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American Morning
BTK Killings Suspect; Michael Jackson's Trial Gets Under Way Today; '90-Second Pop' Oscar Edition
Aired February 28, 2005 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:30 in New York. Good morning, everybody. Soledad is out in L.A. Carol is with us here in New York this morning.
Good morning to you.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I certainly am wanting another glimpse of Soledad's dress, because it's fantastic.
HEMMER: Twenty minutes away, you'll get your wish.
COSTELLO: I can't wait. Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, we're going to find out more about the man suspected of being the BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader, with a lot of friends in Park City, Kansas. We'll talk to his pastor and another member of his church about whether Rader could have been leading a double life.
HEMMER: What an extraordinary story that is shaping up to be.
Also, a West Coast edition today of "90-Second Pop." Soledad is at the Oscars, and they're talking about the big surprises of the night, who won, and who did not win, and what they thought of all of the new twists this year, Chris Rock included. We'll get to that in a moment here.
COSTELLO: Look at her. Look at her dress.
HEMMER: There we go, on the red carpet.
COSTELLO: She looks fantastic.
HEMMER: She looks wonderful.
COSTELLO: She's being interviewed.
HEMMER: Great hair. Got a little bit of trim, too, right?
COSTELLO: She is glam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Check out all of the celebrities, everybody all dolled up for the night. Of course, I'm rooting for my guy, Jamie Foxx, to win tonight as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HEMMER: Oh, she got her wish last night with Jamie Foxx, too. We'll check back in with Soledad in a moment here. She looks great.
COSTELLO: But first, let's go to Kelly Wallace to check out the other headlines this morning.
Good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good to see both of you. And good morning, everyone.
"Now in the News."
A suicide bombing rips through the city of Hilla, south of Baghdad, today. Police say more than 120 people have been killed and more than 150 others are wounded. Officials say Iraqi police recruits were lining outside a government medical office when the explosion went off. Much more on this story throughout the morning.
News now about Pope John Paul II. He is said to be in good condition today. That announcement coming from the Vatican last hour. It is the first health update since the pope surprised crowds with a brief appearance at his hospital window yesterday. The 84-year-old pontiff is said to be recovering well, following a tracheotomy last Thursday, and has started exercises to improve his breathing.
Medicaid will top discussions this morning for President Bush and the nation's governors. The president is trying to get $40 billion in savings in the health care program. Governors say the cuts will create problems, but they agree with some of the president's ideas for reforms. The issue set to dominate the next two days of the National Governor's Association meeting.
And the wild, wild west is making a comeback today. Sixty-seven years after the U.S. minted its last buffalo nickel, it is back. It also shows the country's third president, Thomas Jefferson. The 5- cent coins are being distributed to banks today and should start showing up in change drawers within a couple of weeks.
HEMMER: And then they're all going to disappear, because they're going to be collector items.
WALLACE: That's right. You won't be able to find them anywhere.
HEMMER: We're never going to see them. That's right. Thank you, Kelly.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Kelly.
Simple and sweet. Not words to describe an alleged serial killer. We're finding out more about Dennis Rader this among. He's the Wichita man accused of being the infamous BTK killer.
Rader is facing 10 murder charges for a string of brutal killings between 1974 and 1991. Police always thought the killer would be someone above suspicion. Rader is a respected leader of his church. Paul Carlstedt, a member of the congregation, and church pastor Michael Clark are in Park City, Kansas, this morning.
Good morning to both of you.
MICHAEL CLARK, PASTOR OF SUSPECT'S CHURCH: Good morning.
PAUL CARLSTEDT, SUSPECT'S FELLOW CHURCH MEMBER: Good morning.
COSTELLO: Pastor, Mr. Rader had just been elected president of the church council. Was he devout?
CLARK: I'm sorry?
COSTELLO: Was he devout?
CLARK: Yes.
COSTELLO: How so?
CLARK: He was a very active member of the congregation, both in leadership and participation.
COSTELLO: So, when you heard he was arrested for being the BTK killer, you thought?
CLARK: I was very shocked. I was bewildered, confused. I guess those are all words that came through my heart and my mind.
COSTELLO: Pastor, you told CNN that Dennis Rader's daughter provided a DNA sample to federal agents. Do you know how that came about?
CLARK: I have no way of knowing that.
COSTELLO: Do you know if she was forced to give the DNA sample?
CLARK: I don't know that at all.
COSTELLO: We know she's 26 years old. Was she also a member of your congregation?
CLARK: She has moved and is living out of state. She has membership in our church, but since she's moved she's no longer active there.
COSTELLO: Was she close to her father?
CLARK: As I understand it from the information that I received from her mother and family, yes, she was.
COSTELLO: You talked to Mr. Rader's wife. How is she doing?
CLARK: She's handling this very hard.
COSTELLO: Did she suspect at all? CLARK: From the conversations that I've had with Paula, she had no suspicions whatsoever.
COSTELLO: And neither did you. I mean, how would you describe his personality? I know you said he's devout. Some members of the congregation says he was sweet, he was caring, but others weren't so positive.
CLARK: He was a very pleasant man to be around. He was there every Sunday. I could depend on him to handle the sound system, to usher whenever we needed it. He engaged the members of the congregation in conversation, was willing to joke with people, but not an outgoing, boisterous kind of person.
