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George Tenet Stepping Down as CIA Chief; Tomorrow's Potential Triple Crown

Aired June 04, 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. Let's check the latest headlines at this hour. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi makes his first nationwide address on Iraqi Television. He says the new government will regulate the entry of foreigners, and that will be very soon. He was installed Tuesday when the Iraqi Governing Council dissolved.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IYAD ALLAWI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This will be guarantee for Iraq until the capabilities of security, internal security, and national police and army, until that is -- they are all ready to assume their responsibilities in protecting Iraq. Targeting multinational forces with the leadership of the United States for the purpose of moving it outside of Iraq will bring about a catastrophe to Iraq, especially before we finish building the institutions that are military and security, and I should not forget to mention that the coalition forces have given the blood of their own sons and daughters to protect Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Security is high in Rome, where antiwar protesters are attempting to disrupt President Bush's visit to the Italian capital. Mr. Bush met with Pope John Paul II. The pope opposes the war in Iraq. He has called for a speedy return of Iraq's sovereignty.

Israeli's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has dismissed two national union party cabinet ministers, who opposed his Gaza pullout plan. Sharon wants to evacuate 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four enclaves in the West Bank by the end of 2005. A cabinet vote could come Sunday.

Missouri voters will decide in August whether the state constitution should ban gay marriage. Republicans had wanted the issue on the November ballot, but lost an appeal to the state supreme court. Democrats were concerned the issue might have cost them votes in the general election.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Singapore. He is meeting with military officials from various Asian nations. Earlier today, he visited with about 500 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Essex. That is docked in Singapore. And though he is half a world away, the resignation of CIA director George Tenet back in Washington hit close to home for Rumsfeld.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I'm going to miss him. He's a personal friend and he's a very close professional colleague. I've got a lot of respect for him, enormous respect for him as a public servant, and I'm going to miss him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Well, George Tenet, as you heard live on this program yesterday, said that he is quitting for personal reasons, but the CIA's chief surprise announcement has led to speculation that there actually could be more to the story.

Our Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon this morning with more on this.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, indeed, any time a top government official suddenly resigns, there are questions about what really happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Washington began buzzing as soon as CIA Director George Tenet resigned. Was he being held accountable for intelligence failures ranging from 9/11 to Iraq? Officially, the resignation was Tenet's idea, but many immediately looked for indications that Tenet and perhaps others were finally being taken to task.

PELOSI: If Mr. Tenet thinks there should be a change of leadership at the CIA, for whatever reason, including taking it -- taking one for the administration, then so be it. But I think that the responsibility goes far beyond George Tenet.

STARR: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also is facing questions of accountability, in his case for the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal and the war itself.

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D), IOWA: Mr. Rumsfeld, because of his actions and his statements and his policies during his tenure as secretary of defense, is ultimately responsible.

STARR: Holding senior leaders accountable is rooted in deep tradition.

JAMES WEBB, FORMER NAVY SECRETARY: There is an old saying in the military that you can delegate authority, but you can't delegate responsibility. And so as a result, you are in a technical sense traditionally responsible for everything that goes on under your command.

STARR: Early on, Rumsfeld drew his own line in the sand and it appears to be working. DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Needless to say, if I felt I could not be effective, I would resign in a minute. I would not resign simply because people try to make a political issue out of it.

STARR: Even the "Military Times" newspaper, which called for Rumsfeld to go, thinks his job is safe for now after President Bush's strong endorsement.

TOBIAS NAEGELE, "MILITARY TIMES": I don't see Don Rumsfeld going anywhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: So, Daryn, at the end of the day, the question may be, according to some people here in Washington, was George Tenet's effectiveness over? And is Don Rumsfeld going to be next -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And those questions will keep up shining a spotlight on the Defense chief. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

Trying to make history, we are live from the Belmont track, all eyes awaiting Smarty Jones to hit the ground running. We're talking about a potential triple crown.

Later, a look at the new Harry Potter film, and a slight departure from the book. Some critics say, get this, it's the best Harry Potter movie yet. Stay with us for a preview.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and take a look at other stories making news coast to coast. A 40-year-old climber has died after falling 200 feet on Washington's Mount Ranier. The man's climbing partner was rescued by helicopter. Yesterday's death was the second in two weeks on one of the mountains most dangerous routes.

