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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Florida Prepares for Hurricane Charley; New Jersey Governor Comes Out, Resigns; Standoff Continues in Najaf

Aired August 12, 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, HOST: Happening now: a hurricane targeting the Florida Keys and Tampa Bay. In less than one hour, a major evacuation order will be in effect.
Tampa hasn't had a direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921. Will decades of dodging danger come to an end?

We've just received the revised forecast from the National Hurricane Center. We'll bring it to you shortly.

This is a story, by the way, that could affect most of the eastern seaboard.

And another story we're following. The married governor of New Jersey comes out and resigns only moments ago, saying he's gay, and had an extramarital affair with a man.

Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Double trouble for Florida, Bonnie pounds the panhandle while Charlie takes aim at Tampa. Hundreds of thousands of people are urged to evacuate.

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: This is a serious, serious storm.

BLITZER: Search for al-Sadr. U.S. troops in Iraq raid the home of a renegade religious leader while fighting flares.

A sensitive issue. The Bush campaign seizes on a Kerry comment, promising a more sensitive war on terror.

A father's fury. The parent of Kobe Bryant's accuser lashes out at the judge.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Thursday, August 12, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Pack up and get out now. That's the evacuation order for hundreds of thousands of Tampa Bay area residents in the coming hour, and the reason, powerfully clear. Powerful Hurricane Charley churning towards south Florida right now. Forecasters warn Charlie likely will be packing 100 miles an hour winds when it slams ashore late tomorrow. All day, residents have been preparing for havoc, boarding of businesses and homes with plywood and buying supplies of canned food, water, and batteries.

And the Florida governor, Jeb Bush, mincing no words in sounding the alarm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: My principal message here today is to urge people who have not experienced a hurricane to take this very, very seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: We have our reporters in Charley's path. Ed Lavandera, he's in Clearwater; Eric Philips in Panama City with the latest on Florida's other danger, namely Bonnie; and meteorologist Dave Hennen on the very real danger of massive flooding triggered by storm surge.

But just in, our meteorologist Orelon Sydney with the revised Hurricane Charley forecast -- Orelon.

ORELON SYDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wolf, thanks a lot. We did just get the update from the National Hurricane Center. Currently the winds in Charley are holding at 105 miles per hour. It is still forecast to strengthen, potentially to a category 3 hurricane before it makes landfall, probably close to the Isle of Youth within the couple of hours. And then later tonight, early tomorrow morning, cross parts of Cuba. In fact, I think it's going to move even faster than that.

It could definitely become category 3 because at 111 miles per hour, it would be category 3. The winds are still 105 currently.

Moving now to the North, Northwest, slightly faster at 18 miles an hour; if you're tracking the storm, the very latest 21.2 North, 81.9 West are the current coordinates.

I don't know if you can see this at home very well, but what we got here a view of the Florida Keys, this is the radar showing the rainfall. We're starting to get a little bit of the rainfall working its way into the north. And right at the bottom of the screen, you probably can't quite see it, but some of those outer rain bands are starting to come in from Hurricane Charley. So, we're certainly going to start seeing things go downhill in the Keys rather fast.

Here's what we think will happen tomorrow morning. But 8:00 am somewhere a beam (ph) of Key West with a potential for flooding, because the storm surge with coincide with time of high tide at 8:42. By 8:00 pm, we expect it to be northward, somewhere near Tampa, so we'll certainly keep an eye on that for storm surge as well as danger from the wind.

Once you get a category 3, you can start to get very serious wind damage. This is going to be the one to watch -- Wolf. BLITZER: All right. Orelon Sydney, we'll be checking back with you.

For the latest, though, on what's happening in the Tampa Bay area, let's go to CNN's Ed Lavandera. He's in Clearwater. That's just across the bay from the city of Tampa.

Ed, what's happening?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.

What we have seen throughout the day is slowly, evacuation orders have kind of crept northward up from Key West, starting now this morning, where all non-residents were ordered to evacuate the Key West area.

And as you move further up along the coast, into the Naples area, into Sarasota, into Tampa, the evacuations, although they are at this point most of them voluntary evacuations.

And then in this Tampa area here in Clearwater, where they're urging many of the residents who live on coastal areas and as well as in low-lying areas, to seek higher ground as well.

And here in Clearwater, we had seen a full beach this morning, many people enjoying the last moments of sun and surf, but the beach has cleared out now. And the winds have started to pick up. A little while ago we had a sudden burst of a rainstorm here that came across the beach.

So officials here preparing for Hurricane Charley.

And one of the -- you had mentioned Governor Jeb Bush's comments, urging people to take this storm seriously. One of the concerns is that people in this area have not taken a direct hit from a hurricane in more than 80 years.

And as we have talked to people over the course of the last day, they didn't seem to be taking it very seriously, saying that we'll believe the storm's coming once we see it.

And that's what emergency officials are here -- around here are worried about. They want people to take this storm seriously and to consider that the dangers and possibilities of intense flooding could be a serious problem for the residents of this area -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Ed, those people in the water better get out of there fairly quickly. Ed Lavendera, we'll be checking back with you, as well.

The latest on that other storm already causing big problems in Florida as well, namely Bonnie. CNN's Eric Philips is standing by in Panama City -- Eric.

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Take a look at what we've been seeing here all day long, or at least most of the day on Panama City beach.

People on the beach enjoying it, looking like they're on vacation. In fact, most of them are on vacation, building sandcastles, throwing the Frisbee around. It looks like the average day at the beach. No indication that a tropical storm ever was on the way here, nor that one hit land some 80 miles away. But it did.

Of course, Tropical Storm Bonnie was decreased. It was no longer a tropical storm once it made its way here. But all in all, I would say that Bonnie definitely had more bark than bite.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILIPS (voice-over): Bonnie may have come in like a lamb, but weather forecasters say Hurricane Charley will be a lion. Charlie appears headed for the Tampa Bay area, where hundreds of thousands of people have been asked to evacuate.

Although Bonnie is no longer even a tropical storm, in some places it's dropping lots of rain, which could cause flooding of already saturated ground. Officials across Florida, including Governor Jeb Bush, are warning residents not to underestimate the potential impact of these two storms coming so close together.

BUSH: People haven't experienced it. They haven't seen the awesome powers of the winds and the storm surges that could have a huge impact on a long-term basis for their lives. So I would just urge people to take this really, really seriously.

CATHERINE MCNAUGHT, BAY COUNTY COMMISSION: We are basically telling residents to stay put where they are if they feel safe in their homes. We're asking people who do not feel safe in their homes to go to one of two shelters.

PHILIPS: Many residents are heeding the warnings.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're just hoping it doesn't flood us out too bad. We've got it all packed up and all in plastic bags.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILIPS: And because of the possibility problems that two back- to-back storms like this could cause, Governor Jeb Bush, decided to declare a state of emergency here in Florida. What that means, among other things, is that National Guard troops are put on standby, waiting for the worst to happen -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Eric Philips, thanks very much. Eric Philips in Panama City, thanks very much.

If Hurricane Charley is a Category 3 storm, packing 111 mile-an- hour winds when it hits Tampa Bay, watch out. A hurricane that strong could trigger a storm surge of 10 to 12 feet.

Joining us now with more on the danger of storm surge, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen. Dave, explain this to us.

DAVE HENNEN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Wolf. A storm surge is the push of water out in front of the hurricane. As the hurricane moves along, it has forward motion. It has high winds. It picks up that water and literally, just like a snow shovel, pushes it forward.

That is the storm surge. That is generally the most dangerous part of a hurricane. Over 80 percent of deaths occur from that storm surge.

Let's show you a graphic we've prepared for you here.

This is taking into consideration a scenario where you have your hurricane moving up towards the Tampa area. You have Tampa located right up in this area here, St. Pete here. And as the storm moves, you get a tremendous amount of wind that, as we said, pushes that water north into the northern part of the bay. So it is up in this area where we would see most of the problems with the storm surge initially.

But as the storm continues to move off, you get the winds around the other direction, and you storm surge problems on the other side of the bay, as well.

Some of the scenarios we're talking about are having a tremendous amount of water, as much as 17 feet, perhaps, above sea level -- or below sea level. If you are below that area, you would run into some high-water situations.

Let's take a look at another graphic. This is our keyhole graphic. And we'll fly you into that area and take a different look at this.

Here is the bay. You see Tampa right here. There are a couple of routes that are going from Pinellas County, which is located right here. That is basically the St. Petersburg area.

You see our evacuation routes, and on any daily basis, about 120,000 people going and forth over these bridges that traverse over right here. And here's the Gulf of Mexico out here. Here's part of the bay that reaches out here.

