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American Morning
Private Conservations; Stun Gun Debate; '90-Second Pop'
Aired February 21, 2005 - 07:29 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: After a kind of a messy weekend, the cleanup continues here.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It looks like he was squeezing. Can we get him a shovel?
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, that's a little teeny, weenie shovel. All right.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, maybe we'll help him out. Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Bill Hemmer has the day off. But Miles O'Brien has been kind enough to come help us out. We certainly appreciate that.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm going to do shoveling later, too. I'm multitalented.
S. O'BRIEN: We're going save that side of the sidewalk for you over there.
M. O'BRIEN: You've got be versatile these days, right?
S. O'BRIEN: You've got to do it all.
Much more on the secret tape recordings that were made of President Bush while he was still the governor of Texas. Comments about smoking marijuana on them, comments about the treatment gays. We're going to have a report just ahead, including White House reaction.
M. O'BRIEN: Also, we're talking about the safety of tasers. They pack 50,000 volts of electricity. They can help cops put a quick end to many dangerous situations. But there's growing debate about the safety of these devices. The CEO of the company that makes the tasers will be here to talk about that.
Let's check the headlines now. Heidi Collins here with that.
Good morning -- Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And good morning once again to you, everyone.
"Now in the News" this morning. President Bush is set to deliver his first major address in Belgium next hour. It is the first stop on his first overseas trip since his re-election. The president visited with the prime minister of Belgium earlier this morning in Brussels. He is expected to call on European allies to strengthen ties with the U.S. and offer assistance to Iraq's new democracy.
And in Iraq, word of an attack on a U.S. military convoy in southern Baghdad. Witnesses say an improvised explosive device, IED, blew up, causing a Humvee to overturn. Video from the scene shows American troops kneeling next to the vehicle. No immediate word on casualties. The incident comes as U.S. and Iraqi security forces are launching a new offensive against insurgents near Baghdad.
And in Southern California, forecasters say more rain expected today after a round of storms turned deadly. A landslide last night sent massive boulders crashing into homes, killing at least one person. A second death is also reportedly being blamed on the bad weather. A flashflood watch has been issued for Los Angeles and some neighboring areas through tomorrow.
And Australia's second-biggest airport returning to normal this hour after a suspected gas leak. Some 40 people have been taken to hospitals for treatment, complaining of nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath. Emergency crews are looking into what the substance could be and how it was released into the air. Kind of a strange one there.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it sure is. All right, Heidi, thank you.
Well, private conversations from President Bush's past are now being made public. The secret tapes appear to reveal that the president-to-be acknowledged using drugs. They also offer a foreshadowing of his future political positions.
Elaine Quijano has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the secretly- taped conversations, first reported in "The New York Times," then Texas Governor George W. Bush candidly discusses his reasons for not answering a question: Did he ever use drugs?
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, Doug, but it's not, it doesn't matter, cocaine. It'd be the same with marijuana. I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I'd tried.
DOUG WEAD, SECRETLY RECORDED PRIVATE TALKS WITH BUSH: Yes, and it never stops.
BUSH: But you've got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- do you want your little kid to say, hey, daddy, President Bush tried marijuana, I think I will? QUIJANO: Mr. Bush also discusses his religious faith and his dealings with Christian conservatives. At one point, he bluntly states he will not give in to pressure to criticize gay people.
WEAD: You promised you would not appoint gays to office.
BUSH: No, what I said was, I wouldn't fire gays. I'm not going to discriminate against people.
QUIJANO: CNN did not independently authenticate the tapes, a process that can take days. But Tom Owen, the expert who authenticated the tapes for "The New York Times," says he spent eight days analyzing excerpts before reaching his conclusion.
TOM OWEN, OWL INVESTIGATIONS, AUDIO VOICE AUTHENTICATION: In listening to the tapes over and over, and listening to various samples of George W. Bush's voice at that time and later, I've concluded that it is the president's voice.
QUIJANO: The man who recorded the tapes, Doug Wead, has a book coming out. We could not reach Wead on Sunday, but he told "The New York Times" the recordings were carried out in states where it was legal. CNN could not independently verify his claim.
Wead told ABC's "Good Morning America" weekend edition he made the recordings for their historical value.
DOUG WEAD, SECRETLY RECORDED PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS: If I had had a chance to tape record Gandhi or had conversations with Churchill, I probably would have recorded them, too.
QUIJANO: But some say history will record these secret tapes as a betrayal.
STUART ROSENTHAL, POLITICAL ANALYST: In a continuum of violations of a personal relationship, a personal confidence, that this is probably the Super Bowl of them all.
QUIJANO: The White House issued a one-sentence response, saying "These were casual conversations with somebody he considered a friend."
Historians say there is value in the recordings.
ALAN LICHTMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: When presidents write their memoirs, they're carefully doctored and carefully tailored. So, candid talk by presidents, even before they enter office, is like gold for historians.
QUIJANO (on camera): The tapes were reportedly made in 1998 through part of 2000. Experts say based on the excerpts released, they are far from scandalous, and reveal a consistency, a man deeply religious whose private conversations echo his public positions.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, author Doug Wead is our guest. That's coming up in the next hour right here on AMERICAN MORNIN -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Across the country, stun guns are a common tool to help police apprehend suspects. But lately, it seems the trend has taken a deadly turn.
