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CNN Live At Daybreak

North Korea Nukes; Royal Engagement; Capital Couples

Aired February 11, 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: China, South Korea and Germany are among the countries urging North Korea to return to talks on nuclear disarmament. The North Koreans say they have nuclear weapons, will build up their arsenal and will pull out of the six-nation talks.
More on this now from Beijing bureau chief and CNN correspondent Stan Grant.

Good morning -- Stan.

STAN GRANT, CNN BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

This is the classic puzzle wrapped inside a dilemma, isn't it? The dilemma? How to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons peacefully. The puzzle? What does Kim Jong Il want? Why has he chosen now to walk away from the talks?

The international community is hoping that China has the solution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT (voice over): China has just welcomed in the year of the rooster, supposedly a year of peace. Now, North Korea has broken up the party, opening its own new year of instability.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sort of the equivalent of putting a gun to their own head and saying, don't make me do it.

GRANT: The gun is its nuclear arsenal. North Korea admitting publicly for the first time it has nuclear weapons. What's more, it has walked away from multiparty talks on the issue. Truth or tactic?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it makes it more likely that the probably do have a weapon of some kind. On the other hand, they could be bluffing.

GRANT: Bluff or no, China is in a bind, North Korea's closest ally, as close, they say, as teeth and lips. At times, though, more like a thorn in China's side.

North Korean refugees flocking across the border, around 300,000 thought to be in China. Others flee for foreign embassies in Beijing, embarrassing the Chinese government.

When this South Korean political delegation tried to raise the refugee issue at a press conference, China pulled the plug. Still, for all of the sensitivity, analysts say China is the best hope to get North Korea back to the negotiating table.

China says it is -- quote -- "watching the situation, hoping talks can continue."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Chinese power had been hosting this process and had put a lot of diplomatic chips on the line to try and make this happen. They now no doubt have interrupted their own Chinese new year celebrations to begin talks with Pyongyang to try and assess what their real intentions are.

GRANT: The North Korea talks, an exercise in U.S.-China diplomacy as much as anything else, potential rivals on the future of Taiwan, together on trying to disarm Pyongyang. North Korea's latest moves, a test for China's influence and resolve.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, China was believed to have an envoy about to head to Pyongyang to try to bring an end to this issue -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Stan, a question for you. A U.N. envoy was quoted in a South Korean newspaper as saying that North Korea has demanded bilateral talks with the United States. Do you think that will ever happen?

GRANT: That is the perennial issue, isn't it? What we are seeing here, Carol, is the classic North Korean negotiating position. Just before talks are about to resume, they announce that they're walking away from the table. They up the ante. In this case, saying they do publicly have nuclear weapons. And then they demand one-on- one talks with the United States.

Remember the election campaign? John Kerry was saying that the U.S. should have one-on-one talks with Pyongyang. George Bush has always said no. It must go through the six-party process.

Remember, only a few years ago, George Bush naming North Korea, along with Iran and Iraq, part of an axis of evil. He's not going to sit down and have one-on-one talks with North Korea, you can bet on that, at least in the near future -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Stan Grant reporting live from Beijing this morning.

It's been 24 hours since Prince Charles' blockbuster announcement of his engagement to Camilla Parker Bowles. So, how is the country taking the news?

Diana Muriel live in London with the latest for us.

Hello -- Diana.

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Well, as you can imagine, it's all over the British newspapers this morning, starting off with the picture, of course, of that ring, which Camilla was wearing last night at a gala reception at Windsor Castle. The look on her face says it all. It's a huge square-cut diamond with six beget diamonds on either side. We understand it's a family heirloom of the Windsors' set in platinum. And she looks absolutely delighted to be wearing it at last.

The "Sun" newspaper has as its main picture the official engagement photograph that was issued by the office of Prince Charles. And it puns on the name Elizabeth Regina (ph) with "ER Indoors."

It's very interesting. The two of them are wearing exactly the same color of clothing. We saw that again last night with this reception at Windsor Castle. She was in a stunning red dress, and he, of course, was wearing a dinner jacket, but it had red buttons and it had a red collar, as you can see in this photograph, as well as red cuffs.

But, of course, the ghost of Diana was hanging over this announcement yesterday. The headline, "What Would Diana Say?," and a picture of Princess Diana with Prince Charles on their honeymoon up in Scotland. That is a theme that we're seeing very, very much in the newspapers today.

This is the headline of the "Daily Mail": "The Wife He Always Wanted." Again, another reference to Diana and the legacy of Diana.

The "Times" comes out with a very interesting headline: "After 30 Years, Charles Puts His Affair in Order." But instead of having any of the photographs from yesterday, we see a photograph that was taken back in 1975 of Camilla and Charles at a polo match.

