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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Democratic Race Shaping up to be a Tight in New Hampshire

Aired January 22, 2004 - 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, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Happening now, HIV horror story at a children's hospital. Thousands of patients now have to be tracked down and tested for the deadly virus.
Also happening now, if it weren't bad enough, things get worse for Howard Dean, now dropping poll numbers. And a new endorsement for his competition.

(on camera): Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Last chance, face-off. Their targeting a new leader.

JOHN KERRY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Until the votes are cast Tuesday night, and you fight as hard as you know how.

HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: New Hampshire has a habit of reversing Iowans.

BLITZER: Tonight, the showdown. Desperate moments. What happens when candidates stumble?

RICHARD NIXON, FRM. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Regardless of what they say about it, we're going to keep them.

BLITZER: Homeland security, the president promises help, but the nation's mayors are shouting, show me the money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The system isn't working at all.

BLITZER: Silence on Mars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We now know that we have had a very serious anomaly on the vehicle.

BLITZER: Is it all over for Spirit rover?

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Thursday, January 22, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In just three hours the Democratic presidential candidates face off here in Manchester in the only debate before Tuesday's crucial New Hampshire primary. Senator John Kerry, the big winner in the Iowa caucuses is leading Howard Dean by five points in the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup tracking poll.

But look at this. In two, repeat, two Boston newspaper polls, Kerry leads Dean by ten points. Can Dean rebound from his huge loss in Iowa? Can Kerry pull out another win?

Joining us to help sort it all out, three correspondents, CNN national correspondent Bob Franken, he's with a preview on tonight's debate. CNN's national correspondent Kelly Wallace with the latest from the Kerry campaign. And CNN's Dan Lothian. He's covering Wesley Clark's campaign. Bob, first you, what's the latest?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We have a tendency, Wolf, in our business to hype political events, but this one truly is high stakes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): Given how fickle Democratic voters are proving to be, tonight's debate has a make or break quality to it. Or, in the case of Howard Dean, an unbreak quality.

DEAN: I'm a little hoarse. It's not because of the Iowa screech, I actually have a cold.

And Michigan and then we're going to Washington, D.C. to take back the White House, yes!

FRANKEN: Just about everyone agrees he'd better recover his voice and more importantly, recover the confidence of Democrats who appear to be abandoning him in droves.

DEAN: Now, I'm not a perfect person. I've got plenty of warts. I say what I think, I lead with my heart.

FRANKEN: That will be a definite no-no for Dean tonight. But no longer leading may not be all bad.

KERRY: How are y'all doing?

FRANKEN: At least he doesn't have to deal with John Kerry's expectations. It's lonely at the top.

KERRY: Could be prepared for anything, but I'm looking forward to a good discussion about the future of the country.

FRANKEN: This debate is teaming with drama. Wesley Clark skipped Iowa, so he must make an impression here. Ditto, Joe Lieberman who also decided to make New Hampshire his first outing. As for John Edwards, he needs to avoid the impression his strong Iowa finish was a fluke.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: Well, there have been lots of debates, Wolf, but this time the term "do or die" may not be a cliche -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Bob Franken with the CNN Election Express Bus. Bob, thanks very much.

After Iowa's win, Senator John Kerry is clearly on a roll going into tonight's very important debate. But will voters in the Granite State here turn the Iowa results upside-down?

For that, let's turn to our national correspondent Kelly Wallace -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, if you listen to John Kerry, he says he is still an underdog here in New Hampshire, but he and his aides knows he goes into tonight's debate as the one leading in the polls and the one who could be the target of any attacks.

All day we've been asking advisers what's the strategy going into tonight's debate and they say they're going to follow the same playbook they used in Iowa. That they hope tonight the Senator will make the case that he believes he is the one with the national security and political experience to defeat President Bush in November.

Aboard his campaign bus earlier today, some reporters asked the Senator if he believes he is facing some high expectations going into tonight's forum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY: I have no expectations about tonight except that I'm going to continue to put a positive vision out to the country. That's what I did in Iowa. That's what i've been doing everywhere. You heard me everywhere I go. That's what I'm going to do tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And just a short time ago the Senator got a boost from this man, Fritz Hollings, the senior Senator and always interesting Senator from South Carolina. He announced that he is endorsing John Kerry. He says he is the one who has the courage and experience to defeat President Bush.

The reason this is so key, John Kerry has poured most of his resources into Iowa and New Hampshire. He doesn't have that big of an organization in South Carolina, and South Carolina will be holding the first primary in the south on February 3. So the Kerry campaign believes this endorsement could be very key in helping John Kerry build support in South Carolina.

And, Wolf, Senator Hollings will be coming here to New Hampshire tomorrow to help campaign for John Kerry here in the granite state. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: The South Carolina primary one week after the New Hampshire primary a very important primary, indeed. Kelly, thanks very much. Wesley Clark skipped the Iowa contest to focus on Tuesday's New Hampshire's primary. The latest polls here show Clark is still behind both Kerry and Dean. Here to talk about Clark's chances, CNN's Dan Lothian. What's the latest, Dan?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting what we see in the Clark campaign, today trying to get outside of the box. What he did was went to a local grocery store not far from Manchester, New Hampshire, where he was trying to be a bag boy for the day. Not only bagging groceries, but also trying to bag some votes.

This is the type of campaigning that his campaign aides say we will be seeing. He wants to do more face to face campaigning here in New Hampshire. This retail politicking.

And as for the polls, you mentioned that he is in 3rd place now, his campaign aides say that he doesn't really care about the polls. And even Clark himself says he is not watching the polls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WESELEY CLARK, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not paying any attention to the polls. I'm looking at what I see in the voters. I shake hands, look people in the eye. And I feel very good about New Hampshire and about all of the race across this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: Now, Clark also had a couple of other meetings today, meeting with educators here in Manchester where he talked about providing some scholarships and grants for college students where he said without a college education, how can you get a job.

He also met with some women of planned parenthood where he tried to show the differences between himself and the Bush administration, pointing out that he is pro-choice. And his aides telling us we will see more of that, Wolf, where he will not go after Kerry or some of the other perceived front-runners, but rather go after George Bush.

BLITZER: There's some interesting rivalry between General Clark and Lieutenant Kerry. And General Clark made a point of saying he was a General and Kerry was only Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Is there a friction there based on what you can tell?

LOTHIAN: Well certainly, this is something that has been highlighted in the last few days, but Clark in his campaign say, this is something they want to put behind them. They don't want to focus on any of this bickering between the candidates. They want to focus on the issues.

And they truly believe that if voters get a chance to see Clark to see the issues, to meet him on a personal level, then they will see what they hope they want him to see -- want voters to see is that he can beat Bush.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Dan, for that report. What about Howard Dean's campaign? For that we turn to our Judy Woodruff. Judy, the strategy going in tonight for Howard Dean must be incredibly important. First of all, the two-hour debate and then he has this interview that will air with Diane Sawyer on ABC news. I understand that interview has already been taped. What are you hearing from the Dean people about the new strategy post-Iowa?

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Wolf, you know, there are people who are ready to write Howard Dean off. But you and I both know anything can happen in American politics. There is still, what, four or five days left before the primary here.

We all know that Bill Clinton at this point in 1992 reeling from charges that he was a draft dodger, about his alleged affair with Gennifer Flowers. People said he wouldn't come back. Clearly, he did.

Having said that, there are Dean strategists telling me today these are the most important six hours coming up in Howard Dean's political life.

BLITZER: And of this joint meeting, this joint appearance together with his wife, the Dr. Dean, the other Dr. Dean with Diane Sawyer today, some are suggesting since she's been so largely invisible throughout these many months of his campaigning, this is a act of desperation if you will, to try to revive his campaign.

WOODRUFF: Well, Wolf, it's clearly an effort to personalize and to humanize Howard Dean. What people saw across the country on Monday night was a personality. They acknowledge that many people are not going to be comfortable with, so they're trying to do what they can to warm her up.

And I talked this afternoon with someone who is a big supporter of Howard Dean, a Democratic strategist, who said look, for all we know, Dr. Judy Dean may charm the socks off the whole country. We just all need to watch and see what happens.

BLITZER: All right. A high-risk strategy for the candidate Dean and his wife, Dr. Dean. We'll be watching tonight. All of these dramatic developments. Judy Woodruff in Exeter, New Hampshire with the CNN Campaign Express bus. Thanks very much.