And we're talking about a very serious situation with the 17-feet area that could be affected. In fact we're talking about the hurricane center looking at the potential of a very serious situation, Wolf, one in which -- we'll have to watch very closely, especially if the storm tracks just north of the Tampa area, which it is forecast to do right now. Of course, that's subject to change. Something we'll be watching very closely around here, Wolf.

BLITZERBLBLITITZER: All right. The powerful impact of a storm surge. Dave Hennen, thanks very much. Words we'll all be watching out over the next 24 to 48 hours. The Florida Keys, by the way, bracing for Hurricane Charley right now. We'll be live from Key West. Our coverage of this developing story will continue.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: CNN exclusive video, U.S. Marines raid the home of a wanted Shiite cleric as the battle over Najaf intensifies.

Also ahead ....

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES MCGREEVEY, FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: I am a gay American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A surprise resignation. New Jersey's governor who's married, calls it quits, saying he's gay. More on this developing story. That's coming up.

And an emotional letter to the judge in the Kobe Bryant case, written by the father of the accuser. We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A political bombshell in New Jersey. Late today, the governor, Jim McGreevey, announcing his resignation. And he took everyone by surprise with his explanation.

CNN's Alina Cho is following the story. She's joining us now live -- Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a lot of jaws were dropping, a political bombshell is right.

New Jersey Governor James McGreevey announced late this afternoon, said proudly, "I am a gay American," admitting he engaged in what he called a consensual affair with a man.

He said, because of the rumors that would follow, he would step down as governor, effective November 15. McGreevey, who was flanked by his wife, Dina, said he had grappled with his identity for years, even forced into what he called an acceptable reality, marrying twice, and he has two children.

He asked his wife, Dina, for forgiveness, and then announced he would resign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCGREEVEY: At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world. Not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is.

And so my truth is that I am a gay American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: McGreevey then said what he did was wrong and foolish. He said he accepts total and full responsibility for his actions, and said that the right course of action today would be to resign.

McGreevey, as I mentioned, will step down, Wolf, effective November 15. And under New Jersey state law, New Jersey Senate president, Richard Cody, also a Democrat, will take his place and will remain there until McGreevey's term ends in January of 2006 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: A real political bombshell. Alina Cho, thanks very much for that.

Joining us now from Atlanta with more on the surprise resignation of the New Jersey governor is the former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr. Bob Barr has just written a new book about a very different sex scandal, that of the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton, and the impeachment battle that he faced. The name of the new book, "The Meaning of Is." Words we all remember very vividly.

Bob Barr joins us now from the CNN Center.

Congressman, thanks very much. What do you make of this bombshell in New Jersey today? Not the first time that a politician has come out of the closet.

BOB BARR, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Well, I think that probably the citizens of New Jersey are going to be well-served by having somebody in office who at least knows who they are and has some honesty about what they're doing, rather than the fellow that made the announcement today and will be leaving. Not today unfortunately for the people of New Jersey, but in November.

This is really bizarro. And here we are just at the beginning of the presidential season. One really ought to stick around to see what else is going to happen.

BLITZER: But there have been congressman, Democratic congressmen and Republican congressmen, some of them you know -- don't know, who have come out, acknowledged they're gay and have stayed on in the U.S. Congress. And they've served admirably. Isn't that right?

BARR: There have been instances in which that is exactly the case. I suspect what we're going to see in this case, though, is there's more here that has caused the governor to step down than simply the fact that he's found a new identity for himself. There apparently is a very serious homosexual, sexual harassment suit that is pending, and that would apparently prove to be very embarrassing to him.

BLITZER: But just the fact that he was gay would not necessarily, or would it in your opinion, mean he should leave office?

BARR: No. Just the fact that he's homosexual certainly shouldn't. My concern if I were a citizen of New Jersey would be to have had this man in office and have him so confused and so consumed with presenting a certain image that he would marry twice, even while he believes himself to be a homosexual.

That's the sort of duplicitousness that I think doesn't serve the citizens of any state well.

BLITZER: All right. Talk a little bit about the other sex scandal, the one that you were directly involved with, the president of the United States, Bill Clinton.

Looking back on what happened during that investigation and the impeachment, the impeachment trial, the eventual acquittal, and you've written a whole book about this, were the American people well served by what the Republican-led U.S. Congress did?

BARR: Well, it may sound sort of odd being one of the impeachment managers, but I'd have to say ultimately no. Not from the standpoint that impeaching this man was entirely justified. It was, and the House managers did, I think, under Henry Hyde's leadership, a magnificent job.

The people of this country were served well neither by Bill Clinton, because of his misdeeds in office, or by the Republicans, because they -- even though they knew that there were very serious -- there was very serious corruption in the prior administration, having nothing to do with Monica Lewinsky, I'd hasten to add, but in terms of national security breaches, the selling of our nation's security to Communist China, for example, violations, systemic violations of immigration laws, for example.

And this man should have been removed from office far earlier, but the Republicans just didn't exert the leadership or have the stomach to do it.

BLITZER: Bob Barr is no longer in the U.S. Congress, but has written a whole book on this very subject. The book entitled "The Meaning of Is." Congressman, thanks very much for joining us.

BARR: Always a pleasure, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's get back to our top story: Hurricane Charley heading to Florida right now. Hundreds of thousands of people are being asked to leave their homes and businesses behind.

For the latest on the storm, let's go live to Max Mayfield. He's the director of the National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables, Florida.

Dr. Mayfield, once again, thanks very much for joining us. Give us an update on what you know right now.

MAX MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: OK. Right now, Charlie continues to strengthen. It's a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds near 105 miles per hour.

On our Cuban radar that we're getting here of the National Hurricane Center, you can see the very well defined eye here. That's just to the southeast of the Isle of Youth.

The forecast has it moving off the north coast of Cuba later tonight a couple hours after midnight.

And we have hurricane warnings up, not just for western Cuba, but for the lower Keys, and most of the Florida west coast. This will have a very significant impact, especially from the storm surge flooding near and well to the south of where that center crosses the Florida Gulf coast.

BLITZER: I assume, though, there's going to be heavy rains throughout all of Florida, virtually. If you live in Miami or Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach, you're still going to suffer somewhat from this hurricane. Is that right?

MAYFIELD: Absolutely. We're forecasting four to eight inches of rain along the path of the hurricane as it moves across the state and then up the whole eastern seaboard here.

But I think the big story and what is most life threatening is going to be that storm surge flooding. It's been a long, long time since they've had a hurricane on the Gulf Coast of Florida like this. In fact you have to go back to Donna in 1960 to find a major hurricane.

So they've had such development there. There's a lot of inexperience with hurricanes, and we're very concerned about that.

BLITZER: What's the difference between a hurricane one, a hurricane level two, or a three, as far as storm surge? That's the big concern in the Tampa Bay area right now. How much of a difference would there be between a one and a three?

MAYFIELD: It makes a big, big difference. A category one is probably four to six, seven feet of storm surge. A category three we're actually saying in our advisories now 10 to 13 feet of storm surge.

And it's hard to get people to understand what that really means, but a cubic yard of water weighs about 1,700 pounds. It's nearly incompressible. It will come in like a bulldozer and do considerable damage if, indeed, it strengthens to a major hurricane, as we're forecasting.

BLITZER: All right. Dr. Mayfield, thanks very much for joining us. You're going to be busy. All of us are going to be busy over the next 24-48 hours.

MAYFIELD: Thank you.

BLITZER: We'll be checking back with you often.

Hurricane Charley growing in force, as we just heard, as it heads toward Florida. Hundreds of thousands of people from the Keys to Tampa Bay are being urged right now, ordered in fact to evacuate. We'll take you right into the danger zone.

And stunning decision from the California Supreme Court on gay marriages.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Sensitivity and the war on terror. The vice president, Dick Cheney, taking direct aim at John Kerry.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's been a deadly day throughout Iraq again, with coalition and Iraqi forces fighting fierce battles on multiple fronts against insurgents.

And in a surprise development, a move on their spiritual leader by U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Najaf, site of the sacred Shiite shrine, scene of a major offensive by U.S. and Iraqi forces.

This exclusive video shows American Marines raiding the home of Moqtada al-Sadr. He's the anti-American Shiite cleric whose outlawed militia have been battling coalition forces for months, with fighting escalating in recent days.

But CNN has learned al-Sadr wasn't home when the raid happened and is believed to be holed up in the nearby Imam Ali mosque, sacred ground where U.S. troops aren't willing to go for fear of backlash.

But fighting rages across the compound, with Iraqi officials reporting more than two dozen insurgents killed and more than 150 wounded in just the last 24 hours.

Huge plumes of smoke were visible above the city today, while hundreds of people fled to safer ground.

Heavy fighting also in Kut, about 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, scene of fierce battles between al-Sadr loyalists and multinational forces. Iraq's Health Ministry puts the two-day death toll there at 75, all of them Iraqis.

Trouble, too, in Baghdad. At least 25 people killed in unrest there.

