locate her pulling up in the area of her home.
LEMON: OK, this person is a resident of Clovis?
BLAIR: I believe so, yes.
LEMON: Yeah. Can you tell us about there person? Is it the person -- does it look like the person -- I'm not sure if you've seen the video -- the surveillance video of this person, but it appears to...
BLAIR: I would say it looks very much like that person, yes.
LEMON: Yeah. Have you spoken to her? Did she tell you why she did it?
BLAIR: I have not personally. The investigators, though, are working on that as we speak.
LEMON: What about the people who was baby sitting this baby? What did they say about why she dropped it off?
BLAIR: That's still under investigation, as well.
LEMON: Anyone -- I'm sure your officers have taken a look at this child. I'm not sure if you have. What does she look like?
BLAIR: The baby looks to be in good condition. I have not looked at her, but that's the word I get from the hospital.
LEMON: Yeah. What's going on with the suspect now? Where is she in the process of being possibly booked or fingerprinted or...
BLAIR: At this point, we have detained her, she is in our custody, and we're waiting on some paperwork from Texas.
LEMON: Waiting on paperwork. So, how long before we might hear from this person? How long -- is there an appearance before a judge? Does she have to be arraigned and that kind of thing? When might we hear more about this suspect?
BLAIR: As soon as we are -- place her into our detention center, here. Then we will release the name, arraignment probably will be Monday.
LEMON: OK. This person appear to be stable to you?
BLAIR: I don't have any of that information.
LEMON: OK. But again, what you do have -- what you know is this baby is found safe. And everyone involved in this, I am sure you're investigating and trying to get to the bottom, correct?
BLAIR: Yes.
LEMON: All right, chief of police in Clovis, New Mexico, Dan Blair Dave Blair, we thank you for -- or Dan Blair, rather, we thank you for joining us.
You heard it from him, they went to the home, had information from the Lubbock Police Department and so they somehow tracked that baby to a home. The baby had been dropped off to be babysat or taken care of by someone who either knew the suspect was or a family member of the suspect and then found the suspect driving up near her home and then police got her. Right now, they are saying that this suspect is in police custody. They're talking to her and they're in the process of processing this particular suspect.
Also this baby in the hospital, all appears to be well. There will be a press conference at 11:00 a.m. Central, Noon Eastern, and also we're going to have a live report coming from the hospital, shortly. We're going to take a break, come right back. Keep following this developing story.
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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
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LONG: And the breaking news, of course, this morning, wonderful news that that baby we've been telling you about has been found. Not in Lubbock, Texas, however, just across the border, about 100 miles away, in Clovis, New Mexico.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim has been scrambling, this morning, around that medical facility in Lubbock. Now joins us live from just outside -- actually just inside, it looks like, and I know you've talking to a representative there from that center all morning.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, LUBBOCK, TEXAS: That's right. You know, when we came here this morning, Melissa, and were talking to staff and spokespeople from Covenant Medical Center, there was such a sadness and worry about the abduction of newborn Mychael Darthard, and boy have the emotions changed. And with me to talk about that, for starters, is Gwen Stafford who's senior vice president of Covenant Medical Center.
Gwen, first of all, you got the news, what, around 7:30 Local Time?
GWEN STAFFORD, COVENANT MEDICAL CENTER: At 7:30 or so, the chief of police, here, Claude Jones, said "I have good news for you, Gwen," and I said, "Do I get to do my happy dance?" And he said "yes, you do."
OPPENHEIM: I would think, from just a public relations' point of view, and from your job, this has to be one of the worst nightmares, to think of an infant being taken from your facility. A fair question is, how could something like that have happened?
STAFFORD: Again, I don't want anything to cloud the joy that we all feel about the soon-to-be reunited mother and daughter. But the impersonation of a hospital employee, we've got to work on that, and I think that all hospitalized do. I mean, I think that the way scrubs are and everything like that, that that's something we got to get better at, absolutely.
OPPENHEIM: You indicated to me earlier that this suspect seemed to have some sophistication that she knew she was doing.
