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CNN Live At Daybreak
To Titan and Beyond; Graner Court-Martial; Health Club Memberships; Steel City Celebration
Aired January 14, 2005 - 06:30 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: While you're having your morning coffee, history is taking place in space this hour. The Cassini spacecraft's probe is in the process of touching down on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. No spacecraft has ever landed this far away from Earth.
Our space correspondent, Miles O'Brien, joins us from Atlanta, where he has been monitoring Huygen's progress this morning.
Good morning -- Miles.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Weather on Titan this morning? Minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit. And as we take a look at the planet, show you one of the shots there to give you a sense of what's so intriguing about it, very, very hazy. Haze is the problem on Titan, and that is why this probe is going into the haze even as we speak. As a matter of fact, it's about 45 minutes from reaching the surface of Titan.
The question is: Will it be a hard landing, or will it be a splashdown in a methane lake?
Take a look at this Huygens probe, 9 foot in diameter. It looks like a giant wok. On its way down it uses a couple of parachutes, a big one, which would take it down much too slowly, longer than it's batteries would work, so it uses a smaller parachute after that. It's got a bunch of cameras on board. It's got spectrometers. It's got analyzers for the gas. It actually listens for thunder. All the way down it's going to be giving us these panoramic images.
The question is: Will it be able to see through the haze? Or is it going to be like Los Angeles on one of those very smoggy days there and difficult to get a picture? We'll see very soon as those pictures come back. So far so good, the spacecraft is working well.
The question is: Could this place now or at some other time have supported life?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB MITCHELL, CASSINI PROGRAM MANAGER: I think the prospect of Titan having any life is really quite remote. I can't say impossible, obviously. But I think very remote. But the thing about it that does make it so intriguing is that its atmosphere is almost all nitrogen. And here on Earth, nitrogen is by far the most common element in our own atmosphere. So, Titan today, the scientists believe, may very well be a body in a frozen vault, just like what Earth was three or four billion years ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: A body in a frozen vault. It sounds like a "CSI" episode, doesn't it, Carol? But if you went to that frozen vault, pulled out Earth four billion years ago, it would look a lot like Titan. And that's why scientists are kind of excited this morning, unlike Ali Velshi, of course. That's another story.
COSTELLO: Yes. But he's getting evermore excited with each report that you deliver, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Oh, we're enthusing him. That's good.
COSTELLO: We are. Thank you, Miles.
In the end, the defense decided against putting Army Specialist Charles Graner on the stand. His lawyer says there was enough evidence in Graner's favor already. But that will be up to the jury to decide. It gets the case in a couple of hours from now. The charges against Graner include conspiracy and aggravated assault. But he seems to be upbeat as his court-martial nears an end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, were you disappointed that you didn't get a chance to talk to the jury yourself?
SPC. CHARLES GRANER, U.S. ARMY: No, no, I wasn't. And I'm still smiling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you think it's going?
GRANER: I think it's going fantastic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti joins me now live from Fort Hood, Texas.
Good morning -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, why didn't he take the stand?
CANDIOTTI: Well, according to his defense attorney, they didn't think it was necessary for him to do so, that they got enough evidence in there, and that, in fact, they maintain he did testify therefore vicariously.
COSTELLO: So, what evidence are they talking about?
CANDIOTTI: Well, in their view, they feel they have put on good information through witnesses, some of them fellow soldiers of Specialist Graner, trying to prove that military intelligence did set the tone for the abuse.
For example, we heard yesterday from a friend of his, who disclosed that she even had a romantic relationship with Specialist Graner at one time while they were in Iraq, Megan Ambuhl. She ordered, for example, that military intelligence ordered her to humiliate naked detainees in the shower by pointing and laughing at them in order, she said, to try to soften up the prisoners for interrogation.
COSTELLO: So, he had another girlfriend besides Lynndie England?
CANDIOTTI: Yes, apparently he did.
COSTELLO: What is the jury's reaction to all of this, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, they're not showing any kind of reaction at all. These are military officers and non-commissioned officers paying close attention to the testimony, but not revealing how they feel.
COSTELLO: So, what happens next, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, the government will begin by making close arguments, the military will. They're expected to begin at 9:00 this morning. Prosecutors will argue that what Graner allegedly did, they say, was beyond the pale of serious misconduct. That he was acting on his own when he beat prisoners, stacked them into a naked pyramid, put a leash around the neck of one detainee, and even posed some of them to simulate sex acts.
Then, of course, the defense will have its opportunity to argue before the jury what we said before, that Specialist Graner is a good soldier who was just trying to help military intelligence accomplish their end.
COSTELLO: Susan Candiotti reporting live from Fort Hood, Texas, this morning. Thank you.
Women at war. Everyone has an opinion on females in combat. Especially now than more, women are on the front lines than ever before.
Kelly Wallace is filling in for Soledad O'Brien on "AMERICAN MORNING." She'll have more on that at the top of the hour.
Good morning -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol. Good to see you.
