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Peterson Transferred to San Quentin; Bush Chooses Portman as Trade Representative
Aired March 17, 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome, everybody. Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Bill Hemmer has got the day off, but Rob Marciano is helping us out.
So a big thanks to you. Appreciate it.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: No problem.
O'BRIEN: Jurors in the Robert Blake trial talk about why they could not convict the 71-year-old actor. Members of the jury are our guests this morning.
MARCIANO: Also health news, our "House Call" this morning. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is going to be here with a new warning about germs in the gym. That's going to be interesting. We'll look at that.
O'BRIEN: Let's get the headlines first, though. Let's get right to Carol Costello.
Good morning to you again.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to both of you. Good morning to all of you.
Now in the news, right now President Bush said to name his choice to fill a key vacancy in his administration. I want to bring it here live, the president has tapped Ohio Congressman Rob Portman to be the new U.S. trade representative. This is obviously a picture of Portman. If confirmed, he will replace Robert Zoellick. That announcement expected any moment now. When it comes, we'll take you to Washington live.
A CNN Security Watch now, a Senate committee is hosting CIA director Porter Goss right now. He's among the people set to testify on worldwide threats to the United States. This is a live picture. Part of the hearing will be held behind closed doors.
Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Martha Stewart is fighting to clear her name. Stewart arriving in court just a short time ago. Lawyers are appealing her criminal conviction. Her namesake company says it will pay part of her legal tab, so she personally will not have to pick up the whole tab for her legal fight.
And Major League Baseball players past and present on Capitol Hill this morning. A congressional committee will hear testimony in the next hour from top officials and players about the use of steroids in Major League Baseball. The lineup includes Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, among others. Again, that hearing is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. CNN of course will bring you coverage live. It's almost ready to begin. I think it's going to be fascinating.
O'BRIEN: You know, I actually think it's going to be fascinating as well. Of course, they're not expecting to hear from the major stars until a third panel, which is a bit later in the day. So you will see who shows up, what questions they ask.
COSTELLO: I just want to see if they ask the question right out -- did you take steroids.
O'BRIEN: Exactly. I got to tell you, it didn't sound like they were going to ask anything that would cause anybody to take the Fifth.
MARCIANO: If I did, I might not show up I know that. So we'll see who shows up.
O'BRIEN: All right, thank you, Carol.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Carol.
Well, Scott Peterson is getting acquainted with death row at San Quentin State Prison this morning. He was transferred there overnight from the jail in San Mateo. A judge Wednesday sentenced Peterson to death for the murders of his wife, Laci, and their unborn child.
Ted Rowlands was in the courtroom for the sentencing, and he joins us live from San Francisco this morning.
Good morning, Ted.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rob.
It was an incredibly emotional scene inside that courtroom yesterday. Folks inside the courtroom were either openly weeping or fighting back tears, as members of Laci Peterson's family got up one by one to confront Scott Peterson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Laci Peterson's brother, Brent Rocha, was the first to address Scott Peterson. He said, "You're evil. Why did you have to kill? Did you really hate Laci and Conner that much? On January 4th, I bought a gun. I chose not to kill you myself, to make you sweat it out."
Rocha then told Peterson, "Passing San Francisco Bay on the way to court each day has been difficult. My sister's head is probably rolling around on the bottom of the bay." Next up was Laci Peterson's sister Amy Rocha. She said, "You have broken my heart and my whole family's heart. You are evil. You are a monster for what you've done."
Laci Peterson's biological father, Dennis Rocha, said "You're going to burn in Hell for this. You're not going to lie to God."
Her stepfather, Ron Grantski, said something is wrong with you and your family, then had this to say outside of court.
RON GRANTSKI, LACI PETERSON'S STEPFATHER: Our family's going to make it. We're stronger because of this. And Scott got what he deserved.
ROWLANDS: The most emotional comments came from Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, who told Peterson "You, Scott, are proof that evil can lurk anywhere." She then spoke as if she were Laci, saying "Scott, why are you killing me? Please stop. I don't want to die. Then with much of the courtroom in tears, she pretended to be the baby saying, daddy, why are you killing us? Scott Peterson was given an opportunity to speak, but declined.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: And Scott Peterson was stoic throughout most of this, looking at times at the folks giving him -- or talking to him, especially Brent Rocha, Laci Peterson's brother, he looked him right in the eye. But for the rest of the time, he just looked away. He said he didn't want to say anything. His father, however, did in the middle of Brent Rocha's address to Peterson did yell out, "You're a liar." And he was told to either be quiet or leave the courtroom. So he left the courtroom, along with Scott Peterson's mother.
MARCIANO: Ted, you've followed this story from the beginning. You've had conversations with Mr. Peterson. What was it like to be in the courtroom on a personal view to hear all this emotion be drawn out?
