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Bush, Kerry on the Campaign Trail This Independence Day; Who Will Become New CIA Director?

Aired July 04, 2004 - 07:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: On the campaign trail, President Bush and John Kerry hitting the pavement for votes this July 4th. Welcome back. I'm Drew Griffin. That story in a minute, but first, the headlines at this hour.
A government spokesman says Iraq's prime minister is ready to offer amnesty to some low level insurgents. A spokesman for Iyad Allawi says the deal won't apply to any hardcore criminals, including those accused of murder. An announcement on the amnesty offer is expected on Monday.

Soldiers in Iraq marking this Independence Day far from home. More than 400 troops taking part in a 10-K 4th of July race around Camp Victory at the Baghdad Airport. It was hot, but the runners said they enjoyed having an opportunity to celebrate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIRST LT. JESSIE SNYER, U.S. AIR FORCE: We don't get to have too much fun out here. Not that 6.4 miles is fun, but it's something different. And once again, it's 4th of July. And that's a great reason to be out here celebrating that kind of stuff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Well, those guys actually participating in this race. This is a live shot of the Peachtree Road Race here in Atlanta. You are looking at these pictures from the world's largest 10-K race in the nation. 55,000 runners from all over the world are pounding the pavement for the 6.2 mile run through the streets of Georgia's capital. And 100 of those soldiers in Baghdad wore the same T-shirt that these guys are wearing, so they could take part in their Peachtree Road Race. We'll be following this all morning.

Well, it's the big question in the intelligence community. Who's going to lead the CIA? The current head of the agency, George Tenet, leaves his post a week from today. The White House says it's close to naming a successor. White House officials say the president is considering more than one person. Whoever's chosen will oversee the CIA and 14 other agencies.

On the campaign trail, critics often accuse Republicans running for president of writing off African-American voters, but George W. Bush, who is locked in a tight race with John Kerry, is already reaching out to minorities. Elaine Quijano has that report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States of America, the greatest country in the world.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Philadelphia's Greater Exodus Baptist Church last week, an enthusiastic reception for President Bush on a visit to talk about HIV/AIDS initiatives.

The trip was also a chance to reach out to African-American voters in a battleground state, Pennsylvania, reaffirming his support for faith-based groups.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a church that trains people coming off welfare rolls to find work. Isn't that a wonderful...

(APPLAUSE)

QUIJANO: The race against Democratic rival John Kerry shaping up to be tight, minority votes could prove key. And at a time when the president's overall approval numbers are dropping, his campaign hopes to boost his standing among minority groups. One way he's connecting? Through religion, says the Reverend Herb Lusk, a pastor at Greater Exodus.

HERB LUSK, REV., GREATER EXODUS BAPTIST CHURCH: He's the kind of guy that I can support as a minister of the gospel. Simple as that. I mean, I can support someone who will be for -- will be pro family and will be pro life.

QUIJANO: The campaign also wants to broaden its reach to Hispanic voters, sending its bilingual message and mobilizing thousands of volunteers.

SHARON CASTILLO, BUSH-CHENEY 2004: It's safe to say that we started earlier, that we are devoting more resources, and that we're using the Internet in very unique and unprecedented ways.

And so we're trying new things. We're being very aggressive.

QUIJANO: Campaign officials also point to Mr. Bush's racially diverse cabinet as evidence of his support for minorities. But critics say the high visibility hasn't been translated to policy.

CORNELL BELCHER, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: Many of the key issues before the African-American community are under assault from Bush. I mean, you take a look at college funding, Pell Grants, cuts in college funds without Pell Grants, a tax on affirmative action. So no, visibility has not equated black power.

QUIJANO (on camera): In 2000, President Bush garnered 8 percent of the African-American vote. And this time around, of course, looking to boost those numbers.

At the same time, the president is also looking to make inroads in the Hispanic community as well, where in 2000, he captured roughly 35 percent of that vote.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Well, both the president and Senator John Kerry are drumming up support in America's heartland this holiday. Andrea Seabrook is congressional reporter for National Public Radio. And she is spending part of her Independence Day with us in our Washington bureau.

Good morning, Andrea.

ANDREA SEABROOK, NPR REPORTER: Good morning. Happy 4th.

GRIFFIN: Happy 4th to you. And a 4th that is being waged politically in the heartland, these states which I guess could make a big difference in this upcoming election. What are these two candidates trying to do as they go through West Virginia, Ohio, and Wisconsin?

