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American Morning
Presidential Campaigns Crank Up Competition for Rural Vote; Interview With Senator Elizabeth Dole
Aired July 14, 2004 - 08:00 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, CNN ANCHOR: Will the presidential election be decided in small towns across the Midwest? The two campaigns fighting now for a critical group of voters.
Surrender to the Saudis -- an associate of Osama bin Laden gives himself up. But was he a major terrorist planner?
And the man from Soldier Field. Mike Ditka is suddenly a serious consideration for the U.S. Senate on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
COLLINS: Good morning, everybody.
I'm Heidi Collins.
Bill and Soledad are actually off this week.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Anderson Cooper.
Thanks for joining us.
Some of the news making headlines this morning. We're going to look at the political play for rural votes this morning. Senator John Edwards stumping by himself this week. We'll look at the Democrats' strategy; also talk to Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole about politics in Edwards' home state of North Carolina.
COLLINS: Also, what message is sent to terrorists in Iraq now that the Philippines has agreed to reduce its troops in that country in order to save a kidnapped citizen? Barbara Starr looking at that for us.
COOPER: Also, prosecutors in the Scott Peterson trial turn their focus to the physical evidence in the case. We're going to get an update from Redwood City on just what the jury is seeing.
COLLINS: In the meantime, Jack has a few days off, so AMERICAN MORNING regular Andy Borowitz is going to be helping us out a little bit later on this morning.
COOPER: And he's going to have the Question of the Day for us.
COLLINS: Yes, he does, a Michael Moore question.
COOPER: Yes.
COLLINS: All right, in the meantime, though, the presidential campaigns have cranked up the competition for the rural vote. President Bush in Wisconsin today after a rare presidential visit to Michigan's upper peninsula yesterday. John Edwards is beginning a seven state Midwest tour, where, as Kelly Wallace reports, the Democrats think he can connect with rural voters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As John Kerry's running mate, John Edwards mentions this...
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The values that I learned in a small town...
WALLACE: Over and over again.
EDWARDS: I grew up in a small town in North Carolina.
WALLACE (on camera): It's no accident. Democratic strategists between Edwards, with his small town roots, will be able to connect with rural voters better than Kerry.
(voice-over): And so, that is why Edwards' first solo trip as vice presidential candidate includes stops in the heartland -- Iowa and Illinois; as well as the South -- Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, even President Bush's home state of Texas.
But Mr. Bush is not taking the small town vote for granted -- wrapping up a bus tour today through three towns in the battleground state of Wisconsin, targeting his opponent, John Kerry, and using the 'V' word.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Recently, campaigning in the Midwest, he even tried to claim he was the candidate with conservative values.
WALLACE: Some political observers believe the rural vote could decide the election.
RON BROWNSTEIN, POLITICAL ANALYST: The rural vote is important because it moved so sharply against the Democrats last time that it allowed Bush to win a number of Midwestern battlegrounds in particular, and also to get very close in others that Democrats have to have.
WALLACE: Even with Edwards on the ticket, team Bush-Cheney holds a sizable lead with small town voters, 55 to 42 percent in a recent CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll. Kerry right now is doing only slightly better than Al Gore did in 2000, when he lost the rural vote handily to George W. Bush, while Bill Clinton held his own in both elections with small town USA.
Democrats now hope one John can make that happen for the other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM KERRY CAMPAIGN AD)
EDWARDS: There is no one better prepared to keep the American people safe than this man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: He's going solo in ads and on the stump. The question now -- can he deliver?
Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: A recent poll by the non-partisan Center for Rural Strategies showed Kerry making up some ground on President Bush in rural areas. In June, the Democrat trailed by eight points. But the president held a 15 point lead in January.
COOPER: Senator Elizabeth Dole has had a distinguished career in public service. And for all of her achievements, perhaps the most important may have come 20 years ago this week, when the national drinking age was raised to 21, as well as the addition of air bags and mandatory shoulder belts. Then, as President Reagan's transportation secretary, Elizabeth Dole spearheaded the effort that has saved countless lives since.
Mrs. Dole joins us now from Washington to talk about the anniversary and presidential politics, as well.
Senator Dole, good morning.
Thanks for being with us.
SEN. ELIZABETH DOLE (R), NORTH CAROLINA: Good morning, Anderson.
Happy to be with you.
COOPER: As you look back 20 years, do you think this is one of your biggest accomplishments?
DOLE: I do in terms of being able to save lives and prevent crippling, disabling injuries. The National Safety Council says that what they call the safety trifecta, these three initiatives, have saved 190,000 lives. And that's raising the drinking age to 21; also, a rule that we put into effect during President Reagan's administration that produced air bags in cars; and the passage of state safety belt laws. There was not a single state back then that had passed a law.
Now, all but one have safety belt laws. And then I think usage of safety belts was about 13 percent. Now it's about 79 percent and climbing.
COOPER: Let's talk a little bit about politics this morning.
You are running the Bush-Cheney campaign in your state. The other senator from your state, of course, John Edwards, really not getting as much of a bounce as some people had thought the Kerry ticket might get in your state after he was named.
Do you anticipate any more of a bounce happening as the convention approaches?
DOLE: Well, I think conventions normally produce a bit of a bounce. But it's interesting that this Gallup poll shows that among likely voters, President Bush has a 15 point lead. And that's the weekend following the announcement of John Edwards.
Now, obviously I congratulate him. He's a very articulate person. He'll put a lot of energy into traveling the country. But I think when people from North Carolina, for example, see that -- how liberal the ticket is -- for example, the "National Journal," which is a respected, non-partisan magazine, ranks Kerry number one most liberal in the United States Senate and Edwards number four, that says a lot.
COOPER: Well, I've heard you say this before and you criticized them as being not ideologically balanced. I mean are President Bush and Vice President Cheney ideologically balanced?
DOLE: Well, I thought that perhaps John Kerry, in trying to win, would provide some balance, because he is known as a very liberal Massachusetts senator. He's voted 350 times during his Senate career to raise taxes. He's also...