In a report you'll see only here on CNN, here's Kelly Wallace with more on the debate surrounding tasers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Freddy Jerome Williams (ph) in a Georgia jail last year that got State Representative Tyrone Brooks' attention.
TYRONE BROOKS, GEORGIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: He was tasered at home and tasered in the jail and he died. I said something needs to be done.
WALLACE: While the autopsy concluded there was no evidence the taser shocks caused or contributed to Williams' death, Brooks wasn't satisfied. So he introduced a bill calling for a statewide ban of these: 50,000 volt tasers, until there is more research surrounding their safety.
BROOKS: I hope that we would have a product that won't kill people prior to them getting their day in court.
WALLACE: Since 2001, according to Amnesty International, 93 people have died from in the United States and Canada after being shocked by tasers. The latest case, earlier this month in Chicago, a 54-year-old man died and a 14-year-old boy went into cardiac arrest after being tasered by police officers.
And just last week, Toledo police suspended the use of tasers following the January death of a suspect who had been shocked nine times.
All of this has human rights groups calling for a national moratorium on the use of tasers and a federal study about their impact on people of all ages.
WILLIAM SCHULZ, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA: We think it's terribly important that we all know the truth, so that we can tell exactly to what extent these weapons ought to be restricted.
WALLACE: The manufacturer, Taser International, says, "Although the devices are not risk-free, there is no evidence to show that a taser device was the singular cause of any death and credits the device with saving lives every day."
The president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police agrees, based on what he's seen so far. JOSEPH ESTEY, INTL. ASSN. OF CHIEFS OF POLICE: What I've been told by a number of chiefs and sheriffs that have implemented the device and the technology, it is a very effective way to basically reduce the threat and bring somebody under control very quickly.
WALLACE (on camera): This week, the Police Chiefs Association will issue guidelines for officers around the country on what to consider before buying or using tasers.
(voice over): Back in Atlanta, Tyrone Brooks says he's thinking both about the officers and people like Freddy Jerome Williams (ph).
BROOKS: I certainly don't want to take away options from law enforcement agencies. But we also want to make sure that whatever they're using is safe to be used on humans.
WALLACE: Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: And that's a good point to begin with. Rick Smith, CEO of Taser International, the maker of the taser stun guns. He's live this morning in Phoenix.
Good morning Mr. Smith. Good to have you with us.
RICK SMITH, CEO, TASER INTERNATIONAL: Good morning. It's good to be here.
M. O'BRIEN: Is there a problem with the product or a problem with the way it's being used?
SMITH: At this point I would say neither. I think the way to think about tasers is like you would think about air bags in your car. They don't make a crash risk-free. Neither does a taser make a confrontation with police risk-free, but they reduce the risk of injury and death dramatically.
M. O'BRIEN: Are they being overused perhaps?
SMITH: Well, you know, as we look at Amnesty International's report, they talk about how tasers are being used to punish schoolchildren. Yet, the example they cite was a 6-year-old boy who was cutting himself with a piece of glass and threatening to kill anybody who came near him. In that case, police used the taser to disarm him, and I'm glad to report that young man is alive today without serious injury.
Given that we have over 100,000 tasers being used by police today, the fact that there have not been more abuses tells me that the training of law enforcement is doing a great job. These devices are saving lives every day.
M. O'BRIEN: All right...
SMITH: And there are a very few examples of abuse of use. M. O'BRIEN: And that's an important point, because law enforcement, of course, is trained in the use of these things. But you're marketing these to the general public as well. Isn't that going to create more problems and potentially more deaths?
SMITH: Well, you know, we live in a country with over 200 million privately-owned firearms. We're one of the most heavily- armed...
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, but there's a lot more regulations surrounding use of handguns.
SMITH: Actually, no, there's not. It's harder to buy a taser than it is to buy handgun. We not only put you through a background check, but we also register the device to you. And every time you fire it, it fires identification tags printed with your serial number. Not even handgun does that.
M. O'BRIEN: How much training goes along with a purchase of one of these?
SMITH: Well, every device we sell comes with a one-hour training DVD and a certificate that's good for a one-on-one training class in your home with a police officer. So, we believe we're providing the best industry training in the industry.
M. O'BRIEN: Are people following through on those training offers?
SMITH: We are seeing people are taking the training in-house, although a lot of people watch the video and they feel comfortable at that point.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. One final thought here. Obviously, the idea here is to avoid using handguns, a non-lethal alternative. Have you been able to quantify how many cases people are alive today because of tasers?
SMITH: We estimate over 5,000. We've posted over 600 documented cases where tasers were used to save a life on our Web site.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Rick Smith, CEO of Taser International, thanks for your time this morning. Appreciate it.
SMITH: Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Weather now. There may be a chance for even more snow around Lake Tahoe. Chad Myers is at the CNN center. He's got a look at the latest weather update for us.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: The Starship Enterprise runs into an enemy more powerful than any Klingon, network television executives. The newest "Star Trek" series was canceled. But could it boldly go to a new network, thanks to fans? "90-Second Pop" takes a look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Former Hollywood heartthrob actress Sandra Dee has died. Dee began her movie career in the '50s with a string of hits, including "Gidget" and "A Summer Place." In 1960, Dee married singer Bobby Darin with whom she had a son. Dee died Sunday of complications from kidney disease and pneumonia. Her son says she was 63.
