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American Morning
Extra Troops to Iraq; Oil-for-Food Scandal; Peterson Penalty Phase
Aired December 02, 2004 - 9:00 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A change of orders in Iraq. Thousands of troops who were scheduled to come home now scheduled to stay put.
Is the Bush administration sending a chilly message to U.N. chief Kofi Annan as the debate grows over whether he should step down?
And did baseball slugger Jason Giambi get his power from steroids? A blockbuster report on what he told the grand jury out on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. Bill's got the day off. Miles O'Brien is here.
Good morning.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: For now. Thank you. Good morning to you.
Other stories we're watching this morning, in Redwood City, California, the defense goes back to work this morning, trying to persuade the jury to spare Scott Peterson's life. We'll talk about the plea from Peterson's father yesterday with former prosecutor Dean Johnson, who was there to here it.
S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, have you seen these picture of the man who was at the center of Ukraine's election crisis? Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, his onetime good looks -- look there -- now gone. His face is pocked and swollen.
There are lots of theories as to what exactly happened to him. We're going to get Sanjay Gupta's opinion in just a little bit.
M. O'BRIEN: Sanjay weighs in on everything. Doesn't he? He is a smart guy.
S. O'BRIEN: God bless him.
M. O'BRIEN: God bless him.
S. O'BRIEN: We need him, too.
M. O'BRIEN: Thank god he's there. JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: "Paging Dr. Gupta," that's right.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: The hypocrisy of the big three television networks, let's see. You turn on prime time and you can see your "Desperate Housewives," with some commercials for hemorrhoid ointment and Viagra and Cialis and Tampax and yadda, yadda, yadda. But the United Church of Christ has put together this little TV commercial that advocates inclusion of gays, of minorities, of whatever, and the networks are refusing to run this thing.
We'll show you the commercial in about 20 minutes. We're reading emails from you on whether or not this thing belongs on network TV. And, of course, who can forget all the political ads which were all in such good taste?
S. O'BRIEN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Unbelievable.
S. O'BRIEN: Hypocrisy.
CAFFERTY: Is Headline Heidi here?
S. O'BRIEN: Heidi -- you know what? Enough from both of you.
(LAUGHTER)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are so funny, guys.
S. O'BRIEN: Exactly, yes.
CAFFERTY: I'm only -- I'm only quoting Mr. O'Brien. This is not something that would have ever occurred to me on my own.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, Heidi as a look at our top stories.
M. O'BRIEN: Let the transcript be clear who said it the second time, all right?
COLLINS: And the other day, when you said Rick Sanchez...
S. O'BRIEN: Enough already.
M. O'BRIEN: I got speed-slapped by...
(CROSSTALK)
S. O'BRIEN: What's that?
COLLINS: When's he going home?
S. O'BRIEN: You know what? Maybe any minute.
CAFFERTY: By 9:30. COLLINS: Oh, god love you, Miles O'Brien. And want to get straight to the news now this morning.
Word today New York Yankees player Jason Giambi used steroids for at least three seasons. The "San Francisco Chronicle" says Giambi admitted to steroid use during testimony in a BALCO investigation after publicly denying it.
The newspaper says Giambi testified he had used steroids in 2003 and at least two years earlier. Giambi apparently said he had gotten the steroids from Barry Bonds' personal trainer.
Turning now to Iraq, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad now warning personnel to stay away from a main road in the so-called Green Zone. The statement follows a series of mortar attacks today. At least one person was killed when mortars hit Baghdad some five hours ago. Dozens of other people are wounded.
A Democratic congressman claims government-funded education programs on abstinence are misleading. According to a report presented by California Representative Henry -- Waxman, that is, abstinence education programs used in 25 states contain false information about contraception, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases. The Department of Health and Human Services saying the Waxman report takes statements out of context and presents the programs in the worst possible light.
And finally, the newly-active Mount St. Helens apparently becoming an environmental threat now. Since October, the volcano has been emitting 50 to 250 tons of sulfur dioxide every day, making it Washington State's number one polluter.
The gas causes acid rain and haze, and could potentially lead to respiratory problems. But one state official notes the volcano is in a pretty remote area where few people live, thankfully.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Heidi, thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: Mother Nature's pollution.
COLLINS: That's right. You have to think about that.
S. O'BRIEN: Heidi, thanks.
COLLINS: You bet.
S. O'BRIEN: The Pentagon sending 1,500 more troops to Iraq and extending the tours of duty for more than 10,000 others who are already there. These moves will bring the number of U.S. troops in Iraq to an all-time high. Kathleen Koch live at the Pentagon this morning.
Good morning, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad. Back when the war began, major force reductions in Iraq were expected by this point. Instead, troop numbers have been steadily creeping up since March.
