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American Morning
Mideast Announcement; 'Minding Your Business'; 'New You Revolution'
Aired February 08, 2005 - 07:30 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: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Bill Hemmer's got the day off. But Rob Marciano has been kind enough to fill in.
Thank you very much.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm enjoying myself. Thanks for having me.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. We appreciate that.
We are expecting, of course, the main participants in today's Mideast summit to come to the microphones in just a few minutes, a potentially historic announcement ahead, meant to bring an end to four years of attacks by Palestinian militants. We're going to have that for you live.
MARCIANO: Also a little later, Sanjay Gupta is back with his "New You Revolution." The participants are about halfway through the eight-week program. We'll look at who's on track to reach their goals and whether anyone on the "New You" team is lagging a little behind.
O'BRIEN: Wow! Four weeks. They're halfway through already. That's kind of gone by fast.
MARCIANO: A tough program.
O'BRIEN: Well, any minute now we are expecting, as we mentioned, to hear from Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon about plans for peace in the Mideast. The two are in Egypt this morning at a summit hosted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and also Jordan's King Abdullah. We're going to have that for you. As soon as it happens, we'll bring it to you live.
Also, we will be speaking with Mideast peace expert Fawaz Gerges about what it all means, and also the likelihood that a plan like this will ever work -- Rob.
MARCIANO: It's time for another check on the headlines. My good friend, Heidi Collins, is across the desk.
Hi -- Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: So far away. It's nice to see. It's nice to see you, too, Soledad. Good morning to you, everybody.
"Now in the News" this morning.
Condoleezza Rice is close to the end of her first overseas trip as secretary of state. Secretary Rice meeting with the top Vatican official this morning. These are new pictures, in fact, from that meeting. Rice was expected to hold talks with the pope, but that was canceled because the pontiff is still recovering from the flu, as you know. Secretary Rice next heads to Paris for a major policy address there, and CNN will have live coverage of that for you coming up at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Iran's top national security official is warning the U.S. against planning a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The official said a U.S. attack would only push the country's nuclear activities underground. He added Iran is trying to resolve its problems with the U.S. diplomatically. We'll have more on U.S. officials' response to Iran with CNN military analyst General David Grange in the next hour.
Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean is now standing alone as the likely new face of the Democratic Party. Dean appears to have pretty much locked up the chairmanship of the DNC. His only remaining rival, former Indiana Representative Tim Roamer, bowed out of the race yesterday. The DNC is set to hold elections on Saturday.
And Boston is preparing for a big bash to celebrate another Super Bowl win. The parade is set to start less than about four hours from now. The New England Patriots were greeted by about 2,000 cheering fans yesterday at Gillette Stadium. Players will be welcomed back today in a rolling rally through the city streets. They'll be wheeled around on a dozen World War II-era duck boats. Interesting. A rolling rally.
Soledad -- back over to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, Heidi, thanks.
Let's take you now to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. We are expecting any moment now for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, to announce plans for a cease-fire, which potentially could end years of bloodshed in the region. The two leaders are meeting at this summit. It's being hosted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and also Jordan's King Abdullah.
You're looking there at some live pictures of the site. We will bring these comments to you live when they actually happen. We're really expecting them in the next few minutes.
Fawaz Gerges is a professor of international affairs and Middle Eastern studies at Sarah Lawrence College. He's joining us this morning to us talk about this and some other things as well.
Two things struck me coming out of this. First of all, the cease-fire is being announced but not formally signed, which is different.
FAWAZ GERGES, MIDEAST PEACE EXPERT: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: And also, from what we're told, they're going to announce them separately. I'm not sure exactly what that means. Why are these significant to you?
GERGES: Well, Soledad, this is a de facto cease-fire, not a joint declaration with a signed document.
O'BRIEN: What's the difference?
GERGES: And what this tells you is that there are some major differences. Major differences exist between the two sides, not just on the security issues, but also on the political track. I like to believe -- and I'm sorry to say -- there's a long distance to travel to reach the safe harbor of peace. So although it's wonderful that both sides...
O'BRIEN: So it sounds like you're less optimistic than many people are about this.
GERGES: Well, it's very symbolic. It's a wonderful beginning. It's a humble step in the long and dangerous and risky journey. But there are some major differences between the two sides.
There's a huge gap between the two sides, not just on the security issue, but also on the question of the political track. Where do you start? How do you begin?
I mean, if the two sides cannot agree on signing a document on the cease-fire, how is it going to tackle the thorny and complex issues of the nature of the peace process? The borders of the Palestinian states? East Jerusalem? The settlements? The right of refugees? This is, Soledad, a humble step, a beginning of a journey.
O'BRIEN: As we watch the site here at Sharm el-Sheikh, we'll continue our conversation. And, of course, we'll break for a moment when they actually start making that announcement.
