Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Laci and Connor Law Passes Congress; Kobe's Accuser Asks for Swift Trial
Aired March 26, 2004 - 10:30 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.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: Let's take a look at some of the top stories "At This Hour." Authorities in France have detained four people linked to AZF, which had threatened to bomb French railway targets if a multimillion-dollar ransom was not paid.
French government first revealed the group and months of secret negotiations when a bomb was found on another rail line. Yesterday the group said it was suspending its threat.
In Taiwan, protesters stormed the election headquarters and clashed with police after officials certified last weekend's disputed presidential vote. The commission validated the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian with a margin of less than two tenths of a percentage point. The challenger is demanding a recount, saying the vote was marred by irregularities.
In Arizona a retired Catholic bishop faces sentencing today for a fatal hit and run accident. Thomas O'Brien testified he was unaware that he had hit anybody. The jury rejected that claim. O'Brien had asked for probation. Prosecutors want six months in jail and four years of supervised probation.
Reputed mob boss Peter Gotti faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced today for racketeering and money laundering convictions. He is also accused of ordering a hit on the federal informant Sammy "The Bull" Gravano and approving a shakedown of actor Steven Seagal.
"The New York Daily News" says the 64-year-old brother of Teflon Don John Gotti will seek leniency on grounds of medical problems.
President Bush is expected to sign a law into law, a bill that makes harming a fetus a punishable offense under certain conditions.
Our Sean Callebs joins us from Washington with a closer look at what the new law could be about.
Good morning.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Exactly right. The measure right now simply awaiting the president's signature, expanding legal rights, making it a crime to harm a fetus during an assault on a pregnant woman.
Now debate was passionate over this highly sensitive issue that became intertwined with the battle over abortion rights.
Supporters of the bill named it after Laci Peterson and her unborn child Connor. She was murdered. The bodies of her and her unborn child were found in the San Francisco Bay.
Now at times debate on the Senate floor was graphic, with supporters showing pictures of victims, both fetal and adult. Abortion rights groups say the measure smacks of efforts to undermine a woman's right to choose, saying it now allows judges to rule humans at any stage of development deserve protection.
Senator Feinstein offered an amendment to this measure that was narrowly voted down. It called for tougher penalties for hurting a pregnant woman or her child but would still classify such assaults as a single victim crime.
Supporters of the measure awaiting the president's signature say it has nothing to do with abortion rights.
Now right now, there are 29 states that have unborn victims laws. One other item, Daryn, Senator John Kerry took a break from the campaign trail yesterday to vote no on this measure.
KAGAN: Not enough -- not to help those who are trying to bring it down.
Also I understand Senator Murray out of Washington was trying to get another amendment besides Senator Feinstein's amendment that had to do with getting time off for victims of domestic abuse and other violent crimes.
CALLEBS: Now there were several items that came up. This is something that has been talked about for some time and it had been voted down in the past, but clearly, the -- all the emotion surrounding the death of Laci Peterson out in California sparked renewed interest.
And Senator Feinstein and a lot of other people on the Hill, and certainly abortion rights groups, are very concerned now that this is going to open the door to possibly do away with such things as stem cell research. Because classifying a fetus as an entity that could be victimized by a crime, they say opens the door to all kinds of items that really haven't been discussed before.
However, this is something that the Bush administration has been supporting and pushing for for some time. It is expected he is going to sign this bill very soon.
KAGAN: Sean Callebs in Washington D.C., thank you.
The man accused of killing nine of his own family members, then stacking their bodies in a bedroom of his own home has entered a not guilty plea.
Fifty-seven-year-old Marcus Wesson could face the death penalty. The victims ranged in age from 1 year to 24 years old. Police believe Wesson fathered some of the children with his -- one or two of his own daughters.
In the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, the family of the teenager accused (sic) is asking that a trial be scheduled as soon as possible. The mother of the 19-year-old woman says the charges against the NBA star have subjected the teen to death threats and relentless media scrutiny.
Nonetheless, hearings are expected for nearly two more months.
Our national correspondent Gary Tuchman has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kobe Bryant knows this courthouse well, with eight pretrial hearings in his sexual assault case but still no trial date after nearly nine months.
