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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Where is Lance Corporal Wassef Hassoun? Kerry-Edwards campaign kicks off as Bush stumps in North Carolina, Scott Peterson jury continues to see gruesome photo evidence, How far will teens go to get a perfect body? Britney Spears passing on prenup?

Aired July 07, 2004 - 19:00   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, HOST: Good evening. I'm Heidi Collins, in for Anderson Cooper tonight.
An American Marine may be safe in Lebanon.

360 starts right now.

Is he alive and free? A Marine captured by Iraqi insurgents apparently calls family to tell them he is safe.

Game on. Kerry and Edwards begin their barnstorm, while Bush stumps in Edwards territory.

Gruesome photo evidence continues to stun the Peterson courtroom. We'll have the latest.

Too Much, Too Soon, our special series. Tonight, how far will teens go for a perfect body?

And is her heart overcoming her head? Britney Spears says she's marrying for love, but passing on the prenup?

ANNOUNCER: Live from New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COLLINS: We begin tonight with the mystery of Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun. If Hassoun does, in fact, turn out to be alive, well, and free, he will have some story to tell and lots of explaining to do.

Hassoun was captured by terrorists inside Iraq and threatened with death. In fact, at one point, there were reports he had been killed. But now, there's new information that's giving his family a glimmer of hope.

Let's go straight to CNN's Rusty Dornin for the very latest. Rusty, good evening.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, we have just learned from a source close to the family that Corporal Wassef Hassoun is safe in Lebanon, in his hometown, and he is with family right now. So this story has taken a lot of twists and turns. Apparently, he is planning on connecting with U.S. authorities within the next 24 hours. He was described as being exhausted after his ordeal. They said this has taken a lot of twists and turns. And today has also been a day full of unconfirmed reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): The mystery surrounding the capture and reported release of Corporal Wassef Hassoun deepens. A source close to the family tells CNN that the 24-year-old Marine has called his families in Lebanon and Utah to tell them he's alive and well and was inside Lebanon. The source says Hassoun sounded good but provided few details to the family.

And Hassoun told his family that before calling them, he called the U.S. embassy in Beirut and asked personnel there to pick him up at an undisclosed location. The source also tells CNN that Hassoun did not say how he got to Lebanon, who took him there, or if he was with anyone else.

The conversations with the families were brief, lasting less than a minute.

The family here in West Jordan, Utah, remained behind closed doors. Wednesday afternoon, two FBI agents spent nearly an hour with the Hassoun family. A spokesman says the agents were seeking information about the phone call and investigating the circumstances of an American citizen captured overseas.

A State Department spokesman says it's currently attempting to locate Hassoun and make sure he's safe. Secretary of State Colin Powell says there are reports he is safe and healthy but remains cautious.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have received reports that he may be in contact with various individuals, and there are other reports that he might be in Lebanon, but I can't confirm any of these at this time.

DORNIN: The Pentagon still lists Hassoun as captured and is investigating his disappearance and current whereabouts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: Now, the family, there had been some rumblings that there would be a press conference later this afternoon about the status of Corporal Wassef Hassoun by the family here. It would have been their first. That is not going to happen. Apparently, the family will not say anything and will continue to deny all reports publicly until Hassoun is safe in U.S. hands, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. Rusty Dornin on top of it for us. Thanks so much, Rusty.

A quick news note. Now, this afternoon the Arabic news network Al Jazeera aired this chilling video from a militant group claiming to have kidnapped a Filipino working in Iraq. There are no details on the hostage, who was of course wearing the orange shirt there. The group is threatening to kill the man unless the Philippines withdraws its troops from Iraq. There are currently just over 50 Filipino troops in the country.

In Iraq today, if the bullets had come much closer, they would have interrupted the new justice minister announcing that his government intends to go all-out against the insurgents. The problem, and the response to it, could hardly have been more starkly illustrated.

CNN's Brent Sadler now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A gunfight rages in downtown Baghdad on the day Iraq's interim government announces tough new measures to defeat anarchy. Bursts of machine-gun fire and explosions sent Iraqis running for cover under a hail of bullets.

This shootout involved what Iraqi officials call insurgents and criminal gangs battling the national guard, turning normally busy streets into a killing zone.

Iraqi security forces, backed by U.S. firepower, contained the spread of this shootout, and the Iraqi authorities have now armed themselves with sweeping new powers to crush a worsening insurgency.

MALIK DOHAN AL HASSAN, JUSTICE MINISTER (through translator): These circumstances right now and the security situation, the deteriorating security situation right now, urges these laws, because the security situation right now threatens all fields of life here.

SADLER: And future Iraq's embattled leaders can impose periods of martial law on areas that threaten national security, providing it's sanctioned by the president and the cabinet.

Other new emergency powers have been modeled on the U.S. PATRIOT Act, imposed after the 9/11 attacks on America. They can also call in multinational troops if Iraq's own security forces are overwhelmed.

The measures were being announced as terrified Iraqis shut their shops in Haifa Street to escape some four hours of fighting.

(on camera): This district of central Baghdad is known locally as Little Fallujah, a stronghold of hardline Sunni Muslims, pro-Saddam Hussein, anti-Iraq's new authorities.

(voice-over): Some Iraqis caught in the crossfire say the tough new security law is all words and no action.

"We only hear about it," says shop owner Tallal Hadad (ph). "No one's implementing it. There's no security. The killing and looting hasn't stopped."

Iraq's security forces are scoring some successes, though, here, intercepting and defusing a car bomb before it could kill and maim. But insurgents sent another violent message in what appeared to be an attempt to undermine confidence in the government's new emergency law, firing rockets at the home of interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, missing their mark, but making their point.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And back to this country now. It will be four months before we know whether the voters think John Kerry and John Edwards have what it takes to be president and vice president. But considering they managed to drag the announcement of the pairing out over two days, they certainly know how to keep a story going.

Here's CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first official photograph of the Kerry-Edwards ticket. Message, We like each other.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We had a wonderful dinner last night, we sat around, we laughed, we chatted, we talked politics.

CROWLEY: And John Edwards' first public words since being tapped as number two. Message, He's on Kerry's message.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the kind of man we grew up looking up to, respecting, somebody who believed in faith and family and responsibility.

CROWLEY: The newly formed Democratic ticket and families had little of substance to say, but that wasn't the point of this photo op. Picked in part to soften Kerry's remote edges, Edwards did that by simply showing up, smiling, charming, bringing the kids.

KERRY: We want to announce today that we have new campaign manager, Jack Edwards.

CROWLEY: By the time they arrived en masse in Ohio, it looked like a family reunion with gigantic flags.

KERRY: Cleveland rocks!

CROWLEY: It was here, as the Democratic ticket-in-waiting campaigned for the first time together, that John Edwards began to earn his keep.

EDWARDS: You know, some of the academics call it the middle class squeeze. This is real. People who -- you can't save -- you know what I'm saying. You can't save any money. It takes every dime you make just to pay your bills. CROWLEY: Kerry-Edwards was determined to be seen and not questioned Thursday, so they could ride this wave for a little while longer. But a digression while introducing his running mate signals Kerry has heard the static.

KERRY: John Edwards, who has more experience than George Bush and better judgment than he does when he became president of the United States...

CROWLEY: Less than 48 hours after putting together what he calls his dream team, John Kerry was playing a little defense.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Dayton, Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And adopting the mantra that the best defense is a good offense, President Bush was in John Edwards' home state of North Carolina today. Given that no Republican has won the White House in almost half a century without carrying the Tarheel State, that may not be such a bad idea.

Here's CNN senior White House correspondent John King.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That the president was in North Carolina was coincidence. That he was on the attack, anything but.

The race in John Edwards' home state is too close for comfort from a Republican perspective, so Mr. Bush was ready. Asked to compare Vice President Cheney to a Democratic VP nominee described as charming, engaging, even sexy.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Dick Cheney can be president.

Next?

KING: Democrats say adding Edwards helps their chances in North Carolina and across the South. But the president says what matters most is the name at the top of the ticket.

BUSH: I did well in the South last time. I'll do well in the South this time. Because the senator from Massachusetts doesn't share their values. And that's the difference in the campaign.

KING: In 1992, the Clinton-Gore ticket carried five Southern and border states. If you count Florida as part of the South, it was five states again for the Democrats in 1996.

But four years ago, it was a clean sweep for the Bush-Cheney ticket, as even Al Gore's native Tennessee went Republican for president. The president calls his opponent the senator from Massachusetts, and not by his name, for a reason. In much of the South, Massachusetts means Dukakis, Kennedy, liberal.

BILL MCINTURFF, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: The fact that it happens to be the state that has legalized gay marriage kind of solidifies the notion that the way things work in Massachusetts are not the way things work in, you know, in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina. These are huge cultural differences.

KING: The Kerry campaign said Mr. Bush was on the attack in North Carolina "because he has failed to address the job losses that have devastated the textile industry." And the Democratic National Committee suggested Mr. Bush is so worried by the new ticket he went from "zero to negative in less than 24 hours."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Now, the Bush campaign says it believes Senator Edwards would have lost had he run for reelection to his Senate seat from North Carolina this year. So Heidi, they say they no impact picking this Southerner on the race for those key states in the South. But the Democrats profoundly disagree. And they say if nothing else, it will force Bush and Mr. Cheney to spend more money and more time campaigning in a region they thought they had locked up, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. John King, live from the White House tonight, thanks, John.

