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American Morning

Zawahiri Speaks; Highway Hardship in Connecticut

Aired March 26, 2004 - 07:30   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It is just about half past the hour on this "AMERICAN MORNING." Miles O'Brien in this morning.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for your help on the collation, by the way.

S. O'BRIEN: Sure, no problem. I do it all. You need copy?

M. O'BRIEN: You're excellent.

S. O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) thank you very much.

M. O'BRIEN: Very good work. I missed that class at college -- the collation class.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, it's all right. Bill Hemmer is out today, but Miles is helping us out. Appreciate that.

M. O'BRIEN: All right.

We've got a lot to cover this half-hour. Once again, our script is straight.

A purported al Qaeda audiotape calling for the death of Pakistan's president. A report on a $700 million class-action award that has dwindled to nothing. And Jack Horkheimer is with us to talk about something really cool which is going on right now with the planets.

S. O'BRIEN: You get so hot and bothered about this.

M. O'BRIEN: The moon is in the seventh house, Jupiter aligned with Mars. It's good stuff.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, you're loving that.

Also this morning, we've got a report from Connecticut in just a few moments at the scene of a terrible accident. Firefighters were working much of the night after a tanker truck exploded. The question now, of course: Just how long is it going to take to get that major route open once again? Two people injured, but only minor injuries there. So, really good news on that front.

M. O'BRIEN: But talk about a major artery.

S. O'BRIEN: Right. M. O'BRIEN: So, we'll be watching that one for you very closely.

Some news just into CNN to tell you about. Three suspects have been taken into custody in France in connection with rail threats in that country. Police say the suspects are being held for questioning. An obscure group that calls itself AZF has threatened to blow up bombs at French railway targets unless it is paid millions of dollars. But in a letter yesterday, the group announced that it was suspending operations.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice may again face the 9/11 Commission. The White House counsel sent a letter on behalf of Rice formally asking members for another private meeting to clear up some things. Members of the commission say they want Rice to testify at the public hearings, the first two days of which were held this week. Rice testified behind closed doors in February.

The U.S. Senate has made it a federal crime to harm or kill an unborn child. The Senate approved the Unborn Victims of Violence Act yesterday. After an emotional debate, the House passed the bill last month, and President Bush is expected to sign it into law.

The U.S. has blocked a U.N. resolution condemning Israel's attack of the spiritual leader of Hamas. The U.S. vetoed the Security Council measure because it failed also to condemn violence by Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.

And Bobby Brown used his get-out-of-jail-for-free card for the second time in a week. The R&B singer was jailed overnight for failure to pay child support to his ex-girlfriend. He paid the 63,000 he owed, but Brown is due back in family court this morning to explain how he'll pay the rest.

S. O'BRIEN: Ironically, of course, he was in front of a courthouse the other day -- or a jail the other day saying I'm never coming back here, and then the next day.

M. O'BRIEN: He's spending a little time in court these days...

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: ... in all sorts of jurisdictions.

S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely.

M. O'BRIEN: All right.

(WEATHER BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: The CIA is analyzing a new tape that is said to be the voice of al Qaeda's No. 2 man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The voice calls on Pakistanis to overthrow President Pervez Musharraf for siding with the U.S. in the war on terror. And it comes a week after Pakistani officials suggested that troops had cornered al Zawahiri.

Nic Robertson live for us in Islamabad this morning. Nic -- good morning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, no official reaction yet from Pakistani government ministers on this latest message purporting to be from Ayman al- Zawahiri. The information minister, we understand, may address this in a press conference in the next hour, but all government ministers here are critically aware that this message strikes at the heart of their government.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Ayman al-Zawahiri, the man Pakistani officials thought a week ago they might have cornered on their border, is now believed to be on an audiotape calling for the overthrow of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The United States has told Musharraf to seek revenge from the border tribes, especially the honorable Pashtun tribes; that is, to defeat the grassroot efforts to support jihad against its crusader movement. So, we began by destroying houses, jailing many and killing people markets.

ROBERTSON: Not clear if he's referring to the current military operation in Waziristan, but for now, Pakistani officials declining comment pending analysis of the message.

