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CNN Live At Daybreak

Poll Gives Debate to Cheney; Australians Go to Polls Saturday; Rodney Dangerfield Dead at 82

Aired October 06, 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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It was wrong to have a $20 billion fund out of which $7.5 was going to go to a no-bid contract for Halliburton, the vice president's former company. It was wrong then, it was wrong now.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The reason they keep trying to attack Halliburton is because they want to obscure their own record.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: You knew it was going to come up, the world Halliburton. It was heard on last night's debate several times in fact. VP candidates did not disappoint.

It's Wednesday, it's October 6, and this is DAYBREAK.

And good morning, everyone, and welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From CNN's Global Headquarters in Atlanta, Carol Costello is off this morning, I'm Rick Sanchez.

"Now in the News."

Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction at the time of the U.S. invasion last year, but he may have been planning to revive his WMD programs. That's the final word from U.S. experts sent to Iraq to search for banned weapons. The team delivers its findings to a Senate committee this morning in fact.

U.S. military launched an airstrike on a house in Fallujah where insurgents were thought to be plotting attacks in Iraq. Three houses destroyed. No injuries reported as of yet.

Washington is delaying plans for its troop deployment or I should say redeployment from South Korea. One-third of U.S. troops who were there have been pulled out of the peninsula by the end of the year, or that's the plan. The deadline has now been pushed back to 2008.

Iran has reportedly started processing uranium for enrichment. The process can be used to make material for nuclear weapons. Now Iran insists its nuclear weapons program is -- or its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, not for building weapons.

Let's go over to Chad Myers. He's following a lot of things for us, mostly though, what's going on in the weather -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I hear you're flying to New York today. That's what you said.

SANCHEZ: I am. That's the plan right now.

MYERS: Should be good.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Are you a Red Sox fan?

MYERS: You know I was born in Buffalo, so I've been a Yankees fan all my life, until they bought all the players. And then, you know, I'm kind of rooting for the underdog.

SANCHEZ: What are you undecided?

MYERS: Yes, I'm undecided.

SANCHEZ: You're like so many people in this country, right?

MYERS: That's right.

SANCHEZ: Chad Myers, thanks, buddy, we'll talk later.

MYERS: All right.

SANCHEZ: Twenty-seven days to go until the national election and George Bush and John Kerry are gearing up for round two. Meantime, the No. 2s have had their one and only debate. So Dick Cheney or John Edwards, who do you think won the presidential debate?

Well here is what an ABC News poll of registered voters is saying. They are giving the edge to Cheney. Forty-three percent of those surveyed say he won, 35 percent say Edwards won, 19 percent say it was a tie. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, almost 5, I suppose.

Two V.P. candidates didn't pull any punches when it came to some of the key issues, though. Cheney and Edwards had a war of words over the Iraq war and the broader campaign against terror, if those can be delineated. They also clashed over gay marriage and Halliburton, as you might imagine.

Here is a sample now of last night's debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARDS: Because I want the American people to hear this very clearly, listen carefully to what the vice president is saying, because there is no connection between Saddam Hussein and the attacks of September 11, period.

CHENEY: You're not credible on Iraq because of the enormous inconsistencies that John Kerry and you have cited time after time after time during the course of the campaign.

EDWARDS: I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and so does John Kerry. I also believe there should be partnership benefits for gay and lesbian couples in long-term committed relationships. But we should not use the Constitution to divide this country.

CHENEY: The fact is that the president felt that it was important to make it clear that that's the wrong way to go as far as he's concerned. He sets policy for this administration, and I support the president.

EDWARDS: They've got $7.5 billion no-bid contract in Iraq, and instead of part of their money being withheld, which is the way it's normally done, because they're under investigation, they've continued to get their money.

CHENEY: Well, the reason they keep mentioning Halliburton is because they're trying to throw up a smoke screen. They know the charges are false.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Now did you notice that the V.P. candidates were repeating themselves in many instances, especially when it came to some key words. Well, we checked the transcript, and here's what we came up with. The word distortion 4 times. The word truth 11 times. The candidates also mentioned the word jobs 20 times, health care 30 times, Iraq 47 times. The debating is not over yet, from previews to post-debate reaction.

CNN is going to bring you the second presidential debate as well. As you've come to expect, our coverage starts Friday night at 7:00 Eastern. It's live from St. Louis.

Americans aren't the only ones with a stake in this year's presidential election. We want to show you how a lot of people around the world have a vested interest in November 2 with live reports now from Israel, from Moscow and from Sydney, Australia.

