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CNN Live At Daybreak
British Intelligence Report; Grieving Family Finds Wrong Body in Casket
Aired July 15, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Now in the news, an anti-Saddam Hussein demonstration in Iraq is followed by more insurgent attacks today. Car bomb explosions were reported in Hadithah, Karbala and Baghdad. As many as 10 Iraqis, some of them police officers, were killed in that blast in Hadithah. Also, a bomb explosion has heavily damaged an oil pipeline in northern Iraq 55 miles southwest of Kirkuk.
Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun is on his way to the United States from Germany. Hassoun was missing in Iraq and believed taken hostage, but he reappeared alive and well in Beirut, Lebanon.
Nelson Mandela will push tuberculosis treatment at the International AIDS Conference a few hours from now. The former South African president notes that large numbers of AIDS victims die of TB.
On its third try, NASA successfully launched the Aura satellite into space about a half an hour ago. The Aura is the most sophisticated satellite ever sent to study the Earth's atmosphere. The equipment will give NASA its most accurate measurement of the ozone layer. Technical problems caused the delays.
The 11th stage of the Tour de France begins at this hour with Frenchman Thomas Voeckler the overall leader. American Lance Armstrong, the five-time champion, is in sixth place.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(WEATHER BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is claiming a report on prewar intelligence vindicates his government. But he may not be off the hook just yet.
Let's go live to London to chat with our Robin Oakley -- Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, Tony Blair, as you say, is feeling vindicated by the Butler inquiry report. It did, after all, say that there was no deliberate distortion, no culpable negligence by him and his government. It said there was no evidence to question the good faith of Mr. Blair. But all of the media in Britain, who have now had a time to digest the 196 pages of the Butler report, are reflecting things in a rather different way.
Take the front page today of "The Independent," for example. "The Butler Report, the intelligence flawed, the dossier dodgy, the 45-minute claim" -- Tony Blair's claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction he could unleash at 45 minutes' notice -- "wrong," says "The Independent" in the Butler inquiry.
Now, what's puzzling a lot of the media is that Lord Butler makes a lot of criticisms of the intelligence -- "seriously flawed," he calls it -- and the way in which the government presents it. But he doesn't name anybody as to blame.
"Daily Mail": "No one is to blame."
And then, finally, we get the question of, well, if all of these things were wrong, who is going to carry the can at the end of the day? And the opposition, of course, are saying that Tony Blair's credibility remains shot to ribbons.
"Daily Express": "Can we ever trust Blair again?"
And the problem for Tony Blair is that basically the Butler inquiry report said that that 45-minute claim should never have been in the dossier. The Joint Intelligence Committee, the spy chiefs, should never have been brought in by the government to give veracity to the government's claim. And above all that the government and the intelligence community allowed themselves to strip out of that dossier all of the necessary qualifications that should have been there about how weak the intelligence really was.
And there is also criticism of Tony Blair taking too many decisions with a small coterie of advisers inside Downing Street, not widening out the information to his whole cabinet -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Robin Oakley in London, thanks very much for that update.
"USA Today" reports the government is scrapping one of its weapons in the war on terror. CAPPS II was a plan to collect personal data on airline passengers to assess their threat risk. Under CAPPS II, authorities would cross-check personal details against terrorist databases. Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge cites privacy concerns for dropping CAPPS II. The government spent more than $100 million on planning alone.
Senator John Kerry speaks the NAACP today, something President Bush refuses to do.
Let's take this up with our senior political correspondent, Bill Schneider. He is on the phone with us from Washington.
Good morning to you -- Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, well, so much for unifying. President Bush said he wanted to be a unifier, and now it seems as though he's alienating himself by refusing to appear at the NAACP. And has he also further alienated himself with this failed proposed constitutional amendment on same-sex marriage?
SCHNEIDER: Well, all of this appears to be playing to his base, solidifying the conservatives who, it seems to me, are pretty solidly behind him. But there are some complaints there is too much spending in this administration.
So, prior to the convention, clearly the president is paying a lot of attention to shoring up his conservative support. We know that they're worried that religious right voters may not show up in large enough numbers to get him elected or re-elected. And that was what the support for the amendment to ban same-sex marriage was all about.
His comments about the leadership of the NAACP are little bit more puzzling, because he essentially threw the issue right back at them and said, you say insulting things about me. I don't have any relationship with you. And that was a little bit startling.