STAFFORD: Right. There had to be a knowledge base there that the ordinary person wouldn't have familiarity with the unit, with the protocols, with the system. I think that time -- that will unfold, and I had leave that to law enforcement authorities and just let me know a joyous and grateful heart, to not only the law enforcement, but the public, and the media have been just so courteous and wonderful. Wouldn't have happened without all of you helping.
OPPENHEIM: Well, it will be interesting to find out exactly how this came down and what pressure was brought to bear.
STAFFORD: Right.
OPPENHEIM: But, before I get to the happy emotions in a second here, what was it like for this family, up until just, I guess, a couple of hours ago when they didn't know and they were waiting and hoping?
STAFFORD: Well, I think the fear of the unknown is what troubles all of us, so probably that wondering, waiting, the uncertainty, the anguish, the tears, the restlessness, all of those emotions, but the goodness of god, I think, and the miracle of finding this baby.
OPPENHEIM: You've told me the family has chosen not to go on camera up until this point.
STAFFORD: That's correct.
OPPENHEIM: But, could that change, do you think, as this day continues, perhaps tomorrow, whenever, that this family will say, OK, we're here and here we're reunited, in front of our cameras?
STAFFORD: I think that's certainly their call. But I know emotions from the depths of the despair to happiness sometimes change the way we feel. So, I will respect their feelings, let them be -- hold that little baby in their arms and then we'll go from there. But, maybe joy will change their minds.
OPPENHEIM: Thank you very much. Gwen Stafford, who's the senior vice president, here at Covenant Medical Center. And obviously there's still a lot we don't know about exactly how this discovery was made. But I can tell you for certain here at this hospital, they are feeling incredible joy and obviously relief. Back to you, Melissa.
LONG: Keith, I know that when we spoke, we found out the baby and the mom could be reunited, just a few hours from now. And I'm curious whether Gwen had the wonderful experience of telling the mom that, in fact, this baby had been found and what it was like if she did have that experience?
OPPENHEIM: That's a great question. Actually Gwen, if you can just step back in here, the question is whether or not, did you tell the mom about the reuniting. And if not, who did? What was that like?
STAFFORD: I think that joy belongs to the Lubbock Police Department. I think that conversation, of course, went on with the mother before any of us, which was appropriate. But I think that the detectives that have been working on the case got to do that.
OPPENHEIM: Was -- did you or anyone around you see that reaction when she got it?
STAFFORD: I was not there. I do not know who was in the room. Again, that will probably unfold over time, but I was not there.
OPPENHEIM: Boy, to have been a fly on the wall at that moment.
STAFFORD: Yeah, exactly.
OPPENHEIM: Anyway, yeah. Back to you.
LEMON: And good news all the way around, Keith. And you know, how often do we get compliments in the media? So we will take that, as well.
LONG: Also, a huge thank you to Gwen. She has been so available in the last 24 hours to us.
LEMON: She is amazing and you know what, we're going to hear from the hospital administrator, Keith, in just a little bit. A fantastic job. Great work on the part of the detectives and CNN NEWSROOM is going to be right back right after this break and we're going to continue to follow this developing story. Don't go anywhere.
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ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
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LEMON: It's getting close to the top of the hour, and in case you're just joining us, that baby we've been telling you about on CNN, all weekend, the one abducted from a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, has been found in Clovis, New Mexico, just about 100 miles away from where it was abducted. We are told the baby is doing fine. We're going to get several updates on this story, one from the hospital administrator in Clovis, New Mexico, coming up shortly and then also police in New Mexico are planning -- or in Lubbock, Texas, are planning a press conference, 11:00 their time, Noon Eastern, we'll bring it to you. LONG: And on to the other stories we promised you, this morning. Consumers have literally reached their limit with credit card companies and their policies. A young 20-something writing a book about it, her book is "Generation Debt: How our Future was Sold out for Student Loans, Credit Cards, Bad Jobs, No Benefits and Tax Cuts for Geezers and how to Fight Back."
Anya Kamenetz joins us now, live from New York. And I have to tell you, just -- may have to break away because of the breaking news, this morning, with, of course the newborn that was found.
