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Hunt for al-Zarqawi; Spanking Ordered For 6-Year-Old; '90- Second Pop'

Aired March 07, 2005 - 07:29 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: Good morning, everyone. Just about 7:30 here in New York on a Monday morning.
In a moment here, the hunt for the most-wanted man in Iraq continues. And now, some commanders are saying that U.S. forces are closing in on this man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. CNN's Barbara Starr joins us in a few moments from the Pentagon, telling us why the increased optimism now and what the U.S. is learning from some key prisoners. We'll get to Barbara in a few moments.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, we're going to talk to a mom, who was told by school officials she had to spank her 6-year-old son or else. Well, she refused. The school suspended the first grader. Mother and son are our guests just ahead this morning, also an official from the school. We'll get both sides of this controversy.

First, though, let's get another check of the headlines with Carol Costello.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. That's a different twist.

O'BRIEN: Yes, huh?

COSTELLO: Spank your own child as punishment for something the kid did in school?

O'BRIEN: She balked. She said no way. They kicked the kid out.

COSTELLO: Wacky. I can't wait to hear that.

Good morning, everyone.

"Now in the News."

New information coming out of Syria at this hour. There is word Syrian troops will complete its pullout from eastern Lebanon before the end of March. That's according to Reuters. We'll have much more on this in the minutes to come on AMERICAN MORNING.

A series of attacks in Iraq this morning, at least 15 people are dead, dozens more injured. Most of the casualties are coming after clashes in Baquba between insurgents and members of the Iraqi army. There was also a car bomb attack there. Another suspected suicide bomber struck in Balad this morning.

The European Union is expressing shock and concern over the use of force during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey. The pictures are somewhat disturbing. Riot police used clubs and tear gas to break up a group of protesters during an unauthorized demonstration marking this World's Women's Day. Despite the violence, there were no reports of serious injuries. Turkey is under close EU scrutiny. Talks for its entry into the European Union are planned for later this year.

And cleanup crews are said to be back at the scene of a chemical spill this morning near Salt Lake City, Utah. Thousands of gallons of acid spilled from a tanker car into a rail yard. The spill prompted an evacuation of at least 4,000 residents in the area, and they have since been allowed back home. There are no reports of injuries here. Officials say most of the roadways shut down because of the spill should be reopened sometime this morning.

To California now, where Michael Jackson's child molestation trial is set to resume with the accuser's sister back on the stand. The woman, now 18, testified last week Jackson had kept her family at the Neverland Ranch against their will. But the defense scored some points when the woman admitted she and her mother had lied about key details of the case. We'll get more legal perspective on this later on in our show. And I suspect that will come from Jeff Toobin?

HEMMER: You got it. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

HEMMER: Potential new leads in the hunt for Abu Musab al- Zarqawi. Photographs of a man believed to be the terrorist leader were found in a video camera captured during a raid in Iraq. Al- Zarqawi is Iraq's leader in Iraq. And last week, President Bush publicly renewed his resolve to find the most-wanted man in that country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Zarqawi understands a coalition and Iraqi troops are on a constant hunt for him as well. Coalition Iraqi forces have caught and killed several of his key lieutenants. We're working every day and night to dismantle his network and to bring him to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: That was the president from last week.

Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon this morning.

Bold talk from the president, Barbara, or something more to it?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPENDENT: Well, just maybe, Bill, because there is now hope that the hunt for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may be coming to an end.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice over): New pictures of the man the U.S. says is terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. But any new leads? It's unclear when the photos were taken, but official Washington is increasingly optimistic they will get him.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: He is a high-agenda item, a target for us and has been. So, I do know that we have made him a priority as others. We will get him.

STARR: Senior U.S. military and Pentagon officials now tell CNN that U.S. forces have come very physically close to getting the most- wanted terrorist in Iraq on more than one occasion. One senior official said it was within the last month that forces came close to him.

Officials at the most-senior levels caution against making predictions when this Jordanian-born terrorist, who has claimed responsibility for so many attacks in Iraq, would be caught. But they clearly believe the dragnet is closing.

