CBS Evening News - 1999-05-18

Channel: malgent

Transcript

Language: English (original, YouTube automatic captions)

[0:01] A caution flag for the US economy and

[0:04] your pocketbook. The Federal Reserve

[0:06] signals it is now leaning toward an

[0:08] interest rate increase to keep inflation

[0:11] in check. New moves in Congress today

[0:14] trying to keep guns out of the hands of

[0:16] children. And Eye on America, a walking

[0:19] miracle. You will see the pioneering

[0:21] pre-birth surgery that changed a boy's

[0:24] life.

[0:27] This is the CBS Evening News.

[0:31] with Dan Rather reporting from CBS News

[0:34] headquarters in New York. Good evening.

[0:36] The headline out of today's Federal

[0:38] Reserve meeting is no hike in interest

[0:40] rates, at least not yet. But perhaps the

[0:43] more important news is found between the

[0:45] lines of this Fed report. CBS's Anthony

[0:48] Mason tells us the central bank

[0:50] indicated it now believes the threat of

[0:52] inflation is growing more serious.

[0:55] He didn't have an interest rate hike in

[0:57] his pocket. Not today. But Alan

[0:59] Greenspan did send up a warning flag.

[1:02] >> The Fed is not happy with the inflation

[1:05] picture.

[1:05] >> The Federal Reserve formally declared

[1:07] it's tilting its policy towards raising

[1:10] interest rates if our red-hot economy

[1:12] does not cool down.

[1:14] >> The Fed is focusing on is the low

[1:17] unemployment rate. You're down to 4.2%.

[1:20] to get that down to 4%. We'll have such

[1:22] a tight labor force that that inflation

[1:25] will kick in.

[1:25] >> Inflation, the Fed's sworn enemy,

[1:28] appeared to rear its ugly head in the

[1:30] first quarter when gas prices caused a

[1:32] spike in the consumer price index. But

[1:34] housing start statistics out today

[1:37] showed a decrease of 10%. A sign the

[1:40] economy could be slowing.

[1:41] >> What has to happen uh for the Fed to

[1:43] move is a continuation of growth that

[1:46] scares them. But higher interest rates

[1:48] scare the stock market because they make

[1:50] bonds more attractive investments. But

[1:53] many economists like former Fed Governor

[1:55] Lyall Grahamley believe interest rates

[1:57] could go up as much as half a point

[1:59] before the year is out.

[2:00] >> It isn't going to kill the stock market,

[2:02] but it's certainly going to induce a bit

[2:04] of caution.

[2:04] >> So, Wall Street is now on red alert.

[2:07] >> Today's message, any hint of inflation,

[2:10] >> the Fed might pull the trigger.

[2:11] >> Of course, for most of 97 and 98, the

[2:14] Fed said it was ready to raise rates. In

[2:16] the end, it actually lowered them three

[2:18] times. The hammer is cocked, but the

[2:20] shot may not be fired. Dan

[2:23] >> Anthony Mason, thanks. There is a bit of

[2:26] a break tonight in the gridlock in

[2:28] Congress over gun control. CBS News

[2:30] chief Washington correspondent Bob

[2:31] Shaffer has late details on what is and

[2:33] isn't happening on Capitol Hill in the

[2:36] battle between Republicans and Democrats

[2:38] to address violence in the schools. Bob,

[2:40] what's happening? Well, Dan, it is

[2:41] grinding along slowly and there is

[2:44] partisan bickering every step of the

[2:46] way, but the news is the Congress is

[2:49] inching toward tightening the gun laws.