CNN's Guy Raz is in Jerusalem this morning. So are 5,000 of the president's supporters. Mike Chinoy is in Sydney where voters go to the polls Saturday. The situation in Iraq could determine who wins and who doesn't there. Also, Jill Dougherty is in Moscow. Oil output is at an all-time high right now in Russia, yet oil prices just hit a record high, exceeding $51 a barrel.

We're going to begin in Israel where many are hoping the president's pro Sharon policy continues. Here's Guy Raz in Jerusalem -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick.

A sharp contrast to what we saw in last week's presidential debate. Indeed, the Israeli-Palestinian question was raised by the moderator, and both of these candidates seemed to go out of their way to express support for Israel and the government's policies.

Now Senator Edwards did point out that there has been a reduced role in the United States has played in the peace process over the past four years, but neither of these candidates, Rick, seemed to be willing to criticize Israel's current military assault in Gaza. This is the largest Israeli military incursion in Gaza in the past four years.

Now over the past eight days, some 80 Palestinians have died in clashes in Gaza, including some 19 children, according to Palestinian humanitarian groups. Just yesterday, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl was killed at an Israeli military checkpoint, shot dead. Israeli officials say they suspected she was carrying a bomb; but in fact, it turned out to be a school bag.

Now all of this comes in the context of a visit by some 5,000 Christian evangelicals here in Israel, all strong supporters of the state and its government's policies. Among them, many Americans who say they are hard line backers of the president and will consider Israel when they go to the polling booths -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: And the point the Palestinians are making is why isn't anybody talking about this, right, do they have a point?

RAZ: They have a very strong point indeed. But ultimately, this group of evangelicals and others in the United States make up a very important constituency. And evangelicals who consider themselves backers of Israel make up a very important base in the president's reelection -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: All right. We thank you so much. Guy Raz from Jerusalem.

We take you now to Australia. There it's a case of how opposites attract, voters that is. Mike Chinoy in Sydney.

Mike, to you.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick.

Well, on Saturday, Australia's 13 million voters go to the polls and Iraq is an important issue in this campaign. Prime Minister John Howard is a close ally of President Bush. He supported the U.S.-led campaign in Iraq and he has deployed nearly 1,000 Australian troops there.

His challenger, opposition leader Mark Latham, however, has been very critical of the war. And he said that if he wins the vote, he'll pull all those Australian troops back by Christmas.

So this is going to be an important election, because if the opposition wins, it will be seen internationally as the voters of a country that has been a key U.S. ally in President Bush's so-called coalition of the willing repudiating a leader who has stood by President Bush and supported the efforts in Iraq. If, on the other hand, Prime Minister Howard does scrape through, and all the opinion polls say that the vote is, at this point, looking too close to call, then that will likely be seen as a vindication for Howard's policy of an alliance with and strong support for the Bush administration -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: That's Mike Chinoy reporting from Sydney, Australia. We thank you, Mike, for that report.

Now let's go to Russia. It's a country that could offer the U.S. a more stable supply of oil. To Jill Dougherty now, she's reporting from Moscow this morning.

Good morning -- Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Rick.

Well that's the dream. It hasn't happened yet, but that is the idea that both countries have.

Now you know if you go to the pumps in the United States, you're not going to see Russian oil per se. Most of that actually goes off to Europe. But Russia plays a very, very important role worldwide in the supply of oil and in the price. And with the price now at $51 a barrel, you can bet that Russian companies are moving very quickly trying to pump as much as they can.

In fact, in September they set a new record, a new post Soviet record. They are now producing 9.42 million barrels of oil per day. And that's really running neck and neck with Saudi Arabia, which is the world's biggest producer.

Russian oil companies, by the way, for the most part, are privately owned and they are growing very fast. The pipelines, however, are owned by the government.

Now important things for American consumers, you mentioned that idea of having an energy partnership, and that's exactly what the United States government would like to have. But so far, it really hasn't gotten off the ground.

There was, however, last week, a step in the right direction, and that is the U.S. oil company ConocoPhillips won an auction to buy roughly 8 percent of Lukoil. That's a major, major oil company here. And a senior U.S. diplomat here in Moscow is saying that that could mean that there is a sign that it's picking up -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: All right, Jill Dougherty, Mike Chinoy and Guy Raz bringing you an exclusive world look this morning. We thank you all.

Still to come, did the vice presidential debate help you decide which way you're going to vote? Well we're still looking for your feedback. E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news on this Wednesday morning. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: And welcome back, everyone. Good morning, I'm Rick Sanchez. Your news, your money, weather and sports. It is now 44 minutes after the hour of 5:00. Well, here's what we're watching for you this morning. Watching, that's a good way of saying it, almost with a British accent.

