Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Hamid Karzai Sworn In As Afghani President; Saudi Al Qaeda Claims Jeddah Attack
Aired December 07, 2004 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, a new day in Afghanistan, but there could be some rough days ahead.
Plus, flames in the Windy City. Fire breaks out in a downtown Chicago landmark.
Also, checking the tires -- the government takes a closer look at what could be a Hummer hazard.
And then, "Nobody puts baby in a corner." Remember that line? It won't be the cheesiest one you'll hear this morning.
It is Tuesday, December 7.
This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello.
Thank you for joining us.
Now in the news, streets are closed off this morning around a Chicago high rise. A fire at the LaSalle Bank building injured more than 30 people, most of them firefighters. You can see the flames shooting out of the windows there. That's on the 11th floor, I believe. No word on the cause of this fire. We'll have much more on this later.
Vice President Dick Cheney says it's a historic moment for Afghanistan. Just a few hours ago, he watched as Hamid Karzai was sworn in as the nation's first popularly elected president.
Back here in the States, Congress is poised to reshape the intelligence community. Negotiators have reached a deal on that stalled intelligence reform bill. Votes in the House and Senate could come as early as today and tomorrow.
And later this morning, ushering in the Grammies. Usher is expected to be a big favorite when the nominations are announced later this morning. His album "Confessions" produced four hit singles.
Ooh, and I can see Rob Marciano jamming to it right now.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, not quite right now. Maybe in an hour or two, Carol. COSTELLO: Are you awake?
MARCIANO: I'm here. I'm ready for you.
How are you doing today?
COSTELLO: Good.
MARCIANO: Excellent.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Back to Afghanistan now. Terrorists are still a threat and drug running warlords still control big chunks of the country. That's just a taste of what Hamid Karzai faces as Afghanistan's first elected leader.
CNN senior international editor David Clinch joins us now for a deeper look -- good morning, David.
DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.
Quite a scene we've been watching in Kabul, Afghanistan today. Hamid Karzai sworn in as president and amongst the interesting sights, of course, Vice President Cheney, as you mentioned there. Donald Rumsfeld also there at this quite incredible event in Kabul today.
And for those of us who have covered Afghanistan for many years, this really is a sight that we thought we might never see.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINCH (voice-over): The inauguration of Afghanistan's first ever democratically elected president, Hamid Karzai, attended by U.S. Vice President Cheney, amongst others. A momentous event in the troubled history of Afghanistan and in the life of this stylish and courageous man.
Just over four years ago, Afghanistan was a failed state ruled by the oppressive Taliban that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda used as a base to plot the September 11 attacks. The U.S. invaded with its allies to oust the Taliban and now Karzai has been elected with the support of the majority of Afghans.
But -- and you knew there would be a but -- the hard work for Mr. Karzai is just beginning. For a start, opium production is up, way up. The country now produces a staggering 87 percent of the world's opium and heroin. The U.N. says some government officials and the warlords that still run large chunks of the country have their fingers in the drug trade pie and Karzai says he needs the world's help to persuade or pay farmers to give up growing the deadly but profitable crop.
The Taliban did not manage to disrupt the October elections, but they are still a threat and the plan to arrest a few leaders but grant amnesty to the rest of the Taliban may create as many problems as it solves. And the trail of Osama bin Laden has gone cold. The al Qaeda leader may be on the run, but he's still alive and experts say quite possibly still in Afghanistan.
So with drug dealers, warlords, Taliban and terrorists all waiting to exploit any sign of weakness, Mr. Karzai will be very grateful for the show of support from those attending his inauguration. But he'll be reminding them that he needs their help now more than ever.
The U.S. still has 18,000 troops in the country, a number they'd very much like to reduce. But the fear that Afghanistan might reveal itself to be still a failed state, wrapped only inside a thin veneer of democracy, means that any withdrawal will have to wait until President Karzai has not just a title, but real control of the country he's been elected to lead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CLINCH: So, Carol, it's one of those days where we as journalists have to be careful. We have to be very critical. We have to outline these problems that Karzai is facing. But as we heard President, now officially the president, Karzai, and Vice President Cheney say, there has been a very real achievement here and President Karzai making it very clear that he is thanking the American people for putting him in the position he's here today.
Let's listen to what he said today, and Vice President Cheney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: The fact that Afghanistan is again a respected member of the international community is for the help that the United States of America gave us. Without that help, Afghanistan would be in the hands of terrorists, destroyed, poverty stricken and without its children going to school or getting an education.
