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CNN Live At Daybreak
Update on Spain Terrorist Bombings; California State Supreme Court Orders Immediate Halt to Gay Marriages in San Francisco
Aired March 12, 2004 - 06:00 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you.
It is Friday, March 12.
From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
Thank you for joining us.
Investigators in those deadly Spanish train bombings are following up on the discovery of a van. The vehicle contained detonators and an Arabic tape of Koranic teachings.
On Capitol Hill, the Senate approves a leaner budget than what President Bush had wanted. The $2.36 trillion plan would allow smaller tax cuts and reduce the deficit more quickly.
Massachusetts law makers moved closer to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, but legalizing civil unions. A final vote is scheduled for later this month.
And a Utah woman faces a murder charge in the death of her unborn child. The woman had refused doctors' repeated requests to have a C- section.
We update the top stories every 15 minutes. The next update comes your way at 6:15 Eastern.
If you are heading to Amtrak or the subway this morning, expect to see more police and bomb sniffing dogs, increased patrols in light of what's happening in Spain. Nearly 200 dead now and no certainty as to who's to blame.
Let's head live -- or, let's go to Madrid now and Al Goodman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As day breaks here in Madrid on Friday, almost 24 hours after this series of explosions struck the commuter trains, some of them coming into this Atocha train station behind me, you can see the candles that have been laid out by people now at what is the commuter entrance to this sprawling train station. This is the first visible sign in this area of the pain and the grief and we expect to see many more of these scenes later this day.
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar addressed his nation on Thursday hours after these attacks that have left nearly 200 dead and 1,400 injured, calling on Spaniards, among other things, to come out massively into the streets on Friday evening in Madrid and throughout Spain and the other cities, as well. They're hoping for millions of people to express their anger and outrage at these attacks.
Now, the latest is that the government says they still consider the Basque separatist group ETA, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, to be the prime suspect in this attack. But late Thursday, they opened a second line of investigation into Arab elements or the Arab world, in the words of the interior minister. Why? Because the police late Thursday found a suspicious van that had been stolen recently in Madrid. They found it in a town just east of the capital. That town happened to be on the same commuter rail line that was attacked in these series of coordinated explosions during the Thursday morning commuter rush hour.
In the van, they found detonators and they also found a tape in Arabic citing Koranic verses. Now, they said there were no threats on this tape and they said that this tape could be purchased commercially in a store. But they said it's a new element and will open a second live investigation.
Investigators here and elsewhere are not giving full credence at this time to a claim by a group in the name of al Qaeda that has sent a claim of responsibility to the "Al-Quds" Arabic newspaper. That group has claimed other things in the past that could not be checked out.
We do know from people who have been linked to ETA in the past, they have issued a denial that ETA was responsible for this. But at this point, Spain looks ahead this day to a major day of grief, a large number of caskets at Madrid's major convention center because the usual mortuary is not big enough to handle them all. And still, many, many people in serious conditions in the hospitals.
Al Goodman, CNN, Madrid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And we want to take you live to Madrid right now.
We don't have much control over this camera. It's being run by Reuters. But we thought it was an interesting image to show you. You're seeing the damaged trains in Madrid. Across the street from this, hundreds of people are just standing there, indulging in a moment of silence. Deep emotional pain in all of Spain this morning, and all of Europe, as people try to digest what happened yesterday, the worst terrorist attack there ever.
Nearly 200 people dead right now. And you're seeing a shot of one of the damaged trains. There is writing on the walls in front of the train tracks there. And as you see the camera pan across the street, you see hundreds of people just looking silently, thinking, probably praying, a moment of silence in Madrid this morning.
Thousands of people across Spain did quickly respond to calls for blood donations. So many came that hospitals had to turn some away. In the meantime, forensic experts have been working to identify the dead. The Spain royal family and government officials spent the time visiting the injured. King Juan Carlos called the perpetrators crowds and murderers.
Here in the States, new developments to tell you about in the same-sex marriage issue. In Boston, Massachusetts law makers moved toward a constitutional amendment. Legislators gave preliminary approval to an amendment that would ban gay marriages but allow civil unions. But under Massachusetts law, it would have to come up for a statewide vote in November of 2006. So as things stand now, same-sex marriages in Massachusetts can begin on May 17th.
In California, the state supreme court orders an immediate halt to gay marriages in San Francisco. The city says it will comply, for now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM, SAN FRANCISCO: No certificates, or, rather, no marriage certificates, no licenses have been invalidated. This is an interim stay pending a determination, pending a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. And let me say this. I'm pleased that the process is working as well as it's working. We had hoped to get to the Supreme Court. We're now going to be making oral arguments, making our case in front of the Supreme Court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: California's high court says it will hear arguments in May or June on whether Mayor Newsom had the authority to allow gay marriages.
