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CNN Sunday Morning

Iraq's Critical Vote

Aired March 07, 2010 - 08:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everybody. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's March 7th, the first Sunday of the month. My last show here at CNN.

Good morning, everybody. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm Betty Nguyen.

RICHARD LUI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Richard Lui, in for T.J. Holmes.

That's right. This is Betty's last show here on CNN. We have a lot to talk about on this final hour with you. And we'll do that a little bit later.

NGUYEN: All right. We got a lot of news to talk about.

LUI: That's right. It is 8:00 a.m. right here in Atlanta, 4:00 p.m. in Iraq. We tell you that because that's where voting polls are going to close in an hour. We thank you for starting our day with us.

OK. To Iraq, it's a symbol of democracy. Iraqis dipping their fingers in ink to cast their after delays because of political disagreements. Iraqis head to the polls to elect a 325-member parliament.

NGUYEN: But, this historic election isn't happening without violence. Insurgents vow to disrupt the election and at least 24 people have already been killed. We have the full story -- straight ahead.

But, first, here are a few stories that you will be hearing more about today. I want you to flashback for just a second, 45 years ago, 1965, when a civil rights march turned into what we now call Bloody Sunday.

Civil rights leaders boarded a bus at the King Center in Atlanta and they are on their way to Selma for an afternoon march at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Now, one of our staffers is making that trip and we will be talking with her live at the bottom of the hour.

LUI: Eight firefighters from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, are covering this morning from a very unusual accident. They were battling this fire you see here at a sports bar in Delavan when a fire truck came in contact with power lines. Those lines were hidden by thick smoke. One of the firefighters now has serious burns. The others have nonlife-threatening injuries.

NGUYEN: A national mourning period has now started in Chile. For the next three days, every house is authorized to hang the national flag in memory of earthquake victims. Hundreds died in that massive earthquake a week ago.

LUI: To Iraq right now and that country's critical national elections. Polls close in just one hour from now. An al Qaeda-linked group had warned Iraqis, though, not to take part in these elections, and making good on those threats. More than two dozen border shells fell on the city today. At least 24 people have been killed.

Now, we take you live to Baghdad, and our Arwa Damon has been watching the lead-up, and now, the day of the election there on the ground.

Arwa, despite all that violence, what are you seeing now up to his one hour before the polls themselves close? Has it scared any of the voters off?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Richard, one really does have to admire the Iraqis for their resilience and for determination to go out and vote despite the attacks that happened earlier today. We've seen entire families showing up here at the polls.

Now, I am joined by William Morris, one of the international observers here.

Mr. Morris, thank you for joining us. In your perspective, how have things been going thus far?

WILLIAM MORRIS, NEXT CENTURY FOUNDATION: Very well. Really, it's great to see, as you've said, so many Iraqis turning out to vote despite the various attacks this morning and it's very encouraging. People are so enthusiastic.

What's amusing really is, the military (ph) voting, they were so enthusiastic. When they close the polling stations, they were climbing over the walls to get in to vote. So, it's encouraging. It's encouraging. It's all very good.

DAMON: And you've had multiple trips to Iraq. From your perspective, how is this whole process of so-called democracy going? What still needs to be worked on and what's working out well?

MORRIS: Well, it's great. I mean, this election is really good. There's much more transparency. They close up the results at the end of the day, which they haven't been doing in previous elections at every polling station, it means that there's much less opportunity for electoral fraud. I mean, back in 2005, (INAUDIBLE) the constitution, and there was massive fraud. I mean, the constitution has actually lost it regarding its past.

Now, that kind of thing cannot happen, it's really impossible to have major fraud. There might be -- last time, there were ballot stuffing and things going on, you know, that (INAUDIBLE) some intimidation, but systemic fraud is impossible, which means it's brilliant. It's a new turning point for Iraq.

DAMON: Great. Thank you very much. And as we have been saying, this vote is being called the most decisive moment in Iraq since 2003. The outcome will literally determine if Iraq stays on its secular past or if it moves towards being a more conservative religious state.

LUI: All right. Arwa Damon there live in front of a polling station, 55 minutes to go there. It looks quite like there's a lot of activity going on. She, of course, will be watching that for us.

Thanks again, Arwa.

You know, in this election that Arwa has been telling us about, it's certainly all about Iraq. But voting is also happening in the United States. Thousands upon thousands of Iraqi citizens live in the United States, and all weekend long, they've been travelling to polling places in major U.S. cities to take part in Iraq's election. The United Nations estimates as many as 750,000 Iraqis who live outside Iraq are eligible to vote.

