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American Morning
Kerry Wins Nine Out of 10 States; Mother Finds Daughter She Thought Lost Years Ago
Aired March 03, 2004 - 08:00 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: We can and we will win this election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
John Kerry setting his sights on the White House after running laps around the competition on Super Tuesday.
The woman accused of setting a fire to steal a baby -- this morning, her lawyer explains some suspicious behavior. And what happens to that 6-year-old girl.
And McDonald's ready to kill off a fast food guilty pleasure.
All ahead this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Welcome back, everybody.
Lots more on Super Tuesday in just a moment.
We're also going to take a look at where Senator John Edwards stands this morning. He really only came close in Georgia last night. He's got an announcement planned for later today. It's expected to -- that he will announce that he is dropping out of the race a little bit later today.
HEMMER: Also this hour, we're looking at a decision in the Senate yesterday suggesting there will not be any significant gun control legislation this year.
Also, the latest on the Martha Stewart trial. The jurors may get that case today.
And Sanjay is back to talk about an insurance controversy with the popular procedure, the gastric bypass.
So all of that is coming up in the packed hour here on AMERICAN MORNING.
What's up with our friend here today?
O'BRIEN: He's doing bad, I know.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What?
HEMMER: He is smoking.
CAFFERTY: What?
O'BRIEN: Chatting, laughing.
HEMMER: What did you have for breakfast?
O'BRIEN: Laughing while I'm trying to do my read.
CAFFERTY: Oh, I would never do that.
Coming up in the Cafferty File in a little while -- I'm not sure what time it's on because they haven't told me yet, but it'll be on pretty soon...
O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: ... we'll tell you what Monica Lewinsky thinks about presidents and priests. You may want to stick around for that. And wait till you hear about the father of Ohio sextuplets. That would be a half a dozen, as in a litter. He made a comment about their births. It's kind of cute. That's all I have at this time.
HEMMER: Good deal.
O'BRIEN: All right, thank you.
CAFFERTY: I've got to go find out when I'm on now.
O'BRIEN: The end of the hour they're telling me.
CAFFERTY: End of the hour?
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Set the alarm.
O'BRIEN: We'll see you in a little bit.
CAFFERTY: Good.
Set the alarm. That's good. Go back to sleep.
O'BRIEN: Politics now, it is all but official now, Senator John Kerry is going to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Senator Kerry called himself a fighter last night in his victory address, marking a near sweep of yesterday's Super Tuesday contests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KERRY: Tonight, the message could not be clearer all across our country -- change is coming to America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Senator Kerry won nine out of the 10 states up for grabs yesterday. Ironically, it was not Senator John Edwards but Howard Dean who prevented a Kerry sweep. Dean won the state he once governed, Vermont.
So, how did Senator Kerry pull it off and what hurdles lie ahead?
Our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield, has been watching it all play out and he joins us from CNN Center this morning -- Jeff, good morning.
Nice to see you, as always.
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: What do you say we do like the hindsight is 20-20 and really take a look back at what led to the victory for John Kerry at this point.
GREENFIELD: Yes, a couple of things. First, the decision last fall to shake up his campaign and bring in Mary Beth Cahill as his campaign chief, because she was a key to the most critical strategy decision, to make Iowa the make or break state for Kerry, at a time when he was all but invisible in the polls. And obviously that paid off.
Next, a couple of television ads, a campaign that helped erase the aloof image, at least in those early primary states, showing members of the Swift Boat crew in Vietnam, whose lives Kerry saved; and middle class Democrats who praised him for wanting to protect their tax cuts.
And, finally, the decision he made in Iowa to take his campaign to town halls across the state and to meet with citizens and to orate less and answer questions more.
And we also can't forget another basic point, that front runner Howard Dean began to turn off a lot of Democrats as the time for voting drew near.
I think those were the -- most of the keys to what we saw.
O'BRIEN: All right, well, it's all happy, happy, joy, joy over at the Kerry campaign right now. But in the midst of all of that, what do you think they're most worried about?
GREENFIELD: I like that "Ren and Stimpy" reference.
Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Sure.
GREENFIELD: First, apart from trying to pick a vice president, money. They know what happened to Bob Dole back in 1996 when he sat there broke all through the spring as the Clinton campaign just pummeled him with ads that linked him to House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Really by summer, the campaign was effectively over.
And this is why the Federal Election Commission decisions on independent, pro-Democratic groups who are trying to raise tens of millions of dollars and what they can do with that money could be critical.
The second substantive problem for John Kerry is he's got to expand the message. John Edwards did do much better with independents and moderate Republicans than Kerry, and while Kerry will have a united base among Democrats, that won't be enough in November.
And, third, he's got to begin quickly to inoculate himself against the elitist, aloof, aristocratic, French speaking rich guy who doesn't connect to ordinary Americans. And I don't think that he can do that by showing up at NASCAR events. But it will be essential, I think, to break through the notion that helped Bush in 2000, that George W. Bush was more like us than Al Gore.
O'BRIEN: Where do you think are the most contentious states in this, as we head toward the general election?
GREENFIELD: Yes, I don't think there's much of a secret about this. The Bush campaign is most hungry for Pennsylvania. They lost that by less than five points. To some extent, they're looking at Michigan, also a close race they lost in 2000. They did come very close in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico, but most of those states, I think, were close because of Ralph Nader and I think Kerry would have the edge in those.
Democrats, here's a surprise, lust for Florida. But one of their biggest targets is going to be Ohio. The Gore campaign pulled out of that state with a week to go and still they only lost it by three and a half points. Missouri, always a close, competitive state, or a bellwether state, if you want to use that phrase. West Virginia, which the Democrats should win, lost probably on guns and the environment last time. And Arizona because of the Latino population growing, are also on their list.
So, you know, it's going to come down to, I think, a handful of states, the way it looks now. And we may here till 6:00 in the morning counting votes in Florida and Ohio again.
O'BRIEN: Oh, again, huh, you think?
All right, Jeff, thanks, as always.
GREENFIELD: OK.
O'BRIEN: Glad to see you. Senator John Edwards is expected to drop out of the race today. CNN is going to have live coverage of his announcement. That happens this afternoon at 4:00 Eastern time, 1:00 on the West Coast.
HEMMER: About five minutes past the hour, Soledad.
In other news now, from Iraq, Iraqi police detaining 15 people in connection with deadly attacks against Shiite Muslims. The country observing a three day period of mourning after suicide bombers struck during religious celebrations in Baghdad and Karbala yesterday. At least 117 dead in both blasts. Hundreds more were wounded yesterday.
From New York now, jury deliberations start today in the Martha Stewart trial. Lawyers finished their statements yesterday. Stewart's lawyer asked the jury to let Stewart return to life. The prosecutor countered by saying, "Smart people do dumb things." Stewart faces conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. More on this trial in a moment from the lower Manhattan.
In baseball, the commissioner, Bud Selig, slapping a gag order on club officials and employees in the wake of the steroid scandal. This according to "USA Today." Yesterday, the "San Francisco Chronicle" reporting that Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield among the athletes who were given steroids, THG. All three deny using any illegal drugs.
A bit later this hour, we'll talk with the Hall of Famer Hank Aaron about the controversy and the impact now on baseball today.
The gay marriage movement appears to be picking up steam again in other parts of the country. From Portland, Oregon, a live picture where people there before the sun up in line now to get marriage licenses today. A judge says she's ready to start performing the marriage ceremonies there in Oregon.
Next hour, we'll talk with the mayor of New Paltz, New York, a little closer to this part of the country and New York City. He is expected to be in court later today.
Also, McDonald's downsizing its super sized meals. The burger giant says it will phase out super sized fries and drinks in all of its U.S. restaurants by the end of this year, 2004. That move comes as fast food chains in general coming under increasing pressure to offer healthier meal choices. So if you're going to do it, do it.
O'BRIEN: I like super size.
HEMMER: Yes? Crank it up one?
O'BRIEN: I think every pregnant woman loves super size, are you kidding me?
HEMMER: Yes, that's probably true.
O'BRIEN: It's the best thing ever.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Well, now to that amazing story we first brought you yesterday out of Philadelphia. A coincidental encounter at a child's birthday party has resulted in a mother finding the daughter that she thought she had lost years ago.
Luz Cuevas believed her infant daughter had been killed in a fire back in 1997. But then, at a party this January, she was struck by one of the children's resemblance to her other kids. Yesterday, Carolyn Correa, the woman suspected of kidnapping and then raising the child as her own, surrendered to authorities.
Jeffrey Zucker is the attorney for Carolyn Correa and he says that his client has always believed that the child, in fact, was hers.
He joins us this morning for an exclusive interview from Philadelphia.
Nice to see you, sir.
Thanks for being with us.
JEFFREY ZUCKER, ATTORNEY FOR CAROLYN CORREA: You're welcome.
O'BRIEN: I know you haven't had a lot of opportunity to talk to your client, but what has she told you? Did she, in fact, take this baby?
ZUCKER: Well, we haven't had much chance to talk. I was out of town over the weekend when I discovered the warrant was issued for her and we promptly cooperated and turned her in. I don't even have a copy of the charges yet.
O'BRIEN: What has she told you about this little girl, Delimar Vera?
ZUCKER: Only that she's raised her from birth, that she's been a good mother and that -- I've seen the child. She seems happy and normal. It's a very strange, strange incident.
O'BRIEN: Yes, a very strange case.
Apparently there are reports that Ms. Correa was telling people at the time of the fire and the disappearance of this baby that she, in fact, was pregnant, as well.
Are there any indications that she was pregnant at the same time?
ZUCKER: Well, at this time we don't know. I can only tell you that we're in the process of doing some investigation of our own, looking for some hospital and doctor records. So at this point it's much, much too early to tell.
O'BRIEN: Have you decided to have your client tested for mental health? ZUCKER: That's also premature. I've met with her. I've met with her family. There's a very good indication that we may have her examined. But, again, it's much too early in the game to tell.
O'BRIEN: The police are working off of DNA tests that apparently Delimar Vera's birth mother says that she has.
Has your client, at this point, yet had her DNA tested or any requests for it?
ZUCKER: She has. Last week she presented herself at my office with the child. I called the Philadelphia police and they came over to our office and took mucal swabs, which are the DNA samples, from both my client and from the child. That was done last week.
