Senate Approves $100 Billion Emergency Funding Bill Despite Veto Threat By President Bush; Donald Rumsfeld Faces Serious Protests, Tough Questions From Audience; Bill Frist Manages Possible White House Run With Day Job In Senate; House Passes Scaled-Back Lobbying Reform Bill
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: To our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time. Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you today's top stories. Happening now, a showdown over spending. The Senate ignores a presidential veto threat and passes emergency funding for war and hurricane relief. It's 4:00 p.m. here in Washington, where Republicans are taking hard lines and fighting over the bottom line. Also this hour, President Bush celebrates Latino heritage in the midst of a star spangled debate over Spanish and the national anthem. We're keeping you up-to-the-minute on the immigration wars. And Donald Rumsfeld under fire again. The Pentagon chief faces serious protests and some tough questions from angry audience members. Did the confrontation help or hurt his standing with the American public and with the president? I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Right now, Donald Rumsfeld watchers are buzzing about a dramatic show of public anger at the defense secretary. Just a short while ago, the Pentagon chief was speaking in Atlanta when he was heckled, interrupted by protesters and grilled by an audience member about Iraq. Listen to this.</s>DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: It appears that there were not weapons of mass destruction there.</s>RAY MCGOVERN, CIA VETERAN: You said you knew where they were.</s>RUMSFELD: I did not. I said I knew where suspect sites were, and we were just...</s>MCGOVERN: You said you knew where they were, "near Tikrit, near Baghdad, and northeast, south and west of there." Those are your words.</s>BLITZER: We'll assess the political fall-out in our "Strategy Session. Also, a reality check. What exactly did Donald Rumsfeld say before the war about weapons of mass destruction? We're going back, reviewing all of his words. All that coming up here in THE SITUATION ROOM. But first, a big fight over big bucks. It pits the White House against the Senate, and Republicans against Republicans. Also emergency funding for the Iraq war and hurricane relief now are hanging in the balance. Just hours ago, the Senate approved the $100 billion spending bill despite a strong veto threat by President Bush. He's demanding the bill be stripped of extra spending piled on by senators. And now the House Majority leader is making a threat of his own. Our White House correspondent Ed Henry is standing by. Let's go to our congressional correspondent Andrea Koppel first, with the latest developments. Andrea.</s>ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, almost two months after the House of Representatives passed that emergency supplemental, and actually came in slightly under what President Bush had requested, senators finally cast their votes today, and seem to be setting up what is shaping up to be a head-on collision between the Senate, President Bush and the House.</s>KOPPEL (voice-over): President Bush repeated his ultimatum yesterday.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Congress needs to hear me loud and clear. If they spend more than 92.2 plus pandemic flu emergency funds, I will veto the bill.</s>KOPPEL: But by a vote of 78-20, the Republican-dominated Senate defied the president and voted to spend almost $109 billion, or over $14 billion more than what President Bush said he'd allow. Included in the Senate bill, much of what Mr. Bush wanted, almost $71 billion in emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as close to $30 billion for hurricane relief in the Gulf Coast and 11 billion for homeland security and border protection. But that's not what has critics up in arms.</s>SEN. JIM BUNNING (R), KENTUCKY: It has everything but the kitchen sink. And as I read through the programs that will provide $20 million for oyster fishermen in New England, and $4 million for erosion control projects in California and Michigan, I'm starting to believe the kitchen sink must be in there, too, somewhere.</s>KOPPEL: Critics say the bill is packed with expensive pet projects places like Hawaii, where $6 million is earmarked to help the islands' struggling sugar industry.</s>SEN. TOM COBURN (R), OKLAHOMA: Emergencies are supposed to be reserved for true emergencies. Unexpected costs facing the federal government. This bill is loaded with things that aren't unexpected.</s>KOPPEL: But Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran. who successfully pushed for $700 million to relocate his state's railroad line, said an emergency is in the eye of the beholder.</s>SEN. THAD COCHRAN (R), MISSISSIPPI: An emergency is, you know, whatever a majority of the Congress agrees is an emergency.</s>KOPPEL: The next stop for a senators and Congressman to try to smooth over their differences, but today the House Majority Leader John Boehner signaled that's not going to be easy, telling reporters, "The House won't spend a dollar more than what the president has asked for, period." Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Andrea, thanks. Let's bring in Ed Henry. He's at the White House watching all of this. What are they saying there about these latest developments on Capitol Hill, Ed?</s>ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the point here is it's not really just about this bill, it's about the White House trying to get President Bush back on the offensive. And what better way to do it for him to veto out of control spending on Capitol Hill? That would fire up his conservative base that has gone a little wobbly on this president on various issues, and it would really fire them up. And there are a lot of conservatives, though, wondering will this president actually go through with it? They're skeptical. He has never vetoed a bill over the last five years, not vetoed one single bill. But White House spokesman Scott McClellan insisted again today they mean business this time.