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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Three Children, One Dead, Found in Newark Basement; Commuter Train Derailed in California

Aired January 06, 2003 - 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.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Young, starved, and left for dead.

MAYOR SHARPE JAMES, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Feces, you name it, what have you, all the ills that you want to think of.

BLITZER: The nightmare in a Newark basement.

Deadly derailment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The lights went out when we heard the bang and the train just rolled and smoked and then we hit. Not something I want to do again.

BLITZER: A California commuter train slams into a pickup truck.

A shot in the arm or just a shot in the dark? Will a new White House plan really help the economy? Will it help you?

U.S. forces ship out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully we'll all come back in one piece.

BLITZER: Saddam Hussein says he's ready and accuses U.N. inspectors of spying.

And is North Korea getting one more chance?

He brought you the phrase, "axis of evil," so why is this White House insider now an outsider?

And, obesity, how many years it can take off your life, new research out this hour pulls no punches.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's Monday, January 06, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

Authorities in Newark, New Jersey are unraveling what appears to be a horrific case of child abuse. They're looking for a 41-year-old exotic dancer after two gruesome discoveries at her home over the weekend. CNN's Jamie Colby has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Jersey Governor James McGreevey is demanding a full report on how a seven-year-old boy under state supervision ended up dead.

GOV. JAMES MCGREEVEY, NEW JERSEY: This is reprehensible. The report today was disgusting. I mean it read as if we're part of some third world debacle.

COLBY: Fahim Williams, along with his five and seven-year-old brothers, were left in the care of a relative while their mother served time for assault. The two brothers remain in serious condition at a New Jersey hospital after police discovered them burned and starving in a locked basement Saturday.

JAMES: The room was a nightmare, feces, you name it, what have you, vomiting, all the ills that you want to think of. Two boys, age seven and five, having been locked in a room without any care or any treatment.

COLBY: One of the boys found notified police his twin brother had been missing for weeks leading to the gruesome discovery Sunday of the badly decomposed body of Fahim Williams in a different room of that same basement.

Police are looking for Sherry Murphy, their mother's cousin, who was caring for the boys. She now faces criminal charges. Neighbors say they never saw the boys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never saw any kids walking through those stairs, like I said, no kids at all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ask anybody in this neighborhood, they'll tell you the same thing. Nobody's ever seen these kids, you know. I think the first time we seen the kids was when they took them out.

COLBY: Police have questioned the boys' mother. She is in a New York City hospital after being hit by a car on her way to see her boys this weekend.

JAMES: She stated to us in the hospital she was unable to locate her cousin. She was unable to find her children and she's been searching for them.

COLBY: The case is under scrutiny since New Jersey's Division of Youth and Family Services was granted supervision of the boys last March but allegedly failed to ever visit them or monitor their case despite reports they'd previously been abused.

JAMES: This is an American tragedy. We here in the city of Newark have often said it is easy to make a child. The real question is can you take care of a child?

COLBY: Jamie Colby CNN, Newark, New Jersey. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: For more on this story, I'm joined now on the phone by the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Sharpe James. Mr. Mayor thanks for joining us. How unusual first of all is this kind of horrific case in your city?

JAMES (via telephone): Well, this is unusual when you would find two small children locked in a room and then, of course, to return and find a third son dead, wrapped in a blanket, folded neatly and placed in a plastic receptacle.

This is a horrible situation but there might be a break in the case because we learned that three of the children of Sherry Murphy, three of her daughters who lived with her, the father is a Newark firefighter. He granted us the right to interview the three children with he being present, and based on that interview which is still ongoing, we are going to change a Child Endangerment charge where we're seeking Ms. Sherry Murphy to perhaps homicide.

That's going to be an update later this evening. In fact, we were just two minutes away from locating her this evening and we will continue to search until she's arrested and we would advise her to give herself up.

BLITZER: Well you believe she's still in the area of your community?

JAMES: We were within two minutes of catching her today of knowing here whereabouts. We have a full alert for her. She will be apprehended shortly and we are urging her to turn herself in to the nearest police station because again breaking news is that we've interviewed three of her daughters. We have additional information and the search and the charges against, potential charges against Ms. Sherry Murphy are escalating based on more information which we are gathering as we speak now.

BLITZER: So the news that you're breaking here on this program right now, Mr. Mayor, is that instead of Child Endangerment she's going to be charged with Homicide, is that what you're telling us?

JAMES: That is as the evidence is unfolding now we're changing the potential charge from just Child Endangerment to Homicide and we're going to again escalate our trying to locate her. However, this is a terrible tragedy of three boys who didn't ask to come into the world. They're hungry for food, hungry for love, hungry for caring.

They could be my son, your son, and just to go to the hospital and see them wanting attention, wanting to play, wanting to throw a ball, offer me a banana, they are playful despite their abuse. They're alive. We're not going to make them healthy again and someone has to answer for this abuse to children.

BLITZER: I think you're absolutely right. Mr. Mayor thanks very much for joining us. Good luck in this investigation which I know is only just beginning but we'll be following this horrific story, of course, as developments warrant. The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey Sharpe James joining us live with some new information on this story.

And we have another story that's breaking right now here on CNN. The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation is reporting it has obtained an e-mail allegedly from Osama bin Laden's top aide Ayman al-Zawahiri calling for new terror attacks against the United States.

CNN has obtained this information by watching the Lebanese TV network. We want to go live now to CNN International Senior Editor Octavia Nasr. She watched the broadcast for us. Octavia tell us exactly what you saw and what you heard.

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Wolf, I did watch the broadcast but more importantly I just received this copy of the letter from that Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that you just mentioned. I read it. It is purported to be an e-mail from Ayman al- Zawahiri. He's, of course, Osama bin Laden's No. 2 man in al Qaeda organization.

Now before we go any further, we need to say the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation did not say how it authenticated the e-mail has three important elements. The first one, if it is indeed from Zawahiri then he is a live and reaching out. The number two important element, the e-mail calls for more killing of Americans and it states that Americans are killing Muslims. The number three element that is extremely important, the e-mail calls on its readers to halt attacks on Egypt.

Now, beyond that, there is no important information in this e- mail. The recipient of the e-mail is a lawyer for Islamist groups in Egypt. It is his word and that of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that we're taking on this. It is important to say that CNN has not independently verified who sent the e-mail or how it got to LBC -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And we also know, of course, that Ayman al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian, but did the Lebanese television say how they got this e- mail?

NASR: Yes, they did say that Muntasa al-Zayad (ph) the lawyer for the Islamist groups hosted an appeal to Ayman al-Zawahiri on September 9 of last year. In it he called on Zawahiri to go on public, talk about September 11 and its repercussions around the world and talk about al Qaeda and its future plans, this lawyer saying that this morning he did receive this answer from Zawahiri.

In it, as I said earlier, three important things, one to call on more killings of American. Two, to halt all attacks in Egypt; and three is to give a proof of life if indeed it is Zawahiri. Now again, CNN has no verification that this is from Ayman Zawahiri and we tried. I worked the phones trying to verify if it is indeed him but there is no way to confirm if it is him or not -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Octavia Nasr reporting for us, Octavia thanks very much. We'll continue to follow this important, potentially important story, continue to determine if in fact all of this is authentic. If it is, it's obviously very significant. Thanks very much for that report.

Meanwhile back here in the United States investigators in Burbank, California are hoping a so-called black box will answer some key questions about today's collision between a commuter train and a pickup truck. The Metrolink commuter train went off the tracks at Burbank, California after slamming into the truck at a railroad crossing. CNN's Charles Feldman is at the scene.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Wolf, we're getting blown away (AUDIO GAP).

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN (voice-over): For the 58 passengers and two crewmembers on board the Metrolink train from Santa Clarita, California to downtown L.A., the Monday morning commute was about to come to an end, but as the five car train passed a stretch of tracks going an estimated 45 to 50 miles an hour it collided violently with a two-ton truck on the tracks. The truck exploded in flames killing the driver. Four cars of the train derailed, two turning on their sides.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The big bang is when we got caught up on that one and it started to teeter and I thought we were going to go over so I went to the other side of the window but then we stayed and then I just got out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was reading a book and all of a sudden I felt a big jostle and a ball of flame right by the window and then the next thing you know we're off the tracks and flipping over.

FELDMAN: In all, 32 people on the train were injured, at least four seriously. Why the truck was on the tracks is still unclear, although local authorities say the railroad safety equipment appeared to be in working order.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN: Wolf, I was trying to say before when I actually stepped on myself that we're fighting some really bad winds here in Southern California and it's not at all clear whether that had anything to do with what happened this morning with the train.

