Colorado Faces Snow Emergency; Service for President Ford to Be Held in California
LEMON: This just in to CNN. You're looking at a commercial that is actually Iraqi state television. They're in a commercial. But Iraqi state television now reporting that Saddam Hussein has been turned over to the Iraqis, no longer in U.S. custody. As we have been reporting all morning lawyers in Jordan, representing Saddam Hussein, told CNN that they had been informed by U.S. officials that the former Iraqi leader, the former Iraqi dictator, is no longer in U.S. military custody. Iraqi state television now reporting that Saddam Hussein has been turned over to the Iraqis.</s>WHITFIELD: Now in this country, the big story, the big snow in the midsection of this country, bearing down on Denver and beyond. Colorado's governor has declared a statewide disaster emergency. While the airport is still open, government offices and some businesses are closed, and so are highways out of Denver. So much snow has fallen in the past week that the roof of a dairy barn near Gilcrest collapsed. No animals or people were inside, thankfully. Governor Bill Owens is on the phone with us now. And Governor, give us an idea of just how serious this weather is.</s>GOV. BILL OWENS, COLORADO: Well, we've -- we've certainly had a tough challenge over the last couple of weeks. This is the second major storm in eight or nine days to hit us. So far so good on this one. Denver International Airport remains open. Most of the local and state roads are open. Interstate 70 Eastbound is closed. But what's really going to be the challenge for us is what's happening in the next 24 hours to 48 hours. We expect quite a bit more snow in the next hours. And that's going to be when it's going to get a little bit challenging here.</s>WHITFIELD: So how do you prepare for that? Because I think a lot of folks associate Colorado with places that would know how to deal with big snow. But you know, two feet at a time this really seems pretty ridiculous. So over the next 24 to 48 hours, how do you prepare or brace yourself or get all the equipment in check to try to move that snow out of the way?</s>OWENS: Well, Fredricka, I think -- I think we are pretty good at this. And the professionals within our roads department, we've got the National Guard mobilized. Again, our hospitals are well supplied. We're -- we'll be in a little bit of a tough situation, as this storm passes across Colorado. But the great thing about Colorado is you then get blue skies and sunshine, and it melts pretty quickly. It's going to be great for skiing, so we're all going to be inside for the next couple of days here in Colorado.</s>WHITFIELD: Boy, and what timing: at the start of the Christmas season, you got hit hard. And now as folks try to either make their way back home, or get out of town for the new year's holiday weekend, here we go again. So are you urging people to just stay put, stay away?</s>OWENS: We are. We are not urging people to stay away, just keep an eye on the airline schedules because Denver International Airport is open. And most of the roads are open. For those who live in Colorado, it's a good day or two to stay close to home so that we can keep the roads plowed and not have to come get those who might need assistance. This second storm hasn't been as bad as the first one a week ago.</s>WHITFIELD: Yes.</s>OWENS: It's a little bit lighter. It's coming in on a little bit more of a timely basis, over a period of hours, instead of dumping on us all at once. So, so far so good. But check back with us in a day or so.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, well, Governor Bill Owens, we are wishing you all the best of luck as we enter the new year and, hopefully, your airport will stay open so that people can resume their travels. Thanks so much for your time.</s>OWENS: Thank you much.</s>LEMON: An update now and new information about the possible imminent execution of Saddam Hussein. Let's bring back in Greg Kehoe, who's an attorney who was enlisted to advise the judges and the prosecutors in the case. Now that Iraqi television, state-run television, is reporting that Saddam Hussein has been turned back over to Iraqis, what is the significance of that?</s>KEHOE: It's very significant time-wise, because they would not be turning him over to the Iraqis and pulling back if this was going to go on for several days. They just wouldn't take that chance, danger-wise, for everybody that's involved in it. So now that they've been handed -- he has been handed over to the Iraqis, the clock is ticking. And it's going to happen very soon.</s>LEMON: We're in a matter of maybe two to three hours before the start of Eid. You know, I hate to have you make some sort of a guess on television, but you're saying that it appears to be imminent and fast?