</s>SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: The president's made it very clear he would veto legislation that goes above and beyond what he called for. And also members of both the Senate and House have expressed that they will sustain that veto, and that they have enough votes to sustain such a veto.</s>HENRY: But one potential complication. This would put the commander-in-chief in the awkward position of vetoing a bill that includes some $72 billion for troops in the field, as well as, as Andrea noted, emergency money for Katrina. What White House aides are hoping is that Congress will go back to the table, cut out some of this fat. But they insist if Congress does not do that, they're comfortable with the veto because they think they can go to the American people, win this argument and then pass a scaled back bill without the fat, just with the money for the emergency stuff -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: The president had a Cinco de Mayo event today here in Washington. This comes in the midst of all the immigration battles that are underway. Was there a headline out of this event?</s>HENRY: Absolutely. The president celebrated Cinco de Mayo early, obviously, because of scheduling reasons. He welcomed various Hispanic leaders here to the White House. He immediately used it as an occasion to once again try to jumpstart his immigration reform bill. He wants it to be comprehensive, which means that basically he wants border security that will get tough on illegal immigrants. But he also wants to be compassionate towards the nearly 12 million immigrants already here. Here's his pitch.</s>BUSH: In this country, we're now having an important debate about immigration, and it is really important that we discuss this issue in a way that is worthy of this country's best traditions. Our nation does not have to choose between being a compassionate society and a lawful society.</s>HENRY: An argument that was widely popular before that audience, but it's an argument that is still splitting the Republican party right down the middle. No compromise in sight for now -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Ed, thanks for that. The immigration wars heated up again this week. Coast to coast boycotts, dubbed "A Day Without Immigrants," earlier in the week. Now, three days later, are we seeing any new political impact from all of these protests? Let's bring in our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley. Candy, what are we seeing?</s>CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, you know, in any year, much less a political year, hundreds of thousands of people on the streets of America is a clear sign, at least, of the potential of political clout. But what's the signal coming out of Tuesday's election in the small town of Herndon, Virginia? It's all part of the mix as Congress struggles with this issue of immigration.</s>CROWLEY (voice-over): This is where day laborers, mostly immigrants, legal and not, hang out looking for work in Herndon, Virginia. It may not look like an election issue, but last night voters threw out their mayor and two city council members who pushed for the day labor center. This is the new mayor.</s>STEVE DEBENEDITTIS, HERNDON, VIRGINIA, MAYOR-ELECT: We welcome immigrants. But they have concerns, valid concerns, about illegal immigration.</s>CROWLEY: Fewer than 3,000 people voted in Herndon, just about 24 hours after the nation watched hundreds of thousands immigrants, legal and not, demonstrate across the country.</s>FRANK SHARRY, NATIONAL IMMIGRATION FORUM: I've never known a politician who wasn't attracted to a large crowd, and these have been some pretty large crowds.</s>CROWLEY: True enough, it was evidence that the immigrant community can galvanize itself. The question is, to what end? Congress is reading the tea leaves.</s>SEN. HARRY REID (D), MINORITY LEADER: I personally believe very, very fervently that they have helped -- helped picture this issue in the minds of the American people in a positive fashion.</s>CROWLEY: Tea leaf reading is not an exact science, particularly in an election year, where, frankly, Democrats would be better off if the Republican-led Congress did nothing.</s>SHARRY: I think Congress is going to have a lot of explaining to do if they don't end this session with a good comprehensive bill.</s>CROWLEY: Republicans -- desperate for something to tout as accomplishment, anxious not to alienate core conservative voters -- are afraid the demonstrations harden conservative opposition to anything that smacks of a break for illegals.</s>SEN. MEL MARTINEZ (R), FLORIDA: I believe at the end of the day, we'll see that it really had a negative effect and it backfired on those of us who are trying to move forward something that is comprehensive, but yet a middle course.</s>CROWLEY: Senator Mel Martinez of Florida says since Monday's demonstrations, calls to his office have run 10 to one against his bill providing tougher border security and a pathway to citizenship after hurdles are jumped.</s>JOHN FUND, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": The boycott has so heated up the measure that we're not going to have any bill this year. It's simply poisoned the well.</s>CROWLEY: As Washington lawmakers struggle with the political weight of all those demonstrations ...</s>SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: It wasn't clear exactly what the message was, and I think in some ways it tended to polarize people.</s>CROWLEY: Herndon, Virginia is already discussing changes to ensure the day labor center cannot be used by illegals.</s>CROWLEY: And that's the problem with tea leaves, Wolf, is you're never quite sure which ones to read.</s>BLITZER: So are they really close to getting immigration reform legislation passed through the House and Senate? A compromise? Or is this going to go away this year?