It is an issue that generates passions on both sides, and President Bush waged into the debate this week when he said he has no intention of sending women into ground combat. But listen to this: More American women have died in Iraq than in any conflict since World War II.
So, we ask the question: Does the U.S. need to take another look at the role of women in the military?
We will talk to retired Air Force General Wilma Vought (ph). She's president of the Women's Military Memorial.
So, that and much more ahead at the top of the hour -- Carol.
COSTELLO: We look forward to it. Thank you, Kelly.
In other stories across America this Friday, it's back to the drawing board for the FBI. A $170 million overhaul of the bureau's computer system doesn't work. It was intended to provide instantaneous information on terrorists. Well, it doesn't. A new system may have to be built from scratch.
Lawmakers and a handful of states propose paying life insurance premiums for National Guard members. The basic premium for a $250,000 policy is now about $16 a month. Service members now pick up that tab through payroll deductions.
The Alrosa Villa nightclub in Ohio reopens tonight for a benefit concert. Just about five weeks ago a man jumped on stage and killed four people. Among those killed was influential guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, if you don't have tickets, hopefully you have a seat at home to watch the big games this weekend. We're talking football. Of all of the NFL cities, nobody does it quite like Pittsburgh. We're talking playoffs with the Steel City sports guy next.
ALI VELSHI, CNN DAYBREAK CONTRIBUTOR: And for all of you couch potatoes there watching football or getting ready to do so, you know what? Get up and go to the gym. When I come back, we're going to tell you about how to get the best deal at a gym and make sure that you're not getting fleeced.
COSTELLO: But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It looks like a scene from "Batman" out there, doesn't it? For the amount of money he's paid out to fitness clubs over the years, Ali Velshi should look like Mr. America. Fortunately, he's not here for his looks. Oh, so mean.
We've been talking about physical fitness...
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... and why the government doesn't pay for, like, health club plans.
VELSHI: Right, yes, exactly. And you know what? I was talking about that an hour ago. Some people have indicated that, you know, a tax break for fitness clubs and things like that might favor people who can really afford to do these. And it is a bit of a luxury for a lot of people.
So, a lot of the most prescribed fitness plans for people are free -- walking around, going up the stairs, things like that. But for those of you like me who really enjoy supporting your local club and paying for their renovations, because you pay those big, fat monthly fees and show up once or twice, let me give people some advice.
Do what I never did: Try it out for free. Don't get all excited about the fact that you're joining up and fall for the pitch. Try it out for free. Most gyms will offer you some amount of free time -- three days, a week, two weeks, sometimes even a month. A lot of them do offer you a month.
Check out the equipment, the availability of the equipment. Go to sign up and try it out at the time that you're going to use it.
COSTELLO: Get out!
VELSHI: Yes, I mean, you and I, the hours we work, it would be ridiculous to go check out the gym now, because, you know, who knows if it's when we're going to get there? Check out the classes. See what kind of classes you're interested in. And I don't do the classes' thing. But then again, I don't go to the gym much.
So, check out the training program and the staff there. One of the problems I've always had is that, jokes aside, I always end up with a trainer who thinks I want to be Mr. America and spend four days in the gym for two hours a day. It's not going to happen. I can go a certain amount of time. Make sure you've got people who get who you are and what you're capable of.
And get some guest passes, so you can take a friend.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's very helpful. You know, the thing they're doing now is they're providing personal trainers.
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: And they provide, like, the first three sessions free.
VELSHI: Right.
COSTELLO: And then, they charge you an enormous amount of money...
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... to continue to use that person. VELSHI: And I often wonder, because people tell me that the enormous amount of money they spend on personal trainers actually gives them value because they go, because it's an appointment you have to break and that somebody is going to force you to do it. I haven't done it. Some people say it gets them results. What they often do is they sign you up for the membership, and then they say, hey, if you buy the 10 training sessions we'll give you a little bit of a break. These are often $100 or more per session. So, you need to be careful about that.
COSTELLO: You need to be very careful about that, because it's easy to spend lots of money that way.
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: Tell us some other pitfalls.
VELSHI: Well, a few other things are, of course, that high- pressure pitch. This is one -- it's like buying a car, going to the gym and trying to sign up. You know, you walk in and they see you coming. So, be careful. Don't fall for the pitch. Anybody who tells you it's got to be done today, it just simply doesn't have to be done today.
The long-term contract problem, there are laws that say that they can't give you contracts for more than three years. But, you know, why don't you just try it out? There are a lot of pay-as-you-go plans, and they might cost you a little more money.
Watch out for the automatic contract renewal. A lot of them have those little clauses in them. If you don't tell them anything 30 days before your contract is supposed to expire, they get to renew it, and the money just keeps coming off your credit card or out of your bank account.
And transfer policies. If you move, you get a job somewhere else, can you transfer it? Can you cancel it early?
COSTELLO: Yes, shop, shop, shop around.
VELSHI: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: Absolutely. Thank you for the advice, Ali. I was just kidding there with that lead-in to you. You look fabulous.