This latest buildup brings the -- takes the current -- the force strength from the current level of 138,000 to 150,000. That is the highest number since the war began. The Pentagon says it needs the troops to provide security for the January elections and to keep pressure on the insurgency since the battle of Falluja.
Only a small percentage, though, will be newly deployed. Those are the 1,500 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division. They'll be heading to Iraq from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. And for now, the plan is for those forces to remain in place on the ground for just four months.
The bulk of the buildup, though, will come by extending the tours of duty of more than 10,000 Marines and soldiers who are already on the ground in Iraq. These are two Army brigades, a transportation company and a Marine expeditionary unit that had been scheduled to return home in January.
So the Pentagon does not make this move lightly. Some of these forces had already seen their tour of duty extended two months, from 10 to 12 months, and now they've got two additional months on top of that. So this is very, very difficult news for these soldiers, Marines and, of course, certainly their families, something that could impact morale.
But Pentagon officials here say that the plan is in march for the troop levels to go back down to the current levels. That being 138,000. Though they say that this plan is flexible and, Soledad, could be adjusted if necessary.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, "flexible" and "adjusted" are words you don't want to hear when you are servicemen or women serving overseas.
KOCH: Quite so.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Kathleen, thanks -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: There is growing pressure this morning on Kofi Annan. The Bush administration not getting behind nations offering support for the beleaguered U.N. secretary-general. But, at the same time, the administration not backing those in the U.S. calling for Annan to resign over that Oil-for-Food scandal.
Richard Roth following this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN U.N. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kofi Annan once said he could do business with Saddam Hussein, a remark he later regretted. Now the question is, did anyone on Annan's staff, international diplomats or businessmen, conduct illegal business with Saddam's government? While Iraqis got food handouts, Saddam Hussein allegedly pocketed $20 billion through oil and food-related kickbacks and smuggling.
American newspaper columnists demanding Kofi Annan's resignation barely caused a stir. But people began noticing when a U.S. senator chairing a committee probing Oil-for-Food called for Annan's ouster.
SEN. NORM COLEMAN (R), MINNESOTA: The bottom line is that there was one man in charge of the United Nations during the period of time of the Oil-for-Food program, and that's Kofi Annan.
ROTH: Annan wouldn't comment. Talk of resignation is meaningless for now at the U.N. unless a country itself raises the issue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A few voices doesn't make a chorus.
ROTH: The U.N. deals with governments, not individual senators. And so far the Bush administration is being very cautious on Annan.
ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: Secretary Annan, as I said, is a valued interlocutor and has been working, I think, positively and cooperatively in trying to get to the bottom of this Oil-for-Food program.
ROTH: Annan's son didn't help matters. Kojo Annan apparently failed to admit that he was on the payroll of a Swiss firm now being investigated as part of Oil-for-Food. But the scandal is global. Why all the heat on Annan?
THOMAS WEISS, U.N. EXPERT: I think it's because people can understand personal scandal much more easily than they can understand institutional scandal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: There are six separate investigations from Washington to New York probing Kofi Annan and the entire world, it seems, on Oil- for-Food. Annan has about two years left on his second and final term -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about his son. What do we know about him?
ROTH: Well, he's 29, he's a businessman. He travels the world. He lives mostly in either Lagos, Nigeria, or London.
There is a story again today that he used his contacts with wheeler-dealers, the Annan name. The U.N. is saying this morning that anything involving Kojo Annan, he wasn't a U.N. employee. He was working for the Swiss firm, Cotecna.
Did Annan on Monday tell me, yes, he recognizes there is a perception of a conflict of interest? Yes. But they knew in 1998 that he was going to be working for that company, and the U.N. signed off on it.
M. O'BRIEN: Richard Roth, thanks for coming in this morning. Appreciate it -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Michigan senator Carl Levin has worked closely with Senator Norm Coleman on the U.N. Oil-for-Food investigation but does not share his feelings about the secretary-general. He explained to me earlier this morning why he does not believe that Kofi Annan should resign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D) MICHIGAN: There's no evidence that our subcommittee has seen that shows any impropriety on the part of Kofi Annan. That's what it comes down to.
S. O'BRIEN: Senator Coleman said that incompetence on the part of Kofi Annan in an interview we did with him yesterday and general mismanagement was enough of a reason in his mind to oust him. You don't agree with that, that he oversought fraud?
LEVIN: There were problems in the Oil-for-Food program. As a matter of fact, the United States contributed to those problems very significantly because we knew, for instance, that about $15 billion in direct oil sales were being made by Iraq to Jordan and to Turkey and to Syria. And as a matter of fact, under our law, that meant that we should stop foreign aid to Jordan and to Turkey as a result of their receiving directly oil from Iraq instead of putting the money into this escrow at the U.N. for humanitarian purposes.
