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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Israeli Troops Search for Suicide Bombers; Wrongfully Imprisoned Inmate Not Free Yet
Aired May 03, 2002 - 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, HOST: Now on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, Israeli troops revisit a West Bank city searching for suicide bombers. Did Yasser Arafat pick up the tab for terror attacks? Can an international peace conference turn things around?
He spent half his life in jail for a crime he didn't commit, but he's not free to go yet.
The government warns that babies should sleep in their own beds. Why? I'll ask the noted baby expert, Dr. T. Barry Brazelton.
And sequels, prequels and spin-offs. The summer movie season begins with "Spider-Man," but don't look for any fresh ideas.
It's Friday, May 3, 2002. Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. Topping our news alert, the hunt for suicide bombers.
Israel sent troops back into the West Bank city of Nablus, saying it had word that a suicide bombing plot was being hatched. An Israeli and two Palestinians died in a shoot-out. Before leaving, the troops destroyed a building said to contain bomb making equipment.
In Bethlehem, four more Palestinians left the Church of the Nativity, too weak to continue the standoff with Israeli troops. Palestinians were thwarted in an attempt to bring food into the church.
The United States and Russia have made progress in a deal to slash their nuclear arsenals, but after talks with his counterpart, Secretary of State Colin Powell says disagreements remain. Russia's Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov says he thinks there's a good chance to seal the deal at a summit meeting in Moscow later this month.
A former New York police officer has been convicted of manslaughter for killing four members of a family in a drunken driving incident last August. Joseph Gray admitted drinking as many as 13 beers in a binge that began in a precinct parking lot. The 24-year- old pregnant woman, her young son and teenage sister were all killed when Gray ran a red light. The woman's baby delivered after the accident also died.
Accused of repeatedly raping a child while serving as a priest in the Boston area, Paul Shanley appeared in a San Diego court today and agreed to return to Massachusetts where he's been at the center of the sex abuse scandal that's shaken the Boston Archdiocese.
Back now to our top story. As Middle East peace efforts begin again perhaps from square one, the situation on the ground does not seem to offer much hope for a solution. Let's begin our coverage with CNN's Matthew Chance in Ramallah.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's still a mood of victory on the Ramallah streets. These women and children have come out to demonstrate even now, two days after Israel lifted its siege of their president. But the deal Yasser Arafat struck isn't forgotten. Held high posters of the assassins wanted by Israel now under international guard. Millions are divided here over whether he did the right thing or not.
It hasn't stopped. This, the latest Israeli military action, this time in the West Bank town of Nablus. Troops open fire with tanks and heavy machine guns on Palestinian buildings. Palestinian officials have called it unprovoked aggression. Israelis say there's indications a suicide bombing was being planned. Three people, two Palestinians, one Israeli, were killed. The police forces withdrew.
In Bethlehem, negotiations to end the month-long standoff around the Church of the Nativity are expected to resume at the weekend. Four more Palestinians were brought on a stretcher; the others appearing extremely weak have been let out of the shrine. They're now in Israeli custody. Israel says there's as many as 40 militants here it wants tried or cast into exile.
All this as New York-based human rights watch issues a report on Jenin, accusing Israeli forces of nothing less than war crimes during their assault there last month. The report says it found no evidence of a massacre, but calls for an independent inquiry to investigate other possible abuses of international law.
Matthew Chance, CNN, in the West Bank.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: When it comes to the Middle East, President Bush says he knows where he wants to go, and he's enlisted some friends to help him get there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I've expressed my thanks to the foreign minister for his support of the efforts of the Madrid quartet yesterday on the Middle East.
BLITZER (voice-over): They now have an official name, the Quartet -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations. President Bush hosted the quartet at the White House Thursday, where they came up with another road map to Middle East peace. Step one, control the immediate security situation on the ground. That means preventing Palestinian terrorist attacks and more Israeli military incursions in the West Bank. Given the passions, the hatred and the continued standoff at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, that's easier said than done.
Step two, begin to physically reconstruct the Palestinian Authority with this added twist: End corruption and develop democratic features.
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Yasser Arafat on the question of fighting terrorism and also on the questions of corruption and rule of law has not earned the president's trust.
BLITZER: Step three, hold an international Middle East peace conference in Europe. Target date, early June.
JAVIER SOLANA, EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF: We can then get together the most important players and try to start a conference that may lead to the final negotiations for peace in the Middle East.
BLITZER: But there's no guarantee any of this will work. And even if the parties get to step three, the peace conference, the bottom line issues may be impossible to resolve. Will Yasser Arafat abandon his long-standing demand that millions of Palestinians be allowed to return to Israel? President Bush hopes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and other moderate Arab state will press Arafat to do so, but will they? Can they? And will Ariel Sharon abandon Jewish settlements on the West Bank and Gaza? The Arabs want President Bush to press the prime minister on this point. Will he, and can he, given Israel's strong support in Congress?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: So some pretty lofty objectives weighed down by some serious questions. Let's get some answers, and for that let's turn to an expert, Robin Wright. She is the chief diplomatic correspondent of the "Los Angeles Times." She has reported from more than 130 countries, written an excellent book, "Sacred Rage, the Wrath of Militant Islam." Robin, thanks for joining us.
