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CNN Live At Daybreak

Ailing Arafat Being Flown to Paris; FBI Expanding Halliburton Investigation

Aired October 29, 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, an ailing Yasser Arafat is being flown to Paris right now for treatment for a blood disorder. The 75-year-old Palestinian leader will be checked into a French military hospital. This is the first time in nearly three years that Israel has allowed him out of his West Bank compound.

The FBI is now expanding its Halliburton investigation. The Feds plan to interview the chief contracting officer for the Army Corps of Engineers. She's alleged her agency unfairly awarded billions of dollars of no bid contracts to a Halliburton subsidiary for work in Iraq.

The NAACP is reportedly being investigated by the IRS for criticizing President Bush. The civil rights group's tax-exempt status restricts political activity. And a document from the IRS says the group may have violated those terms by making anti-Bush statements.

Big plans under way for a Boston party. The city will honor its first World Series champions in 86 years with a big old parade tomorrow. And next month, the Red Sox will be featured on a box of Wheaties, one at a time, so you will be able to go to the grocery store and pick out your favorite player on that Wheaties box.

I'm sure you'll be first in line -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'll be, yes, I'll be there with my credit card just clearing the shelves.

COSTELLO: He's a bitter Yankees fan.

MARCIANO: No, I'm not. I just -- there are more important things to talk about, Carol. We have an election coming up on Tuesday. Now, rattle off some swing states for me.

COSTELLO: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan.

MARCIANO: Right.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Let's talk international news now, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat should be landing in France within the next couple of hours. Arafat's journey began early this morning with a helicopter ride out of his compound in Ramallah. He landed in Jordanian and then he boarded a plane for Paris.

And that is where we find CNN's Paula Hancocks this morning -- good morning, Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, we are expecting Yasser Arafat to be arriving here very shortly. We are told he'll be arriving here where I am at the hospital, which is just southwest of Paris. It's a military hospital, a very secure hospital. They have a great police presence around here at the moment, as they are expecting him in the next couple of hours, as you say.

Now, the French prime minister, French president, sorry, Jacques Chirac, actually authorized the plane to take Yasser Arafat up from Jordan to bring him here. He'll be arriving at the military airport just a few miles away from where I am at the moment in the next couple of hours. Now, the spokesman came out and spoke to us a little while ago, saying that it's an ultra-modern hospital. They can deal with any emergency medical procedures. They would not be drawn on what they thought Yasser Arafat would be treated for. The doctors for Yasser Arafat have said that they believe it is a blood disorder. But they wanted to remove him from Ramallah so that he could undergo some tests to find out the exact cause of why he has been so ill for the past 15 days. There have been many rumors of what could be wrong with him, buildup the is expected to undergo tests here at the Parise Hospital (ph).

Now, the reason he's come to Paris, France and the Palestinians do have a very good relationship. In fact, back in June, Jacques Chirac actually sent his foreign minister over to see Yasser Arafat so that he could show a public show of support and legitimacy for the Palestinian leader. A very different response to the way that the U.S. and Israel feel. They do not believe that he is a true partner for peace -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Was his wife with him, Paula?

HANCOCKS: His wife was with him, yes. She traveled on Thursday night to go and see him in Ramallah in the compound. That's the first time that she's actually seen him in about four years. His wife Suha lives in Paris at the moment and has done for almost four years. She hasn't seen her husband in all that time. And judging from the pictures we saw of Yasser Arafat, which were taken on Thursday morning, showing him surrounded by aides and some of his doctors, it will have been a very different husband that she would have met. He was looking very exhausted and was looking a fair bit thinner, as well.

He also has a 9-year-old daughter who didn't go to Ramallah. The mother did not want her to see her dad in that sort of state. But she also lives in Paris so this is the first time since the practical house arrest that Yasser Arafat has been under in Ramallah for the past two and a half years, that he will have seen his wife and daughter -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks reporting from Paris this morning.

This is the first time Yasser Arafat has been away from his compound in nearly three years. You heard Paula say that.

For more on the reaction to his departure, we join Matthew Chance.

He's live in Ramallah -- hello, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, hello to you, as well.