Several Americans are said to be strong contenders for the Nobel Prize in chemistry. That's a live picture you're looking at right there. It's a picture of a desk, we know, but eventually there will be people sitting there and we will learn the names of those people. The recipients will be announced at any time. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is making that announcement out of Stockholm.

In money, Fannie Mae's CEO is going to be testifying before a congressional subcommittee less than five hours from now. It's going to be the first time that he's had anything to say publicly since the government accused the mortgage company of accounting irregularities.

In culture, Tiger ties the knot. Reports out of Barbados say Tiger Woods married his girlfriend. About 100 guests there, including Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, all on hand to witness this historic event.

And then in sports, Ricky Williams, he of dreadlocks no more, may want to unretire. His agent says they have asked the NFL for a hearing into whether he can come back and play football again. But the Miami Dolphins are saying they don't think he can because of his violations of the league's substance abuse policy. Expect that one to end up in court somehow.

Let's go over to Chad Myers. He's checking a couple of things for us.

You a Ricky Williams fan or have you been in the past -- Chad?

MYERS: You know I have been a Miami's fan -- a Miami Dolphins fan in the past; but you know what, he's got some things to work out.

SANCHEZ: He's got issues.

MYERS: Yes, he's got some issues. And you know what, he owes a lot of money if he doesn't get back in the league as well. So I don't know how that's going to all work out.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Chad, you're the man.

MYERS: Thanks -- Bud.

SANCHEZ: All right, during debates, candidates can sometimes get a little loose with the facts, so we're keeping it real for you this morning. That's our job, keep it real. Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider, he's going to try and set the record straight on a couple of, well, misstatements from both sides.

100601CN.V84

SANCHEZ: Bill Schneider there, as usual, bringing you the very latest on the numbers. Extrapolating, as we often say.

The Cheney-Edwards face off is certainly on the minds of many this morning. So, let's get on the minds of all of us.

Joining us with their take on the debate are Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire.

Hey, thanks to both of you. Did I do OK on the introduction?

MARK ERICSON, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH & MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: You did fine, Rick.

DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH & MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: You did well.

ERICSON: You did very well.

CARRIER: I'm impressed.

ERICSON: Good morning, welcome to DAYBREAK.

SANCHEZ: Hey, it's nice to be here. It's nice to be with you guys. I know you're old salts at this, so why don't you just go ahead and start with your impressions, and then I'll tell you what some of our viewers are saying as well.

ERICSON: Well, as your Bill Schneider was just pointing out, the facts on Iraq get murkier and murkier as things go along; but 27 days from now, we are looking at an election that is going to be absolutely fascinating. Last night's debate, most people say it was a draw. Again, no major gaffes, no big errors and no fabulous quotes from either side.

SANCHEZ: Well you know ABC is giving the nod right now to Cheney, that's that little snap poll they say that they do right afterward. And he won by almost double digits in that thing -- Danielle.

CARRIER: Well you know he won one network poll. But in another network poll, it shows Edwards. So where it comes down to the draw he just -- they both came out equal.

ERICSON: And Cheney's performance may turn out to be a little troublesome for the Bush campaign, because some people are saying he actually outperformed the president in last week's debate.

CARRIER: That's not good. ERICSON: And you don't want to upstage the boss, you know.

SANCHEZ: Did you find it interesting, I was watching and it seemed that Kerry almost had to be reprimanded, pardon me, Edwards had to be reprimanded for saying Kerry's name so many times. And yet you didn't hear Cheney referring to Mr. Bush as many times as Mr. Edwards did referring to Kerry. Did you catch that at all?

ERICSON: Well I think Mr. Cheney is part and parcel to the Bush administration and is so entrenched and entwined in everything that's going on that his partnership may feel a little bit stronger. Whereas Senator Edwards may feel as though he needs to push the Kerry name a little bit more, and that just may be marketing, too, for the election.

CARRIER: But that could also be experience as well.

SANCHEZ: Let me share with you some of the things that our viewers are saying. Ready?

Edwards was totally outclassed yesterday. Still voting for Bush- Cheney.

No. 2: I was very impressed with Mr. Edwards, this viewer writes. He was in charge. The V.P. debate helped me know my vote for Kerry- Edwards will definitely be the right vote. Cheney was scary and wrinkled. Edwards was upbeat and smooth.

Fair or not, there was a telegenic difference between these two gentlemen as they sat on the screen. And for those people who may be dunderheads and aren't analyzing or aren't looking at what they are specifically saying from an intellectual standpoint, does Edwards walk away the winner in that regard? And how important is it?

