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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Insurgents Strike Wedding Party with Ambulance Bomb; Military Apologizes for Accidental Killing Caught on Film; British Muslim Shares Mecca Experience; Marine Suspect in Wal-Mart Kidnapping, Murder
Aired January 21, 2005 - 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 in Iraq. Just when you think the attacks can't get any more brutal, a suicide bomber drives an ambulance -- yes, an ambulance -- into a wedding party just south of Baghdad.
Also, he's been at the center of controversy over obscenities in the media. Now the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Powell, decides to step down. I'll ask him why this hour.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Baghdad bombing: terrorists target a mosque on a Muslim holy day, killing more than a dozen people.
Clerk kidnapping, captured on this surveillance video. Why was this young Wal-Mart cashier abducted and killed?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very sad to report that we have located the victim's body.
BLITZER: Bin Laden's book. A recently discovered manuscript about to be published. But who should get the profits?
Dirty war. A fictional terror attack, raising real life concerns. How prepared are we for a dirty bomb? I'll ask New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Friday, January 21, 2005.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: We begin with a new development in Iraq.
Insurgents carried out a sued attack at a wedding ceremony just south of Baghdad. A suicide bomber drove an ambulance into a wedding party, blew up the vehicle, killing several people, wounding dozens of others.
It was just one of several attacks carried out on a major Muslim holiday and just days before Iraqis are scheduled to vote in their national elections. CNN's Jeff Koinange is in Baghdad, and he has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Friday, at the Baghdad Zoo. For many here, a rare moment of peace in a city rocked by car bombs and carnage ahead of landmark elections, just days away.
Some here, like Katan al-Jarah (ph), who's just returned after 20 years as an exile, says just being out in the open is a victory against the insurgents.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are doing this to show the world that we reject terrorism, and we will not let it destroy our lives.
KOINANGE: But more than a dozen lives were destroyed by a car bomb just after Friday morning prayers at this Shia mosque on the southern edge of Baghdad.
And a little further south a celebration turned tragic when an ambulance drove into a wedding party and exploded. Several people, including the suicide bomber, were killed and a large number of guests were wounded.
And in the town of Heet in the volatile Sunni Triangle, insurgents attacked a police station, using rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. They ransacked the station, took the weapons, blew up the building, escaping in two police cars.
And a follow-up videotape has been released by the group calling itself the Islamic Resistance Moment, the group that says it kidnapped eight Chinese hostages several days ago.
A voice on the tape demands the Chinese government forbid its citizens from entering Iraq, adding this would be considered a positive gesture in granting mercy on the hostages.
The U.S.'s highest-ranking diplomat in Iraq says the landmark elections will prove a turning point for the country.
JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: I think this election is a very, very important milestone towards the establishment of an enduring democracy here and a system of government whereby Iraqis will be able to settle their differences through peaceful, political means.
KOINANGE: Salad Hadin Mekbi (ph), a government engineer, agrees and voices the feelings of a terrified community.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We hope that these elections will bring a better future for the Iraqi people. I have high hopes for the future to get better and better.
KOINANGE (on camera): Just how soon things can get better is anyone's guess. Right now Iraqis are just hoping to get through a day without violence, something that seems less and less likely as the election day draws near.
Jeff Koinange, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Our next report contains graphic images that may be disturbing, especially for children.
Almost every day the fighting in Iraq claims more lives. Often the victims are civilians, and sometimes their deaths are the result of a misunderstanding.
A photographer captured one recent tragedy involving an Iraqi family. The horror of it produced an usually quick apology from the United States military.
Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, already getting dark, past curfew, when U.S. troops fired shots at this car in the northern Iraqi town of Talafar. The U.S. military says the soldiers on foot patrol were alert for suicide car bombs.
The photographer, who took these pictures, watched as the tragedy unfolded.
CHRIS HONDROS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER GETTY IMAGES: Realized that some shots were going to get fired, because I know -- I mean I could -- I knew that their car would have a hard time seeing these camouflaged soldiers. So I sort of scooted off to the side, outside of anybody's line of fire, and the car kept approaching. I could hear it.
STARR: In moments, it was a nightmare on the street. An Iraqi man and his wife in the front seat, killed by U.S. gunfire. Six terrified children emerged from the back seat, one slightly wounded, blood everywhere. A small boy, bewildered at what he has just seen.
HONDROS: The soldiers when they realized what was going on, they very professionally, antithetically (ph), swept into action, picked the kids up. Immediately, the medics came over, immediately to try to assess any injuries the children had.
STARR: Soldiers upset as well as they tried to help the children. They took them to a nearby hospital.
A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad says there was no intention to harm innocent civilians. He says, "While the pictures are heart wrenching, they also go to show in the moments immediately following, soldiers went from trying to protect their patrol to rendering comfort and assistance to the children suffering a tragic loss."
The military spokesman says procedures were followed. There were hand signals to the driver, warning shots fired, and then shots to disable the vehicle. And then shots that were fatal.
No one may ever know if the Iraqi driver didn't see the soldiers, didn't understand the order to stop, or if there was panic. But with five car bomb attacked in Iraq in the last three weeks, against patrols and checkpoints, security concerns are at an all-time high.
Still, the human tragedy.
HONDROS: I remember the captain was adamant about making sure the children were all in a room when the two bodies of the adults were brought in to the morgue in the hospital. They didn't -- he specifically said that he didn't want the children to see any more.
STARR: The orphaned children, now in the custody of the oldest teenager. The military may compensate the family, but the faces of this war show their agony. One small Iraqi girl sits at the feet of U.S. soldiers, waiting for someone to tell her what happens now.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: What a tragedy, indeed.
And please stay with CNN throughout the weekend for all the latest developments on Iraq. On "LATE EDITION" this Sunday, the United States ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, will join me for a rare interview. That's this Sunday, noon eastern, here on CNN.
One day after being sworn into a second term, President Bush is wasting no time in getting to work on his very ambitious agenda of social reform at home, economic reform, as well as spreading democracy around the world.
He started today by attending traditional national prayer service over at the National Cathedral in Washington. The Reverend Billy Graham delivered one prayer. Mr. Bush credits Billy Graham with helping him to reaffirm his faith and give up drinking at the age of 40.
All this week, CNN's Zain Verjee has been one of the few reporters from western news agencies reporting live from Mecca in Saudi Arabia. That's where the annual Muslim pilgrimage known as the Hajj has been taking place, drawing two million people from around the world.
Zain Verjee is there with a story seen only here on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prayer means more to one Englishman in Mecca than all the holidays, girlfriends, money and jobs he says he's had.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was very empty. VERJEE: Mohammed Ishamel, formerly Nigel Cotton (ph), is a truck driver from Manchester, where he lives with his wife and kids. He converted to Islam six years ago.
MOHAMMED ISHAMEL, MUSLIM CONVERT: I was supposed to be a Christian. I'm supposed to be with my friends and the pope, laughing and giggling and joking.
VERJEE: He says similarities with other faiths spurred his decision.
ISHAMEL: The different stories from the Bible and some of the things from the Torah that I've heard, they all seem to fit into the Quran.
VERJEE: But converting to Islam meant that an important moment in his life lost meaning. When his mother died, Mohammed says he wanted prayers at her funeral to be relevant to him. He wanted something more than the letters read out from family.
ISHAMEL: I wanted her to be buried within two days of dying, rather than spending two weeks in a morgue.
VERJEE: Instead, his mother was buried with typical Christian rights.
Mohammed lives in a nation of about two million Muslims. A study last year showed that 13 percent of British Muslims regard terror attacks on the U.S. as justified.
Mohammed says he's skeptical of converts that have embraced extremism, speculating about what motivates them.
ISHAMEL: They found gold, and they want nobody to take it. They want nobody to disrupt it. And it could be a defensive mechanism.
VERJEE: None of this is on his mind as he walks the streets of Mecca with me.
(on camera): One of the most amazing things is when you look up and you see thousands and thousands and thousands of people just praying on the streets, what's that like?
ISHAMEL: It gives you that reassurance that it's the right religion. Being a Muslim is a way of life, as well as a religion.
VERJEE (voice-over): We gave Mohammed a video camera for a day to share his Mecca experience.
ISHAMEL: These are some of the brothers from distant, different language and different islands all over the world. And they'd like to smile and say "Sabubnabub" (ph) to everybody.
They've all journeyed here for Hajj. From all corners of the world. It's absolutely mind blowing.
VERJEE: This year more than two million pilgrims from over 70 different countries came to perform Hajj.
(on camera) Well, we've been walking a few minutes now. As we look up there, there it is, the Grand Mosque. What do you think?
ISHAMEL: It's amazing. It fills your heart with pleasure to know that you can -- you can be here. I've come all the way from England. I've come on my own, left my family and my children, and I'm at the place where, hopefully, all my prayers will be answered.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: And Wolf, more pilgrims are celebrating the second day of Dhul-Hijjah (ph), even though the climax of the Hajj is essentially over, rituals still continue. You see over there at the Grand Mosque that pilgrims continue to go around the black tube like structure known as the Kabah -- Wolf.
