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American Morning
Grading the President; '90-Second Pop'
Aired February 25, 2005 - 09:32 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: 9:30 here in New York. Good morning, everybody. Welcome back.
In a few moments, President Bush back home in Washington after the big trip in Europe. He held meeting after meeting with European leaders this week. Did he get what he wanted while he was there?
Kelly Wallace will look at that in a moment there.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also "90-Second Pop" this morning talking Oscars. Is there a clear favorite this year, or is it anybody's guess? We'll take a stab at that in just a few moments and give you our predictions.
HEMMER: A lot of opinions this time around, because there's not like a "Titanic" out there or any big, huge film that's just going to sweep everything.
O'BRIEN: Right, lots of little films.
HEMMER: Or maybe not.
O'BRIEN: Right, or not. We'll see.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I was going to say, bill has his finger on what's happening in Hollywood.
HEMMER: Not so much.
O'BRIEN: Good morning to you.
COSTELLO: Good morning, everyone. Good morning.
Now in the news, the family of that missing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford are asking for help to get her home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUTH LUNSFORD, GRANDMOTHER: When God made Jesse, he made an angel. And we've always called her princess. I know she's out there. I hope she can hear us. And whoever's got her, whatever it is, if somebody's got her or they know she's laying over here or what, she needs to be with her family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Authorities in Florida say there's a reason to believe that Jessica Lunsford may be in danger. She was last seen Wednesday night. Her father says Jessica was not in her room when he checked her around 6:00 a.m. yesterday.
In Texas, a child-support dispute prompts a deadly shooting rampage outside of a courthouse in Tyler.
You heard the gunshots there. Television cameras inside the courtroom caught part of that frightening scene. David Hernandez Arroyo Sr. was armed with an AK-47 and he was wearing body armor when he shot and killed his ex-wife and an armed civilian who tried to intervene. Arroyo was later shot and killed by police. Four others, including Arroyo's 23-year-old son, were wounded in that gun battle.
The commander of NASA's upcoming shuttle mission is giving thumbs up. Eileen Collins say she's confident it will be NASA's safest mission ever. The Discovery crew will be first to fly since the shuttle Columbia disaster two years ago. Collins says her crew will be ready to roll on May 15th.
And a reminder that winter is still here in the Northeast. An overnight storm dumping several inches of snow across the region, making a somewhat messy commute this morning. And of course there are those spinouts on the roadways to deal with.
Coming up, we'll get an update on the weather from Chad, but hopefully it is just about over, here in New York at least.
O'BRIEN: It looks so pretty when it is falling, and then so less pretty when you sludge your way through it, right?
COSTELLO: True.
HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.
President Bush is back in Washington this morning. He arrived back at the White House last night. A five-day, three-nation jaunt through Europe. The president was trying to iron out the wrinkles after disagreements about the war in Iraq, and he was seeking support for some of his foreign policy goals. Was he successful? That's the question this morning from Kelly Wallace. Here's Kelly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Didn't it seem like everyone was on their best behavior? Leaders reaching out, even when those handshakes didn't exactly look natural, downplaying differences and saying all the right things.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every time I meet with Jacques, he's got good advice.
WALLACE: And there were gestures, too. At a dinner with the French president, Mr. Bush announcing the return of French, not freedom fries. It was all part of issue one on President Bush's checklist in Europe, charming his critics. PHILIPPE BOLOPION, RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE: I think in some ways it's worked. Now, you know, basically what they did was they took the ugly dispute over Iraq, they put it in a little box, locked the box, put it under the bed and pretended it was not there.
WALLACE: Issue two, getting help with Iraq. Mr. Bush got some, with NATO agreeing to a modest plan to train and equip Iraq's forces. Issue three, calming European concerns about Iran. The president seemed to do that with this.
BUSH: Iran is not Iraq. We just started the diplomatic efforts. And I want to thank our friends for taking the lead.
WALLACE: And issue four, putting pressure on the man he calls a friend, raising concerns over democratic restrictions in Russia.
BUSH: I think Vladimir heard me loud and clear, and he explained why he made the decisions he made.
WALLACE: It would be a stretch to say the president totally won over the Europeans, but analysts say it's a start.
