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American Morning

New Developments on Pope's Health; 'Gimme a Minute'; 'Paging Dr. Gupta'

Aired March 14, 2003 - 08:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. It snowed last night here in New York. It's going to melt within, like two hours, once all the heat gets going in Manhattan with the commuter traffic here. It's 8:30 here. Good morning.
We're going back to the pope's health in a moment. The Vatican emphasizing the positive in a news conference today, talking about his appetite, also that he's breathing. The former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican is Ray Flynn. He's our guest in a moment. He talks with leaders in the church just about on a daily basis. So, we'll get his thoughts in a moment up there in Boston.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We always call him in and discuss any of the pope's health issues with him ahead of time before it becomes public. We'll see what insight he has to bring this morning.

Also, President Bush, did he score any points with the Europeans on his five-day trip, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders of course? A lot of folks said it the charm offensive. We'll see whether or not all of that charm paid off.

HEMMER: Yes, we will.

Meanwhile, here's Carol Costello looking at the other headlines.

Good morning on a Friday.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

There has been another deadly explosion in Iraq this morning. A military spokesman says three U.S. soldiers were killed, six others wounded when a roadside bomb went off. The blast taking place about 20 miles north of Baghdad.

The military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy has apparently cost you, the American taxpayer, $200 million. That's according to a newly-released congressional report. The panel was commissioned to examine the effects of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy since its enactment in 1993. Well, the report says the military released nearly 9,500 troops during a 10-year period. More than 700 were considered to have critical jobs.

And Californians are still feeling the effects of a series of rainstorms. Some homes in Southern California are still in danger of mudslides. A few evacuations ordered yesterday in a San Diego neighborhood. Officials say recover efforts related to the storms could cost the state $500 million.

And a bit of a messy commute in parts of the Northeast this morning. Areas in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and New York reported up to six inches of snow. The snow delaying some flights across the region. There were also some accidents on the roadways. We will get an update on the weather from Chad Myers coming up in a just little bit. And the sun is out. Oh, that looks nice, doesn't it?

HEMMER: Yes, I told you two hours away, it's all going to be gone.

COSTELLO: I hope you're right.

HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.

Let's talk about the pope right now. Pope John Paul II is resting comfortably after yesterday's surgery, advised by doctors to avoid speaking for several days. We're told that is normal. But he's eating well, a breakfast this morning of cookies and coffee and yogurt.

And Ray Flynn, who is a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, the former Boston mayor, is my guest now.

Good morning, Mr. Ambassador. And thank you for your time here.

RAY FLYNN, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: What have you heard from the Vatican regarding his condition?

FLYNN: Well, the same information that we heard last night that it caused -- that the holy father has got some very difficult hours ahead of him in terms of how he survives this operation and the particular consequences of it.

HEMMER: You're suggesting he's not out of the woods just yet then?

FLYNN: No, I don't think so. I think, you know, look, I've known him. I've known the Vatican. I'm fascinated with the politics of the Vatican in the most affectionate way. But their game is always to put out the most positive, optimistic news about the holy father's health, and that's for understandable reasons. They don't want to get people across the world to be unnecessarily alarmed and concerned about issues, a situation that they really have no control over.

But nonetheless, I think it's far better news today than it was at 2:00 in the morning yesterday, when I first got the news from the Vatican that the holy father was going to be rushed to the Gemelli Hospital. HEMMER: Let's pick up on that politics point you're making there. Are we getting the full story from the Vatican then? And if not, how much of the story are we getting?

FLYNN: Well, I've been politics for 40 years in the United States, from the presidential election all the way down to dog catcher. And, you know, the name of the game is you have to be accountable, and you have to disseminate information to the public, because if the public feels that you're hiding something, that becomes worse than the allegations of what you're supposedly hiding. That's the way where tradition has it in American politics.

In the Vatican, it's just the opposite. Keeping information from the media is generally what they try to do, because they don't want to really open up the Vatican to all kinds of information. That's their strength and that's their weakness in many respects at the same time.

And I can understand that, because people shouldn't be given minute-by-minute accounts of the holy father's health. The holy father is the pope until he dies. So, they want to exhume this position of stability in the world and a strong moral voice.

I mean, really, think about it, Bill. It is the only consistent moral voice on critical, important political issues that we debate here in the United States or across the world, whether it's war and peace, economic and social justice, stem cell, just war. All of these issues that we see as politics, they look at it having a moral component.

My mother used to say to me, "Never talk about politics or religion." You know what? That's all we talk about is we talk about politics and religion in almost the same breath.

HEMMER: Thank you for your time.

FLYNN: Sure.

HEMMER: And we expect a statement from the Vatican on Monday, which is three days from now. I don't know if that surprises you or not, how we can go an entire weekend without an update. But, again, as you point out, the Vatican oftentimes runs on its own clock and its own rules. Thank you Ray Flynn, there.

