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CNN Saturday Morning News
President Bush Meeting With Top Generals Regarding Iraq; Dividing Iraq Into Autonomous States?; Ford Vs. Corker
Aired October 21, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning.
Now in the news, President Bush preparing to meet with some of his top generals at the White House. Now, they are going to be talking about the strategy in Iraq. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Peter Pace and the top commander in the Middle East, General John Abizaid, on that guest list. We'll bring you the latest.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Russia to discuss North Korea. Now, while on the way to Moscow, Rice cast doubts on reports that North Korea pledged to stop its nuclear tests. Details ahead in a live report from Moscow. That's about five minutes from now.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Word this morning that a U.S. Marine will plead guilty to charges linked to the killing of an Iraqi civilian in Hamandiyah. The Associated Press reports that Private John Jodka's father says a plea deal is done. Jodka is expected to plead guilty next week to assault and obstruction of justice. Murder charges would be dropped.
A renewed effort to find human remains at ground zero. This after workers pulled several bones out of an abandoned manhole on Thursday. Crews will search about six more manholes in the next few days. Families of 9/11 victims want construction stopped at ground zero until all human remains are recovered.
NGUYEN: Well, take a look at this. A derailed train overnight creates a flaming mess in southwestern Pennsylvania. Luckily, no reports of in just. The train, though, was carrying ethanol and at least 50 people were evacuated as a precaution. The derailed cars were burning over the Viva River (ph), about 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.
Let's get you now to Reynolds Wolf for a quick check of the weather outside on this Saturday morning -- good morning, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to you.
NGUYEN: Kind of chilly.
WOLF: Yes, it is nice and chilly here in parts of the Southeast and many parts of the country.
NGUYEN: Yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Well, we do run-down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:15 Eastern.
Well, good morning, everybody.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING, October 21st.
Do you believe Halloween is just, what, a week -- just a little over a week away?
HOLMES: Have you got the outfit worked out? You did?
NGUYEN: Can't you tell?
HOLMES: Yes, OK.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everyone.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: OK.
I'm T.J. Holmes.
Thank you so much for starting your weekend with us.
The next step for Iraq -- that discussion on the president's agenda today. He welcomes some of his top generals to the White House fresh off a mounting death toll, sectarian violence in Baghdad and emboldened militias in places like Amara.
Here's what the president had to say about Iraq last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are in a titanic struggle between extremists and radicals who cannot stand the way of life of America. They don't like the thought that people from different backgrounds are able to live under a nation and work together and achieve greatness. They can't stand the thought of free societies flourishing in their midst.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: That was the president speaking at the National Italian- American Foundation Dinner.
But today, he's going to be listening, with the American death toll at 75 already just this month alone, there are increasing calls for a new strategy in Iraq, especially with what happened in Amara this week.
CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has that story. (BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While it appears Iraqi police may have retaken control of Amara, what worries U.S. officials is that, for most of two days, it was overrun- by hundreds of Shia militiamen from anti-American cleric Muqtada al- Sadr's Mahdi Army.
In the chaos, the Iraqi police station was destroyed, black smoke billowing from three buildings flattened by explosives. British troops, which turned the area over to Iraq months ago, were ready to go back in, but Iraq's government insisted they weren't needed.
Still, Amara now joins Ramadi and Balad as cities where Iraqi forces are supposed to be standing up, but instead have fallen down in their ability to contain sectarian fighting.
At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld argued those setbacks are temporary and may be a result of a deliberate challenge to the U.S. plan to gradually turn areas over to the Iraqi Army and police.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It might be because the enemy said, well, fair enough. They have passed that over to the Iraqi forces. Let's focus on that, increase the effort against them and see if we can't take it away from them, and -- so that the press of the world will notice that we have taken it away. They're smart, the enemy. They have got brains and they use them.
MCINTYRE: Rumsfeld conferenced with top generals John Abizaid and George Casey by video hookup hours before Abizaid was summoned to Washington for more meetings with President Bush and his national security team.
Rumsfeld described the hastily called session as a regular meeting, insisting it was nothing unusual. And he carefully parried questions about whether the overall strategy is under review.
(on camera): Mr. Secretary, can you just say, plainly, whether you believe a course correction is needed in Iraq or not?
RUMSFELD: I think the way I will leave it is, I would prefer to give my advice to the president, rather than you, Jamie. I'm old- fashioned.
MCINTYRE: Don't you think the American public deserves to know whether you're considering making major adjustments, rather than just refining tactics?
RUMSFELD: I mean no one on the National Security Council or a commander in the field makes a decision and sets a course and then puts their brain at rest.
MCINTYRE (on camera): Rumsfeld continues to counsel patience, arguing that given enough time, the Iraqi government will come together and Iraqi forces will rise to the challenge. The question is, how much patience does President Bush and the American people have for the current strategy?
Jamie McIntyre, CNN, The Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And that brings us to this morning's e-mail question. Here it is.
Should the U.S. change its strategy in Iraq? Would you stay the course? Or would you withdraw troops? What's your opinion on that?
HOLMES: Or, yes, or possibly just maybe do something completely different?
You can e-mail us at weekends@cnn.com. We'll read some of your responses a little later in the newscast.
And for much more on Iraq and the Bush administration's strategy there, be sure to tune in for "THIS WEEK AT WAR" with John Roberts. That's at 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
NGUYEN: All right, shifting gears now, the scene is Russia but the main subject is North Korea. The nuclear threat tops the agenda for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit. She arrived in Moscow about two hours ago -- here's some new video of that -- to meet with Russian leaders.
CNN's Matthew Chance joins us live from Moscow with the details.
Good morning to you -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty.
Certainly, you're right, the venue is indeed Russia and North Korea is at the top of the agenda. This is very much part of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's intensive diplomatic tour around Asia.
She's come, of course, already to Japan, to South Korea and to China. She arrives in the Kremlin to try and bolster support for enforcing those tough United Nations sanctions that have been imposed against North Korea following its nuclear test on October the 9th.
