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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Blood tested in Sjodin case matches DNA; Opposing camps spin stories on Michael Jackson case

Aired December 09, 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: Happening now horrible news, blood and a knife found in the suspect's car, not just any blood. DNA now shows it's that of a missing 22-year-old North Dakota student.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Grim finds in Grand Forks what authorities now say about the fate of a missing student.

Under attack, suicide bombers strike U.S. bases.

Unexpected ally...

AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We need to remake the Democratic Party. We need to remake America.

BLITZER: Could Gore's backing boomerang?

Facing a lawsuit...

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I've never had any complaints filed against me let alone complaints made (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

BLITZER: One-on-one with Governor Schwarzenegger.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, December 09, 2003.

BLITZER: We begin with heartbreaking developments in a case that's gripped America's emotions. The sheriff in Grand Forks, North Dakota says it looks like there's now no chance they're going to find 22-year-old Dru Sjodin alive. His assessment came in the wake of some grim new evidence.

CNN's Mike Brooks is following all of these developments for us. He's joining us now live with the latest - Mike.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Wolf. As weather conditions worsen in North Dakota, the National Guard will be brought in to assist law enforcement in the search for Dru Sjodin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there's anything here that says that she's not alive.

BROOKS (voice-over): A private investigator working for the family tried to be optimistic but as the search continues for Dru Sjodin authorities admit it's beginning to look more like a recovery mission than a rescue effort.

Two and a half weeks after the 22-year-old college student disappeared authorities say a shoe found along the Red Lake River near Crookston has been identified as Sjodin's.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was somewhat under the bridge, probably two to three feet under the bridge. It could have been tossed. It could have bounced under there.

BROOKS: According to a police affidavit filed in support of the arrest warrant, preliminary tests show a match between Sjodin's DNA and blood found in her accused kidnapper's car inside the right passenger side window and in the rear seat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The blood did come back. It was a DNA match with Dru from the DNA taken from Dru's toothbrush.

BROOKS: They also say a knife found in the trunk of the kidnapper's car matches a sheath found outside the shopping center where Sjodin was last seen. The suspect, Alfonso Rodriguez, Jr., remains in jail awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for February 4. Authorities say he is no longer talking with investigators.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKS: Investigators first interviewed Rodriguez on November 26 at which time he consented to a search of his vehicle. The next day investigators obtained a search warrant and seized Rodriguez' car. It was then taken to a forensics lab where the blood evidence and knife were recovered by police - Wolf.

BLITZER: Mike Brooks with that. Thanks Mike very much for that report.

Let's get some more now on Dru Sjodin. Sergeant Mike Hedlund of the Grand Forks Police Department is joining us now live from North Dakota.

Sergeant thanks very much for joining us. Is it as grim as it appears?

SGT. MIKE HEDLUND, GRAND FORKS POLICE: I don't like to agree with I guess necessarily with painting that grim of a picture. I'm trying to remain as optimistic as possible. Until we locate Dru, we're going to continue on focusing on our mission and that's to find Dru and to locate her and to bring her back home.

BLITZER: But you can confirm that the blood that was found in the car, at least the preliminary DNA test says that it does match Dru Sjodin's DNA?

HEDLUND: I'm sorry but unfortunately our department at this point in time is still not making, commenting on any specifics regarding the evidence so I can't really comment on that at this point in time. I'm sorry.

BLITZER: Are you getting any cooperation whatsoever from the suspect?

HEDLUND: The last I'd heard was several days ago and to the best of my knowledge we're not having any further conversations with Mr. Rodriguez.

Obviously we're still hoping that those channels of communication will reopen and that we will still get some assistance from him but at this point in time we're continuing with our investigation as best we can and carrying on search efforts as you referred to earlier.

National Guard and various other law enforcement assistance will be coming into the area this weekend and working with the authorities on both the Minnesota side and the North Dakota side as we continue the searches.

BLITZER: Is the National Guard being brought in because of the manpower, the additional people who can help in the search or do they have some highly sophisticated equipment that might be useful in the search?

HEDLUND: Both to some degree. They certainly have equipment and clothing that allows them to handle the weather that we're experiencing. The temperatures have dropped significantly in recent days.

Throughout the course of the search we've actually been relatively lucky with the weather as far as this part of Minnesota and North Dakota is concerned. It's been certainly as warm or warmer than normal. While it's still been very cold it has not been bad.

In the coming days we have some extremely cold temperatures coming on and that's certainly something that needs to be dealt with and you have to have people out there that are going to be equipped to handle those temperatures and the extreme conditions that they're going to have to deal with.

BLITZER: At what point, sergeant, do you just simply give up hope that you'll find, God forbid, a body?

HEDLUND: I guess until that day occurs I'm not going to give up hope. We're going to hang on to every last shred of hope we can and every faith that we have that we may still be able to find Dru and we want to bring her home and get her back to her family.

BLITZER: Have you had a chance to speak with her family? How are they doing?

HEDLUND: I haven't had a chance to speak to them. I've been out of town unfortunately for the last couple days. The last I spoke to the family they were doing very well under the circumstances.

As you can imagine this is a tragic situation and you wouldn't wish it on anyone. Under the circumstances I think they're doing very well and I'm extremely impressed with this family.

BLITZER: Sergeant Hedlund thanks very much for joining us. Good luck to you. Good luck to all the men and women searching for Dru and good luck to the family as well. Thank you very much.

HEDLUND: Thank you.

BLITZER: Now to another important story, a political bombshell that we first reported on yesterday at this time. The former Vice President Al Gore made his stunning decision official earlier today endorsing Howard Dean for president saying the insurgent Democratic candidate is the man who can beat President Bush next year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is an extraordinary honor for me to be standing on the stage with someone who I have admired greatly.

BLITZER (voice-over): A political earthquake and Howard Dean emerges from the rubble with a prize.

GORE: We need to remake the Democratic Party. We need to remake America. We need to take it back on behalf of the people of this country. So, I'm very proud and honored to endorse Howard Dean to be the next president of the United States of America.

BLITZER: But right now the Democratic establishment may be wondering just what hit it. The other Democratic candidates certainly are, including the man who ran with Gore in 2000.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I was surprised but I am more determined than ever to continue to fight for what's right for my party and my country.

BLITZER: Senator Joe Lieberman says Al Gore did not call him beforehand to let him know about the Dean endorsement.

PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": You know, Al Gore is a surprisingly decent guy. I like him a lot but this was an indecent act. He, at one point he picked up the phone and he called Joe Lieberman three years ago and he said, you know Joe, I think I'm going to be the president and if, God forbid anything happens to me, I want you to run the country because you're the best person in America. He could have called Howard Dean. BLITZER: And now how will the party change? Gore's endorsement of one of the more left leaning candidates, a man who's anti-war position has already split him off from more centrist Democrats, has some concerned about a party riff that may not be healed in time for the General Election, a concern quickly dismissed by a jubilant Dean campaign.

STEVE MCMAHON, DEAN CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST: We think at the end of the day it's going to be a united Democratic Party which we're looking forward to behind a guy, Howard Dean, who can beat George Bush.

BLITZER: As he swings through Iowa with his new best friend, it does seem now that Dean has it all, a Democratic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at his side, more money raised than his party competitors, momentum heading into Iowa and New Hampshire next month but the hardest question still lingers is he really the Democrats best hope to defeat the Bush machine?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: There's one big secret to Howard Dean's success. Liberals feel bullied. They feel bullied by the right. Howard Dean stepped forward and said I'm going to punch the bullies in the nose and a lot of Democrats are saying hooray for you and they're following him. That's a real issue.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Gore's endorsement of Dean raises several other intriguing questions. Will it divide the Democratic Party between liberals and middle-of-the-roaders?

Will it alienate Dean's grass root supporters? Is it just the latest example of the struggle for party control between Gore and Bill Clinton?

Joining us now from New York with some special insight on these and other questions our Senior Analyst Jeff Greenfield, let's go through some of these issues. First of all dividing the Democratic Party is that going to happen now?