ROWLANDS: Well, you know, it was tough. It was very, very emotional, just, you know, all these family members, and you could see the heartfelt pain from the Rocha side of things, that they were letting it out, and it's been two years, and this was their opportunity to say what they had on their minds regarding this man who they were convinced killed Laci Peterson and the unborn child. So it was emotional, very emotional, I think, for everybody in that courtroom especially folks that have been covering it, or know the families. It was tough to listen to.
MARCIANO: And a tough story to cover for sure. Ted, thank you very much. Ted Rowlands in San Francisco -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Let's take you right to the White House. You're looking at a picture of the Roosevelt Room. We're waiting for President Bush to come out. He's expected to announce that he is tapping an Ohio congressman, Republican Robert Portman, as the next U.S. trade representative. That's going to be announced any moment. We're just waiting for him to come out. The U.S. trade representative is essentially the administration's top salesman for free-trade agreements around the world. Congressman Portman has served for six terms, and he was also part of the committee that was responsible for creating the Department of Homeland Security. He's the vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and also Congressman Portman is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and its subcommittee on trade.
Here's the president. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.
I'm pleased to announce my nomination of Congressman Rob Portman to be our next United States trade representative.
For more than a decade, Rob Portman has been a superb representative of the 2nd District of Ohio. He's earned the trust of his constituents and the admiration of his colleagues. He brings a record of achievement to this new assignment.
As a member of the House leadership, Rob has shown he can bring together people of differing views to get things done. He's been a tireless advocate for America's manufacturers and entrepreneurs. He's a former international trade lawyer who has shown a deep dedication to free and fair trade. And now he will bring that commitment to his new role as U.S. trade representative.
As an Ohioan, Rob knows firsthand that millions of American jobs depend on exports, including one in every five factory jobs.
Our country is home to about 5 percent of the world's population, and that means 95 percent of our potential customers are abroad. To keep our economy growing and creating jobs, we need to continue opening foreign markets to American products.
Rob knows that America's farmers and workers can compete with anybody anytime anywhere in the world association so long as the rules are fair.
Under the outstanding leadership of Ambassador Bob Zoellick, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office helped bring China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization and worked with Congress to secure trade promotion authority.
BUSH: Bob and his team have completed free trade agreements with 12 nations on five continents that will open a combined market of 124 million consumers for America's farmers, manufacturers and small- business owners.
I appreciate his fine service and I will continue to count on his wisdom and good judgment in his new post as deputy secretary of state.
When he's confirmed by the Senate, Rob Portman will build on Ambassador Zoellick's achievements.
I've asked him to take on a bold agenda.
We need to continue to open markets abroad by pursuing bilateral free trade agreements with partners around the world. We need to finish our work to establish a free trade area of the Americas, which will become the largest free trade zone in the world.
We need to complete the Doha round negotiations within the World Trade Organization to reduce the global barriers to trade.
We must continue to vigorously enforce the trade laws on the books so that American businesses and workers are competing on a level playing field.
Rob is the right man to carry out this agenda. I've known him for many years. He is a good friend, a decent man and a skilled negotiator.
He understands that trade creates jobs, raises living standards and lowers prices for families here at home. Rob also understands that as the world trades more freely, it becomes more free and prosperity abounds.
Rob Portman will be a fine leader for the dedicated men and women who work in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
I'm grateful he's agreed to serve. I'm grateful to his wife Jane and their three children, Jed, Will and Sally.
I urge the Senate to promptly confirm this outstanding nominee as America's trade representative, and I look forward to welcoming Rob into my Cabinet.
Congratulations.
U.S. REP. ROB PORTMAN (R-OH), NOMINATED TO BE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: Thank you.
Mr. President, thank you very much. I am very proud to stand at your side. And I'm grateful for you giving me this opportunity to join your Cabinet and promote the bold international trade agenda you just described.
PORTMAN: As you and I have discussed, open markets and better trade relations are key components to a more peaceful, a more stable and more prosperous world.
Through expanded trade, the roots of democracy and freedom are deepened. And here at home, trade policy opens markets to create jobs, a higher standard of living and greater economic growth.
For the past four years, Mr. President, you have been passionate about your vision for free and fair trade, and through your personal commitment to it and the tireless work of my good friend Bob Zoellick, former trade representative, and his superb team, you've made a lot of progress.
I look forward to being able to try to build on that progress.
I would not be here today without the strong support of my family who have joined us here. I'm fortunate to have a great partner, my wife Jane, who is both the love of my life and the best mother I can possibly imagine. And I couldn't be prouder of my three children, Jed, Will and Sally. They've all given this new responsibility their blessing.
Sally, who's a fourth grader, had to admit that she had never heard of the U.S. trade representative.
(LAUGHTER)
However, Mr. President, she said, "Dad, it sounds like a really neat job."
(LAUGHTER)
And it is. And a very important responsibility during historic times.
It's very tough to imagine leaving Congress and my many friends, including Speaker Hastert. Dennis Hastert took me under his wing, gave me a seat at the leadership table and I'll be forever grateful for that.
