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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
New Clues in Connecticut; U.S. Warns of More War Casualties; Fans Honor George Harrison
Aired November 30, 2001 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Today on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: "America Strikes Back."
After hundreds of tests, finally a clue in the anthrax death of an elderly Connecticut woman. But does it only deepen the mystery?
The Bush administration says it's too soon for peacekeepers in Afghanistan, and warns of casualties ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We may have troops captured or killed. But it will not deter us, for a day or for a moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: We'll have an interview with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL HUNT, CNN'S "NOVAK, HUNT AND SHIELDS": Do you consider Iran an adversary or an ally right now in this war on terrorism?
RUMSFELD: Oh, my goodness, Iran is certainly not an ally.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: And, tributes pour in for ex-Beatle George Harrison, the guitarist who put the jolt into the Beatles' rock 'n' roll, and took them on spiritual journeys.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL MCCARTNEY, EX-BEATLE: He's sorely missed. He was a beautiful man, and the world will miss him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: We'll remember George Harrison, dead of cancer at 58.
And, crowds are paying tribute to George Harrison, from Strawberry Fields in New York's Central Park to across the Atlantic on Abbey Road in London.
Hello from Washington. We're following two big stories: the passing of George Harrison, also, the war on terrorism. New information tonight about the anthrax mailings. We'll have extensive coverage of both of these stories during the next hour, but we begin with the latest developments. CNN's Catherine Callaway is in Atlanta with a quick check of that -- Catherine.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Wolf. Good to see you.
Yes, there's a new clue in the anthrax death of a 94-year-old Connecticut woman. Officials say that a letter that tested positive for anthrax was sent to a home near the community where the victim, Ottilie Lundgren, lived. That letter may have been cross-contaminated with anthrax-laced letters that were sent to Senate offices in Washington. Now, officials also believe that Lundgren's death may be the result of cross-contamination.
And FBI officials today are expected to open an anthrax- contaminated letter that was addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy. The letter, discovered November 16, will be opened at a germ warfare lab in Frederick, Maryland. The letter was processed by a mail facility in New Jersey.
Attorney General John Ashcroft is again defending the administration's tough policies in the war on terrorism. Ashcroft says that critics are -- quote -- "assuming the worst of their government." He says plans, such as the use of military courts to try terrorists, are designed to protect the country and respect the Constitution. Some lawmakers and advocacy groups say the steps go too far.
U.S. warplanes bombed the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar today. The southern city is the only one still under the control of the Taliban. Seen here is a compound in the city known to have been used by Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says that a major part of the U.S. military campaign is the capture of senior Taliban and al Qaeda leaders.
And President Bush left this afternoon for a weekend stay at Camp David. Earlier the White House quoted Mr. Bush as saying now is not the time for a peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Before that happens, Mr. Bush says the al Qaeda terror network must be destroyed.
And the Fab Four is down to two now. Former Beatle George Harrison died yesterday of cancer. One of his partners, Paul McCartney, says that Harrison was a -- quote -- "lovely guy, and a very brave man." Harrison was 58. We'll of course have much more on the life and songs of George Harrison, coming up later in the show.
And finally, the first person to ever receive a self-contained artificial heart today died. Robert Tools received the artificial heart in July. He suffered a stroke earlier this month. Robert Tools was 59.
Busy news today. Turn it back to Wolf. BLITZER: Thank you very much, Catherine.
And there's a possible break in the investigation into the anthrax death of a 94-year-old Connecticut woman. Officials say an envelope sent to a town near where the victim lived tested positive for the bacteria. Ottilie Lundgren died of anthrax in her hometown of Oxford the day before Thanksgiving. CNN's Jason Carroll is in Oxford. He's covering the story for us now and he joins us live -- Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Wolf, really the best way to explain the story is to begin by looking at the case of Ottilie Lundgren. That is the 94-year-old woman who died of inhalation anthrax. Investigators are really at this point still trying to figure out exactly how she was exposed to anthrax.
So what they've done is they've run a number of tests. In fact, they've run some 700 tests of the area, her home, her mailbox, the church that she went to, the beauty parlor. This is a woman who really didn't get out all that much. Most of those tests, at least so far, have come back negative.
Investigators, as part of their investigation also looked at a number of recent deaths in the area, including the death of a 84-year- old man who lived just about mile and a half from Lundgren. An autopsy of that man showed that he did not die of anthrax. But what they also did is, they also took a look at some of his neighbors. They interviewed some of his neighbors about some of the mail that they have received.