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. ANALYST: The party has been divided for the better part of the last 35 years, ever since the Vietnam War split the party. One of the wisest and longest serving members of Congress told me just in a passing chat, almost a year ago that he thought Howard Dean was going to be far stronger than he was being given credit for by people like you and me because of that split that he was the only one appealing to the wing of the party that had reflexively recoiled against the use of force after Vietnam.

So, I think what we're seeing played out here is nothing new. The question is whether or not the Howard Dean candidacy, should it succeed, is going to result in a split party or a healed party. My own feeling is that the desperate desire on the part of Democrats to beat George Bush is going to be much stronger than the underlying division about war and peace and force.

BLITZER: So you don't accept the notion that Gore's endorsement could alienate some of those grassroots Dean supporters who might not like the Democratic establishment?

GREENFIELD: No. I was reading, I spent some time last night reading really dozens and dozens of comments from the self-described Deaniacs on Howard Dean's Web site. I found a sort of web party going on, a celebration that this meant more likely that Dean would be the nominee and, one, as of about two o'clock in the morning, one post from a Dean supporter saying, gee isn't he awfully establishment?

I think this campaign is not a campaign about purity. I think they want to win and I think they see Gore as coming over to them rather than Howard Dean. After all, Howard Dean didn't make any accommodation to Al Gore except to call him apparently and to stay in touch with him more than the other candidates.

BLITZER: What does this endorsement by Gore of Dean say about Gore's relationship, if anything, with Bill Clinton?

GREENFIELD: You know I've been hearing this really now for the last 24 hours and I have to tell you, Wolf, I'm going to leave that to other journalists. I've heard these theories that this is the first shot of the Hillary-Al Gore fight for 2008. Maybe it's about 2020 with Karenna and Chelsey. I don't know.

But it seems to me you can sort of make an argument, particularly given Hillary Clinton's more, I don't know if the word hawkish is right, but certainly she has been sounding a note of saying yes I voted for the use of force. I'm glad I did. We have to stay. We have to expand that effort. Osama bin Laden was a bad guy and the anti-war sentiments of Dean that Gore has been endorsing really for months.

But whether or not we ought to concentrate on some future battle, hypothetical, or some Clinton-Gore rift, I think it is a much more significant factor in terms of what we're actually going to face.

Wolf, I know that you've been at this for a very long time. So have I. It never fails to amaze me how reporters can leap past an election that hasn't happened yet. Nobody has voted in 2004 and they're starting (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 2008. I don't have the energy for that.

BLITZER: All right. That's fair enough. A final question practically, in practical terms and let's forget about 2008, let's take a look January, 2004 a few weeks from now. The Gore endorsement how will that translate into votes in Iowa and New Hampshire if at all?

GREENFIELD: Well, I think in Iowa it makes a difference. I mean Iowa is a caucus state. The people who vote and it's a relative handful compared to primaries are activists. They tend to be disproportionately union members and Gore was only the second Democratic nominee to receive a pre-primary endorsement from the AFL- CIO.

It seems to me it undercuts Gephardt's claim to be the candidate of the older industrial unions, at least a little bit, and so let's call this the chicken soup of the Gore campaign in Iowa. It sure couldn't hurt and it probably will help.

BLITZER: All right, Jeff Greenfield thanks very much for that. We'll be talking a lot in the coming weeks and months.

And to our viewers here's your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our web question of the day is this. "Do campaign endorsements influence your vote"? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in 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. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Now news coming into CNN late this afternoon, the former United States Senator Paul Simon has died today at the age of 75. The Illinois Democrat's death comes one day after he underwent heart surgery.

Simon, known for his bow ties, among other things, was elected to the United States Senate in 1984. In 1988 he sought the Democratic nomination for president. He retired from the U.S. Congress in 1997.

Highway horror, why authorities in Ohio now say a string of shootings is even more widespread.

Attack at the gate, why this was a day of suicide bombings in Iraq.

And this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've lived in America Louis (ph). I don't have to love it. You do that. Everybody's got to love something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: An angelic adaptation, a new HBO series has critics and audiences alike in heaven. I'll speak with one of the stars, first though our News Quiz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): What's the most expensive television miniseries ever made, "From Earth to Moon," "The Winds of War," "Band of Brothers," "Roots," the answer later in the show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Overturned ship, three people missing in the cold waters of the Hudson River, more on this developing story. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: New concerns are surfacing right now about the child molestation charges against pop star Michael Jackson.

CNN's Charles Feldman has the latest developments. He's joining us live from Los Angeles - Charles.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it all began this morning when the Smoking Gun Web site posted a memo from the Department of Children and Family Services in L.A. and it described an investigation that that department conducted last February into allegations that Michael Jackson may have molested a young boy, the same boy at the heart of this case now ongoing involving the entertainer.

Now in that report, the memo of which was confirmed as authentic by CNN, the investigators found that allegations of sexual abuse against Michael Jackson were unfounded. They interviewed the mother. They interviewed the child. The mother and the child told investigators at that time, and that's very critical, at that time that Michael Jackson did not molest the child that, in fact, he was like a father figure to the child.

Now here's where it gets complicated. Just minutes ago the Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office, that's the office prosecuting Michael Jackson, released a statement of its own saying, guess what, we knew about this back in February. We knew about it at the time we got from a judge both a search warrant and an arrest warrant for Michael Jackson.

And, sources tell CNN that the reason that the prosecutor isn't all that concerned is because at least some, some of the alleged acts of molestation by Michael Jackson occurred after the time of this investigation by county officials.

So, what we're left with, Wolf, is a kind of spin factor going on by all the parties concerned and part of the problem stems from the fact that in California, unlike many other states, there is a very long lag time between the time somebody has been booked, as is the case with Michael Jackson, and somebody is charged with a crime. Michael Jackson has not yet been charged.

So, none of us, none of us really know exactly what the charges and what the specifics of the charges by the DA against Mr. Jackson will be and because of that, Wolf, it makes things like this almost inevitable.

You have one memo that comes out that seems to clear Michael Jackson. His camp, of course, today said this is vindication that Michael Jackson didn't do anything wrong. Then the other camp comes out and says, nope, we've discounted that. It has nothing to do with this case and we're still confident and I think this is going to go back and forth much like this until actual charges are filed and we know exactly what they are -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman with the latest on a complicated story. Thanks very much, Charles, for joining us from L.A.

New clues in the string of shooting on an Ohio highway, are the shootings more widespread than authorities originally thought?

And he now sits in the governor's seat but can he lead California effectively despite allegations of sexual harassment? Our Judy Woodruff sits down with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And Ozzy Osbourne's family is at his side as the singer recovers from broken bones in his neck and chest. We'll tell you what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Another shooting is now linked to the string of shootings along a busy highway in Ohio.

CNN's Martin Savidge is on the phone. He's joining us from Columbus with the latest information. What do you have, Marty?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, Wolf, the number of shootings now connected to the I-270 shooting spree has jumped by one. It is now 15 according to investigators here.

This latest incident is really not a new shooting. It actually occurred on November 15, ten days before the fatal shot was fired on Gail Knisley as she rode as a passenger on I-270 and this particular shot that's been added was actually fired into a used car lot and hit a vehicle there.

Now the owners of that used car lot reported it to police. At that time, police just thought it was vandalism, didn't think much of it. After the death of Gail Knisley they began reviewing all cases in which there had been bullet holes. They were able to retrieve that bullet and found that ballistically it matched. It came from the same gun that was used to kill Gail Knisley.

Now this used car lot is located very near I-270, which is where these shootings have been taking place. What does it tell investigators? Frankly, not a whole heck of a lot really; however, what it also says to them is that the shooter has been active in the area prior to the death of Gail Knisley.

On a related front, they've had over 1,500 phone tips. As a result of that, they say they are questioning people. A number of people they've talked to they have now ruled out. Others they continue to talk to.

And lastly, this morning an incident on High Street in Columbus, again near I-270 southwest of the city, a woman driving in a car says a tan vehicle pulled up next to her. The man inside pulls out a gun, points it at her. No shots are fired. The car drives off.

Police right now have been given a description of that vehicle. They're looking for it. They cannot say at this point if it's related to their investigation - Wolf. BLITZER: What an awful situation in Columbus, Ohio. Thanks Martin Savidge for that report. He'll continue to monitor developments for us.