What I can tell you, though, is that the train carries this black box, a so-called black box. It's a data recorder similar to what's carried on commercial jetliners but not nearly as sophisticated -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Well, when you say it's not nearly as sophisticated, can you give us some differences because a lot of us are familiar, of course, with the famous black boxes on airplanes but not very familiar with these black boxes on trains?

FELDMAN: Well one difference is that the black boxes on airplanes tend to be orange. This, I'm told, is actually black. But more significantly airplanes, of course, are far more complex so those black boxes have to measure many more parameters. This one says such things as how fast was the train going, what the condition of some of the equipment on the train was at the time of the collision, and also to a limited degree track conditions.

And, I'm going to just point out, Wolf, that you may be able to see there in the background a giant crane that was brought in a little while ago to help move the derailed cars off the track -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman, our man on the scene of a terrible train crash. Obviously we're going to continue to follow this story. Charles thanks very much for that report.

And there's a significant new development in the entire cloning controversy. As you, of course, will remember a week and a half or so ago after a company called Clonaid announced the birth of a human clone, the freelance journalist who was supposed to evaluate the claim has now suspended his review.

Dr. Michael Gillen (ph) announced the suspension today in a statement that called attention to the company's links with an unorthodox religious group. Here's his statement and I want to quote it verbatim.

"This morning I suspended the independent review process designed to determine whether or not a cloned human baby has been born. The team of scientists has had no access to the alleged family and, therefore, can not verify firsthand the claim that a human baby has been cloned. In other words, it's still entirely possible Clonaid's announcement is part of an elaborate hoax intended to bring publicity to the Raelian movement."

That's the end of the quotation. Joining us now to discuss the announcement is Brian Alexander of "Wired" magazine. He's joining us now live from San Diego. You've written about this Clonaid, this whole group. You've spent time with them. I know you're not surprised by this latest development.

BRIAN ALEXANDER, "WIRED" MAGAZINE: No, I'm not surprised at all.

BLITZER: Well, tell us why you believe this has been a hoax from the first moment that the announcement, the so-called announcement came out with absolutely no proof whatsoever that anyone has been cloned?

ALEXANDER: Because from the very beginning the Raelians have never been straight with people about their cloning plans. Essentially all they've done is announce that they wanted to clone and they started doing that five years ago right after the birth of Dolly, saying that they had labs in the Bahamas where this was going to happen. They were going to accept clients for $200,000 apiece.

It turned out there were no labs in the Bahamas. When I was up at their compound in Quebec Province in Canada, I asked them a lot of questions about how they intended to do the cloning. Scientifically it made almost no sense at all. They fudged on the number of scientists they have. Their whole plan from the very beginning, I believe, was to get lots of publicity and because cloning is such a charged word it succeeded.

BLITZER: And so obviously now they have virtually no credibility left. Should we simply ignore them in the news media?

ALEXANDER: Actually I think it's now time to ignore them. I think what they stand for really is more of a symbol of how crazy we have all gotten about cloning, how irrational we have become that the Raelians have succeeded to this degree in getting a lot of publicity by just mentioning the word. It may be time to examine our own beliefs about cloning and what we think it is and what we think it isn't.

BLITZER: All right Brian Alexander of "Wired" magazine giving us some insight into what may be going on right now. Brian thanks very much.

ALEXANDER: You bet.

BLITZER: Ever wonder where the words "axis of evil" came from? A former Bush speechwriter is at it again but this time he's not writing for the president, he's writing about him. Get the details today before they hit bookshelves tomorrow.

And later, reality hits the relatives of U.S. forces on the move.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just want him to come home safely. It kind of nerve racking, we didn't sleep very much last night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A bold statement from Saddam Hussein who says he's ready for anything.

And watching the weight. A story that will tell you how much shorter you may live.

But first the "News Quiz." Only one of these people is obese, which one, a 5' male weighing 153 pounds or a 6' female weighting 213 pounds, the answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Another American warship is headed to the Persian Gulf region and a possible, repeat possible war with Iraq. The Navy hospital ship Comfort with about 300 crewmembers steamed out of Baltimore this morning for duty in the Indian Ocean. The Comfort has 1,000 beds on board.

And as the Comfort begins its mission, Pentagon sources tell CNN that more than 25,000 additional troops will be ordered to the Persian Gulf region this week. This new deployment will involve the First Marine Expeditionary Force and soldiers from the Army's Fifth Corps based in Germany. Today other Marines and sailors based in California shipped out for a destination that will put them within striking distance of Iraq. CNN National Correspondent Frank Buckley was on hand as family members took part in a ritual as old as war itself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The tears of a sailor's son, the fears of Marine Corps and Navy families, the displays of their love of country. These were the scenes repeated over and over as the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group prepared to push off.

Four thousand Camp Pendleton-based Marines and San Diego-based sailors and their families saying goodbye as three ships began a previously scheduled deployment. Even the wives of veteran sailors say it's never easy.

TESS PONTON, NAVY WIFE: And he's leaving again. This is my fifth time and I told myself I'm not going to cry anymore but it's so hard because I'm going to miss him.

BUCKLEY: When the president threatens Iraq with military action, these are among the men and women who he may call into harm's way. They say they are ready but they admit they are human.

PETTY OFCR. MIKE GRAMLICH, U.S. NAVY: It's hard. It's the hardest thing I've ever done and I'm just ready to get on with it.

BUCKLEY: War could break out on their watch and their families say that makes this day that much more difficult.

JESSICA GRAMLICH, NAVY WIFE: Now it's a lot scarier. It makes me so much more worried and it's a lot harder.

BUCKLEY: But the commanding officers who would lead the young men and women into a war zone say their families should know they are trained and prepared for anything that may come their way.

CAPT. RONALD THOMAS, U.S. NAVY: It's all the faces and places that we're familiar with we're going to leave in order to protect our nation.

BUCKLEY: And with a final wave they were on their way, everyone here already looking forward to the emotional homecoming just six months away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: Six months the scheduled deployment period for those 4,000 marines and sailors aboard the Tarawa, the Duluth, and the Rushmore that left from this pier today. Of course that six-month period, Wolf, could change if they're called into action -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Frank before I let you go, I know that this brought back some personal memories for you, this story you're covering. Tell our viewers who aren't familiar with your own background what's going on in your mind.

BUCKLEY: Well, Wolf, I grew up in a Navy family. My dad was in the Navy for 30 years and I spent a lot of time with the Navy sailors over the past year in the Arabian Sea and different places. It is difficult for me reliving some of the memories that I have from childhood.

I can really relate to some of the kids here, their dads telling them to be the man of the house when they're gone. It is a very difficult period for these folks. It's difficult for us to intrude on their personal moments but we're grateful that they allow us to see what they're going through.

BLITZER: And we salute these men and women as I'm sure you do as well. Frank Buckley on the scene for us thanks very much for that good report.

And as more U.S. troops head out for the Persian Gulf, Saddam Hussein remains as defiant as ever charging today that U.N. weapons inspectors are spies. CNN's Rym Brahimi is in Baghdad with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Iraq's been celebrating the 82nd anniversary of its armed forces. A brief ceremony early in the morning at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was attended by high- ranking members of the Ba'ath ruling party as well as by members of the Iraqi cabinet.

In a televised speech to the nation the president also accused the U.N. weapons inspectors of being under the U.S.' influence and of going beyond their mandate of just searching for weapons but also of spying.

SADDAM HUSSEIN, PRESIDENT OF IRAQ (through translator): Instead of looking for the so-called weapons of mass destruction in order to expose the distortion and lies promulgated by those who endeavor in vain to deceive public opinion. The inspection teams are interested in collecting names and making lists of Iraqi scientists addressing employees with questions that carry hidden agendas.

BRAHIMI: The president said the U.S. also had a hidden agenda, saying that Washington was threatening not only Iraq but the entire region in order to protect the U.S.' own interest but also to protect the security of Israel.

He said the United States was doing this in order to divert public opinion from what he said were the Bush administration's failure, failure he says to have prevented the September 11 attacks, failure with the economy, and failure in Afghanistan.

And finally in what seemed to be a response to speculations out there of what the Iraqi army would actually do if there were a U.S.- led war in the region, the Iraqi president said he was confident the army would stand firm and protect the nation.

Rym Brahimi CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: An openly defiant North Korea condemned by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. So why is the Bush administration more concerned about Iraq? A closer look at the behind-the-scenes arm twisting when we return.

Plus, vanished into thin air, are police any closer to finding a pregnant woman who disappeared Christmas Eve, the latest on the investigation.