You may not be completely optimistic.
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: But there are others who say it could be the start of...
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: ... maybe, in hindsight, end up being a pivotal moment if it turns out to be that.
GERGES: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Condoleezza Rice, before she left the Middle East, she said, this is the most promising moment between the Palestinians and the Israelis in years. Do you think she's overstating it? Do you think she's accurate? GERGES: No, I don't think she's overstating it at all. And you are absolutely correct. I think the importance of the summit itself is highly symbolic. And steps taken ahead in the next few weeks will likely change the dynamics of relations between Palestinians and Israelis.
And I think, as you know, Soledad, in the last four years, the drums of war calls for peace, politics and diplomacy. And what we're saying today is let's hope that in the next few weeks and the next few months ahead both sides will move forward from the so-called confidence-building measures, like today, from positive gestures to tackling the real issues of peace.
So, yes, absolutely, it's a wonderful step. It's symbolic. It's the beginning of a new journey between Palestinians and Israelis.
O'BRIEN: Are you surprised, with all of that being said, that Condoleezza Rice didn't stay for the summit?
GERGES: I think this is a very important point, Soledad. I mean, even though Secretary Rice stressed that America will play an active role in the next few weeks ahead, I think she tried to lower expectations and to say, listen, it's the responsibility of regional players to take action and initiative.
And I think I would argue, at this particular stage, the Bush administration is mainly concerned about confidence-building measures and security, not plunging ahead into a shuttle high diplomacy. It does not want to put the, you might way, the weight and the prestige of the presidency and the secretary of state behind these initial steps; that is, confidence-building measures.
O'BRIEN: Forcing the two sides to sort of take baby steps before you bring in...
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: ... all of the pressure that the White House and all of the publicity, frankly, that...
GERGES: But there's a problem here, because if history serves as a guide for our students in the Middle East that the active intervention of the presidency and the United States is crucial in convincing both sides to make really major, you might say, concessions on the peace process. So, even though it's a wonderful thing that the Bush administration is finally becoming more actively engaged in the peace process, let's hope it maintains its engagement. Let's hope it exerts pressure on both sides to move the peace process forward.
O'BRIEN: We'll just tell folks what they're looking at here. In the big picture is Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, where, of course, we are waiting for an announcement about a cease-fire. It's an important meeting, potentially, in the history of Mideast peace, as Fawaz Gerges, who is our guest this morning, was telling us. And we should mention that this, of course, is a meeting that is now under way, this announcement. And that's Hosni Mubarak, who is making the opening remarks. He is one of the hosts of this historic summit, along with Jordan's King Abdullah.
So, are you saying that the Bush administration, in your mind, while they've said they support it by stepping back, are making a mistake? Historically speaking, the U.S. needs to be more involved?
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: Or do you think that there is, to some degree, at some point both sides have to come together on their own?
GERGES: And they are coming. I mean, as you know, in the last few weeks, both sides, since the election of President Abbas, both sides have become more actively engaged in peace-making. But in the end, Soledad, without active American engagement, there will be no major progress on Palestinian/Israeli peace-making.
O'BRIEN: Let's go back to Hosni Mubarak. He is now making -- continuing his comments from this resort of Sharm el-Sheikh about the potential cease-fire prospects. Let's listen to what he has to say.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
HOSNI MUBARAK, EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is the first time for more than -- for about four years in which the Palestinian and Israeli leaderships meet and conduct, with an open mind and with well intentions, deep negotiations and free and serious negotiations. And therefore, their meeting today is considered, by itself, as an important, a very important step and a positive movement that has been long awaited for.
We have met today in order to work together with our persistence and our seriousness to fold away a page of difficult years in which many innocent people were killed and in which bloodshed was on all parties and destruction prevailed, and in which people lost confidence and hope. We have met today in order to stop this whirlpool and to bring things to where they should be and to move, again, the wheel of peace and put it on the right track, in order to achieve the responsibility that we were burdened with by the people, in order to achieve prosperity and security and stability.
The two peoples, the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples all alike, deserve the life they dream of, a stable life and secure life, in which the present and future generations enjoy permanent peace that is based on the right -- on the strength of right and international legitimacy and is supported by good neighborhood relations and the large possibilities of joint cooperation.
The way to achieve all of these goals in the Middle East is well- known and clear. It is the way of comprehensive and durable peace that is based on the implementation of the resolutions of the international legitimacy and the principles that we all agreed upon in Madrid, including land for peace principle. The effective forces in the international community embodied, the quartet, in drawing a road map that puts earmarks, clear earmarks, too, so that this peace process will go to achieve the aspired goal based on the establishment of two independent states that live alongside each other in peace and security. This is according to the vision that was declared by President George Bush, the president of the United States of America.
