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American Morning
Analyzing Developments at Last Night's Democratic National Convention; Former Crewmates of Kerry Discuss His Run for Presidency
Aired July 29, 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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ohio takes great pride tonight in being the state to put this voting over the top in making John Kerry's candidacy official.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: They came to Boston to nominate John Kerry. They have done it last night. The key battleground state of Ohio taking those honors here in Boston.
John Edwards ignites the crowd, calling on Democrats to embrace the politics of hope.
A former Democratic challenger, Al Sharpton, stealing the spotlight of sorts by borrowing some time at the podium. We'll get to that this hour.
And now the convention turns its full attention to the man of the hour tonight. John Kerry, his story about to be told.
Day four starts now on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING.
From the Democratic national convention in Boston, here's Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Welcome back to the Fleet Center here in Boston for our special coverage of the Democratic national convention. And tonight the most important night of this convention. It is the event that everybody here in this town has been waiting for. John Kerry accepts the nomination. And in many ways this will be his best chance to introduce himself to voters nationwide.
Last night his running mate, John Edwards, brought his optimistic message to the hall as the featured speaker. We'll look at what he had to say here in Boston; also, what the Reverend Al Sharpton had to say. He went longer than expected, strayed a bit off script. We'll have reaction to that this hour in addition.
John Kerry's war experience in Vietnam a prime focus later tonight. This morning, we'll talk to some of his crew mates from his Navy service in Vietnam. Also we'll hear from "The Daily Show" host, Jon Stewart. He's up later this hour, as well. Another packed hour here live in Boston.
Also, back in New York, say hello to my colleague -- good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning, Bill.
I love Jon Stewart. I'm looking forward to that one.
HEMMER: Yes. He was terrific yesterday when we did the interview. So that's coming up this hour.
COLLINS: Excellent.
All right, Bill, thanks so much.
Other news this morning, as well. Police are investigating a frightening case in California of tampering with baby food. The same ingredient used in the deadly poison ricin was found in three jars of baby food. We'll find out much more on this when we talk to the district attorney involved in the investigation. Very scary for parents, indeed.
Jack's here now, though, as well.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Coming up in the "Cafferty File," Heidi, in less than an hour, we're going to meet a man who's halfway to a lifetime supply of bacon and tomato sandwiches and a woman thrown in jail for eating in Washington, D.C. A serious crime problem down there.
COLLINS: Serious crime problem.
CAFFERTY: People eating.
COLLINS: All right, well, we'll get to that, then.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: All right, Bill, back to you in Boston.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi.
Thanks for that.
Looking forward to it, too.
Anyone complaining that these political conventions are too staged and too tightly scripted should have been here in the hall last night. The fiery reverend, Al Sharpton, took the podium, immediately abandoning the careful Democratic strategy to stay on message that is dictated by the party. The party has been steering these speakers all week away from directly challenging President Bush.
But Sharpton, angry in his speech about remarks made to the Urban League last week in Detroit, when the president questioned whether or not Democrats had earned the black vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. AL SHARPTON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mr. President, the reason we are fighting so hard, the reason we took Florida so seriously is our right to vote wasn't gained because of our age. Our vote was soaked in the blood of martyrs, soaked in the blood of Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner, soaked in the blood of four little girls in Birmingham. This vote is sacred to us. This vote can't be bargained away. This vote can't be given away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Shortly thereafter, John Edwards got back on message last night, building up John Kerry's credentials to be the next commander-in-chief.
Here's John Edwards from last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you have any questions about what he's made of, just spend three minutes with the men who served with him then and who stand with him now. They saw up close what he's made of. They saw him reach into the river and pull one of his men to safety and save his life. They saw him in the heat of battle make a decision in a split second to turn his boat around, drive it through an enemy position and chase down the enemy to save his crew -- decisive, strong. Is this not what we need in a commander-in-chief?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: John Edwards getting all the attention last night. The question now today, how effective was that speech?
Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, now back with us here in Boston -- Bill, good morning to you.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: I've heard some analysts say -- we'll go back to the speech in a moment -- say it was not the speech that they are used to hearing him speak and give last night. Was it or not in this case?
SCHNEIDER: It was not, because he wasn't selling himself. The speech he usually gives, he's trying to sell himself. Here, he was selling someone else. He was pleading the case for John Kerry. But he does connect with voters extremely well.
HEMMER: You also suggest there was a contrast between the two men.
John Edwards from last night.
Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARDS: Hard work should be valued in this country. So we're going to reward work, not just wealth. We don't want people to just get by, we want people to get ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: That was his message.
SCHNEIDER: Work, we're going to reward work, we're not going to reward wealth. I wonder what Teresa Kerry thought about that, because she's worth a billion dollars. He's a populist. It's very different from John Kerry.
No one has ever called John Kerry a populist. John Kerry is a patrician. He's often called aloof, unemotional. And that's why Edwards fills a gap in this thicket. He's a very different kind of candidate.