Protesters are demanding to an end to the violence in the capital and throughout Iraq.

The country's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, puts the cost of the recent fighting at $60 million, money the country and the coalition can ill afford.

One factor: oil exports shut down at the main part of Basra due to the threat of sabotage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And back in Najaf, coalition forces have been coming under fire from inside the Imam Ali mosque.

An unmanned U.S. military surveillance plane captured these images this week, apparently showing suspected insurgents firing a mortar round from inside the mosque compound.

Despite the attacks, U.S. forces are reluctant to go inside. The mosque is believed to be the burial site of the prophet Mohammed's son-in-law and considered holy to Shia Muslims around the world.

Bringing peace and stability to the Middle East is one of the most complex and difficult problems facing the world community today. For more than 12 years under both Republican and Democratic presidents, Dennis Ross played a key role in attempting to bring some relief to the region.

He's recently completed a new book, "The Missing Peace," which both draws on his experience and offers a frank assessment of what he thinks the prospects are for engineering a peace. Dennis Ross is joining us now live.

Ambassador, thanks very much. Let's talk a little bit about the political dangers of what's happening in Najaf. How complicating a factor is this for the United States?

DENNIS ROSS, INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: I think it's a critical moment for us, because on the one hand, Prime Minister Allawi has basically made a decision that he's going to have the interim government demonstrate that there's a rule of law and there's not going to be an independent militia, al-Sadr's militia, any longer.

But where the fighting is taking place puts at risk what is a sacred shrine.

So on the one hand while we're engaging in a battle that's proving, I think, to be quite costly and creates a potential of a backlash and while we also have to safeguard that shrine, we also can't end this battle without success.

This cannot end up like another Fallujah, because then what you'll see is when there's resistance, we go after it, but we can never finish the job.

BLITZER: Sort of reminds me a little bit, and there are differences, when the Israelis were at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, facing Palestinian gunmen inside. Eventually, there was a negotiation and safe passage for the Palestinians.

Is that possible this time around with Moqtada al-Sadr?

ROSS: I don't believe it is possible, but I'm not going to say that we won't see that result.

When I say I don't believe it's possible, I think, from the standpoint of the interim government, having made this decision, this was a fundamental test, a fundamental threshold. They have to pass it. If they don't, then I'm afraid what we're going to see is an outcome that's negotiated, is going to allow Sadr to sort of recoup and what we're seeing now is going to be experienced again within three or four months.

BLITZER: What about the Iranian role right now in all of this?

ROSS: It's clear that the Iranians been supporting Sadr.

It's clear that they would like to see those within Iran who are more sympathetic to their point of view have greater power. It doesn't mean they want to control Iraq. I don't think they have any expectation that they can. But they certainly don't want what the United States might want to Iraq. They want an Iraq that is going to be much more responsive to them and much less responsive to us.

BLITZER: As you know, there have you been murmurings out there, widely speculated reports, especially in the Arab world, that Israel might be considering a preemptive strike again Iran's nuclear reactor to prevent it from building a nuclear bomb, along the lines of what the Israeli did at Osirak in Iraq in 1981. Is that at all realistic?

ROSS: I believe it is a factor, certainly, in the Israelis' thinking. I don't think it's on the table right now.

I say that because I don't think the Israelis believe that the threat is imminent, although they think the threat could be existential. Their view right now is that the IAEA and the British, the French and the Germans are going down a path. And what it's creating is an international context. If in fact it succeeds in getting the Iranians to suspend their efforts, which it appears it will not, then it's one thing.

If in fact the Iranians defy the will of the international community, it creates a very different context for what the Israeli could do. But I suspect, before the Israelis would do anything this time, they will come to us with a choice: Either you do it or we will do it. BLITZER: And what would the U.S. do?

ROSS: I think the U.S. is going to have to swallow very hard and make a very hard decision.

The fact is, having an Iran, given this kind of leadership with nuclear weapons, is a very dangerous prospect, not only as far as the Israelis are concerned. But think about the impact on the Middle East. I don't believe that Saudi Arabia will believe that, if Iran has nuclear weapons, it shouldn't have it. And if the Saudis, perhaps using the Pakistanis, go down that route, I don't believe that Egypt will stand aside, because they will not allow the Saudis to be the only Arab state with nuclear weapons.

BLITZER: What a mess, indeed.

Dennis Ross is the author an important new book, "The Missing Piece."

Thanks very much for joining us.

ROSS: Pleasure.

BLITZER: Coming up next, Hurricane Charley bearing down directly on Florida. A live update just ahead on where the storm is heading and who exactly needs to evacuate.

In California, the state Supreme Court makes a landmark ruling on all those gay marriages, more than 4,000 of them.

And the father of Kobe Bryant's accusers goes on the offensive against a key figure in the case. We'll tell you how and who.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Updating you now on our top story, powerful Hurricane Charley on course right now to slam into Florida's Tampa Bay area tomorrow.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been ordered to pack up and head for higher ground. And that's just what many are doing right now in a bid to escape expected winds of more than 100 miles an hour and dangerous, extremely dangerous, storm surge. Others are preparing for the worst as well, boarding up businesses and homes with plywood and stocking up on canned goods, water and batteries. The Florida governor, Jeb Bush, warning that this is one storm not to take lightly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: This is a serious, serious storm. And the implications are serious for Florida's families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Before Charley takes aim at Tampa Bay, it's expected to strike the Florida Keys.

Standing by live for us in Key West is Ted Scouten of our affiliate WFOR -- Ted.

TED SCOUTEN, WFOR REPORTER: Well, Wolf, it's been a beautiful day here in Key West, but really, that's pretty deceiving, especially when you look into this area out here out into the ocean and you realize that Hurricane Charley is swirling around out there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOUTEN (voice-over): The sound of power tools takes the place of music on Duval Street. The party is over for now and it's time to prepare for Charley.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody was expecting this. We got notice very quickly, what, 36 hours ago. It became evident, you know?

SCOUTEN (on camera): So it's taken serious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. And then, boom, and they said it was heading our way.

SCOUTEN (voice-over): Business owners are scrambling to finish before it's too late. All up and down the street, they're getting the shutters up while keeping an eye on the sky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we're kind of watching to see how far west it goes, but it looks like we'll catch a fringe of it, anyway, but I'm boarding up just in case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The airport is closed.

SCOUTEN: At the airport, quite an unpleasant welcome for tourists who want to try to evacuate. At 9:00 this morning, the flights were canceled when TSA screeners packed it in. That forced the airlines to stop flying, leaving the airport deserted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just left us high and dry. So we've come here now and we've just bought some Greyhound tickets and we're hoping to get to Miami.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody with children 12 or younger, you can come up to the front.

SCOUTEN: With no flights, the Greyhound bus quickly became a favorite for tourists trying to get out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're leaving today.

SCOUTEN (on camera): How are you getting out of town? Where are you going?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. We're catching Greyhound to Miami and then we're catching Amtrak to Washington, D.C. SCOUTEN (voice-over): Many of these folks had no earthly idea that their dream vacation to paradise would end with a long bus ride. Many said they didn't realize they would be kicked out without a flight home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But my daughter called me this morning and said, momma, aren't they going to tell you all to leave? I said, oh, no. In less than 10 minutes, they called, said we got to go.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCOUTEN: Now, also here in Key West, there's a mandatory order tonight that businesses close at 10:00, so everyone can prepare for the storm.

We're live in Key West. I'm Ted Scouten -- Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Ted Scouten reporting for us from our affiliate WFOR.

And while wind and rain are the calling cards of a hurricane, the aftermath often is flooding.

Our national correspondent Bob Franken takes a look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The high winds are just the beginning. It's the massive flooding that is readily deadly. In fact, nine out of 10 deaths in a hurricane are drownings, 90 percent from the flooding when the water inundates the land.

D.L. JOHNSON, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: The water can't soak in anymore. You have a storm surge coupled with the normal tide. and you end up with a storm tide that magnifies the effect of both of those, coupled with the inland flooding.

FRANKEN: The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was the Galveston, Texas, hurricane of September 1900, decades before they started naming these storms. It's still known as the storm, 6,000 to 10,000 dead, whole sections of land washed into sea by a 15.5-foot surge whipped up by 120 mile-per-hour winds.

In recent years, Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 brought so much rain with it that 13 states became federal disaster areas; 50 deaths were attributed to the inland flooding. The year before, Hurricane Charley had become just a tropical storm by the time it hit Texas. Still, 13 were killed by the floods it whipped up.

In 1996, Hurricane Fran slammed into North Carolina; 11 of the 19 deaths were flood-related; 33 of 34 who died in Hurricane Alberto two years earlier died in the swirling waters. So it's easy to understand that while a storm or, in this case, two storms hit on shore, there are officials who are prepared for the worst far away.