ERICSON: Well it's a television kind of world, as you well know, Rick. And while the vice president comes across as more experienced and maybe a little more wrinkled, but that's what experience brings you sometimes.

CARRIER: He doesn't come out as nice as Edwards.

ERICSON: Yes, Edwards comes across on television as a little more photogenic, a little more likeable.

CARRIER: Well, and as you and Chad pointed out earlier, he's got gray hair.

SANCHEZ: Yes, but you know what, we're at war in this country, do we want someone who looks good or do we want someone with a little bit of a scowl to deal with these guys overseas who are trying to attack us?

ERICSON: Well then we go back to that whole let's not forget it's the vice presidential debate. We're talking about the man who is literally a heartbeat away from the presidency, and then the question of age and health falls into this. SANCHEZ: Hey, guys, you know what, I'd sit here and do this for a lot longer, but Brian (ph), our producer, is saying stop talking, it's time to go to the break. So that's what I'm going to do.

ERICSON: All right, Rick, thank you.

SANCHEZ: Because I'm new and I pay attention. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.

We're going to have a lot more in just a little bit. Stay with us. This is getting good.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to DAYBREAK, everyone. I'm Rick Sanchez sitting in for Carol Costello.

Classic comic lines, they're hard to come by. Henny Youngman, remember, coined "take my wife, please." Steve Martin, "a wild and crazy guy." Jeff Foxworthy, he made millions on his "you might be a redneck if." Rodney Dangerfield, though, may have had the most classic line of all of them, the most famous certainly, "I get no respect." Rodney Dangerfield died Tuesday at the age of 82.

CNN's Sibila Vargas takes a look back at the career of this really master comic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rodney Dangerfield, like many other performers, used the Ed Sullivan stage as a catapult to stardom. But unlike others, it was there that his image was created.

RODNEY DANGERFIELD, COMIC: It was the "Ed Sullivan Show," and the fourth time I was there, I heard people talking no respect, respect me. If you don't respect Marie (ph), I don't care what she was before, she's with me, show some respect, whatever. I thought, you know try that I don't have no respect character and that came about. And I wrote the first joke, when I played hide and seek, they wouldn't even look for me, you know.

VARGAS: It was Dangerfield's image, a rumpled dark suit, red tie and no respect.

DANGERFIELD: Twenty years ago I'm working my club in New York, Dangerfield's, right. I'm about to do the show. And as I'm walking on, some man says well you're Rodney, before you go on, do me a favor, let me have your autograph and some more butter.

VARGAS: Under the name Jack Roy, Dangerfield tried comedy in his teens, but the responsibilities of raising a family led him down another path. He said he worked as a paint salesman, but the job was colorless. So the man born Jacob Cohen in 1921 became Rodney Dangerfield at age 40.

DANGERFIELD: You've got to kick out writing jokes, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes?

DANGERFIELD: Yes, but if you think that way since you were a kid, been writing jokes since I was 15, you can't help it. You hear something like you keep hearing AT&T wants you back, right. They want you back. They want you back. Right, right. So I wrote a joke, it's a big laugh, I said I, no respect. I called up AT&T, they won't take me back.

VARGAS: For a man who claims he got no respect, he did pretty good. Lucrative commercial work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you do it, Rodney, because Lite tastes great?

VARGAS: And film success beginning with "Caddyshack" in 1980.

DANGERFIELD: My type of character put me where I don't belong. Like in "Caddyshack," I was a loudmouth and that country club and it was humorous situations derived from that.

When you buy a hat like this, I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh?

Oh, it looks good on you, though.

"Back to School" put me in college and I don't belong there.

Here a little something for the kids, OK, take that, it's OK, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have any kids.

DANGERFIELD: No kids, well here, get yourself some kids.

VARGAS: "Back to School" earned more than $50 million. Then there was a Grammy for best comedy album in 1981, even a wrap video.

DANGERFIELD: I'm getting old, it's hard to face.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No respect. No respect.

DANGERFIELD: During sex I lose my place.

VARGAS: Wrapping Rodney became an MTV favorite in 1983. His film work continued with "Ladybugs," "Meet Wally Sparks" and "Little Nicky" with Adam Sandler.

During an appearance on stage at his New York nightclub, Dangerfield was asked why he doesn't appear there more often. In typical form he answered, "I can't afford myself."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Talk about a guy who deserved respect. We're told that flowers now adorn Dangerfield's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rodney Dangerfield was 82 years old.