It was quite an emotional departure, in fact, with people from Ramallah, as well as hundreds of journalists, coming to the Moqata compound here in Ramallah in the West Bank, which is the very battered headquarters of Yasser Arafat, to see those two Jordanian helicopters land here in the early hours of this morning and airlift Yasser Arafat to the Jordanian capital, where he was transferred, of course, to that aircraft which is now en route to Paris.

It was emotional because, as he came out, people started whistling. Slogans were chanted, things like "God is with you" and "we will sacrifice ourselves for you, Yasser." These are the kinds of slogans that people often chant when they're trying to show their support for the Palestinian president.

There's a great deal of concern, as well, about what comes next, what will Yasser Arafat leave in his wake, if you will. And there's no suggestion at this stage he won't get better from this illness. And, Iraq, the Israeli government has said that if he does recover in Paris from this current condition that he's suffering from, they will certainly let him back -- let him back into the West Bank to resume his position here in Ramallah. Although I have to say many Palestinians are somewhat mistrusting of that Israeli assurance. They believe that if there's some kind of act of terrorism, for instance, on the states of Israel over the coming days or weeks then that may lead the Israeli authorities to change their position on that. But we'll just have to obviously wait and see.

What there is, though, amongst Palestinians and amongst Israelis, as well, is a great deal of sort of apprehension about what the future will bring. People, many people believe that even though Yasser Arafat is still alive and well at this stage that, you know, this could be the start of a new era and the end of the old one of Yasser Arafat. And that's deeply concerning for many people in this registration -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Matthew Chance reporting live from Ramallah this morning.

Thank you.

There are just four days left until Election Day. Both President Bush and Senator John Kerry are pulling out all the stops in a last ditch effort to gain an edge. And they both know it may all come down to a few final frontiers.

Once again, it's all about the battleground states. For Senator Kerry, he'll spend today fishing for votes in Florida. A total of 27 electoral votes are up for grabs there. But last night he depended on a little star power to woo voters in Ohio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER: Well, we made a promise we swore we'd always remember...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bruce Springsteen may have been John Kerry's big weapon, but President Bush has a big gun of his own and he's also bringing him to Ohio. Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to join the president today on the campus of the Ohio State University. The Bush campaign is stomping on the same ground Kerry coveted less than 24 hours earlier. And both candidates have been serving up a similar message to potential voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a duty in this country to vote and I'm asking you to get your friends and neighbors to go to the polls. Tell your friends and neighbors that in a free society, all of us have an obligation to participate in our democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: As far as interest in the campaign as a whole, it's pretty high. According to a Pew Research poll, 66 percent of you find this election interesting. Only 28 percent say it's dull. Back in June, it was just the opposite, only 35 percent of you thought the election was interesting; 56 percent rated it as dull.

As for how you think the media are covering the race, let's head live to Washington and CNN Radio's Dick Uliano -- good morning, Dick.

DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: And a good morning to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, I'm afraid to see these numbers, but go right ahead.

ULIANO: Well, Carol, what these polls increasingly show is that the interest in this campaign has been building and building, and it's hit an all time high. And many of the experts expect record high voter turnout come Tuesday. But, you know, the same -- some of the same think tanks that are looking at what voters think, they're also examining the role of the media. And while they find that voters think that it's a very interesting campaign, they -- a growing number of them believe that the media is unfair to the Bush campaign and a growing number feel it's unfair to the Kerry campaign. COSTELLO: Well, let's put up the graphic right now, because we have the exact numbers. As far as media coverage for the Bush campaign, 56 percent think it's fair, 37 percent think it's unfair.

How far have those numbers risen over the years?

ULIANO: Well, in -- from four years ago, only 25 percent of those surveyed thought that the media was being unfair to one of these candidates, and that's up to 37 percent, up to unfair of President Bush. And also when the Pew and other firms survey people, they find that an increasing number believe that the news media, TV and newspaper reporters, are pulling for the Democrat candidate, that the news reporters want Kerry to win and a -- or rather want, yes, want Kerry to win and a smaller majority believe that the news media want Bush to win.

So they see some favoritism.