O'BRIEN: Then she turned herself in yesterday.
So where has she been in this week in between?
ZUCKER: Well, there's been no warrant for her. Saturday was her birthday and she was out of town with her husband. I was in Florida on business and received a call at about midnight from my client indicating that her mother and neighbor said the police were looking for her. So I told her to sit tight, I would be back in town on Monday, which I was. I called the police. I had some trial commitments myself. And then promptly yesterday we voluntarily surrendered.
O'BRIEN: Ms. Correa has a previous conviction for arson.
Can you elaborate on that for me?
ZUCKER: Not too much, because I don't know. I can only tell you that we've done a background check and although that conviction is there, it was not a serious case. She received a probationary sentence, did well on probation and completed her probation.
O'BRIEN: There were reports that...
ZUCKER: There was never any jail time.
O'BRIEN: There was reports that she set a medical office on fire after there was some indications that maybe some checks had gone missing from that office.
So what happens next?
ZUCKER: Well, next we see about bail for her. I understand the D.A.'s recommendation at this point is that there would be no bail. It's our position she's certainly not a bail risk. She's cooperated from the beginning. She's voluntarily given her DNA and presented the child for DNA. She voluntarily surrendered, so that we would argue to the court that there's certainly no risk of flight and that she should be placed on bail.
O'BRIEN: Jeffrey Zucker is Carolyn Correa's attorney, joining us this morning.
Nice to see you, sir.
Thank you very much for illuminating some of the very complicated facts in this case.
ZUCKER: You're very welcome.
HEMMER: In a moment here, the only thing Democrats and Republicans could agree on about the gun bill yesterday was to kill it.
What happens now?
We'll get you live to Capitol Hill in a moment on that story.
O'BRIEN: And Martha Stewart and her former broker now must await a jury's verdict. We've got details of closing arguments coming up.
HEMMER: And NASA says the red planet was once the wet planet. What does that mean today?
Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: About 15 minutes now past the hour.
A bill that would have shielded the gun industry from lawsuits was expected to pass easily in the Senate yesterday. But a dramatic turnaround killed the measure, with even the National Rifle Association asking supporters to reject it. It was.
Joe Johns live on Capitol Hill to try and explain this one for us -- good morning.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
One Republican senator called it an example of the power of the NRA. As you said, a bill all prepared to pass the Senate suddenly stopped dead in its tracks by its own supporters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (voice-over): Senator Larry Craig, a member of the NRA board, led both the move to pass the bill and then the move to kill it.
SEN. LARRY CRAIG (R), IDAHO: But I now believe it is so domestically wounded that it should not pass. And I would urge my colleagues to vote against it.
JOHNS: And they did, overwhelmingly.
What set Craig and the NRA off was a provision added by gun control advocates renewing the 10-year-old ban on assault weapons. SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I deeply believe that assault weapons don't belong on the streets of our communities.
JOHNS: And a requirement for background checks on people who buy weapons at gun shows.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: We also need this amendment because my law abiding constituents who attend gun shows in Arizona shouldn't have to rub shoulders with the scum of the earth who use this loophole to evade background checks.
JOHNS: Shortly before the final vote, the NRA fired off an e- mail to Senate supporters saying, "We oppose final passage and warn the vote will be used in our future evaluations and endorsements of candidates."
WAYNE LAPIERRE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: We're going to get as many gun owners and hunters and second amendment supporters to the polls and tell them to stand up for freedom.
JOHNS: The administration has said it supports the assault weapons ban, but doesn't want it attached to the gun liability measure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: At the end of the day, this was a vote where neither side got what it wanted and now both sides are vowing they will be back -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Joe, thanks.
Joe Johns there on Capitol Hill.
Let's move on back here to New York City now. The case against Martha Stewart will soon be in the hands of the jury. Defense lawyers wrapping up their case yesterday, urging not guilty verdicts for Stewart and her former broker, Peter Bacanovic.
Here's Deborah Feyerick now covering that case in lower Manhattan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart's lawyer came out swinging, his closing argument laced with sarcasm and irony. "What the government sees as a conspiracy," he said, "is a conspiracy between a confederacy of dunces." Robert Morvillo reckoning, "No one could have done what Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic are accused of and doing it in a dumber fashion."
To prove his point, Stewart's lawyer highlighted inconsistencies in the stories each told federal investigators, inconsistencies like who took the ImClone stock order. Was it Bacanovic, as Stewart believed? Or his assistant, as Bacanovic told investigators? Said Morvillo, "If those two people want to sit down and rig a story, wouldn't they at least be consistent?"
Morvillo criticized the government's case, calling their star witness, broker's assistant Doug Faneuil, "the living definition of reasonable doubt." Stewart's lawyer was incredulous that two years after Faneuil spoke to Stewart about selling ImClone, Faneuil could testify he remembered the conversation "word for word," especially since phone records show Faneuil was on a second line at the exact same time, Morvillo saying, "He must be a magician."
Prosecutors dismissed the attack on Faneuil's credibility, telling the jury, "There's no smoking gun." As for the phone message Stewart changed, the one left by her broker about ImClone, Morvillo said Stewart changed it to reflect what she thought her secretary had told her. The prosecutor disagreed, explaining instead, "She did that because she was ashamed.
(on camera): And so, after five and a half weeks of testimony, the jury will finally begin deliberating Wednesday.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: And Wednesday is today.
Live to Deb for more now in lower Manhattan -- Deb, good morning there.
FEYERICK: Good morning, Bill.
Well, you know, during the closing arguments, the jury showed absolutely no emotion in terms of what they might be thinking. So the stakes very high right now. Stewart's lawyer made it very clear that he closed his argument by saying Martha Stewart's life is in your hands. And so he made sure that they knew what the stakes were. He said, "Let her return to her life."
So, we will see what happens. They are going to get this case in the afternoon, once the judge gives them their instructions and then we'll see how long it takes them to weigh all the evidence that they've heard over the last six months -- six weeks. It felt like six months of time, but it was actually only six weeks.
HEMMER: That's all right. We won't get ahead of it.
Listen, you've been in the courtroom. How do you gauge these jurors? How attentive? How much do they inquire? What is your read?
FEYERICK: They have been very attentive throughout the entire trial. There are times where the testimony really has dragged on. But they've taken it very seriously. It's a very diverse jury. There are some older people, some younger people, all different backgrounds, it seems. And so, you know, they really seem to be considering all of the evidence. And it depends what they're going to give the most weight to.
Will they give a lot of weight to the testimony by the young assistant broker or will some of them find him not credible and therefore not be able to find her guilty -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thank you, Deb.
Deb Feyerick, thanks, here in New York -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, is Vice President Dick Cheney weighing down the GOP ticket? We're going to hear what he has to say about that.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Polls are showing that Vice President Dick Cheney's approval rating has been falling. That's led to speculation that President Bush would drop him as a running mate.
Wolf Blitzer asked Vice President Cheney about that point blank last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS")
WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is there any doubt whatsoever that you will be on the ticket with the president?
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Not in my mind. He's asked me to serve again and I've said I'd be happy to do that. And I think that will be the ticket in 2004.
BLITZER: How do you feel?
CHENEY: Very good.
BLITZER: Everything all right?
CHENEY: Everything's great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Mr. Cafferty?
CAFFERTY: Yes?
O'BRIEN: Good morning.
CAFFERTY: How you doing?
O'BRIEN: I'm well.
CAFFERTY: Time now for Senator Kerry to pick his running mate. That would be the next steps now that he's the nominee. There are theories about how important the selection of the vice presidential candidate is. History is a little short on evidence that it's something everybody gets really, gets their shorts in a knot about.
What are you writing (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
O'BRIEN: Just (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HEMMER: Taking notes on your commentary.
CAFFERTY: So here's the question.
O'BRIEN: Yes? Yes?
CAFFERTY: Who should John Kerry pick for a running mate and who should he avoid? And keep in mind that we're picking some that are not the most serious in a -- I mean I don't want to hear, don't write to me that John Edwards ought to be, because I don't care about that. That's the obvious. Jay in Buffalo, to answer your question, "Name one vice president that made a difference, I'd submit from the pages of recent American history the names Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford."
Touche, Jay, that's a point well taken.
J.R. in Bloomington, "Kerry Bayh would be the best bet for the Democrats in November. A Democrat might have a chance to carry Indiana since Lyndon Johnson.
Joellen in Texas, "I think Kerry should choose the guy who directed all those "Lord of the Rings" movies. Apparently he's a shoe-in to win everything no matter who else is in the running."
HEMMER: That's funny.
CAFFERTY: That's not bad.
There's more than one Dave in Japan. Here's from the other Dave. "You know who would make a killer V.P.? That's right, Glenn Close. She was awesome in "Air Force One.""
And Donovan in Pasadena, Maryland, "Hey, Jack, why are you asking me? Halliburton picks the vice president."
HEMMER: Ooh.
CAFFERTY: Ooh. Ooh, a bit of a barb. Ooh.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Coming up, Monica Lewinsky talks about presidents and priests.
HEMMER: Oh, we've been watching the clock. We're waiting for this.
O'BRIEN: That's enough for now.
HEMMER: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: I can't wait.
Still to come this morning, al Qaeda being blamed for yesterday's attacks, which killed more than 100 Shiite Muslims in Iraq. If the group is truly to blame, could the attack get in the way of its own goals? A look at that is ahead, as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: I believe this is three in a row. What a week it's been for weather here in New York.
O'BRIEN: Oh, it's been great.
HEMMER: Forty-eight and sunny outside. We're going to take it while we can get it.
Good morning.
Welcome back.
Ahead this next 30 minutes here, John Kerry chewing up the election map last night, winning states in every part of the country, winning them by huge margins, in many cases. We will see how Senator Kerry stacks up the with president on issues of national security. We'll have a look at that in a moment.
O'BRIEN: And there are other stories we're following, too, not just politics. We're going to talk with Fawaz Gerges in just a moment and find out if he thinks the attacks on the Shiite Muslims in Iraq and Pakistan, as well, prove that al Qaeda is active in those countries.
Also, one of the major insurance companies planning to stop covering the gastric bypass, saying it's just too dangerous. The question, is it?
Miles O'Brien is going to take a look, as well, at Mars.
HEMMER: Yes, H2O, or so they say.
