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American Morning
Analyzing How Speakers at Last Night's DNC Did in Beefing up Kerry's Image; Latest Developments in Scott Peterson Trial
Aired July 28, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Democrats get down to business. Their convention moves now to its next phase, nominating the candidates later tonight.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, though, introducing herself to the delegates, saying its strength and vision that made her husband the right choice for 2004.
John Edwards getting ready for perhaps the biggest speech of his career. It comes up later tonight. And John Kerry waiting in the wings, but planning a grand entrance into Boston a bit later today.
All that and more this hour here in Boston on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING. From the Democratic national convention in Boston, here's Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone.
It is day three on a Wednesday morning.
8:00 local time here in Boston, Massachusetts.
Welcome back to the Fleet Center.
Our special coverage of the Democratic convention rolls on this morning.
The convention now moving past the midway point, getting closer to the introduction of the candidates, the delegates and to the voters and the viewers watching at home.
Last night, prominent names in the lineup -- Teresa Heinz Kerry, Ron Reagan, Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama, former candidate Howard Dean and Senator Ted Kennedy all appearing.
Tonight, John Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, is the featured speaker. He visited the podium late last night, after midnight. He says he's ready. Tonight, he will also focus on homeland security and the military, with a theme of a stronger, more safe America.
There is an awful lot to talk about looking forward to later this evening and an awful lot to talk about what happened last night, as well.
We'll get to all of it in a moment.
Bill Schneider is standing by, waiting in the wings for us, too, for a bit of analysis.
Also, Heidi Collins back in New York -- good morning, again, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Bill.
Thanks so much for that.
A lot of other news, as well, including a developing story out of Iraq. At least 68 people are now said to have been killed in a car bombing in the city of Ba'qubah, another 56 hurt. Police say the bomber drove a minibus into a crowded marketplace near a police station. We will have much more on that.
Also, we'll get you caught up on the Scott Peterson trial. Reporter Chris Filippi will be talking to us about that.
For now, though, Jack Cafferty here.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
It's Wednesday, which means we take a look at things people have said in the last week that caught our attention, including the person who's been working out naked on an elliptical machine in preparation for a movie role. It's kind of a disgusting mental image, if you think about it.
And a woman talking about her breasts, that have launched a thousand Web sites. And she's quite well known, thank you very much.
COLLINS: I think it was Seinfeld who said there's good naked and bad naked.
CAFFERTY: Yes. This would be...
COLLINS: This would be bad.
CAFFERTY: This is bad naked.
COLLINS: I think so.
OK, Jack, thanks, I think.
Bill, back to you now in Boston.
HEMMER: Thank you, Heidi.
I'll gladly take that one from you.
COLLINS: Thank you.
HEMMER: Listen, today's convention theme a stronger and more secure America on the Democratic side. Last night's message, though, from the speakers, John Kerry's lifetime of strength and service. Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama delivering the keynote address, warning against what he calls the politics of cynicism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: There are those who are preparing to divide us. The spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight there is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America, there's the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: That was Barack Obama.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, a bit later, cheered last night, as she talked about her husband's war record. Also cheering as she spoke of her own outspokenness. And she closed with a lofty view of what her husband would bring to the presidency.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERESA HEINZ KERRY, WIFE OF SEN. JOHN KERRY: John Kerry will give us back our faith in America. He will restore our faith in ourselves and in the sense of limitless opportunity that has always been America's gift to the world. Together, we will lift everyone up. We have to. It's possible and you know what? It's the American thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Teresa Heinz Kerry in prime time last evening.
Now, since Senator Kerry has but all, for practical purposes, wrapped up that nomination, the job of the speakers to beef up his image for voters and for viewers at home. How did they do?
Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider now with us here back in Boston at the Fleet Center -- good morning to you.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
HEMMER: Take Barack Obama, quickly here.
SCHNEIDER: He did a great job. This was the red meat speech that these delegates were waiting for. But you know what was interesting about it? He brought the delegates to their feet with a fairly moderate message. It was a partisan call to national unity. It wasn't us versus them. It was we're all in this together. And they all said hooray. Very unusual and very neat trick.
HEMMER: The other thing he talked about was hope. He has hope for a skinny kid with a funny name.
SCHNEIDER: That's right.
HEMMER: The delegates loved that.
SCHNEIDER: That's right. Exactly.
HEMMER: Before that, Ron Reagan took to the stage.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
HEMMER: A speech that was highly anticipated here in Boston.
A small sample of what Ron Reagan delivered last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON REAGAN, SON OF LATE PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: We can choose between the future and the past, between reason and ignorance, between true compassion and mere ideology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: How effective was he, Bill?
