In Europe, Bush Calls for Unity; Secretly Taped Bush Conversation Released; Rainstorm in California Kills 3 People
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: We're out of time here. Let's go down to Daryn and Rick at the CNN Center, they're going to take you through the next few hours. Good morning, guys.</s>DARYN KAGAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: Good morning to you. People in California wishing they could probably shovel rain.</s>RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR: Yes.</s>KAGAN: Which they cannot.</s>SANCHEZ: Among other things they're having problems with. We're going to be telling you about that plus a whole lot of other news right here. In fact, here's what's happening right now in the news. President Bush goes to Brussels, Belgium to address European leaders and somehow try and find common ground. This is a major speech he delivered about two hours ago. In it, he called for democratic reform in Russia and a two-state future for the Middle East. For more on how the president was received we're going to CNN's Robin Oakley who was there. We're going to do that for you in about a minute. But let's go through some of the other stories that are making news right now. First of all, eight Southern California counties are under a landslide advisory, as residents there prepare for another soaking. The incessant storms have already spawned tornadoes, waterspouts, rock slides and sinkholes. And at least two people have died in bizarre weather-related accidents. CNN's Miguel Marquez is going to be joining us live with the details from that story, and share some unbelievable pictures with us as well. We'll have that for you in just moments. Sixties icon gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson is dead. Family members say that he shot himself Sunday at his home in Woody Creek, Colorado. Thompson is known for his books including "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas." He was also the reluctant inspiration behind the "Doonesbury" character Uncle Duke. Thompson was 67 years old. A contentious right-to-die battle heads back to a Florida courtroom today. The parents of Terri Schiavo are expected to ask a judge to delay removing their -- pardon me -- their daughter's feeding tube. Schiavo is brain damaged and has been dependent on a feeding tube since 1990. Her husband could have it removed tomorrow. A little scratchy throated, but no worse for the wear. We welcome you back. I'm Rick Sanchez.</s>KAGAN: Thanks for playing hurt.</s>KAGAN: We appreciate it. Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan. President Bush is trying to mend fences in Europe. And the president is stressing the ongoing importance of the U.S./European alliance on the first overseas trip of his second term. He is in Brussels today and will to Germany on Wednesday. The president will end his trip Thursday in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava. CNN's European political editor Robin Oakley joins us now Brussels with a look at the presidents' day. Robin, hello.</s>ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN'S EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hello, Daryn. Well, President Bush's aides have been billing this as a fence-mending visit to Europe. And today, he certainly came up with a speech, which accentuated the positive in every way that he could, calling for a new era of transatlantic unity. And he said that no passing disagreement between governments, no temporary debate, no power on earth, could ever divide Europe and the United States and their firm alliance. He said that when Europe and America stand together no problem can stand against us. And there were a lot of points that he touched on which really satisfied the Europeans. He said he wanted to see a strong, integrated Europe because that would be a strong ally for the United States. The firmest commitment we've had from a U.S. president on that issue. He talked a lot about the Middle East, and E.U. leaders are very concerned about the Middle East. He said that was the strongest possible goal, great opportunity and immediate goal was peace in the Middle East. Words that they all wanted to hear. And on the part of the Europeans, President Bush made it quite clear that he was looking for support for them in other ways. He does want them to do more on Iraq.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All nations now have an interest in the success of a free and democratic Iraq. Which will fight terror. Which will be a beacon of freedom. And which will be a true -- a source of true stability in the region. Coming much, Iraq's newly elected assembly will carry out important work of establishing a government, providing security, enhancing basic services in writing a democratic constitution. Now is the time for established democracies to give tangible, political, economic, and security assistance to the world's newest democracy.</s>OAKLEY: He called for Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon. That one got applause in Europe. On Iran, where Europeans have been worried that he might be contemplating military action, the president said he was backing the European diplomatic efforts for the moment, though nothing was ever going to be taken off the table. So there is still the threat of possible military action at some stage there -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: Robin Oakley live from Brussels, thank you.</s>SANCHEZ: So as the president focuses on the future ties with Europe, words from his past are being revealed as well. And in one of those conversations from his past with a friend, now selling a book, the president appears to acknowledge using marijuana. CNN's Elaine Quijano has the story.</s>ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the secretly taped conversations first reported in "The New York Times," then-Texas Governor George W. Bush candidly discusses his reasons for not answering a question, did he ever use drugs.</s>BUSH: Well, Doug, but it's not -- it just doesn't matter, cocaine. It'd be the same with marijuana. I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I'd tried."</s>DOUG WEAD, BUSH FRIEND: Yes, and it never stops.</s>BUSH: But you got to understand, I want to be president, I want to lead. I want to set -- do you want your little kid to say, "Hey, Daddy, President Bush tried marijuana. I think I will."</s>QUIJANO: Mr. Bush also discusses his religious faith and his dealings with Christian conservatives. At one point he bluntly states he will not give in to pressure to criticize gay people.</s>WEAD: You promised you would not appoint gays to office.</s>BUSH: No. What I said was I wouldn't fire gays. I'm not going to discriminate against people.