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American Morning

Conventional Wisdom; Interview with Michael Moore; 9/11 Report

Aired July 26, 2004 - 9:00   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. The moment Democrats have been waiting all summer is finally here. Their national convention gets under way in Boston. A live picture, Senator Hillary Clinton here on the floor.
Can they use this moment to reconnect with voters for John Kerry? The senator, the star of the show, in making a last-minute detour into Boston late last night, and already a bit of controversy on the campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERESA HEINZ KERRY, JOHN KERRY'S WIFE: You said something I didn't say. Now shove it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Teresa Heinz Kerry surprises reporters with a rather uncivil remark. We'll find out why in a moment.

And the other developing story this hour, a tractor trailer hangs by a single wheel. Police have a tough problem to solve today.

All ahead this morning here on AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING from the Democratic National Convention in Boston, here's Bill Hemmer.

HEMMER: Good morning, everyone. Nine o'clock here in Boston. And thanks for being with us.

Day one of our coverage throughout the entire week here in Boston at the FleetCenter for the Democratic National Convention. We're reporting to you live from the floor of the FleetCenter. It's never been done that way before. Sure, you've had reporters in the past, but never the complete setup on the stage. So when the convention begins later today, a much more intimate feel for our viewers at home as we come live to Boston throughout the week here.

The call to order comes down at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. And tonight's speakers include former Vice President Al Gore, and former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Also, in addition to that, this hour we'll hear from Senator Hillary Clinton, as well as our own political contributor, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile is here.

And we'll also talk to the filmmaker Michael Moore. The 9/11 report came out about a week ago. There is a bit of conflict between what the commission is concluded and what is seen in the film "Fahrenheit 9/11." We'll get to that in a moment here.

Also, it is a huge opportunity for Democrats to introduce Senator John Kerry to voters who may have a bit of reservation about him. Senator Kerry going to Florida late last night. That was after he was here in Boston. We'll explain that in a moment. He's in Cape Canaveral today, Norfolk, Virginia, later, then Philadelphia later in the week, before coming back here to his home town of Boston, Massachusetts.

Last night, Fenway Park, Senator Kerry in a surprise appearance for the Red Sox-Yankees game threw out the first pitch. A bit of a one-hopper to the plate. Perhaps some mixed omen some are suggesting for Senator Kerry, not the bounce he was looking for. His pitch a bit short, but the Red Sox did win that game, and they took the series 9- 6, the final, in game three Sunday night here at Fenway.

Much more from Boston in a moment. I want to say good morning to my colleague, Heidi Collins, back in New York.

Heidi, good morning to you.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Did you say not the bounce he was hoping for?

HEMMER: Yes, well...

COLLINS: Oh, OK.

HEMMER: ... bad pun, I guess.

COLLINS: Just want to make sure we heard it twice. All right.

HEMMER: Work with it.

COLLINS: Thanks so much, Bill.

We will, of course, have all the other news as well this morning, including developments in the case of a missing Utah woman.

Also, get a report on the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Barbara Starr standing by, looking at renewed efforts to find the terrorist leader.

Jack Cafferty is also, of course, with us this morning.

Jack, hello.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

Are the conventions really necessary anymore? No drama anymore. No mystery. We know the candidates. We know the issues.

The -- the major broadcast networks don't even cover these things the way they used to. So that's the question, do we really need the political conventions, or should they be done away with? Of course all the extra security needed because of the terrorism situation. So that's what we're pondering this morning.

COLLINS: It's a good question. A lot of people have written in already, in fact.

CAFFERTY: Yes, we've got a lot of responses.

COLLINS: All right, Jack. Thanks.

We're going to send it back to Bill in Boston once again.

Hi Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Heidi. Thanks. And good morning again.

The view from the convention stage familiar one to Hillary Clinton. The New York senator and former first lady will address the Democratic Party faithful later tonight in prime-time when she introduces her husband, Bill Clinton.

That was Jeff Greenfield. You'll see more from him in a moment here, and hear from him also.

Some have said the former president's appearance tonight might overshadow the candidate, John Kerry. Senator Clinton had other thoughts on that same topic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I think that's the way conventions are planned. I mean, obviously, the big event is John Kerry's speech Thursday night. And everything leads up to it.

So I know that Bill is happy to be, you know, kicking off the convention. I'm delighted to be introducing him. We want to do everything we possibly can do to help the American people who have yet to make up their minds -- and there aren't too many left -- that this is a man who could be a great president and a -- and really a perfect choice for our country at this point in our history.

HEMMER: You are endorsing a man who, if he wins on November 2, may have significant impact on your own possibilities for the White House. Maybe even some suggest pushing it back to 2012. You laugh, that's fine, that's fair. When you think about that possibility...

CLINTON: I don't think about that possibility. But I know that a lot of people in your position do. And that's fine. But I am so excited about replacing this administration.

You know, I think that the Bush-Cheney presidency has been bad for America and bad for the world. I cannot wait to see them leave the White House. The sooner the better. I wish we could move the inauguration up a few months.

I am so hopeful that, you know, we will get back on the right track. And the only way we can do that is by having new leadership.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Senator Clinton from earlier today here in Boston. These days and these conventions, few surprises. We know that. Very well scripted. We'll see if that plays out that same way throughout the week.

But there is still news to be delivered. Jeff Greenfield, our senior political analyst, checks in now with his views on this and a whole lot more.

Good morning to you.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: How you doing?

HEMMER: Give me the headline.

GREENFIELD: You know, the headline literally is hanging outside the FleetCenter on a great big banner that says "A Stronger America." The Kerry campaign, rightly or wrongly, thinks it has the wind at its back, that the country is leaning toward getting itself a new president, but that a significant chunk of us really don't know John Kerry, and that group is a little troubled or, in some cases, a lot troubled by one of the Bush campaign's key critiques, that Kerry is indecisive, uncertain, a waffler. And that in a post-9/11 age could be fatal. So the goal over the next four days is very clear: present John Kerry as a man of conviction who is tough enough to protect the country from its enemies.

HEMMER: So then, specifically, how do they do that?

GREENFIELD: Well, the Vietnam experience is obviously going to be a big part of this. That's why his companions on the swift boat that he commanded in Vietnam will be ever-present, as they were in the primaries. And this is not just about his combat experience. It's about veterans from blue collar America who are expressing respected affection for this Yale-bred Bostonian. It knocks the elitism charge down.

There's also a determination on the part of the campaign, as we've been hearing a lot about, to move away from the more partisan rhetoric of the primaries. And, interestingly, one of the way politicians convey strength is with a sense of ease and a willingness to lighten up once in a while and reach out. So, for instance, when they bring out young Ron Reagan to talk about stem cell research, it's possible that maybe they'll -- he'll praise his late conservative Republican father, because that's a message that says, you know what, we're strong enough not to yell at you and say something nice about the other guys.

HEMMER: And John Kerry has said we want it to be positive. We don't want to do any Bush-bashing I think was the phrase that one Democratic strategist used. Yet, though, some of the prime-time lineup appears to be very partisan.

GREENFIELD: Yes, this is curious. If you contrast it to the Republican convention next month, they're offering their moderate pro- choice voice, Rudy Giuliani, Governor Pataki, Arnold Schwarzenegger. One of the most conservative speakers next month is going to be a Democrat, Zell Miller.

In this case, though, it shows you how even a nominee can't fully control the convention. You have to have Bill Clinton, even though he may not be the best face on the party for Independents and conservative Democrats. You know what his weaknesses is. We don't have to talk about that again.

But having Bill Clinton may have meant you had to have Senator Hillary Clinton to introduce him. She is seen by some as a more polarizing figure.

You have to have Ted Kennedy, the symbol of liberalism. Why? Because the convention is in Boston. And also, Kennedy played a big role in helping Kerry get the nomination. He sent Kerry his chief of staff, Mary Beth Cahill, his campaign manger who helped turn this around. You have to have Al Gore, because the guy got more votes than Bush did the last time.

So what does the campaign say about this? Well, they say, guess what, our centrists are named John Kerry and John Edwards. And that is something the Republicans here in Boston are going to be spending a lot of time trying to disprove. The talking point that you're going to hear from every Republican is this is operation extreme makeover. So there you are.

HEMMER: And it appears that phrase has caught on already. We've heard it many times already so far today, and only in day one.

GREENFIELD: You know, that's the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that goes up to everybody, and you're going to hear strength so much, I think Jack Lalane might come out at this convention and lead us in a workout. Strong, strong, strong, that's their mantra.

HEMMER: We'll keep an eye on that.

GREENFIELD: All right.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jeff. Talk to you throughout the week here.

Give you a bit of a preview here. The convention officially kicks off later tonight at 4:00 Eastern Time. Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic chair, calling things to order here.

Here's the schedule as it shakes down later tonight. Al Gore, the former vice president, Jimmy Carter speaks, so, too, does Bill Clinton. He makes the main speech later tonight, expected right around 10:00 Eastern Time if the schedule holds true to what's been laid out for us.

After that, special edition of "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown at 11:00 Eastern. Then, "LARRY KING," a midnight edition live here from the convention floor in Boston with Larry King at midnight.

Back in a moment from Boston. Michael Moore waiting in the wings. We'll get to him after this -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Bill. Very good.

Some ominous reports in the case of a missing woman in Salt Lake City now. Police are testing a clump of brown hair. It was found in a dumpster near where Mark Hacking bought a mattress the same morning he reported his wife, Lori, missing. Police do not know if the hair belongs to the 27-year-old pregnant woman. She has not been seen for a week.

And police would not confirm or deny a "Deseret Morning News" report that a bloody knife with strands of hair was taken from the Hacking apartment. While an arrest warrant could be issued within days, and Hacking's husband is described as a person of interest in the case, both families remain focused on finding Lori.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT DUNAWAY, HACKING FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The family has full confidence in the police, and they are just hoping that the police will be able to get to the bottom of this and they'll learn what the truth is. However, for the family, our -- our primary focus is to find Lori. That has always been our main interest. And both families, the Hackings and the Soares families, are -- are united in that effort and supporting one another.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: More than 3,000 volunteers helped search for Lori Hacking just yesterday.

It is about 10 minutes past the hour now, and time for a look of some of today's other news with Daryn Kagan.

Hi, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, good morning once again.