SEABROOK: You know, this campaign, for both sides, is a scramble for those swing states. It is a scramble for the middle of America. Both John Kerry and President Bush have got their base completely shored up at this point. They know, you know, the people who are going to vote for them are set. They are, you know, registered Democrats or registered Republicans.

You know, they're all there behind their candidates. This is all about that sliver of the middle, those people who haven't decided yet, those people who don't know if they're better represented by President Bush or by John Kerry presidency.

And those people are in just a very states, many of them in the Midwest. And that's why you'll see, not just this weekend, but time and again over the next few months, that these candidates will be in the Midwest, in those swing states.

GRIFFIN: And Andrea, as we define the issue, which seems to be -- going to be centered around the economy, those swing voters in those swing states, are they more likely to vote for John Kerry, who's saying look at, times are really bad here? The jobs are going out of the country. Unemployment is terrible. Or for George Bush, who says look, the Dow is about 10,000. Unemployment, 5.6 percent. That's not bad and things are getting better? Who are these voters?

SEABROOK: You know, it's so amazing to see how both campaigns will frame the same news in a completely different way. This is what makes voter fatigue.

By the end of the months that are still to come by November, these people will not know who to believe. And so I think you'll see some of that. You'll see some of voter fatigue.

At the same time, if the news about the economy gets better and better and better, then they may lean toward President Bush. If the news about the economy continues to give us these numbers that are not quite great, not quite terrible, then Kerry has a case to be made that he'll make that the economy is sort of flatlining, at least, instead of recovering.

GRIFFIN: The campaign seems to be flatlining. It is early July. Not much excitement out there, but the big excitement this week could be this vice presidential nominee, long awaited pick by John Kerry. Are we going to get it? And do you know who?

SEABROOK: Oh, I think we'll get it. I think I have no idea who. No one but President -- but candidate John Kerry and his very inner circle of close advisers and friends know who he is leaning most towards.

We have an idea, at this point, of who the final three are. Those being John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and perhaps Tom Vilsack, the Iowa governor.

Now those three -- that's being winnowed down all the time. And I think there are even some dark horses out there that could end up being the big surprise.

Remember, what they're looking for here is not just bringing in a swing state, or not just bringing in the south or a part of the country, but also somebody who has real excitement value for the campaign, especially this campaign that has not done fantastic things yet. It has not spurred a lot of excitement in the campaigns.

So I think that they're going to be really leaning towards somebody who can get people going, star those engines.

GRIFFIN: We got to wrap it up. But real quickly, do you rule out Hillary Clinton?

SEABROOK: You know, that's a funny question. I don't. And that's a horrible thing to say, because she has said no, no, no over and over again. But there are so many Democrats who call -- who would call that a dream ticket, that I don't put it past them to keep her in the running.

GRIFFIN: Andrea Seabrook, we always appreciate your comments. And we'll hear you on NPR. Thanks a lot.

And be sure to stick around for "LATE EDITION." Vanessa Kerry, she should know, right? John Kerry's daughter will join John King, who's sitting in for Wolf Blitzer. That's on "LATE EDITION" beginning at noon Eastern.

Just to keep you ahead of the curve, here's what's expected to make news this week. A state run newspaper in Yemen says two suspects thought to be the masterminds behind the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole will go to trial this week. A judicial source reported the two will be tried alongside four other suspects in the bombing. 17 American sailors were killed in that attack.

And trials of a different sort begin Friday in Sacramento, California, where U.S. athletes will be competing at the track and field Olympic trials. A "New York Times" news service reports anti- doping officials are investigating a number of the athletes who are expected to compete next week for the drugs.

Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Does tennis have a new star? At 8:00 a.m. Eastern, being popular and the business behind tennis. At 9:00 a.m. Eastern, rising from the ashes of the World Trade Center, New Yorkers will lay the cornerstone of the building that will become the Freedom Tower. We will go live to ground zero.

And at 9:30 Eastern, an American dream. The surprise, join us live from New York with an update on their cross-country tour.

But first, a program that teaches your infant how to swim could save her life. You don't want to miss this when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Live pictures from a July 4th tradition, the Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10-K in the world with 55,000 runners. The lead runners just finished the first mile of this race in four minutes and 39 seconds. That, despite a somewhat soggy and humid day here in Atlanta. A couple hills going. They'll be done pretty soon and will be able to tell you who won there.

And welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Hi, I'm Drew Griffin. Each year, hundreds of children die in swimming pool accidents.

But in one program called AquaChild, children learn how to save themselves if they fall in the pool or a lake.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury related death among children in this country. Each year, about 860 children die. And another 2700 are rushed to hospital emergency rooms.

BRIAN LILBURN, AQUACHILD INSTRUCTOR Survival swimming basically entails if a kid fell in the water when his parents wasn't around, that they could actually last that extra couple minutes or whatever it took to actually either save themselves or have somebody else come and save them.

What we teach is -- we teach floating more so than any other aspect of it. And what the kids can do, that's the way that they reinforce air by rolling on their back and floating. And that way, they're not exerting any energy. And then they can always rest there for as long as they need to.

SCOTT LAUNDER, AQUACHILD INSTRUCTOR: Four year old that took lessons with us last year had climbed the pool fence, went in after a ball, fell in. The little brother started screaming for the parents.

CINDY STEIN, MOTHER/AQUACHILD CLIENT: A minute or two later, I hear them screaming. Luckily, he learned the skills here. And he -- when I found him, he was at the pool's edge already.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The way our lessons are set up is they're 10 minutes a day. And they're every day, Monday through Friday. Kids learn by repetition and consistency. It's very important for them to do something over and over again, for them to retain the skills that they're being taught.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once the child does these drills, a certain amount of times, it becomes a motor reflex for air. So it's not even a thought. If they fall in or if they need air, they don't think about it. It's a motor reflex. And they turn on their back and float.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once they have the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) skills that we've been teaching them, they're ready to do close. And what we do, we do a few different scenarios, where they fall into the water. And then they -- you know, use their skills to get out of that situation, roll on their back and float, either swim to the side, or swim to the stairs. We -- you know, they do full winter year with a light jacket, shoes, shirts, long sleeve, you know, pants everything.

ANGELA MICKALDE, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SAFE KIDS CAMPAIGN: Three-quarters of the children who died in our study had never received swimming lessons from a certified instructor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On top of kids learning the survival aspect of floating here and swimming, it builds their self esteem. It builds their confidence. It does so much for them other than just swimming lessons.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Well, we are asking on this 4th of July an e-mail question not quite the essay on freedom, but whether or not you are going to use charcoal or gas today? Your e-mails ahead and why, plus some history behind the barbecue. Why Americans love to cook with fire. That when CNN SUNDAY MORNING Returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Time to wow you with our wows of the week. Here we go. In Chicago, hot dog time for the 4th. This frank measures 37 feet, 2 inches. The Chicago based company Vienna beefed up its regular frank to set a new world record for the longest hot dog. It's official, because you could never eat it plain, the wiener topped with a gallon of mustard, 140 tomato slices, four pounds of chopped onions, and I'm sure a few banana peppers, if I know my Vienna beef people.

Do you kazoo? They do in Quincy, Illinois. On Wednesday, 1700 long winded people were trying to blow away the record for playing the most kazoos at once. Why? Well, the current record was set in Wisconsin. And Quincy hopes to break it and get into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Holy mackerel. Nope, it's catfish. An Arkansas man hooked this big fish in a small pond on Monday. It was four feet long and weighed 65 pounds, which begs the question, how many ways can you filet a fish?

Roses are red, violets are blue. Not any more. On Wednesday, a company in Japan unveiling the first blue rose. The bioengineered flower contains the blue gene found in pansies.

On this 4th of July, how the holiday's being celebrated across the country when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Good morning and welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. 55,000 runners in the Peachtree Road Race this morning are about half done. At least the leaders are. I'm Drew Griffin and we welcome you back to Atlanta, site of today's Peachtree Road Race.

Rob Marciano will be here with the forecast in just a couple of minutes. But first, the headlines this morning. They are off. Troops in Baghdad run their own version of the Peachtree Road Race. And after the run, it is time for 4th of July celebrations there.

Troops from the 1st Armored Division get ready to head home, after spending 15 months in Iraq, the first AD is the longest serving military unit in Iraq.

Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr may be granted amnesty from the new Iraqi government. Iraq's prime minister tells ABC News al-Sadr may be eligible, if he follows through on a pledge to disband his Mehdi Army. An announcement on amnesty deal for low level insurgents is expected tomorrow.