Senator John Edwards, the surprise second-place finisher in Iowa is among the -- is aiming for the top spot here in New Hampshire. But the latest polls don't necessarily show that happening, at least not yet. And today he hit a pothole on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): He built himself as populous candidate with the positive message. But today, John Edwards faces criticism, his campaign circulated a memo in Iowa written by staffers and obtained by CNN that labeled Howard Dean elitist, and Senator Kerry as part of failed Washington politics. He apologized and today rallied with students at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This democracy, this government, it does not belong in that crowd of insider in Washington and their lobbyists. It belongs to you.

BLITZER: Some might say it's now or never. With polls showing he's nearly last in the pack at New Hampshire, Joe Lieberman's hoping to shine tonight.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My strategy tonight is to be myself.

BLITZER: He kicked his morning off with supporters in Manchester.

LIEBERMAN: If you trust me, I will never let you down.

With perhaps the least to lose in New Hampshire, Dennis Kucinich has the most on his plate today.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Across this state, across this country is a campaign that's aimed at lifting this country.

BLITZER: He holds several rallies with young supporters before attending tonight's debate. And that's our look at the rest of the 2004 presidential candidates on the trail.

Here's your chance to weigh on this story. The web question today is this, "has Senator John Kerry's surprise win in Iowa increased your interest in the Democratic presidential primary?" You can vote right now. Go to CNN.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Other news we're following. Children's Hospital scare, a surgeon with HIV? Now a call for testing of thousands of patients, including children.

Is one Mars mission destroyed? Tonight, why NASA is hearing the sound of silence.

Deadly day in Iraq's most volatile region. A cold-hearted act, targeting civilian women on their way to work.

And protecting the homeland. President Bush gives a boost to security funding. Is it enough to get the job done? I'll talk with the mayor of Las Vegas.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Is it over for the rover? NASA says it's received no significant data from the Mars rover Spirit in more than 24 hours. CNN space correspondent Miles O'Brien has details. He's at that NASA's jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: After 17 days of near flawless, sometimes stunning operation on the surface of Mars, NASA's Spirit rover has ceased meaningful conversation with its ground controllers here at Pasadena's jet propulsion laboratory. Instead of getting pictures and scientific data as they had hoped, they are receiving tones, simple beeps from Spirit which indicates there's a serious problem on the rover.

The Spirit engineering team will rest along with the Spirit rover during the Martian night and it's hoped that in the middle of that Martian night Spirit will wake up and try to communicate with one of NASA's satellites orbiting the planet Mars and perhaps send back something more than a tone.

If they can establish some kind of two-way communication, then they can go about the business of trying to troubleshoot this problem. All this comes just a couple of days before Spirit's twin, Opportunity, is set to land on the other side of Mars. The team here at the jet propulsion lab is stretched, to say the least. Miles O'Brien, CNN, Pasadena, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A Canadian children's hospital is trying to track down more than 2,000 former patients after learning a surgeon there has been infected with the AIDS virus for up to 13 years. Bernard Drainville of CNN affiliate RDI joins us now live from Montreal with details. Bernard, what exactly happened?

BERNARD DRAINVILLE, CNN AFFILIATE CORRESPONDENT: Basically you had this surgeon who was HIV-positive who knew, you know, knew his illness or her illness. We don't know yet if it was a he or a she. But from 1990 to 2003, that surgeon kept on operating children, mostly children, because we're talking about a children's hospital here. So more than 2,600 patients were operated by that doctor. And we only find out today what happened. So the hospital, this St. Justin (ph) Children Hospital is trying to get in touch with all of these patients, these 2,600 patients to ask them to take a blood test to find out if they were infected by HIV.

BLITZER: Have kids and other patients started coming to the hospital to get these blood tests?

DRAINVILLE: Well, what has happened is that they have set up a hotline. And we're being told that the lines are constantly busy. Obviously, there's a lot of nervousness, a lot of fear from the families and from these patients.

So we're being told by the hospital who has set up these hotlines that people are calling in, constantly, to try to find out if they're on this list, if they were operated by that doctor who had HIV. And every single patient will be contacted. If they don't get in touch with the hospital, they will receive a registered letter in the next few days to be informed that they need to present themselves to the health clinic to take that blood test. BLITZER: All right. Bernard Drainville. We'll check back you in the coming days. Want to see how things are going on this story. Thanks very much, Bernard Drainville, joining us from our affiliate in Montreal, RDI.

Security spending with code orange alerts and terrorist scares. Is protecting the homeland bankrupting cities? And is the president's promise of help enough? I'll speak with the mayor of Las Vegas.

Privacy on planes, what airlines are doing or not doing to protect their customers' personal information.

And last-ditch effort, those looking to save their candidacies, what they can do, what they will do to try to win.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: President Bush has just returned to the White House after two days of campaign-style appearances. At his final stop in Roswell, New Mexico, the president announced plans for a big increase in homeland security funding.

CNN's Kathleen Koch is joining us live at the White House -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Democratic critics insisted when it comes to stopping terrorism, President Bush needs to put his money where his mouth is. That the Department of Homeland Security and first responders nationwide need more funding and equipment and training to do the job. So in New Mexico this afternoon the president told his supporters that his new budget has nearly 10 percent increase in funding for the global fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're on an international manhunt, to those who would do harm for America or anybody else who loves freedom. One by one we'll bring them to justice. There is no hole deep enough to hide from America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And while aides insist the president has not yet started his re-election campaign actions often speak louder than words. After his speech, Mr. Bush made a rare and unscheduled stop at a local restaurant. He chatted with customers, with workers there. He ordered ribs. New Mexico is of course a very important battle ground state. This election year, Mr. Bush lost it very narrowly to Al Gore in 2000 by just some 366 votes -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Kathleen Koch reporting from the White House. Thanks, Kathleen, very much.

The nation's mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. obviously would welcome the president's move if they actually see any of the money. The mayors in, in fact, already upset because the majority of them say their cities have yet to get any of the $1.5 billion already designated for first responder teams such as police and fire departments. Just a short while ago I raised that issue with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Mayor Goodman, thanks very much for joining us. I know you're in Washington for the meeting of the conference of mayors. As you were meeting the president announced a nearly 10 percent increase in Homeland Security Defense, including money for first responders and cities like yours, Las Vegas.

Are you satisfied with the funds that the federal government have provided the cities so far?

MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: You can never have enough funding. That's for sure. But it's not the amount that's the difficulty and that we're concerned about. The mayors of the cities across the United States. What we're concerned about is that the moneys that Congress has appropriate operated for homeland securities is going to the state. And then it filters down from the feds to the state to the county. And then ultimately to the city when the cities are basically the first responders to any emergency. So the system isn't working at all.

So basically, have you gotten any money from the federal government for your firefighters, your police officers, the first aid people, all of the first responders you need potentially god forbid there was a disaster to strike Las Vegas?

GOODMAN: We're a little lucky in the sense that we have received about 5 million dollars over the two years. However, our sisters cities across the country are not as lucky because 76 percent of them haven't received one cent. So the system isn't working the way it was designed to work. And you never, as I said before, have enough money but even in Nevada there's been a glitch, speaking to our Congressional delegations yesterday, I was advised of $600,000 that the state has received that the city so dearly needs was returned, because the state didn't have a particular purpose to send it on to the city. So it's not working. What has to take place here, the federal government must see that the moneys go directly to the cities and then the cities know best how to spend it.

BLITZER: Who do you blame, Mr. Mayor, for this failure in the system?

GOODMAN: I think it's first of all, it's a new issue as far as America is concerned so you don't have the kind of institutional knowledge that ordinarily goes with an issue such as this. I just don't think the folk in Washington appreciate how the -- how a disaster is responded to. The cities, the mayors are the first ones to answer it. Then we go to the state for a little bit of help. And then to the feds, ultimately for the clean-up and to make us whole again. But it's the cities that are the first responders. And I don't think that message has really gotten across yet. BLITZER: As you know, Las Vegas has often been mentioned as a top target potentially for al Qaeda, for terrorist. I think in part because so many of those hijackers killed themselves on 9/11 had spent time in Las Vegas.

How much time based on what you know, did they spend in Las Vegas?

What were they doing there?

