The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer; September 1, 2006

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See it with CIT. And by Pacific Life, BP, and the Atlantic Philanthropies, and... This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you. Thank you. Iran's nuclear defiance was discussed far and wide today. The prospect for UN sanctions remained unclear, a day after a UN deadline passed. Iranian President Ahmadinejad dismissed any pressure to give up nuclear efforts. He told a mass rally exploitation of peaceful, nuclear energy is our obvious right. In Finland, foreign ministers from the European Union cautioned against early sanctions. The Finnish Foreign Minister said it's not the time or place. I think we are still all of us wanting to engage Iran seriously, and if the response is truly what they say,

that they are ready to engage in negotiations, then we have to see what the conditions are if this can be met. The European Union diplomacy remains the number one way forward. Well, I'm more on this story from Margaret Warner in Iran, right after this news summary. Authorities searched for more bodies in Baghdad today after coordinated bombings on Thursday. The death toll reached 64 with more than 280 wounded. Today, people salvaged belongings from rec homes and buildings, rubble and burn cars littered the streets. In all, at least 300 Iraqis were killed this week, along with 18 U.S. troops. For the month of August, 65 Americans were killed up sharply from July. More than 2,600 U.S. service personnel have died since the war began. A Pentagon report acknowledged today,

sectarian violence is spreading across Iraq. The quarterly review said the security situation is the most complex since the war began. It cited illegal militias and death squads. But in Baghdad, a U.S. commander said new operations there are helping to stop the attackers. He said they understand a big stick. The violence that you're seeing is a result of all along what these groups have been trying to do. They've been trying to intimidate and increase anarchy in certain areas. And also, it may be a reaction to the offensive threat that we're posing to them right now in all those areas. Senator Democratic leader Reid said today, the Pentagon report shows the Bush administration is increasingly disconnected from reality in Iraq. The U.S. military announced today its anti-missile shield work in the latest test, an interceptor fired from California, knocked out a target missile fired from Alaska. The Pentagon's missile defense chief said much of the data still has to be analyzed,

but he said the test was a total success. U.N. Secretary General Annan Press Syria today to help the ceasefire hold in Lebanon. In Damascus, he said Syrian President Assad promised to enforce an arms embargo on Hezbollah. Israel has insisted and expanded U.N. force be stationed along the Syrian border to halt arms shipments and instead President Assad objected again to any such mode. World donors today pledged $500 million in aid for the Palestinians. They met in Stockholm, Sweden. Palestinians have been living on restricted aid since Hamas came to power in January. It got worse in June when militants seized and Israeli soldier and the Israelis cracked down on Gaza. In Jerusalem today, a U.N. development officer painted a grim picture. The poverty situation in the Gaza Strip is really alarming. Close to 70 percent of population is living below the poverty line of $2 per day. So the purchasing power of the residents,

the ability, even if the food is available, and which hasn't been for long periods of time due to the closure of the corny crossing, but even if the food becomes available, the ability of the population to purchase food is becoming increasingly limited. Yesterday, another donor conference in Sweden raised close to $1 billion for rebuilding Lebanon. Tropical storm Ernesto drenched on North Carolina and Virginia today after coming ashore overnight. The storm knocked out power to nearly 300,000 customers. Heavy rain flooded streets in eastern North Carolina, a 30-foot sinkhole forced authorities to close one U.S. highway. As the system moved on, it dumped more than 7 inches of rain on Norfolk, Virginia, leaving many roads impassable. In the Pacific, Hurricane John closed on Baja, California. Mexican authorities warned people to leave or be removed by force. The storm is still expected to veer out to see and not threaten the United States. The price of oil retreated further today.

It fell more than a dollar in New York trading to close near $69 a barrel. For the week, crude slipped more than 4.5 percent. It's down 11 percent from a record high above $78 in July. Another economic news unemployment fell in August. The Labor Department reported today that jobless rate dipped a 10th of a point to 4.7 percent. Employers added 128,000 new jobs a little more than expected. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 83 points to close at 11,464. The Nasdaq rose 9 points to close at 2193. For the week, the Dow gained 1.6 percent, the Nasdaq rose 2 percent. And that's it for the new summary tonight. Now, Margaret Warner in Iran. Kwame Holman from Pennsylvania. Shields and Brooks. Agassie tennis and a Richard Rodriguez essay. Margaret Warner's report from Iran.

First, how people in Tehran are reacting to the threat of U.N. sanctions. At Friday prayers in Tehran today, Defiance. Death to America, the crowd chanted a rousing warm-up for the powerful Iranian government figure and hardest of hardliners, Ayatollah Akhmet Johnity. The Islamic Republic said we are ready to talk. We said, don't threaten us. We are ready to negotiate, but we are not going to forego our rights. However, they judge us, let's not worry about it. If we were to be influenced by global public opinion, why did we have a revolution in the first place? The cleric said the outcome of the recent Lebanon conflict proved Iranians need not fear the United States. Muslims must learn that you too can stand up against the enemy. The House of Israel is shaker than a spider's web.