Suicide bombers strike and U.S. forces in Iraq are again targets for terror. Are the insurgents unstoppable?

Sued for sneer, what the governor of California says in response. Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to our Judy Woodruff.

Lost in frigid water, three people missing as a ship capsizes in the Hudson River, more on the desperate search and this developing story. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Severe outbreak, a search for more flu vaccine and new warnings from the CDC, information you need to know right now about the flu virus. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN.

Bombings at two United States bases in Iraq, several American soldiers injured. We'll go live to Baghdad.

Right now first though a quick check of the latest headlines.

A change in tone at the White House where President Bush met today with China's premiere. Mr. Bush says he opposes any change in the status quo between China and Taiwan. The island is planning a referendum seen as an indirect step toward independence. Two years ago, the president vowed to defend Taiwan against China.

Federal health officials say they're actively searching for more flu vaccine in Europe. The two U.S. manufacturers reported last week they're out. This year's flu season is expected to be worse than normal. Widespread outbreaks are already reported and the peak of the season is still weeks away.

It was just like the good old days on Wall Street but only briefly as the Dow Jones industrial average broke the 10,000 barrier. It was the first time since May of last year but the celebration was short-lived. The index retreated after only about a minute and ended the down -- down about 42 points.

And Democrats face another potential high profile loss in California. San Franciscans are voting in a runoff election for a new mayor today. Some polls show Green Party candidate Matt Gonzalez tied with Democrat Gavin Newsom. A Gonzalez win would be the Green's biggest municipal victory ever here in the United States.

In Iraq today, U.S. troops were targeted on their own doorsteps. Suicide bombers struck at a pair of army bases. Dozens of soldiers were hurt but it could have been far worse. Let's go live to Baghdad. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is standing by -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it could have been worse because in the first attack, the suicide bomber was driving, didn't get into the base and in the second attack, the two soldiers on guard duty who could have been injured by the suicide bomber didn't respond to his situation when he played ill and then let off his suicide bomb so the troops actually getting off a bit lighter but the first attack came just before dawn.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): With daylight, Iraq is gathering around the scene of the attack. Wreckage caused by the predawn suicide bomber who tried to drive his explosive-laden car into the U.S. base, still littering the entrance to the camp.

COL. MIKE LINNINGTON: The soldiers hit the vehicle several times, we believe, causing the driver to prematurely detonate the vehicle bomb outside of the wall where the first battalion 187th Infantry attack was located.

ROBERTSON: At the gate, troops back on guard duty as the 31 hurt in the blast receiving treatment. None of the injuries life-threatening with eight Medivaced for better care.

Two U.S. soldiers also injured in a suicide attack at another U.S. base. The attacker there approached on foot before detonating his bomb. Just to the west of Baghdad, another apparent attack on U.S. troops. Coalition officials report investigating small arms fire before this small OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing before bursting into flames. Both aviators survived.

A month ago in the same area however, 16 U.S. soldiers were killed when their large transport Chinook helicopter was shot down. In Baghdad, three Iraqis were killed and several more wounded in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a mosque in the north of the city. So far, no claim of responsibility for such a rare deadly attack on a mosque. Likely troubling for people here that religious buildings are now the subject of such violent assault.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: And for the coalition, this day indicative of the problems they face on the one hand arresting Iraqis, picking up weapons caches in some areas where on the other hand, after an absence of suicide attacks against U.S. bases for over a month, having two attacks in one day, apparently a tactically agile enemy that is capable of withstanding some of the gains that the coalition is making against it -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic Robertson with the latest in Baghdad. Nic, thanks very much. U.S. troops carried out predawn raids in Saddam Hussein's hometown. The Army says several suspects were arrested in Tikrit including alleged bomb makers. Weapons were also seized including rifles and equipment used by snipers. The area has been the center of guerrilla activity.

Up to 1,000 Japanese troops could soon be headed to Iraq. The government approved the deployment in a special cabinet meeting today. Although the humanitarian mission will involve rebuilding schools and providing medical care, the troops will be equipped with grenade launchers and other self-defense weapons. The controversial deployment will be Japan's largest overseas military mission since the end of World War II.

U.S. defenses managed to blunt the impact of those suicide bombers earlier today and troops have been going on the offensive lately. Are they, though, getting better at what they're doing? Can the Iraqis start doing the job themselves? Jeffrey Beatty is the president of TotalSecurity.US, the only man to have served with the Delta Force, the FBI, and the CIA. He's joining us now live from Washington. First question, Jeff, can -- are the U.S. troops getting better at their job?

JEFFREY BEATTY, SECURITY CONSULTANT: Wolf, I believe they are. As Nic Robertson's package highlighted, I would characterize these two suicide attacks as failures. Obviously, the Americans in the first car bomb attack saw it for what it was. It was a car bomb trying to penetrate the perimeter. They took the appropriate action and the injuries that resulted from this attack were very, very light. I would regard that as a failure and I would think that since the terrorists and the insurgents have learned from previous operations, we will see a morphing of their tactics.

Similarly, on the attempt with the individual who feigned illness to come up upon a perimeter a little further south. He again was prevented from doing the damage that, at the beginning of these operations, had been inflicted. So I definitely see a learning curve that is in the Americans' favor.

BLITZER: Do you believe the U.S. troops need thousands of additional reinforcements to come in and help out in specialized areas?

BEATTY: You know, that was -- that question is kind of a little bit above my pay grade, Wolf. It would be difficult for me to comment on how many thousands of troops would be appropriate to be there. I believe that we're probably getting good feedback from the people on the ground because we are seeing improvement in individual engagements where our people are prevailing. We are also seeing a reduced number of engagements. I believe the number now is down to about an average of about 20 versus 40 a month ago. Is it enough? That more a political question, I think, a little beyond my pay grade than a pair of military or tactical localized questions.

BLITZER: At what point do you believe the Iraqis themselves, the friendly Iraqis will be able to secure their own country without so much help from the United States?

BEATTY: Well, I think that this is an interesting development that we're seeing right now. That we're going to the -- and I don't know what the word is going to end up being, you know, Iraqisize or Iraqization of what's going to happen but clearly with the June 30 deadline coming up for Iraqi control back of things on a day-to-day basis within the country, that means that they have got to continue to shoulder an even greater burden both in the police force perspective and also maybe even some special operations-type units that will go out and target these insurgents so that they can, in fact, have some order in their country.

BLITZER: Jeffrey Beatty, thanks very much for joining us.

BEATTY: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Some Iraqi musicians will be tugging at heart strings. The story we'll be covering tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: From Baghdad to Washington, the Iraq national symphony orchestra is preparing for what is bound to be an emotional concert here tonight at the Kennedy Center, their first overseas concert in 11 years. I'm Andrea Koppel, tomorrow on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, an inside look at this historic performance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Andrea.

The cameras rolled as a packed Rhode Island nightclub burned to the ground. Now the case moves to the courtroom. Find out who's facing 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Plus, political and personal problems plague California's new governor. You'll hear directly from Arnold Schwarzenegger. That's coming up next.

And a ship capsizes in New York. We'll take you live to the scene. You are looking at live pictures right now of this developing story.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Moscow suicide attack. A female suicide bomber blew herself up outside the landmark national hotel near Red Square today, killing six people and wounding 13. The attack happened just before President Vladimir Putin spoke to regional leaders in the Kremlin. Mr. Putin condemned the bombing saying it was aimed at undermining Russian democracy.

China mine explosion. The death toll from a gas explosion in the coal mine in northern China rose to 20 today with the recovery of another body. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the blast on Sunday. Ozzy Osbourne's accident. Hospital officials in England say the heavy metal singer is in stable condition following an accident riding an all-terrain vehicle. The 55-year-old Osbourne underwent emergency surgery yesterday for several fractured bones including a vertebrae in his neck.

War dog hero. Buster, a British Army sniffer dog, received the United Kingdom's highest medal for bravery in combat for service in the Iraq war. The 5-year-old springer spaniel was honored for locating arms, explosives, and bomb-making equipment in southern Iraq in March.

