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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Is Baylor's Missing Basketball Player a Victim of Foul Play; Tropical Storm Bill Strikes Southeast U.S.
Aired June 30, 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)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, HOST (voice-over): Crackdown: bloodied by a wave of attacks, U.S. forces move to root out resistance in Iraq.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It will not be over anytime soon.
SAVIDGE: Are they in too deep?
A Middle East milestone, but a cease fire gets off to a shaky start.
Turmoil in a college town. A basketball player banished. Why police fear foul play.
Bill bears down on the Gulf Coast and southeast is bracing for a bruising.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the nation's capital, with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, start right now.
SAVIDGE: It's Monday, June 30, 2003. Hello from the CNN center in Atlanta.
I'm Martin Savidge reporting. Wolf Blitzer is off.
We are tracking two developing stories right now. Police in Texas are speaking out about a college basketball player, Patrick Dennehy, missing more than two weeks. Foul play now suspected.
Plus, tropical storm Bill hitting the Gulf Coast right now with gail force winds, buckets of rain and even reports of tornadoes. We'll get a live look at the dangerous storm and find out where it is heading next.
But first up, the search for a missing Baylor basketball player. Police in Waco, Texas, aren't saying why, but they believe Patrick Dennehy may have been murder. It's a case that has stunned the community.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SAVIDGE (voice-over): At 6'10" 230 pounds, the center for Balyor University basketball team would be easy to spot. For almost three weeks, though, there has been no sign of Patrick Dennehy. One haunting clue leading police to suspect the worst, Dennehy SUV found abandoned last Thursday in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The license plates gone. Dennehy's girlfriend says she had contact with him the last day anyone saw him, June 11.
JESSICA DE LA ROSA, DENNEHY'S GIRLFRIEND: It was just a typical conversation in the evening, just typical, how we were doing. He told me he missed me, he needed to go and he'd talk to me the next day.
SAVIDGE: Dennehy, transferred to Baylor last year form the University of New Mexico, following in the footsteps of coach Dave Bliss.
DAVE BLISS, BAYLOR BASKETBALL COACH: Right now the team and the university and all the members of the Baylor family and myself are in tremendous disbelief about the recent events.
SAVIDGE: But there have been signs of trouble. One exchange near the end of last season during a game, raised eyebrows.
MARK SMITH, ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL: Patrick got into a verbal confrontation with one of the teammates, then it escalated when another teammate got involved. There was some chest shoving. They went to the bench during a time-out, fingerprinting both ways. Dennehy eventually stormed off the court after pushing another teammate and kicking a chair over. He left the game and never came back.
SAVIDGE: Dennehy later transferred to Baylor after being kicked off the New Mexico team for disciplinary reasons. Now police in Waco say his Baylor teammates are listed as potential suspects. A story in Saturday's Waco Tribune Herald, said police are investigating reports that Dennehy was threatened by a teammate. And that he had an argument with at least one teammate recently. At Baylor, a campus in confusion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is so much talk that's going on, and it's hard to -- I try and tune it out because they don't know any more than anybody else knows. I think when there is that uncertainty, people want to come to conclusion their mind which creates a lot of this dialogue. And I still don't believe it's any of the players on the team. I just can't imagine that from knowing them like I do.
SAVIDGE: The FBI is now involved in the case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: All right, now let's bring you up to the very second on this investigation. Police in Waco, Texas, have been talking about the latest. Let's listen in to what they've been saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... still being done today. Having said that, we would caution everybody not to assume that a person or person that we have spoken to is deemed a suspect. If information is obtained from these interviews that positively identify the person or persons as a suspect, we would not release that until a warrant was obtained. This is done so that the investigation will not be jeopardized.
The case is still currently classified as a missing person's case but because of the information being receive in regard to Mr. Dennehy's disappearance issue this case has been investigated, as if he were a victim of a homicide. The Waco police department has contacted the local office of the FBI in regard to this case so that we may access the resources that the bureau has to offer. As information becomes available our department will release what we can without hindering the information. I thank you very much. With that I will turn it back over to Officer Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: And without a doubt we are going to continue to follow this disappearance throughout the remainder of the hour.
The other developing story, the storm named Bill, it's call -- calling card that is includes 10 inches of rain, driving rain and possibly multiple tornadoes. It's making landfall this afternoon across the Gulf Coast, but the effects are being felt all over the South and it looks like the effects will be lingering for a while, making for a soggy 4th of July for many.
Jacqui Jeras is in the CNN weather center tracking the storm right now.
Jacqui, where do things stand?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Martin it has made landfall, approximately 3:30 this afternoon, Eastern time. Tropical storm Bill did make landfall, but we're still seeing some of the worst effects of the storm system at this time with some strong gusty winds and also some very, very heavy rainfall.
We have reports of flooding across much of Southeastern Louisiana, and extending in some spots, isolated, all the way over to Atlanta, Georgia. So the rainfall amounts are going to be very, very heavy. The winds will not be as big of an impact, but still expecting to see gusts as this diminishes, now that it's over land between 30 and 40 miles per hour into the afternoon and evening hours. We do have that threat of isolated tornadoes.
We've had about three of them already into the afternoon hours, and these two watch boxes are going to be expiring here, and a new one will be replacing them and will be extended into the evening. So all across the panhandle of Florida into lower parts of Louisiana, along that Lower Mississippi River Valley, we will have that tornadic threat to go along with it, the stronger thunderstorms. Travel is going to be very hazardous. If you come across roads that have water on them, do not drive through it. You want to find an alternate route. It's going to be tough along I-10 also along I-20 and across I-65 into the afternoon. OK, this is the latest on tropical storm Bill.
We want to give you the statistics and these are brand new as of the top of the hour. Made landfall announced now it's 30 miles east of Morgan City, packing winds still at 60 per hour, but that is going to be dropping pretty rapidly over the next couple of hours. Tropical storm warnings remain in effect from intracoastal over to Pascagoula, Mississippi. Our next advisory will be coming in at 8:00 Eastern time. So we are going to have an update then for you. And I do expect this could possibly be downgraded at this time.
So what happens now that it's made landfall?
Well it will continue to weaken. But rain is going to be a problem for some time to come. As it's pushing along into a northeasterly pattern and should be moving over west central parts of Mississippi. About midnight for tonight it will continue riding off to the east and eventually make its way toward the Carolinas by the end of the week. And Marty, we're going to have to keep our eye on this one into the holiday weekend. It's still quite a ways away, but the potential is out there for this to move back over open waters into the Atlantic Ocean. So could affect your holiday forecast. We'll keep you up to date.
SAVIDGE: Jacqui Jeras, thanks very much. From looking at the maps to looking first hand the storm named Bill. We want to tell you about one of our correspondents that is standing by, Rob Low of CNN affiliate WGNO. He is in Golden Meadow, Louisiana. We understand weather could play into his report, but go ahead and tell us about the latest on the situation there.
ROB LOW, WGNO CORRESPONDENT: Marty, I think you jinxed me because, it was starting to get better. Now it's started to rain and get windy again. As you mentioned, I'm just south of Golden Meadow. What you see behind me is the police road block. On the other side of those cop cars is the town of Golden Meadow. I'm on the side where cars are not allowed to pass through. The only road to Grand Isle is flooded, that is Highway 1 which has been sinking for a number of years and it's a real issue today. We drove down Highway 1 earlier today, it was two feet in some spots. We found a truck with four men that were completely stranded. We called the deputy to try to get them out.
Throughout the region we're told 5 to 10 inches of rain is possible, that more tornadoes are possible. Apparently one tornado did touch down in the town of Reserve, that's about 45 minutes northwest of New Orleans. Destroyed a high school gym, injured four people in a trailer park. New Orleans, we have been told, has been spared the brunt of this storm. Some thunderstorms, some isolated street flooding. But most of the real weather definitely to the south. There have been no mandatory evacuations, but some voluntary evacuations along Grand Isle, which again is right on the Gulf of Mexico. The fishing town of Lafitte and south Lafitte Parish which again is near the Gulf of Mexico. Much of it under water today. Especially not so much because of the rain, but of the storm surge and the south wind that's just blowing the bayous in the Gulf right into the roads.
That's the latest from here just south of Golden Meadow.
Back to you -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Rob Low of our affiliate WGNO, thanks very much for the update.
A different sort of problem, a wildfire evacuation order is over for 2,500 relieved residents of Southern California. A vehicle caught fire yesterday afternoon on a freeway near Lebec, south east of Bakersfield, setting off a blaze that threatened hundreds of homes. 350 firefighters brought it under control. Authorities today allowed the evacuees to return home and reopened Interstate 5.
U.S. troops storm across Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Operation Sidewinder is all about the coalition imposing its will. And like Operations Desert Scorpion and Peninsula Strike recently, it's designed to show that despite casualties, U.S. troops intend to remain in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: A massive sweep under way right now. Is it enough, though, to keep the peace?
Also, big spill for the little prince. How Harry ended up on his bottom.
And multimillion-dollar day. The big push to stay in the White House.
