Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Afghan Forces Focus on More Than Election Security; Israel, Egypt Vow to Fight Terrorists Who Bombed Three Egyptian Resorts; Weekend Movies; Earthquake Strikes Manila, The Philippines

Aired October 08, 2004 - 10:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Rockets hit Kabul earlier today, one day before Afghanistan's first direct Democratic elections. One rocket exploded in the air above the main U.S. military compound in the capital. The blast damaged vehicles in a nearby parking lot. Another rocket landed near a media accreditation center. No casualties have been reported from the attacks.
There's been an upswing in attacks in Afghanistan ahead of tomorrow's presidential election.

But as CNN's Christiane Amanpour reports, Afghan forces are focused on more than election security.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fifteen thousand soldiers have joined the new Afghan army so far. They are being trained by Americans, and they are being drafted into America's war on terror.

But three years on, America's most wanted is still at large.

SGT. SCOTT LUCAS, U.S. ARMY TRAINER: The importance of Osama has kind of wore down because the big picture is to -- I don't think he's a big player as he was. I think the -- and he's probably in Pakistan anyway.

AMANPOUR (on camera): For the past three years, the Americans and their Afghan allies have been predicting the imminent capture of Osama bin Laden.

So we decided to ask the current commanders about their latest predictions.

(voice-over) The Afghan general responsible for parts of the country where terrorists are still active.

GEN. AMDULLAH PATIANI, AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY: Osama bin Laden (speaking foreign language).

(through translator) I hope very soon Osama will face the same fate as Saddam Hussein and be captured.

AMANPOUR: Later we asked the commander of the 18,000 U.S. forces hunting bin Laden how long until they smoke him out? GEN. DAVID BARNO, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES: Very tough question and he's a very tough and elusive enemy out there. Clearly if we had a good insight into where he was, we'd be there and we'd have him in custody now.

AMANPOUR: They don't know whether he's even in Afghanistan, and it's risky business relying on Afghan warlords for help.

Last May CNN followed these Marines hunting bin Laden and his terrorists in central Afghanistan.

This local commander was helping the Marines, but a few months later, he was killed. The U.S. military said he had, in fact, been a senior Taliban commander.

In this murky reality, U.S. forces are now tasked with protecting the election process.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was impressive to me is that, despite any intimidation out there, despite sporadic attacks in different parts of the country, that 10.5 million Afghans came out and registered in the face of that -- that threat to them. And I think we're going to see exactly the same thing here on Saturday.

AMANPOUR: An election that will go ahead with or without the capture of Osama bin Laden.

HAMID KARZAI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT: We are still looking for him. He is -- he is a fugitive. He's running away from law. We will get him one day, sooner or later, but in the meantime, we have to build life.

AMANPOUR: Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: The former top U.S. administrator in Iraq wants to clear the record about comments he made recently. In an op-ed piece appearing in today's "New York Times," Paul Bremer writes that President Bush made the correct choice in invading Iraq, and also that the president is right in seeing Iraq as a central front in the war on terrorism.

On troop strength, Bremer says, quote: "I believe it would have been helpful to have had more troops early on to stop the looting that did so much damage to Iraq's already decrepit infrastructure. The military commanders believe that we had enough American troops in Iraq, and that having a larger American military presence would have been counterproductive because it would have alienated Iraqis. That was a reasonable point of view and it may have been right, but the truth is, we will never know."

In the Middle East, onetime combatants find a common enemy. Both Israel and Egypt are vowing to fight the terrorists who bombed three resorts in Taba, Egypt. That's along the Red Sea. Al Qaeda is suspected in the coordinated strikes that left more than two dozen people dead, many of them Israelis.

Our Ben Wedeman is there with more on this developing story. Ben, hello.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, that bomb went off outside the lobby of the Taba Hilton, a very popular hotel with Israeli tourists here. Went off at about 10:00 last night. It was a car bomb, according to Israeli investigators, contained more than 100 kilograms, or about 220 pounds, of high explosives. It went off right outside the lobby at a time when there were many people, including lots of children there. They were enjoying apparently a musical show when the bomb went off.

Now I spoke to several people who were present at the time. They said it was a scene of complete pandemonium, with parents and children screaming, panicking, running around. The electricity was cut. We saw for instance some people in the aftermath of the blast had tied their bed sheets together, and thrown mattresses down on the ground to break their fall.