Santas by the thousands. In fact, more than 3,500 people decked out in Santa outfits gathered in Taiwan's capital, breaking the Guinness Book of Records for the largest crowd of Santa's in the world. The event was staged by the Foundation of Children With Cancer to raise money for that organization.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Desperate moments in Albany, New York where a heavily loaded cargo ship has tipped over in the Hudson River. Three people are missing.

Let's go live to reporter Marci Natale with station WXXA. She's in Albany, she's joining us live.

Marcy, what's the latest?

MARCI NATALE, WXXA CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, there are three men trapped inside the cargo hull of the Stellamar (ph) (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cargo ship. As you can see behind me, the Stellamar is on its side and it is currently taking on water. The three men trapped inside, it is a rescue effort for them. There are divers inside the ship, firefighters, dive teams, as well as police and state police looking for these three men. The water, as you can imagine, is very cold making the rescue effort difficult. There were about nine or 10 other people taken to the hospital earlier today. They are all in fair condition.

Area hospitals. The most serious of those injuries consisted basically of a broken leg and head injuries. Just about five minutes ago, the captain of the ship was brought in to look inside the ship to help divers with a schematic to help them better find the three men trapped inside. Obviously, that is the main goal to find these three people. Now this ship is out of the Netherlands. They were loading turbines at the time when it capsized. The turbines were bound for Italy and Romania. And the ones for Italy rather were already on the ship and the ones for Romania were in the process of being loaded when there was some sort of load shift and that ship tipped over. But obviously, the main concern here is not finding the cause, but finding the people inside. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: And as we look at the ship that capsized, Marci, do we know why it tipped over?

NATALE: They don't know at this time why. And they really say they're not trying to even focus on the cause. They just want to find the people inside. They do know as I said, that it did tip over when the turbines were being loaded. The turbines that were in the process of being transported to Romania. There was some sort a load shift causing it to turn over.

BLITZER: All right, Marci Natale, of our affiliate WXXA in Albany, the state capitol of New York.

Marci, thanks very much for that. We'll continue to follow the story with you.

Moving on, topping our justice report. Indictments in February's deadly night club fire in Rhode Island. A grand jury today indicted the two owners of the club and the touring manager of the band who's pyrotechnic display started the fire. The charges, involuntary manslaughter. The blaze at a nightclub in West Warwick killed 100 people.

In Chesapeake, Virginia, more testimony in the murder trial of suspected sniper Lee Boyd Malvo. Prosecutors challenged a psychologist claim that Malvo was brainwashed by convicted sniper John Allen Mohammed. The defense say Malvo was indoctrinated by the older man and looked up to him. Malvo is on trail in the shooting death of FBI analyst, Linda Franklin.

Congressman Bill Janklow is preparing to resign after this manslaughter conviction. The South Dakota Republican plans to step down on January 20 the day he is scheduled to be sentenced. Late yesterday a jury found Janklow guilty of second-degree manslaughter in connection with an August collision that killed a motorcyclist. A special election to replace Janklow will be held in June.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has barely settled in as the new governor of California and he's already facing some big problems, both political and personal. He's struggling to reach compromise with state legislators on a $15 billion bond package aimed easing the budget crisis. On a personal front, he's still contending with sexual harassment allegations that is surfaced before the recall election.

CNN's Judy Woodruff sat down with the actor turned governor today in Sacramento and asked him if he thinks those claims may have been politically motivated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I'm not about to guess. I just know it is politically motivated, and some general complaints. I think, I cannot give you what the percentage is. Common sense would tell you that the whole thing was very odd how it all came about just before the election. But, at the same time, as I say, many times to anyone that I offended, I apologized. Because that was not the intention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The investigation was an independent investigation into sexual allegations promised by Schwarzenegger before the election. He told Judy that it's not necessary now because, in his words, the people have spoken.

Angels in America. A new mini series tackling a lot of difficult emotional issues and getting lots of attention. I'll speak live with one of the drama's talented actors Justin Kirk. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked, what's the most expensive television mini series ever made?

The answer, "Brand of Brothers." HBO's 10 part World War II mini series produced in 2000 by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, cost $125 million. It took nine months to shoot, had a cast of 500 actors, and used 10,000 extras.

Rave reviews and a huge audience for part one of HBO's ambitious adaptation of the award winning place, "Angels in America." Part one aired this past Sunday with part two coming this coming Sunday. Asked what it's all about, the star, Meryl Streep replies, "everything." Here is a look. And a note, HBO is owned by our parent company, Time Warner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP "ANGELS IN AMERICA")

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had great need of understanding our profit. His desire made prayer. His prayer made an angel. The angel was real. I believe that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't. I'm sorry. It's repellent to me, so much what you believe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you believe?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a homosexual with AIDS. I can just imagine what you...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No you can't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joining us from Los Angeles to talk about this mini series, Justin Kirk. He plays a Prior Walter the reluctant profit visited by an Emma Thompson's angel. It's really an amazing play, now amazing miniseries on HBO. But Justin, talk about why this is having such a profound impact on almost everyone who watches it. JUSTIN KIRK, ACTOR: I think it is just one of the great pieces of writing in recent time. We knew that when we were doing it that "Angels in America" was this wonderful thing, but I don't know if we did know how it was going to translate into a movie. And I think Mike Nichols has done an amazing job.

BLITZER: Because very often, even though this "Angel's in America" won four Tony's back in 1993 very often, as you well know, plays don't necessarily translate well into becoming a film, a miniseries. In this particular case why did it work this time?

KIRK: Well, it's funny. Although Tony Kushner, the playwright, the language is heightened, and is theatrical at times. We found out, now that we've made a movie, that it sounding like talking too, which works. Another thing about it that make it is conducive to Cinematic pursuits I think is along with personal scenes, there are huge scenes in Antarctica, Heaven, dream sequences. So, it gives you a chance to make it into a movie and go place that are different than when it's on the stage.

BLITZER: It's a film about gays and AIDS, but it's about a lot more than that. If you could explain to our viewers briefly why.

KIRK: Well, if I could do that, I would be a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. It is about a lot things. It has universal themes of love, and betrayal, and moving forward. I think that it's huge and epic and sort of extremely smart, but it's never difficult to understand. And I think that's why it's accessible to a large audience. At the same time that it's about a lot of dark, horrible human experiences, it's always funny. So, you know, I think that's -- it's entertaining.

BLITZER: We saw part one last Sunday. Part two coming up.

You want to give us little preview without giving anything away?

KIRK: Well, when you last saw us, an angel crashed through my bedroom ceiling. And I can tell you that it's going to get crazier from here. That's pretty much all I should give you. All the same characters are in it, and we go forward.

BLITZER: Justin Kirk, congratulations to you, the entire cast, all the people who worked on this really amazing miniseries. Thank you very much for joining us.

KIRK: Thank you, Wolf. Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: An incredible reunion. Two men drawn together in unspeakable circumstances as children are now brought together again. We'll have detail you want to see this.

And our hot "Web of the Question of the Day" is this, do campaign endorsements influence your vote. The result when is we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: In our "Picture of the Day," a heartfelt reunion in Los Angeles. Six days after he was rescued from the Holocaust, Michael Hartags (ph) was reunited with the man who saved him, Leon Shipper (ph). The two were being held at a detention camp in Brussels in 1942 waiting to be taken to Auschwitz. But a last minute order by the queen of Belgian sent Shipper to and orphanage. Before a truck arrived to pick him up, Shipper passed a room where Hartags was in a crib. He reached in and took the younger boy with him. Shipper now lives in Los Angeles. Hartags lives in Virginia. The reunion was arraigned by the Red Cross.

He's how you are weighing in on our "Question of the Day," do campaign endorsement influence your vote. Twenty-nine percent of you say, yes, 71 percent of you say, no. As always we remind you this is not a scientific poll.

Lets get to some of your e-mail.

Danielle, writes this "Go Gore. Go Dean. Gore's endorsement simply echoes the growing movement of all the disenchanted Americans with the current ineffectual administration. Americans should be grateful for Dean and now Gore's straight talk."

Charley, disagrees, "It will be more of a problem than help for Dean in the long run. Al Gore has the charisma of a bowling ball. We Democrats need a candidate who has both a natural flair with the general population and shows us the light at the end of the tunnel."

