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CNN Live Today

Presidential Candidates Prepare for Debate; American-Led Forces Launch Raids Across Iraq; Surging Oil Prices Set Another Record

Aired October 07, 2004 - 10:00   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Both George W. Bush and John Kerry are on the road today with both headed to St. Louis, Missouri. Tomorrow night's presidential debate will be staged on the campus of Washington University. The town hall format will be the second face-off for the men.

A joint force of some 2000 U.S. and Iraqi troops launched raids across the country today. The U.S.-led forces arrested some 20 people in the northern City of Mosul, and said they foiled a roadside bombing. Troops also swept across the Province of Babil to snuff out insurgencies and secure the area ahead of the January elections.

Surging oil prices have passed the $52 a barrel mark and set another record. Prices have increased by 60 percent so far this year. And are now riding fears of inadequate supplies of winter heating fuel. The higher prices are also dragging down stocks, both in the U.S. and Europe.

And author of controversial novels and plays has won this year's Noble Prize for Literature. Elfriede Jelinek of Austria use extra uses her work to attack violence against women, and explore both sexuality and political extremism in Europe. She's best known for her autobiographical novel "The Piano Teacher," which was made into a movie a few years ago.

The bell will ring tomorrow night for the second round in the presidential debates. Today, one combatant continues sparring with trainers. The other doing some road work.

Our Elaine Quijano is at the White House with a preview of President Bush's day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Bush visits a key battleground state today, Wisconsin, before moving on to Missouri ahead of tomorrow's debate. Now, back in 2000, Al Gore won Wisconsin, but only by less than one percentage point. A very narrow margin. The Bush campaign feeling it can make inroads there. This is the eighth time that the president has visited Wisconsin this year. And today the president will be visiting a town in the central part of the state, Wausau, Wisconsin, where he'll be speaking at an outdoor rally in a park there. The president is expected to continue his stepped-up attacks against his opponent, Democratic Senator John Kerry. It was at two campaign stops yesterday in Pennsylvania and in Michigan, that Mr. Bush ratcheted up his comments, delivering a blistering assault on Kerry's record. The president called the senator a tax and spend liberal. And on the issue of terrorism, Mr. Bush said Kerry's policies would weaken America and make the world more dangerous.

But the president did not mention that new CIA report, which found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq when the U.S. invaded last year. Instead Mr. Bush repeated his argument that taking Saddam Hussein out of power has made the world safer. Administration officials say they believe the report shows Saddam Hussein was a threat that the U.S. needed to take seriously. They also say they believe it shows that he had the intent and capability to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Meantime, as we said, the president heading to Wausau, Wisconsin today before moving on to St. Louis, Missouri. Aides are being very tight-lipped about what the president might be doing differently this time around to prepare for this second debate.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Live picture now, Vice President Dick Cheney appearing at a town hall meeting with his wife in Miami this morning. Mr. Cheney praised Floridians for their resiliency incurred in the face of recent hurricanes. And he notes that a supplemental aid bill for the state's storm victims unanimously passed the House yesterday and was on its way to the Senate.

John Kerry is keeping a more private profile than the president today. Our national correspondent Frank Buckley has that story from Colorado.

Good morning, Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NAT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Senator Kerry staying off the campaign trail for Now, continuing to focus on the debate coming up on Friday. Here at the Inverness Hotel and Resort, where a ballroom has been transformed apparently into a town hall-style setting. That's the format for the upcoming debate.

Playing the role of President Bush in this mock debate is Greg Craig, the former Clinton administration attorney. And staffers, campaign staffers are playing the role of -- roles of audience members who will be asking the questions in the upcoming debate.

