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CNN Live At Daybreak
Fear Factor: Gas Prices; President's Energy Policy; Volcanic Explosion
Aired March 09, 2005 - 06:30 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."
A hearty wave today just about 40 minutes from Pope John Paul II. The crowd outside his hospital window cheered when the blinds parted and the pope waved. The 84-year-old pope was hospitalized for throat surgery nearly two weeks ago.
Another suicide bombing in Baghdad. This time, the attacker was driving a garbage truck. It blew a huge hole in the center of the city, killing two people and wounding 22 others.
A controversial amendment to the highway spending bill is expected today. The measure would extend the workday for truckers from 14 to 16 hours as long as the driver takes an unpaid two-hour break. Critics say it increases chances for accidents.
And Northeasterners will have to dig out of another winter storm today. In Massachusetts, icy snow and a chilly blast of wind resulted in power outages, dangerous wind chill and white-out conditions. And, boy, that live picture of Boston, it even looks cold, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It feels like now 14 degrees below zero where that camera is. And if buildings could shake, they would, because I'll tell you what, everybody else is shivering out there.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: We could set a new record high not in the record books for weather, but in the record books for gas prices. The Department of Energy is predicting the average price for a gallon of gas will soar to $2.10 a gallon. President Bush will visit an energy research lab in Ohio today, and later he'll share some details about his energy policy.
We've got two reports for you this morning. More details now, though, from CNN's Dick Uliano about the president's trip and his comments on the war on terror.
Actually, but first, our Brian Todd on the fear factor that's driving up gas prices.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At pump after pump, customers practically choke up as they fill up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's taking, like, about $40, when it used to take, like, $20.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That just cost me $55. And a month ago, I think it was $48.
TODD: That's in California, where the price of self-serve regular gas is at about $2.20 a gallon, higher than most places. But gas prices are shooting up everywhere in the U.S., the national average now at just under $2 a gallon for self-serve regular.
The U.S. government says prices will hit new record highs this driving season between April and September, a national average of 2.10 a gallon.
LLEWELLYLN KING, "THE ENERGY DAILY": The real problem is that the world oil supply is extraordinarily fragile.
TODD: Fragile not necessarily in volume, say the experts, but in other areas. Refining and shipping capacities stretched thin. Demand from the United States, and lately India and China, going way up. And listen to what a Saudi official and an independent expert volunteered about the terrorism factor.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: We are paying some kind of fear premium for the price of oil right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that puts a fear premium on crude oil.
TODD: Energy experts say oil markets, like others, are psychologically driven.
KING: I, for example, would suggest, as you notice, every time a pipeline in Iraq is blown up, there's a spike in price. Now, should that move, that kind of violence against oil move, into Saudi Arabia, it would be a very serious problem.
TODD: Saudi Arabia has already been hit. A series of attacks on oil company compounds in 2003 and 2004 killed dozens of foreign workers. Experts believe many refineries are well-secured. The vulnerabilities lie in the pipelines, ports and housing complexes. And there is another threat.
BERGEN: We don't know if al Qaeda has penetrated the Saudi oil business. But it would be kind of surprising if it hadn't, because this is the largest industry in the kingdom. Clearly, bin Laden enjoys a fair amount of support in certain circles.
TODD (on camera): And not even three months ago, bin Laden issued a taped message, urging his followers to continue their attacks on the oil industry. Experts say that's part of al Qaeda's broader strategy to hurt Western economies. And even the possibility of attack is one reason many people will be hurting at the pumps this summer.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Now to our Dick Uliano, who has got more on the president's energy policy and what he's saying about the war on terror.
Good morning -- Dick.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO: And good morning to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, the president is traveling to Columbus, Ohio. What will he say?
ULIANO: Well, the president is going to focus on energy today. You know, in recent days, it's been much about, for example, Social Security. And yesterday a big speech on terrorism, the global war on terrorism.
