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CNN Live At Daybreak
Hearings for Gitmo Detainees Continue Today; Republican National Convention Security
Aired August 27, 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: Let's start his half-hour in Cuba. It is the final day of hearings at Guantanamo Bay.
Susan Candiotti joins us now live on the phone from there.
And, Susan, we hear some startling developments happened in the courtroom.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They did yesterday when one of the defendants, a so-called enemy combatant by the name of Ali Hamsa Sulayman al Bahlul (ph) of Yemen took everyone by surprise when he acknowledged that he's a part of al Qaeda. According to an Arabic translator -- and mind you, these are pretrial hearings -- he said -- quote -- "God is my witness. The U.S. did not put any pressure on me. I am a member of al Qaeda, and my concern and my relationship with September 11."
And before he went any further, the presiding officer of the commission cut him off. He warned his fellow panel members that what they heard was not yet evidence, and that the accused was not under oath.
Now, this same defendant, who is charged with conspiracy to commit acts of terror, Mr. Al Bahlul told the commission that the also wants to represent himself, and he wants no part of any attorney appointed for him by the U.S. military.
And so, everything is sort of in a flux right now involving this particular defendant.
The presiding officer appeared to show frustration, even covered his face with his hands at one point, and then ordered the matter to be decided by his boss in Washington.
Carol, the last person to appear today is someone from the Sudan, Ibrahim al Qosi. He, too, is charged with the same crime: conspiracy to commit acts of terror. And he is accused of being not only a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden, but, according to the Pentagon, also an accountant for him, who signed checks for the al Qaeda leader -- Carol.
COSTELLO: So, where do the hearings go from here, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, again, because we're at the pretrial stage, the next thing to happen would be argument over more motions. A trial date has only been set for one of the four defendants so far, and that comes in January.
But there are a lot of problems still be worked out and a lot of criticism, questioning the setup of these proceedings. And as you can see, they are still in a state of flux over questions that have yet to be answered.
COSTELLO: Certainly so. Susan Candiotti reporting for us live from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Let's talk politics now, a statistical dead heat in the race for president. The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll give President Bush a slight lead over Senator Kerry among likely voters. Fifty percent of those surveyed prefer Bush for president, 47 percent choose Kerry. A reminder, though: That's within the 4-percentage point margin of error.
Still, the numbers are a welcome bump for the Republicans, who will throw their big party on Monday. It's a chance for you to hear what the party is all about. But today, it's all about security.
Let's head live to New York and WPIX reporter Craig Treadway.
Good morning -- Craig.
CRAIG TREADWAY, WPIX REPORTER: Good morning, Carol.
And you're right. Security is tight here around the garden. In fact, there is a frozen zone that radiates around the garden for at least several blocks. Jersey barriers have been put up. Already this morning, a number of New York City police officers, heavily-armed New York City police officers, are taking positions around the garden. Security, of course, is job one to guard against any possibility of terrorism here.
Also, security is tight because of the expected protests. And I can tell you that the circus atmosphere of protests has already begun.
Let's show you some of what went down yesterday. What started yesterday was a big question about security, especially at the Plaza Hotel, the question of how a group of protesters could gain access to a hotel and repel down its walls to unfurl a giant anti-George Bush banner. That was one of the first things that happened, and the protesters were arrested. They face some serious charges, because a police officer was injured during the investigation there.
And then to Madison Square Garden itself, some folks decided that their message needed extra exposure, if you will. A group of naked anti -- or rather AIDS protesters were out giving voice to their concerns that we need to stop AIDS. Many of them were taken away as well. Again, their ideas are getting some exposure there.
There were also a few other protests. And all of the protests so far have been low-key. And the police commissioner here is hopeful that all of the protests that will begin, of course, this weekend en masse, you know, he wants them to be peaceful as well. The city is keeping its fingers crossed. But its biggest concern is a huge anti-war rally that's scheduled for Sunday. Perhaps as many as a quarter of a million people are expected to march past the garden and rally somewhere in the city. They were denied Central Park. But they plan to rally somewhere in the city, and police are definitely going to be ready for that. Security is tight all over Manhattan as we speak -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And we'll keep our eye on it as well. Craig Treadway from WPIX reporting for us live from New York this morning. Thank you, Craig.
All this week we've been taking a look at the issues and exactly how the candidates differ. This morning: Iraq.
In a nutshell, President Bush believes invading Iraq was right, even though no weapons of mass destruction were found. Senator Kerry believes it was a worthwhile objective, disastrously executed. But nothing is that simple in politics.
To help us sort it out, our political analyst, Ron Brownstein, joins us live from Washington.