In the face of broad tribal displeasure with artillery and helicopter gunship attacks, Pakistan's military has been toning down its offensive in favor of negotiations. However, recently discovered tunnels hint strongly that whatever high-value targets Pakistani authorities thought they may have cornered are now likely long gone, raising the question of Pakistan's ability to round up terror suspects.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once this operation culminates, only then we shall be able to say with a great deal of surety and finality as to who exactly we have in there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: The United States is relying on Pakistan to police up al Qaeda on their side of the Afghan-Pakistan border. So, failures here are likely be a cause for concern in Washington. But Pakistani officials really want President Bush and his administration to understand, Soledad, the pressures they're up against here.

S. O'BRIEN: Interesting. All right. We've got Nic Robertson this morning. Nic, thanks very much for that -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: A little closer to home. A portion of the main artery between New York and Boston is closed in both directions this morning. A tanker truck collided with a car last night in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The resulting fire did enough damage that the road could be closed for weeks. Reporter Susan Raff of our affiliate, WFSB, joining us now with an update -- Susan.

SUSAN RAFF, WFSB-TV, BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT: Miles, what you're looking at now are live pictures of the bridge. It's right near the fire truck. Just a few minutes ago, they removed that tanker truck.

And now the question is what they're going to do with the bridge and the money that they're going to need to repair it. They're going to talk about at some point of the day possibly opening or reopening one of the lanes, the northbound lane, so that they can get traffic in and out of here. Meanwhile, the governor is trying to get money to pay for all of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOHN G. ROWLAND (R), CONNECTICUTL: I'm going to declare a state of emergency for Bridgeport in this area, which allows us to seek federal funds. The minimum is $3.5 million, but between the overtime, the police, the fire, and most importantly trying to secure the area to make it safe and then, of course, to do the work. The state of Connecticut will incur all of those costs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Now, the governor tells us that they will foot the bill for the meantime. As they try to pay to repair this bridge, we are told that they're not going to be able to take the whole bridge down. In fact, they're going to part of it down.

The other immediate concern is trying to reroute traffic. This is one of the busiest stretches of highway in the country, handling about 125,000 cars and trucks a day. So, you can just imagine what it's like when both lanes of the highway are shut down. So, the big problem ahead today is trying to reroute traffic and try to get businesses in out and of here.

We're live in Bridgeport. Susan Raff for CNN.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, thanks to Susan and WFSB for that.

S. O'BRIEN: It certainly looks like a big mess and it's not going to end anytime soon.

M. O'BRIEN: We'll be talking about this one for a little while, I think.

S. O'BRIEN: I would think so.

All right, well, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, a who's who of powerful Democrats rally for John Kerry's run for the White House. Democratic Chairman Terry McCauliffe is going on join us in our next hour.

M. O'BRIEN: And don't fear. Outrageously raw comedian George Carlin is not -- we repeat not -- chilling out. He's got a new gig as Ben Affleck's dad. Mr. Carlin. Mr. Carlin. Boy, that sounds nice. It sounds so formal. He wants to be a movie star.

S. O'BRIEN: We sat down to talk about that with him and many other things.

And also this morning just ahead, a spectacular show from outer space. An amazing event you're not going to want to miss. Much more on AMERICAN MORNING just ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Now showing in the night sky a rare and spectacular event. Five planets all in a row ready for their close-up. The lineup of Mercury, Mars, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter is currently visible to stargazers everywhere.

Jack Horkheimer is executive director of the Miami Planetarium, and he joins us now from Miami to talk about all this.

If the moon were in the seventh house and Jupiter were lined with Mars, this would be the fifth dimension, right?

JACK HORKHEIMER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MIAMI PLANETARIUM: Yes, I remember that. I resemble that remark. I had it quite a few years ago.

M. O'BRIEN: OK. We have carbon-dated ourselves.

Let's talk a little bit about this. Of course, actually it would be six planets in a row if we could see ourselves, right?

HORKHEIMER: Correct.

M. O'BRIEN: I mean, we're in that line, right?

HORKHEIMER: Right, if you look down on the Earth, it is six planets. But these are the five naked-eye planets that have been seen by our species since the beginning of time. And they're the planets that keep moving among the stars. And that's why they're called planets, because they are the wanderers, and the word planet means the wanderers.

