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American Morning

Racist Messages?; 'New You Revolution'

Aired March 08, 2005 - 07:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, the changing weather pattern here in the Northeast. Boy, we're going to plummet today, aren't we? Down about 30 degrees in about four hours. Oh, joy. Thanks, Chad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We can't blame Chad.

HEMMER: Well, we have to blame someone.

Welcome back, everybody. It's 7:30 here in New York.

In a moment, we're off to Austin, Texas, today. We'll talk with the police chief there about this controversy within his department. It all started on a Friday night with a computer message between officers that described this fire here, at an African-American nightclub. It said, "burn, baby, burn." That message was sent while the club was on fire. It did not stay confidential. We'll find out what the city is doing about it and what they're saying about it. In a moment, we'll talk with the police chief down there.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, what does it really take to conquer bad habits? Sanjay Gupta joins us with the grand finale of his "New You Revolution." Remember those five participants trying to turn their lives around? We're going to find out what each one had to overcome and, of course, what kept them going.

HEMMER: Inspiration abounds this morning.

Back to Carol Costello with the headlines this morning.

Good morning -- Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

Thousands of demonstrators are flooding Beirut right now to show support for Syria. The Muslim militant group, Hezbollah, is calling for these protests. The demonstrations come as plans are under way for Syrian troops to pull out of Lebanon. You're looking at a live picture here, all those people out on the streets of Beirut this morning. There does not appear to be much movement on that front this morning as far as the removal of the troops is concerned.

President Bush is calling the situation in Lebanon a critical test for reform in the Middle East, though. In less than three hours, the president will address the war on terrorism during a speech in Washington. Aides say the president will also reiterate U.S. demands that Iran give up its nuclear weapons program. CNN will have live coverage of the event at 10:15 a.m. Eastern.

It could be a rocky road for President Bush's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The president has tapped Undersecretary of State John Bolton. Some Democrats are expected to give Bolton a tough time during his confirmation hearing, because he's been highly critical of the world body in the past. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Bolton will be a strong voice for reform.

And it's back to the drawing board on minimum wage. The Senate has defeated two dueling measures to raise the $5.15 minimum wage. Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was arguing for a Democratic proposal to increase the minimum by $2.10. Some lawmakers say the lack of support means a raise is not likely for at least two years until the next congressional elections -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Thanks, Carol.

It's 32 minutes past the hour now. In Austin, Texas, where there's an ongoing investigation into claims of racism within the police department. Five officers and four dispatchers have been suspended for what the chief there calls inappropriate computer messages. Another officer has been given a written reprimand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The screen in this car says "burn, baby, burn." That is ridiculous!

HEMMER (voice over): She's describing a computer message sent from one Austin, Texas, policeman to another, as a nightclub, with a predominantly African-American clientele, went up in flames.

Other messages among officers and dispatchers the night of February 18 read: "The roof of a club. That's funny. Gives a whole new meaning to the roof, the roof is on fire."

Another says, "I have some extra gasoline if they need it."

The Austin police chief maintains that the comments, both from white and Hispanic officers, were not racist, just inappropriate. Not everyone agrees.

NELSON LINDER, PRESIDENT, AUSTIN NAACP: I think the chief is brain-dead when it comes to racial issues. Like most people, he's in denial. There is no way white cops would say this about a white establishment. And for him to say that is an absolute insult to our community.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: And with that as a backdrop this morning, two more messages. These are from an officer, I'm quoting now: "U can smell from Interstate 35, it is the smell of victory."

And: "My nite is made. I just had a lady ask me if it was burning. I said 'yep.' She was upset. I was enthralled."

The Austin police chief is Stan Knee. I asked him earlier why officers would make such comments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHIEF STAN KNEE, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT: There's a variety of reasons that have come to the surface, frustration and such. But it's clearly not the value of our department to put such messages on our mobile data terminals or in phone calls.

These individual officers, when they were recently disciplined in meeting with the chief, clearly understood that, clearly admitted their mistake and accepted their discipline, which was, I believe, substantial.

HEMMER: This was a predominantly African-American club. And the officers, the dispatchers involved are white. They're Hispanic. Can you understand how somebody would think this is racism?

