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Bush Welcoming Seven New NATO Countries as U.S. Military Provides Details on Worst Friendly Fire Incident of Iraq War
Aired March 29, 2004 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan and let's take a look at the top stories "At This Hour."
Vice President Dick Cheney is at the podium this hour and on the offensive against challenger John Kerry. Cheney is speaking before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He'll question Kerry's commitment to revoke tax cuts which are due to expire. Cheney says Kerry's policies will derail the recovery.
An Ohio newspaper says the search for the highway sniper cost taxpayers more than $3 million. "The Columbus Dispatch" crunched the numbers of ten agencies that took part and said the investigation cost about $750,000 a month for each of the four months. The 28-year-old Ohio man is being held on suspicion of the 24 shootings.
Buckle up, drivers. This one is for U.S. gas prices. They are at record levels and likely to climb even higher. National analysts say the three cent jump is likely a sign of things to come as the improving economy and summer travel season puts more people on to the road. The national average is now $1.80.
Connecticut commuters faced slow going in Bridgeport one day after the northbound lanes reopened. Southbound lanes should be open by Thursday. Crews are working around the clock to repair the damage which was caused by Thursday's fiery crash of a tanker truck.
The effect of terrorism on the world that figures prominently on two stories we're following today. In a White House ceremony President Bush is welcoming seven new NATO countries and the U.S. military is providing details on what is being called the worst friendly fire incident of the Iraq war. Our Barbara Starr joins us from the Pentagon. Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, to you Daryn.
A Marine Corps air controller may now be facing disciplinary action according to an investigator's report that will be out later today here at the Pentagon. A look at a March 23 incident that is definitely a stay of the war in Iraq when the U.S. Marines were fighting to take the Iraqi town of Nasiriya.
This was a very confused, very chaotic battle that people may remember. The air controller apparently mistakenly, of course, called in airborne gun fire on a unit of ground Marines as they were attempting to take a bridge in the town. The air controller, not knowing, of course, that he was calling in gunfire on his own men.
But nonetheless, an A-10 aircraft firing Maverick missiles, bombs, 30-millimeter guns, all the while of course he was believing he was calling in fire on enemy forces. But now this investigator's report saying ten Marines may have been killed by this friendly fire. The controller, however, telling investigators in this report that the communications were not working properly that day.
There were also questions about whether the Air Force pilots were adequately trained to recognize Marine Corps vehicles from the altitude they were firing at. Some pilots saying they did not see the friendly flares that the marines on ground were firing off in an attempt to identify themselves. So a very confusing, very deadly battle a year later, still a lot of questions -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Let's talk about NATO. It's come to a day many never people thought we would never see. Seven new countries joining the organization, countries that were originally on the other side of NATO.
STARR: All part of that, lifting of the iron curtain so many years later. President Bush will welcome seven new members to NATO in a White House ceremony later today. Look at the list of who's joining NATO. Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. All part of Eastern Europe. Areas where the U.S. would like some access for military operations, perhaps.
But also a lot of new questions for NATO as this expansion goes on. The U.S. would like to see NATO take more participation in both Iraq and Afghanistan, all part of the agenda of NATO expansion. Daryn?
KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. You can see that White House ceremony welcoming seven new NATO member nations. The event happens 3:45 p.m. Eastern.
We're keeping it in Washington, D.C. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice says the war on terrorism can't be fought on the defensive. And the same can apparently be said of the bru-ha-ha over her refusal to testify publicly before the 9/11 Commission. Rice is vigorously defending the decision, saying this is an issue of policy and precedent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This commission is rightly not concentrating on what happened on the day of September 11. So this is not a matter of what happened on that day as extraordinary as it is, as it was this is a matter of policy.
