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CNN Live At Daybreak
Running Start for Bush Campaign; Goodbye Hanging Chad
Aired March 04, 2004 - 06:30 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We update the top stories for you every 15 minutes. Our next update, of course, coming up at 6:45 Eastern Time this morning.
It is only March, but there is a hint of fall in the air. I'm referring to the political climate that is, now that John Kerry has virtually wrapped up the Democratic nomination.
President Bush's re-election ads begin airing this morning, and the president got more cash for future ads last night.
CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is in Los Angeles with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Bush came to California and came out swinging for the first time against his newly- minted Democratic opponent. He retooled his stump speech to squarely and directly hit Senator Kerry as somebody who has waffled on a host of issues throughout his career.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He spent two decades in Congress. He's built up quite a record. In fact, Senator Kerry has been in Washington long enough to take both sides on just about every issue.
BASH: The president began to set up what he said will be a clear choice for the American people between what he believes in and what Senator Kerry believes in on almost every major issue that will be before them during this campaign season -- talking about everything from tax cuts to the war in Iraq to the war on terrorism.
BUSH: My opponent hasn't offered much in the way of strategies to win the war or policies to expand our economy. So far, all we hear from that side is a lot of old bitterness and partisan anger. Anger is not an agenda for the future of America.
BASH: The president launched this newly-aggressive criticism of Senator Kerry just 24 hours after calling to congratulate him for locking up the Democratic nomination. And he did it at a fund-raiser in Los Angeles, where he raised more than $800,000 for his re-election campaign.
Now, California is a state that President Bush lost by 11 percentage points in 2000 to Al Gore. It is a state that his campaign concedes will be hard to win in 2004, but he is hoping that with the popularity of the new Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who is also the honorary chairman of his campaign here -- it will help him at least get the state in play.
Dana Bash, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: And we will get some inside information on the Bush campaign on "AMERICAN MORNING." Bush advisor Karen Hughes will be a guest in the 7:00 a.m. Eastern hour.
Well, John Kerry may no longer have a formidable Democratic opponent, but he's still campaigning in the primaries. He was in Florida ahead of that state's vote next week. He attacked President Bush for what he is not talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: George Bush likes to describe himself as a war president, and you noticed that the first 30 minutes of the State of the Union message were almost exclusively on the war on terror, which we all know we're involved in. And he talked about Afghanistan. He talked about this, talked about that, talked about a whole bunch of things, which we have no contest with.
But he didn't talk about providing health care to all Americans. All Americans. He didn't talk about keeping his promise for No Child Left Behind. He didn't even mention the word once in his entire speech, "environment." He didn't mention the word once in his entire speech, "veteran."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: Meanwhile, political satirist Bill Maher says that John Kerry is more vulnerable to Republican attacks now that the Democratic race is over. He was a guest on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL MAHER, HOST, HBO'S "REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER": I think John Kerry probably would have actually liked it better if John Edwards had been in it for a longer time, because this way, you know, it's all about him now. He's a walking point, as he might say, about his Vietnam service. And the Republican slime machine, of course, will be getting busy. I'm sure there will be pictures of him tomorrow on a chopper with Peter Fonda going to New Orleans to sell acid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: OK. Well, when we finally go to the polls in November, many of us will be voting electronically. Now, this new system is supposed to make the hanging chad a thing of the past.
But as our Kitty Pilgrim reports, it's also creating some new problems. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The classic excuse: a computer glitch. In California, the electronic voting was delayed as technicians tinkered with the machines.
In Georgia, everyone voted electronically with some problems in programming and voter cards for certain districts. Officials blamed human error in programming, saying it was a -- quote -- "learning curve problem with election workers."
In Maryland, there were voter card problems.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My key card would not work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We found that by wiping them off, it was apparently a film or something.
PILGRIM: One of the biggest problems: not all election workers are computer-literate and computers don't run themselves.
KIMBALL BRACE, ELECTION DATA SERVICES: Training is one of the biggest issues that election administrators face, and inevitably somebody was asleep somewhere in some class and didn't hear all of the instructions.
PILGRIM: Fifty million people are expected to vote electronically in the upcoming presidential election. After the hanging chad debacle in the 2000 elections, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 was supposed to distribute $3.6 billion to help local districts switch to electronic voting. But the funding has lagged.
DEFOREST SOARIES, U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION: The funding has been slow in getting out. But the good news is by the middle of May, we will distribute $2.4 billion.
PILGRIM: Some legislators have enough doubts about e-voting to worry about using it in the presidential election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unless Congress deals with this nationally by requiring a voter-verified paper record of each vote each time a voter votes, we will have questions every time there is an election, including this November.
