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CNN Live At Daybreak

'Political Hot Topics'; Drinking Low-Carb; Space Stuff

Aired September 29, 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: And good morning to you from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

Word in overnight a judge in Yemen has sentenced two men to death for the bombing of the USS Cole four years ago. Four other men were given prison terms ranging from 5 to 10 years. Seventeen American sailors were killed in that attack.

In just a few hours, a group of people who want to make some money on space travel will try to win a $10 million prize. The prize is offered by a nonprofit foundation promoting commercial space flight. Coming up in 15 minutes, we'll have a live report from space correspondent Miles O'Brien, who will be on-hand for the blastoff.

Two men battling over Barry Bonds' record 700th homerun ball are due in a San Francisco courtroom today. The ball, of course, could be worth somewhere in the six figures.

In parts of New Jersey and New York, a bitter taste of remnants of Jeanne. The former hurricane even spawned a tornado in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. No one was hurt, but 11 buildings were damaged.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: We begin our last half-hour with politics, 34 days and counting until the presidential election. Here's what the major contenders have planned leading up to tomorrow night's presidential debate in Florida.

President Bush and John Kerry are going to Florida today ahead of their showdown. The president has wrapped up debate practice at his Crawford, Texas ranch. He plans to head to Lake Wales, Florida, to take a look at the damage done by Hurricane Jeanne.

John Kerry has no public events on his agenda when he goes to the Sunshine State today. He's been at a golf resort in Wisconsin, gearing up for tomorrow's debate.

And it's been a family affair for President Bush on the campaign trail. Twin daughters Jenna and Barbara appeared with their grandmother at an event in New Hampshire. The twins say their grandpa, the first President Bush, is also helping out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JENNA BUSH, DAUGHER OF GEORGE W. BUSH: Our grandfather is also contributing. He occasionally gives a few speeches about dad. But mainly he spends his time yelling at the television screen when he sees unfair stories on the news. We keep telling him that they can't hear what he's saying, but he insists that it's helping.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A former Bush rival, Al Gore, is weighing in on the upcoming debate. He and Bob Dole took part in a panel discussion at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Dole says both candidates should be themselves.

As for Gore, remember when he kept sighing in the debate with Bush four years ago? Well, Gore certainly remembers. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Both candidates will have stand-ins, who are trained to give the lines of their opponent, and they'll have mock debates. They're both going through them right now, I'm sure -- or, I mean, today, I'm sure, and have been for some time. It's a very elaborate preparation process as it has developed, and it's quite interesting. It just makes me sort of want to sigh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And Al Gore has more tips in a "New York Times" editorial today, titled "How to Debate George Bush." He writes: "My advice to John Kerry is simple: Be prepared for the toughest debates of your career. While George Bush's campaign has made lowering expectations into a high art form, the record is clear: He's a skilled debater who uses the format to his advantage."

Gore goes on to say, "There is no reason to expect any less this time around. And if anyone truly has low expectations for an incumbent president, that in itself is an issue."

So, as you can see, everybody has advice for the candidates. But wait. The debate itself is still in debate, and that is our "Hot Topic" this morning.

Live from Washington, Chuck Todd, online editor of "The National Journal's" "Hotline."

Good morning.

CHUCK TODD, "THE HOTLINE": Good morning.

COSTELLO: So, we hear this morning that the television networks broadcasting the debates are refusing to go along with the carefully- choreographed plan. Do they have some legitimate gripes?

TODD: I think they do. I mean, it was amazing that they were going to try to prevent footage of one of the candidates while the other one was speaking. I mean, this idea that you couldn't show -- and I guess this is to make sure there was no sighing problems this time or any of that stuff. You know, that's part of the story. Why should the people in the hall and the pool reporter that will be there be able to see that stuff and the public not?

COSTELLO: And, of course, the media is saying, why should anybody be able to control what we shoot?

TODD: Exactly. I mean, no, it seemed like an absurd request. But then again, considering what happened to Al Gore last year with the sighs and the weird looks and all that stuff, in some ways...

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Well, but that was Al Gore's problem, wasn't it?

TODD: I agree. That's...

COSTELLO: It wasn't the media's problem.

TODD: Absolutely. Absolutely. And to me, it only adds to the interest in the debates.

COSTELLO: I mean, if it were me, I'd want to see how the other guy is reacting to what one has to say.

TODD: I think that's...