We begin with news of an extended deadline and new demands from a group holding seven truck drivers hostage in Iraq. The captors want the drivers' Kuwaiti employer to pay families of Iraqis killed fighting U.S. troops and to release Iraqi prisoners from U.S. jails. It's not clear how long the new deadline will last.

And in the northern city of Mosul, a suicide truck bomb killed at least three people. Several others were wounded, including three U.S. soldiers.

Some details now about that truck trailer that is dangling off a bridge in the Florida Keys. It is hanging off U.S. Route 1, the main road through the key, by only one rear tire. The cab did not go over the guardrail. One person is reportedly injured. It's unclear when traffic will get back to normal in the Keys.

A 14-year-old boy in Massachusetts is trying to become the first child to divorce his father. Patrick Collins' father is serving a life sentence for killing the teen's mother almost six years ago. Collins wants him to stop him from having access to his report cards and his counseling records.

And finally, Lance Armstrong's plan for next year's Tour de France, they are still up in the air. But one thing is for sure, Armstrong is the champ once again. He counted up his wins while pedaling into Paris. Yes, that would be sixth, as in his historic sixth straight tour victory coming by a final margin of over six minutes.

Of the race's 20 individual stages, Armstrong one five. For him, that is a personal best. Congratulations to him.

Let's go ahead and check in on the weather. Rob Marciano is in for Chad -- Chad Myers -- Chad Weathers -- Chad Myers this morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment here, the latest on John Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, the comments given last night. A speech on civility yesterday after that. Apparently, she turned around and said something that some folks might consider less than civil. We'll fill you in on what's happening there.

Also, a young and up and comer in the Democratic Party, not running for office, though. Not even old enough to vote yet.

And we'll talk to "Fahrenheit 9/11" director Michael Moore, hear what he has to say about the Democrats, the Republicans, and just about everybody else in between. The 9/11 report is out. We'll get to that and Michael Moore after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FAHRENHEIT 9/11")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had some airplanes authorized at the highest levels of our government to pick up Osama bin Laden's family members and transport them out of this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP, "FAHRENHEIT 9/11")

HEMMER: That is a clip from the movie by the filmmaker Michael Moore, "Fahrenheit 9/11." Over the weekend, it went over $100 million at the box office, which is astounding for a documentary.

All this coming, though, on the heels, just days after the 9/11 Commission put out its report and contradicted one of the central themes and one of the points that was made in that film about Osama bin Laden's family living and working here in the U.S. and how they were given transportation out of the country. Who better to ask about all this than the filmmaker himself, Michael Moore, our guest now here in Boston on the floor of the FleetCenter.

Good morning to you.

MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: Good morning, Bill. How are you doing?

HEMMER: Who are you going to vote -- I'm fine, thank you. Who do you vote for on November 2?

MOORE: Well, you don't vote for George W. Bush, that's for sure.

HEMMER: Do you vote for John Kerry or do you vote for Ralph Nader?

MOORE: Well, you don't vote for Ralph Nader either. What was my last choice?

(LAUGHTER)

HEMMER: What explains why your film has made $100 million?

MOORE: I think it's because the American people, for the last four years, feel like they haven't been told the whole truth. And both from the White House and the media not doing its job, especially with this war, and the early days before the war, and when the war started. Too much of the media was a cheerleader instead of doing the real job of asking the hard questions, demanding the evidence. And so people have come to this movie to -- to see the things that they haven't seen in much of the mainstream media.

HEMMER: And in that movie -- you heard in my lead in to you about the 9/11 report. Have you seen that report, 600 pages in length?

MOORE: Yes. Yes.

HEMMER: Have you read the whole thing?

MOORE: No, I have not.

HEMMER: Well, you have the executive summary, a couple of the other pages, I'm certain.

MOORE: Right. I have the CliffsNotes.

HEMMER: In the book itself, it contradicts one of the themes...

MOORE: Yes.

HEMMER: ... that you make in your film about the Osama bin Laden family essentially given special treatment out of the country.

MOORE: Right.

HEMMER: And the implication in the film is that the White House directed that.

MOORE: Yes.

HEMMER: Your reaction of them saying that simply was not the case? MOORE: Yes. Well, I disagree with the commission. I think there's a lot of evidence to show that they were given special treatment.

They were moved to the front of the line. Just the story in "The Washington Post" on Thursday that -- that said that the actual plane that was used to fly the bin Ladens out of the country was the same plane the White House uses to fly you guys around in the White House Press Corps.

There are so many things that have not -- Senator Lautenberg, Senator Dorgan, as you showed there in the clip, there's still a lot of unanswered questions. And I think that -- I hope further investigations will -- will bring this out.

HEMMER: Allow me to go back to the report. This they say specifically...

MOORE: Yes.

HEMMER: ... on the screen for our viewers. "The commission concludes there is no evidence of political intervention in any of the nine chartered flights that left between September 14 and September 24. They also say the bin Laden family left September 20th after the civilian flight ban was lifted. Commercial airliners were flying again on that day.

Twenty-two of 26 people interviewed. That's more they say than would have been interviewed had they all left separately on commercial flights. Take that.

MOORE: And then again, "The Washington Post," doing a great job, points out that one of the bin Ladens that left was the roommate of Osama's nephew who was one of the founders of WAMY, whose offices were raided last month. They're considered a potential terrorist organization. And yet -- and yet here's the roommate of the person who was the founder of this on that flight.

There are still many, many unanswered questions. And of the 142, or now they say 160 Saudis, as you said, only, what, 20-some were...

HEMMER: Twenty-two of 26.

MOORE: Out of the bin Ladens. But then there's 142 members of the Saudi royal family who were allowed to leave without being interviewed. And the report says that.

I think that's wrong. If -- listen, if 15 of the 19 hijackers had been from North Korea, do you think we just would have let 142 North Koreans leave the country as soon as the air space opened up? I don't think so

HEMMER: Let's move away from that. I've heard people say Michael Moore is the greatest living American.

MOORE: Oh, who are those people? HEMMER: I've heard people say they wish Michael Moore were dead.

MOORE: Oh, well. Jeez, who would say that?

HEMMER: How do you take in the reaction that you are getting? And there is no one who is neutral after they see your film.

MOORE: Well, there's a -- there's that minority of Republicans and right-wingers who are upset, because they know their days of numbered. I'd be upset, too, if I were them. You know, they've only got a few more months left in charge. And so they're all running around, all saying crazy things like that.

HEMMER: The DNC did not invite you here, is that right?

MOORE: The Congressional Black Caucus invited me here, yes. Yes.

HEMMER: Enjoy your week.

MOORE: Those black congressmen, you know.

HEMMER: Thanks for your time. Michael Moore, the filmmaker from "Fahrenheit 9/11."

MOORE: Right. Thank you very much.

HEMMER: All right.

Back to Heidi now in New York.

COLLINS: Thanks, Bill.

Still to come, more from Boston, including a look at the latest or Teresa Heinz Kerry. She gave a speech on dignified politics over the weekend, then said something that might have been at odds with that.

Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Going to check in with Jack now.

CAFFERTY: Thank you, Heidi.

Last night up in Boston, some controversy after a speech given by Senator John Kerry's wife. Teresa Heinz Kerry talked to the delegates about how uncivil and downright vicious American politics has become.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEINZ KERRY: We need to turn back some of the creepy (ph) (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics. I remember a time when the people in political parties in Pennsylvania talked to one another and actually got things done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Later, Mrs. Kerry was asked by a reporter what she meant by the term un-American."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEINZ KERRY: No, I didn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you mean?

HEINZ KERRY: I didn't say that. I didn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People, we're not giving questions here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just asking what you said.

HEINZ KERRY: Well, why do you put those words in my mouth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said something about "un-American."

HEINZ KERRY: No, I didn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HEINZ KERRY: I did not say "activities" or "un-American." Those are your words. You can record...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Then after conferring with Democratic advisers, Ms. Heinz Kerry confronted the journalist and editorial editor of the conservative "Pittsburgh Tribune Review." She was angry that he had allegedly tried to put words into her mouth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEINZ KERRY: Of course. Understandable. You said something I didn't say. Now shove it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Senator Hillary Clinton, who's no stranger to the scrutiny facing a potential first lady, defended the incident earlier when she talked to Bill Hemmer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I think a lot of Americans are going to say, "Good for you. You go, girl." And that certainly is how I feel about it.

You know, I think that what we're living in our political, you know, history at this moment is extremely polarized. There's a lot of, you know, strong emotions. And that's perfectly appropriate. But then there are people who are, frankly, out to score political points, or to put words in people's mouths. And that's not appropriate. And they have to be called on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: That's funny, I could have sworn her I heard her say "un-American." Maybe it was inadvertent, you know, like putting stuff in your socks.

It's not your father's Democratic convention going on this weekend in Boston. There was a time when this was the stuff of high drama. But we know who the candidates are. We know basically what all the issues are.

Actually, there's only one issue that seems in this election that has to do with whether or not George Bush has to gets a second term. So the question is, with all the attention paid to terrorism, heightened security, the expenses involved for the host city, plus the inconvenience to the citizens, how important are these conventions, or could we simply get along without them?

We heard from M. Hughes in Manastee (ph), Michigan, "The Democratic convention is extremely important. The American people need to be informed. This is part of the election process. Is it possible that CNN reporters are all in the upper tax brackets now and are all Republicans."

No, that's not possible.

Jeff in California, "I think they are a great way to express the position of each of the parties and the great debate that follows. The problem in this election cycle is that it's all about removing or keeping George W. Bush. The issues do not seem to matter at all to many of the Democrats."

Mary out in Las Vegas, "We're already saturated to nearly catatonic states with news of candidates and electioneering. The money wasted on these events would much better be spent saving lives in the Sudan, researching AIDS, properly equipping our troops, or any of a number of other causes."

On the subject of Teresa Heinz Kerry's comments, Roxanne in Silver Springs writes, "I'm glad Mrs. Heinz Kerry told that silly little man off. He was jumping at her like a mentally-challenged Chihuahua instead of acting like a respectable journalist. "Respectable journalist" is an oxymoron these days. It's about time we had a person in public life who possesses the strength to tell the minions of corporate media to back off when they step over the line."

And finally, Ruth, in Orange, Virginia, writes, "Sometimes your nasty and sarcastic comments are not appreciated. Some of your own views are not always everybody else's. So shut up."

OK, Ruth. I will. I'm done now.

COLLINS: Ouch. Cranky on a Monday morning. Oh, all right.