WHITFIELD: And in the end, it will be remembered that President Bush is the first sitting president since Herbert Hoover in the early '30s to refuse to appear during the NAACP convention. And it was just in 2000 when he was a presidential candidate, however, that he said this before the NAACP. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I recognize the history of the Republican Party and the NAACP has not been one of regular partnership. But our nation is harmed when we let our differences separate us and divide us. So, while some in my party have avoided the NAACP, and while some in the NAACP have avoided my party, I am proud to be here. I am proud to be here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, that was George W. Bush as the candidate for the presidency. Bill, what happened since his presidency?
SCHNEIDER: What happened is that he is saying, and with some accuracy, that the leadership of the NAACP has said some very harsh and unkind things about this president. In fact, after he essentially made his comments that he wouldn't attend a NAACP meeting, the head of the organization, Kweisi Mfume, compared President Bush to Saddam Hussein. That is a bit outrageous, and that's exactly what the president is talking about.
The problem is, is it appropriate for the president essentially to return the insult and say, I have no relationship with them, you should hear the things they are saying about me, and refuse to show up? That risks two things: No. 1, creating an even heavier African- American turnout, which would be almost -- which would be overwhelmingly Democratic; and No. 2, offending a lot of moderate white voters who feel that President Bush promised to be a uniter, not a divider. And that is one promise he certainly has not delivered.
WHITFIELD: All right. And it will be interesting to see what happens next week. President Bush says he will speak before the National Urban League, and we'll see if that's makeup now.
Well, let's talk a little inside Washington rumors. "The New York Times" is reporting that one of the rumors floating around is that Cheney fired his main physician only to make room now for a new physician, who might possibly say to him he's unfit for the vice presidency, and that he would drop out. Is this a theory that's plausible in Washington?
SCHNEIDER: Well, in Washington anything is plausible. We do know that there was a reason why he dismissed his physician. His physician was discovered to have had a prescription drug abuse problem, and therefore was unfit to serve as the personal physician for the vice president.
He happens to be the guy, the physician, who declared that the vice president was fit to run for president. So, therefore, it would not be difficult to imagine, spin out the conspiracy, that the new physician will conveniently declare sometime in the next month that Cheney is now unfit to run for president -- or vice president or to serve as president, and therefore would make it easy for Bush to drop him.
And replace him with who? Well, there is wild speculation: Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, John McCain, Bill Frist -- all kinds of names are surfacing.
WHITFIELD: And that's the buzz around Washington this morning. Bill Schneider, thanks very much for joining us on the telephone. Have a great day.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is now about 15 minutes before the hour. And here is what's all new this morning.
The proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is dead for now. In a procedural vote, six Republican senators joined Democrats to keep the measure from moving forward.
Mike Ditka just says no. So, Illinois Republicans are still scrambling for a Senate candidate. Ditka said at first the idea excited him, then decided his volatile temperament could prove a drawback on Capitol Hill. In money, a teacher's union survey says teacher pay is not keeping up with the cost of living. A study found the average pay is less than $46,000 last year, not enough to keep pace with health costs.
In culture, Slim-Fast is shedding spokeswoman Whoopi Goldberg. The company says it's disappointed at her off-color anti-Bush comments at a fund-raiser last week for Senator John Kerry.
In sports, the Diesel is pulling out of L.A. Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal has been traded to the Miami Heat for three players and a draft pick.
(WEATHER BREAK)
WHITFIELD: At the top of the hour, it's time for "AMERICAN MORNING." In fact, let's check in with Heidi and Anderson right now for a look at what's ahead.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Fredricka. It's nice to see you this morning.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning.
WHITFIELD: Good to see you all.
COLLINS: We are talking this morning about the terror threat facing the U.S. We've been talking about it for a while, of course. The nation's top spy, he's going to be talking about just how serious that threat really is.
COOPER: Also, we're going to continue our series, "The Truth About Lying," part 4 of the weeklong series. Today, who are bigger liars? Men or women? Hmmm.
COLLINS: I'm waiting on this one big time.
COOPER: Yes, we'll see.
COLLINS: Also, the Emmy nominations today. "Friends," "The Sopranos," "The Apprentice," all in contention. We're going to have that announcement for you live.
So, we've got lots to talk about. That and more all ahead on this "AMERICAN MORNING."