And, a rare look at a man behind the president, a sneak preview of a tell-all book on George W. Bush, but first in case you were out enjoying your days off, here's our "Weekend Snapshot."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Security incident. In Washington a long wait for passengers at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Officials say a search for bombs yesterday came up empty after someone called in a few bomb threats. Earlier an evacuation was ordered after a security screener fell asleep on the job.

Terrorist scare. German officials say a man who threatened to crash a small stolen plane into Frankfurt's financial district yesterday apparently has mental problems. The 31-year-old man circled in a motorized glider for about two hours before landing.

Wacky weather. A powerful snowstorm is being blamed for at least three deaths and hundreds of highway accidents in Maryland yesterday.

In Southern California just the opposite. Hot weather combined with low humidity and high winds triggered a red flag warning for wildfire danger in mountains and valleys.

Wildcard weekend. The road to the Super Bowl is a little less crowded. Among the highlights, in two stunning comebacks yesterday the San Francisco 49ers rallied from a 24 point deficit for a 39-38 victory over the New York Giants. And, in Pittsburgh, the Steelers scored four touchdowns in the final 19 minutes to beat the Cleveland Browns 36-33.

At the box office "The Lord of the Rings" sequel remains king of the hills. "The Two Towers" took in an estimated $25.5 million this weekend and that's our "Weekend Snapshot."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: North Korea showing no sign of backing down in the international controversy over its nuclear weapons program. Today there was movement on two fronts aimed at trying to diffuse the situation. We get the latest now from CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even as Japanese and South Korean diplomats arrived in Washington urging negotiations in Vienna the IAEA said there will be no talks with North Korea unless it freezes its nuclear weapons program and gave it one last chance to comply.

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR, IAEA: Unless (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cooperates and cooperates fully with the agency, the matter will be referred to the Security Council.

KOPPEL: South Korea suggested a compromise, the U.S. give North Korea what it wants, security guarantees if Pyongyang puts its plans for nukes on ice. But President Bush says he's already told North Korean leader Kim Jung Il the U.S. has no plans to attack the North.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I said that right there in South Korea in Kim Jung Il's neighborhood. I spoke as clearly as I said and said we won't invade you, and I repeat that. We have no intention of invading North Korea. We expect North Korea to adhere to her obligations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: The U.S. believes to negotiate with North Korea would be giving in to nuclear blackmail. Instead it's talking with South Koreans, Japan, Russia, and China, all countries with influence with North Korea to use their clout to convince the North, Wolf, to make the first step.

BLITZER: Andrea Koppel at the State Department, Andrea thanks very much.

As most of our viewers probably know, North Korea has been one of the hardest countries for journalists to get into for so many years. One journalist who's been there many times is CNN President for news gathering, Eason Jordan. He's joining us live from the CNN Center. Eason what you've been there ten times to North Korea?

EASON JORDAN, CNN PRES., NEWS GATHERING: That's correct.

BLITZER: So, based on your knowledge of North Korea, how do you get out of this messy situation because a lot of experts out there are concerned there's no way under any circumstances North Korea's ever going to give up its nuclear potential?

Well, Wolf, there's an absence of trust on both sides. We have actually if it's not a crisis now, we may well be headed in that direction because there are no discussions going on between the United States and North Korea at least that we know of. North Korea desperately wants respect. North Korea desperately wants to have good relations with the United States. And North Korea feels like that the U.S. did not deliver on its promises of fuel oil and to build nuclear weapons plants in a timely way there and so North Korea actually abrogated this agreement and did so apparently, now we find out, several years ago.

And to get things back on track, from my experience in North Korea, having made 10 trips there, the only way to make substantive progress is to deal with the people at the very top because when you talk about mid level, lower level officials, you're not going to make a lot of progress. At least that's the experience we saw in 1994 with President Carter's visit and we saw it again just a couple of years ago when Secretary Albright visited Pyongyang.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Some of our viewers also probably know, Eason, you've been to Iraq and another countries not very easy for journalists to get into, at least a dozen times. You know that country quite well. A lot of my viewers e-mail me thinking there's some kind of conspiracy right now between North Korea and Iraq that they're working together to try to ease the crisis, the showdown with Iraq, that North Korea raised the ante if you will. Is there any evidence to back that up?

JORDAN: No, Wolf. And quite to the contrary, there is no evidence whatsoever of that. I know for a fact from senior Iraqi officials that there is not only a poor relationship, there's actually no relationship at all between Iraq and North Korea. A senior Iraqi official once told me that when Iraq had an embassy in the North Korean capital, that Iraqi diplomats there were being brainwashed, according to this Iraqi official, by North Koreans. And the Iraqi leadership was so distressed about it. The Iraqi leadership recalled its diplomats in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, closed the Iraqi embassy in North Korea and there have been no diplomatic relations between the two countries ever since.

BLITZER: Are we trying? Eason, I assume we are trying to get you or one of our other journalists back into North Korea to try to cover this story from -- at least get some semblance of what the North Koreans themselves are thinking.

JORDAN: Well, we certainly would welcome that opportunity. We have spoken with many of our contacts in North Korea and North Korean officials at the United Nations to try to achieve that goal. My colleague, Mike Chinoy, has actually been to North Korea more than 15 times. I've been there 10 times and we believe that CNN has a history in North Korea that it would be actually prudent for North Korea to allow us to return there and meet with the leadership.

Mike Chinoy and I had lunch with Kim Il Sung, the president of North Korea in 1994. Kim Il Sung was -- is the -- was the father of the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il. And the father, at that time, who founded North Korea told us that North Korea had never sought to develop nuclear weapons, that North Korea did not have nuclear weapons and that North Korea never would possess nuclear weapons. So if North Korea has those weapons today then that is in violation of even the present day president of the country, Kim Il Sung, who although he's been dead now for eight years is still the president of North Korea.

BLITZER: Eason Jordan, who has a wealth of experience not only in North Korea but Iraq as well, and a lot of other places around the world. Eason, thanks for joining us. CNN president for Newsgathering, Eason Jordan. Of course, when CNN gets into North Korea, we'll have those reports here on this program.

Economic boom or a bust, a preview of the president's economic stimulus plan. Will it favor the rich or the poor? We'll go live to our John King at the White House. Plus, President Bush revealed, the former speechwriter tells all at least a lot and it's not all that glowing. And eating ourselves to death. Find out how a little extra fat can trim years off your life, but first, news from around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): They won't fight it. Arriving in a court hearing in Hong Kong under heavy security, three terror suspects agreed to be extradited to the United States. The two Pakistanis and an Indian-born U.S. citizen are accused of conspiring to trade drugs for anti-aircraft missiles. They allegedly wanted to sell the missiles to al Qaeda.

Giving it a shot. China is making progress toward its first manned space mission. An unmanned capsule landed safely in Mongolia after a week-long test flight and state television showed Chinese astronauts training for a mission this year.

Grim aftermath. Funerals were held for two supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The Chavez supporters were killed last week during a clash with Chavez opponents.

Gunning for change. With Britain still in shock over the deaths last week of two teenage partygoers. Prime Minister Tony Blair's government is proposing tougher gun laws. It's seeking a minimum five-year jail sentence for anyone carrying an illegal firearm.

Back to the future. Last year was 2002, but you couldn't tell that from concert box office receipts. The biggest moneymaker on the North American circuit was a holdover from the 1960s, Paul McCartney. The second biggest act? Some other veterans of the 1960s British invasion, The Rolling stones. And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Whether Bush tomorrow will officially unveil his plan to give the nation's economy in the arm. But the wraps are already off this so-called stimulus package and Democrats have rushed to criticize it while presenting some ideas of their own. Let's go live to our senior White House correspondent, John King, who's covering all of this for us -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's true, Wolf. Even before the president releases the details of his plan publicly, already clear the economy will be the major policy and political debate of the New Year. Mr. Bush will travel to Chicago tomorrow to lay out his plan. In the Cabinet room today, the first cabinet meeting of the New Year here at the White House. Mr. Bush offered a few of the highlights and also took some time to rebut his critics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The plan that is a very fair plan. It's a plan that recognizes when somebody has more of their own money, they're likely to spend it, which creates more jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: The Bush plan would cost about $600 billion over 10 years. Half of that roughly $300 billion would go toward eliminating federal income taxes individuals pay on corporate dividends.

BUSH: It will encourage investment and that's what we want. We want to encourage investment activity. Investment means jobs.

KING: Mr. Bush will propose accelerating income tax cuts already passed by Congress, eliminating the tax code so-called marriage penalty more quickly, a rebate for some child care costs and an extension of emergency unemployment benefits.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Ninety-two million taxpayers will receive on average a tax cut of $1,083 in 2003. Forty- six million married couples will receive average tax cuts of $1,716.

