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American Morning

Terrorist Bombings in Turkey; Violence in Iraq; Interview With Saddam Hussein's Attorney, Mohammad Rashdan

Aired June 24, 2004 - 9:00   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.


ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody.

We've got breaking news just in from Turkey as terrorist bombings tear through two cities. The latest blast less than an hour ago in a in a residential area of Istanbul. A bomb blew up on a bus; two people so far reported dead. At least seven others are injured.

Earlier today, in Ankara, a bomb went off near a hotel where President Bush is to arrive this weekend for meetings with Turkish officials, and later for the NATO summit as well. Three people, including two police officers, were hurt in that blast.

Let's take you live right away to Alfonso Marsh. He joins us by phone in Ankara this morning.

Alfonso, good morning.

ALFONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I actually have some updated information for you. We now understand, as you mentioned, at least two have been killed in that bus bombing in Istanbul, and at least nine injured now. We understand two seriously.

Witnesses on the scene are saying that the bus was actually driving down the street when the explosion occurred outside one of the university hospital's medical schools in Istanbul. We're still waiting for details to the extent of the other injuries. But health ministry officials are saying that they expect those numbers to go up.

And as you mentioned, here in Ankara, the capital, a bomb blast just hours earlier that injured a policeman quite seriously. We understand that he lost some segments of his leg when the bomb blast went off in front of Ankara Hilton. As you mentioned, that's where U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to actually check in later on this weekend.

A lot of nervousness for Turkish officials here. They're getting ready to host that NATO summit. Some 45 world leaders expected to attend in Istanbul. News of these bomb blasts certainly causing a lot of eyebrows to go up here in Turkey.

O'BRIEN: Alfonso, I know it's early, but is anyone yet claiming responsibility for either of these attacks? VAN MARSH: Well, we are getting word of unconfirmed claim of responsibility for the blast in Ankara. Earlier on, Turkey's minister of interior -- minister for interior affairs had kind of tossed off the earlier blast, just saying it was just the work of a small group trying to get attention. We're still waiting to get word now on what exactly took place in Istanbul.

We have these pictures you see coming in of this bomb blast on that bus. No claim of responsibility that we know of. No confirmed claim of responsibility for that blast on that bus in Istanbul.

O'BRIEN: Is anyone saying that, in fact, these two blasts are -- is there any evidence that these two blasts could be coordinated in any way, the one obviously earlier, and, of course, the one that just happened an hour ago?

VAN MARSH: Well, at this point, there's no way of knowing for sure. But it is interesting to note that this is just one in a series of bomb blasts in the country over the past couple of weeks. Just a few days ago, police were checking out an anti-NATO banner that had a small plastic bag attached to it. As the police pulled and took it, the bag, it went off, slightly injuring him.

A couple of days earlier, there were a series of bomb blasts at banks in Turkey. And a few weeks earlier than that, another series of two small bomb blasts in front of the McDonald's in Istanbul. And a few weeks prior to that, when U.S. -- U.K. British prime minister, Tony Blair, came into town for talks, a bomb blast at British-owned banks in the country.

O'BRIEN: Alfonso Van Marsh joining us with an update from there this morning. Alfonso covering the story for us. We're going to continue, of course, to check in with you throughout the day on this. Appreciate it, Alfonso -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Same part of the world, already a vicious day of violence in Iraq, all across that country. Dozens are dead today, including at least 18 Iraqi police officers and at least three U.S. soldiers. Also, hundreds more have been wounded. The attacks by insurgents occurring almost simultaneously in Ramadi, Fallujah, Baqubah and Mosul, and coming just six days before the handover of power in that country.

Brent Sadler straight away in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Brent, what's the update now?

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, a heavy day of bloodshed here. Really concentrated in terms of suicide bombs and car bombs in the northern city of Mosul. One U.S. soldier killed in one of those blasts in that city.

Move further towards Baghdad, the attacks in Baqubah, heavy clashes between armed insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades; mortar and machine guns clashing with U.S. forces. All these attacks aimed at the police force stations in Mosul, Baqubah, and to the west of Baghdad in Ramadi. Now, U.S. forces, at the same time, have also been locked down in hostilities with insurgents in Fallujah. The United States called in an air strike. An F-16 dropped three, it's understood, precision- guided 500-pound bombs to deter small arms fire from insurgents using houses for cover near the soccer stadium in Fallujah. A U.S. Cobra was forced to make an emergency landing under hostile small arms fire. The crew escaped unhurt.

Earlier in the day, in Baqubah, a dawn patrol from the 1st Infantry Division came under attack. Two U.S. soldiers killed in that attack. Three U.S. soldiers killed this day, as well as at least 80 others, mostly Iraqis, killed, and at least 200 others injured.

Now, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has said this is the work of desperate criminals. He has contradicted earlier U.S. coalition assertions that this showed -- these attacks showed a level of coordination. Mr. Allawi saying he did not believe they -- they were not coordinated, but carried out by different groups, including the wanted al Qaeda terrorist suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, plus remnants of the old Saddam Hussein regime, plus elements from Ansar al-Islam, who may be involved in that strike against Mosul in the north. Ansar al-Islam a militant extremist group.

So a very serious day here today in terms of escalation in the run-up towards the restoration of sovereignty June 30 -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Brent, thanks for that. Six days and counting, again.

Thanks, Brent Sadler, in Baghdad.

Let's keep it in Iraq now. The Pentagon insisting that Saddam Hussein is being treated humanely while in prison, despite allegations from a lawyer that the former Iraqi president has been mistreated. The attorney cites a Red Cross document dated about five weeks after the capture of Saddam Hussein listing his condition as slightly wounded.

I talked with him this week. His name is Mohammed Rashdan. He's the attorney in the U.S. for media interviews. His answer as to why he took this case...

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMMAD RASHDAN, ATTORNEY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN (through translator): This case does not only have to do with President Saddam Hussein, the former president, it has to do with the defense of the Arab nation and the Islamic nation. And it's actually a defense of what is right.

HEMMER: There are many who would wonder why you would want to represent a known dictator. And he's accused of killing thousands, if not tens of thousands, of his own people. When people pose that question to you, what do you say?

RASHDAN (through translator): Again, as a matter of law, when there are presumed crimes, these crimes must be made perfectly clear. Apparently, decisions were made even before looking into this.

Who said that there were many crimes committed? Now we know that there were mass graves that were caused by the American Army. American soldiers in Iraq committed this, and we have evidence. And these were not even counted as American soldiers killed in Iraq.

HEMMER: But there is one thing to say that the Americans have created civilian casualties in Iraq. But that has nothing to do with the case of Saddam Hussein.

RASHDAN (through translator): There is no proof that many were killed by Saddam Hussein. But what is proven and what is 100 percent is that the number of people killed during the last year is much more than those who were killed in Iraq in the past 40 years, including those who died in early accidents.

HEMMER: What have you heard about the Iraqi tribunal about how far they've progressed to conduct this trial?

RASHDAN (through translator): Until this very moment, we were not allowed to meet with President Saddam Hussein, despite everything that was said by the American president, and despite what has been provided for in the Geneva Conventions. But we are told that all the security apparatus in the United States have investigated Saddam Hussein and interrogated him.

How can we then claim that there is fairness of justice when, until this day, moments, we have not seen our defendant? And this is a continued violation of the law, starting with the aggression (UNINTELLIGIBLE) killing the civilians, and then Abu Ghraib, and the trial.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Mohammad Rashdan earlier this week. Also, a number of questions, too, about the gassing of the Kurds back in the late '80s in the town of Falaji (ph). He says the evidence does not match with Saddam Hussein.

He's Jordanian, has worked in Iraq many times over his career. And when that handover takes place next week, the Iraqi war crimes tribunal says Saddam Hussein could remain under U.S. protection, U.S. guard, even as Iraq assumes legal custody of the former dictator. More on this as that handover gets closer -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: For prosecutors in Scott Peterson's double murder trial, the removal of juror number five may be the best news yet. After getting bounced by the judge yesterday, Justin Falconer said he's seen nothing in the state's case so far to make him believe that Scott Peterson is a killer. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, Justin Falconer told us he had wanted to stay on the case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN FALCONER, EX-JUROR, SCOTT PETERSON TRIAL: I was really interested in what the prosecution had to say. I wanted -- I wanted to know -- you know, I had a lot of questions. I had a lot of, you know, concerns that I wanted answered. And I was.

And I wanted to know all the information. I was going to get the defense's side later on. And I looked forward to going in and deliberating it with the rest of my, you know, peers, the jurors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: The buzz surrounding Falconer began last week when he was caught on tape making a remark to Laci Peterson's brother. Reporter Gloria Gomez from KOVR-TV in Sacramento is covering the trial. She joins us from Redwood City in California this morning.

Gloria, nice to see you as always. Let's get right to it. The judge said he was a distraction, which really could mean many things. Did you notice any inappropriate behavior before all this controversy came out from juror number five?

GLORIA GOMEZ, KOVR-TV: Oh, absolutely. As a matter of fact, I had been reporting it for a couple of weeks now, the fact that I saw juror number five walking into court two weeks ago and actually kidding around with Mark Geragos on his way to the jury box.

He actually walked up to Mark Geragos, made a comment. Geragos responded with a smile and turned away. I immediately reported that on the air, saying clearly that was a violation. He should not be communicating with any party on any side.

And then, of course, we also saw juror number five approaching the sketch artist, the person who actually sketches in the courtroom, trying to look at her artwork. The sketch artist actually stopped him and said, "Don't go any further. You can't see look at these sketches." He said, "Well, I just wanted to see some artwork," and then turned away.

So clearly, very involved in the whole process, wanting to see what was going on behind the scenes.

O'BRIEN: You spoke to him alone. Did he say anything to you that you thought was interesting or unusual or strange in your interview with him?

GOMEZ: Well, it's clear that he sympathizes with Scott Peterson. He says that he felt bad for Scott. He said, because, look, he has a missing wife, and then everybody learns about his affair at the same time. He goes, "I feel bad for him. He went through a lot of scrutiny." And he goes, "And really," he said, "he should frankly get an apology."

So obviously making excuses for Scott Peterson. He also said, in the same tone, if I could just add this...