GENERAL JOHN ABIZAID, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We have been very successful against his network. And we have been successful against his network because of Iraqi intelligence sources, because of treason within his own organization, because people are getting tired of what he's doing, which is killing innocent Iraqi people for no reason whatsoever. And his days in Iraq are numbered.

STARR: Another senior military official told CNN, the recent capture of Zarqawi's driver and scheduler in Iraq has given them valuable intelligence.

But concerns are growing about Zarqawi's links to Osama bin Laden. U.S. counterterrorism officials say Zarqawi recently responded to a message from bin Laden asking for help staging attacks outside of Iraq.

BUSH: We are -- spend every day gathering information to locate Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri, obviously people like Zarqawi.

STARR: Already being discussed: What to do with Zarqawi if and when he is caught? Would he be an enemy combatant, a foreign fighter in the war on terrorism, and therefore held by the U.S. probably outside Iraq? U.S. military officials are already saying they want him and don't want to give him over to the Iraqis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, Bill, all of these comments by U.S. officials may serve another purpose: to pressure Zarqawi to go on the run and make it easier to catch him -- Bill.

HEMMER: Barbara Starr from the Pentagon this morning -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: A school in Schaumburg, Illinois, last week ordered a woman to spank her 6-year-old or said he'd be suspended. The mom refused.

Michelle Fallaw-Gabrielson and her son, Chandler Fallaw, are in Chicago this morning. Also joining us in Chicago, Randy Thaxton. He's the school administrator of the Schaumburg Christian School.

Good morning to all of you. Thank you very much for talking with us.

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 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.

O'BRIEN: What happens, Ms. Gabrielson? Are you going to send him back to that school? Or are you going to put him in a whole new school? I don't know if you can hear my question. Are you going to send him back to school? Or will you put him in another school?

GABRIELSON: I am. Currently, we're home-schooling him. But we are not going to send him back to the school, no. Absolutely not. I withdrew. To be given an ultimatum and not to be allowed to have a choice on what I want to do with my son as far as discipline is concerned, I could see no further future there, because if I brought him back to school the following day after suspension, if he talked again in class, what other choice would we have been given then. So, no, we are not taking him back to that school. We will re-enroll him in another school.

O'BRIEN: Ms. Gabrielson, thanks for joining us to talk about this. Also, Randy Thaxton as well. And Chandler, you, too. Thanks for talking with us. We certainly appreciate it.

THAXTON: Thank you.

HEMMER: It's about 20 minutes now before the hour. Get ready to feel the pinch at the pump. Andy is "Minding Your Business" and tells us about gas prices right now for the spring and the summertime even possibly going up measurably very soon.

O'BRIEN: Also ahead on "90-Second Pop," Jay Leno gets help telling jokes that could have landed him in jail. We'll explain ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. Back to Jack now and the "Question of the Day."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Bill.

The feud between rappers 50 Cent and The Game is the latest to erupt into violence. There was a shooting last week at a radio station here in New York City.

The Reverend Al Sharpton says it's time for the government to do something. He wants the music of artists who use violence to be banned from the airwaves for 90 days. This is an interview Sharpton did with the "New York Daily News." "These are platinum-selling artists," he says, "making millions, and they're involved in bloodshed. Where is the FCC response?"

The question is: Should artists who incite violence be banned from the air?

D.W in Crescent City writes: "No, it should not. Much of the appeal of rap music is the rebellious anti-establishment nature of the lyrics. Taking it too seriously gives it the status it would not otherwise have."

Wistar in Georgia: "Perhaps the messages they broadcast should be allowed in trials as evidence of their culpability when their fans act out those messages of violence. Market forces could quickly silence them."

Pamela in Michigan: "Why do I need the FCC to regulate anything? I'm an adult and a parent. I think I'm capable of choosing what's appropriate and what's not for my kids. Give me a break. They hear worse on the bus to school."

James in Illinois: "Well, my first thought was to say yes, it's filth, get it off the air. Where does it end? I also remember that rock 'n' roll was filth. And we would all go to hell if we allowed that. So, we are where we are."

And David in Iowa writes: "Jack, yes. And while they're at it, fine 'The Daily Show' for politically-incorrect humor, 'Desperate Housewives' for racy scenes. Where is it all going to end? If you don't like the station, change it."