SCHNEIDER: I thought it was effective. He said mere ideology just now. What he's saying is the Republicans are the party of ideologically. On stem cell research, the Democrats say we're for common sense. Common sense versus ideology, no contest.
HEMMER: How about Howard Dean? Here is a man who came in here and literally opened up his speech last night say you know what? I wish I was here in a different role.
SCHNEIDER: That's right.
HEMMER: I wanted that role, but it's not mine to have.
SCHNEIDER: His speech was great. When he walked in and there was a huge tumult in the hall and it was really all downhill from there. If Barack Obama was read meat, Howard Dean was oatmeal.
Do you know, in that speech he never once mentioned the name President Bush? He never once mentioned the war in Iraq. What were the odds of that happening? Very little.
HEMMER: I was going to put some numbers on it, but I'll hold back.
Teresa Heinz Kerry again.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
HEMMER: We heard from her a second ago.
Listen to another part quickly from her speech last evening.
SCHNEIDER: OK. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T. H. KERRY: There is a value in taking a stand whether or not anybody may be noticing it and whether or not it is a risky thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: She says she's opinionated and makes no apologies for it.
SCHNEIDER: Yes, she is. She is opinionated. Nothing wrong with that. It's expected these days. But she says she won't take on a policymaking role like you know who as first lady, Hillary Clinton, because when a first lady does that, becomes political, then people say who elected her? Of course, Hillary Clinton made an honest woman of herself. She became a politician.
HEMMER: What are we not hearing here?
SCHNEIDER: What we're not hearing is a lot of talk about panic, about terror, about the threat to the United States from terrorists overseas. They mention that, but this is not a convention that's suffused with the feeling of dread and terror. If you want the sense that the war on terror is imminent, how dangerous the world is, you're going to have to wait until the Republican convention.
HEMMER: There was a question, though, as to whether or not Democrats are reaching out to the moderate Republican voter in this convention at this point. There are those who believe that you need the moderate vote to put the Democrats over the top in November.
SCHNEIDER: Their whole message is unity. They say we, the Democrats, are going to unify the country. The Republicans divide the country. And they're making an explicit appeal to deliver what George Bush promised -- to be a uniter, not a divider.
HEMMER: Where's your hat?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, you know, tonight is the role call...
HEMMER: I had to set you up for that, didn't I?
SCHNEIDER: Tonight is the roll call and it's only appropriate on the night of the roll call, when the deals are made and the horses are traded, you have to have the right hat.
HEMMER: Take a look at that right there, huh? You're looking great.
Thank you, Bill.
SCHNEIDER: Thank you.
HEMMER: Talk to you later.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
HEMMER: Enjoy your evening.
On the podium later this evening, the convention chair, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former presidential hopefuls Al Sharpton and also Dennis Kucinich. John Edwards is the hard-liner late this evening here at the Fleet Center.
CNN the place to be for complete convention coverage. Day three rolls on -- Heidi, back to you in New York.
COLLINS: All right, Bill, thanks.
A powerful car bomb has killed at least 68 people in Iraq. The attack outside a police recruitment center in Ba'qubah was the worst since the hand over of power. Hundreds of men today looking to join the Iraqi police force were gathered together when a suicide car bomber pulled up and detonated the explosion. Twenty-one of the dead were riding on a bus that was passing the center at the moment of the explosion.
Today is the 30th day -- 30 day anniversary, that is, of the hand over of power.
Secretary of State Colin Powell called the bombing "an attempt by murderers to deny the Iraqi people their dream."
Ten minutes after the hour now.
Time for a look at some of the other news and Daryn Kagan -- hi, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, good morning.
Once again, I'm going to start with a federal lawsuit claiming that two U.S. defense contractors were involved in abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib Prison. The suit was filed yesterday by an Iraqi torture victims' group on behalf of five Iraqis. The accused contractors, CACI International and the Titan Corporation, deny any wrongdoing. Both companies also face another federal lawsuit for suspected violations of U.S. and international laws.
Some major developments here in the U.S. in Michael Jackson's child molestation case. The judge has delayed the start of the trial until the end of next January. It was scheduled to begin in September, but was delayed because lawyers need more time to prepare. And the prosecution is now claiming that Jackson's accuser and his mother were held as virtual captives at the Neverland Ranch. Jackson faces 10 counts in the case, including four counts of child molestation.
The spokesman for the family of Lori Hacking says they have not given up hope of finding her alive. The volunteer center in Salt Lake City has been closed and the massive search for her has been suspended but the family says the search effort will resume today, with specialized professional teams. Overnight, political have been searching a city landfill using cadaver sniffing dogs.
