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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

President Bush Huddles With His Closest Ally

Aired January 31, 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): A final war council? President Bush huddles with his closest ally.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We will go through the U.N. but let us deal with him.

BLITZER: The nuclear option. Is the U.S. ready to fight fire with fire?

Mysterious movements at North Korea's nuclear site. A first step toward bomb making?

What's in the blood? Hospitals in Georgia get a warning, putting surgeries on hold.

Hijack: A postal truck at the center of a hostage drama in Miami.

And, he calls himself the compassionate conservative, but he shows no mercy to liberals. I'll talk with top radio talker and best- selling author Michael Savage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's Friday, January 31, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

Other allies have doubts but they stand together when it comes to confronting Iraq. Only minutes ago, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed deadlines for diplomacy and war.

We have two reports from the White House.

CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is standing by.

We begin, though, with our senior White House correspondent John King -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, three hours of talks here at the White House today, conversations now continuing this evening over an early dinner. President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, remarkably both leaders very tight lipped in their news conference in the past hour shedding little details of their strategy going ahead here, that a reflection of the very difficult diplomacy to come at the United Nations.

But President Bush did offer, for the first time publicly, a reluctant blessing of the thought of passing another resolution in the Security Council that would set a deadline for Iraq to comply. But the president said any effort to drag this on beyond a period of weeks would be fiercely resisted by the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Should the United Nations decide to pass a second resolution, it would be welcomed if it is yet another signal that we're intent upon disarming Saddam Hussein, but 1441 gives us the authority to move without any second resolution and Saddam Hussein must understand that if he does not disarm, for the sake of peace, we along with others will go disarm Saddam Hussein.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the president's blessing, reluctant as it was of a second resolution, is in tribute to Tony Blair. Mr. Blair came here making the case that if Britain and the United States are to get France and Russia and perhaps others on the Security Council onboard, a second resolution and more diplomacy is necessary.

So, the two leaders standing together on that front, both also voicing outright contempt for this invitation from the government of Saddam Hussein to have the top two U.N. weapons inspectors go back to Baghdad. The president and then the prime minister saying they view this as simply another stalling tactic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLAIR: Why are they calling back the inspectors? I think it's fairly obvious. It's because as the pressure grows they want to play the same games as they've been playing all the way through. That's why it's important we hold to the path that we've set out. They have to disarm. They have to cooperate with the inspectors. They're not doing it. If they don't do it through the U.N. route, then they will have to be disarmed by force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the leaders would not discuss publicly any details of what another resolution might look like. Mr. Bush even said it would be up to the United Nations, not saying the United States would be an author.

But we are told by senior U.S. officials that if there is a second resolution, and the White House now fully anticipates there will at least be an attempt to pull one together, that the White House wants a hard deadline for Iraqi compliance to be in that resolution.

It wants that deadline to be within the next three to four weeks, and it also wants any new resolution to make clear that if that deadline is not met, movement will be immediately to military action - Wolf.

BLITZER: John King at the White House thanks John very much.

Our Christiane Amanpour has been traveling with the British prime minister spoke with him at length earlier today. She's joining us now live. Christiane, what can you tell us about the British notion of a second U.N. Security Council resolution?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Prime Minister Blair was very clear. He said it in his interview with me this morning and to other reporters he said the same thing. They prefer a second U.N. Security Council resolution. And, according to British officials who were briefing us, that was the clear message that Prime Minister Blair was going to bring to President Bush.

Now, anybody who saw the whole press conference between the two leaders would describe it as testy, as bullish. There weren't even barely any opening statements and they were short and terse answers to the questions.

So, the question is how well did that meeting go? How well did President Bush take Tony Blair's request or rather urgent demand for another Security Council resolution?

We saw, and as John King has characterized, Bush did grant some grudging support for another Security Council resolution but only if it is a question of more weeks and not months.

Now, we're being told by British officials that the body language at that press conference was designed to keep things close to the chest, to keep up the pressure on Saddam Hussein and on the other European allies and others who have voiced dissent against any military confrontation.

But the fact is that it shows none of the sort of, if you like, cooperative spirit towards diplomatic coalition building as we saw before the previous resolution was passed just a few months ago -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Christiane, any significant, significant daylight differences between Bush and Blair?

AMANPOUR: Not on the big picture issue. They both believe that this has to be confronted and Bush and Blair have both said it over and over again. On the big issues there are not significant differences.

What is clear though is that Prime Minister Blair, like many other leaders around the world, face hostile public opinion when it comes to the contemplation of a military conflict in Iraq, and therefore, even those who President Bush calls the coalition of the willing, all of those people want to see more international legitimacy, in other words go through the U.N. route again, not to string it out for months and months and month, but go through this route again.

Give more chance to the inspectors to come back, maybe not once but maybe another time to show the world that they've given Saddam Hussein ever chance, every possible chance but that he continues to remain in breach, and then defy the rest of the U.N. Security Council to use a veto.

In other words, to sum it up they want more international support in order to be able to sell it at home and to go forward in a unified manner.

BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour here in Washington, thanks Christiane very much.

Tough talk on Iraq today from the president's men, Secretary of State Colin Powell says war could still be avoided but not by looking the other way, while the Vice President Dick Cheney insists, "civilization itself is at stake in the confrontation with Saddam Hussein."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States seeks Iraq's peaceful disarmament but we will not shrink from war if that is the only way to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Confronting the threat posed by Iraq is not a distraction from the war on terror. It is absolutely crucial to winning the war on terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: President Bush calls Iraq's new invitation to the U.N. weapons chiefs a deception but the two top inspectors aren't ruling out a return to Baghdad. Hans Blix and International Atomic Energy Director Mohamed ElBaradei both said today that a visit would depend on Iraq's cooperation with the inspection teams and both suggested they'd meet with the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if asked.

Citing increased security concerns in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the State Department has authorized family members of its employees to depart and is urging private American citizens to consider doing the same thing. Officials say the warning is not based on any specific threat but was issued as a precautionary measure given the possibility of war in the region.

A British judge today ordered protesters from Greenpeace to stop boarding military ships bound for the Persian Gulf, this a day after protesters were met with high pressure hoses as they painted an anti- war slogan on one vessel. The environmental group's own flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, has been trying to block the departure of military supply ships. Former president and Nobel laureate Jimmy Carter has issued a statement saying there is an alternative to war. He argues that Saddam Hussein would be most likely to use weapons of mass destruction if Iraq is invaded and his regime is threatened with destruction. Carter insists that a virtually permanent deployment of U.N. inspectors could do the job of keeping Iraq's weapons in check.

Now, to the time table for war, publicly we've been hearing weeks not months behind closed doors. U.S. Senators are being briefed. Joining us now two special guests; from Dallas, Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and here in Washington Democratic Senator John Corzine.

Senators, thanks so much for joining us.

Senator Hutchison, I'll begin with you. How close in your opinion is the U.S. to war when the president says weeks not months?

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: I think he means weeks. We're I'm sure looking at something around the first of March, around three or four weeks. The buildup is in process.

That's very clear and I think the president is also through the back door with other Arab nations hoping for an out that would mean Saddam Hussein would leave the country, along with his family, and that there could be a rebuilding process. But the only way I believe that he believes he can make that happen is to build up and be ready.

BLITZER: Senator Corzine, are you ready for war?

SEN. JOHN CORZINE (D), NEW JERSEY: I think it's commendable what the president is doing, working through international vehicles like the United Nations, building up this coalition of willing, as we say, and I'm particularly pleased to hear today that he's willing to entertain a short duration deadline worked through the United Nations and a second resolution.

Am I ready? I don't think anybody is ever willingly desirous of going to war but I think there's material breach here. I think we've gone long down the road and unfortunately I think we're probably moving in the direction in the next few weeks of that event unless the alternative of exile comes through negotiations.

Again, in the back door where because we're working with an international group now I think it's more possible than would have otherwise been the case.

BLITZER: Senator Hutchison, I heard when I was at the White House earlier this week that the notion of exile by Saddam Hussein, while remote is still possible. How realistic is it though that this man after all these years, decades in power, would simply walk away?

HUTCHISON: I think only if he feels the pressure and I think that the president is doing the right thing by building up so that we are negotiating from a position of total strength, and I think the president will do what he says he's going to do. I think Saddam Hussein can count on that and I think the other regional leaders are now seeing that the president is going to do it and I think they may well step up to the plate and try to maneuver Saddam Hussein out and avoid this conflict.

