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CNN Live At Daybreak

Coffey Talk: Terri Schiavo Case; Low-Carb Diets, Your Heart

Aired May 26, 2004 - 06:30   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In sports, the L.A. Lakers take the lead in the NBA finals with a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The final score, 100-89. The Lakers are now ahead in the finals two games to one.
In culture, new research finds that junior high school students who see a lot of movies showing alcohol use are three times more likely to try drinking. The study was done by Dartmouth Medical School.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: We expect to learn more today about increasing concerns over the possibility of a major terrorist attack within the United States. Officials fear a possible attack could come as early as this summer.

FBI Director Robert Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft are holding a news conference later today to discuss those concerns.

Los Angeles authorities say they must remain vigilant for quite some time to come.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MILLER, LOS ANGELES POLICE: The signals we're getting from them is, with these large public events coming up, with al Qaeda's continuing statements that they are continuing to try and attack on U.S. soil, that we have to be more alert than usual, and that we're going to have to be able to sustain that level of alertness really through the elections, if not beyond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You can hear more about the potential for terrorist attacks from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. He will appear in the 7:00 Eastern hour of "AMERICAN MORNING."

As we prepare for the Memorial Day weekend, let's look at gas prices across the country. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded remains at $2.05. That's up two cents from the day before and almost a quarter over a month ago.

In a new poll, 50 percent of you think there is no hope for lower gas prices. Also, nearly half of those Americans polled say rising gas prices are causing some financial hardships. The high costs led 56 percent to say they will drive less this summer. The highest average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded is in California, where it is $2.36 a gallon; South Carolina the lowest at 1.89.

Terri Schiavo's parents have not seen their brain-disabled daughter for months. They can't. They are not allowed. Today, a judge will hold hearings on the case.

You probably remember the Schiavos have been fighting to keep their daughter alive, even though she's been in a vegetative state for 14 years. Schiavo's husband, Michael, had wanted her feeding tube, and it almost was, until Florida Governor Jeb Bush stepped in.

The Schiavo case is the subject of our "Coffey Talk" this morning. So, let's head live to Miami and Kendall Coffey, our legal analyst.

Good morning -- Kendall.

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Can Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband, legally continue to keep her parents away from her?

COFFEY: Well, he's the guardian. So he, up to a certain point, can prescribe the rules. But if they don't agree, and obviously the parents don't agree, they can go to a judge.

And the issue today is going to be whether or not Michael Schiavo can properly insist that the parents be limited by supervised visitation. He's saying if they're going to see their daughter, there has to be some kind of guard there, and that's what the judge will decide.

COSTELLO: Yes, but he wants them to pay for the security guard, right?

COFFEY: And I think that one of his allegations was that during a prior visit by the parents there were allegedly several small puncture marks on the arms of Terri Schiavo. Police investigated that matter, indicated there was no wrongdoing. And I think the judge is going to be very inclined to grant the parents the right to see their own daughter.

COSTELLO: You know, this case is so sad. Where does it stand now as far as her feeding tube is concerned and whether it will eventually be removed? Or is that completely over?

COFFEY: No, it's far from over. As you know, prior to the time the legislature and the governor intervened, the case had gone through four different appeals and a final order had been entered saying that the life-sustaining measures were to be withdrawn. Then the legislature acted. The governor acted.

That legislation, Carol, has been declared unconstitutional, which means that the feeding tubes and other things could be withdrawn, except for the fact that that ruling is now on appeal. And, in fact, we may find out this week whether it's going to go directly to the Supreme Court of Florida.

COSTELLO: We'll keep our ears open. Kendall Coffey live from Miami this morning.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, a major company you may recognize from your cable bill could show up next on your phone bill. We'll have details ahead in our business buzz.

And then you know that low-carb craze sweeping the country? Of course, you do. We'll take a look at how healthy it is for your heart.

And no one can come between these two pals. Oh! We'll tell you how they got to be so close. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time for a little business buzz now. Pretty soon you could be hearing, "Mom, Comcast on the phone." But it won't be about your cable.

Carrie Lee has that story and more live from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Good morning -- Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: Hi, Carol.

This is a very big deal for people. Comcast is going to offer telephone service over the Internet to 40 million people by the end of 2006. They're going to roll this out in 31 markets by the end of the year.

The service uses an Internet technology called VOIP, or voice over Internet protocol, and this move is really going to heat up the competition between cable and phone companies as a lot of these companies have gotten into each other's markets.

A couple of examples: Time Warner, parents of CNN, and Cablevision, also offer VOIP service.