COSTELLO: Let'[s put up the numbers for coverage of the Kerry campaign -- 64 percent think it's fair, 27 percent think it's unfair.

Do other factors enter into this, though, Dick?

ULIANO: Yes. In fact, the Center for -- the Project for Excellence, which studies journalism, says that the increasing attempts to interpret the news, to analyze it on the front pages of the dailies, is a new phenomenon that grows out of cable TV constantly telling people what's happening. So the big dailies, they say, and the networks, increasingly want to interpret and analyze. And some of the journalism experts who analyze journalism here in Washington say that is making people feel that there's too much opinion getting on the front page.

COSTELLO: Dick Uliano from CNN Radio joining us from Washington this morning.

Thank you.

If you still need more information about the candidates or the issues, cnn.com is the resource for you. We promise. Our technology correspondent, Daniel Sieberg, will join us at the bottom of the hour with a how to of sorts to help you navigate your online election guide.

You don't have to be a grownup to have an opinion about this presidential election. At 22 minutes past the hour we'll find out which candidate is most popular with kids doing some online voting. These kids are pretty sharp.

If only voting were so easy everywhere. At 43 minutes past the hour, we'll get an overview from Florida, where the problems and legal challenges are already gaining steam.

And at 51 minutes past, we're getting a movie weekend preview, including the new biography of a legendary singer. Oh, I just wish I could listen to him all day long. Let's get a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:16 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

An ailing Yasser Arafat on the way to France and a Paris hospital. The 75-year-old Palestinian leader will receive medical treatment for an undisclosed blood disorder.

The body of a man who had been shot to death was found today near Tikrit. The victim had rope burns on his wrists, but officials do not believe it was a Japanese man who had been held hostage.

In money news, futures traders are betting the down side on Wall Street. The Dow was down 13 points, the Nasdaq down 3 1/2, the S&P 500 down a point or so.

In culture, 9/11 the miniseries -- not kidding. NBC and ABC are both planning to turn the tragedy into a made for TV miniseries. And guess what? The programs will be based on the best-selling 9/11 Commission report.

In sports, now that the World Series is over, its players have begun to file for free agency. Astros star center fielder Carlos Beltran was among the first to file. Seventeen Red Sox players are eligible but only outfielder Gabe Kaplan filed on the first day -- Rob.

MARCIANO: We'll see what happens there. It should be interesting come spring.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: This presidential election may actually be decided Sunday by the Washington Redskins. Really.

MARCIANO: How so?

COSTELLO: How so, you ask. Well, as the Redskins go, so does the election. It's been accurate every election year since 1933. If the Redskins win in the game before the election, then the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the incumbents lose.

MARCIANO: Who...

COSTELLO: Let me make it more clear. Back on November 5, 2000, the Redskins lost by a single point to the Arizona Cardinals. And Democrat Al Gore lost in a very close race to George Bush, as you know. This year, it's the Green Bay Packers that have a chance to swing this election.

MARCIANO: So the Washington Redskins are Republicans?

COSTELLO: Well, the coach is. Joe Gibbs has come out and said his party affiliation, although he says it makes absolutely no difference when it comes to coaching the game. This is my favorite quote from linebacker Lamar Marshall, though, because he was asked -- let me just read this short package from this -- where is this from? This is from si.com. So it's from "Sports Illustrated." It says, "But the passions are spirited among other players, begging the question if the Redskins were a state, who would get its electoral votes?"

This is from Lamar Marshall. He said we have a couple of Bush guys, we have a couple of Kerry guys, this is one of those swing teams.

MARCIANO: Oh. And, you know, you take that in many ways.

COSTELLO: Oh, man, you're always getting us in trouble, Rob Marciano.

MARCIANO: Oh, I'm sorry.

COSTELLO: It's OK. We enjoy it.

They may not be old enough to vote, but American kids have just as many opinions about this election as their parents. Coming up, I'll talk to an 11-year-old with a very interesting perspective on presidential polls.

And then the story behind this doctored photo. And, yes, it was doctored. Who's at fault for this campaign commercial?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Maybe for the first time, kids are voting in this presidential election. Well, at least they're voting online, courtesy of "Time For Kids."

