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CNN Live At Daybreak

Preparation for Tonight's Debate; Multiple Car Bombings in Baghdad

Aired September 30, 2004 - 06:00   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, a car bomber targets a base used by the U.S. military and Iraqi police in western Baghdad today. An American soldier is killed, along with two Iraqi police officers. Dozens more people were wounded, including three U.S. soldiers.

That follows U.S. air strikes on a suspected terrorist target in Fallujah. Officials say they believe terrorists linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were in a house. Secondary explosions suggest explosives were hidden there.

New rules affecting most visitors to the United States goes into effect today. Almost anyone arriving without a travel visa will be fingerprinted and photographed. Security analyst Ken Robinson joins us in eight minutes to explain how this will affect travelers and if it will make us any safer.

George Bush and John Kerry go before the nation tonight in the first to three televised presidential debates. Tonight's topic, foreign affairs and homeland security. The 90 minute face-off gets under way at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: The candidates prepare. We have two reports for you this morning.

CNN's Candy Crowley, she's on the road with the Kerry campaign.

But we begin with White House correspondent John King, who is in Miami with the Bush camp.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president broke from debate preparations to survey damage from Hurricane Jeanne, walking through an orange grove hit by three hurricanes this year. He ignored a question about the looming debate, leaving it to aides to suggest the incumbent president is somehow the underdog. DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Senator Kerry has been preparing his whole life for this. He is -- he was a prep star debater, he was an Ivy League debater himself, 20 years in the United States Senate.

KING: Iraq is certain to be the major flashpoint. The Bush camp promises to highlight what it calls a history of shifting Kerry positions.

This Bush campaign debate guide mocks the Democrat. "Now you say the war you voted for made us less safe." It goes on to say Senator Kerry's strategy is "Pretend like no position you have ever taken matters. Nobody knows what you really believe anyway."

In Minnesota, Vice President Cheney tested another line of attack, suggesting Senator Kerry is irresponsible to say he favors bringing troops home from Iraq within four years.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We clearly want them home, but that's not the way to state the objective. The objective is to finish the mission, to get the job done, to do it right.

KING: Senator Kerry calls Iraq chaos now and wants the debate focused on what he calls Mr. Bush's poor planning.

SUSAN RICE, KERRY FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER: What is his exit strategy for Iraq? How are we going to get out of the mess in Iraq?

KING: Democrats predict a backlash if the president is overly optimistic.

JOHN PODESTA, FORMER CLINTON WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: If he doesn't really come to grips with the reality on the ground in Iraq today, I think he could actually come across as being out of touch.

(on camera): The president took a bike ride and went fishing before leaving his Texas ranch and plans another hurricane damage tour here in Florida before the debate. Aides describe Mr. Bush as confident and eager for the showdown and say that while he will continue to have conversations with senior advisers, he is done with mock debates and any more formal preparations.

John King, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Kerry campaign sees Thursday night's debate as another chance at a first impression.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm looking forward to tomorrow night for an opportunity to be able to share with Americans the truth, not the sound bytes, not the advertisements, but the truth.

CROWLEY: After three days at a golf resort in Wisconsin, reading, resting, mock debating, John Kerry arrived in Miami, to the more standard stuff of campaigns and a debate night to-do list.

KERRY: I'm just taking this energy in and I'm going to use it tomorrow night. I'm going to use it.

CROWLEY: First, create doubt about the president as commander- in-chief, doubt about his ability to do the job. The ad men are all over it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM KERRY CAMPAIGN AD)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe George Bush can't tell us why he went to Iraq, but it's time he tells us how he's going to fix it.

CROWLEY: Item two -- question the president's grip on reality, his truthfulness.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, people keep talking about it being a test for John Kerry. It's a test for George Bush. It's a test...

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS: ... it's a test for whether this president is finally going to be straight and come clean with the American people about what's happening in Iraq.

CROWLEY: And finally, most importantly for Kerry, item three -- undo some of this damage.

KERRY: I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.

CROWLEY: In an interview with ABC, Kerry took another go at an explanation.

KERRY: It just was a very inarticulate way of saying something and I had one of those inarticulate moments late in the evening when I was dead tired in the primaries and I didn't say something very clearly.