Now today, we saw Israeli and Egyptian rescue workers, going through the rubble, looking for survivors. But as far as we could tell, they were just coming up with the dead. We saw them carry away one body in a sheet, a very small body; it appeared to be a child. At this point, the death toll stands somewhere in the mid 20s. There was some confusion because of the conflicting information from the Israeli and Egyptian hospital sources, but as I said, at this point, the death toll looks like it's with in the mid 20s -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ben Wedeman in Taba, Egypt, thank you.

Terrorism concerns also flared earlier this morning in Paris, with an explosion outside the Indonesian embassy. Ten people were slightly wounded, and the blast left nearby cars and buildings damaged. French and Indonesian authorities are investigating, and France's interior minister will only say it was a criminal act.

The singer once known as Cat Stevens says he's still waiting for an explanation as to why he was refused entry into the U.S. last month. Yusuf Islam had to return to London after he was taken off a Washington-bound plane that was diverted to Bangor, Maine. U.S. officials said Islam's name was on a watchlist. But the singer says he has no terrorist connections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YUSUF ISLAM, FORMERLY CAT STEVENS: This is a joke. As far as I'm concerned, looking at it from my side of the picture, I've done nothing. I've never been involved in terrorism. This has been some -- one of the I suppose attempts to try and link me to something quite unsavory, which I have nothing to do with. I denounce, you know, any kind of terrorist activity. I have no clue about what they're talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: Islam says that some good may actually come out of this experience if the system is improved, and innocent people are no longer victimized.

Government officials tell CNN there is no evidence of any terror plots against schools in the U.S., but concede they can't explain a recent discovery in Iraq. Three government officials confirm to CNN that U.S. military personnel found two computer disks containing photographs, layouts, and other materials showing images of schools in six states. The schools were in California, Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon and Georgia. The homeland official says that U.S. intelligence has determined the information posed no threat, and local officials are also downplaying the significance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF DON BRAUN, SAN DIEGO CITY SCHOOLS POLICE: yes, I guess I was a little surprised. But, you know, I understand from the information I have that there were other school districts, as well. The clear message is that: A, your children are very safe; and B, our schools are very well-prepared, as well as our school district.

CHIEF WILLIAM LANDSDOWNE, DAN DIEGO POLICE DEPT.: I think if we're going to warn people, it's got to be something that we can say we've authenticated, it's specific and you need to know this information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: One possible explanation for the material, the information may have been used for planning schools in Iraq.

Women voters are a potential make or break group for both George Bush and John Kerry. On the half dozen issues that many suburban mothers say are important to them, national security has emerged as a dominant, possibly decisive theme. On the eve of tonight's second presidential debate in St. Louis, CNN's John King sat down with a group of worried suburban mothers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Fifth grade in the St. Louis suburbs. Tracy Clear is no fan of the president's education policies, but how she explains a big word in class offers a window on why she's likely to vote Republican anyway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's annihilate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Destroy?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, destroy. That means just get rid of it.

KING: Terrorism is her first test, and she worries about John Kerry. CANDY CLEAR: I believe that Bush's response to 9/11, it may have seem rash to some, but it made me feel safe. I felt like someone was in charge, not someone who is trying to pass the global test.

KING: Security is hardly the only issue for these suburban women and all agree it weighs more on their vote now than it did in presidential elections before the 9/11 attacks. Listen to this group, and it's clear Mr. Bush would have more trouble with suburban moms like Debbie Baldwin, who see a Republican Party tilting far too right on social issues, but put security first for now.

DEBBIE BALDWIN: I feel safe walking into a mall with my children right now, and that's why George Bush has my vote right now.

KING: Karen Grossman likes Mr. Bush's commitment to lower taxes, and even though she considers the Iraq war a big mistake, Senator Kerry's criticism strikes a nerve.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The negative campaigning of wrong war, wrong time, I do not want to believe that these lives were lost for nothing.

KING: Michelle Harris was a Gore voter four years ago, conflicted now.

MICHELLE HARRIS: Education, gun control, gay marriage, choice, the economy are all in kind of one bucket, and foreign policy is in another for me.

KING: She's not sure senator Kerry is tough enough.

HARRIS: That's a post-9/11 way of thinking for me, yes.

KING: Undecided voters are harder to find than this time this time four years ago, and those not sure yet say personal crises might trump global concerns.

