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American Morning
Zawahiri Speaks?; Kerry Back in Campaign Mode; Michael Jackson Grand Jury
Aired March 26, 2004 - 9:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our party has a new leader. We know we're going in the wrong direction. He knows what to do to turn it around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Senator John Kerry taking the reins of power in the Democratic Party. Today, he'll make his pitch to create 10 million jobs in the U.S.
The traffic accident that was so bad it melted an overpass and caused an official state of emergency.
And a request in the Kobe Bryant case from the victim's family. Could it force the judge to reconsider the trial's schedule?
Those stories are all ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
O'BRIEN: And good morning. Welcome, everybody. Bill Hemmer has the day off, but Miles O'Brien is sitting him -- sitting in for him.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Somewhere, yes. I'm the only one here. Actually, you are the only regular here today.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. I'm happy to be...
M. O'BRIEN: You're doing a fine job.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you. You know, anything I can do for the teams, Miles, as you well know.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Other stories we're following for you this morning:
Two very different offensives being used in Pakistan, as the country's army tries to bring down some al Qaeda leaders. Well, one of al Qaeda's leaders is apparently going after Pakistan's president very vocally. We'll look at the latest purported terrorist message.
S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, we're looking at the Michael Jackson case with retired L.A. detective Bill Dworin. He was the lead investigator back in 1993, when Jackson was accused of child molestation. We'll take a look at the evidence against Jackson then and then, of course, compare it to what the police say they have now.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. In the absence of Jack Cafferty, we will try to soldier on as best we can.
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, I don't know how we'll do it.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's do the headlines in the meantime.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. I'll get right to it.
Connecticut Governor John Rowland is urging travelers to avoid a stretch of Interstate 95. This, after a tanker carrying about 12,000 gallons of oil exploded. The crash blocked lanes in both directions, destroyed an overpass in Bridgeport. Traffic is now being diverted to alternate routes.
Meanwhile, these was another accident this morning on a road that was earmarked as a detour. These are pictures of an overturned truck. Connecticut's governor is set to hold another news conference in the next half-hour to update everyone on the situation there.
The House has now approved a $2.4 trillion budget next year. The budget blueprint is similar to the request that President Bush had sent to Capitol Hill. The House of Representatives will now have to work out a compromised version with the Senate, which passed its budget outline about two weeks ago. Lawmakers are expected to meet next week.
A Colorado judge is being asked to set a trial date soon in the Kobe Bryant case. The attorney for the woman who is accusing Bryant of sexual assault has filed that motion on her behalf. It includes a letter from the accuser's mother saying that the 19-year-old's life is on hold; her safety is at risk until the case is over. We're going to take you live to Eagle, Colorado, in just a moment.
In Los Angeles, a children's march to protest opposed state budget cuts. About 1,000 preschoolers, and children's advocates as well, took to the streets yesterday in a three-block march that ended with a rally on the steps of city hall. They were protesting cost cuts that could hit education and health and child care programs.
And in Nicaragua, fistfights broke out in Congress, believe it or not, apparently over judicial reform law. The brawling was seen yesterday on national TV. It also left two congressmen with a black eye.
A judge who was observing the session reported injuries to her took. Said $500, in addition to all that, was stolen out of her purse. The lawmakers suspended their session for the day because of the fighting.
That's out of control.
M. O'BRIEN: That's democracy in action, I guess. It's one way to do it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
M. O'BRIEN: The CIA is analyzing a new tape said to be the voice of al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The voice calls on Pakistanis to overthrow President Pervez Musharraf for siding with the U.S. on the war on terror. And it comes a week after Pakistani officials suggested troops had actually cornered al-Zawahiri.
Nic Robertson live in Islamabad with more on all of this.
Good morning, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: God morning, Miles.
Well that operation, where Pakistani officials thought they might have had Ayman al-Zawahiri holed up on the border with Afghanistan, is still ongoing. It's stagnating in a standoff with negotiations to get the release of a number of government troops and government officials who are held prisoner there. But the issue of the latest statement by Ayman al-Zawahiri, or the statement purporting to be from him, strikes right at heart of this government here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Ayman al-Zawahiri, the man Pakistani officials thought a week ago they might have holed up on their border, is now believed to be on an audiotape calling for the overthrow of President Pervez Musharraf.
AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI, AL QAEDA (through translator): Every Muslim in Pakistan must do his or her best to get rid of this government which cooperates with the enemy. This government will continue to surrender to the Americans until it destroys Pakistan.
ROBERTSON: Not clear if the recording was made since Pakistan's army began its military offensive in the tribal region of Waziristan a week and a half ago. But the message seems intent to build local resistance against the military operation.
AL-ZAWAHIRI (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 crusade movement. So he began by destroying houses, jailing many, and killing people in markets.
ROBERTSON: As the Pakistani offensive has fizzled into stalled negotiations, newly discovered tunnels hint whatever high-value targets may have been holed up in the border region have escaped. Anti-government protests, particularly in the intensely independent tribal regions near the Afghan border, have been picking up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: And it is in this potentially troubled atmosphere that Ayman al-Zawahiri's message plays. It's likely he may find some support in the tribal regions, where the Pakistani's military offensive is under way. He may make it even harder for the army to do their job to find these foreign fighters in al Qaeda. But it seems unlikely at this stage, from everything we hear, that it's likely to undermine President Musharraf, the Pakistani president's resolve to continue to support war on terrorism -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Nic, on that point, President Musharraf runs the risk of creating an awful lot of enemies among these tribal leaders in that region. I assume we're watching that one closely now.
ROBERTSON: We are, principally for that reason exactly. That if he doesn't play this right -- and it's interesting watching what's happening in Waziristan for the last week and a half. The army went in hard. They went in with artillery, with attack helicopters. That has meant -- that they met with stiff resistance, but they also met with an outcry not only from tribal leaders but from around the country.
There were a number of demonstration around Pakistan and different cities. Not big, but indications that people are not happy with the way the army went about that operation. So President Musharraf has to play those military operations perhaps a little more softly. And that seems to be the track he's on at this time -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: It's quite a tightrope. Nic Robertson, live in Islamabad, thank you very much -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Pregnant with expectations of winning the White House in September, Democrats, you might say, are in a family way. Party unity was on display last night at a fund-raiser that featured a who's who of Democratic luminaries, and they came to support their presumptive nominee, Senator John Kerry, who, as CNN's Kelly Wallace tells us, is getting back into campaign mode.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an effort to help define himself for voters, today John Kerry delivers what aides say will be a major speech on jobs, setting a goal of creating 10 million new jobs during the first four years of his presidency.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me tell you that is one thing that we know how to do. We know how to create jobs. With President Clinton and Al Gore, and the remarkable economic team they had leading this country, we not only created those 23 million new jobs, we turned vast budget deficits into record surpluses for America.
WALLACE: Kerry spoke at last night's Democratic Party dinner which featured former presidents, a former vice president, and most of this year's presidential candidates. The body language shows there may still be differences, but the goal, trying to put those aside to win back the White House. AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I didn't support John Kerry. President Carter didn't support John Kerry. President Clinton didn't support John Kerry. Terry McAuliffe didn't support John Kerry in the primaries. John Kerry earned the nomination of this party! He won it the hard way!
WALLACE: And this from the country's most popular Democrat...
CLINTON: I ask you to look at John Kerry tonight and say to him what he has said to us his entire adult life, send me.
WALLACE: But concerns remain that, despite the unity, there is a third party candidate, Ralph Nader, to contend with once again.
JAMES CARTER, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ralph, go back to umpiring softball games or examining the rear end of automobiles, and don't risk costing the Democrats a White House this year, as you did four years ago.
WALLACE (on camera): Kerry's immediate challenge, raising cash. His campaign trailing the Bush team by more than $100 million. This dinner, a start, bringing in what Democratic officials say was a record more than $11 million for the Democratic Party.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: President Bush leaves the controversy over terrorism in the 9/11 Commission behind today as he travels to the Southwest to discuss the economy. The visits to Albuquerque and Phoenix are designed to counter Democratic charges that Mr. Bush's agenda has not created enough jobs during an economic recovery.
Republican National Committee communications director, Jim Dyke, is in Washington, D.C. this morning.
Nice to see you, Jim. Thanks for being with us.
JIM DYKE, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Nice to see you.