KNEE: Oh, I think so. But I think we also went to great lengths to look at that from doing a very quick and thorough investigation. The investigation actually lasted less than two weeks but was very thorough. We went so far as to look at their backgrounds. They were completed before they were hired. None of these officers had any prior suspensions in their civil service record.

And so, I believe, although I can't look into their hearts to see what is there, I can tell you that it's my belief that they did not intend this to be racial. And that they clearly understand, as does everybody at the Austin Police Department, that we do not tolerate this kind of conduct, that it's unprofessional. And frustration is not a reason to engage in this kind of unprofessional conduct.

HEMMER: Chief, did you consider firing those involved?

KNEE: Well, I think that as chief, you look at all of your alternatives, especially when you're into a situation that has such an impact, not just in the African-American community, but throughout the city. I think that individuals throughout the city were upset with this. And so I think you look at all of the options that you have. But clearly, these officers admitted their mistake, accepted their discipline without appeal. They'll be sent to training.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Stan Knee is the police chief in Austin, Texas from earlier -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: A well repair suddenly became a well rescue in Rhode Island. Thirty-three-year-old repairman Frederick Jaswell was pulling out the pump from a well on Monday in Seekonk. He then slipped and then fell down 25 feet. He was stuck down there for about an hour before fire crews were able to pull him out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVID JASWELL, VICTIM'S BROTHER: I didn't know what to do at first, but I'm thankful that he's still alive.

CHIEF ALAN JACK, SEEKONK FIRE DEPARTMENT: I think he's very lucky inasmuch as the way he fell, he was able to brace himself and prevent himself from not falling all the way to the bottom of the well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Jaswell was reported in fair condition with injuries to his arm and his leg -- Bill.

HEMMER: It's about 22 minutes before the hour. Thirty degrees, I think that's where the mercury is going to go, south for us in the Northeast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Well, it is one of the biggest corporate scandals in U.S. history, and the man at the center of it might learn his fate today. Andy is "Minding Your Business" just ahead.

HEMMER: Also, the "New You Revolution" wraps up its eight-week run today. Did anyone give in to the temptations of those bad habits? Sanjay helps them out and stops by in a moment here as we continue after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Back to Jack now and the "Question of the Day."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Office romance. The board at Boeing Aircraft fired the CEO, Harry Stonecipher, on Monday for having a consensual affair with an unnamed Boeing female executive. But the fact of the matter is, office romance is everywhere. According to a survey of employees by career publisher, Vault, 58 percent of Americans say they've been involved with a co-worker, and 22 percent say they met their spouse or significant other on the job. That would include Andy Serwer.

The question this morning is: Are office romances acceptable?

Jose in College Station, Texas: "They're really a bad idea. Rarely do they develop into a more committed relationship or end amicably. So, you're left with a jilted lover trying to either rekindle or get revenge. That's not a good dynamic in the office."

D.W. in California: "I think they're dishonest. You're being paid to do the work, not gaze rapturously into each other's eyes."

James writes from Illinois: "It depends on whether your wife finds out about it."

Brenda in Astoria, Oregon: "You bet you. Boundaries must be strictly adhered to, assuring that only nonphysical flirtation happens in the office and the real romance is saved for after-hours while not on the clock. Love is where you find it. So, if you find it at the office, grab hold of it and run with it."

And John writes from Florida: "Don't fish off the company pier."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Well!

HEMMER: Oh, yes. Thanks, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Fifty-eight percent say they've been involved with somebody at work. That means if you feet meet someone, it's a 2 to 1 that, you know, they've been there, done that.

SERWER: Yes, that's pretty neat. People spend so much time at work these days that sometimes those things are...

O'BRIEN: Where else are you going to meet people?

SERWER: Yes.

HEMMER: You just wait for that holiday party to kick around again.

SERWER: Oh, yes.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.

SERWER: Watch the mistletoe.

O'BRIEN: Well, let's move on, shall we?

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: The jury is still out in the trial of former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers. A look at Wall Street as well. Andy is "Minding Your Business."