Ken Lay indicted. That story tops our look at news cross-country now. Houston, Texas, a high-level source tells CNN a grand jury has indicted former Enron chairman Ken Lay. The source says the indictment is under seal and may be opened tomorrow. You likely remember, Enron collapsed in a massive scandal in 2001 after it hid billions of dollars in debt and inflated profits.

Washington, D.C., security briefing. House and Senate leaders were called to the White House for top-secret talks on homeland security. The primary focus, the efforts to thwart possible terrorism at this summer's Republican and Democratic conventions.

Sacramento, California, firefighters suspended. Seven members of the Sacramento Fire Department are accused of sexually assaulting a woman at the porn star costume ball Friday night. The city's police department is investigating and is expected to turn over the case to the DA sometime next week.

In Kuai, return to sea. Check out this little guy. An endangered Hawaiian monk seal makes a beeline for the Pacific after undergoing extensive rehab. Three weeks ago, the seal had surgery to remove a large fishing hook from its esophagus. Ouch.

And that's a look at stories cross-country tonight.

360 next, gruesome testimony in the Scott Peterson trial. The jury sees the remains of his wife and son. Find out what clues they may hold.

Plus, the desperate quest to fit in. Teens turn to pills in search of the perfect body, part of our special series, Too Much, Too Soon.

And homicide at his ranch. Anchorman Sam Donaldson finds three bodies in his New Mexico home.

But first, your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The prosecution pressed its case in the Scott Peterson trial today. The testimony and exhibits brought home in a very direct way to those in court exactly what the case is all about.

CNN's Ted Rowlands has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the second straight day, graphic photographs of the remains of both Laci and Connor Peterson were shown in court as prosecutors laid out one of the most important parts of their case.

Jurors heard the details of how the two sets of remains were found and then processed by law enforcement. At one point, when a photograph of Connor Peterson's tiny femur bone was displayed, Scott Peterson's mother broke down.

Laci Peterson's family did not attend the morning session because of the graphic nature of the testimony.

For prosecutors, it was also a chance to remind jurors that the bodies were found along the shore of the San Francisco Bay, where Peterson also was the day his wife disappeared. Some legal analysts say the prosecution should have done more with this opportunity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't bring it home to say, yes, this was a horrible thing that did. Now the second piece of the puzzle, Scott Peterson did it, and here's why we think so. And they squandered, I think, another large opportunity.

ROWLANDS: Laci Peterson's family returned to court when the graphic testimony finished. Prosecutors brought up witnesses from the Berkeley Marina to testify on Christmas Eve, there were relatively few people fishing, trying to establish that Peterson could have dumped his wife's body without being detected.

But on cross-examination, Peterson's attorney, Pat Harris, brought up the fact that besides the people fishing, there were others in the area, and more than 100 people actually live in boats docked at that marina.

(on camera): Late in the day, over defense objections, prosecutors showed the jury photographs of a pregnant woman the same size and weight as Laci Peterson, inside Peterson's truck and boat, trying to show jurors that Peterson could have used both his truck and boat to dispose of his pregnant wife's body.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Redwood City, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: More terror suspect trials, that tops our look at global stories in the uplink now. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, President Bush has named nine more Gitmo prisoners eligible to be tried by a U.S. tribunal. That brings the total number to 15. The Pentagon says it has reason to believe the nine men were al Qaeda members or involved in terrorism in the U.S. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Gitmo prisoners could turn to the U.S. courts to fight their confinement.

Beijing, China, and Bangkok, Thailand, bird flu strikes again. The same strain that killed 24 people earlier this year is back. But health officials say the outbreaks are under control.

Also in Beijing, Spidey banned. The country's communist government has banned "Spider-Man 2" from the big screen, as well as the latest Harry Potter movie and "Shrek 2." The reason, many American movies are being blamed for China's moral problems.

Manila, Philippines, Imelda Marcos all fired up. The country's former first lady has won a court order temporarily stopping the screening of an award-winning documentary about her life. Marcos says the film's director tricked her into giving interviews, saying the movie was for a college project. The director says that's not true.

Harass (ph), France, Tour de Lance. Lance Armstrong has the yellow jersey for the first time at this year's Tour de France. The five-time tour champion is aiming for a record sixth win.

And that's tonight's uplink.

360 next, popping pills in the search of a perfect body. Teens go to extremes to fit in. Part of our special series, Too Much, Too Soon.

Also tonight, Sam Donaldson and a triple homicide. The ABC anchorman makes a gruesome discovery at his New Mexico ranch.

And a little later, U.S. Marine hostage mystery. First missing, then captured, now free? The plot thickens. We've got the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Many teens apparently feel they're never too thin, never too buff. A surprising statistic, you saw it there, the CDC says 59 percent of high school girls are trying to lose weight, but only 9 percent are actually overweight. Another study shows 2 million high school teens could be taking steroids and other body-shaping drugs. Tonight, CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on the pill-popping phenomenon, as we continue our special series, Too Much, Too Soon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The typical profile of a performance enhancing drug abuser, adult, athlete, male.

But that profile may be evolving. Now add teenager, nonathletic. They want to look better, and they want it now. A new report from Oregon Health and Science University studied about 4,000 Oregon high school students. It shows now more than one-third of teenage girls are turning to body-shaping pills, and more teen boys than ever are taking steroids.

While they're intent on getting that athletic look, remarkably, many of them are not even necessarily involved in athletics.

DR. LINN GOLDBERG, OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY: These supplements and drugs and pills that you can purchase over the counter, and the illicit ones as well, are a problem among our high school students. And it's spread now from the athletes to the nonathletes.

GUPTA: For high school boys, the study finds, the drug of choice is steroids. For girls, it's diet pills, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and pseudoephedrine, better known by the brand name Sudafed.

DR. ROBERT MARX, SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE: Well, I think for high school kids, they always want to look good and appeal to the opposite sex. And these drugs are a quicker, faster way to get there. And so it's very appealing for kids.

GUPTA: Signs to look for in a teenager using steroids, mood swings, change in performance in school, extensive acne, preoccupation with working out. For diet pill abuse, the signs are a little different.

GOLDBERG: Not wanting to eat at the dinner table or lunch table with their family, often excusing themselves and going to the bathroom.

GUPTA: Parents are encouraged to recognize the signs, talk with their kids and the family doctor if you're concerned. Remember, it's no longer just a problem for athletes or adults.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Joining me from Cincinnati, Ohio, tonight to talk more about the body image obsession of teens, Ann Kearney-Cooke. She's the director of Columbia University's Helping Girls Become Strong Women Project and director of the Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute.

Thanks so much for being here tonight.

Tell us what it is that is driving this trend of body obsession.

ANN KEARNEY-COOKE, DIRECTOR, CINCINNATI PSYCHOTHERAPY INSTITUTE: Well, the teenage years used to be years where the focus very much was on, you know, who am I, what do I believe in politically, do I believe in abortion, a time to really figure out who I am.

And it's switched from who am I to what image do I want to project. And because the images that teenagers see now are so unrealistic, they tend to see eating disorders, steroids, popping pills as just part of the different things they're going to have to do to look this way.

COLLINS: And not only that, but if you have something you don't like, well, hey, you just fix it. I'm thinking about some of the reality shows that we've seen, in particular, "The Swan," where there's, you know, an awful lot of cosmetic surgery going on there. Is there an impact from shows like that?

KEARNEY-COOKE: Absolutely. I mean, cosmetic surgery used to be something that celebrities engaged in. Now, it's seen very much as part of the norm, with teenagers are growing up with parents who are baby boomers. And the baby boomers, I think, are especially struggling with getting older. They'll often say, Jeez, I'm 55, but I feel like I'm 35. And they're engaging in a lot of, you know, things to try to make themselves look younger.

And I think what's dangerous about this is that, you know, instead of encouraging teens to make themselves into something else, we need to be helping kids figure out, what are your signature strengths, you know? Are you a great communicator? Are you great in math? Are you very athletic, including your physical strengths and how do you develop them?

COLLINS: Let's talk about gender for a just a minute here too. Usually, we think about these body image issues with girls. But are boys starting to suffer from this too?

KEARNEY-COOKE: Absolutely. One of the things that we're finding in the research is that boys used to be much more concerned with how their body functioned, if they were athletic, if they were strong. They didn't care so much about how it looked.

But now, boys are as concerned about how their body looks as it functions. And again, you would see things like the ideal being Burt Reynolds, who, part of his appeal was that he didn't care so much about how he looked, where if you take some of the ideals today for boys, people like Usher, Nicolas Cage, whatever, these are very, you know, well-shaped, buff bodies.

COLLINS: Right. So what about parents? How much responsibility do they have, and What advice do you have for them to stay in tune with their kids on this? KEARNEY-COOKE: Well, one of the things I think's important to realize is that part of being a parent is to mentor kids, not to just go with the flow of the culture. Like, I have some parents who will come in and say, My daughter has really low self-esteem. I'm going to let her have breast augmentation or liposuction.

And I'll say to them, you know, Self-esteem, really, at the basis of self-esteem is feeling effective in the world, being able to develop healthy relationships, handle your emotions. It's not just in a look.