S. O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about some of the fallout from the Richard Clarke controversy. First, an op-ed from The New York Times, let me read a little bit of what it had to say. "The real impression that was gleaned from the hearings is not that the Bush administration was indifferent to the threat of terror, but that its officials had trouble fully understanding it."
What do you think of their assessment? Is it wrong?
DYKE: Well, Dick Clarke is now saying things different that he's selling a book than he was when he was actually in the administration. And moveon.org is now running ads with Dick Clarke in them that I assume they think will benefit Senator Kerry. So there seems to be a swirl around that. But, look, the important thing here is to be having an debate about the approach to terrorism. The president has been very clear that he is going to take an aggressive approach to terrorism, an approach that was ridiculed by Democrats during their primary, if you remember. They thought the Patriot Act was going a step too far.
Senator Kerry -- President Clinton described it last night. I thought that it was interesting. He described, well, Senator Kerry's vote for body armor for troops, his vote against for upping Humvees, his against funding $87 billion for troops was a protest vote. So that makes it OK.
We need leadership. We've got big choices; big decisions have to be made this.
This president is making the big decisions. He's takings us on a different path in the time since he came into office, and after 9/11, as opposed to the eight years of approach after the first World Trade Center bombing and the bombs of the USS Cole and the bombing of Khobar Towers.
This is a different approach by a different administration. And I think that's the debate we need to be having.
S. O'BRIEN: And I understand that you want to change the focus to talk about that approach. But I want to first ask you a question about the fallout.
If you look at some of the polls, the polls seem to show that the president leads Senator Kerry on terrorism, 60 to 33 percent; leads on Iraq, 54 to 39 percent; leads on world affairs, 50 to 42 percent. But another poll shows that only 10 percent of the population -- polled, that is -- had heard nothing about Clarke's books and his claims. Are you concerned about the large number of people, 42 percent, said that they actually were very aware what Richard Clarke was claiming?
DYKE: Not at all. Actually, if you look at what Richard Clarke has been claiming, he's been claiming different things. He said one thing in 2002, he says another thing today.
He's put out different versions of the president's approach. He wrote a letter to the president saying he was doing a fine job. He had a background briefing saying the president was doing a fine job.
Look, the political season is here. And Dick Clarke is more that than welcome to participate in it, as other Americans are.
And so I think the American people will judge based on what the president's actually done, and steps that he's taken to protect our country, fight the world terrorism in Baghdad and Kabul instead of Boston and Kansas. I think that is the context that people will make their decisions on.
S. O'BRIEN: Forgive me for interrupting you there for a moment. Condoleezza Rice has said that she is willing to go before the commission again, but not in public. Why not just go before public and answer the questions that many of these families of the 9/11 victims would like to hear answered?
DYKE: Well, there's constitutional issues there. And the White House has made that clear, and Dr. Rice has made that clear. She's been in front of the panel already for, I think, for hours. And she's willing to go back.
And I think the panel should stay focused on finding out what we knew before 9/11, going back eight years, whether a law enforcement approach during the '90s that the Clinton administration took was a strong enough approach to terrorism. The president said after -- or prior to 9/11, when he came into office, he didn't want to swat at flies anymore.
These are all important things. The commission should get to the bottom of that. And I don't know whether it's a public or private testimony. I think the facts are what are important.
S. O'BRIEN: Many critics would say those constitutional issues, as you call them, actually don't apply, because certainly Dr. Rice has been on every single TV show in the nation practically, has been talking to reporters constantly since the 9/11 Commission. Words have been coming out. So, again, why not come forward and say what she said to the press in public?
DYKE: Well, again, she said what she said in public. And I think there are constitutional issues. I guess that's why you call them critics, because it's a difference of opinion.
But the important choice for Americans to make here is the approach to fighting the war on terror. And that's what they will consider when they vote next fall, and that's what they want to hear about.
They want to know whether Senator Kerry's approach is one that would make us safer. We believe that President Bush's approach would make us safer. We don't believe that Senator Kerry's votes again the Apache helicopter, the Black Hawk helicopter, a $1.5 billion cut in intelligence that he proposed in the '90s -- you know, last night at their unity dinner, he said Democrats should be proud for putting the tools in place for us to fight the war today.
If Senator Kerry's votes that he put forward in the 1990s had won out, these important systems wouldn't be in place today. We wouldn't have the intelligence funding levels that we had prior to 9/11. We would have had a harder start addressing the problems of terrorism in a post-9/11 world.
S. O'BRIEN: Jim Dyke is the RNC communications director.
Nice to see you, Jim. Thanks for joining us this morning.
DYKE: Thanks for having me.
S. O'BRIEN: Miles?
M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program: some defendants who won hundreds of millions of dollars in court but ended up with practically nothing. We'll tell you where the money went.
S. O'BRIEN: Also, the Michael Jackson case appears to following a path similar to what happened a decade ago. We're going to hear from the lead investigator in the 1993 Jackson case.
M. O'BRIEN: And after watching "The Passion of the Christ," one man makes a startling confession. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Prosecutors in Santa Barbara, California, are now selecting a grand jury in the Michael Jackson child molestation case. The panel of 19 jurors will hear testimony and determine if there is enough evidence against Jackson to go to trial.
Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, I spoke to Bill Dworin. He is a retired LAPD detective who was the lead investigator in 1993, when similar charges were made against Jackson. And I asked him if after that 1993 investigation he believed that Michael Jackson was a threat to children.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL DWORIN, RETIRED LAPD DETECTIVE: I felt that based upon the investigations and the statements from the alleged victim in 1993, and Jackson's own statements that he was, in fact, a threat and continues to be a threat to children.
S. O'BRIEN: How much of your case, in fact, relied on that alleged victim in the case? And what was he telling you that led you to believe that he was a threat to all children?
DWORIN: Well, the way Mr. Jackson seduces children, his activities with children, the statements that the boy gave us, the reliability, the credibility of his statements, and the fact that we obtained physical evidence to corroborate some of the things he said, led me to believe that Jackson did sexually abuse him.
S. O'BRIEN: And yet, at the same time, the prosecution seemed to always want more from you, sort of a smoking gun. Do you think that was because the case was weak or because Michael Jackson's a celebrity, and they wanted more evidence?
DWORIN: Well, personally, I felt it was a strong case. I don't know what the prosecutors wanted. They wanted more. We could not show them anymore, and they decided not to prosecute.
S. O'BRIEN: In 1993, the case was abandoned because there was a financial settlement that was rumored to be somewhere between $15 and $20 million to the young man's family and the young man himself. Did that surprise you? Did you think you had essentially an open-and-shut case against Michael Jackson at that time?
DWORIN: It's hard to say. You never know how a jury would react. But we felt we had a strong case. And unfortunately, there was a civil settlement and other case went by the side. S. O'BRIEN: Is there anything from that case that you think is relevant in the molestation charges that have now been brought against Michael Jackson?
DWORIN: It's very possible that they can bring the 1993 victim in to testify to show a pattern of seduction, to show that the same things occurred in 1993 are occurring today.
S. O'BRIEN: Did you find him, at time when you talked to him -- and, of course, we're talking awhile ago -- did you find him to be a credible and strong witness, and would you assume he'd be the same way now?
DWORIN: I believe he'll be the same as he was in 1993. And he was a very strong and credible witness.
S. O'BRIEN: The grand jury hearings are being held four months after the charges were filed. I mean, that seems a little bit unusual to me. Is that unusual in California?
DWORIN: It's hard to say. The grand jury will be a substitute for a preliminary hearing. This will allow the witnesses to testify before a grand jury and not be cross-examined. It would be easier for the children to testify this way and easier for the prosecution to present the case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: That was retired LAPD detective Bill Dworing, saying that the young man from the case back in 1993 could actually testify in this current case -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program: Kobe Bryant's accuser says she faces death threats. And now her family begs a judge for help. We'll have a live report from Colorado.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: The family of the 19-year-old woman accusing Kobe Bryant of sexual assault says they are constantly worried about her safety. They're asking the judge for some action on setting a trial date.
KOA radio reporter Alex Stone has been following this case in Eagle, Colorado. He joins us now with details.
Alex, good to have you with us.
ALEX STONE, KOA: Thanks, Miles. Good to be here.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's read a little excerpt from this letter so people can get the gist of this. This comes from the victim's mother. "We are constantly worried about her safety. My daughter has lived in four different states in the past six months. She is followed everywhere by the defense and the media. Her safety is at risk, and she has to move again."
You can't help but feel for the woman, regardless of the merits of this case one way or another. I guess the question is, is the judge dragging his feet in this case?