Now the accuser's attorney being frisked, her father in the blue shirt and her mother behind the plant say they've had it. The lawyer has filed legal papers saying "she has been forced to quit school. She cannot live at home. She cannot talk to her friends. And she has received literally hundreds of phone calls and e-mails threatening either death or mutilation."
Lawyer John Clune is calling on the judge to swiftly set a trial date.
CRAIG SILVERMAN, COLORADO ATTORNEY: This clearly puts the ball in Judge Ruckriegle's court. The motion was real and heartfelt. I think he'll seriously consider it, and he might expedite proceedings from here on out.
TUCHMAN: Indeed, three people, including this man, John Roche of Iowa, have been arrested and charged with threatening the 19-year-old woman.
The alleged victim's parents, whose faces CNN has decided not to show, have written a letter to the judge, saying in part, "We are constantly worried about her safety. My daughter has lived in four different states in the past six months. Her safety is at risk, and she has to move again."
The letter comes after a hearing on the alleged victim's sexual past, with testimony from a slew of her friends, alleged sexual partners and herself.
CYNTHIA STONE, COLORADO COALITION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT: It strikes us as a circus. It also strikes us as sort of a show, a deliberate show by the defense to say, "This woman's had lots of different sex with different men in her lives."
TUCHMAN (on camera): The judge has not issued any response to the swift trial motion as of yet. Meanwhile, the hearing into the accuser's sexual past is not yet over. It will be continued in four weeks. A hearing on the statements Kobe Bryant made to police that were secretly recorded isn't over either. It will be continued in one week. There is still a lot of preliminary work to do.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Eagle, Colorado.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: A passion to surrender? Mel Gibson's film is behind one moviegoer's confession to a terrible secret.
And racing for a good cause. Jeff Gordon wants to you sign up to donate bone marrow. He'll be along to explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Here are some stories from across America.
A Houston, Texas, man has confessed to murder after he watched the movie "The Passion of the Christ." Dan Leach says he was driven to redemption by the movie and subsequent talks by his minister. Leach admitted that he killed a 19-year-old girlfriend whose death had been ruled a suicide.
Singer Bobby Brown is out of jail in a Massachusetts, but he's due back in family court this morning. On Wednesday Brown was ordered in jail for 90 days or until he can pay more than $53,000 in back child support. Brown said it was all a big misunderstanding and he will settle that bill today.
Rescuers in California found a missing 3-year-old boy just minutes before rain began to fall. The youngster spent Wednesday night alone in the redwood forest of Santa Cruz Mountains. Aidan Burke and undoubtedly his family will celebrate his 4th birthday next month.
Jeff Gordon is taking a detour from the fast lane of NASCAR to drive to save lives. He is urging support for the national bone marrow donor registry.
I had a chance to talk with Jeff Gordon about that and also had to get some racing questions in there. He joined me from Washington D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Jeff, I have to start by asking you, after last weekend, after that crash at Darlington, which was a head-on, incredibly hard hit, how are you doing? JEFF GORDON, NASCAR DRIVER: I'm doing good. Luckily, you know, cars are very safe. I'm glad to say that Andy Hillenberg is doing well, too. Because it was quite of -- quite an impact from my car, but the way I hit him, he took quite an impact, as well.
So I'm just very thankful for all the safety devices we have in the cars these days, the harness device, the way the car absorbed the impact was tremendous. And we were actually trying out a new carbon fiber seat that Hinder (ph) Motor Sports has developed, and it was put in the cars now, and they certainly all did their job well.
KAGAN: It wasn't that long ago that a lot of drivers didn't want to wear that harness device. So good for you for taking all the safety precautions.
We'll get to racing in just a moment. I want to talk about what brings you to Washington, the cause that, whether you're a gearhead or not, people can get behind. Tell us why the bone marrow donation and that type of registry is so important to you.
GORDON: Well, I'm actually here in Washington and asking the Senate to help to continue to save lives. And I'm doing that by urging them to reauthorize a bill that they've supported in the past that supports the national bone marrow donors program.
And basically what it does is it has a registry that is voluntary by people. They sign up. They give blood. And that goes into a registry that matches them up with somebody who needs a bone marrow transplant.
And it really has saved lives, thousands of lives, and it's something that I've been a big supporter of for many years.
And it's exciting to be up here talking about this, but we really need to get the Senate to pass this, the House of Representatives have already unanimously supported it, and voted on it. And so I'm hoping we get the same thing from the Senate.
