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CNN Live At Daybreak
Former Clinton Aid Sandy Berger Says He Will No Longer Advise Kerry's Presidential Campaign; Discussing Arab Media Coverage of Abduction, Release of Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun
Aired July 21, 2004 - 06:00 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just a mistake or a criminal act -- Sandy Berger speaks out in his own defense.
It's Wednesday, July 21, and this is DAYBREAK.
Hey, good morning.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin.
Now in the news, Angelo de la Cruz is expected to arrive in the United Arab Emirates just about 30 minutes from now. De la Cruz was released by his Iraqi abductors after the Philippines withdrew its troops from the country earlier than scheduled.
And later today, the Senate Armed Services Committee will look at how states have responded to the needs of military families with service members overseas. Among those testifying, the wife of the commander of the 101st Airborne Division.
Four government agencies, including the National Institute On Drug Abuse and the DEA, are being sued today. Researchers in Massachusetts accuse them of violating federal law by obstructing research into marijuana for medical purposes.
And north of Los Angeles today, firefighters hope to get the upper hand on some wind whipped wildfires. More homes were evacuated after a new fire erupted in the desert brush.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Of course, everybody knows that -- Chad.
Good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LIN: Former Clinton aid Sandy Berger says he will no longer advise John Kerry's presidential campaign. Berger is stepping down after it was revealed he is being investigated for allegedly taking some notes, which is against policy, from the National Archives.
CNN's Skip Loescher joins us now from Washington with more on this -- good morning, Skip. SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
The real question is how much of a problem this has really created in terms of national security, if any at all. Sandy Berger stepping down as an adviser to the Kerry campaign after word leaked out that he's the subject of a criminal investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMUEL BERGER, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I made an honest mistake. It is one that I deeply regret.
LOESCHER (voice-over): It happened last year while former national security adviser Sandy Berger was researching Clinton era records at the National Archives for the 9/11 Commission.
BERGER: Everything that I have done all along in this process has been for the purpose of aiding and supporting the work of the 9/11 Commission.
LOESCHER: Berger admits taking notes he jotted by hand on highly classified material and even taking some copies of documents home.
LANNY BREUER, SAMUEL BERGER'S ATTORNEY: When he leaves, the memorandum got caught with his business papers and he walked out. It was inadvertent.
LOESCHER: Berger says he returned most of them. A few, he says, he threw away.
Archives staff say they saw Berger put items into his jacket and pants. One staffer claims Berger put something in his socks.
LANNY DAVIS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPECIAL COUNSEL: I suggest that person is lying and if that person has the guts, let's see who it is.
LOESCHER: Former President Clinton says he has no reason not to believe Berger.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a good man. He's worked his heart out for this country and he did everything he could to protect us.
LOESCHER: Republicans aren't so sure.
REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: All I know is what we read in the papers. But it looks like to me that this is just a third rate burglary.
LOESCHER: Republicans deny Democratic claims that the allegations are politically motivated.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOESCHER: The FBI has been investigating for nine months now and thus far there have been no charges filed. We're live in Washington.
I'm Skip Loescher.
Carol -- back to you.
LIN: A quick question for you, Skip. Clarify something for us. In one story we say that it was against policy that he removed or took some of these -- took some notes and then removed them from the National Archives. And now there is a criminal investigation.
What was against National Archives policy and what do the investigators think actually broke the law?
LOESCHER: The question mark in terms of policy regards taking notes from highly sensitive documents at the National Archives. You're not supposed to do that. The real question is when he walked away with documents, whether inadvertent or not, that could be considered to be a felony. We'll have to see how it all turns out.
LIN: All right, thanks for that clarification, Skip.
National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is getting an early briefing this afternoon on the 9/11 Commission's final report. That's expected out on Thursday. The White House says President Bush won't see the report until it's officially released. At a campaign stop in Missouri, the president defended the war in Iraq and he says he has no desire to be considered the war president. He said he'd much prefer being the peace president.
Meanwhile, presidential hopeful John Kerry has no public events today. He was seen kite surfing in Nantucket. The senator is spending this morning in Massachusetts and later he travels to Michigan.
No down time for Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards. He is making a swing through New York today. And tonight he's going to be right here on CNN. Both John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth are going to join Larry on "LARRY KING LIVE." You can watch all of them at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.
The State Department says the coalition in Iraq is still strong, despite the pullout of Philippine troops. Meanwhile, the man whose abduction prompted that pullout, former hostage Angelo de la Cruz, is heading home today. He left Baghdad just a few hours ago. The first stop is Abu Dhabi, where he'll be reunited with his wife. And then it's on to Manila.
Earlier, he spoke with reporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELO DE LA CRUZ, FORMER HOSTAGE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): The treatment that I received from them was very good. They gave me meals any time I wanted. Anything I needed was given to me and basically I received good treatment from them. On the decision of our president, I feel very good about it and very joyful and I know that the Filipinos are all very happy for the decision of the president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: His release obviously puts pressure on the coalition forces. Japan is vowing not to go the way of the Philippines. The Japanese government says it will keep its troops in Iraq despite apparent threats from a group linked to al Qaeda.