A scramble to protect drinking water is under way in California where a levee broke near Stockton, in northern California. The fault allowed salt water from San Francisco Bay to flow into the fresh water delta. Drinking water is channeled from the delta to much of California, as far south as Los Angeles.

A performance artist who usually works with cheese has now moved to another medium. How about ham? Natural progression, I guess. Kasimo Cavayero (ph) covered a four-poster bed with 312 pounds of processed ham. He once covered a house in pepper jack cheese. Not really sure the statement they're trying to make there, but it's very clear the statement that could be made tomorrow.

The Belmont Stakes in Belmont, New York, in Long Island. In any year, it is a pretty classy horse race, but for Smarty Jones, this could be a run for the history books.

Our Josie Burke is there for the buildup to tomorrow's potential triple crown.

Good morning.

JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. You know, it's hard to believe that just five weeks ago, the horse racing world was lamenting the fact that not a single 3-year-old had distinguished itself as the horse to beat going into the Kentucky Derby. Now today, you have Smarty Jones being compared to Secretariat, arguably, the greatest race horse in history.

So what happened? Well, all Smarty Jones has done is win two races, and win over a country that has been captivated by his story of triumph over adversity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BURKE (voice-over): Smarty Jones remarkable race to immortality could have just as easily have been a journey to nowhere. Last summer, he came face to face with death, after hitting his head during a training accident in a starting gate.

JOHN SERVIS, SMARTY JONES' TRAINER: He just lunged out over the top of the front doors, and saw that daylight, I guess, and decided he wanted to get out of there, and hit his head across the iron bar across the top of the gate, and tore his head up pretty good.

BURKE: It was the horse's turn to experience the pain that lived all around him. Smarty Jones's original trainer was murdered in 2001. Afterwards, his owners, Pat and Roy Chapman, nearly got out of the business entirely. Today, Roy gets around the track in a wheelchair, supported by oxygen, weakened by emphysema.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE He's obviously wanting to be at the barn more and wanted to spend a lot more time with the horse. When you get a horse like this, you want to spend as much time as you can with him, and he hasn't been able to do that.

BURKE: On race day, Smarty's talent is handled by 39-year-old jockey Stewart Elliott. Elliott, too, could just have easily been elsewhere today. He's battled a weight problem and alcoholism. He's had run-ins with the law. Now Elliott is a key part of the team that is, against all logic, at the top of the horse racing world.

STEWART ELLIOTT, SMARTY JONES' JOCKEY: There's nothing to hide. Everybody's asked all of the questions. I've told them everything they want to know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE; There are so many twists to the story, and it's gotten everybody involved, and nationwide, people have fallen in love with my horse.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BURKE: Officials here at Belmont Park believe that crowds are going to come out tomorrow in record numbers to show their love again for Smarty Jones. They're anticipating about 120,000 for the Belmont Stakes. The track record here is about 103,000, and contributing to that bold prediction, Daryn, is the fact that Smarty Jones is a Philly boy, and it's not a very long trip from Philadelphia up 95 here to New York -- Daryn.

KAGAN Plus, it being so close to New York City and they want to be so close to a potential triple crown winner. So will they cut -- will they close the gate at a certain point, and is this a tough ticket to get?

BURKE: It is a tough ticket to get, but, Daryn, this place is so big, where people are saying is that 120,000 isn't going to feel crowded, that there is room for pretty much anybody who wants to come out here.

KAGAN: Those kind of numbers, it could be the Indy 500.

Josie, thank you for that. Enjoy the race. Perhaps history will be made, and you'll be there to see it.

BURKE: Thank you.