COSTELLO: Paul, I want to talk to you now. We're just trying to equate a man who dropped spaghetti off at the church's potluck dinner and a man accused of torture and murder. Has the congregation come to terms with this?
CARLSTEDT: I don't know if we'll ever come to terms with this, but we are learning to cope. This is not the Dennis that we, as a congregation, or myself personally, know. You're right. Wednesday evening I spoke with him. He stopped at the church and said he was not going to be able to be there for the meal that night, but he had signed up for something so he brought it. And that's the Dennis that I know.
COSTELLO: I have heard that some members of the congregation were crying when they heard this came about. Is that true?
CARLSTEDT: Yes, that's true. I think the emotions will run deep because of our caring for Dennis and for Paula and the family and for the person that we know.
COSTELLO: A final question for you, Pastor. You promised to support Rader as a brother in Christ. Will you try to talk to him?
CLARK: As soon as I can. I'm attempting to do that now.
COSTELLO: Thanks to both of you.
CARLSTEDT: Thank you.
CLARK: Thank you.
COSTELLO: Paul Carlstedt and church pastor Michael Clark, live in Park City, Kansas, this morning. Thank you.
HEMMER: At the top of our next hour, we'll also hear from the police chief out there in Wichita, Kansas, to find out what more information we may learn as that investigation continues.
Michael Jackson's child molestation trial begins in earnest this morning with opening statements in Santa Maria, California.
More now from Miguel Marquez. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Michael Jackson, confident as ever after the jury is selected. His trial now looms.
STEVE CORBETT, "SANTA MARIA TIMES": In some ways, Michael Jackson looked like he was ready to face off at high noon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go defense, let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go defense, let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go defense, let's go.
MARQUEZ: "Let's go defense" chant the fans, and Jackson lawyer Tom Mesereau in open court said exactly where he's going to go, saying he will prove that the accuser's mother sought to profit from lying for years.
The defense points to a 2001 case against J.C. Penney, where the accuser's mother sued the department store for assault after her son was caught taking clothes without paying. Jackson's defense says one of its witnesses will testify that the accuser's mother taught her children to shoplift.
The defense says it will prove that the accuser's mother wasn't -- quote -- "in her right mind" -- unquote -- during the time of the alleged incidents. They say they can prove she failed to take Zoloft and antidepressants and Diazepam, an anti-anxiety drug.
The defense says it will also ask the judge to allow the jurors to visit Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
Both sides say opening statements will take about two hours each. Testimony could begin as early as Monday afternoon.
Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Miguel, thanks for that.
Also over the weekend, the reverend Jesse Jackson issued a statement criticizing the absence of any African-Americans among the 12 jurors chosen. Also, he says, it casts doubt on the fairness of the trial -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about the weather now. Some Florida residents are cleaning up this morning after a tornado swept through the East Coast town of Palm Bay. More than a dozen homes were destroyed, and at least five people were injured. The National Weather Service says it was an F-1 tornado with winds between 73 and 112 miles per hour. The storm knocked out power in some areas, and officials say residents reported water spout sightings throughout the afternoon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Around the world in less than 80 hours and on one tank of gas. If the weather is right today, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett takes off from Salina, Kansas, by himself, and he will not stop until he gets back there. It's the latest record attempt for Fossett and designer Burt Rutan and Virgin Atlantic President Sir Richard Branson. Sir Richard and Steve Fossett are getting the GlobalFlyer, as it's called, ready in Kansas today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIR RICHARD BRANSON, CEO, VIRGIN ATLANTIC: If you go back, you know, the Atlantic was crossed by Lindbergh, and then Amelia Earhart did the Pacific. Nobody has managed to fly solo, nonstop around the world. So, as far as Earth is concerned, I think it is the last great aviation record. And I think there are a number of people now, including ourselves, who are looking at space. And I think there will be many, many battles for records to take people into space in the future years. But as far as Earth is concerned, this is the big one.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: I talked with both gentlemen earlier today before our program started here. More on that interview later this morning in our 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time hour. They need the right conditions, and they need luck. The record attempt will be made into a documentary also for the Discovery Channel. We'll follow it from Salina, Kansas, later today. About 3:00 local time there, expected to go down.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
HEMMER: We'll see.
COSTELLO: No luck here. There is a clear winner in the latest challenge to Wal-Mart's anti-union stance. But was fear a factor in the outcome? Andy is "Minding Your Business" this morning.
HEMMER: Also, from the red carpet to the podium. Who made the biggest splash last night? The 90-second poppers are with Soledad out in L.A. Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. It's time to check in with Jack and the "Question of the Day."
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: You're welcome.
CAFFERTY: As Dan Rather's long career as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" comes to an end, some very well-known, high-profile folks over there at CBS are out and out trashing the man in an article by Ken Aleta (ph) in "New Yorker" magazine. Walter Cronkite calls Rather's style showboating. Mike Wallace says Rather is uptight and occasionally contrived. Even "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt says he prefers Peter Jennings to Dan Rather, raising serious issues about Don Hewitt's taste.
This is the farewell that Rather gets after 24 years as anchor of the "CBS Evening News."
The question is: Is it appropriate for Dan's colleagues to be jumping ugly with the man at the twilight of his anchor situation over there?
