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American Morning

RNC Day One Recap; Potential Bryant Jurors Interviewed; Interview with Don King

Aired August 31, 2004 - 09:30   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.


(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Live here in New York City, welcome back. Stocks open for business, and good to have you along with us today. Day two now of the convention live here at Madison Square Garden. The delegates getting a late start today as opposed to yesterday. A number of breakfasts around town and luncheons before the call to order this evening.

Last night, Rudy Giuliani among the featured speakers here focusing on the president's leadership on the war on terror. We'll hear from the mayor in a few moments, talk about whether or not using the attacks of 9/11 is appropriate in this campaign. Democrats have been critical of that. We'll get the mayor's response in a moment.

Also this hour, boxing promoter Don King. He's here in New York. He's been tapped to help Republicans reach out to African-American voters, which if you look back to the year 2000, is no small matter. We'll get back to that as well.

Also, our floor reporter is here is going to be up in a moment -- Ron Brownstein, Kelly Wallace, John King, the stories they're chasing today in a moment here live at Madison Square Garden. Heidi, back to you now, and good morning across town.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, Bill, thank you so much for that. We want to check on the stories now in the news.

A new casualty count in the twin bus explosions in Southern Israel. These images just in to CNN. Medical sources say at least 12 people were killed, at least 50 others injured. Police could not say whether the blasts were the result of suicide bombings. The Palestinian Authority, though, has condemned the attacks.

Iraq's interim prime minister is pledging millions of dollars to rebuild the war-torn Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City. Ayad Allawi met with tribal leaders this morning. He pledged money to create jobs and repair the city's infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the lives of two French journalists are being threatened unless France revokes its law banning Muslim girls from wearing head scarves in public schools.

And it is a remarkable discovery in the hunt for celestial bodies. This afternoon, NASA will announce a new class of planets outside our solar system. A U.S. team of astronomers found four this past week. They're called exoplanets, which means they orbit stars other than our sun.

And the former conjoined twins Carl and Clarence Aguirre are out of the hospital today. The two-year-old boys were wheeled out of a New York hospital yesterday a month after being separated. The two are continuing their physical therapy at another facility now. They will return to the hospital to have reconstruction on their skulls. Let's wish them the very best.

Bill, back over to you.

HEMMER: All right. Heidi, thanks for that.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani last night praising the president before the party faithful here in Madison Square Garden -- in doing so, invoking the president's response to the terror attacks almost three years now. I talked with the former mayor about that earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Much of your appeal in your speech last night went to New Yorkers, going back to three years of 9/11, your response in how the city responded. When your speech got finished, I was walking right out here in the hallway, and there was this man pushing this food cart down the aisle. And he said, quoting now, "Everyone's milking 9/11."

Democrats have charged that Republicans will exploit this issue. Is there validity to that charge on that side?

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FMR. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: Well, Democrats are trying to get us not to discuss September 11th, because they spent $70 million, all of these different 527s and committees, attacking the president. They had Michael Moore as a featured star guest at their convention, who has $110 million movie out, just virtually attacking the president in every segment of it, on the way he handled September 11th.

So, just think of this, I mean, the Democrats are saying, "You can't discuss September 11th, but we can." So, it's like going into a boxing match with both hands tied behind your back. Of course we have to discuss September 11th. It would be like Abraham Lincoln running for re-election in 1864 and not being able to discuss the Civil War?

HEMMER: That would you your response to the Democrats who leveled that charge. What would you say to that New Yorker pushing his food cart? The same thing?

GIULIANI: Some New Yorkers are right; some New Yorker are wrong. You have to discuss September 11th. It was done in an appropriate way. The way in which September 11th was discussed last night was no different than at the Democratic Convention. They had a memorial on their first night; we had a memorial on our first night. They discussed September 11th at their convention how about over 60 times.

HEMMER: How did it feel for you in Madison Square Garden last night?

GIULIANI: It was wonderful. It was wonderful to have the Republican Convention here, to see New York City so strong. I mean, I know many of these delegates. I've traveled to probably 40 of these states over the last four or five years. I know a lot of them personally. And to have them in my city, this great city, after what we went through and how much this city has come back -- I know they're all going back with this great view of New York.

So, you know, you never stop being mayor. I appreciate what Michael Bloomberg has done in getting the convention here, and this is like about $200 million worth of publicity for us.

HEMMER: If you never stopped being mayor, as you just said, you want to be president?

GIULIANI: Well, I meant you never stop thinking like a mayor. You do stop being mayor. Michael Bloomberg is the mayor, and a great one.

HEMMER: ... president?

GIULIANI: I'm not going to think about that. I'm not even going to think about that until after this election. I believe we have to remain focused on 2004. We can not have any other agendas confused in this, any more than, you know, the Democrats. I mean, either the president or John Kerry, they want the focus on them, because it should be. That's the election that's going on right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor, here a short time ago.

Looking ahead now, day two with night one behind us now. Our reporters on the floor, the news that they are breaking today and the stories they're chasing. Say hello to our senior White House correspondent John King here today; national correspondent Kelly Wallace; and Ron Brownstein -- back again, political analysts and columnists for the "L.A. Times." Good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

HEMMER: Night one is behind us. Purple heart Band-Aids. What was going on with the delegates there last night with that?

KING: Well, in many ways it's a gimmick. Morton Blackwell, a long-time social conservative from Virginia, distributing these. And everyone was saying I have a little cut, I qualify for a Purple Heart. They're trying to mock Senator Kerry's service saying perhaps he should not have received those Purple Hearts. It's a gimmick in one way, an effort by these Republicans to try to raise questions again. I can tell you the Bush campaign said it had nothing to do with it. And some of the whips on the floor did come and take them off afterwards. The Kerry campaign says Bush controls this hall.