FLYNN: Good to be with you, Bill.

HEMMER: You as well, thanks, in Boston -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Well, if it's Friday, it's time for "Gimme a Minute," a quick look back at the stories we've covered this week. On today's panel is Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus, in Washington, D.C., where she is joining us from. Also in Washington, Democrat Julian Epstein.

Nice to see you, Julian.

JULIAN EPSTEIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning. O'BRIEN: And in New York, Andy Borowitz of Borowitzreport.com.

Welcome to all of you.

CHERI JACOBUS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Let's begin this morning with Julian, if we may. President Bush's charm offensive. Give me the headline. Do you think it worked?

EPSTEIN: Well, I think there was no place to go but up with Bush when it comes to diplomatic relations. I think it was good that he continued with his pledge to promote liberty by prodding Vladimir Putin.

But when it came to the two hot-button issues -- one, Iran -- President Bush couldn't figure out whether or not he wants to join the European coalition. The second hot-button issue is North Korea. President bush can't decide whether or not he really wants to have a bilateral negotiation when he can.

I think we just have to hope that we're going to have better results when it comes to diplomatic relations in his second term.

O'BRIEN: All flash, no substance. Cheri, it sounds like that's what Julian is telling us. Will you agree?

JACOBUS: Well, I think that it's hard to look at the president's trip as anything but a resounding success. In fact, this is one of the most important things that's happened in the past year, but it almost seems like there's no news because there's nothing controversial, because he's been so successful.

You know, he's got, you know, NATO behind him now, the NATO countries. And when it gets to the point where you even have Don Rumsfeld, a tough, old dog, sort of softening his rhetoric on Old Europe, I'd say we're getting somewhere.

So, you know, it's been a great trip. It's hard to spin it any other way.

O'BRIEN: Andy, is it hard to spin it any other way?

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: No, I agree. I think it was historic. This is the first time that an American president has gone abroad and his speech was translated into English.

O'BRIEN: Our next question involves Doug Wead. You know Doug Wead. He is the friend who is not such a good friend. Friends don't tape friends, especially when the other friend is the president. Cheri, were you surprised about these tapes now that they look like they're heading back to the White House?

JACOBUS: Well, the truth is it probably looks good for the president, because it shows he's the same guy in private as he is publicly. I think this definitely backfired on Wead, because there's nothing in those tapes. This is a little bit different than, say, a Linda Tripp situation, where the information that was being taped is, you know, very important and useful in an ongoing, you know, legal situation.

This wasn't the case. This was somebody, who just gratuitously and for the sake of making some money and getting some attention, taped his friend, and it's backfired. And clearly, he knows that too, because he's backed off and he's going to give all of the money to charity from the book.

O'BRIEN: Julian, do you think this controversy is over now?

EPSTEIN: Well, not to steal Andy's thunder, but the real funny point here is a guy named Wead talking about marijuana. But, look, I think that, you know, clearly, the little bit of roughing up ala Paul O'Neill and Richard Clarke.

But here's the thing that I don't understand. These quotes were actually great for President Bush. They make him look like a political genius, a little bit like the "Saturday Night Live" spoof of Reagan, where he's speaking Farsi. The fact that the White House doesn't want it out there is beyond me.

O'BRIEN: Andy, your joke has been stolen. Do you have anything else you want to add?

BOROWITZ: I'm just glad these tapes weren't made by a guy named Mr. Blow. That's all I want to say.

O'BRIEN: Let's turn away from politics and talk about Martha Stewart, shall we? Julian, why don't you begin. You know, she wants to go back to running her company. Good idea?

EPSTEIN: Well, the "Orlando Sentinel" had the best line. They called it the "lamb shank redemption." Since she was indicted, her stock went down. But since in prison, her stock has actually doubled. She is coming out with two TV shows, a magazine, her company, a column. It really is going to put the question to the old adage, which is there's no such thing as bad publicity.

O'BRIEN: That girl has really made a comeback, right, Cheri?

JACOBUS: I think she definitely has. This was a woman who was always called one of the most arrogant women in America. Her PR machine, prior to going to jail, wasn't very good.

Now, I think, she's been humbled. I think the American people really love her, the fact that she took this prison term before she had to. I actually think that from a PR perspective and in the eyes of American people, she's doing better than ever now. I think she can do just about anything she wants. So, it's only good for her at this point, ironically.

O'BRIEN: Andy, she can do anything she wants.

BOROWITZ: Well, I agree. I think she's on such a roll right now. If the stock starts going down, maybe she could kill somebody.

O'BRIEN: Ow! OK. Let's move quickly along, Cheri, if we can, to our under-covered story of the week. Get out of the other comment there. What do you think we missed?

JACOBUS: Well, the thing that we haven't heard too much about, which I think is pretty interesting and pretty important, is that Howard Dean, the new Democratic Party chairman, has pretty much been muzzled. He's in hiding now for at least a month from the press, because of some of his early gaffes. So, at a time when he should be out there really, you know, hitting the ground running, he's in hiding because they think he's just not quite ready for primetime.

