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CNN Live At Daybreak
Indonesia Quake; 'America's Voice': Terri Schiavo Case; Michael Jackson Case
Aired March 29, 2005 - 06:28 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 Tuesday morning to you. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."
We have new pictures in to CNN from Monday's earthquake in Indonesia. The estimated death toll stands at just over 300 from the 8.7 magnitude quake. We'll talk with a seismologist in just a moment.
Emotional rhetoric over Terri Schiavo. Schiavo's father says she's weak and emaciated, but communicating. Her husband's lawyer says Schiavo is calm and peaceful. Michael Schiavo says he'll seek an autopsy when his wife dies.
Fifty-nine former American diplomats are urging the Senate to reject President Bush's pick to be the next U.N. ambassador. The diplomats sent a letter to a Senate committee, saying John Bolton is the wrong man for the job.
The second meeting of Iraq's Transitional National Assembly is finally under way, but the body still hasn't chosen a leader. Delays in naming a permanent president of the assembly have kept the body from forming a full government.
To the weather center in Atlanta.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: Turning again to our top story. Indonesia is still reeling this morning from another powerful earthquake. It struck along the same fault line as the December 26 earthquake and tsunami, only this one was centered about 100 miles southeast of the epicenter of the previous one, and it was two to four times smaller.
Seismologists say the quake was a magnitude 8.7 and struck 19 miles under the seabed. There are no reports of any tsunamis like the ones that devastated the region three months ago. The quake did trigger several aftershocks of magnitude 5 or more.
Authorities are saying more than 300 people are dead, and they expect that death toll to rise. Some 500 people are injured.
This second earthquake in just three months raises some pressing questions about the safety of the region and what's ahead.
For answers, we turn to Gary Gibson. He joins us live from the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia.
Gary Gibson, thanks for joining us. I guess the first question to you is what we were asking another seismologist in the last hour. Many people are asking why, if you have one earthquake that was pretty large in the same region, this one didn't trigger any tsunamis compared to the one in December, which did?
GARY GIBSON, SEISMOLOGIST: This one did trigger a tsunami, but it was much, much smaller. And the other thing is that the orientation of the fault directed the maximum heart of the tsunami into the middle of the Indian Ocean rather than towards Sri Lanka and India. So, in that direction, we didn't have a problem.
And the other situation here is that towards the Sumatran coast, the sea is quite shallow. And so, it's probable that quite a lot of the energy from the tsunami was dissipated before it reached the coast.
WALLACE: I had read, Gary Gibson, that Monday's event marked the first time in recorded seismic history nearly a century that two quakes of such size have happened so close together. What does this say to you? What will this mean for future quakes in this same region?
GIBSON: I don't think it is totally unexpected. You often find aftershocks to big earthquakes. The one in December was an enormous earthquake. It's the second biggest in the last century. This one on Monday was very large. We could go for 15 years without having an earthquake of this size, normally. It's just small in comparison with the December event.
WALLACE: OK. I think my colleague, Chad Myers, in Atlanta is joining us now with some questions as well.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're seeing the damage here from the island of Nias. Also, I want to know what would this quake have done to if, let's say, there was a major city anywhere nearby?
GIBSON: Very devastating. Part of the relief we've got on this one is, in fact, that there was no city nearby. An earthquake of this magnitude would have produced a rupture about 400 kilometers long, and the vertical movement probably was several meters, about 5 meters or thereabouts.
MYERS: Do we know the vertical movement? I mean, I know they placed a few GPS sensors there since the initial earthquake back in December. Have those sensors given us any information yet?
GIBSON: They only give the amount of vertical movement at the site, and then it's quite a complicated calculation to work out what the movement will be where the earthquake actually occurred. The GPS sensors, of course, all are on land. So, the analyst will take some time before the GPS study is done.
WALLACE: Gary Gibson, one more question for you. What about the warnings that went out? It does seem to be that lessons were learned from back in December. And that through the media, word of mouth, through other warning systems that were in place, many people fled areas when they sensed danger. Talk to us a little bit about the warning system and what more should be done.
GIBSON: Well, the best warning system, of course, is when you're near to an earthquake is the earthquake itself. If you feel an earthquake, you head inland. And this is obviously what has happened. So, the warning system is most useful when the earthquake is too far away to be felt. For example, Sri Lanka relative to the last one in December. And it's essential that we get the warning system for the distant events.
WALLACE: All right, Gary Gibson, principal research seismologist, the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia. We thank you for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning. We appreciate your insights.
Bill Hemmer is joining us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
And, Bill, I expect you will have a lot on this earthquake off Indonesia's coast.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, we certainly will. Kelly, good morning to you.
