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American Morning
Nation Gets Ready for Ronald Reagan's Funeral; Singer Ray Charles Dies
Aired June 11, 2004 - 07:00 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. A procession that has brought together presidents and world dignitaries and ordinary citizens by the tens of thousands coming to an end today as the nation gets ready for Ronald Reagan's funeral.
In other news this morning, a judge in Colorado deals what could be...
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Good morning. This is as close as America gets to royalty when we say goodbye and bury former presidents.
Good morning, I'm Bill Hemmer in Washington again today. For my colleagues Soledad O'Brien and Jack Cafferty back in New York, welcome to this special edition of CNN's AMERICAN MORNING.
It's been a week now -- about a week -- since the nation first learned of Ronald Reagan's death and all the ceremonies that have followed since then building toward today.
The Capitol Rotunda where Mr. Reagan's body is lying in state will be closed to viewers about two hours from now, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time -- that's an extension of about two hours from the original schedule.
The line, however, we are told has been cut off as of 5:00 a.m. this morning. They will all be able to pass through -- those people in line who are waiting today -- 88,000 is the number we've been given as of this morning.
As for the rest of today, here's how things are expected to play out in the schedule. President Bush who, along with the First Lady visited Mr. Reagan's casket last evening, among those offering his condolences here at the National Cathedral.
The first President Bush is also a eulogist today, the service scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
After the service, Mr. Reagan's body flown back to California where a private sunset service will be held before Mr. Reagan is finally laid to rest.
We'll be here throughout the morning -- what a day it will be. To Soledad in New York now. Soledad, good morning there. SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Bill, thanks very much. President Bush along with other world leaders has made a major show at this year's G-8 summit playing down exactly their expectations.
This morning we have the opportunity to talk to Secretary of State Colin Powell. He is joining all those other mourners that you talked about, Bill, paying his respects to the president that he served as a soldier and also as national security adviser.
Secretary Powell joins us this morning. Secretary Powell, thanks for being with us. Good morning to you.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You have mentioned that Nancy Reagan is a dear friend of yours. How is she doing?
POWELL: She's doing very well. I saw her the other evening up at the Capitol as President Reagan's body was being brought in, and she's holding up very, very well, but clearly this is a great loss to her, no matter how many years she has been preparing herself for it.
As she said to me on Sunday night when I reached her, it's still a shock when it actually happened but she's holding up very well.
O'BRIEN: You've been with her ten years and a long illness, no question and it's still a shock when I think death finally comes. Had you and President Reagan kept in close touch in the years since he left the White House?
POWELL: Yes, we did. I kept in close touch both with President Reagan and Mrs. Reagan and as President Reagan's health failed and it wasn't possible to stay in touch with him, I did stay in touch with Mrs. Reagan we became very, close.
O'BRIEN: What was it like to work with President Regan? I mean, many people have talked about his sense of humor and his wit and his charm, things like that. But what to you stuck out the most?
POWELL: It was a wonderful experience. I saw him every morning for two years and whenever you walked into the Oval Office, no matter what else might be going on in the world there was the leader of the free world sitting in his chair in the Oval Office with that smile on his face that grin of confidence and optimism of whatever problem you have we can solve it because he had such firm beliefs, the belief in this country, the belief in our system, the belief that our system was something that could be transferred to the rest of the world.
He was such a believer in democracy and freedom and the dignity of men and women and human rights and he was so anxious to show off what we have been able to accomplish in our country with those values that he wanted to share it with the world.
Every time he could get with President Gorbachev to talk about things he was always inviting him, come to the ranch, come to see one of our auto plants, come to visit one of our communities. He never wanted to show President Gorbachev our missile fields or our military equipment. He wanted to show President Gorbachev the goodness of America and that we were a peaceful people and I think he penetrated with this message and President Gorbachev realized that he had to change the Soviet Union, he did not know he was presiding at the end of the Soviet Union, he just thought he'd be able to reform it. But it couldn't be reformed, it had to collapse -- President Reagan knew that.
O'BRIEN: Secretary Powell, we only have a few seconds left but how best to pay tribute do you think to Ronald Reagan -- put him on the dime? Put him on the $10 bill? What would you say?
POWELL: I think this will work itself out. I don't know the right answer to that. I just know that the greatest tribute we pay to him is to remember him fondly, remember what he has accomplished for the world and let his spirit live in our hearts.
O'BRIEN: Secretary of State Colin Powell joining us this morning. Secretary, thank you very much for being with us. Appreciate it.
POWELL: Thank you, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: President Bush along with other world leaders have made a major show at this year's G-8 summit, playing down their differences, promoting a sense of unity. And as John King reports now, the president sounded upbeat at yesterday's news conference.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Upbeat to say the least, quick with a quip when asked how G-8 leaders resolved major policy disputes.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, we go into different corners of the room and we face the wall -- no -- it's a...
KING: The good mood followed a summit where unity was common, major differences few. The one significant dust up was over the president's call for a bigger NATO role in post-war Iraq.