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: Well, millions of us, as you said, are getting ready to fire up the barbecue on this weekend, but do you know this distinctly American tradition began, as with many things, it depends on who you ask. We deferred to the Encyclopedia of Cookery for a few of the origin theories.

The most common, barbecuing started on cattle drives. Grilling beef to feed the cowboys, but the French claim many of those cowboys were immigrants. And some of them brought the idea from France. The word barbecue does have a French origin.

But then there's a theory that it wasn't the French or the Americans, but 13th century Mongolians. The tale goes that hunting parties would slice meat with their swords and cook it over an open fire using their shields, as a grill. That's kind of romantic.

Well, we asked you this morning if you are going to use charcoal or gas. Which is better? And a few of your e-mails are in. "Over the years, I've used both. However, I always return to charcoal. The flavor and heat provided by wood, charcoal is unbeatable." J.B. of Applecreek, Ohio.

And this from Kingston, Ontario. "I've eaten in good restaurants, but the most delicious fish I've ever had was brook trout cooked at the end of the stick over a campfire on a cold, rainy afternoon. The barbecue is a situation. The situation requires charcoal, of course."

If you'd like to send us what your choice is, of course, you can e-mail us anytime at wam@cnn.com.

And around the country, Americans are marking the birth of the U.S. today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Pop singer Clay Aiken will kick off the Capitol 4th 2004 concert from Washington tonight. The PBS special will be broadcast from the grounds of the U.S. capitol. Other headliners performing including country singers Vince Gill and Amy Grant and gospel singer Yolanda Adams.

In South Dakota, an early and colorful start to the holiday. This was the scene last night. There will be another night of fire in the sky, tonight at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. The show featuring entertainers, flyovers, and military bands.

Hot dogs, parades, fireworks, the perfect combo for the 4th of July, but lest we forget, it's also a day to remember the document that gave us freedom that we have today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth a separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitled them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes, which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

(APPLAUSE)

That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Words of July 4th, 1776. Remarkable event in world history.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired July 4, 2004 - 07:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: On the campaign trail, President Bush and John Kerry hitting the pavement for votes this July 4th. Welcome back. I'm Drew Griffin. That story in a minute, but first, the headlines at this hour.
A government spokesman says Iraq's prime minister is ready to offer amnesty to some low level insurgents. A spokesman for Iyad Allawi says the deal won't apply to any hardcore criminals, including those accused of murder. An announcement on the amnesty offer is expected on Monday.

Soldiers in Iraq marking this Independence Day far from home. More than 400 troops taking part in a 10-K 4th of July race around Camp Victory at the Baghdad Airport. It was hot, but the runners said they enjoyed having an opportunity to celebrate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIRST LT. JESSIE SNYER, U.S. AIR FORCE: We don't get to have too much fun out here. Not that 6.4 miles is fun, but it's something different. And once again, it's 4th of July. And that's a great reason to be out here celebrating that kind of stuff.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Well, those guys actually participating in this race. This is a live shot of the Peachtree Road Race here in Atlanta. You are looking at these pictures from the world's largest 10-K race in the nation. 55,000 runners from all over the world are pounding the pavement for the 6.2 mile run through the streets of Georgia's capital. And 100 of those soldiers in Baghdad wore the same T-shirt that these guys are wearing, so they could take part in their Peachtree Road Race. We'll be following this all morning.

Well, it's the big question in the intelligence community. Who's going to lead the CIA? The current head of the agency, George Tenet, leaves his post a week from today. The White House says it's close to naming a successor. White House officials say the president is considering more than one person. Whoever's chosen will oversee the CIA and 14 other agencies.

On the campaign trail, critics often accuse Republicans running for president of writing off African-American voters, but George W. Bush, who is locked in a tight race with John Kerry, is already reaching out to minorities. Elaine Quijano has that report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States of America, the greatest country in the world.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Philadelphia's Greater Exodus Baptist Church last week, an enthusiastic reception for President Bush on a visit to talk about HIV/AIDS initiatives.

The trip was also a chance to reach out to African-American voters in a battleground state, Pennsylvania, reaffirming his support for faith-based groups.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a church that trains people coming off welfare rolls to find work. Isn't that a wonderful...