We have taken today the first step towards the continuation of this process on this track. We have seen today a positive spirit, a new one, in both parties, the Israeli and Palestinian parties. We have seen their determination and willingness, serious willingness, to work together seriously and sincerely to implement their mutual obligations and to take the required steps and measures in order to construct confidence and to revive hope and to restore the natural and normal life fully.
O'BRIEN: You are listening to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He's reading from a statement, where he is saying that this is the first time in four years that he is feeling particularly hopeful about a meeting between the Israelis and the Palestinians, a very important step, he called it. A positive movement.
He is one of the hosts of this summit in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, along with Jordan's King Abdullah, where they are going to announce a cease-fire between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Of course, many issues to be resolved. It's not a cease-fire that's been signed. It's being announced, and that in and of itself is significant.
We're going to have more on this as we continue this morning. A short break ahead, though. Let's bring it back to Rob -- Rob.
MARCIANO: It's the latest in luxury driving, leather-free seats. Well, Andy explains in "Minding Your Business."
And week four of the "New You Revolution." We find out how bad habits weren't the only reason for grandmother Sandra Garth's weight gain. Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Well, your Mercedes may purr like a kitten, but rest assured it can be animal-free, too.
O'BRIEN: Do you like that?
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I didn't know you could do that.
MARCIANO: This is a special occasion.
O'BRIEN: Eartha Kitt (ph) taught me everything...
MARCIANO: Eartha Kitt (ph) is right. Soledad is feeling better this morning. O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm over the cold.
MARCIANO: And so are we as a result. So, Andy, I mean, usually leather seats define luxury. What's...
SERWER: Well, it's a new option for Mercedes buyers. We'll talk about that in a second, Rob.
Let's check in on what happened yesterday on Wall Street. The action kind of a pause that refreshes, we hope. Barely budged on the Dow. Look at that. That's absolutely nothing. We might as well stay at home.
Traders spent most of the day yesterday trying to catch up on Bernie Ebbers' trial. We'll be talking about that later in the program. Some really interesting stuff there.
The price of oil fell a little bit yesterday. That's because of the warm weather in the Northeast. I mean, just day by day with that.
Now, let's talk about this Mercedes-Benz story. This is a big victory for PETA. PETA has been lobbying the luxury carmaker to offer sedans without leather seats. And now, Mercedes has capitulated.
O'BRIEN: They didn't have that before?
SERWER: It's an option. No, they were all leather. And now it's an option to have non-leather seats.
Interestingly, last year, actually in 2003, they started to offer non-leather seats in India for customers there for obvious reasons. And now, they're going to be offering them worldwide. Already, a couple celebrities, such as, I think it was Paul McCartney and Kate Pierson (ph) from the B52s, if she counts as a celebrity...
O'BRIEN: Sure she does.
SERWER: I think she does.
O'BRIEN: Ouch!
SERWER: Yes. Well, I mean, I love the B52s. Maybe there are some rock lobsters in there...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: And your daughters love them, too.
SERWER: Yes they do. A very good call. So that's interesting stuff there. They're calling it "ride without the hide."
MARCIANO: So it's just your standard cloth?
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Really? Is that what they're calling it? SERWER: That's what they're calling it, "ride without the hide."
MARCIANO: Give me another purr just to get us out of here. Oh, yes!
SERWER: We've got to do more animal stories.
O'BRIEN: After this, I start charging. All right, Andy, thanks.
SERWER: OK.
O'BRIEN: Guess what's coming up? Week four of the "New You Revolution." Grandma Sandra Garth, remember her? She's working out to lose weight, but exercise also solved one of her other problem as well. We'll explain up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: It is week four of our "New You Revolution." We're helping five people break their bad habits and start new healthy ones.
MARCIANO: Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN center to tell us how things are going with our participants. Now, they have reached the halfway point. Sanjay, what's going on? How are they doing?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Rob and Soledad.
It's been about a month now, and most Americans, I'll point out, have already given up their resolutions. But our "New You Revolution" bunch is doing well, especially our grandmother, Sandra Garth.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were at 200, and this time we are at 193. So that is awesome!
SANDRA GARTH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: Seven pounds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are you are at 33.6, and last time you were at 37.4.
GUPTA (voice over): Sandra has been eating less.
GARTH: I can think back now to what I used to eat, and I was eating a ton of food.
GUPTA: And better. Instead of cheese eggs, French toast and bacon, her breakfast now looks like this: egg whites, whole wheat toast with one carefully measured tablespoon of peanut butter, and a banana. But is she hungry?
GARTH: Not at all.
GUPTA: Two weeks into the "New You Revolution," Sandra told us that it wasn't just her bad habits that contributed to her initial weight gain. She also suffers from depression. GARTH: I was diagnosed with it in 2002.
