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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Hustled out of Haiti?; Edwards, Kerry Go Head to Head on Super Tuesday

Aired March 01, 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.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hustled out of Haiti? Rebels are in the capital. So are U.S. Marines. And Aristide's in Africa.

IRA KURZBAN, ARISTIDE'S ATTORNEY: The president of the Republic of Haiti was kidnapped by the United States Marines.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Absolutely baseless, absurd.

BLITZER: Chasing Kerry.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I plan to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) nominate.

BLITZER: Why is the front runner looking past Super Tuesday?

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: George Bush is going, we're coming, and don't let door hit you on the way out, folks!

BLITZER: Face to face. Kobe Bryant's in court for an encounter with his accuser.

The Kennedy mystique. Did they set out to create Camelot? We'll show you rare images from a new documentary.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Monday, March 1, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The rebels have moved into Haiti's capital, but there are stunning allegations at this hour about how Haiti's leader moved out.

Cheering crowds gathered in Port-au-Prince to greet the gunmen who so easily seized control of the country over the past three weeks. U.S. Marines are also in the streets right now, hundreds are due to be deployed, spearheading a multinational force approved by the United Nations Security Council.

We'll go live to CNN's Lucia Newman. She's in port-au-prince and to our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre.

But we begin with the sudden exit of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the claims that he was hustled out of Haiti at gunpoint.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Is Jean-Bertrand Aristide a political prisoner or an exiled president telling a tale? depends on who you believe.

KURZBAN: Today I have learned that the president of the Republic of Haiti was kidnapped by United States Marines.

BLITZER: Friends and allies of Aristide telling whoever will listen that the first Democratically elected president of Haiti was spirited out of the country Sunday morning against his will by a contingent of armed Americans. An accusation, they say, coming from Aristide himself.

RANDALL ROBINSON, FRM. PRES., TRANSAFRICA: The president said to me that he had been abducted from his home by about 20 American soldiers in full battle gear with automatic weapons and put on a plane. And across the aisle from him and Mrs. Aristide sat the American soldier who apparently was the commander of the contingent.

BLITZER: That's not all. No fewer than four prominent Americans, including two members of the U.S. Congress, all relay the same claim from Aristide of a sequence of intimidation and evasion.

REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), NEW YORK: That he resigned under pressure, that he was taken to a Central African country where he called me from, that he and his wife had no idea where they were going, they had not negotiated with these countries, or with the United States.

BLITZER: Another consistent claim, that Aristide is being held as a virtual prisoner in the Central African Republic.

Also consistent, vehement denials from the top levels of the Bush administration.

POWELL: He was not kidnapped. We did not force him out of airplane. He went onto the airplane willingly and that's the truth.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's nonsense, we took steps to protect Mr. Aristide, we took steps to protect his family as they departed Haiti.

BLITZER: Defense Secretary Rumsfeld even questions the messenger.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I don't believe that's true, that he is claiming that. I just don't know that's the case. I'd be absolutely amazed if that were the case.

BLITZER: We tried throughout the day to reach Mr. Aristide by phone. We were unable to connect with him.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: In the meantime thousands have turned out to cheer as the rebels rolled into Port-au-Prince in their so-called victory convoy. U.S. Marines have also been moving in. Let's go live to CNN's Lucia Newman. She';s in the Haitian capital -- Lucia.

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Wolf. Indeed in Haiti, scenes from the past. A decade after U.S. forces came into this country to restore President Aristide to power, they're back to restore order in the country, but, of course, without the president.

Also back from the past, the rebels that are led by members of Haiti's disbanded military, its disbanded army and police. The people were out on the streets en masse today cheering and clapping, saying it was liberation day as Guy Philippe, the former police chief of Haitaian and the rebel commander came into the capital.

The rebels were very, very well armed. They were uniformed. But they were received with jubilation as they went from police station to police station saying basically we're here and we're in charge now. Haiti's normal police was out on the streets. They had been absent for days but not actually mixed with the rebels.

And they stood aside as guy Philippe and other followers and other armed military soldiers went into the police stations, sat down, had cups of coffee and then left again.

Now, Wolf, I can tell you that things are calmer today than they have been, but there is still looting at the port -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Lucia Newman on the scene for us in Port-au- Prince. Thank you, Lucia.

A decade ago the United States sent 20,000 troops to Haiti. That's not the goal this time. Let's go live to our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Wolf, Remember that old Groucho Marx line "I came to say I must be going"? Well the U.S. Marines have just arrived in Port-au-Prince and already the Pentagon is working on their exit strategy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): By the end of Monday, Pentagon officials say 300 U.S. Marines will have arrived in Port-au-Prince to spearhead the interim force that's to keep order until U.N. peacekeepers take over sometime in the next three months.

Altogether, the Pentagon has 2,000 Marines on standby. But the U.S. goal is to minimize how many are actually sent. The final number depends how many other countries show up and how much peace actually needs to kept.

RUMSFELD: I don't know what the number will be, but for the sake of argument, say 1,500 or 2,000 or less. But time will tell. We'll have what's needed. MCINTYRE: Already French and Canadian troops have arrived and several other countries are expect as well. Pentagon officials say the U.S. would be happy to turn over the lead role as soon as possible.

The Pentagon won't discuss the rules of engagement for peacekeepers, but insist the U.S. Marines will have the ability to protect themselves as well as the authority to protect Haitians or stop looting if necessary.

GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHRM., JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: They're going to be adequately armed not just with their personal protective gear and their offensive weapons, but with the rules that allow them to do the job they should be.

MCINTYRE: The Pentagon is deliberately vague about when the U.S. would intervene, sources say, so as not to sign the Marines up for police work or patrolling Haiti's crime-ridden neighborhoods.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: The U.S. wants to get in and out of Haiti as fast as possible and so far has made no commitment to contribute troops to that U.N. follow-on force that will take over by June. But the U.S. military stretch by the war on terrorism, as the Pentagon official put it, we've got better things to do -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Jamie, thank you very much.

And to our viewers, here's your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: are you satisfied with the way the United States is handling the situation in Haiti? You can vote right now, go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

While you're there, though, I'd love to hear directly from you. Send me your comments any time. 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 also read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

It's the eve of Super Tuesday, and Democrats and Republicans are making their best case for the White House. Coming up, President Bush goes on the offensive and gets ready to launch his television ad campaign.

A mystery in Mississippi. Can investigators clear up the fate of this family?

And voting vulnerabilities. It's the wave of the future, but is electronic voting safe and dependable? Critics say no. We'll examine the controversy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Front-runner John Kerry and his main Democratic rival John Edwards are furiously courting voters on this -- the eve of Super Tuesday. With ten states holding contest, the outcome could very well determine whether Edwards stays in the race. Our national correspondent Bob Franken is in Baltimore, Maryland, he's joining us live with more -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, with its massive number of delegates at stake this election is supposed to be conclusive. We're about to find out if Super Tuesday lives up to its name.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): He's the front-runner, the favorite once again. So pity John Kerry.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I need your help!

FRANKEN: Kerry needs all the help he can get if he wants to avoid another night of winning but not winning big enough.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I plan to be in this for the long run.

FRANKEN: John Edwards still gets to play by the better-than- expected rule. In fact, he's already released a schedule for visiting Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, the southern states that hold their elections the week after Super Tuesday. Of course, reality might intrude sooner or later.

EDWARDS: Of course, of course. At some point I got to start getting delegates or I'm not going to be the nominee.

FRANKEN: Super Tuesday accounts for 1,151 delegates, Kerry already has a wide lead and he's campaigning as if he is the nominee, and he meets his scorn on the general election opposition.

KERRY: If he came here I think he could straighten out his fuzzy math. Because the numbers don't add up. He's not multiplying the jobs. He's trying to divide America and so, I think, our solution, we ought to subtract George Bush from the political equation of the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: Well, before he can take that on, Kerry's numbers are going to have to be so overwhelming he can subtract John Edwards. Until then, Wolf, Edwards will continue to nip at his heels -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Bob Franken in Baltimore. Bob, thank you very much.

And John Edwards campaigning right now in Ohio. That's a state that's crucial for the senator from North Carolina. You're looking live at John Edwards before a rally in Cleveland, Ohio.

Facing daily attacks from both Kerry and Edwards, President Bush is stepping up his counteroffensive. His first multimillion dollar campaign, television ad campaign begins Thursday on cable networks, including right here on CNN. Also this week, a trip to the Democratic stronghold of California. Our political analyst Carlos Watson has been speaking with the president's campaign, he joins us live. Carlos, what do we expect to hear? What kind of message will we be seeing from the Bush/Cheney campaign?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Compassionate, conservative. In short, you'll see, first and foremost, the president appeal to his base. Remake the argument both domestically and internationally that he is, as he says, a steady hand during difficult times.

