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American Morning
Italian Journalist Disputes U.S. Account of Shooting; Illinois School Mandates Spanking
Aired March 07, 2005 - 09:30 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's begin with a look at the headlines with Carol Costello. Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," a commitment between Syria and Lebanon. The leaders of those two countries meeting this morning in Damascus to discuss details of Syria pulling back troops from Lebanon. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, Syria's ambassador talked about a two-phase approach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD MOUSTAPHA, SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: We are talking about less than -- less than two or three weeks for the first phase and less than two to three months for the second phase. The leadership are meeting to actually put the timetable. This is what we are doing. It is clear. It's -- there's no doubts about this. So that the whole world now can really focus on the true problems of the Middle East.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In an initial response, the senior U.S. administration official says the U.S. has called on Syria for immediate withdrawal of all of its troops not, quote, half measures.
Some encouraging news for the faithful in Rome. The Vatican says Pope John Paul II is improving and could be back at the Vatican less than two weeks from now. A spokesman says the 84-year-old pontiff has not had any complications so far from his tracheotomy surgery.
Here in the United States, Martha Stewart getting ready to return to work today. The homemaking diva is expected at the corporate office of Martha Stewart Living in New York City. She's going to meet with employees for the first time since her release from prison. Stewart will write a column for the company's flagship magazine. She's also planning to star in two TV shows this fall. And be sure when she meets with her employees, omnimedia cameras will be there passing along the video to us and to other media outlets.
Turning to sports news now, Illinois seeing its first loss of the NCAA season. The Ohio State Buckeyes scoring in final moments, winning the game 65-64. Not since 1991 has a team carried a perfect record into the NCAA men's basketball tournament and that team was UNLV. So not this year for Illinois.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let the madness begin.
O'BRIEN: Oh, I know.
HEMMER: Blowing people out all year.
COSTELLO: Yes, I think they'll do pretty good in those tournaments, despite the loss.
HEMMER: We'll see. It's March Madness, anything can happen. Thank you, Carol.
An Italian journalist says will not rule out being deliberately targeted by U.S. troops, but the U.S. says American soldiers accidentally fired on her car Friday night in Iraq. An Italian secret service agent a was killed as a result. This is significant news today throughout the country of Italy.
It's news for us, too, at the Pentagon. And Barbara, Starr. Barbara, good morning there. What's the Pentagon saying about this now?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, here at the Pentagon, officials are emphasizing this entire incident remains under investigation. They do not believe yet they really have a full understanding of what did transpire. However, CNN has learned that initial reports from the soldiers involved in the shooting incident indicate that they had no advanced warning, no advanced information or coordination that the car coming through their checkpoint would be carrying Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist that had just been released by her captors.
Now, the question, of course, is whether there was some coordination between Italian authorities and U.S. commanders at a higher level, somewhere at a command headquarters in Baghdad and did that word simply not filter down to those soldiers who had set up that temporary checkpoint? All of that now one of the central efforts being looked at in this investigation -- Bill.
HEMMER: There is another matter to talk about, Barbara. Apparently about an hour before this all took place on Friday, a Bulgarian soldier was shot and killed. And again, the label on this is friendly fire. What's happening? How concerned is the Pentagon about it?
STARR: Indeed, Bill. That situation has really just come to light here. It was Friday. The Bulgarian government is now asking Chairman Richard Myers, the general in charge of the joint chiefs of staff, for a full investigation. They say it happened about 140 miles southeast of Baghdad, near Diwaniya. One of their soldiers was involved in a patrol. A car was approaching this Bulgarian patrol.
The Bulgarians fired warning shots and then, suddenly, they say fire opened up from a U.S. Army communications facility that was just yards away when it was all over. One Bulgarian soldier was dead. The Bulgarian government believes he died due friendly fire from that U.S. army communications facility. The Bulgarian government now asking for a full investigation of that matter -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Barbara, thanks for both stories there at the Pentagon. Here's Soledad.
O'BRIEN: A school in Schaumburg, Illinois, last week ordered a woman to spank her 6-year-old or told her he would be suspended. Well, she refused. Michelle Fallaw-Gabrielson, her son Chandler and Randy Thaxton, the school administrator, spoke with me about it a little bit earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Michelle, let's begin with you. You went to pick up your son from school. He's 6 years old. He had been misbehaving all day, also misbehaving previous to that as well. What were you told?
MICHELLE FALLAW-GABRIELSON, TOLD TO SPANK HER SON: Well, I went to the school on Wednesday. On Tuesday, actually, we had a parent- teacher conference. And I went to the school on Wednesday to pick up Chandler, and he had received a tally for speaking in class, as well as a tally for not completing some spelling practice words.
And I was told at that point that my son needed to be disciplined. And I offered to take him home and discipline him the normal way that I would. And instead of being told that I had that opportunity or that choice, I was told that actually he needed to be spanked in the assistant administrator Linda Morrow's office or he would be suspended.
O'BRIEN: It was not, as I mentioned, the first time that Chandler misbehaved. What was your reaction when they said, spank him or we're going to kick him out for a day?