And U.S. troops in Iraq have suffered another deadly blow. One American soldier was killed and six others wounded in a roadside bombing today. The 1st Infantry Division troops were patrolling a Baghdad neighborhood when the blast ripped through their Bradley fighting vehicle. The death brings the total of U.S. troops killed in Iraq to over 900 -- 903, to be exact.
Lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan have led the Air Force to consider a new weapon. But it can be built, if it can, it would actually make the current bunker buster bombs seem like mere firecrackers.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the story of the big blue.
(AUDIO GAP)
LIN: Or maybe not.
Following up on a story we told you Monday, the day care center at the Pentagon is actually going to stay open for now. An official says it won't be closed in September, as planned. It's going to stay open until all the parents using the center make other arrangements for their kids. They really only had 60 days notice. Security concerns prompted the Defense Department to plan to close the day care center.
And here are some stories making news across America this Wednesday.
Just as firefighters were getting the upper hand on the Santa Clarita Fire, a new blaze broke out in northern Los Angeles County. The new fire quickly spread across 5,000 acres. Officials ordered the evacuation of nearly 200 homes in the wildfire's path.
The Muslim call to prayer will continue in a Detroit suburb. Residents of Hamtramck approved an amendment to the city's noise ordinance. It allows the call to prayer to be broadcast over loudspeakers. At least two mosques in the city currently broadcast the Arabic chants.
The search for a missing pregnant woman will resume this morning near Salt Lake City. More than 1,200 volunteers have been helping police in the search for 27-year-old Lori K. Hacking. She was last seen on Monday. On Thursday, she learned that she was five weeks pregnant. We're going to have much more on the search coming up a little bit later. The missing woman's mother and father-in-law will fill in some of the details. That comes your way on "AMERICAN MORNING" at 7:30 Eastern.
And still to come right here on DAYBREAK this morning, the insurgents get their way. Now the Filipino hostage is free. What does the Arab community think? I'm going to be speaking with a reporter from an Arab news network at 15 past the hour.
And then at 22 after, a not so flattering photo of a first daughter. There you go. An honest cabby in the Big Apple? An amazing lost and found tale at 6:23 Eastern.
And the low carb craze -- are Americans really buying it? At 24 past, shedding light on how Americans shed pounds.
This is DAYBREAK for Wednesday, July 21.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It is now 11 past the hour and here's what's happening and all this new this morning.
Israel has vowed to ignore a U.N. resolution that calls for the dismantling of the West Bank barrier. The general assembly passed the resolution by a wide margin, but the measure is not legally binding.
Investigators looking at the World Trade Center attacks say more people died below the impact areas than previously thought. The group is trying to make skyscrapers safer by understanding how people were able to escape the Towers on September 11.
In money, Microsoft is rewarding investors with a special $3 a share dividend payout. As the largest shareholder, founder Bill Gates stands now to make more than $3 billion off that dividend. He says the entire bonus will be donated to his charity foundation.
In culture, another record for that "Jeopardy" guy. Ken Jennings won another $29,000 on the game show, to push his record total to $1,164,000,000 and a few cents. He also set a record with 35 straight appearances on the show.
In sports, time again for the Tour de France, or the Tour de Lance. Lance Armstrong may have captured the yellow jersey for good after a strong win in the 15th stage. Armstrong leads by more than a minute, with just five stages left.
And in weather...
MYERS: Carol, good morning.
LIN: Good morning, Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT) LIN: Thanks, Chad.
I didn't think about gassing up and the time of day.
All right, still to come, you've heard, well, the advice. You've read the books. What do most Americans believe really works when it comes to losing weight?
Move over Danny Bonaduce. There's a new Partridge family in town.
And our DAYBREAK Photo of the Day -- check it out. What is it? It looks like two people -- there you go. We're going to have that answer right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: There's so much going on in the Middle East, from the war in Iraq to questions about Iran and the 9/11 hijackers, to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We always like to get a different point of view. We want to check in on a regular basis with Arab journalists, a journalist who can tell us more about the Arab world and the Arab media and how they're all reacting to this issue.
This morning, we're talking to Zaki Chehab.
He is a political editor -- the political editor -- for the television station Al Hayat-LBC.
Zaki, thanks for being here this morning.
Good morning to you.
ZAKI CHEHAB, AL HAYAT-LBC: Good morning, Carol.
LIN: I just want to make sure you can hear me.
Wassef Ali Hassoun -- the U.S. Marine who was allegedly held hostage, somehow made his way from Iraq through Syria to Lebanon and to freedom.
How is this story playing out in the Arab press? Because in the United States, a lot of questions as to the circumstances of how he disappeared and whether he was even held hostage.
CHEHAB: To start with, the story of the kidnapping of the American Marine, originally a Lebanese, was dealt, as you mentioned, a different way in the Arab world. First from, because of his background, because of the appeals made by his father, by his brother, by different religious leaders in Lebanon who asked for forgiving and for releasing him.
Definitely a lot of the question has been raised about the way he had disappeared. Somebody thought he was kidnapped. Somebody mentioned in the Arab press that he was trying to leave the Marines to go back to Lebanon. LIN: Right.
CHEHAB: Somebody said that he was -- he fell in love with an Iraqi lady and maybe some of the reason behind his kidnapping that this cause of things. So many questions have been raised and at some stage his parents have -- or his family have to make a statement saying that at no point he was going to leave the Marines.
