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CNN Live At Daybreak
Vioxx Blame Game; DeLay Tactic; Rewriting History?
Aired November 18, 2004 - 06:28 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. Welcome to DAYBREAK. There's a lot going on this morning, so let's get right to the headlines, shall we?
Terror-related evidence in Iraq. U.S. troops conducting house- to-house raids in Falluja find what appears to be an abandoned safe house used by insurgents. Inside, letters from and to wanted terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and symbols of support for Osama bin Laden were found as well.
U.S. and Iraqi forces also found what they describe as a bomb- making factory in Falluja. In it, they say they discovered an SUV with Texas license plates. They say it had been in the process of being converted into a car bomb.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is raising more nuclear worries about Iran. Powell says intelligence suggests Iran is trying to adapt its missiles so that they would be capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
And the U.N. Security Council meets in Nairobi today to discuss the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. At that meeting, John Danforth, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said a peace deal between warring factions in Sudan will be finalized before the year is out.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: It's a blame game with serious consequences. Vioxx was pulled from shelves back in September due to safety concerns. Now the Senate wants to find out what went wrong.
Ali Velshi live on the phone this morning with a preview of today's action on Capitol Hill.
Good morning -- Ali.
ALI VELSHI, CNN DAYBREAK CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning, Carol.
And a lot of people are going to be paying attention to this issue. Vioxx was a drug. It was called a COX-2 inhibitor. It's a painkiller. And it was about $13 billion worth of Vioxx of sales. But that day in September is when Vioxx came out and said that in certain patients, Vioxx could cause an elevated risk of heart attack.
The stock lost more than double that in terms of its value because people ran for the hills, knowing that that stock would be at risk. When I talk about "double that value," that was maybe the value of something like General Motors. That was the amount of value that Vioxx -- that Merck lost.
Now, the problem since then hasn't been just that the drug may have been deemed to be unsafe in some patients, but that word has started to come out that Vioxx was known to be unsafe by Merck maybe as much as two years, in one case on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, as you referred to yesterday, four years earlier. As early as 2000 Merck knew that there was some problem with Vioxx.
Part of that, of course, these days, we find things in e-mails. There were some e-mails around, according to some people investigating the case, that Merck knew there was a problem. In fact, one of the most compelling pieces of evidence is that Merck knew that Vioxx was problematic 10 days before they even made the announcement.
And the other side of things, Carol, is that Vioxx was used by millions and millions of people. So the Senate Finance Committee is looking into how the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, actually handled this situation. Did they have evidence, as Merck may have, that this drug was problematic? And that's where this investigation today starts with the Fed.
COSTELLO: So, it should be an interesting day in Congress today. Ali Velshi reporting live for us in New York.
In a Delaware courtroom, Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner ended his third day of testimony in the Disney dispute. Shareholders are suing Eisner, former President Michael Ovitz and several Disney directors over the lucrative severance given Ovitz. Ovitz was granted a $140 million severance package when he left Disney after just 14 months. Eisner testified it first became clear in early 1996 that Ovitz wasn't fitting in at Disney.
Call it a delay tactic. House Republicans have voted to change an ethics rule that will allow Majority Leader Tom DeLay to keep his leadership position even if he is indicted by a Texas grand jury. The rule now says a committee chairman has to be convicted before they're forced to give up their post.
So, is the DeLay attempted rescue a bit of political hypocrisy? Oh, say it ain't so.
Let's head live to Washington and our political analyst, Ron Brownstein.
Good morning -- Ron.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, Ron, wasn't it House Republicans who adopted the indictment rule to highlight Democrats ethical lapses in the first place?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, people remember that in the late 1980s, in the early 1990s, when the Republicans were trying to break, at that point, four-decades of Democratic control, Newt Gingrich and other House leaders relentlessly attacked the Democratic majority over ethics rules, Jim Wright, then the speaker, questions about the House bank and House post office.
So, in fact, yesterday one of the leading Republican moderates, Chris Shays, who was an opponent of this change, told reporters afterwards Republicans were in danger of forgetting what brought them there.
But, look, they are now the majority in the House. They are now the majority in the Senate. They're considering rules changes in the Senate that would make their job easier on judicial appointments. They have the power, and this is a clear sign they're going to use it.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. But this seems so transparent in a partisan sense. But since Republicans are really in right now, does it really matter what they do?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I mean, that's an interesting question. You know, Democrats felt they had the majority and obviously Democrats did have the majority for a very long time and lost it as well. There are boundaries in politics. Now whether this crosses it or not is something else.
Look, I mean, the accusation here in a way explains the defense. Think about what Tom DeLay is under investigation for. A political action committee associated with him engineered contributions to candidates for the state legislature in Texas in 2002 that they've been accused of funneling illegal corporate contributions in that effort.
