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U.S. Military Planning to Keep 138,000 U.S. Troops in Iraq Through 2005; Health Officials Warning About Growing Danger of Obesity Among American Children

Aired May 05, 2004 - 11:31   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 at CNN Center in Atlanta. Now the headlines. President Bush did interviews with two Arab-language networks today, calling the U.S. treatment of some Iraqi prisoners "abhorrent." Photographs show detainees stripped naked and posed in humiliating positions. Mr. Bush says that any soldiers guilty of abuse will be brought to justice.
Three bombs exploded today outside an Athens police station. A caller warned authorities, prompting them to clear everyone from the building. No injuries were reported. The bombings come as Greece begins the 100-day countdown to the Summer Olympics.

A federal election panel is studying ways to safeguard electronic voting. Officials want to be sure the touchsreens aren't vulnerable to hackers or software glitches. Fifty million Americans are expected to make the ATM-like machines -- and use them to register their votes this fall.

And Israeli warplanes struck at least two Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon today. Israeli sources say the sites were hit after Hezbollah fired antiaircraft shells at villages in northern Israel.

Let's check in now at the Pentagon. The U.S. military planning to keep 138,000 U.S. troops in Iraq through 2005.

Elaine Quijano has now more from the Pentagon.

Elaine, good morning.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

By this time, the Pentagon had hoped to draw down U.S. troop levels in Iraq to about 115,000. But that will not be the case, as you said. And officials here saying what is fueling that decision to keep those U.S. troop levels up are continued concerns over safety and stability in Iraq. About 10,000 troops are getting ready to head out. Those include 5,000 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. Also, 5,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton are preparing for deployment. And in addition to that, as part of the regular rotation of troops into Iraq, some 37,000 National Guard and Reserve troops are being called to active duty to provide combat support.

Now what they're facing of course is an uncertain situation characterized repeatedly by the Bush administration as a time of testing, as that June 30th deadline for the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi people approaches.

Now, though, of course there is a real concern here that fallout from those prison pictures, the Abu Ghraib prison pictures, will turn into real violence, heightened violence, they fear, against U.S. troops in Iraq.

And this morning, are we heard from the top U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, an apology to the Iraqi people, to the Arab world, for those picture.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: My Army has been embarrassed by this. My Army's been ashamed by this. And on behalf of my Army I apologize for what those soldiers did to your citizens. It was reprehensible and it was unacceptable, and it is more than just words, that we have to take those words into action and ensure that never happens again. And we will make...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt there reflecting the sentiments of many here at the Pentagon, who say that they are outraged, they are disgusted by those photographs. They say that they do not reflect who the American soldier really is, at a time when they were trying to build credibility and send the message to the Iraqi people that they are there to help, this certainly does not help their case.

But there is no such apology, interesting to note yesterday, from Defense Secretary Donald Rums during a briefing. The defense secretary calling it a serious problem, calling it an unhelpful situation, but not going so far as to offer an apology. Yet Brigadier General Kimmitt there offering an apology. Something that many here are saying they share in that sense of outrage, they share in that sense of disgust -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Elaine Quijano, at the Pentagon.

Now for a different take on all this, Producer Norman Lear. He made many political statements with his sitcoms. Now he wants you to make one. His organization is called "Declare Yourself." It's on tour this election year, urging young people to register to vote. Today, his troupe rolls into lower Manhattan for "A Spoken Word," and it's show on the steps of Federal Hall.

Norman Lear is our guest this morning from New York.

Mr. Lear, good morning. Good to have you here with us again.

NORMAN LEAR, TELEVISION PRODUCER: Good morning. Good morning. Nice to be here.

KAGAN: I want to start with the event of the day and the current events. Do you think as young people are watching what is unfolding in Iraq and on the international scene, it is more or less likely to motivate them to get involved in politics, and just in the voting process in general?

LEAR: Well, you know, we're also touring with the Declaration of Independence, an original copy that was printed the night of July 4, 1776. It's at Federal Hall here for Tribeca, for the Film Festival, and it's that which we started touring three years ago, that we find is offering enormous inspiration to young people. There, I see it on the camera now.

KAGAN: Yes. Well, you were so inspired by the Declaration of Independence, you took your own money out of pocket and bought one of the original copies.

LEAR: It was the copy most people will remember somebody found behind a picture frame they bought for $7 at a flea market.

KAGAN: You paid a little more than $7.

LEAR: Yes, a little bit more, yes.

KAGAN: You want to share how much you paid?

LEAR: Well, you know how much I paid. You can say it.

KAGAN: Go ahead, tell our audience. It was your check.