MICHAEL CALINGAERT, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: The first step was to start talking to each other in a more gentlemanly serious way than we have in the past. So this step had to be taken. In itself, it does not resolve a great deal.
WALLACE: Because differences still remain over Iraq, Iran, the arms embargo on China. And that tension has not entirely gone away.
Asked if he would be inviting Mr. Chirac to his ranch, Mr. Bush would only say...
BUSH: I'm looking for a good cowboy.
WALLACE (on camera): Still, the President reacting to the realities of post-war Iraq appears to be trying to bring Europe along with him, instead of hoping Europe will follow.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: And this was the president's first trip overseas to begin his second term.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Good companies, bad, bad, bad decisions. For example, would you ever want to try roadkill candy? Tasty, huh? Andy's "Minding Your Business," just ahead.
HEMMER: Also Jamie Foxx the odds-on favorite to win best actor for his portrayal of Ray Charles. What a great movie it was. One of our 90-Second poppers says there could be an upset in the making. We'll get to that this half hour, back in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Does Usher have anything to do with the Oscars, or do we just like Usher? Is that why we're playing him? Because he's cute, that's why we like him.
Good morning. It's time for an all-Oscar edition of 90 second pop." Our pop pundits this morning, Andy Borowitz of Borowitzreport.com. Crystal McCrary Anthony, the author of the "Gotham Diaries." And Devin Gordon of "Newsweek."
Nice to see, you guys. Good morning.
We're talking all Oscar, all morning. Let's get right to it. Best actor/actress category. We're going to combine two categories to begin with. Some people think it's a shoo-in. For the women it's going to be Hilary Swank. But for the guys, a little debate here. Crystal, why are you not getting with the gang?
CRYSTAL MCCRARY ANTHONY, AUTHOR, "GOTHAM DIARIES": I seem to be the only one who is not debating this. I'm totally out on a limb. But I do believe that Don Cheadle for his role in "Hotel Rwanda" deserves the Oscar for best actor. I mean, it was a completely nuanced role.
O'BRIEN: Did you miss Jamie Foxx and Leo DiCaprio?
DEVIN GORDON, "NEWSWEEK": Because there's the key word.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
ANTHONY: Right. I think he deserves...
GORDON: Is it going to happen is the big question. And it's definitely not going to happen.
ANTHONY: Well...
GORDON: There's no way Jamie Foxx is going to lose this one.
O'BRIEN: Why? I mean, is it the groundswell public opinion? Or is it just he's just way out there?
ANTHONY: He didn't get a "GQ" cover.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: I thought Jamie Foxx...
ANTHONY: That did it. The "GQ" cover did it, I think.
BOROWITZ: I thought Jamie Foxx was actually going to win president of Iraq. He has won, like, everything. But, I mean, it is -- I mean, I think Don Cheadle might actually be the best actor in the category.
ANTHONY: Thank you.
BOROWITZ: But Jamie Foxx, that role, the bar is set so high, the things he had to do. He actually had his eyelids glued shut. He actually played the piano. I mean, he lost...
O'BRIEN: He sang.
BOROWITZ: He lost weight. He did everything.
O'BRIEN: And he carries that film.
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I mean, a lot of people say the film is actually not so great, but he makes it great.
BOROWITZ: The film is a B-plus, and he's an A-plus.
O'BRIEN: And he makes the film.
GORDON: You know, this is a performance. You know, the Academy Awards are a show. And he sealed it, I think, with his Golden Globe acceptance speech.
BOROWITZ: Right.
GORDON: When he got up there and he was great, people were, like, I want to see more of that. We're going to get this guy an Oscar.
O'BRIEN: All right...
GORDON: See a little sequel.
O'BRIEN: Sorry, Crystal.
ANTHONY: I still say Don Cheadle.
O'BRIEN: It's going to happen for you. But we'll see, won't we? OK, supporting roles. Let's talk about actor. Best supporting actor, Morgan Freeman. I love him.
GORDON: Yes, that's what people are saying. I mean, the buzz is that the award is headed towards Morgan Freeman.
O'BRIEN: He's the narrator...
GORDON: And he's been nominated a couple times actually for basically the same role. So, maybe they'll give it to him this time.
O'BRIEN: And we should say, he's the narrator in "Million Dollar Baby."
GORDON: He's the narrator.