But today, the president highlights his energy bill, which has been stalled in Congress for a long time. He is venturing into Columbus, Ohio, where he'll visit the Battelle Memorial Institute. This is a research and development institute, Carol. And this institute spent something like $300 billion a year on research and development, much of it in energy.
And the president is going to focus on his clear skies power plant initiative, which is to reduce the sulfur content of coal, which contributes to acid rain, and to make power plants more efficient. And also his stalled energy bill, which is, everybody knows, includes drilling in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge, which Democrats staunchly oppose. And Senate Democrats have blocked that bill now for more than three years.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Do you think he'll throw in a little bit about Social Security, too?
ULIANO: Well, he may. Yes, the president still has that battle going, and that's been an ongoing fight in Washington. And when people talk about the political stalemate over Social Security, it's true that that issue has gotten little traction.
But energy bill, too, has gotten little traction during the president's first four years in office. The Republican-controlled House has managed to pass the energy bill. But Senate Democrats have blocked it repeatedly.
And earlier this week, Democrats on Capitol Hill again reaffirmed they want no part of the energy bill as long as it includes this proposal to drill in the pristine Alaskan Wildlife Refuge.
COSTELLO: We'll be listening. Dick Uliano of CNN Radio joining us this morning. Thank you.
CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING's" Soledad O'Brien joins us now with a look at what she's working on.
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.
This morning we're talking about President Clinton and his follow-up surgery. It's going to treat a rare complication from his quadruple bypass last year. This morning, we talk with Dr. Gupta about the risks and also just how fast the former president is going to be able to recover.
Also, we are covering the Jackson trial this morning. The accuser, we are told, could testify as soon as today. But is the prosecution making a big mistake? Already, the defense is finding some pretty big holes in the testimony of the accuser's brother. Jeff Toobin is going to help us sort it all out this morning.
Then, the rap wars. Are big stars like 50 Cent making money from violence? Reverend Al Sharpton joins us. He wants a ban on artists who are connected to violence. That just might be censorship. What about free speech? We're going to talk to the reverend live this morning ahead on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at the top of the hour -- Carol. Once my mouth starts working -- Carol.
COSTELLO: It's working just fine. Thank you, Soledad.
Clearing the air around Mount St. Helens. Was yesterday's spewing of ash and steam a sign of something more to come? Find out ahead. We'll have a live report for you.
Then, before a sex scandal, he was a potential darling for the ad industry. Are Kobe Bryant's endorsement days coming back?
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: A little spice added to your morning this morning.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
You saw it right here on CNN. Pope John Paul II at his hospital, waving to a cheering crowd below. It happened about an hour ago. It was the third time in nearly two weeks since he was hospitalized that he appeared to acknowledge the crowd. Actually, he did acknowledge the crowd.
The widow of Congressman Robert Matsui has won a special election to fill his seat in the U.S. House. Doris Matsui's husband died in January of complications from a rare bone marrow disease.
In money news, it's March Madness for General Motors. Dealers say they'll kick off a new promotion tomorrow aimed at boosting sales. It will include $1,000 rebate for vehicles that have been sitting on the lot for more than 120 days.
In culture, do you recognize this guy? No, that's not Mario, but he's coming up. There's Mario. He's one of the video game stars inducted into the Walk of Game in San Francisco. Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell -- that's Nolan. He's the man behind Pong. He also got his own star.
In sports, scalping tickets for the Super Bowl is a given, but now there is word that Minnesota head coach Mike Tice is being investigated for allegedly directing a Super Bowl ticket scalping operation. Tice absolutely denies doing anything wrong.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: Carol, Mount St. Helens did go up yesterday, a little bit of a boom. We'll have some details on where that ash is going coming up.
COSTELLO: Yes, we will have live report in just a bit. In fact, I'm going to tease that upcoming segment right now, because cranking up the drama, Mount St. Helens sends a plume of steam and ash thousands of feet into the sky. As I said, a live report straight ahead on what else we can expect to see from the Washington State volcano.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Wednesday, March 9.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: There's that beautiful view of Central Park. And as you can see, The Gates are gone.