HEMMER: On the issue of tax cuts, here's John Edwards again.
How about this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARDS: And I want to be very clear about this. We are going to keep and protect the tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans -- 98 percent. We're going to roll back, we're going to roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and we're going to close corporate loopholes. We're going to cut government contractors and wasteful spending.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Republicans would say this is shaping up to be class warfare.
SCHNEIDER: Well, listen to what he said. We're going to keep tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans. And I listened. Was there any cheering? Was there any shouting? Nothing. Then he said we're going to raise taxes for the wealthiest 2 percent and they went hooray! This is a Republican crowd. Tax cuts -- or, I mean, I'm sorry. This is a Democratic crowd. Tax cuts are an issue for Republican populists.
HEMMER: Reverend Al Sharpton, he's getting a lot of attention, not only last night, but again today.
Part of what his message was last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover and we never got the 40 acres. We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
HEMMER: Do you think Sharpton's message last night was accepted by the party that has been trying to keep this very tightly scripted?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, it was certainly accepted. The question is did he do Kerry any good? I don't think so. He sounded a lot more radical than his message really was. The Republicans are going to play that speech and say this is the face of the Democratic Party -- shrill and harsh and radical. What he was saying in answer to President Bush is why are African-Americans Democrats? Because the federal government saved them from slavery in the 1860s and from segregation in the 1960s. They don't hate government.
HEMMER: Put your speech hat back on a second here.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
HEMMER: What does Kerry say tonight?
SCHNEIDER: He comes out tonight with his crewmates and he says I can be your commander-in-chief. I have the experience. I have the knowledge. He wants to reassure voters. We've already heard the populist message from Edwards, from Obama. He wants to come out as dignified, stature, reassuring. I can be your president.
HEMMER: In a word, though, to use a baseball analogy, does he need a home run or is he only trying to get on base here?
SCHNEIDER: I think he's trying to get on base. I'm not sure he needs a home run. It's a very close election. He wants to get into the game by showing Americans he's just as qualified to be president as the president.
HEMMER: We will see you later tonight.
Thank you, Bill.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
HEMMER: Good to see you.
Our lineup later tonight, here's a look at it. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will be on the stage later this evening; followed by the former NATO commander and ex-Democratic presidential candidate, Wesley Clark. Senator Joe Lieberman will be there tonight, also a former rival of Kerry. And, of course, Senator Kerry giving his acceptance speech. We expect that to come some time in primetime, after the 10:00 prime time Eastern hour here on CNN.
We'll be here for it, too.
Back to Heidi again in New York now -- good morning there. COLLINS: Good morning, Bill.
Thanks so much.
It is seven minutes past the hour now.
Time for a look at some of the other news with Daryn Kagan and the hostage situation there in Iraq.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It continues to get even worse.
Heidi, thank you.
Our first story, a Somali truck driver has reportedly been taken hostage in Iraq. The Arabic language network Al Jazeera reports that insurgents are threatening to kill the man unless his Kuwaiti employer withdraws from the country.
Meanwhile, reports that two Pakistani hostages in Iraq have been killed. Pakistani officials say they remain committed to securing peace there despite the apparent murders.
Authorities near the Mexican border are questioning a woman whose name appears on an FBI watch list. The woman was detained at a Texas airport last week after Customs agents discovered she had as many as six pages missing from her South African passport. Officials say she may have links to terror incidents overseas.
Confidential material in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case has once again surfaced on the Internet. A sealed order giving the accuser's last name and referring to Bryant's DNA test results was posted by mistake on the court Web site yesterday. A spokeswoman says the court administrator intends to apologize to the accuser and her family and is considering what other actions should be taken.
And in health news, women at high risk for breast cancer may benefit from MRI scans. There's a new study suggesting that MRI scans find nearly twice as many tumors as mammograms do. The down side here, MRIs are expensive and may trigger more unnecessary biopsies. The study appears in the "New England Journal of Medicine."
Time for a check of the weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: One of the themes throughout the week for the Democrats, portraying John Kerry as commander-in-chief. It's been a prominent theme throughout the week here at this convention.
Crewmates who fought alongside Kerry in Vietnam now standing shoulder to shoulder with their former Navy skipper as he gets ready to accept the Democratic nomination here in Boston later tonight.
With us now, Jim Rassman, David Alston and Fred Short, three members of Kerry's crew in Southeast Asia, with us now this morning.
Good morning to all three of you.
JIM RASSMAN, KERRY'S CREWMATE: Good morning.
FRED SHORT, KERRY'S CREWMATE: Good morning.
DAVID ALSTON, KERRY'S CREWMATE: Good morning.
HEMMER: What qualities, Jim, does John Kerry have that make him fit to be president?
RASSMAN: John was an outstanding leader. As someone who was not a member of his crew, I was able to see him firsthand from the standpoint of the Army. And I was very impressed with him. The man was courageous. He led from the front. He absolutely took care of his guys. I think these fellows can tell you that he watched out for them very sincerely.