COLLINS: All right. We appreciate your time on this troubling topic tonight. Ann Kearney-Cook, thanks so much.

KEARNEY-COOKE: Thank you.

COLLINS: We'll continue our series, Too Much, Too Soon tomorrow night with a look at the lives of the young and rich, teens with green. They seem to have it all, except limits. Friday, developing too fast, puberty at the age of 7? Experts are trying to figure out why some children are becoming adults too fast.

First Lady Laura Bush on the trail. Is she the ticket's secret weapon?

And is her heart overcoming her head? Britney Spears says she's marrying for love, but passing on the prenup?

360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Checking some of our top stories tonight in "The Reset."

In Lebanon, Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun -- who had been kidnapped and held in Iraq -- is apparently safe and now in the company of his family in the country of his birth. This word coming just minutes ago to CNN from a source close to Corporal Hassoun's family.

In Jordan, the defense team assembled by Saddam Hussein's wife says they will not travel to Baghdad until their safety can be assured. Some of the lawyers say they have received death threats from Iraqis who have told them not to defend the deposed dictator.

In Cleveland, Ohio, John Kerry and John Edwards linked arms and projected a positive attitude in their first joint campaign appearance. Kerry and Edwards appeared before a crowd of thousands in the important battleground state.

And in Hondo, New Mexico, journalist Sam Donaldson made a gruesome discovery on his ranch there. Donaldson apparently discovered a triple homicide after returning from a July 4th weekend in Santa Fe. Donaldson isn't saying any more tonight. Local police are investigating. We will have a live report from the scene in just a few moments.

To talk some more now about the strange travels of Wassef Ali Hassoun, we are joined by Salameh Nematt. He is of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, and Mr. Nematt is also Washington Bureau Chief of the London based international Arabic daily "Al-Hayat."

Thank you so much, sir, for being with us tonight. Let's begin with a little bit of the confusion over this entire situation. First, terrorists claimed to have beheaded this man. Then, they denied it. And then, they said that they had taken him to a safe house and freed him. Clear some of this up for us. What's going on here?

SALAMEH NEMATT, D.C. BUREAU CHIEF, "AL-HAYAT" NEWSPAPER: Well, one of the things that come to mind is that this group that took him hostage may have been freelance terrorists of a kind, just common criminals who are just trying to make a fast buck. They did not behave in a manner that, you know, professional terrorists -- let's say, established terrorists like those belonging to al Qaeda, whom the moment they said that they beheaded someone, you know that they've done it.

These people apparently are freelancers. There's a possibility that a small group of common criminals took him and thought they'd trade him off with another terrorist organization, and they may have failed to do that or another cell of a terrorist group taken over from them. This may have caused the confusion. And of course, we can only speculate until we hear from the story from him if he's, indeed, being released in Lebanon.

COLLINS: All right. There certainly is a lot more to learn about this entire situation. In fact, the terrorists issued a statement saying Hassoun was released because he actually took off his uniform and said that he wasn't going to go back to the American Army. Do you believe that, or you think that's a bit of propaganda?

NEMATT: Again, that sounds very childish. I don't think that any hardened terrorists are going to take somebody's word because he said so, that he's going to leave the army. I mean, he could just turn around, leave and then just, you know, come back showing -- you know, saying exactly the opposite.

It's not convincing. They must have done a deal. I don't who was dealing with them, whether the family opened the channel of communications with them, whether they asked for money, whether they asked for the release of somebody, let's say, in the custody of the Iraqi government. We really don't know that. But I find it very hard to believe that anybody would take him hostage and then release him for nothing just because he said a few words that they wanted to hear.

COLLINS: Sure. And you know, this issue of money is an interesting one. In fact, terrorists have killed thousands of Iraqis, and it's quite common, isn't it, that the family members turn over money in negotiations? Do you think this was part of what happened here?

NEMATT: Oh, yes, there are dozens of cases in Iraq of people who are taken hostage just in return for a ransom. And most of the cases, they did pay the money.

These are Iraqis who were -- Iraqi businessmen, in some cases, and Iraqi journalists were also taken hostages. Their families negotiated a deal, and they paid for the release. And this does not play, you know, in the media here in America because these are not westerners.

And most of the time, the families themselves do not want the media to get into the picture, because once the media gets involved, the value of the hostage becomes higher and the demands of the terrorists become also bigger.

COLLINS: Mr. Nematt, if you'll stand by for us just a moment now, we want to turn to CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh, who is live on a videophone in Tripoli, Lebanon.

Alphonso, what can you tell us about the Hassoun family there?

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what the gentleman was just saying is absolutely correct out here. The Hassoun family is very wary to talk to the press, definitely not talking on camera, but they are talking...

COLLINS: Unfortunately, as you can see, we're having a little bit of a trouble with that hook-up with Alphonso Van Marsh. We will try to get back with him in just a moment here.

In the meantime, let's go back to Mr. Nematt, if we could. Tell me, you know, as we've mentioned it, of course Mr. Hassoun is of Lebanese descent and also a Muslim. Do you think that has anything to do with his release -- or his said release, we should say?

NEMATT: I don't think so. Hassoun was taken because he's an American soldier. Those who planned his kidnapping knew that he was a Muslim because, you know, it's very easy. You know, once they decide -- or let's say in the first few minutes they catch him and they, you know, identify him as Muslim from his name, from his looks. And despite that, when they took him, they said they're going to behead him and that they -- you know, they threatened to do it.

The fact of the matter is that these terrorists are looking for American soldiers, people whom they consider of high value, and to basically trade them off, if possible, for the release of fellow, you know, terrorists being held -- being held -- arrested, let's say, by the Iraqi government or American troops.

And in some cases, you know, they succeed maybe in negotiating some kind of deal. In most cases, as we've seen in the past, there is nobody who is willing to negotiate with them. The situation changed in Iraq. There's an Iraqi interim government. It has different priorities, perhaps.

COLLINS: Right.

NEMATT: And I think it is actually a good thing on the part of the -- those -- you know, the families of the hostages not really making a big issue in the media about them, because the more exposure these hostages get in terms of publicity, the more value they have in negotiating with the terrorists.

COLLINS: OK. And this certainly has tried to -- this family has certainly tried to stay tight-lipped the best that they can.

Salameh Nematt, we appreciate your perspective tonight. Thanks a lot.

NEMATT: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Coming up next now: First Lady Laura Bush, how does she sell the country on giving her husband a second term? It's the softer side of raw politics.

And a little later: Britney Spears and her new love. Should she protect her fortune before she takes the plunge?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Journalist Sam Donaldson is a news maker himself tonight. He has apparently found the victims of a triple homicide on the property of his New Mexico ranch. On the phone with more details on all of this, Stefan Cornibert, a reporter for the "Roswell Daily Record." Stefan, what sort of details can you tell us about what the police are saying so far?

STEFAN CORNIBERT, "ROSWELL DAILY RECORD": As of right now the details are scattered. But they have confirmed three bodies were found on the ranch known as the ABC Ranch Tuesday night. I spoke with one investigator from the state police who said that the bodies were found in an advanced state of decomposition and it's very difficult for them to determine the exact cause of death.

COLLINS: Any idea where exactly on the ranch the bodies were found?

CORNIBERT: We haven't actually been able to determine that. The local sheriffs here cordoned off the ranch. They are not letting anyone in or out. But in talking with local residents here, it's rumored and I stress this is a rumor, that Mr. Donaldson is actually the one who discovered the bodies last night.

COLLINS: Now they were out of town, weren't they? He was out of town with his wife, correct?

CORNIBERT: I haven't heard that. I've just been talking with local residents here.

COLLINS: Do we know if the victims are in any way related to the Donaldsons?

CORNIBERT: They're not releasing that information as of yet.

COLLINS: How about the area around you? I'm sure you've probably had a chance to talk with some of the people in the area. How is everybody reacting to this?

CORNIBERT: It's pretty much a surprise here. This is generally a pretty quiet mountain town. It's relatively known for its -- for small artist community here. So people here are pretty surprised, pretty shocked, especially have had a lot to deal with this past year with the wildfires in the area as well.

So this is just sort of one more difficult thing for them to deal with.

COLLINS: All right. We certainly appreciate your comments tonight. Stefan Cornibert, coming to us from the "Roswell Daily Record." Thanks again, Stefan.

CORNIBERT: Thank you.

COLLINS: The political story of the day remains the selection of John Edwards as John Kerry's choice for vice president. Edwards of course is known for nearly constantly smiling, something the opposition has been doing its best to wipe away. I spoke earlier with Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot and Tad Devine, a senior adviser to the Kerry campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Mr. Devine, John Edwards is under attack for his inexperience and whether he's ready to assume the presidency or not. In fact, President Bush commented about this today. I want to get your reaction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's being described today as "charming," "engaging," "a nimble campaigner," "a populist" and even "sexy." How does he stack up against Dick Cheney?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Dick Cheney can be president. Next?

TAD DEVINE, KERRY-EDWARDS SR. ADVISER: Having seen the president and the way that he answered that question, I think it says a lot about his entire campaign. I mean, I think it's very disappointing that the president of the United States, within 24 hours of a vice presidential opponent on the other side being selected, actually traveled to that opponent's state and attacked him by name.