LIN: Well, Zaki, I mean, we have the facts of the story, but from the Arab point of view, does the Arab world, do you believe Wassef Ali Hassoun's story, that he was kidnapped?
CHEHAB: Yes. In fact, he was kidnapped. A lot of people have intervened on his behalf and that's why he was, you know, released in Lebanon.
LIN: OK.
CHEHAB: So I'm sure a lot of questioning he was under when he was in Germany and back in the States.
LIN: Right.
CHEHAB: So I'm sure the real story now with his -- with the people who questioned him.
LIN: OK.
Another hostage free, this Filipino man. President Arroyo of the Philippines may pay a pretty high price for her decision to give in to the terrorists. That's how it's being read in the Western world -- the Philippines are giving in to the terrorists, they're giving the terrorists what they want. It saved one man's life, but it may jeopardize many more lives in Iraq.
What do you think? What is the Arab point of view on whether she did the right thing?
CHEHAB: I think in terms of, you know, how the kidnappers look at it, I'm sure it will encourage them to attack on other countries who are part of the coalition in the, you know, with the United States in Iraq. I'm sure Washington won't like this position, but they have no choice but to accept the Philippine government choice.
LIN: But does the Arab world agree with the decision?
CHEHAB: In terms of what the Filipino...
LIN: Does the Arab world agree with the decision? Because President Bush says do not negotiate with terrorists even if it means that this man, this father of eight, would die.
What would your newspaper say about that?
CHEHAB: I'm sure in terms of my newspaper, they look at the issue from different angles. They will just, you know, have to say what the Iraqi government is saying, what the American, what the kidnappers are saying. I'm sure, in a way, the Iraqi government, at the moment, won't like this action because it will encourage the insurgents to carry on such attacks and at the end of the day it will damage all the efforts to stabilize Iraq and, you know, bring Iraq back to the table.
LIN: Right.
Does your newspaper or what feedback you're getting from the Arab world believe that President Bush's statements about Iran and its cooperation, it's alleged cooperation with al Qaeda -- President Bush says that the United States is going to take a closer look at this issue.
How is the Arab world viewing this? Is there the thought that the United States may go to war with yet another Arab country?
CHEHAB: It is difficult for the United States at this stage to go to a war with another country in the Middle East because of the difficult situation the American forces are facing at the moment.
In terms of American -- U.S. -- American-Iranian relationship, it, in fact, varies from time to time. It depends on how far Iran cooperates with Washington. So one, you know, at some stage the Iranian -- the American government seeks the help of the Iranian government to calm Muqtada al-Sadr's people and to intervene on behalf of Washington, I think the Americans have embraced Iran. At some stage lately so many complaints about Iranian influence inside Iraq. And I'm sure the Americans, and especially Washington, will not, you know, be happy about how far Iran is getting influence inside Iraq.
LIN: Right.
Zaki Chehab, you just explained a complicated relationship that the United States has with Iran. No easy decisions there.
Thank you very much.
CHEHAB: Sure.
LIN: We've got much more here on DAYBREAK so stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Oh, welcome.
I'm Carol Lin sitting in for Carol Costello, who went off on...
MYERS: She's still on her honeymoon.
LIN: ... got married.
MYERS: You know, we're still getting e-mails -- did you fire Carol? No, we didn't.
LIN: You know, it's funny how your viewers tend to panic when she's not here.
MYERS: I know.
LIN: That's a lot of pressure on the girl.
MYERS: It's funny.
LIN: So good for her. I hope she's having a great time.
MYERS: She is having a great time. She's somewhere in Hawaii with her new beau.
LIN: Oh, nice.
MYERS: So don't worry about her. I'm sure she's fine.
LIN: Very nice.
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: All right, you know, we were talking about some political news earlier. President Bush campaigning in these critical Midwestern states with his daughter, Jenna, who's supposed to be a campaign asset.
MYERS: Yes, right.
LIN: But, you know, judge for yourself. This young lady had a message for the press, the media. There she is. Well, what is she doing there?
MYERS: You know, I'm not sure. Is she licking the window or just sticking her tongue out as us? I'm not sure.
LIN: Sign language. Well, let's hope she's not licking the window, because that would definitely be a negative for the Bush campaign.
MYERS: Exactly.
LIN: Well, young lady, 22 years old and she's helping her dad.
MYERS: She's having a good time. She's just having a good -- she's just having good fun.
LIN: Yes. Well, you know, we tend to take things very seriously in a campaign year.
We've got some DAYBREAK "Eye Openers."
MYERS: That's a great smile on her.
LIN: I know. She's beautiful. She looks a lot like her mom.
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: But these DAYBREAK "Eye Openers" you guys do?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: We want to show this one. Four Tennessee inmates, Chad, are in trouble for bringing beer to jail.
MYERS: Yes. Not to -- yes. They went out and got it and brought it back.
LIN: OK, so they escaped?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: Bought beer, came home?
MYERS: Right.
LIN: Apparently they propped open a door with a bible and cut a hole in a fence so that they could go on their beer run.
MYERS: Yes, OK.
LIN: Do you think they shared when they got back?