VELSHI: Well, thank you. Thank you, Carol. I'm just fishing for a compliment.
COSTELLO: I'm becoming a little nauseated, Ali.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
A tornado tore the roof off a plant last night in South Carolina, and it set the building on fire. Workers in the plant and a nearby residence evacuated safely. No injuries reported.
The "Sun" newspaper in London reports Britain's Prince Charles has ordered his son, Harry, to visit the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz to learn about the Holocaust. Harry sparked outrage in Britain and elsewhere when he wore a Nazi uniform to a costume party.
In money news, Macy's reaches a settlement deal in a racial profiling case involving its East branch. The case involves African- American and Hispanic customers. Some claim the store targeted minorities more often than whites when trying to catch suspected shoplifters.
And in culture, rare gold coins from the ancient world are on display in New York City before being auctioned off. They are the last treasures of fabled collector Louis Eliasberg, and they're valued at $5 million.
In sports, 15-year-old Michelle Wie is making her second appearance in the men's Sony Open. Wie shot an opening round of 75, which left her nine shots behind the leader. Even though she's in 120th place, she finished ahead of 15 men.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Oh, Chad, you were talking about snow in the mountains?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. I just got a call from our guy in Snowshoe.
COSTELLO: Well, let's not talk about Snowshoe right now. Let's talk about this. I bet you can't figure out where -- oh, you know where this video comes from.
MYERS: Santa Barbara.
COSTELLO: No, not Santa Barbara.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: It is not Santa Barbara.
MYERS: It's Hawaii.
COSTELLO: It's Hawaii. This is snow on the summits of Montakiya (ph) and Monaloa (ph). Do people actually ski in the mountains?
MYERS: They do. They do. They actually get in their jeeps. They drive up to the top of the mountain, and then they get the skis out of the jeep to ski down. And then one person has to go down and get them and pick them back up again and drive them back up to the top.
COSTELLO: I don't know. That looks like some painful skiing.
MYERS: They have to watch out for the rocks, though.
COSTELLO: I can't believe they're sledding up there.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: It would just hurt as you pass over all of the rocks.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: We just thought that was interesting, snow in Hawaii.
Earlier, we talked about the flooding in Ohio. It's so bad along parts of the river. Floodwalls are up in some small towns. CNN's Bill Hemmer will talk to one of the people responsible for that kind of emergency decision on "AMERICAN MORNING." And he joins us now to explain more.
Good morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you on a Friday. It has been a heck of a week, hasn't it, and day after day in different parts of the country? You mentioned Ohio. A state of emergency is now in 56 counties in that state. They only have 88 in total counties there. So, more than two-thirds now are in a state of emergency.
Some of the worst flooding is along the Ohio River near the town of Marietta. That city was hammered, Carol, with four floods in one year. We'll talk to the emergency management official, Mark Collums (ph), about the cumulative effect that he describes to us about all of that flooding. He says it's not too bad right now, but if you put all four together it has been a wallop of the 12 months there in Marietta.
So, we'll get to that also on a Friday morning at the top of the hour. We'll see you then -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: Have a great weekend, by the way, OK?
COSTELLO: You, too. I'm going to watch a lot of football.
HEMMER: Me, too. I'll be right there with you. See you later.
COSTELLO: Thank you.
So who is your team this weekend? And what are the odds? Up next, a sports writer from one of football's most dedicated cities.
And have you heard about what Randy Moss said about that $10,000 fine for mooning Green Bay Packer fans? Oh, I think he should just keep his mouth shut. We'll tell you what he had to say coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: What a beautiful shot of Las Vegas, Nevada, this morning. That's courtesy of KBBC-TV, a CNN affiliate out there. Are you ready for some football? As if you didn't know, the divisional playoffs are this weekend. But in Vegas, they're already looking forward to the Super Bowl. So, let's take a look at the odds this morning.
The Steelers are the overall favorites to win the big game. In the NFC, the Rams were a 70 to 1 long shot before they won last week, but now just 27-1. The Eagles are the favorite in the NFC at 4 to 1, while the Vikings are the biggest long shot. The defending champion, Patriots, are also 4 to 1 favorites, but the Colts are not far behind now.
So, odds are the Pittsburgh Steelers will prevail over the Jets, and the very idea has Steelers' fans dreaming of the days of Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris.
Gerry Dulac, sports writer for the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" joins us live.
Good morning, Gerry. Oh, Gerry, I hope you're there.
We've lost Gerry. I can't believe it. We're going to talk more about the Steelers, I promise, when we get Gerry back on the phone.
The New England Patriots may be relying on a secret weapon before their game against the Colts on Sunday. The crew of a Boston-based Coast Guard cutter, Escanaba (ph), spelled out the words "go, Pats, win." You have to look really, really closely to see it. They did the same thing before the Pats' Super Bowl in last year.