COOPER: Well, actually, let me stop you there. I mean he takes issue with that, I mean, as you well know, that 350 times includes procedural votes. It also includes times that he simply voted not to lower taxes based on some Republican idea. So that 350 figure is sort of a little questionable.
DOLE: Well, I think the record is very clear, though, where he stands in terms of raising taxes and also promising already in the campaign $658 billion in taxes. It's a different philosophy. President Bush and Vice President Cheney have, through the Jobs and Growth Plan, with tax relief, this has enabled our economy to really move forward.
COOPER: But you wouldn't say that they are ideologically balanced, would you?
DOLE: Well, I'm not saying that a ticket has to be ideologically balanced. I was just saying that I expected that Kerry might try to do something like that...
COOPER: Right.
DOLE: ... because he is so very liberal.
COOPER: I see.
DOLE: But he didn't. Instead, he picked someone who will make this probably the most liberal ticket in our history. COOPER: What do you make of the debate that is going on now on Capitol Hill about the gay marriage amendment? I know you are -- I believe you are in support of the gay marriage amendment. What do you think of the timing? I mean is there -- some critics have said this is being used as a wedge issue to try to divide voters.
Your thoughts?
DOLE: No. I think that it's an issue that is very important. We're talking about thousands of years here where it's been very clear that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, one man and one woman. And I think that to have a discussion and a debate on this is very important. We need to begin to really bring this forward. And even if we don't have the votes right now, it's an issue that many of us feel is very high on the priority list.
COOPER: So it's not -- politics are not involved in this?
DOLE: This is -- this is a very serious issue. It should be taken seriously and I think that it is quite appropriate to have a discussion and a debate and to try to muster the votes. And we'll keep going until we get them.
COOPER: And that is certainly going on right now.
Senator Elizabeth Dole, thank you very much for being with us.
DOLE: And thank you.
COOPER: Good morning -- all right, Heidi.
COLLINS: A suicide car bomber attacked central Baghdad this morning. The blast killed at least eight Iraqis and wounded several dozen more. One U.S. soldier was injured. The bomb detonated near one of the entrances to the so-called green zone, where both the coalition and interim Iraqi government are headquartered.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi suggests the attack is in response to the arrest of "prominent criminals."
A suspected al Qaeda militant has turned himself in to Saudi authorities. Kahled al-Harbi, who appeared with Osama bin Laden in a 2001 videotape praising the 9/11 attacks, surrendered yesterday under an offer of Saudi leniency.
Here now, Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Too sick to walk and, according to Saudi officials, in urgent need of medical treatment, Khaled al-Harbi ends years in exile returning to Saudi Arabia, the closest associate of Osama bin Laden to turn himself in so far taking advantage of a Saudi offer of leniency.
KHALED AL-HARBI, OSAMA BIN LADEN ASSOCIATE (through translator): I called the embassy and we felt that we were welcome that we were among family. Thank God for this blessing. Undoubtedly, any logical man would thank God and should take advantage of this opportunity.
ROBERTSON: Seen here in late 2001 congratulating Osama bin Laden on the September the 11th attacks, al-Harbi is described by Saudi officials as a stand by cleric for the al Qaeda leader, someone who could provide religious justifications for al Qaeda's actions.
Although he fought alongside Osama bin Laden against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, U.S. officials consider al- Harbi, now an invalid, to be an extremist rather than a fighter but one who may yet yield critical information.
PRINCE TURKI AL-FAISAL, SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO U.K.: He's probably accompanied bin Laden on many of his journeys inside Afghanistan and he can give good information on that aspect of bin Laden's life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Saudi Arabia's offer of leniency to suspected terrorists exempts them from the death penalty, but not from civil suits brought by victims' families.
COOPER: There is controversy this morning over the shooting death of an escaped tiger in south Florida. An investigation is under way after the animal's owner, who played Tarzan in some 1960s B movies, accused the officers of murder.
John Zarrella spoke with owner Steve Sipek shortly after the tiger was killed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE SIPEK, OWNER OF TIGER BOBO: Bobo was sleeping under the bushes, sleeping all day long, because it was a hot day. A girl that owned the place found him and went and told the officers that that's where Bobo is. They came up on him immediately and shot him five times. Bobo never left the place where he was laying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Florida officials say they intended to tranquilize Bobo, but say they were forced to shoot the tiger because it lunged toward an officer.
COLLINS: Prosecutors in Scott Peterson's double murder trial are now focusing for the first time on some of the physical evidence in the case. Testimony resumes later this morning.
Gloria Gomez, a reporter for Sacramento TV station KOVR, is covering the trial.
She's joining us from the courthouse in Redwood City, California -- Gloria, good morning to you.
GLORIA GOMEZ, KOVR-TV REPORTER: Good morning. COLLINS: Let's talk about this physical evidence for just a while. Tell us exactly what was shown and what was discussed in court.
GOMEZ: Well, Detective Dodge Hendee, he's one of the crime scene investigators, said that when they actually searched Scott Peterson's truck, they found possible specks of blood and he particularly focused on the steering wheel area, also the driver's side door and the tool box.
And what's interesting is when I interviewed Scott Peterson in January of 2003, he actually said, "You know, you're likely going to find my blood in the truck."
And I said, "Well, how's that?"
He goes, "Well, I cut myself on December 24." I said, "Doing what?"
He says, "Reaching into the toolbox, I cut myself. So you should find my blood on the driver's side door" -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, well, something else that the prosecution focused on, cement. And you say that was pretty compelling stuff.
Why?
GOMEZ: Right. Because it was all over the warehouse. In fact, when crime scene investigators arrived at the warehouse, you could tell that Scott Peterson was busy doing a lot of cement work. And, of course, investigators focusing on a table where you could see at least four to five cement rings. So prosecutors contending that he was making cement anchors, but only one of those was found in his boat.
