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CNN Live At Daybreak

'We'd Respond'; Crucial Confrontation; Debate #1; Not Too Young

Aired September 30, 2004 - 05:30   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, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

George W. Bush and John F. Kerry get a chance tonight to defend their own positions and point out each other's weaknesses. Tonight's debate in Florida will focus on foreign policy and security. CNN's live coverage begins at 7:00 Eastern.

Bombs fell on Fallujah again this morning. Today's airstrike targeted a suspected safe house used by terrorists. No casualties officially reported, but Reuters' video of the scene shows five dead bodies.

Scientists are warning of a small or moderate eruption of Mount St. Helens in the next few days. The volcano south of Seattle erupted back in 1980 killing 57 people.

Cleveland Indians pitcher, Kyle Denney, was wounded in the leg last night when a bullet was fired into a team bus in Kansas City, Missouri. Police have no suspects in the shooting which occurred as the bus was taking the players to the Kansas City Airport after a game with the Royals. Denney was the starting pitcher in that game, which the Indians won five to two. He was not seriously injured. Wow!

Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's a little frightening.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding.

MYERS: Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

The wife of that British man being held hostage says the release of other prisoners in Iraq gives her some hope. New images of Kenneth Bigley shackled in a cage were shown on Al Jazeera TV. From her native Thailand, Sombat Bigley asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save her husband.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SOMBAT BIGLEY, HOSTAGE'S WIFE (through translator): Tony Blair can save his life and is the only one that can. It seems like he is waiting for Tony Blair to say a word or anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bigley's captors are demanding that Muslim women being held in Iraqi prisons be freed. Two Americans kidnapped with him were beheaded.

And Prime Minister Tony Blair now says if Kenneth Bigley's kidnappers would contact the British government, we'd respond to it immediately. Blair has been saying his government would never negotiate with terrorists, but he also says Britain is doing everything it can to get Bigley released.

Let's go live to London now and CNN's Robin Oakley.

Hello -- Robin.

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

In fact, I'm at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, England. And it's a conference where Tony Blair has been desperate to get the focus back on the domestic agenda because there's an election looming next spring. Instead, the issue of Iraq has dominated all five days of this conference. They are in debate right now during which delegates will be pressing for an early return of British troops from Iraq.

And what has intensified the focus on Iraq is the fate of that hostage Kenneth Bigley. It seemed last night that the release of the latest video with him imploring Tony Blair to save his life and Tony Blair's response to it, that you outlined saying that he would respond to the kidnappers, marked a change of tone from the British government.

But basically, Tony Blair's aides are telling me that it's simply that they don't know who the kidnappers are, exactly what their demands are, where they are, whether Mr. Bigley is still alive. So it's essentially a response in terms of trying to seek more information.

And Jack Straw, the British Home Secretary, set out the limitations on anything that the British government really can and will do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Absolutely no change in our policy. We can't negotiate for the release of terrorists in a sense of agreeing to pay a ransom or, for example, arranging the release of prisoners or such demands. But that does not stop us saying we would like to hear from the terrorists. I doubt that we will. But of course we would, because we want to secure Mr. Bigley's release. (END VIDEO CLIP)

OAKLEY: But delegates at this conference have noted the release of the two Italian hostages, possibly after the payment of a ransom. And they are hearing that negotiations by the French government may soon result in the release of two French hostages, so all of that, Carol, is intensifying the pressure on Tony Blair.

COSTELLO: Robin Oakley reporting live from Brighton, England this morning. Thank you.

Those two Italian aid workers who had been held hostage are talking about going back to Iraq. The two women, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, are back in Italy this morning. They were held hostage in Iraq for three weeks. The women are expected to talk with reporters this morning. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is denying reports that a ransom was paid for their release.

Since April, militant groups in Iraq have seized more than 100 hostages, most have been released, but about 30 have been killed.

Stay on the subject of Iraq for another moment, because foreign policy will be the focus of tonight's first presidential debate.

CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look at what sets the candidates apart on that front.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the election were held today overseas, John Kerry would win by a landslide. A poll of 35 nations finds people in 30 of them want President Bush out, mostly because of Iraq. His portrayal of other nations as friend or foe, good or evil has more than half saying Mr. Bush has made them feel worse about America.

