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CNN Live At Daybreak
Suicide Bomber Strikes Baghdad; Dan Rather's Goodbye Stirs Controversy
Aired March 09, 2005 - 06:00 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: Is fear fueling higher gas prices? The president is expected to talk about his energy policy today. We'll take a closer look at the factors.
And is someone ripping off your retirement funds? Details about a spike in 401K theft and what you can do to protect yourself.
And then, Dan Rather says good-bye to a nightly audience. But it's the parting words from his coworkers that may overshadow his farewell.
It is Wednesday, March 9.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
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, just minutes ago, Pope John Paul II appeared at his hospital window in Rome. You can see him there through the blinds waving to the crowds below.
Also this morning, a suicide bomber in Iraq chose a garbage truck as his weapon. The blast blew a huge hole in central Baghdad, killing at least two people and wounding 22 others. We take you live to Baghdad in just minutes for more on this bombing.
Former President Bill Clinton is playing golf today before heading back to the hospital tomorrow. He'll have surgery for fluid buildup from his heart bypass surgery last fall.
And the Mount Saint Helens watch is on again. The volcano has sent a plume of smoke and ash nearly six miles into the air. Mount Saint Helens has been rumbling on and off since September.
To the forecast center -- good morning, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: More now on our lead story. A suicide bomber strikes in Baghdad using a garbage truck. A huge hole has been blown in the street. There are deaths. There are injuries. Let's head live now to Baghdad and Aneesh Raman to tell us more -- hello, Aneesh.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning to you.
A massive crater is what remains following that attack. It happened around 6:30 a.m. local when a suicide bomber, as you say, using a garbage truck, was driving through a courtyard outside of the Ministry of Agriculture. He was fired upon by guards. The explosion took place. Two guards were killed, 22 others were wounded.
According to ministry officials, the intended target was likely the Al-Sadr Hotel adjacent to the ministry and known to house a large number of Westerners. It did not make it there, but it did cause severe damage. Some 40 cars owned by the ministry were completely destroyed, some of them. Others were burned in the attack.
If, though, Carol, this had taken place later in the day, when people would have been arriving to work at the ministry or if the bomber had gotten to his intended target, the casualty numbers and the devastation likely would have been much higher.
We're also, Carol, getting word in the past hour of another suicide car bomb taking place at a military checkpoint in Ramadi. These are early reports. We don't know yet any numbers of casualties or the extent of the damage -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Aneesh Raman reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
Thank you.
In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi prepares to go before parliament. He'll talk about the controversial shooting in Baghdad by American troops that left an Italian security agent dead. Three others were wounded, including a journalist. Berlusconi will talk about the presence of Italian troops in Iraq.
And it's something President Bush has been fighting for, and he's won. The United Nations has now approved a ban on human cloning. That includes experimental cloning to cure disease. However, Britain, Belgium and China say they will not stop their research.
President Bush did express his support for the U.N.'s action. He said, and I quote, "Human life must not be created for the purpose of destroying it. The United States and the international community have now spoken clearly that human cloning is an affront to human dignity and that we must work together to protect human life."
But the president is focusing on his energy plan today. He'll spend the day in Columbus, Ohio at a research lab that's working on a so-called clean coal technology. The president's budget includes nearly $300 million for research into ways to reduce pollution from coal.
President Bush, Sr. is raising money for charity, along with some other notables. Although Bill Clinton is scheduled for heart surgery tomorrow, he'll play some golf with Bush in Florida to raise money for the victims of the Southern Asian tsunami.
And on that topic, Bush and Clinton are now talking about their trip to the tsunami zone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That was the part that moved me the most was the children. And yet on the upbeat side of it were the people that were teaching them and helping them get over this terrible crisis in their hearts and in their minds. It was just wonderful. But it was tough.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think you can -- even though I think the media did a fabulous job of covering the tsunami, until you see it, the full impact of it doesn't hit. But I was impressed by what the devastation had wrought and by the courage of the people coming back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Today's benefit golf tournament was organized by golf Greg Norman. We'll have pictures for you later.