We're reaching a number of people in Medan in Indonesia, talking about the relief effort there, what they're hearing about these reports in Nias. And we'll talk with one of the survivors as well. He says, Kelly, the tremors felt like waves of electricity in the ground, and they lasted for nearly five minutes. The last few months truly rough on him as well. He owns a resort that was damaged by the tsunami at the end of December. So, we'll talk to him about what he is doing today, trying to reach that part of Indonesia.
Also, part two of our special tax series, "Many Happy Returns" -- we hope. Today, we'll hear from hip-hop mogul, businessman Russell Simmons, find out about the important role he is playing this tax season. We'll explain that for you coming up in about 25 minutes.
Another busy morning here. See you at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Bill. So there is still time for us to file, right?
HEMMER: Yes.
WALLACE: April 15, still it is about two and a half weeks away.
HEMMER: That's right. But not much time, Kelly.
WALLACE: Not much.
HEMMER: A little more than two weeks.
WALLACE: We keep smiling, yes.
HEMMER: All right.
WALLACE: OK, Bill, see you in a few minutes. Thanks so much.
News now about the Terri Schiavo case. She could have only days or hours to live. And now there's word her husband has asked that an autopsy be performed when she dies to show the extent of her brain damage.
How is she doing? Well, it depends on whom you ask.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY: Mrs. Schiavo's appearance, to me, was very calm, very relaxed, very peaceful. There was no -- I saw no evidence of any bodily discomfort whatsoever.
SUZANNE VITADAMO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S SISTER: The look on her face is, "Please help me." And that's exactly what I get from her when I'm in there. "Please help me." So, she's fighting. She's struggling. And does this sound like somebody that wants to die? I don't think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: In other news now. The Reverend Jesse Jackson is expected to visit the hospice where Schiavo is staying. He calls her situation an example of law without mercy.
It's time now to hear what Americans think about the Schiavo matter and other big headlines.
Joining us is Gallup Poll editor-in-chief, Frank Newport.
Frank, it's always great to see you. Thanks for being here.
FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Thank you, Kelly.
Indeed, every poll that I have seen shows that the majority of Americans say that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die. Those polls themselves have become somewhat controversial. Last fall, Democrats were attacking polls showing Bush ahead.
Now, we have Republicans and conservatives criticizing polls that I just told you show that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die. Part of it is because they say the question wording is not conducive to accurate representation of what's happening. In fact, you just saw there, there are disputes about what state she is in, Mrs. Schiavo. There are disputes about how to describe the situation.
Jerry Falwell on CNN this weekend criticized a "TIME" magazine poll that's out this week in their edition.
This is the wording of the question in "TIME" magazine. You can read it all, of course. But this just goes to show you that the pollsters, including we here at Gallup, do, in fact, give people information about this case, and then ask for their reaction. The consumers probably should read the wording carefully. I think this is fairly balanced.
And I would say one thing, Kelly. All of these polls that show the majority say that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die, generally speaking, are tapping into very, very strong attitudes that I think are pre-existing such that people don't listen to wording as much in this situation.
When you hear the words "Terri Schiavo," most Americans, I think, have a strong opinion right away. I don't think wording makes as much of a difference.
WALLACE: Switching gears a little bit, Frank, the economy. Some numbers are showing some improvement, but it doesn't appear consumers necessarily agree with that. What are you finding?
NEWPORT: Well, Kelly, you're absolutely right. Despite what the objective economists might tell us, Americans are getting more negative rather than more positive. This is very, very important. This is consumer confidence. Is the economy getting better or getting worse? That red line has been going up.
Look at our most recent poll. Fifty-nine percent of Americans say the economy is getting worse. Why? Here's the question. We said, what is the biggest economic problem facing the country today? Last month, only 3 percent mentioned energy, gas prices. Look at this, Kelly. Seventeen percent now say it's energy. That's tied with unemployment in Americans' minds is the biggest problem. I think it's the gas price at the pump that's causing a lot of Americans to say, whoa, I don't see this improvement in the economy.
WALLACE: Yes, they're feeling the pain at the pump, and that's affecting their views.
OK, Frank Newport, thanks for being with us. Editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll. Thanks so much.
Turning now to the Michael Jackson case and a major setback for the defense. Previous child sexual abuse allegations against the pop star will be heard in court. The judge in the current trial says prosecutors may introduce evidence of these alleged cases.
Kendall Coffey is joining us now live from Miami.
Kendall Coffey, thanks for being here.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning.
WALLACE: First question: How damaging is this ruling for the defense?
COFFEY: Very damaging. They were doing pretty good so far, bringing up a lot of credibility issues with respect to this accuser and his family. Now, Kelly, they've basically got to defend against five different sets of accusations, because if a single one of them is compelling to the jury, then Michael Jackson is a child molester. And if he's a child molester, no matter what the jury thinks of this particular family, they are not going to award him a not guilty verdict.
