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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Judge's Decision on Bryant Case Expected Soon; Muhammad to Represent Himself; Blair Sent to Hospital With Irregular Heartbeat

Aired October 20, 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.


WOLF BLITZER, HOST: It's happening right now. We're standing by to hear any moment on whether the judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case will order the matter to go to trial or will he dismiss it? We've received word only within the past few moments that an announcement is coming up shortly. We'll bring it to you as soon as it's made.
Also, new developments involving that college student who put a huge scare into U.S. Airlines, is he a criminal or a hero?

Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Sniper shootings, a stunning turn of events in a Virginia courtroom.

Kobe Bryant's case, will the superstar face a sexual assault trial, the judge decides.

Palace intrigue, did Princess Diana predict a plot to kill her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She talks of an accident in her car involving serious head injuries.

BLITZER: Robert Duvall, I'll speak live with the legendary actor about his latest film and his long-running passion.

(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 starts now.

BLITZER: It's Monday, October 20, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

Will Kobe Bryant stand trial for sexual assault? A decision in the closely-watched case could come at any moment. Indeed, only within the past few moments we're told to stand by.

Our National Correspondent Gary Tuchman is on the story. He's joining us now live from Eagle, Colorado -- Gary.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, people close to the judge inside the courthouse behind me say they do expect his decision in this very important case at any time.

It will certainly be before four o'clock local time, which is six o'clock Eastern time because that is the time the courthouse is supposed to close.

The judge had said last week after the preliminary hearing for Kobe Bryant came to an end that he wanted to make a decision on whether Kobe Bryant would go to trial this Monday.

He wasn't positive he would do it. We've been waiting all day for that written decision to come out. It hadn't come but now the word the judge wants to get it out before the end of the business day, which once again is four o'clock local time.

What the judge has to decide is there probable cause that Kobe Bryant committed this crime of sexual assault. If he decides there is probable cause, which is a relatively low standard and it wouldn't be a big surprise then the trial process begins immediately. If the judge surprises people and says there is not probable cause then the charges will most likely be dropped.

Now just minutes ago Kobe Bryant finished basketball practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with his L.A. Lakers. Our CNN Producer Stan Wilson and photographer (unintelligible) were there. They asked him a couple of questions just five minutes ago.

Stan asked him what about your level of anxiety right now and Kobe Bryant said "zero on the court, a little outside of it. I'm relying on faith in God." Then another journalist added this is a big day in court referring to this court behind me and Kobe Bryant said "what court"?

And at that point, public relations officials of the Lakers cleared the journalists off that court in Los Angeles. We're not sure if he didn't understand the question or didn't want to answer the question. Either way that was his response.

Kobe Bryant did say he will play in his first practice game this Thursday. He's planning on playing in the Los Angeles Lakers first regular season game a week from tomorrow against the Dallas Mavericks but right now he and a lot of other people are waiting to see if the judge finds there is probable cause that he committed this crime. When it comes we will bring it right to you -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Gary, before I let you go how is the announcement going to be made by the judge?

TUCHMAN: The announcement will not be made from his vocal chords. It will be made in a written statement that is passed out to us in the court and also goes on a court Web site.

BLITZER: And if for some reason the judge should stun us all and say the prosecution did not show probable cause there is not going to be a trial does the prosecution have another route it can take to bring Kobe Bryant to trial if they want to go above this one judge? TUCHMAN: That's a good question, Wolf. It's not like double jeopardy. If you're found not guilty in a trial the charges can never be brought again. In this case the judge says I'm giving you ten days prosecution to see what you want to do.

What the prosecution will most likely do at that point is go directly to the higher court where a trial would be. That's the District Court, ask the District Court judge to take the case or one other option ask a grand jury to take a look at the case but you can be sure the prosecution will not be saying we give up on this one if we do hear a surprise decision.

BLITZER: All right, Gary Tuchman is going to be standing by. As you soon as you get that word from the judge, Gary, we'll be back on this program to report it to all of our viewers. We also have Jeffrey Toobin standing by as well our legal analyst.

In the meantime a day of very surprising and fast-moving developments in the trial of John Muhammad, one of the D.C. area sniper suspects, opening statements are done. Testimony has now begun and the trial has already produced a huge surprise.

CNN's Patty Davis is on the story for us. She's in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with the latest -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, that real blockbuster came just as Muhammad's trial got underway this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): In a stunning development, John Muhammad asked to be his own lawyer and the judge granted it but Judge Leroy Millette told Muhammad, "I have to tell you I think it is a mistake." The reaction was the same outside of court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It surprised everybody. Like I said I think this guy has a death wish.

DAVIS: Muhammad is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Dean Myers outside a Manassas, Virginia gas station last October. In his opening statement, Muhammad, polite and dressed in a suit told the jury "I had nothing at all to do with the crimes and they know this." Legal experts say Muhammad could still bring back his lawyers.

ABBE SMITH, GEORGETOWN LAW PROFESSOR: And the judge is really not locked in. Just because the judge has said you can represent yourself now doesn't mean that they can't change their minds, either the defendant or the judge.

DAVIS: In a dramatic moment, assistant prosecutor James Willett pulled the alleged murder weapon, a Bushmaster rifle out of a dark bag and assembled it, placing it on a table for the jury to see. Willett said there will be no eyewitness testimony in any of these shootings. That's how clever he is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS: The trial has now ended for the day. Now late in the day Muhammad's alleged accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, was brought into the court by sheriff deputies and the two men were positively identified by a bank employee as being in her bank's parking lot that is near the Sunoco where Dean Myers was shot on that same day -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Patty Davis covering this trial for us, Patty thanks very much.

Let's get some expert opinion now on the sniper suspect trial and the Kobe Bryant case. For that we turn as we always do to our legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is joining us from New York.

First on the sniper story it's almost some say like a surgeon performing his own surgery for a defendant to say, you know what, I'm going to be my own lawyer but are there ever any reasons why a defendant would be justified in doing that?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, ever is a big statement but almost always it's a disaster and particularly when you have someone like John Muhammad who has no legal training, no specialized knowledge of law in general or death penalty cases in particular.

What makes this doubly unusual, Wolf, is that usually when a defendant wants to represent himself the judge does a fairly extensive inquiry about whether this is a knowing voluntary intelligent decision.

In the Zacarias Moussaoui case, the man accused of being one of the 9/11 conspirators, the judge held hearings. The judge invited an outside psychiatrist to evaluate him.

Here it seems like it was a very brief interrogation of Muhammad and he let him go by himself possibly opening up an appeal down the road but I guess the judge just wanted to get the show on the road.

BLITZER: Jeffrey, the whole notion, though, of representing yourself is it possible that he's simply decided you know what I'm going to be convicted. I might as well have my day in court and make a splash and make some sort of huge political statement. Could that be a rationale?

TOOBIN: Well, that's historically the defendants who represent themselves often are people who have some cause they want to advocate. There were Puerto Rican terrorists who represented themselves. Jack Kevorkian, the assisted suicide doctor, represented himself. Cullen Ferguson who shot all those people on the Long Island Railroad had some bizarre political fantasies that he wanted to express.

It is an aspect of sort of megalomania of egomania that makes these people want to take center stage at their own trial. The legal system more or less allows them to do it as long as they're not totally insane but it never, and I think here it's safe to make an absolute statement, it never helps them. BLITZER: Is it -- this is a scenario that could develop, I assume, that his accomplice, alleged accomplice Malvo, Lee Malvo is called as a witness and John Muhammad, the man who supposedly brainwashed this younger man is going to be asking him questions. That could be quite a spectacle in a courtroom.

TOOBIN: It certainly could. The reason I think Lee Malvo is in court and he's been brought to Muhammad's trial is not to have him testify because almost certainly his lawyers would insist on his taking the Fifth Amendment, which he has an absolute right to do.

But he might be brought in essence as an exhibit, as to show who the other person was who was arrested with him. He wouldn't have to testify but he would have to show his face to the jury.

In any case, he would be, you know, within steps of John Muhammad even if there was no questioning going on between them and, yes, that would be incredibly dramatic.

BLITZER: Let's briefly before we move on let's talk a little bit about the Kobe Bryant decision, the judge expected momentarily to make that announcement whether there will be a trial, the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. What should we be looking for in this announcement, the judge's decision that's going to be released in a piece of paper very, very soon?

