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CNN Live Today
Recalling Enormous Impact Pope John Paul II Has Had on the World; Abortion Prosecution?
Aired February 25, 2005 - 11:33 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of schools across the northeast U.S. are closed today. Wintry weather returning. Several inches of snow are expected. Forecasters say more could be on the way early next week.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I take it the kids are celebrating.
We welcome you back. This is the second part of the second hour. Did I get that right?
KAGAN: How about we take a look at what's happening in the news.
SANCHEZ: Let's do it.
KAGAN: It was 15 years ago today that Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage from a heart attack. Now less than six hours remain in the court-ordered stay in the legal battle to remove her feeding tube. At some point a ruling is expected whether further delays are justified in her husband's efforts to halt life support.
Talon News has lost its grip on the Internet for now. The conservative Web site is off-line now, though it's not clear for how long. According to a publicist, talon's founder pulled the plug because of the negative fallout caused by writer James Gukert (ph), aka, also known as Jeff Gannon. Gukert recently resigned from Talon over a controversial question he asked at a presidential news conference. Actually the controversy was over whether he should even be allowed into that news conference in the first place with false credentials and a false name.
In Africa, U.N. officials report that nine peacekeepers were killed in an ambush today in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.N. says all of those troops were from Bangladesh. U.N. peacekeepers had been in the country since 1999 to quell inter-tribal bloodshed.
And the global population will swell by 40 percent over the next 45 years, mostly in developing nations. That's according to a new survey by the U.N.'s population division. It would mean more than nine billion people on the planet by 2050 compared with 6.5 billion today. India is expected to surpass China as the world's most populous nation in about 20 years.
SANCHEZ: As Pope John Paul II recuperates in a Rome hospital, it's worth recalling the enormous impact he's had on the world.
Here's our Jim Bittermann with a profile of the pope from CNN's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When he returned to his hometown of Vadevehci (ph), Poland in 1999, some with him can only wonder how it came to pass that a young man from this small grimy industrial town first under the jackboot of Nazi, and later under the control of communists, could have risen above it all to become the leader of the world's largest and oldest institution. The circumstances leading up to his election were highly unusual.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1978 of course is the year of three popes. We had Paul VI as pope, and when he died, the cardinals elected John Paul I, and they didn't realize that he was really a very sick man, and he died within a month of being pope, and then the college of cardinals turned to this surprising election of a Polish cardinal.
BITTERMANN: With a white puff of smoke, that surprising choice of a new pope was announced on an October evening in 1978.
And yet, when he stepped out on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, Karol Wojtyla hardly seemed to be in the right spot at the right time. Few outside church circles even recognized his name or knew anything about him. The newly elected pope was an unusual and inspired choice. He became the first non-Italian chosen in over 450 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Karol Wojtyla was elected especially because the archbishop and cardinal of Vienna, France (INAUDIBLE) was pushing for a great change, to have a pope which didn't come from the Roman bureaucracy.
BITTERMANN: John Paul II, with his background in philosophy and activism against fascism and communism, brought a new way of thinking to the papacy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Paul II certainly changed the way in which the papacy is done in the Catholic Church today. His travels, first of all, were extraordinary. He spent about a third of his time outside of Rome.
BITTERMANN: One of his first trips as pope was back to his native Poland, where he urged countrymen to be strong and stand up for moral order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His first speech in Victory Square was clearly aimed to show that Christ was an open book for the future, was not a matter of the past.
BITTERMANN: Many saw an immediate change among Poles which would spell the beginning of the end of communism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden they realized they had power. They had been subdued, and they had been submissive, but all of a sudden, they realize they could challenge the regime and get away with it. As one bishop said, a Polish bishop said to me, they cross threshold of fear.
BITTERMANN: Less than two years later, Poland was on strike, and for the rest of the decade, under the guiding hand of the pope, the Vatican would play a subtle certain role, keeping unrest smoldering in Poland and elsewhere in eastern Europe, and not so subtly warning the Soviet Union.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once the Poles got away with it, all the rest of the satellites realized they could do it, too, and one by one, the dominoes fell.
BITTERMANN: Many believe the pope's faith was such a threat to communists, Moscow tried to assassinate him. He very nearly died after Turkish gunman Ali Ajaf (ph) fired from the crowds of St. Peter's Square on a Sunday May afternoon in 1981.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am Jesus Christ. In this generation, all the world will be destroyed.