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States and our coalition partners were proud to join with brave Afghan citizens in liberating this nation and we will continue to stand with Afghans in building a future of freedom and stability and peace. Whatever challenges may come, the people of Afghanistan can count on the friendship and support of the people of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CLINCH: So that really, of course, is the key question from an American point of view, support from the Americans, support from the United States means troops, means money and it means being there for quite some time to come. But Vice President Cheney was there today and the commitment is still there.
COSTELLO: Oh, but for many Americans, David, just the fact that Afghanistan elected a president and there seems to be a democracy in place now, that makes many Americans so happy. CLINCH: Right. It's an emotional day. It's one of those things, again, which you think, having looked at the story in Afghanistan for so many years, the war for hundreds of years, but just in recent memory, the Russian invasion, the al Qaeda plotting September 11 from inside Afghanistan, the idea that President Karzai could be elected democratically in a relatively open, free and apparently quite, as far as the Afghan people are concerned, quite representative poll, is really quite a remarkable thing.
But the thing to remember, as well, from an American point of view, just as three or four years ago Afghanistan seemed like a long way away and the problems were a long way away, that, of course, became very -- people became very aware that that was not the case on September 11. And these problems of heroin production and possible terrorists still being there, they may seem far away, but they are American problems as well as Afghan problems.
COSTELLO: David Clinch live from Atlanta.
Thank you.
Now to Saudi Arabia, where there has been a claim of responsibility for that deadly attack on a U.S. consulate. Gunmen stormed the consulate compound in Jeddah yesterday and fought with Saudi security forces. In the end, three attackers were killed, along with five consulate workers. None of them were Americans.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Jeddah.
He has that live for us -- good morning, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, according to Saudi security officials, they are continuing their investigation into the attack. The claim of responsibility came from the Saudi wing of al Qaeda. They termed this breach of security at the U.S. consulate in Jeddah as a Falluja attack, apparently coming out in sympathy and solidarity with Iraqis, perhaps, on the recent offensive in the town of Falluja in Iraq, an Iraqi government and U.S. troop offensive on that town to root out insurgents there.
But the particular brigade that was named as being responsible, Abu Anas al Shami. No indication of what this group may have been involved in before.
But it's certainly likely to cause concern among U.S. residents here, many of whom that I've talked to in the past have been concerned about security on the gates of their compounds. They say that their security guards aren't alert, they're not professional, they're not able to do their jobs. And when they see the breach of security in the U.S. consulate, when it is known to have very tight security, it will likely cause a level of concern.
But Saudi officials here very much want to play down people's fears. They say that there's an investigation ongoing and very likely they would do everything in the public media to portray this as being a small incident and something that they can overcome and put behind them very quickly, Carol.
COSTELLO: How much responsibility do Americans have in guarding that consulate?
ROBERTSON: In terms of responsibility, they certainly man the inner cordon of the consulate. There were safe areas and procedures, as there are at all U.S. embassies and consulates. There are Marines on guard duty there. They were not involved in the firefight. It was the outer perimeter of security that was breached.
However, U.S. officials have said that it is possible that the al Qaeda members had been watching the consulate, had watched for routines and had perhaps taken advantage of vehicles coming or going from that compound.
Just a few months ago, there was an attack on a vehicle carrying a couple of Marines driving into that compound. It was an attack that didn't result in any injuries.
Saudi officials here say that they're continuing to round up al Qaeda operatives. Indeed, over the last -- in the last week or so, they have indicated that they have captured al Qaeda members, al Qaeda cell members, at least, in Jeddah and in the capital, Riyadh. But the very fact that the security could be breached is an indication that the al Qaeda operatives here still can manage to carry out attacks -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nic Robertson reporting live from Jeddah this morning.
Thank you.
In News Across America this morning, no agreement is near on the steroids issue in baseball. Players union officials say discussions are continuing at their annual executive board meeting, but you shouldn't expect any movement soon, they say. Commissioner Bud Selig has called for more stringent testing and discipline. Management hopes to meet with union officials next week for more talks.
A solicitation charge has led the Colorado Rockies to fire pitcher Denny Neagle. Get this, Neagle was arrested last week for allegedly paying a woman $40 for sex. That's costing him the remaining $19 million left in his contract. Just last month, the team named a local school baseball field after him in honor of his charity work in Denver. The players union is expected to appeal the decision.
Another Catholic diocese has filed for bankruptcy. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington is the latest to file for Chapter 11. They say there isn't enough money to handle lawsuits filed by alleged victims of clergy abuse. So far, $77 million in claims have been filed.