O'BRIEN: Julian, what do you think is an under-covered story?

EPSTEIN: The economic performance continues to be disappointing, particularly the job numbers, where we're seeing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of jobs below what the White House projections were. It all goes to prove President Clinton's point, which is if you want to live like a Republican, vote for a Democrat, because in the final analysis the Democrats will give you better economics.

O'BRIEN: Andy, final word this morning?

BOROWITZ: Well, Soledad, days after her cell phone was hacked, authorities are still baffled as to why someone wanted to know more about Paris Hilton.

O'BRIEN: You're right. We didn't cover that. You guys, we're out of time. Thank you very much. Have a great weekend, OK?

JACOBUS: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: We'll see you back here next weekend.

EPSTEIN: Thank you Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Here's one story we haven't missed. That's the weather outside. And that storm moving through the Northeast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Former homeland security chief Tom Ridge has got a new job. And the phrase "orange alert" still applies. Andy is "Minding Your Business" just ahead this morning.

HEMMER: Also, which movies get the thumbs-up when it comes to teaching kids about healthy habits? The theme continues today. The Oscars are Sunday night. We're paging Sanjay in a moment here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: It's awards season, but this particular honor is about who's smoking. Or, better yet, not smoking up on the big screen. We are "Paging Dr. Gupta" to tell us about kids who are singling out cigarette smoking celebrities at the movies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For those of you who can't wait for the glitz and glamour of the Academy awards...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, hi. The nominees for the best tobacco- free film are...

GUPTA: ... there's the tenth annual Hackademy Awards. Here, it's not about lighting up the silver screen, it's about lighting up, period. California teens gave the thumbs-up and the thumbs-down awards to movies and actors to draw attention to entertainment's focus on puffing out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's an ashtray or smoking in almost every scene. It was outrageous. Way too much smoking.

GUPTA: And smoking is a leading cause of heart disease. Nearly 90 percent of all adult smokers begin their habit as teenagers.

Fifty-eight percent of America's teenagers say they have tried cigarettes, and one out of five say they are hooked on their smoking habit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smoking in films, it also -- it reinforces this perception that smoking has benefits, you know, when we see someone grabbing for a cigarette when they're stressed out in a film.

GUPTA: A study in the journal, "Pediatrics," found that kids who watch R movies, most of which have smoking scenes, are one-third more likely to start smoking than those who don't.

In case you're wondering, a winner of this year's thumbs-up award, Cate Blanchett in "The Aviator" for her smoke-free portrayal of Katharine Hepburn, who was hardly ever seen without a smoke.

Another anti-smoking winner? "Mean Girls," which explored the toxic side of high school life, but let left out the tar sticks depicted in many other teen movies.

And the recipient of a thumbs-down award?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Anchorman!"

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you don't have parents that smoke, if you don't have peers that smoke, we still have to be concerned about this media influence, because this is also sending a message about whether or not smoking is acceptable and how common it is.

GUPTA: So what can parents do to keep their kids from taking a drag? Talk with your kids about heart disease, cancer and dangers of smoking. Don't smoke yourself. Statistics show kids with smoking family members are more likely to pick it up themselves. And even choosing your movies wisely could have an impact.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: A thumbs-up Academy Award went to actor Bernie Mac for being tobacco-free in the movie "Mr. 3000." The awards are sponsored by the American Lung Association in Sacramento and Immigrant Trails of California -- Bill.

HEMMER: It's about 13 minutes before the hour now, Soledad.

The rate of fatal crashes involving 16-year-olds has dropped dramatically. A study from the Institute of Highway Safety says it's not because young drivers are safer, but rather because there are fewer of them behind the wheel. The institute study found a 26- percent drop in fatal crashes from 1993 to 2003. It points to the fact that 31 percent of 16-year-olds were licensed in 2003, compared to 42 percent back in 1993. The study credits states that have put restrictions on young drivers, so fewer of them are getting their licenses when they turn the age of 16.

Former homeland security chief Tom Ridge should be able to find plenty of duct tape at his new job. Andy explains this in a moment here as we continue live in New York City on a chilly Friday morning. Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right, welcome back, everyone.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Tom Ridge goes from orange alerts to orange aprons. And Lufthansa may take legal action over President Bush's visit to Europe. Those stories and a check of the markets from my friend, Andy Serwer, "Minding Your Business."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good to see you, Jack.

Let's talk about the markets first off. Yesterday, an up day for investors. The Dow climbed 75 points. This morning crossing the tape at 8:30 Eastern, a revision of GDP for the fourth quarter. That's how fast the economy is growing; 3.8 percent. That's up from the previous number of 3.1. Good news. The economy is percolating right along.