However, if confirmed, I look forward to continuing to work very closely with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both houses of Congress.
I want to thank my superb staff. They have been fantastic for me and for the 2nd District of Ohio.
And finally, I owe so much to the constituents of Ohio's 2nd District. I've had the honor to represent them for almost 12 years now and I'm very proud of what we've been able to accomplish.
The people of southern Ohio and my hometown of Cincinnati have given me opportunities to serve that I never dreamed possible. For their friendship and their support, Jane and I will be forever grateful.
Thank you again, Mr. President. I look forward to serving on your team.
BUSH: Good job. Real good job.
Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That's President Bush there. He is in the Roosevelt room at the White House, sporting a green tie, as you can see, in honor of St. Patrick's day. Announcing that Ohio Congressman Bob Portman is his choice to be the next U.S. trade representative. Portman has served six terms in Congress. If he is, in fact, confirmed by the Senate, Bush's candidate will replace Bob Zoellick. As you heard just a moment ago, he has become Condoleezza Rice's top deputy now at the State Department. That's the news just coming in, the president making that announcement -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Soledad, funeral services will be held in North Carolina today for David Wilhelm. He's the U.S. immigration and customs agent killed last week in Atlanta. Wilhelm is believed to be the final victim of Brian Nichols, the accused courthouse shooting suspect.
CNN's Susan Candiotti spent some time with those who knew Wilhelm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By all accounts, David Wilhelm was a lawman at his prime and still climbing after snagging the customs service highest national honor for taking down smugglers.
GRETCHEN SHAPPERT, U.S. ATTORNEY: David Wilhelm was the real deal. He was able to make connections and see patterns that other people didn't.
CANDIOTTI: The special agent was so good at his job -- those are his feet in this photo showing off more than $1 million and here seizing four tons of marijuana -- colleagues say even some of the bad guys he bagged called Wilhelm friend.
SHAPPERT: He didn't hate drug dealers. He hated drugs.
CANDIOTTI: How did Wilhelm, who grew up in this unassuming home in rural North Carolina, wind up in such a dangerous job? Some say it started in high school, where one teacher said he had an intense interest in government.
TERRY OSBORNE, HISTORY TEACHER: Whatever he did, he did it like there was no tomorrow. He put everything he had, you know, his entire being, into it.
CANDIOTTI: His math teacher says that intensity made him a memorable student. Wilhelm, number 52, took that determination on to the football field. His teammate says they used to see who could throw the hardest, who was the strongest.
LANE YATES, FRIEND: I just couldn't imagine David's life being taken in such a way.
CANDIOTTI: Lane Yates and Wilhelm met as teenagers and stayed close friends to the end. Together they worked as bouncers and other jobs of adventure.
YATES: We'd go out and repossess cars for dealerships throughout Charlotte. And had a lot of time, a lot of great fun, doing that. It was upholding the law. CANDIOTTI: Now, prosecutor Gretchen Shappert will uphold the law without a key asset, going to court soon without the agent who helped build the case.
SHAPPERT: I'm sure that we will feel his presence as we get ready for trial.
CANDIOTTI: And months ago, upbeat despite a trial setback, Wilhelm left a phone message for an office worker. She says she kept it as an inspiration.
DAVID WILHELM: (on answering machine): I am flabbergasted and -- the first time in my whole career of 18 years that I ever had a hung jury. We did our job and then we'll go out again when convict the bastard.
CANDIOTTI: Then David Wilhelm added this.
WILHELM: Looks like I'll be coming back to Charlotte one more time.
CANDIOTTI: But not the way anyone expected.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Charlotte, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: David Wilhelm was 40 years old and is survived by his wife Candy of six years.
Tonight at 10:00 Eastern, it was faith and hope that helped Ashley Smith survive a seven-hour hostage ordeal with Brian Nichols. Be sure to join Paula Zahn for a special "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS." "Ashley Smith: A Hero's Journey." Again, that's tonight, at 10:00 Eastern, only on CNN. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. This morning's "House Call" examines one of the so-called superbugs, germs that are resistant to antibiotics. Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us about a parasite that might be thriving at your local gym.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the day he found the little red welt on his calf, high school wresting coach Chris Bettineski was casual, even dismissive.
CHRIS BETTINESKI, HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING COACH: Maybe it was a bug bite or an ingrown hair or something like that. It didn't appear to be anything really out of the ordinary.
GUPTA: But within a couple of days...
C. BETTINESKI: It went from looking like a mosquito bite or a bug bite to about the circumference of a baseball on the side of my calf.
GUPTA: Doctors didn't know what to make of it. Eventually they settled on draining it, giving Bettineski an antibiotic and sending him home. But days later, fluid would form a sack on his leg again. The infection spread quickly to his hip and there was a chance he could lose his leg.