And Broadway baritone John Raitt died yesterday. Raitt was known for his role as Billy Bigelow in the original production of the musical, "Carousel." Father of blues and rock signer Bonnie Raitt, he also starred in movies and musicals such as "The Pajama Game" and "Annie, Get Your Gun." Raitt died of complications from pneumonia. He was 88.
S. O'BRIEN: That's sad. Two big losses.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Jack's got the "Question of the Day.'
CAFFERTY: That's really nice. I have to follow two obits. What is that deal? Let the record show that Miles and Soledad both have ballpoint pens that are identical that were stolen from the same hotel.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: The Hotel George, yes.
CAFFERTY: The question that inquiring minds want to know is whether these were acquired at the same time or not?
M. O'BRIEN: Clearly separate trips...
CAFFERTY: Huh?
M. O'BRIEN: ... in every way and these -- what are the odds?
S. O'BRIEN: It is. I think it's very interesting.
M. O'BRIEN: The same...
CAFFERTY: Well, if you were there at the same time, the odds are pretty good you'd both have identical pens, now aren't they?
S. O'BRIEN: Our lives are not quite that interesting.
CAFFERTY: Oh, OK.
S. O'BRIEN: So no, we were not there at the same time.
CAFFERTY: All right. President Bush is going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin later this week. The pressure is mounting for Bush to do something about Russia's increasingly undemocratic behavior these days. Putin backed the original winner of the first discredited Ukrainian election. This past week, he announced he doesn't think Iran presents a nuclear threat. You know, they're busy selling missiles to Syria.
U.S. Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman introduced legislation calling for Russia to be kicked out of the group of industrialized democracies.
That's the question: Should President Bush suspend Russia's membership in the G8?
Marty in Warwick, New York: "Only if he wants to see how obstructionist it's possible for Russia to become once they put their minds to it. Eventually, free trade erodes away at fascism. Just be patient and we'll prevail."
Stan in Illinois: "If being a democratic nation is a requirement, then yes, Russia should be removed from the G8. Then in light of our own current situation, we should remove ourselves."
John in Florida writes: "We must remember that Mr. Putin is ex- KGB, and a leopard cannot change his spots. We should still sit at the table with him, because it's important to keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
What was that? Was that "The Godfather?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Yes. Was it, Lou, "The Godfather?" It was a great line.
Jerry in Georgia: "Russia has taken huge steps forward since the fall of the Berlin wall. However, Mr. Putin must be made to realize that he's involved in a dance. When he takes a step forward, so will his partner. When he moves backward, there is only one choice."
And Shirley in Florida: "The fewer things Bush does, the better. Then we should also work on putting a sock in Rumsfeld's mouth. And by the way, I love your pants."
S. O'BRIEN: Shirley has written to you a couple times.
CAFFERTY: She has?
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, yes, there's a shot of your...
CAFFERTY: Is that necessary?
M. O'BRIEN: You got a deal with the sneaker company or something?
CAFFERTY: No. I told you, I had to walk to meet my ride this morning through the snow. So, it made sense to me to wear a pair of jeans and sneakers, plus sitting here at the desk, unless the cameras want to go and, you know, get nosey, nobody going to notice anyway, because...
S. O'BRIEN: Which they've done.
M. O'BRIEN: For some reason...
CAFFERTY: The shot is being -- all you can see is from the waist up.
S. O'BRIEN: And now there goes the camera again.
CAFFERTY: This is pretty riveting President's Day programming so far, don't you think?
S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
M. O'BRIEN: It's a program with soul.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack. We appreciate it.
CAFFERTY: NASA's on the phone for you.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. "90-Second Pop", shall we? Will Smith fought off comic book hero "Constantine" at the box office, but now the star of "Hitch" could play a superhero himself, one who drinks and smokes and has one-night stands. "90-Second Pop" is just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: He acts. He sings. He does it all. Good morning. Welcome, everybody. I'm talking about Will Smith. We'll talk about him in just a moment. Welcome to a Monday edition of "90-Second Pop".
Let's introduce you to our pop panelists this morning. Andy Borowitz from borowitzreport.com. Jessica Shaw from "Entertainment Weekly."
Good morning, Jessica.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Good morning.
S. O'BRIEN: And Toure, CNN's pop culture correspondent.
I love me some Will Smith. I've got to tell you, I really -- you know what? And he seems -- I know. Well, is good for his career, because he is just -- everything he touches is gold.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: I know. When I saw the trailer for "Hitch," I thought surely this one is going to flop. This movie looks like crap. But it is a hit. It's a bona fide hit. Two weeks in a row.
S. O'BRIEN: It doesn't look like crap. It looks good. TOURE: No, the trailer with the Kevin James dance, it looked terrible. But...
SHAW: He's not a romantic comedy person apparently.
TOURE: But with success comes confidence, often foolish confidence. So the black Tom Hanks will next do "Tonight He Comes" about a romantic superhero, philandering, smoking, alcoholic philandering superhero in Brooklyn, one-night stands. I don't know where he's going, but it's going to work because it's Will Smith. Everything he does works.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: He at this point could do Will Smith is Jack Cafferty, and it would be huge monster hit.
S. O'BRIEN: Sold out on Broadway.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: He seems -- I mean, I'm going to put you on the spot. He seems like an incredibly nice guy. And you obviously work with him, Andy.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Is he? Is he?
