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CNN Live At Daybreak
Schiavo Saga; Turning to Faith; Pope's Health; Life & Death Decisions
Aired March 28, 2005 - 05:30 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.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, and welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.
Here are some of the stories "Now in the News."
Terri Schiavo was given Easter Sunday holy communion with a single drop of communion wine. It is her only sustenance since her feeding tube was removed March 18. Schiavo's parents dispute a claim by their own lawyer that she's beyond the point of no return.
Michael Jackson's child molestation trial enters its fifth week today. The judge will hear arguments on whether jurors should learn about previous molestation allegations against Jackson.
Jewish settlers out protesting Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the Israeli Parliament is debating a budget that would fund that withdrawal, but a key vote is still scheduled on a bill demanding a national referendum on the withdrawal.
And in Washington, children of all ages lined up to get tickets for the White House Easter Egg Roll. The annual event rolls down the South Lawn a little over two hours from now. If you can't make it to the White House, you can buy them on the Web, honest.
Chad, I didn't know that you could buy them on the Web, I guess.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You can buy tickets on the Web?
WALLACE: I think Easter eggs on the Web. I don't think you can buy the tickets on the Web.
MYERS: I don't know.
WALLACE: I don't know. What's the weather going to be like for all those little kids with all of this?
MYERS: The funniest story of the whole weekend is my wife came home yesterday and said that she went to a neighbor's house that actually they dyed eggs. And the kids were having so much fun that they secretly went into the refrigerator and got more eggs, but they weren't hard-boiled yet. So now she's got like four dozen dyed eggs, two dozen are hard boiled and two dozen are not. So you have to spin them to know whether...
WALLACE: How are you going to figure -- that's going to be fun to figure out which are hard boiled, right?
MYERS: Exactly.
Good morning, everybody.
WALLACE: It will get messy over there.
MYERS: It could get -- the scrambled eggs could be a little bit hard to make.
Good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Kelly, do you know how to tell a hard-boiled egg from one that's not? You know the key?
WALLACE: I don't know the key. What is it?
MYERS: If it's a hard...
WALLACE: I was going to say hit it a little bit and you can tell.
MYERS: No, no, if it's a hard-boiled egg, you'll take it and you can spin it and it will spin. If it's not boiled, it won't spin at all. It will just sit there and stop.
WALLACE: Really?
MYERS: Yes.
WALLACE: That goes in the things I didn't know file for the day.
MYERS: That goes in to what we learned in weather school.
WALLACE: Chad, thanks so much.
MYERS: You're welcome.
WALLACE: We'll talk to you in a few minutes.
And back now to our top story. Is there any hope left for Terri Schiavo after 10 days without a feeding tube? It is a nagging question for the people who want to keep her alive, but it seems not even they can agree on the answer.
Let's go straight now to CNN's Sean Callebs outside Schiavo's hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida.
And, Sean, they seem to be mixed messages, one message coming from the family's attorney and another message coming from the spokespeople for the family.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well perhaps somewhat, but think about it, it has been 10 exhausting days for this family, mother, father, brother and sister. They've basically been awake around the clock. I don't want to say that they appear resigned to what apparently is going to be the final end to this. They said that they pretty much exhausted all their legal avenues at this point, but clearly they are hoping for something at this 11th hour, and hoping for the best. Just a very agonizing time for them, really, played out on a very somber Easter Sunday for them as well.
It was very quiet here overnight in front of the hospice, somewhat of a contrast to yesterday, legions of supporters out in front of the hospice. And Bob Schindler, Terri Schiavo's father, took some time out to walk out and thank the legions of people in front of the hospice for their support, saying that it has meant a great deal to this family.
And even though the Schindlers have stopped talking to the media, Terri's brother, Bobby, did take some time out to thank the assembled demonstrators for all of their support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBY SCHINDLER JR., TERRI SCHIAVO'S BROTHER: I just -- you know how grateful we are for all of you being here and our family deeply -- is deeply grateful that you're all here, out here praying with us. And I hope you continue to pray for Terri and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For your parents.
SCHINDLER: ... my parents -- and my parents and, you know, my sister and myself, I guess, and everybody else that's here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Mentioned that the Schindlers believe they have exhausted their legal avenues. But today, Randall Terry, who has been acting as a spokesman for the family, is taking some supporters up to Washington, D.C. They are going to do what they can on Capitol Hill, trying to drum up any kind of support to see if any kind of maneuvering can be done through the courts, through the legislature, anything to try and have the feeding tube reinstated.
A very significant moment yesterday on Easter Sunday, Terri Schiavo did have communion, one drop of consecrated wine on her tongue, but even that didn't go smoothly. The Schindler's longtime priest went into the hospice yesterday to do that. He was told by hospice administrators that because of a court order only the hospice chaplain or priest could do that.