Well, all this weekend and throughout all next week we can see all five of the naked-eye planets at the same time. But you have to look within the first hour to hour and a half after sunset to get the most elusive planet to see. That's the planet Mercury, which is closest to the horizon.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, let's -- you know, let's...

HORKHEIMER: In the Western horizon.

M. O'BRIEN: Let's walk people -- we have a sky telescope put together, a nice schematic there, and in kind of the upper left portion of your screen is Jupiter. And then if you just kind of go the clock there, you go from Saturn to Mars to Venus.

HORKHEIMER: OK.

M. O'BRIEN: And then all the way down in the lower part is Mercury, and Mercury is the most difficult to get, right? It's difficult to see.

HORKHEIMER: That is the most difficult planet, because it's so close to the sun. It's only 3,000 miles wide. It's the pink iron planet. It's very close to the horizon. Look for it right after sunset toward the west. And look above it for Venus, which is absolutely dazzling and brilliant. As a matter of fact, many people mistake it for a UFO or the landing light of an airplane, and it will reach its bright in May. It's getting brighter every night.

Mars is just...

(CROSSTALK)

M. O'BRIEN: I just want to tell you, that's Venus if you could really see it up close.

HORKHEIMER: Oh, yes. Well, that -- yes, if you could strip the clouds away from it that's what we'd see.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

HORKHEIMER: It's not a very nice place, because it rains sulfuric acid and temperatures are 900 degrees Fahrenheit. And if you landed on it, you'd be squashed flatter than a pancake. It definitely is not where you'd want to take Toto and Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz."

M. O'BRIEN: Let's go back for a minute. I want to show that...

HORKHEIMER: Sure.

M. O'BRIEN: We ran into an image here. I just want to give proper credit where credit is due. The image we just saw before that from Andy Shake (ph) in the book, "A Man on the Moon," and the reason I show that is he shot that with just a regular Nikon Coolpix 995 and a series of images that he kind of stitched together here. This is a great opportunity for folks, if they're inclined, to do some of their own astronomical photography, if you will.

HORKHEIMER: Absolutely. And all you need is a very cheap department store telescope. And if you look at Saturn, which is right after sunset, it's the highest planet, almost close to overhead through even the cheapest department store telescope. Its rings are even better than in the picture.

M. O'BRIEN: But you won't see it like this. You won't see it like this.

HORKHEIMER: No, it will be even better. Well, actually the rings will look better, because they'll be tilted more wide open. And actually, I like looking through a small telescope better than the picture we just saw. Now, the bright planet over toward the east, and that is Jupiter, is the biggest planet of all, 88,000 miles wide. And, Miles, with a pair of binoculars you can actually watch its four little biggest moons. It has over two dozen moons. You can watch the four biggest moons as they orbit it every night and slowly shuttle back and forth.

But, you know, Miles, the fascinating thing about this -- and I'd like to use a piece of low tech here. The fascinating thing about this is that if you -- when you look at these planets, you start looking in the west at Mercury, then you go straight up the sky, over the top of the sky, down toward the east.

If you -- and remember that all of the planets orbit around the sun on a single plane. And we tend to think of us as kind of in a flat plane with all the planets. But actually, when you look at the planets you can draw an imaginary line from Mercury all the way across the sky to Jupiter,. That is the ecliptic, the path of the planets. And we're part of that path, and you can see that it's actually tilted like this.

So, you can get a sense of being of almost vertigo while standing on Earth, and we are swirling around the sun on that same plane of orbit-like discs. I've drawn Mercury here, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. This is very, very low tech, compliments of paper plates.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, right next to Jupiter is a potato salad. Very quickly, though. You have just, what, a couple weeks to see this. And if you miss it, it's not until 2036, right?

HORKHEIMER: That is right to see it in the night sky. I suggest that if you don't have a telescope, go to your nearest astronomy club or a local museum or a planetarium this weekend and the next weekend, because people will be having their telescopes out begging to you come and look at them for free, because amateur astronomers love to have people look through their telescopes. So, this is a good chance to take your kids to a planetarium or an observatory or an astronomy club and turn them on to the universe. This is so instructive and so beautiful.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. I know of one planetarium in Miami they might want to visit. Jack Horkheimer happens to be the executive director of it. Give us your sig-out, please.