O'BRIEN: Please.

GOMEZ: ... is he also said that -- I asked him, "Well, what do you think about the fact that Scott Peterson told Amber Frey, his former girlfriend, that he had lost his wife close to a year ago? What do you think about that?" And Laci hadn't even gone missing yet.

He says, "Well, guys will be guys, and they're going to say things like that. They're going to say stupid things just to get a girl." So clearly, this is a juror that obviously the defense is sorely going to miss -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: What was the tone in the courtroom during all this? Mark Geragos gets up and says, I demand a mistrial, which the judge denied there. How did all this affect all the other jurors? Is there any way that you could see that?

GOMEZ: Well, clearly, you could tell there was tension in the courtroom when the judge announced this. And then Mark Geragos erupts out of his chair and says, I demand a mistrial. The judge clearly, you know, denied that.

But you could tell there was tension in the courtroom immediately after that, when Detective Brocchini, who's one of the lead investigators in this case, took the stand. Brocchini began answering some mundane questions, but not necessarily looking at Geragos, but away from Geragos. And then Mark Geragos attacking him, going, "Why do you look that way? You need to look at me. Do you have a problem looking at me?"

The judge immediately then stopped the proceedings and said, "Everybody needs to cool down. Let's take a recess."

O'BRIEN: Well, it sounds sometimes like it's getting a little bit out of control there. Gloria Gomez for us. Nice to see you, as always, Gloria. Thanks for the reporting. Appreciate it.

GOMEZ: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill?

HEMMER: Also, a story out of California. Disturbing videotape. Los Angeles police arresting an unarmed suspect, raising questions about excessive force. Here's the video.

Thirty-six-year-old Stanley Miller ran from police after he was suspected of driving a stolen car. Miller appears to surrender. Critics say this is the problem. It appears as if he is struck 11 times with a flashlight, hence the outrage in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw an unarmed man be beat on camera who seemed to be cooperating and not resisting arrest. So we're outraged and shocked by what happened on this videotape. We're very concerned and alarmed. And it's very unfortunate that after the Rodney King beating, we still have some rogue officers within the LAPD.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: And later today, we do expect a news conference from the Los Angeles Police Department. It released a statement, saying in part, "The internal affairs division personnel, in addition to our administrative folks, will thoroughly unpeel the layers of this situation until we get to the truth." End of statement there -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Coming up on 15 minutes past the hour. Time to take a look at some of the other stories that are making news today with Daryn Kagan.

Hey, Daryn. Good morning again.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad.

And for that, we begin with a story out of Iran. Eight members of the British military are waiting to be flown home. The servicemen transferred today to the British embassy in Tehran three days after being detained for crossing into Iranian waters. British foreign secretary, Jack Straw, says the men had been treated well during their detention.

An accused Internet spammer could be heading to the slammer. A software engineer at America Online was arrested yesterday. Prosecutors say that he stole an AOL subscriber list. We're talking about some 92 million names.

The list was then sold to various spammers. Another man was also arrested in the scheme. Of course, AOL's owned by Time Warner, which also owns CNN.

The state of Wisconsin getting hammered with some wild weather. Severe storms, spawning some twisters, swept through parts of the state last night. Heavy damage seen in Dodge County. At least one death is being blamed on the weather there.

And finally, residents of the International Space Station preparing for a riskier than usual space walk today. The two-man crew, one American and one Russian, are both heading out to fix a faulty circuit breaker. Not an easy assignment. They will be alternately having to speak Russian and English to communicate with two different control centers.

And we shared with you earlier this morning that Michael Fink, the American astronaut, his wife gave birth late last week. NASA apparently hooked up a radio connection to her cell phone so that he could kind of be there with him -- with her in the delivery room as the baby was delivered back here on Earth.

HEMMER: Nice.

O'BRIEN: You know, that's got to be terrible. What are you going to hear, just a lot of -- I mean, let's be honest. A lot of yelling?

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Well, they can talk to each other, right? Long distance. KAGAN: Yes.

O'BRIEN: No, not when you're...

KAGAN: Not want you want to hear.

O'BRIEN: ... when you're bearing a child, Billy.

KAGAN: Bill, she knows. She knows.

HEMMER: What would you know about bearing a child? Ah!

O'BRIEN: I've done it a few times now. Thanks, Daryn.

KAGAN: Sure.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Afterwards, I think that would be a nice phone call. But during, you just want to talk to your doctor. Thanks.

HEMMER: Jack's out, Toure is in with the experience.

TOURE, "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE: Woo!

O'BRIEN: Woo hoo!

HEMMER: You still have -- how are the e-mailers doing? Are they warming up to you at all or...

TOURE: We've got...

HEMMER: Slowly?

TOURE: We've got one really, really sweet one which we're going to read in the next segment.

HEMMER: One?

TOURE: So -- yes, one. Yes, one. The hate is coming, but I'm staying strong.

Survey of 1,000 men by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University: why get married? Right time to settle down, having children, pressure from your partner. Thus our question, why get married? Aside from love, which is the obvious reason, why do it?

John from Connecticut says, "The reason my wife used this, she married me to change me. It worked out, but not quite the way she'd hoped."

Sorry, John.

Debo from Wimberly, Texas, "I can't think of any reason to get married. Being a female in a house full of males may have messed up my point of view. But if you like being slowly pecked to death by chickens, go for it."

O'BRIEN: That's terrible.

TOURE: Whoa! We need to talk.

O'BRIEN: I know.

TOURE: Carolyn from Ferndale, Michigan, answers a slightly different question. I want to say that Bill Hemmer would be my pick for the sexiest newscaster, and I want to invite him to dinner if ever he comes to Michigan or I can fly up to New York." Bill says, Carolyn, send picture. OK.

HEMMER: I do.

TOURE: Keep e-mailing us at am@cnn.com.

So, now, do you think that marriage will make me a better man?

O'BRIEN: I think it can only help.

TOURE: Ouch!

O'BRIEN: Said with love. Said with love.

TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this dagger right in the heart there.

HEMMER: We think your fiance is lovely, by the way.

O'BRIEN: She's lovely and...

TOURE: Thank you, sir. Thank you.

O'BRIEN: ... you're lucky to be glomming on to a lovely young woman.

TOURE: Well, she's a better person than I am.

O'BRIEN: Then that's...

TOURE: So maybe.

O'BRIEN: ... all good. That's all good. Congratulations, by the way.

TOURE: I'm not asking you anymore questions.

O'BRIEN: I know. I'm a little harsh on Toure, aren't I? I'm sorry. I'm going to back off...

TOURE: I get haters coming from everywhere. I can take it.

O'BRIEN: I'm not a hater. So not a hater.

Chad, I'm not a hater.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're not. But you have to ask Toure how good he is at taking out the garbage.

O'BRIEN: Yes, can you take out...

TOURE: Oh, I'm real good. Doing the dishes? I'm good, man.

O'BRIEN: Oh. I'll marry you.

TOURE: I go to the grocery store, I hook it up.

MYERS: Perfect husband.

O'BRIEN: Yes, exactly.

MYERS: It's all you need.

TOURE: I can work a microwave, too.

MYERS: Oh, there you go.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Chad, thanks.

HEMMER: Chad's got all the answers today, doesn't he?

O'BRIEN: Yes, always. Today and every day.

HEMMER: Yes.

In a moment here, a muscle-bound 5-year-old may hold the key to treating serious conditions like muscular dystrophy. Sanjay has that story in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: Also ahead, some tips that you can use on how you can save for retirement. Our residential financial expert says writing out a check every month isn't enough.

HEMMER: Also, one for the record books. Former President Bill Clinton, that new book flying off the shelf. We'll have a look in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Saving and investing are the keys to future wealth. And our resident financial contributor, David Bach, says you can accomplish that goal automatically, really without lifting a finger. He is the best-selling author of "The Automatic Millionaire." He joins us this morning with some advice as we debut a new series on how to live rich today.

Good morning. I like the name of that...

DAVID BACH, CNN FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: ... how to live rich today. All right.

BACH: One finger. You need to lift one finger.

O'BRIEN: Just one finger?

BACH: And it takes about 10 minutes and then you're done.

O'BRIEN: So you say -- people have said, pay yourself first. But you say it's got to be automatic. What do you mean by that?

BACH: Yes. First of all, let's explain what pay yourself first means, because a lot of people hear it, but they don't do it, and they don't know what it means. What pay yourself first means is the first person who literally gets paid out of your paycheck is you.

O'BRIEN: You get your paycheck and you literally take X number of dollars out?

BACH: Automatically. A lot of people who are on their way to work right now are living paycheck to paycheck. Recent, "The Wall Street Journal" said that 69 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

People are under enormous financial pressure. My response to them is, make your life easy. Forget discipline. Forget a budget. Just decide today to pay yourself first one hour a day.

O'BRIEN: Let me run through some of these tips. You say, one, this payroll deduction.

BACH: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Two, deduct it from your checking account. Three, automatic investment plan. All these things. And lower -- four, rather, online bill pay.

Why do you have to -- so many people have told me to do that. I don't mind writing checks. I mean, why do you think that's crucial?

BACH: Well, because you're busy. People are so busy today, that whatever we can do to take the work out of our lifestyle makes our life easier. So, for instance, online bill pay, you can have all your bills today go to online bill pay, where you click a button and, boom, those bills get paid.

O'BRIEN: But aren't I paying for that service?

BACH: Well, it depends on where you go. Most banks today are offering it for free. If you use an online bill presentment company, like, for instance, statusfactory.com or paytrust.com, it costs about $10 a month. I will tell you that the time it saves you on average is at least a couple of hours a month. And, most important, if you want, you can even automate your bills, so that when your bills come in, they automatically get paid without you even having to look at them.

O'BRIEN: See, don't you lose something by not looking at your bills? I mean, don't looking -- doesn't looking at your bills help you kind of track what you're spending? BACH: I think it depends on the bill. For instance, your mortgage payment doesn't change. So your mortgage payment is the same amount every month. Now, I recommend you can look at it, but really that can be automated.