BITTERMANN: It took the pope months to recover. Ajaf man came to trial and said he was hired by Bulgarian secret agents. It was a conspiracy the prosecutor could never prove.
And later, the pope went to Ajaf's jail cell to forgive the man who tried to kill him. "What we said to each other is a secret between him and me," the pope told reporters. "I spoke to him as I would speak to a brother whom I've forgiven and who enjoys my confidence." Confidential dialogue between individuals and between countries was a mainstay of John Paul II's papacy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whenever he could do that, he offered his services and tried to help bring people together to avoid war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Other religious news now. Theological differences over homosexuality are causing serious divisions in the Anglican Church. Both the Episcopal Church in the U.S. and the Anglican Church of Canada have been asked by other Anglican leaders to withdraw from a key church council. Anglican primates (ph) meeting this week in Northern Ireland questioned the episcopal church's appointment of a gay bishop in New Hampshire, and the Canadian Anglican Church's support for same-sex marriages. A senior bishop says the decision regarding the North American churches does not mean that the Anglican community is heading for a split.
And in Lynchburg, Virgina, the Reverend Jerry Falwell is recovering from pneumonia and responding well to a respirator. That's according to his family. One of his sons has taken over the preaching duties at Thompson (ph) Road Baptist Church while his father recuperates.
SANCHEZ: Last week, FDA panels tried to assess the health value of popular painkillers. Were those panelists objective about this? Something you probably didn't know about them. Then we're going to have it for you when we come back. KAGAN: And we're talking about your health records. How private are they? Some hospitals fighting a push by one state attorney general. Details on that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: To health news now, a watchdog group says that many of the panelists who advise the FDA on some popular painkillers had ties to the drug manufacturers. The Center for the Science and Public Interest says 10 of the 32 panel members had connections to those companies. After three days of hearings, the advisers recommended keeping the medications on the markets. The hearings were prompted by the studies linking the drugs to an increased risk of heart problems and strokes.
SANCHEZ: Researchers are reporting some troubling findings about a new HIV strain. Not only is it resistant to drug treatment, but doctors say it may quickly progress into full-blown aids. Now it's an HIV strain that was discovered in a patient in New York City. Doctors say the man may have gone from infection to AIDS in as little as four months.
By the way, to get your daily dose of health news online, all you got to do is logon to our Web site. There you'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address, CNN.com/health.
KAGAN: And now one of our most controversial stories of the day. The attorney general in Kansas demanding medical files on dozens of girls and women who had late-term abortions.
Our Jonathan Freed looks at the case and the controversy that it's generating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since last October, the Kansas attorney general has been trying to obtain the names and medical records of some 90 women and girls who had abortions in the state, as part of a criminal investigation, he says, into possible sex with minors, or illegal late-term abortions.
Two abortion clinics are fighting Attorney General Phil Kline in court, arguing that releasing a patient's complete medical records could violate constitutional guarantees of privacy. Kline insists he's just enforcing the law.
PHILL KLINE, KANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: And as the state's chief law enforcement official, it is my obligation to investigate child rape in order to protect Kansas children.
FREED: The effort to obtain the records had been kept secret until this week, when details came to light in a legal brief filed by attorneys for the clinics. State lawmakers are lining up on both sides. PAUL DAVIS (D), KANSAS STATE SENATOR: I think there are more serious issues that the attorney general needs to be directing his attention to. And, you know, I think we need an attorney general, not an abortion general.
FREED: Others believe the end justifies the means, if it means uncovering any sex crimes committed against children.
PHILLIP JOURNEY (R), KANSAS STATE SENATOR: The state's interest outweighs the privacy interest when there's probable cause to believe a crime has been committed.
FREED: The Associated Press reports the medical records in question could reveal, among other things, the patient's name, medical history, details of her sex life, birth control practices, and psychological profile.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Just two days until Oscar night.
KAGAN: And who will go home with Hollywood's golden boy? We're going live to the red carpet for a preview of the big night.
SANCHEZ: Is that Johnny Depp?
KAGAN: That is Johnny Depp.
SANCHEZ: Hey, got one right!
KAGAN: Good.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: The Hollywood gold rush will be in full tilt on Sunday night with the annual Academy Awards.
CNN's Sibila Vargas is on the red carpet at the Kodak theater with a preview. Hello.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, how are you?