CROWLEY: As the Bush campaign dutifully notes, it was 1:00 in the afternoon when Kerry made his remarks.

(on camera): Kerry aides say they expect him to do very well during the debates, but they are already trying to soften some of the punch of what they believe to be one of George Bush's strong suits. Kerry aides concede the president is an affable, likable guy, but they add very quickly, this is not a personality contest.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Bal Harbor, Florida.

(END VIDEO TAPE) COSTELLO: And later this hour, we'll look at the definition of those rhetorical questions that the candidates are allowed to ask. Rhetorical questions. What the heck are they?

You can watch the entire debate tonight on CNN.

Our coverage begins at 7:00 p.m.

Let's talk about a new tactic to fight terrorism now. Thousands of visitors who were allowed to come into the United States without visas will have to take some extra time to check in today. The U.S.- V.I.S.I.T. program requires visitors to be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival. The government expands the program today to include the 27 countries that were previously exempt. Those countries include England, France and Japan. And that is not sitting well with many of America's traditional visiting overseas friends.

Let's head live to Washington for more on the U.S.-V.I.S.I.T. plan.

And CNN Radio's Dick Uliano -- good morning, Dick.

DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: So specifically, what does this plan entail?

ULIANO: Well, the plan essentially is to -- the goal is to enhance security, according to the Department of Homeland Security here in Washington. And it essentially requires today that America's closest allies, these citizens in Europe and Asia, must face the camera when they come into the United States, be digitally photographed and be fingerprinted. And all of that information will be compared against database.

COSTELLO: So, what are visitors -- I mean what are Britons saying about this this morning?

ULIANO: Well, they're not pleased. They're complaining in London and other Eastern capitals that this is a privacy invasion and also that it's going to create longer lines at the airports, or as they say in London, longer cues. And here in Washington, homeland security is saying no, it's going to be fast and easy. At most it'll add 15 seconds to when visitors come into the United States. And they say it'll go a long way to improving security for the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

Dick Uliano reporting live from Washington this morning.

Thank you.

But really, are these new rules anything more than a Band-Aid for homeland security?

To answer that question, we're joined by CNN military intelligence analyst Ken Robinson -- good morning, Ken.

KEN ROBINSON, CNN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, you're fingerprinted, you have to tell authorities where you're staying now, give them a specific address. But who checks on you while you're here in the United States?

ROBINSON: Well, there's a surveillance system in place that really has to have red flags. And those red flags typically are cued when you over stay, when you have no longer been in the United States on authorization. And so the system has to be able to talk to itself, communicating between the time you entered and the time you're supposed to exit, to spit out whether someone needs to go out and check to find out whether you're over staying a visa.

It's a, not a very sufficient system.

COSTELLO: Well, which doesn't make me feel much safer.

Should we feel safer in light of this plan?

ROBINSON: Well, you know, there's 500 million people coming into the United States every day. And, you know, we have a 5,525 mile border with Canada. We have a 1,989 mile border with Mexico. And many of those crossover points have nothing to do with these land port locations. And so because of these continuous borders and the 95,000 miles of coastline, we're very vulnerable.

COSTELLO: So you're saying they can come in another way. Which is interesting because Canadians and Mexicans are exempt from this plan.

ROBINSON: Which doesn't make a lot of sense to a lot of analysts. They, in the security situation, you can't be half pregnant. You either have to do it and do it consistently across the board or not, because everywhere where you create a waiver or create an exception to the policy, you create one more system that can be exploited.

COSTELLO: You know, the way the terrorists came in on 9/11, they exploited the weaknesses in the system. So you tighten up airport rules, you tighten up rules making it more difficult to fly into this country.

But won't the terrorists find another way?

ROBINSON: That's one of the greatest concerns right now. Two months ago, there was a woman crossing over the Mexican border into Texas. She was found with thousands of dollars in Krugerands. She was found with visas that -- stamps on her passport that brought her from South Africa. She had come from a country where there had been a watch list for known terrorists. And so it demonstrated that you don't have to fly in in an airport or come in on a seaport, that simply walking across the old-fashioned way can still be done.