NGUYEN: But those votes could change the plans to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq, or could it? It really depends on how it all shakes out. A major drawdown is expected in the months ahead. Half of U.S. forces there are expected to come home by September, the other half will leave Iraq next year. Yet, today's vote is expected to shape the Middle East for years to come.

Let's bring in now, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen to talk about this.

And let me start with that. You know, a lot of people were calling this is the most decisive situation in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion. Give us some perspective of how important this vote truly is.

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think it's important, but actually, I think the 2005 election was even more important because it set the situation for the ensuing civil war, because as you may recall, Sunnis entirely boycotted the 2005 election that created the Shia government that was seen as acting in a sectarian way and basically was one of the spurs to the civil war that engulfed Iraq.

So, this election, hopefully, will be very different, and there will be much larger Sunni participation. Certainly, some of the leading candidates, like Ayad Allawi, is somebody who's actually both attracting Shia and Sunni support. So, hopefully, this election will -- you know, will have different kinds of results than the 2005 election.

NGUYEN: Yes. Well, you know, it could either create, you know, this fledgling of democracy and push it forward or could it also, depending on the vote, send it back into civil war? BERGEN: I don't think that it's going to -- I mean, the Iraqis are very tired of sectarian conflict, you know, particularly, they went to almost the abyss of a very, very nasty civil war in 2006, and they pulled back since then.

But, you know, there could be other outcomes from this election other than just sort of the conventional democracy. I mean, it could -- Iraqis, you know, might be looking for some sort of strong man, more authoritarian government. They might be looking for, you know, less privatization, more state-sponsored industries. So, there are other outcomes other than just the sort of conventional American-style democracy that could come out of this.

NGUYEN: Many Americans watching want to know if this could possibly derail the U.S. troop withdrawal depending on what the results from this election.

BERGEN: I don't think that's going to happen. I mean, you know, the status of forces agreement with Iraq that were signed by both the Iraqi and the American government has certain deadlines -- most specifically, all American forces out by 2011. I suspect that in practice, there will be American forces past 2011. The Iraqi government may well say, look, we need help with continued training. We need help with aviation support, and intelligence gathering and the like.

But I don't think the election is going to derail this drawdown of American soldiers, particularly since both sides have agreed to it and both sides want it.

NGUYEN: All right. Peter Bergen, CNN national security analyst -- as always, we appreciate your insight. Thank you very much, Peter.

BERGEN: Good morning.

LUI: And, of course, Betty, we'll be watching that for the next 45 minutes, 50 minutes, as they close this.

NGUYEN: Oh, yes -- analyzing it for days to come.

LUI: Absolutely. A very good point.

We're also, of course, going to be looking at health care. That's a big issue that's, of course, is in the top headlines.

NGUYEN: No doubt. So, is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi right when she says that the Democrat's plan does a lot more to help the insured? Our Josh Levs is looking into that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

NGUYEN: What a beautiful morning across Atlanta. In fact, a lot of us on the east coast are going to have a little bit of warmth and sunshine today. So, enjoy it while you can. LUI: Yes, this is your window. Enjoy the music, too. This is going to be a great day. (INAUDIBLE) Atlanta is going to be seeing, Betty, 60s and 70s possibly?

NGUYEN: Oh, yes, break out the shorts.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm thinking 60s -- I'm thinking 60s for downtown Atlanta, but maybe 62 degrees or so. Some places are going to stay in the 50s, but the surrounding areas should warm up more. Further south into Florida, mainly some 70s. But New York and even D.C. getting into the 50s and 60s. Really, really nice conditions for you.

That's what is going to happen temperature-wise, but in terms of sky conditions, I'd say a mix of sunshine and clouds. I know it's sunny right there, but I would not be surprised to see a few clouds mix into the fray. Maybe some scattered rain showers along the coast. But for the most part, very nice for the east. For parts of the western Great Lakes, look for some rain showers.

And then out west we go, Four Corners, some snowfall anywhere from eight to 16 inches of snowfall possible in the west coast. From around Santa Barbara southward to San Diego, look for a chance of rain showers. And then north of San Francisco, up to about, I'd say, Seattle, look for a chance of rain there, maybe a little bit of light precipitation in terms of snow in parts of the -- in the upper elevations, the coastal range.

That is the latest in your forecast. We got more coming up -- straight ahead. You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING. See you in a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, President Obama is taking his renewed push for health care reform on the road this week. He is in the Philadelphia area to speak at Arcadia University tomorrow, and then back in D.C., he'll welcome the BCS national champion, Alabama Crimson Tide football team, to the White House. He also meets with El Salvador's president and later speaks at a reception for the International Women's Day.