Camilla at this time was already married. She was married two years previous to this photograph to Andrew Parker Bowles. But you can see the look in their eyes. They're very much in love, these two, even then.

Now, some of the newspapers are much more irreverent. This is the "Daily Star," which is one of the most tabloid of the tabloids. And the headline at the very bottom of the page: "Boring Old Gets to Wed." A very irreverent headline there from the "Star."

And this reflects some of the polls that we saw yesterday about the indifference of some of the British public to the announcement. This is "The Independent" headline, and they say: "Here is the News You May Have Missed," because, of course, there was blanket coverage of Charles and Camilla yesterday. And at the very, very bottom, they refer you to page 6 for the story on Charles and Camilla's announcement that they are to wed -- Carol.

COSTELLO: It's funny you should say that, because a poll was taken here in the United States about whether Americans cared about this. Like, very few said they cared. In fact, like, 70 percent said they didn't, but 250,000 people responded to the poll. So it was quite interesting. Who knows?

Thank you, Diana Muriel, reporting live from London this morning. Coming up on DAYBREAK, meeting of the mouse house, new reports of the disconnect between Disney and Pixar.

And later, it's not easy to have a strong marriage in the nation's most powerful city. We'll find out what the secret is from two of Washington's most honored husbands.

Here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." A new book about Disney reportedly accuses its CEO, Michael Eisner, of having bad taste in movies, among other things.

Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq Marketsite.

I don't think that's the worst thing this book details -- Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: No, it isn't, Carol. But, you know, as people are reading through it, more details are coming out. The book is getting a lot of press this week.

And it is saying, among other things, that Disney CEO Michael Eisner disparaged Pixar Animation Studio's "Finding Nemo" before it became one of the most successful animated films of all time. We all know that. We've talked a lot about it.

The "New York Post" reports that Eisner sent out a memo saying that the movie was -- quote -- "OK, but nowhere near as good as Pixar's previous films." The book also goes into Eisner's dealings with Pixar Chairman Steve Jobs, which eventually led to the breakup of the company's partnership.

But that's just the latest problem for Eisner. He's been roundly criticized by some dissident shareholders, and he will step down as CEO next year.

Now, a Disney shareholder meeting will take place today. Eisner can brag about a pretty good year for the company. They did see things like strong earnings and stock profit growth. But still, a lot of shareholders haven't been very fond of him or his leadership.

So, that's the latest on Disney, Carol.

Turning to futures, things are looking pretty flat for today's session. Pixar saw strong earnings last night. That stock was a gainer, so it could move higher today.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Carrie Lee.

When we come back, the secret to a loving marriage, you might say, from an unlikely source or sources. Two members of Congress will give you advice next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A beautiful shot. In Washington, some couples seem to thrive despite high-stress jobs that leave little time for family life. And with Valentine's Day fast approaching, the Master Chorale of Washington honored five of the capital's best-known couples.

With us this morning are Congressman Fred Upton and Michael Oxley. They and their wives are among those honored.

Welcome to DAYBREAK.

REP. MICHAEL OXLEY (R), OHIO: Thank you.

REP. FRED UPTON (R), MICHIGAN: You're welcome. I want to tell you the thing that saved our marriage the most was making sure that our wives had the option of coming this morning. And they both said no, because it's too early.

COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you, where are your wives this morning?

OXLEY: Safely in bed.

UPTON: Oh, no, they're watching. They're watching, so we can't tell you our surprises for Valentine's Day, because they'll figure it out real quick.

COSTELLO: So, does the fact that both wives are not here tell me who is really the boss in the family?

UPTON: I think so, yes. The answer is yes.

OXLEY: Yes, they make wise choices.

UPTON: Yes, they do.

COSTELLO: OK. How long have you been married? Congressman Upton, let's start with you.

UPTON: Twenty-one years. My wife asked me for sure, and she thought it might be 22, but I said, no, no, it will be 22 this year. But 21 years.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's insane. That's great, actually. Congressman Oxley, what about you?

OXLEY: Thirty-four years this year.

COSTELLO: OK. So, I'm going to ask you the secret of a long marriage, a long and happy marriage. So, who wants to start out with this one?

OXLEY: Well, since I've been married longer I can give better advice than Fred. The secret is mutual trust and admiration, I think. That goes a long way, and it gets you through a lot of tough times. UPTON: I'll tell you a little funny story. When I proposed, I was a White House aide at the time. And I went up to Oriole Stadium. My wife was from Baltimore. And I had a plane fly over the stadium. It said, "Amy, you need to say yes." And she did. She now wishes she had held out a little longer. Maybe she would have gotten some more (UNINTELLIGIBLE) out of that. But it was the Upton Amendment, which Mr. Oxley supported, that now bans planes flying over stadiums carrying banners because of 9/11. So, nobody else can do that again, I guess.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's kind of -- well, that's sad in a way, but it's happy for you that it was allowed at that time.