In the NFC, the Vikings and Randy Moss take on the Philadelphia Eagles. And once again, the Vikings are answering more questions about Moss than about the game itself. The league handed down a $10,000 fine for Moss' end zone celebration in Green Bay last week. There it is, the charming thing. The league called it poor judgment and an insult to many. But the fine didn't really seem to mean that much to Moss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you upset about the fine?
RANDY MOSS, VIKINGS WIDE RECEIVER: No, it's (EXPLETIVE DELETED). It isn't nothing but 10 grand. It's only 10 grand to me. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) next time I might shake my (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Charming.
All right, we have Gerry Dulac back on the phone.
Gerry, are you there?
GERRY DULAC, "PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE": I'm here, Carol.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about more pleasant things than Randy Moss, shall we?
DULAC: I was going to say, you don't have to worry about any moons over Pittsburgh.
COSTELLO: No, I don't think so. How exciting is it to be a Steelers' fan this year?
DULAC: Well, I'll tell you, the excitement here is reaching back to the levels that it was in 1970. Of course, this team is accustomed to -- or this city is accustomed to the team winning Super Bowls. They won four in six years. But it's been a long time.
The funny thing is, Carol, they are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year of their last Super Bowl victory. That was the 1979 season. And here they are probably the favorite to go to the Super Bowl and perhaps win the Super Bowl. A 14-game winning streak, only one other team has ever done that in a regular season, and that's the '72 Miami Dolphins.
No AFC team has ever been 15-1. And, of course, the town is, you know, ga-ga over their rookie quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. That...
COSTELLO: I'm telling you what, it is going to be all about Ben, because he seemed to make every right move in the regular season. But he's never been to a playoff game. And I guess the big question is: Will he make the right decisions in that game?
DULAC: Yes, that's what everybody wants to see. You know, everybody here is crazy about him. They've kind of renamed the town Roethlisberger. They have a sandwich named for him, a beef jerky, Big Ben's Beef Jerky. But, you know, 13-0 is a starter. Everybody wants to see how he does now in the playoffs. But...
COSTELLO: Hey, Gerry. Gerry, pause for a moment, because we found -- we actually dug up some songs that the Pittsburgh fans put together themselves. And we'd like to pay a few jingles for our viewers this morning.
DULAC: Go right ahead. I've heard them all.
COSTELLO: Here they are.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Baby, and we're about to turn it up. We're about to turn it up. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about the Steelers play. Collecting those (UNINTELLIGIBLE) they're back in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Things have changed. Chuck is gone. But that's still (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (singing): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and Plexico (ph), that's the few names that you ought to know. Joe, we see on the... (END AUDIO CLIP)
COSTELLO: That is so charming, Gerry. I can't believe it!
DULAC: Hey, Carol, my 3-year-old daughter was in preschool yesterday, and they were teaching her Steelers's songs.
COSTELLO: And I bet she's singing them, too, isn't she?
DULAC: Yes, she sang it to me last night.
COSTELLO: Oh, my goodness. You know, it's going to be really, really cold on Saturday. In fact, it's going to be, what, 25 degrees, according to Chad Myers? This is what defensive end Aaron Smith said. He says he's ready for the cold. But you notice it every time you hit somebody. You get a tingling numbness.
How will this affect things, do you think?
DULAC: Well, I'll tell you who it might affect are the New York Jets from that standpoint. You know, the last game they played here in December, Carol, it was chilly. And by the end of the game the Jets defensive backs were acting like a matador with Jerome Bettis' 255 pounds. Nobody wants to get hit by a 255-pound guy in the fourth quarter when it's 7 or 10 degrees.
So, I think that's where you might see it start to affect somebody. Jerome Bettis always jokes about that. He gets a big smile on his face when you ask him about players being afraid to hit him in the fourth quarter, especially when it gets cold. Don't be surprised if you see the same thing Saturday.
COSTELLO: Oh, I can't wait to watch the game. Gerry Dulac, sports writer for the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette," joining us live on DAYBREAK this morning. Thank you.
You are watching DAYBREAK for a Friday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Chad, it's time to take a look at the morning headlines. An interesting story in "The Wall Street Journal" this morning involves the inauguration, because, you know, it's fast coming up.
MYERS: Yes, it is.
COSTELLO: And fashion has become very important. In fact, designers started lobbying, you know, the first lady and the first daughters, like, last summer to wear their fashions during the inauguration.
MYERS: But I think that something about tsunami relief should be in there. They will pay her to put their dresses on, and then she'll donate that money to the tsunami relief, how is that?
COSTELLO: That sounds a lot better. But I don't know if that's going to happen.
MYERS: Probably not.
COSTELLO: But, you know...
MYERS: She'd have to change every 30 minutes.
COSTELLO: The Bushes have already donated. But just an interesting aside, Rebecca Taylor, who is a big designer here in New York, actually opened up her store special on Tuesday so the Bush twins could shop there. And they spent a lot of money on clothing, which they will be wearing during the inauguration. And Rebecca Taylor is making a lot of that.
That does it for DAYBREAK this morning. We're out of time. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. Have a great weekend.