And we're going to be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired October 6, 2004 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It was wrong to have a $20 billion fund out of which $7.5 was going to go to a no-bid contract for Halliburton, the vice president's former company. It was wrong then, it was wrong now.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The reason they keep trying to attack Halliburton is because they want to obscure their own record.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: You knew it was going to come up, the world Halliburton. It was heard on last night's debate several times in fact. VP candidates did not disappoint.

It's Wednesday, it's October 6, and this is DAYBREAK.

And good morning, everyone, and welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From CNN's Global Headquarters in Atlanta, Carol Costello is off this morning, I'm Rick Sanchez.

"Now in the News."

Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction at the time of the U.S. invasion last year, but he may have been planning to revive his WMD programs. That's the final word from U.S. experts sent to Iraq to search for banned weapons. The team delivers its findings to a Senate committee this morning in fact.

U.S. military launched an airstrike on a house in Fallujah where insurgents were thought to be plotting attacks in Iraq. Three houses destroyed. No injuries reported as of yet.

Washington is delaying plans for its troop deployment or I should say redeployment from South Korea. One-third of U.S. troops who were there have been pulled out of the peninsula by the end of the year, or that's the plan. The deadline has now been pushed back to 2008.

Iran has reportedly started processing uranium for enrichment. The process can be used to make material for nuclear weapons. Now Iran insists its nuclear weapons program is -- or its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, not for building weapons.

Let's go over to Chad Myers. He's following a lot of things for us, mostly though, what's going on in the weather -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I hear you're flying to New York today. That's what you said.

SANCHEZ: I am. That's the plan right now.

MYERS: Should be good.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Are you a Red Sox fan?

MYERS: You know I was born in Buffalo, so I've been a Yankees fan all my life, until they bought all the players. And then, you know, I'm kind of rooting for the underdog.

SANCHEZ: What are you undecided?

MYERS: Yes, I'm undecided.

SANCHEZ: You're like so many people in this country, right?

MYERS: That's right.

SANCHEZ: Chad Myers, thanks, buddy, we'll talk later.

MYERS: All right.

SANCHEZ: Twenty-seven days to go until the national election and George Bush and John Kerry are gearing up for round two. Meantime, the No. 2s have had their one and only debate. So Dick Cheney or John Edwards, who do you think won the presidential debate?

Well here is what an ABC News poll of registered voters is saying. They are giving the edge to Cheney. Forty-three percent of those surveyed say he won, 35 percent say Edwards won, 19 percent say it was a tie. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, almost 5, I suppose.

Two V.P. candidates didn't pull any punches when it came to some of the key issues, though. Cheney and Edwards had a war of words over the Iraq war and the broader campaign against terror, if those can be delineated. They also clashed over gay marriage and Halliburton, as you might imagine.

Here is a sample now of last night's debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARDS: Because I want the American people to hear this very clearly, listen carefully to what the vice president is saying, because there is no connection between Saddam Hussein and the attacks of September 11, period.

CHENEY: You're not credible on Iraq because of the enormous inconsistencies that John Kerry and you have cited time after time after time during the course of the campaign.

EDWARDS: I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, and so does John Kerry. I also believe there should be partnership benefits for gay and lesbian couples in long-term committed relationships. But we should not use the Constitution to divide this country.

CHENEY: The fact is that the president felt that it was important to make it clear that that's the wrong way to go as far as he's concerned. He sets policy for this administration, and I support the president.

EDWARDS: They've got $7.5 billion no-bid contract in Iraq, and instead of part of their money being withheld, which is the way it's normally done, because they're under investigation, they've continued to get their money.

CHENEY: Well, the reason they keep mentioning Halliburton is because they're trying to throw up a smoke screen. They know the charges are false.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Now did you notice that the V.P. candidates were repeating themselves in many instances, especially when it came to some key words. Well, we checked the transcript, and here's what we came up with. The word distortion 4 times. The word truth 11 times. The candidates also mentioned the word jobs 20 times, health care 30 times, Iraq 47 times. The debating is not over yet, from previews to post-debate reaction.

CNN is going to bring you the second presidential debate as well. As you've come to expect, our coverage starts Friday night at 7:00 Eastern. It's live from St. Louis.

Americans aren't the only ones with a stake in this year's presidential election. We want to show you how a lot of people around the world have a vested interest in November 2 with live reports now from Israel, from Moscow and from Sydney, Australia.

CNN's Guy Raz is in Jerusalem this morning. So are 5,000 of the president's supporters. Mike Chinoy is in Sydney where voters go to the polls Saturday. The situation in Iraq could determine who wins and who doesn't there. Also, Jill Dougherty is in Moscow. Oil output is at an all-time high right now in Russia, yet oil prices just hit a record high, exceeding $51 a barrel.