That's it for 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





spin stories on Michael Jackson case>


Aired December 9, 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: Happening now horrible news, blood and a knife found in the suspect's car, not just any blood. DNA now shows it's that of a missing 22-year-old North Dakota student.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Grim finds in Grand Forks what authorities now say about the fate of a missing student.

Under attack, suicide bombers strike U.S. bases.

Unexpected ally...

AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We need to remake the Democratic Party. We need to remake America.

BLITZER: Could Gore's backing boomerang?

Facing a lawsuit...

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I've never had any complaints filed against me let alone complaints made (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

BLITZER: One-on-one with Governor Schwarzenegger.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, December 09, 2003.

BLITZER: We begin with heartbreaking developments in a case that's gripped America's emotions. The sheriff in Grand Forks, North Dakota says it looks like there's now no chance they're going to find 22-year-old Dru Sjodin alive. His assessment came in the wake of some grim new evidence.

CNN's Mike Brooks is following all of these developments for us. He's joining us now live with the latest - Mike.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Wolf. As weather conditions worsen in North Dakota, the National Guard will be brought in to assist law enforcement in the search for Dru Sjodin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think there's anything here that says that she's not alive.

BROOKS (voice-over): A private investigator working for the family tried to be optimistic but as the search continues for Dru Sjodin authorities admit it's beginning to look more like a recovery mission than a rescue effort.

Two and a half weeks after the 22-year-old college student disappeared authorities say a shoe found along the Red Lake River near Crookston has been identified as Sjodin's.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was somewhat under the bridge, probably two to three feet under the bridge. It could have been tossed. It could have bounced under there.

BROOKS: According to a police affidavit filed in support of the arrest warrant, preliminary tests show a match between Sjodin's DNA and blood found in her accused kidnapper's car inside the right passenger side window and in the rear seat.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The blood did come back. It was a DNA match with Dru from the DNA taken from Dru's toothbrush.

BROOKS: They also say a knife found in the trunk of the kidnapper's car matches a sheath found outside the shopping center where Sjodin was last seen. The suspect, Alfonso Rodriguez, Jr., remains in jail awaiting a preliminary hearing scheduled for February 4. Authorities say he is no longer talking with investigators.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKS: Investigators first interviewed Rodriguez on November 26 at which time he consented to a search of his vehicle. The next day investigators obtained a search warrant and seized Rodriguez' car. It was then taken to a forensics lab where the blood evidence and knife were recovered by police - Wolf.

BLITZER: Mike Brooks with that. Thanks Mike very much for that report.

Let's get some more now on Dru Sjodin. Sergeant Mike Hedlund of the Grand Forks Police Department is joining us now live from North Dakota.

Sergeant thanks very much for joining us. Is it as grim as it appears?

SGT. MIKE HEDLUND, GRAND FORKS POLICE: I don't like to agree with I guess necessarily with painting that grim of a picture. I'm trying to remain as optimistic as possible. Until we locate Dru, we're going to continue on focusing on our mission and that's to find Dru and to locate her and to bring her back home.

BLITZER: But you can confirm that the blood that was found in the car, at least the preliminary DNA test says that it does match Dru Sjodin's DNA?

HEDLUND: I'm sorry but unfortunately our department at this point in time is still not making, commenting on any specifics regarding the evidence so I can't really comment on that at this point in time. I'm sorry.

BLITZER: Are you getting any cooperation whatsoever from the suspect?

HEDLUND: The last I'd heard was several days ago and to the best of my knowledge we're not having any further conversations with Mr. Rodriguez.

Obviously we're still hoping that those channels of communication will reopen and that we will still get some assistance from him but at this point in time we're continuing with our investigation as best we can and carrying on search efforts as you referred to earlier.

National Guard and various other law enforcement assistance will be coming into the area this weekend and working with the authorities on both the Minnesota side and the North Dakota side as we continue the searches.

BLITZER: Is the National Guard being brought in because of the manpower, the additional people who can help in the search or do they have some highly sophisticated equipment that might be useful in the search?

HEDLUND: Both to some degree. They certainly have equipment and clothing that allows them to handle the weather that we're experiencing. The temperatures have dropped significantly in recent days.

Throughout the course of the search we've actually been relatively lucky with the weather as far as this part of Minnesota and North Dakota is concerned. It's been certainly as warm or warmer than normal. While it's still been very cold it has not been bad.

In the coming days we have some extremely cold temperatures coming on and that's certainly something that needs to be dealt with and you have to have people out there that are going to be equipped to handle those temperatures and the extreme conditions that they're going to have to deal with.

BLITZER: At what point, sergeant, do you just simply give up hope that you'll find, God forbid, a body?

HEDLUND: I guess until that day occurs I'm not going to give up hope. We're going to hang on to every last shred of hope we can and every faith that we have that we may still be able to find Dru and we want to bring her home and get her back to her family.

BLITZER: Have you had a chance to speak with her family? How are they doing?

HEDLUND: I haven't had a chance to speak to them. I've been out of town unfortunately for the last couple days. The last I spoke to the family they were doing very well under the circumstances.

As you can imagine this is a tragic situation and you wouldn't wish it on anyone. Under the circumstances I think they're doing very well and I'm extremely impressed with this family.

BLITZER: Sergeant Hedlund thanks very much for joining us. Good luck to you. Good luck to all the men and women searching for Dru and good luck to the family as well. Thank you very much.

HEDLUND: Thank you.

BLITZER: Now to another important story, a political bombshell that we first reported on yesterday at this time. The former Vice President Al Gore made his stunning decision official earlier today endorsing Howard Dean for president saying the insurgent Democratic candidate is the man who can beat President Bush next year.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is an extraordinary honor for me to be standing on the stage with someone who I have admired greatly.

BLITZER (voice-over): A political earthquake and Howard Dean emerges from the rubble with a prize.

GORE: We need to remake the Democratic Party. We need to remake America. We need to take it back on behalf of the people of this country. So, I'm very proud and honored to endorse Howard Dean to be the next president of the United States of America.

BLITZER: But right now the Democratic establishment may be wondering just what hit it. The other Democratic candidates certainly are, including the man who ran with Gore in 2000.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I was surprised but I am more determined than ever to continue to fight for what's right for my party and my country.

BLITZER: Senator Joe Lieberman says Al Gore did not call him beforehand to let him know about the Dean endorsement.

PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": You know, Al Gore is a surprisingly decent guy. I like him a lot but this was an indecent act. He, at one point he picked up the phone and he called Joe Lieberman three years ago and he said, you know Joe, I think I'm going to be the president and if, God forbid anything happens to me, I want you to run the country because you're the best person in America. He could have called Howard Dean. BLITZER: And now how will the party change? Gore's endorsement of one of the more left leaning candidates, a man who's anti-war position has already split him off from more centrist Democrats, has some concerned about a party riff that may not be healed in time for the General Election, a concern quickly dismissed by a jubilant Dean campaign.

STEVE MCMAHON, DEAN CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST: We think at the end of the day it's going to be a united Democratic Party which we're looking forward to behind a guy, Howard Dean, who can beat George Bush.

BLITZER: As he swings through Iowa with his new best friend, it does seem now that Dean has it all, a Democratic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at his side, more money raised than his party competitors, momentum heading into Iowa and New Hampshire next month but the hardest question still lingers is he really the Democrats best hope to defeat the Bush machine?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: There's one big secret to Howard Dean's success. Liberals feel bullied. They feel bullied by the right. Howard Dean stepped forward and said I'm going to punch the bullies in the nose and a lot of Democrats are saying hooray for you and they're following him. That's a real issue.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Gore's endorsement of Dean raises several other intriguing questions. Will it divide the Democratic Party between liberals and middle-of-the-roaders?

Will it alienate Dean's grass root supporters? Is it just the latest example of the struggle for party control between Gore and Bill Clinton?

Joining us now from New York with some special insight on these and other questions our Senior Analyst Jeff Greenfield, let's go through some of these issues. First of all dividing the Democratic Party is that going to happen now?

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. ANALYST: The party has been divided for the better part of the last 35 years, ever since the Vietnam War split the party. One of the wisest and longest serving members of Congress told me just in a passing chat, almost a year ago that he thought Howard Dean was going to be far stronger than he was being given credit for by people like you and me because of that split that he was the only one appealing to the wing of the party that had reflexively recoiled against the use of force after Vietnam.

