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CNN Live At Daybreak
Thousands of Mourners Say Farewell to Pope John II
Aired April 05, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You can see the line stretches for miles, and it's only getting longer. Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, thousands of mourners say farewell.
It is Tuesday, April 5.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
Good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, up to five hours in line. That's how long mourners are waiting at the Vatican this morning for a brief glimpse of the pope's body. In the meantime, Roman Catholic cardinal are preparing for a key meeting. We'll take you live to Vatican City straight ahead.
Just about four and a half hours ago, a car bomb in southern Baghdad killed a U.S. soldier and injured four others. About the same time, west of Baghdad, another car bomb killed an Iraqi civilian and wounded two others. Also today, an Iraqi brigadier general was kidnapped.
The most emotional testimony so far in the Michael Jackson trial. A 24-year-old man tells jurors that when he was a boy, Jackson first tickled him, and that led to fondling on three occasions. He's due back on the stand again today.
And Carolina Blue is the color of the day. Fans in Chapel Hill celebrated their team's 75-70 win over Illinois in the NCAA basketball tournament. The game was played in St. Louis. And sports writers are describing this as the game of the century.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wow!
COSTELLO: That's how good it was. It was a nail biter. And you can see the celebrations in the streets of North Carolina this morning.
MYERS: What I truly can't believe is that was Roy Williams' first national title. He's been a basketball coach with phenomenal teams for how long, and that's his first title?
COSTELLO: Well, it was interesting, two years ago, North Carolina was 8 and 20. So in just two years. That's insane. MYERS: Well, there you go. Well, they had some really great talent, Carol. I mean some of that talent is going to make it to the NBA, clearly. No problem at all.
And good morning, Chicago.
Good morning, Detroit.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: With much of the world in mourning over the death of Pope John Paul II, tradition and law dictate a moving forward, as well.
Here's what's happening right now in Rome. The Catholic Church's cardinals began meeting about two hours ago. They're discussing just when to hold the conclave to select a new pope. The Vatican holds a news briefing about 30 minutes from now to explain what happens between now and when John Paul's successor is chosen. Of course, the pope's body lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica. About two million people expected to file past before Friday's funeral.
But right now at the Vatican, the focus is on the average pilgrim.
As our Ben Wedeman reports, each and every pilgrim is taking a very personal journey despite being in line for up to five and a half hours.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The final ascent to the basilica of St. Peter's. Amid the pageantry of a church stepped in ancient traditions, a moving ceremony watched by thousands, a spectacle few of them will ever forget.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very happy because he is in, right now, he is in heaven. He blesses everybody. He is a man for all. He worked for peace.
WEDEMAN: These nuns from the Congo say they'll spend the night here. "To see him, to pray for him," says sister Gisella (ph). "He's dead, but he still lives among us."
From early in the morning and throughout the day, the line kept growing longer and longer.
(on camera): These people have been waiting for hours to get into the basilica of St. Peter's to see the body of Pope John Paul II and they still have many hours left to go.
(voice-over): The physical discomfort of the wait overcome by a stronger desire. "We all loved him," says this Italian grandmother, arriving to join the line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was something moving in me when I woke up this morning that said now you just have to go. WEDEMAN: And into the night, that something moved others to catch the last glimpse of a man who led the Catholic Church for a generation.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, in the Vatican City.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: Tributes to the pope's legacy, they're wide and they're varied and they're pouring in from around the world. Catholic leaders in Australia are celebrating a mass right now. Hundreds of worshipers are gathered at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.
At the United Nations, members of the Security Council stood for a moment of silence on Monday. Secretary General Kofi Annan called the pope "a tireless advocate of peace."
And in Cuba, people took up their pens. President Fidel Castro actually signed a book of condolences at the Vatican embassy, adding his name to a long list of Cubans. Of course, Castro will not be among the world leaders who will attend the pope's funeral on Friday. President Bush says he'll lead the U.S. delegation. Other world leaders who will be there include Mexico's president, Vicente Fox; British Prime Minister Tony Blair; the French president, Jacques Chirac; and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.