HEMMER: They took them off?

J. KING: They asked people to take them off. But the Kerry campaign says the Bush campaign controls this hall, and it's sort of an underhanded way of attacking Senator Kerry.

WALLACE: Yes, and that's the message they're getting out today. And they're trying to put some pressure because Senator John McCain is traveling with President Bush today, and they're raising questions saying shouldn't Senator McCain talk to President Bush and together denounce these attacks.

HEMMER: Do you have a comment on that?

BROWNSTEIN: Ultimately, kind of a secondary thing. But I think the Democrats see it as really reflective of a two-track strategy by the White House and the Bush campaign. From the center of the campaign, they denounce these efforts, and yet they seem to signal that it's okay as others, at least the Democrats, argue. And that was probably another reflection of that. But in the end, relatively secondary to what was going on last night.

HEMMER: Back to John McCain for a moment here. He told me after his speech he had no idea Michael Moore was in this arena last night. You were near Michael Moore last night?

J. KING: He was up behind the podium. He was about 20 rows up. And the producer with me, Emily Schultz, one of our finest, bowled her way up there and tried to get him to come down. He had four security guys around him. They wouldn't even let her get close. And when she asked if maybe he could bring him down to the podium to talk to us, they said, "No way, we're not bringing him down there."

HEMMER: Did he know that comment was coming? Because some these excerpts came out prior to the speech, sometimes minutes before the speech. Do we know?

WALLACE: We don't know. The sense is it appears, Senator McCain might not have known that he was there. Certainly, Michael Moore milked that moment for all it was worth. Both sides, though, it's very interesting that the Bush team sort of distancing themselves from this, as well, and the Kerry team distancing themselves from Michael Moore. No one quite wants to be connected to him at all.

BROWNSTEIN: You know, even before your interview, I was pretty certain John McCain did not know Michael Moore was in the hall.

HEMMER: Why do you say that?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, because he was giving -- the second half of that speech was as serious and determined an effort to make the case for the war on Iraq, A; and B, link it to the war on terror -- two central goals for President Bush in this campaign. And inevitably, like the moth to the flame, the next morning, you know, we're talking about his brief encounter with someone who's really here promoting himself. And I can't imagine that was the outcome John McCain wanted.

WALLACE: No, and he feels like the message got kind of blurred by that, I think.

HEMMER: Well, let's go from night one to night two tonight, Laura Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who wants to jump on whom?

J. KING: It's kinder, gentler night. One of the things an incumbent president wants to do is convince the country we're going in the right direction. A majority now do not feel that way. So, you send out two very optimistic people, Laura Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger to try to make people feel better about themselves.

Laura Bush, though, she's more poised in this campaign than the last one and more partisan. You interviewed her this morning and asked why doesn't Senator John Kerry join us in filing suit against these 527s. She has led the deflection, if you will, to the criticism of the president on stem cell research. She is gentle, and she smiles. But she's much more partisan this time.

HEMMER: What does that indicate to you then?

J. KING: That her popularity ratings are up, the American people like her. And when you get more popular, you get a little bit more leeway to be a bit more political. It's a fine line. But she's...

WALLACE: And she seems comfortable doing it. Certainly, in that interview with you, very comfortable in answering questions about those Swift Boat ads. Regarding Arnold Schwarzenegger, we've talked about it.

It is roll out the moderates, expand the reach of the party, get the independents, get the winnable Democrats. Arnold Schwarzenegger, abortion rights, gay rights, gun control, positions at odds with President Bush.

BROWNSTEIN: But you know what? The lesson of the first night, though, is that Arnold Schwarzenegger is here less because he's a moderate than it's because he's a strong leader. McCain and Giuliani were there, and Schwarzenegger is there to make an argument that leadership can transcend ideology.

WALLACE: Great point.

BROWNSTEIN: But the key, you got a real good look last night, Bill, at the strategy of the Bush campaign when Rudy Giuliani said we're not electing a Republican or a Democrat, we're not electing a liberal or a conservative, we're electing a leader.

And the argument -- what they're trying to say to people is even if you don't agree with George Bush on all of the issues, you can still support him because he'll be with there when times are tough. Schwarzenegger will probably send that message, too.

WALLACE: Great point.

HEMMER: Thanks to all three of you. On the floor with Ron, Kelly, and John. Enjoy tonight, all right?

J. KING: Thank you.

WALLACE: All right.

HEMMER: Another reminder for you, the prime time speakers include Senator Elizabeth Dole out of North Carolina, Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. And the California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is here. And of course, as we just mentioned, the first lady, Laura Bush. Our coverage live tonight 7:00 Eastern; we'll kick it off with Anderson then.

Back to Heidi now across town -- Heidi?

COLLINS: More than 80 jurors head back to court in Eagle, Colorado this morning. The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case questioned some of them Monday. They were asked about race, sex, and money.

Chris Lawrence is live in Eagle now with the very latest on all of this. Hi, Chris. Going to be a long process.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Heidi. And right now, another group of jurors is scheduled to arrive here in the next hour. And it's going to be a short turn-around for everyone involved. As you can see, Kobe Bryant and his attorneys did not leave here until about 9:00 last night, after a very long day of questioning behind closed doors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over ): For the first time, Kobe Bryant is getting a look at the people who will make up a jury of his peers. Two-hundred-and- five potential jurors who filled out written questionnaires have been called back to court this week to explain their answers to some of the 82 questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're asking for all the prospective jurors to park in this lot directly behind the district attorney's office.