BOROWITZ: Well, yes, he is a tremendously nice guy. I probably should, like, recuse myself from this discussion, because I produced "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," and don't want any appearance of conflict of interest. Because actually the "Fresh Prince" DVD came out last week. But...
TOURE: But you're not being paid to say he's a nice guy.
BOROWITZ: No. No, I'm not.
TOURE: You're not.
SHAW: And Andy gets 10 percent of his salary for really launching his career.
BOROWITZ: He was always tremendously nice and tremendously charismatic. I mean, the audience always had a love affair with him. This is not...
S. O'BRIEN: And that's what translates...
BOROWITZ: Yes.
TOURE: But people...
S. O'BRIEN: ... from the big screen is he's a great guy.
SHAW: And people don't care when he has a flop like "Wild Wide West" or... BOROWITZ: Well, let's not talk about that.
SHAW: He's perfect!
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk about something that's less perfect, "Enterprise." Oh, so sad. "Enterprise" has been canceled.
BOROWITZ: I know.
S. O'BRIEN: And yet...
BOROWITZ: And first of all, let's explain what "Enterprise" is. It's "Star Trek."
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: It's the latest spin-off of "Star Trek." Yes...
S. O'BRIEN: What number spin-off, would you guess?
BOROWITZ: Ninety-eight. This is -- but what I love about this is that fans of "Enterprise" have this Web site, and they're trying to raise money to keep it going. I went to the Web site. Here is what somebody said, a fan of "Star Trek" said. Captain Archer and the crew of the NX01 need your help to continue their journeys. And I was, like, while we're on the subject of people who need help, yikes! Oh, my gosh!
SHAW: I thought I wrote that very well!
(LAUGHTER)
BOROWITZ: These fans have raised $33,000 to keep "Star Trek" on the air, and I just think...
S. O'BRIEN: How much do they need?
BOROWITZ: This money could be used to, like, move out of their parents' basement. I mean, there are so many other things they could do.
S. O'BRIEN: Hey, you know what?
TOURE: It costs, like, 20 million, right? And they've got $30,000.
SHAW: Right.
TOURE: So, they're almost there.
SHAW: They're also calling for the Sci-Fi channel to really get this going. What is the Sci-Fi channel for if not to revive "Star Trek?"
S. O'BRIEN: I hear you, sister. Exactly. It makes perfect sense. BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: You know what? They're all going to be laughing at us when this works.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: And with their $40,000, they manage to revive "Enterprise." Who stars in that, do you know?
BOROWITZ: Scott Bakula (ph).
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, I love him.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: All the more reason to get it back on.
SHAW: Absolutely.
BOROWITZ: Yes. Also, I know him as Captain...
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I do love him.
TOURE: Like, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I love it.
S. O'BRIEN: You're always close to me. All right...
BOROWITZ: I knew him as Captain Archer, by the way.
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, yes.
BOROWITZ: Of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
S. O'BRIEN: OK. Moving on, moving on. Secrets in Hollywood are getting harder and harder to keep.
SHAW: Yes. You know, I think that there are a lot of scripts floating around in offices, and, you know, there are people all of sudden who would like to leak the rumors. And we are an instant gratification culture. We need our TV plots now before they happen. What is wrong with people that they just can't wait until it airs?
S. O'BRIEN: Who, says the woman from "Entertainment Weekly."
TOURE: What is wrong with me? If that's what you're saying, what is wrong with me? Let me tell you...
SHAW: We don't leak a story like this.
S. O'BRIEN: If you got a script on your desk, that would be the cover story for you that week.
SHAW: And I would be sharing it with all of you, but I have no connections. Therefore...
TOURE: Let me tell you, I did some research for this. I ruined the future of "Desperate Housewives" for myself. So, if it's ruined for me, it's got to be ruined for everybody. Lynnette's husband is a bigamist. That's coming out. Marlee Matlin is going to be on the show. And Gabrielle is going to be pregnant. So have fun! It's ruined for me.
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: You're like the Jose Canseco of cable TV. You're wrecking it for everybody.
SHAW: What do you mean? You just did this?
TOURE: Three minutes on the Internet, and you can find out everything there is to know.
BOROWITZ: Couldn't you use your timesaving "Star Trek," man? Come on.
S. O'BRIEN: So, wait. So, are you telling me that, like, disgruntled workers who have access to the scripts...
TOURE: No, no.
BOROWITZ: No.
TOURE: No, you have, like, bloggers who are, like, you know, loving this show or that show.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: And they have little spies, friends in the show. And they'll, like, make calls and find out.
SHAW: Yes.
TOURE: I mean, it's part of viral marketing. Mark Cherry (ph) wants us to know...
S. O'BRIEN: And so they love the show, and so they're wrecking it for all of the viewers, which will then have the people watch it less often and then kill the show, which will go by the way of "Enterprise."
BOROWITZ: Only to the Sci-fi channel.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. It's all just come full circle. You guys, as always, thank you very much. This Monday edition of "90-Second Pop" is officially over.
Miles -- back to you.
M. O'BRIEN: Maybe the get a Life channel will take it? I don't know. The U.S. says it doesn't negotiate with terrorists. So what's this we hear about secret talks to give insurgents a seat in the new Iraqi government? A closer look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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Aired February 21, 2005 - 07:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: After a kind of a messy weekend, the cleanup continues here.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It looks like he was squeezing. Can we get him a shovel?