Bill, save us.

HEMMER: Hey, Jack, at least she didn't say "shove it," huh?

CAFFERTY: No. No. Ruth is much more civil than that.

COLLINS: Shut up is...

HEMMER: I'm not going near that one.

CAFFERTY: A nice job with the Michael Moore interview, by the way, yes.

HEMMER: Oh, well, thank you. Thank you.

CAFFERTY: Absolutely. No, it was a good interview. I enjoyed it.

HEMMER: I appreciate that. Thank you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: My pleasure.

HEMMER: In a moment here, much more from Boston as well here. Proof that some young people are interested in politics. We'll show you one young man who has a special role in this convention. He is the youngest among all the delegates.

Back in a moment bottom of the hour.

Plus, we'll go on the floor with our own reporters after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We're back, everyone. Coming up on 9:30 here in Boston, Massachusetts. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Convention coverage continues here in Boston. Heidi Collins back in New York.

Good morning, again, Heidi, to you.

COLLINS: And good morning to you, Bill. And good morning to you, everybody.

More of today's headlines are coming up, including a report from Barbara Starr on the search for Osama bin Laden. The military is using advanced technology to find the terrorist leader. We'll tell you what it's all about.

But the main story, of course, in Boston, where Bill is -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Heidi.

Six-and-a-half hours away, they'll gavel to order here in Boston. And when they do, it will be day one for the Democrats. And we start this morning now with a segment today that will we'll do every day at this time. The idea is to find the find the stories some of the finest political reporters are chasing here in Boston today. We call it "On the Floor." Today, our panel includes Kelly Wallace, CNN national correspondent.

Kelly, good morning to you.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Great to see you.

HEMMER: Ron Brownstein's here, a CNN political analyst, also from the "L.A. Times."

And Candy Crowley, how are you doing today?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good.

HEMMER: Listen, really appreciate the three of you being with us today. A couple of things I'm picking up on you.

Go back to last night. John Kerry is at Fenway Park. There's a sense I'm getting, Kelly, that the expectations bar is very high. Is it too high?

WALLACE: Well, we talked to advisers, and we said, "Doesn't he have to hit a home run?" Let's keep the sports analogy going. And one of the advisers said, "Who's raising these expectations? It's the media. The media is making this a very high expectation game."

They say they're realistic. They know he has to give a very important speech, that he has to be personal, speak from the heart, connect in a way he has never had before. So...

HEMMER: Well, does that mean they underscore things from here on out, Ron?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, you know, it's interesting. The challenge -- he has really kind of only half the challenge that you usually have as a challenger at your convention. He doesn't really have to go out right now and make a hard-edged, aggressive case for change.

There is an audience out there that is looking for something different. You look at the polls, and the "TIME" poll yesterday, 53 percent said time for somebody new.

His challenge is to make himself acceptable to those voters. That is -- that is difficult for John Kerry. Connecting emotionally with voters, personally with voters has always been difficult for him. But he doesn't really have to go out and bang George Bush over the head this week.

HEMMER: But take -- take the speaker list tonight, though, Ron -- and Candy, we'll go to you on this one. Al gore, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, how do they help John Kerry's case?

CROWLEY: Well, first of all, they help with -- you know, Al Gore, 2000, that helps with this group, that helps with all the angry Democrats that are still thinking they got robbed. That helps with, you know, the get out the vote.

Bill Clinton, good heavens. You know, he's like the icon of the -- of the Democratic Party. So they help.

On the other hand, you don't want to get them too close to John Kerry. Al Gore, because, you know, he kind of pushes away the swing vote. And Bill Clinton because he kind of turns off some of the swing vote. So you put them on Monday night, and you put him on Thursday night.

HEMMER: You get that separation...

(CROSSTALK)

CROWLEY: It's all about the schedule.

HEMMER: You talked to Bill Clinton.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

HEMMER: There's a piece today in the "L.A. Times." What is his take right now? Was he critical of the White House?

BROWNSTEIN: He is.

HEMMER: Did he hold back, as John Kerry has suggested everybody do this week?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, we'll see what he says tonight. But in the interview, I think he was much more critical than he has been, especially on the war in Iraq.

Without directly saying so, he strongly implied that he would not have invaded Iraq. And he came very close to echoing the arguments of people like Wesley Clark and Bob Graham, who have argued that invading Iraq and all the effort that's gone into that has been a distraction from the war on terror with al Qaeda. He also argued that if Bush loses, it will be because of his response to 9/11.

CROWLEY: And can I just...

HEMMER: The response to 9/11?

BROWNSTEIN: As the...

HEMMER: And the offshoot of Iraq?

BROWNSTEIN: Iraq, the Patriot Act -- he didn't say the Patriot Act specifically. He basically argued that after 9/11, when the country wanted to unify, he argues that Bush polarized both at home and abroad. And the backlash that you're seeing, the energy on the Democratic side, is largely a reaction to that. It was a much tougher analysis than he' has given in many other forums.

CROWLEY: And can I just argue that that's exactly why you hear John Kerry going, I want this to be a really nice convention.

WALLACE: Everybody's happy.

CROWLEY: I want -- everyone should be happy. And then, when Bill Clinton comes out and goes, you know, Bush really blew it, this is terrible, and Al Gore says we shouldn't (UNINTELLIGIBLE), he goes, I tried to get it to be a nice convention.

(CROSSTALK)

CROWLEY: No, I don't think we will, but they can get away with it.

WALLACE: You know, they're trying to look at the speeches...

CROWLEY: Yes.

WALLACE: ... vetting. They're trying to get a script to try to keep them all on the same message.

BROWNSTEIN: Right. As of yesterday, they said they had not seen Bill Clinton's speech.

WALLACE: Yes. Who's going to be vetting that speech? That's what we want to know.

HEMMER: If I could -- and this is a completely different topic. This Teresa Heinz Kerry, is that a distraction at this point?

WALLACE: Well, certainly it's -- I don't think it helps in that sense of you want to get everybody on a good, happy message. It's the opening day of the convention. And there you have Teresa Heinz Kerry telling a reporter who says that -- she says this person is putting words in her mouth, saying "un-American activities," to "shove it." Not the best opening message, but -- but again, if there are people angry out there, who think the media is putting words in people's mouths, maybe it helps people along the way.

HEMMER: Listen, it's called "On the Floor." We appreciate it. Kelly, Ron, Candy, many thanks, OK? Enjoy it. I know the three of you are just ready to go, aren't you?

It's called "On the Floor." We'll do it every morning at this time.

Breaking news. Back to Heidi now in New York -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Bill. Thanks so much for that.

The White House has some new response this morning to the 9/11 report. Suzanne Malveaux is covering the president in Crawford, Texas. She joins us now with the latest on this.

Good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Heidi.

As you know, the president is laying low at his Crawford ranch this week. But there's a lot of activity. White House aides saying that he is certainly on the fast track when it comes to those recommendations regarding the 9/11 Commission.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is going to be joining him at the ranch today about 3:30 local time, Central Time, to go over the analysis of those recommendations. The priority of this task force, that the president has assembled essentially is to look at those recommendations that he can implement immediately by executive order.

Now, we have learned this morning that there is a high-level meeting, a cabinet-level meeting that is taking place at the White House. People are assembling as we speak. It's through secure video teleconference.

On -- in that meeting and on that call will be officials, the head of the FBI, Secretary Tom Ridge of Homeland Security, acting CIA director John McLaughlin, many other officials, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. All of these people assembling specifically to talk about ways to overhaul the intelligence system, what kind of reforms they can put in place right away -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Suzanne, critics might say, though, that all of this, the timing of it all could be suspect.

MALVEAUX: Well, certainly there's a lot of pressure on the Bush administration to do something right away. We have heard from the chair and the vice chair of the 9/11 Commission. You have heard from -- pressure from the Democrats, as well as you've heard from Senator Kerry saying that he has his own recommendations that he would implement right away if he was president.

Yes, there is a lot of pressure on the administration. The political calculus here is to put it out, to try to respond as quickly as possible, to show the American people that the president is doing all he can to protect the nation. Because, as you know, national security is really the centerpiece of their campaign, that the president, they argue, can do a better job than Senator Kerry.

I should also let you know as well, sources are telling us that the administration is looking very carefully at one of those recommendations, that is the formulation of a national director of intelligence. This is something that essentially is being debated within the White House. The administration perhaps leaning just a little bit forward in looking at that as a possibility, one that perhaps the president could endorse -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Suzanne Malveaux traveling with the president in Crawford, Texas. Thanks, Suzanne.

The intelligence community has increased efforts to track down al Qaeda terrorists along the Afghan-Pakistan border. This includes using advanced technology to find the world's most wanted man. Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon with more on this.

Hi, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Heidi.

Indeed, with all of the concern now about the possibility of an upcoming terrorist attack, the intelligence community is trying to corroborate all the leads they have, whether they are tips from informants or clues in satellite imagery. And, once again, the target is indeed western Pakistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice-over): In the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the U.S. intelligence community now is using leading-edge technology that sorts through satellite imagery to find patterns unseen by the eye. It's called change detection. Here is how it works.

Satellites are scanning western Pakistan near the Afghan border, looking for perhaps a newly paved road, cars at a mountain camp, initial tips. Not that bin Laden is there, but clues that al Qaeda may be gathering to plot. It's a trail of bread crumbs that bin Laden and his associates might leave behind.

Change detection looks at how these clues in satellite images evolve. High-speed computers convert imagery into a bar graph that charts the pixels: dots of pure black to pure white and all of the grays. Analysts then look for change. For example, a sudden increase in the range of gray tones that result when the gravel is laid for a new road. They can also remove certain features of a landscape to enhance others and isolate subtle changes with mathematical precision.

Analysts will then go a step further, asking themselves, for example, if what they see is really a new road, looking for very small developments, like a satellite dish on top of a house. Would any of this tip off bin Laden's location or those who are hiding him?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: And if they get such a tip, then analysts are expected to recommend aerial and ground sensors be put into place, providing a 24/7 net of surveillance, trying to catch anyone who might try and cross that electronic fence line, whether it's bin Laden or a key informant on him and his whereabouts -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Change detection, all right. Barbara Starr, thanks so much for that -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Heidi. Forty-one minutes past the hour. Time to check the other news today. And for that, here is Daryn Kagan again at the CNN Center.

Hey, Daryn. Good morning.

