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CNN Live At Daybreak

Drama Being Played Out Over Life of Terri Schiavo

Aired March 25, 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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBY SCHINDLER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S BROTHER: Things don't look too good right now, but, you know, there's always something, you know, a voice inside saying, you know, something could happen any second now that would get my sister out of this mess.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, the drama being played out over the life of Terri Schiavo. In the courts, in a Florida hospice and in the hearts and souls of so many others.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, with Chad Myers.

Here are some of the stories we're working on for you today.

Parting the musical waters -- hip music for young people looking for divine guidance.

And how is your team doing on the hardwoods? The excitement of March madness.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this morning.

Today marks a week since Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed and it appears the legal tug of war between her parents and her husband is going Michael Schiavo's way. The Supreme Court has refused to intervene again. And in Tampa, a federal judge has working thru the night on the latest desperate effort by Terri Schiavo's mother and father.

Today is Good Friday, when Christians observe the crucifixion of Christ. For the first time since he became pope, John Paul II will not be leading today's Good Friday mass at the Vatican, but he will be watching on television.

Osama bin Laden -- did he escape at Tora Bora or not? The Pentagon has always said it didn't know. Well, now a military legal document says a prisoner in custody at Guantanamo Bay, and I'm quoting here, "says he assisted in the escape of the al Qaeda leader."

A U.N. report is blaming Syria for ratcheting up political tensions that preceded the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri. The bomb on Beirut's waterfront killed Hariri and 20 other people last month.

To the Forecast Center now.

Chad is back -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Feeling better?

MYERS: I'm 90 percent back. The other 10 percent is still back there in bed.

Good morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: In a Tampa courtroom last night, a telling moment. An attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents argued that the removal of her feeding tube is murder. But Judge James Whittemore interrupted and he said this. He says: "That is an emotional -- that is the emotional rhetoric of this case. It does not influence this court and cannot influence this court."

While demonstrations go on at the hospice where Schiavo is being cared for, we all await the judge's latest ruling. Her parents went back to a court in Tampa after the Supreme Court in Washington refused to intervene. So far, the have been 22 court decisions against the parents' efforts. Terri's father, Bob Schindler, accuses the judges in those rulings of being on a crusade to kill his daughter. And Randall Terry, the anti-abortion activist, is warning Republicans there will be hell to pay if Schiavo dies.

As you know, these are extremely emotional times for everyone involved.

Our John Zarrella spoke with Terri Schiavo's sister and brother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE VITADAMO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S SISTER: If I give up hope, I'd be giving up on Terri. So -- and I won't do that. And she hasn't given up on us and I'll continue to be hopeful and prayerful.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bobby?

SCHINDLER: Yes, I mean it's like, as my sister said, you know, we don't want to give up on Terri. She hasn't given up on us all these years and we're certainly not going to give up on her. You know, we know things don't look too good right now but, you know, there's always some, you know, voice inside saying, you know, something could happen any second now that will get my sister out of this mess.

God has a purpose for my sister's life and, you know, whatever happens, you know, we know that god's ultimately going to make the final decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Michael Schiavo has pretty much tried to stay away from the microphones. But his attorney says he's been at his wife's bedside since shortly after her feeding tube was removed last Friday. His attorney, George Felos, told reporters: "We believe it's time for this to stop as we approach this Easter weekend and that Mrs. Schiavo should be allowed to die in peace.

As I said, strong emotions surround this case. A man was arrested near Tampa after trying to steal a weapon from a gun shop. He told the shop owner he wanted the gun so he could rescue Terri Schiavo. Also, police cordoned off the federal courthouse in Tampa. A suspicious backpack was found outside. It was removed and safely detonated. And in the end, there was no bomb inside.

Despite pleas from Terri Schiavo's mother and father, her brother and sister and others, not all Americans take their legal side. President Bush is learning about that from some very telling poll numbers.

Here's our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): President Bush's job rating over the weekend, before he and Congress acted in the Terri Schiavo case, 52 percent. President Bush's job rating in a poll taken this week, after the bill to turn the case over to the federal courts was passed into law, 45 percent. A CBS News poll shows a similar decline in the president's ratings, from 49 percent last month to 43 percent now.