[2:52] For example, this afternoon, the Senate

[2:54] passed one measure that will require

[2:56] child safety locks with a sale of

[2:58] handguns and another measure which will

[3:01] put new penalties on people who furnish

[3:03] guns used in crimes. In addition, the

[3:06] new Republican Speaker of the House,

[3:07] Dennis Hastard, volunteered that he now

[3:10] favors raising the legal age to own a

[3:13] handgun from 18 to 21. Democrats say

[3:17] still more restrictions are going to be

[3:18] needed, but clearly the mood is shifting

[3:21] here. Congress has been very reluctant

[3:23] in recent years to even touch anything

[3:26] dealing with guns, but after the public

[3:28] outrage over Littleton in the last week,

[3:31] the mood is clearly changing. Now, Dan

[3:33] >> Bob Schiffer on Capitol Hill. Also in

[3:35] the wake of the Littleton, Colorado

[3:37] shooting spree, a court appearance today

[3:39] in Michigan involving an alleged

[3:41] conspiracy to commit deadly violence at

[3:43] a middle school. It was a hearing for

[3:45] the two youngest of the four accused.

[3:47] One of them not even in his teens. CBS's

[3:50] Cynthia Bowers is on the scene in Port

[3:52] Hiron.

[3:54] >> They are only 12 and 13 years old,

[3:57] Hollandwood's middle school students.

[3:59] But today, a Port Heron judge agreed the

[4:01] two boys represent a real threat to

[4:03] their community.

[4:04] >> Court is going to set bond in this

[4:07] matter in the amount of $100,000.

[4:09] >> While both boys sat quietly with their

[4:11] parents, prosecutors calmly detailed a

[4:14] chilling plot they say was much more

[4:16] than lunchroom talk.

[4:18] >> They put together a conspiracy that

[4:20] involved assault weapons, involved pipe

[4:22] bombs. you know, they were had set out

[4:24] to murder random targets.

[4:27] >> With school reopened under tight

[4:29] security, community leaders argued

[4:31] against bail even though no weapons were

[4:33] found, claiming these boys should not be

[4:35] allowed back on the streets of their

[4:37] terrorized town.

[4:39] >> You can't underestimate how much fear

[4:41] there is out there.

[4:42] >> Fear you can see in the eyes of a

[4:45] mother. Sandy Alexander's sons, both

[4:48] specialed students, were reportedly

[4:50] among those singled out as targets. If I

[4:53] could, I'd be there with them holding

[4:54] their hand, but I can't. Um,

[4:58] so I I'm just afraid for them. I'm

[5:00] afraid for all the kids. It's not just

[5:02] mine. It's all them kids. They don't

[5:04] deserve any of this.

[5:05] >> But the mother of one of the accused

[5:07] children says she doesn't believe her

[5:09] son is capable of killing.

[5:11] >> He's been honoral student since third

[5:14] grade. He's never been in trouble.

[5:16] I just feel that he was with the wrong

[5:18] group at the wrong time. That may be,

[5:21] but her son and three other students

[5:23] here at this middle school could face

[5:25] life in prison if convicted. A tough

[5:27] sentence, but not enough to allay fears

[5:29] in a community that suddenly realizes it

[5:32] is just as vulnerable as everywhere

[5:34] else. Cynthia Bowers, CBS News, Port

[5:37] Hiron, Michigan.

[5:39] >> On the 56th day of NATO's air war, a

[5:41] spokesman in Belgrade said today Sloban

[5:43] Mallichi is quote ready to cut a deal

[5:46] unquote. apparently one that would leave

[5:48] him in power and leave Kosovo part of

[5:50] Yugoslavia. This came as the United

[5:52] States released two Serb prisoners with

[5:54] the war. They released him from a US

[5:56] base in Germany. The United States says

[5:58] this was not a payback for the release

[5:59] of three US soldiers earlier this month.

[6:02] Inside Serbia, some signs of crumbling

[6:05] morale. The government confirmed reports

[6:07] of violent protest in two towns by

[6:09] thousands of people opposed to sending

[6:11] more drafties into Kosovo. The protest

[6:14] began when the bodies of seven soldiers

[6:16] were returned to their hometown. Among

[6:19] the NATO allies, a new debate has broken

[6:21] out over the need for ground troops.