Let's get back to politics right now. Senior aides of Senator John Kerry say he has ordered his staff to start reviewing perspective vice presidential candidates. Senator Kerry taking that step after virtually sealing the nominee nomination with victories on Super Tuesday, winning nine of 10 contests yesterday then looking forward to the general election before supporters in Washington last night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tonight, the message could not be clearer all across our country -- change is coming to America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Senator Kerry's only defeat yesterday was in Vermont, which voted for its former governor, Howard Dean, even though he'd left the campaign about a month ago. Senator Kerry will hold a town meeting today in Orlando, Florida. Florida and three other Southern states will hold primaries next Tuesday.
Senator John Edwards, you see him here, Senator Kerry's chief rival, expected to drop from the race today. Edwards has canceled campaign events for the rest of the week. We expect live coverage, 4:00 Eastern time later today out of Raleigh, North Carolina. And certainly we will have that coverage for you later this afternoon.
Back to some of the issues that may shape this race, though, issues that will no doubt frame the general election campaign, including taxes, health care, same-sex marriage and the environment. Defense and America standing on the world stage will also play a significant role.
For a look at that this morning, here's our national security correspondent David Ensor in D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a possible race against President George Bush, John Kerry knows a key question for voters will be which man makes me safer? Which man is the better commander-in-chief?
KERRY: I don't fault George Bush for doing too much in the war on terror. I believe he's done too little.
LESLIE GELB, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: President Bush says I'm a war president and he thinks this is his strength and the weakness of the Democrats. And John Kerry can't afford not to come back. So he is saying bring it on, your supposed strength is really a weakness.
KERRY: Iraq is in disarray, with American troops still bogged down in a deadly guerrilla war with no exit in sight.
ENSOR: But Kerry has a long record, as well, for President Bush to raise questions about.
GELB: You were originally for the war in Iraq and then you voted against the $87 billion I asked Congress to approve to support our troops in the field. So you talk security, but then you vote against it.
ENSOR: Kerry would add 40,000 more troops to the Army, give George Tenet's successor real power over all the intelligence agencies and, he says, embrace, not alienate, America's key allies.
(on camera): But with Kerry, not Howard Dean, as the candidate, the debate will not be about the threat to go to war with Iraq in the first place. Senator Kerry voted to authorize that. The question will be who should have that authority in his hands for the next four years.
David Ensor, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Also, one other note from last night. The president called Senator Kerry to congratulate him on his victory. The Bush campaign aides say that Mr. Bush told his unofficial opponent he looked forward to a spirited debate. Eight months and counting now and it should be spirited and a whole lot more.
O'BRIEN: Yes. I was going to say, as some people just say, down and dirty, not really spirited. Well, we will see.
There are other stories making headlines this morning. Palestinian security sources say an apparent Israeli air strike has killed three Hamas members. The militants were traveling along a road near an Israeli settlement in Gaza when Israel's helicopters fired missiles. The incident took place just about half an hour ago. The Israeli Army had no immediate comment.
The former head of WorldCom expected to face arraignment today on charges that he conspired to commit the biggest corporate fraud in U.S. history. Bernard Ebbers has been linked to the $11 billion scandal at WorldCom. His attorney insists that Ebbers never misled investors and never cooked WorldCom's books. Former CFO Scott Sullivan has agreed to testify against Ebbers.
The FBI is announcing a new effort to identify and locate distributors of child porn. The Endangered Child Alert program will rely on the public to identify photos of unknown suspects. The FBI says it'll post the photos on its Web site and also the TV program, "America's Most Wanted."
In sports news, in college basketball, a perfect season for St. Joseph's. The Hawks crushed St. Bonaventura 82-50 last night. The wins make St. Joe's the first team since 1991 to finish its regular season without a loss, but they are obviously far from finished because tournament season is approaching.
And they are seeing red at Western Kentucky University. The school charges that its mascot, Big Red, was copied by a hit Italian TV show. They're suing for a quarter of a billion dollars. But Big Red faces a big foe. The Italian TV show is owned by Italian Premier Silvio Berlesconi. And his company is called Media Set.
HEMMER: A bit later this week, Jack's going to have a host at that mascot, by the way. And be live here...
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Oh, yes, true.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: We're going to have the mascot on our show.
O'BRIEN: Really? HEMMER: We're going to have the school president, too, so stay tuned.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Iraqis today mourning the deaths of more than 100, 100 Shiite worshippers killed yesterday in vicious bombings. U.S. and Iraqi authorities suspect Abu Zarqawi, a terrorist with al Qaeda connections, who may have been behind the attacks.
Is there an al Qaeda connection? And, if so, what does that mean for the prospects for peace in Iraq today?
Fawaz Gerges, a professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College, back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.
Always nice to have you on our show.
FAWAZ GERGES, CHAIRMAN, MIDDLE EAST STUDIES, SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE: Thank you.
HEMMER: And thanks for making time for us.
The Iranians said it yesterday. Dick Cheney referenced it in his interview with Wolf Blitzer yesterday, too.
Was there a link with al Qaeda in this bombing yesterday?
GERGES: Well, Bill, let's look at the most likely suspects behind the attacks. You have Anser al Islamia, a small Turkish militant Islamist group. On the other hand, you have Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, who's alleged letter called for attacks against the Shiites in order to spark sectarian strife between Sunnis and Shiites. You also have militant fighters who entered Iraq in order to fight the United States. But you also have nationalist and religious Iraqi groups who are trying to defeat the new order being installed in the United States.
Three points here. None of the above groups takes orders directly from al Qaeda. Even Zarqawi and Ansar al-Islam, the militant group, basically are unofficially, indirectly affiliated with al Qaeda. They share its goals, but they are not part of its structure.
So I think this is a major point. Even if you read, Bill, Zarqawi's letter, the letter which was captured by the United States, in the letter, Zarqawi pleads with al Qaeda in order to provide more resources in order to spark a sectarian strife in Iraq.
I would argue, in fact, that al Qaeda does not need to send its precious and depleted resources into Iraq because you already have so many groups fighting the Americans...
HEMMER: Let me try and draw an analogy. What you're saying then, on the tree of al Qaeda, this could be a branch.
GERGES: Yes. HEMMER: But not necessarily the trunk or even the roots of the organization?
GERGES: And this is a major distinction here because even the U.S. vice president, Dick Cheney, said that al Qaeda's affiliates as, you know, opposed to al Qaeda playing a direct, centralized role. But regardless, regardless of whether al Qaeda was involved or not, it seems to me everyone now accuses al Qaeda. As you said, even U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and the Iranian vice president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, blamed al Qaeda. In fact, the Iranian vice president said al Qaeda considered the Shiites more dangerous enemies than their political enemy, the United States. And even, even Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Party of God, attacked what he called the Taliban mind, the dark mind, which refers to al Qaeda.
So what the point, I think the big point you're raising is that there is truly now a potential for a major dramatic realignment against al Qaeda by so many players, not just the United States.
HEMMER: So you buy into the theory that this hurts al Qaeda?
GERGES: Oh, absolutely...
HEMMER: This hurts Muslim groups?
A couple pointed questions here.
How do Muslim extremists win in their cause by killing innocent Muslim?
GERGES: They can't. And, in fact, what we are witnessing, I mean the big you are raising, Bill, is the following. Al Qaeda's recent tactics in Saudi Arabia, in Pakistan, in Morocco, in Turkey, and today and in the last few weeks in al Qaeda, in fact, it's a self -- in Iraq -- it's a self-destructive strategy. In many ways, not only al Qaeda and al Qaeda's local affiliates have alienated the Muslim public opinion, but, in fact, they have motivated Muslim governments to crack down harder against al Qaeda.
Look what has happened in Pakistan. After the two attempts on his life, Pakistani President Musharraf has become more determined to go after al Qaeda. And you can imagine what damage Iran can do to al Qaeda if Iran decides to go after al Qaeda and closes its shop in Iran.
So, yes, regardless of whether al Qaeda was directly involved or not, the attacks, the recent attacks truly show that al Qaeda is involved in a self-destructive strategy. It's digging its own grave.
HEMMER: There are those who contend that any bombing is a good bombing for al Qaeda, to get the attention for that group.
In 10 seconds, are you surprised at that?
GERGES: Not at all. It's a self-destructive strategy. Al Qaeda has alienated not only Muslim public opinion, but has motivated and mobilized Muslim governments to crack down against its affiliates.
HEMMER: Fawaz Gerges, come back any time.
Good to see you -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, how much damage will the latest steroid bombshell do to baseball? We're going to ask the homerun king, Hank Aaron, live in our next hour.
HEMMER: Also up next, Soledad, a fascinating look at how NASA's rovers found the water on Mars. Suddenly heads are swimming with the possibilities.
Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida is canceling its coverage for gastric bypass surgery, known as stomach stapling. The company says safety is their main reason.
So just how dangerous is this drastic but increasingly popular procedure?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN Center with details on that for us this morning -- hey, Sanjay, good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Yes, well, it is an increasingly popular procedure. Certainly people note the high profile cases -- Carney Wilson, Al Roker, Roseanne Barr. They all lost a lot of weight with this gastric bypass surgery and the procedure is increasing in numbers in terms of the overall population.
Take a look at the numbers. Here they are. In 2000, about around 36,000 of these procedures performed. Last year, about 136,000 of these procedures performed, triple just over a couple of years ago. This year the number even expected to grow more than that, 140,000 to 150,000 procedures this year alone is expected.
Now, there's been a lot of concerns about this procedure, just how safe is it? How risky is it, as well?
Take a look at some of the numbers. This is out of a study from the University of Washington. One in 50 patients will die within the month following the operation. That's called the peri-operative period. That death, incidentally, linked to the surgeon's experience. We're going to talk a little bit more about that.
The University Cleveland also a study, a little bit more information about these procedures, saying that the particular procedure is most dangerous for those who are most obese. Intuitive, I guess, but also those are the patients who often need it the most.
Now, what is the procedure exactly? You've seen the pictures, you've seen the weight loss. Take a look at this diagram really explaining this. It's a complicated diagram. But at the very top there is actually what is -- what becomes the stomach. And that stomach now becomes the size of an egg. Your intestines are rerouted. You can see the manipulation of your intestines that goes on in a procedure like this.