GABRIELSON: I was very shocked. I was very shocked that that had occurred, because the day before my husband and I were told that although spanking or corporal punishment is a policy at Schaumburg Christian, it is ultimately the parent's choice.
O'BRIEN: Mr. Thaxton, let's bring you in at this point. Is this a school policy? And is this a policy that parents are well aware of?
RANDY THAXTON, SCHAUMBURG CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: Yes, it is a school policy. Now, keep in mind, spanking is an option; it's not a requirement. It's written clearly on our Statement of Cooperation that we have at our school. We do not process an enrollment form unless at least one parent has signed the Statement of Cooperation.
And it's very clear. We make it clear to parents when we talk with them. I point it out. I make sure that they know that, and so do the other administrators who enroll students in our school. We make it clear to them that parent-administered corporal punishment is an option. But if they wish, they can choose a day suspension.
O'BRIEN: So, those are the only two options, either you have to spank your child or they're going to kick them out for a day. Is that right?
THAXTON: Well, we use progressive discipline here. You have to keep in mind that some children have difficulty behaving in class. Some children misbehave much more than other children do. And when that happens, we go through a series of items: change of seating, verbal correction, conference with parents, notes home, conduct reports, et cetera. We do a lot of things.
We don't even give out conduct reports every time we talk to a child about misbehavior. So, there are many, many things that take place before this that all other schools that I know of are doing.
O'BRIEN: Ms. Gabrielson, let me bring you in here. As you say, you don't use corporal punishment at home; you use other ways to discipline your son. And it looks like the administrators are saying those weren't working if there had been a growing number of problems. What kinds of things were you doing?
GABRIELSON: I'm sorry. I didn't hear that.
O'BRIEN: Oh, let me repeat it for you. What kind of discipline were you giving to your son?
GABRIELSON: When I discipline him I do...
O'BRIEN: The administrators seem to think that what you were doing wasn't working.
GABRIELSON: I do a lot of open-ended timeouts, where I allow him to have the time and the opportunity to think about what might have occurred. I also take away his favorite toy. We donate it to a charity. We feel that that works very well for Chandler.
And as I was listening to Mr. Thaxton say, as far as parent- teacher conference and things, in the past I have been asked to spank Chandler as well, even without conferences. So, we have been trying very hard to work with the talking and behavioral issue. We were there again, I said, on Tuesday, the day before this occurred, and thought that we had come to some resolution.
O'BRIEN: Let me ask Chandler a question, if I may.
GABRIELSON: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Chandler, can you hear me?
CHANDLER FALLAW, MOM ORDERED TO SPANK HIM: Yes.
O'BRIEN: OK. I know you're 6 years old. And your mom has now withdrawn you from the school after the teachers said you had to leave. How are you doing? What do you think about all this?
FALLAW: I'm really sad.
O'BRIEN: You're really sad? Do you miss your friends? Do you miss your teachers? FALLAW: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Do you wish that you could go back to school? Or would you like to just kind of go to a whole new school?
FALLAW: I wish to go back to that school.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Michelle Fallaw-Gabrielson says she will not, though, send Chandler back to that school. He's home while she looks for another school for her son to attend.
HEMMER: About 23 minutes now before the hour.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: The man suspected of the BTK serial killings is depressed, misses his family. That is part of what Dennis Rader's lawyers shared exclusively with "Time" magazine.
"Time" magazine senior editor Chris Farley joins us this morning.
Nice to see you, Chris, as always.
CHRIS FARLEY, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure.
Let's talk a little bit more about the details, and also what everybody really wants to know is the reports about Dennis Rader confessing. Were the attorneys able to confirm that in your story?
FARLEY: No, the attorneys would not confirm that. They would not deny that. They would not really address the question of whether he's confessed or not. Some of this has been reported in other sources. So we did not confirm that in "Time" magazine.
But one thing they'd talk about is his state of mind, the fact that he hasn't seen his wife or kids since his arrest.
O'BRIEN: He seems to ask in the article, it says he seemed to asked a lot about them. Did they say why he hasn't been able to see them yet, and if that's going to change?
FARLEY: Well, we don't know if it's going to change, but his wife has actually left the state. So that's one reason he hasn't been able to contact her. But he's a guy who's very concerned about things around him, he's been very focused in on his defense. When he met with his attorneys, and he's been doing this for hours a day since his arrest, he's taken a lot of notes, he's very much involved in what's going on, trying to focus on what's going to be the next step for him legally. O'BRIEN: Give me some more details, some that appeared in the article. It seems that he was complaining a little bit about the food. He's complaining a little bit about his own mental health as well.
FARLEY: Well, he found a little pebble in his food apparently, and he said, like, oh, this will give me extra protein, so he's been cracking jokes while in jail, though he has been depressed about being there. He also, of all things, is reading a detective novel, something you maybe wouldn't expect an accused serial killer to be flipping through in prison. But he got it from the prison library, and that's what he's been focusing his time on.
O'BRIEN: Did the lawyers talk to "Time" magazine at all about that is strategy.