Two U.S. soldiers have been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. The soldiers were in a convoy in Baghdad when the explosive went off. Another soldier was injured.
And what was a Maryland woman doing in Baghdad before the war? Come Monday, she will be arraigned on charges of being an unregistered agent of Iraq.
Details from our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Susan Lindauer, a former journalist and congressional aide, was arrested in Tacoma Park, Maryland, for allegedly acting as an Iraqi agent.
SUSAN LINDAUER, DEFENDANT: I'm an anti-war activist and I'm innocent.
ARENA: An indictment says Lindauer had repeated contacts with Iraqi intelligence officers in New York and Baghdad between 1999 and 2002 and conspired with two sons of Iraq's former liaison with U.N. weapons inspectors. Lindauer says she was trying to get inspectors back into Iraq.
LINDAUER: I am very proud and I will very proudly stand by my achievements.
ARENA: In January 2003, two months before the U.S. invaded Iraq, prosecutors say she took a letter to the home of a U.S. official saying she had access to Saddam Hussein's regime. Sources tell CNN that official was White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Lindauer's second cousin. The White House says Card never met with Lindauer and called the incident very sad.
LINDAUER: I'm an anti-war activist.
ARENA: Sources say Card alerted authorities. Then the FBI set up a sting operation.
In June, prosecutors say, Lindauer met an undercover FBI agent posing as an agent for Libyan intelligence looking to support resistance groups in postwar Iraq. And near her home in Tacoma Park, they say she followed instructions to leave unspecified documents at dead-drop locations. Neighbors were surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a Tacoma Park-type person. They're pretty unique around here. We're a nuclear-free zone, as you know, so a very laid-back, liberal sort of person.
ARENA: Prosecutors say Iraq paid Lindauer $10,000 for expenses and services. She faces up to 25 years in prison if she's convicted on all charges.
LINDAUER: This is what democracy is all about.
ARENA: Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And time for a look at the legal stories of the day on DAYBREAK.
Kobe Bryant's lawyers will get to question his accuser about her sexual history. The Colorado Supreme Court has refused the prosecutor's request to overrule the trial judge. Bryant's lawyers will question the 19-year-old woman in a closed hearing later this month.
And there is an arraignment this morning for the man accused of killing 11-year-old Carly Bruscia after her abduction was captured on videotape. Joseph Smith will not be in the Sarasota, Florida, courtroom, however. He has waived his right to appear.
A jury is now seated for the state's murder trial of Terry Nichols. Opening statements are set for a week from Monday. Nichols is already serving a life sentence on federal charges for the Oklahoma City bombing.
To the forecast center on this day late Stump the Weatherman day and Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A little snowy.
Actually, I'm making a new graphic here that I'm going to use on the next weather hit. Somebody e-mailed me and asked me, what are the names of all of the retired hurricane names?
COSTELLO: Ooh.
MYERS: There are 37 of them.
COSTELLO: And you're going to name all of them?
MYERS: And one is Carol.
COSTELLO: Really?
MYERS: There'll never be another hurricane Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, that means it was a bad one, though, doesn't it?
MYERS: That's because there'll never be another Carol.
COSTELLO: We'd like to think that.
MYERS: Break the mold and throw it away.
Good morning.
COSTELLO: Oh goodness.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: And it is only eight days until spring.
MYERS: Righty.
COSTELLO: Daybreak@cnn.com if you have weather questions for Chad today.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: Pandemonium in parliament, the scene in Seoul, where law makers voted today to impeach the president. This is a look at partisan politics at its roughest, most physical.
We want to talk more about this, so let's head live to Seoul right now.
Sohn Jie-Ae has more on this story and this is just a crazy scene.
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Carol.
What you are seeing is scuffling on the national assembly floor as law makers that were for and against an impeachment bill, a bill to strip South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun of his power, was trying to be passed on the national assembly.
Now, the scuffle began because the lawmakers that were against the bill were far smaller in number than those for the bill. And so the lawmakers felt the only way they could stop the bill from passing parliament was specifically to stop the bill from happening.
This is what they were trying to do. And it got to a point where there was so much scuffling that security guards were called in. They had to physically remove all the lawmakers that were dominating the speaker's podium from the national assembly's floor before the vote could commence. Even after the vote was held and the result was known, there were lots of national assemblymen that were against the bill that had left that were on the floor. There was a lot of dramatic emotion on South Korea's national assembly floor today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jie-Ae, we've seen this kind of thing happen before in South Korean politics. Is this, this is definitely a part of the culture.
