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CNN Live At Daybreak

A Wave of Super Tuesday Victories All But Clinches Nomination for Kerry

Aired March 03, 2004 - 05:00   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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe that in 2004, one united Democratic Party, we can and we will win this election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A wave of Super Tuesday victories all but clinches the Democratic nomination for John Kerry.

Good morning.

It's Wednesday, March 3.

And from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin in for Carol Costello.

At this hour, the little engine that could, couldn't keep up with John Kerry's runaway train. John Edwards will end his presidential campaign today.

Haiti's rebel leader names himself the nation's new police chief and threatens to arrest the prime minister. But Washington tells the rebels to put down their guns.

Are Michael Eisner's days numbered as Disney chairman and CEO? Today's shareholder meeting could go a long way toward answering that question.

And the Senate overwhelmingly rejects a bill protecting gun makers from lawsuits. An amendment to extend a ban on assault weapons sinks that bill.

We update the top stories every 15 minutes and our next news update is at 5:15 Eastern.

Well, it's all about John Kerry's K.O. With nine wins in 10 Super Tuesday states, Kerry is one giant step closer to becoming the Democratic nominee for president.

As CNN's Judy Woodruff reports, the Massachusetts senator knocked out his closest party rival.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have been the little engine that could and I am proud of what we've done together, you and I.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's only March the 2nd, but it's over. John Edwards accepts the inevitable and embraces his former rival, John Kerry.

EDWARDS: He's been an extraordinary advocate for causes that all of us believe in -- more jobs, better health care, a cleaner environment, a safer world. These are the causes of our party. These are the causes of our country and these are the causes we will prevail on come November.

WOODRUFF: Watching in Washington, the presumptive Democratic nominee, whose come from behind campaign powered through the primary season. Unstoppable since a surprise win in the Iowa caucuses, Kerry cemented his dominance on Super Tuesday and now he barrels into the general election.

KERRY: Our opponents can't campaign on jobs or health care or fiscal responsibility. Instead, George Bush, who promised to become a uniter, has become the great divider.

WOODRUFF: And now, a new phase, as Kerry searches for a sidekick and the national campaign begins in earnest.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That was Judy Woodruff reporting.

The Kerry campaign plans to have a formal process for picking a running mate in just a few weeks.

In the meantime, CNN will have live coverage of John Edwards' announcement that he's leaving the race. That's today at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

President Bush congratulated John Kerry on his impressive string of victories on Tuesday. The president actually called him and told John Kerry he looks forward to a "spirited debate" this fall. The president has already started studying comments Kerry made during the debates and interviews.

And the first Bush-Cheney ads of the campaign will debut tomorrow morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM BUSH/CHENEY CAMPAIGN AD)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The president of the United States on America's role in a changing world.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I've got a foreign policy that is one that believes America has a responsibility in this world, a responsibility to lead in the war against terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Well, you can see the ads on cable stations and in the markets of 17 battleground states. We're going to be dissecting them with our own Bill Schneider in about an hour.

Howard Dean may have stopped campaigning, but that didn't stop voters in his home state of Vermont. They handed him his first win. Dean captured 58 percent of the vote, to 34 percent for John Kerry. John Edwards wasn't even on the ballot in Vermont.

Dean says he's delighted with his one and only win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm delighted. You know, I really feel very indebted to Vermont voters. You know, we didn't really campaign, but there were a lot of people who did campaign for us. There's a wonderful group, I think that it's called truth something dot-com. And Sam Osbourn and a lot of really terrific people, Bill Stetson, worked really, really hard, and many, many others, for us. And I just really appreciate that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Dean says he'll hold onto his delegates for now. On March 18th, he's going to unveil the next phase of his political plan.

For more on the Super Tuesday analysis and a look at the new challenges facing John Kerry, check out our Web site, cnn.com.

Well, today the Martha Stewart case goes to the jury. They are going to have to decide if she is guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and lying.

As CNN's Allan Chernoff reports, Stewart's attorney is hoping his dumb and dumber defense is a winner.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart's attorney, Robert Morvillo, ridiculed government charges in his closing argument. "The alleged conspiracy," Morvillo said, "must have been a conspiracy of dunces. There were inconsistencies in the details of the explanations Stewart and stockbroker Peter Bacanovic gave investigators for her sale of ImClone stock.