TOOBIN: Well, at the risk of being publicly wrong within the hour I think it's pretty clear that the judge is going to order Kobe Bryant bound over as they say in Colorado to the District Court to face a trial.

What will be interesting to see what Judge Gannett writes in his opinion that he found as probable cause, what evidence he found persuasive. Was it solely the testimony of the alleged victim as repeated by the detective, the blood of Kobe Bryant's shirt, the alleged victim's blood, obviously a very important piece of evidence?

Will he examine any exculpatory evidence? Will he look at evidence tending to show innocence because the defense very cleverly pointed to some of that? Just what evidence he chooses to focus on in his opinion I think will be the interesting thing to look at as well, of course, his bottom line whether he orders it to go forward.

BLITZER: And we should be getting that word very, very soon. I'm going to ask Jeffrey Toobin to stand by. We'll assess that decision once it's formally publicly announced.

CNN's Gary Tuchman is in Eagle, Colorado. He'll be breaking that word for us once the official announcement is made, much more coming up on Kobe Bryant, a big legal day.

We have an opportunity for you our viewers to weigh in on one of these legal stories. Our web question of the day is this. "Will it help or hurt sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad to represent himself at trial, either vote help or hurt." Vote right now though at cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results at the end of this broadcast. While you're there I'd love to hear directly from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program and that's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Security scare, weapons found on airplanes in two major U.S. cities, today police look to a 20-year-old college student for some answers.

And did she predict her own death, a shocking new revelation about Princess Diana. We're live in London, plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rumor has it you two have millions stashed away. Why not put some of that money to work for you with the high yield only investing in gold and silver can bring?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He acts tough on screen but in real life he is a humanitarian. Robert Duvall joins me live this hour, first though today's News Quiz.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): In which movie did Robert Duvall win his only Academy Award, "The Apostle," "Tender Mercies," "The Great Santini," "Apocalypse Now," the answer coming up?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Caught on tape, a terrifying bus ride, the pictures will make any parent's heart skip a beat. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of the Eagle County Courthouse. We're expecting momentarily word from the judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. Will he order this case to go to trial? That word coming up momentarily, we'll be live in Eagle once that announcement is made.

In the meantime, let's check some other important news we're following this hour. President Bush and 20 other leaders are meeting in Thailand at the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit but the president is looking for cooperation in other areas as well.

CNN's Senior White House Correspondent John King reports from Bangkok.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president brushed aside complaints from a few summit colleagues and pushed terrorism and security concerns to the top of the Bangkok agenda.

Mr. Bush not only wants stepped up intelligence sharing and border controls but is calling for new efforts to discourage Muslim extremism in Southeast Asia and the White House publicly rebuked Malaysia's prime minister for remarks it said could insight violence and terror.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Right now the key for everybody is to step back and give no cover to people who kill because they want to kill.

KING: Prime Minister Mahathir last week complained that Jews "run the world and have more influence than Muslims because the United States and other western powers act as their proxies."

RICE: The comments were hateful. They were outrageous.

KING: Over breakfast talks with South Korea's president about the new U.S. overture to North Korea.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a common goal to make sure that the Korean Peninsula is nuclear weapons free.

KING: Mr. Bush refuses to negotiate one-on-one with the North but says he is now prepared to offer written security assurances as part of some form of a joint statement with regional allies. Japan and Russia are reviewing the initiative and the White House says finding appropriate language could take some time.

RICE: We are not going to go in all guns blazing and say take it or leave it this is it.

KING: Mexico's Fox was among the leaders who complained the summit should stick to its roots as an economic gathering and worry most about things like reviving stalled global trade negotiations but the U.S. delegation says bombings in Bali and Jakarta over the past year are painful evidence that economics and security go hand-in-hand.

(on camera): The president was not scheduled to speak with or meet with Prime Minister Mahathir while here for the APEC Summit but he did pull him aside on Monday telling the Malaysian leader his remarks against Jews "stands squarely against what I believe." Mr. Bush went on to characterize those remarks as wrong and divisive.

John King, CNN, Bangkok.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In Iraq today, an American soldier was killed and at least six others wounded when a patrol was ambushed near Fallujah. That's just west of Baghdad. The soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were attacked with an explosive device and small arms fire. A number of Iraqis were detained after the incident.

New revelations regarding the death of Princess Diana, a letter from the princess to her butler has now emerged. We're live in London with shocking details.

And scare in the air, an international security breach by a college student raises new questions and fears at the nation's airports.

And, he's one of Hollywood's most popular and versatile actors, I'll talk live with Robert Duvall this hour on his excellent work both on and off the big screen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: This reminder to our viewers you're looking at a live picture of the courthouse in Eagle, Colorado. We're expecting the judge momentarily to make his announcement, make the decision whether or not the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case should go to trial. That should come up very soon. We'll go there live once that is done.

In the meantime, a frightening moment indeed for the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, he was rushed to a hospital yesterday where he was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat -- to London now and CNN's Senior European Political Editor Robin Oakley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR (voice-over): Tony Blair had looked fit enough last Friday at the European Union Summit in Brussels but after suffering chest pains Sunday he spent five hours at a London hospital having an irregular heartbeat stabilized.

Doctors told him to rest for 24 hours and so he did up to a point. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stood in for Mr. Blair making a statement to lawmakers on that EU Summit. An opposition spokesman who would normally have been seeking to land every blow they could on Mr. Blair were briefly sympathetic.

MICHAEL ANCRAM, CONSERVATIVE SPOKESMAN: We fully understand why the prime minister cannot be here today and we are delighted to hear that he is fully restored to good health again.

OAKLEY: British newspapers Monday were gloomy about Mr. Blair's future but Downing Street aides discount it by insisting he was already fine, fit, in good spirits and 100 percent recovered, a point underlined when he had meetings with ministers and with intelligence chief John Scarlett.

Mr. Blair, still only 50 despite having been prime minister for more than six years, is fitter than most who held his job. He swims, works out in the gym, and plays soccer with his young family and medical experts insisted the prime minister's condition was a nuisance not a threat. DR. DUNCAN DYMOND, CARDIOLOGIST: In the spectrum of cardiac diseases that we come across if you've got to have one this is the one to have.

OAKLEY (on camera): Tony Blair will be back in business full time on Tuesday. His aides say he has no intention of cutting his workload or changing his style as prime minister but the danger of Sunday's health scare, say British lawmakers, is that the what happens after Tony questions are now being asked.

Robin Oakley CNN, Downing Street, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's every parent's nightmare, pictures you have to see if you have school-aged children.

Also this, security breach, how a 20-year-old allegedly smuggled box cutters and other weapons onto two airline flights. Are all of us really safe in the sky?

The princess and the plot, conspiracy theorists have a new reason to believe Princess Diana's death was no accident.

And this, could you keep your balance; celebrating a Japanese tradition.

First though, a look at some of the best vacation destinations this winter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARION ASNES, "MONEY MAGAZINE" SENIOR EDITOR: When "Money Magazine" was looking at the Caribbean we were looking for a place that would really be the kind of Caribbean where you do absolutely nothing.

The Abaco Islands are less touristy than the most popular islands in the Bahamas and less expensive than the most exclusive island there. They're loaded with natural beauty and nearly deserted beaches. You can go bone fishing. You can go snorkeling. You can find fantastic diving. This is not one of the really mass marketed destinations in the Bahamas.

That's what "Money Magazine" loves about it. If you're going to get away, get away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We better get in there and help.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: In the middle of the action still stealing the show, the critically acclaimed actor Robert Duvall joins me live this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

We're standing by to get word from the judge on the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. These are live pictures from the Eagle, Colorado Courthouse. We'll go there. Gary Tuchman, our reporter on the scene, standing by momentarily expecting to hear whether or not this case will go to trial.

Also, airline security scare, it triggered the search of thousands of planes. Now a college student explains himself in court, all that, first though a quick check of the latest headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Charges filed from last week's scare in the air when box cutters were found on two Southwest Airline jets. According to an FBI affidavit, a 20-year-old college student admits to the crime. He's free without bail.

CNN's Mike Brooks has been talking to sources, has new detail on this very unusual case.

Mike, tell us what you have.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is a very, very unusual case. But Nathaniel Heatwole was in court today for his initial appearance.

In an affidavit that we had earlier, he had basically admitted -- he did admit to placing these items on the two planes that were found on October 16. But he also said that he had done this six times, a total of six times, taken box cutters, clay, matches and chlorine -- I'm sorry, bleach through security checkpoints. Of those six times, four times he left packages on planes. So far, two have been found.