We're going to talk about history in the next minutes of DAYBREAK, so stick around for that. Centuries of history and timeless traditions -- they will be reflected this week as the world lays the pope to rest.
Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, we'll give you details of a funeral like no other. Also, a massive event requires massive security. As I said, we'll tell you what's in the works. And dignitaries the world over are putting off their plans in the wake of the pope's death. Among them, a soon to be royal couple.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday, April 5.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Floods in New Jersey closed roads and schools and forced thousands to evacuate their homes. We will take you there live.
Plus, the story of a jailed shoe designer looking to follow in Martha Stewart's footsteps.
DAYBREAK is back in 60 seconds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER UPDEGRAVE, SENIOR EDITOR, "MONEY": The key investment vehicles for college saving are probably, number one, the 529 account. That's one of the most popular. That's usually a state run program and it varies from state to state what kind of tax deduction you will get. All the 529 plans allow you to pull the money out, as long as it's used for qualified education expenses, without paying tax on that.
One thing to keep in mind, this tax break on 529 is due to expire in 2010. There's a great Web site to go that lists all the state plans in great detail, and it's called www.savingforcollege.com. And this site really gives a comprehensive listing of all the plans out there and all the tax advantages that they have and compares them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:11 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
There are lines of people stretching for miles outside of St. Peter's Basilica this morning. The lines are two miles long. It's estimated two million people will come to get a final glimpse of Pope John Paul. His funeral scheduled for Friday.
Another American has been killed in action in Iraq. The military says a Marine was killed Monday by an explosion in the western province of Al Anbar.
In money news, oil giant ChevronTexaco is adding Unical to its portfolio. The deal for the ninth largest American oil company would cost Chevron at least $16 billion. Chevron's chairman says he expects the deal to be approved by regulators by the end of the year.
In culture, former 98 Degrees singer Justin Jeffre is running for the mayor of Cincinnati. In case you're not hip to that, he's the blonde one. Jeffre has been trying to get VH1 to cover his run for city hall as part of a new reality show. That's the famous one married to Jessica.
In sports, nothing could be finer. The University of North Carolina beat Illinois 75-70, to win the college basketball national championship. Center Sean May led the way with 26 points for the Tarheels. He was named the tournaments most outstanding player -- Chad, your predictions were all correct.
MYERS: Yes. I really like North Carolina. I thought they played very well. Illinois, unfortunately, only shot 27 percent from the field in the first half and that probably cost them the game, because they made a great comeback in the second half. They just couldn't pull it off all the way.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: When DAYBREAK continues, we'll take you live to Trenton, New Jersey, where people are waking up this morning to some terrible flooding. Take a look at that. You're watching DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The funeral of Pope John Paul II will draw on centuries of ritual and tradition. Catholic laws leave very little to chance. For example, the period of mourning is to be exactly nine days. The funeral itself is to take place four to six days after the pontiff's death.
The deceased pope's garments are very specific. They're different from the usual vestments worn by the living pope. You see he's in red there.
But there's so much more to all the ceremonial practices and customs we'll be seeing in the coming days.
Robert Moynihan, editor of the Catholic magazine "Inside the Vatican," joins us now from Vatican City with details on what we can expect in the future.
Good morning, Robert.
ROBERT MOYNIHAN, EDITOR, "INSIDE THE VATICAN": Good morning.
COSTELLO: The first thing I want to talk about is the display of the pope's body and where that came from.
MOYNIHAN: The display of the pope's body comes from the sense that even though he's spirituality departed, his body carried that spirit until the end of his life. And so looking at that body, even though he's not there, you're still near who he is and was. So they display the body for three or four days so that those who wanted to be near him and couldn't be near him in life can come.
And what we find is that a million people want to be near him. They're willing to stand up all night long. They're standing in the cold. They're suffering. In this regard, I am struck by the fact it's a sort of human feeling. I'm struck by the fact it's like a Hajj in Islam, going to Mecca.