And they're still working through the motivations of what she was up to.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

Ken Robinson joining DAYBREAK this morning.

Thank you.

ROBINSON: Thank you.

COSTELLO: There was an interesting sight in the skies over Washington. A surveillance blimp, the Army air ship, complete with infrared cameras, made the rounds over Washington yesterday for about 24 hours. The blimp wasn't spying. The flight was intended to be nothing more than a demonstration of technology. Similar crafts are being used for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Did a laser beam endanger an airliner coming into land in Utah? A laser like this one may be to blame. A Delta Airlines pilot says his eye was injured by a laser beam while he was on approach to the Salt Lake City airport. Investigators don't know if the cockpit of the plane was targeted or if the beam was just random.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUS HAUER, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR: About five miles out, they would probably be even with the Ochres, the Ochre Mountains or the Wasatch Mountains or something, you know. So you could be on a mountaintop about level with aircraft coming into Salt Lake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Federal officials, including the Terrorism Task Force, are investigating the pilot's claims.

Coming up, they may say it's money, but a so-called collector's item from ground zero is causing quite a stir among people who know better. A buyer beware at 6:15 Eastern.

And later in the hour, going back to the polls. Six and a half decades after she last cast a ballot, a little lady explains what's inspiring her to vote.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We have some developing news, breaking news, really, to tell you about. We're hearing of multiple car bombings in Baghdad this morning. This is according to the Associated Press. It's reporting that at least 37 people have been killed and many more wounded.

When we get more information and confirmation on this, of course we'll pass it along to you.

Time for a little business buzz now.

Are you a coin collector? Well, do not be fooled into buying a World Trade Center commemorative silver dollar because it is not real currency.

Carrie Lee tells us more, live from the NASDAQ market site -- good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

These coins look like U.S. currency, feel like U.S. currency, but the World Trade Center medallion being sold for $19.95 by the National Collectors Mint is not money. Now, you might be seeing these commercials on television.

Here's a look. You can see on one side the image of the World Trade Center gleams below the words "one dollar." On the other side, the planned Freedom Tower memorial depicted with the Statue of Liberty and next to it the words "in god we trust."

Now, the company is drawing criticism from the U.S. Mint and some coin experts, who say the inscriptions and advertising are misleading. The company says on its Web site that the piece is a legally authorized government issue silver dollar, but the ad says the government in question is the government of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. And those islands are an insular part of the U.S. possession in the northern Pacific. They have no authority to coin U.S. money.

So don't be misled by this, Carol, and hopefully viewers won't be, either.

By the way, they also say the silver in the coins was taken from a vault -- used in a vault under the rubble of the World Trade Center. But it's only the outward coating of the coin that is silver. They purchased that silver from Scotia Bank in Canada, which had $50 million worth of the metal in a vault in the World Trade Center.

COSTELLO: I knew that was coming.

LEE: Yes, so...

COSTELLO: I knew that was coming there.

LEE: There you go. If you want this, if you want it as a collector's item, that's fine. But in terms of value going down the road, it is not legal tender. So there you go.

COSTELLO: Thanks for the warning.

LEE: OK.

COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures before you go.

LEE: Yes, things looking modestly higher for today's session. Oil prices are coming down. They continue to fall off to that $50 level we hit earlier in the week. So that's one thing helping things. One stock to watch, IBM settling a $300 million charge, taking this charge in the third quarter, part of an agreement to resolve claims in its lawsuit against its pension plan with some retirees -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It is 6:17 Eastern.

Camp Cupcake, they call it. Martha Stewart will serve her five month prison sentence at a minimum security prison in rural West Virginia. Stewart is to report to the facility in Alderson, West Virginia not later than October 8.

In money news, Microsoft is dropping prices in an effort to get new customers in India. They're lowering the price of their Windows XP operating system in order to make computers more affordable, like maybe $300 for the average computer in India.

In culture, Donald Trump makes big bucks as a guest speaker, but he says he doesn't keep the money. Get this -- Trump says after speaking to the University of Buffalo today, he'll give his $200,000 fee to charity.

In sports, Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox reached a managerial milestone with his 2000th win. Cox joins Cardinals manager Tony La Russa as the only active manager to reach the mark. He is the ninth skipper of all time to reach 2,000 wins. And he's a nice guy to boot.

