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CNN Live At Daybreak
Recovery Begins in Florida; Kids, Nutrition
Aired August 16, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's talk more about the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, the tough road to recovery so many in Florida are facing today. The hurricane killed at least 16 people in the state.
President Bush did tour hard-hit areas on Sunday. He promised federal aid. The storm wreaked havoc on the citrus industry, and the first day of school has been delayed in southwest Florida for up to two weeks.
Thousands are still without power this morning. Actually, that number could be as high as one million.
CNN reporter Ed Lavandera is on the phone now from Port Charlotte, Florida, with more on the cleanup efforts there.
Do they have enough stuff to even start cleaning up -- Ed?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
COSTELLO: OK, Ed will try to get a better cell phone connection, and we're going to try to join him a little later from Port Charlotte, Florida.
We're going to go on with the news now.
We did get a dramatic inside view of Hurricane Charley's fury through the lenses of two storm chasers. These guys put their lives on the line to collect information and get pictures. And they talked about that with Carol Lin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM REED, STORM CHASER: We work for a variety of private sources. We were collecting meteorological data and testing actually a new device that allows us to check radar in situations like this.
But while he was praying, I was -- my method of praying was to try and document it as best I could. But as far as keeping calm, I think you can hear in my voice it was very difficult.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, but at least you were able to get some information out about where you were, what was happening around you. What did that feel like? What was it like, the force of the wind?
REED: Very intimidating and very humbling. We usually, as researchers, will take shelter much sooner. And I've covered nine hurricanes, but this is the first time a hurricane has ever increased its wind speed so quickly while we're in one location.
LIN: What do you mean?
REED: Within minutes, just a few minutes we went from 75-mile- an-hour winds to 120-mile-an-hour. And we were forced to take a shelter of last resort, as we call it. Greg (ph) had spotted the carport, and we knew we needed to put something between us and the oncoming wind, and that was the house. And we were very lucky that it was a solid structure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: They certainly were. Amazing pictures from Florida.
If you need to know who to call if you're a hurricane victim, here are some numbers for you. The Federal Emergency Management number is 1-800-621-FEMA, and the Florida Emergency information 24- hour hotline is 1-800-342-3557.
Now to a new war and a new face for the U.S. military. President Bush could announce a major shifting of military forces around the world today. The administration is planning to withdraw tens of thousands of troops from Europe and Asia and reposition them to better fight the war on terror.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers say it's a good idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHARLES LUGAR (R), INDIANA: So, this is a fundamental change, and it's a change probably in the tactics of our military so that our people will be more mobile, more available at other places all over the Earth.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: There are some things that we should do to redeploy troops so that they are in the best position for what the new threats are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Some of those troops could be coming back to the United States, along with family members and military support staff.
Gas prices are falling, but have you really noticed a difference? In about three minutes, we'll have a live report on what's happening at the pump.
Plus, around the country, kids are trickling back into school and taking some unhealthy eating habits with them. At 40 minutes past the hour, some tips on how your kids can get the nutrition they need.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: All right. We want to head out to Port Charlotte, Florida. We do have Ed Lavandera back on the phone.
And I know cell phone service ain't all that great at this particular time out there -- Ed.
LAVANDERA: Well, I think that kind of illustrates the point of what's happening here in the Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area. You know, and my phone works fine in Punta Gorda, but when I come across the coastal water over to Port Charlotte it doesn't work well.
But as far as the cleanup process, you know, the workers, you were asking me if they have enough materials. You know, I was talking to the emergency management folks, and they seem to be rather happy with the way things are moving at this point.
You know, it's just a slow and tedious process. You know, at one point we saw a cleanup guy in the street yesterday just with a broom cleaning glass out of an intersection. And that was just so that the emergency vehicles wouldn't get punctured tires.
So, at this point, you know, one guy with a broom cleaning up streets is kind of what it boils down to, to kind of keep things moving as quickly as possible.
Still about a million people without power, as you had mentioned, although power has been restored to another million people, so at least a little bit of good news on that front.
And you see a lot of more focus on going through all of the different neighborhoods and making sure that nobody still might be trapped in any of the homes. Remember, this is a retirement community, and there are a lot of elderly people that live in this region. So, that is of major concern.
In the Punta Gorda area, you know, one of the bizarre things that they're dealing with is that the three hospitals in that town were severely damaged. So, you know, they're having to set up makeshift places to work out of in the parking lot. We drove by one of the hospitals yesterday.
So, a lot of work continues. President Bush was here yesterday promising federal money. Some 20 counties in the state of Florida are eligible for federal disaster relief money, and they need that money as quickly as possible -- Carol.
COSTELLO: They certainly do. Ed Lavandera, we'll let you go. Ed Lavandera live on the phone from Port Charlotte, Florida, this morning.
It's time for a little business buzz now. Finally, some good news at the pump. Prices -- well, prices were falling, but now they're expected to go on back up. So, it's not so good news at the pump.
Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq Marketsite. And I suspect it has something to do with the price of oil.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Carol. The good news for gas prices, well, we've already experienced that. We have seen gas prices come down about 5 cents a gallon over the past three weeks.
But, you know, crude oil prices have been on the rise. In fact, overnight we hit yet another 21-year high. That's since we've been tracking this data; $46.91, that is where we hit overnight for U.S. crude.