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Aired January 14, 2005 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: While you're having your morning coffee, history is taking place in space this hour. The Cassini spacecraft's probe is in the process of touching down on Saturn's largest moon, Titan. No spacecraft has ever landed this far away from Earth.
Our space correspondent, Miles O'Brien, joins us from Atlanta, where he has been monitoring Huygen's progress this morning.
Good morning -- Miles.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Weather on Titan this morning? Minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit. And as we take a look at the planet, show you one of the shots there to give you a sense of what's so intriguing about it, very, very hazy. Haze is the problem on Titan, and that is why this probe is going into the haze even as we speak. As a matter of fact, it's about 45 minutes from reaching the surface of Titan.
The question is: Will it be a hard landing, or will it be a splashdown in a methane lake?
Take a look at this Huygens probe, 9 foot in diameter. It looks like a giant wok. On its way down it uses a couple of parachutes, a big one, which would take it down much too slowly, longer than it's batteries would work, so it uses a smaller parachute after that. It's got a bunch of cameras on board. It's got spectrometers. It's got analyzers for the gas. It actually listens for thunder. All the way down it's going to be giving us these panoramic images.
The question is: Will it be able to see through the haze? Or is it going to be like Los Angeles on one of those very smoggy days there and difficult to get a picture? We'll see very soon as those pictures come back. So far so good, the spacecraft is working well.
The question is: Could this place now or at some other time have supported life?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB MITCHELL, CASSINI PROGRAM MANAGER: I think the prospect of Titan having any life is really quite remote. I can't say impossible, obviously. But I think very remote. But the thing about it that does make it so intriguing is that its atmosphere is almost all nitrogen. And here on Earth, nitrogen is by far the most common element in our own atmosphere. So, Titan today, the scientists believe, may very well be a body in a frozen vault, just like what Earth was three or four billion years ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: A body in a frozen vault. It sounds like a "CSI" episode, doesn't it, Carol? But if you went to that frozen vault, pulled out Earth four billion years ago, it would look a lot like Titan. And that's why scientists are kind of excited this morning, unlike Ali Velshi, of course. That's another story.
COSTELLO: Yes. But he's getting evermore excited with each report that you deliver, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Oh, we're enthusing him. That's good.
COSTELLO: We are. Thank you, Miles.
In the end, the defense decided against putting Army Specialist Charles Graner on the stand. His lawyer says there was enough evidence in Graner's favor already. But that will be up to the jury to decide. It gets the case in a couple of hours from now. The charges against Graner include conspiracy and aggravated assault. But he seems to be upbeat as his court-martial nears an end.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, were you disappointed that you didn't get a chance to talk to the jury yourself?
SPC. CHARLES GRANER, U.S. ARMY: No, no, I wasn't. And I'm still smiling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do you think it's going?
GRANER: I think it's going fantastic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti joins me now live from Fort Hood, Texas.
Good morning -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, why didn't he take the stand?
CANDIOTTI: Well, according to his defense attorney, they didn't think it was necessary for him to do so, that they got enough evidence in there, and that, in fact, they maintain he did testify therefore vicariously.
COSTELLO: So, what evidence are they talking about?
CANDIOTTI: Well, in their view, they feel they have put on good information through witnesses, some of them fellow soldiers of Specialist Graner, trying to prove that military intelligence did set the tone for the abuse.
For example, we heard yesterday from a friend of his, who disclosed that she even had a romantic relationship with Specialist Graner at one time while they were in Iraq, Megan Ambuhl. She ordered, for example, that military intelligence ordered her to humiliate naked detainees in the shower by pointing and laughing at them in order, she said, to try to soften up the prisoners for interrogation.
COSTELLO: So, he had another girlfriend besides Lynndie England?
CANDIOTTI: Yes, apparently he did.
COSTELLO: What is the jury's reaction to all of this, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, they're not showing any kind of reaction at all. These are military officers and non-commissioned officers paying close attention to the testimony, but not revealing how they feel.
COSTELLO: So, what happens next, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, the government will begin by making close arguments, the military will. They're expected to begin at 9:00 this morning. Prosecutors will argue that what Graner allegedly did, they say, was beyond the pale of serious misconduct. That he was acting on his own when he beat prisoners, stacked them into a naked pyramid, put a leash around the neck of one detainee, and even posed some of them to simulate sex acts.
Then, of course, the defense will have its opportunity to argue before the jury what we said before, that Specialist Graner is a good soldier who was just trying to help military intelligence accomplish their end.
COSTELLO: Susan Candiotti reporting live from Fort Hood, Texas, this morning. Thank you.
Women at war. Everyone has an opinion on females in combat. Especially now than more, women are on the front lines than ever before.
Kelly Wallace is filling in for Soledad O'Brien on "AMERICAN MORNING." She'll have more on that at the top of the hour.
Good morning -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol. Good to see you.
It is an issue that generates passions on both sides, and President Bush waged into the debate this week when he said he has no intention of sending women into ground combat. But listen to this: More American women have died in Iraq than in any conflict since World War II.