O'BRIEN: And he's the janitor or kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE). GORDON: He's sort of the overseer of the -- yes. And I think -- but I think that there's a possibility for an upset here that someone like Thomas Haden Church in "Sideways."
BOROWITZ: I think Thomas Haden Church, you know, the Academy Awards always likes to reward adversity. And he was on that show "Wings" for, like, six years. So, I think there's a chance.
GORDON: If you can overcome that, you can overcome anything.
BOROWITZ: But he was -- I mean, he was phenomenal. Again, it's like another -- you know, I sound like Cojo (ph) or something, but he was great, too. But, I mean, yes.
ANTHONY: I still say Clive Owen also for "Closer."
BOROWITZ: Very good.
O'BRIEN: All right. So you guys are saying it's an open...
GORDON: This one is a very wide-open category.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And maybe this is one everyone will watch where it's not going to be a shoo-in. How about best supporting actress?
ANTHONY: Sophie Okonedo.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I think I would agree with you on that.
ANTHONY: Yes, for "Hotel Rwanda." I mean, another nuanced performance. And, you know, it was not an easy role for her to do. I mean, there were no stunts, and it was raw emotion. It was complex. I think that her role is very similar to Don Cheadle's in that they played off of one another. But at the same time they didn't have, you know, the big hoops, and they weren't able to have, like, say -- no disrespect to Jamie Foxx and all of the people who are fans of his, but they didn't have any crutches in this. There were no gimmicks in this.
GORDON: It was not a flashy performance.
ANTHONY: No, it was not a flashy performance. It was difficult to do.
O'BRIEN: Some people really dislike Cate Blanchett. I mean, some pick her to win, but other people say she was just impersonating, you know, what she had seen of Katharine Hepburn.
GORDON: Right. Yes, those are the people who don't have academy votes, I think.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
GORDON: I think the people who do are going to go with her. BOROWITZ: And I think for the same reason...
GORDON: It's Katharine Hepburn, for crying out loud.
BOROWITZ: I think for the same reason that Jamie Foxx is so impressive. When you're impersonating somebody who is so well-known and we're so familiar with and you pull it off...
ANTHONY: That is true.
BOROWITZ: ... you get a lot of credit for it.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk about best picture and best director. Who walks away with best picture?
BOROWITZ: Well...
GORDON: Clint is getting both of them.
O'BRIEN: Really? You think Clint Eastwood will get both?
ANTHONY: For best director.
GORDON: That's what I'm saying. I think he's going to get both of them. I mean, for best picture, the bellwethers previous to this have gone "The Aviator's" way. The producers (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the award being the big one. But just something tells me that, you know, it just seems like people love that movie.
ANTHONY: Right.
GORDON: And, you know, it's the one that makes you cry, too.
O'BRIEN: They love "Million Dollar Baby."
GORDON: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And they don't love "The Aviator." I think that's true. I don't think you get the sense of this embracing of "The Aviator."
ANTHONY: Right.
BOROWITZ: You know, I liked "The Aviator." I have to say, I learned so much about Howard Hughes' life. I had no idea Howard Hughes' life was so long, for example. That was one thing. But it's really now, all kidding aside, you know, people say, like, it's not the best Scorsese film, as if that's a diss.
GORDON: Yes.
BOROWITZ: You know, he has made some of the best films ever. And I -- you know, I went to see it this week, and I thought, you know, this is like taking on a major epic. It's sort of in the "Citizen Kane" category of this larger-than-life character. And he pulls it off. I really think it's a great film. O'BRIEN: And so, are you saying that he's going to win?
BOROWITZ: I think he has a real shot. I think it's...
ANTHONY: Maybe for best picture...
BOROWITZ: No.
ANTHONY: ... but then Clint Eastwood, best director.
O'BRIEN: We will see, won't we? I'm going. I got my dress. I got my shoes. I'm getting my hair done, yes.
BOROWITZ: Wow!
ANTHONY: We'll wave.
O'BRIEN: Unfortunately, I don't get a vote in any of it. But we'll see.
BOROWITZ: Who cares? You get to go to the parties.
O'BRIEN: Exactly.
ANTHONY: You get to look great.
O'BRIEN: You know, that's what it's all about, isn't it? What they're wearing, anyway, that's what we're going to talk about on Monday. Thanks, you guys. Appreciate it.