We're going to begin in Israel where many are hoping the president's pro Sharon policy continues. Here's Guy Raz in Jerusalem -- Guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick.

A sharp contrast to what we saw in last week's presidential debate. Indeed, the Israeli-Palestinian question was raised by the moderator, and both of these candidates seemed to go out of their way to express support for Israel and the government's policies.

Now Senator Edwards did point out that there has been a reduced role in the United States has played in the peace process over the past four years, but neither of these candidates, Rick, seemed to be willing to criticize Israel's current military assault in Gaza. This is the largest Israeli military incursion in Gaza in the past four years.

Now over the past eight days, some 80 Palestinians have died in clashes in Gaza, including some 19 children, according to Palestinian humanitarian groups. Just yesterday, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl was killed at an Israeli military checkpoint, shot dead. Israeli officials say they suspected she was carrying a bomb; but in fact, it turned out to be a school bag.

Now all of this comes in the context of a visit by some 5,000 Christian evangelicals here in Israel, all strong supporters of the state and its government's policies. Among them, many Americans who say they are hard line backers of the president and will consider Israel when they go to the polling booths -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: And the point the Palestinians are making is why isn't anybody talking about this, right, do they have a point?

RAZ: They have a very strong point indeed. But ultimately, this group of evangelicals and others in the United States make up a very important constituency. And evangelicals who consider themselves backers of Israel make up a very important base in the president's reelection -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: All right. We thank you so much. Guy Raz from Jerusalem.

We take you now to Australia. There it's a case of how opposites attract, voters that is. Mike Chinoy in Sydney.

Mike, to you.

MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick.

Well, on Saturday, Australia's 13 million voters go to the polls and Iraq is an important issue in this campaign. Prime Minister John Howard is a close ally of President Bush. He supported the U.S.-led campaign in Iraq and he has deployed nearly 1,000 Australian troops there.

His challenger, opposition leader Mark Latham, however, has been very critical of the war. And he said that if he wins the vote, he'll pull all those Australian troops back by Christmas.

So this is going to be an important election, because if the opposition wins, it will be seen internationally as the voters of a country that has been a key U.S. ally in President Bush's so-called coalition of the willing repudiating a leader who has stood by President Bush and supported the efforts in Iraq. If, on the other hand, Prime Minister Howard does scrape through, and all the opinion polls say that the vote is, at this point, looking too close to call, then that will likely be seen as a vindication for Howard's policy of an alliance with and strong support for the Bush administration -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: That's Mike Chinoy reporting from Sydney, Australia. We thank you, Mike, for that report.

Now let's go to Russia. It's a country that could offer the U.S. a more stable supply of oil. To Jill Dougherty now, she's reporting from Moscow this morning.

Good morning -- Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Rick.

Well that's the dream. It hasn't happened yet, but that is the idea that both countries have.

Now you know if you go to the pumps in the United States, you're not going to see Russian oil per se. Most of that actually goes off to Europe. But Russia plays a very, very important role worldwide in the supply of oil and in the price. And with the price now at $51 a barrel, you can bet that Russian companies are moving very quickly trying to pump as much as they can.

In fact, in September they set a new record, a new post Soviet record. They are now producing 9.42 million barrels of oil per day. And that's really running neck and neck with Saudi Arabia, which is the world's biggest producer.

Russian oil companies, by the way, for the most part, are privately owned and they are growing very fast. The pipelines, however, are owned by the government.

Now important things for American consumers, you mentioned that idea of having an energy partnership, and that's exactly what the United States government would like to have. But so far, it really hasn't gotten off the ground.

There was, however, last week, a step in the right direction, and that is the U.S. oil company ConocoPhillips won an auction to buy roughly 8 percent of Lukoil. That's a major, major oil company here. And a senior U.S. diplomat here in Moscow is saying that that could mean that there is a sign that it's picking up -- Rick.

SANCHEZ: All right, Jill Dougherty, Mike Chinoy and Guy Raz bringing you an exclusive world look this morning. We thank you all.

Still to come, did the vice presidential debate help you decide which way you're going to vote? Well we're still looking for your feedback. E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news on this Wednesday morning. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: And welcome back, everyone. Good morning, I'm Rick Sanchez. Your news, your money, weather and sports. It is now 44 minutes after the hour of 5:00. Well, here's what we're watching for you this morning. Watching, that's a good way of saying it, almost with a British accent.