We have people on a pilgrimage here.
COSTELLO: I...
MOYNIHAN: Yes?
COSTELLO: I know -- I was just going to say, we're looking at live pictures of the people standing in line. Some of these people have stood in line for seven hours, Robert.
MOYNIHAN: This is, I'm completely amazed by what I'm seeing. I've never seen it before and we're all seeing the same thing. I can't really say any more than anyone else can about what's happening here. COSTELLO: You know, there's been a lot written of the media coverage of the pope's slow death and his funeral on Friday, and what's happening in between. A lot of people are wondering why the media is spending so much time on this. But when you look at all of these pilgrims lined up -- and the line here stretches more than two miles to wait to go by the pope's body -- some of these people, many of these people are not even Catholic.
What is it about Pope John Paul?
MOYNIHAN: Yes, it strikes me, too, that the media is sort of all religion all the time, and I think some people may be getting upset about that. But there's a deep human desire to be in contact with something beyond the every day, something that takes life out of its ordinariness. And someone who might be able to talk about that would be Harold Bloom, the professor at Yale.
There's something happening here that wants to get beyond CNN and Coca-Cola and get to something like what John Paul II represented, a man of god. And they're willing to stand in line for it. And we're just tagging along.
COSTELLO: Is it something, Robert, about the times in which we live?
MOYNIHAN: Oh, absolutely. We're in a time that seeks meaning, that seeks some kind of depth. We're very superficial. And the pope was very deep. And he's not the only one who's deep. And yet what's happening with his passing and what's going to happen Friday, when the world leaders will come here, is a recognition of that fact.
I would like to add one thing. If we were to imagine a thought experiment, there's one figure missing on the agenda for Friday and one man who has not yet decided to come. And I think he would be very welcome here in Rome. They would extend an open greeting to him. He's the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexi II. I don't know how well he is and if he could make a trip or not make a trip for physical reasons.
He was not very friendly with John Paul II. He didn't invite him to Russia. The pope wanted to visit Russia. But if he were to make the decision to come here, I think that would send a dramatic message to build some kind of a future, to offer an olive branch after the pope's death. And I think that would be one of the most dramatic things that could happen, know if he would make the decision to visit Rome.
COSTELLO: Robert, bring us up to date on the history of the bad feelings between these two men.
MOYNIHAN: Well, the Christian church ought to be a united church because it follows a man of peace, Jesus Christ, who taught blessed are the peacemakers. But the church is divided into a thousand factions. The Roman Catholic Church is a large church.
The greatest, biggest chunk that broke off from it was the Eastern church. They wouldn't like me to put it that way. They would say that Rome itself had gone into schism by promulgating certain doctrines that were not correct.
The Eastern Orthodox broke away back in 1054, nearly 1,000 years ago. So we're talking about a long feud which couldn't be settled. They tried to settle is century after century. And since, in the last 50 years, many theologians and writers and thinkers have said how can we settle this?
The pope said I would very much like to settle this before the end of my pontificate. He made it very clear. It was one of his greatest desires. He didn't accomplish it. That's one of the items on the agenda left entirely open for the next pope.
But right now -- and the Eastern Orthodox, the Orthodox do not believe that the pope of Rome has kept the Orthodox faith correctly, so they don't want him to come and preach to their people.
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
MOYNIHAN: If...
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
Robert Moynihan, we're going to have to wrap this up now, because our satellite window is running out. But we will keep an eye on the Russian Orthodox priest to see if he comes to the funeral on Friday.
Thank you very much.
And we're going to talk about the symbolism of all of the ceremonies taking place, but we'll have plenty of time to do that in the coming days on DAYBREAK.
Coming up next on DAYBREAK, more on the death of the pope, including security concerns as Rome gets ready to host millions of ordinary citizens and world leaders coming to pay their last respects.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Chad, I know you are forecasting great weather for this part of the country, but many people in southern and central New Jersey are still being kept away from their homes because they're just plain flooded out.