KAGAN: And you must get asked to support so many causes. Why did you decide to support this one?
GORDON: Well, it's one that started early in my NASCAR career. My crew chief, Ray Amham (ph) at the time, his 1-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. He was fortunate -- one of the fortunate ones who found that transplant within his family.
Then Rick Hendrick was diagnosed with leukemia. Through treatments, he didn't need a bone marrow transplant.
But it just has brought the awareness to me and to Rick and just so many more people out there that there are so many people out there that have a very difficult time finding a match, once you get outside of your siblings. And we need more people to register so that we can, you know, have more to tap into, more resources to tap into to find people that will donate bone marrow. KAGAN: Goes without saying that you're registered?
GORDON: I'm absolutely registered. Registered probably six years ago and haven't been called in yet, but I'm ready and willing.
KAGAN: Very good. Well, how cool would that be to have Jeff Gordon's bone marrow flowing through your body? That would make anybody feel better.
Jeff, good for you for taking on the cause. Good luck this week in Bristol.
GORDON: Thank you.
KAGAN: And hopefully those slow cars will get out of your way.
GORDON: Thank you very much.
KAGAN: Jeff Gordon joining us from Washington D.C.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Can the "Jersey Girl" erase the memory of "Gigli"? Mr. Moviefone takes us for his take on Ben Affleck's latest film.
And this is what we're working on for next hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN (voice-over): CNN's complete coverage of today's headlines. At 11, could jury infighting put the Tyco corruption trial at risk? Live coverage from New York.
And under pressure, Condoleezza Rice wants to appear before the 9/11 commission in private.
And at noon, John Kerry gets ready to present his plan for job growth in America.
Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you all decided?
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: Madame, we must have waffles. We must all have waffles forthwith.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: From a box of chocolates to waffles. Different sounding Southern accent for Oscar winner Tom Hanks. His new movie is called "The Ladykillers." It arrives in theaters today.
Russ Leatherman, a.k.a. Mr. Moviefone, is here to tell us if it is worth the price of admission.
Russ, good morning.
RUSS LEATHERMAN, MOVIE CRITIC: Good morning to you, Daryn. Happy Friday.
KAGAN: Thank you so much. I don't know why that little clip cracks me up, "Waffles, we must have waffles."
LEATHERMAN: Got to have waffles. You know what? There are some very funny moments in this movie. It's a movie by Joel and Ethan Coen, who we love. They've done fantastic movies like "Fargo"...
KAGAN: "Raising Arizona."
LEATHERMAN: Of course. "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?" was good.
So I thought -- I had high expectations for this movie. Here's the story. Tom Hanks stars as a Southern crook who gathers this group of eccentric characters to rip off this riverboat.
But they set up shop in this little old lady's house who really gives them fits. And they decide that in order to pull the thing off they've got to kill her, which is where sort of the Coen Brothers stuff starts to work in.
Now, like I said, I love Coen Brothers movies. I think they've been fantastic in the past.
This one to me seemed a little over the top. All of the characters really seem more like caricatures than characters. I mean, Tom Hanks is sort of Colonel Sanders with snaggle teeth. And he does an amazing job, but I just felt like everybody was trying a little too hard.
So I liked the movie. I didn't love the movie.
KAGAN: All right. E for effort. And as you said, the Coen Brothers really do try to stretch, so we give them a thumbs up for that.
LEATHERMAN: Sure we do.
KAGAN: How about the movie that of course you have been waiting for, "Jersey Girl," you Affleck freak, you.
LEATHERMAN: I am a little freaky on Affleck.
KAGAN: Yes.
LEATHERMAN: You know, it's not "Gigli."
KAGAN: Well, let's be thankful for that. LEATHERMAN: But it's close.
KAGAN: Oh, no.
LEATHERMAN: It's close. Yes, you know what? This is another movie that is from a terrific director, Kevin Smith, who has done fantastic movies.
KAGAN: "Clerks."
LEATHERMAN: "Clerks," "Dogma," "Chasing Amy." I swear, it's like he doesn't even show up for this movie.
The movie stars Ben Affleck. He plays a P.R. executive whose wife, played by Jennifer Lopez, dies during childbirth. And then he has to figure out how to raise the child as a single father. He has a meltdown. He goes to live with George Carlin, his dad, and then has to figure out is it corporate life, is it family, how do I make the decision?