KING: Democrats say they're more much modest one-year stimulus plan will give the economy a more immediate boost. The Democrats would spend about $140 billion on a mix of tax rebates to low and middle income Americans, expanded unemployment benefits and direct aid to financially strapped state governments. Democrats complain the Bush approach favors more affluent taxpayers and will drive up the federal budget deficit.

REP. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: The Democratic plan is significant, and fast acting and is fiscally responsible. We stimulate the job market. The president's plan stimulates the stock market.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: This debate over the economy is the first test of the president's clout with Congress since the midterm elections and the Republican gains in those elections.

Still senior White House officials say Mr. Bush understands he will have to compromise with Democrats, one reason the president is unveiling the details now, about three weeks before he delivers his State of The Union Address, as the White House hopes to get action on this economic plan. The sooner the better in the view of White House officials and again, Wolf, they understand with some compromises.

But look for the president here to ask Republicans to be quite loyal in trying to muscle this plan through to Congress sometime in February. BLITZER: John King at the White House, thanks very much. Of course, CNN will have complete coverage tomorrow of the president's address and all of the details surrounding it.

Here's your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our "Web Question of The Day" is this: whom do you think President Bush's economic plan benefits most, the rich, the middle class or the poor? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf.

Add one more to the long list of so-called insider books coming out of Washington. The latest claims intimate knowledge of the president's state of mind during a crucial period in our history. As is often the case, the insider is now an outsider but this is the first such book about the Bush administration.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): David Frum, a Canadian speechwriter for President Bush during his first year in the White House. It's a period many believe eventually will define George W. Bush's presidency for better or worse, the man who claims credit for writing these famous words to describe Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

BUSH: States like these and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil, armying to threaten the peace of the world.

BLITZER: Frum's new book, "The Right Man," offers few big surprises other than giving his version of why the events of September 11 combined with Bush's personality traits catapulted his presidency. But the compliments are often backhanded as in this passage.

"George W. Bush is a very unusual person; a good man who is not a weak man. He has many faults. He is impatient and quick to anger; sometimes glib, even dogmatic; often uncurious and as a result ill informed; more conventional in his thinking than a leader probably should be. But outweighing the faults are his virtues: decency, honesty, rectitude, courage and tenacity."

Frum repeatedly mixes his compliments with a tinge of acid as in this account of Bush's speech to the country on the night of September 11. "Bush's great gift to the country after September 11 was his calm and self-restraint. His speech on the night of the 11th had been wrecked by his failure to fuse his message of calm with the appropriate wrath and resolution."

Frum claims in that same chapter that the words he and others had written for the president that night had been -- quote -- "chucked and replaced by Bush's then top aide, Karen Hughes." Overall, the reader gets a portrait of a straightforward no nonsense president, but one who is very guarded even with those close to him.

This passage reflects Frum's thoughts after one of his first meetings with the president. "Bush's relentlessly disciplined and very slow to trust. Even when his mouth seems to be smiling at you, you can feel his eyes watching you." Frum resigned last year and rumors circulated that he was forced out because his wife had e-mailed friends to claim credit for him for the axis of evil speech. Taking personal credit for the president's words is not looked upon favorably in this White House. Frum claims he had resigned a month before the e-mail.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And speaking to our senior White House correspondent, John King, a senior administration official voices dismay that a former staffer would write an insider book that has some criticism of the president. The official says it that staffers are encouraged to be loyal when they leave but don't take a, quote, "blood oath."

The official ads, quote, "The overwhelming gist of the book is favorable." The official suggests that David Frum resented Karen Hughes' greater access to and influence over the president. You hear much more from the author himself tomorrow night on "NEWSNIGHT". Aaron Brown will interview David Frum. That' at 10:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night, Tuesday night.

The search for a missing pregnant woman expands. But are the real clues closer to home? Details of the investigation when we come back. And fat apparently does kill. Those extra pounds taking years off your life. We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A strange case we've been reporting about on the West Coast is baffling investigators. It's the search for a pregnant California woman who vanished Christmas Eve. CNN's Rusty Dornin is live in Modesto, California, with the latest now on Laci Peterson.

What is the latest, Rusty?

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, there really isn't much to report as the latest. Tomorrow will be the two-week anniversary and investigators are really not that much closer to finding out what exactly happened to Laci Peterson as they were almost two weeks ago. But they did expand the search, taking it up to the Berkeley marina.

Now, that is where husband, Scott Peterson, says that he went fishing that Christmas Eve morning, leaving at about 9:30. It's about an hour and a half drive. He says he went up and fished at a place called Brook's Island and came back.

Investigators took dogs and boats, dogs that are able to actually can sniff a scent out over water. They walked the dogs along the shore, took them out on the boats. The only thing they found was a blue tarp, which apparently they have brought back to Modesto and are taking a closer look at that.

They have also expanded the search to five surrounding counties here. There's been more than 100 miles of waterways, canals, creeks, rivers have that have been searched. They're talking about searching two other reservoirs as well. Now, here at the volunteer center, at the Red Lion Inn, things are really pretty quiet because it's tough at this point. There's not a lot of clues for these volunteers to go out to do. But the family has been here. They come here every morning. Her sister, Amy, was just inside carefully folding and cutting yellow ribbons, just to keep putting out there and keep the search up for her sister.

Now, police say that there are many scenarios that are out there and they're just not giving any credibility to one over the other. So, so far no closer to finding Laci Peterson --Wolf.

BLITZER: That's too bad. A sad story. We'll continue to follow it. Rusty Dornin in Modesto, California, for us. Thanks very much, Rusty.

A recipe for death. How much sooner could you die by being obese even if just overweight? Coming up, new information out this hour that may impact your health or someone you love. Learn how to check if you're in danger. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked -- which of these people is obese. The answer, the five-foot male weighing 153 pounds.

A new study out just this hour backs up what health experts have been saying for years -- if you want to live longer, lose weight and put down those cigarettes. Here's CNN medical contributor, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Everyone pretty much knows that being overweight can shorten your life, but by how many years? A new study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" shows for first time just how much your life is shortened if you're overweight or obese at age 40.

DR. ROBERT ECKEL, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION: If you were overweight, you basically live three years less long. And if you were obese, you lived approximately six to seven years less long.

FRYHOFER: So what's the difference between overweight and obese? It's based on the body mass index, which is the ratio of weight and height. For example, a 40-year-old woman who is 5-foot-five and weighs more than 150 pounds is considered overweight.

And she can expect to cut three years of life expectancy. Add another 30 pounds to that same woman, she now weighs over 180 pounds. She's considered obese and she'll lose a total of seven years of life.

It's the same for men. A 6-foot tall man who weighs more than 184 pounds is considered overweight. And at 221 pounds, he's obese and can expect to lose six years of life.

Smokers who have the middle aged spread are hit with a double whammy. Obese smokers can subtract seven more years from life expectancy. That means smoking men and women will live 13 to 14 years less than their non-smoking normal weight neighbors. So what's a person to do?

ECKEL: The important message from a study like this is let's work on prevention. Let's work with young people to try to prevent that increase in body fat.

FRYHOFER: Dr. Eckel recommends losing approximately a pound a week by cutting out 500 calories a day, which a realistic goal set and should result in five to 10 percent loss in body weight.

To find out if you're overweight or obese, you can go www.cdc.gov. Type in BMI calculator and put in your own height and weight and it will calculate your BMI for you. Your goal is to be under the magic number of 25 and this can help you look forward a normal life expectancy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRYHOFER: Now, Wolf, this study does have some limitations. It only looked at residents living in a predominantly white middle-class neighborhood. So as a result, these trends may not apply to other racial and ethnic groups like Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians. But still, Wolf this study frames the effect of being overweight in a way that everyone can understand. That's how long you live.

BLITZER: Very important information. Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, thanks very much for joining us. We'll have you back.

And, of course, in addition to where Sandra said you can go for more information, you can also find more information about obesity and how it can affect your life by logging on to our Web site, cnn.com/wolf. Once you're there, check out the body mass index to see where you stand on the obesity scale. Some of us don't want to know.

Time is running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Forgive the pun. Whom do you think President Bush's economic plan benefits the most, the rich, the middle class or the poor? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of The Day." Remember, we've been asking you this: whom do you think President Bush's economic plan benefits the most, the rich, the middle class or the poor? Look at this. Eighty-three percent of you so far say the rich. Fourteen percent say the middle class. Three percent of you say the poor. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Don't forget, "SHOWDOWN IRAQ" weekdays at noon Eastern. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Commuter Train Derailed in California>


Aired January 6, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Young, starved, and left for dead.

