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American Morning
Remembering Ronald Reagan; Interview With Sheila Tate, Former Press Secretary for Nancy Reagan; '90-Second Pop'
Aired June 07, 2004 - 07:30 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again, everyone. I'm Bill Hemmer live in Simi Valley at the presidential library of the late President Ronald Reagan. We are about five and a half hours away from the former president's body being brought here to lie in a state of repose for a period of about 24 hours here for public viewing. And certainly as the proceedings get under way and continue throughout the day here, we have an awful lot to talk about.
California has known this man intimately for so many years, and we'll talk about that in a moment when we come back here live.
But for now, back to my colleague again, my partner. Good morning -- Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Bill.
HEMMER: How are you?
O'BRIEN: Good morning to you. Thank you.
Also this morning on a much, much lighter note, it's "90-Second Pop" day here for us. And we're going to talk about "The Sopranos" season finale. The big question, of course, is Tony pulled the family back together, and what is left for the final season of the hit series next year? We're going to get to all of that this morning. Plus, I don't know if you heard, J.Lo got married, once again, yet again. I wasn't invited to the wedding, and neither were you, Bill. So, we're going to talk about that with our "90-Second Pop" panelists this morning as well.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad, thanks.
Back here live in California now. A great story about Ronald Reagan back in 1937 about when he really started his first relationship with the state of California. He was a sportscaster for the Chicago Cubs for a radio station, WHO, out of Des Moines, Iowa. In 1937, the station sent him to Catalina Island off the coast of southern California to report on the spring training.
Well, while he was here, he got a screen test for Warner Brothers. He got the job and got a contract that paid him $200 a week, and his acting career at that point was born. And certainly his relationship with the Golden State blossomed from that point forward.
In Santa Monica, the body of the late president is now being taken care of at the mortuary there. A procession will begin in about five and a half hours from now.
Ted Rowlands is standing by live outside the funeral home.
Ted -- good morning.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
At 10:00 a.m. local time here, it is expected that the president's remains will be taken by motorcade to where you are at the presidential library in Simi Valley.
Here in Santa Monica, since the president was brought here, many people have come -- hundreds have here to pay their respects. And the memorial outside the mortuary has been steadily growing over the past day and a half. People are bringing flowers and cards and spending time out here, just really looking inside or being around here, looking at the memorial, and sitting with their thoughts and discussing them with each other.
The presidential staff has been here in force as well, coordinating events. And a lot of them have gone in and spent time with the president's remains inside the mortuary, saying good-bye as well in their own way, before, of course, this schedule of events begins in earnest at 10:00 today when the president's remains will be taken to Simi Valley -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thanks for that, Ted Rowlands in Santa Monica.
We are waiting here for that procession. And when they arrive, certainly live coverage throughout the day of the proceedings here in Simi Valley.
In the meantime, though, Sheila Tate, a former press secretary for Nancy Reagan, she's our next guest live in Washington. And we welcome you on this special edition here of AMERICAN MORNING.
To our viewers at home, if you see a "TIME" magazine today, you will see in there quite clearly an essay from Nancy Reagan that's now published. And on our screen, we'll show viewers a part of that, an excerpt from that essay in which Nancy Reagan writes: "After being married to him for 52 years, I have so many memories. He was very sentimental and romantic and tender. On my birthday, he always sent my mother flowers to thank her for having me. And he wrote me beautiful, touching letters when we had to be apart."
Sheila, does that sound like the woman you know and the man you know?
SHEILA TATE, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY FOR NANCY REAGAN: Oh, yes. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I don't think a lot of people knew about the flowers he sent, but when she would tell you about it, she would tear up and think about it, how ingenious it was on his part. His mother-in-law absolutely adored him for it, and his wife just melted every time she thought that he would do something so wonderful for her. HEMMER: Sheila, Nancy Reagan had her own career when they met in the early 1950s. She was an actress herself. She left the stage to be his wife. She left the stage to be the mother of eventually two children and a third by way of adoption. Many people have remarked that Nancy Reagan was the only person Ronald Reagan was truly close to and close with throughout his life. How did she handle that? And how did she handle his drive for politics, Sheila?
TATE: Whatever he wanted, she wanted. And that's the truth. It was a 100 percent partnership. And, I mean, I don't think she ever foresaw the political road they would travel until they were on it, but she was in for the long haul, and she supported him every inch of the way. And as a result of that, she was the person that he knew had his interests at heart 100 percent at all times, you know. And the higher you get in politics, the harder it is to have someone like that around you, and the more valuable it is. So, he really, really depended on her for a lot of things.