And, in fact, join us for a Monday morning special edition of "90-Second Pop" coming to you straight from L.A. We're going to take a look at the winners, the losers and, of course, more importantly, what they were wearing. The good, bad and the very, very ugly of the 77th annual Academy Awards. That's Monday -- Bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: All right, Soledad. Thanks. Enjoy that.
Ever hear of roadkill candy? Andy has that in "Minding Your Business," next here on AMERICAN MORNING, live in New York City. The snow has stopped and the sun is out. Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Steamy pay-per-view getting a cable provider in a little bit of hot water. And some say a new candy is in bad taste. For those stories and an update from Wall Street, Andy Serwer's "Minding Your Business," this morning. Should we start with Wall Street.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Let's do that. Let's go down to the Big Board and see how stocks are trading. Down just a couple points here. Still early yet. We're looking for the bulls to see if they still hold sway. We'd be up for three days in a row if we end the week up, but some slippage right now.
Clear Channel announcing big loss, that radio company. That stock is down two percent.
Qwest earlier this morning, we told you they're back in the mix, trying to take over MCI. Investors don't like it, sending that stock down 6 percent this morning.
You know, Soledad, sometimes companies do stupid things, and it's a good thing I'm here to report about it. First off, let's talk about Adelphia, the giant cable company got in a lot of trouble with accounting irregularities, declared bankruptcy, and they're now up for sale. They decided to introduce XXX pornography, pay-per-view in Southern California. And you know what? Even though it was pay-per- view, viewers didn't like it. A lot of people got very upset. It is pretty easy to access that stuff, and kiddies might see that stuff. XXX pornography. And of course Time-Warner, our parent company, and Comcast are in the mix trying to buy Adelphia right now. So you don't want any headaches and hassles like this. So a good idea for them to kill that idea.
Speaking of kill, roadkill, Kraft has a new treat candy out called Roadkill Gummies. Roadkill Gummies. Here's how this works, kind of a sill idea. Roadkill Gummies, you know, gummy candy, flattened snakes, chickens and squirrels with tire tracks on them. Now, your animal rights activists are not happy about this, and they're talking about boycotts and protests. Like I said, sometimes companies do stupid things.
HEMMER: How does it taste, though?
SERWER: It tastes just like the gummy bears.
O'BRIEN: Do have you to boycott that, or could you just ignore it and would eventually go away?
SERWER: I bet you kids love that stuff, though.
HEMMER: What's the different XXX and XX.
SERWER: There's three gradations of pornography. We're not going to get into that. Maybe next week.
HEMMER: It is cable. Thanks, Andy.
CAFFERTY: We have a little clarification. "Time" magazine is reporting in this week's issue that the United States has opened some informal back-channel talks with some of the leaders of the insurgency in Iraq. The Pentagon says it ain't happening, that there is nothing secret about what they're doing and that they're not holding talks. Everybody sort of agrees with the success of the Iraqi elections that maybe, maybe some of the insurgents might want to consider laying down their arms. But it is all very preliminary. However, we'll talk about this in some detail on in the money, and we'll trust that you'll be in attendance. That airs at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. The question today, is how much do you care about the Academy Awards? I suggested at the top of this show that I'd rather go to the laundromat and watch the clothes go around in the dryer than suffer through another Oscar telecast.
With that in mind, Jolene in California writes, "The Academy Awards are like the Fourth of July celebrations, mom and apple pie. It's an American tradition, something light and full of fluff. But all the down news we're hit with every day, why would you want to take away our fun. Go to the laundromat, watch the clothes and leave us alone."
SERWER: Yes, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Tom in Illinois writes, "The academy awards are OK for a laugh or two but I doubt they'll ever win an Emmy."
SERWER: Very good.
CAFFERTY: And Edward in Ottawa writes, "Thanks for the reminder, Jack. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to unplug the TV, cut the power to my house and head out and buy a book. Have a good weekend. I'll talk to you Monday."
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
Coming up next hour, CNN LIVE TODAY on the hunt with federal marshals. Their prey is the worst of the worst, 500 Violent criminals, fugitives from the law, and their weapon is the element of surprise. That's next hour with Daryn and Rick. We are back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired February 25, 2005 - 09:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: 9:30 here in New York. Good morning, everybody. Welcome back.