LAWRENCE: Privately, the judge will ask them to explain how they might know the accuser or if they have any experience with sexual assault. It's designed to detect potential bias and expands on answers they've given on the questionnaire, which asked: "Do you think people who make a lot of money are treated better by our court system? and, "Have you ever been afraid of or had any negative experience with an African-American.

Beyond that, prosecutors and defense attorneys will be looking for certain profiles. CRAIG SILVERMAN, FMR. DENVER DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: If a woman is a member of the National Organization of Women, that's a plus to the prosecution and negative to the defense. The defense will be looking for sports fans, specifically Laker or NBA fans.

LAWRENCE: The judge expects to wrap up private questioning by Wednesday and move the selection process back into open court. By Friday, the court hopes to seat its jury: 12 men and women who will decide Bryant's fate.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(on camera): Now, just last night, CNN spoke with the accuser's lawyer. He says the young woman is scared and that she has lost faith in the Colorado justice system. Heidi?

COLLINS: Chris Lawrence live from Eagle, Colorado this morning. Chris, thanks so much for that.

Dramatic pictures now we want to show you from Richmond, Virginia, which is under a state of emergency this morning. More than ten inches of rain from Tropical Storm Gaston caused severe flooding in the Richmond area. People described a raging torrent 10 to 12 feet deep that washed away cars. Even the city's emergency operations center was flooded.

And in some parts of Richmond, the water was so high, moving so fast that people were trapped inside homes and businesses. Rescuers cut a hole in the roof of this apartment building to get people out. It was one of 14 rescues yesterday. Officials are out assessing the damage now this morning.

Chad Myers is looking at all of it for us at the CNN center now with the very latest. Pretty unbelievable stuff, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Crazy pictures there. And what you didn't see is one of those cars floating down the road, there was a guy, that was actually holding on to the hood as the car was floating away. Obviously that guy did get away because there were no fatalities with that system. But man, oh, man, that was dangerous.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Thank you, Chad. In a moment here, the magic number for the president to win on November 2nd. It has nothing to do with the electoral college. Andy's "Minding Your Business" on that.

Also, back here in Madison Square Garden, what brings Don King to town back in the political arena -- with makeup, too? Back in a moment live after this on AMERICAN MORNING.

COLLINS: Another new ad criticizing Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will hit the airwaves today in Florida. The group behind the ad, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, say it is spending nearly $400,000 on the ad campaign in the sunshine state.

CNN's Paula Zahn sat down with former President George Bush to discuss the ad controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H. W. BUSH, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: For months before the president started campaigning ,he was attacked by all kinds of people. So, you've got to -- you can't have it both ways.

And I'm not -- I don't know enough about the Swift Boat Veterans. I think Kerry served honorably. But I don't know enough about them to say they're all liars. All every one of these men that are speaking up, are we saying they're liars? Is the press now condemning all of them? There's no truth to any of this? I don't know enough about it to know that.

So, why not do what the president suggests: get rid of all of these 527s or 547s or whatever they are. Get them out of there, including the ones that have been brutalizing our son for months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Today's new Swift Boat ad is the third of its kind.

Bill, back to the Garden.

HEMMER: We have a very special guest with us today. Say hello to Don King, the boxing promoter. How are you doing?

DON KING, BOXING PROMOTER: It's great -- it's just great to be here.

HEMMER: Whoa, whoa -- hang on here. What are you doing here?

D. KING: I love this country. This is America, and I'm fighting for a better America. And I think that George Walker Bush can be the one to represent us in going to a better America, black and white alike.

HEMMER: In 2000, Al Gore got 90 percent of the African-American vote in this country. How can you change that?

D. KING: Well, you can change that because you take a dispassionate step backwards and you say: What are the Democrats giving us a sound basis to vote for them for? You know, leadership is what you're doing in this campaign. And it's not about party. John F. Kennedy said sometimes party loyalty asks too much. The leadership of George Walker Bush is incomparable to Senator John Kerry.

HEMMER: How, then, do you go out in Cleveland, Ohio, your hometown, and sell George Bush to blacks in that city?

D. KING: Very easily. He's asking for inclusion -- inclusion, diversity, education. Education was punishable by death if a white person would teach a black person how to read or write during that peculiar institution called slavery. And the remnants of that is what we're suffering now. Everybody's been treating the effects rather than going to the cause. George Bush is going to the cause. He says, every day that this nation was segregated, America was unfaithful to its ideals of the founding fathers. So, what you have to do is you have to use what he says and then work with him to help him make it come true.

We don't have no reason -- Martin Luther King says, both parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, they have a long historical pattern of using the black voters as a political football, promise us everything, give us nothing.. You say one day it will be a white liberal will come along and say he will be just as outrageous and indignant as he would before a black man being lynched in Mississippi as to whether or not a guy could get a job in his company or move onto a street in his neighborhood.

So, I'm saying that George Walker Bush is going to be that white liberal, because he has the type of intestinal fortitude to move on. He's decisive, bold, audacious. He's revolutionary.

HEMMER: You just called George Bush a white liberal.

D. KING: Yes, I did.

HEMMER: Is that right?

D. KING: Yes, I did.

HEMMER: Did you vote for him in 2000?

D. KING: Yes, I think I did.

HEMMER: You think you did?

D. KING: I don't really know. Do you know why I'm going to say that? And I'm going to be quite true.

HEMMER: Tell me.

D. KING: Because I'm a Republicrat. I go for whoever is going for my country, black and white alike. I'm not interested in party politics. I'm interested in a leadership that's going to do something for the black community, the Latino community, the Asian.

What I'm concerned about is being included. If you're not included, you're just like a little boy at the cookie store looking through the window. You ain't got no cookie. Do you know what I mean? I want to be part of this great process called America.