(on camera): Which explains why officials have mounted a flood watch for the entire East Coast, dealing with the deadliest part of the hurricane, what comes after it.

Bob Franken, CNN, Silver Spring, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Angry words over a highly charged case. The father of Kobe Bryant's accuser leveling scathing criticism for a key figure in the proceedings. We'll tell you who it is and what he said.

And a huge decision in California. The state Supreme Court decides whether thousands, literally, 4,000 gay marriages, are valid. I'll speak live with the mayor of San Francisco. That's coming up.

And one word about waging the war on terror has Vice President Dick Cheney ridiculing John Kerry. We'll tell you what the word is and how Cheney reacted. 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): A powerful typhoon slammed into southeastern China today, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 1,000. The storm packed wind gusts of almost 110 miles an hour. Earlier, 300,000 people were evacuated from low-lying coastal areas.

Recalled vote. Venezuelans go to the polls Sunday in a recall referendum that will decide whether President Hugo Chavez serves out the remainder of his term. Despite the presence of international observers and tight security, there are concerns a close vote could trigger violence.

Let the Games begin. The flame that will burn at the Summer Olympics in Greece arrived at the Acropolis in Athens. Tomorrow, it makes the short trip to the main stadium, where it will light the Olympic torch used during the Games' opening ceremony.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures right now, people evacuating one of the bridges leaving Tampa Bay, connecting to St. Petersburg. They've been ordered -- 400,000 people in this area have been ordered to leave. We see one car, a couple cars, going the wrong direction, toward the storm, but a lot of people on the other way, heading out of town, heading out of this area, as they've been ordered. You see the difference. It's only going to get more packed in the coming hours. These pictures thanks to our affiliate WFAA. Take a look at this -- FLA -- excuse me -- WFLA, our affiliate down there in Florida, Tampa Bay, an area that's going to be hard-hit by Hurricane Charley. That's coming up tomorrow. We'll get more on that coming up.

But there's also been a critical day in California today involving same-sex marriages. The state Supreme Court has ruled that Mayor Gavin Newsom did not have the authority to order the city to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The court also ruled that those marriages, more than 4,000 of them, are now null and void.

Mayor Gavin Newsom is joining us on the phone right now from San Francisco.

How big of a blow is this to you, sir?

GAVIN NEWSOM (D), MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO: Well, it's not about me, Wolf. It's about the 4,000 couples from 46 states across this country, as well as people from eight different nations that came to San Francisco to validate their lives and their relationships.

And, unfortunately for them, their marriage certificates are null and void at this time. The goal and expectation is, as we move to the next phase of this effort, the constitutional question, that, once again, we can fulfill the promise of the Constitution for those 4,000 couples.

BLITZER: So, practically speaking, legally, from the standpoint of California, what does it mean for these 4,000 couples, the decision by the Supreme Court today?

NEWSOM: Well, it means they'll have to be patient. They'll have to wait for another day. And in an era where we have, frankly, from my perspective, discriminated against tens of millions of Americans by not providing equal protection under the law, they'll simply have to wait another day until the Supreme Court not only in the state of California, but the U.S. Supreme Court, adjudicates that the equal protection clause in the Constitution should be afforded equally and fairly to all Americans.

BLITZER: This was a slap at you, because you had made this decision knowing that it was the law of the land in California that marriage was only to be defined as that between a man and a woman. Do you regret what you did?

NEWSOM: I don't regret. We put a human face on discrimination. The first couple that was married here in San Francisco was a relationship of 51 years, a relationship of sacrifice and love that was deep, and, from my perspective, profound.

To deny them the same rights, privileges, and legal opportunities that hundreds of millions of Americans like myself have frankly taken for granted and are afforded because we married someone of opposite gender, I think, is wrong. And what we did is, we put not only a human face of the 4,000 couples, but their sons and daughters, their aunts and uncles in the forefront of the American public and challenged this country to recognize that it's fundamentally wrong to give people certain rights and privileges, but deny these Americans that same consideration.

BLITZER: Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, an important day over there today. Thanks very much for spending a few moments with us.

NEWSOM: Thank you.

BLITZER: Harsh words for the judge overseeing the Kobe Bryant rape case. His accuser's father is now lashing out in an angry letter that alleges bias in favor of the defense.

CNN's Chris Lawrence is on the story for us. He is joining us now live -- Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, up to this point, the father of Kobe Bryant's accuser has never complained publicly, but it's obvious his frustration has been building for quite some time. Now the father has written a blistering letter, saying he's lost faith that his daughter can get a fair trial.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): The letter begins with, "I have sat patiently and politely." But from there, it lays into Judge Terry Ruckriegle .

The father says: "While you move on to your other cases, I can only hope that you some day realize the devastating impact your decisions have had on victims and victims' rights across the nation."

CYNTHIA STONE, VICTIMS' RIGHTS ATTORNEY: This is a heartbreaking letter.

LAWRENCE: And one a long time coming, according to victims' rights advocate Cynthia Stone. She points to the court's major mistakes, including posting the woman's name on its Web site and e- mailing confidential transcripts to seven media outlets. Now Stone wonders how this will affect other cases and other women's willingness to come forward.

STONE: Will they look at this case and feel like that this is the kind of thing that's going to happen to them, that they're going to lose their privacy, that they're going to be blamed for what happened to them?

LAWRENCE: Judge Ruckriegle apologized to everyone involved, saying in court: "I can only assure you that I have learned lessons from these mistakes and that we will give our best human effort not to let it happen again. Again, I apologize."

But it was too late for the accuser's father, who writes: "I have watched as leak after harmful leak has gone unpunished. I have watched the defense attorneys manipulate the public opinion of my daughter with their pleadings on your Web site, while you did nothing."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Now, we did speak with the Colorado court today, and they have decided not to comment on the father's letter. Next, the judge has to make a decision on whether to allow this delay that the prosecution is asking for, and he could make that decision by Monday, when Kobe Bryant is scheduled to be back in court -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Lawrence reporting for us -- thanks, Chris, very much.

Also in our justice report, jurors hear Scott Peterson admit to his mistress that he lied. Today, prosecutors played the recorded phone call in which Peterson tells Amber Frey he's actually married to Laci Peterson, who at the time was still missing. Peterson is on trial for her murder, as well as that of their unborn child.

The vice president, Dick Cheney, has some mocking words for the Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry. We'll have Cheney's remarks and Kerry's response just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Both President Bush and his challenger, John Kerry, were doing some campaigning in California today, but at different times.

Let's go on the trail.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): President Bush's first campaign stop of the day was in Las Vegas, where he spoke to the Carpenters and Joiners Union and defended his decision to go to war in Iraq.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I thought we were going to find stockpiles. Everything did. Knowing what I know today, I would have made the same decision, and the world is better off for it.

BLITZER: The president then headed to California to appear at a dinner in Santa Monica and to tape an interview to air tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."

Democrat John Kerry started the day in California with a rally at California State University in Carson.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In the last week, we've been told over and over again that America has turned the corner. When we've had four years of disappearing manufacturing jobs that have put millions of people out of work, the Americans that I've met don't think that we have turned the corner.

BLITZER: Later, Kerry headed for Oregon. A new Gallup poll conducted earlier this week shows Bush with a slight lead over Kerry among registered voters, 48 percent to 47 percent. Among likely voters, the Bush lead is slightly bigger, 50 percent to 47 percent. Both of the president's leads are within a sampling error, making the race a statistical dead heat.

Campaigning in Dayton, Ohio, Vice President Dick Cheney took issue with Kerry's statement last week that America should be fighting a more sensitive war on terror.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America has been in too many wars for any of our wishes, but not a one of them was won by being sensitive.

BLITZER: The Kerry campaign says Cheney used the comment out of context. And later, Kerry had this to say.

KERRY: I would add, it's sad that they can only be negative. They have nothing to say about the future vision of America. I think Americans want a positive vision for the future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And while the Democratic vice presidential candidate, John Edwards, remains on vacation, the former Vice President Al Gore spoke out during an appearance in his home state of Tennessee. Gore accused President Bush of playing partisan politics by nominating Republican Congressman Porter Goss of Florida to be the CIA director.

Here's your chance to weigh in on the story. Our Web question of the day is this: Is being sensitive important in the war on terror? You can vote. Go to CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results later in this program -- in fact, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's a look at how you're weighing in on our Web question of the day. We've asking you this: Is being sensitive important in the war on terror? Forty-four percent of you say yes; 56 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

A reminder, you can always catch us at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern weekdays, also noon Eastern every weekday.

Tomorrow, we'll have extensive live coverage, Hurricane Charley, as it makes landfall in Florida.

Until then, thanks very much for joining us.