KAGAN: Bill, good morning to you. We're going to head south here to the Florida Keys. A crane is being brought in to lift a dangling truck trailer from the side of a bridge. You have to see the pictures to believe it.

The truck was involved in a multi-vehicle crash just hours -- just about two hours ago. One person is reported to have been injured. Check that out. The truck just hanging by the wheel there off the side of the bridge. The cab that was pulling the trailer did not go over the side. U.S. 1, by the way, is expected to be closed, cutting off all access to Keys until this afternoon.

More flooding is expected in Bangladesh, where monsoon rains have left millions of homes under water. At least 220 people are now reported dead. Medical teams have been sent throughout the country to help curb outbreaks of water-borne diseases. The flooding is the worst since 1998, when 21 million people were left homeless.

Let's check back here in the U.S. A small dip in gas prices to tell you about. The latest Lundberg Survey says the average price of gas dropped nearly a penny during the past two weeks, down to about $1.92 a gallon. Prices are expected to continue falling -- falling over the next month or so.

And from the world of sports, Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley have officially joined baseball's immortals. Both were inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame yesterday. Molitor had 3,319 hits in 21 years with Milwaukee, Toronto and Minnesota. Eckersley, remembered best as relief pitcher, saved 390 games playing for Oakland, Boston, Cleveland, and the Chicago Cubs.

Congratulations to both of them.

Let's see if there's any congratulations due with the weather. Rob Marciano is in for Chad Myers today -- Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Parties aren't cheap, and that's especially true this summer for both the Democrats and the Republicans. Andy's back in a moment "Minding Your Business" for more news on that.

Also, John Kerry makes his pitch to undecided voters. CNN political contributor Donna Brazile stops by. In fact, she's here right now. Tells us what it takes to do it this year.

How are you doing? Talk to you in a moment here, all right? Break here. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. She certainly learned the ropes of campaigning from working with the likes of Jesse Jackson, Michael Dukakis. And in 2000, she was Al Gore's campaign manager. Donna Brazile, our own CNN political contributor, also a Democratic strategist, carrying a mini-cam this year, filming one of the delegates this week as she joins us here today in Boston for AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning, Donna. Nice to see you.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Good to see you, Bill.

HEMMER: John Edwards said this yesterday on ABC News: "Most people in the country, they just don't know him, John Kerry, well yet."

BRAZILE: That's correct. This is a great opportunity for John Kerry to really tell us his story, what he believes, where he's from, and exactly where he intends to take the country. This is his opportunity to be presidential.

HEMMER: Five months, $150 million spent by the Democrats already. Why don't people know him any better at this point?

BRAZILE: Because most Americans have not tuned in. They're not paying attention, they haven't started blogging yet. And you know what? This is an opportunity to really introduce him to the American people. It's a great -- great time for the Kerry-Edwards ticket, and they're having a lot of fun.

HEMMER: There are a lot of comparisons going back 12 years to the man from Hope, and Bill Clinton in 1992. Kelly Wallace was just sitting here, saying the Democrats think the expectation bar is way too high already. Is it at this point? And how do you know on Friday whether or not Boston is a success?

BRAZILE: Oh, because we'll feel the wind behind us. As we go out into the battleground states and to those battlefield states, and begin to rally Democrats around Kerry-Edwards, and to remind Democrats what it's like to have -- and the American people -- what it's like to have record peace and prosperity, to talk about education and health care and the issues -- I mean, John Kerry has led an incredible drive to winning the nomination. And now it's time to sort of let him go and tell the American people what he wants to do as president.

HEMMER: Republicans are saying this is another version of extreme makeover. And already, we're hearing at the end of the week, you're going to get a videotape out that shows John Kerry, going back to the late '90s, contradicting himself and living up to the term "flip-flopper," as we have heard for the past several months on the Democratic -- Republican side.

BRAZILE: Well...

HEMMER: In addition, you're going to get a number of ads in August, where the president goes on the road to trumpet his own campaign and plan.

BRAZILE: Well, you know what? The Republicans, their wheels have come off. And they are -- they've run the worst campaign that I've ever seen in my life.

HEMMER: You're saying the worst campaign? BRAZILE: Oh, it is...

HEMMER: In 2004?

BRAZILE: They have spent over $100 million trying to tell the American people things about John Kerry that are not true. So it is important to understand that this is Kerry's opportunity to really go out there and to woo the American people and to get them behind him.

So if the Republicans want to come throw mud on us, then let them throw mud. We're not going to throw mud this time. I'm not -- we're not...

HEMMER: You're not going to do that.

BRAZILE: It's a bad campaign. They don't have anything good to say, Bill.

They haven't laid out their agenda for the -- for the next four years. They have no record to run on. Instead, what they're trying to do is destroy John Kerry and John Edwards. And we're not going to allow them to do it.

That's what the Democrat -- that's what the delegates are saying at this convention. We're ready to fight, we're ready to get it on.

HEMMER: I just want it to be clear, when you say it's the worst campaign ever, are you implicating it's the dirtiest campaign?

BRAZILE: Oh, no, no. By far, the '88 campaign was dirty. We haven't seen the dirt as -- as deep as Mississippi mud is. But what I'm saying is that this is -- this is a campaign that doesn't have anything positive to say about George Bush and Dick Cheney. All they do is say bad things about John Kerry. So it's time that they focus on their own problems and let us Democrats just have a big, big fun.

HEMMER: Can you in a word say what's a success on Friday?

BRAZILE: Oh, I think when Kerry and Edwards leave this convention, they're going to be -- they're going to roll out a wonderful campaign for the fall. Ninety-nine days from now, we're going to see a great Democratic campaign victory.

HEMMER: Donna Brazile. "Cooking with Grease" is the book, by the way.

BRAZILE: And stirring the pots all morning.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) time. Thank you, Donna.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

HEMMER: Talk to you later. Get a break here. In a moment in Boston, the Democrats are going to throw quite a party throughout the week here. It is their turn here in Boston at the FleetCenter. But all those balloons and confetti, they are not free. Andy's got the price tag in a moment when our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: There we go now, live -- or, actually, it is not a live shot. This is a tape from a little bit earlier of Fenway Park. You can see it there, where everything's happening.

Right, Andy?

ANDY SERWER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, FORTUNE MAGAZINE: Yes, that's right.

COLLINS: Boston, you been there?

SERWER: Sure have. Fenway? Yes.

COLLINS: Beautiful?

SERWER: Saw Don Mattingly hit a homerun there. Oops, he plays for the Yankees. But I did see Don Mattingly hit a homerun at Fenway Park. Enjoyed it. Yes.

COLLINS: All right. So with a check on the market -- and Republicans and Democrats are both set to spend millions of dollars on their conventions, as you may have guests -- how do their costs compare? A great question. Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business" this morning.

SERWER: Indeed. Let's talk about the markets, though, a little bit first.

Dow up about 31 points this morning. I don't think we have a camera down there this morning. All cameras moved to Boston, trained on Bill Hemmer, doing a great job up there.

Stocks moving this morning. AT&T is up a little bit. We talked about it as a possible takeover candidate. Story about that in "Newsweek" magazine by Allen Sloane (ph).

Microsoft cover story in "Barron's" over the weekend. That stock is up as well.

The big story on Wall Street this morning, however, is get ready for the GOOG. Yes, that's right, Google has priced its IPO ticker GOOG. Not a surprise there.

Priced between $108 and $135. Total value of the company -- get this -- could be as much as $36 billion. Just to give you an idea, that's bigger than General Motors. General Motors market capitalization $24 billion. I would be wary about getting in on the IPO here, folks. A very, very rich company. Look for that IPO to be happening sometime over the next couple of weeks.

Let's talk about those convention costs, though, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes.

SERWER: Really interesting stuff. Maybe not a surprise. The Republicans are spending more money on their convention than the Democrats. And the reason I say not a surprise is because the Republicans are doing it here in New York, and it's so expensive in this city.

Let's check it out. Renting Madison Square Garden, $5 million. Renting near FleetCenter up there in Boston, only $3.5 million. Then the total expenditures, you can see here, the Republicans, the GOP spending $63.5, and the poor Democrats only spending $39 million.

An interesting line item in the "Boston Globe" doing this, party expenditures by the Republicans, $8 million. Party expenditures by the Democrats, $2.1 million. I think you probably want to be here in the Big Apple.

COLLINS: Yes.

SERWER: Because they've got...

COLLINS: Better food or what?

SERWER: ... four times as much more party power going on here in New York. Yes, they're going to have some of those $75 hamburgers here. You could spend a lot of money on a party in New York.

CAFFERTY: Yes, you can.

COLLINS: You certainly can.

SERWER: Yes, indeed.

COLLINS: All right, Andy. Thanks so much for that.

SERWER: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Jack now and the "Question of the Day."

CAFFERTY: A question about the conventions, Heidi, and whether they're even necessary anymore, because the candidates and the issues are all known ahead of time. And so there's some question whether this $100-plus million that Andy was just talking about couldn't be better spent doing other things. Here's some of what you've written us on that subject this morning.

Steve in Palmetto, Florida, "Since the platforms are already decided, the candidates are determined, I would suggest the importance of today's conventions is best determined by the hourly wage worker who can't get to work for a week due to heightened security that allows 4,000 or so delegates to have a week-long party paid for by corporate sponsors."

Roger in State College, PA., "Oh, come on. Given your job, do you really want to ask that question? What would Hemmer and the road show have to do this week if there were no political bash in Boston? As it is, they can chum the waters for glowing palls, comment on forgettable speeches, and gloat with you over comments taken out of context. Just have fun and grump along."

And John in Valparaiso, Florida, "The conventions no longer serves the purpose they were intended for unless all states adopt a practice where all the primaries are held on the same day. Most of the nation has no say in who the candidates are."

COLLINS: All right, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Thank you for your mail this morning.

COLLINS: All right. Thanks so much.

SERWER: Grump on.

COLLINS: Grump on.

CAFFERTY: Grump on.

COLLINS: All right. Coming up on CNN, this is John Kerry's big week. And in the next hour, he'll give a campaign speech in Florida. CNN will have it for you live. It's coming up with Daryn Kagan on "CNN LIVE TODAY."

AMERICAN MORNING will be back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Thank you for being with us today, day one, Democratic National Convention here in Boston.

Back again tomorrow morning, right, Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes.

