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CNN Live At Daybreak
Another Series of U.S. Airstrikes in Fallujah; More Pain at the Pump
Aired October 19, 2004 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
Now in the news, rubble in the streets of Falluja this morning, the aftermath of another series of U.S. airstrikes. Warplanes hit buildings believed to have been used by insurgents loyal to terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Back here in the States, you will probably feel more pain at the pump this morning. Average gas prices have now topped $2 a gallon. That's up $0.46 from a year ago.
In baseball play-off action, two nail biters. Boston took a second game from New York in the A.L. championship series. The Yankees still up three games to two. Game six is today. And, oh, what a nail biter of a game. It was awesome.
In the National League, an awesome game, as well. The Houston Astros beat the St. Louis Cardinals to take a three games to two lead. Game six is Wednesday.
To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Two weeks from today, Americans head to the polls to elect the next president. And new polls this morning show the horse race between President Bush and Senator Kerry could still go down to the wire. A "New York Times"/CBS News poll shows Bush and Kerry dead even among registered voters and Bush having a 1 point lead over Senator Kerry among likely voters.
In a CNN survey that measures an average of all national polls, Bush leads by 5 percentage points -- 50 percent of Americans favor Bush, 45 percent favor Kerry. The sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.
With the race still so close and time running out, the presidential candidates are turning up the rhetoric. Both Bush and Kerry are hop scotching from one battleground state to another, attacking each other's perceived weaknesses. In some places, early voting has already begun.
From Washington, here's CNN's Claire Leka.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CLAIRE LEKA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Racking up the miles in the Sunshine State, Florida, with its 27 electoral votes, is again a showdown magnet for both candidates in their race for the White House. Long lines and computer glitches disrupted the first day of early voting in Florida Monday, recalling memories of the bitterly fought 2000 presidential election and ensuing 36 day recount.
President Bush will be in Florida all day today and is expected to continue hammering what some analysts say is his strongest issue, the war on terrorism.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The choice we face in this election, the first presidential election since September the 11th, is how our nation will defeat this threat. Will we stay on the offensive against those who want to attack us or will we take action only after we are attacked?
LEKA: John Kerry spent most of the day in Florida Monday, where he accused the president of mismanaging the war in Iraq.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The bottom line, Mr. President, is that your mismanagement of the war has, in fact, made Iraq and America less safe and less secure than they could have been and that they should have been today. And that's the fact.
LEKA (on camera): Today, Kerry starts his day in another key battleground state, in Waterloo, Iowa. And then he moves on to Pittsburgh later this evening and on to Ohio, where he'll spend the night.
In Washington, I'm Claire Leka.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: Another issue that's gaining steam in this election is the flu shot shortage. How did it happen and who's to blame? That's what voters want to know as they stand in line for one of the few available doses of the vaccine. One registered voter in Miami says it's easier to vote in Florida than to get a flu shot, and that's saying something in these times.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is breaking with his party in order to support stem cell research. The governor has announced his support for Proposition 71. Now, that ballot initiative calls for the state to spend $3 billion on stem cell research over the next 10 years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I am very much interested in stem cell research and support it 100 percent. It was just the question how the state will handle the financial side of it, because -- but they have done something smart, which is that there are no payments due in the next five years. So that is what really made me decide to support it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: More on stem cell research. Patty Davis says her support for stem cell research got her booted from a speaking engagement with the Salvation Army. The daughter of the late President Ronald Reagan has sued the Salvation Army for breach of contract. She says they canceled her speech one day after she talked about stem cell research in a national TV interview. A lawyer for the Salvation Army says Davis' views on the stem cell issue had nothing to do with the cancellation.
Another supporter is Brooke Ellison. She was the subject of Christopher Reeve's final project. Reeve directed the movie about her life as a quadriplegic.
Ellison spoke with our Larry King about the hope offered by stem cell research.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "LARRY KING LIVE")
BROOKE ELLISON, REEVE FILM SUBJECT: Right now there are over 100 million people who face conditions that could potentially be cured with stem cell research. And I guess the way regulations are set right now, the researchers who are working on potential cures are pretty much left with their hands tied. You know, they want to pursue their research, but they just don't have the funding to do it.