A fire in downtown Chicago has injured at least 34 people, many of them seriously. It took until early this morning for firefighters to search all the stairwells of this 43-story building. This is the LaSalle building, you know, on the Chicago Loop. They say there still may be some hot spots inside there. Fire department officials say 22 firefighters were injured fighting the blaze during the evacuation of the building.
CNN's Jonathan Freed has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A perimeter went up around the core of the city's financial district here around 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Now, the fire broke out on the 29th floor of the LaSalle Bank building, which is a 43-story structure. And the 29th floor houses the bank's trust operations.
One third of the city's firefighters and firefighting equipment responded to the fire. It was declared a five alarm fire, which is as big as it gets in Chicago.
Now, the building was evacuated, ordered evacuated, and soon after, people started describing what they witnessed inside.
JIM RUBEN, BUILDING EMPLOYEE: They were carrying (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We were all going down. We had...
(CROSSTALK)
RUBEN: ... and everybody was trying to, you know, get out and stay low, covering up their mouths. But at one point it was almost impossible to breathe and they just kept screaming, "Keep going! Keep going!" and everybody kept going.
FREED: The majority of the building is occupied by the LaSalle Bank, which is one of the largest in the area.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It was just 14 months ago that six people were killed in another downtown Chicago office building fire. A report from that incident blames the lack of proper searches by firefighters and poor communication during rescue operations. The report also cites the absence of proper evacuation training for office employees and the lack of sprinklers in the building.
Hand over the money? Not likely. You will not believe what one Ohio gas station clerk did. Oh, she fought back. Oh. We'll show you more at 19 minutes past.
Then, does losing sleep mean gaining pounds? Oh, yes it does. We'll explain at 25 minutes past.
And later, wineries want to get their product directly to you. But that has wholesalers whining. Details at 52 minutes past.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 5:18 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
At least 34 people have been injured, many of them seriously, during a high rise fire in downtown Chicago. People were forced to evacuate the 45-story building through heavy smoke in the stairwells. Twenty-two of the injured are firefighters.
The stalled intelligence bill is moving forward again. A compromise in the bill will lead to likely votes in the House today and in the Senate tomorrow. Both parties expect the bill to pass easily.
In money news, Internet holiday shoppers were unable to buy from Amazon.com for much of the day. System problems led to a "service unavailable" message to users. Oh, I bet that was irritating. The company isn't saying what caused the problem, just that the problem seems to be fixed now.
In culture, Grammy award hopefuls get either the good or the bad news later this morning. R&B star Usher is expected to be one of the most called names when the nominations are announced in Los Angeles.
In sports, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jerry Rice set a new NFL record, but it was the Dallas Cowboys who got the bigger prize. The Cowboys used two late fourth quarter touchdowns to win 43-39. Jerry Rice set the record for most net yards gained in a career.
To the forecast center now and Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning -- good morning, Rob.
MARCIANO: Good morning, Carol.
Jerry Rice has still got it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Kind of a case of vigilante justice in Ohio we want to talk about this morning. It's in this morning's look beyond the sound bite.
We bring you an armed robbery incident at a gas station in Columbus, Ohio. A warning, this video is kind of disturbing. You see the suspect here, Desmond Thompson. He's at the counter. And there you see the woman behind the counter pulls out a gun and shoots him, and keeps on shooting him. Officials say he demanded cash and then he told the clerk he had a gun. Karen Smith is the clerk's name. She hands over the money. But as you saw, she pulls a gun and she shoots him when he orders her out from behind the counter. Smith is not facing any charges.
Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN SMITH, STORE CLERK: I was terrified because I had already given him the money and then he asked me to step from behind the counter. So the only thing I could think about is that he was getting ready to hurt me, because I had already given him the money and there wasn't nothing else. So I just said I'm going to try to shoot him first, before he gets me. He might shoot me, but I'm going to shoot him. And that's when I grabbed the gun and just pointed and aimed at him and shot.
It was the first time I ever shot. I wouldn't have shot him if I didn't think he was going to hurt me and I didn't know that he didn't have a gun, because he had his hands in his pocket. So I mean I just was too terrified and I was like either it's me or you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The would be robber, Desmond Thompson, is in the hospital this morning. He has a gunshot wound to his shoulder and he does face robbery charges against Smith. The clerk faces no charges this morning.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, did you get enough sleep last night? If you didn't you might want to check your scale. We'll tell you in our Web clicks.
From New York, this is DAYBREAK for a Tuesday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Rob Marciano, I know you're a little sleepy this morning, so are you with me?
MARCIANO: I'm with you, Carol.
What do you have to entertain me?
COSTELLO: You're with me? I'm just going to do that, because I know many -- I know you, as well as many of you out there, weren't up late to watch Jay Leno. So we thought we'd lighten the mood a little bit and give you some "Late Night Laughs."