But not only did we not do anything about that, we even waived that. The -- both President Clinton and this President Bush knowingly waived that problem, notifying the Congress that those sales were taking place in violation of the Oil-for-Food program, but, nonetheless, they didn't want to do anything about it relative to stopping foreign aid.
So they were very much aware of it. Both presidents, both secretaries of state did nothing about it. And to lay that as corruption on Kofi Annan's doorstep it seems to me is totally unwarranted.
S. O'BRIEN: Senator Coleman also seemed to think that Kofi Annan is hampering, at the very least, or maybe even obstructing the investigation. And it's fair to say that it's taking months to get the documentation and other important things to your committee, your subcommittee. Isn't that enough of a reason to call for someone's ouster?
LEVIN: No, because there's an investigation going on at the U.N. which is being headed by Paul Voelker, the American who used to be at the head of the Federal Reserve Board, and he does not want to share the documents that he has because he is afraid that that would undermine his independent investigation, to share those with any country or any -- or with the Congress.
This is not a new policy on the part of the U.N. And it is not a new policy on the part of an investigator such as Paul Voelker to hang onto the documents. Because if they became public at this time, it would undermine their own independent investigation.
This is not unusual. However, I shared with Senator Coleman a belief that we should have gotten greater cooperation from the U.N. on some other types of information we wanted. We have now received that information, the agreement on the part of the U.N. and Paul Voelker, so we're making progress in that regard.
But I think Senator Coleman went too far in jumping the gun and calling for the resignation of Kofi Annan before our investigation is even completed, when we, in fact, are making progress on a bipartisan way in this investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: Michigan Senator Carl Levin. No member nations have called for Kofi Annan's resignation -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's check the weather. Rob Marciano in the Weather Center.
Rob, I'm thinking about flying up to Boston today in my little plane.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Are you?
M. O'BRIEN: And is it going to be too windy? I'm a little worried about the wind.
MARCIANO: It depends on how little your little plane is.
M. O'BRIEN: It's pretty little.
MARCIANO: It's pretty little. I take it with your experience you'll be all right.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Be careful, Miles. Back up to you.
M. O'BRIEN: Always -- that is the most important thing, Rob. Thank you very much.
MARCIANO: You bet.
S. O'BRIEN: You can take Amtrak, too, to Boston.
M. O'BRIEN: Not nearly as much fun.
S. O'BRIEN: But on the ground.
Still to come this morning, a face as scarred as the Ukrainian political landscape. How did the opposition leader's face change from one of youthful vigor to one pocked by a mystery illness? Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us to explain.
M. O'BRIEN: Also, the Williams sisters teaming up with Ronald McDonald. But they're not selling Big Macs. Venus and Serena will tell us about their latest good deed.
S. O'BRIEN: And next, yesterday's star witness brought Scott Peterson to tears. But how did that play with the jury? That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: The accuser in the Kobe Bryant case says the NBA star is trying to shift the blame. Yesterday, she filed documents disputing Bryant's claim that others are at least partially to blame for her pain and suffering.
The woman says Bryant sexually assaulted her, of course. Bryant's lawyers point to the media for publishing details about the woman and to the courts for releasing her name.
Defense arguments continue this morning in the penalty phase of Scott Peterson's murder trial. A long line of character witnesses telling jurors why they think Peterson's life is worth saving.
Former San Mateo County prosecutor Dean Johnson joins us from the courthouse in Redwood City, California. He's been witnessing a lot of this trial.
And Dean, good to have you back with us.
DEAN JOHNSON, FMR. SAN MATEO COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Good morning. Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: What was it -- yes, good morning. What was it like there yesterday?
JOHNSON: The emotional atmosphere in that courtroom was just 180 degrees from the prosecution case, which you -- which you remember was very powerful. This was almost a stoic Lee Peterson, Scott's father, talking not even about Scott's history, but about his history, Lee's history.
We've heard the Lee and Jackie Peterson story. We've heard very little about Scott Peterson, except to hear about essentially privileged and trouble-free existence that involves private golf lessons, education, a stable family, pheasant hunting at the family lodge. The jury, which is essentially blue collar, I think, is becoming very irritated and wanting to know why any of this would justify, mitigate or explain this horrific crime.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's take a little sample of this.
Pat Harris, the co-counsel, Gergagos's deputy, leading the charge here. A quote from him.
He says, referring to Peterson, "He was the toddler who was always smiling and loved to snuggle with a book as his father read to him, tutored younger students and sang at a senior citizens' home on Sundays." You almost can hear somebody saying, "Objection, that's irrelevant, your honor."
Obviously you don't do that at this stage of the trial. But, nevertheless, the jury must be thinking that.