I guess if we back track about three years, to 2001, when President Bush first made his decision, he did it, I think, in a way that might be a little bit, that might undermine kind of the foundations of democracy that, you know, we so, hold so dear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, if oil's down, why is gas up? That's our "Business Buzz" at 11 past the hour.
Then at a quarter past, Kendall Coffey, our legal analyst, helps us explain why Scott Peterson's defense team is focused on the science of cement.
Then at 6:50 Eastern, don't consider yourself picky just because you appreciate a good meal. But do consider the pages of the "Zagat Survey." I'll talk to the woman who helped create it.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
You may want to hit the ATM before filling up your tank.
Carrie Lee has more on the ever skyrocketing gas prices. She's live at the Nasdaq -- good morning.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Well, we're averaging $2 a gallon once again here in the country. This is the first time gas prices have passed this line since June, and this is just pennies lower than last spring's record. Today's data coming from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A gallon of unleaded regular now averages $2.04. That's a gain of $0.042 from last week. And we last saw gas averaging more than $2 back on June 7.
However, prices do remain less than the $2.95 a gallon that's necessary to set an inflation adjusted record. So when you take inflation into account, Carol, gas prices not all that high after all.
A quick look at the futures. Things looking pretty strong for today's session. It looks like we're going to see some buying at the 9:30 opening bell. Some upbeat profit reports last night from IBM and Texas Instruments helping to fuel the gains. IBM in particular doing well, that stock up about 2.3 percent in the after hours session. They beat the Street on profits, earning pretty nice gains on the bottom line. Sales up 9 percent. Profits coming in at $1.8 billion, or $1.06 per share. That's versus $1.02 per share from the year ago period.
Texas Instruments also a nice gainer last night, up 5 percent in the after hours session -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Carrie Lee.
Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:12 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
American war planes bombard suspected terrorist safe houses and weapons depots in Falluja. The U.S.-led forces are targeting suspected hiding places for insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
The prime minister of Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, is under house arrest on corruption charges. A Thai government spokesman says Myanmar's prime minister also has been forced to resign his position.
In money news, Social Security recipients should get a little more in their checks. The annual cost of living adjustment is expected to be bigger than it was last year. But a large chunk of the increase will be eaten up by higher Medicare costs.
In culture, jazz music has a new home in New York. The Frederick P. Rose Hall at the Lincoln Center is the first facility specifically designed for the education and performance of jazz music.
And in sports, Monday night football. To be exact, the St. Louis Rams came back to win their second straight, beating the Tampa Bay Bucks a28-21. The Rams move into first place in the NFC West -- Chad.
MYERS: Some very confused St. Louis fans yesterday. They didn't know what to watch.
COSTELLO: That's true.
MYERS: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
No delays this time. Scott Peterson's defense team, led by attorney Mark Geragos, began its case. And while cement and hills don't sound exciting, they could challenge the prosecution's case.
Live from Miami, our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us now -- good morning, Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Hey, you want to start with the cement?
COFFEY: Yes, well, the cement really has been looming as a pretty big question because Scott Peterson said that he made a concrete anchor for his boat. But what happened to the rest of the 90 pound bag of cement? Peterson said it went into his driveway. Last month, a prosecution expert said not possible because that prosecution expert supposedly compared the concrete in Peterson's driveway to the concrete anchor Peterson made and said they're different.
Yesterday, a defense expert gets on and says hey, I think there's a match here. So dueling experts, Carol, but certainly something that the defense has at least raised a question with.
COSTELLO: Right. Which is supposedly creating doubts in jurors' minds.
Does this kind of evidence really play to jurors?
COFFEY: Very hard to say. But if you're the defense, that issue of the concrete really seemed to be troubling. And they're in the courtroom. They don't get tracking polls to know exactly where they are with the jury. But they're reading the faces, reading the eyes of the jury. And obviously they were very, very concerned about this issue of whether or not the concrete could have been used to weigh down the body of Laci Peterson.
Now they've got an expert who said no, it's in Scott Peterson's driveway. That's definitely helpful for the defense.
COSTELLO: OK. Let's move on to the hillsides portion of this analysis this morning.
Scott and Laci apparently took a vacation to Carmel a week before she died. A witness testified he saw the couple taking a rather arduous walk on the beach.
Does this shoot down another prosecution theory?