LEAR: It's public information. They can find it. I don't like talking about money. There are some things that are priceless.

KAGAN: All right.

LEAR: ... and this is priceless.

KAGAN: Well, one thing about the Declaration of Information, you're saying this was actually a document that was meant to be performed orally, to be read out loud.

LEAR: Yes, as a matter of fact, a wonderful book by a Berkeley professor has been written about it, that's how Jefferson wrote it. And as a result, we did a reading in Independence Hall, in 2001, with Mel Gibson, Michael Douglas, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg, Renee -- 11 great actors. We shot it in 35 millimeter, and it tours with the Declaration, and you can find it and the reading I just spoke about on declareyourself.com.

KAGAN: Your target audience, 18-year-olds to 29-year-old, trying to get more young people out to vote. Why do you think the segment of the population, especially first-time voters, don't take the opportunity?

LEAR: Well, I think they -- there isn't enough appeal to them. There isn't enough -- from, I think, media, and the leadership everywhere, that doesn't talk to them about the -- about the opportunity, let alone the responsibility, of civic participation. That it's their lives, and their country, and this is the only blessed country on Earth where their vote really can matter.

KAGAN: And as you run around the country and you target young people, do you care if you're registering Republicans or Democrats?

LEAR: Don't care at all. We are nonpartisan to the nth degree. Presidents Ford and Carter co-chaired this tour, have for the last three years, as we've toured the country, and 51 universities and colleges, and will through the election. Now we've got the six spoken word poets that are absolutely evangelizing for their generation. They're all in their 20s, evangelizing on the need for civic participation.

KAGAN: As you said, you're on tour today in lower Manhattan. Good luck with the tour and getting people motivated.

Norman Lear, thanks for stopping by.

LEAR: Thank you so much.

KAGAN: Appreciate your time.

LEAR: We're going to talk high blood pressure just ahead. It is something that children actually have to worry about. You can blame America's thickening waistline for that. Our daily dose of health news is up next.

And later, what do you get when you mix Michael Moore, Mickey Mouse, George W. Bush and the Saudi royal family. That is quite a mix. We have one big battle to tell you about. The story is ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Health officials have been warning about the growing danger of obesity among American children. And a new study points to another warning sign, rising blood pressure among youngsters.

Christy Feig has our daily dose health news.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTY FEIG, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When Yun Lee (ph) came to America from Korea at age nine he wasn't overweight, but becoming a typical American teenager added about 30 pounds too many.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ate a lot of fast food or pizza or a lot of cheese, a lot of cokes. I guess that became the source of the obesity.

FEIG: Now at 19, he's battling high blood pressure, a hidden danger researchers found in their study of overweight kids reported in the "Journal of the American Medical Association."

DR. PAUL MUNTNER, TULANE UNIVERSITY: We divided up our sample into ages 8 through 12 and 13 through 17, and we saw remarkably consistent results from blood pressure increased among children of all ages.

FEIG: In children, even a blood pressure increase of just a few points is significant. Because each one point increase in childhood raises the risk of high blood pressure as an adult by ten percent.

MUNTNER: If you have high blood pressure in a childhood, there is a much higher likelihood that you will sustain it into adulthood and if you do then you are into the group of people who are at risk for having kidney disease or stroke, heart disease.

FEIG: High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it doesn't often have many symptoms. The doctor say this should be a red flag to get kids moving more and eating less. Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: As always, your daily dose of health news is just a click away. The latest medical news, a health library, and much more can be yours at CNN.com/health.

In one corner, America's most firebrand filmmaker. In the other, Mickey Mouse? Michael Moore goes head to head with Michael Eisner over a controversial new movie. We are live with that story just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush today gave two interviews to two different Arab-language networks, al Hurra and al Arabiya. We expect within just a few moments to be seeing the al Arabiya interview in its entirety. When that begins to broadcast on that network, you're going to see it live right here -- or as it is seen on al Arabiya, you'll see it here on CNN.

While we're waiting for that tape to feed in, let's go ahead and give you a little bit of other news from the world of business. Disney blocking one of its studio from distributing the new documentary by Michael Moore. The film is sharply critical of President Bush.

Our financial correspondent Jen Rogers is at Disney studios in Burbank for more on that story.

Jen, good morning.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning there, Daryn.

That's right, we are outside Walt Disney studios. So far, no comment from the Walt Disney Company, but Michael Moore, the outspoken filmmaker, coming out with a letter on his Web site. And in that letter, he says that "Yesterday I was told that Disney, the studio that owns Miramax, has officially decided to prohibit our producer, Miramax, from distributing my new film "Fahrenheit 9/11. The reason, according to today's 'New York Times,' it might endanger millions of dollar of tax breaks Disney receives from the state of Florida because the film will anger the governor of Florida, Jeb Bush."