[6:23] Britain is leading the charge, arguing

[6:25] that only a ground invasion can clear

[6:27] the way for refugees to return to Kosovo

[6:30] by winter. CBS News London correspondent

[6:32] Tom Fenton has this report.

[6:35] >> British forces in Macedonia are battle

[6:37] ready and frustrated that NATO is not

[6:40] ready to order them into Kosovo. Their

[6:43] commander knows that deploying ground

[6:45] troops is the only way to make sure that

[6:47] the refugees return home before winter.

[6:50] >> The sense of urgency absolutely, but uh

[6:53] you know whether it's this week or next

[6:55] month or whatever, uh we just need to

[6:57] bring the conflict to a successful and

[7:00] rapid resolution.

[7:01] >> British Prime Minister Tony Blair shares

[7:03] that urgency and the belief that ground

[7:05] troops must be used in the conflict over

[7:07] Kosovo. He was greeted as a hero in

[7:10] Albania today because he's urging

[7:12] President Clinton to make the hard

[7:14] decision to risk soldiers lives to help

[7:17] them.

[7:17] >> They are our cause and we must not and

[7:21] we will not let them down.

[7:24] >> In the rush of diplomatic activity this

[7:27] week, Britain's voice is a lonely one in

[7:29] pressing NATO to send in troops without

[7:32] a peace agreement. Tony Blair is not

[7:34] just talking. He's put 3,200 more ground

[7:37] troops on immediate standby and has

[7:39] approved plans to mobilize up to 20,000

[7:42] army reser in the event of a large force

[7:44] being sent into Kosovo. It would be the

[7:47] biggest call up here since the Korean

[7:49] War. Tom Fenton, CBS News, London. On

[7:52] the other side of the argument,

[7:54] Germany's Chancellor Ghart Schroeder

[7:55] today called the use of ground troops in

[7:57] Kosovo quote unthinkable. As best

[8:00] anybody can make out, the United States

[8:02] is somewhere in the middle. While some

[8:04] army leaders have pushed for a ground

[8:06] force, President Clinton says the air

[8:08] war is working and that there's no need

[8:10] for an invasion now. CBS's Scott P is at

[8:14] the White House. Scott. Dan. This

[8:16] evening, senior White House officials

[8:17] are saying that the president has no

[8:19] intention of committing ground forces in

[8:22] Kosovo, at least not in combat. The

[8:25] president said in the Oval Office this

[8:26] morning that NATO ought to stick with

[8:28] the air campaign, but then he seemed to

[8:31] leave other options open.

[8:33] I and everyone else has always said that

[8:36] we intend to see uh our objectives

[8:38] achieved and that we have not and will

[8:41] not take any option off the table. But

[8:45] uh we are making progress and I'm

[8:47] convinced uh that we will achieve our

[8:51] objectives one way or the other.

[8:53] >> In diplomacy today, the president of

[8:55] Finland brought the United States and

[8:57] Russia together for talks. The goal is

[8:59] to convince Russia to adopt NATO's

[9:01] demands so that the Russians in turn

[9:03] will convince their ally Mallosvich to

[9:06] capitulate. No resolution is expected

[9:08] soon. In fact, refugee camps are now

[9:11] being outfitted for winter and work is

[9:14] underway to find space for another

[9:16] 700,000.

[9:18] That would mean the complete

[9:20] depopulation of Kosovo. Frankly, the

[9:23] White House is surprised the war has

[9:25] gone on as long as it has. One of the

[9:27] president's closest adviserss told us

[9:29] that when it all began, they expected it

[9:31] to last one month. We're now nearing two

[9:34] months, and the White House is saying

[9:35] there is no strategy other than more of

[9:38] the same. Dan Scott Py at the White

[9:40] House. Still ahead on tonight's CBS

[9:42] Evening News. A major car maker goes on

[9:45] trial, accused of putting profits before

[9:48] safety. An uplose look at the new

[9:50] Bradley fighting vehicle, Campaign 2000

[9:53] model, and a new weapon in the Cold War.