The same applies to America. If America stands against us, they will suffer the same defeat as the Israelis. The Ayatollah summary of the Iranian position, a day after the United Nations deadline, was echoed by worshippers in the largely loyal crowd. The nuclear program that Iran has involved in is totally peaceful, and we are convinced that this will not be too low. There is mischief, but this is nothing new. These threats have been in existence for more than 26 years. We have already declared and explained the goals of the government, what we want to do, and we have tried to explain it very clearly. And from then on, it's not important what the world says. But those with more to lose tended to see it differently. Thursday night is party night in Tehran, and for many, the entertainment of choice is cruising up and down the avenues looking for action. Last night, just hours before the UN deadline expired was no exception.

Among these North Tehranies, in professions and businesses that depend on the global economy, there was concern. So, you know, today's video is going to be a good time. Is it on your mind? Of course. Airline pilot Suru Shashami out for a cruise with his young family was nervous. It looks like things are going in the wrong way. Things are not getting closer. If Iran, the United States are not getting closer. You know what I mean? Well, things get worse. Of course, life gets harder. Could there be war, we asked? Experience shows. That gets possible. You never know. Normally, you don't expect course to happen. You think it's propaganda or something like that? But who knows? His car lurched forward. He fell back again for a parting shot. What is important is all the Iranian.

I believe we have no problem in the United States. So, somebody should understand this. At a shop where late night diners were picking up flame cook, beef, and chicken sandwiches, we heard support for the government's pursuit of nuclear energy, but also concern about the consequences of defying the international community. Hassan Talabi sells imported computers. Yes, thanks. If you go on sanctions, I mean, if you do something wrong, I mean, if you do something bad on our business, I'm sure of it. But it won't hurt your business. Yes, of course. It was a question he couldn't or wouldn't answer.

There was an Iranian government response today to the threat of you in sanctions. And Ray Suarez talked with Margaret about that after she finished that earlier report. Margaret, welcome. The deadline came and went for Iranian compliance with the Security Council mandate. Did the government acknowledge that fact in any way? Not in so many words, but the note of defiance was just maintained throughout yesterday. And today, yesterday at Medina Shah, the president went and gave yet another speech about Iran's inalienable right to develop this scientific nuclear technology. And it's the theme that he's been hitting for over a year. He's really raised public consciousness about that. And in fact, then you hear it back from people. So it's working publicly. That's their whole pitch. That we have this inalienable right. We're a great country and we're going to keep it up and we're not going to be bullied. Well, what are people telling you in Tehran about what the government's mid-range and short-range plan is in defying the UN and by going ahead with uranium enrichment? The calculation here or the analysis of the government's calculation is they really think they can divide and conquer.

They think they can split the US from the Europeans. And they've noted with some satisfaction that in fact, not only was there no action at the UN today, but I gather John Bolton has said they're not going to do anything until at least late next week after other meetings take place. So the basic approach is, as I said, they think they can wait out the UN. Meanwhile, they continue the research. Now, nobody has a sense of how well that is going. But time is very much on the Iranian side and that's the way they're playing this. There are some analysts here who have even said to me off-camera that they think this government wants and needs this confrontation to divert attention from a rather disappointing economic performance over the past year. Ahmadine Shah's first year. And to rally the public kind of restore a sense of national purpose. And a couple of people have even said to me who are very critical of the government. They don't even think the government would mind a limited military strike on, say, the nuclear facilities because whatever they would lose in infrastructure, they would more than gain in enhanced public opinion and clout in the Muslim world and here at home.

So you describe a government that's willing to court confrontation, possibly even risk military action. What do the people on the streets of the cities of Iran think of what their governments do it? As I said, the basic theme of Iran being a nation fully entitled to enjoy the privileges of any other nation has huge resonance here. I mean, the Persian slash Iranians are known for being a very proud people. And this just taps into that whole national pride, sense of national pride, and the sense that the world has never recognized what a great nation Iran is. So even among critics of the government that we've talked to that is among ordinary people, they support that. What the difference you hear is among those who are more affluent, who are more internationally connected, they are fearful of the consequences.

And some will say to me off camera, again, off camera, that they think that Ahmadinejad's government has handled this in an unnecessarily risky and reckless way. For example, all the anti-Israel rhetoric has, as one person said, just made the world far more frightened of the prospect of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. So it's a mixed picture. You're not saying a major debate in the press or a major debate from parliament about whether Iran should even go down this course. The country seems united behind, at least pursuing this technology in some form. I guess the next diplomatic shoe to drop is a visit from the United Nations Secretary-General? That's right. Tomorrow, Kofi Ann comes. And here's another odd thing. I spoke to a senior diplomat tonight who said that the Iranian press, which I had actually not seen today, is filled with a lot of criticism of the UN and of Ann in advance of the trip. And sort of calling into question his impartiality and the Security Council's legitimacy, a couple of articles that refer to it as the US Security Council.