COSTELLO: I mean, that's really important, isn't it?

TODD: I think it's more important. Some body language matters sometimes more than the actual language. And so let's see it. I think it was an absurd request, and I think the candidates knew it was, and they were probably surprised when it's taken this long for the networks to balk.

COSTELLO: So, once this debate goes on the air, I mean, the media can pretty much shoot what it wants. There is no controlling it, is there?

TODD: No. I think they're going to have a hard time. And short of one of the candidates or both candidates teaming up together, you know, threatening a walkout, I don't think you're going to see any problems with that.

COSTELLO: That would be interesting. You know, the other thing is the moderators, namely Bob Schieffer of CBS and ABC's Charlie Gibson. They have not signed any agreement on the ground rules. They haven't signed it yet. What? Thursday is the debate.

TODD: Well, neither one of those are participating in that first debate. So, I mean, you know, the ground rules were pretty stringent. The commission said that it would go along with the ground rules. They just didn't like having to sign something. And I think it's probably to protect themselves just in case one of the moderators doesn't agree to do something, or one of the moderators maybe even accidentally violates the agreement. They don't want to be held responsible.

COSTELLO: So, do you think they'll sign up before their scheduled debate, the moderators that is?

TODD: No. No, I don't think that you'll ever see them sign. I think what you'll do is you'll do verbal agreements. But I have a feeling that it's just going to stay verbal. There is this fear of actually putting pen to paper. It seems kind of bizarre, but at the same time, you know, this is a zero sum game for these campaigns. And you could imagine if they didn't like -- if they think the moderators violated the agreement, they'd be up in arms.

COSTELLO: All right, Chuck Todd joining us live from Washington this morning, thank you.

Foreign policy and homeland security are the topics of tomorrow's debate. And CNN will bring all of it to you live at 9:00 Eastern. That's Thursday night.

From the agents at the gate to the guy in a corner office, is Delta in dire straights? We'll tell you about the airline's latest plan to avoid bankruptcy.

And when you kick back with a cold one, are you really cutting carbs? And what about your favorite bottle of wine and those new low- carb wines out there? We'll tell you what's bogus about the labels on some bottles.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The third-largest airline in the United States is taking drastic measures to avoid going bankrupt.

Carrie Lee has more on that story. She's live at the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Big news out of Delta here. The company is going to cut wages by 10 percent for top executives and frontline staff. Also, Delta says it will increase employee costs for health care coverage, reduced maximum vacation time, eliminate a subsidy for retiree medical benefits, and offer two voluntary exit packages to employees. Also, the company's chief executive is going to go unpaid for the rest of the year.

Delta is still warning of bankruptcy within weeks unless cost cuts are made. The ultimate goal for Delta is to save $5 billion a year by 2006. Remember, they're asking pilots for $1 billion in wage concessions. The company's CEO in a memo to employees says the company has a small window of time in which to avoid chapter 11 bankruptcy.

So, Carol, Delta is trying to do what it can to stave off filing.

The stock yesterday rallied over 13 percent, gaining about 13 and a half percent. So, we'll see what it does today. It seems kind of cruel almost that Wall Street typically likes cost-cutting news, the stock going up. But, boy, they're in a pretty tough position right now.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding.

A quick look at the futures.

LEE: You know, things are looking pretty flat right now. We do have a couple of hours to go, of course, before the opening bell. We'll get a final look at GDP, gross domestic product, the measure of all of the goods and services. That could affect trading.

One stock to watch today, Orbitz, which gained about 28 percent last night in the after-hour's session. The five top airlines here are reportedly close to selling their joint venture, Orbitz, for $1.2 billion to Cendant. So, we'll see what the stock does today, but a nice gain last night.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Carrie Lee, live from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Word in overnight a judge in Yemen has sentenced two men to death for the bombing of the USS Cole four years ago. Four other men were given prison terms ranging from 5 to 10 years. Seventeen American sailors were killed in that attack.

Take a look at this. It's a desperate scramble to freedom. It happened just hours ago in Beijing, China. Forty-four North Koreans scaled a fence around the Canadian embassy there. Chinese guards stopped one man from getting over.

In money, the world's largest computer chipmaker is No. 1 on another list. Intel tops a new ranking of Fortune 500 companies that make major efforts to make it easier for their employees to commute. The Environmental Protection Agency comes up with that list.