WALLACE: Picking up on that, you talk about these are allegations. Nothing has been proven in court of law, no convictions. So, under what kind of grounds does the judge have to allow this into evidence?
COFFEY: Well, one of the key things that happened along the way, from the perspective of D.A. Tom Sneddon, is in the '90s a law was passed allowing in sexual misconduct cases the prosecution to go back years -- in one case, 30 years -- with respect to alleged prior misconduct whether or not it was ever charged as a crime.
Now, that prosecutor has five different alleged victims to add to what might have otherwise been a pretty weak case. That means a total in effect of six different alleged victims. That's an awful lot to defend against from the standpoint of Michael Jackson.
WALLACE: What are some of the limitations, though, placed on the prosecution? Because I understand the judge says that the jurors can be told about these other civil settlements that Jackson reached, but not the amounts that were paid, unless that is brought up by the defense. How significant is that?
COFFEY: Well, potentially very significant, because I think even though it's still bad for the defense that it's going to come out that there are these past allegations that Michael Jackson settled with them. If, in fact, the 1993 accuser were getting on the stand and saying that I got paid $20 million by Michael Jackson to shut up and go away, that might be a kind of devastating thing that no amount of defense lawyering could overcome.
WALLACE: So, put your kind of shoes in the place of the defense attorney for Michael Jackson. What would your strategy be after this ruling yesterday?
COFFEY: Well, three, they say, of the alleged accusers are actually people who are going to say, Michael Jackson never molested me.
With respect to the other two, Kelly, I think what they've got to try to do is use it to help them by saying, look, word was out that Michael Jackson got extorted successfully twice before, had to pay somebody a lot of money even though he really didn't need to, it wasn't justified, and that is what baited the field and caused this new family to come forward, because they thought they could hit the Jacko (ph) pot for millions of dollars, just like several other past accusers had.
WALLACE: Very interesting case indeed. Former U.S. attorney Kendall Coffey joining us live from Miami. Always good to talk to you. Thanks for being here.
COFFEY: Thanks for including me, Kelly.
WALLACE: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz" once again. What is Google hacking? And why should it worry you?
Well, Carrie Lee is here to explain.
What's going on?
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you hear about people hacking into Web sites like ChoicePoint Data Systems.
WALLACE: Yes.
LEE: All of these databases with information. But apparently, this is not that hard to do on ubiquitous Web sites like Google for people who know what they're doing. And there has been some controversy about this lately.
Now, when used correctly, of course, these tricks can help you use Google better, but when you use incorrect information or when you do this incorrectly, hackers are able, with relative ease it seems, to get into the Google Web site. For example, type in "SSN" to get Social Security numbers, or hackers can search specifically for Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files, which can contain personal information.
"The Wall Street Journal" reports that security experts held a contest this month to show just how quick and effective this can be. The winning team found Social Security numbers on 70 million dead people, and most of these teams were able to come up with quite a bit of personal information in less than an hour.
So, people who know what they're doing can get in pretty easily.
WALLACE: That's alarming.
LEE: It is.
WALLACE: Just by, you know, hacking into Google and then doing, you know, search "SSN," they're able to find all of this personal information.
LEE: "SSN" and a little bit more than that.
WALLACE: Right.
LEE: But that's the general idea. Exactly. So, it will be interesting to see whether Google, whether Yahoo, whether some of these other sites start to step up their security. Microsoft has some new programs they're rolling out in the next couple of months. We'll see if others follow suit.
WALLACE: And quickly, futures, what are they looking like?
LEE: Looking weak once again. We did see a little bit of buying yesterday. One stock to watch today in the Dow: AIG, the insurance giant. Frank Greenberg is now resigning as chairman two weeks after resigning as the CEO of the company; this, as investigators continue their probe into accounting practices at the company.
WALLACE: All right, Carrie Lee watching a lot for us. Thanks so much.
LEE: OK.
WALLACE: Well, when DAYBREAK continues, Venus and Serena Williams, they may find a new way to expose us to the drama in their lives.
And, a whole country in search of a good night's sleep. Where can we find it? More on America's sorry snoozing situation just ahead.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Welcome back. Your news, money, weather and sports. It's almost 48 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.
These are pictures just in this morning of Indonesia's massive earthquake yesterday. The government puts the death toll at 330. Most of the victims are on the island of Nias. That number could rise. Monday's quake had a magnitude of 8.7.
It is now 11 days since Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. Her sister describes the brain-damaged woman as -- quote -- "awake and very responsive." Her husband's lawyer says -- quote -- "death is near."