Well after some tense moments, finally the Schindler's priest was allowed to offer the holy sacrament. She received only the wine, not the wafer, simply because of her medical condition.
And, Kelly, remember, Terri did receive communion just before her feeding tube was removed. The court had mandated she would receive it one more time before she passed away, so presumably, Easter Sunday was the day.
WALLACE: All right, Sean, a tough time, no doubt, for everyone involved with that case.
Sean Callebs, we'll be talking to you throughout the morning again on DAYBREAK, reporting from Pinellas Park, Florida. Thanks so much.
And the Schiavo case definitely raising some tough life-and-death questions. And it might have you searching for some answers, but where do you turn? Some Americans are looking to their faith.
Our J.J. Ramberg visited one church that is trying to provide some guidance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
J.J. RAMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Parishioners gather at St. Thomas More Church to celebrate Easter and to learn lessons about more current issues of life and death.
FATHER CHARLES POPE, ST. THOMAS MORE CHURCH: And they also want to try, if you permit me, to enter into a discussion with you a little bit about this case that we've read about and heard about in the news and that of Terri Schiavo.
RAMBERG: As the nation watched Terri Schiavo's family struggle over her faith, causing many to wonder what they would do in the same situation, Father Charles Pope hoped to guide his congregation on the church's teachings around a difficult issue.
POPE: When things come up in the news, like they have, I think it's a teaching moment and it's a time for us to enter into a reflection with the people of God over what God might be asking us to think based on his word.
RAMBERG: The Catholic Church has been clear, calling it morally obligatory to provide food and water for most patients in vegetative states. But Father Pope has a personal experience that solidifies his faith. As a young seminarian, he spent a year working with mentally handicapped patients, many of whom were on feeding tubes.
POPE: And we were taught to reverence their life and to hold their hand and to speak to them. And we were taught that perhaps we don't know what they experience.
RAMBERG: Over the past week, the controversy surrounding Terri Schiavo has divided not only her family but also the nation.
(on camera): But here at St. Thomas More Church, the congregation is generally united, an overwhelming majority of them believe that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube should never have been removed.
MICHAEL RUSSELL, PARISHIONER: She may actually be inside of herself saying I really, really want to live, but we have no way of knowing that. And yet we're going to take this woman's life from her just because that life has become inconvenient. And inconvenient is no reason to take a life. RAMBERG (voice-over): Father Pope says this is just the jumping off point. He plans on having more discussions about life support, living wills and God's teachings. But in the meanwhile, he says Terri Schiavo's family is in his prayers.
J.J. Ramberg, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And another story people watching very closely this morning, the condition of Pope John Paul II. Find out how he is doing when we come back. At 41 past the hour, we'll take you live to Rome for a follow-up to the pope's Easter Sunday appearance.
And the heartbreaking decision about the life or death of a loved one. How do you decide? At 53 past the hour, we'll bring you the doctor's perspective.
This is DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And welcome back to DAYBREAK.
Pope John Paul II had to sit out most of the Easter services due to his health problems, but the pontiff did make an emotional appearance at his window to bless the crowd.
Let's go now live to our Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci.
Alessio, it certainly did seem like an emotional moment yesterday.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: It was an emotional moment yesterday, Kelly. But before I get to that, let me just tell you that in a long list and series of events that the pope has missed throughout recent days, we can add one last one. This morning, for the first time in his long papacy, Pope John Paul II unable to deliver his traditional Angelus on the Monday after Easter.
At some point this morning, the cameras of Vatican television were pointed toward the window of the pope overlooking St. Peter's Square, as if he was about to make an appearance. But after 10 minutes, then the cameras turned away and the pope did not show up. There were about a few thousands pilgrims in the square hoping to see the pope. But the pope, again, did not show up.
We weren't really expecting for him to show up this morning. But nevertheless, there were still hope and those hopes went away this morning when the cameras turned away.
Now of course throughout this past week, the holy events at the Vatican were marked by the pope's absence or silent presence. And indeed throughout the week, he missed most masses. And yesterday on Easter Sunday, the pope unable to preside over the mass, to say his own mass on Easter Sunday. And you know the pope is first and foremost a priest, and it must have been a terrible burden for him not to be able to say mass. It was delivered by a top Vatican cardinal.
At some point the pope did make an appearance from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square. It was a long appearance, a 12 minutes appearance, during which the pope, at some point, tried to say a few words. A microphone was put in front of his mouth.