MYERS: The Delaware River, the Susquehanna River, the Schuylkill, a lot of rivers are out of their banks because of all that rain we had over the weekend, Carol, yes.
COSTELLO: And we have a reporter from New Jersey.
Good morning to you.
AMY BUCKMAN, WPN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
I'm here in Trenton. And the road you see behind me is called Route 29. It is closed to through traffic, except for official vehicles, like the one you're seeing here.
Just beyond Route 29 is a flooded street, Lee Avenue. And this is the second time that this area, called The Island, in Trenton, has been flooded in just the past six months. The Delaware River crested here about 2:30 yesterday afternoon, at 25 1/3 feet. That's about 5 1/3 feet over the flood level. And although the river is now going down -- it's just over 22 feet -- as you can see, this area remains flooded.
About 500 people had to be evacuated from their homes yesterday -- or on, over the weekend. And it's not likely that they will be allowed back into their homes until this upcoming weekend. That's because city officials are trying to get inside to assess the damage to their homes, pump out the water and then conduct inspections. All of that has to be done before the utilities can be turned back on here.
And because this is the second time in six months that this area has flooded, the mayor of Trenton, Mayor Doug Palmer, is requesting a study by the Army Corps of Engineers to try to find out why this is happening. And that's a question that a lot of the people who live here want answered.
So, again, the river level now is still two feet over flood stage, although it is receding, and people are hopeful that the damage to their homes here isn't quite as bad as they think it might be.
COSTELLO: Amy Buckman...
BUCKMAN: Reporting live from Trenton...
COSTELLO: Amy, Amy, don't leave us yet.
Don't leave us yet.
BUCKMAN: OK.
COSTELLO: Stick around, because we have some questions for you.
BUCKMAN: OK.
COSTELLO: And, Chad, I know you have some questions for Amy, as well. I just wonder, has this ever happened before to this extent in this part of the country?
BUCKMAN: Oh, just about. I was standing just across Route 29 here six months ago, in September, when the floodwaters were up to the level they're at right now. So what we're seeing now, even after the crest, is about the situation that we had here in September. So the people who live here have had a really bad string of luck.
MYERS: Amy, I was wondering, is there any type of flood retention wall in the area that did break? Or is this just the real Delaware River coming right up to these people's homes?
BUCKMAN: Well, there is a wall at the end of this street and beyond that you can see the Delaware River. And usually that wall is sufficient. We haven't had, before the September flood there hadn't been a really bad flood here since about the 1950s. But for some reason we've had two 50 year floods here in six months.
COSTELLO: You know what's interesting to me, Chad and Amy, you know, the water looks so high, but then it recedes rather quickly.
Where does it go?
MYERS: It goes out into the bay...
COSTELLO: So it goes back in?
MYERS: It goes back into the ocean, yes. It all runs downhill. And I get questions from producers all the time, Carol, is the water receding? Yes, in some spots. But if you are down river, in some spots it's still going up. And so it's hard to say, because the flood is a moving event. Up the Susquehanna or up the Delaware River they actually had their flood stage peak a couple of days ago. But then that water ran down into the Trenton area and so the flood stage finally peaked in Trenton just yesterday. And now the water runs out into the ocean and eventually, finally, out to the sea and it gets away from these people.
But, oh, look at how much damage it's done to those homes.
COSTELLO: Oh, it's just -- you know, just the smell left from water in your home, just to deal with that smell is enough.
Amy, a last question for you.
I would assume that the governor of New Jersey is going to ask for federal disaster aid?
BUCKMAN: Well, there are representatives from the state that are going to the federal government to ask for help, because all these people have been put up in temporary shelters at a local high school and the cleanup effort is going to run into the millions of dollars. And, again, this is the second time that they've had to go through this since September.
COSTELLO: Amy Buckman from Trenton, New Jersey, reporting for us live this morning.
Thank you.
MYERS: Thanks.