KATIE FORD: I love the way Bush, you know, handled Iraq and the war. I feel...

KING: But Katie Ford is newly divorced, a single mom who says she has to choose between car insurance and health insurance, and isn't sure she can afford to vote Republican this time.

FORD: But I don't see any concentration on how people in my position, who, you know, have come from middle class to scraping for pennies and possibly, you know, and beg for food stamps until I get my three children fed and find a job that I'm qualified for.

KING: Susan McGraw voted Bush four years ago. But her health insurance premiums are way up. Her brother has cancer. And her Republican doctor is giving political advice.

SUSAN MCGRAW: He said, you know, I hate to say it, he said, but the only way health insurance is going to change is if you vote Democratic. KING: She closes on a big real estate deal Friday and then will tune in to the debate, leaning the president's way because of his wartime leadership, but not quite ready to settle.

John King, CNN, Clayton, Missouri.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: CNN is the place to watch tonight's debate before, during, and after. Our special coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

How are those September jobs numbers impacting your stocks? We will tell you straight ahead with a live report from the New York Stock Exchange.

And later a comedian, a former rapper, and a model all add up to one crazy taxi ride. But is it worth taking? Mr. Moviefone will be along.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Disappointing jobs report in the spotlight -- not only in the political world, also on Wall Street. That's where we find our Rhonda Schaffler. Hi, Rhonda.

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.

At this point, investors are giving a somewhat muted response to that weaker-than-expected jobs report. Some are saying it raises concern the economy may not be as strong as hoped for; others are noting jobs have been added for 13 straights months.

As you mentioned earlier, just 96,000 jobs were created in September. That's far below Wall Street expectations. The unemployment rate did hold steady at 5.4 percent.

We're going to break it down now sector by sector. Job growth was held down by losses in manufacturing, retail, and goods-producing industries. But the service-producing sectors added 109,000 jobs. And the government created 37,000.

On Wall Street, the major averages mixed at the moment. Higher profits of Dow component Alcoa and General Electric offsetting disappointment over that jobs report. The Dow drifts lower by four points. Nasdaq is off half of one percent. And oil prices are easing a bit, but still well above that $52 per barrel level.

More troubles for the drug sector as well to tell you about. Johnson & Johnson is warning doctors of a possible link between its arthritis drug Remicade and a risk of blood cancer. J&J shares are little changed.

The Krispy Kreme shares falling four percent. That's after the company said it's now the subject of a formal federal probe related to its accounting. And that is all the very latest news from Wall Street. Daryn, I'll see you later.

KAGAN: All right. Rhonda, are your kids talking about this Hilary Duff movie?

SCHAFFLER: Not yet, but after they see the segment, they will.

KAGAN: Yeah. Hopefully they're at school so we don't put any ideas in their heads. Thank you.

Your preteen daughter might be dragging you to go to the movies this weekend. Hilary Duff stars in "Raise Your Voice," but will it raise your spirits or your hackles? We'll talk to Mr. Moviefone, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Want to tell you about the news we're getting in to us here at CNN. It comes out of Manila, the Philippines. Word of an earthquake hitting that city. CNN learning and also taking reports from Associated Press that this major earthquake hit Manila on what is now Friday night. High rises swaying, knocking out power to some areas, also sending some frightened residents into the streets.

Right now, there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Apparently this one lasted for a while. Shaking appeared to last for well over a minute. For those of you who have been through earthquakes know, that is a long time to be feeling all that shaking.

So, we're working on getting more information out of Manila. But once again, a major earthquake hitting the Philippines and the city of Manila. More information as it becomes available.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY FALLON, ACTOR: I'm commandeering your vehicle. Follow that car. Don't worry about speed limits, street lights, nothing. You're with me.

QUEEN LATIFAH, ACTRESS: Man. All right, but I'm still running this meter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: An inept cop teams with a taxi driver with attitude to catch a couple of cheeky robbers. For "Saturday Night Live's" Jimmy Fallon, is "Taxi" the right ride to big screen success? It's time to check out what is new on the big screen this weekend. "Taxi," "Friday Night Lights," and "Raise Your Voice" all make their debuts.

And Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, here with us from Los Angeles. Good morning.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Happy Friday, Daryn. KAGAN: Thank you so much. I do want our viewers to know, we're not leaving the earthquake story. As more information comes in from Manila, we will have that for them.