Meanwhile, local phone giant SBC Communications is offering satellite services, satellite TV services. EchoStar, Verizon are also offering a high-speed network, but eventually will offer television. All of this is good news for the consumer. It means two utility bills will actually be on one bill, and a lot of these deals are going to be packaged. The pricing a lot of times for these Internet phone services is a lot cheaper than traditional lines.

One drawback, if there is a power outage, you won't be able to get through as you can now on a phone line, but all in all great deals for consumers, Carol. So, this is coming from Comcast by the end of the year.

COSTELLO: I like the name of that tune.

LEE: Yes. COSTELLO: How are the futures looking this morning?

LEE: Futures are looking very weak. Now, yesterday, interesting. We saw a nice late-day rally, because oil prices subsided a little bit. Still above that $41 a barrel mark, but you can see the Nasdaq up over 2 percent; today looking a little bit weak. A lot of people are waiting to see what the government has to say about U.S. oil inventories. We'll get that weekly data later today, and that's probably going to determine, at least in part, what stocks do today.

COSTELLO: All right, Carrie Lee reporting live for us from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Turning to your health now. If you're one of those people like Chad cutting back on carbohydrates, chances are you're adding more fat to your diet. But can adding fat actually be good for your heart?

Joining us now with some answers, our registered dietician Lisa Drayer. She's in New York this morning.

Oh, boy, this study really surprises me, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETICIAN: I know. That's right, Carol. New research suggests that individuals who consume low-carbohydrates diets and increase their fat intake may be reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease, at least in the short term.

There was a study published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine." It followed 132 obese adults, and they were randomized into two groups -- a low-carbohydrate diet group that consumed no more than 30 grams of carbohydrates per day, and a conventional diet group that cut back their calories by 500 each day and limited their fat intake to 30 percent of total calories.

Now, at the end of one year, both groups lost about the same amount of weight, but those following low-carb actually had greater improvements in their triglyceride levels and their HDL, or their good cholesterol level. And this is not the only study to find such results, Carol.

COSTELLO: That just surprises me, because if someone with high cholesterol, the first thing I did was cut out red meat, and that made by cholesterol level go down.

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: And the more pasta I ate, the more good cholesterol I had. So, that's why I'm so surprised at this study.

DRAYER: Right. Well, actually you and many others find these results to be surprising, but there are a few explanations for this. The first, Carol, is that when individuals lose weight, cholesterol will go down regardless if one is following a low-fat or a low- carbohydrate diet. So, simply cutting back on calories and shedding pounds will yield results. COSTELLO: Oh.

DRAYER: Also, those on one of those two studies published last week, those following the Atkins diet took fish oil supplements, and fish oil supplements are known to lower triglyceride levels.

Now, that being said, if one is consuming a very high- carbohydrate diet, one that's high in carbs and low in fat, that's the opposite of low-carb, triglyceride levels will increase. However, when the carbs are replaced with healthier fats, like peanuts and olive oil, triglyceride will decrease.

And, indeed, in the study, those following low-carb are consuming about 46 percent of their calories from these healthier fats. So, the key is if you're going low-carb, replace those carbohydrates with the healthier fats and avoid the saturated and the trans-fats, which do increase risk for heart disease.

COSTELLO: I understand now. So, can you tell us how much fat we should eat? How much is safe for us?

DRAYER: Sure. Sure. Well, recently, the Institute of Medicine recommended that adults should consume anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of their daily calorie intake from fat. Now, that's a range there. But overweight individuals should limit fats to 30 percent of their total calories. That's according to the American Heart Association.

So, what exactly does that mean? Well, if you're on a 2,000- calorie diet, that's 67 grams of fat. If you're following 1,500 calories perhaps for weight loss, 50 grams of fat.

And, Carol, just to give you an idea of what 50 grams of fat looks like, it's about three and a half tablespoons of olive oil or three-quarters of a cup of cashews. So, we're not talking about large quantities here. Not at all.

COSTELLO: No. Thank you, Lisa, for making it clear for us.

DRAYER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: And we'll await more studies about those low-carb diets.

DRAYER: Yes.

COSTELLO: Lisa Drayer live in New York this morning.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Several officials are warning that a major terror attack could happen in America this summer. Sources say intelligence information points to an increased threat.

Just a few hours ago, police in Japan arrested several people as part of an ongoing al Qaeda investigation. Police raided several homes looking for suspects who may have ties to that terrorist organization.

In money news, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan wants to know how much you owe. He wrote letters to 10,000 random households, urging the homeowners to take part in this year's Federal Reserve study.

In sports, 20 years after she last won the French Open, Martina Navratilova returns, but only to lose big after two sets. The 47- year-old was knocked out by 19-year-old Gisela Dulko from Argentina.