"You'd have to believe these two people got together and just couldn't get it right," Morvillo exclaimed. Morvillo acknowledged Stewart, "may have gotten some facts wrong in speaking with the Securities and Exchange Commission," but argued, "She just plain made a mistake." Stewart's memory of the sale, the defense attorney claimed, had faded. And he questioned how the government's star witness, Douglas Faneuil, was able to recall word for word his conversations with the defendant, proclaiming, "Douglas Faneuil is the living definition of reasonable doubt."

Morvillo ended by telling the jury, "Martha Stewart's life is in your hands."

In the government's rebuttal, prosecutor Karen Seymour charged Martha Stewart had not forgotten she had been tipped that ImClone Chief Executive Sam Waksal was trying to sell his stock. She had even bragged about it to her friend Mariana Pasternak. Seymour said Stewart had concealed the truth from investigators.

Addressing Morvillo's conspiracy of dunces argument, Seymour told the jury. "Smart people make mistakes. Smart people do dumb things."

(on camera): After more than five weeks of testimony and 27 witnesses, the jury will finally get the case on Wednesday and Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic will begin waiting to hear their fate.

Allan Chernoff, CNN Financial News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Now for some of the other news making news across America.

In Massachusetts, a hockey coach is facing an assault charge and a lifetime ban. He grabbed a referee on the ice during a game. The coach was apparently upset over a penalty called involving his 13- year-old son.

Say good-bye to super size. McDonald's is phasing out its super sized Fries and sodas. The company says the move is part of a campaign to support a more balanced lifestyle and to simplify its menu. They're trying to sound healthy, actually. Super sizes should go away by the end of the year.

In Denver, a pastor repents. He angered Christians and Jews last week when he posted a sign in front of his church that said, "Jews killed the Lord Jesus." It was a reference to the movie "The Passion of the Christ." The pastor's new sign says he's sorry.

Now to the battle over gay marriage. The mayor of the tiny New York village of New Paltz has a court date this evening. He's been arraigned for marrying gay couples. It's a misdemeanor because the couples had no licenses. Mayor Jason West says he's going to plead innocent. Now, he married 25 gay couples Friday. He says he'll still go through the plans to marry as many as two dozen more gay couples on Saturday.

The largest county in Oregon plans to begin issuing marriage licenses to gays today. Same-sex couples there may be able to get married as early as this morning.

Reporter Jamie Wilson of CNN affiliate KP-TV reports on one gay couple preparing to tie the knot in Portland.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which food comes from a plant?

JAMIE WILSON, KP-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 12 years together raising two adopted sons, Stephen Wagenhoffer and Mitch Zahn can hardly believe they could be getting married in Portland.

STEPHEN WAGENHOFFER, HOPING TO GET MARRIED: Our children have waited long enough to have parents that are married and legally recognized. And so we'll probably do something right away.

WILSON: The couple is bringing a minister to the licensing office so they can make it legal immediately. Stephen and Mitch have been fighting for same-sex marriages through the Freedom To Marry Coalition. They did not want to go to New York or San Francisco. They say they waited to be married in their own community.

MITCH ZAHN, HOPING TO GET MARRIED: It's almost like it took forever and yet it feels like it happened overnight. It's very exciting.

WILSON: But excitement is not what Christian Coalition Director John Belgard is feeling.

JOHN BELGARD, CHRISTIAN COALITION OF OREGON: What we call shock and awe, because a lot of people weren't -- their eyes were closed to this, that this would ever happen. And people were saying well, not in -- how could this happen in my neighborhood or how could this happen in my state?

WILSON: Belgard calls same-sex marriages in Oregon a haphazard interpretation of the law. He says making it legal threatens the family unit and the sanctity of marriage. BELGARD: The intent of the law was one man, one woman of legal age entering into a state of holy matrimony.

WAGENHOFFER: I think it's also important for them to look at Britney Spears and, you know, what she's done to build the sanctity of marriage.

WILSON: Stephen and Mitch say they simply want what other couples take for granted -- they want to be a family.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I think they should get married because they love each other a lot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That report comes from Jamie Wilson of CNN affiliate KP-TV.