Now for some "Stories Making News Across America."
Immigration officials arrested 27 workers at the Greensboro, North Carolina airport for using counterfeit documents. The suspects work for a company that performed maintenance on airplanes. Officials say they don't believe any of the suspects were involved in terrorist activities.
The brother of Michael Jackson's accuser will be back on the witness stand today. He's admitted that he doesn't remember details. Jackson's defense attorneys raised doubt about his credibility. The boy had earlier testified that he witnessed Jackson molesting his brother, but later said he couldn't remember.
It looks like the Los Angeles mayor's race may be heading for a runoff. A city councilman has already secured a spot as one of the final two. The incumbent is currently running second. The runoff would be held on May 17.
Saving up for the golden years? Then you will want to hear what's happening to some people's retirement accounts, and maybe yours.
And good-bye to the eye -- Dan Rather says so long, but will it be a fond farewell? Viewers decide for themselves.
And we'll tell you live to Mount Saint Helens, where some rumbling has all eyes looking up.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: (AUDIO GAP).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:10 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
A suicide bomber in Baghdad arrived at his target in a garbage truck. The massive explosion formed a huge crater. It killed at least two people. As many as 22 more wounded in that blast.
Just about 15 minutes ago, you saw it here, Pope John Paul II appeared in his hospital window in Rome. It was the third time he appeared at the window since being rushed back to the hospital nearly two weeks ago. Several hundred people outside the window cheered his appearance.
In money news, McDonald's is launching a new healthy lifestyle initiative. The plan includes new menu items and new TV commercials. The company will also produce a series of Ronald McDonald videos aimed at teaching children how to eat right.
In culture, the City of Boston is offering a new guided tour service and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler -- yes, that's Jay's favorite. He's our floor man. Steven Tyler, Jay. He will be your guide in Boston. You can use your cell phone to access a taped message from Tyler that will lead you through the city's top attractions.
In sports, Randy Johnson ran into some trouble in his spring debut for the New York Yankees. Johnson was tagged for two runs in two innings against the Atlanta Braves. The Braves won 8-2.
Oh, spring training games mean nothing, though -- Chad.
MYERS: Not really, you know, but to get shelled like that was pretty quick.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Ouch, Dan Rather must be feeling some pain this morning. Today is the day he will step down as anchor of the CBS Evening News. But he's not going out like Tom Brokaw.
A CBS affiliate in lower Michigan is asking viewers to vote on whether it should air a prime time tribute to Rather. As of 5:22 a.m. Eastern, there were 1,237 votes against airing it; 827 for it. So Rather is dealing with that and some ugly comments from colleagues at CBS.
They're saying things like this: "The Evening News is like Miss. America, only it's Mr. America. And if you're in a three network race and you come in third, then the public is against you." Those are the words of Don Hewitt, the man who created "60 Minutes." And then there's Walter Cronkite, Rather's predecessor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER CRONKITE, FORMER CBS ANCHOR: It's quite a tribute to him that he, that CBS held onto him so long under those circumstances. It surprised quite a few people at CBS and elsewhere that without being able to pull up the ratings beyond third in a three-man field, that they tolerated his being there for so long.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So you would have been happier if Bob Schieffer would have replaced Dan Rather a while ago?
CRONKITE: I would have thought so, certainly. If not Bob, someone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Joining us now is Lloyd Grove of the "New York Daily News" for more on the story behind the story.
Thank you for coming in.
LLOYD GROVE, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": My pleasure.
COSTELLO: All right, I understand all the controversy about Dan Rather and that story. We won't go into that.
What I'm most interested in is why all the vitriol from colleagues at CBS?
GROVE: Well, when grumpy old men attack, it's not pretty. I mean Dan has been the anchor for an amazing 24 years and he's going out on a bad note of that job, but he'll have plenty of time on "60 Minutes" to continue his career. The guy is amazing. He's a survivor. I mean he's the original CBS survivor.
COSTELLO: But why kick him when he's down?