Fred, what do you think? Men or women bigger liars?
WHITFIELD: I am not touching that one, no way, Jose.
COLLINS: Come on!
WHITFIELD: No, at least not on the air.
COLLINS: All right.
WHITFIELD: I'll be listening. Thanks a lot, Heidi and Anderson.
COLLINS: Bye.
WHITFIELD: Well, two Michigan families faced tragedy after their teenaged sons were involved in a car crash. One boy died, another survived with critical injuries. For days, one family kept a vigil at a hospital bed, while the other prepared for a funeral.
But as Dee Morrison reports, they were all in for even more shock.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEE MORRISON CNN AFFILIATE WOOD REPORTER (voice over): Sobbing friends arrived for a funeral, not knowing how to comfort, except to hug. A terrible tragedy now compounded by a horrible mistake.
SARAH OLSEN, FRIEND: Of hearing this morning, the mix-up, it was a shock.
MORRISON: Saturday, three friends from Forest Hills heading back from a trip up north were hit by another vehicle in Antrim County. One boy died, one was badly hurt. Deputies notified the families of Patrick Bement and Nate Smith.
The paper carried 17-year-old Pat Bement's obituary. But the moment his family saw the body in the casket they knew there had been an awful mistake. They talked with Nate's family, keeping vigil in a hospital room in Traverse City. And after hours of comparison, demanded police double-check. Fingerprints proved deputies mixed up the two teenagers.
The funeral service was canceled; a prayer service held instead, allowing mourners to offer words of comfort to all families involved.
STEVE HARVEY, TEACHER: On the one hand, you're somewhat relieved for Patrick's family that he still has hope, and then that also means that another student has passed away. And so, there is tremendous sadness on that part.
MORRISON: Friends seesawed between joy for Patrick and grief for Nate, made worse by the misidentification.
COREY TURCO, FRIEND: Yes, because, like, I wasn't used to it, but, like, I was handling it. And then it just got swapped.
MORRISON: Many comforted Blake Flikkema. Driving the car that night, the only one wearing a seat belt, he has minor injuries. But he's devastated by what happened to his friends. No one knows quite how to deal with the shock.
TOM VANGERWOUDE, PRINCIPAL: There is no recipe for it. We're just here to help. We're here to help.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: And that was Dee Morrison of WOOD, our Grand Rapids, Michigan, affiliate.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, we're about 90 minutes away from the Emmy nomination announcements. Which shows and networks are going to come up big this time around?
For some predictions, we're joined by "TV Guide's" Bruce Fretts, who is in New York.
Good to see you, Bruce.
BRUCE FRETTS, "TV GUIDE": Good to see you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. What are your best picks for best drama?
FRETTS: The best drama, it's an interesting race this year. There is a slot open, because "Six Feet Under," which has been nominated in the past few years, didn't air any new episodes last season.
So, I think, in addition to the usual suspects, we see "The Sopranos," "The West Wing," "CSI" and "24," you're going to see a new show in there. It could be one of the F/X shows, like "Nip/Tuck" or "The Shield."
But I think it's probably going to be "Deadwood," the new HBO western, which was a really audacious show that took a lot of people by surprise last season. And David Milch, the creator, is very familiar to the academy from his work on "NYPD Blue" and "Hill Street Blues." So, I think that could be the newcomer in the best drama field this year.
WHITFIELD: Well, I've seen two of those then, "Sopranos" and "Deadwood." And you're right. "Deadwood" really was quite a surprise.
FRETTS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: But that really does kind of serve to a certain audience out there. It's not for everybody.
FRETTS: Right, absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. For best comedy series, I wonder if this is going to be the year to pay homage to the series that is no longer, like "Sex and the City" and "Frasier" and "Friends."
FRETTS: Right. I don't know if "Frasier" will make the cut. It fell off the list a few years ago, and I think the sense is that it stayed a little too long. But I think that "Sex and the City" and I think "Friends" will both get nominated for their final seasons. "Everybody Loves Raymond" is going into its last season, and it will probably get nominated. And "Curb your Enthusiasm," I think, will be nominated again.
The newcomer in the category, I think, might be "Arrested Development," the Fox sitcom that didn't make much impact in the ratings but was hugely popular with critics and within the industry. And it's the kind of show that the Emmys could really put on the map if they give it a lot of nominations this year.