Tuesday -- yes, that was just Monday. On Tuesday, he meets with the prime minister of Greece. That evening, he attends a reception for a Greek Independence Day.

And then on Wednesday, the president of Haiti is at the White House. And then it's off to St. Louis to once again push health care reform.

Thursday, he addressed the Export-Import Bank annual conference in Washington.

And on Friday, he meets with his council of advisers on science and technology.

I thought your week was busy. LUI: Not much going on for the president.

NGUYEN: No, not all. Kind of a little relaxing week ahead.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: Well, the health care debate is still raging on Capitol Hill. And along with it are a lot of claims that are being thrown around.

LUI: Yes, Mr. Fact Check himself, Josh Levs, joins us right now, breaking out the pens and pencils and telling us what's right and wrong.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I do like looking at the numbers. Yes, and I want to remind everyone -- I mean, this is so important, because like Nancy was just saying and Richard, these claims fly around like crazy.

I just want to give you a good example here. This is something that the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said last weekend, actually on Sunday on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: The Republicans place their own bill on the floor here on the House, which insured 3 million. Our bill insures over 30 million. So, we have a different value system here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEVS: All right. That went by quickly. She said the Democrats' plan would cover 30 million uninsured while the Republican plan would cover 3 million.

So, the CNN fact check desk looked into that, and here is where it comes from -- the facts for you. The Congressional Budget Office, which is nonpartisan, both parties look to it for figures, along with the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, they looked at both plans.

And this is what they said: Under the Democrats plan, the number of nonelderly uninsured would drop by about 31 million by 2019. And they're saying under the House Republican plan, the number would drop by about 3 million. But I'll also tell you that some Republicans say, the CBO, the Congressional Budget Office, doesn't have enough details to really figure out what ultimately would come from that Republican bill, what it would ultimately do.

So, bottom line here, from the fact check desk, is that the estimate does match those numbers. But some Republicans challenge it, all saying no. Nancy Pelosi in there said there's a different value system, and a lot of Republicans disagree. They say that they want to insure everybody too but they don't believe that one giant piece of sweeping legislation is the way to get there. Now, it's just want example of what we bring you here, and I want to tell you how to follow fact checks in general. Go to CNN.com/healthcare. There's a lot of information that you can look at right here, CNN.com/healthcare.

Also, the CNN political ticker, we always link to it with the main page every time we do a fact check. It says fact check on it. In fact, you can sign up to get alerts every time we put out a fact check.

So, Betty and Richard, a good example there of the kind of fact check work being done by the CNN fact check desk.

NGUYEN: I love that. We hadn't seen a fact check, you know, in that title in a while. So, I'm glad you're bringing it back.

LEVS: Oh, it's time. It's time.

NGUYEN: Yes, definitely. It's always time, though.

LUI: What do you think -- yes, what do you think he does on his free time?

NGUYEN: He crunches numbers. He does a lot of stuff.

Thanks a lot, Josh.

LEVS: See you.

LUI: All right. Let's move to college students demonstrating coast-to-coast right now against the rising cost of education. But it's not just college students who were upset.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's not. Younger kids are speaking out as well and we're going to hear what they have to say about the economy and its impact on schools.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LUI: Let's check our top stories this hour.

Iraqis are voting today to fill 325 seats in parliament. The voting will determine here if Iraq moves towards a more democratic government or shifts towards a more religious or sectarian stance. Militants have threatened to disrupt the voting. At least 24 people have been killed in attacks today.

We're watching the polls. They're open for another 40 minutes.

NGUYEN: Well, North Korea's president, Kim Jong-il, makes a rare public appearance. I want you to check this out. He was spotted yesterday attending a rally for the reopening of a textile factory. That's according to a North Korean news agency.

LUI: And millions of cable subscribers in New York could altogether miss the Oscars tonight. A dispute over fees has prompted Disney to switch off its ABC signal to Cablevision viewers and service may not be restored in time for the Oscars, you don't want to hear that if you are in New York, by the way. New Yorkers there with over the air antennas can still watch.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right. So, in recent days, we've seen protests on college campuses nationwide -- students, parents and teachers all upset over budget cuts, layoffs and tuition hikes. But it's not just the colleges that are being affected by this coming.

LUI: Certainly not when we talk about the money.

Carl Azuz is host of "CNN STUDENT NEWS" and he's been checking in with students of all ages, really.

Carl, laid it out for us. How the economy and the budget shortfall affecting what they are thinking?

CARL AZUZ, CNN'S EXTRA CREDIT: First, we want to look at how it's affecting schools.

