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American Morning

A Conversation with Joe Piscopo; 'Gimme a Minute'; 'Paging Dr. Gupta'

Aired August 20, 2004 - 08:30   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We're paging Dr. Gupta today. He has the amazing story of a woman who was blind for much of her life, until surgeon restored her sight using her own tooth. Of course, you're going to want to stick around for that one.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: No doubt.

First of all, let's get back to the story in New Jersey. He considers himself a lifelong Democrat, self-described Jersey guy, but is comedian Joe Piscopo serious about trying to replace Jim McGreevey as governor in that state? He often paid homage to the Garden State while on "Saturday Night Live" back in the 1980s.

And Jersey Joe our guest today not in New Jersey, but in Orlando, Florida to talk about the draft Piscopo movement.

And, Joe, good morning to you, and thanks for your time.

Is this serious, by the way?

JOE PISCOPO, ACTOR, COMEDIAN: Well, you know, I had some serious people talk to me, Bill. We're very concerned about the state, and the -- you know, I wrote the jokes 20 years ago, but now it's almost not funny the way Jersey's getting hit, and I'm reading "The Wall Street Journal," and I'm reading all of these national publications, "USA Today," saying the problems we have in Jersey.

So the people that came to me and asked me to run, they're serious.

HEMMER: Joe, what can you tell us about the people that approached you? Who are they? How strong backing do they have?

PISCOPO: You know what, I'm young businessmen, and I talked to them yesterday. It was so funny, I said, come on, guys, you got to let everybody know who you are. And they say, like, no, we stay in the background, Joe, you know, we believe in you, and we're friends enough, where I'm not beholden to anybody. So they're like young, very concerned New Jersey citizens.

Because, see, in Jersey, we are so proud of the state. I've got to tell you, not just because the great Bruce Springsteen is from there, and Frank Sinatra, and Bruce Willis, and Jack Nicholson, and Danny Devito, and Shaquille O'Neal born in Newark. I mean, we have so much to offer in this state, that as we're citizens and we go through our everyday lives back in Jersey, and then we see this, you know, the stuff that's happening now. These guys are seriously came to me, they really want to make a change.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the stuff happening now. What was your reaction a week ago with Jim McGreevey's announcement?

PISCOPO: Well, you know, I'm a friend of Jim and Dina. Kimberly and I are friends of the governor and first lady, and just have great affection for them, and our hearts go out to them. So that was our immediate response. And I must say, I think most of the citizens in the great state of New Jersey said, you know, it's an unfortunate situation, what happened, but you feel such sympathy, and you just wish them the best.

HEMMER: Do you think he should resign now, or wait until the date of November 15th, as she stated?

PISCOPO: Yes, that's the question, Bill. You know, it's hard for me to say, to be objective, because I'm friends with the man, so...

HEMMER: Let me try and cut through it for you then.

PISCOPO: Thank you.

HEMMER: Do you want this job?

PISCOPO: Oh, that's good. You know what, I love the state enough to do it, I'll tell you that right now.

HEMMER: If that's the case the, you would support him getting out now, because that increasing your chances immediately of taking the office, right?

PISCOPO: Yes, I don't mind him on a personal level hanging in until November, because he's got to do what he's got to do; his family's got to be -- you know, adjusting to this whole crisis. That's what I think.

But maybe, in the political landscape, to leave now -- ah, listen, we deal with adversity every day in New Jersey. We're second- class citizens. We're sandwiched between the great cities of New York and Philadelphia. So we can deal with any adversity, and we'll make it through this one, I think, whether I'm there or not.

You're a lifelong Democrat, right? And you talk about highest property taxes in the country in your home state. Sounds a bit conservative.

PISCOPO: I know. I know. I could tell. As I go through the different items and my agenda in my head, you know, as people talk to me, of what I stand for, I am very, very conservative, but I'm a lifelong Democrat. I believe -- a proud Democrat. It's the working man's party, and New Jersey has its roots in working class. Immigrants came from all over the country and they settled in New Jersey. Like my grandparents, they couldn't even speak English when they first came here. So yes, I'm a Democrat, very conservative, but highest property tax in the country, highest insurance, car insurance rates in the country, and I can't understand how a great state like the one I'm in now, Florida, Texas, Nevada, they have no state income tax. How do they do it and why can't Jersey do it?

HEMMER: We'll follow your story. By the way, Schwarzenegger went on the Leno show to announce his candidacy. Do you want do to that here?

PISCOPO: Oh, man, I'll have to keep that in mind. But I don't know, Arnold is like -- Arnold's a mega-gazillion, you know, dollar superstar. I'm just a Jersey guy. I think I'll go on the New Jersey network.

HEMMER: Thank you, Joe. You get back to Jersey, first of all, in Florida this summer.

Thank you, Joe, Joe Piscopo.

PISCOPO: Thanks for taking the time.

HEMMER: You got it -- Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: My new neighbor there.

Time now for our "Gimme a Minute" gang to take on the week's big stories. In Washington this morning, Donna Brazile, Democrat strategist and CNN political contributor.

Donna, hello. Good morning.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POL. CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.

COLLINS: Cliff May with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Cliff, hello to you as well.

CLIFF MAY, FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: Hi, Heidi.