The pope wanted to deliver his own traditional Easter Sunday blessing, but he tried to say a few words. You could only hear a murmur or something. But the pope then, in the end, opted to make a silent blessing with his hand. Nevertheless, the crowd down in St. Peter's Square was ecstatic. We saw even some people crying.
So this is the pope that is unable to speak, for the time being, but certainly is still able to communicate with the people down in St. Peter's Square who came to Rome just to see him -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Alessio, still so many questions about exactly how the pope is doing. Is the Vatican saying anything specific about the pope's health?
VINCI: Well certainly nothing specific about the pope's health. We haven't heard a single medical update about the pope ever since he left hospital back on March the 13th. What we do know about his health is, first of all, what we're able to see. And we know that the pope has missed all of the events marking Holy Week. He has made a few appearances, but he hasn't spoken.
We see that he's still extremely frail, that he's still in a great deal of pain. Even yesterday, during that appearance in St. Peter's Square, you could see how so many times he brought a hand to his head and to his throat. So he clearly is still in pain.
And what the doctors and Vatican officials are telling us, some background, is that his recovery period is going to take longer than originally anticipated. So certainly this is a pope that still needs quite some time to recover -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Alessio, we have to leave it there. And we'll check in with you throughout the morning. Alessio Vinci reporting from Rome. Thanks so much.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's about 45 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.
Terri Schiavo received a drop of wine for communion on Easter Sunday. It is the only sustenance she's had since March 18. A representative for Schiavo's parents is in Washington trying to get officials there to help save her.
Ailing Prince Rainier of Monaco is showing signs of improvement. Palace officials say his heart, lung and kidney functions have stabilized after days of decline. But doctors warn the 81-year-old Rainier is still fighting for his life.
In money, college-educated white women earn $3,000 to $6,000 less than African-American or Asian women with similar education. And that's according to 2003 Census figures due out today.
In culture, actors Will Smith and John Voight are hoping kids can pick the next great film. The two are bringing an international film festival to Los Angeles next month that will feature youngsters as the judges.
In sports, Annika Sorenstam has little competition in winning the LPGA's first major of the year. She won the Nabisco Championship by eight strokes. Sorenstam has won all five tournaments she's played in so far this year.
Chad, she is tough to beat right now.
MYERS: She sure is. Look at that.
Good morning.
Good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Back to you.
WALLACE: All right, Chad.
Stand by, though, because we're talking about hoops.
MYERS: OK.
WALLACE: The Final Four. Yes, the Final Four is set. And, Chad, what a thrilling, thrilling weekend.
MYERS: Maybe we should call it the finally four.
WALLACE: The finally four.
MYERS: Oh man!
WALLACE: Can you believe -- I know, finally getting here. Well the final games, of course, will be played the final three games in St. Louis. And here is the match up, Louisville plays Illinois. And on the other side of the bracket, North Carolina meets Michigan State. And yes, Michigan State beat Kentucky in double overtime, which didn't sit too well with Kentucky fan Ashley Judd.
Chad, I just know I was talking to my husband and he was watching the game.
MYERS: Yes.
WALLACE: And he just couldn't believe Kentucky as it made that final shot and it's like bouncing on the rim.
MYERS: Right.
WALLACE: And then finally going in. What a heartbreak for Kentucky, though, that they were not able to pull it out in overtime.
MYERS: And then they had to go to the replay and look at that for like eight minutes.
WALLACE: Eight minutes.
MYERS: Waiting to see whether his foot was on the line or not, whether it was a three or whether it was a two. It came out to be a three. There were no replays allowed in the arena, so the people inside couldn't see whether it was actually in or out, and that replay took forever. I'm sure it was painful for the players to watch.
WALLACE: Painful for the players. And then I mean how heartbreaking after all that waiting, eight minutes, and then you lose in double overtime. But oh well, someone's got to win, right?
MYERS: Well Tom Izzo coached an incredible game out there yesterday. But you know, so did Tubby, so it was great to watch.
WALLACE: All right. On to...
MYERS: Somebody has to lose.
WALLACE: That's right. I'll hear your picks in the next hour...
MYERS: OK.
WALLACE: ... who you think is going to win the big tournament.
MYERS: All right. Fine.
WALLACE: All right, Chad, talk to you in a few.
Well are you still jotting things down in a journal or diary or gossiping on the phone? Well then you are so yesterday.
Our Candy Crowley brings us all up to the now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Crack open cyberspace and tiny bits of life rain down. I stayed on the couch all morning while Jeff took M.C. to gymnastics, to Starbucks and to Sam's. All three kiddos passed their tests with flying colors, unfortunately it was rapid strep test. The wire under my boob in my bra broke. OK, here's my exciting news.
KATE, BLOGGER, KATESPOT.COM: I'm being interviewed by CNN. How exciting!
