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CNN Live At Daybreak
Spain Marking a Dark Day; Michael Jackson Shows Up in His Jammies
Aired March 11, 2005 - 05:00 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: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, Spain is marking a dark day. The Madrid train bombings one year ago today.
Plus, heading to court or to bed? Michael Jackson shows up in his jammies.
Plus, go ahead, yuk it up. It just could be the best prescription for healthy living.
It's Friday, thank goodness, March 11.
This is 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, church bells tolling across Madrid, Spain this morning. It is a day of mourning. One year ago today, a terrorist attack killed close to 200 people and injured more than 1,600.
Live now to Al Goodman, our Madrid bureau chief -- hello, Al.
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, the church bells have rung out this morning. They've tolled for the victims of this train bombing. A hundred and ninety- one people were killed a year ago this day. Almost a fourth of them were non-Spaniards from 16 other countries. Most of them who were Spaniards were here at the Atocha Train Station, which the train in this station and another train just beyond the station took the brunt of those casualties. In all, there were four trains that day, 10 bombs.
The church bells rang out at the time that the bombs started to go off and they rang out at 600 churches across the Madrid region. The leaders of the victims' associations, Carol, did not want to hear these bells. They asked the authorities not to ring the bells. But the authorities said while respecting the victims, this was something that affected Madrid, Spain and was a wake up call to Europe in terms of a terrorist threat. And one think tank in Brussels says that the terror threat has not been reduced one year after, not in Spain and not across Europe.
Now, after these thunderous church bells, silence is due to follow. Within the hour, Carol, a ceremony in Madrid's main park with King Juan Carlos inaugurating a forest. One tree planted for each of the people who died. And the trains across Spain are supposed to come to a standstill for five minutes as a sign of respect for that tragedy one year ago -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Al Goodman live in Spain this morning.
Thank you.
Also in the news this morning, President Bush today is expected to nominate Zalman Khalilzad as ambassador to Iraq. Khalilzad has been the ambassador to Afghanistan since November of 2003.
A United Nations envoy is heading to Syria tomorrow to deliver an ultimatum. The "Washington Post" says the envoy will tell Syria it must pull its troops out of Lebanon or face political and economic isolation.
President Bush takes his Social Security reform road show to Memphis, Tennessee and to Shreveport, Louisiana today. He's shifted his P.R. effort lately, unveiling a focus on senior citizens and seniors in high school, promising his plan will take care of both groups.
And there could be fewer detainees at the Navy's Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba. The "New York Times" reports the Pentagon wants to transfer hundreds of them to prisons in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
And former President Clinton is resting this morning in a New York hospital. He underwent a four hour elective surgery to remove fluid and scar tissue from his left lung. He's expected to be in the hospital three to 10 days.
To the forecast center now -- good morning, Chad Myers.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That sounds like a snow forecast, three to 10 inches. Three to 10 days? The doctors should be able to give him a little better than that idea.
Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: That looks like Jeff Gordon's car.
MYERS: Look! I mean it looks like the Rainbow Warrior's car. It's pretty awesome. And the race is...
COSTELLO: You're a little crazy this Friday morning.
MYERS: They're racing in Vegas this weekend. We'll have that forecast coming up.
COSTELLO: Oh, absolutely.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: That's most important this morning.
Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: Testimony is on hold until Monday in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial. I know you've heard about this. There has been drama inside and outside of the courtroom.
Inside, jurors heard the now 15-year-old accuser's graphic account of drinking and sexual misconduct at Neverland. Outside, Jackson's tardiness created an uproar. He came in his jammies.
CNN's Heidi Collins has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: (voice-over): It should have been just another day in court for Michael Jackson. But instead of showing up to the appointed 8:30 start time, the star called in sick.
BRIAN OXMAN, JACKSON ATTORNEY: He tripped this morning and he fell in the early morning hours while he was getting dressed. His back is in terrible pain.
COLLINS: When Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, told Judge Rodney S. Melville the news, the judge was not amused, and gave the gloved one an hour to get to the courthouse, saying, "I'm issuing a warrant for his arrest. I'm forfeiting his bail."
As Mesereau paced impatiently in and out of the courthouse, cell phone stuck to his ear, a countdown clock ticked away the time on MSNBC. A CNN banner counted the minutes Jackson might have left if the judge carried through with his thread.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: We can't underestimate how weird this all is. I mean, this is incredibly weird, what is going on.
