North Korean Satellite "Tumbling" In Orbit
TAPPER: Welcome back to THE LEAD. I'm Jake Tapper. Topping our World Lead today, new details on the satellite that North Korea launched over the weekend.</s>TAPPER: North Korea is celebrating calling the launch a complete success, but U.S. officials are saying not so fast. A senior defense official tells CNN that the satellite is, quote, "Tumbling in orbit," which would mean the satellite is incapable of functioning as it is supposed to function. Whether the launch was a success or not, it is sparking fears and angering neighbors. In just hours, President Obama will hold emergency talks with the leaders of South Korea and Japan, preparing for the worst case scenario that North Korea could be developing a nuclear-capable missile that could hit the United States. Let's now go to our CNN chief national security correspondent, Jim Sciutto, at the Pentagon. Jim, tests are ongoing to learn more exactly what North Korea launched into space. What's the latest intel?</s>JIM SCIUTTO, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The senior defense official tells me that the satellite is now tumbling in orbit. As explained to me, it's in an unstable orbit, which means it can't perform any useful function. A similar launch in 2012 by North Korea, the same thing happened. Now, that doesn't mean that there weren't worrisome signs in this launch because in effect they got something into space. That's the first two stages of an ICBM launch. What they haven't proven is the ability to have a re-entry vehicle, which would in effect be a missile and strike whatever target you're going after. So they haven't got to that stage and haven't been able to launch a successful satellite, but still this launch is concerning to the U.S. and its allies. As you saw in North Korea, certainly there both the government and the public still celebrating.</s>SCIUTTO (voice-over): North Koreans took to the streets celebrating the missile launch with an exuberant daytime rally and a massive nighttime fireworks show. Their excitement mirroring that of their leader's, North Korean state photos showing an elated Kim Jong-Un. The second successful satellite launch in recent years, causing U.S. and western leaders to express outrage and condemnation.</s>SAMANTHA POWER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Pyongyang claims it launched what they call a peaceful earth observation satellite, but nobody is fooled.</s>PETER COOK, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: We are in a situation now where we have at the U.N. Security Council not just the United States but Russia and China condemning this action.</s>SCIUTTO: Beyond the angry words, the west has limited tools to respond. Economic sanctions are difficult because the west has virtually no trade with North Korea. Most effective new sanctions would further block access to world financial markets by North Korean leaders. Still China, North Korea's closest ally and trading partner has resisted cutting off economic support such as fuel and food, fearing a collapsed state. Faced with those difficulties, the U.S. is now considering a military response. CNN has learned that the launch has accelerated talks to deploy terminal high altitude aerial defense missile system to South Korea. That could be in position within weeks. The U.S. system today deployed only as close in the region as Guam could apply pressure to Pyongyang but also to Beijing.</s>JOSEPH CINNCIONE, PLOUGHSHARES FUND: South Korea wants to do it, has protection against any North Korean missiles, but this really concerns China. They don't want to see increased South Korea, U.S. military action on the peninsula, on their border.</s>SCIUTTO: Today, the Pentagon said the missile system will be focused solely on North Korea.</s>COOK: This is a defensive system put to place to deal with the threat posed by North Korea. We don't believe it should pose any sort of concern to the Chinese.</s>SCIUTTO: China doesn't necessarily believe that reassurance. In fact they summoned South Korea's ambassador to protest over the deployment of that missile system, Jake. They're making their feelings very clear.</s>TAPPER: Jim Sciutto, thank you so much. Here on the ground in New Hampshire, political insiders think this race is much closer than polls show. Could Hillary Clinton even eke out a victory?