The outcome? Your stomach is about the size of an egg at the end and you never have a normal meal again. And that leads to a completely different lifestyle change -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, not everybody, obviously, Sanjay, can qualify for this kind of surgery.
So who does qualify and what kind of questions should those folks be asking of their doctor?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, first of all, I think any doctor, any responsible doctor will say that a patient should have gone through rigorous diet, exercise, behavioral counseling, perhaps, as well. That's obvious.
But if you want the actual numbers, here they are. If you, the person has to have a body mass index of 40 plus or greater, have that body mass index. That translates roughly to a man who's about 100 pounds overweight, a woman who's about 80 pounds overweight.
There are side effects from this procedure. These are going to be lifelong side effects. The list of them here, you know, you're going to have nutritional deficiencies. You don't absorb vitamins as well. Liver problems. You will have sugar intolerance. You may have droopy skin, as well.
But there are questions to ask your doctor. And, again, this is sort of at the crux of the issue regarding this Blue Cross/Blue Shield issue. They're trying to limit the number of doctors who don't do enough of these procedures. So ask your doctor, do they have the experience? Have they performed a number of operations? Incidentally, 100 appears to be the number of operations at which a surgeon's complicate rate drops drastically. And is bariatric surgery, or gastric stapling surgery, this particular doctor's specialty?
If so, this may be the doctor for you. But, again, you know, this operation carries a $25,000 price tag. If your insurance is not covering it, that's going to be pretty pricey -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Does this move from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, in your mind, signal that other insurers are going to follow suit?
GUPTA: You know what we're seeing here is I think, you know, this procedure, it's sort of amazing, because just even a couple of years ago it was considered drastic, sort of radical. And all of a sudden it's sort of caught on, perhaps too fast. I think we are seeing a steady erosion, not only from the insurance companies, and I think other insurance companies will follow suit, but also from the medical profession at large. You know, the AMA still classifies this, in some ways, as an experimental procedure. We've seen the results because of the high profile cases. The popularity is increasing, but I think you're seeing a little bit of a backlash against this, what is still, some consider, a radical procedure -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Sanjay, thanks a lot -- Bill.
GUPTA: Thank you.
HEMMER: Soledad, the good news keeps flowing from Mars, according to NASA scientists. They say the rovers have found what they were looking for all along -- evidence that the red planet was once wet enough for life to possibly have existed there.
Here's our own space correspondent, Miles O'Brien, on that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's cold, it's bleak and it's dry. But four billion years ago, you could be swimming, perhaps with the fishes, if you were here.
STEVE SQUYRES, MARS ROVER CHIEF SCIENTIST: Over the last couple of weeks, the puzzle pieces have been falling into place and the last puzzle piece fell into place a few days ago. We have concluded that the rocks here were once soaked in liquid water.
O'BRIEN: The proof comes from NASA's intrepid rover, Opportunity, which landed in this small crater on Mars in January. It was a hole in one of epic proportions. The crater is ringed with exposed bedrock, a geologic time machine. The more Opportunity augured in and ogled, the more it became clear they were Rosetta stones.
The evidence appears to be rock solid that the planet was not only wet, but habitable. Opportunity's microscopes spotted these tiny spheres. The scientists cal them blueberries. As it turns out, they are like little globs of concrete and everyone knows concrete needs water. But that's not all. There are holes in the rocks that are tabular shaped, apparently the empty molds of crystals formed and then probably washed away by water.
SQUYRES: And when I saw those, that was -- that was the moment at which I began to believe it.
O'BRIEN: And check out the way these rocks are layered in angles. Cross bedding, it is called. It means that there was some kind of current that moved the sediment as the rocks formed. It could be the wind, but more likely it was flowing water.
JIM GARVIN, LEAD SCIENTIST FOR MOON AND MARS: This is one piece of the water puzzle. This says at some time on Mars, and we do not know when -- it could have been hundreds of millions of years ago to billions -- at some point there was contact of liquid water.
O'BRIEN: And there is more than meets the eye. A mineral sniffing spectrometer on Opportunity found a huge amount of sulfur salts in these rocks and, in particular, a yellow mineral called gerocite (ph).
It forms only one way -- with water.
SQUYRES: You put that story together and it's hard to avoid the conclusion that this stuff was deposited in liquid water.
O'BRIEN: Scientists are still not sure whether the water was a lake or a sea or even ground water. And while it's not proof there were ever Martians, scientists remind us that wherever there's water on earth, there is life.
Miles O'Brien, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Thank you, Miles.
The next hour here, we'll hear from a NASA scientist with the Mars rover program about the discovery and what it all means going forward -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the fight for the controls at Disney could be decided today. Michael Eisner's chairmanship is on the line. A look at that is ahead, as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: And welcome back, everybody.
CAFFERTY: Business news time. Michael Eisner could get his head handed to him at the annual shareholder meeting of the Disney Company later today.
But first, breaking news again in this segment on WorldCom.
Andy Serwer minding your business.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Hey, how are you doing?
Bernie Ebbers, the former CEO of WorldCom, apparently surrendering to authorities this morning, this according to Reuters. We will have tape of this later on, apparently, and he may even be wearing some of those handcuffs.
CAFFERTY: Oh, I hope so.
SERWER: Yes, let's...
CAFFERTY: I love to see those guys in bracelets.
SERWER: Yes, I know you do.
Let's talk a little bit about Michael Eisner. A big annual meeting today in Philadelphia. His job is at stake, perhaps in terms of the CEO and chairmanship role. Stories coming out of the company that they may split that job up and may make George Mitchell the chairman of the company.
CAFFERTY: They should split the job up and then not give either one of them to Michael Eisner.
SERWER: Yes. Yes.
CAFFERTY: That's how that one should go.
SERWER: The time is coming very soon for that, I would think.
CAFFERTY: Richard Scrushy, a blast from the past.
SERWER: Yes, this is really terrific stuff. Richard Scrushy, the former CEO of Healthsouth -- this guy has always had a flair for entertaining and entertainment -- has a new -- that's him with his wife, Leslie. She was a former Teen Miss in Florida back in the '80s.
CAFFERTY: What a lucky woman.
SERWER: He has a television show in Birmingham now that airs every -- he just started this thing up, 7:30 in the morning, WB21. Now, that's a picture from the show. It's a talk show that airs at 7:30 in the morning for half an hour.
HEMMER: No. Wood paneling in the basement.
SERWER: It's paid for. You know, it's, the station manager is saying it's like an infomercial. And it's just, you know, how do you -- he's charged with -- he's got this, 85 counts. He's facing 650 years in the slammer and he decides to do a TV show. He had a radio show...
CAFFERTY: Well, if the show is a hit, maybe they can do it out of the joint, you know, when he gets sent away.
SERWER: Yes. The prosecutors saying they are watching this thing carefully to see if he says anything. If he says anything, they're not going to say anything in that sucker.
CAFFERTY: I bet they aren't.
SERWER: But just terrific stuff, I think.
CAFFERTY: You can't make this up.
SERWER: No.
CAFFERTY: Time for the Cafferty File, Wednesday, things people say that got our attention during the last week, beginning with this. "We're electing a president, not a priest." That's Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern, with her thoughts on whether or not voters ignore candidates' personal lives. She thinks they should.
O'BRIEN: Well, that's quite a publicity photo, Monica, don't you think?
HEMMER: Yes, in her cleather.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: What have you got on there...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Moving on...
HEMMER: Is that a kind of...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Moving on.
SERWER: That's the whole thing yes, so.
O'BRIEN: Moving on.
CAFFERTY: Every night. A shot of those pants again, yes.
O'BRIEN: They're plastic. See?
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Pretty hot, huh?
CAFFERTY: That's the other half of Monica's costume. Monica was wearing the top.
O'BRIEN: Come on -- no, it looks like it, doesn't it?
HEMMER: It sure does.
O'BRIEN: She bought it.
CAFFERTY: Moving on to this. "You all look alike to me." This is a Florida congresswoman, Corrine Brown, speaking to Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, a Mexican-American, after calling him and others in the Bush administration racist and "a bunch of white men" during a briefing on Haiti. Imagine, if you will, a white congressman saying those things to a group of black people. How much hell would there be to pay in that case?
On to this one. "There are times when I see some cuddly young lady I would love to have as a house pet, but my wife won't let me, damn it. And I bought her a gun. That shows you how smart I am." New Hampshire State Representative Richard Kennedy at a public hearing on gay marriage legislation. The comment unrelated to the bill.
SERWER: Wow, where do you go with that?
O'BRIEN: Wow, exactly.
SERWER: A lot of places. CAFFERTY: "What's next? Will we deny priests and nuns their prescription drug benefits on the ground that taxpayers' freedom of conscience forbids medicating the clergy at public expense?"
Antonin Scalia, on the United States Supreme Court, dissenting from a 7-2 ruling that states awarding college scholarships may withhold them from students preparing for the ministry: "People where will work with the anti-Christ if he'll put butts in seats."
Hollywood agent John Leschner (ph) shooting down suggestions "The Passion of the Christ" would hurt Mel Gibson's career.
And a related item, "There are good stories in that book. It's worth looking into them." That's Mel Gibson on the possibility of making more biblical stories.
And finally this. "It was like a popcorn popper." That's Keith Hanselman of Cayuga Falls, Ohio, on his wife Jennifer giving birth by cesarean section to six babies in one minute. It was like a popcorn popper.
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: That is the worst description of birthing multiples I've ever heard in my life.
SERWER: Get that guy to some sensitivity training, you know?
CAFFERTY: To someone who's pregnant with twins, that should have special meaning.
O'BRIEN: Oh, I just...
HEMMER: That's right. And the...
O'BRIEN: I'm done.
HEMMER: The food of choice for pregnant women here on AMERICAN MORNING, jelly beans.
O'BRIEN: You guys are revealing all my secrets today.
HEMMER: They're (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
SERWER: Just this morning. We are.
HEMMER: It keeps us going.
Let's get a break here.
O'BRIEN: A popcorn popper.
HEMMER: In a moment, Senator John Kerry's Super Tuesday victory has set up a showdown for the White House. Now, a look at the battle ahead, in a moment, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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She Thought Lost Years Ago>
Aired March 3, 2004 - 08:00 ET
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can and we will win this election.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
John Kerry setting his sights on the White House after running laps around the competition on Super Tuesday.