We have come down a little bit since those levels. But, of course, crude oil comprises a lot of the price for gasoline, about 50 percent of the price.
So, even though crude has been rising, gas has been falling over the past couple of weeks. Expect gasoline prices to start catching up; that's according to the Lundberg Survey anyway.
And the concern here for the economy is that we could see consumers tapped out pretty soon. Consumer spending has propped us up throughout the recent economic downturn. But the concern now is that as people have to funnel more and more of their money into their gas tanks, well, they're not going to be spending as much on other things. So, we could see the economy flatten out a bit.
Recent economic data hasn't been very robust, and as a result stocks have sold off. The Nasdaq close to a bear market. When you look at the highs for 2004 down about 18.5 percent since those January highs.
This morning, Carol, though, we are expecting a bit of buying. Techs are looking moderately higher. We'll see what happens officially in about three hours at 9:30 when the opening bell rings.
Back to you.
COSTELLO: We will. Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq Marketsite, thank you.
It is back to school time, and there is enormous pressure on school-aged girls to fit in and to be accepted by their peers. And there is particularly high pressure on them to be thin. Well, where does that pressure come from?
Eating disorder and obesity specialist, Dr. Andrea Pennington, president of the Pennington Institute for Health and Wellness, has interesting highlights from the International Symposium for Eating Disorders. She joins us live this morning from D.C.
And first off, Dr. Pennington, what did you find out at that conference?
DR. ANDREA PENNINGTON, PENNINGTON INSTITUTE: Well, it was a wonderful conference. This year's symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted over 300 professionals who treat eating disorders. Acupuncturists, physicians, therapists and counselors attended workshops and lectures that provided them with increased information about the treatments and the potential causes of eating disorders.
Also reviewed were some of the conditions that accompany eating disorders, like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
But of particular interest is the effect that advertising has on stimulating an obsession with thinness, particularly among the young women in our society.
Of note: Dr. Jean Kilbourne, author of "Can't Buy My Love," presented a keynote address, where she shared images of women in advertising. And these women, portrayed as the ideal, are unhealthily thin.
And what these advertising images do is they stimulate young girls' desire to emulate them and create these types of images that, unfortunately, are unobtainable.
COSTELLO: You know, I certainly understand that, but, you know, there is a horrible obesity problem in this country. And I've often wondered which is worse. Is it the anorexia or is it obesity?
PENNINGTON: Well, that's a good question, Carol. You know, anorexia and bulimia and binge eating, these are all very common eating disorders, particularly among young girls and women.
But obesity is actually at epidemic proportions in the United States and is affecting children, young people, far more than it ever has in history. In fact, it is an emerging epidemic among young people.
And what's scary, Carol, is that obesity is now causing a whole host of health problems in young people that we never saw before. Take, for instance...
COSTELLO: So tell us some of the causes of obesity, since this is at epidemic proportions in this country.
PENNINGTON: Well, it's a multi-factorial problem, as you know, Carol. The three main culprits are a sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits and poor nutrition, and, of course, using food as comfort.
You know, when we start talking about poor nutrition, kids are bombarded with images from fast food. They're able to get junk food out of vending machines at schools. And many families no longer have mealtime together, where they can learn about healthy food choices.
When we talk about a sedentary lifestyle, well, unfortunately many schools have dropped their physical-ed programs down to next to nothing, as have the after-school athletic programs.
And many parents tell me in practice that they don't feel as safe as when you and I were kids to let their children stay outside for unsupervised play. And, of course, many kids will tell you that they'd much rather play on the computer or surf the Web or watch TV than get active.
COSTELLO: So tell parents what they can do.
PENNINGTON: Well, first things first. You've got to buy healthy foods. You should keep a bowl of fruit or healthy trail mix by the front door, so that when your kids are running out they can grab a hold of this stuff.
Also, discourage snacking, especially that unconscious eating that kids love to do in front of the TV.
And encourage exercise. Parents have really got to model healthy behaviors for their children. So get active. Get out there and play.
And most importantly, you've got to stop teaching your kids that food can be used for comfort when they're sick or injured, that it can keep them company while they're bored. Food is meant to be fuel, to provide our bodies with the energy that we need throughout the day. It's not something that we should turn to as a comfort or anything like that.
COSTELLO: You know, it's so great to see parents out on the weekend biking with their kids or jogging with the baby buggies, as they do, because that's getting the kid used to physical activity.
PENNINGTON: Exactly. And that's what behavioral conditioning at its best can be like. When we're modeling healthy behaviors, our kids are going to be a lot more prone to follow in our footsteps.
COSTELLO: Dr. Andrea Pennington joining us live from D.C. this morning, thank you.
PENNINGTON: Thank you, Carol.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
Emergency aid is pouring into those areas of Florida trying to get back on track in the wake of Hurricane Charley. Sixteen people were killed. More than a million customers are still without power.
You may remember Bobby Fischer, the former world chess champion. Well, word out of Japan this morning, he's going to marry the head of the Japan Chess Association. The temperamental Fischer also is seeking to renounce his U.S. citizenship.
In money news, the makers of the soft drink, 7-Up, are taking aim at the low-cal vitamin-conscious consumer. Cadbury Schweppes says it will introduce 7-Up Plus later this month.
