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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pope To Be Released Today; Religion, Rock; Royal Nuptials; Independence Air Westward Bound

Aired February 10, 2005 - 06:31   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: And good morning to you. Welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

North Korea admits it has nuclear weapons. It says it will bolster its nuclear arsenal and is pulling out of six-nation talks on nuclear disarmament. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says withdrawal from the talks will only deepen North Korea's isolation.

Britain's Prince Charles will marry Camilla Parker Bowles, his long-time companion. Charles and Camilla will marry on April 8 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I'm delighted for the prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles. It's very happy news, and when the cabinet heard it this morning, they sent congratulations and good wishes on behalf of the whole government. We all wish them every happiness for their future together. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: They'll get married on April 8.

Corporal Dustin Berg (ph) faces a hearing today to determine if he'll be court-martialed for his actions in Iraq. The Indiana National Guardsman was charged with murder for allegedly killing an Iraqi police officer and then shooting himself.

A California teenager suffered only minor injuries when she fell 40 feet down the side of a cliff while hiking. Rescuers were able to reach her. And, as you can see, they lifted her to safety.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: The Vatican has just confirmed that Pope John Paul II will be released today from the Gemelli hospital in Rome. The 84- year-old pope was rushed to the hospital in February 1, suffering breathing problems bought on by the flu.

Our Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, is live at the hospital right now.

Good morning.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

Yes, it is confirmed indeed. Pope John Paul II to return to the Apostolic Palace later today. We don't know exactly at what time. But the Vatican has just issued a statement saying -- quote -- "That the acute problem to the pope's larynx -- which was the reason why the pope was hospitalized here in a hurry 10 days ago -- "has healed." And the general condition of the pope continues to improve.

All diagnostic tests conducted over the last two days, including a CAT scan, have excluded any kind of other pathology. And therefore the doctors and the Vatican are confident that the pope has indeed healed, and therefore he can return to the Vatican.

We also understand from the chief Vatican spokesman that the pope's voice has returned to normal, and that once the pope goes back to his home, he will decide when to resume his normal activities.

Back to you -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci reporting live from Rome. Thank you.

In Los Angeles, the FBI has joined the investigation into the police shooting death of a black teenage boy. At a news conference, L.A. police officials went public with their investigation.

The 13-year-old was shot to death Sunday after backing a stolen vehicle into a police car. Police released details, including skid marks, vehicle damage and the number of shots fired.

Chief William Bratton says the department will release as much information as it can.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF WILLIAM BRATTON, LOS ANGELES POLICE: There is so much misinformation, some of it be deliberately spread, unfortunately, by those who would seek to take advantage of this for their own purpose to stir up the community. Who knows why people spread the stories they spread?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: FBI agents are to determine if any civil rights violations occurred.

Also, a central Florida manhunt is now over for a suspect in the shooting of three sheriff's deputies, one of them fatal. The deputies were responding to a domestic battery call at a house in the Ocala National Forest.

The deputies were fired on from inside of that house. Then the suspect escaped into the woods on a motorcycle. After a day-long search by dozens of officers, Jason Wheeler was shot and wounded not far from his home. His girlfriend's 911 call had warned police that Wheeler had an arsenal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULETTE MCKINNON, NEIGHBOR: She told them, yes, that he was heavily armed. She described the guns. She told him where -- or she told the officer where the guns were located in the house, what guns were in the trailer, what guns were in the house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The suspect is now in the hospital in critical condition. The two deputies were treated for leg wounds.

On to politics now. A reporter in question and his reputation as a member of the White House press corps under the microscope.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now with a look at that story.

Good morning.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.

Yes, it is, in fact, a controversy in the White House press corps. Democrats are questioning the credentials of this man. He's a reporter working under the alias of Jeff Gannon (ph). He worked for a Web site that was owned by a GOP activist -- or is owned by a GOP activist. Some Democrats, though, say he's a plant. Does he have the same right as any other reporter to cover the briefings? Of course, it is a really tough thing to get the White House press corps credential, Carol, obviously.