Are we seeing evidence of political backlash from the Schiavo case? We have to be careful. Gas prices are up. And so are negative views about the economy. Just in the past two weeks, the number of Americans who say the economy is getting worse has jumped 9 points, to nearly 60 percent.

But there are also reasons to suspect a Schiavo backlash. Congress has been in the spotlight on the Schiavo case, and approval of Congress has been dropping as well, down seven points since last month. Public opinion about the Schiavo case is very one-sided, particularly on this question -- should Congress and the president be involved in deciding what happens to Terri Schiavo? Only 13 percent of Americans say yes. An overwhelming 82 percent say no, including large majorities of conservatives, Republicans, church-goers and even two-thirds of white evangelicals. The public does not want a case like this contaminated by politics.

REP. BARNEY FRANK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Does anyone think that this decision will be made without considerations of actual support of party, of ideology? Of course not.

SCHNEIDER: Among the minority of Americans who believe Congress and the president should be involved in the Schiavo case, Bush's job approval is 67 percent. The president's approval drops to less than 40 percent among the huge majority who think politicians should stay out of it. Which may explain why the president is sounding more cautious.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have not discussed the next steps with the brother -- my brother, who is the governor of Florida.

SCHNEIDER: Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Now to our E-Mail Question of the Morning.

Chad, are you with me on this?

MYERS: Go ahead, Carol.

COSTELLO: This is such an emotional case. We just wanted our viewers to talk about it more because they come up with such interesting insight.

We wondered this morning what you thought about this. Is the Schiavo case strictly about the right to life?

Let's listen to the rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: This is an extraordinary and sad case and I believe that in a case such as this, the legislative branch and the executive branch ought to err on the side of life.

STATE SEN. ROD SMITH (D), FLORIDA: There are those who say that we should err on the side of life. We should follow the findings under oath as to what the wishes of the person who was the victim are. That person did not want to be kept alive.

PROF. ALAN DERSHOWITZ, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: It's always better to err on the side of life. The problem is President Bush doesn't agree with that when it comes to the death penalty and other cases.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's complicated, isn't it?

You know, is it a constitutional issue or is it a life issue? That's the question we're asking this morning. So the Question of the Day, is it always better to err on the side of life?

MYERS: It seems to me people, Carol, that people that are on one side don't want to even hear the other side. And so it's not really even debatable where somebody could actually meet in the middle, because literally you can't meet in the middle. It's one way or the other. COSTELLO: I think you're right about that.

MYERS: There you go.

COSTELLO: And I think that our e-mails will prove that this morning. Daybreak@cnn.com. That's daybreak@cnn.com.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: In other "News Across America" this morning, another body has been found in the debris at a Texas oil refinery. Teams of investigators are still trying to pinpoint the cause of the blast that left 15 workers dead and more than 100 others injured. The refinery supplies 3 percent of the nation's gasoline supply. But managers say the supply is not being affected by this accident.

Police in Alaska are looking for who's responsible for stealing 27,000 gallons of gas. It was taken from an unmanned filling station over the past few months. Police believe thieves bypassed the electronic payment system and made off with $60,000 worth of fuel.

As many as nine Florida children have been hospitalized after visits to petting zoos. The children are suffering from a potentially fatal kidney infection most commonly associated with E. coli bacteria. The infected children all visited petting zoos at fairs and festivals in and around Orlando, Florida.

The so-called truth truck is making its way across the eastern United States. The truck is carrying signed petitions from people opposed to the president's plan to change Social Security. As many as one million of the messages will be on the truck when it stops in Congressional districts between Florida and Pennsylvania.

Forget about calling it March madness, although that would certainly apply. Let's call it March mix-up instead. We'll check the brackets just ahead to see how badly you're losing in your office pool.

And at 41 minutes past the hour, we're going to hear voices lifted in song and prayer, along with pictures like that. But they're voices that are also rapping about life on the streets.

And how good is your memory? We'll meet a woman who solves crimes by helping people remember more than they ever thought possible.

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 5:14 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

The parents of Terri Schiavo keep coming up with last ditch efforts to save the life of their brain damaged daughter. After the Supreme Court refused to intervene again, they made another emergency request to a federal judge in Tampa. Schiavo has now gone a full week without food or water.

New York City's Fire Department must release tapes of interviews with 9/11 responders. That's the ruling from the state's highest court. The court is allowing the Department to withhold anything that could cause pain or embarrassment. The "New York Times" is working on an oral history of the attacks.