[10:02] >> I never met a dog I didn't like, which

[10:04] is a good thing considering some of the

[10:06] occupational hazards my friends put me

[10:08] through.

[10:08] >> This is mine.

[10:09] >> This is Herman.

[10:11] >> Oo, who do we have here?

[10:13] >> Esc. That's why I choose Front Line for

[10:15] these guys. Furine's the best because

[10:18] it's the only one that protects them

[10:19] from fleas and disease-causing ticks,

[10:21] too. Sorry I kept you waiting. No matter

[10:22] who your best friend happens to be. For

[10:25] fleas and ticks, veterinarians choose

[10:27] the front line of protection.

[10:29] >> Okay, one more time.

[10:32] >> You're not taking that laxative. Look,

[10:34] the label says it may cause cramping.

[10:36] >> All these laxatives have stimulants that

[10:38] may cause cramping. Phillips doesn't.

[10:40] It's stimulant free.

[10:41] >> What a rare bird.

[10:42] >> She sure is. Phillips effective relief

[10:45] without harsh stimulants.

[10:47] >> If you can do this, you can make wood

[10:49] beautiful with Minwax. And if you can do

[10:52] this, you can give wood lasting

[10:55] protection. Turning a house into a

[10:57] beautiful home is as easy as turning to

[11:00] Minwax.

[11:01] Want to have a better barbecue? Try

[11:03] something new, which is barbecue flavor

[11:05] baked beans. Roll that new beautiful

[11:07] bean footage. They're slow simmerred in

[11:09] herbs and spices until they're just

[11:11] dripping with authentic barbecue flavor.

[11:13] Only one other soul knows this recipe.

[11:15] And to keep it a secret, he's made a few

[11:17] well requests. Anything else, Duke?

[11:23] >> A couple of steaks would be nice.

[11:26] >> Bushes. Our secret family recipe is

[11:28] baked into every bean. Now in new

[11:30] barbecue flavor.

[11:32] >> This was opening day in a landmark

[11:34] lawsuit over automobiles. at issue. Do

[11:37] millions of Ford cars have a potential

[11:40] ignition system problem? CBS's Bob our

[11:42] Boe broke the key facts on this story a

[11:44] year and a half ago. CBS's John

[11:46] Blackstone has tonight's follow-up in

[11:49] court.

[11:50] >> It's a big lawsuit over a small car

[11:53] part.

[11:53] >> All right, here it is.

[11:55] >> It's called the thick film ignition

[11:57] module. It was used in some 20 million

[11:59] cars built by Ford from 1983 to 1995.

[12:04] Attorneys suing Ford told jurors today a

[12:07] fault in the module meant the cars could

[12:09] stall repeatedly.

[12:11] >> The dealer would pronounce the car fine,

[12:13] maybe suggest there was water in the gas

[12:15] tank, and they'd go on their way only to

[12:17] have it happen again.

[12:18] >> But the lawsuit claims that Ford

[12:20] understood exactly what the problem was.

[12:23] The computer chip mounted too close to

[12:25] the engine was overheating. This is one

[12:28] of the internal Ford documents that will

[12:29] be used as evidence in this case. It

[12:31] shows that the company knew back in 1986

[12:34] about trouble with the ignition module,

[12:36] but determined that fixing the problem

[12:37] would cost almost $400 million. Ford

[12:41] says the module fails no more than any

[12:43] other car part, and that opposing

[12:44] attorneys are attempting to create a

[12:46] safety issue where none exists.

[12:49] >> What they are trying to do is claim

[12:50] billions of dollars without showing any

[12:53] injury whatsoever. The attorneys

[12:55] challenging Ford say they believe the

[12:57] sudden stalling has left many people

[12:59] injured, but that Ford has settled with

[13:01] them out of court. Two years ago, a

[13:04] Sally Johnson told CBS News she was

[13:06] paralyzed in an accident when the

[13:08] Mercury Sable she was installed

[13:10] unexpectedly.