WHITFIELD: And "Curb Your Enthusiasm," that really did get folks' attention. That's kind of quirky and fun...
FRETTS: Right. Right, yes.
WHITFIELD: ... and eyebrow-raising.
FRETTS: Yes, and Larry David is very well-liked out in Hollywood, too. So, I think his show will get nominated again, too.
WHITFIELD: All right. Comedy actors now.
FRETTS: Comedy actors, I think Larry David in "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Ray Romano. I think Matt LeBlanc will get nominated from "Friends" since he's spinning into "Joey." And Tony Shaloub I think will be nominated for "Monk." He won last year. And I think Jason Bateman for "Arrested Development" could be the fifth contender. He might knock off Bernie Mac, or from "Will & Grace," Eric McCormack.
Jason Bateman from "Arrested Development," he's been in about 10 different series, has never really found the right role, and this show has really showcased him in a great way. And I think he might make the list this year.
WHITFIELD: All right. Best actor in a drama.
FRETTS: Best actor in a drama, I think you'll see James Gandolfini from "The Sopranos" again. Martin Sheen from "The West Wing" will probably get nominated, although that show, I think, won't get as many nominations overall this year. Michael Chiklis from "The Shield." And Kiefer Sutherland from "24."
And I think the newcomer in the category this year might be Anthony LaPaglia from "Without a Trace." He won the Golden Globe this year. That show really broke out in the ratings this year, and I think he could be the one to round out the list.
WHITFIELD: And then finally, best actress in a comedy.
FRETTS: Best actress in a comedy, I think some of the outgoing people. Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston. I think Patricia Heaton will get nominated again and Debra Messing. And I'm predicting the newcomer -- and this is a long shot, and it may just be wishful thinking -- but Leah Remini from the "King of Queens." That show really came into its own last season, and she had a great year. So, I think she might knock off Jane Kazcmarek from "Malcolm in the Middle," who is usually nominated. WHITFIELD: And best actress in a drama.
FRETTS: Best actress in a drama, I think Edie Falco will get nominated again. Jennifer Garner from "Alias." Marg Helgenberger from "CSI." Allison Janney from "The West Wing." And the newcomer there could be Amber Tamblyn from "Joan of Arcadia," which was kind of a sleeper last year. It's got a real heartland appeal that I think the academy will like. She could be the new face on the list there.
WHITFIELD: And I would like to see Edie Falco walk away with it in the end, because she really displayed an incredible emotional roller coaster ride through the series.
FRETTS: Yes. I think she's almost a lock to win again this year. She's just -- she's the best, and she had a great season, I think, with Carmela going off on her own. It provided her a lot of opportunities to really show off her talent.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Bruce Fretts, "TV Guide," thanks very much for helping up look ahead. And we'll all be watching, of course.
Be sure to stay with CNN for live coverage of the Emmy nomination announcements. It all gets under way at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time this morning. So tune in to "AMERICAN MORNING" for a complete look at the tops in television.
And we'll be right back, but first the headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Time to give away the coffee mug from yesterday.
WHITFIELD: I think that now is a good time.
MYERS: There it is. We'll be shipping that off to you if you answered the questions correctly. And they were chosen randomly from our producer's list.
What item is being sold to support the president's campaign? And that is W ketchup.
And how many servings of fruit did Lisa Drayer say you should consume each day to cut your risk of macular degeneration? And that was three. Three servings of fruit.
The winner, from North Clarendon, Vermont, Dave Chapman! Hey, Dave, I could even bring your mug up for you. I'm going to be up in Rutland in about two weeks.
WHITFIELD: Hey, you can hand-deliver it.
MYERS: No, we'll send it to you. We'll get it in the mail to make sure we get it to you.
Also now your question of the day for today -- two questions. You have to answer them both.
What pitch man is joining the campaign to fight against childhood obesity? You'll recognize him from his picture obviously. And what trophy is being sold? It may go for $1 million.
E-mail your answers to Daybreak@CNN.com.
WHITFIELD: To some lucky somebody.
MYERS: Not anybody.
WHITFIELD: No.
MYERS: They have chosen 150 groups or candidates to actually buy this thing, so you just can't put it on eBay, I guess.
WHITFIELD: That's right. They want to know the new owner.
MYERS: They do.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot.
MYERS: All right?
