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American Morning

Debate Continues Over Intelligence Reform; Major League Baseball Discusses Stricter Drug Policies

Aired December 08, 2004 - 08:30   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: That is such a beautiful picture of Central Park, and it's going to be a nice day as we heard from Rob, maybe 58 degrees or something?
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Put it in a bottle, huh?

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's nice. Welcome back, everybody. Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Many people in Washington, D.C. are celebrating the House passage of the 9/11 reforms. But not everybody. So is it really such a huge problem that rules for immigrant driver's licenses were not included? Kamber and May have some opinions on all of this. We're going to chat with them just ahead.

HEMMER: Yes, and "some" opinions, huh?

O'BRIEN: Yes, some opinions.

HEMMER: Hold on.

O'BRIEN: Understatement.

HEMMER: Also, the Baseball Players Association appears to be taking threats from Senator John McCain seriously. And may take steps to improve steroid testing.

We'll look at the news coming out of the winter meetings in a few moments. That is one union that is strong as steel and the fact that they're moving toward this gives you and indication of just how serious the story is now and could be for this upcoming baseball season.

I -- here's a prediction. I think this might be the toughest baseball season baseball has ever experienced. When you consider, you know, if we're just at the tip of the mountain of this story -- consider the records that go back almost ten years. How do we now look at them in the context of baseball?

O'BRIEN: I say bring in Senator McCain and let him clean it up. But that's me.

HEMMER: He's done that before.

(NEWSBREAK) O'BRIEN: This morning, Congress is very near passing a bill to overhaul the nation's intelligence system. A compromise version cleared the House yesterday. A Senate vote is expected this afternoon.

Here to discuss the 9/11 bill and some other political news, from the left we have Democratic strategist Victor Kamber. From the right, former RNC communications director Cliff May.

Good morning gentlemen, nice to see you both.

CLIFFORD MAY, FORMER RNC COMM. DIRECTOR: Good morning, Vic, good morning, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Cliff, we're going to begin with you. Seventy-five Republicans voted against this -- rather -- 75 people voted against this legislation. Sixty-eight or 69 of them were Republicans. What do you think that says about the power of the president and the cohesiveness of the Republican Party?

MAY: Oh there are debates within the Republican Party, and you're going to see a lot of that I think over the next few years. There are those who think that this bill should have included things it didn't and they just weren't going to support it until it did.

But I think what we also should say is that the debates of recent days have made the bill stronger. I was on the Hill yesterday and both Republicans and Democrats said it's a better bill than it was, but it does leave out some things that are important. One Republican House member said this is a little like buying a burglar alarm but not locking your back door. And they wanted the lock on the back door to be part of this as well.

O'BRIEN: Victor, though, some people say, you know what -- no legislation is ever going to be 100 percent. You just can't have that as it comes through the House and the Senate. Agree with that?

VICTOR KAMBER, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I not only agree, I felt there's a tremendous arrogance on the part of several House members. They treated this like it was an agriculture bill and they were fighting over corn supplement or a tobacco supplement.

We're talking about the safety of this country. And the fact that Congressman Sensenbrenner couldn't get one piece of what he thinks is important and what may really be important into the legislation to hold it up at the risk of this whole country is crazy.

We all know this legislation is not going to stop terrorism per se. But it's a step in the right direction, it had tremendous bipartisan support, and really it was an arrogance by several House members to hold up a -- if I don't get what I want I'm taking my ball and running home and that's...

MAY: You know what? It's -- Victor, I think this bill is a good step as the Patriot Act was, I think we're moving in the right direction, but it's wrong of you to say that somebody like the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who has got a...

KAMBER: I didn't say -- I said Sensenbrenner.

MAY: Well Sensenbrenner -- yes, but you were against Duncan Hunter as well, and he held it up because he wanted to make sure that military intelligence would be available to our soldiers on the streets of places like Falluja and now he feels better about it and it's a better bill as a result.

KAMBER: Let's go with Sensenbrenner who is holding it up for immigrants, immigration, which the President of the United States said we will have a bill next year on immigration and lets move this forward.

MAY: And that's what happened ultimately...

KAMBER: Without him, without him.

O'BRIEN: Let's turn to talk about a new topic, guys. I want to throw this in front of you because I find this to be one of the most fascinating stories. Eight soldiers, as you know, filed a lawsuit yesterday -- Monday -- where they challenged the Army's policy that requires them to serve longer from what they agreed to serve when they enlisted originally.

I'm fascinated, Vic, by this story because it -- you think it's just that they didn't read the fine print kind of thing? I mean, come on, it's wartime.