STONE: Well, the judge really has no choice at this point, Miles, because it is a small courthouse. The Eagle County Courthouse only has three courtrooms in it. And the court is saying, we can't go any faster right now because there are other cases they're dealing with at this courthouse.
The judge has other obligations, other cases that he's got to take care of. So they're saying, we're going as fast as we can. So speeding it up looks like, at least at this point, it would be tough to do. But if they have to do it, they'll have to do it.
But in this motion that was filed yesterday, and the letter from the mother, they're saying, please, judge, pleading with the judge, find a way to speed this up. Because the mother is saying, my daughter is going through pretty much hell right now in her life.
M. O'BRIEN: So, really, it is the logistical issue of just having three courtrooms. Surely, there's a way to put this in the carpool lane, if you will, a fast track, if the judge were so inclined.
STONE: Yes. A fast track. And we understand that there are big sections in the calendar that are open for trials, incase trials do come in, where they leave them open, understanding that there are unforeseen trials that come up in cases that need to be sped through.
So hopefully, if they do have to speed this up in some way, they can put it into one of those slots. But we're looking at a lot of motions hearings that still need to be heard in this case before a trial could ever come up. So they would need probably weeks to fit all of these in. There are so many motions being filed in this case right now.
M. O'BRIEN: Now, our Constitution guarantees defendants the right to a speedy trial. It doesn't say anything about victims getting a speedy trial. Is this unprecedented or just unusual?
STONE: This is unusual to see a filing, and especially a filing from the victim's personal attorney in the case, not from the prosecution, not from the defense, but the personal attorney. Under Colorado's Victim Rights Act, she, too, has a right to have her feelings heard, to go as fast as they can, if that's what she wants.
So the judge will have to look at this. We understand because the judge was in the courtroom all day yesterday, he may not have seen this motion until late last night. So we'll wait to get some word from him on if he's going to react on it and if he can speed it up at all.
M. O'BRIEN: Alex Stone is with KOA Radio. Thank you very much for being with us. Appreciate it.
STONE: Thanks, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Soledad?
S. O'BRIEN: It would be interesting to hear how much weight a family's plea would actually have.
M. O'BRIEN: Well, you know, there's the legal matter, and then there's just the human matter here, you know, and whether there's a way of expediting things when you've got somebody...
S. O'BRIEN: And does the judge says, OK, let's move on, or do they say, love to help you but can't. Interesting question.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Bill Hemmer is off today. Miles O'Brien is filling in for him.
Nice to have you.
M. O'BRIEN: It's great to be here.
In a few minutes, a new threat to Pakistan's government apparently coming from al Qaeda. It's a new audiotape. The question is, is it authentic? We'll talk to a man well familiar with the higher-ups of al Qaeda in just a few moments.
S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, the guy that turned standards for decency into his most popular comedy routine: George Carlin. Our conversation with him on the current state of television, plus his big break in the world of film.
M. O'BRIEN: It's funny; my kids know him as a conductor in a train station.
S. O'BRIEN: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: So he's morphed, hasn't he?
S. O'BRIEN: He has said his average age of his fans is down to 15...
M. O'BRIEN: Months.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, 15 months (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He's a great guy.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. All right. We'll look forward to hearing from him. Let's check the news.
National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is formally asking for another private meeting with the 9/11 Commission. The White House counsel sent commission members a letter on behalf of Dr. Rice asking to clear up some things. The request comes after she was criticized in public by former counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke.
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 California man accused of killing nine of his own family members remains in prison. Marcus Wesson pleaded not guilty to nine charges of first-degree murder at his arraignment yesterday. Two previous attempts to arraign Wesson had to be postponed. Wesson has been in isolation because authorities they received a tip that he might order surviving family members to commit suicide.
In Arizona, a retired Catholic bishop finds out today whether he'll get jail time at his sentencing hearing. Retired Bishop Thomas O'Brien was convicted last month of leaving the scene of an accident that killed a pedestrian. O'Brien testified he didn't realize he had hit someone. Prosecutors are asking for him to get six months in jail and four years of supervised probation.
And the Statue of Liberty, which has been closed to visitors since 9/11, will soon open again. Park officials told Congress yesterday the Statue of Liberty's reopening is really imminent. But they wouldn't be more specific than that. So if you're a tourist, just stay tuned.
S. O'BRIEN: Right. The official word, "really," really soon.
M. O'BRIEN: Really, really soon, yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: The CIA is analyzing a new tape that is said to be the voice of al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The speaker on the tape calls Pakistanis to rise up against their president, Pervez Musharraf.
So the question now, is the tape authentic? We turn to CNN terrorism and national security analyst Ken Robinson, live in Dallas for us this morning.
Ken, as always, nice to see you. Thanks for being with us. Do you think it is Zawahiri on this tape?
KEN ROBINSON, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: You know, our sources who have interviewed him before in person say that the voice on the tape is very similar to his. And several of them believe it is him, as well the syntax, the verbiage that he uses, the flowery language, the Koranic verses, et cetera, all are very similar to his tapes he's given in the past. S. O'BRIEN: When are the expectations that this tape was made?
ROBINSON: Analysis says -- on our end says it's probably taken him about three weeks from the time he produces a tape to the time it's disseminated through couriers. In this tape which was just released, it does refer to the military operations going on in southern Waziristan, but it doesn't specifically time-date the actual combat which has been going on for the past week, which was first broken by Aaron Brown with the interview of President Musharraf in Pakistan.
S. O'BRIEN: On the tape, he asked for Pakistanis to resist the troops. What do you think the actual impact of that request will be?
ROBINSON: We asked that while we were in Pakistan about what type of influence Zawahiri actually had with the population in Pakistan. And locals there told us that he wasn't as well known as Osama bin Laden. They thought that there may be some influence in the tribal areas, but that they felt that more likely, in the urban areas, the opposition groups to President Musharraf might try to exploit this and might try to exploit with demonstrations, especially this afternoon after the call to prayer, the Friday prayer.
S. O'BRIEN: When last you and I spoke, it sound as if al- Zawahiri had actually been surrounded by the Pakistani troops. What actually is going on in that situation now? Has everyone backed away from the thought that it is al-Zawahiri who is surrounded? I know the fighting goes on. Who's inside?
ROBINSON: Well, to be very accurate, President Musharraf, when he spoke with Aaron Brown, said that he could not identify exactly who it was. Although, he was late coming to our interview because he was receiving updates from his commanders, and they specifically said they felt it was a very high-value target. Other sources have told us -- in Pakistani intelligence -- that they believed it was Ayman al- Zawahiri.
As we have reported now, there's been a discovery of a tunnel approximately one mile long which leads from two brothers' homes, Mohammed brothers, down a tunnel to a cave, and then out approximately a mile toward the Afghanistan border outside the cordoned area. So there's a possibility that whoever was high value may have used that to escape in the night. There's a strong tradition in negotiations in these tribal areas for lulls (ph) in fire, and discussions between forces, which is what's been going on right now between the army trying to negotiate with the renegade tribal leaders who have been protecting these Arab foreign fighters.
S. O'BRIEN: Ken Robinson is a CNN terrorism and national security analyst joining us morning.
Ken, thanks. As always, nice to see you.
ROBINSON: Thanks.
S. O'BRIEN: Miles? M. O'BRIEN: In Houston, a man was prompted to confess to murder after watching "The Passion of the Christ." Daniel Leach has been indicted on murder charges in the January death of his girlfriend that was originally ruled a suicide. But after viewing the film about the death of Jesus and discussing it with a religious adviser, Leach confessed to authorities.
This is what the man's minister had to say...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. DARRELL POWELL, SUSPECT'S MINISTER: He was obviously disturbed, greatly, for his actions and what he had done, and asked for the prayers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: Now, Leach faces up to life in prison if convicted.
S. O'BRIEN: Still to come, George Carlin talks to us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE CARLIN, COMEDIAN: Someone then would say to me, "Well, why -- you know, why this suddenly? Are you mellowing?"
I hate that word. I say -- I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, "Are you mellowing?" He said, "I've always been mellow."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: I don't know. He seems like he's mellowing to me. We've got the very latest from the man who is famous for those seven words you can't say on TV.
M. O'BRIEN: You said them all, though, right? No, we don't do that here.
And speaking of pushing the envelope, the material mom is mad. Why singer Madonna is suing a music giant near and dear to our paychecks.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "JERSEY GIRL")
CARLIN, "JERSEY GIRL": You're on your own with the kid today.