In culture, where were you when the king passed away? Elvis Presley fans are marking his death 27 years ago today at his Graceland mansion in Memphis with a candlelight vigil.
And in sports, Smarty Jones, the horse that won the Kentucky Derby and Peakness, moves into his new digs today. He's leaving Philadelphia for Kentucky, where he's going out to stud.
(WEATHER BREAK)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Let's head out live to New York and check in with Bill and Heidi to see what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol. Good morning to you.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol.
HEMMER: A lot of talk today again about Charley and the aftermath down there. We'll be in touch with all of our reporters throughout Southwest Florida facing billions of dollars' worth of devastation now left by that hurricane, watching the coverage all weekend long. And those people are in for a very long ride ahead. We'll talk to one survivor who rode it out inside of his own home, and we'll speak to him at the top of the hour here.
COLLINS: Also, we're talking about Iraq this morning. The uprising by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr now becomes a crucial test for Iraq's interim government. We're going to have a report live from Baghdad coming up on all of the latest happening there.
HEMMER: Also, Michael Jackson, the man trying to put Jackson behind bars testifies today. Jackson is expected to have a front-row seat for that. Live to California for a preview for what may happen there.
And guess who is back today, Carol?
COSTELLO: Is Jack back?
COLLINS: Jack-attack.
COSTELLO: You know, I love Jack. He's my favorite.
HEMMER: Yes. Guess who is back?
COSTELLO: Well, welcome back, Jack. I know he's hovering around there somewhere.
HEMMER: That he is.
COLLINS: Hovering, he does that, Carol.
COSTELLO: Thanks. We'll get back to you guys in about 10 minutes.
HEMMER: Bye-bye.
COSTELLO: What is wrong with the Olympic basketball dream team? Our sports guru, Chris Cotter, joins us next to assess the team's issues after a historic loss. Plus, how Vijay Singh came from behind to win a major. Weekend sports highlights are straight ahead.
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: You know, we're always interested in CNN.com because we get so many hits. And every morning we like to see which stories you are clicking on to the most.
Chris Cotter is here, by the way. He's in the house.
CHRIS COTTER, CNN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: Right.
COSTELLO: And Rob is down here, too.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In the house.
COSTELLO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with CNN.com, do you know what the most clicked-on story is on our Web site?
MARCIANO: The Olympic team.
COSTELLO: No. "Critics Brewing Over Rock-'N'-Roll Cans." The Miller Brewing Company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of rock- 'n'-roll with eight commemorative beer cans that feature "Rolling Stone" cover shots of Elvis Presley, Blondie and others.
MARCIANO: Did we cover that on-air?
COSTELLO: No. Maybe we should have.
MARCIANO: I guess so.
COTTER: I want to get a 12-pack of Miller every day until I get all eight cans. But, I mean, who is to say it's something like baseball cards, right? Who is to say that all eight would be in one 12-pack? So, I'm going to have to go through a lot of Miller.
MARCIANO: Maybe we could start trading.
COSTELLO: I never thought about it like that. That is so darned exciting.
COTTER: Yes. I'm looking forward to that.
COSTELLO: The No. 2 story, Nicky Hilton marries a New York money manager; Nicky Hilton, the hotel heiress and Paris Hilton sister.
MARCIANO: Where did she get married?
COSTELLO: Las Vegas in a chapel there.
COTTER: Oh, yes. She's young too, isn't she?
COSTELLO: She's only 20.
COTTER: Twenty years old, huh?
COSTELLO: He's 33 and she's 20. What's the deal?
MARCIANO: But she has plenty of money, so she would need a money manager. That wouldn't be a bad thing for her.
COSTELLO: Maybe that's why she married him.
COTTER: So a marriage of convenience. Rob, that's very smart on your part.
COSTELLO: The third most clicked-on story is the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, who survived his recall election. And he will be president of Venezuela for two more years.
So, what do you think? Do you want to see more coverage of a story? Are you peeved about something we have done? Do you think we're doing a good job? Shoot us an e-mail. The address: Daybreak@CNN.com. And we promise we will read some of your nasty comments on Friday.
COTTER: I'd like to see that picture on a beer can. I think that would be the most popular.
COSTELLO: Yes, I bet that would sell like hotcakes.
But we want to check in on the Olympic action, because what the heck. Team USA takes a whipping from Puerto Rico. Chris Cotter is....
COTTER: And good.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. Chris Cotter is here to talk more about that.
What is up with that? The U.S. gets beat by Puerto Rico?
COTTER: It's just a reflection of where U.S. basketball is right now and the style of play they play here in this country. It's all about being more athletic and, you know, taking the basketball to the rim. And these international teams play more of a team style. They play the zone defense, which completely confuses Team USA.
And yesterday Puerto Rico comes out. This is Puerto Rican team, by the way, is not even really supposed to contend for a medal, and they stomped the U.S.
COSTELLO: Twenty points.
COTTER: Twenty points, and they were up by 22 at halftime.
This is a U.S. team that can't shoot the basketball. In playgrounds, in high schools all over the country, kids are now playing this athletic game, where it's all about one-on-one match-ups, take it to the front of the rim. They don't learn to shoot the basketball. COSTELLO: It's all about stars like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson wannabes...