Now, back in April, two other package that were similar were found. And they're now trying to see if the -- if all of those are linked. He was free on bond today. He is due back in court in Baltimore on November 10.

But, Wolf, officials are taking this very seriously.

BLITZER: As well they should. Thanks, Mike Brooks, with that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE MCHALE, TSA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR: ...like this do not in any way assist us or show us where there are flaws in the system. We know where the vulnerabilities are. We know -- we have plans to deal with them. And this kind of amateur attempt to test the system is extremely dangerous. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: Wolf, he faces a 10-year felony of carrying a dangerous weapon on board an aircraft -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Mike Brooks with the latest on that. Mike, thanks very much.

Let's get a little bit more on this disturbing story and its implications. And for that, we're joined by Michael Goldfarb, the former chief of staff over at the Federal Aviation Administration.

Michael, thanks very much for joining us.

I'm getting flooded with e-mail. A lot of our viewers think this guy is a hero rather than a criminal.

MICHAEL GOLDFARB, FMR. FAA CHIEF OF STAFF: Well, he certainly is not a hero. But he points out the continued flaws since 9/11 in the system.

You know, we made great progress right after the terrorist attack, for the first year or so, enormous task of putting together and changing the aviation security was dealt with. And now that the TSA has been in position here, it's very hard to understand exactly what they are doing on aviation security. It's extremely worrisome, the reports of one, two, three or four incidents.

BLITZER: But I do a lot of flying. And I have to admit, and I'm sure you do as well, the security, the screening at the airports is much better today than it was a year or two ago.

GOLDFARB: Light years better. But in aviation, complacency is -- is really the largest problem. And the continued vigilance is important. But the concern here is the funding for the TSA and for the domestic problem.

We had a situation where air marshals were supposedly not allowed to stay at the right hotels. If we're penny-pinching already -- if that is, in fact, what we're doing to an organization within a 170,000-member bureaucracy -- if we're already beginning to cut back and look at its performance in normal standards, we've lost the edge on the war on terrorism.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Is that what's happening?

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: ... there is a budgetary problem funding this operation?

GOLDFARB: Well, there's several problems. One is we don't know. That we don't have access to the information that we used to have when security was part of the Department of Transportation. The second point is that the TSA has admitted to the fact that, in fact, resources will have to compete with other resources. We need more money to continue to maintain the level -- the safest in the world, the level of aviation safety and security.

BLITZER: They've checked, after -- in the aftermath of finding this kid's stuff that he left on there, these box cutters -- they checked all 7,000 U.S. commercial planes. Is that good enough?

GOLDFARB: Well, no.

I mean, first of all, the government did not find the box cutters. They were self-reported by the maintenance technicians at the airlines. So we didn't have the government find this problem until the e-mail was linked to earlier investigations by the FBI. So what went wrong with the screening? What went wrong with the process?

If people think this young gentleman is a hero, that's not a happy state of affairs in this country, after all this energy put into....

BLITZER: But if it was a wake-up call to the TSA, then does he get some sort of medal or does he go to jail?

GOLDFARB: Well, he may end up in jail but he may, by default, have done a valuable service to have some oversight as to whether or not, in fact, we're doing all we could be.

BLITZER: But based on what you know, the prosecutors in this kind of case -- they're going to try to get the maximum sentence for this guy to show -- to show an example out there.

GOLDFARB: It's the wrong emphasis. I think that he did a dumb thing. I think most people would think that it was an incredibly irresponsible thing. Had those box cutters been found in flight, we could have had a serious problem, both with safety and security. So it was not smart to do it.

But the focus should not be on the individual. The focus needs to be on better improving the system and giving a greater budget in this country for the war on terror.

BLITZER: Michael Goldfarb, as usual, thanks very much for your perspective.

GOLDFARB: My pleasure.

BLITZER: Thank you very much.

And we're awaiting a judge's ruling in a frightening case for a group of school children in Ohio. Their bus driver faces a misdemeanor charge in connection with an accident late last month. The accident caught on this surveillance tape released by police. Shocking! Investigators say the bus ran off the road and tipped over. Clearly, no seat belts on this bus for the young kids. No serious injuries, thank God, were reported. But this videotape is simply frightening, clearly evidence there should be seat belts on these school buses. Anyone watching this videotape is, obviously, going to agree with that.

A new twist. Did Princess Diana predict her own death? A new note surfacing, reportedly detailing fears about a plot to kill her. We're live from London. That's coming up.

Also, he's a huge star both on screen and on. What are Robert Duvall's hottest projects? I'll talk with him live this hour.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines "Around the World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): A Russian capsule is now docked with the international space station, doubling its population. One Russian and one American astronaut are each replacing a counterpart for a six- month mission. A Spanish astronaut is along for the ride and will return to Earth with the old crew next week.

Hundreds of Missionaries of Charity nuns had a special audience with the pope, one day after he beatified their late superior, Mother Teresa. Three hundred thousand people attended yesterday's ceremony at the Vatican.

At least two people are dead after heavy rain triggered weekend floods in British Columbia. Hundreds of people were evacuated and supplies are being flown into one town that's been cut off.

Tobacco strike in France. Some vendors are refusing to sell cigarettes today in protest of a 20 percent tax hike they say will put them out of business. An estimated three quarters of the companies toboconists took part.

The house recycling built. A Brazilian bar owner set out to keep a local beach clean and set an example. After a few years, he had collected 10,000 plastic bottles. He used them to build this house and another is in the works.

And in Tokyo, it's the annual log-riding showcase. The roots of the event date back 400 years, to the days when Japanese timber was transported by water. This is the festival's 51st year.

And that's our look "Around the World."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of the courthouse in Eagle, Colorado. A decision on the Kobe Bryant case, whether the sexual assault case will go to trial expected momentarily. We're waiting to hear from the judge. That's coming up. Gary Tuchman on the scene for us. Meanwhile, in London, a startling story is reigniting the conspiracy theory that is swirled around the death of Princess Diana. Six years after Diana was killed in a Paris car crash, there's word she may have predicted her own death in a letter to her former butler. CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is keeping track of this intriguing story. He's joining us now live from London -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. Intriguing and bizarre. Six years after her death, eve from the grave, Lady Diana is able to make front-page head lines here. It's almost as if she's still alive. Pretty spooky stuff.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS (voice-over): When Lady Diana was killed in Paris six years ago, investigators blamed her driver claiming he was drunk and driving too fast, concluding it was an accident. Now, a previously unknown letter emerges in which Diana alleges there was a plot to kill her in a car accident so Prince Charles could marry again. The letter was written on Kensington letterhead in which experts agree is her handwriting 10 months before she died. The blacked out portion purportedly names the alleged conspirator. For legal reason, Peirs Morgan, editor of the "Daily Mirror" would not print the name.

PIERS MORGAN, EDITOR DAILY MIRROR: I think it is fuel to the fire to every conspiracy theory in the world on a story that has attracted more than any since JFK's assassination. This massively was exacerbate when she hooked up with Dodi Fayed. Because the she is threatening according to all the reports at the time, to marry a Muslims, which has enormous constitutional issues really for the British royal family.

RODGERS: Paul Burrell was the recipient of the letters. He has written a book that threatens to be a royal block buster. A former palace spokesman says her letters are genuine, real. The conspiracy he say is not.

DICKIE ARBITER, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Hollywood wouldn't have written this. Yes, it does have all the hallmarks of a classic murder mystery. But I go back to what I've said time and time again. There is no question of murder. There is no question of conspiracy. It just didn't happen. It was an accident.

MORGAN: I don't want to fuel personally the fire of conspiracy. We don't think it is easy to arrange car crashes if you are an MI-5 or MI-6. You've been watching too many James Bond movies. These guys are trained to do secret covert operations of the very nature around the world. And is it feasible that they murdered Diana?

I would hope it isn't.

RODGERS: Six years later, Prince Charles spokesman says there will be a British inquest into the death of Diana. Meanwhile, the "Daily Mirror" is promising exclusives on Diana all week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: Immediately after the release of the newspaper, the "Daily Mirror" conducted a poll of British respondents. 87 percent say they no longer think her death was an accident. So, I asked one royal watchers, how much worse things can get for palace. He responded, somewhat sheepishly, 13 percent -- Wolf.

BLITZER: I suspect Walter, you're going to be on this story for a while. Walter Rodgers with latest from London. Thanks, Walter, very much.