For Kerry advisers, the pre-debate expectation spin is already beginning. They're saying that because of the largely positive reviews of Senator Kerry during the first debate, they know that the expectations are higher for Senator Kerry this time around.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)) MIKE MCCURRY, SR. KERRY CAMPAIGN ADVISER: There's more pressure because it was a great opportunity. Senator Kerry obviously did a great job in that debate. We feel very satisfied with his performance. But the stakes are higher now. The expectations are higher. But you know, on the other side of the coin, some things happened too. President Bush did not have a good night and he practically has to go in and hit a home run now, for him to really be able to say that he's done, in these debates, what he needs to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Senator Kerry left it to his top advisers and to Senator Edwards to answer that blistering criticism from President Bush yesterday. Senator Edwards calling the speech from President Bush the same old tired rhetoric. A campaign adviser saying that it was a sign of desperation on the Bush campaign to put the president out there, to launch this sort of criticism of Senator Kerry just a couple of days before the debate.

All of it though, Daryn, setting the stage for this debate on Friday. And Senator Kerry leaving for St. Louis later today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Frank Buckley from Colorado. Frank, thank you.

John Kerry is studying up for the debate. His No. 2 has taken the lead for now in attacking President Bush. At a campaign rally in West Palm Beach in Florida yesterday, Senator Edwards said the Bush administration was in denial about problems in Iraq and with the economy. This morning, the vice presidential candidate appeared on the talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly." And he said he wished that he and Vice President Dick Cheney could have spent more time in their debate talking about healthcare and the economy.

Stay with CNN for extensive coverage of the second presidential debate, live from St. Louis. CNN's coverage begins tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

Undecided voters will get a chance to weigh in on the election when Paula Zahn hosts a town hall meeting tonight in Racine, Wisconsin. That's 8:00 Eastern. It's also your chance to ask the Bush and Kerry camps a question. Just send your e-mail to cnn.com/ontheroad.

On Capitol Hill, a congressman called "The Hammer" has been nailed again. Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry reports on accusations that the House majority leader had made forays into the gray areas of ethical conduct.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Ethics Panel criticized the Texas Republican for appearing to link political donations to legislative action in his dealings with West Star Energy, a Kansas company. The panel also found DeLay improperly used government resources by getting the Federal Aviation Administration to track the movement of Texas Democrats who fled the state because of a battle over redistricting.

Members of the Ethics Panel put off action on a third allegation that DeLay, through his Political Action Committee, funneled illegal corporate contributions to candidates for state office in Texas. Three people associated with the PAC were indicted last month on money laundering charges. This follows last Thursday's finding that DeLay had acted improperly during the high profile vote over the Medicare reform bill. The Ethics Panel found delay violated a House rule when he offered a political favor in an effort to get a fellow Republican to switch his vote from no to yes on the prescription drug bill.

Democrats are pouncing, with one House aide telling CNN, quote, "Three admonishments in a week is pretty serious. He can't say it's partisan because this a bipartisan committee."

(on camera): Congressman DeLay said the charges were politically motivated, an attempt by Democrats to smear his name. And an attorney for the congressman insisted the three rebukes will have no effect on DeLay's political standing, and that he will stay on as majority leader.

Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Want to take you live right back now to Miami, Florida. That is where Vice President Cheney is making a campaign appearance. And we're getting word that they're having protesters disrupting the event. Let's listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And at the same time what do you expect...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four more years!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four more years.

KAGAN: Well, that appears to be the skirmish that took place just a few minutes ago. As we've seen at other campaign rallies both for Democrats and Republicans, once somebody gets in and makes a ruckus there, they are shown the door. And the event goes on as it was planned. So just new pictures coming in to us from south Florida.

On to Martha Stewart, her last hours of freedom for the next five months. A live report from Alderson, West Virginia, as the town and fellow prisoners await the celebrity felon's arrival.

And Afghans prepare for Saturday's election. Our Christiane Amanpour speaks with presidential front-runner Hamid Karzai. A live report from Kabul coming up.

A little girl, who began her battle with cancer at the age of 1, leaves a million dollar legacy for other cancer patients, after losing her battle with cancer at the tender age of 8. The story of this special everyday hero and a chat with her mother. That is coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's on the docket in today's "Legal Brief."

There's been a new ruling in the civil suit against NBA star Kobe Bryant. The woman accusing him of rape asks that she remain anonymous. But a federal judge has denied her request, saying the public's interest outweighs her desire to stay unnamed.