Mr. Bush says all he means is more help training Iraqi security forces.
BUSH: I don't expect more troops from NATO to be offered up. That's an unrealistic expectation. Nobody is suggesting that.
KING: French President Jacques Chirac is skeptical about a bigger NATO role but nonetheless determined to present a friendly front.
BUSH: He particularly liked the cheeseburger he had yesterday.
JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: It was excellent. Excellent. KING: Germany sided with France in the war debate, and Chancellor Schroeder won't send troops now, but...
CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER, GERMANY (through translator): We also made clear that we will not block any decision of NATO.
KING: The president voiced confidence Iraqis will quickly assume more responsibility for security, not that he can say when U.S. troops will start coming home.
BUSH: When the job is done.
KING: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait refused to attend a session on Middle East political reform. Mr. Bush wasn't happy but insists he doesn't take it personally.
BUSH: There was some concern when the initiative was first proposed that this was America trying to make the world look like America. It's not going to happen.
KING: The president didn't like and didn't answer a question about Vice President Cheney's recent session with federal prosecutors trying to find out who leaked the name of an undercover CIA operative.
BUSH: You talk to the U.S. attorney about that.
KING: He did answer when asked whether he would give the new Iraqi government a pistol Saddam Hussein was holding when captured. Mr. Bush has it mounted at the White House and plans to keep it.
BUSH: It's now the property of the U.S. government.
KING: U.S. officials believe even this new dispute with France will be settled by the NATO summit later this month if the new Iraqi government makes a specific request for expanded NATO training and the White House says it will French officials say they are all but certain to go along.
John King, CNN, Savannah, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Three of the eight -- of the Group of Eight leaders -- Tony Blair, Britain, and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy included -- all were meeting with President Bush, obviously.
Let's go right now to Jack Cafferty and the "Question of the Day" -- hello.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, how you doing?
Several issues on my mind here this morning. If you want to enhance your weekend, go out and get a copy of Ray Charles "Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music." It was released a long time ago. It's on the Atlantic Record Label. It's one of the great things he ever did. I've got it on a CD -- thank you -- in my automobile. I've listened to it since I was a teenager. "Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music." Ray Charles.
Going to miss him. Terrific.
Would it have killed Jacques Chirac who was already in the country to attend President Reagan's funeral? I mean, he's down the coast a few hundred miles. Couldn't he have come to Washington and gone to the funeral today?
Somebody said he had to race home and make sure the country didn't surrender while he has been away for three days.
And the third item on the agenda is this one. Since President Reagan died there have been a lot of suggestions on how to permanently remember him. Everything from renaming the Pentagon to putting his face on the $10 dollar bill, naming buildings after him.
Mount Rushmore has been talked about. But those aren't all of the ideas. I'm sure there are others that have been overlooked and that's where you come in; that will be your job this morning.
What are the -- what are the ways that we might permanently choose to remember President Ronald Regan? Ray Charles, Jacques Chirac, Ronald Reagan. Busy Friday on AMERICAN MORNING.
O'BRIEN: Lot going on. All right, Jack, thanks.
Time to head it back out to Bill Hemmer who is in Washington, D.C. this morning. Good morning to you, Bill.
HEMMER: Hey, Soledad, good morning again. President Bush set to deliver one of the four eulogies today at the funeral for Ronald Reagan. David Frum is a former Bush speechwriter.
He's with us now for some insight on what we may expect later today from the 43rd president of the United States. Good morning David, nice to see you.
DAVID FRUM, FORMER SPEECHWRITER FOR PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you for having me.
HEMMER: You know his style quite well. What do you expect today?
FRUM: Well I think you'll see something very solemn with these occasions of national mourning or, actually, solemn occasions in general bring out the best in President Bush.
I think everyone will remember the great speech he gave on 14th of September in this same cathedral -- one of I think the finest speeches of his presidency mourning the loss of the victims of 9/11.
HEMMER: It was three days after -- why do you think that was so special at the time? Was it the words, the delivery, or is it a composition of both?
FRUM: I think it's both. I think it's also what was said. The feeling.
That -- President Bush is able to come to these events with a generosity of spirit. You know there's something that didn't get a lot of attention -- the statement he gave on the death of the execution of Timothy McVeigh.
Which was a strangely moving moment where he actually extended condolences not only to the people whom -- the families of the people McVeigh had murdered but to McVeigh own family. He's able to rise to something very large at these moments.
HEMMER: With regard to Ronald Reagan, you don't like the phrase "the great communicator."
FRUM: I don't like it.
HEMMER: Why is that?
FRUM: Because it suggests that Reagan's appeal is a kind of trick, that he was -- he was a marketing guy and that the reason that the American people responded to him was that somehow his communication methods were good rather than what he had to say.
You don't get to be president unless you are a fine communicator. When you have the kind of rapport Ronald Reagan did, it's about something much deeper than mere skill.