In culture, fashion pioneer Geoffrey Beene is dead. He died of pneumonia at his Manhattan home. Beene burst onto the fashion scene more than 40 years ago. Geoffrey Beene was 77 years old.

In sports, the Anaheim Angels pulled into a tie for first place in the American League West with an 8-2 win over the Texas Rangers. The Angels and the Oakland A's are tied for the lead. They'll face each other for three games to close out the regular season.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines this morning.

If you're eating low-carb, can you also drink low-carb? Of course, I'm talking about fitting the occasional glass of wine or a mixed drink into your diet plan.

Registered dietitian Lisa Drayer joins us now to help us find the truth in low-carb wine.

You know, I've been seeing advertisements for low-carb wine. I didn't realize wine was high-carb. But you did your own taste testing and other things as well. What did you find out?

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETITIAN: Yes, you know, Carol, it's really not that bad. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised. I'm trying this new 1.6 chardonnay. I actually tried their 1.9 merlot. This is the new low-carb wine that's on the market now. This tastes too much different than a regular merlot, though, at least the one that I had.

But let's take a look at some of the calories and carbs in these wines to show our viewers what we're really talking about here. If we talk about a 5-ounce glass of this 1.6 chardonnay, well, it has 1.6 grams of carbohydrates and 120 calories. A glass of 1.9 merlot has 1.9 grams of carbohydrates and 125 calories.

But, you know, Carol, when we compared these to regular dry wines, it's pretty similar. You're average dry fermented wine has 1.5 to 3 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

So, really these are very dry wines that simply have been altered, the flavor that is, so that it gives perhaps a sweeter flavor. Now, if a wine is sweeter, it will have more carbohydrates, perhaps up to 5 grams per glass.

Also, the calories are pretty similar to regular wines. So, these have 120 to 125 per glass. Your average 5-ounce glass of wine has about 100 to 105 calories. So, we're not talking about major differences here.

COSTELLO: No. And how -- I mean, if you're on a low-carb diet, what's your carb cutoff point? I mean, would that -- would even the regular wine fall into your cutoff point?

DRAYER: It would make a dent, but it really depends on which carbohydrate diet you're talking about. Some are as low as 20 grams of carbs. So, you know, if you're drinking four glasses of wine -- of regular wine, then there you have it if you're following Atkins in those first two weeks.

So, typically, these low-carb wines and all alcohol, it's recommend that you avoid these.

COSTELLO: OK, Chad is the king of the Atkins diet, and he wants to ask you a question.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. DRAYER: Sure, go ahead, Chad.

MYERS: Lisa, when I was on the Atkins diet, they say that the alcohol in that product is actually used for your body as energy. So, you lose that ketosis part of the Atkins diet. Even though it's a low carb, you have now got the alcohol in your system, and your body is using that alcohol as energy. So, you're no longer losing weight as long as that alcohol is in your system. True or not true?

DRAYER: Right. Well, you know, there are some theories out there, Chad. In fact, alcohol is preferentially metabolized by the liver, meaning that your body will burn alcohol before it burns fat, carbohydrates or protein. This is one of the theories out there.

MYERS: Yes.

DRAYER: However, it's important to remember that alcohol does contain calories. And when we look at per gram, 1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein has 4 calories. So, you're talking about almost double the calorie count per gram.

Now, in terms of the actual research, there is some interesting stuff here. I actually spoke with Dr. Carlos Camargo (ph). He is at the Harvard School of Public Health, and he's the chair of the Ethanol Committee that recently issued new alcohol recommendations. He says the studies show that one to two drinks per day really isn't associated with weight gain. It could be that people who drink one glass of wine with dinner are engaging in other healthy behaviors.

But the key is going for some of the lower calorie beverages. If you're having a mudslide with 800 calories, certainly that's not going to help you lose weight. So, just be smart. Limit yourself to one per day if you do enjoy drinking.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Interesting. Thanks for the question, Chad. And thank you, Lisa Drayer. And hopefully you'll come back and talk about other low-carb things like beer the next time.

DRAYER: Yes, we have beers and liquor.

COSTELLO: All right, we look forward to that. Thank you, Lisa.

DRAYER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: We had to outer space next by way of the Mojave Desert. Just ahead, Miles O'Brien has the story of a man who is reaching for the stars and hoping to catch a $10 million prize along the way.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Some news from space today. An asteroid is making its closest pass by the Earth since the year 19 -- or 1353. In the meantime, some space entrepreneurs are hoping to join the asteroid in space in an effort to win a pretty big prize.