Your cell phone bill may not change. Your credit card bill, yes, you should look at that every single month. So, again, it's just putting your financial on auto pilot, so that you save time, and, most importantly, that you really save money.

O'BRIEN: You've got a list of things that you think people should do literally today. And you say, set up the automation process so that you don't have to do anything besides lifting that one little finger, as you talk about. Also, contribute at least 10 percent of your income to a retirement account, and strive to contribute the maximum amount. Many people would say, well, I'd love to contribute the maximum amount, but then there's that car payment and the mortgage payment, and then I've got to eat and I've got to pay my rent, thing like that.

BACH: Saving money is a lot like exercising. If you've never exercised before and you go work out a couple of days in a row, your body gets sore. You're like, oh my god, it goes into shock.

Saving money is the same thing. You may not go from saving zero to saving 10 percent. So I recommend, look, save one percent this month. Then increase it by one percent the next month. Do that for a whole year. And the end of the year you're saving 12 percent of your income.

And guess what? Financially, you've gotten stronger each month, barely feel it. Before you know, you're a financially healthy person.

O'BRIEN: And you're living rich today.

BACH: And you're living rich today, yes.

O'BRIEN: I'm serious. I tell you, I like that title.

BACH: Thank you, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: David Bach, it's always nice to see you. Thanks for some great advice.

BACH: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: David, of course, hosts a nationally syndicated radio show. It airs on Saturday afternoons on Sirius Satellite Radio. He's going to join us each Thursday right here on AMERICAN MORNING with tips to follow today so that you can live rich -- Bill.

HEMMER: Good to know. Soledad, thanks.

In a moment, John Kerry juggling two jobs: senator, presidential candidate. Does something have to give? "Political Pop" in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: A few short seconds away from the opening bell down on Wall Street, starting today at a decent day -- 10,479 coming off of yesterday's 84-point gain for the blue chips. The Dow 30.

Nasdaq market site, 2,020. Back over the 2,000 mark. A decent day yesterday. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Nasdaq 27 points in the positive as of yesterday. Stocks open now today on a Thursday morning here in New York City.

O'BRIEN: Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Lots going on in Iraq and Turkey to tell you about. We're going to bring you up to date in -- on that in just a few moments.

Also this morning, Ralph Nader, he looks like he's about to get the fight of his life just to be part of election 2004. A meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus turned into a shouting match. And now Democrats in Arizona are going after him as well. We're going to talk about that and also a few other subjects as well.

HEMMER: Also, great story from Sanjay this morning. A baby born with the most unbaby-like body. A genetic court giving him well defined muscles. Sanjay tells us how this child, age five now, could help others live a better life. We'll get to it in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: Muscular little baby.

HEMMER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: They said doctors and nurses knew immediately that -- that he was totally different than all the other babies in the nursery.

HEMMER: Perhaps we can learn, yes.

O'BRIEN: Yes, we'll see.

First, though, the terrorist bombings which have torn through two Turkish cities. The bombs hit Istanbul and Ankara. A powerful blast less than an hour ago in a residential neighborhood in Istanbul. Five people killed, 20 injured, as a bomb ripped through a city bus.

Earlier, in Ankara, a bomb shattered windows at a hotel. It's the hotel, actually, that President Bush is expected to stay in next week for the NATO summit. Three people were hurt in that bombing.

Meanwhile, there have been near simultaneous attacks across Iraq today with huge casualties. The death toll is now up to 83 people dead, 233 reported wounded. The attacks by insurgents occurred in Ramadi, Fallujah, Baqubah and Mosul.

In Ramadi, a multiple rocket-propelled grenade attack hit the police station. And in a spate of bombings in Mosul, more than 30 people killed, including a U.S. soldier. Some 170 other people were wounded. Here's Bill.

HEMMER: Time for "Political Pop." On the left, back with us, Democratic strategist, Karen Finney.

Good morning, Karen.

KAREN FINNEY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.

HEMMER: Holding the middle, or trying, comedian Paul Mercurio.

Good morning, Paul.

PAUL MERCURIO, COMEDIAN: Good morning.

HEMMER: On the right, WABC radio talk show host Mark Simone, back with us as well.

Nice to see you, also.

MARK SIMONE, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Good to see you.

HEMMER: Paul, you're the virgin. We'll start there.

MERCURIO: Oh, thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: Well, we'll get to that in just a minute.

HEMMER: No we won't. Apparently, Ralph Nader got an earful...

MERCURIO: Yes.

HEMMER: ... earlier this week by the Congressional Black Caucus.

MERCURIO: Right.

HEMMER: Some describe it as testy. What is the Nader effect this year?

MERCURIO: Well, I don't think it -- I think it's nil. I don't think there's effect.

I mean, the reality is, he's going to keep running. I mean, I've got a new slogan for him: Ralph Nader, a champion for Ralph Nader.

HEMMER: Uh-huh.

MERCURIO: The reality is that this guy is losing it left, right and center.

FINNEY: Absolutely.

MERCURIO: I mean, when the Black Congressional Caucus is arguing with you, think about what disdain Nader has for the Republicans...

HEMMER: Do you think -- would that dissuade him?

MERCURIO: Hang on. Let's think about this. The disdain the Republicans have -- that he has for the Republicans, and blacks still don't support you? It's time to give up.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Apparently, the walls were shaking down there on Capitol Hill, Karen.

FINNEY: No, it's true, actually. And, you know, what you're saying is right, in terms of he's losing support. There's actually a Web site called repentantnadervoter.com, which is these mea culpas from all of these former Nader supporters who have agreed to try to get other former supporters to vote for John Kerry. So I don't know...

MERCURIO: Exactly. There's too much at stake this time around. People aren't going to fall for it. Everybody's freaked out now, but in the end, no effect. He's the Y2K of this election.

HEMMER: Do you think -- do you think Nader is listening?

SIMONE: People don't realize, Nader's at mad at the Democrats as he is at the Republicans. I mean, Clinton gave contracts to Halliburton for eight years, $2.7 billion worth.

FINNEY: Yes, but...

SIMONE: No administration did more for a company than the Clinton administration did for Enron. Nader's got as much against the Democrats as the Republicans.

HEMMER: Karen...

FINNEY: Yes.

HEMMER: ... John Kerry went off the stump, back to Capitol Hill the other day to participate in a vote on veterans' issues regarding health care, et cetera. Was never allowed to vote because the vote never happened. What happened?

FINNEY: It was a stunning display of power on the part of the Republicans, actually. It was -- I mean, it was -- and I have to say, as a Democrat, I was jealous. I was like, god, I wish we could be organized enough to pull something like that off. It was fantastic. It was unbelievable.

SIMONE: It was such a dirty trick they tried to...

FINNEY: It was a dirty trick. Oh, come on.

MERCURIO: No. Leave it to the Republicans making it hard on Kerry. These people know how to make it hard on somebody holding on two jobs. OK? That's the reality here.

SIMONE: Well, he's not holding down the other one. He didn't show up for 125 votes. I hate to put it this way, Reagan spent more time in the Capitol this year than Kerry has.

MERCURIO: Well, listen...

FINNEY: Oh, but you know what? This is such a classic election year. I mean, look, Democrats do it to Republicans, Republicans do it to Democrats in every race. It's such a classic attack.

(CROSSTALK)

SIMONE: If Bush -- Bush missed six weekends of the National Guard 30 years ago. Kerry thinks that's crucial. He just missed 125 votes. People lost unemployment benefits because he didn't vote.

MERCURIO: Listen, I'll give you this -- I'll give you this: he missed 70 percent of the vote last year, 90 percent of the vote this year. They say he flip-flops? He's committed to missing votes.

HEMMER: The majority -- of the Senate, Bill Frist, said, "Senator Kerry parachutes in for a day then takes off once again." No more civility left in the Senate.

FINNEY: Nope.

HEMMER: Mark, let's move to this other issue in the Senate. They passed this bill on indecency.

SIMONE: Yes.

HEMMER: They're saying folks like you can be fined up to $3 million a day.

MERCURIO: Not Mark.

SIMONE: This may come as a great shock to you, but I'm not indecent on the air. This is like saying they increased the penalty for murder. Just don't commit one and you don't have to worry. I mean, it's not like worrying about taxes on the middle class. Why are we worrying about taxing shock jocks?

MERCURIO: Shouldn't we have perspective here? Isn't it about what's indecent given what's going on in this world right now?

FINNEY: I mean, who's not going to vote for protecting children from the evils of Hollywood? So that's -- I mean, that's all it was.

HEMMER: Karen, your chance to get back at Mark, listen to his radio program for every single word.

FINNEY: You know I will. You know I'm going to write it down and call it in.

SIMONE: Let's talk about the indecency off the air, where it belongs.

MERCURIO: Well, you talked about the evils of Hollywood.

HEMMER: That will work.

MERCURIO: That's exactly right. I mean, but look, the biggest indecent thing going on right now is reality television. "The Littlest Groom," "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance," it was indecent for him to bare his breasts. That's the real issue here. It's got to be perspective.

HEMMER: You came to play, Paul.

FINNEY: You came ready to play.

HEMMER: Thanks.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come, so-called mighty mice, and a muscle- bound little German boy, and the potential that they could hold when it comes to curing diseases ranging from cancer to muscular dystrophy. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is going to stop by with a look at that.

Also ahead this morning, first he's in, then he's out. The notorious juror number five gets the boot from the Peterson trial. A look at that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: An abnormally muscular child might hold the key to the study of myostatin, the protein that limits muscle development. Dr. Sanjay Gupta once again from the CNN Center with more on this story.

Sanjay, this is really a fascinating case, isn't it?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Really fascinating case. And the first case of its kind, really, at least in human beings.

A 5-year-old German boy, pretty impressive pictures. You've seen some of them already. But take a look.

This boy, they did a study on him in the New England Journal of Medicine, basically showing this kid, seven months old here, abnormally large muscle development. Really incredible. He can actually lift now 7-pound dumbbells on either side, hold them horizontally. The boy is not only -- not only muscular, but he's also strong.

The reason scientists believe in this New England Journal study is that he doesn't produce something known as myostatin. Myostatin typically causes muscle breakdown. Well, he doesn't produce it, so his muscles continue to get big. Two times the muscle mass of children his age. As I mentioned, he's the first human to actually have a documented case of this. But there are also animals in the past that have been shown to have this as well. At least induced.

