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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Suicide Bombers Target Shia Worshipers; Bush Prepares for European Trip; Bill Reforming Class Action Lawsuits Signed; Marine Recruit Dies at Boot Camp; U.N. Official Reprimanded for Alleged Sexual Harassment

Aired February 18, 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.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Holy day massacre. Insurgents strike at multiple mosques.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see many, many legs and hands, explosives. This is a horrible thing.

WOODRUFF: Glass ceiling reinforced? An Ivy League president under fire for comments he made about women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard enough to figure out how to live your life and work as a woman and have a family without him putting another barrier into it.

WOODRUFF: Will Harvard women and faculty forgive and forget?

Blockbuster battle, the chain wanted to bring customers back to the stores. Now one attorney general calls the no late fee campaign misleading.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Friday, February 18, 2005.

WOODRUFF: Thank you for joining us. I'm Judy Woodruff. Wolf is off today.

Shiite Muslims were targeted in Iraq in a series of bloody attacks on their most important holiday. At least 20 people died in an insurgent offensive that appeared to be aimed at exploiting the tensions between Shia and Sunni Muslims and provoking civil war.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Anguish as wounded arrive at a Baghdad hospital. Casualties from the first attack on Shia Muslims on the eve of their holiest day, Ashurah.

At the site of the first blast targeting worshipers as they made their way to a mosque, the clean up already under way. The physical evidence of the suicide attack that killed as many as 15 and wounded 20 more, mostly gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It happened when I go to mosque here. I heard somebody. Explosives, body between there, guards. I see many, many legs and hands, explosive. This is a horrible thing.

ROBERTSON: In the west of the capital another suicide attack on another Shia mosque at prayer time, killing two and wounding eight. A rocket fired in the north of the city at a Shia mosque missed, hitting a coffee shop, killing one, wounding three.

The attacks heightening fears that, despite security around Shia mosques and shrines in preparation for Ashurah on Saturday, Sunni Muslim insurgents will attack.

SGT. HASHIM, IRAQI POLICE (through translator): some might come with a suicide belt or a car bomb disguised as a police car. They might wear badges like the ones we wear or a shirt like mine so they might go undetected.

ROBERTSON: During last year's Ashurah commemoration, as many of 141 Shias were killed in multiple attacks in Baghdad and the holy city of Karbala. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility.

MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE, IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The real intention behind all this is to draw a rift, to dig a wedge between the Shia and Sunni in this country. And this is -- actually is going to be a fruitless effort on the behalf of the terrorists.

ROBERTSON: So far, no claim of responsibility for these latest attacks.

(on camera) But how fruitless insurgent efforts to ignite sectarian violence remain depends on who gets the top jobs in the new government, now being hammered out behind closed doors. And by day's end more attacks, suicide bombers killing and wounding more Shias.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Thank you, Nic.

Well, President Bush is about to meet with his strongest allies in the Iraq war and his toughest critics. As he prepares to leave for Europe on Sunday, Mr. Bush is also focused on Iran.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now, live, with a preview of the president's trip -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, really as is custom, President Bush is trying to get ahead of the message here, ahead of the trip. He gave several interviews to foreign television stations, the president and the first lady both preparing for their five-day trip overseas that will take them to Belgium, Germany and the Slovak Republic.

Now it's really part of what many see as a U.S. charm offensive, really to try to bridge the gap there and to make good with the damaged alliance with many of European allies.

And the president, of course, a number of things to look out for. First of all, look out for the meeting that he will have with the French president Jacques Chirac. The two of them will talk about shared goals. But also, of course, the clear differences the United States and the European Union have in their approach to convince Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Now while the E.U. is willing to offer some diplomatic as well as economic incentives, the United States is against that policy. Today, President Bush, in an interview with Belgium TV, however, tried to downplay those differences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's in our interests they not have a nuclear weapon. And so we want to support the European efforts. And I applaud the European efforts to continue to send a clear message to the Iranians. And we want to -- we want to -- you know, we will consult like we have been to make sure that we fully understand where we stand to achieve that goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Another moment, of course, to watch is going to be the president's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin today saying that he did not believe that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapons program and that he would continue, his country would continue to help support what they are saying the nuclear energy program.

That is quite a point of contention between the United States and Russia, as well as Russia's plans to sell missiles to Syria, as well as some of the backsliding of democratic reforms.

Today the president in another interview, this one with Slovak state TV, saying, "Well, I have a good relationship with President Putin and the reason that's important is because then it will give me a chance to say in private, ask him why he's been making some of the decisions he's been making. I mean, he's done some things that have concerned people."

Of course, Judy, the big question is what is the substance that's going to come out of all of this. A top European Union official saying that he did not believe there would be any kind of substantive change in U.S. policy coming out of this trip. But he did say he had hoped that they would king of gain a sense of trust, regain a sense of trust, between the United States and its European allies -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Suzanne, in one of these interviews with European media, the president did not rule out the use of military force with Iran. How does that square with what he said before? MALVEAUX: It's very much in line with what he said before. He has said that, of course, they're not going to rule it out, that he's going to keep all the options on the table.

But in that same interview, he also stressed very much that he wants to move forward with diplomacy. And we heard that in the press conference just yesterday, that he is emphasizing that, yes, the United States is a military might. But he is backing down here, backing off a little that many of those European allies are very much against the Iraq war. Looking for ways that the president can be more diplomatic in his approach. The president, of course, also trying to prove that he can do that.

WOODRUFF: All right. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Thank you, Suzanne.

If you think you've been wronged by big business, you may find it harder to sue. Today the president signed legislation aimed at discouraging class-action lawsuits.

CNN congressional correspondent Joe Johns is live with details.

Hi, John.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Judy, of course, this act would make it harder to file class-action lawsuits in state court. It would also move a lot of those class action lawsuits to federal court, where it is harder to recover.

The president of the United States, of course, this is a very big victory for him as he signed that bill into law today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The bill provides new safeguards to assure that plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits are treated fairly. The bill required judges to consider the real monetary value of coupons and discounts so that victims can count on true compensation for their injuries. Demands settlements and rulings to be explained in plain English so that class members understand their full rights.

REP. JOHN CONYERS (D-MI), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The Class Action Fairness Act will be to funnel nearly all the major class-action lawsuits out of the state courts and into the already overburdened federal courts. That will inevitably make it harder for Americans to pursue legislate claims successfully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Of course, that John Conyers, recorded on yesterday. Besides that bill signed into law today, there's also bankruptcy reform, a bill that could be on the Senate floor after this next week when the Congress returns to Capitol Hill. That would make it harder for people who are bankrupt to avoid paying their debts eventually and after all. There's also medical malpractice reform. Of course, that's a very contentious issue here on Capitol Hill. A number of people in disagreement as to whether caps or ceilings should be put on the amount of money people get for damages, as well.

There is also a bill to change the way asbestos lawsuits are handled in this country. Of course, a lot of contention surrounding that, as well.

Now, interestingly enough, right now, this week in fact, Senator Larry Craig of Idaho has reintroduced a bill of his that essentially would give lawsuit protection to gun manufacturers, firearm manufacturers.

This is a bill, of course, that went down in flames on the Senate floor last year when a couple of amendments were attached, amendments of many of the people who fight for gun rights said they just couldn't live with. They were gun control amendments.

This time, of course, Larry Craig says in his view the chemistry of the United States Senate has changed. He does believe he can push that bill through before the end of the session.

Judy, back to you.

WOODRUFF: Joe, very quickly, the medical liability legislation, is the prospect as good for that as they were for this legislation that the president signed today?

JOHNS: Well, it's hard to say. There is a great deal of disagreement here on Capitol Hill. A number of people, of course, saying they don't think this bill can make it through with caps as they've been configured right now.

So the question, of course, one key question is just how much people ought to be able to recover in court, particularly if they're victims of catastrophic damage. So that's one of those issues that Congress still has to work out -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: OK. Joe Johns at the capitol. Thanks very much.