COLLINS: And in New York, writer and comedian Paul Mercurio.

Hello to you, Paul.

PAUL MERCURIO, WRITER/COMEDIAN: Good morning.

COLLINS: Hey, Donna, let's get started with you. Senator Kerry now calling on President Bush to condemn these latest attack ads, in particular the Swift Boat Veterans. Does the president need to do that?

BRAZILE: He should. He should Condemn not just this specific ad, but he should also tell some of these Swift Boat Veterans -- I can't even say it -- for the truth, to get their stories straight.

COLLINS: Cliff, what about moveon.org? Does that come into play?

MAY: Well, of course it does. You've all of these groups out there. Look, I think basically the swift veterans for Kerry should tell their story. The swift veterans who are against Kerry should tell their story.

But sometimes, I think there should be a statute of limitations for anything anybody did more than a quarter of a century ago.

COLLINS: Paul, your thoughts on that?

MERCURIO: Well, I think the Bush campaign would like to condemn the ad, but they're busy right now condemning Kerry. Their whole condemning schedule is really packed right now. And as far as the president's concerned, he told Larry King he hasn't seen the ad. Why hasn't he seen it? Well, it's obvious. They don't have television at the White House. They don't even have electricity. These are rancher folk. Laura spends 10 hours a day in a loom, and the twins are busy churning butter.

COLLINS: All right, thanks so much for that, Paul.

Cliff, let's get back to you now. As you know, Christie Todd Whitman, former New Jersey governor, as well as former Bush cabinet secretary, she, as well as other Republicanism, calling on Governor Jim McGreevey to step down right now. Does she have a point, for the good of the state, she says?

MAY: Yes, she's got a point, and a lot of Democrats are saying the same thing. Look, it appears that McGreevey put somebody on the payroll who wasn't qualified. Whether that person was a boy toy, or a girl toy or just a drinking buddy, you don't do that. It's wrong. If he did something wing, he should get out of there and make way for Joe Piscopo or somebody else.

COLLINS: Donna, what about that?

BRAZILE: Well, he stepped down. He's planned to step down in a couple of weeks, and rightfully so. I think they should allow the governor to allow an orderly transition.

COLLINS: All right, Paul, what's it all boil down to?

MERCURIO: Well I happen to know that McGreevey would like to step down now instead of in the fall, but the reality is he works in Trenton. And who would want to miss peak foliage season in Trenton, New Jersey.

And by the way, it's summer. You can't get your friends to help you move in the summer. He called Corzine. Corzine's at the Jersey shore boogie-boarding.

COLLINS: There he is. All right, thanks, Paul.

Donna, back down to you. As you know, Bush supporter Ricky Skaggs is leading this get-out-the-vote campaign with his country music. We've also got Bruce Springsteen with his type of music supporting Kerry. Do these guys, these entertainers in particular, really make a difference in the election?

BRAZILE: They could make a difference, especially if they reach those young American who up until this point have not gotten involved in the political process. I support Russell Simmons and what Sean "Puffy" Combs is trying to do to get out the vote as well.

COLLINS: Cliff, do they make a difference? People listen?

MAY: You know, people may listen, but other people may get annoyed. You've got these movie stars, who are rich, and they're beautiful, and they're surrounded by people saying to them, you are so great, you are so smart about everything, and there -- I think in a certain way people also just get tired of Hollywood trying to lord it over us.

COLLINS: All right, Paul, do people relate to these entertainers.

MERCURIO: Yes, I think they do. I mean, otherwise, we wouldn't have these concerts. And thank God they do, because I know if I can't learn about stem cell research from John Mellencamp, who am I going to learn it from?

And by the way, no better way than voter to make a political decision that will affect his life the next four years than when he's high and drunk with 50,000 screaming people.

COLLINS: All right, quickly, Donna, what is the undercovered story this week for us?

BRAZILE: In less than a week, over six million Americans, according to the Department, will lose their overtime pay. I think those Americans who will work 40 hours and learn that they do not get any resources for time and a half will be very upset with the government.

COLLINS: Cliff, how about you?

MAY: Muna Al Abdullah (ph), remember that name. He was captured in Iraq this week. He works for Hezbollah, supported by Iran, supported by Syria. Hezbollah killed more than 250 American with suicide terrorist bomber more than 20 years ago. What was he doing in Iraq? Setting up contacts between Baathist guerrillas and Al Qaeda. In other words, he's living proof of the unholy alliance among Hezbollah, the Baathists of Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. Very important development.

COLLINS: All right, thanks so much, Cliff.

And, Paul, what do you say?

MERCURIO: Mine's not quite as heavy as that.

Oprah served on a jury in a murder trial, and they convicted the guy in 30 minutes, but that's not the real story; the real story is, is they were sending the defendant to prison. Oprah surprised him with a complete makeover. And I understand he started crying, not because he was going to go to jail, but because he never thought he'd wear clogs.

COLLINS: OK.

Donna, Cliff, Paul, you guys,thanks so much for that today. Sure do appreciate it.

MERCURIO: Thank you.

MAY: Thank you.

HEMMER: Just about 39 minutes past the hour now. Back to Betty Nguyen in the CNN Center watching other news, and again, the news starts in Iraq.