Speaking of this Tom Ridge story, this is great stuff. The man who did more for the sale of duct tape than anyone in the history of this planet is now joining the board of the company that's probably sold more duct tape than any company in the history of the planet. That's right. Tom Ridge is joining the board of Home Depot.

CAFFERTY: What a coincidence.

SERWER: It's just ironic, Jack. Come on.

CAFFERTY: Unbelievable.

SERWER: It really is. Now, here are some of the things that Home Depot sells: duct tape, we mentioned, batteries, flashlights.

CAFFERTY: Plastic sheeting.

SERWER: Plastic sheeting, all of these things...

CAFFERTY: Plywood.

SERWER: Plywood. He encouraged us to buy during his time as secretary of homeland security. There's nothing -- maybe they're going to start selling bottled water, right?

CAFFERTY: Yes.

SERWER: Because that would fit in, too.

CAFFERTY: That's just mind-boggling, you know.

SERWER: I don't think there's anything. There is no conflict. There isn't, seriously. I mean, it's just he knows this stuff.

CAFFERTY: It's just a coincidence.

SERWER: He knows this stuff, OK?

Let's switch over to Germany here. This is from the department of whiny Germans, one of Jack's favorites. Whiny Germans. Lufthansa is reportedly considering suing the German government over President Bush's visit. That's because the president, when he arrived, there were a lot of security checks and a lot of flights were delayed. In fact, how many? Ninety-two flights were delayed, 5,700 passengers were inconvenienced. And Lufthansa is suggesting they lost perhaps millions of dollars.

HEMMER: We do that every day in New York.

SERWER: River traffic...

CAFFERTY: Ninety-seven flights delayed, and that's between 12:00 and 2:00.

SERWER: Yes. That's just LaGuardia. Never mind JFK.

CAFFERTY: Yes, I mean, that's no big deal.

SERWER: River track traffic on the Rhine was halted for a while, apparently, also. There was some concern about that. And pharmacists in the city of Mainz were also inconvenienced. You know, look, they're lucky the guy decided he didn't want to get a haircut on the tarmac.

CAFFERTY: Yes.

SERWER: I mean, if they want some...

CAFFERTY: That was our man Clinton, right?

SERWER: Well, actually that wasn't really true, that story, they're saying now. But it was funny anyway.

CAFFERTY: I remember that. All right, thanks, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: It's time for the "File." Japan's senior citizens now have something to combat the loneliness. This is called the yumel (ph) doll. It goes on sale in Japan for 80 bucks this week. The doll has a vocabulary of 1,200 phrases.

SERWER: Wow!

CAFFERTY: It's billed as a healing partner for the elderly. It can be programmed to sleep and wake up according to the owner's own sleep pattern. Toy companies in Japan are increasingly targeting seniors as the number of children in that country continues to fall. Paying $80 for someone to help you fall asleep, well, that has a different name here in the United States.

HEMMER: Yes, it does.

SERWER: Whoa!

CAFFERTY: Here's an advertising gimmick that puts the product to the test. This ad for 3M security glass was placed at a Vancouver bus stop. It supposedly contains a million dollars -- Canadian dollars. Actually, 3M only put about 500 real bills in between the glass there. The rest of it is fake. The company also installed a surveillance camera right across the street just in case.

And finally, the story about the wallet. This is really kind of amazing. A man who survived a plane crash in the Andes Mountains in 1972 got his wallet and jacket back after 32 years. Eduardo Strauss (ph), who is now 57 years old, he's an architect, was one of 16 Uruguayan rugby players -- remember this -- who survived the plane crash...

SERWER: Strange story, yes.

CAFFERTY: ... in the Andes for 72 days in the high-mountain snows. They stayed alive eating the flesh of their dead friends.

SERWER: Yes.

CAFFERTY: The ordeal was made famous in a film called "Alive." In 2002, Strauss (ph), who is on the right in this picture, reunited with his friends at a memorial service in Chile. They played the rugby match that had been postponed for three decades. Strauss' (ph) wallet and belongings were found by a Mexican hiker, who chanced upon the items just yards from the site where that plane went down.

HEMMER: Wow! What a story.

CAFFERTY: Go figure.

O'BRIEN: That was really good.

SERWER: Yes, I read that book, and it was just amazing.

HEMMER: It's like a remake of the Donner Party from the 1800s.

CAFFERTY: Same idea, yes.

SERWER: The decision those guys had to make day by day, and they knew it was coming, and eventually they had no choice. It was amazing.

O'BRIEN: Yes, all right, Jack, thanks. A good "File" today.

A look at the top stories are straight ahead this morning, including the latest on the condition of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican providing some new details on his recovery this morning. But are we hearing the whole truth? A papal expert has his theories just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Any moment now, we're expecting to hear from family members of a missing 9-year-old in the state of Florida. She disappeared from her own bedroom two days ago without a trace. Police say there is reason today to think that she is in danger. We'll get to that story top of the hour here in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.