BEN AFFLECK, "JERSEY GIRL": What am I supposed to do with him?
CARLIN: Try acting like a father.
(END VIDEO CLIP) S. O'BRIEN: George Carlin plays a key role in the new Ben Affleck movie. It's called "Jersey Girl." The legendary comedian, better known for his rants, is getting some raves for his performance.
It's been 30 years since Carlin spelled success with seven words you couldn't say on TV then -- and 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 -- as the way he put it, "I had your voice in my head when I wrote this part."
CARLIN, "JERSEY GIRL": What? When are you going to take the kid to see the "Cats"?
AFFLECK, "JERSEY GIRL": You, too? Girty (ph)? Do you know even know what "Cats" is, dad?
CARLIN: Come on, I don't read the papers?
S. O'BRIEN: You play this grandfather.
CARLIN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Loving, sweet, a little crotchety, 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? And are you trying to change that image?
CARLIN: No, no. It's just that when I did the children's show on PBS, "Shining Time 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 -- you know, why this, suddenly? Are you mellowing?"
I hate that word. I say -- I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, "Are you mellowing?" He said, "I've always been mellow."
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 -- plus it's a big theater, and you intensify things, you theatricalize. It's a performance. CARLIN, "WAR": The Germans are the only ones. And the only reason for that is they were trying to cut in on our action. They wanted to dominate the world. (EXPLETIVE DELETED). That's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job! That's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job!
S. O'BRIEN: Does it surprise you that the FCC is crack down again on indecency at all?
CARLIN: Not really, because...
S. O'BRIEN: Thirty years, though, after your seven words you can't say.
CARLIN: Yes. Well, there have been a few blips long the way. Every now and then, somebody goes argh. And then they go back to sleep for awhile.
But the two things driving it, one is the biggie, 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 energized, 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 the FCC, you know, said, 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 half-time. No one really bothered the FCC about that.
But that's the way it is in life. But commercials, it's because of commercialism. It's because they have to sell things that they have to worry about censorship. Because they're going to offend somebody. You know, that's why on 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 classic Carlin. An equal opportunity offender, some say. It's called "When will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?"
Miles?
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Should we do the words now?
S. O'BRIEN: No.
M. O'BRIEN: No. Let's not.
S. O'BRIEN: Not now.
M. O'BRIEN: We have mouths to feed.
All right. Still to come, the Tyco trial. Jurors head back to the same room where a battle broke out yesterday. Can they avoid a mistrial?
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: High drama inside the Tyco jury deliberations. And why is Madonna suing Time Warner? Christine Romans is here for some business; Andy Serwer not.
That Tyco jury hung like a shower curtain, no?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Another very big day. The judge and the jury in that Tyco have a very big job.
The judge sent the jurors home last night with orders to relax. And now they enter day seven of deliberations on the fraud and larceny trial of two former Tyco executives.
The jury yesterday sent three notes to the judge, saying the atmosphere of the deliberations, poisonous. One juror had stopped deliberating in good faith, and then that juror, presumably, sent a note saying that he or she was being persecuted.
The judge then said "no" to a mistrial. The parties are all back in lower Manhattan again today to try to work this out.
You guys, this trial is six months long. It's one of the largest corporate corruption trials in U.S. history. Perhaps it's best known for that infamous $6,000 shower curtain. But this is a very important business case.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk a little bit about Madonna. What is she after? And why are these artists always suing their record labels? What's that deal on that?
ROMANS: This is a longstanding dispute. Madonna's record company is suing Warner Music for breach of contract, for accounting improprieties. About $200 million in damages sustained by she and her partners.
Warner issued a statement distancing itself in the dispute from its deep respect for the singer. They have a very longstanding relationship back to 1984. She says that Warner Music and her partners -- Warner Music did not treat she and her partners fairly and that there was funny business in the books, and that she wants to end that relationship.
M. O'BRIEN: But they still respect her, deeply?
ROMANS: But Warner Music still deeply respects Madonna and her talent.
S. O'BRIEN: And that's all part of Time Warner, which is our parent company, which we should mention.
ROMANS: Indeed, it is.
M. O'BRIEN: A little full disclosure there.
All right. Let's talk about the markets.
ROMANS: Quickly, on the markets, the markets mixed so far today. The Dow is down.
Remember, it was a very big day yesterday. So a little bit of giveback, hardly any right now, down about four points.
M. O'BRIEN: Christine Romans.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Christine.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
S. O'BRIEN: Have a nice weekend. It's been nice having you.
ROMANS: Thank you very much.
S. O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.
Time now for our weekly segment that we like to call "Extra Effort." We are looking at people who have gone the extra mile to help somebody in spite of great personal risk to themselves.
Veronique Moore left a successful career in radio broadcasting to advocate for the homeless at the Next Door Homeless Shelter in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Here's her story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN (voice-over): Veronique Moore had it all: a popular Chicago radio show, a six figure salary, a million listeners. And it was more than she could handle at the age of 24.
VERONIQUE MOORE, HOMELESS SHELTER DIRECTOR: At the radio station, we would have to do like club gigs. So every night I was in the clubs and drinking free for like a few hours. And sometimes by the time that I did get up on the stage, I could barely stand up.
I was drinking every day. And then I would start to get real shaky in the morning. And intuitively, I knew that another drink would fix that.
S. O'BRIEN: Drinking led to free-basing cocaine and eventually a life on the streets of Chicago, Kentucky and Denver over the next 10 years.
MOORE: When night would fall, I'd start shaking because anything could happen. I mean, I did sleep out in the parks. I was beaten up, I was raped, robbed.
S. O'BRIEN: Moore eventually found her way back home to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and to the Next Door Homeless Shelter for Women.
MOORE: I had been through every shelter here. And this was -- I guess you could say it was my last hope, because I had planned say good-bye to everybody, go back to Denver, and just drink myself to death, just be done with it.
S. O'BRIEN: The care she received at shelter helped her rebuild her life and her career, but she found it wasn't enough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to be working at McDonald's.
MOORE: All right.
O'BRIEN: Today, Moore is the director of the Next Door Shelter. She drives homeless women to court appearances, shops for their groceries, helps them find jobs, and takes them to 12-step meetings.
MOORE: I think somewhere in my prayers I asked for kids, and god gave me these women.
Dear lord, thank you for allowing us to be together, old guests, new guests.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm glad I met Veronique. You know? Because she made me feel like family, that I was somebody, that I could do it.
MOORE: You know, my life I didn't feel was worthwhile for a long time, and that's what I try to tell them. I know what they're going through, you know? And so if I can inspire one person, just to say, you know, you're worth it, when, for 20 years, they've been told that they weren't.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: A truly remarkable woman. Veronique Moore has been named as one of the nation's top nine heroes out of 3,000 in the Volvo for Life Awards Program. She's going to get $10,000 for her shelter. So really a great cause to send money to.
Good for her. Wow, what a remarkable story.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, $10,000? She deserves a lot more. That's great work she's doing.
S. O'BRIEN: No question. Nice story.
Coming up this morning on CNN, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon speaks out about a cause close to his heart. It has nothing to do with racing cars. We're going to take a look at that coming up in the next hour with Daryn Kagan on "CNN LIVE TODAY."
AMERICAN MORNING is back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: That's it. Parting is such sweet sorrow -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Somehow we'll get by.
S. O'BRIEN: Thanks for helping us out today. We certainly appreciate it.
M. O'BRIEN: It's a great pleasure. Yes, I'm on a train to Washington now.
S. O'BRIEN: Are you?
M. O'BRIEN: To do Wolf's show.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, good for you.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. That might be some kind of anchor -- well, probably not. Wolf has probably done that before many times.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. You know, Wolf has actually beaten that record, I'm sure.
But Daryn Kagan, maybe she's beaten it, too. She's done a lot of travel.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, she has.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'm going to beat Miles today.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, really?
KAGAN: I'm the 10:00 anchor -- 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. I'll be doing...
S. O'BRIEN: All the pieces moving around. Interesting.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, wow, 10:00 to 10:00. All right.
KAGAN: Yes. But safe travel to D.C. And have a good weekend, O'Brien and O'Brien.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. I speak for both O'Briens, right? Thank you very much.
M. O'BRIEN: Actually, all four.
KAGAN: Wow, there's a lot of O'Brien stuff happening. You guys have a great weekend.