NGUYEN: OK.

AZUZ: I mean, if you look at public schools nationwide, in Georgia, teachers are being furloughed, forced to take days off without pay. Utah recently considered a measure that would have eliminated senior year for high school students as a cost-cutting measure. They later pulled back from that. Some are suggesting they make senior year optional.

When you think of students, you don't think of people who want to spend much more time in school if necessary.

NGUYEN: No, not at all.

AZUZ: You'd think they'd be all for that.

NGUYEN: Right.

AZUZ: Many of the students who logged on to our blog at CNNStudentNews.com were saying we need senior year. It's part of our school experience.

LUI: Really?

NGUYEN: Yes.

AZUZ: It's something that we need to have in schools. So, that, sort of, surprised us as well.

NGUYEN: Well, are you they saying specifically? Do you get a lot of response from them?

AZUZ: They're seeing cuts and everything, from their field trips to -- they're seeing larger class sizes. The first comment that we have for you today comes from Brenda. She writes us that "programs, teachers, bus routes, you name it, it can be cut. Class sizes have gotten fairly larger, and we're starting to complain about the lack of field trips this year. I hope we come out of this recession soon."

Second comment from Mr. Sabela. He writes, "Some bus routes have been eliminated, and summer school will only be three weeks long. And another said that he noticed the food quality has dropped in school lunches."

Now, to be fair, there are some students who are logging on to CNNStudentNews.com, they're saying, we're not being affected by this. We still have field trips. We're still having small class sizes.

But there are two things you'll notice about those comments. One, students have seen it in the schools around their area. And two, those who have not seen cuts are grateful that they haven't. So, there's definitely a note of concern among our audience.

NGUYEN: Well, I also imagine students who are getting ready to go to college watching this, looking at the tuition hikes and probably getting a little bit nervous about the whole situation.

AZUZ: And we've had some experts talk about, you know, if you're -- if you don't have money -- if you're unable to get to school, there are financial aid programs available. President Obama, you know, proposing some measures related to financial aid to help students get that education anyway.

But it's definitely something. There's so much concern. They are seeing cuts one way and then when they see the cost of college going up, you can tell they are on pins and needles.

NGUYEN: Right.

LUI: Plug in to what students were thinking right there, Carl Azuz.

AZUZ: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Thank you, Carl. Good to see you.

AZUZ: See you next week.

LUI: Appreciate it.

All right. The Dalai Lama is one of the most recognizable spiritual leaders in the world.

NGUYEN: Yes, he is. But could this be the last Dalai Lama? Coming up in "Faces of Faith," my interview with his Holiness.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, good morning, everybody, and welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.

LUI: And I'm Richard Lui, in for T. J. Holmes on this Sunday. We got a lot of news for you today.

NGUYEN: Yes. Let's get to those top stories.

Voting in Iraq's parliamentary elections, it ends just about 30 minutes from now. Militants have, though, fired more than two dozen mortar shells into the city, killing at least 24 people. The voting will fill 325 seats in parliament.

LUI: Afghan President Hamid Karzai is getting a firsthand look at the coalition offensive that ousted the Taliban from a key southern city. He visited Marjah today, along with the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal. And Mr. Karzai urged Marjah's residents to back his government and not the militants.

NGUYEN: Well, a national mourning period has now started in Chile. For the next three days, every house is authorized to hang the national flag in memory of earthquake victims.

LUI: And it is the 45th anniversary of Bloody Sunday today. Today, civil rights leaders and others are heading to Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the march that ended violently on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

CNN all-platform journalist Sarah Hoye is on the phone with me right now. She's there in the bus. She's going with the group from the King Center in Atlanta to Selma.

And, Sarah, last we spoke, you had just left the King Center. Where are you at now and what are you seeing?

SARAH HOYE, CNN ALL PLATFORM JOURNALIST (via telephone): We are 20 minutes outside of downtown Atlanta, and we're seeing the road.

LUI: Seeing the road, no doubt. And who is in the bus with you?

HOYE: Right now, we are with some of the event organizers and a wide array of other folks. We have about 10 students from the Coretta Scott King Academy here in Atlanta. They're sixth to eight graders. And we have some other two at the original march. I have one gentleman (INAUDIBLE).

LUI: OK. Now, Sarah is on a mobile phone right now as you can tell, that her sound is coming and going.

Well, let's see if we can get a better signal as we follow with this here, Sarah. You took some pictures for us. And we just saw a couple of there, and as an all-flat form journalists you are sending in those stills, as well as audio and many other ways of telling your story. But tell us right now -- what are some of the pictures that you sent in to us?