</s>CROWLEY: Well, you know, I mean, you have to bet against it at this point simply because of this. It's not just can the Senate get a bill together. It's can they reconcile it with the House. I mean, the House bill is a very tough border security bill. The Senate bill, Mel Martinez and others -- John Cornyn -- are trying to put together this kind of compromise bill. They really do feel that these demonstrations have backfired, that people looked up and saw Mexican flags or they saw kids leaving school or whatever it happened to be, it offended them. Now, a lot of people say, look, this was a Rorschach test. You just looked at that crowd and you saw what you believed to begin with. Nonetheless, it seems to have hardened positions, and you know when positions harden, it makes it very difficult to do anything on the Hill.</s>BLITZER: Candy, thanks very much. And thanks to Candy and Ed and Andrea, part of the best political team on television. CNN, America's campaign headquarters. Zain Verjee is off this week. Fredricka Whitfield is joining us now from the CNN Global Headquarters with a closer look at some other stories making news -- Fred.</s>FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello to you, Wolf. Well he's al Qaeda's point man in Iraq, but Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may not be so handy with a gun. The U.S. military today showed portions of a video depicting the insurgent leader fumbling with a machine gun. A U.S. military official called al-Zarqawi a warrior leader who wears American tennis shoes and doesn't understand how to operate weapons. Much more on this story in our 7:00 p.m. Eastern hour right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. At least nine people were killed when a bomb exploded outside a courthouse in Baghdad today. A witness says a woman hid a vest packed with explosives outside the building. Two more U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq. The U.S. military say as bomb blew up their vehicle in Baghdad today. Two thousand four hundred and eight U.S. troops have died in Iraq since 2003. Zacarias Moussaoui will spend the rest of his life behind bars in a maximum security prison. A judge today formally sentenced the convicted al Qaeda conspirator to six life terms for his role in the September 11, 2001 attacks. The judge told Moussaoui that he would, quote, "die with a whimper." We'll have much more on this story next hour right here in THE SITUATION ROOM. And stinging criticism today from Vice President Dick Cheney about Russia. Meeting with Eastern European leaders in Lithuania, Cheney accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of backsliding on democracy and using his nation's energy resources to blackmail neighboring countries. The Kremlin calls Cheney's comments, quote, "completely incomprehensible." We'll have much more on this story straight ahead in THE SITUATION ROOM -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: We're watching lots of news. Thanks for that, Fred. We'll check back with you shortly. Let's check in with Jack Cafferty now in New York with "The Cafferty File." Hi, Jack.</s>JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: That makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? They have Cheney over there taking the Russians to task at a time when we might need their vote in the U.N. Security Council along with China's if we're going to put sanctions on Iran to try and keep them from getting nuclear weapons. Who figure this is stuff out? Do you know, wolf?</s>BLITZER: They come up with these decisions. It's a collegial kind of meeting, a strategy meet they have and they make these decisions.</s>CAFFERTY: That's great. You know, we should -- let's raise our taxes because I want to send more money down there because they are doing such a great job. According to a new book -- this is pretty good stuff -- when Hurricane Katrina struck, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin went to the bathroom and stayed there twice. Historian Douglas Brinkley paints a harsh portrait of Nagin in his new book. He says Nagin spent most of the week after the storm holed up in a high-rise hotel overlooking the Superdome. One of the bathroom scenes came after Nagin made an emotional call to a radio station. Sources say that he broke down crying and spent 20 minutes locked in the bathroom rearranging knick-knacks and toiletries. Then there's the incident on Air Force One, which is my favorite. Nagin was offered a shower while he was waiting for President Bush. Brinkley writes in his book that Nagin wouldn't come out of the bathroom because he wanted to shave his head for a photo op. The Secret Service finally threw him out. Nagin told the "Times-Picayune" newspaper Brinkley wasn't there, doesn't know what he's talking about. He also says that no "credible" historian would publish such a political hit just days before the May 20th runoff election. So here's the question, should New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin be reelected? E-mail us at CaffertyFile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/CaffertyFile. Would not come of the bathroom on Air Force One because he wanted to shave his head for a photo op. I mean, you can just picture that in your mind's eye and get a little chuckle, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Doug Brinkley, we know he's a very reputable historian.</s>CAFFERTY: One of the best.</s>BLITZER: And he's a resident of New Orleans himself. So we'll see what the fallout is of May 20 on the election. We'll see what our viewers think later this hour. Jack, thanks.</s>CAFFERTY: All right.</s>BLITZER: And if you want to get a sneak preview of Jack's questions plus an early read on the day's political news, what's ahead in THE SITUATION ROOM, you can sign up for our daily e-mail alert. A simple way to do it, just go to CNN.com/SituationRoom. Up next, the defense secretary under fire. Donald Rumsfeld meets protesters over his Iraq strategy. During a speech today, he was heckled and interrupted and he was pumped with some serious questions. Paul Begala and J.C. Watts hash it out in today's "Strategy Session." That's coming up. Also, Republicans from the White House to Congress apparently handing out red meat for conservative voters, but will their moves fire up the Republican base? And code blue for Dr. Bill Frist. The Senate majority leader has had a disheartening week. Will hot button issues help him breathe some new life into his presidential prospects. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.