KAMBER: Well, it's a tough story. I mean, I -- my heart goes out to the -- to our soldiers in the field and these National Guard people, the people that signed up, obviously, didn't read the fine print or know there was even fine print. And certainly when they signed up many of them didn't expect that we'd be in war, and I also understand the dilemma the president is in. He doesn't want a draft; this is a backwards draft in many ways. He doesn't -- we're not able to recruit the kind of soldiers, the numbers we want, and we are in war. So, who gets to suffer? These people that have, that are in the battlefield now that can't come home. Their lives are disrupted.

O'BRIEN: Cliff...

KAMBER: ... but there's no choice at the moment.

O'BRIEN: Cliff, is this sort of a classic bait and switch, though? I mean, I think there was an actual term for sign up for a year and try it out and now they're not getting what they really signed up for.

MAY: Well, when you sign up for the military, when you buy a car, you better look at the fine print. I mean, you know, I do feel badly.

On the other hand, when you sign up for the military, you may have to fight a war. You may have to stay longer if that's what the fine print says. Every American has the right to have a lawyer; every American has the right to sue. But we do need more troops. Democrats and Republicans have been saying we probably need more troops on the ground and probably for longer in a place like Iraq. So yes they get to sue but you know what? Read the fine print.

KAMBER: Let me say one thing...

O'BRIEN: If it's five seconds or less you may.

KAMBER: We need a better job of recruiting so we have replacement troops.

O'BRIEN: Victor Kamber, Cliff May, nice to see you guys as always. Thanks.

MAY: Thanks.

HEMMER: To the world of sports now, Soledad. Baseball owners and players now working on tougher testing and punishments in the event of steroid use.

The players meetings continue in Phoenix. Here's Matt Morrison from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT MORRISON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Executive Director Donald Fehr said Tuesday the Players Union is willing to amend the current drug testing policy, which was negotiated two years ago.

DONALD FEHR, EXEC. DIR. MLB PLAYERS ASSN.: In terms of coming to grips with this, we think in 2002 that we did make a good faith start, that we did make a good faith effort. Having said that, that doesn't mean it can't be done better and it doesn't mean improvements can't be made. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try and go further if after further consideration that that makes the most sense.

MORRISON: Fehr said the issue has been on the agenda for several weeks, long before the events of last week, when news of grand jury testimony indicated Jason Giambi used steroids and Barry Bonds may have unwittingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

FEHR: The Giambi story that came out last week obviously is troubling even though it related, I believe, almost exclusively to periods of time prior to the implementation of program testing and all the rest of it. But, obviously, it's troubling. Obviously, its concerning.

MORRISON: Arizona Senator John McCain vowed to introduce legislation in January to force Major League Baseball and the Players Union to adopt a stricter steroids policy.

Fehr said Tuesday he expects enough progress by the end of the year to make government intervention unnecessary.

Matt Morrison, CNN, Phoenix.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: ESPN.com also reporting a few more details about the deal on the table including, quote, significant penalties for players who test positive for steroids including the first offense. Currently, first offenders receive counseling and are not fined or suspended.

More tests, possibly three times randomly during the season up from one time. And testing during the off-season, which is not allowed now.

Also, the list of banned drugs would be expanded, possibly identical to those substances banned by the IOC, the International Olympic Committee. Team owners in the Players Union plan to talk again next week. It's not done yet -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Another check of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: How about a little reminder: next week it'll be live in Tokyo, Japan on AMERICAN MORNING starting on Monday. It is prime time there in Japan; they are plus 14 hours ahead of New York.

It takes, like, three and a half days to fly there. And we're going to start on that trail tomorrow, so we'll be with you live from Japan starting next week.

O'BRIEN: We've got a little cheat sheet here. Can I -- all right I'm going to quiz you. How do you say "good morning" -- "good day"?

HEMMER: "Ohayou."

O'BRIEN: No, "Konichiwa." Close. How do you say, "good evening"?

HEMMER: "Ohayou."

O'BRIEN: How do you say, "no"?

HEMMER: "No."

O'BRIEN: Eh-ah (ph). No. Here, you keep that. Work on that. Clearly. Long plane ride; you'll have time.

HEMMER: I know how to say -- I'm going to find out how to say, "How do I find an English translator?" Because I'm going to need one.

O'BRIEN: The only words you need to know to say.

HEMMER: Well, I tell you what; over 50 countries in my lifetime traveling. Never been to Tokyo. Never been to Japan. So I'm really looking forward to it.