First of all, Arafat. Will he crack down on planned suicide bombings, additional terror attacks in the coming days and weeks?
ROBIN WRIGHT, "LOS ANGELES TIMES": That's probably the most important question that hangs out there. The United States is hoping that over the next few days, before Prime Minister Sharon arrives in the United States, that they will see some very strong actions and very strong language from Arafat on the issue of suicide bombers and violence against Israel in general.
BLITZER: If he does that, will the moderate Arab states then squeeze him to moderate his bottom line positions, for example the right of return for millions of Palestinians to come back to pre-'67 Israel? WRIGHT: I think one of the most interesting things to happen over the last month is the way the Arab community has emerged, moderate Arabs, and have become in many ways more of a force for peace than Yasser Arafat has been.
BLITZER: So you think that they will squeeze him on that?
WRIGHT: I think they probably will. I think that they will -- they've promised the United States they will take action. You've seen a slew of Arab leaders come through Washington. Most importantly, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Abdullah. King Abdullah of Jordan is here next week. All the major players have made a commitment to take action.
BLITZER: And the prime minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, will be here in Washington with President Bush next week. Will the president squeeze the Israeli prime minister, for example, on the settlement issue?
WRIGHT: Well, that's a very important problem as well. I mean, the fact is, the United States and Israel, close allies for a half- century, are really getting down to some of the existential questions about creating two states out of one piece of land. And I think the Bush administration, even though committed to Prime Minister Sharon, is probably going to use some strong language in laying out the realities that it has to face, sooner rather than later, because Prime Minister Sharon has obviously indicated that he's interested in a long-term process where you create security and then ultimately eventually engage in a political process.
The United States and the allies in the quartet have taken a fundamental stand now that both processes have to happen at the same time.
BLITZER: The whole notion of a quartet, this international conglomeration, if you will, to get together and in effect perhaps impose a settlement?
WRIGHT: I don't think it is a matter of imposing a settlement, but I think it's the fact that you see a much stronger alliance than ever before cosponsoring it. The United Nations, Russia, the European Union and the United States, all the world's major powers except for China -- and China represented through the United Nations Security Council. And I think Israel is probably going to be a little bit concerned, in fact, about what at any conference will look like a line-up against it.
BLITZER: Because it looks like -- normally in the past, Israeli governments always opposed this kind of international conference, fearing everyone would gang up on the Israelis. But it's interesting so far the Sharon government has not opposed it.
WRIGHT: No, not opposed it. It will be very interesting to see what happens over the next week. It is really critical to see whether this U.S. initiative is going to have some life to it, or if it's just going to be another step in a very stalled process of getting to the final phase.
BLITZER: One final question. Those lopsided resolutions yesterday in the Senate and the House supporting Israel by overwhelming margins. How much of an impact will that have on Secretary of State Powell and President Bush in holding back in any effort to overly try to pressure Prime Minister Sharon?
WRIGHT: Well, this in many ways is a much tougher test than Afghanistan in the war on terrorism has been so far, because you have the domestic opinion totally behind the president. Now you see these forces that are slightly divergent, one urging peace, urging compromise, and the other urging total commitment to Israel.
BLITZER: Robin Wright of "The Los Angeles Times," thanks for joining us.
WRIGHT: Thank you.
BLITZER: This important programming note. All next week, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS will be live from the Middle East. We'll bring you the latest developments from the scene of the crisis between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Please be sure to join us, next week, every day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.
There may soon be fewer nuclear warheads pointing at the United States. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov met today to work out the details of a nuclear arms reduction agreement between the U.S. and Russia. Our senior White House correspondent John King joins us now live with details -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: And Wolf, these negotiations largely overshadowed first by the war on terrorism, of late by the Middle East crisis, but both sides say they are on the verge of what would be a dramatic breakthrough, cementing a new post- Cold War relationship between the United States and Russia.
As you noted, the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov here in Washington. He met with Secretary Powell at the State Department. Earlier in the day, he was here for an Oval Office meeting with President Bush in the White House. Mr. Ivanov emerged from that meeting saying he believed there's a very high probability the two sides will reach agreement on a formal treaty under which they would slash their strategic nuclear arsenals by roughly two-thirds, into the range of 1,700 to 2,200 warheads, down from more than 6,000 on each side.
