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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bush Addresses Slovak People; Are You Scam Bait?; Breaking News: Pope Hospitalized

Aired February 24, 2005 - 05:56   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And of course we've been following that breaking news for the past several minutes. Pope John Paul has been taken back to a Rome hospital, apparently the flu has returned, at least we think so. This is according to The Associated Press and to Reuters.
Let's head live to Rome to check in with Walt Rodgers to see what he has managed to find out.

Hello -- Walt.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

We were told that a short while ago, within the last hour and a half, Pope John Paul II was taken back to the Gemelli Polyclinic, the hospital which he always goes to here in Rome. Dr. Joaquin Navarro- Valls, the Vatican spokesman, also a physician, says that the pope has experienced a relapse of the flu-like conditions he had earlier in February, and that the pope, his holiness, needs more specialized treatment, which required him to be taken back to hospital again.

We have no more information than this. But we should remind viewers that on February 1 of this month, the pope was rushed to hospital with an inflamed trachea, an inflamed windpipe. At the time he had that was considered a complication of the flu he was experiencing then.

We saw his holiness yesterday, actually, in the Wednesday general audience from his library inside the Vatican and he had a rather strenuous appearance. That is to say he spoke for at least half an hour off and on. And it was, as I say, the Wednesday general audience broadcast to an auditorium within the Vatican itself, the assembly hall. And there there were thousands of young people. And the pope was very animated and spoke with considerable forcefulness, given his general condition, genuflecting, waving his hands in the air to the pilgrims.

But this morning, again, Pope John Paul II has been taken back to hospital with what have been called complications of the flu that require more specialized treatment. Those are the minimal details the Vatican has given us now. As I say, the pope reentered the Gemelli hospital within the last hour.

Back to you. COSTELLO: OK, Walt, I'm probably going to ask you a bunch of questions that you don't quite know the answers to, but I'm going to give it a shot. We know that the pope was in the hospital for 10 days, and then he took a week off, but then he got right back to business. Perhaps he did that too fast and this is why he's being rushed to the hospital this morning?

RODGERS: Well I'm not sure we can say that, because, of course, the pope is hovered over by physicians and clerics in the Vatican. And we were told, as recently as two or three days ago by Dr. Navarro- Valls, that his holiness was making a good recovery.

Indeed he has delivered two Angeluses, one almost three weeks ago. That was very brief. But then last Sunday, again, the pope spoke for some three minutes from his window in the Vatican to the assembled pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. At that point he was, again, surprisingly vigorous and strong, given the fact he is 84 years old and infirm.

Then we saw his holiness yesterday, again from his bedroom, where he was broadcasting to a much larger audience by a closed circuit TV. And there, again, I was very surprised when I saw John Paul II genuflecting with considerable vigor, waving to the assembled pilgrims, again, via closed circuit TV, and speaking rather forcefully on and off for a period of some 30 minutes. Again, he appeared well on the way to a good recovery.

Apparently not so, John Paul II has been taken back to hospital here in Rome, the Gemelli Clinic, again this morning. It's called complications of relapse of the flu. And the doctors say he needs more specialized treatment. We'll be getting health bulletins, perhaps, later, but that's about what we know at this point.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's also interesting, he just released his book and it was written in very feisty language. Some saying that perhaps this was a show by the pope to show he still had a lot of vigor.

RODGERS: Well, if you read the book it perhaps was calculated, the release of it was calculated to send that message. But recall, the book was essentially a transcription or a revised transcript of conversations that John Paul II held in the summer of 1993 with some Polish friends and these were conversations that he had then. So, again, you can only speculate on the timing of it.

But right now, right now that's what we have. The book did come out but you don't put that out quickly. I mean the book was obviously planned for release at some point anyhow -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, sure.

Oh, sure.

We'll get back to you when you find out more.

Walt Rodgers reporting live from Rome. The next hour starts right now.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, we begin with that breaking news. Pope John Paul II has apparently suffered a relapse. The Vatican says the pontiff has been returned to a Rome hospital for more treatment. The 84-year-old pope was released two weeks ago after spending 10 days in the hospital for treatment of the flu.

Another deadly attack today in Iraq. A suicide car bomber kills at least 11 policemen and wounds 24 others. The attack happened at an emergency police station in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.

The Pentagon says there will be no more trained dogs used in interviews with detainees. It's one of the changes the Army is making in the way it handles detainees. Senior Army officials say the new rules will clarify procedures.

Palestinian legislators are meeting right now to finally vote on a new government. Political wrangling has caused the vote to be delayed several times. But they're expected to approve new cabinet members supported by Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia.

To the forecast center now -- good morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

Obviously, we planned on doing stumping the big-headed weatherman, but the breaking news got in the way of that. So, we'll try to either get to that later in the show if we have time, or even tomorrow. We'll make sure we keep those same questions.

One of the questions was, though, when does the snow start in New York City? A young lady was trying to fly back from Boston to New York City.

There will be flurries in the city by noon and then it really starts snowing by 4:00 tonight. And we really start to get travel problems in the afternoon, late afternoon hours.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: There is a meeting scheduled in a few hours from now between President Bush and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are still personal friends, but they have issues, as CNN's John King reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): June, 2001 -- a picturesque walk in Slovenia and a first impression that has defined U.S.-Russia relations since. BUSH: I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul.

KING: Four years later, the man Mr. Bush calls Vladimir is widely seen as halting, if not reversing, Russia's path towards democracy.

NATAN SHARANSKY, AUTHOR, "CASE FOR DEMOCRACY": There is no Gulag, no KGB. But it is right to be very concerned by some of the restrictions.

KING: So as he prepares for Thursday's meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia, Mr. Bush faces pressure to reconsider his early verdict.

RICHARD PERLE, FORMER PENTAGON ADVISER: When you gaze into souls, it's something you should update periodically, because souls can change.

KING: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with her Russian counterpart earlier this month and raised concerns about shutting down media critics and Kremlin prosecutions of Putin foes. The White House also is frustrated, among other things, with Russian nuclear cooperation with Iran and missile sales to Syria.

And Senator John McCain says Mr. Putin must be pressured to keep a promise to pull Russian troops out of neighboring Georgia.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Sooner or later, he has got to realize that the path that he's on is one which will eventually bring his government down. I mean, you can't continue this kind of consolidation of power and not expect to be eventually isolated, at least to some degree, in the world.

KING: The meeting comes a month after an inaugural address linking support of freedom and human rights to strong relations with Washington.

A critical time, as Senator Joseph Lieberman puts it, to talk turkey.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: I think it is, in that sense, a test of this president's foreign policy credibility when he meets with Putin. And I'm confident he's going to meet the test.

KING: But White House officials also stress an upside, calling Mr. Putin a strong ally in the war on terror. And in much of Europe, there is less concern than Mr. Bush hears back in Washington.

WOLFGAND ISCHINGER, GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: On the fundamental question, is Russia moving away from us or against us, we don't think so. We think Putin has the right instinct.

KING: The meeting will test Mr. Bush's view that a close personal bond helps most when there are problems in a relationship. U.S. officials concede that bond is now strained and the relationship drifting, and say Mr. Bush will make clear to his friend that it is up to him to set it back on course.

John King, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And CNN will bring you live coverage of the news conference with Presidents Bush and Putin just about five and a half hours from now. That will be 11:30 Eastern time in case you don't feel like adding at the moment.

In "News Across America" now, a suspected international gang leader is in federal custody. Ever Anibal Rivera Paz was arrested in Texas and turned over to the Border Patrol. Police say he's wanted in Honduras for the murder of 28 people. Law enforcement officials also say Rivera Paz leads the M-S-13 gang, which is gaining membership in the United States.

An intern teacher at a Sacramento high school has been suspended after police say they caught her having sex with one of her students. Police say 30-year-old Margaret De Barraicua was partially clothed and in the front seat of her car with a 16-year-old. Her toddler was strapped in a car seat in the back.