In a moment here, Andy tells us about a credit card that answers to a higher power.

O'BRIEN: And an alarming link between cataracts and a toxic material that can be found in the walls of your home. We'll explain ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Paging the good doctor right now, Sanjay Gupta about health risks from exposure to lead. The danger for children well documented but there's a new study now that says adults run the risk of cataracts.

We find Sanjay this morning in Houston, Texas with more there. Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, ohayou, from Houston, Bill.

Listen, lots of lead all around us in the air and in the soil and in the water. The question for a long time has been what is the cumulative risk to adults of being exposed to lead for so many -- for so much time.

Researchers are starting to put this to the test, actually published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Looking specifically at 800 men over the age of 60 with particularly high levels of lead in their body. And what they found was in fact they had a three-fold increase in the risk for cataracts.

Now these were men who were living in a general population. They weren't particularly lead laden but they were living in the general population. Again, a lot of people do think about lead in children, specifically with behavioral problems, learning difficulties. For a long time, though, the question was does it have an impact on adults as well?

And we're starting to see a body of evidence emerge. Not only cataracts but also things like hypertension, kidney dysfunction, memory loss as well. You can see all those -- well, there's some things that we're going to avoid but you can see all the possible risks now of lead over a long period of time.

Couple of facts to point out, Bill. Since 1978, lead has been banned in paints. You're seeing less leaded gasoline and less lead pipes, but there is still exposure, less than before, but people still need to be aware of this, Bill.

HEMMER: So there may be some obvious things here that you're going to answer too in a second here, but if you're at risk to being exposed to lead, how do you know it, how do you possibly prevent it from being an issue for you?

GUPTA: Yes, I mean first of all, there's been about a ten-fold decrease in lead over the last 20 years. Again from things like the paint, the gasoline, water, all sorts of things. But you need -- if you live in a particularly old home, for example -- a home built before 1978, before 1980, you probably need to be concerned a little bit about the lead.

There's a couple of other things about the lead piping as well. So get the water tested, for example, in your home. Find out whether or not it has lead in it. A home inspector can do this. Cover old paint as well. If it has lead-based paint, again, before 1978, it may be worthwhile covering that up.

This is an interesting one. If you're doing planting, plant far from the road. The reason is that a lot of soil has lead-based gasoline's sort of in it over time that's accumulated. Also avoid lead-based potteries in foreign countries in particular if you're drinking from that, eating from that, that could be a source of lead contamination as well, Bill.

HEMMER: Again, some things are obvious there and some are rather intriguing, too. A few of those there you would not have predicted. Hey what are you doing in Houston, by the way?

GUPTA: Hey, we're down here at M D Anderson, actually working on a full hour special all about cancer. The stories of cancer. I've really been interested in this for some time. Later on this spring we're going to give you that story. We haven't given it a title yet but I think you're going to find it quite fascinating.

HEMMER: All right, I take it its one of the best cancer institutions in the country, right?

GUPTA: It is. It is a place that people come from all over the world and a really fascinating story.

HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay. Be good. Talk to you later.

GUPTA: Thank you.

HEMMER: Soledad.

O'BRIEN: An 8-year-old girl from suburban New Orleans is serving a nine-day suspension for bringing Jell-O shots to school. It turns out they didn't actually contain alcohol but school policy bars students from bringing items that even just look like drugs or alcohol to school. The little girl was planning on selling the gelatin to raise some Christmas money.

Still to come this morning, Andy tells us about the only credit card that's approved by God. God is so busy and yet he has time to approve a credit card. He is "Minding Your Business" just ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right, welcome back.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Markets got punched around yesterday despite a decline in oil prices and that Johnson & Johnson-Guidant $24 billion deal. Nevertheless, down, down, down. A preview of the markets, a flurry of Christmas albums this year, just in time for the holiday season. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I'm going to get a little Scroogie on these Christmas albums. I'll get to that in one second. We'll talk about the markets.

Just down 106 points on the Dow. That's all. Erasing all of the month's gains, practically. Nasdaq even worse on a percentage basis and I've got even worse news this morning because Merck has come out and announced that it's not going to meet its profit targets for 2005, surprise, surprise.

CAFFERTY: Well, yes.

SERWER: Still surprising Wall Street by the way. It's the Vioxx deal; it's a bad thing. And the futures that were bright are less bright this morning.

In any event, a couple of stories here. First of all Bank Leumi, which is one of Israel's largest banks, coming out with an interesting credit card. This has possibilities. They are going to issue a credit card that won't work on the Sabbath, which is the holy day of rest for Jews and Orthodox Jews in particular may like this card, they're suggesting, so the card won't work on the Sabbath.