STEVEN KULL, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: People around the world are having the feeling that the United States is not taking into account their perspectives, their points of view, their feelings.

Kerry does send out signals of a greater readiness to cooperate, to listen to allies. And that does create a positive resonance in the world.

FOREMAN: But time and again, polls here have shown that Americans think George Bush can handle Iraq better than his opponent, even though foreign policy analysts say the war is now so complex, it may defy management.

NANCY ROMAN, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Whoever becomes president inherits a situation that's going to consume a lot of energy. And really, actions on the ground are dictating a lot of what will have to be decided.

FOREMAN: The candidates' plans are different. Senator Kerry says American troops will start pulling out in four years. President Bush says we will leave when we're ready. Mr. Kerry says Iraq is sapping resources from the war on terror.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Iraq was a profound diversion from that war and from our greatest enemy, Osama bin Laden.

FOREMAN: Mr. Bush says Iraq is part of that mission.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day.

FOREMAN: Kerry says he will get international help for stabilizing Iraq. But as the European media covered the upcoming debates and horrifying developments from Baghdad, foreign leaders are reassuring their constituents they will not send troops unless the U.N. is in charge.

CHRISTOPHE DE ROQUEFEUILLE, AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE: This is going to depend on the kind of involvement John Kerry will have with Europeans. If he's asking for more, let's say, political involvement, political commitment, diplomatic help, financial help maybe.

FOREMAN (on camera): Both candidates have plans for the war on terror calling for better intelligence, retraining of military forces and beefed up border security.

(voice-over): Both say new potential nuclear threats must be eliminated.

But analysts say the trick will be making such ideas work against unseen enemies in a dangerous world.

ROMAN: I often joke that Democrats should be voting for Bush and Republicans should be voting for Kerry, because I think the next four years will be very difficult.

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And CNN is there for tonight's debate on international policy and homeland security. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, Wolf Blitzer and CNN's election team kick off our primetime coverage at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific Time.

A heart-stopping race into space, how SpaceShipOne moved forward in the quest to get the coveted $10 million X-Prize, but not without a few glitches. We'll show you.

And we've been talking all morning about the presidential debates. How will President Bush and Senator Kerry appear to voters as they face off on foreign policy tonight?

And do you even plan to watch these debates? Why or why not? We want to know. That's our DAYBREAK "Question of the Morning." E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And of course we'll read some of your comments just ahead on DAYBREAK.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

A car bomb in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib neighborhood, right by that prison, has killed at least three people, including a U.S. soldier. At least 45 are wounded. Two Iraqi police officers were also killed.

Martha Stewart will serve her five-month prison term in West Virginia. That's farther away than the Connecticut prison she had requested. Stewart must report to the minimum-security facility by October 8.

In money news, the price of crude oil slipped slightly after unexpected news that U.S. reserves are up. Also helping prices, progress in talks in oil-rich Nigeria where a rebellion had threatened a supply shut down.

In culture, Japanese women are getting cuddly with the new boyfriend pillow. The pillow is shaped like a big arm to offer balance and comfort for supposedly lonely women. The company is working on a model for men that's shaped like a woman's lap. Not kidding.

In sports, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley is done. He was suspended for the remaining five games of the season after a bottle throwing incident on Tuesday night. Bradley threw the plastic bottle into the stands after a fan tossed it on the field in his direction.

Morning -- Chad.

MYERS: Good morning. Didn't Milton Bradley make a bunch of games back in the '60s and '70s?

COSTELLO: A bunch of what?

MYERS: Games, you know, like Chutes and Ladders and stuff.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

Those are the latest headlines for you.

For the first time ever, a presidential debate is being held in Miami, and that is good news for a state that's been battered by three major hurricanes in the past week.

Joining us from Coral Gables is reporter Natalie Solis with our Miami affiliate WSVN.

Good morning, Natalie. So what's the word on campus?

NATALIE SOLIS, WSVN-TV REPORTER: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I bet they are excited.

SOLIS: They are. They are very, very excited. I mean there is just so much going on on this campus, as you can imagine. I mean, actually tonight they're going to have a student watch party here at the Reskaller (ph). It's a student hangout that I'm actually in front of right now. So that's the big event later this evening that they'll be watching all together.