In a few moments, President Bush back home in Washington after the big trip in Europe. He held meeting after meeting with European leaders this week. Did he get what he wanted while he was there?
Kelly Wallace will look at that in a moment there.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also "90-Second Pop" this morning talking Oscars. Is there a clear favorite this year, or is it anybody's guess? We'll take a stab at that in just a few moments and give you our predictions.
HEMMER: A lot of opinions this time around, because there's not like a "Titanic" out there or any big, huge film that's just going to sweep everything.
O'BRIEN: Right, lots of little films.
HEMMER: Or maybe not.
O'BRIEN: Right, or not. We'll see.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I was going to say, bill has his finger on what's happening in Hollywood.
HEMMER: Not so much.
O'BRIEN: Good morning to you.
COSTELLO: Good morning, everyone. Good morning.
Now in the news, the family of that missing 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford are asking for help to get her home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUTH LUNSFORD, GRANDMOTHER: When God made Jesse, he made an angel. And we've always called her princess. I know she's out there. I hope she can hear us. And whoever's got her, whatever it is, if somebody's got her or they know she's laying over here or what, she needs to be with her family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Authorities in Florida say there's a reason to believe that Jessica Lunsford may be in danger. She was last seen Wednesday night. Her father says Jessica was not in her room when he checked her around 6:00 a.m. yesterday.
In Texas, a child-support dispute prompts a deadly shooting rampage outside of a courthouse in Tyler.
You heard the gunshots there. Television cameras inside the courtroom caught part of that frightening scene. David Hernandez Arroyo Sr. was armed with an AK-47 and he was wearing body armor when he shot and killed his ex-wife and an armed civilian who tried to intervene. Arroyo was later shot and killed by police. Four others, including Arroyo's 23-year-old son, were wounded in that gun battle.
The commander of NASA's upcoming shuttle mission is giving thumbs up. Eileen Collins say she's confident it will be NASA's safest mission ever. The Discovery crew will be first to fly since the shuttle Columbia disaster two years ago. Collins says her crew will be ready to roll on May 15th.
And a reminder that winter is still here in the Northeast. An overnight storm dumping several inches of snow across the region, making a somewhat messy commute this morning. And of course there are those spinouts on the roadways to deal with.
Coming up, we'll get an update on the weather from Chad, but hopefully it is just about over, here in New York at least.
O'BRIEN: It looks so pretty when it is falling, and then so less pretty when you sludge your way through it, right?
COSTELLO: True.
HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.
President Bush is back in Washington this morning. He arrived back at the White House last night. A five-day, three-nation jaunt through Europe. The president was trying to iron out the wrinkles after disagreements about the war in Iraq, and he was seeking support for some of his foreign policy goals. Was he successful? That's the question this morning from Kelly Wallace. Here's Kelly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Didn't it seem like everyone was on their best behavior? Leaders reaching out, even when those handshakes didn't exactly look natural, downplaying differences and saying all the right things.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every time I meet with Jacques, he's got good advice.
WALLACE: And there were gestures, too. At a dinner with the French president, Mr. Bush announcing the return of French, not freedom fries. It was all part of issue one on President Bush's checklist in Europe, charming his critics. PHILIPPE BOLOPION, RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE: I think in some ways it's worked. Now, you know, basically what they did was they took the ugly dispute over Iraq, they put it in a little box, locked the box, put it under the bed and pretended it was not there.
WALLACE: Issue two, getting help with Iraq. Mr. Bush got some, with NATO agreeing to a modest plan to train and equip Iraq's forces. Issue three, calming European concerns about Iran. The president seemed to do that with this.
BUSH: Iran is not Iraq. We just started the diplomatic efforts. And I want to thank our friends for taking the lead.
WALLACE: And issue four, putting pressure on the man he calls a friend, raising concerns over democratic restrictions in Russia.
BUSH: I think Vladimir heard me loud and clear, and he explained why he made the decisions he made.
WALLACE: It would be a stretch to say the president totally won over the Europeans, but analysts say it's a start.
MICHAEL CALINGAERT, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: The first step was to start talking to each other in a more gentlemanly serious way than we have in the past. So this step had to be taken. In itself, it does not resolve a great deal.