BUCKMAN: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: In other "News Across America" now, two more people have contracted a dangerous infection that has been linked to Florida petting zoos. Health officials say a total of 24 people, including 21 children, have come down with E. coli infections after attending one of three fairs across the state. Investigators are testing the animals to determine the source of these infections. Voters in Kansas decide today if same sex marriage should be legal. They're voting on a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The amendment also says that all other marriages are void. If passed, the measure would deny rights to people in civil unions and domestic partnerships.
Former Vice President Al Gore says he's launching his own cable television channel. It's called Current and is expected to be aimed at younger viewers. It'll feature short videos and movies produced by viewers when it launches August 1. It should be available in about 19 million homes.
Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
Martha Stewart and her company enjoyed a rebirth after her release from prison. Now another company is hoping to follow in Martha's footsteps by promoting the release of its namesake.
Carrie Lee joins us live to tell us more about that.
And this is a pretty famous guy amongst the young set.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He certainly is, Carol.
We're talking Steve Madden, also the name of the company. The shoe retailer is now advertising the release of Steve Madden, the former CEO, from prison. Sound familiar?
Well, Madden has been in jail since September 2002 for a stock fraud scheme. The company has taken out a series of ads with slogans like "a new meaning for the word springtime," "Steve returns spring 2005."
But the ads do not specifically mention where Madden has been. Madden, of course, no longer the company's chief, but his name is still used in a lot of the company's brands and he remains the creative and design chief.
Again, sounds familiar, right?
Madden's release date has yet to be announced. And, when he is released, he'll spend time in a halfway house. But it certainly seems that the company was paying attention to Martha Stewart's success after her release.
Carol, it really seems like there's no such thing as bad publicity these days.
COSTELLO: I have questions.
LEE: OK.
COSTELLO: From what I remember, Steve Madden was overcharging his customers for their shoes.
Wasn't that part of the allegation against him? LEE: You know, I don't know if that was actually the thing that got him into trouble. There was definitely a stock scheme involved, and that was really the nuts and bolts of it.
COSTELLO: The nuts and bolts?
LEE: But the company has, I think, continued to do pretty well. I mean you see the stores all over the place here in New York, anyway. So we'll see if they continue in that vein.
COSTELLO: And the other question I have is really, he's no Martha Stewart. I mean people don't know him as well as they do Martha Stewart.
LEE: Of course. Of course. And even though the company does have his name, the person and the name, he doesn't have the recognition Martha Stewart does. And he's not the whole creative force behind the company. It hasn't been built around Steve Madden, the person. It does keep his name, however, though.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
LEE: Yes.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee, thank you.
LEE: All right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 5, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You can see the line stretches for miles, and it's only getting longer. Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, thousands of mourners say farewell.
It is Tuesday, April 5.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
Good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, up to five hours in line. That's how long mourners are waiting at the Vatican this morning for a brief glimpse of the pope's body. In the meantime, Roman Catholic cardinal are preparing for a key meeting. We'll take you live to Vatican City straight ahead.
Just about four and a half hours ago, a car bomb in southern Baghdad killed a U.S. soldier and injured four others. About the same time, west of Baghdad, another car bomb killed an Iraqi civilian and wounded two others. Also today, an Iraqi brigadier general was kidnapped.
The most emotional testimony so far in the Michael Jackson trial. A 24-year-old man tells jurors that when he was a boy, Jackson first tickled him, and that led to fondling on three occasions. He's due back on the stand again today.
And Carolina Blue is the color of the day. Fans in Chapel Hill celebrated their team's 75-70 win over Illinois in the NCAA basketball tournament. The game was played in St. Louis. And sports writers are describing this as the game of the century.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wow!
COSTELLO: That's how good it was. It was a nail biter. And you can see the celebrations in the streets of North Carolina this morning.
MYERS: What I truly can't believe is that was Roy Williams' first national title. He's been a basketball coach with phenomenal teams for how long, and that's his first title?