And to our viewers, here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day: "Should the government be limiting class action lawsuits against companies?" You can vote right now at CNN.com/wolf. We'll have the results later.

A confrontation between a Marine recruit and his drill instructor caught on camera just one day before his death. Now the Marine's family calls for an investigation.

Blockbuster lawsuit. Why one state says the movie rental chain is deceiving its customers.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You'd think by this time people have accepted that women are equals in science. Maybe there are reasons that scores on tests could be different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Harvard's president under fire after making controversial remarks about women and science.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The United States Marines are investigating the death of a recruit one day after a confrontation with a drill instructor. That incident was caught on tape by CNN affiliate WIS of Columbia, South Carolina.

CNN's Jason Bellini has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The video shows Marine recruit Jason Tharp standing next to the pool as he's grabbed by his boot camp drill instructor. Tharp walks out of frame. When he returns his drill instructor strikes him.

Columbia, South Carolina, affiliate WIS shot the video of Tharp from a distance, so there's no sound. WIS found out later the Marine its camera had focused on died the very next day.

A Marine official at Parris Island says he died as a result of "complications in the water," unquote, during combat water survival training.

JOHNNY THARP, JASON THARP'S FATHER: He was just the kindest, gentlest person I ever knew.

BELLINI: WIS showed its video to Tharp's parents, who live in West Virginia.

THARP: I don't know how they can treat my son the way we saw in that video. He never hurt nobody. He'd do anything that anybody asked him. It's just not right.

BELLINI: Marine officials at the Pentagon say the actions by the drill instructor seen in the video appear to violate regulations for dealing with recruits.

EUGENE FIDELL, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MILITARY JUSTICE: Basically, you're not supposed to lay your hands on a recruit. You don't really want to have drill instructors grabbing a recruit by the collar, which is what happened here. And also, you don't want them sort of basically hitting people with their elbows.

BELLINI: Tharp's drill instructor has been suspended from training pending an investigation.

During his five weeks at Parris Island, Tharp told his family that he wanted out of the Marines.

THARP: He just wanted us to go down there and get him, bring him home.

BELLINI: In his last letter, postmarked February 2, Tharp wrote he was starting swim qualifications the next day. Tharp died February 8.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did Jason know how to swim?

THARP: Not that good. But they assured us, the recruiter said that nothing would happen. They'd have enough people in the pool where nothing would happen to him.

BELLINI: The Tharps don't know if the physical contact the drill instructor had with their son related in any way to his death.

THARP: We can't understand why. My little girl, all she knows is her big brother's in heaven.

BELLINI: The Marines expect to complete their investigation in several weeks.

Jason Bellini, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Allegations of deception: why one attorney general is going after a movie rental chain for its new policy on rate fees.

Worth the risks? The government weighs in on three popular painkillers.

And Rehnquist's battle with cancer. Will the Supreme Court chief justice return to the bench?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Some new developments today regarding the future of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees. Ruud Lubbers has been accused of sexual Harassment. Lubbers spoke with reporters after a meeting with Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is standing by.

Hi, Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Judy.

Well, the man in charge of the world's 17 million refugees is hanging by a thread tonight regarding his own job. Ruud Lubbers facing the threat of being fired by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. This being after given -- being given a warning only by Annan months following accusations that Lubbers sexually harassed a colleague in the U.N.'s Geneva headquarters. Lubbers today said Annan didn't ask for his resignation at a preplanned meeting. The U.N. says the topic of Lubbers' future was a major source of the conversation.

The latest flurry because the independent newspaper in London printed details of an internal U.N. investigation which concluded there was misconduct by Lubbers. And this is something that he was repeatedly denied.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUUD LUBBERS, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES: I might be friendly to women, although then it is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and gentlemanship and happy relations (ph) and not something of sexual harassment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Lubbers was quite relaxed, but this was one of the oddest United Nations press stakeouts in some time, because a reporter did ask Lubbers to, in effect, demonstrate what he says occurred in his office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Lubbers to set the record straight, you've said that you made a friendly gesture to the woman. Can you demonstrate to us what a friendly gesture is? Can you show us what happened?

LUBBERS: Come here. Are you afraid of me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, slightly. I have to say, yes, I am.

LUBBERS: OK.

LUBBERS: Thank you. So.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: That's the "Times of London's" James Bonn (ph).

Of course, according to the internal U.N. investigation, what happened in Lubbers' office was much more serious. The woman complained and said that Lubbers grabbed her by the wrist and pulled his body much closer to hers. A totally different story than what Lubbers said.

The woman alleged sexual harassment. Four other women are believed to have come forward. But according to U.N. officials, they were not willing to really go on the record as much in the early stages of this investigation.

Annan consulted legal people. That's why the U.N. says he only gave him a warning at that point. Tonight, it could be all over for Lubbers. You don't know. Judy, as you know, there are several U.N. scandals going on these days, including a major one in the Congo involving very serious sexual misconduct allegations against U.N. peace keepers for abusing and violating young girls and women in Congo -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: So, Richard, there could be a decision on -- on Ruud Lubbers this evening?

ROTH: Very well there may be some sort of action tonight, even though his critics would say what has taken so long? Though Lubbers steadfastly denies any misconduct and says he's got work to do in the Great Lakes region of Africa in the next coming weeks.

WOODRUFF: All right. Richard Roth at the United Nations, thank you.

Multiple insurgent attacks in Iraq on a holy day for Shiite Muslims. It is the deadliest day since Iraq's elections. I'll speak with retired General James "Spider" Marks.

Plus, an Ivy League president is under fire for controversial remarks he made about women. His response and reaction from Boston ahead.

And rising stars: Carlos Watson has the inside edge on new political players who are quickly moving ahead of the pack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Welcome back. Ashurah under seeing. A holy day in Iraq becomes the backdrop for brutal attacks on worshipers. I'll speak with retired General James "Spider" Marks.

But first a quick check of other stories now in the news.

New -- new allegations of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. U.S. bishops say they received more than 1,000 claims in the past year against priests and deacons. Most say the incidents happened decades ago.

FDA advisers says three popular pain relievers should stay on the market, even though they increase the risk of heart problems. The advisers say the benefits of Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx outweigh the dangers. The FDA will decide on the recommendations.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist will not be on the bench when the Supreme Court returns from recess on Tuesday. Rehnquist has been battling thyroid cancer. Last month's inauguration was his only public appearance since he was diagnosed in October.

And remembering a key battle from World War II. Veterans from around the United States were in Quantico, Virginia to mark the 60th anniversary of Iwo Jima. Twenty-eight thousand U.S. troops died during that month-long battle. It was immortalized by the image of the American flag being raised. And updating our top story, the confirmed death toll after insurgent attacks in Iraq now stands at 27, and it could go even higher. The surge in violence coincides with an important religious holiday, commemorating the split between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

CNN's Quian Fadik (ph) explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIAN FADIK (ph), CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shiite mourners fill the streets of Karbala, performing religious rituals, beating their backs with chains and knives to mark Ashurah.

It is one of the holiest dates in their calendar, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the prophet Mohammed. They re-enact the battle 1,400 years ago in which al-Hussein was killed, the battle that split the states in Sunnis and Shiites.

For centuries, this has been the time of year when Shiites from around the world flock to Karbala and the Imam Hussein shrine. Security is extremely tight here. During last year's Ashurah, simultaneous attacks in Karbala and Baghdad killed more than 140 pilgrims.

Checkpoints are in place around the shrine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): As the visitors to Karbala increase in the days leading up to Ashura, our security measures have to increase accordingly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Although it affects our business, the most important thing this year is the safety of our people, so we appreciate the security measures.

SADEQ: As they perform their devotions, there is a new confidence among the Shiites. They captured half the seats in Iraq's historic elections and look to wield real influence here for the first time..

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): These elections marked a historic day for the Iraqi people that has given the people the strength to break down the terrorists and build a country.