Mr. Ivanov then headed to the State Department to continue those negotiations. He emerged for some public comments with Secretary Powell. Secretary Powell saying more work needs to be done in those negotiations, but the secretary making clear he's quite optimistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: We're going to have a successful summit. There are many items on the agenda in which we have agreement, not just strategic framework issue. And hopefully, if the work continues at the pace that we have seen it in recent days, we might be there for the two presidents to sign an agreement. But once again, there are outstanding issues that we have to work on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Negotiations continuing in Washington. A senior State Department official also will head to Moscow soon to try to complete those negotiations. Again, both sides now optimistic that when President Bush goes to Moscow three weeks from now, he will sign a new strategic nuclear arms control agreement with the Russian government, and then the two leaders will head on to Italy where Russia will strike an agreement, a new alliance with the NATO Alliance, a dramatic change in events, part of this president's effort to put U.S.-Russia relations on a new footing -- Wolf.
BLITZER: John King at the White House, thank you very much.
And we have a breaking news story that we're just getting in from the Associated Press. The Archdiocese of Boston says it will now back out of a settlement agreement with some 86 victims of defrocked priest John Geoghan. You're looking at videotape of John Geoghan. Because the deal would essentially strip the archdiocese of resources. In the process, the archdiocese was rejecting the Cardinal Bernard Law's request to sign off on the deal. The finance council of the archdiocese refused to fund the agreement, in part because it was estimated to be worth between $15 million to $40 million.
Once again, the Archdiocese of Boston announcing just a few moments ago that it was backing out of a settle agreement with some 86 victims of the defrocked Priest John Geoghan. We'll continue to monitor this story; we'll have much more on it coming up shortly in our program.
But when we come back, a famous comedian who decided to make some fun of me.
But first, a judicial found new evidence, clears a convict who's been wrongly imprisoned -- get this -- for 22 years.
Black Hawks down. We'll tell you why the Army has grounded almost 1,000 of its Black Hawk helicopters.
The crash of American Airlines flight 587. Why some pilots have concerns about the type of plane involved.
And later, the summer sequels coming to a theater near you. Hollywood blockbusters in the making. We'll have a full preview just ahead, but first our news quiz.
When did Spider-Man make his debut? In 1952, 1958, 1962, 1976? The answer coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We have another development just coming into CNN. Two people have suffered injuries from several pipe bomb incidents placed in rural mailboxes in both Iowa as well as Illinois. According to federal law enforcement officials who've told our justice producer Terry Freedan (ph), authorities say one person was slightly injured and another more seriously injured from the devices that were placed in what was described as fewer than 10 mailboxes in the rural areas. The FBI, the ATF, the Postal Inspection Service, have launched investigations. We're standing by for more details on this pipe bomb story. We're expecting a news conference in Des Moines later this hour. We'll bring it to you when it happens.
But let's go on to some other news right now. A day after his arrest on child rape charges, a retired Catholic priest appeared in court in San Diego earlier today. The Reverend Paul Shanley waived extradition to Massachusetts, where he's at the center of the Boston Archdiocese church abuse scandal. CNN's Jason Carroll has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Shanley has chosen to waive any extradition proceedings and proceed back to Middlesex, Massachusetts.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The man at the center of the priest scandal in Boston never spoke during his hearing. Father Paul Shanley has never responded publicly to accusations of sexual abuse. Shanley removed his hands from his pockets only when it was time to sign papers -- papers which paved the way to have him extradited to Massachusetts, where he will be arraigned on three counts of child rape.
FRED SMALL, PUBLIC DEFENDER: He wanted to go back to Massachusetts to address these charges. That's why he didn't feel it was necessary to delay this proceeding, because he's in a position to know and understand.
CARROLL: Police in San Diego arrested Shanley on Thursday. According to a source close to the case, the arrest resulted from allegations made by Paul Busa. Busa is now 24. He alleges Shanley started sexually abusing him when he was 6.
PAUL BUSA, ACCUSER: He used to tell me that nobody would ever believe me, and at 6 years old you don't know what he's doing is wrong. I know I didn't like it, but he's a priest. He's not going to do anything he's not supposed to.
CARROLL: In addition to the criminal case, Shanley also faces a civil suit involving another alleged victim, Greg Ford. Ford says Shanley abused him when he was 6 years old.
On CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Ford's father told Paula Zahn he's relieved to see Shanley in jail.
RODNEY FORD, SUING ARCHDIOCESE: This man is a monster. He needed to be removed from the streets immediately. He will never get at another child again.
CARROLL (on camera): A spokeswoman for the Middlesex County district attorney says their office is already working to bring Shanley to Boston. She says it's likely he'll be here early next week, by Wednesday at the latest.
Jason Carroll, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: A judge has thrown out the rape and robbery convictions of a Tennessee man imprisoned for some 22 years. The judge says Clark McMillan is innocent, based on DNA evidence, and the ruling is something of a milestone. It appears McMillan has served more time in prison than any other person whose conviction has been overturned on the basis of DNA.
Peter Neufeld is the co-director of the Innocence Project, which has used DNA evidence to free some 108 people since 1992.. He joins us from our New York bureau. Peter, thanks for joining us.