WALLACE: Because differences still remain over Iraq, Iran, the arms embargo on China. And that tension has not entirely gone away.
Asked if he would be inviting Mr. Chirac to his ranch, Mr. Bush would only say...
BUSH: I'm looking for a good cowboy.
WALLACE (on camera): Still, the President reacting to the realities of post-war Iraq appears to be trying to bring Europe along with him, instead of hoping Europe will follow.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: And this was the president's first trip overseas to begin his second term.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Good companies, bad, bad, bad decisions. For example, would you ever want to try roadkill candy? Tasty, huh? Andy's "Minding Your Business," just ahead.
HEMMER: Also Jamie Foxx the odds-on favorite to win best actor for his portrayal of Ray Charles. What a great movie it was. One of our 90-Second poppers says there could be an upset in the making. We'll get to that this half hour, back in a moment. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Does Usher have anything to do with the Oscars, or do we just like Usher? Is that why we're playing him? Because he's cute, that's why we like him.
Good morning. It's time for an all-Oscar edition of 90 second pop." Our pop pundits this morning, Andy Borowitz of Borowitzreport.com. Crystal McCrary Anthony, the author of the "Gotham Diaries." And Devin Gordon of "Newsweek."
Nice to see, you guys. Good morning.
We're talking all Oscar, all morning. Let's get right to it. Best actor/actress category. We're going to combine two categories to begin with. Some people think it's a shoo-in. For the women it's going to be Hilary Swank. But for the guys, a little debate here. Crystal, why are you not getting with the gang?
CRYSTAL MCCRARY ANTHONY, AUTHOR, "GOTHAM DIARIES": I seem to be the only one who is not debating this. I'm totally out on a limb. But I do believe that Don Cheadle for his role in "Hotel Rwanda" deserves the Oscar for best actor. I mean, it was a completely nuanced role.
O'BRIEN: Did you miss Jamie Foxx and Leo DiCaprio?
DEVIN GORDON, "NEWSWEEK": Because there's the key word.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
ANTHONY: Right. I think he deserves...
GORDON: Is it going to happen is the big question. And it's definitely not going to happen.
ANTHONY: Well...
GORDON: There's no way Jamie Foxx is going to lose this one.
O'BRIEN: Why? I mean, is it the groundswell public opinion? Or is it just he's just way out there?
ANTHONY: He didn't get a "GQ" cover.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: I thought Jamie Foxx...
ANTHONY: That did it. The "GQ" cover did it, I think.
BOROWITZ: I thought Jamie Foxx was actually going to win president of Iraq. He has won, like, everything. But, I mean, it is -- I mean, I think Don Cheadle might actually be the best actor in the category.
ANTHONY: Thank you.
BOROWITZ: But Jamie Foxx, that role, the bar is set so high, the things he had to do. He actually had his eyelids glued shut. He actually played the piano. I mean, he lost...
O'BRIEN: He sang.
BOROWITZ: He lost weight. He did everything.
O'BRIEN: And he carries that film.
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I mean, a lot of people say the film is actually not so great, but he makes it great.
BOROWITZ: The film is a B-plus, and he's an A-plus.
O'BRIEN: And he makes the film.
GORDON: You know, this is a performance. You know, the Academy Awards are a show. And he sealed it, I think, with his Golden Globe acceptance speech.
BOROWITZ: Right.
GORDON: When he got up there and he was great, people were, like, I want to see more of that. We're going to get this guy an Oscar.
O'BRIEN: All right...
GORDON: See a little sequel.
O'BRIEN: Sorry, Crystal.
ANTHONY: I still say Don Cheadle.
O'BRIEN: It's going to happen for you. But we'll see, won't we? OK, supporting roles. Let's talk about actor. Best supporting actor, Morgan Freeman. I love him.
GORDON: Yes, that's what people are saying. I mean, the buzz is that the award is headed towards Morgan Freeman.
O'BRIEN: He's the narrator...
GORDON: And he's been nominated a couple times actually for basically the same role. So, maybe they'll give it to him this time.
O'BRIEN: And we should say, he's the narrator in "Million Dollar Baby."
GORDON: He's the narrator.