SADEQ (on camera): Shiites believe they must suffer forever because of the death of Imam Hussein. But this year, they suffer in hope of a better, a more peaceful Iraq, and one in which their voice is heard.

Kianne Sadeq, CNN, Karbala.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Joining us now to talk about the situation in Iraq and more is Retired General James "Spider" Marks. He's a former chief of the U.S. Army Intelligence School.

Thanks very much for being with us.

RETIRED BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hi, Judy. Thank you.

WOODRUFF: We appreciate it.

People look at Iraq, they think, OK, the elections went by. There was some violence, but it was limited. But we seem to see more and more days like the one today, where you had 27, 28 people killed. What are Americans to believe about the state of security in Iraq?

MARKS: Well, it's still very unstable, despite the efforts to train Iraqi forces and to disperse those forces out into the streets and to continue the U.S. presence to assist with that. It really is a long and very tough road.

Progress is being been made in terms of the numbers and the qualities of the Iraqi soldiers and the various security forces that are being trained.

But, Judy, this is a very tough, a very large target. And it's going to take a lot of time to cover all of those areas. But what you see, I would call episodic spikes of violence.

WOODRUFF: Do you see progress being made, though, in that regard, in security?

MARKS: I do. I do.

And I think it's really -- it's quite amazing that a form, a burgeoning form of democracy is growing up in the Tigris and Euphrates Valley. It doesn't have a history of that at all. I mean, that by itself is quite amazing. So, it's going to be a tough road. But it's one that will be accomplished. I do see progress being made. But there will be turns of violence. And we're going to have to learn to deal with those, as we have.

WOODRUFF: Particularly tough to watch today as they were gathering for their religious holiday.

Let me turn you now to Iran, President Bush saying today just -- he was being interviewed by some European journalists, that trip coming up next week. He's not going to Iran, but he's talking to the European leaders. Iran is very much on the agenda.

The president said -- and let me just quote here part of it. He said: "First of all, you never want a president to say never. But military action is certainly not or never the president's first choice."

You know, there's some comment about this, because people are saying he hasn't ruled out military action by the United States toward Iran.

MARKS: Well, nor should he. The juxtaposition of what has been accomplished in Iraq is not a -- I mean, it's very difficult to disconnect that from what may happen in Iran, only because of where they are and our presence and our policy in Iraq. So, it's easy to intellectually lift what we did in Iraq and overlay that in Iran and say, we're going to take military action.

There clearly is a lot of diplomacy that needs to take place in Iran before we would move in the direction of a military action. And then there are different types of military operations that would be available to the president.

WOODRUFF: Well, you're also looking at two very different views of what's going on inside Iran. You have the president saying almost on a daily basis he has pronounced Iran part of the axis of evil. And he's said he believes that they're developing a nuclear weapons program.

But, today, you have Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, saying he's convinced they're not developing a weapons -- a nuclear weapons program. And he's convinced they're going to keep it for peaceful means. What are people to believe?

MARKS: Well, they're going to have to figure that out. I agree with you, Judy. I don't know whether President Putin is intentionally trying to obfuscate or if the president and President Putin have talked and said, let's keep this thing a little bit confusing. Frankly...

WOODRUFF: You mean they could be doing that deliberately?

MARKS: I don't know that I'm being entirely facetious. But the point is, is that certainly is -- what is going on in Iran is open for discussion. And when your primary means of intelligence collection is from space through satellite imagery primarily, it's very difficult to get a good set on what is truly happening.

WOODRUFF: What is your best understanding of what Iran has in the way of nuclear intentions, nuclear weapons intentions?

MARKS: Well, the intention is very difficult. You always can measure capabilities. Plus the intentions really gives you the threat.

And I would tell that you what you see, the latest commercial imagery that's available now, that, in my mind, as a former military intelligence guy, that tells me those are military capabilities that they're developing.

WOODRUFF: Because they say that is all for a peaceful purpose, all for energy.

MARKS: All peaceful. Well, if it is, let's be transparent. Let's be totally transparent, open the kimono fully, as they say, and let's look and wander through those facilities and make a determination. WOODRUFF: Very quickly, there's so much controversy about the poor intelligence, lack of intelligence leading up to what we understood about what Iraq had in the way of WMD. Is the intelligence better comparatively in Iran?

MARKS: Judy, I would say it's not. Until you can get human intelligence on the ground to be your confirming source of intelligence, you're never going to have that degree of certainty or clarity. Now, decisions may have to be made operationally, on what those options might be. Our priority, having that real clear human intelligence that you can get.

WOODRUFF: General James "Spider" Marks, he's the former chief, the former head of the United States Army Intelligence School. Thank you very much.

MARKS: Thanks, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Good to have you on the program. We appreciate it.

MARKS: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Harvard's president is under fire for controversial comments he made about women and science.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is generating a significant controversy within the university and a lot of tension.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Details on what President Summers said and why it has Harvard students and faculty talking next.

And later, Blockbuster battle. The video retail chain just wanted to bring customers back to the stores. Now one attorney general calls the no-late-fee campaign misleading.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The president of Harvard University and former Clinton administration Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers is shaking things up along the Charles River. The latest controversy stems from comments he made about women and science.

CNN's Brian Todd has the story. And he's with us.

Hey, Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Judy.

The people I've talked to at Harvard say the word upheaval is an understatement to describe this situation. The president's remarks have divided the campus and are being talked about way beyond the ivy- covered walls. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): One Harvard insider says Lawrence Summers will challenge you on anything. Now the tables are turned on the university's contentious president.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is generating a significant controversy within the university and a lot of tension. And I don't know if that's necessarily good for the university as a whole.

TODD: First came his remarks at an economic conference last month. The topic, why women aren't better represented in science and engineering positions at top universities. According to the transcript, Summers said -- quote -- "There are issues of intrinsic aptitude." That by itself didn't amuse many women on campus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard enough to figure out how to live your life and work as a woman and have a family and those kind of things without him putting another barrier in the way.

TODD: But during the same speech, Summers also said -- quote -- "The data will, I am confident, reveal that Catholics are substantially underrepresented in investment banking, that white men are very substantially underrepresented in the National Basketball Association, and that Jews are very substantially underrepresented in farming and in agriculture."

The remarks were kept under wraps for about a month, but word got around. Students and faculty became irate and Summers released the text after a contentious faculty meeting this week.

STEVEN PINKER, PROFESSOR, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: It got ugly. People used this as an occasion to vent a large number of grievances.

TODD: Grievances that have circulated around Summers since his arrival in the fall of 2001. His spokesperson did not return our calls. But a Harvard official and a student, who both asked not to be named, tell CNN, Summers has been a polarizing figure.

The former treasury secretary is assertive and abrupt, they say, alienating faculty members, pushing hard for change in an Ivy League climate not always receptive to it. Others say that's just what Harvard needs.

PINKER: Even if he does occasionally hurts people's feelings, occasionally hurts my feelings, but I'm a big boy. I can get over it. I can argue back. We really need someone to question the way a university is run.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TODD: Summers posted on a letter on his Web site on Thursday expressing regrets for the remarks he made about women. That same day, Harvard -- the Harvard Corporation, rather -- which hired him and can fire him, posted a letter of support for Summers. But we can expect more fallout next Tuesday, when another large faculty meeting will be held. As one insider says, "Larry is not known for soft edges" -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: So, Brian, what are his prospects?

TODD: Well, down the road, the faculty could hold a no- confidence vote. But it doesn't, in the immediate sense, carry much weight. The entity that has the power to remove him is the Harvard Corporation.

WOODRUFF: Which is like a board of trustees.

TODD: Exactly. And, for the moment, they are fairly firmly in his corner.

WOODRUFF: And as long as they stay -- as long as has their confidence.

TODD: Right.

WOODRUFF: He should be saved.

TODD: But he has a long string of controversy behind him. You never know...

(CROSSTALK)

WOODRUFF: And they have to be watching what the faculty and others are saying as well.