HEMMER: What did you see in Vietnam that led you to believe that he was, indeed, a leader at that time and is fit, 35 years later, to do the same for this country?
ALSTON: I saw his courage. It stressed his loyalty, honesty. And so many attributes, a man of great character. And that's what this country needs today.
HEMMER: Fred, did you ever hear him in Vietnam talk about any antiwar sentiment?
SHORT: No, sir. That was not something that we discussed, crew and enlisted, with the officers. That was kind of a protocol that we didn't cross.
HEMMER: Did you?
ALSTON: No, I didn't.
HEMMER: Jim?
RASSMAN: John and I talked about the tactics that were used. We were both officers and there were occasions when we questioned the idea of show the flag operations. They got a lot of people hurt and a lot of people killed.
HEMMER: If that's the case, then, with his conversion back in the U.S., how much did that surprise you in the position he took?
SHORT: I was, I thought it was about time someone said something about it because we were losing folks left and right. And it was, you know, it was his right as a citizen. He earned the right as a veteran. And as far as I was concerned, it was his obligation to us, the crew, to speak out, because his voice was much louder than ours.
HEMMER: Yes, the three of you speaking in his favor here in Boston, and you have going back to Iowa and the primaries back in January.
How do you help shape the image of John Kerry with your presence and your voice?
RASSMAN: I think that we can testify to the fact that John was a tremendous leader. I think what we need now is someone who's honest and trustworthy. And we don't have that now.
HEMMER: When John Kerry speaks about his days in Vietnam and you hear other veterans say that his record in country of four months, other time spent offshore in Southeast Asia, does not meet the comparisons of other veterans who served there, as well. Speak veteran to veteran for a moment here.
How do you address the complaints that we hear?
SHORT: I ask them what boat they were on. All the veterans, all the enlisted men that were with him for each of his three Purple Hearts, his Silver Star and his Bronze Star will be on the stage tonight. One hundred percent of those are alive today.
HEMMER: David, veteran to veteran, how do you answer that question?
ALSTON: Well, you know, no matter how much time you spent in Vietnam, we encountered the enemy many, many times. We don't put ourselves in for medals, you know, and it is set up so that if you receive three Purple Hearts, you're out of there. There's nothing you can do about that.
HEMMER: Jim Rassman, David Alston, Fred Short, thank you for your time this morning.
ALSTON: You're welcome.
RASSMAN: Thank you.
SHORT: Thank you.
HEMMER: Much more from Boston in a moment.
But now back to Heidi again in New York with more -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Bill.
Thanks.
Still to come this morning, a scary story involving baby food contaminated with the main ingredient of a deadly poison.
Also ahead, Bill Cosby responds to the controversy over comments he made about African-Americans. Hear what he has to say to people who think the message was too harsh.
And the search for Lori Hacking -- authorities appear to be focusing their efforts on one particular spot. A live report ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: Let's check in with Jack now and the Question of the Day.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Heidi.
The pressure is on John Kerry tonight, not so much to be preaching to the choir. All the Democrats already support him. But the polls continue to suggest the race will eventually be very close, the outcome to be determined by a very small number of undecided voters. And those are the people that Senator Kerry has to somehow touch in his remarks tonight.
The question we're asking is what does Kerry have to say to change the minds of the undecided or help the undecideds to make up their minds or however you wish to phrase it?
Jason in Seattle writes: "I think John Kerry should promise the American people not to reinstate the draft. Although I understand the cause and fully support our troops, the war in Iraq and the war on terror, I believe that the draft takes the nation's future toward combat."
Dean in Hamilton, New Jersey: "All Kerry has to do to change the minds of the undecided is to tell the people he's going to raise taxes on the middle class, reinstate the draft and cede American influence to foreign powers. Now that ought to do it."
Shannon writes: "The speech tonight is for the choir. The debates will make the difference."
Bob in Ohio: "He needs to tell me how he's going to protect America when his historical voting record has been against defense projects."
And Reg weighs in from Thunder Bay, Ontario: "He'll have no trouble convincing them that he'll vote for or against their particular priorities. After all, he's voted for and against everything up to now."
COLLINS: All right, well, at least people know what they want, right?
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: Thanks, Jack.
Still to come this morning, Bill Cosby got a lot of flak for comments he made about African-Americans earlier this month. He has an answer for the people who said he went too far. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Last night on "The Daily Show," comedian Jon Stewart taking a few jabs at a former presidential candidate, Howard Dean, as well as a former first lady. Here is Jon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART," COURTESY COMEDY CENTRAL)
JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": Dean is widely credited with reenergizing the party with his populist message, which made this "LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS" cutaway on C-SPAN awkward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM C-SPAN)
DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am proud of John Kerry's leadership and I intend to stand shoulder to shoulder with him as we fight for the things that Harry Truman promised us.