HEMMER: Indeed, you're right about that. You've been involved, I understand, for the funeral plans for several years now. What did the Reagans want for this coming week?
TATE: Well, they wanted the American people to have time to pay their respects. They wanted some personal touches. The president and Mrs. Reagan selected music for the service and Bible readings for the service that will be held Friday at the cathedral. And they have -- they put together the final private service at the burial that will take place right where you are, that gorgeous spot in Simi Valley at the library.
HEMMER: Indeed, it's a commanding position here in southern California. When the sun is up it is even more dominating here in southern California.
Quickly, I know there's a joke that you like of his. Can you share that with us?
TATE: Which one? I mean, one of the...
HEMMER: I understand there was one he always told at formal arrangements. Go ahead.
TATE: Oh, right, right. Whenever he would have to quickly address a large crowd standing in the East Room, for instance, he always started out by trying to reassure them that they wouldn't be there listening to a major policy address. So, he would say, "as Henry VIII said to Anne Boleyn, 'I won't keep you long.'" And the crowds, no matter who they were, they always burst out laughing at that joke. But the odd thing is, I heard him tell it, I guarantee you, 50 times, and I was still laughing at it 50 times.
HEMMER: Is that right?
TATE: After 50 times. He just -- he was a wonderful joke teller. HEMMER: Yes, I like the way you addressed it when I asked you to tell a joke, "Which one?" There are so many. Sheila Tate, thanks. Former press secretary for Nancy Reagan.
TATE: You're welcome.
HEMMER: A pleasure talking to you.
TATE: Thank you.
HEMMER: And good luck to you as well throughout the week here.
TATE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Back here live in Simi Valley in a moment, but first back to New York and Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thanks a lot.
Still to come this morning, Jack Cafferty has a look at your e- mails. Also, the White House calls it is a courageous and historic step. We'll tell you about the latest move in the quest for Middle East peace.
And on a much lighter note, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck apparently they weren't the marrying kind. So, what changed J. Lo's mind when it came to Marc Anthony? "90-Second Pop" is just ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Time to check in with Jack and the question of the day.
Hello.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Soledad.
Senator John Kerry's name is noticeably missing from the newspapers today. In addition to the death of former President Ronald Reagan, the papers are full of stories about President Bush at the 60th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, President Bush at the G-8 Summit this week in Georgia.
Kerry has canceled all scheduled appearances for the next five days out of respect for Reagan, and due to the reality that at the moment nobody is paying attention to him.
The question is: How will President Reagan's death affect the campaign? Here is some of what you've written.
Benjamin in Washington writes: "Reagan's death will have no impact on the 2004 election, other than giving Bush an unexpected opportunity to re-establish his connections with the Republican base. Any impact will be forgotten once the next major crisis occurs in Baghdad." Mark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: "With the death of President Reagan, the inevitable comparisons with Mr. Bush will soon follow. As a now former lifelong Republican, all I can think of is how we have fallen from the penthouse to the outhouse in less than 20 years."
Paul in Hellertown, Pennsylvania: "The passing of President Reagan is indeed a distraction for the Kerry campaign. And President Bush's poll numbers will certainly rise. Let's just hope George, Jr. doesn't get any bright ideas about our remaining living presidents."
And finally, as we move through the morning, some thoughts on the passing of President Reagan.
"My husband and I share a wedding anniversary date with Mr. and Mrs. Reagan, March the 4." This is from Pam in Hopkinsville, Kentucky: "One particularly bad year for us I decided to write a note to Mr. and Mrs. Reagan to wish them a happy anniversary, even if mine wasn't. It cheered me up just to do it. About a month later, I received a note from the president thanking me for my kindness in remembering them."
O'BRIEN: That's a nice story. I love those stories. That's great. Well, you know, it's a long way to November.
CAFFERTY: Indeed it is.
O'BRIEN: We'll see what's going to happen. All right, thanks, Jack. Appreciate it.
Still to come this morning, the violence is relentless in Iraq, but there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Some big news from Iraq's new prime minister ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It's 46 minutes past the hour. Time for a look at some of the other stories that are making headlines today with Daryn Kagan in Atlanta.
Hey, Daryn, good morning.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good to see you, Soledad.