MYERS: Yes, and they beat the Mets yesterday. The Mets have such a hard time winning there, in Turner Field.

COSTELLO: Oh, the Mets have a hard time winning anywhere.

MYERS: I guess. Mike Piazza had a nice hit, though, yesterday.

Hey, good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

Coming up, a wife's plea for her husband's safe return. We'll tell you about the latest evidence that a hostage in Iraq is still alive.

Plus, Iraqis and Americans working side by side. Hear about the situation on the ground from the forces facing it every day.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We have a little more information about those twin suicide car bomb blasts in Baghdad. Reuters is reporting at least 33 people were killed in those bomb blasts. They say it happened in southern Baghdad, but we have conflicting information on that right now because A.P. is reporting it took place in another part of Baghdad. But it is apparent that it took place near a convoy of U.S. military vehicles. We don't know if any U.S. troops were hurt in these blasts. And when we find out, be assured that we'll pass it along to you.

But we do know that at least 33 people were killed and around 50 people wounded in these attacks.

It is yet another day of captivity for British engineer Ken Bigley. And there is new video of him. The video shows Bigley behind the bars of an apparent makeshift cage.

Back in Britain, Bigley's wife says only Prime Minister Tony Blair can save her husband now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOMBAT BIGLEY, BRITISH HOSTAGE'S WIFE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Tony Blair can save his life and he's the only one that can. It seems like he is waiting for Tony Blair to say a word or anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Britain's foreign secretary says Britain will not pay a ransom or agree to any political demands of Bigley's abductors.

The Iraqi National Guard eventually will be responsible for security in Iraq. Under the current circumstances, it's not always easy for the Iraqis and Americans to work together.

But our Jane Arraf reports on some troops who have found a way to do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If Iraq is to be saved, it will be through Iraqis like this, U.S. officials say.

COL. DHIA ISMAEL ABBED, IRAQI NATIONAL GUARD: So that first we will focus on the house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Focus on the house.

ABBED: All at once.

ARRAF: Colonel Dhia, whose boss was arrested for ties with insurgents and his predecessor jailed for theft, says Iraqis who call the security forces traitors for working with the Americans don't understand what the United States can do for them.

ABBED: I work for my country. I do my best for my country. All these guys work for their country and get benefit from the Americans. ARRAF: But for now, the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry and the 205th Iraqi National Guard Battalion share a home, this looted former Iraqi military base near Muktadia (ph), about an hour northeast of Baghdad.

(on camera): This may be the most integrated military base in the country. Iraqi National Guard actually live and work inside this U.S. base. Both sides say it's paying off.

(voice-over): When this U.S. battalion took over from another American unit earlier this year, most Iraqis weren't even allowed on the base.

LT. COL. PETE NEWELL, U.S. ARMY: We got here, looked at it and decided to accept a little bit of risk. But we knew that we would not be successful without integration with the Iraqis. We can't do this by ourselves.

ARRAF: The American and Iraqi commanders regularly share meals. U.S. officers work closely with Colonel Dhia in a supporting role. And little by little, in places like this, American military leaders are finding Iraqi leaders and handing power over to them.

Jane Arraf at Camp Normandy near Muktadia, Iraq.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Miami is busy preparing. This time it's not for a hurricane, but for a whirlwind debate from the presidential candidates. The first encounter is tonight. We'll have a preview for you ahead.

Also ahead, some important travel tips and how to make sure both you and your valuables get to where you're going safely.

And, of course, CNN is live in Miami as the candidates square off on homeland security and foreign policy. We'll be able to show you instant real time reactions of a group of undecided voters as they watch the debate. Our coverage begins at 7:00 Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Eastern, that is.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A U.S. convoy targeted in Baghdad.

It is Thursday, September 30.

This is DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

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

One of the Italian women abducted in Iraq three weeks ago and released this week is holding a news conference in Rome to talk about her experiences. That's coming up at the 8:00 a.m. Eastern hour. We'll be following that later.

Scientists are warning of a small or moderate eruption of Mount St. Helens in the next few days. When the volcano south of Seattle erupted in 1980, 57 were killed.