OK. It sounds like Sarah Hoye, our all platform journalist -- we lost her on the phone there as you heard. She is on the bus as they do make it to Selma, Alabama.

And we understand, this picture here is of Martin Luther King's sister, and we will, of course, be getting back to Sarah if we can as she makes that bus -- a historic bus ride to the point that now marks the 45th anniversary of Bloody Sunday at the height of the civil rights movement. This tribute is happening right now.

OK, we'll be right back here with her when we can get here. Let's get over now to -- oh, we got her back. OK, we now have Sarah Hoye who's on the phone again.

Sarah we got disconnected there. And we're showing some of the pictures. We saw one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s sister just moments ago. And these are of course pictures that you snapped within the last 30 to 60 minutes. Share with us what some of these pictures show?

SARAH HOYE, CNN ALL PLATFORM JOURNALIST (via telephone): That is correct, we have Christine King Farris, who is Dr. King's sister, and she is riding with us -- she's on the bus in front of me, I am on the second bus. Also her children Isaac Newton Farris as well as Angela Farris are also riding with her and her granddaughter, which is Christine -- excuse me, Farris Christine Watkins.

So the family -- the King family is riding the bus ahead of me and we are on the second bus with some other folks from around Atlanta. And some of the photos I believe we sent you were some of the students from the King Academy, and we also have a young gentleman here who is 12 years old and he's traveling along with family and friends and an array of other (AUDIO GAP) Atlanta hanging out.

LUI: Sarah, give us a sense of what the mood is. Obviously, for Dr. King's sister, this is a very important moment for her as -- they have this tribute on the 45th, what's sort of the sense that you get in the air in these busses?

HOYE: That is correct, with the King family, they are very excited. There is a definite feeling of togetherness, community. We have a lot of people here who are just fellow shipping with one another, reminiscing on some of their events and their past lives, the civil rights movement, Barack Obama and also -- half the bus is quiet.

I mean, it is early in the morning and people have gotten up early.

LUI: Right.

HOYE: So they are coming along.

LUI: Hey, Sarah, we've got to go here, but when do you expect to get there?

HOYE: We should be there around 10:00 a.m. --

LUI: 10:00 a.m. --

HOYE: -- apparently.

LUI: Very good, ok. Its 8:31 right now and we'll be watching that and we'll be stopping with Sarah throughout the day as she again is on that tribute bus ride to Selma, Alabama -- Betty.

NGUYEN: For 600 years there has been a Dalai Lama. Buddhists believe each leader is a reincarnation of the first. And the one now serving is the 14th and he admits, he may be the last of his kind.

I had a chance to ask him about that recently and his answers are the focus of a very special "Faces of Faith."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: You're the 14th Dalai Lama. There is a lot of concern that you may be the last Dalai Lama. Do you think that you will?

DALAI LAMA, EXILED TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER: (INAUDIBLE) that's not true. The name institution, Dalai Lama, now there are so many people as earlier, 69, I made clear publicly, officially that the very institution of Dalai Lama should continue or not of certain people, so I don't care.

NGUYEN: For a man of peace the 14th Dalai Lama has been unable to avoid a life of controversy. In 1937 he was just two years old when monks believed he was their reincarnated leader. The world was changing around the young boy. By 1959, communist China tightened the grip on Tibet. The Dalai Lama fled for his life to India and remains in exile today.

His holiness is fully aware China will install its own Dalai Lama, so there could be two. But only one that carries on the Tibetan tradition. In order for that to continue, the Dalai Lama may choose to be reincarnated outside of Tibet and that's not all that could change. The 15th Dalai Lama could even be a female.

DALAI LAMA: In case people want to keep this institution and also the successor also the people want to follow traditional way, then they search one boy or one child and that also has the different circumstances if the people want a female, then that also is possible.

And anyway, if the circumstances still remain like this, we are outside Tibet and then the reincarnation of Dalai Lama logically find in free country. Why? The very purpose of the reincarnation is to carry continuously the task that we started a previous life.

So I come in a free country and I escape to free country to a certain purpose. So until that purpose not fulfilled, not achieved, then the reincarnation must be -- the true reincarnation must be who carry continuously the task of not yet established, not yet achieved or accomplished.

NGUYEN: So it will continue?

DALAI LAMA: Yes. You know the Chinese government, even now the last few years already is talking about a future Dalai Lama and so sometimes Chinese government more concerned about future Dalai Lama than me, politically of course. So they may choose one as a Dalai Lama, but there's official Dalai Lama, but not Tibetan's Dalai Lama.