For more on both of those events, we turn to our space correspondent, Miles O'Brien. He's in the Mojave Desert.

Good morning -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

To get as far as that asteroid, that will be news.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding.

Tell us about this asteroid first off. Is it really going to pass by all that close?

O'BRIEN: Well, if you consider 900,000 miles close. The moon is about a quarter of a million miles away. So, it's a couple of three moons away. And certainly that's not anything that's going to clunk us on the head and do a dinosaur routine on us.

But nevertheless, we are -- Earth is kind of swimming in a sea of rocks like this, and there are a few of these big ones out there -- near-Earth asteroids, they call them -- that could very -- one day could very easily cause a global disaster. That's why we've got to keep watching for them. Just add it to your list of worries this morning.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Just like that movie, "Armageddon."

O'BRIEN: It is.

COSTELLO: Chad wants to ask you a question, Miles.

O'BRIEN: OK.

MYERS: Hey, Miles, how close does this thing have to get ever in its life to actually get into the Earth's gravitation and be pulled to us? Is there a threshold here?

O'BRIEN: Well, actually in this case, little global -- let's just do a little Newtonian moment here. We are all going to be pulled by the sun's gravity. So, really it wouldn't be the Earth that would attract the asteroid. It's just we're all spinning around the sun.

And eventually, you know, one of these angles like the angles of, you know, cars going around a racetrack, it's possible we're going to collide with one of these things. And that's the most important thing that scientists tell me we should be doing is looking for these rocks so that we can make informed decisions about what we might do, which if you watch the movies, get a bunch of roustabouts who know how to drill wells and go up...

COSTELLO: We need Bruce Willis.

O'BRIEN: What?

COSTELLO: We need Bruce Willis.

O'BRIEN: Bruce Willis. He can fix it for us, can't he? COSTELLO: Exactly. Hey, tell us the real reason you're in the Mojave Desert this morning.

O'BRIEN: We're in the Mojave Desert hopefully to see a little bit of space history once again being written. Burt Rutan and his team will try to fly to space again a civilian craft, a civilian astronaut.

This time it's the first step in a two-step process of going after the $10 million Ansari X-Prize. This is given to the first team to fly a craft capable of carrying three people to space, which is 62 miles in altitude, well short of the asteroid, twice in as many weeks, and it's a private purse, in order to try to spur on entrepreneurs to do things in space like space tourism.

So, the first flight of that attempt will be this morning. The second flight may be as early as next week if all goes well today.

MYERS: Miles, the last time they went up, they made it actually. They got up to 62 miles. But there was only one guy in it, so that one actually didn't count, right?

O'BRIEN: Yes. It wasn't a technical attempt to go after the X- Prize. Rutan wanted to demonstrate the technology first.

Now, this time they have told the X-Prize folks this is an official attempt at the prize. And there will be one person in it, but there will be the equivalent weight of two others.

And it's interesting, instead of just putting lead shot or whatever in there, what they have done is ask all of the members of the team and all of the family members to add personal effects -- pictures and, you know, tools...

COSTELLO: Interesting.

O'BRIEN: ... and things that would mean something to them about this project that they could say flew in space.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Thank you, Miles. We have to go.

O'BRIEN: OK.

COSTELLO: But we'll check back with you tomorrow to see how it went. Actually, that will be on later on CNN.

MYERS: Yes, we'll have it live.

COSTELLO: Yes. Your chance to win a mug in two minutes. But first, this is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We are sorry we didn't get to more of your e-mails today, but everybody seemed to go long today as far as the correspondents, and me. MYERS: You know, to listen to Miles, though, talk about that stuff, that was way worth better than listening to somebody else's e- mail.

COSTELLO: Oh, I don't think so. Get out of here!

MYERS: Just kidding!

COSTELLO: Are you crazy?

MYERS: All right, here are the questions now for today's coffee mug. The average cup -- the average glass of red wine, dry red wine, has how many carbs per serving? And Bob Dole and Al Gore made a joint appearance yesterday at what college campus?

COSTELLO: Daybreak@CNN.com.

MYERS: We'll have the answers tomorrow.

COSTELLO: "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.