You'll see him talk not only about tax cuts which he says has the economy growing but you'll also hear him talk, for example, about education reform. You'll hear him talk overseas about what's happened in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also new partners, like those in Libya if you will and even what's happened in Pakistan.

The second thing we'll start to see the president and the president's team do is try and redefine the debate. Thus far it's been John Kerry and the Democrats who've had an opportunity to define No Child Left Behind legislation is something that leaves children behind. And they'll define the economy as recessionary one instead of as the president will say, a growing on.

And they'll try and redefine that debate particularly in swing states and there are series of them where they're buying not only national cable but also some local buys in order to make that point. States like Arizona and New Mexico. And last but not least, I think very shortly thereafter, the next week or two, we'll see if you will, some might call them negative ads, the president's people would say we're really only drawing the distinction between ourselves and the likely nominee who they think will be John Kerry and you'll begin to see some of the ads portray Kerry as someone who's flip-flopped on important decisions and who hasn't had a strong, in their mind, national security record.

BLITZER: Carlos, you're also talking to Democrats including Kerry supporters and staffers, what's their likely response?

WATSON: You know, I think they'll do something interesting. Not only will you see them counterattack and things like the war room will become famous. But I think you'll see the return of three very prominent Democrats. One is Howard Dean, arguably the most prolific fundraiser in a Democratic primary history, although he didn't win. You'll see significant wooing of him by the Kerry campaign over the next couple of weeks assuming they're successful on Super Tuesday and largely wrapping up the nomination, hoping he raises money.

And then get ready for the return of the Clintons both Bill and Hillary. There aren't two better fundraisers in the Democratic party than those two. No one's got more star power, and obviously they stayed on the sidelines wanting to be neutral in the midst of a contentious campaign. But if it becomes clear over the next several days and weeks that one Democrat in particular stands out, probably John Kerry, I think you will start to see fundraisers from California and New York where the star attraction, the million dollar attraction in lots of cases is either the former president or the current senator.

BLITZER: All right. Carlos Watson with some analysis for us. Thanks, Carlos, very much.

And this note to our viewers, speaking of the Bush/Cheney campaign. Tomorrow I'll have a special interview with the vice president of the United States. Dick Cheney, that will air tomorrow, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific. Of course, only here on CNN.

Casting doubt on how you cast your ballot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ...literally have one programmer affecting a million votes at once with programming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Electronic voting a new technology that brings with it new fears.

Issues of past and privacy. Why the judge in the Kobe Bryant case is ordering the prosecution to hand over two samples of his accuser's underwear.

Plus, creating Camelot. How the Kennedy family shared public and private lives. See the rare images, some never before seen. We'll get to all of that.

First today's news quiz. John F. Kennedy was the youngest U.S. president ever elected, then who was the youngest to serve? Theodore Roosevelt, John Tyler, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant. The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Millions of voters taking part in tomorrow's Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses will cast ballots using new touch- screen voting machines. Critics worry the machines are a high-tech way potentially to steal an election. CNN's Jennifer Coggiola has been looking into this controversial issue, she's joining us now live with more -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the country is trying to phase out these punch cards avoiding the dimpled and hanging chad now moving to electronic voting. But with the new alarming concerns about security and vulnerabilities, so we went to Maryland, their board of elections to get a demo on exactly how it works.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COGGIOLA: OK, walk me through.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

COGGIOLA (voice-over): The appeal to Maryland election officials is clear. Sleek, easy to use, multilingual, accessible to handicapped and blind voters, like this one by leading manufacturer Diebold.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very easy, very intuitive.

COGGIOLA: But with new technology comes new concerns, computer glitches and security vulnerabilities leaving room for possible mischief that make worries of stolen ballot boxes seem primitive in comparison.

AVI RUBIN, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: This voting machine has had a secret back door put into it. What that means is that there's a secret sequence of events that I can do to cause the voting machine to be hacked.

COGGIOLA: Using sneaky finger commands, Maryland professor Avi Rubin and his students reprogram Diebold's federally certified software manipulating touch-screens to choose a winner.

RUBIN: Unfortunately for Diebold, their code was available on the Internet from their own site because their security practices were so poor.

COGGIOLA: Poor practices that according it a memo written by a Diebold software engineer were known three years ago. Quote, "our smart card format has absolutely no security so if someone were to get a copy of this software and a reader they could stand at the ballot station and quietly burn new voter cards all day. I can see the cover of "USA Today" in my head. Consider everyone warned."

Diebold says the memos, one employee's opinion, were stolen from the website, and that its card security has since been improved with password protections, and tamper-proof machines now in place ensure secure voting. But that doesn't alleviate the fears of consumer activist Bev Harris who warns it's the programmers who could tamper with the software.

BEV HARRIS, AUTHOR: You could literally have one programmer affecting a million votes at once with programming. That's why you need checks and balances that are really strong.

COGGIOLA: Diebold says it is doing background checks on its programmers, one of the many measures now in place that please Maryland voting administrator Linda Lamone whose team conducted two independent security investigations on the system.

LINDA LAMONE, MD BOARD OF ELECTIONS: No room for error, we have tested this equipment every which way but down and up, and it just -- there's no problems with it.

COGGIOLA: One suggestion giving voters a paper copy of their votes is not something Lamone says is needed for now.

LAMONE: I personally think that it provides a false sense of security.

HARRIS: It's not a false sense of security, it's our vote.

COGGIOLA: Super Tuesday will be a big test.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COGGIOLA: Now other states like Georgia and Florida all grappling with security issues involving the electronic voting. California, though, currently is involved in an ongoing audit with Diebold, alleging that it lied about software changes the company made. Well, California will use the machines for Tuesday's primary but caution that unless security is upgraded they won't for the next presidential election.

BLITZER: Jennifer, is Diebold the only company that manufactures this equipment?

COGGIOLA: No, it's important to point out there are about half a dozen or so including Sequoia which uses some sort of optical scanner, but the security measures are being evaluated in the machines and also in the scanning, so it will be closely watched, especially tomorrow.

BLITZER: All right. Jennifer Coggiola, good report. Thank you very much.

Framing a foundation, diplomats in Iraq pave the way for the country's first constitution. Coming up, I'll speak with an adviser to those shaping Iraq's future.

Mysterious disappearance in Mississippi. A family of three vanishes. Now word of a major new development.

And shattered image. A site believed to bear the resemblance of the Virgin Mary is destroyed, and a small town is looking for answers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. Making history in Haiti right now. Rebels in the capital, while U.S. marines take up positions over at the presidential palace. We'll get to all of that, first, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.

Four U.S. Army National Guard units get word they might be heading to Iraq this year or early next year. The units are from New York, Idaho, Louisiana and Tennessee. Their deployment would be part of a scheduled troop rotation. The Pentagon says it expects thousands of Guard troops might be part of that deployment.

In Oklahoma jury selection is under way in the Terry Nichols' state murder trial after the judge turned down the defense's request for a delay. Nichols faces 161 murder charges in connection with the 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. He's already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole after his conviction of federal conspiracy and manslaughter charges. A construction worker at a casino site in Las Vegas was rushed to a hospital today after he was rescued from the top floor of the new tower. The worker was on the 27th floor when he injured. There's no word on his condition. It's the second such incident in Las Vegas in a week.

In Clearwater, Florida, some office building windows that have attracted attention for almost a decade were found broken this morning. Some people say the windows bore the image of the Virgin Mary. Investigators are hoping a security video will reveal clues in the case. The image first appeared a week before Christmas in 1996.

Back now to our top story. Rebels and U.S. Marines move into Haiti's capital after the sudden and controversial departure of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. What happens now?

Joining us from Capitol Hill is Senator Christopher Dodd of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He's had a close interest of Haiti for many, many years. He escorted Aristide back to Haiti after an early exile in 1999.

Senator Dodd, thanks very much for joining us.

First of all, the controversy of the day, was there a U.S.-led coup? Was he forced to leave Haiti or did he leave willingly?

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: Well, I don't know the answer to that, Wolf. I haven't talked to President Aristide.

I have certainly heard the accusations and I've heard the rebuttal by the administration. But it sort of misses the point. The fact of the matter is, we said to President Aristide, look, you can stay and be killed or you can leave. You make the choice. That's hardly a voluntary departure.