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 26, 2004 - 9:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. The moment Democrats have been waiting all summer is finally here. Their national convention gets under way in Boston. A live picture, Senator Hillary Clinton here on the floor.
Can they use this moment to reconnect with voters for John Kerry? The senator, the star of the show, in making a last-minute detour into Boston late last night, and already a bit of controversy on the campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TERESA HEINZ KERRY, JOHN KERRY'S WIFE: You said something I didn't say. Now shove it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Teresa Heinz Kerry surprises reporters with a rather uncivil remark. We'll find out why in a moment.

And the other developing story this hour, a tractor trailer hangs by a single wheel. Police have a tough problem to solve today.

All ahead this morning here on AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING from the Democratic National Convention in Boston, here's Bill Hemmer.

HEMMER: Good morning, everyone. Nine o'clock here in Boston. And thanks for being with us.

Day one of our coverage throughout the entire week here in Boston at the FleetCenter for the Democratic National Convention. We're reporting to you live from the floor of the FleetCenter. It's never been done that way before. Sure, you've had reporters in the past, but never the complete setup on the stage. So when the convention begins later today, a much more intimate feel for our viewers at home as we come live to Boston throughout the week here.

The call to order comes down at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. And tonight's speakers include former Vice President Al Gore, and former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Also, in addition to that, this hour we'll hear from Senator Hillary Clinton, as well as our own political contributor, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile is here.

And we'll also talk to the filmmaker Michael Moore. The 9/11 report came out about a week ago. There is a bit of conflict between what the commission is concluded and what is seen in the film "Fahrenheit 9/11." We'll get to that in a moment here.

Also, it is a huge opportunity for Democrats to introduce Senator John Kerry to voters who may have a bit of reservation about him. Senator Kerry going to Florida late last night. That was after he was here in Boston. We'll explain that in a moment. He's in Cape Canaveral today, Norfolk, Virginia, later, then Philadelphia later in the week, before coming back here to his home town of Boston, Massachusetts.

Last night, Fenway Park, Senator Kerry in a surprise appearance for the Red Sox-Yankees game threw out the first pitch. A bit of a one-hopper to the plate. Perhaps some mixed omen some are suggesting for Senator Kerry, not the bounce he was looking for. His pitch a bit short, but the Red Sox did win that game, and they took the series 9- 6, the final, in game three Sunday night here at Fenway.

Much more from Boston in a moment. I want to say good morning to my colleague, Heidi Collins, back in New York.

Heidi, good morning to you.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Did you say not the bounce he was hoping for?

HEMMER: Yes, well...

COLLINS: Oh, OK.

HEMMER: ... bad pun, I guess.

COLLINS: Just want to make sure we heard it twice. All right.

HEMMER: Work with it.

COLLINS: Thanks so much, Bill.

We will, of course, have all the other news as well this morning, including developments in the case of a missing Utah woman.

Also, get a report on the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Barbara Starr standing by, looking at renewed efforts to find the terrorist leader.

Jack Cafferty is also, of course, with us this morning.

Jack, hello.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

Are the conventions really necessary anymore? No drama anymore. No mystery. We know the candidates. We know the issues.

The -- the major broadcast networks don't even cover these things the way they used to. So that's the question, do we really need the political conventions, or should they be done away with? Of course all the extra security needed because of the terrorism situation. So that's what we're pondering this morning.

COLLINS: It's a good question. A lot of people have written in already, in fact.

CAFFERTY: Yes, we've got a lot of responses.

COLLINS: All right, Jack. Thanks.

We're going to send it back to Bill in Boston once again.

Hi Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Heidi. Thanks. And good morning again.

The view from the convention stage familiar one to Hillary Clinton. The New York senator and former first lady will address the Democratic Party faithful later tonight in prime-time when she introduces her husband, Bill Clinton.

That was Jeff Greenfield. You'll see more from him in a moment here, and hear from him also.

Some have said the former president's appearance tonight might overshadow the candidate, John Kerry. Senator Clinton had other thoughts on that same topic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I think that's the way conventions are planned. I mean, obviously, the big event is John Kerry's speech Thursday night. And everything leads up to it.

So I know that Bill is happy to be, you know, kicking off the convention. I'm delighted to be introducing him. We want to do everything we possibly can do to help the American people who have yet to make up their minds -- and there aren't too many left -- that this is a man who could be a great president and a -- and really a perfect choice for our country at this point in our history.

HEMMER: You are endorsing a man who, if he wins on November 2, may have significant impact on your own possibilities for the White House. Maybe even some suggest pushing it back to 2012. You laugh, that's fine, that's fair. When you think about that possibility...

CLINTON: I don't think about that possibility. But I know that a lot of people in your position do. And that's fine. But I am so excited about replacing this administration.

You know, I think that the Bush-Cheney presidency has been bad for America and bad for the world. I cannot wait to see them leave the White House. The sooner the better. I wish we could move the inauguration up a few months.

I am so hopeful that, you know, we will get back on the right track. And the only way we can do that is by having new leadership.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Senator Clinton from earlier today here in Boston. These days and these conventions, few surprises. We know that. Very well scripted. We'll see if that plays out that same way throughout the week.

But there is still news to be delivered. Jeff Greenfield, our senior political analyst, checks in now with his views on this and a whole lot more.

Good morning to you.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: How you doing?

HEMMER: Give me the headline.

GREENFIELD: You know, the headline literally is hanging outside the FleetCenter on a great big banner that says "A Stronger America." The Kerry campaign, rightly or wrongly, thinks it has the wind at its back, that the country is leaning toward getting itself a new president, but that a significant chunk of us really don't know John Kerry, and that group is a little troubled or, in some cases, a lot troubled by one of the Bush campaign's key critiques, that Kerry is indecisive, uncertain, a waffler. And that in a post-9/11 age could be fatal. So the goal over the next four days is very clear: present John Kerry as a man of conviction who is tough enough to protect the country from its enemies.

HEMMER: So then, specifically, how do they do that?

GREENFIELD: Well, the Vietnam experience is obviously going to be a big part of this. That's why his companions on the swift boat that he commanded in Vietnam will be ever-present, as they were in the primaries. And this is not just about his combat experience. It's about veterans from blue collar America who are expressing respected affection for this Yale-bred Bostonian. It knocks the elitism charge down.

There's also a determination on the part of the campaign, as we've been hearing a lot about, to move away from the more partisan rhetoric of the primaries. And, interestingly, one of the way politicians convey strength is with a sense of ease and a willingness to lighten up once in a while and reach out. So, for instance, when they bring out young Ron Reagan to talk about stem cell research, it's possible that maybe they'll -- he'll praise his late conservative Republican father, because that's a message that says, you know what, we're strong enough not to yell at you and say something nice about the other guys.

HEMMER: And John Kerry has said we want it to be positive. We don't want to do any Bush-bashing I think was the phrase that one Democratic strategist used. Yet, though, some of the prime-time lineup appears to be very partisan.

GREENFIELD: Yes, this is curious. If you contrast it to the Republican convention next month, they're offering their moderate pro- choice voice, Rudy Giuliani, Governor Pataki, Arnold Schwarzenegger. One of the most conservative speakers next month is going to be a Democrat, Zell Miller.

In this case, though, it shows you how even a nominee can't fully control the convention. You have to have Bill Clinton, even though he may not be the best face on the party for Independents and conservative Democrats. You know what his weaknesses is. We don't have to talk about that again.

But having Bill Clinton may have meant you had to have Senator Hillary Clinton to introduce him. She is seen by some as a more polarizing figure.

You have to have Ted Kennedy, the symbol of liberalism. Why? Because the convention is in Boston. And also, Kennedy played a big role in helping Kerry get the nomination. He sent Kerry his chief of staff, Mary Beth Cahill, his campaign manger who helped turn this around. You have to have Al Gore, because the guy got more votes than Bush did the last time.

So what does the campaign say about this? Well, they say, guess what, our centrists are named John Kerry and John Edwards. And that is something the Republicans here in Boston are going to be spending a lot of time trying to disprove. The talking point that you're going to hear from every Republican is this is operation extreme makeover. So there you are.

HEMMER: And it appears that phrase has caught on already. We've heard it many times already so far today, and only in day one.

GREENFIELD: You know, that's the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that goes up to everybody, and you're going to hear strength so much, I think Jack Lalane might come out at this convention and lead us in a workout. Strong, strong, strong, that's their mantra.

HEMMER: We'll keep an eye on that.

GREENFIELD: All right.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jeff. Talk to you throughout the week here.

Give you a bit of a preview here. The convention officially kicks off later tonight at 4:00 Eastern Time. Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic chair, calling things to order here.

Here's the schedule as it shakes down later tonight. Al Gore, the former vice president, Jimmy Carter speaks, so, too, does Bill Clinton. He makes the main speech later tonight, expected right around 10:00 Eastern Time if the schedule holds true to what's been laid out for us.

After that, special edition of "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown at 11:00 Eastern. Then, "LARRY KING," a midnight edition live here from the convention floor in Boston with Larry King at midnight.

Back in a moment from Boston. Michael Moore waiting in the wings. We'll get to him after this -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Bill. Very good.

Some ominous reports in the case of a missing woman in Salt Lake City now. Police are testing a clump of brown hair. It was found in a dumpster near where Mark Hacking bought a mattress the same morning he reported his wife, Lori, missing. Police do not know if the hair belongs to the 27-year-old pregnant woman. She has not been seen for a week.

And police would not confirm or deny a "Deseret Morning News" report that a bloody knife with strands of hair was taken from the Hacking apartment. While an arrest warrant could be issued within days, and Hacking's husband is described as a person of interest in the case, both families remain focused on finding Lori.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT DUNAWAY, HACKING FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The family has full confidence in the police, and they are just hoping that the police will be able to get to the bottom of this and they'll learn what the truth is. However, for the family, our -- our primary focus is to find Lori. That has always been our main interest. And both families, the Hackings and the Soares families, are -- are united in that effort and supporting one another.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: More than 3,000 volunteers helped search for Lori Hacking just yesterday.

It is about 10 minutes past the hour now, and time for a look of some of today's other news with Daryn Kagan.

Hi, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, good morning once again.

We begin with news of an extended deadline and new demands from a group holding seven truck drivers hostage in Iraq. The captors want the drivers' Kuwaiti employer to pay families of Iraqis killed fighting U.S. troops and to release Iraqi prisoners from U.S. jails. It's not clear how long the new deadline will last.