But meanwhile, we got...

LEATHERMAN: By the way, I'm happy to report that for you if you need me to from here, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yeah, well, thank goodness we got some other folks who can handle that one for us. You -- whoa -- you, however, need to tell us if "Taxi," with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon, is funny.

LEATHERMAN: Well, is it funny? That's really the biggest question. It seems like two things happen to you if you're a "Saturday Night Live" guy who quits the show and wants to make movies. You're either Steve Martin or Will Ferrell and go on to fantastic film careers, or you're Chris Kattan and maybe Chevy Chase and your career falls right off of a cliff.

Things aren't looking so good for Jimmy Fallon in "Taxi."

KAGAN: Oh, no.

LEATHERMAN: Yeah, he plays a hapless cop. They take his driver's license away from him he's so bad. Commandeers a taxi -- souped-up taxi with Queen Latifah -- and they go to chase down some supermodel bank robbers.

The movie is not really funny. The acting is poor. The dialogue is bad. It's just -- if you're going to go see a comedy this weekend, go see "Shaun of the Dead." That's the best place to put your money; "Taxi," not so much.

KAGAN: OK. Let's move on to "Friday Night Lights." Some reviews I'm reading of this are saying it's one of the best football movies ever.

LEATHERMAN: Well, I think that it is. And I think it's a great movie -- not just a football movie, but just a great movie in general.

It is about this small town in Texas, their football team, and Billy Bob Thornton is the coach that takes them to the state championship. And the thing that's great about the movie is not only the football good -- a lot of sports movies fall down with the actual sport, this one doesn't -- but it's also about how a small town just wraps their entire lives around this sport and around football and how it affects the kids, their entire life.

I really liked this movie. I think it was gritty. I liked the football. I liked the story. And you're not going to be disappointed. You're going to like this one, Daryn.

KAGAN: Wow, that is a huge endorsement. Are your kids dragging you to this Hilary Duff movie, "Raise Your Voice"? LEATHERMAN: Well, they are. And I was sitting about halfway through it, and I had to stop and just heat my own head with this movie. And -- I'm telling you...

KAGAN: Which is not a good thing, I'm guessing?

LEATHERMAN: You know what? It depends on who you ask. But generally, it's not a good thing.

Hilary Duff, she's a huge teen star. If you're a 15-year-old girl, you might like this movie. But the movie's very predictable. She's not a particularly good singer, I don't think, or a good actor.

The story is about her as a small town girl. Her brother's killed in a car accident, so she wants to go to the big city, join the music academy. Her dad doesn't want her to go, but she goes. She learns about life, love, music, and all that stuff.

And like I said, it's -- I didn't think it was a particularly good movie. If you're a 15-year-old girl, you might be OK with it. But other than that, it's really -- it's a little bit lame.

So, I say if you're going to the movies this weekend, the movie by a mile to go see is "Friday Night Lights" for sure.

KAGAN: All right. Appreciate the advice -- Mr. Moviefone.

LEATHERMAN: And I'll try not to eat my own head anymore.

KAGAN: Yeah, that would be good.

LEATHERMAN: It scares people, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yeah, I know. The image -- I don't want to go there. Thank you. Thank you so much, Russ.

LEATHERMAN: Bye, Daryn. See you next week.

KAGAN: Good to see you.

All right. For more on these movies and all the Hollywood buzz, point your Internet browser to cnn.com/entertainment. We're back in a moment. More on that apparent earthquake in Manila, Philippines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Once again, we want you to know we're following what appears to be major story out of Manila, the Philippines. Word of an earthquake hitting that city -- a major earthquake, it's being described as, hitting Manila on what is now Friday night.

High rises were sent swaying, knocking out power. Residents frightened in the streets. No immediate reports right now of any injuries or any damage. The shaking, though, we're hearing, lasted for more than a minute. We're working on getting more reports out of Manila. And as we do, we will bring that to you live here on CNN. Right now, let's focus on this country and check in with Orelon Sidney, who is watching the weather picture. Hi, Orelon.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Orelon, thank you for that.

Coming up in our next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, the damage that you probably haven't seen from the hurricanes that slammed into Florida. Environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau joins me to explain.

And new job numbers are out. We'll hear the Kerry camp's economic outlook after talking to the Commerce Secretary Don Evans in this hour. I will speak to Kerry advisor Alexis Herman.