JOHNSON: Well, they certainly are. And they're saying, you know, what is there in all of this, all of this perfection that tells us that there was a dysfunctional family, abuse, anything that's going to make us want to give Scott Peterson something less than the death penalty? They haven't heard it yet.
M. O'BRIEN: Lee Peterson, Scott's father, also spoke yesterday. A little quote from him which I'd like to share with folks.
Lee saying, referring to his son, "I love him very much. I have great respect for him. I am frightened. Losing someone you love and now having your son in this kind of jeopardy, beyond belief."
"I'm depressed. I guess you could say deeply saddened."
And, of course, we would all feel for Lee Peterson and what a horrifying position for him to be in. How do you think that plays with the jury, though?
JOHNSON: I don't think it plays very well. First of all, I think this jury is going to say, you know, Lee and Jackie, you don't really know Scott Peterson. The person who committed this crime is not the little Scotty that you raised.
Secondly, the judge is going to tell them that sympathy for the family is irrelevant. The family of the defendant, anyway. And finally, they're going to say that -- that this has no bearing on the case and that you have to put aside this sort of sympathy.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. The one thing, though, which might change that equation slightly, potentially, is that through all of this Scott Peterson showed some emotion. And perhaps, perhaps the jury might have some sympathy for him. What do you think of that?
JOHNSON: Well, that's certainly possible. But what they need to see is some sort of act of remorse. And so far, all that's on the table is what the prosecution has said, which is that Scott Peterson sat for 116 days, let the family of this victim, the entire community of Modesto suffer without knowing that Laci Peterson and Conner Peterson were already gone.
M. O'BRIEN: And one final thought. Would you put him on the stand?
JOHNSON: It would be very, very difficult. In order to get on the stand, he would have to adopt a high-risk strategy, essentially admitting he did it and then turning to this jury and credibly saying, "I'm sorry."
Remember, this is a jury that spent six months listening to Scott Peterson manipulate the press, Amber Frey, the police. I think at this point, they might feel that they were just another victim of Scott Peterson's manipulation.
M. O'BRIEN: Dean Johnson, thanks for your insights. Appreciate it -- Soledad.
JOHNSON: Thank you.
S. O'BRIEN: In Oregon, an 89-year-old man fell down a 100-foot cliff and is rescued, suffering only cuts and bruises. Lloyd Row (ph) was raking leaves when he lost his balance and tumbled over a cliff.
Nearly two hours later, emergency workers used repelling gear to set up a rope rescue system, hauled him back up. Row (ph) says he was relieved he didn't hit any rocks when he fell. Yes, no kidding. You can hear more about this amazing rescue when Lloyd Row (ph) and one of his rescuers talk to us tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING. ] Eighty-nine years Orlando.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. That's pretty impressive. I'm looking forward to hearing from him.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, a fall like that by itself could kill you.
M. O'BRIEN: I'd be down and out, I'm sure.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. So good for him. Wow. That's good news.
M. O'BRIEN: Right.
Still to come on the program, one of the biggest churches in America says it is open to everyone, but some TV networks aren't so open to spreading that particular message. We'll tell you why ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: "Question of the Day." Here's Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes. NBC -- thanks Miles. NBC, CBS, ABC refusing to run this ad put together by the Church of Christ. Here's the spot, and then we'll talk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Step aside, please. No way. Not you. I don't think so. No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: The networks saying no thank you to this commercial. We're wondering whether you think they ought to run it or not.
Renee in Cicero, Illinois, writes a pretty good little letter. She says, "After having to talk to my two daughters about erectile dysfunction, and sitting through the hateful smears run by both parties during our recent presidential election, at least I'm spared the horror of trying to explain why gay people and those in wheelchairs would ever want to go to church. I'm glad the networks got my back as a parent."
Mike in Las Vegas, Nevada, "I'm an agnostic. For the first time in years I am tempted to attend church. This appears to be the first church that's worthy of the name. I was really touched by the ad."
Michelle in Buffalo, New York, "I say congratulations to the networks. Their decision to not show this ad has brought more attention to it and its message than if they had just shut up and run the thing."
And Linda in North Richland Hills, Texas, "What's happened to our country, founded on religious freedom and inclusion? What hypocrites we are. We're more concerned with pumpkin spice latte sales, Janet Jackson's breast and 'Desperate Housewives.' I notice the networks do take money from those sanctimonious windbags every Sunday morning, though."
Ooh. Ooh. AM@CNN.com. We'll do one more batch of these in a half-hour. So...
S. O'BRIEN: Good emails today. All right, Jack. Thanks.
CAFFERTY: Good subject.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it is.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, think every vote doesn't count? Ask the governor-elect of Washington, about three dozen voters, what they think.