BLITZER: Senator Corzine, the notion of using nuclear weapons against Iraq if Iraq were to use weapons of mass destruction. Is that something you feel comfortable with?

CORZINE: No, I don't, and I don't think many folks believe we ought to be opening that Pandora's Box. If we use even tactical or boutique nuclear weapons you wonder what kind of message it sends to India or Pakistan or others. I think that the United States has enough conventional force.

We're going to have enough troops and military equipment that can handle this issue, at least if the briefings I'm privy to are correct, and I think we'd be well served to say away from moving to using nuclear weapons and I think it sets a very bad precedent for international relations, not just for our own actions but for others who would use it as a basis for theirs.

BLITZER: Let me let Senator Hutchison weigh in. Should the nuclear option, retaliatory option by the U.S., be off the table?

HUTCHISON: I think every option, every retaliatory option, should be on the table.

BLITZER: Even if it's designed to deter the Iraqis from using chemical or biological weapons?

HUTCHISON: Well, I don't think anyone has said that we would do anything nuclear as a preemptive measure but if Saddam Hussein starts using chemical and biological weapons on American troops or on his own people, then I think we have to have every option on the table.

BLITZER: All right, let me give Senator Corzine the last word. What do you say?

CORZINE: Well, I think we have more than enough means to protect our troops and I think that that should be really not considered in this particular situation.

BLITZER: Senator Corzine, Senator Hutchison, thanks to both of you for joining us.

HUTCHISON: Thank you.

BLITZER: And here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: "Do you think Secretary Powell will make the case against Iraq?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

A postal standoff in Miami...

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF: A five hour chase and the standoff is over. We'll tell you how it ended.

BLITZER: And a contaminated blood supply, find out why one state is pulling the plug on some surgeries.

And, the "Savage Nation." It's now No. 1 on "The New York Times" best seller list. The radio talk show host, Michael Savage, he'll join us live and he's taking your questions. Call us now, 1-888-CNN- 0561 or e-mail us at wolf@cnn.com.

But first. today's "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): Which is the longest running live radio show in the world? "The Rush Limbaugh Show," "The Grand Ole Opry," Paul Harvey "News and Comment," "The Larry King Show" ?

The answer coming up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A tense standoff in Miami, Florida is over. Police say a suspected hijacker of a postal truck surrendered after releasing a mail carrier unharmed.

Our Miami bureau chief John Zarrella has been covering the story all afternoon. He's joining us now live -- John.

ZARRELLA: Wolf, a real bizarre situation today.

As you said, a hijacker jumping into a postal truck and taking a postal worker hostage, up and down the streets of northwest Miami- Dade.

But about an hour and fifteen minutes ago it ended peacefully, police negotiating with the hostage taker on a cell phone. At that point, he came out of the postal vehicle, got out of that delivery truck, and surrendered to the SWAT team that had surrounded the truck at a major intersection.

Folks that know out there it's 27th Avenue in northwest Miami- Dade. It's not far from Pro Player Stadium where the Miami Dolphins and the Florida Marlins play.

About 30 minutes before that, at about 3:30 this afternoon, Tanya Mitchell (ph), the postal worker who had driven around Miami-Dade with this man with a gun to her, she was released by the hostage taker. She got out of the vehicle and again released. Police say she's fine. She's a little shaken and, in fact, police are crediting her with this whole thing ending as peacefully as it did, saying that in fact she showed "an inordinate amount of courage" and without the courage and calm that Tanya Mitchell showed, they don't know that this would have ended peacefully.

Again, throughout the streets of northwest Miami-Dade, a slow speed chase, police following this vehicle until they finally brought it to a stop in the middle of this major intersection. Police say that one of the suspects fired at them a couple of times, fired shots at them.

These are apparently criminals with a long history. It was a robbery attempt of this postal vehicle, according to police, that ended up resulting in what happened, one of the men jumping into the postal vehicle, another staying in another vehicle. He was caught and then finally the surrender this afternoon of the second man who had hijacked the postal vehicle and that postal worker.

But again, a very peaceful resolution, Wolf, to what could have been a very bad situation out here in northwest Miami-Dade. Again, about five hours in length, between the chase and the standoff here at this northwest Miami intersection -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank God for that peaceful resolution. It could have been obviously a lot, a lot worse. John Zarrella, our Miami bureau chief, thanks very much.

And joining us now to talk about how negotiators handled this hijacking standoff peacefully, the former D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Gary Hankins.

Gary, thanks for joining us. Did they do everything the right way? We all watched it unfold on television throughout the afternoon.

GARY HANKINS, FMR. PRES. FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE: Yes, they did.

I mean obviously the bottom line is that it ended peacefully, no one was hurt, that the hostage was released. But they did classic police philosophy and negotiations that you don't provoke the suspect that you try to isolate him or her, especially if they're armed from would-be victims.

They cleared the streets as they went through Miami and then when they got the vehicle stopped and surrounded it they removed bystanders and immediately began to establish a rapport and to negotiate.

BLITZER: And you just have to have patience and negotiate and let this thing go on as long as necessary.

HANKINS: Absolutely. Time is on our side. As long as you don't provoke the suspect, you want to calm him, and clearly they're giving credit to the hostage here to help calm the hostage taker, and when you get calm and peace and communication, then time is on your side. BLITZER: And when we saw that police chase, that postal van moving down the streets of Miami, she was driving, the postal worker. He had a gun pointed presumably at her head but it was followed as we see on the screen by all these police cars.

Did they do the right thing in sort of just letting them drive without getting a blockade standing in front of them trying to stop this postal van from continuing?

HANKINS: Absolutely.

The drama that you'd see on popular culture about going in and trying to shoot it out, that's the last thing that any police officer, especially SWAT teams, want. You pursue, but at a distance that won't provoke. You try to secure and let him or her have time to calm down, establish communication and negotiate your way out of it.

BLITZER: A textbook classic case of how to do it right this time. Is that a fair assessment?

HANKINS: Absolutely. The police officers did a very professional job and God was on our side.

BLITZER: And when we see that robot there, what was the point of that robot as they were negotiating with the hostage? Couldn't that have frightened the suspect?

HANKINS: Actually, they can provide a less threatening presence. If an officer is approaching, he may not feel that he can trust that officer, but the robot is coming. They usually communicate what it's coming for. It can't move quickly and they can feel actually a little more comfortable with that cumbersome robot than what they might feel is a threatening human being.

BLITZER: Gary Hankins, formerly with the Metropolitan Police Department, thanks very much.

HANKINS: Thank you.

BLITZER: Blood quarantined in Georgia.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I'll be telling you about why surgeries in Georgia and North Florida had to be cancelled because of concerns about the blood supply.

BLITZER: Plus, police uncover strange clues in the search for a mom of an abandoned boy, but first a look at news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Bus bombing. At least 18 people were killed in Afghanistan when a bomb destroyed a small bus near Kandahar. There's no claim of responsibility but suspicion centers on al Qaeda, the Taliban, or a renegade warlord. Hasty retreat. French troops took control of Ivory Coast International Airport to protect French citizens fleeing rock throwing mobs. Supporters of the Ivory Coast government say France is backing rebels who control more than half the country.

Peru protest. Transportation workers clashed with police in Peru. They're made about rising fuel prices and other escalating expenses. Protesters threw rocks at busses driven by non-striking drivers and police detained 60 people.

Homes demolished. Israeli forces blew up two houses in Hebron leaving 15 people without homes. The houses were owned by suspected Palestinian militants.

Wintry blast. Snow and wind attacked eastern Britain. Drivers were stranded in their cars for up to 15 hours. London's Stansted Airport was shut down and more than 150 flights were cancelled at Heathrow Airport and rail service was disrupted.

Getting your goat. The 15-day lunar New Year celebration has started in China. This year is called the year of the goat. Despite the festivities, this is not considered one of the better years in the 12-year Chinese cycle. Some say those born over the next 12 months are bound to have bad luck. But Happy New Year anyway.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The Red Cross is warning hospitals in Georgia and North Florida that some of their blood supplies may be contaminated. Our Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has been following the story all day long. She's joining us now live from North Side Hospital in Atlanta.

What's going on, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Well, doctors here at North Side say they've been practicing for years and never seen anything like this. They've had to cancel hundreds of surgeries because they got a fax this morning from the Red Cross saying white particles were found in bags of blood that were distributed to hospitals in Georgia and North Florida.