FARLEY: Well, one thing that came up, and this is very interesting, is that Steve Osborne (ph), one of Rader's lawyers, said that a change of venue is something they certainly be looking at, and that's something that's got to worry investigators and prosecutors in that state, because there was a lot of criticism of maybe the news conference the arrest of Dennis Rader, of maybe that being over the top, a little too celebratory, and maybe might prejudice the jury pool. And the fact that the lawyers are going to look at a change of venue as one of the strategies has got to be worrying to any possible prosecution.
O'BRIEN: And in fact, the investigators said we got BTK, in essence, in that press conference. There's a book due out about the BTK killings. I think it's due out in two weeks or so. Is there any speculation about the timing of that book and maybe the return of BTK to the public spotlight?
FARLEY: Well, when we talked to people who have been following the case, people who are involved in the case, the book is called "Nightmare in Wichita." It had been rumored to be coming out for a while. Last year, when the local paper, "The Wichita Eagle," did a series on the 30th anniversary of the first killings, parts of this book were revealed, and there's some speculation that perhaps the fact that the book was coming out is something that prompted BTK to resurface again, because serial killers are, by nature, sort of egomaniacs and they want to tell their own story; they don't want someone else to tell their story. The fact the book is coming out may be one reason why BTK resurfaced.
O'BRIEN: Chris Farley of "Time" magazine. That article appears in "Time" magazine this week. Thanks a lot, Chris, as always. Nice to see you.
The exclusive report, the entire exclusive report, is inside the latest issue, in fact, which features a cover story on poverty -- Bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
About 18 minutes now before the hour, Soledad. A shakeup at top of one of the world's biggest companies, in fact two of them, in fact. How is Wall Street reacting? Andy's "Minding Your Business" on that.
Also, in "90-Second Pop" today, Jay Leno gets a bit of help from a friend telling jokes. We'll explain that, too, right, after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. That will wake you up on a Monday morning. Our Monday edition of "90-Second Pop." Say good morning to Andy Borowitz of Borowitzreport.com.
Good morning, Drew.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Good morning.
HEMMER: Jessica Shaw from "Entertainment Weekly." The theme today is red, by the way.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Absolutely.
HEMMER: And you fit right in line. Here is Toure, the pop, the prince of urban culture, urban -- yes, we got off on that. Thank you.
I want to talk first about Kirstie Alley. Showtime is the debut later tonight. We'll watch a short clip, and then we'll talk about it, OK?
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: OK.
HEMMER: Here's Kirstie Alley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actress.
KIRSTIE ALLEY, ACTRESS: Well, why can't I just get a show first and then lose the weight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not the way it works, my friend.
ALLEY: You know what, my friend? It does work that way with the guys. I mean, look, John Goodman's got his own show, and Jason Alexander looks like a fricking bowling ball. And how about James Gandolfini? He's, like the size of a whale. He's way, way, way fatter than I am. All right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: A preview later tonight. You've created successful comedy. Does this fit in the category of successful?
BOROWITZ: You know, I think a lot of people like it. It's gotten some good reviews, some bad reviews. I don't think I'm probably the best person to respond to this, because a lot of people find her really funny in this. And I'm afraid of her. So, I just don't know if I'm necessarily...
TOURE: It's not unusual. I mean, I thought it was funny, biting, dark. I liked it. I'm watching and I'm laughing. My fiance says this is disturbing.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: So, I mean, a lot of people are going to feel that way. But the depth of Kirstie Alley's self-loathing...
HEMMER: Well, what happened...
TOURE: ... to submit to this must be unfathomable.
HEMMER: She weighed 230 pounds, right? She was in bed for a week.
SHAW: Right, right.
HEMMER: Her 14-year marriage had ended. Her show had been canceled.
SHAW: "Veronica's Closet." You know, I thought the show was really funny. I thought it went a little over the top. But the one thing that disturbed me was in the second episode, they already go to laxative jokes.
BOROWITZ: Right.
SHAW: And my feeling is, like, at least wait until...
TOURE: Wait until sweeps.
SHAW: Right, totally, wait until sweeps. I mean, I don't know.
BOROWITZ: It's sort of like "Curb Your Enthusiasm." It's like curb your carbs is a good idea. It's all about (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HEMMER: Well, some are saying she's getting revenge for people in Hollywood. What is she looking for revenge for?
TOURE: She's not getting revenge. She's trying to shock herself into losing the weight through this sort of pushing herself on the front burner like this.
SHAW: And this is her only way to get back into Hollywood.
HEMMER: Right.
SHAW: I mean, it's not like someone was going to hire her just for another sitcom. The only way she could get a job was basically to play herself.
HEMMER: And she's working for Jenny Craig, too, who might be, what, a co-star in this thing.
SHAW: Yes, she is.
HEMMER: Second topic is what Jay Leno did on Friday night. Watch "The Tonight Show" and the jokes and how they were told here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD GARRETT, ACTOR: All right. So let's see what's new in the Michael Jackson trial. Or, as we like to call it, diary of a mad, white woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Written by Jay Leno, delivered by Brad Garrett (ph), of "Everybody Loves Raymond." What is happening here with Leno?