In culture, one of the most famous guitars in the country has been sold to an anonymous buyer for a whopping $575,000. It was owned by Mother Maybelle Carter, and then her daughter, June Carter Cash.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines.

If you did not join in with millions of your fellow Americans last night, no worry. We've got all of the "Idol" chatter you may have missed from last night's show. That's coming up.

And for those of you who prefer classical music over today's pop hits, well, we can't promise you'll be impressed with this new orchestra, but you'll probably be amused.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Oh, millions tuned in to last night's "American Idol" to watch the final battle of "American Idol" part three. The viewers voted. The votes have been counted. And the winner is William Hung. Just kidding.

Joining us with some thoughts on the finale and the "Idol's" future is Tom O'Neil, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly" magazine.

Did you like my joke?

TOM O'NEIL, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I did. That's a good wake-up joke for this morning.

COSTELLO: You're like, what?

O'NEIL: It zapped me into reality, right.

COSTELLO: So, I watched...

O'NEIL: And by the way...

COSTELLO: Yes.

O'NEIL: By the way, Carol, they often do vote for the worst singer. Look back just a few weeks ago when Latoya, who was probably the best singer in this competition, got voted off because Jasmine got so much sympathy votes from the previous week when she choked and had forgotten some lyrics. And that factor may be... COSTELLO: But she was so cute.

O'NEIL: Yes. And that factor may be a big one in last night.

COSTELLO: I don't think so, because I actually watched last night's show. O'NEIL: Oh, did you? OK, what did you think?

COSTELLO: Diana kind of choked.

O'NEIL: She choked, and that's what I'm saying. That actually helps people stay in this competition. This time around we saw a lot of lousy singers, like John Stevens and others, stay in here. Sometimes that actually causes people to rally behind you.

COSTELLO: Oh, gosh, I hope not, because Fantasia was fantastic.

O'NEIL: I know.

COSTELLO: She was so good.

O'NEIL: Fantasia is going to be a big star. She's the whole package. She's got the most talent, and she rallied last night. But remember, she began the evening giving a performance that Simon Cowell called a complete mess, and then she rallied with a performance that he called her acceptance speech.

COSTELLO: Yes, but her performance wasn't a complete mess. The arrangement around her was a complete mess.

O'NEIL: That's a...

COSTELLO: She still sang very well.

O'NEIL: That's a good point. And Diana did choke.

COSTELLO: See, I was paying attention.

O'NEIL: Yes, and I'm very impressed at that.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

O'NEIL: Who are you rooting for? Or who do you think is going to win, Carol? I mean, I'll have you stick your neck out first.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, Diana DeGarmo kind of gets on my nerves, because she's so cheerleaderie (ph), perky kind of thing.

O'NEIL: She's 16! Come on.

COSTELLO: I know. I know. But it's like, do we need another 16-year-old singer out there? I don't think so. But Fantasia just seems to have so much talent and so much style as far as her stage presence goes that I really think that she should win.

Let's talk about the voting, though, Tom, because something new on "American Idol." You could vote four hours after the program, and this supposedly made it more fair.

O'NEIL: Yes, and they added a second phone number as a backup. But just last week, remember, 100 Associated Press reporters dialed trying to get through on the line, and only six got through.

COSTELLO: Wow!

O'NEIL: What we had last night was another voting snafu, a big one that could really hurt Diana and her fans. For the first 12 minutes of the performance last night, all subscribers to DirecTV could not see the show. So, they missed the great performance by Diana, of course, when she was so good that Randy said, you're singing your face off, kid.

COSTELLO: Oh, and they only saw the really bad part of her singing performance.

O'NEIL: I know. I know. And if we have such a razor-thin voting edge, as we had last time when Clay won by only 130,000 votes, according to their tally -- but that's another story -- it could make a big difference.

COSTELLO: So, who do you think will win? And how long do you think this show will carry on?

O'NEIL: Well, let me give you the odds from the British casinos. The casinos here in America are not permitted by law to vote. They have Fantasia out front 1 to 6, and then they have Diana behind 3 to 1. And that's a considerable spread in Fantasia's favor, but I don't believe that. I think there is -- I hope Fantasia wins, because she's the better singer, and she's going to have the best career.

But there is a factor here that you must remember, and I write books on show business awards. I'm the only journalist who has spent his career studying how people vote when they vote for show biz prizes. They vote with their heart, and that's the big factor here.

Diana DeGarmo came from behind, and she won everybody's hearts. She's so huggable. She's a karaoke singer. She's a wedding singer. She's not in the same league that Fantasia is. But remember who is voting out there. To be derisive about this, it's the gum-snapping girls of America with their daddy's cell phones. Let's be honest. That's who is voting here, and Diana is their gal.