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 - 06:00   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, a car bomber targets a base used by the U.S. military and Iraqi police in western Baghdad today. An American soldier is killed, along with two Iraqi police officers. Dozens more people were wounded, including three U.S. soldiers.

That follows U.S. air strikes on a suspected terrorist target in Fallujah. Officials say they believe terrorists linked to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were in a house. Secondary explosions suggest explosives were hidden there.

New rules affecting most visitors to the United States goes into effect today. Almost anyone arriving without a travel visa will be fingerprinted and photographed. Security analyst Ken Robinson joins us in eight minutes to explain how this will affect travelers and if it will make us any safer.

George Bush and John Kerry go before the nation tonight in the first to three televised presidential debates. Tonight's topic, foreign affairs and homeland security. The 90 minute face-off gets under way at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: The candidates prepare. We have two reports for you this morning.

CNN's Candy Crowley, she's on the road with the Kerry campaign.

But we begin with White House correspondent John King, who is in Miami with the Bush camp.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president broke from debate preparations to survey damage from Hurricane Jeanne, walking through an orange grove hit by three hurricanes this year. He ignored a question about the looming debate, leaving it to aides to suggest the incumbent president is somehow the underdog. DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Senator Kerry has been preparing his whole life for this. He is -- he was a prep star debater, he was an Ivy League debater himself, 20 years in the United States Senate.

KING: Iraq is certain to be the major flashpoint. The Bush camp promises to highlight what it calls a history of shifting Kerry positions.

This Bush campaign debate guide mocks the Democrat. "Now you say the war you voted for made us less safe." It goes on to say Senator Kerry's strategy is "Pretend like no position you have ever taken matters. Nobody knows what you really believe anyway."

In Minnesota, Vice President Cheney tested another line of attack, suggesting Senator Kerry is irresponsible to say he favors bringing troops home from Iraq within four years.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We clearly want them home, but that's not the way to state the objective. The objective is to finish the mission, to get the job done, to do it right.

KING: Senator Kerry calls Iraq chaos now and wants the debate focused on what he calls Mr. Bush's poor planning.

SUSAN RICE, KERRY FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER: What is his exit strategy for Iraq? How are we going to get out of the mess in Iraq?

KING: Democrats predict a backlash if the president is overly optimistic.

JOHN PODESTA, FORMER CLINTON WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: If he doesn't really come to grips with the reality on the ground in Iraq today, I think he could actually come across as being out of touch.

(on camera): The president took a bike ride and went fishing before leaving his Texas ranch and plans another hurricane damage tour here in Florida before the debate. Aides describe Mr. Bush as confident and eager for the showdown and say that while he will continue to have conversations with senior advisers, he is done with mock debates and any more formal preparations.

John King, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Kerry campaign sees Thursday night's debate as another chance at a first impression.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm looking forward to tomorrow night for an opportunity to be able to share with Americans the truth, not the sound bytes, not the advertisements, but the truth.

CROWLEY: After three days at a golf resort in Wisconsin, reading, resting, mock debating, John Kerry arrived in Miami, to the more standard stuff of campaigns and a debate night to-do list.

KERRY: I'm just taking this energy in and I'm going to use it tomorrow night. I'm going to use it.

CROWLEY: First, create doubt about the president as commander- in-chief, doubt about his ability to do the job. The ad men are all over it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM KERRY CAMPAIGN AD)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Maybe George Bush can't tell us why he went to Iraq, but it's time he tells us how he's going to fix it.

CROWLEY: Item two -- question the president's grip on reality, his truthfulness.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, people keep talking about it being a test for John Kerry. It's a test for George Bush. It's a test...

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS: ... it's a test for whether this president is finally going to be straight and come clean with the American people about what's happening in Iraq.

CROWLEY: And finally, most importantly for Kerry, item three -- undo some of this damage.

KERRY: I actually did vote for the $87 billion, before I voted against it.

CROWLEY: In an interview with ABC, Kerry took another go at an explanation.

KERRY: It just was a very inarticulate way of saying something and I had one of those inarticulate moments late in the evening when I was dead tired in the primaries and I didn't say something very clearly.