TODD: Exactly. Exactly.

WOODRUFF: OK.

Brian, thank you very much.

Blockbuster, the world's largest video rental company, is in hot water over its new no-late-fees policy. Today, the attorney general of New Jersey sued Blockbuster, saying the company has been misleading customers by charging other fees hidden in the fine print.

CNN's Chris Huntington's has that story from New York -- Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, this may sound like something of a tempest in a teapot.

The New Jersey attorney general said that his office began investigating Blockbuster's new policy soon after it was instituted in the beginning of the year. They don't really have too many customers lined up just yet with complaints. But they feel that now this has become a public lawsuit that hundreds, perhaps thousands of customers just in New Jersey could come forward.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON (voice-over): Last month, with much fanfare, Blockbuster rolled out its new no-late-fee policy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, AD)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: So beautiful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNTINGTON: The nation's No. 1 video rental chain spent $50 million to put the new plan into practice. Now it may cost the company even more. The attorney general of New Jersey says Blockbuster is deceiving customers, hooking them with a false promise and not clearly disclosing other fees.

For instance, any Blockbuster video or game rental eight days late is converted automatically into a sale, billed to the customer's credit card, typically a charge of around $15 to $25.

PETER HARVEY, NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL: We believe that all of these practices by Blockbuster violate New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act. These practices are unconscionable.

HUNTINGTON: Blockbuster points out that all of its rental terms are disclosed in its stores on pamphlets handed to customers and on its Web site.

A Blockbuster spokeswoman told CNN: "The fact is, there are no longer late fees at Blockbuster. We're surprised that the New Jersey state attorney general never contacted us about this. We're disappointed in this action because we believe it's a terrific program. And we've received a lot of positive feedback from customers and employees."

One customer at a Blockbuster in Hoboken, New Jersey, seemed to disagree.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that it is deceptive. How often do you pick up a pamphlet on late fees when you go in to rent something?

HUNTINGTON: Blockbuster used to earn hundreds of millions of dollars on late fees. But analysts say the company dropped those fees because it was losing customers to competitors such as the mail-order service NetFlix, which never charged late fees.

Blockbuster insists it only wanted to build goodwill.

STACEY WIDLITZ, FULCRUM GLOBAL PARTNERS: Yes, you create goodwill by ending late fees of $3 a day. But, on the other hand, you may annoy your consumer, who sees their credit card bill and says what's happening? I've just been charged the entire retail price.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON: Now, the New Jersey attorney general's lawsuit does not specify in dollars terms just how much New Jersey customers might have suffered from alleged infractions by Blockbuster. But the suit is going to seek restitution and penalties of up to $10,000 per infraction if they can prove it -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: And, Chris, so far, this is the only state that is doing this?

HUNTINGTON: Well, right now, this is the only state that has filed suit. There has been chatter of several other states' attorney generals who are considering and looking at this. We spoke, for instance, with New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office. The comment there was simply, we're watching the situation.

WOODRUFF: OK, Chris Huntington, thanks very much.

Question: Are America's attitudes about race changing? When we return, Carlos Watson has "The Inside Edge" on the new attitude and how it could affect the polls in 2006.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The big political news next week may be happening outside the beltway for a change. President Bush goes to Europe, with implications both at home and abroad.

As always, CNN political Carlos Watson is here with "The Inside Edge." Today, he's in Mountain View, California.

Carlos, what you mean about the big political news could be outside the United States?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, next week, Judy, the president heads off to Brussels and several other places in Europe.

And I think you'll see two things. First, you'll see a big policy agenda, so he won't only talk about Iraq. But you'll also, significantly, see him talk a lot about Iran. There will be some pretty substantive economic discussions, trade and also currency policy. And then there will be a serious heart-to-heart with Vladimir Putin, the premier of Russia, about democratic issues there in Russia and elsewhere.

Politically, this could be a big trip for Tony Blair, of all people, who you know will face election later on this year, who has been -- received some criticism within his own country for being too close to the president. And look for him, very strategically, to try and rap the president on his knuckles about Kyoto and about global warming, something that the president won't resist, having appreciated Tony Blair's help in other parts of the agenda, namely Iraq.

WOODRUFF: Yes. And we've noticed that that meeting is not taking place in Britain. It's taking place in Brussels.

Carlos, let's move back to politics in this country. You're pointing out that, this year, we're watching not just what's going on here with the Congress, but some big mayoral races that are coming up.

WATSON: You know, Judy, nine large cities, cities with over a half-million people, will elect mayors this year, and some pretty interesting places, including our two largest cities. In New York, Michael Bloomberg is running for reelection, big, tough race for him. His numbers are under 50 percent, his approval numbers. So he's got a tough race there.

In Los Angeles, our second largest city, Jim Hahn, the incumbent there, is in a tough race. His numbers are also under 50 percent, so a couple tough races there. But may be interesting about this crop of races here is that we see some new faces. You've got a young guy running in San Antonio, Julian Castro, who, if he wins, could be an important new face.

You could see a number of Hispanics, by the way, win across these nine cities, including in Los Angeles, where Antonio Villaraigosa is running. The last thing that's interesting is kind of the youth movement. Even in New York, Gifford Miller, the speaker of the city council, is one of the major people running there. So a number of interesting mayoral races. And new issues, including crime and immigration, may crop up as a result.

WOODRUFF: You mean because these new figures, they're likely to be talking about issues we haven't heard before?

WATSON: Exactly, and issues that the Congress -- as Congress focuses on Social Security and tax reform and other things, these guys may bring things to the forefront that ultimately may end up on a national agenda..

WOODRUFF: The last thing, Carlos, I want to talk to you about is the idea of -- the question of whether America's attitudes toward race are changing, their attitude toward politicians who -- of color. What do you see? You look at the polls. What are you seeing?

WATSON: Well, you know what? The polls still don't give us evidence of it. But we did obviously see Barack Obama's significant win in Illinois last year and his continued warm reception from a variety of people, Democrat and Republican, black, white and Latino, Asian.

But a couple of things have happened this year that make you wonder whether or not Barack is just a beginning and not an end. You see Chris Rock hosting the Academy Awards, first time an African- American has hosted the Academy Awards. You see Reggie Fowler, who is looking to purchase the Minnesota Vikings football team and become the first African-American owner of a team.

And you see -- and this may seem small -- but the return of maybe the one and only African-American comic back, "The Black Panther." And so those things may suggest that the culture is changing. There may be greater acceptance. And, for all we know, in 2006, we may see a number of interesting African-American candidates, maybe Harold Ford running for the Senate in Tennessee, maybe Ken Blackwell running as a Republican candidate for governor in Ohio. So stay tuned. There may be some changes afoot.

WOODRUFF: So maybe Barack Obama getting elected in Illinois may be setting off a little trend.

WATSON: Could be a little bit of a Jackie Robinson figure. Too early to say that. But there are a number of interesting things that suggest that, as a society, we continue to move on the question of race.

WOODRUFF: OK. Carlos Watson joining us from California, once again, thank you very much, Carlos.

WATSON: Good to see you, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Results of our Web question of the day coming up next.

Plus, a car so sweet, you may want to eat it. We'll explain in our picture of the day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: And now here's how you are weighing in on our Web question of the day. Should the government be limiting class-action lawsuits against companies? Forty-seven percent of you say yes, while 53 percent of you say no. And this is not a scientific poll.

Finally, our picture of the day. Rev up your engines and your taste buds. Visitors to the Spring Festival in Shanghai, China, are being treated to the sight of a life-size model of a Volkswagen made entirely out of chocolate.

I like chocolate, but that may be even too much for me.

A reminder, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS on weekdays at this time, 5:00 Eastern. Wolf will be back on Sunday for "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk. Among his special guests, former President George Bush and former President Bill Clinton.

Until then, thanks 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 February 18, 2005 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Holy day massacre. Insurgents strike at multiple mosques.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I see many, many legs and hands, explosives. This is a horrible thing.