MYERS: I don't know.
LIN: All right. A New York cab driver, he's $500 richer, but he could have walked away with more than $70,000.
MYERS: This is the good Samaritan thing of the year right here.
LIN: Look at this, jewelry. All right, instead of keeping all of this that he found, apparently in the back of his cab, he called the owner and drove all that jewelry, everything, all the way out to Connecticut.
MYERS: It was worth $70,000. He got a $500 reward.
LIN: Oh, and a hug. He got a hug.
MYERS: Oh, he got a hug.
LIN: He got a hug from the grateful owner.
MYERS: All right. Well, that's a $69,000 hug.
LIN: All right, remember "The Partridge Family?"
MYERS: Sure.
LIN: Yes, there you go. Well, they -- there you go. There's the bus! There's an old favorite. You can actually, you can actually, what, try out for "The Partridge Family."
MYERS: Yes. LIN: There's an audition going right now. VH1 is choosing cast members for a revival of the "The Partridge Family" TV show. I wonder if you have to know how to sync or just lip sync or just you have to sing. There's time.
MYERS: There's Danny Bonaduce. I worked with him in Detroit for a while. He's in Chicago now.
LIN: Is he funny? He's on the radio now.
MYERS: He'/s a good guy.
LIN: All right, anyway, they get to ride around in that ugly bus.
MYERS: And sing.
LIN: And sing.
MYERS: I hope.
LIN: Yes.
OK, check this out. Did you know what this was at first glance?
MYERS: I, yes, I think I did.
LIN: I think it was pretty obvious the way we framed it.
MYERS: I thought it was pretty obvious.
LIN: I thought it was going to be really tight. But there you go. It is a peacock tail.
MYERS: There you go.
LIN: There you go.
MYERS: Very pretty.
LIN: Yes.
MYERS: Look at that.
LIN: Thanks very much.
MYERS: I think he's a male.
LIN: He's at the -- the big tail, is that what you mean?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: There you go.
All right, anyway, we also want to talk a little bit about dieting, you know? Have you ever tried that low-carb diet?
MYERS: I'm always -- I'm on it right now, actually.
LIN: Come on.
MYERS: I've lost 12 pounds.
LIN: Seriously?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: You look great. You've always looked great.
MYERS: Yes, well, my suit fits now and the buttons don't go like this.
LIN: Well, everybody is kind of beefing up on these low-carb diets. And everywhere you look these days, low-carb ice cream...
MYERS: Oh, everything.
LIN: Low-carb soda. It's kind of just...
MYERS: Ketchup, barbecue sauce...
LIN: I think it's kind of silly. But, you know, some people really need it and they need that guideline so this is what happens when you eat a healthy diet. We just want to figure out what really is true and what people actually believe.
Gallup Poll Editor-In-Chief Frank Newport is talking about that today, shedding some light, not a few pounds. You don't need to lose weight, Frank.
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well, not too much, I don't think, Carol.
Neither do you all. You all look very good this morning.
We actually have some empirical evidence on the degree to which low carbs are -- the fad about low carbs is moving across this country. A couple of years ago, we asked Americans a long list of foods and said do you try to include these or avoid these in your diet?
Now we just updated that, just a week or two ago. And lo and behold, we've found some significant changes.
This is carbohydrates. In July of 2002, before the real publicity about the Atkins diet was out there, 50 percent said they tried to include carbs. And then you see 20 percent said they tried to avoid them.
Now we just asked it again and look what's happened. The percent who say they tried to include carbs has dropped dramatically; only 33 percent of Americans. Those who say they want to avoid them has come up to 27 percent. So clearly this message about carbohydrates is getting through.
The same kind of thing, not as dramatic, about grains and breads, those other kinds of specific carbohydrates. Back in 2002, 81 percent said they try to include them. Now we come to July, that's come down, a slightly higher percent say they tried to avoid them.
No change, however, Carol, in red beef, red meat, beef and so forth. That's stayed about the same, so we've had no increase, but no change either in that.
So it looks like the message is getting through to some degree about trying to push down the number of carbs in one's diet.
LIN: Well, Frank, counting carbs seems to have become a national obsession.
But are Americans really convinced that low-carb diets actually work?
NEWPORT: Well, that's the interesting thing in the data. We gave Americans a choice a couple of years ago -- what's better for you, a low fat diet or a low-carb diet? And here's what we found. The low -- you can see the choices here. The low-carb diet won.
We just asked it again. No change. So in the big picture of things, Americans still are convinced that if you have to choose between the two, you can see the two, you go low carb as opposed to low fat.
But nevertheless, the changes there evident in the rest of the data, where we have Americans saying hey, we should not be so eager to put carbs in the diet.
LIN: Right.
You know how I lose weight, Frank?
NEWPORT: How is that, Carol?
LIN: I only eat carbs.
NEWPORT: Very interesting.
LIN: Just carbs.
NEWPORT: Well, I think most expert say it's the number of calories that really matter, regardless of where they come from.
LIN: OK.
NEWPORT: But, again, I'm not a true expert myself, I don't think.
LIN: Thanks, Frank. All right, just ahead, at 50 minutes past the hour, nutritionist Lisa Drayer explains how a healthy diet can not only shrink your waistline, but boost your brainpower.