This movie is so overly sentimental, so sappy, it's such a departure from what Kevin Smith usually does, that I really had a hard time watching it. I mean, it just seemed very contrived. Again, very sort of sappy.
KAGAN: You love those romantic comedies. It's so you, Russ.
LEATHERMAN: Well, you know what? This movie might be perfect for you, Daryn, but I think even you will go, "Man!"
KAGAN: Even me, too sweet.
OK, so quick, we only have a minute here. So quickly, release of "Scooby Doo 2" out there, right? That's great?
LEATHERMAN: "Scooby Doo 2," it's more of the same. The parents are going to think it's sort of loud and noisy, but the kids are going to love it, as they loved the first one. The first one made $150 million. This one's going to make a bunch of money, too.
But as adults we sort of lost -- the first movie we wanted to see what Scooby was going to look like. We wanted to see how they were going to represent the cartoon. Well now, know that. So for parents there's not much going on here, but the kids are going to love it.
KAGAN: So drop the kids off.
Finally, anything you do like that's out there?
LEATHERMAN: Well, I think "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with Jim Carrey is a fantastic movie. He's great. Kate Winslet is great.
It's a very interesting story about a couple who have their memories of each other erased and then realize that the good memories are going out the door with the bad ones. And I think it's different than anything Jim Carrey's ever done. Like I said, the performances are fantastic, and it's totally captivating and interesting. So I'd say if you're going to go to the movies this weekend see this one.
KAGAN: I agree. Just not your typical romantic comedy. It's a little dark, a little twisted. Don't go expecting to see, like, you know, "Pretty Woman."
LEATHERMAN: Right. You've got to pay attention. You've got to focus on this one, Daryn.
KAGAN: Focus, focus. Russ, thanks for stopping by. Mr. Moviefone, appreciate it.
LEATHERMAN: See you next time. Bye-bye.
KAGAN: You can keep on eye on entertainment 24-7 by pointing your Internet browser to CNN.com/entertainment. CNN LIVE TODAY is back in a flash.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired March 26, 2004 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: Let's take a look at some of the top stories "At This Hour." Authorities in France have detained four people linked to AZF, which had threatened to bomb French railway targets if a multimillion-dollar ransom was not paid.
French government first revealed the group and months of secret negotiations when a bomb was found on another rail line. Yesterday the group said it was suspending its threat.
In Taiwan, protesters stormed the election headquarters and clashed with police after officials certified last weekend's disputed presidential vote. The commission validated the re-election of President Chen Shui-bian with a margin of less than two tenths of a percentage point. The challenger is demanding a recount, saying the vote was marred by irregularities.
In Arizona a retired Catholic bishop faces sentencing today for a fatal hit and run accident. Thomas O'Brien testified he was unaware that he had hit anybody. The jury rejected that claim. O'Brien had asked for probation. Prosecutors want six months in jail and four years of supervised probation.
Reputed mob boss Peter Gotti faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced today for racketeering and money laundering convictions. He is also accused of ordering a hit on the federal informant Sammy "The Bull" Gravano and approving a shakedown of actor Steven Seagal.
"The New York Daily News" says the 64-year-old brother of Teflon Don John Gotti will seek leniency on grounds of medical problems.
President Bush is expected to sign a law into law, a bill that makes harming a fetus a punishable offense under certain conditions.
Our Sean Callebs joins us from Washington with a closer look at what the new law could be about.
Good morning.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
Exactly right. The measure right now simply awaiting the president's signature, expanding legal rights, making it a crime to harm a fetus during an assault on a pregnant woman.
Now debate was passionate over this highly sensitive issue that became intertwined with the battle over abortion rights.
Supporters of the bill named it after Laci Peterson and her unborn child Connor. She was murdered. The bodies of her and her unborn child were found in the San Francisco Bay.
Now at times debate on the Senate floor was graphic, with supporters showing pictures of victims, both fetal and adult. Abortion rights groups say the measure smacks of efforts to undermine a woman's right to choose, saying it now allows judges to rule humans at any stage of development deserve protection.
Senator Feinstein offered an amendment to this measure that was narrowly voted down. It called for tougher penalties for hurting a pregnant woman or her child but would still classify such assaults as a single victim crime.