And as part of that investigation during that process, they found out that one of that man's neighbors did in fact receive a letter postmarked from Trenton, New Jersey, postmarked on October 9. A test of that letter did show small traces of anthrax.
Now, you'll remember that letter sent to Senator Tom Daschle and Senator Leahy were also postmarked from Trenton, New Jersey. So the working theory at this point is that we could be dealing with a case of cross-contamination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JOHN ROWLAND, CONNECTICUT: It continues to support the theory that we've all had, that mail can be cross-contaminated by other mail that's laced with anthrax, i.e., of course the Leahy and Daschle letters.
But just as important, it shows how difficult it is for anyone to use the mail to deliver anthrax.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: The Department of Health was also able to give us a little bit more information about that letter tonight. They told us that that letter was personally addressed to the people who lived at that home, once again, about a mile and a half from where Lundgren lived. And they said that all the people in that home are doing just fine. But at this point, they still do not know how Lundgren was exposed to anthrax -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Jason Carroll in Connecticut, thank you very much.
And joining us now with his medical insight on the Connecticut anthrax case, our CNN medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Well, this cross-contamination of a letter, Dr. Gupta, what should that mean to our viewers out there who may be concerned about taking in mail?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly it is of concern, Wolf. We've shown demonstrations on this network about how mail could actually get cross-contaminated, if an envelope were full of spores. Actually some of those spores go from one envelope to another. That is the sort of bad news.
The good news, Wolf, is that the amounts that usually get on to other envelopes, so small as to be very unusual for anyone to actually get sick from any of that cross-contaminated mail. Certainly, the unfortunate case of Ms. Lundgren in Connecticut. But she also was 94 years old, probably had a weakened immune system, and may have been already pretty susceptible to infections.
BLITZER: While I have you, Sanjay, I want to get your sense on the death this afternoon of Robert Tools, the 59-year-old recipient of an artificial heart. He received that heart in early July. It's been almost five months now that he's been alive, but unfortunately he passed away today.
What did we learn from this first recipient of an artificial heart?
GUPTA: Well, it's important to remember, Wolf, Mr. Tools was chosen as a candidate for this in part because he was so ill he wasn't a candidate for a human heart. He had multiple organs already at risk when he got the artificial heart. The artificial heart was transplanted. At the time he received that, he was only expected to live about a month.
What they did with this artificial heart, incidentally, Wolf, it's worth sort of reminding people again. This is a model of a human heart. In this situation, they actually -- you have four chambers. They actually took a two-chambered heart and sewed it into some of the tissue of the normal human heart. It was a completely seamless, self- contained device. It didn't require any battery packs or anything like that, and essentially worked pretty well for quite some time.
With those sorts of devices, it does oftentimes require that the patient be on anticoagulants, blood thinners, to try and make sure that no clots develop. And therein lied some of the problems that Mr. Tools experienced, with bleeding, clotting, all the things that we heard about.
BLITZER: And we do remember when he received that artificial heart, that the prognosis for him, for his longevity at that time in early July, was perhaps a matter of days, perhaps a few weeks. He did manage to survive almost five months.
I guess that must be sort of encouraging to those who were involved in this procedure.
GUPTA: Absolutely, Wolf. They did not expect him to live longer than a month without this transplant. He -- and when we talked to them at that time, they said if he lives at all over that, even a couple months, that would be deemed a success. And that's part of what these clinical trials are all about, Wolf, trying to see if actually they're going to work.
They do work. He lived five times longer than he would. Unfortunately he did pass on today, but I think the federal government has approved federal funding for few more cases, and we're going to have to see how well this artificial heart works.
BLITZER: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks very much for joining us. Thank you very much.
GUPTA: Thank you.
BLITZER: Not only talking about the artificial heart, but also anthrax as well, the latest development in Connecticut.
GUPTA: Thanks, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you. And we have a developing story that we're following up on Capitol Hill involving anthrax. Our Congressional correspondent Kate Snow is now standing by with that -- Kate.
KATE SNOW, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, they're starting tonight with a cleanup of Senator Tom Daschle's office. You'll recall, that's where the anthrax-laden letter was opened here on Capitol Hill. What's really remarkable is that this is really the first time they've ever done anything like this.
They're trying to clean out an area, including Senator Daschle's office, of part of the 5th and 6th floors of this building. And to do that, they're going to be using something called chlorine dioxide gas. It's something that's never been tried before. Of course, there's never been a case like this before, with so much anthrax in such a large area.