And a big screen legend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll look after him and take care of him and feed him. I never had a pet of my very own.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So kid you want to take care of it, nurse it back to health? Good, then we shoot it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Still playing the tough guy, the actor, Robert Duvall, on his new movie, "Secondhand Lions" and his charitable work off-set. He's here live. He'll join me next.

Plus, carrying the cape, my own acting debut, a laugh at my expense. You'll want to see this as well.

First, though, a few stories you may have missed this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Boat moved to Brooklyn. The ferry that crashed into a dock on Staten Island last week, killing 10 people, was moved Saturday to the Brooklyn Naval Yard. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation.

Out of the box. American illusionist David Blaine is recovering from a record-setting stunt in London. He spent 44 days dangling in a plastic cubicle without food. After wrapping up his endurance stunt last night, Blaine said the ordeal taught him the importance of having a sense of humor. He was often taunted by on lookers during the ordeal. Blaine weighs 50 pounds less than when he started the stunt.

Row boat to Barbados. 16 row boats set off yesterday on a 2,900 mile race across the Atlantic. The event got under way in the Canary Islands and will end up in Barbados. Each boat has a two-person team.

Powered by the sun. A race of a different sort is under way in the Australian desert. 22 solar cars are taking part. The 7th World Solar Challenge is billed as the ultimate test of technology and endurance. Back to square one. The New York Yankees beat the Florida Marlins 6-1 last night in game two of the World Series. The Yankees win evens the series. The Marlins won the opener, 3-2. And that's our "Weekend Snapshot."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): Earlier, we asked, in which movie did Robert Duvall win his only Academy Award? The answer, "Tender Mercies." In 1983, Duvall won the best actor award for his portrayal of a former country singer. He's been nominated five other times in the lead and supporting actor categories.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CAINE, ACTOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

DUVALL: Yeah.

CAINE: An airplane?

DUVALL: Yeah, always wanted one.

CAINE: You always said you'd never set foot in an airplane. Don't trust them, they fool around at the start.

DUVALL: They're dangerous, all right, plenty dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got a book of instructions or something?

DUVALL: Right here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That's a clip from "Secondhand Lions," the new film starring one of Hollywood's legendary lions, Robert Duvall. Known as an actor for films like "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now," he's also a filmmaker, winning critical acclaim for "The Apostle. " Another passion is the tango. Duvall and partner Luciana Pedraza have danced at the White House. They're also involved in charity work for children.

Joining us now is Robert Duvall and Luciana Pedraza. Thanks to both of you for joining us.

DUVALL: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Robert Duvall, first of all, congratulations on this new film. Give us the gist. Why is this such a powerful movie for you?

DUVALL: Well, it's a nice film in that it's for everybody, the family, for young children. You can take young children because it's really PG. It's about two old guys that help raise a great nephew. You know, guys that are retired and he brings new life to their -- new blood to their life. It is just a lovely, warm film that anybody can see, grandmothers, children, whatever.

BLITZER: And so you are passionate about this movie?

DUVALL: Yeah. Yeah. I like all my films to a point. Some are better than others, obviously.

BLITZER: Well, there's 75 or so. You have been in some 75 films.

DUVALL: Eighty-five.

BLITZER: Eighty-five? But who's counting at this point.

DUVALL: Right, yeah.

BLITZER: Tell us about some of the other projects. You are working on another project here in the Washington area right now.

DUVALL: You mean with our charity?

BLITZER: With your tango.

DUVALL: Oh, yeah...

BLITZER: A lot of people don't understand, and I want to have Luciana explain it, the passion you have for the tango. Luciana, why don't you tell our viewers.

LUCIANA PEDRAZA, TANGO AT TWILIGHT: It's just no explanation, it's the whole day (ph) obsession.

BLITZER: Why the tango?

PEDRAZA: For Bobby? I don't know. I think Argentina is a very special country for Bobby. It's like if you go down there and you go to a coffee shop, and you know, he feels like he has a family in a very indirect way. You know, you go to a coffee shop and, you know, the waitress (UNINTELLIGIBLE) coffee and chat. And the time goes -- it's a nice hobby for Bobby. He used to ride horses, play tennis. And he always wants to be the best.

BLITZER: I want to just tell our viewers, this video that we're seeing, that's when you danced at the White House, the tango. Why you -- you look a little antsy about that.

DUVALL: It didn't go well. Bad night.

BLITZER: What do you mean? It looks great.

DUVALL: No, didn't go well.

BLITZER: You don't think that this is a beautiful tango? DUVALL: No. We can do a lot better. But it was an interesting evening. I was between Clinton on one hand and Menem on the other, and I won't say any more than that. Two similar guys.

BLITZER: Carlos Menem, the former leader of Argentina.

DUVALL: Right, right.

BLITZER: I understand what you're saying. But let's talk a little bit about how you use the tango to help young kids.

DUVALL: Well, we're having -- this is our fourth year. You know, we're having a special event at my farm. Charity to raise money...

BLITZER: Out here in the Washington area?

DUVALL: Yes. In The Plains, Virginia, to raise money for children in northern Argentina, in conjunction with Wolftrap. And you know, it's an evening that -- I brought Carlos Capello (ph), one of the better tango dancers, a friend of mine from Argentina, to help lead the evening.

BLITZER: Is he better than you at the tango?

DUVALL: Oh, much better. Yeah. Well, he spends his life at it.

BLITZER: You know, you are politically active.

DUVALL: No, no, I'm not really.

BLITZER: But you follow politics. You are passionate about politics.

DUVALL: I have opinions.

BLITZER: How would you describe yourself on the political scale? Conservative, liberal, Democrat, Republican?

DUVALL: I'm not a Hollywood liberal, and I never will be.

BLITZER: You are more of a conservative Republican?

DUVALL: Well, middle of the road. Middle of the road.

BLITZER: Were you happy with Arnold Schwarzenegger's election?

DUVALL: Why not? Why not? They can only go up out there. The guy is very good. Look, the way I see it, he has obsessions. He was -- bodybuilding he had an obsession. Then he put his obsession into his acting. And now he'll transfer that into his work, and under the proper tutelage, I think he'll do a good job.

BLITZER: So you're encouraged about that.

DUVALL: New blood. Why not? BLITZER: What about you?

DUVALL: Never.

BLITZER: Why?

DUVALL: Never.

BLITZER: You shouldn't say never.

DUVALL: Never, I would never run for politics.

BLITZER: But you love politics.

DUVALL: So many actors, they embarrass me when they speak about it. It is very embarrassing when I hear it. So I...

BLITZER: Ronald Reagan made the turn.

DUVALL: Yeah, that's true. And I tend to want to keep my opinions to myself unless asked. I love Dennis Miller, though. I love that guy. I love that guy.

BLITZER: Everybody loves Dennis Miller.

DUVALL: I would have thought he would have been the other way but all of a sudden, he opened his mouth, and some of the stuff that comes out of it is -- I love him myself.

BLITZER: Our viewers have been watching Robert Duvall for a long time. They love him. What don't they know about this actor that you want to share with them right now?

PEDRAZA: He loves to eat. He loves food. World travel.

BLITZER: So far he sounds like me.

PEDRAZA: Really?

DUVALL: I like the meat better here than Argentina.

BLITZER: You do?

DUVALL: Absolutely.

BLITZER: They got good steak down there.

DUVALL: Better steak here.

BLITZER: Better steak...

DUVALL: For me.

BLITZER: Like in Iowa or some place like that.

DUVALL: Iowa, yeah, and also in New York, there's a -- Labells (ph) is a great butcher shop there. Also in Kansas City they have great beef. But there is terrific food in Argentina. Better pizza in Argentina for me than New York.

PEDRAZA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). If he's not working on a film, he will take a nap before he gets up.

BLITZER: All right, we have to leave it right there. You guys are great. Luciana, Robert Duvall. Thank you so much. Thanks, Luciana.

PEDRAZA: Thank you.

BLITZER: The results of our hot Web question of the day. That's coming up next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: What do Rudy Giuliani, Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Koppel, Kareem Abdul-Jabar and now me have it all in common? If you watched "The Late Snow With David Letterman," you'd know. We have all appeared on the program now as Paul Shaffer's cape holders. I had that honor Friday night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST: Nice job. Thank you very much. There he is, yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Brilliant acting by me. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" 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





Represent Himself; Blair Sent to Hospital With Irregular Heartbeat>


Aired October 20, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: It's happening right now. We're standing by to hear any moment on whether the judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case will order the matter to go to trial or will he dismiss it? We've received word only within the past few moments that an announcement is coming up shortly. We'll bring it to you as soon as it's made.
Also, new developments involving that college student who put a huge scare into U.S. Airlines, is he a criminal or a hero?

Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Sniper shootings, a stunning turn of events in a Virginia courtroom.

Kobe Bryant's case, will the superstar face a sexual assault trial, the judge decides.

Palace intrigue, did Princess Diana predict a plot to kill her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She talks of an accident in her car involving serious head injuries.

BLITZER: Robert Duvall, I'll speak live with the legendary actor about his latest film and his long-running passion.

(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 starts now.

BLITZER: It's Monday, October 20, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

Will Kobe Bryant stand trial for sexual assault? A decision in the closely-watched case could come at any moment. Indeed, only within the past few moments we're told to stand by.

Our National Correspondent Gary Tuchman is on the story. He's joining us now live from Eagle, Colorado -- Gary.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, people close to the judge inside the courthouse behind me say they do expect his decision in this very important case at any time.

It will certainly be before four o'clock local time, which is six o'clock Eastern time because that is the time the courthouse is supposed to close.

The judge had said last week after the preliminary hearing for Kobe Bryant came to an end that he wanted to make a decision on whether Kobe Bryant would go to trial this Monday.

He wasn't positive he would do it. We've been waiting all day for that written decision to come out. It hadn't come but now the word the judge wants to get it out before the end of the business day, which once again is four o'clock local time.

What the judge has to decide is there probable cause that Kobe Bryant committed this crime of sexual assault. If he decides there is probable cause, which is a relatively low standard and it wouldn't be a big surprise then the trial process begins immediately. If the judge surprises people and says there is not probable cause then the charges will most likely be dropped.

Now just minutes ago Kobe Bryant finished basketball practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with his L.A. Lakers. Our CNN Producer Stan Wilson and photographer (unintelligible) were there. They asked him a couple of questions just five minutes ago.

Stan asked him what about your level of anxiety right now and Kobe Bryant said "zero on the court, a little outside of it. I'm relying on faith in God." Then another journalist added this is a big day in court referring to this court behind me and Kobe Bryant said "what court"?

And at that point, public relations officials of the Lakers cleared the journalists off that court in Los Angeles. We're not sure if he didn't understand the question or didn't want to answer the question. Either way that was his response.

Kobe Bryant did say he will play in his first practice game this Thursday. He's planning on playing in the Los Angeles Lakers first regular season game a week from tomorrow against the Dallas Mavericks but right now he and a lot of other people are waiting to see if the judge finds there is probable cause that he committed this crime. When it comes we will bring it right to you -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Gary, before I let you go how is the announcement going to be made by the judge?

TUCHMAN: The announcement will not be made from his vocal chords. It will be made in a written statement that is passed out to us in the court and also goes on a court Web site.

BLITZER: And if for some reason the judge should stun us all and say the prosecution did not show probable cause there is not going to be a trial does the prosecution have another route it can take to bring Kobe Bryant to trial if they want to go above this one judge? TUCHMAN: That's a good question, Wolf. It's not like double jeopardy. If you're found not guilty in a trial the charges can never be brought again. In this case the judge says I'm giving you ten days prosecution to see what you want to do.

What the prosecution will most likely do at that point is go directly to the higher court where a trial would be. That's the District Court, ask the District Court judge to take the case or one other option ask a grand jury to take a look at the case but you can be sure the prosecution will not be saying we give up on this one if we do hear a surprise decision.

BLITZER: All right, Gary Tuchman is going to be standing by. As you soon as you get that word from the judge, Gary, we'll be back on this program to report it to all of our viewers. We also have Jeffrey Toobin standing by as well our legal analyst.

In the meantime a day of very surprising and fast-moving developments in the trial of John Muhammad, one of the D.C. area sniper suspects, opening statements are done. Testimony has now begun and the trial has already produced a huge surprise.

CNN's Patty Davis is on the story for us. She's in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with the latest -- Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, that real blockbuster came just as Muhammad's trial got underway this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS (voice-over): In a stunning development, John Muhammad asked to be his own lawyer and the judge granted it but Judge Leroy Millette told Muhammad, "I have to tell you I think it is a mistake." The reaction was the same outside of court.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It surprised everybody. Like I said I think this guy has a death wish.

DAVIS: Muhammad is charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Dean Myers outside a Manassas, Virginia gas station last October. In his opening statement, Muhammad, polite and dressed in a suit told the jury "I had nothing at all to do with the crimes and they know this." Legal experts say Muhammad could still bring back his lawyers.

ABBE SMITH, GEORGETOWN LAW PROFESSOR: And the judge is really not locked in. Just because the judge has said you can represent yourself now doesn't mean that they can't change their minds, either the defendant or the judge.

DAVIS: In a dramatic moment, assistant prosecutor James Willett pulled the alleged murder weapon, a Bushmaster rifle out of a dark bag and assembled it, placing it on a table for the jury to see. Willett said there will be no eyewitness testimony in any of these shootings. That's how clever he is.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAVIS: The trial has now ended for the day. Now late in the day Muhammad's alleged accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, was brought into the court by sheriff deputies and the two men were positively identified by a bank employee as being in her bank's parking lot that is near the Sunoco where Dean Myers was shot on that same day -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Patty Davis covering this trial for us, Patty thanks very much.

Let's get some expert opinion now on the sniper suspect trial and the Kobe Bryant case. For that we turn as we always do to our legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin is joining us from New York.

First on the sniper story it's almost some say like a surgeon performing his own surgery for a defendant to say, you know what, I'm going to be my own lawyer but are there ever any reasons why a defendant would be justified in doing that?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, ever is a big statement but almost always it's a disaster and particularly when you have someone like John Muhammad who has no legal training, no specialized knowledge of law in general or death penalty cases in particular.

What makes this doubly unusual, Wolf, is that usually when a defendant wants to represent himself the judge does a fairly extensive inquiry about whether this is a knowing voluntary intelligent decision.

In the Zacarias Moussaoui case, the man accused of being one of the 9/11 conspirators, the judge held hearings. The judge invited an outside psychiatrist to evaluate him.

Here it seems like it was a very brief interrogation of Muhammad and he let him go by himself possibly opening up an appeal down the road but I guess the judge just wanted to get the show on the road.

BLITZER: Jeffrey, the whole notion, though, of representing yourself is it possible that he's simply decided you know what I'm going to be convicted. I might as well have my day in court and make a splash and make some sort of huge political statement. Could that be a rationale?

TOOBIN: Well, that's historically the defendants who represent themselves often are people who have some cause they want to advocate. There were Puerto Rican terrorists who represented themselves. Jack Kevorkian, the assisted suicide doctor, represented himself. Cullen Ferguson who shot all those people on the Long Island Railroad had some bizarre political fantasies that he wanted to express.

It is an aspect of sort of megalomania of egomania that makes these people want to take center stage at their own trial. The legal system more or less allows them to do it as long as they're not totally insane but it never, and I think here it's safe to make an absolute statement, it never helps them. BLITZER: Is it -- this is a scenario that could develop, I assume, that his accomplice, alleged accomplice Malvo, Lee Malvo is called as a witness and John Muhammad, the man who supposedly brainwashed this younger man is going to be asking him questions. That could be quite a spectacle in a courtroom.

TOOBIN: It certainly could. The reason I think Lee Malvo is in court and he's been brought to Muhammad's trial is not to have him testify because almost certainly his lawyers would insist on his taking the Fifth Amendment, which he has an absolute right to do.

But he might be brought in essence as an exhibit, as to show who the other person was who was arrested with him. He wouldn't have to testify but he would have to show his face to the jury.

In any case, he would be, you know, within steps of John Muhammad even if there was no questioning going on between them and, yes, that would be incredibly dramatic.

BLITZER: Let's briefly before we move on let's talk a little bit about the Kobe Bryant decision, the judge expected momentarily to make that announcement whether there will be a trial, the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. What should we be looking for in this announcement, the judge's decision that's going to be released in a piece of paper very, very soon?

TOOBIN: Well, at the risk of being publicly wrong within the hour I think it's pretty clear that the judge is going to order Kobe Bryant bound over as they say in Colorado to the District Court to face a trial.