HORKHEIMER: Well, Miles, as always, keep looking up.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Take care. Good to see you.

HORKHEIMER: My pleasure.

M. O'BRIEN: Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, comedian George Carlin. Of course, he is known for his colorful language. He is showing now, though, another softer side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE CARLIN, COMEDIAN/ACTOR: Someone then would say to me, you know, why this suddenly? Are you trying -- are you mellowing? I hate that word actually. I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, are you mellowing? And he said I've always been mellow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: We're going to hear more from my conversation with him about him as a comic genius and find out about his new gig. That's just ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLIN: You're on your own with the kid today.

BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR: What am I supposed to do with her?

CARLIN: Try acting like a father.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: George Carlin plays a key role in the new Ben Affleck movie, "Jersey Girl." The legendary comedian, better known for his rants, is getting some raves for his performance. It's been 30 years since Carlin felt success with seven words that you couldn't say on television back then. You still can't, but it's taken George Carlin from class clown to comic giant.

I asked him about "Jersey Girl," working again with director Kevin Smith, and also why the part appealed to him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLIN: He wrote the part for me, is the way he put. I had your voice in my head when I wrote this part.

AFFLECK: What?

CARLIN: When are you going to take the kid to see the cats?

AFFLECK: You, too? Girdy. Do you even know what cats is, dad?

CARLIN: What, I don't read the papers?

S. O'BRIEN: You play this grandfather.

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Loving, sweet, a little crotchety.

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: But basically a heart of gold kind of guy. CARLIN: Sure.

S. O'BRIEN: And I wonder, you know, and then in your act often I think you come across as angry.

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Which is the real you?

CARLIN: Well...

S. O'BRIEN: And are you trying to change that image?

CARLIN: No, no. No, you -- it's just that when I did the children's show on PBS, shining times station and played Mr. Conductor, which now goes back to the early '90s when I did them, someone then would say to me, well, why this suddenly? Are you trying -- are you mellowing? I hate that word actually. I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, are you mellowing? And he said I've always been mellow. And I...

S. O'BRIEN: Now shut up!

CARLIN: Yes. But, no, my show has confrontational comedy in it because these ideas are things that not everyone agrees with, and I like to be strident and state when I think. Plus, it's a big theater. You intensify things. You know, you theatricalize. It's a performance.

The Germans are the only ones, and the only reason for that is because they were trying to cut in on our action! They wanted to dominate world! Bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job! That's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job!

S. O'BRIEN: Does it surprise that the FCC is cracking down again on indecency at all?

CARLIN: Not really, because...

S. O'BRIEN: Thirty years, though, after your...

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: ... you know, seven words.

CARLIN: Well, there have been a few blips along the way. Every now and then someone goes (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And then they go back to sleep for a while. But two things that are driving it, one is the big one. The fact that it's an election year, and as anyone who follows politics has heard, the Bush folks feel they have to secure that right wing and get them not just voting for him, which they would anyway, but energize. So, that they work the polls and the precincts and they drive people to the polls, and they do the things that help you win elections. So, to get those people excited, they throw them red meat.

Gay marriage fell in their lap. You know, the supreme court in Massachusetts dropped that in their lap. And then there is the FCC. You know, they say, why don't you get Janet Jackson? That's not very wholesome, not very family-like. Of course, there was a four-hour penis erection joke -- not joke -- commercial in that same halftime. No one really bothered the FCC about that. But that's the way it is in life in.

But the commercials, it's because of commercialism. It's because they have to sell things that they have to worry about censorship, because -- and they're going to offend somebody. You know, That's why HBO or a premium channel doesn't have to worry about it, because they're not selling baby food and biscuits and tires and stuff.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: George Carlin's new book, due out in the fall, is a classic Carlin and equal opportunity offender. It's called "When Will Jesus Bring the Porkchops?" -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: That sounds like worthwhile reading.

All right, still to come on the program, is there a change of heart at the White House? We'll hear about National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice's latest request to the 9/11 panel. Stay with us. AMERICAN MORNING rolls on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, a key piece of evidence comes under scrutiny at the manslaughter trial of former NBA star Jayson Williams. All of the details on that just ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.