We begin with President Bush. He is getting ready to host the G- 8 Economic Summit. He is going to do that on Sea Island, Georgia. The president arrived in Georgia last night that followed a whirlwind visit to Europe. Iraq is expected to be a major focus of discussions during this summit. Mr. Bush spent part of yesterday commemorating the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in France.
Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, today announcing a deal that involves militia groups in Iraq. Allawi says that nine militias will disband by the beginning of next year, but that deal does not include the Mehdi army, which is loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Most of the insurgents will join Iraqi security forces or return to civilian life.
To the Middle East now, a compromise has been reached on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza pullout plan. The Israel cabinet voted to approve in principle preparations for dismantling settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank, but hasn't given a green light to tear down any buildings. The White House calls the cabinet's decision a courageous and historic step.
Here in the U.S. in Virginia, Coast Guard crews say that an air pocket and a life jacket saved a 6-year-old boy who was stuck underneath a capsized boat. Divers pulled the boy to safety over the weekend after two hours of unsuccessful attempts to get inside that watercraft. Four other people were involved in that accident, but all were able to get out of the boat safely.
And from the world of sports, racecar driver Mark Martin calling it a stroke of luck, whatever you want, after finishing first in a bizarre race in Dover, Delaware. Watch this. This is Kasey Cane (ph). It looked like he would take the top spot, but look what happened. He skidded on oil that was left on the track, another crash was involving about 18 cars. It was Mark Martin's day. A 72 race dry spell dating back to 2002, he enters the winners' circle. And this is a case of a veteran pulling over the young guy. Kasey Cane (ph) is just a rookie. Mark Martin is 45 years old.
Soledad -- back up to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, Daryn, thanks a lot.
Switching gears now, talking about "90-Second Pop" with our "90- Second Pop" panelists. They're eager to weigh in on last night's season-ending episode of "The Sopranos." Was it worthy? That's the question today. Also, a boy wizard at the box office and Hollywood's serial bride joining us this morning.
That's not mean to say, is it? Toure, that's a nice way to put it!
TOURE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": But it's true!
O'BRIEN: Where's the music this morning? What happened? Can someone do the pull box behind me. So quiet!
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I know. It's so quiet.
TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that's the real...
O'BRIEN: What's cuter than a big old pregnant woman dancing?
TOURE: Nothing!
O'BRIEN: Nothing! All right, our panelist this morning, Toure, he's a contributing editor for "Rolling Stone."
TOURE: Still.
O'BRIEN: "New York" magazine contributing editor Sarah Bernard, and B.J. Sigesmund is a senior editor from "US Weekly."
Let's get right to it. "The Sopranos."
SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: It was so good.
TOURE: Yea! What a show.
B.J. SIGESMUND, SENIOR EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Yes.
O'BRIEN: I didn't see it. I didn't see it.
BERNARD: Well, "The Sopranos" is known always for its interesting juxtapositions, right? You have Carmella...
O'BRIEN: She with the big words today!
BERNARD: Yes, my own words.
O'BRIEN: What does that mean?
BERNARD: OK. So, last night he -- Tony kills -- Tony S. kills Tony B. Then in the next scene we have him worried about his son being an event planner and being worried that he's gay. And then in the scene after that he's running through the woods, the back woods of New Jersey for his life from the FBI. So, it's changing directions constantly. And it ended with a raid on the New York mob family, not Tony's family from New Jersey. Tony gets away with it.
TOURE: Tony gets away.
SIGESMUND: The thing that's amazing, though, to me is he has to kill his cousin, right? Tony S. had to kill Tony B.
O'BRIEN: To kill Tony B., right.
SIGESMUND: And that made him -- you know, the typical contracts in "The Sopranos" is that he has to weigh the business of being a mobster with his family ties. He feels all bad.
O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) work not conflict.
BERNARD: Yes.
SIGESMUND: But it's not going to be until the sixth season where you really see someone close to Tony die, like Meadow.
TOURE: Yes.
SIGESMUND: Even Carmella, I could see...
BERNARD: Why are you killing off Meadow? SIGESMUND: Because that happened in "The Godfather." In "The Godfather," Michael Korleoni (ph) lost his daughter, and that's what's going to happen in the sixth season.
O'BRIEN: And that's going to be your...
TOURE: I don't know.
BERNARD: I don't know about that.
O'BRIEN: That's what you're predicting for the sixth season.
SIGESMUND: That's my prediction right here.