First today's "News Quiz."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Who has raised and spent more money than any other presidential candidate in history? Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan? The answer coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: They are tired of being in the crosshairs, so they are going on the hunt. U.S. troops target Iraqis who want them dead. But what do they find? CNN takes you along on dangerous mission, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SAVIDGE: Turning now to Iraq, where coalition forces have launched a massive sweep operation aimed at crushing insurgency which is taking a growing toll among the troops. CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): North of Baghdad, soldiers go door to door, hunting for suspects in attacks on U.S. troops. Operation Sidewinder is this latest effort to catch former Iraqi officials (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is targeting areas believed to be sympathetic to Saddam Hussein.
LT. COL. MARK YOUNG, U.S. ARMY: So far a number of key individuals have been seized. A number of arms and weapons caches have been found and also seized.
ROBERTSON: The U.S. says at least 60 people have been detained in sweeps both north and south of Baghdad in that operation. Some searches less successful than others.
SGT. PAUL CLUVERIUS, U.S. ARMY: Not catching all the people that we may try to be getting to, but we're getting a lot of ammo off the streets, a lot of weapons.
ROBERTSON: On at least one search a former top Iraqi official is not where intelligence had predicted. Officers hope, as they provide security, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) will tell them more.
(on camera): Operation Sidewinder is all about the coalition imposing its will. And like Operations Desert Scorpion and Peninsula Strike recently, it's designed to show that despite casualties, U.S. troops intend to remain in Iraq.
(voice-over): For many of the young soldiers in these operations, recent attacks giving them their first taste of combat.
PFC. JAMES CONNORS, U.S. ARMY: I couldn't hear, I could barely see. And all I saw was little red lights flying through the air and that was where I aimed the weapon and returned the fire.
ROBERTSON: On the street corner in this town targeted in Operation Sidewinder, residents say they like the U.S. troops.
Storekeeper Famir (ph) appears confident the soldiers can accomplish their mission. "If they control the whole country," he says, "how come they can't defeat these factions?"
At the end of their day, in preparing to head back to base, it's likely a question these troops will also be asking themselves.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Bakava (ph).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Amnesty International has issued a report questioning the treatment of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. forces. The human rights group says the detainees are held in conditions which may be amounting to, quote, "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, banned by international law." Amnesty called on U.S. officials to let hundreds of Iraqi detainees to meet with families and lawyers and have a court review their detention.
U.S. forces today returned five border guards to Syria after holding them for almost two weeks. The Syrians were seized on June 18 when U.S. special forces attacked a convoy suspected of carrying fleeing Iraqis near the border. Three of the Syrian guards were wounded in that incident.
It may mark a Middle East milestone of sorts. After urgent negotiation an Israeli-Palestinian truce has begun to take hold although not without some trouble. We get the story now from our Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Talk translated into action on the ground. After weeks of intense negotiation Israel begins to hand over security control in parts of Gaza. The checkpoints along the main north to south highway are dismantled, and for the first time in months, traffic begins to flow freely. Palestinians now able to travel from one part of Gaza to another. Their movement regulated not by Israeli soldiers, but by Palestinian police officers.
In the West Bank, though, more violence. A foreign national working for an Israeli construction company shot and killed by Palestinian gunmen in defiance of a ceasefire pledge. A local branch of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade claiming responsibility and signaling that not all militants will listen to their leaders.
But despite this incident, Israeli and Palestinian security officials say they remain intent on creating new realities in the West Bank as they have in parts of Gaza.
The next area in which Israel has agreed to hand over security responsibilities, the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The Israeli road blocks will remain around Bethlehem, but the troops will withdraw from the city itself. And the policing of Bethlehem will be put back into the hands of Palestinians.
Elements of the Palestinian police being retrained in recent weeks, as attempts are made to rebuild a security apparatus that in nearly three years of conflict with the Israelis had been all but destroyed.
Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Still to come, a party turns into tragedy in Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't hear screams until everything stopped. It was like everybody was so concentrated on what was happening that they didn't even think to scream.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: We'll take you live to the screen where a dozen friends fell to their death. Could it have been prevented?
Also, bloodbath in Liberia. Find out why world leaders are making a desperate appeal for U.S. troops.
And Venus gets revenge at Wimbledon.
First, in case you were out enjoying the days off, here's a "Weekend Snapshot."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Extra cause for celebration at Gay Pride parades across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out in San Francisco and it was a similar scene in New York. The annual parades came just days after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws banning sodomy.
Another delay for the Mars rover named Opportunity. NASA postponed the launch again after gaps were found in the insulation. Opportunity's sister ship Spirit was launched this month.
A mentally ill man went on a rampage inside a grocery store in Orange County, California. He killed two former co-workers and wounded three people before he was shot and killed by police.
In New York a woman known as "The Central Park Jogger" took part in a five-mile run/walk called Hope and Possibility. Trisha Meely (ph) has written a book about the 1989 assault that nearly killed her. The run is a fund-raiser and outreach for disabled veterans.
Four-time Academy Award winner Katharine Hepburn died at her home in Connecticut. She won her first Oscar in 1933, her last in 1991. She was 96-years-old.
And "The Hulk" was no match for "Charlie's Angels." The girl- power sequel debuted in the No. 1 spot beating out the green giant 2-1 in box office receipts.
And that's "Our Weekend Snapshot."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: And we want to update you on a breaking story we brought you at the top of this newscast. It is the case of a missing college basketball player. His name Patrick Dennehy, who has been missing for almost three weeks.
Just minutes earlier police made public the fact that they believe this case may be a homicide. Joining me from Waco, Mark Smith with the "Albuquerque Journal". Hey, Mark, I understand that just before that news conference began you talked to Patrick's father. What did he tell you?
MARK SMITH, "ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL": Well Marty, we talked about Patrick still being missing. Nothing more than that is what Brian, his step dad, told me today that he still expects him to be back. They're just treating it like a missing persons as far as they are concerned.
They are very hopeful Patrick will be returned soon. He said, he knows he's out there and he knows he'll come back. I asked him if there was anything he was expecting out of the press conference and he said he didn't know anything about it. He'd been trying to get information to find out what was going to be said, but wasn't able to get anything.
Then when we had the news conference, the police chief told us, basically, things that we already knew. It was just a way to get us gathered together and give us some information that everybody had, basically.
SAVIDGE: Why do they think it's a homicide? Other than the fact he has not been seen for three weeks and his car shows up without license plates?
SMITH: Well, unfortunately, they didn't allow us to ask any questions. They said tomorrow we'll be able to do that. But for this, they just -- the statement they gave us that the police Chief Alberto Mellis (ph) read to us today, just went over the facts. The only thing that was a little confusing, Marty, was that he said something about prior to Mr. Dennehy's vehicle being located, which we know was in Virginia beach, that was discovered last Wednesday, that Waco police received information from an outside source that a homicide had occurred in the Waco area.
It also said the information indicated the victim could have been a person associated with the local University, but that's where he ended it, and he made no correlation between that homicide and Patrick Dennehy whatsoever. He didn't say if that had anything to do with it or if it didn't. He just went on and said that they were -- they spoke about the vehicle again in Virginia Beach and then -- and any missing person's case, these are the steps you take and so on and so forth.
SAVIDGE: Is there an indication that the police may be trying to back off of the allegations or suspicions about teammates?
SMITH: I believe so. He did mention that just because they questioned somebody does not make them a suspect. A lot was being made of the fact that the Baylor players were questioned last week and a lot of people were immediately pointing fingers.
There's been so many rumors and so much speculation because there's been so little information coming out of the Waco Police Department so far and that's because they are trying to do an investigation and tie everything together.
Right now we're being told that, you know, do not anticipate that these are suspects just because they've been questioned. They are questioning everyone close to Patrick Dennehy.
SAVIDGE: And you say more is expected to come out tomorrow?
SMITH: He said there will be a question and answer period at 10:00 a.m. out here tomorrow. So we'll hopefully hear a lot more about it...
SAVIDGE: Alright, Mark Smith.
SMITH: ...because there's a lot of questions.
SAVIDGE: Oh, yes, there are lot of questions on this one.
Mark Smith, thanks very much for joining us. For the insights on that missing Baylor basketball player. We appreciate it.
Some Chicagoans will never forget the moment when a festive party and the chatter turned to screams of agony and horror. An apartment building porch crumbled yesterday killing 12 and injuries dozens.
CNN nation correspondent Gary Tuchman joins us with the latest about what we know on this tragedy -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Marty, for the first time since this terrible strategy occurred early Sunday morning, family members and friends are coming to the site to pay vigil. Right now you can see people standing by crosses that have been put on the ground with the twelve victims names. Some of the crosses have pictures of the victims on them. Some of them have flowers.
The people you see standing on your right are family members and friends of Robert Corranda (ph), one of the men who was killed when this porch plunged to the ground. A three-story porch on this apartment building plunged to the ground.
A tragedy did occurred here early Sunday morning, but was there a crime that occurred here? As of now prosecutors in Illinois say they have no reason to believe there was any criminal negligence. Investigation are saying that a preliminary investigation has shown that the porch was structurally sound and appears, as of now, that there were just too many people in too small of a space for too long of a time.
A short time ago we talked with someone who attended this party, was on the second floor of the porch when the collapse occurred. He suffered minor injuries, but he's on the same floor where most of the people who died were standing.
PAUL MUGLER: You didn't hear screams until everything stopped. It was like, everybody was so concentrated on what was happening that they didn't even think to scream. Especially I didn't scream until maybe about a half hour after I was okay. I just had to just let it out. It was just that animal instinct that something wrong was happening. Get out of here, you know. This is something that I have to get out of, just to stay alive.