MAYOR SHARPE JAMES, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Feces, you name it, what have you, all the ills that you want to think of.

BLITZER: The nightmare in a Newark basement.

Deadly derailment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The lights went out when we heard the bang and the train just rolled and smoked and then we hit. Not something I want to do again.

BLITZER: A California commuter train slams into a pickup truck.

A shot in the arm or just a shot in the dark? Will a new White House plan really help the economy? Will it help you?

U.S. forces ship out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully we'll all come back in one piece.

BLITZER: Saddam Hussein says he's ready and accuses U.N. inspectors of spying.

And is North Korea getting one more chance?

He brought you the phrase, "axis of evil," so why is this White House insider now an outsider?

And, obesity, how many years it can take off your life, new research out this hour pulls no punches.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's Monday, January 06, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

Authorities in Newark, New Jersey are unraveling what appears to be a horrific case of child abuse. They're looking for a 41-year-old exotic dancer after two gruesome discoveries at her home over the weekend. CNN's Jamie Colby has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New Jersey Governor James McGreevey is demanding a full report on how a seven-year-old boy under state supervision ended up dead.

GOV. JAMES MCGREEVEY, NEW JERSEY: This is reprehensible. The report today was disgusting. I mean it read as if we're part of some third world debacle.

COLBY: Fahim Williams, along with his five and seven-year-old brothers, were left in the care of a relative while their mother served time for assault. The two brothers remain in serious condition at a New Jersey hospital after police discovered them burned and starving in a locked basement Saturday.

JAMES: The room was a nightmare, feces, you name it, what have you, vomiting, all the ills that you want to think of. Two boys, age seven and five, having been locked in a room without any care or any treatment.

COLBY: One of the boys found notified police his twin brother had been missing for weeks leading to the gruesome discovery Sunday of the badly decomposed body of Fahim Williams in a different room of that same basement.

Police are looking for Sherry Murphy, their mother's cousin, who was caring for the boys. She now faces criminal charges. Neighbors say they never saw the boys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never saw any kids walking through those stairs, like I said, no kids at all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ask anybody in this neighborhood, they'll tell you the same thing. Nobody's ever seen these kids, you know. I think the first time we seen the kids was when they took them out.

COLBY: Police have questioned the boys' mother. She is in a New York City hospital after being hit by a car on her way to see her boys this weekend.

JAMES: She stated to us in the hospital she was unable to locate her cousin. She was unable to find her children and she's been searching for them.

COLBY: The case is under scrutiny since New Jersey's Division of Youth and Family Services was granted supervision of the boys last March but allegedly failed to ever visit them or monitor their case despite reports they'd previously been abused.

JAMES: This is an American tragedy. We here in the city of Newark have often said it is easy to make a child. The real question is can you take care of a child?

COLBY: Jamie Colby CNN, Newark, New Jersey. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: For more on this story, I'm joined now on the phone by the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Sharpe James. Mr. Mayor thanks for joining us. How unusual first of all is this kind of horrific case in your city?

JAMES (via telephone): Well, this is unusual when you would find two small children locked in a room and then, of course, to return and find a third son dead, wrapped in a blanket, folded neatly and placed in a plastic receptacle.

This is a horrible situation but there might be a break in the case because we learned that three of the children of Sherry Murphy, three of her daughters who lived with her, the father is a Newark firefighter. He granted us the right to interview the three children with he being present, and based on that interview which is still ongoing, we are going to change a Child Endangerment charge where we're seeking Ms. Sherry Murphy to perhaps homicide.

That's going to be an update later this evening. In fact, we were just two minutes away from locating her this evening and we will continue to search until she's arrested and we would advise her to give herself up.

BLITZER: Well you believe she's still in the area of your community?

JAMES: We were within two minutes of catching her today of knowing here whereabouts. We have a full alert for her. She will be apprehended shortly and we are urging her to turn herself in to the nearest police station because again breaking news is that we've interviewed three of her daughters. We have additional information and the search and the charges against, potential charges against Ms. Sherry Murphy are escalating based on more information which we are gathering as we speak now.

BLITZER: So the news that you're breaking here on this program right now, Mr. Mayor, is that instead of Child Endangerment she's going to be charged with Homicide, is that what you're telling us?

JAMES: That is as the evidence is unfolding now we're changing the potential charge from just Child Endangerment to Homicide and we're going to again escalate our trying to locate her. However, this is a terrible tragedy of three boys who didn't ask to come into the world. They're hungry for food, hungry for love, hungry for caring.

They could be my son, your son, and just to go to the hospital and see them wanting attention, wanting to play, wanting to throw a ball, offer me a banana, they are playful despite their abuse. They're alive. We're not going to make them healthy again and someone has to answer for this abuse to children.

BLITZER: I think you're absolutely right. Mr. Mayor thanks very much for joining us. Good luck in this investigation which I know is only just beginning but we'll be following this horrific story, of course, as developments warrant. The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey Sharpe James joining us live with some new information on this story.

And we have another story that's breaking right now here on CNN. The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation is reporting it has obtained an e-mail allegedly from Osama bin Laden's top aide Ayman al-Zawahiri calling for new terror attacks against the United States.

CNN has obtained this information by watching the Lebanese TV network. We want to go live now to CNN International Senior Editor Octavia Nasr. She watched the broadcast for us. Octavia tell us exactly what you saw and what you heard.

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Wolf, I did watch the broadcast but more importantly I just received this copy of the letter from that Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that you just mentioned. I read it. It is purported to be an e-mail from Ayman al- Zawahiri. He's, of course, Osama bin Laden's No. 2 man in al Qaeda organization.

Now before we go any further, we need to say the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation did not say how it authenticated the e-mail has three important elements. The first one, if it is indeed from Zawahiri then he is a live and reaching out. The number two important element, the e-mail calls for more killing of Americans and it states that Americans are killing Muslims. The number three element that is extremely important, the e-mail calls on its readers to halt attacks on Egypt.

Now, beyond that, there is no important information in this e- mail. The recipient of the e-mail is a lawyer for Islamist groups in Egypt. It is his word and that of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that we're taking on this. It is important to say that CNN has not independently verified who sent the e-mail or how it got to LBC -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And we also know, of course, that Ayman al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian, but did the Lebanese television say how they got this e- mail?

NASR: Yes, they did say that Muntasa al-Zayad (ph) the lawyer for the Islamist groups hosted an appeal to Ayman al-Zawahiri on September 9 of last year. In it he called on Zawahiri to go on public, talk about September 11 and its repercussions around the world and talk about al Qaeda and its future plans, this lawyer saying that this morning he did receive this answer from Zawahiri.

In it, as I said earlier, three important things, one to call on more killings of American. Two, to halt all attacks in Egypt; and three is to give a proof of life if indeed it is Zawahiri. Now again, CNN has no verification that this is from Ayman Zawahiri and we tried. I worked the phones trying to verify if it is indeed him but there is no way to confirm if it is him or not -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Octavia Nasr reporting for us, Octavia thanks very much. We'll continue to follow this important, potentially important story, continue to determine if in fact all of this is authentic. If it is, it's obviously very significant. Thanks very much for that report.

Meanwhile back here in the United States investigators in Burbank, California are hoping a so-called black box will answer some key questions about today's collision between a commuter train and a pickup truck. The Metrolink commuter train went off the tracks at Burbank, California after slamming into the truck at a railroad crossing. CNN's Charles Feldman is at the scene.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Wolf, we're getting blown away (AUDIO GAP).

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN (voice-over): For the 58 passengers and two crewmembers on board the Metrolink train from Santa Clarita, California to downtown L.A., the Monday morning commute was about to come to an end, but as the five car train passed a stretch of tracks going an estimated 45 to 50 miles an hour it collided violently with a two-ton truck on the tracks. The truck exploded in flames killing the driver. Four cars of the train derailed, two turning on their sides.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The big bang is when we got caught up on that one and it started to teeter and I thought we were going to go over so I went to the other side of the window but then we stayed and then I just got out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was reading a book and all of a sudden I felt a big jostle and a ball of flame right by the window and then the next thing you know we're off the tracks and flipping over.

FELDMAN: In all, 32 people on the train were injured, at least four seriously. Why the truck was on the tracks is still unclear, although local authorities say the railroad safety equipment appeared to be in working order.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN: Wolf, I was trying to say before when I actually stepped on myself that we're fighting some really bad winds here in Southern California and it's not at all clear whether that had anything to do with what happened this morning with the train.