And finally, there's another call for cameras in airline cockpits, despite opposition from pilots. The National Transportation Safety Board says that crash resistant cockpit image recorders would provide valuable information in the event of a crash. But a pilots union says every move watched by a camera will affect a pilot's ability to perform.
We're thinking about putting cameras in the weather department to find out exactly what does Rob Marciano do in between his weather forecasts.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They've tried that and we put tape and paper and, you know, sprayed them.
KAGAN: Yes.
MARCIANO: There's no way that's going to happen.
KAGAN: It remains classified, does it not?
MARCIANO: Well, how many times have you come to visit, Daryn? It's a lonely place up here.
KAGAN: I know, the second floor.
MARCIANO: I'll show you around. You come visit.
KAGAN: OK.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: Moving on now.
When the Scott Peterson trial reconvenes tomorrow, defense attorney Mark Geragos will resume his offensive against the prosecution in another attempt to have the case dismissed.
Chris Filippi is a reporter with KFBK Radio and he's been covering the developments inside and out of court.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: Chris, as you know, the prosecution flew in an employee from this company that makes the boat that Peterson purchased just weeks before Laci disappeared.
What did he testify about, exactly?
CHRIS FILIPPI, KFBK RADIO REPORTER: You know, a lot of people in court are really questioning why the prosecution even bothered, quite frankly. This is a guy who had not even seen Scott Peterson's boat. He's an expert in the line of boats. He was able to testify that this line of boats is seaworthy, it's well tested, it's been around for 30 years. But he couldn't say anything specifically about Scott's boat. And what people are really waiting for is any sort of test that can prove one way or the other whether someone Scott Peterson's size could actually throw Laci Peterson's body overboard without the boat capsizing.
COLLINS: All right, now we also know that the jury was taken on a field trip, if you will, to go and see Peterson's boat.
What do you know about that field trip?
FILIPPI: Yes, they really kept us in the dark on that one. In fact, Scott even made the field trip. It's the first time since he's been moved to Redwood City when he's actually been out of either the courthouse or the jail. I was one of the few reporters that actually saw him shuttled across the street over to this garage.
They spent about a half hour, the jury, lawyers, judge and Scott, all looking at his boat. It's the first time that this jury has actually seen the boat in person. They've already seen plenty of photos of it, but this is their chance to look at it, touch it, feel it.
They weren't able to ask any questions, but they get to see the evidence firsthand.
COLLINS: So, Chris, if they've seen these pictures already of the boat, they're pretty familiar with it.
Why was it so important for them to physically see it?
FILIPPI: I don't know if it is, necessarily important. I think what the prosecution is trying to accomplish is to get the jurors emotionally attached to this case. And you do that by showing them actual items that are allegedly connected to Laci's murder.
The boat is one way to do that. The jurors can reach out and touch that boat. They've seen some very graphic autopsy photos in this case. They could almost picture, at least the prosecution is hoping, they could picture Laci being inside that boat. They want to bring up those memories, bring up those thoughts, as they consider more evidence in this case.
COLLINS: All right, and we also know that on Monday, it was, a commercial fisherman came to the stand and said he really didn't believe Scott Peterson's fishing story.
In that cross-examination by Mark Geragos, was he able to poke any holes in the fisherman's testimony, then?
FILIPPI: To a degree. But the fisherman did actually very well. He's an expert. He's been fishing the Bay waters for 40 years. You know, he really testified to the point that Scott was using the wrong anchor, the wrong bait, the wrong rod, the wrong equipment to fish for sturgeon that day, on December 24, 2002.
The defense went for the argument that, look, this guy is a professional. Scott's a guy who loves to fish, but he's not an expert. So how can you expect Scott to know as much as this fishing expert?
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: Chris Filippi says that even though a mistrial is unlikely, the defense may get the judge to warn the prosecution in front of the jury about the way they've been conducting their case.
More to come on that and more to come from Boston with Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, thanks.
Fifteen minutes past the hour now.
In a moment, if John Kerry is elected president, the White House will be home to a first lady the likes of which the country has never seen. We'll look at why first ladies matter when campaigning throughout this election.
Also ahead, the son of a Republican icon takes on a hot button issue in Boston. Some say he's trying to have it both ways. Is he? The gang from "CROSSFIRE" joins us on that.
And we're paging the good doctor. Sanjay says your salad looks healthy, but there is one surprise ingredient that might make it even healthier. More from Boston, in a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Boston's first time hosting a political convention. Chicago has had the most -- 25, including some memorable moments. In 1860, Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln there. And in 1968, violence flared as anti-Vietnam War protesters filled the streets, clashing with police in what was later called a police riot.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Right around 5:00 local time yesterday afternoon, this was the scene locally here. John Edwards, his wife Elizabeth and children there arriving in Boston. Later tonight, the senator from North Carolina takes the stage, giving his acceptance speech. Edwards arrived here yesterday, as you see from the videotape. And last night, right around midnight, after the delegates had left and gone home or to their hotel or to a selected party, he came to the Fleet Center in preparation for his prime time speech.