The attorney for 14-year-old Christopher Pittman is asking for a new trial. Pittman was found guilty last week of killing his grandparents. His attorney says one of the jurors discussed the case at a bar the night before the verdict was rendered. The juror denies the allegation.

And delayed again -- Terri Schiavo will not have her feeding tube removed, not yet. A Florida judge has issued another temporary stay in her case. He's extended that emergency order until tomorrow afternoon, barring Schiavo's husband from removing the feeding tube that's kept her alive. She suffered brain damage 15 years ago.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush says he's exploring his options to block the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: Clearly, if there was a way to extend this into the legislative session and if there was a thoughtful way to address this issue in a broader context than what was done before, responding to the concerns of the Supreme Court's decision of last year, then I would like to see that. And so we will do what we can within the law. I'm not aware of any particular actions that you're describing, but this is all work in progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Schiavo's husband maintains his wife is in a persistent vegetative state and would not want to live this way. Her parents want the court to keep her alive.

The defense has rested in the Robert Blake murder trial without the actor ever taking the stand. But the jury did get to see a videotaped interview Blake did with Barbara Walters. They also got to hear from Blake's adult daughter. Her sometimes contentious testimony included details about his relationship with the daughter he had with Bonnie Lee Bakley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DELINAH HURWITZ, ROBERT BLAKE'S DAUGHTER: It was fine. I assumed it was going to be a lot worse, actually.

I'm fairly confident. I don't know the jurors, but the way it seems to be going, it seems just fine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The prosecution is expected to begin presenting rebuttal witnesses today.

The Michael Jackson trial moved one step closer to starting when the judge proclaimed, "We've got a jury." But the biggest news may be that a jury of Michael Jackson's peers includes no African-Americans. The jury pool was quickly pared down from more than 240 to just 12.

One Person who was not chosen says he could have been fair.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm open-minded and I don't have any sides on this and see how the trial went to, I would have had to, you know, see how things developed to see. I don't have any, I don't know, I'm just open-minded and I would have been fair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The fact there are no African-Americans on the jury could make things interesting because Jackson's defense team has often said the pop singer was singled out because he's black.

Let's head live to Miami and our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey -- good morning, Kendall.

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, the makeup of this jury, three Latinos, one Asian, the rest white.

Surprised by that?

COFFEY: Not too much. I was a little surprised that the prosecution struck both of the African-Americans who could have been on the jury. But they're here to win. They're not concerned, I don't think, about public perception or being kinder and gentler. And the reality is, Carol, that maybe 2 percent of the population was African- American. So this time getting a jury of peers means neighbors that are mostly white.

COSTELLO: How might the defense use this, though? I understand it has already submitted a motion dealing with race.

COFFEY: Well, they're going to argue that the racial exclusion of the two jurors violated a Supreme Court called "Batson."

But I've got to tell you, Carol, if the prosecution came up with any explanation at all that wasn't racially based, it's got to be accepted for the judge. So my speculation is that while they may be objecting about it for appellate purposes, that issue isn't going to go anywhere. Michael Jackson is going to have to go ahead and face the jury that is now seated before him.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about the jury itself. It's composed of interesting people. At least two have relatives who were molested. At least three have visited or know someone who's visited Jackson's Neverland Ranch. You wouldn't think these people would make it through the process.

How might this affect the defense?

COFFEY: It's kind of a surprise the way this whole process came about, Carol. Normally, jury selection in a high profile case moves about like downtown traffic at rush hour. This time, the judge put it on the NASCAR circuit. Not a lot of questioning. Only 10 minutes of individual questions for the jurors and fewer of these automatic strikes that were allowed to both sides than, for example, you saw in the Scott Peterson trial.

So I think for both the prosecution and defense, there are a couple of those jurors that really kind of worry them.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

Kendall Coffey live Miami this morning.

COFFEY: And, thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: One other legal note to tell you about. A homeless man accused of stalking tennis star Anna Kournikova will have to stay far, far away from her. William Lepeska can't go within 1,000 yards of Kournikova, if he gets out of jail. He's facing 30 years in prison for two counts of battery on police officers and resisting arrest. He's also admitted to stalking Scary Spice of The Spice Girls before turning his attention to Kournikova.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, protecting yourself from fraud. Victims of the latest scam are showing up in all 50 states. We have a short quiz for you to take to see if you're scam bait.

And later, what has the governor seeing red? And why did he bring that spigot to the legislature?

Plus, Martha Stewart with just days to go until her release from prison. Is she orchestrating a comeback?

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

COSTELLO: You're looking at live pictures from Slovakia. President Bush is visiting there. He's just about to address thousands of people, of Slovak people. When he begins speaking, We're going to get back to this live event.

But first, we want to go live to Rome, because we have that breaking news we've been telling you about all morning.

Pope John Paul has been rushed to the hospital. Apparently he suffered a relapse of the flu.

Walt Rodgers is in Rome.

Hopefully he's found out more -- good morning.

RODGERS: Hello, Carol.

Pope John Paul II has, indeed, been taken back to the Gemelli Hospital here in Rome. He was released only 13 days ago.

Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the Vatican spokesman, who is also a physician, says that the pope has had a relapse of the flu like conditions which put him in the hospital on February 1.

Additionally, Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that the pope now needs more specialized treatment that he cannot receive in the Vatican itself. Thus, he was taken to hospital about an hour and a half ago.

The pope has actually been conducting a reasonably vigorous schedule since his release from hospital 13 days ago. His most recent appearance was yesterday on closed-circuit TV from his own personal library in the Vatican itself. And he participated in a general audience, albeit, again, from his library on closed-circuit television, for about 30 minutes yesterday. His voice sounded relatively strong, although a little gravelly, and he did appear quite vigorous in his genuflections and his waving to the pilgrims via a TV camera.

Still, the Vatican now thinks that the pope would be best back in hospital. He was taken there about mid-morning here in Rome -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Walter, a question for you.

Was the pope out and about today? Was he to appear at any schedule event?

RODGERS: No, not today. Again, he has two regular appearances. One of them is Sunday, again, from his bedroom window in the Vatican, when he greets the pilgrims. He has done that for the past two Sundays since his release from hospital.

He was supposed to be in that window waving to pilgrims yesterday, but because of the inclement weather -- it's quite cold and raw here in Rome, very strong winds yesterday and rain -- they decided not to have the pope in the window. Indeed, they used a closed- circuit TV to greet the pilgrims -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Walt Rodgers reporting live from Rome.

When you get more, we'll get back to you.

Let's head back live to Slovakia now, because I believe the president has begun speaking to thousands of people, Slovak people listening to him. You might remember that Slovakia has 100 troops in Iraq.

Oh, wow, a lot of people there.

Let's listen to what the president is saying.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your strong leadership and friendship.

Mr. Mayor, distinguished guests, citizens of a free Slovakia, thank you for your hospitality.

Laura and I are honored, extremely honored, to visit your great country. We bring greetings and we bring the good wishes of the American people.

With us here today is a group of remarkable men and women from across Central and Eastern Europe who have fought freedom's fight in their homelands and have earned the respect of the world. We welcome you. We thank you for your example, for your courage and for your sacrifice.

I'm proud to stand in this great square, which has seen momentous events in the history of Slovakia and in the history of freedom. Almost 17 years ago, thousands of Slovaks gathered peacefully in front of those theater. They came not to welcome a visiting president, but to light candles, to sing hymns, to pray for an end of tyranny and to the restoration of religious liberty.

From the hotel to our left, communist authorities watched thousands of candles shining in the darkness and gave the order to extinguish them. The authorities succeeded in crushing that protest. But with their candles and prayers, the people of Bratislava lit a fire for freedom that day, a fire that quickly spread across the land. Within 20 months, the regime that drove Slovaks from this square would itself be driven from power. By claiming your own freedom, you inspired a revolution that liberated your nation and helped to transform a continent.