So, I think what we're seeing played out here is nothing new. The question is whether or not the Howard Dean candidacy, should it succeed, is going to result in a split party or a healed party. My own feeling is that the desperate desire on the part of Democrats to beat George Bush is going to be much stronger than the underlying division about war and peace and force.

BLITZER: So you don't accept the notion that Gore's endorsement could alienate some of those grassroots Dean supporters who might not like the Democratic establishment?

GREENFIELD: No. I was reading, I spent some time last night reading really dozens and dozens of comments from the self-described Deaniacs on Howard Dean's Web site. I found a sort of web party going on, a celebration that this meant more likely that Dean would be the nominee and, one, as of about two o'clock in the morning, one post from a Dean supporter saying, gee isn't he awfully establishment?

I think this campaign is not a campaign about purity. I think they want to win and I think they see Gore as coming over to them rather than Howard Dean. After all, Howard Dean didn't make any accommodation to Al Gore except to call him apparently and to stay in touch with him more than the other candidates.

BLITZER: What does this endorsement by Gore of Dean say about Gore's relationship, if anything, with Bill Clinton?

GREENFIELD: You know I've been hearing this really now for the last 24 hours and I have to tell you, Wolf, I'm going to leave that to other journalists. I've heard these theories that this is the first shot of the Hillary-Al Gore fight for 2008. Maybe it's about 2020 with Karenna and Chelsey. I don't know.

But it seems to me you can sort of make an argument, particularly given Hillary Clinton's more, I don't know if the word hawkish is right, but certainly she has been sounding a note of saying yes I voted for the use of force. I'm glad I did. We have to stay. We have to expand that effort. Osama bin Laden was a bad guy and the anti-war sentiments of Dean that Gore has been endorsing really for months.

But whether or not we ought to concentrate on some future battle, hypothetical, or some Clinton-Gore rift, I think it is a much more significant factor in terms of what we're actually going to face.

Wolf, I know that you've been at this for a very long time. So have I. It never fails to amaze me how reporters can leap past an election that hasn't happened yet. Nobody has voted in 2004 and they're starting (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 2008. I don't have the energy for that.

BLITZER: All right. That's fair enough. A final question practically, in practical terms and let's forget about 2008, let's take a look January, 2004 a few weeks from now. The Gore endorsement how will that translate into votes in Iowa and New Hampshire if at all?

GREENFIELD: Well, I think in Iowa it makes a difference. I mean Iowa is a caucus state. The people who vote and it's a relative handful compared to primaries are activists. They tend to be disproportionately union members and Gore was only the second Democratic nominee to receive a pre-primary endorsement from the AFL- CIO.

It seems to me it undercuts Gephardt's claim to be the candidate of the older industrial unions, at least a little bit, and so let's call this the chicken soup of the Gore campaign in Iowa. It sure couldn't hurt and it probably will help.

BLITZER: All right, Jeff Greenfield thanks very much for that. We'll be talking a lot in the coming weeks and months.

And to our viewers here's your turn to weigh in on this important story. Our web question of the day is this. "Do campaign endorsements influence your vote"? You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in 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. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Now news coming into CNN late this afternoon, the former United States Senator Paul Simon has died today at the age of 75. The Illinois Democrat's death comes one day after he underwent heart surgery.

Simon, known for his bow ties, among other things, was elected to the United States Senate in 1984. In 1988 he sought the Democratic nomination for president. He retired from the U.S. Congress in 1997.

Highway horror, why authorities in Ohio now say a string of shootings is even more widespread.

Attack at the gate, why this was a day of suicide bombings in Iraq.

And this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've lived in America Louis (ph). I don't have to love it. You do that. Everybody's got to love something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: An angelic adaptation, a new HBO series has critics and audiences alike in heaven. I'll speak with one of the stars, first though our News Quiz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): What's the most expensive television miniseries ever made, "From Earth to Moon," "The Winds of War," "Band of Brothers," "Roots," the answer later in the show.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Overturned ship, three people missing in the cold waters of the Hudson River, more on this developing story. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: New concerns are surfacing right now about the child molestation charges against pop star Michael Jackson.

CNN's Charles Feldman has the latest developments. He's joining us live from Los Angeles - Charles.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it all began this morning when the Smoking Gun Web site posted a memo from the Department of Children and Family Services in L.A. and it described an investigation that that department conducted last February into allegations that Michael Jackson may have molested a young boy, the same boy at the heart of this case now ongoing involving the entertainer.

Now in that report, the memo of which was confirmed as authentic by CNN, the investigators found that allegations of sexual abuse against Michael Jackson were unfounded. They interviewed the mother. They interviewed the child. The mother and the child told investigators at that time, and that's very critical, at that time that Michael Jackson did not molest the child that, in fact, he was like a father figure to the child.

Now here's where it gets complicated. Just minutes ago the Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office, that's the office prosecuting Michael Jackson, released a statement of its own saying, guess what, we knew about this back in February. We knew about it at the time we got from a judge both a search warrant and an arrest warrant for Michael Jackson.

And, sources tell CNN that the reason that the prosecutor isn't all that concerned is because at least some, some of the alleged acts of molestation by Michael Jackson occurred after the time of this investigation by county officials.

So, what we're left with, Wolf, is a kind of spin factor going on by all the parties concerned and part of the problem stems from the fact that in California, unlike many other states, there is a very long lag time between the time somebody has been booked, as is the case with Michael Jackson, and somebody is charged with a crime. Michael Jackson has not yet been charged.

So, none of us, none of us really know exactly what the charges and what the specifics of the charges by the DA against Mr. Jackson will be and because of that, Wolf, it makes things like this almost inevitable.

You have one memo that comes out that seems to clear Michael Jackson. His camp, of course, today said this is vindication that Michael Jackson didn't do anything wrong. Then the other camp comes out and says, nope, we've discounted that. It has nothing to do with this case and we're still confident and I think this is going to go back and forth much like this until actual charges are filed and we know exactly what they are -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman with the latest on a complicated story. Thanks very much, Charles, for joining us from L.A.

New clues in the string of shooting on an Ohio highway, are the shootings more widespread than authorities originally thought?

And he now sits in the governor's seat but can he lead California effectively despite allegations of sexual harassment? Our Judy Woodruff sits down with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

And Ozzy Osbourne's family is at his side as the singer recovers from broken bones in his neck and chest. We'll tell you what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Another shooting is now linked to the string of shootings along a busy highway in Ohio.

CNN's Martin Savidge is on the phone. He's joining us from Columbus with the latest information. What do you have, Marty?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, Wolf, the number of shootings now connected to the I-270 shooting spree has jumped by one. It is now 15 according to investigators here.

This latest incident is really not a new shooting. It actually occurred on November 15, ten days before the fatal shot was fired on Gail Knisley as she rode as a passenger on I-270 and this particular shot that's been added was actually fired into a used car lot and hit a vehicle there.

Now the owners of that used car lot reported it to police. At that time, police just thought it was vandalism, didn't think much of it. After the death of Gail Knisley they began reviewing all cases in which there had been bullet holes. They were able to retrieve that bullet and found that ballistically it matched. It came from the same gun that was used to kill Gail Knisley.

Now this used car lot is located very near I-270, which is where these shootings have been taking place. What does it tell investigators? Frankly, not a whole heck of a lot really; however, what it also says to them is that the shooter has been active in the area prior to the death of Gail Knisley.

On a related front, they've had over 1,500 phone tips. As a result of that, they say they are questioning people. A number of people they've talked to they have now ruled out. Others they continue to talk to.

And lastly, this morning an incident on High Street in Columbus, again near I-270 southwest of the city, a woman driving in a car says a tan vehicle pulled up next to her. The man inside pulls out a gun, points it at her. No shots are fired. The car drives off.

Police right now have been given a description of that vehicle. They're looking for it. They cannot say at this point if it's related to their investigation - Wolf. BLITZER: What an awful situation in Columbus, Ohio. Thanks Martin Savidge for that report. He'll continue to monitor developments for us.

Suicide bombers strike and U.S. forces in Iraq are again targets for terror. Are the insurgents unstoppable?