COTTER: You can be a star and be a three-point shooter. All of the three-point shooters in the NBA are international players. Team USA shoots 3 of 24 from a 3-point range yesterday. It's not even as far back as the NBA three-point line.
MARCIANO: Bring back Bobby Knight. We need Bobby.
COSTELLO: Oh, he's out there still somewhere.
I want to read you a quote by Allen Iverson. He says: "They play the game that way it's supposed to be played." He's talking about Puerto Rico. "It's not about athletics. That's the game the way Karl Malone and John Stockton play it. It's good for kids to see how the game is supposed to be played."
MARCIANO: Wow!
COTTER: Yes, that's coming from Allen Iverson, who is -- you know, a lot of the kids look up to Allen Iverson, and they see a guy who throws up a million shots per game, who drives to the basketball rim all the time.
Team USA had wide-open shots yesterday. They couldn't knock any of them down. These other teams are hitting the outside shots. Team USA, I mean, right now they can't afford another loss. They're in round robin play. This is the first game. They cannot afford one more loss.
Their international record, by the way, in Olympic play: 109 and 3 now. In 1972 they lost to the Soviet Union. In 1988 they lost to the Soviet Union, and now to Puerto Rico.
COSTELLO: Now to Puerto Rico.
Let's talk about Michael Phelps, the swimmer. He did not get the gold in the relay. And there's a bit of a controversy surrounding that.
COTTER: Yes, there is. Gary Hall, Jr., who is the three-time Olympian and probably the better swimmer suited to be in the final, but when you get to the final the coach can choose which four of his swimmers would be best-suited, he thinks, to race in that final, even though maybe Michael Phelps hadn't swam in any of the prelims. That's what the coach decided to do.
So, Gary Hall, Jr., you're out; Michael Phelps, you're in. Team USA wins the bronze in the freestyle relay.
COSTELLO: And Gary Hall was not happy, because he didn't show up to watch that match.
COTTER: No, he didn't even show up at the pool.
MARCIANO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I mean, I'd be...
COSTELLO: No.
COTTER: Oh, he was...
MARCIANO: And the same thing happened with the women, didn't it?
COTTER: I didn't see what happened with the women.
MARCIANO: Yes, I think the women's relay, they replaced one with...
COTTER: Did they get a win?
MARCIANO: They didn't get the win.
COTTER: Yes. I mean, that's the thing. So Phelps can now tie Mark Spitz seven gold medals that Spitz won in Munich in '72. He cannot get eight though. He has no room for error. And this was, I think, an opportunity by the U.S. team to kind of put him in and see if he can, you know, get one extra medal. But South Africa had the world record in this event, and Team USA just won the bronze.
COSTELLO: Well, there's just something about that isn't quite right.
Let's talk about Vijay Singh, because what an exciting golf match, as exciting as golf matches...
COTTER: Hey, hey, hey, they can be exciting.
COSTELLO: I'm sorry! I slipped.
COTTER: They can be exciting.
COSTELLO: I know.
COTTER: And this one was. The Wanamaker trophy, you saw it there, for the PGA champion, and Vijay Singh wins it in extra holes. Now, they don't play sudden death with the PGA championship. They play an aggregate score over three holes.
So, Vijay gets his first birdie of the day on the first extra hole. So he had gone 18 holes already...
MARCIANO: He got a 76.
COTTER: Yes, without...
MARCIANO: That's embarrassing for a guy of his caliber.
COTTER: That's a big old trophy, though, isn't it, the Wanamaker trophy? There is his son looking on.
COSTELLO: Oh! COTTER: And Vijay gets his third major, his second PGA championship. And I'll tell you, he is making a push for the No. 1 golfer in the world, to be the golfer of the year this year, because his scoring average has been phenomenal.
COSTELLO: And I think he's well on his way. Thank you, Chris Cotter, for coming in. We appreciate it.
COTTER: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We'll announce today's mug winner in two minutes, but first this is DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It is time to win a DAYBREAK coffee mug. We didn't have a question from Friday, so there is no winner today. But there will be a winner tomorrow.
MARCIANO: If you know not one, but both of these questions. Name at least one cause of childhood obesity. That's question No. 1. Question No. 2 is regarding the Olympics. What country set a world record in the 400-meter freestyle relay Sunday night at the Summer Games?
We'll have the name and winner tomorrow.
COSTELLO: I just got the last (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the question. What's one of the causes of childhood obesity?
MARCIANO: Eating too much. Feeding your child too much stuff.
COSTELLO: I mean, come on! Anyway, everything is calm out there in the ocean this morning.
MARCIANO: Yes, now it is. Now it is.
COSTELLO: So we don't have to worry about anymore hurricanes.
MARCIANO: Well, yes, we're watching Earl, but Charley was obviously the big news over the weekend, and...
COSTELLO: Definitely so. We have some headlines from across the country. In the "News Press, the headline reads "Dark Day." And you can see that emotional picture. I just can't imagine just going back to your home and it's gone.
MARCIANO: If the estimates come out right, Charley will be the second-most costly hurricane in U.S. history, and that's only to Andrew.
COSTELLO: One more for you. This is from the ledger. This is "Time to Heal," and you can see a man just turning around and just wondering what to do next.
"AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired August 16, 2004 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's talk more about the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, the tough road to recovery so many in Florida are facing today. The hurricane killed at least 16 people in the state.
President Bush did tour hard-hit areas on Sunday. He promised federal aid. The storm wreaked havoc on the citrus industry, and the first day of school has been delayed in southwest Florida for up to two weeks.
Thousands are still without power this morning. Actually, that number could be as high as one million.
CNN reporter Ed Lavandera is on the phone now from Port Charlotte, Florida, with more on the cleanup efforts there.
Do they have enough stuff to even start cleaning up -- Ed?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
COSTELLO: OK, Ed will try to get a better cell phone connection, and we're going to try to join him a little later from Port Charlotte, Florida.
We're going to go on with the news now.
We did get a dramatic inside view of Hurricane Charley's fury through the lenses of two storm chasers. These guys put their lives on the line to collect information and get pictures. And they talked about that with Carol Lin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM REED, STORM CHASER: We work for a variety of private sources. We were collecting meteorological data and testing actually a new device that allows us to check radar in situations like this.
But while he was praying, I was -- my method of praying was to try and document it as best I could. But as far as keeping calm, I think you can hear in my voice it was very difficult.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, but at least you were able to get some information out about where you were, what was happening around you. What did that feel like? What was it like, the force of the wind?
REED: Very intimidating and very humbling. We usually, as researchers, will take shelter much sooner. And I've covered nine hurricanes, but this is the first time a hurricane has ever increased its wind speed so quickly while we're in one location.
LIN: What do you mean?
REED: Within minutes, just a few minutes we went from 75-mile- an-hour winds to 120-mile-an-hour. And we were forced to take a shelter of last resort, as we call it. Greg (ph) had spotted the carport, and we knew we needed to put something between us and the oncoming wind, and that was the house. And we were very lucky that it was a solid structure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: They certainly were. Amazing pictures from Florida.
If you need to know who to call if you're a hurricane victim, here are some numbers for you. The Federal Emergency Management number is 1-800-621-FEMA, and the Florida Emergency information 24- hour hotline is 1-800-342-3557.
Now to a new war and a new face for the U.S. military. President Bush could announce a major shifting of military forces around the world today. The administration is planning to withdraw tens of thousands of troops from Europe and Asia and reposition them to better fight the war on terror.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers say it's a good idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHARLES LUGAR (R), INDIANA: So, this is a fundamental change, and it's a change probably in the tactics of our military so that our people will be more mobile, more available at other places all over the Earth.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: There are some things that we should do to redeploy troops so that they are in the best position for what the new threats are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Some of those troops could be coming back to the United States, along with family members and military support staff.
Gas prices are falling, but have you really noticed a difference? In about three minutes, we'll have a live report on what's happening at the pump.
Plus, around the country, kids are trickling back into school and taking some unhealthy eating habits with them. At 40 minutes past the hour, some tips on how your kids can get the nutrition they need.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: All right. We want to head out to Port Charlotte, Florida. We do have Ed Lavandera back on the phone.
And I know cell phone service ain't all that great at this particular time out there -- Ed.
LAVANDERA: Well, I think that kind of illustrates the point of what's happening here in the Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area. You know, and my phone works fine in Punta Gorda, but when I come across the coastal water over to Port Charlotte it doesn't work well.
But as far as the cleanup process, you know, the workers, you were asking me if they have enough materials. You know, I was talking to the emergency management folks, and they seem to be rather happy with the way things are moving at this point.
You know, it's just a slow and tedious process. You know, at one point we saw a cleanup guy in the street yesterday just with a broom cleaning glass out of an intersection. And that was just so that the emergency vehicles wouldn't get punctured tires.
So, at this point, you know, one guy with a broom cleaning up streets is kind of what it boils down to, to kind of keep things moving as quickly as possible.
Still about a million people without power, as you had mentioned, although power has been restored to another million people, so at least a little bit of good news on that front.
And you see a lot of more focus on going through all of the different neighborhoods and making sure that nobody still might be trapped in any of the homes. Remember, this is a retirement community, and there are a lot of elderly people that live in this region. So, that is of major concern.
In the Punta Gorda area, you know, one of the bizarre things that they're dealing with is that the three hospitals in that town were severely damaged. So, you know, they're having to set up makeshift places to work out of in the parking lot. We drove by one of the hospitals yesterday.
So, a lot of work continues. President Bush was here yesterday promising federal money. Some 20 counties in the state of Florida are eligible for federal disaster relief money, and they need that money as quickly as possible -- Carol.
COSTELLO: They certainly do. Ed Lavandera, we'll let you go. Ed Lavandera live on the phone from Port Charlotte, Florida, this morning.
It's time for a little business buzz now. Finally, some good news at the pump. Prices -- well, prices were falling, but now they're expected to go on back up. So, it's not so good news at the pump.
Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq Marketsite. And I suspect it has something to do with the price of oil.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Carol. The good news for gas prices, well, we've already experienced that. We have seen gas prices come down about 5 cents a gallon over the past three weeks.
But, you know, crude oil prices have been on the rise. In fact, overnight we hit yet another 21-year high. That's since we've been tracking this data; $46.91, that is where we hit overnight for U.S. crude.