Tammy in Midland, Michigan: "Nobody in the media business is honest all the time. Look at the Fox News people. Rather's colleagues need only to look within themselves, and they will see they are no better."
Greg in Texarkana writes: "I think negative comments from news colleagues are unprofessional and rude. Rather, while not always perfect, has had a distinguished career and should be honored for his many years of service and should be given the respect he deserves."
Pamela writes from Michigan: "Of course it is. It's just too bad the rest of the media hasn't found the courage to stick up for all of the good work that Rather has done. At least he has the guts to ask the hard questions."
Patricia in Illinois: "What goes around, comes around. They had better be careful they don't make any mistakes themselves. He was a good, honest newsman for most of his career."
And Jeff in Arkansas writes: "No. These people have no right to criticize Mr. Rather for a mistake in judgment by not only Mr. Rather but by the network itself" -- referring to that story about President Bush's National Guard service that is believed to be a part of the reason that Mr. Rather will no longer be anchoring the "CBS Evening News."
HEMMER: It's going to be an interesting good-bye party, huh?
CAFFERTY: There may not be many people there.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, it might be kind of small, right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
It could be a huge day in the fraud trial of former WorldCom chief Bernie Ebbers. Andy Serwer is back here "Minding Your Business".
Why huge, Andy? Tell us.
SERWER: Well, because he's going to testify on his own behalf.
HEMMER: Really?
SERWER: And that is huge. Martha didn't do it. So far, Dennis Kozlowski has not done it. But published reports today are suggesting that Bernie Ebbers this morning, Monday, will be testifying on his own behalf. You don't need to be Jeff Toobin to understand that this is a risky strategy, because, of course, it exposes you right on the stand, warts and all.
This trial had been about Scott Sullivan's credibility, which was his No. 2 guy there. Now it's going to be about Bernie Ebbers' credibility.
HEMMER: And Ebbers has always said he had no knowledge of any of the financial side of his business, right?
SERWER: That's right. He's just a high school gym teacher.
COSTELLO: So, what's he going to do? Get on the stand and say I had no idea what I was doing?
SERWER: Yes. And then, you know, the prosecution has to prove that he did, which is very tough, because there haven't been any witnesses. So, we'll get into that a little bit.
Let's also update a story that we told you about on Friday. This is the union vote in Loveland, Colorado, at that Wal-Mart express lube. Seventeen employee -- there are 18 employees actually. They voted no. No union; 17-1 against unionizing. And the union is saying that Wal-Mart used scare tactics, although they're not providing any evidence as to what that scare tactic was.
They also said they are going to try to say that the vote was null and void. They're also going to continue fighting. But this is a battle that Wal-Mart has fought, long and hard, for many, many years and no doubt will continue to do so.
HEMMER: It will be another day.
SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.
SERWER: You're welcome.
HEMMER: "Million Dollar Baby" was Oscar's baby last night. The winners all smiles. But how did the losers handle it? Our 90-second poppers talked to all of them. You'll hear from them in a moment here as we continue on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: It's the morning after Hollywood's biggest night. Soledad is in California for this morning's 90-second spin on the Oscars.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to a special Oscar edition of "90-Second Pop." Before we head off to all of the parties, we're going to relive the big event. Our panel tonight, Toure is CNN's pop culture correspondent. Ana Maria Montero is with CNN Espanol. And B.J. Sigesmund from "Us Weekly" joins us as well.
Don't we all look good?
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Especially you.
O'BRIEN: Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. OK. What did you think?
TOURE: I'm so happy. The A-list has a new member, Jamie Foxx. I mean, that's what the Oscars is so great for, when someone's life is transformed. And he's been raised to the A-list. He's going to get that eight-figure check. He's going to get the better scripts, the big directors. He's not going to be like Halle Barry and do "Catwoman." He's going to go there.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Be careful, Toure. You know, I mean, easier said than done. There's this curse involved.
O'BRIEN: History is littered with people who picked bad movies after...
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: Yes, exactly. Remember Adrien Brody, how hot he was after he won? I mean, where is his career now?
TOURE: True, true.
SIGESMUND: So, Jamie Foxx has to be very, very careful.
O'BRIEN: What did you think of the whole night? Good, bad, boring?
SIGESMUND: Well...
ANA MARIA MONTERO, CNN ESPANOL: Slow, slow.
TOURE: It dragged like algebra class for a while, but Rock picked it up. My favorite line of the night, right? Four presenters you can't get take your eye off of, Selma Hayek and Penelope Cruise.
O'BRIEN: Gee, I wonder what he was talking about.
MONTERO: I don't know. I don't know.
SIGESMUND: There was absolutely one worst moment, and that was when they gave those awards in the audience. That was painful. Painful for the presenters and painful for the nominees.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Because they changed the format this year. They had, like, a movie star kind of standing among the people. That was a little weird.
SIGESMUND: Yes. And what about when you won, instead of walking up to the mic and speaking to an audience of 3,000 people, you spoke right to a TV camera? It was so unusual. I felt I was squirming watching that.
O'BRIEN: Did you think it was weird also to have all of the nominees come out on the stage for some of the awards, not for the big categories?
TOURE: Yes.
MONTERO: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Where, like, if you lost, you sort of...
MONTERO: You were on stage, you know, I'm the big loser, right.