Good morning.

SERWER: Good morning, Soledad.

Let's talk about the markets first of all. Kind of a mixed picture yesterday on the Street. The Dow down just a little bit, and it happened right at the end of the day. You might think it would be Boeing that dragged the Dow down, but Boeing was down only about one- tenth of 1 percent. Other stocks like DuPont and Alcoa were down more.

The Nasdaq, as you can see, had a good day. Techs were up. Weaker this morning, though, particularly chip stocks. Watch out. There might be a little bit of a sell-off, particularly at the open.

Let's talk about the Ebbers trial, day two for jury deliberations, the former CEO of WorldCom -- there he is. The big man with the beard and the silver hair. And perhaps more indications that old Bernie is a little bit in trouble, given what's going on with the jury. They asked for more evidence.

This time, a tape interview with Ebbers that aired on the financial network, CNBC, in February of '02. In this interview, Ebbers insisted that the dividend -- that WorldCom's dividend was safe.

Now, here's what happened. They also asked, though, for a note from Scott Sullivan to Ebbers in January of '02, where he warned Ebbers that there wasn't enough cash to pay the dividend. So jibe that.

O'BRIEN: And one came before the other?

SERWER: Yes. One came before the other. In other words, the note to Ebbers came that showed the dividend was in jeopardy before he was insisting on TV that it wasn't. And this from a man who supposedly knew nothing about the accounting or any of the financial goings-on of the company. You know, you're either in charge of this thing or you're not, right?

O'BRIEN: Those TV interviews will trip you up if you lie.

SERWER: Yes indeed.

O'BRIEN: You know, that videotape they go right back to it.

CAFFERTY: He'll be at that San Quentin Friday night prom pretty soon.

SERWER: OK, all right.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Andy.

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Well, guess what? The "New You Revolution" reaches its grand finale. Who had the biggest breakthrough? We're going to find out from Dr. Sanjay Gupta just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We have come to the final week of the "New You Revolution," today in fact.

O'BRIEN: And remember? Five people came to us in help -- for help, rather, in breaking their bad health habits. They really didn't come to us. They came to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And Sanjay joins us.

So?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And our entire team of people, really remarkable. You know, it was an interesting challenge, Soledad. Eight weeks ago, a minister, a grandmother, a young man soon-to-be-married, a young woman who recently got married, and a father of two, they all joined our "New You Revolution." A motley bunch, I will tell you. The question now: Did they reach their goals?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEIGH ANN RAYNOR, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: If you think that I'm going to be on CNN and have Dr. Gupta say, Reverend Raynor, you gained 12 pounds.

GUPTA (voice over): Leigh Ann Raynor's "New You Revolution" has been a success. She's given up fast food. She's learning how to cook.

RAYNOR: I cook, you know, on average about four times a week now, which, you know, is up by four times a week.

GUPTA: And with regular workouts...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bring it down. There you go. There you go.

GUPTA: ... she's seeing the light.

RAYNOR: Oh, my gosh! I lost two pounds since Tuesday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Way to go! Good job.

GUPTA: Actually, she's lost a total of 14 pounds so far.

RAYNOR: The hardest part is making up my mind, understanding that this is something I'm going to do for the rest of my life.

SANDRA GARTH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I like everything that's not good for me. I like greasy food, fatty food, sweet food, salty food.

GUPTA: Lack of exercise and her love of food got Sandra Garth into the "New You Revolution." Having to care for her grandson because both of his parents were fighting the war in Iraq also motivated her to make the necessary sacrifices to get healthy. So she's working out every day and eating better.

GARTH: This time last year if you had asked me to eat that, I would have insisted that I have either some butter or some gravy on it. I'm learning. I dropped that bad habit.

GUPTA: And she's dropping weight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 181.

GARTH: Yes! Nineteen pounds? Nineteen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, congratulations. Give me a kiss.

GUPTA: So, Sandra is treating herself with a necessary shopping spree, because her old clothes don't fit anymore. Best of all, her son, Casey, has finally left Iraq. And her daughter-in-law, Teresa, is back in Michigan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She does so much for us as it is. So for her to want to lose weight that makes me more proud of her.