Now, this afternoon scientists began placing test strips inside the building. Those strips will help them figure out if the anthrax is actually gone in the end. In about an hour, those large generators that you just saw a moment ago, the red thing you saw on your screen, they will begin combining all the ingredients needed to make that chlorine dioxide gas, and then begin pumping that into the building at about 6:00 p.m. Eastern time, about an hour from now.
For 12 hours they will keep a constant flow of that gas inside that corner of the building in Senator Daschle's office. They have to keep it at a fairly weak concentration. And it will do its work over the next 12 hours, so tomorrow morning they'll go back in. They'll begin the process of scrubbing the air, pulling the air back out and making sure the chlorine dioxide is out of the air at that point. And then they'll spend the next few days testing to make sure that all of the anthrax is gone. A couple of other notes, Wolf. IT's actually going to have some effect on the inside of the building. For one thing, they think it will probably make the carpet and the upholstery a little bit lighter. It works somewhat like a bleach would work, so they think it might have a little effect on that. But they do plan to redecorate Tom Daschle's office.
And it will be a matter of weeks, probably, we're told maybe two to four weeks if all goes completely as planned, before they're able to reopen the Hart Senate office building -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Kate Snow up on Capitol Hill, thank you very much for that.
And for an in-depth look at anthrax, log on to cnn.com. Among the information you'll find is how natural anthrax is broken down to its deadly weapons-grade form. The AOL keyword, of course, is CNN.
Now to the war on terror and America's hunt for Osama bin Laden. Earlier this afternoon CNN's Al Hunt and Robert Novak discussed the Afghan war with the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The interview took place over at the Pentagon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUNT: You warned we could be in for a difficult fight in southern Afghanistan. Could you give us any sense, as to how long you think it will take us to succeed?
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I can't. The situation is so difficult. And I would say that it's not just in southern Afghanistan, but throughout the country. It looks as though it's reasonably settled, in the northern and western portions. And it's pretty clear it's still unsettled in the Kandahar and Jalalabad area.
On the other hand, there are pockets of resistance up north and in the west. A good many of these people who surrendered and turned in their arms and then left, and a number of other of the Taliban ended up just fading into the villages in the mountains. And they're still there, and they're still armed.
So I don't think that simply because there are no pitched battles going on at the present time, that it's over. I think it's still a dangerous place to be. We've seen any number of journalists killed. It's entirely possible that there are going to be more Americans killed.
And I think the superficially placid scene one sees up in north and the west is probably not the real situation. I think there is a good deal of turmoil underneath.
ROBERT NOVAK, CNN'S "NOVAK, HUNT AND SHIELDS": You've said that, when it comes to Osama bin Laden, dead or alive, if you had your druthers, you'd prefer dead. What orders do our special forces have if they encounter Osama bin Laden? Shoot on site, or try to capture him? RUMSFELD: Our forces always have the rules of engagement that are written. They understand them. And certainly if a person surrenders, we take them prisoner. We don't shoot people that are surrendering. If people refuse to surrender or try to flee, they have an obligation to try to stop them.
HUNT: Do you consider Iran basically an adversary or an ally right now in this war on terrorism?
RUMSFELD: Oh my goodness, Iran is certainly not ally. That's a word that's reserved for a relationship that's notably different than ours with Iran. Iran is a state, like Iraq and North Korea and Cuba and Syria and Libya, that's on the terrorist list. So they don't get there by accident. They earn that.
HUNT: Is Iran the same order of threat as Saddam Hussein in Iraq right now?
RUMSFELD: It's a very different situation. I think that there is no question, but that Iran is very actively developing nuclear weapons. That is a fact. How many years it will take for them to actually have a nuclear weapon, I don't know. I think it's unclear to me.
I do know that they have the delivery systems for weapons of mass destruction. And they obviously have had -- been attentive to chemical and biological weapons, as well. So this is a country that is on the terrorist list, that has weapons of mass destruction, is trying to get a nuclear capability.
It is also a country, unlike Iraq -- I would characterize Iraq as a dictator in a repressive system that is unlikely to be altered from within, absent an assassination or something like that, and who knows what would follow that?
Iran is slightly different. Iran is a situation where there are clearly some pressures, some young people. There are pressures from women, in that country. Iran had a different history than Iraq. I don't know -- if nothing else happened and one looked at those two countries, I would say the likelihood of Iraq reforming itself is zero. The likelihood -- the possibility, the remote possibility of Iran reforming itself is considerably above zero.