Martha Pickerill is the managing editor of "Time For Kids" and John Aroutiounian is a very precocious correspondent.

Welcome to you both.

MARTHA PICKERILL, MANAGING EDITOR, "TIME FOR KIDS": Thank you.

JOHN AROUTIOUNIAN, REPORTER, "TIME FOR KIDS": Thank you.

COSTELLO: Martha, let's start with you.

Why is it so important for kids to be involved in politics so early?

PICKERILL: Well, we know that kids' votes that they're casting on timeforkids.com won't count toward the outcome in the election, but we feel that anything that they can learn right now about the electoral process while they are simultaneously learning about how government works at school is going to ensure that we have a more informed and responsible and passionate electorate in the next, you know, eight to 12 years, when our readers begin voting in the actual elections.

COSTELLO: Oh, we hope so.

John, I'm digging your tie.

PICKERILL: Isn't that nice?

COSTELLO: Exactly. I really like that.

So, John, explain to us how you guys did this poll.

AROUTIOUNIAN: Well, this was actually done by the editors at "Time For Kids." And kids could go online, click on Poll Zone and vote on who they would like. It was either Bush or Kerry or Nader.

COSTELLO: And did a lot of kids participate?

AROUTIOUNIAN: Yes, 150,000 people.

COSTELLO: Wow! You're kidding? That's excellent.

So what did the poll show?

AROUTIOUNIAN: 42 percent of the kids who voted, voted for President George W. Bush. John Kerry came very close, with 40 percent. And Ralph Nader, independent candidate Ralph Nader came with 18 percent.

COSTELLO: So why do you think that most kids voted for George Bush?

AROUTIOUNIAN: That is how it has been showing with adults, as well. There has been a slight edge with the president. Some kids, using their own thoughts to vote for Bush and maybe some people also following their parents' ideas.

COSTELLO: Oh, how about you? Do you make up your own mind or do you listen to mom and dad?

AROUTIOUNIAN: Half and half. Half and half.

COSTELLO: Half and half.

I understand that you actually interviewed some big time people. In fact, you've recently interviewed Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg.

Tell me how that went and what she said.

AROUTIOUNIAN: Right. That was during the Get Organized New York at the Time Warner Building. It was an event to raise money for New York City public schools. And Caroline Kennedy was one of the contributors of items to this event, as well as she chairs the -- well, she is the vice chair of the Fund for Public Schools, which gets the funds and then gives them out to public schools.

COSTELLO: So, John, what's she like?

AROUTIOUNIAN: Well, she's very nice. A very nice person. Very nice to talk to. Very kind.

COSTELLO: Well, that's nice to hear.

John Aroutiounian, Martha Pickerill from "Time" magazine, thank you for joining us this morning on DAYBREAK.

PICKERILL: Thank you.

AROUTIOUNIAN: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We enjoyed it.

Still feel like you don't know enough about the candidates or the issues? We've got a special demonstration just for you. Daniel Sieberg gives us a run through on the cnn.com site and how to make it work for you.

Plus, do you see anything wrong with this picture? Some people certainly do. We'll explain the details on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: And good morning to you.

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

Now in the news, Yasser Arafat flying to Paris for tests to find out what's causing a blood disorder. His plane left Amman, Jordan after the Palestinian leader was helicoptered there from his West Bank compound.

At least two bombs exploded in southern Thailand today, wounding 12 people. The blasts follow Monday's deaths of 78 people in a stampede as police broke up a demonstration by Muslims.

Mark Hacking is expected to be arraigned today in Salt Lake City in the death of his wife Lori. Hacking is accused of killing his wife and then dumping her body in the trash.

Boston will toast its world champion Red Sox tomorrow a big parade stretching from Fenway Park to city hall. The Red Sox, incidentally, are the first World Series winners to appear on a Wheaties box since the 1999 Yankees.

Good morning -- Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi there.

Hey, it's the weekend. COSTELLO: Yes, it's Friday.

MARCIANO: It's Friday!

COSTELLO: I'm so glad.