So, we ask the question: Does the U.S. need to take another look at the role of women in the military?
We will talk to retired Air Force General Wilma Vought (ph). She's president of the Women's Military Memorial.
So, that and much more ahead at the top of the hour -- Carol.
COSTELLO: We look forward to it. Thank you, Kelly.
In other stories across America this Friday, it's back to the drawing board for the FBI. A $170 million overhaul of the bureau's computer system doesn't work. It was intended to provide instantaneous information on terrorists. Well, it doesn't. A new system may have to be built from scratch.
Lawmakers and a handful of states propose paying life insurance premiums for National Guard members. The basic premium for a $250,000 policy is now about $16 a month. Service members now pick up that tab through payroll deductions.
The Alrosa Villa nightclub in Ohio reopens tonight for a benefit concert. Just about five weeks ago a man jumped on stage and killed four people. Among those killed was influential guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, if you don't have tickets, hopefully you have a seat at home to watch the big games this weekend. We're talking football. Of all of the NFL cities, nobody does it quite like Pittsburgh. We're talking playoffs with the Steel City sports guy next.
ALI VELSHI, CNN DAYBREAK CONTRIBUTOR: And for all of you couch potatoes there watching football or getting ready to do so, you know what? Get up and go to the gym. When I come back, we're going to tell you about how to get the best deal at a gym and make sure that you're not getting fleeced.
COSTELLO: But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It looks like a scene from "Batman" out there, doesn't it? For the amount of money he's paid out to fitness clubs over the years, Ali Velshi should look like Mr. America. Fortunately, he's not here for his looks. Oh, so mean.
We've been talking about physical fitness...
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... and why the government doesn't pay for, like, health club plans.
VELSHI: Right, yes, exactly. And you know what? I was talking about that an hour ago. Some people have indicated that, you know, a tax break for fitness clubs and things like that might favor people who can really afford to do these. And it is a bit of a luxury for a lot of people.
So, a lot of the most prescribed fitness plans for people are free -- walking around, going up the stairs, things like that. But for those of you like me who really enjoy supporting your local club and paying for their renovations, because you pay those big, fat monthly fees and show up once or twice, let me give people some advice.
Do what I never did: Try it out for free. Don't get all excited about the fact that you're joining up and fall for the pitch. Try it out for free. Most gyms will offer you some amount of free time -- three days, a week, two weeks, sometimes even a month. A lot of them do offer you a month.
Check out the equipment, the availability of the equipment. Go to sign up and try it out at the time that you're going to use it.
COSTELLO: Get out!
VELSHI: Yes, I mean, you and I, the hours we work, it would be ridiculous to go check out the gym now, because, you know, who knows if it's when we're going to get there? Check out the classes. See what kind of classes you're interested in. And I don't do the classes' thing. But then again, I don't go to the gym much.
So, check out the training program and the staff there. One of the problems I've always had is that, jokes aside, I always end up with a trainer who thinks I want to be Mr. America and spend four days in the gym for two hours a day. It's not going to happen. I can go a certain amount of time. Make sure you've got people who get who you are and what you're capable of.
And get some guest passes, so you can take a friend.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's very helpful. You know, the thing they're doing now is they're providing personal trainers.
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: And they provide, like, the first three sessions free.
VELSHI: Right.
COSTELLO: And then, they charge you an enormous amount of money...
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... to continue to use that person. VELSHI: And I often wonder, because people tell me that the enormous amount of money they spend on personal trainers actually gives them value because they go, because it's an appointment you have to break and that somebody is going to force you to do it. I haven't done it. Some people say it gets them results. What they often do is they sign you up for the membership, and then they say, hey, if you buy the 10 training sessions we'll give you a little bit of a break. These are often $100 or more per session. So, you need to be careful about that.
COSTELLO: You need to be very careful about that, because it's easy to spend lots of money that way.
VELSHI: Yes.
COSTELLO: Tell us some other pitfalls.
VELSHI: Well, a few other things are, of course, that high- pressure pitch. This is one -- it's like buying a car, going to the gym and trying to sign up. You know, you walk in and they see you coming. So, be careful. Don't fall for the pitch. Anybody who tells you it's got to be done today, it just simply doesn't have to be done today.
The long-term contract problem, there are laws that say that they can't give you contracts for more than three years. But, you know, why don't you just try it out? There are a lot of pay-as-you-go plans, and they might cost you a little more money.
Watch out for the automatic contract renewal. A lot of them have those little clauses in them. If you don't tell them anything 30 days before your contract is supposed to expire, they get to renew it, and the money just keeps coming off your credit card or out of your bank account.
And transfer policies. If you move, you get a job somewhere else, can you transfer it? Can you cancel it early?
COSTELLO: Yes, shop, shop, shop around.
VELSHI: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: Absolutely. Thank you for the advice, Ali. I was just kidding there with that lead-in to you. You look fabulous.