It's official, the countdown has begun for the Oscars, 77th Annual Academy Awards. As you can see, there is preparations, people walking around me. I mean, this place is going to be jam-packed with celebrities.
Now I don't know who the big winner is going to be, but I'll tell you, with 11 nominations, it looks sky's the limit for "The Aviator."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): The story at the Oscars may come down to this, does "The Aviator" fly high, or crash and burn? It's the most nominated film of the year, with 11 total, including one for lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio and another for supporting actress Cate Blanchett.
CATE BLANCHETT, ACTRESS: I was terrified when I sort of embarked on the journey of it. I'm so thrilled.
VARGAS: "The Aviator" could bring Martin Scorcese his first directing Oscar in five tries.
MARTIN SCORCESE, DIRECTOR: I would like to win. I would like the film to get awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I know if you train me right, I'm going to be a champ.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: If "The Aviator" goes down, it will probably be at hands, or fists, of "Million Dollar Baby." The boxing drama it is up for best picture and best director, Clint Eastwood. He even directed himself to an acting nomination, along with costars Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank.
HILARY SWANK, ACTRESS: He is, you know, such a special, special person, and obviously such a talent. He's amazing.
VARGAS: Swank finds herself competing for best actress with Annette Bening, star of being Julia. They squared off five years ago, with Swank prevailing for "Boys Don't Cry" over "American Beauty's" Benning.
The safest bet for an Oscar this year may be Jamie Foxx for his lead role in "Ray." He powers into the Oscars, having snagged the SAG Award and a Golden Globe.
JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: This is a beautiful time.
VARGAS: Foxx is also nominated in the supporting category for "Collateral." His two nominations in a single year are a first for an African-American actor. It was a good year all the way around for actors of color.
For the first time, they're represented in every acting category. That includes young Latina actress Catalina Sandino Moreno, who earned best actress nomination for Maria, full of grace.
CATALINA SANDINO MORENO, ACTRESS: Never, never, ever in my dreams, ever.
VARGAS: That's Oscar for you, the stuff dreams are made of.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And as you can imagine, there's going to be a lot of dreams that are going to be coming true this weekend. And don't forget to watch our Oscar preshow special at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right, Sibila, you have a great time on Sunday.
VARGAS: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: Seventy-seven years and counting. The Oscars just keep rolling on, don't they?
CNN.com desk takes you along for the ride with entertainment producer Todd Leopold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD LEOPOLD, CNN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCER: The big story this weekend is the Oscars, and people are wondering what, the questions, who's going to win, how will Chris Rock do? we have a whole section devoted to that on CNN.com. Some of our anchors have made their own predictions. You can face off against them if you want. We have an "Inside the Envelope" game the person who gets closest to what the Academy does will win some nice prizes.
We also have information about all the nominees, a lot of galleries, we'll have fashion material up. In my Eye on Entertainment column, I dealt with the Oscars themselves.
It also got me thinking about the ideas that never make it to the screen. I spoke to a Hollywood manager, who's prefer to remain anonymous, about a Web site he runs, called "Query Letters I Love," and he highlights some rather silly ideas which will never be made into movies.
And there are other events coming up as well. Jennifer Lopez has a new CD out Tuesday. On television, the "NYPD Blue" finale airs Tuesday night at 10:00. And we have an entertainment calendar on CNN.com. So can you keep up with everything that's going on in entertainment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: By the way, I beat you on the Super Bowl thing, but I have a feeling that you're going to get me back on the Academy Award thing.
KAGAN: On the Oscars? Well, I've been a few times. That's not really a fair competition.
SANCHEZ: You are so cocky!
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
KAGAN: And before you go complaining about your job, if you think your job is kind of tough, well, take a look at this. Try doing yours while getting a fish in your mouth or stepping on an eel. These underwater comics make funny in a well-stocked aquarium in Japan. So it's as much mime as it is standup. Between the gurgles, the audience somehow manages to get punchline. No end of puns you could make about that.
SANCHEZ: No, of course certainly an act that's all wet.
KAGAN: They work for scale.
SANCHEZ: I'm Rick Sanchez.
KAGAN: I'm Daryn Kagan.
Wolf's taking the day off. Betty Nguyen will be in after the break, at top of the hour. Have a great weekend. We will see you on Monday.