I guess a lot of our viewers are asking right now, how could this possibly happen?
PETER NEUFELD, CO-DIRECTOR, INNOCENCE PROJECT: Well, you know, in every one of these cases that's the right question. In Clark McMillan's case, unfortunately it was a combination of police misconduct and prosecutorial misconduct at the time of the initial prosecution.
You had two eyewitnesses who looked at photographs and didn't identify him. One of them looked at a line-up and picked someone else out. But at trial, they were both coached and prepped to pick him out in front of the jury. It's not the right thing to have happen, but that's what happened to him.
BLITZER: Does anyone in all of these cases, 108 cases that have been overturned based on DNA evidence, does anyone ever pay a price for that kind of mistake to someone's life?
NEUFELD: Well, in Tennessee unfortunately there's no statute which authorizes compensation. Only 13 states have compensation statutes. We're trying to get one passed in Tennessee. We're going to do an investigation to find out if there was some intentional misconduct here, and if so we'll pursue that, you know, any way we possibly can.
But what we want to do right now in places like Tennessee and everywhere else in the country is try and change the mechanisms by which people are identified to reduce the likelihood of these kinds of misidentifications in the future. That's the number one priority.
BLITZER: Twenty-two years is a long time. But how unusual...
NEUFELD: Twenty-two years and six months.
BLITZER: All right, 22 and a half years. How unusual is this in the scheme of things?
NEUFELD: I mean, poor Mr. McMillan served longer than anyone else who we've gotten out so far, but the people we've gotten out so far are averaging over 10 years. So if you can imagine, he went in at age 22. His friends were going off, getting married, pursuing careers, and Mr. McMillan was in a prison, you know, punching license plates.
He's going to have a hard time catching up in terms of relationships, in terms of career development. He's got a mother who is in a nursing home who hasn't seen him for many, many years. It's been very, very tough for him.
BLITZER: What does he do now, though? I mean, how does he go about recreating those missing years and go about his life right now? You've had experience with others who have been freed after long periods of being wrongly imprisoned.
NEUFELD: Unfortunately what we found, Wolf, is that a lot of these guys have tremendous psychological problems. Just imagine what it would be like if you, an innocent man, had been put in prison for 20 years and you were yelling your innocence and nobody believed you. It obviously take its toll.
They need help. They need counseling. They need jobs. One thing we're going to try and do now is organize national religious organizations and people who are trained as counselors to start treating all of these people in their respective states where they're living. But we haven't been focusing on that, unfortunately, because our attention has been on getting them out.
We've now got to call on other organizations to pick up the task of helping these people with the rest of their lives.
BLITZER: And very briefly, Peter, we only have a few seconds. Why isn't he out of jail right now?
NEUFELD: Well, there was one little technical glitch with him. He had been arrested before any of this happened for possession of a firearm. Not using it, but possession of a firearm by the federal government. And he was convicted of that charge, and then he was arrested on this one.
So he never served the two-year sentence on that. And what we have to do now is convince the Bureau of Prisons and the federal authorities to do the right thing. I mean, everybody including the judge who let him out said this man has served enough time. My God, he served 22 and a half years for a crime he didn't commit, certainly he should get credit for that two-year sentence. And we're very optimistic that the federal government will do the right thing.
BLITZER: Peter Neufeld of the Innocence Project, doing very important work. Thanks for joining us.
NEUFELD: Thank you very much.
BLITZER: And our Web question of the day is this: "Should wrongly imprisoned people be compensated?" You can vote, go to my Web page, cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, let me know what you're thinking. Send me your comments, and I'll read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.
In a moment: A commercial pilot who has concerns about the plane he flies.
And later, the danger to your young children. Learn where it may not be safe to let them sleep. I'll speak to the well-known pediatrician Dr. T. Barry Brazelton.
And the new blockbusters that could scale the box office charts. I'll invite a famous college buddy of mine to explain what's missing in these new releases.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: We're standing by for some more information on a story that we told you about just a few minutes ago. In two states, Illinois and Iowa, there was a series of pipe bombing incidents. Two people injured, one slightly injured, a second a bit more injured. The FBI, the ATF, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, as well as the Postal Inspection Services have launched an investigation. We are trying to check out this information to see what's going on. We will get some more information and bring it to you, of course, as soon as we can.
In the meantime, time for our news alert.
The Army has grounded 960 Black Hawk helicopters after discovering cracks in the mechanical component. The move should last only a few days, until inspections and any repairs are finished. It also won't effect current operations in Afghanistan, where the Army has mostly been using Chinook helicopters.
A security breach at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport forced the evacuation of hundreds of passengers in two concourses earlier today. It happened when a screening machine detected possible explosives in a carry-on bag, but its owner was not stopped. Authorities said there was not any danger despite the breach. The concourse is reopened after about an hour.
Months after the crash of American Airlines flight 587, there seem to be more questions than answers about what caused the plane to come down. Reporters got their first look today at the tail fin believed to have played a big role in the crash.