GOODMAN: Well, supposedly at least one of them, Mr. Madah (ph) was linked to Las Vegas. He was staying with -- I don't to hurt one of our motels there, but at a motel that charged about 35 bucks a night, and was there for a couple of days, as I understand. Nobody know what's he was doing. But I get a kick out of it. They come to Las Vegas, which is the entertainment capital of the world. We got the best restaurants, the best boutique shopping, I've got to believe that he had a pretty good time before he blew himself up.

BLITZER: Mr. Mayer, we'll leave it on that note. Oscar Goodman, good luck to you. Good luck everyone in Las Vegas.

GOODMAN: Thanks, Wolf. Always good to talking to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Ready to rebound?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Candidates who have stumbled in the past have looked for an opportunity to refocus public attention.

BLITZER: Reviving a campaign that is spiralling downward, past and present efforts at damage control.

Comeback Kerry, he's come from nowhere to take the lead in the presidential race in Iowa. We'll take a closer look at the new man to beat, namely John Kerry.

And sentencing in South Dakota. Congressman Richard Janklow faces his punishment for second degree manslaughter.

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Candidate concerns, what those lagging in the polls will do to boost their campaigns. We'll have complete details.

First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.

Passenger privacy issues are a prime topic as the heads of the nation's largest airlines hold their quarterly meeting. They're considering asking for a federal policy to replace their individual rules. Several airlines have been criticized recently for sharing passenger data, including credit card information, with the government.

The newly appointed judge in the Scott Peterson murder case is out just one day after being tapped to oversee the trial. Prosecutors filed a challenge, saying they don't think they could have a fair and impartial hearing. Each side gets one such challenge, which automatically removes the judge from the case.

Just a few minutes ago in South Dakota, former Congressman and Governor Bill Janklow was sentenced to 100 days in jail. Janklow was convicted last month of second-degree manslaughter for an accident that killed a motorist, a motorcyclist in this particular case. He could have gotten up to 10 years. Janklow resigned his House seat this week.

Broadway and Hollywood dancing legend Ann Miller has died at a Los Angeles hospital. She gained fame as a rapid-fire tap dancer and went on to star in film and stage musicals, including "Sugar Babies" with Mickey Rooney. Her publicist says Miller was suffering from lung cancer. She was 81 years old.

Political candidates don't often come out of the gate and go wire to wire without a stumble. Sometimes, they fall flat and watch others pass them by. Sometimes, they pick themselves right up and go on to victory.

CNN's Jennifer Coggiola has been looking at the other races. She's joining us now live from Washington -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well, there's an old saying. Desperate times call for desperate measures. And that's certainly true for politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and Arizona!

COGGIOLA (voice-over): After speeches like Monday night, some think the pressure is on Howard Dean to revitalize his campaign and turn things around. But he's not the first to need some damage control.

STUART ROTHENBERG, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Candidates who have stumbled in the past have looked for an opportunity to refocus public attention and reintroduce themselves to voters and really change the existing dynamic.

COGGIOLA: It was Richard Nixon who squared off with reporters after negative reports of his personal spending. In what's been dubbed the Checkers speech, Nixon accounted for his finances, rumors of his wife's expensive coat, and, most memorably, his cocker spaniel.

RICHARD NIXON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And our little girl-Tricia, the 6-year old-named it Checkers. Regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it.

COGGIOLA: A personal plea from Edmund Muskie during his '72 campaign.

EDMUND MUSKIE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: By attacking me, by attacking my wife...

COGGIOLA: Depending unflattering remarks made by a New Hampshire publisher. Was it the snow or tears? Either way, he was out of the campaign within a week.

After losing the Iowa caucuses, candidate Ronald Reagan scrambled to recover some momentum. He proposed and paid for a two-man debate, excluding the other candidates. He was heard loud and clear.

RONALD REAGAN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Green!

COGGIOLA: And went on to victory.

Bill Clinton, confronting rumors about his alleged affair with Gennifer Flowers, appeared with his wife, side by side on the couch, for CBS' "60 Minutes."

WILLIAM J. CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Anybody who's listening gets the drift of it.

COGGIOLA: And swore he would be there until the end.

CLINTON: Watch "60 Minutes." I have said all I have to say.

COGGIOLA: Later, there were more questions, but he survived.

Attempts to shatter his image as the stiff, wooden man, presidential candidate Al Gore at the Democratic National Convention transformed himself from a caricature into a Casanova. Gore reportedly gained a 21 percent lead over his opponent, George W. Bush, after the smooch. But that lip-lock didn't seal the deal.

So the strategy for the latest candidate in troubled waters?

DEAN: Yes!

ROTHENBERG: If you're Howard Dean, and you have seen yourself go from front-runner to now a candidate who really must win in New Hampshire, you're going to do something pretty dramatic to try to change your standing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COGGIOLA: Howard Dean and his wife are now expected to appear tonight on the ABC network in an interview with Diane Sawyer. So, damage control or just an interview? Wolf, we'll let the viewers and the voters decide.

BLITZER: CNN's Jennifer Coggiola with a good, solid report -- thanks, as usual, Jennifer, for that.

Following the polls in this young presidential election year is like a roller-coaster ride. Case in point, our latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup tracking poll in New Hampshire has Senator John Kerry on top, with Howard Dean only five points behind. But look at this. Two Boston newspaper polls give Kerry a 10-point lead.

Here with us to give us his astute analysis of what's going on, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.

In this particular case, those two Boston newspaper polls may actually be more accurate than our own CNN poll. Why?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Because they're more recent.

Our own CNN poll, like two other tracking polls that are now being published, interviewed people on Monday, before the Iowa caucuses were over, and then again Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are the three. Now, notice, all of these polls are very consistent. They show the same order, Kerry on top, followed by, a few points behind, Howard Dean, then Wesley Clark in the high teens, John Edwards around 10 percent, and Joe Lieberman still in single digits, but all of these polls, the same order. They were all taken January 19 to 21, so one night of interviews before the Iowa caucus results are in.

Let's average them and you can see what they show, Kerry 28, Dean 24. So a narrow margin, Kerry over Dean. Clark at 17, Edwards and Lieberman in single digits. Now, there are two additional tracking polls that interviewed people entirely after the Iowa caucus results were in by the two Boston newspapers, "The Globe" and "The Herald."

Amazingly -- and I've never seen this happen before -- these two polls came up with exactly identical results. That is not a graphic poorly drawn. They were, in fact, identical, with Kerry on top now at 31 percent, up three from the average we just saw, Dean at 21, down three, Clark at 16, one point lower than the earlier polls, Edwards at 11. He show a two-point gain. And Lieberman at 4, which is down a little bit.

What does this show? It shows, if you drop off people who were interviewed before the Iowa caucus results are in, what we're seeing happening since then is Dean dropping very sharply. You see Clark falling just a little bit. You see a big surge by John Kerry, a little surge by John Edwards, so that we're seeing a lot of movement, just with one day's change in the polls.

BLITZER: And there's still plenty of time between now and next Tuesday, so that movement in various directions still very possible.

SCHNEIDER: Absolutely.

BLITZER: Bill Schneider, thanks for explaining that to our viewers. You did a good job, as usual.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: The insurgents strike again. In the last 24 hours, two more U.S. soldiers are dead. We'll have the latest from Iraq.

Finding the weapons in Iraq, the move to replace the lead CIA investigator into weapons of mass destruction.

And the comeback kid, why everyone is now paying attention to veteran politician John Kerry, his public journey to the current top spot. We'll get to that.

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Sharon staying. Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon says he plans to remain in office until at least 2007, despite a corruption investigation. An Israeli real estate developer has been indicted for allegedly paying bribes to Mr. Sharon when he was foreign minister. The Justice Ministry says there's been no decision on whether to indict Mr. Sharon.

Can we talk? Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe reportedly has agreed to formal talks with political opponents. That's according to South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, who visited Mr. Mugabe last month. Critics say Mr. Mugabe's repressive rule has plunged Zimbabwe into chaos.

Chicken ban. Following the lead of Laos and Cambodia, Japan has stopped importing chicken from Thailand because of concerns about bird flu. Thailand is among the world's top five poultry exporters.

No comment. The Vatican confirms that Pope John Paul II has screened Mel Gibson's controversial new movie, "The Passion of Christ." But church officials won't say what the pontiff thought about it. Some critics of the film fear it will fuel anti-Semitism.