In money, a judge ordered Sony to pay nearly $91 million in damages and to stop selling the Playstation. Sony was sued over patent problems with their dual-shock game controllers. Game systems will stay on store shelves while Sony appeals.
In culture, tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams will soon be starring in their won reality show. The sisters' off-court lives will be featured in a six-episode show on ABC Family beginning in July.
And in sports, he's a winner, and he has waited a long time to win a prestigious golf title. Forty-eight-year-old Fred Funk has become the oldest winner of the Players Championship.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: It's time now to check in with Carol Costello, normally right here for DAYBREAK, sitting in for Soledad O'Brien on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning, Carol. We all miss you here.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, I miss you, guys. Well, you'll soon be here. So, you'll be right over here.
WALLACE: Yes, right.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Kelly. Good morning, everyone.
Kelly has been talking about it all morning, a major setback for Michael Jackson. A judge says past allegations of abuse are fair game in the trial. That includes evidence involving Jackson's 1993 accuser. We're going to talk to the boy's uncle. And here is something you won't hear anywhere else. We'll hear tapes of that boy talking to a psychiatrist about those allegations.
Also, a growing controversy. Pharmacists saying no to prescriptions for birth control, because it violates their moral or religious beliefs. We'll talk to a pharmacist who was fired for doing just that. She says the health of her customers played a role in her decision. And there were moral issues involved as well.
But can you imagine, Kelly, going to the pharmacist and saying, oh, can you fill this prescription for birth control, and the pharmacist says no?
WALLACE: I can't imagine that.
COSTELLO: It's against my beliefs.
WALLACE: Yes. That would -- I can't imagine that. Something else...
COSTELLO: It should be a lively discussion.
WALLACE: Yes. Something I can imagine, though, problems with sleep, which I know is near and dear to your heart. You've been listening all morning as we've been talking about problems with sleep, Carol. And we'll talk to you in a little bit.
We've been talking about how it is hurting us at work, on the road and even in bed. Stick around. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: It's almost 55 minutes after the hour, and here is what will be making new today.
Checking out the destruction right now, aide officials are trying to assess the damage from Monday's quake off western Indonesia. Early reports indicate it isn't nearly as bad as the December tsunami disaster. Still, at least 330 people are now reported dead. Officials expect that death toll to rise.
Terri Schiavo is in her 11th full day without a feeding tube, and her husband's lawyer says death is near. He says her pulse is slow and dehydration is taking its toll.
Freedom and democracy, those are the themes of the speech President Bush will give in just over four hours. He welcomes a group of Iraqi voters to the White House this morning.
And mixed reviews for Kofi Annan. An independent U.N. panel releases a report today. It is expected to fault the U.N. chief for poor oversight of the oil-for-food program in Iraq. But the report is also expected to clear him of any conflicts of interest.
So, you're feeling rested this morning, aren't you? Yes, right. Well, this will open your eyes, something we've been talking about all morning long. The National Sleep Foundation has a new poll out, and here are some unsettling numbers.
Most of us get 6.9 hours of sleep a night when we need up to 9. Seventy-five percent of us report frequent sleep problems. Fifty-four percent have had insomnia in the past year. And you knew this one was coming: 25 percent of us say we have been too sleepy for sex.
So, now that we've bummed you out and you're saying, how are you going to go on from here, here are some ways to help. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. That will help. Also, no caffeine after 2:00 p.m. And keep the bedroom quiet. That means no work and no TV. Maybe you can do some other things.
This is DAYBREAK for a Tuesday morning. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Chad, it's that time again.
MYERS: Yes, it is. It's time to give away the mug from yesterday. We asked a couple of very easy questions if you were paying attention. How many men are walking in space this morning? That number yesterday was two. And what two objects can work wonders in your office? A Nerf dartboard or a Nerf basketball or football. Those were all objects that can help you have a little more fun in your office.
And the winner, the winner from yesterday, drum roll please, Bill Kinell from Bunnell, Florida. Bill, congratulations. You take home a CNN DAYBREAK coffee mug.
Now the questions for today. These are easy ones as well. How many calories are there in Burger King's new breakfast sandwich? And we named three ways to help you get more sleep. Just give me two of them.
Submit your answers to CNN.com/daybreak. The questions from yesterday are still there right now, but by the time you get there, the new questions will be posted online -- Kelly.
WALLACE: That's right. And, Chad, one of the e-mails we got was of "Sleepless in Seattle." The writer saying, it's 2:30 a.m., and I'm watching DAYBREAK. Answer enough? Not a lot of sleep."
OK, Chad, we'll see you tomorrow.
MYERS: OK. WALLACE: I'm Kelly Wallace in today for Carol Costello. The news continues right now with "AMERICAN MORNING." We'll see you tomorrow.