MARCIANO: OK. Sweet.
COSTELLO: So here's Jay Leno's take on politics and baseball.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC) JAY LENO, HOST: And the president and Laura Bush sent a record two million Christmas cards this year, one to each resigning member of his cabinet. Yes, each who will go, here you go, two million cards. Thank you very much.
And Tommy Thompson, the secretary of Health and Human Services, he resigned. And when he resigned, he said -- this is his actual quote -- "I can't understand why terrorists have not attacked our food supply, because it's so easy to do." I tell you, Osama bin Laden said, "Tommy, thanks for the tip. Appreciate it."
And according to the Centers for Disease Control, 44 percent of Americans are taking some kind of drug. The other 56 percent do not play major league baseball.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And, oddly enough, Rob, that gets us into our Web clicks of the morning, because, of course, we're always interested to know what you're clicking onto on cnn.com.
And, of course, the number one story on cnn.com is...
MARCIANO: Drugs and baseball.
COSTELLO: Drugs and baseball, because the baseball owners and the players union are meeting out in Arizona and -- actually the players union is meeting by itself, trying to come up with more stringent rules regarding steroids. And, of course, they haven't done that yet.
MARCIANO: And the players union has all, has pretty much all the control, it looks like, and they don't want to be testing their guys.
COSTELLO: No. What is that about?
MARCIANO: It's about money, Carol. OK, let me explain.
COSTELLO: OK.
MARCIANO: No.
COSTELLO: No, go ahead, I'm interested.
MARCIANO: No, it's about -- these guys make multi, you know, millions and millions of dollars and if, you know, they're found out that they're all on drugs, you know, that jeopardizes the league, their salaries and the whole kit and caboodle so.
COSTELLO: Yes, and nobody really seems to care because people still go to baseball games.
MARCIANO: I don't care. If they want to do drugs and kill themselves, that's fine. Just, you know, entertain me.
COSTELLO: Well, don't lie about it. At least come out and say I'm taking steroids, can't you tell?
MARCIANO: Right. Yes.
COSTELLO: Yes.
OK, the number two most clicked on story on the Web site.
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: Studies find losing sleep can increase a hormone linked with eating behaviors. So if you get four hours of sleep a night for two days in a row, you're more likely to eat a lot.
MARCIANO: You lost me there, Carol. If you get less sleep, you eat more?
COSTELLO: Yes, you do. If you get too little sleep it triggers a hormone in your body that increases your appetite.
MARCIANO: OK. Is that why I'm getting fat the last two weeks?
COSTELLO: That's exactly why you gained those 20 pounds.
MARCIANO: Chad, come back.
COSTELLO: Chad will come back all slim and stuff.
MARCIANO: Looking svelte.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Now, my favorite clicked on story on cnn.com has to do with cheesy movie lines.
MARCIANO: OK. Oh, I heard about this yesterday.
COSTELLO: These are so funny. So we're going to start with number 10 and just run down a couple.
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: Actually, you see "Dirty Dancing" here. That's actually number two, when Patrick Swayze says, "Nobody puts baby in the corner."
MARCIANO: Nobody.
COSTELLO: "Nobody puts baby in the corner."
MARCIANO: That's a great line, actually. It is a cheesy line, but it's a memorable one.
COSTELLO: It is a memorable one.
My favorite cheesy one is number 10, though. It's from "The Postman." Remember that movie with Kevin Costner? MARCIANO: Oh, well, I didn't see it. I remember it.
COSTELLO: Nobody saw it. But it did have this weird line in it.
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: A blind woman says to Kevin Costner, "You're a godsend, a savior." He replies, "No, I'm a postman."
MARCIANO: He always wanted to play the postman.
COSTELLO: It's all in a movie. It brings us to our...
MARCIANO: Well, what's your -- give me a line that you like or remember or found cheesy.
COSTELLO: Well, frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn. I like that. But that's not cheesy.
MARCIANO: No. No.
COSTELLO: How about you?
MARCIANO: "Say hello to my little friend." "Are you talking to me?" "Are you talking -- "
COSTELLO: Yes. That's a good one. But we're talking cheesy movie lines this morning.
MARCIANO: There's no DeNiro in a cheesy movie line category, is there?
COSTELLO: Exactly.
Let's get to our E-Mail Question of the Morning now, shall we?
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: Because we want to know what is your favorite cheesy movie line. And can you guess what number one is in this survey? I bet you've got some good ones and some good guesses, too. So e-mail us, daybreak@cnn.com. That's daybreak@cnn.com.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 7, 2004 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, a new day in Afghanistan, but there could be some rough days ahead.