But leading up to that, I mean just so much going on here, students congregating. I think most importantly they are really starting to have a political awareness, many of them tell us, perhaps they came here you know right out of high school, not really knowing much about the system, and this sort of thrust them right into that.

There have been some inconveniences with security. I mean there are 12 different police departments that are involved, Secret Service. Students have to wear their ID badges and faculty, as well, have to wear those badges everywhere they go. So there have been limitations. But many students tell us it has really been worth it in order to have an event this prestigious here on campus.

COSTELLO: I know your president is Donna Shalala there at the University of Miami, right?

SOLIS: That is correct.

COSTELLO: Did she have a big part in bringing the debate there?

SOLIS: To my knowledge she did. I can't tell you specifically about all the negotiations, but that is what I understand.

COSTELLO: Yes, it's amazing. Tell us more about the security and how this will work when the candidates fly in to Florida and then arrive on campus. I mean that sounds like a nightmare.

SOLIS: Well I mean it's really like lockdown. And I can tell you just you know being part of the media, it's extremely hard for us to get in. You know you have to be obviously credentialed. There will be sweeps.

You know when you have the two you know presidential candidates, one of them being the president of the United States, you can just imagine how tight the security is. As of I believe around 5:00 yesterday, a no-fly zone went into effect over the University of Miami. So I mean really security here extremely tight. And you know police here and other officials say they are ready for anything.

COSTELLO: All right. Natalie Solis from WSVN in Miami, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

Tales of a fourth grade something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESSENCE CHEATOM, KERRY FAN: That's why I actually kind of started this group, because I wanted to kind of like make a difference in this school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: How a 9-year-old convinced her classmates to get involved in this year's election, even though they are years away from being able to cast a vote.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Let's talk about political stars now. The rules are rigid for tonight's first presidential debate. No camera shots from behind and no cutaways to show the other's reaction. Of course the networks haven't exactly agreed to that. And other than the initial handshake, no moving from behind that podium. No props, diagrams or notes.

Rhetorical questions can be asked but no direct questions. Neither man is to make any pledges. Each candidate will have his own makeup person. Neither man can use risers to change his height. A coin toss will determine who gets the first question. And answers are limited to two minutes, rebuttals to 90 seconds.

So in light of all of those rules and regulations, Chad, are you up there?

MYERS: I am -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We're asking our viewers this morning if they are going to watch the debates. What do you think that most of them are saying?

MYERS: I would say that most of them are saying no, but that's because 40 million people will say yes. And while 40 million people say yes, and look at the number of people that will say no, I mean probably 15 percent of the audience out there will probably watch.

COSTELLO: My head is beginning to spin. Well let me read some.

MYERS: Yes, yes, you know too much calculus, you know.

COSTELLO: I know. Let me read some of them to you.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: This is from Joe (ph). He's from Yuma, Arizona. He says the debates, how can we avoid them? Every major will carry them. Major network, that is.

MYERS: Right.

COSTELLO: If someone has not made up their mind by now, are they really smart enough to vote?

This is aloha, Carol and Chad. This is from our friend in Honolulu, Thomas (ph). He says absolutely I will watch. For the first time after hearing the negative ads and retorting they will meet face to face and give our nation the opportunity to see them both under peer pressure.

And this from Shane (ph). He's from Pennsylvania, from Plymouth Meeting (ph). The stringent controls being placed on the debates, as agreed to by both Bush and Kerry, will most likely move any spirited discussion or drama that we have come to appreciate in past presidential debates. However, I will definitely watch the debates because I feel that the debates are opportunities for either Bush or Kerry to truly shine and win those crucial swing votes.

And most e-mails we're getting this morning are saying exactly what Shane is saying in his e-mail.

MYERS: You know what, then that means our viewers are smarter than the rest of them.

COSTELLO: You got that right, aren't they? Keep the e-mails coming, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Three states remain crucial as the presidential candidates go head to head in tonight's debate. One of them is Ohio.

Eve Mueller of CNN affiliate WBNS in Columbus finds you're never too young to back your candidate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

E. CHEATOM: Sometimes I can't be a normal 9-year-old. This is my baby, Precious.

EVE MUELLER, WBNS-TV REPORTER (voice-over): True, this fourth grader likes teddy bears, "Fear Factor," weaving belts and giggling with her girlfriends, but watch out when she's holding the briefcase.