CROWLEY: According to a recent CNN/Gallup Poll, 74 percent of Americans don't know what a blog is.
KATE: I'm just a mom. I blog and just write about my stuff. See you later.
CROWLEY: Her stuff is the stuff of being a mom and a wife, of suburban life in central Jersey.
KATE: It's cold as hell at the bus stop, very windy.
CROWLEY: At KateSpot, musings range from a riff on Nair hair removal, worries about her daughter's allergies, shock at a contractor's estimate.
KATE: I blog every day.
CROWLEY: A blog is a diary about the things diaries have always been about, life, thoughts, knowledge. It allows intimacy without closeness.
John Grohol has researched Internet behavior for a decade.
DR. JOHN GROHOL, HTTP://PSYCHCENTRAL.COM: When you go online and communicate with others through e-mail or what have you, you're more disinhibited than you would be if you were talking to someone face to face or you were talking to them over the telephone.
CROWLEY: About 250 people a day drop by KateSpot. Some of them talk back. Like Jaynee.
KATE: It's nice to read about other people. She lives in New Jersey and she lives up north. So it's just how she goes through life and it's neat.
CROWLEY: Jaynee began blogging on Cootiehog as a way to communicate beyond the weekly phone call to far away family. Then she noticed complete strangers were reading and commenting.
JAYNEE, BLOGGER, COOTIEHOG.COM: I just think it's fun. I enjoy reading other people's lives, so in turn I guess people enjoy reading about mine as well.
CROWLEY: Blogging, in the end, is beyond a diary, a way to connect with yourself and somebody else. It is affirming.
KATE: I think it always comes down to there is an audience there.
CROWLEY: I blog, therefore I am.
JAYNEE: I think it is more like I am, therefore I blog. I have my life, and so, you know I might as well talk about it.
CROWLEY (on camera): Do you ever worry that you could get sucked in to the computer and not?
KATE: Yes, that's -- and never come back and make that my sole focus? Yes, there are days sometimes where after I have done like, you know, three or four posts in a row, I'm like I got to walk.
CROWLEY (voice-over): Kate and Jaynee have been in and out of each other's blog world for almost a year, talking about kids, husbands, books, movies, even the death of loved ones. They know each other well, and next month they plan to meet.
Candy Crowley, CNN, central New Jersey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: Well I think our banner said it best, blog on. And you can catch up on the latest blogs weekdays on "INSIDE POLITICS." That's here on CNN at 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Much more of DAYBREAK today for a Monday morning. We'll be right back. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And welcome back.
We have been talking all morning long about the Terri Schiavo case. It has raised many questions for so many people faced with similar situations. Every day, families are faced with these heartbreaking decisions. It is a difficult dilemma for families and also for doctors.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Stopping life-sustaining treatment, a grim prognosis, an almost impossible chance at recovery. Every day, doctors take on these issues. They have heartbreaking conversations with families who have taken on the life-and-death decisions of their loved ones.
DR. R. SEAN MORRISON, MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: There are some times when families turn to me and say, well, if this was your mother, what would you do? And I answer them honestly. I have absolutely no idea.
DR. TAMMIE QUEST, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: I think this is the hardest part of the discussion, because it's a very delicate dance and that there's no one style. Every family is different. Every patient scenario is different.
GUPTA: Many doctors try to push aside their own personal beliefs on what's right and wrong in order to focus on what is best for the patient. At a time when a family can be in an immeasurable haze of confusion and emotion, patients and families rely on the physician to guide them through.
MORRISON: It is a powerful thing. It's both the privilege of being a physician and, in many respects, the hardest part of being a physician. There are, at times, and in everybody's life, a point where all the medical interventions in the world are not going to prolong life.
QUEST: I think people want 100 percent, and we will never be able to have 100 percent. Could I be wrong? Absolutely, but I have to give a recommendation based on what I know and the most probable thing to happen.
GUPTA: In these rooms, doctors face anger, frustration, hurt and in some cases, a lasting hope for a miracle.
QUEST: If a miracle is going to happen and that this person is going to eat or breathe on their own or do whatever it is that would be necessary to maintain them, then I fully support that. And I tell them that, you know, a miracle doesn't need me to make it happen.
MORRISON: I never use the phrase there is no hope. I never use the phrase there is nothing more we can do. I never use the phrase there is nothing more to be done. And the reason for that is there is always hope.
GUPTA: Terri Schiavo's story suddenly forced many of us to confront the issues of living wills, hopes of recovering and beating the odds. But for doctors, the tough issues are part of daily life.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And it is a decision we'll all face but don't want to talk about. If you were in a hospice, how would you want to spend your final days? Author Susan Tabor will tell us how to start those discussions with loved ones.