"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 August 12, 2004 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Happening now: a hurricane targeting the Florida Keys and Tampa Bay. In less than one hour, a major evacuation order will be in effect.
Tampa hasn't had a direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921. Will decades of dodging danger come to an end?

We've just received the revised forecast from the National Hurricane Center. We'll bring it to you shortly.

This is a story, by the way, that could affect most of the eastern seaboard.

And another story we're following. The married governor of New Jersey comes out and resigns only moments ago, saying he's gay, and had an extramarital affair with a man.

Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Double trouble for Florida, Bonnie pounds the panhandle while Charlie takes aim at Tampa. Hundreds of thousands of people are urged to evacuate.

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: This is a serious, serious storm.

BLITZER: Search for al-Sadr. U.S. troops in Iraq raid the home of a renegade religious leader while fighting flares.

A sensitive issue. The Bush campaign seizes on a Kerry comment, promising a more sensitive war on terror.

A father's fury. The parent of Kobe Bryant's accuser lashes out at the judge.

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Thursday, August 12, 2004.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Pack up and get out now. That's the evacuation order for hundreds of thousands of Tampa Bay area residents in the coming hour, and the reason, powerfully clear. Powerful Hurricane Charley churning towards south Florida right now. Forecasters warn Charlie likely will be packing 100 miles an hour winds when it slams ashore late tomorrow. All day, residents have been preparing for havoc, boarding of businesses and homes with plywood and buying supplies of canned food, water, and batteries.

And the Florida governor, Jeb Bush, mincing no words in sounding the alarm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: My principal message here today is to urge people who have not experienced a hurricane to take this very, very seriously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: We have our reporters in Charley's path. Ed Lavandera, he's in Clearwater; Eric Philips in Panama City with the latest on Florida's other danger, namely Bonnie; and meteorologist Dave Hennen on the very real danger of massive flooding triggered by storm surge.

But just in, our meteorologist Orelon Sydney with the revised Hurricane Charley forecast -- Orelon.

ORELON SYDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wolf, thanks a lot. We did just get the update from the National Hurricane Center. Currently the winds in Charley are holding at 105 miles per hour. It is still forecast to strengthen, potentially to a category 3 hurricane before it makes landfall, probably close to the Isle of Youth within the couple of hours. And then later tonight, early tomorrow morning, cross parts of Cuba. In fact, I think it's going to move even faster than that.

It could definitely become category 3 because at 111 miles per hour, it would be category 3. The winds are still 105 currently.

Moving now to the North, Northwest, slightly faster at 18 miles an hour; if you're tracking the storm, the very latest 21.2 North, 81.9 West are the current coordinates.

I don't know if you can see this at home very well, but what we got here a view of the Florida Keys, this is the radar showing the rainfall. We're starting to get a little bit of the rainfall working its way into the north. And right at the bottom of the screen, you probably can't quite see it, but some of those outer rain bands are starting to come in from Hurricane Charley. So, we're certainly going to start seeing things go downhill in the Keys rather fast.

Here's what we think will happen tomorrow morning. But 8:00 am somewhere a beam (ph) of Key West with a potential for flooding, because the storm surge with coincide with time of high tide at 8:42. By 8:00 pm, we expect it to be northward, somewhere near Tampa, so we'll certainly keep an eye on that for storm surge as well as danger from the wind.

Once you get a category 3, you can start to get very serious wind damage. This is going to be the one to watch -- Wolf. BLITZER: All right. Orelon Sydney, we'll be checking back with you.

For the latest, though, on what's happening in the Tampa Bay area, let's go to CNN's Ed Lavandera. He's in Clearwater. That's just across the bay from the city of Tampa.

Ed, what's happening?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.

What we have seen throughout the day is slowly, evacuation orders have kind of crept northward up from Key West, starting now this morning, where all non-residents were ordered to evacuate the Key West area.

And as you move further up along the coast, into the Naples area, into Sarasota, into Tampa, the evacuations, although they are at this point most of them voluntary evacuations.

And then in this Tampa area here in Clearwater, where they're urging many of the residents who live on coastal areas and as well as in low-lying areas, to seek higher ground as well.

And here in Clearwater, we had seen a full beach this morning, many people enjoying the last moments of sun and surf, but the beach has cleared out now. And the winds have started to pick up. A little while ago we had a sudden burst of a rainstorm here that came across the beach.

So officials here preparing for Hurricane Charley.

And one of the -- you had mentioned Governor Jeb Bush's comments, urging people to take this storm seriously. One of the concerns is that people in this area have not taken a direct hit from a hurricane in more than 80 years.

And as we have talked to people over the course of the last day, they didn't seem to be taking it very seriously, saying that we'll believe the storm's coming once we see it.

And that's what emergency officials are here -- around here are worried about. They want people to take this storm seriously and to consider that the dangers and possibilities of intense flooding could be a serious problem for the residents of this area -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Ed, those people in the water better get out of there fairly quickly. Ed Lavendera, we'll be checking back with you, as well.

The latest on that other storm already causing big problems in Florida as well, namely Bonnie. CNN's Eric Philips is standing by in Panama City -- Eric.

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Take a look at what we've been seeing here all day long, or at least most of the day on Panama City beach.

People on the beach enjoying it, looking like they're on vacation. In fact, most of them are on vacation, building sandcastles, throwing the Frisbee around. It looks like the average day at the beach. No indication that a tropical storm ever was on the way here, nor that one hit land some 80 miles away. But it did.

Of course, Tropical Storm Bonnie was decreased. It was no longer a tropical storm once it made its way here. But all in all, I would say that Bonnie definitely had more bark than bite.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILIPS (voice-over): Bonnie may have come in like a lamb, but weather forecasters say Hurricane Charley will be a lion. Charlie appears headed for the Tampa Bay area, where hundreds of thousands of people have been asked to evacuate.

Although Bonnie is no longer even a tropical storm, in some places it's dropping lots of rain, which could cause flooding of already saturated ground. Officials across Florida, including Governor Jeb Bush, are warning residents not to underestimate the potential impact of these two storms coming so close together.

BUSH: People haven't experienced it. They haven't seen the awesome powers of the winds and the storm surges that could have a huge impact on a long-term basis for their lives. So I would just urge people to take this really, really seriously.

CATHERINE MCNAUGHT, BAY COUNTY COMMISSION: We are basically telling residents to stay put where they are if they feel safe in their homes. We're asking people who do not feel safe in their homes to go to one of two shelters.

PHILIPS: Many residents are heeding the warnings.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're just hoping it doesn't flood us out too bad. We've got it all packed up and all in plastic bags.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILIPS: And because of the possibility problems that two back- to-back storms like this could cause, Governor Jeb Bush, decided to declare a state of emergency here in Florida. What that means, among other things, is that National Guard troops are put on standby, waiting for the worst to happen -- Wolf.

BLITZER: All right. Eric Philips, thanks very much. Eric Philips in Panama City, thanks very much.

If Hurricane Charley is a Category 3 storm, packing 111 mile-an- hour winds when it hits Tampa Bay, watch out. A hurricane that strong could trigger a storm surge of 10 to 12 feet.

Joining us now with more on the danger of storm surge, CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen. Dave, explain this to us.

DAVE HENNEN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Wolf. A storm surge is the push of water out in front of the hurricane. As the hurricane moves along, it has forward motion. It has high winds. It picks up that water and literally, just like a snow shovel, pushes it forward.

That is the storm surge. That is generally the most dangerous part of a hurricane. Over 80 percent of deaths occur from that storm surge.

Let's show you a graphic we've prepared for you here.

This is taking into consideration a scenario where you have your hurricane moving up towards the Tampa area. You have Tampa located right up in this area here, St. Pete here. And as the storm moves, you get a tremendous amount of wind that, as we said, pushes that water north into the northern part of the bay. So it is up in this area where we would see most of the problems with the storm surge initially.

But as the storm continues to move off, you get the winds around the other direction, and you storm surge problems on the other side of the bay, as well.

Some of the scenarios we're talking about are having a tremendous amount of water, as much as 17 feet, perhaps, above sea level -- or below sea level. If you are below that area, you would run into some high-water situations.

Let's take a look at another graphic. This is our keyhole graphic. And we'll fly you into that area and take a different look at this.

Here is the bay. You see Tampa right here. There are a couple of routes that are going from Pinellas County, which is located right here. That is basically the St. Petersburg area.

You see our evacuation routes, and on any daily basis, about 120,000 people going and forth over these bridges that traverse over right here. And here's the Gulf of Mexico out here. Here's part of the bay that reaches out here.

And we're talking about a very serious situation with the 17-feet area that could be affected. In fact we're talking about the hurricane center looking at the potential of a very serious situation, Wolf, one in which -- we'll have to watch very closely, especially if the storm tracks just north of the Tampa area, which it is forecast to do right now. Of course, that's subject to change. Something we'll be watching very closely around here, Wolf.