COLLINS: Then, a five-minute reprieve from the judge when word came that the defendant was on his way. No helicopters tracked Jackson's trek from the hospital toward the courthouse, but the deadline came and went, and the pop star was still a no-show.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The time is past. The deadline has come and gone.
COLLINS: Well, for a few minutes, anyway. Then, Jackson's police escort encourage arrived and he stepped out, a little disheveled, listing to the left and wearing his jammies.
But once he made his way slowly into court, there was no arrest. The frenzy fizzled and the case against the self-proclaimed King of Pop just carried on. (END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: Heidi Collins reporting.
And, Chad, that brings us to our DAYBREAK E-Mail Question of the Day. Should Michael Jackson already be in jail because, as you know, the judge could have thrown him in jail. He could have revoked his $3 million bond. Daybreak@cnn.com. Show me, Chad, here. This was so strange, Chad.
MYERS: I'm reading an atlas, Carol. It's much more exciting.
COSTELLO: Oh, come on.
MYERS: Look, they moved...
COSTELLO: You have to admit it was quite a speculate.
MYERS: Look, they moved Victoria. There's Vancouver Island.
COSTELLO: Daybreak@cnn.com. Send us your comments. Should Michael Jackson already be in jail for wearing -- for being late to court, that is.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: He hasn't been, you know, convicted of anything yet.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: All right, go back to reading your atlas.
In other "News Across America" this morning, an update on a story you first heard on DAYBREAK. A DNA link -- Chicago authorities say DNA on a cigarette butt found at the home where a federal judge's husband and mother were killed matches that of a suicide victim. Police say Bart Ross killed himself during a routine traffic stop.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUPT. PHIL CLINE, CHICAGO POLICE: We came upon a note written, presumably, by the victim, where he implicated himself in the murders of Michael Lefkow and Donna Humphrey. In the note, the offender outlined in some detail the events of Monday, February 28.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Last fall, Judge Joan Lefkow dismissed a lawsuit in which Ross accused doctors of disfiguring him during cancer treatment.
President Bush is in Memphis this morning, and that spelled trouble for a would be thief. Police say a 17-year-old was spotted prowling a parking lot across from the president's hotel last night. Police chased the young man. Shots were fired but no one got hurt. They did arrest the guy. It seems to have been a case of the wrong place at the wrong time, at least for that car thief. Two retired New York City detectives are accused of being hit men for the mob. An indictment says they killed rival gangsters and fed the mob confidential information for 10 years while serving on the police force.
A California man is offering Terri Schiavo's husband $1 million to keep his brain damaged wife alive. A lawyer representing Michael Schiavo says he'll turn it down. In the meantime, a judge rules Florida's social services department cannot intervene to delay the removal of that feeding tube that's keeping Schiavo alive. A court order gives Michael Schiavo the right to remove it next Friday.
You might call it America's love affair with methamphetamine. Meth is easily available and hard to stay away from, really hard. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has details in 17 minutes.
And is your cell phone infected? The first mobile phone virus is spreading worldwide. More on that in 31 minutes.
And, Spain observes a national day of mourning. We'll hear from survivors of the Madrid train bombing in 37 minutes.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 5:13 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
President Bush is in Tennessee and Louisiana today, continuing a four state southern swing to promote Social Security reform. But polls show it's an uphill battle and getting steeper.
Condoleezza Rice strikes a positive note on Iran. The secretary of state says the U.S. and European allies are getting closer to finding a way to get Iran to end its nuclear program.
In money news, Bill Gates tops "Forbes'" magazine's billionaires list for the 11th year in a row. The Microsoft founder's net worth -- I can't even believe this -- his net worth is more than $46.5 billion, give or take $100 million. Warren Buffett's only worth $44 billion.
In culture, the Wilson brothers' latest film, "The Wendell Baker Story," kicks off this year's South By Southwest Music Film and Interactive Festival. Internet bloggers, Indy filmmakers and bands from around the world are packing the event in Austin, Texas.
In sports, Bret Favre is coming back. The Green Bay Packers quarterback says he will play the 2005 season and maybe beyond that. And everyone thought he was going to retire after last year, but no. Chad -- are you still reading the atlas?
MYERS: Bret Favre?
Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
Oh, stick around, Chad, because Jay Leno is looking for ways around a gag order in the Michael Jackson case. We'll tell you how the late night host is keeping the jokes coming with a little help from his friends.