Betty, good morning.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: As always, good morning to you.

Military sources in Iraq say two U.S. marines were killed in the Al Ambar province. One of the Marines died from wounds received Wednesday. The other was killed in action yesterday.

And a possible new development in the kidnapping of journalist Micah Garen. And aide of radical cleric Muqtada tells CNN Garen could be released as early as today. Now, it's not clear who gave the aide assurance of Garen's release.

A new survey suggests many Americans believe Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. More than half of Americans surveyed say they still believe Iraq had the weapons or was trying to develop them before the war started last March. The poll was conducted earlier this month by the University of Maryland.

A South African woman faces arraignment today, accused of using an altered passport.

Now a federal grand jury indicted the woman yesterday on charges of entering the U.S. with an altered passport. She was stopped without a valid visa near the U.S./Mexican border, attempting to board a flight to New York.

Now to California, which is announcing a landmark gambling expansion. The state and five Indian tribes have agreed to create one of the world's largest casinos. In exchange for his support, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger got tribal leaders to share 20 percent of the gambling profits. That's an estimated $20 million boost for the cash- strapped state. We'll see if this bet pays off.

So from talking about bills, back to the real Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Thank you, Betty.

Talk to you the next hour.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, it sounds like just a chatty message left in your voice-mail by mistake, but don't dare take his advice. We'll tell you about that, coming up next.

HEMMER: Also the blind woman regaining sight with the help of her own tooth. Sanjay has her story, after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Now to a story you'd probably hear at Ripley's, not inside of an operating room. Surgeons restored the sight to a blind woman by using her own tooth.

Sanjay explains now.

Good morning there, doctor.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

A really interesting story, talking about a grandmother living in England. Up until now, she has never seen her grandchildren.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The oldest ones are four, and I've never, ever seen. I was at the births, I've and never, ever seen them until the other day when I got to see them. It was fantastic. I just sat and cried.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Just sat and cried because she had never seen them before, Bill. She went blind as a teenager from a rare allergic reaction to a prescription, went blind in both of her eyes. Really no options for her for a long time, until doctors decided to do something pretty revolutionary, actually doing a corneal transplant.

Let me show you, first of all, on our eye model here exactly. This is an eyeball. You can sort of see it from the side first, and then from the front. The cornea's is going to be the thick, sort of clear part in front, acts as sort of a lens. That had been damaged in this woman, this grandmother. So what doctors actually decided to do was remove one of her teeth, remove one of her teeth, fashion it down, by cutting a little hole in the -- a little rectangular hole in it, and actually using that sort of as a substitute, a transplant, if you will, of both her cornea and some of the area behind the cornea on her eye.

It took some time. The operation was done in two stages, over several months, but after it was done, for the first time she was actually able to see her grandkids -- Bill.

HEMMER: Teeth are hard, though. How do you get that in your eye?

GUPTA: You know, it's a funny thing. The outer part of a tooth is hard. That's the enamel. That's what we're used to seeing. But actually, you shave down some of the enamel, some of the harder parts, teeth are actually very porous, they're sort of like a spongy-type material, and actually can work very well for this area.

What we're talking about here is actually creating the tooth, and creating a little hole in it in such a way that it can act as a natural sort of cornea, a natural sort of lens, and it replaces that entire part of the back of the eye as well -- Bill. So it's not something you think of at first, it doesn't bother you, it doesn't feel like you have something in your eye, but when it's shaved down, seems to work pretty well.

HEMMER: We've heard of transplants for the cornea before. How common are they?

GUPTA: Actually corneal transplants are one of the more common transplants done, period. Now, you know, about 40,000 Americans, previous operations, usually due to atrophy of the eye for some reason, and they're pretty successful as well, Bill. Now when you say success, we're not talking about giving you back normal vision. I think most people understand that. In the case of this grandmother, in the case of most people who undergo corneal transplants, they're able to make out images, they're able to make out colors. And it was so important for this grandmother to make up the faces of her grandchildren. But you're not going to see, by no mean, after this -- Bill.

HEMMER: You actually have two interesting stories today. That was the first one, a bit strange. I think we put the category. The other has to do with this 8-month-old boy known as "Captain Giggles." What happened?

GUPTA: Captain Giggles -- this is sort of an interesting story, and it turns out well, I'll tell that in advance. But this a young child who actually has a benign brain tumor in his brain that causes his to essentially break out into laughter, sometimes up to 18 hours a day. He can't stop laughing, uncontrollable laughing. Bill, what they actually are, are something known at gelastic seizures. They're a type of epilepsy caused by this brain tumor. You saw the images briefly there of where the brain tumor was. The baby undergoing surgery to try and remove this tumor and possibly get rid of this laughter as well.

We're going to give you an update on that story as well next week.

HEMMER: All right, "HOUSE CALL" over the weekend, what do you have coming up?

GUPTA: Big topic, really popular topic. It's on hair loss. Most men are going to be paying attention this, but one in four women also affected by hair loss. How do you get rid of it? How do you have to do that sweep-over of your hair? We're going to tell you all the various strategies this weekend.

HEMMER: The sweep-over or the comb-over?

GUPTA: The comb-over rather. All right.

HEMMER: Thanks, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Yes.