Let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A difference a day can make in this city weather-wise. Wow! Carol, how are you?
We've been listening to President Bush almost for a week and a half now repeating that demand that Syria get out of Lebanon immediately. Why then is it so important to the president? And what is in it for the United States? We'll talk to the former secretary of state Madeleine Albright. We'll put those very questions to her this morning.
And Darryl Strawberry is back with the New York Mets. We'll talk to him today about his turbulent life and career and how he is now sharing the lessons he learned as a player with the younger players today. He's an instructor for the Mets, and we'll talk to the "Straw" coming up this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING."
A packed show, three hours. See you in about 11 minutes, Carol, OK?
COSTELLO: We'll be there. Thank you.
HEMMER: All right. Bye-bye.
COSTELLO: Mount St. Helens is commanding attention again. The spewing of ash and steam has nearby residents on a volcano watch.
Let's head live to reporter Katharine Barrett in Vancouver, Washington.
Good morning -- Katharine.
KATHARINE BARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Carol.
I'm here at the Cascades Volcano Observatory, where scientists are also on volcano watch around the clock. They've returned to a 24- hour watch now that the mountain has again spewed a jet of ash and steam. This one about twice as big as the biggest one we saw back in October, when Mount St. Helens sort of reawakened from a recent sleep.
They call it still a small explosive event, but it certainly had significant force behind it. That plume of ash and steam rose by the reports of airline pilots as much as 36,000 in the air. And as late as 10:00 p.m. last night there was still satellite pictures, satellite imagery showing ash in the air over Eastern Washington.
It did affect air traffic. I was actually on a flight coming into Seattle from Salt Lake City late yesterday evening, and the pilot told us we were going to have to navigate around the volcano and around that ash plume, coming around to be upwind of it and coming up the coast on a different-than-normal route into the airport.
It affected ground traffic as well. The plume was visible for miles around, and people stopped their cars and got out, simply to gawk at it.
Scientists today will be waiting for daylight. And it looks like it's likely to be clear skies. They hope to be able to take surveillance helicopters up and examine the crater to see exactly where that jet came from, and also examine their instruments, many of which were damaged in this most recent explosion -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you if they could tell how serious this is.
BARRETT: Well, they lost five out of seven of their monitoring stations that were in the crater. They say this is not an unusual explosion given the recent pattern of these kinds of steam and ash explosions. It's unusual only in that it's about -- it shot its ash about twice as high as previous ones in this recent cycle.
And they need to see exactly where that jet came from. If it came from a different part of the newly-bulging lava dome in the crater, then they may be concerned that something else is going on that they had not yet predicted.
But they say this is really typical of this kind of active volcanic cycle.
COSTELLO: Fascinating. Katharine Barrett in Vancouver, Washington. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
It is 6:53 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.
Subpoenas could be issued as early as today for Major Leaguers Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmero (ph). They could be called on to testify about steroids before a congressional committee.
Kobe Bryant's endorsement days may not be over despite his recent legal troubles. California fast food chain Carl's Jr. will sell Kobe bobblehead dolls next month during the restaurant's annual Lakers promotion.
And the International Olympic Committee goes to work in Paris today, inspecting the city as a possible location for the 2012 Summer Games. The mayor of Paris says his city is less arrogant and less proud now. The committee said no to Paris when deciding on the host city for the 1992 and 2008 games.
And Britain's Prince Charles and his future wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, are getting their own stamps. Two different commemorative stamps will mark the royal wedding. One is a casual profile of the couple, the other a more formal pose. The stamps go on sale April 8, the couple's wedding day. Charles and Camilla's wedding was given legal approval in British courts despite 11 legal protests. They haven't gotten married yet. I'm sorry to have implied that. Prince Charles' first wedding to Princess Diana in 1981 was also marked with a special series of stamps.
Also debuting in Britain, a ballet based on the life of Princess Diana. You can tell from the hairdo. Choreographers said it's a tribute to the beloved people's princess, who died in a car accident. The ballet is playing in Manchester, but it's unlikely any members of the royal family will be in the audience, although they have been invited.