We see Paris. The Paris fashion season continued, as designer Emanuel Ungaro showed off his spring-summer collection. Colors ranged from bright blue to golden yellow and many designs featured huge flower prints.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: This Sunni heartland north and west of Baghdad is Iraq's most volatile region. And over a 24-hour period, it's become the scene of bloody attacks that have taken the lives of two U.S. soldiers, three Iraqi police officers and four civilians.

CNN's Michael Holmes reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Once again, the majority of victims are Iraqi, three attacks all in the Sunni Triangle, where insurgents have been most active against the coalition and those who work with it.

The most brazen attack was west of Baghdad, near Fallujah. A car pulled up alongside a van carrying women to work at a U.S. military base. Gunmen opened fire, killing three of the women, wounding others, the assault underscoring the increasing dangers for Iraqis who work for the occupation forces, insurgents considering them valid targets, targets also, Iraqi police. Hundreds have been killed in recent months, three more on Wednesday at a checkpoint between Ramadi and Fallujah, when men in two pickup trucks drove at the checkpoint, firing machine guns.

A civilian was also killed, several police wounded. A coalition spokesman conceded, the insurgents are picking their targets for a reason.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe that the purpose behind that is to send a message of terror to those people that, if you work for the coalition, that if you work alongside and try to support the coalition, we can reach out and touch you.

HOLMES: American troops hit back in this latest round of violence, counterattacking after two members of the 4th Infantry Division were killed near Baquba north of Baghdad. They were at a forward operating base when it was attacked by rockets and mortars. American soldiers returned fire, but their attackers had fled.

(on camera): Renewed attacks over the past week come at the worst possible time for the United States, as it waits for the United Nations to decide whether it will come here to investigate the feasibility of direct elections. Security, of course, always a top priority for the U.N.

(voice-over): The coalition adopting a holding pattern until the U.N. decides whether to return to Iraq or not.

DANIEL SENOR, SENIOR ADVISER, COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY: We are looking forward to the possible deployment of a technical team being sent here by the United Nations to look at this issue of the viability of direct elections. We are not seriously considering any other options at this point.

HOLMES: The current deadline for a handover of power to Iraqis is June 30. It is a deadline now very fast approaching.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: U.S. search teams have failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The man in charge of the hunt is stepping down. And his likely successor seems to have some doubts about the existence of those weapons.

Let's turn now to our national security correspondent, David Ensor -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as you say, this is an interesting choice. We believe it will be announced within the next few days. The choice is going to be made by Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet. But, of course, the White House is involved in that selection as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): Former U.N. weapons inspector Charles Duelfer is likely to be named soon, U.S. officials say, as the CIA's new man in charge of the search of weapons of mass destruction. And, in some ways, he is an unusual choice.

By contrast with the outgoing David Kay, who expressed confidence upon taking the job that weapons would be found, Duelfer has been publicly skeptical.

CHARLES DUELFER, FORMER U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: It will probably turn out, in my judgment, that there are no existing weapons in Iraq. And that mildly surprises me. I would have expected to find some small number of long-range missiles with either biological or chemical warhead capabilities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FRONTLINE")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, what you got around this side is a whole series of laboratories.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: A report to be aired on PBS' "Frontline" tonight tracks the work thus far of the Iraq Survey Group, hundreds of Americans, British, Australian and other scientists and soldiers scouring Iraq for weapons, frustrating work. They've found evidence of programs, but nothing more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FRONTLINE")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is interesting that this fermenter was not declared. That in and of itself is in violation of 1441. That fermenter was subject to declaration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: Suspicious mobile labs were found, but they now appear to have been designed to put hydrogen in weather balloons. A vial of live botulinum toxin was found in a scientist's fridge, but it was not a kind the Iraqis ever weaponized.

And an Iraqi scientist gave the CIA parts and plans for gas centrifuges to enrich uranium for bombs. But they have been buried in his backyard for over a decade and no ongoing nuclear program has been found.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: A former colleague of Kay's and Duelfer says, whether he finds actual weapons or not, Duelfer, if he's going to lead the team, will need to scoop up all the components, documents and tools that must be kept out of the hands of terrorists and rogues, and he will need to raise the morale of his team, which has been dropping, sources say, as some experts leave to help against Iraqi insurgents and others go to Libya to unravel the WMD programs there -- Wolf.

BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks for that report.

At the top of his game. He may be comeback Kerry, but he's no Johnny-come-lately, a look back at the man who wants to be president.

And battle over Bella, an update to a story we brought you yesterday. If you were watching and you want to see what happened to Bella, we'll tell you.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Late today, the Senate passed a huge catch-all spending bill for fiscal 2004. Among many other things, it includes a controversial measure that could limit the number of workers eligible for overtime pay. Critics say it will hurt millions of lower-level white-collar professions.

The measure also includes a pilot school voucher program, the first involving federal funds. Students in the Washington, D.C. school system will be able to use vouchers for private school tuition. The spending package now goes to President Bush for his signature.

Suddenly soaring in the polls, he seems like a political phenomenon. Written off weeks before the Iowa caucuses by some, he rode a late surge of support to an electrifying finish Monday night. But Senator John Kerry is no newcomer to the national political scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, Iowa, for making me the comeback Kerry.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Suddenly, John Kerry has made his way to the front of a Democratic race that more Americans, certainly the Americans who work in the White House, are paying attention to.

KERRY: Bring it on! Bring it on!

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, KERRY BIOGRAPHER: John Kerry had his back against the wall and, in January, turned his campaign completely around.

BLITZER: But make no mistake. This is not a candidate from nowhere, not a man with late-blooming aspirations, John Forbes Kerry in some ways the classic Eastern blue-blood, his mother from the prestigious Forbes family, his father a World War II test pilot who later served in the State Department.

It was a privileged life, but one without roots, Kerry's formative years spent in boarding school in New England and Europe, before he headed to Yale, the one constant, John Kerry's ambition. Weighing his options at graduation, Kerry was commissioned an officer in the Navy. It was 1966. Less than two years later, he headed for Vietnam. He volunteered to command a gunboat.

In the Mekong Delta, that meant serious danger. Dozens of firefights with Viet Cong took the lives of several comrades and nearly took Kerry's. Bravery and daring, by some accounts, bordering on recklessness, won him a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts.

Kerry returned a hero, but with profound bitterness. In one well-documented episode, Kerry joined with other veterans tossing their war medals on to the lawn of the Capitol. Kerry freely admitted the medals he threw were not his.

KERRY: And I threw some medals back that belonged to some folks who asked me to throw them back for them.

BLITZER: But the image was building of a somber, but striking young man, leading demonstrations as part of the group Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

The real catapult for John Kerry April, 1971, a packed hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

KERRY: We wish that a merciful God could wipe away our own memories of that service.

BLITZER: His testimony got the attention of the Nixon White House and voters back home in Massachusetts. John Kerry was on his way.

Following a failed bid for Congress, he became a district attorney, lieutenant governor under Michael Dukakis, and, in 1984, was elected the junior senator from Massachusetts.

Over nearly 20 years as a senator, through two marriages to women of profile and wealth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I figure I owe this man my life.

BLITZER: Few missed photo opportunities with fellow veterans and war buddies.

KERRY: I am running so that we can keep America's promise.

BLITZER: John Kerry's ambition never far from the surface, along with a reputation forged in substance and sacrifice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And riding high in the polls here in New Hampshire.

Tomorrow, an in-depth look at another come-from-behind candidate, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.

Remember, our hot "Web Question of the Day" is this: Has Senator Kerry's surprise win in Iowa increased your interest in the Democratic presidential primary? The results of your vote when we come back.

Plus, a follow-up on Bella, the California dog at the center of a custody battle. If you were watching yesterday, you will want to find out what has happened since then.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day." Take a look at this, 40 percent yes, 60 percent no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Bella is back, and that's our picture of the day. The golden retriever was reunited with her original owner last night shortly after we told you about the custody battle over her. Bella had run away with no tags on, ending up in a Humane Society. A family adopted her as a present for their little girl's birthday just hours before Bella's original owner found her.

First, the family refused to give up Bella, prompting threats of a lawsuit and national media attention. But they eventually had a change of heart, saying they wanted to do the right thing. Good thing for Bella.

A reminder, we're on weekdays 5:00 p.m. Eastern, as well as noon Eastern. I'll be back here tomorrow in Manchester, New Hampshire, with all the latest.