GUPTA: When we first introduced you to Jonathan Karp and his bad habit, nail-biting, it was a bit of a challenge for us, because his nails were kind of hard to look at. But that was then; this is now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your thumbs are looking better.

GUPTA: How did he do it?

JONATHAN KARP, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I just kind of just stopped cold turkey.

GUPTA: And he works out a lot to relieve stress.

KARP: It was easier than I thought, I have to say. But I did have a lot of help and I was constantly just being monitored. So there was no room for failure.

GUPTA: His nails look great now. But does he still have the urge to bite?

KARP: If there's something that's annoying me, a snag or a catch, I'll just file it down, and that will be the end of it. I feel like I'm done, you know? I feel like I'm ready to enjoy, scratch my neck, scratch my scalp.

GUPTA: Thekla Fischer wants to get pregnant soon, but she didn't feel like she was mentally and physically fit for motherhood. So she asked us to help her, by way of the "New You Revolution."

THEKLA FISCHER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: We've managed to break some bad habits here, and I think we've also sort of started steering things in the right direction.

GUPTA: She's met a lot of parents and children. She's eating better.

FISCHER: I talked to a nutritionist.

GUPTA: She's exercising more.

FISCHER: Instead of doing the late-night eating, I've been doing a late-night yoga class.

GUPTA: And she's finally taking prenatal vitamins. And in preparation for future parenthood, Thekla and her husband also got a financial checkup. Now all that's left is go make a baby.

Harald Fricker's "New You Revolution" began when his kids signed him up. They were worried about their dad. The former fit Harald was 100 pounds overweight. And even though he was running every day with dogs and cat and in tow, he wasn't losing weight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's had to learn how to train smarter and not harder.

GUPTA: And it seems to be working for Harald.

HARALD FRICKER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I lost approximately 20 pounds, and I'm losing two to three pounds a week.

GUPTA: He's not running anymore. His trainer makes him walk instead. And his five workouts a week include cardio and weight training, plus the occasional workout with his kids, too. And he's eating healthier. He's also trying to get more sleep with the help of this c-pap mask, which helps control his sleep apnea. So, are his kids proud of their dad?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

FRICKER: I wish I could just flash six months forward, because I'm absolutely sure I'm going to be at least very close to the 100- pound weight loss that I'm after.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And you'll remember as well, it was Harald's kids that actually signed him up in the first place. Listen, they all did great. They lost pounds. They lost inches. They feel great. They broke bad habits. I think overall a real success here.

O'BRIEN: Very inspiring.

HEMMER: Yes. We'll see if it sticks. What did you call them? A motley crew?

GUPTA: That's right.

HEMMER: A motley bunch? We're going see them next hour, right?

GUPTA: Yes, absolutely. You know, they have certain things they want to share with people as well, you guys, and the rest of our viewers as well. And I will tell you they're downstairs right now, getting all gussied up. There they are. They just watched that. I hear they liked that piece that they just saw as well. So they'll be up here in just about an hour or so to answer your questions and take e-mail questions as well later on.

O'BRIEN: Yes, it will be interesting to talk about the obstacles that they met along the way and sort of the hardest things to get past while they were trying to get through whatever goal they had to get through.

GUPTA: Right. And when the cameras go away...

O'BRIEN: Yes.

GUPTA: ... how do we keep the motivation?

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's true.

GUPTA: We'll talk about that.

O'BRIEN: Excellent. Sanjay, thanks very much. We're looking forward to chatting with them.

GUPTA: Good to see you guys.

O'BRIEN: Wonderful.

Well, ahead this morning, a look at today's top stories. Also, a crime spree sweeps the nation. The suspects are young and old, rich and poor. The only thing they have in common, though, is a full tank of gas. We'll explain just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Tension again today spilling into the streets of Beirut, Lebanon. At this hour, there are tens of thousands crowding into the streets. They are for Syria. The question today: Are the winds already shifting against Syria's pullout? Live to Beirut, live to the White House, next hour here 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 8, 2005 - 07:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, the changing weather pattern here in the Northeast. Boy, we're going to plummet today, aren't we? Down about 30 degrees in about four hours. Oh, joy. Thanks, Chad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: We can't blame Chad.