Now, why did they invest in state legislative candidates in 2002? Because they wanted them to redraw the congressional districts for a second time, an almost unprecedented move. And, in fact, in this election, Carol, it led to four more Republican seats. Now, what does that say? That's someone with a very aggressive and very strategic approach to politics, and it's why Republicans, or at least most Republicans, are so eager to defend him.
COSTELLO: Ron Brownstein joining us live from Washington this morning, thank you.
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: In Iraq this morning, the apparent killing of CARE International Director Margaret Hassan prompts condolences from the White House and Prime Minister Blair. Hassan was born in Dublin and raised in Britain.
A White House statement reads: "We express our deepest sympathy to the family of Margaret Hassan, who was killed in Iraq. We strongly condemn the abduction and murder of this prominent humanitarian. Mrs. Hassan worked tirelessly with great compassion for more than 25 years to assist the poor and disadvantaged in Iraq, particularly children."
Pomp and circumstance in London today for visiting French President Jacques Chirac. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is hosting a high-profile summit, which commemorates 100 years of peace between Britain and France. However, Chirac kept up his vocal opposition to the war in Iraq.
In a BBC interview, Chirac said Britain got very little in return for supporting the U.S.-led invasion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. JACQUES CHIRAC, FRANCE (through translator): Is the world any safer? I'm not so sure. To a certain extent, Saddam Hussein's departure was a positive thing. But it also provoked reactions in a number of countries and from the men and women of Islam, which has made the world more dangerous. There's no doubt that there has been an increase in terrorism, and one of the origins of that has been the situation in Iraq. I'm not at all sure that one can say that the world is safer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Stronger relations with Washington will figure prominently in talks between Chirac and Blair. The prime minister has called for reconciliation between European leaders and President Bush.
The Clinton Presidential Library opens its doors today. Do the massive efforts fulfill all it promised the community? We'll ask our special guest just ahead.
And so handsome it should be illegal. Actor Jude Law is recognized for his contribution to society -- sort of.
Now here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Fascinating story for you now. Some archaeologists have made a discovery that could rewrite history. They now believe the first humans came to North America at least 50,000 years ago. That's 20,000 years earlier than other theories.
Here's more from CNN's Daniel Sieberg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These archaeologists, combing the banks of the Savannah River, may have unearthed the very beginning of human existence in the Western Hemisphere. And, if they're right, humans inhabited North America at least 50,000 years ago, well before the last Ice Age and more than 30,000 years earlier than most archaeologists ever believed.
ALBERT GOODYEAR, UNIV. SOUTH CAROLINA ARCHAEOLOGIST: This discovery would challenge the time-honored notion in basically the Western Hemisphere, but particularly North America, that our species got over here relatively late. SIEBERG: Goodyear has been studying an area known as Topper along the Savannah River. Over nearly 20 years of analysis, the site has proven to be a rich source of flint-like material, perfect for fashioning primitive tools.
GOODYEAR: So, this is the big draw is this relatively rare raw material source that does occur on the hillside at Topper.
SIEBERG: Then, in May, the team decided to dig just a little deeper. Well below an area that he had already dated at 16,000 to 20,000 years old, they found burned plant samples -- oak, buckeye and plum -- some tiny tools mixed in.
To date it, scientists measured the microscopic carbon levels in that ancient plant material. The results were astounding. The charred material measures 50,000 years old. And Dr. Goodyear believes it's smoking-gun evidence that humans were living there far earlier than previously thought.
GOODYEAR: People who probably knew about perhaps boats and could navigate the coastline, knew something about fishing and gathering.
SIEBERG (on camera): It may not be time to rewrite history, but Dr. Goodyear says this discovery has added another chapter to the books. And he hopes it will encourage other archaeologists to dig deeper, both physically and intellectually.
(voice over): Goodyear plans to have his work published in 2005. Digging at the Topper site will continue in search of more clues about when the very first people set foot in the Americas.
Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Columbia, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
Two civilians are dead in western Baghdad, following a car bomb explosion near a police station. And Iraqi forces are launching an offensive in the center of town, targeting insurgents and their weapons caches.
Condoleezza Rice will have surgery at a Washington hospital tomorrow. Doctors intend to block arteries supplying blood to a uterine fibroid tumor. A spokesman says it is not life-threatening, and the procedure won't even require anesthesia.
In money news, federal authorities are investigating the wife of Enron founder Kenneth Lay for possible insider trading. At issue, the sale of half a million shares of Enron stock, which she arranged days before the energy company went bankrupt nearly three years ago.
In culture, evangelist Billy Graham comes full circle. Fifty- five years after delivering a powerful message in Los Angeles, Graham returns tonight to begin a four-day crusade. Organizers say it will be the last in California for the frail 86-year-old.