O'BRIEN: There are lots of loose threads in this season.
TOURE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I mean, it ended with a lot sort of like, oh, what's going to happen here?
TOURE: But, I mean, it's amazing. Like, Tony and Carmella are back together, and the fight that they had at the end of last season was so knock-down drag-out.
O'BRIEN: I know. How did that...
TOURE: You would never think that they could get back together.
BERNARD: Because Carmella is enterprising.
TOURE: It took a whole season, but they...
BERNARD: And she said, build me a house!
TOURE: But it took a whole season of, like, melding it and mending it, and now they're back together, and it's...
O'BRIEN: All right, let's move on to another drama.
TOURE: ... unbelievable!
O'BRIEN: J.Lo..
TOURE: Oh!
O'BRIEN: Congratulations, J.Lo!
TOURE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I didn't get invited.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: Congratulations!
BERNARD: We couldn't make it (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this weekend.
SIGESMUND: Exactly. Exactly.
O'BRIEN: What...
SIGESMUND: Well, this is the thing.
O'BRIEN: What's up with that?
SIGESMUND: J.Lo, "US Weekly" broke the story.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: We actually predicted it last Wednesday. We put it on our cover, because we knew that J.Lo had a big diamond honker on her finger.
BERNARD: Eight carats too.
SIGESMUND: And we that Marc Anthony had run to the D.R. to get a quickie divorce. What could be next but a wedding this weekend? And that's exactly what happened.
BERNARD: She's a marriage junkie. I mean, this is ridiculous. It's just -- she doesn't have to be married.
O'BRIEN: That's a lot of work, throwing a wedding.
BERNARD: And she can't stand not being married.
TOURE: Just because all of the other kids are doing it doesn't mean you have to Marc.
O'BRIEN: Do you want to know my prediction?
TOURE: Just because all of the other kids are marrying, J.Lo, Marc, you don't have to do it too! It's OK. Let it go. It's career suicide, people!
O'BRIEN: He got divorced on June 1. I mean...
SIGESMUND: Yes, divorced four days before the wedding.
BERNARD: Not (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
TOURE: To Miss Universe! How do you divorce Miss Universe? This is a person who clearly thinks, I'm never getting dumped again. I'm Miss Universe.
BERNARD: They had their issues.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: Miss Universe, J.Lo, I'm sorry, J.Lo wins.
SIGESMUND: She just broke up with Ben Affleck in January. BERNARD: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) five seconds.
SIGESMUND: She only dated Marc Anthony briefly in 1989. What is up with this?
O'BRIEN: Here is my theory. Do you want to know my theory?
BERNARD: Yes.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
O'BRIEN: She wants to have a baby, and she can't have a baby without being married.
BERNARD: Why?
O'BRIEN: And so, I predict here, put this in "US Weekly." I predict within...
TOURE: Soledad says.
SIGESMUND: Pregnant.
O'BRIEN: Pregnant. Expecting their first child. That's what I bet.
O'BRIEN: This is it.
BERNARD: She leads such an unconventional life, though. Why does she have to be so conventional in that way?
TOURE: But why is she going for it?
O'BRIEN: Do you not know any Catholic Puerto Rican women? Hello! As a Catholic Cuban woman, I can talk after the show.
TOURE: Perhaps we should be interviewing you (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O'BRIEN: Yawn city! That would be boring. You guys, as always, OK, I can't breathe here. I'm laughing.
TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) amongst yourself!
O'BRIEN: I'm laughing so hard and I can't breathe. As always, thank you so much, Toure, Sarah and B.J. Appreciate it. I want to see my name in "US Weekly" next week.
SIGESMUND: We'll get it in there this week. TOURE: I think it's in there.
BERNARD: Reporter, Soledad O'Brien, correspondent.
O'BRIEN: Finally, finally, finally. Thanks.
Bill -- back to you.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad, thanks for that.
Back here live in Simi Valley at almost 5:00 local time here in southern California. In a moment, he was born long before it was ever invented, but Ronald Reagan apparently was made for TV. We'll talk to his former communications director, David Gergen, about what made Reagan the great communicator. Back live here in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, what was it like to be a part of President Reagan's inner circle? We'll ask a former attorney general to Reagan what he thinks his boss's highest priority was as president.