COSTELLO: Well, it was interesting, two years ago, North Carolina was 8 and 20. So in just two years. That's insane. MYERS: Well, there you go. Well, they had some really great talent, Carol. I mean some of that talent is going to make it to the NBA, clearly. No problem at all.
And good morning, Chicago.
Good morning, Detroit.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: With much of the world in mourning over the death of Pope John Paul II, tradition and law dictate a moving forward, as well.
Here's what's happening right now in Rome. The Catholic Church's cardinals began meeting about two hours ago. They're discussing just when to hold the conclave to select a new pope. The Vatican holds a news briefing about 30 minutes from now to explain what happens between now and when John Paul's successor is chosen. Of course, the pope's body lying in state inside St. Peter's Basilica. About two million people expected to file past before Friday's funeral.
But right now at the Vatican, the focus is on the average pilgrim.
As our Ben Wedeman reports, each and every pilgrim is taking a very personal journey despite being in line for up to five and a half hours.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The final ascent to the basilica of St. Peter's. Amid the pageantry of a church stepped in ancient traditions, a moving ceremony watched by thousands, a spectacle few of them will ever forget.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm very happy because he is in, right now, he is in heaven. He blesses everybody. He is a man for all. He worked for peace.
WEDEMAN: These nuns from the Congo say they'll spend the night here. "To see him, to pray for him," says sister Gisella (ph). "He's dead, but he still lives among us."
From early in the morning and throughout the day, the line kept growing longer and longer.
(on camera): These people have been waiting for hours to get into the basilica of St. Peter's to see the body of Pope John Paul II and they still have many hours left to go.
(voice-over): The physical discomfort of the wait overcome by a stronger desire. "We all loved him," says this Italian grandmother, arriving to join the line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was something moving in me when I woke up this morning that said now you just have to go. WEDEMAN: And into the night, that something moved others to catch the last glimpse of a man who led the Catholic Church for a generation.
Ben Wedeman, CNN, in the Vatican City.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: Tributes to the pope's legacy, they're wide and they're varied and they're pouring in from around the world. Catholic leaders in Australia are celebrating a mass right now. Hundreds of worshipers are gathered at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.
At the United Nations, members of the Security Council stood for a moment of silence on Monday. Secretary General Kofi Annan called the pope "a tireless advocate of peace."
And in Cuba, people took up their pens. President Fidel Castro actually signed a book of condolences at the Vatican embassy, adding his name to a long list of Cubans. Of course, Castro will not be among the world leaders who will attend the pope's funeral on Friday. President Bush says he'll lead the U.S. delegation. Other world leaders who will be there include Mexico's president, Vicente Fox; British Prime Minister Tony Blair; the French president, Jacques Chirac; and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.
We're going to talk about history in the next minutes of DAYBREAK, so stick around for that. Centuries of history and timeless traditions -- they will be reflected this week as the world lays the pope to rest.
Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, we'll give you details of a funeral like no other. Also, a massive event requires massive security. As I said, we'll tell you what's in the works. And dignitaries the world over are putting off their plans in the wake of the pope's death. Among them, a soon to be royal couple.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday, April 5.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Floods in New Jersey closed roads and schools and forced thousands to evacuate their homes. We will take you there live.
Plus, the story of a jailed shoe designer looking to follow in Martha Stewart's footsteps.
DAYBREAK is back in 60 seconds.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER UPDEGRAVE, SENIOR EDITOR, "MONEY": The key investment vehicles for college saving are probably, number one, the 529 account. That's one of the most popular. That's usually a state run program and it varies from state to state what kind of tax deduction you will get. All the 529 plans allow you to pull the money out, as long as it's used for qualified education expenses, without paying tax on that.
One thing to keep in mind, this tax break on 529 is due to expire in 2010. There's a great Web site to go that lists all the state plans in great detail, and it's called www.savingforcollege.com. And this site really gives a comprehensive listing of all the plans out there and all the tax advantages that they have and compares them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:11 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
There are lines of people stretching for miles outside of St. Peter's Basilica this morning. The lines are two miles long. It's estimated two million people will come to get a final glimpse of Pope John Paul. His funeral scheduled for Friday.