It also won't work on stores that are open on the Sabbath. Now, as I suggest, the possibilities here. For instance, my wife might find a credit card for me that won't work at Mitchell's Liquor Store on the Upper West Side.

(LAUGHTER)

I'm terrified. You know, there's all kinds of places. Lot of luck for the weekend.

Let's talk about these Christmas CDs. You know when I was growing up you used to have just a couple of Christmas albums. There was Bing Crosby's; there was Ray Charles, the Chipmunks, maybe three or four.

HEMMER: Johnny Mathis.

SERWER: Yes, Johnny Mathis, OK.

CAFFERTY: And that was enough.

SERWER: That was enough. Now it's just gotten crazy. I went to Amazon yesterday. Seven hundred and forty-eight Christmas CDs now available including Hillary Duff, Clay Aiken, the Bare Naked Ladies and we've got a couple here.

The Macarena Christmas, the Steel Drum Christmas. Here's a couple of my favorites. The Trucker's Christmas Album. You go. Yes, driving the truck. Then we go the Hawaiian Style Christmas -- that's kind of cute. Hawaiian Christmas.

Christmas -- the O.C. -- this is Orange County, sort of a multi- cultural -- I don't get it at all. And then my personal favorites. I'm getting this for Jack. The Jethro Tull Christmas Album. Kind of makes you wonder about that tune "Cross-Eyed Mary" they did.

CAFFERTY: There you go.

SERWER: Yes, all right. Anyway, I just think it's too much. Too much. Stop.

CAFFERTY: We're getting old and cranky. It's Wednesday, and that means "Things People Say."

Beginning with this: "I am Colin Luther Powell, public service is my thing, don't do it for the ring, don't do it for the bling." That's an excerpt from Secretary of State Colin Powell's rap performance at Sunday's Kennedy Center honors in Washington. Is he the coolest guy in the country or what?

SERWER: That's pretty good.

CAFFERTY: And then there's this: "I felt like the subject in a science experiment gone awry." Ben Affleck, talking about the time he was dating Jennifer Lopez. That's a pretty neat description.

SERWER: Frank.

CAFFERTY: "For the life of me, I cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply, because it's so easy to do." This is the outgoing Secretary of Health and Human Services. A public servant. Tommy Thompson, at his resignation announcement on Friday. Thanks a lot, Mr. Secretary. That kind of stuff is real helpful.

SERWER: Going out with a bang.

CAFFERTY: Yes. "I never wanted to be a prophet or a savior. Elvis maybe. I could see myself becoming him, but a prophet? No." Bob Dylan, on CBS' "60 Minutes." First sit-down interview in 19 years.

And finally this. "Fame starts to lick at you and moisten you and soften you and it's very appealing." That was said by...

O'BRIEN: Oh, lordy.

CAFFERTY: Anderson Cooper, who hosts that there program at night, ANDERSON COOPER 360.

SERWER: When did he say that?

CAFFERTY: I don't know. O'BRIEN: In an interview.

CAFFERTY: I think it was in a Bergdorf Goodman magazine or something.

SERWER: Is that right?

CAFFERTY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: I feel like it's getting hot in here.

CAFFERTY: I know Anderson well enough to suggest that it's -- his tongue was firmly implanted in his cheek. In the cold, hard light of day he probably had certain other personalities in mind when he uttered that quotation. I'm just guessing.

SERWER: He was messing with them, in other words.

CAFFERTY: Yes, he was.

SERWER: He was messing with them.

HEMMER: What was he selling in that Bergdorf catalogue?

CAFFERTY: Anderson Cooper.

(LAUGHTER)

SERWER: Good job.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, today's top story, the 9/11 bill expected to get the Senate's stamp of approval today. How is it going to keep us all safer? One of the bills original authors, Senator Joe Lieberman joins us just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Good morning. It's the biggest reform in history for U.S. intelligence now past its biggest hurdle, but did the fight inflict some serious political wounds?

A mother pleading for her son's life, the last and perhaps the most important witness in the Peterson sentencing coming to the stand today.

And the Q&A for Donald Rumsfeld.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our soldiers have been fighting in Iraq for coming up on three years. A lot of us are getting ready to move north relatively soon. Our vehicles are not armored.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: U.S. troops asking life and death questions of their boss. His answers on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.

O'BRIEN: Good morning, welcome everybody. The 9/11 reform bill could finish its trek through Congress today. Senators expected to vote after the House passed it yesterday.