TUCHMAN: As part of our job, we cover a lot of tragedies. And one thing we notice, usually a day or day and a half after a tragedy like this one, this is when the shock starts to wear off and reality starts to set in. So we're not surprised to see the family members and the friends coming to this site right now to pay vigil, to pay homage.
There have been porch collapses in Chicago in recent decades that have led to many injuries, but there's never been a death before until this time. Marty, back to you.
SAVIDGE: Gary Tuchman reporting live from Chicago, the scene of the tragedy over the weekend. Thank you.
On the offensive in Iraq U.S. troops move to squash the resistance. But is it turning into a quagmire? That debate when we return. Plus, quarter million dead and a strong man that just won't go away. An appeal for U.S. help. And from the war on Iraq to a Miami fund-raiser, President Bush sets his sites on 2004.
And that's our question of the day -- do you think he will be re- elected? Log on to CNN.com/wolf to vote right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Welcome back to CNN. The war in Iraq, are U.S. troops in over their heads. That debate coming up in just a moment. But first, the latest headlines.
(NEWSBREAK)
SAVIDGE: Guerrilla war, quagmire, Vietnam, all those came up today at the Pentagon briefing as they were on the defensive over the situation in Iraq. Let's go live to senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Earlier this month, Martin, the Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz conceded the U.S. was in a guerrilla war, but just today Secretary of State Colin Powell said no. There is a reason they are reluctant to use that term and it has to do with Vietnam.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE (voice-over): While many military experts may believe the attacks against U.S. Forces fit the textbook definition of guerrilla war, Donald Rumsfeld doesn't.
(on camera): Your appreciation of precision and language...
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: You got the dictionary definition?
MCINTYRE: What is your definition of guerrilla war.
RUMSFELD: I was afraid you would have. I should have looked it up. I knew I should have looked it up.
MCINTYRE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) definition.
RUMSFELD: I could have died that I didn't look it up.
MCINTYRE: Military and paramilitary operations conducted in enemy held or hostile territory, by irregular or relatively indigenous forces. This seems to fit a lot of what's going on.
RUMSFELD: It really doesn't.
MCINTYRE (voice-over): The problem with conceding the U.S. May be locked in guerrilla warfare is that it raises the specter of Vietnam. In fact a cartoon on that point hangs on Rumsfeld's wall.
RUMSFELD: There are so many cartoons where people -- press people are saying, is it Vietnam yet -- hoping it is and wondering if it is. And it isn't. It's a different time. It's a different era. It's a different place.
MCINTYRE: And any comparison to Vietnam brings up the "Q" word.
RUMSFELD: Quagmire. We have had several quagmires that weren't thus far.
MCINTYRE (on camera): But the criticism would be you're in a situation that there's no good way to extricate yourself.
RUMSFELD: Then that clearly would not be a good one.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now the U.S. insist they do have an exit strategy. It's aggressively going after enemy that are attacking U.S. forces and also trying to encourage other countries to donate troops to the peacekeeping effort as well. But so far after consultations with more than 50 countries, only 8,000 troops have been pledged and they won't get there until September at the earliest -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: Jamie, I want to ask you about that raid that took place near the Syrian border in Iraq.
What do we know as far as what the real target was?
There's been a lot of confusion.
MCINTYRE: Well, it's still not clear who the target was except the Pentagon doesn't exactly know who they were targeting. What does seem to be the case the Pentagon seems to be conceding that some of the people they targeted may have slipped across the border into Syria. Both Secretary Rumsfeld and the Joint Chiefs Chairman General Myers today conceded that was a real possibility. They only have one confirmed person killed in that raid. The five wounded were all the Syrians who have now been returned to Syria. 20 people were rounded up, all but three of them were almost immediately released and we don't know who those three are, but no indication they are senior Iraqi officials.
SAVIDGE: Jamie McIntyre, live at the Pentagon, thank you very much.
Is there an end in sight to the Iraqi involvement?
Are U.S. Troops in too deep?
My guests are deeply divided on that issue.
From Indianapolis, Republican Congressman Mike Pence, a strong supporter of the war in Iraq.
And from Cleveland, Democratic Dennis Kucinich, a leading critic.
A welcome to both you. Thanks very much.
Remember, it is a debate, be polite, be professional, but be prepared to jump in.
Let's start off, the basic premise, Are we in too deep?
Mr. Kucinich go ahead.
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), OHIO: I think we have to back up and say, where is the evidence of the weapons of mass destruction, where was the imminent threat, why were we there at all?
Because unless we can answer those questions, we aren't going to be able to trust those who want to guide us further into this morass in Iraq.
SAVIDGE: Mike, what's the response?
REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: I think the response is Dennis and I have debated this on the House floor. It's very plain. Obviously there were weapons of mass destruction Iraq leading up to the war. That's why France and Russia and Germany agreed to resolution 1441 that asserted that. Even Iraq admitted themselves in 1991 to the possession of 10,000 nerve gas warheads, 412 tons of chemical weapons.
SAVIDGE: That was then, this is now, where are they now?
KUCINICH: Wait a minute. Mike, let me ask you this, 1991, we're talking -- you are saying that we should invade a country based on information we had in 1991. We invaded in 2003, and I'm saying that we didn't have evidence that there was an imminent threat of weapons of mass destruction. Otherwise this obvious part that you talk about would be pretty evident right now. They don't have anything. We've been there 100 days.
PENCE: Dennis, what I am talking about. Dennis, as you well know, it's not evidence from 1991. I'm talking about that Saddam Hussein admitted to hundreds of tons of these weapons and then, as you also know, Dennis, he spent over a decade frustrating the efforts of UNSCOM, U.N. weapons inspectors, denied he possessed these weapons. You have to believe the worst of George W. Bush and the best of Saddam Hussein to believe that these weapons of mass destruction did not exist. That's why France, Germany and Russia all agreed they existed last fall.
KUCINICH: We have been there a hundred days where are they.
SAVIDGE: Let me interrupt here. Let me interrupt just for a second because we could debate weapons of mass destruction for a long tile. They haven't been found. Whether they exist, we don't know yet.
Let's talk about the matter of the moment the attrition of U.S. forces that happens to be occurring almost daily.
What do we need to do to try to prevent this?
And Dennis Kucinich, why don't we start there?
we have to deal with this matter now.
KUCINICH: First of all, what we need to do is to start to plan an exit strategy which must involve the United Nations, which this administration has unfortunate contempt for. If we had listened to the United Nations inspectors in the first place we wouldn't have found ourselves in the condition we were in. We need to go back to the United Nations. Get the world community involved again and start to get our troops out of there. I mean, we are subjecting our troops to great danger. They virtually have targets on their back. We've lost over 201 American troops since we got into this, and we -- I don't see any end in sight unless we understand that we need to involve the world community and the United States needs to start to take step to get out of this mess.
PENCE: Let me jump in. I think it's important, Martin, that we have a little perspective. Since the end of "Operation Iraqi Freedom," we have had very sadly 19 military deaths in Iraq. Since the end of the Korean war, we had 72, since the end of the war in Panama, to supplant Noriega, there were 93. Even since the end of the war in the Balkans, led by president Clinton, there were 30 military deaths, since the end of the war. At 19, every single one of those lives is precious. Every single one those is a soldier and son and a father and a husband. We don't gainsay that. But I think it's important we have perspective that battle is dangerous but also the aftermath of even a decisive victory can be dangerous as well.
KUCINICH: I don't think anyone can maintain this war is over. I mean the fact of the matter is -- and I have it right here. During combat operations which we are told lasted from March 19 to May 1, 138 U.S. deaths and the -- from May St, when the president declared that major combat operations had another 63 deaths. Now, you can't say this war is over. As a matter of fact, we're finding we're getting into (UNINTELLIGIBLE). PENCE: As you know, Dennis, the president has not declared that the war is over, for all kinds of reasons and international convention. But the reality is that the army of Saddam Hussein has been utterly vanquished and as the secretary of defense said today, we are not coming against an organized guerrilla effort, as we did on the ground in Vietnam. We are coming against small pockets, probably mercenaries, probably being paid by Ba'athist party officials, people that we have to take down, but it is not the type of insurgent typically guerrilla effort that our forces and, frankly, forces of other nations have encountered in far-flung places throughout our history.
SAVIDGE: Dennis, this is a criticism many could probably level. And that this jumping on sort of the well, I told you so bandwagon, especially since you are a candidate for president of the United States.
Is this fuel to be used against President Bush?
KUCINICH: Well, I have to tell you. I lead the effort in the House of Representatives, long before I became a candidate for president, to challenge the path towards war in Iraq. I said the administration did not have any proof that Iraq represented imminent threat. I was saying that long before I was a candidate for president.
And what I'm saying now is, where is the evidence?
And we need to keep pressing this question because if we do not make them prove their case, they can just create another war in some other place. This is really a serious matter. And the credibility of this government is at stake. The legitimacy of the Bush administration --
PENCE: Well, I also think -- but, Dennis, Dennis -- in fairness to not only the legitimacy of our effort and our decision, but, Dennis, you often leave out the fact that every member of the U.N. Security Council and their defense intelligence agencies all came to the exact same conclusion about Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction in the months and weeks leading up to Operation: Iraqi Freedom.
