Suicide Car Bombings; Rice is Confirmed
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Wolf Blitzer, who is preparing for our live special inauguration coverage. Join Wolf, Judy Woodruff and Jeff Greenfield today from the Washington Mall at 3:30 p.m. Eastern for "George W. Bush: The Road Ahead." More on that later. Unfolding this hour on "News from CNN," four suicide bombings, at least 25 dead, all within 90 minutes in Baghdad. On Capitol Hill, more contentious hearings ahead of the expected confirmation. And "Defending America." Having second thoughts about when he says he was face to face with what he calls the devil. Among the most popular stories being followed this hour on CNN.com, CBS' "Late Night" show with David Letterman has a secret joke writer. Can you guess who it is? Here's a hint: "Here's Johnny." Also popular this hour, a fired Inglewood, California, police officer awarded $1.6 million in connection with this caught on tape incident. And tsunami deaths soar past 212,000. Those are among the most popular stories this hour on cnn.com. But first, a look at other top stories. Condoleezza Rices passes her first hurdle. Despite pointed criticism from several Democrats, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved her nomination for secretary of state. CNN's Ed Henry will bring us up to date very shortly. Reports say Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will resume security talks with the new Palestinian leadership. The decision follows a pledge by the top Palestinian security commander to deploy security forces to prevent rocket attacks from Gaza. And you may be taking a risk if you guzzle tap water on commercial airliners. The government says about one in six planes failed drinking water standards during random tests in November and December. We'll start today in Iraq. Insurgent attacks convulse major cities from north to south today. Baghdad was hit by deadly car bombs. And United States forces fought guerrillas in Mosul. Nonetheless, the scheduled election is set to go forward January 30. CNN's Jeff Koinange is standing by live with the full story from Baghdad -- Jeff.</s>JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fredricka. It seemed like wave after wave of attacks across Baghdad and beyond on this Wednesday. The first one right outside the Australian embassy. A suicide car bomber detonated himself, killing a bystander, wounding five others. Among those wounded, two Australian soldiers. Less than half an hour later, right outside an Iraqi emergency police headquarters, an even more powerful car bomb. This one killed up to 18 people, including 13 Iraqi policemen. More than 30 were wounded in that incident. And then a third incident right outside an Iraqi military headquarters here. Two soldiers killed in that incident, several wounded. And then, on the southern outskirts of Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated himself at an Iraqi National Guard checkpoint, killing four. Among them two soldiers. A U.S. soldier was wounded in that incident. Overall, one of the bloodiest days in Baghdad in a long time as insurgents seemed to have stepped up the campaign of attacks ahead of the crucial January 30 poll, now just eleven days away -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Jeff Koinange in Baghdad. Thanks so much for that update. Well, Britain awoke today to graphic images purporting to show troops abusing Iraqi prisoners. Photographs released through court- martial proceedings appeared in morning papers and on morning news. They depict Iraqi prisoners in humiliating positions, including some that simulate sex. In one bizarre image, an Iraqi dangles from a forklift. British Prime Minister Tony Blair not thrilled.</s>TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The vast majority of those 65,000 British soldiers who have served in Iraq have done so with distinction, with courage, and with great honor to this country. So whilst we express in a unified way, I know, our disgust at those pictures, I hope we do not allow that to tarnish the good name, fully deserved, of our British armed forces. I can also assure the right honorable gentlemen that we will do everything we can. I'm sure the army is doing this already. In fact, I know the army is doing this already, to investigate the circumstances surrounding that. And the very fact that these court- martials are being brought is an indication of how serious they take it.</s>WHITFIELD: One British soldier has pleaded guilty to battery. Two others have pleaded not guilty, citing orders from above. And now to Condoleezza Rice. Within the past hour, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee endorsed her nomination as secretary of state. But for the second straight day, several Senate Democrats took her strongly to task, chiefly over Iraq. CNN's Ed Henry attended the Rice proceedings. And he's standing by live on Capitol Hill -- Ed.</s>ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Fredricka. That's right. After a second tense day of confirmation hearings, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee did approve the nomination 16- 2. The two "no" votes, Democrat Barbara Boxer of California. For the second straight day she was really leading the attack against the nomination. The other Democrat, interestingly, that was voting against this, John Kerry, the senator who was hoping to spend this week getting ready to be sworn in as president, put the finishing touches on a Kerry cabinet. Instead, also leading the fight against this nomination for the Bush cabinet in the second term. In particular, Barbara Boxer was complaining that she feels that -- that Condoleezza Rice was not leveling with the American people in her testimony over the last two days. The same charge put forth by Senator Joe Biden, the top Democrat on this committee. But Joe Biden actually voted for the nomination, not before, though, laying out a series of concerns with this nomination, saying also that he feels that the administration needs to be straighter with the American people about an exit strategy in Iraq. And he also, Joe Biden, had this shot at Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.