Plus, a stunning admission from one of the biggest stars in baseball. Reported testimony from Yankee slugger Jason Giambi could turn the sport on its head. We're going to talk with one of the reporter whose broke that story ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired December 2, 2004 - 9:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A change of orders in Iraq. Thousands of troops who were scheduled to come home now scheduled to stay put.
Is the Bush administration sending a chilly message to U.N. chief Kofi Annan as the debate grows over whether he should step down?
And did baseball slugger Jason Giambi get his power from steroids? A blockbuster report on what he told the grand jury out on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. Bill's got the day off. Miles O'Brien is here.
Good morning.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: For now. Thank you. Good morning to you.
Other stories we're watching this morning, in Redwood City, California, the defense goes back to work this morning, trying to persuade the jury to spare Scott Peterson's life. We'll talk about the plea from Peterson's father yesterday with former prosecutor Dean Johnson, who was there to here it.
S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, have you seen these picture of the man who was at the center of Ukraine's election crisis? Opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, his onetime good looks -- look there -- now gone. His face is pocked and swollen.
There are lots of theories as to what exactly happened to him. We're going to get Sanjay Gupta's opinion in just a little bit.
M. O'BRIEN: Sanjay weighs in on everything. Doesn't he? He is a smart guy.
S. O'BRIEN: God bless him.
M. O'BRIEN: God bless him.
S. O'BRIEN: We need him, too.
M. O'BRIEN: Thank god he's there. JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: "Paging Dr. Gupta," that's right.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: The hypocrisy of the big three television networks, let's see. You turn on prime time and you can see your "Desperate Housewives," with some commercials for hemorrhoid ointment and Viagra and Cialis and Tampax and yadda, yadda, yadda. But the United Church of Christ has put together this little TV commercial that advocates inclusion of gays, of minorities, of whatever, and the networks are refusing to run this thing.
We'll show you the commercial in about 20 minutes. We're reading emails from you on whether or not this thing belongs on network TV. And, of course, who can forget all the political ads which were all in such good taste?
S. O'BRIEN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Unbelievable.
S. O'BRIEN: Hypocrisy.
CAFFERTY: Is Headline Heidi here?
S. O'BRIEN: Heidi -- you know what? Enough from both of you.
(LAUGHTER)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are so funny, guys.
S. O'BRIEN: Exactly, yes.
CAFFERTY: I'm only -- I'm only quoting Mr. O'Brien. This is not something that would have ever occurred to me on my own.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, Heidi as a look at our top stories.
M. O'BRIEN: Let the transcript be clear who said it the second time, all right?
COLLINS: And the other day, when you said Rick Sanchez...
S. O'BRIEN: Enough already.
M. O'BRIEN: I got speed-slapped by...
(CROSSTALK)
S. O'BRIEN: What's that?
COLLINS: When's he going home?
S. O'BRIEN: You know what? Maybe any minute.
CAFFERTY: By 9:30. COLLINS: Oh, god love you, Miles O'Brien. And want to get straight to the news now this morning.
Word today New York Yankees player Jason Giambi used steroids for at least three seasons. The "San Francisco Chronicle" says Giambi admitted to steroid use during testimony in a BALCO investigation after publicly denying it.
The newspaper says Giambi testified he had used steroids in 2003 and at least two years earlier. Giambi apparently said he had gotten the steroids from Barry Bonds' personal trainer.
Turning now to Iraq, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad now warning personnel to stay away from a main road in the so-called Green Zone. The statement follows a series of mortar attacks today. At least one person was killed when mortars hit Baghdad some five hours ago. Dozens of other people are wounded.
A Democratic congressman claims government-funded education programs on abstinence are misleading. According to a report presented by California Representative Henry -- Waxman, that is, abstinence education programs used in 25 states contain false information about contraception, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases. The Department of Health and Human Services saying the Waxman report takes statements out of context and presents the programs in the worst possible light.
And finally, the newly-active Mount St. Helens apparently becoming an environmental threat now. Since October, the volcano has been emitting 50 to 250 tons of sulfur dioxide every day, making it Washington State's number one polluter.
The gas causes acid rain and haze, and could potentially lead to respiratory problems. But one state official notes the volcano is in a pretty remote area where few people live, thankfully.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Heidi, thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: Mother Nature's pollution.
COLLINS: That's right. You have to think about that.
S. O'BRIEN: Heidi, thanks.
COLLINS: You bet.
S. O'BRIEN: The Pentagon sending 1,500 more troops to Iraq and extending the tours of duty for more than 10,000 others who are already there. These moves will bring the number of U.S. troops in Iraq to an all-time high. Kathleen Koch live at the Pentagon this morning.
Good morning, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad. Back when the war began, major force reductions in Iraq were expected by this point. Instead, troop numbers have been steadily creeping up since March.