I think it's indicative of their entire campaign. The president and the vice president are talking relentlessly in negative terms about their opponent. John Kerry and John Edwards are talking about the American people and their future and I think that's a huge contrast race.

So I think John Edwards, who by the way, you know, has six years more experience in foreign and military policy than George Bush had on the day he was inaugurated president, you know, is really in a position to be president from day one.

COLLINS: Mr. Racicot, initial polling that we have here now does suggests that Edwards has a bit more favorable opinion than Vice President Dick Cheney. The statistics are showing us that Edwards is sitting at 54 percent favorable. Cheney at 43 percent. And today, former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato urged Bush to actually drop Cheney off the ticket. We've heard that that is not going to happen from our analysts. But is there any chance that could change?

MARC RACICOT, BUSH-CHENEY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, unquestionably, I think history shows that when a new person is entered into the race, when they're first introduced, he or she, there's typically a bounce. Over the course of the last 30 years, whenever you see the team of challengers come together and they have their convention, you see a bounce in their approval numbers.

But as the country gets to know John Edwards and the ideological brother -- soul brother of John Kerry that he is, I think that they'll realize that there's a very stark and very clear choice, a very philosophically different approach to governing in this country.

And the American people will have the opportunity to choose the strength and the steady hand of George Bush and Dick Cheney, or they will have the opportunity to choose a different direction that John Kerry and John Edwards want to take them, you know, with doubts about what they'll do with national security, doubts about what they'll do with the economy, doubts about what they'll do with Medicare. On and on and on.

So the American people will have a clear choice and they will get to know John Edwards exceptionally well.

COLLINS: Mr. Devine, let's get to the issue now about John Edwards and his trial lawyer background. As you know, he made millions of dollars as a personal injury lawyer. Do you think that the stigma attached with that will become a political liability?

DEVINE: No, I do not. I worked for Senator Edwards in his Senate race in 1998 in North Carolina. We heard these same old charges in that Senate race and I'm sure we're hearing them all across the country again. John Edwards for 20 years fought for people, he represented victims, many times against armies of lawyers on the other side, people who were hurt terribly who had the right to be represented and were ably and very well represented by him. And the fact that he did well, I think, speaks to his success. John Edwards is a kid who grew up the son of a mill worker who made a tremendous success of himself in his life. He's the American dream and I don't think the American people are going to hold that against him for one second.

COLLINS: From Arlington, Virginia, tonight, Marc Racicot, the Bush-Cheney campaign chairman. And from Washington, D.C., Ted Devine, Kerry-Edwards senior adviser. Gentlemen, thanks to the both of you tonight.

Often overlooked in heat of the campaign is the role of the candidates' wives. But both Laura Bush and Teresa Heinz Kerry are powerful advocates for their husband. CNN's Judy Woodruff now on Laura Bush and the raw politics of the soft sell. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: It's not right and it's not fair.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS" (voice- over): As he thundered in the South, she beamed in the Midwest.

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Watching TV isn't really very good for your brain, but reading is exercise for your brain.

WOODRUFF: Laura Bush, the kinder, gentler weapon in her husband's campaign arsenal. In a time of war...

L. BUSH: As I watch in Iraq and in Afghanistan...

WOODRUFF: She is a voice of cheer.

With her husband's attention on...

G.W. BUSH: Terrorists.

WOODRUFF: She makes time for...

L. BUSH: "Charlotte's Web" or the "Little House On The Prairie."

WOODRUFF: But her literacy crusade is more than it seems. It's a way to hit the compassion chord so vital to her husband's election and to show local cameras the warm face of an administration under fire. An image the campaign is pushing to voters it's counting on, like women and seniors, especially in battlegrounds like today's destination, Iowa.

L. BUSH: Well, that is a very interesting question.

WOODRUFF: The first lady doesn't do a hard sell. Her stumping is subtle and she doesn't attack.

L. BUSH: I'm interested that John Edwards was chosen yesterday but I'll have to say I fully support the other ticket, the Bush-Cheney ticket.

WOODRUFF: What she does do is raise money. And lots of it. She raked in more than half a million dollars today alone. And in a few weeks, she'll take her pitch national when she'll address the Republican National Convention and tell the country why she loves her husband. It's warm and it's fuzzy, and it's pure raw politics.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Tomorrow night, a look at Teresa Heinz Kerry and her role in the campaign.

Tonight's buzz is this. "Who is a bigger asset to her husband on the campaign trail. Laura Bush, Teresa Heinz Kerry? You can log on to CNN.com/360 to vote. We'll have the results coming up at the end of the show.

Next on 360 , Britney Spears making plans to walk down the aisle. Will the pop princess say "I do" with a prenup or not?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Britney Spears, about to tie the knot with dancer Kevin Federline. It all would be well and good, except news reports now quote the pop princess is saying she's marrying not for money and she doesn't want her fiance to sign a prenup agreement. A spokesperson for Ms. Spears told us "her financial matters are private and personal."

In any case it got us thinking about prenup agreements.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS (voice-over): Always have a prenuptial, words of wisdom from Donald Trump who might have learned a lesson or two from his first ex, Ivana.

IVANA TRUMP: ...get everything.

COLLINS: And agreement that spells out in black and white who gets what if things go bad. Prenups have become more common, especially among the rich and famous. Or, as Teresa Heinz Kerry put it, everybody has a prenup, you have to have a prenup. And she does. Jack Welsh had one, but ex-wife Jane drew it up herself, adding a clause that made the whole thing null and void after 10 years of marriage. So when they divorced after it expired, she got a payout believed to be $150 million, a mansion, some condos and a Mercedes. The prenup has to be legit. When Steven Spielberg left Amy Irving, she got a reported $100 million because she wasn't represented by a lawyer at the signing. And the soon-to-be ex Mr. Halle Berry wants to get his hands on spousal support and is challenging the validity of his prenuptial agreement.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Joining us now to talk a little bit more about this is famed celebrity divorce attorney, Raoul Felder. Thanks for being here, Mr. Felder.

Why would somebody like Britney Spears, who is reportedly worth about $100 million even consider not having a prenup.

RAOUL FELDER, DIVORCE ATTORNEY: Well if she's to be believed, she needs to see a psychiatrist and not a lawyer, because you've got to have one, particularly a woman who makes this kind of money and celebrity status is going to be valued and there's all sorts of reasons. So, the bottom line is I don't really believe it, you know.

COLLINS: I mean, clearly, just to protect herself?

FELDER: Yes.

COLLINS: I think they've known each other for a couple months.

FELDER: This is a long relationship for her.

COLLINS: Something like that. You said it. But if she doesn't get one what would her future husband, this Kevin Federline, be entitled to is this.

FELDER: He would be a rich man. The curtain's pulled down when you get married, it's pulled down when you start a divorce case. And in the interim, she may have earned or could earn lots of money. Her celebrity status could go up and that's going to be valued. So she's going to have to write out some pretty big checks if she doesn't have a prenup.

COLLINS: But tell me, are prenups just for the rich and famous?

Or is this something that everybody should really be considering?

FELDER: Well, you know, we're in a country of opportunity. The girl who sells you the ticks may own the theater. The waiter owns -- on and on. And the teacher is now the principal, so, everybody has prospects. And we're seeing more and more average people getting prenuptial agreements.

COLLINS: In fact we saw in the piece, examples of loopholes in these prenuptial agreements.

How effective are they, really?

Do you have to be extremely careful when you're drawing them up?

FELDER: Prenups are alive and well in America. A lot of people sue to set them aside. And the reason is, it's the only lawsuit in the history of the world, that if you sue and lose, you're back to the deal you bargained for in the first place, so you have nothing to lose by suing except and paying lawyers and that's not altogether bad. But they're OK if they're done right. If you have lawyers and they follow the rules -- it will stand up.

COLLINS: Curious who seems to draw up the prenup more, men or women?

FELDER: Well, a prenuptial agreement, to be candid, is an exploitive device. It's a device where the person with more money says I don't want to give you what the law allows. And most of the time today, it's the men with the money, except in Mr. Kerry's case, it was his wife who's got the money.

COLLINS: It was. Last question, how do you bring up the subject?

I mean, it's not an easy one to approach someone that you apparently are in love with.

FELDER: It's like two rhinos making love, you have to be very careful. They do it with great care. And you got to say to your bride-to-be, you know, my parents insist on it, they're going to leave me money. Or a lawyer sends him a letter with a wink-wink, you know, you came to see me about a will because you're getting married, maybe we should talk about a prenup.

COLLINS: So kind of put the dirty work on somebody else?

FELDER: That's right.

COLLINS: All right. We certainly appreciate your time tonight, Raoul Felder this evening. Thank you.

Tomorrow on 360, inside the secret lives of the young and rich, teens with green. Part of our special series "Too Much, Too Soon".

But first, today's "Buzz," who is the bigger asset to her husband on the campaign trail, Laura Bush or Teresa Heinz Kerry?

Logon to cnn.com/360 to vote now. We'll have the results when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Time now for "The Buzz." Earlier, we asked who's a bigger asset to her husband on the campaign trail? It's a split vote, 50 percent say Laura Bush, 50 percent think it's Teresa Heinz Kerry. Not a scientific poll but it is your "Buzz."