GROVE: Well, Don Hewitt and Walter Cronkite each have their own agenda. Walter feels, probably justifiably, that he was rushed out of his anchor seat at an age when -- he's 88 now. He's still going strong. He could have done this for, you know, 20 more years himself.
And Don is just, that's Don. He's just like that. He just says what he thinks. They're both in their 80s. They say what they want. No one stops them.
COSTELLO: Well, you know -- and maybe I'm just thinking of a conspiracy theory here, but you know the new media is, in part, response for Dan Rather stepping down in this way, and I'm talking about the bloggers who came out so heavily against him.
So I was just wondering if all this talk from CBS colleagues was somehow to distance themselves from Dan Rather to make themselves look better? GROVE: Well, I think it's just they can't help themselves. They talk about everybody that way. But I must say, what I'm hearing is the rank and file at CBS News today is very sad. I mean there are people actually weeping in the halls. And Dan has been bringing people up. People have been lining up to pose with him and their families. There's going to be a big party for him on Friday.
I think this is the end of an era in terms of the anchor job at CBS. And Dan has been a terrific leader over there over many of the years he's been there.
COSTELLO: Well, you're one of the few on television that are supporting him, because I've watched other networks. I won't mention any names. But vicious, just vicious about Dan Rather and what he did for the past five years, let's say, because, you know, he was a great reporter. You can't discount that. But people are. And I don't know, it's just sort of a sad end. And maybe I'm just becoming too emotional about it and attached, but, you know, I feel sorry for the guy.
GROVE: It's a sad -- it's going to be a sad end for all the networks. I mean Brokaw is gone, Jennings will go at some point in the near future, relatively. The networks are losing market share to CNN, to other cable outlets, to the Internet. So it's, you know, this is really a sad occasion for, you know, nostalgic people like me of a certain age.
COSTELLO: Well, many of our viewers are not nostalgic about Dan Rather's leaving, because they're equally vicious about him.
Lloyd Grove, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
We sure appreciate it.
GROVE: My pleasure.
COSTELLO: Working extra hard to secure your future? Just ahead, why you need to make sure your retirement money isn't being spent by someone else.
And our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at the rare complication that's sending President Clinton back to the hospital.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Time for a little "Business Buzz."
You know, you might be in the mood for a new car, and this would be a good time to be in a mood for a new car, especially if you're looking for one from General Motors, because some big deals are on the horizon.
Let's head live to the Nasdaq market site and Stephanie Elam -- good morning, Stephanie.
Tell us more. STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
That's right, General Motors is said to be rolling out even more incentives to try to get consumers in and take some of those cars off of their lots. Reuters is reporting that G.M. will offer a $1,000 cash rebate on vehicles that have been unsold for more than four months.
Now, G.M.'s U.S. sales so far this year have fallen more than 6 percent as a result of their scaled back production. G.M. offered an average of $3,800 in cash rebates and cut rate financing on every new vehicle sold in February. That's according to industry tracking firm Auto Data. That was more than other auto makers, but less than last year.
Let's take a look at what the futures are saying today. Look for a higher open. That means that Dow 11,000 is back in our sights today. So we'll be looking for that.
Also, just taking a look at what happened yesterday, higher oil prices, as well as some earnings concerns sort of added some jitters to the market. So we saw the markets fall off a bit yesterday.
One stock that you may want to watch is Retail Ventures. You may not know their name, but you probably know their DSW Warehouse unit. Well, the company is saying that customer credit card information was stolen from more than 100 of their stores. The company was alerted so now the Secret Service is looking into this to see if there's some foul play here. There's no many -- no word on how many customers were affected by this, but, of course, it's always a good idea to take a look at your credit report and make sure everything is OK.
DAYBREAK will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Take a close look at your 401K statement, really. If you don't pay attention every month, you might be getting ripped off. Thefts from 401K plans are on the rise. Example, in January, a compliance officer was indicted for stealing $5.4 million in retirement money from 220 workers at a car dealership. There she is. And, boy, did she have fun. Authorities say she spent the money on two beach homes, 1,600 bottles of fine wine and a Porsche.