Also ahead this morning, the man who found the world's most famous shipwreck has gone back to the Titanic. So, why does he have mixed feelings about it? That's ahead in the next hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
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Aired June 7, 2004 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again, everyone. I'm Bill Hemmer live in Simi Valley at the presidential library of the late President Ronald Reagan. We are about five and a half hours away from the former president's body being brought here to lie in a state of repose for a period of about 24 hours here for public viewing. And certainly as the proceedings get under way and continue throughout the day here, we have an awful lot to talk about.
California has known this man intimately for so many years, and we'll talk about that in a moment when we come back here live.
But for now, back to my colleague again, my partner. Good morning -- Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Bill.
HEMMER: How are you?
O'BRIEN: Good morning to you. Thank you.
Also this morning on a much, much lighter note, it's "90-Second Pop" day here for us. And we're going to talk about "The Sopranos" season finale. The big question, of course, is Tony pulled the family back together, and what is left for the final season of the hit series next year? We're going to get to all of that this morning. Plus, I don't know if you heard, J.Lo got married, once again, yet again. I wasn't invited to the wedding, and neither were you, Bill. So, we're going to talk about that with our "90-Second Pop" panelists this morning as well.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad, thanks.
Back here live in California now. A great story about Ronald Reagan back in 1937 about when he really started his first relationship with the state of California. He was a sportscaster for the Chicago Cubs for a radio station, WHO, out of Des Moines, Iowa. In 1937, the station sent him to Catalina Island off the coast of southern California to report on the spring training.
Well, while he was here, he got a screen test for Warner Brothers. He got the job and got a contract that paid him $200 a week, and his acting career at that point was born. And certainly his relationship with the Golden State blossomed from that point forward.
In Santa Monica, the body of the late president is now being taken care of at the mortuary there. A procession will begin in about five and a half hours from now.
Ted Rowlands is standing by live outside the funeral home.
Ted -- good morning.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
At 10:00 a.m. local time here, it is expected that the president's remains will be taken by motorcade to where you are at the presidential library in Simi Valley.
Here in Santa Monica, since the president was brought here, many people have come -- hundreds have here to pay their respects. And the memorial outside the mortuary has been steadily growing over the past day and a half. People are bringing flowers and cards and spending time out here, just really looking inside or being around here, looking at the memorial, and sitting with their thoughts and discussing them with each other.
The presidential staff has been here in force as well, coordinating events. And a lot of them have gone in and spent time with the president's remains inside the mortuary, saying good-bye as well in their own way, before, of course, this schedule of events begins in earnest at 10:00 today when the president's remains will be taken to Simi Valley -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thanks for that, Ted Rowlands in Santa Monica.
We are waiting here for that procession. And when they arrive, certainly live coverage throughout the day of the proceedings here in Simi Valley.
In the meantime, though, Sheila Tate, a former press secretary for Nancy Reagan, she's our next guest live in Washington. And we welcome you on this special edition here of AMERICAN MORNING.
To our viewers at home, if you see a "TIME" magazine today, you will see in there quite clearly an essay from Nancy Reagan that's now published. And on our screen, we'll show viewers a part of that, an excerpt from that essay in which Nancy Reagan writes: "After being married to him for 52 years, I have so many memories. He was very sentimental and romantic and tender. On my birthday, he always sent my mother flowers to thank her for having me. And he wrote me beautiful, touching letters when we had to be apart."
Sheila, does that sound like the woman you know and the man you know?
SHEILA TATE, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY FOR NANCY REAGAN: Oh, yes. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. I don't think a lot of people knew about the flowers he sent, but when she would tell you about it, she would tear up and think about it, how ingenious it was on his part. His mother-in-law absolutely adored him for it, and his wife just melted every time she thought that he would do something so wonderful for her. HEMMER: Sheila, Nancy Reagan had her own career when they met in the early 1950s. She was an actress herself. She left the stage to be his wife. She left the stage to be the mother of eventually two children and a third by way of adoption. Many people have remarked that Nancy Reagan was the only person Ronald Reagan was truly close to and close with throughout his life. How did she handle that? And how did she handle his drive for politics, Sheila?
TATE: Whatever he wanted, she wanted. And that's the truth. It was a 100 percent partnership. And, I mean, I don't think she ever foresaw the political road they would travel until they were on it, but she was in for the long haul, and she supported him every inch of the way. And as a result of that, she was the person that he knew had his interests at heart 100 percent at all times, you know. And the higher you get in politics, the harder it is to have someone like that around you, and the more valuable it is. So, he really, really depended on her for a lot of things.