HEMMER: In a moment here, former Enron Jeff Skilling once built a fortune. We'll see what he's building now, in a moment, when we come back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Welcome back.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

A sneaky phone scam involving a strange call and a stock tip. Gerri Willis in for Andy Serwer, and she's "Minding Your Business."

This is dangerous, but you've got to give him credit, it's pretty clever.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: It's pretty clever, Jack. Call it vice mail not voice-mail. People across the country are getting voice-mail sounds like a young woman on the phone talking about a hot stock. Listen in.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Tracy, it's Debbie! I couldn't find your old number, and Tammy said this was your new one -- and I hope it's the right.

Anyway, remember Evan, that hot stock exchange guy I'm dating? He gave my dad that stock tip on -- and it went from under a buck to like three bucks in two weeks, and you were mad I didn't call you?

Well, I'm calling you now.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WILLIS: So, Debbie goes on to explain that there are a ton of stocks. She names them that you can make money in. Now, this scam, Jack, relies on the fact that you might be a little greedy. You might think that...

CAFFERTY: Oh, exactly.

WILLIS: ... this phone message wasn't for me, but maybe I can make a little money off of it.

CAFFERTY: Of course.

WILLIS: You can't. It is a scam, and you shouldn't get involved.

CAFFERTY: So, what do you do if you get one of these? Call the local...

WILLIS: Call the SEC. Call the Securities and Exchange Commission. They're investigating, telling people not to take advantage of this.

CAFFERTY: You know, if it wasn't for the greed in all of us, none of these scams would ever get anywhere.

WILLIS: Or Wall Street, right?

CAFFERTY: Exactly.

Now, we've got Jeff Skilling, the runner-up to "Mad" magazine's man of the year.

WILLIS: Right. That's an important credential.

CAFFERTY: Most people do their community service stuff after they get out of jail?

WILLIS: Well, he's doing it so he doesn't have to go into jail. This is part of his community service to stay out of jail on $5 million bond. And what he's doing, instead of building an oil company, now he's building houses. He's doing his community service with Habitat for Humidity.

CAFFERTY: Well, that's a good outfit.

WILLIS: Yes, that's a great thing to do.

CAFFERTY: Former President Carter spends a lot of time working for them.

WILLIS: A lot of big names working for them.

CAFFERTY: Yes, some of them straight, and then there's Jeff Skilling.

What about the market today?

WILLIS: Well, we're hanging on here to see what's going to happen. Oil prices going higher. And as you know, what's been going on is that stocks trade lower as oil goes up. You might as well look at oil prices rather than the stock market to see how your 401(k)'s doing, because there's an inverse relationship there.

CAFFERTY: You got to -- what -- 48 and change yesterday? So, it could hit $50 a barrel today?

WILLIS: Yes, it's not looking good. People are talking about $60 a barrel.

CAFFERTY: Oh, man! I'm going get at bicycle. All right, thanks, Gerri.

Time for "The Cafferty File." Earlier in the week, we told you about the Miller Brewing Company's commemorative beer can series. In their tribute to the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll, Miller failed to include any black artists on these beer cans. And yet, they found somebody like Blondie worthy of inclusion. And we trashed them at great length for this omission here on this program. And apparently, there was a lot of other criticism as well, and rightfully so.

Well, now, the company, to their credit, has come out with a major apology. Miller is now admitting that African-Americans did, in fact, play a formative role in the development of rock 'n' roll. And despite the company's effort, quote -- and this is their official statement -- "they did not manage this component of the promotion appropriately" -- unquote.

Megan Edrington might appear to most of us to be just another woman. But to her Kentucky judge, she's anything but. She is a deadbeat father who failed to pay his child support. Megan Edrington was once Craig Edrington before spending thousands of dollars on sex change procedures. And now, she -- or he, or it, or whatever it is -- says there's no money left to pay child support. Well, a judge threw her in jail until she comes up with the $6,800 in back child support payments. Sometimes the judges get it right.

And as promised, a picture of the hairiest man in China, maybe in the whole world. Check this guy out. Yu Zhenhuan, 26 years old, says he wants to be a rock star. His condition has left his entire body, except for the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet, covered in black hair. He says people used to point and make fun of them. Now, he wants to get his revenge. He hope to make it big. He's a show biz veteran; he already made his film debut at the age of six. They made a movie called "A Hairy Child's Adventure."

COLLINS: No way.

CAFFERTY: Perhaps when he forms his rock group, he would consider Natasha, the upright ape from Australia, as a member of the backup group. Just a thought. Trying to put a little acting in there.

COLLINS: Plays guitar, I hope it doesn't get in the way -- all that hair get in the way of the strings, you know?

CAFFERTY: That could be a problem.

COLLINS: It could be.

CAFFERTY: Yes, it could.

COLLINS: Still to come this morning, a live update. Want to get back to Najaf as things there escalate and the death toll rises.

Stay with us, right here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HEMMER: It is a stalemate in Najaf. U.S. troops resume operations. Muqtada al-Sadr's fighters show no signs of backing down.

The Michael Jackson matter: The stepfather of the accuser on the stand talks about a payoff offered by the Jackson camp.

And New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey shocked the nation with his announcement. He's also shocked his wife -- on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.