So, what were the white particles? Well, they just don't know. What they do know is that it does not appear to be anything infectious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS HROUDA, AMERICAN RED CROSS: These particles are very difficult to see in a blood bag that has no blood in it because they're kind of clear, translucent particles and a blood bag is also clear and translucent so they're difficult to see. So, we're doing a very careful safety inspection or the bags. (END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Now here at North Side, they did do emergency surgeries as they did at other hospitals with blood from a source other than the Red Cross, but they did cancel all elective surgeries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. WAYNE AMBROZE, CHIEF OF SURGERY, NORTH SIDE HOSPITAL: Patients while this has to be an emotional trauma to them certainly the idea of preparing yourself mentally and physically for surgery and then having it cancelled is very difficult. Almost universally the patients have been understanding and appreciate that everybody is working in their best interest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Now it is possible that some patients received some of this blood with the mysterious white particles in surgeries yesterday or previously, but here at this hospital and nationally, they're monitoring these people and so far it appears that no one's become sick from receiving this blood -- Wolf.

BLITZER: How did they find out about this problem, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Well, it was just part of the normal processing procedure. They have lots of checks along the way and at some point while they were processing it, someone looked in the bags and saw the white particles.

BLITZER: Elizabeth Cohen on top of the story for us. Thanks very much, Elizabeth.

Blood stains in the house, grim clues in the search for the mother of an abandoned boy. We'll go live to Reno for the latest in that investigation.

Plus, love him or hate him, Michael Savage is burning up the airwaves. The radio talk show host and best selling author will be taking your questions. Call us now 1-888-CNN-0561, or e-mail us at wolf@cnn.com.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer.

Coming up: the missing mom of an abandoned boy. Do bloodstains at her home hold any clues? The latest in the investigation.

(NEWS BREAK)

BLITZER: Part of the mystery surrounding an abandoned boy has now been solved. Authorities are searching, though, for his mother, who hasn't been seen in two weeks, while his stepfather is hospitalized after an overdose.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is in Reno, Nevada. And she's following all these developments -- Thelma.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the search today conservative for 28-year-old Jeanette Corpuz.

Police are now treating this case as a possible homicide because of physical evidence that they say they found while searching the couple's home. Now, this is an investigation, Wolf, that began with the tale of an abandoned boy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Jonathan Jacob Corpuz is only 3 years old. But this little boy, allegedly abandoned by his stepfather hundreds of miles from home last Saturday, may hold clues about what happened here in the Reno home he shared with his stepfather, Lyle Montgomery, and his mother, Jeanette Corpuz, who has not been seen since January 13.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a missing-person case that we are treating the same as we would a homicide.

GUTIERREZ: According to these court records, Jacob told investigators his stepfather shot at his mother, but hit a dresser instead. The child also said he remembered going on a nighttime drive with Montgomery through the mountains.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Evidence that we have discovered during a search warrant -- and, again, I can't discuss what that evidence is, but it certainly would lead us to believe that there was foul play.

GUTIERREZ: An affidavit filed by police to obtain a search warrant claims Reno investigators found two large bloodstains on the couple's bedroom carpet and pad, which had been pulled up. Police have not said whether they came from the missing woman.

The child's biological father, Joel Corpuz, lives in Northern California. He says he's anxious for a reunion. Corpuz says he has recently spoken to Jacob, who's been in custody of a foster family in Salt Lake City since Saturday.

JOEL CORPUZ, FATHER OF JACOB: I tried to talk to my son from the social worker about two days ago -- I mean yesterday.

GUTIERREZ (on camera): And what was that like?

CORPUZ: He can't really talk, because he is pretty much (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

GUTIERREZ: Authorities say Jeanette Corpuz and Lyle Montgomery were on the verge of divorce, that they had a history of domestic problems. But Montgomery's attorney says his client, a licensed pharmacist, is not a violent man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of accusations. There's a lot of innuendo. There's a lot of inferences. There's no facts yet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUTIERREZ: Lyle Montgomery has not been arrested, nor has he been charged with any crime in connection with his wife's disappearance.

And, Wolf, now the focus is on trying to find 28-year-old Jeanette Corpuz -- back to you.

BLITZER: Let's hope they find her alive and well.

Thanks, Thelma Gutierrez, for that report.

The New York City Council is considering a ban on all toy guns after several incidents in which police shot and killed people they thought were holding real weapons. Now the Manhattan Libertarian Party is protesting the idea with a controversial campaign it calls Guns for Tots.

CNN's Whitney Casey has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Why would you want Elana (ph) even playing with one of these?

JIM LESCZYNSKI, LIBERTARIAN PARTY: Because they're lots of fun. They're squirt guns. Didn't you play with a squirt gun when you were a kid? Didn't you enjoy it?

CASEY (voice-over): Jim Lesczynski says Elana, his 13-month-old daughter, should be allowed to play with brightly colored water pistols and toy guns. But in the same breath...

(on camera): You do agree that, when these guns are painted black, that they do look real?

LESCZYNSKI: Yes.

CASEY (voice-over): The very scenario New York lawmaker David Weprin is looking to avoid. Councilman Weprin has sponsored a new bill that would make all toy guns contraband.

DAVID WEPRIN (D), NEW YORK CITY COUNCILMAN: What the bill does is basically outlaw the sale of all toy guns that look like real guns.

CASEY: The councilman sites crime scenes like this one in Brooklyn six months ago. According to police, two New York City cops shot a homeless man to death after he waved an object at them that turned out to be a toy gun. Police maintain the toy gun was black.

Black, gray and silver toy guns have been banned in New York for years, but now lawmakers believe it's just too easy to make a colored toy gun look like the real thing. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was an incident of 14-year-old twin girls that robbed a bank in New Jersey with a toy gun in ski masks; 14-year-old twin girls, I don't think, would have had access to real guns.

CASEY: In response to the proposed legislation, Jim and his wife, Dawn (ph), have started a Guns for Tots toy drive, collecting dozens of toy guns with plans to distribute them, in conjunction with the Libertarian Party, to kids in poor New York neighborhoods.

LESCZYNSKI: Nobody can mistake this for a real gun. And nobody should try to use it as a real gun.

CASEY: Toys or weapons, a question Jim Lesczynski believes is for parents, not lawmakers.

Whitney Casey, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And this story we're just getting in right now: The man who owns the lease for the World Trade Center site in New York says he opposes a plan to build the world's tallest skyscrapers at the site. Larry Silverstein says -- and I'm quoting -- "It's not practical to build super-tall office buildings in the post-9/11 world." He says that, while he favors building new office buildings on the site, those billings should be no taller than 70 stories.

He's firing up the radio airwaves with his firebrand politics. He's also got a hot new best-seller. He joins me live when we return, Michael Savage. He will be taking your phone calls.

Call now: 1-800-CNN-0561 or e-mail us at Wolf@CNN.com.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier, we asked: Which is the longest-running live radio show in the world? The answer: "The Grand Ole Opry." With a 75-year history, the country music phenomenon beats "Larry," "Rush," and "Paul" hands down.

Some of you love him. Some of you hate him. Some of you never heard of him, but here's a fact. Michael Savage has become a phenomenon. His book, "The Savage Nation," is now No. 1 on "The New York Times" best-sellers list and his syndicated radio show is one of the hottest in the nation.

Michael Savage is joining us now live from San Francisco.

Congratulations, Michael, on the book, on the radio show. How do you explain this overnight success, apparently, that you've had?

MICHAEL SAVAGE, AUTHOR, "THE SAVAGE NATION": I'm an immigrant son. And I was taught to work seven days a week until I dropped. It's the old joke, the old Jackie Mason joke; 35 years working, no one knows you. And then overnight, they say, gee, he's an overnight success.

BLITZER: So, what happened seemingly overnight that took you from obscurity to this national phenomenon, almost. It's not everybody that gets a No. 1 best-seller in "The New York Times."

SAVAGE: It's pretty awesome, Wolf.

The show has been on the radio for eight years locally. And then it was on nationally for two years, "The Savage Nation." The book, though, just came out January 1st. It's in the fifth printing. And strangely enough, Wolf, this book got there without any print media. There was not one review. There was not one feature story on me, very little television, mainly cable.

It's primarily the radio audience that's going out and buying the book and maybe Mr. and Mrs. America finding the title, "The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on our Borders, Language and Culture." Maybe that's resonating with someone.

Well, let's get to some of the specific things you say in the book. I'll put some of the quotes up on the screen from the book "The Savage Nation." For example, you write this: "If America is going to survive, we must close our borders to those who come to mooch and to those from all terror-sponsoring countries."