MARCIANO: Let's talk weather for not only this Friday, but for the weekend, as well.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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 29, 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, an ailing Yasser Arafat is being flown to Paris right now for treatment for a blood disorder. The 75-year-old Palestinian leader will be checked into a French military hospital. This is the first time in nearly three years that Israel has allowed him out of his West Bank compound.

The FBI is now expanding its Halliburton investigation. The Feds plan to interview the chief contracting officer for the Army Corps of Engineers. She's alleged her agency unfairly awarded billions of dollars of no bid contracts to a Halliburton subsidiary for work in Iraq.

The NAACP is reportedly being investigated by the IRS for criticizing President Bush. The civil rights group's tax-exempt status restricts political activity. And a document from the IRS says the group may have violated those terms by making anti-Bush statements.

Big plans under way for a Boston party. The city will honor its first World Series champions in 86 years with a big old parade tomorrow. And next month, the Red Sox will be featured on a box of Wheaties, one at a time, so you will be able to go to the grocery store and pick out your favorite player on that Wheaties box.

I'm sure you'll be first in line -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'll be, yes, I'll be there with my credit card just clearing the shelves.

COSTELLO: He's a bitter Yankees fan.

MARCIANO: No, I'm not. I just -- there are more important things to talk about, Carol. We have an election coming up on Tuesday. Now, rattle off some swing states for me.

COSTELLO: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan.

MARCIANO: Right.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Let's talk international news now, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat should be landing in France within the next couple of hours. Arafat's journey began early this morning with a helicopter ride out of his compound in Ramallah. He landed in Jordanian and then he boarded a plane for Paris.

And that is where we find CNN's Paula Hancocks this morning -- good morning, Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, we are expecting Yasser Arafat to be arriving here very shortly. We are told he'll be arriving here where I am at the hospital, which is just southwest of Paris. It's a military hospital, a very secure hospital. They have a great police presence around here at the moment, as they are expecting him in the next couple of hours, as you say.

Now, the French prime minister, French president, sorry, Jacques Chirac, actually authorized the plane to take Yasser Arafat up from Jordan to bring him here. He'll be arriving at the military airport just a few miles away from where I am at the moment in the next couple of hours. Now, the spokesman came out and spoke to us a little while ago, saying that it's an ultra-modern hospital. They can deal with any emergency medical procedures. They would not be drawn on what they thought Yasser Arafat would be treated for. The doctors for Yasser Arafat have said that they believe it is a blood disorder. But they wanted to remove him from Ramallah so that he could undergo some tests to find out the exact cause of why he has been so ill for the past 15 days. There have been many rumors of what could be wrong with him, buildup the is expected to undergo tests here at the Parise Hospital (ph).

Now, the reason he's come to Paris, France and the Palestinians do have a very good relationship. In fact, back in June, Jacques Chirac actually sent his foreign minister over to see Yasser Arafat so that he could show a public show of support and legitimacy for the Palestinian leader. A very different response to the way that the U.S. and Israel feel. They do not believe that he is a true partner for peace -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Was his wife with him, Paula?

HANCOCKS: His wife was with him, yes. She traveled on Thursday night to go and see him in Ramallah in the compound. That's the first time that she's actually seen him in about four years. His wife Suha lives in Paris at the moment and has done for almost four years. She hasn't seen her husband in all that time. And judging from the pictures we saw of Yasser Arafat, which were taken on Thursday morning, showing him surrounded by aides and some of his doctors, it will have been a very different husband that she would have met. He was looking very exhausted and was looking a fair bit thinner, as well.

He also has a 9-year-old daughter who didn't go to Ramallah. The mother did not want her to see her dad in that sort of state. But she also lives in Paris so this is the first time since the practical house arrest that Yasser Arafat has been under in Ramallah for the past two and a half years, that he will have seen his wife and daughter -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks reporting from Paris this morning.

This is the first time Yasser Arafat has been away from his compound in nearly three years. You heard Paula say that.

For more on the reaction to his departure, we join Matthew Chance.

He's live in Ramallah -- hello, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, hello to you, as well.