In money news, financial news mainstay "Wall Street Week" is signing off soon. The 35-year-old PBS show will produce its last show on June 24. Long time host Louis Rukeyser left the show in 2002 when producers first planned to revamp the format.

In culture, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul had had to face a real life judge. Abdul was fined $300 for a December hit and run freeway accident in Los Angeles. The driver of the damaged car used her cell phone camera to record the incident.

In sports, the National Hockey League has canceled its entry draft. Last month, the League called an end to the season. There's still no labor agreement in place for the next season. The player draft had been scheduled for June.

It's not looking good for hockey -- Chad.

MYERS: Not really, Carol. Not at all.

Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.

Oh, there you are. You popped up.

MYERS: There I am.

COSTELLO: Are you all geeked up for March madness?

MYERS: I've been geeked up. It's already been going on for two weeks. Where have you been?

COSTELLO: I've been paying too much attention to the news, I guess.

MYERS: I see.

COSTELLO: But you are right, we're down to the sweet sixteen.

MYERS: Yes. COSTELLO: But actually, after last night's game, I guess you could call it the terrific 12.

MYERS: Sure.

COSTELLO: Look at this. Actually, you take a look at it, because I don't know what I'm talking about here.

MYERS: Well, Illinois, the Illini beat Wisconsin yesterday, because Cinderella was at the dance, but didn't get all the way down to the elite eight. So that was kind of unfortunate.

Excellent game between Arizona and Oklahoma State, coming down to a 2.8 second last second buzzer shot there. Louisville on the way. No one thought -- nobody thought Louisville should have been fourth ranked anyway in this entire tournament. So they are on their way.

And West Virginia Texas Tech, Bobby Knight tried to make his way back into the national championship games and didn't quite make it. He came up a little bit short.

Good games tonight, Carol, coming on, as well.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes.

MYERS: I really do think that it's going to be North Carolina and North Carolina State trying to get into the final four.

COSTELLO: But anything can happen this year, as I understand it.

MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: It's been a strange, strange March madness kind of time.

MYERS: It has.

COSTELLO: As you said, the other four games will be played tonight. Fans of the college championship are finding it easier to keep track of their team without television. Go figure.

We get more on the tournament technology from CNN's Brooke Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): March madness -- the 64 teams in the men's college basketball tournament have millions of passionate fans who go crazy every year for these games. Fans who need to know what is going on with their teams even when they can't get to the television.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm always checking scores. And I also get notified about who wins the games.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it's not on the television, I'll be checking my e-mails on my phone.

ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS/KENTUCKY FAN: I am cheerfully keeping up by calling home to our housekeeper, who has the TV game on. But this morning as I got ready, I was listening on the Internet.

ANDERSON: From movie stars to regular folk, in this on demand society, it only makes sense that more people use technology to stay up to date on their teams.

Lycos.com is reporting a 335 percent increase in the number of people using their search engine to catch March madness. And Cbssportsline.com, which has game scores and streaming video available, is reporting that over the first four days of the tournament, 23 million people went on their site to follow the games.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the Internet is on...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Espn.com.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly. Or CBS Market Watch, whatever it is, Cbssportsline.com.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Refresh, refresh, refresh.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Refresh, absolutely.

ANDERSON: Of course, there are also plenty of fans who have more than a rooting interest at stake. He's put a couple of dollars on the line. The FBI says that an estimated $3.5 billion is bet on the tournament and many people bet in pools that are run online.

Most of those fans keep their brackets close at hand when they watch the games, even if they don't feel the need to keep wired.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People get too fancy, I think, these days, trying to go for the computers and the laptops. You print yourself out a good old-fashioned bracket from the newspaper, write down your teams, circle when you win, cross out when you lose and you move on.

ANDERSON: Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Coming up a little later in the show, we'll talk with a computer whiz who thinks he can predict the outcome of the tournament. And based on his results so far, he's doing pretty well. It's all based on mathematics and statistics. We'll make it easy for you.

Also ahead on DAYBREAK, gangsta rap makes way for gospel rap. Is it new proof that Jesus really is a superstar?

You're watching DAYBREAK for Friday, Good Friday, March 25.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

ABBA: When the pretty birds have flown, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MYERS: Take a chance, take a chance.