GUPTA: She went to see a psychiatrist.
GARTH: And immediately, he started writing out the prescriptions. And he told me one of the side effects is that you're going to gain weight.
GUPTA: Dissatisfied with the drugs, she stopped taking them. But since she's been exercising more, she has been feeling better. Studies have shown that for some people, moderately intense workouts can be as effective as antidepressants. And Sandra has been exercising a lot.
Sandra's success has even led to a wardrobe malfunction, of sorts.
GARTH: This is cool. And that's just been since two weeks. The swimming suit is a little big here, so another excuse to shop. I love it!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That's the kind of wardrobe malfunction you want, right? You lose a couple of pounds?
GUPTA: After the Super Bowl.
O'BRIEN: Exactly, exactly. Hey, Sanjay, she made a big point about being depressed. It seemed like it was pretty hard for her to talk about. Why was that important to her?
GUPTA: Well, she feels not enough people do talk about depression, and the depression can lead to problems with weight either because of the disease itself or the medications. An important point. It was hard for her to talk about it, but she definitely wants to get the message out there, Soledad.
MARCIANO: Well, she's not the only one, Sanjay, in this program. How are the other participants doing?
GUPTA: Well, they're making a lot of progress, Rob, with the help of some experts. Here's our weekly checkup.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA (voice over): Harald is definitely getting more exercise and eating healthier. But as far as sleep, he's not there yet. Remarkably, less sleep actually causes weight gain. So to figure it out, his doctor recommended a sleep test.
HARALD FRICKER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: So, according to Dr. Warner, I failed that miserably.
GUPTA: He's been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, which can contribute to heart disease. Weight loss is the simplest way to reduce apnea. So, Harald has yet another incentive to keep the weight coming off. In the meantime, he's going to wear this mask to help him breathe better and sleep longer.
SARA COWLAN, NUTRITIONIST: Don't skip meals.
GUPTA: Nutritionist Sara Cowlan barged in on Thekla's busy workday to remind her why she has to break that bad habit.
COWLAN: No matter what your intentions are as far as, you know, not wanting to each too much, your body needs the food. And before you might know that you're pregnant, it's important to have enough folic acid in your diet.
GUPTA: And just to be sure, taking a daily prenatal vitamin every day is essential to getting all of the nutrients she needs. But Thekla can check this item off of her pre-pregnancy list.
THEKLA FISCHER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I made an appointment with my dentist and got a checkup, which I'm very proud of, because I hadn't done it in a long time. And that was one of the things that they told me was very important for prenatal.
LEIGH ANN RAYNOR, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I haven't had any fast food since the program began.
GUPTA: That's because Leigh Ann is learning about healthy food with the help of her registered dietitian.
RAYNOR: Okie-doke.
GUPTA: Leigh Ann may like to kid around a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, put it back. Put it back.
GUPTA: But she really is serious about eating healthier meals.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can have bread. It's all about portion control.
GUPTA: Her cooking skills may be another story.
RAYNOR: When the smoke alarm goes off, it's probably done.
GUPTA: We'll tell you how that's going next week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And next week, we'll also focus on Jonathan Karp.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN KARP, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: You've got to try anything you know. You've got to think outside the box sometimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA: He is seeking some alternative therapies, if you will, to help him break his habit once and for all.
All of our participants seem to be forming some new healthy habits. And you too can benefit from some of what they've learned with these take-home tips.
Whole wheat bread is healthier and will fill you up longer than white bread. But to be sure you're getting real whole wheat bread, check the ingredients. Make sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat flour, not enriched wheat flour. An important point.
Also, eating healthier means eating more fruits and veggies. But that can put a dent in your wallet. You can save money if you buy fruit in season or buy frozen or canned fruit and vegetables. They're almost as nutritious as long as they don't contain the added sugar or salt.
And, of course, you can follow all of our participants and e-mail them as well, e-mail them directly by logging on to CNN.com/am. Good stuff. I think they're doing pretty well, Soledad and Rob.
O'BRIEN: They're doing great.
GUPTA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Congratulations to Sandra. She looks terrific.
GUPTA: She really does, losing weight.
O'BRIEN: Wow! I look forward to seeing her in person when she comes back to the studio. She was really nice to meet.
GUPTA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Thank you.
MARCIANO: Sanjay, I wonder if -- you know, does working at CNN disqualify us from that program? Because I'd like to get into it. It looks like Sanjay takes care of you.
O'BRIEN: I beg every year, Rob. No one wants to take me.
MARCIANO: It doesn't work, huh?
O'BRIEN: No.
MARCIANO: All right.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Sanjay.
In just a moment, today's top stories, including a big announcement in the quest for Middle East peace. We're going to take you live to Egypt just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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Aired February 8, 2005 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Bill Hemmer's got the day off. But Rob Marciano has been kind enough to fill in.