</s>SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), RANKING MEMBER, SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Please do me a favor. Start to tell the whole deal. And let's agree -- not agree. Let me cite a new definition of trained. If you're able to take the place of U.S. force. Let's call it that. And I'd like you to think about it and in private tell us later, after you're secretary, which I'm about to vote for you in about five minutes. Tell us how many of those folks you think, you think -- and for god sake don't listen to Rumsfeld. He doesn't know what in the hell he's talking about on this.</s>HENRY: Now, Senator Biden was referring to the fact that both Dr. Rice in her testimony over the last two days, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, maintain that the American military has trained 120,000 Iraqi officers. Joe Biden and other Democrats on this committee insist it's only 4,000. Obviously a wide gulf there. And he's taking some pretty big shots at both Dr. Rice and Secretary Rumsfeld. Now also, Democrats going after Dr. Rice and saying that they feel she did not admit any mistakes in the Iraq policy. They're concerned about that, as well. Dr. Rice answered those critics by saying that she realizes that all has not gone well with the Iraq policy, but she believes progress is being made.</s>CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We can disagree about the course that we took. We can certainly have, I think, a healthy debate about the course that we should take going forward. I would be the first again to say we've had to make a lot of decisions, some of them good, some of them bad. But, I would hope that what we will do now is to focus on where we go from here.</s>HENRY: The nomination now heads to the full Senate. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist hopes to bring up the Rice nomination, maybe some other Bush cabinet picks as well tomorrow at 10:0 a.m., when the Senate comes into session, right before President Bush is sworn in for a second term -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. Thanks so much. Well, as Rice was concluding her testimony, her predecessor bade farewell to the troops at the State Department. Standing before a banner signed by department employees, outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell delivered an emotional swan song as his four-year tenure comes to an end. Here's Powell.</s>COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: So we have much to be proud of. But you are the ones who should be proud of what we have done. It has been my privilege to serve you. But, you are the foot soldiers of the battalion. I'm so proud that I have had this chance to serve my nation once again. And when I step down from this job, I will have had close to 40 years of government service. Thirty-five of those years were in the United States Army. I will never not be a soldier. You can't serve for 35 years and say I'm no longer a soldier. So the Army will always be dear and precious to me. But I want to say to you here today that after four years of being with you, serving this department, the relationship is the same. And even though I stepped down as your secretary, I will never leave you. I will always be part of this wonderful family. Thank you all and god bless you.</s>WHITFIELD: And plans call for Condoleezza Rice to be sworn in as Powell's successor tomorrow, as Ed reported, by the full Senate, before the inauguration. Well, a social whirlwind for the president and first lady today as the celebrate inauguration week. This afternoon, they'll attend a big bash on the Elipse, south of the White House. A Celebration of Freedom will include fireworks and entertainment. And later this evening, it's time for the Texas two-step. The first couple will attend the week's first inaugural gala, the Black Tie and Boots Ball. Well, corporations and individuals are donating millions of dollars to help pay for inaugural festivities. And in return, some big donors are getting access to the president and vice president at a series of candlelight dinners. Our Judy Woodruff follows the money trail.</s>JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who's paying for this and this and this? No, it's not you, the taxpayer. Unless, of course, you wanted to be.</s>DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: We're a nation at war. But we do believe it's important that through privately raised money that we ought to go forward with the inaugural festivities.</s>WOODRUFF: The fact is, nearly half of the inaugural budget is made up of money from big business, huge companies and Wall Street rainmakers looking for an in with the administration. Under the campaign finance laws, these corporations are prohibited from giving directly to candidates. But there is no legal cap on the amount they can pump into the inaugural fund. And those who pony up likely expect a lot of bang for their bucks. None of this is new. Corporations have funneled money into the inaugurations of past presidents, as well.</s>GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I will faithfully execute the office of president...</s>WOODRUFF: But this is the first time the law requires the inaugural committee to disclose its list of donors.</s>THOMAS EDSALL, "WASHINGTON POST": It is an economic decision they're making. They're saying that it is worth the $250,000, $500,000, whatever, to do this, that the benefits flowing to their company or their trade association are well worth that investment.</s>WOODRUFF: So, let's follow the money. Team Bush is hoping to raise $40 million for this week's official festivities. As of Friday, it had nearly $30 million in its coffers. On its Web site, the inaugural committee lists 200 donors. More than half are corporations or firms. Among those who've given $250,000, hotel giant Marriott International, communications titan AT&T;, pharmaceutical goliath Pfizer, and TimeWarner, the parent company of</s>CNN. EDSALL: There are a whole group of network of donors, all of which, or almost all of which have various interests with government that they pursue, and find contributing to be a very beneficial part of the process.