JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR:   I'm Jeanne Meserve in Washington. Coming up at the top of the hour, storm-weary Floridians prepare for another hurricane, the fourth for them of the season. The trial of Saddam Hussein, who's in, who's out and why it may not happen until next year. Plus, he's not your average college football player. We'll show you what sets him apart from the pack. Those stories and much are just more minutes away on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS." Now back to CROSSFIRE. 
CARVILLE:   Time for "Rapid Fire," where we pose questions faster than the Bushies can number the excuses for a failing program to fight terror. Our guests are Jim Gilmore, former governor of Virginia and chairman of the RAND Corporation's Gilmore Commission studying domestic response to terrorism, and former Clinton National Security Council spokesman P.J. Crowley. He's now with the Center For American Progress. 
NOVAK:   Colonel Crowley, Senator Kerry says that we shouldn't have made Saddam Hussein a target. Is he suggesting he wishes that he were back in power in Baghdad, instead of being forced out? 
CROWLEY:   John Kerry knows the difference between Osama bin Laden, the guy who actually attacked us, and Saddam Hussein, the guy that didn't. 
CARVILLE:   Governor Gilmore, in the "Wall Street Journal"/NBC poll, it had the asked, was removing Saddam Hussein worth the casualties and financial cost? Yes, 40, no, 52. Is there something wrong with 52 percent of the American people in America that say that, you know what, it wasn't worth all of this? 
GILMORE:   All they're seeing is what's on the evening news. But the fact of the matter is that we're coming down to the point where we've got to understand that we've got to do something about creating some stability in the Middle East. And you can't do that when you've a dictator who hates America who is standing astride and threatening his neighbors, the way he did in Kuwait. 
NOVAK:   Senator Kerry did not say today that or this week that he would move the troops out of Iraq if he's elected. Will he? 
CROWLEY:   Either president will eventually take the troops out of Iraq, because, the longer they're there, it's worse for our strategic position in the Middle East. 
CARVILLE:   Governor Gilmore, Iran has a nondemocratic government that hates America. Do you think we should invade Iran right now? 
GILMORE:   I do not think we should invade Iran. But what we should do -- what we should do is impose sanctions and make it very clear, just like we do with Libya, that their best interests are in not creating that kind of weapons of mass destruction. The Bush policy worked with Libya. It can work with Iran. 
CARVILLE:   What about... 
NOVAK:   Senator Kerry consistently voted against all defense spending when he was in the Senate. Will he consistently cut all defense spending if he's president? 
CROWLEY:   First of all, that's an absurd charge. It's not true. John Kerry has supported a strong defense. He will do as president. 
CARVILLE:   The Syrians have an unelected government that hates America. There was talk about going into Syria after Iraq.    Would you favor an invasion of Syria? 
NOVAK:   In a speech today, Senator Kerry said he would never, ever, ever take a position different from Israel. Is the policy toward the Middle East under a Kerry administration made in Tel Aviv? 
GILMORE:   The president -- the secretary -- Mr. Kerry will support Israel, but I think he'll pursue a Middle East peace process. 
NOVAK:   OK, thank you very much, P.J. Crowley.    Thank you, Governor Jim Gilmore. 