You can see a picture of some mice here. You mentioned the mighty mouse. Take a look.

Pretty obvious. The mouse on the left doesn't have myostatin. The one on the right does.

Perhaps the most dramatic example is actually this Belgian blue cow. Take a look at that muscular cow. This is a cow who doesn't produce myostatin.

Now, myostatin is a term that scientists know. It's basically -- what it does, it inhibits muscle mass breakdown. So if you don't break down the muscle mass, you start to increase the muscle mass. And it also promotes the loss of fat tissue.

That sounds pretty good, right, Soledad? Which is exactly why scientists are pretty interested in studying this.

O'BRIEN: So give me a sense then. What exactly could the implications be down the road? And how far down the road are we talking about?

GUPTA: Well, I think there are some real potential medical benefits, first of all, in terms of muscular dystrophy, for example. Patients who don't have enough muscle mass, you could use this to try and improve that: cancer, AIDS populations as well, the aging population. We're an aging population in this country. If you inhibited myostatin, you might be able to increase muscle mass in the elderly and various other metabolic diseases.

How long might it take? Well, this is the first human documented case. It could probably be five to 10 years still. And scientists are also concerned about abuse.

You know, obvious -- for obvious reasons, this is something that could be abused. There are people already out there today, Soledad, trying to figure out how to stop the myostatin in their body so that they increase their muscle mass and stop fat production -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. Sanjay Gupta for us this morning. Sanjay, thanks.

GUPTA: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill?

HEMMER: All right. In a moment here, there is significant violence in Iraq. Two explosions in Turkey. Updates on both stories in a moment.

Also, on a much lighter note, Martha Stewart wants a new trial. There is word today of a significant development there. We'll get to it. Andy's "Minding Your Business" in a moment after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Forty-five minutes past the hour. A number of developing stories from overseas. Violence yet again.

Daryn, good morning.

KAGAN: Good morning, Bill. Let's start with a story out of Turkey we've been telling you about all this morning.

A bus explosion in Istanbul killing at least five people and injuring about 20 others today. Significant, because world leaders, including President Bush, will be attending a NATO summit in Istanbul this week -- next week, actually. Earlier today, a small bomb went off in Ankara near a hotel where President Bush is expected to stay when he arrives in Turkey this weekend. Two people were wounded in that explosion.

To Iraq now. Sources there say that more than 80 people were killed in a series of coordinated attacks. Insurgents targeting the cities of Ramadi, Mosul, Baghdad, Fallujah and Baqubah.

Three U.S. soldiers are among the dead. That is the highest death toll taking place in Mosul. Coalition sources saying that at least 170 people were wounded in those strikes.

Back here in the U.S., in California, more police testimony expected in the Scott Peterson case. A new jury member joining the trial. Juror number five, Justin Falconer, was dismissed yesterday. The move coming after he was seen on videotape speaking with Laci Peterson's brother.

And a record-setting debut for former President Bill Clinton. His memoir, "My Life," selling more than 400,000 copies here in the U.S. in its first day out. That is according to the book's publisher.

It puts the former president's book ahead of his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton's book, "Living history." Not that it's competition, but that is the scorecard in the Clinton household.

Soledad, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Daryn. Thanks. Oh, before I let you go, what's coming up this morning at 10:00?

KAGAN: Yes. Of course, we're going to have the latest coming out of Turkey. Also, focusing on Iraq and those attacks in the five different cities. We'll have the deputy prime minister of Iraq joining us for an interview. So that's coming up very quickly in the next hour.

Back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right. We're looking forward to that. Thanks, Daryn. Time to check in on the action on Wall Street. Some big developments could be brewing, believe it or not, in the Martha Stewart case. Andy Serwer's "Minding Your Business."

Do you want to start with the market first, then get to Martha?

ANDY SERWER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, FORTUNE MAGAZINE: Let's do it that way. OK?

O'BRIEN: All right.

SERWER: We'll check out the board first. Stocks slipping a little bit, down three points. We've kind of been seeing the same pattern day after day, down a little bit at the open and then they're down at the end of the day, or up. Gee, that's a lot of stuff happening. But kind of trendless (ph) stuff until next week, when the Fed meets. That's the big news coming up.

Let's talk, first of all, about a group of stocks really moving right now. This has been an incredibly strong group over the past couple years. I'm talking about the for-profit higher-education companies like Phoenix. University of Phoenix has gone from single digits to nearly a hundred.

Now under fire. These stocks are falling big time. Career education, Corinthian College, all under pressure. Apparently some federal investigations into a couple of those companies. And we'll be watching this over the next couple days.

These things have been so strong. Investors have made so much money in these stocks over the past couple years. And now they've been falling.

Let's see here, University of Phoenix is, very quickly, down $6 to $82. And it was $100 a couple weeks ago.

O'BRIEN: Wow.

SERWER: Now, let's talk about Martha Stewart. We do have some developments there.

Sources tell CNN that the government is close to filing its motion against a new trial and is close to filing that -- maybe filing that today. Now, let me give you the significance of that.

Of course, Martha Stewart has asked for a new trial. The judge cannot rule on that, though, until they get a brief -- until she gets a brief. She, being the judge, Cedarbaum.

Judge Cedarbaum cannot rule on this until she gets a motion from the government denying that request. Presumably, as soon as she gets that motion, she will say -- she will make a ruling. We don't know which way. But she will...

HEMMER: The sentencing is when at this...

SERWER: In July.

O'BRIEN: Right.

SERWER: Right. Early July.

O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), right?

SERWER: Right. And that's where we stand on that one.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well -- all right, Andy, thanks a lot.

SERWER: OK.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, what does a guy want if he's going to get hitched? Toure has got a look at that straight ahead.

AMERICAN MORNING continues after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. A final chance to check in with Toure for the Toure experience and the "Question of the Day."

TOURE: That's right.

HEMMER: You don't look like Jack Cafferty.

TOURE: Well, the hair, there's a similarity there.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: The afro a little.

HEMMER: It's just the first clue.

TOURE: That's right, baby.

Our question today, why get married? And I'm about to do it. So I need to know, why do it?

Emily from Indianapolis, Indiana, "Didn't you learn in grade school, just because everyone else is doing it..."

There you go.

Shirley from somewhere in Florida says, "I was married for 12 years and have been knocking around single for 30 years. An old friend told me once, 'I didn't hate being alone enough to do all the things you have to do to stay with somebody.'"

That's kind of weird.

O'BRIEN: That's a little bitter.

TOURE: Everyone -- from somebody that I know, from Rita from Brooklyn, "The reasons besides love that I'm marrying, Toure, is wanting to have a family with him and think he'll be a great father one day."

Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: I agree with that.

TOURE: That's why I'm going to wear this for you, baby. Yeah, baby.

HEMMER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: I tell you, I will say I've been married for nine years. And someone wrote in and asked why I don't have my ring on. And it's because my fingers are too fat. But it's the best thing in the world.

TOURE: Yes?

O'BRIEN: Toure, we're going to find a nice person for Hemmer.

HEMMER: All in time. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

TOURE: What?

HEMMER: That's German for "all in time."

(LAUGHTER)

HEMMER: Thank you, Toure.

TOURE: Whoosh! Or we can do a show in French, if you like.

HEMMER: What's Toure all about, anyway?

TOURE: Or in Spanish or...

O'BRIEN: Well, Toure, it's been nice having you. Thank you very much. That's very sweet.

TOURE: Thank you.

HEMMER: And see you back tomorrow?

O'BRIEN: Are you back tomorrow?

TOURE: Back tomorrow. And the question's going to be rockin' tomorrow, baby!

HEMMER: So the invitation came through?

TOURE: Yes. Soledad's not knocking me yet.

O'BRIEN: Not yet. Not yet. We've got time. And your fiance writes in all on her own?

TOURE: Yes! Yes, I didn't prompt her or anything. She's awesome.

O'BRIEN: That's sweet, you know? The main reason is love.

TOURE: That's right. At the end of the day, it's all about love.

O'BRIEN: That's great. And the kids are good, too.

HEMMER: Well done, Rita.

Check of the weather one final time. Here's Chad yet again.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Indeed, you're right. Chad, thanks. See you tomorrow, all right?

MYERS: I'll be here.

HEMMER: Coming up next hour here on CNN, the violence breaking out across Iraq. Daryn has a look at that.

Also, a live interview. The Iraqi deputy prime minister. She's see what kind of impact today's attacks will have on that handover just six days away and counting now.

AMERICAN MORNING back in a moment after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We've got to run.

SERWER: OK.

HEMMER: We're out, right?

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Toure. We're done.

TOURE: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Thanks for helping out. We'll see you tomorrow.

HEMMER: Just checking.

O'BRIEN: We'll see you tomorrow, too.

SERWER: We'll see you tomorrow, absolutely.

O'BRIEN: We'll see you tomorrow, too. And me. We're back.

HEMMER: Yes? Promise?

O'BRIEN: Yes, promise.

SERWER: Jack's still in Colorado.

HEMMER: Yes, he is.

O'BRIEN: Jack's still on vacation. Daryn Kagan in Atlanta for us.

Hey. Good morning, again.

KAGAN: I like how Bill tells you, "We've got to run." It's like, I am not running anywhere.

O'BRIEN: And then drops (ph) dead, exactly. Yes, you run, mister. I'm going to sit on this couch.

KAGAN: Yes.

HEMMER: I'm going to carry you.

KAGAN: Yes. There you go.

O'BRIEN: Your back can't handle it.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: You guys have...

HEMMER: Daryn, see you on Friday.

KAGAN: Yes. You guys have a great day in New York City.

HEMMER: All right. Bye-bye.

KAGAN: I'll see you early tomorrow morning.

And we'll go ahead and get started at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's start with the headlines.

Three U.S. troops are among more than 80 people killed in a series of strikes today across Iraq. Attackers detonated bombs and launched ambushes in Mosul, Baqubah, Ramadi, Baghdad and Fallujah. The offensive comes six days before the coalition-scheduled transfer of power. We'll have a live report straight ahead from Iraq.