So how do you protect your retirement account?
Live to Washington and Karen Friedman, policy director of the Pension Rights Center.
Good morning.
KAREN FRIEDMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR, PENSION RIGHTS CENTER: Good morning.
COSTELLO: I guess the difficult thing about detecting 401K theft is actually detecting it. I mean it can go on for years without anyone knowing.
Why?
FRIEDMAN: Well, let me step back just for a moment and say that we don't want to induce panic in the 38 million people who are invested in 401K plans. For the majority of people, their 401K money is being invested safely and in their interests in mutual funds in large financial institutions.
But having said that, as we know, the Labor Department last year uncovered 1,200 cases of fraud. And basically people, as you were saying, people need to be vigilant. People need to look at their statements. Not everybody gets quarterly statements. Some people in 401K plans do, some don't. If you have not gotten a statement from your employer, you have the right to ask for one in writing once a year. And definitely people should look to see if the money that has been deducted from their paychecks is in that account and to make sure that it's accurate.
COSTELLO: Karen, let's go step by step, because we do have five steps on how to protect yourself. And you might have mentioned a few. I was coughing there, so I wasn't listening very closely. But this is important information, how to protect yourself.
You said look at your account statements. If they arrive late or at irregular intervals, that's a sign that someone may be stealing from you, right?
FRIEDMAN: Right. That's correct. The other things are to look at your account balance and make sure that the money that's been deducted from your paycheck is in there. You want to make sure that the statements are coming in a timely way. If you see something on your statement that looks like it's hanky panky, it's important for you to get in touch with the Department of Labor.
COSTELLO: Yean. And that brings us, that brings us to number three. If your employer fails to deposit your contribution into your account on time, that's a warning sign. Also, an account balance drop that cannot be explained by market ups and downs. And that's why it's so very important to pay attention to your 401K statement when it comes every month.
FRIEDMAN: That's absolutely correct.
I want to just tell people that the Department of Labor does a good job of uncovering fraud when it comes to their attention. But let's put this into perspective. The Labor Department has around 300 or 400 investigators in the field and those people have to oversee over 700,000 pension plans, including 401K plans, and six million health and welfare plans. So the Department of Labor only has resources to probably do audits on about 1 percent of all plans out there. They depend on employees.
And the other point I want to make, which is a larger policy point, is with the proliferation of individual accounts in this country and the increase in 401K plans, medical savings accounts, health savings accounts and now with talk about privatizing Social Security and carving out Social Security into individual accounts, there is much more potential for fraud.
COSTELLO: So it's -- so be responsible. Look at your statement. Vigilance always the key.
Karen Friedman, thank you so much for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
We appreciate it.
FRIEDMAN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: And I apologize for my little coughing attack there.
Sticker shock at the gas pump. Why?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: We are paying some kind of fear premium for the price of oil right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Paying for the fear of an attack when you fill up.
And just in case you thought Mount Saint Helens was asleep, the volcano sends out a smoke signal. But will we see much more? We'll find out live later on DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The top 25 business leaders who changed the way the world does business during CNN's first 25 years.
We asked the writers of "Fortune" magazine to compile a list.
Here are numbers 15 through 11.
At 15, restless entrepreneur Jim Clark. He founded several billion dollar companies, including Silicon Graphics, Healtheon and Netscape. The Netscape Internet browser opened the Web up to anyone with a PC and a phone line.
And number 14, Ted Turner. He was cable when cable wasn't clear.
TED TURNER, FOUNDER, CNN: I dedicate the news channel for America, the Cable News Network.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Turner changed TV and the way we watch it with a 24 hour news channel.
Lucky number 13, John Reed, the former CEO of Citigroup. Reed was instrumental in the rise of the ATM and the credit card, changing the way Americans use and manage their money.
The junk bond king cashes in at number 12. Michael Milken transformed the corporate takeover with the use of high yield junk bonds until his methods caught up with him.
At 11, Andy Grove, founder and former CEO of Intel. Grove marketed the microchip that still powers most PCs.
Stay tuned as we count down to number one.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: 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 ago, 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.