And more now live across the floor.
Elaine Quijano is with us this morning -- good morning to you, Elaine, traveling with the Edwards camp.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
Well, that's right, last night Senator Edwards was asked how it felt to be here on stage at the Fleet Center behind this podium behind me. And the senator said that it felt great and that his speech was done.
Now, it's interesting because his walk through was actually supposed to take place this morning. But for some reason they decided to do it last night, as you said, around midnight or so.
Now, a senior campaign official says that Senator Edwards actually knew what he wanted to say in his speech in Boston from almost the moment, really, that Senator Kerry chose him as his running mate. We know that Senator Edwards is expected to mention Iraq, also talk about this concept from the primaries, the idea of two Americas. And the senator says that he really wants to reach out to voters in the same way that he did when he went to the primaries in Iowa, talking to people in their living rooms, visiting them in their homes.
Now, the senator, as we said, arrived in Boston yesterday. But before taking off from his hometown of Raleigh, he visited the grave of his son Wade, who died in a car accident eight years ago.
But once on board the plane, Senator Edwards had some fun with his aides. He was tossing around a football. He said he was feeling fine and he actually had been nursing a cold back on Monday. He actually had to cancel his second campaign appearance of the day, instead choosing to rest his voice and work on his speech. But when asked about it yesterday, last night, the senator said that his voice was OK and that he was ready to go tonight -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Elaine, thanks.
Good to see you here, too.
Elaine Quijano at the Fleet Center.
Much more in a moment here live from the Fleet Center as our coverage rolls on here. Carville and Novak standing by, Heidi, in a moment here. Wait until you hear what they have to say about what they heard last night.
We'll get to that, Heidi, in a moment here in Boston.
Also in a moment here, an extremely deadly blow in the fight for Iraq. We'll get to that story, as well.
The latest in a moment here, as our coverage continues from New York and Boston after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Time to check in with Jack once again and the Question of the Day.
It's a good one today.
CAFFERTY: Yes, we're getting some good responses, too. This is kind of fun, actually, if it wasn't so serious. The 9/11 Commission report came out last Thursday. Now both political parties are scrambling around trying to come up with an acceptable response.
How about this for a response? Instead of going on vacation for six weeks, how about they get called back to Washington next week, convene a special session, they all sit down and debate and then vote on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission on how to protect this country from terrorist attacks? How about that?
That would come under the category of doing something as opposed to just talking about doing something.
Anyway, the question this morning is what's the first thing you would -- the first change you make based on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission?
Fenton in New Rochelle: "Put all the different intelligence agencies in one building and their analysts in one room and make them have lunch together. In short, get them together and make them talk to each other. And if that takes one boss and one budget, then so be it."
One of the arguments against this consolidation is well, we'd have to take budget from here and budget from there. So what? So if that's what you need to do, then the Congress can do that. I mean it's not -- the Pentagon doesn't control these budgets. Congress does.
Ray in Coram, New York: "The first thing to do, construct the joint committee, Senate and Congress, Republicans and Democrats, consisting of all the senior members of all the relevant committees that exist now. Then investigate, discuss and prioritize the 9/11 Commission findings under a time bound manner."
Robert in Deerfield Beach: "Cancel the plane reservations home, call the wife, tell her not to wait up, because something serious has come up at work and it cannot wait."
Barbara in Connecticut: "Clean house in Congress. Vote every incumbent out and start with new people who have better attitudes."
And Paula in Alabama writes: "I would thank Cafferty for publicly shaming Congress and the president for their inaction after all the time, money and effort invested in this report."
Am@cnn.com. There was actually some...
COLLINS: How many days now?
CAFFERTY: Hmm?
COLLINS: How many days now, with our countdown?
CAFFERTY: Six. But it'll be 60 or 600 before anything gets done. I mean it's the government, you know? I mean it'll go on. But we're going to count. We're going to keep track.
COLLINS: All right, very good.
Jack Cafferty, thanks so much.
To Bill now, back in Boston -- hey, Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi.
Thanks for that.
Some folks say a star was born last night here in Boston. The latest in what they say is the rising star. And the gang from "CROSSFIRE" tackles that in a moment.
Also, Michael Jackson and his case. There's an update. Waiting for a trial to start. We'll tell you ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Still to come, the two faces of Teresa Heinz Kerry -- the one we saw last night and the one we saw in a confrontation with a journalist. Which is the real deal? We'll look at that ahead, on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired July 28, 2004 - 08:00 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.