Since those days of peaceful protest, the Slovak people have made historic progress. You've regained your sovereignty and independence. You've built a successful democracy. You established a free economy. And last year, the former member of the Warsaw Pact became a member of NATO and took its rightful place in the European Union.

Every Slovak can be proud of these achievements and the American people are proud to call you allies and friends and brothers in the cause of freedom. I know the liberty, the road to liberty and prosperity has not always been straight or easy, but Americans respect your patience, your courage and your determination to secure a better future for your children. As you work to build a free and democratic Slovakia in the heart of Europe, America stands with you.

Slovaks know the horror of tyranny, so you are working to bring hope of freedom to people who have not known it. You've sent peacekeepers to Kosovo and election observers to Kiev. You brought Iraqis to Bratislava to see firsthand how a nation moves from dictatorship to democracy. Your example is inspiring newly liberated people. You're showing that a small nation built on a big idea can spread liberty throughout the world.

At this moment, Slovak soldiers are serving courageously alongside U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some have given their lives in freedom's cause. We honor their memory. We lift them up in our prayers. Words can only go so far in capturing the grief of their families and their countrymen. But by their sacrifice, they have helped purchase a future of freedom for millions.

Many of you can still recall the exhilaration of voting for the first time after decades of tyranny. And as you watched jubilant Iraqis dancing in the streets last month, holding up ink-stained fingers, you remembered velvet days. For the Iraqi people, this is their 1989 and they will always remember who stood with them in their quest for freedom.

In recent times, we have witnessed landmark events in the history of liberty. A Rose Revolution in Georgia, an Orange Revolution in Ukraine and now a Purple Revolution in Iraq. With their votes cast and counted, the Iraqi people now begin a great and historic journey. They will form a new government, draft a democratic constitution and govern themselves as free people. They're putting the days of tyranny and terror behind them and building a free and peaceful society in the heart of the Middle East. And the world's free nations will support them in their struggle.

The terrorist insurgents know what's at stake. They know they have no future in a free Iraq. So they're trying desperately to undermine Iraq's progress and throw the country into chaos. They want to return to the day when Iraqis were governed by secret police and informers and fear. They will not succeed. The Iraqi people will not permit a minority of assassins to determine the destiny of their nation. We will fight to defend this freedom and we will prevail.

Victory in this struggle will not come easily or quickly. But we have reason to hope. Iraqis have demonstrated their courage and their determination to live in freedom, and that has inspired the world. It is the same determination we saw in Kiev's Independence Square, in Tbilisi's Freedom Square, and in this square almost 17 years ago.

We must be equally determined and also patient. The advance of freedom is the concentrated work of generations. It took almost a decade after the Velvet Revolution for democracy to fully take root in this country. And the democratic revolutions that swept this region over 15 years ago are now reaching Georgia and Ukraine.

In 10 days, Moldova has the opportunity to play its democratic credentials beyond doubt, as its people head to the polls. And inevitably, the people of Belarus will someday proudly belong to the country of democracies. Eventually, the call of liberty comes to every mind and every soul, and one day freedom's promise will reach every people and every nation.

Slovakia has taken great risks for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. You have proved yourself a trusted friend and a reliable ally. That is why I recently announced a new solidarity initiative for nations like Slovakia that are standing with America in the war on terror.

We will help you to improve your military forces, so we can strengthen our ability to work together in the cause of freedom. We're working with your government to make it easier for Slovaks to travel to the United States of America.

Hundreds of thousands of our citizens can trace their roots back to this country. Slovak immigrants helped build America and shape its character. We want to deepen the ties of friendship between our people, ties based on common values, a love of freedom and a shared belief in the dignity and matchless value of every human being.

(APPLAUSE)

The Velvet generation that fought for these values is growing older. Many of the young students and workers who led the freedom struggle here now struggle to support families and their children. For some, the days of protest and revolution are a distant memory.

Today, a new generation that never experienced oppression is coming of age. It is important to pass on to them the lessons of that period. They must learn that freedom is precious and cannot be taken for granted, that evil is real and must be confronted, that lasting prosperity requires freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom of association. And that to secure liberty at home, it must be defended abroad.

(APPLAUSE)

By your efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq and across the world, you are teaching young Slovaks these important lessons. And you're teaching the world an important lesson as well, that the seeds of freedom do not sprout only where they are sown. Carried by mighty winds they cross borders and oceans and continents and take root in distant lands.

I've come here to thank you for your contributions to freedom's cause and to tell you that the American people appreciate your courage and value your friendship.

On behalf of all Americans, yakuyim (ph), and may God bless you all.

(APPLAUSE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And you have just heard the president speaking in Slovakia to a large crowd, filled with Slovak citizens. He spoke a lot about democracy, the president did, because you might know this: Slovakia was once part of the communist Soviet Union.

We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with more on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: If a supposedly ultra-secure outfit like Check Point can be taken for a ride, what chance do you and I have against scam artists?

With some answers, Cybele Weisser, "Money" magazine. She is here to help.

Good morning.

CYBELE WEISSER, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Thank you for joining us.

WEISSER: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: There's a very interesting quiz in "Money" magazine, and I thought that we would take it together. Of course, you know the answers already.

WEISSER: I do, but I won't cheat.

COSTELLO: OK. First question to see if you are scam bait. Here goes. You're most likely to become the victim of fraud if you belong to which demographic group? (a), Internet users; (b), people over 50; (c), low-income families; or (d), high-level income families.

OK, that's all the time you get to answer. The answer is (b), people over 50.

WEISSER: People over 50. And, you know, a lot of people might think it was Internet users, but that's actually not the case. Older people, they tend to be home. They are most likely to answer the phone. And many of them become victims of telemarketing scams.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Let's move on to question 2. According to the most recent government survey, which type of scam now lures the most victims? (a), work-from-home deals; (b), buyers' clubs; (c), prize promotions; (d), credit-related scams.

You know, I have not heard of any of these, work-from home deals. You're going to have to explain. So, which do you think is the correct answer? The answer would be?

WEISSER: It's credit-related scams. COSTELLO: Credit-related scams.

WEISSER: That's right.

COSTELLO: What do you mean by that?

WEISSER: Well, we're talking about offers of guaranteed credit or loans, or people offering to repair your credit. A lot of people know that their credit is bad, and they, you know, would like to do something about it. And they hope that if they send a check for $50 their credit will magically become good. Those do not work.

COSTELLO: OK. So, the warning signal would be if they ask for money up front, do not pay the company directly.

WEISSER: Exactly. That is a huge, huge warning signal. And just know that that's not something that you can do. You can't have your credit repaired by an outside party. It's all you.

COSTELLO: But there are places you can go to repair your credit that are free, right?

WEISSER: Well, you can get your credit report at fico.com (ph). And, you know, you can -- but you have to do the work. I mean, you have to, you know, look at your credit report for mistakes. You have to pay your bills on time. You can't pay your way out of it.

COSTELLO: There's no easy way.

WEISSER: No, there's no easy way.

COSTELLO: OK. Question No. 3: Identity thieves often use phishing scams to steal personal information. What is phishing? (a), is it hacking into secure payment sites to get names, address and credit card numbers of online shoppers; (b), combing through garbage for discarded credit card offers and receipts; (c), sending e-mails that direct recipients to official-looking Web sites that ask for personal information; or (d), spyware that allows users to steal PINs and other sensitive data?

And the answer is?

WEISSER: It is (c). We're talking about phishing in the sense of when somebody sends you an e-mail, and this could also be a phone call. They pretend to be from a financial services company or something else that has your personal data. And they say that they want to verify it. They often say that you've been the target of scam already. Well, this is clever, right? And that, you know, oh, can you -- you know, we need you to update your PIN number. We need, you know, you to verify that this is you. You know, give us your Social Security number.