This latest buildup brings the -- takes the current -- the force strength from the current level of 138,000 to 150,000. That is the highest number since the war began. The Pentagon says it needs the troops to provide security for the January elections and to keep pressure on the insurgency since the battle of Falluja.
Only a small percentage, though, will be newly deployed. Those are the 1,500 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division. They'll be heading to Iraq from Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. And for now, the plan is for those forces to remain in place on the ground for just four months.
The bulk of the buildup, though, will come by extending the tours of duty of more than 10,000 Marines and soldiers who are already on the ground in Iraq. These are two Army brigades, a transportation company and a Marine expeditionary unit that had been scheduled to return home in January.
So the Pentagon does not make this move lightly. Some of these forces had already seen their tour of duty extended two months, from 10 to 12 months, and now they've got two additional months on top of that. So this is very, very difficult news for these soldiers, Marines and, of course, certainly their families, something that could impact morale.
But Pentagon officials here say that the plan is in march for the troop levels to go back down to the current levels. That being 138,000. Though they say that this plan is flexible and, Soledad, could be adjusted if necessary.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, "flexible" and "adjusted" are words you don't want to hear when you are servicemen or women serving overseas.
KOCH: Quite so.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Kathleen, thanks -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: There is growing pressure this morning on Kofi Annan. The Bush administration not getting behind nations offering support for the beleaguered U.N. secretary-general. But, at the same time, the administration not backing those in the U.S. calling for Annan to resign over that Oil-for-Food scandal.
Richard Roth following this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN U.N. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kofi Annan once said he could do business with Saddam Hussein, a remark he later regretted. Now the question is, did anyone on Annan's staff, international diplomats or businessmen, conduct illegal business with Saddam's government? While Iraqis got food handouts, Saddam Hussein allegedly pocketed $20 billion through oil and food-related kickbacks and smuggling.
American newspaper columnists demanding Kofi Annan's resignation barely caused a stir. But people began noticing when a U.S. senator chairing a committee probing Oil-for-Food called for Annan's ouster.
SEN. NORM COLEMAN (R), MINNESOTA: The bottom line is that there was one man in charge of the United Nations during the period of time of the Oil-for-Food program, and that's Kofi Annan.
ROTH: Annan wouldn't comment. Talk of resignation is meaningless for now at the U.N. unless a country itself raises the issue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A few voices doesn't make a chorus.
ROTH: The U.N. deals with governments, not individual senators. And so far the Bush administration is being very cautious on Annan.
ADAM ERELI, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: Secretary Annan, as I said, is a valued interlocutor and has been working, I think, positively and cooperatively in trying to get to the bottom of this Oil-for-Food program.
ROTH: Annan's son didn't help matters. Kojo Annan apparently failed to admit that he was on the payroll of a Swiss firm now being investigated as part of Oil-for-Food. But the scandal is global. Why all the heat on Annan?
THOMAS WEISS, U.N. EXPERT: I think it's because people can understand personal scandal much more easily than they can understand institutional scandal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: There are six separate investigations from Washington to New York probing Kofi Annan and the entire world, it seems, on Oil- for-Food. Annan has about two years left on his second and final term -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about his son. What do we know about him?
ROTH: Well, he's 29, he's a businessman. He travels the world. He lives mostly in either Lagos, Nigeria, or London.
There is a story again today that he used his contacts with wheeler-dealers, the Annan name. The U.N. is saying this morning that anything involving Kojo Annan, he wasn't a U.N. employee. He was working for the Swiss firm, Cotecna.
Did Annan on Monday tell me, yes, he recognizes there is a perception of a conflict of interest? Yes. But they knew in 1998 that he was going to be working for that company, and the U.N. signed off on it.
M. O'BRIEN: Richard Roth, thanks for coming in this morning. Appreciate it -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Michigan senator Carl Levin has worked closely with Senator Norm Coleman on the U.N. Oil-for-Food investigation but does not share his feelings about the secretary-general. He explained to me earlier this morning why he does not believe that Kofi Annan should resign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D) MICHIGAN: There's no evidence that our subcommittee has seen that shows any impropriety on the part of Kofi Annan. That's what it comes down to.
S. O'BRIEN: Senator Coleman said that incompetence on the part of Kofi Annan in an interview we did with him yesterday and general mismanagement was enough of a reason in his mind to oust him. You don't agree with that, that he oversought fraud?
LEVIN: There were problems in the Oil-for-Food program. As a matter of fact, the United States contributed to those problems very significantly because we knew, for instance, that about $15 billion in direct oil sales were being made by Iraq to Jordan and to Turkey and to Syria. And as a matter of fact, under our law, that meant that we should stop foreign aid to Jordan and to Turkey as a result of their receiving directly oil from Iraq instead of putting the money into this escrow at the U.N. for humanitarian purposes.