And in the northern city of Mosul, a suicide truck bomb killed at least three people. Several others were wounded, including three U.S. soldiers.

Some details now about that truck trailer that is dangling off a bridge in the Florida Keys. It is hanging off U.S. Route 1, the main road through the key, by only one rear tire. The cab did not go over the guardrail. One person is reportedly injured. It's unclear when traffic will get back to normal in the Keys.

A 14-year-old boy in Massachusetts is trying to become the first child to divorce his father. Patrick Collins' father is serving a life sentence for killing the teen's mother almost six years ago. Collins wants him to stop him from having access to his report cards and his counseling records.

And finally, Lance Armstrong's plan for next year's Tour de France, they are still up in the air. But one thing is for sure, Armstrong is the champ once again. He counted up his wins while pedaling into Paris. Yes, that would be sixth, as in his historic sixth straight tour victory coming by a final margin of over six minutes.

Of the race's 20 individual stages, Armstrong one five. For him, that is a personal best. Congratulations to him.

Let's go ahead and check in on the weather. Rob Marciano is in for Chad -- Chad Myers -- Chad Weathers -- Chad Myers this morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment here, the latest on John Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, the comments given last night. A speech on civility yesterday after that. Apparently, she turned around and said something that some folks might consider less than civil. We'll fill you in on what's happening there.

Also, a young and up and comer in the Democratic Party, not running for office, though. Not even old enough to vote yet.

And we'll talk to "Fahrenheit 9/11" director Michael Moore, hear what he has to say about the Democrats, the Republicans, and just about everybody else in between. The 9/11 report is out. We'll get to that and Michael Moore after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "FAHRENHEIT 9/11")

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had some airplanes authorized at the highest levels of our government to pick up Osama bin Laden's family members and transport them out of this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP, "FAHRENHEIT 9/11")

HEMMER: That is a clip from the movie by the filmmaker Michael Moore, "Fahrenheit 9/11." Over the weekend, it went over $100 million at the box office, which is astounding for a documentary.

All this coming, though, on the heels, just days after the 9/11 Commission put out its report and contradicted one of the central themes and one of the points that was made in that film about Osama bin Laden's family living and working here in the U.S. and how they were given transportation out of the country. Who better to ask about all this than the filmmaker himself, Michael Moore, our guest now here in Boston on the floor of the FleetCenter.

Good morning to you.

MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: Good morning, Bill. How are you doing?

HEMMER: Who are you going to vote -- I'm fine, thank you. Who do you vote for on November 2?

MOORE: Well, you don't vote for George W. Bush, that's for sure.

HEMMER: Do you vote for John Kerry or do you vote for Ralph Nader?

MOORE: Well, you don't vote for Ralph Nader either. What was my last choice?

(LAUGHTER)

HEMMER: What explains why your film has made $100 million?

MOORE: I think it's because the American people, for the last four years, feel like they haven't been told the whole truth. And both from the White House and the media not doing its job, especially with this war, and the early days before the war, and when the war started. Too much of the media was a cheerleader instead of doing the real job of asking the hard questions, demanding the evidence. And so people have come to this movie to -- to see the things that they haven't seen in much of the mainstream media.

HEMMER: And in that movie -- you heard in my lead in to you about the 9/11 report. Have you seen that report, 600 pages in length?

MOORE: Yes. Yes.

HEMMER: Have you read the whole thing?

MOORE: No, I have not.

HEMMER: Well, you have the executive summary, a couple of the other pages, I'm certain.

MOORE: Right. I have the CliffsNotes.

HEMMER: In the book itself, it contradicts one of the themes...

MOORE: Yes.

HEMMER: ... that you make in your film about the Osama bin Laden family essentially given special treatment out of the country.

MOORE: Right.

HEMMER: And the implication in the film is that the White House directed that.

MOORE: Yes.

HEMMER: Your reaction of them saying that simply was not the case? MOORE: Yes. Well, I disagree with the commission. I think there's a lot of evidence to show that they were given special treatment.

They were moved to the front of the line. Just the story in "The Washington Post" on Thursday that -- that said that the actual plane that was used to fly the bin Ladens out of the country was the same plane the White House uses to fly you guys around in the White House Press Corps.

There are so many things that have not -- Senator Lautenberg, Senator Dorgan, as you showed there in the clip, there's still a lot of unanswered questions. And I think that -- I hope further investigations will -- will bring this out.

HEMMER: Allow me to go back to the report. This they say specifically...

MOORE: Yes.

HEMMER: ... on the screen for our viewers. "The commission concludes there is no evidence of political intervention in any of the nine chartered flights that left between September 14 and September 24. They also say the bin Laden family left September 20th after the civilian flight ban was lifted. Commercial airliners were flying again on that day.

Twenty-two of 26 people interviewed. That's more they say than would have been interviewed had they all left separately on commercial flights. Take that.

MOORE: And then again, "The Washington Post," doing a great job, points out that one of the bin Ladens that left was the roommate of Osama's nephew who was one of the founders of WAMY, whose offices were raided last month. They're considered a potential terrorist organization. And yet -- and yet here's the roommate of the person who was the founder of this on that flight.

There are still many, many unanswered questions. And of the 142, or now they say 160 Saudis, as you said, only, what, 20-some were...

HEMMER: Twenty-two of 26.

MOORE: Out of the bin Ladens. But then there's 142 members of the Saudi royal family who were allowed to leave without being interviewed. And the report says that.

I think that's wrong. If -- listen, if 15 of the 19 hijackers had been from North Korea, do you think we just would have let 142 North Koreans leave the country as soon as the air space opened up? I don't think so

HEMMER: Let's move away from that. I've heard people say Michael Moore is the greatest living American.

MOORE: Oh, who are those people? HEMMER: I've heard people say they wish Michael Moore were dead.

MOORE: Oh, well. Jeez, who would say that?

HEMMER: How do you take in the reaction that you are getting? And there is no one who is neutral after they see your film.

MOORE: Well, there's a -- there's that minority of Republicans and right-wingers who are upset, because they know their days of numbered. I'd be upset, too, if I were them. You know, they've only got a few more months left in charge. And so they're all running around, all saying crazy things like that.

HEMMER: The DNC did not invite you here, is that right?

MOORE: The Congressional Black Caucus invited me here, yes. Yes.

HEMMER: Enjoy your week.

MOORE: Those black congressmen, you know.

HEMMER: Thanks for your time. Michael Moore, the filmmaker from "Fahrenheit 9/11."

MOORE: Right. Thank you very much.

HEMMER: All right.

Back to Heidi now in New York.

COLLINS: Thanks, Bill.

Still to come, more from Boston, including a look at the latest or Teresa Heinz Kerry. She gave a speech on dignified politics over the weekend, then said something that might have been at odds with that.

Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Going to check in with Jack now.

CAFFERTY: Thank you, Heidi.

Last night up in Boston, some controversy after a speech given by Senator John Kerry's wife. Teresa Heinz Kerry talked to the delegates about how uncivil and downright vicious American politics has become.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEINZ KERRY: We need to turn back some of the creepy (ph) (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and sometimes un-American traits that are coming into some of our politics. I remember a time when the people in political parties in Pennsylvania talked to one another and actually got things done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Later, Mrs. Kerry was asked by a reporter what she meant by the term un-American."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEINZ KERRY: No, I didn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you mean?

HEINZ KERRY: I didn't say that. I didn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People, we're not giving questions here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just asking what you said.

HEINZ KERRY: Well, why do you put those words in my mouth?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You said something about "un-American."

HEINZ KERRY: No, I didn't say that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HEINZ KERRY: I did not say "activities" or "un-American." Those are your words. You can record...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Then after conferring with Democratic advisers, Ms. Heinz Kerry confronted the journalist and editorial editor of the conservative "Pittsburgh Tribune Review." She was angry that he had allegedly tried to put words into her mouth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HEINZ KERRY: Of course. Understandable. You said something I didn't say. Now shove it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: Senator Hillary Clinton, who's no stranger to the scrutiny facing a potential first lady, defended the incident earlier when she talked to Bill Hemmer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I think a lot of Americans are going to say, "Good for you. You go, girl." And that certainly is how I feel about it.

You know, I think that what we're living in our political, you know, history at this moment is extremely polarized. There's a lot of, you know, strong emotions. And that's perfectly appropriate. But then there are people who are, frankly, out to score political points, or to put words in people's mouths. And that's not appropriate. And they have to be called on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAFFERTY: That's funny, I could have sworn her I heard her say "un-American." Maybe it was inadvertent, you know, like putting stuff in your socks.

It's not your father's Democratic convention going on this weekend in Boston. There was a time when this was the stuff of high drama. But we know who the candidates are. We know basically what all the issues are.

Actually, there's only one issue that seems in this election that has to do with whether or not George Bush has to gets a second term. So the question is, with all the attention paid to terrorism, heightened security, the expenses involved for the host city, plus the inconvenience to the citizens, how important are these conventions, or could we simply get along without them?

We heard from M. Hughes in Manastee (ph), Michigan, "The Democratic convention is extremely important. The American people need to be informed. This is part of the election process. Is it possible that CNN reporters are all in the upper tax brackets now and are all Republicans."

No, that's not possible.

Jeff in California, "I think they are a great way to express the position of each of the parties and the great debate that follows. The problem in this election cycle is that it's all about removing or keeping George W. Bush. The issues do not seem to matter at all to many of the Democrats."

Mary out in Las Vegas, "We're already saturated to nearly catatonic states with news of candidates and electioneering. The money wasted on these events would much better be spent saving lives in the Sudan, researching AIDS, properly equipping our troops, or any of a number of other causes."

On the subject of Teresa Heinz Kerry's comments, Roxanne in Silver Springs writes, "I'm glad Mrs. Heinz Kerry told that silly little man off. He was jumping at her like a mentally-challenged Chihuahua instead of acting like a respectable journalist. "Respectable journalist" is an oxymoron these days. It's about time we had a person in public life who possesses the strength to tell the minions of corporate media to back off when they step over the line."

And finally, Ruth, in Orange, Virginia, writes, "Sometimes your nasty and sarcastic comments are not appreciated. Some of your own views are not always everybody else's. So shut up."

OK, Ruth. I will. I'm done now.

COLLINS: Ouch. Cranky on a Monday morning. Oh, all right.

Bill, save us.