WHITFIELD: That's it for us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts 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 15, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Now in the news, an anti-Saddam Hussein demonstration in Iraq is followed by more insurgent attacks today. Car bomb explosions were reported in Hadithah, Karbala and Baghdad. As many as 10 Iraqis, some of them police officers, were killed in that blast in Hadithah. Also, a bomb explosion has heavily damaged an oil pipeline in northern Iraq 55 miles southwest of Kirkuk.
Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun is on his way to the United States from Germany. Hassoun was missing in Iraq and believed taken hostage, but he reappeared alive and well in Beirut, Lebanon.
Nelson Mandela will push tuberculosis treatment at the International AIDS Conference a few hours from now. The former South African president notes that large numbers of AIDS victims die of TB.
On its third try, NASA successfully launched the Aura satellite into space about a half an hour ago. The Aura is the most sophisticated satellite ever sent to study the Earth's atmosphere. The equipment will give NASA its most accurate measurement of the ozone layer. Technical problems caused the delays.
The 11th stage of the Tour de France begins at this hour with Frenchman Thomas Voeckler the overall leader. American Lance Armstrong, the five-time champion, is in sixth place.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(WEATHER BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is claiming a report on prewar intelligence vindicates his government. But he may not be off the hook just yet.
Let's go live to London to chat with our Robin Oakley -- Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, Tony Blair, as you say, is feeling vindicated by the Butler inquiry report. It did, after all, say that there was no deliberate distortion, no culpable negligence by him and his government. It said there was no evidence to question the good faith of Mr. Blair. But all of the media in Britain, who have now had a time to digest the 196 pages of the Butler report, are reflecting things in a rather different way.
Take the front page today of "The Independent," for example. "The Butler Report, the intelligence flawed, the dossier dodgy, the 45-minute claim" -- Tony Blair's claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction he could unleash at 45 minutes' notice -- "wrong," says "The Independent" in the Butler inquiry.
Now, what's puzzling a lot of the media is that Lord Butler makes a lot of criticisms of the intelligence -- "seriously flawed," he calls it -- and the way in which the government presents it. But he doesn't name anybody as to blame.
"Daily Mail": "No one is to blame."
And then, finally, we get the question of, well, if all of these things were wrong, who is going to carry the can at the end of the day? And the opposition, of course, are saying that Tony Blair's credibility remains shot to ribbons.
"Daily Express": "Can we ever trust Blair again?"
And the problem for Tony Blair is that basically the Butler inquiry report said that that 45-minute claim should never have been in the dossier. The Joint Intelligence Committee, the spy chiefs, should never have been brought in by the government to give veracity to the government's claim. And above all that the government and the intelligence community allowed themselves to strip out of that dossier all of the necessary qualifications that should have been there about how weak the intelligence really was.
And there is also criticism of Tony Blair taking too many decisions with a small coterie of advisers inside Downing Street, not widening out the information to his whole cabinet -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Robin Oakley in London, thanks very much for that update.
"USA Today" reports the government is scrapping one of its weapons in the war on terror. CAPPS II was a plan to collect personal data on airline passengers to assess their threat risk. Under CAPPS II, authorities would cross-check personal details against terrorist databases. Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge cites privacy concerns for dropping CAPPS II. The government spent more than $100 million on planning alone.
Senator John Kerry speaks the NAACP today, something President Bush refuses to do.
Let's take this up with our senior political correspondent, Bill Schneider. He is on the phone with us from Washington.
Good morning to you -- Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, well, so much for unifying. President Bush said he wanted to be a unifier, and now it seems as though he's alienating himself by refusing to appear at the NAACP. And has he also further alienated himself with this failed proposed constitutional amendment on same-sex marriage?
SCHNEIDER: Well, all of this appears to be playing to his base, solidifying the conservatives who, it seems to me, are pretty solidly behind him. But there are some complaints there is too much spending in this administration.
So, prior to the convention, clearly the president is paying a lot of attention to shoring up his conservative support. We know that they're worried that religious right voters may not show up in large enough numbers to get him elected or re-elected. And that was what the support for the amendment to ban same-sex marriage was all about.
His comments about the leadership of the NAACP are little bit more puzzling, because he essentially threw the issue right back at them and said, you say insulting things about me. I don't have any relationship with you. And that was a little bit startling.