This afternoon in Atlanta, NFL star Jamal Lewis is expected to enter a guilty plea in a federal drug conspiracy charge this afternoon. Sources say the Baltimore Ravens running back had reached a deal with federal prosecutors that will allow him to serve four months in a minimum-security prison in the off-season. He's accused of brokering a cocaine deal for a childhood friend.

Prison is looming closer for Martha Stewart. The domestic diva is due to report to a West Virginia prison camp by tomorrow afternoon. What will her new life be like for the next five months?

Our Mary Snow introduces us to Stewart's next home. It's nicknamed by some Camp Cupcake.

Mary, good morning. You can explain why that is.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK. Good morning, Daryn. And some call it Camp Cupcake because it's a minimum-security prison. And you know, Martha Stewart's new home will be about a half-mile down the road behind these prison gates just behind me. And just about anywhere you go in this town of Alderson, it's clear the focus is on one thing. And that's Martha Stewart. And it's not just residents who are waiting for her to arrive. It's clear that inmates are well aware that she's on her way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): Here are Martha Stewart's new neighbors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Free Martha! Free us! Woo!

SNOW: Tucked in the Appalachian Mountains, the absence of high security walls has given Alderson the name Camp Cupcake. But some inmates made it clear they don't like the sugarcoated name.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll tell you one thing this isn't no damn Camp Cupcake!

SNOW: And Alderson locals disagree.

HILLARY BENISH, ALDERSON HOSPITALITY House: That's really a disservice. Actually, none of the local people around here ever referred to it as Camp Cupcake.

SNOW: Space is tight. And as far as just who will share quarters with Martha Stewart, there are more than 1,000 possibilities. Including 48-year-old Meg Scott Phipps, a former North Carolina agriculture commissioner serving 48 months for campaign finance fraud. Or, 34-year-old Kentucky housewife, Kimberly Goodson, serving 87 months on intent to murder. And from someone who served time at Alderson, inmates come from all different backgrounds but share something in common. No privacy.

JUDITH KELLY, ARRESTED SOA PROTESTOR: Your freedom is totally taken away. They strip you of everything. strip searches are a part of the procedure there. Counts, constantly having to jump through hoops for people. Kind of invasion of privacy at all times.

SNOW: While Martha Stewart will serve her five months for lying about a stock sale, she's in the minority. Sixty-one percent of inmates are doing time for narcotics charges, 15 percent for bribery, fraud and extortion, 4 percent for white-collar crimes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And when Martha Stewart does arrive here, she'll no doubt see some of the signs that have been put up, made especially for her. As well as a bit of a media camp with satellite trucks lined up outside the prison gates, waiting for her to arrive. Now, she has been ordered to arrive by 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.

There had been a lot of speculation, perhaps, about her last public appearance. She was invited to a wedding reception tonight. Her publicist got married over the weekend. You may recall seeing the pictures of her in the Bahamas. A spokesperson, however, for Stewart says she will not be attending that wedding.

KAGAN: Mary, privacy is one thing. Safety is another. Are there concerns for Martha Stewart's safety once she is inside this prison?

SNOW: Well, you know, there had been some talk from a union head here in Alderson about safety. Saying that the number of guards has been cut because of budget cuts. However, the Bureau of Prisons has said that there have been no concerns and that the prison is well equipped to handle any kind of safety concerns.

KAGAN: Mary Snow in West Virginia. Mary, thank you.

As that weather is turning cooler, might be time to consider doing some of that remodeling projects you've been dreaming of. But Gerri Willis will be along to explain you need to be careful.

Hi, Gerr.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Daryn. We'll tell you how to get that dream contractor and avoid the scam artists when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: It's a good time of the year for home renovations. But how do you choose the best contractor?

CNN/FN personal finance editor Gerri Willis is with us with today's "Top Five Tips."

Gerri, good morning.

WILLIS: Hey, good morning, Daryn. Tip No. 1. roll up your shirtsleeves. Look, if you're going to have some work done at the house you have to do some homework, some research first. Go to remodelingmagazine.com to get an idea of how much your project is going to cost. They break it down by different parts of the country, so it's pretty specific.