HEMMER: What is difficult about delivering the right tone when it comes to a eulogy that everyone across this country will be watching?
FRUM: I think probably the greatest difficulty is Ronald Reagan was a political figure and so of course is the president and yet at a moment like this you are supposed to rise high above politics and define what's universal and true for people of all points of view, all parties and anything that hints of you know this is an occasion for only half of America rather than for all of America that would be wrong.
HEMMER: Is it difficult when it comes to trying to sum up a man's life such a rich, rich life in 12 minutes.
FRUM: Exactly. I mean, this is a man who is the highest paid actor in Hollywood in the year 1943 as well as one of the most successful...
HEMMER: Now that was a fact I did not learn this past year...
FRUM: Well, it's true. As well as one of the most successful politicians in American history, as well as the leader of a political movement, as well as a writer, and so yes it's hard to do justice to all of that and you just have to try.
HEMMER: David, thank you. I know you'll be watching today and we will as well. Enjoy it with your kids. Thank you.
FRUM: We'll stand on the street and watch it.
HEMMER: National Cathedral, a well-known landmark here in the U.S., sixth largest cathedral in the world, second largest here in the U.S. We'll learn a lot about that church as we go throughout the morning here.
More in a moment in D.C. -- Soledad back to you again in New York.
O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thanks. Let's talk about legal news now.
The judge in the Kobe Bryant case has thrown a roadblock in front of the defense. Bryant has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. His lawyers argue that Colorado's rape shield law is unconstitutional.
The law prevents the accuser's sexual history from being brought up at trial. State law does allow Bryant's sexual history to be introduced at trial and at a hearing last month, Bryant's attorney claims, quote, the standards are blatantly inconsistent and unfair.
But the judge said the argument is irrelevant because the prosecution does not intend to present evidence about the defendant's sexual past.
Judge Terry Ruckriegle yesterday upheld the law saying the case presents a factual situation wherein the rape shield statute can be applied to the defendant in a constitutionally permissible manner.
He points out that the defense will be able to introduce evidence from witnesses who have testified in closed-door sessions about the accusers sexual activity.
It's now almost 13 minutes past the hour. Time to take a look at some of the other news this morning with Heidi Collins.
Hello, good morning.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad. And we are going to stick with the legal track for just a moment.
Police officers testify for the first time in a double murder trial of Scott Peterson. A sergeant told jurors yesterday that he was suspicious and considered the Peterson home a crime scene shortly after Laci Peterson was reported missing.
Meanwhile the defense claims someone else abducted Laci, pointing out the robberies and homelessness in the Modesto neighborhood. Testimony is set to resume on Monday.
A wounded American soldier is now dead in Iraq. Military sources say the soldier was one of five people injured Wednesday in an attack in eastern Baghdad. The identity of the soldier is being withheld until family members are notified. In California now at least five scientists are being treated for possible anthrax exposure. The researches mistakenly believe they were experimenting with dead strains of the bacteria.
The error was noticed only after research mice began dying off. A laboratory shipping error is being blamed. The FBI and Centers for Disease Control are now investigating.
In New Mexico crews are battling a fire that's raging on both sides of the Rio Grande now. Smoke rising as firefighters protect homes in the Albuquerque area. Hundreds of residents in fact have been evacuated. No reports of injuries but two buildings were destroyed.
And in basketball, the Detroit Pistons annihilate the L.A. Lakers in game three of NBA Finals -- that's where one of our crewmembers hears that adjective.
A strong showing by the Pistons. Richard "Rip" Hamilton passes to Ben Wallace after these guys move into a -- here we go -- who sinks the shot and Lakers hope for a victory. Final score there 88-68. Teams are back in Michigan on Sunday for game four and all of our guys here are watching that very closely, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You lifted them up today, good for you. All right, Heidi thanks a lot.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: The nation and the world have lost a legendary vocalist and musician. Singer Ray Charles died yesterday and the world, as one record industry official observed is a quieter place today.
Here's Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: If a great song has ups and downs, tragedy and triumph, heart and soul, Ray Charles' life was one wonderful song indeed.
Born in 1930 in a dusty Georgia town, Ray Charles Robinson came into the world poor and his luck just seemed to get worse. By the age of seven, he'd lost a brother and his sight to glaucoma.
He learned Braille at Florida's State School for the Blind, learned piano there as well, though his ability to compose and arrange melodies in his head -- well, who knows where he got that gift.
Fame and fortune rarely come easy. For Charles, the road was rockier than most. Years of drug abuse, years of struggle in dingy bars in no name towns.
It wasn't until 1955 with the release of "I've Got a Woman" that Charles' luck began to change. Five years later came a Grammy, his first, for "Georgia On My Mind." His rendition later became that state's song.
Whether it was soul, jazz, R&B, or country, nobody played it, sang it, or felt it like Ray Charles.