C. BETTINESKI: That was a really, really frightening time of not knowing what was going to happen.
JODI BETTINESKI, CHRIS BETTINESKI'S WIFE: And I heard the nurses talking in the hallway and they were saying it's MRSA, it's MRSA. And I asked Dr. Adams (ph), I said what is MRSA? And his eyes got really big and he said where did you hear that?
GUPTA: The hush tones would stoke the Bettineski's fears until they finally deciphered that MRSA was methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. A simple staph infection, that over the years has morphed into a potentially deadly bacteria, resistant to most antibiotics.
DR. GREGORY MORAN, OLIVE VIEW UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: It's gone from being something extremely rare to the most common bacteria that we isolate from skin infections.
GUPTA: It seems to fester in locker rooms and gyms. The heat generated there, shared mats and towels and skin-to-skin contact make gyms and locker rooms a perfect host.
The Centers for Disease Control documented eight cases among the St. Louis Rams in 2003. The same year, Miami Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau also contracted the infection.
MORAN: In a number of these outbreaks, it's involved some breaks in the skin. Among the football players there were turf burns and other breaks in the skin that provided a way for the bacteria to gain entry.
GUPTA: Bettineski believes he got it on the mat wrestling with students he coaches. He's fine now after months of rehab. That little red welt may have left a nasty scar, but at least it didn't rob him of the ability to do the things he loves.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Health experts say that gyms aren't the only breeding grounds for the super bug, MRSA. People in hospitals and in prisons are also at risk. To reduce the chance of exposure, they recommend washing with soap and water and avoiding skin-to-skin contact whenever it's possible -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Sour times for a popular artificial sweetener. Andy explains a growing controversy, next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Things aren't so sweet for Splenda right now. Here to explain, Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."
Hi, Andy.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Hi, Rob. Good to see you.
Let's talk about the stock market before we get into the sweet stuff. Markets kind of mixed right now. We're down 13 on the Dow. Viacom is up a bit. They may be splitting the company up. We talked about that. Toys 'R' Us is being bought by a Wall Street buyout group, including Pulver and Cravis (ph), including Bank Capital. Remember those are the people trying to buy the hockey league, and Vornado (ph), the real estate people, $6.6 billion. This company has been fading. Wal-mart has been eating their lunch over the past decade. Their marketshare has slipped. I think it's probably going to be a real estate play. You see the Vornado people involved. We'll have to see what happens there.
Now for those of you still working on your morning coffee, you know of course that there are many, many choices to be made when it comes to sugar. Of course first you had the regular sugar, then you got the raw sugar, then you got Sweet 'N Low here, and then you got your Equal -- the blue, the pink, the blue -- and then Splenda came along.
Now Splenda was introduced in 2000. By 2003, it was the No. 1 artificial sweetener. And today Splenda is the No. 1 sugar or artificial sweetener out there on the market.
But there's a bitter battle going on in this business. The other companies are suing Splenda, which is owned by McNeil Nutritionals, which is owned by Johnson & Johnson, because they say its marketing campaign is misleading. They say that Splenda is making claims that it's an all-natural product. It is made from sugar, but it's a complex chemical process that's used to change it into an artificial sweetener. It is not -- they're not saying it's unsafe, but they are saying the product is being unfairly marketed, and there is this truth about splenda.com. It's just amazing all these different little guys here and how competitive it's been.
MARCIANO: Yes, so these guys are just jealous basically, because Splenda is kicking them real good.
SERWER: If you can't beat in the marketplace, you get the lawyers out, and I think that's what's going on here a little bit here. But interesting stuff, I think.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Andy.
O'BRIEN: Thanks.
MARCIANO: Sweet day.
O'BRIEN: Final look at the Question of the Day. CAFFERTY: Sweet day?
SERWER: At least I didn't use a vulgar slang term, like I did earlier. Remember that word?
CAFFERTY: Yes, I do.
The question is this, should Congress allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?
Diane writes, "Perhaps it's time for Americans to stop driving gas-guzzling SUVs before we damage more fragile environments. I've been on the one-year waiting list for one of a Prius." That's one of those hybrid cars.
John in Connecticut, "Which Congress are you talking about? The Congress that's supposed to represent the people, or the one that represents Bush, Cheney and Big Business? The former shouldn't allow drilling in the Arctic. The latter doesn't give a damn about my opinion, so they'll do whatever Big Business wants."
And Jack in Washington writes, the hypocrisy of the no-drilling crowd knows no end. Most of them have never been to Alaska. They're more concerned about the possible impact on obscure tree bark than about doing something about America's dependence on foreign oil. As Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders might, say, just drill, baby."
O'BRIEN: Final word to end on. All right, Jack, thanks.
CAFFERTY: Yes, sweet day.
O'BRIEN: And we are just a few minutes away from the steroid showdown in Congress. Some of baseball's biggest stars are expected to testify. Rick and Daryn are going to bring you live coverage in the next hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.
AMERICAN MORNING's back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired March 17, 2005 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome, everybody. Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Bill Hemmer has got the day off, but Rob Marciano is helping us out.