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, that's a little teeny, weenie shovel. All right.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, maybe we'll help him out. Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Bill Hemmer has the day off. But Miles O'Brien has been kind enough to come help us out. We certainly appreciate that.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm going to do shoveling later, too. I'm multitalented.
S. O'BRIEN: We're going save that side of the sidewalk for you over there.
M. O'BRIEN: You've got be versatile these days, right?
S. O'BRIEN: You've got to do it all.
Much more on the secret tape recordings that were made of President Bush while he was still the governor of Texas. Comments about smoking marijuana on them, comments about the treatment gays. We're going to have a report just ahead, including White House reaction.
M. O'BRIEN: Also, we're talking about the safety of tasers. They pack 50,000 volts of electricity. They can help cops put a quick end to many dangerous situations. But there's growing debate about the safety of these devices. The CEO of the company that makes the tasers will be here to talk about that.
Let's check the headlines now. Heidi Collins here with that.
Good morning -- Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And good morning once again to you, everyone.
"Now in the News" this morning. President Bush is set to deliver his first major address in Belgium next hour. It is the first stop on his first overseas trip since his re-election. The president visited with the prime minister of Belgium earlier this morning in Brussels. He is expected to call on European allies to strengthen ties with the U.S. and offer assistance to Iraq's new democracy.
And in Iraq, word of an attack on a U.S. military convoy in southern Baghdad. Witnesses say an improvised explosive device, IED, blew up, causing a Humvee to overturn. Video from the scene shows American troops kneeling next to the vehicle. No immediate word on casualties. The incident comes as U.S. and Iraqi security forces are launching a new offensive against insurgents near Baghdad.
And in Southern California, forecasters say more rain expected today after a round of storms turned deadly. A landslide last night sent massive boulders crashing into homes, killing at least one person. A second death is also reportedly being blamed on the bad weather. A flashflood watch has been issued for Los Angeles and some neighboring areas through tomorrow.
And Australia's second-biggest airport returning to normal this hour after a suspected gas leak. Some 40 people have been taken to hospitals for treatment, complaining of nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath. Emergency crews are looking into what the substance could be and how it was released into the air. Kind of a strange one there.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it sure is. All right, Heidi, thank you.
Well, private conversations from President Bush's past are now being made public. The secret tapes appear to reveal that the president-to-be acknowledged using drugs. They also offer a foreshadowing of his future political positions.
Elaine Quijano has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the secretly- taped conversations, first reported in "The New York Times," then Texas Governor George W. Bush candidly discusses his reasons for not answering a question: Did he ever use drugs?
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, Doug, but it's not, it doesn't matter, cocaine. It'd be the same with marijuana. I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I'd tried.
DOUG WEAD, SECRETLY RECORDED PRIVATE TALKS WITH BUSH: Yes, and it never stops.
BUSH: But you've got to understand, I want to be president. I want to lead. I want to set -- do you want your little kid to say, hey, daddy, President Bush tried marijuana, I think I will? QUIJANO: Mr. Bush also discusses his religious faith and his dealings with Christian conservatives. At one point, he bluntly states he will not give in to pressure to criticize gay people.
WEAD: You promised you would not appoint gays to office.
BUSH: No, what I said was, I wouldn't fire gays. I'm not going to discriminate against people.
QUIJANO: CNN did not independently authenticate the tapes, a process that can take days. But Tom Owen, the expert who authenticated the tapes for "The New York Times," says he spent eight days analyzing excerpts before reaching his conclusion.
TOM OWEN, OWL INVESTIGATIONS, AUDIO VOICE AUTHENTICATION: In listening to the tapes over and over, and listening to various samples of George W. Bush's voice at that time and later, I've concluded that it is the president's voice.
QUIJANO: The man who recorded the tapes, Doug Wead, has a book coming out. We could not reach Wead on Sunday, but he told "The New York Times" the recordings were carried out in states where it was legal. CNN could not independently verify his claim.
Wead told ABC's "Good Morning America" weekend edition he made the recordings for their historical value.
DOUG WEAD, SECRETLY RECORDED PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS: If I had had a chance to tape record Gandhi or had conversations with Churchill, I probably would have recorded them, too.
QUIJANO: But some say history will record these secret tapes as a betrayal.
STUART ROSENTHAL, POLITICAL ANALYST: In a continuum of violations of a personal relationship, a personal confidence, that this is probably the Super Bowl of them all.
QUIJANO: The White House issued a one-sentence response, saying "These were casual conversations with somebody he considered a friend."
Historians say there is value in the recordings.
ALAN LICHTMAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: When presidents write their memoirs, they're carefully doctored and carefully tailored. So, candid talk by presidents, even before they enter office, is like gold for historians.
QUIJANO (on camera): The tapes were reportedly made in 1998 through part of 2000. Experts say based on the excerpts released, they are far from scandalous, and reveal a consistency, a man deeply religious whose private conversations echo his public positions.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, author Doug Wead is our guest. That's coming up in the next hour right here on AMERICAN MORNIN -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Across the country, stun guns are a common tool to help police apprehend suspects. But lately, it seems the trend has taken a deadly turn.
In a report you'll see only here on CNN, here's Kelly Wallace with more on the debate surrounding tasers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Freddy Jerome Williams (ph) in a Georgia jail last year that got State Representative Tyrone Brooks' attention.