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Aired March 14, 2003 - 08:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. It snowed last night here in New York. It's going to melt within, like two hours, once all the heat gets going in Manhattan with the commuter traffic here. It's 8:30 here. Good morning.
We're going back to the pope's health in a moment. The Vatican emphasizing the positive in a news conference today, talking about his appetite, also that he's breathing. The former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican is Ray Flynn. He's our guest in a moment. He talks with leaders in the church just about on a daily basis. So, we'll get his thoughts in a moment up there in Boston.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We always call him in and discuss any of the pope's health issues with him ahead of time before it becomes public. We'll see what insight he has to bring this morning.

Also, President Bush, did he score any points with the Europeans on his five-day trip, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders of course? A lot of folks said it the charm offensive. We'll see whether or not all of that charm paid off.

HEMMER: Yes, we will.

Meanwhile, here's Carol Costello looking at the other headlines.

Good morning on a Friday.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

There has been another deadly explosion in Iraq this morning. A military spokesman says three U.S. soldiers were killed, six others wounded when a roadside bomb went off. The blast taking place about 20 miles north of Baghdad.

The military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy has apparently cost you, the American taxpayer, $200 million. That's according to a newly-released congressional report. The panel was commissioned to examine the effects of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy since its enactment in 1993. Well, the report says the military released nearly 9,500 troops during a 10-year period. More than 700 were considered to have critical jobs.

And Californians are still feeling the effects of a series of rainstorms. Some homes in Southern California are still in danger of mudslides. A few evacuations ordered yesterday in a San Diego neighborhood. Officials say recover efforts related to the storms could cost the state $500 million.

And a bit of a messy commute in parts of the Northeast this morning. Areas in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and New York reported up to six inches of snow. The snow delaying some flights across the region. There were also some accidents on the roadways. We will get an update on the weather from Chad Myers coming up in a just little bit. And the sun is out. Oh, that looks nice, doesn't it?

HEMMER: Yes, I told you two hours away, it's all going to be gone.

COSTELLO: I hope you're right.

HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.

Let's talk about the pope right now. Pope John Paul II is resting comfortably after yesterday's surgery, advised by doctors to avoid speaking for several days. We're told that is normal. But he's eating well, a breakfast this morning of cookies and coffee and yogurt.

And Ray Flynn, who is a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, the former Boston mayor, is my guest now.

Good morning, Mr. Ambassador. And thank you for your time here.

RAY FLYNN, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: What have you heard from the Vatican regarding his condition?

FLYNN: Well, the same information that we heard last night that it caused -- that the holy father has got some very difficult hours ahead of him in terms of how he survives this operation and the particular consequences of it.

HEMMER: You're suggesting he's not out of the woods just yet then?

FLYNN: No, I don't think so. I think, you know, look, I've known him. I've known the Vatican. I'm fascinated with the politics of the Vatican in the most affectionate way. But their game is always to put out the most positive, optimistic news about the holy father's health, and that's for understandable reasons. They don't want to get people across the world to be unnecessarily alarmed and concerned about issues, a situation that they really have no control over.

But nonetheless, I think it's far better news today than it was at 2:00 in the morning yesterday, when I first got the news from the Vatican that the holy father was going to be rushed to the Gemelli Hospital. HEMMER: Let's pick up on that politics point you're making there. Are we getting the full story from the Vatican then? And if not, how much of the story are we getting?

FLYNN: Well, I've been politics for 40 years in the United States, from the presidential election all the way down to dog catcher. And, you know, the name of the game is you have to be accountable, and you have to disseminate information to the public, because if the public feels that you're hiding something, that becomes worse than the allegations of what you're supposedly hiding. That's the way where tradition has it in American politics.

In the Vatican, it's just the opposite. Keeping information from the media is generally what they try to do, because they don't want to really open up the Vatican to all kinds of information. That's their strength and that's their weakness in many respects at the same time.

And I can understand that, because people shouldn't be given minute-by-minute accounts of the holy father's health. The holy father is the pope until he dies. So, they want to exhume this position of stability in the world and a strong moral voice.

I mean, really, think about it, Bill. It is the only consistent moral voice on critical, important political issues that we debate here in the United States or across the world, whether it's war and peace, economic and social justice, stem cell, just war. All of these issues that we see as politics, they look at it having a moral component.

My mother used to say to me, "Never talk about politics or religion." You know what? That's all we talk about is we talk about politics and religion in almost the same breath.

HEMMER: Thank you for your time.

FLYNN: Sure.

HEMMER: And we expect a statement from the Vatican on Monday, which is three days from now. I don't know if that surprises you or not, how we can go an entire weekend without an update. But, again, as you point out, the Vatican oftentimes runs on its own clock and its own rules. Thank you Ray Flynn, there.

FLYNN: Good to be with you, Bill.