Aired September 29, 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: And good morning to you from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

Word in overnight a judge in Yemen has sentenced two men to death for the bombing of the USS Cole four years ago. Four other men were given prison terms ranging from 5 to 10 years. Seventeen American sailors were killed in that attack.

In just a few hours, a group of people who want to make some money on space travel will try to win a $10 million prize. The prize is offered by a nonprofit foundation promoting commercial space flight. Coming up in 15 minutes, we'll have a live report from space correspondent Miles O'Brien, who will be on-hand for the blastoff.

Two men battling over Barry Bonds' record 700th homerun ball are due in a San Francisco courtroom today. The ball, of course, could be worth somewhere in the six figures.

In parts of New Jersey and New York, a bitter taste of remnants of Jeanne. The former hurricane even spawned a tornado in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. No one was hurt, but 11 buildings were damaged.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: We begin our last half-hour with politics, 34 days and counting until the presidential election. Here's what the major contenders have planned leading up to tomorrow night's presidential debate in Florida.

President Bush and John Kerry are going to Florida today ahead of their showdown. The president has wrapped up debate practice at his Crawford, Texas ranch. He plans to head to Lake Wales, Florida, to take a look at the damage done by Hurricane Jeanne.

John Kerry has no public events on his agenda when he goes to the Sunshine State today. He's been at a golf resort in Wisconsin, gearing up for tomorrow's debate.

And it's been a family affair for President Bush on the campaign trail. Twin daughters Jenna and Barbara appeared with their grandmother at an event in New Hampshire. The twins say their grandpa, the first President Bush, is also helping out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JENNA BUSH, DAUGHER OF GEORGE W. BUSH: Our grandfather is also contributing. He occasionally gives a few speeches about dad. But mainly he spends his time yelling at the television screen when he sees unfair stories on the news. We keep telling him that they can't hear what he's saying, but he insists that it's helping.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A former Bush rival, Al Gore, is weighing in on the upcoming debate. He and Bob Dole took part in a panel discussion at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Dole says both candidates should be themselves.

As for Gore, remember when he kept sighing in the debate with Bush four years ago? Well, Gore certainly remembers. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL GORE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Both candidates will have stand-ins, who are trained to give the lines of their opponent, and they'll have mock debates. They're both going through them right now, I'm sure -- or, I mean, today, I'm sure, and have been for some time. It's a very elaborate preparation process as it has developed, and it's quite interesting. It just makes me sort of want to sigh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And Al Gore has more tips in a "New York Times" editorial today, titled "How to Debate George Bush." He writes: "My advice to John Kerry is simple: Be prepared for the toughest debates of your career. While George Bush's campaign has made lowering expectations into a high art form, the record is clear: He's a skilled debater who uses the format to his advantage."

Gore goes on to say, "There is no reason to expect any less this time around. And if anyone truly has low expectations for an incumbent president, that in itself is an issue."

So, as you can see, everybody has advice for the candidates. But wait. The debate itself is still in debate, and that is our "Hot Topic" this morning.

Live from Washington, Chuck Todd, online editor of "The National Journal's" "Hotline."

Good morning.

CHUCK TODD, "THE HOTLINE": Good morning.

COSTELLO: So, we hear this morning that the television networks broadcasting the debates are refusing to go along with the carefully- choreographed plan. Do they have some legitimate gripes?

TODD: I think they do. I mean, it was amazing that they were going to try to prevent footage of one of the candidates while the other one was speaking. I mean, this idea that you couldn't show -- and I guess this is to make sure there was no sighing problems this time or any of that stuff. You know, that's part of the story. Why should the people in the hall and the pool reporter that will be there be able to see that stuff and the public not?

COSTELLO: And, of course, the media is saying, why should anybody be able to control what we shoot?

TODD: Exactly. I mean, no, it seemed like an absurd request. But then again, considering what happened to Al Gore last year with the sighs and the weird looks and all that stuff, in some ways...

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Well, but that was Al Gore's problem, wasn't it?

TODD: I agree. That's...

COSTELLO: It wasn't the media's problem.

TODD: Absolutely. Absolutely. And to me, it only adds to the interest in the debates.

COSTELLO: I mean, if it were me, I'd want to see how the other guy is reacting to what one has to say.

TODD: I think that's...

COSTELLO: I mean, that's really important, isn't it?