HEMMER: We'll see if Sharpton has any influence in this.

Thank you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Let's get right to Andy. CapitalOne is banking on consumers. How are gas prices looking with the driving season just around the corner? Andy is "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Hello.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.

Yes, a merger to tell you about. CapitalOne, one of the nation's largest credit card issuers, 50 million accounts, is buying the largest bank in Louisiana, Hibernia Corp., 260 branches down there in the Bayou State. And what they're trying to do here is get into the banking business. They've been a credit card issuer. They have kind of tapped out that business maybe, looking to expand into retail banking, compete with Bank of America.

Now, gasoline, we told you this was coming. And it's coming. Gas prices are higher, 7 cents higher now over the past two weeks, up to a buck 97 nationwide, and could be going even higher as the price of oil hits $55 a barrel. Charleston, South Carolina, cheapest place to buy gas in the United States, a buck 76. Drive down there.

As far as the markets go, Soledad, a good week for investors. Let's check out how we did here. You can see particularly blue chips, the Dow and the S&P beating out tech stocks. Looking for 11000 on the Dow, Bill Hemmer. Is that another magic line? We haven't been there since the summer of 2001, before 9/11. And futures are higher this morning.

O'BRIEN: All right, Andy, thanks.

SERWER: You're welcome.

HEMMER: It's going to be a headline for a while, those gas prices.

SERWER: Yes, we are.

HEMMER: Coming in the spring and the summertime.

SERWER: All summer.

HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.

One big question for one cable network: Can a "Fat Actress" pull in big ratings? That's the name of the show. 90-second poppers weighing in on Kirstie Alley's comeback that starts tonight. Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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 cancelled.

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: Third topic, Toure. At the movies over the weekend, Vin Diesel in a family comedy.

TOURE: Yes.

HEMMER: I said that correctly, Vin Diesel in a family comedy. "The Pacifier" is the name of the movie. It did really well, about 30 million bucks, No. 1. But the second film starred John Travolta, and you saw it. How was it, "Be Cool?"

TOURE: Which I thought "Be Cool" was going to be cool, because I love Elmore Leonard. It's not half as good as "Get Shorty." OK?

HEMMER: Really?

TOURE: But there is something in here. It's kind of a treatise on, like, white blackness. So, you have all of these white people who are playing black in the film and in real life, like John Travolta, like Vince Vaughn (ph), like the Black Eyed Peas. But overall, you have just generally, like, a film where if there was an NAACP for wiggers (ph), they'd be mad as hell today.

SHAW: I have to say, I think one of the reasons "Be Cool" did well is because John Travolta disappeared for a while. I mean, there was a time when he did, like, "Michael" and "Phenomenon" and "Face Off," all within, like, 10 minutes of each other. And he went away, and it was the best thing he could do.

BOROWITZ: He went away? Excuse me, "Ladder 49?"

SHAW: Yes, but no one saw it.

BOROWITZ: I don't think he went away.

HEMMER: Witness protection program because nobody went out and saw it, did they?

BOROWITZ: Yes.

HEMMER: You know, I think there's a bigger issue in here. I think America is looking for a good laugh, and they're always looking for a family film, too. And that's probably why Vin Diesel's film did so well.

SHAW: Right. And what are they going to see, "Million Dollar Baby?"

BOROWITZ: Right. You know, my son, who is 9, said to me, "The Pacifier," does that mean, like, baby pacifier and he's pacifying the family? And I said, yes, do you want to see it? He said no, I just want to know what the title meant.

SHAW: He's a future studio chief. I love it!

HEMMER: You've got a smart kid there, Andy.

BOROWITZ: Yes, oh, I know.

HEMMER: Thanks. Good to see all three of you on a Monday, OK? We'll talk later.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Oh, I love Vin Diesel. When are we going to get that movie out on DVD? I'm dying to see that. Thanks, you guys.

Ahead this morning, Martha Stewart out of prison, but she'll be back in court today. What's the next legal step for her? We're live from the courthouse just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: A developing story from the Middle East. What's happening with Syria's future in Lebanon? We'll talk with the Syrian ambassador to the U.S. live in a moment here as we continue after this on AMERICAN MORNING.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.