It was quite an emotional departure, in fact, with people from Ramallah, as well as hundreds of journalists, coming to the Moqata compound here in Ramallah in the West Bank, which is the very battered headquarters of Yasser Arafat, to see those two Jordanian helicopters land here in the early hours of this morning and airlift Yasser Arafat to the Jordanian capital, where he was transferred, of course, to that aircraft which is now en route to Paris.

It was emotional because, as he came out, people started whistling. Slogans were chanted, things like "God is with you" and "we will sacrifice ourselves for you, Yasser." These are the kinds of slogans that people often chant when they're trying to show their support for the Palestinian president.

There's a great deal of concern, as well, about what comes next, what will Yasser Arafat leave in his wake, if you will. And there's no suggestion at this stage he won't get better from this illness. And, Iraq, the Israeli government has said that if he does recover in Paris from this current condition that he's suffering from, they will certainly let him back -- let him back into the West Bank to resume his position here in Ramallah. Although I have to say many Palestinians are somewhat mistrusting of that Israeli assurance. They believe that if there's some kind of act of terrorism, for instance, on the states of Israel over the coming days or weeks then that may lead the Israeli authorities to change their position on that. But we'll just have to obviously wait and see.

What there is, though, amongst Palestinians and amongst Israelis, as well, is a great deal of sort of apprehension about what the future will bring. People, many people believe that even though Yasser Arafat is still alive and well at this stage that, you know, this could be the start of a new era and the end of the old one of Yasser Arafat. And that's deeply concerning for many people in this registration -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Matthew Chance reporting live from Ramallah this morning.

Thank you.

There are just four days left until Election Day. Both President Bush and Senator John Kerry are pulling out all the stops in a last ditch effort to gain an edge. And they both know it may all come down to a few final frontiers.

Once again, it's all about the battleground states. For Senator Kerry, he'll spend today fishing for votes in Florida. A total of 27 electoral votes are up for grabs there. But last night he depended on a little star power to woo voters in Ohio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER: Well, we made a promise we swore we'd always remember...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Bruce Springsteen may have been John Kerry's big weapon, but President Bush has a big gun of his own and he's also bringing him to Ohio. Arnold Schwarzenegger is scheduled to join the president today on the campus of the Ohio State University. The Bush campaign is stomping on the same ground Kerry coveted less than 24 hours earlier. And both candidates have been serving up a similar message to potential voters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a duty in this country to vote and I'm asking you to get your friends and neighbors to go to the polls. Tell your friends and neighbors that in a free society, all of us have an obligation to participate in our democracy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: As far as interest in the campaign as a whole, it's pretty high. According to a Pew Research poll, 66 percent of you find this election interesting. Only 28 percent say it's dull. Back in June, it was just the opposite, only 35 percent of you thought the election was interesting; 56 percent rated it as dull.

As for how you think the media are covering the race, let's head live to Washington and CNN Radio's Dick Uliano -- good morning, Dick.

DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: And a good morning to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, I'm afraid to see these numbers, but go right ahead.

ULIANO: Well, Carol, what these polls increasingly show is that the interest in this campaign has been building and building, and it's hit an all time high. And many of the experts expect record high voter turnout come Tuesday. But, you know, the same -- some of the same think tanks that are looking at what voters think, they're also examining the role of the media. And while they find that voters think that it's a very interesting campaign, they -- a growing number of them believe that the media is unfair to the Bush campaign and a growing number feel it's unfair to the Kerry campaign. COSTELLO: Well, let's put up the graphic right now, because we have the exact numbers. As far as media coverage for the Bush campaign, 56 percent think it's fair, 37 percent think it's unfair.

How far have those numbers risen over the years?

ULIANO: Well, in -- from four years ago, only 25 percent of those surveyed thought that the media was being unfair to one of these candidates, and that's up to 37 percent, up to unfair of President Bush. And also when the Pew and other firms survey people, they find that an increasing number believe that the news media, TV and newspaper reporters, are pulling for the Democrat candidate, that the news reporters want Kerry to win and a -- or rather want, yes, want Kerry to win and a smaller majority believe that the news media want Bush to win.

So they see some favoritism.