I note, as a corollary to that, you announced that these rebels, these thugs, these gangs have taken over the national police headquarters directly in front of the national palace in Port-au- Prince. And, apparently, our troops are standing by, allowing that to happen. So, however you want to look at this thing, the administration basically is complicit in watching a democratically elected government have to leave office.

We offered no support, despite the fact this administration signed the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001, which said that any country that asked for support that is democratically elected, others ought to step up and help those governments. We've now set up a new standard. You don't have to be a failed government, just a failed leader in our minds and we won't do anything to support and defend you.

In effect, we're responsible, in no small measure, for Aristide's failure and departure.

BLITZER: But isn't Aristide the most responsible for his own exile, for his own demise, given the deterioration, the corruption, what has happened in Haiti over these past several years?

DODD: Certainly, he's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But this was a president who was overwhelmingly elected, thrown out of office in a coup. We brought him back. He was reelected overwhelmingly again, when the opposition refused to participate, gave up office, got rid of the army in that country, which was probably a mistake in hindsight now.

So while certainly not without flaws at all, the idea that, because we don't like a president or there's some corruption, if that becomes your standard in Latin America, then we'll be seeing a lot more of what you're seeing in Haiti today all over this hemisphere.

BLITZER: Yesterday, I spoke with rebel leader Guy Philippe, who suggested that he welcomes the U.S. involvement now, the introduction of the Marines, the removal of Aristide and he will cooperate. Do you have confidence in Guy Philippe?

DODD: Well, I don't know them. All I know is their background and record.

These were the people who engaged in some of the most abusive or violent human rights violations, death squad activity. These were drug lords. These are thugs by any estimation. Now, maybe there has been a conversion on the road to Damascus here. I doubt it. But the people coming back in here are bad apples. And we're going to have to deal with them now.

We've taken on a huge responsibility. We could have stood up for this administration and tried to defend it. We did nothing of the kind. Now we're going to have to deal with this problem.

BLITZER: So what should the U.S. be doing right now, given the facts as they currently exist?

DODD: Well, as they presently exist, obviously, now, we have got to try and bring some stability. But we've taken on a huge responsibility.

We've now assumed the responsibility for security in the country, for the political survival of something that has to emerge out of all of this mess. And, of course, you've got massive economic problems and huge cases of starvation raging all over that island, part of that island. So we've now taken on the major responsibility. I think we could have avoided a lot of that by acting earlier last week. We didn't do that. Now we have really got a problem on our hands.

BLITZER: Should the U.S. be sending more troops into Haiti?

DODD: Well, I don't know. I don't know on the ground what the situation is.

I know that a week ago we were talking about 200, maybe 300 of these gang members or thugs. It wouldn't have taken much, in my view, to stabilize that situation. You may have a much larger problem on your hands today. BLITZER: Well, you're suggesting, Senator Dodd -- and you're a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. You know the secretary of state, Colin Powell, quite well. You know his personal involvement in the Haiti situation, going way back. Have you lost confidence in the secretary?

DODD: Well, I don't want to go down that path. But let me just say, I'm terribly disappointed that we didn't take action earlier.

And this didn't begin just a couple weeks ago. This administration has had it out for this government of President Aristide from the day they took office. The fact that we embargoed any kind of assistance to that government, the fact that we urged international organizations not to be supportive of the poorest nation of this hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world began to foment the chaos that we've seen unfold this past week. We're culpable in no small measure for what's happened there.

BLITZER: Senator Christopher Dodd, a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as usual, thank you, Senator.

DODD: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: In Iraq, meanwhile, the Governing Council has reached an agreement on an interim constitution today. Even though the agreement came after the official February 28 deadline, U.S. officials hailed it as a major achievement.

The document recognizes Islam as a source of legislation, but not the only source. It gives women 25 percent of the seats in the new legislative assembly, and in a compromise over Kurdish autonomy, it establishes a federal system of government, recognizing a regional government in the Kurdistan area.

Professor Noah Feldman of New York University served as adviser to the Iraqi Governing Council. He is joining us now to talk about this interim constitution.

Noah Feldman, thanks very much for joining us.

You worked very closely with the Iraqis to craft this document. Is it a good one?

NOAH FELDMAN, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: It does the job.

Nobody got everything they wanted. The Kurds got some autonomy, but not complete autonomy. The Islamists got a provision that says that no law shall contradict Islam, but they didn't get Islam as the only source of religion in the country. And equal rights advocates got a target of 25 percent of the seats in the assembly for women, but they didn't get a guarantee of it.

So when everyone is a little unhappy and everyone is more or less satisfied, you know that you have done as good a job you could have done under the circumstances. BLITZER: I'm a little confused on the notion of Islam formerly being codified now as the state religion of Iraq. What happens to those who are not Muslims?

FELDMAN: Equal rights for people of every religion are guaranteed in the constitution, as is religious liberty for all the different religious practices. So, in principle, it's not impossible to have religious freedom on the one hand, even as the official religion of the state is Islam.

BLITZER: A big issue had been the Kurds in the north. They had this autonomous region. They had their own militia, their own army over the past decade or so. Will they be allowed to continue to have that?

FELDMAN: They're keeping it. And there were 50,000 reasons that they were able to keep it. And those are, they're peshmerga. They're soldiers.

Essentially, it will called a National Guard unit. And in theory, authority will run through the Kurdish regional government back up to the central government. But, in practice, I think you can expect that the Kurds will continue to more or less be in control their own lives. If you're living in the Kurdish regions today, tomorrow or after June 30, not much is going to be different.

BLITZER: How does this constitution compare with the constitution that was created for Afghanistan, let's say?

FELDMAN: It involves more explicit guarantees of equality for women. It involves more explicit guarantees and basic rights. So the bill of rights is a little bit stronger.

But in terms of many of its common features, they are both Islamic documents. Both create states where their official religion is Islam. And both have provisions, as I mentioned, saying that no law shall contradict Islam.

BLITZER: As you know, there has been widespread concern, given the fact that the Shia are the majority in Iraq that, eventually, through a democratic process, they will effectively take over and undermine the Sunnis and the Kurds and the other -- the minorities in Iraq. Is that realistic, that doomsday kind of scenario?

FELDMAN: I don't think it is, because the Shia realize that, although they are a numerical majority, they can't govern the country by dominating the other parties.

Partly, the insurgency has taught them that. Sunnis are telling Shia through the insurgency, you can't rule us with an iron first. You are going to have to give us some of the power. Similarly, the Kurds can always walk away from the confederation if they want to. So the Shia are going to have to learn to share power. Otherwise, we're going to have a collapse in Iraq and not a successful democracy, which is what we all want. BLITZER: As you know, there used to be a relatively influential and sizable Jewish community in Iraq in the late 40s, early 50s. Almost all of them, 100,000, 150,000 fled. Most went to Israel. There's been a debate in Iraq whether they or their descendants should be allowed to return. What do you know about this?

FELDMAN: Well, there is obviously some ambivalence within the Iraqi leadership about the prospect of a lot of people returning, though, I think, in reality, not many would coming back.

But the last draft of this document they I saw did specify that, if your family were Iraqis, you could retain or reestablish Iraqi citizenship. And it didn't say anything about excluding Jews from that model. So Jews who had Iraqi citizenship 40 or 50 years ago could, in principle, get it back under this document. And, in principle, they would have the right to return and participate as full citizens.

BLITZER: Noah Feldman, thanks very much for joining us.

FELDMAN: Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: A family of three simply vanishes and today a profound discover. Now investigators looking to a cousin for answers in a Mississippi mystery.

The Kobe Bryant case, will the alleged victim's sexual history be part of the trial?

And creating Camelot. A new documentary goes deep inside the Kennedy family, with never-before-seen photos and home movies. We'll get to all of that.

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Violent protests. Street battles in Venezuela continue between National Guard troops and protesters demanding a vote to recall President Hugo Chavez. Four days of clashes have killed at least one person and injured dozens of others.

Child murder case. Jury selection is under way in what's billed as the trial of the century in Belgium. The country's public enemy No. 1 and three co-defendants are charged with kidnapping and raping six girls and killing four of them.

Iraq fallout. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is ordering a new investigation into prewar intelligence on Iraq. The move follows a parliamentary report that broadly cleared the government of exaggerating the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. However, it said the government could have shown more caution regarding the purported size of Iraq's banned weapons.

Trade fight. The European Union has begun imposing millions of dollars in retaliatory sanctions on U.S. goods. The move is aimed at forcing Congress to repeal legislation granting huge tax breaks to American exporters. The measure was declared an illegal export subsidy by the World Trade Organization.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Authorities in Mississippi say there are profound new developments in the case of a missing family, a relative of whom faces criminal charges in the case.