[13:11] >> This problem with the car was something

[13:14] that they could have fixed had they

[13:16] chosen to. Federal inspectors okayed the

[13:19] module in the 1980s, but they didn't see

[13:21] Ford documents the jurors will. Ford

[13:24] could be made to pay $3 billion in

[13:27] damages and even face something

[13:28] unprecedented, an automobile recall

[13:31] ordered by a judge. John Blackstone, CBS

[13:33] News, Oakland.

[13:35] >> On the CBS Market Watch, gasoline prices

[13:37] may have topped out. The government says

[13:39] they're averaging a$114 a gallon, same

[13:41] as last week. A Japanese company today

[13:44] showed off the world's first mobile

[13:46] video phone, the latest distraction for

[13:48] drivers. And billionaire Warren Buffett

[13:50] is betting dollars to donuts. He's

[13:52] bought a stake in the company that owns

[13:54] Dunkin Donuts.

[14:06] That meeting is going to start whether I

[14:08] get rid of this headache or not. So, I

[14:09] took Advil Liquid Gels. Stronger and

[14:12] faster than extra strength Tylenol on

[14:14] tough pain. It's the only pain reliever

[14:16] with liquid inside. Advil liquid gels.

[14:18] Stronger and faster.

[14:22] >> I should have used Preparation H.

[14:24] >> If you had, you wouldn't be suffering

[14:26] now. Preparation H helps stop itch and

[14:28] further irritation with a soothing layer

[14:30] of protection.

[14:31] >> I should have used Preparation H.

[14:33] >> Stops it stops irritation.

[15:06] for Those smokers who are ready to quit.

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[15:15] The same craving fighting power of

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[15:21] cravings so you can break free from

[15:23] smoking. And now you can choose your

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[15:28] air?

[15:29] >> Nigarette helps you fight your cravings.

[15:31] Your habit your way. You can do it.

[15:34] Nigarette can help. The man accused of

[15:37] killing state senator Tommy Burks went

[15:38] to court today. He says he wants you to

[15:41] pay for his defense. We'll have the

[15:42] story coming up at 6.

[15:46] When it comes to drug treatments with

[15:48] wide appeal and high profit potential,

[15:50] faster, better relief from the common

[15:52] cold is near the top of the list. Well,

[15:54] the latest entry in the cold remedy

[15:56] sweep stakes is the subject of a new

[15:58] study out tonight in the Journal of the

[16:00] American Medical Association. CBS's

[16:02] Elizabeth Kaledan is here with the hot

[16:04] new facts on treating colds. Elizabeth

[16:07] >> Dan, it's an experimental drug called

[16:09] Trema and researchers say it's highly

[16:12] effective in knocking out the common

[16:13] cold in ways never seen before.

[16:16] >> This is probably one of the best uh

[16:19] drugs that we've tested in terms of

[16:21] common cold treatment.

[16:22] >> Dr. Ronald Turner demonstrates how he

[16:25] infected study participants with a cold

[16:27] virus. The trem was administered before

[16:30] and after infection. In both cases, the

[16:33] drug relieved multiple symptoms. The

[16:35] typical cold is caused when the rhino

[16:37] virus enters the nasal passage and

[16:39] latches onto cells. Tremac is the first

[16:42] drug to create a decoy which blocks the

[16:44] cold virus before it has a chance to

[16:46] attack healthy cells.

[16:48] >> I thought it worked great. I thought it

[16:50] was wonderful. I thought it was a wonder

[16:51] drug.

[16:53] This is not a cure for the common cold.

[16:56] Trema camera did not prevent infection,

[16:58] but the way this drug works is being

[17:00] hailed as an advance that has the

[17:02] potential for prevention. Dan

[17:04] >> Elizabeth Calan, thanks. President

[17:06] Clinton said today the landslide

[17:08] election of Ahoud Barack in Israel

[17:10] raises new hope for peace in the Middle

[17:12] East. The president met at the White

[17:14] House with King Abdullah of Jordan,

[17:15] whose late father, King Hussein, helped

[17:17] draw up the current US sponsored peace

[17:20] plan. in Jerusalem today. Barack visited

[17:22] the grave of the late Yetach Rabbine and

[17:25] promised to fulfill his legacy. Barack

[17:27] is considered the political heir of

[17:29] Rabbine, whose peacekeeping efforts led

[17:31] to his assassination by an Israeli in

[17:33] 1995.