BLITZER: What does that mean? Somebody, for example, from Cuba shouldn't be allowed to come to the United States?

SAVAGE: Well, I wouldn't use Cuba as an example. The No. 1 export nation of illegal aliens is Mexico. The No. 2 is China.

When my grandfather came here, they went through Ellis Island. They were screened for disease. They were screened for criminal background checks, as were your ancestors. How can a nation survive if you have open borders? It's self-evident that you can't. We must control our borders.

And I think that's the definition of a nation. A nation is defined primarily by its borders, just as your home. You have a home. Anyone listening who has a house, isn't your house defined by a property line? If you take down your fences, you have no property, if it's not defined by anything.

BLITZER: All right, let's get to the viewer phone calls. They're really anxious to speak to you.

We have a call from Wilton, Maine.

Go ahead from Maine.

CALLER: Yes, Michael.

SAVAGE: Yes, sir.

CALLER: My wife and I love you very much. Thank you much for everything. Fantastic show.

SAVAGE: You love me? My wife is listening. Be careful.

CALLER: Oh. But we're great fans of you.

SAVAGE: Thank you very much.

CALLER: I'm very disappointed with what France, how they view our position to take care of...

SAVAGE: France? How can you be disappointed in a nation that disappointed us for so long? That's what France is. It's a disappointing nation. Ever since Napoleon, it's done nothing.

BLITZER: All right, let's get to another quote from the book: "Not all immigrants are the same. I'm the son of an immigrant who happens to be able to distinguish those come to America to work hard and honor our heritage from those who will do us harm."

How do you make that distinction? Somebody wants to come to our country, wants to work hard, raise kids, send them to school, improve their lives, how do you know what they're going to be?

SAVAGE: Well, let's look at the statistics. It's an ugly one, but it's real: 25 to 30 percent of all of our prisoners are illegal aliens. They didn't come here to work in America. They came here to work the system. They committed felonies. And they're behind bars. It's an ugly fact of reality.

BLITZER: But how do you know who's going to be good and who's going to be bad?

SAVAGE: OK, let's start from now.

You have a border. You certainly want to screen out anyone with criminal backgrounds from their own homeland. Let's start with that. We have had porous borders for so many years that, as of now, we don't know who's coming and what their background is. The very least is, we need some kind of background check on anyone coming in.

BLITZER: All right, Wichita, Kansas, go ahead with your question.

CALLER: Yes, I'd like to know Dr. Savage's opinion on giving Saddam Hussein more time. We've been dancing with him now for two months. And I don't see any reason we should give him any more time. I would like to know what Dr. Savage thinks.

Love your show. Love your book.

SAVAGE: Well, thank you.

I think that the Saddam Hussein question is a very tricky one. I think personally that Mr. Bush has taken far too long to marshal the forces. I think he should have done this last year when he had the mandate. I think he's permitted his opposition to marshal virtual armies of the night in the streets.

And there's a political price that's going to be paid. Unfortunately, the troops are going to pay it overseas. Saddam Hussein has used poison gas on his neighbors. He's invaded another country. He's been a dictator for nearly, what, 30, 35 years. The man is a clear present danger to the world order. And I think that he must go. I don't see how anyone could argue with that.

BLITZER: All right, we're just getting started.

Michael Savage, stand by. We're going to take a quick break.

We have more to talk about with Michael Savage. He's also taking more of your phone, 1-888-CNN-0561.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're back with the controversial radio talk show host and best-selling author Michael Savage.

Michael, we have an e-mail from Frank in Jackson Heights, who says: "Mr. Savage constantly rails against immigrants and multiculturalism, yet he is a committed Zionist. Please explain."

Go ahead, Michael.

SAVAGE: Well, I don't think I have to apologize for wanting the Jewish people to survive. If he is a proud member of the Nazi Party, I suppose that's his right. So I don't get his point.

BLITZER: Michael, we have another e-mail from Gary in Bristol, Connecticut: "Michael, why has the Democratic Party lost touch with the American people and why do they fail to produce effective leaders?"

SAVAGE: Well, it's pretty evident to me that the Democrat Party is simply a party that's carping at President Bush. I don't know what their policies are.

Here we've got men and women on the ground overseas. We've got aircraft carriers on the way. Isn't there a time at which you put your differences aside and you support the president? Yet all we hear about is attack President Bush. It's unbelievable to me. There are men -- yesterday, a helicopter went down. When are they going to stop it?

BLITZER: But even former retired officers, like Norman Schwarzkopf. General Wesley Clark, the former supreme allied commander, they have questions about this policy. Isn't it a fair debate?

SAVAGE: Oh, sure it is.

Let's deal with Schwarzkopf. I saw that last week. I was as surprised as anyone. But on Saturday, Schwarzkopf gave another interview which was not widely broadcast -- or was it on Tuesday? He said he is now convinced it's time to go to war. That was not played as much as he was doubting.

Wesley Clark, I'm sorry to tell you, I am not a big fan of. He dropped bombs on the Serbian civilians under the command of Bill Clinton. That's an entire show topic unto itself. He's not one of my favorite...

BLITZER: But he didn't do that deliberately. He didn't do it deliberately. That was so-called friendly fire.

But let's move on, because we have another caller who's waiting.

Go ahead. Michigan, go ahead with your question.

CALLER: Yes, hi.

I just wanted to ask Mr. Savage -- I have written it down. What about the bombs falling on the innocent people, the children, who need love and medicine? We have to...

SAVAGE: Yes. Well, you're right. What about the innocent people who were killed at the World Trade Center? What about the American innocents that will be killed unless we take down the true axis of evil?

Are we going to wait for a city in America to go up or to be radiologically attacked? What is it wrong with you people? What is it going to take until we wake up to the fact that more compassion is going to kill us? There comes a time that we have to fight back. We still haven't struck back vociferously enough. This man is the Hitler of the Middle East. I don't even understand why you're asking me the question.

BLITZER: All right, let's get to another e-mail.

Alex is writing this: "Maybe he is because he is an immigrant's son. But last time I checked, if it wasn't for the French intervention in the war of independence, the U.S. would still be an English colony. What does he think of the French and that?"

Go ahead.

SAVAGE: I don't know of one French product I like, other than Bordeaux wines, over 10 years old. Liberte, egalite, fraternite. And the French women are wonderful. But other than that, I think France has become irrelevant in the world.

BLITZER: All right, here's a quote from your book, "The Savage Nation": "We must use racial profiling to ferret out those who are already here who may also be planning to do us harm."

Isn't that a slippery slope?

SAVAGE: No, Wolf. In fact, the FBI is doing it. They have put a count of the mosques in America on their watch list. It's a terrible thing, but let's be real. If you were a sleeper who slipped into America from one of our enemy nations, where would you hide, a church, a synagogue or a mosque? It's a fact of reality that good police work includes racial as well as other profiles.

BLITZER: Michael, unfortunately, we are all out of time. We'll continue this on another occasion.

Michael Savage.

SAVAGE: Thank you.

BLITZER: He's got a hot new book, "The Savage Nation."

Thanks for joining us.

SAVAGE: Thank you very much, Wolf.

BLITZER: And time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of the Day": Do you think Secretary Powell will make the case against Iraq? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote.

And we'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, we've been asking you this: Do you think Secretary Powell will make the case against Iraq? Thirty-four percent of you so far say yes; 66 percent doubt it. You say no.

You can find the exact vote tally and continue to vote, by the way, on our Web site: CNN.com/Wolf. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Let's get to our e-mails.

Kirk writes this: "I appreciated your coverage from the National Medical Emergency Command Center. I don't know the U.S. had one until I saw your show. And I feel a little safer knowing about it and what it can do. However, I feel that we won't truly be prepared for biological warfare until we have vaccines and antidotes for the major biological warfare organisms."

And this from Lucille: "As a nurse, I greatly appreciate the work done thus far by Tommy Thompson and HHS in the development of the Emergency Command Center. However, just as important as the technology in the center is the education and preparation of the people of the United States for a bioterrorism event. Information should be given to every person in the country, so they know how to prepare for and respond to an attack."

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again Sunday at noon Eastern for "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk. Among my guests this Sunday: Senators John Breaux and Don Nickles. Don't forget "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ," weekdays noon Eastern.

Until then, thanks very much for watching. Have a nice weekend. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

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







Aired January 31, 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): A final war council? President Bush huddles with his closest ally.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We will go through the U.N. but let us deal with him.