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 - 07:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It is just about half past the hour on this "AMERICAN MORNING." Miles O'Brien in this morning.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for your help on the collation, by the way.

S. O'BRIEN: Sure, no problem. I do it all. You need copy?

M. O'BRIEN: You're excellent.

S. O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) thank you very much.

M. O'BRIEN: Very good work. I missed that class at college -- the collation class.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, it's all right. Bill Hemmer is out today, but Miles is helping us out. Appreciate that.

M. O'BRIEN: All right.

We've got a lot to cover this half-hour. Once again, our script is straight.

A purported al Qaeda audiotape calling for the death of Pakistan's president. A report on a $700 million class-action award that has dwindled to nothing. And Jack Horkheimer is with us to talk about something really cool which is going on right now with the planets.

S. O'BRIEN: You get so hot and bothered about this.

M. O'BRIEN: The moon is in the seventh house, Jupiter aligned with Mars. It's good stuff.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, you're loving that.

Also this morning, we've got a report from Connecticut in just a few moments at the scene of a terrible accident. Firefighters were working much of the night after a tanker truck exploded. The question now, of course: Just how long is it going to take to get that major route open once again? Two people injured, but only minor injuries there. So, really good news on that front.

M. O'BRIEN: But talk about a major artery.

S. O'BRIEN: Right. M. O'BRIEN: So, we'll be watching that one for you very closely.

Some news just into CNN to tell you about. Three suspects have been taken into custody in France in connection with rail threats in that country. Police say the suspects are being held for questioning. An obscure group that calls itself AZF has threatened to blow up bombs at French railway targets unless it is paid millions of dollars. But in a letter yesterday, the group announced that it was suspending operations.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice may again face the 9/11 Commission. The White House counsel sent a letter on behalf of Rice formally asking members for another private meeting to clear up some things. Members of the commission say they want Rice to testify at the public hearings, the first two days of which were held this week. Rice testified behind closed doors in February.

The U.S. Senate has made it a federal crime to harm or kill an unborn child. The Senate approved the Unborn Victims of Violence Act yesterday. After an emotional debate, the House passed the bill last month, and President Bush is expected to sign it into law.

The U.S. has blocked a U.N. resolution condemning Israel's attack of the spiritual leader of Hamas. The U.S. vetoed the Security Council measure because it failed also to condemn violence by Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department.

And Bobby Brown used his get-out-of-jail-for-free card for the second time in a week. The R&B singer was jailed overnight for failure to pay child support to his ex-girlfriend. He paid the 63,000 he owed, but Brown is due back in family court this morning to explain how he'll pay the rest.

S. O'BRIEN: Ironically, of course, he was in front of a courthouse the other day -- or a jail the other day saying I'm never coming back here, and then the next day.

M. O'BRIEN: He's spending a little time in court these days...

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: ... in all sorts of jurisdictions.

S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely.

M. O'BRIEN: All right.

(WEATHER BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: The CIA is analyzing a new tape that is said to be the voice of al Qaeda's No. 2 man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The voice calls on Pakistanis to overthrow President Pervez Musharraf for siding with the U.S. in the war on terror. And it comes a week after Pakistani officials suggested that troops had cornered al Zawahiri.

Nic Robertson live for us in Islamabad this morning. Nic -- good morning.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, no official reaction yet from Pakistani government ministers on this latest message purporting to be from Ayman al- Zawahiri. The information minister, we understand, may address this in a press conference in the next hour, but all government ministers here are critically aware that this message strikes at the heart of their government.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Ayman al-Zawahiri, the man Pakistani officials thought a week ago they might have cornered on their border, is now believed to be on an audiotape calling for the overthrow of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The United States has told Musharraf to seek revenge from the border tribes, especially the honorable Pashtun tribes; that is, to defeat the grassroot efforts to support jihad against its crusader movement. So, we began by destroying houses, jailing many and killing people markets.

ROBERTSON: Not clear if he's referring to the current military operation in Waziristan, but for now, Pakistani officials declining comment pending analysis of the message.