Democrats get down to business. Their convention moves now to its next phase, nominating the candidates later tonight.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, though, introducing herself to the delegates, saying its strength and vision that made her husband the right choice for 2004.
John Edwards getting ready for perhaps the biggest speech of his career. It comes up later tonight. And John Kerry waiting in the wings, but planning a grand entrance into Boston a bit later today.
All that and more this hour here in Boston on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING. From the Democratic national convention in Boston, here's Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone.
It is day three on a Wednesday morning.
8:00 local time here in Boston, Massachusetts.
Welcome back to the Fleet Center.
Our special coverage of the Democratic convention rolls on this morning.
The convention now moving past the midway point, getting closer to the introduction of the candidates, the delegates and to the voters and the viewers watching at home.
Last night, prominent names in the lineup -- Teresa Heinz Kerry, Ron Reagan, Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama, former candidate Howard Dean and Senator Ted Kennedy all appearing.
Tonight, John Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, is the featured speaker. He visited the podium late last night, after midnight. He says he's ready. Tonight, he will also focus on homeland security and the military, with a theme of a stronger, more safe America.
There is an awful lot to talk about looking forward to later this evening and an awful lot to talk about what happened last night, as well.
We'll get to all of it in a moment.
Bill Schneider is standing by, waiting in the wings for us, too, for a bit of analysis.
Also, Heidi Collins back in New York -- good morning, again, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Bill.
Thanks so much for that.
A lot of other news, as well, including a developing story out of Iraq. At least 68 people are now said to have been killed in a car bombing in the city of Ba'qubah, another 56 hurt. Police say the bomber drove a minibus into a crowded marketplace near a police station. We will have much more on that.
Also, we'll get you caught up on the Scott Peterson trial. Reporter Chris Filippi will be talking to us about that.
For now, though, Jack Cafferty here.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
It's Wednesday, which means we take a look at things people have said in the last week that caught our attention, including the person who's been working out naked on an elliptical machine in preparation for a movie role. It's kind of a disgusting mental image, if you think about it.
And a woman talking about her breasts, that have launched a thousand Web sites. And she's quite well known, thank you very much.
COLLINS: I think it was Seinfeld who said there's good naked and bad naked.
CAFFERTY: Yes. This would be...
COLLINS: This would be bad.
CAFFERTY: This is bad naked.
COLLINS: I think so.
OK, Jack, thanks, I think.
Bill, back to you now in Boston.
HEMMER: Thank you, Heidi.
I'll gladly take that one from you.
COLLINS: Thank you.
HEMMER: Listen, today's convention theme a stronger and more secure America on the Democratic side. Last night's message, though, from the speakers, John Kerry's lifetime of strength and service. Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama delivering the keynote address, warning against what he calls the politics of cynicism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: There are those who are preparing to divide us. The spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight there is not a liberal America and a conservative America. There is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America, there's the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: That was Barack Obama.
Teresa Heinz Kerry, a bit later, cheered last night, as she talked about her husband's war record. Also cheering as she spoke of her own outspokenness. And she closed with a lofty view of what her husband would bring to the presidency.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERESA HEINZ KERRY, WIFE OF SEN. JOHN KERRY: John Kerry will give us back our faith in America. He will restore our faith in ourselves and in the sense of limitless opportunity that has always been America's gift to the world. Together, we will lift everyone up. We have to. It's possible and you know what? It's the American thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Teresa Heinz Kerry in prime time last evening.
Now, since Senator Kerry has but all, for practical purposes, wrapped up that nomination, the job of the speakers to beef up his image for voters and for viewers at home. How did they do?
Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider now with us here back in Boston at the Fleet Center -- good morning to you.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
HEMMER: Take Barack Obama, quickly here.
SCHNEIDER: He did a great job. This was the red meat speech that these delegates were waiting for. But you know what was interesting about it? He brought the delegates to their feet with a fairly moderate message. It was a partisan call to national unity. It wasn't us versus them. It was we're all in this together. And they all said hooray. Very unusual and very neat trick.
HEMMER: The other thing he talked about was hope. He has hope for a skinny kid with a funny name.
SCHNEIDER: That's right.
HEMMER: The delegates loved that.
SCHNEIDER: That's right. Exactly.
HEMMER: Before that, Ron Reagan took to the stage.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
HEMMER: A speech that was highly anticipated here in Boston.
A small sample of what Ron Reagan delivered last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON REAGAN, SON OF LATE PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: We can choose between the future and the past, between reason and ignorance, between true compassion and mere ideology.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: How effective was he, Bill?
