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American Morning

Major League Baseball Not Going Along With Congressional Steroid Investigation; Messages Once Reserved for Billboards Now Popping up on People

Aired March 10, 2005 - 09:30   ET

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

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


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING at 9:30 here in New York. More in a moment on this story about steroids and baseball in Congress and whether or not some all- star players will have to testify before Congress. Is there room for compromise? A look at what might be in store for this dispute in a moment here.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, we're talking with Melanie Bloom. David bloom, her husband, was my former colleague, and He died in Iraq of a condition called deep-veined thrombosis. Melanie now is trying to help raise awareness to the early-warning signs, and there are several that people need to know about, to see if they may be at risk for DVT.

HEMMER: She's showing a lot of strength, too.

O'BRIEN: Tons, yes, absolutely.

HEMMER: Let's get back to the headlines, though. Carol Costello for us with that.

And good morning to you again.

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

Now in the news, a developing story. There appears to be a big break for investigators as they look into the killings of a Chicago judge's family. A man pulled over in Wisconsin for a routine traffic stop shot and killed himself last night. A note found in the van had details of the killing of Judge Lefkow's mother and husband. Police are still investigating.

Former President Bill Clinton undergoing surgery on his chest this morning -- on his heart, rather. He's having fluid and scar tissue cleared. It's a follow-up to a quadruple heart-bypass the former president had six months ago. He's expected to be out of the hospital and back at home next week.

Disturbing news today about aviation safety. An airline pilots group say gaping hole remain in security more than three years after the 9/11 terror attacks. The group has put together what it calls the Aviation Security Report Card. Most measures got failing or near failing grades. Top scores were given to improvements in baggage screening and cockpit doors. Those both got 'B's. And President Bush launching a two-day, four-state Social Security blitz. The president set to leave in about a half hour for Kentucky and Alabama. He and his aides will try to sway public opinion on private retirement accounts. That aspect of the plan seems most controversial. The president heads to Tennessee and Louisiana tomorrow to tests out his persuasive powers, because polls aren't in his favor right now.

HEMMER: Sixty days, 60 stops.

COSTELLO: That's right.

HEMMER: The road continues. Thanks, Carol.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Carol.

Major League Baseball isn't going along with a congressional steroid investigation. A House committee has subpoenaed 11 players and executives to testify. The league says it will fight most of the players' subpoenas.

Ed Henry has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire forged a bond during the celebrated summer of '98 when they each surpassed the previous record for home runs in a season. Now, they're linked again, both slapped with subpoenas from a congressional committee probing whether their home run chase was fueled by more than just Mother Nature.

Also on the hit list, Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro, Curt Schilling, Frank Thomas and Jose Canseco. Canseco wants to testify, perhaps so he can discuss his explosive new book that claims he used steroids with McGwire and others. Schilling has spoken out against steroids and Thomas has said this is a problem baseball must face.

FRANK THOMAS, CHICAGO WHITE SOCKS: I told people before, I've got nothing to hide. So if they subpoena us, they subpoena us. And I'll stick by my word. It's an honor to go there.

HENRY: But Major League Baseball officials are swinging back at Congress, insisting they'll fight the subpoenas because the committee does not have legal jurisdiction. Baseball officials also say forcing players like Giambi to testify on Capitol Hill next Thursday could taint the federal judge probe of Balco Laboratories, which allegedly provided steroids to various athletes. Giambi reportedly told the grand jury he used steroids, though publicly he's been vague about the case that's dominated the early days of spring training.

JASON GIAMBI, NEW YORK YANKEES: I know there's been a lot of distractions, you know, over the past year and I wanted to apologize for all those, you know, distractions, from the bottom of my heart. You know, I take full responsibility for it and I'm sorry. HENRY: In a letter to the Congressional panel, Major League Baseball's lawyer lashed out at separate subpoena seeking the results of player drug tests. He wrote: "The right to privacy outweighs any asserted interest in the health problems stemming from the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs."

An aide to House Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis, who issued the subpoenas, fired back the panel does have legal authority, saying it's sad that they've resorted to legalese, and inaccurate legalese at that.

And despite baseball's push to block testimony, there are indications players like Sosa may come forward on their own. The stakes have been raised because a failure to testify could result in charges of contempt of Congress. An agent for Sosa told CNN that after respectfully declining the panel's initial invitation, the slugger now will "take a second look and make the right choice."

Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: After more than two decades as the anchor of "CBS Evening News," Dan Rather has sign off now for the last time. The 73- year-old Rather delivered his final newscast last evening, 24 years to the day after taking over for Walter Cronkite. Rather in his farewell last night dropped his signature phrase. That word -- courage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN RATHER, CBS ANCHOR: To my fellow journalists in places where reporting the truth means risking all, and to each of you, courage. For the "CBS Evening News," Dan Rather reporting. Goodnight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Family and colleagues then joined Rather in the studios, you see from the tape here when the "CBS Evening News" closed last night. Rather will keep working as a correspondent for the magazine program "60 Minutes." Bob Schieffer officially takes over later tonight, temporarily is what CBS says. It's expected to name a permanent anchor, or anchor team, in the coming months. Job well done, 24 months at the top of the heap.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Well, you know what they say about real estate, it's about real estate. It's all about location, location, location. In advertising, it's product placement, product placement, product placement, messages that were once reserved for billboards are now popping up on people.

National correspondent Kelly Wallace has more on this sign of the times.

Good morning. KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, times may change, but one thing that remains the same, people will do just about anything to get a few dollars, and advertisers will do just about anything to get your business. And that is why we're seeing some advertisements that are up close and, oh, so personal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): Twenty-one-year-old Elise Harp of Georgia has something to show you, what she auctioned off on eBay.

ELISE HARP, RENTED PREGNANT BELLY: I was walking around the mall one day, and I noticed that everyone was staring at my stomach. So from there, I just was like, you know, I might as well give them a real reason to look at my stomach.

WALLACE: So after seeing this guy get a whopping $37,000 for renting his forehead, she rented her pregnant belly to goldenpalace.com, an online gambling site. The onetime model then modeled her new belly at the Daytona 500.

HARP: Actually I did it because I'm a single mother. My child's father left me within days of finding out I was pregnant, and I honestly needed the money.

WALLACE: With a click of your mouse, you quickly see that harp is not alone -- a woman renting her cleavage, a man trying to get $2.5 million to put a permanent tattoo on his head. This man renting his forehead and his bald head.

Bidders like goldenpalace.com are thrilled, seeing more traffic at their sites and lots of free publicity, but critics say it's a cheap and risky move.

KEN WHEATON, ADVERTISING AGE: You are taking a risk, because if I look at a person who is walking around with a Web site on his forehead, my immediate thought is that guy's got problems.

WALLACE: Supporters say what seems freakish at first usually becomes quite popular with time.

JON BOND, KIRSHENBAUM BOND & PARTNERS: It won't be freakish when Leonardo DiCaprio puts a Pepsi logo on his forehead during the Oscars. It won't be freakish at all.

WALLACE: You see that happening some day?

BOND: One day, it will happen.

WALLACE: The renting of body parts is all part of a growing trend of ads popping up in unlikely places. From televisions on trains in Atlanta, to New York City with an entire subway car turned into a saloon -- a promotion for HBO's western "Deadwood."

More people are riding this train than normal?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They wait for this train to ride the "Deadwood" train.

WALLACE: So HBO must be doing something right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, they're doing something good.

WALLACE: Not everyone agrees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you have to see the entire car, it's kind of overkill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: But you know those ads will likely keep coming. So will the new methods to try and get your attention, which brings us back, Soledad, to where we started, Elise Harp, because get this, goldenpalace.com didn't just rent her belly. The company is sponsoring her little girl's birth.

O'BRIEN: Get them to sponsor the college.

WALLACE: That's what I want to know, how far do you take this?

O'BRIEN: That's right.

WALLACE: She's hoping all the way. We'll see.

O'BRIEN: Good for her. She can turn into a bus (ph).

WALLACE: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Kelly.

WALLACE: Sure.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Thanks, Soledad.

Andy's "Minding Your Business" in a moment here. He has a cell phone that's strong enough for a man but it's made for a woman. Andy explains as only he can, ahead here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

This morning we're talking about deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. It is a serious and deadly condition. Hundreds of thousands of people, in fact, die from it every year. But not a lot of people know anything about it. Nearly two years ago NBC correspondent David Bloom, who was a friend, colleague and also my co-anchor, died from deep vein thrombosis. His widow Melanie is trying to raise awareness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELANIE BLOOM, WIDOW OF DAVID BLOOM, DVT SPOKESPERSON: My husband was a dedicated journalist and devoted father. I'm Melanie Bloom. While on assignment in Iraq, David died from complications related to deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, a blood clot in the legs that may break through, travel to the lungs and be fatal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: How hard is it, Melanie, who's joining us this morning, to talk about and be the spokesperson for the disease that took your husband at such a young age.