HEMMER: Well, we have to blame someone.

Welcome back, everybody. It's 7:30 here in New York.

In a moment, we're off to Austin, Texas, today. We'll talk with the police chief there about this controversy within his department. It all started on a Friday night with a computer message between officers that described this fire here, at an African-American nightclub. It said, "burn, baby, burn." That message was sent while the club was on fire. It did not stay confidential. We'll find out what the city is doing about it and what they're saying about it. In a moment, we'll talk with the police chief down there.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, what does it really take to conquer bad habits? Sanjay Gupta joins us with the grand finale of his "New You Revolution." Remember those five participants trying to turn their lives around? We're going to find out what each one had to overcome and, of course, what kept them going.

HEMMER: Inspiration abounds this morning.

Back to Carol Costello with the headlines this morning.

Good morning -- Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

Thousands of demonstrators are flooding Beirut right now to show support for Syria. The Muslim militant group, Hezbollah, is calling for these protests. The demonstrations come as plans are under way for Syrian troops to pull out of Lebanon. You're looking at a live picture here, all those people out on the streets of Beirut this morning. There does not appear to be much movement on that front this morning as far as the removal of the troops is concerned.

President Bush is calling the situation in Lebanon a critical test for reform in the Middle East, though. In less than three hours, the president will address the war on terrorism during a speech in Washington. Aides say the president will also reiterate U.S. demands that Iran give up its nuclear weapons program. CNN will have live coverage of the event at 10:15 a.m. Eastern.

It could be a rocky road for President Bush's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The president has tapped Undersecretary of State John Bolton. Some Democrats are expected to give Bolton a tough time during his confirmation hearing, because he's been highly critical of the world body in the past. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Bolton will be a strong voice for reform.

And it's back to the drawing board on minimum wage. The Senate has defeated two dueling measures to raise the $5.15 minimum wage. Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was arguing for a Democratic proposal to increase the minimum by $2.10. Some lawmakers say the lack of support means a raise is not likely for at least two years until the next congressional elections -- Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Thanks, Carol.

It's 32 minutes past the hour now. In Austin, Texas, where there's an ongoing investigation into claims of racism within the police department. Five officers and four dispatchers have been suspended for what the chief there calls inappropriate computer messages. Another officer has been given a written reprimand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The screen in this car says "burn, baby, burn." That is ridiculous!

HEMMER (voice over): She's describing a computer message sent from one Austin, Texas, policeman to another, as a nightclub, with a predominantly African-American clientele, went up in flames.

Other messages among officers and dispatchers the night of February 18 read: "The roof of a club. That's funny. Gives a whole new meaning to the roof, the roof is on fire."

Another says, "I have some extra gasoline if they need it."

The Austin police chief maintains that the comments, both from white and Hispanic officers, were not racist, just inappropriate. Not everyone agrees.

NELSON LINDER, PRESIDENT, AUSTIN NAACP: I think the chief is brain-dead when it comes to racial issues. Like most people, he's in denial. There is no way white cops would say this about a white establishment. And for him to say that is an absolute insult to our community.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: And with that as a backdrop this morning, two more messages. These are from an officer, I'm quoting now: "U can smell from Interstate 35, it is the smell of victory."

And: "My nite is made. I just had a lady ask me if it was burning. I said 'yep.' She was upset. I was enthralled."

The Austin police chief is Stan Knee. I asked him earlier why officers would make such comments.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHIEF STAN KNEE, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT: There's a variety of reasons that have come to the surface, frustration and such. But it's clearly not the value of our department to put such messages on our mobile data terminals or in phone calls.

These individual officers, when they were recently disciplined in meeting with the chief, clearly understood that, clearly admitted their mistake and accepted their discipline, which was, I believe, substantial.

HEMMER: This was a predominantly African-American club. And the officers, the dispatchers involved are white. They're Hispanic. Can you understand how somebody would think this is racism?