Another website great to check out here, handymanonline.com will give you names of contractors in your area that are licensed. Definitely important to know. So check that out, as well.

And run those names past your local town or building code enforcement officer. Go downtown, check it out so that you really know whether the person you're working with is good or not.

KAGAN: And then what before you actually make the selection. you want to interview the candidates?

WILLIS: Yes. You definitely want to sit down and talk to them. But the No. 1 scam out there is that the scam artists go in and out of business. Guys who just want to get your money, they come in and out of business, use different names for that business. So you want to make sure there's a track record there that they've been in business for a while before signing on the dotted line.

KAGAN: And then so you're hiring the contractor. But there will be other people probably working in your home?

WILLIS: Right. You know, it's all well and good to get a great general contractor, but you also need get subcontractors. These are the trades people who do all of the projects that need so much attention, whether it's flooring for a carpenter, the plumber, the electrician. You need to make sure that these guys know what to do and how to do it. So check them out, as well. Make sure they have a track record. Talk to people who've used them in the past, too.

KAGAN: How do you know when you're supposed to pay up?

WILLIS: You know, don't pay at the beginning, is always the advice out there. But you should really schedule out your money over time. Start by putting 10 percent down first. Then put down 25 percent when plumbing and electrical is done. Another 25 percent when cabinets and windows are done. And finally, another 25 percent when the flooring and painting is done.

But don't put all the money up out front because, you know, you want to have something to sort of hold back if the work isn't going the way you want it to go.

KAGAN: They love to come in and tell you they're going to be done in four weeks.

WILLIS: Yes.

KAGAN: Doesn't quite work out that way.

WILLIS: No, you know, staying on schedule is really difficult. I know a lot of people complain about this. I once had a contractor tell me that only one in 10 jobs get done on time. So you really want to think about staying on schedule.

Have a formalized meeting each and every week with the general contractor. The same person in your family each week to keep track of what's going on. And also have them develop at the end of the project, a punch list of things they think need to be done before they take off and leave the site. Now normally it's the homeowner that develops that punch list. But they actually know more about the project. Once they work through their list, then you can give them a list of your own. Get everything done and try to be as much on time as possible.

KAGAN: It's not fun to live through it. But once you're done, it's fun.

WILLIS: It's a wonderful thing.

KAGAN: Just wrapped up. So, I'm enjoying it now.

WILLIS: Good to know.

KAGAN: Gerri, thank you so much.

WILLIS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Well, for the world of international politics, he has been Afghanistan's interim leader since the Taliban was taken down. Now our Christiane Amanpour speaks with Hamid Karzai. That's ahead of the nation's first Democratic election on Saturday. A live report from Kabul is straight ahead.

And an exclusive look inside Mount St. Helens. This is CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Checking the stories happening now in the news. President Bush and Senator John Kerry are taking different routes to their second debate showdown. Mr. Bush presents a retooled stump speech to supporters in Wausau, Wisconsin this afternoon. The senator will continue debate rehearsals at a Colorado resort. Later today, both men head to St. Louis where the town hall style debate is held tomorrow night.

At least 39 people were killed today and dozens more were wounded in a car bombing in the central Pakistani city of Multan. The explosion went off, as 2500 Islamic militants were leading an event. The Sunni extremists were marking the anniversary of their leader's death. There's been no claim of responsibility for today's attack.

Palestinian sources say that the 12-year-old boy and his teenage friend were among four people killed in the latest violence in Gaza. Israeli forces are in the ninth day of an operation launched after two Israeli children were killed in the Palestinian rocket attack. Israel says Palestinian militants launched two more rockets today across the Gaza border but caused no injuries.

A damaged Canadian submarine and its crew remain adrift about 40 miles off the Irish coast. A major electrical fire forced the sub to surface two days ago. One crewman injured in that fire died while being air lifted to the hospital. Irish and British Naval officers will decide today where to tow the crippled sub. Heavy seas and winds have made that rescue effort more dangerous.