HEMMER: Indeed, you're right about that. You've been involved, I understand, for the funeral plans for several years now. What did the Reagans want for this coming week?
TATE: Well, they wanted the American people to have time to pay their respects. They wanted some personal touches. The president and Mrs. Reagan selected music for the service and Bible readings for the service that will be held Friday at the cathedral. And they have -- they put together the final private service at the burial that will take place right where you are, that gorgeous spot in Simi Valley at the library.
HEMMER: Indeed, it's a commanding position here in southern California. When the sun is up it is even more dominating here in southern California.
Quickly, I know there's a joke that you like of his. Can you share that with us?
TATE: Which one? I mean, one of the...
HEMMER: I understand there was one he always told at formal arrangements. Go ahead.
TATE: Oh, right, right. Whenever he would have to quickly address a large crowd standing in the East Room, for instance, he always started out by trying to reassure them that they wouldn't be there listening to a major policy address. So, he would say, "as Henry VIII said to Anne Boleyn, 'I won't keep you long.'" And the crowds, no matter who they were, they always burst out laughing at that joke. But the odd thing is, I heard him tell it, I guarantee you, 50 times, and I was still laughing at it 50 times.
HEMMER: Is that right?
TATE: After 50 times. He just -- he was a wonderful joke teller. HEMMER: Yes, I like the way you addressed it when I asked you to tell a joke, "Which one?" There are so many. Sheila Tate, thanks. Former press secretary for Nancy Reagan.
TATE: You're welcome.
HEMMER: A pleasure talking to you.
TATE: Thank you.
HEMMER: And good luck to you as well throughout the week here.
TATE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Back here live in Simi Valley in a moment, but first back to New York and Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thanks a lot.
Still to come this morning, Jack Cafferty has a look at your e- mails. Also, the White House calls it is a courageous and historic step. We'll tell you about the latest move in the quest for Middle East peace.
And on a much lighter note, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck apparently they weren't the marrying kind. So, what changed J. Lo's mind when it came to Marc Anthony? "90-Second Pop" is just ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Time to check in with Jack and the question of the day.
Hello.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Soledad.
Senator John Kerry's name is noticeably missing from the newspapers today. In addition to the death of former President Ronald Reagan, the papers are full of stories about President Bush at the 60th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, President Bush at the G-8 Summit this week in Georgia.
Kerry has canceled all scheduled appearances for the next five days out of respect for Reagan, and due to the reality that at the moment nobody is paying attention to him.
The question is: How will President Reagan's death affect the campaign? Here is some of what you've written.
Benjamin in Washington writes: "Reagan's death will have no impact on the 2004 election, other than giving Bush an unexpected opportunity to re-establish his connections with the Republican base. Any impact will be forgotten once the next major crisis occurs in Baghdad." Mark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: "With the death of President Reagan, the inevitable comparisons with Mr. Bush will soon follow. As a now former lifelong Republican, all I can think of is how we have fallen from the penthouse to the outhouse in less than 20 years."
Paul in Hellertown, Pennsylvania: "The passing of President Reagan is indeed a distraction for the Kerry campaign. And President Bush's poll numbers will certainly rise. Let's just hope George, Jr. doesn't get any bright ideas about our remaining living presidents."
And finally, as we move through the morning, some thoughts on the passing of President Reagan.
"My husband and I share a wedding anniversary date with Mr. and Mrs. Reagan, March the 4." This is from Pam in Hopkinsville, Kentucky: "One particularly bad year for us I decided to write a note to Mr. and Mrs. Reagan to wish them a happy anniversary, even if mine wasn't. It cheered me up just to do it. About a month later, I received a note from the president thanking me for my kindness in remembering them."
O'BRIEN: That's a nice story. I love those stories. That's great. Well, you know, it's a long way to November.
CAFFERTY: Indeed it is.
O'BRIEN: We'll see what's going to happen. All right, thanks, Jack. Appreciate it.
Still to come this morning, the violence is relentless in Iraq, but there may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Some big news from Iraq's new prime minister ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
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O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It's 46 minutes past the hour. Time for a look at some of the other stories that are making headlines today with Daryn Kagan in Atlanta.
Hey, Daryn, good morning.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good to see you, Soledad.