Meanwhile, some pilots say the type of plane involved should not be flying until investigators get to the bottom of what happened. CNN's Miles O'Brien reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly six months after the brief, tragic flight of American Airlines Flight 587, investigators are still stumped. But now they tell us they have narrowed down the possibilities. And they are confident the answer lies here, somewhere beneath the skin of the Airbus A-300's tail fin, which sheered off the doomed plane, sealing its fate. MARION BLAKEY, NTSB CHAIRMAN: Tail fin separated either because it was subjected to aerodynamic loads that exceeded the design limitations or because alternatively, it didn't perform up to the design strength that should have been inherent in the structure.
O'BRIEN: Simply put, mechanical failure, structural weakness, pilot error, or some combination of all three. The choices have stirred up a complex debate. To wit, this 70-page letter to the NTSB and the FAA by a group of nine American A-300 pilots. Veteran captain Bob Tamborini is among them and is now speaking publicly.
ROBERT TAMBORINI, AMERICAN AIRLINES A-300 CAPTAIN: We were concerned after the accident, since it happened in such a catastrophic way, that there was more than met the eye.
O'BRIEN: The letter raises a series of concerns about the Airbus model that crashed that day in November. It demands more thorough inspections of composite materials which were used in the tail fin in question, and it raises questions about the rudder mechanism. All of it, they say, leads to a pressing need to consider grounding the A- 300/600 fleet until such time as the safety of the flying public is no longer at risk.
But a spokesman for American Airlines says there is no valid reason to ground the planes and that calls to do so are irresponsible. The American Airlines Pilot Union also opposes grounding the fleet. The National Transportation Safety Board agrees, saying its investigators haven't seen anything to warrant such drastic action.
Here is what we know for certain. Flight 587 rolled down the runway at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport just after a Japan Airline 747 made its departure. The Airbus flew right into the path of the 747's wake vortices, the intense horizontal tornadoes that spin off an airplane's wingtips. Don Wylie teaches pilots how to recover from these so-called upsets.
DON WYLIE, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR: Now, if we hit a wake vortice and we experience this aircraft, experience an upset of some kind, we are going to get yawing and pitching and rolling moments as a result of that with then the subsequent or the follow-on, if you will, reaction by the crew or by the aircraft systems.
O'BRIEN: The Flight data recorder indicates the rudder of the doomed plane wildly swung back and forth. Why did that happen? Was the pilot overcorrecting or was the rudder mechanism faulty? The pilots who drafted the letter claim there is reason to suspect a defect.
TAMBORINI: We believe that there is an inordinate amount of rudder, uncommanded rudder malfunctions with respect to the Airbus at this point and time.
O'BRIEN: The tail is now at NASA's Langley Research Center. Here, the world's leading composite experts are putting it through a series of tests. It is the first inflight failure of a major structure of an airplane made of composite, a new day for crash investigators. It is a new day for A-300 pilots as well.
TAMBORINI: I fly it more cautiously, not from the standpoint of actually the way I manipulate the controls. But I'm much more aware of rudder usage now. I spend much more time than I might have previously and going back farther the numbers of days in terms of the mechanical history of the aircraft.
O'BRIEN (on camera): Bob Tamborini says he is now taking extra time before taking off behind other heavy airliners with the hope he will avoid flying into their wakes. Meanwhile, NASA hopes to create a model of the sort of wake vortices Flight 587 encountered just as the trouble began.
Miles O'Brien, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And coming up, comedian Jon Stewart drops by CNN, gives me anchoring advice. We'll show you what he told me.
And later, listen to Popeye. Another reason why spinach is good for you. I knew that.
And on a very serious note, a warning to parents out there. The one sleeping spot that can kill your child. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back.
Lady Bird Johnson is reported in stable condition in a hospital in Austin, Texas. Doctors say the former first lady had a small stroke in her home yesterday and has lost the ability to speak at least temporarily. The 89-year-old widow of President Lyndon Johnson is said to be alert and in good spirits.
Stroke is one of America's leading killers, but a new study suggests fortified cereal and other food high in folic acid can help. The Journal (UNINTELLIGIBLE) reports that people who eat 300 micrograms of folic a day reduce their stroke risk by 20 percent.
There is a new government safety warning for parents. Don't put your baby to sleep in an adult bed. CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The next time you're considering putting a baby to sleep in an adult bed, remember...
THOMAS MOORE, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION: Dozens of babies die each year in adult beds.
BLAKEY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents that 180 babies died that way during a recent three-year period.
MOORE: Many of the infant deaths occur when the baby becomes entrapped in an adult bed. For instance, the baby can get caught in the bed frame or between the bed and the wall.
BLAKEY: The CPSC says two-thirds of the deaths involved an entrapment, a fall or a situation where baby gets caught up in the bed covers. The remaining third of the deaths occurred when someone sleeping in the same bed rolls onto the baby. In almost all the cases, baby was one year old or younger.