CNN's Mike Brooks is in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He's following the case for us. He's joining us now live.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good evening, Wolf.

Well, we just learned that everything was put on hold today here in Yazoo City, Mississippi, because of a postponement in the initial appearance of Earnest Lee Hargon, who is the cousin, the adopted cousin of Michael, who has been missing, along with his wife, Rebecca, and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick.

CNN has learned from sources close to the investigation that in fact Earnest Lee Hargon has been with investigators looking for the Hargon family today. They had been in an area just south of where the search took place all this week and all day Saturday and all day Sunday, where they found nothing.

We heard from officials that it had been postponed because of interviews last night into early this morning, that they had developed this new information. We know, apparently, and we have now learned that this information has been developed through Earnest Lee Hargon and he has been with investigators and is on the way back here to Yazoo City and will face felony charges.

Once he arrives here, he will appear in front of Judge Pamela May (ph) at about 5:15 Central -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, CNN's Mike Brooks joining us from Yazoo City, in Mississippi, thanks very much.

There's also critical courtroom action today in two closely watched trials, those of Martha Stewart and Kobe Bryant. We have reporters covering both cases.

We start in Eagle, Colorado.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADRIAN BASCHUK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Adrian Baschuk in Eagle, Colorado, where the remainder of Kobe Bryant's hearings will be closed to both the public and the media. Earlier today, the judge lashing out at the prosecution for withholding evidence, a serious charge. He ordered the prosecutors hand over key evidence, two samples of the accuser's underwear. Now, Kobe Bryant is expected to take the stand himself today, testifying whether or not he felt himself free to leave police custody when detectives questioned him just 24 hours after the alleged rape took place.

If the judge believe him, his statements would then be thrown out. But the accuser will take the stand tomorrow, making her first appearance in court. However, the judge ruling today that there will be no limits on the scope of questioning that an anxious and an aggressive defense team can ask of her -- Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Assistant U.S. attorney Michael Schachter told the jury that Martha Stewart and her stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic, told a series of lies to cover up the true reason for Stewart's sale of ImClone stock.

Stewart and her broker have said that they had a $60 agreement to sell if the price dropped below that level. But Michael Schachter argued, the $60 story was -- quote -- "hatched," that there never had been a $60 agreement, and as evidence he pointed to the testimony of Douglas Faneuil, the former assistant to the stockbroker.

The stockbroker's attorney, Richard Strassberg, said that Faneuil had lied on the stand and that the government's case was based entirely on speculation. Tomorrow, Martha Stewart's attorney will make his closing arguments -- Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Allan Chernoff reporting for us earlier. Adrian Baschuk. Thanks very much to both of you.

Capturing the Kennedy mystique, the first truly media friendly political family, a look how the Kennedys shared their public and private life. We'll get to that.

First, though, a quick look at some stories you may have missed this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Tragedy at sea. The search has been suspended for 18 missing crew members from a chemical tanker that exploded and sank Saturday off Virginia. At least three other crew members of the Singapore-based vessel were killed.

Airport disruption. Authorities in Hawaii are ruling out terrorism in connection with an unusual incident. A man drove his sport utility vehicle into the open air ticket lobby at the airport in Kahului yesterday and then set the vehicle on fire. No injuries were reported. Security has been beefed up in response.

Heading back to work. A strike against grocery stores in Southern California has ended after striking workers approved a new contract yesterday. It's expected to take several days for the situation to get back to normal.

Lords of the academy. A huge night in Hollywood for "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." The film won a record-tying 11 trophies at the Academy Awards presentation, including best picture.

And that's our weekend snapshot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier, we asked: John F. Kennedy was the youngest U.S. president ever elected, but who was youngest to serve? The answer, Theodore Roosevelt. After the assassination of William McKinley, Roosevelt became president at the age of 42. Kennedy was 43 when elected.

And 40 years after his death, President John F. Kennedy continues to fascinate America. A new documentary called "The Kennedy Mystique: Creating Camelot" premieres tonight on the National Geographic cable channel it. Includes rarely seen photos and home movies and it looks at how Kennedy and his advisers used pictures to polish his image.

Hugh Sidey of "TIME" magazine covered the Kennedy White House, covered a lot of stories. He's joining us now to talk a little bit about the Kennedys and his documentary.

Thank you very much for joining us.

How did they do that? How did they appreciate television? Because they really were the first administration to appreciate the enormity of television.

HUGH SIDEY, "TIME": Well, I think you have to take the background first, Wolf.

You have this generation that had come out of World War II, the best educated education. You had old Joe, who had been in the Hollywood business. And you had a terribly smart, sensitive group of people around Kennedy and idealism was very high. All those things came together, I think, and they saw it. They felt it. As a matter of fact, those of us who rode along with him could see how television was creeping up on all of us, and then, of course, the 35-millimeter camera. The magazine approached the intimacy. And let's face it. They were born with the image.

BLITZER: They were telegenic, almost all of them.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: But did they have a strategy to create Camelot? SIDEY: I think you can probably overrate that.

I think that they had a vague idea in the back of their mind that perhaps this would work out. But -- and then things naturally happened along the way. Jackie didn't want the kids exposed, but they understand that, now and then, they would bring them out of the closet, or wherever they were, and it was good stuff.

And so it kind of developed on the spot as they went along.

BLITZER: There was another side to John F. Kennedy, not a nice side, that we've only learned about in more recent years. You covered that. Were you aware of what was going on, the connections with the women, the mob, that kind of stuff?

SIDEY: There was too much -- well, not the mob. That was pretty deep, but the women, yes. There was too much circumstantial evidence around.

The medicine, the medication, excessive medication, you didn't know it was excessive. But let me tell you, we didn't really get into that at that time had. Had it interfered with his presidency, I think we would have. On the other hand, there were so many big stories, Wolf, that nobody had the time. I mean, that first year, particularly, you had that sequence of the Bay of Pigs, the Berlin Wall, the whole thing, the civil rights disturbances. And we just moved along that.

BLITZER: There were big stories after big stories.

SIDEY: Big stories.

And there wasn't anybody that signed confessions or there weren't taped or any of that sort thing.

BLITZER: What about the relationship between the president and the first lady? Did you know there were troubles? There clearly were some problems.

SIDEY: Less, though, I think than people hint at.

It was strained. She was difficult. As a matter of fact, the president once told me. He said, Jackie is difficult.

BLITZER: What did he mean when he said that?

SIDEY: Difficult, she did her own thing. For instance, she would agree to give a speech and then she would decide she'd cancel it and Kennedy went. A couple of times, that happened, that sort of thing. As a matter of fact, the day of the assassination, she didn't show up in the parking lot. A lot of people were there.

The night before, I went up and down the street in front of the hotel. Over half the people I talked to had come to see Jackie. And she just did what she liked. So that kind of difficult. But I have to say, I think, at the end, they had drawn closer together. I think the office forces people closer together, married couples.

BLITZER: Hugh Sidey of "TIME" magazine, one of the premiere Washington journalists of our time, thanks very much.

SIDEY: Thank you.

BLITZER: Appreciate it.

Becoming a virtual Olympian, how you can experience the magic of the 2004 Summer Games without leaving your home.

And our hot "Web Question of the Day" is this: Are you satisfied with the way the United States is handling the situation in Haiti? You can vote right now, CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Virtual Olympics, it's our picture of the day. Sony will come out with a new PlayStation version of the upcoming Athens Olympics a full month before the Games begin. Players can compete in events such as swimming, weight-lifting and gymnastics, among others. The game was developed in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, which said it's pleased with the results, but adds, you can never substitute the real thing.

Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day": Are you satisfied with the way the United States is handling the situation in Haiti? Look at this; 58 percent of you say yes; 42 percent say no. As always, we remind you, this is not a scientific poll.

We love getting your e-mails, so continue to send us your e-mail on any subject.

We're getting this in from Daniel. He writes this: "It is really frustrating to listen to reports that Aristide was kidnapped by the U.S. I lived in Haiti most of my life and I know Aristide is a big liar. The rest of the world must see it now, too."

Diane writes this: "The majority of Haitians are subject to abject poverty and miserable living conditions. Whatever happens next to these people could not possibly be any worse than what they have endured up to this point."

A reminder, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. I'm on the air noon Eastern as well. Tomorrow, my special interview with the vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney.

"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





Super Tuesday>


Aired March 1, 2004 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Hustled out of Haiti? Rebels are in the capital. So are U.S. Marines. And Aristide's in Africa.