We're going to talk this morning to the former president of the White House Correspondents Association about this controversy -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Thank you, Soledad. We'll see you in about 20 minutes.

Hymns have always been a popular part of church services. But now religious songs are not just popular on Sunday. We'll look at music with a message at 40 minutes past the hour.

Also ahead, get your face on TV and get a date. We'll explain the latest way to hook up. That will come your way at 50 minutes past.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Yes, the winner is Jesus. The Grammys will be awarded on Sunday, and up for song of the year is a hip-hop hit about Jesus and getting reconnection with God. In fact, there's a new category this year, best gospel performance, and some of the artists who are nominated have familiar names like Ray Charles and Gladys Knight. It should come as no surprise Christian music is getting hipper all the time.

Joining us to talk about this, Terry Hemmings, president and CEO of Provident Music Group.

Good morning.

TERRY HEMMINGS, PRES., CEO, PROVIDENT MUSIC GROUP: Hi, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. There are so many popular Christian acts out there, Michael W. Smith to name one. But one former Christian act is doing it its own way, and that would be Kanye West. We just saw him. He's a rapper who mixes curse words and Jesus and God in his music. Is this the way to get more to listen to the message?

I don't really know Kanye West, so I don't know, you know, if he would consider himself a Christian or a Christian artist. But we do have a significant number of artists here in Nashville at the Christian record labels whose intent is to get the message out with their music.

COSTELLO: Well, I guess I'm coming at it from this way. Christian groups who make it to the mainstream and have big hits usually are more subtle in their message. This rapper, Kanye West, his song is "Jesus Walks."

Let me read you a sample of the lyrics: "The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now. And I don't think there is nothing I can do to right my wrongs. I want to talk to God, but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long."

You wouldn't think that a radio station would be eager, a mainstream radio station would be eager to put a song on that talks explicitly about God and Jesus, would you?

HEMMINGS: Well, you wouldn't. But I think when a song connects with people, they respond to it, and radio stations respond to their listeners. So, whether it's Kanye West or Mercy Me, which had a similar song last year with "I Can Only Imagine," when the listeners respond, the radio stations respond. And one of the things that we're charged with doing is getting those songs in front of the radios stations and programmers.

COSTELLO: So, is there a strategy that you use that you can talk specifically about?

HEMMINGS: Strategy to accomplish what?

COSTELLO: To go mainstream and also talk about God and Jesus in a way to get the message across, but that kids will listen to the music being played on the radio about that.

HEMMINGS: Well, our strategy does not specifically address on a day-to-day basis getting songs on the mainstream. There are hundreds of Christian radio stations, which is our primary format in the same way that country music artists are specifically played on country radio stations. And we have some stations in Dallas and Atlanta, as an example, that are a significant part of the radio market that are specifically the Christian radio format.

So, our strategy focuses our energies on getting our songs on those stations. And then as they grow and become popular on those stations, occasionally they cross over to other format such as AC and pop and rock. And that's where they achieve some mainstream exposure and success.

COSTELLO: Some rock groups like Evanescence started out as Christian bands, and then when they hit the mainstream and got a great, big hit, they kind of, like, said, oh, no, we're not a Christian rock group. Do you feel that some groups are using the Christian music scene to get into the mainstream?

HEMMINGS: Well, I think that it's possible to kind of ride the audience, so to speak. I can't speak to whether Evanescence did that intentionally. I know that they started playing in Christian camps, which numbers of bands do from time to time.

I think some groups are not as intentional about their Christian faith as it relates to their music in their presentation as others. And Evanescence did not want to be presented as, per say, a Christian rock band. I don't necessarily view that as reflective of, you know, kind of a discarding of their faith or anything along those lines. And I don't know them personally to address that. But...

COSTELLO: Oh, and their songs still sound quite spiritual. Terry Hemmings, president and CEO of Provident Music Group. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

HEMMINGS: Thank you, Carol. Have a nice day.