The woman accused of setting a fire to steal a baby -- this morning, her lawyer explains some suspicious behavior. And what happens to that 6-year-old girl.
And McDonald's ready to kill off a fast food guilty pleasure.
All ahead this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Welcome back, everybody.
Lots more on Super Tuesday in just a moment.
We're also going to take a look at where Senator John Edwards stands this morning. He really only came close in Georgia last night. He's got an announcement planned for later today. It's expected to -- that he will announce that he is dropping out of the race a little bit later today.
HEMMER: Also this hour, we're looking at a decision in the Senate yesterday suggesting there will not be any significant gun control legislation this year.
Also, the latest on the Martha Stewart trial. The jurors may get that case today.
And Sanjay is back to talk about an insurance controversy with the popular procedure, the gastric bypass.
So all of that is coming up in the packed hour here on AMERICAN MORNING.
What's up with our friend here today?
O'BRIEN: He's doing bad, I know.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What?
HEMMER: He is smoking.
CAFFERTY: What?
O'BRIEN: Chatting, laughing.
HEMMER: What did you have for breakfast?
O'BRIEN: Laughing while I'm trying to do my read.
CAFFERTY: Oh, I would never do that.
Coming up in the Cafferty File in a little while -- I'm not sure what time it's on because they haven't told me yet, but it'll be on pretty soon...
O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: ... we'll tell you what Monica Lewinsky thinks about presidents and priests. You may want to stick around for that. And wait till you hear about the father of Ohio sextuplets. That would be a half a dozen, as in a litter. He made a comment about their births. It's kind of cute. That's all I have at this time.
HEMMER: Good deal.
O'BRIEN: All right, thank you.
CAFFERTY: I've got to go find out when I'm on now.
O'BRIEN: The end of the hour they're telling me.
CAFFERTY: End of the hour?
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Set the alarm.
O'BRIEN: We'll see you in a little bit.
CAFFERTY: Good.
Set the alarm. That's good. Go back to sleep.
O'BRIEN: Politics now, it is all but official now, Senator John Kerry is going to be the Democratic presidential nominee. Senator Kerry called himself a fighter last night in his victory address, marking a near sweep of yesterday's Super Tuesday contests.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KERRY: Tonight, the message could not be clearer all across our country -- change is coming to America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Senator Kerry won nine out of the 10 states up for grabs yesterday. Ironically, it was not Senator John Edwards but Howard Dean who prevented a Kerry sweep. Dean won the state he once governed, Vermont.
So, how did Senator Kerry pull it off and what hurdles lie ahead?
Our senior analyst, Jeff Greenfield, has been watching it all play out and he joins us from CNN Center this morning -- Jeff, good morning.
Nice to see you, as always.
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: What do you say we do like the hindsight is 20-20 and really take a look back at what led to the victory for John Kerry at this point.
GREENFIELD: Yes, a couple of things. First, the decision last fall to shake up his campaign and bring in Mary Beth Cahill as his campaign chief, because she was a key to the most critical strategy decision, to make Iowa the make or break state for Kerry, at a time when he was all but invisible in the polls. And obviously that paid off.
Next, a couple of television ads, a campaign that helped erase the aloof image, at least in those early primary states, showing members of the Swift Boat crew in Vietnam, whose lives Kerry saved; and middle class Democrats who praised him for wanting to protect their tax cuts.
And, finally, the decision he made in Iowa to take his campaign to town halls across the state and to meet with citizens and to orate less and answer questions more.
And we also can't forget another basic point, that front runner Howard Dean began to turn off a lot of Democrats as the time for voting drew near.
I think those were the -- most of the keys to what we saw.
O'BRIEN: All right, well, it's all happy, happy, joy, joy over at the Kerry campaign right now. But in the midst of all of that, what do you think they're most worried about?
GREENFIELD: I like that "Ren and Stimpy" reference.
Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Sure.
GREENFIELD: First, apart from trying to pick a vice president, money. They know what happened to Bob Dole back in 1996 when he sat there broke all through the spring as the Clinton campaign just pummeled him with ads that linked him to House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Really by summer, the campaign was effectively over.
And this is why the Federal Election Commission decisions on independent, pro-Democratic groups who are trying to raise tens of millions of dollars and what they can do with that money could be critical.
The second substantive problem for John Kerry is he's got to expand the message. John Edwards did do much better with independents and moderate Republicans than Kerry, and while Kerry will have a united base among Democrats, that won't be enough in November.
And, third, he's got to begin quickly to inoculate himself against the elitist, aloof, aristocratic, French speaking rich guy who doesn't connect to ordinary Americans. And I don't think that he can do that by showing up at NASCAR events. But it will be essential, I think, to break through the notion that helped Bush in 2000, that George W. Bush was more like us than Al Gore.
O'BRIEN: Where do you think are the most contentious states in this, as we head toward the general election?
GREENFIELD: Yes, I don't think there's much of a secret about this. The Bush campaign is most hungry for Pennsylvania. They lost that by less than five points. To some extent, they're looking at Michigan, also a close race they lost in 2000. They did come very close in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and New Mexico, but most of those states, I think, were close because of Ralph Nader and I think Kerry would have the edge in those.
Democrats, here's a surprise, lust for Florida. But one of their biggest targets is going to be Ohio. The Gore campaign pulled out of that state with a week to go and still they only lost it by three and a half points. Missouri, always a close, competitive state, or a bellwether state, if you want to use that phrase. West Virginia, which the Democrats should win, lost probably on guns and the environment last time. And Arizona because of the Latino population growing, are also on their list.
So, you know, it's going to come down to, I think, a handful of states, the way it looks now. And we may here till 6:00 in the morning counting votes in Florida and Ohio again.
O'BRIEN: Oh, again, huh, you think?
All right, Jeff, thanks, as always.
GREENFIELD: OK.
O'BRIEN: Glad to see you. Senator John Edwards is expected to drop out of the race today. CNN is going to have live coverage of his announcement. That happens this afternoon at 4:00 Eastern time, 1:00 on the West Coast.
HEMMER: About five minutes past the hour, Soledad.
In other news now, from Iraq, Iraqi police detaining 15 people in connection with deadly attacks against Shiite Muslims. The country observing a three day period of mourning after suicide bombers struck during religious celebrations in Baghdad and Karbala yesterday. At least 117 dead in both blasts. Hundreds more were wounded yesterday.
From New York now, jury deliberations start today in the Martha Stewart trial. Lawyers finished their statements yesterday. Stewart's lawyer asked the jury to let Stewart return to life. The prosecutor countered by saying, "Smart people do dumb things." Stewart faces conspiracy and obstruction of justice charges. More on this trial in a moment from the lower Manhattan.
In baseball, the commissioner, Bud Selig, slapping a gag order on club officials and employees in the wake of the steroid scandal. This according to "USA Today." Yesterday, the "San Francisco Chronicle" reporting that Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield among the athletes who were given steroids, THG. All three deny using any illegal drugs.
A bit later this hour, we'll talk with the Hall of Famer Hank Aaron about the controversy and the impact now on baseball today.
The gay marriage movement appears to be picking up steam again in other parts of the country. From Portland, Oregon, a live picture where people there before the sun up in line now to get marriage licenses today. A judge says she's ready to start performing the marriage ceremonies there in Oregon.
Next hour, we'll talk with the mayor of New Paltz, New York, a little closer to this part of the country and New York City. He is expected to be in court later today.
Also, McDonald's downsizing its super sized meals. The burger giant says it will phase out super sized fries and drinks in all of its U.S. restaurants by the end of this year, 2004. That move comes as fast food chains in general coming under increasing pressure to offer healthier meal choices. So if you're going to do it, do it.
O'BRIEN: I like super size.
HEMMER: Yes? Crank it up one?
O'BRIEN: I think every pregnant woman loves super size, are you kidding me?
HEMMER: Yes, that's probably true.
O'BRIEN: It's the best thing ever.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Well, now to that amazing story we first brought you yesterday out of Philadelphia. A coincidental encounter at a child's birthday party has resulted in a mother finding the daughter that she thought she had lost years ago.
Luz Cuevas believed her infant daughter had been killed in a fire back in 1997. But then, at a party this January, she was struck by one of the children's resemblance to her other kids. Yesterday, Carolyn Correa, the woman suspected of kidnapping and then raising the child as her own, surrendered to authorities.
Jeffrey Zucker is the attorney for Carolyn Correa and he says that his client has always believed that the child, in fact, was hers.
He joins us this morning for an exclusive interview from Philadelphia.
Nice to see you, sir.
Thanks for being with us.
JEFFREY ZUCKER, ATTORNEY FOR CAROLYN CORREA: You're welcome.
O'BRIEN: I know you haven't had a lot of opportunity to talk to your client, but what has she told you? Did she, in fact, take this baby?
ZUCKER: Well, we haven't had much chance to talk. I was out of town over the weekend when I discovered the warrant was issued for her and we promptly cooperated and turned her in. I don't even have a copy of the charges yet.
O'BRIEN: What has she told you about this little girl, Delimar Vera?
ZUCKER: Only that she's raised her from birth, that she's been a good mother and that -- I've seen the child. She seems happy and normal. It's a very strange, strange incident.
O'BRIEN: Yes, a very strange case.
Apparently there are reports that Ms. Correa was telling people at the time of the fire and the disappearance of this baby that she, in fact, was pregnant, as well.
Are there any indications that she was pregnant at the same time?
ZUCKER: Well, at this time we don't know. I can only tell you that we're in the process of doing some investigation of our own, looking for some hospital and doctor records. So at this point it's much, much too early to tell.
O'BRIEN: Have you decided to have your client tested for mental health? ZUCKER: That's also premature. I've met with her. I've met with her family. There's a very good indication that we may have her examined. But, again, it's much too early in the game to tell.
O'BRIEN: The police are working off of DNA tests that apparently Delimar Vera's birth mother says that she has.
Has your client, at this point, yet had her DNA tested or any requests for it?
ZUCKER: She has. Last week she presented herself at my office with the child. I called the Philadelphia police and they came over to our office and took mucal swabs, which are the DNA samples, from both my client and from the child. That was done last week.
O'BRIEN: Then she turned herself in yesterday.
So where has she been in this week in between?