[17:37] The best way to cure athletes foot so it

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[18:00] without a prescription. New Lamat, the

[18:02] best way to cure athletes foot fast, so

[18:04] it won't come back.

[18:07] >> Hey Dad, what are you doing up? Reliving

[18:09] your mother's stuffed peppers. Heartburn

[18:10] again, huh? What are you taking?

[18:12] >> Thumbs and I'm back for more.

[18:14] >> You still taking that stuff? Look, Dad,

[18:16] take a Pepsid AC. One tiny pill controls

[18:19] acid all night

[18:19] >> so I can get some sleep.

[18:21] >> Next time, take one before dinner and

[18:23] you can stop heartburn before it starts.

[18:24] >> Before it starts.

[18:25] >> You don't see me suffering, do you?

[18:28] >> What are you guys doing, though?

[18:29] >> Uh, nothing, dear. We were talking about

[18:31] your your peppers. Peppers?

[18:32] >> I got some in the fridge.

[18:34] >> You can sleep heartburn free with Peps

[18:36] at AC.

[18:37] >> Fortunately for Millie, Dr. Espinosa was

[18:39] in the office early while someone else

[18:41] was drafting the marketing plan to sell

[18:43] his home. At 11:00, he was making his

[18:45] rounds instead of visiting his title

[18:48] company. At 1 p.m., he was giving Pam

[18:50] good news instead of checking for

[18:52] disclosure documents. And by the time

[18:55] Dr. Espinosa wrote the day's last

[18:57] prescription, someone else was at his

[18:59] home, meeting a prospective buyer.

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[19:37] >> Wednesday. How does a con artist know

[19:38] he's made it big? He shows up on 60

[19:40] Minutes, a con man special followed by

[19:42] Madonna on an allnew 60 Minutes 2,

[19:45] Wednesday.

[19:48] >> On CBS's campaign 2000 watch, new data

[19:50] out today shows Democratic presidential

[19:53] hope will build Bradley's family assets

[19:55] top $5 million. That's about five times

[19:57] higher than rival candidate Vice

[19:59] President Al Gore. Bradley trails Gore

[20:02] in the very early going in the polls,

[20:04] but he's mounted a fullcourt press that

[20:06] he believes over the long pool will be

[20:07] successful. So, what is Bradley

[20:09] strategy? CBS's Phil Jones went

[20:12] one-on-one with him.

[20:15] >> Bradley scores again.

[20:16] >> Bill Bradley has been taking his shots

[20:18] since the 60s as an all-American at

[20:20] Princeton

[20:22] >> and as an NBA champion with the New York

[20:24] Knicks for 10 years. Now the question

[20:27] is, what kind of a shot does old number

[20:30] 24 have against Al Gore?

[20:32] >> I think I have a very good shot. How are

[20:34] you? Good to see you.

[20:35] >> On the stump in New Hampshire, Bradley,

[20:37] who also played politics for 18 years as

[20:40] US senator from New Jersey, is finding

[20:43] disgruntled Democrats who are looking

[20:45] for an alternative to Gore.

[20:47] >> I don't not sure that I trust what Gore

[20:50] says.

[20:51] >> Trust is the theme of every Bradley

[20:54] speech. And I think one of the key

[20:56] things here is trust.

[20:59] And by that I mean trust in the

[21:02] president as an individual.

[21:04] And whether rightly or wrongly, justly

[21:06] or unjustly, we have to repair that

[21:07] trust.