CROWLEY: As the Bush campaign dutifully notes, it was 1:00 in the afternoon when Kerry made his remarks.

(on camera): Kerry aides say they expect him to do very well during the debates, but they are already trying to soften some of the punch of what they believe to be one of George Bush's strong suits. Kerry aides concede the president is an affable, likable guy, but they add very quickly, this is not a personality contest.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Bal Harbor, Florida.

(END VIDEO TAPE) COSTELLO: And later this hour, we'll look at the definition of those rhetorical questions that the candidates are allowed to ask. Rhetorical questions. What the heck are they?

You can watch the entire debate tonight on CNN.

Our coverage begins at 7:00 p.m.

Let's talk about a new tactic to fight terrorism now. Thousands of visitors who were allowed to come into the United States without visas will have to take some extra time to check in today. The U.S.- V.I.S.I.T. program requires visitors to be fingerprinted and photographed upon arrival. The government expands the program today to include the 27 countries that were previously exempt. Those countries include England, France and Japan. And that is not sitting well with many of America's traditional visiting overseas friends.

Let's head live to Washington for more on the U.S.-V.I.S.I.T. plan.

And CNN Radio's Dick Uliano -- good morning, Dick.

DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: So specifically, what does this plan entail?

ULIANO: Well, the plan essentially is to -- the goal is to enhance security, according to the Department of Homeland Security here in Washington. And it essentially requires today that America's closest allies, these citizens in Europe and Asia, must face the camera when they come into the United States, be digitally photographed and be fingerprinted. And all of that information will be compared against database.

COSTELLO: So, what are visitors -- I mean what are Britons saying about this this morning?

ULIANO: Well, they're not pleased. They're complaining in London and other Eastern capitals that this is a privacy invasion and also that it's going to create longer lines at the airports, or as they say in London, longer cues. And here in Washington, homeland security is saying no, it's going to be fast and easy. At most it'll add 15 seconds to when visitors come into the United States. And they say it'll go a long way to improving security for the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

Dick Uliano reporting live from Washington this morning.

Thank you.

But really, are these new rules anything more than a Band-Aid for homeland security?

To answer that question, we're joined by CNN military intelligence analyst Ken Robinson -- good morning, Ken.

KEN ROBINSON, CNN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, you're fingerprinted, you have to tell authorities where you're staying now, give them a specific address. But who checks on you while you're here in the United States?

ROBINSON: Well, there's a surveillance system in place that really has to have red flags. And those red flags typically are cued when you over stay, when you have no longer been in the United States on authorization. And so the system has to be able to talk to itself, communicating between the time you entered and the time you're supposed to exit, to spit out whether someone needs to go out and check to find out whether you're over staying a visa.

It's a, not a very sufficient system.

COSTELLO: Well, which doesn't make me feel much safer.

Should we feel safer in light of this plan?

ROBINSON: Well, you know, there's 500 million people coming into the United States every day. And, you know, we have a 5,525 mile border with Canada. We have a 1,989 mile border with Mexico. And many of those crossover points have nothing to do with these land port locations. And so because of these continuous borders and the 95,000 miles of coastline, we're very vulnerable.

COSTELLO: So you're saying they can come in another way. Which is interesting because Canadians and Mexicans are exempt from this plan.

ROBINSON: Which doesn't make a lot of sense to a lot of analysts. They, in the security situation, you can't be half pregnant. You either have to do it and do it consistently across the board or not, because everywhere where you create a waiver or create an exception to the policy, you create one more system that can be exploited.

COSTELLO: You know, the way the terrorists came in on 9/11, they exploited the weaknesses in the system. So you tighten up airport rules, you tighten up rules making it more difficult to fly into this country.

But won't the terrorists find another way?

ROBINSON: That's one of the greatest concerns right now. Two months ago, there was a woman crossing over the Mexican border into Texas. She was found with thousands of dollars in Krugerands. She was found with visas that -- stamps on her passport that brought her from South Africa. She had come from a country where there had been a watch list for known terrorists. And so it demonstrated that you don't have to fly in in an airport or come in on a seaport, that simply walking across the old-fashioned way can still be done.

And they're still working through the motivations of what she was up to.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

Ken Robinson joining DAYBREAK this morning.