Now, hundreds of gay couples are expected to show up this morning to get marriage licenses.

In the meantime, as you know, Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter is gay. But he is saying he supports President Bush and his call for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. Now, that's different than what he said four years ago and we're going to let Wolf Blitzer pick it up here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS")

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The president's made a decision, partly because of what's happened in Massachusetts and San Francisco, that the administration will support a constitutional amendment and that's his decision to make.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And do you support it?

CHENEY: I support the president.

BLITZER: I don't hear you say you believe that...

CHENEY: I support the president, Wolf. My deal with t president is that I get to advise him on the issues of the day. I never discuss the advice I provide him with anybody else. That's always private. He makes the decisions. He sets policy for the administration. And I support him and the administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: That was a rare interview with the vice president, who suddenly gave interviews to all three cable networks.

In the meantime, we're going to check on the weather today.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: Still to come, furious about filling up? Getting peeved at the pump? We may have the cure for your high gas price blues.

Plus, coming out swinging. Barry Bonds and allegations of steroid use.

Also, vacating Vermont. A popular ski resort town wants to go downhill to New Hampshire. Will Killington cross the river?

And, is it really 100 percent pure? It's bottled. It's water. So it must be pure, right? Not so fast.

It is Wednesday, March 3, and we are 100 percent sure you're watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Good morning.

It's about quarter past the hour and here's a quick look at our top stories in the DAYBREAK early briefing.

Well, it was definitely a Super Tuesday for John Kerry. He swept all the states but Vermont last night. It looks like John Edwards, his chief rival, is about to drop out of the race.

In other news, the jurors are going to get the Martha Stewart stock trial case. It goes to the jury today.

And in Haiti, a rebel leader declares that he is the new leader of Haiti's military and the police. And Guy Philippe says that he is now going to arrest the country's prime minister. We update the top stories every 15 minutes. Our next update is at 5:30 Eastern time.

Trouble for Walt Disney Chairman Michael Eisner. He is at a critical point today. Disney investors will decide if they're going to reelect him to the board of directors. But two former directors want him ousted. Few analysts expect that to happen, though.

Turning now to other matters of finance, the Fed's Alan Greenspan is being pretty blunt. He says interest rates must rise eventually.

Let's see if his comment on interest rates is having an effect on the overseas financial markets.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LIN: Well, in the Kobe Bryant case, the judge in that case says that Kobe Bryant's defense attorneys can ask any question they want about his accuser's sexual past. She is scheduled to appear at a closed hearing March 24 and 25. That's some good news in that case.

The FBI today will begin publicly showing the pictures of people who distribute child pornography. The agency is going to put their pictures of these unknown suspects on its Web site and the FBI will use the TV program "America's Most Wanted" to get help from the public to track these guys down.

And we want to bring you up to date on a strange case we told you about yesterday. This woman accused of kidnapping a 10-day-old girl six years ago, she surrenders to police in Philadelphia. Carolyn Correa is accused of taking the child, starting a fire in the home to hide the crime. The mother thinks her baby is dead, but then she finds her child at a birthday party back in January.

All right, Iraqis mourn the victims of Tuesday's bomb attacks in Baghdad and Karbala. How is this going to affect the future of path -- or the future path to peace? We're going to have a live report.

And you are what you drink. We are going to hear what the Brits have to say about Dasani water.

And if you've got to go, you've got to go. What better place to go than this high tech toilet?

This is DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: There's some great ones in our DAYBREAK Eye-Opener this morning. For example, in Missouri, a couple of guys actually invented a conversion kit that allows regular cars to run on vegetable oil. Yes, you heard me, vegetable oil. Of course, your car is going to smell like you were eating French fries all day, but, hey, that's the price you pay.

Seattle opens its first self-cleaning public toilet. Yes. And it comes with a timer, too, so that nobody can hog the head.

And there was an important discovery by the Mars rover, Opportunity. NASA scientists say new evidence shows there was once a lot of water on Mars and that might mean, yes, that there was life on Mars, maybe.

OK, there may have been water. It doesn't mean there was actually life, but they're still trying to figure that one out -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I know. Well, water helps create life, so that's...