COSTELLO: You, too.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

North Korea talking tough and pulling out of six-nation nuclear talks. And for the first time, North Korea publicly claims it has manufactured nuclear weapons for its own defense.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami says his nation will not give up its nuclear program despite calls to do so from Europe and the United States. He spoke during ceremonies marking the 26th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution.

In money news, Wal-Mart is closing one of its Canadian stores after it couldn't come to a contract agreement with the workers' union. The store in Quebec is one of only two unionized Wal-Mart stores in Canada.

In culture, while a picture might be worth a thousand words, what's a painting of supermodel Kate Moss nude and pregnant worth? "Naked Portrait 2002" sold at auction for $7.3 million.

In sports, National Hockey Commissioner Gary Bettman has just about put the season on ice. Bettman suggests that if no deal with the players' union is reached by this weekend, the season will be canceled.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this hour.

And we just heard in the last hour that the pope will be leaving the hospital today. CNN's Bill Hemmer joins us for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.

Those new developments overnight regarding the health of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican does say now he will be released today, 10 days after he came down with that illness. Overshadowing all of this, Carol, for the first time, though, a Vatican official is raising the possibility of the pope's resignation. Is the pressure building for the pope to step down? We'll talk about that with our Vatican analyst. John Allen (ph) is live from Rome.

And also, we have the news about North Korea and also Prince Charles. So, a busy morning for us coming up at the top of the hour. We'll see you then, Carol, at 7:00 a.m.

COSTELLO: We have been busy ourselves with Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles getting married April 8.

HEMMER: Busy for you.

COSTELLO: In fact, Bill...

HEMMER: Yes?

COSTELLO: ... it's very intriguing. We're going to go live to London right now, because Richard Quest has made it to Buckingham Palace. He's standing there live to give us all -- well, give us more juicy details.

Good morning.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Carol.

Yes, indeed. Needless to say, we're on the outside of the palace walls, not on the inside. But we have got quite a few more details about the marriage of the prince of Wales to Camilla Parker Bowles.

April the 8th, as you rightly say. It will take place at Windsor Castle. And this is where it all starts to get interesting. Remember a couple of hours ago, Carol, I was saying the great unknown questions. We have some answers now.

Camilla, after the wedding, will be known as the duchess of Cornwall, her royal highness, the duchess of Cornwall. That's because Charles is the duke of Cornwall, as well as his other titles.

And then after Charles becomes king, she becomes the princess consort. Now, this is very interesting. It's clarified Camilla will not become queen Camilla of England. Instead, it will become King Charles and the princess consort.

It will be a civil ceremony, because, obviously, she's a divorced woman. They can't officially get married in the eyes of the church of England.

But, Carol, after that the service will -- there will be what they're describing as a service of prayer and dedication, and that will be presided over by the archbishop of Canterbury.

So, Carol, in conclusion, they're walking this very fine line between modern traditional, between the new and the old, between what's acceptable and what the establishment wants. We will have eventually King Charles and the princess consort.

COSTELLO: We were just wondering, Richard, where they might be registered in case we want to get them a gift. Just kidding.

QUEST: I will ask -- I'll tell you what. I will ask Clarence House, the prince's residence, where those well-wishers can send anything that they would like. So, tomorrow morning we can see what's on the list.

COSTELLO: That would be fantastic. Thank you, Richard.

DAYBREAK will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It is 6:52 Eastern. Here's what will be making news later today.

Prince Charles and his longtime lady friend, Camilla Parker Bowles, plan an April 8 wedding.

Later today, the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting gets under way in Washington. Former presidential candidate Howard Dean is expected to be named party chair this weekend.

And this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, homerun hitter Jason Giambi holds a news conference. It's not clear what he will be talking about, but this is the first time he'll face the media since testifying to a grand jury that he did indeed use steroids.

Washington, D.C. regional airline Independence Air is going national with the addition of five West Coast cities and some discounted fares. This could benefit you, the traveler, in smaller cities. USAToday.com's travel reporter Ben Mutzabaugh has more on this story from Washington.