Good morning.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: That was the most concise explanation of John Kerry's position I've ever heard, including John Kerry.
COSTELLO: It took me a long time.
The latest twist in this story, though, in "The New York Times" this morning, the president, who once famously said he couldn't think of one mistake he'd made, said this. He said, and I quote: He'd "made a miscalculation of what the conditions would be in post-war Iraq."
Why did he go there?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think, you know, part of the president's -- well, probably because he felt that way. In fact, it's very hard not to reach that conclusion. Certainly the administration was caught surprised. Dick Cheney talked about being greeted as liberators by the degree of both of chaos and resistance that they faced.
But from a political point of view, one of the things that President Bush has faced is a sense in polls that he is too stubborn and too inflexible. It's really the flipside of the problem John Kerry has. People think that he's too quick to change his mind, and they think President Bush is too slow to change his mind. So, it probably, politically, doesn't hurt to show a little humility.
COSTELLO: Gotcha. And, you know, as you said, his latest comment seems to fit into what Senator Kerry is saying about the war.
Let's listen to what Kerry had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it was the right authority for a president to have. But I would have used that authority, as I have said throughout this campaign, effectively. I would have done this very differently from the way President Bush has.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Did he answer in a way most voters would actually understand?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think part of the problem Senator Kerry faces is the difference between being a legislator and an executive. Senator Kerry was presented with a choice, a yes or no vote on a resolution that authorized President Bush to go to war. From that point forward, Senator Kerry and all of the other senators who voted for it really had no hold over what President Bush actually did.
I think it is a fair -- a couple of things are fair. First, Senator Kerry has given different impressions at different times about what his emphasis would have been. But I think most people would agree that he probably would have done this in a different way if he went to war at all.
Now, he's never answered unequivocally whether as president he would have invaded, but he has said that before he did, he would have gone much further with the U.N., would have demanded a more complete inspection process, and would have put more emphasis on trying to attract international allies.
So, you know, you can never really know, since he was not president, what he would have done. In fact, they say so many hypotheticals are involved it's impossible to say.
But I think it's fair that there would have been a different emphasis. Indeed, Carol, the central argument he makes looking forward is that as president he would be more active in winning international support on Iraq. So, he probably would have had that emphasis to begin with.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about exit strategy. Will President Bush outline an exit strategy during the Republican National Convention? And, you know, John Kerry has said he would withdraw all troops from Iraq in six month.
BROWNSTEIN: No, no, he hasn't said that. He has not said he would withdraw all troops from Iraq.
COSTELLO: I'm sorry. Clarify for me.
BROWNSTEIN: I mean, well, look, I mean, I don't think we're going to get a lot of detail from President Bush about an exit strategy. President Bush's exit strategy has been when the job is done. That is the contrast really he's trying to draw with John Kerry. What John Kerry has said, including in an interview with me a couple of weeks ago, is that he believes that as president he can win a substantial infusion of foreign troops that would allow him to draw down the American troop presence in Iraq, perhaps very quickly.
Now, there are a lot of questions about how plausible that is. Will other countries, even with a new president, who is reaching out to them perhaps in different ways than President Bush has, will they really, given their own domestic political situations, commit troops? It's an open question. That's the essence of his argument.
But I do think that President Bush has made it very clear in the last few weeks by criticizing those remarks from Senator Kerry that he is going to hold to the position, we will stay as long as is needed, not a day more. I don't know if we're going to get a lot more detail than that.
COSTELLO: All right, Ron Brownstein joining us live from Washington. Thank you for being with us on DAYBREAK all week. We appreciate it.
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you. Thanks for having me. I didn't know this much was going on in the morning.
COSTELLO: CNN's primetime coverage of the Republican National Convention gets under way Monday night starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. And if you can't tune in to the tube, TV, join me and CNN's Kyra Phillips for convention coverage every night on CNN Radio, 1,800 affiliates across the country. We will be broadcasting live on CNN Radio from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the Republican National Convention.
Still to come this morning, have you ever been so moved by a story of someone else's suffering that you decided to take action? Wait until you hear what this guy is doing. I'll talk to him at 41 minutes past the hour about his volunteer project to help veterans.
And at 50 minutes past, is this driving dual really worth watching again? Our critic reviews the rentals this morning.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Hundreds of U.S. troops have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now some people from East Hampton, New York, are behind an effort to raise money for disabled veterans.
Chris Carney is riding a bicycle across America to raise money. The group's Web site is Solder Ride.
This morning, Chris is talking to us live by phone from Bowling Green, Ohio, which is near Toledo.
Hello, Chris. CHRIS CARNEY, SOLDIER RIDE: Hi. How are you?