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Aired March 29, 2005 - 06:28 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good Tuesday morning to you. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."
We have new pictures in to CNN from Monday's earthquake in Indonesia. The estimated death toll stands at just over 300 from the 8.7 magnitude quake. We'll talk with a seismologist in just a moment.
Emotional rhetoric over Terri Schiavo. Schiavo's father says she's weak and emaciated, but communicating. Her husband's lawyer says Schiavo is calm and peaceful. Michael Schiavo says he'll seek an autopsy when his wife dies.
Fifty-nine former American diplomats are urging the Senate to reject President Bush's pick to be the next U.N. ambassador. The diplomats sent a letter to a Senate committee, saying John Bolton is the wrong man for the job.
The second meeting of Iraq's Transitional National Assembly is finally under way, but the body still hasn't chosen a leader. Delays in naming a permanent president of the assembly have kept the body from forming a full government.
To the weather center in Atlanta.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: Turning again to our top story. Indonesia is still reeling this morning from another powerful earthquake. It struck along the same fault line as the December 26 earthquake and tsunami, only this one was centered about 100 miles southeast of the epicenter of the previous one, and it was two to four times smaller.
Seismologists say the quake was a magnitude 8.7 and struck 19 miles under the seabed. There are no reports of any tsunamis like the ones that devastated the region three months ago. The quake did trigger several aftershocks of magnitude 5 or more.
Authorities are saying more than 300 people are dead, and they expect that death toll to rise. Some 500 people are injured.
This second earthquake in just three months raises some pressing questions about the safety of the region and what's ahead.
For answers, we turn to Gary Gibson. He joins us live from the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia.
Gary Gibson, thanks for joining us. I guess the first question to you is what we were asking another seismologist in the last hour. Many people are asking why, if you have one earthquake that was pretty large in the same region, this one didn't trigger any tsunamis compared to the one in December, which did?
GARY GIBSON, SEISMOLOGIST: This one did trigger a tsunami, but it was much, much smaller. And the other thing is that the orientation of the fault directed the maximum heart of the tsunami into the middle of the Indian Ocean rather than towards Sri Lanka and India. So, in that direction, we didn't have a problem.
And the other situation here is that towards the Sumatran coast, the sea is quite shallow. And so, it's probable that quite a lot of the energy from the tsunami was dissipated before it reached the coast.
WALLACE: I had read, Gary Gibson, that Monday's event marked the first time in recorded seismic history nearly a century that two quakes of such size have happened so close together. What does this say to you? What will this mean for future quakes in this same region?
GIBSON: I don't think it is totally unexpected. You often find aftershocks to big earthquakes. The one in December was an enormous earthquake. It's the second biggest in the last century. This one on Monday was very large. We could go for 15 years without having an earthquake of this size, normally. It's just small in comparison with the December event.
WALLACE: OK. I think my colleague, Chad Myers, in Atlanta is joining us now with some questions as well.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We're seeing the damage here from the island of Nias. Also, I want to know what would this quake have done to if, let's say, there was a major city anywhere nearby?
GIBSON: Very devastating. Part of the relief we've got on this one is, in fact, that there was no city nearby. An earthquake of this magnitude would have produced a rupture about 400 kilometers long, and the vertical movement probably was several meters, about 5 meters or thereabouts.
MYERS: Do we know the vertical movement? I mean, I know they placed a few GPS sensors there since the initial earthquake back in December. Have those sensors given us any information yet?
GIBSON: They only give the amount of vertical movement at the site, and then it's quite a complicated calculation to work out what the movement will be where the earthquake actually occurred. The GPS sensors, of course, all are on land. So, the analyst will take some time before the GPS study is done.
WALLACE: Gary Gibson, one more question for you. What about the warnings that went out? It does seem to be that lessons were learned from back in December. And that through the media, word of mouth, through other warning systems that were in place, many people fled areas when they sensed danger. Talk to us a little bit about the warning system and what more should be done.
GIBSON: Well, the best warning system, of course, is when you're near to an earthquake is the earthquake itself. If you feel an earthquake, you head inland. And this is obviously what has happened. So, the warning system is most useful when the earthquake is too far away to be felt. For example, Sri Lanka relative to the last one in December. And it's essential that we get the warning system for the distant events.
WALLACE: All right, Gary Gibson, principal research seismologist, the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia. We thank you for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning. We appreciate your insights.
Bill Hemmer is joining us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
And, Bill, I expect you will have a lot on this earthquake off Indonesia's coast.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, we certainly will. Kelly, good morning to you.