So what happened to the other four? Well, prosecutors are going to say well, those were used to weigh down Laci's body once he dumped her in the Bay -- Heidi.
COLLINS: And what's the defense going to say?
GOMEZ: Well, the defense is going to say well, there's a reasonable explanation for that. He was using those for maybe, A, making -- maybe he made a mistake, making the cement anchors, and so he had to make more than one. And they're obviously going to find other reasons for explaining this.
Of course, we haven't heard what the defense is going to say just yet.
COLLINS: Sure.
Of course not.
All right, well, what about this hair on a pliers? Why was that significant?
GOMEZ: Well, that's been a debate for a while now...
COLLINS: Right.
GOMEZ: ... because a strand of hair, possibly Laci's, was found on a pair of pliers in Scott Peterson's boat. But when investigators collected it, they put it in a forensic envelope. Well, apparently when they went to check on it a couple of days later, they noticed that the hair had split into two. So now there was two hairs and now the defense saying well, wait a minute, how did it magically become two strands of hair?
So expect this morning for the defense to go after Detective Hendee, suggesting possibly that there was some tampering of the evidence.
COLLINS: Well, that being said, and given all of these different pieces of physical evidence that I think everyone's kind of been waiting to see, do you think, Gloria, that the prosecution's case is kind of coming together a little bit better now?
GOMEZ: Well, slowly but surely they're starting to paint a picture of how Scott Peterson may have gotten rid of Laci Peterson's body. Last week we saw a woman climbing into Scott Peterson's boat that was the same size and shape as Laci Peterson, showing clearly somebody Laci's size could fit in the boat. Now we're getting how he actually tried to dispose of her body by using these cement anchors.
Whether the jury is really putting these pieces together isn't clear, but of course, you know, slowly prosecutors are trying to connect those dots. We'll see if the jury actually believes it.
COLLINS: Well, how did they seem to react to you, to this evidence?
GOMEZ: Well, it's interesting because the jury is paying attention to all of this evidence, taking meticulous notes, with the exception of juror number six. I was watching him yesterday. He was kind of leaning back, looking bored, looking at his watch, you know, wanting to go. He wasn't taking many notes. But all the other jurors seemed really attentive and to all the testimony.
COLLINS: All right, Gloria Gomez, our eyes inside the courtroom.
Thanks so very much, from KOVR.
GOMEZ: Thank you.
COLLINS: Appreciate it -- Anderson.
COOPER: It is 15 minutes past the hour.
Time for a look at some of the other headlines this morning with Daryn Kagan -- hey, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Anderson, good morning once again. Let's start with the newly released report about British intelligence on prewar Iraq. And for that, a live picture from London. An investigation suggesting that Prime Minister Tony Blair did make a case for invading Iraq based on flawed information. The report, though, stops short of accusing Blair's government of deliberately distorting intelligence to justify an invasion. It also says that Saddam Hussein did not posses any weapons of mass destruction before the war.
The U.S. is reportedly ramping up plans to respond to a potential chemical attack. New York and Boston, cites of the upcoming political conventions, are among the first areas to receive government shipments of chemical anecdotes. That's according to published reports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hopes to have so-called chem packs in every state within two years.
President Bush will wrap up his two day tour of the upper Midwest today. President Bush is scheduled to ride his campaign bus to three events in Wisconsin. The president is expected to speak about Iraq after touching mostly on the economy yesterday.
Meanwhile, Democrat John Kerry spends today in Boston. But his running mate, Senator John Edwards, heads out to his first solo campaign swing. He'll be doing that in Iowa and Illinois.
And how about this from the world of politics? Former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka thinking of running for the Senate. A Republican source saying the former Super Bowl coach may try to fill a seat being vacated by outgoing Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald. We'll get views on this from both sides of the aisle later this hour. We'll be talking with Victor Kamber and Cliff May.
And finally, crossing back into sports, it was all about the American League power early in last night's major league baseball All Star Game. Boston's Manny Ramirez going deep there off starter Roger Clemens, whose two run homerun made it 3-0, A.L. And then Texas second baseman Alfonso Soriano hitting a three run blast, making it 6- 0 at that point. Soriano was the game MVP. Clemens took the loss. Oakland pitcher Mark Mulder got the win. The final score, American League 9-4. This was supposed to be Roger Clemens' big night, his homecoming in Houston. Shelled for six runs in the first inning. He was out of there.
COLLINS: I have his autograph, too. I wonder if it's going to be worth anything.
KAGAN: You know, I think he's done a few things, Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes.
KAGAN: I think you just might want to hang onto that autograph.
COLLINS: I'm hanging onto it.
All right, Daryn, thanks so much.
We want to get on to the news now.
Once again, five shootings during two days in New Haven, Connecticut seem to have only one connection, the gun. All the victims were injured by the same weapon on Sunday and Monday.
Mayor Johnson DeStefano joining us now from New Haven to give us a little bit more on this.
Mr. Mayor, do the police still believe that these are random shootings?
MAYOR JOHN DESTEFANO, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT: Well, there's no -- nothing connecting the victims' behavior with something that would have responded. So, yes, it was unusual because of the same gun, it appeared random and because it's so uncharacteristic of crime that we've seen in the city, which has been tracking down.
COLLINS: Now, police are saying that they are searching for two suspects.
Any idea about motive or any more on that at this time?
DESTEFANO: We're looking for two people. We have good physical evidence and good eyewitness reports to act on. We recovered a vehicle yesterday that may have been involved in the crime. We're following up on that. Good things for us to follow up on with this.
COLLINS: You recovered a vehicle.
Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?
DESTEFANO: Just we've recovered a vehicle that fits the characteristics. We've accepted help from the state police. Governor Rell offered us some help. We're using it, frankly, to clear up some felony warrants and stolen vehicle warrants we have out in the city. We see this as an opportunity to further press some folks.
I would tell you the larger thing that concerns me at this point is this kind of incident is intensely personnel related and it's occurring at a time when communities like New Haven are experiencing huge cuts in federal aid for Justice Department programs that support police officers protecting families.