COSTELLO: Where did you start out?
CARNEY: We started off in Montauk, New York.
COSTELLO: So, how many miles did it take you to get to Bowling Green?
CARNEY: We're just about 900 miles so far.
COSTELLO: And how much money have you raised along the way?
CARNEY: I believe -- I looked at the Web site last night and we were up to $158,000.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's just terrific. Are you surprised by the generosity of the American people?
CARNEY: Not really. I mean, to be honest, I was hoping we would have raised more at this point. I feel like we have the best product in the world, and everyone needs to dig a little deep for this cause.
COSTELLO: Why did you decide to do this?
CARNEY: A group of friends and myself threw some benefit concerts on Long Island, and from that we got invited to Walter Reed. And upon leaving Walter Reed we were so humbled and inspired by what we saw. I mean, you feel guilty to walk out of there on your own legs. And so it kind of committed us to try to do something more, trying to somehow raise both money and awareness for the guys.
COSTELLO: Of course, Walter Reed is in Washington, and that's where many of the injured veterans are going now for treatment. Chris, are you just asking money through the Web site, or are you asking money along the way in your bike ride?
CARNEY: Well, we're trying to direct everyone to the Web site or the mailing address. You know, more than anything I'm like the rolling commercial for the fact that there is nothing set up for these guys. They don't want to live off of benefits, and they don't want to -- you know, it's not like we're just handing them money.
We're trying to get stuff set up for them so that they can have computer labs in the hospital, so that while they're going through such long-term rehabilitation, they can start working towards, you know, a career after the military, and basically to get them thinking about a successful future.
COSTELLO: Tell us about the Web site again, what the address is and how people can donate through your Web site.
CARNEY: Sure. The Web site is SoldierRide.com. You can either donate online with a credit card, or you can -- there's a mailing address on the Web site to where you can send a check to. It's being updated with my route as we go across. I've been getting heaps of e-mails and words of encouragement from people along the way, as well as, you know, as I'm riding and people that drive by they're honking their horns, they're sticking their hands out. We're getting a thumbs-up.
COSTELLO: So, I see your end point is southern California. Where exactly are you ending?
CARNEY: Camp Pendleton, San Diego.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's terrific. So, again, the Web site is SoldierRide.com. Chris Carney is the bike rider, so if you see him out there on the road, wave to him. Thank you so much for joining DAYBREAK, Chris.
Let's head live to New York now and check in with Bill and Heidi for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Are you coming to New York, Carol?
COSTELLO: When? This weekend?
HEMMER: No, for the convention. You said you were doing that primetime radio coverage.
COSTELLO: No, I'll be covering it from Atlanta.
HEMMER: Oh, OK.
COSTELLO: But we have so many correspondents in New York and everywhere, so it will be great to listen to CNN Radio on those 1,800 affiliates across the country.
HEMMER: We will be listening. We'll be listening for sure.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We do have a lot of people working that gig, that's true.
All right, so coming up this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," lots to talk about today. Some new information about those two planes that crashed in Russia, new evidence in fact, pointing toward terrorism as a possible cause. We'll be getting straight to that, a live update from Moscow.
HEMMER: Also, we're talking about the convention starting on Monday. Some Republicans are heading now into enemy territory, New York City, strongly Democratic. How are they getting ready on the Republican side? We'll talk to Marc Racicot, Bush-Cheney chairman, this morning. We'll talk to him live at the top of the hour here.
COLLINS: Also, to the Kobe Bryant case, jury selection is beginning today in such a high-profile case. What kind of jurors do you need? It could be tough. We're going to talk to a jury consultant. I will not be speaking at all for the three hours. Clearly I'm not qualified.
Carol, that's what we've got. We'll have much, much more coming up today in about 10 minutes or so.
COSTELLO: All right. Thanks to you both. We'll see you in 10 minutes.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:47 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
Russia's top intelligence agency says it believes terrorism is behind the downing of at least one of two Russian passenger jets. The two planes crashed almost simultaneously, killing 89 people. Traces of explosives have been found in the wreckage of one of those planes.
Ten thousand dollars, that's how much a foundation is willing to pay for information about the murders of two Christian camp counselors. Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen were shot in their sleeping bags on a California beach.
In money news, American Airlines is sounding the alarm. It says it expects to spend an additional $1 billion this year on jet fuel simply because oil prices keep fluctuating.
In culture, there were more Americans last year without health insurance. And new census figures also show the number of people living in poverty is substantially on the rise.
In sports, Atlanta remains the team to beat in the National League East. The Braves swept the Rockies, extending their division lead to a season high, nine and a half games. Amazing!