We're back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired July 21, 2004 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Just a mistake or a criminal act -- Sandy Berger speaks out in his own defense.
It's Wednesday, July 21, and this is DAYBREAK.
Hey, good morning.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin.
Now in the news, Angelo de la Cruz is expected to arrive in the United Arab Emirates just about 30 minutes from now. De la Cruz was released by his Iraqi abductors after the Philippines withdrew its troops from the country earlier than scheduled.
And later today, the Senate Armed Services Committee will look at how states have responded to the needs of military families with service members overseas. Among those testifying, the wife of the commander of the 101st Airborne Division.
Four government agencies, including the National Institute On Drug Abuse and the DEA, are being sued today. Researchers in Massachusetts accuse them of violating federal law by obstructing research into marijuana for medical purposes.
And north of Los Angeles today, firefighters hope to get the upper hand on some wind whipped wildfires. More homes were evacuated after a new fire erupted in the desert brush.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Of course, everybody knows that -- Chad.
Good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
LIN: Former Clinton aid Sandy Berger says he will no longer advise John Kerry's presidential campaign. Berger is stepping down after it was revealed he is being investigated for allegedly taking some notes, which is against policy, from the National Archives.
CNN's Skip Loescher joins us now from Washington with more on this -- good morning, Skip. SKIP LOESCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
The real question is how much of a problem this has really created in terms of national security, if any at all. Sandy Berger stepping down as an adviser to the Kerry campaign after word leaked out that he's the subject of a criminal investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMUEL BERGER, FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I made an honest mistake. It is one that I deeply regret.
LOESCHER (voice-over): It happened last year while former national security adviser Sandy Berger was researching Clinton era records at the National Archives for the 9/11 Commission.
BERGER: Everything that I have done all along in this process has been for the purpose of aiding and supporting the work of the 9/11 Commission.
LOESCHER: Berger admits taking notes he jotted by hand on highly classified material and even taking some copies of documents home.
LANNY BREUER, SAMUEL BERGER'S ATTORNEY: When he leaves, the memorandum got caught with his business papers and he walked out. It was inadvertent.
LOESCHER: Berger says he returned most of them. A few, he says, he threw away.
Archives staff say they saw Berger put items into his jacket and pants. One staffer claims Berger put something in his socks.
LANNY DAVIS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPECIAL COUNSEL: I suggest that person is lying and if that person has the guts, let's see who it is.
LOESCHER: Former President Clinton says he has no reason not to believe Berger.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He's a good man. He's worked his heart out for this country and he did everything he could to protect us.
LOESCHER: Republicans aren't so sure.
REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: All I know is what we read in the papers. But it looks like to me that this is just a third rate burglary.
LOESCHER: Republicans deny Democratic claims that the allegations are politically motivated.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LOESCHER: The FBI has been investigating for nine months now and thus far there have been no charges filed. We're live in Washington.
I'm Skip Loescher.
Carol -- back to you.
LIN: A quick question for you, Skip. Clarify something for us. In one story we say that it was against policy that he removed or took some of these -- took some notes and then removed them from the National Archives. And now there is a criminal investigation.
What was against National Archives policy and what do the investigators think actually broke the law?
LOESCHER: The question mark in terms of policy regards taking notes from highly sensitive documents at the National Archives. You're not supposed to do that. The real question is when he walked away with documents, whether inadvertent or not, that could be considered to be a felony. We'll have to see how it all turns out.
LIN: All right, thanks for that clarification, Skip.
National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is getting an early briefing this afternoon on the 9/11 Commission's final report. That's expected out on Thursday. The White House says President Bush won't see the report until it's officially released. At a campaign stop in Missouri, the president defended the war in Iraq and he says he has no desire to be considered the war president. He said he'd much prefer being the peace president.
Meanwhile, presidential hopeful John Kerry has no public events today. He was seen kite surfing in Nantucket. The senator is spending this morning in Massachusetts and later he travels to Michigan.
No down time for Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards. He is making a swing through New York today. And tonight he's going to be right here on CNN. Both John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth are going to join Larry on "LARRY KING LIVE." You can watch all of them at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.
The State Department says the coalition in Iraq is still strong, despite the pullout of Philippine troops. Meanwhile, the man whose abduction prompted that pullout, former hostage Angelo de la Cruz, is heading home today. He left Baghdad just a few hours ago. The first stop is Abu Dhabi, where he'll be reunited with his wife. And then it's on to Manila.
Earlier, he spoke with reporters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANGELO DE LA CRUZ, FORMER HOSTAGE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): The treatment that I received from them was very good. They gave me meals any time I wanted. Anything I needed was given to me and basically I received good treatment from them. On the decision of our president, I feel very good about it and very joyful and I know that the Filipinos are all very happy for the decision of the president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LIN: His release obviously puts pressure on the coalition forces. Japan is vowing not to go the way of the Philippines. The Japanese government says it will keep its troops in Iraq despite apparent threats from a group linked to al Qaeda.
And U.S. troops in Iraq have suffered another deadly blow. One American soldier was killed and six others wounded in a roadside bombing today. The 1st Infantry Division troops were patrolling a Baghdad neighborhood when the blast ripped through their Bradley fighting vehicle. The death brings the total of U.S. troops killed in Iraq to over 900 -- 903, to be exact.
Lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan have led the Air Force to consider a new weapon. But it can be built, if it can, it would actually make the current bunker buster bombs seem like mere firecrackers.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the story of the big blue.
(AUDIO GAP)
LIN: Or maybe not.
Following up on a story we told you Monday, the day care center at the Pentagon is actually going to stay open for now. An official says it won't be closed in September, as planned. It's going to stay open until all the parents using the center make other arrangements for their kids. They really only had 60 days notice. Security concerns prompted the Defense Department to plan to close the day care center.
And here are some stories making news across America this Wednesday.
Just as firefighters were getting the upper hand on the Santa Clarita Fire, a new blaze broke out in northern Los Angeles County. The new fire quickly spread across 5,000 acres. Officials ordered the evacuation of nearly 200 homes in the wildfire's path.
The Muslim call to prayer will continue in a Detroit suburb. Residents of Hamtramck approved an amendment to the city's noise ordinance. It allows the call to prayer to be broadcast over loudspeakers. At least two mosques in the city currently broadcast the Arabic chants.
The search for a missing pregnant woman will resume this morning near Salt Lake City. More than 1,200 volunteers have been helping police in the search for 27-year-old Lori K. Hacking. She was last seen on Monday. On Thursday, she learned that she was five weeks pregnant. We're going to have much more on the search coming up a little bit later. The missing woman's mother and father-in-law will fill in some of the details. That comes your way on "AMERICAN MORNING" at 7:30 Eastern.
And still to come right here on DAYBREAK this morning, the insurgents get their way. Now the Filipino hostage is free. What does the Arab community think? I'm going to be speaking with a reporter from an Arab news network at 15 past the hour.
And then at 22 after, a not so flattering photo of a first daughter. There you go. An honest cabby in the Big Apple? An amazing lost and found tale at 6:23 Eastern.
And the low carb craze -- are Americans really buying it? At 24 past, shedding light on how Americans shed pounds.
This is DAYBREAK for Wednesday, July 21.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It is now 11 past the hour and here's what's happening and all this new this morning.
Israel has vowed to ignore a U.N. resolution that calls for the dismantling of the West Bank barrier. The general assembly passed the resolution by a wide margin, but the measure is not legally binding.
Investigators looking at the World Trade Center attacks say more people died below the impact areas than previously thought. The group is trying to make skyscrapers safer by understanding how people were able to escape the Towers on September 11.
In money, Microsoft is rewarding investors with a special $3 a share dividend payout. As the largest shareholder, founder Bill Gates stands now to make more than $3 billion off that dividend. He says the entire bonus will be donated to his charity foundation.
In culture, another record for that "Jeopardy" guy. Ken Jennings won another $29,000 on the game show, to push his record total to $1,164,000,000 and a few cents. He also set a record with 35 straight appearances on the show.
In sports, time again for the Tour de France, or the Tour de Lance. Lance Armstrong may have captured the yellow jersey for good after a strong win in the 15th stage. Armstrong leads by more than a minute, with just five stages left.
And in weather...
MYERS: Carol, good morning.
LIN: Good morning, Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT) LIN: Thanks, Chad.
I didn't think about gassing up and the time of day.
All right, still to come, you've heard, well, the advice. You've read the books. What do most Americans believe really works when it comes to losing weight?
Move over Danny Bonaduce. There's a new Partridge family in town.
And our DAYBREAK Photo of the Day -- check it out. What is it? It looks like two people -- there you go. We're going to have that answer right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: There's so much going on in the Middle East, from the war in Iraq to questions about Iran and the 9/11 hijackers, to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We always like to get a different point of view. We want to check in on a regular basis with Arab journalists, a journalist who can tell us more about the Arab world and the Arab media and how they're all reacting to this issue.
This morning, we're talking to Zaki Chehab.
He is a political editor -- the political editor -- for the television station Al Hayat-LBC.
Zaki, thanks for being here this morning.
Good morning to you.
ZAKI CHEHAB, AL HAYAT-LBC: Good morning, Carol.
LIN: I just want to make sure you can hear me.
Wassef Ali Hassoun -- the U.S. Marine who was allegedly held hostage, somehow made his way from Iraq through Syria to Lebanon and to freedom.
How is this story playing out in the Arab press? Because in the United States, a lot of questions as to the circumstances of how he disappeared and whether he was even held hostage.
CHEHAB: To start with, the story of the kidnapping of the American Marine, originally a Lebanese, was dealt, as you mentioned, a different way in the Arab world. First from, because of his background, because of the appeals made by his father, by his brother, by different religious leaders in Lebanon who asked for forgiving and for releasing him.
Definitely a lot of the question has been raised about the way he had disappeared. Somebody thought he was kidnapped. Somebody mentioned in the Arab press that he was trying to leave the Marines to go back to Lebanon. LIN: Right.
CHEHAB: Somebody said that he was -- he fell in love with an Iraqi lady and maybe some of the reason behind his kidnapping that this cause of things. So many questions have been raised and at some stage his parents have -- or his family have to make a statement saying that at no point he was going to leave the Marines.