This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's time to give away our DAYBREAK coffee mug.
MYERS: I'll hold in my hand here, Carol.
COSTELLO: It's beautiful.
MYERS: Oh, look at that! You have one, too. We actually asked tough questions yesterday, so here it is. What company is adding repair shops to its stores? The answer to that one is Sprint. And the widow of which congressman is running to fill his seat? That was yesterday obviously. And the congressman was U.S. Congressman Matsui and Doris Matsui.
Now the winner -- Representative Matsui and Doris Matsui. And the winner of our coffee mug, Marlene Stein from Silver Spring, Maryland. In fact, I used to live in Silver Spring working with the government, Carol.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
MYERS: The National Weather Service.
COSTELLO: And congratulations to Marlene.
MYERS: Congratulations to her. And obviously that mug will be in the mail tonight.
COSTELLO: Exactly, wrapped in bubble wrap.
MYERS: About four to six weeks for delivery.
COSTELLO: You know, we have a new address for people to send the questions -- the answers to the questions to.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: So, after you ask the questions, we ask our viewers to pay close attention to the e-mail address.
MYERS: We actually have a link now. We are moving up in the world.
Now, today, now moving up.
COSTELLO: Our budget went up, like, $5 or $10, and we got a Web site.
MYERS: The U.S. Labor Department has reported an increase in what type of theft? And No. 2, you must answer them both, what celebrity will narrate a cell phone walking tour of Boston? If you have your cell phone to your ear today in Boston, it may stay there frozen, 14 degrees below zero is the wind chill.
Submit your answers now to CNN.com/daybreak. You'll find the link right there.
COSTELLO: CNN.com/daybreak.
MYERS: How about that? Now the forecast now.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
Tomorrow on DAYBREAK, it is enemy No. 1 in many of America's hometowns. We're talking about meth. How did the problem get to this point? And how can you help your community fight it? That's tomorrow on DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. 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 9, 2005 - 06:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."
A hearty wave today just about 40 minutes from Pope John Paul II. The crowd outside his hospital window cheered when the blinds parted and the pope waved. The 84-year-old pope was hospitalized for throat surgery nearly two weeks ago.
Another suicide bombing in Baghdad. This time, the attacker was driving a garbage truck. It blew a huge hole in the center of the city, killing two people and wounding 22 others.
A controversial amendment to the highway spending bill is expected today. The measure would extend the workday for truckers from 14 to 16 hours as long as the driver takes an unpaid two-hour break. Critics say it increases chances for accidents.
And Northeasterners will have to dig out of another winter storm today. In Massachusetts, icy snow and a chilly blast of wind resulted in power outages, dangerous wind chill and white-out conditions. And, boy, that live picture of Boston, it even looks cold, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It feels like now 14 degrees below zero where that camera is. And if buildings could shake, they would, because I'll tell you what, everybody else is shivering out there.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: We could set a new record high not in the record books for weather, but in the record books for gas prices. The Department of Energy is predicting the average price for a gallon of gas will soar to $2.10 a gallon. President Bush will visit an energy research lab in Ohio today, and later he'll share some details about his energy policy.
We've got two reports for you this morning. More details now, though, from CNN's Dick Uliano about the president's trip and his comments on the war on terror.
Actually, but first, our Brian Todd on the fear factor that's driving up gas prices.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At pump after pump, customers practically choke up as they fill up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's taking, like, about $40, when it used to take, like, $20.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That just cost me $55. And a month ago, I think it was $48.
TODD: That's in California, where the price of self-serve regular gas is at about $2.20 a gallon, higher than most places. But gas prices are shooting up everywhere in the U.S., the national average now at just under $2 a gallon for self-serve regular.
The U.S. government says prices will hit new record highs this driving season between April and September, a national average of 2.10 a gallon.