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 8, 2004 - 08:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That is such a beautiful picture of Central Park, and it's going to be a nice day as we heard from Rob, maybe 58 degrees or something?
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Put it in a bottle, huh?

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's nice. Welcome back, everybody. Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Many people in Washington, D.C. are celebrating the House passage of the 9/11 reforms. But not everybody. So is it really such a huge problem that rules for immigrant driver's licenses were not included? Kamber and May have some opinions on all of this. We're going to chat with them just ahead.

HEMMER: Yes, and "some" opinions, huh?

O'BRIEN: Yes, some opinions.

HEMMER: Hold on.

O'BRIEN: Understatement.

HEMMER: Also, the Baseball Players Association appears to be taking threats from Senator John McCain seriously. And may take steps to improve steroid testing.

We'll look at the news coming out of the winter meetings in a few moments. That is one union that is strong as steel and the fact that they're moving toward this gives you and indication of just how serious the story is now and could be for this upcoming baseball season.

I -- here's a prediction. I think this might be the toughest baseball season baseball has ever experienced. When you consider, you know, if we're just at the tip of the mountain of this story -- consider the records that go back almost ten years. How do we now look at them in the context of baseball?

O'BRIEN: I say bring in Senator McCain and let him clean it up. But that's me.

HEMMER: He's done that before.

(NEWSBREAK) O'BRIEN: This morning, Congress is very near passing a bill to overhaul the nation's intelligence system. A compromise version cleared the House yesterday. A Senate vote is expected this afternoon.

Here to discuss the 9/11 bill and some other political news, from the left we have Democratic strategist Victor Kamber. From the right, former RNC communications director Cliff May.

Good morning gentlemen, nice to see you both.

CLIFFORD MAY, FORMER RNC COMM. DIRECTOR: Good morning, Vic, good morning, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Cliff, we're going to begin with you. Seventy-five Republicans voted against this -- rather -- 75 people voted against this legislation. Sixty-eight or 69 of them were Republicans. What do you think that says about the power of the president and the cohesiveness of the Republican Party?

MAY: Oh there are debates within the Republican Party, and you're going to see a lot of that I think over the next few years. There are those who think that this bill should have included things it didn't and they just weren't going to support it until it did.

But I think what we also should say is that the debates of recent days have made the bill stronger. I was on the Hill yesterday and both Republicans and Democrats said it's a better bill than it was, but it does leave out some things that are important. One Republican House member said this is a little like buying a burglar alarm but not locking your back door. And they wanted the lock on the back door to be part of this as well.

O'BRIEN: Victor, though, some people say, you know what -- no legislation is ever going to be 100 percent. You just can't have that as it comes through the House and the Senate. Agree with that?

VICTOR KAMBER, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I not only agree, I felt there's a tremendous arrogance on the part of several House members. They treated this like it was an agriculture bill and they were fighting over corn supplement or a tobacco supplement.

We're talking about the safety of this country. And the fact that Congressman Sensenbrenner couldn't get one piece of what he thinks is important and what may really be important into the legislation to hold it up at the risk of this whole country is crazy.

We all know this legislation is not going to stop terrorism per se. But it's a step in the right direction, it had tremendous bipartisan support, and really it was an arrogance by several House members to hold up a -- if I don't get what I want I'm taking my ball and running home and that's...

MAY: You know what? It's -- Victor, I think this bill is a good step as the Patriot Act was, I think we're moving in the right direction, but it's wrong of you to say that somebody like the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who has got a...

KAMBER: I didn't say -- I said Sensenbrenner.

MAY: Well Sensenbrenner -- yes, but you were against Duncan Hunter as well, and he held it up because he wanted to make sure that military intelligence would be available to our soldiers on the streets of places like Falluja and now he feels better about it and it's a better bill as a result.

KAMBER: Let's go with Sensenbrenner who is holding it up for immigrants, immigration, which the President of the United States said we will have a bill next year on immigration and lets move this forward.

MAY: And that's what happened ultimately...

KAMBER: Without him, without him.

O'BRIEN: Let's turn to talk about a new topic, guys. I want to throw this in front of you because I find this to be one of the most fascinating stories. Eight soldiers, as you know, filed a lawsuit yesterday -- Monday -- where they challenged the Army's policy that requires them to serve longer from what they agreed to serve when they enlisted originally.

I'm fascinated, Vic, by this story because it -- you think it's just that they didn't read the fine print kind of thing? I mean, come on, it's wartime.