And if you have high blood pressure, we can help you feel better. We have a cure that's more fun than taking a pill. We promise. That's just ahead.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Friday, March 11.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: In "News Across America" this morning, Chicago police have a match of Bart Ross' DNA with that on a cigarette butt found at a murder scene. Ross is the man who committed suicide during a traffic stop in Wisconsin. He left a note claiming responsibility for the deaths of two people in Chicago, the husband and mother of federal Judge Joan Lefkow.
A California man could get up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to setting the Cedar fire in San Diego County in 2003. Sergio Martinez will be sentenced August 5 under the terms of a plea bargain. The fire killed 15 people and burned 2,200 homes.
In Fresno, California, police have arrested a substitute teacher. You're looking at him right now. He's accused of smoking marijuana with high school students during class. Police believe he smoked pot with six or seven students in a ninth grade science class. One charge against him is furnishing marijuana to minors, which is a felony.
Bill Clinton just can't stay away from elections, so to speak.
MYERS: And Jay Leno can't stay away from Bill Clinton.
COSTELLO: Exactly.
And talking about his elective surgery.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC) JAY LENO, HOST: President Clinton is doing fine. Today his condition was upgraded from stable to horny, so that's good. I think we see...
-- remove fluid buildup. Now, isn't that what got him impeached the last time? Wasn't it a similar...
He was in surgery for four hours today under a general anesthetic. And when he finally opened his eyes and saw Hillary standing there he thought, oh, my god, I've died and gone to hell. Then he realized oh, no, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's been an arrest warrant issued for Mr. -- wait. Here comes the Escalade. This might be him now. Mr. Leno, why are you so late?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course, that was Leno's take on Michael Jackson's court arrival.
MYERS: With the SpongeBob SquarePants shirt. That's nice.
COSTELLO: Yes. Under a gag order as a potential witness, as you know, Jay Leno can't comment on the Jackson trial.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: So he's having other comedians do it.
So listen to this one.
MYERS: Who was last night?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC)
DREW CAREY, COMEDIAN: Michael Jackson showed up in court late today wearing his pajama bottoms. You know what? If we find the kid wearing the pajama top, we have another court case on our hands.
The official word from the Jackson camp is he has a hurt back. Hey, kids are heavier now. What are you going to do?
What does Michael Jackson never say after having sex? Why don't you grow up?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Ooh, that was Drew Carey.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Who grew some hair.
We are asking you an e-mail question today about the Michael Jackson case because, as you know, he appeared late to court, an hour and three minutes late. The judge could have thrown him in jail. We're asking you this question, should Michael Jackson already be in jail for violating the court's order to be there on time? And we're getting lots of e-mails this morning. So take it away, Chad.
MYERS: Bonnie in Ontario seemed to have noticed a quick turn, an abrupt move, as she's calling it, to turn to give to the sign of peace to the crowd. Then all of a sudden he turned back and needed help going up the stairs. So she thinks he was faking it.
And Mark (ph) in Pennsylvania says: "Yes, he should be in jail right now. An hour and three minutes late, if it was anybody else, we would all be in jail. Falling and hurting his back is just not good."
I don't know if he can actually -- has he turned? Is it an abrupt turn?
COSTELLO: Yes, there it is.
MYERS: Yes, that would...
COSTELLO: We see it.
MYERS: That really would...
COSTELLO: Yes, because he's sitting -- he had a horrible back problem and he went to the hospital and that's why he was late for court.
This is from Dan in Florida. He says: "Of course Michael should have been jailed. If it had been one of the common folk, you know what would have happened. This is why some people have no respect for the justice system. Money talks."
We're going to take a short break now.
We'll be back with much more on DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: And good morning to you.
Welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, President Bush is in Memphis trying to sell his plan to overhaul Social Security. Mr. Bush will hold what he calls a conversation on strengthening Social Security at the Cannon Center in Memphis. Shreveport, Louisiana is the next stop on his tour.
Former President Bill Clinton is recovering from surgery to remove fluid and scar tissue around his left lung. The buildup was linked to the heart bypass operation Clinton underwent last year. The "New York Times" reports the Pentagon wants to cut by more than half the number of detainees at its prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. Detainees would be sent to prisons in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Britain's parliament is deadlocked over Prime Minister Tony Blair's proposed new anti-terrorism law, one that allows indefinite jailing of suspects. The old law which expires Monday, and eight terror suspects could be released by then.
To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.