PILGRIM: Holtz (ph) has proposed legislation that requires a paper trail and other ways to verify that the system has not malfunctioned, been hacked, or tampered with.
Kitty Pilgrim, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: Let's go to Rob for a quick look at the travel forecast this morning.
(WEATHER BREAK) CALLAWAY: So, does the name David Beckham ring a bell? Well, some might say he's the hottest player in the game of soccer or football, depending on where you live. But now, his fans can prove it.
Also ahead, what foods can you add to your diet to ward off cancer?
And, we'll tell you why this lady golfer is making history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Martha Stewart's case is in the hands of jury members, and in Scott Peterson's case, they'll begin picking the jury today.
Let's go to our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey. He's joining us live from Miami with what we can expect in both of those cases.
Good morning to you.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning.
CALLAWAY: The jury selection in Scott Peterson's trial is interesting to me. There's like 200 prospective jury members, and they have this questionnaire that's like 30 pages long. Is this unusual? And what kind of questions are in this questionnaire?
COFFEY: Well, something similar was done to begin Martha Stewart's jury selection process. We're seeing it more and more, Catherine, in these high-profile cases. They're just so concerned about the massive profusion of pre-trial publicity.
The questions include everything from usual things, such as attitudes on death penalty, pre-trial publicity, and not surprisingly, questions about extramarital affairs. As we know, a big part of the prosecution's case is going to be built around Scott Peterson's alleged relationship with Amber Frey.
CALLAWAY: That's very interesting. How long do you think it's going to take to pick this jury?
COFFEY: It's going to take weeks, even though the defense was successful in getting the case moved out of Modesto, where there was a major degree of passion. Everywhere in the country people know about Scott Peterson. So, there's going to be a real challenge to get jurors with a truly open mind, who haven't already reached conclusions about something that's been in the news every week.
CALLAWAY: What's going to be the biggest challenge for the prosecution in this case, do you think, Kendall?
COFFEY: Well, they've got two problems. One is they really don't have solid, direct evidence -- somebody who heard or saw something that's directly incriminating.
The other thing that I still think is a question is how strong is the motive issue? The issue of pursuit and romantic obsession has been around since time began. But Scott Peterson knew Amber Frey less than 20 days when, according to the prosecution, he conceived an absolutely horrific plan to murder not only his wife, but his unborn son.
CALLAWAY: It sounds like it's going to be on how the jury reads Peterson more than what the evidence is.
COFFEY: And they're going to hear and see not only Peterson in the courtroom, but hear his voice. He won't be testifying. They'll hear his voice on tapes. And he's going to sound guilty. He's going to sound bizarre. He's going to sound obsessive toward Amber Frey. And in many ways, the voice of Scott Peterson, the words he said before this trial, may be the most incriminating evidence of all.
CALLAWAY: And we've got to talk about Martha Stewart. The jury deliberating, what, second day now. Going to be a long deliberation?
COFFEY: Well, Martha Stewart should hope so. If it's a fast deliberation, that's not going to be good news for the defendants. And the jury is clearly working through the evidence.
CALLAWAY: Right.
COFFEY: They asked for a number of things yesterday and got two hours of instructions from the judge. So, I think from the jury standpoint, there's a lot of work to do, and they seem to be going about it very carefully.
CALLAWAY: I was going to say, is it really a good sign for the defense in this instance, because these are complicated charges? There are, what, four charges?
COFFEY: Well, there are four charges left. And, of course, from a prosecution standpoint, if any of those charges result in a conviction, Martha Stewart is going to jail. So, there is no moral victory here from the defense standpoint.
But I think what the defense is hoping is that with the securities fraud charge that was thrown out...
CALLAWAY: Right.
COFFEY: ... a lot of the issues of Martha Stewart's motivation to be protecting her own investment in her own company is gone. And at the same time, Catherine, you don't really have a sense of victims in this case. There are no defrauded investors. The only people that were really lied to were federal agents, who never believed Martha Stewart to begin with.
CALLAWAY: All right, Kendall, thank you very much for getting up early for us this morning.
COFFEY: Thank you.
CALLAWAY: See you soon. Your news, money, weather and sports, it is time now to check the headlines.
U.S. Marines move through Haiti's capital and send messages to the rebel leader there. He promptly announces that his men will lay down their arms.
And the latest front in the latest U.S. culture war is Portland, Oregon. Hundreds of same-sex couples have gotten marriage licenses in the past 24 hours and Oregon's governor wants an opinion on the legality.