TYRONE BROOKS, GEORGIA STATE REPRESENTATIVE: He was tasered at home and tasered in the jail and he died. I said something needs to be done.
WALLACE: While the autopsy concluded there was no evidence the taser shocks caused or contributed to Williams' death, Brooks wasn't satisfied. So he introduced a bill calling for a statewide ban of these: 50,000 volt tasers, until there is more research surrounding their safety.
BROOKS: I hope that we would have a product that won't kill people prior to them getting their day in court.
WALLACE: Since 2001, according to Amnesty International, 93 people have died from in the United States and Canada after being shocked by tasers. The latest case, earlier this month in Chicago, a 54-year-old man died and a 14-year-old boy went into cardiac arrest after being tasered by police officers.
And just last week, Toledo police suspended the use of tasers following the January death of a suspect who had been shocked nine times.
All of this has human rights groups calling for a national moratorium on the use of tasers and a federal study about their impact on people of all ages.
WILLIAM SCHULZ, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA: We think it's terribly important that we all know the truth, so that we can tell exactly to what extent these weapons ought to be restricted.
WALLACE: The manufacturer, Taser International, says, "Although the devices are not risk-free, there is no evidence to show that a taser device was the singular cause of any death and credits the device with saving lives every day."
The president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police agrees, based on what he's seen so far. JOSEPH ESTEY, INTL. ASSN. OF CHIEFS OF POLICE: What I've been told by a number of chiefs and sheriffs that have implemented the device and the technology, it is a very effective way to basically reduce the threat and bring somebody under control very quickly.
WALLACE (on camera): This week, the Police Chiefs Association will issue guidelines for officers around the country on what to consider before buying or using tasers.
(voice over): Back in Atlanta, Tyrone Brooks says he's thinking both about the officers and people like Freddy Jerome Williams (ph).
BROOKS: I certainly don't want to take away options from law enforcement agencies. But we also want to make sure that whatever they're using is safe to be used on humans.
WALLACE: Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: And that's a good point to begin with. Rick Smith, CEO of Taser International, the maker of the taser stun guns. He's live this morning in Phoenix.
Good morning Mr. Smith. Good to have you with us.
RICK SMITH, CEO, TASER INTERNATIONAL: Good morning. It's good to be here.
M. O'BRIEN: Is there a problem with the product or a problem with the way it's being used?
SMITH: At this point I would say neither. I think the way to think about tasers is like you would think about air bags in your car. They don't make a crash risk-free. Neither does a taser make a confrontation with police risk-free, but they reduce the risk of injury and death dramatically.
M. O'BRIEN: Are they being overused perhaps?
SMITH: Well, you know, as we look at Amnesty International's report, they talk about how tasers are being used to punish schoolchildren. Yet, the example they cite was a 6-year-old boy who was cutting himself with a piece of glass and threatening to kill anybody who came near him. In that case, police used the taser to disarm him, and I'm glad to report that young man is alive today without serious injury.
Given that we have over 100,000 tasers being used by police today, the fact that there have not been more abuses tells me that the training of law enforcement is doing a great job. These devices are saving lives every day.
M. O'BRIEN: All right...
SMITH: And there are a very few examples of abuse of use. M. O'BRIEN: And that's an important point, because law enforcement, of course, is trained in the use of these things. But you're marketing these to the general public as well. Isn't that going to create more problems and potentially more deaths?
SMITH: Well, you know, we live in a country with over 200 million privately-owned firearms. We're one of the most heavily- armed...
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, but there's a lot more regulations surrounding use of handguns.
SMITH: Actually, no, there's not. It's harder to buy a taser than it is to buy handgun. We not only put you through a background check, but we also register the device to you. And every time you fire it, it fires identification tags printed with your serial number. Not even handgun does that.
M. O'BRIEN: How much training goes along with a purchase of one of these?
SMITH: Well, every device we sell comes with a one-hour training DVD and a certificate that's good for a one-on-one training class in your home with a police officer. So, we believe we're providing the best industry training in the industry.
M. O'BRIEN: Are people following through on those training offers?
SMITH: We are seeing people are taking the training in-house, although a lot of people watch the video and they feel comfortable at that point.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. One final thought here. Obviously, the idea here is to avoid using handguns, a non-lethal alternative. Have you been able to quantify how many cases people are alive today because of tasers?
SMITH: We estimate over 5,000. We've posted over 600 documented cases where tasers were used to save a life on our Web site.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Rick Smith, CEO of Taser International, thanks for your time this morning. Appreciate it.
SMITH: Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Weather now. There may be a chance for even more snow around Lake Tahoe. Chad Myers is at the CNN center. He's got a look at the latest weather update for us.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: The Starship Enterprise runs into an enemy more powerful than any Klingon, network television executives. The newest "Star Trek" series was canceled. But could it boldly go to a new network, thanks to fans? "90-Second Pop" takes a look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Former Hollywood heartthrob actress Sandra Dee has died. Dee began her movie career in the '50s with a string of hits, including "Gidget" and "A Summer Place." In 1960, Dee married singer Bobby Darin with whom she had a son. Dee died Sunday of complications from kidney disease and pneumonia. Her son says she was 63.