What will be interesting to see what Judge Gannett writes in his opinion that he found as probable cause, what evidence he found persuasive. Was it solely the testimony of the alleged victim as repeated by the detective, the blood of Kobe Bryant's shirt, the alleged victim's blood, obviously a very important piece of evidence?

Will he examine any exculpatory evidence? Will he look at evidence tending to show innocence because the defense very cleverly pointed to some of that? Just what evidence he chooses to focus on in his opinion I think will be the interesting thing to look at as well, of course, his bottom line whether he orders it to go forward.

BLITZER: And we should be getting that word very, very soon. I'm going to ask Jeffrey Toobin to stand by. We'll assess that decision once it's formally publicly announced.

CNN's Gary Tuchman is in Eagle, Colorado. He'll be breaking that word for us once the official announcement is made, much more coming up on Kobe Bryant, a big legal day.

We have an opportunity for you our viewers to weigh in on one of these legal stories. Our web question of the day is this. "Will it help or hurt sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad to represent himself at trial, either vote help or hurt." Vote right now though at cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results at the end of this broadcast. While you're there I'd love to hear directly from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program and that's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Security scare, weapons found on airplanes in two major U.S. cities, today police look to a 20-year-old college student for some answers.

And did she predict her own death, a shocking new revelation about Princess Diana. We're live in London, plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rumor has it you two have millions stashed away. Why not put some of that money to work for you with the high yield only investing in gold and silver can bring?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He acts tough on screen but in real life he is a humanitarian. Robert Duvall joins me live this hour, first though today's News Quiz.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): In which movie did Robert Duvall win his only Academy Award, "The Apostle," "Tender Mercies," "The Great Santini," "Apocalypse Now," the answer coming up?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Caught on tape, a terrifying bus ride, the pictures will make any parent's heart skip a beat. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of the Eagle County Courthouse. We're expecting momentarily word from the judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. Will he order this case to go to trial? That word coming up momentarily, we'll be live in Eagle once that announcement is made.

In the meantime, let's check some other important news we're following this hour. President Bush and 20 other leaders are meeting in Thailand at the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit but the president is looking for cooperation in other areas as well.

CNN's Senior White House Correspondent John King reports from Bangkok.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president brushed aside complaints from a few summit colleagues and pushed terrorism and security concerns to the top of the Bangkok agenda.

Mr. Bush not only wants stepped up intelligence sharing and border controls but is calling for new efforts to discourage Muslim extremism in Southeast Asia and the White House publicly rebuked Malaysia's prime minister for remarks it said could insight violence and terror.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Right now the key for everybody is to step back and give no cover to people who kill because they want to kill.

KING: Prime Minister Mahathir last week complained that Jews "run the world and have more influence than Muslims because the United States and other western powers act as their proxies."

RICE: The comments were hateful. They were outrageous.

KING: Over breakfast talks with South Korea's president about the new U.S. overture to North Korea.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a common goal to make sure that the Korean Peninsula is nuclear weapons free.

KING: Mr. Bush refuses to negotiate one-on-one with the North but says he is now prepared to offer written security assurances as part of some form of a joint statement with regional allies. Japan and Russia are reviewing the initiative and the White House says finding appropriate language could take some time.

RICE: We are not going to go in all guns blazing and say take it or leave it this is it.

KING: Mexico's Fox was among the leaders who complained the summit should stick to its roots as an economic gathering and worry most about things like reviving stalled global trade negotiations but the U.S. delegation says bombings in Bali and Jakarta over the past year are painful evidence that economics and security go hand-in-hand.

(on camera): The president was not scheduled to speak with or meet with Prime Minister Mahathir while here for the APEC Summit but he did pull him aside on Monday telling the Malaysian leader his remarks against Jews "stands squarely against what I believe." Mr. Bush went on to characterize those remarks as wrong and divisive.

John King, CNN, Bangkok.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In Iraq today, an American soldier was killed and at least six others wounded when a patrol was ambushed near Fallujah. That's just west of Baghdad. The soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were attacked with an explosive device and small arms fire. A number of Iraqis were detained after the incident.

New revelations regarding the death of Princess Diana, a letter from the princess to her butler has now emerged. We're live in London with shocking details.

And scare in the air, an international security breach by a college student raises new questions and fears at the nation's airports.

And, he's one of Hollywood's most popular and versatile actors, I'll talk live with Robert Duvall this hour on his excellent work both on and off the big screen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: This reminder to our viewers you're looking at a live picture of the courthouse in Eagle, Colorado. We're expecting the judge momentarily to make his announcement, make the decision whether or not the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case should go to trial. That should come up very soon. We'll go there live once that is done.

In the meantime, a frightening moment indeed for the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, he was rushed to a hospital yesterday where he was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat -- to London now and CNN's Senior European Political Editor Robin Oakley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR (voice-over): Tony Blair had looked fit enough last Friday at the European Union Summit in Brussels but after suffering chest pains Sunday he spent five hours at a London hospital having an irregular heartbeat stabilized.

Doctors told him to rest for 24 hours and so he did up to a point. Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stood in for Mr. Blair making a statement to lawmakers on that EU Summit. An opposition spokesman who would normally have been seeking to land every blow they could on Mr. Blair were briefly sympathetic.

MICHAEL ANCRAM, CONSERVATIVE SPOKESMAN: We fully understand why the prime minister cannot be here today and we are delighted to hear that he is fully restored to good health again.

OAKLEY: British newspapers Monday were gloomy about Mr. Blair's future but Downing Street aides discount it by insisting he was already fine, fit, in good spirits and 100 percent recovered, a point underlined when he had meetings with ministers and with intelligence chief John Scarlett.

Mr. Blair, still only 50 despite having been prime minister for more than six years, is fitter than most who held his job. He swims, works out in the gym, and plays soccer with his young family and medical experts insisted the prime minister's condition was a nuisance not a threat. DR. DUNCAN DYMOND, CARDIOLOGIST: In the spectrum of cardiac diseases that we come across if you've got to have one this is the one to have.

OAKLEY (on camera): Tony Blair will be back in business full time on Tuesday. His aides say he has no intention of cutting his workload or changing his style as prime minister but the danger of Sunday's health scare, say British lawmakers, is that the what happens after Tony questions are now being asked.

Robin Oakley CNN, Downing Street, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's every parent's nightmare, pictures you have to see if you have school-aged children.

Also this, security breach, how a 20-year-old allegedly smuggled box cutters and other weapons onto two airline flights. Are all of us really safe in the sky?

The princess and the plot, conspiracy theorists have a new reason to believe Princess Diana's death was no accident.

And this, could you keep your balance; celebrating a Japanese tradition.

First though, a look at some of the best vacation destinations this winter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARION ASNES, "MONEY MAGAZINE" SENIOR EDITOR: When "Money Magazine" was looking at the Caribbean we were looking for a place that would really be the kind of Caribbean where you do absolutely nothing.

The Abaco Islands are less touristy than the most popular islands in the Bahamas and less expensive than the most exclusive island there. They're loaded with natural beauty and nearly deserted beaches. You can go bone fishing. You can go snorkeling. You can find fantastic diving. This is not one of the really mass marketed destinations in the Bahamas.

That's what "Money Magazine" loves about it. If you're going to get away, get away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We better get in there and help.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BLITZER: In the middle of the action still stealing the show, the critically acclaimed actor Robert Duvall joins me live this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

We're standing by to get word from the judge on the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case. These are live pictures from the Eagle, Colorado Courthouse. We'll go there. Gary Tuchman, our reporter on the scene, standing by momentarily expecting to hear whether or not this case will go to trial.

Also, airline security scare, it triggered the search of thousands of planes. Now a college student explains himself in court, all that, first though a quick check of the latest headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: Charges filed from last week's scare in the air when box cutters were found on two Southwest Airline jets. According to an FBI affidavit, a 20-year-old college student admits to the crime. He's free without bail.

CNN's Mike Brooks has been talking to sources, has new detail on this very unusual case.

Mike, tell us what you have.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is a very, very unusual case. But Nathaniel Heatwole was in court today for his initial appearance.

In an affidavit that we had earlier, he had basically admitted -- he did admit to placing these items on the two planes that were found on October 16. But he also said that he had done this six times, a total of six times, taken box cutters, clay, matches and chlorine -- I'm sorry, bleach through security checkpoints. Of those six times, four times he left packages on planes. So far, two have been found.