VELSHI: Well, thank you. Thank you, Carol. I'm just fishing for a compliment.
COSTELLO: I'm becoming a little nauseated, Ali.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
A tornado tore the roof off a plant last night in South Carolina, and it set the building on fire. Workers in the plant and a nearby residence evacuated safely. No injuries reported.
The "Sun" newspaper in London reports Britain's Prince Charles has ordered his son, Harry, to visit the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz to learn about the Holocaust. Harry sparked outrage in Britain and elsewhere when he wore a Nazi uniform to a costume party.
In money news, Macy's reaches a settlement deal in a racial profiling case involving its East branch. The case involves African- American and Hispanic customers. Some claim the store targeted minorities more often than whites when trying to catch suspected shoplifters.
And in culture, rare gold coins from the ancient world are on display in New York City before being auctioned off. They are the last treasures of fabled collector Louis Eliasberg, and they're valued at $5 million.
In sports, 15-year-old Michelle Wie is making her second appearance in the men's Sony Open. Wie shot an opening round of 75, which left her nine shots behind the leader. Even though she's in 120th place, she finished ahead of 15 men.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Oh, Chad, you were talking about snow in the mountains?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. I just got a call from our guy in Snowshoe.
COSTELLO: Well, let's not talk about Snowshoe right now. Let's talk about this. I bet you can't figure out where -- oh, you know where this video comes from.
MYERS: Santa Barbara.
COSTELLO: No, not Santa Barbara.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: It is not Santa Barbara.
MYERS: It's Hawaii.
COSTELLO: It's Hawaii. This is snow on the summits of Montakiya (ph) and Monaloa (ph). Do people actually ski in the mountains?
MYERS: They do. They do. They actually get in their jeeps. They drive up to the top of the mountain, and then they get the skis out of the jeep to ski down. And then one person has to go down and get them and pick them back up again and drive them back up to the top.
COSTELLO: I don't know. That looks like some painful skiing.
MYERS: They have to watch out for the rocks, though.
COSTELLO: I can't believe they're sledding up there.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: It would just hurt as you pass over all of the rocks.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: We just thought that was interesting, snow in Hawaii.
Earlier, we talked about the flooding in Ohio. It's so bad along parts of the river. Floodwalls are up in some small towns. CNN's Bill Hemmer will talk to one of the people responsible for that kind of emergency decision on "AMERICAN MORNING." And he joins us now to explain more.
Good morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you on a Friday. It has been a heck of a week, hasn't it, and day after day in different parts of the country? You mentioned Ohio. A state of emergency is now in 56 counties in that state. They only have 88 in total counties there. So, more than two-thirds now are in a state of emergency.
Some of the worst flooding is along the Ohio River near the town of Marietta. That city was hammered, Carol, with four floods in one year. We'll talk to the emergency management official, Mark Collums (ph), about the cumulative effect that he describes to us about all of that flooding. He says it's not too bad right now, but if you put all four together it has been a wallop of the 12 months there in Marietta.
So, we'll get to that also on a Friday morning at the top of the hour. We'll see you then -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: Have a great weekend, by the way, OK?
COSTELLO: You, too. I'm going to watch a lot of football.
HEMMER: Me, too. I'll be right there with you. See you later.
COSTELLO: Thank you.
So who is your team this weekend? And what are the odds? Up next, a sports writer from one of football's most dedicated cities.
And have you heard about what Randy Moss said about that $10,000 fine for mooning Green Bay Packer fans? Oh, I think he should just keep his mouth shut. We'll tell you what he had to say coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: What a beautiful shot of Las Vegas, Nevada, this morning. That's courtesy of KBBC-TV, a CNN affiliate out there. Are you ready for some football? As if you didn't know, the divisional playoffs are this weekend. But in Vegas, they're already looking forward to the Super Bowl. So, let's take a look at the odds this morning.
The Steelers are the overall favorites to win the big game. In the NFC, the Rams were a 70 to 1 long shot before they won last week, but now just 27-1. The Eagles are the favorite in the NFC at 4 to 1, while the Vikings are the biggest long shot. The defending champion, Patriots, are also 4 to 1 favorites, but the Colts are not far behind now.
So, odds are the Pittsburgh Steelers will prevail over the Jets, and the very idea has Steelers' fans dreaming of the days of Terry Bradshaw and Franco Harris.
Gerry Dulac, sports writer for the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" joins us live.
Good morning, Gerry. Oh, Gerry, I hope you're there.
We've lost Gerry. I can't believe it. We're going to talk more about the Steelers, I promise, when we get Gerry back on the phone.
The New England Patriots may be relying on a secret weapon before their game against the Colts on Sunday. The crew of a Boston-based Coast Guard cutter, Escanaba (ph), spelled out the words "go, Pats, win." You have to look really, really closely to see it. They did the same thing before the Pats' Super Bowl in last year.