The Kremlin, of course, Moscow, has close diplomatic relations with North Korea. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, with whom Secretary of State Rice will be meeting later today, is one of the only international leaders to have visited Pyongyang. Also, Kim Jong Il has come to Russia on a number of occasions. So there are these diplomatic ties. It has a certain amount of influence.
But, at the same time, the Kremlin has made its concerns very public, saying it does not want to see a North Korean -- a country of North Korea with nuclear weapons. At the same time, like China, it's equally concerned that these sanctions or more pressure could be put on North Korea that would exacerbate the situation. So they very much want diplomacy. This is very much part of a campaign by U.S. Secretary of State Rice to get all of the various parties involved on the same page on this -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Matthew, let's talk about another meeting on Rice's agenda. Also today, the Secretary is going to meet with the editors of a Russian newspaper that is highly critical of the Putin government. This is the same newspaper where a prominent journalist was recently killed.
Talk to us about that meeting.
CHANCE: Well, there'll be lots of discussions on a range of different subjects, not just North Korea. There's a lot of issues between Russia and Washington which need to be talked about. You mentioned that one. That's right, Condoleezza Rice will be visiting the editorial board of Novoya Gazeta, which is a Russian language, independent newspaper here in Moscow, where Anna Politkovskaya, slain investigative journalist, worked before she was killed last month.
So that sends a very powerful political message to the Russian leadership. There's a great deal of concern in Washington about the state of press freedom in this country. And by visiting the offices of this newspaper, again, that does send a very clear message.
Other issues have been talked about, as well, Russia's relationship -- well, increasingly prickly relationship with the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Vladimir Putin has been talking about the possibility of bloodshed if the situation between those two countries worsens.
Also, the situation in Iran. Unlike North Korea, which Russia has very little leverage over, with Iran it's the main backer of that country's controversial nuclear program. Condoleezza Rice will be pressing hard for a tougher Russian line on the Islamic Republic -- Betty.
NGUYEN: A lot of discussions to be had today.
Thank you.
Matthew Chance, joining us live -- T.J.
HOLMES: We turn now to other Stories Across America.
It took hours to put this fire out. This is video from the Fort Meade Army Base in Maryland. Fire officials say the fire started some time after 3:00 yesterday afternoon and burned until after 10:00 last night. One building, however, just one, was damaged.
NGUYEN: In Arizona, two more men are in jail in connection with a series of rapes on an Indian reservation. Police say the suspects posed as police officers. Police also arrested a man last week in the case. Investigators say the attacks have been going on since last November.
HOLMES: Police are looking for a teenaged boy suspected of carjacking New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's car. They say the suspect and a 17-year-old girl assaulted a personal employee of the mayor's and took his car. The mayor, however, was not in the car at the time. The female is in custody. Both teens face theft and aggravated assault charges.
NGUYEN: Well, in California, the 89-year-old man who crashed his car into a crowded Santa Monica farmer's market three years ago -- remember him? Well, he's going to be sentenced next week. George Russell Weller was found guilty of killing 10 people. Prosecutors say Weller was negligent and showed no remorse.
HOLMES: Of course, we've come a long way since those hanging chads...
NGUYEN: Yes, we have.
HOLMES: ... we will all never forget. But, you know, we've still got a couple of glitches that need to be worked out with this new electronic voting. That story coming up in about 25 minutes.
Also...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Call it outsourcing, call it whatever you want, but it's not a negative aspect, as far as I'm concerned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: American couples desperate to become parents and women in India desperate for money -- it's a growing trend. But critics say it is just not right. We'll tell you why her face is covered and we'll explain the story. That's ahead.
WOLF: And a rainout for the World Series, at least game one, would certainly not be right. And it is going to be a distinct possibility. Some scattered showers forming just to the west of Detroit.
But will they stick around in time for the first pitch?
I'll let you know in just a few moments, coming up right here on CNN.
See you then.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now in the news, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is raising doubts about whether North Korea is softening its hard line. She says she has no confirmation of reports that North Korea pledged to stop its nuclear tests.
And Rice is in Moscow to discuss the North Korea standoff with Russian leaders.
The strategy in Iraq is the main focus at the White House this morning. President Bush is set to meet with some of his top generals, along with Vice President Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The rising American death toll in Iraq -- 75 so far this month -- has led to increased calls for a change in policy.
NGUYEN: An admission from New York Senator Hillary Clinton. She says she's thought about a presidential big in 2008, but is committed to her Senate reelection. That from Senator Clinton during a debate last night against Republican challenger, John Spencer.
And overnight in southwestern Pennsylvania, a jumble of burning freight train cars. Look at it there. No reports of injures. Now, the train was carrying ethanol and as a precaution, at least 50 people were evacuated from the area.
The cars caught fire over the Beaver River, about 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.
We run-down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:30 Eastern.
HOLMES: We are going to turn to some weather.
And I can't believe what I'm hearing. Game one, we might have a problem for this.
WOLF: I know. I know. We don't want scattered showers.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: But that looks like it's -- you know, Mother Nature is going to have her own way.
NGUYEN: That's true.
WOLF: I don't know if she's a Tigers fan. I don't if she's a Card...
NGUYEN: She's going to do what she wants to do.
WOLF: Absolutely.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: All right, here's the question -- will she or won't she?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: It is hard not to think about it, because people talk to me about it all the time. But I have not engaged in any planning or serious thought about it and I've certainly made no decisions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Oh, you know what she's talking about. And we'll tell you what else she had to say at last night's Senatorial debate.
HOLMES: Also, the Tigers, as we've been talking about, might not get to play tonight. But they've sent the Motor City into overdrive.
But will the rest of the country join in on the World Series frenzy?
We'll go Beyond The Game next.
But first, the last time Detroit made it into the World Series, Apple debuted the Macintosh personal computer.
NGUYEN: Really?
HOLMES: Do you remember that?
"The Cosby Show," we all remember that.
NGUYEN: I loved that show.
HOLMES: But it premiered on TV this year. And, also, Mary Lou Retton captured the nation's heart...
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: ... along with six Olympic gold medals. That's a pretty good clue there. And if you forgot which year we're talking about, the answer when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, you all still got that song on CD?
Oh, we've got people dancing in the studio.