And we have yet to find an example of a national security adviser, sitting national security adviser, who has been willing to testify on matters of policy.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: On the other side of that debate, the Bush White House is being accused of virtually ignoring the Al Qaeda threat by the administrations former counter terrorism adviser saying that months passed between his memo warning of Al Qaeda and the national security directive that passed along the warning just before the attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD CLARKE, FORMER COUNTERTERRORISM ADVISER: Let's declassify that memo I sent on January 25. And let's declassify the national security directive that Dr. Rice's committee approved nine months later on September 4. And let's see if there's any difference between those two. Because there isn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Well, back to Condoleezza Rice. She says she would like to meet privately with the families who lost loved ones in the attack. They have been among the most vocal critics of her. And some are dismissing this new offer saying, quote "The family steering committee demands the appearance of Condoleezza Rice under oath in a public hearing immediately. We believe that testifying before the commission is Ms. Rice's moral obligation given her responsibility as National Security Adviser to protect our nation. The death of nearly three thousand innocent people warrants such a moral precedent." To
be fair there, are also family members of 9/11 victims who have been coming out critical of Richard Clarke as well.
We move on now to world news. There has been a series of attacks in the capital of Uzbekistan. Officials say 19 people are dead, 26 reportedly injured. The attacks include two suicide bombings, attacks on police and an explosion at an alleged terrorist bomb making factory which began last night. The bombings were the first ever reported in that country. An early investigation shows all the event s are linked.
Investigators in Spain believe they have found the house that was used by the Madrid train bombers. Police found detonators and traces of dynamite inside the house, as well as finger prints from two Moroccans implicated in the attacks. The Madrid attacks left more than 190 people dead and 1,800 injured. Six more suspects are due in court this week, possibly today.
A French attorney says he'll represent Saddam Hussein, or one of his top deputies. In an upcoming trial Jacques Verges says Hussein's nephew asked him to take the case. Already he is out stating his case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUES VERGES, ATTORNEY (through translator): In this case his dignity was harmed and he's also being interrogated. And On top of that the heads of the states that are enemies of Iraq are saying he's guilty. That is the case for Mr. Bush saying Saddam Hussein is guilty and he deserves to die. Is Mr. Bush a judge? (END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Verges says among those he'll call to testify are those who supported the Hussein government in the 1980s. Previously the French lawyer defended Nazi war criminals and former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic.
The Irish are clamping down on smokers. At midnight Ireland's workplace smoking ban went into effect it is the most sweeping nationwide restriction in the world. The ban includes pubs, private clubs and even the cabs of moving trucks. Diana Muriel tells us more about Ireland's smoke-free situation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On Monday, Ireland becomes the first European country to impose a total ban on smoking in the work place. That means 200,000 work places no longer will employees be able to smoke, no longer will members of the public who use the spaces be able to smoke.
So signs like this one are going up in pubs all over the country warning customers they can no longer enjoy a cigarette with their pint. Most people are being receptive to the idea. They understand that there's a huge health cost associated with smoking.
The government's point of view which indicates that around 7,000 people die each year in Ireland of smoking related illness. They say one very important issue which they intend to see enforced in the pubs that it will be down to the landlords to enforce the ban.
Many say it will take two months before it becomes generally accepted in Irish society that it's no longer socially acceptable to have a cigarette with your pint in the pub.
Diana Muriel, CNN, Dublin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: The team to beat. Will the millions invested in the Yankees start paying off? Joe Torre isn't so sure about this, even with A-Rod.
If baseball isn't your favorite pastime, maybe knitting is. Even Hollywood's all tangled up in it. We'll show you how you can be as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Its want to update you with what is happening at the Tyco trial. Defense attorneys filed another motion asking for a mistrial. This time because more than one media organization has identified the name of the one holdout juror.
The judge in this case, Judge Obus, has apparently heard the arguments, has gone back into his chambers and is considering that motion for a mistrial. We have our Allan Chernoff and our CNN crew standing by to bring you the latest.
(MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Lets check some stories from "Across America." Orange County, Florida. You won't find this ride at Disney World. It seems a man asked his 8-year-old son to pull the van forward. He just never said where to stop.
The youngster lost control and mowed down dad and plowed through the house. The father is hurt but he is recovering. Better than the house.
The remarkable story played out in the news earlier this month. You remember you can find it in primetime and paperback. A Philadelphia man and woman have sold the life story of their daughter, who you may remember was believed to have died in a house fire only to be discovered as a 6-year-old classmate's birthday party. You will be seeing that in a movie soon.
March madness turned to April angst for the latest teams to be side lined. The Cinderella story ends for Xavier. It lost to Duke 66 63, the Blue Devils advancing to the final four, no big surprise there. The ACC also throwing in Georgia Tech. Yellow Jackets denied Kansas Jay Hawks a straight Final Four appearance. Actually Tech won their thriller in overtime. They will face Oklahoma State.