TODD: I think it's more important. Some body language matters sometimes more than the actual language. And so let's see it. I think it was an absurd request, and I think the candidates knew it was, and they were probably surprised when it's taken this long for the networks to balk.

COSTELLO: So, once this debate goes on the air, I mean, the media can pretty much shoot what it wants. There is no controlling it, is there?

TODD: No. I think they're going to have a hard time. And short of one of the candidates or both candidates teaming up together, you know, threatening a walkout, I don't think you're going to see any problems with that.

COSTELLO: That would be interesting. You know, the other thing is the moderators, namely Bob Schieffer of CBS and ABC's Charlie Gibson. They have not signed any agreement on the ground rules. They haven't signed it yet. What? Thursday is the debate.

TODD: Well, neither one of those are participating in that first debate. So, I mean, you know, the ground rules were pretty stringent. The commission said that it would go along with the ground rules. They just didn't like having to sign something. And I think it's probably to protect themselves just in case one of the moderators doesn't agree to do something, or one of the moderators maybe even accidentally violates the agreement. They don't want to be held responsible.

COSTELLO: So, do you think they'll sign up before their scheduled debate, the moderators that is?

TODD: No. No, I don't think that you'll ever see them sign. I think what you'll do is you'll do verbal agreements. But I have a feeling that it's just going to stay verbal. There is this fear of actually putting pen to paper. It seems kind of bizarre, but at the same time, you know, this is a zero sum game for these campaigns. And you could imagine if they didn't like -- if they think the moderators violated the agreement, they'd be up in arms.

COSTELLO: All right, Chuck Todd joining us live from Washington this morning, thank you.

Foreign policy and homeland security are the topics of tomorrow's debate. And CNN will bring all of it to you live at 9:00 Eastern. That's Thursday night.

From the agents at the gate to the guy in a corner office, is Delta in dire straights? We'll tell you about the airline's latest plan to avoid bankruptcy.

And when you kick back with a cold one, are you really cutting carbs? And what about your favorite bottle of wine and those new low- carb wines out there? We'll tell you what's bogus about the labels on some bottles.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The third-largest airline in the United States is taking drastic measures to avoid going bankrupt.

Carrie Lee has more on that story. She's live at the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Big news out of Delta here. The company is going to cut wages by 10 percent for top executives and frontline staff. Also, Delta says it will increase employee costs for health care coverage, reduced maximum vacation time, eliminate a subsidy for retiree medical benefits, and offer two voluntary exit packages to employees. Also, the company's chief executive is going to go unpaid for the rest of the year.

Delta is still warning of bankruptcy within weeks unless cost cuts are made. The ultimate goal for Delta is to save $5 billion a year by 2006. Remember, they're asking pilots for $1 billion in wage concessions. The company's CEO in a memo to employees says the company has a small window of time in which to avoid chapter 11 bankruptcy.

So, Carol, Delta is trying to do what it can to stave off filing.

The stock yesterday rallied over 13 percent, gaining about 13 and a half percent. So, we'll see what it does today. It seems kind of cruel almost that Wall Street typically likes cost-cutting news, the stock going up. But, boy, they're in a pretty tough position right now.

COSTELLO: Oh, you're not kidding.

A quick look at the futures.

LEE: You know, things are looking pretty flat right now. We do have a couple of hours to go, of course, before the opening bell. We'll get a final look at GDP, gross domestic product, the measure of all of the goods and services. That could affect trading.

One stock to watch today, Orbitz, which gained about 28 percent last night in the after-hour's session. The five top airlines here are reportedly close to selling their joint venture, Orbitz, for $1.2 billion to Cendant. So, we'll see what the stock does today, but a nice gain last night.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Carrie Lee, live from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Word in overnight a judge in Yemen has sentenced two men to death for the bombing of the USS Cole four years ago. Four other men were given prison terms ranging from 5 to 10 years. Seventeen American sailors were killed in that attack.

Take a look at this. It's a desperate scramble to freedom. It happened just hours ago in Beijing, China. Forty-four North Koreans scaled a fence around the Canadian embassy there. Chinese guards stopped one man from getting over.

In money, the world's largest computer chipmaker is No. 1 on another list. Intel tops a new ranking of Fortune 500 companies that make major efforts to make it easier for their employees to commute. The Environmental Protection Agency comes up with that list.

In culture, fashion pioneer Geoffrey Beene is dead. He died of pneumonia at his Manhattan home. Beene burst onto the fashion scene more than 40 years ago. Geoffrey Beene was 77 years old.