So a big thanks to you. Appreciate it.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: No problem.
O'BRIEN: Jurors in the Robert Blake trial talk about why they could not convict the 71-year-old actor. Members of the jury are our guests this morning.
MARCIANO: Also health news, our "House Call" this morning. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is going to be here with a new warning about germs in the gym. That's going to be interesting. We'll look at that.
O'BRIEN: Let's get the headlines first, though. Let's get right to Carol Costello.
Good morning to you again.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to both of you. Good morning to all of you.
Now in the news, right now President Bush said to name his choice to fill a key vacancy in his administration. I want to bring it here live, the president has tapped Ohio Congressman Rob Portman to be the new U.S. trade representative. This is obviously a picture of Portman. If confirmed, he will replace Robert Zoellick. That announcement expected any moment now. When it comes, we'll take you to Washington live.
A CNN Security Watch now, a Senate committee is hosting CIA director Porter Goss right now. He's among the people set to testify on worldwide threats to the United States. This is a live picture. Part of the hearing will be held behind closed doors.
Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Martha Stewart is fighting to clear her name. Stewart arriving in court just a short time ago. Lawyers are appealing her criminal conviction. Her namesake company says it will pay part of her legal tab, so she personally will not have to pick up the whole tab for her legal fight.
And Major League Baseball players past and present on Capitol Hill this morning. A congressional committee will hear testimony in the next hour from top officials and players about the use of steroids in Major League Baseball. The lineup includes Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire, among others. Again, that hearing is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. CNN of course will bring you coverage live. It's almost ready to begin. I think it's going to be fascinating.
O'BRIEN: You know, I actually think it's going to be fascinating as well. Of course, they're not expecting to hear from the major stars until a third panel, which is a bit later in the day. So you will see who shows up, what questions they ask.
COSTELLO: I just want to see if they ask the question right out -- did you take steroids.
O'BRIEN: Exactly. I got to tell you, it didn't sound like they were going to ask anything that would cause anybody to take the Fifth.
MARCIANO: If I did, I might not show up I know that. So we'll see who shows up.
O'BRIEN: All right, thank you, Carol.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Carol.
Well, Scott Peterson is getting acquainted with death row at San Quentin State Prison this morning. He was transferred there overnight from the jail in San Mateo. A judge Wednesday sentenced Peterson to death for the murders of his wife, Laci, and their unborn child.
Ted Rowlands was in the courtroom for the sentencing, and he joins us live from San Francisco this morning.
Good morning, Ted.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rob.
It was an incredibly emotional scene inside that courtroom yesterday. Folks inside the courtroom were either openly weeping or fighting back tears, as members of Laci Peterson's family got up one by one to confront Scott Peterson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Laci Peterson's brother, Brent Rocha, was the first to address Scott Peterson. He said, "You're evil. Why did you have to kill? Did you really hate Laci and Conner that much? On January 4th, I bought a gun. I chose not to kill you myself, to make you sweat it out."
Rocha then told Peterson, "Passing San Francisco Bay on the way to court each day has been difficult. My sister's head is probably rolling around on the bottom of the bay." Next up was Laci Peterson's sister Amy Rocha. She said, "You have broken my heart and my whole family's heart. You are evil. You are a monster for what you've done."
Laci Peterson's biological father, Dennis Rocha, said "You're going to burn in Hell for this. You're not going to lie to God."
Her stepfather, Ron Grantski, said something is wrong with you and your family, then had this to say outside of court.
RON GRANTSKI, LACI PETERSON'S STEPFATHER: Our family's going to make it. We're stronger because of this. And Scott got what he deserved.
ROWLANDS: The most emotional comments came from Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, who told Peterson "You, Scott, are proof that evil can lurk anywhere." She then spoke as if she were Laci, saying "Scott, why are you killing me? Please stop. I don't want to die. Then with much of the courtroom in tears, she pretended to be the baby saying, daddy, why are you killing us? Scott Peterson was given an opportunity to speak, but declined.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: And Scott Peterson was stoic throughout most of this, looking at times at the folks giving him -- or talking to him, especially Brent Rocha, Laci Peterson's brother, he looked him right in the eye. But for the rest of the time, he just looked away. He said he didn't want to say anything. His father, however, did in the middle of Brent Rocha's address to Peterson did yell out, "You're a liar." And he was told to either be quiet or leave the courtroom. So he left the courtroom, along with Scott Peterson's mother.
MARCIANO: Ted, you've followed this story from the beginning. You've had conversations with Mr. Peterson. What was it like to be in the courtroom on a personal view to hear all this emotion be drawn out?
ROWLANDS: Well, you know, it was tough. It was very, very emotional, just, you know, all these family members, and you could see the heartfelt pain from the Rocha side of things, that they were letting it out, and it's been two years, and this was their opportunity to say what they had on their minds regarding this man who they were convinced killed Laci Peterson and the unborn child. So it was emotional, very emotional, I think, for everybody in that courtroom especially folks that have been covering it, or know the families. It was tough to listen to.