Another American has been killed in action in Iraq. The military says a Marine was killed Monday by an explosion in the western province of Al Anbar.
In money news, oil giant ChevronTexaco is adding Unical to its portfolio. The deal for the ninth largest American oil company would cost Chevron at least $16 billion. Chevron's chairman says he expects the deal to be approved by regulators by the end of the year.
In culture, former 98 Degrees singer Justin Jeffre is running for the mayor of Cincinnati. In case you're not hip to that, he's the blonde one. Jeffre has been trying to get VH1 to cover his run for city hall as part of a new reality show. That's the famous one married to Jessica.
In sports, nothing could be finer. The University of North Carolina beat Illinois 75-70, to win the college basketball national championship. Center Sean May led the way with 26 points for the Tarheels. He was named the tournaments most outstanding player -- Chad, your predictions were all correct.
MYERS: Yes. I really like North Carolina. I thought they played very well. Illinois, unfortunately, only shot 27 percent from the field in the first half and that probably cost them the game, because they made a great comeback in the second half. They just couldn't pull it off all the way.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: When DAYBREAK continues, we'll take you live to Trenton, New Jersey, where people are waking up this morning to some terrible flooding. Take a look at that. You're watching DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The funeral of Pope John Paul II will draw on centuries of ritual and tradition. Catholic laws leave very little to chance. For example, the period of mourning is to be exactly nine days. The funeral itself is to take place four to six days after the pontiff's death.
The deceased pope's garments are very specific. They're different from the usual vestments worn by the living pope. You see he's in red there.
But there's so much more to all the ceremonial practices and customs we'll be seeing in the coming days.
Robert Moynihan, editor of the Catholic magazine "Inside the Vatican," joins us now from Vatican City with details on what we can expect in the future.
Good morning, Robert.
ROBERT MOYNIHAN, EDITOR, "INSIDE THE VATICAN": Good morning.
COSTELLO: The first thing I want to talk about is the display of the pope's body and where that came from.
MOYNIHAN: The display of the pope's body comes from the sense that even though he's spirituality departed, his body carried that spirit until the end of his life. And so looking at that body, even though he's not there, you're still near who he is and was. So they display the body for three or four days so that those who wanted to be near him and couldn't be near him in life can come.
And what we find is that a million people want to be near him. They're willing to stand up all night long. They're standing in the cold. They're suffering. In this regard, I am struck by the fact it's a sort of human feeling. I'm struck by the fact it's like a Hajj in Islam, going to Mecca.
We have people on a pilgrimage here.
COSTELLO: I...
MOYNIHAN: Yes?
COSTELLO: I know -- I was just going to say, we're looking at live pictures of the people standing in line. Some of these people have stood in line for seven hours, Robert.
MOYNIHAN: This is, I'm completely amazed by what I'm seeing. I've never seen it before and we're all seeing the same thing. I can't really say any more than anyone else can about what's happening here. COSTELLO: You know, there's been a lot written of the media coverage of the pope's slow death and his funeral on Friday, and what's happening in between. A lot of people are wondering why the media is spending so much time on this. But when you look at all of these pilgrims lined up -- and the line here stretches more than two miles to wait to go by the pope's body -- some of these people, many of these people are not even Catholic.
What is it about Pope John Paul?
MOYNIHAN: Yes, it strikes me, too, that the media is sort of all religion all the time, and I think some people may be getting upset about that. But there's a deep human desire to be in contact with something beyond the every day, something that takes life out of its ordinariness. And someone who might be able to talk about that would be Harold Bloom, the professor at Yale.
There's something happening here that wants to get beyond CNN and Coca-Cola and get to something like what John Paul II represented, a man of god. And they're willing to stand in line for it. And we're just tagging along.
COSTELLO: Is it something, Robert, about the times in which we live?