And that's 360 for tonight. I'm Heidi Collins in for Anderson Cooper. We'll see you tomorrow on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Up next "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

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 7, 2004 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, HOST: Good evening. I'm Heidi Collins, in for Anderson Cooper tonight.
An American Marine may be safe in Lebanon.

360 starts right now.

Is he alive and free? A Marine captured by Iraqi insurgents apparently calls family to tell them he is safe.

Game on. Kerry and Edwards begin their barnstorm, while Bush stumps in Edwards territory.

Gruesome photo evidence continues to stun the Peterson courtroom. We'll have the latest.

Too Much, Too Soon, our special series. Tonight, how far will teens go for a perfect body?

And is her heart overcoming her head? Britney Spears says she's marrying for love, but passing on the prenup?

ANNOUNCER: Live from New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COLLINS: We begin tonight with the mystery of Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun. If Hassoun does, in fact, turn out to be alive, well, and free, he will have some story to tell and lots of explaining to do.

Hassoun was captured by terrorists inside Iraq and threatened with death. In fact, at one point, there were reports he had been killed. But now, there's new information that's giving his family a glimmer of hope.

Let's go straight to CNN's Rusty Dornin for the very latest. Rusty, good evening.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, we have just learned from a source close to the family that Corporal Wassef Hassoun is safe in Lebanon, in his hometown, and he is with family right now. So this story has taken a lot of twists and turns. Apparently, he is planning on connecting with U.S. authorities within the next 24 hours. He was described as being exhausted after his ordeal. They said this has taken a lot of twists and turns. And today has also been a day full of unconfirmed reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): The mystery surrounding the capture and reported release of Corporal Wassef Hassoun deepens. A source close to the family tells CNN that the 24-year-old Marine has called his families in Lebanon and Utah to tell them he's alive and well and was inside Lebanon. The source says Hassoun sounded good but provided few details to the family.

And Hassoun told his family that before calling them, he called the U.S. embassy in Beirut and asked personnel there to pick him up at an undisclosed location. The source also tells CNN that Hassoun did not say how he got to Lebanon, who took him there, or if he was with anyone else.

The conversations with the families were brief, lasting less than a minute.

The family here in West Jordan, Utah, remained behind closed doors. Wednesday afternoon, two FBI agents spent nearly an hour with the Hassoun family. A spokesman says the agents were seeking information about the phone call and investigating the circumstances of an American citizen captured overseas.

A State Department spokesman says it's currently attempting to locate Hassoun and make sure he's safe. Secretary of State Colin Powell says there are reports he is safe and healthy but remains cautious.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have received reports that he may be in contact with various individuals, and there are other reports that he might be in Lebanon, but I can't confirm any of these at this time.

DORNIN: The Pentagon still lists Hassoun as captured and is investigating his disappearance and current whereabouts.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: Now, the family, there had been some rumblings that there would be a press conference later this afternoon about the status of Corporal Wassef Hassoun by the family here. It would have been their first. That is not going to happen. Apparently, the family will not say anything and will continue to deny all reports publicly until Hassoun is safe in U.S. hands, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. Rusty Dornin on top of it for us. Thanks so much, Rusty.

A quick news note. Now, this afternoon the Arabic news network Al Jazeera aired this chilling video from a militant group claiming to have kidnapped a Filipino working in Iraq. There are no details on the hostage, who was of course wearing the orange shirt there. The group is threatening to kill the man unless the Philippines withdraws its troops from Iraq. There are currently just over 50 Filipino troops in the country.

In Iraq today, if the bullets had come much closer, they would have interrupted the new justice minister announcing that his government intends to go all-out against the insurgents. The problem, and the response to it, could hardly have been more starkly illustrated.

CNN's Brent Sadler now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A gunfight rages in downtown Baghdad on the day Iraq's interim government announces tough new measures to defeat anarchy. Bursts of machine-gun fire and explosions sent Iraqis running for cover under a hail of bullets.

This shootout involved what Iraqi officials call insurgents and criminal gangs battling the national guard, turning normally busy streets into a killing zone.

Iraqi security forces, backed by U.S. firepower, contained the spread of this shootout, and the Iraqi authorities have now armed themselves with sweeping new powers to crush a worsening insurgency.

MALIK DOHAN AL HASSAN, JUSTICE MINISTER (through translator): These circumstances right now and the security situation, the deteriorating security situation right now, urges these laws, because the security situation right now threatens all fields of life here.

SADLER: And future Iraq's embattled leaders can impose periods of martial law on areas that threaten national security, providing it's sanctioned by the president and the cabinet.

Other new emergency powers have been modeled on the U.S. PATRIOT Act, imposed after the 9/11 attacks on America. They can also call in multinational troops if Iraq's own security forces are overwhelmed.

The measures were being announced as terrified Iraqis shut their shops in Haifa Street to escape some four hours of fighting.

(on camera): This district of central Baghdad is known locally as Little Fallujah, a stronghold of hardline Sunni Muslims, pro-Saddam Hussein, anti-Iraq's new authorities.

(voice-over): Some Iraqis caught in the crossfire say the tough new security law is all words and no action.

"We only hear about it," says shop owner Tallal Hadad (ph). "No one's implementing it. There's no security. The killing and looting hasn't stopped."

Iraq's security forces are scoring some successes, though, here, intercepting and defusing a car bomb before it could kill and maim. But insurgents sent another violent message in what appeared to be an attempt to undermine confidence in the government's new emergency law, firing rockets at the home of interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, missing their mark, but making their point.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And back to this country now. It will be four months before we know whether the voters think John Kerry and John Edwards have what it takes to be president and vice president. But considering they managed to drag the announcement of the pairing out over two days, they certainly know how to keep a story going.

Here's CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first official photograph of the Kerry-Edwards ticket. Message, We like each other.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We had a wonderful dinner last night, we sat around, we laughed, we chatted, we talked politics.

CROWLEY: And John Edwards' first public words since being tapped as number two. Message, He's on Kerry's message.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the kind of man we grew up looking up to, respecting, somebody who believed in faith and family and responsibility.

CROWLEY: The newly formed Democratic ticket and families had little of substance to say, but that wasn't the point of this photo op. Picked in part to soften Kerry's remote edges, Edwards did that by simply showing up, smiling, charming, bringing the kids.

KERRY: We want to announce today that we have new campaign manager, Jack Edwards.

CROWLEY: By the time they arrived en masse in Ohio, it looked like a family reunion with gigantic flags.

KERRY: Cleveland rocks!

CROWLEY: It was here, as the Democratic ticket-in-waiting campaigned for the first time together, that John Edwards began to earn his keep.

EDWARDS: You know, some of the academics call it the middle class squeeze. This is real. People who -- you can't save -- you know what I'm saying. You can't save any money. It takes every dime you make just to pay your bills. CROWLEY: Kerry-Edwards was determined to be seen and not questioned Thursday, so they could ride this wave for a little while longer. But a digression while introducing his running mate signals Kerry has heard the static.

KERRY: John Edwards, who has more experience than George Bush and better judgment than he does when he became president of the United States...

CROWLEY: Less than 48 hours after putting together what he calls his dream team, John Kerry was playing a little defense.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Dayton, Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: And adopting the mantra that the best defense is a good offense, President Bush was in John Edwards' home state of North Carolina today. Given that no Republican has won the White House in almost half a century without carrying the Tarheel State, that may not be such a bad idea.

Here's CNN senior White House correspondent John King.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): That the president was in North Carolina was coincidence. That he was on the attack, anything but.

The race in John Edwards' home state is too close for comfort from a Republican perspective, so Mr. Bush was ready. Asked to compare Vice President Cheney to a Democratic VP nominee described as charming, engaging, even sexy.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Dick Cheney can be president.

Next?

KING: Democrats say adding Edwards helps their chances in North Carolina and across the South. But the president says what matters most is the name at the top of the ticket.

BUSH: I did well in the South last time. I'll do well in the South this time. Because the senator from Massachusetts doesn't share their values. And that's the difference in the campaign.

KING: In 1992, the Clinton-Gore ticket carried five Southern and border states. If you count Florida as part of the South, it was five states again for the Democrats in 1996.

But four years ago, it was a clean sweep for the Bush-Cheney ticket, as even Al Gore's native Tennessee went Republican for president. The president calls his opponent the senator from Massachusetts, and not by his name, for a reason. In much of the South, Massachusetts means Dukakis, Kennedy, liberal.

BILL MCINTURFF, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: The fact that it happens to be the state that has legalized gay marriage kind of solidifies the notion that the way things work in Massachusetts are not the way things work in, you know, in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina. These are huge cultural differences.

KING: The Kerry campaign said Mr. Bush was on the attack in North Carolina "because he has failed to address the job losses that have devastated the textile industry." And the Democratic National Committee suggested Mr. Bush is so worried by the new ticket he went from "zero to negative in less than 24 hours."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Now, the Bush campaign says it believes Senator Edwards would have lost had he run for reelection to his Senate seat from North Carolina this year. So Heidi, they say they no impact picking this Southerner on the race for those key states in the South. But the Democrats profoundly disagree. And they say if nothing else, it will force Bush and Mr. Cheney to spend more money and more time campaigning in a region they thought they had locked up, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. John King, live from the White House tonight, thanks, John.