And Broadway baritone John Raitt died yesterday. Raitt was known for his role as Billy Bigelow in the original production of the musical, "Carousel." Father of blues and rock signer Bonnie Raitt, he also starred in movies and musicals such as "The Pajama Game" and "Annie, Get Your Gun." Raitt died of complications from pneumonia. He was 88.
S. O'BRIEN: That's sad. Two big losses.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Jack's got the "Question of the Day.'
CAFFERTY: That's really nice. I have to follow two obits. What is that deal? Let the record show that Miles and Soledad both have ballpoint pens that are identical that were stolen from the same hotel.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: The Hotel George, yes.
CAFFERTY: The question that inquiring minds want to know is whether these were acquired at the same time or not?
M. O'BRIEN: Clearly separate trips...
CAFFERTY: Huh?
M. O'BRIEN: ... in every way and these -- what are the odds?
S. O'BRIEN: It is. I think it's very interesting.
M. O'BRIEN: The same...
CAFFERTY: Well, if you were there at the same time, the odds are pretty good you'd both have identical pens, now aren't they?
S. O'BRIEN: Our lives are not quite that interesting.
CAFFERTY: Oh, OK.
S. O'BRIEN: So no, we were not there at the same time.
CAFFERTY: All right. President Bush is going to have a meeting with Vladimir Putin later this week. The pressure is mounting for Bush to do something about Russia's increasingly undemocratic behavior these days. Putin backed the original winner of the first discredited Ukrainian election. This past week, he announced he doesn't think Iran presents a nuclear threat. You know, they're busy selling missiles to Syria.
U.S. Senators John McCain and Joseph Lieberman introduced legislation calling for Russia to be kicked out of the group of industrialized democracies.
That's the question: Should President Bush suspend Russia's membership in the G8?
Marty in Warwick, New York: "Only if he wants to see how obstructionist it's possible for Russia to become once they put their minds to it. Eventually, free trade erodes away at fascism. Just be patient and we'll prevail."
Stan in Illinois: "If being a democratic nation is a requirement, then yes, Russia should be removed from the G8. Then in light of our own current situation, we should remove ourselves."
John in Florida writes: "We must remember that Mr. Putin is ex- KGB, and a leopard cannot change his spots. We should still sit at the table with him, because it's important to keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
What was that? Was that "The Godfather?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Yes. Was it, Lou, "The Godfather?" It was a great line.
Jerry in Georgia: "Russia has taken huge steps forward since the fall of the Berlin wall. However, Mr. Putin must be made to realize that he's involved in a dance. When he takes a step forward, so will his partner. When he moves backward, there is only one choice."
And Shirley in Florida: "The fewer things Bush does, the better. Then we should also work on putting a sock in Rumsfeld's mouth. And by the way, I love your pants."
S. O'BRIEN: Shirley has written to you a couple times.
CAFFERTY: She has?
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, yes, there's a shot of your...
CAFFERTY: Is that necessary?
M. O'BRIEN: You got a deal with the sneaker company or something?
CAFFERTY: No. I told you, I had to walk to meet my ride this morning through the snow. So, it made sense to me to wear a pair of jeans and sneakers, plus sitting here at the desk, unless the cameras want to go and, you know, get nosey, nobody going to notice anyway, because...
S. O'BRIEN: Which they've done.
M. O'BRIEN: For some reason...
CAFFERTY: The shot is being -- all you can see is from the waist up.
S. O'BRIEN: And now there goes the camera again.
CAFFERTY: This is pretty riveting President's Day programming so far, don't you think?
S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
M. O'BRIEN: It's a program with soul.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack. We appreciate it.
CAFFERTY: NASA's on the phone for you.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. "90-Second Pop", shall we? Will Smith fought off comic book hero "Constantine" at the box office, but now the star of "Hitch" could play a superhero himself, one who drinks and smokes and has one-night stands. "90-Second Pop" is just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: He acts. He sings. He does it all. Good morning. Welcome, everybody. I'm talking about Will Smith. We'll talk about him in just a moment. Welcome to a Monday edition of "90-Second Pop".
Let's introduce you to our pop panelists this morning. Andy Borowitz from borowitzreport.com. Jessica Shaw from "Entertainment Weekly."
Good morning, Jessica.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Good morning.
S. O'BRIEN: And Toure, CNN's pop culture correspondent.
I love me some Will Smith. I've got to tell you, I really -- you know what? And he seems -- I know. Well, is good for his career, because he is just -- everything he touches is gold.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: I know. When I saw the trailer for "Hitch," I thought surely this one is going to flop. This movie looks like crap. But it is a hit. It's a bona fide hit. Two weeks in a row.
S. O'BRIEN: It doesn't look like crap. It looks good. TOURE: No, the trailer with the Kevin James dance, it looked terrible. But...
SHAW: He's not a romantic comedy person apparently.
TOURE: But with success comes confidence, often foolish confidence. So the black Tom Hanks will next do "Tonight He Comes" about a romantic superhero, philandering, smoking, alcoholic philandering superhero in Brooklyn, one-night stands. I don't know where he's going, but it's going to work because it's Will Smith. Everything he does works.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: He at this point could do Will Smith is Jack Cafferty, and it would be huge monster hit.
S. O'BRIEN: Sold out on Broadway.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: He seems -- I mean, I'm going to put you on the spot. He seems like an incredibly nice guy. And you obviously work with him, Andy.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Is he? Is he?