Plus, flames in the Windy City. Fire breaks out in a downtown Chicago landmark.
Also, checking the tires -- the government takes a closer look at what could be a Hummer hazard.
And then, "Nobody puts baby in a corner." Remember that line? It won't be the cheesiest one you'll hear this morning.
It is Tuesday, December 7.
This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello.
Thank you for joining us.
Now in the news, streets are closed off this morning around a Chicago high rise. A fire at the LaSalle Bank building injured more than 30 people, most of them firefighters. You can see the flames shooting out of the windows there. That's on the 11th floor, I believe. No word on the cause of this fire. We'll have much more on this later.
Vice President Dick Cheney says it's a historic moment for Afghanistan. Just a few hours ago, he watched as Hamid Karzai was sworn in as the nation's first popularly elected president.
Back here in the States, Congress is poised to reshape the intelligence community. Negotiators have reached a deal on that stalled intelligence reform bill. Votes in the House and Senate could come as early as today and tomorrow.
And later this morning, ushering in the Grammies. Usher is expected to be a big favorite when the nominations are announced later this morning. His album "Confessions" produced four hit singles.
Ooh, and I can see Rob Marciano jamming to it right now.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, not quite right now. Maybe in an hour or two, Carol. COSTELLO: Are you awake?
MARCIANO: I'm here. I'm ready for you.
How are you doing today?
COSTELLO: Good.
MARCIANO: Excellent.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Back to Afghanistan now. Terrorists are still a threat and drug running warlords still control big chunks of the country. That's just a taste of what Hamid Karzai faces as Afghanistan's first elected leader.
CNN senior international editor David Clinch joins us now for a deeper look -- good morning, David.
DAVID CLINCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.
Quite a scene we've been watching in Kabul, Afghanistan today. Hamid Karzai sworn in as president and amongst the interesting sights, of course, Vice President Cheney, as you mentioned there. Donald Rumsfeld also there at this quite incredible event in Kabul today.
And for those of us who have covered Afghanistan for many years, this really is a sight that we thought we might never see.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINCH (voice-over): The inauguration of Afghanistan's first ever democratically elected president, Hamid Karzai, attended by U.S. Vice President Cheney, amongst others. A momentous event in the troubled history of Afghanistan and in the life of this stylish and courageous man.
Just over four years ago, Afghanistan was a failed state ruled by the oppressive Taliban that Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda used as a base to plot the September 11 attacks. The U.S. invaded with its allies to oust the Taliban and now Karzai has been elected with the support of the majority of Afghans.
But -- and you knew there would be a but -- the hard work for Mr. Karzai is just beginning. For a start, opium production is up, way up. The country now produces a staggering 87 percent of the world's opium and heroin. The U.N. says some government officials and the warlords that still run large chunks of the country have their fingers in the drug trade pie and Karzai says he needs the world's help to persuade or pay farmers to give up growing the deadly but profitable crop.
The Taliban did not manage to disrupt the October elections, but they are still a threat and the plan to arrest a few leaders but grant amnesty to the rest of the Taliban may create as many problems as it solves. And the trail of Osama bin Laden has gone cold. The al Qaeda leader may be on the run, but he's still alive and experts say quite possibly still in Afghanistan.
So with drug dealers, warlords, Taliban and terrorists all waiting to exploit any sign of weakness, Mr. Karzai will be very grateful for the show of support from those attending his inauguration. But he'll be reminding them that he needs their help now more than ever.
The U.S. still has 18,000 troops in the country, a number they'd very much like to reduce. But the fear that Afghanistan might reveal itself to be still a failed state, wrapped only inside a thin veneer of democracy, means that any withdrawal will have to wait until President Karzai has not just a title, but real control of the country he's been elected to lead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CLINCH: So, Carol, it's one of those days where we as journalists have to be careful. We have to be very critical. We have to outline these problems that Karzai is facing. But as we heard President, now officially the president, Karzai, and Vice President Cheney say, there has been a very real achievement here and President Karzai making it very clear that he is thanking the American people for putting him in the position he's here today.
Let's listen to what he said today, and Vice President Cheney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: The fact that Afghanistan is again a respected member of the international community is for the help that the United States of America gave us. Without that help, Afghanistan would be in the hands of terrorists, destroyed, poverty stricken and without its children going to school or getting an education.