E. CHEATOM: Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, (INAUDIBLE).

MUELLER: Essence Cheatom is one of her names. Madam president is the other.

E. CHEATOM: Everybody knows we have a debate coming up.

MUELLER: Her pro Kerry group at Ducksbury (ph) Park Alternative Elementary School meets every Tuesday. Sacrificing hula-hoop, hopscotch and football at recess to talk about fun things like...

E. CHEATOM: Medicare. MUELLER: ... and...

E. CHEATOM: Toxic waste.

MIKE WHITE, TEACHER: This is a student that I think comes around once in a lifetime. She's so driven and passionate about her beliefs.

MUELLER: They research the issues and always do a little Bush bashing. Essence started the effort last year after reading a magazine article on George Bush she didn't like.

E. CHEATOM: I'm miffed because I think he's not fair.

MUELLER: Her mom, a secretary, has no idea what prompted the passion surrounding her daughter's Kerry craze, but she does know who she must vote for.

CAROLYN CHEATOM, MOTHER: I couldn't live in this house if I wasn't voting for John Kerry.

MUELLER: Now Essence's effort has prompted a pro Bush group to form at the school, but they haven't yet had a meeting. There's a debate in two weeks, and all kids will vote here November 2. Sure the votes don't count, but the effort does. The essence of politics is here.

E. CHEATOM: That's why I actually kind of started this group, because I wanted to kind of like make a difference in this school.

You have to go, bell rung.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That report from Eve Mueller of CNN affiliate WBNS in Columbus, Ohio.

Also in Ohio, Oria Swaggerty credits her son, also her pastor, for getting her to vote in November.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ORIA SWAGGERTY, 90-YEAR-OLD VOTER: I'm glad to get to go this time. And if God permits me to live longer, until the next election, I'll vote again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It will be only the second time this 90-year-old will go to the polls. We'll have more on her story in the next hour of DAYBREAK.

CNN will be live in Miami as the candidates square off tonight on homeland security and foreign policy. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, Wolf Blitzer kick off our primetime coverage tonight beginning at 7:00 Eastern.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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 30, 2004 - 05:30   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, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

George W. Bush and John F. Kerry get a chance tonight to defend their own positions and point out each other's weaknesses. Tonight's debate in Florida will focus on foreign policy and security. CNN's live coverage begins at 7:00 Eastern.

Bombs fell on Fallujah again this morning. Today's airstrike targeted a suspected safe house used by terrorists. No casualties officially reported, but Reuters' video of the scene shows five dead bodies.

Scientists are warning of a small or moderate eruption of Mount St. Helens in the next few days. The volcano south of Seattle erupted back in 1980 killing 57 people.

Cleveland Indians pitcher, Kyle Denney, was wounded in the leg last night when a bullet was fired into a team bus in Kansas City, Missouri. Police have no suspects in the shooting which occurred as the bus was taking the players to the Kansas City Airport after a game with the Royals. Denney was the starting pitcher in that game, which the Indians won five to two. He was not seriously injured. Wow!

Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's a little frightening.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding.

MYERS: Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

The wife of that British man being held hostage says the release of other prisoners in Iraq gives her some hope. New images of Kenneth Bigley shackled in a cage were shown on Al Jazeera TV. From her native Thailand, Sombat Bigley asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help save her husband.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SOMBAT BIGLEY, HOSTAGE'S WIFE (through translator): Tony Blair can save his life and is the only one that can. It seems like he is waiting for Tony Blair to say a word or anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bigley's captors are demanding that Muslim women being held in Iraqi prisons be freed. Two Americans kidnapped with him were beheaded.

And Prime Minister Tony Blair now says if Kenneth Bigley's kidnappers would contact the British government, we'd respond to it immediately. Blair has been saying his government would never negotiate with terrorists, but he also says Britain is doing everything it can to get Bigley released.

Let's go live to London now and CNN's Robin Oakley.

Hello -- Robin.

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

In fact, I'm at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, England. And it's a conference where Tony Blair has been desperate to get the focus back on the domestic agenda because there's an election looming next spring. Instead, the issue of Iraq has dominated all five days of this conference. They are in debate right now during which delegates will be pressing for an early return of British troops from Iraq.