COSTELLO: OK, we'll see if you're right. So, how many more seasons of "American Idol" will there be?

O'NEIL: Well, I'll tell you, as long as they were as dramatic as this one it's OK by me, because it was really interesting.

COSTELLO: It was. Tom O'Neil, thanks for joining us this morning.

I know you didn't watch, so I'm not even going to ask you.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I certainly did not. I was sleeping.

COSTELLO: You know, I watch, and I have to admit I'm hooked. And I watch nothing on primetime television.

MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: Because I'm usually sleeping, but I stayed up last night to watch "American Idol."

MYERS: And now you have to stay up tonight to find out who wins.

COSTELLO: I know.

MYERS: They've got you hooked two days in a row.

COSTELLO: I'm going to be exhausted.

MYERS: Hey, do you know where I was?

COSTELLO: Hawaii.

MYERS: I was in Hawaii, and I got you something. I got you and Timmy something, a bottle of volcano wine.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's great.

MYERS: They have a macadamia nut wine, but it wasn't as good.

COSTELLO: It's 50 percent grapes and 50 percent...

MYERS: Something else you can't pronounce.

COSTELLO: ... Jabatakaba (ph).

MYERS: Yes, exactly. It's some kind of...

COSTELLO: Is there any alcohol in here, Chad?

MYERS: Well...

COSTELLO: Oh, 12 percent.

MYERS: Sure. What do you think? What do you think? I'm going to buy you (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

COSTELLO: Thank you very much. But Hawaii was wonderful?

MYERS: I had a good time. It really was. It was a great time. We had all -- the folks out there were so very nice. I mean, the Aloha spirit is really alive. We went to Honolulu. We went to the Big Island. We went to the volcano. If you've never seen the -- if you have seen Mother Nature making more land, it's something you have to take the kids to see.

I think I want a new job. I want the tourism job for the Big Island, because whoever is doing it is doing a terrible job, and I could promote that island. Everybody would go to the Big Island, at least for a couple of days.

COSTELLO: I think you should put together a tape and send it to the tourism bureau of Hawaii.

MYERS: There you go.

Time to give away a mug.

COSTELLO: OK.

MYERS: I haven't been around to give away these mugs.

COSTELLO: Here. I have your script.

MYERS: Was Rob doing a good job?

COSTELLO: Not as good as you, Chad.

MYERS: Oh, that's good. Nice of you to say, but I don't believe it.

The questions from yesterday, please do not answer these, because these have already been answered. Who will receive the honorary knighthood from the British Ministry of Defense? And that, of course, was Tommy Franks, retired General Tommy Franks. And what painter's work once thought to be a fake will be auctioned off in July? The answer is Vermeer will be auctioned off in July.

Now, and the winner, Matt Silverstein from Washington, D.C. congratulations. It could be Silverstein, like Shell, but I think it's probably Silverstein, like my friend that lives there, Washington, D.C., but his name is Mark, not Matt.

Anyway, now the winner of today's quiz, you have to answer both of these questions. Please don't answer just one, but answer them both. Send me your name and address.

Nutritionist Lisa Drayer named two types of fat that increased your risk of heart disease. What are those types of fat?

And in the latest Gallup Poll, what percentage of people said high gas prices will make them drive less this summer? What was the percentage of people that aren't going to drive as far?

COSTELLO: Interesting. Daybreak@CNN.com. And, of course, we will announce the winner tomorrow. Daybreak@CNN.com.

We'll be right back with "The Lightning Round."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Lenny Kravitz.

MYERS: All singers. Are you ready for "The Lightning Round?"

COSTELLO: I like that sort of better than that cheesy sound effect we had. Maybe you should put that on tape and we can use it.

MYERS: No.

COSTELLO: OK. It's time for "The Lightning Round."

MYERS: I don't think anybody else liked it.

COSTELLO: A bit of music for you. Doesn't that sound pretty?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Playing with good can actually pay off as it did for this group of musicians. They comprised a Viennese vegetable orchestra. Their instruments are made fresh an hour before each performance. It includes a carrot flute, a carrot flute...

MYERS: That's pretty cool.

COSTELLO: ... a cucumber sax and a pumpkin base.

MYERS: That's kind of like stomp with food.

COSTELLO: I never thought about that.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: But it's true.

Some bonds cannot be broken like the one between this stray dog in India and her adopted baby monkey.

MYERS: Oh, my!

COSTELLO: The monkey was uninjured in a road last year, and the dog nursed the monkey back to health. Now the only place the dog will not follow the monkey is up a tree. Oh, that looks kind of strange.

MYERS: Look at that.

COSTELLO: We leave you with a strange picture as we join "AMERICAN MORNING." Thank you for joining us.