In the future, it could cost a shock jock or his station a half- million dollars to be truly shocking. A House committee has approved an increase in broadcast indecency fines from a mere $27,000 to a whopping $500,000.
And in your money, these new nickels are not worth any more than the old ones, but they do have a new picture on the back. It's the first time that the design has changed in 66 years. Thomas Jefferson is still on the front, but on the other side it honors the Louisiana Purchase.
In sports, endorse it like Beckham. The world's most famous soccer player, David Beckham, unveils his own clothing logo, and he says that he has extended his advertising contract with Adidas until the year 2008.
In culture this morning, UPN may halt plans for a television show called "Amish in the City" after critics called the idea insensitive. The plan was to show Amish teenagers faced with temptations of urban life.
And in weather, expect thunderstorms from the Southern Plains to the Ohio Valley and warm air in the South.
That's the weather and the headlines. Your next update is on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at the top of the hour.
So, let's check in with Bill and Soledad now in New York to see what's coming up.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Catherine.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
CALLAWAY: Good morning.
HEMMER: How do you like these early hours?
CALLAWAY: Me? Bill, you know I love them.
O'BRIEN: That's the right answer, Catherine.
HEMMER: OK. Good to see you. Among the headlines, we'll talk with Karen Hughes, the Bush campaign advisor. The ads are rolling out. In fact, you might have seen one of them just a few minutes ago here on CNN. There will be a major push, eight months and counting, to the big election in early November.
O'BRIEN: Also, we've been following this case in Texas, the woman who was convicted of stabbing her husband, killing him -- 193 times she stabbed him. The prosecutors rolled the bed into the courtroom in a very dramatic flourish. Well, we'll find out exactly what kind of time she faces now. We're going to talk with a reporter who's been in the courtroom.
HEMMER: Also, Sunday night, what are you doing?
O'BRIEN: I'm going to bed at 8:00, as I always do. What are you doing?
HEMMER: Set your TiVo or your VCR then.
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
HEMMER: "The Sopranos" are back now, fifth season, and apparently Tony Soprano has got all kinds of things going on in his head. So, we're going to tackle that in "90-Second Pop," among other things. So, we'll have that for you at the top of the hour along with Jack Cafferty.
O'BRIEN: Yes, just a few minutes away.
HEMMER: See you, Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, we'll be watching.
HEMMER: OK.
CALLAWAY: Tell Jack we said hello.
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
(CROSSTALK)
CALLAWAY: And still to come on DAYBREAK, is your paycheck lighter if you're heavier? Hmmm, we'll explain the link.
And remember when Pete Rose entered the ring? Well, it looks like his short-lived wrestling career is paying off now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Well, here's another downside to being obese. Research from Finland shows that overweight women earn less money. Now, the study finds the discrimination only applies to highly- educated women and does not apply to men at all. And you can read the study in the "American Journal of Public Health." And still on the matter of health, folate is important to everybody's health, but the vitamin may do more for women than they know.
Joining us from New York this morning to talk about all of that is registered dietician Lisa Drayer.
Good morning, Lisa.
LISA DRAYER, DIETICIAN: Hi, Catherine. How are you?
CALLAWAY: I'm doing well.
DRAYER: Great. That's right. Folate, a very important B vitamin, and yesterday we talked about the fact that folate may provide protection against ovarian cancer, also colorectal cancer and breast cancer, among individuals who consume alcohol.
But folate also plays an important role in other diseases as well. For example, it may help protect against heart disease, but folate may help to lower levels of homosistine (ph). This is an amino acid in the blood. And high levels of homosistine (ph) are associated with an increased risk for heart disease.
In fact, because of some of this research on homosistine (ph), just last month the American Heart Association recommended folic acid supplements for women at high risk for heart disease; for example, someone who might have existing heart disease.
In addition, to heart disease, folic acid may also help protect against birth defects in a growing fetus. So, this is very important for all women of childbearing age; that is, these women should take a folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid. And because the damage can occur in the first trimester, that's why it's really important for women to take this if they plan on becoming pregnant.
So, two very important roles of folic acid, and because of the latter role, in 1998 the FDA actually required many enriched-bread products to be enriched with folic acid. That's why if you look at the labels now, you will likely see that your cereals and breads contain a lot of this important vitamin.
CALLAWAY: Well, Lisa, what about if you don't -- if you really aren't at a high risk for heart disease or you're not of childbearing age, should you still take a supplement?
DRAYER: Right. It's a good question, and I get that question a lot. In fact, you know, if you're consuming about five fruits and vegetables each day and you're eating a lot of...