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The United States and our coalition partners were proud to join with brave Afghan citizens in liberating this nation and we will continue to stand with Afghans in building a future of freedom and stability and peace. Whatever challenges may come, the people of Afghanistan can count on the friendship and support of the people of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CLINCH: So that really, of course, is the key question from an American point of view, support from the Americans, support from the United States means troops, means money and it means being there for quite some time to come. But Vice President Cheney was there today and the commitment is still there.
COSTELLO: Oh, but for many Americans, David, just the fact that Afghanistan elected a president and there seems to be a democracy in place now, that makes many Americans so happy. CLINCH: Right. It's an emotional day. It's one of those things, again, which you think, having looked at the story in Afghanistan for so many years, the war for hundreds of years, but just in recent memory, the Russian invasion, the al Qaeda plotting September 11 from inside Afghanistan, the idea that President Karzai could be elected democratically in a relatively open, free and apparently quite, as far as the Afghan people are concerned, quite representative poll, is really quite a remarkable thing.
But the thing to remember, as well, from an American point of view, just as three or four years ago Afghanistan seemed like a long way away and the problems were a long way away, that, of course, became very -- people became very aware that that was not the case on September 11. And these problems of heroin production and possible terrorists still being there, they may seem far away, but they are American problems as well as Afghan problems.
COSTELLO: David Clinch live from Atlanta.
Thank you.
Now to Saudi Arabia, where there has been a claim of responsibility for that deadly attack on a U.S. consulate. Gunmen stormed the consulate compound in Jeddah yesterday and fought with Saudi security forces. In the end, three attackers were killed, along with five consulate workers. None of them were Americans.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Jeddah.
He has that live for us -- good morning, Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, according to Saudi security officials, they are continuing their investigation into the attack. The claim of responsibility came from the Saudi wing of al Qaeda. They termed this breach of security at the U.S. consulate in Jeddah as a Falluja attack, apparently coming out in sympathy and solidarity with Iraqis, perhaps, on the recent offensive in the town of Falluja in Iraq, an Iraqi government and U.S. troop offensive on that town to root out insurgents there.
But the particular brigade that was named as being responsible, Abu Anas al Shami. No indication of what this group may have been involved in before.
But it's certainly likely to cause concern among U.S. residents here, many of whom that I've talked to in the past have been concerned about security on the gates of their compounds. They say that their security guards aren't alert, they're not professional, they're not able to do their jobs. And when they see the breach of security in the U.S. consulate, when it is known to have very tight security, it will likely cause a level of concern.
But Saudi officials here very much want to play down people's fears. They say that there's an investigation ongoing and very likely they would do everything in the public media to portray this as being a small incident and something that they can overcome and put behind them very quickly, Carol.
COSTELLO: How much responsibility do Americans have in guarding that consulate?
ROBERTSON: In terms of responsibility, they certainly man the inner cordon of the consulate. There were safe areas and procedures, as there are at all U.S. embassies and consulates. There are Marines on guard duty there. They were not involved in the firefight. It was the outer perimeter of security that was breached.
However, U.S. officials have said that it is possible that the al Qaeda members had been watching the consulate, had watched for routines and had perhaps taken advantage of vehicles coming or going from that compound.
Just a few months ago, there was an attack on a vehicle carrying a couple of Marines driving into that compound. It was an attack that didn't result in any injuries.
Saudi officials here say that they're continuing to round up al Qaeda operatives. Indeed, over the last -- in the last week or so, they have indicated that they have captured al Qaeda members, al Qaeda cell members, at least, in Jeddah and in the capital, Riyadh. But the very fact that the security could be breached is an indication that the al Qaeda operatives here still can manage to carry out attacks -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nic Robertson reporting live from Jeddah this morning.
Thank you.
In News Across America this morning, no agreement is near on the steroids issue in baseball. Players union officials say discussions are continuing at their annual executive board meeting, but you shouldn't expect any movement soon, they say. Commissioner Bud Selig has called for more stringent testing and discipline. Management hopes to meet with union officials next week for more talks.
A solicitation charge has led the Colorado Rockies to fire pitcher Denny Neagle. Get this, Neagle was arrested last week for allegedly paying a woman $40 for sex. That's costing him the remaining $19 million left in his contract. Just last month, the team named a local school baseball field after him in honor of his charity work in Denver. The players union is expected to appeal the decision.
Another Catholic diocese has filed for bankruptcy. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington is the latest to file for Chapter 11. They say there isn't enough money to handle lawsuits filed by alleged victims of clergy abuse. So far, $77 million in claims have been filed.
A fire in downtown Chicago has injured at least 34 people, many of them seriously. It took until early this morning for firefighters to search all the stairwells of this 43-story building. This is the LaSalle building, you know, on the Chicago Loop. They say there still may be some hot spots inside there. Fire department officials say 22 firefighters were injured fighting the blaze during the evacuation of the building.