HEMMER: You as well, thanks, in Boston -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Well, if it's Friday, it's time for "Gimme a Minute," a quick look back at the stories we've covered this week. On today's panel is Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus, in Washington, D.C., where she is joining us from. Also in Washington, Democrat Julian Epstein.

Nice to see you, Julian.

JULIAN EPSTEIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning. O'BRIEN: And in New York, Andy Borowitz of Borowitzreport.com.

Welcome to all of you.

CHERI JACOBUS, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Let's begin this morning with Julian, if we may. President Bush's charm offensive. Give me the headline. Do you think it worked?

EPSTEIN: Well, I think there was no place to go but up with Bush when it comes to diplomatic relations. I think it was good that he continued with his pledge to promote liberty by prodding Vladimir Putin.

But when it came to the two hot-button issues -- one, Iran -- President Bush couldn't figure out whether or not he wants to join the European coalition. The second hot-button issue is North Korea. President bush can't decide whether or not he really wants to have a bilateral negotiation when he can.

I think we just have to hope that we're going to have better results when it comes to diplomatic relations in his second term.

O'BRIEN: All flash, no substance. Cheri, it sounds like that's what Julian is telling us. Will you agree?

JACOBUS: Well, I think that it's hard to look at the president's trip as anything but a resounding success. In fact, this is one of the most important things that's happened in the past year, but it almost seems like there's no news because there's nothing controversial, because he's been so successful.

You know, he's got, you know, NATO behind him now, the NATO countries. And when it gets to the point where you even have Don Rumsfeld, a tough, old dog, sort of softening his rhetoric on Old Europe, I'd say we're getting somewhere.

So, you know, it's been a great trip. It's hard to spin it any other way.

O'BRIEN: Andy, is it hard to spin it any other way?

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: No, I agree. I think it was historic. This is the first time that an American president has gone abroad and his speech was translated into English.

O'BRIEN: Our next question involves Doug Wead. You know Doug Wead. He is the friend who is not such a good friend. Friends don't tape friends, especially when the other friend is the president. Cheri, were you surprised about these tapes now that they look like they're heading back to the White House?

JACOBUS: Well, the truth is it probably looks good for the president, because it shows he's the same guy in private as he is publicly. I think this definitely backfired on Wead, because there's nothing in those tapes. This is a little bit different than, say, a Linda Tripp situation, where the information that was being taped is, you know, very important and useful in an ongoing, you know, legal situation.

This wasn't the case. This was somebody, who just gratuitously and for the sake of making some money and getting some attention, taped his friend, and it's backfired. And clearly, he knows that too, because he's backed off and he's going to give all of the money to charity from the book.

O'BRIEN: Julian, do you think this controversy is over now?

EPSTEIN: Well, not to steal Andy's thunder, but the real funny point here is a guy named Wead talking about marijuana. But, look, I think that, you know, clearly, the little bit of roughing up ala Paul O'Neill and Richard Clarke.

But here's the thing that I don't understand. These quotes were actually great for President Bush. They make him look like a political genius, a little bit like the "Saturday Night Live" spoof of Reagan, where he's speaking Farsi. The fact that the White House doesn't want it out there is beyond me.

O'BRIEN: Andy, your joke has been stolen. Do you have anything else you want to add?

BOROWITZ: I'm just glad these tapes weren't made by a guy named Mr. Blow. That's all I want to say.

O'BRIEN: Let's turn away from politics and talk about Martha Stewart, shall we? Julian, why don't you begin. You know, she wants to go back to running her company. Good idea?

EPSTEIN: Well, the "Orlando Sentinel" had the best line. They called it the "lamb shank redemption." Since she was indicted, her stock went down. But since in prison, her stock has actually doubled. She is coming out with two TV shows, a magazine, her company, a column. It really is going to put the question to the old adage, which is there's no such thing as bad publicity.

O'BRIEN: That girl has really made a comeback, right, Cheri?

JACOBUS: I think she definitely has. This was a woman who was always called one of the most arrogant women in America. Her PR machine, prior to going to jail, wasn't very good.

Now, I think, she's been humbled. I think the American people really love her, the fact that she took this prison term before she had to. I actually think that from a PR perspective and in the eyes of American people, she's doing better than ever now. I think she can do just about anything she wants. So, it's only good for her at this point, ironically.

O'BRIEN: Andy, she can do anything she wants.

BOROWITZ: Well, I agree. I think she's on such a roll right now. If the stock starts going down, maybe she could kill somebody.

O'BRIEN: Ow! OK. Let's move quickly along, Cheri, if we can, to our under-covered story of the week. Get out of the other comment there. What do you think we missed?

JACOBUS: Well, the thing that we haven't heard too much about, which I think is pretty interesting and pretty important, is that Howard Dean, the new Democratic Party chairman, has pretty much been muzzled. He's in hiding now for at least a month from the press, because of some of his early gaffes. So, at a time when he should be out there really, you know, hitting the ground running, he's in hiding because they think he's just not quite ready for primetime.