MARCIANO: And a tough story to cover for sure. Ted, thank you very much. Ted Rowlands in San Francisco -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Let's take you right to the White House. You're looking at a picture of the Roosevelt Room. We're waiting for President Bush to come out. He's expected to announce that he is tapping an Ohio congressman, Republican Robert Portman, as the next U.S. trade representative. That's going to be announced any moment. We're just waiting for him to come out. The U.S. trade representative is essentially the administration's top salesman for free-trade agreements around the world. Congressman Portman has served for six terms, and he was also part of the committee that was responsible for creating the Department of Homeland Security. He's the vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and also Congressman Portman is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and its subcommittee on trade.
Here's the president. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.
I'm pleased to announce my nomination of Congressman Rob Portman to be our next United States trade representative.
For more than a decade, Rob Portman has been a superb representative of the 2nd District of Ohio. He's earned the trust of his constituents and the admiration of his colleagues. He brings a record of achievement to this new assignment.
As a member of the House leadership, Rob has shown he can bring together people of differing views to get things done. He's been a tireless advocate for America's manufacturers and entrepreneurs. He's a former international trade lawyer who has shown a deep dedication to free and fair trade. And now he will bring that commitment to his new role as U.S. trade representative.
As an Ohioan, Rob knows firsthand that millions of American jobs depend on exports, including one in every five factory jobs.
Our country is home to about 5 percent of the world's population, and that means 95 percent of our potential customers are abroad. To keep our economy growing and creating jobs, we need to continue opening foreign markets to American products.
Rob knows that America's farmers and workers can compete with anybody anytime anywhere in the world association so long as the rules are fair.
Under the outstanding leadership of Ambassador Bob Zoellick, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office helped bring China and Taiwan into the World Trade Organization and worked with Congress to secure trade promotion authority.
BUSH: Bob and his team have completed free trade agreements with 12 nations on five continents that will open a combined market of 124 million consumers for America's farmers, manufacturers and small- business owners.
I appreciate his fine service and I will continue to count on his wisdom and good judgment in his new post as deputy secretary of state.
When he's confirmed by the Senate, Rob Portman will build on Ambassador Zoellick's achievements.
I've asked him to take on a bold agenda.
We need to continue to open markets abroad by pursuing bilateral free trade agreements with partners around the world. We need to finish our work to establish a free trade area of the Americas, which will become the largest free trade zone in the world.
We need to complete the Doha round negotiations within the World Trade Organization to reduce the global barriers to trade.
We must continue to vigorously enforce the trade laws on the books so that American businesses and workers are competing on a level playing field.
Rob is the right man to carry out this agenda. I've known him for many years. He is a good friend, a decent man and a skilled negotiator.
He understands that trade creates jobs, raises living standards and lowers prices for families here at home. Rob also understands that as the world trades more freely, it becomes more free and prosperity abounds.
Rob Portman will be a fine leader for the dedicated men and women who work in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
I'm grateful he's agreed to serve. I'm grateful to his wife Jane and their three children, Jed, Will and Sally.
I urge the Senate to promptly confirm this outstanding nominee as America's trade representative, and I look forward to welcoming Rob into my Cabinet.
Congratulations.
U.S. REP. ROB PORTMAN (R-OH), NOMINATED TO BE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE: Thank you.
Mr. President, thank you very much. I am very proud to stand at your side. And I'm grateful for you giving me this opportunity to join your Cabinet and promote the bold international trade agenda you just described.
PORTMAN: As you and I have discussed, open markets and better trade relations are key components to a more peaceful, a more stable and more prosperous world.
Through expanded trade, the roots of democracy and freedom are deepened. And here at home, trade policy opens markets to create jobs, a higher standard of living and greater economic growth.
For the past four years, Mr. President, you have been passionate about your vision for free and fair trade, and through your personal commitment to it and the tireless work of my good friend Bob Zoellick, former trade representative, and his superb team, you've made a lot of progress.
I look forward to being able to try to build on that progress.
I would not be here today without the strong support of my family who have joined us here. I'm fortunate to have a great partner, my wife Jane, who is both the love of my life and the best mother I can possibly imagine. And I couldn't be prouder of my three children, Jed, Will and Sally. They've all given this new responsibility their blessing.
Sally, who's a fourth grader, had to admit that she had never heard of the U.S. trade representative.
(LAUGHTER)
However, Mr. President, she said, "Dad, it sounds like a really neat job."
(LAUGHTER)
And it is. And a very important responsibility during historic times.
It's very tough to imagine leaving Congress and my many friends, including Speaker Hastert. Dennis Hastert took me under his wing, gave me a seat at the leadership table and I'll be forever grateful for that.
However, if confirmed, I look forward to continuing to work very closely with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both houses of Congress.