MYERS: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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 11, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, Spain is marking a dark day. The Madrid train bombings one year ago today.
Plus, heading to court or to bed? Michael Jackson shows up in his jammies.
Plus, go ahead, yuk it up. It just could be the best prescription for healthy living.
It's Friday, thank goodness, March 11.
This is 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, church bells tolling across Madrid, Spain this morning. It is a day of mourning. One year ago today, a terrorist attack killed close to 200 people and injured more than 1,600.
Live now to Al Goodman, our Madrid bureau chief -- hello, Al.
AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, the church bells have rung out this morning. They've tolled for the victims of this train bombing. A hundred and ninety- one people were killed a year ago this day. Almost a fourth of them were non-Spaniards from 16 other countries. Most of them who were Spaniards were here at the Atocha Train Station, which the train in this station and another train just beyond the station took the brunt of those casualties. In all, there were four trains that day, 10 bombs.
The church bells rang out at the time that the bombs started to go off and they rang out at 600 churches across the Madrid region. The leaders of the victims' associations, Carol, did not want to hear these bells. They asked the authorities not to ring the bells. But the authorities said while respecting the victims, this was something that affected Madrid, Spain and was a wake up call to Europe in terms of a terrorist threat. And one think tank in Brussels says that the terror threat has not been reduced one year after, not in Spain and not across Europe.
Now, after these thunderous church bells, silence is due to follow. Within the hour, Carol, a ceremony in Madrid's main park with King Juan Carlos inaugurating a forest. One tree planted for each of the people who died. And the trains across Spain are supposed to come to a standstill for five minutes as a sign of respect for that tragedy one year ago -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Al Goodman live in Spain this morning.
Thank you.
Also in the news this morning, President Bush today is expected to nominate Zalman Khalilzad as ambassador to Iraq. Khalilzad has been the ambassador to Afghanistan since November of 2003.
A United Nations envoy is heading to Syria tomorrow to deliver an ultimatum. The "Washington Post" says the envoy will tell Syria it must pull its troops out of Lebanon or face political and economic isolation.
President Bush takes his Social Security reform road show to Memphis, Tennessee and to Shreveport, Louisiana today. He's shifted his P.R. effort lately, unveiling a focus on senior citizens and seniors in high school, promising his plan will take care of both groups.
And there could be fewer detainees at the Navy's Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba. The "New York Times" reports the Pentagon wants to transfer hundreds of them to prisons in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
And former President Clinton is resting this morning in a New York hospital. He underwent a four hour elective surgery to remove fluid and scar tissue from his left lung. He's expected to be in the hospital three to 10 days.
To the forecast center now -- good morning, Chad Myers.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That sounds like a snow forecast, three to 10 inches. Three to 10 days? The doctors should be able to give him a little better than that idea.
Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: That looks like Jeff Gordon's car.
MYERS: Look! I mean it looks like the Rainbow Warrior's car. It's pretty awesome. And the race is...
COSTELLO: You're a little crazy this Friday morning.
MYERS: They're racing in Vegas this weekend. We'll have that forecast coming up.
COSTELLO: Oh, absolutely.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: That's most important this morning.
Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: Testimony is on hold until Monday in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial. I know you've heard about this. There has been drama inside and outside of the courtroom.
Inside, jurors heard the now 15-year-old accuser's graphic account of drinking and sexual misconduct at Neverland. Outside, Jackson's tardiness created an uproar. He came in his jammies.
CNN's Heidi Collins has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: (voice-over): It should have been just another day in court for Michael Jackson. But instead of showing up to the appointed 8:30 start time, the star called in sick.
BRIAN OXMAN, JACKSON ATTORNEY: He tripped this morning and he fell in the early morning hours while he was getting dressed. His back is in terrible pain.
COLLINS: When Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, told Judge Rodney S. Melville the news, the judge was not amused, and gave the gloved one an hour to get to the courthouse, saying, "I'm issuing a warrant for his arrest. I'm forfeiting his bail."
As Mesereau paced impatiently in and out of the courthouse, cell phone stuck to his ear, a countdown clock ticked away the time on MSNBC. A CNN banner counted the minutes Jackson might have left if the judge carried through with his thread.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: We can't underestimate how weird this all is. I mean, this is incredibly weird, what is going on.
COLLINS: Then, a five-minute reprieve from the judge when word came that the defendant was on his way. No helicopters tracked Jackson's trek from the hospital toward the courthouse, but the deadline came and went, and the pop star was still a no-show.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The time is past. The deadline has come and gone.