But not only did we not do anything about that, we even waived that. The -- both President Clinton and this President Bush knowingly waived that problem, notifying the Congress that those sales were taking place in violation of the Oil-for-Food program, but, nonetheless, they didn't want to do anything about it relative to stopping foreign aid.
So they were very much aware of it. Both presidents, both secretaries of state did nothing about it. And to lay that as corruption on Kofi Annan's doorstep it seems to me is totally unwarranted.
S. O'BRIEN: Senator Coleman also seemed to think that Kofi Annan is hampering, at the very least, or maybe even obstructing the investigation. And it's fair to say that it's taking months to get the documentation and other important things to your committee, your subcommittee. Isn't that enough of a reason to call for someone's ouster?
LEVIN: No, because there's an investigation going on at the U.N. which is being headed by Paul Voelker, the American who used to be at the head of the Federal Reserve Board, and he does not want to share the documents that he has because he is afraid that that would undermine his independent investigation, to share those with any country or any -- or with the Congress.
This is not a new policy on the part of the U.N. And it is not a new policy on the part of an investigator such as Paul Voelker to hang onto the documents. Because if they became public at this time, it would undermine their own independent investigation.
This is not unusual. However, I shared with Senator Coleman a belief that we should have gotten greater cooperation from the U.N. on some other types of information we wanted. We have now received that information, the agreement on the part of the U.N. and Paul Voelker, so we're making progress in that regard.
But I think Senator Coleman went too far in jumping the gun and calling for the resignation of Kofi Annan before our investigation is even completed, when we, in fact, are making progress on a bipartisan way in this investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: Michigan Senator Carl Levin. No member nations have called for Kofi Annan's resignation -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's check the weather. Rob Marciano in the Weather Center.
Rob, I'm thinking about flying up to Boston today in my little plane.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Are you?
M. O'BRIEN: And is it going to be too windy? I'm a little worried about the wind.
MARCIANO: It depends on how little your little plane is.
M. O'BRIEN: It's pretty little.
MARCIANO: It's pretty little. I take it with your experience you'll be all right.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Be careful, Miles. Back up to you.
M. O'BRIEN: Always -- that is the most important thing, Rob. Thank you very much.
MARCIANO: You bet.
S. O'BRIEN: You can take Amtrak, too, to Boston.
M. O'BRIEN: Not nearly as much fun.
S. O'BRIEN: But on the ground.
Still to come this morning, a face as scarred as the Ukrainian political landscape. How did the opposition leader's face change from one of youthful vigor to one pocked by a mystery illness? Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us to explain.
M. O'BRIEN: Also, the Williams sisters teaming up with Ronald McDonald. But they're not selling Big Macs. Venus and Serena will tell us about their latest good deed.
S. O'BRIEN: And next, yesterday's star witness brought Scott Peterson to tears. But how did that play with the jury? That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: The accuser in the Kobe Bryant case says the NBA star is trying to shift the blame. Yesterday, she filed documents disputing Bryant's claim that others are at least partially to blame for her pain and suffering.
The woman says Bryant sexually assaulted her, of course. Bryant's lawyers point to the media for publishing details about the woman and to the courts for releasing her name.
Defense arguments continue this morning in the penalty phase of Scott Peterson's murder trial. A long line of character witnesses telling jurors why they think Peterson's life is worth saving.
Former San Mateo County prosecutor Dean Johnson joins us from the courthouse in Redwood City, California. He's been witnessing a lot of this trial.
And Dean, good to have you back with us.
DEAN JOHNSON, FMR. SAN MATEO COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Good morning. Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: What was it -- yes, good morning. What was it like there yesterday?
JOHNSON: The emotional atmosphere in that courtroom was just 180 degrees from the prosecution case, which you -- which you remember was very powerful. This was almost a stoic Lee Peterson, Scott's father, talking not even about Scott's history, but about his history, Lee's history.
We've heard the Lee and Jackie Peterson story. We've heard very little about Scott Peterson, except to hear about essentially privileged and trouble-free existence that involves private golf lessons, education, a stable family, pheasant hunting at the family lodge. The jury, which is essentially blue collar, I think, is becoming very irritated and wanting to know why any of this would justify, mitigate or explain this horrific crime.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's take a little sample of this.
Pat Harris, the co-counsel, Gergagos's deputy, leading the charge here. A quote from him.
He says, referring to Peterson, "He was the toddler who was always smiling and loved to snuggle with a book as his father read to him, tutored younger students and sang at a senior citizens' home on Sundays." You almost can hear somebody saying, "Objection, that's irrelevant, your honor."
Obviously you don't do that at this stage of the trial. But, nevertheless, the jury must be thinking that.
JOHNSON: Well, they certainly are. And they're saying, you know, what is there in all of this, all of this perfection that tells us that there was a dysfunctional family, abuse, anything that's going to make us want to give Scott Peterson something less than the death penalty? They haven't heard it yet.