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Aired August 20, 2004 - 08:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We're paging Dr. Gupta today. He has the amazing story of a woman who was blind for much of her life, until surgeon restored her sight using her own tooth. Of course, you're going to want to stick around for that one.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: No doubt.

First of all, let's get back to the story in New Jersey. He considers himself a lifelong Democrat, self-described Jersey guy, but is comedian Joe Piscopo serious about trying to replace Jim McGreevey as governor in that state? He often paid homage to the Garden State while on "Saturday Night Live" back in the 1980s.

And Jersey Joe our guest today not in New Jersey, but in Orlando, Florida to talk about the draft Piscopo movement.

And, Joe, good morning to you, and thanks for your time.

Is this serious, by the way?

JOE PISCOPO, ACTOR, COMEDIAN: Well, you know, I had some serious people talk to me, Bill. We're very concerned about the state, and the -- you know, I wrote the jokes 20 years ago, but now it's almost not funny the way Jersey's getting hit, and I'm reading "The Wall Street Journal," and I'm reading all of these national publications, "USA Today," saying the problems we have in Jersey.

So the people that came to me and asked me to run, they're serious.

HEMMER: Joe, what can you tell us about the people that approached you? Who are they? How strong backing do they have?

PISCOPO: You know what, I'm young businessmen, and I talked to them yesterday. It was so funny, I said, come on, guys, you got to let everybody know who you are. And they say, like, no, we stay in the background, Joe, you know, we believe in you, and we're friends enough, where I'm not beholden to anybody. So they're like young, very concerned New Jersey citizens.

Because, see, in Jersey, we are so proud of the state. I've got to tell you, not just because the great Bruce Springsteen is from there, and Frank Sinatra, and Bruce Willis, and Jack Nicholson, and Danny Devito, and Shaquille O'Neal born in Newark. I mean, we have so much to offer in this state, that as we're citizens and we go through our everyday lives back in Jersey, and then we see this, you know, the stuff that's happening now. These guys are seriously came to me, they really want to make a change.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the stuff happening now. What was your reaction a week ago with Jim McGreevey's announcement?

PISCOPO: Well, you know, I'm a friend of Jim and Dina. Kimberly and I are friends of the governor and first lady, and just have great affection for them, and our hearts go out to them. So that was our immediate response. And I must say, I think most of the citizens in the great state of New Jersey said, you know, it's an unfortunate situation, what happened, but you feel such sympathy, and you just wish them the best.

HEMMER: Do you think he should resign now, or wait until the date of November 15th, as she stated?

PISCOPO: Yes, that's the question, Bill. You know, it's hard for me to say, to be objective, because I'm friends with the man, so...

HEMMER: Let me try and cut through it for you then.

PISCOPO: Thank you.

HEMMER: Do you want this job?

PISCOPO: Oh, that's good. You know what, I love the state enough to do it, I'll tell you that right now.

HEMMER: If that's the case the, you would support him getting out now, because that increasing your chances immediately of taking the office, right?

PISCOPO: Yes, I don't mind him on a personal level hanging in until November, because he's got to do what he's got to do; his family's got to be -- you know, adjusting to this whole crisis. That's what I think.

But maybe, in the political landscape, to leave now -- ah, listen, we deal with adversity every day in New Jersey. We're second- class citizens. We're sandwiched between the great cities of New York and Philadelphia. So we can deal with any adversity, and we'll make it through this one, I think, whether I'm there or not.

You're a lifelong Democrat, right? And you talk about highest property taxes in the country in your home state. Sounds a bit conservative.

PISCOPO: I know. I know. I could tell. As I go through the different items and my agenda in my head, you know, as people talk to me, of what I stand for, I am very, very conservative, but I'm a lifelong Democrat. I believe -- a proud Democrat. It's the working man's party, and New Jersey has its roots in working class. Immigrants came from all over the country and they settled in New Jersey. Like my grandparents, they couldn't even speak English when they first came here. So yes, I'm a Democrat, very conservative, but highest property tax in the country, highest insurance, car insurance rates in the country, and I can't understand how a great state like the one I'm in now, Florida, Texas, Nevada, they have no state income tax. How do they do it and why can't Jersey do it?

HEMMER: We'll follow your story. By the way, Schwarzenegger went on the Leno show to announce his candidacy. Do you want do to that here?

PISCOPO: Oh, man, I'll have to keep that in mind. But I don't know, Arnold is like -- Arnold's a mega-gazillion, you know, dollar superstar. I'm just a Jersey guy. I think I'll go on the New Jersey network.

HEMMER: Thank you, Joe. You get back to Jersey, first of all, in Florida this summer.

Thank you, Joe, Joe Piscopo.

PISCOPO: Thanks for taking the time.

HEMMER: You got it -- Heidi.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: My new neighbor there.

Time now for our "Gimme a Minute" gang to take on the week's big stories. In Washington this morning, Donna Brazile, Democrat strategist and CNN political contributor.

Donna, hello. Good morning.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POL. CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.

COLLINS: Cliff May with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

Cliff, hello to you as well.

CLIFF MAY, FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: Hi, Heidi.

COLLINS: And in New York, writer and comedian Paul Mercurio.