The Detroit Tigers take on the St. Louis Cardinals at the World Series, beginning tonight in the Motor City, of course. It's been quite a few years since the Tigers made it that far, and the last time they did, this song was a hit.
Before the break, we gave you a few clues to see if you could figure out which year it was.
The answer?
1984. Van Halen was jamming back on this date. The Tigers ended up beating the San Diego Padres in five games in 1984.
Well, no matter who comes out on top this time around, there's one winner already -- Detroit. Detroit's economy, which is getting a big time boost from the series.
We're going to go Beyond The Game now with my new best friend, Rick Horrow, author of "When the Game Is On the Line" -- good morning, sir.
Good to see you.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hey, T.J.
HOLMES: Are you excited about the World Series?
HORROW: Yes, and remember, the one before '84 was '68, that Denny McClain/Bob Gibson barn burner.
Guess who it was?
It was the Tigers and the Cardinals.
HOLMES: Oh, man, I'm sorry. I wasn't...
HORROW: But you were -- were you born in '68?
HOLMES: No, man. My parents hadn't even met back then yet.
HORROW: Oh, don't even -- you know what?
HOLMES: I'm just kidding.
HORROW: This interview is over.
You do the rest of it, OK?
HOLMES: I'm kidding, Rick.
HORROW: I can't -- I can't do this with you.
HOLMES: I'm kidding.
Well, but you said you're excited about the World Series.
HORROW: Yes.
HOLMES: But Detroit certainly needs to be excited.
Are they the big winner here, the city of Detroit?
HORROW: Yes, clearly. You know, no matter who wins, it's going to be the seventh different winner in the last seven years. And no one needs it more than Detroit. You know, this is $6 million in merchandise bump over the last month, a 770 percent increase, the economic impact about $10 million a game.
Now, that's not like the SuperBowl that was held last year, $350 million; or the Ryder Cup, $770 million; or the All Star Game. But it is significant culturally. Remember that about a third of the people in Wayne County, according to stats, are below the poverty line and foreclosures in that area led the nation in September. So that region needs this boost more than ever.
HOLMES: Well, that's certainly good to hear for them. And they just had the SuperBowl, as well.
HORROW: Yes.
HOLMES: So there's a lot of good stuff happening in Detroit.
What does it mean for the two teams and how much does it matter, the numbers, that the World Series gets, as far as viewers?
HORROW: Well, you know, it matters because there needs to be a spin no matter what. But when you think about it, this is a 10-year low as far as television. Everybody is trying to figure out why.
The obvious answer is the Yankees and Mets aren't in it. But it's more than that. It's the diversity of different teams, so maybe the loyalty and the following is not there.
Here's the key. As long as corporate America likes the idea of the Series -- and they do. Gillette and other companies are paying $400,000 a 30-second spot. That is huge. And TBS just signed a contract for the other league championship series, which means $3 billion in television for the next seven year cycle, an 18 percent bump. And, also, 223 countries -- I know a lot of numbers, but this is important -- have the Series broadcast to them in 13 languages. So even if it's not a hit on American TV because our beloved Yankees aren't in it, it is a big hit everywhere else in the world.
HOLMES: Yes. Beloved Yankees. Some people might argue with you there.
HORROW: Not my beloved Yankees.
HOLMES: Yes.
HORROW: The beloved Yankees.
HOLMES: The beloved Yankees.
All right.
We're going to get to the fair ball and the foul ball.
We'll start with the fair ball for us this weekend.
What you got?
HORROW: Well, you know, the fair ball is an interesting one and, you know, some people say that fans are just, you know, dying to follow their favorite team. And now there's a company called External Images, which is printing and issuing urns with the team logo on it so the studies say, and the ad copy says, you can follow your team well after you're gone. It's interesting. Maybe, you know, followers of the Chicago Cubs may get a World Series in their next life. I'm not sure about this.
HOLMES: Oh, come on.
What team would you put on yours?
Just curious.
HORROW: Oh, probably the Florida Marlins. But I spend a lot of time in Chicago, so until the Cubs win -- I'm a White Sox fan now until they prove that the Cubs are going to be better.
HOLMES: OK.
I'll see if those guys will put a Razorback on mine for me.
Finally, what is your foul ball for the weekend?
HORROW: Well, the foul ball is absolutely outrageous. What was that 20-year-old kid or guy from Wisconsin thinking when he was talking about taking dirty bombs at the seven NFL stadiums this Sunday?
Luckily for us, it was proven as a hoax. And I think the good side of that is it shows what security does and what it means to get on this very quickly. And, of course, we all have to be vigilant. But that is the foul ball, maybe, of the year, if not only the week.
HOLMES: Oh, yes. That was a tough one.
Who knows what that guy was thinking?
All right, Rick, still -- you're still my new best friend, man.
HORROW: All right, man, well, we'll talk next week, OK?
HOLMES: Yes.
HORROW: We've got to hit the links or some sport that you're good at so I can beta you like I did Tony.
HOLMES: Oh, wow!
OK.
HORROW: OK.
HOLMES: Well, I'll rethink this best friend thing.
All right, you have a good weekend, Rick.
HORROW: OK. You, too.
HOLMES: Betty, it's all yours.
NGUYEN: Yes, I was about to say, you really should not get next to him, because he is going to smack you any chance he gets. That is how Rick Horrow operates.
Trust me, I know.
All right, well, we're going to talk about e-voting next. It was supposed to solve voting problems, right, not create new ones?
Coming up, we're going to take a closer look at the latest concerns with the electronic ballot box.
But first, time for another political shout out this morning from the CNN Election Express Yourself tour. This weekend the tour blows into the Windy City, Chicago.
And we asked, how will Iraq and terrorism affect your vote?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that Iraq is a diversion from that war and we need to go ahead and refocus our efforts back on taking care of the real problem of terrorists, whether it be Osama bin Laden or whether it be other -- other groups around the -- around the world.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Terrorism and domestic security will affect my vote greatly because I'm tired of everyone having to live in fear and just not knowing what exactly we're in fear of.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we unite like we did right after 9/11, we can forget about Iraq and Afghanistan in short order. If we unite like that again, the terrorists will know their time is short and they know they cannot win.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To find out where the tour is headed next, go to cnn.com/election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Compared to the United States, where it can cost up to $50,000 to find a surrogate, the going rate in this Western Indian town of Annan (ph) of $5,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Outsourcing on a shocking scale. You have to see this. Indian women acting as surrogates for American couples just desperate to have babies.