NOVAK: Mr. Secretary, on the question of Iraq, the chairman of the Defense Department policy board, Richard Perle -- of course, that's not a full-time job, that's an advisory job.
RUMSFELD: Right.
NOVAK: He has been very blunt in saying that he thinks, regardless of whether there is any link between Iraq and the events of September 11, now is the time to get rid of Saddam Hussein. Do you agree with that?
RUMSFELD: Look, Richard Perle is Richard Perle. He is very bright, very talented -- served in government with distinction, and you're quite correct, he is chairman of the defense policy board. He however is not a government official. He does not speak for the president. He does not speak for me.
And my way to respond to that is that those are decisions that are made by the country, by the president of the United States, and he has made no announcements with respect to Iran.
NOVAK: Let me try to get your view on that in one respect. If it were possible to make a deal where inspectors were permitted into Iraq, in return for some lifting of sanctions, do you think that would be in the interest of the United States?
RUMSFELD: I'd need to know much more of the texture of that kind of arrangement. The fact of the matter is that we had inspectors, the U.N. had inspectors in Iraq for a long period. We couldn't find beans. And it's there. And we know it's there. And it was defectors who came out and told us where it was, that helped us to find it.
He has biological activity going on in mobile vans. They're moving around. It is almost impossible to find what they're doing. We know of certain knowledge, that Saddam Hussein has chemical and biological weapons. We know he had a much more advanced nuclear program than anyone dreamt when the Israelis went in and took it out many years ago. We learned that in Desert Storm.
I think that they are a threat. They have already gone after their neighbor, Kuwait. They have threatened northern Saudi Arabia. They -- he is a person who has described the moderate Arab regimes in the region as illegitimate. I think, left alone, he is a danger in the region, which is why we have Operation Northern Watch and Operation Southern Watch with our coalition partners, to keep him contained.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld speaking earlier today, to our Bob Novak and Al Hunt. You can see the complete interview with the defense secretary on "NOVAK HUNT & SHIELDS." That's tomorrow, 5:30 p.m. Eastern, 2:30 p.m. on the West Coast.
And you can get more assessment of the war in Afghanistan at 7:00 p.m. Eastern here in the "CNN WAR ROOM." Is the situation on the ground getting too chaotic for U.S. forces to control? And, what's next theater of operations after Afghanistan in this war against terrorism? Join me then. And you can participate right now. Simply go to our Web site, cnn.com/wolf. Click on "Send Questions." I'll ask some of those questions, as many as possible, to our panel.
Half of the famed Fab Four are now gone. We'll go to Miami, where the Beatles still have a regular weekly program, and hear from a man who knows just about everything about the boys from Liverpool. We'll remember George Harrison, and look back at his amazing career.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE HARRISON (singing): Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces. Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: And now there are two. Former Beatle John Lennon succumbed to a deranged fan's bullet in 1980. Yesterday, cancer took the life of George Harrison. Surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and a world of fans, are in mourning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): A wave of sadness from Liverpool, to Abbey Road, London, to Strawberry Fields, New York, for the passing of a legendary artist and a true and generous spirit.
MCCARTNEY: He had a long battle with his cancer, but I saw him a few weeks ago. And he was full of fun, like he always was. He is such a brave lad. To me, he is just my little baby brother.
BLITZER: For the decade the Beatles were together, lead guitarist George Harrison was often overshadowed by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, but he contributed some of the group's most enduring songs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON (singing): Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say, it's all right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON (singing): Because I'm the tax man. Yeah, I'm the tax man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON (singing): Something in the way she moves, attracts me like no other lover.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Harrison was an intensely spiritual man, his passion shining through in his acclaimed 1970's solo album, "All Things Must Pass."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON (singing): My sweet lord.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: In 1971, Harrison put his spiritual convictions into practice on a grand scale, organizing the landmark concert for Bangladesh. For the next two decades, he worked on a number of projects: films, such as Monty Python's "Life of Brian," studio work and solo albums.
None had the impact of his earlier work, but he did score some big hits.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON (singing): I got my mind set on you. I got my mind set on you...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: He followed that by teaming up with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty, to form the super group, the Traveling Wilburys.
Harrison faced his share of adversity. He was devastated by the 1980 murder of John Lennon, and endured a horrible attack himself in 1999. Harrison was already sick with throat cancer, when a deranged man broke into his home and stabbed him several times.
Cancer finally took his life Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the home of a friend in Los Angeles.
BEATLES (singing): While my guitar gently weeps.