KNEE: Oh, I think so. But I think we also went to great lengths to look at that from doing a very quick and thorough investigation. The investigation actually lasted less than two weeks but was very thorough. We went so far as to look at their backgrounds. They were completed before they were hired. None of these officers had any prior suspensions in their civil service record.

And so, I believe, although I can't look into their hearts to see what is there, I can tell you that it's my belief that they did not intend this to be racial. And that they clearly understand, as does everybody at the Austin Police Department, that we do not tolerate this kind of conduct, that it's unprofessional. And frustration is not a reason to engage in this kind of unprofessional conduct.

HEMMER: Chief, did you consider firing those involved?

KNEE: Well, I think that as chief, you look at all of your alternatives, especially when you're into a situation that has such an impact, not just in the African-American community, but throughout the city. I think that individuals throughout the city were upset with this. And so I think you look at all of the options that you have. But clearly, these officers admitted their mistake, accepted their discipline without appeal. They'll be sent to training.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Stan Knee is the police chief in Austin, Texas from earlier -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: A well repair suddenly became a well rescue in Rhode Island. Thirty-three-year-old repairman Frederick Jaswell was pulling out the pump from a well on Monday in Seekonk. He then slipped and then fell down 25 feet. He was stuck down there for about an hour before fire crews were able to pull him out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVID JASWELL, VICTIM'S BROTHER: I didn't know what to do at first, but I'm thankful that he's still alive.

CHIEF ALAN JACK, SEEKONK FIRE DEPARTMENT: I think he's very lucky inasmuch as the way he fell, he was able to brace himself and prevent himself from not falling all the way to the bottom of the well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Jaswell was reported in fair condition with injuries to his arm and his leg -- Bill.

HEMMER: It's about 22 minutes before the hour. Thirty degrees, I think that's where the mercury is going to go, south for us in the Northeast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Well, it is one of the biggest corporate scandals in U.S. history, and the man at the center of it might learn his fate today. Andy is "Minding Your Business" just ahead.

HEMMER: Also, the "New You Revolution" wraps up its eight-week run today. Did anyone give in to the temptations of those bad habits? Sanjay helps them out and stops by in a moment here as we continue after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Back to Jack now and the "Question of the Day."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Office romance. The board at Boeing Aircraft fired the CEO, Harry Stonecipher, on Monday for having a consensual affair with an unnamed Boeing female executive. But the fact of the matter is, office romance is everywhere. According to a survey of employees by career publisher, Vault, 58 percent of Americans say they've been involved with a co-worker, and 22 percent say they met their spouse or significant other on the job. That would include Andy Serwer.

The question this morning is: Are office romances acceptable?

Jose in College Station, Texas: "They're really a bad idea. Rarely do they develop into a more committed relationship or end amicably. So, you're left with a jilted lover trying to either rekindle or get revenge. That's not a good dynamic in the office."

D.W. in California: "I think they're dishonest. You're being paid to do the work, not gaze rapturously into each other's eyes."

James writes from Illinois: "It depends on whether your wife finds out about it."

Brenda in Astoria, Oregon: "You bet you. Boundaries must be strictly adhered to, assuring that only nonphysical flirtation happens in the office and the real romance is saved for after-hours while not on the clock. Love is where you find it. So, if you find it at the office, grab hold of it and run with it."

And John writes from Florida: "Don't fish off the company pier."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Well!

HEMMER: Oh, yes. Thanks, Jack.

CAFFERTY: Fifty-eight percent say they've been involved with somebody at work. That means if you feet meet someone, it's a 2 to 1 that, you know, they've been there, done that.

SERWER: Yes, that's pretty neat. People spend so much time at work these days that sometimes those things are...

O'BRIEN: Where else are you going to meet people?

SERWER: Yes.

HEMMER: You just wait for that holiday party to kick around again.

SERWER: Oh, yes.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.

SERWER: Watch the mistletoe.

O'BRIEN: Well, let's move on, shall we?

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: The jury is still out in the trial of former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers. A look at Wall Street as well. Andy is "Minding Your Business."

Good morning.

SERWER: Good morning, Soledad.