Thank you very much.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm enjoying myself. Thanks for having me.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. We appreciate that.
We are expecting, of course, the main participants in today's Mideast summit to come to the microphones in just a few minutes, a potentially historic announcement ahead, meant to bring an end to four years of attacks by Palestinian militants. We're going to have that for you live.
MARCIANO: Also a little later, Sanjay Gupta is back with his "New You Revolution." The participants are about halfway through the eight-week program. We'll look at who's on track to reach their goals and whether anyone on the "New You" team is lagging a little behind.
O'BRIEN: Wow! Four weeks. They're halfway through already. That's kind of gone by fast.
MARCIANO: A tough program.
O'BRIEN: Well, any minute now we are expecting, as we mentioned, to hear from Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon about plans for peace in the Mideast. The two are in Egypt this morning at a summit hosted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and also Jordan's King Abdullah. We're going to have that for you. As soon as it happens, we'll bring it to you live.
Also, we will be speaking with Mideast peace expert Fawaz Gerges about what it all means, and also the likelihood that a plan like this will ever work -- Rob.
MARCIANO: It's time for another check on the headlines. My good friend, Heidi Collins, is across the desk.
Hi -- Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: So far away. It's nice to see. It's nice to see you, too, Soledad. Good morning to you, everybody.
"Now in the News" this morning.
Condoleezza Rice is close to the end of her first overseas trip as secretary of state. Secretary Rice meeting with the top Vatican official this morning. These are new pictures, in fact, from that meeting. Rice was expected to hold talks with the pope, but that was canceled because the pontiff is still recovering from the flu, as you know. Secretary Rice next heads to Paris for a major policy address there, and CNN will have live coverage of that for you coming up at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Iran's top national security official is warning the U.S. against planning a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The official said a U.S. attack would only push the country's nuclear activities underground. He added Iran is trying to resolve its problems with the U.S. diplomatically. We'll have more on U.S. officials' response to Iran with CNN military analyst General David Grange in the next hour.
Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean is now standing alone as the likely new face of the Democratic Party. Dean appears to have pretty much locked up the chairmanship of the DNC. His only remaining rival, former Indiana Representative Tim Roamer, bowed out of the race yesterday. The DNC is set to hold elections on Saturday.
And Boston is preparing for a big bash to celebrate another Super Bowl win. The parade is set to start less than about four hours from now. The New England Patriots were greeted by about 2,000 cheering fans yesterday at Gillette Stadium. Players will be welcomed back today in a rolling rally through the city streets. They'll be wheeled around on a dozen World War II-era duck boats. Interesting. A rolling rally.
Soledad -- back over to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, Heidi, thanks.
Let's take you now to Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt. We are expecting any moment now for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, to announce plans for a cease-fire, which potentially could end years of bloodshed in the region. The two leaders are meeting at this summit. It's being hosted by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and also Jordan's King Abdullah.
You're looking there at some live pictures of the site. We will bring these comments to you live when they actually happen. We're really expecting them in the next few minutes.
Fawaz Gerges is a professor of international affairs and Middle Eastern studies at Sarah Lawrence College. He's joining us this morning to us talk about this and some other things as well.
Two things struck me coming out of this. First of all, the cease-fire is being announced but not formally signed, which is different.
FAWAZ GERGES, MIDEAST PEACE EXPERT: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: And also, from what we're told, they're going to announce them separately. I'm not sure exactly what that means. Why are these significant to you?
GERGES: Well, Soledad, this is a de facto cease-fire, not a joint declaration with a signed document.
O'BRIEN: What's the difference?
GERGES: And what this tells you is that there are some major differences. Major differences exist between the two sides, not just on the security issues, but also on the political track. I like to believe -- and I'm sorry to say -- there's a long distance to travel to reach the safe harbor of peace. So although it's wonderful that both sides...
O'BRIEN: So it sounds like you're less optimistic than many people are about this.
GERGES: Well, it's very symbolic. It's a wonderful beginning. It's a humble step in the long and dangerous and risky journey. But there are some major differences between the two sides.
There's a huge gap between the two sides, not just on the security issue, but also on the question of the political track. Where do you start? How do you begin?
I mean, if the two sides cannot agree on signing a document on the cease-fire, how is it going to tackle the thorny and complex issues of the nature of the peace process? The borders of the Palestinian states? East Jerusalem? The settlements? The right of refugees? This is, Soledad, a humble step, a beginning of a journey.
O'BRIEN: As we watch the site here at Sharm el-Sheikh, we'll continue our conversation. And, of course, we'll break for a moment when they actually start making that announcement.
You may not be completely optimistic.
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: But there are others who say it could be the start of...