ZUCKER: Well, there's been no warrant for her. Saturday was her birthday and she was out of town with her husband. I was in Florida on business and received a call at about midnight from my client indicating that her mother and neighbor said the police were looking for her. So I told her to sit tight, I would be back in town on Monday, which I was. I called the police. I had some trial commitments myself. And then promptly yesterday we voluntarily surrendered.
O'BRIEN: Ms. Correa has a previous conviction for arson.
Can you elaborate on that for me?
ZUCKER: Not too much, because I don't know. I can only tell you that we've done a background check and although that conviction is there, it was not a serious case. She received a probationary sentence, did well on probation and completed her probation.
O'BRIEN: There were reports that...
ZUCKER: There was never any jail time.
O'BRIEN: There was reports that she set a medical office on fire after there was some indications that maybe some checks had gone missing from that office.
So what happens next?
ZUCKER: Well, next we see about bail for her. I understand the D.A.'s recommendation at this point is that there would be no bail. It's our position she's certainly not a bail risk. She's cooperated from the beginning. She's voluntarily given her DNA and presented the child for DNA. She voluntarily surrendered, so that we would argue to the court that there's certainly no risk of flight and that she should be placed on bail.
O'BRIEN: Jeffrey Zucker is Carolyn Correa's attorney, joining us this morning.
Nice to see you, sir.
Thank you very much for illuminating some of the very complicated facts in this case.
ZUCKER: You're very welcome.
HEMMER: In a moment here, the only thing Democrats and Republicans could agree on about the gun bill yesterday was to kill it.
What happens now?
We'll get you live to Capitol Hill in a moment on that story.
O'BRIEN: And Martha Stewart and her former broker now must await a jury's verdict. We've got details of closing arguments coming up.
HEMMER: And NASA says the red planet was once the wet planet. What does that mean today?
Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: About 15 minutes now past the hour.
A bill that would have shielded the gun industry from lawsuits was expected to pass easily in the Senate yesterday. But a dramatic turnaround killed the measure, with even the National Rifle Association asking supporters to reject it. It was.
Joe Johns live on Capitol Hill to try and explain this one for us -- good morning.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
One Republican senator called it an example of the power of the NRA. As you said, a bill all prepared to pass the Senate suddenly stopped dead in its tracks by its own supporters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS (voice-over): Senator Larry Craig, a member of the NRA board, led both the move to pass the bill and then the move to kill it.
SEN. LARRY CRAIG (R), IDAHO: But I now believe it is so domestically wounded that it should not pass. And I would urge my colleagues to vote against it.
JOHNS: And they did, overwhelmingly.
What set Craig and the NRA off was a provision added by gun control advocates renewing the 10-year-old ban on assault weapons. SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: I deeply believe that assault weapons don't belong on the streets of our communities.
JOHNS: And a requirement for background checks on people who buy weapons at gun shows.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: We also need this amendment because my law abiding constituents who attend gun shows in Arizona shouldn't have to rub shoulders with the scum of the earth who use this loophole to evade background checks.
JOHNS: Shortly before the final vote, the NRA fired off an e- mail to Senate supporters saying, "We oppose final passage and warn the vote will be used in our future evaluations and endorsements of candidates."
WAYNE LAPIERRE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: We're going to get as many gun owners and hunters and second amendment supporters to the polls and tell them to stand up for freedom.
JOHNS: The administration has said it supports the assault weapons ban, but doesn't want it attached to the gun liability measure.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JOHNS: At the end of the day, this was a vote where neither side got what it wanted and now both sides are vowing they will be back -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Joe, thanks.
Joe Johns there on Capitol Hill.
Let's move on back here to New York City now. The case against Martha Stewart will soon be in the hands of the jury. Defense lawyers wrapping up their case yesterday, urging not guilty verdicts for Stewart and her former broker, Peter Bacanovic.
Here's Deborah Feyerick now covering that case in lower Manhattan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Martha Stewart's lawyer came out swinging, his closing argument laced with sarcasm and irony. "What the government sees as a conspiracy," he said, "is a conspiracy between a confederacy of dunces." Robert Morvillo reckoning, "No one could have done what Martha Stewart and Peter Bacanovic are accused of and doing it in a dumber fashion."
To prove his point, Stewart's lawyer highlighted inconsistencies in the stories each told federal investigators, inconsistencies like who took the ImClone stock order. Was it Bacanovic, as Stewart believed? Or his assistant, as Bacanovic told investigators? Said Morvillo, "If those two people want to sit down and rig a story, wouldn't they at least be consistent?"
Morvillo criticized the government's case, calling their star witness, broker's assistant Doug Faneuil, "the living definition of reasonable doubt." Stewart's lawyer was incredulous that two years after Faneuil spoke to Stewart about selling ImClone, Faneuil could testify he remembered the conversation "word for word," especially since phone records show Faneuil was on a second line at the exact same time, Morvillo saying, "He must be a magician."
Prosecutors dismissed the attack on Faneuil's credibility, telling the jury, "There's no smoking gun." As for the phone message Stewart changed, the one left by her broker about ImClone, Morvillo said Stewart changed it to reflect what she thought her secretary had told her. The prosecutor disagreed, explaining instead, "She did that because she was ashamed.
(on camera): And so, after five and a half weeks of testimony, the jury will finally begin deliberating Wednesday.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: And Wednesday is today.
Live to Deb for more now in lower Manhattan -- Deb, good morning there.
FEYERICK: Good morning, Bill.
Well, you know, during the closing arguments, the jury showed absolutely no emotion in terms of what they might be thinking. So the stakes very high right now. Stewart's lawyer made it very clear that he closed his argument by saying Martha Stewart's life is in your hands. And so he made sure that they knew what the stakes were. He said, "Let her return to her life."
So, we will see what happens. They are going to get this case in the afternoon, once the judge gives them their instructions and then we'll see how long it takes them to weigh all the evidence that they've heard over the last six months -- six weeks. It felt like six months of time, but it was actually only six weeks.
HEMMER: That's all right. We won't get ahead of it.
Listen, you've been in the courtroom. How do you gauge these jurors? How attentive? How much do they inquire? What is your read?
FEYERICK: They have been very attentive throughout the entire trial. There are times where the testimony really has dragged on. But they've taken it very seriously. It's a very diverse jury. There are some older people, some younger people, all different backgrounds, it seems. And so, you know, they really seem to be considering all of the evidence. And it depends what they're going to give the most weight to.
Will they give a lot of weight to the testimony by the young assistant broker or will some of them find him not credible and therefore not be able to find her guilty -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thank you, Deb.
Deb Feyerick, thanks, here in New York -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, is Vice President Dick Cheney weighing down the GOP ticket? We're going to hear what he has to say about that.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Polls are showing that Vice President Dick Cheney's approval rating has been falling. That's led to speculation that President Bush would drop him as a running mate.
Wolf Blitzer asked Vice President Cheney about that point blank last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS")
WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is there any doubt whatsoever that you will be on the ticket with the president?
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Not in my mind. He's asked me to serve again and I've said I'd be happy to do that. And I think that will be the ticket in 2004.
BLITZER: How do you feel?
CHENEY: Very good.
BLITZER: Everything all right?
CHENEY: Everything's great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Mr. Cafferty?
CAFFERTY: Yes?
O'BRIEN: Good morning.
CAFFERTY: How you doing?
O'BRIEN: I'm well.
CAFFERTY: Time now for Senator Kerry to pick his running mate. That would be the next steps now that he's the nominee. There are theories about how important the selection of the vice presidential candidate is. History is a little short on evidence that it's something everybody gets really, gets their shorts in a knot about.
What are you writing (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
O'BRIEN: Just (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HEMMER: Taking notes on your commentary.
CAFFERTY: So here's the question.
O'BRIEN: Yes? Yes?
CAFFERTY: Who should John Kerry pick for a running mate and who should he avoid? And keep in mind that we're picking some that are not the most serious in a -- I mean I don't want to hear, don't write to me that John Edwards ought to be, because I don't care about that. That's the obvious. Jay in Buffalo, to answer your question, "Name one vice president that made a difference, I'd submit from the pages of recent American history the names Lyndon Johnson, Gerald Ford."
Touche, Jay, that's a point well taken.
J.R. in Bloomington, "Kerry Bayh would be the best bet for the Democrats in November. A Democrat might have a chance to carry Indiana since Lyndon Johnson.
Joellen in Texas, "I think Kerry should choose the guy who directed all those "Lord of the Rings" movies. Apparently he's a shoe-in to win everything no matter who else is in the running."
HEMMER: That's funny.
CAFFERTY: That's not bad.
There's more than one Dave in Japan. Here's from the other Dave. "You know who would make a killer V.P.? That's right, Glenn Close. She was awesome in "Air Force One.""
And Donovan in Pasadena, Maryland, "Hey, Jack, why are you asking me? Halliburton picks the vice president."
HEMMER: Ooh.
CAFFERTY: Ooh. Ooh, a bit of a barb. Ooh.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Coming up, Monica Lewinsky talks about presidents and priests.
HEMMER: Oh, we've been watching the clock. We're waiting for this.
O'BRIEN: That's enough for now.
HEMMER: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: I can't wait.
Still to come this morning, al Qaeda being blamed for yesterday's attacks, which killed more than 100 Shiite Muslims in Iraq. If the group is truly to blame, could the attack get in the way of its own goals? A look at that is ahead, as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: I believe this is three in a row. What a week it's been for weather here in New York.
O'BRIEN: Oh, it's been great.
HEMMER: Forty-eight and sunny outside. We're going to take it while we can get it.
Good morning.
Welcome back.
Ahead this next 30 minutes here, John Kerry chewing up the election map last night, winning states in every part of the country, winning them by huge margins, in many cases. We will see how Senator Kerry stacks up the with president on issues of national security. We'll have a look at that in a moment.
O'BRIEN: And there are other stories we're following, too, not just politics. We're going to talk with Fawaz Gerges in just a moment and find out if he thinks the attacks on the Shiite Muslims in Iraq and Pakistan, as well, prove that al Qaeda is active in those countries.
Also, one of the major insurance companies planning to stop covering the gastric bypass, saying it's just too dangerous. The question, is it?
Miles O'Brien is going to take a look, as well, at Mars.
HEMMER: Yes, H2O, or so they say.