COFFEY: I think so. I don't know if it's a huge point or not, but the defense puts on an investigator who retraces the walk that Laci must have walked a week before she was murdered. And given the fact that the prosecution invested heavily in the premise that she was just physically incapable of that kind of exertion, I think the defense has done a nice job of knocking that issue out of the way. One less thing that the defense has to worry about when that jury goes back to deliberate on the case some weeks from now.
COSTELLO: We'll see what happens later today.
Kendall Coffey live from Miami.
Thank you.
They can't legally vote, but they're trying to sway some of you. Coming up, readers of a British newspaper kick off a campaign to reach Ohio?
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Get this, some Ohioans may soon get some election pen pals from across the pond. A British newspaper, "The Guardian," wants to unseat President Bush, so it's urging its readers to write to voters in Clark County, Ohio, which is considers a key community in the battleground state.
A sample letter -- yes, the newspaper even provides a sample letter -- it goes like this. This is how it ends: "For all our sakes, kick out the wretched Bush, spokesman for greed and oppression. Show the world you're not taken in by this phony folksy grin. Do the world a favor."
Ooh, that'll sway voters in Ohio, don't you think? Whether you're for him or...
MYERS: Especially when misspell -- they spell "favour" with a 'u' like they do over there.
COSTELLO: Well, that's the correct way in England.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: But I'm just saying that you're -- if you're that out there, no matter which side of the political spectrum you are, that might turn you off.
The paper also offers some tips, though, to British letter writers such as be courteous, don't make assumptions. Oh, yes, like that sample letter. And explain why you think they should pay attention to you, even though you live in Britain. So what do the people in Clark County think?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have the right to express their opinion and I, in my mind, I think that's what they're doing, at the urging of a newspaper.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that it should be the people here that decide who they vote, not somebody from Britain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a good thing as far as, you know, people helping us out for how we want to vote for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd write a letter back and say butt out. Let America decide what America needs. And then I'd throw it in the wastepaper basket.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: There's that good old Midwest fighting spirit.
MYERS: Butt out.
COSTELLO: That's right. British readers can get the names and addressed of Clark County voters, by the way, through the newspaper. The newspaper will provide those addresses, which would also not make me happy.
MYERS: I can just see more spam coming around.
COSTELLO: We want to check some of our e-mails, because we've been getting a lot of interesting e-mails this morning. And the question this morning, will the presidential election be decided on November 2? Nobody thinks it will be decided on November 2.
MYERS: I really don't think so. Some of the ones that are saying that, yes, we'll know on November 2, but on November 3 we will also know something different, you know? I mean...
COSTELLO: Exactly.
MYERS: We're going to go to bed thinking one thing and maybe wake up thinking something else.
COSTELLO: In fact, that's what J.B. from Austin, Texas kind of says. He says: "Whatever ensues after V. Day, the election will be decided on November 2 by exit pollers and network pundits, probably before West Coast citizens can cast a ballot after work."
MYERS: And Fred says: "Unfortunately for the citizens of this country now, the president has been set to win the elections the way most things are won in this country, and that's by litigation."
COSTELLO: More fallout this morning from a television broadcasting company's plans to run a documentary critical of Senator Kerry. You've heard about Sinclair Broadcasting.
MYERS: Sure.
COSTELLO: Well, that group ordered its 62 stations to air the film, part of it shown here. Now, Sinclair's chief Washington reporter tells CNN the company fired him because he criticized the order.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN LEIBERMAN, FORMER SINCLAIR REPORTER: We haven't done an hour long special on anything else, not the war in Iraq, not the war in Afghanistan, not the election, not the debates. And then all of a sudden, two weeks before the election, now we're doing an hour long special based on this anti-Kerry documentary. And I'm already being attacked for -- people are saying that oh, it's because of my political leanings, the reason why I'm speaking out. Paula, I'll tell you right here tonight, I haven't given a dime to either of these political parties during this election. I play it right down the middle. I pride myself on being fair in my reporting. And to suggest otherwise, I'm insulted by that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In a statement from Sinclair, Sinclair calls Leiberman a disgruntled employee.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, a problem at the polls. Some voters already are worried about a repeat of 2000. Is democracy at risk?
And what cars are the hottest, and I do mean the hottest, on the street among thieves? Is your car a target? We'll tell you after this break.