Aired June 24, 2004 - 9:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody.

We've got breaking news just in from Turkey as terrorist bombings tear through two cities. The latest blast less than an hour ago in a in a residential area of Istanbul. A bomb blew up on a bus; two people so far reported dead. At least seven others are injured.

Earlier today, in Ankara, a bomb went off near a hotel where President Bush is to arrive this weekend for meetings with Turkish officials, and later for the NATO summit as well. Three people, including two police officers, were hurt in that blast.

Let's take you live right away to Alfonso Marsh. He joins us by phone in Ankara this morning.

Alfonso, good morning.

ALFONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I actually have some updated information for you. We now understand, as you mentioned, at least two have been killed in that bus bombing in Istanbul, and at least nine injured now. We understand two seriously.

Witnesses on the scene are saying that the bus was actually driving down the street when the explosion occurred outside one of the university hospital's medical schools in Istanbul. We're still waiting for details to the extent of the other injuries. But health ministry officials are saying that they expect those numbers to go up.

And as you mentioned, here in Ankara, the capital, a bomb blast just hours earlier that injured a policeman quite seriously. We understand that he lost some segments of his leg when the bomb blast went off in front of Ankara Hilton. As you mentioned, that's where U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to actually check in later on this weekend.

A lot of nervousness for Turkish officials here. They're getting ready to host that NATO summit. Some 45 world leaders expected to attend in Istanbul. News of these bomb blasts certainly causing a lot of eyebrows to go up here in Turkey.

O'BRIEN: Alfonso, I know it's early, but is anyone yet claiming responsibility for either of these attacks? VAN MARSH: Well, we are getting word of unconfirmed claim of responsibility for the blast in Ankara. Earlier on, Turkey's minister of interior -- minister for interior affairs had kind of tossed off the earlier blast, just saying it was just the work of a small group trying to get attention. We're still waiting to get word now on what exactly took place in Istanbul.

We have these pictures you see coming in of this bomb blast on that bus. No claim of responsibility that we know of. No confirmed claim of responsibility for that blast on that bus in Istanbul.

O'BRIEN: Is anyone saying that, in fact, these two blasts are -- is there any evidence that these two blasts could be coordinated in any way, the one obviously earlier, and, of course, the one that just happened an hour ago?

VAN MARSH: Well, at this point, there's no way of knowing for sure. But it is interesting to note that this is just one in a series of bomb blasts in the country over the past couple of weeks. Just a few days ago, police were checking out an anti-NATO banner that had a small plastic bag attached to it. As the police pulled and took it, the bag, it went off, slightly injuring him.

A couple of days earlier, there were a series of bomb blasts at banks in Turkey. And a few weeks earlier than that, another series of two small bomb blasts in front of the McDonald's in Istanbul. And a few weeks prior to that, when U.S. -- U.K. British prime minister, Tony Blair, came into town for talks, a bomb blast at British-owned banks in the country.

O'BRIEN: Alfonso Van Marsh joining us with an update from there this morning. Alfonso covering the story for us. We're going to continue, of course, to check in with you throughout the day on this. Appreciate it, Alfonso -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Same part of the world, already a vicious day of violence in Iraq, all across that country. Dozens are dead today, including at least 18 Iraqi police officers and at least three U.S. soldiers. Also, hundreds more have been wounded. The attacks by insurgents occurring almost simultaneously in Ramadi, Fallujah, Baqubah and Mosul, and coming just six days before the handover of power in that country.

Brent Sadler straight away in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. Brent, what's the update now?

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, a heavy day of bloodshed here. Really concentrated in terms of suicide bombs and car bombs in the northern city of Mosul. One U.S. soldier killed in one of those blasts in that city.

Move further towards Baghdad, the attacks in Baqubah, heavy clashes between armed insurgents using rocket-propelled grenades; mortar and machine guns clashing with U.S. forces. All these attacks aimed at the police force stations in Mosul, Baqubah, and to the west of Baghdad in Ramadi. Now, U.S. forces, at the same time, have also been locked down in hostilities with insurgents in Fallujah. The United States called in an air strike. An F-16 dropped three, it's understood, precision- guided 500-pound bombs to deter small arms fire from insurgents using houses for cover near the soccer stadium in Fallujah. A U.S. Cobra was forced to make an emergency landing under hostile small arms fire. The crew escaped unhurt.

Earlier in the day, in Baqubah, a dawn patrol from the 1st Infantry Division came under attack. Two U.S. soldiers killed in that attack. Three U.S. soldiers killed this day, as well as at least 80 others, mostly Iraqis, killed, and at least 200 others injured.

Now, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has said this is the work of desperate criminals. He has contradicted earlier U.S. coalition assertions that this showed -- these attacks showed a level of coordination. Mr. Allawi saying he did not believe they -- they were not coordinated, but carried out by different groups, including the wanted al Qaeda terrorist suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, plus remnants of the old Saddam Hussein regime, plus elements from Ansar al-Islam, who may be involved in that strike against Mosul in the north. Ansar al-Islam a militant extremist group.

So a very serious day here today in terms of escalation in the run-up towards the restoration of sovereignty June 30 -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Brent, thanks for that. Six days and counting, again.

Thanks, Brent Sadler, in Baghdad.

Let's keep it in Iraq now. The Pentagon insisting that Saddam Hussein is being treated humanely while in prison, despite allegations from a lawyer that the former Iraqi president has been mistreated. The attorney cites a Red Cross document dated about five weeks after the capture of Saddam Hussein listing his condition as slightly wounded.

I talked with him this week. His name is Mohammed Rashdan. He's the attorney in the U.S. for media interviews. His answer as to why he took this case...

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMMAD RASHDAN, ATTORNEY FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN (through translator): This case does not only have to do with President Saddam Hussein, the former president, it has to do with the defense of the Arab nation and the Islamic nation. And it's actually a defense of what is right.

HEMMER: There are many who would wonder why you would want to represent a known dictator. And he's accused of killing thousands, if not tens of thousands, of his own people. When people pose that question to you, what do you say?

RASHDAN (through translator): Again, as a matter of law, when there are presumed crimes, these crimes must be made perfectly clear. Apparently, decisions were made even before looking into this.

Who said that there were many crimes committed? Now we know that there were mass graves that were caused by the American Army. American soldiers in Iraq committed this, and we have evidence. And these were not even counted as American soldiers killed in Iraq.

HEMMER: But there is one thing to say that the Americans have created civilian casualties in Iraq. But that has nothing to do with the case of Saddam Hussein.

RASHDAN (through translator): There is no proof that many were killed by Saddam Hussein. But what is proven and what is 100 percent is that the number of people killed during the last year is much more than those who were killed in Iraq in the past 40 years, including those who died in early accidents.

HEMMER: What have you heard about the Iraqi tribunal about how far they've progressed to conduct this trial?

RASHDAN (through translator): Until this very moment, we were not allowed to meet with President Saddam Hussein, despite everything that was said by the American president, and despite what has been provided for in the Geneva Conventions. But we are told that all the security apparatus in the United States have investigated Saddam Hussein and interrogated him.

How can we then claim that there is fairness of justice when, until this day, moments, we have not seen our defendant? And this is a continued violation of the law, starting with the aggression (UNINTELLIGIBLE) killing the civilians, and then Abu Ghraib, and the trial.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Mohammad Rashdan earlier this week. Also, a number of questions, too, about the gassing of the Kurds back in the late '80s in the town of Falaji (ph). He says the evidence does not match with Saddam Hussein.

He's Jordanian, has worked in Iraq many times over his career. And when that handover takes place next week, the Iraqi war crimes tribunal says Saddam Hussein could remain under U.S. protection, U.S. guard, even as Iraq assumes legal custody of the former dictator. More on this as that handover gets closer -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: For prosecutors in Scott Peterson's double murder trial, the removal of juror number five may be the best news yet. After getting bounced by the judge yesterday, Justin Falconer said he's seen nothing in the state's case so far to make him believe that Scott Peterson is a killer. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, Justin Falconer told us he had wanted to stay on the case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN FALCONER, EX-JUROR, SCOTT PETERSON TRIAL: I was really interested in what the prosecution had to say. I wanted -- I wanted to know -- you know, I had a lot of questions. I had a lot of, you know, concerns that I wanted answered. And I was.

And I wanted to know all the information. I was going to get the defense's side later on. And I looked forward to going in and deliberating it with the rest of my, you know, peers, the jurors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: The buzz surrounding Falconer began last week when he was caught on tape making a remark to Laci Peterson's brother. Reporter Gloria Gomez from KOVR-TV in Sacramento is covering the trial. She joins us from Redwood City in California this morning.

Gloria, nice to see you as always. Let's get right to it. The judge said he was a distraction, which really could mean many things. Did you notice any inappropriate behavior before all this controversy came out from juror number five?

GLORIA GOMEZ, KOVR-TV: Oh, absolutely. As a matter of fact, I had been reporting it for a couple of weeks now, the fact that I saw juror number five walking into court two weeks ago and actually kidding around with Mark Geragos on his way to the jury box.

He actually walked up to Mark Geragos, made a comment. Geragos responded with a smile and turned away. I immediately reported that on the air, saying clearly that was a violation. He should not be communicating with any party on any side.

And then, of course, we also saw juror number five approaching the sketch artist, the person who actually sketches in the courtroom, trying to look at her artwork. The sketch artist actually stopped him and said, "Don't go any further. You can't see look at these sketches." He said, "Well, I just wanted to see some artwork," and then turned away.

So clearly, very involved in the whole process, wanting to see what was going on behind the scenes.

O'BRIEN: You spoke to him alone. Did he say anything to you that you thought was interesting or unusual or strange in your interview with him?

GOMEZ: Well, it's clear that he sympathizes with Scott Peterson. He says that he felt bad for Scott. He said, because, look, he has a missing wife, and then everybody learns about his affair at the same time. He goes, "I feel bad for him. He went through a lot of scrutiny." And he goes, "And really," he said, "he should frankly get an apology."

So obviously making excuses for Scott Peterson. He also said, in the same tone, if I could just add this...

O'BRIEN: Please.