HEMMER: Back up just a little bit.

D. KING: Yes.

HEMMER: You say you weren't sure you can remember who you voted for.

D. KING: Yes. HEMMER: Did you vote in 2000?

D. KING: Yes, I did. I voted in 2000.

HEMMER: Do you want to tell me?

D. KING: Yes. I think I voted for George Walker Bush.

HEMMER: You think you did?

D. KING: Yes, I do. Do you know what I mean? Because at that time, George Walker Bush, as we recall, when he got into office, he said I may not know, but I'm going to get me a good lot of people. I'm going to earn your respect. And he has earned my respect.

The man is dedicated. He's committed. He loves America. He cares about the American people. He gives us the comfort that we can be safe and secure because his enemies fear him and his friends respect him. He responds. He don't sit back and waffle and wait when something happens to us in this crisis.

HEMMER: I'm officially putting you down as a Republicrat. OK?

D. KING: Yes, I'm a Republicrat.

HEMMER: So, when you start that new party in this country,...

D. KING: It's a Republicrat.

HEMMER: ... come back and we'll talk about that.

D. KING: It's going to be great. Four more years for George Walker Bush. The man with the plan to make things better for this great nation called America, black and white alike.

HEMMER: Nice to see you.

D. KING: Four more years for George Walker Bush.

HEMMER: You've still got it.

D. KING: Yes, the man with the plan.

HEMMER: You've still got it. You've still got it.

D. KING: It's going to be a great one, man. I'm so happy to be on CNN and tell this to the world.

HEMMER: Thank you. Don King.

D. KING: Thank you. God bless America.

HEMMER: Live in New York City.

D. KING: And God bless my president, George Walker Bush.

HEMMER: We'll break here. Back in a moment at the diner with Jack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A different kind of news that we're following this morning, we told you and promised you we would let you know about Soledad and her babies. Well, it happened last night about 6:30 or so; two little baby boys, twin boys, as I'm sure you know, names are Charlie and Jackson, successful births. We're very happy for her, and her family, as well.

I'll send it over to Jack now standing by at the CNN Diner. Good news, huh, Jack?

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: How glad do you think Soledad is that it's over?

COLLINS: Very, very glad.

CAFFERTY: I mean, bless her heart. Yeah, I'll bet she's happy, feeling relieved. Glad they're doing well.

The markets are open. Look at the early action on Wall Street. Apple Computer has done it again. They amaze periodically. Andy Serwer is here "Minding Your Business." Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you.

They are trading stocks on Wall Street, Jack. But you have to look pretty carefully, because it is a quiet, quiet day. We've been talking about this all week. A lot of people staying home.

You can see here we're up 30 points -- 29 on the Dow this morning. Big report's going to be coming out on Friday, Jack -- that unemployment report, expecting the rate to hold steady at 5.5 percent, which will be good for the president, because a new study shows that if it stays below 5.6 percent, the president has a very good chance at getting reelected.

Merck is very active this morning on some of that news that we talked about, in terms of its blockbuster drugs. Another stock moving is Six Flags. Why? Because Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has accumulated a stake in this company. Daniel Snyder's only 39-years- old.

Some people, Jack, would call him irritating. I mean -- I don't know. Do you find him irritating, Jack?

CAFFERTY: I bet the Redskins fans would call him other things, especially after he hired Steve Spurrier. That was...

SERWER: Steve Spurrier's a great American.

CAFFERTY: Maybe he can work at the amusement park?

SERWER: Steve Spurrier. Yes, they're going to have the hogs and Smurfs coming to the Six Flags. That was started back in 1961 in Texas -- Six Flags over Texas. Now -- 31 locations, 35 million visitors.

Let's talk about that Apple Computer you're talking about, because they do continue to lead this industry. I don't care what you say, they make the coolest hardware.

The new G5 that's just come out, the new iMac G5. And the cool thing about this, it's so thin that the processor is in the monitor. You can see it there. That's the whole computer. That's Phillip Schiller, Apple senior vice president. Steve Jobs is sick and recovering from pancreatic cancer, of course, but apparently recovering.

Two inches thick, that whole computer. There's no box. It's just the monitor. And that is cool stuff, I think.

CAFFERTY: That's amazing, it really is. All right, thanks, Andy.

SERWER: Yes. You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: On to the e-mail question of the day, which is: Do you think the United States can win the war on terror? President Bush saying that perhaps not.

Ruben in Florida writes: "Yes, it's possible for the U.S. to win the war on terror. I thought the president was steadfast and resolute. It will certainly make me think twice come November the 2nd."

Larry has a different view: "The use of terror as a weapon has been a part of human history for thousands of years by extremists of every stripe. It will continue into the future, because people consumed by their own delusions will resort to any means to convert the rest of us to their madness. Insanity can be treated, not cured."

And on the "Voice of the Voter" question that we posed earlier in the show, we got this from a schoolteacher in -- upstate in Binghamton, New York. Noreen writes this: "I'm a school principal at a school where many of the students are refugees from the terror of Saddam Hussein. Since 9/11, they live in terror of American citizens who judge them as the enemy due to their religious beliefs and cultural practices in this country. I've been appalled at the abuses these children and their parents suffer in our country on a daily basis. Many can't go to the grocery store without being told to go home, uncover their heads, learn English, et cetera. This kind of treatment breeds hatred."

We thank you for your responses. Let's go back to the Garden and Bill Hemmer.

HEMMER: Good deal. Jack, thanks for that.

Next hour here, Daryn Kagan is back today.

Schwarzenegger on the stage later tonight. Carlos Watson comes up in a moment analyzing the speech from the California governor. What will he say?