I welcome you back this morning. Good morning, everybody. I am Betty Nguyen.
Satinder Bindra's report. That is in 10 minutes. Do stick around for that.
HOLMES: Yes, and I'm T.J. Holmes, thank you so much for starting your day right here with us.
The voting problems of the 2000 election made the term "hanging chad" notorious, so voting officials nationwide, leery of an embarrassing repeat of that fiasco, embraced new technology.
Now one out of every three voters uses something new. But of course nothing is glitch free.
CNN's Zain Verjee reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hanging chads and a hung election. The year 2000, and the paper ballot debacle. The disaster triggered a dash to go digital. Electronic voting machines, you touch, you vote. Easy, efficient, a paperless route.
But that, it seems, is the problem.
KEVIN ZEESE, MARYLAND SENATE CANDIDATE: You spend $100 million on machines where you can't do an independent audit. There's no way to know if the machine is right. It's pretty embarrassing.
VERJEE: The September Maryland primary was an embarrassment. Systems crashed and had to be rebooted.
AVI RUBIN, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: Software is always full of bugs.
VERJEE: And election-day mess. Human error compounded the chaos. Election officials forgot to distribute cards needed to operate the machines. In some precincts, election workers didn't remove memory cards needed to count votes. Maryland's Governor Robert Ehrlich says, just take it low tech, back to good old paper.
GOV. ROBERT EHRLICH, (R) MARYLAND: Let's ere on the side of safety, get an election everybody can count on, and then go higher tech next time.
VERJEE: Too late, the election's just around the corner.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just what the hell are people in America doing?
VERJEE: Disputes over e-voting, coast to coast. Colorado, California, New Mexico, Florida, Ohio, Illinois. Voters are frustrated, fearful, too, that foul play could steal votes.
Computer scientist Edward Felten at Princeton University says a bad guy can hack into a Diebold voting machine and rig a real election in under a minute.
ED FELTEN, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Once the virus is there, it flips the votes within a few seconds.
VERJEE: There's no way for election observers to know. It all happens in the software. Diebold says glitches have been fixed, and strongly rejects the Princeton study, saying, "By any standard - academic or common sense - the study is unrealistic and inaccurate."
Diebold is not the only maker of e-voting machines. But none of the other manufacturers have been independently tested. Scientists say the security of their systems is a complete unknown.
FELTEN: We want elections to be held accurately, so that people's votes count.
VERJEE: So how you can be sure your vote will be count?
RUBIN: Swallow hard if you don't like the technology that's being used. The one way that you can guarantee your vote won't be counted is not to go cast it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: That report from CNN's Zain Verjee. We also heard from voting security expert Avi Reuben. He'll join us a little later on to talk about possible glitches in the system. That's coming up in our 10:00 a.m. hour.
Of course, CNN is your campaign headquarters, with the best political team on television. Be sure to tune in tonight for an encore presentation of CNN's election special, "Broken Borders. (sic)" That's at 8:00 CNN, only right here on CNN.
NGUYEN: Boy, you were invested in that read, weren't you?
HOLMES: Yes, I love the political theme.
NGUYEN: Here's more politics for you, T.J. -- Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York senator or the next president? That question got a lot of mileage last night, during her first debate with Republican challenger John Spencer. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I am focused on this election. I am focused on my work in the Senate. I have worked hard everyday, once New Yorkers did take a chance on me in 2000.
Now, obviously, people are talking about whether or not I will or should run for president. And I'm flattered by that. And if that is a concern to people, they should factor that in to the election in November. But I have made no decisions.
JOHN SPENCER (R), SENATE CANDIDATE: Looking at the last six years, Senator Clinton has written a bestselling book, she's traveled the United States and hundreds of book signings. She's raised millions and billions of dollars for the Democratic national party. She raised $40 million for herself to run against me. I don't know about that. We all know what Senator Clinton's aspirations are, and that takes away from New Yorkers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: So, how would Clinton do in 2008? Well, that may depend on what name she goes by. Take a look at this new poll done for us by the Opinion Research Corporation. Fifty-one percent say they've pick Hillary Rodham Clinton over the presumptive Republican favorite John McCain. But lose the Rodham and lose the election. Only 47 percent would vote for just "Hillary Clinton," 48 percent for the same John McCain. Interesting.
HOLMES: A got a little more politics for you. Caught on tape, a political pop-in. Yes, this is a political pop-in. You don't see this everyday, and it leads to some heated words.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I came to talk about ethics, and I have a press conference. And I think that it's a true sign of desperation that you would pull your bus up when I'm having a press conference.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, sir, I can never find you anywhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, he rolled his bus up to his opponent's press conference.
NGUYEN: Press conference.
HOLMES: We're going to tell you more about the Kansas candidates' confrontation a little later.
But first, the bloggers are bringing big changes to the political landscape, and CNN's Miles O'Brien explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's only a matter of time before politicians wake up and realize how important the Internet is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Politicians and policy can be affected by an opinion that's expressed on an Internet blog.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Politicians could use a blog to really promote themselves to people who they wouldn't usually see.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For just your average voter, the Internet is really a very valuable resource.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I see the Web basically being the future of politics.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Sixty million Americans say the Internet helped them make major decisions in their lives in the past two years. But when it comes to politics, how much will the Web affect what we hear and what we see and how we vote? (voice-over): Henry Farrell of George Washington University says personal Web sites, known as Web logs or blogs, will continue changing the political landscape.
HENRY FARRELL, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY: Blogs are becoming more and more a way in which ordinary people can communicate, can express their political opinions, can engage in certain kinds of political action and can have real consequences as a result.