BLITZER: The nuclear option. Is the U.S. ready to fight fire with fire?

Mysterious movements at North Korea's nuclear site. A first step toward bomb making?

What's in the blood? Hospitals in Georgia get a warning, putting surgeries on hold.

Hijack: A postal truck at the center of a hostage drama in Miami.

And, he calls himself the compassionate conservative, but he shows no mercy to liberals. I'll talk with top radio talker and best- selling author Michael Savage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's Friday, January 31, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

Other allies have doubts but they stand together when it comes to confronting Iraq. Only minutes ago, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair discussed deadlines for diplomacy and war.

We have two reports from the White House.

CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is standing by.

We begin, though, with our senior White House correspondent John King -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, three hours of talks here at the White House today, conversations now continuing this evening over an early dinner. President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, remarkably both leaders very tight lipped in their news conference in the past hour shedding little details of their strategy going ahead here, that a reflection of the very difficult diplomacy to come at the United Nations.

But President Bush did offer, for the first time publicly, a reluctant blessing of the thought of passing another resolution in the Security Council that would set a deadline for Iraq to comply. But the president said any effort to drag this on beyond a period of weeks would be fiercely resisted by the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Should the United Nations decide to pass a second resolution, it would be welcomed if it is yet another signal that we're intent upon disarming Saddam Hussein, but 1441 gives us the authority to move without any second resolution and Saddam Hussein must understand that if he does not disarm, for the sake of peace, we along with others will go disarm Saddam Hussein.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the president's blessing, reluctant as it was of a second resolution, is in tribute to Tony Blair. Mr. Blair came here making the case that if Britain and the United States are to get France and Russia and perhaps others on the Security Council onboard, a second resolution and more diplomacy is necessary.

So, the two leaders standing together on that front, both also voicing outright contempt for this invitation from the government of Saddam Hussein to have the top two U.N. weapons inspectors go back to Baghdad. The president and then the prime minister saying they view this as simply another stalling tactic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLAIR: Why are they calling back the inspectors? I think it's fairly obvious. It's because as the pressure grows they want to play the same games as they've been playing all the way through. That's why it's important we hold to the path that we've set out. They have to disarm. They have to cooperate with the inspectors. They're not doing it. If they don't do it through the U.N. route, then they will have to be disarmed by force.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, the leaders would not discuss publicly any details of what another resolution might look like. Mr. Bush even said it would be up to the United Nations, not saying the United States would be an author.

But we are told by senior U.S. officials that if there is a second resolution, and the White House now fully anticipates there will at least be an attempt to pull one together, that the White House wants a hard deadline for Iraqi compliance to be in that resolution.

It wants that deadline to be within the next three to four weeks, and it also wants any new resolution to make clear that if that deadline is not met, movement will be immediately to military action - Wolf.

BLITZER: John King at the White House thanks John very much.

Our Christiane Amanpour has been traveling with the British prime minister spoke with him at length earlier today. She's joining us now live. Christiane, what can you tell us about the British notion of a second U.N. Security Council resolution?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Prime Minister Blair was very clear. He said it in his interview with me this morning and to other reporters he said the same thing. They prefer a second U.N. Security Council resolution. And, according to British officials who were briefing us, that was the clear message that Prime Minister Blair was going to bring to President Bush.

Now, anybody who saw the whole press conference between the two leaders would describe it as testy, as bullish. There weren't even barely any opening statements and they were short and terse answers to the questions.

So, the question is how well did that meeting go? How well did President Bush take Tony Blair's request or rather urgent demand for another Security Council resolution?

We saw, and as John King has characterized, Bush did grant some grudging support for another Security Council resolution but only if it is a question of more weeks and not months.

Now, we're being told by British officials that the body language at that press conference was designed to keep things close to the chest, to keep up the pressure on Saddam Hussein and on the other European allies and others who have voiced dissent against any military confrontation.

But the fact is that it shows none of the sort of, if you like, cooperative spirit towards diplomatic coalition building as we saw before the previous resolution was passed just a few months ago -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Christiane, any significant, significant daylight differences between Bush and Blair?

AMANPOUR: Not on the big picture issue. They both believe that this has to be confronted and Bush and Blair have both said it over and over again. On the big issues there are not significant differences.

What is clear though is that Prime Minister Blair, like many other leaders around the world, face hostile public opinion when it comes to the contemplation of a military conflict in Iraq, and therefore, even those who President Bush calls the coalition of the willing, all of those people want to see more international legitimacy, in other words go through the U.N. route again, not to string it out for months and months and month, but go through this route again.

Give more chance to the inspectors to come back, maybe not once but maybe another time to show the world that they've given Saddam Hussein ever chance, every possible chance but that he continues to remain in breach, and then defy the rest of the U.N. Security Council to use a veto.

In other words, to sum it up they want more international support in order to be able to sell it at home and to go forward in a unified manner.

BLITZER: Christiane Amanpour here in Washington, thanks Christiane very much.

Tough talk on Iraq today from the president's men, Secretary of State Colin Powell says war could still be avoided but not by looking the other way, while the Vice President Dick Cheney insists, "civilization itself is at stake in the confrontation with Saddam Hussein."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States seeks Iraq's peaceful disarmament but we will not shrink from war if that is the only way to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Confronting the threat posed by Iraq is not a distraction from the war on terror. It is absolutely crucial to winning the war on terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: President Bush calls Iraq's new invitation to the U.N. weapons chiefs a deception but the two top inspectors aren't ruling out a return to Baghdad. Hans Blix and International Atomic Energy Director Mohamed ElBaradei both said today that a visit would depend on Iraq's cooperation with the inspection teams and both suggested they'd meet with the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein if asked.

Citing increased security concerns in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, the State Department has authorized family members of its employees to depart and is urging private American citizens to consider doing the same thing. Officials say the warning is not based on any specific threat but was issued as a precautionary measure given the possibility of war in the region.

A British judge today ordered protesters from Greenpeace to stop boarding military ships bound for the Persian Gulf, this a day after protesters were met with high pressure hoses as they painted an anti- war slogan on one vessel. The environmental group's own flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, has been trying to block the departure of military supply ships. Former president and Nobel laureate Jimmy Carter has issued a statement saying there is an alternative to war. He argues that Saddam Hussein would be most likely to use weapons of mass destruction if Iraq is invaded and his regime is threatened with destruction. Carter insists that a virtually permanent deployment of U.N. inspectors could do the job of keeping Iraq's weapons in check.

Now, to the time table for war, publicly we've been hearing weeks not months behind closed doors. U.S. Senators are being briefed. Joining us now two special guests; from Dallas, Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and here in Washington Democratic Senator John Corzine.

Senators, thanks so much for joining us.

Senator Hutchison, I'll begin with you. How close in your opinion is the U.S. to war when the president says weeks not months?

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R), TEXAS: I think he means weeks. We're I'm sure looking at something around the first of March, around three or four weeks. The buildup is in process.

That's very clear and I think the president is also through the back door with other Arab nations hoping for an out that would mean Saddam Hussein would leave the country, along with his family, and that there could be a rebuilding process. But the only way I believe that he believes he can make that happen is to build up and be ready.

BLITZER: Senator Corzine, are you ready for war?

SEN. JOHN CORZINE (D), NEW JERSEY: I think it's commendable what the president is doing, working through international vehicles like the United Nations, building up this coalition of willing, as we say, and I'm particularly pleased to hear today that he's willing to entertain a short duration deadline worked through the United Nations and a second resolution.

Am I ready? I don't think anybody is ever willingly desirous of going to war but I think there's material breach here. I think we've gone long down the road and unfortunately I think we're probably moving in the direction in the next few weeks of that event unless the alternative of exile comes through negotiations.

Again, in the back door where because we're working with an international group now I think it's more possible than would have otherwise been the case.

BLITZER: Senator Hutchison, I heard when I was at the White House earlier this week that the notion of exile by Saddam Hussein, while remote is still possible. How realistic is it though that this man after all these years, decades in power, would simply walk away?

HUTCHISON: I think only if he feels the pressure and I think that the president is doing the right thing by building up so that we are negotiating from a position of total strength, and I think the president will do what he says he's going to do. I think Saddam Hussein can count on that and I think the other regional leaders are now seeing that the president is going to do it and I think they may well step up to the plate and try to maneuver Saddam Hussein out and avoid this conflict.