We begin with President Bush. He is getting ready to host the G- 8 Economic Summit. He is going to do that on Sea Island, Georgia. The president arrived in Georgia last night that followed a whirlwind visit to Europe. Iraq is expected to be a major focus of discussions during this summit. Mr. Bush spent part of yesterday commemorating the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in France.
Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, today announcing a deal that involves militia groups in Iraq. Allawi says that nine militias will disband by the beginning of next year, but that deal does not include the Mehdi army, which is loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Most of the insurgents will join Iraqi security forces or return to civilian life.
To the Middle East now, a compromise has been reached on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza pullout plan. The Israel cabinet voted to approve in principle preparations for dismantling settlements in Gaza and parts of the West Bank, but hasn't given a green light to tear down any buildings. The White House calls the cabinet's decision a courageous and historic step.
Here in the U.S. in Virginia, Coast Guard crews say that an air pocket and a life jacket saved a 6-year-old boy who was stuck underneath a capsized boat. Divers pulled the boy to safety over the weekend after two hours of unsuccessful attempts to get inside that watercraft. Four other people were involved in that accident, but all were able to get out of the boat safely.
And from the world of sports, racecar driver Mark Martin calling it a stroke of luck, whatever you want, after finishing first in a bizarre race in Dover, Delaware. Watch this. This is Kasey Cane (ph). It looked like he would take the top spot, but look what happened. He skidded on oil that was left on the track, another crash was involving about 18 cars. It was Mark Martin's day. A 72 race dry spell dating back to 2002, he enters the winners' circle. And this is a case of a veteran pulling over the young guy. Kasey Cane (ph) is just a rookie. Mark Martin is 45 years old.
Soledad -- back up to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, Daryn, thanks a lot.
Switching gears now, talking about "90-Second Pop" with our "90- Second Pop" panelists. They're eager to weigh in on last night's season-ending episode of "The Sopranos." Was it worthy? That's the question today. Also, a boy wizard at the box office and Hollywood's serial bride joining us this morning.
That's not mean to say, is it? Toure, that's a nice way to put it!
TOURE, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": But it's true!
O'BRIEN: Where's the music this morning? What happened? Can someone do the pull box behind me. So quiet!
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I know. It's so quiet.
TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that's the real...
O'BRIEN: What's cuter than a big old pregnant woman dancing?
TOURE: Nothing!
O'BRIEN: Nothing! All right, our panelist this morning, Toure, he's a contributing editor for "Rolling Stone."
TOURE: Still.
O'BRIEN: "New York" magazine contributing editor Sarah Bernard, and B.J. Sigesmund is a senior editor from "US Weekly."
Let's get right to it. "The Sopranos."
SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: It was so good.
TOURE: Yea! What a show.
B.J. SIGESMUND, SENIOR EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Yes.
O'BRIEN: I didn't see it. I didn't see it.
BERNARD: Well, "The Sopranos" is known always for its interesting juxtapositions, right? You have Carmella...
O'BRIEN: She with the big words today!
BERNARD: Yes, my own words.
O'BRIEN: What does that mean?
BERNARD: OK. So, last night he -- Tony kills -- Tony S. kills Tony B. Then in the next scene we have him worried about his son being an event planner and being worried that he's gay. And then in the scene after that he's running through the woods, the back woods of New Jersey for his life from the FBI. So, it's changing directions constantly. And it ended with a raid on the New York mob family, not Tony's family from New Jersey. Tony gets away with it.
TOURE: Tony gets away.
SIGESMUND: The thing that's amazing, though, to me is he has to kill his cousin, right? Tony S. had to kill Tony B.
O'BRIEN: To kill Tony B., right.
SIGESMUND: And that made him -- you know, the typical contracts in "The Sopranos" is that he has to weigh the business of being a mobster with his family ties. He feels all bad.
O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) work not conflict.
BERNARD: Yes.
SIGESMUND: But it's not going to be until the sixth season where you really see someone close to Tony die, like Meadow.
TOURE: Yes.
SIGESMUND: Even Carmella, I could see...
BERNARD: Why are you killing off Meadow? SIGESMUND: Because that happened in "The Godfather." In "The Godfather," Michael Korleoni (ph) lost his daughter, and that's what's going to happen in the sixth season.
O'BRIEN: And that's going to be your...
TOURE: I don't know.
BERNARD: I don't know about that.
O'BRIEN: That's what you're predicting for the sixth season.
SIGESMUND: That's my prediction right here.
O'BRIEN: There are lots of loose threads in this season.