What I can tell you, though, is that the train carries this black box, a so-called black box. It's a data recorder similar to what's carried on commercial jetliners but not nearly as sophisticated -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Well, when you say it's not nearly as sophisticated, can you give us some differences because a lot of us are familiar, of course, with the famous black boxes on airplanes but not very familiar with these black boxes on trains?

FELDMAN: Well one difference is that the black boxes on airplanes tend to be orange. This, I'm told, is actually black. But more significantly airplanes, of course, are far more complex so those black boxes have to measure many more parameters. This one says such things as how fast was the train going, what the condition of some of the equipment on the train was at the time of the collision, and also to a limited degree track conditions.

And, I'm going to just point out, Wolf, that you may be able to see there in the background a giant crane that was brought in a little while ago to help move the derailed cars off the track -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman, our man on the scene of a terrible train crash. Obviously we're going to continue to follow this story. Charles thanks very much for that report.

And there's a significant new development in the entire cloning controversy. As you, of course, will remember a week and a half or so ago after a company called Clonaid announced the birth of a human clone, the freelance journalist who was supposed to evaluate the claim has now suspended his review.

Dr. Michael Gillen (ph) announced the suspension today in a statement that called attention to the company's links with an unorthodox religious group. Here's his statement and I want to quote it verbatim.

"This morning I suspended the independent review process designed to determine whether or not a cloned human baby has been born. The team of scientists has had no access to the alleged family and, therefore, can not verify firsthand the claim that a human baby has been cloned. In other words, it's still entirely possible Clonaid's announcement is part of an elaborate hoax intended to bring publicity to the Raelian movement."

That's the end of the quotation. Joining us now to discuss the announcement is Brian Alexander of "Wired" magazine. He's joining us now live from San Diego. You've written about this Clonaid, this whole group. You've spent time with them. I know you're not surprised by this latest development.

BRIAN ALEXANDER, "WIRED" MAGAZINE: No, I'm not surprised at all.

BLITZER: Well, tell us why you believe this has been a hoax from the first moment that the announcement, the so-called announcement came out with absolutely no proof whatsoever that anyone has been cloned?

ALEXANDER: Because from the very beginning the Raelians have never been straight with people about their cloning plans. Essentially all they've done is announce that they wanted to clone and they started doing that five years ago right after the birth of Dolly, saying that they had labs in the Bahamas where this was going to happen. They were going to accept clients for $200,000 apiece.

It turned out there were no labs in the Bahamas. When I was up at their compound in Quebec Province in Canada, I asked them a lot of questions about how they intended to do the cloning. Scientifically it made almost no sense at all. They fudged on the number of scientists they have. Their whole plan from the very beginning, I believe, was to get lots of publicity and because cloning is such a charged word it succeeded.

BLITZER: And so obviously now they have virtually no credibility left. Should we simply ignore them in the news media?

ALEXANDER: Actually I think it's now time to ignore them. I think what they stand for really is more of a symbol of how crazy we have all gotten about cloning, how irrational we have become that the Raelians have succeeded to this degree in getting a lot of publicity by just mentioning the word. It may be time to examine our own beliefs about cloning and what we think it is and what we think it isn't.

BLITZER: All right Brian Alexander of "Wired" magazine giving us some insight into what may be going on right now. Brian thanks very much.

ALEXANDER: You bet.

BLITZER: Ever wonder where the words "axis of evil" came from? A former Bush speechwriter is at it again but this time he's not writing for the president, he's writing about him. Get the details today before they hit bookshelves tomorrow.

And later, reality hits the relatives of U.S. forces on the move.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just want him to come home safely. It kind of nerve racking, we didn't sleep very much last night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A bold statement from Saddam Hussein who says he's ready for anything.

And watching the weight. A story that will tell you how much shorter you may live.

But first the "News Quiz." Only one of these people is obese, which one, a 5' male weighing 153 pounds or a 6' female weighting 213 pounds, the answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Another American warship is headed to the Persian Gulf region and a possible, repeat possible war with Iraq. The Navy hospital ship Comfort with about 300 crewmembers steamed out of Baltimore this morning for duty in the Indian Ocean. The Comfort has 1,000 beds on board.

And as the Comfort begins its mission, Pentagon sources tell CNN that more than 25,000 additional troops will be ordered to the Persian Gulf region this week. This new deployment will involve the First Marine Expeditionary Force and soldiers from the Army's Fifth Corps based in Germany. Today other Marines and sailors based in California shipped out for a destination that will put them within striking distance of Iraq. CNN National Correspondent Frank Buckley was on hand as family members took part in a ritual as old as war itself.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The tears of a sailor's son, the fears of Marine Corps and Navy families, the displays of their love of country. These were the scenes repeated over and over as the Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group prepared to push off.

Four thousand Camp Pendleton-based Marines and San Diego-based sailors and their families saying goodbye as three ships began a previously scheduled deployment. Even the wives of veteran sailors say it's never easy.

TESS PONTON, NAVY WIFE: And he's leaving again. This is my fifth time and I told myself I'm not going to cry anymore but it's so hard because I'm going to miss him.

BUCKLEY: When the president threatens Iraq with military action, these are among the men and women who he may call into harm's way. They say they are ready but they admit they are human.

PETTY OFCR. MIKE GRAMLICH, U.S. NAVY: It's hard. It's the hardest thing I've ever done and I'm just ready to get on with it.

BUCKLEY: War could break out on their watch and their families say that makes this day that much more difficult.

JESSICA GRAMLICH, NAVY WIFE: Now it's a lot scarier. It makes me so much more worried and it's a lot harder.

BUCKLEY: But the commanding officers who would lead the young men and women into a war zone say their families should know they are trained and prepared for anything that may come their way.

CAPT. RONALD THOMAS, U.S. NAVY: It's all the faces and places that we're familiar with we're going to leave in order to protect our nation.

BUCKLEY: And with a final wave they were on their way, everyone here already looking forward to the emotional homecoming just six months away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: Six months the scheduled deployment period for those 4,000 marines and sailors aboard the Tarawa, the Duluth, and the Rushmore that left from this pier today. Of course that six-month period, Wolf, could change if they're called into action -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Frank before I let you go, I know that this brought back some personal memories for you, this story you're covering. Tell our viewers who aren't familiar with your own background what's going on in your mind.

BUCKLEY: Well, Wolf, I grew up in a Navy family. My dad was in the Navy for 30 years and I spent a lot of time with the Navy sailors over the past year in the Arabian Sea and different places. It is difficult for me reliving some of the memories that I have from childhood.

I can really relate to some of the kids here, their dads telling them to be the man of the house when they're gone. It is a very difficult period for these folks. It's difficult for us to intrude on their personal moments but we're grateful that they allow us to see what they're going through.

BLITZER: And we salute these men and women as I'm sure you do as well. Frank Buckley on the scene for us thanks very much for that good report.

And as more U.S. troops head out for the Persian Gulf, Saddam Hussein remains as defiant as ever charging today that U.N. weapons inspectors are spies. CNN's Rym Brahimi is in Baghdad with the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Iraq's been celebrating the 82nd anniversary of its armed forces. A brief ceremony early in the morning at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was attended by high- ranking members of the Ba'ath ruling party as well as by members of the Iraqi cabinet.

In a televised speech to the nation the president also accused the U.N. weapons inspectors of being under the U.S.' influence and of going beyond their mandate of just searching for weapons but also of spying.

SADDAM HUSSEIN, PRESIDENT OF IRAQ (through translator): Instead of looking for the so-called weapons of mass destruction in order to expose the distortion and lies promulgated by those who endeavor in vain to deceive public opinion. The inspection teams are interested in collecting names and making lists of Iraqi scientists addressing employees with questions that carry hidden agendas.

BRAHIMI: The president said the U.S. also had a hidden agenda, saying that Washington was threatening not only Iraq but the entire region in order to protect the U.S.' own interest but also to protect the security of Israel.

He said the United States was doing this in order to divert public opinion from what he said were the Bush administration's failure, failure he says to have prevented the September 11 attacks, failure with the economy, and failure in Afghanistan.

And finally in what seemed to be a response to speculations out there of what the Iraqi army would actually do if there were a U.S.- led war in the region, the Iraqi president said he was confident the army would stand firm and protect the nation.

Rym Brahimi CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: An openly defiant North Korea condemned by the U.N. nuclear watchdog. So why is the Bush administration more concerned about Iraq? A closer look at the behind-the-scenes arm twisting when we return.

Plus, vanished into thin air, are police any closer to finding a pregnant woman who disappeared Christmas Eve, the latest on the investigation.