COSTELLO: You know, I know how much you love those Abba chicks.

MYERS: Take a chance, chance.

COSTELLO: That's why we're playing that this morning.

MYERS: OK. Actually, my son, who's three months old, when Abba comes on, there's this little concert that they put on high def? He loves it. He loves listening to it, though.

COSTELLO: Really?

MYERS: Yes, lots of flashing lights.

COSTELLO: I can see he has the same musical taste as you.

MYERS: Yes. Thanks.

COSTELLO: Time for some "Late Night Laughs" now.

And we need to laugh this morning.

Funny man Jay Leno was on a roll. The jokes were flying fast and furious.

So let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC)

JAY LENO, HOST: Vice President Dick Cheney got a big pay raise. You know, last week he was only making $53 a barrel. Now he's making $57 a barrel. There you go, a good big pay raise. Whatever.

Oh, President Bush said yesterday he will ask Congress to further loosen the immigration laws. And, of course, people are shocked. What? We have immigration laws? When did that start? Is there some law? You can't just come here? What happened?

Hey, what do you think of this? Researchers at an Austrian university are facing ethics charges for using human corpses as crash test dummies? Yes. See, that's what happens when you don't have a good Social Security system, you have to keep working even after you're dead. You've got to keep paying for those times. It's amazing.

In San Jose, California, a woman bit into a piece of a human finger while eating a bowl of Wendy's chili. Oh, yes. I didn't know Wendy's sold finger food. Did you know that? Oooh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It was finger licking good, Chad. I actually stole that joke from camera guy Doug. You can't...

MYERS: I've got nothing.

COSTELLO: OK.

MYERS: All I can say is that Wendy's had a thorough investigation and they said that they cannot figure out anything, from their suppliers to their people, how this thing could have actually happened. But, you know, it's not really breakfast talk, really.

COSTELLO: No. And it's not a laughing matter, either, is it?

MYERS: Correct.

COSTELLO: So it's time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" right now.

Bees, let's talk about bees. They caused an early end to the spring training game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Don't you hate it when that happens?

MYERS: But why? Why, Carol? Why did this happen? Why were they just buzzing around one guy?

COSTELLO: I don't know.

MYERS: Yes, you do. Keep going.

COSTELLO: Maybe he was wearing some weird cologne.

MYERS: No. Coconut oil in his hair.

COSTELLO: Actually, the swarms of bees chased players all over the field. It wasn't just him. Rockies' pitcher Darren Oliver says he thinks the bees were originally attracted, you're right, to that coconut oil in his hair gel.

These apes sure like their Easter eggs. The Cincinnati Zoo hosts an Easter egg hunt for their gorillas. But they make it pretty easy. Many of the eggs are hidden in Easter baskets. And other zoo residents, including rhinos and Red River hogs, get to root out their own eggs, as well.

MYERS: How about chocolate eggs, Carol?

COSTELLO: I don't know.

Take a look at this big boy, Chad.

MYERS: Yes?

COSTELLO: Undoubtedly, it's probably the biggest chocolate egg you've ever seen. The egg is now on display in a town in Belgium. It's 27 feet, three inches tall and almost 4,300 pounds. That's more than...

MYERS: That's a lot of zits.

COSTELLO: There's no proof that chocolates cause acne.

MYERS: I know.

COSTELLO: Anyway, this thing weighs more than two tons. The people of Guinness certify it as the largest chocolate egg in the whole world. And I'm sure it's making your mouth water right now.

Here's what's all new in the next half hour of DAYBREAK.

A spiritual message is making its way into mainstream music. We'll look at how more and more music acts are turning to Jesus to deliver his message to the masses and to get a number one record.

Plus, some say sports is a religion. And now one computer whiz thinks he can predict the end of days -- I'm sorry -- the end of the NCAA tournament. See how he does it, only here on DAYBREAK.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: 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, a federal judge in Tampa is expected to rule any time now on yet another appeal by Terri Schiavo's parents to keep their daughter alive. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed a week ago. The U.S. Supreme Court once again has refused to hear the case, upholding a series of court rulings filed since Monday. If you want specifics, 22 decisions now against the Schindlers

Christians around the world will attend Good Friday services. But for the first time, an ailing Pope John Paul II will attend only through a video connection. The 84-year-old pope has been hospitalized twice this year.