O'BRIEN: Hey, how are you?
TOURE: That did not work at all.
MONTERO: I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
TOURE: Yes.
MONTERO: And the whole thing with the audience, too, is they would pan out into the audience, and you'd see so many empty seats.
TOURE: Oh, my god.
SIGESMUND: Where were the seat fillers? Exactly.
TOURE: But let's talk about the movies, right?
O'BRIEN: OK.
TOURE: "Million Dollar Baby." Who said, what, two months ago, who said it's an...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Yes, Toure, you did.
TOURE: But also...
O'BRIEN: He has such a good memory when he's right and such a bad memory when he's wrong.
TOURE: But also, right, mark my words, Marty Scorsese will never win an Oscar until lifetime achievement.
MONTERO: I am with you.
SIGESMUND: Yes, I agree. This was the year. You know, this was it. MONTERO: For him to win?
SIGESMUND: This was a heartfelt thing. "The Aviator," he put his heart and soul into it. He got Leo...
O'BRIEN: But he had tough competition.
SIGESMUND: No. But it wasn't exactly a good movie either.
TOURE: He hasn't made a good film in 10 years, not since "Casino." He's on a slump.
SIGESMUND: Yes. But this was the one that people thought he might get it. It's time to give him the award already so we can stop thinking about having to give Martin Scorsese an award. And they still didn't.
O'BRIEN: Was there any category where there was a big shock?
TOURE: No. It was a little predictable.
MONTERO: No, it was predictable.
TOURE: I mean, like, I hate to say that I was, like, 6 for 6, but I was. I mean, like, but it was a very predictable Oscars.
MONTERO: It was predictable.
SIGESMUND: Besides it just being all about Toure...
O'BRIEN: I was going to say that!
SIGESMUND: I have to say that Cate Blanchett surprised me.
TOURE: Yes, and that surprised me.
SIGESMUND: That surprised me. And I actually spoke with Virginia Madsen backstage afterwards, and she said...
O'BRIEN: Was she angry? Was she bitter? Did she cry?
SIGESMUND: She actually said that she really would have liked to have won. She admitted that in on the record.
MONTERO: The first person ever.
SIGESMUND: But that if she had to pick someone else to win, it was Cate Blanchett, because she really admired her and she likes her very much.
O'BRIEN: I thought everybody was very gracious. Everybody is always very gracious. You never see anybody get angry. I mean, Chris Rock sort of referred to that. What did he say about Nicole Kidman?
TOURE: Well, the Sean Penn...
O'BRIEN: Nicole Kidman would have won an Oscar.
TOURE: ... Chris Rock little thing back and forth was kind of weird. I mean, like there was no need for Sean Penn to come out and defend Jude Law, who is not that great of an actor. And then Rock had to go back to Sean Penn.
MONTERO: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Do not mess with Jude Law.
TOURE: Please!
MONTERO: I happen to like Jude Law.
TOURE: He is a great looking guy. You hear it from all the girls.
MONTERO: I like him as an actor.
TOURE: He's not that great of an actor, come on.
SIGESMUND: The one person we haven't actually...
TOURE: Come on.
MONTERO: He's not Sean Penn, I'll give you that.
SIGESMUND: The one person we haven't given a shout out to at all is Chris Rock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: Can I get a little acting, just a "to be or not to be" or Morgan Freeman doing a shampoo commercial? Something! Right? It's like the only acting you ever see at the Oscars is when people act like they're not mad they lost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIGESMUND: I thought he did great. I thought he really...
TOURE: No, yes, he did great.
SIGESMUND: I thought he really got the tone right.
O'BRIEN: I thought he saved that show. It would have been deadly boring without Chris Rock.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
TOURE: He livened it up.
O'BRIEN: And he livened it up, and he did a good job.
TOURE: And he was clearly for Iowa. He was not for Hollywood. He came out and broke on half the crowd. A lot of the people he broke on were not there. But I don't think he would have cared if Jude Law was there, he would still break on Jude Law.
O'BRIEN: And he's wrapped it up by saying, "Good night Brooklyn."
TOURE: Good night Brooklyn!
O'BRIEN: You've got to love it. You guys, thank you so much.
Bill -- back to you.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad. She looks great. How about Toure wearing a tie?
COSTELLO: That's scary.
HEMMER: The first time ever we have seen that.
COSTELLO: What did you think of Chris Rock?
HEMMER: I thought he was pretty good. I think Billy Crystal is the classic host for the Oscars. I would vote to bring Crystal back next year.
COSTELLO: I liked Chris Rock.
HEMMER: Did you?
COSTELLO: But after a time, it got tiresome with him, like, you know...
HEMMER: Yes?
COSTELLO: ... busting on the celebrities in the audience.
HEMMER: Dissing everybody?
COSTELLO: Yes.
HEMMER: How about Hilary Swank's back?
COSTELLO: What an awesome dress. But, you know, I found myself -- everyone was so tastefully dressed, I found myself yearning for someone poorly-dressed so that I could talk about it. It was boringly wonderful.
HEMMER: Wait until next year.
A break here. In a moment, we'll get to our top stories.
And also, after a 31-year manhunt, authorities think they have nabbed the BTK killer. What cracked this case open? We'll talk to the mayor of Wichita and the city's police chief in a moment on this AMERICAN MORNING.