UPTON: It worked.

COSTELLO: Because what a romantic thing to do.

UPTON: It worked. And the mascot came up to our seats. We had a bus trip and a lot of folks up there. We had a pretty good time. And we can all remember it as well. So it was good.

COSTELLO: Congressman Oxley, let me ask you this question. I know the Washington Chorale honors those married for a long time every year. But why is this important?

OXLEY: Well, it's important that people recognize the marriage vows and how important it is, and the fact that people can stay together so long. It's been a tough period. One in every two marriages end in divorce. So, I think the successful ones you need to recognize. And that's really what the Washington Chorale did the other night, and we're very pleased about it and very honored to be recognized.

COSTELLO: Congressman Upton, I believe you do have a surprise for Congressman Oxley this morning. So, shall we put the picture up?

UPTON: Yes, yes, put that little sucker up.

OXLEY: Oh!

COSTELLO: That is great!

UPTON: I want you to know...

COSTELLO: That is fantastic.

UPTON: I want you to know there's another one with some really outlandish plaid pants, but somehow he got to that before I did. So, it will never show up again.

COSTELLO: Congressman Upton, let me...

OXLEY: I've been sold out.

COSTELLO: Let me ask you this question while we look at this photograph. There is so much stress in life, and many couples have two high-powered jobs, and they have children, and they have all that to deal with. How do you deal with that? How do you make that work?

UPTON: Mike, you've been married longer than me.

OXLEY: Yes, I think patience has a lot to do with it and mutual understanding. But that picture, by the way, that Fred ripped off was -- remember silly string back in the '70s? That's what that was all about. That silly string took the place of rice, I think, at that wedding.

UPTON: Well, I'll say this. And I know Mike's wife, Pat, pretty well, too. But Amy and Pat to their great credit are very supportive spouses. You can't do this job without having a supportive spouse as involved in lots of different ways from the scheduling, and those meetings are sometimes tough. But obviously, to what we do back in our home districts as well as here in Washington. If you don't have a supportive spouse, it's over real quick.

COSTELLO: OK.

UPTON: So, to Pat's credit, she's a wonderful lady as well.

COSTELLO: OK. We don't have much more time, but I want you to know Valentine's Day is fast approaching. What's the best thing to say to your spouse on that day? Let's start with you, Congressman Oxley.

OXLEY: Well, "I love you" always gets it pretty well. And I think that's a universal language.

COSTELLO: I think so. How about you, Congressman Upton?

UPTON: I think a back rub sort of starts the day.

COSTELLO: I like that idea a lot better somehow.

UPTON: Yes.

COSTELLO: Congressman Upton, Congressman Oxley, thank you for joining DAYBREAK, and congratulations to both of you and to your spouses.

OXLEY: Thank you very much.

UPTON: Thanks.

COSTELLO: A story now that can only be described as a miracle. After 20 years, which included a coma, a woman speaks again. Soledad O'Brien has her story today on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Tell us a little more -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, absolutely. Her family, of course, is describing it as a medical miracle. More than 20 years ago, an 18-year-old college student was hit by a drunken driver. She was in this coma-like state. She couldn't talk for two decades. Last week, though, she shocked everybody. She said her first words since the accident. What exactly changed? Does she even know what happened to her? We're going to talk with her parents this morning. They have been kind of an incredibly moving story about their daughter's situation.

Carol, more on that this morning.

COSTELLO: I can't wait for that. Thank you, Soledad.

Ever wonder who comes up with some of the crazy getups you see walking the runways? We'll hear the business model one designer uses with the help of her hubby.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's 6:50 Eastern. Here's what will be making news today.

Police are trying to find at least 32 people in the United States and Canada who may have agreed to a suicide plot allegedly organized by this man. Gerald Krien is accused of setting up a chat room in which users apparently agreed to kill themselves on Valentine's Day.

In South Carolina, testimony resumes in a few hours in the trial of a 15-year-old boy who admits to killing his grandparents. The defense claims Christopher Pittman's (ph) judgment was clouded by anti-depressants. The jury could get the case on Monday.

And we're following reaction to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's unannounced visit to Iraq this morning. And President Bush attends the swearing-in ceremony for the new Health and Human Services chief, Mike Leavitt, who replaces Tommy Thompson.

New York's Fashion Week comes to a close today. One young designer who dresses the stars is a big hit.