M. O'BRIEN: Lee Peterson, Scott's father, also spoke yesterday. A little quote from him which I'd like to share with folks.
Lee saying, referring to his son, "I love him very much. I have great respect for him. I am frightened. Losing someone you love and now having your son in this kind of jeopardy, beyond belief."
"I'm depressed. I guess you could say deeply saddened."
And, of course, we would all feel for Lee Peterson and what a horrifying position for him to be in. How do you think that plays with the jury, though?
JOHNSON: I don't think it plays very well. First of all, I think this jury is going to say, you know, Lee and Jackie, you don't really know Scott Peterson. The person who committed this crime is not the little Scotty that you raised.
Secondly, the judge is going to tell them that sympathy for the family is irrelevant. The family of the defendant, anyway. And finally, they're going to say that -- that this has no bearing on the case and that you have to put aside this sort of sympathy.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. The one thing, though, which might change that equation slightly, potentially, is that through all of this Scott Peterson showed some emotion. And perhaps, perhaps the jury might have some sympathy for him. What do you think of that?
JOHNSON: Well, that's certainly possible. But what they need to see is some sort of act of remorse. And so far, all that's on the table is what the prosecution has said, which is that Scott Peterson sat for 116 days, let the family of this victim, the entire community of Modesto suffer without knowing that Laci Peterson and Conner Peterson were already gone.
M. O'BRIEN: And one final thought. Would you put him on the stand?
JOHNSON: It would be very, very difficult. In order to get on the stand, he would have to adopt a high-risk strategy, essentially admitting he did it and then turning to this jury and credibly saying, "I'm sorry."
Remember, this is a jury that spent six months listening to Scott Peterson manipulate the press, Amber Frey, the police. I think at this point, they might feel that they were just another victim of Scott Peterson's manipulation.
M. O'BRIEN: Dean Johnson, thanks for your insights. Appreciate it -- Soledad.
JOHNSON: Thank you.
S. O'BRIEN: In Oregon, an 89-year-old man fell down a 100-foot cliff and is rescued, suffering only cuts and bruises. Lloyd Row (ph) was raking leaves when he lost his balance and tumbled over a cliff.
Nearly two hours later, emergency workers used repelling gear to set up a rope rescue system, hauled him back up. Row (ph) says he was relieved he didn't hit any rocks when he fell. Yes, no kidding. You can hear more about this amazing rescue when Lloyd Row (ph) and one of his rescuers talk to us tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING. ] Eighty-nine years Orlando.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. That's pretty impressive. I'm looking forward to hearing from him.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, a fall like that by itself could kill you.
M. O'BRIEN: I'd be down and out, I'm sure.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. So good for him. Wow. That's good news.
M. O'BRIEN: Right.
Still to come on the program, one of the biggest churches in America says it is open to everyone, but some TV networks aren't so open to spreading that particular message. We'll tell you why ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: "Question of the Day." Here's Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes. NBC -- thanks Miles. NBC, CBS, ABC refusing to run this ad put together by the Church of Christ. Here's the spot, and then we'll talk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Step aside, please. No way. Not you. I don't think so. No.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: The networks saying no thank you to this commercial. We're wondering whether you think they ought to run it or not.
Renee in Cicero, Illinois, writes a pretty good little letter. She says, "After having to talk to my two daughters about erectile dysfunction, and sitting through the hateful smears run by both parties during our recent presidential election, at least I'm spared the horror of trying to explain why gay people and those in wheelchairs would ever want to go to church. I'm glad the networks got my back as a parent."
Mike in Las Vegas, Nevada, "I'm an agnostic. For the first time in years I am tempted to attend church. This appears to be the first church that's worthy of the name. I was really touched by the ad."
Michelle in Buffalo, New York, "I say congratulations to the networks. Their decision to not show this ad has brought more attention to it and its message than if they had just shut up and run the thing."
And Linda in North Richland Hills, Texas, "What's happened to our country, founded on religious freedom and inclusion? What hypocrites we are. We're more concerned with pumpkin spice latte sales, Janet Jackson's breast and 'Desperate Housewives.' I notice the networks do take money from those sanctimonious windbags every Sunday morning, though."
Ooh. Ooh. AM@CNN.com. We'll do one more batch of these in a half-hour. So...
S. O'BRIEN: Good emails today. All right, Jack. Thanks.
CAFFERTY: Good subject.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it is.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, think every vote doesn't count? Ask the governor-elect of Washington, about three dozen voters, what they think.
Plus, a stunning admission from one of the biggest stars in baseball. Reported testimony from Yankee slugger Jason Giambi could turn the sport on its head. We're going to talk with one of the reporter whose broke that story ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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