The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

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


Aired October 8, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Rockets hit Kabul earlier today, one day before Afghanistan's first direct Democratic elections. One rocket exploded in the air above the main U.S. military compound in the capital. The blast damaged vehicles in a nearby parking lot. Another rocket landed near a media accreditation center. No casualties have been reported from the attacks.
There's been an upswing in attacks in Afghanistan ahead of tomorrow's presidential election.

But as CNN's Christiane Amanpour reports, Afghan forces are focused on more than election security.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Fifteen thousand soldiers have joined the new Afghan army so far. They are being trained by Americans, and they are being drafted into America's war on terror.

But three years on, America's most wanted is still at large.

SGT. SCOTT LUCAS, U.S. ARMY TRAINER: The importance of Osama has kind of wore down because the big picture is to -- I don't think he's a big player as he was. I think the -- and he's probably in Pakistan anyway.

AMANPOUR (on camera): For the past three years, the Americans and their Afghan allies have been predicting the imminent capture of Osama bin Laden.

So we decided to ask the current commanders about their latest predictions.

(voice-over) The Afghan general responsible for parts of the country where terrorists are still active.

GEN. AMDULLAH PATIANI, AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY: Osama bin Laden (speaking foreign language).

(through translator) I hope very soon Osama will face the same fate as Saddam Hussein and be captured.

AMANPOUR: Later we asked the commander of the 18,000 U.S. forces hunting bin Laden how long until they smoke him out? GEN. DAVID BARNO, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES: Very tough question and he's a very tough and elusive enemy out there. Clearly if we had a good insight into where he was, we'd be there and we'd have him in custody now.

AMANPOUR: They don't know whether he's even in Afghanistan, and it's risky business relying on Afghan warlords for help.

Last May CNN followed these Marines hunting bin Laden and his terrorists in central Afghanistan.

This local commander was helping the Marines, but a few months later, he was killed. The U.S. military said he had, in fact, been a senior Taliban commander.

In this murky reality, U.S. forces are now tasked with protecting the election process.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was impressive to me is that, despite any intimidation out there, despite sporadic attacks in different parts of the country, that 10.5 million Afghans came out and registered in the face of that -- that threat to them. And I think we're going to see exactly the same thing here on Saturday.

AMANPOUR: An election that will go ahead with or without the capture of Osama bin Laden.

HAMID KARZAI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT: We are still looking for him. He is -- he is a fugitive. He's running away from law. We will get him one day, sooner or later, but in the meantime, we have to build life.

AMANPOUR: Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: The former top U.S. administrator in Iraq wants to clear the record about comments he made recently. In an op-ed piece appearing in today's "New York Times," Paul Bremer writes that President Bush made the correct choice in invading Iraq, and also that the president is right in seeing Iraq as a central front in the war on terrorism.

On troop strength, Bremer says, quote: "I believe it would have been helpful to have had more troops early on to stop the looting that did so much damage to Iraq's already decrepit infrastructure. The military commanders believe that we had enough American troops in Iraq, and that having a larger American military presence would have been counterproductive because it would have alienated Iraqis. That was a reasonable point of view and it may have been right, but the truth is, we will never know."

In the Middle East, onetime combatants find a common enemy. Both Israel and Egypt are vowing to fight the terrorists who bombed three resorts in Taba, Egypt. That's along the Red Sea. Al Qaeda is suspected in the coordinated strikes that left more than two dozen people dead, many of them Israelis.

Our Ben Wedeman is there with more on this developing story. Ben, hello.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, that bomb went off outside the lobby of the Taba Hilton, a very popular hotel with Israeli tourists here. Went off at about 10:00 last night. It was a car bomb, according to Israeli investigators, contained more than 100 kilograms, or about 220 pounds, of high explosives. It went off right outside the lobby at a time when there were many people, including lots of children there. They were enjoying apparently a musical show when the bomb went off.

Now I spoke to several people who were present at the time. They said it was a scene of complete pandemonium, with parents and children screaming, panicking, running around. The electricity was cut. We saw for instance some people in the aftermath of the blast had tied their bed sheets together, and thrown mattresses down on the ground to break their fall.