RAY CHARLES: For me, my music is my existence. It's just like your breathing. Without your breathing, you're no longer here. Without my music I feel I'm no longer here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Singer James Brown, in a phone interview with CNN said, quote, you've lost a cornerstone of good and that hurts real bad. A memorial service for Charles is to be held next week in Los Angeles.
Let's head it back to Mr. Hemmer in Washington, D.C. again this morning. Hi Billy.
HEMMER: Hey, Soledad. Thank you yet again.
About two hours left for President Ronald Reagan. The line in the Capitol rotunda building. It has been a huge outpouring over the last two days here. The latest figures we have right about 90,000 people as of earlier this morning passing through the Rotunda.
His body will be brought here in about three hours and we will be here to watch it. We are here at the National Cathedral and today, this morning's shining city -- at the National Cathedral in Washington as our coverage continues, the sounds of Ray Charles once again.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Back live here in Washington again as we await Ronald Reagan's body lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda. He'll be moved here later, about 3 1/2 hours from now and there will be countless images and sounds that we'll hear throughout the day here but the sounds that we hear during the funeral will ring especially clear and true for one man from Ireland.
Ronan Tynan has a very special place in today's service.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
HEMMER: Wednesday night was just a warm-up for Ronan Tynan. His main event is today.
RONAN TYNAN, OPERA SINGER: You pray to God that you do it right because it's possibly the greatest honor that I have been given thus far.
HEMMER: Ronan is a giant of an opera singer. A 6'4" every inch of his Irish frame feels a connection to the Reagan family.
TYNAN: I think this one is very important to me because my own mother has Alzheimer's. HEMMER: And three years ago, at Nancy Reagan's 79th birthday party, they shared stories. Their bond was immediate.
TYNAN: We started talking and then she said to me, you understand my pain and I certainly do and I said if you ever need me for anything you just pick up the phone.
HEMMER: Tynan had his first singing lesson at the age of 33. His father talked him into it. Eleven years later, Tynan's rendition of "Ave Maria" and "Amazing Grace" will fill the National Cathedral.
(MUSIC)
While the entire country will hear him, Tynan will have two people in mind.
TYNAN: Nancy and he had great joy, great triumph, and great glory and sadly you know in the end pain -- great pain but I think all we have are memories of great things and I know Nancy has great memories of a great man.
HEMMER: Perhaps Ronan through his own experience with his mother understands the Reagan relationship more than most, which makes this performance even more special.
TYNAN: I want to sing the best -- the best way I can.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: He is truly extraordinary, born with a deformity in both legs. He had both legs amputated at the age of 20, 24 years ago. Still going strong, the guy has never slowed down, Soledad. In fact, this weekend he'll go to Texas.
He'll be singing at President Bush number 41, his birthday party number 80 this weekend in Texas so he has got a busy weekend for him today. But clearly honored and touched when the invitation came in earlier this week.
O'BRIEN: I can imagine. What a beautiful voice he has. That was a remarkable spot. Thanks, Bill.
Let's turn now to Wall Street. Honoring Ronald Reagan this morning. Plus, Martha Stewart is making a long shot bid for a new trial.
Andy Serwer has got a look at that as he minds your business this morning. Hello.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.
The markets are closed today which allows us to look back on the trading week already. A good week for the stock market. Yesterday stocks were up and for the week let's check it out here. Up 1.6 percent, all across the board. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were up. Dow was up 167 points and we really recovering nicely from that dip we had over the past month we've been up about five percent.
Federal government offices closed today just a reminder, post office in particular. Exchanges across the country, most banks apparently are open if you're looking to conduct some business today.
Some people who are probably busy and working, though, Martha Stewart's lawyers as expected they did request a new trial for her as well as her broker, Peter Bacanovic asked for a new trial saying the government prosecutors should have seen that that ink expert, Soledad, had some trouble with his testimony and they should have seen the red flags coming all along so they have filed a motion for a new trial.
O'BRIEN: But as you said it's a long shot so we'll see what happens there. Thanks.
SERWER: It's a long shot. Yes.
O'BRIEN: Andy Serwer, thanks. We'll check in with you in just a little bit.
Well, with the transition of power in Iraq, just three weeks away, last night David Letterman shared some thoughts on what he thought a successful handover might mean.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN," CBS: You folks following the situation in Iraq? President Bush now -- he plans to hand over the country to the new government on June 30th. So that's coming right up. That's going to be a huge landmark date. He's going to turn over control of the country on June 30th and if it works there, then in November he's going to do it here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: And still to come this morning, first comes love, then comes marriage, then court. What singer Eric Benet wants from Halle Berry.
Plus, the politician wants to rename an airport after a TV show about oversexed teenagers ends in southern California. Good business or just plain ridiculous?
And a music legend gone but not forgotten. Ray Charles' influence on today's music scene on "90-Second Pop." Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: And welcome back everybody. It is just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
We've got much more on the funeral today for President Ronald Reagan. That's straight ahead. Also this morning we are mourning the death of another American icon.
Ray Charles died yesterday. Reaction coming in across the entertainment world. We're going to talk about that just ahead in "90-Second Pop."