LIN: Water helps, yes.

You know, when you're a Martian and you get thirsty, you've got to go somewhere.

MARCIANO: Exactly. They get thirsty like the rest of us. And it can get warm there so water is a good thing.

LIN: Yes, and I hope it's getting warm right here.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: All right, Iraq is observing three days of mourning following suicide bombers that killed 117 people. Three hundred people were also injured in Karbala and Baghdad.

We are going to our bureau chief out in Baghdad, Jane Arraf, for the very latest there -- Jane, obviously in the aftermath of yesterday, things relatively quiet today.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is quiet, Carol. But there is still a lot of anger. Near where the attacks took place, one of the holiest sites for Shia Muslims, there was a huge demonstration this morning. Thousands of people came out. Now, with the threat of religious violence hanging over this, religious leaders are doing their best to publicly try to defuse this. This was an -- a protest, a demonstration of support, rather, called by Makhtadar Asadur (ph), someone who's considered a radical Shia leader here. But he called this demonstration to say that Muslims were united. And Sunni Muslims came, as well, Sunni Muslim clerics from other neighborhoods, all chanting that they were united, that they would support each other and many chanting that they blamed the United States for this, which is something we are still hearing. Everyone's saying that they could have done the job of securing that area, securing the country, in fact, better than the U.S. could.

And, Carol, while the United -- while U.S. officials yesterday said that they had someone in custody they believed was a suspected suicide bomber, they say this morning that was not true, a false alarm. They have no suspects yet in this Baghdad bombing -- Carol.

LIN: All right, thank you very much for the very latest from Baghdad, Jane. All right, we've got more violence against Shiites. This time it's in Pakistan along the border with Afghanistan in the town of Quetta. Thirty-eight people were killed, 100 wounded, when a gunman opened fire on a religious procession. The shootings there triggered a stampede. There is no word on any deaths, though, but we will keep you posted.

Election news here. John Kerry supporters are jubilant. Kerry now stands alone against George W. Bush.

Also, the world of professional sports takes another hit. Did this heavy hitter take steroids?

And a loss for the sports world. We are going to remember Marge Schott.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Nomination for Kerry>


Aired March 3, 2004 - 05:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe that in 2004, one united Democratic Party, we can and we will win this election.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A wave of Super Tuesday victories all but clinches the Democratic nomination for John Kerry.

Good morning.

It's Wednesday, March 3.

And from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin in for Carol Costello.

At this hour, the little engine that could, couldn't keep up with John Kerry's runaway train. John Edwards will end his presidential campaign today.

Haiti's rebel leader names himself the nation's new police chief and threatens to arrest the prime minister. But Washington tells the rebels to put down their guns.

Are Michael Eisner's days numbered as Disney chairman and CEO? Today's shareholder meeting could go a long way toward answering that question.

And the Senate overwhelmingly rejects a bill protecting gun makers from lawsuits. An amendment to extend a ban on assault weapons sinks that bill.

We update the top stories every 15 minutes and our next news update is at 5:15 Eastern.

Well, it's all about John Kerry's K.O. With nine wins in 10 Super Tuesday states, Kerry is one giant step closer to becoming the Democratic nominee for president.

As CNN's Judy Woodruff reports, the Massachusetts senator knocked out his closest party rival.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have been the little engine that could and I am proud of what we've done together, you and I.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's only March the 2nd, but it's over. John Edwards accepts the inevitable and embraces his former rival, John Kerry.

EDWARDS: He's been an extraordinary advocate for causes that all of us believe in -- more jobs, better health care, a cleaner environment, a safer world. These are the causes of our party. These are the causes of our country and these are the causes we will prevail on come November.

WOODRUFF: Watching in Washington, the presumptive Democratic nominee, whose come from behind campaign powered through the primary season. Unstoppable since a surprise win in the Iowa caucuses, Kerry cemented his dominance on Super Tuesday and now he barrels into the general election.

KERRY: Our opponents can't campaign on jobs or health care or fiscal responsibility. Instead, George Bush, who promised to become a uniter, has become the great divider.

WOODRUFF: And now, a new phase, as Kerry searches for a sidekick and the national campaign begins in earnest.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That was Judy Woodruff reporting.