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 - 9:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our party has a new leader. We know we're going in the wrong direction. He knows what to do to turn it around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Senator John Kerry taking the reins of power in the Democratic Party. Today, he'll make his pitch to create 10 million jobs in the U.S.
The traffic accident that was so bad it melted an overpass and caused an official state of emergency.
And a request in the Kobe Bryant case from the victim's family. Could it force the judge to reconsider the trial's schedule?
Those stories are all ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
O'BRIEN: And good morning. Welcome, everybody. Bill Hemmer has the day off, but Miles O'Brien is sitting him -- sitting in for him.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Somewhere, yes. I'm the only one here. Actually, you are the only regular here today.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. I'm happy to be...
M. O'BRIEN: You're doing a fine job.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you. You know, anything I can do for the teams, Miles, as you well know.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Other stories we're following for you this morning:
Two very different offensives being used in Pakistan, as the country's army tries to bring down some al Qaeda leaders. Well, one of al Qaeda's leaders is apparently going after Pakistan's president very vocally. We'll look at the latest purported terrorist message.
S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, we're looking at the Michael Jackson case with retired L.A. detective Bill Dworin. He was the lead investigator back in 1993, when Jackson was accused of child molestation. We'll take a look at the evidence against Jackson then and then, of course, compare it to what the police say they have now.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. In the absence of Jack Cafferty, we will try to soldier on as best we can.
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, I don't know how we'll do it.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's do the headlines in the meantime.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. I'll get right to it.
Connecticut Governor John Rowland is urging travelers to avoid a stretch of Interstate 95. This, after a tanker carrying about 12,000 gallons of oil exploded. The crash blocked lanes in both directions, destroyed an overpass in Bridgeport. Traffic is now being diverted to alternate routes.
Meanwhile, these was another accident this morning on a road that was earmarked as a detour. These are pictures of an overturned truck. Connecticut's governor is set to hold another news conference in the next half-hour to update everyone on the situation there.
The House has now approved a $2.4 trillion budget next year. The budget blueprint is similar to the request that President Bush had sent to Capitol Hill. The House of Representatives will now have to work out a compromised version with the Senate, which passed its budget outline about two weeks ago. Lawmakers are expected to meet next week.
A Colorado judge is being asked to set a trial date soon in the Kobe Bryant case. The attorney for the woman who is accusing Bryant of sexual assault has filed that motion on her behalf. It includes a letter from the accuser's mother saying that the 19-year-old's life is on hold; her safety is at risk until the case is over. We're going to take you live to Eagle, Colorado, in just a moment.
In Los Angeles, a children's march to protest opposed state budget cuts. About 1,000 preschoolers, and children's advocates as well, took to the streets yesterday in a three-block march that ended with a rally on the steps of city hall. They were protesting cost cuts that could hit education and health and child care programs.
And in Nicaragua, fistfights broke out in Congress, believe it or not, apparently over judicial reform law. The brawling was seen yesterday on national TV. It also left two congressmen with a black eye.
A judge who was observing the session reported injuries to her took. Said $500, in addition to all that, was stolen out of her purse. The lawmakers suspended their session for the day because of the fighting.
That's out of control.
M. O'BRIEN: That's democracy in action, I guess. It's one way to do it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
M. O'BRIEN: The CIA is analyzing a new tape said to be the voice of al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The voice calls on Pakistanis to overthrow President Pervez Musharraf for siding with the U.S. on the war on terror. And it comes a week after Pakistani officials suggested troops had actually cornered al-Zawahiri.
Nic Robertson live in Islamabad with more on all of this.
Good morning, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: God morning, Miles.
Well that operation, where Pakistani officials thought they might have had Ayman al-Zawahiri holed up on the border with Afghanistan, is still ongoing. It's stagnating in a standoff with negotiations to get the release of a number of government troops and government officials who are held prisoner there. But the issue of the latest statement by Ayman al-Zawahiri, or the statement purporting to be from him, strikes right at heart of this government here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice-over): Ayman al-Zawahiri, the man Pakistani officials thought a week ago they might have holed up on their border, is now believed to be on an audiotape calling for the overthrow of President Pervez Musharraf.
AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI, AL QAEDA (through translator): Every Muslim in Pakistan must do his or her best to get rid of this government which cooperates with the enemy. This government will continue to surrender to the Americans until it destroys Pakistan.
ROBERTSON: Not clear if the recording was made since Pakistan's army began its military offensive in the tribal region of Waziristan a week and a half ago. But the message seems intent to build local resistance against the military operation.
AL-ZAWAHIRI (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 crusade movement. So he began by destroying houses, jailing many, and killing people in markets.
ROBERTSON: As the Pakistani offensive has fizzled into stalled negotiations, newly discovered tunnels hint whatever high-value targets may have been holed up in the border region have escaped. Anti-government protests, particularly in the intensely independent tribal regions near the Afghan border, have been picking up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: And it is in this potentially troubled atmosphere that Ayman al-Zawahiri's message plays. It's likely he may find some support in the tribal regions, where the Pakistani's military offensive is under way. He may make it even harder for the army to do their job to find these foreign fighters in al Qaeda. But it seems unlikely at this stage, from everything we hear, that it's likely to undermine President Musharraf, the Pakistani president's resolve to continue to support war on terrorism -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Nic, on that point, President Musharraf runs the risk of creating an awful lot of enemies among these tribal leaders in that region. I assume we're watching that one closely now.
ROBERTSON: We are, principally for that reason exactly. That if he doesn't play this right -- and it's interesting watching what's happening in Waziristan for the last week and a half. The army went in hard. They went in with artillery, with attack helicopters. That has meant -- that they met with stiff resistance, but they also met with an outcry not only from tribal leaders but from around the country.
There were a number of demonstration around Pakistan and different cities. Not big, but indications that people are not happy with the way the army went about that operation. So President Musharraf has to play those military operations perhaps a little more softly. And that seems to be the track he's on at this time -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: It's quite a tightrope. Nic Robertson, live in Islamabad, thank you very much -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Pregnant with expectations of winning the White House in September, Democrats, you might say, are in a family way. Party unity was on display last night at a fund-raiser that featured a who's who of Democratic luminaries, and they came to support their presumptive nominee, Senator John Kerry, who, as CNN's Kelly Wallace tells us, is getting back into campaign mode.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an effort to help define himself for voters, today John Kerry delivers what aides say will be a major speech on jobs, setting a goal of creating 10 million new jobs during the first four years of his presidency.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me tell you that is one thing that we know how to do. We know how to create jobs. With President Clinton and Al Gore, and the remarkable economic team they had leading this country, we not only created those 23 million new jobs, we turned vast budget deficits into record surpluses for America.
WALLACE: Kerry spoke at last night's Democratic Party dinner which featured former presidents, a former vice president, and most of this year's presidential candidates. The body language shows there may still be differences, but the goal, trying to put those aside to win back the White House. AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I didn't support John Kerry. President Carter didn't support John Kerry. President Clinton didn't support John Kerry. Terry McAuliffe didn't support John Kerry in the primaries. John Kerry earned the nomination of this party! He won it the hard way!
WALLACE: And this from the country's most popular Democrat...
CLINTON: I ask you to look at John Kerry tonight and say to him what he has said to us his entire adult life, send me.
WALLACE: But concerns remain that, despite the unity, there is a third party candidate, Ralph Nader, to contend with once again.
JAMES CARTER, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ralph, go back to umpiring softball games or examining the rear end of automobiles, and don't risk costing the Democrats a White House this year, as you did four years ago.
WALLACE (on camera): Kerry's immediate challenge, raising cash. His campaign trailing the Bush team by more than $100 million. This dinner, a start, bringing in what Democratic officials say was a record more than $11 million for the Democratic Party.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: President Bush leaves the controversy over terrorism in the 9/11 Commission behind today as he travels to the Southwest to discuss the economy. The visits to Albuquerque and Phoenix are designed to counter Democratic charges that Mr. Bush's agenda has not created enough jobs during an economic recovery.
Republican National Committee communications director, Jim Dyke, is in Washington, D.C. this morning.
Nice to see you, Jim. Thanks for being with us.
JIM DYKE, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Nice to see you.
S. O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about some of the fallout from the Richard Clarke controversy. First, an op-ed from The New York Times, let me read a little bit of what it had to say. "The real impression that was gleaned from the hearings is not that the Bush administration was indifferent to the threat of terror, but that its officials had trouble fully understanding it."