We have come down a little bit since those levels. But, of course, crude oil comprises a lot of the price for gasoline, about 50 percent of the price.
So, even though crude has been rising, gas has been falling over the past couple of weeks. Expect gasoline prices to start catching up; that's according to the Lundberg Survey anyway.
And the concern here for the economy is that we could see consumers tapped out pretty soon. Consumer spending has propped us up throughout the recent economic downturn. But the concern now is that as people have to funnel more and more of their money into their gas tanks, well, they're not going to be spending as much on other things. So, we could see the economy flatten out a bit.
Recent economic data hasn't been very robust, and as a result stocks have sold off. The Nasdaq close to a bear market. When you look at the highs for 2004 down about 18.5 percent since those January highs.
This morning, Carol, though, we are expecting a bit of buying. Techs are looking moderately higher. We'll see what happens officially in about three hours at 9:30 when the opening bell rings.
Back to you.
COSTELLO: We will. Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq Marketsite, thank you.
It is back to school time, and there is enormous pressure on school-aged girls to fit in and to be accepted by their peers. And there is particularly high pressure on them to be thin. Well, where does that pressure come from?
Eating disorder and obesity specialist, Dr. Andrea Pennington, president of the Pennington Institute for Health and Wellness, has interesting highlights from the International Symposium for Eating Disorders. She joins us live this morning from D.C.
And first off, Dr. Pennington, what did you find out at that conference?
DR. ANDREA PENNINGTON, PENNINGTON INSTITUTE: Well, it was a wonderful conference. This year's symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada, hosted over 300 professionals who treat eating disorders. Acupuncturists, physicians, therapists and counselors attended workshops and lectures that provided them with increased information about the treatments and the potential causes of eating disorders.
Also reviewed were some of the conditions that accompany eating disorders, like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
But of particular interest is the effect that advertising has on stimulating an obsession with thinness, particularly among the young women in our society.
Of note: Dr. Jean Kilbourne, author of "Can't Buy My Love," presented a keynote address, where she shared images of women in advertising. And these women, portrayed as the ideal, are unhealthily thin.
And what these advertising images do is they stimulate young girls' desire to emulate them and create these types of images that, unfortunately, are unobtainable.
COSTELLO: You know, I certainly understand that, but, you know, there is a horrible obesity problem in this country. And I've often wondered which is worse. Is it the anorexia or is it obesity?
PENNINGTON: Well, that's a good question, Carol. You know, anorexia and bulimia and binge eating, these are all very common eating disorders, particularly among young girls and women.
But obesity is actually at epidemic proportions in the United States and is affecting children, young people, far more than it ever has in history. In fact, it is an emerging epidemic among young people.
And what's scary, Carol, is that obesity is now causing a whole host of health problems in young people that we never saw before. Take, for instance...
COSTELLO: So tell us some of the causes of obesity, since this is at epidemic proportions in this country.
PENNINGTON: Well, it's a multi-factorial problem, as you know, Carol. The three main culprits are a sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits and poor nutrition, and, of course, using food as comfort.
You know, when we start talking about poor nutrition, kids are bombarded with images from fast food. They're able to get junk food out of vending machines at schools. And many families no longer have mealtime together, where they can learn about healthy food choices.
When we talk about a sedentary lifestyle, well, unfortunately many schools have dropped their physical-ed programs down to next to nothing, as have the after-school athletic programs.
And many parents tell me in practice that they don't feel as safe as when you and I were kids to let their children stay outside for unsupervised play. And, of course, many kids will tell you that they'd much rather play on the computer or surf the Web or watch TV than get active.
COSTELLO: So tell parents what they can do.
PENNINGTON: Well, first things first. You've got to buy healthy foods. You should keep a bowl of fruit or healthy trail mix by the front door, so that when your kids are running out they can grab a hold of this stuff.
Also, discourage snacking, especially that unconscious eating that kids love to do in front of the TV.
And encourage exercise. Parents have really got to model healthy behaviors for their children. So get active. Get out there and play.
And most importantly, you've got to stop teaching your kids that food can be used for comfort when they're sick or injured, that it can keep them company while they're bored. Food is meant to be fuel, to provide our bodies with the energy that we need throughout the day. It's not something that we should turn to as a comfort or anything like that.
COSTELLO: You know, it's so great to see parents out on the weekend biking with their kids or jogging with the baby buggies, as they do, because that's getting the kid used to physical activity.
PENNINGTON: Exactly. And that's what behavioral conditioning at its best can be like. When we're modeling healthy behaviors, our kids are going to be a lot more prone to follow in our footsteps.
COSTELLO: Dr. Andrea Pennington joining us live from D.C. this morning, thank you.
PENNINGTON: Thank you, Carol.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
Emergency aid is pouring into those areas of Florida trying to get back on track in the wake of Hurricane Charley. Sixteen people were killed. More than a million customers are still without power.
You may remember Bobby Fischer, the former world chess champion. Well, word out of Japan this morning, he's going to marry the head of the Japan Chess Association. The temperamental Fischer also is seeking to renounce his U.S. citizenship.
In money news, the makers of the soft drink, 7-Up, are taking aim at the low-cal vitamin-conscious consumer. Cadbury Schweppes says it will introduce 7-Up Plus later this month.