Ken Lay indicted. That story tops our look at news cross-country now. Houston, Texas, a high-level source tells CNN a grand jury has indicted former Enron chairman Ken Lay. The source says the indictment is under seal and may be opened tomorrow. You likely remember, Enron collapsed in a massive scandal in 2001 after it hid billions of dollars in debt and inflated profits.

Washington, D.C., security briefing. House and Senate leaders were called to the White House for top-secret talks on homeland security. The primary focus, the efforts to thwart possible terrorism at this summer's Republican and Democratic conventions.

Sacramento, California, firefighters suspended. Seven members of the Sacramento Fire Department are accused of sexually assaulting a woman at the porn star costume ball Friday night. The city's police department is investigating and is expected to turn over the case to the DA sometime next week.

In Kuai, return to sea. Check out this little guy. An endangered Hawaiian monk seal makes a beeline for the Pacific after undergoing extensive rehab. Three weeks ago, the seal had surgery to remove a large fishing hook from its esophagus. Ouch.

And that's a look at stories cross-country tonight.

360 next, gruesome testimony in the Scott Peterson trial. The jury sees the remains of his wife and son. Find out what clues they may hold.

Plus, the desperate quest to fit in. Teens turn to pills in search of the perfect body, part of our special series, Too Much, Too Soon.

And homicide at his ranch. Anchorman Sam Donaldson finds three bodies in his New Mexico home.

But first, your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The prosecution pressed its case in the Scott Peterson trial today. The testimony and exhibits brought home in a very direct way to those in court exactly what the case is all about.

CNN's Ted Rowlands has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the second straight day, graphic photographs of the remains of both Laci and Connor Peterson were shown in court as prosecutors laid out one of the most important parts of their case.

Jurors heard the details of how the two sets of remains were found and then processed by law enforcement. At one point, when a photograph of Connor Peterson's tiny femur bone was displayed, Scott Peterson's mother broke down.

Laci Peterson's family did not attend the morning session because of the graphic nature of the testimony.

For prosecutors, it was also a chance to remind jurors that the bodies were found along the shore of the San Francisco Bay, where Peterson also was the day his wife disappeared. Some legal analysts say the prosecution should have done more with this opportunity.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't bring it home to say, yes, this was a horrible thing that did. Now the second piece of the puzzle, Scott Peterson did it, and here's why we think so. And they squandered, I think, another large opportunity.

ROWLANDS: Laci Peterson's family returned to court when the graphic testimony finished. Prosecutors brought up witnesses from the Berkeley Marina to testify on Christmas Eve, there were relatively few people fishing, trying to establish that Peterson could have dumped his wife's body without being detected.

But on cross-examination, Peterson's attorney, Pat Harris, brought up the fact that besides the people fishing, there were others in the area, and more than 100 people actually live in boats docked at that marina.

(on camera): Late in the day, over defense objections, prosecutors showed the jury photographs of a pregnant woman the same size and weight as Laci Peterson, inside Peterson's truck and boat, trying to show jurors that Peterson could have used both his truck and boat to dispose of his pregnant wife's body.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Redwood City, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: More terror suspect trials, that tops our look at global stories in the uplink now. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, President Bush has named nine more Gitmo prisoners eligible to be tried by a U.S. tribunal. That brings the total number to 15. The Pentagon says it has reason to believe the nine men were al Qaeda members or involved in terrorism in the U.S. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Gitmo prisoners could turn to the U.S. courts to fight their confinement.

Beijing, China, and Bangkok, Thailand, bird flu strikes again. The same strain that killed 24 people earlier this year is back. But health officials say the outbreaks are under control.

Also in Beijing, Spidey banned. The country's communist government has banned "Spider-Man 2" from the big screen, as well as the latest Harry Potter movie and "Shrek 2." The reason, many American movies are being blamed for China's moral problems.

Manila, Philippines, Imelda Marcos all fired up. The country's former first lady has won a court order temporarily stopping the screening of an award-winning documentary about her life. Marcos says the film's director tricked her into giving interviews, saying the movie was for a college project. The director says that's not true.

Harass (ph), France, Tour de Lance. Lance Armstrong has the yellow jersey for the first time at this year's Tour de France. The five-time tour champion is aiming for a record sixth win.

And that's tonight's uplink.

360 next, popping pills in the search of a perfect body. Teens go to extremes to fit in. Part of our special series, Too Much, Too Soon.

Also tonight, Sam Donaldson and a triple homicide. The ABC anchorman makes a gruesome discovery at his New Mexico ranch.

And a little later, U.S. Marine hostage mystery. First missing, then captured, now free? The plot thickens. We've got the latest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Many teens apparently feel they're never too thin, never too buff. A surprising statistic, you saw it there, the CDC says 59 percent of high school girls are trying to lose weight, but only 9 percent are actually overweight. Another study shows 2 million high school teens could be taking steroids and other body-shaping drugs. Tonight, CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on the pill-popping phenomenon, as we continue our special series, Too Much, Too Soon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The typical profile of a performance enhancing drug abuser, adult, athlete, male.

But that profile may be evolving. Now add teenager, nonathletic. They want to look better, and they want it now. A new report from Oregon Health and Science University studied about 4,000 Oregon high school students. It shows now more than one-third of teenage girls are turning to body-shaping pills, and more teen boys than ever are taking steroids.

While they're intent on getting that athletic look, remarkably, many of them are not even necessarily involved in athletics.

DR. LINN GOLDBERG, OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY: These supplements and drugs and pills that you can purchase over the counter, and the illicit ones as well, are a problem among our high school students. And it's spread now from the athletes to the nonathletes.

GUPTA: For high school boys, the study finds, the drug of choice is steroids. For girls, it's diet pills, amphetamines, methamphetamines, and pseudoephedrine, better known by the brand name Sudafed.

DR. ROBERT MARX, SPORTS MEDICINE INSTITUTE: Well, I think for high school kids, they always want to look good and appeal to the opposite sex. And these drugs are a quicker, faster way to get there. And so it's very appealing for kids.

GUPTA: Signs to look for in a teenager using steroids, mood swings, change in performance in school, extensive acne, preoccupation with working out. For diet pill abuse, the signs are a little different.

GOLDBERG: Not wanting to eat at the dinner table or lunch table with their family, often excusing themselves and going to the bathroom.

GUPTA: Parents are encouraged to recognize the signs, talk with their kids and the family doctor if you're concerned. Remember, it's no longer just a problem for athletes or adults.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Joining me from Cincinnati, Ohio, tonight to talk more about the body image obsession of teens, Ann Kearney-Cooke. She's the director of Columbia University's Helping Girls Become Strong Women Project and director of the Cincinnati Psychotherapy Institute.

Thanks so much for being here tonight.

Tell us what it is that is driving this trend of body obsession.

ANN KEARNEY-COOKE, DIRECTOR, CINCINNATI PSYCHOTHERAPY INSTITUTE: Well, the teenage years used to be years where the focus very much was on, you know, who am I, what do I believe in politically, do I believe in abortion, a time to really figure out who I am.

And it's switched from who am I to what image do I want to project. And because the images that teenagers see now are so unrealistic, they tend to see eating disorders, steroids, popping pills as just part of the different things they're going to have to do to look this way.

COLLINS: And not only that, but if you have something you don't like, well, hey, you just fix it. I'm thinking about some of the reality shows that we've seen, in particular, "The Swan," where there's, you know, an awful lot of cosmetic surgery going on there. Is there an impact from shows like that?

KEARNEY-COOKE: Absolutely. I mean, cosmetic surgery used to be something that celebrities engaged in. Now, it's seen very much as part of the norm, with teenagers are growing up with parents who are baby boomers. And the baby boomers, I think, are especially struggling with getting older. They'll often say, Jeez, I'm 55, but I feel like I'm 35. And they're engaging in a lot of, you know, things to try to make themselves look younger.

And I think what's dangerous about this is that, you know, instead of encouraging teens to make themselves into something else, we need to be helping kids figure out, what are your signature strengths, you know? Are you a great communicator? Are you great in math? Are you very athletic, including your physical strengths and how do you develop them?

COLLINS: Let's talk about gender for a just a minute here too. Usually, we think about these body image issues with girls. But are boys starting to suffer from this too?

KEARNEY-COOKE: Absolutely. One of the things that we're finding in the research is that boys used to be much more concerned with how their body functioned, if they were athletic, if they were strong. They didn't care so much about how it looked.

But now, boys are as concerned about how their body looks as it functions. And again, you would see things like the ideal being Burt Reynolds, who, part of his appeal was that he didn't care so much about how he looked, where if you take some of the ideals today for boys, people like Usher, Nicolas Cage, whatever, these are very, you know, well-shaped, buff bodies.

COLLINS: Right. So what about parents? How much responsibility do they have, and What advice do you have for them to stay in tune with their kids on this? KEARNEY-COOKE: Well, one of the things I think's important to realize is that part of being a parent is to mentor kids, not to just go with the flow of the culture. Like, I have some parents who will come in and say, My daughter has really low self-esteem. I'm going to let her have breast augmentation or liposuction.

And I'll say to them, you know, Self-esteem, really, at the basis of self-esteem is feeling effective in the world, being able to develop healthy relationships, handle your emotions. It's not just in a look.

COLLINS: All right. We appreciate your time on this troubling topic tonight. Ann Kearney-Cook, thanks so much.

KEARNEY-COOKE: Thank you.