The CPSC says always put babies to sleep in a crib or playpen that meets current safety standards. Remember, no pillows or soft bedding in which baby can suffocate. And when you put baby down to sleep, place her on her back.
Retail outlets nationwide will also help get the word out to reduce number of babies killed while sleeping in adult beds.
Rea Blakey, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Joining us to react to today's warning is Dr. T. Berry Brazelton of the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Brazelton is the author of "Touch Points: The Essential Reference." He joins us now live from Boston. Dr. Brazelton, thank you very much for joining us.
So what do you make of this study, these recommendations, don't sleep with your little kids?
DR. T. BERRY BRAZELTON, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL: Well, I think all of the recommendations are certainly well taken. I would worry a lot about people who put babies to sleep on their stomachs with a lot of things around them that they could get entrapped in. We now know they've got to sleep on their backs. It is hard on parents, but it is true.
And co-sleeping is carried on all over the world. In this country, we are more used to having babies sleep in their own beds, and I sure did have mine sleep in their own beds. But there is a new reason now that makes it something that we've got to think on both sides. Mothers who are away all day find it very hard to leave their kids at night. And every time a child comes from a deep sleep to light sleep, every three to four hours, cries out, scrambles around, mothers who have been away all day, have go to that baby. And so they bring them to bed with them. And as long as they are careful, I think co-sleeping can be perfectly safe. But they have to be careful.
BLITZER: What about emotionally, psychologically, little kids getting used to sleeping with their parents? Is that OK?
BRAZELTON: Well, emotionally, I think it is OK if this is -- this separation is very difficult for the parent. Learning to sleep through the night is an autonomy thing, an independent thing, for the baby. But it is a separation issue for mothers and for parents. So, you know, it's hard to ask people to separate who have been away all day. I can't do it any longer. I have to listen to what they bring with it.
BLITZER: So, what are you saying? And I know from your book -- and you write in your book what you just said basically, the most common reason for sleep problems today is that parents who are too stressed or who are away all day feel cut off from the child. They feel so separated during the day, that they instinctively want to make up for it at night.
In other words, you are saying this is better for the parent than necessarily for the child. It makes the parent feel better.
BRAZELTON: I think that's true. I think it is the parent's issue, not a child's issue because the child can learn how to sleep alone. It is a learning process. And it has to start usually at around four months of age.
You teach a child when they come up to the light sleep, how to get themselves back down again, sucking their thumb, rubbing their head on the back of the crib and so forth. But you have to teach them. And it is hard for parents to do today who are too stressed and who are away from the baby all day long, it is asking a lot. And many parents are not going to take your advice or mine.
I think that your initial start was a very good one and a very good warning. I wonder how many of those kids were left alone unattended. I also wonder how many of the parents were either intoxicated or had sleep impairments of some kind because nobody rolls over on a baby easily. It is something -- it is very hard to do. And nobody allows a baby to get caught in the corner of the bed unless they are just not paying attention.
BLITZER: Dr. Brazelton, always good to have you on this program. Thanks for the advice.
BRAZELTON: Well, I'm glad to work with you.
BLITZER: Thank you. We will have you back. Thank you.
And "Star Wars, Episode II," another sequel to "Austin Powers."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "AUSTIN POWERS")
MIKE MYERS, ACTOR: Yeah, baby! Yeah!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Can Hollywood make original movies that make any money? These are the questions I am going to ask a famous former college buddy of mine.
Later, a Spider-Man stunt you won't see at the movies.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Earlier we asked, when did Spider-Man make his debut? Spider-Man sprung into a Marvel comic when high school student Peter Parker was bitten by an irradiated spider, giving him super-arachnid like capabilities. The year was 1962. The comic was Amazing Fantasy #15.
Hollywood hopes to set box office records this summer. But breaking new ground financially is not necessarily the same thing as breaking new ground creatively.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): The summer movie season begins with plenty of new films, but not so many new ideas. The trend at Hollywood now is for the sequel to dominate the summer, a formula that has proven to be popular and even more important, profitable.
JESS CAGLE, "TIME" MAGAZINE: It is still possible to make a movie that is not a franchise film and released in the summer. However, if you want $150 million or $200 million to make your movie, it better have a digit at the end of the title.
BLITZER: "Spider-Man" is a rare exception. It opens tonight as the summer's first blockbuster with all the buzz, a hot young actor, good reviews, lots of action.
The story is not new. It is based on one of the most popular comic book heroes of all time. In fact, most of the summer blockbusters are either is sequels, prequels or have borrowed story lines. Even the film "Unfaithful," a steamy tale of infidelity and intrigue is a remake of a French classic. Analysts and critics say the studios realize a known quantity means success at the box office, especially in the summer.
CAGLE: You have the kids out of school. You have families going to the movies together. It is still the most important time of year for the movie studios. It is when they make most of their money.