I want to thank my superb staff. They have been fantastic for me and for the 2nd District of Ohio.
And finally, I owe so much to the constituents of Ohio's 2nd District. I've had the honor to represent them for almost 12 years now and I'm very proud of what we've been able to accomplish.
The people of southern Ohio and my hometown of Cincinnati have given me opportunities to serve that I never dreamed possible. For their friendship and their support, Jane and I will be forever grateful.
Thank you again, Mr. President. I look forward to serving on your team.
BUSH: Good job. Real good job.
Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That's President Bush there. He is in the Roosevelt room at the White House, sporting a green tie, as you can see, in honor of St. Patrick's day. Announcing that Ohio Congressman Bob Portman is his choice to be the next U.S. trade representative. Portman has served six terms in Congress. If he is, in fact, confirmed by the Senate, Bush's candidate will replace Bob Zoellick. As you heard just a moment ago, he has become Condoleezza Rice's top deputy now at the State Department. That's the news just coming in, the president making that announcement -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Soledad, funeral services will be held in North Carolina today for David Wilhelm. He's the U.S. immigration and customs agent killed last week in Atlanta. Wilhelm is believed to be the final victim of Brian Nichols, the accused courthouse shooting suspect.
CNN's Susan Candiotti spent some time with those who knew Wilhelm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By all accounts, David Wilhelm was a lawman at his prime and still climbing after snagging the customs service highest national honor for taking down smugglers.
GRETCHEN SHAPPERT, U.S. ATTORNEY: David Wilhelm was the real deal. He was able to make connections and see patterns that other people didn't.
CANDIOTTI: The special agent was so good at his job -- those are his feet in this photo showing off more than $1 million and here seizing four tons of marijuana -- colleagues say even some of the bad guys he bagged called Wilhelm friend.
SHAPPERT: He didn't hate drug dealers. He hated drugs.
CANDIOTTI: How did Wilhelm, who grew up in this unassuming home in rural North Carolina, wind up in such a dangerous job? Some say it started in high school, where one teacher said he had an intense interest in government.
TERRY OSBORNE, HISTORY TEACHER: Whatever he did, he did it like there was no tomorrow. He put everything he had, you know, his entire being, into it.
CANDIOTTI: His math teacher says that intensity made him a memorable student. Wilhelm, number 52, took that determination on to the football field. His teammate says they used to see who could throw the hardest, who was the strongest.
LANE YATES, FRIEND: I just couldn't imagine David's life being taken in such a way.
CANDIOTTI: Lane Yates and Wilhelm met as teenagers and stayed close friends to the end. Together they worked as bouncers and other jobs of adventure.
YATES: We'd go out and repossess cars for dealerships throughout Charlotte. And had a lot of time, a lot of great fun, doing that. It was upholding the law. CANDIOTTI: Now, prosecutor Gretchen Shappert will uphold the law without a key asset, going to court soon without the agent who helped build the case.
SHAPPERT: I'm sure that we will feel his presence as we get ready for trial.
CANDIOTTI: And months ago, upbeat despite a trial setback, Wilhelm left a phone message for an office worker. She says she kept it as an inspiration.
DAVID WILHELM: (on answering machine): I am flabbergasted and -- the first time in my whole career of 18 years that I ever had a hung jury. We did our job and then we'll go out again when convict the bastard.
CANDIOTTI: Then David Wilhelm added this.
WILHELM: Looks like I'll be coming back to Charlotte one more time.
CANDIOTTI: But not the way anyone expected.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Charlotte, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: David Wilhelm was 40 years old and is survived by his wife Candy of six years.
Tonight at 10:00 Eastern, it was faith and hope that helped Ashley Smith survive a seven-hour hostage ordeal with Brian Nichols. Be sure to join Paula Zahn for a special "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS." "Ashley Smith: A Hero's Journey." Again, that's tonight, at 10:00 Eastern, only on CNN. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. This morning's "House Call" examines one of the so-called superbugs, germs that are resistant to antibiotics. Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us about a parasite that might be thriving at your local gym.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the day he found the little red welt on his calf, high school wresting coach Chris Bettineski was casual, even dismissive.
CHRIS BETTINESKI, HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING COACH: Maybe it was a bug bite or an ingrown hair or something like that. It didn't appear to be anything really out of the ordinary.
GUPTA: But within a couple of days...
C. BETTINESKI: It went from looking like a mosquito bite or a bug bite to about the circumference of a baseball on the side of my calf.
GUPTA: Doctors didn't know what to make of it. Eventually they settled on draining it, giving Bettineski an antibiotic and sending him home. But days later, fluid would form a sack on his leg again. The infection spread quickly to his hip and there was a chance he could lose his leg.
C. BETTINESKI: That was a really, really frightening time of not knowing what was going to happen.
JODI BETTINESKI, CHRIS BETTINESKI'S WIFE: And I heard the nurses talking in the hallway and they were saying it's MRSA, it's MRSA. And I asked Dr. Adams (ph), I said what is MRSA? And his eyes got really big and he said where did you hear that?