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Aired February 28, 2005 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:30 in New York. Good morning, everybody. Soledad is out in L.A. Carol is with us here in New York this morning.
Good morning to you.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I certainly am wanting another glimpse of Soledad's dress, because it's fantastic.
HEMMER: Twenty minutes away, you'll get your wish.
COSTELLO: I can't wait. Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, we're going to find out more about the man suspected of being the BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader, with a lot of friends in Park City, Kansas. We'll talk to his pastor and another member of his church about whether Rader could have been leading a double life.
HEMMER: What an extraordinary story that is shaping up to be.
Also, a West Coast edition today of "90-Second Pop." Soledad is at the Oscars, and they're talking about the big surprises of the night, who won, and who did not win, and what they thought of all of the new twists this year, Chris Rock included. We'll get to that in a moment here.
COSTELLO: Look at her. Look at her dress.
HEMMER: There we go, on the red carpet.
COSTELLO: She looks fantastic.
HEMMER: She looks wonderful.
COSTELLO: She's being interviewed.
HEMMER: Great hair. Got a little bit of trim, too, right?
COSTELLO: She is glam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Check out all of the celebrities, everybody all dolled up for the night. Of course, I'm rooting for my guy, Jamie Foxx, to win tonight as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HEMMER: Oh, she got her wish last night with Jamie Foxx, too. We'll check back in with Soledad in a moment here. She looks great.
COSTELLO: But first, let's go to Kelly Wallace to check out the other headlines this morning.
Good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good to see both of you. And good morning, everyone.
"Now in the News."
A suicide bombing rips through the city of Hilla, south of Baghdad, today. Police say more than 120 people have been killed and more than 150 others are wounded. Officials say Iraqi police recruits were lining outside a government medical office when the explosion went off. Much more on this story throughout the morning.
News now about Pope John Paul II. He is said to be in good condition today. That announcement coming from the Vatican last hour. It is the first health update since the pope surprised crowds with a brief appearance at his hospital window yesterday. The 84-year-old pontiff is said to be recovering well, following a tracheotomy last Thursday, and has started exercises to improve his breathing.
Medicaid will top discussions this morning for President Bush and the nation's governors. The president is trying to get $40 billion in savings in the health care program. Governors say the cuts will create problems, but they agree with some of the president's ideas for reforms. The issue set to dominate the next two days of the National Governor's Association meeting.
And the wild, wild west is making a comeback today. Sixty-seven years after the U.S. minted its last buffalo nickel, it is back. It also shows the country's third president, Thomas Jefferson. The 5- cent coins are being distributed to banks today and should start showing up in change drawers within a couple of weeks.
HEMMER: And then they're all going to disappear, because they're going to be collector items.
WALLACE: That's right. You won't be able to find them anywhere.
HEMMER: We're never going to see them. That's right. Thank you, Kelly.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Kelly.
Simple and sweet. Not words to describe an alleged serial killer. We're finding out more about Dennis Rader this among. He's the Wichita man accused of being the infamous BTK killer.
Rader is facing 10 murder charges for a string of brutal killings between 1974 and 1991. Police always thought the killer would be someone above suspicion. Rader is a respected leader of his church. Paul Carlstedt, a member of the congregation, and church pastor Michael Clark are in Park City, Kansas, this morning.
Good morning to both of you.
MICHAEL CLARK, PASTOR OF SUSPECT'S CHURCH: Good morning.
PAUL CARLSTEDT, SUSPECT'S FELLOW CHURCH MEMBER: Good morning.
COSTELLO: Pastor, Mr. Rader had just been elected president of the church council. Was he devout?
CLARK: I'm sorry?
COSTELLO: Was he devout?
CLARK: Yes.
COSTELLO: How so?
CLARK: He was a very active member of the congregation, both in leadership and participation.
COSTELLO: So, when you heard he was arrested for being the BTK killer, you thought?
CLARK: I was very shocked. I was bewildered, confused. I guess those are all words that came through my heart and my mind.
COSTELLO: Pastor, you told CNN that Dennis Rader's daughter provided a DNA sample to federal agents. Do you know how that came about?
CLARK: I have no way of knowing that.
COSTELLO: Do you know if she was forced to give the DNA sample?
CLARK: I don't know that at all.
COSTELLO: We know she's 26 years old. Was she also a member of your congregation?
CLARK: She has moved and is living out of state. She has membership in our church, but since she's moved she's no longer active there.
COSTELLO: Was she close to her father?
CLARK: As I understand it from the information that I received from her mother and family, yes, she was.
COSTELLO: You talked to Mr. Rader's wife. How is she doing?
CLARK: She's handling this very hard.
COSTELLO: Did she suspect at all? CLARK: From the conversations that I've had with Paula, she had no suspicions whatsoever.
COSTELLO: And neither did you. I mean, how would you describe his personality? I know you said he's devout. Some members of the congregation says he was sweet, he was caring, but others weren't so positive.
CLARK: He was a very pleasant man to be around. He was there every Sunday. I could depend on him to handle the sound system, to usher whenever we needed it. He engaged the members of the congregation in conversation, was willing to joke with people, but not an outgoing, boisterous kind of person.