WHITFIELD: And in the end, it will be remembered that President Bush is the first sitting president since Herbert Hoover in the early '30s to refuse to appear during the NAACP convention. And it was just in 2000 when he was a presidential candidate, however, that he said this before the NAACP. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I recognize the history of the Republican Party and the NAACP has not been one of regular partnership. But our nation is harmed when we let our differences separate us and divide us. So, while some in my party have avoided the NAACP, and while some in the NAACP have avoided my party, I am proud to be here. I am proud to be here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, that was George W. Bush as the candidate for the presidency. Bill, what happened since his presidency?
SCHNEIDER: What happened is that he is saying, and with some accuracy, that the leadership of the NAACP has said some very harsh and unkind things about this president. In fact, after he essentially made his comments that he wouldn't attend a NAACP meeting, the head of the organization, Kweisi Mfume, compared President Bush to Saddam Hussein. That is a bit outrageous, and that's exactly what the president is talking about.
The problem is, is it appropriate for the president essentially to return the insult and say, I have no relationship with them, you should hear the things they are saying about me, and refuse to show up? That risks two things: No. 1, creating an even heavier African- American turnout, which would be almost -- which would be overwhelmingly Democratic; and No. 2, offending a lot of moderate white voters who feel that President Bush promised to be a uniter, not a divider. And that is one promise he certainly has not delivered.
WHITFIELD: All right. And it will be interesting to see what happens next week. President Bush says he will speak before the National Urban League, and we'll see if that's makeup now.
Well, let's talk a little inside Washington rumors. "The New York Times" is reporting that one of the rumors floating around is that Cheney fired his main physician only to make room now for a new physician, who might possibly say to him he's unfit for the vice presidency, and that he would drop out. Is this a theory that's plausible in Washington?
SCHNEIDER: Well, in Washington anything is plausible. We do know that there was a reason why he dismissed his physician. His physician was discovered to have had a prescription drug abuse problem, and therefore was unfit to serve as the personal physician for the vice president.
He happens to be the guy, the physician, who declared that the vice president was fit to run for president. So, therefore, it would not be difficult to imagine, spin out the conspiracy, that the new physician will conveniently declare sometime in the next month that Cheney is now unfit to run for president -- or vice president or to serve as president, and therefore would make it easy for Bush to drop him.
And replace him with who? Well, there is wild speculation: Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, John McCain, Bill Frist -- all kinds of names are surfacing.
WHITFIELD: And that's the buzz around Washington this morning. Bill Schneider, thanks very much for joining us on the telephone. Have a great day.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is now about 15 minutes before the hour. And here is what's all new this morning.
The proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is dead for now. In a procedural vote, six Republican senators joined Democrats to keep the measure from moving forward.
Mike Ditka just says no. So, Illinois Republicans are still scrambling for a Senate candidate. Ditka said at first the idea excited him, then decided his volatile temperament could prove a drawback on Capitol Hill. In money, a teacher's union survey says teacher pay is not keeping up with the cost of living. A study found the average pay is less than $46,000 last year, not enough to keep pace with health costs.
In culture, Slim-Fast is shedding spokeswoman Whoopi Goldberg. The company says it's disappointed at her off-color anti-Bush comments at a fund-raiser last week for Senator John Kerry.
In sports, the Diesel is pulling out of L.A. Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal has been traded to the Miami Heat for three players and a draft pick.
(WEATHER BREAK)
WHITFIELD: At the top of the hour, it's time for "AMERICAN MORNING." In fact, let's check in with Heidi and Anderson right now for a look at what's ahead.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Fredricka. It's nice to see you this morning.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning.
WHITFIELD: Good to see you all.
COLLINS: We are talking this morning about the terror threat facing the U.S. We've been talking about it for a while, of course. The nation's top spy, he's going to be talking about just how serious that threat really is.
COOPER: Also, we're going to continue our series, "The Truth About Lying," part 4 of the weeklong series. Today, who are bigger liars? Men or women? Hmmm.
COLLINS: I'm waiting on this one big time.
COOPER: Yes, we'll see.
COLLINS: Also, the Emmy nominations today. "Friends," "The Sopranos," "The Apprentice," all in contention. We're going to have that announcement for you live.
So, we've got lots to talk about. That and more all ahead on this "AMERICAN MORNING."
Fred, what do you think? Men or women bigger liars?