In sports, disgraced Greek Olympic sprinters, Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, have been charged with obstructing a dope test the day before the Olympics began. Kenteris and Thanou withdraw from the games after failing to appear for a drug test, claiming to have been in a motorcycle accident.
Ooh, mystery possibly solved, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that just came over the wires just within 15-20 minutes ago. I just saw it beep over there.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
Let's head to the "AMERICAN MORNING" studies and Bill and Soledad for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Aren't you going to say, "just down the road?"
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It was "down the street" yesterday.
O'BRIEN: "Down the street" yesterday.
COSTELLO: OK. I'll make that a permanent part of my toss to you guys.
O'BRIEN: OK, thank you.
HEMMER: Do you know what we say...
O'BRIEN: Just have them write that in.
HEMMER: Do you know what we say in New York, Carol? Across town. Let's go across town.
O'BRIEN: No, that's across town. We're just downtown.
HEMMER: Oh, we're a couple of blocks away.
O'BRIEN: That's right.
COSTELLO: You're literally, like, six blocks from me.
HEMMER: Yes, you're right. I'm still waiting on our coffee, too, by the way. I'm sticking you to that.
O'BRIEN: Good morning to you. Some of the headlines that we're looking, in fact, at this "AMERICAN MORNING," the nuclear threat. Big concerns today about Iran's -- that wasn't a good start this morning. Do you want to help me out here?
HEMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O'BRIEN: Thank you. Iran's capabilities. Russia also making some noise this morning. Should the U.S. be worried? This morning, we talk to former chief U.S. weapons inspector David Kay.
HEMMER: Also, if you have not heard yet, the presidential library of Bill Clinton opens today officially. We'll talk to one of the driving forces behind that library. James Skip Rutherford, the head of the Clinton Foundation, is our guest this morning.
O'BRIEN: And how about the timing of this? A potential flight attendants' strike. Could it affect holiday travel plans? This morning, we talk to features editor Nathan Lump (ph) -- he's from "Travel & Leisure" magazine -- about what the impact of that could be.
HEMMER: Remember yesterday Andy Serwer came out and said this could be a really significant story over the holidays.
O'BRIEN: A huge problem, depending on the timing.
HEMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All that and much more ahead this morning, Carol. We'll see you in a few minutes.
COSTELLO: All right. We look forward to it. Thank you.
It seems that Jude Law has a new movie at the box office just about every week, and it's not just his acting talent that's getting recognition. Oh, no. All of the juicy details ahead on DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: There is no doubt about this: Bill Clinton still knows how to draw the crowds. Thousands and -- tens of thousands of people, I should say, are gathering in Little Rock for today's opening of his presidential library.
And joining us from the site is Isabelle Rodriguez, director of the grand opening.
What a huge job you have.
ISABELLE RODRIGUEZ, LIBRARY GRAND OPENING DIRECTOR: It's an enjoyable one.
COSTELLO: It is? Tell us about the security sweep, because I think that's quite extensive for everyone today.
RODRIGUEZ: It is. It is not unusual for security to provide a sweep of the facilities before we have a grand opening of this nature. We have many dignitaries arriving, and certainly former presidents and first ladies. And we want to be sure everything is safe.
COSTELLO: So, how do you prepare for a bunch of former presidents and first ladies and other dignitaries? RODRIGUEZ: With a great amount of detail and also a lot of excitement. We have several individuals on ground who are just experienced -- excuse me -- experienced in this area, and they've crossed every "t" and dotted every "i." We're ready for all of our dignitaries.
COSTELLO: Tell us about when the public will be allowed in, and what they can expect to see.
RODRIGUEZ: Well, this morning, our gates will open at 7:00 a.m., although our program will not begin until 10:00. We want to make sure that there is a comfortable flow for everyone as they arrive here at this beautiful library site. There will be lines, because, of course, we will have security checks for everyone arriving. So, we ask that everyone be patient, but make sure that you allow for a timely arrival so we can get you to your seats.
COSTELLO: As they head through the doors, what will be the first thing they see?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, the first thing they see will be many, many volunteers. We've recruited 900 volunteers from the Little Rock area to help us with this great day. So, they will arrive, and they'll see volunteers that will guide them through the areas that they will be seated in. And that will help an orderly arrival.
And during that time, there will be kiosks, where they can buy memorabilia from the -- about the library, and then be escorted to their seats. And once they get to their seat, they'll have a wonderful entertainment program.
COSTELLO: Isabelle, what is the most fascinating thing, in your mind, in the exhibit -- inside the museum?
RODRIGUEZ: Oh, my goodness, it's so hard to pinpoint one. I think the part that was most fascinating for me was to see the replica of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Office. Having been able to serve and have the pleasure of serving the president and now Senator Clinton, it was just amazing to see how beautiful and how incredible it was that they replicated the Oval Office right here in Little Rock.