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 25, 2005 - 05:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBY SCHINDLER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S BROTHER: Things don't look too good right now, but, you know, there's always something, you know, a voice inside saying, you know, something could happen any second now that would get my sister out of this mess.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, the drama being played out over the life of Terri Schiavo. In the courts, in a Florida hospice and in the hearts and souls of so many others.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, with Chad Myers.

Here are some of the stories we're working on for you today.

Parting the musical waters -- hip music for young people looking for divine guidance.

And how is your team doing on the hardwoods? The excitement of March madness.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this morning.

Today marks a week since Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed and it appears the legal tug of war between her parents and her husband is going Michael Schiavo's way. The Supreme Court has refused to intervene again. And in Tampa, a federal judge has working thru the night on the latest desperate effort by Terri Schiavo's mother and father.

Today is Good Friday, when Christians observe the crucifixion of Christ. For the first time since he became pope, John Paul II will not be leading today's Good Friday mass at the Vatican, but he will be watching on television.

Osama bin Laden -- did he escape at Tora Bora or not? The Pentagon has always said it didn't know. Well, now a military legal document says a prisoner in custody at Guantanamo Bay, and I'm quoting here, "says he assisted in the escape of the al Qaeda leader."

A U.N. report is blaming Syria for ratcheting up political tensions that preceded the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister, Rafik Hariri. The bomb on Beirut's waterfront killed Hariri and 20 other people last month.

To the Forecast Center now.

Chad is back -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Feeling better?

MYERS: I'm 90 percent back. The other 10 percent is still back there in bed.

Good morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: In a Tampa courtroom last night, a telling moment. An attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents argued that the removal of her feeding tube is murder. But Judge James Whittemore interrupted and he said this. He says: "That is an emotional -- that is the emotional rhetoric of this case. It does not influence this court and cannot influence this court."

While demonstrations go on at the hospice where Schiavo is being cared for, we all await the judge's latest ruling. Her parents went back to a court in Tampa after the Supreme Court in Washington refused to intervene. So far, the have been 22 court decisions against the parents' efforts. Terri's father, Bob Schindler, accuses the judges in those rulings of being on a crusade to kill his daughter. And Randall Terry, the anti-abortion activist, is warning Republicans there will be hell to pay if Schiavo dies.

As you know, these are extremely emotional times for everyone involved.

Our John Zarrella spoke with Terri Schiavo's sister and brother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE VITADAMO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S SISTER: If I give up hope, I'd be giving up on Terri. So -- and I won't do that. And she hasn't given up on us and I'll continue to be hopeful and prayerful.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bobby?

SCHINDLER: Yes, I mean it's like, as my sister said, you know, we don't want to give up on Terri. She hasn't given up on us all these years and we're certainly not going to give up on her. You know, we know things don't look too good right now but, you know, there's always some, you know, voice inside saying, you know, something could happen any second now that will get my sister out of this mess.

God has a purpose for my sister's life and, you know, whatever happens, you know, we know that god's ultimately going to make the final decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Michael Schiavo has pretty much tried to stay away from the microphones. But his attorney says he's been at his wife's bedside since shortly after her feeding tube was removed last Friday. His attorney, George Felos, told reporters: "We believe it's time for this to stop as we approach this Easter weekend and that Mrs. Schiavo should be allowed to die in peace.

As I said, strong emotions surround this case. A man was arrested near Tampa after trying to steal a weapon from a gun shop. He told the shop owner he wanted the gun so he could rescue Terri Schiavo. Also, police cordoned off the federal courthouse in Tampa. A suspicious backpack was found outside. It was removed and safely detonated. And in the end, there was no bomb inside.

Despite pleas from Terri Schiavo's mother and father, her brother and sister and others, not all Americans take their legal side. President Bush is learning about that from some very telling poll numbers.

Here's our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): President Bush's job rating over the weekend, before he and Congress acted in the Terri Schiavo case, 52 percent. President Bush's job rating in a poll taken this week, after the bill to turn the case over to the federal courts was passed into law, 45 percent. A CBS News poll shows a similar decline in the president's ratings, from 49 percent last month to 43 percent now.

Are we seeing evidence of political backlash from the Schiavo case? We have to be careful. Gas prices are up. And so are negative views about the economy. Just in the past two weeks, the number of Americans who say the economy is getting worse has jumped 9 points, to nearly 60 percent.