HEMMER: Hey, Jack, at least she didn't say "shove it," huh?

CAFFERTY: No. No. Ruth is much more civil than that.

COLLINS: Shut up is...

HEMMER: I'm not going near that one.

CAFFERTY: A nice job with the Michael Moore interview, by the way, yes.

HEMMER: Oh, well, thank you. Thank you.

CAFFERTY: Absolutely. No, it was a good interview. I enjoyed it.

HEMMER: I appreciate that. Thank you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: My pleasure.

HEMMER: In a moment here, much more from Boston as well here. Proof that some young people are interested in politics. We'll show you one young man who has a special role in this convention. He is the youngest among all the delegates.

Back in a moment bottom of the hour.

Plus, we'll go on the floor with our own reporters after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We're back, everyone. Coming up on 9:30 here in Boston, Massachusetts. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Convention coverage continues here in Boston. Heidi Collins back in New York.

Good morning, again, Heidi, to you.

COLLINS: And good morning to you, Bill. And good morning to you, everybody.

More of today's headlines are coming up, including a report from Barbara Starr on the search for Osama bin Laden. The military is using advanced technology to find the terrorist leader. We'll tell you what it's all about.

But the main story, of course, in Boston, where Bill is -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Heidi.

Six-and-a-half hours away, they'll gavel to order here in Boston. And when they do, it will be day one for the Democrats. And we start this morning now with a segment today that will we'll do every day at this time. The idea is to find the find the stories some of the finest political reporters are chasing here in Boston today. We call it "On the Floor." Today, our panel includes Kelly Wallace, CNN national correspondent.

Kelly, good morning to you.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Great to see you.

HEMMER: Ron Brownstein's here, a CNN political analyst, also from the "L.A. Times."

And Candy Crowley, how are you doing today?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good.

HEMMER: Listen, really appreciate the three of you being with us today. A couple of things I'm picking up on you.

Go back to last night. John Kerry is at Fenway Park. There's a sense I'm getting, Kelly, that the expectations bar is very high. Is it too high?

WALLACE: Well, we talked to advisers, and we said, "Doesn't he have to hit a home run?" Let's keep the sports analogy going. And one of the advisers said, "Who's raising these expectations? It's the media. The media is making this a very high expectation game."

They say they're realistic. They know he has to give a very important speech, that he has to be personal, speak from the heart, connect in a way he has never had before. So...

HEMMER: Well, does that mean they underscore things from here on out, Ron?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, you know, it's interesting. The challenge -- he has really kind of only half the challenge that you usually have as a challenger at your convention. He doesn't really have to go out right now and make a hard-edged, aggressive case for change.

There is an audience out there that is looking for something different. You look at the polls, and the "TIME" poll yesterday, 53 percent said time for somebody new.

His challenge is to make himself acceptable to those voters. That is -- that is difficult for John Kerry. Connecting emotionally with voters, personally with voters has always been difficult for him. But he doesn't really have to go out and bang George Bush over the head this week.

HEMMER: But take -- take the speaker list tonight, though, Ron -- and Candy, we'll go to you on this one. Al gore, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, how do they help John Kerry's case?

CROWLEY: Well, first of all, they help with -- you know, Al Gore, 2000, that helps with this group, that helps with all the angry Democrats that are still thinking they got robbed. That helps with, you know, the get out the vote.

Bill Clinton, good heavens. You know, he's like the icon of the -- of the Democratic Party. So they help.

On the other hand, you don't want to get them too close to John Kerry. Al Gore, because, you know, he kind of pushes away the swing vote. And Bill Clinton because he kind of turns off some of the swing vote. So you put them on Monday night, and you put him on Thursday night.

HEMMER: You get that separation...

(CROSSTALK)

CROWLEY: It's all about the schedule.

HEMMER: You talked to Bill Clinton.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

HEMMER: There's a piece today in the "L.A. Times." What is his take right now? Was he critical of the White House?

BROWNSTEIN: He is.

HEMMER: Did he hold back, as John Kerry has suggested everybody do this week?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, we'll see what he says tonight. But in the interview, I think he was much more critical than he has been, especially on the war in Iraq.

Without directly saying so, he strongly implied that he would not have invaded Iraq. And he came very close to echoing the arguments of people like Wesley Clark and Bob Graham, who have argued that invading Iraq and all the effort that's gone into that has been a distraction from the war on terror with al Qaeda. He also argued that if Bush loses, it will be because of his response to 9/11.

CROWLEY: And can I just...

HEMMER: The response to 9/11?

BROWNSTEIN: As the...

HEMMER: And the offshoot of Iraq?

BROWNSTEIN: Iraq, the Patriot Act -- he didn't say the Patriot Act specifically. He basically argued that after 9/11, when the country wanted to unify, he argues that Bush polarized both at home and abroad. And the backlash that you're seeing, the energy on the Democratic side, is largely a reaction to that. It was a much tougher analysis than he' has given in many other forums.

CROWLEY: And can I just argue that that's exactly why you hear John Kerry going, I want this to be a really nice convention.

WALLACE: Everybody's happy.

CROWLEY: I want -- everyone should be happy. And then, when Bill Clinton comes out and goes, you know, Bush really blew it, this is terrible, and Al Gore says we shouldn't (UNINTELLIGIBLE), he goes, I tried to get it to be a nice convention.

(CROSSTALK)

CROWLEY: No, I don't think we will, but they can get away with it.

WALLACE: You know, they're trying to look at the speeches...

CROWLEY: Yes.

WALLACE: ... vetting. They're trying to get a script to try to keep them all on the same message.

BROWNSTEIN: Right. As of yesterday, they said they had not seen Bill Clinton's speech.

WALLACE: Yes. Who's going to be vetting that speech? That's what we want to know.

HEMMER: If I could -- and this is a completely different topic. This Teresa Heinz Kerry, is that a distraction at this point?

WALLACE: Well, certainly it's -- I don't think it helps in that sense of you want to get everybody on a good, happy message. It's the opening day of the convention. And there you have Teresa Heinz Kerry telling a reporter who says that -- she says this person is putting words in her mouth, saying "un-American activities," to "shove it." Not the best opening message, but -- but again, if there are people angry out there, who think the media is putting words in people's mouths, maybe it helps people along the way.

HEMMER: Listen, it's called "On the Floor." We appreciate it. Kelly, Ron, Candy, many thanks, OK? Enjoy it. I know the three of you are just ready to go, aren't you?

It's called "On the Floor." We'll do it every morning at this time.

Breaking news. Back to Heidi now in New York -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Bill. Thanks so much for that.

The White House has some new response this morning to the 9/11 report. Suzanne Malveaux is covering the president in Crawford, Texas. She joins us now with the latest on this.

Good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Heidi.

As you know, the president is laying low at his Crawford ranch this week. But there's a lot of activity. White House aides saying that he is certainly on the fast track when it comes to those recommendations regarding the 9/11 Commission.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice is going to be joining him at the ranch today about 3:30 local time, Central Time, to go over the analysis of those recommendations. The priority of this task force, that the president has assembled essentially is to look at those recommendations that he can implement immediately by executive order.

Now, we have learned this morning that there is a high-level meeting, a cabinet-level meeting that is taking place at the White House. People are assembling as we speak. It's through secure video teleconference.

On -- in that meeting and on that call will be officials, the head of the FBI, Secretary Tom Ridge of Homeland Security, acting CIA director John McLaughlin, many other officials, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. All of these people assembling specifically to talk about ways to overhaul the intelligence system, what kind of reforms they can put in place right away -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Suzanne, critics might say, though, that all of this, the timing of it all could be suspect.

MALVEAUX: Well, certainly there's a lot of pressure on the Bush administration to do something right away. We have heard from the chair and the vice chair of the 9/11 Commission. You have heard from -- pressure from the Democrats, as well as you've heard from Senator Kerry saying that he has his own recommendations that he would implement right away if he was president.

Yes, there is a lot of pressure on the administration. The political calculus here is to put it out, to try to respond as quickly as possible, to show the American people that the president is doing all he can to protect the nation. Because, as you know, national security is really the centerpiece of their campaign, that the president, they argue, can do a better job than Senator Kerry.

I should also let you know as well, sources are telling us that the administration is looking very carefully at one of those recommendations, that is the formulation of a national director of intelligence. This is something that essentially is being debated within the White House. The administration perhaps leaning just a little bit forward in looking at that as a possibility, one that perhaps the president could endorse -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Suzanne Malveaux traveling with the president in Crawford, Texas. Thanks, Suzanne.

The intelligence community has increased efforts to track down al Qaeda terrorists along the Afghan-Pakistan border. This includes using advanced technology to find the world's most wanted man. Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon with more on this.

Hi, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello to you, Heidi.

Indeed, with all of the concern now about the possibility of an upcoming terrorist attack, the intelligence community is trying to corroborate all the leads they have, whether they are tips from informants or clues in satellite imagery. And, once again, the target is indeed western Pakistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice-over): In the hunt for Osama bin Laden, the U.S. intelligence community now is using leading-edge technology that sorts through satellite imagery to find patterns unseen by the eye. It's called change detection. Here is how it works.

Satellites are scanning western Pakistan near the Afghan border, looking for perhaps a newly paved road, cars at a mountain camp, initial tips. Not that bin Laden is there, but clues that al Qaeda may be gathering to plot. It's a trail of bread crumbs that bin Laden and his associates might leave behind.

Change detection looks at how these clues in satellite images evolve. High-speed computers convert imagery into a bar graph that charts the pixels: dots of pure black to pure white and all of the grays. Analysts then look for change. For example, a sudden increase in the range of gray tones that result when the gravel is laid for a new road. They can also remove certain features of a landscape to enhance others and isolate subtle changes with mathematical precision.

Analysts will then go a step further, asking themselves, for example, if what they see is really a new road, looking for very small developments, like a satellite dish on top of a house. Would any of this tip off bin Laden's location or those who are hiding him?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: And if they get such a tip, then analysts are expected to recommend aerial and ground sensors be put into place, providing a 24/7 net of surveillance, trying to catch anyone who might try and cross that electronic fence line, whether it's bin Laden or a key informant on him and his whereabouts -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Change detection, all right. Barbara Starr, thanks so much for that -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Heidi. Forty-one minutes past the hour. Time to check the other news today. And for that, here is Daryn Kagan again at the CNN Center.

Hey, Daryn. Good morning.