The Kerry campaign plans to have a formal process for picking a running mate in just a few weeks.

In the meantime, CNN will have live coverage of John Edwards' announcement that he's leaving the race. That's today at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

President Bush congratulated John Kerry on his impressive string of victories on Tuesday. The president actually called him and told John Kerry he looks forward to a "spirited debate" this fall. The president has already started studying comments Kerry made during the debates and interviews.

And the first Bush-Cheney ads of the campaign will debut tomorrow morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM BUSH/CHENEY CAMPAIGN AD)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The president of the United States on America's role in a changing world.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I've got a foreign policy that is one that believes America has a responsibility in this world, a responsibility to lead in the war against terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Well, you can see the ads on cable stations and in the markets of 17 battleground states. We're going to be dissecting them with our own Bill Schneider in about an hour.

Howard Dean may have stopped campaigning, but that didn't stop voters in his home state of Vermont. They handed him his first win. Dean captured 58 percent of the vote, to 34 percent for John Kerry. John Edwards wasn't even on the ballot in Vermont.

Dean says he's delighted with his one and only win.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm delighted. You know, I really feel very indebted to Vermont voters. You know, we didn't really campaign, but there were a lot of people who did campaign for us. There's a wonderful group, I think that it's called truth something dot-com. And Sam Osbourn and a lot of really terrific people, Bill Stetson, worked really, really hard, and many, many others, for us. And I just really appreciate that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Dean says he'll hold onto his delegates for now. On March 18th, he's going to unveil the next phase of his political plan.

For more on the Super Tuesday analysis and a look at the new challenges facing John Kerry, check out our Web site, cnn.com.

Well, today the Martha Stewart case goes to the jury. They are going to have to decide if she is guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and lying.

As CNN's Allan Chernoff reports, Stewart's attorney is hoping his dumb and dumber defense is a winner.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart's attorney, Robert Morvillo, ridiculed government charges in his closing argument. "The alleged conspiracy," Morvillo said, "must have been a conspiracy of dunces. There were inconsistencies in the details of the explanations Stewart and stockbroker Peter Bacanovic gave investigators for her sale of ImClone stock.

"You'd have to believe these two people got together and just couldn't get it right," Morvillo exclaimed. Morvillo acknowledged Stewart, "may have gotten some facts wrong in speaking with the Securities and Exchange Commission," but argued, "She just plain made a mistake." Stewart's memory of the sale, the defense attorney claimed, had faded. And he questioned how the government's star witness, Douglas Faneuil, was able to recall word for word his conversations with the defendant, proclaiming, "Douglas Faneuil is the living definition of reasonable doubt."

Morvillo ended by telling the jury, "Martha Stewart's life is in your hands."

In the government's rebuttal, prosecutor Karen Seymour charged Martha Stewart had not forgotten she had been tipped that ImClone Chief Executive Sam Waksal was trying to sell his stock. She had even bragged about it to her friend Mariana Pasternak. Seymour said Stewart had concealed the truth from investigators.

Addressing Morvillo's conspiracy of dunces argument, Seymour told the jury. "Smart people make mistakes. Smart people do dumb things."

(on camera): After more than five weeks of testimony and 27 witnesses, the jury will finally get the case on Wednesday and Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic will begin waiting to hear their fate.

Allan Chernoff, CNN Financial News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Now for some of the other news making news across America.

In Massachusetts, a hockey coach is facing an assault charge and a lifetime ban. He grabbed a referee on the ice during a game. The coach was apparently upset over a penalty called involving his 13- year-old son.

Say good-bye to super size. McDonald's is phasing out its super sized Fries and sodas. The company says the move is part of a campaign to support a more balanced lifestyle and to simplify its menu. They're trying to sound healthy, actually. Super sizes should go away by the end of the year.

In Denver, a pastor repents. He angered Christians and Jews last week when he posted a sign in front of his church that said, "Jews killed the Lord Jesus." It was a reference to the movie "The Passion of the Christ." The pastor's new sign says he's sorry.