CNN's Jonathan Freed has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A perimeter went up around the core of the city's financial district here around 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Now, the fire broke out on the 29th floor of the LaSalle Bank building, which is a 43-story structure. And the 29th floor houses the bank's trust operations.
One third of the city's firefighters and firefighting equipment responded to the fire. It was declared a five alarm fire, which is as big as it gets in Chicago.
Now, the building was evacuated, ordered evacuated, and soon after, people started describing what they witnessed inside.
JIM RUBEN, BUILDING EMPLOYEE: They were carrying (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We were all going down. We had...
(CROSSTALK)
RUBEN: ... and everybody was trying to, you know, get out and stay low, covering up their mouths. But at one point it was almost impossible to breathe and they just kept screaming, "Keep going! Keep going!" and everybody kept going.
FREED: The majority of the building is occupied by the LaSalle Bank, which is one of the largest in the area.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It was just 14 months ago that six people were killed in another downtown Chicago office building fire. A report from that incident blames the lack of proper searches by firefighters and poor communication during rescue operations. The report also cites the absence of proper evacuation training for office employees and the lack of sprinklers in the building.
Hand over the money? Not likely. You will not believe what one Ohio gas station clerk did. Oh, she fought back. Oh. We'll show you more at 19 minutes past.
Then, does losing sleep mean gaining pounds? Oh, yes it does. We'll explain at 25 minutes past.
And later, wineries want to get their product directly to you. But that has wholesalers whining. Details at 52 minutes past.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 5:18 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
At least 34 people have been injured, many of them seriously, during a high rise fire in downtown Chicago. People were forced to evacuate the 45-story building through heavy smoke in the stairwells. Twenty-two of the injured are firefighters.
The stalled intelligence bill is moving forward again. A compromise in the bill will lead to likely votes in the House today and in the Senate tomorrow. Both parties expect the bill to pass easily.
In money news, Internet holiday shoppers were unable to buy from Amazon.com for much of the day. System problems led to a "service unavailable" message to users. Oh, I bet that was irritating. The company isn't saying what caused the problem, just that the problem seems to be fixed now.
In culture, Grammy award hopefuls get either the good or the bad news later this morning. R&B star Usher is expected to be one of the most called names when the nominations are announced in Los Angeles.
In sports, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jerry Rice set a new NFL record, but it was the Dallas Cowboys who got the bigger prize. The Cowboys used two late fourth quarter touchdowns to win 43-39. Jerry Rice set the record for most net yards gained in a career.
To the forecast center now and Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning -- good morning, Rob.
MARCIANO: Good morning, Carol.
Jerry Rice has still got it.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Kind of a case of vigilante justice in Ohio we want to talk about this morning. It's in this morning's look beyond the sound bite.
We bring you an armed robbery incident at a gas station in Columbus, Ohio. A warning, this video is kind of disturbing. You see the suspect here, Desmond Thompson. He's at the counter. And there you see the woman behind the counter pulls out a gun and shoots him, and keeps on shooting him. Officials say he demanded cash and then he told the clerk he had a gun. Karen Smith is the clerk's name. She hands over the money. But as you saw, she pulls a gun and she shoots him when he orders her out from behind the counter. Smith is not facing any charges.
Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN SMITH, STORE CLERK: I was terrified because I had already given him the money and then he asked me to step from behind the counter. So the only thing I could think about is that he was getting ready to hurt me, because I had already given him the money and there wasn't nothing else. So I just said I'm going to try to shoot him first, before he gets me. He might shoot me, but I'm going to shoot him. And that's when I grabbed the gun and just pointed and aimed at him and shot.
It was the first time I ever shot. I wouldn't have shot him if I didn't think he was going to hurt me and I didn't know that he didn't have a gun, because he had his hands in his pocket. So I mean I just was too terrified and I was like either it's me or you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The would be robber, Desmond Thompson, is in the hospital this morning. He has a gunshot wound to his shoulder and he does face robbery charges against Smith. The clerk faces no charges this morning.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, did you get enough sleep last night? If you didn't you might want to check your scale. We'll tell you in our Web clicks.
From New York, this is DAYBREAK for a Tuesday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Rob Marciano, I know you're a little sleepy this morning, so are you with me?
MARCIANO: I'm with you, Carol.
What do you have to entertain me?
COSTELLO: You're with me? I'm just going to do that, because I know many -- I know you, as well as many of you out there, weren't up late to watch Jay Leno. So we thought we'd lighten the mood a little bit and give you some "Late Night Laughs."