"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







Aired January 22, 2004 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Happening now, HIV horror story at a children's hospital. Thousands of patients now have to be tracked down and tested for the deadly virus.
Also happening now, if it weren't bad enough, things get worse for Howard Dean, now dropping poll numbers. And a new endorsement for his competition.

(on camera): Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Last chance, face-off. Their targeting a new leader.

JOHN KERRY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Until the votes are cast Tuesday night, and you fight as hard as you know how.

HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: New Hampshire has a habit of reversing Iowans.

BLITZER: Tonight, the showdown. Desperate moments. What happens when candidates stumble?

RICHARD NIXON, FRM. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Regardless of what they say about it, we're going to keep them.

BLITZER: Homeland security, the president promises help, but the nation's mayors are shouting, show me the money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The system isn't working at all.

BLITZER: Silence on Mars.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We now know that we have had a very serious anomaly on the vehicle.

BLITZER: Is it all over for Spirit rover?

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Thursday, January 22, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In just three hours the Democratic presidential candidates face off here in Manchester in the only debate before Tuesday's crucial New Hampshire primary. Senator John Kerry, the big winner in the Iowa caucuses is leading Howard Dean by five points in the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup tracking poll.

But look at this. In two, repeat, two Boston newspaper polls, Kerry leads Dean by ten points. Can Dean rebound from his huge loss in Iowa? Can Kerry pull out another win?

Joining us to help sort it all out, three correspondents, CNN national correspondent Bob Franken, he's with a preview on tonight's debate. CNN's national correspondent Kelly Wallace with the latest from the Kerry campaign. And CNN's Dan Lothian. He's covering Wesley Clark's campaign. Bob, first you, what's the latest?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We have a tendency, Wolf, in our business to hype political events, but this one truly is high stakes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): Given how fickle Democratic voters are proving to be, tonight's debate has a make or break quality to it. Or, in the case of Howard Dean, an unbreak quality.

DEAN: I'm a little hoarse. It's not because of the Iowa screech, I actually have a cold.

And Michigan and then we're going to Washington, D.C. to take back the White House, yes!

FRANKEN: Just about everyone agrees he'd better recover his voice and more importantly, recover the confidence of Democrats who appear to be abandoning him in droves.

DEAN: Now, I'm not a perfect person. I've got plenty of warts. I say what I think, I lead with my heart.

FRANKEN: That will be a definite no-no for Dean tonight. But no longer leading may not be all bad.

KERRY: How are y'all doing?

FRANKEN: At least he doesn't have to deal with John Kerry's expectations. It's lonely at the top.

KERRY: Could be prepared for anything, but I'm looking forward to a good discussion about the future of the country.

FRANKEN: This debate is teaming with drama. Wesley Clark skipped Iowa, so he must make an impression here. Ditto, Joe Lieberman who also decided to make New Hampshire his first outing. As for John Edwards, he needs to avoid the impression his strong Iowa finish was a fluke.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: Well, there have been lots of debates, Wolf, but this time the term "do or die" may not be a cliche -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Bob Franken with the CNN Election Express Bus. Bob, thanks very much.

After Iowa's win, Senator John Kerry is clearly on a roll going into tonight's very important debate. But will voters in the Granite State here turn the Iowa results upside-down?

For that, let's turn to our national correspondent Kelly Wallace -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, if you listen to John Kerry, he says he is still an underdog here in New Hampshire, but he and his aides knows he goes into tonight's debate as the one leading in the polls and the one who could be the target of any attacks.

All day we've been asking advisers what's the strategy going into tonight's debate and they say they're going to follow the same playbook they used in Iowa. That they hope tonight the Senator will make the case that he believes he is the one with the national security and political experience to defeat President Bush in November.

Aboard his campaign bus earlier today, some reporters asked the Senator if he believes he is facing some high expectations going into tonight's forum.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KERRY: I have no expectations about tonight except that I'm going to continue to put a positive vision out to the country. That's what I did in Iowa. That's what i've been doing everywhere. You heard me everywhere I go. That's what I'm going to do tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And just a short time ago the Senator got a boost from this man, Fritz Hollings, the senior Senator and always interesting Senator from South Carolina. He announced that he is endorsing John Kerry. He says he is the one who has the courage and experience to defeat President Bush.

The reason this is so key, John Kerry has poured most of his resources into Iowa and New Hampshire. He doesn't have that big of an organization in South Carolina, and South Carolina will be holding the first primary in the south on February 3. So the Kerry campaign believes this endorsement could be very key in helping John Kerry build support in South Carolina.

And, Wolf, Senator Hollings will be coming here to New Hampshire tomorrow to help campaign for John Kerry here in the granite state. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: The South Carolina primary one week after the New Hampshire primary a very important primary, indeed. Kelly, thanks very much. Wesley Clark skipped the Iowa contest to focus on Tuesday's New Hampshire's primary. The latest polls here show Clark is still behind both Kerry and Dean. Here to talk about Clark's chances, CNN's Dan Lothian. What's the latest, Dan?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's interesting what we see in the Clark campaign, today trying to get outside of the box. What he did was went to a local grocery store not far from Manchester, New Hampshire, where he was trying to be a bag boy for the day. Not only bagging groceries, but also trying to bag some votes.

This is the type of campaigning that his campaign aides say we will be seeing. He wants to do more face to face campaigning here in New Hampshire. This retail politicking.

And as for the polls, you mentioned that he is in 3rd place now, his campaign aides say that he doesn't really care about the polls. And even Clark himself says he is not watching the polls.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WESELEY CLARK, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not paying any attention to the polls. I'm looking at what I see in the voters. I shake hands, look people in the eye. And I feel very good about New Hampshire and about all of the race across this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: Now, Clark also had a couple of other meetings today, meeting with educators here in Manchester where he talked about providing some scholarships and grants for college students where he said without a college education, how can you get a job.

He also met with some women of planned parenthood where he tried to show the differences between himself and the Bush administration, pointing out that he is pro-choice. And his aides telling us we will see more of that, Wolf, where he will not go after Kerry or some of the other perceived front-runners, but rather go after George Bush.

BLITZER: There's some interesting rivalry between General Clark and Lieutenant Kerry. And General Clark made a point of saying he was a General and Kerry was only Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Is there a friction there based on what you can tell?

LOTHIAN: Well certainly, this is something that has been highlighted in the last few days, but Clark in his campaign say, this is something they want to put behind them. They don't want to focus on any of this bickering between the candidates. They want to focus on the issues.

And they truly believe that if voters get a chance to see Clark to see the issues, to meet him on a personal level, then they will see what they hope they want him to see -- want voters to see is that he can beat Bush.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Dan, for that report. What about Howard Dean's campaign? For that we turn to our Judy Woodruff. Judy, the strategy going in tonight for Howard Dean must be incredibly important. First of all, the two-hour debate and then he has this interview that will air with Diane Sawyer on ABC news. I understand that interview has already been taped. What are you hearing from the Dean people about the new strategy post-Iowa?

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Wolf, you know, there are people who are ready to write Howard Dean off. But you and I both know anything can happen in American politics. There is still, what, four or five days left before the primary here.

We all know that Bill Clinton at this point in 1992 reeling from charges that he was a draft dodger, about his alleged affair with Gennifer Flowers. People said he wouldn't come back. Clearly, he did.

Having said that, there are Dean strategists telling me today these are the most important six hours coming up in Howard Dean's political life.

BLITZER: And of this joint meeting, this joint appearance together with his wife, the Dr. Dean, the other Dr. Dean with Diane Sawyer today, some are suggesting since she's been so largely invisible throughout these many months of his campaigning, this is a act of desperation if you will, to try to revive his campaign.

WOODRUFF: Well, Wolf, it's clearly an effort to personalize and to humanize Howard Dean. What people saw across the country on Monday night was a personality. They acknowledge that many people are not going to be comfortable with, so they're trying to do what they can to warm her up.

And I talked this afternoon with someone who is a big supporter of Howard Dean, a Democratic strategist, who said look, for all we know, Dr. Judy Dean may charm the socks off the whole country. We just all need to watch and see what happens.

BLITZER: All right. A high-risk strategy for the candidate Dean and his wife, Dr. Dean. We'll be watching tonight. All of these dramatic developments. Judy Woodruff in Exeter, New Hampshire with the CNN Campaign Express bus. Thanks very much.