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Aired June 11, 2004 - 07:00 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. A procession that has brought together presidents and world dignitaries and ordinary citizens by the tens of thousands coming to an end today as the nation gets ready for Ronald Reagan's funeral.
In other news this morning, a judge in Colorado deals what could be...
ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Good morning. This is as close as America gets to royalty when we say goodbye and bury former presidents.
Good morning, I'm Bill Hemmer in Washington again today. For my colleagues Soledad O'Brien and Jack Cafferty back in New York, welcome to this special edition of CNN's AMERICAN MORNING.
It's been a week now -- about a week -- since the nation first learned of Ronald Reagan's death and all the ceremonies that have followed since then building toward today.
The Capitol Rotunda where Mr. Reagan's body is lying in state will be closed to viewers about two hours from now, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time -- that's an extension of about two hours from the original schedule.
The line, however, we are told has been cut off as of 5:00 a.m. this morning. They will all be able to pass through -- those people in line who are waiting today -- 88,000 is the number we've been given as of this morning.
As for the rest of today, here's how things are expected to play out in the schedule. President Bush who, along with the First Lady visited Mr. Reagan's casket last evening, among those offering his condolences here at the National Cathedral.
The first President Bush is also a eulogist today, the service scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
After the service, Mr. Reagan's body flown back to California where a private sunset service will be held before Mr. Reagan is finally laid to rest.
We'll be here throughout the morning -- what a day it will be. To Soledad in New York now. Soledad, good morning there. SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Bill, thanks very much. President Bush along with other world leaders has made a major show at this year's G-8 summit playing down exactly their expectations.
This morning we have the opportunity to talk to Secretary of State Colin Powell. He is joining all those other mourners that you talked about, Bill, paying his respects to the president that he served as a soldier and also as national security adviser.
Secretary Powell joins us this morning. Secretary Powell, thanks for being with us. Good morning to you.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You have mentioned that Nancy Reagan is a dear friend of yours. How is she doing?
POWELL: She's doing very well. I saw her the other evening up at the Capitol as President Reagan's body was being brought in, and she's holding up very, very well, but clearly this is a great loss to her, no matter how many years she has been preparing herself for it.
As she said to me on Sunday night when I reached her, it's still a shock when it actually happened but she's holding up very well.
O'BRIEN: You've been with her ten years and a long illness, no question and it's still a shock when I think death finally comes. Had you and President Reagan kept in close touch in the years since he left the White House?
POWELL: Yes, we did. I kept in close touch both with President Reagan and Mrs. Reagan and as President Reagan's health failed and it wasn't possible to stay in touch with him, I did stay in touch with Mrs. Reagan we became very, close.
O'BRIEN: What was it like to work with President Regan? I mean, many people have talked about his sense of humor and his wit and his charm, things like that. But what to you stuck out the most?
POWELL: It was a wonderful experience. I saw him every morning for two years and whenever you walked into the Oval Office, no matter what else might be going on in the world there was the leader of the free world sitting in his chair in the Oval Office with that smile on his face that grin of confidence and optimism of whatever problem you have we can solve it because he had such firm beliefs, the belief in this country, the belief in our system, the belief that our system was something that could be transferred to the rest of the world.
He was such a believer in democracy and freedom and the dignity of men and women and human rights and he was so anxious to show off what we have been able to accomplish in our country with those values that he wanted to share it with the world.
Every time he could get with President Gorbachev to talk about things he was always inviting him, come to the ranch, come to see one of our auto plants, come to visit one of our communities. He never wanted to show President Gorbachev our missile fields or our military equipment. He wanted to show President Gorbachev the goodness of America and that we were a peaceful people and I think he penetrated with this message and President Gorbachev realized that he had to change the Soviet Union, he did not know he was presiding at the end of the Soviet Union, he just thought he'd be able to reform it. But it couldn't be reformed, it had to collapse -- President Reagan knew that.
O'BRIEN: Secretary Powell, we only have a few seconds left but how best to pay tribute do you think to Ronald Reagan -- put him on the dime? Put him on the $10 bill? What would you say?
POWELL: I think this will work itself out. I don't know the right answer to that. I just know that the greatest tribute we pay to him is to remember him fondly, remember what he has accomplished for the world and let his spirit live in our hearts.
O'BRIEN: Secretary of State Colin Powell joining us this morning. Secretary, thank you very much for being with us. Appreciate it.
POWELL: Thank you, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: President Bush along with other world leaders have made a major show at this year's G-8 summit, playing down their differences, promoting a sense of unity. And as John King reports now, the president sounded upbeat at yesterday's news conference.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Upbeat to say the least, quick with a quip when asked how G-8 leaders resolved major policy disputes.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, we go into different corners of the room and we face the wall -- no -- it's a...
KING: The good mood followed a summit where unity was common, major differences few. The one significant dust up was over the president's call for a bigger NATO role in post-war Iraq.