Good morning.

BEN MUTZABAUGH, USATODAY.COM TRAVEL REPORTER: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: It's always fascinating at a time when many airlines are failing and these kind of small airlines are able to grow.

MUTZABAUGH: It is amazing. And while it's amazing, Independence Air also says that it's crucial for them as well, because they have a very extensive flight network on the East Coast. And they say they need to get people from these West Coast markets to connect in Washington, their hub, and then they can go anywhere from Burlington, Vermont, to New York City, to Atlanta, to Savannah, Georgia.

And the five new cities they've added are Savannah -- I'm sorry -- Seattle, San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. So, these are some pretty substantial West Coast markers that they've added.

COSTELLO: So, they don't start right away, right? They start, what, in April of May?

MUTZABAUGH: That's correct. The first flights start April 14 to San Diego. And then flights to the other four cities start on May 1. And this is in addition to previously-announced service by Independence to Las Vegas. That starts March 17. So, in addition, there is going to be six total, including the five new ones that they've just announced.

COSTELLO: Wow! Tell us about the fares, because I see some to -- actually it's to my left as I look at the screen. But tell us about the fares. They seem low.

MUTZABAUGH: They are pretty low. They're capped at $299 each way, which seems pretty high. But that's the price you'll pay if you go to the airport, say, at 9:00 this morning and say put me on a 12:00 flight to wherever you're flying, and that will be their maximum fare. And that's similar to what a lot of the other discount airlines have done.

Now, of course, they have introductory fares that start at $84 to $114 each way. And I believe you have to buy them by February 18. And those are some very good deals, especially if you're outside of one of the major cities.

COSTELLO: How are the major airlines, are they taking notice of this?

MUTZABAUGH: They are. United has already responded by offering fares of -- you guessed it -- $84 to $114, the same fares that are Independence's introductory fares on routes where they compete with Independence to the West Coast cities. COSTELLO: Ben Mutzabaugh, thanks for the tip. We'll be calling. Thank you.

This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Well, I bet somebody is having fun in Philadelphia this morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, the Delaware River, 45 degrees there right now with light rain coming down in Philadelphia. That could slow down the airport just a touch, Carol.

COSTELLO: Did you hear about this big art display that's going up in Central Park on Saturday?

MYERS: No, I didn't.

COSTELLO: It's called "The Gates." The artist, Cristo (ph), has designed it, and it's going to be pretty spectacular.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Seventy-five hundred gates, which are really, like, look to me like big square curtain rods. And these big orange -- this big orange fabric will be released from all of them, and they'll be billowing in the wind. I wish we could take a picture of it. Then you could see it better. See these little orange things behind the artist?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: And then curtains will come down, and they are set up for miles -- stop that. They are set up for miles and miles through Central Park, and you can walk through the billowing fabric.

MYERS: Did my tax dollars pay for that?

COSTELLO: No, no, no.

MYERS: Oh, OK, good.

COSTELLO: No. But they're expecting 10,000 tourists. This is a big deal, Chad.

MYERS: Good, good, I'm glad.

COSTELLO: Cristo (ph) says -- actually he's quoted in here as saying he doesn't really care if the public likes the art. He's doing it for himself.

MYERS: And isn't that -- when you paint something, isn't it you always want to paint it so that you like it?

COSTELLO: Exactly. So, you're kind of getting the gist, right? MYERS: It's raining where you are, Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, it's warm. No snow, though, right?

MYERS: It's warm. No snow. It could snow a little bit on the very end of this whole thing, but most of this storm is all rain. New York City now in the 30s and 40s, Boston the same. It will snow heavily, though, from Syracuse to Albany and back up into Maine. No snow for the big cities.

COSTELLO: Well, I'm headed to Central Park on Saturday to see this.

MYERS: It sounds great.

COSTELLO: I think it will be fabulous.

MYERS: I'll be there with you.

COSTELLO: All right. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.