LLEWELLYLN KING, "THE ENERGY DAILY": The real problem is that the world oil supply is extraordinarily fragile.
TODD: Fragile not necessarily in volume, say the experts, but in other areas. Refining and shipping capacities stretched thin. Demand from the United States, and lately India and China, going way up. And listen to what a Saudi official and an independent expert volunteered about the terrorism factor.
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: We are paying some kind of fear premium for the price of oil right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that puts a fear premium on crude oil.
TODD: Energy experts say oil markets, like others, are psychologically driven.
KING: I, for example, would suggest, as you notice, every time a pipeline in Iraq is blown up, there's a spike in price. Now, should that move, that kind of violence against oil move, into Saudi Arabia, it would be a very serious problem.
TODD: Saudi Arabia has already been hit. A series of attacks on oil company compounds in 2003 and 2004 killed dozens of foreign workers. Experts believe many refineries are well-secured. The vulnerabilities lie in the pipelines, ports and housing complexes. And there is another threat.
BERGEN: We don't know if al Qaeda has penetrated the Saudi oil business. But it would be kind of surprising if it hadn't, because this is the largest industry in the kingdom. Clearly, bin Laden enjoys a fair amount of support in certain circles.
TODD (on camera): And not even three months ago, bin Laden issued a taped message, urging his followers to continue their attacks on the oil industry. Experts say that's part of al Qaeda's broader strategy to hurt Western economies. And even the possibility of attack is one reason many people will be hurting at the pumps this summer.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Now to our Dick Uliano, who has got more on the president's energy policy and what he's saying about the war on terror.
Good morning -- Dick.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO: And good morning to you, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, the president is traveling to Columbus, Ohio. What will he say?
ULIANO: Well, the president is going to focus on energy today. You know, in recent days, it's been much about, for example, Social Security. And yesterday a big speech on terrorism, the global war on terrorism.
But today, the president highlights his energy bill, which has been stalled in Congress for a long time. He is venturing into Columbus, Ohio, where he'll visit the Battelle Memorial Institute. This is a research and development institute, Carol. And this institute spent something like $300 billion a year on research and development, much of it in energy.
And the president is going to focus on his clear skies power plant initiative, which is to reduce the sulfur content of coal, which contributes to acid rain, and to make power plants more efficient. And also his stalled energy bill, which is, everybody knows, includes drilling in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge, which Democrats staunchly oppose. And Senate Democrats have blocked that bill now for more than three years.
COSTELLO: Interesting. Do you think he'll throw in a little bit about Social Security, too?
ULIANO: Well, he may. Yes, the president still has that battle going, and that's been an ongoing fight in Washington. And when people talk about the political stalemate over Social Security, it's true that that issue has gotten little traction.
But energy bill, too, has gotten little traction during the president's first four years in office. The Republican-controlled House has managed to pass the energy bill. But Senate Democrats have blocked it repeatedly.
And earlier this week, Democrats on Capitol Hill again reaffirmed they want no part of the energy bill as long as it includes this proposal to drill in the pristine Alaskan Wildlife Refuge.
COSTELLO: We'll be listening. Dick Uliano of CNN Radio joining us this morning. Thank you.
CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING's" Soledad O'Brien joins us now with a look at what she's working on.
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.
This morning we're talking about President Clinton and his follow-up surgery. It's going to treat a rare complication from his quadruple bypass last year. This morning, we talk with Dr. Gupta about the risks and also just how fast the former president is going to be able to recover.
Also, we are covering the Jackson trial this morning. The accuser, we are told, could testify as soon as today. But is the prosecution making a big mistake? Already, the defense is finding some pretty big holes in the testimony of the accuser's brother. Jeff Toobin is going to help us sort it all out this morning.
Then, the rap wars. Are big stars like 50 Cent making money from violence? Reverend Al Sharpton joins us. He wants a ban on artists who are connected to violence. That just might be censorship. What about free speech? We're going to talk to the reverend live this morning ahead on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at the top of the hour -- Carol. Once my mouth starts working -- Carol.