Mr. Bush says all he means is more help training Iraqi security forces.
BUSH: I don't expect more troops from NATO to be offered up. That's an unrealistic expectation. Nobody is suggesting that.
KING: French President Jacques Chirac is skeptical about a bigger NATO role but nonetheless determined to present a friendly front.
BUSH: He particularly liked the cheeseburger he had yesterday.
JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE: It was excellent. Excellent. KING: Germany sided with France in the war debate, and Chancellor Schroeder won't send troops now, but...
CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER, GERMANY (through translator): We also made clear that we will not block any decision of NATO.
KING: The president voiced confidence Iraqis will quickly assume more responsibility for security, not that he can say when U.S. troops will start coming home.
BUSH: When the job is done.
KING: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Kuwait refused to attend a session on Middle East political reform. Mr. Bush wasn't happy but insists he doesn't take it personally.
BUSH: There was some concern when the initiative was first proposed that this was America trying to make the world look like America. It's not going to happen.
KING: The president didn't like and didn't answer a question about Vice President Cheney's recent session with federal prosecutors trying to find out who leaked the name of an undercover CIA operative.
BUSH: You talk to the U.S. attorney about that.
KING: He did answer when asked whether he would give the new Iraqi government a pistol Saddam Hussein was holding when captured. Mr. Bush has it mounted at the White House and plans to keep it.
BUSH: It's now the property of the U.S. government.
KING: U.S. officials believe even this new dispute with France will be settled by the NATO summit later this month if the new Iraqi government makes a specific request for expanded NATO training and the White House says it will French officials say they are all but certain to go along.
John King, CNN, Savannah, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Three of the eight -- of the Group of Eight leaders -- Tony Blair, Britain, and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy included -- all were meeting with President Bush, obviously.
Let's go right now to Jack Cafferty and the "Question of the Day" -- hello.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, how you doing?
Several issues on my mind here this morning. If you want to enhance your weekend, go out and get a copy of Ray Charles "Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music." It was released a long time ago. It's on the Atlantic Record Label. It's one of the great things he ever did. I've got it on a CD -- thank you -- in my automobile. I've listened to it since I was a teenager. "Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music." Ray Charles.
Going to miss him. Terrific.
Would it have killed Jacques Chirac who was already in the country to attend President Reagan's funeral? I mean, he's down the coast a few hundred miles. Couldn't he have come to Washington and gone to the funeral today?
Somebody said he had to race home and make sure the country didn't surrender while he has been away for three days.
And the third item on the agenda is this one. Since President Reagan died there have been a lot of suggestions on how to permanently remember him. Everything from renaming the Pentagon to putting his face on the $10 dollar bill, naming buildings after him.
Mount Rushmore has been talked about. But those aren't all of the ideas. I'm sure there are others that have been overlooked and that's where you come in; that will be your job this morning.
What are the -- what are the ways that we might permanently choose to remember President Ronald Regan? Ray Charles, Jacques Chirac, Ronald Reagan. Busy Friday on AMERICAN MORNING.
O'BRIEN: Lot going on. All right, Jack, thanks.
Time to head it back out to Bill Hemmer who is in Washington, D.C. this morning. Good morning to you, Bill.
HEMMER: Hey, Soledad, good morning again. President Bush set to deliver one of the four eulogies today at the funeral for Ronald Reagan. David Frum is a former Bush speechwriter.
He's with us now for some insight on what we may expect later today from the 43rd president of the United States. Good morning David, nice to see you.
DAVID FRUM, FORMER SPEECHWRITER FOR PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you for having me.
HEMMER: You know his style quite well. What do you expect today?
FRUM: Well I think you'll see something very solemn with these occasions of national mourning or, actually, solemn occasions in general bring out the best in President Bush.
I think everyone will remember the great speech he gave on 14th of September in this same cathedral -- one of I think the finest speeches of his presidency mourning the loss of the victims of 9/11.
HEMMER: It was three days after -- why do you think that was so special at the time? Was it the words, the delivery, or is it a composition of both?
FRUM: I think it's both. I think it's also what was said. The feeling.
That -- President Bush is able to come to these events with a generosity of spirit. You know there's something that didn't get a lot of attention -- the statement he gave on the death of the execution of Timothy McVeigh.
Which was a strangely moving moment where he actually extended condolences not only to the people whom -- the families of the people McVeigh had murdered but to McVeigh own family. He's able to rise to something very large at these moments.
HEMMER: With regard to Ronald Reagan, you don't like the phrase "the great communicator."
FRUM: I don't like it.
HEMMER: Why is that?
FRUM: Because it suggests that Reagan's appeal is a kind of trick, that he was -- he was a marketing guy and that the reason that the American people responded to him was that somehow his communication methods were good rather than what he had to say.
You don't get to be president unless you are a fine communicator. When you have the kind of rapport Ronald Reagan did, it's about something much deeper than mere skill.
HEMMER: What is difficult about delivering the right tone when it comes to a eulogy that everyone across this country will be watching?