Aired March 7, 2005 - 07:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Just about 7:30 here in New York on a Monday morning.
In a moment here, the hunt for the most-wanted man in Iraq continues. And now, some commanders are saying that U.S. forces are closing in on this man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. CNN's Barbara Starr joins us in a few moments from the Pentagon, telling us why the increased optimism now and what the U.S. is learning from some key prisoners. We'll get to Barbara in a few moments.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, we're going to talk to a mom, who was told by school officials she had to spank her 6-year-old son or else. Well, she refused. The school suspended the first grader. Mother and son are our guests just ahead this morning, also an official from the school. We'll get both sides of this controversy.

First, though, let's get another check of the headlines with Carol Costello.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. That's a different twist.

O'BRIEN: Yes, huh?

COSTELLO: Spank your own child as punishment for something the kid did in school?

O'BRIEN: She balked. She said no way. They kicked the kid out.

COSTELLO: Wacky. I can't wait to hear that.

Good morning, everyone.

"Now in the News."

New information coming out of Syria at this hour. There is word Syrian troops will complete its pullout from eastern Lebanon before the end of March. That's according to Reuters. We'll have much more on this in the minutes to come on AMERICAN MORNING.

A series of attacks in Iraq this morning, at least 15 people are dead, dozens more injured. Most of the casualties are coming after clashes in Baquba between insurgents and members of the Iraqi army. There was also a car bomb attack there. Another suspected suicide bomber struck in Balad this morning.

The European Union is expressing shock and concern over the use of force during a protest in Istanbul, Turkey. The pictures are somewhat disturbing. Riot police used clubs and tear gas to break up a group of protesters during an unauthorized demonstration marking this World's Women's Day. Despite the violence, there were no reports of serious injuries. Turkey is under close EU scrutiny. Talks for its entry into the European Union are planned for later this year.

And cleanup crews are said to be back at the scene of a chemical spill this morning near Salt Lake City, Utah. Thousands of gallons of acid spilled from a tanker car into a rail yard. The spill prompted an evacuation of at least 4,000 residents in the area, and they have since been allowed back home. There are no reports of injuries here. Officials say most of the roadways shut down because of the spill should be reopened sometime this morning.

To California now, where Michael Jackson's child molestation trial is set to resume with the accuser's sister back on the stand. The woman, now 18, testified last week Jackson had kept her family at the Neverland Ranch against their will. But the defense scored some points when the woman admitted she and her mother had lied about key details of the case. We'll get more legal perspective on this later on in our show. And I suspect that will come from Jeff Toobin?

HEMMER: You got it. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

HEMMER: Potential new leads in the hunt for Abu Musab al- Zarqawi. Photographs of a man believed to be the terrorist leader were found in a video camera captured during a raid in Iraq. Al- Zarqawi is Iraq's leader in Iraq. And last week, President Bush publicly renewed his resolve to find the most-wanted man in that country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Zarqawi understands a coalition and Iraqi troops are on a constant hunt for him as well. Coalition Iraqi forces have caught and killed several of his key lieutenants. We're working every day and night to dismantle his network and to bring him to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: That was the president from last week.

Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon this morning.

Bold talk from the president, Barbara, or something more to it?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPENDENT: Well, just maybe, Bill, because there is now hope that the hunt for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may be coming to an end.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR (voice over): New pictures of the man the U.S. says is terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. But any new leads? It's unclear when the photos were taken, but official Washington is increasingly optimistic they will get him.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: He is a high-agenda item, a target for us and has been. So, I do know that we have made him a priority as others. We will get him.

STARR: Senior U.S. military and Pentagon officials now tell CNN that U.S. forces have come very physically close to getting the most- wanted terrorist in Iraq on more than one occasion. One senior official said it was within the last month that forces came close to him.

Officials at the most-senior levels caution against making predictions when this Jordanian-born terrorist, who has claimed responsibility for so many attacks in Iraq, would be caught. But they clearly believe the dragnet is closing.

GENERAL JOHN ABIZAID, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We have been very successful against his network. And we have been successful against his network because of Iraqi intelligence sources, because of treason within his own organization, because people are getting tired of what he's doing, which is killing innocent Iraqi people for no reason whatsoever. And his days in Iraq are numbered.