Now, again, We have not had comment after repeated calls from the Walt Disney Company from them. We have not had comment from Moore's agent or from Miramax itself. It's a bit of a complicated story, certainly a lot of layers here, political and entertainment as well.

But one thing that is certainly clear, is that this puts Michael Eisner in the middle of another controversy. Michael Eisner, the chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company, and he has really been under fire all year with critics calling for his ouster. Another controversy for him to have to deal with on his plate that he probably wishes weren't there.

Again, we are expecting, though, and hoping to hear comment from the Walt Disney company on these charges. But again, no comment on this so far today from them -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jen Rogers, live from Burbank, California. Thank you so much.

We're getting word now on the interview that will air on al Arabiya, President Bush's interview with that Arab-language network. That is supposed to now be on at the top of the hour. More on that in just a bit.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: It was a very close call. Watch this tape. A television reporter and two pilots recovering this morning in New York City. Their helicopter spun out of control and crashed on to a Brooklyn rooftop. Witnesses say the WNBC Television chopper's engine made sputtering noises. A reporter had just finished a live report before the crash. None of those aboard had serious injures. And as we said, they are recovering today.

Firefighters in Southern California hope they can get control today of the largest of six wildfires. Four blazes are in Riverside County, including the Cerritos Fire, which has blackened 11,000 acres. It's now 30 percent contained. One man has been cited for negligence for dragging a steel plate behind his vehicle. Sparks from the plate are believed to have started the fire. It's forces hundreds of people to evacuate. Six structures have been destroyed. Firefighters in Southern California, hoping for a break from Mother Nature.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: This final story for you, no deal has been inked, but actor Johnny Depp is said to be pushing to get Keith Richards a role in the sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean." Richards was the inspiration behind Depp's portrayal of pirate Jack Sparrow, which won Depp an Oscar nomination. Depp said he'd like the Stones guitarist to be in a sequel as Sparrow's father.

Well, on that, we're going to wrap up these next two hours. I'm Daryn Kagan. I'll be back here in the seat tomorrow morning. Standing by waiting for the full interview President bush granted to the Arab-language network al Arabiya. You'll see that with Wolf just ahead in the next hour, as Wolf Blitzer takes over from Washington D.C. 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 May 5, 2004 - 11:31   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 at CNN Center in Atlanta. Now the headlines. President Bush did interviews with two Arab-language networks today, calling the U.S. treatment of some Iraqi prisoners "abhorrent." Photographs show detainees stripped naked and posed in humiliating positions. Mr. Bush says that any soldiers guilty of abuse will be brought to justice.
Three bombs exploded today outside an Athens police station. A caller warned authorities, prompting them to clear everyone from the building. No injuries were reported. The bombings come as Greece begins the 100-day countdown to the Summer Olympics.

A federal election panel is studying ways to safeguard electronic voting. Officials want to be sure the touchsreens aren't vulnerable to hackers or software glitches. Fifty million Americans are expected to make the ATM-like machines -- and use them to register their votes this fall.

And Israeli warplanes struck at least two Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon today. Israeli sources say the sites were hit after Hezbollah fired antiaircraft shells at villages in northern Israel.

Let's check in now at the Pentagon. The U.S. military planning to keep 138,000 U.S. troops in Iraq through 2005.

Elaine Quijano has now more from the Pentagon.

Elaine, good morning.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

By this time, the Pentagon had hoped to draw down U.S. troop levels in Iraq to about 115,000. But that will not be the case, as you said. And officials here saying what is fueling that decision to keep those U.S. troop levels up are continued concerns over safety and stability in Iraq. About 10,000 troops are getting ready to head out. Those include 5,000 soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. Also, 5,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton are preparing for deployment. And in addition to that, as part of the regular rotation of troops into Iraq, some 37,000 National Guard and Reserve troops are being called to active duty to provide combat support.

Now what they're facing of course is an uncertain situation characterized repeatedly by the Bush administration as a time of testing, as that June 30th deadline for the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi people approaches.

Now, though, of course there is a real concern here that fallout from those prison pictures, the Abu Ghraib prison pictures, will turn into real violence, heightened violence, they fear, against U.S. troops in Iraq.