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: ... maybe, in hindsight, end up being a pivotal moment if it turns out to be that.
GERGES: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Condoleezza Rice, before she left the Middle East, she said, this is the most promising moment between the Palestinians and the Israelis in years. Do you think she's overstating it? Do you think she's accurate? GERGES: No, I don't think she's overstating it at all. And you are absolutely correct. I think the importance of the summit itself is highly symbolic. And steps taken ahead in the next few weeks will likely change the dynamics of relations between Palestinians and Israelis.
And I think, as you know, Soledad, in the last four years, the drums of war calls for peace, politics and diplomacy. And what we're saying today is let's hope that in the next few weeks and the next few months ahead both sides will move forward from the so-called confidence-building measures, like today, from positive gestures to tackling the real issues of peace.
So, yes, absolutely, it's a wonderful step. It's symbolic. It's the beginning of a new journey between Palestinians and Israelis.
O'BRIEN: Are you surprised, with all of that being said, that Condoleezza Rice didn't stay for the summit?
GERGES: I think this is a very important point, Soledad. I mean, even though Secretary Rice stressed that America will play an active role in the next few weeks ahead, I think she tried to lower expectations and to say, listen, it's the responsibility of regional players to take action and initiative.
And I think I would argue, at this particular stage, the Bush administration is mainly concerned about confidence-building measures and security, not plunging ahead into a shuttle high diplomacy. It does not want to put the, you might way, the weight and the prestige of the presidency and the secretary of state behind these initial steps; that is, confidence-building measures.
O'BRIEN: Forcing the two sides to sort of take baby steps before you bring in...
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: ... all of the pressure that the White House and all of the publicity, frankly, that...
GERGES: But there's a problem here, because if history serves as a guide for our students in the Middle East that the active intervention of the presidency and the United States is crucial in convincing both sides to make really major, you might say, concessions on the peace process. So, even though it's a wonderful thing that the Bush administration is finally becoming more actively engaged in the peace process, let's hope it maintains its engagement. Let's hope it exerts pressure on both sides to move the peace process forward.
O'BRIEN: We'll just tell folks what they're looking at here. In the big picture is Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, where, of course, we are waiting for an announcement about a cease-fire. It's an important meeting, potentially, in the history of Mideast peace, as Fawaz Gerges, who is our guest this morning, was telling us. And we should mention that this, of course, is a meeting that is now under way, this announcement. And that's Hosni Mubarak, who is making the opening remarks. He is one of the hosts of this historic summit, along with Jordan's King Abdullah.
So, are you saying that the Bush administration, in your mind, while they've said they support it by stepping back, are making a mistake? Historically speaking, the U.S. needs to be more involved?
GERGES: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: Or do you think that there is, to some degree, at some point both sides have to come together on their own?
GERGES: And they are coming. I mean, as you know, in the last few weeks, both sides, since the election of President Abbas, both sides have become more actively engaged in peace-making. But in the end, Soledad, without active American engagement, there will be no major progress on Palestinian/Israeli peace-making.
O'BRIEN: Let's go back to Hosni Mubarak. He is now making -- continuing his comments from this resort of Sharm el-Sheikh about the potential cease-fire prospects. Let's listen to what he has to say.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
HOSNI MUBARAK, EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): This is the first time for more than -- for about four years in which the Palestinian and Israeli leaderships meet and conduct, with an open mind and with well intentions, deep negotiations and free and serious negotiations. And therefore, their meeting today is considered, by itself, as an important, a very important step and a positive movement that has been long awaited for.
We have met today in order to work together with our persistence and our seriousness to fold away a page of difficult years in which many innocent people were killed and in which bloodshed was on all parties and destruction prevailed, and in which people lost confidence and hope. We have met today in order to stop this whirlpool and to bring things to where they should be and to move, again, the wheel of peace and put it on the right track, in order to achieve the responsibility that we were burdened with by the people, in order to achieve prosperity and security and stability.
The two peoples, the Palestinian and the Israeli peoples all alike, deserve the life they dream of, a stable life and secure life, in which the present and future generations enjoy permanent peace that is based on the right -- on the strength of right and international legitimacy and is supported by good neighborhood relations and the large possibilities of joint cooperation.
The way to achieve all of these goals in the Middle East is well- known and clear. It is the way of comprehensive and durable peace that is based on the implementation of the resolutions of the international legitimacy and the principles that we all agreed upon in Madrid, including land for peace principle. The effective forces in the international community embodied, the quartet, in drawing a road map that puts earmarks, clear earmarks, too, so that this peace process will go to achieve the aspired goal based on the establishment of two independent states that live alongside each other in peace and security. This is according to the vision that was declared by President George Bush, the president of the United States of America.