The e-mails are particularly clever, because they have fake Web sites set up. So, when you click on the link, it looks like you're going to your financial service provider, but it's actually a fake Web site. COSTELLO: Unbelievable.

WEISSER: Yes.

COSTELLO: So, never, never in any case give your Social Security over the phone?

WEISSER: No. I mean, a legitimate financial institution will not ask for that information over the phone. If you have any doubts, call back the customer service number on your statement, and make sure that this is actually something they're trying to get.

COSTELLO: OK, next question. Which of the following common telemarketing scams is likely to cost you the most money? (a), lottery clubs; (b), discount travel deals; (c), sweepstakes offers; or (d), work-from-home plans.

The answer is?

WEISSER: (A), lottery scams. You know, that cost people an average of over $5,000 last year according to a recent report.

COSTELLO: What are they?

WEISSER: Well, that's when people tell you that you've won a prize in a lottery, and often it's a foreign lottery. So, you have to send some sort of up-front guarantee to claim the money. And this is just simply not the case. I mean, you know, there's no reason to pay up front for any kind of prize.

COSTELLO: Interesting. All right, last question. What is the most effective way to minimize your chances of being a fraud victim? (a), invest in a shredder and make good use of it; (b), install antivirus software on your computer; (c), never pay up front for a promise, however tempting; or (d), change your e-mail address frequently.

And the answer is?

WEISSER: The answer is (c), never pay up front for any unsolicited e-mail or other goods. You know, two great Web sites to visit frequently, ftc.gov and fraud.org. They give you a lot of tips. You can stay on top of things.

I also think that investing in a shredder is not a bad idea. A lot of more ID theft than people think starts from somebody just getting a piece of paper with their credit card number on it.

COSTELLO: Well, thank you so much for providing us an education this morning.

WEISSER: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Cybele Weisser from "Money" magazine.

Let's head back to Rome now. We have Delia Gallagher. She's our Vatican analyst. She's going to talk more about the pope.

We've been telling folks all morning long, Delia, that the pope has been taken back to the hospital. What do you know?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: That's right, Carol. Just about two hours ago, he was taken from the Vatican back to Rome's Gemelli hospital.

We know at the moment, they're telling us, it's been a relapse of the flu. Just two weeks ago, he was released from the hospital for that same purpose. He is running a fever, sources say. And the Vatican spokesman, Navarro-Valls, says that he needed specialized treatment, and hence the trip back to the hospital just two weeks later -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Delia, he seemed so strong in his recent appearances.

GALLAGHER: Well, that's right. We're a bit surprised, because we saw him yesterday via video link. Of course, they were keeping him in his apartment for the past two weeks. They didn't want him to go out and get a cold.

But all indications were that his voice was strong, and he looked about as good as he did before he went into the hospital. But, of course, this is a frail pope anyway. So, any flu is going to cause more complications for his already debilitated health. And this trip back to the hospital might be one of several to come, because it's a tricky situation at the moment with this pope -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, I was just thinking for many Catholics and others around the world just watching the pope's condition continue to deteriorate, it's very painful.

GALLAGHER: Well, it certainly must be painful for him. I think it's also painful to watch sometimes. On the other hand, people like to say, well, this is something that this pope almost stands for in a sense, this kind of idea of suffering and how he's become a symbol of continuing despite the suffering. And if you go into his message, his whole Christian message is the suffering that humans experience.

So, I think that it's something that he doesn't shy away from, to put that suffering on the world stage.

COSTELLO: Delia Gallagher reporting live for us from Rome. Thank you.

Again, Pope John Paul was taken back to that Rome hospital. He's had a relapse of the flu, according to the Vatican. When we get more information, we'll pass it along.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's called the Southwest effect, but it may apply to other discount airlines. Actually, it means very good things to you and me, the Southwest effect does.

Ben Mutzabaugh writes about it in USAToday.com. He joins us now live from Washington.

Good morning, Ben.

BEN MUTZABAUGH, "USA TODAY," USATODAY.COM: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Southwest effect, what the heck is it?

MUTZABAUGH: That's an excellent question. And you're right. It's something that's definitely good for consumers who are looking for low fares. The phrase "Southwest effect" has actually been around since 1993. That's when the Department of Transportation coined the phrase.

And what it refers to is whenever Southwest moves into a new airport, air fares tend to drop across the board, not only on Southwest but also on the other airlines that compete with them. They don't want to lose passengers to Southwest, so they match the fares.

And the phenomenon was so pronounced the DOT did a study on this, like I said, back in 1993.

But we're still seeing this today. It's happened in Pittsburgh, where Southwest is announcing new service in May.

COSTELLO: Well, hold on for just a second.

MUTZABAUGH: Sure.

COSTELLO: Tell us -- you're very excited about this.

MUTZABAUGH: Yes, it's very exciting. It's very exciting for consumers.

COSTELLO: Now, no, tell us how much prices drop by if Southwest moves into a market.

MUTZABAUGH: Well, it depends on the market. But we looked at two markets here. It could be anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent, and typically it's closer to the 50 percent. We looked at Pittsburgh, and in Pittsburgh we saw that fares -- we looked at eight routes where Southwest would be competing. And on those eight routes fares fell an average of 35 percent.

COSTELLO: Wow! AirTran is doing the same thing, though, in markets like Charlotte.

MUTZABAUGH: That's right. AirTran is moving into Charlotte, a little bit smaller presence in Charlotte than Southwest will have in Pittsburgh. But it was almost remarkable about how similar the differences were.

We looked at four routes out of Charlotte, where AirTran will be competing. And on those four routes, fares also fell by 35 percent. And for both Southwest in Pittsburgh, and for AirTran in Charlotte, fares fell by as much as 50 to 60 percent on certain routes.

COSTELLO: That's really interesting, because usually you hope for the biggest airline to move into your city, so they can create a huge hub. But now it seems it's better for consumers if a smaller airline moves in.

MUTZABAUGH: Well, that's the catch-22. If you have a hub service in your city, you're going to have a lot of options, a lot of direct flights. But you're going to pay a premium for having that kind of service. When you get an airline like AirTran or Southwest, you might be happy with the customer service and you might be very happy with the prices, but a lot of times you're going to have to make a connection. You might not have as many non-stop flights as you would have with a big carrier's hub.

COSTELLO: Interesting information this morning. Ben Mutzabaugh from USAToday.com. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK.

MUTZABAUGH: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: You're watching DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A lot of breaking news this morning. It's time for a short wrap-up now.

Chad, the president is in Slovakia. It's pretty cold there, isn't it?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It sure can be. I mean, it's the same latitude as we are here in North America. Thirty-one was the temperature when he was speaking there, yes.

COSTELLO: Yes, 31 degrees. When he came into the country, though, it probably was much colder. And the reason I'm mentioning the temperature is because there's a little controversy going on, because President Bush and the first lady didn't remove their gloves when they shook the hands of the president and prime minister. And apparently, protocol there demands bare-handed shakes. So, it's the rage in the local media.

But when President Bush was speaking to this great crowd of people in Slovakia, his comments certainly seemed on the mark because of the response from the crowd. He spoke of democracy. Slovakia was once part of the communist Soviet Union, and he equated the Iraqis voting to Slovak's voting for the first time back in 1989.

He also thanked the people there for their help in Iraq, because Slovakia has 100 troops helping American troops in Iraq.

We also want to update you shortly about the pope. Pope John Paul has been rushed to a -- well, not rushed to a hospital. He was taken back to the same Rome hospital that he was in on February 1. He was in 10 days for the flu. Vatican officials are saying right now he suffered a relapse of the flu, and that's about all we know. The next update on his condition will come on Friday. Of course, there will be much more on the pope's condition on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Do you have time, Chad, for a short travel forecast?