KAGAN: And new champ is named in the 77th Scripps National Spelling Bee. His name is David Tidmarsh. He outlasted 264 rivals, including the second-place finalist. Watch this, an earlier round, he gets a little overwhelmed. Oh, no. He collapses on stage after he heard the challenge. But, hold on, he does get up, and he amazed everybody, not just by getting up, but by spelling the word correctly. But did anybody notice that nobody really went to his aid? This is an intense competition. This kept him in the game and won him a standing ovation. And now for our winner, Here Is David Tidmarsh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID TIDMARSH, NATIONAL SPELLING BEE CHAMPION: Autochthonous -- A-U-T-O-C-H-T-H-O-N-O-U-S -- Autochthonous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are the champion!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Congratulations to David. He is a public school eighth- grader from South Bend, Indiana. He takes home $12,000, a thousand- dollars savings bond, a set of encyclopedias and a reference library.

Is the magic still there? Harry Potter is back on the big screen for a third time. There's a lot of good buzz about this latest adventure. We'll get Mr. Moviefone's take, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you OK? Let's go!

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Quick! Run!

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Wait for me.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: That felt good.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Not good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: But will the movie feel good? New at theaters this weekend, the latest installment of Harry Potter, and from the looks of things, Harry may pretty much have the box office to himself. Film reviewer Russ Leatherman, Mr. Moviefone, here to tell us more about that.

Russ, good morning.

KAGAN: So this is the third installment in the Harry Potter movies, a new director this time. How is it?

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Well, Alfonso Cordone (ph), who did "Et Tu Mama Tanbien (ph)," also did "The Little Princess," new director, and if you listen to the buzz on the street, everybody is going to tell you this movie is darker, more foreboding than the first two.

KAGAN: I have heard that.

LEATHERMAN: I think that's sort of true. But I think it's darker because they forgot to turn on the lights, because, I mean, if you remember the first two movies, they were pretty dark, right? He had the three-headed dog that was chasing people. This movie is the third in the series. It is darker. But I had some problems with the movie.

KAGAN: You did?

LEATHERMAN: I did. One, it's 2 1/2 hours. And I know, at the risk of alienating every moviegoer and reviewer in the country.

KAGAN: And every parent.

LEATHERMAN: The movie is 2 1/2 hours long. I thought that there were long dry spells during the movie. The kids are growing up, as you can see there, and they're sort of caught in that transition between kids and adults and teenagers, and there really wasn't a lot going on in the movie. It's got Gary Oldman, who plays the villain in the movie. He doesn't show up until halfway through, 3/4 of the way through the movie, and is only given 10, 15 minutes worth of screen time. He plays Serious Black, the guy who is out to get Harry.

So in a nutshell, I think that if you liked the first couple of movies, you're going to like this movie. If you didn't like the first two movies, or really couldn't get into the series, I don't think this movie is going to sell you. So, again, at the risk -- I guess I'm just a Potter pooper is what I am.

KAGAN: Everybody needs a Potter pooper, and that's why we invited you.

But there's nothing else coming out this weekend. Is that by design, or were people afraid of going up against Harry?

LEATHERMAN: Yes, I think everybody'S afraid of going up against Harry, and they should be. The movie's going to open up big, no doubt it; it'll have a huge opening weekend, but I really think that when people get to see it, and see that, you know, there's just not a lot of magic in the movie, it is darker. There's not a lot of fun for kids. And I will say that if you're thinking about taking your kids, if your kids are under 8 or 9 years old, I wouldn't take them, because I don't think they're going to have a lot of fun, and there are some scary images.

And it will have a hard time coming up against "Shrek." "Shrek" is becoming the fastest movie to really break box office records in history, and it just keeps getting stronger and stronger. We saw last weekend that even the end of the world can't stop "Shrek," so it's going to have another huge weekend, and I wouldn't be surprised if after that this weekend, "Harry Potter" has its day, that we see "Shrek" pop back up to the top next week.

KAGAN: All right, you made that prediction. We'll bring you back next week and see if it comes true.

LEATHERMAN: All right, And, Daryn, I don't mean to be a Potter pooper. I don't.

KAGAN: Yes, I know. You can't help yourself, though. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We appreciate your honest opinion.

Thank you, Mr. Moviefone.

LEATHERMAN: Bye, Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, if you are wild about Harry, you want to point your Internet browser to CNN.com/entertainment, you'll find much more fodder no Potter.