We're reaching a number of people in Medan in Indonesia, talking about the relief effort there, what they're hearing about these reports in Nias. And we'll talk with one of the survivors as well. He says, Kelly, the tremors felt like waves of electricity in the ground, and they lasted for nearly five minutes. The last few months truly rough on him as well. He owns a resort that was damaged by the tsunami at the end of December. So, we'll talk to him about what he is doing today, trying to reach that part of Indonesia.
Also, part two of our special tax series, "Many Happy Returns" -- we hope. Today, we'll hear from hip-hop mogul, businessman Russell Simmons, find out about the important role he is playing this tax season. We'll explain that for you coming up in about 25 minutes.
Another busy morning here. See you at 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Bill. So there is still time for us to file, right?
HEMMER: Yes.
WALLACE: April 15, still it is about two and a half weeks away.
HEMMER: That's right. But not much time, Kelly.
WALLACE: Not much.
HEMMER: A little more than two weeks.
WALLACE: We keep smiling, yes.
HEMMER: All right.
WALLACE: OK, Bill, see you in a few minutes. Thanks so much.
News now about the Terri Schiavo case. She could have only days or hours to live. And now there's word her husband has asked that an autopsy be performed when she dies to show the extent of her brain damage.
How is she doing? Well, it depends on whom you ask.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY: Mrs. Schiavo's appearance, to me, was very calm, very relaxed, very peaceful. There was no -- I saw no evidence of any bodily discomfort whatsoever.
SUZANNE VITADAMO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S SISTER: The look on her face is, "Please help me." And that's exactly what I get from her when I'm in there. "Please help me." So, she's fighting. She's struggling. And does this sound like somebody that wants to die? I don't think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: In other news now. The Reverend Jesse Jackson is expected to visit the hospice where Schiavo is staying. He calls her situation an example of law without mercy.
It's time now to hear what Americans think about the Schiavo matter and other big headlines.
Joining us is Gallup Poll editor-in-chief, Frank Newport.
Frank, it's always great to see you. Thanks for being here.
FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Thank you, Kelly.
Indeed, every poll that I have seen shows that the majority of Americans say that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die. Those polls themselves have become somewhat controversial. Last fall, Democrats were attacking polls showing Bush ahead.
Now, we have Republicans and conservatives criticizing polls that I just told you show that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die. Part of it is because they say the question wording is not conducive to accurate representation of what's happening. In fact, you just saw there, there are disputes about what state she is in, Mrs. Schiavo. There are disputes about how to describe the situation.
Jerry Falwell on CNN this weekend criticized a "TIME" magazine poll that's out this week in their edition.
This is the wording of the question in "TIME" magazine. You can read it all, of course. But this just goes to show you that the pollsters, including we here at Gallup, do, in fact, give people information about this case, and then ask for their reaction. The consumers probably should read the wording carefully. I think this is fairly balanced.
And I would say one thing, Kelly. All of these polls that show the majority say that Terri Schiavo should be allowed to die, generally speaking, are tapping into very, very strong attitudes that I think are pre-existing such that people don't listen to wording as much in this situation.
When you hear the words "Terri Schiavo," most Americans, I think, have a strong opinion right away. I don't think wording makes as much of a difference.
WALLACE: Switching gears a little bit, Frank, the economy. Some numbers are showing some improvement, but it doesn't appear consumers necessarily agree with that. What are you finding?
NEWPORT: Well, Kelly, you're absolutely right. Despite what the objective economists might tell us, Americans are getting more negative rather than more positive. This is very, very important. This is consumer confidence. Is the economy getting better or getting worse? That red line has been going up.
Look at our most recent poll. Fifty-nine percent of Americans say the economy is getting worse. Why? Here's the question. We said, what is the biggest economic problem facing the country today? Last month, only 3 percent mentioned energy, gas prices. Look at this, Kelly. Seventeen percent now say it's energy. That's tied with unemployment in Americans' minds is the biggest problem. I think it's the gas price at the pump that's causing a lot of Americans to say, whoa, I don't see this improvement in the economy.
WALLACE: Yes, they're feeling the pain at the pump, and that's affecting their views.
OK, Frank Newport, thanks for being with us. Editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll. Thanks so much.
Turning now to the Michael Jackson case and a major setback for the defense. Previous child sexual abuse allegations against the pop star will be heard in court. The judge in the current trial says prosecutors may introduce evidence of these alleged cases.
Kendall Coffey is joining us now live from Miami.
Kendall Coffey, thanks for being here.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning.
WALLACE: First question: How damaging is this ruling for the defense?
COFFEY: Very damaging. They were doing pretty good so far, bringing up a lot of credibility issues with respect to this accuser and his family. Now, Kelly, they've basically got to defend against five different sets of accusations, because if a single one of them is compelling to the jury, then Michael Jackson is a child molester. And if he's a child molester, no matter what the jury thinks of this particular family, they are not going to award him a not guilty verdict.