We have taken today the first step towards the continuation of this process on this track. We have seen today a positive spirit, a new one, in both parties, the Israeli and Palestinian parties. We have seen their determination and willingness, serious willingness, to work together seriously and sincerely to implement their mutual obligations and to take the required steps and measures in order to construct confidence and to revive hope and to restore the natural and normal life fully.
O'BRIEN: You are listening to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He's reading from a statement, where he is saying that this is the first time in four years that he is feeling particularly hopeful about a meeting between the Israelis and the Palestinians, a very important step, he called it. A positive movement.
He is one of the hosts of this summit in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, along with Jordan's King Abdullah, where they are going to announce a cease-fire between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Of course, many issues to be resolved. It's not a cease-fire that's been signed. It's being announced, and that in and of itself is significant.
We're going to have more on this as we continue this morning. A short break ahead, though. Let's bring it back to Rob -- Rob.
MARCIANO: It's the latest in luxury driving, leather-free seats. Well, Andy explains in "Minding Your Business."
And week four of the "New You Revolution." We find out how bad habits weren't the only reason for grandmother Sandra Garth's weight gain. Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Well, your Mercedes may purr like a kitten, but rest assured it can be animal-free, too.
O'BRIEN: Do you like that?
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I didn't know you could do that.
MARCIANO: This is a special occasion.
O'BRIEN: Eartha Kitt (ph) taught me everything...
MARCIANO: Eartha Kitt (ph) is right. Soledad is feeling better this morning. O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm over the cold.
MARCIANO: And so are we as a result. So, Andy, I mean, usually leather seats define luxury. What's...
SERWER: Well, it's a new option for Mercedes buyers. We'll talk about that in a second, Rob.
Let's check in on what happened yesterday on Wall Street. The action kind of a pause that refreshes, we hope. Barely budged on the Dow. Look at that. That's absolutely nothing. We might as well stay at home.
Traders spent most of the day yesterday trying to catch up on Bernie Ebbers' trial. We'll be talking about that later in the program. Some really interesting stuff there.
The price of oil fell a little bit yesterday. That's because of the warm weather in the Northeast. I mean, just day by day with that.
Now, let's talk about this Mercedes-Benz story. This is a big victory for PETA. PETA has been lobbying the luxury carmaker to offer sedans without leather seats. And now, Mercedes has capitulated.
O'BRIEN: They didn't have that before?
SERWER: It's an option. No, they were all leather. And now it's an option to have non-leather seats.
Interestingly, last year, actually in 2003, they started to offer non-leather seats in India for customers there for obvious reasons. And now, they're going to be offering them worldwide. Already, a couple celebrities, such as, I think it was Paul McCartney and Kate Pierson (ph) from the B52s, if she counts as a celebrity...
O'BRIEN: Sure she does.
SERWER: I think she does.
O'BRIEN: Ouch!
SERWER: Yes. Well, I mean, I love the B52s. Maybe there are some rock lobsters in there...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: And your daughters love them, too.
SERWER: Yes they do. A very good call. So that's interesting stuff there. They're calling it "ride without the hide."
MARCIANO: So it's just your standard cloth?
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Really? Is that what they're calling it? SERWER: That's what they're calling it, "ride without the hide."
MARCIANO: Give me another purr just to get us out of here. Oh, yes!
SERWER: We've got to do more animal stories.
O'BRIEN: After this, I start charging. All right, Andy, thanks.
SERWER: OK.
O'BRIEN: Guess what's coming up? Week four of the "New You Revolution." Grandma Sandra Garth, remember her? She's working out to lose weight, but exercise also solved one of her other problem as well. We'll explain up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: It is week four of our "New You Revolution." We're helping five people break their bad habits and start new healthy ones.
MARCIANO: Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN center to tell us how things are going with our participants. Now, they have reached the halfway point. Sanjay, what's going on? How are they doing?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Rob and Soledad.
It's been about a month now, and most Americans, I'll point out, have already given up their resolutions. But our "New You Revolution" bunch is doing well, especially our grandmother, Sandra Garth.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were at 200, and this time we are at 193. So that is awesome!
SANDRA GARTH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: Seven pounds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are you are at 33.6, and last time you were at 37.4.
GUPTA (voice over): Sandra has been eating less.
GARTH: I can think back now to what I used to eat, and I was eating a ton of food.
GUPTA: And better. Instead of cheese eggs, French toast and bacon, her breakfast now looks like this: egg whites, whole wheat toast with one carefully measured tablespoon of peanut butter, and a banana. But is she hungry?
GARTH: Not at all.
GUPTA: Two weeks into the "New You Revolution," Sandra told us that it wasn't just her bad habits that contributed to her initial weight gain. She also suffers from depression. GARTH: I was diagnosed with it in 2002.
GUPTA: She went to see a psychiatrist.