But there are also reasons to suspect a Schiavo backlash. Congress has been in the spotlight on the Schiavo case, and approval of Congress has been dropping as well, down seven points since last month. Public opinion about the Schiavo case is very one-sided, particularly on this question -- should Congress and the president be involved in deciding what happens to Terri Schiavo? Only 13 percent of Americans say yes. An overwhelming 82 percent say no, including large majorities of conservatives, Republicans, church-goers and even two-thirds of white evangelicals. The public does not want a case like this contaminated by politics.

REP. BARNEY FRANK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Does anyone think that this decision will be made without considerations of actual support of party, of ideology? Of course not.

SCHNEIDER: Among the minority of Americans who believe Congress and the president should be involved in the Schiavo case, Bush's job approval is 67 percent. The president's approval drops to less than 40 percent among the huge majority who think politicians should stay out of it. Which may explain why the president is sounding more cautious.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I have not discussed the next steps with the brother -- my brother, who is the governor of Florida.

SCHNEIDER: Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Now to our E-Mail Question of the Morning.

Chad, are you with me on this?

MYERS: Go ahead, Carol.

COSTELLO: This is such an emotional case. We just wanted our viewers to talk about it more because they come up with such interesting insight.

We wondered this morning what you thought about this. Is the Schiavo case strictly about the right to life?

Let's listen to the rhetoric.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: This is an extraordinary and sad case and I believe that in a case such as this, the legislative branch and the executive branch ought to err on the side of life.

STATE SEN. ROD SMITH (D), FLORIDA: There are those who say that we should err on the side of life. We should follow the findings under oath as to what the wishes of the person who was the victim are. That person did not want to be kept alive.

PROF. ALAN DERSHOWITZ, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: It's always better to err on the side of life. The problem is President Bush doesn't agree with that when it comes to the death penalty and other cases.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's complicated, isn't it?

You know, is it a constitutional issue or is it a life issue? That's the question we're asking this morning. So the Question of the Day, is it always better to err on the side of life?

MYERS: It seems to me people, Carol, that people that are on one side don't want to even hear the other side. And so it's not really even debatable where somebody could actually meet in the middle, because literally you can't meet in the middle. It's one way or the other. COSTELLO: I think you're right about that.

MYERS: There you go.

COSTELLO: And I think that our e-mails will prove that this morning. Daybreak@cnn.com. That's daybreak@cnn.com.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: In other "News Across America" this morning, another body has been found in the debris at a Texas oil refinery. Teams of investigators are still trying to pinpoint the cause of the blast that left 15 workers dead and more than 100 others injured. The refinery supplies 3 percent of the nation's gasoline supply. But managers say the supply is not being affected by this accident.

Police in Alaska are looking for who's responsible for stealing 27,000 gallons of gas. It was taken from an unmanned filling station over the past few months. Police believe thieves bypassed the electronic payment system and made off with $60,000 worth of fuel.

As many as nine Florida children have been hospitalized after visits to petting zoos. The children are suffering from a potentially fatal kidney infection most commonly associated with E. coli bacteria. The infected children all visited petting zoos at fairs and festivals in and around Orlando, Florida.

The so-called truth truck is making its way across the eastern United States. The truck is carrying signed petitions from people opposed to the president's plan to change Social Security. As many as one million of the messages will be on the truck when it stops in Congressional districts between Florida and Pennsylvania.

Forget about calling it March madness, although that would certainly apply. Let's call it March mix-up instead. We'll check the brackets just ahead to see how badly you're losing in your office pool.

And at 41 minutes past the hour, we're going to hear voices lifted in song and prayer, along with pictures like that. But they're voices that are also rapping about life on the streets.

And how good is your memory? We'll meet a woman who solves crimes by helping people remember more than they ever thought possible.

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 5:14 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

The parents of Terri Schiavo keep coming up with last ditch efforts to save the life of their brain damaged daughter. After the Supreme Court refused to intervene again, they made another emergency request to a federal judge in Tampa. Schiavo has now gone a full week without food or water.

New York City's Fire Department must release tapes of interviews with 9/11 responders. That's the ruling from the state's highest court. The court is allowing the Department to withhold anything that could cause pain or embarrassment. The "New York Times" is working on an oral history of the attacks.