I've got a major bioterrorism tabletop exercise, field exercise, this month going on. And I think a lot of cities and towns across America are really getting pressed about being able to deliver services to citizens because of these federal budget cuts.
COLLINS: Are you saying you don't have enough staff to cover and track down these shooters?
DESTEFANO: I've got 50 people of the 61 in my detective bureau working this case. My patrol compliment is up 30 percent right now. Are we taxing our resources? Yes, absolutely. When I go do this bioterrorism drill, am I going to be taxing our resources? Absolutely. To be taking hits in cops program, in Burton's Grant program, this occurring, is not an investment in making communities safe in America. And I think we've got our priorities wrong about where we're allocating some of our federal resources.
So, yes, it's taxing us.
COLLINS: Well, I'm sure if residents are listening to this interview this morning, that is going to concern them...
DESTEFANO: I don't know. I don't know.
COLLINS: ... even more.
Tell me what you are saying to people that live in New Haven about this incident?
DESTEFANO: Well, people are nervous. Again, I mean folks, folks generally see a causal relationship in shootings. It's either drug related or domestic related and folks have an understanding of that. If you're walking to the bus stop to go to work with your lunch, you don't expect this to happen, at least we don't. In New Haven, it has never happened. And that's why we see this as an opportunity to send a very clear, direct message that it is not tolerable behavior and, in fact, to use the flood of resources we're putting out on the street to pick up a lot of other folks who are out there and make them understand what behavior is acceptable and what behavior isn't acceptable.
So we'll do that. We'll take advantage of that in this circumstance, send the message about what we expect in terms of civil behavior in our communities.
It is curious that this happens at the same time when so many of us, though, are grappling with issues about protecting our own assets that may be at risk from terror incidents and trying to improve our capability to respond.
COLLINS: And I know you are also welcoming the help of the public, of course, to track down these suspects.
The mayor of New Haven...
DESTEFANO: The public has been terrific.
COLLINS: All right, very good.
The mayor of New Haven this morning, John DeStefano.
Sir, thanks for your time.
DESTEFANO: You bet.
COOPER: Let's get a quick check on the nation's weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COOPER: Thank you, Chad. COLLINS: We'll talk again soon.
Still to come this morning, if you count on overtime to stretch your paycheck, well, listen up. We're minding your business this morning.
COOPER: Also ahead, the same day as a suicide bombing rips through Baghdad, one country tries to cut a deal with terrorists. We'll look at that.
COLLINS: Plus, looking for weight loss help on the Web? Well, maybe you should look somewhere else. A new study to tell you about ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well. Jack Cafferty is off. I think he went to see "Anchorman" again.
COLLINS: Yes, maybe. Or "Prince."
COOPER: Or "Prince." Maybe that.
Andy Borowitz is in the house for us, though.
Good to have him here.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: It's good to be here.
COLLINS: Bringing down the house, Andy Borowitz.
BOROWITZ: And we have Things That People Say. And you know what? People say the darndest things. So here we go.
COOPER: It's not just kids, it's all people.
BOROWITZ: All people. Amazing.
Let's go with this one. It's "I'd have to go with Hillary Clinton. Forever could be like 50 years so if I'm stranded with one person, she'd better be kick ass both upstairs and downstairs." That's Jack Black, actor, talking about who he'd like to be stranded on a desert island with, OK?
Here's one. "Fame is addictive, money is addictive, attention is addictive, but golf is second to none." That's Marc Anthony, the singer, who did not include Jennifer Lopez on that list for some reason. I'm not sure.
COLLINS: Oh.
BOROWITZ: He just spent $22,000 on golf clubs, OK?
COOPER: Do you golf, by the way?
BOROWITZ: I do not golf. COOPER: I'm glad.
Do you golf?
COLLINS: I golf.
BOROWITZ: I don't.
COOPER: Yes, OK.
COLLINS: Yes, it is addictive.
COOPER: Really?
COLLINS: Yes.
BOROWITZ: I find resting on my couch addictive.
OK. "I don't like partying past 2:00 a.m. Anything past 2:00 a.m. is all losers and weirdoes." That is Paris Hilton, hotel heiress...
COLLINS: No!
COOPER: And she should know.
BOROWITZ: No, after 2:00 a.m., I think looters and weirdoes are actually downloading Paris Hilton at home.
OK. "I just got my chest in the past year." I feel so uncomfortable saying this. "And I couldn't be happier, because I used to be the flattest person ever stuffing my bras." That is Lindsey Lohan, actress, trying to...
COOPER: Who is that?
BOROWITZ: She is trying to make Paris Hilton appear deep. OK? That was what that was all about.
COOPER: You know what?
COLLINS: Isn't she from "Mean Girls?"
COOPER: You know you're getting older...
BOROWITZ: She is from "Mean Girls." She was quite good. Right.
COOPER: You know you're getting older when you don't recognize who the actresses are.
COLLINS: You haven't seen "Mean Girls?"
COOPER: Like I have never heard of Lindsey -- no, I haven't actually, no.
BOROWITZ: OK, well, you might not recognize her, because apparently she just got her chest in the last year.
COOPER: Sure. Maybe that's why. That's why.
BOROWITZ: That might be it.
COOPER: OK.
COLLINS: She looks entirely different.
BOROWITZ: And finally, this is a good one: "I woke up at four o'clock with cramps in my stomach. At my age, there's only a few things that bring that -- bulls and beautiful women." This comes from Joseph Discler (ph), bull running enthusiastic. And I agree, bulls are kick ass both upstairs and downstairs. I've always felt that way. So there we go.
COOPER: Full circle.
COLLINS: That's maybe the oddest one we've had in a while, I think.
BOROWITZ: The things people will say.
COLLINS: I know.
COOPER: The darndest things.
Still to come this morning -- what do we have this morning?