(CROSSTALK)
KUCINICH: -- the invasion of Iraq.
SAVIDGE: Mike Pence, Dennis Kucinich, we got to leave it there. Thanks for joining us.
Mike Pence he is a Republican Congressman, strong supporter of the war in Iraq. And then from Cleveland, Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich. We appreciate having both of you. Good chatting with you.
$30 million in just three months and he's still going. President Bush, the fund-raiser in chief shatters campaign cash records.
Plus, for the first time, the president of a country in chaos responds to U.S. demands for his resignation. It's a CNN exclusive.
First, though, a look at other news making headlines around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: A Pakistani judge has found two men guilty of organizing a car bombing in Karachi last year and sentenced them to death. The attack killed 11 French citizens and two others outside a Sheraton hotel.
Meanwhile, relations with neighboring India continue to improve. Pakistan sent a new ambassador to New Delhi. The last one was kicked out last year when the countries were on the brink of war.
An Algerian military plane crashed into a residential neighborhood near the capital, killing at least 17 people. Crews are searching for more victims.
The son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has signed on to play with an Italian soccer team team. He gets almost $700,000 in the two- year deal.
And pony problems for Britain's Prince Harry. He took a tumble while captaining his school team yesterday against French rivals. He was quickly back in the saddle, but his team lost anyway.
And that's our look around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: President Bush's ultimatum, a world leader asked to step down amid a bloodbath. So how does he respond? A CNN exclusive next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Earlier we asked you who has raised and spent more money than any other presidential candidate in history? The answer, George W. Bush. He turned down federal matching funds and raised more than $100 million on his own for the 2000 election.
So how is the president doing in the current fund-raising season? He's been on the road again filling up the campaign war chest. Earlier today he was in Miami.
Let's go live to Tampa and CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash who is traveling with the president -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi Marty, well, the donors who paid $2,000 to get in the door at this fund-raiser in Tampa are currently inside nibbling on shrimp and cheese, and they are waiting for the president in his last fund-raising event of his two- week marathon. A fund-raising tour he's expected to raise $3 million total after he leaves tonight. $1.2 million here and $1.8 million from the Miami fund-raiser from earlier today.
And Democrats and Republicans alike are racing towards the money because this far out, it's really the top way for political observers to gauge the strength of the candidates and the Bush campaign understands that all too well, which is why they've been using their candidate, the president on this two-week tour. They expect him to shatter a fund-raising record from earlier. They expect to raise some $30 million just for this quarter. And that is compared to all nine Democrats combined. They are expected to raise some $27 million to $30 million total.
Now Democrats may not have the money advantage, but they do believe that they have something on the president in terms of the economy and the fact that the economy is still very sluggish. The president understands that, which is why at every one of these he's explained why the thinks the economy is bad and what he says he's done about it.
(START VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But we acted. We've passed new laws to hold corporate criminals to account. And to get the economy going again we have twice led the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief for the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now the Bush campaign also expects to break another record, which is they expect to raise some $175 million for the primary season, and that is the season, Marty, where the president is not likely to see a primary opponent. He has to spend all that money by the time the primaries are over. This, of course, allows the Bush campaign to use it, to focus on the Democrats. All the Democrats will likely be focused on battling each other, and not him -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Dana Bash, live with the President in Florida. Thanks very much.
Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean has raised eyebrows by raising some $6.6 million over the past three months. His campaign hopes to up that figure, a bit, before the quarter ends in a few hours time. That puts the former Vermont governor atop the Democratic field for the current period.
But his almost $7 million sum amounts to, well, little more than walking around money for President Bush.
Here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is -- do you think that President Bush will be re-elected in 2004? we'll have the results later in the broadcast. Vote at CNN.com/wolf.
And while you are there, we'd love to hear from you. Send us your comments and we might read some of them at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read our daily online column, CNN.com/wolf.
A quarter million dead and a desperate plea for help. Will Liberia be the next hot spot for U.S. troops?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: The State Department says the U.S. is actively considering how to support an international peacekeeping force in war- torn Liberia. President Bush has called on the leader of the former colony for Freed American Slaves in Western Africa to step down. Liberia President Charles Taylor gave a polite, but defiant response in a CNN exclusive interview from Monrovia.
CNN's Jeff Koinange reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Songs of praise for their commander in chief. The words of simple. Anyone who says no more Taylor, we'll kill you like a dog. The Taylor they are referring to is embattled Liberian President Charles Taylor the son of former slaves whose country prides itself as America's former colony. The man many of his own people blame for starting a civil war in the 1990s, a war that has seen nearly a quarter of a million dead. A man U.S. President George W. Bush is now saying must step down.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States strongly supports the cease-fire assigned earlier this month. President Taylor needs to step down.
(APPLAUSE)
So that his country can be spared further bloodshed.
KOINANGE: In an exclusive interview with CNN, Mr. Taylor responds for the first time to the U.S. President's remarks.
PRES. CHARLES TAYLOR, LIBERIA: I want to do whatever the United States would like to see done because, after all, the United States is our ally, and if anything is going to happen in Liberia, it's going to happen with the assistance of the United States, and I want them involved.
KOINANGE: And not just involved, with rebel forces occupying much of the countryside and threat thing capital, Mr. Taylor actually wants U.S. Troops on the ground in Monrovia something he had been resisting for a long time. The fighting has forced 10s of thousands to seek shelter there, with an estimated 30,000 inhabiting the local soccer stadium, where there is no drinking water, no food, and no sanitation. Disease and malnutrition have already caused several deaths, with no relief in sight.
(on camera): Kofi Annan is calling for a multinational force to be deployed in war-torn Liberia, something President Taylor has agreed to, perhaps buying him additional time in office. Whether it will help him last until his schedule date of departure in January 2004, is yet to be seen.
Jeff Koinange, Monrovia, Liberia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Our hot web question of the day is this, "Do you think President Bush will be re-elected in 2004?" Vote now.
Plus, we have the buzz on a new weapon against those pesky skeeters.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: And this just in to CNN, coming from the Associated Press, the air force has dropped manslaughter and assault charges against a U.S. Pilot saying that he will face instead trial on dereliction of duty charges. That for mistakenly bombing Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan last year. You'll remember that killed four Canadians. Major Harry Schmidt could go or could get six months in prison, if he is convicted on that offense. A day for the court martial has not been immediately set and Schmidt and a fellow national guard pilot, Major William, that attacked the Canadians position. That was on April 17 2002, from their f-16. They thought or claimed that they thought they were under attack from Taliban forces. Again that story just coming into CNN.
Fears of the West Nile virus Have been growing almost as fast as this year's exploding mosquito population.
So what could be better than a weapon of mass destruction aimed at wiping out the bloodsuckers?
CNN's Kathleen Hays reports, what started out as a science project could make one creative teenager very rich.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael is not scavenging for lost treasures. He's killing mosquitoes before they get a chance to hatch. Michael and his father Herbert have developed machined that kill mosquito larva with sound waves.
(on camera): How does this work?
What happens to these poor little larva when you zap them with this thing?
MICHAEL NYBERG, TEEN INVENTOR: When you put the frequencies into the water, their air bladders, which they need to breathe, will vibrate and they vibrate so much that they'll explode and almost suffocate the mosquito larva.
HAYS (voice-over): Michael came up with the idea two years ago as a science project. In 2001 he got a patent on the idea and the family founded their new company, New Mountain Innovation, the English translation for their last name Nyberg. For Michael, finding a way to kill mosquitoes is much more than about winning prizes.
NYBERG: I wanted to put it to a practical use. Everyone heard about this West Nile scare. I just thought it would be a good idea.
HAYS: Fast forward to the spring of 2003, one of the rainy nest the northeast on record.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of this water that's fallen is going to be collected in small amounts and in large amounts. And then there's the possibility that the mosquitoes can breed there.
HAYS: Ironically, the long, late wet spring has pushed the height of mosquito season further into the summer, and fears of West Nile Virus linger, especially after last year when the virus reached 43 states.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: We're going to break out of that report and go to the U.S. Pentagon. Jamie McIntyre standing by about an intercept that involves North Korea, Jamie?.
This happened back in March, right?
MCINTYRE: This tape has just been released by the Department of Defense in response to a request from CNN. It shows an incident that happened back in early March when the Air Force RC-135 Cobra Ball Reconnaissance Aircraft was flying a surveillance mission just off the North Korean coast. It was intercepted by four North Korean fighters planes, two MiG 29s and two MiG 23s. You can see that a MiG 29 right there out the window of the plane.
You can see the pilot, the Korean pilot is gesturing at the U.S. crew. This was in variously interpreted as a signal to get the U.S. plane to land or to at least go away from the air space. North Korea claimed this was a violation of their sovereignty, but the U.S. Maintained that this reconnaissance flight was well in international air space over international waters. It was at a time of rising tension but again the tape has just been released today. It's the first time that we have actually seen it.
SAVIDGE: Very interesting stuff. We will have the results of the poll tomorrow. "LOU DOBBS" starts right now.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Play; Tropical Storm Bill Strikes Southeast U.S.>
Aired June 30, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, HOST (voice-over): Crackdown: bloodied by a wave of attacks, U.S. forces move to root out resistance in Iraq.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: It will not be over anytime soon.