(APPLAUSE)

QUIJANO: The race against Democratic rival John Kerry shaping up to be tight, minority votes could prove key. And at a time when the president's overall approval numbers are dropping, his campaign hopes to boost his standing among minority groups. One way he's connecting? Through religion, says the Reverend Herb Lusk, a pastor at Greater Exodus.

HERB LUSK, REV., GREATER EXODUS BAPTIST CHURCH: He's the kind of guy that I can support as a minister of the gospel. Simple as that. I mean, I can support someone who will be for -- will be pro family and will be pro life.

QUIJANO: The campaign also wants to broaden its reach to Hispanic voters, sending its bilingual message and mobilizing thousands of volunteers.

SHARON CASTILLO, BUSH-CHENEY 2004: It's safe to say that we started earlier, that we are devoting more resources, and that we're using the Internet in very unique and unprecedented ways.

And so we're trying new things. We're being very aggressive.

QUIJANO: Campaign officials also point to Mr. Bush's racially diverse cabinet as evidence of his support for minorities. But critics say the high visibility hasn't been translated to policy.

CORNELL BELCHER, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: Many of the key issues before the African-American community are under assault from Bush. I mean, you take a look at college funding, Pell Grants, cuts in college funds without Pell Grants, a tax on affirmative action. So no, visibility has not equated black power.

QUIJANO (on camera): In 2000, President Bush garnered 8 percent of the African-American vote. And this time around, of course, looking to boost those numbers.

At the same time, the president is also looking to make inroads in the Hispanic community as well, where in 2000, he captured roughly 35 percent of that vote.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Well, both the president and Senator John Kerry are drumming up support in America's heartland this holiday. Andrea Seabrook is congressional reporter for National Public Radio. And she is spending part of her Independence Day with us in our Washington bureau.

Good morning, Andrea.

ANDREA SEABROOK, NPR REPORTER: Good morning. Happy 4th.

GRIFFIN: Happy 4th to you. And a 4th that is being waged politically in the heartland, these states which I guess could make a big difference in this upcoming election. What are these two candidates trying to do as they go through West Virginia, Ohio, and Wisconsin?

SEABROOK: You know, this campaign, for both sides, is a scramble for those swing states. It is a scramble for the middle of America. Both John Kerry and President Bush have got their base completely shored up at this point. They know, you know, the people who are going to vote for them are set. They are, you know, registered Democrats or registered Republicans.

You know, they're all there behind their candidates. This is all about that sliver of the middle, those people who haven't decided yet, those people who don't know if they're better represented by President Bush or by John Kerry presidency.

And those people are in just a very states, many of them in the Midwest. And that's why you'll see, not just this weekend, but time and again over the next few months, that these candidates will be in the Midwest, in those swing states.

GRIFFIN: And Andrea, as we define the issue, which seems to be -- going to be centered around the economy, those swing voters in those swing states, are they more likely to vote for John Kerry, who's saying look at, times are really bad here? The jobs are going out of the country. Unemployment is terrible. Or for George Bush, who says look, the Dow is about 10,000. Unemployment, 5.6 percent. That's not bad and things are getting better? Who are these voters?

SEABROOK: You know, it's so amazing to see how both campaigns will frame the same news in a completely different way. This is what makes voter fatigue.

By the end of the months that are still to come by November, these people will not know who to believe. And so I think you'll see some of that. You'll see some of voter fatigue.

At the same time, if the news about the economy gets better and better and better, then they may lean toward President Bush. If the news about the economy continues to give us these numbers that are not quite great, not quite terrible, then Kerry has a case to be made that he'll make that the economy is sort of flatlining, at least, instead of recovering.

GRIFFIN: The campaign seems to be flatlining. It is early July. Not much excitement out there, but the big excitement this week could be this vice presidential nominee, long awaited pick by John Kerry. Are we going to get it? And do you know who?

SEABROOK: Oh, I think we'll get it. I think I have no idea who. No one but President -- but candidate John Kerry and his very inner circle of close advisers and friends know who he is leaning most towards.

We have an idea, at this point, of who the final three are. Those being John Edwards, Dick Gephardt and perhaps Tom Vilsack, the Iowa governor.

Now those three -- that's being winnowed down all the time. And I think there are even some dark horses out there that could end up being the big surprise.