WOODRUFF: Glass ceiling reinforced? An Ivy League president under fire for comments he made about women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard enough to figure out how to live your life and work as a woman and have a family without him putting another barrier into it.

WOODRUFF: Will Harvard women and faculty forgive and forget?

Blockbuster battle, the chain wanted to bring customers back to the stores. Now one attorney general calls the no late fee campaign misleading.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Friday, February 18, 2005.

WOODRUFF: Thank you for joining us. I'm Judy Woodruff. Wolf is off today.

Shiite Muslims were targeted in Iraq in a series of bloody attacks on their most important holiday. At least 20 people died in an insurgent offensive that appeared to be aimed at exploiting the tensions between Shia and Sunni Muslims and provoking civil war.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Anguish as wounded arrive at a Baghdad hospital. Casualties from the first attack on Shia Muslims on the eve of their holiest day, Ashurah.

At the site of the first blast targeting worshipers as they made their way to a mosque, the clean up already under way. The physical evidence of the suicide attack that killed as many as 15 and wounded 20 more, mostly gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It happened when I go to mosque here. I heard somebody. Explosives, body between there, guards. I see many, many legs and hands, explosive. This is a horrible thing.

ROBERTSON: In the west of the capital another suicide attack on another Shia mosque at prayer time, killing two and wounding eight. A rocket fired in the north of the city at a Shia mosque missed, hitting a coffee shop, killing one, wounding three.

The attacks heightening fears that, despite security around Shia mosques and shrines in preparation for Ashurah on Saturday, Sunni Muslim insurgents will attack.

SGT. HASHIM, IRAQI POLICE (through translator): some might come with a suicide belt or a car bomb disguised as a police car. They might wear badges like the ones we wear or a shirt like mine so they might go undetected.

ROBERTSON: During last year's Ashurah commemoration, as many of 141 Shias were killed in multiple attacks in Baghdad and the holy city of Karbala. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility.

MOWAFFAK AL-RUBAIE, IRAQI NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The real intention behind all this is to draw a rift, to dig a wedge between the Shia and Sunni in this country. And this is -- actually is going to be a fruitless effort on the behalf of the terrorists.

ROBERTSON: So far, no claim of responsibility for these latest attacks.

(on camera) But how fruitless insurgent efforts to ignite sectarian violence remain depends on who gets the top jobs in the new government, now being hammered out behind closed doors. And by day's end more attacks, suicide bombers killing and wounding more Shias.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Thank you, Nic.

Well, President Bush is about to meet with his strongest allies in the Iraq war and his toughest critics. As he prepares to leave for Europe on Sunday, Mr. Bush is also focused on Iran.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now, live, with a preview of the president's trip -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, really as is custom, President Bush is trying to get ahead of the message here, ahead of the trip. He gave several interviews to foreign television stations, the president and the first lady both preparing for their five-day trip overseas that will take them to Belgium, Germany and the Slovak Republic.

Now it's really part of what many see as a U.S. charm offensive, really to try to bridge the gap there and to make good with the damaged alliance with many of European allies.

And the president, of course, a number of things to look out for. First of all, look out for the meeting that he will have with the French president Jacques Chirac. The two of them will talk about shared goals. But also, of course, the clear differences the United States and the European Union have in their approach to convince Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

Now while the E.U. is willing to offer some diplomatic as well as economic incentives, the United States is against that policy. Today, President Bush, in an interview with Belgium TV, however, tried to downplay those differences.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's in our interests they not have a nuclear weapon. And so we want to support the European efforts. And I applaud the European efforts to continue to send a clear message to the Iranians. And we want to -- we want to -- you know, we will consult like we have been to make sure that we fully understand where we stand to achieve that goal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Another moment, of course, to watch is going to be the president's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin today saying that he did not believe that Iran was pursuing a nuclear weapons program and that he would continue, his country would continue to help support what they are saying the nuclear energy program.

That is quite a point of contention between the United States and Russia, as well as Russia's plans to sell missiles to Syria, as well as some of the backsliding of democratic reforms.

Today the president in another interview, this one with Slovak state TV, saying, "Well, I have a good relationship with President Putin and the reason that's important is because then it will give me a chance to say in private, ask him why he's been making some of the decisions he's been making. I mean, he's done some things that have concerned people."

Of course, Judy, the big question is what is the substance that's going to come out of all of this. A top European Union official saying that he did not believe there would be any kind of substantive change in U.S. policy coming out of this trip. But he did say he had hoped that they would king of gain a sense of trust, regain a sense of trust, between the United States and its European allies -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: Suzanne, in one of these interviews with European media, the president did not rule out the use of military force with Iran. How does that square with what he said before? MALVEAUX: It's very much in line with what he said before. He has said that, of course, they're not going to rule it out, that he's going to keep all the options on the table.

But in that same interview, he also stressed very much that he wants to move forward with diplomacy. And we heard that in the press conference just yesterday, that he is emphasizing that, yes, the United States is a military might. But he is backing down here, backing off a little that many of those European allies are very much against the Iraq war. Looking for ways that the president can be more diplomatic in his approach. The president, of course, also trying to prove that he can do that.

WOODRUFF: All right. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Thank you, Suzanne.

If you think you've been wronged by big business, you may find it harder to sue. Today the president signed legislation aimed at discouraging class-action lawsuits.

CNN congressional correspondent Joe Johns is live with details.

Hi, John.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Judy, of course, this act would make it harder to file class-action lawsuits in state court. It would also move a lot of those class action lawsuits to federal court, where it is harder to recover.

The president of the United States, of course, this is a very big victory for him as he signed that bill into law today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The bill provides new safeguards to assure that plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits are treated fairly. The bill required judges to consider the real monetary value of coupons and discounts so that victims can count on true compensation for their injuries. Demands settlements and rulings to be explained in plain English so that class members understand their full rights.

REP. JOHN CONYERS (D-MI), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: The Class Action Fairness Act will be to funnel nearly all the major class-action lawsuits out of the state courts and into the already overburdened federal courts. That will inevitably make it harder for Americans to pursue legislate claims successfully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Of course, that John Conyers, recorded on yesterday. Besides that bill signed into law today, there's also bankruptcy reform, a bill that could be on the Senate floor after this next week when the Congress returns to Capitol Hill. That would make it harder for people who are bankrupt to avoid paying their debts eventually and after all. There's also medical malpractice reform. Of course, that's a very contentious issue here on Capitol Hill. A number of people in disagreement as to whether caps or ceilings should be put on the amount of money people get for damages, as well.

There is also a bill to change the way asbestos lawsuits are handled in this country. Of course, a lot of contention surrounding that, as well.

Now, interestingly enough, right now, this week in fact, Senator Larry Craig of Idaho has reintroduced a bill of his that essentially would give lawsuit protection to gun manufacturers, firearm manufacturers.

This is a bill, of course, that went down in flames on the Senate floor last year when a couple of amendments were attached, amendments of many of the people who fight for gun rights said they just couldn't live with. They were gun control amendments.

This time, of course, Larry Craig says in his view the chemistry of the United States Senate has changed. He does believe he can push that bill through before the end of the session.

Judy, back to you.

WOODRUFF: Joe, very quickly, the medical liability legislation, is the prospect as good for that as they were for this legislation that the president signed today?

JOHNS: Well, it's hard to say. There is a great deal of disagreement here on Capitol Hill. A number of people, of course, saying they don't think this bill can make it through with caps as they've been configured right now.

So the question, of course, one key question is just how much people ought to be able to recover in court, particularly if they're victims of catastrophic damage. So that's one of those issues that Congress still has to work out -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: OK. Joe Johns at the capitol. Thanks very much.

And to our viewers, here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day: "Should the government be limiting class action lawsuits against companies?" You can vote right now at CNN.com/wolf. We'll have the results later.

A confrontation between a Marine recruit and his drill instructor caught on camera just one day before his death. Now the Marine's family calls for an investigation.