MARCIANO: OK. Sweet.
COSTELLO: So here's Jay Leno's take on politics and baseball.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC) JAY LENO, HOST: And the president and Laura Bush sent a record two million Christmas cards this year, one to each resigning member of his cabinet. Yes, each who will go, here you go, two million cards. Thank you very much.
And Tommy Thompson, the secretary of Health and Human Services, he resigned. And when he resigned, he said -- this is his actual quote -- "I can't understand why terrorists have not attacked our food supply, because it's so easy to do." I tell you, Osama bin Laden said, "Tommy, thanks for the tip. Appreciate it."
And according to the Centers for Disease Control, 44 percent of Americans are taking some kind of drug. The other 56 percent do not play major league baseball.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And, oddly enough, Rob, that gets us into our Web clicks of the morning, because, of course, we're always interested to know what you're clicking onto on cnn.com.
And, of course, the number one story on cnn.com is...
MARCIANO: Drugs and baseball.
COSTELLO: Drugs and baseball, because the baseball owners and the players union are meeting out in Arizona and -- actually the players union is meeting by itself, trying to come up with more stringent rules regarding steroids. And, of course, they haven't done that yet.
MARCIANO: And the players union has all, has pretty much all the control, it looks like, and they don't want to be testing their guys.
COSTELLO: No. What is that about?
MARCIANO: It's about money, Carol. OK, let me explain.
COSTELLO: OK.
MARCIANO: No.
COSTELLO: No, go ahead, I'm interested.
MARCIANO: No, it's about -- these guys make multi, you know, millions and millions of dollars and if, you know, they're found out that they're all on drugs, you know, that jeopardizes the league, their salaries and the whole kit and caboodle so.
COSTELLO: Yes, and nobody really seems to care because people still go to baseball games.
MARCIANO: I don't care. If they want to do drugs and kill themselves, that's fine. Just, you know, entertain me.
COSTELLO: Well, don't lie about it. At least come out and say I'm taking steroids, can't you tell?
MARCIANO: Right. Yes.
COSTELLO: Yes.
OK, the number two most clicked on story on the Web site.
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: Studies find losing sleep can increase a hormone linked with eating behaviors. So if you get four hours of sleep a night for two days in a row, you're more likely to eat a lot.
MARCIANO: You lost me there, Carol. If you get less sleep, you eat more?
COSTELLO: Yes, you do. If you get too little sleep it triggers a hormone in your body that increases your appetite.
MARCIANO: OK. Is that why I'm getting fat the last two weeks?
COSTELLO: That's exactly why you gained those 20 pounds.
MARCIANO: Chad, come back.
COSTELLO: Chad will come back all slim and stuff.
MARCIANO: Looking svelte.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Now, my favorite clicked on story on cnn.com has to do with cheesy movie lines.
MARCIANO: OK. Oh, I heard about this yesterday.
COSTELLO: These are so funny. So we're going to start with number 10 and just run down a couple.
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: Actually, you see "Dirty Dancing" here. That's actually number two, when Patrick Swayze says, "Nobody puts baby in the corner."
MARCIANO: Nobody.
COSTELLO: "Nobody puts baby in the corner."
MARCIANO: That's a great line, actually. It is a cheesy line, but it's a memorable one.
COSTELLO: It is a memorable one.
My favorite cheesy one is number 10, though. It's from "The Postman." Remember that movie with Kevin Costner? MARCIANO: Oh, well, I didn't see it. I remember it.
COSTELLO: Nobody saw it. But it did have this weird line in it.
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: A blind woman says to Kevin Costner, "You're a godsend, a savior." He replies, "No, I'm a postman."
MARCIANO: He always wanted to play the postman.
COSTELLO: It's all in a movie. It brings us to our...
MARCIANO: Well, what's your -- give me a line that you like or remember or found cheesy.
COSTELLO: Well, frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn. I like that. But that's not cheesy.
MARCIANO: No. No.
COSTELLO: How about you?
MARCIANO: "Say hello to my little friend." "Are you talking to me?" "Are you talking -- "
COSTELLO: Yes. That's a good one. But we're talking cheesy movie lines this morning.
MARCIANO: There's no DeNiro in a cheesy movie line category, is there?
COSTELLO: Exactly.
Let's get to our E-Mail Question of the Morning now, shall we?
MARCIANO: OK.
COSTELLO: Because we want to know what is your favorite cheesy movie line. And can you guess what number one is in this survey? I bet you've got some good ones and some good guesses, too. So e-mail us, daybreak@cnn.com. That's daybreak@cnn.com.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