COSTELLO: Let'[s put up the numbers for coverage of the Kerry campaign -- 64 percent think it's fair, 27 percent think it's unfair.

Do other factors enter into this, though, Dick?

ULIANO: Yes. In fact, the Center for -- the Project for Excellence, which studies journalism, says that the increasing attempts to interpret the news, to analyze it on the front pages of the dailies, is a new phenomenon that grows out of cable TV constantly telling people what's happening. So the big dailies, they say, and the networks, increasingly want to interpret and analyze. And some of the journalism experts who analyze journalism here in Washington say that is making people feel that there's too much opinion getting on the front page.

COSTELLO: Dick Uliano from CNN Radio joining us from Washington this morning.

Thank you.

If you still need more information about the candidates or the issues, cnn.com is the resource for you. We promise. Our technology correspondent, Daniel Sieberg, will join us at the bottom of the hour with a how to of sorts to help you navigate your online election guide.

You don't have to be a grownup to have an opinion about this presidential election. At 22 minutes past the hour we'll find out which candidate is most popular with kids doing some online voting. These kids are pretty sharp.

If only voting were so easy everywhere. At 43 minutes past the hour, we'll get an overview from Florida, where the problems and legal challenges are already gaining steam.

And at 51 minutes past, we're getting a movie weekend preview, including the new biography of a legendary singer. Oh, I just wish I could listen to him all day long. Let's get a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:16 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

An ailing Yasser Arafat on the way to France and a Paris hospital. The 75-year-old Palestinian leader will receive medical treatment for an undisclosed blood disorder.

The body of a man who had been shot to death was found today near Tikrit. The victim had rope burns on his wrists, but officials do not believe it was a Japanese man who had been held hostage.

In money news, futures traders are betting the down side on Wall Street. The Dow was down 13 points, the Nasdaq down 3 1/2, the S&P 500 down a point or so.

In culture, 9/11 the miniseries -- not kidding. NBC and ABC are both planning to turn the tragedy into a made for TV miniseries. And guess what? The programs will be based on the best-selling 9/11 Commission report.

In sports, now that the World Series is over, its players have begun to file for free agency. Astros star center fielder Carlos Beltran was among the first to file. Seventeen Red Sox players are eligible but only outfielder Gabe Kaplan filed on the first day -- Rob.

MARCIANO: We'll see what happens there. It should be interesting come spring.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: This presidential election may actually be decided Sunday by the Washington Redskins. Really.

MARCIANO: How so?

COSTELLO: How so, you ask. Well, as the Redskins go, so does the election. It's been accurate every election year since 1933. If the Redskins win in the game before the election, then the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the incumbents lose.

MARCIANO: Who...

COSTELLO: Let me make it more clear. Back on November 5, 2000, the Redskins lost by a single point to the Arizona Cardinals. And Democrat Al Gore lost in a very close race to George Bush, as you know. This year, it's the Green Bay Packers that have a chance to swing this election.

MARCIANO: So the Washington Redskins are Republicans?

COSTELLO: Well, the coach is. Joe Gibbs has come out and said his party affiliation, although he says it makes absolutely no difference when it comes to coaching the game. This is my favorite quote from linebacker Lamar Marshall, though, because he was asked -- let me just read this short package from this -- where is this from? This is from si.com. So it's from "Sports Illustrated." It says, "But the passions are spirited among other players, begging the question if the Redskins were a state, who would get its electoral votes?"

This is from Lamar Marshall. He said we have a couple of Bush guys, we have a couple of Kerry guys, this is one of those swing teams.

MARCIANO: Oh. And, you know, you take that in many ways.

COSTELLO: Oh, man, you're always getting us in trouble, Rob Marciano.

MARCIANO: Oh, I'm sorry.

COSTELLO: It's OK. We enjoy it.

They may not be old enough to vote, but American kids have just as many opinions about this election as their parents. Coming up, I'll talk to an 11-year-old with a very interesting perspective on presidential polls.

And then the story behind this doctored photo. And, yes, it was doctored. Who's at fault for this campaign commercial?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Maybe for the first time, kids are voting in this presidential election. Well, at least they're voting online, courtesy of "Time For Kids."