BLITZER: Senator Corzine, the notion of using nuclear weapons against Iraq if Iraq were to use weapons of mass destruction. Is that something you feel comfortable with?

CORZINE: No, I don't, and I don't think many folks believe we ought to be opening that Pandora's Box. If we use even tactical or boutique nuclear weapons you wonder what kind of message it sends to India or Pakistan or others. I think that the United States has enough conventional force.

We're going to have enough troops and military equipment that can handle this issue, at least if the briefings I'm privy to are correct, and I think we'd be well served to say away from moving to using nuclear weapons and I think it sets a very bad precedent for international relations, not just for our own actions but for others who would use it as a basis for theirs.

BLITZER: Let me let Senator Hutchison weigh in. Should the nuclear option, retaliatory option by the U.S., be off the table?

HUTCHISON: I think every option, every retaliatory option, should be on the table.

BLITZER: Even if it's designed to deter the Iraqis from using chemical or biological weapons?

HUTCHISON: Well, I don't think anyone has said that we would do anything nuclear as a preemptive measure but if Saddam Hussein starts using chemical and biological weapons on American troops or on his own people, then I think we have to have every option on the table.

BLITZER: All right, let me give Senator Corzine the last word. What do you say?

CORZINE: Well, I think we have more than enough means to protect our troops and I think that that should be really not considered in this particular situation.

BLITZER: Senator Corzine, Senator Hutchison, thanks to both of you for joining us.

HUTCHISON: Thank you.

BLITZER: And here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: "Do you think Secretary Powell will make the case against Iraq?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

A postal standoff in Miami...

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF: A five hour chase and the standoff is over. We'll tell you how it ended.

BLITZER: And a contaminated blood supply, find out why one state is pulling the plug on some surgeries.

And, the "Savage Nation." It's now No. 1 on "The New York Times" best seller list. The radio talk show host, Michael Savage, he'll join us live and he's taking your questions. Call us now, 1-888-CNN- 0561 or e-mail us at wolf@cnn.com.

But first. today's "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): Which is the longest running live radio show in the world? "The Rush Limbaugh Show," "The Grand Ole Opry," Paul Harvey "News and Comment," "The Larry King Show" ?

The answer coming up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A tense standoff in Miami, Florida is over. Police say a suspected hijacker of a postal truck surrendered after releasing a mail carrier unharmed.

Our Miami bureau chief John Zarrella has been covering the story all afternoon. He's joining us now live -- John.

ZARRELLA: Wolf, a real bizarre situation today.

As you said, a hijacker jumping into a postal truck and taking a postal worker hostage, up and down the streets of northwest Miami- Dade.

But about an hour and fifteen minutes ago it ended peacefully, police negotiating with the hostage taker on a cell phone. At that point, he came out of the postal vehicle, got out of that delivery truck, and surrendered to the SWAT team that had surrounded the truck at a major intersection.

Folks that know out there it's 27th Avenue in northwest Miami- Dade. It's not far from Pro Player Stadium where the Miami Dolphins and the Florida Marlins play.

About 30 minutes before that, at about 3:30 this afternoon, Tanya Mitchell (ph), the postal worker who had driven around Miami-Dade with this man with a gun to her, she was released by the hostage taker. She got out of the vehicle and again released. Police say she's fine. She's a little shaken and, in fact, police are crediting her with this whole thing ending as peacefully as it did, saying that in fact she showed "an inordinate amount of courage" and without the courage and calm that Tanya Mitchell showed, they don't know that this would have ended peacefully.

Again, throughout the streets of northwest Miami-Dade, a slow speed chase, police following this vehicle until they finally brought it to a stop in the middle of this major intersection. Police say that one of the suspects fired at them a couple of times, fired shots at them.

These are apparently criminals with a long history. It was a robbery attempt of this postal vehicle, according to police, that ended up resulting in what happened, one of the men jumping into the postal vehicle, another staying in another vehicle. He was caught and then finally the surrender this afternoon of the second man who had hijacked the postal vehicle and that postal worker.

But again, a very peaceful resolution, Wolf, to what could have been a very bad situation out here in northwest Miami-Dade. Again, about five hours in length, between the chase and the standoff here at this northwest Miami intersection -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Thank God for that peaceful resolution. It could have been obviously a lot, a lot worse. John Zarrella, our Miami bureau chief, thanks very much.

And joining us now to talk about how negotiators handled this hijacking standoff peacefully, the former D.C. Metropolitan Police Officer Gary Hankins.

Gary, thanks for joining us. Did they do everything the right way? We all watched it unfold on television throughout the afternoon.

GARY HANKINS, FMR. PRES. FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE: Yes, they did.

I mean obviously the bottom line is that it ended peacefully, no one was hurt, that the hostage was released. But they did classic police philosophy and negotiations that you don't provoke the suspect that you try to isolate him or her, especially if they're armed from would-be victims.

They cleared the streets as they went through Miami and then when they got the vehicle stopped and surrounded it they removed bystanders and immediately began to establish a rapport and to negotiate.

BLITZER: And you just have to have patience and negotiate and let this thing go on as long as necessary.

HANKINS: Absolutely. Time is on our side. As long as you don't provoke the suspect, you want to calm him, and clearly they're giving credit to the hostage here to help calm the hostage taker, and when you get calm and peace and communication, then time is on your side. BLITZER: And when we saw that police chase, that postal van moving down the streets of Miami, she was driving, the postal worker. He had a gun pointed presumably at her head but it was followed as we see on the screen by all these police cars.

Did they do the right thing in sort of just letting them drive without getting a blockade standing in front of them trying to stop this postal van from continuing?

HANKINS: Absolutely.

The drama that you'd see on popular culture about going in and trying to shoot it out, that's the last thing that any police officer, especially SWAT teams, want. You pursue, but at a distance that won't provoke. You try to secure and let him or her have time to calm down, establish communication and negotiate your way out of it.

BLITZER: A textbook classic case of how to do it right this time. Is that a fair assessment?

HANKINS: Absolutely. The police officers did a very professional job and God was on our side.

BLITZER: And when we see that robot there, what was the point of that robot as they were negotiating with the hostage? Couldn't that have frightened the suspect?

HANKINS: Actually, they can provide a less threatening presence. If an officer is approaching, he may not feel that he can trust that officer, but the robot is coming. They usually communicate what it's coming for. It can't move quickly and they can feel actually a little more comfortable with that cumbersome robot than what they might feel is a threatening human being.

BLITZER: Gary Hankins, formerly with the Metropolitan Police Department, thanks very much.

HANKINS: Thank you.

BLITZER: Blood quarantined in Georgia.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I'll be telling you about why surgeries in Georgia and North Florida had to be cancelled because of concerns about the blood supply.

BLITZER: Plus, police uncover strange clues in the search for a mom of an abandoned boy, but first a look at news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Bus bombing. At least 18 people were killed in Afghanistan when a bomb destroyed a small bus near Kandahar. There's no claim of responsibility but suspicion centers on al Qaeda, the Taliban, or a renegade warlord. Hasty retreat. French troops took control of Ivory Coast International Airport to protect French citizens fleeing rock throwing mobs. Supporters of the Ivory Coast government say France is backing rebels who control more than half the country.

Peru protest. Transportation workers clashed with police in Peru. They're made about rising fuel prices and other escalating expenses. Protesters threw rocks at busses driven by non-striking drivers and police detained 60 people.

Homes demolished. Israeli forces blew up two houses in Hebron leaving 15 people without homes. The houses were owned by suspected Palestinian militants.

Wintry blast. Snow and wind attacked eastern Britain. Drivers were stranded in their cars for up to 15 hours. London's Stansted Airport was shut down and more than 150 flights were cancelled at Heathrow Airport and rail service was disrupted.

Getting your goat. The 15-day lunar New Year celebration has started in China. This year is called the year of the goat. Despite the festivities, this is not considered one of the better years in the 12-year Chinese cycle. Some say those born over the next 12 months are bound to have bad luck. But Happy New Year anyway.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The Red Cross is warning hospitals in Georgia and North Florida that some of their blood supplies may be contaminated. Our Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has been following the story all day long. She's joining us now live from North Side Hospital in Atlanta.

What's going on, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Well, doctors here at North Side say they've been practicing for years and never seen anything like this. They've had to cancel hundreds of surgeries because they got a fax this morning from the Red Cross saying white particles were found in bags of blood that were distributed to hospitals in Georgia and North Florida.