BLITZER: CNN's Zain Verjee in Mecca. Zain, fascinating material all week. Thank you very much for those reports.
A frightening scene in a familiar place. A young woman abducted from a Wal-Mart parking lot. It's all caught on videotape. Surveillance cameras there. Now there are new developments in the case. We'll go live to Tyler, Texas.
Al Qaeda reader, a book that includes writings from Osama bin Laden and his partner, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Who should profit from the terrorists' words?
Also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alarming. Repeat, alarming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Threats of a dirty bomb brought to life on TV. Could a radiological attack occur, though, in real life? I'll speak with the New York City police commissioner, Ray Kelly.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There's new information on that man suspected of kidnapping a Wal-Mart clerk, a crime that was captured by surveillance cameras and ended, unfortunately, in tragedy.
CNN's Ed Lavandera has been on the story. He's in Tyler, Texas. He's joining us now live with the latest -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is a story that stretched over a thousand miles and across three states, and unfortunately, it ended up with a grim ending.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Tyler police say Johnny Williams staked out this Wal-Mart parking lot Wednesday night for nearly two hours before he spotted Megan Holden walking to her pick-up truck.
Police say this surveillance video shows Williams surprising the 19-year-old cashier from behind and forcing her into the truck. A minute later, the vehicle disappears into the darkness.
DON MARTIN, TYLER, TEXAS, POLICE: She's getting closer to her vehicle. Then he starts running. And as she's opening up the truck, he comes in from behind her. So we don't think that she knew he was even there until she actually was contacted by the suspect.
LAVANDERA: Police say this was the last time Megan Holden was seen alive. A security guard approached Williams, but he was allowed to continue hanging out in the parking lot.
Nearly 36 hours later, Williams was found in a Wilcox, Arizona, hospital, more than 900 miles are from the kidnapping, and Holden is found dead by oil field workers in the west Texas town of Stanton, 400 miles from her home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is apparent that she has died of a gunshot wound.
LAVANDERA: Authorities say he suffered during a robbery attempt at an R.V. park Friday morning. Police say an employee of the park shot Williams in the shoulder.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Apparently the victim being robbed had a gun also, and if there's any justice, apparently there was some justice served with that -- that situation.
LAVANDERA: Williams is a 24-year-old Marine private based out of Camp Pendleton, California. But Pentagon officials say he's on leave pending disciplinary action.
Tyler authorities say Williams has a minor criminal history, including a December arrest on drug charges.
When the war in Iraq was launched almost two years as ago, Williams' parents were featured in a report by CNN affiliate KLTV. At the time, his mother and father said Williams was in Kuwait and they were praying for his safe return.
PATRICIA WILLIAMS, SUSPECT'S MOTHER: He's putting his life on his -- on the line for his country. But I still have the faith to believe that he'll come back to me.
LAVANDERA: Tyler authorities want him back in Tyler again, but this homecoming won't be a celebration.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: Now, authorities and prosecutors are still working on figuring out exactly what charges should be filed against Johnny Williams. And we spoke with the district attorney here in Tyler just earlier this afternoon, who says that if he can, after figuring out exactly what kind of charges Johnny Williams will be eligible for, that if he can pursue the death penalty in this case, he will -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed Lavandera in Tyler, Texas. Ed, thank you very much.
When we come back, he's butted heads with Howard Stern and imposed record fines. Now Michael Powell says he's leaving the FCC. He'll join me live. I'll ask him why.
Al Qaeda writings: should U.S. companies profit from Osama bin Laden's words? A new book raising serious questions. Our Mary Snow is covering the story.
And preparing for the worst-case scenario: a radiological bomb going off at a major city. One film focuses in on what could be a very real threat. I'll talk about it when I interview the New York City police commissioner, Ray Kelly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: President Bush began a second term in office this week. With a closer look at that and other topics, let's bring in, as we do every Friday, our CNN political analyst Carlos Watson. And he has the inside edge.
Carlos, what did you make of the president's inaugural speech?
CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I thought it was solid speech, Wolf. I thought that it really addressed much more an international audience of foreign leaders. I expect the State of the Union speech really to touch more appropriately on some of the domestic issues, whether that's Social Security or immigration reform.
But interestingly enough, Wolf, I thought we were reminded again that, for all the speeches, other things can capture our attention, namely Michael Powell's resignation today. I think, could be the beginning of an even bigger fight than some of these cabinet nominations.
Remember that we may see a fight between two wings of the Republican Party: corporate interests like those that support the Baby Bells and have been very supportive of the president, and some of the cultural interests, some of the social conservatives, evangelical Christians who were upset over things like the Janet Jackson exposure or Howard Stern.
So look for an interesting inter-party squabble on this particular issue, which may distract the president from some of the other things he wants to do.
BLITZER: And shortly we're going to be speaking live here with Michael Powell on this program.
Carlos, you've got the second installment of "OFF TOPIC," your own program here on CNN, coming up Sunday night. Among your guests, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California. Give us a little preview. What have you learned about this man?
WATSON: Well, you know, you know that he's been successful, Wolf, not on one stage, but on four stages: in sports, as a 13-time Mr. Universe; certainly in business, building a substantial fortune; in entertainment as an actor; now in politics.
But what I didn't know, and I think we've got a nice byte of it, is that early on, frankly, while he had some of the hunger, his mother had some real doubts about whether or not he'd ever succeed. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Do people tell you, "Oh, Arnold that's great; you're going to do well"?
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I don't think that there were people discouraging me, per se, but I think that there was definitely no one around that believed in me. These were my visions and my ideas, and my parents would just never understand it. And they would just say, "Well, why didn't you get into soccer?"
And I would say, "I'm a soccer player, but I like weight lifting better now. I want to be the youngest world champion in body building."
"Body building? Why body building? What is the matter? What are all those pictures on your wall here of these naked man, all oiled up with little posing trunks. What's going on?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Wolf, as you can see, Arnold's very candid. I spent about two hours with him, and I think people are going to enjoy hearing him talk about the constitutional amendment, his marriage to Maria, raising the kids and some of his biggest failures. Pretty interesting piece.
BLITZER: You also spent some quality time with someone who's not necessarily a household name for a lot of people, but someone who's deeply involved in this issue of faith, which we see very evident around the country right now. Tell us about that.
WATSON: His name is Pastor Creflo A. Dollar. He runs one of the largest churches in the country, based out of Atlanta. And if you will, if you knew Billy Graham in the '50s and '60s and if you think of religion, particularly evangelical Christianity, as being represented by Falwell and Robertson in the '80s and '90s, think of Creflo Dollar in the 21st century.
And while he does a lot of interesting things, including appearing in rap videos and running a global church, listen to what he has to say about a very hot political topic, namely homosexuality.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: What did you think when you saw the whole controversy over Mary Cheney, the vice president's daughter, who's gay? Do you think she's chosen to be gay?
CREFLO DOLLAR, EVANGELIST: No, I don't think she's chosen to be gay.
WATSON: So you think she was born gay?
DOLLAR: I don't think she was born gay.
WATSON: How did she become gay?
DOLLAR: I have no idea, because this is what we don't deal with. I didn't live with this girl. I don't know what her life was like. What I say, I say based on the word. The Bible's my final authority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Wolf, you know, the issue of gay marriage and related issues is not going to go away, even though 2004 has passed.
And I think one of the most intriguing things when you spent time with Pastor Dollar is that often, when Democrats think about losing evangelical Christians, they think about white evangelicals. But the reality is, the president was able to make in-roads among black evangelicals like Creflo Dollar. That could fundamentally and permanently alter the -- the political scenario for Democrats, not only at the presidential level but the congressional level, as well.
BLITZER: Carlos Watson with the inside edge every Friday here on CNN.
And this important note to our viewers. As we mentioned, Carlos will be back Sunday night with a special "OFF TOPIC WITH CARLOS WATSON." That airs Sunday night, this coming Sunday night, 10 p.m. Eastern. Must watch TV for all of our CNN viewers.
Carlos, thanks very much.
WATSON: Thanks, Wolf. Have a great weekend.
BLITZER: The writings of Osama bin Laden and other top al Qaeda leaders will come to a bookstore near you. But who will profit from the sales? And why are some raising the red flag?
Also, he's been at the center of the controversy over obscenities in the media. Now the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Powell, is stepping down. He'll join me live, and he'll tell us why.
And later, a young couple trapped in the snow. Why their frantic phone calls to 911 could not save them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: From our studios in Washington, once again, Wolf Blitzer.
BLITZER: Welcome back.
Doubleday is going to be putting out a book based on al Qaeda writings, but there's already controversy over whether it should be published at all and who should profit from it.
CNN's Mary Snow is in New York. She's following this story for us -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.