COLLINS: Well, for a few minutes, anyway. Then, Jackson's police escort encourage arrived and he stepped out, a little disheveled, listing to the left and wearing his jammies.
But once he made his way slowly into court, there was no arrest. The frenzy fizzled and the case against the self-proclaimed King of Pop just carried on. (END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: Heidi Collins reporting.
And, Chad, that brings us to our DAYBREAK E-Mail Question of the Day. Should Michael Jackson already be in jail because, as you know, the judge could have thrown him in jail. He could have revoked his $3 million bond. Daybreak@cnn.com. Show me, Chad, here. This was so strange, Chad.
MYERS: I'm reading an atlas, Carol. It's much more exciting.
COSTELLO: Oh, come on.
MYERS: Look, they moved...
COSTELLO: You have to admit it was quite a speculate.
MYERS: Look, they moved Victoria. There's Vancouver Island.
COSTELLO: Daybreak@cnn.com. Send us your comments. Should Michael Jackson already be in jail for wearing -- for being late to court, that is.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: He hasn't been, you know, convicted of anything yet.
MYERS: I know.
COSTELLO: All right, go back to reading your atlas.
In other "News Across America" this morning, an update on a story you first heard on DAYBREAK. A DNA link -- Chicago authorities say DNA on a cigarette butt found at the home where a federal judge's husband and mother were killed matches that of a suicide victim. Police say Bart Ross killed himself during a routine traffic stop.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUPT. PHIL CLINE, CHICAGO POLICE: We came upon a note written, presumably, by the victim, where he implicated himself in the murders of Michael Lefkow and Donna Humphrey. In the note, the offender outlined in some detail the events of Monday, February 28.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Last fall, Judge Joan Lefkow dismissed a lawsuit in which Ross accused doctors of disfiguring him during cancer treatment.
President Bush is in Memphis this morning, and that spelled trouble for a would be thief. Police say a 17-year-old was spotted prowling a parking lot across from the president's hotel last night. Police chased the young man. Shots were fired but no one got hurt. They did arrest the guy. It seems to have been a case of the wrong place at the wrong time, at least for that car thief. Two retired New York City detectives are accused of being hit men for the mob. An indictment says they killed rival gangsters and fed the mob confidential information for 10 years while serving on the police force.
A California man is offering Terri Schiavo's husband $1 million to keep his brain damaged wife alive. A lawyer representing Michael Schiavo says he'll turn it down. In the meantime, a judge rules Florida's social services department cannot intervene to delay the removal of that feeding tube that's keeping Schiavo alive. A court order gives Michael Schiavo the right to remove it next Friday.
You might call it America's love affair with methamphetamine. Meth is easily available and hard to stay away from, really hard. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has details in 17 minutes.
And is your cell phone infected? The first mobile phone virus is spreading worldwide. More on that in 31 minutes.
And, Spain observes a national day of mourning. We'll hear from survivors of the Madrid train bombing in 37 minutes.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 5:13 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
President Bush is in Tennessee and Louisiana today, continuing a four state southern swing to promote Social Security reform. But polls show it's an uphill battle and getting steeper.
Condoleezza Rice strikes a positive note on Iran. The secretary of state says the U.S. and European allies are getting closer to finding a way to get Iran to end its nuclear program.
In money news, Bill Gates tops "Forbes'" magazine's billionaires list for the 11th year in a row. The Microsoft founder's net worth -- I can't even believe this -- his net worth is more than $46.5 billion, give or take $100 million. Warren Buffett's only worth $44 billion.
In culture, the Wilson brothers' latest film, "The Wendell Baker Story," kicks off this year's South By Southwest Music Film and Interactive Festival. Internet bloggers, Indy filmmakers and bands from around the world are packing the event in Austin, Texas.
In sports, Bret Favre is coming back. The Green Bay Packers quarterback says he will play the 2005 season and maybe beyond that. And everyone thought he was going to retire after last year, but no. Chad -- are you still reading the atlas?
MYERS: Bret Favre?
Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.
Oh, stick around, Chad, because Jay Leno is looking for ways around a gag order in the Michael Jackson case. We'll tell you how the late night host is keeping the jokes coming with a little help from his friends.