Can you explain that more for us?
SOHN: Well, the bill to impeach a president has really never happened in South Korea before, although politics is a very emotional issue for many South Koreans. This was especially so because there was, it sent to the very top of power, to the president. It was as power struggle between lawmakers that could topple a president.
We are also a month away from national assembly elections, so that the political maneuvering here in South Korea is especially high and emotions that ran, that are running high in all aspects of South Korean society really culminated at the national assembly floor today. And that's what you are seeing today as the physical aspects of all the national assemblymen really came to the fore.
COSTELLO: All right, Sohn Jie-Ae live from Seoul, South Korea this morning.
Thanks for explaining those pictures to us.
We have breaking news to tell people about out of Madrid, Spain. Apparently a train station has been evacuated, the San Atocha train station, the San Atocha train station has been evacuate. We don't know exactly why. We're just showing you this picture and we just got word. Of course, as you know, there were terrorist attacks there yesterday, a series of explosions. Nearly 200 people killed in those series of terrorist attacks, coordinated terrorist attacks. Right now they don't know who to blame for those attacks. People are just waiting around to see what happens next, as you might imagine.
Nerves are frayed in that country and they're taking every precaution, so any threat that would come in, of course they would take the safest route and evacuate the train station. We don't know if this is a credible threat, but, again, a train station here in Madrid evacuated this morning. We'll keep you posted. Still to come on DAYBREAK, want to beef up the benefits from your minutes on the treadmill? I will show you how. You don't have to spend 30 minutes on the treadmill, oh, no. It's our new DAYBREAK series, Eight Weeks To A Better Body.
Plus, a pledge at the pumps, a new plan to save some of your gas money.
Also, an unusual murder case. A mother is charged. The alleged victim? Her unborn son.
And traveling by train in Europe and here in the States, after the deadly attacks in Madrid, we'll see how Spain's neighbors are reacting.
This is DAYBREAK for March 12.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It is now 6:16 Eastern time.
Time to take a quick look at the top stories.
Spain begins three days of mourning for the nearly 200 people killed in the Madrid train bombings.
The California Supreme Court has ordered a stop to same-sex marriages in San Francisco, while Massachusetts lawmakers move closer to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
And a deal may be in the works for the Muslim Army chaplain charged with mishandling classified information at Guantanamo. Captain James Yee has agreed to resign if the military ends its effort to prosecute him.
We update the top stories every 15 minutes. The next update comes your way at 6:30 Eastern.
Let's head live back to Madrid, Spain to check out what's happening there.
A train station has been evacuated, the very same train station that was affected by bombings yesterday. Of course, those series of bombings there killed nearly 200 people. They have evacuated this train -- you're looking at a damaged train right now. The train station is close by. Some trains are operating out of there, but they've evacuated it now for some reason and we don't know why.
Oh, now it's being called a false alarm. We're just getting that word right now. So people will go back inside that train station. And, of course, everyone is glad it was a false alarm.
You know, just, by the way, citizens from 11 countries were among the nearly 200 people killed in that bomb attack. That's according to the prime minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar. So as you can see, the world has been affected in more ways than one. And, of course, right now they don't know who's to blame. Was it the internal terrorist group ETA or was al Qaeda connected to these bombings in some way? Investigators still trying to sort that out.
We'll take you back there live when anything else breaks. Time for a little business buzz right now, though. It is not easy finding a czar. Just ask President Bush.
Carrie Lee reports live from the NASDAQ market site.
It would be a tough job.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It would be a very tough job, Carol.
We're talking about the manufacturing czar. President Bush announcing he found a person to fill this position yesterday. But here's the latest development. Tony Raimondo, Anthony Raimondo, who was the choice -- he is the president of Behlen Manufacturing -- he's withdrawn his nomination. This, according to two administration officials telling CNN the reason here, the officials telling us that Raimondo acted on his own to withdraw his name, attributing it to tension over the fact that Senator Chuck Hagel had not been consulted and informed about his possible appointment.
Also, Senator John Kerry attacking the Bush decision to appoint Raimondo to this position, saying that Behlen Manufacturing has actually built a plant in China at the expense of U.S. jobs.
Now, other people are saying well, that's not really fair, they built this to be more competitive in China and other areas of Asia, that they're not actually making products overseas and then shipping them to the United States.
But the bottom line here is that Anthony Raimondo has withdrawn his name from consideration. So President Bush is going to have to find someone else to fill these shoes.
The idea behind the manufacturing czar, Carol, trying to bolster the jobs in the manufacturing sector here. It's been a sluggish area over the past two years or so -- back to you.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee, many thanks.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, a pregnant woman ignores her doctor's advice. Did that put her babies in danger? Here what she has to say, from jail.