Well, Doubleday says that it's gaining both praise and criticism for its decision to publish this book. It says it will pay a book advance to the translator of the Arabic writings, but it also says that it will not profit from this book.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): It's to be titled "The Al Qaeda Reader." Publisher Doubleday says it will include writings from Osama bin Laden and his second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri, from the 1990s. News of the book prompted at least one publisher to raise a red flag about profits.
PETER OSNOS, PUBLICAFFAIRS: How do you deal with something like this in the marketplace? And that is the issue that I suppose most people are wondering about. Should a company make money off of Osama bin Laden and his colleagues?
SNOW: Up until Thursday night, Doubleday hadn't decided about profits. Today, it says it will donate all net income of U.S. sales to a charity or charities yet to be named, saying, "We have a historic opportunity to make the works of these dreaded terrorists known to all Americans and at the same time provide relief to the victims as a result."
But the agent for the translator who discovered the writings say his client and Doubleday have every right to profit from the book.
GLEN HARTLEY, REPRESENTATIVE OF IBRAHIM: I don't think that Doubleday should be expected or feel compelled to donate this money. I think whatever profits they make are rightfully theirs. And they're doing, as I said, a public service through publishing this book.
SNOW: Glen Hartley's client, Raymond Ibrahim, found the writings at the Library of Congress, where he works and thought the public should read them.
HARTLEY: It's the ruthless nature, the no-holds-barred, no-such- thing-as-cruelty attitude that Zawahri has that is most disturbing and enlightening.
SNOW: Al-Zawahri was indicted in the U.S. Embassy bombings in 1998 in Kenya, where Edith this woman lost her victim father and brother.
EDITH BARTLEY, FAMILY MEMBER OF BOMBING VICTIMS: As a victim, a person who lost half of her family, I think the public needs to have as much information as possible about al Qaeda, about bin Laden, and about our government and how we really did slip down on the job in terms of protecting our citizens.
SNOW: Some compare this to publishing Hitler's "Mein Kampf."
HARVEY KUSHNER, "HOLY WAR ON THE HOME FRONT": The benefits are to understand what we face as a free society. And would we rather give up our freedom not to hear the vicious words of Adolf Hitler or of Osama bin Laden or Zawahri?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Houghton Mifflin, which publishes "Mein Kampf" in the U.S., says all profits go to a fund that is aimed at raising awareness for both religious and racial understanding -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mary Snow in New York -- thanks, Mary, very much.
In our CNN "Security Watch" segment, the FBI has named 10 more people wanted for questioning in connection with a possible terror plot against Boston. Four Chinese nationals were already being sought by investigators looking into the uncorroborated threat. It comes as a new film is about to be released depicting the buildup to and the aftermath of a radiological bomb attack in London.
Produced by the BBC, "Dirty War" will premiere here in the United States on HBO this Sunday. It's a dramatization that some say provides some real-life lessons.
CNN's Brian Todd has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pick your own scariest part, a radiological bomb detonated in the heart of London, the mass casualties, or the depiction of anti-terror and emergency response officials, who try to reassure the public beforehand of preparedness.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DIRTY WAR")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you confident that the information that you're giving the public is adequate to prepare them for a terrorist attack?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Yes of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: But who argue in private about how ready they really are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DIRTY WAR") UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Out of a force of 30,000, the max of only 1,500 officers with protective suits and two days training.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: In the aftermath, the struggle to contain whole city blocks, treat casualties and deal with panic provokes a central question for homeland security experts: Is this realistic?
MICHAEL WERMUTH, RAND CORPORATION: Sure it's realistic. The scenario is one that could happen.
TODD: The movie's director tells us, certain members of the British government didn't want the film to be made. Contacted by CNN, the British Home Office denies any falling out with the producers of "Dirty War."
An official says the government provided some advice on the program and give us a statement that reads, in part, "At the end of the day this is a television program, a fictional drama, and, as such, they do not necessarily have any responsibility or requirement to be accurate. What is true, however, is that the U.K. has undertaken a major program of work to ensure it is in the best possible position to prepare for and respond to a range of major incidents."
(on camera): The director has made other movies like this, including one about a smallpox outbreak. This film has already aired on the BBC and will air on CNN's sister network, HBO and PBS.
So, does this dirty bomb scenario, so realistically dramatized, benefit us for the awareness it generates or is it fear-mongering for commercial purposes?
DANIEL PERCIVAL, WRITER/DIRECTOR: Well, I understand that reaction. It's a knee-jerk reaction. People don't really want to think very much about these issues, but, unfortunately, we now live in a very hazardous world, where this kind of thing is going to be visited on us. We don't have a choice.
TODD: One expert offers this perspective.
STEPHEN FLYNN, AUTHOR, "AMERICA THE VULNERABLE": The fact is that dirty bombs don't kill a lot of people. What's scary about them is radioactivity is associated with them. And the basic response to dealing with these is to stay inside. And if you get exposed, the issue is washing yourself down.
TODD: Still, many viewers may never look at those elaborate terror response drills quite the same again.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: While that scenario is fictional, word that the FBI is looking into the possibility of a real plan for a terror attack on Boston is raising some concern in cities across the United States.
Joining us now to discuss what authorities are doing to counter the possibility of terrorism is the New York City Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly.
Commissioner, as always, thank you very much.
I know you haven't seen the film, but what do you think of the basic premise, that a dirty bomb could be exploded in a major city?
RAYMOND KELLY, NYPD COMMISSIONER: I have seen this film, and the entire senior executive staff of the New York City Police Department has seen this film. It's very sobering, very well done, and, of course, a dirty bomb is a real possibility in a city in America.
BLITZER: So what if any you have in New York City, which we all know, of course, has already been a major target of al Qaeda, what are you doing about this scenario?
KELLY: Well, we've had exercises. We've had dirty bomb exercises for quite a while. We've had tabletops dealing with it. Our Office of Emergency Management, our fire department do joint drills to address a dirty bomb. But certainly it is a major issue, a major cause for concern for us.
BLITZER: The notion that a lot of people won't necessarily die, but it will terrorize and frighten millions of people, the very nature of a dirty bomb would do that, how worried should the public at large be?
KELLY: Well, you know, our world changed dramatically after 9/11, so it is out there for concern. Of course, a dirty bomb by definition doesn't do that much physical damage immediately, but the radiological aftermath is the significant concern.
And even in the movie, they talk about cordoning off large portions of London for extended periods of time, I think over a year. So, there are lots of scenarios out there that concern us. We talk about them. We think about them. We practice to address them. You know, could we do more? Sure. We could always do more, but it is something that's high on our agenda.
BLITZER: What did you think of the film?
KELLY: I thought it was very well done. It's very sobering and it certainly is thought-provoking. And I think, you know, there are lessons that we can take even from the film. We certainly don't have all the answers. We're looking to learn. We'll take this film and we'll make certain that the right people see this film, certainly in our department, and I think in other city agencies as well.
BLITZER: Is there anything going on as far as New York City is concerned right now? We know about this threat and we don't know how corroborated, how realistic it is in Boston, but is there any spillover that you're getting through your contacts from Department of Homeland Security, the FBI? KELLY: You're talking about the Boston...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Yes.
KELLY: Yes, there's no additional information, but it's interesting to point out that we get many, many threats like this. And this is a challenge that law enforcement faces. We get this sort of information. It's uncorroborated. The question is, what is the appropriate response?
I think everything that can be done is being done in a reasonable fashion, but it is the kind of new world that we live in, with this information coming out literally on a daily basis. Sometimes, it gets publicized. Sometimes it doesn't.
BLITZER: Is this a constant headache for you? You're the commissioner of New York, a city that's already been attacked. How do you deal with these kinds of threats on a day-to-day basis? You must be getting so many pieces of information that may turn out to be true, but almost always turn out to be true.
KELLY: Yes. Of course, you do the best you can to check the credibility of it. And, of course, we work with our federal partners, the FBI, the CIA, to determine as best we can the source. In this case, we don't know the source of the information. So, it is a constant challenge. We have to look at it. We have do some assessment of the credibility of, the feasibility, the possibility of it happening, and make judgments as we go along.
BLITZER: Are you getting the kind of cooperation from Washington and not only in terms of information, but in terms of money that New York City needs?
KELLY: Well, that's a sensitive issue. As far as information, yes. As far as money, we think we need more, although there's some hopeful signs here in the last appropriation. We're not absolutely certain how that money is going to be allocated, but it looks like $270 million is headed for New York.
We need money for ongoing operational expenses. We could always use some money for equipment, but the major expense for us is ongoing operations. That's what we look to the federal government to help us with. We're protecting America's assets and, indeed, the world's assets right here in New York. So that will be an ongoing issue as Congress opens its session.
BLITZER: Ray Kelly, the commissioner of New York City -- Commissioner, thanks very much.