(WEATHER BREAK)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
Coming up, the blockbuster season may be winding down, but movie buffs still have plenty to choose from.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was my reaction really that surprising?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Our resident movie critic jogs your memory about movies that are coming around again; this time on DVD. This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We're going to talk about movies now. Coming to a theater near you this weekend, practically nothing. During these dog days of summer with no new releases of much interest, we want to see what's on DVDs. That's so sad.
Tom O'Neil, editor of "In Touch Weekly," is here with the DVD details. That's sad.
TOM O'NEIL, EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": It really is.
COSTELLO: So, it's the end of summer doldrums.
O'NEIL: They spend so much time and money hyping those early movies to give them to us early in the summer that these are the real doldrums.
COSTELLO: Yes, doldrums. Let's talk about doldrums and talk about "Dogville" on DVD.
O'NEIL: This is a great movie, Carol. This is...
COSTELLO: Do you think so?
O'NEIL: Oh, it's one of the -- did you see it?
COSTELLO: No, but I read some horrible reviews.
O'NEIL: Oh, really? Don't believe it for a minute. This movie is a little gem from Lars von Trier who gave us "Breaking the Waves" and "Dancer in the Dark." And it's Nicole Kidman's best performance. Forget that movie "The Hours." That was a pretentious bore. This is the movie she should have won her Oscar for, and the movie would have been released later this year if she hadn't already won her Oscar.
COSTELLO: Yes. But isn't it about small town America becoming evil and persecuting this poor woman that Nicole portrays?
O'NEIL: Yes. And she's a runaway from the mob in 1930s Rocky Mountains, and it builds and it builds and it builds, and it has one of the most surprising shocking endings you've seen in movies in a long time.
COSTELLO: I'm sure it's quite uplifting.
O'NEIL: It's not about uplifting. It's about great movies, Carol!
COSTELLO: Let's talk about "Duel."
O'NEIL: This is the movie that told us what a major talent Steven Spielberg is as a director 33 years ago when he was just directing the occasional episode of "Night Gallery" and "Marcus Welby."
Here, he has this movie about a guy trying to cross the state of California by car. He meets up against a trucker with the worst case of road rage we've ever seen. And with just a car and this guy's face and tension and great directing, Spielberg was put on the map. COSTELLO: Now that looks pretty cool. "Kill Bill 2."
O'NEIL: "Kill Bill 2" is selling so well. Now, this is its second week, going on its third week of release. Do you know, Carol, that very soon more copies of "Kill Bill 2" will have been sold than one. Now isn't that great? Why would you buy the second part of a movie if you haven't seen the first?
COSTELLO: Just to see all of the killing.
O'NEIL: And there's more of it in this movie than there is in part one. But, of course, it's just a campy ride through a bizarre Quintin Tarantino world. But it's great. It's fun.
COSTELLO: I know. I have heard good things about that. But, you know, there's just -- you know, I don't like violent movies. I don't know why. Well, actually I do.
O'NEIL: And here, it's so preposterous, the violence is, that you don't really mind it, I think.
COSTELLO: Really?
O'NEIL: Oh, it's so ridiculous.
COSTELLO: You're a sick man, Tom O'Neil. Let's talk about "The Passion," because I bet this sells a lot of DVDs.
O'NEIL: Yes, but talk about violence, Carol, this is two hours of watching Jesus get the bejeezus beaten out of him.
COSTELLO: Oh, Tom!
O'NEIL: It's true. But, of course, it's a wonderful film. It's very well made.
I'm a bit disappointed by the way that they're releasing this movie this early on DVD. If they had waited to November or December, it could have helped its Oscar chances. This is already the second- highest earning movie of the year with $370 million. On Tuesday of next week, 15 million copies of this are going to hit video stores, and it's going to sell like hotcakes.
COSTELLO: Unbelievable. Tom O'Neil from "In Touch" magazine. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
O'NEIL: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: We'll be back with much more. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MYERS: I'm just cracking her up this morning. Anyway, hey, it's time to give away a coffee mug. We didn't give away one yesterday because we didn't have time. But here are your questions for the day. Name one of three ways that our Holly Firfer told you you can boost your emotional energy. And who was the star that we just saw in the car? He was driving the car. Obviously somebody else was driving the truck in that full- length movie, Steven Spielberg's first full-length movie, "Duel." It's going to be on DVD this weekend. Who was the guy driving the car? Who was in this car?
COSTELLO: That's a tough question!
MYERS: The winner announced on Monday. Daybreak@CNN.com. Just e-mail me your answers, your name and your address.
COSTELLO: "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. Have a great weekend.