Several Americans are said to be strong contenders for the Nobel Prize in chemistry. That's a live picture you're looking at right there. It's a picture of a desk, we know, but eventually there will be people sitting there and we will learn the names of those people. The recipients will be announced at any time. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is making that announcement out of Stockholm.

In money, Fannie Mae's CEO is going to be testifying before a congressional subcommittee less than five hours from now. It's going to be the first time that he's had anything to say publicly since the government accused the mortgage company of accounting irregularities.

In culture, Tiger ties the knot. Reports out of Barbados say Tiger Woods married his girlfriend. About 100 guests there, including Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, all on hand to witness this historic event.

And then in sports, Ricky Williams, he of dreadlocks no more, may want to unretire. His agent says they have asked the NFL for a hearing into whether he can come back and play football again. But the Miami Dolphins are saying they don't think he can because of his violations of the league's substance abuse policy. Expect that one to end up in court somehow.

Let's go over to Chad Myers. He's checking a couple of things for us.

You a Ricky Williams fan or have you been in the past -- Chad?

MYERS: You know I have been a Miami's fan -- a Miami Dolphins fan in the past; but you know what, he's got some things to work out.

SANCHEZ: He's got issues.

MYERS: Yes, he's got some issues. And you know what, he owes a lot of money if he doesn't get back in the league as well. So I don't know how that's going to all work out.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SANCHEZ: Chad, you're the man.

MYERS: Thanks -- Bud.

SANCHEZ: All right, during debates, candidates can sometimes get a little loose with the facts, so we're keeping it real for you this morning. That's our job, keep it real. Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider, he's going to try and set the record straight on a couple of, well, misstatements from both sides.

100601CN.V84

SANCHEZ: Bill Schneider there, as usual, bringing you the very latest on the numbers. Extrapolating, as we often say.

The Cheney-Edwards face off is certainly on the minds of many this morning. So, let's get on the minds of all of us.

Joining us with their take on the debate are Mark Ericson and Danielle Carrier, WOKQ Waking Crew in Portsmouth and Manchester, New Hampshire.

Hey, thanks to both of you. Did I do OK on the introduction?

MARK ERICSON, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH & MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: You did fine, Rick.

DANIELLE CARRIER, WOKQ MORNING WAKING CREW, PORTSMOUTH & MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE: You did well.

ERICSON: You did very well.

CARRIER: I'm impressed.

ERICSON: Good morning, welcome to DAYBREAK.

SANCHEZ: Hey, it's nice to be here. It's nice to be with you guys. I know you're old salts at this, so why don't you just go ahead and start with your impressions, and then I'll tell you what some of our viewers are saying as well.

ERICSON: Well, as your Bill Schneider was just pointing out, the facts on Iraq get murkier and murkier as things go along; but 27 days from now, we are looking at an election that is going to be absolutely fascinating. Last night's debate, most people say it was a draw. Again, no major gaffes, no big errors and no fabulous quotes from either side.

SANCHEZ: Well you know ABC is giving the nod right now to Cheney, that's that little snap poll they say that they do right afterward. And he won by almost double digits in that thing -- Danielle.

CARRIER: Well you know he won one network poll. But in another network poll, it shows Edwards. So where it comes down to the draw he just -- they both came out equal.

ERICSON: And Cheney's performance may turn out to be a little troublesome for the Bush campaign, because some people are saying he actually outperformed the president in last week's debate.

CARRIER: That's not good. ERICSON: And you don't want to upstage the boss, you know.

SANCHEZ: Did you find it interesting, I was watching and it seemed that Kerry almost had to be reprimanded, pardon me, Edwards had to be reprimanded for saying Kerry's name so many times. And yet you didn't hear Cheney referring to Mr. Bush as many times as Mr. Edwards did referring to Kerry. Did you catch that at all?

ERICSON: Well I think Mr. Cheney is part and parcel to the Bush administration and is so entrenched and entwined in everything that's going on that his partnership may feel a little bit stronger. Whereas Senator Edwards may feel as though he needs to push the Kerry name a little bit more, and that just may be marketing, too, for the election.

CARRIER: But that could also be experience as well.

SANCHEZ: Let me share with you some of the things that our viewers are saying. Ready?

Edwards was totally outclassed yesterday. Still voting for Bush- Cheney.

No. 2: I was very impressed with Mr. Edwards, this viewer writes. He was in charge. The V.P. debate helped me know my vote for Kerry- Edwards will definitely be the right vote. Cheney was scary and wrinkled. Edwards was upbeat and smooth.

Fair or not, there was a telegenic difference between these two gentlemen as they sat on the screen. And for those people who may be dunderheads and aren't analyzing or aren't looking at what they are specifically saying from an intellectual standpoint, does Edwards walk away the winner in that regard? And how important is it?