This is DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired March 28, 2005 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, and welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.
Here are some of the stories "Now in the News."
Terri Schiavo was given Easter Sunday holy communion with a single drop of communion wine. It is her only sustenance since her feeding tube was removed March 18. Schiavo's parents dispute a claim by their own lawyer that she's beyond the point of no return.
Michael Jackson's child molestation trial enters its fifth week today. The judge will hear arguments on whether jurors should learn about previous molestation allegations against Jackson.
Jewish settlers out protesting Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's plan to withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the Israeli Parliament is debating a budget that would fund that withdrawal, but a key vote is still scheduled on a bill demanding a national referendum on the withdrawal.
And in Washington, children of all ages lined up to get tickets for the White House Easter Egg Roll. The annual event rolls down the South Lawn a little over two hours from now. If you can't make it to the White House, you can buy them on the Web, honest.
Chad, I didn't know that you could buy them on the Web, I guess.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You can buy tickets on the Web?
WALLACE: I think Easter eggs on the Web. I don't think you can buy the tickets on the Web.
MYERS: I don't know.
WALLACE: I don't know. What's the weather going to be like for all those little kids with all of this?
MYERS: The funniest story of the whole weekend is my wife came home yesterday and said that she went to a neighbor's house that actually they dyed eggs. And the kids were having so much fun that they secretly went into the refrigerator and got more eggs, but they weren't hard-boiled yet. So now she's got like four dozen dyed eggs, two dozen are hard boiled and two dozen are not. So you have to spin them to know whether...
WALLACE: How are you going to figure -- that's going to be fun to figure out which are hard boiled, right?
MYERS: Exactly.
Good morning, everybody.
WALLACE: It will get messy over there.
MYERS: It could get -- the scrambled eggs could be a little bit hard to make.
Good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Kelly, do you know how to tell a hard-boiled egg from one that's not? You know the key?
WALLACE: I don't know the key. What is it?
MYERS: If it's a hard...
WALLACE: I was going to say hit it a little bit and you can tell.
MYERS: No, no, if it's a hard-boiled egg, you'll take it and you can spin it and it will spin. If it's not boiled, it won't spin at all. It will just sit there and stop.
WALLACE: Really?
MYERS: Yes.
WALLACE: That goes in the things I didn't know file for the day.
MYERS: That goes in to what we learned in weather school.
WALLACE: Chad, thanks so much.
MYERS: You're welcome.
WALLACE: We'll talk to you in a few minutes.
And back now to our top story. Is there any hope left for Terri Schiavo after 10 days without a feeding tube? It is a nagging question for the people who want to keep her alive, but it seems not even they can agree on the answer.
Let's go straight now to CNN's Sean Callebs outside Schiavo's hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida.
And, Sean, they seem to be mixed messages, one message coming from the family's attorney and another message coming from the spokespeople for the family.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well perhaps somewhat, but think about it, it has been 10 exhausting days for this family, mother, father, brother and sister. They've basically been awake around the clock. I don't want to say that they appear resigned to what apparently is going to be the final end to this. They said that they pretty much exhausted all their legal avenues at this point, but clearly they are hoping for something at this 11th hour, and hoping for the best. Just a very agonizing time for them, really, played out on a very somber Easter Sunday for them as well.
It was very quiet here overnight in front of the hospice, somewhat of a contrast to yesterday, legions of supporters out in front of the hospice. And Bob Schindler, Terri Schiavo's father, took some time out to walk out and thank the legions of people in front of the hospice for their support, saying that it has meant a great deal to this family.
And even though the Schindlers have stopped talking to the media, Terri's brother, Bobby, did take some time out to thank the assembled demonstrators for all of their support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOBBY SCHINDLER JR., TERRI SCHIAVO'S BROTHER: I just -- you know how grateful we are for all of you being here and our family deeply -- is deeply grateful that you're all here, out here praying with us. And I hope you continue to pray for Terri and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For your parents.
SCHINDLER: ... my parents -- and my parents and, you know, my sister and myself, I guess, and everybody else that's here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Mentioned that the Schindlers believe they have exhausted their legal avenues. But today, Randall Terry, who has been acting as a spokesman for the family, is taking some supporters up to Washington, D.C. They are going to do what they can on Capitol Hill, trying to drum up any kind of support to see if any kind of maneuvering can be done through the courts, through the legislature, anything to try and have the feeding tube reinstated.
A very significant moment yesterday on Easter Sunday, Terri Schiavo did have communion, one drop of consecrated wine on her tongue, but even that didn't go smoothly. The Schindler's longtime priest went into the hospice yesterday to do that. He was told by hospice administrators that because of a court order only the hospice chaplain or priest could do that.