BOROWITZ: Well, yes, he is a tremendously nice guy. I probably should, like, recuse myself from this discussion, because I produced "Fresh Prince of Bel Air," and don't want any appearance of conflict of interest. Because actually the "Fresh Prince" DVD came out last week. But...
TOURE: But you're not being paid to say he's a nice guy.
BOROWITZ: No. No, I'm not.
TOURE: You're not.
SHAW: And Andy gets 10 percent of his salary for really launching his career.
BOROWITZ: He was always tremendously nice and tremendously charismatic. I mean, the audience always had a love affair with him. This is not...
S. O'BRIEN: And that's what translates...
BOROWITZ: Yes.
TOURE: But people...
S. O'BRIEN: ... from the big screen is he's a great guy.
SHAW: And people don't care when he has a flop like "Wild Wide West" or... BOROWITZ: Well, let's not talk about that.
SHAW: He's perfect!
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk about something that's less perfect, "Enterprise." Oh, so sad. "Enterprise" has been canceled.
BOROWITZ: I know.
S. O'BRIEN: And yet...
BOROWITZ: And first of all, let's explain what "Enterprise" is. It's "Star Trek."
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: It's the latest spin-off of "Star Trek." Yes...
S. O'BRIEN: What number spin-off, would you guess?
BOROWITZ: Ninety-eight. This is -- but what I love about this is that fans of "Enterprise" have this Web site, and they're trying to raise money to keep it going. I went to the Web site. Here is what somebody said, a fan of "Star Trek" said. Captain Archer and the crew of the NX01 need your help to continue their journeys. And I was, like, while we're on the subject of people who need help, yikes! Oh, my gosh!
SHAW: I thought I wrote that very well!
(LAUGHTER)
BOROWITZ: These fans have raised $33,000 to keep "Star Trek" on the air, and I just think...
S. O'BRIEN: How much do they need?
BOROWITZ: This money could be used to, like, move out of their parents' basement. I mean, there are so many other things they could do.
S. O'BRIEN: Hey, you know what?
TOURE: It costs, like, 20 million, right? And they've got $30,000.
SHAW: Right.
TOURE: So, they're almost there.
SHAW: They're also calling for the Sci-Fi channel to really get this going. What is the Sci-Fi channel for if not to revive "Star Trek?"
S. O'BRIEN: I hear you, sister. Exactly. It makes perfect sense. BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: You know what? They're all going to be laughing at us when this works.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: And with their $40,000, they manage to revive "Enterprise." Who stars in that, do you know?
BOROWITZ: Scott Bakula (ph).
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, I love him.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: All the more reason to get it back on.
SHAW: Absolutely.
BOROWITZ: Yes. Also, I know him as Captain...
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I do love him.
TOURE: Like, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I love it.
S. O'BRIEN: You're always close to me. All right...
BOROWITZ: I knew him as Captain Archer, by the way.
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, yes.
BOROWITZ: Of the (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
S. O'BRIEN: OK. Moving on, moving on. Secrets in Hollywood are getting harder and harder to keep.
SHAW: Yes. You know, I think that there are a lot of scripts floating around in offices, and, you know, there are people all of sudden who would like to leak the rumors. And we are an instant gratification culture. We need our TV plots now before they happen. What is wrong with people that they just can't wait until it airs?
S. O'BRIEN: Who, says the woman from "Entertainment Weekly."
TOURE: What is wrong with me? If that's what you're saying, what is wrong with me? Let me tell you...
SHAW: We don't leak a story like this.
S. O'BRIEN: If you got a script on your desk, that would be the cover story for you that week.
SHAW: And I would be sharing it with all of you, but I have no connections. Therefore...
TOURE: Let me tell you, I did some research for this. I ruined the future of "Desperate Housewives" for myself. So, if it's ruined for me, it's got to be ruined for everybody. Lynnette's husband is a bigamist. That's coming out. Marlee Matlin is going to be on the show. And Gabrielle is going to be pregnant. So have fun! It's ruined for me.
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: You're like the Jose Canseco of cable TV. You're wrecking it for everybody.
SHAW: What do you mean? You just did this?
TOURE: Three minutes on the Internet, and you can find out everything there is to know.
BOROWITZ: Couldn't you use your timesaving "Star Trek," man? Come on.
S. O'BRIEN: So, wait. So, are you telling me that, like, disgruntled workers who have access to the scripts...
TOURE: No, no.
BOROWITZ: No.
TOURE: No, you have, like, bloggers who are, like, you know, loving this show or that show.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: And they have little spies, friends in the show. And they'll, like, make calls and find out.
SHAW: Yes.
TOURE: I mean, it's part of viral marketing. Mark Cherry (ph) wants us to know...
S. O'BRIEN: And so they love the show, and so they're wrecking it for all of the viewers, which will then have the people watch it less often and then kill the show, which will go by the way of "Enterprise."
BOROWITZ: Only to the Sci-fi channel.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes. It's all just come full circle. You guys, as always, thank you very much. This Monday edition of "90-Second Pop" is officially over.
Miles -- back to you.
M. O'BRIEN: Maybe the get a Life channel will take it? I don't know. The U.S. says it doesn't negotiate with terrorists. So what's this we hear about secret talks to give insurgents a seat in the new Iraqi government? A closer look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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