BLITZER: In a statement, his family said Harrison left this world as he lived in it, conscious of God, fearless of death, and at peace.
George Harrison was 58.
BEATLES (singing): Still my guitar gently weeps.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: The crowds of mourners have gathered in various places associated with the Beatles, just as they did in 1980, to pay respects to John Lennon. No doubt many of the same Beatle fans have turned out again on Abbey Road in London, as well as in Central Park in New York.
Central Park, that's where we find Michael Okwu. And on Abbey Road in London, Richard Quest. Both of them join us now live. And, Richard, let me begin with you.
Give us a flavor of the reaction in London to the death of George Harrison.
RICHARD QUEST, CNN LONDON: Good evening from a wintry and wet London, Wolf. The rain that's been threatening for so many hours now has finally arrived. But it hasn't deterred Beatles and George Harrison fans from making the trek to Abbey Road. Behind me, the studios where, of course, they recorded all their albums, including 1969, the last one, called "Abbey Road." And all evening what we've been seeing is people coming along, bringing tributes, flowers, writing messages on the wall, a wall that has become synonymous with memories of the Beatles.
Let me just read you one note that is actually on the wall. This was brought by an 8-year-old boy who was brought here by his parents. And it's very much a flavor of the sort of totality of ages that we've been seeing throughout the hours: "Dear, George, It won't be the same without you. God bless you, Love Kevin."
Many memories, many flowers. Some young pictures of a George Harrison, some famous Beatles style pictures and some older ones. And this other letter that just, again, been brought here by one of the younger generation: "Grace and generosity, his love will go on forever. Oh, Lord, please look after our George."
Now, the mood has been obviously sad. But it's not been one of grief-stricken. It's been one of celebration of the music, of the man, of the life, of his spirituality. And that's what people have been talking about here, Wolf.
BLITZER: I take it the difference between the reaction to the murder of John Lennon and the death of George Harrison, quite different because of the circumstances. Isn't that right, Richard?
QUEST: Oh, completely different. I mean, you know, one was taken in the prime of his life in a violent assault. The other, maybe not at the full measure of a man's time, but by natural illness. So, yes, there has been that difference.
I think that it's the sadness from here, that really goes that there will be no more music, the sort of "My Sweet Lord," "Here Comes the Sun," the songs he wrote and that he was part of, Wolf.
BLITZER: OK, Richard Quest, stand by.
I want to bring in Michael Okwu. He's in Central Park, where they're also mourning George Harrison. Michael, tell us what's going on there.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, for the better, you can probably hear the music ever so faintly in the background. It has been like that, fans here playing George Harrison's music -- some of the 22 songs that he wrote for the Beatles, and also, of course, songs written by other Beatles -- it has been like that for the better part of six hours here in Central Park, specifically at Strawberry Field.
And it is very clear when you come to Strawberry Field tonight, whether you came here this morning or whether you were here this evening, as I am, that whether George Harrison was writing songs, producing songs, or producing motion pictures, which he did after the Beatles broke up, or organizing concerts for Bangladesh -- which was very dear to his heart, when that country was fighting for its liberation -- that George Harrison touched the lives of millions and millions of people.
Now, just behind me you can see. This is a memorial that had been set up for John Lennon. Today, this essentially a moving tribute to George Harrison. There are hundreds of his fans. Many of them refer to themselves as friends of George Harrison, have been filing here since about 7:00 this morning. And as you can see, they bring so many things as tribute and remembrance to him.
You can see bunches of flowers and roses. Some people have come throughout the course of the day and laid down single stem flowers, paused for reflection. Sometimes they lay something down, sometimes make the sign of the cross or bow their head, say some words, and move on. You can see here, for example, somebody has included a photograph with a little piece of writing. "Your peace, your love, your beautiful spirit," which is what so many people here talk about when they talk about George Harrison who, of course, was known as the quiet Beatle.
But clearly there has not been much silence today. Earlier, when just trickles of fans came in here to mourn his death, that's exactly what they did. But as the evening has progressed, they have really started celebrating his life -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Michael Okwu at Strawberry Field in Central Park, and Richard Quest on Abbey Road in London, thanks to both of you very much. And viewers, of course, have been responding eagerly to our invitation to share their thoughts about George Harrison through our message board at cnn.com. Here are a couple of our favorite messages so far.
"Losing George is losing a security blanket or turning out a light. Thank God I will always be able to reach out for him and hear him in the darkness. And his music brings warmth and light to me. Say hi to John for me please, George. And thank you." That was from Bill Patton.