WALLACE: Picking up on that, you talk about these are allegations. Nothing has been proven in court of law, no convictions. So, under what kind of grounds does the judge have to allow this into evidence?
COFFEY: Well, one of the key things that happened along the way, from the perspective of D.A. Tom Sneddon, is in the '90s a law was passed allowing in sexual misconduct cases the prosecution to go back years -- in one case, 30 years -- with respect to alleged prior misconduct whether or not it was ever charged as a crime.
Now, that prosecutor has five different alleged victims to add to what might have otherwise been a pretty weak case. That means a total in effect of six different alleged victims. That's an awful lot to defend against from the standpoint of Michael Jackson.
WALLACE: What are some of the limitations, though, placed on the prosecution? Because I understand the judge says that the jurors can be told about these other civil settlements that Jackson reached, but not the amounts that were paid, unless that is brought up by the defense. How significant is that?
COFFEY: Well, potentially very significant, because I think even though it's still bad for the defense that it's going to come out that there are these past allegations that Michael Jackson settled with them. If, in fact, the 1993 accuser were getting on the stand and saying that I got paid $20 million by Michael Jackson to shut up and go away, that might be a kind of devastating thing that no amount of defense lawyering could overcome.
WALLACE: So, put your kind of shoes in the place of the defense attorney for Michael Jackson. What would your strategy be after this ruling yesterday?
COFFEY: Well, three, they say, of the alleged accusers are actually people who are going to say, Michael Jackson never molested me.
With respect to the other two, Kelly, I think what they've got to try to do is use it to help them by saying, look, word was out that Michael Jackson got extorted successfully twice before, had to pay somebody a lot of money even though he really didn't need to, it wasn't justified, and that is what baited the field and caused this new family to come forward, because they thought they could hit the Jacko (ph) pot for millions of dollars, just like several other past accusers had.
WALLACE: Very interesting case indeed. Former U.S. attorney Kendall Coffey joining us live from Miami. Always good to talk to you. Thanks for being here.
COFFEY: Thanks for including me, Kelly.
WALLACE: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz" once again. What is Google hacking? And why should it worry you?
Well, Carrie Lee is here to explain.
What's going on?
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you hear about people hacking into Web sites like ChoicePoint Data Systems.
WALLACE: Yes.
LEE: All of these databases with information. But apparently, this is not that hard to do on ubiquitous Web sites like Google for people who know what they're doing. And there has been some controversy about this lately.
Now, when used correctly, of course, these tricks can help you use Google better, but when you use incorrect information or when you do this incorrectly, hackers are able, with relative ease it seems, to get into the Google Web site. For example, type in "SSN" to get Social Security numbers, or hackers can search specifically for Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files, which can contain personal information.
"The Wall Street Journal" reports that security experts held a contest this month to show just how quick and effective this can be. The winning team found Social Security numbers on 70 million dead people, and most of these teams were able to come up with quite a bit of personal information in less than an hour.
So, people who know what they're doing can get in pretty easily.
WALLACE: That's alarming.
LEE: It is.
WALLACE: Just by, you know, hacking into Google and then doing, you know, search "SSN," they're able to find all of this personal information.
LEE: "SSN" and a little bit more than that.
WALLACE: Right.
LEE: But that's the general idea. Exactly. So, it will be interesting to see whether Google, whether Yahoo, whether some of these other sites start to step up their security. Microsoft has some new programs they're rolling out in the next couple of months. We'll see if others follow suit.
WALLACE: And quickly, futures, what are they looking like?
LEE: Looking weak once again. We did see a little bit of buying yesterday. One stock to watch today in the Dow: AIG, the insurance giant. Frank Greenberg is now resigning as chairman two weeks after resigning as the CEO of the company; this, as investigators continue their probe into accounting practices at the company.
WALLACE: All right, Carrie Lee watching a lot for us. Thanks so much.
LEE: OK.
WALLACE: Well, when DAYBREAK continues, Venus and Serena Williams, they may find a new way to expose us to the drama in their lives.
And, a whole country in search of a good night's sleep. Where can we find it? More on America's sorry snoozing situation just ahead.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Welcome back. Your news, money, weather and sports. It's almost 48 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.
These are pictures just in this morning of Indonesia's massive earthquake yesterday. The government puts the death toll at 330. Most of the victims are on the island of Nias. That number could rise. Monday's quake had a magnitude of 8.7.
It is now 11 days since Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. Her sister describes the brain-damaged woman as -- quote -- "awake and very responsive." Her husband's lawyer says -- quote -- "death is near."