WHITFIELD: I am not touching that one, no way, Jose.
COLLINS: Come on!
WHITFIELD: No, at least not on the air.
COLLINS: All right.
WHITFIELD: I'll be listening. Thanks a lot, Heidi and Anderson.
COLLINS: Bye.
WHITFIELD: Well, two Michigan families faced tragedy after their teenaged sons were involved in a car crash. One boy died, another survived with critical injuries. For days, one family kept a vigil at a hospital bed, while the other prepared for a funeral.
But as Dee Morrison reports, they were all in for even more shock.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEE MORRISON CNN AFFILIATE WOOD REPORTER (voice over): Sobbing friends arrived for a funeral, not knowing how to comfort, except to hug. A terrible tragedy now compounded by a horrible mistake.
SARAH OLSEN, FRIEND: Of hearing this morning, the mix-up, it was a shock.
MORRISON: Saturday, three friends from Forest Hills heading back from a trip up north were hit by another vehicle in Antrim County. One boy died, one was badly hurt. Deputies notified the families of Patrick Bement and Nate Smith.
The paper carried 17-year-old Pat Bement's obituary. But the moment his family saw the body in the casket they knew there had been an awful mistake. They talked with Nate's family, keeping vigil in a hospital room in Traverse City. And after hours of comparison, demanded police double-check. Fingerprints proved deputies mixed up the two teenagers.
The funeral service was canceled; a prayer service held instead, allowing mourners to offer words of comfort to all families involved.
STEVE HARVEY, TEACHER: On the one hand, you're somewhat relieved for Patrick's family that he still has hope, and then that also means that another student has passed away. And so, there is tremendous sadness on that part.
MORRISON: Friends seesawed between joy for Patrick and grief for Nate, made worse by the misidentification.
COREY TURCO, FRIEND: Yes, because, like, I wasn't used to it, but, like, I was handling it. And then it just got swapped.
MORRISON: Many comforted Blake Flikkema. Driving the car that night, the only one wearing a seat belt, he has minor injuries. But he's devastated by what happened to his friends. No one knows quite how to deal with the shock.
TOM VANGERWOUDE, PRINCIPAL: There is no recipe for it. We're just here to help. We're here to help.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: And that was Dee Morrison of WOOD, our Grand Rapids, Michigan, affiliate.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, we're about 90 minutes away from the Emmy nomination announcements. Which shows and networks are going to come up big this time around?
For some predictions, we're joined by "TV Guide's" Bruce Fretts, who is in New York.
Good to see you, Bruce.
BRUCE FRETTS, "TV GUIDE": Good to see you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. What are your best picks for best drama?
FRETTS: The best drama, it's an interesting race this year. There is a slot open, because "Six Feet Under," which has been nominated in the past few years, didn't air any new episodes last season.
So, I think, in addition to the usual suspects, we see "The Sopranos," "The West Wing," "CSI" and "24," you're going to see a new show in there. It could be one of the F/X shows, like "Nip/Tuck" or "The Shield."
But I think it's probably going to be "Deadwood," the new HBO western, which was a really audacious show that took a lot of people by surprise last season. And David Milch, the creator, is very familiar to the academy from his work on "NYPD Blue" and "Hill Street Blues." So, I think that could be the newcomer in the best drama field this year.
WHITFIELD: Well, I've seen two of those then, "Sopranos" and "Deadwood." And you're right. "Deadwood" really was quite a surprise.
FRETTS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: But that really does kind of serve to a certain audience out there. It's not for everybody.
FRETTS: Right, absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right. For best comedy series, I wonder if this is going to be the year to pay homage to the series that is no longer, like "Sex and the City" and "Frasier" and "Friends."
FRETTS: Right. I don't know if "Frasier" will make the cut. It fell off the list a few years ago, and I think the sense is that it stayed a little too long. But I think that "Sex and the City" and I think "Friends" will both get nominated for their final seasons. "Everybody Loves Raymond" is going into its last season, and it will probably get nominated. And "Curb your Enthusiasm," I think, will be nominated again.
The newcomer in the category, I think, might be "Arrested Development," the Fox sitcom that didn't make much impact in the ratings but was hugely popular with critics and within the industry. And it's the kind of show that the Emmys could really put on the map if they give it a lot of nominations this year.