GOMEZ: ... is he also said that -- I asked him, "Well, what do you think about the fact that Scott Peterson told Amber Frey, his former girlfriend, that he had lost his wife close to a year ago? What do you think about that?" And Laci hadn't even gone missing yet.

He says, "Well, guys will be guys, and they're going to say things like that. They're going to say stupid things just to get a girl." So clearly, this is a juror that obviously the defense is sorely going to miss -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: What was the tone in the courtroom during all this? Mark Geragos gets up and says, I demand a mistrial, which the judge denied there. How did all this affect all the other jurors? Is there any way that you could see that?

GOMEZ: Well, clearly, you could tell there was tension in the courtroom when the judge announced this. And then Mark Geragos erupts out of his chair and says, I demand a mistrial. The judge clearly, you know, denied that.

But you could tell there was tension in the courtroom immediately after that, when Detective Brocchini, who's one of the lead investigators in this case, took the stand. Brocchini began answering some mundane questions, but not necessarily looking at Geragos, but away from Geragos. And then Mark Geragos attacking him, going, "Why do you look that way? You need to look at me. Do you have a problem looking at me?"

The judge immediately then stopped the proceedings and said, "Everybody needs to cool down. Let's take a recess."

O'BRIEN: Well, it sounds sometimes like it's getting a little bit out of control there. Gloria Gomez for us. Nice to see you, as always, Gloria. Thanks for the reporting. Appreciate it.

GOMEZ: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill?

HEMMER: Also, a story out of California. Disturbing videotape. Los Angeles police arresting an unarmed suspect, raising questions about excessive force. Here's the video.

Thirty-six-year-old Stanley Miller ran from police after he was suspected of driving a stolen car. Miller appears to surrender. Critics say this is the problem. It appears as if he is struck 11 times with a flashlight, hence the outrage in Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We saw an unarmed man be beat on camera who seemed to be cooperating and not resisting arrest. So we're outraged and shocked by what happened on this videotape. We're very concerned and alarmed. And it's very unfortunate that after the Rodney King beating, we still have some rogue officers within the LAPD.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: And later today, we do expect a news conference from the Los Angeles Police Department. It released a statement, saying in part, "The internal affairs division personnel, in addition to our administrative folks, will thoroughly unpeel the layers of this situation until we get to the truth." End of statement there -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Coming up on 15 minutes past the hour. Time to take a look at some of the other stories that are making news today with Daryn Kagan.

Hey, Daryn. Good morning again.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad.

And for that, we begin with a story out of Iran. Eight members of the British military are waiting to be flown home. The servicemen transferred today to the British embassy in Tehran three days after being detained for crossing into Iranian waters. British foreign secretary, Jack Straw, says the men had been treated well during their detention.

An accused Internet spammer could be heading to the slammer. A software engineer at America Online was arrested yesterday. Prosecutors say that he stole an AOL subscriber list. We're talking about some 92 million names.

The list was then sold to various spammers. Another man was also arrested in the scheme. Of course, AOL's owned by Time Warner, which also owns CNN.

The state of Wisconsin getting hammered with some wild weather. Severe storms, spawning some twisters, swept through parts of the state last night. Heavy damage seen in Dodge County. At least one death is being blamed on the weather there.

And finally, residents of the International Space Station preparing for a riskier than usual space walk today. The two-man crew, one American and one Russian, are both heading out to fix a faulty circuit breaker. Not an easy assignment. They will be alternately having to speak Russian and English to communicate with two different control centers.

And we shared with you earlier this morning that Michael Fink, the American astronaut, his wife gave birth late last week. NASA apparently hooked up a radio connection to her cell phone so that he could kind of be there with him -- with her in the delivery room as the baby was delivered back here on Earth.

HEMMER: Nice.

O'BRIEN: You know, that's got to be terrible. What are you going to hear, just a lot of -- I mean, let's be honest. A lot of yelling?

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Well, they can talk to each other, right? Long distance. KAGAN: Yes.

O'BRIEN: No, not when you're...

KAGAN: Not want you want to hear.

O'BRIEN: ... when you're bearing a child, Billy.

KAGAN: Bill, she knows. She knows.

HEMMER: What would you know about bearing a child? Ah!

O'BRIEN: I've done it a few times now. Thanks, Daryn.

KAGAN: Sure.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Afterwards, I think that would be a nice phone call. But during, you just want to talk to your doctor. Thanks.

HEMMER: Jack's out, Toure is in with the experience.

TOURE, "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE: Woo!

O'BRIEN: Woo hoo!

HEMMER: You still have -- how are the e-mailers doing? Are they warming up to you at all or...

TOURE: We've got...

HEMMER: Slowly?

TOURE: We've got one really, really sweet one which we're going to read in the next segment.

HEMMER: One?

TOURE: So -- yes, one. Yes, one. The hate is coming, but I'm staying strong.

Survey of 1,000 men by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University: why get married? Right time to settle down, having children, pressure from your partner. Thus our question, why get married? Aside from love, which is the obvious reason, why do it?

John from Connecticut says, "The reason my wife used this, she married me to change me. It worked out, but not quite the way she'd hoped."

Sorry, John.

Debo from Wimberly, Texas, "I can't think of any reason to get married. Being a female in a house full of males may have messed up my point of view. But if you like being slowly pecked to death by chickens, go for it."

O'BRIEN: That's terrible.

TOURE: Whoa! We need to talk.

O'BRIEN: I know.

TOURE: Carolyn from Ferndale, Michigan, answers a slightly different question. I want to say that Bill Hemmer would be my pick for the sexiest newscaster, and I want to invite him to dinner if ever he comes to Michigan or I can fly up to New York." Bill says, Carolyn, send picture. OK.

HEMMER: I do.

TOURE: Keep e-mailing us at am@cnn.com.

So, now, do you think that marriage will make me a better man?

O'BRIEN: I think it can only help.

TOURE: Ouch!

O'BRIEN: Said with love. Said with love.

TOURE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this dagger right in the heart there.

HEMMER: We think your fiance is lovely, by the way.

O'BRIEN: She's lovely and...

TOURE: Thank you, sir. Thank you.

O'BRIEN: ... you're lucky to be glomming on to a lovely young woman.

TOURE: Well, she's a better person than I am.

O'BRIEN: Then that's...

TOURE: So maybe.

O'BRIEN: ... all good. That's all good. Congratulations, by the way.

TOURE: I'm not asking you anymore questions.

O'BRIEN: I know. I'm a little harsh on Toure, aren't I? I'm sorry. I'm going to back off...

TOURE: I get haters coming from everywhere. I can take it.

O'BRIEN: I'm not a hater. So not a hater.

Chad, I'm not a hater.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You're not. But you have to ask Toure how good he is at taking out the garbage.

O'BRIEN: Yes, can you take out...

TOURE: Oh, I'm real good. Doing the dishes? I'm good, man.

O'BRIEN: Oh. I'll marry you.

TOURE: I go to the grocery store, I hook it up.

MYERS: Perfect husband.

O'BRIEN: Yes, exactly.

MYERS: It's all you need.

TOURE: I can work a microwave, too.

MYERS: Oh, there you go.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Chad, thanks.

HEMMER: Chad's got all the answers today, doesn't he?

O'BRIEN: Yes, always. Today and every day.

HEMMER: Yes.

In a moment here, a muscle-bound 5-year-old may hold the key to treating serious conditions like muscular dystrophy. Sanjay has that story in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: Also ahead, some tips that you can use on how you can save for retirement. Our residential financial expert says writing out a check every month isn't enough.

HEMMER: Also, one for the record books. Former President Bill Clinton, that new book flying off the shelf. We'll have a look in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Saving and investing are the keys to future wealth. And our resident financial contributor, David Bach, says you can accomplish that goal automatically, really without lifting a finger. He is the best-selling author of "The Automatic Millionaire." He joins us this morning with some advice as we debut a new series on how to live rich today.

Good morning. I like the name of that...

DAVID BACH, CNN FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: ... how to live rich today. All right.

BACH: One finger. You need to lift one finger.

O'BRIEN: Just one finger?

BACH: And it takes about 10 minutes and then you're done.

O'BRIEN: So you say -- people have said, pay yourself first. But you say it's got to be automatic. What do you mean by that?

BACH: Yes. First of all, let's explain what pay yourself first means, because a lot of people hear it, but they don't do it, and they don't know what it means. What pay yourself first means is the first person who literally gets paid out of your paycheck is you.

O'BRIEN: You get your paycheck and you literally take X number of dollars out?

BACH: Automatically. A lot of people who are on their way to work right now are living paycheck to paycheck. Recent, "The Wall Street Journal" said that 69 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

People are under enormous financial pressure. My response to them is, make your life easy. Forget discipline. Forget a budget. Just decide today to pay yourself first one hour a day.

O'BRIEN: Let me run through some of these tips. You say, one, this payroll deduction.

BACH: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Two, deduct it from your checking account. Three, automatic investment plan. All these things. And lower -- four, rather, online bill pay.

Why do you have to -- so many people have told me to do that. I don't mind writing checks. I mean, why do you think that's crucial?

BACH: Well, because you're busy. People are so busy today, that whatever we can do to take the work out of our lifestyle makes our life easier. So, for instance, online bill pay, you can have all your bills today go to online bill pay, where you click a button and, boom, those bills get paid.

O'BRIEN: But aren't I paying for that service?

BACH: Well, it depends on where you go. Most banks today are offering it for free. If you use an online bill presentment company, like, for instance, statusfactory.com or paytrust.com, it costs about $10 a month. I will tell you that the time it saves you on average is at least a couple of hours a month. And, most important, if you want, you can even automate your bills, so that when your bills come in, they automatically get paid without you even having to look at them.

O'BRIEN: See, don't you lose something by not looking at your bills? I mean, don't looking -- doesn't looking at your bills help you kind of track what you're spending? BACH: I think it depends on the bill. For instance, your mortgage payment doesn't change. So your mortgage payment is the same amount every month. Now, I recommend you can look at it, but really that can be automated.

Your cell phone bill may not change. Your credit card bill, yes, you should look at that every single month. So, again, it's just putting your financial on auto pilot, so that you save time, and, most importantly, that you really save money.