Speaking of the Web, how safe is your password in cyberspace. We're going to crack the code on that one, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: OK, you don't need us to tell we're becoming a nation of secret codes, accumulating passwords and pins. You got your ATM, computer access, online accounts. In fact, though, your personal codes might not be so hard to crack. How about that for a news flash? those passwords might soon be obsolete.

Our technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg has that story.

Good morning. DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, I want to put you on the spot, first of all. Are you one of those...

KAGAN: All right, you love to do that to me.

SIEBERG: I know, I do. Have you changed your password regularly, frequently, at all Do you use the same password since, say, the Internet and ATMs became popular?

KAGAN: Since the '80s. I stick with what I do, and yes.

SIEBERG: OK, well, you're not alone, because there are millions of people out there who do use the same password very often, whether it's logging into an online Web site, at a bank machine, an ATM for debit cards.

The problem is, that's making it easier for hackers or for scammers to figure out what your password is, and the consequences for that could be anything from losing money to losing your identity for identity theft, and a huge hassle if somebody breaks into your personal information. We use it for everything from logging on to news sites to online banking.

So what can do you? Well, There are some tips for people, because there are a lot of things you can do to try to make your password more secure.

Now, first of all, you want to use what's called alphanumeric. That's a combination of letters and numbers, not just letters, especially nothing from the dictionary. Stay away from your mother's maiden name, your pet's name, date of birth, that kind of thing, mother's maiden name, very easy to guess. Create long passwords. Sometimes it's a character limitation, but four to six characters is definitely the minimum you want to use. Be creative. As I mentioned, not to use something from the dictionary. A lot of hackers actually do that first, try and find a word from the dictionary. Be creative. I know it can be tough to remember a particular combination of letters and words, but something that people may not be able to guess about you.

Now once you've created that password, what do you do with it? Well, storing it can be just as important as coming up with a creative one. You want to not use the same password on multiple sites. That's very important, because you may end up using it at a place you don't remember.

You also want to keep your passwords in a secure place. What that means is don't write them down on a sticky and put them on your computer monitor, because somebody could walk by and see it. Try to memorize them. I know it's very tough to try to memorize a lot of different passwords.

Change your passwords often. Every month can be tough, but maybe every six months, or even every year just try and refresh them, come up with something different. And you know a lot of hackers and scammers are actually using programs that log everything you type, so you want to try and trick them, and the way you can do that, is to actually type out the entire alphabet, and then cut and paste your password, because that may not be as hard to find out. I know it sounds rather tedious, but there are actually some devices that are coming out that will make this a little bit easier for people, or maybe more complicated, depending on what you think.

KAGAN: We have to use these now?

SIEBERG: Yes, this is something that's now. It's from RSA, and the whole idea is this password here, this number combination, will regenerate every 60 seconds.

KAGAN: Look and it's about to do it, too.

SIEBERG: Yes, it's just about to do it. It's going to change now to a new set of numbers, and you use this in addition to your other passwords, so it's very secure. You see a new set of numbers just came up, and that makes it very secure, because you're not just using one set of numbers. Now we also talked to a bank in Sweden, called Nordia (ph), and they sent us these scratch cards. I'm going to scratch this one right here, and the idea behind this is there are actually codes on here that you can use.

KAGAN: Did you win a dollar?

SIEBERG: Yes, did I win a dollar? Oh, man, look at that, $6,000.

The idea is that there are codes in here that you would use in addition to your ATM code, and there are 60 on this card. You use them each time you log in online, or with a bank machine, and then it knows when you need another card, so they would send you another one in the mail. So whether you consider that to be a hassle or secure, of course banks have to be careful with that sort of thing.

KAGAN: Right, and so you're saying, it's really important to do it, because someone's out there trying to get your stuff?

SIEBERG: Someone is out there trying to get your stuff, and if you don't do something to protect it, then someone is going to come along and steal it.

KAGAN: OK, I'll try to get better and change it more than once every 10 years.

SIEBERG: All right, I'm going to stay on top of you, Daryn.

KAGAN: OK, thank you, Daniel Sieberg.

We will have some weather just ahead.

And if you're already feeling the heat, don't sweat it. We're going to show you some ways to chill out for summer. Plus, the doggone dogs are gone. We're going to solve a canine caper in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, that begins right now.