FRUM: I think probably the greatest difficulty is Ronald Reagan was a political figure and so of course is the president and yet at a moment like this you are supposed to rise high above politics and define what's universal and true for people of all points of view, all parties and anything that hints of you know this is an occasion for only half of America rather than for all of America that would be wrong.
HEMMER: Is it difficult when it comes to trying to sum up a man's life such a rich, rich life in 12 minutes.
FRUM: Exactly. I mean, this is a man who is the highest paid actor in Hollywood in the year 1943 as well as one of the most successful...
HEMMER: Now that was a fact I did not learn this past year...
FRUM: Well, it's true. As well as one of the most successful politicians in American history, as well as the leader of a political movement, as well as a writer, and so yes it's hard to do justice to all of that and you just have to try.
HEMMER: David, thank you. I know you'll be watching today and we will as well. Enjoy it with your kids. Thank you.
FRUM: We'll stand on the street and watch it.
HEMMER: National Cathedral, a well-known landmark here in the U.S., sixth largest cathedral in the world, second largest here in the U.S. We'll learn a lot about that church as we go throughout the morning here.
More in a moment in D.C. -- Soledad back to you again in New York.
O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thanks. Let's talk about legal news now.
The judge in the Kobe Bryant case has thrown a roadblock in front of the defense. Bryant has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault. His lawyers argue that Colorado's rape shield law is unconstitutional.
The law prevents the accuser's sexual history from being brought up at trial. State law does allow Bryant's sexual history to be introduced at trial and at a hearing last month, Bryant's attorney claims, quote, the standards are blatantly inconsistent and unfair.
But the judge said the argument is irrelevant because the prosecution does not intend to present evidence about the defendant's sexual past.
Judge Terry Ruckriegle yesterday upheld the law saying the case presents a factual situation wherein the rape shield statute can be applied to the defendant in a constitutionally permissible manner.
He points out that the defense will be able to introduce evidence from witnesses who have testified in closed-door sessions about the accusers sexual activity.
It's now almost 13 minutes past the hour. Time to take a look at some of the other news this morning with Heidi Collins.
Hello, good morning.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad. And we are going to stick with the legal track for just a moment.
Police officers testify for the first time in a double murder trial of Scott Peterson. A sergeant told jurors yesterday that he was suspicious and considered the Peterson home a crime scene shortly after Laci Peterson was reported missing.
Meanwhile the defense claims someone else abducted Laci, pointing out the robberies and homelessness in the Modesto neighborhood. Testimony is set to resume on Monday.
A wounded American soldier is now dead in Iraq. Military sources say the soldier was one of five people injured Wednesday in an attack in eastern Baghdad. The identity of the soldier is being withheld until family members are notified. In California now at least five scientists are being treated for possible anthrax exposure. The researches mistakenly believe they were experimenting with dead strains of the bacteria.
The error was noticed only after research mice began dying off. A laboratory shipping error is being blamed. The FBI and Centers for Disease Control are now investigating.
In New Mexico crews are battling a fire that's raging on both sides of the Rio Grande now. Smoke rising as firefighters protect homes in the Albuquerque area. Hundreds of residents in fact have been evacuated. No reports of injuries but two buildings were destroyed.
And in basketball, the Detroit Pistons annihilate the L.A. Lakers in game three of NBA Finals -- that's where one of our crewmembers hears that adjective.
A strong showing by the Pistons. Richard "Rip" Hamilton passes to Ben Wallace after these guys move into a -- here we go -- who sinks the shot and Lakers hope for a victory. Final score there 88-68. Teams are back in Michigan on Sunday for game four and all of our guys here are watching that very closely, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You lifted them up today, good for you. All right, Heidi thanks a lot.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: The nation and the world have lost a legendary vocalist and musician. Singer Ray Charles died yesterday and the world, as one record industry official observed is a quieter place today.
Here's Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: If a great song has ups and downs, tragedy and triumph, heart and soul, Ray Charles' life was one wonderful song indeed.
Born in 1930 in a dusty Georgia town, Ray Charles Robinson came into the world poor and his luck just seemed to get worse. By the age of seven, he'd lost a brother and his sight to glaucoma.
He learned Braille at Florida's State School for the Blind, learned piano there as well, though his ability to compose and arrange melodies in his head -- well, who knows where he got that gift.
Fame and fortune rarely come easy. For Charles, the road was rockier than most. Years of drug abuse, years of struggle in dingy bars in no name towns.
It wasn't until 1955 with the release of "I've Got a Woman" that Charles' luck began to change. Five years later came a Grammy, his first, for "Georgia On My Mind." His rendition later became that state's song.
Whether it was soul, jazz, R&B, or country, nobody played it, sang it, or felt it like Ray Charles.
RAY CHARLES: For me, my music is my existence. It's just like your breathing. Without your breathing, you're no longer here. Without my music I feel I'm no longer here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Singer James Brown, in a phone interview with CNN said, quote, you've lost a cornerstone of good and that hurts real bad. A memorial service for Charles is to be held next week in Los Angeles.