Remember, what they're looking for here is not just bringing in a swing state, or not just bringing in the south or a part of the country, but also somebody who has real excitement value for the campaign, especially this campaign that has not done fantastic things yet. It has not spurred a lot of excitement in the campaigns.

So I think that they're going to be really leaning towards somebody who can get people going, star those engines.

GRIFFIN: We got to wrap it up. But real quickly, do you rule out Hillary Clinton?

SEABROOK: You know, that's a funny question. I don't. And that's a horrible thing to say, because she has said no, no, no over and over again. But there are so many Democrats who call -- who would call that a dream ticket, that I don't put it past them to keep her in the running.

GRIFFIN: Andrea Seabrook, we always appreciate your comments. And we'll hear you on NPR. Thanks a lot.

And be sure to stick around for "LATE EDITION." Vanessa Kerry, she should know, right? John Kerry's daughter will join John King, who's sitting in for Wolf Blitzer. That's on "LATE EDITION" beginning at noon Eastern.

Just to keep you ahead of the curve, here's what's expected to make news this week. A state run newspaper in Yemen says two suspects thought to be the masterminds behind the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole will go to trial this week. A judicial source reported the two will be tried alongside four other suspects in the bombing. 17 American sailors were killed in that attack.

And trials of a different sort begin Friday in Sacramento, California, where U.S. athletes will be competing at the track and field Olympic trials. A "New York Times" news service reports anti- doping officials are investigating a number of the athletes who are expected to compete next week for the drugs.

Maria Sharapova beat Serena Williams at Wimbledon. Does tennis have a new star? At 8:00 a.m. Eastern, being popular and the business behind tennis. At 9:00 a.m. Eastern, rising from the ashes of the World Trade Center, New Yorkers will lay the cornerstone of the building that will become the Freedom Tower. We will go live to ground zero.

And at 9:30 Eastern, an American dream. The surprise, join us live from New York with an update on their cross-country tour.

But first, a program that teaches your infant how to swim could save her life. You don't want to miss this when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Live pictures from a July 4th tradition, the Peachtree Road Race, the largest 10-K in the world with 55,000 runners. The lead runners just finished the first mile of this race in four minutes and 39 seconds. That, despite a somewhat soggy and humid day here in Atlanta. A couple hills going. They'll be done pretty soon and will be able to tell you who won there.

And welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Hi, I'm Drew Griffin. Each year, hundreds of children die in swimming pool accidents.

But in one program called AquaChild, children learn how to save themselves if they fall in the pool or a lake.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury related death among children in this country. Each year, about 860 children die. And another 2700 are rushed to hospital emergency rooms.

BRIAN LILBURN, AQUACHILD INSTRUCTOR Survival swimming basically entails if a kid fell in the water when his parents wasn't around, that they could actually last that extra couple minutes or whatever it took to actually either save themselves or have somebody else come and save them.

What we teach is -- we teach floating more so than any other aspect of it. And what the kids can do, that's the way that they reinforce air by rolling on their back and floating. And that way, they're not exerting any energy. And then they can always rest there for as long as they need to.

SCOTT LAUNDER, AQUACHILD INSTRUCTOR: Four year old that took lessons with us last year had climbed the pool fence, went in after a ball, fell in. The little brother started screaming for the parents.

CINDY STEIN, MOTHER/AQUACHILD CLIENT: A minute or two later, I hear them screaming. Luckily, he learned the skills here. And he -- when I found him, he was at the pool's edge already.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The way our lessons are set up is they're 10 minutes a day. And they're every day, Monday through Friday. Kids learn by repetition and consistency. It's very important for them to do something over and over again, for them to retain the skills that they're being taught.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once the child does these drills, a certain amount of times, it becomes a motor reflex for air. So it's not even a thought. If they fall in or if they need air, they don't think about it. It's a motor reflex. And they turn on their back and float.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once they have the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) skills that we've been teaching them, they're ready to do close. And what we do, we do a few different scenarios, where they fall into the water. And then they -- you know, use their skills to get out of that situation, roll on their back and float, either swim to the side, or swim to the stairs. We -- you know, they do full winter year with a light jacket, shoes, shirts, long sleeve, you know, pants everything.