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Aired June 4, 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. Let's check the latest headlines at this hour. Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi makes his first nationwide address on Iraqi Television. He says the new government will regulate the entry of foreigners, and that will be very soon. He was installed Tuesday when the Iraqi Governing Council dissolved.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IYAD ALLAWI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This will be guarantee for Iraq until the capabilities of security, internal security, and national police and army, until that is -- they are all ready to assume their responsibilities in protecting Iraq. Targeting multinational forces with the leadership of the United States for the purpose of moving it outside of Iraq will bring about a catastrophe to Iraq, especially before we finish building the institutions that are military and security, and I should not forget to mention that the coalition forces have given the blood of their own sons and daughters to protect Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Security is high in Rome, where antiwar protesters are attempting to disrupt President Bush's visit to the Italian capital. Mr. Bush met with Pope John Paul II. The pope opposes the war in Iraq. He has called for a speedy return of Iraq's sovereignty.

Israeli's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has dismissed two national union party cabinet ministers, who opposed his Gaza pullout plan. Sharon wants to evacuate 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four enclaves in the West Bank by the end of 2005. A cabinet vote could come Sunday.

Missouri voters will decide in August whether the state constitution should ban gay marriage. Republicans had wanted the issue on the November ballot, but lost an appeal to the state supreme court. Democrats were concerned the issue might have cost them votes in the general election.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Singapore. He is meeting with military officials from various Asian nations. Earlier today, he visited with about 500 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Essex. That is docked in Singapore. And though he is half a world away, the resignation of CIA director George Tenet back in Washington hit close to home for Rumsfeld.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I'm going to miss him. He's a personal friend and he's a very close professional colleague. I've got a lot of respect for him, enormous respect for him as a public servant, and I'm going to miss him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Well, George Tenet, as you heard live on this program yesterday, said that he is quitting for personal reasons, but the CIA's chief surprise announcement has led to speculation that there actually could be more to the story.

Our Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon this morning with more on this.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, indeed, any time a top government official suddenly resigns, there are questions about what really happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Washington began buzzing as soon as CIA Director George Tenet resigned. Was he being held accountable for intelligence failures ranging from 9/11 to Iraq? Officially, the resignation was Tenet's idea, but many immediately looked for indications that Tenet and perhaps others were finally being taken to task.

PELOSI: If Mr. Tenet thinks there should be a change of leadership at the CIA, for whatever reason, including taking it -- taking one for the administration, then so be it. But I think that the responsibility goes far beyond George Tenet.

STARR: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also is facing questions of accountability, in his case for the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal and the war itself.

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D), IOWA: Mr. Rumsfeld, because of his actions and his statements and his policies during his tenure as secretary of defense, is ultimately responsible.

STARR: Holding senior leaders accountable is rooted in deep tradition.

JAMES WEBB, FORMER NAVY SECRETARY: There is an old saying in the military that you can delegate authority, but you can't delegate responsibility. And so as a result, you are in a technical sense traditionally responsible for everything that goes on under your command.

STARR: Early on, Rumsfeld drew his own line in the sand and it appears to be working. DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Needless to say, if I felt I could not be effective, I would resign in a minute. I would not resign simply because people try to make a political issue out of it.

STARR: Even the "Military Times" newspaper, which called for Rumsfeld to go, thinks his job is safe for now after President Bush's strong endorsement.

TOBIAS NAEGELE, "MILITARY TIMES": I don't see Don Rumsfeld going anywhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: So, Daryn, at the end of the day, the question may be, according to some people here in Washington, was George Tenet's effectiveness over? And is Don Rumsfeld going to be next -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And those questions will keep up shining a spotlight on the Defense chief. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.

Trying to make history, we are live from the Belmont track, all eyes awaiting Smarty Jones to hit the ground running. We're talking about a potential triple crown.

Later, a look at the new Harry Potter film, and a slight departure from the book. Some critics say, get this, it's the best Harry Potter movie yet. Stay with us for a preview.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and take a look at other stories making news coast to coast. A 40-year-old climber has died after falling 200 feet on Washington's Mount Ranier. The man's climbing partner was rescued by helicopter. Yesterday's death was the second in two weeks on one of the mountains most dangerous routes.