SAVIDGE: Are they in too deep?
A Middle East milestone, but a cease fire gets off to a shaky start.
Turmoil in a college town. A basketball player banished. Why police fear foul play.
Bill bears down on the Gulf Coast and southeast is bracing for a bruising.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the nation's capital, with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, start right now.
SAVIDGE: It's Monday, June 30, 2003. Hello from the CNN center in Atlanta.
I'm Martin Savidge reporting. Wolf Blitzer is off.
We are tracking two developing stories right now. Police in Texas are speaking out about a college basketball player, Patrick Dennehy, missing more than two weeks. Foul play now suspected.
Plus, tropical storm Bill hitting the Gulf Coast right now with gail force winds, buckets of rain and even reports of tornadoes. We'll get a live look at the dangerous storm and find out where it is heading next.
But first up, the search for a missing Baylor basketball player. Police in Waco, Texas, aren't saying why, but they believe Patrick Dennehy may have been murder. It's a case that has stunned the community.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SAVIDGE (voice-over): At 6'10" 230 pounds, the center for Balyor University basketball team would be easy to spot. For almost three weeks, though, there has been no sign of Patrick Dennehy. One haunting clue leading police to suspect the worst, Dennehy SUV found abandoned last Thursday in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The license plates gone. Dennehy's girlfriend says she had contact with him the last day anyone saw him, June 11.
JESSICA DE LA ROSA, DENNEHY'S GIRLFRIEND: It was just a typical conversation in the evening, just typical, how we were doing. He told me he missed me, he needed to go and he'd talk to me the next day.
SAVIDGE: Dennehy, transferred to Baylor last year form the University of New Mexico, following in the footsteps of coach Dave Bliss.
DAVE BLISS, BAYLOR BASKETBALL COACH: Right now the team and the university and all the members of the Baylor family and myself are in tremendous disbelief about the recent events.
SAVIDGE: But there have been signs of trouble. One exchange near the end of last season during a game, raised eyebrows.
MARK SMITH, ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL: Patrick got into a verbal confrontation with one of the teammates, then it escalated when another teammate got involved. There was some chest shoving. They went to the bench during a time-out, fingerprinting both ways. Dennehy eventually stormed off the court after pushing another teammate and kicking a chair over. He left the game and never came back.
SAVIDGE: Dennehy later transferred to Baylor after being kicked off the New Mexico team for disciplinary reasons. Now police in Waco say his Baylor teammates are listed as potential suspects. A story in Saturday's Waco Tribune Herald, said police are investigating reports that Dennehy was threatened by a teammate. And that he had an argument with at least one teammate recently. At Baylor, a campus in confusion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is so much talk that's going on, and it's hard to -- I try and tune it out because they don't know any more than anybody else knows. I think when there is that uncertainty, people want to come to conclusion their mind which creates a lot of this dialogue. And I still don't believe it's any of the players on the team. I just can't imagine that from knowing them like I do.
SAVIDGE: The FBI is now involved in the case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: All right, now let's bring you up to the very second on this investigation. Police in Waco, Texas, have been talking about the latest. Let's listen in to what they've been saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... still being done today. Having said that, we would caution everybody not to assume that a person or person that we have spoken to is deemed a suspect. If information is obtained from these interviews that positively identify the person or persons as a suspect, we would not release that until a warrant was obtained. This is done so that the investigation will not be jeopardized.
The case is still currently classified as a missing person's case but because of the information being receive in regard to Mr. Dennehy's disappearance issue this case has been investigated, as if he were a victim of a homicide. The Waco police department has contacted the local office of the FBI in regard to this case so that we may access the resources that the bureau has to offer. As information becomes available our department will release what we can without hindering the information. I thank you very much. With that I will turn it back over to Officer Anderson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: And without a doubt we are going to continue to follow this disappearance throughout the remainder of the hour.
The other developing story, the storm named Bill, it's call -- calling card that is includes 10 inches of rain, driving rain and possibly multiple tornadoes. It's making landfall this afternoon across the Gulf Coast, but the effects are being felt all over the South and it looks like the effects will be lingering for a while, making for a soggy 4th of July for many.
Jacqui Jeras is in the CNN weather center tracking the storm right now.
Jacqui, where do things stand?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Martin it has made landfall, approximately 3:30 this afternoon, Eastern time. Tropical storm Bill did make landfall, but we're still seeing some of the worst effects of the storm system at this time with some strong gusty winds and also some very, very heavy rainfall.
We have reports of flooding across much of Southeastern Louisiana, and extending in some spots, isolated, all the way over to Atlanta, Georgia. So the rainfall amounts are going to be very, very heavy. The winds will not be as big of an impact, but still expecting to see gusts as this diminishes, now that it's over land between 30 and 40 miles per hour into the afternoon and evening hours. We do have that threat of isolated tornadoes.
We've had about three of them already into the afternoon hours, and these two watch boxes are going to be expiring here, and a new one will be replacing them and will be extended into the evening. So all across the panhandle of Florida into lower parts of Louisiana, along that Lower Mississippi River Valley, we will have that tornadic threat to go along with it, the stronger thunderstorms. Travel is going to be very hazardous. If you come across roads that have water on them, do not drive through it. You want to find an alternate route. It's going to be tough along I-10 also along I-20 and across I-65 into the afternoon. OK, this is the latest on tropical storm Bill.
We want to give you the statistics and these are brand new as of the top of the hour. Made landfall announced now it's 30 miles east of Morgan City, packing winds still at 60 per hour, but that is going to be dropping pretty rapidly over the next couple of hours. Tropical storm warnings remain in effect from intracoastal over to Pascagoula, Mississippi. Our next advisory will be coming in at 8:00 Eastern time. So we are going to have an update then for you. And I do expect this could possibly be downgraded at this time.
So what happens now that it's made landfall?
Well it will continue to weaken. But rain is going to be a problem for some time to come. As it's pushing along into a northeasterly pattern and should be moving over west central parts of Mississippi. About midnight for tonight it will continue riding off to the east and eventually make its way toward the Carolinas by the end of the week. And Marty, we're going to have to keep our eye on this one into the holiday weekend. It's still quite a ways away, but the potential is out there for this to move back over open waters into the Atlantic Ocean. So could affect your holiday forecast. We'll keep you up to date.
SAVIDGE: Jacqui Jeras, thanks very much. From looking at the maps to looking first hand the storm named Bill. We want to tell you about one of our correspondents that is standing by, Rob Low of CNN affiliate WGNO. He is in Golden Meadow, Louisiana. We understand weather could play into his report, but go ahead and tell us about the latest on the situation there.
ROB LOW, WGNO CORRESPONDENT: Marty, I think you jinxed me because, it was starting to get better. Now it's started to rain and get windy again. As you mentioned, I'm just south of Golden Meadow. What you see behind me is the police road block. On the other side of those cop cars is the town of Golden Meadow. I'm on the side where cars are not allowed to pass through. The only road to Grand Isle is flooded, that is Highway 1 which has been sinking for a number of years and it's a real issue today. We drove down Highway 1 earlier today, it was two feet in some spots. We found a truck with four men that were completely stranded. We called the deputy to try to get them out.
Throughout the region we're told 5 to 10 inches of rain is possible, that more tornadoes are possible. Apparently one tornado did touch down in the town of Reserve, that's about 45 minutes northwest of New Orleans. Destroyed a high school gym, injured four people in a trailer park. New Orleans, we have been told, has been spared the brunt of this storm. Some thunderstorms, some isolated street flooding. But most of the real weather definitely to the south. There have been no mandatory evacuations, but some voluntary evacuations along Grand Isle, which again is right on the Gulf of Mexico. The fishing town of Lafitte and south Lafitte Parish which again is near the Gulf of Mexico. Much of it under water today. Especially not so much because of the rain, but of the storm surge and the south wind that's just blowing the bayous in the Gulf right into the roads.
That's the latest from here just south of Golden Meadow.
Back to you -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Rob Low of our affiliate WGNO, thanks very much for the update.
A different sort of problem, a wildfire evacuation order is over for 2,500 relieved residents of Southern California. A vehicle caught fire yesterday afternoon on a freeway near Lebec, south east of Bakersfield, setting off a blaze that threatened hundreds of homes. 350 firefighters brought it under control. Authorities today allowed the evacuees to return home and reopened Interstate 5.
U.S. troops storm across Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Operation Sidewinder is all about the coalition imposing its will. And like Operations Desert Scorpion and Peninsula Strike recently, it's designed to show that despite casualties, U.S. troops intend to remain in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: A massive sweep under way right now. Is it enough, though, to keep the peace?
Also, big spill for the little prince. How Harry ended up on his bottom.
And multimillion-dollar day. The big push to stay in the White House.
First today's "News Quiz."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Who has raised and spent more money than any other presidential candidate in history? Bill Clinton, Ross Perot, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan? The answer coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: They are tired of being in the crosshairs, so they are going on the hunt. U.S. troops target Iraqis who want them dead. But what do they find? CNN takes you along on dangerous mission, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) SAVIDGE: Turning now to Iraq, where coalition forces have launched a massive sweep operation aimed at crushing insurgency which is taking a growing toll among the troops. CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): North of Baghdad, soldiers go door to door, hunting for suspects in attacks on U.S. troops. Operation Sidewinder is this latest effort to catch former Iraqi officials (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is targeting areas believed to be sympathetic to Saddam Hussein.