In the face of broad tribal displeasure with artillery and helicopter gunship attacks, Pakistan's military has been toning down its offensive in favor of negotiations. However, recently discovered tunnels hint strongly that whatever high-value targets Pakistani authorities thought they may have cornered are now likely long gone, raising the question of Pakistan's ability to round up terror suspects.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once this operation culminates, only then we shall be able to say with a great deal of surety and finality as to who exactly we have in there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: The United States is relying on Pakistan to police up al Qaeda on their side of the Afghan-Pakistan border. So, failures here are likely be a cause for concern in Washington. But Pakistani officials really want President Bush and his administration to understand, Soledad, the pressures they're up against here.

S. O'BRIEN: Interesting. All right. We've got Nic Robertson this morning. Nic, thanks very much for that -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: A little closer to home. A portion of the main artery between New York and Boston is closed in both directions this morning. A tanker truck collided with a car last night in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The resulting fire did enough damage that the road could be closed for weeks. Reporter Susan Raff of our affiliate, WFSB, joining us now with an update -- Susan.

SUSAN RAFF, WFSB-TV, BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT: Miles, what you're looking at now are live pictures of the bridge. It's right near the fire truck. Just a few minutes ago, they removed that tanker truck.

And now the question is what they're going to do with the bridge and the money that they're going to need to repair it. They're going to talk about at some point of the day possibly opening or reopening one of the lanes, the northbound lane, so that they can get traffic in and out of here. Meanwhile, the governor is trying to get money to pay for all of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JOHN G. ROWLAND (R), CONNECTICUTL: I'm going to declare a state of emergency for Bridgeport in this area, which allows us to seek federal funds. The minimum is $3.5 million, but between the overtime, the police, the fire, and most importantly trying to secure the area to make it safe and then, of course, to do the work. The state of Connecticut will incur all of those costs.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Now, the governor tells us that they will foot the bill for the meantime. As they try to pay to repair this bridge, we are told that they're not going to be able to take the whole bridge down. In fact, they're going to part of it down.

The other immediate concern is trying to reroute traffic. This is one of the busiest stretches of highway in the country, handling about 125,000 cars and trucks a day. So, you can just imagine what it's like when both lanes of the highway are shut down. So, the big problem ahead today is trying to reroute traffic and try to get businesses in out and of here.

We're live in Bridgeport. Susan Raff for CNN.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, thanks to Susan and WFSB for that.

S. O'BRIEN: It certainly looks like a big mess and it's not going to end anytime soon.

M. O'BRIEN: We'll be talking about this one for a little while, I think.

S. O'BRIEN: I would think so.

All right, well, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, a who's who of powerful Democrats rally for John Kerry's run for the White House. Democratic Chairman Terry McCauliffe is going on join us in our next hour.

M. O'BRIEN: And don't fear. Outrageously raw comedian George Carlin is not -- we repeat not -- chilling out. He's got a new gig as Ben Affleck's dad. Mr. Carlin. Mr. Carlin. Boy, that sounds nice. It sounds so formal. He wants to be a movie star.

S. O'BRIEN: We sat down to talk about that with him and many other things.

And also this morning just ahead, a spectacular show from outer space. An amazing event you're not going to want to miss. Much more on AMERICAN MORNING just ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Now showing in the night sky a rare and spectacular event. Five planets all in a row ready for their close-up. The lineup of Mercury, Mars, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter is currently visible to stargazers everywhere.

Jack Horkheimer is executive director of the Miami Planetarium, and he joins us now from Miami to talk about all this.

If the moon were in the seventh house and Jupiter were lined with Mars, this would be the fifth dimension, right?

JACK HORKHEIMER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MIAMI PLANETARIUM: Yes, I remember that. I resemble that remark. I had it quite a few years ago.

M. O'BRIEN: OK. We have carbon-dated ourselves.

Let's talk a little bit about this. Of course, actually it would be six planets in a row if we could see ourselves, right?

HORKHEIMER: Correct.

M. O'BRIEN: I mean, we're in that line, right?

HORKHEIMER: Right, if you look down on the Earth, it is six planets. But these are the five naked-eye planets that have been seen by our species since the beginning of time. And they're the planets that keep moving among the stars. And that's why they're called planets, because they are the wanderers, and the word planet means the wanderers.