And, a rare look at a man behind the president, a sneak preview of a tell-all book on George W. Bush, but first in case you were out enjoying your days off, here's our "Weekend Snapshot."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Security incident. In Washington a long wait for passengers at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Officials say a search for bombs yesterday came up empty after someone called in a few bomb threats. Earlier an evacuation was ordered after a security screener fell asleep on the job.

Terrorist scare. German officials say a man who threatened to crash a small stolen plane into Frankfurt's financial district yesterday apparently has mental problems. The 31-year-old man circled in a motorized glider for about two hours before landing.

Wacky weather. A powerful snowstorm is being blamed for at least three deaths and hundreds of highway accidents in Maryland yesterday.

In Southern California just the opposite. Hot weather combined with low humidity and high winds triggered a red flag warning for wildfire danger in mountains and valleys.

Wildcard weekend. The road to the Super Bowl is a little less crowded. Among the highlights, in two stunning comebacks yesterday the San Francisco 49ers rallied from a 24 point deficit for a 39-38 victory over the New York Giants. And, in Pittsburgh, the Steelers scored four touchdowns in the final 19 minutes to beat the Cleveland Browns 36-33.

At the box office "The Lord of the Rings" sequel remains king of the hills. "The Two Towers" took in an estimated $25.5 million this weekend and that's our "Weekend Snapshot."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: North Korea showing no sign of backing down in the international controversy over its nuclear weapons program. Today there was movement on two fronts aimed at trying to diffuse the situation. We get the latest now from CNN State Department Correspondent Andrea Koppel. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even as Japanese and South Korean diplomats arrived in Washington urging negotiations in Vienna the IAEA said there will be no talks with North Korea unless it freezes its nuclear weapons program and gave it one last chance to comply.

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, DIRECTOR, IAEA: Unless (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cooperates and cooperates fully with the agency, the matter will be referred to the Security Council.

KOPPEL: South Korea suggested a compromise, the U.S. give North Korea what it wants, security guarantees if Pyongyang puts its plans for nukes on ice. But President Bush says he's already told North Korean leader Kim Jung Il the U.S. has no plans to attack the North.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I said that right there in South Korea in Kim Jung Il's neighborhood. I spoke as clearly as I said and said we won't invade you, and I repeat that. We have no intention of invading North Korea. We expect North Korea to adhere to her obligations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOPPEL: The U.S. believes to negotiate with North Korea would be giving in to nuclear blackmail. Instead it's talking with South Koreans, Japan, Russia, and China, all countries with influence with North Korea to use their clout to convince the North, Wolf, to make the first step.

BLITZER: Andrea Koppel at the State Department, Andrea thanks very much.

As most of our viewers probably know, North Korea has been one of the hardest countries for journalists to get into for so many years. One journalist who's been there many times is CNN President for news gathering, Eason Jordan. He's joining us live from the CNN Center. Eason what you've been there ten times to North Korea?

EASON JORDAN, CNN PRES., NEWS GATHERING: That's correct.

BLITZER: So, based on your knowledge of North Korea, how do you get out of this messy situation because a lot of experts out there are concerned there's no way under any circumstances North Korea's ever going to give up its nuclear potential?

Well, Wolf, there's an absence of trust on both sides. We have actually if it's not a crisis now, we may well be headed in that direction because there are no discussions going on between the United States and North Korea at least that we know of. North Korea desperately wants respect. North Korea desperately wants to have good relations with the United States. And North Korea feels like that the U.S. did not deliver on its promises of fuel oil and to build nuclear weapons plants in a timely way there and so North Korea actually abrogated this agreement and did so apparently, now we find out, several years ago.

And to get things back on track, from my experience in North Korea, having made 10 trips there, the only way to make substantive progress is to deal with the people at the very top because when you talk about mid level, lower level officials, you're not going to make a lot of progress. At least that's the experience we saw in 1994 with President Carter's visit and we saw it again just a couple of years ago when Secretary Albright visited Pyongyang.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Some of our viewers also probably know, Eason, you've been to Iraq and another countries not very easy for journalists to get into, at least a dozen times. You know that country quite well. A lot of my viewers e-mail me thinking there's some kind of conspiracy right now between North Korea and Iraq that they're working together to try to ease the crisis, the showdown with Iraq, that North Korea raised the ante if you will. Is there any evidence to back that up?

JORDAN: No, Wolf. And quite to the contrary, there is no evidence whatsoever of that. I know for a fact from senior Iraqi officials that there is not only a poor relationship, there's actually no relationship at all between Iraq and North Korea. A senior Iraqi official once told me that when Iraq had an embassy in the North Korean capital, that Iraqi diplomats there were being brainwashed, according to this Iraqi official, by North Koreans. And the Iraqi leadership was so distressed about it. The Iraqi leadership recalled its diplomats in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, closed the Iraqi embassy in North Korea and there have been no diplomatic relations between the two countries ever since.

BLITZER: Are we trying? Eason, I assume we are trying to get you or one of our other journalists back into North Korea to try to cover this story from -- at least get some semblance of what the North Koreans themselves are thinking.

JORDAN: Well, we certainly would welcome that opportunity. We have spoken with many of our contacts in North Korea and North Korean officials at the United Nations to try to achieve that goal. My colleague, Mike Chinoy, has actually been to North Korea more than 15 times. I've been there 10 times and we believe that CNN has a history in North Korea that it would be actually prudent for North Korea to allow us to return there and meet with the leadership.

Mike Chinoy and I had lunch with Kim Il Sung, the president of North Korea in 1994. Kim Il Sung was -- is the -- was the father of the current North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il. And the father, at that time, who founded North Korea told us that North Korea had never sought to develop nuclear weapons, that North Korea did not have nuclear weapons and that North Korea never would possess nuclear weapons. So if North Korea has those weapons today then that is in violation of even the present day president of the country, Kim Il Sung, who although he's been dead now for eight years is still the president of North Korea.

BLITZER: Eason Jordan, who has a wealth of experience not only in North Korea but Iraq as well, and a lot of other places around the world. Eason, thanks for joining us. CNN president for Newsgathering, Eason Jordan. Of course, when CNN gets into North Korea, we'll have those reports here on this program.

Economic boom or a bust, a preview of the president's economic stimulus plan. Will it favor the rich or the poor? We'll go live to our John King at the White House. Plus, President Bush revealed, the former speechwriter tells all at least a lot and it's not all that glowing. And eating ourselves to death. Find out how a little extra fat can trim years off your life, but first, news from around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): They won't fight it. Arriving in a court hearing in Hong Kong under heavy security, three terror suspects agreed to be extradited to the United States. The two Pakistanis and an Indian-born U.S. citizen are accused of conspiring to trade drugs for anti-aircraft missiles. They allegedly wanted to sell the missiles to al Qaeda.

Giving it a shot. China is making progress toward its first manned space mission. An unmanned capsule landed safely in Mongolia after a week-long test flight and state television showed Chinese astronauts training for a mission this year.

Grim aftermath. Funerals were held for two supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The Chavez supporters were killed last week during a clash with Chavez opponents.

Gunning for change. With Britain still in shock over the deaths last week of two teenage partygoers. Prime Minister Tony Blair's government is proposing tougher gun laws. It's seeking a minimum five-year jail sentence for anyone carrying an illegal firearm.

Back to the future. Last year was 2002, but you couldn't tell that from concert box office receipts. The biggest moneymaker on the North American circuit was a holdover from the 1960s, Paul McCartney. The second biggest act? Some other veterans of the 1960s British invasion, The Rolling stones. And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Whether Bush tomorrow will officially unveil his plan to give the nation's economy in the arm. But the wraps are already off this so-called stimulus package and Democrats have rushed to criticize it while presenting some ideas of their own. Let's go live to our senior White House correspondent, John King, who's covering all of this for us -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's true, Wolf. Even before the president releases the details of his plan publicly, already clear the economy will be the major policy and political debate of the New Year. Mr. Bush will travel to Chicago tomorrow to lay out his plan. In the Cabinet room today, the first cabinet meeting of the New Year here at the White House. Mr. Bush offered a few of the highlights and also took some time to rebut his critics.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The plan that is a very fair plan. It's a plan that recognizes when somebody has more of their own money, they're likely to spend it, which creates more jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: The Bush plan would cost about $600 billion over 10 years. Half of that roughly $300 billion would go toward eliminating federal income taxes individuals pay on corporate dividends.

BUSH: It will encourage investment and that's what we want. We want to encourage investment activity. Investment means jobs.

KING: Mr. Bush will propose accelerating income tax cuts already passed by Congress, eliminating the tax code so-called marriage penalty more quickly, a rebate for some child care costs and an extension of emergency unemployment benefits.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Ninety-two million taxpayers will receive on average a tax cut of $1,083 in 2003. Forty- six million married couples will receive average tax cuts of $1,716.