BLITZER: Even with their bankability, these movies do raise an issue in the entertainment industry. Is Hollywood devoid of new ideas or are the studios consciously following the shortest path to profitability? Which ever scenario is true, for at least another summer, American moviegoers will have to look a little harder to find a title they haven't seen before.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): And even though the plots will be familiar, movie fans are looking forward to the summer's films. A little while ago, I spoke with Pat O'Brien, the host of "Access Hollywood."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Pat O'Brien, thanks for joining us. Good to have you. A lot of nostalgia in Hollywood, doesn't seem to be a lot of fresh ideas, especially "Spider-Man." That's a sort of an old idea, isn't it? PAT O'BRIEN, "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD": There are no new, fresh ideas in Hollywood. Jeff Sduker (ph), who runs this network, the entertainment division, said we are very good at killing the golden goose over and over again. They go back to the ones that work. That's what this is all about.
BLITZER: Talk to me about "Spider-Man." How big is this new movie?
O'BRIEN: Well, it has the chance to be the biggest opening ever. "Harry Potter" hold the records for $92 million over a three-day weekend. I think it's going to be $75, maybe $80 million, could good over 90. But it's going to be a huge weekend for "Spider-Man" fans and for that movie, which is terrific, by the way.
BLITZER: Tobey Maguire, he's not exactly a household name, is he?
O'BRIEN: No, but he plays the perfect Peter Parker. You know, I have got a teenage son. He plays the perfect kid who wants to be in his room, a little shy here and there, and gets the chance to be a superhero. I mean, Wolf, wouldn't you love to do that?
BLITZER: I would love to be a superhero. It's not going to happen. What about "Star Wars, Episode II, Attack of the Clones?" Is this going to be huge too?
O'BRIEN: That's going to be huge. You know, summer movies, although summer is a month away, summer movies have already hit. We were out this morning doing a story on "Spider-Man", and there are already people standing in line for the opening of "Star Wars, Episode II" in a couple of weeks.
Now that one has more graphics, more visual effects than any "Star Wars" before. And that one is a super blockbuster as well. So, lots of movies out there for your $9.
BLITZER: We know a lot about sequels, but prequels. This is getting ridiculous with the "Star Wars", isn't it?
O'BRIEN: A prequel to a prequel. By the way, they are already shooting the next two "Spider-Men." So, you know, this is going to go on for a while.
BLITZER: Is it fair to say, I think you will agree, in terms of new ideas, Hollywood has burned out, but the new Tom Clancy movie, what's it called, "Sum of All Fears," Ben Affleck is going to be playing the Harrison Ford, the Jack Ryan -- Alec Baldwin, we remember Alec Baldwin had that role. How is Ben Affleck going to do in this new movie?
O'BRIEN: Ben Affleck is going to be terrific in that role. Harrison Ford was going to play it. Ben took over for him. Ben is the perfect guy for that role. And that is going to be a big movie as well, big thriller, big Tom Clancy thriller for those Tom Clancy fans.
BLITZER: Do we have to wait for foreign films or independent movie producers to come up with original ideas?
O'BRIEN: Well, I mean, it is our own fault. It's what the American public obviously wants. You know, it's just like television. They control those remote controls and that's what they want. And so, I think that Hollywood is responding to what the American people want.
Maybe it is your fault, Wolf. Who knows?
BLITZER: You are blaming me for everything, but I can't wait for the new "Austin Powers," the third "Austin Powers." What's the name of that one?
O'BRIEN: It's funny. The "Austin Powers" movie, they're shooting the final scene today and you won't believe who is in the final scene, the Osbournes, final scene of the "Austin Powers: Goldmember," is the name of the movie, and they're shooting the final scene today. And I always can't wait for the "Austin Powers" movies.
BLITZER: I love those "Austin Powers" movies. Speaking about nostalgia, tell our viewers what you and I, 30 years ago, right now, have in common?
O'BRIEN: Well, I think we were trying to do our finals at John Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies thinking about globalization and marginalization and all that stuff; 32 years ago, Wolf, you and I were classmates at SAIS.
BLITZER: At the School of Advanced International Studies, at SAIS, at Johns Hopkins. Pat, I always thought you would wind up at the Hoover Institution of War Revolution & Politics at Stanford. What happened?
O'BRIEN: Well, I'm using that degree and those talents now to break down box office numbers, OK?
(LAUGHTER)
I took a few other turns than you, Wolf. You are going back to give the commencement address, that's great.
BLITZER: I will be giving the commencement address at Johns Hopkins, at SAIS. Thanks very much, Pat O'Brien. Always great to have you on the show.
O'BRIEN: See you, Wolf. Thanks.
BLITZER: Bye-bye.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And he looks good too.
Waiting for the new "Spider-Man" movie apparently had some folks climbing the walls. A man dressed as the comic book hero was seen going up the side of an eight-story yesterday in downtown -- get this -- Salt Lake City. That's in Utah. Turns out it was a promotion for a radio station. Cute promotion.