COLLINS: Joseph Wilson accused the White House of manipulation to build the case of war in Iraq. But now somebody says the former ambassador wasn't all that honest himself.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired July 14, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Will the presidential election be decided in small towns across the Midwest? The two campaigns fighting now for a critical group of voters.
Surrender to the Saudis -- an associate of Osama bin Laden gives himself up. But was he a major terrorist planner?
And the man from Soldier Field. Mike Ditka is suddenly a serious consideration for the U.S. Senate on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
COLLINS: Good morning, everybody.
I'm Heidi Collins.
Bill and Soledad are actually off this week.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Anderson Cooper.
Thanks for joining us.
Some of the news making headlines this morning. We're going to look at the political play for rural votes this morning. Senator John Edwards stumping by himself this week. We'll look at the Democrats' strategy; also talk to Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole about politics in Edwards' home state of North Carolina.
COLLINS: Also, what message is sent to terrorists in Iraq now that the Philippines has agreed to reduce its troops in that country in order to save a kidnapped citizen? Barbara Starr looking at that for us.
COOPER: Also, prosecutors in the Scott Peterson trial turn their focus to the physical evidence in the case. We're going to get an update from Redwood City on just what the jury is seeing.
COLLINS: In the meantime, Jack has a few days off, so AMERICAN MORNING regular Andy Borowitz is going to be helping us out a little bit later on this morning.
COOPER: And he's going to have the Question of the Day for us.
COLLINS: Yes, he does, a Michael Moore question.
COOPER: Yes.
COLLINS: All right, in the meantime, though, the presidential campaigns have cranked up the competition for the rural vote. President Bush in Wisconsin today after a rare presidential visit to Michigan's upper peninsula yesterday. John Edwards is beginning a seven state Midwest tour, where, as Kelly Wallace reports, the Democrats think he can connect with rural voters.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As John Kerry's running mate, John Edwards mentions this...
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The values that I learned in a small town...
WALLACE: Over and over again.
EDWARDS: I grew up in a small town in North Carolina.
WALLACE (on camera): It's no accident. Democratic strategists between Edwards, with his small town roots, will be able to connect with rural voters better than Kerry.
(voice-over): And so, that is why Edwards' first solo trip as vice presidential candidate includes stops in the heartland -- Iowa and Illinois; as well as the South -- Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, even President Bush's home state of Texas.
But Mr. Bush is not taking the small town vote for granted -- wrapping up a bus tour today through three towns in the battleground state of Wisconsin, targeting his opponent, John Kerry, and using the 'V' word.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Recently, campaigning in the Midwest, he even tried to claim he was the candidate with conservative values.
WALLACE: Some political observers believe the rural vote could decide the election.
RON BROWNSTEIN, POLITICAL ANALYST: The rural vote is important because it moved so sharply against the Democrats last time that it allowed Bush to win a number of Midwestern battlegrounds in particular, and also to get very close in others that Democrats have to have.
WALLACE: Even with Edwards on the ticket, team Bush-Cheney holds a sizable lead with small town voters, 55 to 42 percent in a recent CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll. Kerry right now is doing only slightly better than Al Gore did in 2000, when he lost the rural vote handily to George W. Bush, while Bill Clinton held his own in both elections with small town USA.
Democrats now hope one John can make that happen for the other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM KERRY CAMPAIGN AD)
EDWARDS: There is no one better prepared to keep the American people safe than this man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: He's going solo in ads and on the stump. The question now -- can he deliver?
Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: A recent poll by the non-partisan Center for Rural Strategies showed Kerry making up some ground on President Bush in rural areas. In June, the Democrat trailed by eight points. But the president held a 15 point lead in January.
COOPER: Senator Elizabeth Dole has had a distinguished career in public service. And for all of her achievements, perhaps the most important may have come 20 years ago this week, when the national drinking age was raised to 21, as well as the addition of air bags and mandatory shoulder belts. Then, as President Reagan's transportation secretary, Elizabeth Dole spearheaded the effort that has saved countless lives since.
Mrs. Dole joins us now from Washington to talk about the anniversary and presidential politics, as well.
Senator Dole, good morning.
Thanks for being with us.
SEN. ELIZABETH DOLE (R), NORTH CAROLINA: Good morning, Anderson.
Happy to be with you.
COOPER: As you look back 20 years, do you think this is one of your biggest accomplishments?
DOLE: I do in terms of being able to save lives and prevent crippling, disabling injuries. The National Safety Council says that what they call the safety trifecta, these three initiatives, have saved 190,000 lives. And that's raising the drinking age to 21; also, a rule that we put into effect during President Reagan's administration that produced air bags in cars; and the passage of state safety belt laws. There was not a single state back then that had passed a law.
Now, all but one have safety belt laws. And then I think usage of safety belts was about 13 percent. Now it's about 79 percent and climbing.
COOPER: Let's talk a little bit about politics this morning.
You are running the Bush-Cheney campaign in your state. The other senator from your state, of course, John Edwards, really not getting as much of a bounce as some people had thought the Kerry ticket might get in your state after he was named.
Do you anticipate any more of a bounce happening as the convention approaches?
DOLE: Well, I think conventions normally produce a bit of a bounce. But it's interesting that this Gallup poll shows that among likely voters, President Bush has a 15 point lead. And that's the weekend following the announcement of John Edwards.
Now, obviously I congratulate him. He's a very articulate person. He'll put a lot of energy into traveling the country. But I think when people from North Carolina, for example, see that -- how liberal the ticket is -- for example, the "National Journal," which is a respected, non-partisan magazine, ranks Kerry number one most liberal in the United States Senate and Edwards number four, that says a lot.
COOPER: Well, I've heard you say this before and you criticized them as being not ideologically balanced. I mean are President Bush and Vice President Cheney ideologically balanced?
DOLE: Well, I thought that perhaps John Kerry, in trying to win, would provide some balance, because he is known as a very liberal Massachusetts senator. He's voted 350 times during his Senate career to raise taxes. He's also...