SHAW: Yes. You know, I have to say it's too bad, because Jay Leno finally had some good jokes, and he couldn't even deliver them himself. So, Jay Leno is on the potential witness list for the Michael Jackson trial for the defense, because the accuser's mother allegedly tried to blackmail him as well. So, there has been this gag order that he cannot talk about the Michael Jackson trial. But he did file a motion, so that might be overturned. And we might be back to Jay Leno and Michael Jackson jokes soon enough.
HEMMER: Leno is arguing free speech.
SHAW: Yes.
HEMMER: But I think this is going to do well for the ratings. I mean, who knows who is going to pop up every night, and he hands the microphone to, and everybody is like, wow.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: Leno has been doing the same jokes about M.J. for 10 years. Most people still think that it's true. And yet he looks like he's going to get off this one. So, it's not having an effect.
SHAW: Right.
HEMMER: You heard what David Brenner said. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
BOROWITZ: A legal question. Could, like, a Jay Leno look-alike make fun of a Michael Jackson look-alike on E? Would that be possible?
HEMMER: Thanks, good to see all three on a Monday, OK. We'll talk later.
Here's Soledad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, two of the world's biggest companies make changes at the top. One, because of the bottom line, the other because of a personal scandal. Andy's "Minding Your Business," up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.
The jury is out in the trial for former Worldcom CEO Bernie Ebbers. With that and a check of Wall Street, Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Good morning.
ANDY SERWER: Good morning again, Soledad.
March madness continues for investors. Stocks trading higher at this hour on Wall Street. Let's check out that Big Board. Downtown, up about, what do we got here, 13 points to the upside. We're looking to crash in on 11,000 up there. We still have a little way to go, but not too far. We'll have to see. Stocks moving this morning.
Boeing, first of all, in the news, forcing out CEO Harry Stonecipher who apparently had an improper relationship with a female executive at Boeing. Stonecipher is the tough-talking son of a Tennessee coal miner, apparently, 68 years old and is married. The affair in question was apparently consensual, and he didn't influence her career. However, the board saying that it was improper nonetheless. Interesting story there.
Sony has a new man at the top as well. Sir Howard Stringer, the head of Sony USA, becomes head of the entire company which, of course, is based in Tokyo. For years now, the content side of the business, which includes movies and music here in the United States has done well. The technical stuff in Japan has not done so well. He has work cut out for him.
And finally, deliberations in the trial of Bernie Ebbers continues. Friday was the first day the jury was out. They will reconvene this morning, seven women and five men. On Friday they sent three notes asking for 40 pieces of additional evidence potentially unfavorable to Ebbers, asking about notes where he talked about accounting fluff and also about "events that need to happen for us make our numbers." So, could be, things are turning against Mr. E. down there.
CAFFERTY: Well, good. If the jury doesn't put this guy in prison, they should put the jurors on trial.
SERWER: Only $11 billion up in smoke.
MARK: Can you do that?
O'BRIEN: No, I'm not going to say -- I'm going to say no.
(CROSSTALK)
MARK: Judge check. Jury check. Everything check.
O'BRIEN: The jurors don't go on trial.
CAFFERTY: Al Sharpton's in the paper today; talked to "The Daily News." We had a shooting at a New York radio shooting last week. A couple of these rap guys, 50 Cent and The Game, got into this feud. And there was gunfire at a radio station. And the Reverend Al says, you know what, if this happens they should ban playing these people's music for like 90 days. He wants the FCC to get involved.
Guy in Atlanta writes, "Can you imagine, Jack, the outrage if you had come up with this idea? Since it came from Reverend Al Sharpton maybe it will get some traction. Go, Reverend."
Robert in New York writes, "While I applaud the Reverend's gesture of banning the music, it simply won't happen. 50 Cent and others boost ratings and ad sales for the radio stations." Robert understands how this thing works.
And mark, who bills himself a burned-out country deejay in Richmond, Indiana, writes, "Just think: if radio stations had to suffer the repercussions of every low-life fight, country music would be forever banned from the radio."
Well, maybe that's not such a bad idea.
It will get better, Mark.
O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack.
Got some skeletons in your closet as far as money goes? Rick and Daryn have the top five tips on getting rid of old debt and cleaning up bad credit. That's coming up in the next hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.
"AMERICAN MORNING" is back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Did you see this over the weekend? It's got to be the world's largest surfboard, right? With a whole lot of people on board, too. More than 40 people climbed onboard to set a new record off the Eastern Coast of Australia, the Gold Coast down there, previous record was only 14. They shattered it. The board was 40 feet long, 10 feet wide, and needed 20 people to carry it into the surf just to carry it into the surf, just to carry it that is. The stunt's part of a global tour to raise money for tsunami victims. Good cause there, too.
COSTELLO: I was just going to say why, but that's a good cause. So I won't say why now.
SERWER: Jack, you always have something to say.
CAFFERTY: I got nothing.
O'BRIEN: You know what? Why don't we go ahead...
CAFFERTY: It's 10:00, and I'm finished. O'BRIEN: As long as Jack's finished, then it's time to head over to Rick and Daryn. They're at the CNN Center. They're going to take you through the next hour. We're done here, guys. We'll see you back here tomorrow morning.