STEWART: Well, all I can say is it's a good thing that they cut back when they did or America would have seen Hillary and Chelsea lighting their Macanudos with a C-note.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Clearly, if you've seen his program, you know Stewart and other comedians take a little more liberty when covering these conventions. And for Jon Stewart, it is mostly all satire. But also from a serious standpoint, too, he talks about the packaging of these conventions and what it means to the viewers at home.
I talked to him about that and a few other topics yesterday here in Boston.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: What are you looking for this week?
STEWART: Well, you come up to Boston and -- I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm getting a call. Yes, Time-Life books. Can I help you? That'd be great. We'll place the order.
I'm sorry, go ahead.
HEMMER: Get one for my family, too, will you?
STEWART: That's exactly.
I really like this.
HEMMER: Yes?
STEWART: Yes. We don't have this kind of technology. We have actually Dixie cups and string and we just roll it across.
HEMMER: What are you chasing this week?
STEWART: We're chasing the hard news. We're chasing the stories. I'm out there every day. I'm in tank. I'm wearing a helmet... HEMMER: Well, hang on here...
STEWART: I'm making it happen.
HEMMER: Do you find the satire here? Do you find the irony at this convention? Because the headline...
STEWART: Well, this is...
HEMMER: ... to this point has been...
STEWART: I mean...
HEMMER: ... Democrats are unified. This is unified.
STEWART: Well, this is -- of course they're unified. This is their sales convention. This is, you know, when Amway holds its annual convention, their salespeople are unified, as well. This is their product launch. This is their coming out with John Kerry and not with lemon. So it's, that is what they're going to portray. And as well they should. This is their four day convince their base to get excited, get out the message they want to get out. This is their event. And to expect that it would be anything different, I can't imagine that people thought, you know, Howard Dean would go up on stage and go, "I was robbed! I'm not crazy. I'm very pleasant."
HEMMER: Do you think in that, then, there's a risk that they're taking to come off as too boring, that do not attract people to what they're trying to do here in Boston? And does that ultimately detract from the Democratic process?
STEWART: This isn't what it was. I think everybody seems to long for the day when a bunch of guys would go back, you know, in a room in stogies and go, "It's got to be Humphrey. If it's Stevenson, I'm walking out." You know, I don't think they do that anymore and probably because they know you guys are here.
HEMMER: You're suggesting, then, if we don't come here and take this spoon fed message from the party, the Democrat...
STEWART: No, it's not so much that if you don't take the spoon fed message. It's that if they know you're here, they know that, oh, man, we should shower and maybe put some pants on. You know, no one wants to get caught naked in the house, you know, vacuuming. And that's what I think is here. They know you're here. They've prepared meticulously. The guy who's producing it is the guy who produced the Emmys.
So they've prepared a show knowing that 15,000 people are here waiting for Teresa Heinz Kerry to say shove it.
HEMMER: The networks this year on the broadcast side have cut back tremendously.
STEWART: Yes.
HEMMER: On Tuesday night, not a single minute in prime time.
STEWART: Tuesday night was pot luck goulash. It was -- Monday night was the entrees. You're bringing in Clinton, you're bringing in -- last night it was let's throw the kid from O.C. on with Maya Angelou. They didn't even know what they were doing.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: Jon Stewart, Comedy Central, "The Daily Show." Catch him every night, Monday through Friday, his program. They're staying here throughout the week here and if you have seen any of the work they do, it is a much different approach. And for them and their audience, it is effective so often.
Back to Heidi now in New York again -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Bill, thanks so much.
Entertainer Bill Cosby isn't backing down from recent remarks he made about African-Americans. Attending a gathering of black colleges, Cosby commented on those who think his controversial message is too harsh.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL COSBY, ENTERTAINER: I think that the people understand what I'm saying and if they don't, then go about their lives the way they're doing it. And if they want to use me as a reason for not doing anything, so be it. But there -- I've got enough people who understand what I'm saying and they want to see that change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Cosby has criticized some blacks for missing opportunities provided by the civil rights movement.
Still to come this morning, Lori Hacking has been missing for more than a week and we'll tell you where authorities are focusing their search now.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone.
Day four of the Democratic national convention here in Boston. Our coverage continues this hour.
On day four, we're all waiting for the event, and the event happens later tonight, when Senator John Kerry takes that stage. His biggest audience to date. And we're all waiting to see how he does and then where we go from here in this campaign in 2004.
In a moment, Carville and Novak our guests, looking back to last night and again to tonight. We'll get their thoughts in a moment here.
Heidi Collins back in New York -- Heidi, good morning.
COLLINS: Hey, good morning.
It is a very big night there in Boston, Bill.
Thanks so much.
Also this half hour, police may be revising their time line and what they think happened to Lori Hacking, the missing Utah woman. We'll have a look at the investigation and where it's focused now in just a few moments.
But back to you in the meantime, Bill, in Boston.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi.
Quickly, in prime time last night, Senator John Edwards, the biggest stage of his political career, without question. He brought a message of optimism to the delegates here in Boston, part of what he had to say last night now.