COOPER: Well, actually, let me stop you there. I mean he takes issue with that, I mean, as you well know, that 350 times includes procedural votes. It also includes times that he simply voted not to lower taxes based on some Republican idea. So that 350 figure is sort of a little questionable.
DOLE: Well, I think the record is very clear, though, where he stands in terms of raising taxes and also promising already in the campaign $658 billion in taxes. It's a different philosophy. President Bush and Vice President Cheney have, through the Jobs and Growth Plan, with tax relief, this has enabled our economy to really move forward.
COOPER: But you wouldn't say that they are ideologically balanced, would you?
DOLE: Well, I'm not saying that a ticket has to be ideologically balanced. I was just saying that I expected that Kerry might try to do something like that...
COOPER: Right.
DOLE: ... because he is so very liberal.
COOPER: I see.
DOLE: But he didn't. Instead, he picked someone who will make this probably the most liberal ticket in our history. COOPER: What do you make of the debate that is going on now on Capitol Hill about the gay marriage amendment? I know you are -- I believe you are in support of the gay marriage amendment. What do you think of the timing? I mean is there -- some critics have said this is being used as a wedge issue to try to divide voters.
Your thoughts?
DOLE: No. I think that it's an issue that is very important. We're talking about thousands of years here where it's been very clear that marriage is a union between a man and a woman, one man and one woman. And I think that to have a discussion and a debate on this is very important. We need to begin to really bring this forward. And even if we don't have the votes right now, it's an issue that many of us feel is very high on the priority list.
COOPER: So it's not -- politics are not involved in this?
DOLE: This is -- this is a very serious issue. It should be taken seriously and I think that it is quite appropriate to have a discussion and a debate and to try to muster the votes. And we'll keep going until we get them.
COOPER: And that is certainly going on right now.
Senator Elizabeth Dole, thank you very much for being with us.
DOLE: And thank you.
COOPER: Good morning -- all right, Heidi.
COLLINS: A suicide car bomber attacked central Baghdad this morning. The blast killed at least eight Iraqis and wounded several dozen more. One U.S. soldier was injured. The bomb detonated near one of the entrances to the so-called green zone, where both the coalition and interim Iraqi government are headquartered.
Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi suggests the attack is in response to the arrest of "prominent criminals."
A suspected al Qaeda militant has turned himself in to Saudi authorities. Kahled al-Harbi, who appeared with Osama bin Laden in a 2001 videotape praising the 9/11 attacks, surrendered yesterday under an offer of Saudi leniency.
Here now, Nic Robertson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Too sick to walk and, according to Saudi officials, in urgent need of medical treatment, Khaled al-Harbi ends years in exile returning to Saudi Arabia, the closest associate of Osama bin Laden to turn himself in so far taking advantage of a Saudi offer of leniency.
KHALED AL-HARBI, OSAMA BIN LADEN ASSOCIATE (through translator): I called the embassy and we felt that we were welcome that we were among family. Thank God for this blessing. Undoubtedly, any logical man would thank God and should take advantage of this opportunity.
ROBERTSON: Seen here in late 2001 congratulating Osama bin Laden on the September the 11th attacks, al-Harbi is described by Saudi officials as a stand by cleric for the al Qaeda leader, someone who could provide religious justifications for al Qaeda's actions.
Although he fought alongside Osama bin Laden against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, U.S. officials consider al- Harbi, now an invalid, to be an extremist rather than a fighter but one who may yet yield critical information.
PRINCE TURKI AL-FAISAL, SAUDI AMBASSADOR TO U.K.: He's probably accompanied bin Laden on many of his journeys inside Afghanistan and he can give good information on that aspect of bin Laden's life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Saudi Arabia's offer of leniency to suspected terrorists exempts them from the death penalty, but not from civil suits brought by victims' families.
COOPER: There is controversy this morning over the shooting death of an escaped tiger in south Florida. An investigation is under way after the animal's owner, who played Tarzan in some 1960s B movies, accused the officers of murder.
John Zarrella spoke with owner Steve Sipek shortly after the tiger was killed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE SIPEK, OWNER OF TIGER BOBO: Bobo was sleeping under the bushes, sleeping all day long, because it was a hot day. A girl that owned the place found him and went and told the officers that that's where Bobo is. They came up on him immediately and shot him five times. Bobo never left the place where he was laying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Florida officials say they intended to tranquilize Bobo, but say they were forced to shoot the tiger because it lunged toward an officer.
COLLINS: Prosecutors in Scott Peterson's double murder trial are now focusing for the first time on some of the physical evidence in the case. Testimony resumes later this morning.
Gloria Gomez, a reporter for Sacramento TV station KOVR, is covering the trial.
She's joining us from the courthouse in Redwood City, California -- Gloria, good morning to you.
GLORIA GOMEZ, KOVR-TV REPORTER: Good morning. COLLINS: Let's talk about this physical evidence for just a while. Tell us exactly what was shown and what was discussed in court.
GOMEZ: Well, Detective Dodge Hendee, he's one of the crime scene investigators, said that when they actually searched Scott Peterson's truck, they found possible specks of blood and he particularly focused on the steering wheel area, also the driver's side door and the tool box.
And what's interesting is when I interviewed Scott Peterson in January of 2003, he actually said, "You know, you're likely going to find my blood in the truck."
And I said, "Well, how's that?"
He goes, "Well, I cut myself on December 24." I said, "Doing what?"
He says, "Reaching into the toolbox, I cut myself. So you should find my blood on the driver's side door" -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, well, something else that the prosecution focused on, cement. And you say that was pretty compelling stuff.
Why?
GOMEZ: Right. Because it was all over the warehouse. In fact, when crime scene investigators arrived at the warehouse, you could tell that Scott Peterson was busy doing a lot of cement work. And, of course, investigators focusing on a table where you could see at least four to five cement rings. So prosecutors contending that he was making cement anchors, but only one of those was found in his boat.
So what happened to the other four? Well, prosecutors are going to say well, those were used to weigh down Laci's body once he dumped her in the Bay -- Heidi.