Aired February 10, 2005 - 06:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. Welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

North Korea admits it has nuclear weapons. It says it will bolster its nuclear arsenal and is pulling out of six-nation talks on nuclear disarmament. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says withdrawal from the talks will only deepen North Korea's isolation.

Britain's Prince Charles will marry Camilla Parker Bowles, his long-time companion. Charles and Camilla will marry on April 8 at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I'm delighted for the prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles. It's very happy news, and when the cabinet heard it this morning, they sent congratulations and good wishes on behalf of the whole government. We all wish them every happiness for their future together. Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: They'll get married on April 8.

Corporal Dustin Berg (ph) faces a hearing today to determine if he'll be court-martialed for his actions in Iraq. The Indiana National Guardsman was charged with murder for allegedly killing an Iraqi police officer and then shooting himself.

A California teenager suffered only minor injuries when she fell 40 feet down the side of a cliff while hiking. Rescuers were able to reach her. And, as you can see, they lifted her to safety.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: The Vatican has just confirmed that Pope John Paul II will be released today from the Gemelli hospital in Rome. The 84- year-old pope was rushed to the hospital in February 1, suffering breathing problems bought on by the flu.

Our Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, is live at the hospital right now.

Good morning.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

Yes, it is confirmed indeed. Pope John Paul II to return to the Apostolic Palace later today. We don't know exactly at what time. But the Vatican has just issued a statement saying -- quote -- "That the acute problem to the pope's larynx -- which was the reason why the pope was hospitalized here in a hurry 10 days ago -- "has healed." And the general condition of the pope continues to improve.

All diagnostic tests conducted over the last two days, including a CAT scan, have excluded any kind of other pathology. And therefore the doctors and the Vatican are confident that the pope has indeed healed, and therefore he can return to the Vatican.

We also understand from the chief Vatican spokesman that the pope's voice has returned to normal, and that once the pope goes back to his home, he will decide when to resume his normal activities.

Back to you -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci reporting live from Rome. Thank you.

In Los Angeles, the FBI has joined the investigation into the police shooting death of a black teenage boy. At a news conference, L.A. police officials went public with their investigation.

The 13-year-old was shot to death Sunday after backing a stolen vehicle into a police car. Police released details, including skid marks, vehicle damage and the number of shots fired.

Chief William Bratton says the department will release as much information as it can.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF WILLIAM BRATTON, LOS ANGELES POLICE: There is so much misinformation, some of it be deliberately spread, unfortunately, by those who would seek to take advantage of this for their own purpose to stir up the community. Who knows why people spread the stories they spread?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: FBI agents are to determine if any civil rights violations occurred.

Also, a central Florida manhunt is now over for a suspect in the shooting of three sheriff's deputies, one of them fatal. The deputies were responding to a domestic battery call at a house in the Ocala National Forest.

The deputies were fired on from inside of that house. Then the suspect escaped into the woods on a motorcycle. After a day-long search by dozens of officers, Jason Wheeler was shot and wounded not far from his home. His girlfriend's 911 call had warned police that Wheeler had an arsenal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULETTE MCKINNON, NEIGHBOR: She told them, yes, that he was heavily armed. She described the guns. She told him where -- or she told the officer where the guns were located in the house, what guns were in the trailer, what guns were in the house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The suspect is now in the hospital in critical condition. The two deputies were treated for leg wounds.

On to politics now. A reporter in question and his reputation as a member of the White House press corps under the microscope.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now with a look at that story.

Good morning.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.

Yes, it is, in fact, a controversy in the White House press corps. Democrats are questioning the credentials of this man. He's a reporter working under the alias of Jeff Gannon (ph). He worked for a Web site that was owned by a GOP activist -- or is owned by a GOP activist. Some Democrats, though, say he's a plant. Does he have the same right as any other reporter to cover the briefings? Of course, it is a really tough thing to get the White House press corps credential, Carol, obviously.

We're going to talk this morning to the former president of the White House Correspondents Association about this controversy -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Thank you, Soledad. We'll see you in about 20 minutes.