COSTELLO: Oh, that just looks awesome. Highs and lows are featured in this museum as it applied to Clinton's presidential terms. Can you tell us about the impeachment exhibit inside the museum?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, actually, no, because I was not a part of putting the exhibits together. You're looking at the woman who is taking care of all of the logistics associated with the arrival for all of the wonderful guests that will be here. We're expecting 30,000 individuals here today, 20,000 of them from Arkansas.
COSTELLO: Tell us about the entertainment.
RODRIGUEZ: Oh, the entertainment is going to be wonderful. It's a collection of individuals and groups and youth groups from Arkansas. But in addition to that, we have nationally-known individuals. As you know, Ghana (ph) will be joining us today, Mickey Mangun, an absolutely incredible Pentecostal vocalist, and many, many great artists. But the fun part is watching the young children who are participating with us today get ready for this special day. They are so excited, and we are, too.
COSTELLO: And I know you have a long day ahead of you. So, Isabelle Rodriguez, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
RODRIGUEZ: And thank you for having us. We're having a great day here in Little Rock.
COSTELLO: I hope so. And I hope it won't rain too hard throughout the day.
What mark did President Clinton leave on American history? His legacy is still a subject of debate, even as this presidential library opens up in Little Rock today.
CNN's senior analyst Jeff Greenfield has more on that side of the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST (voice-over): The Clinton Library is his physical legacy, the open architecture, the symbolic bridge to the 21st century, the exhibits that highlight the highs and lows of his eight years in office.
(on camera): But the real legacy can't be measured by a building or by what's inside it. It has to be measured by what Bill Clinton did and did not do to change his party, this country, its politics. And the debate on that legacy has just begun.
(voice-over): Bill Clinton is by one measure his party's most successful president in more than half a century, the only Democrat elected to two terms since FDR, the candidate who broke the Republicans' electoral lock on the White House, a compelling communicator who won over the Reagan Democrats and who presided over one of the best economic years in history.
He is, by another measure, the president who helped undermine his party, whose disastrous health care proposal, shaped by his wife, helped put both houses of Congress into Republican hands in 1994, where they have remained for the better part of a decade, a president whose personal behavior led to public humiliation, to impeachment, and helped give George W. Bush a way to run against peace and prosperity four years ago.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're looking for somebody who can lift the spirits of America and bring honor and integrity back to the White House.
GREENFIELD: Another way to measure Clinton's legacy, more specifically its limits, is to contrast him with two other leaders. Ronald Reagan also won two terms, but he also changed his party permanently. The one-time balanced budget Republican Party now scoffs at huge deficits and champions tax cuts with near biblical faith.
BUSH: He may win Washington, D.C., but he's not going to win Tennessee.
GREENFIELD: Its embrace of cultural conservatism has won over big chunks of the Democratic base - Southerners, church-going rural and small-town voters, Catholics. In Great Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair has remade the Labor Party, moving it away from its socialist roots and anti-war policies.
But while Clinton proclaimed a new kind of Democratic politics...
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The era of big government is over.
GREENFIELD: ... the party, at root, still remains a party whose policies reflect a core belief rooted in New Deal/Great Society notions that government is the tool to better the lives of the less well-off.
As a political figure, Clinton remains the most successful of candidates, fusing an astonishing grasp of complex policy ideas with rare personal magnetism. The peace and prosperity of the '90s helped him survive as serious a wound as any president has inflicted on himself. But that same wound also helped pave the way for the Republican triumphs that make it, for now, the permanent governing party.
(on camera): So, when will we have fully measured Bill Clinton's legacy? Well, remember, historians are still measuring the tenure of JFK, FDR, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson for that matter, would suggest that historians will be digging into the records down in Little Rock for decades, even centuries to come.
Jeff Greenfield, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Well, Chad, we've been talking all morning about the Clinton Presidential Library and whether people love it or hate it, because some people say it looks like a double-wide trailer, which is a mean comment, but some people are saying that. So, we asked the question this morning: Do you love it or do you hate it?
So, I know you have some and I have some. You go first.
MYERS: Jason Young from Arkansas says: "I'm a student at Arkansas. I've driven by it many times. It looks much better in person than it does on TV. It does not look like a double-wide. It actually does look like a bridge as you drive across the Arkansas River."
COSTELLO: I like that one. This is a good one, and I'm reading this off of my computer so bear with me. This is from Janet from Texas. She said: "When I first saw the Clinton Presidential Library, I thought, 'What a beautiful piece of architecture.' And it does remind me of his bridge to the 21st century. Why can't people just see the good in things and not criticize everything to death?"
MYERS: One more. "The Clinton library, you either love it or hate it. Kind of like the man."
COSTELLO: All right, let's move along to -- oh, I'm sorry.
MYERS: "AMERICAN MORNING."
COSTELLO: We're out of time. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. Thank you for joining us.