CALLAWAY: Wow, that's a lot, though.
DRAYER: It is a lot, but, again, think about, you know, a half a cup of cooked vegetables being one serving. A large banana would be two. If you're not getting your fruits and vegetables, your fortified grains and cereals, it is a good idea to take a vitamin that does contain 400 micrograms of folic acid.
But if you're not at high risk and you are consuming a lot of fortified foods, there is such a thing as too much, and too high levels -- very high levels of folic acid can lead to nerve damage. It can also mask vitamin B12 deficiency.
CALLAWAY: Wow!
DRAYER: So, what we're talking about levels that are over 1,000 micrograms. So...
CALLAWAY: We're looking on the screen now at a few things that...
DRAYER: Yes.
CALLAWAY: ... are good for you if you need some folate.
DRAYER: That's right.
CALLAWAY: Asparagus, oatmeal, spinach, orange juice.
DRAYER: Exactly.
CALLAWAY: What's the best? Obviously, it looks like asparagus is.
DRAYER: Yes, asparagus is over half of your daily needs you would get in a cup of cooked asparagus. Fortified oatmeal just about half. Lentils close to half. Spinach is very good, too. And orange juice over a quarter of your daily needs for folic acid.
I also want to say that, interestingly, Catherine, synthetic folate -- that is, the folate that's added to these fortified foods in the form of folic acid -- is actually...
CALLAWAY: Yes.
DRAYER: ... better absorbed than the natural folate. Yes.
CALLAWAY: That's encouraging. I can always drink a glass of orange juice.
DRAYER: There you go.
CALLAWAY: OK, Lisa, thank you very much for setting us straight.
DRAYER: Thank you.
CALLAWAY: Time for a little business buzz now. Michael Eisner is still chief executive at Walt Disney, but shareholders keeping a close eye on the top mouse.
Carrie Lee has the story now from the Nasdaq Marketsite in Time Square. I don't know if he likes to be called the "top mouse" or not, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE), is he? CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: I don't know either, Catherine.
So much happening with the Walt Disney Company yesterday. The board announced that it would separate the jobs of chairman and CEO last night, after 43 percent of Disney's shareholders voted to oppose the re-election of Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner.
Eisner will remain as the company's chief executive officer. The board unanimously elected former Senator George Mitchell as the company's new chairman. Eisner has faced growing calls for his resignation from, among others, founder Walt Disney nephew -- Walt Disney founder's nephew, Roy Disney.
Now, shares of Walt Disney Company closed down 11 cents to 26.65 during the regular session yesterday. The stock did add a little bit of ground in the after-hours session. So, we'll see if there is any follow-through today.
Catherine, just a little bit of trivia. In 1950, on this day, Walt Disney released "Cinderella." So, she's 54 years old now, looking pretty good.
CALLAWAY: Oh, my god.
Back to you.
CALLAWAY: Yes, she is looking good. Still making money, too, huh?
LEE: That's right.
CALLAWAY: All right, Carrie, have a good day.
LEE: You, too.
CALLAWAY: Rob will join me in a minute for "The Lightning Round." But first, here's the headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Chastity is 35. Did you see that?
All right, time for "The Lightning Round," Rob.
Move over Dolly Parton. Debbie Reynolds has her own idea for a tourist attraction in the Smokey Mountains. The Hollywood Motion Picture Museum will include thousands of costumes, props and other movie collectibles. She's got like an incredible collection there, Rob. I think she even has the ruby slippers.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Really? Well, you could, you know, just head down I-40, go Nashville, just keep driving, and you can hit both of them in one day.
CALLAWAY: She's going to give Dolly a run for her money. All right, Jerry Hall could be the next name in the "Guinness Book of World Records." The model-turned-actress appeared on stage in six musicals in less than three hours in London. The average length of each performance was 30 seconds. She had to time that just right.
(CROSSTALK)
MARCIANO: Award-winning stuff, I'm sure.
CALLAWAY: I think she was raising money for a good cause.
MARCIANO: Oh, OK. Well, that's good. That's cool.
CALLAWAY: Pete Rose makes it into a hall of fame after all. The World Wrestling Entertainment -- oh, my goodness.
MARCIANO: From the top row.
CALLAWAY: How far he's come. The former Cincinnati Reds star took part in three Wrestlemania events a few years ago. He will be paid within his induction ceremony next week.
Hmmm. History on the golf course. Leanne Bagger (ph), the first transsexual to play in a pro tournament.
And we've run out of time, but that is "The Lightning Round." That's why they call it "The Lightning Round." It's so fast.
Bye, everybody.