O'BRIEN: Julian, what do you think is an under-covered story?

EPSTEIN: The economic performance continues to be disappointing, particularly the job numbers, where we're seeing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of jobs below what the White House projections were. It all goes to prove President Clinton's point, which is if you want to live like a Republican, vote for a Democrat, because in the final analysis the Democrats will give you better economics.

O'BRIEN: Andy, final word this morning?

BOROWITZ: Well, Soledad, days after her cell phone was hacked, authorities are still baffled as to why someone wanted to know more about Paris Hilton.

O'BRIEN: You're right. We didn't cover that. You guys, we're out of time. Thank you very much. Have a great weekend, OK?

JACOBUS: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: We'll see you back here next weekend.

EPSTEIN: Thank you Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Here's one story we haven't missed. That's the weather outside. And that storm moving through the Northeast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Former homeland security chief Tom Ridge has got a new job. And the phrase "orange alert" still applies. Andy is "Minding Your Business" just ahead this morning.

HEMMER: Also, which movies get the thumbs-up when it comes to teaching kids about healthy habits? The theme continues today. The Oscars are Sunday night. We're paging Sanjay in a moment here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: It's awards season, but this particular honor is about who's smoking. Or, better yet, not smoking up on the big screen. We are "Paging Dr. Gupta" to tell us about kids who are singling out cigarette smoking celebrities at the movies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For those of you who can't wait for the glitz and glamour of the Academy awards...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, hi. The nominees for the best tobacco- free film are...

GUPTA: ... there's the tenth annual Hackademy Awards. Here, it's not about lighting up the silver screen, it's about lighting up, period. California teens gave the thumbs-up and the thumbs-down awards to movies and actors to draw attention to entertainment's focus on puffing out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's an ashtray or smoking in almost every scene. It was outrageous. Way too much smoking.

GUPTA: And smoking is a leading cause of heart disease. Nearly 90 percent of all adult smokers begin their habit as teenagers.

Fifty-eight percent of America's teenagers say they have tried cigarettes, and one out of five say they are hooked on their smoking habit.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smoking in films, it also -- it reinforces this perception that smoking has benefits, you know, when we see someone grabbing for a cigarette when they're stressed out in a film.

GUPTA: A study in the journal, "Pediatrics," found that kids who watch R movies, most of which have smoking scenes, are one-third more likely to start smoking than those who don't.

In case you're wondering, a winner of this year's thumbs-up award, Cate Blanchett in "The Aviator" for her smoke-free portrayal of Katharine Hepburn, who was hardly ever seen without a smoke.

Another anti-smoking winner? "Mean Girls," which explored the toxic side of high school life, but let left out the tar sticks depicted in many other teen movies.

And the recipient of a thumbs-down award?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Anchorman!"

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boo!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you don't have parents that smoke, if you don't have peers that smoke, we still have to be concerned about this media influence, because this is also sending a message about whether or not smoking is acceptable and how common it is.

GUPTA: So what can parents do to keep their kids from taking a drag? Talk with your kids about heart disease, cancer and dangers of smoking. Don't smoke yourself. Statistics show kids with smoking family members are more likely to pick it up themselves. And even choosing your movies wisely could have an impact.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: A thumbs-up Academy Award went to actor Bernie Mac for being tobacco-free in the movie "Mr. 3000." The awards are sponsored by the American Lung Association in Sacramento and Immigrant Trails of California -- Bill.

HEMMER: It's about 13 minutes before the hour now, Soledad.

The rate of fatal crashes involving 16-year-olds has dropped dramatically. A study from the Institute of Highway Safety says it's not because young drivers are safer, but rather because there are fewer of them behind the wheel. The institute study found a 26- percent drop in fatal crashes from 1993 to 2003. It points to the fact that 31 percent of 16-year-olds were licensed in 2003, compared to 42 percent back in 1993. The study credits states that have put restrictions on young drivers, so fewer of them are getting their licenses when they turn the age of 16.

Former homeland security chief Tom Ridge should be able to find plenty of duct tape at his new job. Andy explains this in a moment here as we continue live in New York City on a chilly Friday morning. Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right, welcome back, everyone.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Tom Ridge goes from orange alerts to orange aprons. And Lufthansa may take legal action over President Bush's visit to Europe. Those stories and a check of the markets from my friend, Andy Serwer, "Minding Your Business."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good to see you, Jack.

Let's talk about the markets first off. Yesterday, an up day for investors. The Dow climbed 75 points. This morning crossing the tape at 8:30 Eastern, a revision of GDP for the fourth quarter. That's how fast the economy is growing; 3.8 percent. That's up from the previous number of 3.1. Good news. The economy is percolating right along.