BLOOM: That has been hard, because it's a hard topic to talk about. You know, grief is a very personal thing, and it was hard to get out there and tell the story, but I really felt like I was sitting on some important information.

As I've learned more about DVT, the statistics are just staggering. And I was so surprised to get the call about David and learn that it wasn't an act of war that took his life, but something inside his own body that hundreds of thousands of people are dying from each year.

O'BRIEN: Those numbers are incredible, 200,000 people. That's more, you say, than breast cancer and AIDS combined.

BLOOM: Combined, that's right.

O'BRIEN: Why do people not know anything about it?

BLOOM: Right, and yet nobody knows about it, and so I really tried to get out there and tell the story. And actually, there was a study recently showing that 74 percent of Americans have no idea what DVT is, deep vein thrombosis. And David was one of those 200,000 people.

And so I think that in sharing his story, maybe people will sit up, take notice and find out whether or not they can be risk for this same silent killer.

O'BRIEN: You know, I think we were so all so surprised -- shocked really -- when we got the word that David had died, because he's the picture of health; 39 years old so he's incredibly young and he talked about playing tennis with you all the time, and running around with the girls all the time.

BLOOM: All the time. I mean, he was so full of energy and so full of life, and very healthy. He was never sick.

O'BRIEN: Did he complain to you ever? I know you guys e-mailed and talked a lot when he was in Iraq.

BLOOM: We did. A couple of nights, actually, before he passed away. He called and said he was sleeping outside stretched out on top of the tank on the Baghdad border, you know, which was quite dangerous. He should be in the tank. So, he said, you know, I have leg cramps, and I've been sleeping with knees pulled up to chin every night and I really just need to stretch out. So that was a warning sign I learned later. But David didn't -- I mean, everybody had aches and pains. The crew, they were enduring really harsh circumstances out there.

O'BRIEN: And the soldiers.

BLOOM: I mean, everybody had aches and pains. Why would he complain about a cramp? Seems so innocuous, but in reality, he would die two days later. That was a huge warning sign that we didn't know the importance of.

O'BRIEN: Well, let's talk about some of the other clues. Leg pain and swelling is one of them. Skin discoloration or redness -- I remember one of his reports where his face was so red, and we just thought it was the sand. And he was working like crazy. And then also, shortness of breath or coughing. He had a lot of these symptoms.

BLOOM: He had some, yes. I mean, those are symptoms -- the shortness of breath is a symptom of the pulmonary embolism which ultimately is what becomes fatal, in David's case, so -- but it all happened so abruptly and so quickly. That's why it's important -- DVT can be prevented. But it is important to know if you can be at risk so that you can get help in time.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of these risk factors. I think -- these are risk factors for a lot of people. Advanced age is one, heart disease, obesity, the pill or if you're pregnant, and restricted mobility.

BLOOM: Right.

O'BRIEN: Anybody who is traveling a lot.

BLOOM: Exactly. I mean, it cuts a wide swathe. Anyone at any given time in their life could be at risk for having a fatal pulmonary embolism from deep vein thrombosis or a blood clot.

O'BRIEN: Have people responded to you going public with this, cause I know you are not a public person. You were kind of the one who liked to be behind the scenes while David was sort of out there.

BLOOM: That's right, that's right. I mean, yes, the bitter irony is here I sit with you. It should be David, and that's hard to do. But there has been a really tremendous response. The website, preventdvt.org, which by the way has a risk-assessment tool and all of the risk factors listed -- it's a great website to learn more information -- but that really has sort of been flooded recently as we've worked on our campaign.

This March is National DVT Awareness Month, and we just had a Senate resolution passed on the Hill officially declaring it DVT Awareness Month. So I think there's a real sort of groundswell of interest now in this condition. O'BRIEN: It's so bad that it comes too late for David. I know, that, though, there are people who have written to you and said, I'm sorry for your loss but you may have saved my husband's life.

BLOOM: Right, right, I know. I wish had the knowledge then that I have now. But it is gratifying. I mean, it is a great healer to help other people. And so, if somebody has heard David's story and their maybe life is saved and they get help, that's good, that's worth it. David's death is not in vain.

O'BRIEN: How are those beautiful girls doing?

BLOOM: They're girls. They're doing well. They're so strong. I'm in awe of them. I mean, they lost their father. It was shattering, and I've watched them re-emerge, laugh again, smile again. And...