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Aired October 7, 2004 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Both George W. Bush and John Kerry are on the road today with both headed to St. Louis, Missouri. Tomorrow night's presidential debate will be staged on the campus of Washington University. The town hall format will be the second face-off for the men.

A joint force of some 2000 U.S. and Iraqi troops launched raids across the country today. The U.S.-led forces arrested some 20 people in the northern City of Mosul, and said they foiled a roadside bombing. Troops also swept across the Province of Babil to snuff out insurgencies and secure the area ahead of the January elections.

Surging oil prices have passed the $52 a barrel mark and set another record. Prices have increased by 60 percent so far this year. And are now riding fears of inadequate supplies of winter heating fuel. The higher prices are also dragging down stocks, both in the U.S. and Europe.

And author of controversial novels and plays has won this year's Noble Prize for Literature. Elfriede Jelinek of Austria use extra uses her work to attack violence against women, and explore both sexuality and political extremism in Europe. She's best known for her autobiographical novel "The Piano Teacher," which was made into a movie a few years ago.

The bell will ring tomorrow night for the second round in the presidential debates. Today, one combatant continues sparring with trainers. The other doing some road work.

Our Elaine Quijano is at the White House with a preview of President Bush's day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Bush visits a key battleground state today, Wisconsin, before moving on to Missouri ahead of tomorrow's debate. Now, back in 2000, Al Gore won Wisconsin, but only by less than one percentage point. A very narrow margin. The Bush campaign feeling it can make inroads there. This is the eighth time that the president has visited Wisconsin this year. And today the president will be visiting a town in the central part of the state, Wausau, Wisconsin, where he'll be speaking at an outdoor rally in a park there. The president is expected to continue his stepped-up attacks against his opponent, Democratic Senator John Kerry. It was at two campaign stops yesterday in Pennsylvania and in Michigan, that Mr. Bush ratcheted up his comments, delivering a blistering assault on Kerry's record. The president called the senator a tax and spend liberal. And on the issue of terrorism, Mr. Bush said Kerry's policies would weaken America and make the world more dangerous.

But the president did not mention that new CIA report, which found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq when the U.S. invaded last year. Instead Mr. Bush repeated his argument that taking Saddam Hussein out of power has made the world safer. Administration officials say they believe the report shows Saddam Hussein was a threat that the U.S. needed to take seriously. They also say they believe it shows that he had the intent and capability to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Meantime, as we said, the president heading to Wausau, Wisconsin today before moving on to St. Louis, Missouri. Aides are being very tight-lipped about what the president might be doing differently this time around to prepare for this second debate.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Live picture now, Vice President Dick Cheney appearing at a town hall meeting with his wife in Miami this morning. Mr. Cheney praised Floridians for their resiliency incurred in the face of recent hurricanes. And he notes that a supplemental aid bill for the state's storm victims unanimously passed the House yesterday and was on its way to the Senate.

John Kerry is keeping a more private profile than the president today. Our national correspondent Frank Buckley has that story from Colorado.

Good morning, Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NAT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Senator Kerry staying off the campaign trail for Now, continuing to focus on the debate coming up on Friday. Here at the Inverness Hotel and Resort, where a ballroom has been transformed apparently into a town hall-style setting. That's the format for the upcoming debate.

Playing the role of President Bush in this mock debate is Greg Craig, the former Clinton administration attorney. And staffers, campaign staffers are playing the role of -- roles of audience members who will be asking the questions in the upcoming debate.

For Kerry advisers, the pre-debate expectation spin is already beginning. They're saying that because of the largely positive reviews of Senator Kerry during the first debate, they know that the expectations are higher for Senator Kerry this time around.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)) MIKE MCCURRY, SR. KERRY CAMPAIGN ADVISER: There's more pressure because it was a great opportunity. Senator Kerry obviously did a great job in that debate. We feel very satisfied with his performance. But the stakes are higher now. The expectations are higher. But you know, on the other side of the coin, some things happened too. President Bush did not have a good night and he practically has to go in and hit a home run now, for him to really be able to say that he's done, in these debates, what he needs to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: Senator Kerry left it to his top advisers and to Senator Edwards to answer that blistering criticism from President Bush yesterday. Senator Edwards calling the speech from President Bush the same old tired rhetoric. A campaign adviser saying that it was a sign of desperation on the Bush campaign to put the president out there, to launch this sort of criticism of Senator Kerry just a couple of days before the debate.