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Aired November 18, 2004 - 06:28 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. Welcome to DAYBREAK. There's a lot going on this morning, so let's get right to the headlines, shall we?
Terror-related evidence in Iraq. U.S. troops conducting house- to-house raids in Falluja find what appears to be an abandoned safe house used by insurgents. Inside, letters from and to wanted terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and symbols of support for Osama bin Laden were found as well.
U.S. and Iraqi forces also found what they describe as a bomb- making factory in Falluja. In it, they say they discovered an SUV with Texas license plates. They say it had been in the process of being converted into a car bomb.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is raising more nuclear worries about Iran. Powell says intelligence suggests Iran is trying to adapt its missiles so that they would be capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
And the U.N. Security Council meets in Nairobi today to discuss the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. At that meeting, John Danforth, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said a peace deal between warring factions in Sudan will be finalized before the year is out.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: It's a blame game with serious consequences. Vioxx was pulled from shelves back in September due to safety concerns. Now the Senate wants to find out what went wrong.
Ali Velshi live on the phone this morning with a preview of today's action on Capitol Hill.
Good morning -- Ali.
ALI VELSHI, CNN DAYBREAK CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning, Carol.
And a lot of people are going to be paying attention to this issue. Vioxx was a drug. It was called a COX-2 inhibitor. It's a painkiller. And it was about $13 billion worth of Vioxx of sales. But that day in September is when Vioxx came out and said that in certain patients, Vioxx could cause an elevated risk of heart attack.
The stock lost more than double that in terms of its value because people ran for the hills, knowing that that stock would be at risk. When I talk about "double that value," that was maybe the value of something like General Motors. That was the amount of value that Vioxx -- that Merck lost.
Now, the problem since then hasn't been just that the drug may have been deemed to be unsafe in some patients, but that word has started to come out that Vioxx was known to be unsafe by Merck maybe as much as two years, in one case on "60 Minutes" on Sunday, as you referred to yesterday, four years earlier. As early as 2000 Merck knew that there was some problem with Vioxx.
Part of that, of course, these days, we find things in e-mails. There were some e-mails around, according to some people investigating the case, that Merck knew there was a problem. In fact, one of the most compelling pieces of evidence is that Merck knew that Vioxx was problematic 10 days before they even made the announcement.
And the other side of things, Carol, is that Vioxx was used by millions and millions of people. So the Senate Finance Committee is looking into how the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, actually handled this situation. Did they have evidence, as Merck may have, that this drug was problematic? And that's where this investigation today starts with the Fed.
COSTELLO: So, it should be an interesting day in Congress today. Ali Velshi reporting live for us in New York.
In a Delaware courtroom, Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner ended his third day of testimony in the Disney dispute. Shareholders are suing Eisner, former President Michael Ovitz and several Disney directors over the lucrative severance given Ovitz. Ovitz was granted a $140 million severance package when he left Disney after just 14 months. Eisner testified it first became clear in early 1996 that Ovitz wasn't fitting in at Disney.
Call it a delay tactic. House Republicans have voted to change an ethics rule that will allow Majority Leader Tom DeLay to keep his leadership position even if he is indicted by a Texas grand jury. The rule now says a committee chairman has to be convicted before they're forced to give up their post.
So, is the DeLay attempted rescue a bit of political hypocrisy? Oh, say it ain't so.
Let's head live to Washington and our political analyst, Ron Brownstein.
Good morning -- Ron.
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, Ron, wasn't it House Republicans who adopted the indictment rule to highlight Democrats ethical lapses in the first place?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, people remember that in the late 1980s, in the early 1990s, when the Republicans were trying to break, at that point, four-decades of Democratic control, Newt Gingrich and other House leaders relentlessly attacked the Democratic majority over ethics rules, Jim Wright, then the speaker, questions about the House bank and House post office.
So, in fact, yesterday one of the leading Republican moderates, Chris Shays, who was an opponent of this change, told reporters afterwards Republicans were in danger of forgetting what brought them there.
But, look, they are now the majority in the House. They are now the majority in the Senate. They're considering rules changes in the Senate that would make their job easier on judicial appointments. They have the power, and this is a clear sign they're going to use it.
COSTELLO: You're not kidding. But this seems so transparent in a partisan sense. But since Republicans are really in right now, does it really matter what they do?
BROWNSTEIN: Well, I mean, that's an interesting question. You know, Democrats felt they had the majority and obviously Democrats did have the majority for a very long time and lost it as well. There are boundaries in politics. Now whether this crosses it or not is something else.
Look, I mean, the accusation here in a way explains the defense. Think about what Tom DeLay is under investigation for. A political action committee associated with him engineered contributions to candidates for the state legislature in Texas in 2002 that they've been accused of funneling illegal corporate contributions in that effort.