SANCHEZ: Enjoy the Academy Awards.
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 25, 2005 - 11:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of schools across the northeast U.S. are closed today. Wintry weather returning. Several inches of snow are expected. Forecasters say more could be on the way early next week.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I take it the kids are celebrating.
We welcome you back. This is the second part of the second hour. Did I get that right?
KAGAN: How about we take a look at what's happening in the news.
SANCHEZ: Let's do it.
KAGAN: It was 15 years ago today that Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage from a heart attack. Now less than six hours remain in the court-ordered stay in the legal battle to remove her feeding tube. At some point a ruling is expected whether further delays are justified in her husband's efforts to halt life support.
Talon News has lost its grip on the Internet for now. The conservative Web site is off-line now, though it's not clear for how long. According to a publicist, talon's founder pulled the plug because of the negative fallout caused by writer James Gukert (ph), aka, also known as Jeff Gannon. Gukert recently resigned from Talon over a controversial question he asked at a presidential news conference. Actually the controversy was over whether he should even be allowed into that news conference in the first place with false credentials and a false name.
In Africa, U.N. officials report that nine peacekeepers were killed in an ambush today in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.N. says all of those troops were from Bangladesh. U.N. peacekeepers had been in the country since 1999 to quell inter-tribal bloodshed.
And the global population will swell by 40 percent over the next 45 years, mostly in developing nations. That's according to a new survey by the U.N.'s population division. It would mean more than nine billion people on the planet by 2050 compared with 6.5 billion today. India is expected to surpass China as the world's most populous nation in about 20 years.
SANCHEZ: As Pope John Paul II recuperates in a Rome hospital, it's worth recalling the enormous impact he's had on the world.
Here's our Jim Bittermann with a profile of the pope from CNN's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When he returned to his hometown of Vadevehci (ph), Poland in 1999, some with him can only wonder how it came to pass that a young man from this small grimy industrial town first under the jackboot of Nazi, and later under the control of communists, could have risen above it all to become the leader of the world's largest and oldest institution. The circumstances leading up to his election were highly unusual.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1978 of course is the year of three popes. We had Paul VI as pope, and when he died, the cardinals elected John Paul I, and they didn't realize that he was really a very sick man, and he died within a month of being pope, and then the college of cardinals turned to this surprising election of a Polish cardinal.
BITTERMANN: With a white puff of smoke, that surprising choice of a new pope was announced on an October evening in 1978.
And yet, when he stepped out on the balcony of St. Peters Basilica, Karol Wojtyla hardly seemed to be in the right spot at the right time. Few outside church circles even recognized his name or knew anything about him. The newly elected pope was an unusual and inspired choice. He became the first non-Italian chosen in over 450 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Karol Wojtyla was elected especially because the archbishop and cardinal of Vienna, France (INAUDIBLE) was pushing for a great change, to have a pope which didn't come from the Roman bureaucracy.
BITTERMANN: John Paul II, with his background in philosophy and activism against fascism and communism, brought a new way of thinking to the papacy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Paul II certainly changed the way in which the papacy is done in the Catholic Church today. His travels, first of all, were extraordinary. He spent about a third of his time outside of Rome.
BITTERMANN: One of his first trips as pope was back to his native Poland, where he urged countrymen to be strong and stand up for moral order.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His first speech in Victory Square was clearly aimed to show that Christ was an open book for the future, was not a matter of the past.
BITTERMANN: Many saw an immediate change among Poles which would spell the beginning of the end of communism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden they realized they had power. They had been subdued, and they had been submissive, but all of a sudden, they realize they could challenge the regime and get away with it. As one bishop said, a Polish bishop said to me, they cross threshold of fear.
BITTERMANN: Less than two years later, Poland was on strike, and for the rest of the decade, under the guiding hand of the pope, the Vatican would play a subtle certain role, keeping unrest smoldering in Poland and elsewhere in eastern Europe, and not so subtly warning the Soviet Union.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once the Poles got away with it, all the rest of the satellites realized they could do it, too, and one by one, the dominoes fell.
BITTERMANN: Many believe the pope's faith was such a threat to communists, Moscow tried to assassinate him. He very nearly died after Turkish gunman Ali Ajaf (ph) fired from the crowds of St. Peter's Square on a Sunday May afternoon in 1981.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am Jesus Christ. In this generation, all the world will be destroyed.