Let's get back to politics right now. Senior aides of Senator John Kerry say he has ordered his staff to start reviewing perspective vice presidential candidates. Senator Kerry taking that step after virtually sealing the nominee nomination with victories on Super Tuesday, winning nine of 10 contests yesterday then looking forward to the general election before supporters in Washington last night.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tonight, the message could not be clearer all across our country -- change is coming to America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Senator Kerry's only defeat yesterday was in Vermont, which voted for its former governor, Howard Dean, even though he'd left the campaign about a month ago. Senator Kerry will hold a town meeting today in Orlando, Florida. Florida and three other Southern states will hold primaries next Tuesday.
Senator John Edwards, you see him here, Senator Kerry's chief rival, expected to drop from the race today. Edwards has canceled campaign events for the rest of the week. We expect live coverage, 4:00 Eastern time later today out of Raleigh, North Carolina. And certainly we will have that coverage for you later this afternoon.
Back to some of the issues that may shape this race, though, issues that will no doubt frame the general election campaign, including taxes, health care, same-sex marriage and the environment. Defense and America standing on the world stage will also play a significant role.
For a look at that this morning, here's our national security correspondent David Ensor in D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a possible race against President George Bush, John Kerry knows a key question for voters will be which man makes me safer? Which man is the better commander-in-chief?
KERRY: I don't fault George Bush for doing too much in the war on terror. I believe he's done too little.
LESLIE GELB, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: President Bush says I'm a war president and he thinks this is his strength and the weakness of the Democrats. And John Kerry can't afford not to come back. So he is saying bring it on, your supposed strength is really a weakness.
KERRY: Iraq is in disarray, with American troops still bogged down in a deadly guerrilla war with no exit in sight.
ENSOR: But Kerry has a long record, as well, for President Bush to raise questions about.
GELB: You were originally for the war in Iraq and then you voted against the $87 billion I asked Congress to approve to support our troops in the field. So you talk security, but then you vote against it.
ENSOR: Kerry would add 40,000 more troops to the Army, give George Tenet's successor real power over all the intelligence agencies and, he says, embrace, not alienate, America's key allies.
(on camera): But with Kerry, not Howard Dean, as the candidate, the debate will not be about the threat to go to war with Iraq in the first place. Senator Kerry voted to authorize that. The question will be who should have that authority in his hands for the next four years.
David Ensor, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Also, one other note from last night. The president called Senator Kerry to congratulate him on his victory. The Bush campaign aides say that Mr. Bush told his unofficial opponent he looked forward to a spirited debate. Eight months and counting now and it should be spirited and a whole lot more.
O'BRIEN: Yes. I was going to say, as some people just say, down and dirty, not really spirited. Well, we will see.
There are other stories making headlines this morning. Palestinian security sources say an apparent Israeli air strike has killed three Hamas members. The militants were traveling along a road near an Israeli settlement in Gaza when Israel's helicopters fired missiles. The incident took place just about half an hour ago. The Israeli Army had no immediate comment.
The former head of WorldCom expected to face arraignment today on charges that he conspired to commit the biggest corporate fraud in U.S. history. Bernard Ebbers has been linked to the $11 billion scandal at WorldCom. His attorney insists that Ebbers never misled investors and never cooked WorldCom's books. Former CFO Scott Sullivan has agreed to testify against Ebbers.
The FBI is announcing a new effort to identify and locate distributors of child porn. The Endangered Child Alert program will rely on the public to identify photos of unknown suspects. The FBI says it'll post the photos on its Web site and also the TV program, "America's Most Wanted."
In sports news, in college basketball, a perfect season for St. Joseph's. The Hawks crushed St. Bonaventura 82-50 last night. The wins make St. Joe's the first team since 1991 to finish its regular season without a loss, but they are obviously far from finished because tournament season is approaching.
And they are seeing red at Western Kentucky University. The school charges that its mascot, Big Red, was copied by a hit Italian TV show. They're suing for a quarter of a billion dollars. But Big Red faces a big foe. The Italian TV show is owned by Italian Premier Silvio Berlesconi. And his company is called Media Set.
HEMMER: A bit later this week, Jack's going to have a host at that mascot, by the way. And be live here...
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Oh, yes, true.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: We're going to have the mascot on our show.
O'BRIEN: Really? HEMMER: We're going to have the school president, too, so stay tuned.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Iraqis today mourning the deaths of more than 100, 100 Shiite worshippers killed yesterday in vicious bombings. U.S. and Iraqi authorities suspect Abu Zarqawi, a terrorist with al Qaeda connections, who may have been behind the attacks.
Is there an al Qaeda connection? And, if so, what does that mean for the prospects for peace in Iraq today?
Fawaz Gerges, a professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Sarah Lawrence College, back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.
Always nice to have you on our show.
FAWAZ GERGES, CHAIRMAN, MIDDLE EAST STUDIES, SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE: Thank you.
HEMMER: And thanks for making time for us.
The Iranians said it yesterday. Dick Cheney referenced it in his interview with Wolf Blitzer yesterday, too.
Was there a link with al Qaeda in this bombing yesterday?
GERGES: Well, Bill, let's look at the most likely suspects behind the attacks. You have Anser al Islamia, a small Turkish militant Islamist group. On the other hand, you have Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, who's alleged letter called for attacks against the Shiites in order to spark sectarian strife between Sunnis and Shiites. You also have militant fighters who entered Iraq in order to fight the United States. But you also have nationalist and religious Iraqi groups who are trying to defeat the new order being installed in the United States.
Three points here. None of the above groups takes orders directly from al Qaeda. Even Zarqawi and Ansar al-Islam, the militant group, basically are unofficially, indirectly affiliated with al Qaeda. They share its goals, but they are not part of its structure.
So I think this is a major point. Even if you read, Bill, Zarqawi's letter, the letter which was captured by the United States, in the letter, Zarqawi pleads with al Qaeda in order to provide more resources in order to spark a sectarian strife in Iraq.
I would argue, in fact, that al Qaeda does not need to send its precious and depleted resources into Iraq because you already have so many groups fighting the Americans...
HEMMER: Let me try and draw an analogy. What you're saying then, on the tree of al Qaeda, this could be a branch.
GERGES: Yes. HEMMER: But not necessarily the trunk or even the roots of the organization?
GERGES: And this is a major distinction here because even the U.S. vice president, Dick Cheney, said that al Qaeda's affiliates as, you know, opposed to al Qaeda playing a direct, centralized role. But regardless, regardless of whether al Qaeda was involved or not, it seems to me everyone now accuses al Qaeda. As you said, even U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and the Iranian vice president, Mohammad Ali Abtahi, blamed al Qaeda. In fact, the Iranian vice president said al Qaeda considered the Shiites more dangerous enemies than their political enemy, the United States. And even, even Hassan Nasrallah, the head of the Lebanese Hezbollah, the Party of God, attacked what he called the Taliban mind, the dark mind, which refers to al Qaeda.
So what the point, I think the big point you're raising is that there is truly now a potential for a major dramatic realignment against al Qaeda by so many players, not just the United States.
HEMMER: So you buy into the theory that this hurts al Qaeda?
GERGES: Oh, absolutely...
HEMMER: This hurts Muslim groups?
A couple pointed questions here.
How do Muslim extremists win in their cause by killing innocent Muslim?
GERGES: They can't. And, in fact, what we are witnessing, I mean the big you are raising, Bill, is the following. Al Qaeda's recent tactics in Saudi Arabia, in Pakistan, in Morocco, in Turkey, and today and in the last few weeks in al Qaeda, in fact, it's a self -- in Iraq -- it's a self-destructive strategy. In many ways, not only al Qaeda and al Qaeda's local affiliates have alienated the Muslim public opinion, but, in fact, they have motivated Muslim governments to crack down harder against al Qaeda.
Look what has happened in Pakistan. After the two attempts on his life, Pakistani President Musharraf has become more determined to go after al Qaeda. And you can imagine what damage Iran can do to al Qaeda if Iran decides to go after al Qaeda and closes its shop in Iran.
So, yes, regardless of whether al Qaeda was directly involved or not, the attacks, the recent attacks truly show that al Qaeda is involved in a self-destructive strategy. It's digging its own grave.
HEMMER: There are those who contend that any bombing is a good bombing for al Qaeda, to get the attention for that group.
In 10 seconds, are you surprised at that?
GERGES: Not at all. It's a self-destructive strategy. Al Qaeda has alienated not only Muslim public opinion, but has motivated and mobilized Muslim governments to crack down against its affiliates.
HEMMER: Fawaz Gerges, come back any time.
Good to see you -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, how much damage will the latest steroid bombshell do to baseball? We're going to ask the homerun king, Hank Aaron, live in our next hour.
HEMMER: Also up next, Soledad, a fascinating look at how NASA's rovers found the water on Mars. Suddenly heads are swimming with the possibilities.
Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Florida is canceling its coverage for gastric bypass surgery, known as stomach stapling. The company says safety is their main reason.
So just how dangerous is this drastic but increasingly popular procedure?
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN Center with details on that for us this morning -- hey, Sanjay, good morning.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Yes, well, it is an increasingly popular procedure. Certainly people note the high profile cases -- Carney Wilson, Al Roker, Roseanne Barr. They all lost a lot of weight with this gastric bypass surgery and the procedure is increasing in numbers in terms of the overall population.
Take a look at the numbers. Here they are. In 2000, about around 36,000 of these procedures performed. Last year, about 136,000 of these procedures performed, triple just over a couple of years ago. This year the number even expected to grow more than that, 140,000 to 150,000 procedures this year alone is expected.
Now, there's been a lot of concerns about this procedure, just how safe is it? How risky is it, as well?
Take a look at some of the numbers. This is out of a study from the University of Washington. One in 50 patients will die within the month following the operation. That's called the peri-operative period. That death, incidentally, linked to the surgeon's experience. We're going to talk a little bit more about that.
The University Cleveland also a study, a little bit more information about these procedures, saying that the particular procedure is most dangerous for those who are most obese. Intuitive, I guess, but also those are the patients who often need it the most.
Now, what is the procedure exactly? You've seen the pictures, you've seen the weight loss. Take a look at this diagram really explaining this. It's a complicated diagram. But at the very top there is actually what is -- what becomes the stomach. And that stomach now becomes the size of an egg. Your intestines are rerouted. You can see the manipulation of your intestines that goes on in a procedure like this.