KELLY: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And I just want to correct what I reported earlier. The film "Dirty War" airs on our sister network HBO Monday night, not Sunday night, Monday night on HBO. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Lost in a snowstorm without a trace, authorities unable to save a young couple, even after they make several calls to 911 from their cell phone.
Bracing for snow, lots of snow. You're looking at a live picture right now. This is Minneapolis. And the front, the snow front, is moving east towards us.
He's butted heads with Howard Stern and advocated increasing fines. Now Michael Powell is leaving the FCC. He's here in our studios and he'll join us live. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back.
There's a major change under way at the Federal Communications Commission. The chairman, Michael Powell, says he will leave his post in March.
Our senior correspondent Allan Chernoff is in New York with details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Powell has used the Federal Communications Commission to get new technology into the hands of Americans, broadband, phone calls over the Internet, wireless communications, and high-definition TV.
But Powell is best known for being in the middle of controversy, especially over indecency. After rock singer Bono used the F-word on a televised award ceremony, Powell decided to dramatically increase fines.
MICHAEL POWELL, FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CHAIRMAN: I personally believe that this growing coarseness and the use of such profanity at a time where we are very likely to know that children are watching is a abhorrent.
CHERNOFF: Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at last year's Super Bowl halftime show led to a $550,000 fine against Viacom and its CBS affiliate stations. Powell's FCC fined Fox stations a total of nearly $1.2 million for showing strippers on the show "Married By America."
The commission also find Clear Channel Communications nearly $500,000 for airing obscene comments from shock jock Howard Stern. Stern, on his radio program Friday, was gloating.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, "THE HOWARD STERN SHOW")
HOWARD STERN, HOST: Michael Powell resigning is a great thing because this guy did not deserve the job in the first place.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CHERNOFF: Powell also had run-ins with Congress and the courts, which blocked the FCC's plan to allow broadcasters to increase their ownership of television stations.
MITCHELL STEPHENS, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: I don't think you can get a lot of points for having steered it through turbulent times. I thing there have been contradictions in what he's done. He seems to have enforced more or less a wild west policy in most senses in terms of regulation, but yet, when it comes to indecency, it feels more like a Victorian England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Powell's term goes until the middle of 2007, but, instead, he will be stepping down in a matter of weeks -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Allan Chernoff, thank you very much for that report.
And joining us now live here in our studios, the FCC chairman, Michael Powell.
Mr. Chairman, thanks very much for joining us.
POWELL: Good to see you. Thank you for having me.
BLITZER: All right, let's go through some of these issues, but, first of all, your decision to step down. You didn't have to. Why are you?
POWELL: Didn't have to, but I've been at the commission eight years, and I think, when you're a public policy official, you ought to have a clear understanding of when you think your time has come.
I had set out a bold agenda four years ago. When I look at that agenda, I feel like I've largely completed what I set out to do. And I think it's time to move on and let someone else take the reins.
BLITZER: All right, what about this criticism? And you've heard it before. We just heard it Allan Chernoff's package, that it's almost like Victorian England, the kind of fines you've imposed. What do you say to those critics who say you've been going too far?
POWELL: I don't agree with that.
I think that -- what that disregards is the public's right, through Congress and its statutes, to pass modest limitations on indecency on the airwaves. We're not on a crusade that we invented. We're enforcing a congressional statute which has wide bipartisan support in the United States Congress, who delegated to us the responsibility to enforce that statute.
And we respond to complaints. In 2002, we had 111 total complaints about television. Just in the first half of 2004, we had 550,000, approaching a million for the year. We have a duty and a responsibility to respond to those complaints and enforce the law as best we see it.
BLITZER: This is the legislative mandate. This is the law of the land.
POWELL: Yes.
BLITZER: Now, Howard Stern takes his radio show now to satellite radio, which the FCC, correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't have any jurisdiction over.
POWELL: We've held that we don't, although some others do dispute that. But, generally, cable, satellite, pay medium don't.
It's important to understand the reason. The reason is, the Supreme Court says there are two different First Amendment standards. It says that free over-the-air broadcasting, the government has a greater right to infringe on content that it does not allow for newspapers, cable television and other kinds of subscription medium. And that's why you get these rules that don't have coherence from one to the next.
BLITZER: I'm sure you've thought about this, but is the American public better served? Howard Stern, very popular with millions of Americans out there, they get to listen to him for free on the radio, but now pretty soon they're going to have to subscribe to satellite radio, which could cost, what, $10 a month, $120 a year, let's say, maybe even more. Is that good to push people to those kinds of pay- for service? In effect, that's what he says you're doing.
POWELL: I don't think we're pushing people to pay service.
It's interesting; 88 percent of all Americans subscribe to cable and watch your program. Why? Because I think it's compelling and it's quality. And nobody drives them from free TV to cable. I think American consumers are willing to pay for quality and value and make that migration naturally.
But if you're concerned or your complaint is that there are restrictions on free medium that don't exist on cable, therefore, more artists will move over, I would agree with you. But that's not really a consequence of arbitrary FCC policy. That's a consequence of the way Congress has written the statute and the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution.
BLITZER: I just got a high-definition TV at home.
POWELL: Yes.
BLITZER: And a lot of people are buying them. They're very expensive, as you know, thousands of dollars. But, under the new regulations, pretty soon, everybody is going to have to spend that kind of money for a HDTV, high-definition TV. And people are concerned about that once that switch-over takes place.
POWELL: Yes.
Well, first of all, the switch-over is designed to take a long transition and Congress is debating about when that should appropriately end. The transition has been in place for over a decade. The law currently requires the switch-over completely not to be until 85 percent of the public is capable of receiving the signal. So, there is a protection there to make sure the vast majority of Americans can receive it.
I also would say, we keep a close eye on that. We've now reached a point where lower-end high-definition television sets are actually in the $700 range. They're coming down in price at a faster rate than almost any other consumer electronic product.
BLITZER: Michael Powell steps down. Colin Powell steps down. That happens to be your father, Father, son, are you going to be spending some good quality time with your dad now?
POWELL: I hope so. He's a wonderful guy and I love him dearly. And we have a lot of fun together.
BLITZER: And I suspect your mother, Alma Powell, is pretty happy about that as well.
POWELL: Absolutely.
BLITZER: Michael Powell, thanks very much.
POWELL: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Good work. Thanks. Appreciate it very much.
Winter storm warnings, a powerful front moving east, bringing lots of snow also ahead.
A sad story, a young couple lost in the snow, why authorities were not able to find them in time, despite their calls to 911.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: A winter storm is bringing heavy snow and cold temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast. You're looking now at this live picture from Minneapolis. Some Minnesota school districts dismissed classes early today. Forecasters say the storm could end up dumping four to nine inches of snow across central, south central and southeastern Minnesota.
A 20-year-old college student and her boyfriend died after becoming stranded in a Nebraska snowstorm, despite making repeated calls to 911. Now questions are being raised: Is 911 to blame or were the victims at least partially responsible for their own deaths?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPERATOR: Sarpy County, 911.
JANELLE HORNICKEL, VICTIM: Hi. I'm here to report...
BLITZER (voice-over): It was after midnight when 911 operators began receiving the first of at least five frantic phone calls from Michael Wamsley and his girlfriend, Janelle Hornickel.
OPERATOR: What's going on?
MICHAEL WAMSLEY, VICTIM: I need someone. Please.
OPERATOR: What's your address?
WAMSLEY: I don't know the exact address here.
BLITZER: They were trapped in a snowstorm and subzero temperatures and couldn't tell the operators where they were. Authorities say they didn't know exactly where to look.
WAMSLEY: Oh, no, no, there's no (UNINTELLIGIBLE) My phone's going to die. I need some help.
(CROSSTALK)
OPERATOR: I don't understand, but I can't help you because I'm in a different area.
BLITZER: Then the phone calls stopped. Over several days, search teams found Hornickel's truck, Wamsley's body and then Hornickel's body in a rural area, about four miles from the nearest town. It appears that neither Wamsley, nor Hornickel's were wearing coats when they died. Tests later showed both had methamphetamine in their systems.
DR. HENRY NIPPER, CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Both individuals were impaired at the time of death, and so we could expect certain kinds of behaviors to result from that impairment.
BLITZER: Nine-one-one operators say that if Wamsley and Hornickel had been more lucid, it might have been easier to find them and save them.
DAN PETERSON, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR: The callers just didn't know where they were coming from, where they were going, where they'd been, and it was very frustrating, and they did everything they could.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Officials say a small amount of methamphetamine was found in Hornickel's trunk. Investigators seeking the source of the drug arrested a mother and her son in nearby Kearney, Nebraska, earlier today. Sad story.
We'll have our picture of the day when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Our picture of the day, 24 Neapolitan Mastiff puppies delivered by caesarean; 20 of the pups survived. "The Guinness Book of Record" is in the process of verifying if this is a record.
This weekend on "LATE EDITION," among my special guests, Syria's foreign minister, Faruq al-Shara. That's Sunday, noon Eastern.
"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.