BITTERMANN: It took the pope months to recover. Ajaf man came to trial and said he was hired by Bulgarian secret agents. It was a conspiracy the prosecutor could never prove.
And later, the pope went to Ajaf's jail cell to forgive the man who tried to kill him. "What we said to each other is a secret between him and me," the pope told reporters. "I spoke to him as I would speak to a brother whom I've forgiven and who enjoys my confidence." Confidential dialogue between individuals and between countries was a mainstay of John Paul II's papacy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whenever he could do that, he offered his services and tried to help bring people together to avoid war.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Other religious news now. Theological differences over homosexuality are causing serious divisions in the Anglican Church. Both the Episcopal Church in the U.S. and the Anglican Church of Canada have been asked by other Anglican leaders to withdraw from a key church council. Anglican primates (ph) meeting this week in Northern Ireland questioned the episcopal church's appointment of a gay bishop in New Hampshire, and the Canadian Anglican Church's support for same-sex marriages. A senior bishop says the decision regarding the North American churches does not mean that the Anglican community is heading for a split.
And in Lynchburg, Virgina, the Reverend Jerry Falwell is recovering from pneumonia and responding well to a respirator. That's according to his family. One of his sons has taken over the preaching duties at Thompson (ph) Road Baptist Church while his father recuperates.
SANCHEZ: Last week, FDA panels tried to assess the health value of popular painkillers. Were those panelists objective about this? Something you probably didn't know about them. Then we're going to have it for you when we come back. KAGAN: And we're talking about your health records. How private are they? Some hospitals fighting a push by one state attorney general. Details on that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: To health news now, a watchdog group says that many of the panelists who advise the FDA on some popular painkillers had ties to the drug manufacturers. The Center for the Science and Public Interest says 10 of the 32 panel members had connections to those companies. After three days of hearings, the advisers recommended keeping the medications on the markets. The hearings were prompted by the studies linking the drugs to an increased risk of heart problems and strokes.
SANCHEZ: Researchers are reporting some troubling findings about a new HIV strain. Not only is it resistant to drug treatment, but doctors say it may quickly progress into full-blown aids. Now it's an HIV strain that was discovered in a patient in New York City. Doctors say the man may have gone from infection to AIDS in as little as four months.
By the way, to get your daily dose of health news online, all you got to do is logon to our Web site. There you'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address, CNN.com/health.
KAGAN: And now one of our most controversial stories of the day. The attorney general in Kansas demanding medical files on dozens of girls and women who had late-term abortions.
Our Jonathan Freed looks at the case and the controversy that it's generating.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Since last October, the Kansas attorney general has been trying to obtain the names and medical records of some 90 women and girls who had abortions in the state, as part of a criminal investigation, he says, into possible sex with minors, or illegal late-term abortions.
Two abortion clinics are fighting Attorney General Phil Kline in court, arguing that releasing a patient's complete medical records could violate constitutional guarantees of privacy. Kline insists he's just enforcing the law.
PHILL KLINE, KANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: And as the state's chief law enforcement official, it is my obligation to investigate child rape in order to protect Kansas children.
FREED: The effort to obtain the records had been kept secret until this week, when details came to light in a legal brief filed by attorneys for the clinics. State lawmakers are lining up on both sides. PAUL DAVIS (D), KANSAS STATE SENATOR: I think there are more serious issues that the attorney general needs to be directing his attention to. And, you know, I think we need an attorney general, not an abortion general.
FREED: Others believe the end justifies the means, if it means uncovering any sex crimes committed against children.
PHILLIP JOURNEY (R), KANSAS STATE SENATOR: The state's interest outweighs the privacy interest when there's probable cause to believe a crime has been committed.
FREED: The Associated Press reports the medical records in question could reveal, among other things, the patient's name, medical history, details of her sex life, birth control practices, and psychological profile.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Just two days until Oscar night.
KAGAN: And who will go home with Hollywood's golden boy? We're going live to the red carpet for a preview of the big night.
SANCHEZ: Is that Johnny Depp?
KAGAN: That is Johnny Depp.
SANCHEZ: Hey, got one right!
KAGAN: Good.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: The Hollywood gold rush will be in full tilt on Sunday night with the annual Academy Awards.
CNN's Sibila Vargas is on the red carpet at the Kodak theater with a preview. Hello.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, how are you?