The outcome? Your stomach is about the size of an egg at the end and you never have a normal meal again. And that leads to a completely different lifestyle change -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, not everybody, obviously, Sanjay, can qualify for this kind of surgery.
So who does qualify and what kind of questions should those folks be asking of their doctor?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, first of all, I think any doctor, any responsible doctor will say that a patient should have gone through rigorous diet, exercise, behavioral counseling, perhaps, as well. That's obvious.
But if you want the actual numbers, here they are. If you, the person has to have a body mass index of 40 plus or greater, have that body mass index. That translates roughly to a man who's about 100 pounds overweight, a woman who's about 80 pounds overweight.
There are side effects from this procedure. These are going to be lifelong side effects. The list of them here, you know, you're going to have nutritional deficiencies. You don't absorb vitamins as well. Liver problems. You will have sugar intolerance. You may have droopy skin, as well.
But there are questions to ask your doctor. And, again, this is sort of at the crux of the issue regarding this Blue Cross/Blue Shield issue. They're trying to limit the number of doctors who don't do enough of these procedures. So ask your doctor, do they have the experience? Have they performed a number of operations? Incidentally, 100 appears to be the number of operations at which a surgeon's complicate rate drops drastically. And is bariatric surgery, or gastric stapling surgery, this particular doctor's specialty?
If so, this may be the doctor for you. But, again, you know, this operation carries a $25,000 price tag. If your insurance is not covering it, that's going to be pretty pricey -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Does this move from Blue Cross/Blue Shield, in your mind, signal that other insurers are going to follow suit?
GUPTA: You know what we're seeing here is I think, you know, this procedure, it's sort of amazing, because just even a couple of years ago it was considered drastic, sort of radical. And all of a sudden it's sort of caught on, perhaps too fast. I think we are seeing a steady erosion, not only from the insurance companies, and I think other insurance companies will follow suit, but also from the medical profession at large. You know, the AMA still classifies this, in some ways, as an experimental procedure. We've seen the results because of the high profile cases. The popularity is increasing, but I think you're seeing a little bit of a backlash against this, what is still, some consider, a radical procedure -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Sanjay, thanks a lot -- Bill.
GUPTA: Thank you.
HEMMER: Soledad, the good news keeps flowing from Mars, according to NASA scientists. They say the rovers have found what they were looking for all along -- evidence that the red planet was once wet enough for life to possibly have existed there.
Here's our own space correspondent, Miles O'Brien, on that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's cold, it's bleak and it's dry. But four billion years ago, you could be swimming, perhaps with the fishes, if you were here.
STEVE SQUYRES, MARS ROVER CHIEF SCIENTIST: Over the last couple of weeks, the puzzle pieces have been falling into place and the last puzzle piece fell into place a few days ago. We have concluded that the rocks here were once soaked in liquid water.
O'BRIEN: The proof comes from NASA's intrepid rover, Opportunity, which landed in this small crater on Mars in January. It was a hole in one of epic proportions. The crater is ringed with exposed bedrock, a geologic time machine. The more Opportunity augured in and ogled, the more it became clear they were Rosetta stones.
The evidence appears to be rock solid that the planet was not only wet, but habitable. Opportunity's microscopes spotted these tiny spheres. The scientists cal them blueberries. As it turns out, they are like little globs of concrete and everyone knows concrete needs water. But that's not all. There are holes in the rocks that are tabular shaped, apparently the empty molds of crystals formed and then probably washed away by water.
SQUYRES: And when I saw those, that was -- that was the moment at which I began to believe it.
O'BRIEN: And check out the way these rocks are layered in angles. Cross bedding, it is called. It means that there was some kind of current that moved the sediment as the rocks formed. It could be the wind, but more likely it was flowing water.
JIM GARVIN, LEAD SCIENTIST FOR MOON AND MARS: This is one piece of the water puzzle. This says at some time on Mars, and we do not know when -- it could have been hundreds of millions of years ago to billions -- at some point there was contact of liquid water.
O'BRIEN: And there is more than meets the eye. A mineral sniffing spectrometer on Opportunity found a huge amount of sulfur salts in these rocks and, in particular, a yellow mineral called gerocite (ph).
It forms only one way -- with water.
SQUYRES: You put that story together and it's hard to avoid the conclusion that this stuff was deposited in liquid water.
O'BRIEN: Scientists are still not sure whether the water was a lake or a sea or even ground water. And while it's not proof there were ever Martians, scientists remind us that wherever there's water on earth, there is life.
Miles O'Brien, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Thank you, Miles.
The next hour here, we'll hear from a NASA scientist with the Mars rover program about the discovery and what it all means going forward -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the fight for the controls at Disney could be decided today. Michael Eisner's chairmanship is on the line. A look at that is ahead, as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: And welcome back, everybody.
CAFFERTY: Business news time. Michael Eisner could get his head handed to him at the annual shareholder meeting of the Disney Company later today.
But first, breaking news again in this segment on WorldCom.
Andy Serwer minding your business.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Hey, how are you doing?
Bernie Ebbers, the former CEO of WorldCom, apparently surrendering to authorities this morning, this according to Reuters. We will have tape of this later on, apparently, and he may even be wearing some of those handcuffs.
CAFFERTY: Oh, I hope so.
SERWER: Yes, let's...
CAFFERTY: I love to see those guys in bracelets.
SERWER: Yes, I know you do.
Let's talk a little bit about Michael Eisner. A big annual meeting today in Philadelphia. His job is at stake, perhaps in terms of the CEO and chairmanship role. Stories coming out of the company that they may split that job up and may make George Mitchell the chairman of the company.
CAFFERTY: They should split the job up and then not give either one of them to Michael Eisner.
SERWER: Yes. Yes.
CAFFERTY: That's how that one should go.
SERWER: The time is coming very soon for that, I would think.
CAFFERTY: Richard Scrushy, a blast from the past.
SERWER: Yes, this is really terrific stuff. Richard Scrushy, the former CEO of Healthsouth -- this guy has always had a flair for entertaining and entertainment -- has a new -- that's him with his wife, Leslie. She was a former Teen Miss in Florida back in the '80s.
CAFFERTY: What a lucky woman.
SERWER: He has a television show in Birmingham now that airs every -- he just started this thing up, 7:30 in the morning, WB21. Now, that's a picture from the show. It's a talk show that airs at 7:30 in the morning for half an hour.
HEMMER: No. Wood paneling in the basement.
SERWER: It's paid for. You know, it's, the station manager is saying it's like an infomercial. And it's just, you know, how do you -- he's charged with -- he's got this, 85 counts. He's facing 650 years in the slammer and he decides to do a TV show. He had a radio show...
CAFFERTY: Well, if the show is a hit, maybe they can do it out of the joint, you know, when he gets sent away.
SERWER: Yes. The prosecutors saying they are watching this thing carefully to see if he says anything. If he says anything, they're not going to say anything in that sucker.
CAFFERTY: I bet they aren't.
SERWER: But just terrific stuff, I think.
CAFFERTY: You can't make this up.
SERWER: No.
CAFFERTY: Time for the Cafferty File, Wednesday, things people say that got our attention during the last week, beginning with this. "We're electing a president, not a priest." That's Monica Lewinsky, the former White House intern, with her thoughts on whether or not voters ignore candidates' personal lives. She thinks they should.
O'BRIEN: Well, that's quite a publicity photo, Monica, don't you think?
HEMMER: Yes, in her cleather.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: What have you got on there...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Moving on...
HEMMER: Is that a kind of...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Moving on.
SERWER: That's the whole thing yes, so.
O'BRIEN: Moving on.
CAFFERTY: Every night. A shot of those pants again, yes.
O'BRIEN: They're plastic. See?
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Pretty hot, huh?
CAFFERTY: That's the other half of Monica's costume. Monica was wearing the top.
O'BRIEN: Come on -- no, it looks like it, doesn't it?
HEMMER: It sure does.
O'BRIEN: She bought it.
CAFFERTY: Moving on to this. "You all look alike to me." This is a Florida congresswoman, Corrine Brown, speaking to Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega, a Mexican-American, after calling him and others in the Bush administration racist and "a bunch of white men" during a briefing on Haiti. Imagine, if you will, a white congressman saying those things to a group of black people. How much hell would there be to pay in that case?
On to this one. "There are times when I see some cuddly young lady I would love to have as a house pet, but my wife won't let me, damn it. And I bought her a gun. That shows you how smart I am." New Hampshire State Representative Richard Kennedy at a public hearing on gay marriage legislation. The comment unrelated to the bill.
SERWER: Wow, where do you go with that?
O'BRIEN: Wow, exactly.
SERWER: A lot of places. CAFFERTY: "What's next? Will we deny priests and nuns their prescription drug benefits on the ground that taxpayers' freedom of conscience forbids medicating the clergy at public expense?"
Antonin Scalia, on the United States Supreme Court, dissenting from a 7-2 ruling that states awarding college scholarships may withhold them from students preparing for the ministry: "People where will work with the anti-Christ if he'll put butts in seats."
Hollywood agent John Leschner (ph) shooting down suggestions "The Passion of the Christ" would hurt Mel Gibson's career.
And a related item, "There are good stories in that book. It's worth looking into them." That's Mel Gibson on the possibility of making more biblical stories.
And finally this. "It was like a popcorn popper." That's Keith Hanselman of Cayuga Falls, Ohio, on his wife Jennifer giving birth by cesarean section to six babies in one minute. It was like a popcorn popper.
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: That is the worst description of birthing multiples I've ever heard in my life.
SERWER: Get that guy to some sensitivity training, you know?
CAFFERTY: To someone who's pregnant with twins, that should have special meaning.
O'BRIEN: Oh, I just...
HEMMER: That's right. And the...
O'BRIEN: I'm done.
HEMMER: The food of choice for pregnant women here on AMERICAN MORNING, jelly beans.
O'BRIEN: You guys are revealing all my secrets today.
HEMMER: They're (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
SERWER: Just this morning. We are.
HEMMER: It keeps us going.
Let's get a break here.
O'BRIEN: A popcorn popper.
HEMMER: In a moment, Senator John Kerry's Super Tuesday victory has set up a showdown for the White House. Now, a look at the battle ahead, in a moment, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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