And what has intensified the focus on Iraq is the fate of that hostage Kenneth Bigley. It seemed last night that the release of the latest video with him imploring Tony Blair to save his life and Tony Blair's response to it, that you outlined saying that he would respond to the kidnappers, marked a change of tone from the British government.

But basically, Tony Blair's aides are telling me that it's simply that they don't know who the kidnappers are, exactly what their demands are, where they are, whether Mr. Bigley is still alive. So it's essentially a response in terms of trying to seek more information.

And Jack Straw, the British Home Secretary, set out the limitations on anything that the British government really can and will do.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK STRAW, BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY: Absolutely no change in our policy. We can't negotiate for the release of terrorists in a sense of agreeing to pay a ransom or, for example, arranging the release of prisoners or such demands. But that does not stop us saying we would like to hear from the terrorists. I doubt that we will. But of course we would, because we want to secure Mr. Bigley's release. (END VIDEO CLIP)

OAKLEY: But delegates at this conference have noted the release of the two Italian hostages, possibly after the payment of a ransom. And they are hearing that negotiations by the French government may soon result in the release of two French hostages, so all of that, Carol, is intensifying the pressure on Tony Blair.

COSTELLO: Robin Oakley reporting live from Brighton, England this morning. Thank you.

Those two Italian aid workers who had been held hostage are talking about going back to Iraq. The two women, Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, are back in Italy this morning. They were held hostage in Iraq for three weeks. The women are expected to talk with reporters this morning. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is denying reports that a ransom was paid for their release.

Since April, militant groups in Iraq have seized more than 100 hostages, most have been released, but about 30 have been killed.

Stay on the subject of Iraq for another moment, because foreign policy will be the focus of tonight's first presidential debate.

CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look at what sets the candidates apart on that front.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the election were held today overseas, John Kerry would win by a landslide. A poll of 35 nations finds people in 30 of them want President Bush out, mostly because of Iraq. His portrayal of other nations as friend or foe, good or evil has more than half saying Mr. Bush has made them feel worse about America.

STEVEN KULL, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: People around the world are having the feeling that the United States is not taking into account their perspectives, their points of view, their feelings.

Kerry does send out signals of a greater readiness to cooperate, to listen to allies. And that does create a positive resonance in the world.

FOREMAN: But time and again, polls here have shown that Americans think George Bush can handle Iraq better than his opponent, even though foreign policy analysts say the war is now so complex, it may defy management.

NANCY ROMAN, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Whoever becomes president inherits a situation that's going to consume a lot of energy. And really, actions on the ground are dictating a lot of what will have to be decided.

FOREMAN: The candidates' plans are different. Senator Kerry says American troops will start pulling out in four years. President Bush says we will leave when we're ready. Mr. Kerry says Iraq is sapping resources from the war on terror.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Iraq was a profound diversion from that war and from our greatest enemy, Osama bin Laden.

FOREMAN: Mr. Bush says Iraq is part of that mission.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day.

FOREMAN: Kerry says he will get international help for stabilizing Iraq. But as the European media covered the upcoming debates and horrifying developments from Baghdad, foreign leaders are reassuring their constituents they will not send troops unless the U.N. is in charge.

CHRISTOPHE DE ROQUEFEUILLE, AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE: This is going to depend on the kind of involvement John Kerry will have with Europeans. If he's asking for more, let's say, political involvement, political commitment, diplomatic help, financial help maybe.

FOREMAN (on camera): Both candidates have plans for the war on terror calling for better intelligence, retraining of military forces and beefed up border security.

(voice-over): Both say new potential nuclear threats must be eliminated.

But analysts say the trick will be making such ideas work against unseen enemies in a dangerous world.

ROMAN: I often joke that Democrats should be voting for Bush and Republicans should be voting for Kerry, because I think the next four years will be very difficult.

FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And CNN is there for tonight's debate on international policy and homeland security. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, Wolf Blitzer and CNN's election team kick off our primetime coverage at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific Time.

A heart-stopping race into space, how SpaceShipOne moved forward in the quest to get the coveted $10 million X-Prize, but not without a few glitches. We'll show you.

And we've been talking all morning about the presidential debates. How will President Bush and Senator Kerry appear to voters as they face off on foreign policy tonight?