All of it though, Daryn, setting the stage for this debate on Friday. And Senator Kerry leaving for St. Louis later today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Frank Buckley from Colorado. Frank, thank you.

John Kerry is studying up for the debate. His No. 2 has taken the lead for now in attacking President Bush. At a campaign rally in West Palm Beach in Florida yesterday, Senator Edwards said the Bush administration was in denial about problems in Iraq and with the economy. This morning, the vice presidential candidate appeared on the talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly." And he said he wished that he and Vice President Dick Cheney could have spent more time in their debate talking about healthcare and the economy.

Stay with CNN for extensive coverage of the second presidential debate, live from St. Louis. CNN's coverage begins tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

Undecided voters will get a chance to weigh in on the election when Paula Zahn hosts a town hall meeting tonight in Racine, Wisconsin. That's 8:00 Eastern. It's also your chance to ask the Bush and Kerry camps a question. Just send your e-mail to cnn.com/ontheroad.

On Capitol Hill, a congressman called "The Hammer" has been nailed again. Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry reports on accusations that the House majority leader had made forays into the gray areas of ethical conduct.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Ethics Panel criticized the Texas Republican for appearing to link political donations to legislative action in his dealings with West Star Energy, a Kansas company. The panel also found DeLay improperly used government resources by getting the Federal Aviation Administration to track the movement of Texas Democrats who fled the state because of a battle over redistricting.

Members of the Ethics Panel put off action on a third allegation that DeLay, through his Political Action Committee, funneled illegal corporate contributions to candidates for state office in Texas. Three people associated with the PAC were indicted last month on money laundering charges. This follows last Thursday's finding that DeLay had acted improperly during the high profile vote over the Medicare reform bill. The Ethics Panel found delay violated a House rule when he offered a political favor in an effort to get a fellow Republican to switch his vote from no to yes on the prescription drug bill.

Democrats are pouncing, with one House aide telling CNN, quote, "Three admonishments in a week is pretty serious. He can't say it's partisan because this a bipartisan committee."

(on camera): Congressman DeLay said the charges were politically motivated, an attempt by Democrats to smear his name. And an attorney for the congressman insisted the three rebukes will have no effect on DeLay's political standing, and that he will stay on as majority leader.

Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Want to take you live right back now to Miami, Florida. That is where Vice President Cheney is making a campaign appearance. And we're getting word that they're having protesters disrupting the event. Let's listen in.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And at the same time what do you expect...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four more years!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four more years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Four more years.

KAGAN: Well, that appears to be the skirmish that took place just a few minutes ago. As we've seen at other campaign rallies both for Democrats and Republicans, once somebody gets in and makes a ruckus there, they are shown the door. And the event goes on as it was planned. So just new pictures coming in to us from south Florida.

On to Martha Stewart, her last hours of freedom for the next five months. A live report from Alderson, West Virginia, as the town and fellow prisoners await the celebrity felon's arrival.

And Afghans prepare for Saturday's election. Our Christiane Amanpour speaks with presidential front-runner Hamid Karzai. A live report from Kabul coming up.

A little girl, who began her battle with cancer at the age of 1, leaves a million dollar legacy for other cancer patients, after losing her battle with cancer at the tender age of 8. The story of this special everyday hero and a chat with her mother. That is coming up. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at what's on the docket in today's "Legal Brief."

There's been a new ruling in the civil suit against NBA star Kobe Bryant. The woman accusing him of rape asks that she remain anonymous. But a federal judge has denied her request, saying the public's interest outweighs her desire to stay unnamed.