LT. COL. MARK YOUNG, U.S. ARMY: So far a number of key individuals have been seized. A number of arms and weapons caches have been found and also seized.
ROBERTSON: The U.S. says at least 60 people have been detained in sweeps both north and south of Baghdad in that operation. Some searches less successful than others.
SGT. PAUL CLUVERIUS, U.S. ARMY: Not catching all the people that we may try to be getting to, but we're getting a lot of ammo off the streets, a lot of weapons.
ROBERTSON: On at least one search a former top Iraqi official is not where intelligence had predicted. Officers hope, as they provide security, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) will tell them more.
(on camera): Operation Sidewinder is all about the coalition imposing its will. And like Operations Desert Scorpion and Peninsula Strike recently, it's designed to show that despite casualties, U.S. troops intend to remain in Iraq.
(voice-over): For many of the young soldiers in these operations, recent attacks giving them their first taste of combat.
PFC. JAMES CONNORS, U.S. ARMY: I couldn't hear, I could barely see. And all I saw was little red lights flying through the air and that was where I aimed the weapon and returned the fire.
ROBERTSON: On the street corner in this town targeted in Operation Sidewinder, residents say they like the U.S. troops.
Storekeeper Famir (ph) appears confident the soldiers can accomplish their mission. "If they control the whole country," he says, "how come they can't defeat these factions?"
At the end of their day, in preparing to head back to base, it's likely a question these troops will also be asking themselves.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Bakava (ph).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Amnesty International has issued a report questioning the treatment of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. forces. The human rights group says the detainees are held in conditions which may be amounting to, quote, "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, banned by international law." Amnesty called on U.S. officials to let hundreds of Iraqi detainees to meet with families and lawyers and have a court review their detention.
U.S. forces today returned five border guards to Syria after holding them for almost two weeks. The Syrians were seized on June 18 when U.S. special forces attacked a convoy suspected of carrying fleeing Iraqis near the border. Three of the Syrian guards were wounded in that incident.
It may mark a Middle East milestone of sorts. After urgent negotiation an Israeli-Palestinian truce has begun to take hold although not without some trouble. We get the story now from our Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIKE HANNA, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Talk translated into action on the ground. After weeks of intense negotiation Israel begins to hand over security control in parts of Gaza. The checkpoints along the main north to south highway are dismantled, and for the first time in months, traffic begins to flow freely. Palestinians now able to travel from one part of Gaza to another. Their movement regulated not by Israeli soldiers, but by Palestinian police officers.
In the West Bank, though, more violence. A foreign national working for an Israeli construction company shot and killed by Palestinian gunmen in defiance of a ceasefire pledge. A local branch of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade claiming responsibility and signaling that not all militants will listen to their leaders.
But despite this incident, Israeli and Palestinian security officials say they remain intent on creating new realities in the West Bank as they have in parts of Gaza.
The next area in which Israel has agreed to hand over security responsibilities, the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The Israeli road blocks will remain around Bethlehem, but the troops will withdraw from the city itself. And the policing of Bethlehem will be put back into the hands of Palestinians.
Elements of the Palestinian police being retrained in recent weeks, as attempts are made to rebuild a security apparatus that in nearly three years of conflict with the Israelis had been all but destroyed.
Mike Hanna, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Still to come, a party turns into tragedy in Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't hear screams until everything stopped. It was like everybody was so concentrated on what was happening that they didn't even think to scream.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: We'll take you live to the screen where a dozen friends fell to their death. Could it have been prevented?
Also, bloodbath in Liberia. Find out why world leaders are making a desperate appeal for U.S. troops.
And Venus gets revenge at Wimbledon.
First, in case you were out enjoying the days off, here's a "Weekend Snapshot."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Extra cause for celebration at Gay Pride parades across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out in San Francisco and it was a similar scene in New York. The annual parades came just days after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws banning sodomy.
Another delay for the Mars rover named Opportunity. NASA postponed the launch again after gaps were found in the insulation. Opportunity's sister ship Spirit was launched this month.
A mentally ill man went on a rampage inside a grocery store in Orange County, California. He killed two former co-workers and wounded three people before he was shot and killed by police.
In New York a woman known as "The Central Park Jogger" took part in a five-mile run/walk called Hope and Possibility. Trisha Meely (ph) has written a book about the 1989 assault that nearly killed her. The run is a fund-raiser and outreach for disabled veterans.
Four-time Academy Award winner Katharine Hepburn died at her home in Connecticut. She won her first Oscar in 1933, her last in 1991. She was 96-years-old.
And "The Hulk" was no match for "Charlie's Angels." The girl- power sequel debuted in the No. 1 spot beating out the green giant 2-1 in box office receipts.
And that's "Our Weekend Snapshot."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: And we want to update you on a breaking story we brought you at the top of this newscast. It is the case of a missing college basketball player. His name Patrick Dennehy, who has been missing for almost three weeks.
Just minutes earlier police made public the fact that they believe this case may be a homicide. Joining me from Waco, Mark Smith with the "Albuquerque Journal". Hey, Mark, I understand that just before that news conference began you talked to Patrick's father. What did he tell you?
MARK SMITH, "ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL": Well Marty, we talked about Patrick still being missing. Nothing more than that is what Brian, his step dad, told me today that he still expects him to be back. They're just treating it like a missing persons as far as they are concerned.
They are very hopeful Patrick will be returned soon. He said, he knows he's out there and he knows he'll come back. I asked him if there was anything he was expecting out of the press conference and he said he didn't know anything about it. He'd been trying to get information to find out what was going to be said, but wasn't able to get anything.
Then when we had the news conference, the police chief told us, basically, things that we already knew. It was just a way to get us gathered together and give us some information that everybody had, basically.
SAVIDGE: Why do they think it's a homicide? Other than the fact he has not been seen for three weeks and his car shows up without license plates?
SMITH: Well, unfortunately, they didn't allow us to ask any questions. They said tomorrow we'll be able to do that. But for this, they just -- the statement they gave us that the police Chief Alberto Mellis (ph) read to us today, just went over the facts. The only thing that was a little confusing, Marty, was that he said something about prior to Mr. Dennehy's vehicle being located, which we know was in Virginia beach, that was discovered last Wednesday, that Waco police received information from an outside source that a homicide had occurred in the Waco area.
It also said the information indicated the victim could have been a person associated with the local University, but that's where he ended it, and he made no correlation between that homicide and Patrick Dennehy whatsoever. He didn't say if that had anything to do with it or if it didn't. He just went on and said that they were -- they spoke about the vehicle again in Virginia Beach and then -- and any missing person's case, these are the steps you take and so on and so forth.
SAVIDGE: Is there an indication that the police may be trying to back off of the allegations or suspicions about teammates?
SMITH: I believe so. He did mention that just because they questioned somebody does not make them a suspect. A lot was being made of the fact that the Baylor players were questioned last week and a lot of people were immediately pointing fingers.
There's been so many rumors and so much speculation because there's been so little information coming out of the Waco Police Department so far and that's because they are trying to do an investigation and tie everything together.
Right now we're being told that, you know, do not anticipate that these are suspects just because they've been questioned. They are questioning everyone close to Patrick Dennehy.
SAVIDGE: And you say more is expected to come out tomorrow?
SMITH: He said there will be a question and answer period at 10:00 a.m. out here tomorrow. So we'll hopefully hear a lot more about it...
SAVIDGE: Alright, Mark Smith.
SMITH: ...because there's a lot of questions.
SAVIDGE: Oh, yes, there are lot of questions on this one.
Mark Smith, thanks very much for joining us. For the insights on that missing Baylor basketball player. We appreciate it.
Some Chicagoans will never forget the moment when a festive party and the chatter turned to screams of agony and horror. An apartment building porch crumbled yesterday killing 12 and injuries dozens.
CNN nation correspondent Gary Tuchman joins us with the latest about what we know on this tragedy -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Marty, for the first time since this terrible strategy occurred early Sunday morning, family members and friends are coming to the site to pay vigil. Right now you can see people standing by crosses that have been put on the ground with the twelve victims names. Some of the crosses have pictures of the victims on them. Some of them have flowers.
The people you see standing on your right are family members and friends of Robert Corranda (ph), one of the men who was killed when this porch plunged to the ground. A three-story porch on this apartment building plunged to the ground.
A tragedy did occurred here early Sunday morning, but was there a crime that occurred here? As of now prosecutors in Illinois say they have no reason to believe there was any criminal negligence. Investigation are saying that a preliminary investigation has shown that the porch was structurally sound and appears, as of now, that there were just too many people in too small of a space for too long of a time.
A short time ago we talked with someone who attended this party, was on the second floor of the porch when the collapse occurred. He suffered minor injuries, but he's on the same floor where most of the people who died were standing.
PAUL MUGLER: You didn't hear screams until everything stopped. It was like, everybody was so concentrated on what was happening that they didn't even think to scream. Especially I didn't scream until maybe about a half hour after I was okay. I just had to just let it out. It was just that animal instinct that something wrong was happening. Get out of here, you know. This is something that I have to get out of, just to stay alive.