</s>QUIJANO: CNN did not independently authenticate the tapes, a process that can take days. But Tom Owens, the expert that authenticated the tapes for "The New York Times," says he spent eight days analyzing excerpts before reaching his conclusion.</s>TOM OWENS, AUDIO VOICE AUTHENTICATOR: In listening to the tapes over and over, and listening to various samples of George W. Bush's voice at that time and later, I've concluded that it is the president's voice.</s>QUIJANO: The man who recorded the tapes, Doug Wead, has a book coming out. We could not reach Wead on Sunday, but he told "The New York Times" the recordings were carried out in states where it was legal. CNN could not independently verify his claim. Wead told ABC's "Good Morning America Weekend Edition" he made the recordings for their historical value.</s>WEAD (on camera): If I'd had a chance to tape record Gandhi or had conversations with Churchill, I probably would have recorded them too.</s>QUIJANO: But some say history will record the secret tapes as a betrayal.</s>STUART ROTHENBERG, POLITICAL ANALYST: In a continuum of violations of personal relationship and personal confidence, this is probably the Super Bowl of them all.</s>QUIJANO: The White House issued a one-sentence response saying, "These were casual conversations with somebody he considered a friend." Historians say there is value in the recordings.</s>PROF. ALAN LICHTMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: When presidents write their memoirs, they're carefully doctored and carefully tailored. So candid talk by presidents, even before they enter office, is like gold for historians.</s>QUIJANO (on camera): The tapes were reportedly made in 1998 through part of 2000. Experts say based on the excerpts released, they are far from scandalous and reveal a consistency: a man deeply religious whose private conversations echo his public positions. Elaine Quijano, CNN, Washington.</s>KAGAN: Since Elaine filed that report we were able to talk with Doug Wead. It happened just a short time ago. He spoke with Miles O'Brien on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." And in it Wead defended his use of the tapes.</s>WEAD: This isn't about money. I could sell the tapes. You've only seen little...</s>MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to help your book, isn't it?</s>WEAD: Well, my book could have been released before the election; it would have been a runaway bestseller. It would have been driven by partisan sales. I insisted...</s>O'BRIEN: But clearly, people are going to go buy the book today after seeing this. Right?</s>WEAD: My publicist said I lost $1 million by delaying the book after the election, where it would have been driven by partisan interest. But I hope it sells. I'm an historian and he's president. And he has to lead. He has to set an example. I had to write about the Roosevelt's, the Kennedys, the Bushes. I attempted to vet the stories with all three families.</s>KAGAN: Wead tells CNN he still thinks of the president as his friend.</s>SANCHEZ: Take you now to the diplomatic front once again and this new hot-button issue that we've all been talking, which is squarely focused on Syria and their occupation of Lebanon. Our senior international correspondent Brent Sadler staying on top of this story for us. Brent, the president got an applause in Brussels when he said Syrian troops need to get out of Lebanon. You're there in Syria. What's the reaction so far?</s>BRENT SADLER, CNN SR. INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Syrians are watching what President Bush has had to say very closely. Not just today in Brussels but in the many weeks before leading to this ongoing crisis. What you're seeing here now in Syria's next-door neighbor, Lebanon in the capital Beirut, massive pro-democracy, pro- freedom rallies taking place. the kind of thing you do not just see in this part of the world in the heart of the Middle East. These rallies coming up after the assassination exactly a week ago of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Now, the Syrians are concerned the way the political fault line has divided for pro-Syrian politicians in Lebanon and anti-Syrian politicians. They're looking at what President George Bush has had to say in the context of U.S. plans to reshape the Middle East, to bring democracy here. Syria very concerned about the upheaval, of course, of democracy on its doorsteps and these ongoing marches in Beirut. For the Syrians, a cabinet minister I spoke to a few hours ago says, it's not just a matter of what Syria does with it troops in Lebanon. Syria, they say here is attempting at being destabilized by U.S. policy in the region, attempting to destabilize Syria and its relationship with its weaker neighbor, Lebanon. Here's what the minister had to say.</s>BOUTHEINA SHAABAN, MINISTER OF EXPATRIATES, SYRIA: And the troops will redeploy and there was a plan, and there is a plan for the troops to redeploy. And for the elections, Syria said that we will not interfere in the Lebanese election. And I think, as I'm telling you, the issue is not here. It's not the troops. The issue is not the assassination of Hariri. The issue is to take Syria and Lebanon into a very unstable future and chaotic future. And this is what the people in the region fear most.</s>SADLER: Now, Syria is saying that it will remove troops from Lebanon in its own good time, under accords that ended the civil war. There have been several redeployments of Syrian troops have been in Beirut in Lebanon for nearly 40 years. Not in Syria's strategic interest to weaken its grip on its Lebanese neighbor given the over all picture in the Middle East right now -- Rick.</s>SANCHEZ: So it sounds like what you're saying, Brent, is the possibility exists for Syrians to dig in even further, after hearing comments and remarks like those that the president has made this morning.</s>SADLER: Absolutely. Syria have to understand has contacts, has relationships, the U.S. says, supports terrorists. Not just here in Damascus, like Islamic Jihad and Hamas, both have representations here in the Syrian capital. But also Hezbollah, the U.S. says that organization is a terrorist organization, attacking Israeli troops at the foot of the Golan Heights that Syria wants back as part of a comprehensive peace deal. Loosens Syria's grip on Lebanon, warns Syria, and you risk plunging this region even more chaos and bloodshed -- Rick.</s>SANCHEZ: Brent is following the story from Damascus this morning. We thank you for that.</s>KAGAN: We are talking about California coming up. A scene that some residents are just too familiar with. And they are determined not get caught off guard this time. Still to come, bracing for the rain and mud. We will go live to California.</s>SANCHEZ: Also, before you grab a beer and yell at the players, you should know the rules of the game are changing. What do we speak of? Stick around, you'll find out.