MARCIANO: See you later.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired March 4, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We update the top stories for you every 15 minutes. Our next update, of course, coming up at 6:45 Eastern Time this morning.
It is only March, but there is a hint of fall in the air. I'm referring to the political climate that is, now that John Kerry has virtually wrapped up the Democratic nomination.
President Bush's re-election ads begin airing this morning, and the president got more cash for future ads last night.
CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is in Los Angeles with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Bush came to California and came out swinging for the first time against his newly- minted Democratic opponent. He retooled his stump speech to squarely and directly hit Senator Kerry as somebody who has waffled on a host of issues throughout his career.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He spent two decades in Congress. He's built up quite a record. In fact, Senator Kerry has been in Washington long enough to take both sides on just about every issue.
BASH: The president began to set up what he said will be a clear choice for the American people between what he believes in and what Senator Kerry believes in on almost every major issue that will be before them during this campaign season -- talking about everything from tax cuts to the war in Iraq to the war on terrorism.
BUSH: My opponent hasn't offered much in the way of strategies to win the war or policies to expand our economy. So far, all we hear from that side is a lot of old bitterness and partisan anger. Anger is not an agenda for the future of America.
BASH: The president launched this newly-aggressive criticism of Senator Kerry just 24 hours after calling to congratulate him for locking up the Democratic nomination. And he did it at a fund-raiser in Los Angeles, where he raised more than $800,000 for his re-election campaign.
Now, California is a state that President Bush lost by 11 percentage points in 2000 to Al Gore. It is a state that his campaign concedes will be hard to win in 2004, but he is hoping that with the popularity of the new Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger -- who is also the honorary chairman of his campaign here -- it will help him at least get the state in play.
Dana Bash, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: And we will get some inside information on the Bush campaign on "AMERICAN MORNING." Bush advisor Karen Hughes will be a guest in the 7:00 a.m. Eastern hour.
Well, John Kerry may no longer have a formidable Democratic opponent, but he's still campaigning in the primaries. He was in Florida ahead of that state's vote next week. He attacked President Bush for what he is not talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: George Bush likes to describe himself as a war president, and you noticed that the first 30 minutes of the State of the Union message were almost exclusively on the war on terror, which we all know we're involved in. And he talked about Afghanistan. He talked about this, talked about that, talked about a whole bunch of things, which we have no contest with.
But he didn't talk about providing health care to all Americans. All Americans. He didn't talk about keeping his promise for No Child Left Behind. He didn't even mention the word once in his entire speech, "environment." He didn't mention the word once in his entire speech, "veteran."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: Meanwhile, political satirist Bill Maher says that John Kerry is more vulnerable to Republican attacks now that the Democratic race is over. He was a guest on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL MAHER, HOST, HBO'S "REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER": I think John Kerry probably would have actually liked it better if John Edwards had been in it for a longer time, because this way, you know, it's all about him now. He's a walking point, as he might say, about his Vietnam service. And the Republican slime machine, of course, will be getting busy. I'm sure there will be pictures of him tomorrow on a chopper with Peter Fonda going to New Orleans to sell acid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: OK. Well, when we finally go to the polls in November, many of us will be voting electronically. Now, this new system is supposed to make the hanging chad a thing of the past.
But as our Kitty Pilgrim reports, it's also creating some new problems. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The classic excuse: a computer glitch. In California, the electronic voting was delayed as technicians tinkered with the machines.
In Georgia, everyone voted electronically with some problems in programming and voter cards for certain districts. Officials blamed human error in programming, saying it was a -- quote -- "learning curve problem with election workers."
In Maryland, there were voter card problems.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My key card would not work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We found that by wiping them off, it was apparently a film or something.
PILGRIM: One of the biggest problems: not all election workers are computer-literate and computers don't run themselves.
KIMBALL BRACE, ELECTION DATA SERVICES: Training is one of the biggest issues that election administrators face, and inevitably somebody was asleep somewhere in some class and didn't hear all of the instructions.
PILGRIM: Fifty million people are expected to vote electronically in the upcoming presidential election. After the hanging chad debacle in the 2000 elections, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 was supposed to distribute $3.6 billion to help local districts switch to electronic voting. But the funding has lagged.
DEFOREST SOARIES, U.S. ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION: The funding has been slow in getting out. But the good news is by the middle of May, we will distribute $2.4 billion.
PILGRIM: Some legislators have enough doubts about e-voting to worry about using it in the presidential election.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unless Congress deals with this nationally by requiring a voter-verified paper record of each vote each time a voter votes, we will have questions every time there is an election, including this November.