And learn to conserve. One group has a request for you to consider before your next fill up.
And our DAYBREAK Photo Of the Day. Oh, that's impossible. Should I even ask you what this is? Those producers of mine, they're cruel, aren't they? Anyway, take a guess. We'll reveal what this picture is, right after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: OK, take a look at the DAYBREAK Photo Of the Day.
You know, Chad, sometimes when you squint, you can figure out what those things are.
MYERS: Really?
COSTELLO: So everybody squint.
MYERS: Yes?
COSTELLO: I still can't tell.
MYERS: It's a part of Janet Jackson we can't look at.
COSTELLO: It's a wardrobe malfunction. We have to cover it. No, actually, it's the inside of a tanning bed. Isn't that cool? That was cool. This is a college student, Miss. Wisconsin, and, of course, she's getting a head start because it's spring break time, Chad, and you don't want to be like pasty white as you head to Florida.
MYERS: I suppose not. You've got to be careful with that.
COSTELLO: Yes, you do.
MYERS: You know, you think about that when you're in jeans in your 20s. You don't care. Then you turn 40 and then all of a sudden, oh, wait a minute.
COSTELLO: Yes, all of a sudden you look like a prune.
MYERS: What have I done for the past 40 years? Yes.
COSTELLO: Time for a Stump the Weatherman question after you do the forecast?
MYERS: A Stump the Weatherman question, we'll do it right now, because it's up here.
COSTELLO: Oh, there it is.
MYERS: Forty some names here, Carol. These are all the names of all the hurricanes that have been retired. And to be retired they have to do some damage, maybe even cause some fatalities, significant flooding.
One that is clear in my mind, 1972, was Agnes up there in the Pennsylvania River Valley. The Susquehanna Valley, really getting hammered here. And then you can look at here, you notice, though, how many As there are. Only a few Bs and then by the time we get back up here into the Ls, Ms and Os, there aren't very many, because we rarely get this far. And by the time we do get this far, the atmosphere and the oxygen and the warm water across parts of the Atlantic Ocean are not as strong. They begin to cool by the time we get to Roxanne. Anyway, Carol, those are the names. And you can always go to the National Hurricane Center Web site, nhc.noaa.gov. More than you ever wanted to know about hurricanes on that Web site.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: All right. You're welcome.
COSTELLO: Holy alternative fuel, Batman. Have you seen the price of gas lately? Of course you have, if you're one of the 130 million drivers across the country.
CNN's Julie Vallese is urging all of us to gas down.
She's live in the nation's capital this morning -- what does that mean?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, good morning.
You know, since the last time we were out here just three weeks ago, the price of gas has gone up $0.08. But then, like you say, anybody that's filled up their car these days, they already knew that. The price of gas is expected to go up this summer and there's not a whole lot anybody is going to be able to do about the price of gas, but there is a lot you can do to get more miles out of your tank.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALLESE (voice-over): Americans do love cars, but hate high gas prices. Filling up every week has motorists fuming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's ridiculous to pay these high prices.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it seems to me they're way too high.
VALLESE: AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular self-serve, $1.73.
JACKIE LEO, "READER'S DIGEST": We don't want to be hostages to oil producing nations, especially as gas reaches almost $3 a gallon in some parts of this country.
VALLESE: "Reader's Digest" has partnered with AAA. Both are asking Americans to take charge and pledge to conserve gasoline during the week before April 22, which is Earth Day. It's only one week and only one gallon.
LEO: There are about 130 million drivers in this country and if every one of us saved one gallon of gas, it would be equal to the amount of oil, crude oil imported from Kuwait in one month.
VALLESE: And one gallon equals about 22 miles. MANTILL WILLIAMS, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, AAA: The best way to save gas is to do simple things such as combine errands, try to do all your shopping in one particular place and do some planning. Think ahead.
VALLESE: Pledging is as easy as point and click on "Reader's Digest's" Web site. The number of people, how they plan to conserve and the amount of gas saved will be tracked.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VALLESE: Now here's the hard part, making conserving gasoline part of your regular routine. But actually that's pretty simple, too. Drive your most fuel efficient car, make sure your car is maintained by properly inflating the tires and keeping the engine tuned up and drive the speed limit -- Carol.
COSTELLO: That's the toughest of all.
Julie Vallese reporting live from Washington, D.C. this morning.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, what's it like to travel by train in Europe?
And America the day after those deadly attacks in Spain, we'll tell you about the new security situation.
And think Uncle Sam only goes after the little guy? Think again. The IRS is checking Americans with deep pockets, too.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Supreme Court Orders Immediate Halt to Gay Marriages in San Francisco>
Aired March 12, 2004 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you.