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 26, 2004 - 06:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In sports, the L.A. Lakers take the lead in the NBA finals with a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. The final score, 100-89. The Lakers are now ahead in the finals two games to one.
In culture, new research finds that junior high school students who see a lot of movies showing alcohol use are three times more likely to try drinking. The study was done by Dartmouth Medical School.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: We expect to learn more today about increasing concerns over the possibility of a major terrorist attack within the United States. Officials fear a possible attack could come as early as this summer.

FBI Director Robert Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft are holding a news conference later today to discuss those concerns.

Los Angeles authorities say they must remain vigilant for quite some time to come.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN MILLER, LOS ANGELES POLICE: The signals we're getting from them is, with these large public events coming up, with al Qaeda's continuing statements that they are continuing to try and attack on U.S. soil, that we have to be more alert than usual, and that we're going to have to be able to sustain that level of alertness really through the elections, if not beyond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You can hear more about the potential for terrorist attacks from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. He will appear in the 7:00 Eastern hour of "AMERICAN MORNING."

As we prepare for the Memorial Day weekend, let's look at gas prices across the country. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded remains at $2.05. That's up two cents from the day before and almost a quarter over a month ago.

In a new poll, 50 percent of you think there is no hope for lower gas prices. Also, nearly half of those Americans polled say rising gas prices are causing some financial hardships. The high costs led 56 percent to say they will drive less this summer. The highest average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded is in California, where it is $2.36 a gallon; South Carolina the lowest at 1.89.

Terri Schiavo's parents have not seen their brain-disabled daughter for months. They can't. They are not allowed. Today, a judge will hold hearings on the case.

You probably remember the Schiavos have been fighting to keep their daughter alive, even though she's been in a vegetative state for 14 years. Schiavo's husband, Michael, had wanted her feeding tube, and it almost was, until Florida Governor Jeb Bush stepped in.

The Schiavo case is the subject of our "Coffey Talk" this morning. So, let's head live to Miami and Kendall Coffey, our legal analyst.

Good morning -- Kendall.

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Can Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband, legally continue to keep her parents away from her?

COFFEY: Well, he's the guardian. So he, up to a certain point, can prescribe the rules. But if they don't agree, and obviously the parents don't agree, they can go to a judge.

And the issue today is going to be whether or not Michael Schiavo can properly insist that the parents be limited by supervised visitation. He's saying if they're going to see their daughter, there has to be some kind of guard there, and that's what the judge will decide.

COSTELLO: Yes, but he wants them to pay for the security guard, right?

COFFEY: And I think that one of his allegations was that during a prior visit by the parents there were allegedly several small puncture marks on the arms of Terri Schiavo. Police investigated that matter, indicated there was no wrongdoing. And I think the judge is going to be very inclined to grant the parents the right to see their own daughter.

COSTELLO: You know, this case is so sad. Where does it stand now as far as her feeding tube is concerned and whether it will eventually be removed? Or is that completely over?

COFFEY: No, it's far from over. As you know, prior to the time the legislature and the governor intervened, the case had gone through four different appeals and a final order had been entered saying that the life-sustaining measures were to be withdrawn. Then the legislature acted. The governor acted.

That legislation, Carol, has been declared unconstitutional, which means that the feeding tubes and other things could be withdrawn, except for the fact that that ruling is now on appeal. And, in fact, we may find out this week whether it's going to go directly to the Supreme Court of Florida.

COSTELLO: We'll keep our ears open. Kendall Coffey live from Miami this morning.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, a major company you may recognize from your cable bill could show up next on your phone bill. We'll have details ahead in our business buzz.

And then you know that low-carb craze sweeping the country? Of course, you do. We'll take a look at how healthy it is for your heart.

And no one can come between these two pals. Oh! We'll tell you how they got to be so close. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time for a little business buzz now. Pretty soon you could be hearing, "Mom, Comcast on the phone." But it won't be about your cable.

Carrie Lee has that story and more live from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Good morning -- Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: Hi, Carol.

This is a very big deal for people. Comcast is going to offer telephone service over the Internet to 40 million people by the end of 2006. They're going to roll this out in 31 markets by the end of the year.

The service uses an Internet technology called VOIP, or voice over Internet protocol, and this move is really going to heat up the competition between cable and phone companies as a lot of these companies have gotten into each other's markets.

A couple of examples: Time Warner, parents of CNN, and Cablevision, also offer VOIP service.

Meanwhile, local phone giant SBC Communications is offering satellite services, satellite TV services. EchoStar, Verizon are also offering a high-speed network, but eventually will offer television. All of this is good news for the consumer. It means two utility bills will actually be on one bill, and a lot of these deals are going to be packaged. The pricing a lot of times for these Internet phone services is a lot cheaper than traditional lines.