O'BRIEN: They have a good role model, hello? A very strong mommy who's doing it all.

BLOOM: And they have their daddy's spirit inside of them which goes a long way.

O'BRIEN: That's very true.

Melanie Bloom, always nice to catch up with you, too. Thanks for coming in and raising awareness about this. It's really, really important. Appreciate it.

BLOOM: Thanks for having me.

O'BRIEN: My pleasure.

We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. The jury is still out on Bernie Ebbers. And a mobile phone designed with women in mind. Hmm. Andy Serwer is back here, check on the markets as well. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning. Yes, it's the phone for women. We'll get to that. In Germany.

Let's talk about stocks, though, first of all this morning. See what's going on down at the big board. Up 12 there. Now, one stock that's down a fair amount this morning is Delta Airlines, down 13 percent. Why? Because crossing the tape within the past hour, the company says it expects a substantial loss in 2005.

HEMMER: Again?

SERWER: And this company says substantial losses, it knows from substantial losses. Last year it lost $5.2 billion, the largest loss by my airline in history. So when it says big, it means big. Let's talk about Bernie Ebbers. Today would be day five in the deliberations in the trial. And all we know right now is the jury wants Domino's pizza for lunch. I'll get to that in a second. Yesterday, what happened? They called -- the jury went back in and asked the judge if it had to rule on what are known as supplemental charges. These were charges added to the original charges against Ebbers, trying to make the penalties worse. It was, in effect, broadening the charges.

The judge said you don't have to rule on those. Just go back in and look at the original charges. When that happened, Ebbers' attorney Reid Weingarten said mistrial, mistrial. The judge said no mistrial. There is no mistrial. The jury's going to deliberate. And the jury had one more request, they said, could we not eat the cafeteria food anymore? Can we send out for Domino's. The judge said yes. Which calls into question their taste in pizza, but that's another matter. Bernie Ebbers has been sitting there every day. High profile defendants don't always do that. He's been sitting like this, drumming his fingers down there, people tell me.

HEMMER: I love a big fat Domino's, by the way.

SERWER: Just to balance us out here? Is that what we're doing?

HEMMER: No, I actually do.

SERWER: I really am not big fan of Domino's quite candidly, but...

O'BRIEN: Apparently not.

SERWER: ... you knew that. Just finally here, new cell phone in Germany yesterday. The mirror phone. They're calling it designed especially for women. Well, that's potentially sexist, I guess. Maybe men want to look at themselves as well. It's kind of an obvious thing to do, right? I mean, put a little mirror there. Besides the film clips and the mp3s...

HEMMER: Soledad, what do you think about a little holiday gift for Soledad here? Do you think you'd use that?

O'BRIEN: I don't care what I look like once I'm off the air.

SERWER: Give her a pizza instead.

O'BRIEN: Yes, I prefer the pizza, thanks.

SERWER: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Now you're thinking. Thanks, Andy. Final look at the "Question of the Day."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, about baseball players. Should they be required to testify under oath in front of a congressional committee about the use of steroids? Mike in Japan writes: "Enough is enough. Players testifying about the past isn't going to help the future of baseball. Let's just hope the recently implemented testing helps weed out the bad apples."

Tom in West Virginia: "I'm much more concerned with steroid use than my Social Security check, healthcare, the national debt, terrorism, open borders, rising prices and the falling dollar. Although pro sports has addressed this problem, it is a safe place for Congress to hide."

And J.R. in Louisiana writes: "These are the consequences of years of neglect by both owners and players in Major League Baseball. Had they addressed the issues years ago when even then they knew the problem was rampant, this may not have happened."

O'BRIEN: Senator McCain said, you fix it or we'll fix it.

SERWER: They're trying to pretend like they're fixing it. I think that's what bothers people. They say they're making progress. Other people say they're not. I mean, I think you could argue they haven't made a whole lot of progress.

O'BRIEN: It sounds like in some ways Congress might be trying to pretend they're fixing it, too. Just a big old hearing with lots of cameras.

CAFFERTY: They're usually pretending to do something.

SERWER: Yes, they are.

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack. Well you know, moving is stressful enough. You shouldn't have to worry about scams, too. "CNN LIVE TODAY" has the top five tips on how you can avoid them. That's in the next hour with Daryn. AMERICAN MORNING's back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Hey, we got to run. Same time tomorrow?

O'BRIEN: OK.

HEMMER: It's Friday.

COSTELLO: Same exact location.

HEMMER: Here's Daryn Kagan, flying solo today down at the CNN Center. How are you, Daryn?