What do you think of their assessment? Is it wrong?
DYKE: Well, Dick Clarke is now saying things different that he's selling a book than he was when he was actually in the administration. And moveon.org is now running ads with Dick Clarke in them that I assume they think will benefit Senator Kerry. So there seems to be a swirl around that. But, look, the important thing here is to be having an debate about the approach to terrorism. The president has been very clear that he is going to take an aggressive approach to terrorism, an approach that was ridiculed by Democrats during their primary, if you remember. They thought the Patriot Act was going a step too far.
Senator Kerry -- President Clinton described it last night. I thought that it was interesting. He described, well, Senator Kerry's vote for body armor for troops, his vote against for upping Humvees, his against funding $87 billion for troops was a protest vote. So that makes it OK.
We need leadership. We've got big choices; big decisions have to be made this.
This president is making the big decisions. He's takings us on a different path in the time since he came into office, and after 9/11, as opposed to the eight years of approach after the first World Trade Center bombing and the bombs of the USS Cole and the bombing of Khobar Towers.
This is a different approach by a different administration. And I think that's the debate we need to be having.
S. O'BRIEN: And I understand that you want to change the focus to talk about that approach. But I want to first ask you a question about the fallout.
If you look at some of the polls, the polls seem to show that the president leads Senator Kerry on terrorism, 60 to 33 percent; leads on Iraq, 54 to 39 percent; leads on world affairs, 50 to 42 percent. But another poll shows that only 10 percent of the population -- polled, that is -- had heard nothing about Clarke's books and his claims. Are you concerned about the large number of people, 42 percent, said that they actually were very aware what Richard Clarke was claiming?
DYKE: Not at all. Actually, if you look at what Richard Clarke has been claiming, he's been claiming different things. He said one thing in 2002, he says another thing today.
He's put out different versions of the president's approach. He wrote a letter to the president saying he was doing a fine job. He had a background briefing saying the president was doing a fine job.
Look, the political season is here. And Dick Clarke is more that than welcome to participate in it, as other Americans are.
And so I think the American people will judge based on what the president's actually done, and steps that he's taken to protect our country, fight the world terrorism in Baghdad and Kabul instead of Boston and Kansas. I think that is the context that people will make their decisions on.
S. O'BRIEN: Forgive me for interrupting you there for a moment. Condoleezza Rice has said that she is willing to go before the commission again, but not in public. Why not just go before public and answer the questions that many of these families of the 9/11 victims would like to hear answered?
DYKE: Well, there's constitutional issues there. And the White House has made that clear, and Dr. Rice has made that clear. She's been in front of the panel already for, I think, for hours. And she's willing to go back.
And I think the panel should stay focused on finding out what we knew before 9/11, going back eight years, whether a law enforcement approach during the '90s that the Clinton administration took was a strong enough approach to terrorism. The president said after -- or prior to 9/11, when he came into office, he didn't want to swat at flies anymore.
These are all important things. The commission should get to the bottom of that. And I don't know whether it's a public or private testimony. I think the facts are what are important.
S. O'BRIEN: Many critics would say those constitutional issues, as you call them, actually don't apply, because certainly Dr. Rice has been on every single TV show in the nation practically, has been talking to reporters constantly since the 9/11 Commission. Words have been coming out. So, again, why not come forward and say what she said to the press in public?
DYKE: Well, again, she said what she said in public. And I think there are constitutional issues. I guess that's why you call them critics, because it's a difference of opinion.
But the important choice for Americans to make here is the approach to fighting the war on terror. And that's what they will consider when they vote next fall, and that's what they want to hear about.
They want to know whether Senator Kerry's approach is one that would make us safer. We believe that President Bush's approach would make us safer. We don't believe that Senator Kerry's votes again the Apache helicopter, the Black Hawk helicopter, a $1.5 billion cut in intelligence that he proposed in the '90s -- you know, last night at their unity dinner, he said Democrats should be proud for putting the tools in place for us to fight the war today.
If Senator Kerry's votes that he put forward in the 1990s had won out, these important systems wouldn't be in place today. We wouldn't have the intelligence funding levels that we had prior to 9/11. We would have had a harder start addressing the problems of terrorism in a post-9/11 world.
S. O'BRIEN: Jim Dyke is the RNC communications director.
Nice to see you, Jim. Thanks for joining us this morning.
DYKE: Thanks for having me.
S. O'BRIEN: Miles?
M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program: some defendants who won hundreds of millions of dollars in court but ended up with practically nothing. We'll tell you where the money went.
S. O'BRIEN: Also, the Michael Jackson case appears to following a path similar to what happened a decade ago. We're going to hear from the lead investigator in the 1993 Jackson case.
M. O'BRIEN: And after watching "The Passion of the Christ," one man makes a startling confession. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Prosecutors in Santa Barbara, California, are now selecting a grand jury in the Michael Jackson child molestation case. The panel of 19 jurors will hear testimony and determine if there is enough evidence against Jackson to go to trial.
Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, I spoke to Bill Dworin. He is a retired LAPD detective who was the lead investigator in 1993, when similar charges were made against Jackson. And I asked him if after that 1993 investigation he believed that Michael Jackson was a threat to children.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL DWORIN, RETIRED LAPD DETECTIVE: I felt that based upon the investigations and the statements from the alleged victim in 1993, and Jackson's own statements that he was, in fact, a threat and continues to be a threat to children.
S. O'BRIEN: How much of your case, in fact, relied on that alleged victim in the case? And what was he telling you that led you to believe that he was a threat to all children?
DWORIN: Well, the way Mr. Jackson seduces children, his activities with children, the statements that the boy gave us, the reliability, the credibility of his statements, and the fact that we obtained physical evidence to corroborate some of the things he said, led me to believe that Jackson did sexually abuse him.
S. O'BRIEN: And yet, at the same time, the prosecution seemed to always want more from you, sort of a smoking gun. Do you think that was because the case was weak or because Michael Jackson's a celebrity, and they wanted more evidence?
DWORIN: Well, personally, I felt it was a strong case. I don't know what the prosecutors wanted. They wanted more. We could not show them anymore, and they decided not to prosecute.
S. O'BRIEN: In 1993, the case was abandoned because there was a financial settlement that was rumored to be somewhere between $15 and $20 million to the young man's family and the young man himself. Did that surprise you? Did you think you had essentially an open-and-shut case against Michael Jackson at that time?
DWORIN: It's hard to say. You never know how a jury would react. But we felt we had a strong case. And unfortunately, there was a civil settlement and other case went by the side. S. O'BRIEN: Is there anything from that case that you think is relevant in the molestation charges that have now been brought against Michael Jackson?
DWORIN: It's very possible that they can bring the 1993 victim in to testify to show a pattern of seduction, to show that the same things occurred in 1993 are occurring today.
S. O'BRIEN: Did you find him, at time when you talked to him -- and, of course, we're talking awhile ago -- did you find him to be a credible and strong witness, and would you assume he'd be the same way now?
DWORIN: I believe he'll be the same as he was in 1993. And he was a very strong and credible witness.
S. O'BRIEN: The grand jury hearings are being held four months after the charges were filed. I mean, that seems a little bit unusual to me. Is that unusual in California?
DWORIN: It's hard to say. The grand jury will be a substitute for a preliminary hearing. This will allow the witnesses to testify before a grand jury and not be cross-examined. It would be easier for the children to testify this way and easier for the prosecution to present the case.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: That was retired LAPD detective Bill Dworing, saying that the young man from the case back in 1993 could actually testify in this current case -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program: Kobe Bryant's accuser says she faces death threats. And now her family begs a judge for help. We'll have a live report from Colorado.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: The family of the 19-year-old woman accusing Kobe Bryant of sexual assault says they are constantly worried about her safety. They're asking the judge for some action on setting a trial date.
KOA radio reporter Alex Stone has been following this case in Eagle, Colorado. He joins us now with details.
Alex, good to have you with us.
ALEX STONE, KOA: Thanks, Miles. Good to be here.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's read a little excerpt from this letter so people can get the gist of this. This comes from the victim's mother. "We are constantly worried about her safety. My daughter has lived in four different states in the past six months. She is followed everywhere by the defense and the media. Her safety is at risk, and she has to move again."
You can't help but feel for the woman, regardless of the merits of this case one way or another. I guess the question is, is the judge dragging his feet in this case?