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Aired March 7, 2005 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's begin with a look at the headlines with Carol Costello. Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," a commitment between Syria and Lebanon. The leaders of those two countries meeting this morning in Damascus to discuss details of Syria pulling back troops from Lebanon. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, Syria's ambassador talked about a two-phase approach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD MOUSTAPHA, SYRIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: We are talking about less than -- less than two or three weeks for the first phase and less than two to three months for the second phase. The leadership are meeting to actually put the timetable. This is what we are doing. It is clear. It's -- there's no doubts about this. So that the whole world now can really focus on the true problems of the Middle East.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In an initial response, the senior U.S. administration official says the U.S. has called on Syria for immediate withdrawal of all of its troops not, quote, half measures.
Some encouraging news for the faithful in Rome. The Vatican says Pope John Paul II is improving and could be back at the Vatican less than two weeks from now. A spokesman says the 84-year-old pontiff has not had any complications so far from his tracheotomy surgery.
Here in the United States, Martha Stewart getting ready to return to work today. The homemaking diva is expected at the corporate office of Martha Stewart Living in New York City. She's going to meet with employees for the first time since her release from prison. Stewart will write a column for the company's flagship magazine. She's also planning to star in two TV shows this fall. And be sure when she meets with her employees, omnimedia cameras will be there passing along the video to us and to other media outlets.
Turning to sports news now, Illinois seeing its first loss of the NCAA season. The Ohio State Buckeyes scoring in final moments, winning the game 65-64. Not since 1991 has a team carried a perfect record into the NCAA men's basketball tournament and that team was UNLV. So not this year for Illinois.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let the madness begin.
O'BRIEN: Oh, I know.
HEMMER: Blowing people out all year.
COSTELLO: Yes, I think they'll do pretty good in those tournaments, despite the loss.
HEMMER: We'll see. It's March Madness, anything can happen. Thank you, Carol.
An Italian journalist says will not rule out being deliberately targeted by U.S. troops, but the U.S. says American soldiers accidentally fired on her car Friday night in Iraq. An Italian secret service agent a was killed as a result. This is significant news today throughout the country of Italy.
It's news for us, too, at the Pentagon. And Barbara, Starr. Barbara, good morning there. What's the Pentagon saying about this now?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, here at the Pentagon, officials are emphasizing this entire incident remains under investigation. They do not believe yet they really have a full understanding of what did transpire. However, CNN has learned that initial reports from the soldiers involved in the shooting incident indicate that they had no advanced warning, no advanced information or coordination that the car coming through their checkpoint would be carrying Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist that had just been released by her captors.
Now, the question, of course, is whether there was some coordination between Italian authorities and U.S. commanders at a higher level, somewhere at a command headquarters in Baghdad and did that word simply not filter down to those soldiers who had set up that temporary checkpoint? All of that now one of the central efforts being looked at in this investigation -- Bill.
HEMMER: There is another matter to talk about, Barbara. Apparently about an hour before this all took place on Friday, a Bulgarian soldier was shot and killed. And again, the label on this is friendly fire. What's happening? How concerned is the Pentagon about it?
STARR: Indeed, Bill. That situation has really just come to light here. It was Friday. The Bulgarian government is now asking Chairman Richard Myers, the general in charge of the joint chiefs of staff, for a full investigation. They say it happened about 140 miles southeast of Baghdad, near Diwaniya. One of their soldiers was involved in a patrol. A car was approaching this Bulgarian patrol.
The Bulgarians fired warning shots and then, suddenly, they say fire opened up from a U.S. Army communications facility that was just yards away when it was all over. One Bulgarian soldier was dead. The Bulgarian government believes he died due friendly fire from that U.S. army communications facility. The Bulgarian government now asking for a full investigation of that matter -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Barbara, thanks for both stories there at the Pentagon. Here's Soledad.
O'BRIEN: A school in Schaumburg, Illinois, last week ordered a woman to spank her 6-year-old or told her he would be suspended. Well, she refused. Michelle Fallaw-Gabrielson, her son Chandler and Randy Thaxton, the school administrator, spoke with me about it a little bit earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Michelle, let's begin with you. You went to pick up your son from school. He's 6 years old. He had been misbehaving all day, also misbehaving previous to that as well. What were you told?
MICHELLE FALLAW-GABRIELSON, TOLD TO SPANK HER SON: Well, I went to the school on Wednesday. On Tuesday, actually, we had a parent- teacher conference. And I went to the school on Wednesday to pick up Chandler, and he had received a tally for speaking in class, as well as a tally for not completing some spelling practice words.
And I was told at that point that my son needed to be disciplined. And I offered to take him home and discipline him the normal way that I would. And instead of being told that I had that opportunity or that choice, I was told that actually he needed to be spanked in the assistant administrator Linda Morrow's office or he would be suspended.
O'BRIEN: It was not, as I mentioned, the first time that Chandler misbehaved. What was your reaction when they said, spank him or we're going to kick him out for a day?