TUCHMAN: As part of our job, we cover a lot of tragedies. And one thing we notice, usually a day or day and a half after a tragedy like this one, this is when the shock starts to wear off and reality starts to set in. So we're not surprised to see the family members and the friends coming to this site right now to pay vigil, to pay homage.
There have been porch collapses in Chicago in recent decades that have led to many injuries, but there's never been a death before until this time. Marty, back to you.
SAVIDGE: Gary Tuchman reporting live from Chicago, the scene of the tragedy over the weekend. Thank you.
On the offensive in Iraq U.S. troops move to squash the resistance. But is it turning into a quagmire? That debate when we return. Plus, quarter million dead and a strong man that just won't go away. An appeal for U.S. help. And from the war on Iraq to a Miami fund-raiser, President Bush sets his sites on 2004.
And that's our question of the day -- do you think he will be re- elected? Log on to CNN.com/wolf to vote right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Welcome back to CNN. The war in Iraq, are U.S. troops in over their heads. That debate coming up in just a moment. But first, the latest headlines.
(NEWSBREAK)
SAVIDGE: Guerrilla war, quagmire, Vietnam, all those came up today at the Pentagon briefing as they were on the defensive over the situation in Iraq. Let's go live to senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Earlier this month, Martin, the Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz conceded the U.S. was in a guerrilla war, but just today Secretary of State Colin Powell said no. There is a reason they are reluctant to use that term and it has to do with Vietnam.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE (voice-over): While many military experts may believe the attacks against U.S. Forces fit the textbook definition of guerrilla war, Donald Rumsfeld doesn't.
(on camera): Your appreciation of precision and language...
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: You got the dictionary definition?
MCINTYRE: What is your definition of guerrilla war.
RUMSFELD: I was afraid you would have. I should have looked it up. I knew I should have looked it up.
MCINTYRE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) definition.
RUMSFELD: I could have died that I didn't look it up.
MCINTYRE: Military and paramilitary operations conducted in enemy held or hostile territory, by irregular or relatively indigenous forces. This seems to fit a lot of what's going on.
RUMSFELD: It really doesn't.
MCINTYRE (voice-over): The problem with conceding the U.S. May be locked in guerrilla warfare is that it raises the specter of Vietnam. In fact a cartoon on that point hangs on Rumsfeld's wall.
RUMSFELD: There are so many cartoons where people -- press people are saying, is it Vietnam yet -- hoping it is and wondering if it is. And it isn't. It's a different time. It's a different era. It's a different place.
MCINTYRE: And any comparison to Vietnam brings up the "Q" word.
RUMSFELD: Quagmire. We have had several quagmires that weren't thus far.
MCINTYRE (on camera): But the criticism would be you're in a situation that there's no good way to extricate yourself.
RUMSFELD: Then that clearly would not be a good one.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now the U.S. insist they do have an exit strategy. It's aggressively going after enemy that are attacking U.S. forces and also trying to encourage other countries to donate troops to the peacekeeping effort as well. But so far after consultations with more than 50 countries, only 8,000 troops have been pledged and they won't get there until September at the earliest -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: Jamie, I want to ask you about that raid that took place near the Syrian border in Iraq.
What do we know as far as what the real target was?
There's been a lot of confusion.
MCINTYRE: Well, it's still not clear who the target was except the Pentagon doesn't exactly know who they were targeting. What does seem to be the case the Pentagon seems to be conceding that some of the people they targeted may have slipped across the border into Syria. Both Secretary Rumsfeld and the Joint Chiefs Chairman General Myers today conceded that was a real possibility. They only have one confirmed person killed in that raid. The five wounded were all the Syrians who have now been returned to Syria. 20 people were rounded up, all but three of them were almost immediately released and we don't know who those three are, but no indication they are senior Iraqi officials.
SAVIDGE: Jamie McIntyre, live at the Pentagon, thank you very much.
Is there an end in sight to the Iraqi involvement?
Are U.S. Troops in too deep?
My guests are deeply divided on that issue.
From Indianapolis, Republican Congressman Mike Pence, a strong supporter of the war in Iraq.
And from Cleveland, Democratic Dennis Kucinich, a leading critic.
A welcome to both you. Thanks very much.
Remember, it is a debate, be polite, be professional, but be prepared to jump in.
Let's start off, the basic premise, Are we in too deep?
Mr. Kucinich go ahead.
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), OHIO: I think we have to back up and say, where is the evidence of the weapons of mass destruction, where was the imminent threat, why were we there at all?
Because unless we can answer those questions, we aren't going to be able to trust those who want to guide us further into this morass in Iraq.
SAVIDGE: Mike, what's the response?
REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: I think the response is Dennis and I have debated this on the House floor. It's very plain. Obviously there were weapons of mass destruction Iraq leading up to the war. That's why France and Russia and Germany agreed to resolution 1441 that asserted that. Even Iraq admitted themselves in 1991 to the possession of 10,000 nerve gas warheads, 412 tons of chemical weapons.
SAVIDGE: That was then, this is now, where are they now?
KUCINICH: Wait a minute. Mike, let me ask you this, 1991, we're talking -- you are saying that we should invade a country based on information we had in 1991. We invaded in 2003, and I'm saying that we didn't have evidence that there was an imminent threat of weapons of mass destruction. Otherwise this obvious part that you talk about would be pretty evident right now. They don't have anything. We've been there 100 days.
PENCE: Dennis, what I am talking about. Dennis, as you well know, it's not evidence from 1991. I'm talking about that Saddam Hussein admitted to hundreds of tons of these weapons and then, as you also know, Dennis, he spent over a decade frustrating the efforts of UNSCOM, U.N. weapons inspectors, denied he possessed these weapons. You have to believe the worst of George W. Bush and the best of Saddam Hussein to believe that these weapons of mass destruction did not exist. That's why France, Germany and Russia all agreed they existed last fall.
KUCINICH: We have been there a hundred days where are they.
SAVIDGE: Let me interrupt here. Let me interrupt just for a second because we could debate weapons of mass destruction for a long tile. They haven't been found. Whether they exist, we don't know yet.
Let's talk about the matter of the moment the attrition of U.S. forces that happens to be occurring almost daily.
What do we need to do to try to prevent this?
And Dennis Kucinich, why don't we start there?
we have to deal with this matter now.
KUCINICH: First of all, what we need to do is to start to plan an exit strategy which must involve the United Nations, which this administration has unfortunate contempt for. If we had listened to the United Nations inspectors in the first place we wouldn't have found ourselves in the condition we were in. We need to go back to the United Nations. Get the world community involved again and start to get our troops out of there. I mean, we are subjecting our troops to great danger. They virtually have targets on their back. We've lost over 201 American troops since we got into this, and we -- I don't see any end in sight unless we understand that we need to involve the world community and the United States needs to start to take step to get out of this mess.
PENCE: Let me jump in. I think it's important, Martin, that we have a little perspective. Since the end of "Operation Iraqi Freedom," we have had very sadly 19 military deaths in Iraq. Since the end of the Korean war, we had 72, since the end of the war in Panama, to supplant Noriega, there were 93. Even since the end of the war in the Balkans, led by president Clinton, there were 30 military deaths, since the end of the war. At 19, every single one of those lives is precious. Every single one those is a soldier and son and a father and a husband. We don't gainsay that. But I think it's important we have perspective that battle is dangerous but also the aftermath of even a decisive victory can be dangerous as well.
KUCINICH: I don't think anyone can maintain this war is over. I mean the fact of the matter is -- and I have it right here. During combat operations which we are told lasted from March 19 to May 1, 138 U.S. deaths and the -- from May St, when the president declared that major combat operations had another 63 deaths. Now, you can't say this war is over. As a matter of fact, we're finding we're getting into (UNINTELLIGIBLE). PENCE: As you know, Dennis, the president has not declared that the war is over, for all kinds of reasons and international convention. But the reality is that the army of Saddam Hussein has been utterly vanquished and as the secretary of defense said today, we are not coming against an organized guerrilla effort, as we did on the ground in Vietnam. We are coming against small pockets, probably mercenaries, probably being paid by Ba'athist party officials, people that we have to take down, but it is not the type of insurgent typically guerrilla effort that our forces and, frankly, forces of other nations have encountered in far-flung places throughout our history.
SAVIDGE: Dennis, this is a criticism many could probably level. And that this jumping on sort of the well, I told you so bandwagon, especially since you are a candidate for president of the United States.
Is this fuel to be used against President Bush?
KUCINICH: Well, I have to tell you. I lead the effort in the House of Representatives, long before I became a candidate for president, to challenge the path towards war in Iraq. I said the administration did not have any proof that Iraq represented imminent threat. I was saying that long before I was a candidate for president.
And what I'm saying now is, where is the evidence?
And we need to keep pressing this question because if we do not make them prove their case, they can just create another war in some other place. This is really a serious matter. And the credibility of this government is at stake. The legitimacy of the Bush administration --
PENCE: Well, I also think -- but, Dennis, Dennis -- in fairness to not only the legitimacy of our effort and our decision, but, Dennis, you often leave out the fact that every member of the U.N. Security Council and their defense intelligence agencies all came to the exact same conclusion about Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction in the months and weeks leading up to Operation: Iraqi Freedom.