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Aired January 21, 2005 - 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 in Iraq. Just when you think the attacks can't get any more brutal, a suicide bomber drives an ambulance -- yes, an ambulance -- into a wedding party just south of Baghdad.
Also, he's been at the center of controversy over obscenities in the media. Now the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Powell, decides to step down. I'll ask him why this hour.
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): Baghdad bombing: terrorists target a mosque on a Muslim holy day, killing more than a dozen people.
Clerk kidnapping, captured on this surveillance video. Why was this young Wal-Mart cashier abducted and killed?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very sad to report that we have located the victim's body.
BLITZER: Bin Laden's book. A recently discovered manuscript about to be published. But who should get the profits?
Dirty war. A fictional terror attack, raising real life concerns. How prepared are we for a dirty bomb? I'll ask New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.
ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Friday, January 21, 2005.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: We begin with a new development in Iraq.
Insurgents carried out a sued attack at a wedding ceremony just south of Baghdad. A suicide bomber drove an ambulance into a wedding party, blew up the vehicle, killing several people, wounding dozens of others.
It was just one of several attacks carried out on a major Muslim holiday and just days before Iraqis are scheduled to vote in their national elections. CNN's Jeff Koinange is in Baghdad, and he has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Friday, at the Baghdad Zoo. For many here, a rare moment of peace in a city rocked by car bombs and carnage ahead of landmark elections, just days away.
Some here, like Katan al-Jarah (ph), who's just returned after 20 years as an exile, says just being out in the open is a victory against the insurgents.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are doing this to show the world that we reject terrorism, and we will not let it destroy our lives.
KOINANGE: But more than a dozen lives were destroyed by a car bomb just after Friday morning prayers at this Shia mosque on the southern edge of Baghdad.
And a little further south a celebration turned tragic when an ambulance drove into a wedding party and exploded. Several people, including the suicide bomber, were killed and a large number of guests were wounded.
And in the town of Heet in the volatile Sunni Triangle, insurgents attacked a police station, using rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. They ransacked the station, took the weapons, blew up the building, escaping in two police cars.
And a follow-up videotape has been released by the group calling itself the Islamic Resistance Moment, the group that says it kidnapped eight Chinese hostages several days ago.
A voice on the tape demands the Chinese government forbid its citizens from entering Iraq, adding this would be considered a positive gesture in granting mercy on the hostages.
The U.S.'s highest-ranking diplomat in Iraq says the landmark elections will prove a turning point for the country.
JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: I think this election is a very, very important milestone towards the establishment of an enduring democracy here and a system of government whereby Iraqis will be able to settle their differences through peaceful, political means.
KOINANGE: Salad Hadin Mekbi (ph), a government engineer, agrees and voices the feelings of a terrified community.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We hope that these elections will bring a better future for the Iraqi people. I have high hopes for the future to get better and better.
KOINANGE (on camera): Just how soon things can get better is anyone's guess. Right now Iraqis are just hoping to get through a day without violence, something that seems less and less likely as the election day draws near.
Jeff Koinange, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Our next report contains graphic images that may be disturbing, especially for children.
Almost every day the fighting in Iraq claims more lives. Often the victims are civilians, and sometimes their deaths are the result of a misunderstanding.
A photographer captured one recent tragedy involving an Iraqi family. The horror of it produced an usually quick apology from the United States military.
Our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, already getting dark, past curfew, when U.S. troops fired shots at this car in the northern Iraqi town of Talafar. The U.S. military says the soldiers on foot patrol were alert for suicide car bombs.
The photographer, who took these pictures, watched as the tragedy unfolded.
CHRIS HONDROS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER GETTY IMAGES: Realized that some shots were going to get fired, because I know -- I mean I could -- I knew that their car would have a hard time seeing these camouflaged soldiers. So I sort of scooted off to the side, outside of anybody's line of fire, and the car kept approaching. I could hear it.
STARR: In moments, it was a nightmare on the street. An Iraqi man and his wife in the front seat, killed by U.S. gunfire. Six terrified children emerged from the back seat, one slightly wounded, blood everywhere. A small boy, bewildered at what he has just seen.
HONDROS: The soldiers when they realized what was going on, they very professionally, antithetically (ph), swept into action, picked the kids up. Immediately, the medics came over, immediately to try to assess any injuries the children had.
STARR: Soldiers upset as well as they tried to help the children. They took them to a nearby hospital.
A U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad says there was no intention to harm innocent civilians. He says, "While the pictures are heart wrenching, they also go to show in the moments immediately following, soldiers went from trying to protect their patrol to rendering comfort and assistance to the children suffering a tragic loss."
The military spokesman says procedures were followed. There were hand signals to the driver, warning shots fired, and then shots to disable the vehicle. And then shots that were fatal.
No one may ever know if the Iraqi driver didn't see the soldiers, didn't understand the order to stop, or if there was panic. But with five car bomb attacked in Iraq in the last three weeks, against patrols and checkpoints, security concerns are at an all-time high.
Still, the human tragedy.
HONDROS: I remember the captain was adamant about making sure the children were all in a room when the two bodies of the adults were brought in to the morgue in the hospital. They didn't -- he specifically said that he didn't want the children to see any more.
STARR: The orphaned children, now in the custody of the oldest teenager. The military may compensate the family, but the faces of this war show their agony. One small Iraqi girl sits at the feet of U.S. soldiers, waiting for someone to tell her what happens now.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: What a tragedy, indeed.
And please stay with CNN throughout the weekend for all the latest developments on Iraq. On "LATE EDITION" this Sunday, the United States ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte, will join me for a rare interview. That's this Sunday, noon eastern, here on CNN.
One day after being sworn into a second term, President Bush is wasting no time in getting to work on his very ambitious agenda of social reform at home, economic reform, as well as spreading democracy around the world.
He started today by attending traditional national prayer service over at the National Cathedral in Washington. The Reverend Billy Graham delivered one prayer. Mr. Bush credits Billy Graham with helping him to reaffirm his faith and give up drinking at the age of 40.
All this week, CNN's Zain Verjee has been one of the few reporters from western news agencies reporting live from Mecca in Saudi Arabia. That's where the annual Muslim pilgrimage known as the Hajj has been taking place, drawing two million people from around the world.
Zain Verjee is there with a story seen only here on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prayer means more to one Englishman in Mecca than all the holidays, girlfriends, money and jobs he says he's had.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was very empty. VERJEE: Mohammed Ishamel, formerly Nigel Cotton (ph), is a truck driver from Manchester, where he lives with his wife and kids. He converted to Islam six years ago.
MOHAMMED ISHAMEL, MUSLIM CONVERT: I was supposed to be a Christian. I'm supposed to be with my friends and the pope, laughing and giggling and joking.
VERJEE: He says similarities with other faiths spurred his decision.
ISHAMEL: The different stories from the Bible and some of the things from the Torah that I've heard, they all seem to fit into the Quran.
VERJEE: But converting to Islam meant that an important moment in his life lost meaning. When his mother died, Mohammed says he wanted prayers at her funeral to be relevant to him. He wanted something more than the letters read out from family.
ISHAMEL: I wanted her to be buried within two days of dying, rather than spending two weeks in a morgue.
VERJEE: Instead, his mother was buried with typical Christian rights.
Mohammed lives in a nation of about two million Muslims. A study last year showed that 13 percent of British Muslims regard terror attacks on the U.S. as justified.
Mohammed says he's skeptical of converts that have embraced extremism, speculating about what motivates them.
ISHAMEL: They found gold, and they want nobody to take it. They want nobody to disrupt it. And it could be a defensive mechanism.
VERJEE: None of this is on his mind as he walks the streets of Mecca with me.
(on camera): One of the most amazing things is when you look up and you see thousands and thousands and thousands of people just praying on the streets, what's that like?
ISHAMEL: It gives you that reassurance that it's the right religion. Being a Muslim is a way of life, as well as a religion.
VERJEE (voice-over): We gave Mohammed a video camera for a day to share his Mecca experience.
ISHAMEL: These are some of the brothers from distant, different language and different islands all over the world. And they'd like to smile and say "Sabubnabub" (ph) to everybody.
They've all journeyed here for Hajj. From all corners of the world. It's absolutely mind blowing.
VERJEE: This year more than two million pilgrims from over 70 different countries came to perform Hajj.
(on camera) Well, we've been walking a few minutes now. As we look up there, there it is, the Grand Mosque. What do you think?
ISHAMEL: It's amazing. It fills your heart with pleasure to know that you can -- you can be here. I've come all the way from England. I've come on my own, left my family and my children, and I'm at the place where, hopefully, all my prayers will be answered.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VERJEE: And Wolf, more pilgrims are celebrating the second day of Dhul-Hijjah (ph), even though the climax of the Hajj is essentially over, rituals still continue. You see over there at the Grand Mosque that pilgrims continue to go around the black tube like structure known as the Kabah -- Wolf.