And this person said to me, you know, that is very different. That is very new here in Iran. You've never had UN bashing here at all. In fact, the opposite. So who knows what game the regime is playing with that, but certainly they have done nothing to raise any kind of public hopes or expectations that tomorrow will be a major crisis settling or problem-solving session. Senior correspondent, Margaret Warner, reporting from the Iranian capital, Margaret Good to talk to you. Good to talk to you, Ray. Now, one town's decision to take the problems of illegal immigration into its own hands. NewsHour correspondent, Kwame Holman, reports. It was meant to cause some controversy to get people talking because anytime there's an issue that comes up, that's very controversial. The best way to handle it is sit down and talk.

The issue is illegal immigration. Once concentrated in border states and big cities, the debate has come to smaller communities, places such as Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Like many small cities and towns in Pennsylvania, Hazleton suffered economically as coal mining and manufacturing jobs left the region. Hazleton's population declined for years. But since 2000, the town has seen a surge of new residents, mostly Latino, many undocumented. The new residents were attracted by jobs in the town's expanding industrial park and affordable housing. Hazleton's Hispanic population exploded and today comprises almost a third of its 30,000 residents. But in recent weeks, many have begun to leave a response to a new city ordinance, one of the strictest laws in the nation aimed at illegal immigrants. Hazleton's mayor is Republican Lou Barletta, himself a fourth-generation descendant of Italian immigrants, until recently he says he welcomed all the newcomers.

I've embraced that community as it continued to come, and obviously our neighborhoods were seeing new people moving in, buying homes, renting homes. More people opening up mom and pop businesses again, which was exciting for me as the mayor to see that. Local business leader and retired ophthalmologist Agapito Lopez, a native of Puerto Rico, decided to settle in Hazleton a few years ago. He says the Latino community embraced the mayor as well. He was her friend. He cooperated with us. He even made a playground for us. He made a city within the city for us. Nice homes in the middle of downtown. All this was to welcome the Latinos and the immigrants that were coming into town. Suddenly he changed. I was amazed. I was surprised.

Dr. Lopez says that change came in July when Mayor Barletta got the Hazleton City Council to adopt by a vote of four to one, a new ordinance that would find landlords who rent to illegal immigrants, find employers who hire illegal immigrants, and designate English as the town's official language. He didn't consult any of us, any of the leaders. Mayor Barletta says the measure is aimed only at Hazleton's undocumented, who may number up to 5,000. He also says illegal immigrants are causing a spike in drug activity and violent crime, burdening his small police force. It was one recent crime that Barletta says pushed him to take action. The final straw came for me on May 10th of this year. It was 1130 at night. I got a call from Chief of Police. It was a 29-year-old. There, a cash line was shot between the eyes by two individuals. Those individuals were illegal aliens. Four were arrested in connection to that homicide. All four were illegal aliens.

That very same day on May 10th, a 14-year-old, was arrested for shooting a gun into a crowded playground. A playground that was filled with Hispanic children. He was also an illegal alien. The following week, there was a drug bust in downtown Hazleton where we permanently closed two businesses. There were more illegal aliens involved there. That's when I've had enough. But Agapito Lopez complains the ordinance cast a poll over the entire Hispanic community, legal and illegal alike. Because everybody would look at us as if we're undocumented immigrants. Because there's no way that they can tell if we're documented or not. Lopez and others say even though the ordinance doesn't become law until mid-September, it's effect already can be seen on Wyoming Street, the heart of the city's Hispanic community. Homes have gone up for sale, and Lopez estimates about half a dozen of the 60 Hispanic-owned businesses that opened in recent years have closed or are expected too soon.

The mayor forced the people going out of the house. That's the truth. Really bad for everybody, for the city, for me, for my family. Grocery store owner Maria Lopez Scott, a native New Yorker, has lived in Hazleton for seven years. She says the new ordinance is behind the decision of many of her customers to leave Hazleton and even causes some in town to wonder if she is illegal. Before the ordinance, we made a lot of money. We have a lot of customers, he's funny people. Before I do come my install by this time, you beat a lot of people here. They borrowed everything. Now you see my store is empty. No people in here. But around Hazleton, there's no shortage of positive reviews for Mayor Barletta's ordinance, particularly among non-immigrant longtime residents who say they don't want their tax dollars used to support illegal immigrants. I'm really proud of the mayor for being pretty much the first one to start this.

The ones that are coming in here illegally are making it bad for the ones that are actually here illegal. So, I don't know, I support him. I'm glad that he did it. Rico Nuts and wife Laurie have lived here for decades. They talked about the mayor's ordinance while watching their son get ready for Hazleton highs upcoming football season. I support the mayor 100% because going back to my grandmother and grandfather again, they were very, very proud that day they became American citizens. My mom told me all about it that the tears in the eyes and everything. And why should we demean that? We're not saying we don't want you to be an American, but do it the right way. Do it legally. What part of illegal don't you understand? We have a lot of people from a lot of different races here and that's to cover everyone. Whether they're illegal doesn't say that they have to be Hispanic or they have to be from Turkey or Ireland or Germany or England. It's illegal. That's the bottom line to it is illegal.