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 19, 2004 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you.
From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello.
Now in the news, rubble in the streets of Falluja this morning, the aftermath of another series of U.S. airstrikes. Warplanes hit buildings believed to have been used by insurgents loyal to terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Back here in the States, you will probably feel more pain at the pump this morning. Average gas prices have now topped $2 a gallon. That's up $0.46 from a year ago.
In baseball play-off action, two nail biters. Boston took a second game from New York in the A.L. championship series. The Yankees still up three games to two. Game six is today. And, oh, what a nail biter of a game. It was awesome.
In the National League, an awesome game, as well. The Houston Astros beat the St. Louis Cardinals to take a three games to two lead. Game six is Wednesday.
To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Two weeks from today, Americans head to the polls to elect the next president. And new polls this morning show the horse race between President Bush and Senator Kerry could still go down to the wire. A "New York Times"/CBS News poll shows Bush and Kerry dead even among registered voters and Bush having a 1 point lead over Senator Kerry among likely voters.
In a CNN survey that measures an average of all national polls, Bush leads by 5 percentage points -- 50 percent of Americans favor Bush, 45 percent favor Kerry. The sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.
With the race still so close and time running out, the presidential candidates are turning up the rhetoric. Both Bush and Kerry are hop scotching from one battleground state to another, attacking each other's perceived weaknesses. In some places, early voting has already begun.
From Washington, here's CNN's Claire Leka.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
CLAIRE LEKA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Racking up the miles in the Sunshine State, Florida, with its 27 electoral votes, is again a showdown magnet for both candidates in their race for the White House. Long lines and computer glitches disrupted the first day of early voting in Florida Monday, recalling memories of the bitterly fought 2000 presidential election and ensuing 36 day recount.
President Bush will be in Florida all day today and is expected to continue hammering what some analysts say is his strongest issue, the war on terrorism.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The choice we face in this election, the first presidential election since September the 11th, is how our nation will defeat this threat. Will we stay on the offensive against those who want to attack us or will we take action only after we are attacked?
LEKA: John Kerry spent most of the day in Florida Monday, where he accused the president of mismanaging the war in Iraq.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The bottom line, Mr. President, is that your mismanagement of the war has, in fact, made Iraq and America less safe and less secure than they could have been and that they should have been today. And that's the fact.
LEKA (on camera): Today, Kerry starts his day in another key battleground state, in Waterloo, Iowa. And then he moves on to Pittsburgh later this evening and on to Ohio, where he'll spend the night.
In Washington, I'm Claire Leka.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: Another issue that's gaining steam in this election is the flu shot shortage. How did it happen and who's to blame? That's what voters want to know as they stand in line for one of the few available doses of the vaccine. One registered voter in Miami says it's easier to vote in Florida than to get a flu shot, and that's saying something in these times.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is breaking with his party in order to support stem cell research. The governor has announced his support for Proposition 71. Now, that ballot initiative calls for the state to spend $3 billion on stem cell research over the next 10 years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I am very much interested in stem cell research and support it 100 percent. It was just the question how the state will handle the financial side of it, because -- but they have done something smart, which is that there are no payments due in the next five years. So that is what really made me decide to support it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: More on stem cell research. Patty Davis says her support for stem cell research got her booted from a speaking engagement with the Salvation Army. The daughter of the late President Ronald Reagan has sued the Salvation Army for breach of contract. She says they canceled her speech one day after she talked about stem cell research in a national TV interview. A lawyer for the Salvation Army says Davis' views on the stem cell issue had nothing to do with the cancellation.
Another supporter is Brooke Ellison. She was the subject of Christopher Reeve's final project. Reeve directed the movie about her life as a quadriplegic.
Ellison spoke with our Larry King about the hope offered by stem cell research.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM CNN'S "LARRY KING LIVE")
BROOKE ELLISON, REEVE FILM SUBJECT: Right now there are over 100 million people who face conditions that could potentially be cured with stem cell research. And I guess the way regulations are set right now, the researchers who are working on potential cures are pretty much left with their hands tied. You know, they want to pursue their research, but they just don't have the funding to do it.
I guess if we back track about three years, to 2001, when President Bush first made his decision, he did it, I think, in a way that might be a little bit, that might undermine kind of the foundations of democracy that, you know, we so, hold so dear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, if oil's down, why is gas up? That's our "Business Buzz" at 11 past the hour.