O'BRIEN: And he's the janitor or kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE). GORDON: He's sort of the overseer of the -- yes. And I think -- but I think that there's a possibility for an upset here that someone like Thomas Haden Church in "Sideways."
BOROWITZ: I think Thomas Haden Church, you know, the Academy Awards always likes to reward adversity. And he was on that show "Wings" for, like, six years. So, I think there's a chance.
GORDON: If you can overcome that, you can overcome anything.
BOROWITZ: But he was -- I mean, he was phenomenal. Again, it's like another -- you know, I sound like Cojo (ph) or something, but he was great, too. But, I mean, yes.
ANTHONY: I still say Clive Owen also for "Closer."
BOROWITZ: Very good.
O'BRIEN: All right. So you guys are saying it's an open...
GORDON: This one is a very wide-open category.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And maybe this is one everyone will watch where it's not going to be a shoo-in. How about best supporting actress?
ANTHONY: Sophie Okonedo.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I think I would agree with you on that.
ANTHONY: Yes, for "Hotel Rwanda." I mean, another nuanced performance. And, you know, it was not an easy role for her to do. I mean, there were no stunts, and it was raw emotion. It was complex. I think that her role is very similar to Don Cheadle's in that they played off of one another. But at the same time they didn't have, you know, the big hoops, and they weren't able to have, like, say -- no disrespect to Jamie Foxx and all of the people who are fans of his, but they didn't have any crutches in this. There were no gimmicks in this.
GORDON: It was not a flashy performance.
ANTHONY: No, it was not a flashy performance. It was difficult to do.
O'BRIEN: Some people really dislike Cate Blanchett. I mean, some pick her to win, but other people say she was just impersonating, you know, what she had seen of Katharine Hepburn.
GORDON: Right. Yes, those are the people who don't have academy votes, I think.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
GORDON: I think the people who do are going to go with her. BOROWITZ: And I think for the same reason...
GORDON: It's Katharine Hepburn, for crying out loud.
BOROWITZ: I think for the same reason that Jamie Foxx is so impressive. When you're impersonating somebody who is so well-known and we're so familiar with and you pull it off...
ANTHONY: That is true.
BOROWITZ: ... you get a lot of credit for it.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk about best picture and best director. Who walks away with best picture?
BOROWITZ: Well...
GORDON: Clint is getting both of them.
O'BRIEN: Really? You think Clint Eastwood will get both?
ANTHONY: For best director.
GORDON: That's what I'm saying. I think he's going to get both of them. I mean, for best picture, the bellwethers previous to this have gone "The Aviator's" way. The producers (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the award being the big one. But just something tells me that, you know, it just seems like people love that movie.
ANTHONY: Right.
GORDON: And, you know, it's the one that makes you cry, too.
O'BRIEN: They love "Million Dollar Baby."
GORDON: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And they don't love "The Aviator." I think that's true. I don't think you get the sense of this embracing of "The Aviator."
ANTHONY: Right.
BOROWITZ: You know, I liked "The Aviator." I have to say, I learned so much about Howard Hughes' life. I had no idea Howard Hughes' life was so long, for example. That was one thing. But it's really now, all kidding aside, you know, people say, like, it's not the best Scorsese film, as if that's a diss.
GORDON: Yes.
BOROWITZ: You know, he has made some of the best films ever. And I -- you know, I went to see it this week, and I thought, you know, this is like taking on a major epic. It's sort of in the "Citizen Kane" category of this larger-than-life character. And he pulls it off. I really think it's a great film. O'BRIEN: And so, are you saying that he's going to win?
BOROWITZ: I think he has a real shot. I think it's...
ANTHONY: Maybe for best picture...
BOROWITZ: No.
ANTHONY: ... but then Clint Eastwood, best director.
O'BRIEN: We will see, won't we? I'm going. I got my dress. I got my shoes. I'm getting my hair done, yes.
BOROWITZ: Wow!
ANTHONY: We'll wave.
O'BRIEN: Unfortunately, I don't get a vote in any of it. But we'll see.
BOROWITZ: Who cares? You get to go to the parties.
O'BRIEN: Exactly.
ANTHONY: You get to look great.
O'BRIEN: You know, that's what it's all about, isn't it? What they're wearing, anyway, that's what we're going to talk about on Monday. Thanks, you guys. Appreciate it.