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Aired July 29, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ohio takes great pride tonight in being the state to put this voting over the top in making John Kerry's candidacy official.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: They came to Boston to nominate John Kerry. They have done it last night. The key battleground state of Ohio taking those honors here in Boston.
John Edwards ignites the crowd, calling on Democrats to embrace the politics of hope.
A former Democratic challenger, Al Sharpton, stealing the spotlight of sorts by borrowing some time at the podium. We'll get to that this hour.
And now the convention turns its full attention to the man of the hour tonight. John Kerry, his story about to be told.
Day four starts now on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING.
From the Democratic national convention in Boston, here's Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Welcome back to the Fleet Center here in Boston for our special coverage of the Democratic national convention. And tonight the most important night of this convention. It is the event that everybody here in this town has been waiting for. John Kerry accepts the nomination. And in many ways this will be his best chance to introduce himself to voters nationwide.
Last night his running mate, John Edwards, brought his optimistic message to the hall as the featured speaker. We'll look at what he had to say here in Boston; also, what the Reverend Al Sharpton had to say. He went longer than expected, strayed a bit off script. We'll have reaction to that this hour in addition.
John Kerry's war experience in Vietnam a prime focus later tonight. This morning, we'll talk to some of his crew mates from his Navy service in Vietnam. Also we'll hear from "The Daily Show" host, Jon Stewart. He's up later this hour, as well. Another packed hour here live in Boston.
Also, back in New York, say hello to my colleague -- good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning, Bill.
I love Jon Stewart. I'm looking forward to that one.
HEMMER: Yes. He was terrific yesterday when we did the interview. So that's coming up this hour.
COLLINS: Excellent.
All right, Bill, thanks so much.
Other news this morning, as well. Police are investigating a frightening case in California of tampering with baby food. The same ingredient used in the deadly poison ricin was found in three jars of baby food. We'll find out much more on this when we talk to the district attorney involved in the investigation. Very scary for parents, indeed.
Jack's here now, though, as well.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Coming up in the "Cafferty File," Heidi, in less than an hour, we're going to meet a man who's halfway to a lifetime supply of bacon and tomato sandwiches and a woman thrown in jail for eating in Washington, D.C. A serious crime problem down there.
COLLINS: Serious crime problem.
CAFFERTY: People eating.
COLLINS: All right, well, we'll get to that, then.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: All right, Bill, back to you in Boston.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi.
Thanks for that.
Looking forward to it, too.
Anyone complaining that these political conventions are too staged and too tightly scripted should have been here in the hall last night. The fiery reverend, Al Sharpton, took the podium, immediately abandoning the careful Democratic strategy to stay on message that is dictated by the party. The party has been steering these speakers all week away from directly challenging President Bush.
But Sharpton, angry in his speech about remarks made to the Urban League last week in Detroit, when the president questioned whether or not Democrats had earned the black vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. AL SHARPTON (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mr. President, the reason we are fighting so hard, the reason we took Florida so seriously is our right to vote wasn't gained because of our age. Our vote was soaked in the blood of martyrs, soaked in the blood of Goodman, Chaney and Schwerner, soaked in the blood of four little girls in Birmingham. This vote is sacred to us. This vote can't be bargained away. This vote can't be given away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Shortly thereafter, John Edwards got back on message last night, building up John Kerry's credentials to be the next commander-in-chief.
Here's John Edwards from last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you have any questions about what he's made of, just spend three minutes with the men who served with him then and who stand with him now. They saw up close what he's made of. They saw him reach into the river and pull one of his men to safety and save his life. They saw him in the heat of battle make a decision in a split second to turn his boat around, drive it through an enemy position and chase down the enemy to save his crew -- decisive, strong. Is this not what we need in a commander-in-chief?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: John Edwards getting all the attention last night. The question now today, how effective was that speech?
Our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider, now back with us here in Boston -- Bill, good morning to you.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: I've heard some analysts say -- we'll go back to the speech in a moment -- say it was not the speech that they are used to hearing him speak and give last night. Was it or not in this case?
SCHNEIDER: It was not, because he wasn't selling himself. The speech he usually gives, he's trying to sell himself. Here, he was selling someone else. He was pleading the case for John Kerry. But he does connect with voters extremely well.
HEMMER: You also suggest there was a contrast between the two men.
John Edwards from last night.
Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARDS: Hard work should be valued in this country. So we're going to reward work, not just wealth. We don't want people to just get by, we want people to get ahead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: That was his message.
SCHNEIDER: Work, we're going to reward work, we're not going to reward wealth. I wonder what Teresa Kerry thought about that, because she's worth a billion dollars. He's a populist. It's very different from John Kerry.
No one has ever called John Kerry a populist. John Kerry is a patrician. He's often called aloof, unemotional. And that's why Edwards fills a gap in this thicket. He's a very different kind of candidate.
HEMMER: On the issue of tax cuts, here's John Edwards again.