[21:08] >> Bradley is avoiding stands on all the

[21:10] tough issues until this fall. So those

[21:13] coming out to see him are left with

[21:15] vague answers to their questions like

[21:17] how's he different than Al Gore?

[21:20] >> Uh one of them is life experience.

[21:22] >> What's that mean? That means that I had

[21:25] a life before I got into politics.

[21:27] >> Bradley is doing it the old New

[21:29] Hampshire way, retail politics, house to

[21:32] house. He says there's never been a

[21:35] better time in American history to run

[21:37] for president and that he can taste it

[21:40] in his mouth.

[21:41] >> You got to look people in the eye. They

[21:43] got to listen to you and they either

[21:45] ratify you and support you or they

[21:47] don't. In New Hampshire and across the

[21:49] nation, Bradley is way behind Gore in

[21:52] the polls and in money. But his

[21:54] followers claim stories of a Bradley

[21:56] boomlet are right.

[21:58] >> We'll push him over the top in the

[21:59] primary. There is a Bradley movement.

[22:03] >> So with the sun now setting, I have to

[22:06] go to Nasha.

[22:07] >> Bradley knows he must win the nation's

[22:10] first primary next year or the New

[22:12] Hampshire Sun will set on his

[22:15] presidential dreams. Phil Jones, CBS

[22:18] News, Amherst, New Hampshire.

[22:20] >> Up next on the CBS Evening News, we take

[22:22] you to the new frontier of medicine,

[22:24] surgery on a fetus to fix what could

[22:27] have been a crippling birth defect.

[22:37] Nancy will have to see from near to far

[22:39] almost a thousand times today. Her eyes

[22:42] will focus on 40 labels, 60 charts, and

[22:45] 100 smiles. And in all that time, she'll

[22:47] never once think about the science that

[22:49] allows her to focus instantly at all

[22:52] distances. Nancy just knows that her

[22:54] Verilux lenses help her see better. And

[22:56] for her, that's a very comforting

[22:58] thought. Verilux, the comfort of better

[23:01] vision. For more information, call

[23:03] toll-free 1 800 Verilux.

[23:07] >> Okay, people. This is a phone. This is a

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[23:11] good. Now, dial this number and all your

[23:13] long-distance calls from home could cost

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[23:30] Bottom line, you get up to 20 minutes on

[23:31] this for less than this. You got that?

[23:33] Good. Cuz if I'm not mistaken, I think

[23:35] nature's calling my dog. Announcing a

[23:38] new way to see near and far the way

[23:42] nature intended.

[23:44] The creator of Acuview most prescribed

[23:46] contact lens is introducing the

[23:48] revolutionary acu bif focal contact

[23:51] lens. The first with pupil intelligent

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[24:03] things. Visit your eyeare professional

[24:05] or call us for more information.

[24:24] somewhere. There's an empty chair at a

[24:27] seminar.

[24:32] The Civic sedan from Honda. What about

[24:35] now?

[24:38] In tonight's Eye on America, the first

[24:40] of two hard news reports from the

[24:41] cutting edge of surgical cures and

[24:43] treatments. Tonight's focus, the

[24:45] nation's leading serious birth defect.

[24:47] CBS's John Roberts has the facts on a

[24:50] pioneering technique to find and fix a

[24:52] defect before birth. In our series about

[24:55] your health, new frontiers.

[24:59] At first, Lori and Nathan Smith of

[25:01] Provo, Utah, couldn't believe the

[25:04] diagnosis. their unborn child had a

[25:06] serious birth defect.

[25:08] >> When they said, "Your baby has spinal

[25:09] bifida." Obviously, we were thinking

[25:11] worst case. And so, we were pretty

[25:13] devastated.

[25:14] >> So, they've come to Vanderbilt

[25:16] University Medical Center in Nashville

[25:18] to embark on an experimental surgery

[25:20] that could change the course of their

[25:22] daughter's life before she's even born.

[25:25] >> It gives her a chance. We don't have any

[25:27] large expectations.