And, in fact, join us for a Monday morning special edition of "90-Second Pop" coming to you straight from L.A. We're going to take a look at the winners, the losers and, of course, more importantly, what they were wearing. The good, bad and the very, very ugly of the 77th annual Academy Awards. That's Monday -- Bill.
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HEMMER: All right, Soledad. Thanks. Enjoy that.
Ever hear of roadkill candy? Andy has that in "Minding Your Business," next here on AMERICAN MORNING, live in New York City. The snow has stopped and the sun is out. Back in a moment.
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O'BRIEN: Steamy pay-per-view getting a cable provider in a little bit of hot water. And some say a new candy is in bad taste. For those stories and an update from Wall Street, Andy Serwer's "Minding Your Business," this morning. Should we start with Wall Street.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Let's do that. Let's go down to the Big Board and see how stocks are trading. Down just a couple points here. Still early yet. We're looking for the bulls to see if they still hold sway. We'd be up for three days in a row if we end the week up, but some slippage right now.
Clear Channel announcing big loss, that radio company. That stock is down two percent.
Qwest earlier this morning, we told you they're back in the mix, trying to take over MCI. Investors don't like it, sending that stock down 6 percent this morning.
You know, Soledad, sometimes companies do stupid things, and it's a good thing I'm here to report about it. First off, let's talk about Adelphia, the giant cable company got in a lot of trouble with accounting irregularities, declared bankruptcy, and they're now up for sale. They decided to introduce XXX pornography, pay-per-view in Southern California. And you know what? Even though it was pay-per- view, viewers didn't like it. A lot of people got very upset. It is pretty easy to access that stuff, and kiddies might see that stuff. XXX pornography. And of course Time-Warner, our parent company, and Comcast are in the mix trying to buy Adelphia right now. So you don't want any headaches and hassles like this. So a good idea for them to kill that idea.
Speaking of kill, roadkill, Kraft has a new treat candy out called Roadkill Gummies. Roadkill Gummies. Here's how this works, kind of a sill idea. Roadkill Gummies, you know, gummy candy, flattened snakes, chickens and squirrels with tire tracks on them. Now, your animal rights activists are not happy about this, and they're talking about boycotts and protests. Like I said, sometimes companies do stupid things.
HEMMER: How does it taste, though?
SERWER: It tastes just like the gummy bears.
O'BRIEN: Do have you to boycott that, or could you just ignore it and would eventually go away?
SERWER: I bet you kids love that stuff, though.
HEMMER: What's the different XXX and XX.
SERWER: There's three gradations of pornography. We're not going to get into that. Maybe next week.
HEMMER: It is cable. Thanks, Andy.
CAFFERTY: We have a little clarification. "Time" magazine is reporting in this week's issue that the United States has opened some informal back-channel talks with some of the leaders of the insurgency in Iraq. The Pentagon says it ain't happening, that there is nothing secret about what they're doing and that they're not holding talks. Everybody sort of agrees with the success of the Iraqi elections that maybe, maybe some of the insurgents might want to consider laying down their arms. But it is all very preliminary. However, we'll talk about this in some detail on in the money, and we'll trust that you'll be in attendance. That airs at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. The question today, is how much do you care about the Academy Awards? I suggested at the top of this show that I'd rather go to the laundromat and watch the clothes go around in the dryer than suffer through another Oscar telecast.
With that in mind, Jolene in California writes, "The Academy Awards are like the Fourth of July celebrations, mom and apple pie. It's an American tradition, something light and full of fluff. But all the down news we're hit with every day, why would you want to take away our fun. Go to the laundromat, watch the clothes and leave us alone."
SERWER: Yes, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Tom in Illinois writes, "The academy awards are OK for a laugh or two but I doubt they'll ever win an Emmy."
SERWER: Very good.
CAFFERTY: And Edward in Ottawa writes, "Thanks for the reminder, Jack. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to unplug the TV, cut the power to my house and head out and buy a book. Have a good weekend. I'll talk to you Monday."
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
Coming up next hour, CNN LIVE TODAY on the hunt with federal marshals. Their prey is the worst of the worst, 500 Violent criminals, fugitives from the law, and their weapon is the element of surprise. That's next hour with Daryn and Rick. We are back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
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