How about this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARDS: And I want to be very clear about this. We are going to keep and protect the tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans -- 98 percent. We're going to roll back, we're going to roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and we're going to close corporate loopholes. We're going to cut government contractors and wasteful spending.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Republicans would say this is shaping up to be class warfare.
SCHNEIDER: Well, listen to what he said. We're going to keep tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans. And I listened. Was there any cheering? Was there any shouting? Nothing. Then he said we're going to raise taxes for the wealthiest 2 percent and they went hooray! This is a Republican crowd. Tax cuts -- or, I mean, I'm sorry. This is a Democratic crowd. Tax cuts are an issue for Republican populists.
HEMMER: Reverend Al Sharpton, he's getting a lot of attention, not only last night, but again today.
Part of what his message was last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover and we never got the 40 acres. We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
HEMMER: Do you think Sharpton's message last night was accepted by the party that has been trying to keep this very tightly scripted?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, it was certainly accepted. The question is did he do Kerry any good? I don't think so. He sounded a lot more radical than his message really was. The Republicans are going to play that speech and say this is the face of the Democratic Party -- shrill and harsh and radical. What he was saying in answer to President Bush is why are African-Americans Democrats? Because the federal government saved them from slavery in the 1860s and from segregation in the 1960s. They don't hate government.
HEMMER: Put your speech hat back on a second here.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
HEMMER: What does Kerry say tonight?
SCHNEIDER: He comes out tonight with his crewmates and he says I can be your commander-in-chief. I have the experience. I have the knowledge. He wants to reassure voters. We've already heard the populist message from Edwards, from Obama. He wants to come out as dignified, stature, reassuring. I can be your president.
HEMMER: In a word, though, to use a baseball analogy, does he need a home run or is he only trying to get on base here?
SCHNEIDER: I think he's trying to get on base. I'm not sure he needs a home run. It's a very close election. He wants to get into the game by showing Americans he's just as qualified to be president as the president.
HEMMER: We will see you later tonight.
Thank you, Bill.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
HEMMER: Good to see you.
Our lineup later tonight, here's a look at it. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will be on the stage later this evening; followed by the former NATO commander and ex-Democratic presidential candidate, Wesley Clark. Senator Joe Lieberman will be there tonight, also a former rival of Kerry. And, of course, Senator Kerry giving his acceptance speech. We expect that to come some time in primetime, after the 10:00 prime time Eastern hour here on CNN.
We'll be here for it, too.
Back to Heidi again in New York now -- good morning there. COLLINS: Good morning, Bill.
Thanks so much.
It is seven minutes past the hour now.
Time for a look at some of the other news with Daryn Kagan and the hostage situation there in Iraq.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It continues to get even worse.
Heidi, thank you.
Our first story, a Somali truck driver has reportedly been taken hostage in Iraq. The Arabic language network Al Jazeera reports that insurgents are threatening to kill the man unless his Kuwaiti employer withdraws from the country.
Meanwhile, reports that two Pakistani hostages in Iraq have been killed. Pakistani officials say they remain committed to securing peace there despite the apparent murders.
Authorities near the Mexican border are questioning a woman whose name appears on an FBI watch list. The woman was detained at a Texas airport last week after Customs agents discovered she had as many as six pages missing from her South African passport. Officials say she may have links to terror incidents overseas.
Confidential material in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case has once again surfaced on the Internet. A sealed order giving the accuser's last name and referring to Bryant's DNA test results was posted by mistake on the court Web site yesterday. A spokeswoman says the court administrator intends to apologize to the accuser and her family and is considering what other actions should be taken.
And in health news, women at high risk for breast cancer may benefit from MRI scans. There's a new study suggesting that MRI scans find nearly twice as many tumors as mammograms do. The down side here, MRIs are expensive and may trigger more unnecessary biopsies. The study appears in the "New England Journal of Medicine."
Time for a check of the weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: One of the themes throughout the week for the Democrats, portraying John Kerry as commander-in-chief. It's been a prominent theme throughout the week here at this convention.
Crewmates who fought alongside Kerry in Vietnam now standing shoulder to shoulder with their former Navy skipper as he gets ready to accept the Democratic nomination here in Boston later tonight.
With us now, Jim Rassman, David Alston and Fred Short, three members of Kerry's crew in Southeast Asia, with us now this morning.
Good morning to all three of you.
JIM RASSMAN, KERRY'S CREWMATE: Good morning.
FRED SHORT, KERRY'S CREWMATE: Good morning.
DAVID ALSTON, KERRY'S CREWMATE: Good morning.
HEMMER: What qualities, Jim, does John Kerry have that make him fit to be president?
RASSMAN: John was an outstanding leader. As someone who was not a member of his crew, I was able to see him firsthand from the standpoint of the Army. And I was very impressed with him. The man was courageous. He led from the front. He absolutely took care of his guys. I think these fellows can tell you that he watched out for them very sincerely.