Blockbuster lawsuit. Why one state says the movie rental chain is deceiving its customers.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You'd think by this time people have accepted that women are equals in science. Maybe there are reasons that scores on tests could be different.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WOODRUFF: Harvard's president under fire after making controversial remarks about women and science.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The United States Marines are investigating the death of a recruit one day after a confrontation with a drill instructor. That incident was caught on tape by CNN affiliate WIS of Columbia, South Carolina.

CNN's Jason Bellini has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The video shows Marine recruit Jason Tharp standing next to the pool as he's grabbed by his boot camp drill instructor. Tharp walks out of frame. When he returns his drill instructor strikes him.

Columbia, South Carolina, affiliate WIS shot the video of Tharp from a distance, so there's no sound. WIS found out later the Marine its camera had focused on died the very next day.

A Marine official at Parris Island says he died as a result of "complications in the water," unquote, during combat water survival training.

JOHNNY THARP, JASON THARP'S FATHER: He was just the kindest, gentlest person I ever knew.

BELLINI: WIS showed its video to Tharp's parents, who live in West Virginia.

THARP: I don't know how they can treat my son the way we saw in that video. He never hurt nobody. He'd do anything that anybody asked him. It's just not right.

BELLINI: Marine officials at the Pentagon say the actions by the drill instructor seen in the video appear to violate regulations for dealing with recruits.

EUGENE FIDELL, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MILITARY JUSTICE: Basically, you're not supposed to lay your hands on a recruit. You don't really want to have drill instructors grabbing a recruit by the collar, which is what happened here. And also, you don't want them sort of basically hitting people with their elbows.

BELLINI: Tharp's drill instructor has been suspended from training pending an investigation.

During his five weeks at Parris Island, Tharp told his family that he wanted out of the Marines.

THARP: He just wanted us to go down there and get him, bring him home.

BELLINI: In his last letter, postmarked February 2, Tharp wrote he was starting swim qualifications the next day. Tharp died February 8.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did Jason know how to swim?

THARP: Not that good. But they assured us, the recruiter said that nothing would happen. They'd have enough people in the pool where nothing would happen to him.

BELLINI: The Tharps don't know if the physical contact the drill instructor had with their son related in any way to his death.

THARP: We can't understand why. My little girl, all she knows is her big brother's in heaven.

BELLINI: The Marines expect to complete their investigation in several weeks.

Jason Bellini, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Allegations of deception: why one attorney general is going after a movie rental chain for its new policy on rate fees.

Worth the risks? The government weighs in on three popular painkillers.

And Rehnquist's battle with cancer. Will the Supreme Court chief justice return to the bench?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Some new developments today regarding the future of the United Nations high commissioner for refugees. Ruud Lubbers has been accused of sexual Harassment. Lubbers spoke with reporters after a meeting with Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

CNN senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is standing by.

Hi, Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Judy.

Well, the man in charge of the world's 17 million refugees is hanging by a thread tonight regarding his own job. Ruud Lubbers facing the threat of being fired by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. This being after given -- being given a warning only by Annan months following accusations that Lubbers sexually harassed a colleague in the U.N.'s Geneva headquarters. Lubbers today said Annan didn't ask for his resignation at a preplanned meeting. The U.N. says the topic of Lubbers' future was a major source of the conversation.

The latest flurry because the independent newspaper in London printed details of an internal U.N. investigation which concluded there was misconduct by Lubbers. And this is something that he was repeatedly denied.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUUD LUBBERS, U.N. HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES: I might be friendly to women, although then it is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and gentlemanship and happy relations (ph) and not something of sexual harassment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Lubbers was quite relaxed, but this was one of the oddest United Nations press stakeouts in some time, because a reporter did ask Lubbers to, in effect, demonstrate what he says occurred in his office.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Lubbers to set the record straight, you've said that you made a friendly gesture to the woman. Can you demonstrate to us what a friendly gesture is? Can you show us what happened?

LUBBERS: Come here. Are you afraid of me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, slightly. I have to say, yes, I am.

LUBBERS: OK.

LUBBERS: Thank you. So.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: That's the "Times of London's" James Bonn (ph).

Of course, according to the internal U.N. investigation, what happened in Lubbers' office was much more serious. The woman complained and said that Lubbers grabbed her by the wrist and pulled his body much closer to hers. A totally different story than what Lubbers said.

The woman alleged sexual harassment. Four other women are believed to have come forward. But according to U.N. officials, they were not willing to really go on the record as much in the early stages of this investigation.

Annan consulted legal people. That's why the U.N. says he only gave him a warning at that point. Tonight, it could be all over for Lubbers. You don't know. Judy, as you know, there are several U.N. scandals going on these days, including a major one in the Congo involving very serious sexual misconduct allegations against U.N. peace keepers for abusing and violating young girls and women in Congo -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: So, Richard, there could be a decision on -- on Ruud Lubbers this evening?

ROTH: Very well there may be some sort of action tonight, even though his critics would say what has taken so long? Though Lubbers steadfastly denies any misconduct and says he's got work to do in the Great Lakes region of Africa in the next coming weeks.

WOODRUFF: All right. Richard Roth at the United Nations, thank you.

Multiple insurgent attacks in Iraq on a holy day for Shiite Muslims. It is the deadliest day since Iraq's elections. I'll speak with retired General James "Spider" Marks.

Plus, an Ivy League president is under fire for controversial remarks he made about women. His response and reaction from Boston ahead.

And rising stars: Carlos Watson has the inside edge on new political players who are quickly moving ahead of the pack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: Welcome back. Ashurah under seeing. A holy day in Iraq becomes the backdrop for brutal attacks on worshipers. I'll speak with retired General James "Spider" Marks.

But first a quick check of other stories now in the news.

New -- new allegations of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. U.S. bishops say they received more than 1,000 claims in the past year against priests and deacons. Most say the incidents happened decades ago.

FDA advisers says three popular pain relievers should stay on the market, even though they increase the risk of heart problems. The advisers say the benefits of Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx outweigh the dangers. The FDA will decide on the recommendations.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist will not be on the bench when the Supreme Court returns from recess on Tuesday. Rehnquist has been battling thyroid cancer. Last month's inauguration was his only public appearance since he was diagnosed in October.

And remembering a key battle from World War II. Veterans from around the United States were in Quantico, Virginia to mark the 60th anniversary of Iwo Jima. Twenty-eight thousand U.S. troops died during that month-long battle. It was immortalized by the image of the American flag being raised. And updating our top story, the confirmed death toll after insurgent attacks in Iraq now stands at 27, and it could go even higher. The surge in violence coincides with an important religious holiday, commemorating the split between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.

CNN's Quian Fadik (ph) explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIAN FADIK (ph), CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shiite mourners fill the streets of Karbala, performing religious rituals, beating their backs with chains and knives to mark Ashurah.

It is one of the holiest dates in their calendar, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the prophet Mohammed. They re-enact the battle 1,400 years ago in which al-Hussein was killed, the battle that split the states in Sunnis and Shiites.

For centuries, this has been the time of year when Shiites from around the world flock to Karbala and the Imam Hussein shrine. Security is extremely tight here. During last year's Ashurah, simultaneous attacks in Karbala and Baghdad killed more than 140 pilgrims.

Checkpoints are in place around the shrine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): As the visitors to Karbala increase in the days leading up to Ashura, our security measures have to increase accordingly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Although it affects our business, the most important thing this year is the safety of our people, so we appreciate the security measures.

SADEQ: As they perform their devotions, there is a new confidence among the Shiites. They captured half the seats in Iraq's historic elections and look to wield real influence here for the first time..

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): These elections marked a historic day for the Iraqi people that has given the people the strength to break down the terrorists and build a country.

SADEQ (on camera): Shiites believe they must suffer forever because of the death of Imam Hussein. But this year, they suffer in hope of a better, a more peaceful Iraq, and one in which their voice is heard.