A scramble to protect drinking water is under way in California where a levee broke near Stockton, in northern California. The fault allowed salt water from San Francisco Bay to flow into the fresh water delta. Drinking water is channeled from the delta to much of California, as far south as Los Angeles.

A performance artist who usually works with cheese has now moved to another medium. How about ham? Natural progression, I guess. Kasimo Cavayero (ph) covered a four-poster bed with 312 pounds of processed ham. He once covered a house in pepper jack cheese. Not really sure the statement they're trying to make there, but it's very clear the statement that could be made tomorrow.

The Belmont Stakes in Belmont, New York, in Long Island. In any year, it is a pretty classy horse race, but for Smarty Jones, this could be a run for the history books.

Our Josie Burke is there for the buildup to tomorrow's potential triple crown.

Good morning.

JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. You know, it's hard to believe that just five weeks ago, the horse racing world was lamenting the fact that not a single 3-year-old had distinguished itself as the horse to beat going into the Kentucky Derby. Now today, you have Smarty Jones being compared to Secretariat, arguably, the greatest race horse in history.

So what happened? Well, all Smarty Jones has done is win two races, and win over a country that has been captivated by his story of triumph over adversity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BURKE (voice-over): Smarty Jones remarkable race to immortality could have just as easily have been a journey to nowhere. Last summer, he came face to face with death, after hitting his head during a training accident in a starting gate.

JOHN SERVIS, SMARTY JONES' TRAINER: He just lunged out over the top of the front doors, and saw that daylight, I guess, and decided he wanted to get out of there, and hit his head across the iron bar across the top of the gate, and tore his head up pretty good.

BURKE: It was the horse's turn to experience the pain that lived all around him. Smarty Jones's original trainer was murdered in 2001. Afterwards, his owners, Pat and Roy Chapman, nearly got out of the business entirely. Today, Roy gets around the track in a wheelchair, supported by oxygen, weakened by emphysema.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE He's obviously wanting to be at the barn more and wanted to spend a lot more time with the horse. When you get a horse like this, you want to spend as much time as you can with him, and he hasn't been able to do that.

BURKE: On race day, Smarty's talent is handled by 39-year-old jockey Stewart Elliott. Elliott, too, could just have easily been elsewhere today. He's battled a weight problem and alcoholism. He's had run-ins with the law. Now Elliott is a key part of the team that is, against all logic, at the top of the horse racing world.

STEWART ELLIOTT, SMARTY JONES' JOCKEY: There's nothing to hide. Everybody's asked all of the questions. I've told them everything they want to know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE; There are so many twists to the story, and it's gotten everybody involved, and nationwide, people have fallen in love with my horse.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BURKE: Officials here at Belmont Park believe that crowds are going to come out tomorrow in record numbers to show their love again for Smarty Jones. They're anticipating about 120,000 for the Belmont Stakes. The track record here is about 103,000, and contributing to that bold prediction, Daryn, is the fact that Smarty Jones is a Philly boy, and it's not a very long trip from Philadelphia up 95 here to New York -- Daryn.

KAGAN Plus, it being so close to New York City and they want to be so close to a potential triple crown winner. So will they cut -- will they close the gate at a certain point, and is this a tough ticket to get?

BURKE: It is a tough ticket to get, but, Daryn, this place is so big, where people are saying is that 120,000 isn't going to feel crowded, that there is room for pretty much anybody who wants to come out here.

KAGAN: Those kind of numbers, it could be the Indy 500.

Josie, thank you for that. Enjoy the race. Perhaps history will be made, and you'll be there to see it.

BURKE: Thank you.

KAGAN: And new champ is named in the 77th Scripps National Spelling Bee. His name is David Tidmarsh. He outlasted 264 rivals, including the second-place finalist. Watch this, an earlier round, he gets a little overwhelmed. Oh, no. He collapses on stage after he heard the challenge. But, hold on, he does get up, and he amazed everybody, not just by getting up, but by spelling the word correctly. But did anybody notice that nobody really went to his aid? This is an intense competition. This kept him in the game and won him a standing ovation. And now for our winner, Here Is David Tidmarsh.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID TIDMARSH, NATIONAL SPELLING BEE CHAMPION: Autochthonous -- A-U-T-O-C-H-T-H-O-N-O-U-S -- Autochthonous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are the champion!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Congratulations to David. He is a public school eighth- grader from South Bend, Indiana. He takes home $12,000, a thousand- dollars savings bond, a set of encyclopedias and a reference library.