In sports, the Anaheim Angels pulled into a tie for first place in the American League West with an 8-2 win over the Texas Rangers. The Angels and the Oakland A's are tied for the lead. They'll face each other for three games to close out the regular season.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines this morning.

If you're eating low-carb, can you also drink low-carb? Of course, I'm talking about fitting the occasional glass of wine or a mixed drink into your diet plan.

Registered dietitian Lisa Drayer joins us now to help us find the truth in low-carb wine.

You know, I've been seeing advertisements for low-carb wine. I didn't realize wine was high-carb. But you did your own taste testing and other things as well. What did you find out?

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETITIAN: Yes, you know, Carol, it's really not that bad. I was surprised, pleasantly surprised. I'm trying this new 1.6 chardonnay. I actually tried their 1.9 merlot. This is the new low-carb wine that's on the market now. This tastes too much different than a regular merlot, though, at least the one that I had.

But let's take a look at some of the calories and carbs in these wines to show our viewers what we're really talking about here. If we talk about a 5-ounce glass of this 1.6 chardonnay, well, it has 1.6 grams of carbohydrates and 120 calories. A glass of 1.9 merlot has 1.9 grams of carbohydrates and 125 calories.

But, you know, Carol, when we compared these to regular dry wines, it's pretty similar. You're average dry fermented wine has 1.5 to 3 grams of carbohydrates per serving.

So, really these are very dry wines that simply have been altered, the flavor that is, so that it gives perhaps a sweeter flavor. Now, if a wine is sweeter, it will have more carbohydrates, perhaps up to 5 grams per glass.

Also, the calories are pretty similar to regular wines. So, these have 120 to 125 per glass. Your average 5-ounce glass of wine has about 100 to 105 calories. So, we're not talking about major differences here.

COSTELLO: No. And how -- I mean, if you're on a low-carb diet, what's your carb cutoff point? I mean, would that -- would even the regular wine fall into your cutoff point?

DRAYER: It would make a dent, but it really depends on which carbohydrate diet you're talking about. Some are as low as 20 grams of carbs. So, you know, if you're drinking four glasses of wine -- of regular wine, then there you have it if you're following Atkins in those first two weeks.

So, typically, these low-carb wines and all alcohol, it's recommend that you avoid these.

COSTELLO: OK, Chad is the king of the Atkins diet, and he wants to ask you a question.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. DRAYER: Sure, go ahead, Chad.

MYERS: Lisa, when I was on the Atkins diet, they say that the alcohol in that product is actually used for your body as energy. So, you lose that ketosis part of the Atkins diet. Even though it's a low carb, you have now got the alcohol in your system, and your body is using that alcohol as energy. So, you're no longer losing weight as long as that alcohol is in your system. True or not true?

DRAYER: Right. Well, you know, there are some theories out there, Chad. In fact, alcohol is preferentially metabolized by the liver, meaning that your body will burn alcohol before it burns fat, carbohydrates or protein. This is one of the theories out there.

MYERS: Yes.

DRAYER: However, it's important to remember that alcohol does contain calories. And when we look at per gram, 1 gram of alcohol has 7 calories, 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein has 4 calories. So, you're talking about almost double the calorie count per gram.

Now, in terms of the actual research, there is some interesting stuff here. I actually spoke with Dr. Carlos Camargo (ph). He is at the Harvard School of Public Health, and he's the chair of the Ethanol Committee that recently issued new alcohol recommendations. He says the studies show that one to two drinks per day really isn't associated with weight gain. It could be that people who drink one glass of wine with dinner are engaging in other healthy behaviors.

But the key is going for some of the lower calorie beverages. If you're having a mudslide with 800 calories, certainly that's not going to help you lose weight. So, just be smart. Limit yourself to one per day if you do enjoy drinking.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Interesting. Thanks for the question, Chad. And thank you, Lisa Drayer. And hopefully you'll come back and talk about other low-carb things like beer the next time.

DRAYER: Yes, we have beers and liquor.

COSTELLO: All right, we look forward to that. Thank you, Lisa.

DRAYER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: We had to outer space next by way of the Mojave Desert. Just ahead, Miles O'Brien has the story of a man who is reaching for the stars and hoping to catch a $10 million prize along the way.