This afternoon in Atlanta, NFL star Jamal Lewis is expected to enter a guilty plea in a federal drug conspiracy charge this afternoon. Sources say the Baltimore Ravens running back had reached a deal with federal prosecutors that will allow him to serve four months in a minimum-security prison in the off-season. He's accused of brokering a cocaine deal for a childhood friend.

Prison is looming closer for Martha Stewart. The domestic diva is due to report to a West Virginia prison camp by tomorrow afternoon. What will her new life be like for the next five months?

Our Mary Snow introduces us to Stewart's next home. It's nicknamed by some Camp Cupcake.

Mary, good morning. You can explain why that is.

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK. Good morning, Daryn. And some call it Camp Cupcake because it's a minimum-security prison. And you know, Martha Stewart's new home will be about a half-mile down the road behind these prison gates just behind me. And just about anywhere you go in this town of Alderson, it's clear the focus is on one thing. And that's Martha Stewart. And it's not just residents who are waiting for her to arrive. It's clear that inmates are well aware that she's on her way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW (voice-over): Here are Martha Stewart's new neighbors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Free Martha! Free us! Woo!

SNOW: Tucked in the Appalachian Mountains, the absence of high security walls has given Alderson the name Camp Cupcake. But some inmates made it clear they don't like the sugarcoated name.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll tell you one thing this isn't no damn Camp Cupcake!

SNOW: And Alderson locals disagree.

HILLARY BENISH, ALDERSON HOSPITALITY House: That's really a disservice. Actually, none of the local people around here ever referred to it as Camp Cupcake.

SNOW: Space is tight. And as far as just who will share quarters with Martha Stewart, there are more than 1,000 possibilities. Including 48-year-old Meg Scott Phipps, a former North Carolina agriculture commissioner serving 48 months for campaign finance fraud. Or, 34-year-old Kentucky housewife, Kimberly Goodson, serving 87 months on intent to murder. And from someone who served time at Alderson, inmates come from all different backgrounds but share something in common. No privacy.

JUDITH KELLY, ARRESTED SOA PROTESTOR: Your freedom is totally taken away. They strip you of everything. strip searches are a part of the procedure there. Counts, constantly having to jump through hoops for people. Kind of invasion of privacy at all times.

SNOW: While Martha Stewart will serve her five months for lying about a stock sale, she's in the minority. Sixty-one percent of inmates are doing time for narcotics charges, 15 percent for bribery, fraud and extortion, 4 percent for white-collar crimes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And when Martha Stewart does arrive here, she'll no doubt see some of the signs that have been put up, made especially for her. As well as a bit of a media camp with satellite trucks lined up outside the prison gates, waiting for her to arrive. Now, she has been ordered to arrive by 2:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.

There had been a lot of speculation, perhaps, about her last public appearance. She was invited to a wedding reception tonight. Her publicist got married over the weekend. You may recall seeing the pictures of her in the Bahamas. A spokesperson, however, for Stewart says she will not be attending that wedding.

KAGAN: Mary, privacy is one thing. Safety is another. Are there concerns for Martha Stewart's safety once she is inside this prison?

SNOW: Well, you know, there had been some talk from a union head here in Alderson about safety. Saying that the number of guards has been cut because of budget cuts. However, the Bureau of Prisons has said that there have been no concerns and that the prison is well equipped to handle any kind of safety concerns.

KAGAN: Mary Snow in West Virginia. Mary, thank you.

As that weather is turning cooler, might be time to consider doing some of that remodeling projects you've been dreaming of. But Gerri Willis will be along to explain you need to be careful.

Hi, Gerr.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Daryn. We'll tell you how to get that dream contractor and avoid the scam artists when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

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KAGAN: It's a good time of the year for home renovations. But how do you choose the best contractor?

CNN/FN personal finance editor Gerri Willis is with us with today's "Top Five Tips."

Gerri, good morning.

WILLIS: Hey, good morning, Daryn. Tip No. 1. roll up your shirtsleeves. Look, if you're going to have some work done at the house you have to do some homework, some research first. Go to remodelingmagazine.com to get an idea of how much your project is going to cost. They break it down by different parts of the country, so it's pretty specific.