Supporters of the measure awaiting the president's signature say it has nothing to do with abortion rights.
Now right now, there are 29 states that have unborn victims laws. One other item, Daryn, Senator John Kerry took a break from the campaign trail yesterday to vote no on this measure.
KAGAN: Not enough -- not to help those who are trying to bring it down.
Also I understand Senator Murray out of Washington was trying to get another amendment besides Senator Feinstein's amendment that had to do with getting time off for victims of domestic abuse and other violent crimes.
CALLEBS: Now there were several items that came up. This is something that has been talked about for some time and it had been voted down in the past, but clearly, the -- all the emotion surrounding the death of Laci Peterson out in California sparked renewed interest.
And Senator Feinstein and a lot of other people on the Hill, and certainly abortion rights groups, are very concerned now that this is going to open the door to possibly do away with such things as stem cell research. Because classifying a fetus as an entity that could be victimized by a crime, they say opens the door to all kinds of items that really haven't been discussed before.
However, this is something that the Bush administration has been supporting and pushing for for some time. It is expected he is going to sign this bill very soon.
KAGAN: Sean Callebs in Washington D.C., thank you.
The man accused of killing nine of his own family members, then stacking their bodies in a bedroom of his own home has entered a not guilty plea.
Fifty-seven-year-old Marcus Wesson could face the death penalty. The victims ranged in age from 1 year to 24 years old. Police believe Wesson fathered some of the children with his -- one or two of his own daughters.
In the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case, the family of the teenager accused (sic) is asking that a trial be scheduled as soon as possible. The mother of the 19-year-old woman says the charges against the NBA star have subjected the teen to death threats and relentless media scrutiny.
Nonetheless, hearings are expected for nearly two more months.
Our national correspondent Gary Tuchman has that story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kobe Bryant knows this courthouse well, with eight pretrial hearings in his sexual assault case but still no trial date after nearly nine months.
Now the accuser's attorney being frisked, her father in the blue shirt and her mother behind the plant say they've had it. The lawyer has filed legal papers saying "she has been forced to quit school. She cannot live at home. She cannot talk to her friends. And she has received literally hundreds of phone calls and e-mails threatening either death or mutilation."
Lawyer John Clune is calling on the judge to swiftly set a trial date.
CRAIG SILVERMAN, COLORADO ATTORNEY: This clearly puts the ball in Judge Ruckriegle's court. The motion was real and heartfelt. I think he'll seriously consider it, and he might expedite proceedings from here on out.
TUCHMAN: Indeed, three people, including this man, John Roche of Iowa, have been arrested and charged with threatening the 19-year-old woman.
The alleged victim's parents, whose faces CNN has decided not to show, have written a letter to the judge, saying in part, "We are constantly worried about her safety. My daughter has lived in four different states in the past six months. Her safety is at risk, and she has to move again."
The letter comes after a hearing on the alleged victim's sexual past, with testimony from a slew of her friends, alleged sexual partners and herself.
CYNTHIA STONE, COLORADO COALITION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT: It strikes us as a circus. It also strikes us as sort of a show, a deliberate show by the defense to say, "This woman's had lots of different sex with different men in her lives."
TUCHMAN (on camera): The judge has not issued any response to the swift trial motion as of yet. Meanwhile, the hearing into the accuser's sexual past is not yet over. It will be continued in four weeks. A hearing on the statements Kobe Bryant made to police that were secretly recorded isn't over either. It will be continued in one week. There is still a lot of preliminary work to do.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Eagle, Colorado.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: A passion to surrender? Mel Gibson's film is behind one moviegoer's confession to a terrible secret.
And racing for a good cause. Jeff Gordon wants to you sign up to donate bone marrow. He'll be along to explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Here are some stories from across America.
A Houston, Texas, man has confessed to murder after he watched the movie "The Passion of the Christ." Dan Leach says he was driven to redemption by the movie and subsequent talks by his minister. Leach admitted that he killed a 19-year-old girlfriend whose death had been ruled a suicide.
Singer Bobby Brown is out of jail in a Massachusetts, but he's due back in family court this morning. On Wednesday Brown was ordered in jail for 90 days or until he can pay more than $53,000 in back child support. Brown said it was all a big misunderstanding and he will settle that bill today.