CNN's Alina Cho takes us to the runway.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): She's dressed Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Connelly and Jessica Simpson, designed bridal gowns for Kevin Costner's wife and Britney Spears. Meet Monique Lhuillier, the designer who says if she won't wear it herself, neither will anyone else.

MONIQUE LHUILLIER, DESIGNER: Well, I believe in classic with a little bit of twist and maybe just a little more opulent.

CHO: Inspired this season by jewels of the Mahajara and Jackie O., Lhuillier calls her dressed pervadence (ph).

LHUILLIER: You know, it's so hard for me to pick between all of my babies, but this one, when we were making it, I was, like, oh, I love her.

CHO: The 32-year-old started her business 9 years ago, first as a bridal designer, after the bridesmaids' dresses she made for her own wedding were a hit.

Today, the name Monique Lhuillier drives $15 million in sales each year. Husband Tom is the CEO.

(on camera): Are you the voice of reason in the family?

TOM BUGBEE, CEO, MONIQUE LHUILLIER: Yes, definitely. I try to rein her in. But it's a good balance. It's a good balance.

LHUILLIER: Yes.

CHO (voice over): Tom and Monique work closely together on everything from casting models...

LHUILLIER: Oh, she's amazing. If we could get her, I love her.

CHO: ... to last-minute preparations.

BUGBEE: Could we get Dina out of the one dress to the brown dress?

CHO: All for this, a fashion show on the big stage in New York in front of the industry's most powerful editors.

LHUILLIER: When you show your collection, you're opening yourself and you're exposed out there, and you're, like, OK, I hope they like it.

CHO: They do.

FINOLA HUGHES, STYLE NETWORK: She's young, you know. And she's got a little edge to her.

PHILIP BLOCH, CELEBRITY STYLIST: She just has the feel. I think she's the next Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera.

CHO: Back stage, what's Fashion Week without an air kiss?

(on camera): How do you feel?

LHUILLIER: Thank you. I feel really good.

CHO (voice over): And soon, she'll be back at it, trying to get her babies to the red carpet at the Oscars, while trying to pry a certain reporter away from a fur-trimmed coat.

Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Chad is back with your travel forecast in just a minute. You are watching DAYBREAK for a Friday morning. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: I just feel like listening to the music this morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm so happy it's Friday.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Do you realize it's five days before spring training for baseball?

MYERS: I didn't realize that, but I did realize that it's 37 hours and 15 minutes before the first NASCAR race.

COSTELLO: You are so funny. I was looking through the papers this morning, you know, when I got in around, I don't know, 3:30. And the only story that I seem stuck on was the Jason Giambi story, but that's just me, because you know I love sports.

MYERS: You do.

COSTELLO: And I'm beginning to love NASCAR more and more. But Jason Giambi apologized to New York Yankees' fans, because, as you know, he testified -- here, let me hold this up. He testified before the grand jury and admitted to using steroids.

Now, he couldn't mention any of that in his news conference yesterday because of legal constraints. And there are -- I don't know. There are a lot of sports analysts upset about that, saying he should have said much more. But think of how his season will be. Pressure, talk about pressure...

MYERS: Yes. And this is all part of the Balco thing, right, from out west, the Bay area thing? Yes.

COSTELLO: All part of the Balco thing.

MYERS: When we were talking earlier about, you know, all of these records that have been set in the past 5 or 10 years, are they all going to be nullified? Are they going to put a little star next to them and say steroid-enhanced? Is anybody really going to admit it other than maybe him?

COSTELLO: Well, they may have to admit it whether they want to or not. But I don't know. It's going to be an interesting season, because you're right. We're all going to be watching these players, and we're all going to be wondering, well, is he taking steroids anymore? Is he smaller? Is he hitting the ball as far? You know, you just don't know.

MYERS: Well, and there's -- you can't relate this to anything except Sammy Sosa's homerun numbers have gone down significantly in the past three years after all of this attention. But now he's moving to a new team, a new ballpark. Maybe he'll be re-energized. Maybe it has nothing to do with that at all. COSTELLO: Well, he's going to be moved to Camden Yards, and it's easier to hit a homerun there. So, we'll see what happens to Sammy Sosa.

MYERS: That's right.

COSTELLO: Monday, of course, is Valentine's Day, and we won't let it go unnoticed on DAYBREAK. Joining me on Monday, a relationship expert gives us the eight simple rules of dating. If you can't stay up late to watch the Grammys, we will have all of the winners, the losers and red carpet gossip with Tom O'Neil in L.A. Monday morning. He's going to get up early in California and join DAYBREAK.

MYERS: And not even go to bed.

COSTELLO: Knowing Tom, he won't. He'll be at those parties.

MYERS: That was the point. Have a great weekend, Carol.