STARR: Another senior military official told CNN, the recent capture of Zarqawi's driver and scheduler in Iraq has given them valuable intelligence.

But concerns are growing about Zarqawi's links to Osama bin Laden. U.S. counterterrorism officials say Zarqawi recently responded to a message from bin Laden asking for help staging attacks outside of Iraq.

BUSH: We are -- spend every day gathering information to locate Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri, obviously people like Zarqawi.

STARR: Already being discussed: What to do with Zarqawi if and when he is caught? Would he be an enemy combatant, a foreign fighter in the war on terrorism, and therefore held by the U.S. probably outside Iraq? U.S. military officials are already saying they want him and don't want to give him over to the Iraqis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, Bill, all of these comments by U.S. officials may serve another purpose: to pressure Zarqawi to go on the run and make it easier to catch him -- Bill.

HEMMER: Barbara Starr from the Pentagon this morning -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: A school in Schaumburg, Illinois, last week ordered a woman to spank her 6-year-old or said he'd be suspended. The mom refused.

Michelle Fallaw-Gabrielson and her son, Chandler Fallaw, are in Chicago this morning. Also joining us in Chicago, Randy Thaxton. He's the school administrator of the Schaumburg Christian School.

Good morning to all of you. Thank you very much for talking with us.

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 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.

O'BRIEN: What happens, Ms. Gabrielson? Are you going to send him back to that school? Or are you going to put him in a whole new school? I don't know if you can hear my question. Are you going to send him back to school? Or will you put him in another school?

GABRIELSON: I am. Currently, we're home-schooling him. But we are not going to send him back to the school, no. Absolutely not. I withdrew. To be given an ultimatum and not to be allowed to have a choice on what I want to do with my son as far as discipline is concerned, I could see no further future there, because if I brought him back to school the following day after suspension, if he talked again in class, what other choice would we have been given then. So, no, we are not taking him back to that school. We will re-enroll him in another school.

O'BRIEN: Ms. Gabrielson, thanks for joining us to talk about this. Also, Randy Thaxton as well. And Chandler, you, too. Thanks for talking with us. We certainly appreciate it.

THAXTON: Thank you.

HEMMER: It's about 20 minutes now before the hour. Get ready to feel the pinch at the pump. Andy is "Minding Your Business" and tells us about gas prices right now for the spring and the summertime even possibly going up measurably very soon.

O'BRIEN: Also ahead on "90-Second Pop," Jay Leno gets help telling jokes that could have landed him in jail. We'll explain ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. Back to Jack now and the "Question of the Day."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Bill.

The feud between rappers 50 Cent and The Game is the latest to erupt into violence. There was a shooting last week at a radio station here in New York City.

The Reverend Al Sharpton says it's time for the government to do something. He wants the music of artists who use violence to be banned from the airwaves for 90 days. This is an interview Sharpton did with the "New York Daily News." "These are platinum-selling artists," he says, "making millions, and they're involved in bloodshed. Where is the FCC response?"

The question is: Should artists who incite violence be banned from the air?

D.W in Crescent City writes: "No, it should not. Much of the appeal of rap music is the rebellious anti-establishment nature of the lyrics. Taking it too seriously gives it the status it would not otherwise have."

Wistar in Georgia: "Perhaps the messages they broadcast should be allowed in trials as evidence of their culpability when their fans act out those messages of violence. Market forces could quickly silence them."

Pamela in Michigan: "Why do I need the FCC to regulate anything? I'm an adult and a parent. I think I'm capable of choosing what's appropriate and what's not for my kids. Give me a break. They hear worse on the bus to school."

James in Illinois: "Well, my first thought was to say yes, it's filth, get it off the air. Where does it end? I also remember that rock 'n' roll was filth. And we would all go to hell if we allowed that. So, we are where we are."

And David in Iowa writes: "Jack, yes. And while they're at it, fine 'The Daily Show' for politically-incorrect humor, 'Desperate Housewives' for racy scenes. Where is it all going to end? If you don't like the station, change it."