</s>KEHOE: I do believe that, if they were going to postpone this for a week or so, that they would not have turned Saddam over to the Iraqis at this point. I don't think the Iraqis would want to have done that either. Obviously, the problem with Eid is, there, given the fact that Eid is coming up starting tomorrow and that Saddam is a Sunni and there are some sensitivities in that regard. But I think you have to look at the safety measures that were involved here for Saddam and everybody else, in the sense that they would not be turning Saddam over to the Iraqis to be held for a protracted period of time. I can tell you that.</s>LEMON: Yes. And as you can imagine with this situation we're getting a lot of reports. This, just over Reuters. Reuters reports that the State Department, a spokesperson says that he is still in U.S. custody. Explain to us the intricacies of all of this. We're getting one word from one organization and another word from state-run television.</s>KEHOE: Well, what happened, and we have to go back to July of 2004, was that Saddam and many of his other co-conspirators were handed over to Iraqi custody. You folks on CNN and others showed the proceedings that took place July the 1st of 2004. However, he continued to remain incarcerated at an American facility. But under the law, he was in Iraqi custody. And there were documents signed to that regard by the Iraqis to say he is in Iraqi custody. We give orders as to where he's supposed to be and how he's supposed to be treated. However, you, the Americans, can hold him in one of your facilities. That's the essence of that agreement that goes back to, as I said, July 2004.</s>LEMON: OK. All right, Greg Kehoe, a lot of reports coming in. Confusing report, one from Reuters saying that he has not been turned over. Again, Iraqi state television saying he has. Greg Kehoe, I'm sure we'll be checking back with you. Thank you for joining us, again.</s>KEHOE: Thank you.</s>WHITFIELD: Over the next several days, Gerald Ford will be honored by presidents, prime ministers, and princes in monumental settings. But official mourning for the man who once described himself as a Ford, not a Lincoln, begins with a small service at the family church. CNN's Dan Simon is in Palm Desert, California. And Dan, what is taking place there right now?</s>DAM SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the stage, if you will, is set for today's remembrance of Gerald Ford. It's a pretty day out here. It's a clear day. This church sits on a quiet hillside. Mr. Ford's body is going to arrive here about noon local time. There's going to be a brief arrival ceremony. There were rehearsals for that yesterday. And then, at about 4 p.m., local time, Mr. Ford's body will lie in repose, allowing the public to pay its respects to Mr. Ford. We're expecting thousands of people to file into the church. They are actually going to be bused in from a local tennis facility, because they simply don't have a big enough parking lot to accommodate everyone. And the military tells us they are very well prepared to mark this solemn occasion.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is rehearsed a number of times. You know, we are the military. So there's a degree of exactitude and precision with something like this, honoring a commander in chief. It has to be done perfectly.</s>SIMON: This church is going to stay open throughout the night. They want to allow everyone the opportunity to pay their respects to the former president. Tomorrow morning, Mr. Ford's body will be flown to Washington, D.C., where he will lie in state on Sunday and Monday in the rotunda in our nation's capitol. And then on Tuesday there will be a service at the National Cathedral. Wednesday, Fredricka, Mr. Ford's body will be flown to Michigan where he will ultimately be laid to rest. Back to you.</s>WHITFIELD: And Dan, when the body does make its way to Washington, some want to describe the funeral there or the services there to be rather low key by presidential standards. But it's exactly what he crafted before his death.</s>SIMON: You're exactly right. This reflects Mr. Ford's desires and his family's desires. For example, Mr. Ford's body will be carried on a hearse, on a motorcade. In most circumstances, you know, the bodies are placed on a horse carriage. And Mr. Ford wanted things -- wanted to do things a bit differently. Also, usually, when presidents are laid to rest, there's a flyover, and they have a missing man formation, but there will be no flyover. And one other interesting point, Fredricka, one of Mr. Ford's favorite songs was the University of Michigan fight song, and apparently, there's going to be a somber version of that played to honor Mr. Ford's desires. Back to you.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Dan Simon.</s>LEMON: The clock is ticking. But are there days, hours or only minutes before Saddam Hussein is put to death? Next in the NEWSROOM, the impact of the execution.