Senator John Edwards, the surprise second-place finisher in Iowa is among the -- is aiming for the top spot here in New Hampshire. But the latest polls don't necessarily show that happening, at least not yet. And today he hit a pothole on the campaign trail.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): He built himself as populous candidate with the positive message. But today, John Edwards faces criticism, his campaign circulated a memo in Iowa written by staffers and obtained by CNN that labeled Howard Dean elitist, and Senator Kerry as part of failed Washington politics. He apologized and today rallied with students at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This democracy, this government, it does not belong in that crowd of insider in Washington and their lobbyists. It belongs to you.

BLITZER: Some might say it's now or never. With polls showing he's nearly last in the pack at New Hampshire, Joe Lieberman's hoping to shine tonight.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My strategy tonight is to be myself.

BLITZER: He kicked his morning off with supporters in Manchester.

LIEBERMAN: If you trust me, I will never let you down.

With perhaps the least to lose in New Hampshire, Dennis Kucinich has the most on his plate today.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Across this state, across this country is a campaign that's aimed at lifting this country.

BLITZER: He holds several rallies with young supporters before attending tonight's debate. And that's our look at the rest of the 2004 presidential candidates on the trail.

Here's your chance to weigh on this story. The web question today is this, "has Senator John Kerry's surprise win in Iowa increased your interest in the Democratic presidential primary?" You can vote right now. Go to CNN.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

Other news we're following. Children's Hospital scare, a surgeon with HIV? Now a call for testing of thousands of patients, including children.

Is one Mars mission destroyed? Tonight, why NASA is hearing the sound of silence.

Deadly day in Iraq's most volatile region. A cold-hearted act, targeting civilian women on their way to work.

And protecting the homeland. President Bush gives a boost to security funding. Is it enough to get the job done? I'll talk with the mayor of Las Vegas.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Is it over for the rover? NASA says it's received no significant data from the Mars rover Spirit in more than 24 hours. CNN space correspondent Miles O'Brien has details. He's at that NASA's jet propulsion laboratory in Pasadena, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: After 17 days of near flawless, sometimes stunning operation on the surface of Mars, NASA's Spirit rover has ceased meaningful conversation with its ground controllers here at Pasadena's jet propulsion laboratory. Instead of getting pictures and scientific data as they had hoped, they are receiving tones, simple beeps from Spirit which indicates there's a serious problem on the rover.

The Spirit engineering team will rest along with the Spirit rover during the Martian night and it's hoped that in the middle of that Martian night Spirit will wake up and try to communicate with one of NASA's satellites orbiting the planet Mars and perhaps send back something more than a tone.

If they can establish some kind of two-way communication, then they can go about the business of trying to troubleshoot this problem. All this comes just a couple of days before Spirit's twin, Opportunity, is set to land on the other side of Mars. The team here at the jet propulsion lab is stretched, to say the least. Miles O'Brien, CNN, Pasadena, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A Canadian children's hospital is trying to track down more than 2,000 former patients after learning a surgeon there has been infected with the AIDS virus for up to 13 years. Bernard Drainville of CNN affiliate RDI joins us now live from Montreal with details. Bernard, what exactly happened?

BERNARD DRAINVILLE, CNN AFFILIATE CORRESPONDENT: Basically you had this surgeon who was HIV-positive who knew, you know, knew his illness or her illness. We don't know yet if it was a he or a she. But from 1990 to 2003, that surgeon kept on operating children, mostly children, because we're talking about a children's hospital here. So more than 2,600 patients were operated by that doctor. And we only find out today what happened. So the hospital, this St. Justin (ph) Children Hospital is trying to get in touch with all of these patients, these 2,600 patients to ask them to take a blood test to find out if they were infected by HIV.

BLITZER: Have kids and other patients started coming to the hospital to get these blood tests?

DRAINVILLE: Well, what has happened is that they have set up a hotline. And we're being told that the lines are constantly busy. Obviously, there's a lot of nervousness, a lot of fear from the families and from these patients.

So we're being told by the hospital who has set up these hotlines that people are calling in, constantly, to try to find out if they're on this list, if they were operated by that doctor who had HIV. And every single patient will be contacted. If they don't get in touch with the hospital, they will receive a registered letter in the next few days to be informed that they need to present themselves to the health clinic to take that blood test. BLITZER: All right. Bernard Drainville. We'll check back you in the coming days. Want to see how things are going on this story. Thanks very much, Bernard Drainville, joining us from our affiliate in Montreal, RDI.

Security spending with code orange alerts and terrorist scares. Is protecting the homeland bankrupting cities? And is the president's promise of help enough? I'll speak with the mayor of Las Vegas.

Privacy on planes, what airlines are doing or not doing to protect their customers' personal information.

And last-ditch effort, those looking to save their candidacies, what they can do, what they will do to try to win.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: President Bush has just returned to the White House after two days of campaign-style appearances. At his final stop in Roswell, New Mexico, the president announced plans for a big increase in homeland security funding.

CNN's Kathleen Koch is joining us live at the White House -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, Democratic critics insisted when it comes to stopping terrorism, President Bush needs to put his money where his mouth is. That the Department of Homeland Security and first responders nationwide need more funding and equipment and training to do the job. So in New Mexico this afternoon the president told his supporters that his new budget has nearly 10 percent increase in funding for the global fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're on an international manhunt, to those who would do harm for America or anybody else who loves freedom. One by one we'll bring them to justice. There is no hole deep enough to hide from America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: And while aides insist the president has not yet started his re-election campaign actions often speak louder than words. After his speech, Mr. Bush made a rare and unscheduled stop at a local restaurant. He chatted with customers, with workers there. He ordered ribs. New Mexico is of course a very important battle ground state. This election year, Mr. Bush lost it very narrowly to Al Gore in 2000 by just some 366 votes -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Kathleen Koch reporting from the White House. Thanks, Kathleen, very much.

The nation's mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. obviously would welcome the president's move if they actually see any of the money. The mayors in, in fact, already upset because the majority of them say their cities have yet to get any of the $1.5 billion already designated for first responder teams such as police and fire departments. Just a short while ago I raised that issue with Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Mayor Goodman, thanks very much for joining us. I know you're in Washington for the meeting of the conference of mayors. As you were meeting the president announced a nearly 10 percent increase in Homeland Security Defense, including money for first responders and cities like yours, Las Vegas.

Are you satisfied with the funds that the federal government have provided the cities so far?

MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: You can never have enough funding. That's for sure. But it's not the amount that's the difficulty and that we're concerned about. The mayors of the cities across the United States. What we're concerned about is that the moneys that Congress has appropriate operated for homeland securities is going to the state. And then it filters down from the feds to the state to the county. And then ultimately to the city when the cities are basically the first responders to any emergency. So the system isn't working at all.

So basically, have you gotten any money from the federal government for your firefighters, your police officers, the first aid people, all of the first responders you need potentially god forbid there was a disaster to strike Las Vegas?

GOODMAN: We're a little lucky in the sense that we have received about 5 million dollars over the two years. However, our sisters cities across the country are not as lucky because 76 percent of them haven't received one cent. So the system isn't working the way it was designed to work. And you never, as I said before, have enough money but even in Nevada there's been a glitch, speaking to our Congressional delegations yesterday, I was advised of $600,000 that the state has received that the city so dearly needs was returned, because the state didn't have a particular purpose to send it on to the city. So it's not working. What has to take place here, the federal government must see that the moneys go directly to the cities and then the cities know best how to spend it.

BLITZER: Who do you blame, Mr. Mayor, for this failure in the system?

GOODMAN: I think it's first of all, it's a new issue as far as America is concerned so you don't have the kind of institutional knowledge that ordinarily goes with an issue such as this. I just don't think the folk in Washington appreciate how the -- how a disaster is responded to. The cities, the mayors are the first ones to answer it. Then we go to the state for a little bit of help. And then to the feds, ultimately for the clean-up and to make us whole again. But it's the cities that are the first responders. And I don't think that message has really gotten across yet. BLITZER: As you know, Las Vegas has often been mentioned as a top target potentially for al Qaeda, for terrorist. I think in part because so many of those hijackers killed themselves on 9/11 had spent time in Las Vegas.

How much time based on what you know, did they spend in Las Vegas?

What were they doing there?