O'BRIEN: Hi Daryn.

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 10, 2005 - 09:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING at 9:30 here in New York. More in a moment on this story about steroids and baseball in Congress and whether or not some all- star players will have to testify before Congress. Is there room for compromise? A look at what might be in store for this dispute in a moment here.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, we're talking with Melanie Bloom. David bloom, her husband, was my former colleague, and He died in Iraq of a condition called deep-veined thrombosis. Melanie now is trying to help raise awareness to the early-warning signs, and there are several that people need to know about, to see if they may be at risk for DVT.

HEMMER: She's showing a lot of strength, too.

O'BRIEN: Tons, yes, absolutely.

HEMMER: Let's get back to the headlines, though. Carol Costello for us with that.

And good morning to you again.

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

Now in the news, a developing story. There appears to be a big break for investigators as they look into the killings of a Chicago judge's family. A man pulled over in Wisconsin for a routine traffic stop shot and killed himself last night. A note found in the van had details of the killing of Judge Lefkow's mother and husband. Police are still investigating.

Former President Bill Clinton undergoing surgery on his chest this morning -- on his heart, rather. He's having fluid and scar tissue cleared. It's a follow-up to a quadruple heart-bypass the former president had six months ago. He's expected to be out of the hospital and back at home next week.

Disturbing news today about aviation safety. An airline pilots group say gaping hole remain in security more than three years after the 9/11 terror attacks. The group has put together what it calls the Aviation Security Report Card. Most measures got failing or near failing grades. Top scores were given to improvements in baggage screening and cockpit doors. Those both got 'B's. And President Bush launching a two-day, four-state Social Security blitz. The president set to leave in about a half hour for Kentucky and Alabama. He and his aides will try to sway public opinion on private retirement accounts. That aspect of the plan seems most controversial. The president heads to Tennessee and Louisiana tomorrow to tests out his persuasive powers, because polls aren't in his favor right now.

HEMMER: Sixty days, 60 stops.

COSTELLO: That's right.

HEMMER: The road continues. Thanks, Carol.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Carol.

Major League Baseball isn't going along with a congressional steroid investigation. A House committee has subpoenaed 11 players and executives to testify. The league says it will fight most of the players' subpoenas.

Ed Henry has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire forged a bond during the celebrated summer of '98 when they each surpassed the previous record for home runs in a season. Now, they're linked again, both slapped with subpoenas from a congressional committee probing whether their home run chase was fueled by more than just Mother Nature.

Also on the hit list, Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro, Curt Schilling, Frank Thomas and Jose Canseco. Canseco wants to testify, perhaps so he can discuss his explosive new book that claims he used steroids with McGwire and others. Schilling has spoken out against steroids and Thomas has said this is a problem baseball must face.

FRANK THOMAS, CHICAGO WHITE SOCKS: I told people before, I've got nothing to hide. So if they subpoena us, they subpoena us. And I'll stick by my word. It's an honor to go there.

HENRY: But Major League Baseball officials are swinging back at Congress, insisting they'll fight the subpoenas because the committee does not have legal jurisdiction. Baseball officials also say forcing players like Giambi to testify on Capitol Hill next Thursday could taint the federal judge probe of Balco Laboratories, which allegedly provided steroids to various athletes. Giambi reportedly told the grand jury he used steroids, though publicly he's been vague about the case that's dominated the early days of spring training.

JASON GIAMBI, NEW YORK YANKEES: I know there's been a lot of distractions, you know, over the past year and I wanted to apologize for all those, you know, distractions, from the bottom of my heart. You know, I take full responsibility for it and I'm sorry. HENRY: In a letter to the Congressional panel, Major League Baseball's lawyer lashed out at separate subpoena seeking the results of player drug tests. He wrote: "The right to privacy outweighs any asserted interest in the health problems stemming from the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs."

An aide to House Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis, who issued the subpoenas, fired back the panel does have legal authority, saying it's sad that they've resorted to legalese, and inaccurate legalese at that.

And despite baseball's push to block testimony, there are indications players like Sosa may come forward on their own. The stakes have been raised because a failure to testify could result in charges of contempt of Congress. An agent for Sosa told CNN that after respectfully declining the panel's initial invitation, the slugger now will "take a second look and make the right choice."

Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: After more than two decades as the anchor of "CBS Evening News," Dan Rather has sign off now for the last time. The 73- year-old Rather delivered his final newscast last evening, 24 years to the day after taking over for Walter Cronkite. Rather in his farewell last night dropped his signature phrase. That word -- courage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN RATHER, CBS ANCHOR: To my fellow journalists in places where reporting the truth means risking all, and to each of you, courage. For the "CBS Evening News," Dan Rather reporting. Goodnight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Family and colleagues then joined Rather in the studios, you see from the tape here when the "CBS Evening News" closed last night. Rather will keep working as a correspondent for the magazine program "60 Minutes." Bob Schieffer officially takes over later tonight, temporarily is what CBS says. It's expected to name a permanent anchor, or anchor team, in the coming months. Job well done, 24 months at the top of the heap.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Well, you know what they say about real estate, it's about real estate. It's all about location, location, location. In advertising, it's product placement, product placement, product placement, messages that were once reserved for billboards are now popping up on people.

National correspondent Kelly Wallace has more on this sign of the times.

Good morning. KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, times may change, but one thing that remains the same, people will do just about anything to get a few dollars, and advertisers will do just about anything to get your business. And that is why we're seeing some advertisements that are up close and, oh, so personal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): Twenty-one-year-old Elise Harp of Georgia has something to show you, what she auctioned off on eBay.

ELISE HARP, RENTED PREGNANT BELLY: I was walking around the mall one day, and I noticed that everyone was staring at my stomach. So from there, I just was like, you know, I might as well give them a real reason to look at my stomach.

WALLACE: So after seeing this guy get a whopping $37,000 for renting his forehead, she rented her pregnant belly to goldenpalace.com, an online gambling site. The onetime model then modeled her new belly at the Daytona 500.

HARP: Actually I did it because I'm a single mother. My child's father left me within days of finding out I was pregnant, and I honestly needed the money.

WALLACE: With a click of your mouse, you quickly see that harp is not alone -- a woman renting her cleavage, a man trying to get $2.5 million to put a permanent tattoo on his head. This man renting his forehead and his bald head.

Bidders like goldenpalace.com are thrilled, seeing more traffic at their sites and lots of free publicity, but critics say it's a cheap and risky move.

KEN WHEATON, ADVERTISING AGE: You are taking a risk, because if I look at a person who is walking around with a Web site on his forehead, my immediate thought is that guy's got problems.

WALLACE: Supporters say what seems freakish at first usually becomes quite popular with time.

JON BOND, KIRSHENBAUM BOND & PARTNERS: It won't be freakish when Leonardo DiCaprio puts a Pepsi logo on his forehead during the Oscars. It won't be freakish at all.

WALLACE: You see that happening some day?

BOND: One day, it will happen.

WALLACE: The renting of body parts is all part of a growing trend of ads popping up in unlikely places. From televisions on trains in Atlanta, to New York City with an entire subway car turned into a saloon -- a promotion for HBO's western "Deadwood."

More people are riding this train than normal?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They wait for this train to ride the "Deadwood" train.

WALLACE: So HBO must be doing something right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, they're doing something good.

WALLACE: Not everyone agrees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you have to see the entire car, it's kind of overkill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: But you know those ads will likely keep coming. So will the new methods to try and get your attention, which brings us back, Soledad, to where we started, Elise Harp, because get this, goldenpalace.com didn't just rent her belly. The company is sponsoring her little girl's birth.

O'BRIEN: Get them to sponsor the college.

WALLACE: That's what I want to know, how far do you take this?

O'BRIEN: That's right.

WALLACE: She's hoping all the way. We'll see.

O'BRIEN: Good for her. She can turn into a bus (ph).

WALLACE: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Kelly.

WALLACE: Sure.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Thanks, Soledad.

Andy's "Minding Your Business" in a moment here. He has a cell phone that's strong enough for a man but it's made for a woman. Andy explains as only he can, ahead here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

This morning we're talking about deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. It is a serious and deadly condition. Hundreds of thousands of people, in fact, die from it every year. But not a lot of people know anything about it. Nearly two years ago NBC correspondent David Bloom, who was a friend, colleague and also my co-anchor, died from deep vein thrombosis. His widow Melanie is trying to raise awareness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELANIE BLOOM, WIDOW OF DAVID BLOOM, DVT SPOKESPERSON: My husband was a dedicated journalist and devoted father. I'm Melanie Bloom. While on assignment in Iraq, David died from complications related to deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, a blood clot in the legs that may break through, travel to the lungs and be fatal.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: How hard is it, Melanie, who's joining us this morning, to talk about and be the spokesperson for the disease that took your husband at such a young age.