Speaking of this Tom Ridge story, this is great stuff. The man who did more for the sale of duct tape than anyone in the history of this planet is now joining the board of the company that's probably sold more duct tape than any company in the history of the planet. That's right. Tom Ridge is joining the board of Home Depot.

CAFFERTY: What a coincidence.

SERWER: It's just ironic, Jack. Come on.

CAFFERTY: Unbelievable.

SERWER: It really is. Now, here are some of the things that Home Depot sells: duct tape, we mentioned, batteries, flashlights.

CAFFERTY: Plastic sheeting.

SERWER: Plastic sheeting, all of these things...

CAFFERTY: Plywood.

SERWER: Plywood. He encouraged us to buy during his time as secretary of homeland security. There's nothing -- maybe they're going to start selling bottled water, right?

CAFFERTY: Yes.

SERWER: Because that would fit in, too.

CAFFERTY: That's just mind-boggling, you know.

SERWER: I don't think there's anything. There is no conflict. There isn't, seriously. I mean, it's just he knows this stuff.

CAFFERTY: It's just a coincidence.

SERWER: He knows this stuff, OK?

Let's switch over to Germany here. This is from the department of whiny Germans, one of Jack's favorites. Whiny Germans. Lufthansa is reportedly considering suing the German government over President Bush's visit. That's because the president, when he arrived, there were a lot of security checks and a lot of flights were delayed. In fact, how many? Ninety-two flights were delayed, 5,700 passengers were inconvenienced. And Lufthansa is suggesting they lost perhaps millions of dollars.

HEMMER: We do that every day in New York.

SERWER: River traffic...

CAFFERTY: Ninety-seven flights delayed, and that's between 12:00 and 2:00.

SERWER: Yes. That's just LaGuardia. Never mind JFK.

CAFFERTY: Yes, I mean, that's no big deal.

SERWER: River track traffic on the Rhine was halted for a while, apparently, also. There was some concern about that. And pharmacists in the city of Mainz were also inconvenienced. You know, look, they're lucky the guy decided he didn't want to get a haircut on the tarmac.

CAFFERTY: Yes.

SERWER: I mean, if they want some...

CAFFERTY: That was our man Clinton, right?

SERWER: Well, actually that wasn't really true, that story, they're saying now. But it was funny anyway.

CAFFERTY: I remember that. All right, thanks, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: It's time for the "File." Japan's senior citizens now have something to combat the loneliness. This is called the yumel (ph) doll. It goes on sale in Japan for 80 bucks this week. The doll has a vocabulary of 1,200 phrases.

SERWER: Wow!

CAFFERTY: It's billed as a healing partner for the elderly. It can be programmed to sleep and wake up according to the owner's own sleep pattern. Toy companies in Japan are increasingly targeting seniors as the number of children in that country continues to fall. Paying $80 for someone to help you fall asleep, well, that has a different name here in the United States.

HEMMER: Yes, it does.

SERWER: Whoa!

CAFFERTY: Here's an advertising gimmick that puts the product to the test. This ad for 3M security glass was placed at a Vancouver bus stop. It supposedly contains a million dollars -- Canadian dollars. Actually, 3M only put about 500 real bills in between the glass there. The rest of it is fake. The company also installed a surveillance camera right across the street just in case.

And finally, the story about the wallet. This is really kind of amazing. A man who survived a plane crash in the Andes Mountains in 1972 got his wallet and jacket back after 32 years. Eduardo Strauss (ph), who is now 57 years old, he's an architect, was one of 16 Uruguayan rugby players -- remember this -- who survived the plane crash...

SERWER: Strange story, yes.

CAFFERTY: ... in the Andes for 72 days in the high-mountain snows. They stayed alive eating the flesh of their dead friends.

SERWER: Yes.

CAFFERTY: The ordeal was made famous in a film called "Alive." In 2002, Strauss (ph), who is on the right in this picture, reunited with his friends at a memorial service in Chile. They played the rugby match that had been postponed for three decades. Strauss' (ph) wallet and belongings were found by a Mexican hiker, who chanced upon the items just yards from the site where that plane went down.

HEMMER: Wow! What a story.

CAFFERTY: Go figure.

O'BRIEN: That was really good.

SERWER: Yes, I read that book, and it was just amazing.

HEMMER: It's like a remake of the Donner Party from the 1800s.

CAFFERTY: Same idea, yes.

SERWER: The decision those guys had to make day by day, and they knew it was coming, and eventually they had no choice. It was amazing.

O'BRIEN: Yes, all right, Jack, thanks. A good "File" today.

A look at the top stories are straight ahead this morning, including the latest on the condition of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican providing some new details on his recovery this morning. But are we hearing the whole truth? A papal expert has his theories just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Any moment now, we're expecting to hear from family members of a missing 9-year-old in the state of Florida. She disappeared from her own bedroom two days ago without a trace. Police say there is reason today to think that she is in danger. We'll get to that story top of the hour here in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.

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