COSTELLO: You too, Chad. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers. "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 11, 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: China, South Korea and Germany are among the countries urging North Korea to return to talks on nuclear disarmament. The North Koreans say they have nuclear weapons, will build up their arsenal and will pull out of the six-nation talks.
More on this now from Beijing bureau chief and CNN correspondent Stan Grant.

Good morning -- Stan.

STAN GRANT, CNN BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

This is the classic puzzle wrapped inside a dilemma, isn't it? The dilemma? How to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons peacefully. The puzzle? What does Kim Jong Il want? Why has he chosen now to walk away from the talks?

The international community is hoping that China has the solution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRANT (voice over): China has just welcomed in the year of the rooster, supposedly a year of peace. Now, North Korea has broken up the party, opening its own new year of instability.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sort of the equivalent of putting a gun to their own head and saying, don't make me do it.

GRANT: The gun is its nuclear arsenal. North Korea admitting publicly for the first time it has nuclear weapons. What's more, it has walked away from multiparty talks on the issue. Truth or tactic?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it makes it more likely that the probably do have a weapon of some kind. On the other hand, they could be bluffing.

GRANT: Bluff or no, China is in a bind, North Korea's closest ally, as close, they say, as teeth and lips. At times, though, more like a thorn in China's side.

North Korean refugees flocking across the border, around 300,000 thought to be in China. Others flee for foreign embassies in Beijing, embarrassing the Chinese government.

When this South Korean political delegation tried to raise the refugee issue at a press conference, China pulled the plug. Still, for all of the sensitivity, analysts say China is the best hope to get North Korea back to the negotiating table.

China says it is -- quote -- "watching the situation, hoping talks can continue."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Chinese power had been hosting this process and had put a lot of diplomatic chips on the line to try and make this happen. They now no doubt have interrupted their own Chinese new year celebrations to begin talks with Pyongyang to try and assess what their real intentions are.

GRANT: The North Korea talks, an exercise in U.S.-China diplomacy as much as anything else, potential rivals on the future of Taiwan, together on trying to disarm Pyongyang. North Korea's latest moves, a test for China's influence and resolve.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, China was believed to have an envoy about to head to Pyongyang to try to bring an end to this issue -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Stan, a question for you. A U.N. envoy was quoted in a South Korean newspaper as saying that North Korea has demanded bilateral talks with the United States. Do you think that will ever happen?

GRANT: That is the perennial issue, isn't it? What we are seeing here, Carol, is the classic North Korean negotiating position. Just before talks are about to resume, they announce that they're walking away from the table. They up the ante. In this case, saying they do publicly have nuclear weapons. And then they demand one-on- one talks with the United States.

Remember the election campaign? John Kerry was saying that the U.S. should have one-on-one talks with Pyongyang. George Bush has always said no. It must go through the six-party process.

Remember, only a few years ago, George Bush naming North Korea, along with Iran and Iraq, part of an axis of evil. He's not going to sit down and have one-on-one talks with North Korea, you can bet on that, at least in the near future -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Stan Grant reporting live from Beijing this morning.

It's been 24 hours since Prince Charles' blockbuster announcement of his engagement to Camilla Parker Bowles. So, how is the country taking the news?

Diana Muriel live in London with the latest for us.

Hello -- Diana.

DIANA MURIEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Well, as you can imagine, it's all over the British newspapers this morning, starting off with the picture, of course, of that ring, which Camilla was wearing last night at a gala reception at Windsor Castle. The look on her face says it all. It's a huge square-cut diamond with six beget diamonds on either side. We understand it's a family heirloom of the Windsors' set in platinum. And she looks absolutely delighted to be wearing it at last.

The "Sun" newspaper has as its main picture the official engagement photograph that was issued by the office of Prince Charles. And it puns on the name Elizabeth Regina (ph) with "ER Indoors."

It's very interesting. The two of them are wearing exactly the same color of clothing. We saw that again last night with this reception at Windsor Castle. She was in a stunning red dress, and he, of course, was wearing a dinner jacket, but it had red buttons and it had a red collar, as you can see in this photograph, as well as red cuffs.

But, of course, the ghost of Diana was hanging over this announcement yesterday. The headline, "What Would Diana Say?," and a picture of Princess Diana with Prince Charles on their honeymoon up in Scotland. That is a theme that we're seeing very, very much in the newspapers today.

This is the headline of the "Daily Mail": "The Wife He Always Wanted." Again, another reference to Diana and the legacy of Diana.

The "Times" comes out with a very interesting headline: "After 30 Years, Charles Puts His Affair in Order." But instead of having any of the photographs from yesterday, we see a photograph that was taken back in 1975 of Camilla and Charles at a polo match.