Let's talk about the markets first of all. Kind of a mixed picture yesterday on the Street. The Dow down just a little bit, and it happened right at the end of the day. You might think it would be Boeing that dragged the Dow down, but Boeing was down only about one- tenth of 1 percent. Other stocks like DuPont and Alcoa were down more.

The Nasdaq, as you can see, had a good day. Techs were up. Weaker this morning, though, particularly chip stocks. Watch out. There might be a little bit of a sell-off, particularly at the open.

Let's talk about the Ebbers trial, day two for jury deliberations, the former CEO of WorldCom -- there he is. The big man with the beard and the silver hair. And perhaps more indications that old Bernie is a little bit in trouble, given what's going on with the jury. They asked for more evidence.

This time, a tape interview with Ebbers that aired on the financial network, CNBC, in February of '02. In this interview, Ebbers insisted that the dividend -- that WorldCom's dividend was safe.

Now, here's what happened. They also asked, though, for a note from Scott Sullivan to Ebbers in January of '02, where he warned Ebbers that there wasn't enough cash to pay the dividend. So jibe that.

O'BRIEN: And one came before the other?

SERWER: Yes. One came before the other. In other words, the note to Ebbers came that showed the dividend was in jeopardy before he was insisting on TV that it wasn't. And this from a man who supposedly knew nothing about the accounting or any of the financial goings-on of the company. You know, you're either in charge of this thing or you're not, right?

O'BRIEN: Those TV interviews will trip you up if you lie.

SERWER: Yes indeed.

O'BRIEN: You know, that videotape they go right back to it.

CAFFERTY: He'll be at that San Quentin Friday night prom pretty soon.

SERWER: OK, all right.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Andy.

SERWER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Well, guess what? The "New You Revolution" reaches its grand finale. Who had the biggest breakthrough? We're going to find out from Dr. Sanjay Gupta just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We have come to the final week of the "New You Revolution," today in fact.

O'BRIEN: And remember? Five people came to us in help -- for help, rather, in breaking their bad health habits. They really didn't come to us. They came to Dr. Sanjay Gupta. And Sanjay joins us.

So?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: And our entire team of people, really remarkable. You know, it was an interesting challenge, Soledad. Eight weeks ago, a minister, a grandmother, a young man soon-to-be-married, a young woman who recently got married, and a father of two, they all joined our "New You Revolution." A motley bunch, I will tell you. The question now: Did they reach their goals?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEIGH ANN RAYNOR, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: If you think that I'm going to be on CNN and have Dr. Gupta say, Reverend Raynor, you gained 12 pounds.

GUPTA (voice over): Leigh Ann Raynor's "New You Revolution" has been a success. She's given up fast food. She's learning how to cook.

RAYNOR: I cook, you know, on average about four times a week now, which, you know, is up by four times a week.

GUPTA: And with regular workouts...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bring it down. There you go. There you go.

GUPTA: ... she's seeing the light.

RAYNOR: Oh, my gosh! I lost two pounds since Tuesday.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Way to go! Good job.

GUPTA: Actually, she's lost a total of 14 pounds so far.

RAYNOR: The hardest part is making up my mind, understanding that this is something I'm going to do for the rest of my life.

SANDRA GARTH, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I like everything that's not good for me. I like greasy food, fatty food, sweet food, salty food.

GUPTA: Lack of exercise and her love of food got Sandra Garth into the "New You Revolution." Having to care for her grandson because both of his parents were fighting the war in Iraq also motivated her to make the necessary sacrifices to get healthy. So she's working out every day and eating better.

GARTH: This time last year if you had asked me to eat that, I would have insisted that I have either some butter or some gravy on it. I'm learning. I dropped that bad habit.

GUPTA: And she's dropping weight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 181.

GARTH: Yes! Nineteen pounds? Nineteen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, congratulations. Give me a kiss.

GUPTA: So, Sandra is treating herself with a necessary shopping spree, because her old clothes don't fit anymore. Best of all, her son, Casey, has finally left Iraq. And her daughter-in-law, Teresa, is back in Michigan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She does so much for us as it is. So for her to want to lose weight that makes me more proud of her.