And this morning, are we heard from the top U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, an apology to the Iraqi people, to the Arab world, for those picture.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: My Army has been embarrassed by this. My Army's been ashamed by this. And on behalf of my Army I apologize for what those soldiers did to your citizens. It was reprehensible and it was unacceptable, and it is more than just words, that we have to take those words into action and ensure that never happens again. And we will make...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt there reflecting the sentiments of many here at the Pentagon, who say that they are outraged, they are disgusted by those photographs. They say that they do not reflect who the American soldier really is, at a time when they were trying to build credibility and send the message to the Iraqi people that they are there to help, this certainly does not help their case.

But there is no such apology, interesting to note yesterday, from Defense Secretary Donald Rums during a briefing. The defense secretary calling it a serious problem, calling it an unhelpful situation, but not going so far as to offer an apology. Yet Brigadier General Kimmitt there offering an apology. Something that many here are saying they share in that sense of outrage, they share in that sense of disgust -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Elaine Quijano, at the Pentagon.

Now for a different take on all this, Producer Norman Lear. He made many political statements with his sitcoms. Now he wants you to make one. His organization is called "Declare Yourself." It's on tour this election year, urging young people to register to vote. Today, his troupe rolls into lower Manhattan for "A Spoken Word," and it's show on the steps of Federal Hall.

Norman Lear is our guest this morning from New York.

Mr. Lear, good morning. Good to have you here with us again.

NORMAN LEAR, TELEVISION PRODUCER: Good morning. Good morning. Nice to be here.

KAGAN: I want to start with the event of the day and the current events. Do you think as young people are watching what is unfolding in Iraq and on the international scene, it is more or less likely to motivate them to get involved in politics, and just in the voting process in general?

LEAR: Well, you know, we're also touring with the Declaration of Independence, an original copy that was printed the night of July 4, 1776. It's at Federal Hall here for Tribeca, for the Film Festival, and it's that which we started touring three years ago, that we find is offering enormous inspiration to young people. There, I see it on the camera now.

KAGAN: Yes. Well, you were so inspired by the Declaration of Independence, you took your own money out of pocket and bought one of the original copies.

LEAR: It was the copy most people will remember somebody found behind a picture frame they bought for $7 at a flea market.

KAGAN: You paid a little more than $7.

LEAR: Yes, a little bit more, yes.

KAGAN: You want to share how much you paid?

LEAR: Well, you know how much I paid. You can say it.

KAGAN: Go ahead, tell our audience. It was your check.

LEAR: It's public information. They can find it. I don't like talking about money. There are some things that are priceless.

KAGAN: All right.

LEAR: ... and this is priceless.

KAGAN: Well, one thing about the Declaration of Information, you're saying this was actually a document that was meant to be performed orally, to be read out loud.

LEAR: Yes, as a matter of fact, a wonderful book by a Berkeley professor has been written about it, that's how Jefferson wrote it. And as a result, we did a reading in Independence Hall, in 2001, with Mel Gibson, Michael Douglas, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg, Renee -- 11 great actors. We shot it in 35 millimeter, and it tours with the Declaration, and you can find it and the reading I just spoke about on declareyourself.com.

KAGAN: Your target audience, 18-year-olds to 29-year-old, trying to get more young people out to vote. Why do you think the segment of the population, especially first-time voters, don't take the opportunity?

LEAR: Well, I think they -- there isn't enough appeal to them. There isn't enough -- from, I think, media, and the leadership everywhere, that doesn't talk to them about the -- about the opportunity, let alone the responsibility, of civic participation. That it's their lives, and their country, and this is the only blessed country on Earth where their vote really can matter.

KAGAN: And as you run around the country and you target young people, do you care if you're registering Republicans or Democrats?

LEAR: Don't care at all. We are nonpartisan to the nth degree. Presidents Ford and Carter co-chaired this tour, have for the last three years, as we've toured the country, and 51 universities and colleges, and will through the election. Now we've got the six spoken word poets that are absolutely evangelizing for their generation. They're all in their 20s, evangelizing on the need for civic participation.

KAGAN: As you said, you're on tour today in lower Manhattan. Good luck with the tour and getting people motivated.

Norman Lear, thanks for stopping by.

LEAR: Thank you so much.

KAGAN: Appreciate your time.

LEAR: We're going to talk high blood pressure just ahead. It is something that children actually have to worry about. You can blame America's thickening waistline for that. Our daily dose of health news is up next.

And later, what do you get when you mix Michael Moore, Mickey Mouse, George W. Bush and the Saudi royal family. That is quite a mix. We have one big battle to tell you about. The story is ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Health officials have been warning about the growing danger of obesity among American children. And a new study points to another warning sign, rising blood pressure among youngsters.

Christy Feig has our daily dose health news.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTY FEIG, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: When Yun Lee (ph) came to America from Korea at age nine he wasn't overweight, but becoming a typical American teenager added about 30 pounds too many.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I ate a lot of fast food or pizza or a lot of cheese, a lot of cokes. I guess that became the source of the obesity.