Well after some tense moments, finally the Schindler's priest was allowed to offer the holy sacrament. She received only the wine, not the wafer, simply because of her medical condition.
And, Kelly, remember, Terri did receive communion just before her feeding tube was removed. The court had mandated she would receive it one more time before she passed away, so presumably, Easter Sunday was the day.
WALLACE: All right, Sean, a tough time, no doubt, for everyone involved with that case.
Sean Callebs, we'll be talking to you throughout the morning again on DAYBREAK, reporting from Pinellas Park, Florida. Thanks so much.
And the Schiavo case definitely raising some tough life-and-death questions. And it might have you searching for some answers, but where do you turn? Some Americans are looking to their faith.
Our J.J. Ramberg visited one church that is trying to provide some guidance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
J.J. RAMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Parishioners gather at St. Thomas More Church to celebrate Easter and to learn lessons about more current issues of life and death.
FATHER CHARLES POPE, ST. THOMAS MORE CHURCH: And they also want to try, if you permit me, to enter into a discussion with you a little bit about this case that we've read about and heard about in the news and that of Terri Schiavo.
RAMBERG: As the nation watched Terri Schiavo's family struggle over her faith, causing many to wonder what they would do in the same situation, Father Charles Pope hoped to guide his congregation on the church's teachings around a difficult issue.
POPE: When things come up in the news, like they have, I think it's a teaching moment and it's a time for us to enter into a reflection with the people of God over what God might be asking us to think based on his word.
RAMBERG: The Catholic Church has been clear, calling it morally obligatory to provide food and water for most patients in vegetative states. But Father Pope has a personal experience that solidifies his faith. As a young seminarian, he spent a year working with mentally handicapped patients, many of whom were on feeding tubes.
POPE: And we were taught to reverence their life and to hold their hand and to speak to them. And we were taught that perhaps we don't know what they experience.
RAMBERG: Over the past week, the controversy surrounding Terri Schiavo has divided not only her family but also the nation.
(on camera): But here at St. Thomas More Church, the congregation is generally united, an overwhelming majority of them believe that Terri Schiavo's feeding tube should never have been removed.
MICHAEL RUSSELL, PARISHIONER: She may actually be inside of herself saying I really, really want to live, but we have no way of knowing that. And yet we're going to take this woman's life from her just because that life has become inconvenient. And inconvenient is no reason to take a life. RAMBERG (voice-over): Father Pope says this is just the jumping off point. He plans on having more discussions about life support, living wills and God's teachings. But in the meanwhile, he says Terri Schiavo's family is in his prayers.
J.J. Ramberg, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And another story people watching very closely this morning, the condition of Pope John Paul II. Find out how he is doing when we come back. At 41 past the hour, we'll take you live to Rome for a follow-up to the pope's Easter Sunday appearance.
And the heartbreaking decision about the life or death of a loved one. How do you decide? At 53 past the hour, we'll bring you the doctor's perspective.
This is DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And welcome back to DAYBREAK.
Pope John Paul II had to sit out most of the Easter services due to his health problems, but the pontiff did make an emotional appearance at his window to bless the crowd.
Let's go now live to our Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci.
Alessio, it certainly did seem like an emotional moment yesterday.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: It was an emotional moment yesterday, Kelly. But before I get to that, let me just tell you that in a long list and series of events that the pope has missed throughout recent days, we can add one last one. This morning, for the first time in his long papacy, Pope John Paul II unable to deliver his traditional Angelus on the Monday after Easter.
At some point this morning, the cameras of Vatican television were pointed toward the window of the pope overlooking St. Peter's Square, as if he was about to make an appearance. But after 10 minutes, then the cameras turned away and the pope did not show up. There were about a few thousands pilgrims in the square hoping to see the pope. But the pope, again, did not show up.
We weren't really expecting for him to show up this morning. But nevertheless, there were still hope and those hopes went away this morning when the cameras turned away.
Now of course throughout this past week, the holy events at the Vatican were marked by the pope's absence or silent presence. And indeed throughout the week, he missed most masses. And yesterday on Easter Sunday, the pope unable to preside over the mass, to say his own mass on Easter Sunday. And you know the pope is first and foremost a priest, and it must have been a terrible burden for him not to be able to say mass. It was delivered by a top Vatican cardinal.
At some point the pope did make an appearance from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square. It was a long appearance, a 12 minutes appearance, during which the pope, at some point, tried to say a few words. A microphone was put in front of his mouth.
The pope wanted to deliver his own traditional Easter Sunday blessing, but he tried to say a few words. You could only hear a murmur or something. But the pope then, in the end, opted to make a silent blessing with his hand. Nevertheless, the crowd down in St. Peter's Square was ecstatic. We saw even some people crying.