SCHNEIDER: I thought it was effective. He said mere ideology just now. What he's saying is the Republicans are the party of ideologically. On stem cell research, the Democrats say we're for common sense. Common sense versus ideology, no contest.
HEMMER: How about Howard Dean? Here is a man who came in here and literally opened up his speech last night say you know what? I wish I was here in a different role.
SCHNEIDER: That's right.
HEMMER: I wanted that role, but it's not mine to have.
SCHNEIDER: His speech was great. When he walked in and there was a huge tumult in the hall and it was really all downhill from there. If Barack Obama was read meat, Howard Dean was oatmeal.
Do you know, in that speech he never once mentioned the name President Bush? He never once mentioned the war in Iraq. What were the odds of that happening? Very little.
HEMMER: I was going to put some numbers on it, but I'll hold back.
Teresa Heinz Kerry again.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
HEMMER: We heard from her a second ago.
Listen to another part quickly from her speech last evening.
SCHNEIDER: OK. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
T. H. KERRY: There is a value in taking a stand whether or not anybody may be noticing it and whether or not it is a risky thing to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: She says she's opinionated and makes no apologies for it.
SCHNEIDER: Yes, she is. She is opinionated. Nothing wrong with that. It's expected these days. But she says she won't take on a policymaking role like you know who as first lady, Hillary Clinton, because when a first lady does that, becomes political, then people say who elected her? Of course, Hillary Clinton made an honest woman of herself. She became a politician.
HEMMER: What are we not hearing here?
SCHNEIDER: What we're not hearing is a lot of talk about panic, about terror, about the threat to the United States from terrorists overseas. They mention that, but this is not a convention that's suffused with the feeling of dread and terror. If you want the sense that the war on terror is imminent, how dangerous the world is, you're going to have to wait until the Republican convention.
HEMMER: There was a question, though, as to whether or not Democrats are reaching out to the moderate Republican voter in this convention at this point. There are those who believe that you need the moderate vote to put the Democrats over the top in November.
SCHNEIDER: Their whole message is unity. They say we, the Democrats, are going to unify the country. The Republicans divide the country. And they're making an explicit appeal to deliver what George Bush promised -- to be a uniter, not a divider.
HEMMER: Where's your hat?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, you know, tonight is the role call...
HEMMER: I had to set you up for that, didn't I?
SCHNEIDER: Tonight is the roll call and it's only appropriate on the night of the roll call, when the deals are made and the horses are traded, you have to have the right hat.
HEMMER: Take a look at that right there, huh? You're looking great.
Thank you, Bill.
SCHNEIDER: Thank you.
HEMMER: Talk to you later.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
HEMMER: Enjoy your evening.
On the podium later this evening, the convention chair, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, former presidential hopefuls Al Sharpton and also Dennis Kucinich. John Edwards is the hard-liner late this evening here at the Fleet Center.
CNN the place to be for complete convention coverage. Day three rolls on -- Heidi, back to you in New York.
COLLINS: All right, Bill, thanks.
A powerful car bomb has killed at least 68 people in Iraq. The attack outside a police recruitment center in Ba'qubah was the worst since the hand over of power. Hundreds of men today looking to join the Iraqi police force were gathered together when a suicide car bomber pulled up and detonated the explosion. Twenty-one of the dead were riding on a bus that was passing the center at the moment of the explosion.
Today is the 30th day -- 30 day anniversary, that is, of the hand over of power.
Secretary of State Colin Powell called the bombing "an attempt by murderers to deny the Iraqi people their dream."
Ten minutes after the hour now.
Time for a look at some of the other news and Daryn Kagan -- hi, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, good morning.
Once again, I'm going to start with a federal lawsuit claiming that two U.S. defense contractors were involved in abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib Prison. The suit was filed yesterday by an Iraqi torture victims' group on behalf of five Iraqis. The accused contractors, CACI International and the Titan Corporation, deny any wrongdoing. Both companies also face another federal lawsuit for suspected violations of U.S. and international laws.
Some major developments here in the U.S. in Michael Jackson's child molestation case. The judge has delayed the start of the trial until the end of next January. It was scheduled to begin in September, but was delayed because lawyers need more time to prepare. And the prosecution is now claiming that Jackson's accuser and his mother were held as virtual captives at the Neverland Ranch. Jackson faces 10 counts in the case, including four counts of child molestation.
The spokesman for the family of Lori Hacking says they have not given up hope of finding her alive. The volunteer center in Salt Lake City has been closed and the massive search for her has been suspended but the family says the search effort will resume today, with specialized professional teams. Overnight, political have been searching a city landfill using cadaver sniffing dogs.