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 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Is fear fueling higher gas prices? The president is expected to talk about his energy policy today. We'll take a closer look at the factors.
And is someone ripping off your retirement funds? Details about a spike in 401K theft and what you can do to protect yourself.
And then, Dan Rather says good-bye to a nightly audience. But it's the parting words from his coworkers that may overshadow his farewell.
It is Wednesday, March 9.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
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, just minutes ago, Pope John Paul II appeared at his hospital window in Rome. You can see him there through the blinds waving to the crowds below.
Also this morning, a suicide bomber in Iraq chose a garbage truck as his weapon. The blast blew a huge hole in central Baghdad, killing at least two people and wounding 22 others. We take you live to Baghdad in just minutes for more on this bombing.
Former President Bill Clinton is playing golf today before heading back to the hospital tomorrow. He'll have surgery for fluid buildup from his heart bypass surgery last fall.
And the Mount Saint Helens watch is on again. The volcano has sent a plume of smoke and ash nearly six miles into the air. Mount Saint Helens has been rumbling on and off since September.
To the forecast center -- good morning, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: More now on our lead story. A suicide bomber strikes in Baghdad using a garbage truck. A huge hole has been blown in the street. There are deaths. There are injuries. Let's head live now to Baghdad and Aneesh Raman to tell us more -- hello, Aneesh.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning to you.
A massive crater is what remains following that attack. It happened around 6:30 a.m. local when a suicide bomber, as you say, using a garbage truck, was driving through a courtyard outside of the Ministry of Agriculture. He was fired upon by guards. The explosion took place. Two guards were killed, 22 others were wounded.
According to ministry officials, the intended target was likely the Al-Sadr Hotel adjacent to the ministry and known to house a large number of Westerners. It did not make it there, but it did cause severe damage. Some 40 cars owned by the ministry were completely destroyed, some of them. Others were burned in the attack.
If, though, Carol, this had taken place later in the day, when people would have been arriving to work at the ministry or if the bomber had gotten to his intended target, the casualty numbers and the devastation likely would have been much higher.
We're also, Carol, getting word in the past hour of another suicide car bomb taking place at a military checkpoint in Ramadi. These are early reports. We don't know yet any numbers of casualties or the extent of the damage -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Aneesh Raman reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
Thank you.
In Rome, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi prepares to go before parliament. He'll talk about the controversial shooting in Baghdad by American troops that left an Italian security agent dead. Three others were wounded, including a journalist. Berlusconi will talk about the presence of Italian troops in Iraq.
And it's something President Bush has been fighting for, and he's won. The United Nations has now approved a ban on human cloning. That includes experimental cloning to cure disease. However, Britain, Belgium and China say they will not stop their research.
President Bush did express his support for the U.N.'s action. He said, and I quote, "Human life must not be created for the purpose of destroying it. The United States and the international community have now spoken clearly that human cloning is an affront to human dignity and that we must work together to protect human life."
But the president is focusing on his energy plan today. He'll spend the day in Columbus, Ohio at a research lab that's working on a so-called clean coal technology. The president's budget includes nearly $300 million for research into ways to reduce pollution from coal.
President Bush, Sr. is raising money for charity, along with some other notables. Although Bill Clinton is scheduled for heart surgery tomorrow, he'll play some golf with Bush in Florida to raise money for the victims of the Southern Asian tsunami.
And on that topic, Bush and Clinton are now talking about their trip to the tsunami zone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That was the part that moved me the most was the children. And yet on the upbeat side of it were the people that were teaching them and helping them get over this terrible crisis in their hearts and in their minds. It was just wonderful. But it was tough.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't think you can -- even though I think the media did a fabulous job of covering the tsunami, until you see it, the full impact of it doesn't hit. But I was impressed by what the devastation had wrought and by the courage of the people coming back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Today's benefit golf tournament was organized by golf Greg Norman. We'll have pictures for you later.
Now for some "Stories Making News Across America."