It is Friday, March 12.
From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
Thank you for joining us.
Investigators in those deadly Spanish train bombings are following up on the discovery of a van. The vehicle contained detonators and an Arabic tape of Koranic teachings.
On Capitol Hill, the Senate approves a leaner budget than what President Bush had wanted. The $2.36 trillion plan would allow smaller tax cuts and reduce the deficit more quickly.
Massachusetts law makers moved closer to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, but legalizing civil unions. A final vote is scheduled for later this month.
And a Utah woman faces a murder charge in the death of her unborn child. The woman had refused doctors' repeated requests to have a C- section.
We update the top stories every 15 minutes. The next update comes your way at 6:15 Eastern.
If you are heading to Amtrak or the subway this morning, expect to see more police and bomb sniffing dogs, increased patrols in light of what's happening in Spain. Nearly 200 dead now and no certainty as to who's to blame.
Let's head live -- or, let's go to Madrid now and Al Goodman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As day breaks here in Madrid on Friday, almost 24 hours after this series of explosions struck the commuter trains, some of them coming into this Atocha train station behind me, you can see the candles that have been laid out by people now at what is the commuter entrance to this sprawling train station. This is the first visible sign in this area of the pain and the grief and we expect to see many more of these scenes later this day.
Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar addressed his nation on Thursday hours after these attacks that have left nearly 200 dead and 1,400 injured, calling on Spaniards, among other things, to come out massively into the streets on Friday evening in Madrid and throughout Spain and the other cities, as well. They're hoping for millions of people to express their anger and outrage at these attacks.
Now, the latest is that the government says they still consider the Basque separatist group ETA, which is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, to be the prime suspect in this attack. But late Thursday, they opened a second line of investigation into Arab elements or the Arab world, in the words of the interior minister. Why? Because the police late Thursday found a suspicious van that had been stolen recently in Madrid. They found it in a town just east of the capital. That town happened to be on the same commuter rail line that was attacked in these series of coordinated explosions during the Thursday morning commuter rush hour.
In the van, they found detonators and they also found a tape in Arabic citing Koranic verses. Now, they said there were no threats on this tape and they said that this tape could be purchased commercially in a store. But they said it's a new element and will open a second live investigation.
Investigators here and elsewhere are not giving full credence at this time to a claim by a group in the name of al Qaeda that has sent a claim of responsibility to the "Al-Quds" Arabic newspaper. That group has claimed other things in the past that could not be checked out.
We do know from people who have been linked to ETA in the past, they have issued a denial that ETA was responsible for this. But at this point, Spain looks ahead this day to a major day of grief, a large number of caskets at Madrid's major convention center because the usual mortuary is not big enough to handle them all. And still, many, many people in serious conditions in the hospitals.
Al Goodman, CNN, Madrid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And we want to take you live to Madrid right now.
We don't have much control over this camera. It's being run by Reuters. But we thought it was an interesting image to show you. You're seeing the damaged trains in Madrid. Across the street from this, hundreds of people are just standing there, indulging in a moment of silence. Deep emotional pain in all of Spain this morning, and all of Europe, as people try to digest what happened yesterday, the worst terrorist attack there ever.
Nearly 200 people dead right now. And you're seeing a shot of one of the damaged trains. There is writing on the walls in front of the train tracks there. And as you see the camera pan across the street, you see hundreds of people just looking silently, thinking, probably praying, a moment of silence in Madrid this morning.
Thousands of people across Spain did quickly respond to calls for blood donations. So many came that hospitals had to turn some away. In the meantime, forensic experts have been working to identify the dead. The Spain royal family and government officials spent the time visiting the injured. King Juan Carlos called the perpetrators crowds and murderers.
Here in the States, new developments to tell you about in the same-sex marriage issue. In Boston, Massachusetts law makers moved toward a constitutional amendment. Legislators gave preliminary approval to an amendment that would ban gay marriages but allow civil unions. But under Massachusetts law, it would have to come up for a statewide vote in November of 2006. So as things stand now, same-sex marriages in Massachusetts can begin on May 17th.
In California, the state supreme court orders an immediate halt to gay marriages in San Francisco. The city says it will comply, for now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM, SAN FRANCISCO: No certificates, or, rather, no marriage certificates, no licenses have been invalidated. This is an interim stay pending a determination, pending a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. And let me say this. I'm pleased that the process is working as well as it's working. We had hoped to get to the Supreme Court. We're now going to be making oral arguments, making our case in front of the Supreme Court.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: California's high court says it will hear arguments in May or June on whether Mayor Newsom had the authority to allow gay marriages.