Now, back in April, two other package that were similar were found. And they're now trying to see if the -- if all of those are linked. He was free on bond today. He is due back in court in Baltimore on November 10.

But, Wolf, officials are taking this very seriously.

BLITZER: As well they should. Thanks, Mike Brooks, with that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE MCHALE, TSA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR: ...like this do not in any way assist us or show us where there are flaws in the system. We know where the vulnerabilities are. We know -- we have plans to deal with them. And this kind of amateur attempt to test the system is extremely dangerous. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKS: Wolf, he faces a 10-year felony of carrying a dangerous weapon on board an aircraft -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Mike Brooks with the latest on that. Mike, thanks very much.

Let's get a little bit more on this disturbing story and its implications. And for that, we're joined by Michael Goldfarb, the former chief of staff over at the Federal Aviation Administration.

Michael, thanks very much for joining us.

I'm getting flooded with e-mail. A lot of our viewers think this guy is a hero rather than a criminal.

MICHAEL GOLDFARB, FMR. FAA CHIEF OF STAFF: Well, he certainly is not a hero. But he points out the continued flaws since 9/11 in the system.

You know, we made great progress right after the terrorist attack, for the first year or so, enormous task of putting together and changing the aviation security was dealt with. And now that the TSA has been in position here, it's very hard to understand exactly what they are doing on aviation security. It's extremely worrisome, the reports of one, two, three or four incidents.

BLITZER: But I do a lot of flying. And I have to admit, and I'm sure you do as well, the security, the screening at the airports is much better today than it was a year or two ago.

GOLDFARB: Light years better. But in aviation, complacency is -- is really the largest problem. And the continued vigilance is important. But the concern here is the funding for the TSA and for the domestic problem.

We had a situation where air marshals were supposedly not allowed to stay at the right hotels. If we're penny-pinching already -- if that is, in fact, what we're doing to an organization within a 170,000-member bureaucracy -- if we're already beginning to cut back and look at its performance in normal standards, we've lost the edge on the war on terrorism.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: Is that what's happening?

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: ... there is a budgetary problem funding this operation?

GOLDFARB: Well, there's several problems. One is we don't know. That we don't have access to the information that we used to have when security was part of the Department of Transportation. The second point is that the TSA has admitted to the fact that, in fact, resources will have to compete with other resources. We need more money to continue to maintain the level -- the safest in the world, the level of aviation safety and security.

BLITZER: They've checked, after -- in the aftermath of finding this kid's stuff that he left on there, these box cutters -- they checked all 7,000 U.S. commercial planes. Is that good enough?

GOLDFARB: Well, no.

I mean, first of all, the government did not find the box cutters. They were self-reported by the maintenance technicians at the airlines. So we didn't have the government find this problem until the e-mail was linked to earlier investigations by the FBI. So what went wrong with the screening? What went wrong with the process?

If people think this young gentleman is a hero, that's not a happy state of affairs in this country, after all this energy put into....

BLITZER: But if it was a wake-up call to the TSA, then does he get some sort of medal or does he go to jail?

GOLDFARB: Well, he may end up in jail but he may, by default, have done a valuable service to have some oversight as to whether or not, in fact, we're doing all we could be.

BLITZER: But based on what you know, the prosecutors in this kind of case -- they're going to try to get the maximum sentence for this guy to show -- to show an example out there.

GOLDFARB: It's the wrong emphasis. I think that he did a dumb thing. I think most people would think that it was an incredibly irresponsible thing. Had those box cutters been found in flight, we could have had a serious problem, both with safety and security. So it was not smart to do it.

But the focus should not be on the individual. The focus needs to be on better improving the system and giving a greater budget in this country for the war on terror.

BLITZER: Michael Goldfarb, as usual, thanks very much for your perspective.

GOLDFARB: My pleasure.

BLITZER: Thank you very much.

And we're awaiting a judge's ruling in a frightening case for a group of school children in Ohio. Their bus driver faces a misdemeanor charge in connection with an accident late last month. The accident caught on this surveillance tape released by police. Shocking! Investigators say the bus ran off the road and tipped over. Clearly, no seat belts on this bus for the young kids. No serious injuries, thank God, were reported. But this videotape is simply frightening, clearly evidence there should be seat belts on these school buses. Anyone watching this videotape is, obviously, going to agree with that.

A new twist. Did Princess Diana predict her own death? A new note surfacing, reportedly detailing fears about a plot to kill her. We're live from London. That's coming up.

Also, he's a huge star both on screen and on. What are Robert Duvall's hottest projects? I'll talk with him live this hour.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines "Around the World."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): A Russian capsule is now docked with the international space station, doubling its population. One Russian and one American astronaut are each replacing a counterpart for a six- month mission. A Spanish astronaut is along for the ride and will return to Earth with the old crew next week.

Hundreds of Missionaries of Charity nuns had a special audience with the pope, one day after he beatified their late superior, Mother Teresa. Three hundred thousand people attended yesterday's ceremony at the Vatican.

At least two people are dead after heavy rain triggered weekend floods in British Columbia. Hundreds of people were evacuated and supplies are being flown into one town that's been cut off.

Tobacco strike in France. Some vendors are refusing to sell cigarettes today in protest of a 20 percent tax hike they say will put them out of business. An estimated three quarters of the companies toboconists took part.

The house recycling built. A Brazilian bar owner set out to keep a local beach clean and set an example. After a few years, he had collected 10,000 plastic bottles. He used them to build this house and another is in the works.

And in Tokyo, it's the annual log-riding showcase. The roots of the event date back 400 years, to the days when Japanese timber was transported by water. This is the festival's 51st year.

And that's our look "Around the World."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of the courthouse in Eagle, Colorado. A decision on the Kobe Bryant case, whether the sexual assault case will go to trial expected momentarily. We're waiting to hear from the judge. That's coming up. Gary Tuchman on the scene for us. Meanwhile, in London, a startling story is reigniting the conspiracy theory that is swirled around the death of Princess Diana. Six years after Diana was killed in a Paris car crash, there's word she may have predicted her own death in a letter to her former butler. CNN's senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers is keeping track of this intriguing story. He's joining us now live from London -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. Intriguing and bizarre. Six years after her death, eve from the grave, Lady Diana is able to make front-page head lines here. It's almost as if she's still alive. Pretty spooky stuff.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS (voice-over): When Lady Diana was killed in Paris six years ago, investigators blamed her driver claiming he was drunk and driving too fast, concluding it was an accident. Now, a previously unknown letter emerges in which Diana alleges there was a plot to kill her in a car accident so Prince Charles could marry again. The letter was written on Kensington letterhead in which experts agree is her handwriting 10 months before she died. The blacked out portion purportedly names the alleged conspirator. For legal reason, Peirs Morgan, editor of the "Daily Mirror" would not print the name.

PIERS MORGAN, EDITOR DAILY MIRROR: I think it is fuel to the fire to every conspiracy theory in the world on a story that has attracted more than any since JFK's assassination. This massively was exacerbate when she hooked up with Dodi Fayed. Because the she is threatening according to all the reports at the time, to marry a Muslims, which has enormous constitutional issues really for the British royal family.

RODGERS: Paul Burrell was the recipient of the letters. He has written a book that threatens to be a royal block buster. A former palace spokesman says her letters are genuine, real. The conspiracy he say is not.

DICKIE ARBITER, ROYAL COMMENTATOR: Hollywood wouldn't have written this. Yes, it does have all the hallmarks of a classic murder mystery. But I go back to what I've said time and time again. There is no question of murder. There is no question of conspiracy. It just didn't happen. It was an accident.

MORGAN: I don't want to fuel personally the fire of conspiracy. We don't think it is easy to arrange car crashes if you are an MI-5 or MI-6. You've been watching too many James Bond movies. These guys are trained to do secret covert operations of the very nature around the world. And is it feasible that they murdered Diana?

I would hope it isn't.

RODGERS: Six years later, Prince Charles spokesman says there will be a British inquest into the death of Diana. Meanwhile, the "Daily Mirror" is promising exclusives on Diana all week.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RODGERS: Immediately after the release of the newspaper, the "Daily Mirror" conducted a poll of British respondents. 87 percent say they no longer think her death was an accident. So, I asked one royal watchers, how much worse things can get for palace. He responded, somewhat sheepishly, 13 percent -- Wolf.

BLITZER: I suspect Walter, you're going to be on this story for a while. Walter Rodgers with latest from London. Thanks, Walter, very much.