BLITZER: CNN's Zain Verjee in Mecca. Zain, fascinating material all week. Thank you very much for those reports.
A frightening scene in a familiar place. A young woman abducted from a Wal-Mart parking lot. It's all caught on videotape. Surveillance cameras there. Now there are new developments in the case. We'll go live to Tyler, Texas.
Al Qaeda reader, a book that includes writings from Osama bin Laden and his partner, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Who should profit from the terrorists' words?
Also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alarming. Repeat, alarming.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Threats of a dirty bomb brought to life on TV. Could a radiological attack occur, though, in real life? I'll speak with the New York City police commissioner, Ray Kelly.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: There's new information on that man suspected of kidnapping a Wal-Mart clerk, a crime that was captured by surveillance cameras and ended, unfortunately, in tragedy.
CNN's Ed Lavandera has been on the story. He's in Tyler, Texas. He's joining us now live with the latest -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this is a story that stretched over a thousand miles and across three states, and unfortunately, it ended up with a grim ending.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Tyler police say Johnny Williams staked out this Wal-Mart parking lot Wednesday night for nearly two hours before he spotted Megan Holden walking to her pick-up truck.
Police say this surveillance video shows Williams surprising the 19-year-old cashier from behind and forcing her into the truck. A minute later, the vehicle disappears into the darkness.
DON MARTIN, TYLER, TEXAS, POLICE: She's getting closer to her vehicle. Then he starts running. And as she's opening up the truck, he comes in from behind her. So we don't think that she knew he was even there until she actually was contacted by the suspect.
LAVANDERA: Police say this was the last time Megan Holden was seen alive. A security guard approached Williams, but he was allowed to continue hanging out in the parking lot.
Nearly 36 hours later, Williams was found in a Wilcox, Arizona, hospital, more than 900 miles are from the kidnapping, and Holden is found dead by oil field workers in the west Texas town of Stanton, 400 miles from her home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is apparent that she has died of a gunshot wound.
LAVANDERA: Authorities say he suffered during a robbery attempt at an R.V. park Friday morning. Police say an employee of the park shot Williams in the shoulder.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Apparently the victim being robbed had a gun also, and if there's any justice, apparently there was some justice served with that -- that situation.
LAVANDERA: Williams is a 24-year-old Marine private based out of Camp Pendleton, California. But Pentagon officials say he's on leave pending disciplinary action.
Tyler authorities say Williams has a minor criminal history, including a December arrest on drug charges.
When the war in Iraq was launched almost two years as ago, Williams' parents were featured in a report by CNN affiliate KLTV. At the time, his mother and father said Williams was in Kuwait and they were praying for his safe return.
PATRICIA WILLIAMS, SUSPECT'S MOTHER: He's putting his life on his -- on the line for his country. But I still have the faith to believe that he'll come back to me.
LAVANDERA: Tyler authorities want him back in Tyler again, but this homecoming won't be a celebration.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: Now, authorities and prosecutors are still working on figuring out exactly what charges should be filed against Johnny Williams. And we spoke with the district attorney here in Tyler just earlier this afternoon, who says that if he can, after figuring out exactly what kind of charges Johnny Williams will be eligible for, that if he can pursue the death penalty in this case, he will -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Ed Lavandera in Tyler, Texas. Ed, thank you very much.
When we come back, he's butted heads with Howard Stern and imposed record fines. Now Michael Powell says he's leaving the FCC. He'll join me live. I'll ask him why.
Al Qaeda writings: should U.S. companies profit from Osama bin Laden's words? A new book raising serious questions. Our Mary Snow is covering the story.
And preparing for the worst-case scenario: a radiological bomb going off at a major city. One film focuses in on what could be a very real threat. I'll talk about it when I interview the New York City police commissioner, Ray Kelly.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: President Bush began a second term in office this week. With a closer look at that and other topics, let's bring in, as we do every Friday, our CNN political analyst Carlos Watson. And he has the inside edge.
Carlos, what did you make of the president's inaugural speech?
CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: I thought it was solid speech, Wolf. I thought that it really addressed much more an international audience of foreign leaders. I expect the State of the Union speech really to touch more appropriately on some of the domestic issues, whether that's Social Security or immigration reform.
But interestingly enough, Wolf, I thought we were reminded again that, for all the speeches, other things can capture our attention, namely Michael Powell's resignation today. I think, could be the beginning of an even bigger fight than some of these cabinet nominations.
Remember that we may see a fight between two wings of the Republican Party: corporate interests like those that support the Baby Bells and have been very supportive of the president, and some of the cultural interests, some of the social conservatives, evangelical Christians who were upset over things like the Janet Jackson exposure or Howard Stern.
So look for an interesting inter-party squabble on this particular issue, which may distract the president from some of the other things he wants to do.
BLITZER: And shortly we're going to be speaking live here with Michael Powell on this program.
Carlos, you've got the second installment of "OFF TOPIC," your own program here on CNN, coming up Sunday night. Among your guests, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California. Give us a little preview. What have you learned about this man?
WATSON: Well, you know, you know that he's been successful, Wolf, not on one stage, but on four stages: in sports, as a 13-time Mr. Universe; certainly in business, building a substantial fortune; in entertainment as an actor; now in politics.
But what I didn't know, and I think we've got a nice byte of it, is that early on, frankly, while he had some of the hunger, his mother had some real doubts about whether or not he'd ever succeed. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Do people tell you, "Oh, Arnold that's great; you're going to do well"?
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I don't think that there were people discouraging me, per se, but I think that there was definitely no one around that believed in me. These were my visions and my ideas, and my parents would just never understand it. And they would just say, "Well, why didn't you get into soccer?"
And I would say, "I'm a soccer player, but I like weight lifting better now. I want to be the youngest world champion in body building."
"Body building? Why body building? What is the matter? What are all those pictures on your wall here of these naked man, all oiled up with little posing trunks. What's going on?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Wolf, as you can see, Arnold's very candid. I spent about two hours with him, and I think people are going to enjoy hearing him talk about the constitutional amendment, his marriage to Maria, raising the kids and some of his biggest failures. Pretty interesting piece.
BLITZER: You also spent some quality time with someone who's not necessarily a household name for a lot of people, but someone who's deeply involved in this issue of faith, which we see very evident around the country right now. Tell us about that.
WATSON: His name is Pastor Creflo A. Dollar. He runs one of the largest churches in the country, based out of Atlanta. And if you will, if you knew Billy Graham in the '50s and '60s and if you think of religion, particularly evangelical Christianity, as being represented by Falwell and Robertson in the '80s and '90s, think of Creflo Dollar in the 21st century.
And while he does a lot of interesting things, including appearing in rap videos and running a global church, listen to what he has to say about a very hot political topic, namely homosexuality.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: What did you think when you saw the whole controversy over Mary Cheney, the vice president's daughter, who's gay? Do you think she's chosen to be gay?
CREFLO DOLLAR, EVANGELIST: No, I don't think she's chosen to be gay.
WATSON: So you think she was born gay?
DOLLAR: I don't think she was born gay.
WATSON: How did she become gay?
DOLLAR: I have no idea, because this is what we don't deal with. I didn't live with this girl. I don't know what her life was like. What I say, I say based on the word. The Bible's my final authority.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WATSON: Wolf, you know, the issue of gay marriage and related issues is not going to go away, even though 2004 has passed.
And I think one of the most intriguing things when you spent time with Pastor Dollar is that often, when Democrats think about losing evangelical Christians, they think about white evangelicals. But the reality is, the president was able to make in-roads among black evangelicals like Creflo Dollar. That could fundamentally and permanently alter the -- the political scenario for Democrats, not only at the presidential level but the congressional level, as well.
BLITZER: Carlos Watson with the inside edge every Friday here on CNN.
And this important note to our viewers. As we mentioned, Carlos will be back Sunday night with a special "OFF TOPIC WITH CARLOS WATSON." That airs Sunday night, this coming Sunday night, 10 p.m. Eastern. Must watch TV for all of our CNN viewers.
Carlos, thanks very much.
WATSON: Thanks, Wolf. Have a great weekend.
BLITZER: The writings of Osama bin Laden and other top al Qaeda leaders will come to a bookstore near you. But who will profit from the sales? And why are some raising the red flag?
Also, he's been at the center of the controversy over obscenities in the media. Now the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Powell, is stepping down. He'll join me live, and he'll tell us why.
And later, a young couple trapped in the snow. Why their frantic phone calls to 911 could not save them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ANNOUNCER: From our studios in Washington, once again, Wolf Blitzer.
BLITZER: Welcome back.
Doubleday is going to be putting out a book based on al Qaeda writings, but there's already controversy over whether it should be published at all and who should profit from it.
CNN's Mary Snow is in New York. She's following this story for us -- Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Wolf.