Thank you.

ROBINSON: Thank you.

COSTELLO: There was an interesting sight in the skies over Washington. A surveillance blimp, the Army air ship, complete with infrared cameras, made the rounds over Washington yesterday for about 24 hours. The blimp wasn't spying. The flight was intended to be nothing more than a demonstration of technology. Similar crafts are being used for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Did a laser beam endanger an airliner coming into land in Utah? A laser like this one may be to blame. A Delta Airlines pilot says his eye was injured by a laser beam while he was on approach to the Salt Lake City airport. Investigators don't know if the cockpit of the plane was targeted or if the beam was just random.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAUS HAUER, FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR: About five miles out, they would probably be even with the Ochres, the Ochre Mountains or the Wasatch Mountains or something, you know. So you could be on a mountaintop about level with aircraft coming into Salt Lake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Federal officials, including the Terrorism Task Force, are investigating the pilot's claims.

Coming up, they may say it's money, but a so-called collector's item from ground zero is causing quite a stir among people who know better. A buyer beware at 6:15 Eastern.

And later in the hour, going back to the polls. Six and a half decades after she last cast a ballot, a little lady explains what's inspiring her to vote.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We have some developing news, breaking news, really, to tell you about. We're hearing of multiple car bombings in Baghdad this morning. This is according to the Associated Press. It's reporting that at least 37 people have been killed and many more wounded.

When we get more information and confirmation on this, of course we'll pass it along to you.

Time for a little business buzz now.

Are you a coin collector? Well, do not be fooled into buying a World Trade Center commemorative silver dollar because it is not real currency.

Carrie Lee tells us more, live from the NASDAQ market site -- good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

These coins look like U.S. currency, feel like U.S. currency, but the World Trade Center medallion being sold for $19.95 by the National Collectors Mint is not money. Now, you might be seeing these commercials on television.

Here's a look. You can see on one side the image of the World Trade Center gleams below the words "one dollar." On the other side, the planned Freedom Tower memorial depicted with the Statue of Liberty and next to it the words "in god we trust."

Now, the company is drawing criticism from the U.S. Mint and some coin experts, who say the inscriptions and advertising are misleading. The company says on its Web site that the piece is a legally authorized government issue silver dollar, but the ad says the government in question is the government of the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. And those islands are an insular part of the U.S. possession in the northern Pacific. They have no authority to coin U.S. money.

So don't be misled by this, Carol, and hopefully viewers won't be, either.

By the way, they also say the silver in the coins was taken from a vault -- used in a vault under the rubble of the World Trade Center. But it's only the outward coating of the coin that is silver. They purchased that silver from Scotia Bank in Canada, which had $50 million worth of the metal in a vault in the World Trade Center.

COSTELLO: I knew that was coming.

LEE: Yes, so...

COSTELLO: I knew that was coming there.

LEE: There you go. If you want this, if you want it as a collector's item, that's fine. But in terms of value going down the road, it is not legal tender. So there you go.

COSTELLO: Thanks for the warning.

LEE: OK.

COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures before you go.

LEE: Yes, things looking modestly higher for today's session. Oil prices are coming down. They continue to fall off to that $50 level we hit earlier in the week. So that's one thing helping things. One stock to watch, IBM settling a $300 million charge, taking this charge in the third quarter, part of an agreement to resolve claims in its lawsuit against its pension plan with some retirees -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq market site.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It is 6:17 Eastern.

Camp Cupcake, they call it. Martha Stewart will serve her five month prison sentence at a minimum security prison in rural West Virginia. Stewart is to report to the facility in Alderson, West Virginia not later than October 8.

In money news, Microsoft is dropping prices in an effort to get new customers in India. They're lowering the price of their Windows XP operating system in order to make computers more affordable, like maybe $300 for the average computer in India.

In culture, Donald Trump makes big bucks as a guest speaker, but he says he doesn't keep the money. Get this -- Trump says after speaking to the University of Buffalo today, he'll give his $200,000 fee to charity.

In sports, Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox reached a managerial milestone with his 2000th win. Cox joins Cardinals manager Tony La Russa as the only active manager to reach the mark. He is the ninth skipper of all time to reach 2,000 wins. And he's a nice guy to boot.