O'BRIEN: You've got a list of things that you think people should do literally today. And you say, set up the automation process so that you don't have to do anything besides lifting that one little finger, as you talk about. Also, contribute at least 10 percent of your income to a retirement account, and strive to contribute the maximum amount. Many people would say, well, I'd love to contribute the maximum amount, but then there's that car payment and the mortgage payment, and then I've got to eat and I've got to pay my rent, thing like that.

BACH: Saving money is a lot like exercising. If you've never exercised before and you go work out a couple of days in a row, your body gets sore. You're like, oh my god, it goes into shock.

Saving money is the same thing. You may not go from saving zero to saving 10 percent. So I recommend, look, save one percent this month. Then increase it by one percent the next month. Do that for a whole year. And the end of the year you're saving 12 percent of your income.

And guess what? Financially, you've gotten stronger each month, barely feel it. Before you know, you're a financially healthy person.

O'BRIEN: And you're living rich today.

BACH: And you're living rich today, yes.

O'BRIEN: I'm serious. I tell you, I like that title.

BACH: Thank you, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: David Bach, it's always nice to see you. Thanks for some great advice.

BACH: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: David, of course, hosts a nationally syndicated radio show. It airs on Saturday afternoons on Sirius Satellite Radio. He's going to join us each Thursday right here on AMERICAN MORNING with tips to follow today so that you can live rich -- Bill.

HEMMER: Good to know. Soledad, thanks.

In a moment, John Kerry juggling two jobs: senator, presidential candidate. Does something have to give? "Political Pop" in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: A few short seconds away from the opening bell down on Wall Street, starting today at a decent day -- 10,479 coming off of yesterday's 84-point gain for the blue chips. The Dow 30.

Nasdaq market site, 2,020. Back over the 2,000 mark. A decent day yesterday. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Nasdaq 27 points in the positive as of yesterday. Stocks open now today on a Thursday morning here in New York City.

O'BRIEN: Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Lots going on in Iraq and Turkey to tell you about. We're going to bring you up to date in -- on that in just a few moments.

Also this morning, Ralph Nader, he looks like he's about to get the fight of his life just to be part of election 2004. A meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus turned into a shouting match. And now Democrats in Arizona are going after him as well. We're going to talk about that and also a few other subjects as well.

HEMMER: Also, great story from Sanjay this morning. A baby born with the most unbaby-like body. A genetic court giving him well defined muscles. Sanjay tells us how this child, age five now, could help others live a better life. We'll get to it in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: Muscular little baby.

HEMMER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: They said doctors and nurses knew immediately that -- that he was totally different than all the other babies in the nursery.

HEMMER: Perhaps we can learn, yes.

O'BRIEN: Yes, we'll see.

First, though, the terrorist bombings which have torn through two Turkish cities. The bombs hit Istanbul and Ankara. A powerful blast less than an hour ago in a residential neighborhood in Istanbul. Five people killed, 20 injured, as a bomb ripped through a city bus.

Earlier, in Ankara, a bomb shattered windows at a hotel. It's the hotel, actually, that President Bush is expected to stay in next week for the NATO summit. Three people were hurt in that bombing.

Meanwhile, there have been near simultaneous attacks across Iraq today with huge casualties. The death toll is now up to 83 people dead, 233 reported wounded. The attacks by insurgents occurred in Ramadi, Fallujah, Baqubah and Mosul.

In Ramadi, a multiple rocket-propelled grenade attack hit the police station. And in a spate of bombings in Mosul, more than 30 people killed, including a U.S. soldier. Some 170 other people were wounded. Here's Bill.

HEMMER: Time for "Political Pop." On the left, back with us, Democratic strategist, Karen Finney.

Good morning, Karen.

KAREN FINNEY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.

HEMMER: Holding the middle, or trying, comedian Paul Mercurio.

Good morning, Paul.

PAUL MERCURIO, COMEDIAN: Good morning.

HEMMER: On the right, WABC radio talk show host Mark Simone, back with us as well.

Nice to see you, also.

MARK SIMONE, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Good to see you.

HEMMER: Paul, you're the virgin. We'll start there.

MERCURIO: Oh, thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

FINNEY: Well, we'll get to that in just a minute.

HEMMER: No we won't. Apparently, Ralph Nader got an earful...

MERCURIO: Yes.

HEMMER: ... earlier this week by the Congressional Black Caucus.

MERCURIO: Right.

HEMMER: Some describe it as testy. What is the Nader effect this year?

MERCURIO: Well, I don't think it -- I think it's nil. I don't think there's effect.

I mean, the reality is, he's going to keep running. I mean, I've got a new slogan for him: Ralph Nader, a champion for Ralph Nader.

HEMMER: Uh-huh.

MERCURIO: The reality is that this guy is losing it left, right and center.

FINNEY: Absolutely.

MERCURIO: I mean, when the Black Congressional Caucus is arguing with you, think about what disdain Nader has for the Republicans...

HEMMER: Do you think -- would that dissuade him?

MERCURIO: Hang on. Let's think about this. The disdain the Republicans have -- that he has for the Republicans, and blacks still don't support you? It's time to give up.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Apparently, the walls were shaking down there on Capitol Hill, Karen.

FINNEY: No, it's true, actually. And, you know, what you're saying is right, in terms of he's losing support. There's actually a Web site called repentantnadervoter.com, which is these mea culpas from all of these former Nader supporters who have agreed to try to get other former supporters to vote for John Kerry. So I don't know...

MERCURIO: Exactly. There's too much at stake this time around. People aren't going to fall for it. Everybody's freaked out now, but in the end, no effect. He's the Y2K of this election.

HEMMER: Do you think -- do you think Nader is listening?

SIMONE: People don't realize, Nader's at mad at the Democrats as he is at the Republicans. I mean, Clinton gave contracts to Halliburton for eight years, $2.7 billion worth.

FINNEY: Yes, but...

SIMONE: No administration did more for a company than the Clinton administration did for Enron. Nader's got as much against the Democrats as the Republicans.

HEMMER: Karen...

FINNEY: Yes.

HEMMER: ... John Kerry went off the stump, back to Capitol Hill the other day to participate in a vote on veterans' issues regarding health care, et cetera. Was never allowed to vote because the vote never happened. What happened?

FINNEY: It was a stunning display of power on the part of the Republicans, actually. It was -- I mean, it was -- and I have to say, as a Democrat, I was jealous. I was like, god, I wish we could be organized enough to pull something like that off. It was fantastic. It was unbelievable.

SIMONE: It was such a dirty trick they tried to...

FINNEY: It was a dirty trick. Oh, come on.

MERCURIO: No. Leave it to the Republicans making it hard on Kerry. These people know how to make it hard on somebody holding on two jobs. OK? That's the reality here.

SIMONE: Well, he's not holding down the other one. He didn't show up for 125 votes. I hate to put it this way, Reagan spent more time in the Capitol this year than Kerry has.

MERCURIO: Well, listen...

FINNEY: Oh, but you know what? This is such a classic election year. I mean, look, Democrats do it to Republicans, Republicans do it to Democrats in every race. It's such a classic attack.

(CROSSTALK)

SIMONE: If Bush -- Bush missed six weekends of the National Guard 30 years ago. Kerry thinks that's crucial. He just missed 125 votes. People lost unemployment benefits because he didn't vote.

MERCURIO: Listen, I'll give you this -- I'll give you this: he missed 70 percent of the vote last year, 90 percent of the vote this year. They say he flip-flops? He's committed to missing votes.

HEMMER: The majority -- of the Senate, Bill Frist, said, "Senator Kerry parachutes in for a day then takes off once again." No more civility left in the Senate.

FINNEY: Nope.

HEMMER: Mark, let's move to this other issue in the Senate. They passed this bill on indecency.

SIMONE: Yes.

HEMMER: They're saying folks like you can be fined up to $3 million a day.

MERCURIO: Not Mark.

SIMONE: This may come as a great shock to you, but I'm not indecent on the air. This is like saying they increased the penalty for murder. Just don't commit one and you don't have to worry. I mean, it's not like worrying about taxes on the middle class. Why are we worrying about taxing shock jocks?

MERCURIO: Shouldn't we have perspective here? Isn't it about what's indecent given what's going on in this world right now?

FINNEY: I mean, who's not going to vote for protecting children from the evils of Hollywood? So that's -- I mean, that's all it was.

HEMMER: Karen, your chance to get back at Mark, listen to his radio program for every single word.

FINNEY: You know I will. You know I'm going to write it down and call it in.

SIMONE: Let's talk about the indecency off the air, where it belongs.

MERCURIO: Well, you talked about the evils of Hollywood.

HEMMER: That will work.

MERCURIO: That's exactly right. I mean, but look, the biggest indecent thing going on right now is reality television. "The Littlest Groom," "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance," it was indecent for him to bare his breasts. That's the real issue here. It's got to be perspective.

HEMMER: You came to play, Paul.

FINNEY: You came ready to play.

HEMMER: Thanks.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Still to come, so-called mighty mice, and a muscle- bound little German boy, and the potential that they could hold when it comes to curing diseases ranging from cancer to muscular dystrophy. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is going to stop by with a look at that.

Also ahead this morning, first he's in, then he's out. The notorious juror number five gets the boot from the Peterson trial. A look at that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: An abnormally muscular child might hold the key to the study of myostatin, the protein that limits muscle development. Dr. Sanjay Gupta once again from the CNN Center with more on this story.

Sanjay, this is really a fascinating case, isn't it?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Really fascinating case. And the first case of its kind, really, at least in human beings.

A 5-year-old German boy, pretty impressive pictures. You've seen some of them already. But take a look.

This boy, they did a study on him in the New England Journal of Medicine, basically showing this kid, seven months old here, abnormally large muscle development. Really incredible. He can actually lift now 7-pound dumbbells on either side, hold them horizontally. The boy is not only -- not only muscular, but he's also strong.

The reason scientists believe in this New England Journal study is that he doesn't produce something known as myostatin. Myostatin typically causes muscle breakdown. Well, he doesn't produce it, so his muscles continue to get big. Two times the muscle mass of children his age. As I mentioned, he's the first human to actually have a documented case of this. But there are also animals in the past that have been shown to have this as well. At least induced.