NGUYEN: Your Holiness, let me ask you this, do you think you will ever go back to a free Tibet?

DALAI LAMA: Oh, yes certain, free everybody, all Tibetans. There is a belief that thing is going to be change. So there is -- we always see hope to return.

NGUYEN: In this lifetime, do you think you will?

DALAI LAMA: Oh, yes, certainly. Certainly, but there's our hope.

NGUYEN: You turn 75 this summer in this lifetime?

LAMA: Well, this is our hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: He remains so hopeful despite the situation back in Tibet. But it's fascinating that if he decides to be reincarnated --

LUI: Right.

NGUYEN: He very much says it will likely be outside of Tibet and I guess to carry on the goal --

LUI: Right.

NGUYEN: -- the mission of the current Dalai Lama, which he is. And he could be reincarnated as a female. A very --

LUI: Fascinating.

NGUYEN: Yes, I mean, it really is when you think about that. I also got a chance though --

LUI: Yes.

NGUYEN: -- when I met with the Dalai Lama to be blessed with what they call a Kata (ph) which is a Tibetan traditional scarf which they used in ceremonies and this was really just a special moment. He gives this to a lot of the people that he meets and it -- especially, given the fact that he could indeed be the last Dalai Lama, this is one of those moments that for me as a journalists, you stop and say wow.

LUI: Great stuff, Betty.

NGUYEN: Thank you.

LUI: Great stuff.

NGUYEN: It was very -- it was, you know, it was very much an honor to meet him and just to hear what he has to say, very down to earth.

LUI: I have enjoyed your stories the last couple of days --

NGUYEN: Thank you.

LUI: -- telling us about the background in the interview.

NGUYEN: Yes.

LUI: And with that --

NGUYEN: And there's much more to come.

LUI: Yes.

NGUYEN: Right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

LUI: Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LUI: All right, well, coming up next right here on CNN, "STATE OF THE UNION" with host, Candy Crowley.

NGUYEN: Yes and the big topic, health care reform and the hammer, Tom Delay --

LUI: Yes.

NGUYEN: -- after a stint on "Dancing with the Stars" --

LUI: Yes.

NGUYEN: -- he's talking politics and he's dishing about his time on the show.

So let's get right to it, Candy Crowley joining us live from Washington. All right, first up, let's talk health care reform; a lot going on.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Yes, 216 is now the magic number for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, because that's where the drama is at this point. Can she get 216 Democrats to vote for the Senate version of health care?

Liberals don't like parts of it, conservatives don't like parts of it, some Democrats don't like the abortion language that's in the senate version.

So it is a very definitely Nancy Pelosi's sort of highest high wire act that she's had. The president has given a ten-day deadline, of course we've had those deadlines before but even those on Capitol Hill say if they can't do this by Easter health care is not going to happen.

NGUYEN: Well, OK.

LUI: And Candy you're going to speaking with two key Democrats today on that very issue?

CROWLEY: Chris Van Hollen who is -- heads up that -- what we call, the D-Trip, which is the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, so to look at both the substance of things as well as the politics of things. We're also going to talk to Congressman Brian Baird who is retiring, but he's one of those Democrats who voted no last time; hasn't really said this time what he's -- how he's going to vote.

So they are -- he's getting a lot of attention these days.

NGUYEN: All right, well, let's get back to Tom Delay for just a second. Because I know he talks about health care but he also talked a little bit about "Dancing with the Stars", right?

CROWLEY: He did, he called it the best time of his life --

NGUYEN: Really?

LUI: No.

CROWLEY: -- which I didn't quite know how to take that.

LUI: Really.

CROWLEY: Really, I didn't know whether that was sad or good.

But he just -- I tell you, he absolutely just beamed when he talked about "Dancing with the Stars". And he's still in touch with his dance partner and he still watches it and he would like to go back on. His fractured feet are healed.

And it was pretty - it's just a sort of like, what have you done with Tom Delay moment? Because it is -- it just didn't match. So I remember seeing him on TV and thinking, "you are kidding me," but he had a blast.

NGUYEN: Well, we wanted to know if did the cha-cha-cha with you?

LUI: Yes.

CROWLEY: You will be happy to know, no.

NGUYEN: No, no.

LUI: No.

CROWLEY: I have limitations here on that experiential reporting thing.

NGUYEN: Candy Crowley has no limitations, we all know that. LUI: Exactly right.

NGUYEN: We're looking forward to the show. It's been a pleasure working with you Candy. I'll see you at the top of the hour.

CROWLEY: And Betty, I just want to say one thing and that is, I have been here a month and now you're leaving me, and I'm taking it really personally. But --

NGUYEN: Oh, please don't.