BLITZERBLBLITITZER: All right. The powerful impact of a storm surge. Dave Hennen, thanks very much. Words we'll all be watching out over the next 24 to 48 hours. The Florida Keys, by the way, bracing for Hurricane Charley right now. We'll be live from Key West. Our coverage of this developing story will continue.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: CNN exclusive video, U.S. Marines raid the home of a wanted Shiite cleric as the battle over Najaf intensifies.

Also ahead ....

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES MCGREEVEY, FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR: I am a gay American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: A surprise resignation. New Jersey's governor who's married, calls it quits, saying he's gay. More on this developing story. That's coming up.

And an emotional letter to the judge in the Kobe Bryant case, written by the father of the accuser. We'll have details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A political bombshell in New Jersey. Late today, the governor, Jim McGreevey, announcing his resignation. And he took everyone by surprise with his explanation.

CNN's Alina Cho is following the story. She's joining us now live -- Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a lot of jaws were dropping, a political bombshell is right.

New Jersey Governor James McGreevey announced late this afternoon, said proudly, "I am a gay American," admitting he engaged in what he called a consensual affair with a man.

He said, because of the rumors that would follow, he would step down as governor, effective November 15. McGreevey, who was flanked by his wife, Dina, said he had grappled with his identity for years, even forced into what he called an acceptable reality, marrying twice, and he has two children.

He asked his wife, Dina, for forgiveness, and then announced he would resign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCGREEVEY: At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world. Not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is.

And so my truth is that I am a gay American.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: McGreevey then said what he did was wrong and foolish. He said he accepts total and full responsibility for his actions, and said that the right course of action today would be to resign.

McGreevey, as I mentioned, will step down, Wolf, effective November 15. And under New Jersey state law, New Jersey Senate president, Richard Cody, also a Democrat, will take his place and will remain there until McGreevey's term ends in January of 2006 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: A real political bombshell. Alina Cho, thanks very much for that.

Joining us now from Atlanta with more on the surprise resignation of the New Jersey governor is the former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr. Bob Barr has just written a new book about a very different sex scandal, that of the former president of the United States, Bill Clinton, and the impeachment battle that he faced. The name of the new book, "The Meaning of Is." Words we all remember very vividly.

Bob Barr joins us now from the CNN Center.

Congressman, thanks very much. What do you make of this bombshell in New Jersey today? Not the first time that a politician has come out of the closet.

BOB BARR, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Well, I think that probably the citizens of New Jersey are going to be well-served by having somebody in office who at least knows who they are and has some honesty about what they're doing, rather than the fellow that made the announcement today and will be leaving. Not today unfortunately for the people of New Jersey, but in November.

This is really bizarro. And here we are just at the beginning of the presidential season. One really ought to stick around to see what else is going to happen.

BLITZER: But there have been congressman, Democratic congressmen and Republican congressmen, some of them you know -- don't know, who have come out, acknowledged they're gay and have stayed on in the U.S. Congress. And they've served admirably. Isn't that right?

BARR: There have been instances in which that is exactly the case. I suspect what we're going to see in this case, though, is there's more here that has caused the governor to step down than simply the fact that he's found a new identity for himself. There apparently is a very serious homosexual, sexual harassment suit that is pending, and that would apparently prove to be very embarrassing to him.

BLITZER: But just the fact that he was gay would not necessarily, or would it in your opinion, mean he should leave office?

BARR: No. Just the fact that he's homosexual certainly shouldn't. My concern if I were a citizen of New Jersey would be to have had this man in office and have him so confused and so consumed with presenting a certain image that he would marry twice, even while he believes himself to be a homosexual.

That's the sort of duplicitousness that I think doesn't serve the citizens of any state well.

BLITZER: All right. Talk a little bit about the other sex scandal, the one that you were directly involved with, the president of the United States, Bill Clinton.

Looking back on what happened during that investigation and the impeachment, the impeachment trial, the eventual acquittal, and you've written a whole book about this, were the American people well served by what the Republican-led U.S. Congress did?

BARR: Well, it may sound sort of odd being one of the impeachment managers, but I'd have to say ultimately no. Not from the standpoint that impeaching this man was entirely justified. It was, and the House managers did, I think, under Henry Hyde's leadership, a magnificent job.

The people of this country were served well neither by Bill Clinton, because of his misdeeds in office, or by the Republicans, because they -- even though they knew that there were very serious -- there was very serious corruption in the prior administration, having nothing to do with Monica Lewinsky, I'd hasten to add, but in terms of national security breaches, the selling of our nation's security to Communist China, for example, violations, systemic violations of immigration laws, for example.

And this man should have been removed from office far earlier, but the Republicans just didn't exert the leadership or have the stomach to do it.

BLITZER: Bob Barr is no longer in the U.S. Congress, but has written a whole book on this very subject. The book entitled "The Meaning of Is." Congressman, thanks very much for joining us.

BARR: Always a pleasure, Wolf.

BLITZER: Let's get back to our top story: Hurricane Charley heading to Florida right now. Hundreds of thousands of people are being asked to leave their homes and businesses behind.

For the latest on the storm, let's go live to Max Mayfield. He's the director of the National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables, Florida.

Dr. Mayfield, once again, thanks very much for joining us. Give us an update on what you know right now.

MAX MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: OK. Right now, Charlie continues to strengthen. It's a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds near 105 miles per hour.

On our Cuban radar that we're getting here of the National Hurricane Center, you can see the very well defined eye here. That's just to the southeast of the Isle of Youth.

The forecast has it moving off the north coast of Cuba later tonight a couple hours after midnight.

And we have hurricane warnings up, not just for western Cuba, but for the lower Keys, and most of the Florida west coast. This will have a very significant impact, especially from the storm surge flooding near and well to the south of where that center crosses the Florida Gulf coast.

BLITZER: I assume, though, there's going to be heavy rains throughout all of Florida, virtually. If you live in Miami or Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach, you're still going to suffer somewhat from this hurricane. Is that right?

MAYFIELD: Absolutely. We're forecasting four to eight inches of rain along the path of the hurricane as it moves across the state and then up the whole eastern seaboard here.

But I think the big story and what is most life threatening is going to be that storm surge flooding. It's been a long, long time since they've had a hurricane on the Gulf Coast of Florida like this. In fact you have to go back to Donna in 1960 to find a major hurricane.

So they've had such development there. There's a lot of inexperience with hurricanes, and we're very concerned about that.

BLITZER: What's the difference between a hurricane one, a hurricane level two, or a three, as far as storm surge? That's the big concern in the Tampa Bay area right now. How much of a difference would there be between a one and a three?

MAYFIELD: It makes a big, big difference. A category one is probably four to six, seven feet of storm surge. A category three we're actually saying in our advisories now 10 to 13 feet of storm surge.

And it's hard to get people to understand what that really means, but a cubic yard of water weighs about 1,700 pounds. It's nearly incompressible. It will come in like a bulldozer and do considerable damage if, indeed, it strengthens to a major hurricane, as we're forecasting.

BLITZER: All right. Dr. Mayfield, thanks very much for joining us. You're going to be busy. All of us are going to be busy over the next 24-48 hours.

MAYFIELD: Thank you.

BLITZER: We'll be checking back with you often.

Hurricane Charley growing in force, as we just heard, as it heads toward Florida. Hundreds of thousands of people from the Keys to Tampa Bay are being urged right now, ordered in fact to evacuate. We'll take you right into the danger zone.

And stunning decision from the California Supreme Court on gay marriages.

Plus this...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Sensitivity and the war on terror. The vice president, Dick Cheney, taking direct aim at John Kerry.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's been a deadly day throughout Iraq again, with coalition and Iraqi forces fighting fierce battles on multiple fronts against insurgents.

And in a surprise development, a move on their spiritual leader by U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Najaf, site of the sacred Shiite shrine, scene of a major offensive by U.S. and Iraqi forces.

This exclusive video shows American Marines raiding the home of Moqtada al-Sadr. He's the anti-American Shiite cleric whose outlawed militia have been battling coalition forces for months, with fighting escalating in recent days.

But CNN has learned al-Sadr wasn't home when the raid happened and is believed to be holed up in the nearby Imam Ali mosque, sacred ground where U.S. troops aren't willing to go for fear of backlash.

But fighting rages across the compound, with Iraqi officials reporting more than two dozen insurgents killed and more than 150 wounded in just the last 24 hours.

Huge plumes of smoke were visible above the city today, while hundreds of people fled to safer ground.

Heavy fighting also in Kut, about 100 miles southeast of Baghdad, scene of fierce battles between al-Sadr loyalists and multinational forces. Iraq's Health Ministry puts the two-day death toll there at 75, all of them Iraqis.

Trouble, too, in Baghdad. At least 25 people killed in unrest there.