In culture, where were you when the king passed away? Elvis Presley fans are marking his death 27 years ago today at his Graceland mansion in Memphis with a candlelight vigil.
And in sports, Smarty Jones, the horse that won the Kentucky Derby and Peakness, moves into his new digs today. He's leaving Philadelphia for Kentucky, where he's going out to stud.
(WEATHER BREAK)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Let's head out live to New York and check in with Bill and Heidi to see what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol. Good morning to you.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol.
HEMMER: A lot of talk today again about Charley and the aftermath down there. We'll be in touch with all of our reporters throughout Southwest Florida facing billions of dollars' worth of devastation now left by that hurricane, watching the coverage all weekend long. And those people are in for a very long ride ahead. We'll talk to one survivor who rode it out inside of his own home, and we'll speak to him at the top of the hour here.
COLLINS: Also, we're talking about Iraq this morning. The uprising by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr now becomes a crucial test for Iraq's interim government. We're going to have a report live from Baghdad coming up on all of the latest happening there.
HEMMER: Also, Michael Jackson, the man trying to put Jackson behind bars testifies today. Jackson is expected to have a front-row seat for that. Live to California for a preview for what may happen there.
And guess who is back today, Carol?
COSTELLO: Is Jack back?
COLLINS: Jack-attack.
COSTELLO: You know, I love Jack. He's my favorite.
HEMMER: Yes. Guess who is back?
COSTELLO: Well, welcome back, Jack. I know he's hovering around there somewhere.
HEMMER: That he is.
COLLINS: Hovering, he does that, Carol.
COSTELLO: Thanks. We'll get back to you guys in about 10 minutes.
HEMMER: Bye-bye.
COSTELLO: What is wrong with the Olympic basketball dream team? Our sports guru, Chris Cotter, joins us next to assess the team's issues after a historic loss. Plus, how Vijay Singh came from behind to win a major. Weekend sports highlights are straight ahead.
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: You know, we're always interested in CNN.com because we get so many hits. And every morning we like to see which stories you are clicking on to the most.
Chris Cotter is here, by the way. He's in the house.
CHRIS COTTER, CNN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: Right.
COSTELLO: And Rob is down here, too.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In the house.
COSTELLO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with CNN.com, do you know what the most clicked-on story is on our Web site?
MARCIANO: The Olympic team.
COSTELLO: No. "Critics Brewing Over Rock-'N'-Roll Cans." The Miller Brewing Company is celebrating the 50th anniversary of rock- 'n'-roll with eight commemorative beer cans that feature "Rolling Stone" cover shots of Elvis Presley, Blondie and others.
MARCIANO: Did we cover that on-air?
COSTELLO: No. Maybe we should have.
MARCIANO: I guess so.
COTTER: I want to get a 12-pack of Miller every day until I get all eight cans. But, I mean, who is to say it's something like baseball cards, right? Who is to say that all eight would be in one 12-pack? So, I'm going to have to go through a lot of Miller.
MARCIANO: Maybe we could start trading.
COSTELLO: I never thought about it like that. That is so darned exciting.
COTTER: Yes. I'm looking forward to that.
COSTELLO: The No. 2 story, Nicky Hilton marries a New York money manager; Nicky Hilton, the hotel heiress and Paris Hilton sister.
MARCIANO: Where did she get married?
COSTELLO: Las Vegas in a chapel there.
COTTER: Oh, yes. She's young too, isn't she?
COSTELLO: She's only 20.
COTTER: Twenty years old, huh?
COSTELLO: He's 33 and she's 20. What's the deal?
MARCIANO: But she has plenty of money, so she would need a money manager. That wouldn't be a bad thing for her.
COSTELLO: Maybe that's why she married him.
COTTER: So a marriage of convenience. Rob, that's very smart on your part.
COSTELLO: The third most clicked-on story is the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, who survived his recall election. And he will be president of Venezuela for two more years.
So, what do you think? Do you want to see more coverage of a story? Are you peeved about something we have done? Do you think we're doing a good job? Shoot us an e-mail. The address: Daybreak@CNN.com. And we promise we will read some of your nasty comments on Friday.
COTTER: I'd like to see that picture on a beer can. I think that would be the most popular.
COSTELLO: Yes, I bet that would sell like hotcakes.
But we want to check in on the Olympic action, because what the heck. Team USA takes a whipping from Puerto Rico. Chris Cotter is....
COTTER: And good.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. Chris Cotter is here to talk more about that.
What is up with that? The U.S. gets beat by Puerto Rico?
COTTER: It's just a reflection of where U.S. basketball is right now and the style of play they play here in this country. It's all about being more athletic and, you know, taking the basketball to the rim. And these international teams play more of a team style. They play the zone defense, which completely confuses Team USA.
And yesterday Puerto Rico comes out. This is Puerto Rican team, by the way, is not even really supposed to contend for a medal, and they stomped the U.S.
COSTELLO: Twenty points.
COTTER: Twenty points, and they were up by 22 at halftime.
This is a U.S. team that can't shoot the basketball. In playgrounds, in high schools all over the country, kids are now playing this athletic game, where it's all about one-on-one match-ups, take it to the front of the rim. They don't learn to shoot the basketball. COSTELLO: It's all about stars like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson wannabes...