GUPTA: When we first introduced you to Jonathan Karp and his bad habit, nail-biting, it was a bit of a challenge for us, because his nails were kind of hard to look at. But that was then; this is now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your thumbs are looking better.

GUPTA: How did he do it?

JONATHAN KARP, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I just kind of just stopped cold turkey.

GUPTA: And he works out a lot to relieve stress.

KARP: It was easier than I thought, I have to say. But I did have a lot of help and I was constantly just being monitored. So there was no room for failure.

GUPTA: His nails look great now. But does he still have the urge to bite?

KARP: If there's something that's annoying me, a snag or a catch, I'll just file it down, and that will be the end of it. I feel like I'm done, you know? I feel like I'm ready to enjoy, scratch my neck, scratch my scalp.

GUPTA: Thekla Fischer wants to get pregnant soon, but she didn't feel like she was mentally and physically fit for motherhood. So she asked us to help her, by way of the "New You Revolution."

THEKLA FISCHER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: We've managed to break some bad habits here, and I think we've also sort of started steering things in the right direction.

GUPTA: She's met a lot of parents and children. She's eating better.

FISCHER: I talked to a nutritionist.

GUPTA: She's exercising more.

FISCHER: Instead of doing the late-night eating, I've been doing a late-night yoga class.

GUPTA: And she's finally taking prenatal vitamins. And in preparation for future parenthood, Thekla and her husband also got a financial checkup. Now all that's left is go make a baby.

Harald Fricker's "New You Revolution" began when his kids signed him up. They were worried about their dad. The former fit Harald was 100 pounds overweight. And even though he was running every day with dogs and cat and in tow, he wasn't losing weight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's had to learn how to train smarter and not harder.

GUPTA: And it seems to be working for Harald.

HARALD FRICKER, "NEW YOU" PARTICIPANT: I lost approximately 20 pounds, and I'm losing two to three pounds a week.

GUPTA: He's not running anymore. His trainer makes him walk instead. And his five workouts a week include cardio and weight training, plus the occasional workout with his kids, too. And he's eating healthier. He's also trying to get more sleep with the help of this c-pap mask, which helps control his sleep apnea. So, are his kids proud of their dad?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

FRICKER: I wish I could just flash six months forward, because I'm absolutely sure I'm going to be at least very close to the 100- pound weight loss that I'm after.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And you'll remember as well, it was Harald's kids that actually signed him up in the first place. Listen, they all did great. They lost pounds. They lost inches. They feel great. They broke bad habits. I think overall a real success here.

O'BRIEN: Very inspiring.

HEMMER: Yes. We'll see if it sticks. What did you call them? A motley crew?

GUPTA: That's right.

HEMMER: A motley bunch? We're going see them next hour, right?

GUPTA: Yes, absolutely. You know, they have certain things they want to share with people as well, you guys, and the rest of our viewers as well. And I will tell you they're downstairs right now, getting all gussied up. There they are. They just watched that. I hear they liked that piece that they just saw as well. So they'll be up here in just about an hour or so to answer your questions and take e-mail questions as well later on.

O'BRIEN: Yes, it will be interesting to talk about the obstacles that they met along the way and sort of the hardest things to get past while they were trying to get through whatever goal they had to get through.

GUPTA: Right. And when the cameras go away...

O'BRIEN: Yes.

GUPTA: ... how do we keep the motivation?

O'BRIEN: Yes, that's true.

GUPTA: We'll talk about that.

O'BRIEN: Excellent. Sanjay, thanks very much. We're looking forward to chatting with them.

GUPTA: Good to see you guys.

O'BRIEN: Wonderful.

Well, ahead this morning, a look at today's top stories. Also, a crime spree sweeps the nation. The suspects are young and old, rich and poor. The only thing they have in common, though, is a full tank of gas. We'll explain just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Tension again today spilling into the streets of Beirut, Lebanon. At this hour, there are tens of thousands crowding into the streets. They are for Syria. The question today: Are the winds already shifting against Syria's pullout? Live to Beirut, live to the White House, next hour here on AMERICAN MORNING.

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