Damn Yankees. For theatergoers a man who makes a deal with the devil. For baseball fans it's the chorus that creates another season of a staggering payroll, a star-studded roster and an empire that non- Yankee fans seemingly find evil and invincible.
Our sports reporter Josie Burke looks ahead to the great expectations for the New York Yankees.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The New York Yankees lineup resembles a modern day murder's row.
DEREK JETER, YANKEES SHORTSTOP: Some former teammates called and some teammates call saying how excited we were. Not just Alex. You got Sheffield, Kenny Lofton, Vasquez, Gordon. I'm probably leaving some people out. That's a big list.
JOE TORRE, YANKEES MANAGER: You can't take for granted because you have, say, the most talent or more length than a lot of other teams that you're going to get there.
BURKE: There is the last game of the World Series, holding the trophy. Torre is exercising caution because New York hasn't won it all since 2000. The game's best player has never been there period. And changing that is the main reason Alex Rodriguez welcomed a trade to the Yankees. It's also why the All-Star shortstop switched to third base and allowed New York captain Derek Jeter a mainstay at shortstop to stay put.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ, YANKEE 3RD BASEMAN: To me, I'm excited to be playing with one of my favorite players and one of my greatest friends. To hopefully some day win a championship together would be magical.
TORRE: You come here for one reason. That's because you want to get to the World Series. We've been able to deliver six of the eight years to get to the World Series.
BURKE: With a roster that lists four players with $100 million contracts and a total payroll approaching $190 million winning is also expected.
PAUL QUANTRILL, YANKEE RELIEF HITTER: It isn't about competing. It's not about getting to the playoffs or winning a wild card, which in many teams that's what you're looking to do. Here it's very clear. It's very precise it's to win the World Series.
BURKE: What could derail the Yankees? New York returns on one regular starting pitcher from last year's rotation. With so many big names and egos now in the same club house, team chemistry could be an issue.
RODRIGUEZ: We have to make sure we stay chemistry wise. We play together. We play, like they say, with the names in the front of our jerseys, not the back.
JASON GIAMBI, YANKEE FIRST BASEMAN: You look around and you see, you see Derek Jeter got four World Series, Mariano Rivera Bernie Williams. We're looking for a lot of us for our first. Everybody comes here to win. Doesn't matter where you hit or play. It's all about winning.
BURKE: Josie Burke, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: All right just in time for the warm weather. A lesson in knitting. We are not talking your nana's no no no. Did your nana ever knit a bikini? Heavy sweaters aren't the only thing that you can make from yarn. And this is what we're working on in our next hour
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: It is chic and fashionable yet again. More and more people are turning away from designer duds and making up a pair of sticks and embracing a hot increasing trend. We're talking knitting. Recently some 4 million newcomers have joined the millions who say let's knit it together.
There's a new book out its called "Stitch and Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook." Here to give us the knitty gritty is Debbie Stoller. Thank you for putting down the sticks. Maybe you didn't. Do you have them with you?
DEBBIE STOLLER, KNITTER: I don't have them.
KAGAN: We're not going multitask. First, explain to me. You are a strong feminist. You have a testimony feminist magazine. How do you take that and something that seems like a traditional woman's activity like knitting? Make that connection for me.
STOLLER: I am the editor of Bus magazine, a feminist magazine for young women. When I first got obsessed with knitting in 1999 people had kind of a strange reaction. They'd say, you're knitting.
I realized that if I had told them I was playing soccer or being into karate, they would probably just say, you go girl. But knitting had this bad wrap. Didn't take me long to realize the only reason it was looked down on was because it was something that had been traditionally done by women.
As a feminist I realized that wasn't cool. I want to make sure my grandma gets her props. Since then I have been on this mission to take back the knit and make sure it is valued viewed and respected.
KAGAN: Speaking of grandmas my nana Lil was a big-time knitter. But this is not my grandma's knitting.
Let's talk about some of the styles. First nana never knitted a sweater with skulls on the side like you're wearing today.