MYERS: I have to do a little travel forecast here for us now, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: That does it for us. "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 24, 2005 - 05:56   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And of course we've been following that breaking news for the past several minutes. Pope John Paul has been taken back to a Rome hospital, apparently the flu has returned, at least we think so. This is according to The Associated Press and to Reuters.
Let's head live to Rome to check in with Walt Rodgers to see what he has managed to find out.

Hello -- Walt.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

We were told that a short while ago, within the last hour and a half, Pope John Paul II was taken back to the Gemelli Polyclinic, the hospital which he always goes to here in Rome. Dr. Joaquin Navarro- Valls, the Vatican spokesman, also a physician, says that the pope has experienced a relapse of the flu-like conditions he had earlier in February, and that the pope, his holiness, needs more specialized treatment, which required him to be taken back to hospital again.

We have no more information than this. But we should remind viewers that on February 1 of this month, the pope was rushed to hospital with an inflamed trachea, an inflamed windpipe. At the time he had that was considered a complication of the flu he was experiencing then.

We saw his holiness yesterday, actually, in the Wednesday general audience from his library inside the Vatican and he had a rather strenuous appearance. That is to say he spoke for at least half an hour off and on. And it was, as I say, the Wednesday general audience broadcast to an auditorium within the Vatican itself, the assembly hall. And there there were thousands of young people. And the pope was very animated and spoke with considerable forcefulness, given his general condition, genuflecting, waving his hands in the air to the pilgrims.

But this morning, again, Pope John Paul II has been taken back to hospital with what have been called complications of the flu that require more specialized treatment. Those are the minimal details the Vatican has given us now. As I say, the pope reentered the Gemelli hospital within the last hour.

Back to you. COSTELLO: OK, Walt, I'm probably going to ask you a bunch of questions that you don't quite know the answers to, but I'm going to give it a shot. We know that the pope was in the hospital for 10 days, and then he took a week off, but then he got right back to business. Perhaps he did that too fast and this is why he's being rushed to the hospital this morning?

RODGERS: Well I'm not sure we can say that, because, of course, the pope is hovered over by physicians and clerics in the Vatican. And we were told, as recently as two or three days ago by Dr. Navarro- Valls, that his holiness was making a good recovery.

Indeed he has delivered two Angeluses, one almost three weeks ago. That was very brief. But then last Sunday, again, the pope spoke for some three minutes from his window in the Vatican to the assembled pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. At that point he was, again, surprisingly vigorous and strong, given the fact he is 84 years old and infirm.

Then we saw his holiness yesterday, again from his bedroom, where he was broadcasting to a much larger audience by a closed circuit TV. And there, again, I was very surprised when I saw John Paul II genuflecting with considerable vigor, waving to the assembled pilgrims, again, via closed circuit TV, and speaking rather forcefully on and off for a period of some 30 minutes. Again, he appeared well on the way to a good recovery.

Apparently not so, John Paul II has been taken back to hospital here in Rome, the Gemelli Clinic, again this morning. It's called complications of relapse of the flu. And the doctors say he needs more specialized treatment. We'll be getting health bulletins, perhaps, later, but that's about what we know at this point.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's also interesting, he just released his book and it was written in very feisty language. Some saying that perhaps this was a show by the pope to show he still had a lot of vigor.

RODGERS: Well, if you read the book it perhaps was calculated, the release of it was calculated to send that message. But recall, the book was essentially a transcription or a revised transcript of conversations that John Paul II held in the summer of 1993 with some Polish friends and these were conversations that he had then. So, again, you can only speculate on the timing of it.

But right now, right now that's what we have. The book did come out but you don't put that out quickly. I mean the book was obviously planned for release at some point anyhow -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, sure.

Oh, sure.

We'll get back to you when you find out more.

Walt Rodgers reporting live from Rome. The next hour starts right now.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, we begin with that breaking news. Pope John Paul II has apparently suffered a relapse. The Vatican says the pontiff has been returned to a Rome hospital for more treatment. The 84-year-old pope was released two weeks ago after spending 10 days in the hospital for treatment of the flu.

Another deadly attack today in Iraq. A suicide car bomber kills at least 11 policemen and wounds 24 others. The attack happened at an emergency police station in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.

The Pentagon says there will be no more trained dogs used in interviews with detainees. It's one of the changes the Army is making in the way it handles detainees. Senior Army officials say the new rules will clarify procedures.

Palestinian legislators are meeting right now to finally vote on a new government. Political wrangling has caused the vote to be delayed several times. But they're expected to approve new cabinet members supported by Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia.

To the forecast center now -- good morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

Obviously, we planned on doing stumping the big-headed weatherman, but the breaking news got in the way of that. So, we'll try to either get to that later in the show if we have time, or even tomorrow. We'll make sure we keep those same questions.

One of the questions was, though, when does the snow start in New York City? A young lady was trying to fly back from Boston to New York City.

There will be flurries in the city by noon and then it really starts snowing by 4:00 tonight. And we really start to get travel problems in the afternoon, late afternoon hours.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: There is a meeting scheduled in a few hours from now between President Bush and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are still personal friends, but they have issues, as CNN's John King reports.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): June, 2001 -- a picturesque walk in Slovenia and a first impression that has defined U.S.-Russia relations since. BUSH: I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul.

KING: Four years later, the man Mr. Bush calls Vladimir is widely seen as halting, if not reversing, Russia's path towards democracy.

NATAN SHARANSKY, AUTHOR, "CASE FOR DEMOCRACY": There is no Gulag, no KGB. But it is right to be very concerned by some of the restrictions.

KING: So as he prepares for Thursday's meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia, Mr. Bush faces pressure to reconsider his early verdict.

RICHARD PERLE, FORMER PENTAGON ADVISER: When you gaze into souls, it's something you should update periodically, because souls can change.

KING: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with her Russian counterpart earlier this month and raised concerns about shutting down media critics and Kremlin prosecutions of Putin foes. The White House also is frustrated, among other things, with Russian nuclear cooperation with Iran and missile sales to Syria.

And Senator John McCain says Mr. Putin must be pressured to keep a promise to pull Russian troops out of neighboring Georgia.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Sooner or later, he has got to realize that the path that he's on is one which will eventually bring his government down. I mean, you can't continue this kind of consolidation of power and not expect to be eventually isolated, at least to some degree, in the world.

KING: The meeting comes a month after an inaugural address linking support of freedom and human rights to strong relations with Washington.

A critical time, as Senator Joseph Lieberman puts it, to talk turkey.

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: I think it is, in that sense, a test of this president's foreign policy credibility when he meets with Putin. And I'm confident he's going to meet the test.

KING: But White House officials also stress an upside, calling Mr. Putin a strong ally in the war on terror. And in much of Europe, there is less concern than Mr. Bush hears back in Washington.

WOLFGAND ISCHINGER, GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: On the fundamental question, is Russia moving away from us or against us, we don't think so. We think Putin has the right instinct.

KING: The meeting will test Mr. Bush's view that a close personal bond helps most when there are problems in a relationship. U.S. officials concede that bond is now strained and the relationship drifting, and say Mr. Bush will make clear to his friend that it is up to him to set it back on course.

John King, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And CNN will bring you live coverage of the news conference with Presidents Bush and Putin just about five and a half hours from now. That will be 11:30 Eastern time in case you don't feel like adding at the moment.

In "News Across America" now, a suspected international gang leader is in federal custody. Ever Anibal Rivera Paz was arrested in Texas and turned over to the Border Patrol. Police say he's wanted in Honduras for the murder of 28 people. Law enforcement officials also say Rivera Paz leads the M-S-13 gang, which is gaining membership in the United States.

An intern teacher at a Sacramento high school has been suspended after police say they caught her having sex with one of her students. Police say 30-year-old Margaret De Barraicua was partially clothed and in the front seat of her car with a 16-year-old. Her toddler was strapped in a car seat in the back.