In money news, financial news mainstay "Wall Street Week" is signing off soon. The 35-year-old PBS show will produce its last show on June 24. Long time host Louis Rukeyser left the show in 2002 when producers first planned to revamp the format.

In culture, "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul had had to face a real life judge. Abdul was fined $300 for a December hit and run freeway accident in Los Angeles. The driver of the damaged car used her cell phone camera to record the incident.

In sports, the National Hockey League has canceled its entry draft. Last month, the League called an end to the season. There's still no labor agreement in place for the next season. The player draft had been scheduled for June.

It's not looking good for hockey -- Chad.

MYERS: Not really, Carol. Not at all.

Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you.

Oh, there you are. You popped up.

MYERS: There I am.

COSTELLO: Are you all geeked up for March madness?

MYERS: I've been geeked up. It's already been going on for two weeks. Where have you been?

COSTELLO: I've been paying too much attention to the news, I guess.

MYERS: I see.

COSTELLO: But you are right, we're down to the sweet sixteen.

MYERS: Yes. COSTELLO: But actually, after last night's game, I guess you could call it the terrific 12.

MYERS: Sure.

COSTELLO: Look at this. Actually, you take a look at it, because I don't know what I'm talking about here.

MYERS: Well, Illinois, the Illini beat Wisconsin yesterday, because Cinderella was at the dance, but didn't get all the way down to the elite eight. So that was kind of unfortunate.

Excellent game between Arizona and Oklahoma State, coming down to a 2.8 second last second buzzer shot there. Louisville on the way. No one thought -- nobody thought Louisville should have been fourth ranked anyway in this entire tournament. So they are on their way.

And West Virginia Texas Tech, Bobby Knight tried to make his way back into the national championship games and didn't quite make it. He came up a little bit short.

Good games tonight, Carol, coming on, as well.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes.

MYERS: I really do think that it's going to be North Carolina and North Carolina State trying to get into the final four.

COSTELLO: But anything can happen this year, as I understand it.

MYERS: Of course.

COSTELLO: It's been a strange, strange March madness kind of time.

MYERS: It has.

COSTELLO: As you said, the other four games will be played tonight. Fans of the college championship are finding it easier to keep track of their team without television. Go figure.

We get more on the tournament technology from CNN's Brooke Anderson.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): March madness -- the 64 teams in the men's college basketball tournament have millions of passionate fans who go crazy every year for these games. Fans who need to know what is going on with their teams even when they can't get to the television.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm always checking scores. And I also get notified about who wins the games.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it's not on the television, I'll be checking my e-mails on my phone.

ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS/KENTUCKY FAN: I am cheerfully keeping up by calling home to our housekeeper, who has the TV game on. But this morning as I got ready, I was listening on the Internet.

ANDERSON: From movie stars to regular folk, in this on demand society, it only makes sense that more people use technology to stay up to date on their teams.

Lycos.com is reporting a 335 percent increase in the number of people using their search engine to catch March madness. And Cbssportsline.com, which has game scores and streaming video available, is reporting that over the first four days of the tournament, 23 million people went on their site to follow the games.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the Internet is on...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Espn.com.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly. Or CBS Market Watch, whatever it is, Cbssportsline.com.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Refresh, refresh, refresh.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Refresh, absolutely.

ANDERSON: Of course, there are also plenty of fans who have more than a rooting interest at stake. He's put a couple of dollars on the line. The FBI says that an estimated $3.5 billion is bet on the tournament and many people bet in pools that are run online.

Most of those fans keep their brackets close at hand when they watch the games, even if they don't feel the need to keep wired.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People get too fancy, I think, these days, trying to go for the computers and the laptops. You print yourself out a good old-fashioned bracket from the newspaper, write down your teams, circle when you win, cross out when you lose and you move on.

ANDERSON: Brooke Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Coming up a little later in the show, we'll talk with a computer whiz who thinks he can predict the outcome of the tournament. And based on his results so far, he's doing pretty well. It's all based on mathematics and statistics. We'll make it easy for you.

Also ahead on DAYBREAK, gangsta rap makes way for gospel rap. Is it new proof that Jesus really is a superstar?

You're watching DAYBREAK for Friday, Good Friday, March 25.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

ABBA: When the pretty birds have flown, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

MYERS: Take a chance, take a chance.