M. O'BRIEN: It was chatter on the so-called blogosphere that ultimately led to Trent Lott's resignation as Senate Majority Leader. And Howard Dean effectively used the Internet to raise interest and money, making him a viable contender for the 2004 Democratic presidential run.
In the future Farrell says while its role is ever changing, the Internet is sure to remain a political force.
FARRELL: The future impact of the Internet on politics is enormous. Politics is going to become much more unpredictable than it has been in the past, much more difficult to control, a lot more interesting, a lot more lively.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. Pardon the pun, but this next story really does give new meaning to cheaper labor in India. It's a story of American couples seeking surrogate mothers at a price much lower than they can find at home.
And business, well, let's just say it's booming, as our senior international correspondent Satinder Bindra reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BINDRA (voice-over): Mark and D'arcy Cornwall have come all the way from California to this dusty western Indian city of Annan (ph), best known for a milk factory, because they couldn't afford not to. They have been trying to have a baby for the past five years, and their last attempt ended in a miscarriage. Now, after years of frustration, the Cornwalls have found hope, 8,000 miles, or 13,000 kilometers from home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We appreciate everything...
BINDRA: On their first trip to India, they found a woman who has agreed to carry their baby, a surrogate mother who prefers not to be identified. Thirty-three years old and with three grown children, she knows the Joyce of motherhood. She also understands the pain of poverty. Both she and her husband are unemployed. For her attempt to carry the Cornwalls' baby to maturity, she'll be paid $5,000.
Just like her, there are so many women lining up to become surrogate mothers in Annan, that some describe it as the latest trend in outsourcing. The Cornwalls don't see it that way. D'ARCY CORNWALL, SURROGACY SUPPORTER: We don't have an opportunity to have a child, and this is our opportunity right here, in India, and what greater gift can you have?
BINDRA: The Cornwalls' surrogate tells me she says this as a way to look after her family. It would take her husband 10 years to make that kind of money. That, she says, if his luck held on.
"My husband used to ferry passengers in a small taxi," she says. "He then sold that and bought a small shop. But that business also failed."
And for the Cornwalls, who make a good living in America, he's a lawyer, she's a real estate agent, the price of surrogacy in America was just too great.
(on camera): Compared to the United States, where it can cost up to $50,000 to find a surrogate, the going rate in this western Indian town is $5,000. Surrogates here are paid in increments over a period of nine months. In turn, they sign contracts promising to hand over babies as soon as they're born.
(voice-over): Helping the Cornwalls, in fact, even playing the role of matchmaker is Dr. Nayna Paytal, the pioneer of commercial surrogacy in Annan. She says she follows guidelines that surrogates have to be young, healthy and married with children. Even so, the word is spreading that Dr. Paytal has some of the best-paying jobs in town. She says she gets at least two calls a week from potential surrogates.
DR. NAYNA PAYTEL, FERTILITY SPECIALIST: There is one such family where all the three sisters and the sister-in-law have become surrogates. They of them already delivered.
BINDRA: For the Cornwalls, the match is made, the moment has arrived. These pictures show D'arcy's eggs being fertilized with Mark's sperm in a test tube. The resulting two healthy embryos are then inserted into the surrogate's womb. There are now dozens of such women in the city.
Twenty-seven-year-old mother of two Pushpa Pandya has already been a surrogate once, and says she's ready to do it again.
"The joy of giving someone a child," she says, "it's a very different feeling. It's more than money. I'll always remember that child and think how happy the real parents must be."
As Annan becomes the epicenter for what could be a surrogate baby boom, some doctors are concerned. They describe what's happening at Dr. Paytel's clinic as a womb-renting industry, one in which poor women are being exploited. D'arcy Cornwall prickles at any such suggestion
CORNWALL: What's happening is she's giving us the opportunity to have a child; we're giving her the opportunity to provide for her family, more so than she would have been able to. It's not cheap, wombs for rent. It's a blessing, is the way I see it.
BINDRA: As D'arcy soaks up some of India's local culture, all she dreams of is that their surrogate gets pregnant so she can return to India and pick up a healthy baby.
Satinder Bindra, CNN, Anna, Western India.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Want to get to some video now we want to show you the of the arrivals we've been expecting this morning at the White House. The president of course meeting with some of his top generals, and also others, to talk about the strategy in Iraq and if it needs to be changes.
We are seeing video here just a short time ago we got of the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfled arriving for that meeting at the White House. He among others, several top generals, John Abizaid, as well as General Casey also going to be in this meeting. Vice President Cheney going to be in as well. But to talk about the debate we've been seeing all week really about if there needs to be a change in strategy and tactics in the war in Iraq. But there Donald Rumsfeld just one of several having a meeting, we're expecting that meeting to take place at the top of the hour at the White House. We will have a live report on what's happening, and will monitor that meeting in our next hour.
Stay here. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN ANCHOR: I'm over here.
HOLMES: Hey, how are you doing? Things well? Good to see you.
I'm still getting the she's over here.
DE LA CRUZ: Veronica is this way. Yes, I'm Veronica.
HOLMES: All right, we're talking about -- I'm T.J. We're talking about...
DE LA CRUZ: Come on, you've been here for a couple weeks already.
HOLMES: Just two weeks or something. You had a vacation time.
DE LA CRUZ: This is inexcusable.
HOLMES: We're talking about the American dream. I don't think I'm living it right now.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, doesn't look like it. Well, you know, CNN.com we've launched this online community, it's called iExchange. We have people share their pictures, their videos, stories. You know, right, T.J.?
HOLMES: I do know.
DE LA CRUZ: We are talking the American dream, you're right about out. We've been asking people this week, what is your take on the American dream? Well, a new CNN poll shows that 54 percent of Americans believe that the American dream is impossible to achieve. So we asked people why. And here are a couple of those answers.
Phillippe Farneti of Herndon, Virginia says, "For those who got the American dream, it is great for them, but others like me have no idea how to get there. I work daily wondering, am I living the American dream, or somebody's else's idea of it?"
Adam White of Santa Clarita, California wonders if the American dream is attainable anymore. He says, "With a college degree in a productive major, such as engineering, finance, marketing, or the hard sciences, yes. Without such a degree, not likely."