GOODMAN: Well, supposedly at least one of them, Mr. Madah (ph) was linked to Las Vegas. He was staying with -- I don't to hurt one of our motels there, but at a motel that charged about 35 bucks a night, and was there for a couple of days, as I understand. Nobody know what's he was doing. But I get a kick out of it. They come to Las Vegas, which is the entertainment capital of the world. We got the best restaurants, the best boutique shopping, I've got to believe that he had a pretty good time before he blew himself up.

BLITZER: Mr. Mayer, we'll leave it on that note. Oscar Goodman, good luck to you. Good luck everyone in Las Vegas.

GOODMAN: Thanks, Wolf. Always good to talking to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Ready to rebound?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Candidates who have stumbled in the past have looked for an opportunity to refocus public attention.

BLITZER: Reviving a campaign that is spiralling downward, past and present efforts at damage control.

Comeback Kerry, he's come from nowhere to take the lead in the presidential race in Iowa. We'll take a closer look at the new man to beat, namely John Kerry.

And sentencing in South Dakota. Congressman Richard Janklow faces his punishment for second degree manslaughter.

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Candidate concerns, what those lagging in the polls will do to boost their campaigns. We'll have complete details.

First, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.

Passenger privacy issues are a prime topic as the heads of the nation's largest airlines hold their quarterly meeting. They're considering asking for a federal policy to replace their individual rules. Several airlines have been criticized recently for sharing passenger data, including credit card information, with the government.

The newly appointed judge in the Scott Peterson murder case is out just one day after being tapped to oversee the trial. Prosecutors filed a challenge, saying they don't think they could have a fair and impartial hearing. Each side gets one such challenge, which automatically removes the judge from the case.

Just a few minutes ago in South Dakota, former Congressman and Governor Bill Janklow was sentenced to 100 days in jail. Janklow was convicted last month of second-degree manslaughter for an accident that killed a motorist, a motorcyclist in this particular case. He could have gotten up to 10 years. Janklow resigned his House seat this week.

Broadway and Hollywood dancing legend Ann Miller has died at a Los Angeles hospital. She gained fame as a rapid-fire tap dancer and went on to star in film and stage musicals, including "Sugar Babies" with Mickey Rooney. Her publicist says Miller was suffering from lung cancer. She was 81 years old.

Political candidates don't often come out of the gate and go wire to wire without a stumble. Sometimes, they fall flat and watch others pass them by. Sometimes, they pick themselves right up and go on to victory.

CNN's Jennifer Coggiola has been looking at the other races. She's joining us now live from Washington -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf. Well, there's an old saying. Desperate times call for desperate measures. And that's certainly true for politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and Arizona!

COGGIOLA (voice-over): After speeches like Monday night, some think the pressure is on Howard Dean to revitalize his campaign and turn things around. But he's not the first to need some damage control.

STUART ROTHENBERG, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Candidates who have stumbled in the past have looked for an opportunity to refocus public attention and reintroduce themselves to voters and really change the existing dynamic.

COGGIOLA: It was Richard Nixon who squared off with reporters after negative reports of his personal spending. In what's been dubbed the Checkers speech, Nixon accounted for his finances, rumors of his wife's expensive coat, and, most memorably, his cocker spaniel.

RICHARD NIXON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And our little girl-Tricia, the 6-year old-named it Checkers. Regardless of what they say about it, we're gonna keep it.

COGGIOLA: A personal plea from Edmund Muskie during his '72 campaign.

EDMUND MUSKIE, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: By attacking me, by attacking my wife...

COGGIOLA: Depending unflattering remarks made by a New Hampshire publisher. Was it the snow or tears? Either way, he was out of the campaign within a week.

After losing the Iowa caucuses, candidate Ronald Reagan scrambled to recover some momentum. He proposed and paid for a two-man debate, excluding the other candidates. He was heard loud and clear.

RONALD REAGAN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Green!

COGGIOLA: And went on to victory.

Bill Clinton, confronting rumors about his alleged affair with Gennifer Flowers, appeared with his wife, side by side on the couch, for CBS' "60 Minutes."

WILLIAM J. CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Anybody who's listening gets the drift of it.

COGGIOLA: And swore he would be there until the end.

CLINTON: Watch "60 Minutes." I have said all I have to say.

COGGIOLA: Later, there were more questions, but he survived.

Attempts to shatter his image as the stiff, wooden man, presidential candidate Al Gore at the Democratic National Convention transformed himself from a caricature into a Casanova. Gore reportedly gained a 21 percent lead over his opponent, George W. Bush, after the smooch. But that lip-lock didn't seal the deal.

So the strategy for the latest candidate in troubled waters?

DEAN: Yes!

ROTHENBERG: If you're Howard Dean, and you have seen yourself go from front-runner to now a candidate who really must win in New Hampshire, you're going to do something pretty dramatic to try to change your standing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COGGIOLA: Howard Dean and his wife are now expected to appear tonight on the ABC network in an interview with Diane Sawyer. So, damage control or just an interview? Wolf, we'll let the viewers and the voters decide.

BLITZER: CNN's Jennifer Coggiola with a good, solid report -- thanks, as usual, Jennifer, for that.

Following the polls in this young presidential election year is like a roller-coaster ride. Case in point, our latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup tracking poll in New Hampshire has Senator John Kerry on top, with Howard Dean only five points behind. But look at this. Two Boston newspaper polls give Kerry a 10-point lead.

Here with us to give us his astute analysis of what's going on, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.

In this particular case, those two Boston newspaper polls may actually be more accurate than our own CNN poll. Why?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Because they're more recent.

Our own CNN poll, like two other tracking polls that are now being published, interviewed people on Monday, before the Iowa caucuses were over, and then again Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are the three. Now, notice, all of these polls are very consistent. They show the same order, Kerry on top, followed by, a few points behind, Howard Dean, then Wesley Clark in the high teens, John Edwards around 10 percent, and Joe Lieberman still in single digits, but all of these polls, the same order. They were all taken January 19 to 21, so one night of interviews before the Iowa caucus results are in.

Let's average them and you can see what they show, Kerry 28, Dean 24. So a narrow margin, Kerry over Dean. Clark at 17, Edwards and Lieberman in single digits. Now, there are two additional tracking polls that interviewed people entirely after the Iowa caucus results were in by the two Boston newspapers, "The Globe" and "The Herald."

Amazingly -- and I've never seen this happen before -- these two polls came up with exactly identical results. That is not a graphic poorly drawn. They were, in fact, identical, with Kerry on top now at 31 percent, up three from the average we just saw, Dean at 21, down three, Clark at 16, one point lower than the earlier polls, Edwards at 11. He show a two-point gain. And Lieberman at 4, which is down a little bit.

What does this show? It shows, if you drop off people who were interviewed before the Iowa caucus results are in, what we're seeing happening since then is Dean dropping very sharply. You see Clark falling just a little bit. You see a big surge by John Kerry, a little surge by John Edwards, so that we're seeing a lot of movement, just with one day's change in the polls.

BLITZER: And there's still plenty of time between now and next Tuesday, so that movement in various directions still very possible.

SCHNEIDER: Absolutely.

BLITZER: Bill Schneider, thanks for explaining that to our viewers. You did a good job, as usual.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: The insurgents strike again. In the last 24 hours, two more U.S. soldiers are dead. We'll have the latest from Iraq.

Finding the weapons in Iraq, the move to replace the lead CIA investigator into weapons of mass destruction.

And the comeback kid, why everyone is now paying attention to veteran politician John Kerry, his public journey to the current top spot. We'll get to that.

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Sharon staying. Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon says he plans to remain in office until at least 2007, despite a corruption investigation. An Israeli real estate developer has been indicted for allegedly paying bribes to Mr. Sharon when he was foreign minister. The Justice Ministry says there's been no decision on whether to indict Mr. Sharon.

Can we talk? Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe reportedly has agreed to formal talks with political opponents. That's according to South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, who visited Mr. Mugabe last month. Critics say Mr. Mugabe's repressive rule has plunged Zimbabwe into chaos.

Chicken ban. Following the lead of Laos and Cambodia, Japan has stopped importing chicken from Thailand because of concerns about bird flu. Thailand is among the world's top five poultry exporters.

No comment. The Vatican confirms that Pope John Paul II has screened Mel Gibson's controversial new movie, "The Passion of Christ." But church officials won't say what the pontiff thought about it. Some critics of the film fear it will fuel anti-Semitism.