Now, why did they invest in state legislative candidates in 2002? Because they wanted them to redraw the congressional districts for a second time, an almost unprecedented move. And, in fact, in this election, Carol, it led to four more Republican seats. Now, what does that say? That's someone with a very aggressive and very strategic approach to politics, and it's why Republicans, or at least most Republicans, are so eager to defend him.
COSTELLO: Ron Brownstein joining us live from Washington this morning, thank you.
BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: In Iraq this morning, the apparent killing of CARE International Director Margaret Hassan prompts condolences from the White House and Prime Minister Blair. Hassan was born in Dublin and raised in Britain.
A White House statement reads: "We express our deepest sympathy to the family of Margaret Hassan, who was killed in Iraq. We strongly condemn the abduction and murder of this prominent humanitarian. Mrs. Hassan worked tirelessly with great compassion for more than 25 years to assist the poor and disadvantaged in Iraq, particularly children."
Pomp and circumstance in London today for visiting French President Jacques Chirac. British Prime Minister Tony Blair is hosting a high-profile summit, which commemorates 100 years of peace between Britain and France. However, Chirac kept up his vocal opposition to the war in Iraq.
In a BBC interview, Chirac said Britain got very little in return for supporting the U.S.-led invasion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. JACQUES CHIRAC, FRANCE (through translator): Is the world any safer? I'm not so sure. To a certain extent, Saddam Hussein's departure was a positive thing. But it also provoked reactions in a number of countries and from the men and women of Islam, which has made the world more dangerous. There's no doubt that there has been an increase in terrorism, and one of the origins of that has been the situation in Iraq. I'm not at all sure that one can say that the world is safer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Stronger relations with Washington will figure prominently in talks between Chirac and Blair. The prime minister has called for reconciliation between European leaders and President Bush.
The Clinton Presidential Library opens its doors today. Do the massive efforts fulfill all it promised the community? We'll ask our special guest just ahead.
And so handsome it should be illegal. Actor Jude Law is recognized for his contribution to society -- sort of.
Now here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Fascinating story for you now. Some archaeologists have made a discovery that could rewrite history. They now believe the first humans came to North America at least 50,000 years ago. That's 20,000 years earlier than other theories.
Here's more from CNN's Daniel Sieberg.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): These archaeologists, combing the banks of the Savannah River, may have unearthed the very beginning of human existence in the Western Hemisphere. And, if they're right, humans inhabited North America at least 50,000 years ago, well before the last Ice Age and more than 30,000 years earlier than most archaeologists ever believed.
ALBERT GOODYEAR, UNIV. SOUTH CAROLINA ARCHAEOLOGIST: This discovery would challenge the time-honored notion in basically the Western Hemisphere, but particularly North America, that our species got over here relatively late. SIEBERG: Goodyear has been studying an area known as Topper along the Savannah River. Over nearly 20 years of analysis, the site has proven to be a rich source of flint-like material, perfect for fashioning primitive tools.
GOODYEAR: So, this is the big draw is this relatively rare raw material source that does occur on the hillside at Topper.
SIEBERG: Then, in May, the team decided to dig just a little deeper. Well below an area that he had already dated at 16,000 to 20,000 years old, they found burned plant samples -- oak, buckeye and plum -- some tiny tools mixed in.
To date it, scientists measured the microscopic carbon levels in that ancient plant material. The results were astounding. The charred material measures 50,000 years old. And Dr. Goodyear believes it's smoking-gun evidence that humans were living there far earlier than previously thought.
GOODYEAR: People who probably knew about perhaps boats and could navigate the coastline, knew something about fishing and gathering.
SIEBERG (on camera): It may not be time to rewrite history, but Dr. Goodyear says this discovery has added another chapter to the books. And he hopes it will encourage other archaeologists to dig deeper, both physically and intellectually.
(voice over): Goodyear plans to have his work published in 2005. Digging at the Topper site will continue in search of more clues about when the very first people set foot in the Americas.
Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Columbia, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
Two civilians are dead in western Baghdad, following a car bomb explosion near a police station. And Iraqi forces are launching an offensive in the center of town, targeting insurgents and their weapons caches.
Condoleezza Rice will have surgery at a Washington hospital tomorrow. Doctors intend to block arteries supplying blood to a uterine fibroid tumor. A spokesman says it is not life-threatening, and the procedure won't even require anesthesia.
In money news, federal authorities are investigating the wife of Enron founder Kenneth Lay for possible insider trading. At issue, the sale of half a million shares of Enron stock, which she arranged days before the energy company went bankrupt nearly three years ago.
In culture, evangelist Billy Graham comes full circle. Fifty- five years after delivering a powerful message in Los Angeles, Graham returns tonight to begin a four-day crusade. Organizers say it will be the last in California for the frail 86-year-old.