And Tom Ross said it very simply, but powerfully: "There goes the sun."
George Harrison wrote and performed many memorable songs after the Beatles break-up. What was your favorite? Our CNN.com "quickvote" has a clear winner, clearly unscientific. But it is "Here Comes the Sun." That was my favorite, too.
The radio program "Beatle Brunch" spins the Fab Four's records and relives their legend with fans across the United States and Canada every weekend. Joe Johnson, the host of "Beatle Brunch," is with us now from the show's studio in Miami.
Joe, thank you so much for joining us. And give us a sense. This is very sad day for you, but I assume you're celebrating the music of George Harrison.
JOE JOHNSON, HOST, "BEATLE BRUNCH": Well that's what we do every week on the show, Wolf. It's a celebration of the Beatles and their lives. And George was such a positive spirit that that's really the best that we can do. And all day on the station, on Majic, we've been playing Beatles music, and specifically George's music here on the station all weekend long. And our listeners have a chance to interact live on the air. And we think it's a great place for people to share their feelings. This has been a tough enough year. And we're here for everybody. And we're going to play the music all weekend long.
BLITZER: Joe, give us a sense of the accomplishment of George Harrison compared to the other three Beatles.
JOHNSON: Well, let's put a couple things in perspective. For one, he is the Beatle, or the gentleman, the one who started the very first benefit concert. I mean, you wouldn't have Live Aid or you wouldn't have these wonderful New York benefits if George hadn't started it 30 years ago with the Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden. And he brought together a super group. And they were on stage. And they raised a lot of money for a needy cause.
And he kind of set the benchmark for that type of benefit. And we're very proud of him for that.
BLITZER: After the breakup of the Beatles in 1970, he really never skipped a beat. He just kept on going with the music, the creation of the music, didn't he?
JOHNSON: Right.
Yes, it's funny. I always say that, in the Beatles, George was kind of like a Coke bottle competing against Lennon and McCartney. He was ready to explode. He had so much great music. And as soon as they broke up, he charted with the No. 1 song. He was the first solo Beatle to have a No. 1 song on that chart. And he followed that up with a three-album set: "All Things Must Pass."
His wealth of material has been incredible. And it's all very positive music. The spirit of his music has always been spiritual and positive.
BLITZER: Joe, stand by. I want to bring in Anoushka Shankar. She's the daughter of Ravi Shankar, who of course played a very important role in the music and life of George Harrison.
Anoushka, thanks for joining us.
George Harrison was almost like an uncle to you, wasn't he?
ANOUSHKA SHANKAR, DAUGHTER OF RAVI SHANKAR: He was. That's what I called him, uncle George. And he was so close to my father that I grew up with him almost being like a second father to me. And, yes, he was incredibly close to my whole family.
BLITZER: How is your dad reacting to all of this?
SHANKAR: It's been very hard for him. He has sort of gone really quiet. As soon as we got the news yesterday evening, he went and put on "Chants of India," which is the record they did together. And he was sitting and praying and listening to that. And the only thing that has really helped all of us is, we actually went and spent the whole day with him on Wednesday, the day before he passed away.
And that was very beautiful for all of us to see him. He was with Dhani and Olivia and just surrounded by so much love. And it really helped us to see him be so much at peace. His face was just full of beauty and full of love. And he laughed when he recognized us. And he was very brave and ready to go, I think. And so, though we're all going through a lot of pain right now, it's nice to know that he was so ready.
BLITZER: I know that we were just showing our viewers a picture of your father. He taught George Harrison how to play the sitar. Has your dad reflected on that today?
SHANKAR: Quite a lot. Their relationship started off just because uncle George expressed an interest in the sitar. And so my dad started teaching him. But quickly it just went so much beyond that. And they had such a beautiful chemistry that they became such dear friends. And uncle George was always so interested in Indian culture and came to India with my dad and then with the Beatles, and wanted so much to learn everything about the history, and yoga, the meditation.
And to this day, he is more Indian than many Indians that I've known. He was always meditating. In fact, two days ago when we saw him, he could barely talk. But when he was breathing, I could sort of see him saying, "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna." And he was sort of still praying. And it went very deep with him.
BLITZER: Anoushka, thank you so much for joining us. Give our best to your dad on this sad day for him. And I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts with our viewers here in the United States, indeed around of the world.
I want to bring back Joe Johnson in Miami.
The whole relationship with Ravi Shankar was very, very important to George Harrison, wasn't it, Joe?
JOHNSON: It really was.