Hymns have always been a popular part of church services. But now religious songs are not just popular on Sunday. We'll look at music with a message at 40 minutes past the hour.

Also ahead, get your face on TV and get a date. We'll explain the latest way to hook up. That will come your way at 50 minutes past.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Yes, the winner is Jesus. The Grammys will be awarded on Sunday, and up for song of the year is a hip-hop hit about Jesus and getting reconnection with God. In fact, there's a new category this year, best gospel performance, and some of the artists who are nominated have familiar names like Ray Charles and Gladys Knight. It should come as no surprise Christian music is getting hipper all the time.

Joining us to talk about this, Terry Hemmings, president and CEO of Provident Music Group.

Good morning.

TERRY HEMMINGS, PRES., CEO, PROVIDENT MUSIC GROUP: Hi, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. There are so many popular Christian acts out there, Michael W. Smith to name one. But one former Christian act is doing it its own way, and that would be Kanye West. We just saw him. He's a rapper who mixes curse words and Jesus and God in his music. Is this the way to get more to listen to the message?

I don't really know Kanye West, so I don't know, you know, if he would consider himself a Christian or a Christian artist. But we do have a significant number of artists here in Nashville at the Christian record labels whose intent is to get the message out with their music.

COSTELLO: Well, I guess I'm coming at it from this way. Christian groups who make it to the mainstream and have big hits usually are more subtle in their message. This rapper, Kanye West, his song is "Jesus Walks."

Let me read you a sample of the lyrics: "The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now. And I don't think there is nothing I can do to right my wrongs. I want to talk to God, but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long."

You wouldn't think that a radio station would be eager, a mainstream radio station would be eager to put a song on that talks explicitly about God and Jesus, would you?

HEMMINGS: Well, you wouldn't. But I think when a song connects with people, they respond to it, and radio stations respond to their listeners. So, whether it's Kanye West or Mercy Me, which had a similar song last year with "I Can Only Imagine," when the listeners respond, the radio stations respond. And one of the things that we're charged with doing is getting those songs in front of the radios stations and programmers.

COSTELLO: So, is there a strategy that you use that you can talk specifically about?

HEMMINGS: Strategy to accomplish what?

COSTELLO: To go mainstream and also talk about God and Jesus in a way to get the message across, but that kids will listen to the music being played on the radio about that.

HEMMINGS: Well, our strategy does not specifically address on a day-to-day basis getting songs on the mainstream. There are hundreds of Christian radio stations, which is our primary format in the same way that country music artists are specifically played on country radio stations. And we have some stations in Dallas and Atlanta, as an example, that are a significant part of the radio market that are specifically the Christian radio format.

So, our strategy focuses our energies on getting our songs on those stations. And then as they grow and become popular on those stations, occasionally they cross over to other format such as AC and pop and rock. And that's where they achieve some mainstream exposure and success.

COSTELLO: Some rock groups like Evanescence started out as Christian bands, and then when they hit the mainstream and got a great, big hit, they kind of, like, said, oh, no, we're not a Christian rock group. Do you feel that some groups are using the Christian music scene to get into the mainstream?

HEMMINGS: Well, I think that it's possible to kind of ride the audience, so to speak. I can't speak to whether Evanescence did that intentionally. I know that they started playing in Christian camps, which numbers of bands do from time to time.

I think some groups are not as intentional about their Christian faith as it relates to their music in their presentation as others. And Evanescence did not want to be presented as, per say, a Christian rock band. I don't necessarily view that as reflective of, you know, kind of a discarding of their faith or anything along those lines. And I don't know them personally to address that. But...

COSTELLO: Oh, and their songs still sound quite spiritual. Terry Hemmings, president and CEO of Provident Music Group. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

HEMMINGS: Thank you, Carol. Have a nice day.