Is the magic still there? Harry Potter is back on the big screen for a third time. There's a lot of good buzz about this latest adventure. We'll get Mr. Moviefone's take, up next.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Are you OK? Let's go!

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Quick! Run!

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Wait for me.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: That felt good.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Not good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: But will the movie feel good? New at theaters this weekend, the latest installment of Harry Potter, and from the looks of things, Harry may pretty much have the box office to himself. Film reviewer Russ Leatherman, Mr. Moviefone, here to tell us more about that.

Russ, good morning.

KAGAN: So this is the third installment in the Harry Potter movies, a new director this time. How is it?

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Well, Alfonso Cordone (ph), who did "Et Tu Mama Tanbien (ph)," also did "The Little Princess," new director, and if you listen to the buzz on the street, everybody is going to tell you this movie is darker, more foreboding than the first two.

KAGAN: I have heard that.

LEATHERMAN: I think that's sort of true. But I think it's darker because they forgot to turn on the lights, because, I mean, if you remember the first two movies, they were pretty dark, right? He had the three-headed dog that was chasing people. This movie is the third in the series. It is darker. But I had some problems with the movie.

KAGAN: You did?

LEATHERMAN: I did. One, it's 2 1/2 hours. And I know, at the risk of alienating every moviegoer and reviewer in the country.

KAGAN: And every parent.

LEATHERMAN: The movie is 2 1/2 hours long. I thought that there were long dry spells during the movie. The kids are growing up, as you can see there, and they're sort of caught in that transition between kids and adults and teenagers, and there really wasn't a lot going on in the movie. It's got Gary Oldman, who plays the villain in the movie. He doesn't show up until halfway through, 3/4 of the way through the movie, and is only given 10, 15 minutes worth of screen time. He plays Serious Black, the guy who is out to get Harry.

So in a nutshell, I think that if you liked the first couple of movies, you're going to like this movie. If you didn't like the first two movies, or really couldn't get into the series, I don't think this movie is going to sell you. So, again, at the risk -- I guess I'm just a Potter pooper is what I am.

KAGAN: Everybody needs a Potter pooper, and that's why we invited you.

But there's nothing else coming out this weekend. Is that by design, or were people afraid of going up against Harry?

LEATHERMAN: Yes, I think everybody'S afraid of going up against Harry, and they should be. The movie's going to open up big, no doubt it; it'll have a huge opening weekend, but I really think that when people get to see it, and see that, you know, there's just not a lot of magic in the movie, it is darker. There's not a lot of fun for kids. And I will say that if you're thinking about taking your kids, if your kids are under 8 or 9 years old, I wouldn't take them, because I don't think they're going to have a lot of fun, and there are some scary images.

And it will have a hard time coming up against "Shrek." "Shrek" is becoming the fastest movie to really break box office records in history, and it just keeps getting stronger and stronger. We saw last weekend that even the end of the world can't stop "Shrek," so it's going to have another huge weekend, and I wouldn't be surprised if after that this weekend, "Harry Potter" has its day, that we see "Shrek" pop back up to the top next week.

KAGAN: All right, you made that prediction. We'll bring you back next week and see if it comes true.

LEATHERMAN: All right, And, Daryn, I don't mean to be a Potter pooper. I don't.

KAGAN: Yes, I know. You can't help yourself, though. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We appreciate your honest opinion.

Thank you, Mr. Moviefone.

LEATHERMAN: Bye, Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, if you are wild about Harry, you want to point your Internet browser to CNN.com/entertainment, you'll find much more fodder no Potter.

Speaking of the Web, how safe is your password in cyberspace. We're going to crack the code on that one, coming up next.