STOLLER: Yeah. This sweater was designed by a young woman in my knitting group in New York in my Stitch n Bitch group. Her name is Amanda. She is a tattoo artist. She came up with this awesome sweater that has skulls on the sleeves. Which is one of the things that young new knitters are doing. They're coming up with their own designs. Makes it fun. Giving their own energy to this ancient craft.
KAGAN: Something I think you talk about in the book, you teach wannabe knitters how to make an alien scarf.
STOLLER: Yeah. That's a really cool scarf that has these hidden aliens in it that you can't see when you look at it straight on. But from the side, they're in there.
KAGAN: What about a kitty in a devil hat.
STOLLER: I love this project. This was designed by this girl in Philadelphia. That's one of the most popular projects in the book. Crowd pleaser.
KAGAN: And what about Nema's marsupial tote?
STOLLER: Nema is a documentary filmmaker by trade. And she's in my Stitch n Bitch in New York She's making this really great bag that's felted which is when you knit something out of wool, really it comes out huge when you first make it. Then you throw it in the washing machine and it comes out solid, which is great for a purse. KAGAN: Interesting side note. You have a PhD. In psychology.
STOLLER: I do.
KAGAN: Which answers the question when you go after a PhD. In psychology, people say, what are you going to do with that?
STOLLER: You're going to knit.
KAGAN: What are you finding when you bring women and I'm sure men who show up, to bring them together? What kind of energy are you finding from that?
STOLLER: It's so wonderful. Knitting is a great hobby but it goes better with conversation. Lot of people say you can listen better when you're knitting. So people are getting together in these stitch n bitch groups all across the country and forming new friendships, learning skills from other women and men who are already good at
knitting. It's just a great way to socialize. Awful lot of fun. I want to say that this name dates back to the '50s it's a pretty old term already. I don't know. We have just taken it back and are using it. It's funny and fun.
KAGAN: You are taking back the knit. That is the motto. Thanks for taking the time.
STOLLER: Thank you so much for having me.
KAGAN: Stitch n bitch, the book is "the knitter's handbook." Thanks for the time. Coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY, another civilian prepares to blast off. You'll meet the next person who wants to be a space tourist. After a break a funnel cloud touches down. Tornado season is under way the amazing video when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired March 29, 2004 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan and let's take a look at the top stories "At This Hour."
Vice President Dick Cheney is at the podium this hour and on the offensive against challenger John Kerry. Cheney is speaking before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He'll question Kerry's commitment to revoke tax cuts which are due to expire. Cheney says Kerry's policies will derail the recovery.
An Ohio newspaper says the search for the highway sniper cost taxpayers more than $3 million. "The Columbus Dispatch" crunched the numbers of ten agencies that took part and said the investigation cost about $750,000 a month for each of the four months. The 28-year-old Ohio man is being held on suspicion of the 24 shootings.
Buckle up, drivers. This one is for U.S. gas prices. They are at record levels and likely to climb even higher. National analysts say the three cent jump is likely a sign of things to come as the improving economy and summer travel season puts more people on to the road. The national average is now $1.80.
Connecticut commuters faced slow going in Bridgeport one day after the northbound lanes reopened. Southbound lanes should be open by Thursday. Crews are working around the clock to repair the damage which was caused by Thursday's fiery crash of a tanker truck.
The effect of terrorism on the world that figures prominently on two stories we're following today. In a White House ceremony President Bush is welcoming seven new NATO countries and the U.S. military is providing details on what is being called the worst friendly fire incident of the Iraq war. Our Barbara Starr joins us from the Pentagon. Good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, to you Daryn.
A Marine Corps air controller may now be facing disciplinary action according to an investigator's report that will be out later today here at the Pentagon. A look at a March 23 incident that is definitely a stay of the war in Iraq when the U.S. Marines were fighting to take the Iraqi town of Nasiriya.
This was a very confused, very chaotic battle that people may remember. The air controller apparently mistakenly, of course, called in airborne gun fire on a unit of ground Marines as they were attempting to take a bridge in the town. The air controller, not knowing, of course, that he was calling in gunfire on his own men.
But nonetheless, an A-10 aircraft firing Maverick missiles, bombs, 30-millimeter guns, all the while of course he was believing he was calling in fire on enemy forces. But now this investigator's report saying ten Marines may have been killed by this friendly fire. The controller, however, telling investigators in this report that the communications were not working properly that day.