And if you have high blood pressure, we can help you feel better. We have a cure that's more fun than taking a pill. We promise. That's just ahead.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Friday, March 11.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: In "News Across America" this morning, Chicago police have a match of Bart Ross' DNA with that on a cigarette butt found at a murder scene. Ross is the man who committed suicide during a traffic stop in Wisconsin. He left a note claiming responsibility for the deaths of two people in Chicago, the husband and mother of federal Judge Joan Lefkow.
A California man could get up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to setting the Cedar fire in San Diego County in 2003. Sergio Martinez will be sentenced August 5 under the terms of a plea bargain. The fire killed 15 people and burned 2,200 homes.
In Fresno, California, police have arrested a substitute teacher. You're looking at him right now. He's accused of smoking marijuana with high school students during class. Police believe he smoked pot with six or seven students in a ninth grade science class. One charge against him is furnishing marijuana to minors, which is a felony.
Bill Clinton just can't stay away from elections, so to speak.
MYERS: And Jay Leno can't stay away from Bill Clinton.
COSTELLO: Exactly.
And talking about his elective surgery.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC) JAY LENO, HOST: President Clinton is doing fine. Today his condition was upgraded from stable to horny, so that's good. I think we see...
-- remove fluid buildup. Now, isn't that what got him impeached the last time? Wasn't it a similar...
He was in surgery for four hours today under a general anesthetic. And when he finally opened his eyes and saw Hillary standing there he thought, oh, my god, I've died and gone to hell. Then he realized oh, no, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's been an arrest warrant issued for Mr. -- wait. Here comes the Escalade. This might be him now. Mr. Leno, why are you so late?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course, that was Leno's take on Michael Jackson's court arrival.
MYERS: With the SpongeBob SquarePants shirt. That's nice.
COSTELLO: Yes. Under a gag order as a potential witness, as you know, Jay Leno can't comment on the Jackson trial.
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: So he's having other comedians do it.
So listen to this one.
MYERS: Who was last night?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC)
DREW CAREY, COMEDIAN: Michael Jackson showed up in court late today wearing his pajama bottoms. You know what? If we find the kid wearing the pajama top, we have another court case on our hands.
The official word from the Jackson camp is he has a hurt back. Hey, kids are heavier now. What are you going to do?
What does Michael Jackson never say after having sex? Why don't you grow up?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Ooh, that was Drew Carey.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Who grew some hair.
We are asking you an e-mail question today about the Michael Jackson case because, as you know, he appeared late to court, an hour and three minutes late. The judge could have thrown him in jail. We're asking you this question, should Michael Jackson already be in jail for violating the court's order to be there on time? And we're getting lots of e-mails this morning. So take it away, Chad.
MYERS: Bonnie in Ontario seemed to have noticed a quick turn, an abrupt move, as she's calling it, to turn to give to the sign of peace to the crowd. Then all of a sudden he turned back and needed help going up the stairs. So she thinks he was faking it.
And Mark (ph) in Pennsylvania says: "Yes, he should be in jail right now. An hour and three minutes late, if it was anybody else, we would all be in jail. Falling and hurting his back is just not good."
I don't know if he can actually -- has he turned? Is it an abrupt turn?
COSTELLO: Yes, there it is.
MYERS: Yes, that would...
COSTELLO: We see it.
MYERS: That really would...
COSTELLO: Yes, because he's sitting -- he had a horrible back problem and he went to the hospital and that's why he was late for court.
This is from Dan in Florida. He says: "Of course Michael should have been jailed. If it had been one of the common folk, you know what would have happened. This is why some people have no respect for the justice system. Money talks."
We're going to take a short break now.
We'll be back with much more on DAYBREAK.
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COSTELLO: And good morning to you.
Welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, President Bush is in Memphis trying to sell his plan to overhaul Social Security. Mr. Bush will hold what he calls a conversation on strengthening Social Security at the Cannon Center in Memphis. Shreveport, Louisiana is the next stop on his tour.
Former President Bill Clinton is recovering from surgery to remove fluid and scar tissue around his left lung. The buildup was linked to the heart bypass operation Clinton underwent last year. The "New York Times" reports the Pentagon wants to cut by more than half the number of detainees at its prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. Detainees would be sent to prisons in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Britain's parliament is deadlocked over Prime Minister Tony Blair's proposed new anti-terrorism law, one that allows indefinite jailing of suspects. The old law which expires Monday, and eight terror suspects could be released by then.
To the forecast center and Chad -- good morning.
MYERS: Good morning, Carol.
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