Two U.S. soldiers have been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. The soldiers were in a convoy in Baghdad when the explosive went off. Another soldier was injured.
And what was a Maryland woman doing in Baghdad before the war? Come Monday, she will be arraigned on charges of being an unregistered agent of Iraq.
Details from our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Susan Lindauer, a former journalist and congressional aide, was arrested in Tacoma Park, Maryland, for allegedly acting as an Iraqi agent.
SUSAN LINDAUER, DEFENDANT: I'm an anti-war activist and I'm innocent.
ARENA: An indictment says Lindauer had repeated contacts with Iraqi intelligence officers in New York and Baghdad between 1999 and 2002 and conspired with two sons of Iraq's former liaison with U.N. weapons inspectors. Lindauer says she was trying to get inspectors back into Iraq.
LINDAUER: I am very proud and I will very proudly stand by my achievements.
ARENA: In January 2003, two months before the U.S. invaded Iraq, prosecutors say she took a letter to the home of a U.S. official saying she had access to Saddam Hussein's regime. Sources tell CNN that official was White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Lindauer's second cousin. The White House says Card never met with Lindauer and called the incident very sad.
LINDAUER: I'm an anti-war activist.
ARENA: Sources say Card alerted authorities. Then the FBI set up a sting operation.
In June, prosecutors say, Lindauer met an undercover FBI agent posing as an agent for Libyan intelligence looking to support resistance groups in postwar Iraq. And near her home in Tacoma Park, they say she followed instructions to leave unspecified documents at dead-drop locations. Neighbors were surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a Tacoma Park-type person. They're pretty unique around here. We're a nuclear-free zone, as you know, so a very laid-back, liberal sort of person.
ARENA: Prosecutors say Iraq paid Lindauer $10,000 for expenses and services. She faces up to 25 years in prison if she's convicted on all charges.
LINDAUER: This is what democracy is all about.
ARENA: Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And time for a look at the legal stories of the day on DAYBREAK.
Kobe Bryant's lawyers will get to question his accuser about her sexual history. The Colorado Supreme Court has refused the prosecutor's request to overrule the trial judge. Bryant's lawyers will question the 19-year-old woman in a closed hearing later this month.
And there is an arraignment this morning for the man accused of killing 11-year-old Carly Bruscia after her abduction was captured on videotape. Joseph Smith will not be in the Sarasota, Florida, courtroom, however. He has waived his right to appear.
A jury is now seated for the state's murder trial of Terry Nichols. Opening statements are set for a week from Monday. Nichols is already serving a life sentence on federal charges for the Oklahoma City bombing.
To the forecast center on this day late Stump the Weatherman day and Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A little snowy.
Actually, I'm making a new graphic here that I'm going to use on the next weather hit. Somebody e-mailed me and asked me, what are the names of all of the retired hurricane names?
COSTELLO: Ooh.
MYERS: There are 37 of them.
COSTELLO: And you're going to name all of them?
MYERS: And one is Carol.
COSTELLO: Really?
MYERS: There'll never be another hurricane Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, that means it was a bad one, though, doesn't it?
MYERS: That's because there'll never be another Carol.
COSTELLO: We'd like to think that.
MYERS: Break the mold and throw it away.
Good morning.
COSTELLO: Oh goodness.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: And it is only eight days until spring.
MYERS: Righty.
COSTELLO: Daybreak@cnn.com if you have weather questions for Chad today.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: Pandemonium in parliament, the scene in Seoul, where law makers voted today to impeach the president. This is a look at partisan politics at its roughest, most physical.
We want to talk more about this, so let's head live to Seoul right now.
Sohn Jie-Ae has more on this story and this is just a crazy scene.
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Carol.
What you are seeing is scuffling on the national assembly floor as law makers that were for and against an impeachment bill, a bill to strip South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun of his power, was trying to be passed on the national assembly.
Now, the scuffle began because the lawmakers that were against the bill were far smaller in number than those for the bill. And so the lawmakers felt the only way they could stop the bill from passing parliament was specifically to stop the bill from happening.
This is what they were trying to do. And it got to a point where there was so much scuffling that security guards were called in. They had to physically remove all the lawmakers that were dominating the speaker's podium from the national assembly's floor before the vote could commence. Even after the vote was held and the result was known, there were lots of national assemblymen that were against the bill that had left that were on the floor. There was a lot of dramatic emotion on South Korea's national assembly floor today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jie-Ae, we've seen this kind of thing happen before in South Korean politics. Is this, this is definitely a part of the culture.
Can you explain that more for us?