There were also questions about whether the Air Force pilots were adequately trained to recognize Marine Corps vehicles from the altitude they were firing at. Some pilots saying they did not see the friendly flares that the marines on ground were firing off in an attempt to identify themselves. So a very confusing, very deadly battle a year later, still a lot of questions -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Let's talk about NATO. It's come to a day many never people thought we would never see. Seven new countries joining the organization, countries that were originally on the other side of NATO.
STARR: All part of that, lifting of the iron curtain so many years later. President Bush will welcome seven new members to NATO in a White House ceremony later today. Look at the list of who's joining NATO. Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. All part of Eastern Europe. Areas where the U.S. would like some access for military operations, perhaps.
But also a lot of new questions for NATO as this expansion goes on. The U.S. would like to see NATO take more participation in both Iraq and Afghanistan, all part of the agenda of NATO expansion. Daryn?
KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. You can see that White House ceremony welcoming seven new NATO member nations. The event happens 3:45 p.m. Eastern.
We're keeping it in Washington, D.C. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice says the war on terrorism can't be fought on the defensive. And the same can apparently be said of the bru-ha-ha over her refusal to testify publicly before the 9/11 Commission. Rice is vigorously defending the decision, saying this is an issue of policy and precedent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This commission is rightly not concentrating on what happened on the day of September 11. So this is not a matter of what happened on that day as extraordinary as it is, as it was this is a matter of policy.
And we have yet to find an example of a national security adviser, sitting national security adviser, who has been willing to testify on matters of policy.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: On the other side of that debate, the Bush White House is being accused of virtually ignoring the Al Qaeda threat by the administrations former counter terrorism adviser saying that months passed between his memo warning of Al Qaeda and the national security directive that passed along the warning just before the attacks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD CLARKE, FORMER COUNTERTERRORISM ADVISER: Let's declassify that memo I sent on January 25. And let's declassify the national security directive that Dr. Rice's committee approved nine months later on September 4. And let's see if there's any difference between those two. Because there isn't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Well, back to Condoleezza Rice. She says she would like to meet privately with the families who lost loved ones in the attack. They have been among the most vocal critics of her. And some are dismissing this new offer saying, quote "The family steering committee demands the appearance of Condoleezza Rice under oath in a public hearing immediately. We believe that testifying before the commission is Ms. Rice's moral obligation given her responsibility as National Security Adviser to protect our nation. The death of nearly three thousand innocent people warrants such a moral precedent." To
be fair there, are also family members of 9/11 victims who have been coming out critical of Richard Clarke as well.
We move on now to world news. There has been a series of attacks in the capital of Uzbekistan. Officials say 19 people are dead, 26 reportedly injured. The attacks include two suicide bombings, attacks on police and an explosion at an alleged terrorist bomb making factory which began last night. The bombings were the first ever reported in that country. An early investigation shows all the event s are linked.
Investigators in Spain believe they have found the house that was used by the Madrid train bombers. Police found detonators and traces of dynamite inside the house, as well as finger prints from two Moroccans implicated in the attacks. The Madrid attacks left more than 190 people dead and 1,800 injured. Six more suspects are due in court this week, possibly today.
A French attorney says he'll represent Saddam Hussein, or one of his top deputies. In an upcoming trial Jacques Verges says Hussein's nephew asked him to take the case. Already he is out stating his case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUES VERGES, ATTORNEY (through translator): In this case his dignity was harmed and he's also being interrogated. And On top of that the heads of the states that are enemies of Iraq are saying he's guilty. That is the case for Mr. Bush saying Saddam Hussein is guilty and he deserves to die. Is Mr. Bush a judge? (END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Verges says among those he'll call to testify are those who supported the Hussein government in the 1980s. Previously the French lawyer defended Nazi war criminals and former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic.
The Irish are clamping down on smokers. At midnight Ireland's workplace smoking ban went into effect it is the most sweeping nationwide restriction in the world. The ban includes pubs, private clubs and even the cabs of moving trucks. Diana Muriel tells us more about Ireland's smoke-free situation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On Monday, Ireland becomes the first European country to impose a total ban on smoking in the work place. That means 200,000 work places no longer will employees be able to smoke, no longer will members of the public who use the spaces be able to smoke.