TOURE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I mean, it ended with a lot sort of like, oh, what's going to happen here?
TOURE: But, I mean, it's amazing. Like, Tony and Carmella are back together, and the fight that they had at the end of last season was so knock-down drag-out.
O'BRIEN: I know. How did that...
TOURE: You would never think that they could get back together.
BERNARD: Because Carmella is enterprising.
TOURE: It took a whole season, but they...
BERNARD: And she said, build me a house!
TOURE: But it took a whole season of, like, melding it and mending it, and now they're back together, and it's...
O'BRIEN: All right, let's move on to another drama.
TOURE: ... unbelievable!
O'BRIEN: J.Lo..
TOURE: Oh!
O'BRIEN: Congratulations, J.Lo!
TOURE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I didn't get invited.
(CROSSTALK)
TOURE: Congratulations!
BERNARD: We couldn't make it (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this weekend.
SIGESMUND: Exactly. Exactly.
O'BRIEN: What...
SIGESMUND: Well, this is the thing.
O'BRIEN: What's up with that?
SIGESMUND: J.Lo, "US Weekly" broke the story.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: We actually predicted it last Wednesday. We put it on our cover, because we knew that J.Lo had a big diamond honker on her finger.
BERNARD: Eight carats too.
SIGESMUND: And we that Marc Anthony had run to the D.R. to get a quickie divorce. What could be next but a wedding this weekend? And that's exactly what happened.
BERNARD: She's a marriage junkie. I mean, this is ridiculous. It's just -- she doesn't have to be married.
O'BRIEN: That's a lot of work, throwing a wedding.
BERNARD: And she can't stand not being married.
TOURE: Just because all of the other kids are doing it doesn't mean you have to Marc.
O'BRIEN: Do you want to know my prediction?
TOURE: Just because all of the other kids are marrying, J.Lo, Marc, you don't have to do it too! It's OK. Let it go. It's career suicide, people!
O'BRIEN: He got divorced on June 1. I mean...
SIGESMUND: Yes, divorced four days before the wedding.
BERNARD: Not (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
TOURE: To Miss Universe! How do you divorce Miss Universe? This is a person who clearly thinks, I'm never getting dumped again. I'm Miss Universe.
BERNARD: They had their issues.
(CROSSTALK)
BERNARD: Miss Universe, J.Lo, I'm sorry, J.Lo wins.
SIGESMUND: She just broke up with Ben Affleck in January. BERNARD: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) five seconds.
SIGESMUND: She only dated Marc Anthony briefly in 1989. What is up with this?
O'BRIEN: Here is my theory. Do you want to know my theory?
BERNARD: Yes.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
O'BRIEN: She wants to have a baby, and she can't have a baby without being married.
BERNARD: Why?
O'BRIEN: And so, I predict here, put this in "US Weekly." I predict within...
TOURE: Soledad says.
SIGESMUND: Pregnant.
O'BRIEN: Pregnant. Expecting their first child. That's what I bet.
O'BRIEN: This is it.
BERNARD: She leads such an unconventional life, though. Why does she have to be so conventional in that way?
TOURE: But why is she going for it?
O'BRIEN: Do you not know any Catholic Puerto Rican women? Hello! As a Catholic Cuban woman, I can talk after the show.
TOURE: Perhaps we should be interviewing you (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O'BRIEN: Yawn city! That would be boring. You guys, as always, OK, I can't breathe here. I'm laughing.
TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) amongst yourself!
O'BRIEN: I'm laughing so hard and I can't breathe. As always, thank you so much, Toure, Sarah and B.J. Appreciate it. I want to see my name in "US Weekly" next week.
SIGESMUND: We'll get it in there this week. TOURE: I think it's in there.
BERNARD: Reporter, Soledad O'Brien, correspondent.
O'BRIEN: Finally, finally, finally. Thanks.
Bill -- back to you.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad, thanks for that.
Back here live in Simi Valley at almost 5:00 local time here in southern California. In a moment, he was born long before it was ever invented, but Ronald Reagan apparently was made for TV. We'll talk to his former communications director, David Gergen, about what made Reagan the great communicator. Back live here in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, what was it like to be a part of President Reagan's inner circle? We'll ask a former attorney general to Reagan what he thinks his boss's highest priority was as president.
Also ahead this morning, the man who found the world's most famous shipwreck has gone back to the Titanic. So, why does he have mixed feelings about it? That's ahead in the next hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
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