IRA KURZBAN, ARISTIDE'S ATTORNEY: The president of the Republic of Haiti was kidnapped by the United States Marines.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Absolutely baseless, absurd.

BLITZER: Chasing Kerry.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I plan to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) nominate.

BLITZER: Why is the front runner looking past Super Tuesday?

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: George Bush is going, we're coming, and don't let door hit you on the way out, folks!

BLITZER: Face to face. Kobe Bryant's in court for an encounter with his accuser.

The Kennedy mystique. Did they set out to create Camelot? We'll show you rare images from a new documentary.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Monday, March 1, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The rebels have moved into Haiti's capital, but there are stunning allegations at this hour about how Haiti's leader moved out.

Cheering crowds gathered in Port-au-Prince to greet the gunmen who so easily seized control of the country over the past three weeks. U.S. Marines are also in the streets right now, hundreds are due to be deployed, spearheading a multinational force approved by the United Nations Security Council.

We'll go live to CNN's Lucia Newman. She's in port-au-prince and to our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre.

But we begin with the sudden exit of Jean-Bertrand Aristide and the claims that he was hustled out of Haiti at gunpoint.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Is Jean-Bertrand Aristide a political prisoner or an exiled president telling a tale? depends on who you believe.

KURZBAN: Today I have learned that the president of the Republic of Haiti was kidnapped by United States Marines.

BLITZER: Friends and allies of Aristide telling whoever will listen that the first Democratically elected president of Haiti was spirited out of the country Sunday morning against his will by a contingent of armed Americans. An accusation, they say, coming from Aristide himself.

RANDALL ROBINSON, FRM. PRES., TRANSAFRICA: The president said to me that he had been abducted from his home by about 20 American soldiers in full battle gear with automatic weapons and put on a plane. And across the aisle from him and Mrs. Aristide sat the American soldier who apparently was the commander of the contingent.

BLITZER: That's not all. No fewer than four prominent Americans, including two members of the U.S. Congress, all relay the same claim from Aristide of a sequence of intimidation and evasion.

REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), NEW YORK: That he resigned under pressure, that he was taken to a Central African country where he called me from, that he and his wife had no idea where they were going, they had not negotiated with these countries, or with the United States.

BLITZER: Another consistent claim, that Aristide is being held as a virtual prisoner in the Central African Republic.

Also consistent, vehement denials from the top levels of the Bush administration.

POWELL: He was not kidnapped. We did not force him out of airplane. He went onto the airplane willingly and that's the truth.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: It's nonsense, we took steps to protect Mr. Aristide, we took steps to protect his family as they departed Haiti.

BLITZER: Defense Secretary Rumsfeld even questions the messenger.

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I don't believe that's true, that he is claiming that. I just don't know that's the case. I'd be absolutely amazed if that were the case.

BLITZER: We tried throughout the day to reach Mr. Aristide by phone. We were unable to connect with him.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: In the meantime thousands have turned out to cheer as the rebels rolled into Port-au-Prince in their so-called victory convoy. U.S. Marines have also been moving in. Let's go live to CNN's Lucia Newman. She';s in the Haitian capital -- Lucia.

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Wolf. Indeed in Haiti, scenes from the past. A decade after U.S. forces came into this country to restore President Aristide to power, they're back to restore order in the country, but, of course, without the president.

Also back from the past, the rebels that are led by members of Haiti's disbanded military, its disbanded army and police. The people were out on the streets en masse today cheering and clapping, saying it was liberation day as Guy Philippe, the former police chief of Haitaian and the rebel commander came into the capital.

The rebels were very, very well armed. They were uniformed. But they were received with jubilation as they went from police station to police station saying basically we're here and we're in charge now. Haiti's normal police was out on the streets. They had been absent for days but not actually mixed with the rebels.

And they stood aside as guy Philippe and other followers and other armed military soldiers went into the police stations, sat down, had cups of coffee and then left again.

Now, Wolf, I can tell you that things are calmer today than they have been, but there is still looting at the port -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Lucia Newman on the scene for us in Port-au- Prince. Thank you, Lucia.

A decade ago the United States sent 20,000 troops to Haiti. That's not the goal this time. Let's go live to our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Wolf, Remember that old Groucho Marx line "I came to say I must be going"? Well the U.S. Marines have just arrived in Port-au-Prince and already the Pentagon is working on their exit strategy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): By the end of Monday, Pentagon officials say 300 U.S. Marines will have arrived in Port-au-Prince to spearhead the interim force that's to keep order until U.N. peacekeepers take over sometime in the next three months.

Altogether, the Pentagon has 2,000 Marines on standby. But the U.S. goal is to minimize how many are actually sent. The final number depends how many other countries show up and how much peace actually needs to kept.

RUMSFELD: I don't know what the number will be, but for the sake of argument, say 1,500 or 2,000 or less. But time will tell. We'll have what's needed. MCINTYRE: Already French and Canadian troops have arrived and several other countries are expect as well. Pentagon officials say the U.S. would be happy to turn over the lead role as soon as possible.

The Pentagon won't discuss the rules of engagement for peacekeepers, but insist the U.S. Marines will have the ability to protect themselves as well as the authority to protect Haitians or stop looting if necessary.

GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHRM., JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: They're going to be adequately armed not just with their personal protective gear and their offensive weapons, but with the rules that allow them to do the job they should be.

MCINTYRE: The Pentagon is deliberately vague about when the U.S. would intervene, sources say, so as not to sign the Marines up for police work or patrolling Haiti's crime-ridden neighborhoods.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: The U.S. wants to get in and out of Haiti as fast as possible and so far has made no commitment to contribute troops to that U.N. follow-on force that will take over by June. But the U.S. military stretch by the war on terrorism, as the Pentagon official put it, we've got better things to do -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. Jamie, thank you very much.

And to our viewers, here's your chance to weigh in on this important story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: are you satisfied with the way the United States is handling the situation in Haiti? You can vote right now, go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

While you're there, though, I'd love to hear directly from you. Send me your comments any time. 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 also read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

It's the eve of Super Tuesday, and Democrats and Republicans are making their best case for the White House. Coming up, President Bush goes on the offensive and gets ready to launch his television ad campaign.

A mystery in Mississippi. Can investigators clear up the fate of this family?

And voting vulnerabilities. It's the wave of the future, but is electronic voting safe and dependable? Critics say no. We'll examine the controversy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Front-runner John Kerry and his main Democratic rival John Edwards are furiously courting voters on this -- the eve of Super Tuesday. With ten states holding contest, the outcome could very well determine whether Edwards stays in the race. Our national correspondent Bob Franken is in Baltimore, Maryland, he's joining us live with more -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, with its massive number of delegates at stake this election is supposed to be conclusive. We're about to find out if Super Tuesday lives up to its name.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): He's the front-runner, the favorite once again. So pity John Kerry.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I need your help!

FRANKEN: Kerry needs all the help he can get if he wants to avoid another night of winning but not winning big enough.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I plan to be in this for the long run.

FRANKEN: John Edwards still gets to play by the better-than- expected rule. In fact, he's already released a schedule for visiting Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, the southern states that hold their elections the week after Super Tuesday. Of course, reality might intrude sooner or later.

EDWARDS: Of course, of course. At some point I got to start getting delegates or I'm not going to be the nominee.

FRANKEN: Super Tuesday accounts for 1,151 delegates, Kerry already has a wide lead and he's campaigning as if he is the nominee, and he meets his scorn on the general election opposition.

KERRY: If he came here I think he could straighten out his fuzzy math. Because the numbers don't add up. He's not multiplying the jobs. He's trying to divide America and so, I think, our solution, we ought to subtract George Bush from the political equation of the United States.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: Well, before he can take that on, Kerry's numbers are going to have to be so overwhelming he can subtract John Edwards. Until then, Wolf, Edwards will continue to nip at his heels -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Bob Franken in Baltimore. Bob, thank you very much.

And John Edwards campaigning right now in Ohio. That's a state that's crucial for the senator from North Carolina. You're looking live at John Edwards before a rally in Cleveland, Ohio.

Facing daily attacks from both Kerry and Edwards, President Bush is stepping up his counteroffensive. His first multimillion dollar campaign, television ad campaign begins Thursday on cable networks, including right here on CNN. Also this week, a trip to the Democratic stronghold of California. Our political analyst Carlos Watson has been speaking with the president's campaign, he joins us live. Carlos, what do we expect to hear? What kind of message will we be seeing from the Bush/Cheney campaign?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Compassionate, conservative. In short, you'll see, first and foremost, the president appeal to his base. Remake the argument both domestically and internationally that he is, as he says, a steady hand during difficult times.