LIN: Well, Zaki, I mean, we have the facts of the story, but from the Arab point of view, does the Arab world, do you believe Wassef Ali Hassoun's story, that he was kidnapped?
CHEHAB: Yes. In fact, he was kidnapped. A lot of people have intervened on his behalf and that's why he was, you know, released in Lebanon.
LIN: OK.
CHEHAB: So I'm sure a lot of questioning he was under when he was in Germany and back in the States.
LIN: Right.
CHEHAB: So I'm sure the real story now with his -- with the people who questioned him.
LIN: OK.
Another hostage free, this Filipino man. President Arroyo of the Philippines may pay a pretty high price for her decision to give in to the terrorists. That's how it's being read in the Western world -- the Philippines are giving in to the terrorists, they're giving the terrorists what they want. It saved one man's life, but it may jeopardize many more lives in Iraq.
What do you think? What is the Arab point of view on whether she did the right thing?
CHEHAB: I think in terms of, you know, how the kidnappers look at it, I'm sure it will encourage them to attack on other countries who are part of the coalition in the, you know, with the United States in Iraq. I'm sure Washington won't like this position, but they have no choice but to accept the Philippine government choice.
LIN: But does the Arab world agree with the decision?
CHEHAB: In terms of what the Filipino...
LIN: Does the Arab world agree with the decision? Because President Bush says do not negotiate with terrorists even if it means that this man, this father of eight, would die.
What would your newspaper say about that?
CHEHAB: I'm sure in terms of my newspaper, they look at the issue from different angles. They will just, you know, have to say what the Iraqi government is saying, what the American, what the kidnappers are saying. I'm sure, in a way, the Iraqi government, at the moment, won't like this action because it will encourage the insurgents to carry on such attacks and at the end of the day it will damage all the efforts to stabilize Iraq and, you know, bring Iraq back to the table.
LIN: Right.
Does your newspaper or what feedback you're getting from the Arab world believe that President Bush's statements about Iran and its cooperation, it's alleged cooperation with al Qaeda -- President Bush says that the United States is going to take a closer look at this issue.
How is the Arab world viewing this? Is there the thought that the United States may go to war with yet another Arab country?
CHEHAB: It is difficult for the United States at this stage to go to a war with another country in the Middle East because of the difficult situation the American forces are facing at the moment.
In terms of American -- U.S. -- American-Iranian relationship, it, in fact, varies from time to time. It depends on how far Iran cooperates with Washington. So one, you know, at some stage the Iranian -- the American government seeks the help of the Iranian government to calm Muqtada al-Sadr's people and to intervene on behalf of Washington, I think the Americans have embraced Iran. At some stage lately so many complaints about Iranian influence inside Iraq. And I'm sure the Americans, and especially Washington, will not, you know, be happy about how far Iran is getting influence inside Iraq.
LIN: Right.
Zaki Chehab, you just explained a complicated relationship that the United States has with Iran. No easy decisions there.
Thank you very much.
CHEHAB: Sure.
LIN: We've got much more here on DAYBREAK so stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LIN: Oh, welcome.
I'm Carol Lin sitting in for Carol Costello, who went off on...
MYERS: She's still on her honeymoon.
LIN: ... got married.
MYERS: You know, we're still getting e-mails -- did you fire Carol? No, we didn't.
LIN: You know, it's funny how your viewers tend to panic when she's not here.
MYERS: I know.
LIN: That's a lot of pressure on the girl.
MYERS: It's funny.
LIN: So good for her. I hope she's having a great time.
MYERS: She is having a great time. She's somewhere in Hawaii with her new beau.
LIN: Oh, nice.
MYERS: So don't worry about her. I'm sure she's fine.
LIN: Very nice.
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: All right, you know, we were talking about some political news earlier. President Bush campaigning in these critical Midwestern states with his daughter, Jenna, who's supposed to be a campaign asset.
MYERS: Yes, right.
LIN: But, you know, judge for yourself. This young lady had a message for the press, the media. There she is. Well, what is she doing there?
MYERS: You know, I'm not sure. Is she licking the window or just sticking her tongue out as us? I'm not sure.
LIN: Sign language. Well, let's hope she's not licking the window, because that would definitely be a negative for the Bush campaign.
MYERS: Exactly.
LIN: Well, young lady, 22 years old and she's helping her dad.
MYERS: She's having a good time. She's just having a good -- she's just having good fun.
LIN: Yes. Well, you know, we tend to take things very seriously in a campaign year.
We've got some DAYBREAK "Eye Openers."
MYERS: That's a great smile on her.
LIN: I know. She's beautiful. She looks a lot like her mom.
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: But these DAYBREAK "Eye Openers" you guys do?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: We want to show this one. Four Tennessee inmates, Chad, are in trouble for bringing beer to jail.
MYERS: Yes. Not to -- yes. They went out and got it and brought it back.
LIN: OK, so they escaped?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: Bought beer, came home?
MYERS: Right.
LIN: Apparently they propped open a door with a bible and cut a hole in a fence so that they could go on their beer run.
MYERS: Yes, OK.
LIN: Do you think they shared when they got back?
MYERS: I don't know.
LIN: All right. A New York cab driver, he's $500 richer, but he could have walked away with more than $70,000.