STONE: Well, the judge really has no choice at this point, Miles, because it is a small courthouse. The Eagle County Courthouse only has three courtrooms in it. And the court is saying, we can't go any faster right now because there are other cases they're dealing with at this courthouse.
The judge has other obligations, other cases that he's got to take care of. So they're saying, we're going as fast as we can. So speeding it up looks like, at least at this point, it would be tough to do. But if they have to do it, they'll have to do it.
But in this motion that was filed yesterday, and the letter from the mother, they're saying, please, judge, pleading with the judge, find a way to speed this up. Because the mother is saying, my daughter is going through pretty much hell right now in her life.
M. O'BRIEN: So, really, it is the logistical issue of just having three courtrooms. Surely, there's a way to put this in the carpool lane, if you will, a fast track, if the judge were so inclined.
STONE: Yes. A fast track. And we understand that there are big sections in the calendar that are open for trials, incase trials do come in, where they leave them open, understanding that there are unforeseen trials that come up in cases that need to be sped through.
So hopefully, if they do have to speed this up in some way, they can put it into one of those slots. But we're looking at a lot of motions hearings that still need to be heard in this case before a trial could ever come up. So they would need probably weeks to fit all of these in. There are so many motions being filed in this case right now.
M. O'BRIEN: Now, our Constitution guarantees defendants the right to a speedy trial. It doesn't say anything about victims getting a speedy trial. Is this unprecedented or just unusual?
STONE: This is unusual to see a filing, and especially a filing from the victim's personal attorney in the case, not from the prosecution, not from the defense, but the personal attorney. Under Colorado's Victim Rights Act, she, too, has a right to have her feelings heard, to go as fast as they can, if that's what she wants.
So the judge will have to look at this. We understand because the judge was in the courtroom all day yesterday, he may not have seen this motion until late last night. So we'll wait to get some word from him on if he's going to react on it and if he can speed it up at all.
M. O'BRIEN: Alex Stone is with KOA Radio. Thank you very much for being with us. Appreciate it.
STONE: Thanks, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Soledad?
S. O'BRIEN: It would be interesting to hear how much weight a family's plea would actually have.
M. O'BRIEN: Well, you know, there's the legal matter, and then there's just the human matter here, you know, and whether there's a way of expediting things when you've got somebody...
S. O'BRIEN: And does the judge says, OK, let's move on, or do they say, love to help you but can't. Interesting question.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Bill Hemmer is off today. Miles O'Brien is filling in for him.
Nice to have you.
M. O'BRIEN: It's great to be here.
In a few minutes, a new threat to Pakistan's government apparently coming from al Qaeda. It's a new audiotape. The question is, is it authentic? We'll talk to a man well familiar with the higher-ups of al Qaeda in just a few moments.
S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, the guy that turned standards for decency into his most popular comedy routine: George Carlin. Our conversation with him on the current state of television, plus his big break in the world of film.
M. O'BRIEN: It's funny; my kids know him as a conductor in a train station.
S. O'BRIEN: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: So he's morphed, hasn't he?
S. O'BRIEN: He has said his average age of his fans is down to 15...
M. O'BRIEN: Months.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, 15 months (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He's a great guy.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. All right. We'll look forward to hearing from him. Let's check the news.
National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is formally asking for another private meeting with the 9/11 Commission. The White House counsel sent commission members a letter on behalf of Dr. Rice asking to clear up some things. The request comes after she was criticized in public by former counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke.
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 California man accused of killing nine of his own family members remains in prison. Marcus Wesson pleaded not guilty to nine charges of first-degree murder at his arraignment yesterday. Two previous attempts to arraign Wesson had to be postponed. Wesson has been in isolation because authorities they received a tip that he might order surviving family members to commit suicide.
In Arizona, a retired Catholic bishop finds out today whether he'll get jail time at his sentencing hearing. Retired Bishop Thomas O'Brien was convicted last month of leaving the scene of an accident that killed a pedestrian. O'Brien testified he didn't realize he had hit someone. Prosecutors are asking for him to get six months in jail and four years of supervised probation.
And the Statue of Liberty, which has been closed to visitors since 9/11, will soon open again. Park officials told Congress yesterday the Statue of Liberty's reopening is really imminent. But they wouldn't be more specific than that. So if you're a tourist, just stay tuned.
S. O'BRIEN: Right. The official word, "really," really soon.
M. O'BRIEN: Really, really soon, yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: The CIA is analyzing a new tape that is said to be the voice of al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The speaker on the tape calls Pakistanis to rise up against their president, Pervez Musharraf.
So the question now, is the tape authentic? We turn to CNN terrorism and national security analyst Ken Robinson, live in Dallas for us this morning.
Ken, as always, nice to see you. Thanks for being with us. Do you think it is Zawahiri on this tape?
KEN ROBINSON, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: You know, our sources who have interviewed him before in person say that the voice on the tape is very similar to his. And several of them believe it is him, as well the syntax, the verbiage that he uses, the flowery language, the Koranic verses, et cetera, all are very similar to his tapes he's given in the past. S. O'BRIEN: When are the expectations that this tape was made?
ROBINSON: Analysis says -- on our end says it's probably taken him about three weeks from the time he produces a tape to the time it's disseminated through couriers. In this tape which was just released, it does refer to the military operations going on in southern Waziristan, but it doesn't specifically time-date the actual combat which has been going on for the past week, which was first broken by Aaron Brown with the interview of President Musharraf in Pakistan.
S. O'BRIEN: On the tape, he asked for Pakistanis to resist the troops. What do you think the actual impact of that request will be?
ROBINSON: We asked that while we were in Pakistan about what type of influence Zawahiri actually had with the population in Pakistan. And locals there told us that he wasn't as well known as Osama bin Laden. They thought that there may be some influence in the tribal areas, but that they felt that more likely, in the urban areas, the opposition groups to President Musharraf might try to exploit this and might try to exploit with demonstrations, especially this afternoon after the call to prayer, the Friday prayer.
S. O'BRIEN: When last you and I spoke, it sound as if al- Zawahiri had actually been surrounded by the Pakistani troops. What actually is going on in that situation now? Has everyone backed away from the thought that it is al-Zawahiri who is surrounded? I know the fighting goes on. Who's inside?
ROBINSON: Well, to be very accurate, President Musharraf, when he spoke with Aaron Brown, said that he could not identify exactly who it was. Although, he was late coming to our interview because he was receiving updates from his commanders, and they specifically said they felt it was a very high-value target. Other sources have told us -- in Pakistani intelligence -- that they believed it was Ayman al- Zawahiri.
As we have reported now, there's been a discovery of a tunnel approximately one mile long which leads from two brothers' homes, Mohammed brothers, down a tunnel to a cave, and then out approximately a mile toward the Afghanistan border outside the cordoned area. So there's a possibility that whoever was high value may have used that to escape in the night. There's a strong tradition in negotiations in these tribal areas for lulls (ph) in fire, and discussions between forces, which is what's been going on right now between the army trying to negotiate with the renegade tribal leaders who have been protecting these Arab foreign fighters.
S. O'BRIEN: Ken Robinson is a CNN terrorism and national security analyst joining us morning.
Ken, thanks. As always, nice to see you.
ROBINSON: Thanks.
S. O'BRIEN: Miles? M. O'BRIEN: In Houston, a man was prompted to confess to murder after watching "The Passion of the Christ." Daniel Leach has been indicted on murder charges in the January death of his girlfriend that was originally ruled a suicide. But after viewing the film about the death of Jesus and discussing it with a religious adviser, Leach confessed to authorities.
This is what the man's minister had to say...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. DARRELL POWELL, SUSPECT'S MINISTER: He was obviously disturbed, greatly, for his actions and what he had done, and asked for the prayers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: Now, Leach faces up to life in prison if convicted.
S. O'BRIEN: Still to come, George Carlin talks to us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE CARLIN, COMEDIAN: Someone then would say to me, "Well, why -- you know, why this suddenly? Are you mellowing?"
I hate that word. I say -- I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, "Are you mellowing?" He said, "I've always been mellow."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: I don't know. He seems like he's mellowing to me. We've got the very latest from the man who is famous for those seven words you can't say on TV.
M. O'BRIEN: You said them all, though, right? No, we don't do that here.
And speaking of pushing the envelope, the material mom is mad. Why singer Madonna is suing a music giant near and dear to our paychecks.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "JERSEY GIRL")
CARLIN, "JERSEY GIRL": You're on your own with the kid today.