BLOOM: That has been hard, because it's a hard topic to talk about. You know, grief is a very personal thing, and it was hard to get out there and tell the story, but I really felt like I was sitting on some important information.

As I've learned more about DVT, the statistics are just staggering. And I was so surprised to get the call about David and learn that it wasn't an act of war that took his life, but something inside his own body that hundreds of thousands of people are dying from each year.

O'BRIEN: Those numbers are incredible, 200,000 people. That's more, you say, than breast cancer and AIDS combined.

BLOOM: Combined, that's right.

O'BRIEN: Why do people not know anything about it?

BLOOM: Right, and yet nobody knows about it, and so I really tried to get out there and tell the story. And actually, there was a study recently showing that 74 percent of Americans have no idea what DVT is, deep vein thrombosis. And David was one of those 200,000 people.

And so I think that in sharing his story, maybe people will sit up, take notice and find out whether or not they can be risk for this same silent killer.

O'BRIEN: You know, I think we were so all so surprised -- shocked really -- when we got the word that David had died, because he's the picture of health; 39 years old so he's incredibly young and he talked about playing tennis with you all the time, and running around with the girls all the time.

BLOOM: All the time. I mean, he was so full of energy and so full of life, and very healthy. He was never sick.

O'BRIEN: Did he complain to you ever? I know you guys e-mailed and talked a lot when he was in Iraq.

BLOOM: We did. A couple of nights, actually, before he passed away. He called and said he was sleeping outside stretched out on top of the tank on the Baghdad border, you know, which was quite dangerous. He should be in the tank. So, he said, you know, I have leg cramps, and I've been sleeping with knees pulled up to chin every night and I really just need to stretch out. So that was a warning sign I learned later. But David didn't -- I mean, everybody had aches and pains. The crew, they were enduring really harsh circumstances out there.

O'BRIEN: And the soldiers.

BLOOM: I mean, everybody had aches and pains. Why would he complain about a cramp? Seems so innocuous, but in reality, he would die two days later. That was a huge warning sign that we didn't know the importance of.

O'BRIEN: Well, let's talk about some of the other clues. Leg pain and swelling is one of them. Skin discoloration or redness -- I remember one of his reports where his face was so red, and we just thought it was the sand. And he was working like crazy. And then also, shortness of breath or coughing. He had a lot of these symptoms.

BLOOM: He had some, yes. I mean, those are symptoms -- the shortness of breath is a symptom of the pulmonary embolism which ultimately is what becomes fatal, in David's case, so -- but it all happened so abruptly and so quickly. That's why it's important -- DVT can be prevented. But it is important to know if you can be at risk so that you can get help in time.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of these risk factors. I think -- these are risk factors for a lot of people. Advanced age is one, heart disease, obesity, the pill or if you're pregnant, and restricted mobility.

BLOOM: Right.

O'BRIEN: Anybody who is traveling a lot.

BLOOM: Exactly. I mean, it cuts a wide swathe. Anyone at any given time in their life could be at risk for having a fatal pulmonary embolism from deep vein thrombosis or a blood clot.

O'BRIEN: Have people responded to you going public with this, cause I know you are not a public person. You were kind of the one who liked to be behind the scenes while David was sort of out there.

BLOOM: That's right, that's right. I mean, yes, the bitter irony is here I sit with you. It should be David, and that's hard to do. But there has been a really tremendous response. The website, preventdvt.org, which by the way has a risk-assessment tool and all of the risk factors listed -- it's a great website to learn more information -- but that really has sort of been flooded recently as we've worked on our campaign.

This March is National DVT Awareness Month, and we just had a Senate resolution passed on the Hill officially declaring it DVT Awareness Month. So I think there's a real sort of groundswell of interest now in this condition. O'BRIEN: It's so bad that it comes too late for David. I know, that, though, there are people who have written to you and said, I'm sorry for your loss but you may have saved my husband's life.

BLOOM: Right, right, I know. I wish had the knowledge then that I have now. But it is gratifying. I mean, it is a great healer to help other people. And so, if somebody has heard David's story and their maybe life is saved and they get help, that's good, that's worth it. David's death is not in vain.

O'BRIEN: How are those beautiful girls doing?

BLOOM: They're girls. They're doing well. They're so strong. I'm in awe of them. I mean, they lost their father. It was shattering, and I've watched them re-emerge, laugh again, smile again. And...

O'BRIEN: They have a good role model, hello? A very strong mommy who's doing it all.