[25:29] We have large hopes. Spinobipida occurs

[25:32] early in the pregnancy when the spine of

[25:34] a developing fetus doesn't close

[25:36] properly, leaving the spinal cord and

[25:38] nerves exposed and damaged. That often

[25:40] results in paralysis below the waist.

[25:43] Half of all children born with this

[25:44] birth defect will eventually wind up in

[25:46] wheelchairs.

[25:48] >> This is the baby's spine.

[25:50] >> Using new 3D ultrasound, Dr. Joseph

[25:52] Bruner locates exactly where the problem

[25:54] is. The lesion starts just below the

[25:58] level of the last rib in the middle of

[26:00] the baby's back and extends down into

[26:03] the tailbone. This is a worse than

[26:06] average lesion. And that means trouble

[26:09] on another front. The opening in the

[26:11] baby's spine doesn't allow fluid in her

[26:13] head to circulate properly, resulting in

[26:15] a condition called hydrophilis, which

[26:17] can cause brain damage. To stop the

[26:20] ongoing damage, Lori will undergo a

[26:22] delicate and dangerous operation. Prayer

[26:25] back to you, Jason.

[26:26] >> The worst possible outcome is that the

[26:27] baby could deliver so early that it

[26:29] would actually be severely injured from

[26:31] the prematurity or perhaps even die

[26:34] >> right over the spinal cord. Another

[26:36] number,

[26:36] >> it's an extraordinary procedure. The

[26:39] surgical team is actually operating on

[26:41] the fetus while she's still in her

[26:42] mother's uterus. They work quickly to

[26:45] repair and close the opening in her

[26:47] spine. While corrective surgery after

[26:50] birth can limit the most severe

[26:51] consequences of spinoipida, death and

[26:54] mental retardation, it cannot repair the

[26:56] damage done to the spinal cord. So until

[26:59] this procedure was pioneered, parents

[27:01] had a tough choice. Face the prospect of

[27:04] raising a child with multiple

[27:05] disabilities or terminate the pregnancy.

[27:09] In the 42 surgeries Dr. Bruner's team

[27:11] has performed, the results are

[27:13] encouraging. The incidence of

[27:15] hydrophilis has been decreased about

[27:17] 2/3. That's an incredible result. Still

[27:21] unclear is how many of the children will

[27:23] be able to walk.

[27:24] >> Everything went great.

[27:26] >> Because the technique is so new.

[27:29] >> But if the steps of toddler Nicholas

[27:31] Garcia are any indication, there is

[27:34] reason for optimism. Nicholas was one of

[27:36] the first babies to have this fetal

[27:38] surgery.

[27:39] >> He's like a normal child. Whoever sees

[27:41] Nicholas and doesn't know that he has

[27:43] spinobipida,

[27:44] well, that person will never know that

[27:46] Nicholas has spobifida.

[27:48] >> Nicholas is a symbol of hope for Lorie

[27:50] and Nathan Smith, who are still awaiting

[27:52] the birth of their daughter.

[27:54] >> Did you love her?

[27:56] >> Yes, I do.

[27:57] >> Thank you.

[27:58] >> Loved by parents who don't expect a

[28:00] complete cure and whatever the outcome

[28:02] of surgery will always consider her

[28:05] their miracle baby. in Nashville. I'm

[28:08] John Roberts for Eye on America.

[28:11] >> Amazing science, enormously talented

[28:13] physicians. Tomorrow on this broadcast,

[28:15] part two from the new frontier, inside

[28:17] the womb to save the life of a twin. And

[28:21] that's part of our world tonight. For

[28:23] the CBS Evening News, Dan Rather

[28:25] reporting. We hope you'll join us here

[28:27] tomorrow night, same time, same station.

[28:30] Good night.

[28:33] for news 24 hours a day. CBS.com on the

[28:36] internet and on our interactive partner

[28:37] America Online at keyword CBS News.

[28:42] Coming up on News Channel 5 at 6. Until

[28:45] now, Byron Looper hasn't had