So signs like this one are going up in pubs all over the country warning customers they can no longer enjoy a cigarette with their pint. Most people are being receptive to the idea. They understand that there's a huge health cost associated with smoking.
The government's point of view which indicates that around 7,000 people die each year in Ireland of smoking related illness. They say one very important issue which they intend to see enforced in the pubs that it will be down to the landlords to enforce the ban.
Many say it will take two months before it becomes generally accepted in Irish society that it's no longer socially acceptable to have a cigarette with your pint in the pub.
Diana Muriel, CNN, Dublin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: The team to beat. Will the millions invested in the Yankees start paying off? Joe Torre isn't so sure about this, even with A-Rod.
If baseball isn't your favorite pastime, maybe knitting is. Even Hollywood's all tangled up in it. We'll show you how you can be as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Its want to update you with what is happening at the Tyco trial. Defense attorneys filed another motion asking for a mistrial. This time because more than one media organization has identified the name of the one holdout juror.
The judge in this case, Judge Obus, has apparently heard the arguments, has gone back into his chambers and is considering that motion for a mistrial. We have our Allan Chernoff and our CNN crew standing by to bring you the latest.
(MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Lets check some stories from "Across America." Orange County, Florida. You won't find this ride at Disney World. It seems a man asked his 8-year-old son to pull the van forward. He just never said where to stop.
The youngster lost control and mowed down dad and plowed through the house. The father is hurt but he is recovering. Better than the house.
The remarkable story played out in the news earlier this month. You remember you can find it in primetime and paperback. A Philadelphia man and woman have sold the life story of their daughter, who you may remember was believed to have died in a house fire only to be discovered as a 6-year-old classmate's birthday party. You will be seeing that in a movie soon.
March madness turned to April angst for the latest teams to be side lined. The Cinderella story ends for Xavier. It lost to Duke 66 63, the Blue Devils advancing to the final four, no big surprise there. The ACC also throwing in Georgia Tech. Yellow Jackets denied Kansas Jay Hawks a straight Final Four appearance. Actually Tech won their thriller in overtime. They will face Oklahoma State.
Damn Yankees. For theatergoers a man who makes a deal with the devil. For baseball fans it's the chorus that creates another season of a staggering payroll, a star-studded roster and an empire that non- Yankee fans seemingly find evil and invincible.
Our sports reporter Josie Burke looks ahead to the great expectations for the New York Yankees.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The New York Yankees lineup resembles a modern day murder's row.
DEREK JETER, YANKEES SHORTSTOP: Some former teammates called and some teammates call saying how excited we were. Not just Alex. You got Sheffield, Kenny Lofton, Vasquez, Gordon. I'm probably leaving some people out. That's a big list.
JOE TORRE, YANKEES MANAGER: You can't take for granted because you have, say, the most talent or more length than a lot of other teams that you're going to get there.
BURKE: There is the last game of the World Series, holding the trophy. Torre is exercising caution because New York hasn't won it all since 2000. The game's best player has never been there period. And changing that is the main reason Alex Rodriguez welcomed a trade to the Yankees. It's also why the All-Star shortstop switched to third base and allowed New York captain Derek Jeter a mainstay at shortstop to stay put.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ, YANKEE 3RD BASEMAN: To me, I'm excited to be playing with one of my favorite players and one of my greatest friends. To hopefully some day win a championship together would be magical.
TORRE: You come here for one reason. That's because you want to get to the World Series. We've been able to deliver six of the eight years to get to the World Series.
BURKE: With a roster that lists four players with $100 million contracts and a total payroll approaching $190 million winning is also expected.
PAUL QUANTRILL, YANKEE RELIEF HITTER: It isn't about competing. It's not about getting to the playoffs or winning a wild card, which in many teams that's what you're looking to do. Here it's very clear. It's very precise it's to win the World Series.
BURKE: What could derail the Yankees? New York returns on one regular starting pitcher from last year's rotation. With so many big names and egos now in the same club house, team chemistry could be an issue.
RODRIGUEZ: We have to make sure we stay chemistry wise. We play together. We play, like they say, with the names in the front of our jerseys, not the back.