Immigration officials arrested 27 workers at the Greensboro, North Carolina airport for using counterfeit documents. The suspects work for a company that performed maintenance on airplanes. Officials say they don't believe any of the suspects were involved in terrorist activities.
The brother of Michael Jackson's accuser will be back on the witness stand today. He's admitted that he doesn't remember details. Jackson's defense attorneys raised doubt about his credibility. The boy had earlier testified that he witnessed Jackson molesting his brother, but later said he couldn't remember.
It looks like the Los Angeles mayor's race may be heading for a runoff. A city councilman has already secured a spot as one of the final two. The incumbent is currently running second. The runoff would be held on May 17.
Saving up for the golden years? Then you will want to hear what's happening to some people's retirement accounts, and maybe yours.
And good-bye to the eye -- Dan Rather says so long, but will it be a fond farewell? Viewers decide for themselves.
And we'll tell you live to Mount Saint Helens, where some rumbling has all eyes looking up.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: (AUDIO GAP).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:10 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
A suicide bomber in Baghdad arrived at his target in a garbage truck. The massive explosion formed a huge crater. It killed at least two people. As many as 22 more wounded in that blast.
Just about 15 minutes ago, you saw it here, Pope John Paul II appeared in his hospital window in Rome. It was the third time he appeared at the window since being rushed back to the hospital nearly two weeks ago. Several hundred people outside the window cheered his appearance.
In money news, McDonald's is launching a new healthy lifestyle initiative. The plan includes new menu items and new TV commercials. The company will also produce a series of Ronald McDonald videos aimed at teaching children how to eat right.
In culture, the City of Boston is offering a new guided tour service and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler -- yes, that's Jay's favorite. He's our floor man. Steven Tyler, Jay. He will be your guide in Boston. You can use your cell phone to access a taped message from Tyler that will lead you through the city's top attractions.
In sports, Randy Johnson ran into some trouble in his spring debut for the New York Yankees. Johnson was tagged for two runs in two innings against the Atlanta Braves. The Braves won 8-2.
Oh, spring training games mean nothing, though -- Chad.
MYERS: Not really, you know, but to get shelled like that was pretty quick.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Ouch, Dan Rather must be feeling some pain this morning. Today is the day he will step down as anchor of the CBS Evening News. But he's not going out like Tom Brokaw.
A CBS affiliate in lower Michigan is asking viewers to vote on whether it should air a prime time tribute to Rather. As of 5:22 a.m. Eastern, there were 1,237 votes against airing it; 827 for it. So Rather is dealing with that and some ugly comments from colleagues at CBS.
They're saying things like this: "The Evening News is like Miss. America, only it's Mr. America. And if you're in a three network race and you come in third, then the public is against you." Those are the words of Don Hewitt, the man who created "60 Minutes." And then there's Walter Cronkite, Rather's predecessor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER CRONKITE, FORMER CBS ANCHOR: It's quite a tribute to him that he, that CBS held onto him so long under those circumstances. It surprised quite a few people at CBS and elsewhere that without being able to pull up the ratings beyond third in a three-man field, that they tolerated his being there for so long.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So you would have been happier if Bob Schieffer would have replaced Dan Rather a while ago?
CRONKITE: I would have thought so, certainly. If not Bob, someone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Joining us now is Lloyd Grove of the "New York Daily News" for more on the story behind the story.
Thank you for coming in.
LLOYD GROVE, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": My pleasure.
COSTELLO: All right, I understand all the controversy about Dan Rather and that story. We won't go into that.
What I'm most interested in is why all the vitriol from colleagues at CBS?
GROVE: Well, when grumpy old men attack, it's not pretty. I mean Dan has been the anchor for an amazing 24 years and he's going out on a bad note of that job, but he'll have plenty of time on "60 Minutes" to continue his career. The guy is amazing. He's a survivor. I mean he's the original CBS survivor.
COSTELLO: But why kick him when he's down?
GROVE: Well, Don Hewitt and Walter Cronkite each have their own agenda. Walter feels, probably justifiably, that he was rushed out of his anchor seat at an age when -- he's 88 now. He's still going strong. He could have done this for, you know, 20 more years himself.