GABRIELSON: I was very shocked. I was very shocked that that had occurred, because the day before my husband and I were told that although spanking or corporal punishment is a policy at Schaumburg Christian, it is ultimately the parent's choice.
O'BRIEN: Mr. Thaxton, let's bring you in at this point. Is this a school policy? And is this a policy that parents are well aware of?
RANDY THAXTON, SCHAUMBURG CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: Yes, it is a school policy. Now, keep in mind, spanking is an option; it's not a requirement. It's written clearly on our Statement of Cooperation that we have at our school. We do not process an enrollment form unless at least one parent has signed the Statement of Cooperation.
And it's very clear. We make it clear to parents when we talk with them. I point it out. I make sure that they know that, and so do the other administrators who enroll students in our school. We make it clear to them that parent-administered corporal punishment is an option. But if they wish, they can choose a day suspension.
O'BRIEN: So, those are the only two options, either you have to spank your child or they're going to kick them out for a day. Is that right?
THAXTON: Well, we use progressive discipline here. You have to keep in mind that some children have difficulty behaving in class. Some children misbehave much more than other children do. And when that happens, we go through a series of items: change of seating, verbal correction, conference with parents, notes home, conduct reports, et cetera. We do a lot of things.
We don't even give out conduct reports every time we talk to a child about misbehavior. So, there are many, many things that take place before this that all other schools that I know of are doing.
O'BRIEN: Ms. Gabrielson, let me bring you in here. As you say, you don't use corporal punishment at home; you use other ways to discipline your son. And it looks like the administrators are saying those weren't working if there had been a growing number of problems. What kinds of things were you doing?
GABRIELSON: I'm sorry. I didn't hear that.
O'BRIEN: Oh, let me repeat it for you. What kind of discipline were you giving to your son?
GABRIELSON: When I discipline him I do...
O'BRIEN: The administrators seem to think that what you were doing wasn't working.
GABRIELSON: I do a lot of open-ended timeouts, where I allow him to have the time and the opportunity to think about what might have occurred. I also take away his favorite toy. We donate it to a charity. We feel that that works very well for Chandler.
And as I was listening to Mr. Thaxton say, as far as parent- teacher conference and things, in the past I have been asked to spank Chandler as well, even without conferences. So, we have been trying very hard to work with the talking and behavioral issue. We were there again, I said, on Tuesday, the day before this occurred, and thought that we had come to some resolution.
O'BRIEN: Let me ask Chandler a question, if I may.
GABRIELSON: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Chandler, can you hear me?
CHANDLER FALLAW, MOM ORDERED TO SPANK HIM: Yes.
O'BRIEN: OK. I know you're 6 years old. And your mom has now withdrawn you from the school after the teachers said you had to leave. How are you doing? What do you think about all this?
FALLAW: I'm really sad.
O'BRIEN: You're really sad? Do you miss your friends? Do you miss your teachers? FALLAW: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Do you wish that you could go back to school? Or would you like to just kind of go to a whole new school?
FALLAW: I wish to go back to that school.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Michelle Fallaw-Gabrielson says she will not, though, send Chandler back to that school. He's home while she looks for another school for her son to attend.
HEMMER: About 23 minutes now before the hour.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: The man suspected of the BTK serial killings is depressed, misses his family. That is part of what Dennis Rader's lawyers shared exclusively with "Time" magazine.
"Time" magazine senior editor Chris Farley joins us this morning.
Nice to see you, Chris, as always.
CHRIS FARLEY, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure.
Let's talk a little bit more about the details, and also what everybody really wants to know is the reports about Dennis Rader confessing. Were the attorneys able to confirm that in your story?
FARLEY: No, the attorneys would not confirm that. They would not deny that. They would not really address the question of whether he's confessed or not. Some of this has been reported in other sources. So we did not confirm that in "Time" magazine.
But one thing they'd talk about is his state of mind, the fact that he hasn't seen his wife or kids since his arrest.
O'BRIEN: He seems to ask in the article, it says he seemed to asked a lot about them. Did they say why he hasn't been able to see them yet, and if that's going to change?
FARLEY: Well, we don't know if it's going to change, but his wife has actually left the state. So that's one reason he hasn't been able to contact her. But he's a guy who's very concerned about things around him, he's been very focused in on his defense. When he met with his attorneys, and he's been doing this for hours a day since his arrest, he's taken a lot of notes, he's very much involved in what's going on, trying to focus on what's going to be the next step for him legally. O'BRIEN: Give me some more details, some that appeared in the article. It seems that he was complaining a little bit about the food. He's complaining a little bit about his own mental health as well.
FARLEY: Well, he found a little pebble in his food apparently, and he said, like, oh, this will give me extra protein, so he's been cracking jokes while in jail, though he has been depressed about being there. He also, of all things, is reading a detective novel, something you maybe wouldn't expect an accused serial killer to be flipping through in prison. But he got it from the prison library, and that's what he's been focusing his time on.
O'BRIEN: Did the lawyers talk to "Time" magazine at all about that is strategy.