In money, a judge ordered Sony to pay nearly $91 million in damages and to stop selling the Playstation. Sony was sued over patent problems with their dual-shock game controllers. Game systems will stay on store shelves while Sony appeals.
In culture, tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams will soon be starring in their won reality show. The sisters' off-court lives will be featured in a six-episode show on ABC Family beginning in July.
And in sports, he's a winner, and he has waited a long time to win a prestigious golf title. Forty-eight-year-old Fred Funk has become the oldest winner of the Players Championship.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: It's time now to check in with Carol Costello, normally right here for DAYBREAK, sitting in for Soledad O'Brien on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning, Carol. We all miss you here.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, I miss you, guys. Well, you'll soon be here. So, you'll be right over here.
WALLACE: Yes, right.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Kelly. Good morning, everyone.
Kelly has been talking about it all morning, a major setback for Michael Jackson. A judge says past allegations of abuse are fair game in the trial. That includes evidence involving Jackson's 1993 accuser. We're going to talk to the boy's uncle. And here is something you won't hear anywhere else. We'll hear tapes of that boy talking to a psychiatrist about those allegations.
Also, a growing controversy. Pharmacists saying no to prescriptions for birth control, because it violates their moral or religious beliefs. We'll talk to a pharmacist who was fired for doing just that. She says the health of her customers played a role in her decision. And there were moral issues involved as well.
But can you imagine, Kelly, going to the pharmacist and saying, oh, can you fill this prescription for birth control, and the pharmacist says no?
WALLACE: I can't imagine that.
COSTELLO: It's against my beliefs.
WALLACE: Yes. That would -- I can't imagine that. Something else...
COSTELLO: It should be a lively discussion.
WALLACE: Yes. Something I can imagine, though, problems with sleep, which I know is near and dear to your heart. You've been listening all morning as we've been talking about problems with sleep, Carol. And we'll talk to you in a little bit.
We've been talking about how it is hurting us at work, on the road and even in bed. Stick around. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: It's almost 55 minutes after the hour, and here is what will be making new today.
Checking out the destruction right now, aide officials are trying to assess the damage from Monday's quake off western Indonesia. Early reports indicate it isn't nearly as bad as the December tsunami disaster. Still, at least 330 people are now reported dead. Officials expect that death toll to rise.
Terri Schiavo is in her 11th full day without a feeding tube, and her husband's lawyer says death is near. He says her pulse is slow and dehydration is taking its toll.
Freedom and democracy, those are the themes of the speech President Bush will give in just over four hours. He welcomes a group of Iraqi voters to the White House this morning.
And mixed reviews for Kofi Annan. An independent U.N. panel releases a report today. It is expected to fault the U.N. chief for poor oversight of the oil-for-food program in Iraq. But the report is also expected to clear him of any conflicts of interest.
So, you're feeling rested this morning, aren't you? Yes, right. Well, this will open your eyes, something we've been talking about all morning long. The National Sleep Foundation has a new poll out, and here are some unsettling numbers.
Most of us get 6.9 hours of sleep a night when we need up to 9. Seventy-five percent of us report frequent sleep problems. Fifty-four percent have had insomnia in the past year. And you knew this one was coming: 25 percent of us say we have been too sleepy for sex.
So, now that we've bummed you out and you're saying, how are you going to go on from here, here are some ways to help. Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. That will help. Also, no caffeine after 2:00 p.m. And keep the bedroom quiet. That means no work and no TV. Maybe you can do some other things.
This is DAYBREAK for a Tuesday morning. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Chad, it's that time again.
MYERS: Yes, it is. It's time to give away the mug from yesterday. We asked a couple of very easy questions if you were paying attention. How many men are walking in space this morning? That number yesterday was two. And what two objects can work wonders in your office? A Nerf dartboard or a Nerf basketball or football. Those were all objects that can help you have a little more fun in your office.
And the winner, the winner from yesterday, drum roll please, Bill Kinell from Bunnell, Florida. Bill, congratulations. You take home a CNN DAYBREAK coffee mug.
Now the questions for today. These are easy ones as well. How many calories are there in Burger King's new breakfast sandwich? And we named three ways to help you get more sleep. Just give me two of them.
Submit your answers to CNN.com/daybreak. The questions from yesterday are still there right now, but by the time you get there, the new questions will be posted online -- Kelly.
WALLACE: That's right. And, Chad, one of the e-mails we got was of "Sleepless in Seattle." The writer saying, it's 2:30 a.m., and I'm watching DAYBREAK. Answer enough? Not a lot of sleep."
OK, Chad, we'll see you tomorrow.
MYERS: OK. WALLACE: I'm Kelly Wallace in today for Carol Costello. The news continues right now with "AMERICAN MORNING." We'll see you tomorrow.
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