So, what were the white particles? Well, they just don't know. What they do know is that it does not appear to be anything infectious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS HROUDA, AMERICAN RED CROSS: These particles are very difficult to see in a blood bag that has no blood in it because they're kind of clear, translucent particles and a blood bag is also clear and translucent so they're difficult to see. So, we're doing a very careful safety inspection or the bags. (END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Now here at North Side, they did do emergency surgeries as they did at other hospitals with blood from a source other than the Red Cross, but they did cancel all elective surgeries.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. WAYNE AMBROZE, CHIEF OF SURGERY, NORTH SIDE HOSPITAL: Patients while this has to be an emotional trauma to them certainly the idea of preparing yourself mentally and physically for surgery and then having it cancelled is very difficult. Almost universally the patients have been understanding and appreciate that everybody is working in their best interest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COHEN: Now it is possible that some patients received some of this blood with the mysterious white particles in surgeries yesterday or previously, but here at this hospital and nationally, they're monitoring these people and so far it appears that no one's become sick from receiving this blood -- Wolf.

BLITZER: How did they find out about this problem, Elizabeth?

COHEN: Well, it was just part of the normal processing procedure. They have lots of checks along the way and at some point while they were processing it, someone looked in the bags and saw the white particles.

BLITZER: Elizabeth Cohen on top of the story for us. Thanks very much, Elizabeth.

Blood stains in the house, grim clues in the search for the mother of an abandoned boy. We'll go live to Reno for the latest in that investigation.

Plus, love him or hate him, Michael Savage is burning up the airwaves. The radio talk show host and best selling author will be taking your questions. Call us now 1-888-CNN-0561, or e-mail us at wolf@cnn.com.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer.

Coming up: the missing mom of an abandoned boy. Do bloodstains at her home hold any clues? The latest in the investigation.

(NEWS BREAK)

BLITZER: Part of the mystery surrounding an abandoned boy has now been solved. Authorities are searching, though, for his mother, who hasn't been seen in two weeks, while his stepfather is hospitalized after an overdose.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is in Reno, Nevada. And she's following all these developments -- Thelma.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the search today conservative for 28-year-old Jeanette Corpuz.

Police are now treating this case as a possible homicide because of physical evidence that they say they found while searching the couple's home. Now, this is an investigation, Wolf, that began with the tale of an abandoned boy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Jonathan Jacob Corpuz is only 3 years old. But this little boy, allegedly abandoned by his stepfather hundreds of miles from home last Saturday, may hold clues about what happened here in the Reno home he shared with his stepfather, Lyle Montgomery, and his mother, Jeanette Corpuz, who has not been seen since January 13.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a missing-person case that we are treating the same as we would a homicide.

GUTIERREZ: According to these court records, Jacob told investigators his stepfather shot at his mother, but hit a dresser instead. The child also said he remembered going on a nighttime drive with Montgomery through the mountains.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Evidence that we have discovered during a search warrant -- and, again, I can't discuss what that evidence is, but it certainly would lead us to believe that there was foul play.

GUTIERREZ: An affidavit filed by police to obtain a search warrant claims Reno investigators found two large bloodstains on the couple's bedroom carpet and pad, which had been pulled up. Police have not said whether they came from the missing woman.

The child's biological father, Joel Corpuz, lives in Northern California. He says he's anxious for a reunion. Corpuz says he has recently spoken to Jacob, who's been in custody of a foster family in Salt Lake City since Saturday.

JOEL CORPUZ, FATHER OF JACOB: I tried to talk to my son from the social worker about two days ago -- I mean yesterday.

GUTIERREZ (on camera): And what was that like?

CORPUZ: He can't really talk, because he is pretty much (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

GUTIERREZ: Authorities say Jeanette Corpuz and Lyle Montgomery were on the verge of divorce, that they had a history of domestic problems. But Montgomery's attorney says his client, a licensed pharmacist, is not a violent man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of accusations. There's a lot of innuendo. There's a lot of inferences. There's no facts yet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUTIERREZ: Lyle Montgomery has not been arrested, nor has he been charged with any crime in connection with his wife's disappearance.

And, Wolf, now the focus is on trying to find 28-year-old Jeanette Corpuz -- back to you.

BLITZER: Let's hope they find her alive and well.

Thanks, Thelma Gutierrez, for that report.

The New York City Council is considering a ban on all toy guns after several incidents in which police shot and killed people they thought were holding real weapons. Now the Manhattan Libertarian Party is protesting the idea with a controversial campaign it calls Guns for Tots.

CNN's Whitney Casey has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITNEY CASEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Why would you want Elana (ph) even playing with one of these?

JIM LESCZYNSKI, LIBERTARIAN PARTY: Because they're lots of fun. They're squirt guns. Didn't you play with a squirt gun when you were a kid? Didn't you enjoy it?

CASEY (voice-over): Jim Lesczynski says Elana, his 13-month-old daughter, should be allowed to play with brightly colored water pistols and toy guns. But in the same breath...

(on camera): You do agree that, when these guns are painted black, that they do look real?

LESCZYNSKI: Yes.

CASEY (voice-over): The very scenario New York lawmaker David Weprin is looking to avoid. Councilman Weprin has sponsored a new bill that would make all toy guns contraband.

DAVID WEPRIN (D), NEW YORK CITY COUNCILMAN: What the bill does is basically outlaw the sale of all toy guns that look like real guns.

CASEY: The councilman sites crime scenes like this one in Brooklyn six months ago. According to police, two New York City cops shot a homeless man to death after he waved an object at them that turned out to be a toy gun. Police maintain the toy gun was black.

Black, gray and silver toy guns have been banned in New York for years, but now lawmakers believe it's just too easy to make a colored toy gun look like the real thing. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was an incident of 14-year-old twin girls that robbed a bank in New Jersey with a toy gun in ski masks; 14-year-old twin girls, I don't think, would have had access to real guns.

CASEY: In response to the proposed legislation, Jim and his wife, Dawn (ph), have started a Guns for Tots toy drive, collecting dozens of toy guns with plans to distribute them, in conjunction with the Libertarian Party, to kids in poor New York neighborhoods.

LESCZYNSKI: Nobody can mistake this for a real gun. And nobody should try to use it as a real gun.

CASEY: Toys or weapons, a question Jim Lesczynski believes is for parents, not lawmakers.

Whitney Casey, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And this story we're just getting in right now: The man who owns the lease for the World Trade Center site in New York says he opposes a plan to build the world's tallest skyscrapers at the site. Larry Silverstein says -- and I'm quoting -- "It's not practical to build super-tall office buildings in the post-9/11 world." He says that, while he favors building new office buildings on the site, those billings should be no taller than 70 stories.

He's firing up the radio airwaves with his firebrand politics. He's also got a hot new best-seller. He joins me live when we return, Michael Savage. He will be taking your phone calls.

Call now: 1-800-CNN-0561 or e-mail us at Wolf@CNN.com.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier, we asked: Which is the longest-running live radio show in the world? The answer: "The Grand Ole Opry." With a 75-year history, the country music phenomenon beats "Larry," "Rush," and "Paul" hands down.

Some of you love him. Some of you hate him. Some of you never heard of him, but here's a fact. Michael Savage has become a phenomenon. His book, "The Savage Nation," is now No. 1 on "The New York Times" best-sellers list and his syndicated radio show is one of the hottest in the nation.

Michael Savage is joining us now live from San Francisco.

Congratulations, Michael, on the book, on the radio show. How do you explain this overnight success, apparently, that you've had?

MICHAEL SAVAGE, AUTHOR, "THE SAVAGE NATION": I'm an immigrant son. And I was taught to work seven days a week until I dropped. It's the old joke, the old Jackie Mason joke; 35 years working, no one knows you. And then overnight, they say, gee, he's an overnight success.

BLITZER: So, what happened seemingly overnight that took you from obscurity to this national phenomenon, almost. It's not everybody that gets a No. 1 best-seller in "The New York Times."

SAVAGE: It's pretty awesome, Wolf.

The show has been on the radio for eight years locally. And then it was on nationally for two years, "The Savage Nation." The book, though, just came out January 1st. It's in the fifth printing. And strangely enough, Wolf, this book got there without any print media. There was not one review. There was not one feature story on me, very little television, mainly cable.

It's primarily the radio audience that's going out and buying the book and maybe Mr. and Mrs. America finding the title, "The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on our Borders, Language and Culture." Maybe that's resonating with someone.