Another website great to check out here, handymanonline.com will give you names of contractors in your area that are licensed. Definitely important to know. So check that out, as well.

And run those names past your local town or building code enforcement officer. Go downtown, check it out so that you really know whether the person you're working with is good or not.

KAGAN: And then what before you actually make the selection. you want to interview the candidates?

WILLIS: Yes. You definitely want to sit down and talk to them. But the No. 1 scam out there is that the scam artists go in and out of business. Guys who just want to get your money, they come in and out of business, use different names for that business. So you want to make sure there's a track record there that they've been in business for a while before signing on the dotted line.

KAGAN: And then so you're hiring the contractor. But there will be other people probably working in your home?

WILLIS: Right. You know, it's all well and good to get a great general contractor, but you also need get subcontractors. These are the trades people who do all of the projects that need so much attention, whether it's flooring for a carpenter, the plumber, the electrician. You need to make sure that these guys know what to do and how to do it. So check them out, as well. Make sure they have a track record. Talk to people who've used them in the past, too.

KAGAN: How do you know when you're supposed to pay up?

WILLIS: You know, don't pay at the beginning, is always the advice out there. But you should really schedule out your money over time. Start by putting 10 percent down first. Then put down 25 percent when plumbing and electrical is done. Another 25 percent when cabinets and windows are done. And finally, another 25 percent when the flooring and painting is done.

But don't put all the money up out front because, you know, you want to have something to sort of hold back if the work isn't going the way you want it to go.

KAGAN: They love to come in and tell you they're going to be done in four weeks.

WILLIS: Yes.

KAGAN: Doesn't quite work out that way.

WILLIS: No, you know, staying on schedule is really difficult. I know a lot of people complain about this. I once had a contractor tell me that only one in 10 jobs get done on time. So you really want to think about staying on schedule.

Have a formalized meeting each and every week with the general contractor. The same person in your family each week to keep track of what's going on. And also have them develop at the end of the project, a punch list of things they think need to be done before they take off and leave the site. Now normally it's the homeowner that develops that punch list. But they actually know more about the project. Once they work through their list, then you can give them a list of your own. Get everything done and try to be as much on time as possible.

KAGAN: It's not fun to live through it. But once you're done, it's fun.

WILLIS: It's a wonderful thing.

KAGAN: Just wrapped up. So, I'm enjoying it now.

WILLIS: Good to know.

KAGAN: Gerri, thank you so much.

WILLIS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Well, for the world of international politics, he has been Afghanistan's interim leader since the Taliban was taken down. Now our Christiane Amanpour speaks with Hamid Karzai. That's ahead of the nation's first Democratic election on Saturday. A live report from Kabul is straight ahead.

And an exclusive look inside Mount St. Helens. This is CNN LIVE TODAY.

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KAGAN: Checking the stories happening now in the news. President Bush and Senator John Kerry are taking different routes to their second debate showdown. Mr. Bush presents a retooled stump speech to supporters in Wausau, Wisconsin this afternoon. The senator will continue debate rehearsals at a Colorado resort. Later today, both men head to St. Louis where the town hall style debate is held tomorrow night.

At least 39 people were killed today and dozens more were wounded in a car bombing in the central Pakistani city of Multan. The explosion went off, as 2500 Islamic militants were leading an event. The Sunni extremists were marking the anniversary of their leader's death. There's been no claim of responsibility for today's attack.

Palestinian sources say that the 12-year-old boy and his teenage friend were among four people killed in the latest violence in Gaza. Israeli forces are in the ninth day of an operation launched after two Israeli children were killed in the Palestinian rocket attack. Israel says Palestinian militants launched two more rockets today across the Gaza border but caused no injuries.

A damaged Canadian submarine and its crew remain adrift about 40 miles off the Irish coast. A major electrical fire forced the sub to surface two days ago. One crewman injured in that fire died while being air lifted to the hospital. Irish and British Naval officers will decide today where to tow the crippled sub. Heavy seas and winds have made that rescue effort more dangerous.

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