COSTELLO: You, too.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

North Korea talking tough and pulling out of six-nation nuclear talks. And for the first time, North Korea publicly claims it has manufactured nuclear weapons for its own defense.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami says his nation will not give up its nuclear program despite calls to do so from Europe and the United States. He spoke during ceremonies marking the 26th anniversary of Iran's Islamic revolution.

In money news, Wal-Mart is closing one of its Canadian stores after it couldn't come to a contract agreement with the workers' union. The store in Quebec is one of only two unionized Wal-Mart stores in Canada.

In culture, while a picture might be worth a thousand words, what's a painting of supermodel Kate Moss nude and pregnant worth? "Naked Portrait 2002" sold at auction for $7.3 million.

In sports, National Hockey Commissioner Gary Bettman has just about put the season on ice. Bettman suggests that if no deal with the players' union is reached by this weekend, the season will be canceled.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this hour.

And we just heard in the last hour that the pope will be leaving the hospital today. CNN's Bill Hemmer joins us for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.

Those new developments overnight regarding the health of Pope John Paul II. The Vatican does say now he will be released today, 10 days after he came down with that illness. Overshadowing all of this, Carol, for the first time, though, a Vatican official is raising the possibility of the pope's resignation. Is the pressure building for the pope to step down? We'll talk about that with our Vatican analyst. John Allen (ph) is live from Rome.

And also, we have the news about North Korea and also Prince Charles. So, a busy morning for us coming up at the top of the hour. We'll see you then, Carol, at 7:00 a.m.

COSTELLO: We have been busy ourselves with Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles getting married April 8.

HEMMER: Busy for you.

COSTELLO: In fact, Bill...

HEMMER: Yes?

COSTELLO: ... it's very intriguing. We're going to go live to London right now, because Richard Quest has made it to Buckingham Palace. He's standing there live to give us all -- well, give us more juicy details.

Good morning.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Carol.

Yes, indeed. Needless to say, we're on the outside of the palace walls, not on the inside. But we have got quite a few more details about the marriage of the prince of Wales to Camilla Parker Bowles.

April the 8th, as you rightly say. It will take place at Windsor Castle. And this is where it all starts to get interesting. Remember a couple of hours ago, Carol, I was saying the great unknown questions. We have some answers now.

Camilla, after the wedding, will be known as the duchess of Cornwall, her royal highness, the duchess of Cornwall. That's because Charles is the duke of Cornwall, as well as his other titles.

And then after Charles becomes king, she becomes the princess consort. Now, this is very interesting. It's clarified Camilla will not become queen Camilla of England. Instead, it will become King Charles and the princess consort.

It will be a civil ceremony, because, obviously, she's a divorced woman. They can't officially get married in the eyes of the church of England.

But, Carol, after that the service will -- there will be what they're describing as a service of prayer and dedication, and that will be presided over by the archbishop of Canterbury.

So, Carol, in conclusion, they're walking this very fine line between modern traditional, between the new and the old, between what's acceptable and what the establishment wants. We will have eventually King Charles and the princess consort.

COSTELLO: We were just wondering, Richard, where they might be registered in case we want to get them a gift. Just kidding.

QUEST: I will ask -- I'll tell you what. I will ask Clarence House, the prince's residence, where those well-wishers can send anything that they would like. So, tomorrow morning we can see what's on the list.

COSTELLO: That would be fantastic. Thank you, Richard.

DAYBREAK will be right back.

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COSTELLO: It is 6:52 Eastern. Here's what will be making news later today.

Prince Charles and his longtime lady friend, Camilla Parker Bowles, plan an April 8 wedding.

Later today, the Democratic National Committee's winter meeting gets under way in Washington. Former presidential candidate Howard Dean is expected to be named party chair this weekend.

And this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, homerun hitter Jason Giambi holds a news conference. It's not clear what he will be talking about, but this is the first time he'll face the media since testifying to a grand jury that he did indeed use steroids.

Washington, D.C. regional airline Independence Air is going national with the addition of five West Coast cities and some discounted fares. This could benefit you, the traveler, in smaller cities. USAToday.com's travel reporter Ben Mutzabaugh has more on this story from Washington.