COSTELLO: You know, I know how much you love those Abba chicks.

MYERS: Take a chance, chance.

COSTELLO: That's why we're playing that this morning.

MYERS: OK. Actually, my son, who's three months old, when Abba comes on, there's this little concert that they put on high def? He loves it. He loves listening to it, though.

COSTELLO: Really?

MYERS: Yes, lots of flashing lights.

COSTELLO: I can see he has the same musical taste as you.

MYERS: Yes. Thanks.

COSTELLO: Time for some "Late Night Laughs" now.

And we need to laugh this morning.

Funny man Jay Leno was on a roll. The jokes were flying fast and furious.

So let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO," COURTESY NBC)

JAY LENO, HOST: Vice President Dick Cheney got a big pay raise. You know, last week he was only making $53 a barrel. Now he's making $57 a barrel. There you go, a good big pay raise. Whatever.

Oh, President Bush said yesterday he will ask Congress to further loosen the immigration laws. And, of course, people are shocked. What? We have immigration laws? When did that start? Is there some law? You can't just come here? What happened?

Hey, what do you think of this? Researchers at an Austrian university are facing ethics charges for using human corpses as crash test dummies? Yes. See, that's what happens when you don't have a good Social Security system, you have to keep working even after you're dead. You've got to keep paying for those times. It's amazing.

In San Jose, California, a woman bit into a piece of a human finger while eating a bowl of Wendy's chili. Oh, yes. I didn't know Wendy's sold finger food. Did you know that? Oooh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It was finger licking good, Chad. I actually stole that joke from camera guy Doug. You can't...

MYERS: I've got nothing.

COSTELLO: OK.

MYERS: All I can say is that Wendy's had a thorough investigation and they said that they cannot figure out anything, from their suppliers to their people, how this thing could have actually happened. But, you know, it's not really breakfast talk, really.

COSTELLO: No. And it's not a laughing matter, either, is it?

MYERS: Correct.

COSTELLO: So it's time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" right now.

Bees, let's talk about bees. They caused an early end to the spring training game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Don't you hate it when that happens?

MYERS: But why? Why, Carol? Why did this happen? Why were they just buzzing around one guy?

COSTELLO: I don't know.

MYERS: Yes, you do. Keep going.

COSTELLO: Maybe he was wearing some weird cologne.

MYERS: No. Coconut oil in his hair.

COSTELLO: Actually, the swarms of bees chased players all over the field. It wasn't just him. Rockies' pitcher Darren Oliver says he thinks the bees were originally attracted, you're right, to that coconut oil in his hair gel.

These apes sure like their Easter eggs. The Cincinnati Zoo hosts an Easter egg hunt for their gorillas. But they make it pretty easy. Many of the eggs are hidden in Easter baskets. And other zoo residents, including rhinos and Red River hogs, get to root out their own eggs, as well.

MYERS: How about chocolate eggs, Carol?

COSTELLO: I don't know.

Take a look at this big boy, Chad.

MYERS: Yes?

COSTELLO: Undoubtedly, it's probably the biggest chocolate egg you've ever seen. The egg is now on display in a town in Belgium. It's 27 feet, three inches tall and almost 4,300 pounds. That's more than...

MYERS: That's a lot of zits.

COSTELLO: There's no proof that chocolates cause acne.

MYERS: I know.

COSTELLO: Anyway, this thing weighs more than two tons. The people of Guinness certify it as the largest chocolate egg in the whole world. And I'm sure it's making your mouth water right now.

Here's what's all new in the next half hour of DAYBREAK.

A spiritual message is making its way into mainstream music. We'll look at how more and more music acts are turning to Jesus to deliver his message to the masses and to get a number one record.

Plus, some say sports is a religion. And now one computer whiz thinks he can predict the end of days -- I'm sorry -- the end of the NCAA tournament. See how he does it, only here on DAYBREAK.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: 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, a federal judge in Tampa is expected to rule any time now on yet another appeal by Terri Schiavo's parents to keep their daughter alive. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed a week ago. The U.S. Supreme Court once again has refused to hear the case, upholding a series of court rulings filed since Monday. If you want specifics, 22 decisions now against the Schindlers

Christians around the world will attend Good Friday services. But for the first time, an ailing Pope John Paul II will attend only through a video connection. The 84-year-old pope has been hospitalized twice this year.

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