But even before it becomes official, Hazleton's immigration ordinance has attracted legal challenge. Vic Walchek is an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union. It is unconstitutional. We think it's a violation of equal protection to set up different standards for people because they may come from different countries. And, you know, and one of I think our frustrations and the whole immigration debate and discussion of this ordinance is that nobody's thinking about the practical effect of how this is going to work. I don't understand their legal strategy. The ACLU, along with several other Civil Liberties groups, is suing the city of Hazleton to block the ordinance. If you think about every municipality in the country passing their own standards for who is lawfully here and who isn't, you're going to have such a patchwork that it would make life and commerce impossible. And that's the reason that the Constitution gives exclusive power to regulate immigration to the United States Congress. This is a federal responsibility, and Hazleton simply cannot interfere with that, and that's what they're doing.

But the effort in Congress to rewrite immigration laws for the first time in 20 years has been stalled for months. And several cities are moving ahead with legislation modeled after Mayor Barletta's. And three cities, Costa Mesa, California, Valley Park, Missouri, and Riverside, New Jersey recently adopted their own immigration laws. For his part, Mayor Barletta said he had to do something. I cannot tell these people here in this city. I'm sorry what's happening here, but there's nothing I can do about it. They're working on it in Washington. They're talking about building walls, and these people don't want to hear that. They elected me to protect them. These are these apprehensive attack on the immigrants. I think they are not counting on Congress, they're not counting on the federal government. And I think they don't have the right to be immigration agents. As for store owner Maria Lopez Scott.

I have to leave. Maybe in a few months, two or three months, I have to close it out and move to the other city. Even if Hazleton's new ordinance doesn't survive a court challenge, it already may have achieved one consequence intended by the mayor to get some illegal immigrants to leave town. An update. This afternoon in response to the lawsuit against the immigration ordinance, the town agreed to delay its enforcement and said it will work on a replacement measure that can survive a court challenge. Macon Road on Agassie and Rodriguez on Singing. But first, Shields and Brooks syndicated columnist Mark Shields, New York Times columnist David Brooks. David, how do you see the president's new speech offensive on Iraq and terror this week? Well, the thing that first strikes me about the White House these days is how it is narrowed down to the Middle East. This is what they think about the president.

Every morning sees the casualty reports on every trip he's visiting the families of people who have been killed. His administration has focused down on this. A lot of people are saying he's doing it for the fall elections. I don't think that's true. I think he's doing it first. I don't think that's true. Well, obviously there's a political element to it, but primarily it's to keep support for the war. And because there's what the administration has become all about, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon. Jim, I don't take quite as benign an approach to the president's speech. The president said the speeches, the president's speeches. The president said, particularly in the Salt Lake City speech, that this was the ideological battle of the 21st century. The battle of Iraq upon its outcome and victory there depended victory in the battle of the war against terrorism. If that's true, what the hell are we doing with 130,000 troops there? We're going to have half a million. Why haven't we mobilized the home front? Why aren't we paying for this? Why isn't, I mean, why seriously isn't the country on a war footing? If that's really what he's talking about, and comparing this to battle against communism, the Cold War, and comparing it to the battle against Nazism? I mean, to me, you make an statement like that, and then you just totally contradict yourself by saying we're going to continue with this failed policy.

In this failed approach, what about that dude? Well, it's a good point. Would you support half a million troops there? That's the problem. That right now he couldn't get the military to support it in part because he didn't raise the size of the military after 9-11. He couldn't at this point get the country to do it. I agree with him, and I agree with Mark. I agree it is an ideological conflict, almost equal to the size of the fight against communism and fascism. If you look at the recent survey done in the Middle East, who are the five most important people in this region? It was the head of Hezbollah, the head of Iran, the head of Hamas, the head of Egyptian Brotherhood. All Islamists. This Islamistist movement continues to build and build and build, whether it's Sunni, Shia, Iran, Iraq. This is a big ideological fight. Mark's point is perfectly valid, though. If it's that big, why aren't we fighting to win? Why are we always committing 80% of the troops that started to do the job? Do you agree?

Do you agree with David and the President that it is? That it is comparable to communism? No, I think the President, I think the President is trying to take several disparate movements and make them into a civil war. And so is David Brewer. And so is David Brooks. I mean, Hezbollah and Hamas are not the same thing, not as Iran. And let's be very blunt about this. Al Qaeda had nothing to do with Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein was a secularist. If you were practicing Muslim in Iraq, you had to keep your head down. You couldn't even show it. Now, what we have is we have a breeding ground, a recruiting station for terrorists, interact as a consequence of the United States occupying, occupying, invading and occupying the Muslim Holy Land. That's the first thing. The second thing is, Jim, that as you look at this movement and the President's talking about it, they've got their narrative totally backwards. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld. That was, they started off telling us this was going to be a cakewalk. This was going to be Rumsfeld said, it won't even last six months. The President said it's the end of combat.

