To the Point

Is the US ready for biological or chemical attack?

In the aftermath of the Gulf War, New York's World Trade Center was hit by a terrorist bomb. Then a Japanese cult released poison gas in a Tokyo subway. In response to experts' warnings that chemical and biological terrorism can, and will, happen here, the federal government has spent billions on preparations against such a nightmare. We discuss American preparedness and spending with directors of governmental and non-governmental organizations studying chemical and biological weapons. Newsmaker: In Michigan, one of the states that's too close to call, its Arab American community is large enough to swing the election. Bush has the endorsement of one prominent group. Yesterday Gore met with Arab-American leaders in Detroit. James Zogby, President of the Arab American Institute, says that they discussed Jerusalem, airport profiling, and how Arab Americans view the US as a Middle East peace broker. Reporter's Notebook: Missouri Governor Mel Carhanan was in a tight US Senate race with Republican incumbent John Ashcroft when Carnahan was killed in a plane crash. If he wins, his widow could tip the balance in the Senate. Deirdre Shesgreen, Washington correspondent for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, speaks with us about Jean Carhanan's background and future, and how Ashcroft is responding to her challenge.