We see Paris. The Paris fashion season continued, as designer Emanuel Ungaro showed off his spring-summer collection. Colors ranged from bright blue to golden yellow and many designs featured huge flower prints.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: This Sunni heartland north and west of Baghdad is Iraq's most volatile region. And over a 24-hour period, it's become the scene of bloody attacks that have taken the lives of two U.S. soldiers, three Iraqi police officers and four civilians.

CNN's Michael Holmes reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Once again, the majority of victims are Iraqi, three attacks all in the Sunni Triangle, where insurgents have been most active against the coalition and those who work with it.

The most brazen attack was west of Baghdad, near Fallujah. A car pulled up alongside a van carrying women to work at a U.S. military base. Gunmen opened fire, killing three of the women, wounding others, the assault underscoring the increasing dangers for Iraqis who work for the occupation forces, insurgents considering them valid targets, targets also, Iraqi police. Hundreds have been killed in recent months, three more on Wednesday at a checkpoint between Ramadi and Fallujah, when men in two pickup trucks drove at the checkpoint, firing machine guns.

A civilian was also killed, several police wounded. A coalition spokesman conceded, the insurgents are picking their targets for a reason.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe that the purpose behind that is to send a message of terror to those people that, if you work for the coalition, that if you work alongside and try to support the coalition, we can reach out and touch you.

HOLMES: American troops hit back in this latest round of violence, counterattacking after two members of the 4th Infantry Division were killed near Baquba north of Baghdad. They were at a forward operating base when it was attacked by rockets and mortars. American soldiers returned fire, but their attackers had fled.

(on camera): Renewed attacks over the past week come at the worst possible time for the United States, as it waits for the United Nations to decide whether it will come here to investigate the feasibility of direct elections. Security, of course, always a top priority for the U.N.

(voice-over): The coalition adopting a holding pattern until the U.N. decides whether to return to Iraq or not.

DANIEL SENOR, SENIOR ADVISER, COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY: We are looking forward to the possible deployment of a technical team being sent here by the United Nations to look at this issue of the viability of direct elections. We are not seriously considering any other options at this point.

HOLMES: The current deadline for a handover of power to Iraqis is June 30. It is a deadline now very fast approaching.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: U.S. search teams have failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The man in charge of the hunt is stepping down. And his likely successor seems to have some doubts about the existence of those weapons.

Let's turn now to our national security correspondent, David Ensor -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as you say, this is an interesting choice. We believe it will be announced within the next few days. The choice is going to be made by Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet. But, of course, the White House is involved in that selection as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR (voice-over): Former U.N. weapons inspector Charles Duelfer is likely to be named soon, U.S. officials say, as the CIA's new man in charge of the search of weapons of mass destruction. And, in some ways, he is an unusual choice.

By contrast with the outgoing David Kay, who expressed confidence upon taking the job that weapons would be found, Duelfer has been publicly skeptical.

CHARLES DUELFER, FORMER U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: It will probably turn out, in my judgment, that there are no existing weapons in Iraq. And that mildly surprises me. I would have expected to find some small number of long-range missiles with either biological or chemical warhead capabilities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FRONTLINE")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, what you got around this side is a whole series of laboratories.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: A report to be aired on PBS' "Frontline" tonight tracks the work thus far of the Iraq Survey Group, hundreds of Americans, British, Australian and other scientists and soldiers scouring Iraq for weapons, frustrating work. They've found evidence of programs, but nothing more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FRONTLINE")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is interesting that this fermenter was not declared. That in and of itself is in violation of 1441. That fermenter was subject to declaration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENSOR: Suspicious mobile labs were found, but they now appear to have been designed to put hydrogen in weather balloons. A vial of live botulinum toxin was found in a scientist's fridge, but it was not a kind the Iraqis ever weaponized.

And an Iraqi scientist gave the CIA parts and plans for gas centrifuges to enrich uranium for bombs. But they have been buried in his backyard for over a decade and no ongoing nuclear program has been found.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: A former colleague of Kay's and Duelfer says, whether he finds actual weapons or not, Duelfer, if he's going to lead the team, will need to scoop up all the components, documents and tools that must be kept out of the hands of terrorists and rogues, and he will need to raise the morale of his team, which has been dropping, sources say, as some experts leave to help against Iraqi insurgents and others go to Libya to unravel the WMD programs there -- Wolf.

BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks for that report.

At the top of his game. He may be comeback Kerry, but he's no Johnny-come-lately, a look back at the man who wants to be president.

And battle over Bella, an update to a story we brought you yesterday. If you were watching and you want to see what happened to Bella, we'll tell you.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Late today, the Senate passed a huge catch-all spending bill for fiscal 2004. Among many other things, it includes a controversial measure that could limit the number of workers eligible for overtime pay. Critics say it will hurt millions of lower-level white-collar professions.

The measure also includes a pilot school voucher program, the first involving federal funds. Students in the Washington, D.C. school system will be able to use vouchers for private school tuition. The spending package now goes to President Bush for his signature.

Suddenly soaring in the polls, he seems like a political phenomenon. Written off weeks before the Iowa caucuses by some, he rode a late surge of support to an electrifying finish Monday night. But Senator John Kerry is no newcomer to the national political scene.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, Iowa, for making me the comeback Kerry.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Suddenly, John Kerry has made his way to the front of a Democratic race that more Americans, certainly the Americans who work in the White House, are paying attention to.

KERRY: Bring it on! Bring it on!

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, KERRY BIOGRAPHER: John Kerry had his back against the wall and, in January, turned his campaign completely around.

BLITZER: But make no mistake. This is not a candidate from nowhere, not a man with late-blooming aspirations, John Forbes Kerry in some ways the classic Eastern blue-blood, his mother from the prestigious Forbes family, his father a World War II test pilot who later served in the State Department.

It was a privileged life, but one without roots, Kerry's formative years spent in boarding school in New England and Europe, before he headed to Yale, the one constant, John Kerry's ambition. Weighing his options at graduation, Kerry was commissioned an officer in the Navy. It was 1966. Less than two years later, he headed for Vietnam. He volunteered to command a gunboat.

In the Mekong Delta, that meant serious danger. Dozens of firefights with Viet Cong took the lives of several comrades and nearly took Kerry's. Bravery and daring, by some accounts, bordering on recklessness, won him a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts.

Kerry returned a hero, but with profound bitterness. In one well-documented episode, Kerry joined with other veterans tossing their war medals on to the lawn of the Capitol. Kerry freely admitted the medals he threw were not his.

KERRY: And I threw some medals back that belonged to some folks who asked me to throw them back for them.

BLITZER: But the image was building of a somber, but striking young man, leading demonstrations as part of the group Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

The real catapult for John Kerry April, 1971, a packed hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

KERRY: We wish that a merciful God could wipe away our own memories of that service.

BLITZER: His testimony got the attention of the Nixon White House and voters back home in Massachusetts. John Kerry was on his way.

Following a failed bid for Congress, he became a district attorney, lieutenant governor under Michael Dukakis, and, in 1984, was elected the junior senator from Massachusetts.

Over nearly 20 years as a senator, through two marriages to women of profile and wealth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I figure I owe this man my life.

BLITZER: Few missed photo opportunities with fellow veterans and war buddies.

KERRY: I am running so that we can keep America's promise.

BLITZER: John Kerry's ambition never far from the surface, along with a reputation forged in substance and sacrifice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And riding high in the polls here in New Hampshire.

Tomorrow, an in-depth look at another come-from-behind candidate, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina.

Remember, our hot "Web Question of the Day" is this: Has Senator Kerry's surprise win in Iowa increased your interest in the Democratic presidential primary? The results of your vote when we come back.

Plus, a follow-up on Bella, the California dog at the center of a custody battle. If you were watching yesterday, you will want to find out what has happened since then.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day." Take a look at this, 40 percent yes, 60 percent no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Bella is back, and that's our picture of the day. The golden retriever was reunited with her original owner last night shortly after we told you about the custody battle over her. Bella had run away with no tags on, ending up in a Humane Society. A family adopted her as a present for their little girl's birthday just hours before Bella's original owner found her.

First, the family refused to give up Bella, prompting threats of a lawsuit and national media attention. But they eventually had a change of heart, saying they wanted to do the right thing. Good thing for Bella.

A reminder, we're on weekdays 5:00 p.m. Eastern, as well as noon Eastern. I'll be back here tomorrow in Manchester, New Hampshire, with all the latest.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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