You'll see him talk not only about tax cuts which he says has the economy growing but you'll also hear him talk, for example, about education reform. You'll hear him talk overseas about what's happened in Afghanistan and Iraq, but also new partners, like those in Libya if you will and even what's happened in Pakistan.

The second thing we'll start to see the president and the president's team do is try and redefine the debate. Thus far it's been John Kerry and the Democrats who've had an opportunity to define No Child Left Behind legislation is something that leaves children behind. And they'll define the economy as recessionary one instead of as the president will say, a growing on.

And they'll try and redefine that debate particularly in swing states and there are series of them where they're buying not only national cable but also some local buys in order to make that point. States like Arizona and New Mexico. And last but not least, I think very shortly thereafter, the next week or two, we'll see if you will, some might call them negative ads, the president's people would say we're really only drawing the distinction between ourselves and the likely nominee who they think will be John Kerry and you'll begin to see some of the ads portray Kerry as someone who's flip-flopped on important decisions and who hasn't had a strong, in their mind, national security record.

BLITZER: Carlos, you're also talking to Democrats including Kerry supporters and staffers, what's their likely response?

WATSON: You know, I think they'll do something interesting. Not only will you see them counterattack and things like the war room will become famous. But I think you'll see the return of three very prominent Democrats. One is Howard Dean, arguably the most prolific fundraiser in a Democratic primary history, although he didn't win. You'll see significant wooing of him by the Kerry campaign over the next couple of weeks assuming they're successful on Super Tuesday and largely wrapping up the nomination, hoping he raises money.

And then get ready for the return of the Clintons both Bill and Hillary. There aren't two better fundraisers in the Democratic party than those two. No one's got more star power, and obviously they stayed on the sidelines wanting to be neutral in the midst of a contentious campaign. But if it becomes clear over the next several days and weeks that one Democrat in particular stands out, probably John Kerry, I think you will start to see fundraisers from California and New York where the star attraction, the million dollar attraction in lots of cases is either the former president or the current senator.

BLITZER: All right. Carlos Watson with some analysis for us. Thanks, Carlos, very much.

And this note to our viewers, speaking of the Bush/Cheney campaign. Tomorrow I'll have a special interview with the vice president of the United States. Dick Cheney, that will air tomorrow, 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific. Of course, only here on CNN.

Casting doubt on how you cast your ballot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ...literally have one programmer affecting a million votes at once with programming.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Electronic voting a new technology that brings with it new fears.

Issues of past and privacy. Why the judge in the Kobe Bryant case is ordering the prosecution to hand over two samples of his accuser's underwear.

Plus, creating Camelot. How the Kennedy family shared public and private lives. See the rare images, some never before seen. We'll get to all of that.

First today's news quiz. John F. Kennedy was the youngest U.S. president ever elected, then who was the youngest to serve? Theodore Roosevelt, John Tyler, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant. The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Millions of voters taking part in tomorrow's Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses will cast ballots using new touch- screen voting machines. Critics worry the machines are a high-tech way potentially to steal an election. CNN's Jennifer Coggiola has been looking into this controversial issue, she's joining us now live with more -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER COGGIOLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As the country is trying to phase out these punch cards avoiding the dimpled and hanging chad now moving to electronic voting. But with the new alarming concerns about security and vulnerabilities, so we went to Maryland, their board of elections to get a demo on exactly how it works.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COGGIOLA: OK, walk me through.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

COGGIOLA (voice-over): The appeal to Maryland election officials is clear. Sleek, easy to use, multilingual, accessible to handicapped and blind voters, like this one by leading manufacturer Diebold.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very easy, very intuitive.

COGGIOLA: But with new technology comes new concerns, computer glitches and security vulnerabilities leaving room for possible mischief that make worries of stolen ballot boxes seem primitive in comparison.

AVI RUBIN, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: This voting machine has had a secret back door put into it. What that means is that there's a secret sequence of events that I can do to cause the voting machine to be hacked.

COGGIOLA: Using sneaky finger commands, Maryland professor Avi Rubin and his students reprogram Diebold's federally certified software manipulating touch-screens to choose a winner.

RUBIN: Unfortunately for Diebold, their code was available on the Internet from their own site because their security practices were so poor.

COGGIOLA: Poor practices that according it a memo written by a Diebold software engineer were known three years ago. Quote, "our smart card format has absolutely no security so if someone were to get a copy of this software and a reader they could stand at the ballot station and quietly burn new voter cards all day. I can see the cover of "USA Today" in my head. Consider everyone warned."

Diebold says the memos, one employee's opinion, were stolen from the website, and that its card security has since been improved with password protections, and tamper-proof machines now in place ensure secure voting. But that doesn't alleviate the fears of consumer activist Bev Harris who warns it's the programmers who could tamper with the software.

BEV HARRIS, AUTHOR: You could literally have one programmer affecting a million votes at once with programming. That's why you need checks and balances that are really strong.

COGGIOLA: Diebold says it is doing background checks on its programmers, one of the many measures now in place that please Maryland voting administrator Linda Lamone whose team conducted two independent security investigations on the system.

LINDA LAMONE, MD BOARD OF ELECTIONS: No room for error, we have tested this equipment every which way but down and up, and it just -- there's no problems with it.

COGGIOLA: One suggestion giving voters a paper copy of their votes is not something Lamone says is needed for now.

LAMONE: I personally think that it provides a false sense of security.

HARRIS: It's not a false sense of security, it's our vote.

COGGIOLA: Super Tuesday will be a big test.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COGGIOLA: Now other states like Georgia and Florida all grappling with security issues involving the electronic voting. California, though, currently is involved in an ongoing audit with Diebold, alleging that it lied about software changes the company made. Well, California will use the machines for Tuesday's primary but caution that unless security is upgraded they won't for the next presidential election.

BLITZER: Jennifer, is Diebold the only company that manufactures this equipment?

COGGIOLA: No, it's important to point out there are about half a dozen or so including Sequoia which uses some sort of optical scanner, but the security measures are being evaluated in the machines and also in the scanning, so it will be closely watched, especially tomorrow.

BLITZER: All right. Jennifer Coggiola, good report. Thank you very much.

Framing a foundation, diplomats in Iraq pave the way for the country's first constitution. Coming up, I'll speak with an adviser to those shaping Iraq's future.

Mysterious disappearance in Mississippi. A family of three vanishes. Now word of a major new development.

And shattered image. A site believed to bear the resemblance of the Virgin Mary is destroyed, and a small town is looking for answers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN. Making history in Haiti right now. Rebels in the capital, while U.S. marines take up positions over at the presidential palace. We'll get to all of that, first, though, a quick check of the latest headlines.

Four U.S. Army National Guard units get word they might be heading to Iraq this year or early next year. The units are from New York, Idaho, Louisiana and Tennessee. Their deployment would be part of a scheduled troop rotation. The Pentagon says it expects thousands of Guard troops might be part of that deployment.

In Oklahoma jury selection is under way in the Terry Nichols' state murder trial after the judge turned down the defense's request for a delay. Nichols faces 161 murder charges in connection with the 1995 bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. He's already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole after his conviction of federal conspiracy and manslaughter charges. A construction worker at a casino site in Las Vegas was rushed to a hospital today after he was rescued from the top floor of the new tower. The worker was on the 27th floor when he injured. There's no word on his condition. It's the second such incident in Las Vegas in a week.

In Clearwater, Florida, some office building windows that have attracted attention for almost a decade were found broken this morning. Some people say the windows bore the image of the Virgin Mary. Investigators are hoping a security video will reveal clues in the case. The image first appeared a week before Christmas in 1996.

Back now to our top story. Rebels and U.S. Marines move into Haiti's capital after the sudden and controversial departure of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. What happens now?

Joining us from Capitol Hill is Senator Christopher Dodd of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He's had a close interest of Haiti for many, many years. He escorted Aristide back to Haiti after an early exile in 1999.

Senator Dodd, thanks very much for joining us.

First of all, the controversy of the day, was there a U.S.-led coup? Was he forced to leave Haiti or did he leave willingly?

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: Well, I don't know the answer to that, Wolf. I haven't talked to President Aristide.

I have certainly heard the accusations and I've heard the rebuttal by the administration. But it sort of misses the point. The fact of the matter is, we said to President Aristide, look, you can stay and be killed or you can leave. You make the choice. That's hardly a voluntary departure.