That's next hour. Back in a moment here, live at AMERICAN MORNING right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired August 31, 2004 - 09:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Live here in New York City, welcome back. Stocks open for business, and good to have you along with us today. Day two now of the convention live here at Madison Square Garden. The delegates getting a late start today as opposed to yesterday. A number of breakfasts around town and luncheons before the call to order this evening.

Last night, Rudy Giuliani among the featured speakers here focusing on the president's leadership on the war on terror. We'll hear from the mayor in a few moments, talk about whether or not using the attacks of 9/11 is appropriate in this campaign. Democrats have been critical of that. We'll get the mayor's response in a moment.

Also this hour, boxing promoter Don King. He's here in New York. He's been tapped to help Republicans reach out to African-American voters, which if you look back to the year 2000, is no small matter. We'll get back to that as well.

Also, our floor reporter is here is going to be up in a moment -- Ron Brownstein, Kelly Wallace, John King, the stories they're chasing today in a moment here live at Madison Square Garden. Heidi, back to you now, and good morning across town.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, Bill, thank you so much for that. We want to check on the stories now in the news.

A new casualty count in the twin bus explosions in Southern Israel. These images just in to CNN. Medical sources say at least 12 people were killed, at least 50 others injured. Police could not say whether the blasts were the result of suicide bombings. The Palestinian Authority, though, has condemned the attacks.

Iraq's interim prime minister is pledging millions of dollars to rebuild the war-torn Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City. Ayad Allawi met with tribal leaders this morning. He pledged money to create jobs and repair the city's infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the lives of two French journalists are being threatened unless France revokes its law banning Muslim girls from wearing head scarves in public schools.

And it is a remarkable discovery in the hunt for celestial bodies. This afternoon, NASA will announce a new class of planets outside our solar system. A U.S. team of astronomers found four this past week. They're called exoplanets, which means they orbit stars other than our sun.

And the former conjoined twins Carl and Clarence Aguirre are out of the hospital today. The two-year-old boys were wheeled out of a New York hospital yesterday a month after being separated. The two are continuing their physical therapy at another facility now. They will return to the hospital to have reconstruction on their skulls. Let's wish them the very best.

Bill, back over to you.

HEMMER: All right. Heidi, thanks for that.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani last night praising the president before the party faithful here in Madison Square Garden -- in doing so, invoking the president's response to the terror attacks almost three years now. I talked with the former mayor about that earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Much of your appeal in your speech last night went to New Yorkers, going back to three years of 9/11, your response in how the city responded. When your speech got finished, I was walking right out here in the hallway, and there was this man pushing this food cart down the aisle. And he said, quoting now, "Everyone's milking 9/11."

Democrats have charged that Republicans will exploit this issue. Is there validity to that charge on that side?

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FMR. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: Well, Democrats are trying to get us not to discuss September 11th, because they spent $70 million, all of these different 527s and committees, attacking the president. They had Michael Moore as a featured star guest at their convention, who has $110 million movie out, just virtually attacking the president in every segment of it, on the way he handled September 11th.

So, just think of this, I mean, the Democrats are saying, "You can't discuss September 11th, but we can." So, it's like going into a boxing match with both hands tied behind your back. Of course we have to discuss September 11th. It would be like Abraham Lincoln running for re-election in 1864 and not being able to discuss the Civil War?

HEMMER: That would you your response to the Democrats who leveled that charge. What would you say to that New Yorker pushing his food cart? The same thing?

GIULIANI: Some New Yorkers are right; some New Yorker are wrong. You have to discuss September 11th. It was done in an appropriate way. The way in which September 11th was discussed last night was no different than at the Democratic Convention. They had a memorial on their first night; we had a memorial on our first night. They discussed September 11th at their convention how about over 60 times.

HEMMER: How did it feel for you in Madison Square Garden last night?

GIULIANI: It was wonderful. It was wonderful to have the Republican Convention here, to see New York City so strong. I mean, I know many of these delegates. I've traveled to probably 40 of these states over the last four or five years. I know a lot of them personally. And to have them in my city, this great city, after what we went through and how much this city has come back -- I know they're all going back with this great view of New York.

So, you know, you never stop being mayor. I appreciate what Michael Bloomberg has done in getting the convention here, and this is like about $200 million worth of publicity for us.

HEMMER: If you never stopped being mayor, as you just said, you want to be president?

GIULIANI: Well, I meant you never stop thinking like a mayor. You do stop being mayor. Michael Bloomberg is the mayor, and a great one.

HEMMER: ... president?

GIULIANI: I'm not going to think about that. I'm not even going to think about that until after this election. I believe we have to remain focused on 2004. We can not have any other agendas confused in this, any more than, you know, the Democrats. I mean, either the president or John Kerry, they want the focus on them, because it should be. That's the election that's going on right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor, here a short time ago.

Looking ahead now, day two with night one behind us now. Our reporters on the floor, the news that they are breaking today and the stories they're chasing. Say hello to our senior White House correspondent John King here today; national correspondent Kelly Wallace; and Ron Brownstein -- back again, political analysts and columnists for the "L.A. Times." Good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

HEMMER: Night one is behind us. Purple heart Band-Aids. What was going on with the delegates there last night with that?

KING: Well, in many ways it's a gimmick. Morton Blackwell, a long-time social conservative from Virginia, distributing these. And everyone was saying I have a little cut, I qualify for a Purple Heart. They're trying to mock Senator Kerry's service saying perhaps he should not have received those Purple Hearts. It's a gimmick in one way, an effort by these Republicans to try to raise questions again. I can tell you the Bush campaign said it had nothing to do with it. And some of the whips on the floor did come and take them off afterwards. The Kerry campaign says Bush controls this hall.