And do you even plan to watch these debates? Why or why not? We want to know. That's our DAYBREAK "Question of the Morning." E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And of course we'll read some of your comments just ahead on DAYBREAK.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

A car bomb in Baghdad's Abu Ghraib neighborhood, right by that prison, has killed at least three people, including a U.S. soldier. At least 45 are wounded. Two Iraqi police officers were also killed.

Martha Stewart will serve her five-month prison term in West Virginia. That's farther away than the Connecticut prison she had requested. Stewart must report to the minimum-security facility by October 8.

In money news, the price of crude oil slipped slightly after unexpected news that U.S. reserves are up. Also helping prices, progress in talks in oil-rich Nigeria where a rebellion had threatened a supply shut down.

In culture, Japanese women are getting cuddly with the new boyfriend pillow. The pillow is shaped like a big arm to offer balance and comfort for supposedly lonely women. The company is working on a model for men that's shaped like a woman's lap. Not kidding.

In sports, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley is done. He was suspended for the remaining five games of the season after a bottle throwing incident on Tuesday night. Bradley threw the plastic bottle into the stands after a fan tossed it on the field in his direction.

Morning -- Chad.

MYERS: Good morning. Didn't Milton Bradley make a bunch of games back in the '60s and '70s?

COSTELLO: A bunch of what?

MYERS: Games, you know, like Chutes and Ladders and stuff.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

Those are the latest headlines for you.

For the first time ever, a presidential debate is being held in Miami, and that is good news for a state that's been battered by three major hurricanes in the past week.

Joining us from Coral Gables is reporter Natalie Solis with our Miami affiliate WSVN.

Good morning, Natalie. So what's the word on campus?

NATALIE SOLIS, WSVN-TV REPORTER: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I bet they are excited.

SOLIS: They are. They are very, very excited. I mean there is just so much going on on this campus, as you can imagine. I mean, actually tonight they're going to have a student watch party here at the Reskaller (ph). It's a student hangout that I'm actually in front of right now. So that's the big event later this evening that they'll be watching all together.

But leading up to that, I mean just so much going on here, students congregating. I think most importantly they are really starting to have a political awareness, many of them tell us, perhaps they came here you know right out of high school, not really knowing much about the system, and this sort of thrust them right into that.

There have been some inconveniences with security. I mean there are 12 different police departments that are involved, Secret Service. Students have to wear their ID badges and faculty, as well, have to wear those badges everywhere they go. So there have been limitations. But many students tell us it has really been worth it in order to have an event this prestigious here on campus.

COSTELLO: I know your president is Donna Shalala there at the University of Miami, right?

SOLIS: That is correct.

COSTELLO: Did she have a big part in bringing the debate there?

SOLIS: To my knowledge she did. I can't tell you specifically about all the negotiations, but that is what I understand.

COSTELLO: Yes, it's amazing. Tell us more about the security and how this will work when the candidates fly in to Florida and then arrive on campus. I mean that sounds like a nightmare.

SOLIS: Well I mean it's really like lockdown. And I can tell you just you know being part of the media, it's extremely hard for us to get in. You know you have to be obviously credentialed. There will be sweeps.

You know when you have the two you know presidential candidates, one of them being the president of the United States, you can just imagine how tight the security is. As of I believe around 5:00 yesterday, a no-fly zone went into effect over the University of Miami. So I mean really security here extremely tight. And you know police here and other officials say they are ready for anything.

COSTELLO: All right. Natalie Solis from WSVN in Miami, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

Tales of a fourth grade something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESSENCE CHEATOM, KERRY FAN: That's why I actually kind of started this group, because I wanted to kind of like make a difference in this school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: How a 9-year-old convinced her classmates to get involved in this year's election, even though they are years away from being able to cast a vote.

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COSTELLO: Let's talk about political stars now. The rules are rigid for tonight's first presidential debate. No camera shots from behind and no cutaways to show the other's reaction. Of course the networks haven't exactly agreed to that. And other than the initial handshake, no moving from behind that podium. No props, diagrams or notes.

Rhetorical questions can be asked but no direct questions. Neither man is to make any pledges. Each candidate will have his own makeup person. Neither man can use risers to change his height. A coin toss will determine who gets the first question. And answers are limited to two minutes, rebuttals to 90 seconds.