And a big screen legend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll look after him and take care of him and feed him. I never had a pet of my very own.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So kid you want to take care of it, nurse it back to health? Good, then we shoot it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Still playing the tough guy, the actor, Robert Duvall, on his new movie, "Secondhand Lions" and his charitable work off-set. He's here live. He'll join me next.

Plus, carrying the cape, my own acting debut, a laugh at my expense. You'll want to see this as well.

First, though, a few stories you may have missed this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Boat moved to Brooklyn. The ferry that crashed into a dock on Staten Island last week, killing 10 people, was moved Saturday to the Brooklyn Naval Yard. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation.

Out of the box. American illusionist David Blaine is recovering from a record-setting stunt in London. He spent 44 days dangling in a plastic cubicle without food. After wrapping up his endurance stunt last night, Blaine said the ordeal taught him the importance of having a sense of humor. He was often taunted by on lookers during the ordeal. Blaine weighs 50 pounds less than when he started the stunt.

Row boat to Barbados. 16 row boats set off yesterday on a 2,900 mile race across the Atlantic. The event got under way in the Canary Islands and will end up in Barbados. Each boat has a two-person team.

Powered by the sun. A race of a different sort is under way in the Australian desert. 22 solar cars are taking part. The 7th World Solar Challenge is billed as the ultimate test of technology and endurance. Back to square one. The New York Yankees beat the Florida Marlins 6-1 last night in game two of the World Series. The Yankees win evens the series. The Marlins won the opener, 3-2. And that's our "Weekend Snapshot."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): Earlier, we asked, in which movie did Robert Duvall win his only Academy Award? The answer, "Tender Mercies." In 1983, Duvall won the best actor award for his portrayal of a former country singer. He's been nominated five other times in the lead and supporting actor categories.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CAINE, ACTOR: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

DUVALL: Yeah.

CAINE: An airplane?

DUVALL: Yeah, always wanted one.

CAINE: You always said you'd never set foot in an airplane. Don't trust them, they fool around at the start.

DUVALL: They're dangerous, all right, plenty dangerous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got a book of instructions or something?

DUVALL: Right here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: That's a clip from "Secondhand Lions," the new film starring one of Hollywood's legendary lions, Robert Duvall. Known as an actor for films like "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now," he's also a filmmaker, winning critical acclaim for "The Apostle. " Another passion is the tango. Duvall and partner Luciana Pedraza have danced at the White House. They're also involved in charity work for children.

Joining us now is Robert Duvall and Luciana Pedraza. Thanks to both of you for joining us.

DUVALL: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Robert Duvall, first of all, congratulations on this new film. Give us the gist. Why is this such a powerful movie for you?

DUVALL: Well, it's a nice film in that it's for everybody, the family, for young children. You can take young children because it's really PG. It's about two old guys that help raise a great nephew. You know, guys that are retired and he brings new life to their -- new blood to their life. It is just a lovely, warm film that anybody can see, grandmothers, children, whatever.

BLITZER: And so you are passionate about this movie?

DUVALL: Yeah. Yeah. I like all my films to a point. Some are better than others, obviously.

BLITZER: Well, there's 75 or so. You have been in some 75 films.

DUVALL: Eighty-five.

BLITZER: Eighty-five? But who's counting at this point.

DUVALL: Right, yeah.

BLITZER: Tell us about some of the other projects. You are working on another project here in the Washington area right now.

DUVALL: You mean with our charity?

BLITZER: With your tango.

DUVALL: Oh, yeah...

BLITZER: A lot of people don't understand, and I want to have Luciana explain it, the passion you have for the tango. Luciana, why don't you tell our viewers.

LUCIANA PEDRAZA, TANGO AT TWILIGHT: It's just no explanation, it's the whole day (ph) obsession.

BLITZER: Why the tango?

PEDRAZA: For Bobby? I don't know. I think Argentina is a very special country for Bobby. It's like if you go down there and you go to a coffee shop, and you know, he feels like he has a family in a very indirect way. You know, you go to a coffee shop and, you know, the waitress (UNINTELLIGIBLE) coffee and chat. And the time goes -- it's a nice hobby for Bobby. He used to ride horses, play tennis. And he always wants to be the best.

BLITZER: I want to just tell our viewers, this video that we're seeing, that's when you danced at the White House, the tango. Why you -- you look a little antsy about that.

DUVALL: It didn't go well. Bad night.

BLITZER: What do you mean? It looks great.

DUVALL: No, didn't go well.

BLITZER: You don't think that this is a beautiful tango? DUVALL: No. We can do a lot better. But it was an interesting evening. I was between Clinton on one hand and Menem on the other, and I won't say any more than that. Two similar guys.

BLITZER: Carlos Menem, the former leader of Argentina.

DUVALL: Right, right.

BLITZER: I understand what you're saying. But let's talk a little bit about how you use the tango to help young kids.

DUVALL: Well, we're having -- this is our fourth year. You know, we're having a special event at my farm. Charity to raise money...

BLITZER: Out here in the Washington area?

DUVALL: Yes. In The Plains, Virginia, to raise money for children in northern Argentina, in conjunction with Wolftrap. And you know, it's an evening that -- I brought Carlos Capello (ph), one of the better tango dancers, a friend of mine from Argentina, to help lead the evening.

BLITZER: Is he better than you at the tango?

DUVALL: Oh, much better. Yeah. Well, he spends his life at it.

BLITZER: You know, you are politically active.

DUVALL: No, no, I'm not really.

BLITZER: But you follow politics. You are passionate about politics.

DUVALL: I have opinions.

BLITZER: How would you describe yourself on the political scale? Conservative, liberal, Democrat, Republican?

DUVALL: I'm not a Hollywood liberal, and I never will be.

BLITZER: You are more of a conservative Republican?

DUVALL: Well, middle of the road. Middle of the road.

BLITZER: Were you happy with Arnold Schwarzenegger's election?

DUVALL: Why not? Why not? They can only go up out there. The guy is very good. Look, the way I see it, he has obsessions. He was -- bodybuilding he had an obsession. Then he put his obsession into his acting. And now he'll transfer that into his work, and under the proper tutelage, I think he'll do a good job.

BLITZER: So you're encouraged about that.

DUVALL: New blood. Why not? BLITZER: What about you?

DUVALL: Never.

BLITZER: Why?

DUVALL: Never.

BLITZER: You shouldn't say never.

DUVALL: Never, I would never run for politics.

BLITZER: But you love politics.

DUVALL: So many actors, they embarrass me when they speak about it. It is very embarrassing when I hear it. So I...

BLITZER: Ronald Reagan made the turn.

DUVALL: Yeah, that's true. And I tend to want to keep my opinions to myself unless asked. I love Dennis Miller, though. I love that guy. I love that guy.

BLITZER: Everybody loves Dennis Miller.

DUVALL: I would have thought he would have been the other way but all of a sudden, he opened his mouth, and some of the stuff that comes out of it is -- I love him myself.

BLITZER: Our viewers have been watching Robert Duvall for a long time. They love him. What don't they know about this actor that you want to share with them right now?

PEDRAZA: He loves to eat. He loves food. World travel.

BLITZER: So far he sounds like me.

PEDRAZA: Really?

DUVALL: I like the meat better here than Argentina.

BLITZER: You do?

DUVALL: Absolutely.

BLITZER: They got good steak down there.

DUVALL: Better steak here.

BLITZER: Better steak...

DUVALL: For me.

BLITZER: Like in Iowa or some place like that.

DUVALL: Iowa, yeah, and also in New York, there's a -- Labells (ph) is a great butcher shop there. Also in Kansas City they have great beef. But there is terrific food in Argentina. Better pizza in Argentina for me than New York.

PEDRAZA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). If he's not working on a film, he will take a nap before he gets up.

BLITZER: All right, we have to leave it right there. You guys are great. Luciana, Robert Duvall. Thank you so much. Thanks, Luciana.

PEDRAZA: Thank you.

BLITZER: The results of our hot Web question of the day. That's coming up next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: What do Rudy Giuliani, Whoopi Goldberg, Ted Koppel, Kareem Abdul-Jabar and now me have it all in common? If you watched "The Late Snow With David Letterman," you'd know. We have all appeared on the program now as Paul Shaffer's cape holders. I had that honor Friday night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST: Nice job. Thank you very much. There he is, yeah.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Brilliant acting by me. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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Represent Himself; Blair Sent to Hospital With Irregular Heartbeat>