Sued for sneer, what the governor of California says in response. Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to our Judy Woodruff.

Lost in frigid water, three people missing as a ship capsizes in the Hudson River, more on the desperate search and this developing story. That's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Severe outbreak, a search for more flu vaccine and new warnings from the CDC, information you need to know right now about the flu virus. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN.

Bombings at two United States bases in Iraq, several American soldiers injured. We'll go live to Baghdad.

Right now first though a quick check of the latest headlines.

A change in tone at the White House where President Bush met today with China's premiere. Mr. Bush says he opposes any change in the status quo between China and Taiwan. The island is planning a referendum seen as an indirect step toward independence. Two years ago, the president vowed to defend Taiwan against China.

Federal health officials say they're actively searching for more flu vaccine in Europe. The two U.S. manufacturers reported last week they're out. This year's flu season is expected to be worse than normal. Widespread outbreaks are already reported and the peak of the season is still weeks away.

It was just like the good old days on Wall Street but only briefly as the Dow Jones industrial average broke the 10,000 barrier. It was the first time since May of last year but the celebration was short-lived. The index retreated after only about a minute and ended the down -- down about 42 points.

And Democrats face another potential high profile loss in California. San Franciscans are voting in a runoff election for a new mayor today. Some polls show Green Party candidate Matt Gonzalez tied with Democrat Gavin Newsom. A Gonzalez win would be the Green's biggest municipal victory ever here in the United States.

In Iraq today, U.S. troops were targeted on their own doorsteps. Suicide bombers struck at a pair of army bases. Dozens of soldiers were hurt but it could have been far worse. Let's go live to Baghdad. Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is standing by -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it could have been worse because in the first attack, the suicide bomber was driving, didn't get into the base and in the second attack, the two soldiers on guard duty who could have been injured by the suicide bomber didn't respond to his situation when he played ill and then let off his suicide bomb so the troops actually getting off a bit lighter but the first attack came just before dawn.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): With daylight, Iraq is gathering around the scene of the attack. Wreckage caused by the predawn suicide bomber who tried to drive his explosive-laden car into the U.S. base, still littering the entrance to the camp.

COL. MIKE LINNINGTON: The soldiers hit the vehicle several times, we believe, causing the driver to prematurely detonate the vehicle bomb outside of the wall where the first battalion 187th Infantry attack was located.

ROBERTSON: At the gate, troops back on guard duty as the 31 hurt in the blast receiving treatment. None of the injuries life-threatening with eight Medivaced for better care.

Two U.S. soldiers also injured in a suicide attack at another U.S. base. The attacker there approached on foot before detonating his bomb. Just to the west of Baghdad, another apparent attack on U.S. troops. Coalition officials report investigating small arms fire before this small OH-58 Kiowa observation helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing before bursting into flames. Both aviators survived.

A month ago in the same area however, 16 U.S. soldiers were killed when their large transport Chinook helicopter was shot down. In Baghdad, three Iraqis were killed and several more wounded in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a mosque in the north of the city. So far, no claim of responsibility for such a rare deadly attack on a mosque. Likely troubling for people here that religious buildings are now the subject of such violent assault.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: And for the coalition, this day indicative of the problems they face on the one hand arresting Iraqis, picking up weapons caches in some areas where on the other hand, after an absence of suicide attacks against U.S. bases for over a month, having two attacks in one day, apparently a tactically agile enemy that is capable of withstanding some of the gains that the coalition is making against it -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Nic Robertson with the latest in Baghdad. Nic, thanks very much. U.S. troops carried out predawn raids in Saddam Hussein's hometown. The Army says several suspects were arrested in Tikrit including alleged bomb makers. Weapons were also seized including rifles and equipment used by snipers. The area has been the center of guerrilla activity.

Up to 1,000 Japanese troops could soon be headed to Iraq. The government approved the deployment in a special cabinet meeting today. Although the humanitarian mission will involve rebuilding schools and providing medical care, the troops will be equipped with grenade launchers and other self-defense weapons. The controversial deployment will be Japan's largest overseas military mission since the end of World War II.

U.S. defenses managed to blunt the impact of those suicide bombers earlier today and troops have been going on the offensive lately. Are they, though, getting better at what they're doing? Can the Iraqis start doing the job themselves? Jeffrey Beatty is the president of TotalSecurity.US, the only man to have served with the Delta Force, the FBI, and the CIA. He's joining us now live from Washington. First question, Jeff, can -- are the U.S. troops getting better at their job?

JEFFREY BEATTY, SECURITY CONSULTANT: Wolf, I believe they are. As Nic Robertson's package highlighted, I would characterize these two suicide attacks as failures. Obviously, the Americans in the first car bomb attack saw it for what it was. It was a car bomb trying to penetrate the perimeter. They took the appropriate action and the injuries that resulted from this attack were very, very light. I would regard that as a failure and I would think that since the terrorists and the insurgents have learned from previous operations, we will see a morphing of their tactics.

Similarly, on the attempt with the individual who feigned illness to come up upon a perimeter a little further south. He again was prevented from doing the damage that, at the beginning of these operations, had been inflicted. So I definitely see a learning curve that is in the Americans' favor.

BLITZER: Do you believe the U.S. troops need thousands of additional reinforcements to come in and help out in specialized areas?

BEATTY: You know, that was -- that question is kind of a little bit above my pay grade, Wolf. It would be difficult for me to comment on how many thousands of troops would be appropriate to be there. I believe that we're probably getting good feedback from the people on the ground because we are seeing improvement in individual engagements where our people are prevailing. We are also seeing a reduced number of engagements. I believe the number now is down to about an average of about 20 versus 40 a month ago. Is it enough? That more a political question, I think, a little beyond my pay grade than a pair of military or tactical localized questions.

BLITZER: At what point do you believe the Iraqis themselves, the friendly Iraqis will be able to secure their own country without so much help from the United States?

BEATTY: Well, I think that this is an interesting development that we're seeing right now. That we're going to the -- and I don't know what the word is going to end up being, you know, Iraqisize or Iraqization of what's going to happen but clearly with the June 30 deadline coming up for Iraqi control back of things on a day-to-day basis within the country, that means that they have got to continue to shoulder an even greater burden both in the police force perspective and also maybe even some special operations-type units that will go out and target these insurgents so that they can, in fact, have some order in their country.

BLITZER: Jeffrey Beatty, thanks very much for joining us.

BEATTY: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: Some Iraqi musicians will be tugging at heart strings. The story we'll be covering tomorrow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: From Baghdad to Washington, the Iraq national symphony orchestra is preparing for what is bound to be an emotional concert here tonight at the Kennedy Center, their first overseas concert in 11 years. I'm Andrea Koppel, tomorrow on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, an inside look at this historic performance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Andrea.

The cameras rolled as a packed Rhode Island nightclub burned to the ground. Now the case moves to the courtroom. Find out who's facing 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Plus, political and personal problems plague California's new governor. You'll hear directly from Arnold Schwarzenegger. That's coming up next.

And a ship capsizes in New York. We'll take you live to the scene. You are looking at live pictures right now of this developing story.

First, though, a quick look at some other news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Moscow suicide attack. A female suicide bomber blew herself up outside the landmark national hotel near Red Square today, killing six people and wounding 13. The attack happened just before President Vladimir Putin spoke to regional leaders in the Kremlin. Mr. Putin condemned the bombing saying it was aimed at undermining Russian democracy.

China mine explosion. The death toll from a gas explosion in the coal mine in northern China rose to 20 today with the recovery of another body. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the blast on Sunday. Ozzy Osbourne's accident. Hospital officials in England say the heavy metal singer is in stable condition following an accident riding an all-terrain vehicle. The 55-year-old Osbourne underwent emergency surgery yesterday for several fractured bones including a vertebrae in his neck.

War dog hero. Buster, a British Army sniffer dog, received the United Kingdom's highest medal for bravery in combat for service in the Iraq war. The 5-year-old springer spaniel was honored for locating arms, explosives, and bomb-making equipment in southern Iraq in March.