Finally, Cindy Lomen of Alta Loma, California had this to say -- "The American dream to most people involves owning a home. It also includes good schools, health care and employment. It's true that it has become more difficult to achieve this dream."
And to read more of these responses or to send in your definition of the American Dream, you can go to CNN.com/iReport or iExchange. And then coming up at 10:00, I'm going to have some pictures and videos that our iReporters sent in about the quake in Hawaii.
Also we've got a contest coming up. We're going to give away a prize for the best iReport.
NGUYEN: OK, but here's the key. What's that prize, Veronica?
DE LA CRUZ: I'm not going to say.
HOLMES: Oh, come on.
NGUYEN: How do they know at home if they want to play?
DE LA CRUZ: Come on, bragging rights -- I'm the best iReporter at CNN.
NGUYEN: See, you're supposed to offer them the American Dream.
DE LA CRUZ: And are you living the American dream, by the way?
You know, I think T.J. is.
NGUYEN: It's all about attitude. I'm trying.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, T.J. is because he gets to sit between us.
HOLMES: Oh, wow.
NGUYEN: That's true.
HOLMES: He is a very privileged man, if you ask me.
And even better now, we are going to talk sports. Game one of the World Series.
DE LA CRUZ: That's the American dream, right?
HOLMES: That's the dream, here and we're talking sports. Well, we're talking game one of the World Series, of course.
However, might be a little soggy this evening. Yes, Reynolds is going to talk us about the game-time forecast coming up next.
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NGUYEN: Well, Iraq is certainly the talk this morning.
HOLMES: As we've been saying, President Bush hosting another strategy session with his top brass. We'll talk to our own general, and take you live to the White House at the top of the hour.
NGUYEN: And politics not always pretty, as you know, but things are getting downright ugly on the campaign trail in one hot Senate race. We will show you the candidates' confrontation. It's all ahead in our next hour. You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," President Bush set to meet with some of his top generals at the White House right now. The meeting comes amid calls for a change of strategy in Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney also joining that discussion this morning.
In the city of Ramadi, a suspected suicide bomber is dead. The U.S. military says he was killed in a raid by coalition forces earlier today. Officials say they believe the man was responsible for a suicide bombing earlier this week in the town of Habbaniya.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in Russia. She is there to shore up support for sanctions against North Korea. Now, Rice is also raising doubt about reports that North Korea plans to stop its nuclear tests.
Let's take you to New York now. Officials say they will search parts of the World Trade Center site again for remains of those killed on September 11th. This after several bones were pulled out of an abandoned manhole on Thursday.
A freight train carrying ethanol derailed overnight in southwestern Pennsylvania. No one was injured, and about 50 people did have to be -- did have to be evacuated as a precaution. The derailed cars were burning over the Beaver River near Pittsburgh.
Of course, we do run down the top stories for you every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 8:15 Eastern Time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For three years now I have been doing this. When I started here I was on five prescription drugs, and now I'm on zero.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: So, your best options for fighting the signs of aging? "House Call" gives you a decade-by-decade game plan. That's coming up at the bottom of the hour. Not bad.
Definitely going to stay tuned for that.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It's October 21st, 8:00 a.m. here at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, 3:00 p.m. in Baghdad.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for being here with us this morning.
NGUYEN: There is a major meeting for President Bush this morning. With the situation in Iraq descending into more violence and insecurity, there are increased calls for a change of course. So some of the top generals have come to the White House this morning to discuss options for what to do next.
CNN White House Correspondence Elaine Quijano joining us live this morning.
We understand Secretary Rumsfeld has already arrived, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Good morning to you, Betty.
Well, the White House is really trying to downplay the importance of this meeting, saying that it usually happens via a secure video teleconference every week. But of course it's coming, as you know, Betty, at a time when there is no signs of the violence in Iraq letting up any time soon.
Now, as you mentioned, all morning long we have been watching some of these people who are going to be at this meeting have arrived. That meeting set to take place this hour.
Among them, members of the president's national security team, as well as his defense team. You mentioned Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. We also saw moments ago General John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. Central Command. Also scheduled to be at this meeting, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace.
Now, General Abizaid actually already met with President Bush yesterday. He was in town, summoned here for a 30-minute meeting, an informal discussion, according to the president's aides, to talk strategy about Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now, October is proving to be a particularly deadly month for U.S. forces in Iraq. Already, 75 U.S. troops have died so far. And now, against unrest, against the backdrop of unrest in the Iraqi city of Amara, the pressure certainly is on this administration to change course. And that pressure coming not just from Democrats, but also from some prominent Republicans as well.
While President Bush remains publicly resolute about the goal in Iraq, he is trying to make clear that his administration is remaining flexible in its approach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our tactics are constantly changing. I talked to our generals who are in charge of these operations, and my message to them is, whatever you need we'll give you, and whatever tactics you think work on the ground you put in place. Our goal hasn't changed, but the tactics are constantly adjusting to an enemy which is brutal and violent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, yesterday we should mention that the president also briefly met with the two heads of the Iraq Study Group, that independent bipartisan commission that is going to be giving its report -- we are expecting sometime after the congressional midterm election next month -- those members stopping by here at the White House to meet with the national security adviser, Stephen Hadley. We are told by Bush aides that the president stopped by that meeting.
But certainly, Betty, as I noted, a lot of intense political pressure for this White House. No longer can they say that this is just a partisan issue because Republicans are raising concerns about how the president is conducting this war as well -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Indeed. And of course we will continue to monitor that meeting today.
Elaine Quijano at the White House for us.
Thank you, Elaine.
HOLMES: So what options are there in Iraq? One that has gained some steam recently is the idea of partitioning the country, basically carving it up into three major sections. But can that work?
CNN's Tom Foreman takes a closer look. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): With the fighting grinding on and on, some leaders inside and outside of Iraq believe dividing the country into autonomous states could be a reasonable idea. Right now, the Shia primarily occupy the east and south. The Sunnis are in the west. And the Kurds, the north. And old ethnic differences between these groups have produced some support for official state borders between these regions.
But some foreign affairs analysts warn splitting up Iraq will almost certainly lead to more trouble. Why?