ANGELA MICKALDE, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SAFE KIDS CAMPAIGN: Three-quarters of the children who died in our study had never received swimming lessons from a certified instructor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On top of kids learning the survival aspect of floating here and swimming, it builds their self esteem. It builds their confidence. It does so much for them other than just swimming lessons.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Well, we are asking on this 4th of July an e-mail question not quite the essay on freedom, but whether or not you are going to use charcoal or gas today? Your e-mails ahead and why, plus some history behind the barbecue. Why Americans love to cook with fire. That when CNN SUNDAY MORNING Returns.

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GRIFFIN: Time to wow you with our wows of the week. Here we go. In Chicago, hot dog time for the 4th. This frank measures 37 feet, 2 inches. The Chicago based company Vienna beefed up its regular frank to set a new world record for the longest hot dog. It's official, because you could never eat it plain, the wiener topped with a gallon of mustard, 140 tomato slices, four pounds of chopped onions, and I'm sure a few banana peppers, if I know my Vienna beef people.

Do you kazoo? They do in Quincy, Illinois. On Wednesday, 1700 long winded people were trying to blow away the record for playing the most kazoos at once. Why? Well, the current record was set in Wisconsin. And Quincy hopes to break it and get into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Holy mackerel. Nope, it's catfish. An Arkansas man hooked this big fish in a small pond on Monday. It was four feet long and weighed 65 pounds, which begs the question, how many ways can you filet a fish?

Roses are red, violets are blue. Not any more. On Wednesday, a company in Japan unveiling the first blue rose. The bioengineered flower contains the blue gene found in pansies.

On this 4th of July, how the holiday's being celebrated across the country when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues.

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GRIFFIN: Good morning and welcome back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING. 55,000 runners in the Peachtree Road Race this morning are about half done. At least the leaders are. I'm Drew Griffin and we welcome you back to Atlanta, site of today's Peachtree Road Race.

Rob Marciano will be here with the forecast in just a couple of minutes. But first, the headlines this morning. They are off. Troops in Baghdad run their own version of the Peachtree Road Race. And after the run, it is time for 4th of July celebrations there.

Troops from the 1st Armored Division get ready to head home, after spending 15 months in Iraq, the first AD is the longest serving military unit in Iraq.

Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr may be granted amnesty from the new Iraqi government. Iraq's prime minister tells ABC News al-Sadr may be eligible, if he follows through on a pledge to disband his Mehdi Army. An announcement on amnesty deal for low level insurgents is expected tomorrow.

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GRIFFIN: Well, millions of us, as you said, are getting ready to fire up the barbecue on this weekend, but do you know this distinctly American tradition began, as with many things, it depends on who you ask. We deferred to the Encyclopedia of Cookery for a few of the origin theories.

The most common, barbecuing started on cattle drives. Grilling beef to feed the cowboys, but the French claim many of those cowboys were immigrants. And some of them brought the idea from France. The word barbecue does have a French origin.

But then there's a theory that it wasn't the French or the Americans, but 13th century Mongolians. The tale goes that hunting parties would slice meat with their swords and cook it over an open fire using their shields, as a grill. That's kind of romantic.

Well, we asked you this morning if you are going to use charcoal or gas. Which is better? And a few of your e-mails are in. "Over the years, I've used both. However, I always return to charcoal. The flavor and heat provided by wood, charcoal is unbeatable." J.B. of Applecreek, Ohio.

And this from Kingston, Ontario. "I've eaten in good restaurants, but the most delicious fish I've ever had was brook trout cooked at the end of the stick over a campfire on a cold, rainy afternoon. The barbecue is a situation. The situation requires charcoal, of course."

If you'd like to send us what your choice is, of course, you can e-mail us anytime at wam@cnn.com.

And around the country, Americans are marking the birth of the U.S. today.

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GRIFFIN: Pop singer Clay Aiken will kick off the Capitol 4th 2004 concert from Washington tonight. The PBS special will be broadcast from the grounds of the U.S. capitol. Other headliners performing including country singers Vince Gill and Amy Grant and gospel singer Yolanda Adams.

In South Dakota, an early and colorful start to the holiday. This was the scene last night. There will be another night of fire in the sky, tonight at Mt. Rushmore National Memorial. The show featuring entertainers, flyovers, and military bands.

Hot dogs, parades, fireworks, the perfect combo for the 4th of July, but lest we forget, it's also a day to remember the document that gave us freedom that we have today.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth a separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitled them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes, which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

(APPLAUSE)

That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Words of July 4th, 1776. Remarkable event in world history.

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