One drawback, if there is a power outage, you won't be able to get through as you can now on a phone line, but all in all great deals for consumers, Carol. So, this is coming from Comcast by the end of the year.

COSTELLO: I like the name of that tune.

LEE: Yes. COSTELLO: How are the futures looking this morning?

LEE: Futures are looking very weak. Now, yesterday, interesting. We saw a nice late-day rally, because oil prices subsided a little bit. Still above that $41 a barrel mark, but you can see the Nasdaq up over 2 percent; today looking a little bit weak. A lot of people are waiting to see what the government has to say about U.S. oil inventories. We'll get that weekly data later today, and that's probably going to determine, at least in part, what stocks do today.

COSTELLO: All right, Carrie Lee reporting live for us from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Turning to your health now. If you're one of those people like Chad cutting back on carbohydrates, chances are you're adding more fat to your diet. But can adding fat actually be good for your heart?

Joining us now with some answers, our registered dietician Lisa Drayer. She's in New York this morning.

Oh, boy, this study really surprises me, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETICIAN: I know. That's right, Carol. New research suggests that individuals who consume low-carbohydrates diets and increase their fat intake may be reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease, at least in the short term.

There was a study published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine." It followed 132 obese adults, and they were randomized into two groups -- a low-carbohydrate diet group that consumed no more than 30 grams of carbohydrates per day, and a conventional diet group that cut back their calories by 500 each day and limited their fat intake to 30 percent of total calories.

Now, at the end of one year, both groups lost about the same amount of weight, but those following low-carb actually had greater improvements in their triglyceride levels and their HDL, or their good cholesterol level. And this is not the only study to find such results, Carol.

COSTELLO: That just surprises me, because if someone with high cholesterol, the first thing I did was cut out red meat, and that made by cholesterol level go down.

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: And the more pasta I ate, the more good cholesterol I had. So, that's why I'm so surprised at this study.

DRAYER: Right. Well, actually you and many others find these results to be surprising, but there are a few explanations for this. The first, Carol, is that when individuals lose weight, cholesterol will go down regardless if one is following a low-fat or a low- carbohydrate diet. So, simply cutting back on calories and shedding pounds will yield results. COSTELLO: Oh.

DRAYER: Also, those on one of those two studies published last week, those following the Atkins diet took fish oil supplements, and fish oil supplements are known to lower triglyceride levels.

Now, that being said, if one is consuming a very high- carbohydrate diet, one that's high in carbs and low in fat, that's the opposite of low-carb, triglyceride levels will increase. However, when the carbs are replaced with healthier fats, like peanuts and olive oil, triglyceride will decrease.

And, indeed, in the study, those following low-carb are consuming about 46 percent of their calories from these healthier fats. So, the key is if you're going low-carb, replace those carbohydrates with the healthier fats and avoid the saturated and the trans-fats, which do increase risk for heart disease.

COSTELLO: I understand now. So, can you tell us how much fat we should eat? How much is safe for us?

DRAYER: Sure. Sure. Well, recently, the Institute of Medicine recommended that adults should consume anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of their daily calorie intake from fat. Now, that's a range there. But overweight individuals should limit fats to 30 percent of their total calories. That's according to the American Heart Association.

So, what exactly does that mean? Well, if you're on a 2,000- calorie diet, that's 67 grams of fat. If you're following 1,500 calories perhaps for weight loss, 50 grams of fat.

And, Carol, just to give you an idea of what 50 grams of fat looks like, it's about three and a half tablespoons of olive oil or three-quarters of a cup of cashews. So, we're not talking about large quantities here. Not at all.

COSTELLO: No. Thank you, Lisa, for making it clear for us.

DRAYER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: And we'll await more studies about those low-carb diets.

DRAYER: Yes.

COSTELLO: Lisa Drayer live in New York this morning.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Several officials are warning that a major terror attack could happen in America this summer. Sources say intelligence information points to an increased threat.

Just a few hours ago, police in Japan arrested several people as part of an ongoing al Qaeda investigation. Police raided several homes looking for suspects who may have ties to that terrorist organization.

In money news, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan wants to know how much you owe. He wrote letters to 10,000 random households, urging the homeowners to take part in this year's Federal Reserve study.

In sports, 20 years after she last won the French Open, Martina Navratilova returns, but only to lose big after two sets. The 47- year-old was knocked out by 19-year-old Gisela Dulko from Argentina.

In culture, one of the most famous guitars in the country has been sold to an anonymous buyer for a whopping $575,000. It was owned by Mother Maybelle Carter, and then her daughter, June Carter Cash.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines.