The attorney for 14-year-old Christopher Pittman is asking for a new trial. Pittman was found guilty last week of killing his grandparents. His attorney says one of the jurors discussed the case at a bar the night before the verdict was rendered. The juror denies the allegation.

And delayed again -- Terri Schiavo will not have her feeding tube removed, not yet. A Florida judge has issued another temporary stay in her case. He's extended that emergency order until tomorrow afternoon, barring Schiavo's husband from removing the feeding tube that's kept her alive. She suffered brain damage 15 years ago.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush says he's exploring his options to block the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: Clearly, if there was a way to extend this into the legislative session and if there was a thoughtful way to address this issue in a broader context than what was done before, responding to the concerns of the Supreme Court's decision of last year, then I would like to see that. And so we will do what we can within the law. I'm not aware of any particular actions that you're describing, but this is all work in progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Schiavo's husband maintains his wife is in a persistent vegetative state and would not want to live this way. Her parents want the court to keep her alive.

The defense has rested in the Robert Blake murder trial without the actor ever taking the stand. But the jury did get to see a videotaped interview Blake did with Barbara Walters. They also got to hear from Blake's adult daughter. Her sometimes contentious testimony included details about his relationship with the daughter he had with Bonnie Lee Bakley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DELINAH HURWITZ, ROBERT BLAKE'S DAUGHTER: It was fine. I assumed it was going to be a lot worse, actually.

I'm fairly confident. I don't know the jurors, but the way it seems to be going, it seems just fine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The prosecution is expected to begin presenting rebuttal witnesses today.

The Michael Jackson trial moved one step closer to starting when the judge proclaimed, "We've got a jury." But the biggest news may be that a jury of Michael Jackson's peers includes no African-Americans. The jury pool was quickly pared down from more than 240 to just 12.

One Person who was not chosen says he could have been fair.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm open-minded and I don't have any sides on this and see how the trial went to, I would have had to, you know, see how things developed to see. I don't have any, I don't know, I'm just open-minded and I would have been fair.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The fact there are no African-Americans on the jury could make things interesting because Jackson's defense team has often said the pop singer was singled out because he's black.

Let's head live to Miami and our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey -- good morning, Kendall.

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK, the makeup of this jury, three Latinos, one Asian, the rest white.

Surprised by that?

COFFEY: Not too much. I was a little surprised that the prosecution struck both of the African-Americans who could have been on the jury. But they're here to win. They're not concerned, I don't think, about public perception or being kinder and gentler. And the reality is, Carol, that maybe 2 percent of the population was African- American. So this time getting a jury of peers means neighbors that are mostly white.

COSTELLO: How might the defense use this, though? I understand it has already submitted a motion dealing with race.

COFFEY: Well, they're going to argue that the racial exclusion of the two jurors violated a Supreme Court called "Batson."

But I've got to tell you, Carol, if the prosecution came up with any explanation at all that wasn't racially based, it's got to be accepted for the judge. So my speculation is that while they may be objecting about it for appellate purposes, that issue isn't going to go anywhere. Michael Jackson is going to have to go ahead and face the jury that is now seated before him.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about the jury itself. It's composed of interesting people. At least two have relatives who were molested. At least three have visited or know someone who's visited Jackson's Neverland Ranch. You wouldn't think these people would make it through the process.

How might this affect the defense?

COFFEY: It's kind of a surprise the way this whole process came about, Carol. Normally, jury selection in a high profile case moves about like downtown traffic at rush hour. This time, the judge put it on the NASCAR circuit. Not a lot of questioning. Only 10 minutes of individual questions for the jurors and fewer of these automatic strikes that were allowed to both sides than, for example, you saw in the Scott Peterson trial.

So I think for both the prosecution and defense, there are a couple of those jurors that really kind of worry them.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

Kendall Coffey live Miami this morning.

COFFEY: And, thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: One other legal note to tell you about. A homeless man accused of stalking tennis star Anna Kournikova will have to stay far, far away from her. William Lepeska can't go within 1,000 yards of Kournikova, if he gets out of jail. He's facing 30 years in prison for two counts of battery on police officers and resisting arrest. He's also admitted to stalking Scary Spice of The Spice Girls before turning his attention to Kournikova.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, protecting yourself from fraud. Victims of the latest scam are showing up in all 50 states. We have a short quiz for you to take to see if you're scam bait.

And later, what has the governor seeing red? And why did he bring that spigot to the legislature?

Plus, Martha Stewart with just days to go until her release from prison. Is she orchestrating a comeback?

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

COSTELLO: You're looking at live pictures from Slovakia. President Bush is visiting there. He's just about to address thousands of people, of Slovak people. When he begins speaking, We're going to get back to this live event.

But first, we want to go live to Rome, because we have that breaking news we've been telling you about all morning.

Pope John Paul has been rushed to the hospital. Apparently he suffered a relapse of the flu.

Walt Rodgers is in Rome.

Hopefully he's found out more -- good morning.

RODGERS: Hello, Carol.

Pope John Paul II has, indeed, been taken back to the Gemelli Hospital here in Rome. He was released only 13 days ago.

Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the Vatican spokesman, who is also a physician, says that the pope has had a relapse of the flu like conditions which put him in the hospital on February 1.

Additionally, Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that the pope now needs more specialized treatment that he cannot receive in the Vatican itself. Thus, he was taken to hospital about an hour and a half ago.

The pope has actually been conducting a reasonably vigorous schedule since his release from hospital 13 days ago. His most recent appearance was yesterday on closed-circuit TV from his own personal library in the Vatican itself. And he participated in a general audience, albeit, again, from his library on closed-circuit television, for about 30 minutes yesterday. His voice sounded relatively strong, although a little gravelly, and he did appear quite vigorous in his genuflections and his waving to the pilgrims via a TV camera.

Still, the Vatican now thinks that the pope would be best back in hospital. He was taken there about mid-morning here in Rome -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Walter, a question for you.

Was the pope out and about today? Was he to appear at any schedule event?

RODGERS: No, not today. Again, he has two regular appearances. One of them is Sunday, again, from his bedroom window in the Vatican, when he greets the pilgrims. He has done that for the past two Sundays since his release from hospital.

He was supposed to be in that window waving to pilgrims yesterday, but because of the inclement weather -- it's quite cold and raw here in Rome, very strong winds yesterday and rain -- they decided not to have the pope in the window. Indeed, they used a closed- circuit TV to greet the pilgrims -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Walt Rodgers reporting live from Rome.

When you get more, we'll get back to you.

Let's head back live to Slovakia now, because I believe the president has begun speaking to thousands of people, Slovak people listening to him. You might remember that Slovakia has 100 troops in Iraq.

Oh, wow, a lot of people there.

Let's listen to what the president is saying.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your strong leadership and friendship.

Mr. Mayor, distinguished guests, citizens of a free Slovakia, thank you for your hospitality.

Laura and I are honored, extremely honored, to visit your great country. We bring greetings and we bring the good wishes of the American people.

With us here today is a group of remarkable men and women from across Central and Eastern Europe who have fought freedom's fight in their homelands and have earned the respect of the world. We welcome you. We thank you for your example, for your courage and for your sacrifice.

I'm proud to stand in this great square, which has seen momentous events in the history of Slovakia and in the history of freedom. Almost 17 years ago, thousands of Slovaks gathered peacefully in front of those theater. They came not to welcome a visiting president, but to light candles, to sing hymns, to pray for an end of tyranny and to the restoration of religious liberty.

From the hotel to our left, communist authorities watched thousands of candles shining in the darkness and gave the order to extinguish them. The authorities succeeded in crushing that protest. But with their candles and prayers, the people of Bratislava lit a fire for freedom that day, a fire that quickly spread across the land. Within 20 months, the regime that drove Slovaks from this square would itself be driven from power. By claiming your own freedom, you inspired a revolution that liberated your nation and helped to transform a continent.