Anya, thanks so much for your time. We appreciate it.
ANYA KAMENETZ, AUTHOR: Thanks for having me.
LONG: You painted a pretty bleak picture. I know that families have credit cards maxed out, $9,000 on credit cards, I've read. But you're specifically targeting the 18 to 35 generation. How bad is it for them?
KAMENETZ: Well, you know, dept for this 18 to 35-year-old generation on credit cards has increased 51 percent in the last decade or so, and you're talking about a generation that has got $20,000 of student loans, $2,800 worth of credit cards by the time they just graduate college and then just a few short years later, they've got about $4,000 on those credit cards.
LONG: All right, well, let's talk about just how bad they are. We've had Senate hearings this week. Senator Carl Levin has been discussing the practices, calling them predatory practices by the credit card companies. You agree?
KAMENETZ: Absolutely, it's no exaggeration to call this a crisis. When you have a company that, for one late payment, can raise your rates to 29 percent, I mean, that's nothing but victimizing people.
LONG: There's also something called a universal default, which a lot of people don't know about.
KAMENETZ: That's right, and Citi Corp's executive, at these testimonies, he vowed to stop this policy. But what it is, if you make a single late payment on any one of your accounts, the credit card companies will call up that report and they will raise your rate on every single account you own.
LONG: So, let's get some advice, now, for people signing up for credit cards or those that already have the credit cards. You're actually supposed to read the fine print. A lot of people don't do that.
KAMENETZ: That's right, absolutely. Make sure that you pay over that minimum payment, because that minimum payment is designed to trap you into payments for as long as possible. Don't assume there's a grace period, because lots of times they can take that away. And, you know, there's really no alternative to paying your bill every month on the day it's due.
LONG: All right, Anya. As I mentioned earlier, we're going to have to leave you early. Thanks so much for your time on this Sunday morning. We appreciate it.
KAMENETZ: Thanks for having me.
LEMON: And of course, everybody's wondering how that baby's doing. Let's go to Hoyt Skabelund, he is a hospital administrator at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, New Mexico.
How's this baby doing, sir?
HOYT SKABELUND, PLANES REGIONAL MED CTR: The report is that the baby is in good condition.
LEMON: In good condition.
SKABELUND: Good condition. I think it's fair to report that there's no concern about this baby's health.
LEMON: No concern. Tell us where is the baby is? Which part of the hospital and what services are this baby getting?
SKABELUND: The baby was brought to the emergency room, simply to be evaluated and it was in the early hours of the night -- or early hours of the morning, just to confirm the baby's health and then to assist in confirming the baby's identity.
LEMON: OK. And so hospital workers -- it was brought into the hospital, I imagine from police officers.
SKABELUND: I cannot confirm that. I believe that may be the case.
LEMON: OK, what else -- your hospital workers there telling you anything else about this baby -- the circumstances, how are they keeping it, it is being kept under guard, is it in ICU? What's going on?
SKABELUND: Certainly I'm sure that -- I'm certain everyone is concerned about the safety and security of the baby. I think the overall feeling is everyone's relieved and happy for the family and for the baby and it's exciting to be part of the good news side of any story.
LEMON: Yeah, yeah. Hoyt Skabelund, thank you so much for joining us with the good news about the baby. We realize it's a very busy day for everyone, here, Sunday. A lot of folks are at church, or what have you. But what a way to end, you know, -- at least end the week and start the Sunday morning with good news about this baby that everyone in the U.S., here, has been concerned with, all weekend.
We're going to continue to bring you the latest in this breaking news about the abducted Texas newborn, found safe in Clovis, New Mexico. RELIABLE SOURCES is next and then Wolf Blitzer talks with Donna Shalala and Bob Dole. How do they plan on improving healthcare for America's military veterans?
LONG: LATE EDITION begins at 11:00 Eastern, also at Noon -- Wolf's interview with Iraq's foreign minister. What progress was made at this weekend's international security conference in Baghdad?
LEMON: That's it for us. We thank you so much for joining us. Have a fantastic Sunday. All of the breaking news on that baby, don't go anywhere. Right here on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
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