KAMBER: Well, it's a tough story. I mean, I -- my heart goes out to the -- to our soldiers in the field and these National Guard people, the people that signed up, obviously, didn't read the fine print or know there was even fine print. And certainly when they signed up many of them didn't expect that we'd be in war, and I also understand the dilemma the president is in. He doesn't want a draft; this is a backwards draft in many ways. He doesn't -- we're not able to recruit the kind of soldiers, the numbers we want, and we are in war. So, who gets to suffer? These people that have, that are in the battlefield now that can't come home. Their lives are disrupted.

O'BRIEN: Cliff...

KAMBER: ... but there's no choice at the moment.

O'BRIEN: Cliff, is this sort of a classic bait and switch, though? I mean, I think there was an actual term for sign up for a year and try it out and now they're not getting what they really signed up for.

MAY: Well, when you sign up for the military, when you buy a car, you better look at the fine print. I mean, you know, I do feel badly.

On the other hand, when you sign up for the military, you may have to fight a war. You may have to stay longer if that's what the fine print says. Every American has the right to have a lawyer; every American has the right to sue. But we do need more troops. Democrats and Republicans have been saying we probably need more troops on the ground and probably for longer in a place like Iraq. So yes they get to sue but you know what? Read the fine print.

KAMBER: Let me say one thing...

O'BRIEN: If it's five seconds or less you may.

KAMBER: We need a better job of recruiting so we have replacement troops.

O'BRIEN: Victor Kamber, Cliff May, nice to see you guys as always. Thanks.

MAY: Thanks.

HEMMER: To the world of sports now, Soledad. Baseball owners and players now working on tougher testing and punishments in the event of steroid use.

The players meetings continue in Phoenix. Here's Matt Morrison from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT MORRISON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Executive Director Donald Fehr said Tuesday the Players Union is willing to amend the current drug testing policy, which was negotiated two years ago.

DONALD FEHR, EXEC. DIR. MLB PLAYERS ASSN.: In terms of coming to grips with this, we think in 2002 that we did make a good faith start, that we did make a good faith effort. Having said that, that doesn't mean it can't be done better and it doesn't mean improvements can't be made. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try and go further if after further consideration that that makes the most sense.

MORRISON: Fehr said the issue has been on the agenda for several weeks, long before the events of last week, when news of grand jury testimony indicated Jason Giambi used steroids and Barry Bonds may have unwittingly used performance-enhancing drugs.

FEHR: The Giambi story that came out last week obviously is troubling even though it related, I believe, almost exclusively to periods of time prior to the implementation of program testing and all the rest of it. But, obviously, it's troubling. Obviously, its concerning.

MORRISON: Arizona Senator John McCain vowed to introduce legislation in January to force Major League Baseball and the Players Union to adopt a stricter steroids policy.

Fehr said Tuesday he expects enough progress by the end of the year to make government intervention unnecessary.

Matt Morrison, CNN, Phoenix.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: ESPN.com also reporting a few more details about the deal on the table including, quote, significant penalties for players who test positive for steroids including the first offense. Currently, first offenders receive counseling and are not fined or suspended.

More tests, possibly three times randomly during the season up from one time. And testing during the off-season, which is not allowed now.

Also, the list of banned drugs would be expanded, possibly identical to those substances banned by the IOC, the International Olympic Committee. Team owners in the Players Union plan to talk again next week. It's not done yet -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Another check of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: How about a little reminder: next week it'll be live in Tokyo, Japan on AMERICAN MORNING starting on Monday. It is prime time there in Japan; they are plus 14 hours ahead of New York.

It takes, like, three and a half days to fly there. And we're going to start on that trail tomorrow, so we'll be with you live from Japan starting next week.

O'BRIEN: We've got a little cheat sheet here. Can I -- all right I'm going to quiz you. How do you say "good morning" -- "good day"?

HEMMER: "Ohayou."

O'BRIEN: No, "Konichiwa." Close. How do you say, "good evening"?

HEMMER: "Ohayou."

O'BRIEN: How do you say, "no"?

HEMMER: "No."

O'BRIEN: Eh-ah (ph). No. Here, you keep that. Work on that. Clearly. Long plane ride; you'll have time.

HEMMER: I know how to say -- I'm going to find out how to say, "How do I find an English translator?" Because I'm going to need one.

O'BRIEN: The only words you need to know to say.

HEMMER: Well, I tell you what; over 50 countries in my lifetime traveling. Never been to Tokyo. Never been to Japan. So I'm really looking forward to it.

In a moment here, Andy tells us about a credit card that answers to a higher power.