PILGRIM: Holtz (ph) has proposed legislation that requires a paper trail and other ways to verify that the system has not malfunctioned, been hacked, or tampered with.
Kitty Pilgrim, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLAWAY: Let's go to Rob for a quick look at the travel forecast this morning.
(WEATHER BREAK) CALLAWAY: So, does the name David Beckham ring a bell? Well, some might say he's the hottest player in the game of soccer or football, depending on where you live. But now, his fans can prove it.
Also ahead, what foods can you add to your diet to ward off cancer?
And, we'll tell you why this lady golfer is making history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Martha Stewart's case is in the hands of jury members, and in Scott Peterson's case, they'll begin picking the jury today.
Let's go to our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey. He's joining us live from Miami with what we can expect in both of those cases.
Good morning to you.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning.
CALLAWAY: The jury selection in Scott Peterson's trial is interesting to me. There's like 200 prospective jury members, and they have this questionnaire that's like 30 pages long. Is this unusual? And what kind of questions are in this questionnaire?
COFFEY: Well, something similar was done to begin Martha Stewart's jury selection process. We're seeing it more and more, Catherine, in these high-profile cases. They're just so concerned about the massive profusion of pre-trial publicity.
The questions include everything from usual things, such as attitudes on death penalty, pre-trial publicity, and not surprisingly, questions about extramarital affairs. As we know, a big part of the prosecution's case is going to be built around Scott Peterson's alleged relationship with Amber Frey.
CALLAWAY: That's very interesting. How long do you think it's going to take to pick this jury?
COFFEY: It's going to take weeks, even though the defense was successful in getting the case moved out of Modesto, where there was a major degree of passion. Everywhere in the country people know about Scott Peterson. So, there's going to be a real challenge to get jurors with a truly open mind, who haven't already reached conclusions about something that's been in the news every week.
CALLAWAY: What's going to be the biggest challenge for the prosecution in this case, do you think, Kendall?
COFFEY: Well, they've got two problems. One is they really don't have solid, direct evidence -- somebody who heard or saw something that's directly incriminating.
The other thing that I still think is a question is how strong is the motive issue? The issue of pursuit and romantic obsession has been around since time began. But Scott Peterson knew Amber Frey less than 20 days when, according to the prosecution, he conceived an absolutely horrific plan to murder not only his wife, but his unborn son.
CALLAWAY: It sounds like it's going to be on how the jury reads Peterson more than what the evidence is.
COFFEY: And they're going to hear and see not only Peterson in the courtroom, but hear his voice. He won't be testifying. They'll hear his voice on tapes. And he's going to sound guilty. He's going to sound bizarre. He's going to sound obsessive toward Amber Frey. And in many ways, the voice of Scott Peterson, the words he said before this trial, may be the most incriminating evidence of all.
CALLAWAY: And we've got to talk about Martha Stewart. The jury deliberating, what, second day now. Going to be a long deliberation?
COFFEY: Well, Martha Stewart should hope so. If it's a fast deliberation, that's not going to be good news for the defendants. And the jury is clearly working through the evidence.
CALLAWAY: Right.
COFFEY: They asked for a number of things yesterday and got two hours of instructions from the judge. So, I think from the jury standpoint, there's a lot of work to do, and they seem to be going about it very carefully.
CALLAWAY: I was going to say, is it really a good sign for the defense in this instance, because these are complicated charges? There are, what, four charges?
COFFEY: Well, there are four charges left. And, of course, from a prosecution standpoint, if any of those charges result in a conviction, Martha Stewart is going to jail. So, there is no moral victory here from the defense standpoint.
But I think what the defense is hoping is that with the securities fraud charge that was thrown out...
CALLAWAY: Right.
COFFEY: ... a lot of the issues of Martha Stewart's motivation to be protecting her own investment in her own company is gone. And at the same time, Catherine, you don't really have a sense of victims in this case. There are no defrauded investors. The only people that were really lied to were federal agents, who never believed Martha Stewart to begin with.
CALLAWAY: All right, Kendall, thank you very much for getting up early for us this morning.
COFFEY: Thank you.
CALLAWAY: See you soon. Your news, money, weather and sports, it is time now to check the headlines.
U.S. Marines move through Haiti's capital and send messages to the rebel leader there. He promptly announces that his men will lay down their arms.
And the latest front in the latest U.S. culture war is Portland, Oregon. Hundreds of same-sex couples have gotten marriage licenses in the past 24 hours and Oregon's governor wants an opinion on the legality.