Well, all this weekend and throughout all next week we can see all five of the naked-eye planets at the same time. But you have to look within the first hour to hour and a half after sunset to get the most elusive planet to see. That's the planet Mercury, which is closest to the horizon.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, let's -- you know, let's...

HORKHEIMER: In the Western horizon.

M. O'BRIEN: Let's walk people -- we have a sky telescope put together, a nice schematic there, and in kind of the upper left portion of your screen is Jupiter. And then if you just kind of go the clock there, you go from Saturn to Mars to Venus.

HORKHEIMER: OK.

M. O'BRIEN: And then all the way down in the lower part is Mercury, and Mercury is the most difficult to get, right? It's difficult to see.

HORKHEIMER: That is the most difficult planet, because it's so close to the sun. It's only 3,000 miles wide. It's the pink iron planet. It's very close to the horizon. Look for it right after sunset toward the west. And look above it for Venus, which is absolutely dazzling and brilliant. As a matter of fact, many people mistake it for a UFO or the landing light of an airplane, and it will reach its bright in May. It's getting brighter every night.

Mars is just...

(CROSSTALK)

M. O'BRIEN: I just want to tell you, that's Venus if you could really see it up close.

HORKHEIMER: Oh, yes. Well, that -- yes, if you could strip the clouds away from it that's what we'd see.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

HORKHEIMER: It's not a very nice place, because it rains sulfuric acid and temperatures are 900 degrees Fahrenheit. And if you landed on it, you'd be squashed flatter than a pancake. It definitely is not where you'd want to take Toto and Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz."

M. O'BRIEN: Let's go back for a minute. I want to show that...

HORKHEIMER: Sure.

M. O'BRIEN: We ran into an image here. I just want to give proper credit where credit is due. The image we just saw before that from Andy Shake (ph) in the book, "A Man on the Moon," and the reason I show that is he shot that with just a regular Nikon Coolpix 995 and a series of images that he kind of stitched together here. This is a great opportunity for folks, if they're inclined, to do some of their own astronomical photography, if you will.

HORKHEIMER: Absolutely. And all you need is a very cheap department store telescope. And if you look at Saturn, which is right after sunset, it's the highest planet, almost close to overhead through even the cheapest department store telescope. Its rings are even better than in the picture.

M. O'BRIEN: But you won't see it like this. You won't see it like this.

HORKHEIMER: No, it will be even better. Well, actually the rings will look better, because they'll be tilted more wide open. And actually, I like looking through a small telescope better than the picture we just saw. Now, the bright planet over toward the east, and that is Jupiter, is the biggest planet of all, 88,000 miles wide. And, Miles, with a pair of binoculars you can actually watch its four little biggest moons. It has over two dozen moons. You can watch the four biggest moons as they orbit it every night and slowly shuttle back and forth.

But, you know, Miles, the fascinating thing about this -- and I'd like to use a piece of low tech here. The fascinating thing about this is that if you -- when you look at these planets, you start looking in the west at Mercury, then you go straight up the sky, over the top of the sky, down toward the east.

If you -- and remember that all of the planets orbit around the sun on a single plane. And we tend to think of us as kind of in a flat plane with all the planets. But actually, when you look at the planets you can draw an imaginary line from Mercury all the way across the sky to Jupiter,. That is the ecliptic, the path of the planets. And we're part of that path, and you can see that it's actually tilted like this.

So, you can get a sense of being of almost vertigo while standing on Earth, and we are swirling around the sun on that same plane of orbit-like discs. I've drawn Mercury here, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. This is very, very low tech, compliments of paper plates.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, right next to Jupiter is a potato salad. Very quickly, though. You have just, what, a couple weeks to see this. And if you miss it, it's not until 2036, right?

HORKHEIMER: That is right to see it in the night sky. I suggest that if you don't have a telescope, go to your nearest astronomy club or a local museum or a planetarium this weekend and the next weekend, because people will be having their telescopes out begging to you come and look at them for free, because amateur astronomers love to have people look through their telescopes. So, this is a good chance to take your kids to a planetarium or an observatory or an astronomy club and turn them on to the universe. This is so instructive and so beautiful.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. I know of one planetarium in Miami they might want to visit. Jack Horkheimer happens to be the executive director of it. Give us your sig-out, please.