Hello to you, Paul.

PAUL MERCURIO, WRITER/COMEDIAN: Good morning.

COLLINS: Hey, Donna, let's get started with you. Senator Kerry now calling on President Bush to condemn these latest attack ads, in particular the Swift Boat Veterans. Does the president need to do that?

BRAZILE: He should. He should Condemn not just this specific ad, but he should also tell some of these Swift Boat Veterans -- I can't even say it -- for the truth, to get their stories straight.

COLLINS: Cliff, what about moveon.org? Does that come into play?

MAY: Well, of course it does. You've all of these groups out there. Look, I think basically the swift veterans for Kerry should tell their story. The swift veterans who are against Kerry should tell their story.

But sometimes, I think there should be a statute of limitations for anything anybody did more than a quarter of a century ago.

COLLINS: Paul, your thoughts on that?

MERCURIO: Well, I think the Bush campaign would like to condemn the ad, but they're busy right now condemning Kerry. Their whole condemning schedule is really packed right now. And as far as the president's concerned, he told Larry King he hasn't seen the ad. Why hasn't he seen it? Well, it's obvious. They don't have television at the White House. They don't even have electricity. These are rancher folk. Laura spends 10 hours a day in a loom, and the twins are busy churning butter.

COLLINS: All right, thanks so much for that, Paul.

Cliff, let's get back to you now. As you know, Christie Todd Whitman, former New Jersey governor, as well as former Bush cabinet secretary, she, as well as other Republicanism, calling on Governor Jim McGreevey to step down right now. Does she have a point, for the good of the state, she says?

MAY: Yes, she's got a point, and a lot of Democrats are saying the same thing. Look, it appears that McGreevey put somebody on the payroll who wasn't qualified. Whether that person was a boy toy, or a girl toy or just a drinking buddy, you don't do that. It's wrong. If he did something wing, he should get out of there and make way for Joe Piscopo or somebody else.

COLLINS: Donna, what about that?

BRAZILE: Well, he stepped down. He's planned to step down in a couple of weeks, and rightfully so. I think they should allow the governor to allow an orderly transition.

COLLINS: All right, Paul, what's it all boil down to?

MERCURIO: Well I happen to know that McGreevey would like to step down now instead of in the fall, but the reality is he works in Trenton. And who would want to miss peak foliage season in Trenton, New Jersey.

And by the way, it's summer. You can't get your friends to help you move in the summer. He called Corzine. Corzine's at the Jersey shore boogie-boarding.

COLLINS: There he is. All right, thanks, Paul.

Donna, back down to you. As you know, Bush supporter Ricky Skaggs is leading this get-out-the-vote campaign with his country music. We've also got Bruce Springsteen with his type of music supporting Kerry. Do these guys, these entertainers in particular, really make a difference in the election?

BRAZILE: They could make a difference, especially if they reach those young American who up until this point have not gotten involved in the political process. I support Russell Simmons and what Sean "Puffy" Combs is trying to do to get out the vote as well.

COLLINS: Cliff, do they make a difference? People listen?

MAY: You know, people may listen, but other people may get annoyed. You've got these movie stars, who are rich, and they're beautiful, and they're surrounded by people saying to them, you are so great, you are so smart about everything, and there -- I think in a certain way people also just get tired of Hollywood trying to lord it over us.

COLLINS: All right, Paul, do people relate to these entertainers.

MERCURIO: Yes, I think they do. I mean, otherwise, we wouldn't have these concerts. And thank God they do, because I know if I can't learn about stem cell research from John Mellencamp, who am I going to learn it from?

And by the way, no better way than voter to make a political decision that will affect his life the next four years than when he's high and drunk with 50,000 screaming people.

COLLINS: All right, quickly, Donna, what is the undercovered story this week for us?

BRAZILE: In less than a week, over six million Americans, according to the Department, will lose their overtime pay. I think those Americans who will work 40 hours and learn that they do not get any resources for time and a half will be very upset with the government.

COLLINS: Cliff, how about you?

MAY: Muna Al Abdullah (ph), remember that name. He was captured in Iraq this week. He works for Hezbollah, supported by Iran, supported by Syria. Hezbollah killed more than 250 American with suicide terrorist bomber more than 20 years ago. What was he doing in Iraq? Setting up contacts between Baathist guerrillas and Al Qaeda. In other words, he's living proof of the unholy alliance among Hezbollah, the Baathists of Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda. Very important development.

COLLINS: All right, thanks so much, Cliff.

And, Paul, what do you say?

MERCURIO: Mine's not quite as heavy as that.

Oprah served on a jury in a murder trial, and they convicted the guy in 30 minutes, but that's not the real story; the real story is, is they were sending the defendant to prison. Oprah surprised him with a complete makeover. And I understand he started crying, not because he was going to go to jail, but because he never thought he'd wear clogs.

COLLINS: OK.

Donna, Cliff, Paul, you guys,thanks so much for that today. Sure do appreciate it.

MERCURIO: Thank you.

MAY: Thank you.

HEMMER: Just about 39 minutes past the hour now. Back to Betty Nguyen in the CNN Center watching other news, and again, the news starts in Iraq.

Betty, good morning.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: As always, good morning to you.