BEN AFFLECK, "JERSEY GIRL": What am I supposed to do with him?
CARLIN: Try acting like a father.
(END VIDEO CLIP) S. O'BRIEN: George Carlin plays a key role in the new Ben Affleck movie. It's called "Jersey Girl." The legendary comedian, better known for his rants, is getting some raves for his performance.
It's been 30 years since Carlin spelled success with seven words you couldn't say on TV then -- and 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 -- as the way he put it, "I had your voice in my head when I wrote this part."
CARLIN, "JERSEY GIRL": What? When are you going to take the kid to see the "Cats"?
AFFLECK, "JERSEY GIRL": You, too? Girty (ph)? Do you know even know what "Cats" is, dad?
CARLIN: Come on, I don't read the papers?
S. O'BRIEN: You play this grandfather.
CARLIN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Loving, sweet, a little crotchety, 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? And are you trying to change that image?
CARLIN: No, no. It's just that when I did the children's show on PBS, "Shining Time 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 -- you know, why this, suddenly? Are you mellowing?"
I hate that word. I say -- I give them George C. Scott's answer. They once said to George C. Scott, "Are you mellowing?" He said, "I've always been mellow."
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 -- plus it's a big theater, and you intensify things, you theatricalize. It's a performance. CARLIN, "WAR": The Germans are the only ones. And the only reason for that is they were trying to cut in on our action. They wanted to dominate the world. (EXPLETIVE DELETED). That's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job! That's our (EXPLETIVE DELETED) job!
S. O'BRIEN: Does it surprise you that the FCC is crack down again on indecency at all?
CARLIN: Not really, because...
S. O'BRIEN: Thirty years, though, after your seven words you can't say.
CARLIN: Yes. Well, there have been a few blips long the way. Every now and then, somebody goes argh. And then they go back to sleep for awhile.
But the two things driving it, one is the biggie, 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 energized, 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 the FCC, you know, said, 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 half-time. No one really bothered the FCC about that.
But that's the way it is in life. But commercials, it's because of commercialism. It's because they have to sell things that they have to worry about censorship. Because they're going to offend somebody. You know, that's why on 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 classic Carlin. An equal opportunity offender, some say. It's called "When will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?"
Miles?
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Should we do the words now?
S. O'BRIEN: No.
M. O'BRIEN: No. Let's not.
S. O'BRIEN: Not now.
M. O'BRIEN: We have mouths to feed.
All right. Still to come, the Tyco trial. Jurors head back to the same room where a battle broke out yesterday. Can they avoid a mistrial?
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: High drama inside the Tyco jury deliberations. And why is Madonna suing Time Warner? Christine Romans is here for some business; Andy Serwer not.
That Tyco jury hung like a shower curtain, no?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Another very big day. The judge and the jury in that Tyco have a very big job.
The judge sent the jurors home last night with orders to relax. And now they enter day seven of deliberations on the fraud and larceny trial of two former Tyco executives.
The jury yesterday sent three notes to the judge, saying the atmosphere of the deliberations, poisonous. One juror had stopped deliberating in good faith, and then that juror, presumably, sent a note saying that he or she was being persecuted.
The judge then said "no" to a mistrial. The parties are all back in lower Manhattan again today to try to work this out.
You guys, this trial is six months long. It's one of the largest corporate corruption trials in U.S. history. Perhaps it's best known for that infamous $6,000 shower curtain. But this is a very important business case.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk a little bit about Madonna. What is she after? And why are these artists always suing their record labels? What's that deal on that?
ROMANS: This is a longstanding dispute. Madonna's record company is suing Warner Music for breach of contract, for accounting improprieties. About $200 million in damages sustained by she and her partners.
Warner issued a statement distancing itself in the dispute from its deep respect for the singer. They have a very longstanding relationship back to 1984. She says that Warner Music and her partners -- Warner Music did not treat she and her partners fairly and that there was funny business in the books, and that she wants to end that relationship.
M. O'BRIEN: But they still respect her, deeply?
ROMANS: But Warner Music still deeply respects Madonna and her talent.
S. O'BRIEN: And that's all part of Time Warner, which is our parent company, which we should mention.
ROMANS: Indeed, it is.
M. O'BRIEN: A little full disclosure there.
All right. Let's talk about the markets.
ROMANS: Quickly, on the markets, the markets mixed so far today. The Dow is down.
Remember, it was a very big day yesterday. So a little bit of giveback, hardly any right now, down about four points.
M. O'BRIEN: Christine Romans.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Christine.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
S. O'BRIEN: Have a nice weekend. It's been nice having you.
ROMANS: Thank you very much.
S. O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.
Time now for our weekly segment that we like to call "Extra Effort." We are looking at people who have gone the extra mile to help somebody in spite of great personal risk to themselves.
Veronique Moore left a successful career in radio broadcasting to advocate for the homeless at the Next Door Homeless Shelter in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Here's her story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN (voice-over): Veronique Moore had it all: a popular Chicago radio show, a six figure salary, a million listeners. And it was more than she could handle at the age of 24.
VERONIQUE MOORE, HOMELESS SHELTER DIRECTOR: At the radio station, we would have to do like club gigs. So every night I was in the clubs and drinking free for like a few hours. And sometimes by the time that I did get up on the stage, I could barely stand up.
I was drinking every day. And then I would start to get real shaky in the morning. And intuitively, I knew that another drink would fix that.
S. O'BRIEN: Drinking led to free-basing cocaine and eventually a life on the streets of Chicago, Kentucky and Denver over the next 10 years.
MOORE: When night would fall, I'd start shaking because anything could happen. I mean, I did sleep out in the parks. I was beaten up, I was raped, robbed.
S. O'BRIEN: Moore eventually found her way back home to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and to the Next Door Homeless Shelter for Women.
MOORE: I had been through every shelter here. And this was -- I guess you could say it was my last hope, because I had planned say good-bye to everybody, go back to Denver, and just drink myself to death, just be done with it.
S. O'BRIEN: The care she received at shelter helped her rebuild her life and her career, but she found it wasn't enough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to be working at McDonald's.
MOORE: All right.
O'BRIEN: Today, Moore is the director of the Next Door Shelter. She drives homeless women to court appearances, shops for their groceries, helps them find jobs, and takes them to 12-step meetings.
MOORE: I think somewhere in my prayers I asked for kids, and god gave me these women.
Dear lord, thank you for allowing us to be together, old guests, new guests.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm glad I met Veronique. You know? Because she made me feel like family, that I was somebody, that I could do it.
MOORE: You know, my life I didn't feel was worthwhile for a long time, and that's what I try to tell them. I know what they're going through, you know? And so if I can inspire one person, just to say, you know, you're worth it, when, for 20 years, they've been told that they weren't.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: A truly remarkable woman. Veronique Moore has been named as one of the nation's top nine heroes out of 3,000 in the Volvo for Life Awards Program. She's going to get $10,000 for her shelter. So really a great cause to send money to.
Good for her. Wow, what a remarkable story.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, $10,000? She deserves a lot more. That's great work she's doing.
S. O'BRIEN: No question. Nice story.
Coming up this morning on CNN, NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon speaks out about a cause close to his heart. It has nothing to do with racing cars. We're going to take a look at that coming up in the next hour with Daryn Kagan on "CNN LIVE TODAY."
AMERICAN MORNING is back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: That's it. Parting is such sweet sorrow -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Somehow we'll get by.
S. O'BRIEN: Thanks for helping us out today. We certainly appreciate it.
M. O'BRIEN: It's a great pleasure. Yes, I'm on a train to Washington now.
S. O'BRIEN: Are you?
M. O'BRIEN: To do Wolf's show.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, good for you.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. That might be some kind of anchor -- well, probably not. Wolf has probably done that before many times.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. You know, Wolf has actually beaten that record, I'm sure.
But Daryn Kagan, maybe she's beaten it, too. She's done a lot of travel.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, she has.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'm going to beat Miles today.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, really?
KAGAN: I'm the 10:00 anchor -- 10:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. I'll be doing...
S. O'BRIEN: All the pieces moving around. Interesting.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, wow, 10:00 to 10:00. All right.
KAGAN: Yes. But safe travel to D.C. And have a good weekend, O'Brien and O'Brien.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. I speak for both O'Briens, right? Thank you very much.
M. O'BRIEN: Actually, all four.
KAGAN: Wow, there's a lot of O'Brien stuff happening. You guys have a great weekend.
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