HORKHEIMER: Well, Miles, as always, keep looking up.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Take care. Good to see you.

HORKHEIMER: My pleasure.

M. O'BRIEN: Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, comedian George Carlin. Of course, he is known for his colorful language. He is showing now, though, another softer side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE CARLIN, COMEDIAN/ACTOR: Someone then would say to me, you know, why this suddenly? Are you trying -- are you mellowing? I hate that word actually. I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, are you mellowing? And he said I've always been mellow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: We're going to hear more from my conversation with him about him as a comic genius and find out about his new gig. That's just ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues. Stay with us.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARLIN: You're on your own with the kid today.

BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR: What am I supposed to do with her?

CARLIN: Try acting like a father.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: George Carlin plays a key role in the new Ben Affleck movie, "Jersey Girl." The legendary comedian, better known for his rants, is getting some raves for his performance. It's been 30 years since Carlin felt success with seven words that you couldn't say on television back then. You still can't, but it's taken George Carlin from class clown to comic giant.

I asked him about "Jersey Girl," working again with director Kevin Smith, and also why the part appealed to him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARLIN: He wrote the part for me, is the way he put. I had your voice in my head when I wrote this part.

AFFLECK: What?

CARLIN: When are you going to take the kid to see the cats?

AFFLECK: You, too? Girdy. Do you even know what cats is, dad?

CARLIN: What, I don't read the papers?

S. O'BRIEN: You play this grandfather.

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Loving, sweet, a little crotchety.

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: But basically a heart of gold kind of guy. CARLIN: Sure.

S. O'BRIEN: And I wonder, you know, and then in your act often I think you come across as angry.

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Which is the real you?

CARLIN: Well...

S. O'BRIEN: And are you trying to change that image?

CARLIN: No, no. No, you -- it's just that when I did the children's show on PBS, shining times station and played Mr. Conductor, which now goes back to the early '90s when I did them, someone then would say to me, well, why this suddenly? Are you trying -- are you mellowing? I hate that word actually. I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, are you mellowing? And he said I've always been mellow. And I...

S. O'BRIEN: Now shut up!

CARLIN: Yes. But, no, my show has confrontational comedy in it because these ideas are things that not everyone agrees with, and I like to be strident and state when I think. Plus, it's a big theater. You intensify things. You know, you theatricalize. It's a performance.

The Germans are the only ones, and the only reason for that is because they were trying to cut in on our action! They wanted to dominate world! Bull (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job! That's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job!

S. O'BRIEN: Does it surprise that the FCC is cracking down again on indecency at all?

CARLIN: Not really, because...

S. O'BRIEN: Thirty years, though, after your...

CARLIN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: ... you know, seven words.

CARLIN: Well, there have been a few blips along the way. Every now and then someone goes (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And then they go back to sleep for a while. But two things that are driving it, one is the big one. The fact that it's an election year, and as anyone who follows politics has heard, the Bush folks feel they have to secure that right wing and get them not just voting for him, which they would anyway, but energize. So, that they work the polls and the precincts and they drive people to the polls, and they do the things that help you win elections. So, to get those people excited, they throw them red meat.

Gay marriage fell in their lap. You know, the supreme court in Massachusetts dropped that in their lap. And then there is the FCC. You know, they say, why don't you get Janet Jackson? That's not very wholesome, not very family-like. Of course, there was a four-hour penis erection joke -- not joke -- commercial in that same halftime. No one really bothered the FCC about that. But that's the way it is in life in.

But the commercials, it's because of commercialism. It's because they have to sell things that they have to worry about censorship, because -- and they're going to offend somebody. You know, That's why HBO or a premium channel doesn't have to worry about it, because they're not selling baby food and biscuits and tires and stuff.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: George Carlin's new book, due out in the fall, is a classic Carlin and equal opportunity offender. It's called "When Will Jesus Bring the Porkchops?" -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: That sounds like worthwhile reading.

All right, still to come on the program, is there a change of heart at the White House? We'll hear about National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice's latest request to the 9/11 panel. Stay with us. AMERICAN MORNING rolls on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, a key piece of evidence comes under scrutiny at the manslaughter trial of former NBA star Jayson Williams. All of the details on that just ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.

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