HEMMER: They took them off?

J. KING: They asked people to take them off. But the Kerry campaign says the Bush campaign controls this hall, and it's sort of an underhanded way of attacking Senator Kerry.

WALLACE: Yes, and that's the message they're getting out today. And they're trying to put some pressure because Senator John McCain is traveling with President Bush today, and they're raising questions saying shouldn't Senator McCain talk to President Bush and together denounce these attacks.

HEMMER: Do you have a comment on that?

BROWNSTEIN: Ultimately, kind of a secondary thing. But I think the Democrats see it as really reflective of a two-track strategy by the White House and the Bush campaign. From the center of the campaign, they denounce these efforts, and yet they seem to signal that it's okay as others, at least the Democrats, argue. And that was probably another reflection of that. But in the end, relatively secondary to what was going on last night.

HEMMER: Back to John McCain for a moment here. He told me after his speech he had no idea Michael Moore was in this arena last night. You were near Michael Moore last night?

J. KING: He was up behind the podium. He was about 20 rows up. And the producer with me, Emily Schultz, one of our finest, bowled her way up there and tried to get him to come down. He had four security guys around him. They wouldn't even let her get close. And when she asked if maybe he could bring him down to the podium to talk to us, they said, "No way, we're not bringing him down there."

HEMMER: Did he know that comment was coming? Because some these excerpts came out prior to the speech, sometimes minutes before the speech. Do we know?

WALLACE: We don't know. The sense is it appears, Senator McCain might not have known that he was there. Certainly, Michael Moore milked that moment for all it was worth. Both sides, though, it's very interesting that the Bush team sort of distancing themselves from this, as well, and the Kerry team distancing themselves from Michael Moore. No one quite wants to be connected to him at all.

BROWNSTEIN: You know, even before your interview, I was pretty certain John McCain did not know Michael Moore was in the hall.

HEMMER: Why do you say that?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, because he was giving -- the second half of that speech was as serious and determined an effort to make the case for the war on Iraq, A; and B, link it to the war on terror -- two central goals for President Bush in this campaign. And inevitably, like the moth to the flame, the next morning, you know, we're talking about his brief encounter with someone who's really here promoting himself. And I can't imagine that was the outcome John McCain wanted.

WALLACE: No, and he feels like the message got kind of blurred by that, I think.

HEMMER: Well, let's go from night one to night two tonight, Laura Bush, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who wants to jump on whom?

J. KING: It's kinder, gentler night. One of the things an incumbent president wants to do is convince the country we're going in the right direction. A majority now do not feel that way. So, you send out two very optimistic people, Laura Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger to try to make people feel better about themselves.

Laura Bush, though, she's more poised in this campaign than the last one and more partisan. You interviewed her this morning and asked why doesn't Senator John Kerry join us in filing suit against these 527s. She has led the deflection, if you will, to the criticism of the president on stem cell research. She is gentle, and she smiles. But she's much more partisan this time.

HEMMER: What does that indicate to you then?

J. KING: That her popularity ratings are up, the American people like her. And when you get more popular, you get a little bit more leeway to be a bit more political. It's a fine line. But she's...

WALLACE: And she seems comfortable doing it. Certainly, in that interview with you, very comfortable in answering questions about those Swift Boat ads. Regarding Arnold Schwarzenegger, we've talked about it.

It is roll out the moderates, expand the reach of the party, get the independents, get the winnable Democrats. Arnold Schwarzenegger, abortion rights, gay rights, gun control, positions at odds with President Bush.

BROWNSTEIN: But you know what? The lesson of the first night, though, is that Arnold Schwarzenegger is here less because he's a moderate than it's because he's a strong leader. McCain and Giuliani were there, and Schwarzenegger is there to make an argument that leadership can transcend ideology.

WALLACE: Great point.

BROWNSTEIN: But the key, you got a real good look last night, Bill, at the strategy of the Bush campaign when Rudy Giuliani said we're not electing a Republican or a Democrat, we're not electing a liberal or a conservative, we're electing a leader.

And the argument -- what they're trying to say to people is even if you don't agree with George Bush on all of the issues, you can still support him because he'll be with there when times are tough. Schwarzenegger will probably send that message, too.

WALLACE: Great point.

HEMMER: Thanks to all three of you. On the floor with Ron, Kelly, and John. Enjoy tonight, all right?

J. KING: Thank you.

WALLACE: All right.

HEMMER: Another reminder for you, the prime time speakers include Senator Elizabeth Dole out of North Carolina, Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. And the California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is here. And of course, as we just mentioned, the first lady, Laura Bush. Our coverage live tonight 7:00 Eastern; we'll kick it off with Anderson then.

Back to Heidi now across town -- Heidi?

COLLINS: More than 80 jurors head back to court in Eagle, Colorado this morning. The judge in the Kobe Bryant sexual assault case questioned some of them Monday. They were asked about race, sex, and money.

Chris Lawrence is live in Eagle now with the very latest on all of this. Hi, Chris. Going to be a long process.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Heidi. And right now, another group of jurors is scheduled to arrive here in the next hour. And it's going to be a short turn-around for everyone involved. As you can see, Kobe Bryant and his attorneys did not leave here until about 9:00 last night, after a very long day of questioning behind closed doors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over ): For the first time, Kobe Bryant is getting a look at the people who will make up a jury of his peers. Two-hundred-and- five potential jurors who filled out written questionnaires have been called back to court this week to explain their answers to some of the 82 questions.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're asking for all the prospective jurors to park in this lot directly behind the district attorney's office.