GARTH: And immediately, he started writing out the prescriptions. And he told me one of the side effects is that you're going to gain weight.
GUPTA: Dissatisfied with the drugs, she stopped taking them. But since she's been exercising more, she has been feeling better. Studies have shown that for some people, moderately intense workouts can be as effective as antidepressants. And Sandra has been exercising a lot.
Sandra's success has even led to a wardrobe malfunction, of sorts.
GARTH: This is cool. And that's just been since two weeks. The swimming suit is a little big here, so another excuse to shop. I love it!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That's the kind of wardrobe malfunction you want, right? You lose a couple of pounds?
GUPTA: After the Super Bowl.
O'BRIEN: Exactly, exactly. Hey, Sanjay, she made a big point about being depressed. It seemed like it was pretty hard for her to talk about. Why was that important to her?
GUPTA: Well, she feels not enough people do talk about depression, and the depression can lead to problems with weight either because of the disease itself or the medications. An important point. It was hard for her to talk about it, but she definitely wants to get the message out there, Soledad.
MARCIANO: Well, she's not the only one, Sanjay, in this program. How are the other participants doing?
GUPTA: Well, they're making a lot of progress, Rob, with the help of some experts. Here's our weekly checkup.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA (voice over): Harald is definitely getting more exercise and eating healthier. But as far as sleep, he's not there yet. Remarkably, less sleep actually causes weight gain. So to figure it out, his doctor recommended a sleep test.
HARALD FRICKER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: So, according to Dr. Warner, I failed that miserably.
GUPTA: He's been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, which can contribute to heart disease. Weight loss is the simplest way to reduce apnea. So, Harald has yet another incentive to keep the weight coming off. In the meantime, he's going to wear this mask to help him breathe better and sleep longer.
SARA COWLAN, NUTRITIONIST: Don't skip meals.
GUPTA: Nutritionist Sara Cowlan barged in on Thekla's busy workday to remind her why she has to break that bad habit.
COWLAN: No matter what your intentions are as far as, you know, not wanting to each too much, your body needs the food. And before you might know that you're pregnant, it's important to have enough folic acid in your diet.
GUPTA: And just to be sure, taking a daily prenatal vitamin every day is essential to getting all of the nutrients she needs. But Thekla can check this item off of her pre-pregnancy list.
THEKLA FISCHER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I made an appointment with my dentist and got a checkup, which I'm very proud of, because I hadn't done it in a long time. And that was one of the things that they told me was very important for prenatal.
LEIGH ANN RAYNOR, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I haven't had any fast food since the program began.
GUPTA: That's because Leigh Ann is learning about healthy food with the help of her registered dietitian.
RAYNOR: Okie-doke.
GUPTA: Leigh Ann may like to kid around a lot.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, put it back. Put it back.
GUPTA: But she really is serious about eating healthier meals.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can have bread. It's all about portion control.
GUPTA: Her cooking skills may be another story.
RAYNOR: When the smoke alarm goes off, it's probably done.
GUPTA: We'll tell you how that's going next week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And next week, we'll also focus on Jonathan Karp.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONATHAN KARP, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: You've got to try anything you know. You've got to think outside the box sometimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA: He is seeking some alternative therapies, if you will, to help him break his habit once and for all.
All of our participants seem to be forming some new healthy habits. And you too can benefit from some of what they've learned with these take-home tips.
Whole wheat bread is healthier and will fill you up longer than white bread. But to be sure you're getting real whole wheat bread, check the ingredients. Make sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat flour, not enriched wheat flour. An important point.
Also, eating healthier means eating more fruits and veggies. But that can put a dent in your wallet. You can save money if you buy fruit in season or buy frozen or canned fruit and vegetables. They're almost as nutritious as long as they don't contain the added sugar or salt.
And, of course, you can follow all of our participants and e-mail them as well, e-mail them directly by logging on to CNN.com/am. Good stuff. I think they're doing pretty well, Soledad and Rob.
O'BRIEN: They're doing great.
GUPTA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Congratulations to Sandra. She looks terrific.
GUPTA: She really does, losing weight.
O'BRIEN: Wow! I look forward to seeing her in person when she comes back to the studio. She was really nice to meet.
GUPTA: Yes.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Sanjay.
GUPTA: Thank you.
MARCIANO: Sanjay, I wonder if -- you know, does working at CNN disqualify us from that program? Because I'd like to get into it. It looks like Sanjay takes care of you.
O'BRIEN: I beg every year, Rob. No one wants to take me.
MARCIANO: It doesn't work, huh?
O'BRIEN: No.
MARCIANO: All right.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Sanjay.
In just a moment, today's top stories, including a big announcement in the quest for Middle East peace. We're going to take you live to Egypt just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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