Camilla at this time was already married. She was married two years previous to this photograph to Andrew Parker Bowles. But you can see the look in their eyes. They're very much in love, these two, even then.

Now, some of the newspapers are much more irreverent. This is the "Daily Star," which is one of the most tabloid of the tabloids. And the headline at the very bottom of the page: "Boring Old Gets to Wed." A very irreverent headline there from the "Star."

And this reflects some of the polls that we saw yesterday about the indifference of some of the British public to the announcement. This is "The Independent" headline, and they say: "Here is the News You May Have Missed," because, of course, there was blanket coverage of Charles and Camilla yesterday. And at the very, very bottom, they refer you to page 6 for the story on Charles and Camilla's announcement that they are to wed -- Carol.

COSTELLO: It's funny you should say that, because a poll was taken here in the United States about whether Americans cared about this. Like, very few said they cared. In fact, like, 70 percent said they didn't, but 250,000 people responded to the poll. So it was quite interesting. Who knows?

Thank you, Diana Muriel, reporting live from London this morning. Coming up on DAYBREAK, meeting of the mouse house, new reports of the disconnect between Disney and Pixar.

And later, it's not easy to have a strong marriage in the nation's most powerful city. We'll find out what the secret is from two of Washington's most honored husbands.

Here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." A new book about Disney reportedly accuses its CEO, Michael Eisner, of having bad taste in movies, among other things.

Carrie Lee live at the Nasdaq Marketsite.

I don't think that's the worst thing this book details -- Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: No, it isn't, Carol. But, you know, as people are reading through it, more details are coming out. The book is getting a lot of press this week.

And it is saying, among other things, that Disney CEO Michael Eisner disparaged Pixar Animation Studio's "Finding Nemo" before it became one of the most successful animated films of all time. We all know that. We've talked a lot about it.

The "New York Post" reports that Eisner sent out a memo saying that the movie was -- quote -- "OK, but nowhere near as good as Pixar's previous films." The book also goes into Eisner's dealings with Pixar Chairman Steve Jobs, which eventually led to the breakup of the company's partnership.

But that's just the latest problem for Eisner. He's been roundly criticized by some dissident shareholders, and he will step down as CEO next year.

Now, a Disney shareholder meeting will take place today. Eisner can brag about a pretty good year for the company. They did see things like strong earnings and stock profit growth. But still, a lot of shareholders haven't been very fond of him or his leadership.

So, that's the latest on Disney, Carol.

Turning to futures, things are looking pretty flat for today's session. Pixar saw strong earnings last night. That stock was a gainer, so it could move higher today.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Carrie Lee.

When we come back, the secret to a loving marriage, you might say, from an unlikely source or sources. Two members of Congress will give you advice next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A beautiful shot. In Washington, some couples seem to thrive despite high-stress jobs that leave little time for family life. And with Valentine's Day fast approaching, the Master Chorale of Washington honored five of the capital's best-known couples.

With us this morning are Congressman Fred Upton and Michael Oxley. They and their wives are among those honored.

Welcome to DAYBREAK.

REP. MICHAEL OXLEY (R), OHIO: Thank you.

REP. FRED UPTON (R), MICHIGAN: You're welcome. I want to tell you the thing that saved our marriage the most was making sure that our wives had the option of coming this morning. And they both said no, because it's too early.

COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you, where are your wives this morning?

OXLEY: Safely in bed.

UPTON: Oh, no, they're watching. They're watching, so we can't tell you our surprises for Valentine's Day, because they'll figure it out real quick.

COSTELLO: So, does the fact that both wives are not here tell me who is really the boss in the family?

UPTON: I think so, yes. The answer is yes.

OXLEY: Yes, they make wise choices.

UPTON: Yes, they do.

COSTELLO: OK. How long have you been married? Congressman Upton, let's start with you.

UPTON: Twenty-one years. My wife asked me for sure, and she thought it might be 22, but I said, no, no, it will be 22 this year. But 21 years.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's insane. That's great, actually. Congressman Oxley, what about you?

OXLEY: Thirty-four years this year.

COSTELLO: OK. So, I'm going to ask you the secret of a long marriage, a long and happy marriage. So, who wants to start out with this one?

OXLEY: Well, since I've been married longer I can give better advice than Fred. The secret is mutual trust and admiration, I think. That goes a long way, and it gets you through a lot of tough times. UPTON: I'll tell you a little funny story. When I proposed, I was a White House aide at the time. And I went up to Oriole Stadium. My wife was from Baltimore. And I had a plane fly over the stadium. It said, "Amy, you need to say yes." And she did. She now wishes she had held out a little longer. Maybe she would have gotten some more (UNINTELLIGIBLE) out of that. But it was the Upton Amendment, which Mr. Oxley supported, that now bans planes flying over stadiums carrying banners because of 9/11. So, nobody else can do that again, I guess.