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KAGAN: OK, you don't need us to tell we're becoming a nation of secret codes, accumulating passwords and pins. You got your ATM, computer access, online accounts. In fact, though, your personal codes might not be so hard to crack. How about that for a news flash? those passwords might soon be obsolete.

Our technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg has that story.

Good morning. DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, I want to put you on the spot, first of all. Are you one of those...

KAGAN: All right, you love to do that to me.

SIEBERG: I know, I do. Have you changed your password regularly, frequently, at all Do you use the same password since, say, the Internet and ATMs became popular?

KAGAN: Since the '80s. I stick with what I do, and yes.

SIEBERG: OK, well, you're not alone, because there are millions of people out there who do use the same password very often, whether it's logging into an online Web site, at a bank machine, an ATM for debit cards.

The problem is, that's making it easier for hackers or for scammers to figure out what your password is, and the consequences for that could be anything from losing money to losing your identity for identity theft, and a huge hassle if somebody breaks into your personal information. We use it for everything from logging on to news sites to online banking.

So what can do you? Well, There are some tips for people, because there are a lot of things you can do to try to make your password more secure.

Now, first of all, you want to use what's called alphanumeric. That's a combination of letters and numbers, not just letters, especially nothing from the dictionary. Stay away from your mother's maiden name, your pet's name, date of birth, that kind of thing, mother's maiden name, very easy to guess. Create long passwords. Sometimes it's a character limitation, but four to six characters is definitely the minimum you want to use. Be creative. As I mentioned, not to use something from the dictionary. A lot of hackers actually do that first, try and find a word from the dictionary. Be creative. I know it can be tough to remember a particular combination of letters and words, but something that people may not be able to guess about you.

Now once you've created that password, what do you do with it? Well, storing it can be just as important as coming up with a creative one. You want to not use the same password on multiple sites. That's very important, because you may end up using it at a place you don't remember.

You also want to keep your passwords in a secure place. What that means is don't write them down on a sticky and put them on your computer monitor, because somebody could walk by and see it. Try to memorize them. I know it's very tough to try to memorize a lot of different passwords.

Change your passwords often. Every month can be tough, but maybe every six months, or even every year just try and refresh them, come up with something different. And you know a lot of hackers and scammers are actually using programs that log everything you type, so you want to try and trick them, and the way you can do that, is to actually type out the entire alphabet, and then cut and paste your password, because that may not be as hard to find out. I know it sounds rather tedious, but there are actually some devices that are coming out that will make this a little bit easier for people, or maybe more complicated, depending on what you think.

KAGAN: We have to use these now?

SIEBERG: Yes, this is something that's now. It's from RSA, and the whole idea is this password here, this number combination, will regenerate every 60 seconds.

KAGAN: Look and it's about to do it, too.

SIEBERG: Yes, it's just about to do it. It's going to change now to a new set of numbers, and you use this in addition to your other passwords, so it's very secure. You see a new set of numbers just came up, and that makes it very secure, because you're not just using one set of numbers. Now we also talked to a bank in Sweden, called Nordia (ph), and they sent us these scratch cards. I'm going to scratch this one right here, and the idea behind this is there are actually codes on here that you can use.

KAGAN: Did you win a dollar?

SIEBERG: Yes, did I win a dollar? Oh, man, look at that, $6,000.

The idea is that there are codes in here that you would use in addition to your ATM code, and there are 60 on this card. You use them each time you log in online, or with a bank machine, and then it knows when you need another card, so they would send you another one in the mail. So whether you consider that to be a hassle or secure, of course banks have to be careful with that sort of thing.

KAGAN: Right, and so you're saying, it's really important to do it, because someone's out there trying to get your stuff?

SIEBERG: Someone is out there trying to get your stuff, and if you don't do something to protect it, then someone is going to come along and steal it.

KAGAN: OK, I'll try to get better and change it more than once every 10 years.

SIEBERG: All right, I'm going to stay on top of you, Daryn.

KAGAN: OK, thank you, Daniel Sieberg.

We will have some weather just ahead.

And if you're already feeling the heat, don't sweat it. We're going to show you some ways to chill out for summer. Plus, the doggone dogs are gone. We're going to solve a canine caper in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, that begins right now.

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