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Aired August 27, 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: Let's start his half-hour in Cuba. It is the final day of hearings at Guantanamo Bay.
Susan Candiotti joins us now live on the phone from there.
And, Susan, we hear some startling developments happened in the courtroom.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They did yesterday when one of the defendants, a so-called enemy combatant by the name of Ali Hamsa Sulayman al Bahlul (ph) of Yemen took everyone by surprise when he acknowledged that he's a part of al Qaeda. According to an Arabic translator -- and mind you, these are pretrial hearings -- he said -- quote -- "God is my witness. The U.S. did not put any pressure on me. I am a member of al Qaeda, and my concern and my relationship with September 11."
And before he went any further, the presiding officer of the commission cut him off. He warned his fellow panel members that what they heard was not yet evidence, and that the accused was not under oath.
Now, this same defendant, who is charged with conspiracy to commit acts of terror, Mr. Al Bahlul told the commission that the also wants to represent himself, and he wants no part of any attorney appointed for him by the U.S. military.
And so, everything is sort of in a flux right now involving this particular defendant.
The presiding officer appeared to show frustration, even covered his face with his hands at one point, and then ordered the matter to be decided by his boss in Washington.
Carol, the last person to appear today is someone from the Sudan, Ibrahim al Qosi. He, too, is charged with the same crime: conspiracy to commit acts of terror. And he is accused of being not only a bodyguard for Osama bin Laden, but, according to the Pentagon, also an accountant for him, who signed checks for the al Qaeda leader -- Carol.
COSTELLO: So, where do the hearings go from here, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, again, because we're at the pretrial stage, the next thing to happen would be argument over more motions. A trial date has only been set for one of the four defendants so far, and that comes in January.
But there are a lot of problems still be worked out and a lot of criticism, questioning the setup of these proceedings. And as you can see, they are still in a state of flux over questions that have yet to be answered.
COSTELLO: Certainly so. Susan Candiotti reporting for us live from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Let's talk politics now, a statistical dead heat in the race for president. The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll give President Bush a slight lead over Senator Kerry among likely voters. Fifty percent of those surveyed prefer Bush for president, 47 percent choose Kerry. A reminder, though: That's within the 4-percentage point margin of error.
Still, the numbers are a welcome bump for the Republicans, who will throw their big party on Monday. It's a chance for you to hear what the party is all about. But today, it's all about security.
Let's head live to New York and WPIX reporter Craig Treadway.
Good morning -- Craig.
CRAIG TREADWAY, WPIX REPORTER: Good morning, Carol.
And you're right. Security is tight here around the garden. In fact, there is a frozen zone that radiates around the garden for at least several blocks. Jersey barriers have been put up. Already this morning, a number of New York City police officers, heavily-armed New York City police officers, are taking positions around the garden. Security, of course, is job one to guard against any possibility of terrorism here.
Also, security is tight because of the expected protests. And I can tell you that the circus atmosphere of protests has already begun.
Let's show you some of what went down yesterday. What started yesterday was a big question about security, especially at the Plaza Hotel, the question of how a group of protesters could gain access to a hotel and repel down its walls to unfurl a giant anti-George Bush banner. That was one of the first things that happened, and the protesters were arrested. They face some serious charges, because a police officer was injured during the investigation there.
And then to Madison Square Garden itself, some folks decided that their message needed extra exposure, if you will. A group of naked anti -- or rather AIDS protesters were out giving voice to their concerns that we need to stop AIDS. Many of them were taken away as well. Again, their ideas are getting some exposure there.
There were also a few other protests. And all of the protests so far have been low-key. And the police commissioner here is hopeful that all of the protests that will begin, of course, this weekend en masse, you know, he wants them to be peaceful as well. The city is keeping its fingers crossed. But its biggest concern is a huge anti-war rally that's scheduled for Sunday. Perhaps as many as a quarter of a million people are expected to march past the garden and rally somewhere in the city. They were denied Central Park. But they plan to rally somewhere in the city, and police are definitely going to be ready for that. Security is tight all over Manhattan as we speak -- Carol.
COSTELLO: And we'll keep our eye on it as well. Craig Treadway from WPIX reporting for us live from New York this morning. Thank you, Craig.
All this week we've been taking a look at the issues and exactly how the candidates differ. This morning: Iraq.
In a nutshell, President Bush believes invading Iraq was right, even though no weapons of mass destruction were found. Senator Kerry believes it was a worthwhile objective, disastrously executed. But nothing is that simple in politics.
To help us sort it out, our political analyst, Ron Brownstein, joins us live from Washington.
Good morning.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: That was the most concise explanation of John Kerry's position I've ever heard, including John Kerry.