In the future, it could cost a shock jock or his station a half- million dollars to be truly shocking. A House committee has approved an increase in broadcast indecency fines from a mere $27,000 to a whopping $500,000.
And in your money, these new nickels are not worth any more than the old ones, but they do have a new picture on the back. It's the first time that the design has changed in 66 years. Thomas Jefferson is still on the front, but on the other side it honors the Louisiana Purchase.
In sports, endorse it like Beckham. The world's most famous soccer player, David Beckham, unveils his own clothing logo, and he says that he has extended his advertising contract with Adidas until the year 2008.
In culture this morning, UPN may halt plans for a television show called "Amish in the City" after critics called the idea insensitive. The plan was to show Amish teenagers faced with temptations of urban life.
And in weather, expect thunderstorms from the Southern Plains to the Ohio Valley and warm air in the South.
That's the weather and the headlines. Your next update is on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at the top of the hour.
So, let's check in with Bill and Soledad now in New York to see what's coming up.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Catherine.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
CALLAWAY: Good morning.
HEMMER: How do you like these early hours?
CALLAWAY: Me? Bill, you know I love them.
O'BRIEN: That's the right answer, Catherine.
HEMMER: OK. Good to see you. Among the headlines, we'll talk with Karen Hughes, the Bush campaign advisor. The ads are rolling out. In fact, you might have seen one of them just a few minutes ago here on CNN. There will be a major push, eight months and counting, to the big election in early November.
O'BRIEN: Also, we've been following this case in Texas, the woman who was convicted of stabbing her husband, killing him -- 193 times she stabbed him. The prosecutors rolled the bed into the courtroom in a very dramatic flourish. Well, we'll find out exactly what kind of time she faces now. We're going to talk with a reporter who's been in the courtroom.
HEMMER: Also, Sunday night, what are you doing?
O'BRIEN: I'm going to bed at 8:00, as I always do. What are you doing?
HEMMER: Set your TiVo or your VCR then.
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
HEMMER: "The Sopranos" are back now, fifth season, and apparently Tony Soprano has got all kinds of things going on in his head. So, we're going to tackle that in "90-Second Pop," among other things. So, we'll have that for you at the top of the hour along with Jack Cafferty.
O'BRIEN: Yes, just a few minutes away.
HEMMER: See you, Catherine.
CALLAWAY: All right, we'll be watching.
HEMMER: OK.
CALLAWAY: Tell Jack we said hello.
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
(CROSSTALK)
CALLAWAY: And still to come on DAYBREAK, is your paycheck lighter if you're heavier? Hmmm, we'll explain the link.
And remember when Pete Rose entered the ring? Well, it looks like his short-lived wrestling career is paying off now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Well, here's another downside to being obese. Research from Finland shows that overweight women earn less money. Now, the study finds the discrimination only applies to highly- educated women and does not apply to men at all. And you can read the study in the "American Journal of Public Health." And still on the matter of health, folate is important to everybody's health, but the vitamin may do more for women than they know.
Joining us from New York this morning to talk about all of that is registered dietician Lisa Drayer.
Good morning, Lisa.
LISA DRAYER, DIETICIAN: Hi, Catherine. How are you?
CALLAWAY: I'm doing well.
DRAYER: Great. That's right. Folate, a very important B vitamin, and yesterday we talked about the fact that folate may provide protection against ovarian cancer, also colorectal cancer and breast cancer, among individuals who consume alcohol.
But folate also plays an important role in other diseases as well. For example, it may help protect against heart disease, but folate may help to lower levels of homosistine (ph). This is an amino acid in the blood. And high levels of homosistine (ph) are associated with an increased risk for heart disease.
In fact, because of some of this research on homosistine (ph), just last month the American Heart Association recommended folic acid supplements for women at high risk for heart disease; for example, someone who might have existing heart disease.
In addition, to heart disease, folic acid may also help protect against birth defects in a growing fetus. So, this is very important for all women of childbearing age; that is, these women should take a folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid. And because the damage can occur in the first trimester, that's why it's really important for women to take this if they plan on becoming pregnant.
So, two very important roles of folic acid, and because of the latter role, in 1998 the FDA actually required many enriched-bread products to be enriched with folic acid. That's why if you look at the labels now, you will likely see that your cereals and breads contain a lot of this important vitamin.
CALLAWAY: Well, Lisa, what about if you don't -- if you really aren't at a high risk for heart disease or you're not of childbearing age, should you still take a supplement?
DRAYER: Right. It's a good question, and I get that question a lot. In fact, you know, if you're consuming about five fruits and vegetables each day and you're eating a lot of...
CALLAWAY: Wow, that's a lot, though.