And finally, there's another call for cameras in airline cockpits, despite opposition from pilots. The National Transportation Safety Board says that crash resistant cockpit image recorders would provide valuable information in the event of a crash. But a pilots union says every move watched by a camera will affect a pilot's ability to perform.
We're thinking about putting cameras in the weather department to find out exactly what does Rob Marciano do in between his weather forecasts.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They've tried that and we put tape and paper and, you know, sprayed them.
KAGAN: Yes.
MARCIANO: There's no way that's going to happen.
KAGAN: It remains classified, does it not?
MARCIANO: Well, how many times have you come to visit, Daryn? It's a lonely place up here.
KAGAN: I know, the second floor.
MARCIANO: I'll show you around. You come visit.
KAGAN: OK.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: Moving on now.
When the Scott Peterson trial reconvenes tomorrow, defense attorney Mark Geragos will resume his offensive against the prosecution in another attempt to have the case dismissed.
Chris Filippi is a reporter with KFBK Radio and he's been covering the developments inside and out of court.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: Chris, as you know, the prosecution flew in an employee from this company that makes the boat that Peterson purchased just weeks before Laci disappeared.
What did he testify about, exactly?
CHRIS FILIPPI, KFBK RADIO REPORTER: You know, a lot of people in court are really questioning why the prosecution even bothered, quite frankly. This is a guy who had not even seen Scott Peterson's boat. He's an expert in the line of boats. He was able to testify that this line of boats is seaworthy, it's well tested, it's been around for 30 years. But he couldn't say anything specifically about Scott's boat. And what people are really waiting for is any sort of test that can prove one way or the other whether someone Scott Peterson's size could actually throw Laci Peterson's body overboard without the boat capsizing.
COLLINS: All right, now we also know that the jury was taken on a field trip, if you will, to go and see Peterson's boat.
What do you know about that field trip?
FILIPPI: Yes, they really kept us in the dark on that one. In fact, Scott even made the field trip. It's the first time since he's been moved to Redwood City when he's actually been out of either the courthouse or the jail. I was one of the few reporters that actually saw him shuttled across the street over to this garage.
They spent about a half hour, the jury, lawyers, judge and Scott, all looking at his boat. It's the first time that this jury has actually seen the boat in person. They've already seen plenty of photos of it, but this is their chance to look at it, touch it, feel it.
They weren't able to ask any questions, but they get to see the evidence firsthand.
COLLINS: So, Chris, if they've seen these pictures already of the boat, they're pretty familiar with it.
Why was it so important for them to physically see it?
FILIPPI: I don't know if it is, necessarily important. I think what the prosecution is trying to accomplish is to get the jurors emotionally attached to this case. And you do that by showing them actual items that are allegedly connected to Laci's murder.
The boat is one way to do that. The jurors can reach out and touch that boat. They've seen some very graphic autopsy photos in this case. They could almost picture, at least the prosecution is hoping, they could picture Laci being inside that boat. They want to bring up those memories, bring up those thoughts, as they consider more evidence in this case.
COLLINS: All right, and we also know that on Monday, it was, a commercial fisherman came to the stand and said he really didn't believe Scott Peterson's fishing story.
In that cross-examination by Mark Geragos, was he able to poke any holes in the fisherman's testimony, then?
FILIPPI: To a degree. But the fisherman did actually very well. He's an expert. He's been fishing the Bay waters for 40 years. You know, he really testified to the point that Scott was using the wrong anchor, the wrong bait, the wrong rod, the wrong equipment to fish for sturgeon that day, on December 24, 2002.
The defense went for the argument that, look, this guy is a professional. Scott's a guy who loves to fish, but he's not an expert. So how can you expect Scott to know as much as this fishing expert?
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: Chris Filippi says that even though a mistrial is unlikely, the defense may get the judge to warn the prosecution in front of the jury about the way they've been conducting their case.
More to come on that and more to come from Boston with Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, thanks.
Fifteen minutes past the hour now.
In a moment, if John Kerry is elected president, the White House will be home to a first lady the likes of which the country has never seen. We'll look at why first ladies matter when campaigning throughout this election.
Also ahead, the son of a Republican icon takes on a hot button issue in Boston. Some say he's trying to have it both ways. Is he? The gang from "CROSSFIRE" joins us on that.
And we're paging the good doctor. Sanjay says your salad looks healthy, but there is one surprise ingredient that might make it even healthier. More from Boston, in a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Boston's first time hosting a political convention. Chicago has had the most -- 25, including some memorable moments. In 1860, Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln there. And in 1968, violence flared as anti-Vietnam War protesters filled the streets, clashing with police in what was later called a police riot.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Right around 5:00 local time yesterday afternoon, this was the scene locally here. John Edwards, his wife Elizabeth and children there arriving in Boston. Later tonight, the senator from North Carolina takes the stage, giving his acceptance speech. Edwards arrived here yesterday, as you see from the videotape. And last night, right around midnight, after the delegates had left and gone home or to their hotel or to a selected party, he came to the Fleet Center in preparation for his prime time speech.