(on camera): One reason lies beneath the ground. Look at where the oil is. These deposits which could make Iraq a very wealthy nation if peace ever comes are located primarily under Shia and Kurdish land. So unless there is a strong plan to assure nationwide sharing of oil revenue, the Sunnis could be cut out of the windfall.
(voice over): Even some supporters of a partitioning plan who say a little independence for each region could quiet bitter rivalries, say the Sunnis must be guaranteed a fair share of the oil money.
LES GELB, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: And you've got to tell, we've got to tell the Shiites and the Kurds, look, you're not going to get anything out of the oil you have if there is civil war in that country.
FOREMAN: But the White House vigorously opposes partitioning.
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yes, partition, nonstarter.
FOREMAN: Among the apparent fears, if the Sunnis become effectively their own country, they could join forces with Syria, a Sunni neighbor and no friend of the United States. And the same holds for the Shia. They could cozy up to neighboring Iran, expanding that country's already substantial and growing influence in the region.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: That takes us now to this morning's e-mail question.
Should the U.S. change its strategy in Iraq? Would you stay the course, withdraw troops, or maybe try something altogether different?
E-mail us, weekends@cnn.com. We'll read some of your responses throughout the morning.
NGUYEN: Well, access denied. A Democratic staffer on the House Intelligence Committee is cut off from access to classified information. This decision follows the leak of an intelligence report on terrorism. Now, the National Intelligence Estimate concluded that the Iraq war has become a rallying call for terrorists. It was leaked to "The New York Times" last month.
Now, the House Intelligence Committee says the staffer requested the report shortly before it was leaked. The Republican chairman suspended the Democratic staffer's access, setting off an angry partisan exchange.
HOLMES: And with 17 days before the election, things heating up in Tennessee. Democratic Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr. and his Republican opponent, Bob Corker, had a bit of a tense exchange in Memphis.
Ford showed up at a Corker campaign event. Needless to say, he was not on the guest list. So Corker decided to come out and say hi.
Ursula Madden of WMC-TV tells us what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
URSULA MADDEN, REPORTER, WMC-TV (voice over): He wasn't invited but he came anyway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to get this box off our premises, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now.
MADDEN: Harold Ford Jr. crashed opponent Bob Corker's news conference in Memphis. The two shook hands, but there was nothing civil about this meet and greet.
BOB CORKER (R), SENATE CANDIDATE: I can't even talk about ethics. And I have a press conference, and I think it's a true sign of desperation that you would pull your bus up when I am having a press conference.
HAROLD FORD JR. (D), TENNESSEE: No, sir. I can never find you anywhere in the state.
MADDEN: What's desperate, says Ford, is Corker's latest ad knocking his family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has Junior ever had a job outside of politics?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Ford family business is politics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But he does look good on TV.
MADDEN: Ford wanted to debate Corker on the spot, but Corker didn't take the bait. FORD: Well, tell me, what do you think about this Iraq thing? I know you're here to talk about my family. I thought you made a promise right after...
CORKER: No, no, no, I'm here to talk about you.
MADDEN: Ford insists showing up at Corker's news conference was not a breach of campaign etiquette, nor was it a desperate move.
FORD: I mean, every pull of the country shows us running ahead. Every poll in the state demonstrates it.
Go vote early.
MADDEN: But Ford knows the lead in those polls is slim. So he rallied in downtown Memphis to push people to vote early.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And again, that report was from Ursula Madden of CNN affiliate WMC-TV in Memphis.
NGUYEN: Right now we want to get a check of the weather outside. But before that, let's talk to Reynolds.
I understand you've got some depression that you're looking into. Right, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Searching for the best strategy -- speaking of problems -- in Iraq. The president is holding high-level meetings with military leaders this weekend. I'm going to speak with a retired general about his thoughts on the next step.
HOLMES: Also, marijuana...
NGUYEN: Huh?
HOLMES: ... good for the brain? Coming up in 10 minutes, details on a new Alzheimer's study that might surprise you a bit.
NGUYEN: And keeping your skin youthful without going under the knife. "House Call" tells you how. That's in 20 minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: "Now in the News" and happening right now, President Bush is meeting with some of his top generals at the White House. They are discussing the situation in Iraq and the calls for a change in strategy.
Word now that a U.S. Marine will plead guilty to charges linked in the killing of an Iraqi civilian in Hamdaniya. The Associated Press reports that Private John Jodka's father says a plea deal is done. Jodka is expected to plead guilty next week to assault and obstruction of justice. Murder charges would be dropped.
Commit a crime in California, do time in Indiana? Next month, California begins shipping thousands of inmates to prisons in four other states. Why? Overcrowding. The cost to the state, more than $50 million a year.
And it took hours to put this fire out. The fire at Fort Meade Army Base in Maryland started sometime after 3:00 yesterday afternoon, burned until about 10:00 last night. Only one building was damaged.
We do run down the top stories for you every 15 minutes right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning look. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 8:30 Eastern.
NGUYEN: We're going to take a closer look now at the situation in Iraq, where October is shaping up to be one of the deadliest months ever for U.S. troops.
Let's turn to Brigadier General David Grange, who is a CNN military analyst. He joins us from Oak Brook, Illinois.
Good morning to you, General.
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning.
NGUYEN: Well, first of all, let's talk about the situation in Amara. There are early reports that suggest that Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr had taken control over the city. That was later disputed, but, you know, you combine that with the numbers that we have been reporting, and the violence ramping up in Iraq, and then you have Republicans even stepping up and saying there needs to be a change in strategy -- from a military standpoint, what do you say needs to be done? Should there be a change in strategy?
GRANGE: Well, I believe so, but this is not an easy task. And most of the people that criticize the strategy now don't really provide any coherent solutions to what to do.
I mean, it's a tough set. It's no doubt about it. But really, what has to happen is do some things that maybe a little unexpected, unusual, that would keep the enemies off balance.
NGUYEN: What do you mean by that?