COSTELLO: Paul, I want to talk to you now. We're just trying to equate a man who dropped spaghetti off at the church's potluck dinner and a man accused of torture and murder. Has the congregation come to terms with this?
CARLSTEDT: I don't know if we'll ever come to terms with this, but we are learning to cope. This is not the Dennis that we, as a congregation, or myself personally, know. You're right. Wednesday evening I spoke with him. He stopped at the church and said he was not going to be able to be there for the meal that night, but he had signed up for something so he brought it. And that's the Dennis that I know.
COSTELLO: I have heard that some members of the congregation were crying when they heard this came about. Is that true?
CARLSTEDT: Yes, that's true. I think the emotions will run deep because of our caring for Dennis and for Paula and the family and for the person that we know.
COSTELLO: A final question for you, Pastor. You promised to support Rader as a brother in Christ. Will you try to talk to him?
CLARK: As soon as I can. I'm attempting to do that now.
COSTELLO: Thanks to both of you.
CARLSTEDT: Thank you.
CLARK: Thank you.
COSTELLO: Paul Carlstedt and church pastor Michael Clark, live in Park City, Kansas, this morning. Thank you.
HEMMER: At the top of our next hour, we'll also hear from the police chief out there in Wichita, Kansas, to find out what more information we may learn as that investigation continues.
Michael Jackson's child molestation trial begins in earnest this morning with opening statements in Santa Maria, California.
More now from Miguel Marquez. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Michael Jackson, confident as ever after the jury is selected. His trial now looms.
STEVE CORBETT, "SANTA MARIA TIMES": In some ways, Michael Jackson looked like he was ready to face off at high noon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go defense, let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go defense, let's go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go defense, let's go.
MARQUEZ: "Let's go defense" chant the fans, and Jackson lawyer Tom Mesereau in open court said exactly where he's going to go, saying he will prove that the accuser's mother sought to profit from lying for years.
The defense points to a 2001 case against J.C. Penney, where the accuser's mother sued the department store for assault after her son was caught taking clothes without paying. Jackson's defense says one of its witnesses will testify that the accuser's mother taught her children to shoplift.
The defense says it will prove that the accuser's mother wasn't -- quote -- "in her right mind" -- unquote -- during the time of the alleged incidents. They say they can prove she failed to take Zoloft and antidepressants and Diazepam, an anti-anxiety drug.
The defense says it will also ask the judge to allow the jurors to visit Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
Both sides say opening statements will take about two hours each. Testimony could begin as early as Monday afternoon.
Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Miguel, thanks for that.
Also over the weekend, the reverend Jesse Jackson issued a statement criticizing the absence of any African-Americans among the 12 jurors chosen. Also, he says, it casts doubt on the fairness of the trial -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about the weather now. Some Florida residents are cleaning up this morning after a tornado swept through the East Coast town of Palm Bay. More than a dozen homes were destroyed, and at least five people were injured. The National Weather Service says it was an F-1 tornado with winds between 73 and 112 miles per hour. The storm knocked out power in some areas, and officials say residents reported water spout sightings throughout the afternoon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Around the world in less than 80 hours and on one tank of gas. If the weather is right today, millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett takes off from Salina, Kansas, by himself, and he will not stop until he gets back there. It's the latest record attempt for Fossett and designer Burt Rutan and Virgin Atlantic President Sir Richard Branson. Sir Richard and Steve Fossett are getting the GlobalFlyer, as it's called, ready in Kansas today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIR RICHARD BRANSON, CEO, VIRGIN ATLANTIC: If you go back, you know, the Atlantic was crossed by Lindbergh, and then Amelia Earhart did the Pacific. Nobody has managed to fly solo, nonstop around the world. So, as far as Earth is concerned, I think it is the last great aviation record. And I think there are a number of people now, including ourselves, who are looking at space. And I think there will be many, many battles for records to take people into space in the future years. But as far as Earth is concerned, this is the big one.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: I talked with both gentlemen earlier today before our program started here. More on that interview later this morning in our 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time hour. They need the right conditions, and they need luck. The record attempt will be made into a documentary also for the Discovery Channel. We'll follow it from Salina, Kansas, later today. About 3:00 local time there, expected to go down.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
HEMMER: We'll see.
COSTELLO: No luck here. There is a clear winner in the latest challenge to Wal-Mart's anti-union stance. But was fear a factor in the outcome? Andy is "Minding Your Business" this morning.
HEMMER: Also, from the red carpet to the podium. Who made the biggest splash last night? The 90-second poppers are with Soledad out in L.A. Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. It's time to check in with Jack and the "Question of the Day."
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: You're welcome.
CAFFERTY: As Dan Rather's long career as anchor of the "CBS Evening News" comes to an end, some very well-known, high-profile folks over there at CBS are out and out trashing the man in an article by Ken Aleta (ph) in "New Yorker" magazine. Walter Cronkite calls Rather's style showboating. Mike Wallace says Rather is uptight and occasionally contrived. Even "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt says he prefers Peter Jennings to Dan Rather, raising serious issues about Don Hewitt's taste.
This is the farewell that Rather gets after 24 years as anchor of the "CBS Evening News."
The question is: Is it appropriate for Dan's colleagues to be jumping ugly with the man at the twilight of his anchor situation over there?