Since those days of peaceful protest, the Slovak people have made historic progress. You've regained your sovereignty and independence. You've built a successful democracy. You established a free economy. And last year, the former member of the Warsaw Pact became a member of NATO and took its rightful place in the European Union.

Every Slovak can be proud of these achievements and the American people are proud to call you allies and friends and brothers in the cause of freedom. I know the liberty, the road to liberty and prosperity has not always been straight or easy, but Americans respect your patience, your courage and your determination to secure a better future for your children. As you work to build a free and democratic Slovakia in the heart of Europe, America stands with you.

Slovaks know the horror of tyranny, so you are working to bring hope of freedom to people who have not known it. You've sent peacekeepers to Kosovo and election observers to Kiev. You brought Iraqis to Bratislava to see firsthand how a nation moves from dictatorship to democracy. Your example is inspiring newly liberated people. You're showing that a small nation built on a big idea can spread liberty throughout the world.

At this moment, Slovak soldiers are serving courageously alongside U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some have given their lives in freedom's cause. We honor their memory. We lift them up in our prayers. Words can only go so far in capturing the grief of their families and their countrymen. But by their sacrifice, they have helped purchase a future of freedom for millions.

Many of you can still recall the exhilaration of voting for the first time after decades of tyranny. And as you watched jubilant Iraqis dancing in the streets last month, holding up ink-stained fingers, you remembered velvet days. For the Iraqi people, this is their 1989 and they will always remember who stood with them in their quest for freedom.

In recent times, we have witnessed landmark events in the history of liberty. A Rose Revolution in Georgia, an Orange Revolution in Ukraine and now a Purple Revolution in Iraq. With their votes cast and counted, the Iraqi people now begin a great and historic journey. They will form a new government, draft a democratic constitution and govern themselves as free people. They're putting the days of tyranny and terror behind them and building a free and peaceful society in the heart of the Middle East. And the world's free nations will support them in their struggle.

The terrorist insurgents know what's at stake. They know they have no future in a free Iraq. So they're trying desperately to undermine Iraq's progress and throw the country into chaos. They want to return to the day when Iraqis were governed by secret police and informers and fear. They will not succeed. The Iraqi people will not permit a minority of assassins to determine the destiny of their nation. We will fight to defend this freedom and we will prevail.

Victory in this struggle will not come easily or quickly. But we have reason to hope. Iraqis have demonstrated their courage and their determination to live in freedom, and that has inspired the world. It is the same determination we saw in Kiev's Independence Square, in Tbilisi's Freedom Square, and in this square almost 17 years ago.

We must be equally determined and also patient. The advance of freedom is the concentrated work of generations. It took almost a decade after the Velvet Revolution for democracy to fully take root in this country. And the democratic revolutions that swept this region over 15 years ago are now reaching Georgia and Ukraine.

In 10 days, Moldova has the opportunity to play its democratic credentials beyond doubt, as its people head to the polls. And inevitably, the people of Belarus will someday proudly belong to the country of democracies. Eventually, the call of liberty comes to every mind and every soul, and one day freedom's promise will reach every people and every nation.

Slovakia has taken great risks for freedom in Afghanistan and Iraq. You have proved yourself a trusted friend and a reliable ally. That is why I recently announced a new solidarity initiative for nations like Slovakia that are standing with America in the war on terror.

We will help you to improve your military forces, so we can strengthen our ability to work together in the cause of freedom. We're working with your government to make it easier for Slovaks to travel to the United States of America.

Hundreds of thousands of our citizens can trace their roots back to this country. Slovak immigrants helped build America and shape its character. We want to deepen the ties of friendship between our people, ties based on common values, a love of freedom and a shared belief in the dignity and matchless value of every human being.

(APPLAUSE)

The Velvet generation that fought for these values is growing older. Many of the young students and workers who led the freedom struggle here now struggle to support families and their children. For some, the days of protest and revolution are a distant memory.

Today, a new generation that never experienced oppression is coming of age. It is important to pass on to them the lessons of that period. They must learn that freedom is precious and cannot be taken for granted, that evil is real and must be confronted, that lasting prosperity requires freedom of speech, freedom to worship, freedom of association. And that to secure liberty at home, it must be defended abroad.

(APPLAUSE)

By your efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq and across the world, you are teaching young Slovaks these important lessons. And you're teaching the world an important lesson as well, that the seeds of freedom do not sprout only where they are sown. Carried by mighty winds they cross borders and oceans and continents and take root in distant lands.

I've come here to thank you for your contributions to freedom's cause and to tell you that the American people appreciate your courage and value your friendship.

On behalf of all Americans, yakuyim (ph), and may God bless you all.

(APPLAUSE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And you have just heard the president speaking in Slovakia to a large crowd, filled with Slovak citizens. He spoke a lot about democracy, the president did, because you might know this: Slovakia was once part of the communist Soviet Union.

We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with more on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: If a supposedly ultra-secure outfit like Check Point can be taken for a ride, what chance do you and I have against scam artists?

With some answers, Cybele Weisser, "Money" magazine. She is here to help.

Good morning.

CYBELE WEISSER, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Thank you for joining us.

WEISSER: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: There's a very interesting quiz in "Money" magazine, and I thought that we would take it together. Of course, you know the answers already.

WEISSER: I do, but I won't cheat.

COSTELLO: OK. First question to see if you are scam bait. Here goes. You're most likely to become the victim of fraud if you belong to which demographic group? (a), Internet users; (b), people over 50; (c), low-income families; or (d), high-level income families.

OK, that's all the time you get to answer. The answer is (b), people over 50.

WEISSER: People over 50. And, you know, a lot of people might think it was Internet users, but that's actually not the case. Older people, they tend to be home. They are most likely to answer the phone. And many of them become victims of telemarketing scams.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Let's move on to question 2. According to the most recent government survey, which type of scam now lures the most victims? (a), work-from-home deals; (b), buyers' clubs; (c), prize promotions; (d), credit-related scams.

You know, I have not heard of any of these, work-from home deals. You're going to have to explain. So, which do you think is the correct answer? The answer would be?

WEISSER: It's credit-related scams. COSTELLO: Credit-related scams.

WEISSER: That's right.

COSTELLO: What do you mean by that?

WEISSER: Well, we're talking about offers of guaranteed credit or loans, or people offering to repair your credit. A lot of people know that their credit is bad, and they, you know, would like to do something about it. And they hope that if they send a check for $50 their credit will magically become good. Those do not work.

COSTELLO: OK. So, the warning signal would be if they ask for money up front, do not pay the company directly.

WEISSER: Exactly. That is a huge, huge warning signal. And just know that that's not something that you can do. You can't have your credit repaired by an outside party. It's all you.

COSTELLO: But there are places you can go to repair your credit that are free, right?

WEISSER: Well, you can get your credit report at fico.com (ph). And, you know, you can -- but you have to do the work. I mean, you have to, you know, look at your credit report for mistakes. You have to pay your bills on time. You can't pay your way out of it.

COSTELLO: There's no easy way.

WEISSER: No, there's no easy way.

COSTELLO: OK. Question No. 3: Identity thieves often use phishing scams to steal personal information. What is phishing? (a), is it hacking into secure payment sites to get names, address and credit card numbers of online shoppers; (b), combing through garbage for discarded credit card offers and receipts; (c), sending e-mails that direct recipients to official-looking Web sites that ask for personal information; or (d), spyware that allows users to steal PINs and other sensitive data?

And the answer is?

WEISSER: It is (c). We're talking about phishing in the sense of when somebody sends you an e-mail, and this could also be a phone call. They pretend to be from a financial services company or something else that has your personal data. And they say that they want to verify it. They often say that you've been the target of scam already. Well, this is clever, right? And that, you know, oh, can you -- you know, we need you to update your PIN number. We need, you know, you to verify that this is you. You know, give us your Social Security number.