So this is the pope that is unable to speak, for the time being, but certainly is still able to communicate with the people down in St. Peter's Square who came to Rome just to see him -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Alessio, still so many questions about exactly how the pope is doing. Is the Vatican saying anything specific about the pope's health?
VINCI: Well certainly nothing specific about the pope's health. We haven't heard a single medical update about the pope ever since he left hospital back on March the 13th. What we do know about his health is, first of all, what we're able to see. And we know that the pope has missed all of the events marking Holy Week. He has made a few appearances, but he hasn't spoken.
We see that he's still extremely frail, that he's still in a great deal of pain. Even yesterday, during that appearance in St. Peter's Square, you could see how so many times he brought a hand to his head and to his throat. So he clearly is still in pain.
And what the doctors and Vatican officials are telling us, some background, is that his recovery period is going to take longer than originally anticipated. So certainly this is a pope that still needs quite some time to recover -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Alessio, we have to leave it there. And we'll check in with you throughout the morning. Alessio Vinci reporting from Rome. Thanks so much.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's about 45 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.
Terri Schiavo received a drop of wine for communion on Easter Sunday. It is the only sustenance she's had since March 18. A representative for Schiavo's parents is in Washington trying to get officials there to help save her.
Ailing Prince Rainier of Monaco is showing signs of improvement. Palace officials say his heart, lung and kidney functions have stabilized after days of decline. But doctors warn the 81-year-old Rainier is still fighting for his life.
In money, college-educated white women earn $3,000 to $6,000 less than African-American or Asian women with similar education. And that's according to 2003 Census figures due out today.
In culture, actors Will Smith and John Voight are hoping kids can pick the next great film. The two are bringing an international film festival to Los Angeles next month that will feature youngsters as the judges.
In sports, Annika Sorenstam has little competition in winning the LPGA's first major of the year. She won the Nabisco Championship by eight strokes. Sorenstam has won all five tournaments she's played in so far this year.
Chad, she is tough to beat right now.
MYERS: She sure is. Look at that.
Good morning.
Good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Back to you.
WALLACE: All right, Chad.
Stand by, though, because we're talking about hoops.
MYERS: OK.
WALLACE: The Final Four. Yes, the Final Four is set. And, Chad, what a thrilling, thrilling weekend.
MYERS: Maybe we should call it the finally four.
WALLACE: The finally four.
MYERS: Oh man!
WALLACE: Can you believe -- I know, finally getting here. Well the final games, of course, will be played the final three games in St. Louis. And here is the match up, Louisville plays Illinois. And on the other side of the bracket, North Carolina meets Michigan State. And yes, Michigan State beat Kentucky in double overtime, which didn't sit too well with Kentucky fan Ashley Judd.
Chad, I just know I was talking to my husband and he was watching the game.
MYERS: Yes.
WALLACE: And he just couldn't believe Kentucky as it made that final shot and it's like bouncing on the rim.
MYERS: Right.
WALLACE: And then finally going in. What a heartbreak for Kentucky, though, that they were not able to pull it out in overtime.
MYERS: And then they had to go to the replay and look at that for like eight minutes.
WALLACE: Eight minutes.
MYERS: Waiting to see whether his foot was on the line or not, whether it was a three or whether it was a two. It came out to be a three. There were no replays allowed in the arena, so the people inside couldn't see whether it was actually in or out, and that replay took forever. I'm sure it was painful for the players to watch.
WALLACE: Painful for the players. And then I mean how heartbreaking after all that waiting, eight minutes, and then you lose in double overtime. But oh well, someone's got to win, right?
MYERS: Well Tom Izzo coached an incredible game out there yesterday. But you know, so did Tubby, so it was great to watch.
WALLACE: All right. On to...
MYERS: Somebody has to lose.
WALLACE: That's right. I'll hear your picks in the next hour...
MYERS: OK.
WALLACE: ... who you think is going to win the big tournament.
MYERS: All right. Fine.
WALLACE: All right, Chad, talk to you in a few.
Well are you still jotting things down in a journal or diary or gossiping on the phone? Well then you are so yesterday.
Our Candy Crowley brings us all up to the now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Crack open cyberspace and tiny bits of life rain down. I stayed on the couch all morning while Jeff took M.C. to gymnastics, to Starbucks and to Sam's. All three kiddos passed their tests with flying colors, unfortunately it was rapid strep test. The wire under my boob in my bra broke. OK, here's my exciting news.
KATE, BLOGGER, KATESPOT.COM: I'm being interviewed by CNN. How exciting!