SOHN: Well, the bill to impeach a president has really never happened in South Korea before, although politics is a very emotional issue for many South Koreans. This was especially so because there was, it sent to the very top of power, to the president. It was as power struggle between lawmakers that could topple a president.
We are also a month away from national assembly elections, so that the political maneuvering here in South Korea is especially high and emotions that ran, that are running high in all aspects of South Korean society really culminated at the national assembly floor today. And that's what you are seeing today as the physical aspects of all the national assemblymen really came to the fore.
COSTELLO: All right, Sohn Jie-Ae live from Seoul, South Korea this morning.
Thanks for explaining those pictures to us.
We have breaking news to tell people about out of Madrid, Spain. Apparently a train station has been evacuated, the San Atocha train station, the San Atocha train station has been evacuate. We don't know exactly why. We're just showing you this picture and we just got word. Of course, as you know, there were terrorist attacks there yesterday, a series of explosions. Nearly 200 people killed in those series of terrorist attacks, coordinated terrorist attacks. Right now they don't know who to blame for those attacks. People are just waiting around to see what happens next, as you might imagine.
Nerves are frayed in that country and they're taking every precaution, so any threat that would come in, of course they would take the safest route and evacuate the train station. We don't know if this is a credible threat, but, again, a train station here in Madrid evacuated this morning. We'll keep you posted. Still to come on DAYBREAK, want to beef up the benefits from your minutes on the treadmill? I will show you how. You don't have to spend 30 minutes on the treadmill, oh, no. It's our new DAYBREAK series, Eight Weeks To A Better Body.
Plus, a pledge at the pumps, a new plan to save some of your gas money.
Also, an unusual murder case. A mother is charged. The alleged victim? Her unborn son.
And traveling by train in Europe and here in the States, after the deadly attacks in Madrid, we'll see how Spain's neighbors are reacting.
This is DAYBREAK for March 12.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It is now 6:16 Eastern time.
Time to take a quick look at the top stories.
Spain begins three days of mourning for the nearly 200 people killed in the Madrid train bombings.
The California Supreme Court has ordered a stop to same-sex marriages in San Francisco, while Massachusetts lawmakers move closer to a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
And a deal may be in the works for the Muslim Army chaplain charged with mishandling classified information at Guantanamo. Captain James Yee has agreed to resign if the military ends its effort to prosecute him.
We update the top stories every 15 minutes. The next update comes your way at 6:30 Eastern.
Let's head live back to Madrid, Spain to check out what's happening there.
A train station has been evacuated, the very same train station that was affected by bombings yesterday. Of course, those series of bombings there killed nearly 200 people. They have evacuated this train -- you're looking at a damaged train right now. The train station is close by. Some trains are operating out of there, but they've evacuated it now for some reason and we don't know why.
Oh, now it's being called a false alarm. We're just getting that word right now. So people will go back inside that train station. And, of course, everyone is glad it was a false alarm.
You know, just, by the way, citizens from 11 countries were among the nearly 200 people killed in that bomb attack. That's according to the prime minister of Spain, Jose Maria Aznar. So as you can see, the world has been affected in more ways than one. And, of course, right now they don't know who's to blame. Was it the internal terrorist group ETA or was al Qaeda connected to these bombings in some way? Investigators still trying to sort that out.
We'll take you back there live when anything else breaks. Time for a little business buzz right now, though. It is not easy finding a czar. Just ask President Bush.
Carrie Lee reports live from the NASDAQ market site.
It would be a tough job.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It would be a very tough job, Carol.
We're talking about the manufacturing czar. President Bush announcing he found a person to fill this position yesterday. But here's the latest development. Tony Raimondo, Anthony Raimondo, who was the choice -- he is the president of Behlen Manufacturing -- he's withdrawn his nomination. This, according to two administration officials telling CNN the reason here, the officials telling us that Raimondo acted on his own to withdraw his name, attributing it to tension over the fact that Senator Chuck Hagel had not been consulted and informed about his possible appointment.
Also, Senator John Kerry attacking the Bush decision to appoint Raimondo to this position, saying that Behlen Manufacturing has actually built a plant in China at the expense of U.S. jobs.
Now, other people are saying well, that's not really fair, they built this to be more competitive in China and other areas of Asia, that they're not actually making products overseas and then shipping them to the United States.
But the bottom line here is that Anthony Raimondo has withdrawn his name from consideration. So President Bush is going to have to find someone else to fill these shoes.
The idea behind the manufacturing czar, Carol, trying to bolster the jobs in the manufacturing sector here. It's been a sluggish area over the past two years or so -- back to you.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee, many thanks.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, a pregnant woman ignores her doctor's advice. Did that put her babies in danger? Here what she has to say, from jail.