Well, let's get to some of the specific things you say in the book. I'll put some of the quotes up on the screen from the book "The Savage Nation." For example, you write this: "If America is going to survive, we must close our borders to those who come to mooch and to those from all terror-sponsoring countries."

BLITZER: What does that mean? Somebody, for example, from Cuba shouldn't be allowed to come to the United States?

SAVAGE: Well, I wouldn't use Cuba as an example. The No. 1 export nation of illegal aliens is Mexico. The No. 2 is China.

When my grandfather came here, they went through Ellis Island. They were screened for disease. They were screened for criminal background checks, as were your ancestors. How can a nation survive if you have open borders? It's self-evident that you can't. We must control our borders.

And I think that's the definition of a nation. A nation is defined primarily by its borders, just as your home. You have a home. Anyone listening who has a house, isn't your house defined by a property line? If you take down your fences, you have no property, if it's not defined by anything.

BLITZER: All right, let's get to the viewer phone calls. They're really anxious to speak to you.

We have a call from Wilton, Maine.

Go ahead from Maine.

CALLER: Yes, Michael.

SAVAGE: Yes, sir.

CALLER: My wife and I love you very much. Thank you much for everything. Fantastic show.

SAVAGE: You love me? My wife is listening. Be careful.

CALLER: Oh. But we're great fans of you.

SAVAGE: Thank you very much.

CALLER: I'm very disappointed with what France, how they view our position to take care of...

SAVAGE: France? How can you be disappointed in a nation that disappointed us for so long? That's what France is. It's a disappointing nation. Ever since Napoleon, it's done nothing.

BLITZER: All right, let's get to another quote from the book: "Not all immigrants are the same. I'm the son of an immigrant who happens to be able to distinguish those come to America to work hard and honor our heritage from those who will do us harm."

How do you make that distinction? Somebody wants to come to our country, wants to work hard, raise kids, send them to school, improve their lives, how do you know what they're going to be?

SAVAGE: Well, let's look at the statistics. It's an ugly one, but it's real: 25 to 30 percent of all of our prisoners are illegal aliens. They didn't come here to work in America. They came here to work the system. They committed felonies. And they're behind bars. It's an ugly fact of reality.

BLITZER: But how do you know who's going to be good and who's going to be bad?

SAVAGE: OK, let's start from now.

You have a border. You certainly want to screen out anyone with criminal backgrounds from their own homeland. Let's start with that. We have had porous borders for so many years that, as of now, we don't know who's coming and what their background is. The very least is, we need some kind of background check on anyone coming in.

BLITZER: All right, Wichita, Kansas, go ahead with your question.

CALLER: Yes, I'd like to know Dr. Savage's opinion on giving Saddam Hussein more time. We've been dancing with him now for two months. And I don't see any reason we should give him any more time. I would like to know what Dr. Savage thinks.

Love your show. Love your book.

SAVAGE: Well, thank you.

I think that the Saddam Hussein question is a very tricky one. I think personally that Mr. Bush has taken far too long to marshal the forces. I think he should have done this last year when he had the mandate. I think he's permitted his opposition to marshal virtual armies of the night in the streets.

And there's a political price that's going to be paid. Unfortunately, the troops are going to pay it overseas. Saddam Hussein has used poison gas on his neighbors. He's invaded another country. He's been a dictator for nearly, what, 30, 35 years. The man is a clear present danger to the world order. And I think that he must go. I don't see how anyone could argue with that.

BLITZER: All right, we're just getting started.

Michael Savage, stand by. We're going to take a quick break.

We have more to talk about with Michael Savage. He's also taking more of your phone, 1-888-CNN-0561.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're back with the controversial radio talk show host and best-selling author Michael Savage.

Michael, we have an e-mail from Frank in Jackson Heights, who says: "Mr. Savage constantly rails against immigrants and multiculturalism, yet he is a committed Zionist. Please explain."

Go ahead, Michael.

SAVAGE: Well, I don't think I have to apologize for wanting the Jewish people to survive. If he is a proud member of the Nazi Party, I suppose that's his right. So I don't get his point.

BLITZER: Michael, we have another e-mail from Gary in Bristol, Connecticut: "Michael, why has the Democratic Party lost touch with the American people and why do they fail to produce effective leaders?"

SAVAGE: Well, it's pretty evident to me that the Democrat Party is simply a party that's carping at President Bush. I don't know what their policies are.

Here we've got men and women on the ground overseas. We've got aircraft carriers on the way. Isn't there a time at which you put your differences aside and you support the president? Yet all we hear about is attack President Bush. It's unbelievable to me. There are men -- yesterday, a helicopter went down. When are they going to stop it?

BLITZER: But even former retired officers, like Norman Schwarzkopf. General Wesley Clark, the former supreme allied commander, they have questions about this policy. Isn't it a fair debate?

SAVAGE: Oh, sure it is.

Let's deal with Schwarzkopf. I saw that last week. I was as surprised as anyone. But on Saturday, Schwarzkopf gave another interview which was not widely broadcast -- or was it on Tuesday? He said he is now convinced it's time to go to war. That was not played as much as he was doubting.

Wesley Clark, I'm sorry to tell you, I am not a big fan of. He dropped bombs on the Serbian civilians under the command of Bill Clinton. That's an entire show topic unto itself. He's not one of my favorite...

BLITZER: But he didn't do that deliberately. He didn't do it deliberately. That was so-called friendly fire.

But let's move on, because we have another caller who's waiting.

Go ahead. Michigan, go ahead with your question.

CALLER: Yes, hi.

I just wanted to ask Mr. Savage -- I have written it down. What about the bombs falling on the innocent people, the children, who need love and medicine? We have to...

SAVAGE: Yes. Well, you're right. What about the innocent people who were killed at the World Trade Center? What about the American innocents that will be killed unless we take down the true axis of evil?

Are we going to wait for a city in America to go up or to be radiologically attacked? What is it wrong with you people? What is it going to take until we wake up to the fact that more compassion is going to kill us? There comes a time that we have to fight back. We still haven't struck back vociferously enough. This man is the Hitler of the Middle East. I don't even understand why you're asking me the question.

BLITZER: All right, let's get to another e-mail.

Alex is writing this: "Maybe he is because he is an immigrant's son. But last time I checked, if it wasn't for the French intervention in the war of independence, the U.S. would still be an English colony. What does he think of the French and that?"

Go ahead.

SAVAGE: I don't know of one French product I like, other than Bordeaux wines, over 10 years old. Liberte, egalite, fraternite. And the French women are wonderful. But other than that, I think France has become irrelevant in the world.

BLITZER: All right, here's a quote from your book, "The Savage Nation": "We must use racial profiling to ferret out those who are already here who may also be planning to do us harm."

Isn't that a slippery slope?

SAVAGE: No, Wolf. In fact, the FBI is doing it. They have put a count of the mosques in America on their watch list. It's a terrible thing, but let's be real. If you were a sleeper who slipped into America from one of our enemy nations, where would you hide, a church, a synagogue or a mosque? It's a fact of reality that good police work includes racial as well as other profiles.

BLITZER: Michael, unfortunately, we are all out of time. We'll continue this on another occasion.

Michael Savage.

SAVAGE: Thank you.

BLITZER: He's got a hot new book, "The Savage Nation."

Thanks for joining us.

SAVAGE: Thank you very much, Wolf.

BLITZER: And time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of the Day": Do you think Secretary Powell will make the case against Iraq? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote.

And we'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." Remember, we've been asking you this: Do you think Secretary Powell will make the case against Iraq? Thirty-four percent of you so far say yes; 66 percent doubt it. You say no.

You can find the exact vote tally and continue to vote, by the way, on our Web site: CNN.com/Wolf. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Let's get to our e-mails.

Kirk writes this: "I appreciated your coverage from the National Medical Emergency Command Center. I don't know the U.S. had one until I saw your show. And I feel a little safer knowing about it and what it can do. However, I feel that we won't truly be prepared for biological warfare until we have vaccines and antidotes for the major biological warfare organisms."

And this from Lucille: "As a nurse, I greatly appreciate the work done thus far by Tommy Thompson and HHS in the development of the Emergency Command Center. However, just as important as the technology in the center is the education and preparation of the people of the United States for a bioterrorism event. Information should be given to every person in the country, so they know how to prepare for and respond to an attack."

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again Sunday at noon Eastern for "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk. Among my guests this Sunday: Senators John Breaux and Don Nickles. Don't forget "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ," weekdays noon Eastern.

Until then, thanks very much for watching. Have a nice weekend. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

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