KAGAN: Bill, good morning to you. We're going to head south here to the Florida Keys. A crane is being brought in to lift a dangling truck trailer from the side of a bridge. You have to see the pictures to believe it.

The truck was involved in a multi-vehicle crash just hours -- just about two hours ago. One person is reported to have been injured. Check that out. The truck just hanging by the wheel there off the side of the bridge. The cab that was pulling the trailer did not go over the side. U.S. 1, by the way, is expected to be closed, cutting off all access to Keys until this afternoon.

More flooding is expected in Bangladesh, where monsoon rains have left millions of homes under water. At least 220 people are now reported dead. Medical teams have been sent throughout the country to help curb outbreaks of water-borne diseases. The flooding is the worst since 1998, when 21 million people were left homeless.

Let's check back here in the U.S. A small dip in gas prices to tell you about. The latest Lundberg Survey says the average price of gas dropped nearly a penny during the past two weeks, down to about $1.92 a gallon. Prices are expected to continue falling -- falling over the next month or so.

And from the world of sports, Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley have officially joined baseball's immortals. Both were inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame yesterday. Molitor had 3,319 hits in 21 years with Milwaukee, Toronto and Minnesota. Eckersley, remembered best as relief pitcher, saved 390 games playing for Oakland, Boston, Cleveland, and the Chicago Cubs.

Congratulations to both of them.

Let's see if there's any congratulations due with the weather. Rob Marciano is in for Chad Myers today -- Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Parties aren't cheap, and that's especially true this summer for both the Democrats and the Republicans. Andy's back in a moment "Minding Your Business" for more news on that.

Also, John Kerry makes his pitch to undecided voters. CNN political contributor Donna Brazile stops by. In fact, she's here right now. Tells us what it takes to do it this year.

How are you doing? Talk to you in a moment here, all right? Break here. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. She certainly learned the ropes of campaigning from working with the likes of Jesse Jackson, Michael Dukakis. And in 2000, she was Al Gore's campaign manager. Donna Brazile, our own CNN political contributor, also a Democratic strategist, carrying a mini-cam this year, filming one of the delegates this week as she joins us here today in Boston for AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning, Donna. Nice to see you.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Good to see you, Bill.

HEMMER: John Edwards said this yesterday on ABC News: "Most people in the country, they just don't know him, John Kerry, well yet."

BRAZILE: That's correct. This is a great opportunity for John Kerry to really tell us his story, what he believes, where he's from, and exactly where he intends to take the country. This is his opportunity to be presidential.

HEMMER: Five months, $150 million spent by the Democrats already. Why don't people know him any better at this point?

BRAZILE: Because most Americans have not tuned in. They're not paying attention, they haven't started blogging yet. And you know what? This is an opportunity to really introduce him to the American people. It's a great -- great time for the Kerry-Edwards ticket, and they're having a lot of fun.

HEMMER: There are a lot of comparisons going back 12 years to the man from Hope, and Bill Clinton in 1992. Kelly Wallace was just sitting here, saying the Democrats think the expectation bar is way too high already. Is it at this point? And how do you know on Friday whether or not Boston is a success?

BRAZILE: Oh, because we'll feel the wind behind us. As we go out into the battleground states and to those battlefield states, and begin to rally Democrats around Kerry-Edwards, and to remind Democrats what it's like to have -- and the American people -- what it's like to have record peace and prosperity, to talk about education and health care and the issues -- I mean, John Kerry has led an incredible drive to winning the nomination. And now it's time to sort of let him go and tell the American people what he wants to do as president.

HEMMER: Republicans are saying this is another version of extreme makeover. And already, we're hearing at the end of the week, you're going to get a videotape out that shows John Kerry, going back to the late '90s, contradicting himself and living up to the term "flip-flopper," as we have heard for the past several months on the Democratic -- Republican side.

BRAZILE: Well...

HEMMER: In addition, you're going to get a number of ads in August, where the president goes on the road to trumpet his own campaign and plan.

BRAZILE: Well, you know what? The Republicans, their wheels have come off. And they are -- they've run the worst campaign that I've ever seen in my life.

HEMMER: You're saying the worst campaign? BRAZILE: Oh, it is...

HEMMER: In 2004?

BRAZILE: They have spent over $100 million trying to tell the American people things about John Kerry that are not true. So it is important to understand that this is Kerry's opportunity to really go out there and to woo the American people and to get them behind him.

So if the Republicans want to come throw mud on us, then let them throw mud. We're not going to throw mud this time. I'm not -- we're not...

HEMMER: You're not going to do that.

BRAZILE: It's a bad campaign. They don't have anything good to say, Bill.

They haven't laid out their agenda for the -- for the next four years. They have no record to run on. Instead, what they're trying to do is destroy John Kerry and John Edwards. And we're not going to allow them to do it.

That's what the Democrat -- that's what the delegates are saying at this convention. We're ready to fight, we're ready to get it on.

HEMMER: I just want it to be clear, when you say it's the worst campaign ever, are you implicating it's the dirtiest campaign?

BRAZILE: Oh, no, no. By far, the '88 campaign was dirty. We haven't seen the dirt as -- as deep as Mississippi mud is. But what I'm saying is that this is -- this is a campaign that doesn't have anything positive to say about George Bush and Dick Cheney. All they do is say bad things about John Kerry. So it's time that they focus on their own problems and let us Democrats just have a big, big fun.

HEMMER: Can you in a word say what's a success on Friday?

BRAZILE: Oh, I think when Kerry and Edwards leave this convention, they're going to be -- they're going to roll out a wonderful campaign for the fall. Ninety-nine days from now, we're going to see a great Democratic campaign victory.

HEMMER: Donna Brazile. "Cooking with Grease" is the book, by the way.

BRAZILE: And stirring the pots all morning.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) time. Thank you, Donna.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

HEMMER: Talk to you later. Get a break here. In a moment in Boston, the Democrats are going to throw quite a party throughout the week here. It is their turn here in Boston at the FleetCenter. But all those balloons and confetti, they are not free. Andy's got the price tag in a moment when our coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: There we go now, live -- or, actually, it is not a live shot. This is a tape from a little bit earlier of Fenway Park. You can see it there, where everything's happening.

Right, Andy?

ANDY SERWER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, FORTUNE MAGAZINE: Yes, that's right.

COLLINS: Boston, you been there?

SERWER: Sure have. Fenway? Yes.

COLLINS: Beautiful?

SERWER: Saw Don Mattingly hit a homerun there. Oops, he plays for the Yankees. But I did see Don Mattingly hit a homerun at Fenway Park. Enjoyed it. Yes.

COLLINS: All right. So with a check on the market -- and Republicans and Democrats are both set to spend millions of dollars on their conventions, as you may have guests -- how do their costs compare? A great question. Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business" this morning.

SERWER: Indeed. Let's talk about the markets, though, a little bit first.

Dow up about 31 points this morning. I don't think we have a camera down there this morning. All cameras moved to Boston, trained on Bill Hemmer, doing a great job up there.

Stocks moving this morning. AT&T is up a little bit. We talked about it as a possible takeover candidate. Story about that in "Newsweek" magazine by Allen Sloane (ph).

Microsoft cover story in "Barron's" over the weekend. That stock is up as well.

The big story on Wall Street this morning, however, is get ready for the GOOG. Yes, that's right, Google has priced its IPO ticker GOOG. Not a surprise there.

Priced between $108 and $135. Total value of the company -- get this -- could be as much as $36 billion. Just to give you an idea, that's bigger than General Motors. General Motors market capitalization $24 billion. I would be wary about getting in on the IPO here, folks. A very, very rich company. Look for that IPO to be happening sometime over the next couple of weeks.

Let's talk about those convention costs, though, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes.

SERWER: Really interesting stuff. Maybe not a surprise. The Republicans are spending more money on their convention than the Democrats. And the reason I say not a surprise is because the Republicans are doing it here in New York, and it's so expensive in this city.

Let's check it out. Renting Madison Square Garden, $5 million. Renting near FleetCenter up there in Boston, only $3.5 million. Then the total expenditures, you can see here, the Republicans, the GOP spending $63.5, and the poor Democrats only spending $39 million.

An interesting line item in the "Boston Globe" doing this, party expenditures by the Republicans, $8 million. Party expenditures by the Democrats, $2.1 million. I think you probably want to be here in the Big Apple.

COLLINS: Yes.

SERWER: Because they've got...

COLLINS: Better food or what?

SERWER: ... four times as much more party power going on here in New York. Yes, they're going to have some of those $75 hamburgers here. You could spend a lot of money on a party in New York.

CAFFERTY: Yes, you can.

COLLINS: You certainly can.

SERWER: Yes, indeed.

COLLINS: All right, Andy. Thanks so much for that.

SERWER: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Jack now and the "Question of the Day."

CAFFERTY: A question about the conventions, Heidi, and whether they're even necessary anymore, because the candidates and the issues are all known ahead of time. And so there's some question whether this $100-plus million that Andy was just talking about couldn't be better spent doing other things. Here's some of what you've written us on that subject this morning.

Steve in Palmetto, Florida, "Since the platforms are already decided, the candidates are determined, I would suggest the importance of today's conventions is best determined by the hourly wage worker who can't get to work for a week due to heightened security that allows 4,000 or so delegates to have a week-long party paid for by corporate sponsors."

Roger in State College, PA., "Oh, come on. Given your job, do you really want to ask that question? What would Hemmer and the road show have to do this week if there were no political bash in Boston? As it is, they can chum the waters for glowing palls, comment on forgettable speeches, and gloat with you over comments taken out of context. Just have fun and grump along."

And John in Valparaiso, Florida, "The conventions no longer serves the purpose they were intended for unless all states adopt a practice where all the primaries are held on the same day. Most of the nation has no say in who the candidates are."

COLLINS: All right, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Thank you for your mail this morning.

COLLINS: All right. Thanks so much.

SERWER: Grump on.

COLLINS: Grump on.

CAFFERTY: Grump on.

COLLINS: All right. Coming up on CNN, this is John Kerry's big week. And in the next hour, he'll give a campaign speech in Florida. CNN will have it for you live. It's coming up with Daryn Kagan on "CNN LIVE TODAY."

AMERICAN MORNING will be back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Thank you for being with us today, day one, Democratic National Convention here in Boston.

Back again tomorrow morning, right, Heidi?

COLLINS: Yes.

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