Well, Doubleday says that it's gaining both praise and criticism for its decision to publish this book. It says it will pay a book advance to the translator of the Arabic writings, but it also says that it will not profit from this book.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): It's to be titled "The Al Qaeda Reader." Publisher Doubleday says it will include writings from Osama bin Laden and his second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri, from the 1990s. News of the book prompted at least one publisher to raise a red flag about profits.
PETER OSNOS, PUBLICAFFAIRS: How do you deal with something like this in the marketplace? And that is the issue that I suppose most people are wondering about. Should a company make money off of Osama bin Laden and his colleagues?
SNOW: Up until Thursday night, Doubleday hadn't decided about profits. Today, it says it will donate all net income of U.S. sales to a charity or charities yet to be named, saying, "We have a historic opportunity to make the works of these dreaded terrorists known to all Americans and at the same time provide relief to the victims as a result."
But the agent for the translator who discovered the writings say his client and Doubleday have every right to profit from the book.
GLEN HARTLEY, REPRESENTATIVE OF IBRAHIM: I don't think that Doubleday should be expected or feel compelled to donate this money. I think whatever profits they make are rightfully theirs. And they're doing, as I said, a public service through publishing this book.
SNOW: Glen Hartley's client, Raymond Ibrahim, found the writings at the Library of Congress, where he works and thought the public should read them.
HARTLEY: It's the ruthless nature, the no-holds-barred, no-such- thing-as-cruelty attitude that Zawahri has that is most disturbing and enlightening.
SNOW: Al-Zawahri was indicted in the U.S. Embassy bombings in 1998 in Kenya, where Edith this woman lost her victim father and brother.
EDITH BARTLEY, FAMILY MEMBER OF BOMBING VICTIMS: As a victim, a person who lost half of her family, I think the public needs to have as much information as possible about al Qaeda, about bin Laden, and about our government and how we really did slip down on the job in terms of protecting our citizens.
SNOW: Some compare this to publishing Hitler's "Mein Kampf."
HARVEY KUSHNER, "HOLY WAR ON THE HOME FRONT": The benefits are to understand what we face as a free society. And would we rather give up our freedom not to hear the vicious words of Adolf Hitler or of Osama bin Laden or Zawahri?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Houghton Mifflin, which publishes "Mein Kampf" in the U.S., says all profits go to a fund that is aimed at raising awareness for both religious and racial understanding -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Mary Snow in New York -- thanks, Mary, very much.
In our CNN "Security Watch" segment, the FBI has named 10 more people wanted for questioning in connection with a possible terror plot against Boston. Four Chinese nationals were already being sought by investigators looking into the uncorroborated threat. It comes as a new film is about to be released depicting the buildup to and the aftermath of a radiological bomb attack in London.
Produced by the BBC, "Dirty War" will premiere here in the United States on HBO this Sunday. It's a dramatization that some say provides some real-life lessons.
CNN's Brian Todd has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pick your own scariest part, a radiological bomb detonated in the heart of London, the mass casualties, or the depiction of anti-terror and emergency response officials, who try to reassure the public beforehand of preparedness.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DIRTY WAR")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you confident that the information that you're giving the public is adequate to prepare them for a terrorist attack?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: Yes of course.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: But who argue in private about how ready they really are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "DIRTY WAR") UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Out of a force of 30,000, the max of only 1,500 officers with protective suits and two days training.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TODD: In the aftermath, the struggle to contain whole city blocks, treat casualties and deal with panic provokes a central question for homeland security experts: Is this realistic?
MICHAEL WERMUTH, RAND CORPORATION: Sure it's realistic. The scenario is one that could happen.
TODD: The movie's director tells us, certain members of the British government didn't want the film to be made. Contacted by CNN, the British Home Office denies any falling out with the producers of "Dirty War."
An official says the government provided some advice on the program and give us a statement that reads, in part, "At the end of the day this is a television program, a fictional drama, and, as such, they do not necessarily have any responsibility or requirement to be accurate. What is true, however, is that the U.K. has undertaken a major program of work to ensure it is in the best possible position to prepare for and respond to a range of major incidents."
(on camera): The director has made other movies like this, including one about a smallpox outbreak. This film has already aired on the BBC and will air on CNN's sister network, HBO and PBS.
So, does this dirty bomb scenario, so realistically dramatized, benefit us for the awareness it generates or is it fear-mongering for commercial purposes?
DANIEL PERCIVAL, WRITER/DIRECTOR: Well, I understand that reaction. It's a knee-jerk reaction. People don't really want to think very much about these issues, but, unfortunately, we now live in a very hazardous world, where this kind of thing is going to be visited on us. We don't have a choice.
TODD: One expert offers this perspective.
STEPHEN FLYNN, AUTHOR, "AMERICA THE VULNERABLE": The fact is that dirty bombs don't kill a lot of people. What's scary about them is radioactivity is associated with them. And the basic response to dealing with these is to stay inside. And if you get exposed, the issue is washing yourself down.
TODD: Still, many viewers may never look at those elaborate terror response drills quite the same again.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: While that scenario is fictional, word that the FBI is looking into the possibility of a real plan for a terror attack on Boston is raising some concern in cities across the United States.
Joining us now to discuss what authorities are doing to counter the possibility of terrorism is the New York City Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly.
Commissioner, as always, thank you very much.
I know you haven't seen the film, but what do you think of the basic premise, that a dirty bomb could be exploded in a major city?
RAYMOND KELLY, NYPD COMMISSIONER: I have seen this film, and the entire senior executive staff of the New York City Police Department has seen this film. It's very sobering, very well done, and, of course, a dirty bomb is a real possibility in a city in America.
BLITZER: So what if any you have in New York City, which we all know, of course, has already been a major target of al Qaeda, what are you doing about this scenario?
KELLY: Well, we've had exercises. We've had dirty bomb exercises for quite a while. We've had tabletops dealing with it. Our Office of Emergency Management, our fire department do joint drills to address a dirty bomb. But certainly it is a major issue, a major cause for concern for us.
BLITZER: The notion that a lot of people won't necessarily die, but it will terrorize and frighten millions of people, the very nature of a dirty bomb would do that, how worried should the public at large be?
KELLY: Well, you know, our world changed dramatically after 9/11, so it is out there for concern. Of course, a dirty bomb by definition doesn't do that much physical damage immediately, but the radiological aftermath is the significant concern.
And even in the movie, they talk about cordoning off large portions of London for extended periods of time, I think over a year. So, there are lots of scenarios out there that concern us. We talk about them. We think about them. We practice to address them. You know, could we do more? Sure. We could always do more, but it is something that's high on our agenda.
BLITZER: What did you think of the film?
KELLY: I thought it was very well done. It's very sobering and it certainly is thought-provoking. And I think, you know, there are lessons that we can take even from the film. We certainly don't have all the answers. We're looking to learn. We'll take this film and we'll make certain that the right people see this film, certainly in our department, and I think in other city agencies as well.
BLITZER: Is there anything going on as far as New York City is concerned right now? We know about this threat and we don't know how corroborated, how realistic it is in Boston, but is there any spillover that you're getting through your contacts from Department of Homeland Security, the FBI? KELLY: You're talking about the Boston...
(CROSSTALK)
BLITZER: Yes.
KELLY: Yes, there's no additional information, but it's interesting to point out that we get many, many threats like this. And this is a challenge that law enforcement faces. We get this sort of information. It's uncorroborated. The question is, what is the appropriate response?
I think everything that can be done is being done in a reasonable fashion, but it is the kind of new world that we live in, with this information coming out literally on a daily basis. Sometimes, it gets publicized. Sometimes it doesn't.
BLITZER: Is this a constant headache for you? You're the commissioner of New York, a city that's already been attacked. How do you deal with these kinds of threats on a day-to-day basis? You must be getting so many pieces of information that may turn out to be true, but almost always turn out to be true.
KELLY: Yes. Of course, you do the best you can to check the credibility of it. And, of course, we work with our federal partners, the FBI, the CIA, to determine as best we can the source. In this case, we don't know the source of the information. So, it is a constant challenge. We have to look at it. We have do some assessment of the credibility of, the feasibility, the possibility of it happening, and make judgments as we go along.
BLITZER: Are you getting the kind of cooperation from Washington and not only in terms of information, but in terms of money that New York City needs?
KELLY: Well, that's a sensitive issue. As far as information, yes. As far as money, we think we need more, although there's some hopeful signs here in the last appropriation. We're not absolutely certain how that money is going to be allocated, but it looks like $270 million is headed for New York.
We need money for ongoing operational expenses. We could always use some money for equipment, but the major expense for us is ongoing operations. That's what we look to the federal government to help us with. We're protecting America's assets and, indeed, the world's assets right here in New York. So that will be an ongoing issue as Congress opens its session.
BLITZER: Ray Kelly, the commissioner of New York City -- Commissioner, thanks very much.
KELLY: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And I just want to correct what I reported earlier. The film "Dirty War" airs on our sister network HBO Monday night, not Sunday night, Monday night on HBO. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Lost in a snowstorm without a trace, authorities unable to save a young couple, even after they make several calls to 911 from their cell phone.