COSTELLO: It's working just fine. Thank you, Soledad.
Clearing the air around Mount St. Helens. Was yesterday's spewing of ash and steam a sign of something more to come? Find out ahead. We'll have a live report for you.
Then, before a sex scandal, he was a potential darling for the ad industry. Are Kobe Bryant's endorsement days coming back?
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: A little spice added to your morning this morning.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
You saw it right here on CNN. Pope John Paul II at his hospital, waving to a cheering crowd below. It happened about an hour ago. It was the third time in nearly two weeks since he was hospitalized that he appeared to acknowledge the crowd. Actually, he did acknowledge the crowd.
The widow of Congressman Robert Matsui has won a special election to fill his seat in the U.S. House. Doris Matsui's husband died in January of complications from a rare bone marrow disease.
In money news, it's March Madness for General Motors. Dealers say they'll kick off a new promotion tomorrow aimed at boosting sales. It will include $1,000 rebate for vehicles that have been sitting on the lot for more than 120 days.
In culture, do you recognize this guy? No, that's not Mario, but he's coming up. There's Mario. He's one of the video game stars inducted into the Walk of Game in San Francisco. Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell -- that's Nolan. He's the man behind Pong. He also got his own star.
In sports, scalping tickets for the Super Bowl is a given, but now there is word that Minnesota head coach Mike Tice is being investigated for allegedly directing a Super Bowl ticket scalping operation. Tice absolutely denies doing anything wrong.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: Carol, Mount St. Helens did go up yesterday, a little bit of a boom. We'll have some details on where that ash is going coming up.
COSTELLO: Yes, we will have live report in just a bit. In fact, I'm going to tease that upcoming segment right now, because cranking up the drama, Mount St. Helens sends a plume of steam and ash thousands of feet into the sky. As I said, a live report straight ahead on what else we can expect to see from the Washington State volcano.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Wednesday, March 9.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: There's that beautiful view of Central Park. And as you can see, The Gates are gone.
Let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A difference a day can make in this city weather-wise. Wow! Carol, how are you?
We've been listening to President Bush almost for a week and a half now repeating that demand that Syria get out of Lebanon immediately. Why then is it so important to the president? And what is in it for the United States? We'll talk to the former secretary of state Madeleine Albright. We'll put those very questions to her this morning.
And Darryl Strawberry is back with the New York Mets. We'll talk to him today about his turbulent life and career and how he is now sharing the lessons he learned as a player with the younger players today. He's an instructor for the Mets, and we'll talk to the "Straw" coming up this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING."
A packed show, three hours. See you in about 11 minutes, Carol, OK?
COSTELLO: We'll be there. Thank you.
HEMMER: All right. Bye-bye.
COSTELLO: Mount St. Helens is commanding attention again. The spewing of ash and steam has nearby residents on a volcano watch.
Let's head live to reporter Katharine Barrett in Vancouver, Washington.
Good morning -- Katharine.
KATHARINE BARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Carol.
I'm here at the Cascades Volcano Observatory, where scientists are also on volcano watch around the clock. They've returned to a 24- hour watch now that the mountain has again spewed a jet of ash and steam. This one about twice as big as the biggest one we saw back in October, when Mount St. Helens sort of reawakened from a recent sleep.
They call it still a small explosive event, but it certainly had significant force behind it. That plume of ash and steam rose by the reports of airline pilots as much as 36,000 in the air. And as late as 10:00 p.m. last night there was still satellite pictures, satellite imagery showing ash in the air over Eastern Washington.
It did affect air traffic. I was actually on a flight coming into Seattle from Salt Lake City late yesterday evening, and the pilot told us we were going to have to navigate around the volcano and around that ash plume, coming around to be upwind of it and coming up the coast on a different-than-normal route into the airport.
It affected ground traffic as well. The plume was visible for miles around, and people stopped their cars and got out, simply to gawk at it.