COSTELLO: It took me a long time.
The latest twist in this story, though, in "The New York Times" this morning, the president, who once famously said he couldn't think of one mistake he'd made, said this. He said, and I quote: He'd "made a miscalculation of what the conditions would be in post-war Iraq."
Why did he go there?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think, you know, part of the president's -- well, probably because he felt that way. In fact, it's very hard not to reach that conclusion. Certainly the administration was caught surprised. Dick Cheney talked about being greeted as liberators by the degree of both of chaos and resistance that they faced.
But from a political point of view, one of the things that President Bush has faced is a sense in polls that he is too stubborn and too inflexible. It's really the flipside of the problem John Kerry has. People think that he's too quick to change his mind, and they think President Bush is too slow to change his mind. So, it probably, politically, doesn't hurt to show a little humility.
COSTELLO: Gotcha. And, you know, as you said, his latest comment seems to fit into what Senator Kerry is saying about the war.
Let's listen to what Kerry had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it was the right authority for a president to have. But I would have used that authority, as I have said throughout this campaign, effectively. I would have done this very differently from the way President Bush has.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Did he answer in a way most voters would actually understand?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I think part of the problem Senator Kerry faces is the difference between being a legislator and an executive. Senator Kerry was presented with a choice, a yes or no vote on a resolution that authorized President Bush to go to war. From that point forward, Senator Kerry and all of the other senators who voted for it really had no hold over what President Bush actually did.
I think it is a fair -- a couple of things are fair. First, Senator Kerry has given different impressions at different times about what his emphasis would have been. But I think most people would agree that he probably would have done this in a different way if he went to war at all.
Now, he's never answered unequivocally whether as president he would have invaded, but he has said that before he did, he would have gone much further with the U.N., would have demanded a more complete inspection process, and would have put more emphasis on trying to attract international allies.
So, you know, you can never really know, since he was not president, what he would have done. In fact, they say so many hypotheticals are involved it's impossible to say.
But I think it's fair that there would have been a different emphasis. Indeed, Carol, the central argument he makes looking forward is that as president he would be more active in winning international support on Iraq. So, he probably would have had that emphasis to begin with.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about exit strategy. Will President Bush outline an exit strategy during the Republican National Convention? And, you know, John Kerry has said he would withdraw all troops from Iraq in six month.
BROWNSTEIN: No, no, he hasn't said that. He has not said he would withdraw all troops from Iraq.
COSTELLO: I'm sorry. Clarify for me.
BROWNSTEIN: I mean, well, look, I mean, I don't think we're going to get a lot of detail from President Bush about an exit strategy. President Bush's exit strategy has been when the job is done. That is the contrast really he's trying to draw with John Kerry. What John Kerry has said, including in an interview with me a couple of weeks ago, is that he believes that as president he can win a substantial infusion of foreign troops that would allow him to draw down the American troop presence in Iraq, perhaps very quickly.
Now, there are a lot of questions about how plausible that is. Will other countries, even with a new president, who is reaching out to them perhaps in different ways than President Bush has, will they really, given their own domestic political situations, commit troops? It's an open question. That's the essence of his argument.
But I do think that President Bush has made it very clear in the last few weeks by criticizing those remarks from Senator Kerry that he is going to hold to the position, we will stay as long as is needed, not a day more. I don't know if we're going to get a lot more detail than that.
COSTELLO: All right, Ron Brownstein joining us live from Washington. Thank you for being with us on DAYBREAK all week. We appreciate it.
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you. Thanks for having me. I didn't know this much was going on in the morning.
COSTELLO: CNN's primetime coverage of the Republican National Convention gets under way Monday night starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. And if you can't tune in to the tube, TV, join me and CNN's Kyra Phillips for convention coverage every night on CNN Radio, 1,800 affiliates across the country. We will be broadcasting live on CNN Radio from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the Republican National Convention.
Still to come this morning, have you ever been so moved by a story of someone else's suffering that you decided to take action? Wait until you hear what this guy is doing. I'll talk to him at 41 minutes past the hour about his volunteer project to help veterans.
And at 50 minutes past, is this driving dual really worth watching again? Our critic reviews the rentals this morning.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
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COSTELLO: Hundreds of U.S. troops have been wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now some people from East Hampton, New York, are behind an effort to raise money for disabled veterans.
Chris Carney is riding a bicycle across America to raise money. The group's Web site is Solder Ride.
This morning, Chris is talking to us live by phone from Bowling Green, Ohio, which is near Toledo.
Hello, Chris. CHRIS CARNEY, SOLDIER RIDE: Hi. How are you?