And more now live across the floor.
Elaine Quijano is with us this morning -- good morning to you, Elaine, traveling with the Edwards camp.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
Well, that's right, last night Senator Edwards was asked how it felt to be here on stage at the Fleet Center behind this podium behind me. And the senator said that it felt great and that his speech was done.
Now, it's interesting because his walk through was actually supposed to take place this morning. But for some reason they decided to do it last night, as you said, around midnight or so.
Now, a senior campaign official says that Senator Edwards actually knew what he wanted to say in his speech in Boston from almost the moment, really, that Senator Kerry chose him as his running mate. We know that Senator Edwards is expected to mention Iraq, also talk about this concept from the primaries, the idea of two Americas. And the senator says that he really wants to reach out to voters in the same way that he did when he went to the primaries in Iowa, talking to people in their living rooms, visiting them in their homes.
Now, the senator, as we said, arrived in Boston yesterday. But before taking off from his hometown of Raleigh, he visited the grave of his son Wade, who died in a car accident eight years ago.
But once on board the plane, Senator Edwards had some fun with his aides. He was tossing around a football. He said he was feeling fine and he actually had been nursing a cold back on Monday. He actually had to cancel his second campaign appearance of the day, instead choosing to rest his voice and work on his speech. But when asked about it yesterday, last night, the senator said that his voice was OK and that he was ready to go tonight -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Elaine, thanks.
Good to see you here, too.
Elaine Quijano at the Fleet Center.
Much more in a moment here live from the Fleet Center as our coverage rolls on here. Carville and Novak standing by, Heidi, in a moment here. Wait until you hear what they have to say about what they heard last night.
We'll get to that, Heidi, in a moment here in Boston.
Also in a moment here, an extremely deadly blow in the fight for Iraq. We'll get to that story, as well.
The latest in a moment here, as our coverage continues from New York and Boston after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Time to check in with Jack once again and the Question of the Day.
It's a good one today.
CAFFERTY: Yes, we're getting some good responses, too. This is kind of fun, actually, if it wasn't so serious. The 9/11 Commission report came out last Thursday. Now both political parties are scrambling around trying to come up with an acceptable response.
How about this for a response? Instead of going on vacation for six weeks, how about they get called back to Washington next week, convene a special session, they all sit down and debate and then vote on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission on how to protect this country from terrorist attacks? How about that?
That would come under the category of doing something as opposed to just talking about doing something.
Anyway, the question this morning is what's the first thing you would -- the first change you make based on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission?
Fenton in New Rochelle: "Put all the different intelligence agencies in one building and their analysts in one room and make them have lunch together. In short, get them together and make them talk to each other. And if that takes one boss and one budget, then so be it."
One of the arguments against this consolidation is well, we'd have to take budget from here and budget from there. So what? So if that's what you need to do, then the Congress can do that. I mean it's not -- the Pentagon doesn't control these budgets. Congress does.
Ray in Coram, New York: "The first thing to do, construct the joint committee, Senate and Congress, Republicans and Democrats, consisting of all the senior members of all the relevant committees that exist now. Then investigate, discuss and prioritize the 9/11 Commission findings under a time bound manner."
Robert in Deerfield Beach: "Cancel the plane reservations home, call the wife, tell her not to wait up, because something serious has come up at work and it cannot wait."
Barbara in Connecticut: "Clean house in Congress. Vote every incumbent out and start with new people who have better attitudes."
And Paula in Alabama writes: "I would thank Cafferty for publicly shaming Congress and the president for their inaction after all the time, money and effort invested in this report."
Am@cnn.com. There was actually some...
COLLINS: How many days now?
CAFFERTY: Hmm?
COLLINS: How many days now, with our countdown?
CAFFERTY: Six. But it'll be 60 or 600 before anything gets done. I mean it's the government, you know? I mean it'll go on. But we're going to count. We're going to keep track.
COLLINS: All right, very good.
Jack Cafferty, thanks so much.
To Bill now, back in Boston -- hey, Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi.
Thanks for that.
Some folks say a star was born last night here in Boston. The latest in what they say is the rising star. And the gang from "CROSSFIRE" tackles that in a moment.
Also, Michael Jackson and his case. There's an update. Waiting for a trial to start. We'll tell you ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Still to come, the two faces of Teresa Heinz Kerry -- the one we saw last night and the one we saw in a confrontation with a journalist. Which is the real deal? We'll look at that ahead, on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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