Cheney said it will be recommended, welcomed as liberators. Now, they've turned it around and said, no, no, this is a battle for civilization. This is a lot tougher than we thought it was. And if you're on the other side and you question the wisdom and the folly and the mistakes that we've made, you're a Neville Chamberlain. We're Winston Churchill. If we're, if they're Winston Churchill, where is the blood sweat toiletiers? David? Well, there's a whole lot, a lot of things there. Nonetheless, I do think, did we exacerbate the problem by failing to do Iraq well? Absolutely. Does that mean the movement that started with Kattoo, but started 50 years ago is now building throughout the Islamic world, is not a real movement, is not a real threat? Look at Margaret's piece in Iran. Look at the speeches we just heard and the speeches that have been going on and on and on about destroying Israel. If Iran is to get the bomb, do we really have total confidence that they do not give it to somebody who could destroy Tel Aviv or New York or Washington? It seems to me that this problem is a significant problem. Have they exacerbated with the way we've acted? Yes, but to minimize it, this is, I guess, the fall debate we're going to have.

But what about, speaking of the debate, what about Mark's point, picking up on what Rumsfeld said, comparing this to Chamberlain and an appeasement? People who oppose this are appeasing like people did the Nazis and did the Communists. It's a dangerous word to use it as the way I haven't defended Rumsfeld in about five years. But the way he would track the record. It's okay. The way he phrased it in that speech, I thought he asked a series of legitimate questions. Do you think you can appease forces extremists of this sort? He didn't accuse anybody of he didn't mention any Democrats. He mentioned I think one Republican Bora. And so that's a legitimate point because a lot of people do say if we only talk to Hezbollah, then we can get them, or Hamas, we can get them to change their tune. That I think is untrue and I think he was making a valid point. Second, he said, does anybody think they could negotiate a separate piece with these forces? And let's face it, a lot of countries notably Saudi Arabia have tried to negotiate separate pieces. So the broad historical analogy that he's trying to draw, I think, are things worth talking about. And to be honest, Democrats with a lot of justification have been slamming Donald Rumsfeld

in the most vicious terms for four years. He's allowed to hit that. Mark, shall I add it back? He's allowed to hit back. Of course, he's allowed to hit back and make his case, his flawed failed case. But the reality is, Jim, that he was asked by the Washington Post. Can you name a single Democrat or a single American who is advocated negotiating with Osama bin Laden? Have you, a single one who wants to toss in the towel on the Oregon's terrorism? A single one who wants to cut funding. Could not. None can be named. I mean, if you set up a straw man, sure. I mean, who are against Neville Chamberlain? I mean, seriously, David, you can't have it both ways. You can't pretend that this is some sort of a thoughtful, serious speech. When you know what it's part of a campaign, it's a key. An organized campaign. It's the last arrow left in the quiver. And that is a Peasement. It's something that the weekly standard has used, the national reviews used, and they've used it against the administration.

As far as Iran and North Korea. And now they say, well, what do we got? We've tried terrorism. We've tried the only thing we have to offer is fear itself. I mean, they've done it three elections in a row. They had a 40-point edge in 2002 as the party better on handling terrorism. That now is the point where by a seven-point margin and the associated press poll today, the American people trust the Democrats more than the Republicans get those safe. How do you read the politics of it, and we're going to move on to something else? Well, the politics of it, I think, are close. It's still a Republican's best issue, which is not to say it's a good issue. So does that explain why they're hitting it so hard? No, I think it's their first. You can victory in my mind. Okay. George Bush, we're willing to go down as an unsuccessful president in two years if he believes he can be successful in ten years. So this is what he's all about. Okay. Katrina, did the president do himself any good? And we're going to Katrina and making no speeches and spending the two days down there. Well, I mean, I think you could say that he's demonstrated sincerity. He's been there 11, 12 times.

Politically, he didn't help himself. It's Andy Kohat, I put it. The first time, Andy's pure research poll, the president fell under 50 percent. The real rating was after Katrina. So every time he revisits that scene, people are just remind people of that negative. And it's not a shining moment in the presidency, and Republican pollsters and politicians are pretty blunt that the defining moments of the administration were 9, 11 and Katrina. And the book ends that didn't help. But bottom one is he had to do it, right, David? He had to do it. He spent $120 billion, or at least committed $120 billion. They want to talk about it. I think to me, the biggest disappointment, and I primarily blame the president, I blame the Congress, was that this was a moment for an experiment, a whole series of social experiments. Because the slate was like clean. So let's see what we can do to try to create anti-poverty programs. And that has been totally undone. Not done. There's been some aid that will be specific to New Orleans and today at region. But as far as trying to reimagine what you can do about poverty, that never happened.

The Valerie Plain case, David. It turns out Richard Armitage. And then the state department was the source for Richard Novak. Where are we? What is the meaning of all the world? Well, we're in nowhere. The story just died. I mean, there was a frenzy for almost a year as people thought they had crow rove in their sights. And a lot of people in the press, I went back and did next to searches, what everybody was saying. And a lot of people were spreading wild theories, including a lot of Democrats about how there was this White House conspiracy to out Valerie Plain. That turns out not to be true. And now that it's Armitage and Outro, the story is full and off the radar screen. Nobody has any interest. And that's for a whole series of reasons. One of which is that Armitage is a member of the Washington Club in Roe visit. Because he was close to Colin Powell. And he's not here a long time. And not part of the White House, quote, crowd. The Chinese White House, correct. Okay. Dick Armitage, it was, I think, heard in this podcast, one of the worst kept secrets in Washington. And the Armitage was the source of this.

