Pentagon Still Not Confirming Reported Release of U.S. Marine Held Captive in Iraq; Microscope Now on John Edwards' Record
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Now in the news, President Bush arrives in North Carolina. And in just a few minutes, we'll meet his judicial nominees from the state. He wants to stir public outcry for congressional action on those nominations. Mr. Bush's visit comes one day after North Carolinian John Edwards was named to the Democrat's presidential ticket. Also getting under way at any moment, the full Armed Services Committee will open a hearing on Capitol Hill. They are discussing U.S. troop strength in Iraq in light of last week's call-up of nearly 5,700 members of the Individual Ready Reserve. Less than two hours from now, testimony is due to resume in the murder trial of Scott Peterson. The family of slain wife Laci Peterson left the courtroom yesterday when testimony focused on the discovery of her body and that of the couple's unborn son. The Trusted Traveler program begins a a tryout today. They're going to try it out at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Some frequent fliers have already given their fingerprints, optical scans, which allows hem to bypass the screening on the day of their trips. The pilot program will we expanded over the next few weeks to four other cities. Keeping you informed, CNN is the most trusted name in news. The Pentagon is still not confirming the reported release of a U.S. Marine held captive in Iraq. The brother of Corporal Wassef Hassoun told CNN more than 24 hours ago that he is certain that the 24-year-old has been safely released, but he would not provide details. Our Miguel Marquez is outside the family's home. He is West Jordan, Utah. Miguel, good morning.</s>MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you. It's a lot of mixed messages over the past few days, which must be put ago lot of anxiety behind closed doors here in the suburbs outside of Salt Lake City. It's another day of waiting for the family of Wassef Ali Hassoun, the 24-year-old Marine Corporal. He was last seen the 19th of June. He was reported missing a week later. The video surfaced of him blindfolded with his captors holding a sword over his head. But yesterday, the family had some good news, his brother, his older brother in Tripoli, Jordan reported -- or Lebanon, reported that he had been contacted and had been given a sign that Hassoun was alive, but his brother would not divulge exactly who he had been contacted by, how he had been contacted or what exactly that sign was. The Associated Press is also reporting that an anonymous Lebanese government official is sort of backing that story, saying that they have information that Hassoun is indeed alive, but those reports are difficult to sort of get to the bottom of as well. A group calling itself Islamic Resistance released a statement on Monday, saying that Hassoun had, quote, "been sent to a safe place after he announced his determination not to go back to the U.S. forces." That statement was posted on the Al-Jazeera Web site. But U.S. -- the military on their Pentagon Web site is only saying that they can't say whether or not Hassoun is alive or dead. And today in Salt Lake City, the Interfaith Roundtable will meet to offer prayers and hope for the family that continues to wait -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: Any explanation, Miguel, about the secrecy and the confusing lack of information, or the conflicting information in this particular case?</s>MARQUEZ: Well, in some cases, it's the fact that you have part of the family in Lebanon, part of the family here in Salt Lake City. Also, we've seen this happen so many times with grizzly outcomes. The family doesn't want to say or do anything that would prejudice any chance they have for their relative to survive -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: Miguel Marquez in West Jordan, Utah. Miguel, thank you. Let's get back to the political scene now. The microscope is now on John Edwards' record, and Republicans are making an issue of the military. Barbara Starr is following that story for us, and she is at the Pentagon. Barbara, good morning.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well you know, in the last election, George Bush was perceived as many as the freshman on national security and military issues, Dick Cheney, the veteran on those matters. But now on the Democratic ticket this time, it appears to be a mirror image.</s>STARR (voice over): Republicans wasted no time in attacking John Edwards' lack of military experience on a GOP Web site: Who is John Edwards? One criticism: Edwards voted for the war in Iraq, but then last year voted against the $87 billion in funding for post-war Iraq, a move the Republicans say didn't support the troops. Edwards doesn't apologize.</s>SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I thought it would be a mistake for me to say to the president, what you're doing is right. I support it. Go forward. Here's your blank check. Come back next year and ask for more money.</s>STARR: Edwards says President Bush should seek more international support in Iraq to lessen the U.S. presence.</s>EDWARDS: It's one of the reasons the Iraqis are so hostile toward America right now.</s>STARR: Edwards has a significant military constituency, and he pays attention to it. North Carolina is home to major installations: Fort Bragg, headquarters of the Elite 82nd Airborne; Camp Lejeune, the East Coast base of the Marine Corps; and, Pope Air Force Base. It's a traditional Republican voter block Edwards knows may be discouraged by long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.</s>MICHAEL O'HANLON, SR. FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: I think the military reaction will be open-minded. I think that's the simplest way to sum it up on this his first day as John Kerry's choice for vice presidential nominee. I think military personnel recognize that Edwards is concerned about their well-being.</s>STARR: Edwards is also expected to point to several measures he has cosponsored to improve benefits for the troops, but how all of this plays in the fall campaign, of course, remains to be seen -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: All right, we have several stories kind of converging here that I want to pick your brain on. First of all, this Intelligence Committee report that's coming out supposedly will be very critical of the intelligence community and George Tenet. John Edwards sits on that committee.</s>STARR: Absolutely, although he is a freshman member, indeed a committee member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. He's been fully briefed, as all committee members are, on the ongoing question of prewar intelligence, also intelligence about the 9/11 attacks. He has been a critic of the Bush administration, about how they handled the al Qaeda intelligence prior to 9/11. Expect to see him on the campaign trail talking very actively about both of those issues.</s>KAGAN: And then, Barbara, just a few minutes ago, we were showing our viewers a live picture of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the full committee meeting today, talking about troop strength in Iraq, especially in light of the nearly 5,700 members of the Individual Ready Reserve that are being called up. Why in particular is that so important?</s>STARR: Well, the committee is very interested in hearing about this so-called Individual Ready Reserve. Remember, this is not something that's often been done, and certainly not on the scope that the Pentagon is doing it now, to fill billets, empty slots in Iraq. They are really reaching down deep into their pockets to call upon these people to come back on active duty and go serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. It's worth remembering, these are people who served at some point in the active duty military, but left before their eight-year obligation was up. So it's all perfectly legal, to be blunt. They still owe or have some time on their initial eight-year obligation in which they are open to the possibility of being called back to active duty, and that's what the Pentagon is doing. But what the Senate wants to know is why. Does it mean they need more troops? Does it mean that the Army and the Marine Corps are too small? Does it mean there just simply aren't enough boots on the ground? Why is the Pentagon taking this very unusual step? Expect to see a lot of tough questioning on that issue -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: All right, we'll be listening in. Barbara Starr, at the Pentagon, thank you. To health news, a drug company steps in to help uninsured Americans cover some drug costs. We'll find out who qualifies and how much it might help. And you're going to have to stick around for this one. You know him as "Elf," and also from "Old School." Well, now he is an anchorman. Comic Will Ferrell joins us to talk about Ron Burgundy, coming up in the next hour.