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COSTELLO: Some news from space today. An asteroid is making its closest pass by the Earth since the year 19 -- or 1353. In the meantime, some space entrepreneurs are hoping to join the asteroid in space in an effort to win a pretty big prize.

For more on both of those events, we turn to our space correspondent, Miles O'Brien. He's in the Mojave Desert.

Good morning -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

To get as far as that asteroid, that will be news.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding.

Tell us about this asteroid first off. Is it really going to pass by all that close?

O'BRIEN: Well, if you consider 900,000 miles close. The moon is about a quarter of a million miles away. So, it's a couple of three moons away. And certainly that's not anything that's going to clunk us on the head and do a dinosaur routine on us.

But nevertheless, we are -- Earth is kind of swimming in a sea of rocks like this, and there are a few of these big ones out there -- near-Earth asteroids, they call them -- that could very -- one day could very easily cause a global disaster. That's why we've got to keep watching for them. Just add it to your list of worries this morning.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Just like that movie, "Armageddon."

O'BRIEN: It is.

COSTELLO: Chad wants to ask you a question, Miles.

O'BRIEN: OK.

MYERS: Hey, Miles, how close does this thing have to get ever in its life to actually get into the Earth's gravitation and be pulled to us? Is there a threshold here?

O'BRIEN: Well, actually in this case, little global -- let's just do a little Newtonian moment here. We are all going to be pulled by the sun's gravity. So, really it wouldn't be the Earth that would attract the asteroid. It's just we're all spinning around the sun.

And eventually, you know, one of these angles like the angles of, you know, cars going around a racetrack, it's possible we're going to collide with one of these things. And that's the most important thing that scientists tell me we should be doing is looking for these rocks so that we can make informed decisions about what we might do, which if you watch the movies, get a bunch of roustabouts who know how to drill wells and go up...

COSTELLO: We need Bruce Willis.

O'BRIEN: What?

COSTELLO: We need Bruce Willis.

O'BRIEN: Bruce Willis. He can fix it for us, can't he? COSTELLO: Exactly. Hey, tell us the real reason you're in the Mojave Desert this morning.

O'BRIEN: We're in the Mojave Desert hopefully to see a little bit of space history once again being written. Burt Rutan and his team will try to fly to space again a civilian craft, a civilian astronaut.

This time it's the first step in a two-step process of going after the $10 million Ansari X-Prize. This is given to the first team to fly a craft capable of carrying three people to space, which is 62 miles in altitude, well short of the asteroid, twice in as many weeks, and it's a private purse, in order to try to spur on entrepreneurs to do things in space like space tourism.

So, the first flight of that attempt will be this morning. The second flight may be as early as next week if all goes well today.

MYERS: Miles, the last time they went up, they made it actually. They got up to 62 miles. But there was only one guy in it, so that one actually didn't count, right?

O'BRIEN: Yes. It wasn't a technical attempt to go after the X- Prize. Rutan wanted to demonstrate the technology first.

Now, this time they have told the X-Prize folks this is an official attempt at the prize. And there will be one person in it, but there will be the equivalent weight of two others.

And it's interesting, instead of just putting lead shot or whatever in there, what they have done is ask all of the members of the team and all of the family members to add personal effects -- pictures and, you know, tools...

COSTELLO: Interesting.

O'BRIEN: ... and things that would mean something to them about this project that they could say flew in space.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Thank you, Miles. We have to go.

O'BRIEN: OK.

COSTELLO: But we'll check back with you tomorrow to see how it went. Actually, that will be on later on CNN.

MYERS: Yes, we'll have it live.

COSTELLO: Yes. Your chance to win a mug in two minutes. But first, this is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.

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COSTELLO: We are sorry we didn't get to more of your e-mails today, but everybody seemed to go long today as far as the correspondents, and me. MYERS: You know, to listen to Miles, though, talk about that stuff, that was way worth better than listening to somebody else's e- mail.

COSTELLO: Oh, I don't think so. Get out of here!

MYERS: Just kidding!

COSTELLO: Are you crazy?

MYERS: All right, here are the questions now for today's coffee mug. The average cup -- the average glass of red wine, dry red wine, has how many carbs per serving? And Bob Dole and Al Gore made a joint appearance yesterday at what college campus?

COSTELLO: Daybreak@CNN.com.

MYERS: We'll have the answers tomorrow.

COSTELLO: "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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