JASON GIAMBI, YANKEE FIRST BASEMAN: You look around and you see, you see Derek Jeter got four World Series, Mariano Rivera Bernie Williams. We're looking for a lot of us for our first. Everybody comes here to win. Doesn't matter where you hit or play. It's all about winning.
BURKE: Josie Burke, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: All right just in time for the warm weather. A lesson in knitting. We are not talking your nana's no no no. Did your nana ever knit a bikini? Heavy sweaters aren't the only thing that you can make from yarn. And this is what we're working on in our next hour
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: It is chic and fashionable yet again. More and more people are turning away from designer duds and making up a pair of sticks and embracing a hot increasing trend. We're talking knitting. Recently some 4 million newcomers have joined the millions who say let's knit it together.
There's a new book out its called "Stitch and Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook." Here to give us the knitty gritty is Debbie Stoller. Thank you for putting down the sticks. Maybe you didn't. Do you have them with you?
DEBBIE STOLLER, KNITTER: I don't have them.
KAGAN: We're not going multitask. First, explain to me. You are a strong feminist. You have a testimony feminist magazine. How do you take that and something that seems like a traditional woman's activity like knitting? Make that connection for me.
STOLLER: I am the editor of Bus magazine, a feminist magazine for young women. When I first got obsessed with knitting in 1999 people had kind of a strange reaction. They'd say, you're knitting.
I realized that if I had told them I was playing soccer or being into karate, they would probably just say, you go girl. But knitting had this bad wrap. Didn't take me long to realize the only reason it was looked down on was because it was something that had been traditionally done by women.
As a feminist I realized that wasn't cool. I want to make sure my grandma gets her props. Since then I have been on this mission to take back the knit and make sure it is valued viewed and respected.
KAGAN: Speaking of grandmas my nana Lil was a big-time knitter. But this is not my grandma's knitting.
Let's talk about some of the styles. First nana never knitted a sweater with skulls on the side like you're wearing today.
STOLLER: Yeah. This sweater was designed by a young woman in my knitting group in New York in my Stitch n Bitch group. Her name is Amanda. She is a tattoo artist. She came up with this awesome sweater that has skulls on the sleeves. Which is one of the things that young new knitters are doing. They're coming up with their own designs. Makes it fun. Giving their own energy to this ancient craft.
KAGAN: Something I think you talk about in the book, you teach wannabe knitters how to make an alien scarf.
STOLLER: Yeah. That's a really cool scarf that has these hidden aliens in it that you can't see when you look at it straight on. But from the side, they're in there.
KAGAN: What about a kitty in a devil hat.
STOLLER: I love this project. This was designed by this girl in Philadelphia. That's one of the most popular projects in the book. Crowd pleaser.
KAGAN: And what about Nema's marsupial tote?
STOLLER: Nema is a documentary filmmaker by trade. And she's in my Stitch n Bitch in New York She's making this really great bag that's felted which is when you knit something out of wool, really it comes out huge when you first make it. Then you throw it in the washing machine and it comes out solid, which is great for a purse. KAGAN: Interesting side note. You have a PhD. In psychology.
STOLLER: I do.
KAGAN: Which answers the question when you go after a PhD. In psychology, people say, what are you going to do with that?
STOLLER: You're going to knit.
KAGAN: What are you finding when you bring women and I'm sure men who show up, to bring them together? What kind of energy are you finding from that?
STOLLER: It's so wonderful. Knitting is a great hobby but it goes better with conversation. Lot of people say you can listen better when you're knitting. So people are getting together in these stitch n bitch groups all across the country and forming new friendships, learning skills from other women and men who are already good at
knitting. It's just a great way to socialize. Awful lot of fun. I want to say that this name dates back to the '50s it's a pretty old term already. I don't know. We have just taken it back and are using it. It's funny and fun.
KAGAN: You are taking back the knit. That is the motto. Thanks for taking the time.
STOLLER: Thank you so much for having me.
KAGAN: Stitch n bitch, the book is "the knitter's handbook." Thanks for the time. Coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY, another civilian prepares to blast off. You'll meet the next person who wants to be a space tourist. After a break a funnel cloud touches down. Tornado season is under way the amazing video when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
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