I mean, when he heard the Indian instrument, the sitar, for the first time, he was flipped out. And he felt a connection to it. I mean, it was a spiritual religious connection to it. And he set about to find out what was making that music, to meet that person. And it really took the Beatles music in a whole new direction, if you listen to "Revolver" and "Sergeant Pepper" and even, innocently to the "Norwegian Wood," the first rock song to feature the sitar.
And George was the one who brought that instrument to Abbey Road. And it will live on in the music because the "One" CD was phenomenal last year. And Ringo says there is plans for more. So we can only hope that our future generations will love him as much as we do. BLITZER: Joe, lot of our younger viewers will remember The Traveling Wilburys. I reported about that earlier, when he got together with Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison. That was an important moment in George Harrison's life as well, wasn't it?
JOHNSON: Yes, because he was working right alongside his idols.
Roy Orbison used to be the headliner. And the Beatles would open for Roy Orbison. After they got very big, they flipped it around and Roy opened for the Beatles. But John Lennon and George and Paul and Ringo insisted that Roy stay the headliner. They had such respect for Roy and for Dylan and Tom Petty, even, who became a great friend of George Harrison. So, yes, the Wilburys is fun music.
BLITZER: And so what happens now, looking ahead? Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, they are still both very active, but they're only half of the Beatles. And all of us who dreamt one day of a recreation of the Beatles coming back, that is obviously not going to happen.
JOHNSON: No, that's not going to happen. And, you know, I really think it shouldn't happen. I mean, our memories are great. And John Lennon said it best, that, if they got back together, it would be couple of old guys up there. Let's live with our great memories of what they did on stage, what they did in the studio. And let's let the new guys come around and show us what they can do.
BLITZER: I'm old enough to remember, Joe -- and maybe you are as well -- when the Beatles performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show." I remember sitting in our living room with my older sister, my parents, watching this quartet, not fully understanding what I was watching at that moment. Do you remember that day?
JOHNSON: I remember it very well -- and even better, Wolf, because here in Miami, the Beatles came here and they spent a week here. And the weather was glorious. And they drove around in their private cars. And they went water skiing. And they hung out with some millionaires. And they had a great time. So Miami has a very special meaning and a very special place for the Beatles. They're welcome here any time.
And, in subsequent interviews, they always mentioned that if they had a choice, a place to retire, that they might come down here. So it would be might be nice to live that again.
BLITZER: All right, Miami, it's good place to retire. I take it there are a lot of retirees down there. Joe, thanks for joining us, for remembering the Beatles with of us on this day.
George is Harrison dead, of course -- very sad for all of us.
A little later in our program, we'll have another tribute to George Harrison. But, for now, we'll be right back.
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BLITZER: We'll get back to the war in Afghanistan in just a moment. But first let's check all the latest developments with Catherine Callaway. She joins us once again live from Atlanta -- Catherine.
CALLAWAY: Good to see you again, Wolf. We do have a lot of news today.
There is a new clue in the anthrax death of a 94-year-old Connecticut woman. Officials say that a letter that tested positive for anthrax was sent to a home near the community where the victim, Ottilie Lundgren, lived. That letter may have been cross-contaminated with anthrax-laced letters that were sent to Senate offices in Washington. Officials also believe that Lundgren's death may be the result of cross-contamination.
And Attorney General John Ashcroft is again defending the administration's tough policies in the war on terrorism. Ashcroft says critics are assuming the worst of their government. He says plans such as the use of military courts to try terrorists are designed to protect the country and respect the Constitution. Some lawmakers and groups say the steps go too far.
U.S. warplanes bombed the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar today. The southern city is the only one still under the control of the Taliban. Seen here: a compound in the city known to have been used by Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says that a major part of the U.S. military campaign is the capture of senior Taliban and al Qaeda leaders.
And President Bush left this afternoon for a weekend stay at Camp David. Earlier, the White House quoted Mr. Bush as saying that now is not the time for a peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Before that happens, Mr. Bush says the al Qaeda terror network must be destroyed.
And, finally, the first person to ever receive a self-contained artificial heart died today. Robert Tools received the artificial heart back in July. He suffered a stroke earlier this month. Robert Tools was 59 years old.
That's the headlines. We are going to toss it back now to Wolf in Washington -- hey, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you once again, Catherine.
And coming up, the rocky path towards peace in Afghanistan: As factions continue their fight over their homeland, peacemakers talk about the country's future. What could a new government look like? That discussion is just ahead.
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BLITZER: Welcome back.