Military sources in Iraq say two U.S. marines were killed in the Al Ambar province. One of the Marines died from wounds received Wednesday. The other was killed in action yesterday.

And a possible new development in the kidnapping of journalist Micah Garen. And aide of radical cleric Muqtada tells CNN Garen could be released as early as today. Now, it's not clear who gave the aide assurance of Garen's release.

A new survey suggests many Americans believe Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. More than half of Americans surveyed say they still believe Iraq had the weapons or was trying to develop them before the war started last March. The poll was conducted earlier this month by the University of Maryland.

A South African woman faces arraignment today, accused of using an altered passport.

Now a federal grand jury indicted the woman yesterday on charges of entering the U.S. with an altered passport. She was stopped without a valid visa near the U.S./Mexican border, attempting to board a flight to New York.

Now to California, which is announcing a landmark gambling expansion. The state and five Indian tribes have agreed to create one of the world's largest casinos. In exchange for his support, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger got tribal leaders to share 20 percent of the gambling profits. That's an estimated $20 million boost for the cash- strapped state. We'll see if this bet pays off.

So from talking about bills, back to the real Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Thank you, Betty.

Talk to you the next hour.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, it sounds like just a chatty message left in your voice-mail by mistake, but don't dare take his advice. We'll tell you about that, coming up next.

HEMMER: Also the blind woman regaining sight with the help of her own tooth. Sanjay has her story, after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Now to a story you'd probably hear at Ripley's, not inside of an operating room. Surgeons restored the sight to a blind woman by using her own tooth.

Sanjay explains now.

Good morning there, doctor.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

A really interesting story, talking about a grandmother living in England. Up until now, she has never seen her grandchildren.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The oldest ones are four, and I've never, ever seen. I was at the births, I've and never, ever seen them until the other day when I got to see them. It was fantastic. I just sat and cried.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Just sat and cried because she had never seen them before, Bill. She went blind as a teenager from a rare allergic reaction to a prescription, went blind in both of her eyes. Really no options for her for a long time, until doctors decided to do something pretty revolutionary, actually doing a corneal transplant.

Let me show you, first of all, on our eye model here exactly. This is an eyeball. You can sort of see it from the side first, and then from the front. The cornea's is going to be the thick, sort of clear part in front, acts as sort of a lens. That had been damaged in this woman, this grandmother. So what doctors actually decided to do was remove one of her teeth, remove one of her teeth, fashion it down, by cutting a little hole in the -- a little rectangular hole in it, and actually using that sort of as a substitute, a transplant, if you will, of both her cornea and some of the area behind the cornea on her eye.

It took some time. The operation was done in two stages, over several months, but after it was done, for the first time she was actually able to see her grandkids -- Bill.

HEMMER: Teeth are hard, though. How do you get that in your eye?

GUPTA: You know, it's a funny thing. The outer part of a tooth is hard. That's the enamel. That's what we're used to seeing. But actually, you shave down some of the enamel, some of the harder parts, teeth are actually very porous, they're sort of like a spongy-type material, and actually can work very well for this area.

What we're talking about here is actually creating the tooth, and creating a little hole in it in such a way that it can act as a natural sort of cornea, a natural sort of lens, and it replaces that entire part of the back of the eye as well -- Bill. So it's not something you think of at first, it doesn't bother you, it doesn't feel like you have something in your eye, but when it's shaved down, seems to work pretty well.

HEMMER: We've heard of transplants for the cornea before. How common are they?

GUPTA: Actually corneal transplants are one of the more common transplants done, period. Now, you know, about 40,000 Americans, previous operations, usually due to atrophy of the eye for some reason, and they're pretty successful as well, Bill. Now when you say success, we're not talking about giving you back normal vision. I think most people understand that. In the case of this grandmother, in the case of most people who undergo corneal transplants, they're able to make out images, they're able to make out colors. And it was so important for this grandmother to make up the faces of her grandchildren. But you're not going to see, by no mean, after this -- Bill.

HEMMER: You actually have two interesting stories today. That was the first one, a bit strange. I think we put the category. The other has to do with this 8-month-old boy known as "Captain Giggles." What happened?

GUPTA: Captain Giggles -- this is sort of an interesting story, and it turns out well, I'll tell that in advance. But this a young child who actually has a benign brain tumor in his brain that causes his to essentially break out into laughter, sometimes up to 18 hours a day. He can't stop laughing, uncontrollable laughing. Bill, what they actually are, are something known at gelastic seizures. They're a type of epilepsy caused by this brain tumor. You saw the images briefly there of where the brain tumor was. The baby undergoing surgery to try and remove this tumor and possibly get rid of this laughter as well.

We're going to give you an update on that story as well next week.

HEMMER: All right, "HOUSE CALL" over the weekend, what do you have coming up?

GUPTA: Big topic, really popular topic. It's on hair loss. Most men are going to be paying attention this, but one in four women also affected by hair loss. How do you get rid of it? How do you have to do that sweep-over of your hair? We're going to tell you all the various strategies this weekend.

HEMMER: The sweep-over or the comb-over?

GUPTA: The comb-over rather. All right.

HEMMER: Thanks, Sanjay.

GUPTA: Yes.