COLLINS: We'll continue our series, Too Much, Too Soon tomorrow night with a look at the lives of the young and rich, teens with green. They seem to have it all, except limits. Friday, developing too fast, puberty at the age of 7? Experts are trying to figure out why some children are becoming adults too fast.

First Lady Laura Bush on the trail. Is she the ticket's secret weapon?

And is her heart overcoming her head? Britney Spears says she's marrying for love, but passing on the prenup?

360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Checking some of our top stories tonight in "The Reset."

In Lebanon, Marine Corporal Wassef Hassoun -- who had been kidnapped and held in Iraq -- is apparently safe and now in the company of his family in the country of his birth. This word coming just minutes ago to CNN from a source close to Corporal Hassoun's family.

In Jordan, the defense team assembled by Saddam Hussein's wife says they will not travel to Baghdad until their safety can be assured. Some of the lawyers say they have received death threats from Iraqis who have told them not to defend the deposed dictator.

In Cleveland, Ohio, John Kerry and John Edwards linked arms and projected a positive attitude in their first joint campaign appearance. Kerry and Edwards appeared before a crowd of thousands in the important battleground state.

And in Hondo, New Mexico, journalist Sam Donaldson made a gruesome discovery on his ranch there. Donaldson apparently discovered a triple homicide after returning from a July 4th weekend in Santa Fe. Donaldson isn't saying any more tonight. Local police are investigating. We will have a live report from the scene in just a few moments.

To talk some more now about the strange travels of Wassef Ali Hassoun, we are joined by Salameh Nematt. He is of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, and Mr. Nematt is also Washington Bureau Chief of the London based international Arabic daily "Al-Hayat."

Thank you so much, sir, for being with us tonight. Let's begin with a little bit of the confusion over this entire situation. First, terrorists claimed to have beheaded this man. Then, they denied it. And then, they said that they had taken him to a safe house and freed him. Clear some of this up for us. What's going on here?

SALAMEH NEMATT, D.C. BUREAU CHIEF, "AL-HAYAT" NEWSPAPER: Well, one of the things that come to mind is that this group that took him hostage may have been freelance terrorists of a kind, just common criminals who are just trying to make a fast buck. They did not behave in a manner that, you know, professional terrorists -- let's say, established terrorists like those belonging to al Qaeda, whom the moment they said that they beheaded someone, you know that they've done it.

These people apparently are freelancers. There's a possibility that a small group of common criminals took him and thought they'd trade him off with another terrorist organization, and they may have failed to do that or another cell of a terrorist group taken over from them. This may have caused the confusion. And of course, we can only speculate until we hear from the story from him if he's, indeed, being released in Lebanon.

COLLINS: All right. There certainly is a lot more to learn about this entire situation. In fact, the terrorists issued a statement saying Hassoun was released because he actually took off his uniform and said that he wasn't going to go back to the American Army. Do you believe that, or you think that's a bit of propaganda?

NEMATT: Again, that sounds very childish. I don't think that any hardened terrorists are going to take somebody's word because he said so, that he's going to leave the army. I mean, he could just turn around, leave and then just, you know, come back showing -- you know, saying exactly the opposite.

It's not convincing. They must have done a deal. I don't who was dealing with them, whether the family opened the channel of communications with them, whether they asked for money, whether they asked for the release of somebody, let's say, in the custody of the Iraqi government. We really don't know that. But I find it very hard to believe that anybody would take him hostage and then release him for nothing just because he said a few words that they wanted to hear.

COLLINS: Sure. And you know, this issue of money is an interesting one. In fact, terrorists have killed thousands of Iraqis, and it's quite common, isn't it, that the family members turn over money in negotiations? Do you think this was part of what happened here?

NEMATT: Oh, yes, there are dozens of cases in Iraq of people who are taken hostage just in return for a ransom. And most of the cases, they did pay the money.

These are Iraqis who were -- Iraqi businessmen, in some cases, and Iraqi journalists were also taken hostages. Their families negotiated a deal, and they paid for the release. And this does not play, you know, in the media here in America because these are not westerners.

And most of the time, the families themselves do not want the media to get into the picture, because once the media gets involved, the value of the hostage becomes higher and the demands of the terrorists become also bigger.

COLLINS: Mr. Nematt, if you'll stand by for us just a moment now, we want to turn to CNN's Alphonso Van Marsh, who is live on a videophone in Tripoli, Lebanon.

Alphonso, what can you tell us about the Hassoun family there?

ALPHONSO VAN MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what the gentleman was just saying is absolutely correct out here. The Hassoun family is very wary to talk to the press, definitely not talking on camera, but they are talking...

COLLINS: Unfortunately, as you can see, we're having a little bit of a trouble with that hook-up with Alphonso Van Marsh. We will try to get back with him in just a moment here.

In the meantime, let's go back to Mr. Nematt, if we could. Tell me, you know, as we've mentioned it, of course Mr. Hassoun is of Lebanese descent and also a Muslim. Do you think that has anything to do with his release -- or his said release, we should say?

NEMATT: I don't think so. Hassoun was taken because he's an American soldier. Those who planned his kidnapping knew that he was a Muslim because, you know, it's very easy. You know, once they decide -- or let's say in the first few minutes they catch him and they, you know, identify him as Muslim from his name, from his looks. And despite that, when they took him, they said they're going to behead him and that they -- you know, they threatened to do it.

The fact of the matter is that these terrorists are looking for American soldiers, people whom they consider of high value, and to basically trade them off, if possible, for the release of fellow, you know, terrorists being held -- being held -- arrested, let's say, by the Iraqi government or American troops.

And in some cases, you know, they succeed maybe in negotiating some kind of deal. In most cases, as we've seen in the past, there is nobody who is willing to negotiate with them. The situation changed in Iraq. There's an Iraqi interim government. It has different priorities, perhaps.

COLLINS: Right.

NEMATT: And I think it is actually a good thing on the part of the -- those -- you know, the families of the hostages not really making a big issue in the media about them, because the more exposure these hostages get in terms of publicity, the more value they have in negotiating with the terrorists.

COLLINS: OK. And this certainly has tried to -- this family has certainly tried to stay tight-lipped the best that they can.

Salameh Nematt, we appreciate your perspective tonight. Thanks a lot.

NEMATT: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Coming up next now: First Lady Laura Bush, how does she sell the country on giving her husband a second term? It's the softer side of raw politics.

And a little later: Britney Spears and her new love. Should she protect her fortune before she takes the plunge?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Journalist Sam Donaldson is a news maker himself tonight. He has apparently found the victims of a triple homicide on the property of his New Mexico ranch. On the phone with more details on all of this, Stefan Cornibert, a reporter for the "Roswell Daily Record." Stefan, what sort of details can you tell us about what the police are saying so far?

STEFAN CORNIBERT, "ROSWELL DAILY RECORD": As of right now the details are scattered. But they have confirmed three bodies were found on the ranch known as the ABC Ranch Tuesday night. I spoke with one investigator from the state police who said that the bodies were found in an advanced state of decomposition and it's very difficult for them to determine the exact cause of death.

COLLINS: Any idea where exactly on the ranch the bodies were found?

CORNIBERT: We haven't actually been able to determine that. The local sheriffs here cordoned off the ranch. They are not letting anyone in or out. But in talking with local residents here, it's rumored and I stress this is a rumor, that Mr. Donaldson is actually the one who discovered the bodies last night.

COLLINS: Now they were out of town, weren't they? He was out of town with his wife, correct?

CORNIBERT: I haven't heard that. I've just been talking with local residents here.

COLLINS: Do we know if the victims are in any way related to the Donaldsons?

CORNIBERT: They're not releasing that information as of yet.

COLLINS: How about the area around you? I'm sure you've probably had a chance to talk with some of the people in the area. How is everybody reacting to this?

CORNIBERT: It's pretty much a surprise here. This is generally a pretty quiet mountain town. It's relatively known for its -- for small artist community here. So people here are pretty surprised, pretty shocked, especially have had a lot to deal with this past year with the wildfires in the area as well.

So this is just sort of one more difficult thing for them to deal with.

COLLINS: All right. We certainly appreciate your comments tonight. Stefan Cornibert, coming to us from the "Roswell Daily Record." Thanks again, Stefan.

CORNIBERT: Thank you.

COLLINS: The political story of the day remains the selection of John Edwards as John Kerry's choice for vice president. Edwards of course is known for nearly constantly smiling, something the opposition has been doing its best to wipe away. I spoke earlier with Bush campaign chairman Marc Racicot and Tad Devine, a senior adviser to the Kerry campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Mr. Devine, John Edwards is under attack for his inexperience and whether he's ready to assume the presidency or not. In fact, President Bush commented about this today. I want to get your reaction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's being described today as "charming," "engaging," "a nimble campaigner," "a populist" and even "sexy." How does he stack up against Dick Cheney?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Dick Cheney can be president. Next?

TAD DEVINE, KERRY-EDWARDS SR. ADVISER: Having seen the president and the way that he answered that question, I think it says a lot about his entire campaign. I mean, I think it's very disappointing that the president of the United States, within 24 hours of a vice presidential opponent on the other side being selected, actually traveled to that opponent's state and attacked him by name.

I think it's indicative of their entire campaign. The president and the vice president are talking relentlessly in negative terms about their opponent. John Kerry and John Edwards are talking about the American people and their future and I think that's a huge contrast race.