And learn to conserve. One group has a request for you to consider before your next fill up.
And our DAYBREAK Photo Of the Day. Oh, that's impossible. Should I even ask you what this is? Those producers of mine, they're cruel, aren't they? Anyway, take a guess. We'll reveal what this picture is, right after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: OK, take a look at the DAYBREAK Photo Of the Day.
You know, Chad, sometimes when you squint, you can figure out what those things are.
MYERS: Really?
COSTELLO: So everybody squint.
MYERS: Yes?
COSTELLO: I still can't tell.
MYERS: It's a part of Janet Jackson we can't look at.
COSTELLO: It's a wardrobe malfunction. We have to cover it. No, actually, it's the inside of a tanning bed. Isn't that cool? That was cool. This is a college student, Miss. Wisconsin, and, of course, she's getting a head start because it's spring break time, Chad, and you don't want to be like pasty white as you head to Florida.
MYERS: I suppose not. You've got to be careful with that.
COSTELLO: Yes, you do.
MYERS: You know, you think about that when you're in jeans in your 20s. You don't care. Then you turn 40 and then all of a sudden, oh, wait a minute.
COSTELLO: Yes, all of a sudden you look like a prune.
MYERS: What have I done for the past 40 years? Yes.
COSTELLO: Time for a Stump the Weatherman question after you do the forecast?
MYERS: A Stump the Weatherman question, we'll do it right now, because it's up here.
COSTELLO: Oh, there it is.
MYERS: Forty some names here, Carol. These are all the names of all the hurricanes that have been retired. And to be retired they have to do some damage, maybe even cause some fatalities, significant flooding.
One that is clear in my mind, 1972, was Agnes up there in the Pennsylvania River Valley. The Susquehanna Valley, really getting hammered here. And then you can look at here, you notice, though, how many As there are. Only a few Bs and then by the time we get back up here into the Ls, Ms and Os, there aren't very many, because we rarely get this far. And by the time we do get this far, the atmosphere and the oxygen and the warm water across parts of the Atlantic Ocean are not as strong. They begin to cool by the time we get to Roxanne. Anyway, Carol, those are the names. And you can always go to the National Hurricane Center Web site, nhc.noaa.gov. More than you ever wanted to know about hurricanes on that Web site.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: All right. You're welcome.
COSTELLO: Holy alternative fuel, Batman. Have you seen the price of gas lately? Of course you have, if you're one of the 130 million drivers across the country.
CNN's Julie Vallese is urging all of us to gas down.
She's live in the nation's capital this morning -- what does that mean?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, good morning.
You know, since the last time we were out here just three weeks ago, the price of gas has gone up $0.08. But then, like you say, anybody that's filled up their car these days, they already knew that. The price of gas is expected to go up this summer and there's not a whole lot anybody is going to be able to do about the price of gas, but there is a lot you can do to get more miles out of your tank.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VALLESE (voice-over): Americans do love cars, but hate high gas prices. Filling up every week has motorists fuming.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's ridiculous to pay these high prices.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it seems to me they're way too high.
VALLESE: AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular self-serve, $1.73.
JACKIE LEO, "READER'S DIGEST": We don't want to be hostages to oil producing nations, especially as gas reaches almost $3 a gallon in some parts of this country.
VALLESE: "Reader's Digest" has partnered with AAA. Both are asking Americans to take charge and pledge to conserve gasoline during the week before April 22, which is Earth Day. It's only one week and only one gallon.
LEO: There are about 130 million drivers in this country and if every one of us saved one gallon of gas, it would be equal to the amount of oil, crude oil imported from Kuwait in one month.
VALLESE: And one gallon equals about 22 miles. MANTILL WILLIAMS, NATIONAL DIRECTOR, AAA: The best way to save gas is to do simple things such as combine errands, try to do all your shopping in one particular place and do some planning. Think ahead.
VALLESE: Pledging is as easy as point and click on "Reader's Digest's" Web site. The number of people, how they plan to conserve and the amount of gas saved will be tracked.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VALLESE: Now here's the hard part, making conserving gasoline part of your regular routine. But actually that's pretty simple, too. Drive your most fuel efficient car, make sure your car is maintained by properly inflating the tires and keeping the engine tuned up and drive the speed limit -- Carol.
COSTELLO: That's the toughest of all.
Julie Vallese reporting live from Washington, D.C. this morning.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, what's it like to travel by train in Europe?
And America the day after those deadly attacks in Spain, we'll tell you about the new security situation.
And think Uncle Sam only goes after the little guy? Think again. The IRS is checking Americans with deep pockets, too.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Supreme Court Orders Immediate Halt to Gay Marriages in San Francisco>