Martha Pickerill is the managing editor of "Time For Kids" and John Aroutiounian is a very precocious correspondent.

Welcome to you both.

MARTHA PICKERILL, MANAGING EDITOR, "TIME FOR KIDS": Thank you.

JOHN AROUTIOUNIAN, REPORTER, "TIME FOR KIDS": Thank you.

COSTELLO: Martha, let's start with you.

Why is it so important for kids to be involved in politics so early?

PICKERILL: Well, we know that kids' votes that they're casting on timeforkids.com won't count toward the outcome in the election, but we feel that anything that they can learn right now about the electoral process while they are simultaneously learning about how government works at school is going to ensure that we have a more informed and responsible and passionate electorate in the next, you know, eight to 12 years, when our readers begin voting in the actual elections.

COSTELLO: Oh, we hope so.

John, I'm digging your tie.

PICKERILL: Isn't that nice?

COSTELLO: Exactly. I really like that.

So, John, explain to us how you guys did this poll.

AROUTIOUNIAN: Well, this was actually done by the editors at "Time For Kids." And kids could go online, click on Poll Zone and vote on who they would like. It was either Bush or Kerry or Nader.

COSTELLO: And did a lot of kids participate?

AROUTIOUNIAN: Yes, 150,000 people.

COSTELLO: Wow! You're kidding? That's excellent.

So what did the poll show?

AROUTIOUNIAN: 42 percent of the kids who voted, voted for President George W. Bush. John Kerry came very close, with 40 percent. And Ralph Nader, independent candidate Ralph Nader came with 18 percent.

COSTELLO: So why do you think that most kids voted for George Bush?

AROUTIOUNIAN: That is how it has been showing with adults, as well. There has been a slight edge with the president. Some kids, using their own thoughts to vote for Bush and maybe some people also following their parents' ideas.

COSTELLO: Oh, how about you? Do you make up your own mind or do you listen to mom and dad?

AROUTIOUNIAN: Half and half. Half and half.

COSTELLO: Half and half.

I understand that you actually interviewed some big time people. In fact, you've recently interviewed Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg.

Tell me how that went and what she said.

AROUTIOUNIAN: Right. That was during the Get Organized New York at the Time Warner Building. It was an event to raise money for New York City public schools. And Caroline Kennedy was one of the contributors of items to this event, as well as she chairs the -- well, she is the vice chair of the Fund for Public Schools, which gets the funds and then gives them out to public schools.

COSTELLO: So, John, what's she like?

AROUTIOUNIAN: Well, she's very nice. A very nice person. Very nice to talk to. Very kind.

COSTELLO: Well, that's nice to hear.

John Aroutiounian, Martha Pickerill from "Time" magazine, thank you for joining us this morning on DAYBREAK.

PICKERILL: Thank you.

AROUTIOUNIAN: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We enjoyed it.

Still feel like you don't know enough about the candidates or the issues? We've got a special demonstration just for you. Daniel Sieberg gives us a run through on the cnn.com site and how to make it work for you.

Plus, do you see anything wrong with this picture? Some people certainly do. We'll explain the details on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: And good morning to you.

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

Now in the news, Yasser Arafat flying to Paris for tests to find out what's causing a blood disorder. His plane left Amman, Jordan after the Palestinian leader was helicoptered there from his West Bank compound.

At least two bombs exploded in southern Thailand today, wounding 12 people. The blasts follow Monday's deaths of 78 people in a stampede as police broke up a demonstration by Muslims.

Mark Hacking is expected to be arraigned today in Salt Lake City in the death of his wife Lori. Hacking is accused of killing his wife and then dumping her body in the trash.

Boston will toast its world champion Red Sox tomorrow a big parade stretching from Fenway Park to city hall. The Red Sox, incidentally, are the first World Series winners to appear on a Wheaties box since the 1999 Yankees.

Good morning -- Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi there.

Hey, it's the weekend. COSTELLO: Yes, it's Friday.

MARCIANO: It's Friday!

COSTELLO: I'm so glad.

MARCIANO: Let's talk weather for not only this Friday, but for the weekend, as well.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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