BLOOM: And they have their daddy's spirit inside of them which goes a long way.

O'BRIEN: That's very true.

Melanie Bloom, always nice to catch up with you, too. Thanks for coming in and raising awareness about this. It's really, really important. Appreciate it.

BLOOM: Thanks for having me.

O'BRIEN: My pleasure.

We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. The jury is still out on Bernie Ebbers. And a mobile phone designed with women in mind. Hmm. Andy Serwer is back here, check on the markets as well. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning. Yes, it's the phone for women. We'll get to that. In Germany.

Let's talk about stocks, though, first of all this morning. See what's going on down at the big board. Up 12 there. Now, one stock that's down a fair amount this morning is Delta Airlines, down 13 percent. Why? Because crossing the tape within the past hour, the company says it expects a substantial loss in 2005.

HEMMER: Again?

SERWER: And this company says substantial losses, it knows from substantial losses. Last year it lost $5.2 billion, the largest loss by my airline in history. So when it says big, it means big. Let's talk about Bernie Ebbers. Today would be day five in the deliberations in the trial. And all we know right now is the jury wants Domino's pizza for lunch. I'll get to that in a second. Yesterday, what happened? They called -- the jury went back in and asked the judge if it had to rule on what are known as supplemental charges. These were charges added to the original charges against Ebbers, trying to make the penalties worse. It was, in effect, broadening the charges.

The judge said you don't have to rule on those. Just go back in and look at the original charges. When that happened, Ebbers' attorney Reid Weingarten said mistrial, mistrial. The judge said no mistrial. There is no mistrial. The jury's going to deliberate. And the jury had one more request, they said, could we not eat the cafeteria food anymore? Can we send out for Domino's. The judge said yes. Which calls into question their taste in pizza, but that's another matter. Bernie Ebbers has been sitting there every day. High profile defendants don't always do that. He's been sitting like this, drumming his fingers down there, people tell me.

HEMMER: I love a big fat Domino's, by the way.

SERWER: Just to balance us out here? Is that what we're doing?

HEMMER: No, I actually do.

SERWER: I really am not big fan of Domino's quite candidly, but...

O'BRIEN: Apparently not.

SERWER: ... you knew that. Just finally here, new cell phone in Germany yesterday. The mirror phone. They're calling it designed especially for women. Well, that's potentially sexist, I guess. Maybe men want to look at themselves as well. It's kind of an obvious thing to do, right? I mean, put a little mirror there. Besides the film clips and the mp3s...

HEMMER: Soledad, what do you think about a little holiday gift for Soledad here? Do you think you'd use that?

O'BRIEN: I don't care what I look like once I'm off the air.

SERWER: Give her a pizza instead.

O'BRIEN: Yes, I prefer the pizza, thanks.

SERWER: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Now you're thinking. Thanks, Andy. Final look at the "Question of the Day."

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, about baseball players. Should they be required to testify under oath in front of a congressional committee about the use of steroids? Mike in Japan writes: "Enough is enough. Players testifying about the past isn't going to help the future of baseball. Let's just hope the recently implemented testing helps weed out the bad apples."

Tom in West Virginia: "I'm much more concerned with steroid use than my Social Security check, healthcare, the national debt, terrorism, open borders, rising prices and the falling dollar. Although pro sports has addressed this problem, it is a safe place for Congress to hide."

And J.R. in Louisiana writes: "These are the consequences of years of neglect by both owners and players in Major League Baseball. Had they addressed the issues years ago when even then they knew the problem was rampant, this may not have happened."

O'BRIEN: Senator McCain said, you fix it or we'll fix it.

SERWER: They're trying to pretend like they're fixing it. I think that's what bothers people. They say they're making progress. Other people say they're not. I mean, I think you could argue they haven't made a whole lot of progress.

O'BRIEN: It sounds like in some ways Congress might be trying to pretend they're fixing it, too. Just a big old hearing with lots of cameras.

CAFFERTY: They're usually pretending to do something.

SERWER: Yes, they are.

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack. Well you know, moving is stressful enough. You shouldn't have to worry about scams, too. "CNN LIVE TODAY" has the top five tips on how you can avoid them. That's in the next hour with Daryn. AMERICAN MORNING's back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Hey, we got to run. Same time tomorrow?

O'BRIEN: OK.

HEMMER: It's Friday.

COSTELLO: Same exact location.

HEMMER: Here's Daryn Kagan, flying solo today down at the CNN Center. How are you, Daryn?

O'BRIEN: Hi Daryn.

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