If you did not join in with millions of your fellow Americans last night, no worry. We've got all of the "Idol" chatter you may have missed from last night's show. That's coming up.

And for those of you who prefer classical music over today's pop hits, well, we can't promise you'll be impressed with this new orchestra, but you'll probably be amused.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Oh, millions tuned in to last night's "American Idol" to watch the final battle of "American Idol" part three. The viewers voted. The votes have been counted. And the winner is William Hung. Just kidding.

Joining us with some thoughts on the finale and the "Idol's" future is Tom O'Neil, senior editor of "In Touch Weekly" magazine.

Did you like my joke?

TOM O'NEIL, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": I did. That's a good wake-up joke for this morning.

COSTELLO: You're like, what?

O'NEIL: It zapped me into reality, right.

COSTELLO: So, I watched...

O'NEIL: And by the way...

COSTELLO: Yes.

O'NEIL: By the way, Carol, they often do vote for the worst singer. Look back just a few weeks ago when Latoya, who was probably the best singer in this competition, got voted off because Jasmine got so much sympathy votes from the previous week when she choked and had forgotten some lyrics. And that factor may be... COSTELLO: But she was so cute.

O'NEIL: Yes. And that factor may be a big one in last night.

COSTELLO: I don't think so, because I actually watched last night's show. O'NEIL: Oh, did you? OK, what did you think?

COSTELLO: Diana kind of choked.

O'NEIL: She choked, and that's what I'm saying. That actually helps people stay in this competition. This time around we saw a lot of lousy singers, like John Stevens and others, stay in here. Sometimes that actually causes people to rally behind you.

COSTELLO: Oh, gosh, I hope not, because Fantasia was fantastic.

O'NEIL: I know.

COSTELLO: She was so good.

O'NEIL: Fantasia is going to be a big star. She's the whole package. She's got the most talent, and she rallied last night. But remember, she began the evening giving a performance that Simon Cowell called a complete mess, and then she rallied with a performance that he called her acceptance speech.

COSTELLO: Yes, but her performance wasn't a complete mess. The arrangement around her was a complete mess.

O'NEIL: That's a...

COSTELLO: She still sang very well.

O'NEIL: That's a good point. And Diana did choke.

COSTELLO: See, I was paying attention.

O'NEIL: Yes, and I'm very impressed at that.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

O'NEIL: Who are you rooting for? Or who do you think is going to win, Carol? I mean, I'll have you stick your neck out first.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, Diana DeGarmo kind of gets on my nerves, because she's so cheerleaderie (ph), perky kind of thing.

O'NEIL: She's 16! Come on.

COSTELLO: I know. I know. But it's like, do we need another 16-year-old singer out there? I don't think so. But Fantasia just seems to have so much talent and so much style as far as her stage presence goes that I really think that she should win.

Let's talk about the voting, though, Tom, because something new on "American Idol." You could vote four hours after the program, and this supposedly made it more fair.

O'NEIL: Yes, and they added a second phone number as a backup. But just last week, remember, 100 Associated Press reporters dialed trying to get through on the line, and only six got through.

COSTELLO: Wow!

O'NEIL: What we had last night was another voting snafu, a big one that could really hurt Diana and her fans. For the first 12 minutes of the performance last night, all subscribers to DirecTV could not see the show. So, they missed the great performance by Diana, of course, when she was so good that Randy said, you're singing your face off, kid.

COSTELLO: Oh, and they only saw the really bad part of her singing performance.

O'NEIL: I know. I know. And if we have such a razor-thin voting edge, as we had last time when Clay won by only 130,000 votes, according to their tally -- but that's another story -- it could make a big difference.

COSTELLO: So, who do you think will win? And how long do you think this show will carry on?

O'NEIL: Well, let me give you the odds from the British casinos. The casinos here in America are not permitted by law to vote. They have Fantasia out front 1 to 6, and then they have Diana behind 3 to 1. And that's a considerable spread in Fantasia's favor, but I don't believe that. I think there is -- I hope Fantasia wins, because she's the better singer, and she's going to have the best career.

But there is a factor here that you must remember, and I write books on show business awards. I'm the only journalist who has spent his career studying how people vote when they vote for show biz prizes. They vote with their heart, and that's the big factor here.

Diana DeGarmo came from behind, and she won everybody's hearts. She's so huggable. She's a karaoke singer. She's a wedding singer. She's not in the same league that Fantasia is. But remember who is voting out there. To be derisive about this, it's the gum-snapping girls of America with their daddy's cell phones. Let's be honest. That's who is voting here, and Diana is their gal.