KING: Democrats say they're more much modest one-year stimulus plan will give the economy a more immediate boost. The Democrats would spend about $140 billion on a mix of tax rebates to low and middle income Americans, expanded unemployment benefits and direct aid to financially strapped state governments. Democrats complain the Bush approach favors more affluent taxpayers and will drive up the federal budget deficit.

REP. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: The Democratic plan is significant, and fast acting and is fiscally responsible. We stimulate the job market. The president's plan stimulates the stock market.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: This debate over the economy is the first test of the president's clout with Congress since the midterm elections and the Republican gains in those elections.

Still senior White House officials say Mr. Bush understands he will have to compromise with Democrats, one reason the president is unveiling the details now, about three weeks before he delivers his State of The Union Address, as the White House hopes to get action on this economic plan. The sooner the better in the view of White House officials and again, Wolf, they understand with some compromises.

But look for the president here to ask Republicans to be quite loyal in trying to muscle this plan through to Congress sometime in February. BLITZER: John King at the White House, thanks very much. Of course, CNN will have complete coverage tomorrow of the president's address and all of the details surrounding it.

Here's your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our "Web Question of The Day" is this: whom do you think President Bush's economic plan benefits most, the rich, the middle class or the poor? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf.

Add one more to the long list of so-called insider books coming out of Washington. The latest claims intimate knowledge of the president's state of mind during a crucial period in our history. As is often the case, the insider is now an outsider but this is the first such book about the Bush administration.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): David Frum, a Canadian speechwriter for President Bush during his first year in the White House. It's a period many believe eventually will define George W. Bush's presidency for better or worse, the man who claims credit for writing these famous words to describe Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

BUSH: States like these and their terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil, armying to threaten the peace of the world.

BLITZER: Frum's new book, "The Right Man," offers few big surprises other than giving his version of why the events of September 11 combined with Bush's personality traits catapulted his presidency. But the compliments are often backhanded as in this passage.

"George W. Bush is a very unusual person; a good man who is not a weak man. He has many faults. He is impatient and quick to anger; sometimes glib, even dogmatic; often uncurious and as a result ill informed; more conventional in his thinking than a leader probably should be. But outweighing the faults are his virtues: decency, honesty, rectitude, courage and tenacity."

Frum repeatedly mixes his compliments with a tinge of acid as in this account of Bush's speech to the country on the night of September 11. "Bush's great gift to the country after September 11 was his calm and self-restraint. His speech on the night of the 11th had been wrecked by his failure to fuse his message of calm with the appropriate wrath and resolution."

Frum claims in that same chapter that the words he and others had written for the president that night had been -- quote -- "chucked and replaced by Bush's then top aide, Karen Hughes." Overall, the reader gets a portrait of a straightforward no nonsense president, but one who is very guarded even with those close to him.

This passage reflects Frum's thoughts after one of his first meetings with the president. "Bush's relentlessly disciplined and very slow to trust. Even when his mouth seems to be smiling at you, you can feel his eyes watching you." Frum resigned last year and rumors circulated that he was forced out because his wife had e-mailed friends to claim credit for him for the axis of evil speech. Taking personal credit for the president's words is not looked upon favorably in this White House. Frum claims he had resigned a month before the e-mail.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And speaking to our senior White House correspondent, John King, a senior administration official voices dismay that a former staffer would write an insider book that has some criticism of the president. The official says it that staffers are encouraged to be loyal when they leave but don't take a, quote, "blood oath."

The official ads, quote, "The overwhelming gist of the book is favorable." The official suggests that David Frum resented Karen Hughes' greater access to and influence over the president. You hear much more from the author himself tomorrow night on "NEWSNIGHT". Aaron Brown will interview David Frum. That' at 10:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night, Tuesday night.

The search for a missing pregnant woman expands. But are the real clues closer to home? Details of the investigation when we come back. And fat apparently does kill. Those extra pounds taking years off your life. We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A strange case we've been reporting about on the West Coast is baffling investigators. It's the search for a pregnant California woman who vanished Christmas Eve. CNN's Rusty Dornin is live in Modesto, California, with the latest now on Laci Peterson.

What is the latest, Rusty?

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, there really isn't much to report as the latest. Tomorrow will be the two-week anniversary and investigators are really not that much closer to finding out what exactly happened to Laci Peterson as they were almost two weeks ago. But they did expand the search, taking it up to the Berkeley marina.

Now, that is where husband, Scott Peterson, says that he went fishing that Christmas Eve morning, leaving at about 9:30. It's about an hour and a half drive. He says he went up and fished at a place called Brook's Island and came back.

Investigators took dogs and boats, dogs that are able to actually can sniff a scent out over water. They walked the dogs along the shore, took them out on the boats. The only thing they found was a blue tarp, which apparently they have brought back to Modesto and are taking a closer look at that.

They have also expanded the search to five surrounding counties here. There's been more than 100 miles of waterways, canals, creeks, rivers have that have been searched. They're talking about searching two other reservoirs as well. Now, here at the volunteer center, at the Red Lion Inn, things are really pretty quiet because it's tough at this point. There's not a lot of clues for these volunteers to go out to do. But the family has been here. They come here every morning. Her sister, Amy, was just inside carefully folding and cutting yellow ribbons, just to keep putting out there and keep the search up for her sister.

Now, police say that there are many scenarios that are out there and they're just not giving any credibility to one over the other. So, so far no closer to finding Laci Peterson --Wolf.

BLITZER: That's too bad. A sad story. We'll continue to follow it. Rusty Dornin in Modesto, California, for us. Thanks very much, Rusty.

A recipe for death. How much sooner could you die by being obese even if just overweight? Coming up, new information out this hour that may impact your health or someone you love. Learn how to check if you're in danger. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked -- which of these people is obese. The answer, the five-foot male weighing 153 pounds.

A new study out just this hour backs up what health experts have been saying for years -- if you want to live longer, lose weight and put down those cigarettes. Here's CNN medical contributor, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, CNN MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): Everyone pretty much knows that being overweight can shorten your life, but by how many years? A new study in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" shows for first time just how much your life is shortened if you're overweight or obese at age 40.

DR. ROBERT ECKEL, AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION: If you were overweight, you basically live three years less long. And if you were obese, you lived approximately six to seven years less long.

FRYHOFER: So what's the difference between overweight and obese? It's based on the body mass index, which is the ratio of weight and height. For example, a 40-year-old woman who is 5-foot-five and weighs more than 150 pounds is considered overweight.

And she can expect to cut three years of life expectancy. Add another 30 pounds to that same woman, she now weighs over 180 pounds. She's considered obese and she'll lose a total of seven years of life.

It's the same for men. A 6-foot tall man who weighs more than 184 pounds is considered overweight. And at 221 pounds, he's obese and can expect to lose six years of life.

Smokers who have the middle aged spread are hit with a double whammy. Obese smokers can subtract seven more years from life expectancy. That means smoking men and women will live 13 to 14 years less than their non-smoking normal weight neighbors. So what's a person to do?

ECKEL: The important message from a study like this is let's work on prevention. Let's work with young people to try to prevent that increase in body fat.

FRYHOFER: Dr. Eckel recommends losing approximately a pound a week by cutting out 500 calories a day, which a realistic goal set and should result in five to 10 percent loss in body weight.

To find out if you're overweight or obese, you can go www.cdc.gov. Type in BMI calculator and put in your own height and weight and it will calculate your BMI for you. Your goal is to be under the magic number of 25 and this can help you look forward a normal life expectancy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRYHOFER: Now, Wolf, this study does have some limitations. It only looked at residents living in a predominantly white middle-class neighborhood. So as a result, these trends may not apply to other racial and ethnic groups like Hispanics, African-Americans and Asians. But still, Wolf this study frames the effect of being overweight in a way that everyone can understand. That's how long you live.

BLITZER: Very important information. Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, thanks very much for joining us. We'll have you back.

And, of course, in addition to where Sandra said you can go for more information, you can also find more information about obesity and how it can affect your life by logging on to our Web site, cnn.com/wolf. Once you're there, check out the body mass index to see where you stand on the obesity scale. Some of us don't want to know.

Time is running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Forgive the pun. Whom do you think President Bush's economic plan benefits the most, the rich, the middle class or the poor? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of The Day." Remember, we've been asking you this: whom do you think President Bush's economic plan benefits the most, the rich, the middle class or the poor? Look at this. Eighty-three percent of you so far say the rich. Fourteen percent say the middle class. Three percent of you say the poor. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Don't forget, "SHOWDOWN IRAQ" weekdays at noon Eastern. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.

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