Scientists today will be waiting for daylight. And it looks like it's likely to be clear skies. They hope to be able to take surveillance helicopters up and examine the crater to see exactly where that jet came from, and also examine their instruments, many of which were damaged in this most recent explosion -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you if they could tell how serious this is.
BARRETT: Well, they lost five out of seven of their monitoring stations that were in the crater. They say this is not an unusual explosion given the recent pattern of these kinds of steam and ash explosions. It's unusual only in that it's about -- it shot its ash about twice as high as previous ones in this recent cycle.
And they need to see exactly where that jet came from. If it came from a different part of the newly-bulging lava dome in the crater, then they may be concerned that something else is going on that they had not yet predicted.
But they say this is really typical of this kind of active volcanic cycle.
COSTELLO: Fascinating. Katharine Barrett in Vancouver, Washington. Thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
It is 6:53 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.
Subpoenas could be issued as early as today for Major Leaguers Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmero (ph). They could be called on to testify about steroids before a congressional committee.
Kobe Bryant's endorsement days may not be over despite his recent legal troubles. California fast food chain Carl's Jr. will sell Kobe bobblehead dolls next month during the restaurant's annual Lakers promotion.
And the International Olympic Committee goes to work in Paris today, inspecting the city as a possible location for the 2012 Summer Games. The mayor of Paris says his city is less arrogant and less proud now. The committee said no to Paris when deciding on the host city for the 1992 and 2008 games.
And Britain's Prince Charles and his future wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, are getting their own stamps. Two different commemorative stamps will mark the royal wedding. One is a casual profile of the couple, the other a more formal pose. The stamps go on sale April 8, the couple's wedding day. Charles and Camilla's wedding was given legal approval in British courts despite 11 legal protests. They haven't gotten married yet. I'm sorry to have implied that. Prince Charles' first wedding to Princess Diana in 1981 was also marked with a special series of stamps.
Also debuting in Britain, a ballet based on the life of Princess Diana. You can tell from the hairdo. Choreographers said it's a tribute to the beloved people's princess, who died in a car accident. The ballet is playing in Manchester, but it's unlikely any members of the royal family will be in the audience, although they have been invited.
This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's time to give away our DAYBREAK coffee mug.
MYERS: I'll hold in my hand here, Carol.
COSTELLO: It's beautiful.
MYERS: Oh, look at that! You have one, too. We actually asked tough questions yesterday, so here it is. What company is adding repair shops to its stores? The answer to that one is Sprint. And the widow of which congressman is running to fill his seat? That was yesterday obviously. And the congressman was U.S. Congressman Matsui and Doris Matsui.
Now the winner -- Representative Matsui and Doris Matsui. And the winner of our coffee mug, Marlene Stein from Silver Spring, Maryland. In fact, I used to live in Silver Spring working with the government, Carol.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
MYERS: The National Weather Service.
COSTELLO: And congratulations to Marlene.
MYERS: Congratulations to her. And obviously that mug will be in the mail tonight.
COSTELLO: Exactly, wrapped in bubble wrap.
MYERS: About four to six weeks for delivery.
COSTELLO: You know, we have a new address for people to send the questions -- the answers to the questions to.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: So, after you ask the questions, we ask our viewers to pay close attention to the e-mail address.
MYERS: We actually have a link now. We are moving up in the world.
Now, today, now moving up.
COSTELLO: Our budget went up, like, $5 or $10, and we got a Web site.
MYERS: The U.S. Labor Department has reported an increase in what type of theft? And No. 2, you must answer them both, what celebrity will narrate a cell phone walking tour of Boston? If you have your cell phone to your ear today in Boston, it may stay there frozen, 14 degrees below zero is the wind chill.
Submit your answers now to CNN.com/daybreak. You'll find the link right there.
COSTELLO: CNN.com/daybreak.
MYERS: How about that? Now the forecast now.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
Tomorrow on DAYBREAK, it is enemy No. 1 in many of America's hometowns. We're talking about meth. How did the problem get to this point? And how can you help your community fight it? That's tomorrow on DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