So in light of all of those rules and regulations, Chad, are you up there?

MYERS: I am -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We're asking our viewers this morning if they are going to watch the debates. What do you think that most of them are saying?

MYERS: I would say that most of them are saying no, but that's because 40 million people will say yes. And while 40 million people say yes, and look at the number of people that will say no, I mean probably 15 percent of the audience out there will probably watch.

COSTELLO: My head is beginning to spin. Well let me read some.

MYERS: Yes, yes, you know too much calculus, you know.

COSTELLO: I know. Let me read some of them to you.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: This is from Joe (ph). He's from Yuma, Arizona. He says the debates, how can we avoid them? Every major will carry them. Major network, that is.

MYERS: Right.

COSTELLO: If someone has not made up their mind by now, are they really smart enough to vote?

This is aloha, Carol and Chad. This is from our friend in Honolulu, Thomas (ph). He says absolutely I will watch. For the first time after hearing the negative ads and retorting they will meet face to face and give our nation the opportunity to see them both under peer pressure.

And this from Shane (ph). He's from Pennsylvania, from Plymouth Meeting (ph). The stringent controls being placed on the debates, as agreed to by both Bush and Kerry, will most likely move any spirited discussion or drama that we have come to appreciate in past presidential debates. However, I will definitely watch the debates because I feel that the debates are opportunities for either Bush or Kerry to truly shine and win those crucial swing votes.

And most e-mails we're getting this morning are saying exactly what Shane is saying in his e-mail.

MYERS: You know what, then that means our viewers are smarter than the rest of them.

COSTELLO: You got that right, aren't they? Keep the e-mails coming, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Three states remain crucial as the presidential candidates go head to head in tonight's debate. One of them is Ohio.

Eve Mueller of CNN affiliate WBNS in Columbus finds you're never too young to back your candidate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

E. CHEATOM: Sometimes I can't be a normal 9-year-old. This is my baby, Precious.

EVE MUELLER, WBNS-TV REPORTER (voice-over): True, this fourth grader likes teddy bears, "Fear Factor," weaving belts and giggling with her girlfriends, but watch out when she's holding the briefcase.

E. CHEATOM: Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, (INAUDIBLE).

MUELLER: Essence Cheatom is one of her names. Madam president is the other.

E. CHEATOM: Everybody knows we have a debate coming up.

MUELLER: Her pro Kerry group at Ducksbury (ph) Park Alternative Elementary School meets every Tuesday. Sacrificing hula-hoop, hopscotch and football at recess to talk about fun things like...

E. CHEATOM: Medicare. MUELLER: ... and...

E. CHEATOM: Toxic waste.

MIKE WHITE, TEACHER: This is a student that I think comes around once in a lifetime. She's so driven and passionate about her beliefs.

MUELLER: They research the issues and always do a little Bush bashing. Essence started the effort last year after reading a magazine article on George Bush she didn't like.

E. CHEATOM: I'm miffed because I think he's not fair.

MUELLER: Her mom, a secretary, has no idea what prompted the passion surrounding her daughter's Kerry craze, but she does know who she must vote for.

CAROLYN CHEATOM, MOTHER: I couldn't live in this house if I wasn't voting for John Kerry.

MUELLER: Now Essence's effort has prompted a pro Bush group to form at the school, but they haven't yet had a meeting. There's a debate in two weeks, and all kids will vote here November 2. Sure the votes don't count, but the effort does. The essence of politics is here.

E. CHEATOM: That's why I actually kind of started this group, because I wanted to kind of like make a difference in this school.

You have to go, bell rung.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That report from Eve Mueller of CNN affiliate WBNS in Columbus, Ohio.

Also in Ohio, Oria Swaggerty credits her son, also her pastor, for getting her to vote in November.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ORIA SWAGGERTY, 90-YEAR-OLD VOTER: I'm glad to get to go this time. And if God permits me to live longer, until the next election, I'll vote again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It will be only the second time this 90-year-old will go to the polls. We'll have more on her story in the next hour of DAYBREAK.

CNN will be live in Miami as the candidates square off tonight on homeland security and foreign policy. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, Wolf Blitzer kick off our primetime coverage tonight beginning at 7:00 Eastern.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

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