Tammy in Midland, Michigan: "Nobody in the media business is honest all the time. Look at the Fox News people. Rather's colleagues need only to look within themselves, and they will see they are no better."
Greg in Texarkana writes: "I think negative comments from news colleagues are unprofessional and rude. Rather, while not always perfect, has had a distinguished career and should be honored for his many years of service and should be given the respect he deserves."
Pamela writes from Michigan: "Of course it is. It's just too bad the rest of the media hasn't found the courage to stick up for all of the good work that Rather has done. At least he has the guts to ask the hard questions."
Patricia in Illinois: "What goes around, comes around. They had better be careful they don't make any mistakes themselves. He was a good, honest newsman for most of his career."
And Jeff in Arkansas writes: "No. These people have no right to criticize Mr. Rather for a mistake in judgment by not only Mr. Rather but by the network itself" -- referring to that story about President Bush's National Guard service that is believed to be a part of the reason that Mr. Rather will no longer be anchoring the "CBS Evening News."
HEMMER: It's going to be an interesting good-bye party, huh?
CAFFERTY: There may not be many people there.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Yes, it might be kind of small, right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
It could be a huge day in the fraud trial of former WorldCom chief Bernie Ebbers. Andy Serwer is back here "Minding Your Business".
Why huge, Andy? Tell us.
SERWER: Well, because he's going to testify on his own behalf.
HEMMER: Really?
SERWER: And that is huge. Martha didn't do it. So far, Dennis Kozlowski has not done it. But published reports today are suggesting that Bernie Ebbers this morning, Monday, will be testifying on his own behalf. You don't need to be Jeff Toobin to understand that this is a risky strategy, because, of course, it exposes you right on the stand, warts and all.
This trial had been about Scott Sullivan's credibility, which was his No. 2 guy there. Now it's going to be about Bernie Ebbers' credibility.
HEMMER: And Ebbers has always said he had no knowledge of any of the financial side of his business, right?
SERWER: That's right. He's just a high school gym teacher.
COSTELLO: So, what's he going to do? Get on the stand and say I had no idea what I was doing?
SERWER: Yes. And then, you know, the prosecution has to prove that he did, which is very tough, because there haven't been any witnesses. So, we'll get into that a little bit.
Let's also update a story that we told you about on Friday. This is the union vote in Loveland, Colorado, at that Wal-Mart express lube. Seventeen employee -- there are 18 employees actually. They voted no. No union; 17-1 against unionizing. And the union is saying that Wal-Mart used scare tactics, although they're not providing any evidence as to what that scare tactic was.
They also said they are going to try to say that the vote was null and void. They're also going to continue fighting. But this is a battle that Wal-Mart has fought, long and hard, for many, many years and no doubt will continue to do so.
HEMMER: It will be another day.
SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.
SERWER: You're welcome.
HEMMER: "Million Dollar Baby" was Oscar's baby last night. The winners all smiles. But how did the losers handle it? Our 90-second poppers talked to all of them. You'll hear from them in a moment here as we continue on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: It's the morning after Hollywood's biggest night. Soledad is in California for this morning's 90-second spin on the Oscars.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to a special Oscar edition of "90-Second Pop." Before we head off to all of the parties, we're going to relive the big event. Our panel tonight, Toure is CNN's pop culture correspondent. Ana Maria Montero is with CNN Espanol. And B.J. Sigesmund from "Us Weekly" joins us as well.
Don't we all look good?
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Especially you.
O'BRIEN: Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. OK. What did you think?
TOURE: I'm so happy. The A-list has a new member, Jamie Foxx. I mean, that's what the Oscars is so great for, when someone's life is transformed. And he's been raised to the A-list. He's going to get that eight-figure check. He's going to get the better scripts, the big directors. He's not going to be like Halle Barry and do "Catwoman." He's going to go there.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Be careful, Toure. You know, I mean, easier said than done. There's this curse involved.
O'BRIEN: History is littered with people who picked bad movies after...
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: Yes, exactly. Remember Adrien Brody, how hot he was after he won? I mean, where is his career now?
TOURE: True, true.
SIGESMUND: So, Jamie Foxx has to be very, very careful.
O'BRIEN: What did you think of the whole night? Good, bad, boring?
SIGESMUND: Well...
ANA MARIA MONTERO, CNN ESPANOL: Slow, slow.
TOURE: It dragged like algebra class for a while, but Rock picked it up. My favorite line of the night, right? Four presenters you can't get take your eye off of, Selma Hayek and Penelope Cruise.
O'BRIEN: Gee, I wonder what he was talking about.
MONTERO: I don't know. I don't know.
SIGESMUND: There was absolutely one worst moment, and that was when they gave those awards in the audience. That was painful. Painful for the presenters and painful for the nominees.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Because they changed the format this year. They had, like, a movie star kind of standing among the people. That was a little weird.
SIGESMUND: Yes. And what about when you won, instead of walking up to the mic and speaking to an audience of 3,000 people, you spoke right to a TV camera? It was so unusual. I felt I was squirming watching that.
O'BRIEN: Did you think it was weird also to have all of the nominees come out on the stage for some of the awards, not for the big categories?
TOURE: Yes.
MONTERO: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Where, like, if you lost, you sort of...
MONTERO: You were on stage, you know, I'm the big loser, right.
O'BRIEN: Hey, how are you?