Protesters are demanding to an end to the violence in the capital and throughout Iraq.

The country's interim prime minister, Ayad Allawi, puts the cost of the recent fighting at $60 million, money the country and the coalition can ill afford.

One factor: oil exports shut down at the main part of Basra due to the threat of sabotage.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And back in Najaf, coalition forces have been coming under fire from inside the Imam Ali mosque.

An unmanned U.S. military surveillance plane captured these images this week, apparently showing suspected insurgents firing a mortar round from inside the mosque compound.

Despite the attacks, U.S. forces are reluctant to go inside. The mosque is believed to be the burial site of the prophet Mohammed's son-in-law and considered holy to Shia Muslims around the world.

Bringing peace and stability to the Middle East is one of the most complex and difficult problems facing the world community today. For more than 12 years under both Republican and Democratic presidents, Dennis Ross played a key role in attempting to bring some relief to the region.

He's recently completed a new book, "The Missing Peace," which both draws on his experience and offers a frank assessment of what he thinks the prospects are for engineering a peace. Dennis Ross is joining us now live.

Ambassador, thanks very much. Let's talk a little bit about the political dangers of what's happening in Najaf. How complicating a factor is this for the United States?

DENNIS ROSS, INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: I think it's a critical moment for us, because on the one hand, Prime Minister Allawi has basically made a decision that he's going to have the interim government demonstrate that there's a rule of law and there's not going to be an independent militia, al-Sadr's militia, any longer.

But where the fighting is taking place puts at risk what is a sacred shrine.

So on the one hand while we're engaging in a battle that's proving, I think, to be quite costly and creates a potential of a backlash and while we also have to safeguard that shrine, we also can't end this battle without success.

This cannot end up like another Fallujah, because then what you'll see is when there's resistance, we go after it, but we can never finish the job.

BLITZER: Sort of reminds me a little bit, and there are differences, when the Israelis were at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, facing Palestinian gunmen inside. Eventually, there was a negotiation and safe passage for the Palestinians.

Is that possible this time around with Moqtada al-Sadr?

ROSS: I don't believe it is possible, but I'm not going to say that we won't see that result.

When I say I don't believe it's possible, I think, from the standpoint of the interim government, having made this decision, this was a fundamental test, a fundamental threshold. They have to pass it. If they don't, then I'm afraid what we're going to see is an outcome that's negotiated, is going to allow Sadr to sort of recoup and what we're seeing now is going to be experienced again within three or four months.

BLITZER: What about the Iranian role right now in all of this?

ROSS: It's clear that the Iranians been supporting Sadr.

It's clear that they would like to see those within Iran who are more sympathetic to their point of view have greater power. It doesn't mean they want to control Iraq. I don't think they have any expectation that they can. But they certainly don't want what the United States might want to Iraq. They want an Iraq that is going to be much more responsive to them and much less responsive to us.

BLITZER: As you know, there have you been murmurings out there, widely speculated reports, especially in the Arab world, that Israel might be considering a preemptive strike again Iran's nuclear reactor to prevent it from building a nuclear bomb, along the lines of what the Israeli did at Osirak in Iraq in 1981. Is that at all realistic?

ROSS: I believe it is a factor, certainly, in the Israelis' thinking. I don't think it's on the table right now.

I say that because I don't think the Israelis believe that the threat is imminent, although they think the threat could be existential. Their view right now is that the IAEA and the British, the French and the Germans are going down a path. And what it's creating is an international context. If in fact it succeeds in getting the Iranians to suspend their efforts, which it appears it will not, then it's one thing.

If in fact the Iranians defy the will of the international community, it creates a very different context for what the Israeli could do. But I suspect, before the Israelis would do anything this time, they will come to us with a choice: Either you do it or we will do it. BLITZER: And what would the U.S. do?

ROSS: I think the U.S. is going to have to swallow very hard and make a very hard decision.

The fact is, having an Iran, given this kind of leadership with nuclear weapons, is a very dangerous prospect, not only as far as the Israelis are concerned. But think about the impact on the Middle East. I don't believe that Saudi Arabia will believe that, if Iran has nuclear weapons, it shouldn't have it. And if the Saudis, perhaps using the Pakistanis, go down that route, I don't believe that Egypt will stand aside, because they will not allow the Saudis to be the only Arab state with nuclear weapons.

BLITZER: What a mess, indeed.

Dennis Ross is the author an important new book, "The Missing Piece."

Thanks very much for joining us.

ROSS: Pleasure.

BLITZER: Coming up next, Hurricane Charley bearing down directly on Florida. A live update just ahead on where the storm is heading and who exactly needs to evacuate.

In California, the state Supreme Court makes a landmark ruling on all those gay marriages, more than 4,000 of them.

And the father of Kobe Bryant's accusers goes on the offensive against a key figure in the case. We'll tell you how and who.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Updating you now on our top story, powerful Hurricane Charley on course right now to slam into Florida's Tampa Bay area tomorrow.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been ordered to pack up and head for higher ground. And that's just what many are doing right now in a bid to escape expected winds of more than 100 miles an hour and dangerous, extremely dangerous, storm surge. Others are preparing for the worst as well, boarding up businesses and homes with plywood and stocking up on canned goods, water and batteries. The Florida governor, Jeb Bush, warning that this is one storm not to take lightly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: This is a serious, serious storm. And the implications are serious for Florida's families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Before Charley takes aim at Tampa Bay, it's expected to strike the Florida Keys.

Standing by live for us in Key West is Ted Scouten of our affiliate WFOR -- Ted.

TED SCOUTEN, WFOR REPORTER: Well, Wolf, it's been a beautiful day here in Key West, but really, that's pretty deceiving, especially when you look into this area out here out into the ocean and you realize that Hurricane Charley is swirling around out there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCOUTEN (voice-over): The sound of power tools takes the place of music on Duval Street. The party is over for now and it's time to prepare for Charley.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody was expecting this. We got notice very quickly, what, 36 hours ago. It became evident, you know?

SCOUTEN (on camera): So it's taken serious.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. And then, boom, and they said it was heading our way.

SCOUTEN (voice-over): Business owners are scrambling to finish before it's too late. All up and down the street, they're getting the shutters up while keeping an eye on the sky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So we're kind of watching to see how far west it goes, but it looks like we'll catch a fringe of it, anyway, but I'm boarding up just in case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The airport is closed.

SCOUTEN: At the airport, quite an unpleasant welcome for tourists who want to try to evacuate. At 9:00 this morning, the flights were canceled when TSA screeners packed it in. That forced the airlines to stop flying, leaving the airport deserted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They just left us high and dry. So we've come here now and we've just bought some Greyhound tickets and we're hoping to get to Miami.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody with children 12 or younger, you can come up to the front.

SCOUTEN: With no flights, the Greyhound bus quickly became a favorite for tourists trying to get out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're leaving today.

SCOUTEN (on camera): How are you getting out of town? Where are you going?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. We're catching Greyhound to Miami and then we're catching Amtrak to Washington, D.C. SCOUTEN (voice-over): Many of these folks had no earthly idea that their dream vacation to paradise would end with a long bus ride. Many said they didn't realize they would be kicked out without a flight home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But my daughter called me this morning and said, momma, aren't they going to tell you all to leave? I said, oh, no. In less than 10 minutes, they called, said we got to go.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SCOUTEN: Now, also here in Key West, there's a mandatory order tonight that businesses close at 10:00, so everyone can prepare for the storm.

We're live in Key West. I'm Ted Scouten -- Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Ted Scouten reporting for us from our affiliate WFOR.

And while wind and rain are the calling cards of a hurricane, the aftermath often is flooding.

Our national correspondent Bob Franken takes a look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The high winds are just the beginning. It's the massive flooding that is readily deadly. In fact, nine out of 10 deaths in a hurricane are drownings, 90 percent from the flooding when the water inundates the land.

D.L. JOHNSON, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE: The water can't soak in anymore. You have a storm surge coupled with the normal tide. and you end up with a storm tide that magnifies the effect of both of those, coupled with the inland flooding.

FRANKEN: The worst natural disaster in U.S. history was the Galveston, Texas, hurricane of September 1900, decades before they started naming these storms. It's still known as the storm, 6,000 to 10,000 dead, whole sections of land washed into sea by a 15.5-foot surge whipped up by 120 mile-per-hour winds.

In recent years, Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 brought so much rain with it that 13 states became federal disaster areas; 50 deaths were attributed to the inland flooding. The year before, Hurricane Charley had become just a tropical storm by the time it hit Texas. Still, 13 were killed by the floods it whipped up.

In 1996, Hurricane Fran slammed into North Carolina; 11 of the 19 deaths were flood-related; 33 of 34 who died in Hurricane Alberto two years earlier died in the swirling waters. So it's easy to understand that while a storm or, in this case, two storms hit on shore, there are officials who are prepared for the worst far away.