DRAYER: It is a lot, but, again, think about, you know, a half a cup of cooked vegetables being one serving. A large banana would be two. If you're not getting your fruits and vegetables, your fortified grains and cereals, it is a good idea to take a vitamin that does contain 400 micrograms of folic acid.
But if you're not at high risk and you are consuming a lot of fortified foods, there is such a thing as too much, and too high levels -- very high levels of folic acid can lead to nerve damage. It can also mask vitamin B12 deficiency.
CALLAWAY: Wow!
DRAYER: So, what we're talking about levels that are over 1,000 micrograms. So...
CALLAWAY: We're looking on the screen now at a few things that...
DRAYER: Yes.
CALLAWAY: ... are good for you if you need some folate.
DRAYER: That's right.
CALLAWAY: Asparagus, oatmeal, spinach, orange juice.
DRAYER: Exactly.
CALLAWAY: What's the best? Obviously, it looks like asparagus is.
DRAYER: Yes, asparagus is over half of your daily needs you would get in a cup of cooked asparagus. Fortified oatmeal just about half. Lentils close to half. Spinach is very good, too. And orange juice over a quarter of your daily needs for folic acid.
I also want to say that, interestingly, Catherine, synthetic folate -- that is, the folate that's added to these fortified foods in the form of folic acid -- is actually...
CALLAWAY: Yes.
DRAYER: ... better absorbed than the natural folate. Yes.
CALLAWAY: That's encouraging. I can always drink a glass of orange juice.
DRAYER: There you go.
CALLAWAY: OK, Lisa, thank you very much for setting us straight.
DRAYER: Thank you.
CALLAWAY: Time for a little business buzz now. Michael Eisner is still chief executive at Walt Disney, but shareholders keeping a close eye on the top mouse.
Carrie Lee has the story now from the Nasdaq Marketsite in Time Square. I don't know if he likes to be called the "top mouse" or not, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE), is he? CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: I don't know either, Catherine.
So much happening with the Walt Disney Company yesterday. The board announced that it would separate the jobs of chairman and CEO last night, after 43 percent of Disney's shareholders voted to oppose the re-election of Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner.
Eisner will remain as the company's chief executive officer. The board unanimously elected former Senator George Mitchell as the company's new chairman. Eisner has faced growing calls for his resignation from, among others, founder Walt Disney nephew -- Walt Disney founder's nephew, Roy Disney.
Now, shares of Walt Disney Company closed down 11 cents to 26.65 during the regular session yesterday. The stock did add a little bit of ground in the after-hours session. So, we'll see if there is any follow-through today.
Catherine, just a little bit of trivia. In 1950, on this day, Walt Disney released "Cinderella." So, she's 54 years old now, looking pretty good.
CALLAWAY: Oh, my god.
Back to you.
CALLAWAY: Yes, she is looking good. Still making money, too, huh?
LEE: That's right.
CALLAWAY: All right, Carrie, have a good day.
LEE: You, too.
CALLAWAY: Rob will join me in a minute for "The Lightning Round." But first, here's the headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CALLAWAY: Chastity is 35. Did you see that?
All right, time for "The Lightning Round," Rob.
Move over Dolly Parton. Debbie Reynolds has her own idea for a tourist attraction in the Smokey Mountains. The Hollywood Motion Picture Museum will include thousands of costumes, props and other movie collectibles. She's got like an incredible collection there, Rob. I think she even has the ruby slippers.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Really? Well, you could, you know, just head down I-40, go Nashville, just keep driving, and you can hit both of them in one day.
CALLAWAY: She's going to give Dolly a run for her money. All right, Jerry Hall could be the next name in the "Guinness Book of World Records." The model-turned-actress appeared on stage in six musicals in less than three hours in London. The average length of each performance was 30 seconds. She had to time that just right.
(CROSSTALK)
MARCIANO: Award-winning stuff, I'm sure.
CALLAWAY: I think she was raising money for a good cause.
MARCIANO: Oh, OK. Well, that's good. That's cool.
CALLAWAY: Pete Rose makes it into a hall of fame after all. The World Wrestling Entertainment -- oh, my goodness.
MARCIANO: From the top row.
CALLAWAY: How far he's come. The former Cincinnati Reds star took part in three Wrestlemania events a few years ago. He will be paid within his induction ceremony next week.
Hmmm. History on the golf course. Leanne Bagger (ph), the first transsexual to play in a pro tournament.
And we've run out of time, but that is "The Lightning Round." That's why they call it "The Lightning Round." It's so fast.
Bye, everybody.
MARCIANO: See you later.
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