COSTELLO: Where did you start out?
CARNEY: We started off in Montauk, New York.
COSTELLO: So, how many miles did it take you to get to Bowling Green?
CARNEY: We're just about 900 miles so far.
COSTELLO: And how much money have you raised along the way?
CARNEY: I believe -- I looked at the Web site last night and we were up to $158,000.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's just terrific. Are you surprised by the generosity of the American people?
CARNEY: Not really. I mean, to be honest, I was hoping we would have raised more at this point. I feel like we have the best product in the world, and everyone needs to dig a little deep for this cause.
COSTELLO: Why did you decide to do this?
CARNEY: A group of friends and myself threw some benefit concerts on Long Island, and from that we got invited to Walter Reed. And upon leaving Walter Reed we were so humbled and inspired by what we saw. I mean, you feel guilty to walk out of there on your own legs. And so it kind of committed us to try to do something more, trying to somehow raise both money and awareness for the guys.
COSTELLO: Of course, Walter Reed is in Washington, and that's where many of the injured veterans are going now for treatment. Chris, are you just asking money through the Web site, or are you asking money along the way in your bike ride?
CARNEY: Well, we're trying to direct everyone to the Web site or the mailing address. You know, more than anything I'm like the rolling commercial for the fact that there is nothing set up for these guys. They don't want to live off of benefits, and they don't want to -- you know, it's not like we're just handing them money.
We're trying to get stuff set up for them so that they can have computer labs in the hospital, so that while they're going through such long-term rehabilitation, they can start working towards, you know, a career after the military, and basically to get them thinking about a successful future.
COSTELLO: Tell us about the Web site again, what the address is and how people can donate through your Web site.
CARNEY: Sure. The Web site is SoldierRide.com. You can either donate online with a credit card, or you can -- there's a mailing address on the Web site to where you can send a check to. It's being updated with my route as we go across. I've been getting heaps of e-mails and words of encouragement from people along the way, as well as, you know, as I'm riding and people that drive by they're honking their horns, they're sticking their hands out. We're getting a thumbs-up.
COSTELLO: So, I see your end point is southern California. Where exactly are you ending?
CARNEY: Camp Pendleton, San Diego.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's terrific. So, again, the Web site is SoldierRide.com. Chris Carney is the bike rider, so if you see him out there on the road, wave to him. Thank you so much for joining DAYBREAK, Chris.
Let's head live to New York now and check in with Bill and Heidi for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Are you coming to New York, Carol?
COSTELLO: When? This weekend?
HEMMER: No, for the convention. You said you were doing that primetime radio coverage.
COSTELLO: No, I'll be covering it from Atlanta.
HEMMER: Oh, OK.
COSTELLO: But we have so many correspondents in New York and everywhere, so it will be great to listen to CNN Radio on those 1,800 affiliates across the country.
HEMMER: We will be listening. We'll be listening for sure.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We do have a lot of people working that gig, that's true.
All right, so coming up this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," lots to talk about today. Some new information about those two planes that crashed in Russia, new evidence in fact, pointing toward terrorism as a possible cause. We'll be getting straight to that, a live update from Moscow.
HEMMER: Also, we're talking about the convention starting on Monday. Some Republicans are heading now into enemy territory, New York City, strongly Democratic. How are they getting ready on the Republican side? We'll talk to Marc Racicot, Bush-Cheney chairman, this morning. We'll talk to him live at the top of the hour here.
COLLINS: Also, to the Kobe Bryant case, jury selection is beginning today in such a high-profile case. What kind of jurors do you need? It could be tough. We're going to talk to a jury consultant. I will not be speaking at all for the three hours. Clearly I'm not qualified.
Carol, that's what we've got. We'll have much, much more coming up today in about 10 minutes or so.
COSTELLO: All right. Thanks to you both. We'll see you in 10 minutes.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:47 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
Russia's top intelligence agency says it believes terrorism is behind the downing of at least one of two Russian passenger jets. The two planes crashed almost simultaneously, killing 89 people. Traces of explosives have been found in the wreckage of one of those planes.
Ten thousand dollars, that's how much a foundation is willing to pay for information about the murders of two Christian camp counselors. Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen were shot in their sleeping bags on a California beach.
In money news, American Airlines is sounding the alarm. It says it expects to spend an additional $1 billion this year on jet fuel simply because oil prices keep fluctuating.
In culture, there were more Americans last year without health insurance. And new census figures also show the number of people living in poverty is substantially on the rise.
In sports, Atlanta remains the team to beat in the National League East. The Braves swept the Rockies, extending their division lead to a season high, nine and a half games. Amazing!