Now today, we saw Israeli and Egyptian rescue workers, going through the rubble, looking for survivors. But as far as we could tell, they were just coming up with the dead. We saw them carry away one body in a sheet, a very small body; it appeared to be a child. At this point, the death toll stands somewhere in the mid 20s. There was some confusion because of the conflicting information from the Israeli and Egyptian hospital sources, but as I said, at this point, the death toll looks like it's with in the mid 20s -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ben Wedeman in Taba, Egypt, thank you.

Terrorism concerns also flared earlier this morning in Paris, with an explosion outside the Indonesian embassy. Ten people were slightly wounded, and the blast left nearby cars and buildings damaged. French and Indonesian authorities are investigating, and France's interior minister will only say it was a criminal act.

The singer once known as Cat Stevens says he's still waiting for an explanation as to why he was refused entry into the U.S. last month. Yusuf Islam had to return to London after he was taken off a Washington-bound plane that was diverted to Bangor, Maine. U.S. officials said Islam's name was on a watchlist. But the singer says he has no terrorist connections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YUSUF ISLAM, FORMERLY CAT STEVENS: This is a joke. As far as I'm concerned, looking at it from my side of the picture, I've done nothing. I've never been involved in terrorism. This has been some -- one of the I suppose attempts to try and link me to something quite unsavory, which I have nothing to do with. I denounce, you know, any kind of terrorist activity. I have no clue about what they're talking about.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: Islam says that some good may actually come out of this experience if the system is improved, and innocent people are no longer victimized.

Government officials tell CNN there is no evidence of any terror plots against schools in the U.S., but concede they can't explain a recent discovery in Iraq. Three government officials confirm to CNN that U.S. military personnel found two computer disks containing photographs, layouts, and other materials showing images of schools in six states. The schools were in California, Florida, New Jersey, Michigan, Oregon and Georgia. The homeland official says that U.S. intelligence has determined the information posed no threat, and local officials are also downplaying the significance.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF DON BRAUN, SAN DIEGO CITY SCHOOLS POLICE: yes, I guess I was a little surprised. But, you know, I understand from the information I have that there were other school districts, as well. The clear message is that: A, your children are very safe; and B, our schools are very well-prepared, as well as our school district.

CHIEF WILLIAM LANDSDOWNE, DAN DIEGO POLICE DEPT.: I think if we're going to warn people, it's got to be something that we can say we've authenticated, it's specific and you need to know this information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: One possible explanation for the material, the information may have been used for planning schools in Iraq.

Women voters are a potential make or break group for both George Bush and John Kerry. On the half dozen issues that many suburban mothers say are important to them, national security has emerged as a dominant, possibly decisive theme. On the eve of tonight's second presidential debate in St. Louis, CNN's John King sat down with a group of worried suburban mothers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Fifth grade in the St. Louis suburbs. Tracy Clear is no fan of the president's education policies, but how she explains a big word in class offers a window on why she's likely to vote Republican anyway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's annihilate?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Destroy?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, destroy. That means just get rid of it.

KING: Terrorism is her first test, and she worries about John Kerry. CANDY CLEAR: I believe that Bush's response to 9/11, it may have seem rash to some, but it made me feel safe. I felt like someone was in charge, not someone who is trying to pass the global test.

KING: Security is hardly the only issue for these suburban women and all agree it weighs more on their vote now than it did in presidential elections before the 9/11 attacks. Listen to this group, and it's clear Mr. Bush would have more trouble with suburban moms like Debbie Baldwin, who see a Republican Party tilting far too right on social issues, but put security first for now.

DEBBIE BALDWIN: I feel safe walking into a mall with my children right now, and that's why George Bush has my vote right now.

KING: Karen Grossman likes Mr. Bush's commitment to lower taxes, and even though she considers the Iraq war a big mistake, Senator Kerry's criticism strikes a nerve.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The negative campaigning of wrong war, wrong time, I do not want to believe that these lives were lost for nothing.

KING: Michelle Harris was a Gore voter four years ago, conflicted now.

MICHELLE HARRIS: Education, gun control, gay marriage, choice, the economy are all in kind of one bucket, and foreign policy is in another for me.

KING: She's not sure senator Kerry is tough enough.

HARRIS: That's a post-9/11 way of thinking for me, yes.

KING: Undecided voters are harder to find than this time this time four years ago, and those not sure yet say personal crises might trump global concerns.

KATIE FORD: I love the way Bush, you know, handled Iraq and the war. I feel...