The Palestinian leadership has condemned a suicide bomb attack that killed three Israeli civilians on a bus yesterday. But that's not good enough for the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon. He's blaming Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat directly for the assault.
In Bonn, Germany, talks on a future government for Afghanistan are stalled. The Northern Alliance's delegates are having trouble agreeing on their list of candidates for a transitional council. The U.S. says it's too early to call the slowdown in the talks an impasse.
We'll have more on that in just a moment. We'll also check the day's other stories, including the arrest of a former sheriff in an assassination case. Stay with us.
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BLITZER: The situation on the ground in Afghanistan is getting very dangerous for journalists. Already eight have been killed. I spoke earlier with Nic Robertson about the dangers facing journalists covering this war.
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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, since 1992, CNN has been providing armored vehicles for its staff. We have now moved armored vehicles out into this region. They should provide some degree of protection against small-arms gunfire. However, the forces here in Afghanistan use rocket-propelled grenades. The vehicles we have afford no protection against such type of gunfire.
In Bosnia, for example, journalists were often the target of snipers. These armored vehicles provided protection there. It's not clear that they will do that here. The best protection is to remember that no story is worth a life and that one's local staff on the ground often will have a better analysis of the risks that may lie ahead, and that stopping every 10 minutes to ask local people what the conditions are ahead is perhaps the best precaution that can be taken.
But all precautions add up. CNN staff have field training with combat troops, who tell them exactly -- tell us exactly how to avoid getting into trouble, how to memorize routes, what first aid precautions to take. We travel with first aid kits. These are the type of things that we're doing.
But there is nothing better than good common (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and common sense at this time.
BLITZER: I know that many of the journalists also have some local bodyguards who are accompanying them. But very briefly, Nic, during the Vietnam War, some war correspondents did carry arms, were carrying weapons. Have you found journalists out in Afghanistan doing that?
ROBERTSON: Absolutely not. I have not seen any journalists carrying their own weapons here inside Afghanistan. This is something that we didn't see in Bosnia either. Perhaps, since Vietnam, this has not been the experience of journalists. It certainly hasn't been my recent experience in the last 10 years.
Neither in the Gulf War did we see journalists carrying weapons. That would put one in a very great amount of danger. That would essentially say to any combatant on the ground that you are of equal status to them. You are a combatant. You could be taking them on. Therefore, you're a target -- avoiding that by not carrying a weapon, again, a very, very good thing not to do -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Nic Robertson, thank you very much.
And I think I speak for all our viewers and everyone at CNN: Good luck over there. Take good care of yourself -- and to all of the correspondents covering this war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Looking now at some of the other stories on our "Newswire": In Atlanta, former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, seen here -- actually seen right here -- that's where he is -- has been charged with assassinating the man who defeated him in his reelection bid. The killing of Derwin Brown took place about a year ago, just days before he was to take office. Brown had vowed to clean up the scandal-tainted sheriff's department.
The launch of the space shuttle Endeavor has been put off until next Tuesday. The mission to the International Space Station was postponed yesterday and again today. The shuttle can't go up until a cargo ship at the space station is attached more securely.
From his band mates to his fans, he will be missed.
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PAUL MCCARTNEY, FORMER BEATLE: He's -- like I say, he's such a brave guy and a beautiful man. And we're all going to miss him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: In a moment, our last look back at George Harrison's life and music.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Let's go to New York and get a preview of "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE." That begins right at the top of the hour in a few minutes.
Lou, tell us what's going on.
LOU DOBBS, "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE": Wolf, thank you.
Warplanes continue to pound Kandahar, the last Taliban stronghold. We will have a live report for you from Afghanistan. I'll be talking with General Wesley Clark.
And FBI officials preparing to open a letter containing with anthrax, that letter addressed to Senator Pat Leahy -- we'll have the latest for you from Washington. And stocks closing out what was a banner month on Wall Street -- we'll take a look at November's solid rally. I'll be talking with Wharton's Jeremy Siegel about what lies ahead for investors.
And the world loses a musical legend: Beatles guitarist George Harrison dead at the age of 58. I'll be talking with Sid Bernstein, the promoter who first brought the Beatles to America -- all of that and more at the top of hour. Please join us.
Now back to Wolf in Washington -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Lou. We certainly will be joining you.
And I'll be back in an hour at 7:00 p.m. here in the CNN "War Room." We'll be taking a close look at the next steps in the U.S. war against terrorism in Afghanistan.
We close this hour with a few more memories of George Harrison.
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("HERE COME THE SUN" PLAYS)
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