Then at a quarter past, Kendall Coffey, our legal analyst, helps us explain why Scott Peterson's defense team is focused on the science of cement.
Then at 6:50 Eastern, don't consider yourself picky just because you appreciate a good meal. But do consider the pages of the "Zagat Survey." I'll talk to the woman who helped create it.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
You may want to hit the ATM before filling up your tank.
Carrie Lee has more on the ever skyrocketing gas prices. She's live at the Nasdaq -- good morning.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Well, we're averaging $2 a gallon once again here in the country. This is the first time gas prices have passed this line since June, and this is just pennies lower than last spring's record. Today's data coming from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A gallon of unleaded regular now averages $2.04. That's a gain of $0.042 from last week. And we last saw gas averaging more than $2 back on June 7.
However, prices do remain less than the $2.95 a gallon that's necessary to set an inflation adjusted record. So when you take inflation into account, Carol, gas prices not all that high after all.
A quick look at the futures. Things looking pretty strong for today's session. It looks like we're going to see some buying at the 9:30 opening bell. Some upbeat profit reports last night from IBM and Texas Instruments helping to fuel the gains. IBM in particular doing well, that stock up about 2.3 percent in the after hours session. They beat the Street on profits, earning pretty nice gains on the bottom line. Sales up 9 percent. Profits coming in at $1.8 billion, or $1.06 per share. That's versus $1.02 per share from the year ago period.
Texas Instruments also a nice gainer last night, up 5 percent in the after hours session -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Carrie Lee.
Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:12 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
American war planes bombard suspected terrorist safe houses and weapons depots in Falluja. The U.S.-led forces are targeting suspected hiding places for insurgent leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
The prime minister of Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, is under house arrest on corruption charges. A Thai government spokesman says Myanmar's prime minister also has been forced to resign his position.
In money news, Social Security recipients should get a little more in their checks. The annual cost of living adjustment is expected to be bigger than it was last year. But a large chunk of the increase will be eaten up by higher Medicare costs.
In culture, jazz music has a new home in New York. The Frederick P. Rose Hall at the Lincoln Center is the first facility specifically designed for the education and performance of jazz music.
And in sports, Monday night football. To be exact, the St. Louis Rams came back to win their second straight, beating the Tampa Bay Bucks a28-21. The Rams move into first place in the NFC West -- Chad.
MYERS: Some very confused St. Louis fans yesterday. They didn't know what to watch.
COSTELLO: That's true.
MYERS: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
No delays this time. Scott Peterson's defense team, led by attorney Mark Geragos, began its case. And while cement and hills don't sound exciting, they could challenge the prosecution's case.
Live from Miami, our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us now -- good morning, Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Hey, you want to start with the cement?
COFFEY: Yes, well, the cement really has been looming as a pretty big question because Scott Peterson said that he made a concrete anchor for his boat. But what happened to the rest of the 90 pound bag of cement? Peterson said it went into his driveway. Last month, a prosecution expert said not possible because that prosecution expert supposedly compared the concrete in Peterson's driveway to the concrete anchor Peterson made and said they're different.
Yesterday, a defense expert gets on and says hey, I think there's a match here. So dueling experts, Carol, but certainly something that the defense has at least raised a question with.
COSTELLO: Right. Which is supposedly creating doubts in jurors' minds.
Does this kind of evidence really play to jurors?
COFFEY: Very hard to say. But if you're the defense, that issue of the concrete really seemed to be troubling. And they're in the courtroom. They don't get tracking polls to know exactly where they are with the jury. But they're reading the faces, reading the eyes of the jury. And obviously they were very, very concerned about this issue of whether or not the concrete could have been used to weigh down the body of Laci Peterson.
Now they've got an expert who said no, it's in Scott Peterson's driveway. That's definitely helpful for the defense.
COSTELLO: OK. Let's move on to the hillsides portion of this analysis this morning.
Scott and Laci apparently took a vacation to Carmel a week before she died. A witness testified he saw the couple taking a rather arduous walk on the beach.
Does this shoot down another prosecution theory?