WHITFIELD: And "Curb Your Enthusiasm," that really did get folks' attention. That's kind of quirky and fun...
FRETTS: Right. Right, yes.
WHITFIELD: ... and eyebrow-raising.
FRETTS: Yes, and Larry David is very well-liked out in Hollywood, too. So, I think his show will get nominated again, too.
WHITFIELD: All right. Comedy actors now.
FRETTS: Comedy actors, I think Larry David in "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Ray Romano. I think Matt LeBlanc will get nominated from "Friends" since he's spinning into "Joey." And Tony Shaloub I think will be nominated for "Monk." He won last year. And I think Jason Bateman for "Arrested Development" could be the fifth contender. He might knock off Bernie Mac, or from "Will & Grace," Eric McCormack.
Jason Bateman from "Arrested Development," he's been in about 10 different series, has never really found the right role, and this show has really showcased him in a great way. And I think he might make the list this year.
WHITFIELD: All right. Best actor in a drama.
FRETTS: Best actor in a drama, I think you'll see James Gandolfini from "The Sopranos" again. Martin Sheen from "The West Wing" will probably get nominated, although that show, I think, won't get as many nominations overall this year. Michael Chiklis from "The Shield." And Kiefer Sutherland from "24."
And I think the newcomer in the category this year might be Anthony LaPaglia from "Without a Trace." He won the Golden Globe this year. That show really broke out in the ratings this year, and I think he could be the one to round out the list.
WHITFIELD: And then finally, best actress in a comedy.
FRETTS: Best actress in a comedy, I think some of the outgoing people. Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston. I think Patricia Heaton will get nominated again and Debra Messing. And I'm predicting the newcomer -- and this is a long shot, and it may just be wishful thinking -- but Leah Remini from the "King of Queens." That show really came into its own last season, and she had a great year. So, I think she might knock off Jane Kazcmarek from "Malcolm in the Middle," who is usually nominated. WHITFIELD: And best actress in a drama.
FRETTS: Best actress in a drama, I think Edie Falco will get nominated again. Jennifer Garner from "Alias." Marg Helgenberger from "CSI." Allison Janney from "The West Wing." And the newcomer there could be Amber Tamblyn from "Joan of Arcadia," which was kind of a sleeper last year. It's got a real heartland appeal that I think the academy will like. She could be the new face on the list there.
WHITFIELD: And I would like to see Edie Falco walk away with it in the end, because she really displayed an incredible emotional roller coaster ride through the series.
FRETTS: Yes. I think she's almost a lock to win again this year. She's just -- she's the best, and she had a great season, I think, with Carmela going off on her own. It provided her a lot of opportunities to really show off her talent.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Bruce Fretts, "TV Guide," thanks very much for helping up look ahead. And we'll all be watching, of course.
Be sure to stay with CNN for live coverage of the Emmy nomination announcements. It all gets under way at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time this morning. So tune in to "AMERICAN MORNING" for a complete look at the tops in television.
And we'll be right back, but first the headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Time to give away the coffee mug from yesterday.
WHITFIELD: I think that now is a good time.
MYERS: There it is. We'll be shipping that off to you if you answered the questions correctly. And they were chosen randomly from our producer's list.
What item is being sold to support the president's campaign? And that is W ketchup.
And how many servings of fruit did Lisa Drayer say you should consume each day to cut your risk of macular degeneration? And that was three. Three servings of fruit.
The winner, from North Clarendon, Vermont, Dave Chapman! Hey, Dave, I could even bring your mug up for you. I'm going to be up in Rutland in about two weeks.
WHITFIELD: Hey, you can hand-deliver it.
MYERS: No, we'll send it to you. We'll get it in the mail to make sure we get it to you.
Also now your question of the day for today -- two questions. You have to answer them both.
What pitch man is joining the campaign to fight against childhood obesity? You'll recognize him from his picture obviously. And what trophy is being sold? It may go for $1 million.
E-mail your answers to Daybreak@CNN.com.
WHITFIELD: To some lucky somebody.
MYERS: Not anybody.
WHITFIELD: No.
MYERS: They have chosen 150 groups or candidates to actually buy this thing, so you just can't put it on eBay, I guess.
WHITFIELD: That's right. They want to know the new owner.
MYERS: They do.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot.
MYERS: All right?
WHITFIELD: That's it for us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts now.
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