KING: But Katie Ford is newly divorced, a single mom who says she has to choose between car insurance and health insurance, and isn't sure she can afford to vote Republican this time.

FORD: But I don't see any concentration on how people in my position, who, you know, have come from middle class to scraping for pennies and possibly, you know, and beg for food stamps until I get my three children fed and find a job that I'm qualified for.

KING: Susan McGraw voted Bush four years ago. But her health insurance premiums are way up. Her brother has cancer. And her Republican doctor is giving political advice.

SUSAN MCGRAW: He said, you know, I hate to say it, he said, but the only way health insurance is going to change is if you vote Democratic. KING: She closes on a big real estate deal Friday and then will tune in to the debate, leaning the president's way because of his wartime leadership, but not quite ready to settle.

John King, CNN, Clayton, Missouri.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: CNN is the place to watch tonight's debate before, during, and after. Our special coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

How are those September jobs numbers impacting your stocks? We will tell you straight ahead with a live report from the New York Stock Exchange.

And later a comedian, a former rapper, and a model all add up to one crazy taxi ride. But is it worth taking? Mr. Moviefone will be along.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Disappointing jobs report in the spotlight -- not only in the political world, also on Wall Street. That's where we find our Rhonda Schaffler. Hi, Rhonda.

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.

At this point, investors are giving a somewhat muted response to that weaker-than-expected jobs report. Some are saying it raises concern the economy may not be as strong as hoped for; others are noting jobs have been added for 13 straights months.

As you mentioned earlier, just 96,000 jobs were created in September. That's far below Wall Street expectations. The unemployment rate did hold steady at 5.4 percent.

We're going to break it down now sector by sector. Job growth was held down by losses in manufacturing, retail, and goods-producing industries. But the service-producing sectors added 109,000 jobs. And the government created 37,000.

On Wall Street, the major averages mixed at the moment. Higher profits of Dow component Alcoa and General Electric offsetting disappointment over that jobs report. The Dow drifts lower by four points. Nasdaq is off half of one percent. And oil prices are easing a bit, but still well above that $52 per barrel level.

More troubles for the drug sector as well to tell you about. Johnson & Johnson is warning doctors of a possible link between its arthritis drug Remicade and a risk of blood cancer. J&J shares are little changed.

The Krispy Kreme shares falling four percent. That's after the company said it's now the subject of a formal federal probe related to its accounting. And that is all the very latest news from Wall Street. Daryn, I'll see you later.

KAGAN: All right. Rhonda, are your kids talking about this Hilary Duff movie?

SCHAFFLER: Not yet, but after they see the segment, they will.

KAGAN: Yeah. Hopefully they're at school so we don't put any ideas in their heads. Thank you.

Your preteen daughter might be dragging you to go to the movies this weekend. Hilary Duff stars in "Raise Your Voice," but will it raise your spirits or your hackles? We'll talk to Mr. Moviefone, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Want to tell you about the news we're getting in to us here at CNN. It comes out of Manila, the Philippines. Word of an earthquake hitting that city. CNN learning and also taking reports from Associated Press that this major earthquake hit Manila on what is now Friday night. High rises swaying, knocking out power to some areas, also sending some frightened residents into the streets.

Right now, there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Apparently this one lasted for a while. Shaking appeared to last for well over a minute. For those of you who have been through earthquakes know, that is a long time to be feeling all that shaking.

So, we're working on getting more information out of Manila. But once again, a major earthquake hitting the Philippines and the city of Manila. More information as it becomes available.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIMMY FALLON, ACTOR: I'm commandeering your vehicle. Follow that car. Don't worry about speed limits, street lights, nothing. You're with me.

QUEEN LATIFAH, ACTRESS: Man. All right, but I'm still running this meter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: An inept cop teams with a taxi driver with attitude to catch a couple of cheeky robbers. For "Saturday Night Live's" Jimmy Fallon, is "Taxi" the right ride to big screen success? It's time to check out what is new on the big screen this weekend. "Taxi," "Friday Night Lights," and "Raise Your Voice" all make their debuts.

And Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, here with us from Los Angeles. Good morning.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": Happy Friday, Daryn. KAGAN: Thank you so much. I do want our viewers to know, we're not leaving the earthquake story. As more information comes in from Manila, we will have that for them.

But meanwhile, we got...