Rescuers in California found a missing 3-year-old boy just minutes before rain began to fall. The youngster spent Wednesday night alone in the redwood forest of Santa Cruz Mountains. Aidan Burke and undoubtedly his family will celebrate his 4th birthday next month.
Jeff Gordon is taking a detour from the fast lane of NASCAR to drive to save lives. He is urging support for the national bone marrow donor registry.
I had a chance to talk with Jeff Gordon about that and also had to get some racing questions in there. He joined me from Washington D.C.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Jeff, I have to start by asking you, after last weekend, after that crash at Darlington, which was a head-on, incredibly hard hit, how are you doing? JEFF GORDON, NASCAR DRIVER: I'm doing good. Luckily, you know, cars are very safe. I'm glad to say that Andy Hillenberg is doing well, too. Because it was quite of -- quite an impact from my car, but the way I hit him, he took quite an impact, as well.
So I'm just very thankful for all the safety devices we have in the cars these days, the harness device, the way the car absorbed the impact was tremendous. And we were actually trying out a new carbon fiber seat that Hinder (ph) Motor Sports has developed, and it was put in the cars now, and they certainly all did their job well.
KAGAN: It wasn't that long ago that a lot of drivers didn't want to wear that harness device. So good for you for taking all the safety precautions.
We'll get to racing in just a moment. I want to talk about what brings you to Washington, the cause that, whether you're a gearhead or not, people can get behind. Tell us why the bone marrow donation and that type of registry is so important to you.
GORDON: Well, I'm actually here in Washington and asking the Senate to help to continue to save lives. And I'm doing that by urging them to reauthorize a bill that they've supported in the past that supports the national bone marrow donors program.
And basically what it does is it has a registry that is voluntary by people. They sign up. They give blood. And that goes into a registry that matches them up with somebody who needs a bone marrow transplant.
And it really has saved lives, thousands of lives, and it's something that I've been a big supporter of for many years.
And it's exciting to be up here talking about this, but we really need to get the Senate to pass this, the House of Representatives have already unanimously supported it, and voted on it. And so I'm hoping we get the same thing from the Senate.
KAGAN: And you must get asked to support so many causes. Why did you decide to support this one?
GORDON: Well, it's one that started early in my NASCAR career. My crew chief, Ray Amham (ph) at the time, his 1-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. He was fortunate -- one of the fortunate ones who found that transplant within his family.
Then Rick Hendrick was diagnosed with leukemia. Through treatments, he didn't need a bone marrow transplant.
But it just has brought the awareness to me and to Rick and just so many more people out there that there are so many people out there that have a very difficult time finding a match, once you get outside of your siblings. And we need more people to register so that we can, you know, have more to tap into, more resources to tap into to find people that will donate bone marrow. KAGAN: Goes without saying that you're registered?
GORDON: I'm absolutely registered. Registered probably six years ago and haven't been called in yet, but I'm ready and willing.
KAGAN: Very good. Well, how cool would that be to have Jeff Gordon's bone marrow flowing through your body? That would make anybody feel better.
Jeff, good for you for taking on the cause. Good luck this week in Bristol.
GORDON: Thank you.
KAGAN: And hopefully those slow cars will get out of your way.
GORDON: Thank you very much.
KAGAN: Jeff Gordon joining us from Washington D.C.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Can the "Jersey Girl" erase the memory of "Gigli"? Mr. Moviefone takes us for his take on Ben Affleck's latest film.
And this is what we're working on for next hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN (voice-over): CNN's complete coverage of today's headlines. At 11, could jury infighting put the Tyco corruption trial at risk? Live coverage from New York.
And under pressure, Condoleezza Rice wants to appear before the 9/11 commission in private.
And at noon, John Kerry gets ready to present his plan for job growth in America.
Stay with CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you all decided?
TOM HANKS, ACTOR: Madame, we must have waffles. We must all have waffles forthwith.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: From a box of chocolates to waffles. Different sounding Southern accent for Oscar winner Tom Hanks. His new movie is called "The Ladykillers." It arrives in theaters today.
Russ Leatherman, a.k.a. Mr. Moviefone, is here to tell us if it is worth the price of admission.
Russ, good morning.