And Don is just, that's Don. He's just like that. He just says what he thinks. They're both in their 80s. They say what they want. No one stops them.
COSTELLO: Well, you know -- and maybe I'm just thinking of a conspiracy theory here, but you know the new media is, in part, response for Dan Rather stepping down in this way, and I'm talking about the bloggers who came out so heavily against him.
So I was just wondering if all this talk from CBS colleagues was somehow to distance themselves from Dan Rather to make themselves look better? GROVE: Well, I think it's just they can't help themselves. They talk about everybody that way. But I must say, what I'm hearing is the rank and file at CBS News today is very sad. I mean there are people actually weeping in the halls. And Dan has been bringing people up. People have been lining up to pose with him and their families. There's going to be a big party for him on Friday.
I think this is the end of an era in terms of the anchor job at CBS. And Dan has been a terrific leader over there over many of the years he's been there.
COSTELLO: Well, you're one of the few on television that are supporting him, because I've watched other networks. I won't mention any names. But vicious, just vicious about Dan Rather and what he did for the past five years, let's say, because, you know, he was a great reporter. You can't discount that. But people are. And I don't know, it's just sort of a sad end. And maybe I'm just becoming too emotional about it and attached, but, you know, I feel sorry for the guy.
GROVE: It's a sad -- it's going to be a sad end for all the networks. I mean Brokaw is gone, Jennings will go at some point in the near future, relatively. The networks are losing market share to CNN, to other cable outlets, to the Internet. So it's, you know, this is really a sad occasion for, you know, nostalgic people like me of a certain age.
COSTELLO: Well, many of our viewers are not nostalgic about Dan Rather's leaving, because they're equally vicious about him.
Lloyd Grove, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
We sure appreciate it.
GROVE: My pleasure.
COSTELLO: Working extra hard to secure your future? Just ahead, why you need to make sure your retirement money isn't being spent by someone else.
And our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at the rare complication that's sending President Clinton back to the hospital.
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COSTELLO: Time for a little "Business Buzz."
You know, you might be in the mood for a new car, and this would be a good time to be in a mood for a new car, especially if you're looking for one from General Motors, because some big deals are on the horizon.
Let's head live to the Nasdaq market site and Stephanie Elam -- good morning, Stephanie.
Tell us more. STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
That's right, General Motors is said to be rolling out even more incentives to try to get consumers in and take some of those cars off of their lots. Reuters is reporting that G.M. will offer a $1,000 cash rebate on vehicles that have been unsold for more than four months.
Now, G.M.'s U.S. sales so far this year have fallen more than 6 percent as a result of their scaled back production. G.M. offered an average of $3,800 in cash rebates and cut rate financing on every new vehicle sold in February. That's according to industry tracking firm Auto Data. That was more than other auto makers, but less than last year.
Let's take a look at what the futures are saying today. Look for a higher open. That means that Dow 11,000 is back in our sights today. So we'll be looking for that.
Also, just taking a look at what happened yesterday, higher oil prices, as well as some earnings concerns sort of added some jitters to the market. So we saw the markets fall off a bit yesterday.
One stock that you may want to watch is Retail Ventures. You may not know their name, but you probably know their DSW Warehouse unit. Well, the company is saying that customer credit card information was stolen from more than 100 of their stores. The company was alerted so now the Secret Service is looking into this to see if there's some foul play here. There's no many -- no word on how many customers were affected by this, but, of course, it's always a good idea to take a look at your credit report and make sure everything is OK.
DAYBREAK will be right back.
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COSTELLO: Take a close look at your 401K statement, really. If you don't pay attention every month, you might be getting ripped off. Thefts from 401K plans are on the rise. Example, in January, a compliance officer was indicted for stealing $5.4 million in retirement money from 220 workers at a car dealership. There she is. And, boy, did she have fun. Authorities say she spent the money on two beach homes, 1,600 bottles of fine wine and a Porsche.
So how do you protect your retirement account?
Live to Washington and Karen Friedman, policy director of the Pension Rights Center.