Now to the battle over gay marriage. The mayor of the tiny New York village of New Paltz has a court date this evening. He's been arraigned for marrying gay couples. It's a misdemeanor because the couples had no licenses. Mayor Jason West says he's going to plead innocent. Now, he married 25 gay couples Friday. He says he'll still go through the plans to marry as many as two dozen more gay couples on Saturday.

The largest county in Oregon plans to begin issuing marriage licenses to gays today. Same-sex couples there may be able to get married as early as this morning.

Reporter Jamie Wilson of CNN affiliate KP-TV reports on one gay couple preparing to tie the knot in Portland.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Which food comes from a plant?

JAMIE WILSON, KP-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After 12 years together raising two adopted sons, Stephen Wagenhoffer and Mitch Zahn can hardly believe they could be getting married in Portland.

STEPHEN WAGENHOFFER, HOPING TO GET MARRIED: Our children have waited long enough to have parents that are married and legally recognized. And so we'll probably do something right away.

WILSON: The couple is bringing a minister to the licensing office so they can make it legal immediately. Stephen and Mitch have been fighting for same-sex marriages through the Freedom To Marry Coalition. They did not want to go to New York or San Francisco. They say they waited to be married in their own community.

MITCH ZAHN, HOPING TO GET MARRIED: It's almost like it took forever and yet it feels like it happened overnight. It's very exciting.

WILSON: But excitement is not what Christian Coalition Director John Belgard is feeling.

JOHN BELGARD, CHRISTIAN COALITION OF OREGON: What we call shock and awe, because a lot of people weren't -- their eyes were closed to this, that this would ever happen. And people were saying well, not in -- how could this happen in my neighborhood or how could this happen in my state?

WILSON: Belgard calls same-sex marriages in Oregon a haphazard interpretation of the law. He says making it legal threatens the family unit and the sanctity of marriage. BELGARD: The intent of the law was one man, one woman of legal age entering into a state of holy matrimony.

WAGENHOFFER: I think it's also important for them to look at Britney Spears and, you know, what she's done to build the sanctity of marriage.

WILSON: Stephen and Mitch say they simply want what other couples take for granted -- they want to be a family.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I think they should get married because they love each other a lot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That report comes from Jamie Wilson of CNN affiliate KP-TV.

Now, hundreds of gay couples are expected to show up this morning to get marriage licenses.

In the meantime, as you know, Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter is gay. But he is saying he supports President Bush and his call for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages. Now, that's different than what he said four years ago and we're going to let Wolf Blitzer pick it up here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS")

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The president's made a decision, partly because of what's happened in Massachusetts and San Francisco, that the administration will support a constitutional amendment and that's his decision to make.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And do you support it?

CHENEY: I support the president.

BLITZER: I don't hear you say you believe that...

CHENEY: I support the president, Wolf. My deal with t president is that I get to advise him on the issues of the day. I never discuss the advice I provide him with anybody else. That's always private. He makes the decisions. He sets policy for the administration. And I support him and the administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: That was a rare interview with the vice president, who suddenly gave interviews to all three cable networks.

In the meantime, we're going to check on the weather today.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: Still to come, furious about filling up? Getting peeved at the pump? We may have the cure for your high gas price blues.

Plus, coming out swinging. Barry Bonds and allegations of steroid use.

Also, vacating Vermont. A popular ski resort town wants to go downhill to New Hampshire. Will Killington cross the river?

And, is it really 100 percent pure? It's bottled. It's water. So it must be pure, right? Not so fast.

It is Wednesday, March 3, and we are 100 percent sure you're watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Good morning.

It's about quarter past the hour and here's a quick look at our top stories in the DAYBREAK early briefing.

Well, it was definitely a Super Tuesday for John Kerry. He swept all the states but Vermont last night. It looks like John Edwards, his chief rival, is about to drop out of the race.

In other news, the jurors are going to get the Martha Stewart stock trial case. It goes to the jury today.

And in Haiti, a rebel leader declares that he is the new leader of Haiti's military and the police. And Guy Philippe says that he is now going to arrest the country's prime minister. We update the top stories every 15 minutes. Our next update is at 5:30 Eastern time.

Trouble for Walt Disney Chairman Michael Eisner. He is at a critical point today. Disney investors will decide if they're going to reelect him to the board of directors. But two former directors want him ousted. Few analysts expect that to happen, though.