CROWLEY: Good luck.

NGUYEN: It has nothing to do with you or CNN. I love this place.

CROWLEY: Yes.

NGUYEN: Thank you Candy.

CROWLEY: Thanks.

LUI: All right. And again, you can catch "STATE OF THE UNION" only here on CNN starting right after the show. That's at 9:00 a.m. Eastern with Candy Crowley.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LUI: Betty, you like that song? You told me earlier.

NGUYEN: I do.

LUI: Why?

NGUYEN: It's just a happy song. It just makes me happy. It is a party in the U.S.A., a party in L.A. as well as the Oscars get under way tonight; best picture, best director, best actor, best host?

LUI: Best host? That's right. Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin are sharing co-hosting duties tonight at the Oscars. Who will have the best lines? Brooke Anderson has more on the battle brewing for best host.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: I can't believe I'm saying this to the great Gavin DeLure (ph) but Liz Lemon is too good for you?

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: They battled on television.

BALDWIN: Give me the brush.

STEVE MARTIN, ACTOR: You stay back. I swear I will paint you.

ANDERSON: Tangled in theaters. Now their fracas moves to Hollywood's biggest stage, the Academy awards.

Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin co-hosts and comedic rivals. And Hollywood's elite is eager to catch the confrontation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am really excited that the show will be hosted by Jack Donaghy and the Jerk. It's going to be awesome.

ANDERSON: Martin's two previous hosting stints give him the upper hand and he is putting the rookie in his place.

MARTIN: Co-host is really a misnomer; host and this person, associate host.

BALDWIN: Steve.

MARTIN: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, Alec, could you get me some coffee?

You know when I first started --

ANDERSON: Kidding aside, the pair will take the job seriously.

BALDWIN: I said to Steve I would rather it be more to air on the side of it being more dignified than funny because you realize this evening is very important to the people who are there.

ANDERSON: But they are still expected to provide a few laughs.

MARTIN: Thank you, academy, for nothing.

ANDERSON: In Hollywood, I'm Brooke Anderson.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" hosts Brooke Anderson and A.J. Hammer will be live from the red carpet and right here on CNN. Can you catch "Road to Gold" tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, and then "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT'S" live coverage continues at 11:00 p.m. Eastern on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LUI: We show you that on this March 7th, 2010, a Saturday (SIC) because it's Betty Nguyen's last day here on CNN. And you will be going on to some great things.

NGUYEN: I am excited about the new adventure, but I am so sad to leave all of you guys. Don't make me cry today folks, I know you have been trying.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (INAUDIBLE) but this is for you.

NGUYEN: I'm probably going to need them.

(CROSSTALK) NGUYEN: Folks like Reynolds, we have been a family up here, and Rich, I enjoyed working with you, and Josh, you've been a part of the family --

LEVS: Yes, since the day I started -- since literally the day I started.

LUI: And you know Betty, while there are three guys that have worked with you before, and for a long time -- there's one guy that's missing. And of course, that's T.J. Holmes who has been your great partner here on air. And he had said earlier that he could not make it today --

NGUYEN: He sent me an e-mail.

LUI: Of course via e-mail or by phone but I think we may actually have a special caller online right now.

NGUYEN: No way. I had a feeling.

LEVS: Is there somebody there?

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Betty Boop, you haven't been in bed, and you're crying this morning have you?

NGUYEN: T.J. No, I have cried yet so please don't make me cry.

HOLMES: Nobody's going to be crying.

NGUYEN: Don't make me into a babbling brook up here.

HOLMES: Who ever picked that song "It's So Hard to Say Good-bye" you cannot get sadder than that. I almost started crying and we could do it on the phone.

But I know, we're on TV time now and I'm so sorry, Betty, I can't be there and you know and a lot others know that because of some precarious circumstances, some unforeseen and some planned, I just couldn't be there this weekend on your last one.

I will skip some of that sappy stuff and the crap you're supposed to say when people are leaving --

NGUYEN: Good.

HOLMES: About how wonderful it was to work with you and blah- blah-blah-blah, so I will just get to the point which is, I love you, B, and I don't want you to go anywhere. So this phone call is serving as my last minute, my last ditch effort to get you to stay.

NGUYEN: T.J. You know I love you with all my heart. I'm so happy for you. He is calling me from his honeymoon, and you two are just the best, part of my family. And no matter how far I am away I am still family.

HOLMES: Yes, yes, blah, blah, blah. NGUYEN: Yes, yes, let's get past it.

WOLF: Vapors, vapors.