MYERS: This is the good Samaritan thing of the year right here.
LIN: Look at this, jewelry. All right, instead of keeping all of this that he found, apparently in the back of his cab, he called the owner and drove all that jewelry, everything, all the way out to Connecticut.
MYERS: It was worth $70,000. He got a $500 reward.
LIN: Oh, and a hug. He got a hug.
MYERS: Oh, he got a hug.
LIN: He got a hug from the grateful owner.
MYERS: All right. Well, that's a $69,000 hug.
LIN: All right, remember "The Partridge Family?"
MYERS: Sure.
LIN: Yes, there you go. Well, they -- there you go. There's the bus! There's an old favorite. You can actually, you can actually, what, try out for "The Partridge Family."
MYERS: Yes. LIN: There's an audition going right now. VH1 is choosing cast members for a revival of the "The Partridge Family" TV show. I wonder if you have to know how to sync or just lip sync or just you have to sing. There's time.
MYERS: There's Danny Bonaduce. I worked with him in Detroit for a while. He's in Chicago now.
LIN: Is he funny? He's on the radio now.
MYERS: He'/s a good guy.
LIN: All right, anyway, they get to ride around in that ugly bus.
MYERS: And sing.
LIN: And sing.
MYERS: I hope.
LIN: Yes.
OK, check this out. Did you know what this was at first glance?
MYERS: I, yes, I think I did.
LIN: I think it was pretty obvious the way we framed it.
MYERS: I thought it was pretty obvious.
LIN: I thought it was going to be really tight. But there you go. It is a peacock tail.
MYERS: There you go.
LIN: There you go.
MYERS: Very pretty.
LIN: Yes.
MYERS: Look at that.
LIN: Thanks very much.
MYERS: I think he's a male.
LIN: He's at the -- the big tail, is that what you mean?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: There you go.
All right, anyway, we also want to talk a little bit about dieting, you know? Have you ever tried that low-carb diet?
MYERS: I'm always -- I'm on it right now, actually.
LIN: Come on.
MYERS: I've lost 12 pounds.
LIN: Seriously?
MYERS: Yes.
LIN: You look great. You've always looked great.
MYERS: Yes, well, my suit fits now and the buttons don't go like this.
LIN: Well, everybody is kind of beefing up on these low-carb diets. And everywhere you look these days, low-carb ice cream...
MYERS: Oh, everything.
LIN: Low-carb soda. It's kind of just...
MYERS: Ketchup, barbecue sauce...
LIN: I think it's kind of silly. But, you know, some people really need it and they need that guideline so this is what happens when you eat a healthy diet. We just want to figure out what really is true and what people actually believe.
Gallup Poll Editor-In-Chief Frank Newport is talking about that today, shedding some light, not a few pounds. You don't need to lose weight, Frank.
FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well, not too much, I don't think, Carol.
Neither do you all. You all look very good this morning.
We actually have some empirical evidence on the degree to which low carbs are -- the fad about low carbs is moving across this country. A couple of years ago, we asked Americans a long list of foods and said do you try to include these or avoid these in your diet?
Now we just updated that, just a week or two ago. And lo and behold, we've found some significant changes.
This is carbohydrates. In July of 2002, before the real publicity about the Atkins diet was out there, 50 percent said they tried to include carbs. And then you see 20 percent said they tried to avoid them.
Now we just asked it again and look what's happened. The percent who say they tried to include carbs has dropped dramatically; only 33 percent of Americans. Those who say they want to avoid them has come up to 27 percent. So clearly this message about carbohydrates is getting through.
The same kind of thing, not as dramatic, about grains and breads, those other kinds of specific carbohydrates. Back in 2002, 81 percent said they try to include them. Now we come to July, that's come down, a slightly higher percent say they tried to avoid them.
No change, however, Carol, in red beef, red meat, beef and so forth. That's stayed about the same, so we've had no increase, but no change either in that.
So it looks like the message is getting through to some degree about trying to push down the number of carbs in one's diet.
LIN: Well, Frank, counting carbs seems to have become a national obsession.
But are Americans really convinced that low-carb diets actually work?
NEWPORT: Well, that's the interesting thing in the data. We gave Americans a choice a couple of years ago -- what's better for you, a low fat diet or a low-carb diet? And here's what we found. The low -- you can see the choices here. The low-carb diet won.
We just asked it again. No change. So in the big picture of things, Americans still are convinced that if you have to choose between the two, you can see the two, you go low carb as opposed to low fat.
But nevertheless, the changes there evident in the rest of the data, where we have Americans saying hey, we should not be so eager to put carbs in the diet.
LIN: Right.
You know how I lose weight, Frank?
NEWPORT: How is that, Carol?
LIN: I only eat carbs.
NEWPORT: Very interesting.
LIN: Just carbs.
NEWPORT: Well, I think most expert say it's the number of calories that really matter, regardless of where they come from.
LIN: OK.
NEWPORT: But, again, I'm not a true expert myself, I don't think.
LIN: Thanks, Frank. All right, just ahead, at 50 minutes past the hour, nutritionist Lisa Drayer explains how a healthy diet can not only shrink your waistline, but boost your brainpower.
We're back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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