Kianne Sadeq, CNN, Karbala.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOODRUFF: Joining us now to talk about the situation in Iraq and more is Retired General James "Spider" Marks. He's a former chief of the U.S. Army Intelligence School.

Thanks very much for being with us.

RETIRED BRIG. GEN. JAMES MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hi, Judy. Thank you.

WOODRUFF: We appreciate it.

People look at Iraq, they think, OK, the elections went by. There was some violence, but it was limited. But we seem to see more and more days like the one today, where you had 27, 28 people killed. What are Americans to believe about the state of security in Iraq?

MARKS: Well, it's still very unstable, despite the efforts to train Iraqi forces and to disperse those forces out into the streets and to continue the U.S. presence to assist with that. It really is a long and very tough road.

Progress is being been made in terms of the numbers and the qualities of the Iraqi soldiers and the various security forces that are being trained.

But, Judy, this is a very tough, a very large target. And it's going to take a lot of time to cover all of those areas. But what you see, I would call episodic spikes of violence.

WOODRUFF: Do you see progress being made, though, in that regard, in security?

MARKS: I do. I do.

And I think it's really -- it's quite amazing that a form, a burgeoning form of democracy is growing up in the Tigris and Euphrates Valley. It doesn't have a history of that at all. I mean, that by itself is quite amazing. So, it's going to be a tough road. But it's one that will be accomplished. I do see progress being made. But there will be turns of violence. And we're going to have to learn to deal with those, as we have.

WOODRUFF: Particularly tough to watch today as they were gathering for their religious holiday.

Let me turn you now to Iran, President Bush saying today just -- he was being interviewed by some European journalists, that trip coming up next week. He's not going to Iran, but he's talking to the European leaders. Iran is very much on the agenda.

The president said -- and let me just quote here part of it. He said: "First of all, you never want a president to say never. But military action is certainly not or never the president's first choice."

You know, there's some comment about this, because people are saying he hasn't ruled out military action by the United States toward Iran.

MARKS: Well, nor should he. The juxtaposition of what has been accomplished in Iraq is not a -- I mean, it's very difficult to disconnect that from what may happen in Iran, only because of where they are and our presence and our policy in Iraq. So, it's easy to intellectually lift what we did in Iraq and overlay that in Iran and say, we're going to take military action.

There clearly is a lot of diplomacy that needs to take place in Iran before we would move in the direction of a military action. And then there are different types of military operations that would be available to the president.

WOODRUFF: Well, you're also looking at two very different views of what's going on inside Iran. You have the president saying almost on a daily basis he has pronounced Iran part of the axis of evil. And he's said he believes that they're developing a nuclear weapons program.

But, today, you have Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, saying he's convinced they're not developing a weapons -- a nuclear weapons program. And he's convinced they're going to keep it for peaceful means. What are people to believe?

MARKS: Well, they're going to have to figure that out. I agree with you, Judy. I don't know whether President Putin is intentionally trying to obfuscate or if the president and President Putin have talked and said, let's keep this thing a little bit confusing. Frankly...

WOODRUFF: You mean they could be doing that deliberately?

MARKS: I don't know that I'm being entirely facetious. But the point is, is that certainly is -- what is going on in Iran is open for discussion. And when your primary means of intelligence collection is from space through satellite imagery primarily, it's very difficult to get a good set on what is truly happening.

WOODRUFF: What is your best understanding of what Iran has in the way of nuclear intentions, nuclear weapons intentions?

MARKS: Well, the intention is very difficult. You always can measure capabilities. Plus the intentions really gives you the threat.

And I would tell that you what you see, the latest commercial imagery that's available now, that, in my mind, as a former military intelligence guy, that tells me those are military capabilities that they're developing.

WOODRUFF: Because they say that is all for a peaceful purpose, all for energy.

MARKS: All peaceful. Well, if it is, let's be transparent. Let's be totally transparent, open the kimono fully, as they say, and let's look and wander through those facilities and make a determination. WOODRUFF: Very quickly, there's so much controversy about the poor intelligence, lack of intelligence leading up to what we understood about what Iraq had in the way of WMD. Is the intelligence better comparatively in Iran?

MARKS: Judy, I would say it's not. Until you can get human intelligence on the ground to be your confirming source of intelligence, you're never going to have that degree of certainty or clarity. Now, decisions may have to be made operationally, on what those options might be. Our priority, having that real clear human intelligence that you can get.

WOODRUFF: General James "Spider" Marks, he's the former chief, the former head of the United States Army Intelligence School. Thank you very much.

MARKS: Thanks, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Good to have you on the program. We appreciate it.

MARKS: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Harvard's president is under fire for controversial comments he made about women and science.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is generating a significant controversy within the university and a lot of tension.

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WOODRUFF: Details on what President Summers said and why it has Harvard students and faculty talking next.

And later, Blockbuster battle. The video retail chain just wanted to bring customers back to the stores. Now one attorney general calls the no-late-fee campaign misleading.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The president of Harvard University and former Clinton administration Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers is shaking things up along the Charles River. The latest controversy stems from comments he made about women and science.

CNN's Brian Todd has the story. And he's with us.

Hey, Brian.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Judy.

The people I've talked to at Harvard say the word upheaval is an understatement to describe this situation. The president's remarks have divided the campus and are being talked about way beyond the ivy- covered walls. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TODD (voice-over): One Harvard insider says Lawrence Summers will challenge you on anything. Now the tables are turned on the university's contentious president.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is generating a significant controversy within the university and a lot of tension. And I don't know if that's necessarily good for the university as a whole.

TODD: First came his remarks at an economic conference last month. The topic, why women aren't better represented in science and engineering positions at top universities. According to the transcript, Summers said -- quote -- "There are issues of intrinsic aptitude." That by itself didn't amuse many women on campus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard enough to figure out how to live your life and work as a woman and have a family and those kind of things without him putting another barrier in the way.

TODD: But during the same speech, Summers also said -- quote -- "The data will, I am confident, reveal that Catholics are substantially underrepresented in investment banking, that white men are very substantially underrepresented in the National Basketball Association, and that Jews are very substantially underrepresented in farming and in agriculture."

The remarks were kept under wraps for about a month, but word got around. Students and faculty became irate and Summers released the text after a contentious faculty meeting this week.

STEVEN PINKER, PROFESSOR, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: It got ugly. People used this as an occasion to vent a large number of grievances.

TODD: Grievances that have circulated around Summers since his arrival in the fall of 2001. His spokesperson did not return our calls. But a Harvard official and a student, who both asked not to be named, tell CNN, Summers has been a polarizing figure.

The former treasury secretary is assertive and abrupt, they say, alienating faculty members, pushing hard for change in an Ivy League climate not always receptive to it. Others say that's just what Harvard needs.

PINKER: Even if he does occasionally hurts people's feelings, occasionally hurts my feelings, but I'm a big boy. I can get over it. I can argue back. We really need someone to question the way a university is run.

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TODD: Summers posted on a letter on his Web site on Thursday expressing regrets for the remarks he made about women. That same day, Harvard -- the Harvard Corporation, rather -- which hired him and can fire him, posted a letter of support for Summers. But we can expect more fallout next Tuesday, when another large faculty meeting will be held. As one insider says, "Larry is not known for soft edges" -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: So, Brian, what are his prospects?

TODD: Well, down the road, the faculty could hold a no- confidence vote. But it doesn't, in the immediate sense, carry much weight. The entity that has the power to remove him is the Harvard Corporation.

WOODRUFF: Which is like a board of trustees.

TODD: Exactly. And, for the moment, they are fairly firmly in his corner.

WOODRUFF: And as long as they stay -- as long as has their confidence.

TODD: Right.

WOODRUFF: He should be saved.

TODD: But he has a long string of controversy behind him. You never know...

(CROSSTALK)

WOODRUFF: And they have to be watching what the faculty and others are saying as well.

TODD: Exactly. Exactly.

WOODRUFF: OK.