LAWRENCE: Privately, the judge will ask them to explain how they might know the accuser or if they have any experience with sexual assault. It's designed to detect potential bias and expands on answers they've given on the questionnaire, which asked: "Do you think people who make a lot of money are treated better by our court system? and, "Have you ever been afraid of or had any negative experience with an African-American.

Beyond that, prosecutors and defense attorneys will be looking for certain profiles. CRAIG SILVERMAN, FMR. DENVER DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: If a woman is a member of the National Organization of Women, that's a plus to the prosecution and negative to the defense. The defense will be looking for sports fans, specifically Laker or NBA fans.

LAWRENCE: The judge expects to wrap up private questioning by Wednesday and move the selection process back into open court. By Friday, the court hopes to seat its jury: 12 men and women who will decide Bryant's fate.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(on camera): Now, just last night, CNN spoke with the accuser's lawyer. He says the young woman is scared and that she has lost faith in the Colorado justice system. Heidi?

COLLINS: Chris Lawrence live from Eagle, Colorado this morning. Chris, thanks so much for that.

Dramatic pictures now we want to show you from Richmond, Virginia, which is under a state of emergency this morning. More than ten inches of rain from Tropical Storm Gaston caused severe flooding in the Richmond area. People described a raging torrent 10 to 12 feet deep that washed away cars. Even the city's emergency operations center was flooded.

And in some parts of Richmond, the water was so high, moving so fast that people were trapped inside homes and businesses. Rescuers cut a hole in the roof of this apartment building to get people out. It was one of 14 rescues yesterday. Officials are out assessing the damage now this morning.

Chad Myers is looking at all of it for us at the CNN center now with the very latest. Pretty unbelievable stuff, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Crazy pictures there. And what you didn't see is one of those cars floating down the road, there was a guy, that was actually holding on to the hood as the car was floating away. Obviously that guy did get away because there were no fatalities with that system. But man, oh, man, that was dangerous.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Thank you, Chad. In a moment here, the magic number for the president to win on November 2nd. It has nothing to do with the electoral college. Andy's "Minding Your Business" on that.

Also, back here in Madison Square Garden, what brings Don King to town back in the political arena -- with makeup, too? Back in a moment live after this on AMERICAN MORNING.

COLLINS: Another new ad criticizing Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry will hit the airwaves today in Florida. The group behind the ad, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, say it is spending nearly $400,000 on the ad campaign in the sunshine state.

CNN's Paula Zahn sat down with former President George Bush to discuss the ad controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H. W. BUSH, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: For months before the president started campaigning ,he was attacked by all kinds of people. So, you've got to -- you can't have it both ways.

And I'm not -- I don't know enough about the Swift Boat Veterans. I think Kerry served honorably. But I don't know enough about them to say they're all liars. All every one of these men that are speaking up, are we saying they're liars? Is the press now condemning all of them? There's no truth to any of this? I don't know enough about it to know that.

So, why not do what the president suggests: get rid of all of these 527s or 547s or whatever they are. Get them out of there, including the ones that have been brutalizing our son for months.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Today's new Swift Boat ad is the third of its kind.

Bill, back to the Garden.

HEMMER: We have a very special guest with us today. Say hello to Don King, the boxing promoter. How are you doing?

DON KING, BOXING PROMOTER: It's great -- it's just great to be here.

HEMMER: Whoa, whoa -- hang on here. What are you doing here?

D. KING: I love this country. This is America, and I'm fighting for a better America. And I think that George Walker Bush can be the one to represent us in going to a better America, black and white alike.

HEMMER: In 2000, Al Gore got 90 percent of the African-American vote in this country. How can you change that?

D. KING: Well, you can change that because you take a dispassionate step backwards and you say: What are the Democrats giving us a sound basis to vote for them for? You know, leadership is what you're doing in this campaign. And it's not about party. John F. Kennedy said sometimes party loyalty asks too much. The leadership of George Walker Bush is incomparable to Senator John Kerry.

HEMMER: How, then, do you go out in Cleveland, Ohio, your hometown, and sell George Bush to blacks in that city?

D. KING: Very easily. He's asking for inclusion -- inclusion, diversity, education. Education was punishable by death if a white person would teach a black person how to read or write during that peculiar institution called slavery. And the remnants of that is what we're suffering now. Everybody's been treating the effects rather than going to the cause. George Bush is going to the cause. He says, every day that this nation was segregated, America was unfaithful to its ideals of the founding fathers. So, what you have to do is you have to use what he says and then work with him to help him make it come true.

We don't have no reason -- Martin Luther King says, both parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, they have a long historical pattern of using the black voters as a political football, promise us everything, give us nothing.. You say one day it will be a white liberal will come along and say he will be just as outrageous and indignant as he would before a black man being lynched in Mississippi as to whether or not a guy could get a job in his company or move onto a street in his neighborhood.

So, I'm saying that George Walker Bush is going to be that white liberal, because he has the type of intestinal fortitude to move on. He's decisive, bold, audacious. He's revolutionary.

HEMMER: You just called George Bush a white liberal.

D. KING: Yes, I did.

HEMMER: Is that right?

D. KING: Yes, I did.

HEMMER: Did you vote for him in 2000?

D. KING: Yes, I think I did.

HEMMER: You think you did?

D. KING: I don't really know. Do you know why I'm going to say that? And I'm going to be quite true.

HEMMER: Tell me.

D. KING: Because I'm a Republicrat. I go for whoever is going for my country, black and white alike. I'm not interested in party politics. I'm interested in a leadership that's going to do something for the black community, the Latino community, the Asian.

What I'm concerned about is being included. If you're not included, you're just like a little boy at the cookie store looking through the window. You ain't got no cookie. Do you know what I mean? I want to be part of this great process called America.

HEMMER: Back up just a little bit.