HEMMER: In a moment here, former Enron Jeff Skilling once built a fortune. We'll see what he's building now, in a moment, when we come back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Welcome back.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back.

A sneaky phone scam involving a strange call and a stock tip. Gerri Willis in for Andy Serwer, and she's "Minding Your Business."

This is dangerous, but you've got to give him credit, it's pretty clever.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: It's pretty clever, Jack. Call it vice mail not voice-mail. People across the country are getting voice-mail sounds like a young woman on the phone talking about a hot stock. Listen in.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Tracy, it's Debbie! I couldn't find your old number, and Tammy said this was your new one -- and I hope it's the right.

Anyway, remember Evan, that hot stock exchange guy I'm dating? He gave my dad that stock tip on -- and it went from under a buck to like three bucks in two weeks, and you were mad I didn't call you?

Well, I'm calling you now.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WILLIS: So, Debbie goes on to explain that there are a ton of stocks. She names them that you can make money in. Now, this scam, Jack, relies on the fact that you might be a little greedy. You might think that...

CAFFERTY: Oh, exactly.

WILLIS: ... this phone message wasn't for me, but maybe I can make a little money off of it.

CAFFERTY: Of course.

WILLIS: You can't. It is a scam, and you shouldn't get involved.

CAFFERTY: So, what do you do if you get one of these? Call the local...

WILLIS: Call the SEC. Call the Securities and Exchange Commission. They're investigating, telling people not to take advantage of this.

CAFFERTY: You know, if it wasn't for the greed in all of us, none of these scams would ever get anywhere.

WILLIS: Or Wall Street, right?

CAFFERTY: Exactly.

Now, we've got Jeff Skilling, the runner-up to "Mad" magazine's man of the year.

WILLIS: Right. That's an important credential.

CAFFERTY: Most people do their community service stuff after they get out of jail?

WILLIS: Well, he's doing it so he doesn't have to go into jail. This is part of his community service to stay out of jail on $5 million bond. And what he's doing, instead of building an oil company, now he's building houses. He's doing his community service with Habitat for Humidity.

CAFFERTY: Well, that's a good outfit.

WILLIS: Yes, that's a great thing to do.

CAFFERTY: Former President Carter spends a lot of time working for them.

WILLIS: A lot of big names working for them.

CAFFERTY: Yes, some of them straight, and then there's Jeff Skilling.

What about the market today?

WILLIS: Well, we're hanging on here to see what's going to happen. Oil prices going higher. And as you know, what's been going on is that stocks trade lower as oil goes up. You might as well look at oil prices rather than the stock market to see how your 401(k)'s doing, because there's an inverse relationship there.

CAFFERTY: You got to -- what -- 48 and change yesterday? So, it could hit $50 a barrel today?

WILLIS: Yes, it's not looking good. People are talking about $60 a barrel.

CAFFERTY: Oh, man! I'm going get at bicycle. All right, thanks, Gerri.

Time for "The Cafferty File." Earlier in the week, we told you about the Miller Brewing Company's commemorative beer can series. In their tribute to the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll, Miller failed to include any black artists on these beer cans. And yet, they found somebody like Blondie worthy of inclusion. And we trashed them at great length for this omission here on this program. And apparently, there was a lot of other criticism as well, and rightfully so.

Well, now, the company, to their credit, has come out with a major apology. Miller is now admitting that African-Americans did, in fact, play a formative role in the development of rock 'n' roll. And despite the company's effort, quote -- and this is their official statement -- "they did not manage this component of the promotion appropriately" -- unquote.

Megan Edrington might appear to most of us to be just another woman. But to her Kentucky judge, she's anything but. She is a deadbeat father who failed to pay his child support. Megan Edrington was once Craig Edrington before spending thousands of dollars on sex change procedures. And now, she -- or he, or it, or whatever it is -- says there's no money left to pay child support. Well, a judge threw her in jail until she comes up with the $6,800 in back child support payments. Sometimes the judges get it right.

And as promised, a picture of the hairiest man in China, maybe in the whole world. Check this guy out. Yu Zhenhuan, 26 years old, says he wants to be a rock star. His condition has left his entire body, except for the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet, covered in black hair. He says people used to point and make fun of them. Now, he wants to get his revenge. He hope to make it big. He's a show biz veteran; he already made his film debut at the age of six. They made a movie called "A Hairy Child's Adventure."

COLLINS: No way.

CAFFERTY: Perhaps when he forms his rock group, he would consider Natasha, the upright ape from Australia, as a member of the backup group. Just a thought. Trying to put a little acting in there.

COLLINS: Plays guitar, I hope it doesn't get in the way -- all that hair get in the way of the strings, you know?

CAFFERTY: That could be a problem.

COLLINS: It could be.

CAFFERTY: Yes, it could.

COLLINS: Still to come this morning, a live update. Want to get back to Najaf as things there escalate and the death toll rises.

Stay with us, right here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HEMMER: It is a stalemate in Najaf. U.S. troops resume operations. Muqtada al-Sadr's fighters show no signs of backing down.

The Michael Jackson matter: The stepfather of the accuser on the stand talks about a payoff offered by the Jackson camp.

And New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey shocked the nation with his announcement. He's also shocked his wife -- on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.

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