O'BRIEN: And an alarming link between cataracts and a toxic material that can be found in the walls of your home. We'll explain ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Paging the good doctor right now, Sanjay Gupta about health risks from exposure to lead. The danger for children well documented but there's a new study now that says adults run the risk of cataracts.

We find Sanjay this morning in Houston, Texas with more there. Good morning.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, ohayou, from Houston, Bill.

Listen, lots of lead all around us in the air and in the soil and in the water. The question for a long time has been what is the cumulative risk to adults of being exposed to lead for so many -- for so much time.

Researchers are starting to put this to the test, actually published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Looking specifically at 800 men over the age of 60 with particularly high levels of lead in their body. And what they found was in fact they had a three-fold increase in the risk for cataracts.

Now these were men who were living in a general population. They weren't particularly lead laden but they were living in the general population. Again, a lot of people do think about lead in children, specifically with behavioral problems, learning difficulties. For a long time, though, the question was does it have an impact on adults as well?

And we're starting to see a body of evidence emerge. Not only cataracts but also things like hypertension, kidney dysfunction, memory loss as well. You can see all those -- well, there's some things that we're going to avoid but you can see all the possible risks now of lead over a long period of time.

Couple of facts to point out, Bill. Since 1978, lead has been banned in paints. You're seeing less leaded gasoline and less lead pipes, but there is still exposure, less than before, but people still need to be aware of this, Bill.

HEMMER: So there may be some obvious things here that you're going to answer too in a second here, but if you're at risk to being exposed to lead, how do you know it, how do you possibly prevent it from being an issue for you?

GUPTA: Yes, I mean first of all, there's been about a ten-fold decrease in lead over the last 20 years. Again from things like the paint, the gasoline, water, all sorts of things. But you need -- if you live in a particularly old home, for example -- a home built before 1978, before 1980, you probably need to be concerned a little bit about the lead.

There's a couple of other things about the lead piping as well. So get the water tested, for example, in your home. Find out whether or not it has lead in it. A home inspector can do this. Cover old paint as well. If it has lead-based paint, again, before 1978, it may be worthwhile covering that up.

This is an interesting one. If you're doing planting, plant far from the road. The reason is that a lot of soil has lead-based gasoline's sort of in it over time that's accumulated. Also avoid lead-based potteries in foreign countries in particular if you're drinking from that, eating from that, that could be a source of lead contamination as well, Bill.

HEMMER: Again, some things are obvious there and some are rather intriguing, too. A few of those there you would not have predicted. Hey what are you doing in Houston, by the way?

GUPTA: Hey, we're down here at M D Anderson, actually working on a full hour special all about cancer. The stories of cancer. I've really been interested in this for some time. Later on this spring we're going to give you that story. We haven't given it a title yet but I think you're going to find it quite fascinating.

HEMMER: All right, I take it its one of the best cancer institutions in the country, right?

GUPTA: It is. It is a place that people come from all over the world and a really fascinating story.

HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay. Be good. Talk to you later.

GUPTA: Thank you.

HEMMER: Soledad.

O'BRIEN: An 8-year-old girl from suburban New Orleans is serving a nine-day suspension for bringing Jell-O shots to school. It turns out they didn't actually contain alcohol but school policy bars students from bringing items that even just look like drugs or alcohol to school. The little girl was planning on selling the gelatin to raise some Christmas money.

Still to come this morning, Andy tells us about the only credit card that's approved by God. God is so busy and yet he has time to approve a credit card. He is "Minding Your Business" just ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right, welcome back.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Markets got punched around yesterday despite a decline in oil prices and that Johnson & Johnson-Guidant $24 billion deal. Nevertheless, down, down, down. A preview of the markets, a flurry of Christmas albums this year, just in time for the holiday season. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I'm going to get a little Scroogie on these Christmas albums. I'll get to that in one second. We'll talk about the markets.

Just down 106 points on the Dow. That's all. Erasing all of the month's gains, practically. Nasdaq even worse on a percentage basis and I've got even worse news this morning because Merck has come out and announced that it's not going to meet its profit targets for 2005, surprise, surprise.

CAFFERTY: Well, yes.

SERWER: Still surprising Wall Street by the way. It's the Vioxx deal; it's a bad thing. And the futures that were bright are less bright this morning.

In any event, a couple of stories here. First of all Bank Leumi, which is one of Israel's largest banks, coming out with an interesting credit card. This has possibilities. They are going to issue a credit card that won't work on the Sabbath, which is the holy day of rest for Jews and Orthodox Jews in particular may like this card, they're suggesting, so the card won't work on the Sabbath.