Good morning.

BEN MUTZABAUGH, USATODAY.COM TRAVEL REPORTER: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: It's always fascinating at a time when many airlines are failing and these kind of small airlines are able to grow.

MUTZABAUGH: It is amazing. And while it's amazing, Independence Air also says that it's crucial for them as well, because they have a very extensive flight network on the East Coast. And they say they need to get people from these West Coast markets to connect in Washington, their hub, and then they can go anywhere from Burlington, Vermont, to New York City, to Atlanta, to Savannah, Georgia.

And the five new cities they've added are Savannah -- I'm sorry -- Seattle, San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. So, these are some pretty substantial West Coast markers that they've added.

COSTELLO: So, they don't start right away, right? They start, what, in April of May?

MUTZABAUGH: That's correct. The first flights start April 14 to San Diego. And then flights to the other four cities start on May 1. And this is in addition to previously-announced service by Independence to Las Vegas. That starts March 17. So, in addition, there is going to be six total, including the five new ones that they've just announced.

COSTELLO: Wow! Tell us about the fares, because I see some to -- actually it's to my left as I look at the screen. But tell us about the fares. They seem low.

MUTZABAUGH: They are pretty low. They're capped at $299 each way, which seems pretty high. But that's the price you'll pay if you go to the airport, say, at 9:00 this morning and say put me on a 12:00 flight to wherever you're flying, and that will be their maximum fare. And that's similar to what a lot of the other discount airlines have done.

Now, of course, they have introductory fares that start at $84 to $114 each way. And I believe you have to buy them by February 18. And those are some very good deals, especially if you're outside of one of the major cities.

COSTELLO: How are the major airlines, are they taking notice of this?

MUTZABAUGH: They are. United has already responded by offering fares of -- you guessed it -- $84 to $114, the same fares that are Independence's introductory fares on routes where they compete with Independence to the West Coast cities. COSTELLO: Ben Mutzabaugh, thanks for the tip. We'll be calling. Thank you.

This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday morning.

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COSTELLO: Well, I bet somebody is having fun in Philadelphia this morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, the Delaware River, 45 degrees there right now with light rain coming down in Philadelphia. That could slow down the airport just a touch, Carol.

COSTELLO: Did you hear about this big art display that's going up in Central Park on Saturday?

MYERS: No, I didn't.

COSTELLO: It's called "The Gates." The artist, Cristo (ph), has designed it, and it's going to be pretty spectacular.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Seventy-five hundred gates, which are really, like, look to me like big square curtain rods. And these big orange -- this big orange fabric will be released from all of them, and they'll be billowing in the wind. I wish we could take a picture of it. Then you could see it better. See these little orange things behind the artist?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: And then curtains will come down, and they are set up for miles -- stop that. They are set up for miles and miles through Central Park, and you can walk through the billowing fabric.

MYERS: Did my tax dollars pay for that?

COSTELLO: No, no, no.

MYERS: Oh, OK, good.

COSTELLO: No. But they're expecting 10,000 tourists. This is a big deal, Chad.

MYERS: Good, good, I'm glad.

COSTELLO: Cristo (ph) says -- actually he's quoted in here as saying he doesn't really care if the public likes the art. He's doing it for himself.

MYERS: And isn't that -- when you paint something, isn't it you always want to paint it so that you like it?

COSTELLO: Exactly. So, you're kind of getting the gist, right? MYERS: It's raining where you are, Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, it's warm. No snow, though, right?

MYERS: It's warm. No snow. It could snow a little bit on the very end of this whole thing, but most of this storm is all rain. New York City now in the 30s and 40s, Boston the same. It will snow heavily, though, from Syracuse to Albany and back up into Maine. No snow for the big cities.

COSTELLO: Well, I'm headed to Central Park on Saturday to see this.

MYERS: It sounds great.

COSTELLO: I think it will be fabulous.

MYERS: I'll be there with you.

COSTELLO: All right. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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