D. KING: Yes.

HEMMER: You say you weren't sure you can remember who you voted for.

D. KING: Yes. HEMMER: Did you vote in 2000?

D. KING: Yes, I did. I voted in 2000.

HEMMER: Do you want to tell me?

D. KING: Yes. I think I voted for George Walker Bush.

HEMMER: You think you did?

D. KING: Yes, I do. Do you know what I mean? Because at that time, George Walker Bush, as we recall, when he got into office, he said I may not know, but I'm going to get me a good lot of people. I'm going to earn your respect. And he has earned my respect.

The man is dedicated. He's committed. He loves America. He cares about the American people. He gives us the comfort that we can be safe and secure because his enemies fear him and his friends respect him. He responds. He don't sit back and waffle and wait when something happens to us in this crisis.

HEMMER: I'm officially putting you down as a Republicrat. OK?

D. KING: Yes, I'm a Republicrat.

HEMMER: So, when you start that new party in this country,...

D. KING: It's a Republicrat.

HEMMER: ... come back and we'll talk about that.

D. KING: It's going to be great. Four more years for George Walker Bush. The man with the plan to make things better for this great nation called America, black and white alike.

HEMMER: Nice to see you.

D. KING: Four more years for George Walker Bush.

HEMMER: You've still got it.

D. KING: Yes, the man with the plan.

HEMMER: You've still got it. You've still got it.

D. KING: It's going to be a great one, man. I'm so happy to be on CNN and tell this to the world.

HEMMER: Thank you. Don King.

D. KING: Thank you. God bless America.

HEMMER: Live in New York City.

D. KING: And God bless my president, George Walker Bush.

HEMMER: We'll break here. Back in a moment at the diner with Jack.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A different kind of news that we're following this morning, we told you and promised you we would let you know about Soledad and her babies. Well, it happened last night about 6:30 or so; two little baby boys, twin boys, as I'm sure you know, names are Charlie and Jackson, successful births. We're very happy for her, and her family, as well.

I'll send it over to Jack now standing by at the CNN Diner. Good news, huh, Jack?

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: How glad do you think Soledad is that it's over?

COLLINS: Very, very glad.

CAFFERTY: I mean, bless her heart. Yeah, I'll bet she's happy, feeling relieved. Glad they're doing well.

The markets are open. Look at the early action on Wall Street. Apple Computer has done it again. They amaze periodically. Andy Serwer is here "Minding Your Business." Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you.

They are trading stocks on Wall Street, Jack. But you have to look pretty carefully, because it is a quiet, quiet day. We've been talking about this all week. A lot of people staying home.

You can see here we're up 30 points -- 29 on the Dow this morning. Big report's going to be coming out on Friday, Jack -- that unemployment report, expecting the rate to hold steady at 5.5 percent, which will be good for the president, because a new study shows that if it stays below 5.6 percent, the president has a very good chance at getting reelected.

Merck is very active this morning on some of that news that we talked about, in terms of its blockbuster drugs. Another stock moving is Six Flags. Why? Because Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has accumulated a stake in this company. Daniel Snyder's only 39-years- old.

Some people, Jack, would call him irritating. I mean -- I don't know. Do you find him irritating, Jack?

CAFFERTY: I bet the Redskins fans would call him other things, especially after he hired Steve Spurrier. That was...

SERWER: Steve Spurrier's a great American.

CAFFERTY: Maybe he can work at the amusement park?

SERWER: Steve Spurrier. Yes, they're going to have the hogs and Smurfs coming to the Six Flags. That was started back in 1961 in Texas -- Six Flags over Texas. Now -- 31 locations, 35 million visitors.

Let's talk about that Apple Computer you're talking about, because they do continue to lead this industry. I don't care what you say, they make the coolest hardware.

The new G5 that's just come out, the new iMac G5. And the cool thing about this, it's so thin that the processor is in the monitor. You can see it there. That's the whole computer. That's Phillip Schiller, Apple senior vice president. Steve Jobs is sick and recovering from pancreatic cancer, of course, but apparently recovering.

Two inches thick, that whole computer. There's no box. It's just the monitor. And that is cool stuff, I think.

CAFFERTY: That's amazing, it really is. All right, thanks, Andy.

SERWER: Yes. You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: On to the e-mail question of the day, which is: Do you think the United States can win the war on terror? President Bush saying that perhaps not.

Ruben in Florida writes: "Yes, it's possible for the U.S. to win the war on terror. I thought the president was steadfast and resolute. It will certainly make me think twice come November the 2nd."

Larry has a different view: "The use of terror as a weapon has been a part of human history for thousands of years by extremists of every stripe. It will continue into the future, because people consumed by their own delusions will resort to any means to convert the rest of us to their madness. Insanity can be treated, not cured."

And on the "Voice of the Voter" question that we posed earlier in the show, we got this from a schoolteacher in -- upstate in Binghamton, New York. Noreen writes this: "I'm a school principal at a school where many of the students are refugees from the terror of Saddam Hussein. Since 9/11, they live in terror of American citizens who judge them as the enemy due to their religious beliefs and cultural practices in this country. I've been appalled at the abuses these children and their parents suffer in our country on a daily basis. Many can't go to the grocery store without being told to go home, uncover their heads, learn English, et cetera. This kind of treatment breeds hatred."

We thank you for your responses. Let's go back to the Garden and Bill Hemmer.

HEMMER: Good deal. Jack, thanks for that.

Next hour here, Daryn Kagan is back today.

Schwarzenegger on the stage later tonight. Carlos Watson comes up in a moment analyzing the speech from the California governor. What will he say?

That's next hour. Back in a moment here, live at AMERICAN MORNING right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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