FEIG: Now at 19, he's battling high blood pressure, a hidden danger researchers found in their study of overweight kids reported in the "Journal of the American Medical Association."

DR. PAUL MUNTNER, TULANE UNIVERSITY: We divided up our sample into ages 8 through 12 and 13 through 17, and we saw remarkably consistent results from blood pressure increased among children of all ages.

FEIG: In children, even a blood pressure increase of just a few points is significant. Because each one point increase in childhood raises the risk of high blood pressure as an adult by ten percent.

MUNTNER: If you have high blood pressure in a childhood, there is a much higher likelihood that you will sustain it into adulthood and if you do then you are into the group of people who are at risk for having kidney disease or stroke, heart disease.

FEIG: High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it doesn't often have many symptoms. The doctor say this should be a red flag to get kids moving more and eating less. Christy Feig, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: As always, your daily dose of health news is just a click away. The latest medical news, a health library, and much more can be yours at CNN.com/health.

In one corner, America's most firebrand filmmaker. In the other, Mickey Mouse? Michael Moore goes head to head with Michael Eisner over a controversial new movie. We are live with that story just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush today gave two interviews to two different Arab-language networks, al Hurra and al Arabiya. We expect within just a few moments to be seeing the al Arabiya interview in its entirety. When that begins to broadcast on that network, you're going to see it live right here -- or as it is seen on al Arabiya, you'll see it here on CNN.

While we're waiting for that tape to feed in, let's go ahead and give you a little bit of other news from the world of business. Disney blocking one of its studio from distributing the new documentary by Michael Moore. The film is sharply critical of President Bush.

Our financial correspondent Jen Rogers is at Disney studios in Burbank for more on that story.

Jen, good morning.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning there, Daryn.

That's right, we are outside Walt Disney studios. So far, no comment from the Walt Disney Company, but Michael Moore, the outspoken filmmaker, coming out with a letter on his Web site. And in that letter, he says that "Yesterday I was told that Disney, the studio that owns Miramax, has officially decided to prohibit our producer, Miramax, from distributing my new film "Fahrenheit 9/11. The reason, according to today's 'New York Times,' it might endanger millions of dollar of tax breaks Disney receives from the state of Florida because the film will anger the governor of Florida, Jeb Bush."

Now, again, We have not had comment after repeated calls from the Walt Disney Company from them. We have not had comment from Moore's agent or from Miramax itself. It's a bit of a complicated story, certainly a lot of layers here, political and entertainment as well.

But one thing that is certainly clear, is that this puts Michael Eisner in the middle of another controversy. Michael Eisner, the chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Company, and he has really been under fire all year with critics calling for his ouster. Another controversy for him to have to deal with on his plate that he probably wishes weren't there.

Again, we are expecting, though, and hoping to hear comment from the Walt Disney company on these charges. But again, no comment on this so far today from them -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jen Rogers, live from Burbank, California. Thank you so much.

We're getting word now on the interview that will air on al Arabiya, President Bush's interview with that Arab-language network. That is supposed to now be on at the top of the hour. More on that in just a bit.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: It was a very close call. Watch this tape. A television reporter and two pilots recovering this morning in New York City. Their helicopter spun out of control and crashed on to a Brooklyn rooftop. Witnesses say the WNBC Television chopper's engine made sputtering noises. A reporter had just finished a live report before the crash. None of those aboard had serious injures. And as we said, they are recovering today.

Firefighters in Southern California hope they can get control today of the largest of six wildfires. Four blazes are in Riverside County, including the Cerritos Fire, which has blackened 11,000 acres. It's now 30 percent contained. One man has been cited for negligence for dragging a steel plate behind his vehicle. Sparks from the plate are believed to have started the fire. It's forces hundreds of people to evacuate. Six structures have been destroyed. Firefighters in Southern California, hoping for a break from Mother Nature.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: This final story for you, no deal has been inked, but actor Johnny Depp is said to be pushing to get Keith Richards a role in the sequel to "Pirates of the Caribbean." Richards was the inspiration behind Depp's portrayal of pirate Jack Sparrow, which won Depp an Oscar nomination. Depp said he'd like the Stones guitarist to be in a sequel as Sparrow's father.

Well, on that, we're going to wrap up these next two hours. I'm Daryn Kagan. I'll be back here in the seat tomorrow morning. Standing by waiting for the full interview President bush granted to the Arab-language network al Arabiya. You'll see that with Wolf just ahead in the next hour, as Wolf Blitzer takes over from Washington D.C. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com