Let's head it back to Mr. Hemmer in Washington, D.C. again this morning. Hi Billy.
HEMMER: Hey, Soledad. Thank you yet again.
About two hours left for President Ronald Reagan. The line in the Capitol rotunda building. It has been a huge outpouring over the last two days here. The latest figures we have right about 90,000 people as of earlier this morning passing through the Rotunda.
His body will be brought here in about three hours and we will be here to watch it. We are here at the National Cathedral and today, this morning's shining city -- at the National Cathedral in Washington as our coverage continues, the sounds of Ray Charles once again.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Back live here in Washington again as we await Ronald Reagan's body lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda. He'll be moved here later, about 3 1/2 hours from now and there will be countless images and sounds that we'll hear throughout the day here but the sounds that we hear during the funeral will ring especially clear and true for one man from Ireland.
Ronan Tynan has a very special place in today's service.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
HEMMER: Wednesday night was just a warm-up for Ronan Tynan. His main event is today.
RONAN TYNAN, OPERA SINGER: You pray to God that you do it right because it's possibly the greatest honor that I have been given thus far.
HEMMER: Ronan is a giant of an opera singer. A 6'4" every inch of his Irish frame feels a connection to the Reagan family.
TYNAN: I think this one is very important to me because my own mother has Alzheimer's. HEMMER: And three years ago, at Nancy Reagan's 79th birthday party, they shared stories. Their bond was immediate.
TYNAN: We started talking and then she said to me, you understand my pain and I certainly do and I said if you ever need me for anything you just pick up the phone.
HEMMER: Tynan had his first singing lesson at the age of 33. His father talked him into it. Eleven years later, Tynan's rendition of "Ave Maria" and "Amazing Grace" will fill the National Cathedral.
(MUSIC)
While the entire country will hear him, Tynan will have two people in mind.
TYNAN: Nancy and he had great joy, great triumph, and great glory and sadly you know in the end pain -- great pain but I think all we have are memories of great things and I know Nancy has great memories of a great man.
HEMMER: Perhaps Ronan through his own experience with his mother understands the Reagan relationship more than most, which makes this performance even more special.
TYNAN: I want to sing the best -- the best way I can.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: He is truly extraordinary, born with a deformity in both legs. He had both legs amputated at the age of 20, 24 years ago. Still going strong, the guy has never slowed down, Soledad. In fact, this weekend he'll go to Texas.
He'll be singing at President Bush number 41, his birthday party number 80 this weekend in Texas so he has got a busy weekend for him today. But clearly honored and touched when the invitation came in earlier this week.
O'BRIEN: I can imagine. What a beautiful voice he has. That was a remarkable spot. Thanks, Bill.
Let's turn now to Wall Street. Honoring Ronald Reagan this morning. Plus, Martha Stewart is making a long shot bid for a new trial.
Andy Serwer has got a look at that as he minds your business this morning. Hello.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.
The markets are closed today which allows us to look back on the trading week already. A good week for the stock market. Yesterday stocks were up and for the week let's check it out here. Up 1.6 percent, all across the board. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were up. Dow was up 167 points and we really recovering nicely from that dip we had over the past month we've been up about five percent.
Federal government offices closed today just a reminder, post office in particular. Exchanges across the country, most banks apparently are open if you're looking to conduct some business today.
Some people who are probably busy and working, though, Martha Stewart's lawyers as expected they did request a new trial for her as well as her broker, Peter Bacanovic asked for a new trial saying the government prosecutors should have seen that that ink expert, Soledad, had some trouble with his testimony and they should have seen the red flags coming all along so they have filed a motion for a new trial.
O'BRIEN: But as you said it's a long shot so we'll see what happens there. Thanks.
SERWER: It's a long shot. Yes.
O'BRIEN: Andy Serwer, thanks. We'll check in with you in just a little bit.
Well, with the transition of power in Iraq, just three weeks away, last night David Letterman shared some thoughts on what he thought a successful handover might mean.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, "THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN," CBS: You folks following the situation in Iraq? President Bush now -- he plans to hand over the country to the new government on June 30th. So that's coming right up. That's going to be a huge landmark date. He's going to turn over control of the country on June 30th and if it works there, then in November he's going to do it here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: And still to come this morning, first comes love, then comes marriage, then court. What singer Eric Benet wants from Halle Berry.
Plus, the politician wants to rename an airport after a TV show about oversexed teenagers ends in southern California. Good business or just plain ridiculous?
And a music legend gone but not forgotten. Ray Charles' influence on today's music scene on "90-Second Pop." Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: And welcome back everybody. It is just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
We've got much more on the funeral today for President Ronald Reagan. That's straight ahead. Also this morning we are mourning the death of another American icon.
Ray Charles died yesterday. Reaction coming in across the entertainment world. We're going to talk about that just ahead in "90-Second Pop."
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