HEMMER: What did you see in Vietnam that led you to believe that he was, indeed, a leader at that time and is fit, 35 years later, to do the same for this country?
ALSTON: I saw his courage. It stressed his loyalty, honesty. And so many attributes, a man of great character. And that's what this country needs today.
HEMMER: Fred, did you ever hear him in Vietnam talk about any antiwar sentiment?
SHORT: No, sir. That was not something that we discussed, crew and enlisted, with the officers. That was kind of a protocol that we didn't cross.
HEMMER: Did you?
ALSTON: No, I didn't.
HEMMER: Jim?
RASSMAN: John and I talked about the tactics that were used. We were both officers and there were occasions when we questioned the idea of show the flag operations. They got a lot of people hurt and a lot of people killed.
HEMMER: If that's the case, then, with his conversion back in the U.S., how much did that surprise you in the position he took?
SHORT: I was, I thought it was about time someone said something about it because we were losing folks left and right. And it was, you know, it was his right as a citizen. He earned the right as a veteran. And as far as I was concerned, it was his obligation to us, the crew, to speak out, because his voice was much louder than ours.
HEMMER: Yes, the three of you speaking in his favor here in Boston, and you have going back to Iowa and the primaries back in January.
How do you help shape the image of John Kerry with your presence and your voice?
RASSMAN: I think that we can testify to the fact that John was a tremendous leader. I think what we need now is someone who's honest and trustworthy. And we don't have that now.
HEMMER: When John Kerry speaks about his days in Vietnam and you hear other veterans say that his record in country of four months, other time spent offshore in Southeast Asia, does not meet the comparisons of other veterans who served there, as well. Speak veteran to veteran for a moment here.
How do you address the complaints that we hear?
SHORT: I ask them what boat they were on. All the veterans, all the enlisted men that were with him for each of his three Purple Hearts, his Silver Star and his Bronze Star will be on the stage tonight. One hundred percent of those are alive today.
HEMMER: David, veteran to veteran, how do you answer that question?
ALSTON: Well, you know, no matter how much time you spent in Vietnam, we encountered the enemy many, many times. We don't put ourselves in for medals, you know, and it is set up so that if you receive three Purple Hearts, you're out of there. There's nothing you can do about that.
HEMMER: Jim Rassman, David Alston, Fred Short, thank you for your time this morning.
ALSTON: You're welcome.
RASSMAN: Thank you.
SHORT: Thank you.
HEMMER: Much more from Boston in a moment.
But now back to Heidi again in New York with more -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Bill.
Thanks.
Still to come this morning, a scary story involving baby food contaminated with the main ingredient of a deadly poison.
Also ahead, Bill Cosby responds to the controversy over comments he made about African-Americans. Hear what he has to say to people who think the message was too harsh.
And the search for Lori Hacking -- authorities appear to be focusing their efforts on one particular spot. A live report ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COLLINS: Let's check in with Jack now and the Question of the Day.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Heidi.
The pressure is on John Kerry tonight, not so much to be preaching to the choir. All the Democrats already support him. But the polls continue to suggest the race will eventually be very close, the outcome to be determined by a very small number of undecided voters. And those are the people that Senator Kerry has to somehow touch in his remarks tonight.
The question we're asking is what does Kerry have to say to change the minds of the undecided or help the undecideds to make up their minds or however you wish to phrase it?
Jason in Seattle writes: "I think John Kerry should promise the American people not to reinstate the draft. Although I understand the cause and fully support our troops, the war in Iraq and the war on terror, I believe that the draft takes the nation's future toward combat."
Dean in Hamilton, New Jersey: "All Kerry has to do to change the minds of the undecided is to tell the people he's going to raise taxes on the middle class, reinstate the draft and cede American influence to foreign powers. Now that ought to do it."
Shannon writes: "The speech tonight is for the choir. The debates will make the difference."
Bob in Ohio: "He needs to tell me how he's going to protect America when his historical voting record has been against defense projects."
And Reg weighs in from Thunder Bay, Ontario: "He'll have no trouble convincing them that he'll vote for or against their particular priorities. After all, he's voted for and against everything up to now."
COLLINS: All right, well, at least people know what they want, right?
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: Thanks, Jack.
Still to come this morning, Bill Cosby got a lot of flak for comments he made about African-Americans earlier this month. He has an answer for the people who said he went too far. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Last night on "The Daily Show," comedian Jon Stewart taking a few jabs at a former presidential candidate, Howard Dean, as well as a former first lady. Here is Jon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART," COURTESY COMEDY CENTRAL)
JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": Dean is widely credited with reenergizing the party with his populist message, which made this "LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS" cutaway on C-SPAN awkward.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM C-SPAN)
DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am proud of John Kerry's leadership and I intend to stand shoulder to shoulder with him as we fight for the things that Harry Truman promised us.