In the NFC, the Vikings and Randy Moss take on the Philadelphia Eagles. And once again, the Vikings are answering more questions about Moss than about the game itself. The league handed down a $10,000 fine for Moss' end zone celebration in Green Bay last week. There it is, the charming thing. The league called it poor judgment and an insult to many. But the fine didn't really seem to mean that much to Moss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you upset about the fine?
RANDY MOSS, VIKINGS WIDE RECEIVER: No, it's (EXPLETIVE DELETED). It isn't nothing but 10 grand. It's only 10 grand to me. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) next time I might shake my (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Charming.
All right, we have Gerry Dulac back on the phone.
Gerry, are you there?
GERRY DULAC, "PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE": I'm here, Carol.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about more pleasant things than Randy Moss, shall we?
DULAC: I was going to say, you don't have to worry about any moons over Pittsburgh.
COSTELLO: No, I don't think so. How exciting is it to be a Steelers' fan this year?
DULAC: Well, I'll tell you, the excitement here is reaching back to the levels that it was in 1970. Of course, this team is accustomed to -- or this city is accustomed to the team winning Super Bowls. They won four in six years. But it's been a long time.
The funny thing is, Carol, they are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year of their last Super Bowl victory. That was the 1979 season. And here they are probably the favorite to go to the Super Bowl and perhaps win the Super Bowl. A 14-game winning streak, only one other team has ever done that in a regular season, and that's the '72 Miami Dolphins.
No AFC team has ever been 15-1. And, of course, the town is, you know, ga-ga over their rookie quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. That...
COSTELLO: I'm telling you what, it is going to be all about Ben, because he seemed to make every right move in the regular season. But he's never been to a playoff game. And I guess the big question is: Will he make the right decisions in that game?
DULAC: Yes, that's what everybody wants to see. You know, everybody here is crazy about him. They've kind of renamed the town Roethlisberger. They have a sandwich named for him, a beef jerky, Big Ben's Beef Jerky. But, you know, 13-0 is a starter. Everybody wants to see how he does now in the playoffs. But...
COSTELLO: Hey, Gerry. Gerry, pause for a moment, because we found -- we actually dug up some songs that the Pittsburgh fans put together themselves. And we'd like to pay a few jingles for our viewers this morning.
DULAC: Go right ahead. I've heard them all.
COSTELLO: Here they are.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Baby, and we're about to turn it up. We're about to turn it up. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) about the Steelers play. Collecting those (UNINTELLIGIBLE) they're back in the (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Things have changed. Chuck is gone. But that's still (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (singing): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and Plexico (ph), that's the few names that you ought to know. Joe, we see on the... (END AUDIO CLIP)
COSTELLO: That is so charming, Gerry. I can't believe it!
DULAC: Hey, Carol, my 3-year-old daughter was in preschool yesterday, and they were teaching her Steelers's songs.
COSTELLO: And I bet she's singing them, too, isn't she?
DULAC: Yes, she sang it to me last night.
COSTELLO: Oh, my goodness. You know, it's going to be really, really cold on Saturday. In fact, it's going to be, what, 25 degrees, according to Chad Myers? This is what defensive end Aaron Smith said. He says he's ready for the cold. But you notice it every time you hit somebody. You get a tingling numbness.
How will this affect things, do you think?
DULAC: Well, I'll tell you who it might affect are the New York Jets from that standpoint. You know, the last game they played here in December, Carol, it was chilly. And by the end of the game the Jets defensive backs were acting like a matador with Jerome Bettis' 255 pounds. Nobody wants to get hit by a 255-pound guy in the fourth quarter when it's 7 or 10 degrees.
So, I think that's where you might see it start to affect somebody. Jerome Bettis always jokes about that. He gets a big smile on his face when you ask him about players being afraid to hit him in the fourth quarter, especially when it gets cold. Don't be surprised if you see the same thing Saturday.
COSTELLO: Oh, I can't wait to watch the game. Gerry Dulac, sports writer for the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette," joining us live on DAYBREAK this morning. Thank you.
You are watching DAYBREAK for a Friday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Chad, it's time to take a look at the morning headlines. An interesting story in "The Wall Street Journal" this morning involves the inauguration, because, you know, it's fast coming up.
MYERS: Yes, it is.
COSTELLO: And fashion has become very important. In fact, designers started lobbying, you know, the first lady and the first daughters, like, last summer to wear their fashions during the inauguration.
MYERS: But I think that something about tsunami relief should be in there. They will pay her to put their dresses on, and then she'll donate that money to the tsunami relief, how is that?
COSTELLO: That sounds a lot better. But I don't know if that's going to happen.
MYERS: Probably not.
COSTELLO: But, you know...
MYERS: She'd have to change every 30 minutes.
COSTELLO: The Bushes have already donated. But just an interesting aside, Rebecca Taylor, who is a big designer here in New York, actually opened up her store special on Tuesday so the Bush twins could shop there. And they spent a lot of money on clothing, which they will be wearing during the inauguration. And Rebecca Taylor is making a lot of that.
That does it for DAYBREAK this morning. We're out of time. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. Have a great weekend.
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