HOLMES: I am literally making this call from a tree house right now. And again, I know it's weird to bid farewell this way, and it's a testament to how close we are and how well people know us in that I have been flooded with e-mail and texts from people simply asking me if I'm ok. They're checking on my health because they know how we are.

And people talk about chemistry all the time. That's essentially in my opinion, a put down to what we have. We've never needed chemistry because we had a friendship and it's so easy to anchor with your best friend day in, day out. And a lot of people see us on from six to noon together but they don't realize when we got off the air, we were still looking forward to going hanging out again that afternoon which we did.

NGUYEN: And on our days off. We had plenty of adventures haven't we?

HOLMES: And you have. Betty has been a big sister and a little sister to me that I've never had. The big sister, of course, gives me the guidance and experience, but also the little sister who needed a little nurturing, and guidance and protection herself.

I am certainly not speaking on behalf of CNN right now when I say -- and I am not asking you to not leave the network, I am asking you to not leave me, so what do you say, Betty, will you stay?

NGUYEN: I will never, ever, ever, leave you, no matter how far I have to go for work, I will be here right here with you in spirit. And you know that. Any time you pick up the phone, I am right there with you.

Ok, T.J. You have to stop it. I'm not going to cry up here. You will not turn me into someone who looks like a clown that stepped into the rain.

HOLMES: No. I've probably seen you cry more in the past two weeks than I have in the past three years.

NGUYEN: And it's an ugly cry.

HOLMES: But it's not a pretty sight like you say. But really, so sorry, it worked out probably better that I wasn't able to be there and knowing that it was our last show together because three hours of two people crying uncontrollably is not good TV.

NGUYEN: Exactly. Thank you. Thank you so much for taking time out of this important and special time in your life to spend a little bit with me on this important day. I love you, I love you dearly. You're family. And like I say we will always be in touch.

Thank you for making my experience here at CNN just such an enjoyable one.

LEVS: And that experience, we're going to take a look back on it. Right now, we have some of your amazing highlights here.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: These orphans live in this grass hut with floodwaters just enters below them.

This is where they sleep.

This is something many Vietnamese Americans have experienced firsthand; this is a part of the history of coming to this country.

This is not what Myanmar wants reported some two months after the storm. The only way for us to capture these images was to sneak into the Irawati Delta (ph) under the cover of darkness.

It's really the only way to get down there and bypass the checkpoints.

I was not expecting to spend my birthday in Cabo covering a monster hurricane.

This is more than just a bunch of junk lining a roadway. These are memories. These are items that used to be a part of if not inside peoples' homes.

Let me ask you about this industry, the fishing industry because that took a major hit. That's a large part of the economics of Galveston.

Is there a particular song on this monster album that you really like, that is your favorite?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, there are so many incredible songs.

NGUYEN: And with his furry friend, Jesse, at his side, he is still on the mission to protect the animal population.

You've been on the "Price is Right" for 35 years. What is your fondest memory?

Do you think you will ever go back to a free Tibet?

DALAI LAMA: Yes, certainly. Free everybody. All Tibetans.

NGUYEN: Here is what we know in the aftermath of Chile's massive earthquake.

HOLMES: This is "CNN SATURDAY MORNING". I'm T.J. Holmes, and she is the aforementioned and all so lovely this morning, Betty Nguyen.

NGUYEN: You can say working --

DOLLY PARTON, SINGER: 6:00 to noon, what a way to make a living.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Oh, thank you so much.

LEVS: We have been hearing from viewers all morning, and I'm just going to read you one right here. One --

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: Yes, but I don't know how much more of this I can take.

LEVS: This is from Steve. He says, "One chapter has been written and now it is on to the next one. "Can't wait to see you on" and then he names this other network that's stealing you away from us.

WOLF: One quick thing to mention. One very quick thing to mention is, you know in life we really have no control over who we work with. But every now and again, damn it you get lucky and we got lucky, we really did. We truly did.

NGUYEN: I love you. Thank you.

WOLF: You bet you.

NGUYEN: You guys.

Thank you to the viewers.

LEVS: Oh, my goodness.

WOLF: Here we go.

LUI: And here are some flowers for you.

NGUYEN: Thank you. It has been such a pleasure and an honor to come into your homes on the weekends, so I am just really so appreciative.

I am proud to be a member of the CNN family, and I am a proud product of CNN. I love this place and I will be watching, I will be watching all of you. And you know my phone is always available. Call me anytime.

LUI: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: And "STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY" is coming up at the top of the hour. We appreciate you watching today. Thank you so much.

Stay tuned for "STATE OF THE UNION".