</s>WOODRUFF: And we're just talking about the official events here. All this week, lobbyists and corporations are wing and dining the powerful at a slew of private parties across Washington. And for shindigs like these, reporting requirements vary. Making that money trail a tough one to follow. Judy Woodruff, CNN, Washington.</s>WHITFIELD: And CNN begins special coverage of inauguration events beginning at 3:30 p.m. Eastern today, hosted by our Wolf Blitzer and Judy Woodruff. And tune in to CNN tomorrow for live coverage of Inauguration Day. Well, new developments this hour in the search for the parents who allegedly kidnapped their own children from foster care. CNN's Randi Kaye is live in Boone, North Carolina, with the unfolding developments -- Randi.</s>RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the manhunt got off to a slow start, but it just got a jump-start just a few minutes ago. We're being told there has been a confirmed citing of the couple and the children that they abducted, their biological children that they abducted from a foster home 9:15 Saturday morning. The manhunt now in day five. We are told by the sheriff -- just spoke with him shortly ago, told me that a tip led them to a residence in Ashe County, more specifically the city of Jefferson. They got there about 9:30. And they were told by the folks who live there that -- that the couple and their children had left about a half hour before that. This info coming from a family member who lives in that residence. Let me tell you who the group is that has now left that residence. That would be James Canter, who is 29, the children's father, and Alisha Chambers, who is 18, the children's mother. Also with them are the two children, we're being told, Paul and Breanna Chambers. Breanna just 11 months old, Paul two-and-a-half. Now, here's some other new information. We have learned that two other adults are with them in the car. So a total of six people. One adult white female and one adult white male. We do have a car description for you. It is a black 2000, two- door Ford with a Tennessee plate. That plate number is PTV-846. Once again, a Tennessee plate for a black 2000, two-door Ford, PTV-846. The sheriff has learned and shared this information with us, that they will be headed to Knoxville or Gracen City (ph), Virginia. They have alerted the highway patrol. There is not a pursuit under way at this moment. But the highway patrol has been alerted. So, once again, new information, confirmed sighting of this couple and -- and their children, along with two other adults in that car -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: And Randi, if we could just backtrack then. The circumstances for these parents, James Canter and Alisha Ann Chambers, losing custody of the children because of methamphetamine charges. And what were the circumstances of this alleged abduction?</s>KAYE: This occurred back -- the methamphetamine incident happened back in March. So the children have been living in this foster home for about eight months now. Apparently, sheriff's deputies here went to the home of James Canter and Alisha Chambers and they found a meth lab there. Mr. Canter was not there. In fact, he has been on the run since March, and Ms. Chambers has been out on bond. So that is how the children -- they lost custody of their children. They've been in this foster home. Their parental rights have not been officially terminated. But that is how this whole incident began.</s>WHITFIELD: And the foster parents are describing the circumstances of this alleged abduction how?</s>KAYE: Well, we spoke with the mother last night in her first television interview, the foster mom, and she told us that it was 9:15 in the morning. Her husband was just stepping out of the shower, so she was alone in the living room with the children and their biological daughter. And she heard a car door. Next thing she knew, James Canter -- according to her, James Canter and Alisha Chambers were at her front door with a handgun in her face, and pushing their way inside. She tried to push back. She asked them what they were doing there. And they told her, "We're here for our children." And off they went, in just a matter of moments. I believe that we're getting just some new information here. The sheriff is here with us. And that would be the Watauga County sheriff, Mark Shook, is here. And you don't have a microphone, so if you could just speak up a little bit for us, sheriff, and tell us what you have right there.</s>MARK SHOOK, WATAUGA COUNTY SHERIFF: We have a picture of a lady that is traveling with the -- Ms. Chambers and Mr. Canter.</s>KAYE: This is a picture of a woman traveling in the car with them.</s>SHOOK: Yes, ma'am.</s>KAYE: OK. And do we know what the relationship is? Is this a friend, a relative?</s>SHOOK: A distant relative.</s>KAYE: A distant relative. OK. And they were -- they were visiting some relatives in that house, right?</s>SHOOK: Yes, ma'am.</s>KAYE: And this is one of the relatives who lives there?</s>SHOOK: This is it.</s>KAYE: Do we know what the relationship is?</s>SHOOK: Like I say, a distant cousin.</s>KAYE: A distant cousin. OK. No more than that. OK. All right. Sheriff, thank you. Can we keep that picture? OK. All right. Well, we'll let you take that back. So there you have it, the very latest information. Sheriff Mark Shook here in Watauga County running that information right out to us here so we can get it to you. On the lookout now for six people in that -- in that black Ford, a 2000 Ford, two-door Ford, Tennessee plate PTV-846, may be heading to Knoxville or Virginia -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Six people, including the two children. Randi Kaye, thanks so much for that update out of Boone, North Carolina.</s>KAYE: OK.</s>WHITFIELD: Well, coming up, a history of inaugurations. I'll talk with one historian about what we can expect from the president's second induction ceremony. And we'll look back at what made others so memorable or not. And "Defending America." Our continuing coverage looks at some difficult lessons learned from that fateful day in September of 2001. You're watching "News from CNN." We're back in a moment.