Santas by the thousands. In fact, more than 3,500 people decked out in Santa outfits gathered in Taiwan's capital, breaking the Guinness Book of Records for the largest crowd of Santa's in the world. The event was staged by the Foundation of Children With Cancer to raise money for that organization.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Desperate moments in Albany, New York where a heavily loaded cargo ship has tipped over in the Hudson River. Three people are missing.

Let's go live to reporter Marci Natale with station WXXA. She's in Albany, she's joining us live.

Marcy, what's the latest?

MARCI NATALE, WXXA CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, there are three men trapped inside the cargo hull of the Stellamar (ph) (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cargo ship. As you can see behind me, the Stellamar is on its side and it is currently taking on water. The three men trapped inside, it is a rescue effort for them. There are divers inside the ship, firefighters, dive teams, as well as police and state police looking for these three men. The water, as you can imagine, is very cold making the rescue effort difficult. There were about nine or 10 other people taken to the hospital earlier today. They are all in fair condition.

Area hospitals. The most serious of those injuries consisted basically of a broken leg and head injuries. Just about five minutes ago, the captain of the ship was brought in to look inside the ship to help divers with a schematic to help them better find the three men trapped inside. Obviously, that is the main goal to find these three people. Now this ship is out of the Netherlands. They were loading turbines at the time when it capsized. The turbines were bound for Italy and Romania. And the ones for Italy rather were already on the ship and the ones for Romania were in the process of being loaded when there was some sort of load shift and that ship tipped over. But obviously, the main concern here is not finding the cause, but finding the people inside. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: And as we look at the ship that capsized, Marci, do we know why it tipped over?

NATALE: They don't know at this time why. And they really say they're not trying to even focus on the cause. They just want to find the people inside. They do know as I said, that it did tip over when the turbines were being loaded. The turbines that were in the process of being transported to Romania. There was some sort a load shift causing it to turn over.

BLITZER: All right, Marci Natale, of our affiliate WXXA in Albany, the state capitol of New York.

Marci, thanks very much for that. We'll continue to follow the story with you.

Moving on, topping our justice report. Indictments in February's deadly night club fire in Rhode Island. A grand jury today indicted the two owners of the club and the touring manager of the band who's pyrotechnic display started the fire. The charges, involuntary manslaughter. The blaze at a nightclub in West Warwick killed 100 people.

In Chesapeake, Virginia, more testimony in the murder trial of suspected sniper Lee Boyd Malvo. Prosecutors challenged a psychologist claim that Malvo was brainwashed by convicted sniper John Allen Mohammed. The defense say Malvo was indoctrinated by the older man and looked up to him. Malvo is on trail in the shooting death of FBI analyst, Linda Franklin.

Congressman Bill Janklow is preparing to resign after this manslaughter conviction. The South Dakota Republican plans to step down on January 20 the day he is scheduled to be sentenced. Late yesterday a jury found Janklow guilty of second-degree manslaughter in connection with an August collision that killed a motorcyclist. A special election to replace Janklow will be held in June.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has barely settled in as the new governor of California and he's already facing some big problems, both political and personal. He's struggling to reach compromise with state legislators on a $15 billion bond package aimed easing the budget crisis. On a personal front, he's still contending with sexual harassment allegations that is surfaced before the recall election.

CNN's Judy Woodruff sat down with the actor turned governor today in Sacramento and asked him if he thinks those claims may have been politically motivated.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I'm not about to guess. I just know it is politically motivated, and some general complaints. I think, I cannot give you what the percentage is. Common sense would tell you that the whole thing was very odd how it all came about just before the election. But, at the same time, as I say, many times to anyone that I offended, I apologized. Because that was not the intention.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The investigation was an independent investigation into sexual allegations promised by Schwarzenegger before the election. He told Judy that it's not necessary now because, in his words, the people have spoken.

Angels in America. A new mini series tackling a lot of difficult emotional issues and getting lots of attention. I'll speak live with one of the drama's talented actors Justin Kirk. That's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked, what's the most expensive television mini series ever made?

The answer, "Brand of Brothers." HBO's 10 part World War II mini series produced in 2000 by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, cost $125 million. It took nine months to shoot, had a cast of 500 actors, and used 10,000 extras.

Rave reviews and a huge audience for part one of HBO's ambitious adaptation of the award winning place, "Angels in America." Part one aired this past Sunday with part two coming this coming Sunday. Asked what it's all about, the star, Meryl Streep replies, "everything." Here is a look. And a note, HBO is owned by our parent company, Time Warner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP "ANGELS IN AMERICA")

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had great need of understanding our profit. His desire made prayer. His prayer made an angel. The angel was real. I believe that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't. I'm sorry. It's repellent to me, so much what you believe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you believe?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a homosexual with AIDS. I can just imagine what you...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No you can't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Joining us from Los Angeles to talk about this mini series, Justin Kirk. He plays a Prior Walter the reluctant profit visited by an Emma Thompson's angel. It's really an amazing play, now amazing miniseries on HBO. But Justin, talk about why this is having such a profound impact on almost everyone who watches it. JUSTIN KIRK, ACTOR: I think it is just one of the great pieces of writing in recent time. We knew that when we were doing it that "Angels in America" was this wonderful thing, but I don't know if we did know how it was going to translate into a movie. And I think Mike Nichols has done an amazing job.

BLITZER: Because very often, even though this "Angel's in America" won four Tony's back in 1993 very often, as you well know, plays don't necessarily translate well into becoming a film, a miniseries. In this particular case why did it work this time?

KIRK: Well, it's funny. Although Tony Kushner, the playwright, the language is heightened, and is theatrical at times. We found out, now that we've made a movie, that it sounding like talking too, which works. Another thing about it that make it is conducive to Cinematic pursuits I think is along with personal scenes, there are huge scenes in Antarctica, Heaven, dream sequences. So, it gives you a chance to make it into a movie and go place that are different than when it's on the stage.

BLITZER: It's a film about gays and AIDS, but it's about a lot more than that. If you could explain to our viewers briefly why.

KIRK: Well, if I could do that, I would be a Pulitzer Prize winning playwright. It is about a lot things. It has universal themes of love, and betrayal, and moving forward. I think that it's huge and epic and sort of extremely smart, but it's never difficult to understand. And I think that's why it's accessible to a large audience. At the same time that it's about a lot of dark, horrible human experiences, it's always funny. So, you know, I think that's -- it's entertaining.

BLITZER: We saw part one last Sunday. Part two coming up.

You want to give us little preview without giving anything away?

KIRK: Well, when you last saw us, an angel crashed through my bedroom ceiling. And I can tell you that it's going to get crazier from here. That's pretty much all I should give you. All the same characters are in it, and we go forward.

BLITZER: Justin Kirk, congratulations to you, the entire cast, all the people who worked on this really amazing miniseries. Thank you very much for joining us.

KIRK: Thank you, Wolf. Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: An incredible reunion. Two men drawn together in unspeakable circumstances as children are now brought together again. We'll have detail you want to see this.

And our hot "Web of the Question of the Day" is this, do campaign endorsements influence your vote. The result when is we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: In our "Picture of the Day," a heartfelt reunion in Los Angeles. Six days after he was rescued from the Holocaust, Michael Hartags (ph) was reunited with the man who saved him, Leon Shipper (ph). The two were being held at a detention camp in Brussels in 1942 waiting to be taken to Auschwitz. But a last minute order by the queen of Belgian sent Shipper to and orphanage. Before a truck arrived to pick him up, Shipper passed a room where Hartags was in a crib. He reached in and took the younger boy with him. Shipper now lives in Los Angeles. Hartags lives in Virginia. The reunion was arraigned by the Red Cross.

He's how you are weighing in on our "Question of the Day," do campaign endorsement influence your vote. Twenty-nine percent of you say, yes, 71 percent of you say, no. As always we remind you this is not a scientific poll.

Lets get to some of your e-mail.

Danielle, writes this "Go Gore. Go Dean. Gore's endorsement simply echoes the growing movement of all the disenchanted Americans with the current ineffectual administration. Americans should be grateful for Dean and now Gore's straight talk."

Charley, disagrees, "It will be more of a problem than help for Dean in the long run. Al Gore has the charisma of a bowling ball. We Democrats need a candidate who has both a natural flair with the general population and shows us the light at the end of the tunnel."

That's it for me. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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