GUPTA: The hush tones would stoke the Bettineski's fears until they finally deciphered that MRSA was methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. A simple staph infection, that over the years has morphed into a potentially deadly bacteria, resistant to most antibiotics.
DR. GREGORY MORAN, OLIVE VIEW UCLA MEDICAL CENTER: It's gone from being something extremely rare to the most common bacteria that we isolate from skin infections.
GUPTA: It seems to fester in locker rooms and gyms. The heat generated there, shared mats and towels and skin-to-skin contact make gyms and locker rooms a perfect host.
The Centers for Disease Control documented eight cases among the St. Louis Rams in 2003. The same year, Miami Dolphins linebacker Junior Seau also contracted the infection.
MORAN: In a number of these outbreaks, it's involved some breaks in the skin. Among the football players there were turf burns and other breaks in the skin that provided a way for the bacteria to gain entry.
GUPTA: Bettineski believes he got it on the mat wrestling with students he coaches. He's fine now after months of rehab. That little red welt may have left a nasty scar, but at least it didn't rob him of the ability to do the things he loves.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Health experts say that gyms aren't the only breeding grounds for the super bug, MRSA. People in hospitals and in prisons are also at risk. To reduce the chance of exposure, they recommend washing with soap and water and avoiding skin-to-skin contact whenever it's possible -- Rob.
MARCIANO: Sour times for a popular artificial sweetener. Andy explains a growing controversy, next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MARCIANO: Things aren't so sweet for Splenda right now. Here to explain, Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."
Hi, Andy.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Hi, Rob. Good to see you.
Let's talk about the stock market before we get into the sweet stuff. Markets kind of mixed right now. We're down 13 on the Dow. Viacom is up a bit. They may be splitting the company up. We talked about that. Toys 'R' Us is being bought by a Wall Street buyout group, including Pulver and Cravis (ph), including Bank Capital. Remember those are the people trying to buy the hockey league, and Vornado (ph), the real estate people, $6.6 billion. This company has been fading. Wal-mart has been eating their lunch over the past decade. Their marketshare has slipped. I think it's probably going to be a real estate play. You see the Vornado people involved. We'll have to see what happens there.
Now for those of you still working on your morning coffee, you know of course that there are many, many choices to be made when it comes to sugar. Of course first you had the regular sugar, then you got the raw sugar, then you got Sweet 'N Low here, and then you got your Equal -- the blue, the pink, the blue -- and then Splenda came along.
Now Splenda was introduced in 2000. By 2003, it was the No. 1 artificial sweetener. And today Splenda is the No. 1 sugar or artificial sweetener out there on the market.
But there's a bitter battle going on in this business. The other companies are suing Splenda, which is owned by McNeil Nutritionals, which is owned by Johnson & Johnson, because they say its marketing campaign is misleading. They say that Splenda is making claims that it's an all-natural product. It is made from sugar, but it's a complex chemical process that's used to change it into an artificial sweetener. It is not -- they're not saying it's unsafe, but they are saying the product is being unfairly marketed, and there is this truth about splenda.com. It's just amazing all these different little guys here and how competitive it's been.
MARCIANO: Yes, so these guys are just jealous basically, because Splenda is kicking them real good.
SERWER: If you can't beat in the marketplace, you get the lawyers out, and I think that's what's going on here a little bit here. But interesting stuff, I think.
MARCIANO: Thanks, Andy.
O'BRIEN: Thanks.
MARCIANO: Sweet day.
O'BRIEN: Final look at the Question of the Day. CAFFERTY: Sweet day?
SERWER: At least I didn't use a vulgar slang term, like I did earlier. Remember that word?
CAFFERTY: Yes, I do.
The question is this, should Congress allow oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?
Diane writes, "Perhaps it's time for Americans to stop driving gas-guzzling SUVs before we damage more fragile environments. I've been on the one-year waiting list for one of a Prius." That's one of those hybrid cars.
John in Connecticut, "Which Congress are you talking about? The Congress that's supposed to represent the people, or the one that represents Bush, Cheney and Big Business? The former shouldn't allow drilling in the Arctic. The latter doesn't give a damn about my opinion, so they'll do whatever Big Business wants."
And Jack in Washington writes, the hypocrisy of the no-drilling crowd knows no end. Most of them have never been to Alaska. They're more concerned about the possible impact on obscure tree bark than about doing something about America's dependence on foreign oil. As Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders might, say, just drill, baby."
O'BRIEN: Final word to end on. All right, Jack, thanks.
CAFFERTY: Yes, sweet day.
O'BRIEN: And we are just a few minutes away from the steroid showdown in Congress. Some of baseball's biggest stars are expected to testify. Rick and Daryn are going to bring you live coverage in the next hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.
AMERICAN MORNING's back in just a moment.
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