LEATHERMAN: By the way, I'm happy to report that for you if you need me to from here, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yeah, well, thank goodness we got some other folks who can handle that one for us. You -- whoa -- you, however, need to tell us if "Taxi," with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon, is funny.

LEATHERMAN: Well, is it funny? That's really the biggest question. It seems like two things happen to you if you're a "Saturday Night Live" guy who quits the show and wants to make movies. You're either Steve Martin or Will Ferrell and go on to fantastic film careers, or you're Chris Kattan and maybe Chevy Chase and your career falls right off of a cliff.

Things aren't looking so good for Jimmy Fallon in "Taxi."

KAGAN: Oh, no.

LEATHERMAN: Yeah, he plays a hapless cop. They take his driver's license away from him he's so bad. Commandeers a taxi -- souped-up taxi with Queen Latifah -- and they go to chase down some supermodel bank robbers.

The movie is not really funny. The acting is poor. The dialogue is bad. It's just -- if you're going to go see a comedy this weekend, go see "Shaun of the Dead." That's the best place to put your money; "Taxi," not so much.

KAGAN: OK. Let's move on to "Friday Night Lights." Some reviews I'm reading of this are saying it's one of the best football movies ever.

LEATHERMAN: Well, I think that it is. And I think it's a great movie -- not just a football movie, but just a great movie in general.

It is about this small town in Texas, their football team, and Billy Bob Thornton is the coach that takes them to the state championship. And the thing that's great about the movie is not only the football good -- a lot of sports movies fall down with the actual sport, this one doesn't -- but it's also about how a small town just wraps their entire lives around this sport and around football and how it affects the kids, their entire life.

I really liked this movie. I think it was gritty. I liked the football. I liked the story. And you're not going to be disappointed. You're going to like this one, Daryn.

KAGAN: Wow, that is a huge endorsement. Are your kids dragging you to this Hilary Duff movie, "Raise Your Voice"? LEATHERMAN: Well, they are. And I was sitting about halfway through it, and I had to stop and just heat my own head with this movie. And -- I'm telling you...

KAGAN: Which is not a good thing, I'm guessing?

LEATHERMAN: You know what? It depends on who you ask. But generally, it's not a good thing.

Hilary Duff, she's a huge teen star. If you're a 15-year-old girl, you might like this movie. But the movie's very predictable. She's not a particularly good singer, I don't think, or a good actor.

The story is about her as a small town girl. Her brother's killed in a car accident, so she wants to go to the big city, join the music academy. Her dad doesn't want her to go, but she goes. She learns about life, love, music, and all that stuff.

And like I said, it's -- I didn't think it was a particularly good movie. If you're a 15-year-old girl, you might be OK with it. But other than that, it's really -- it's a little bit lame.

So, I say if you're going to the movies this weekend, the movie by a mile to go see is "Friday Night Lights" for sure.

KAGAN: All right. Appreciate the advice -- Mr. Moviefone.

LEATHERMAN: And I'll try not to eat my own head anymore.

KAGAN: Yeah, that would be good.

LEATHERMAN: It scares people, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yeah, I know. The image -- I don't want to go there. Thank you. Thank you so much, Russ.

LEATHERMAN: Bye, Daryn. See you next week.

KAGAN: Good to see you.

All right. For more on these movies and all the Hollywood buzz, point your Internet browser to cnn.com/entertainment. We're back in a moment. More on that apparent earthquake in Manila, Philippines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Once again, we want you to know we're following what appears to be major story out of Manila, the Philippines. Word of an earthquake hitting that city -- a major earthquake, it's being described as, hitting Manila on what is now Friday night.

High rises were sent swaying, knocking out power. Residents frightened in the streets. No immediate reports right now of any injuries or any damage. The shaking, though, we're hearing, lasted for more than a minute. We're working on getting more reports out of Manila. And as we do, we will bring that to you live here on CNN. Right now, let's focus on this country and check in with Orelon Sidney, who is watching the weather picture. Hi, Orelon.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Orelon, thank you for that.

Coming up in our next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, the damage that you probably haven't seen from the hurricanes that slammed into Florida. Environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau joins me to explain.

And new job numbers are out. We'll hear the Kerry camp's economic outlook after talking to the Commerce Secretary Don Evans in this hour. I will speak to Kerry advisor Alexis Herman.

The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

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