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COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
Coming up, the blockbuster season may be winding down, but movie buffs still have plenty to choose from.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was my reaction really that surprising?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it was.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Our resident movie critic jogs your memory about movies that are coming around again; this time on DVD. This is DAYBREAK.
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COSTELLO: We're going to talk about movies now. Coming to a theater near you this weekend, practically nothing. During these dog days of summer with no new releases of much interest, we want to see what's on DVDs. That's so sad.
Tom O'Neil, editor of "In Touch Weekly," is here with the DVD details. That's sad.
TOM O'NEIL, EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": It really is.
COSTELLO: So, it's the end of summer doldrums.
O'NEIL: They spend so much time and money hyping those early movies to give them to us early in the summer that these are the real doldrums.
COSTELLO: Yes, doldrums. Let's talk about doldrums and talk about "Dogville" on DVD.
O'NEIL: This is a great movie, Carol. This is...
COSTELLO: Do you think so?
O'NEIL: Oh, it's one of the -- did you see it?
COSTELLO: No, but I read some horrible reviews.
O'NEIL: Oh, really? Don't believe it for a minute. This movie is a little gem from Lars von Trier who gave us "Breaking the Waves" and "Dancer in the Dark." And it's Nicole Kidman's best performance. Forget that movie "The Hours." That was a pretentious bore. This is the movie she should have won her Oscar for, and the movie would have been released later this year if she hadn't already won her Oscar.
COSTELLO: Yes. But isn't it about small town America becoming evil and persecuting this poor woman that Nicole portrays?
O'NEIL: Yes. And she's a runaway from the mob in 1930s Rocky Mountains, and it builds and it builds and it builds, and it has one of the most surprising shocking endings you've seen in movies in a long time.
COSTELLO: I'm sure it's quite uplifting.
O'NEIL: It's not about uplifting. It's about great movies, Carol!
COSTELLO: Let's talk about "Duel."
O'NEIL: This is the movie that told us what a major talent Steven Spielberg is as a director 33 years ago when he was just directing the occasional episode of "Night Gallery" and "Marcus Welby."
Here, he has this movie about a guy trying to cross the state of California by car. He meets up against a trucker with the worst case of road rage we've ever seen. And with just a car and this guy's face and tension and great directing, Spielberg was put on the map. COSTELLO: Now that looks pretty cool. "Kill Bill 2."
O'NEIL: "Kill Bill 2" is selling so well. Now, this is its second week, going on its third week of release. Do you know, Carol, that very soon more copies of "Kill Bill 2" will have been sold than one. Now isn't that great? Why would you buy the second part of a movie if you haven't seen the first?
COSTELLO: Just to see all of the killing.
O'NEIL: And there's more of it in this movie than there is in part one. But, of course, it's just a campy ride through a bizarre Quintin Tarantino world. But it's great. It's fun.
COSTELLO: I know. I have heard good things about that. But, you know, there's just -- you know, I don't like violent movies. I don't know why. Well, actually I do.
O'NEIL: And here, it's so preposterous, the violence is, that you don't really mind it, I think.
COSTELLO: Really?
O'NEIL: Oh, it's so ridiculous.
COSTELLO: You're a sick man, Tom O'Neil. Let's talk about "The Passion," because I bet this sells a lot of DVDs.
O'NEIL: Yes, but talk about violence, Carol, this is two hours of watching Jesus get the bejeezus beaten out of him.
COSTELLO: Oh, Tom!
O'NEIL: It's true. But, of course, it's a wonderful film. It's very well made.
I'm a bit disappointed by the way that they're releasing this movie this early on DVD. If they had waited to November or December, it could have helped its Oscar chances. This is already the second- highest earning movie of the year with $370 million. On Tuesday of next week, 15 million copies of this are going to hit video stores, and it's going to sell like hotcakes.
COSTELLO: Unbelievable. Tom O'Neil from "In Touch" magazine. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
O'NEIL: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: We'll be back with much more. Stick around.
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MYERS: I'm just cracking her up this morning. Anyway, hey, it's time to give away a coffee mug. We didn't give away one yesterday because we didn't have time. But here are your questions for the day. Name one of three ways that our Holly Firfer told you you can boost your emotional energy. And who was the star that we just saw in the car? He was driving the car. Obviously somebody else was driving the truck in that full- length movie, Steven Spielberg's first full-length movie, "Duel." It's going to be on DVD this weekend. Who was the guy driving the car? Who was in this car?
COSTELLO: That's a tough question!
MYERS: The winner announced on Monday. Daybreak@CNN.com. Just e-mail me your answers, your name and your address.
COSTELLO: "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. Have a great weekend.
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