I note, as a corollary to that, you announced that these rebels, these thugs, these gangs have taken over the national police headquarters directly in front of the national palace in Port-au- Prince. And, apparently, our troops are standing by, allowing that to happen. So, however you want to look at this thing, the administration basically is complicit in watching a democratically elected government have to leave office.

We offered no support, despite the fact this administration signed the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001, which said that any country that asked for support that is democratically elected, others ought to step up and help those governments. We've now set up a new standard. You don't have to be a failed government, just a failed leader in our minds and we won't do anything to support and defend you.

In effect, we're responsible, in no small measure, for Aristide's failure and departure.

BLITZER: But isn't Aristide the most responsible for his own exile, for his own demise, given the deterioration, the corruption, what has happened in Haiti over these past several years?

DODD: Certainly, he's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But this was a president who was overwhelmingly elected, thrown out of office in a coup. We brought him back. He was reelected overwhelmingly again, when the opposition refused to participate, gave up office, got rid of the army in that country, which was probably a mistake in hindsight now.

So while certainly not without flaws at all, the idea that, because we don't like a president or there's some corruption, if that becomes your standard in Latin America, then we'll be seeing a lot more of what you're seeing in Haiti today all over this hemisphere.

BLITZER: Yesterday, I spoke with rebel leader Guy Philippe, who suggested that he welcomes the U.S. involvement now, the introduction of the Marines, the removal of Aristide and he will cooperate. Do you have confidence in Guy Philippe?

DODD: Well, I don't know them. All I know is their background and record.

These were the people who engaged in some of the most abusive or violent human rights violations, death squad activity. These were drug lords. These are thugs by any estimation. Now, maybe there has been a conversion on the road to Damascus here. I doubt it. But the people coming back in here are bad apples. And we're going to have to deal with them now.

We've taken on a huge responsibility. We could have stood up for this administration and tried to defend it. We did nothing of the kind. Now we're going to have to deal with this problem.

BLITZER: So what should the U.S. be doing right now, given the facts as they currently exist?

DODD: Well, as they presently exist, obviously, now, we have got to try and bring some stability. But we've taken on a huge responsibility.

We've now assumed the responsibility for security in the country, for the political survival of something that has to emerge out of all of this mess. And, of course, you've got massive economic problems and huge cases of starvation raging all over that island, part of that island. So we've now taken on the major responsibility. I think we could have avoided a lot of that by acting earlier last week. We didn't do that. Now we have really got a problem on our hands.

BLITZER: Should the U.S. be sending more troops into Haiti?

DODD: Well, I don't know. I don't know on the ground what the situation is.

I know that a week ago we were talking about 200, maybe 300 of these gang members or thugs. It wouldn't have taken much, in my view, to stabilize that situation. You may have a much larger problem on your hands today. BLITZER: Well, you're suggesting, Senator Dodd -- and you're a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. You know the secretary of state, Colin Powell, quite well. You know his personal involvement in the Haiti situation, going way back. Have you lost confidence in the secretary?

DODD: Well, I don't want to go down that path. But let me just say, I'm terribly disappointed that we didn't take action earlier.

And this didn't begin just a couple weeks ago. This administration has had it out for this government of President Aristide from the day they took office. The fact that we embargoed any kind of assistance to that government, the fact that we urged international organizations not to be supportive of the poorest nation of this hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world began to foment the chaos that we've seen unfold this past week. We're culpable in no small measure for what's happened there.

BLITZER: Senator Christopher Dodd, a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as usual, thank you, Senator.

DODD: Thank you, Wolf.

BLITZER: In Iraq, meanwhile, the Governing Council has reached an agreement on an interim constitution today. Even though the agreement came after the official February 28 deadline, U.S. officials hailed it as a major achievement.

The document recognizes Islam as a source of legislation, but not the only source. It gives women 25 percent of the seats in the new legislative assembly, and in a compromise over Kurdish autonomy, it establishes a federal system of government, recognizing a regional government in the Kurdistan area.

Professor Noah Feldman of New York University served as adviser to the Iraqi Governing Council. He is joining us now to talk about this interim constitution.

Noah Feldman, thanks very much for joining us.

You worked very closely with the Iraqis to craft this document. Is it a good one?

NOAH FELDMAN, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: It does the job.

Nobody got everything they wanted. The Kurds got some autonomy, but not complete autonomy. The Islamists got a provision that says that no law shall contradict Islam, but they didn't get Islam as the only source of religion in the country. And equal rights advocates got a target of 25 percent of the seats in the assembly for women, but they didn't get a guarantee of it.

So when everyone is a little unhappy and everyone is more or less satisfied, you know that you have done as good a job you could have done under the circumstances. BLITZER: I'm a little confused on the notion of Islam formerly being codified now as the state religion of Iraq. What happens to those who are not Muslims?

FELDMAN: Equal rights for people of every religion are guaranteed in the constitution, as is religious liberty for all the different religious practices. So, in principle, it's not impossible to have religious freedom on the one hand, even as the official religion of the state is Islam.

BLITZER: A big issue had been the Kurds in the north. They had this autonomous region. They had their own militia, their own army over the past decade or so. Will they be allowed to continue to have that?

FELDMAN: They're keeping it. And there were 50,000 reasons that they were able to keep it. And those are, they're peshmerga. They're soldiers.

Essentially, it will called a National Guard unit. And in theory, authority will run through the Kurdish regional government back up to the central government. But, in practice, I think you can expect that the Kurds will continue to more or less be in control their own lives. If you're living in the Kurdish regions today, tomorrow or after June 30, not much is going to be different.

BLITZER: How does this constitution compare with the constitution that was created for Afghanistan, let's say?

FELDMAN: It involves more explicit guarantees of equality for women. It involves more explicit guarantees and basic rights. So the bill of rights is a little bit stronger.

But in terms of many of its common features, they are both Islamic documents. Both create states where their official religion is Islam. And both have provisions, as I mentioned, saying that no law shall contradict Islam.

BLITZER: As you know, there has been widespread concern, given the fact that the Shia are the majority in Iraq that, eventually, through a democratic process, they will effectively take over and undermine the Sunnis and the Kurds and the other -- the minorities in Iraq. Is that realistic, that doomsday kind of scenario?

FELDMAN: I don't think it is, because the Shia realize that, although they are a numerical majority, they can't govern the country by dominating the other parties.

Partly, the insurgency has taught them that. Sunnis are telling Shia through the insurgency, you can't rule us with an iron first. You are going to have to give us some of the power. Similarly, the Kurds can always walk away from the confederation if they want to. So the Shia are going to have to learn to share power. Otherwise, we're going to have a collapse in Iraq and not a successful democracy, which is what we all want. BLITZER: As you know, there used to be a relatively influential and sizable Jewish community in Iraq in the late 40s, early 50s. Almost all of them, 100,000, 150,000 fled. Most went to Israel. There's been a debate in Iraq whether they or their descendants should be allowed to return. What do you know about this?

FELDMAN: Well, there is obviously some ambivalence within the Iraqi leadership about the prospect of a lot of people returning, though, I think, in reality, not many would coming back.

But the last draft of this document they I saw did specify that, if your family were Iraqis, you could retain or reestablish Iraqi citizenship. And it didn't say anything about excluding Jews from that model. So Jews who had Iraqi citizenship 40 or 50 years ago could, in principle, get it back under this document. And, in principle, they would have the right to return and participate as full citizens.

BLITZER: Noah Feldman, thanks very much for joining us.

FELDMAN: Thanks for having me.

BLITZER: A family of three simply vanishes and today a profound discover. Now investigators looking to a cousin for answers in a Mississippi mystery.

The Kobe Bryant case, will the alleged victim's sexual history be part of the trial?

And creating Camelot. A new documentary goes deep inside the Kennedy family, with never-before-seen photos and home movies. We'll get to all of that.

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Violent protests. Street battles in Venezuela continue between National Guard troops and protesters demanding a vote to recall President Hugo Chavez. Four days of clashes have killed at least one person and injured dozens of others.

Child murder case. Jury selection is under way in what's billed as the trial of the century in Belgium. The country's public enemy No. 1 and three co-defendants are charged with kidnapping and raping six girls and killing four of them.

Iraq fallout. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is ordering a new investigation into prewar intelligence on Iraq. The move follows a parliamentary report that broadly cleared the government of exaggerating the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. However, it said the government could have shown more caution regarding the purported size of Iraq's banned weapons.

Trade fight. The European Union has begun imposing millions of dollars in retaliatory sanctions on U.S. goods. The move is aimed at forcing Congress to repeal legislation granting huge tax breaks to American exporters. The measure was declared an illegal export subsidy by the World Trade Organization.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Authorities in Mississippi say there are profound new developments in the case of a missing family, a relative of whom faces criminal charges in the case.