COSTELLO: Oh, that's kind of -- well, that's sad in a way, but it's happy for you that it was allowed at that time.

UPTON: It worked.

COSTELLO: Because what a romantic thing to do.

UPTON: It worked. And the mascot came up to our seats. We had a bus trip and a lot of folks up there. We had a pretty good time. And we can all remember it as well. So it was good.

COSTELLO: Congressman Oxley, let me ask you this question. I know the Washington Chorale honors those married for a long time every year. But why is this important?

OXLEY: Well, it's important that people recognize the marriage vows and how important it is, and the fact that people can stay together so long. It's been a tough period. One in every two marriages end in divorce. So, I think the successful ones you need to recognize. And that's really what the Washington Chorale did the other night, and we're very pleased about it and very honored to be recognized.

COSTELLO: Congressman Upton, I believe you do have a surprise for Congressman Oxley this morning. So, shall we put the picture up?

UPTON: Yes, yes, put that little sucker up.

OXLEY: Oh!

COSTELLO: That is great!

UPTON: I want you to know...

COSTELLO: That is fantastic.

UPTON: I want you to know there's another one with some really outlandish plaid pants, but somehow he got to that before I did. So, it will never show up again.

COSTELLO: Congressman Upton, let me...

OXLEY: I've been sold out.

COSTELLO: Let me ask you this question while we look at this photograph. There is so much stress in life, and many couples have two high-powered jobs, and they have children, and they have all that to deal with. How do you deal with that? How do you make that work?

UPTON: Mike, you've been married longer than me.

OXLEY: Yes, I think patience has a lot to do with it and mutual understanding. But that picture, by the way, that Fred ripped off was -- remember silly string back in the '70s? That's what that was all about. That silly string took the place of rice, I think, at that wedding.

UPTON: Well, I'll say this. And I know Mike's wife, Pat, pretty well, too. But Amy and Pat to their great credit are very supportive spouses. You can't do this job without having a supportive spouse as involved in lots of different ways from the scheduling, and those meetings are sometimes tough. But obviously, to what we do back in our home districts as well as here in Washington. If you don't have a supportive spouse, it's over real quick.

COSTELLO: OK.

UPTON: So, to Pat's credit, she's a wonderful lady as well.

COSTELLO: OK. We don't have much more time, but I want you to know Valentine's Day is fast approaching. What's the best thing to say to your spouse on that day? Let's start with you, Congressman Oxley.

OXLEY: Well, "I love you" always gets it pretty well. And I think that's a universal language.

COSTELLO: I think so. How about you, Congressman Upton?

UPTON: I think a back rub sort of starts the day.

COSTELLO: I like that idea a lot better somehow.

UPTON: Yes.

COSTELLO: Congressman Upton, Congressman Oxley, thank you for joining DAYBREAK, and congratulations to both of you and to your spouses.

OXLEY: Thank you very much.

UPTON: Thanks.

COSTELLO: A story now that can only be described as a miracle. After 20 years, which included a coma, a woman speaks again. Soledad O'Brien has her story today on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Tell us a little more -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, absolutely. Her family, of course, is describing it as a medical miracle. More than 20 years ago, an 18-year-old college student was hit by a drunken driver. She was in this coma-like state. She couldn't talk for two decades. Last week, though, she shocked everybody. She said her first words since the accident. What exactly changed? Does she even know what happened to her? We're going to talk with her parents this morning. They have been kind of an incredibly moving story about their daughter's situation.

Carol, more on that this morning.

COSTELLO: I can't wait for that. Thank you, Soledad.

Ever wonder who comes up with some of the crazy getups you see walking the runways? We'll hear the business model one designer uses with the help of her hubby.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's 6:50 Eastern. Here's what will be making news today.

Police are trying to find at least 32 people in the United States and Canada who may have agreed to a suicide plot allegedly organized by this man. Gerald Krien is accused of setting up a chat room in which users apparently agreed to kill themselves on Valentine's Day.

In South Carolina, testimony resumes in a few hours in the trial of a 15-year-old boy who admits to killing his grandparents. The defense claims Christopher Pittman's (ph) judgment was clouded by anti-depressants. The jury could get the case on Monday.

And we're following reaction to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's unannounced visit to Iraq this morning. And President Bush attends the swearing-in ceremony for the new Health and Human Services chief, Mike Leavitt, who replaces Tommy Thompson.

New York's Fashion Week comes to a close today. One young designer who dresses the stars is a big hit.

