Speculation Heats Up Surrounding Possible Indictments In CIA Leak Probe
BLITZER: The worst of Hurricane Wilma appears to be over. The storm, though, remains a powerful Category 3. It's racing up the Atlantic coast right now. So far, it's expected to stay relatively far offshore. The Florida Keys got an early hit from Wilma and was swamped by a storm surge of up to eight feet. But less than 10 percent of the residents had evacuated. Now they're coping with the fallout. And it is significant. In this unusually busy and destructive hurricane season, each storm is somewhat different as it blasts ashore. Our correspondents Anderson Cooper and John Zarrella withstood the winds and the rain on Marco Island just after Wilma hit. Look at this.</s>JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're actually, if you can believe it, protected by a corner of the building here. And I can start to see some structural damage back there, Anderson. Some of the windows are getting blown out, some of the protective materials, the awnings, the water's being whipped off the pool just like the waves.</s>ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, take a look, Phil, if you can, at the pool. The water is getting totally taken off. And it's an amazing sight. I'm surprised, though, I mean...</s>ZARRELLA: I've had a wind reading of 85 miles an hour, but then I couldn't stand up any longer.</s>COOPER: It's actually kind of hard to breathe out here in this wind.</s>ZARRELLA: It is. I can barely hear what Anderson is saying. I know we could not step out beyond this corner of the building where we are. That would be impossible.</s>BLITZER: Dramatic reporting by our Anderson Cooper and John Zarrella in the thick of the storm earlier this morning. President Bush today promised quick action to help Floridians in need after Hurricane Wilma. But he and his administration remain caught up in two big controversies swirling here in Washington. Let's bring in our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, our congressional correspondent, Ed Henry. Let's talk, Suzanne, first of all about the Harriet Miers nomination to the Supreme Court. The president was speaking about that earlier today.</s>SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes, and the president still expressing some confidence here. He believes that Harriet Miers, he says, in his words, will receive a good and fair hearing on the Hill. But the president did not specifically a reporter's question about whether or not the White House is engaged in a contingency plan to withdraw her nomination, if all of this doesn't work. But the White House press secretary later today dismissing that, saying that there are no such plans for that to happen. President Bush did make it very clear, however -- and this may complicate the situation -- is that he is not willing to turn over documents about Harriet Miers' days at the White House as White House counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee because he believes it would set a bad precedent.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They've asked for paperwork about the decision-making process, what her recommendations were. And that would breach very important confidentiality. And it's a red line I'm not willing to cross. People can learn about Harriet Miers through hearings, but we are not going to destroy this business about people being able to walk into the Oval Office and say, "Mr. President, here's my advice to you."</s>MALVEAUX: So, Wolf, very clearly the president setting the stage for yet another battle with the Senate Judiciary Committee.</s>BLITZER: What's happening, Ed Henry, on the Hill on the Harriet Miers nomination?</s>ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What's interesting -- what Suzanne is reporting there, that drawing of the red line by the president, really could be another dangerous sign for Harriet Miers up here. A short while ago, Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter said he read those comments to mean the president really is not in the mood to compromise on this documents issue, but Specter and other Republicans on his committee are saying the president needs to find a middle ground where he does not have to turn over privileged documents covered by attorney-client privilege or executive privilege, but needs to find a way to turn over some documents. Specter prodding the White House ever so gently there. This is coming as Democrats are also ratcheting up the pressure, saying a lot of documents need to come over because they think that Harriet Miers is a blank slate. This is all combustible, because it's coming at a time when there's talk that Harriet Miers is facing pressure to withdraw her nomination. In fact, just a few moments ago, CNN producer Ted Barrett caught up with Harriet Miers and posed that very question.</s>TED BARRETT, CNN PRODUCER: Ms. Miers, there are a lot of people who think you should withdraw your nomination. Is there any chance you'll do that?</s>HARRIET MIERS, NOMINEE FOR SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE: Are you having a good afternoon? I'm having a great afternoon.</s>BARRETT: Is there any chance that you'll pull out, ma'am?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry. She's not taking any questions today. Thanks.</s>HENRY: She's obviously trying to put on a brave face, a happy face there. But the fact of the matter is, this is not just Democrats pushing for documents on the Hill, a usual partisan spat. It's top Republicans asking for these documents, as well, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: All right. Standby, Ed. I want to go back to Suzanne. The CIA leak investigation. The grand jury is supposed to wind up on Friday, its last session. They're supposed to meet on Wednesday. The scuttlebutt here in Washington, indictments could come perhaps as early as Wednesday or Thursday. What are you hearing at the White House?</s>MALVEAUX: Well, that's certainly true, Wolf. That is the expectation, that perhaps it could come Wednesday or Thursday. As you know, in the eye of that political storm, Karl Rove, as well as Scooter Libby, top administration officials with the White House. Now, many people asking, what is the White House doing to prepare for all of this? Many of them, insiders, saying that they feel a sense of anxiety, that they have very little control over the situation here. But nevertheless, they are getting much advice from political pundits.</s>DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: They've just been hit by a Category 3, possibly Category 4. And if it goes to the indictments, it could be Category 5, a tidal wave, because there are so many different things that are coming together. It's very difficult to handle any one of these.</s>MALVEAUX: And, Wolf, according to one Republican insider, they say they believe they have a window of 80 days. If they can get beyond these 80 days, then, perhaps after that window, they'll be able to regain their political footing -- Wolf?</s>BLITZER: Ed, what's the strategy on Capitol Hill among the Democrats, when it comes to the CIA leak investigation?</s>HENRY: Democrats are looking to pounce on several fronts. First of all, they're already saying that if -- and that's a big if -- Scooter Libby and Karl Rove are indicted, they will immediately call for their resignations from the White House and vice presidential staff. But then the Democrats hope to broaden this and really tie it to two of their broader themes for the 2006 midterm elections. First of all, look beyond this whole Joe Wilson controversy and say that this is all about the White House mismanaging the war in Iraq. And secondly, they want to tie it to this broader claim by the Democrats that there's a culture of corruption among Republicans, that they've gotten drunk on power. That's why, on Wednesday, you're going to see the Democrats have an event here on Capitol Hill where they trot out some former Clinton administration officials to say that this White House mismanaged the war. On Thursday, they're going to have a culture of corruption press conference. I can tell you, the Republicans are responding already and saying that it's ironic that Democrats on the Hill are bringing up former Clinton officials since the Clinton White House faced so many scandals of their own. Now, on another front, Democrat Dick Durbin today went after the Republicans for suggesting that maybe this Joe Wilson case is really not a big deal.</s>SEN. DICK DURBIN, (D) ILLINOIS: So to minimize this Valerie Plame investigation and to say it's over some technicality. For goodness sakes, the security of America and the security of the men and women in our intelligence agency, that isn't a technicality that is part of the defense of this country.</s>HENRY: Now, Senator Durbin was reacting specifically to Texas Republican senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson on NBC yesterday suggesting that maybe this case is not a big deal. You can see Democrats pouncing already. And clearly, based on whatever goes down at that federal courthouse this week, you're going to see a lot of reaction here on the Hill, Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Two of our very strong reporters: Ed Henry, Suzanne Malveaux, thanks very much both of you. All of us here in Washington, we're going to be very busy this week watching both of these stories. Stay with CNN for complete coverage. When we return, back to Wilma. The government was criticized for its response to Katrina. Do you think Washington was ready for Wilma? New poll numbers coming up next. Also, the other Bush: When it comes to hurricanes, Florida's governor shows who's in charge. Stay with us. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.