In sports, disgraced Greek Olympic sprinters, Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, have been charged with obstructing a dope test the day before the Olympics began. Kenteris and Thanou withdraw from the games after failing to appear for a drug test, claiming to have been in a motorcycle accident.
Ooh, mystery possibly solved, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, that just came over the wires just within 15-20 minutes ago. I just saw it beep over there.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
Let's head to the "AMERICAN MORNING" studies and Bill and Soledad for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Aren't you going to say, "just down the road?"
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It was "down the street" yesterday.
O'BRIEN: "Down the street" yesterday.
COSTELLO: OK. I'll make that a permanent part of my toss to you guys.
O'BRIEN: OK, thank you.
HEMMER: Do you know what we say...
O'BRIEN: Just have them write that in.
HEMMER: Do you know what we say in New York, Carol? Across town. Let's go across town.
O'BRIEN: No, that's across town. We're just downtown.
HEMMER: Oh, we're a couple of blocks away.
O'BRIEN: That's right.
COSTELLO: You're literally, like, six blocks from me.
HEMMER: Yes, you're right. I'm still waiting on our coffee, too, by the way. I'm sticking you to that.
O'BRIEN: Good morning to you. Some of the headlines that we're looking, in fact, at this "AMERICAN MORNING," the nuclear threat. Big concerns today about Iran's -- that wasn't a good start this morning. Do you want to help me out here?
HEMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
O'BRIEN: Thank you. Iran's capabilities. Russia also making some noise this morning. Should the U.S. be worried? This morning, we talk to former chief U.S. weapons inspector David Kay.
HEMMER: Also, if you have not heard yet, the presidential library of Bill Clinton opens today officially. We'll talk to one of the driving forces behind that library. James Skip Rutherford, the head of the Clinton Foundation, is our guest this morning.
O'BRIEN: And how about the timing of this? A potential flight attendants' strike. Could it affect holiday travel plans? This morning, we talk to features editor Nathan Lump (ph) -- he's from "Travel & Leisure" magazine -- about what the impact of that could be.
HEMMER: Remember yesterday Andy Serwer came out and said this could be a really significant story over the holidays.
O'BRIEN: A huge problem, depending on the timing.
HEMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All that and much more ahead this morning, Carol. We'll see you in a few minutes.
COSTELLO: All right. We look forward to it. Thank you.
It seems that Jude Law has a new movie at the box office just about every week, and it's not just his acting talent that's getting recognition. Oh, no. All of the juicy details ahead on DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: There is no doubt about this: Bill Clinton still knows how to draw the crowds. Thousands and -- tens of thousands of people, I should say, are gathering in Little Rock for today's opening of his presidential library.
And joining us from the site is Isabelle Rodriguez, director of the grand opening.
What a huge job you have.
ISABELLE RODRIGUEZ, LIBRARY GRAND OPENING DIRECTOR: It's an enjoyable one.
COSTELLO: It is? Tell us about the security sweep, because I think that's quite extensive for everyone today.
RODRIGUEZ: It is. It is not unusual for security to provide a sweep of the facilities before we have a grand opening of this nature. We have many dignitaries arriving, and certainly former presidents and first ladies. And we want to be sure everything is safe.
COSTELLO: So, how do you prepare for a bunch of former presidents and first ladies and other dignitaries? RODRIGUEZ: With a great amount of detail and also a lot of excitement. We have several individuals on ground who are just experienced -- excuse me -- experienced in this area, and they've crossed every "t" and dotted every "i." We're ready for all of our dignitaries.
COSTELLO: Tell us about when the public will be allowed in, and what they can expect to see.
RODRIGUEZ: Well, this morning, our gates will open at 7:00 a.m., although our program will not begin until 10:00. We want to make sure that there is a comfortable flow for everyone as they arrive here at this beautiful library site. There will be lines, because, of course, we will have security checks for everyone arriving. So, we ask that everyone be patient, but make sure that you allow for a timely arrival so we can get you to your seats.
COSTELLO: As they head through the doors, what will be the first thing they see?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, the first thing they see will be many, many volunteers. We've recruited 900 volunteers from the Little Rock area to help us with this great day. So, they will arrive, and they'll see volunteers that will guide them through the areas that they will be seated in. And that will help an orderly arrival.
And during that time, there will be kiosks, where they can buy memorabilia from the -- about the library, and then be escorted to their seats. And once they get to their seat, they'll have a wonderful entertainment program.
COSTELLO: Isabelle, what is the most fascinating thing, in your mind, in the exhibit -- inside the museum?
RODRIGUEZ: Oh, my goodness, it's so hard to pinpoint one. I think the part that was most fascinating for me was to see the replica of the Oval Office and the Cabinet Office. Having been able to serve and have the pleasure of serving the president and now Senator Clinton, it was just amazing to see how beautiful and how incredible it was that they replicated the Oval Office right here in Little Rock.