HEMMER: We'll see if Sharpton has any influence in this.

Thank you, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Let's get right to Andy. CapitalOne is banking on consumers. How are gas prices looking with the driving season just around the corner? Andy is "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Hello.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.

Yes, a merger to tell you about. CapitalOne, one of the nation's largest credit card issuers, 50 million accounts, is buying the largest bank in Louisiana, Hibernia Corp., 260 branches down there in the Bayou State. And what they're trying to do here is get into the banking business. They've been a credit card issuer. They have kind of tapped out that business maybe, looking to expand into retail banking, compete with Bank of America.

Now, gasoline, we told you this was coming. And it's coming. Gas prices are higher, 7 cents higher now over the past two weeks, up to a buck 97 nationwide, and could be going even higher as the price of oil hits $55 a barrel. Charleston, South Carolina, cheapest place to buy gas in the United States, a buck 76. Drive down there.

As far as the markets go, Soledad, a good week for investors. Let's check out how we did here. You can see particularly blue chips, the Dow and the S&P beating out tech stocks. Looking for 11000 on the Dow, Bill Hemmer. Is that another magic line? We haven't been there since the summer of 2001, before 9/11. And futures are higher this morning.

O'BRIEN: All right, Andy, thanks.

SERWER: You're welcome.

HEMMER: It's going to be a headline for a while, those gas prices.

SERWER: Yes, we are.

HEMMER: Coming in the spring and the summertime.

SERWER: All summer.

HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.

One big question for one cable network: Can a "Fat Actress" pull in big ratings? That's the name of the show. 90-second poppers weighing in on Kirstie Alley's comeback that starts tonight. Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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 cancelled.

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: Third topic, Toure. At the movies over the weekend, Vin Diesel in a family comedy.

TOURE: Yes.

HEMMER: I said that correctly, Vin Diesel in a family comedy. "The Pacifier" is the name of the movie. It did really well, about 30 million bucks, No. 1. But the second film starred John Travolta, and you saw it. How was it, "Be Cool?"

TOURE: Which I thought "Be Cool" was going to be cool, because I love Elmore Leonard. It's not half as good as "Get Shorty." OK?

HEMMER: Really?

TOURE: But there is something in here. It's kind of a treatise on, like, white blackness. So, you have all of these white people who are playing black in the film and in real life, like John Travolta, like Vince Vaughn (ph), like the Black Eyed Peas. But overall, you have just generally, like, a film where if there was an NAACP for wiggers (ph), they'd be mad as hell today.

SHAW: I have to say, I think one of the reasons "Be Cool" did well is because John Travolta disappeared for a while. I mean, there was a time when he did, like, "Michael" and "Phenomenon" and "Face Off," all within, like, 10 minutes of each other. And he went away, and it was the best thing he could do.

BOROWITZ: He went away? Excuse me, "Ladder 49?"

SHAW: Yes, but no one saw it.

BOROWITZ: I don't think he went away.

HEMMER: Witness protection program because nobody went out and saw it, did they?

BOROWITZ: Yes.

HEMMER: You know, I think there's a bigger issue in here. I think America is looking for a good laugh, and they're always looking for a family film, too. And that's probably why Vin Diesel's film did so well.

SHAW: Right. And what are they going to see, "Million Dollar Baby?"

BOROWITZ: Right. You know, my son, who is 9, said to me, "The Pacifier," does that mean, like, baby pacifier and he's pacifying the family? And I said, yes, do you want to see it? He said no, I just want to know what the title meant.

SHAW: He's a future studio chief. I love it!

HEMMER: You've got a smart kid there, Andy.

BOROWITZ: Yes, oh, I know.

HEMMER: Thanks. Good to see all three of you on a Monday, OK? We'll talk later.

Here's Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Oh, I love Vin Diesel. When are we going to get that movie out on DVD? I'm dying to see that. Thanks, you guys.

Ahead this morning, Martha Stewart out of prison, but she'll be back in court today. What's the next legal step for her? We're live from the courthouse just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: A developing story from the Middle East. What's happening with Syria's future in Lebanon? We'll talk with the Syrian ambassador to the U.S. live in a moment here as we continue after this on AMERICAN MORNING.

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