MYERS: Yes, and they beat the Mets yesterday. The Mets have such a hard time winning there, in Turner Field.

COSTELLO: Oh, the Mets have a hard time winning anywhere.

MYERS: I guess. Mike Piazza had a nice hit, though, yesterday.

Hey, good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

Coming up, a wife's plea for her husband's safe return. We'll tell you about the latest evidence that a hostage in Iraq is still alive.

Plus, Iraqis and Americans working side by side. Hear about the situation on the ground from the forces facing it every day.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We have a little more information about those twin suicide car bomb blasts in Baghdad. Reuters is reporting at least 33 people were killed in those bomb blasts. They say it happened in southern Baghdad, but we have conflicting information on that right now because A.P. is reporting it took place in another part of Baghdad. But it is apparent that it took place near a convoy of U.S. military vehicles. We don't know if any U.S. troops were hurt in these blasts. And when we find out, be assured that we'll pass it along to you.

But we do know that at least 33 people were killed and around 50 people wounded in these attacks.

It is yet another day of captivity for British engineer Ken Bigley. And there is new video of him. The video shows Bigley behind the bars of an apparent makeshift cage.

Back in Britain, Bigley's wife says only Prime Minister Tony Blair can save her husband now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOMBAT BIGLEY, BRITISH HOSTAGE'S WIFE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): Tony Blair can save his life and he's the only one that can. It seems like he is waiting for Tony Blair to say a word or anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Britain's foreign secretary says Britain will not pay a ransom or agree to any political demands of Bigley's abductors.

The Iraqi National Guard eventually will be responsible for security in Iraq. Under the current circumstances, it's not always easy for the Iraqis and Americans to work together.

But our Jane Arraf reports on some troops who have found a way to do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If Iraq is to be saved, it will be through Iraqis like this, U.S. officials say.

COL. DHIA ISMAEL ABBED, IRAQI NATIONAL GUARD: So that first we will focus on the house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Focus on the house.

ABBED: All at once.

ARRAF: Colonel Dhia, whose boss was arrested for ties with insurgents and his predecessor jailed for theft, says Iraqis who call the security forces traitors for working with the Americans don't understand what the United States can do for them.

ABBED: I work for my country. I do my best for my country. All these guys work for their country and get benefit from the Americans. ARRAF: But for now, the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry and the 205th Iraqi National Guard Battalion share a home, this looted former Iraqi military base near Muktadia (ph), about an hour northeast of Baghdad.

(on camera): This may be the most integrated military base in the country. Iraqi National Guard actually live and work inside this U.S. base. Both sides say it's paying off.

(voice-over): When this U.S. battalion took over from another American unit earlier this year, most Iraqis weren't even allowed on the base.

LT. COL. PETE NEWELL, U.S. ARMY: We got here, looked at it and decided to accept a little bit of risk. But we knew that we would not be successful without integration with the Iraqis. We can't do this by ourselves.

ARRAF: The American and Iraqi commanders regularly share meals. U.S. officers work closely with Colonel Dhia in a supporting role. And little by little, in places like this, American military leaders are finding Iraqi leaders and handing power over to them.

Jane Arraf at Camp Normandy near Muktadia, Iraq.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Miami is busy preparing. This time it's not for a hurricane, but for a whirlwind debate from the presidential candidates. The first encounter is tonight. We'll have a preview for you ahead.

Also ahead, some important travel tips and how to make sure both you and your valuables get to where you're going safely.

And, of course, CNN is live in Miami as the candidates square off on homeland security and foreign policy. We'll be able to show you instant real time reactions of a group of undecided voters as they watch the debate. Our coverage begins at 7:00 Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Eastern, that is.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A U.S. convoy targeted in Baghdad.

It is Thursday, September 30.

This is DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.

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

One of the Italian women abducted in Iraq three weeks ago and released this week is holding a news conference in Rome to talk about her experiences. That's coming up at the 8:00 a.m. Eastern hour. We'll be following that later.

Scientists are warning of a small or moderate eruption of Mount St. Helens in the next few days. When the volcano south of Seattle erupted in 1980, 57 were killed.

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