GRANGE: Well, you -- for instance, let me just give you an example -- that you may reinforce in an area unexpectedly of thousands of soldiers, even if it's for a short period of time, to do something, even if it's just an exercise. The appearance, the perception is that maybe you're reinforcing.
You have to make sure you show these people that you're not going to just stop what you're doing and leave. It may mean the decision that we leave. I don't know. But you don't want to give right now our opponents that perception that our will is diminishing and we are getting ready to depart.
NGUYEN: Or that it's just business as usual and things are going to remain the same.
But let me ask you, obviously the situation is taking precedence. There is a meeting going on right now. President Bush meeting with General Abizaid, meeting with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and other top generals to talk about the strategy in Iraq.
This is a weekend meeting, and although the White House would like to say, you know, this happens weekly, what are your thoughts about this meeting? Is it just ironic that it's occurring now with all this stepped-up violence, or what do you see in the fact this meeting is occurring right now?
GRANGE: Well, having served for 30 years, a weekend meeting is not unusual. I mean, you meet all the time to adjust what you're going to do, and so you don't -- Saturday and Sunday is just like a Monday and Tuesday, quite often.
So it's really not an unusual meeting. But the thing is that they know that there has to be some type of change. There has to be something to be done with the militias, something to be done with the way forward, because right now the status quo, troop-on-troop attrition-type war is just going to continue to have casualties and continue to reduce America's resolve to stay in -- stay in the fight.
Now, the -- the casualties between Sunni and Shia, and Kurds as well, that's going to continue no matter what we do. That's not going to go away, that part of it. But our piece of it, obviously there has to be some kind of change in status quo.
NGUYEN: Yes, maintaining the security is key. And, you know, while we don't know exactly what is being discussed detail by detail in this meeting with the president and his top generals, you have access to a lot of people in the know. You served a lot of time in the military, and you stay in contact with many people still serving.
So what are they saying? What are the ideas being bounced around about a solution to the situation in Iraq?
GRANGE: Sure. One -- one item that not many people want to hear anymore, especially some of the people in Congress, is that, well, you have to give them a little bit more time. Well, we do have to give the elected government some time, and then we just monitor their resolve, their willingness to solve this. And in fact, if that starts to diminish, now that they are a sovereign nation again, we have to kind of take their lead. And that may be a decision that we leave.
The other is, we have to keep the influence out of Iran, in particular, but also Syria from interfering, which they are doing considerably right now, especially with the Shia militias. We have to continue to take down terrorists that are in the country.
And a comment made early that it's a magnet for terrorists, well, that's not really a bad thing because they are all in one place right now. Not all, but a good majority of them. That -- tactically, that's not a bad -- bad thing.
The other is we support the security forces of Iraq where and when needed. And then we have to keep presence in the region, because the region is a powder keg. It's going to be -- would have been that way if we were in Iraq or not. And so we have to keep presence to either destroy, disrupt or deny those that want to do things to other nation states that the world, international community, does not desire to happen, or us, because of the strategic importance of this part of the world.
NGUYEN: Yes. A lot of ideas there, General. We'll see how it plays out.
We appreciate your time, though, this morning.
GRANGE: My pleasure.
NGUYEN: T.J.
HOLMES: How could any illegal drug help prevent the devastating disease Alzheimer's? Up next, details on a surprising new medical study.
NGUYEN: But first, let's get a preview of today's "House Call".
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Betty, thanks.
Coming up on "House Call," we're giving you tips for living a longer, healthier life. Sound good? Well, from preventing heart disease and staving off memory loss, to advice about boosting your metabolism, all that's coming up on "House Call" at 8:30.
And Betty, I know you and T.J. aren't going to want to miss this. There's something for everyone in this show.
Thanks for watching.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Hello again.
A few health notes for you on this Saturday morning.
First, if this study is right, you might want to forget everything you've ever heard about marijuana. A study of rats at Ohio State University claims marijuana may actually reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. Again, though, this is in rats. It seems the drug reduces inflammation in rats' brains and improves their memory.
No such luck, though, for people seeking the fountain of youth through DHEA supplements. A study by Mayo Clinic researchers finds the substance failed to deliver anti-aging benefits, and earlier rat studies as well showed some promise. But...
NGUYEN: It's all about the rats today, T.J.
HOLMES: Rats are struggling, man. Poor little guys.
Well, Mayo's human study, however, did show no health improvements. This stuff can be purchased over the counter. U.S. sales last year were in the range of $50 million.
JLo, Beyonce and Janet -- of course, their famous physiques inspiring a lot of women to spend tons of time at the gym working out that lower half, if you will.
In today's "Bod Squad," Elizabeth Cohen shows you some simple moves for a great gluteus maximus.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you come out, Sarah's going to be using weight, but you can come out to a side lunge. Try it Sarah.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you want to look great from the rear, side lunges are key in an age- defying glute workout.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... the lunge to effectively work them even harder. Let's do one more.
COHEN: Running stadium stairs are also great for lifting and toning the glutes, because the secret to a tight rear end is training all of the muscles that surround the gluteus maximus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you truly want to make your glutes age- defying, when you lunge out for stadium steps, you want to keep the back straight. The eyes are on the horizon. The eyes are up. And of course, that 90-degree angle.
COHEN: Lunges or leg presses are great substitutes when stairs aren't available. You can add resistance with a medicine ball or a body bar for maximum lower body results. A healthy mix of cardio and weight training incorporating squats, lunges, and leg presses can help you achieve great glutes.
Elizabeth Cohen, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well done.
NGUYEN: Boy, we were talking about that exercise segment, let me tell you.
OK. So let's move on, shall we, before T.J. gets into some trouble.
HOLMES: Please.
NGUYEN: Who has the power to count your vote? Coming up at 10:00 Eastern we will take a close look at the electronic voting system in this country. With just 17 days before Election Day, why are some sounding the alarm about the system's reliability?
HOLMES: And as we have been reporting, at this hour the president holding a high-level Iraq strategy session. We'll have a live report from the White House at the top of the hour.
NGUYEN: But first, how your health challenges evolve from decade to decade. You know we're talking about getting older. Dr. Sanjay Gupta and "House Call" will show you what you need to do to fight aging after a check of the headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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