COLLINS: And what's the defense going to say?
GOMEZ: Well, the defense is going to say well, there's a reasonable explanation for that. He was using those for maybe, A, making -- maybe he made a mistake, making the cement anchors, and so he had to make more than one. And they're obviously going to find other reasons for explaining this.
Of course, we haven't heard what the defense is going to say just yet.
COLLINS: Sure.
Of course not.
All right, well, what about this hair on a pliers? Why was that significant?
GOMEZ: Well, that's been a debate for a while now...
COLLINS: Right.
GOMEZ: ... because a strand of hair, possibly Laci's, was found on a pair of pliers in Scott Peterson's boat. But when investigators collected it, they put it in a forensic envelope. Well, apparently when they went to check on it a couple of days later, they noticed that the hair had split into two. So now there was two hairs and now the defense saying well, wait a minute, how did it magically become two strands of hair?
So expect this morning for the defense to go after Detective Hendee, suggesting possibly that there was some tampering of the evidence.
COLLINS: Well, that being said, and given all of these different pieces of physical evidence that I think everyone's kind of been waiting to see, do you think, Gloria, that the prosecution's case is kind of coming together a little bit better now?
GOMEZ: Well, slowly but surely they're starting to paint a picture of how Scott Peterson may have gotten rid of Laci Peterson's body. Last week we saw a woman climbing into Scott Peterson's boat that was the same size and shape as Laci Peterson, showing clearly somebody Laci's size could fit in the boat. Now we're getting how he actually tried to dispose of her body by using these cement anchors.
Whether the jury is really putting these pieces together isn't clear, but of course, you know, slowly prosecutors are trying to connect those dots. We'll see if the jury actually believes it.
COLLINS: Well, how did they seem to react to you, to this evidence?
GOMEZ: Well, it's interesting because the jury is paying attention to all of this evidence, taking meticulous notes, with the exception of juror number six. I was watching him yesterday. He was kind of leaning back, looking bored, looking at his watch, you know, wanting to go. He wasn't taking many notes. But all the other jurors seemed really attentive and to all the testimony.
COLLINS: All right, Gloria Gomez, our eyes inside the courtroom.
Thanks so very much, from KOVR.
GOMEZ: Thank you.
COLLINS: Appreciate it -- Anderson.
COOPER: It is 15 minutes past the hour.
Time for a look at some of the other headlines this morning with Daryn Kagan -- hey, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Anderson, good morning once again. Let's start with the newly released report about British intelligence on prewar Iraq. And for that, a live picture from London. An investigation suggesting that Prime Minister Tony Blair did make a case for invading Iraq based on flawed information. The report, though, stops short of accusing Blair's government of deliberately distorting intelligence to justify an invasion. It also says that Saddam Hussein did not posses any weapons of mass destruction before the war.
The U.S. is reportedly ramping up plans to respond to a potential chemical attack. New York and Boston, cites of the upcoming political conventions, are among the first areas to receive government shipments of chemical anecdotes. That's according to published reports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hopes to have so-called chem packs in every state within two years.
President Bush will wrap up his two day tour of the upper Midwest today. President Bush is scheduled to ride his campaign bus to three events in Wisconsin. The president is expected to speak about Iraq after touching mostly on the economy yesterday.
Meanwhile, Democrat John Kerry spends today in Boston. But his running mate, Senator John Edwards, heads out to his first solo campaign swing. He'll be doing that in Iowa and Illinois.
And how about this from the world of politics? Former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka thinking of running for the Senate. A Republican source saying the former Super Bowl coach may try to fill a seat being vacated by outgoing Republican Senator Peter Fitzgerald. We'll get views on this from both sides of the aisle later this hour. We'll be talking with Victor Kamber and Cliff May.
And finally, crossing back into sports, it was all about the American League power early in last night's major league baseball All Star Game. Boston's Manny Ramirez going deep there off starter Roger Clemens, whose two run homerun made it 3-0, A.L. And then Texas second baseman Alfonso Soriano hitting a three run blast, making it 6- 0 at that point. Soriano was the game MVP. Clemens took the loss. Oakland pitcher Mark Mulder got the win. The final score, American League 9-4. This was supposed to be Roger Clemens' big night, his homecoming in Houston. Shelled for six runs in the first inning. He was out of there.
COLLINS: I have his autograph, too. I wonder if it's going to be worth anything.
KAGAN: You know, I think he's done a few things, Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes.
KAGAN: I think you just might want to hang onto that autograph.
COLLINS: I'm hanging onto it.
All right, Daryn, thanks so much.
We want to get on to the news now.
Once again, five shootings during two days in New Haven, Connecticut seem to have only one connection, the gun. All the victims were injured by the same weapon on Sunday and Monday.
Mayor Johnson DeStefano joining us now from New Haven to give us a little bit more on this.
Mr. Mayor, do the police still believe that these are random shootings?
MAYOR JOHN DESTEFANO, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT: Well, there's no -- nothing connecting the victims' behavior with something that would have responded. So, yes, it was unusual because of the same gun, it appeared random and because it's so uncharacteristic of crime that we've seen in the city, which has been tracking down.
COLLINS: Now, police are saying that they are searching for two suspects.
Any idea about motive or any more on that at this time?
DESTEFANO: We're looking for two people. We have good physical evidence and good eyewitness reports to act on. We recovered a vehicle yesterday that may have been involved in the crime. We're following up on that. Good things for us to follow up on with this.
COLLINS: You recovered a vehicle.
Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?
DESTEFANO: Just we've recovered a vehicle that fits the characteristics. We've accepted help from the state police. Governor Rell offered us some help. We're using it, frankly, to clear up some felony warrants and stolen vehicle warrants we have out in the city. We see this as an opportunity to further press some folks.
I would tell you the larger thing that concerns me at this point is this kind of incident is intensely personnel related and it's occurring at a time when communities like New Haven are experiencing huge cuts in federal aid for Justice Department programs that support police officers protecting families.