COSTELLO: Oh, that just looks awesome. Highs and lows are featured in this museum as it applied to Clinton's presidential terms. Can you tell us about the impeachment exhibit inside the museum?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, actually, no, because I was not a part of putting the exhibits together. You're looking at the woman who is taking care of all of the logistics associated with the arrival for all of the wonderful guests that will be here. We're expecting 30,000 individuals here today, 20,000 of them from Arkansas.
COSTELLO: Tell us about the entertainment.
RODRIGUEZ: Oh, the entertainment is going to be wonderful. It's a collection of individuals and groups and youth groups from Arkansas. But in addition to that, we have nationally-known individuals. As you know, Ghana (ph) will be joining us today, Mickey Mangun, an absolutely incredible Pentecostal vocalist, and many, many great artists. But the fun part is watching the young children who are participating with us today get ready for this special day. They are so excited, and we are, too.
COSTELLO: And I know you have a long day ahead of you. So, Isabelle Rodriguez, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
RODRIGUEZ: And thank you for having us. We're having a great day here in Little Rock.
COSTELLO: I hope so. And I hope it won't rain too hard throughout the day.
What mark did President Clinton leave on American history? His legacy is still a subject of debate, even as this presidential library opens up in Little Rock today.
CNN's senior analyst Jeff Greenfield has more on that side of the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST (voice-over): The Clinton Library is his physical legacy, the open architecture, the symbolic bridge to the 21st century, the exhibits that highlight the highs and lows of his eight years in office.
(on camera): But the real legacy can't be measured by a building or by what's inside it. It has to be measured by what Bill Clinton did and did not do to change his party, this country, its politics. And the debate on that legacy has just begun.
(voice-over): Bill Clinton is by one measure his party's most successful president in more than half a century, the only Democrat elected to two terms since FDR, the candidate who broke the Republicans' electoral lock on the White House, a compelling communicator who won over the Reagan Democrats and who presided over one of the best economic years in history.
He is, by another measure, the president who helped undermine his party, whose disastrous health care proposal, shaped by his wife, helped put both houses of Congress into Republican hands in 1994, where they have remained for the better part of a decade, a president whose personal behavior led to public humiliation, to impeachment, and helped give George W. Bush a way to run against peace and prosperity four years ago.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're looking for somebody who can lift the spirits of America and bring honor and integrity back to the White House.
GREENFIELD: Another way to measure Clinton's legacy, more specifically its limits, is to contrast him with two other leaders. Ronald Reagan also won two terms, but he also changed his party permanently. The one-time balanced budget Republican Party now scoffs at huge deficits and champions tax cuts with near biblical faith.
BUSH: He may win Washington, D.C., but he's not going to win Tennessee.
GREENFIELD: Its embrace of cultural conservatism has won over big chunks of the Democratic base - Southerners, church-going rural and small-town voters, Catholics. In Great Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair has remade the Labor Party, moving it away from its socialist roots and anti-war policies.
But while Clinton proclaimed a new kind of Democratic politics...
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The era of big government is over.
GREENFIELD: ... the party, at root, still remains a party whose policies reflect a core belief rooted in New Deal/Great Society notions that government is the tool to better the lives of the less well-off.
As a political figure, Clinton remains the most successful of candidates, fusing an astonishing grasp of complex policy ideas with rare personal magnetism. The peace and prosperity of the '90s helped him survive as serious a wound as any president has inflicted on himself. But that same wound also helped pave the way for the Republican triumphs that make it, for now, the permanent governing party.
(on camera): So, when will we have fully measured Bill Clinton's legacy? Well, remember, historians are still measuring the tenure of JFK, FDR, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson for that matter, would suggest that historians will be digging into the records down in Little Rock for decades, even centuries to come.
Jeff Greenfield, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Well, Chad, we've been talking all morning about the Clinton Presidential Library and whether people love it or hate it, because some people say it looks like a double-wide trailer, which is a mean comment, but some people are saying that. So, we asked the question this morning: Do you love it or do you hate it?
So, I know you have some and I have some. You go first.
MYERS: Jason Young from Arkansas says: "I'm a student at Arkansas. I've driven by it many times. It looks much better in person than it does on TV. It does not look like a double-wide. It actually does look like a bridge as you drive across the Arkansas River."
COSTELLO: I like that one. This is a good one, and I'm reading this off of my computer so bear with me. This is from Janet from Texas. She said: "When I first saw the Clinton Presidential Library, I thought, 'What a beautiful piece of architecture.' And it does remind me of his bridge to the 21st century. Why can't people just see the good in things and not criticize everything to death?"
MYERS: One more. "The Clinton library, you either love it or hate it. Kind of like the man."
COSTELLO: All right, let's move along to -- oh, I'm sorry.
MYERS: "AMERICAN MORNING."
COSTELLO: We're out of time. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. Thank you for joining us.
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