FARLEY: Well, one thing that came up, and this is very interesting, is that Steve Osborne (ph), one of Rader's lawyers, said that a change of venue is something they certainly be looking at, and that's something that's got to worry investigators and prosecutors in that state, because there was a lot of criticism of maybe the news conference the arrest of Dennis Rader, of maybe that being over the top, a little too celebratory, and maybe might prejudice the jury pool. And the fact that the lawyers are going to look at a change of venue as one of the strategies has got to be worrying to any possible prosecution.
O'BRIEN: And in fact, the investigators said we got BTK, in essence, in that press conference. There's a book due out about the BTK killings. I think it's due out in two weeks or so. Is there any speculation about the timing of that book and maybe the return of BTK to the public spotlight?
FARLEY: Well, when we talked to people who have been following the case, people who are involved in the case, the book is called "Nightmare in Wichita." It had been rumored to be coming out for a while. Last year, when the local paper, "The Wichita Eagle," did a series on the 30th anniversary of the first killings, parts of this book were revealed, and there's some speculation that perhaps the fact that the book was coming out is something that prompted BTK to resurface again, because serial killers are, by nature, sort of egomaniacs and they want to tell their own story; they don't want someone else to tell their story. The fact the book is coming out may be one reason why BTK resurfaced.
O'BRIEN: Chris Farley of "Time" magazine. That article appears in "Time" magazine this week. Thanks a lot, Chris, as always. Nice to see you.
The exclusive report, the entire exclusive report, is inside the latest issue, in fact, which features a cover story on poverty -- Bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
About 18 minutes now before the hour, Soledad. A shakeup at top of one of the world's biggest companies, in fact two of them, in fact. How is Wall Street reacting? Andy's "Minding Your Business" on that.
Also, in "90-Second Pop" today, Jay Leno gets a bit of help from a friend telling jokes. We'll explain that, too, right, after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. That will wake you up on a Monday morning. Our Monday edition of "90-Second Pop." Say good morning to Andy Borowitz of Borowitzreport.com.
Good morning, Drew.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Good morning.
HEMMER: Jessica Shaw from "Entertainment Weekly." The theme today is red, by the way.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Absolutely.
HEMMER: And you fit right in line. Here is Toure, the pop, the prince of urban culture, urban -- yes, we got off on that. Thank you.
I want to talk first about Kirstie Alley. Showtime is the debut later tonight. We'll watch a short clip, and then we'll talk about it, OK?
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: OK.
HEMMER: Here's Kirstie Alley.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Actress.
KIRSTIE ALLEY, ACTRESS: Well, why can't I just get a show first and then lose the weight?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not the way it works, my friend.
ALLEY: You know what, my friend? It does work that way with the guys. I mean, look, John Goodman's got his own show, and Jason Alexander looks like a fricking bowling ball. And how about James Gandolfini? He's, like the size of a whale. He's way, way, way fatter than I am. All right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: A preview later tonight. You've created successful comedy. Does this fit in the category of successful?
BOROWITZ: You know, I think a lot of people like it. It's gotten some good reviews, some bad reviews. I don't think I'm probably the best person to respond to this, because a lot of people find her really funny in this. And I'm afraid of her. So, I just don't know if I'm necessarily...
TOURE: It's not unusual. I mean, I thought it was funny, biting, dark. I liked it. I'm watching and I'm laughing. My fiance says this is disturbing.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: So, I mean, a lot of people are going to feel that way. But the depth of Kirstie Alley's self-loathing...
HEMMER: Well, what happened...
TOURE: ... to submit to this must be unfathomable.
HEMMER: She weighed 230 pounds, right? She was in bed for a week.
SHAW: Right, right.
HEMMER: Her 14-year marriage had ended. Her show had been canceled.
SHAW: "Veronica's Closet." You know, I thought the show was really funny. I thought it went a little over the top. But the one thing that disturbed me was in the second episode, they already go to laxative jokes.
BOROWITZ: Right.
SHAW: And my feeling is, like, at least wait until...
TOURE: Wait until sweeps.
SHAW: Right, totally, wait until sweeps. I mean, I don't know.
BOROWITZ: It's sort of like "Curb Your Enthusiasm." It's like curb your carbs is a good idea. It's all about (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HEMMER: Well, some are saying she's getting revenge for people in Hollywood. What is she looking for revenge for?
TOURE: She's not getting revenge. She's trying to shock herself into losing the weight through this sort of pushing herself on the front burner like this.
SHAW: And this is her only way to get back into Hollywood.
HEMMER: Right.
SHAW: I mean, it's not like someone was going to hire her just for another sitcom. The only way she could get a job was basically to play herself.
HEMMER: And she's working for Jenny Craig, too, who might be, what, a co-star in this thing.
SHAW: Yes, she is.
HEMMER: Second topic is what Jay Leno did on Friday night. Watch "The Tonight Show" and the jokes and how they were told here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRAD GARRETT, ACTOR: All right. So let's see what's new in the Michael Jackson trial. Or, as we like to call it, diary of a mad, white woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Written by Jay Leno, delivered by Brad Garrett (ph), of "Everybody Loves Raymond." What is happening here with Leno?