ERICSON: Well it's a television kind of world, as you well know, Rick. And while the vice president comes across as more experienced and maybe a little more wrinkled, but that's what experience brings you sometimes.

CARRIER: He doesn't come out as nice as Edwards.

ERICSON: Yes, Edwards comes across on television as a little more photogenic, a little more likeable.

CARRIER: Well, and as you and Chad pointed out earlier, he's got gray hair.

SANCHEZ: Yes, but you know what, we're at war in this country, do we want someone who looks good or do we want someone with a little bit of a scowl to deal with these guys overseas who are trying to attack us?

ERICSON: Well then we go back to that whole let's not forget it's the vice presidential debate. We're talking about the man who is literally a heartbeat away from the presidency, and then the question of age and health falls into this. SANCHEZ: Hey, guys, you know what, I'd sit here and do this for a lot longer, but Brian (ph), our producer, is saying stop talking, it's time to go to the break. So that's what I'm going to do.

ERICSON: All right, Rick, thank you.

SANCHEZ: Because I'm new and I pay attention. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.

We're going to have a lot more in just a little bit. Stay with us. This is getting good.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Welcome back to DAYBREAK, everyone. I'm Rick Sanchez sitting in for Carol Costello.

Classic comic lines, they're hard to come by. Henny Youngman, remember, coined "take my wife, please." Steve Martin, "a wild and crazy guy." Jeff Foxworthy, he made millions on his "you might be a redneck if." Rodney Dangerfield, though, may have had the most classic line of all of them, the most famous certainly, "I get no respect." Rodney Dangerfield died Tuesday at the age of 82.

CNN's Sibila Vargas takes a look back at the career of this really master comic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rodney Dangerfield, like many other performers, used the Ed Sullivan stage as a catapult to stardom. But unlike others, it was there that his image was created.

RODNEY DANGERFIELD, COMIC: It was the "Ed Sullivan Show," and the fourth time I was there, I heard people talking no respect, respect me. If you don't respect Marie (ph), I don't care what she was before, she's with me, show some respect, whatever. I thought, you know try that I don't have no respect character and that came about. And I wrote the first joke, when I played hide and seek, they wouldn't even look for me, you know.

VARGAS: It was Dangerfield's image, a rumpled dark suit, red tie and no respect.

DANGERFIELD: Twenty years ago I'm working my club in New York, Dangerfield's, right. I'm about to do the show. And as I'm walking on, some man says well you're Rodney, before you go on, do me a favor, let me have your autograph and some more butter.

VARGAS: Under the name Jack Roy, Dangerfield tried comedy in his teens, but the responsibilities of raising a family led him down another path. He said he worked as a paint salesman, but the job was colorless. So the man born Jacob Cohen in 1921 became Rodney Dangerfield at age 40.

DANGERFIELD: You've got to kick out writing jokes, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes?

DANGERFIELD: Yes, but if you think that way since you were a kid, been writing jokes since I was 15, you can't help it. You hear something like you keep hearing AT&T wants you back, right. They want you back. They want you back. Right, right. So I wrote a joke, it's a big laugh, I said I, no respect. I called up AT&T, they won't take me back.

VARGAS: For a man who claims he got no respect, he did pretty good. Lucrative commercial work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you do it, Rodney, because Lite tastes great?

VARGAS: And film success beginning with "Caddyshack" in 1980.

DANGERFIELD: My type of character put me where I don't belong. Like in "Caddyshack," I was a loudmouth and that country club and it was humorous situations derived from that.

When you buy a hat like this, I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh?

Oh, it looks good on you, though.

"Back to School" put me in college and I don't belong there.

Here a little something for the kids, OK, take that, it's OK, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have any kids.

DANGERFIELD: No kids, well here, get yourself some kids.

VARGAS: "Back to School" earned more than $50 million. Then there was a Grammy for best comedy album in 1981, even a wrap video.

DANGERFIELD: I'm getting old, it's hard to face.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No respect. No respect.

DANGERFIELD: During sex I lose my place.

VARGAS: Wrapping Rodney became an MTV favorite in 1983. His film work continued with "Ladybugs," "Meet Wally Sparks" and "Little Nicky" with Adam Sandler.

During an appearance on stage at his New York nightclub, Dangerfield was asked why he doesn't appear there more often. In typical form he answered, "I can't afford myself."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Talk about a guy who deserved respect. We're told that flowers now adorn Dangerfield's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Rodney Dangerfield was 82 years old.

And we're going to be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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