RUSS LEATHERMAN, MOVIE CRITIC: Good morning to you, Daryn. Happy Friday.
KAGAN: Thank you so much. I don't know why that little clip cracks me up, "Waffles, we must have waffles."
LEATHERMAN: Got to have waffles. You know what? There are some very funny moments in this movie. It's a movie by Joel and Ethan Coen, who we love. They've done fantastic movies like "Fargo"...
KAGAN: "Raising Arizona."
LEATHERMAN: Of course. "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?" was good.
So I thought -- I had high expectations for this movie. Here's the story. Tom Hanks stars as a Southern crook who gathers this group of eccentric characters to rip off this riverboat.
But they set up shop in this little old lady's house who really gives them fits. And they decide that in order to pull the thing off they've got to kill her, which is where sort of the Coen Brothers stuff starts to work in.
Now, like I said, I love Coen Brothers movies. I think they've been fantastic in the past.
This one to me seemed a little over the top. All of the characters really seem more like caricatures than characters. I mean, Tom Hanks is sort of Colonel Sanders with snaggle teeth. And he does an amazing job, but I just felt like everybody was trying a little too hard.
So I liked the movie. I didn't love the movie.
KAGAN: All right. E for effort. And as you said, the Coen Brothers really do try to stretch, so we give them a thumbs up for that.
LEATHERMAN: Sure we do.
KAGAN: How about the movie that of course you have been waiting for, "Jersey Girl," you Affleck freak, you.
LEATHERMAN: I am a little freaky on Affleck.
KAGAN: Yes.
LEATHERMAN: You know, it's not "Gigli."
KAGAN: Well, let's be thankful for that. LEATHERMAN: But it's close.
KAGAN: Oh, no.
LEATHERMAN: It's close. Yes, you know what? This is another movie that is from a terrific director, Kevin Smith, who has done fantastic movies.
KAGAN: "Clerks."
LEATHERMAN: "Clerks," "Dogma," "Chasing Amy." I swear, it's like he doesn't even show up for this movie.
The movie stars Ben Affleck. He plays a P.R. executive whose wife, played by Jennifer Lopez, dies during childbirth. And then he has to figure out how to raise the child as a single father. He has a meltdown. He goes to live with George Carlin, his dad, and then has to figure out is it corporate life, is it family, how do I make the decision?
This movie is so overly sentimental, so sappy, it's such a departure from what Kevin Smith usually does, that I really had a hard time watching it. I mean, it just seemed very contrived. Again, very sort of sappy.
KAGAN: You love those romantic comedies. It's so you, Russ.
LEATHERMAN: Well, you know what? This movie might be perfect for you, Daryn, but I think even you will go, "Man!"
KAGAN: Even me, too sweet.
OK, so quick, we only have a minute here. So quickly, release of "Scooby Doo 2" out there, right? That's great?
LEATHERMAN: "Scooby Doo 2," it's more of the same. The parents are going to think it's sort of loud and noisy, but the kids are going to love it, as they loved the first one. The first one made $150 million. This one's going to make a bunch of money, too.
But as adults we sort of lost -- the first movie we wanted to see what Scooby was going to look like. We wanted to see how they were going to represent the cartoon. Well now, know that. So for parents there's not much going on here, but the kids are going to love it.
KAGAN: So drop the kids off.
Finally, anything you do like that's out there?
LEATHERMAN: Well, I think "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" with Jim Carrey is a fantastic movie. He's great. Kate Winslet is great.
It's a very interesting story about a couple who have their memories of each other erased and then realize that the good memories are going out the door with the bad ones. And I think it's different than anything Jim Carrey's ever done. Like I said, the performances are fantastic, and it's totally captivating and interesting. So I'd say if you're going to go to the movies this weekend see this one.
KAGAN: I agree. Just not your typical romantic comedy. It's a little dark, a little twisted. Don't go expecting to see, like, you know, "Pretty Woman."
LEATHERMAN: Right. You've got to pay attention. You've got to focus on this one, Daryn.
KAGAN: Focus, focus. Russ, thanks for stopping by. Mr. Moviefone, appreciate it.
LEATHERMAN: See you next time. Bye-bye.
KAGAN: You can keep on eye on entertainment 24-7 by pointing your Internet browser to CNN.com/entertainment. CNN LIVE TODAY is back in a flash.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