It also won't work on stores that are open on the Sabbath. Now, as I suggest, the possibilities here. For instance, my wife might find a credit card for me that won't work at Mitchell's Liquor Store on the Upper West Side.

(LAUGHTER)

I'm terrified. You know, there's all kinds of places. Lot of luck for the weekend.

Let's talk about these Christmas CDs. You know when I was growing up you used to have just a couple of Christmas albums. There was Bing Crosby's; there was Ray Charles, the Chipmunks, maybe three or four.

HEMMER: Johnny Mathis.

SERWER: Yes, Johnny Mathis, OK.

CAFFERTY: And that was enough.

SERWER: That was enough. Now it's just gotten crazy. I went to Amazon yesterday. Seven hundred and forty-eight Christmas CDs now available including Hillary Duff, Clay Aiken, the Bare Naked Ladies and we've got a couple here.

The Macarena Christmas, the Steel Drum Christmas. Here's a couple of my favorites. The Trucker's Christmas Album. You go. Yes, driving the truck. Then we go the Hawaiian Style Christmas -- that's kind of cute. Hawaiian Christmas.

Christmas -- the O.C. -- this is Orange County, sort of a multi- cultural -- I don't get it at all. And then my personal favorites. I'm getting this for Jack. The Jethro Tull Christmas Album. Kind of makes you wonder about that tune "Cross-Eyed Mary" they did.

CAFFERTY: There you go.

SERWER: Yes, all right. Anyway, I just think it's too much. Too much. Stop.

CAFFERTY: We're getting old and cranky. It's Wednesday, and that means "Things People Say."

Beginning with this: "I am Colin Luther Powell, public service is my thing, don't do it for the ring, don't do it for the bling." That's an excerpt from Secretary of State Colin Powell's rap performance at Sunday's Kennedy Center honors in Washington. Is he the coolest guy in the country or what?

SERWER: That's pretty good.

CAFFERTY: And then there's this: "I felt like the subject in a science experiment gone awry." Ben Affleck, talking about the time he was dating Jennifer Lopez. That's a pretty neat description.

SERWER: Frank.

CAFFERTY: "For the life of me, I cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply, because it's so easy to do." This is the outgoing Secretary of Health and Human Services. A public servant. Tommy Thompson, at his resignation announcement on Friday. Thanks a lot, Mr. Secretary. That kind of stuff is real helpful.

SERWER: Going out with a bang.

CAFFERTY: Yes. "I never wanted to be a prophet or a savior. Elvis maybe. I could see myself becoming him, but a prophet? No." Bob Dylan, on CBS' "60 Minutes." First sit-down interview in 19 years.

And finally this. "Fame starts to lick at you and moisten you and soften you and it's very appealing." That was said by...

O'BRIEN: Oh, lordy.

CAFFERTY: Anderson Cooper, who hosts that there program at night, ANDERSON COOPER 360.

SERWER: When did he say that?

CAFFERTY: I don't know. O'BRIEN: In an interview.

CAFFERTY: I think it was in a Bergdorf Goodman magazine or something.

SERWER: Is that right?

CAFFERTY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: I feel like it's getting hot in here.

CAFFERTY: I know Anderson well enough to suggest that it's -- his tongue was firmly implanted in his cheek. In the cold, hard light of day he probably had certain other personalities in mind when he uttered that quotation. I'm just guessing.

SERWER: He was messing with them, in other words.

CAFFERTY: Yes, he was.

SERWER: He was messing with them.

HEMMER: What was he selling in that Bergdorf catalogue?

CAFFERTY: Anderson Cooper.

(LAUGHTER)

SERWER: Good job.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, today's top story, the 9/11 bill expected to get the Senate's stamp of approval today. How is it going to keep us all safer? One of the bills original authors, Senator Joe Lieberman joins us just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Good morning. It's the biggest reform in history for U.S. intelligence now past its biggest hurdle, but did the fight inflict some serious political wounds?

A mother pleading for her son's life, the last and perhaps the most important witness in the Peterson sentencing coming to the stand today.

And the Q&A for Donald Rumsfeld.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our soldiers have been fighting in Iraq for coming up on three years. A lot of us are getting ready to move north relatively soon. Our vehicles are not armored.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: U.S. troops asking life and death questions of their boss. His answers on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.

O'BRIEN: Good morning, welcome everybody. The 9/11 reform bill could finish its trek through Congress today. Senators expected to vote after the House passed it yesterday.

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