The e-mails are particularly clever, because they have fake Web sites set up. So, when you click on the link, it looks like you're going to your financial service provider, but it's actually a fake Web site. COSTELLO: Unbelievable.

WEISSER: Yes.

COSTELLO: So, never, never in any case give your Social Security over the phone?

WEISSER: No. I mean, a legitimate financial institution will not ask for that information over the phone. If you have any doubts, call back the customer service number on your statement, and make sure that this is actually something they're trying to get.

COSTELLO: OK, next question. Which of the following common telemarketing scams is likely to cost you the most money? (a), lottery clubs; (b), discount travel deals; (c), sweepstakes offers; or (d), work-from-home plans.

The answer is?

WEISSER: (A), lottery scams. You know, that cost people an average of over $5,000 last year according to a recent report.

COSTELLO: What are they?

WEISSER: Well, that's when people tell you that you've won a prize in a lottery, and often it's a foreign lottery. So, you have to send some sort of up-front guarantee to claim the money. And this is just simply not the case. I mean, you know, there's no reason to pay up front for any kind of prize.

COSTELLO: Interesting. All right, last question. What is the most effective way to minimize your chances of being a fraud victim? (a), invest in a shredder and make good use of it; (b), install antivirus software on your computer; (c), never pay up front for a promise, however tempting; or (d), change your e-mail address frequently.

And the answer is?

WEISSER: The answer is (c), never pay up front for any unsolicited e-mail or other goods. You know, two great Web sites to visit frequently, ftc.gov and fraud.org. They give you a lot of tips. You can stay on top of things.

I also think that investing in a shredder is not a bad idea. A lot of more ID theft than people think starts from somebody just getting a piece of paper with their credit card number on it.

COSTELLO: Well, thank you so much for providing us an education this morning.

WEISSER: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Cybele Weisser from "Money" magazine.

Let's head back to Rome now. We have Delia Gallagher. She's our Vatican analyst. She's going to talk more about the pope.

We've been telling folks all morning long, Delia, that the pope has been taken back to the hospital. What do you know?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: That's right, Carol. Just about two hours ago, he was taken from the Vatican back to Rome's Gemelli hospital.

We know at the moment, they're telling us, it's been a relapse of the flu. Just two weeks ago, he was released from the hospital for that same purpose. He is running a fever, sources say. And the Vatican spokesman, Navarro-Valls, says that he needed specialized treatment, and hence the trip back to the hospital just two weeks later -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Delia, he seemed so strong in his recent appearances.

GALLAGHER: Well, that's right. We're a bit surprised, because we saw him yesterday via video link. Of course, they were keeping him in his apartment for the past two weeks. They didn't want him to go out and get a cold.

But all indications were that his voice was strong, and he looked about as good as he did before he went into the hospital. But, of course, this is a frail pope anyway. So, any flu is going to cause more complications for his already debilitated health. And this trip back to the hospital might be one of several to come, because it's a tricky situation at the moment with this pope -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, I was just thinking for many Catholics and others around the world just watching the pope's condition continue to deteriorate, it's very painful.

GALLAGHER: Well, it certainly must be painful for him. I think it's also painful to watch sometimes. On the other hand, people like to say, well, this is something that this pope almost stands for in a sense, this kind of idea of suffering and how he's become a symbol of continuing despite the suffering. And if you go into his message, his whole Christian message is the suffering that humans experience.

So, I think that it's something that he doesn't shy away from, to put that suffering on the world stage.

COSTELLO: Delia Gallagher reporting live for us from Rome. Thank you.

Again, Pope John Paul was taken back to that Rome hospital. He's had a relapse of the flu, according to the Vatican. When we get more information, we'll pass it along.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's called the Southwest effect, but it may apply to other discount airlines. Actually, it means very good things to you and me, the Southwest effect does.

Ben Mutzabaugh writes about it in USAToday.com. He joins us now live from Washington.

Good morning, Ben.

BEN MUTZABAUGH, "USA TODAY," USATODAY.COM: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Southwest effect, what the heck is it?

MUTZABAUGH: That's an excellent question. And you're right. It's something that's definitely good for consumers who are looking for low fares. The phrase "Southwest effect" has actually been around since 1993. That's when the Department of Transportation coined the phrase.

And what it refers to is whenever Southwest moves into a new airport, air fares tend to drop across the board, not only on Southwest but also on the other airlines that compete with them. They don't want to lose passengers to Southwest, so they match the fares.

And the phenomenon was so pronounced the DOT did a study on this, like I said, back in 1993.

But we're still seeing this today. It's happened in Pittsburgh, where Southwest is announcing new service in May.

COSTELLO: Well, hold on for just a second.

MUTZABAUGH: Sure.

COSTELLO: Tell us -- you're very excited about this.

MUTZABAUGH: Yes, it's very exciting. It's very exciting for consumers.

COSTELLO: Now, no, tell us how much prices drop by if Southwest moves into a market.

MUTZABAUGH: Well, it depends on the market. But we looked at two markets here. It could be anywhere from 20 percent to 50 percent, and typically it's closer to the 50 percent. We looked at Pittsburgh, and in Pittsburgh we saw that fares -- we looked at eight routes where Southwest would be competing. And on those eight routes fares fell an average of 35 percent.

COSTELLO: Wow! AirTran is doing the same thing, though, in markets like Charlotte.

MUTZABAUGH: That's right. AirTran is moving into Charlotte, a little bit smaller presence in Charlotte than Southwest will have in Pittsburgh. But it was almost remarkable about how similar the differences were.

We looked at four routes out of Charlotte, where AirTran will be competing. And on those four routes, fares also fell by 35 percent. And for both Southwest in Pittsburgh, and for AirTran in Charlotte, fares fell by as much as 50 to 60 percent on certain routes.

COSTELLO: That's really interesting, because usually you hope for the biggest airline to move into your city, so they can create a huge hub. But now it seems it's better for consumers if a smaller airline moves in.

MUTZABAUGH: Well, that's the catch-22. If you have a hub service in your city, you're going to have a lot of options, a lot of direct flights. But you're going to pay a premium for having that kind of service. When you get an airline like AirTran or Southwest, you might be happy with the customer service and you might be very happy with the prices, but a lot of times you're going to have to make a connection. You might not have as many non-stop flights as you would have with a big carrier's hub.

COSTELLO: Interesting information this morning. Ben Mutzabaugh from USAToday.com. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK.

MUTZABAUGH: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: You're watching DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A lot of breaking news this morning. It's time for a short wrap-up now.

Chad, the president is in Slovakia. It's pretty cold there, isn't it?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It sure can be. I mean, it's the same latitude as we are here in North America. Thirty-one was the temperature when he was speaking there, yes.

COSTELLO: Yes, 31 degrees. When he came into the country, though, it probably was much colder. And the reason I'm mentioning the temperature is because there's a little controversy going on, because President Bush and the first lady didn't remove their gloves when they shook the hands of the president and prime minister. And apparently, protocol there demands bare-handed shakes. So, it's the rage in the local media.

But when President Bush was speaking to this great crowd of people in Slovakia, his comments certainly seemed on the mark because of the response from the crowd. He spoke of democracy. Slovakia was once part of the communist Soviet Union, and he equated the Iraqis voting to Slovak's voting for the first time back in 1989.

He also thanked the people there for their help in Iraq, because Slovakia has 100 troops helping American troops in Iraq.

We also want to update you shortly about the pope. Pope John Paul has been rushed to a -- well, not rushed to a hospital. He was taken back to the same Rome hospital that he was in on February 1. He was in 10 days for the flu. Vatican officials are saying right now he suffered a relapse of the flu, and that's about all we know. The next update on his condition will come on Friday. Of course, there will be much more on the pope's condition on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Do you have time, Chad, for a short travel forecast?

MYERS: I have to do a little travel forecast here for us now, Carol.

COSTELLO: OK.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: That does it for us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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