So I think John Edwards, who by the way, you know, has six years more experience in foreign and military policy than George Bush had on the day he was inaugurated president, you know, is really in a position to be president from day one.

COLLINS: Mr. Racicot, initial polling that we have here now does suggests that Edwards has a bit more favorable opinion than Vice President Dick Cheney. The statistics are showing us that Edwards is sitting at 54 percent favorable. Cheney at 43 percent. And today, former New York Senator Alfonse D'Amato urged Bush to actually drop Cheney off the ticket. We've heard that that is not going to happen from our analysts. But is there any chance that could change?

MARC RACICOT, BUSH-CHENEY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, unquestionably, I think history shows that when a new person is entered into the race, when they're first introduced, he or she, there's typically a bounce. Over the course of the last 30 years, whenever you see the team of challengers come together and they have their convention, you see a bounce in their approval numbers.

But as the country gets to know John Edwards and the ideological brother -- soul brother of John Kerry that he is, I think that they'll realize that there's a very stark and very clear choice, a very philosophically different approach to governing in this country.

And the American people will have the opportunity to choose the strength and the steady hand of George Bush and Dick Cheney, or they will have the opportunity to choose a different direction that John Kerry and John Edwards want to take them, you know, with doubts about what they'll do with national security, doubts about what they'll do with the economy, doubts about what they'll do with Medicare. On and on and on.

So the American people will have a clear choice and they will get to know John Edwards exceptionally well.

COLLINS: Mr. Devine, let's get to the issue now about John Edwards and his trial lawyer background. As you know, he made millions of dollars as a personal injury lawyer. Do you think that the stigma attached with that will become a political liability?

DEVINE: No, I do not. I worked for Senator Edwards in his Senate race in 1998 in North Carolina. We heard these same old charges in that Senate race and I'm sure we're hearing them all across the country again. John Edwards for 20 years fought for people, he represented victims, many times against armies of lawyers on the other side, people who were hurt terribly who had the right to be represented and were ably and very well represented by him. And the fact that he did well, I think, speaks to his success. John Edwards is a kid who grew up the son of a mill worker who made a tremendous success of himself in his life. He's the American dream and I don't think the American people are going to hold that against him for one second.

COLLINS: From Arlington, Virginia, tonight, Marc Racicot, the Bush-Cheney campaign chairman. And from Washington, D.C., Ted Devine, Kerry-Edwards senior adviser. Gentlemen, thanks to the both of you tonight.

Often overlooked in heat of the campaign is the role of the candidates' wives. But both Laura Bush and Teresa Heinz Kerry are powerful advocates for their husband. CNN's Judy Woodruff now on Laura Bush and the raw politics of the soft sell. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: It's not right and it's not fair.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS" (voice- over): As he thundered in the South, she beamed in the Midwest.

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Watching TV isn't really very good for your brain, but reading is exercise for your brain.

WOODRUFF: Laura Bush, the kinder, gentler weapon in her husband's campaign arsenal. In a time of war...

L. BUSH: As I watch in Iraq and in Afghanistan...

WOODRUFF: She is a voice of cheer.

With her husband's attention on...

G.W. BUSH: Terrorists.

WOODRUFF: She makes time for...

L. BUSH: "Charlotte's Web" or the "Little House On The Prairie."

WOODRUFF: But her literacy crusade is more than it seems. It's a way to hit the compassion chord so vital to her husband's election and to show local cameras the warm face of an administration under fire. An image the campaign is pushing to voters it's counting on, like women and seniors, especially in battlegrounds like today's destination, Iowa.

L. BUSH: Well, that is a very interesting question.

WOODRUFF: The first lady doesn't do a hard sell. Her stumping is subtle and she doesn't attack.

L. BUSH: I'm interested that John Edwards was chosen yesterday but I'll have to say I fully support the other ticket, the Bush-Cheney ticket.

WOODRUFF: What she does do is raise money. And lots of it. She raked in more than half a million dollars today alone. And in a few weeks, she'll take her pitch national when she'll address the Republican National Convention and tell the country why she loves her husband. It's warm and it's fuzzy, and it's pure raw politics.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Tomorrow night, a look at Teresa Heinz Kerry and her role in the campaign.

Tonight's buzz is this. "Who is a bigger asset to her husband on the campaign trail. Laura Bush, Teresa Heinz Kerry? You can log on to CNN.com/360 to vote. We'll have the results coming up at the end of the show.

Next on 360 , Britney Spears making plans to walk down the aisle. Will the pop princess say "I do" with a prenup or not?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Britney Spears, about to tie the knot with dancer Kevin Federline. It all would be well and good, except news reports now quote the pop princess is saying she's marrying not for money and she doesn't want her fiance to sign a prenup agreement. A spokesperson for Ms. Spears told us "her financial matters are private and personal."

In any case it got us thinking about prenup agreements.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS (voice-over): Always have a prenuptial, words of wisdom from Donald Trump who might have learned a lesson or two from his first ex, Ivana.

IVANA TRUMP: ...get everything.

COLLINS: And agreement that spells out in black and white who gets what if things go bad. Prenups have become more common, especially among the rich and famous. Or, as Teresa Heinz Kerry put it, everybody has a prenup, you have to have a prenup. And she does. Jack Welsh had one, but ex-wife Jane drew it up herself, adding a clause that made the whole thing null and void after 10 years of marriage. So when they divorced after it expired, she got a payout believed to be $150 million, a mansion, some condos and a Mercedes. The prenup has to be legit. When Steven Spielberg left Amy Irving, she got a reported $100 million because she wasn't represented by a lawyer at the signing. And the soon-to-be ex Mr. Halle Berry wants to get his hands on spousal support and is challenging the validity of his prenuptial agreement.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Joining us now to talk a little bit more about this is famed celebrity divorce attorney, Raoul Felder. Thanks for being here, Mr. Felder.

Why would somebody like Britney Spears, who is reportedly worth about $100 million even consider not having a prenup.

RAOUL FELDER, DIVORCE ATTORNEY: Well if she's to be believed, she needs to see a psychiatrist and not a lawyer, because you've got to have one, particularly a woman who makes this kind of money and celebrity status is going to be valued and there's all sorts of reasons. So, the bottom line is I don't really believe it, you know.

COLLINS: I mean, clearly, just to protect herself?

FELDER: Yes.

COLLINS: I think they've known each other for a couple months.

FELDER: This is a long relationship for her.

COLLINS: Something like that. You said it. But if she doesn't get one what would her future husband, this Kevin Federline, be entitled to is this.

FELDER: He would be a rich man. The curtain's pulled down when you get married, it's pulled down when you start a divorce case. And in the interim, she may have earned or could earn lots of money. Her celebrity status could go up and that's going to be valued. So she's going to have to write out some pretty big checks if she doesn't have a prenup.

COLLINS: But tell me, are prenups just for the rich and famous?

Or is this something that everybody should really be considering?

FELDER: Well, you know, we're in a country of opportunity. The girl who sells you the ticks may own the theater. The waiter owns -- on and on. And the teacher is now the principal, so, everybody has prospects. And we're seeing more and more average people getting prenuptial agreements.

COLLINS: In fact we saw in the piece, examples of loopholes in these prenuptial agreements.

How effective are they, really?

Do you have to be extremely careful when you're drawing them up?

FELDER: Prenups are alive and well in America. A lot of people sue to set them aside. And the reason is, it's the only lawsuit in the history of the world, that if you sue and lose, you're back to the deal you bargained for in the first place, so you have nothing to lose by suing except and paying lawyers and that's not altogether bad. But they're OK if they're done right. If you have lawyers and they follow the rules -- it will stand up.

COLLINS: Curious who seems to draw up the prenup more, men or women?

FELDER: Well, a prenuptial agreement, to be candid, is an exploitive device. It's a device where the person with more money says I don't want to give you what the law allows. And most of the time today, it's the men with the money, except in Mr. Kerry's case, it was his wife who's got the money.

COLLINS: It was. Last question, how do you bring up the subject?

I mean, it's not an easy one to approach someone that you apparently are in love with.

FELDER: It's like two rhinos making love, you have to be very careful. They do it with great care. And you got to say to your bride-to-be, you know, my parents insist on it, they're going to leave me money. Or a lawyer sends him a letter with a wink-wink, you know, you came to see me about a will because you're getting married, maybe we should talk about a prenup.

COLLINS: So kind of put the dirty work on somebody else?

FELDER: That's right.

COLLINS: All right. We certainly appreciate your time tonight, Raoul Felder this evening. Thank you.

Tomorrow on 360, inside the secret lives of the young and rich, teens with green. Part of our special series "Too Much, Too Soon".

But first, today's "Buzz," who is the bigger asset to her husband on the campaign trail, Laura Bush or Teresa Heinz Kerry?

Logon to cnn.com/360 to vote now. We'll have the results when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Time now for "The Buzz." Earlier, we asked who's a bigger asset to her husband on the campaign trail? It's a split vote, 50 percent say Laura Bush, 50 percent think it's Teresa Heinz Kerry. Not a scientific poll but it is your "Buzz."

And that's 360 for tonight. I'm Heidi Collins in for Anderson Cooper. We'll see you tomorrow on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Up next "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

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