Bracing for snow, lots of snow. You're looking at a live picture right now. This is Minneapolis. And the front, the snow front, is moving east towards us.
He's butted heads with Howard Stern and advocated increasing fines. Now Michael Powell is leaving the FCC. He's here in our studios and he'll join us live. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back.
There's a major change under way at the Federal Communications Commission. The chairman, Michael Powell, says he will leave his post in March.
Our senior correspondent Allan Chernoff is in New York with details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Powell has used the Federal Communications Commission to get new technology into the hands of Americans, broadband, phone calls over the Internet, wireless communications, and high-definition TV.
But Powell is best known for being in the middle of controversy, especially over indecency. After rock singer Bono used the F-word on a televised award ceremony, Powell decided to dramatically increase fines.
MICHAEL POWELL, FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CHAIRMAN: I personally believe that this growing coarseness and the use of such profanity at a time where we are very likely to know that children are watching is a abhorrent.
CHERNOFF: Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at last year's Super Bowl halftime show led to a $550,000 fine against Viacom and its CBS affiliate stations. Powell's FCC fined Fox stations a total of nearly $1.2 million for showing strippers on the show "Married By America."
The commission also find Clear Channel Communications nearly $500,000 for airing obscene comments from shock jock Howard Stern. Stern, on his radio program Friday, was gloating.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, "THE HOWARD STERN SHOW")
HOWARD STERN, HOST: Michael Powell resigning is a great thing because this guy did not deserve the job in the first place.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CHERNOFF: Powell also had run-ins with Congress and the courts, which blocked the FCC's plan to allow broadcasters to increase their ownership of television stations.
MITCHELL STEPHENS, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY: I don't think you can get a lot of points for having steered it through turbulent times. I thing there have been contradictions in what he's done. He seems to have enforced more or less a wild west policy in most senses in terms of regulation, but yet, when it comes to indecency, it feels more like a Victorian England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Powell's term goes until the middle of 2007, but, instead, he will be stepping down in a matter of weeks -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Allan Chernoff, thank you very much for that report.
And joining us now live here in our studios, the FCC chairman, Michael Powell.
Mr. Chairman, thanks very much for joining us.
POWELL: Good to see you. Thank you for having me.
BLITZER: All right, let's go through some of these issues, but, first of all, your decision to step down. You didn't have to. Why are you?
POWELL: Didn't have to, but I've been at the commission eight years, and I think, when you're a public policy official, you ought to have a clear understanding of when you think your time has come.
I had set out a bold agenda four years ago. When I look at that agenda, I feel like I've largely completed what I set out to do. And I think it's time to move on and let someone else take the reins.
BLITZER: All right, what about this criticism? And you've heard it before. We just heard it Allan Chernoff's package, that it's almost like Victorian England, the kind of fines you've imposed. What do you say to those critics who say you've been going too far?
POWELL: I don't agree with that.
I think that -- what that disregards is the public's right, through Congress and its statutes, to pass modest limitations on indecency on the airwaves. We're not on a crusade that we invented. We're enforcing a congressional statute which has wide bipartisan support in the United States Congress, who delegated to us the responsibility to enforce that statute.
And we respond to complaints. In 2002, we had 111 total complaints about television. Just in the first half of 2004, we had 550,000, approaching a million for the year. We have a duty and a responsibility to respond to those complaints and enforce the law as best we see it.
BLITZER: This is the legislative mandate. This is the law of the land.
POWELL: Yes.
BLITZER: Now, Howard Stern takes his radio show now to satellite radio, which the FCC, correct me if I'm wrong, doesn't have any jurisdiction over.
POWELL: We've held that we don't, although some others do dispute that. But, generally, cable, satellite, pay medium don't.
It's important to understand the reason. The reason is, the Supreme Court says there are two different First Amendment standards. It says that free over-the-air broadcasting, the government has a greater right to infringe on content that it does not allow for newspapers, cable television and other kinds of subscription medium. And that's why you get these rules that don't have coherence from one to the next.
BLITZER: I'm sure you've thought about this, but is the American public better served? Howard Stern, very popular with millions of Americans out there, they get to listen to him for free on the radio, but now pretty soon they're going to have to subscribe to satellite radio, which could cost, what, $10 a month, $120 a year, let's say, maybe even more. Is that good to push people to those kinds of pay- for service? In effect, that's what he says you're doing.
POWELL: I don't think we're pushing people to pay service.
It's interesting; 88 percent of all Americans subscribe to cable and watch your program. Why? Because I think it's compelling and it's quality. And nobody drives them from free TV to cable. I think American consumers are willing to pay for quality and value and make that migration naturally.
But if you're concerned or your complaint is that there are restrictions on free medium that don't exist on cable, therefore, more artists will move over, I would agree with you. But that's not really a consequence of arbitrary FCC policy. That's a consequence of the way Congress has written the statute and the Supreme Court has interpreted the Constitution.
BLITZER: I just got a high-definition TV at home.
POWELL: Yes.
BLITZER: And a lot of people are buying them. They're very expensive, as you know, thousands of dollars. But, under the new regulations, pretty soon, everybody is going to have to spend that kind of money for a HDTV, high-definition TV. And people are concerned about that once that switch-over takes place.
POWELL: Yes.
Well, first of all, the switch-over is designed to take a long transition and Congress is debating about when that should appropriately end. The transition has been in place for over a decade. The law currently requires the switch-over completely not to be until 85 percent of the public is capable of receiving the signal. So, there is a protection there to make sure the vast majority of Americans can receive it.
I also would say, we keep a close eye on that. We've now reached a point where lower-end high-definition television sets are actually in the $700 range. They're coming down in price at a faster rate than almost any other consumer electronic product.
BLITZER: Michael Powell steps down. Colin Powell steps down. That happens to be your father, Father, son, are you going to be spending some good quality time with your dad now?
POWELL: I hope so. He's a wonderful guy and I love him dearly. And we have a lot of fun together.
BLITZER: And I suspect your mother, Alma Powell, is pretty happy about that as well.
POWELL: Absolutely.
BLITZER: Michael Powell, thanks very much.
POWELL: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: Good work. Thanks. Appreciate it very much.
Winter storm warnings, a powerful front moving east, bringing lots of snow also ahead.
A sad story, a young couple lost in the snow, why authorities were not able to find them in time, despite their calls to 911.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: A winter storm is bringing heavy snow and cold temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast. You're looking now at this live picture from Minneapolis. Some Minnesota school districts dismissed classes early today. Forecasters say the storm could end up dumping four to nine inches of snow across central, south central and southeastern Minnesota.
A 20-year-old college student and her boyfriend died after becoming stranded in a Nebraska snowstorm, despite making repeated calls to 911. Now questions are being raised: Is 911 to blame or were the victims at least partially responsible for their own deaths?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPERATOR: Sarpy County, 911.
JANELLE HORNICKEL, VICTIM: Hi. I'm here to report...
BLITZER (voice-over): It was after midnight when 911 operators began receiving the first of at least five frantic phone calls from Michael Wamsley and his girlfriend, Janelle Hornickel.
OPERATOR: What's going on?
MICHAEL WAMSLEY, VICTIM: I need someone. Please.
OPERATOR: What's your address?
WAMSLEY: I don't know the exact address here.
BLITZER: They were trapped in a snowstorm and subzero temperatures and couldn't tell the operators where they were. Authorities say they didn't know exactly where to look.
WAMSLEY: Oh, no, no, there's no (UNINTELLIGIBLE) My phone's going to die. I need some help.
(CROSSTALK)
OPERATOR: I don't understand, but I can't help you because I'm in a different area.
BLITZER: Then the phone calls stopped. Over several days, search teams found Hornickel's truck, Wamsley's body and then Hornickel's body in a rural area, about four miles from the nearest town. It appears that neither Wamsley, nor Hornickel's were wearing coats when they died. Tests later showed both had methamphetamine in their systems.
DR. HENRY NIPPER, CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Both individuals were impaired at the time of death, and so we could expect certain kinds of behaviors to result from that impairment.
BLITZER: Nine-one-one operators say that if Wamsley and Hornickel had been more lucid, it might have been easier to find them and save them.
DAN PETERSON, COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR: The callers just didn't know where they were coming from, where they were going, where they'd been, and it was very frustrating, and they did everything they could.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Officials say a small amount of methamphetamine was found in Hornickel's trunk. Investigators seeking the source of the drug arrested a mother and her son in nearby Kearney, Nebraska, earlier today. Sad story.
We'll have our picture of the day when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Our picture of the day, 24 Neapolitan Mastiff puppies delivered by caesarean; 20 of the pups survived. "The Guinness Book of Record" is in the process of verifying if this is a record.
This weekend on "LATE EDITION," among my special guests, Syria's foreign minister, Faruq al-Shara. That's Sunday, noon Eastern.
"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.
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