Good morning.
KAREN FRIEDMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR, PENSION RIGHTS CENTER: Good morning.
COSTELLO: I guess the difficult thing about detecting 401K theft is actually detecting it. I mean it can go on for years without anyone knowing.
Why?
FRIEDMAN: Well, let me step back just for a moment and say that we don't want to induce panic in the 38 million people who are invested in 401K plans. For the majority of people, their 401K money is being invested safely and in their interests in mutual funds in large financial institutions.
But having said that, as we know, the Labor Department last year uncovered 1,200 cases of fraud. And basically people, as you were saying, people need to be vigilant. People need to look at their statements. Not everybody gets quarterly statements. Some people in 401K plans do, some don't. If you have not gotten a statement from your employer, you have the right to ask for one in writing once a year. And definitely people should look to see if the money that has been deducted from their paychecks is in that account and to make sure that it's accurate.
COSTELLO: Karen, let's go step by step, because we do have five steps on how to protect yourself. And you might have mentioned a few. I was coughing there, so I wasn't listening very closely. But this is important information, how to protect yourself.
You said look at your account statements. If they arrive late or at irregular intervals, that's a sign that someone may be stealing from you, right?
FRIEDMAN: Right. That's correct. The other things are to look at your account balance and make sure that the money that's been deducted from your paycheck is in there. You want to make sure that the statements are coming in a timely way. If you see something on your statement that looks like it's hanky panky, it's important for you to get in touch with the Department of Labor.
COSTELLO: Yean. And that brings us, that brings us to number three. If your employer fails to deposit your contribution into your account on time, that's a warning sign. Also, an account balance drop that cannot be explained by market ups and downs. And that's why it's so very important to pay attention to your 401K statement when it comes every month.
FRIEDMAN: That's absolutely correct.
I want to just tell people that the Department of Labor does a good job of uncovering fraud when it comes to their attention. But let's put this into perspective. The Labor Department has around 300 or 400 investigators in the field and those people have to oversee over 700,000 pension plans, including 401K plans, and six million health and welfare plans. So the Department of Labor only has resources to probably do audits on about 1 percent of all plans out there. They depend on employees.
And the other point I want to make, which is a larger policy point, is with the proliferation of individual accounts in this country and the increase in 401K plans, medical savings accounts, health savings accounts and now with talk about privatizing Social Security and carving out Social Security into individual accounts, there is much more potential for fraud.
COSTELLO: So it's -- so be responsible. Look at your statement. Vigilance always the key.
Karen Friedman, thank you so much for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
We appreciate it.
FRIEDMAN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: And I apologize for my little coughing attack there.
Sticker shock at the gas pump. Why?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETER BERGEN, CNN TERRORISM ANALYST: We are paying some kind of fear premium for the price of oil right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Paying for the fear of an attack when you fill up.
And just in case you thought Mount Saint Helens was asleep, the volcano sends out a smoke signal. But will we see much more? We'll find out live later on DAYBREAK.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The top 25 business leaders who changed the way the world does business during CNN's first 25 years.
We asked the writers of "Fortune" magazine to compile a list.
Here are numbers 15 through 11.
At 15, restless entrepreneur Jim Clark. He founded several billion dollar companies, including Silicon Graphics, Healtheon and Netscape. The Netscape Internet browser opened the Web up to anyone with a PC and a phone line.
And number 14, Ted Turner. He was cable when cable wasn't clear.
TED TURNER, FOUNDER, CNN: I dedicate the news channel for America, the Cable News Network.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Turner changed TV and the way we watch it with a 24 hour news channel.
Lucky number 13, John Reed, the former CEO of Citigroup. Reed was instrumental in the rise of the ATM and the credit card, changing the way Americans use and manage their money.
The junk bond king cashes in at number 12. Michael Milken transformed the corporate takeover with the use of high yield junk bonds until his methods caught up with him.
At 11, Andy Grove, founder and former CEO of Intel. Grove marketed the microchip that still powers most PCs.
Stay tuned as we count down to number one.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: 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 ago, 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.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