CROWLEY: According to a recent CNN/Gallup Poll, 74 percent of Americans don't know what a blog is.
KATE: I'm just a mom. I blog and just write about my stuff. See you later.
CROWLEY: Her stuff is the stuff of being a mom and a wife, of suburban life in central Jersey.
KATE: It's cold as hell at the bus stop, very windy.
CROWLEY: At KateSpot, musings range from a riff on Nair hair removal, worries about her daughter's allergies, shock at a contractor's estimate.
KATE: I blog every day.
CROWLEY: A blog is a diary about the things diaries have always been about, life, thoughts, knowledge. It allows intimacy without closeness.
John Grohol has researched Internet behavior for a decade.
DR. JOHN GROHOL, HTTP://PSYCHCENTRAL.COM: When you go online and communicate with others through e-mail or what have you, you're more disinhibited than you would be if you were talking to someone face to face or you were talking to them over the telephone.
CROWLEY: About 250 people a day drop by KateSpot. Some of them talk back. Like Jaynee.
KATE: It's nice to read about other people. She lives in New Jersey and she lives up north. So it's just how she goes through life and it's neat.
CROWLEY: Jaynee began blogging on Cootiehog as a way to communicate beyond the weekly phone call to far away family. Then she noticed complete strangers were reading and commenting.
JAYNEE, BLOGGER, COOTIEHOG.COM: I just think it's fun. I enjoy reading other people's lives, so in turn I guess people enjoy reading about mine as well.
CROWLEY: Blogging, in the end, is beyond a diary, a way to connect with yourself and somebody else. It is affirming.
KATE: I think it always comes down to there is an audience there.
CROWLEY: I blog, therefore I am.
JAYNEE: I think it is more like I am, therefore I blog. I have my life, and so, you know I might as well talk about it.
CROWLEY (on camera): Do you ever worry that you could get sucked in to the computer and not?
KATE: Yes, that's -- and never come back and make that my sole focus? Yes, there are days sometimes where after I have done like, you know, three or four posts in a row, I'm like I got to walk.
CROWLEY (voice-over): Kate and Jaynee have been in and out of each other's blog world for almost a year, talking about kids, husbands, books, movies, even the death of loved ones. They know each other well, and next month they plan to meet.
Candy Crowley, CNN, central New Jersey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: Well I think our banner said it best, blog on. And you can catch up on the latest blogs weekdays on "INSIDE POLITICS." That's here on CNN at 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Much more of DAYBREAK today for a Monday morning. We'll be right back. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And welcome back.
We have been talking all morning long about the Terri Schiavo case. It has raised many questions for so many people faced with similar situations. Every day, families are faced with these heartbreaking decisions. It is a difficult dilemma for families and also for doctors.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Stopping life-sustaining treatment, a grim prognosis, an almost impossible chance at recovery. Every day, doctors take on these issues. They have heartbreaking conversations with families who have taken on the life-and-death decisions of their loved ones.
DR. R. SEAN MORRISON, MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: There are some times when families turn to me and say, well, if this was your mother, what would you do? And I answer them honestly. I have absolutely no idea.
DR. TAMMIE QUEST, EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: I think this is the hardest part of the discussion, because it's a very delicate dance and that there's no one style. Every family is different. Every patient scenario is different.
GUPTA: Many doctors try to push aside their own personal beliefs on what's right and wrong in order to focus on what is best for the patient. At a time when a family can be in an immeasurable haze of confusion and emotion, patients and families rely on the physician to guide them through.
MORRISON: It is a powerful thing. It's both the privilege of being a physician and, in many respects, the hardest part of being a physician. There are, at times, and in everybody's life, a point where all the medical interventions in the world are not going to prolong life.
QUEST: I think people want 100 percent, and we will never be able to have 100 percent. Could I be wrong? Absolutely, but I have to give a recommendation based on what I know and the most probable thing to happen.
GUPTA: In these rooms, doctors face anger, frustration, hurt and in some cases, a lasting hope for a miracle.
QUEST: If a miracle is going to happen and that this person is going to eat or breathe on their own or do whatever it is that would be necessary to maintain them, then I fully support that. And I tell them that, you know, a miracle doesn't need me to make it happen.
MORRISON: I never use the phrase there is no hope. I never use the phrase there is nothing more we can do. I never use the phrase there is nothing more to be done. And the reason for that is there is always hope.
GUPTA: Terri Schiavo's story suddenly forced many of us to confront the issues of living wills, hopes of recovering and beating the odds. But for doctors, the tough issues are part of daily life.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And it is a decision we'll all face but don't want to talk about. If you were in a hospice, how would you want to spend your final days? Author Susan Tabor will tell us how to start those discussions with loved ones.
This is DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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