CNN's Mike Brooks is in Yazoo City, Mississippi. He's following the case for us. He's joining us now live.

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Good evening, Wolf.

Well, we just learned that everything was put on hold today here in Yazoo City, Mississippi, because of a postponement in the initial appearance of Earnest Lee Hargon, who is the cousin, the adopted cousin of Michael, who has been missing, along with his wife, Rebecca, and their 4-year-old son, James Patrick.

CNN has learned from sources close to the investigation that in fact Earnest Lee Hargon has been with investigators looking for the Hargon family today. They had been in an area just south of where the search took place all this week and all day Saturday and all day Sunday, where they found nothing.

We heard from officials that it had been postponed because of interviews last night into early this morning, that they had developed this new information. We know, apparently, and we have now learned that this information has been developed through Earnest Lee Hargon and he has been with investigators and is on the way back here to Yazoo City and will face felony charges.

Once he arrives here, he will appear in front of Judge Pamela May (ph) at about 5:15 Central -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, CNN's Mike Brooks joining us from Yazoo City, in Mississippi, thanks very much.

There's also critical courtroom action today in two closely watched trials, those of Martha Stewart and Kobe Bryant. We have reporters covering both cases.

We start in Eagle, Colorado.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADRIAN BASCHUK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Adrian Baschuk in Eagle, Colorado, where the remainder of Kobe Bryant's hearings will be closed to both the public and the media. Earlier today, the judge lashing out at the prosecution for withholding evidence, a serious charge. He ordered the prosecutors hand over key evidence, two samples of the accuser's underwear. Now, Kobe Bryant is expected to take the stand himself today, testifying whether or not he felt himself free to leave police custody when detectives questioned him just 24 hours after the alleged rape took place.

If the judge believe him, his statements would then be thrown out. But the accuser will take the stand tomorrow, making her first appearance in court. However, the judge ruling today that there will be no limits on the scope of questioning that an anxious and an aggressive defense team can ask of her -- Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Assistant U.S. attorney Michael Schachter told the jury that Martha Stewart and her stockbroker, Peter Bacanovic, told a series of lies to cover up the true reason for Stewart's sale of ImClone stock.

Stewart and her broker have said that they had a $60 agreement to sell if the price dropped below that level. But Michael Schachter argued, the $60 story was -- quote -- "hatched," that there never had been a $60 agreement, and as evidence he pointed to the testimony of Douglas Faneuil, the former assistant to the stockbroker.

The stockbroker's attorney, Richard Strassberg, said that Faneuil had lied on the stand and that the government's case was based entirely on speculation. Tomorrow, Martha Stewart's attorney will make his closing arguments -- Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Allan Chernoff reporting for us earlier. Adrian Baschuk. Thanks very much to both of you.

Capturing the Kennedy mystique, the first truly media friendly political family, a look how the Kennedys shared their public and private life. We'll get to that.

First, though, a quick look at some stories you may have missed this weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Tragedy at sea. The search has been suspended for 18 missing crew members from a chemical tanker that exploded and sank Saturday off Virginia. At least three other crew members of the Singapore-based vessel were killed.

Airport disruption. Authorities in Hawaii are ruling out terrorism in connection with an unusual incident. A man drove his sport utility vehicle into the open air ticket lobby at the airport in Kahului yesterday and then set the vehicle on fire. No injuries were reported. Security has been beefed up in response.

Heading back to work. A strike against grocery stores in Southern California has ended after striking workers approved a new contract yesterday. It's expected to take several days for the situation to get back to normal.

Lords of the academy. A huge night in Hollywood for "Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." The film won a record-tying 11 trophies at the Academy Awards presentation, including best picture.

And that's our weekend snapshot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier, we asked: John F. Kennedy was the youngest U.S. president ever elected, but who was youngest to serve? The answer, Theodore Roosevelt. After the assassination of William McKinley, Roosevelt became president at the age of 42. Kennedy was 43 when elected.

And 40 years after his death, President John F. Kennedy continues to fascinate America. A new documentary called "The Kennedy Mystique: Creating Camelot" premieres tonight on the National Geographic cable channel it. Includes rarely seen photos and home movies and it looks at how Kennedy and his advisers used pictures to polish his image.

Hugh Sidey of "TIME" magazine covered the Kennedy White House, covered a lot of stories. He's joining us now to talk a little bit about the Kennedys and his documentary.

Thank you very much for joining us.

How did they do that? How did they appreciate television? Because they really were the first administration to appreciate the enormity of television.

HUGH SIDEY, "TIME": Well, I think you have to take the background first, Wolf.

You have this generation that had come out of World War II, the best educated education. You had old Joe, who had been in the Hollywood business. And you had a terribly smart, sensitive group of people around Kennedy and idealism was very high. All those things came together, I think, and they saw it. They felt it. As a matter of fact, those of us who rode along with him could see how television was creeping up on all of us, and then, of course, the 35-millimeter camera. The magazine approached the intimacy. And let's face it. They were born with the image.

BLITZER: They were telegenic, almost all of them.

(CROSSTALK)

BLITZER: But did they have a strategy to create Camelot? SIDEY: I think you can probably overrate that.

I think that they had a vague idea in the back of their mind that perhaps this would work out. But -- and then things naturally happened along the way. Jackie didn't want the kids exposed, but they understand that, now and then, they would bring them out of the closet, or wherever they were, and it was good stuff.

And so it kind of developed on the spot as they went along.

BLITZER: There was another side to John F. Kennedy, not a nice side, that we've only learned about in more recent years. You covered that. Were you aware of what was going on, the connections with the women, the mob, that kind of stuff?

SIDEY: There was too much -- well, not the mob. That was pretty deep, but the women, yes. There was too much circumstantial evidence around.

The medicine, the medication, excessive medication, you didn't know it was excessive. But let me tell you, we didn't really get into that at that time had. Had it interfered with his presidency, I think we would have. On the other hand, there were so many big stories, Wolf, that nobody had the time. I mean, that first year, particularly, you had that sequence of the Bay of Pigs, the Berlin Wall, the whole thing, the civil rights disturbances. And we just moved along that.

BLITZER: There were big stories after big stories.

SIDEY: Big stories.

And there wasn't anybody that signed confessions or there weren't taped or any of that sort thing.

BLITZER: What about the relationship between the president and the first lady? Did you know there were troubles? There clearly were some problems.

SIDEY: Less, though, I think than people hint at.

It was strained. She was difficult. As a matter of fact, the president once told me. He said, Jackie is difficult.

BLITZER: What did he mean when he said that?

SIDEY: Difficult, she did her own thing. For instance, she would agree to give a speech and then she would decide she'd cancel it and Kennedy went. A couple of times, that happened, that sort of thing. As a matter of fact, the day of the assassination, she didn't show up in the parking lot. A lot of people were there.

The night before, I went up and down the street in front of the hotel. Over half the people I talked to had come to see Jackie. And she just did what she liked. So that kind of difficult. But I have to say, I think, at the end, they had drawn closer together. I think the office forces people closer together, married couples.

BLITZER: Hugh Sidey of "TIME" magazine, one of the premiere Washington journalists of our time, thanks very much.

SIDEY: Thank you.

BLITZER: Appreciate it.

Becoming a virtual Olympian, how you can experience the magic of the 2004 Summer Games without leaving your home.

And our hot "Web Question of the Day" is this: Are you satisfied with the way the United States is handling the situation in Haiti? You can vote right now, CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Virtual Olympics, it's our picture of the day. Sony will come out with a new PlayStation version of the upcoming Athens Olympics a full month before the Games begin. Players can compete in events such as swimming, weight-lifting and gymnastics, among others. The game was developed in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee, which said it's pleased with the results, but adds, you can never substitute the real thing.

Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day": Are you satisfied with the way the United States is handling the situation in Haiti? Look at this; 58 percent of you say yes; 42 percent say no. As always, we remind you, this is not a scientific poll.

We love getting your e-mails, so continue to send us your e-mail on any subject.

We're getting this in from Daniel. He writes this: "It is really frustrating to listen to reports that Aristide was kidnapped by the U.S. I lived in Haiti most of my life and I know Aristide is a big liar. The rest of the world must see it now, too."

Diane writes this: "The majority of Haitians are subject to abject poverty and miserable living conditions. Whatever happens next to these people could not possibly be any worse than what they have endured up to this point."

A reminder, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS weekdays at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern. I'm on the air noon Eastern as well. Tomorrow, my special interview with the vice president of the United States, Dick Cheney.

"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





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