TOURE: That did not work at all.
MONTERO: I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
TOURE: Yes.
MONTERO: And the whole thing with the audience, too, is they would pan out into the audience, and you'd see so many empty seats.
TOURE: Oh, my god.
SIGESMUND: Where were the seat fillers? Exactly.
TOURE: But let's talk about the movies, right?
O'BRIEN: OK.
TOURE: "Million Dollar Baby." Who said, what, two months ago, who said it's an...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Yes, Toure, you did.
TOURE: But also...
O'BRIEN: He has such a good memory when he's right and such a bad memory when he's wrong.
TOURE: But also, right, mark my words, Marty Scorsese will never win an Oscar until lifetime achievement.
MONTERO: I am with you.
SIGESMUND: Yes, I agree. This was the year. You know, this was it. MONTERO: For him to win?
SIGESMUND: This was a heartfelt thing. "The Aviator," he put his heart and soul into it. He got Leo...
O'BRIEN: But he had tough competition.
SIGESMUND: No. But it wasn't exactly a good movie either.
TOURE: He hasn't made a good film in 10 years, not since "Casino." He's on a slump.
SIGESMUND: Yes. But this was the one that people thought he might get it. It's time to give him the award already so we can stop thinking about having to give Martin Scorsese an award. And they still didn't.
O'BRIEN: Was there any category where there was a big shock?
TOURE: No. It was a little predictable.
MONTERO: No, it was predictable.
TOURE: I mean, like, I hate to say that I was, like, 6 for 6, but I was. I mean, like, but it was a very predictable Oscars.
MONTERO: It was predictable.
SIGESMUND: Besides it just being all about Toure...
O'BRIEN: I was going to say that!
SIGESMUND: I have to say that Cate Blanchett surprised me.
TOURE: Yes, and that surprised me.
SIGESMUND: That surprised me. And I actually spoke with Virginia Madsen backstage afterwards, and she said...
O'BRIEN: Was she angry? Was she bitter? Did she cry?
SIGESMUND: She actually said that she really would have liked to have won. She admitted that in on the record.
MONTERO: The first person ever.
SIGESMUND: But that if she had to pick someone else to win, it was Cate Blanchett, because she really admired her and she likes her very much.
O'BRIEN: I thought everybody was very gracious. Everybody is always very gracious. You never see anybody get angry. I mean, Chris Rock sort of referred to that. What did he say about Nicole Kidman?
TOURE: Well, the Sean Penn...
O'BRIEN: Nicole Kidman would have won an Oscar.
TOURE: ... Chris Rock little thing back and forth was kind of weird. I mean, like there was no need for Sean Penn to come out and defend Jude Law, who is not that great of an actor. And then Rock had to go back to Sean Penn.
MONTERO: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Do not mess with Jude Law.
TOURE: Please!
MONTERO: I happen to like Jude Law.
TOURE: He is a great looking guy. You hear it from all the girls.
MONTERO: I like him as an actor.
TOURE: He's not that great of an actor, come on.
SIGESMUND: The one person we haven't actually...
TOURE: Come on.
MONTERO: He's not Sean Penn, I'll give you that.
SIGESMUND: The one person we haven't given a shout out to at all is Chris Rock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: Can I get a little acting, just a "to be or not to be" or Morgan Freeman doing a shampoo commercial? Something! Right? It's like the only acting you ever see at the Oscars is when people act like they're not mad they lost.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIGESMUND: I thought he did great. I thought he really...
TOURE: No, yes, he did great.
SIGESMUND: I thought he really got the tone right.
O'BRIEN: I thought he saved that show. It would have been deadly boring without Chris Rock.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
TOURE: He livened it up.
O'BRIEN: And he livened it up, and he did a good job.
TOURE: And he was clearly for Iowa. He was not for Hollywood. He came out and broke on half the crowd. A lot of the people he broke on were not there. But I don't think he would have cared if Jude Law was there, he would still break on Jude Law.
O'BRIEN: And he's wrapped it up by saying, "Good night Brooklyn."
TOURE: Good night Brooklyn!
O'BRIEN: You've got to love it. You guys, thank you so much.
Bill -- back to you.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad. She looks great. How about Toure wearing a tie?
COSTELLO: That's scary.
HEMMER: The first time ever we have seen that.
COSTELLO: What did you think of Chris Rock?
HEMMER: I thought he was pretty good. I think Billy Crystal is the classic host for the Oscars. I would vote to bring Crystal back next year.
COSTELLO: I liked Chris Rock.
HEMMER: Did you?
COSTELLO: But after a time, it got tiresome with him, like, you know...
HEMMER: Yes?
COSTELLO: ... busting on the celebrities in the audience.
HEMMER: Dissing everybody?
COSTELLO: Yes.
HEMMER: How about Hilary Swank's back?
COSTELLO: What an awesome dress. But, you know, I found myself -- everyone was so tastefully dressed, I found myself yearning for someone poorly-dressed so that I could talk about it. It was boringly wonderful.
HEMMER: Wait until next year.
A break here. In a moment, we'll get to our top stories.
And also, after a 31-year manhunt, authorities think they have nabbed the BTK killer. What cracked this case open? We'll talk to the mayor of Wichita and the city's police chief in a moment on this AMERICAN MORNING.
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