STEWART: Well, all I can say is it's a good thing that they cut back when they did or America would have seen Hillary and Chelsea lighting their Macanudos with a C-note.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Clearly, if you've seen his program, you know Stewart and other comedians take a little more liberty when covering these conventions. And for Jon Stewart, it is mostly all satire. But also from a serious standpoint, too, he talks about the packaging of these conventions and what it means to the viewers at home.
I talked to him about that and a few other topics yesterday here in Boston.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: What are you looking for this week?
STEWART: Well, you come up to Boston and -- I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm getting a call. Yes, Time-Life books. Can I help you? That'd be great. We'll place the order.
I'm sorry, go ahead.
HEMMER: Get one for my family, too, will you?
STEWART: That's exactly.
I really like this.
HEMMER: Yes?
STEWART: Yes. We don't have this kind of technology. We have actually Dixie cups and string and we just roll it across.
HEMMER: What are you chasing this week?
STEWART: We're chasing the hard news. We're chasing the stories. I'm out there every day. I'm in tank. I'm wearing a helmet... HEMMER: Well, hang on here...
STEWART: I'm making it happen.
HEMMER: Do you find the satire here? Do you find the irony at this convention? Because the headline...
STEWART: Well, this is...
HEMMER: ... to this point has been...
STEWART: I mean...
HEMMER: ... Democrats are unified. This is unified.
STEWART: Well, this is -- of course they're unified. This is their sales convention. This is, you know, when Amway holds its annual convention, their salespeople are unified, as well. This is their product launch. This is their coming out with John Kerry and not with lemon. So it's, that is what they're going to portray. And as well they should. This is their four day convince their base to get excited, get out the message they want to get out. This is their event. And to expect that it would be anything different, I can't imagine that people thought, you know, Howard Dean would go up on stage and go, "I was robbed! I'm not crazy. I'm very pleasant."
HEMMER: Do you think in that, then, there's a risk that they're taking to come off as too boring, that do not attract people to what they're trying to do here in Boston? And does that ultimately detract from the Democratic process?
STEWART: This isn't what it was. I think everybody seems to long for the day when a bunch of guys would go back, you know, in a room in stogies and go, "It's got to be Humphrey. If it's Stevenson, I'm walking out." You know, I don't think they do that anymore and probably because they know you guys are here.
HEMMER: You're suggesting, then, if we don't come here and take this spoon fed message from the party, the Democrat...
STEWART: No, it's not so much that if you don't take the spoon fed message. It's that if they know you're here, they know that, oh, man, we should shower and maybe put some pants on. You know, no one wants to get caught naked in the house, you know, vacuuming. And that's what I think is here. They know you're here. They've prepared meticulously. The guy who's producing it is the guy who produced the Emmys.
So they've prepared a show knowing that 15,000 people are here waiting for Teresa Heinz Kerry to say shove it.
HEMMER: The networks this year on the broadcast side have cut back tremendously.
STEWART: Yes.
HEMMER: On Tuesday night, not a single minute in prime time.
STEWART: Tuesday night was pot luck goulash. It was -- Monday night was the entrees. You're bringing in Clinton, you're bringing in -- last night it was let's throw the kid from O.C. on with Maya Angelou. They didn't even know what they were doing.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: Jon Stewart, Comedy Central, "The Daily Show." Catch him every night, Monday through Friday, his program. They're staying here throughout the week here and if you have seen any of the work they do, it is a much different approach. And for them and their audience, it is effective so often.
Back to Heidi now in New York again -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Bill, thanks so much.
Entertainer Bill Cosby isn't backing down from recent remarks he made about African-Americans. Attending a gathering of black colleges, Cosby commented on those who think his controversial message is too harsh.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL COSBY, ENTERTAINER: I think that the people understand what I'm saying and if they don't, then go about their lives the way they're doing it. And if they want to use me as a reason for not doing anything, so be it. But there -- I've got enough people who understand what I'm saying and they want to see that change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Cosby has criticized some blacks for missing opportunities provided by the civil rights movement.
Still to come this morning, Lori Hacking has been missing for more than a week and we'll tell you where authorities are focusing their search now.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone.
Day four of the Democratic national convention here in Boston. Our coverage continues this hour.
On day four, we're all waiting for the event, and the event happens later tonight, when Senator John Kerry takes that stage. His biggest audience to date. And we're all waiting to see how he does and then where we go from here in this campaign in 2004.
In a moment, Carville and Novak our guests, looking back to last night and again to tonight. We'll get their thoughts in a moment here.
Heidi Collins back in New York -- Heidi, good morning.
COLLINS: Hey, good morning.
It is a very big night there in Boston, Bill.
Thanks so much.
Also this half hour, police may be revising their time line and what they think happened to Lori Hacking, the missing Utah woman. We'll have a look at the investigation and where it's focused now in just a few moments.
But back to you in the meantime, Bill, in Boston.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi.
Quickly, in prime time last night, Senator John Edwards, the biggest stage of his political career, without question. He brought a message of optimism to the delegates here in Boston, part of what he had to say last night now.
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