I've got a major bioterrorism tabletop exercise, field exercise, this month going on. And I think a lot of cities and towns across America are really getting pressed about being able to deliver services to citizens because of these federal budget cuts.
COLLINS: Are you saying you don't have enough staff to cover and track down these shooters?
DESTEFANO: I've got 50 people of the 61 in my detective bureau working this case. My patrol compliment is up 30 percent right now. Are we taxing our resources? Yes, absolutely. When I go do this bioterrorism drill, am I going to be taxing our resources? Absolutely. To be taking hits in cops program, in Burton's Grant program, this occurring, is not an investment in making communities safe in America. And I think we've got our priorities wrong about where we're allocating some of our federal resources.
So, yes, it's taxing us.
COLLINS: Well, I'm sure if residents are listening to this interview this morning, that is going to concern them...
DESTEFANO: I don't know. I don't know.
COLLINS: ... even more.
Tell me what you are saying to people that live in New Haven about this incident?
DESTEFANO: Well, people are nervous. Again, I mean folks, folks generally see a causal relationship in shootings. It's either drug related or domestic related and folks have an understanding of that. If you're walking to the bus stop to go to work with your lunch, you don't expect this to happen, at least we don't. In New Haven, it has never happened. And that's why we see this as an opportunity to send a very clear, direct message that it is not tolerable behavior and, in fact, to use the flood of resources we're putting out on the street to pick up a lot of other folks who are out there and make them understand what behavior is acceptable and what behavior isn't acceptable.
So we'll do that. We'll take advantage of that in this circumstance, send the message about what we expect in terms of civil behavior in our communities.
It is curious that this happens at the same time when so many of us, though, are grappling with issues about protecting our own assets that may be at risk from terror incidents and trying to improve our capability to respond.
COLLINS: And I know you are also welcoming the help of the public, of course, to track down these suspects.
The mayor of New Haven...
DESTEFANO: The public has been terrific.
COLLINS: All right, very good.
The mayor of New Haven this morning, John DeStefano.
Sir, thanks for your time.
DESTEFANO: You bet.
COOPER: Let's get a quick check on the nation's weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COOPER: Thank you, Chad. COLLINS: We'll talk again soon.
Still to come this morning, if you count on overtime to stretch your paycheck, well, listen up. We're minding your business this morning.
COOPER: Also ahead, the same day as a suicide bombing rips through Baghdad, one country tries to cut a deal with terrorists. We'll look at that.
COLLINS: Plus, looking for weight loss help on the Web? Well, maybe you should look somewhere else. A new study to tell you about ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Well. Jack Cafferty is off. I think he went to see "Anchorman" again.
COLLINS: Yes, maybe. Or "Prince."
COOPER: Or "Prince." Maybe that.
Andy Borowitz is in the house for us, though.
Good to have him here.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: It's good to be here.
COLLINS: Bringing down the house, Andy Borowitz.
BOROWITZ: And we have Things That People Say. And you know what? People say the darndest things. So here we go.
COOPER: It's not just kids, it's all people.
BOROWITZ: All people. Amazing.
Let's go with this one. It's "I'd have to go with Hillary Clinton. Forever could be like 50 years so if I'm stranded with one person, she'd better be kick ass both upstairs and downstairs." That's Jack Black, actor, talking about who he'd like to be stranded on a desert island with, OK?
Here's one. "Fame is addictive, money is addictive, attention is addictive, but golf is second to none." That's Marc Anthony, the singer, who did not include Jennifer Lopez on that list for some reason. I'm not sure.
COLLINS: Oh.
BOROWITZ: He just spent $22,000 on golf clubs, OK?
COOPER: Do you golf, by the way?
BOROWITZ: I do not golf. COOPER: I'm glad.
Do you golf?
COLLINS: I golf.
BOROWITZ: I don't.
COOPER: Yes, OK.
COLLINS: Yes, it is addictive.
COOPER: Really?
COLLINS: Yes.
BOROWITZ: I find resting on my couch addictive.
OK. "I don't like partying past 2:00 a.m. Anything past 2:00 a.m. is all losers and weirdoes." That is Paris Hilton, hotel heiress...
COLLINS: No!
COOPER: And she should know.
BOROWITZ: No, after 2:00 a.m., I think looters and weirdoes are actually downloading Paris Hilton at home.
OK. "I just got my chest in the past year." I feel so uncomfortable saying this. "And I couldn't be happier, because I used to be the flattest person ever stuffing my bras." That is Lindsey Lohan, actress, trying to...
COOPER: Who is that?
BOROWITZ: She is trying to make Paris Hilton appear deep. OK? That was what that was all about.
COOPER: You know what?
COLLINS: Isn't she from "Mean Girls?"
COOPER: You know you're getting older...
BOROWITZ: She is from "Mean Girls." She was quite good. Right.
COOPER: You know you're getting older when you don't recognize who the actresses are.
COLLINS: You haven't seen "Mean Girls?"
COOPER: Like I have never heard of Lindsey -- no, I haven't actually, no.
BOROWITZ: OK, well, you might not recognize her, because apparently she just got her chest in the last year.
COOPER: Sure. Maybe that's why. That's why.
BOROWITZ: That might be it.
COOPER: OK.
COLLINS: She looks entirely different.
BOROWITZ: And finally, this is a good one: "I woke up at four o'clock with cramps in my stomach. At my age, there's only a few things that bring that -- bulls and beautiful women." This comes from Joseph Discler (ph), bull running enthusiastic. And I agree, bulls are kick ass both upstairs and downstairs. I've always felt that way. So there we go.
COOPER: Full circle.
COLLINS: That's maybe the oddest one we've had in a while, I think.
BOROWITZ: The things people will say.
COLLINS: I know.
COOPER: The darndest things.
Still to come this morning -- what do we have this morning?
COLLINS: Joseph Wilson accused the White House of manipulation to build the case of war in Iraq. But now somebody says the former ambassador wasn't all that honest himself.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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