Why didn't you tell me that? Well, no, there was no one that didn't deny it. I mean, it was the open speculation. I mean, it seemed to me the consensus speculation that the thing about it, Jim, is that even though Armitage was the source to Novak, that Novak went to corroborate it with Carl Rove, who obviously was interested in this. And they did have meetings on how to discredit Joe Wilson and Joe Wilson. Joe Wilson. That's right. And so it was not, I mean, the fact that it was Armitage, I don't think, in any way, minimizes the fact that it was the White House and the White House political operation had a very, very committed interest in discrediting Joe Wilson's report. So it was much ado about something. And you're absolutely. Much ado about nothing in your opinion. Right. Because they were violating national security by leaking the CIA agent's name in order to discredit this guy. That wasn't true. And Dick Armitage, who watched Carl Rove and Scooter Libby,

and all these people twist in the wind for a year, could have said something. But never said it. Apparently said it to Carl Ford at the State Department as soon as it happened. I mean, as soon as it was in the paper, he said, I'm the source for that. Quickly, we just have a minute left. The report from the Census Bureau this week on the uninsured and poverty, how do you read the meaning of that, Mark? Well, Jim, what we're seeing right now and it's revealed in these figures in CJD on reported today, earnings for American males, a lower today in 2005 than there were in 1973. And you'll see in the widening gap between that very thin halves and the Muslim have nots. And in addition to that, what it's taking in this toll, in the psychology of Americans, a pessimism, and about the economy of the country, according to Peter Hart, has set in. And Americans don't believe their children's lives are going to be. They're three to one margin. They're children's lives are going to be as bright as they are. We have had these stagnant wages really since 67. Until now, it has not been a political issue,

because people feel social inequality more than economic inequality. But I'm beginning to think that may be changing, because people really do have a negative view of the economy, despite the growth rate. So I do think this is a gigantic issue for the next however long it is. I'm a note of agreement. We're going to say goodbye. Thank you both. Thank you. The thrills keep coming for a tennis champion. Jeffrey Brown has our story. At 36, his body and pain, and the end of a glorious career coming at any moment, it was perhaps too much to expect from Andre Agassi. But last night in the second round of the U.S. Open, he did it again. With spectacular shots and plenty of grit, in a grueling five-set match that lasted almost four hours and took an obvious physical toll on both players. In the end, more than 23,000 fans rose to their feet

to cheer Agassi as he upset his 21-year-old opponent, Aceded Marcos Pugdadas of Cyprus. Agassi is announced till retire after the open, ending a 20-year career that's taken him from rebellious and flamboyant, young talent, famous for wild hair and bad boy behavior, to a place as one of tennis's great champions and gentlemen. He's won eight grand slam single titles and is one of the five players ever to win all four grand slam events on the tennis circuit. Maybe not that I win, you're a tourist. He's been a celebrity off the court as well, leading ad and ladies' men. He's now married to Steffi Graff, another tennis great, and the father of two children. After last night's match, Agassi reflected on what the win meant at this stage in his career. It's never been easy, you know? It's difficult now for so many reasons,

but it's also more inspiring now for many reasons. I mean, I don't get to feel this. I haven't felt this. My whole career, I've been striving to achieve things like I never believed I could do. And I'm here now just taking it all in. And that feels real special to me and really worth it. We're at least one match and who knows maybe more to play Agassi's journey continues this weekend. And joining us from the players lounge at Arthur Ashe Stadium, side of the U.S. Open, is Patrick McEnroe, who's known Andre Agassi as his opponent, coach, and friend. He's currently the captain of the U.S. Davis Cup team and a commentator for CBS and ESPN. Well, Patrick McEnroe, one of the commentators last night who happens to be your brother, John, called it one of the greatest matches I've ever seen. What do you call it? Well, it certainly was.

To me, it's an incredible story as we saw in your report. When Andre Agassi started out, he was sort of this kid that didn't really have an understanding of the tradition of the game and how important someone like he could be to the game. And I really think about 10 years ago when he dropped down to 141 in the world gym, he looked in the mirror and he realized he had all this talent. He has all this ability. Yes, he was making a lot of money. Yes, he was having success. But he wasn't living up to the talent that he had. And I think he made a decision then that he would never not do everything he could possibly do to be the best he can. And I think that's why we embrace him so much. That's why 23,000 people stayed until well after midnight to see the conclusion of that match. One of the greatest matches I've ever seen, certainly the emotion was as high as I've ever seen here at Arthur Ashe Stadium. You know, I was one of those who stayed up, at least watching on television. It was close to one o'clock. And I was reminded again about tennis at that high level. Of course, they need the skills.