Turning now to other matters of finance, the Fed's Alan Greenspan is being pretty blunt. He says interest rates must rise eventually.

Let's see if his comment on interest rates is having an effect on the overseas financial markets.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LIN: Well, in the Kobe Bryant case, the judge in that case says that Kobe Bryant's defense attorneys can ask any question they want about his accuser's sexual past. She is scheduled to appear at a closed hearing March 24 and 25. That's some good news in that case.

The FBI today will begin publicly showing the pictures of people who distribute child pornography. The agency is going to put their pictures of these unknown suspects on its Web site and the FBI will use the TV program "America's Most Wanted" to get help from the public to track these guys down.

And we want to bring you up to date on a strange case we told you about yesterday. This woman accused of kidnapping a 10-day-old girl six years ago, she surrenders to police in Philadelphia. Carolyn Correa is accused of taking the child, starting a fire in the home to hide the crime. The mother thinks her baby is dead, but then she finds her child at a birthday party back in January.

All right, Iraqis mourn the victims of Tuesday's bomb attacks in Baghdad and Karbala. How is this going to affect the future of path -- or the future path to peace? We're going to have a live report.

And you are what you drink. We are going to hear what the Brits have to say about Dasani water.

And if you've got to go, you've got to go. What better place to go than this high tech toilet?

This is DAYBREAK.

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LIN: There's some great ones in our DAYBREAK Eye-Opener this morning. For example, in Missouri, a couple of guys actually invented a conversion kit that allows regular cars to run on vegetable oil. Yes, you heard me, vegetable oil. Of course, your car is going to smell like you were eating French fries all day, but, hey, that's the price you pay.

Seattle opens its first self-cleaning public toilet. Yes. And it comes with a timer, too, so that nobody can hog the head.

And there was an important discovery by the Mars rover, Opportunity. NASA scientists say new evidence shows there was once a lot of water on Mars and that might mean, yes, that there was life on Mars, maybe.

OK, there may have been water. It doesn't mean there was actually life, but they're still trying to figure that one out -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I know. Well, water helps create life, so that's...

LIN: Water helps, yes.

You know, when you're a Martian and you get thirsty, you've got to go somewhere.

MARCIANO: Exactly. They get thirsty like the rest of us. And it can get warm there so water is a good thing.

LIN: Yes, and I hope it's getting warm right here.

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LIN: All right, Iraq is observing three days of mourning following suicide bombers that killed 117 people. Three hundred people were also injured in Karbala and Baghdad.

We are going to our bureau chief out in Baghdad, Jane Arraf, for the very latest there -- Jane, obviously in the aftermath of yesterday, things relatively quiet today.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is quiet, Carol. But there is still a lot of anger. Near where the attacks took place, one of the holiest sites for Shia Muslims, there was a huge demonstration this morning. Thousands of people came out. Now, with the threat of religious violence hanging over this, religious leaders are doing their best to publicly try to defuse this. This was an -- a protest, a demonstration of support, rather, called by Makhtadar Asadur (ph), someone who's considered a radical Shia leader here. But he called this demonstration to say that Muslims were united. And Sunni Muslims came, as well, Sunni Muslim clerics from other neighborhoods, all chanting that they were united, that they would support each other and many chanting that they blamed the United States for this, which is something we are still hearing. Everyone's saying that they could have done the job of securing that area, securing the country, in fact, better than the U.S. could.

And, Carol, while the United -- while U.S. officials yesterday said that they had someone in custody they believed was a suspected suicide bomber, they say this morning that was not true, a false alarm. They have no suspects yet in this Baghdad bombing -- Carol.

LIN: All right, thank you very much for the very latest from Baghdad, Jane. All right, we've got more violence against Shiites. This time it's in Pakistan along the border with Afghanistan in the town of Quetta. Thirty-eight people were killed, 100 wounded, when a gunman opened fire on a religious procession. The shootings there triggered a stampede. There is no word on any deaths, though, but we will keep you posted.

Election news here. John Kerry supporters are jubilant. Kerry now stands alone against George W. Bush.

Also, the world of professional sports takes another hit. Did this heavy hitter take steroids?

And a loss for the sports world. We are going to remember Marge Schott.

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