You can see a picture of some mice here. You mentioned the mighty mouse. Take a look.

Pretty obvious. The mouse on the left doesn't have myostatin. The one on the right does.

Perhaps the most dramatic example is actually this Belgian blue cow. Take a look at that muscular cow. This is a cow who doesn't produce myostatin.

Now, myostatin is a term that scientists know. It's basically -- what it does, it inhibits muscle mass breakdown. So if you don't break down the muscle mass, you start to increase the muscle mass. And it also promotes the loss of fat tissue.

That sounds pretty good, right, Soledad? Which is exactly why scientists are pretty interested in studying this.

O'BRIEN: So give me a sense then. What exactly could the implications be down the road? And how far down the road are we talking about?

GUPTA: Well, I think there are some real potential medical benefits, first of all, in terms of muscular dystrophy, for example. Patients who don't have enough muscle mass, you could use this to try and improve that: cancer, AIDS populations as well, the aging population. We're an aging population in this country. If you inhibited myostatin, you might be able to increase muscle mass in the elderly and various other metabolic diseases.

How long might it take? Well, this is the first human documented case. It could probably be five to 10 years still. And scientists are also concerned about abuse.

You know, obvious -- for obvious reasons, this is something that could be abused. There are people already out there today, Soledad, trying to figure out how to stop the myostatin in their body so that they increase their muscle mass and stop fat production -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. Sanjay Gupta for us this morning. Sanjay, thanks.

GUPTA: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Bill?

HEMMER: All right. In a moment here, there is significant violence in Iraq. Two explosions in Turkey. Updates on both stories in a moment.

Also, on a much lighter note, Martha Stewart wants a new trial. There is word today of a significant development there. We'll get to it. Andy's "Minding Your Business" in a moment after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Forty-five minutes past the hour. A number of developing stories from overseas. Violence yet again.

Daryn, good morning.

KAGAN: Good morning, Bill. Let's start with a story out of Turkey we've been telling you about all this morning.

A bus explosion in Istanbul killing at least five people and injuring about 20 others today. Significant, because world leaders, including President Bush, will be attending a NATO summit in Istanbul this week -- next week, actually. Earlier today, a small bomb went off in Ankara near a hotel where President Bush is expected to stay when he arrives in Turkey this weekend. Two people were wounded in that explosion.

To Iraq now. Sources there say that more than 80 people were killed in a series of coordinated attacks. Insurgents targeting the cities of Ramadi, Mosul, Baghdad, Fallujah and Baqubah.

Three U.S. soldiers are among the dead. That is the highest death toll taking place in Mosul. Coalition sources saying that at least 170 people were wounded in those strikes.

Back here in the U.S., in California, more police testimony expected in the Scott Peterson case. A new jury member joining the trial. Juror number five, Justin Falconer, was dismissed yesterday. The move coming after he was seen on videotape speaking with Laci Peterson's brother.

And a record-setting debut for former President Bill Clinton. His memoir, "My Life," selling more than 400,000 copies here in the U.S. in its first day out. That is according to the book's publisher.

It puts the former president's book ahead of his wife, Senator Hillary Clinton's book, "Living history." Not that it's competition, but that is the scorecard in the Clinton household.

Soledad, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Daryn. Thanks. Oh, before I let you go, what's coming up this morning at 10:00?

KAGAN: Yes. Of course, we're going to have the latest coming out of Turkey. Also, focusing on Iraq and those attacks in the five different cities. We'll have the deputy prime minister of Iraq joining us for an interview. So that's coming up very quickly in the next hour.

Back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right. We're looking forward to that. Thanks, Daryn. Time to check in on the action on Wall Street. Some big developments could be brewing, believe it or not, in the Martha Stewart case. Andy Serwer's "Minding Your Business."

Do you want to start with the market first, then get to Martha?

ANDY SERWER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, FORTUNE MAGAZINE: Let's do it that way. OK?

O'BRIEN: All right.

SERWER: We'll check out the board first. Stocks slipping a little bit, down three points. We've kind of been seeing the same pattern day after day, down a little bit at the open and then they're down at the end of the day, or up. Gee, that's a lot of stuff happening. But kind of trendless (ph) stuff until next week, when the Fed meets. That's the big news coming up.

Let's talk, first of all, about a group of stocks really moving right now. This has been an incredibly strong group over the past couple years. I'm talking about the for-profit higher-education companies like Phoenix. University of Phoenix has gone from single digits to nearly a hundred.

Now under fire. These stocks are falling big time. Career education, Corinthian College, all under pressure. Apparently some federal investigations into a couple of those companies. And we'll be watching this over the next couple days.

These things have been so strong. Investors have made so much money in these stocks over the past couple years. And now they've been falling.

Let's see here, University of Phoenix is, very quickly, down $6 to $82. And it was $100 a couple weeks ago.

O'BRIEN: Wow.

SERWER: Now, let's talk about Martha Stewart. We do have some developments there.

Sources tell CNN that the government is close to filing its motion against a new trial and is close to filing that -- maybe filing that today. Now, let me give you the significance of that.

Of course, Martha Stewart has asked for a new trial. The judge cannot rule on that, though, until they get a brief -- until she gets a brief. She, being the judge, Cedarbaum.

Judge Cedarbaum cannot rule on this until she gets a motion from the government denying that request. Presumably, as soon as she gets that motion, she will say -- she will make a ruling. We don't know which way. But she will...

HEMMER: The sentencing is when at this...

SERWER: In July.

O'BRIEN: Right.

SERWER: Right. Early July.

O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), right?

SERWER: Right. And that's where we stand on that one.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well -- all right, Andy, thanks a lot.

SERWER: OK.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, what does a guy want if he's going to get hitched? Toure has got a look at that straight ahead.

AMERICAN MORNING continues after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. A final chance to check in with Toure for the Toure experience and the "Question of the Day."

TOURE: That's right.

HEMMER: You don't look like Jack Cafferty.

TOURE: Well, the hair, there's a similarity there.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: The afro a little.

HEMMER: It's just the first clue.

TOURE: That's right, baby.

Our question today, why get married? And I'm about to do it. So I need to know, why do it?

Emily from Indianapolis, Indiana, "Didn't you learn in grade school, just because everyone else is doing it..."

There you go.

Shirley from somewhere in Florida says, "I was married for 12 years and have been knocking around single for 30 years. An old friend told me once, 'I didn't hate being alone enough to do all the things you have to do to stay with somebody.'"

That's kind of weird.

O'BRIEN: That's a little bitter.

TOURE: Everyone -- from somebody that I know, from Rita from Brooklyn, "The reasons besides love that I'm marrying, Toure, is wanting to have a family with him and think he'll be a great father one day."

Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: I agree with that.

TOURE: That's why I'm going to wear this for you, baby. Yeah, baby.

HEMMER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: I tell you, I will say I've been married for nine years. And someone wrote in and asked why I don't have my ring on. And it's because my fingers are too fat. But it's the best thing in the world.

TOURE: Yes?

O'BRIEN: Toure, we're going to find a nice person for Hemmer.

HEMMER: All in time. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

TOURE: What?

HEMMER: That's German for "all in time."

(LAUGHTER)

HEMMER: Thank you, Toure.

TOURE: Whoosh! Or we can do a show in French, if you like.

HEMMER: What's Toure all about, anyway?

TOURE: Or in Spanish or...

O'BRIEN: Well, Toure, it's been nice having you. Thank you very much. That's very sweet.

TOURE: Thank you.

HEMMER: And see you back tomorrow?

O'BRIEN: Are you back tomorrow?

TOURE: Back tomorrow. And the question's going to be rockin' tomorrow, baby!

HEMMER: So the invitation came through?

TOURE: Yes. Soledad's not knocking me yet.

O'BRIEN: Not yet. Not yet. We've got time. And your fiance writes in all on her own?

TOURE: Yes! Yes, I didn't prompt her or anything. She's awesome.

O'BRIEN: That's sweet, you know? The main reason is love.

TOURE: That's right. At the end of the day, it's all about love.

O'BRIEN: That's great. And the kids are good, too.

HEMMER: Well done, Rita.

Check of the weather one final time. Here's Chad yet again.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Indeed, you're right. Chad, thanks. See you tomorrow, all right?

MYERS: I'll be here.

HEMMER: Coming up next hour here on CNN, the violence breaking out across Iraq. Daryn has a look at that.

Also, a live interview. The Iraqi deputy prime minister. She's see what kind of impact today's attacks will have on that handover just six days away and counting now.

AMERICAN MORNING back in a moment after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We've got to run.

SERWER: OK.

HEMMER: We're out, right?

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Toure. We're done.

TOURE: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Thanks for helping out. We'll see you tomorrow.

HEMMER: Just checking.

O'BRIEN: We'll see you tomorrow, too.

SERWER: We'll see you tomorrow, absolutely.

O'BRIEN: We'll see you tomorrow, too. And me. We're back.

HEMMER: Yes? Promise?

O'BRIEN: Yes, promise.

SERWER: Jack's still in Colorado.

HEMMER: Yes, he is.

O'BRIEN: Jack's still on vacation. Daryn Kagan in Atlanta for us.

Hey. Good morning, again.

KAGAN: I like how Bill tells you, "We've got to run." It's like, I am not running anywhere.

O'BRIEN: And then drops (ph) dead, exactly. Yes, you run, mister. I'm going to sit on this couch.

KAGAN: Yes.

HEMMER: I'm going to carry you.

KAGAN: Yes. There you go.

O'BRIEN: Your back can't handle it.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGAN: You guys have...

HEMMER: Daryn, see you on Friday.

KAGAN: Yes. You guys have a great day in New York City.

HEMMER: All right. Bye-bye.

KAGAN: I'll see you early tomorrow morning.

And we'll go ahead and get started at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's start with the headlines.

Three U.S. troops are among more than 80 people killed in a series of strikes today across Iraq. Attackers detonated bombs and launched ambushes in Mosul, Baqubah, Ramadi, Baghdad and Fallujah. The offensive comes six days before the coalition-scheduled transfer of power. We'll have a live report straight ahead from Iraq.