COTTER: You can be a star and be a three-point shooter. All of the three-point shooters in the NBA are international players. Team USA shoots 3 of 24 from a 3-point range yesterday. It's not even as far back as the NBA three-point line.
MARCIANO: Bring back Bobby Knight. We need Bobby.
COSTELLO: Oh, he's out there still somewhere.
I want to read you a quote by Allen Iverson. He says: "They play the game that way it's supposed to be played." He's talking about Puerto Rico. "It's not about athletics. That's the game the way Karl Malone and John Stockton play it. It's good for kids to see how the game is supposed to be played."
MARCIANO: Wow!
COTTER: Yes, that's coming from Allen Iverson, who is -- you know, a lot of the kids look up to Allen Iverson, and they see a guy who throws up a million shots per game, who drives to the basketball rim all the time.
Team USA had wide-open shots yesterday. They couldn't knock any of them down. These other teams are hitting the outside shots. Team USA, I mean, right now they can't afford another loss. They're in round robin play. This is the first game. They cannot afford one more loss.
Their international record, by the way, in Olympic play: 109 and 3 now. In 1972 they lost to the Soviet Union. In 1988 they lost to the Soviet Union, and now to Puerto Rico.
COSTELLO: Now to Puerto Rico.
Let's talk about Michael Phelps, the swimmer. He did not get the gold in the relay. And there's a bit of a controversy surrounding that.
COTTER: Yes, there is. Gary Hall, Jr., who is the three-time Olympian and probably the better swimmer suited to be in the final, but when you get to the final the coach can choose which four of his swimmers would be best-suited, he thinks, to race in that final, even though maybe Michael Phelps hadn't swam in any of the prelims. That's what the coach decided to do.
So, Gary Hall, Jr., you're out; Michael Phelps, you're in. Team USA wins the bronze in the freestyle relay.
COSTELLO: And Gary Hall was not happy, because he didn't show up to watch that match.
COTTER: No, he didn't even show up at the pool.
MARCIANO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I mean, I'd be...
COSTELLO: No.
COTTER: Oh, he was...
MARCIANO: And the same thing happened with the women, didn't it?
COTTER: I didn't see what happened with the women.
MARCIANO: Yes, I think the women's relay, they replaced one with...
COTTER: Did they get a win?
MARCIANO: They didn't get the win.
COTTER: Yes. I mean, that's the thing. So Phelps can now tie Mark Spitz seven gold medals that Spitz won in Munich in '72. He cannot get eight though. He has no room for error. And this was, I think, an opportunity by the U.S. team to kind of put him in and see if he can, you know, get one extra medal. But South Africa had the world record in this event, and Team USA just won the bronze.
COSTELLO: Well, there's just something about that isn't quite right.
Let's talk about Vijay Singh, because what an exciting golf match, as exciting as golf matches...
COTTER: Hey, hey, hey, they can be exciting.
COSTELLO: I'm sorry! I slipped.
COTTER: They can be exciting.
COSTELLO: I know.
COTTER: And this one was. The Wanamaker trophy, you saw it there, for the PGA champion, and Vijay Singh wins it in extra holes. Now, they don't play sudden death with the PGA championship. They play an aggregate score over three holes.
So, Vijay gets his first birdie of the day on the first extra hole. So he had gone 18 holes already...
MARCIANO: He got a 76.
COTTER: Yes, without...
MARCIANO: That's embarrassing for a guy of his caliber.
COTTER: That's a big old trophy, though, isn't it, the Wanamaker trophy? There is his son looking on.
COSTELLO: Oh! COTTER: And Vijay gets his third major, his second PGA championship. And I'll tell you, he is making a push for the No. 1 golfer in the world, to be the golfer of the year this year, because his scoring average has been phenomenal.
COSTELLO: And I think he's well on his way. Thank you, Chris Cotter, for coming in. We appreciate it.
COTTER: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We'll announce today's mug winner in two minutes, but first this is DAYBREAK for a Monday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It is time to win a DAYBREAK coffee mug. We didn't have a question from Friday, so there is no winner today. But there will be a winner tomorrow.
MARCIANO: If you know not one, but both of these questions. Name at least one cause of childhood obesity. That's question No. 1. Question No. 2 is regarding the Olympics. What country set a world record in the 400-meter freestyle relay Sunday night at the Summer Games?
We'll have the name and winner tomorrow.
COSTELLO: I just got the last (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the question. What's one of the causes of childhood obesity?
MARCIANO: Eating too much. Feeding your child too much stuff.
COSTELLO: I mean, come on! Anyway, everything is calm out there in the ocean this morning.
MARCIANO: Yes, now it is. Now it is.
COSTELLO: So we don't have to worry about anymore hurricanes.
MARCIANO: Well, yes, we're watching Earl, but Charley was obviously the big news over the weekend, and...
COSTELLO: Definitely so. We have some headlines from across the country. In the "News Press, the headline reads "Dark Day." And you can see that emotional picture. I just can't imagine just going back to your home and it's gone.
MARCIANO: If the estimates come out right, Charley will be the second-most costly hurricane in U.S. history, and that's only to Andrew.
COSTELLO: One more for you. This is from the ledger. This is "Time to Heal," and you can see a man just turning around and just wondering what to do next.
"AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