SHAW: Yes. You know, I have to say it's too bad, because Jay Leno finally had some good jokes, and he couldn't even deliver them himself. So, Jay Leno is on the potential witness list for the Michael Jackson trial for the defense, because the accuser's mother allegedly tried to blackmail him as well. So, there has been this gag order that he cannot talk about the Michael Jackson trial. But he did file a motion, so that might be overturned. And we might be back to Jay Leno and Michael Jackson jokes soon enough.
HEMMER: Leno is arguing free speech.
SHAW: Yes.
HEMMER: But I think this is going to do well for the ratings. I mean, who knows who is going to pop up every night, and he hands the microphone to, and everybody is like, wow.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: Leno has been doing the same jokes about M.J. for 10 years. Most people still think that it's true. And yet he looks like he's going to get off this one. So, it's not having an effect.
SHAW: Right.
HEMMER: You heard what David Brenner said. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
BOROWITZ: A legal question. Could, like, a Jay Leno look-alike make fun of a Michael Jackson look-alike on E? Would that be possible?
HEMMER: Thanks, good to see all three on a Monday, OK. We'll talk later.
Here's Soledad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, two of the world's biggest companies make changes at the top. One, because of the bottom line, the other because of a personal scandal. Andy's "Minding Your Business," up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.
The jury is out in the trial for former Worldcom CEO Bernie Ebbers. With that and a check of Wall Street, Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Good morning.
ANDY SERWER: Good morning again, Soledad.
March madness continues for investors. Stocks trading higher at this hour on Wall Street. Let's check out that Big Board. Downtown, up about, what do we got here, 13 points to the upside. We're looking to crash in on 11,000 up there. We still have a little way to go, but not too far. We'll have to see. Stocks moving this morning.
Boeing, first of all, in the news, forcing out CEO Harry Stonecipher who apparently had an improper relationship with a female executive at Boeing. Stonecipher is the tough-talking son of a Tennessee coal miner, apparently, 68 years old and is married. The affair in question was apparently consensual, and he didn't influence her career. However, the board saying that it was improper nonetheless. Interesting story there.
Sony has a new man at the top as well. Sir Howard Stringer, the head of Sony USA, becomes head of the entire company which, of course, is based in Tokyo. For years now, the content side of the business, which includes movies and music here in the United States has done well. The technical stuff in Japan has not done so well. He has work cut out for him.
And finally, deliberations in the trial of Bernie Ebbers continues. Friday was the first day the jury was out. They will reconvene this morning, seven women and five men. On Friday they sent three notes asking for 40 pieces of additional evidence potentially unfavorable to Ebbers, asking about notes where he talked about accounting fluff and also about "events that need to happen for us make our numbers." So, could be, things are turning against Mr. E. down there.
CAFFERTY: Well, good. If the jury doesn't put this guy in prison, they should put the jurors on trial.
SERWER: Only $11 billion up in smoke.
MARK: Can you do that?
O'BRIEN: No, I'm not going to say -- I'm going to say no.
(CROSSTALK)
MARK: Judge check. Jury check. Everything check.
O'BRIEN: The jurors don't go on trial.
CAFFERTY: Al Sharpton's in the paper today; talked to "The Daily News." We had a shooting at a New York radio shooting last week. A couple of these rap guys, 50 Cent and The Game, got into this feud. And there was gunfire at a radio station. And the Reverend Al says, you know what, if this happens they should ban playing these people's music for like 90 days. He wants the FCC to get involved.
Guy in Atlanta writes, "Can you imagine, Jack, the outrage if you had come up with this idea? Since it came from Reverend Al Sharpton maybe it will get some traction. Go, Reverend."
Robert in New York writes, "While I applaud the Reverend's gesture of banning the music, it simply won't happen. 50 Cent and others boost ratings and ad sales for the radio stations." Robert understands how this thing works.
And mark, who bills himself a burned-out country deejay in Richmond, Indiana, writes, "Just think: if radio stations had to suffer the repercussions of every low-life fight, country music would be forever banned from the radio."
Well, maybe that's not such a bad idea.
It will get better, Mark.
O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack.
Got some skeletons in your closet as far as money goes? Rick and Daryn have the top five tips on getting rid of old debt and cleaning up bad credit. That's coming up in the next hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.
"AMERICAN MORNING" is back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Did you see this over the weekend? It's got to be the world's largest surfboard, right? With a whole lot of people on board, too. More than 40 people climbed onboard to set a new record off the Eastern Coast of Australia, the Gold Coast down there, previous record was only 14. They shattered it. The board was 40 feet long, 10 feet wide, and needed 20 people to carry it into the surf just to carry it into the surf, just to carry it that is. The stunt's part of a global tour to raise money for tsunami victims. Good cause there, too.
COSTELLO: I was just going to say why, but that's a good cause. So I won't say why now.
SERWER: Jack, you always have something to say.
CAFFERTY: I got nothing.
O'BRIEN: You know what? Why don't we go ahead...
CAFFERTY: It's 10:00, and I'm finished. O'BRIEN: As long as Jack's finished, then it's time to head over to Rick and Daryn. They're at the CNN Center. They're going to take you through the next hour. We're done here, guys. We'll see you back here tomorrow morning.
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