But how much of it is about the mental side, the psychology. Because there were times when I was sure one of them had it. And then the other one would get some kind of new edge. How do you describe what Agassi and other champions bring even beyond the physical skills? Well, I think you're exactly right. Especially in a one-on-one competition where you're there out there for everybody to see just on your own. And you know, Andre Agassi has gone through so much in his life. And I think he realizes now that he's going to put all out there on the line and not be afraid to fail. A lot of athletes, a lot of tennis players, they look for sort of built-in excuses, whether my string isn't right in the tension or my wrist hurts or I ate something wrong. I didn't get enough sleep. I had to fight with my wife or my girlfriend. And you sort of look for those excuses. And I think what's so amazing about Andre is that he now doesn't allow any excuses to come into the equation. He's willing to say I'm going to do everything I can possibly do to try to figure out a way to win this match

and to keep going. And that's why we all feel for him so much. Because we've seen him have a lot of tough losses. He's lost some really tough matches right here to Pete Samper's over the years where he was the favorite going in. And he expressed that disappointment to you. So we've seen him fail. We've seen him succeed. But I think the champions have the ability to face that fear directly straight on and deal with it without knowing what the end result is going to be. We were talking. You were talking about his evolution. What's he like as a person? Has he changed? Or is it the way we project our image of him from that youthful, brash young young man to a kind of bald, zen master of tennis nowadays? No, he definitely has changed and all for the better. I mean, he was a kid, as I said. I played against him and got beaten pretty soundly, numerous times by Andre. But I remember one time I was playing him. And he was sort of toying with me. He was winning so easily. And I didn't respect that. I didn't like that. And I said something to Andre. And he apologized after the match. And I think in the last eight, nine years,

he's now become this guy that we all listen to. We all he want to hear what he has to say. He's so admired in the locker room. He's so looked up to because he doesn't BS with the other players. He doesn't BS with the press. He tells you what's going through his mind. You know, last night on the court, when my brother interviewed me, he said, yeah, I was nervous in the four set when I could have won. And I was really feeling tight. I was thinking about trying to finish the match off. Here's a guy knowing he's playing his last tournament, dealing with all the emotion. But what he's done for his charity back in Las Vegas, raising huge amounts of money, being so involved in the day-to-day process. He has his own preparatory school now in the inner city in Las Vegas. That has been named after him to help disadvantage youth in that part of the country and that city. And he really is a guy that gets it. And you know, there's two people in tennis. Arthur Ash and Billy Jean Kayon, of course, Billy Jean, the tennis center named for her now. This past week. I think Andre Agassi, you can put in that group as someone that will do as much,

if not more, off the court when they're done playing tennis and what they did on the court. Now, you know, we always ask the legacy question. What will his legacy be? But put it in terms of American, the future of American tennis. Because, you know, it's been widely noted in recent years that the young stars of today are mostly not Americans. Well, you know, tennis is an international sport and has been that way for a long time. And that's one of the positives about the tennis game being so popular around the world. Now, we're coming through the end of an era clearly in the men's game. Sampress, retired Jim Kerr, your Michael Chang. And now, the man himself, Andre Agassi, with eight grand slam titles, having won every grand slam there is to win. Yes, of course, there's going to be a void. You cannot replace Andre Agassi. But there's some very good young players out there. James Blake just won his match a little bit earlier today. The number five seed Andy Radix having a resurgence now with Jimmy Connors and his corner. He won the US Open a couple of years ago. Are we going to dominate like we did? Maybe in the 70s, 80s, probably not. But that's really the evolution of the game

and the changing dynamics of the sport around the world. But as far as Andre Agassi goes, he's going to be missed far beyond these shorts. He's going to be missed all over the world. He's meant that much to the game of tennis, not just in this country. Well, in the meantime, as we said, there's one more match at least. What do you think? How long can this go on? Is there any way that he could actually win this thing? You know, I will never say never. I certainly didn't think so at the beginning of the tournament, but with each match that he's able to survive. And I mean, survive. He was limping out of here. I left at 2am this morning after finishing up my work. And Andre was limping to his car in obvious pain. So for him to be able to come back, he's already had one quarter zone shot this week to go back out there. He's got to play a qualifier from Germany on paper. Andre's a huge favorite. But a lot of it is how it will his body hold up. If he wins one more match and Andy Radix wins one more match, they would play in the fourth round. So that would be certainly a match that all of us would love to see. All right, Patrick McEnroe. Thanks very much.

Thanks for having me. And finally tonight, sing along with S.A.S. Richard Rodriguez. Everywhere in America, people are plugged into silent music. On the street, in buses, in airports, walking alone or even holding hands, music, music, everywhere, and not a note to hear. We live in the civilization of the ear, not the mouth. We are desperate, for example, for music, but we do not know how to join our voices with others in song. It is a weakness in our society, a measure of how broken we are. Some Americans still sing in church. Though in the newer churches, the robust hymn of shared faith is often drowned out by blasts of music that reduce the faithful to silent listeners. Elsewhere in the world, people sing together. They sing in bars, they sing at athletic events,

after dinner and into the night family sing. Generations know the same lyrics. Entire nation sing. Most other countries, of course, enjoy the advantage of a singable anthem. When we American sing, we tend to sing by ourselves in the shower or in our cars when the windows are rolled up and no one we think is watching. Not even the iPod generation dares to burst into song and a crowd. Which brings me here to the Castro Theater in San Francisco. We're a sing-along, west-side story is showing. Built in 1922, the Castro Theater gives no meaning to the notion of a neighborhood moving palace. It rises like a secular cathedral over a neighborhood to which homosexuals and lesbians, many of them, have fled the mother parts of America. There is a special relationship between this theater and those of us who have dreamed since childhood of a world that would stop for our song. I feel pretty. I feel pretty.