Brian, thank you very much.

Blockbuster, the world's largest video rental company, is in hot water over its new no-late-fees policy. Today, the attorney general of New Jersey sued Blockbuster, saying the company has been misleading customers by charging other fees hidden in the fine print.

CNN's Chris Huntington's has that story from New York -- Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, this may sound like something of a tempest in a teapot.

The New Jersey attorney general said that his office began investigating Blockbuster's new policy soon after it was instituted in the beginning of the year. They don't really have too many customers lined up just yet with complaints. But they feel that now this has become a public lawsuit that hundreds, perhaps thousands of customers just in New Jersey could come forward.

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HUNTINGTON (voice-over): Last month, with much fanfare, Blockbuster rolled out its new no-late-fee policy.

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UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: So beautiful.

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HUNTINGTON: The nation's No. 1 video rental chain spent $50 million to put the new plan into practice. Now it may cost the company even more. The attorney general of New Jersey says Blockbuster is deceiving customers, hooking them with a false promise and not clearly disclosing other fees.

For instance, any Blockbuster video or game rental eight days late is converted automatically into a sale, billed to the customer's credit card, typically a charge of around $15 to $25.

PETER HARVEY, NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL: We believe that all of these practices by Blockbuster violate New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act. These practices are unconscionable.

HUNTINGTON: Blockbuster points out that all of its rental terms are disclosed in its stores on pamphlets handed to customers and on its Web site.

A Blockbuster spokeswoman told CNN: "The fact is, there are no longer late fees at Blockbuster. We're surprised that the New Jersey state attorney general never contacted us about this. We're disappointed in this action because we believe it's a terrific program. And we've received a lot of positive feedback from customers and employees."

One customer at a Blockbuster in Hoboken, New Jersey, seemed to disagree.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that it is deceptive. How often do you pick up a pamphlet on late fees when you go in to rent something?

HUNTINGTON: Blockbuster used to earn hundreds of millions of dollars on late fees. But analysts say the company dropped those fees because it was losing customers to competitors such as the mail-order service NetFlix, which never charged late fees.

Blockbuster insists it only wanted to build goodwill.

STACEY WIDLITZ, FULCRUM GLOBAL PARTNERS: Yes, you create goodwill by ending late fees of $3 a day. But, on the other hand, you may annoy your consumer, who sees their credit card bill and says what's happening? I've just been charged the entire retail price.

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HUNTINGTON: Now, the New Jersey attorney general's lawsuit does not specify in dollars terms just how much New Jersey customers might have suffered from alleged infractions by Blockbuster. But the suit is going to seek restitution and penalties of up to $10,000 per infraction if they can prove it -- Judy.

WOODRUFF: And, Chris, so far, this is the only state that is doing this?

HUNTINGTON: Well, right now, this is the only state that has filed suit. There has been chatter of several other states' attorney generals who are considering and looking at this. We spoke, for instance, with New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office. The comment there was simply, we're watching the situation.

WOODRUFF: OK, Chris Huntington, thanks very much.

Question: Are America's attitudes about race changing? When we return, Carlos Watson has "The Inside Edge" on the new attitude and how it could affect the polls in 2006.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: The big political news next week may be happening outside the beltway for a change. President Bush goes to Europe, with implications both at home and abroad.

As always, CNN political Carlos Watson is here with "The Inside Edge." Today, he's in Mountain View, California.

Carlos, what you mean about the big political news could be outside the United States?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, next week, Judy, the president heads off to Brussels and several other places in Europe.

And I think you'll see two things. First, you'll see a big policy agenda, so he won't only talk about Iraq. But you'll also, significantly, see him talk a lot about Iran. There will be some pretty substantive economic discussions, trade and also currency policy. And then there will be a serious heart-to-heart with Vladimir Putin, the premier of Russia, about democratic issues there in Russia and elsewhere.

Politically, this could be a big trip for Tony Blair, of all people, who you know will face election later on this year, who has been -- received some criticism within his own country for being too close to the president. And look for him, very strategically, to try and rap the president on his knuckles about Kyoto and about global warming, something that the president won't resist, having appreciated Tony Blair's help in other parts of the agenda, namely Iraq.

WOODRUFF: Yes. And we've noticed that that meeting is not taking place in Britain. It's taking place in Brussels.

Carlos, let's move back to politics in this country. You're pointing out that, this year, we're watching not just what's going on here with the Congress, but some big mayoral races that are coming up.

WATSON: You know, Judy, nine large cities, cities with over a half-million people, will elect mayors this year, and some pretty interesting places, including our two largest cities. In New York, Michael Bloomberg is running for reelection, big, tough race for him. His numbers are under 50 percent, his approval numbers. So he's got a tough race there.

In Los Angeles, our second largest city, Jim Hahn, the incumbent there, is in a tough race. His numbers are also under 50 percent, so a couple tough races there. But may be interesting about this crop of races here is that we see some new faces. You've got a young guy running in San Antonio, Julian Castro, who, if he wins, could be an important new face.

You could see a number of Hispanics, by the way, win across these nine cities, including in Los Angeles, where Antonio Villaraigosa is running. The last thing that's interesting is kind of the youth movement. Even in New York, Gifford Miller, the speaker of the city council, is one of the major people running there. So a number of interesting mayoral races. And new issues, including crime and immigration, may crop up as a result.

WOODRUFF: You mean because these new figures, they're likely to be talking about issues we haven't heard before?

WATSON: Exactly, and issues that the Congress -- as Congress focuses on Social Security and tax reform and other things, these guys may bring things to the forefront that ultimately may end up on a national agenda..

WOODRUFF: The last thing, Carlos, I want to talk to you about is the idea of -- the question of whether America's attitudes toward race are changing, their attitude toward politicians who -- of color. What do you see? You look at the polls. What are you seeing?

WATSON: Well, you know what? The polls still don't give us evidence of it. But we did obviously see Barack Obama's significant win in Illinois last year and his continued warm reception from a variety of people, Democrat and Republican, black, white and Latino, Asian.

But a couple of things have happened this year that make you wonder whether or not Barack is just a beginning and not an end. You see Chris Rock hosting the Academy Awards, first time an African- American has hosted the Academy Awards. You see Reggie Fowler, who is looking to purchase the Minnesota Vikings football team and become the first African-American owner of a team.

And you see -- and this may seem small -- but the return of maybe the one and only African-American comic back, "The Black Panther." And so those things may suggest that the culture is changing. There may be greater acceptance. And, for all we know, in 2006, we may see a number of interesting African-American candidates, maybe Harold Ford running for the Senate in Tennessee, maybe Ken Blackwell running as a Republican candidate for governor in Ohio. So stay tuned. There may be some changes afoot.

WOODRUFF: So maybe Barack Obama getting elected in Illinois may be setting off a little trend.

WATSON: Could be a little bit of a Jackie Robinson figure. Too early to say that. But there are a number of interesting things that suggest that, as a society, we continue to move on the question of race.

WOODRUFF: OK. Carlos Watson joining us from California, once again, thank you very much, Carlos.

WATSON: Good to see you, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Results of our Web question of the day coming up next.

Plus, a car so sweet, you may want to eat it. We'll explain in our picture of the day.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WOODRUFF: And now here's how you are weighing in on our Web question of the day. Should the government be limiting class-action lawsuits against companies? Forty-seven percent of you say yes, while 53 percent of you say no. And this is not a scientific poll.

Finally, our picture of the day. Rev up your engines and your taste buds. Visitors to the Spring Festival in Shanghai, China, are being treated to the sight of a life-size model of a Volkswagen made entirely out of chocolate.

I like chocolate, but that may be even too much for me.

A reminder, you can always catch WOLF BLITZER REPORTS on weekdays at this time, 5:00 Eastern. Wolf will be back on Sunday for "LATE EDITION," the last word in Sunday talk. Among his special guests, former President George Bush and former President Bill Clinton.

Until then, thanks for joining us. "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now.

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