COSTELLO: OK, we'll see if you're right. So, how many more seasons of "American Idol" will there be?

O'NEIL: Well, I'll tell you, as long as they were as dramatic as this one it's OK by me, because it was really interesting.

COSTELLO: It was. Tom O'Neil, thanks for joining us this morning.

I know you didn't watch, so I'm not even going to ask you.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I certainly did not. I was sleeping.

COSTELLO: You know, I watch, and I have to admit I'm hooked. And I watch nothing on primetime television.

MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: Because I'm usually sleeping, but I stayed up last night to watch "American Idol."

MYERS: And now you have to stay up tonight to find out who wins.

COSTELLO: I know.

MYERS: They've got you hooked two days in a row.

COSTELLO: I'm going to be exhausted.

MYERS: Hey, do you know where I was?

COSTELLO: Hawaii.

MYERS: I was in Hawaii, and I got you something. I got you and Timmy something, a bottle of volcano wine.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's great.

MYERS: They have a macadamia nut wine, but it wasn't as good.

COSTELLO: It's 50 percent grapes and 50 percent...

MYERS: Something else you can't pronounce.

COSTELLO: ... Jabatakaba (ph).

MYERS: Yes, exactly. It's some kind of...

COSTELLO: Is there any alcohol in here, Chad?

MYERS: Well...

COSTELLO: Oh, 12 percent.

MYERS: Sure. What do you think? What do you think? I'm going to buy you (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

COSTELLO: Thank you very much. But Hawaii was wonderful?

MYERS: I had a good time. It really was. It was a great time. We had all -- the folks out there were so very nice. I mean, the Aloha spirit is really alive. We went to Honolulu. We went to the Big Island. We went to the volcano. If you've never seen the -- if you have seen Mother Nature making more land, it's something you have to take the kids to see.

I think I want a new job. I want the tourism job for the Big Island, because whoever is doing it is doing a terrible job, and I could promote that island. Everybody would go to the Big Island, at least for a couple of days.

COSTELLO: I think you should put together a tape and send it to the tourism bureau of Hawaii.

MYERS: There you go.

Time to give away a mug.

COSTELLO: OK.

MYERS: I haven't been around to give away these mugs.

COSTELLO: Here. I have your script.

MYERS: Was Rob doing a good job?

COSTELLO: Not as good as you, Chad.

MYERS: Oh, that's good. Nice of you to say, but I don't believe it.

The questions from yesterday, please do not answer these, because these have already been answered. Who will receive the honorary knighthood from the British Ministry of Defense? And that, of course, was Tommy Franks, retired General Tommy Franks. And what painter's work once thought to be a fake will be auctioned off in July? The answer is Vermeer will be auctioned off in July.

Now, and the winner, Matt Silverstein from Washington, D.C. congratulations. It could be Silverstein, like Shell, but I think it's probably Silverstein, like my friend that lives there, Washington, D.C., but his name is Mark, not Matt.

Anyway, now the winner of today's quiz, you have to answer both of these questions. Please don't answer just one, but answer them both. Send me your name and address.

Nutritionist Lisa Drayer named two types of fat that increased your risk of heart disease. What are those types of fat?

And in the latest Gallup Poll, what percentage of people said high gas prices will make them drive less this summer? What was the percentage of people that aren't going to drive as far?

COSTELLO: Interesting. Daybreak@CNN.com. And, of course, we will announce the winner tomorrow. Daybreak@CNN.com.

We'll be right back with "The Lightning Round."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Lenny Kravitz.

MYERS: All singers. Are you ready for "The Lightning Round?"

COSTELLO: I like that sort of better than that cheesy sound effect we had. Maybe you should put that on tape and we can use it.

MYERS: No.

COSTELLO: OK. It's time for "The Lightning Round."

MYERS: I don't think anybody else liked it.

COSTELLO: A bit of music for you. Doesn't that sound pretty?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Playing with good can actually pay off as it did for this group of musicians. They comprised a Viennese vegetable orchestra. Their instruments are made fresh an hour before each performance. It includes a carrot flute, a carrot flute...

MYERS: That's pretty cool.

COSTELLO: ... a cucumber sax and a pumpkin base.

MYERS: That's kind of like stomp with food.

COSTELLO: I never thought about that.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: But it's true.

Some bonds cannot be broken like the one between this stray dog in India and her adopted baby monkey.

MYERS: Oh, my!

COSTELLO: The monkey was uninjured in a road last year, and the dog nursed the monkey back to health. Now the only place the dog will not follow the monkey is up a tree. Oh, that looks kind of strange.

MYERS: Look at that.

COSTELLO: We leave you with a strange picture as we join "AMERICAN MORNING." Thank you for joining us.

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