An organ announces the ritual of fantasy. Ladies and gentlemen, west-side story. Feel free. Feel pretty. Sing-along. I feel chardonnay. The note immediately struck as ironic as audience members joined their voices with a giant face on the screen. Karaoke goes Hollywood. Yeah. West-side story was sumptuous music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondland. Remains one of the greatest American musicals from Broadway's last years of towering confidence. The fact that more Americans ended up seeing the movie version than ever saw the play was an indication of the loosening hole that Broadway had on the country. It was an indication of the loosening hole that Broadway had on the country. In the 1950s. Still, whether on stage or on the screen, who can deny Maria?

Suddenly, irony is the least of our pleasures in singing. On a summer's day in 2006, the castor of theater in San Francisco is, I suppose, a long way from Shakespeare's Fair Verona, a long way to from post-war Spanish Harlem where West-side story updated Romeo and Juliet. But lovers remain frustrated in their freedom to love and love the wrong kind of love remains as perplexing to the capillettes and the molecules as ever. There's a place for us all time at the place. So there is plenty to the dream of somewhere, especially for those audience members who know how difficult it is to imagine naming their homosexual love and marriage.

But at a time when the country is filled with so many lives plugged in the sight of music, here is some great freedom within camp, within irony. One can join once boys with others, one is free at last, to be an earnest. And a world of world of world of world of world of world of world of world of world of world of world. I'm Richard Rodriguez. Again, the major developments of this day in the U.S. President dismissed pressure to give up nuclear efforts

and the European Union cautioned against any rush to U.N. sanctions. A Pentagon report acknowledged sectarian violence is spreading across Iraq and tropical storm Ernesto triggered power outages and flooding in North Carolina and Virginia. Washington Week can be seen later this evening on most PBS stations. We'll see you online. And again, here Monday evening, I'm Jim Lara, thank you, and good night. Major funding for the news hour with Jim Lara is provided by What does the future hold? Will you have the choices to make your world better to live the life you dream of? At Pacific Life, planning for a better tomorrow is what we're all about. That's why for over 135 years Pacific Life has offered millions of people of world of financial solutions to help them live well now and plan well for the future. Pacific Life, the power to help you succeed.

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On the news hour tonight, the news of this Friday, then Margaret Warner reports from Tehran on how Iranians see their nuclear program and the prospect of sanctions. Followed by a news hour report on the way the Pennsylvania town of Hazleton is dealing with illegal immigrants, the weekly analysis of Mark Shields and David Brooks, Patrick McEnroe's take on Andre Agassi's special night and career on the tennis court, and a Richard Rodriguez essay on raising our voices in song. Major funding for the news hour with Jim Lehrer is provided by. The world's demand for energy will never stop, which is why a farmer is growing corn, and a farmer is growing soy, and why ADN is turning these crops into biofuels. The world's demand for energy will never stop, which is why ADN will never stop.

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The prospect for UN sanctions remained unclear a day after a UN deadline passed. Iranian President Ahmadinejad dismissed any pressure to give up nuclear efforts. He told a mass rally exploitation of peaceful nuclear energy is our obvious right. In Finland, foreign ministers from the European Union cautioned against early sanctions. The Finnish Foreign Minister said it's not the time or place. I think we are still all of us wanting to engage Iran seriously. And if the response is truly what they say, that they are ready to engage in negotiations, then we have to see what the conditions are if this can be met. The European Union diplomacy remains the number one way forward. We'll have more on this story from Margaret Warner in Iran right after this news summary. Authorities searched for more bodies in Baghdad today after coordinated bombings on Thursday.

The death toll reached 64, with more than 280 wounded. Today, people salvaged belongings from rec homes and buildings, rubble and burned cars littered the streets. And all at least 300 Iraqis were killed this week, along with 18 U.S. troops. For the month of August, 65 Americans were killed up sharply from July. More than 2,600 U.S. service personnel have died since the war began. A Pentagon report acknowledged today sectarian violence is spreading across Iraq. The quarterly review said the security situation is the most complex since the war began. It cited illegal militias and death squads. But in Baghdad, a U.S. commander said new operations there are helping to stop the attackers. He said they understand a big stick. The violence that you're seeing is a result of all along what these groups have been trying to do. They've been trying to intimidate and increase anarchy in certain areas.

And also, it may be a reaction to the offensive threat that we're posing to them right now in all those areas. Senate Democratic leader Reid said today, the Pentagon report shows the Bush administration is increasingly disconnected from reality in Iraq. The U.S. military announced today its anti-missile shield work in the latest test and interceptor.