(CROSSTALK)
KUCINICH: -- the invasion of Iraq.
SAVIDGE: Mike Pence, Dennis Kucinich, we got to leave it there. Thanks for joining us.
Mike Pence he is a Republican Congressman, strong supporter of the war in Iraq. And then from Cleveland, Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich. We appreciate having both of you. Good chatting with you.
$30 million in just three months and he's still going. President Bush, the fund-raiser in chief shatters campaign cash records.
Plus, for the first time, the president of a country in chaos responds to U.S. demands for his resignation. It's a CNN exclusive.
First, though, a look at other news making headlines around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: A Pakistani judge has found two men guilty of organizing a car bombing in Karachi last year and sentenced them to death. The attack killed 11 French citizens and two others outside a Sheraton hotel.
Meanwhile, relations with neighboring India continue to improve. Pakistan sent a new ambassador to New Delhi. The last one was kicked out last year when the countries were on the brink of war.
An Algerian military plane crashed into a residential neighborhood near the capital, killing at least 17 people. Crews are searching for more victims.
The son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has signed on to play with an Italian soccer team team. He gets almost $700,000 in the two- year deal.
And pony problems for Britain's Prince Harry. He took a tumble while captaining his school team yesterday against French rivals. He was quickly back in the saddle, but his team lost anyway.
And that's our look around the world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: President Bush's ultimatum, a world leader asked to step down amid a bloodbath. So how does he respond? A CNN exclusive next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: Earlier we asked you who has raised and spent more money than any other presidential candidate in history? The answer, George W. Bush. He turned down federal matching funds and raised more than $100 million on his own for the 2000 election.
So how is the president doing in the current fund-raising season? He's been on the road again filling up the campaign war chest. Earlier today he was in Miami.
Let's go live to Tampa and CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash who is traveling with the president -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi Marty, well, the donors who paid $2,000 to get in the door at this fund-raiser in Tampa are currently inside nibbling on shrimp and cheese, and they are waiting for the president in his last fund-raising event of his two- week marathon. A fund-raising tour he's expected to raise $3 million total after he leaves tonight. $1.2 million here and $1.8 million from the Miami fund-raiser from earlier today.
And Democrats and Republicans alike are racing towards the money because this far out, it's really the top way for political observers to gauge the strength of the candidates and the Bush campaign understands that all too well, which is why they've been using their candidate, the president on this two-week tour. They expect him to shatter a fund-raising record from earlier. They expect to raise some $30 million just for this quarter. And that is compared to all nine Democrats combined. They are expected to raise some $27 million to $30 million total.
Now Democrats may not have the money advantage, but they do believe that they have something on the president in terms of the economy and the fact that the economy is still very sluggish. The president understands that, which is why at every one of these he's explained why the thinks the economy is bad and what he says he's done about it.
(START VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But we acted. We've passed new laws to hold corporate criminals to account. And to get the economy going again we have twice led the United States Congress to pass historic tax relief for the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now the Bush campaign also expects to break another record, which is they expect to raise some $175 million for the primary season, and that is the season, Marty, where the president is not likely to see a primary opponent. He has to spend all that money by the time the primaries are over. This, of course, allows the Bush campaign to use it, to focus on the Democrats. All the Democrats will likely be focused on battling each other, and not him -- Marty.
SAVIDGE: Dana Bash, live with the President in Florida. Thanks very much.
Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean has raised eyebrows by raising some $6.6 million over the past three months. His campaign hopes to up that figure, a bit, before the quarter ends in a few hours time. That puts the former Vermont governor atop the Democratic field for the current period.
But his almost $7 million sum amounts to, well, little more than walking around money for President Bush.
Here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is -- do you think that President Bush will be re-elected in 2004? we'll have the results later in the broadcast. Vote at CNN.com/wolf.
And while you are there, we'd love to hear from you. Send us your comments and we might read some of them at the end of this program. That's also, of course, where you can read our daily online column, CNN.com/wolf.
A quarter million dead and a desperate plea for help. Will Liberia be the next hot spot for U.S. troops?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: The State Department says the U.S. is actively considering how to support an international peacekeeping force in war- torn Liberia. President Bush has called on the leader of the former colony for Freed American Slaves in Western Africa to step down. Liberia President Charles Taylor gave a polite, but defiant response in a CNN exclusive interview from Monrovia.
CNN's Jeff Koinange reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Songs of praise for their commander in chief. The words of simple. Anyone who says no more Taylor, we'll kill you like a dog. The Taylor they are referring to is embattled Liberian President Charles Taylor the son of former slaves whose country prides itself as America's former colony. The man many of his own people blame for starting a civil war in the 1990s, a war that has seen nearly a quarter of a million dead. A man U.S. President George W. Bush is now saying must step down.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States strongly supports the cease-fire assigned earlier this month. President Taylor needs to step down.
(APPLAUSE)
So that his country can be spared further bloodshed.
KOINANGE: In an exclusive interview with CNN, Mr. Taylor responds for the first time to the U.S. President's remarks.
PRES. CHARLES TAYLOR, LIBERIA: I want to do whatever the United States would like to see done because, after all, the United States is our ally, and if anything is going to happen in Liberia, it's going to happen with the assistance of the United States, and I want them involved.
KOINANGE: And not just involved, with rebel forces occupying much of the countryside and threat thing capital, Mr. Taylor actually wants U.S. Troops on the ground in Monrovia something he had been resisting for a long time. The fighting has forced 10s of thousands to seek shelter there, with an estimated 30,000 inhabiting the local soccer stadium, where there is no drinking water, no food, and no sanitation. Disease and malnutrition have already caused several deaths, with no relief in sight.
(on camera): Kofi Annan is calling for a multinational force to be deployed in war-torn Liberia, something President Taylor has agreed to, perhaps buying him additional time in office. Whether it will help him last until his schedule date of departure in January 2004, is yet to be seen.
Jeff Koinange, Monrovia, Liberia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: Our hot web question of the day is this, "Do you think President Bush will be re-elected in 2004?" Vote now.
Plus, we have the buzz on a new weapon against those pesky skeeters.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: And this just in to CNN, coming from the Associated Press, the air force has dropped manslaughter and assault charges against a U.S. Pilot saying that he will face instead trial on dereliction of duty charges. That for mistakenly bombing Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan last year. You'll remember that killed four Canadians. Major Harry Schmidt could go or could get six months in prison, if he is convicted on that offense. A day for the court martial has not been immediately set and Schmidt and a fellow national guard pilot, Major William, that attacked the Canadians position. That was on April 17 2002, from their f-16. They thought or claimed that they thought they were under attack from Taliban forces. Again that story just coming into CNN.
Fears of the West Nile virus Have been growing almost as fast as this year's exploding mosquito population.
So what could be better than a weapon of mass destruction aimed at wiping out the bloodsuckers?
CNN's Kathleen Hays reports, what started out as a science project could make one creative teenager very rich.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael is not scavenging for lost treasures. He's killing mosquitoes before they get a chance to hatch. Michael and his father Herbert have developed machined that kill mosquito larva with sound waves.
(on camera): How does this work?
What happens to these poor little larva when you zap them with this thing?
MICHAEL NYBERG, TEEN INVENTOR: When you put the frequencies into the water, their air bladders, which they need to breathe, will vibrate and they vibrate so much that they'll explode and almost suffocate the mosquito larva.
HAYS (voice-over): Michael came up with the idea two years ago as a science project. In 2001 he got a patent on the idea and the family founded their new company, New Mountain Innovation, the English translation for their last name Nyberg. For Michael, finding a way to kill mosquitoes is much more than about winning prizes.
NYBERG: I wanted to put it to a practical use. Everyone heard about this West Nile scare. I just thought it would be a good idea.
HAYS: Fast forward to the spring of 2003, one of the rainy nest the northeast on record.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of this water that's fallen is going to be collected in small amounts and in large amounts. And then there's the possibility that the mosquitoes can breed there.
HAYS: Ironically, the long, late wet spring has pushed the height of mosquito season further into the summer, and fears of West Nile Virus linger, especially after last year when the virus reached 43 states.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAVIDGE: We're going to break out of that report and go to the U.S. Pentagon. Jamie McIntyre standing by about an intercept that involves North Korea, Jamie?.
This happened back in March, right?
MCINTYRE: This tape has just been released by the Department of Defense in response to a request from CNN. It shows an incident that happened back in early March when the Air Force RC-135 Cobra Ball Reconnaissance Aircraft was flying a surveillance mission just off the North Korean coast. It was intercepted by four North Korean fighters planes, two MiG 29s and two MiG 23s. You can see that a MiG 29 right there out the window of the plane.
You can see the pilot, the Korean pilot is gesturing at the U.S. crew. This was in variously interpreted as a signal to get the U.S. plane to land or to at least go away from the air space. North Korea claimed this was a violation of their sovereignty, but the U.S. Maintained that this reconnaissance flight was well in international air space over international waters. It was at a time of rising tension but again the tape has just been released today. It's the first time that we have actually seen it.
SAVIDGE: Very interesting stuff. We will have the results of the poll tomorrow. "LOU DOBBS" starts right now.
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Play; Tropical Storm Bill Strikes Southeast U.S.>