COFFEY: I think so. I don't know if it's a huge point or not, but the defense puts on an investigator who retraces the walk that Laci must have walked a week before she was murdered. And given the fact that the prosecution invested heavily in the premise that she was just physically incapable of that kind of exertion, I think the defense has done a nice job of knocking that issue out of the way. One less thing that the defense has to worry about when that jury goes back to deliberate on the case some weeks from now.
COSTELLO: We'll see what happens later today.
Kendall Coffey live from Miami.
Thank you.
They can't legally vote, but they're trying to sway some of you. Coming up, readers of a British newspaper kick off a campaign to reach Ohio?
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Get this, some Ohioans may soon get some election pen pals from across the pond. A British newspaper, "The Guardian," wants to unseat President Bush, so it's urging its readers to write to voters in Clark County, Ohio, which is considers a key community in the battleground state.
A sample letter -- yes, the newspaper even provides a sample letter -- it goes like this. This is how it ends: "For all our sakes, kick out the wretched Bush, spokesman for greed and oppression. Show the world you're not taken in by this phony folksy grin. Do the world a favor."
Ooh, that'll sway voters in Ohio, don't you think? Whether you're for him or...
MYERS: Especially when misspell -- they spell "favour" with a 'u' like they do over there.
COSTELLO: Well, that's the correct way in England.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: But I'm just saying that you're -- if you're that out there, no matter which side of the political spectrum you are, that might turn you off.
The paper also offers some tips, though, to British letter writers such as be courteous, don't make assumptions. Oh, yes, like that sample letter. And explain why you think they should pay attention to you, even though you live in Britain. So what do the people in Clark County think?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have the right to express their opinion and I, in my mind, I think that's what they're doing, at the urging of a newspaper.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that it should be the people here that decide who they vote, not somebody from Britain.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's a good thing as far as, you know, people helping us out for how we want to vote for.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd write a letter back and say butt out. Let America decide what America needs. And then I'd throw it in the wastepaper basket.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: There's that good old Midwest fighting spirit.
MYERS: Butt out.
COSTELLO: That's right. British readers can get the names and addressed of Clark County voters, by the way, through the newspaper. The newspaper will provide those addresses, which would also not make me happy.
MYERS: I can just see more spam coming around.
COSTELLO: We want to check some of our e-mails, because we've been getting a lot of interesting e-mails this morning. And the question this morning, will the presidential election be decided on November 2? Nobody thinks it will be decided on November 2.
MYERS: I really don't think so. Some of the ones that are saying that, yes, we'll know on November 2, but on November 3 we will also know something different, you know? I mean...
COSTELLO: Exactly.
MYERS: We're going to go to bed thinking one thing and maybe wake up thinking something else.
COSTELLO: In fact, that's what J.B. from Austin, Texas kind of says. He says: "Whatever ensues after V. Day, the election will be decided on November 2 by exit pollers and network pundits, probably before West Coast citizens can cast a ballot after work."
MYERS: And Fred says: "Unfortunately for the citizens of this country now, the president has been set to win the elections the way most things are won in this country, and that's by litigation."
COSTELLO: More fallout this morning from a television broadcasting company's plans to run a documentary critical of Senator Kerry. You've heard about Sinclair Broadcasting.
MYERS: Sure.
COSTELLO: Well, that group ordered its 62 stations to air the film, part of it shown here. Now, Sinclair's chief Washington reporter tells CNN the company fired him because he criticized the order.
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JONATHAN LEIBERMAN, FORMER SINCLAIR REPORTER: We haven't done an hour long special on anything else, not the war in Iraq, not the war in Afghanistan, not the election, not the debates. And then all of a sudden, two weeks before the election, now we're doing an hour long special based on this anti-Kerry documentary. And I'm already being attacked for -- people are saying that oh, it's because of my political leanings, the reason why I'm speaking out. Paula, I'll tell you right here tonight, I haven't given a dime to either of these political parties during this election. I play it right down the middle. I pride myself on being fair in my reporting. And to suggest otherwise, I'm insulted by that.
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COSTELLO: In a statement from Sinclair, Sinclair calls Leiberman a disgruntled employee.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, a problem at the polls. Some voters already are worried about a repeat of 2000. Is democracy at risk?
And what cars are the hottest, and I do mean the hottest, on the street among thieves? Is your car a target? We'll tell you after this break.
This is DAYBREAK.
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