CNN's Alina Cho takes us to the runway.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): She's dressed Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Connelly and Jessica Simpson, designed bridal gowns for Kevin Costner's wife and Britney Spears. Meet Monique Lhuillier, the designer who says if she won't wear it herself, neither will anyone else.

MONIQUE LHUILLIER, DESIGNER: Well, I believe in classic with a little bit of twist and maybe just a little more opulent.

CHO: Inspired this season by jewels of the Mahajara and Jackie O., Lhuillier calls her dressed pervadence (ph).

LHUILLIER: You know, it's so hard for me to pick between all of my babies, but this one, when we were making it, I was, like, oh, I love her.

CHO: The 32-year-old started her business 9 years ago, first as a bridal designer, after the bridesmaids' dresses she made for her own wedding were a hit.

Today, the name Monique Lhuillier drives $15 million in sales each year. Husband Tom is the CEO.

(on camera): Are you the voice of reason in the family?

TOM BUGBEE, CEO, MONIQUE LHUILLIER: Yes, definitely. I try to rein her in. But it's a good balance. It's a good balance.

LHUILLIER: Yes.

CHO (voice over): Tom and Monique work closely together on everything from casting models...

LHUILLIER: Oh, she's amazing. If we could get her, I love her.

CHO: ... to last-minute preparations.

BUGBEE: Could we get Dina out of the one dress to the brown dress?

CHO: All for this, a fashion show on the big stage in New York in front of the industry's most powerful editors.

LHUILLIER: When you show your collection, you're opening yourself and you're exposed out there, and you're, like, OK, I hope they like it.

CHO: They do.

FINOLA HUGHES, STYLE NETWORK: She's young, you know. And she's got a little edge to her.

PHILIP BLOCH, CELEBRITY STYLIST: She just has the feel. I think she's the next Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera.

CHO: Back stage, what's Fashion Week without an air kiss?

(on camera): How do you feel?

LHUILLIER: Thank you. I feel really good.

CHO (voice over): And soon, she'll be back at it, trying to get her babies to the red carpet at the Oscars, while trying to pry a certain reporter away from a fur-trimmed coat.

Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Chad is back with your travel forecast in just a minute. You are watching DAYBREAK for a Friday morning. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: I just feel like listening to the music this morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm so happy it's Friday.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Do you realize it's five days before spring training for baseball?

MYERS: I didn't realize that, but I did realize that it's 37 hours and 15 minutes before the first NASCAR race.

COSTELLO: You are so funny. I was looking through the papers this morning, you know, when I got in around, I don't know, 3:30. And the only story that I seem stuck on was the Jason Giambi story, but that's just me, because you know I love sports.

MYERS: You do.

COSTELLO: And I'm beginning to love NASCAR more and more. But Jason Giambi apologized to New York Yankees' fans, because, as you know, he testified -- here, let me hold this up. He testified before the grand jury and admitted to using steroids.

Now, he couldn't mention any of that in his news conference yesterday because of legal constraints. And there are -- I don't know. There are a lot of sports analysts upset about that, saying he should have said much more. But think of how his season will be. Pressure, talk about pressure...

MYERS: Yes. And this is all part of the Balco thing, right, from out west, the Bay area thing? Yes.

COSTELLO: All part of the Balco thing.

MYERS: When we were talking earlier about, you know, all of these records that have been set in the past 5 or 10 years, are they all going to be nullified? Are they going to put a little star next to them and say steroid-enhanced? Is anybody really going to admit it other than maybe him?

COSTELLO: Well, they may have to admit it whether they want to or not. But I don't know. It's going to be an interesting season, because you're right. We're all going to be watching these players, and we're all going to be wondering, well, is he taking steroids anymore? Is he smaller? Is he hitting the ball as far? You know, you just don't know.

MYERS: Well, and there's -- you can't relate this to anything except Sammy Sosa's homerun numbers have gone down significantly in the past three years after all of this attention. But now he's moving to a new team, a new ballpark. Maybe he'll be re-energized. Maybe it has nothing to do with that at all. COSTELLO: Well, he's going to be moved to Camden Yards, and it's easier to hit a homerun there. So, we'll see what happens to Sammy Sosa.

MYERS: That's right.

COSTELLO: Monday, of course, is Valentine's Day, and we won't let it go unnoticed on DAYBREAK. Joining me on Monday, a relationship expert gives us the eight simple rules of dating. If you can't stay up late to watch the Grammys, we will have all of the winners, the losers and red carpet gossip with Tom O'Neil in L.A. Monday morning. He's going to get up early in California and join DAYBREAK.

MYERS: And not even go to bed.

COSTELLO: Knowing Tom, he won't. He'll be at those parties.

MYERS: That was the point. Have a great weekend, Carol.

COSTELLO: You too, Chad. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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