(on camera): Which explains why officials have mounted a flood watch for the entire East Coast, dealing with the deadliest part of the hurricane, what comes after it.

Bob Franken, CNN, Silver Spring, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Angry words over a highly charged case. The father of Kobe Bryant's accuser leveling scathing criticism for a key figure in the proceedings. We'll tell you who it is and what he said.

And a huge decision in California. The state Supreme Court decides whether thousands, literally, 4,000 gay marriages, are valid. I'll speak live with the mayor of San Francisco. That's coming up.

And one word about waging the war on terror has Vice President Dick Cheney ridiculing John Kerry. We'll tell you what the word is and how Cheney reacted. 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): A powerful typhoon slammed into southeastern China today, killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 1,000. The storm packed wind gusts of almost 110 miles an hour. Earlier, 300,000 people were evacuated from low-lying coastal areas.

Recalled vote. Venezuelans go to the polls Sunday in a recall referendum that will decide whether President Hugo Chavez serves out the remainder of his term. Despite the presence of international observers and tight security, there are concerns a close vote could trigger violence.

Let the Games begin. The flame that will burn at the Summer Olympics in Greece arrived at the Acropolis in Athens. Tomorrow, it makes the short trip to the main stadium, where it will light the Olympic torch used during the Games' opening ceremony.

And that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures right now, people evacuating one of the bridges leaving Tampa Bay, connecting to St. Petersburg. They've been ordered -- 400,000 people in this area have been ordered to leave. We see one car, a couple cars, going the wrong direction, toward the storm, but a lot of people on the other way, heading out of town, heading out of this area, as they've been ordered. You see the difference. It's only going to get more packed in the coming hours. These pictures thanks to our affiliate WFAA. Take a look at this -- FLA -- excuse me -- WFLA, our affiliate down there in Florida, Tampa Bay, an area that's going to be hard-hit by Hurricane Charley. That's coming up tomorrow. We'll get more on that coming up.

But there's also been a critical day in California today involving same-sex marriages. The state Supreme Court has ruled that Mayor Gavin Newsom did not have the authority to order the city to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The court also ruled that those marriages, more than 4,000 of them, are now null and void.

Mayor Gavin Newsom is joining us on the phone right now from San Francisco.

How big of a blow is this to you, sir?

GAVIN NEWSOM (D), MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO: Well, it's not about me, Wolf. It's about the 4,000 couples from 46 states across this country, as well as people from eight different nations that came to San Francisco to validate their lives and their relationships.

And, unfortunately for them, their marriage certificates are null and void at this time. The goal and expectation is, as we move to the next phase of this effort, the constitutional question, that, once again, we can fulfill the promise of the Constitution for those 4,000 couples.

BLITZER: So, practically speaking, legally, from the standpoint of California, what does it mean for these 4,000 couples, the decision by the Supreme Court today?

NEWSOM: Well, it means they'll have to be patient. They'll have to wait for another day. And in an era where we have, frankly, from my perspective, discriminated against tens of millions of Americans by not providing equal protection under the law, they'll simply have to wait another day until the Supreme Court not only in the state of California, but the U.S. Supreme Court, adjudicates that the equal protection clause in the Constitution should be afforded equally and fairly to all Americans.

BLITZER: This was a slap at you, because you had made this decision knowing that it was the law of the land in California that marriage was only to be defined as that between a man and a woman. Do you regret what you did?

NEWSOM: I don't regret. We put a human face on discrimination. The first couple that was married here in San Francisco was a relationship of 51 years, a relationship of sacrifice and love that was deep, and, from my perspective, profound.

To deny them the same rights, privileges, and legal opportunities that hundreds of millions of Americans like myself have frankly taken for granted and are afforded because we married someone of opposite gender, I think, is wrong. And what we did is, we put not only a human face of the 4,000 couples, but their sons and daughters, their aunts and uncles in the forefront of the American public and challenged this country to recognize that it's fundamentally wrong to give people certain rights and privileges, but deny these Americans that same consideration.

BLITZER: Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, an important day over there today. Thanks very much for spending a few moments with us.

NEWSOM: Thank you.

BLITZER: Harsh words for the judge overseeing the Kobe Bryant rape case. His accuser's father is now lashing out in an angry letter that alleges bias in favor of the defense.

CNN's Chris Lawrence is on the story for us. He is joining us now live -- Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, up to this point, the father of Kobe Bryant's accuser has never complained publicly, but it's obvious his frustration has been building for quite some time. Now the father has written a blistering letter, saying he's lost faith that his daughter can get a fair trial.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): The letter begins with, "I have sat patiently and politely." But from there, it lays into Judge Terry Ruckriegle .

The father says: "While you move on to your other cases, I can only hope that you some day realize the devastating impact your decisions have had on victims and victims' rights across the nation."

CYNTHIA STONE, VICTIMS' RIGHTS ATTORNEY: This is a heartbreaking letter.

LAWRENCE: And one a long time coming, according to victims' rights advocate Cynthia Stone. She points to the court's major mistakes, including posting the woman's name on its Web site and e- mailing confidential transcripts to seven media outlets. Now Stone wonders how this will affect other cases and other women's willingness to come forward.

STONE: Will they look at this case and feel like that this is the kind of thing that's going to happen to them, that they're going to lose their privacy, that they're going to be blamed for what happened to them?

LAWRENCE: Judge Ruckriegle apologized to everyone involved, saying in court: "I can only assure you that I have learned lessons from these mistakes and that we will give our best human effort not to let it happen again. Again, I apologize."

But it was too late for the accuser's father, who writes: "I have watched as leak after harmful leak has gone unpunished. I have watched the defense attorneys manipulate the public opinion of my daughter with their pleadings on your Web site, while you did nothing."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Now, we did speak with the Colorado court today, and they have decided not to comment on the father's letter. Next, the judge has to make a decision on whether to allow this delay that the prosecution is asking for, and he could make that decision by Monday, when Kobe Bryant is scheduled to be back in court -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Lawrence reporting for us -- thanks, Chris, very much.

Also in our justice report, jurors hear Scott Peterson admit to his mistress that he lied. Today, prosecutors played the recorded phone call in which Peterson tells Amber Frey he's actually married to Laci Peterson, who at the time was still missing. Peterson is on trial for her murder, as well as that of their unborn child.

The vice president, Dick Cheney, has some mocking words for the Democratic presidential nominee, John Kerry. We'll have Cheney's remarks and Kerry's response just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Both President Bush and his challenger, John Kerry, were doing some campaigning in California today, but at different times.

Let's go on the trail.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): President Bush's first campaign stop of the day was in Las Vegas, where he spoke to the Carpenters and Joiners Union and defended his decision to go to war in Iraq.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: No, I thought we were going to find stockpiles. Everything did. Knowing what I know today, I would have made the same decision, and the world is better off for it.

BLITZER: The president then headed to California to appear at a dinner in Santa Monica and to tape an interview to air tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE."

Democrat John Kerry started the day in California with a rally at California State University in Carson.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In the last week, we've been told over and over again that America has turned the corner. When we've had four years of disappearing manufacturing jobs that have put millions of people out of work, the Americans that I've met don't think that we have turned the corner.

BLITZER: Later, Kerry headed for Oregon. A new Gallup poll conducted earlier this week shows Bush with a slight lead over Kerry among registered voters, 48 percent to 47 percent. Among likely voters, the Bush lead is slightly bigger, 50 percent to 47 percent. Both of the president's leads are within a sampling error, making the race a statistical dead heat.

Campaigning in Dayton, Ohio, Vice President Dick Cheney took issue with Kerry's statement last week that America should be fighting a more sensitive war on terror.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America has been in too many wars for any of our wishes, but not a one of them was won by being sensitive.

BLITZER: The Kerry campaign says Cheney used the comment out of context. And later, Kerry had this to say.

KERRY: I would add, it's sad that they can only be negative. They have nothing to say about the future vision of America. I think Americans want a positive vision for the future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And while the Democratic vice presidential candidate, John Edwards, remains on vacation, the former Vice President Al Gore spoke out during an appearance in his home state of Tennessee. Gore accused President Bush of playing partisan politics by nominating Republican Congressman Porter Goss of Florida to be the CIA director.

Here's your chance to weigh in on the story. Our Web question of the day is this: Is being sensitive important in the war on terror? You can vote. Go to CNN.com/Wolf. We'll have the results later in this program -- in fact, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's a look at how you're weighing in on our Web question of the day. We've asking you this: Is being sensitive important in the war on terror? Forty-four percent of you say yes; 56 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

A reminder, you can always catch us at this time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern weekdays, also noon Eastern every weekday.

Tomorrow, we'll have extensive live coverage, Hurricane Charley, as it makes landfall in Florida.

Until then, thanks very much for joining us.

"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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