It's official, the countdown has begun for the Oscars, 77th Annual Academy Awards. As you can see, there is preparations, people walking around me. I mean, this place is going to be jam-packed with celebrities.
Now I don't know who the big winner is going to be, but I'll tell you, with 11 nominations, it looks sky's the limit for "The Aviator."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS (voice-over): The story at the Oscars may come down to this, does "The Aviator" fly high, or crash and burn? It's the most nominated film of the year, with 11 total, including one for lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio and another for supporting actress Cate Blanchett.
CATE BLANCHETT, ACTRESS: I was terrified when I sort of embarked on the journey of it. I'm so thrilled.
VARGAS: "The Aviator" could bring Martin Scorcese his first directing Oscar in five tries.
MARTIN SCORCESE, DIRECTOR: I would like to win. I would like the film to get awards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I know if you train me right, I'm going to be a champ.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: If "The Aviator" goes down, it will probably be at hands, or fists, of "Million Dollar Baby." The boxing drama it is up for best picture and best director, Clint Eastwood. He even directed himself to an acting nomination, along with costars Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank.
HILARY SWANK, ACTRESS: He is, you know, such a special, special person, and obviously such a talent. He's amazing.
VARGAS: Swank finds herself competing for best actress with Annette Bening, star of being Julia. They squared off five years ago, with Swank prevailing for "Boys Don't Cry" over "American Beauty's" Benning.
The safest bet for an Oscar this year may be Jamie Foxx for his lead role in "Ray." He powers into the Oscars, having snagged the SAG Award and a Golden Globe.
JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: This is a beautiful time.
VARGAS: Foxx is also nominated in the supporting category for "Collateral." His two nominations in a single year are a first for an African-American actor. It was a good year all the way around for actors of color.
For the first time, they're represented in every acting category. That includes young Latina actress Catalina Sandino Moreno, who earned best actress nomination for Maria, full of grace.
CATALINA SANDINO MORENO, ACTRESS: Never, never, ever in my dreams, ever.
VARGAS: That's Oscar for you, the stuff dreams are made of.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: And as you can imagine, there's going to be a lot of dreams that are going to be coming true this weekend. And don't forget to watch our Oscar preshow special at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right, Sibila, you have a great time on Sunday.
VARGAS: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: Seventy-seven years and counting. The Oscars just keep rolling on, don't they?
CNN.com desk takes you along for the ride with entertainment producer Todd Leopold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD LEOPOLD, CNN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCER: The big story this weekend is the Oscars, and people are wondering what, the questions, who's going to win, how will Chris Rock do? we have a whole section devoted to that on CNN.com. Some of our anchors have made their own predictions. You can face off against them if you want. We have an "Inside the Envelope" game the person who gets closest to what the Academy does will win some nice prizes.
We also have information about all the nominees, a lot of galleries, we'll have fashion material up. In my Eye on Entertainment column, I dealt with the Oscars themselves.
It also got me thinking about the ideas that never make it to the screen. I spoke to a Hollywood manager, who's prefer to remain anonymous, about a Web site he runs, called "Query Letters I Love," and he highlights some rather silly ideas which will never be made into movies.
And there are other events coming up as well. Jennifer Lopez has a new CD out Tuesday. On television, the "NYPD Blue" finale airs Tuesday night at 10:00. And we have an entertainment calendar on CNN.com. So can you keep up with everything that's going on in entertainment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: By the way, I beat you on the Super Bowl thing, but I have a feeling that you're going to get me back on the Academy Award thing.
KAGAN: On the Oscars? Well, I've been a few times. That's not really a fair competition.
SANCHEZ: You are so cocky!
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
KAGAN: And before you go complaining about your job, if you think your job is kind of tough, well, take a look at this. Try doing yours while getting a fish in your mouth or stepping on an eel. These underwater comics make funny in a well-stocked aquarium in Japan. So it's as much mime as it is standup. Between the gurgles, the audience somehow manages to get punchline. No end of puns you could make about that.
SANCHEZ: No, of course certainly an act that's all wet.
KAGAN: They work for scale.
SANCHEZ: I'm Rick Sanchez.
KAGAN: I'm Daryn Kagan.
Wolf's taking the day off. Betty Nguyen will be in after the break, at top of the hour. Have a great weekend. We will see you on Monday.
SANCHEZ: Enjoy the Academy Awards.
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