They went to see the animals but they wound up at the hospital. What happened to kids at the National Zoo? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
LINDA JENSEN, U.S. POSTAL SERVICE: ... give the public some information and maybe some precautionary measures that they can take.
I'm going to let Jolene Baxa, the district manager here at the Hawkeye District in Des Moines, Iowa, talk specifically to what the Postal Service response currently is going to be and how we're going to deal with this for the next at least 24 hours, and how we're going to respond to it postal service-wise. I also have Jim Bogner here, with the Omaha Federal Bureau of Investigation. And he can speak to this joint task force that we've readily put together with FBI, ATF and the Postal Inspection Service.
Right now, just some facts that I think need to be passed on. At this point, it appears as though the explosive devices were intended to detonate when they were removed from the rural boxes -- mailboxes.
Postal inspectors are urging all postal customers to be very cautious when opening their mail boxes this afternoon. The devices are accompanied by a clear plastic bag that contains a typewritten letter full of anti-government propaganda. We've seen that consistently with almost every device.
If such material is discovered by a postal customer or a carrier at this point, in a mailbox, please, please do not touch the item or slam the box door. Either of those. Please do not touch the item or slam the box door.
Postal inspectors are to encourage customers to report any incidences or discoveries of suspicious items to postal inspectors or local police. If anyone has seen an individual stopping and placing anything in the mailbox, they are encouraged to report this information to the local police. I would certainly encourage anybody in the states and the cities that we've named thus far to contact local police if they've got some information that could be helpful.
BLITZER: Linda Jensen of the U.S. Postal Service. A postal inspector providing details of a series of pipe bombings in two states, rural mailboxes effected. She says five known injuries, two postal customers injured.
The postal service warning, suggesting that individuals be very careful, be very cautious in looking in their post boxes, their mailboxes, especially in the rural areas and if there is anything suspicious at all to immediately contact local law enforcement authorities. We are going to continue to follow this story, have more on this as additional details become available.
Let's get a preview of "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE," though. Jan Hopkins is sitting in tonight for Lou. She has the preview -- Jan.
JAN HOPKINS, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Wolf.
Coming up on MONEYLINE," the unemployment level rises to the highest that it's been in nearly eight years. We will put the numbers in perspective and have reaction from the White House.
That report sent stocks lower on the day's session. Our Friday Wall Street panel joins me to talk about the prospects for the markets.
And final preparations are underway for the federal government's case against Andersen. The charge: obstruction of justice. We will profile the key players. All of that and much more at the top of the hour. Back to you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Thank you very much, Jan.
And I have been around television now for a few years. But everyone can certainly use a few tips now and then. Comedy Central's Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show" was on CNN's "INSIDE POLITICS" with Judy Woodruff just about an hour or so ago. And in case you missed it, he did have some practical advice for me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "INSIDE POLITICS")
I need you to help me though, the turn, the turn from one camera to the other. I have trouble with that.
JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": You want me to hit you?
BLITZER: I need you help on it. Can you show us how you do it?
STEWART: Listen, I helped Rather out. He came to my fantasy camp.
BLITZER: All right. Give us a little turn.
STEWART: You want me to go one to two?
BLITZER: Yes. From one camera to the other, I want the director to follow you.
STEWART: Now, are we changing from a serious story to one of those heroic dog type things or where -- what stories are we switching from?
BLITZER: We're changing from headlines to Lewis Black.
STEWART: All right. Here we go. Those were headlines.
But it's -- you got to make your...
BLITZER: All right. Let me try it. I am going to try it.
STEWART: You know what? I'm going to tell you why, Wolf? It's all about the audience, baby. It's all right here.
BLITZER: Jon, I am going to try it right now. OK, let me try it. Tell me how I'm doing.
STEWART: It lives in the eyes, baby.
BLITZER: Those were headlines. How is that?
STEWART: Yes. That was very nice.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Wait a minute, do you think, Jon, that he has a future in this business?
STEWART: Not really, that I can see. Honestly, I think...
BLITZER: Jon, you could have put a tie on for this show.
STEWART: I do underneath. I wear all my stuff underneath.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Jon Stewart is on Comedy Central, "The Daily Show," every weeknight. Of course, if I start listening to Jon's advice, I may end up on the Comedy Central program as well.
Our Web question of the day is this: Should wrongly imprisoned people be compensated? Of course, 95 percent of you say yes. Five percent say no. This is not a scientific poll on my Web site.
Time now to hear briefly from you. Karen does have some advice for me: "Love your show. Great job. However, you've got that Al Gore stiff thing going on. Smile! It's much more becoming.
Karen, take a look. I'm smiling. This is for you, Karen, very happy.
That's all the time we have right now. Please join me Sunday on "LATE EDITION." Among my guests, Condoleezza Rice. That's Sunday at noon Eastern. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" begins right now.
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