MOYNIHAN: Oh, absolutely. We're in a time that seeks meaning, that seeks some kind of depth. We're very superficial. And the pope was very deep. And he's not the only one who's deep. And yet what's happening with his passing and what's going to happen Friday, when the world leaders will come here, is a recognition of that fact.
I would like to add one thing. If we were to imagine a thought experiment, there's one figure missing on the agenda for Friday and one man who has not yet decided to come. And I think he would be very welcome here in Rome. They would extend an open greeting to him. He's the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexi II. I don't know how well he is and if he could make a trip or not make a trip for physical reasons.
He was not very friendly with John Paul II. He didn't invite him to Russia. The pope wanted to visit Russia. But if he were to make the decision to come here, I think that would send a dramatic message to build some kind of a future, to offer an olive branch after the pope's death. And I think that would be one of the most dramatic things that could happen, know if he would make the decision to visit Rome.
COSTELLO: Robert, bring us up to date on the history of the bad feelings between these two men.
MOYNIHAN: Well, the Christian church ought to be a united church because it follows a man of peace, Jesus Christ, who taught blessed are the peacemakers. But the church is divided into a thousand factions. The Roman Catholic Church is a large church.
The greatest, biggest chunk that broke off from it was the Eastern church. They wouldn't like me to put it that way. They would say that Rome itself had gone into schism by promulgating certain doctrines that were not correct.
The Eastern Orthodox broke away back in 1054, nearly 1,000 years ago. So we're talking about a long feud which couldn't be settled. They tried to settle is century after century. And since, in the last 50 years, many theologians and writers and thinkers have said how can we settle this?
The pope said I would very much like to settle this before the end of my pontificate. He made it very clear. It was one of his greatest desires. He didn't accomplish it. That's one of the items on the agenda left entirely open for the next pope.
But right now -- and the Eastern Orthodox, the Orthodox do not believe that the pope of Rome has kept the Orthodox faith correctly, so they don't want him to come and preach to their people.
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
MOYNIHAN: If...
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
Robert Moynihan, we're going to have to wrap this up now, because our satellite window is running out. But we will keep an eye on the Russian Orthodox priest to see if he comes to the funeral on Friday.
Thank you very much.
And we're going to talk about the symbolism of all of the ceremonies taking place, but we'll have plenty of time to do that in the coming days on DAYBREAK.
Coming up next on DAYBREAK, more on the death of the pope, including security concerns as Rome gets ready to host millions of ordinary citizens and world leaders coming to pay their last respects.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Chad, I know you are forecasting great weather for this part of the country, but many people in southern and central New Jersey are still being kept away from their homes because they're just plain flooded out.
MYERS: The Delaware River, the Susquehanna River, the Schuylkill, a lot of rivers are out of their banks because of all that rain we had over the weekend, Carol, yes.
COSTELLO: And we have a reporter from New Jersey.
Good morning to you.
AMY BUCKMAN, WPN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
I'm here in Trenton. And the road you see behind me is called Route 29. It is closed to through traffic, except for official vehicles, like the one you're seeing here.
Just beyond Route 29 is a flooded street, Lee Avenue. And this is the second time that this area, called The Island, in Trenton, has been flooded in just the past six months. The Delaware River crested here about 2:30 yesterday afternoon, at 25 1/3 feet. That's about 5 1/3 feet over the flood level. And although the river is now going down -- it's just over 22 feet -- as you can see, this area remains flooded.
About 500 people had to be evacuated from their homes yesterday -- or on, over the weekend. And it's not likely that they will be allowed back into their homes until this upcoming weekend. That's because city officials are trying to get inside to assess the damage to their homes, pump out the water and then conduct inspections. All of that has to be done before the utilities can be turned back on here.
And because this is the second time in six months that this area has flooded, the mayor of Trenton, Mayor Doug Palmer, is requesting a study by the Army Corps of Engineers to try to find out why this is happening. And that's a question that a lot of the people who live here want answered.
So, again, the river level now is still two feet over flood stage, although it is receding, and people are hopeful that the damage to their homes here isn't quite as bad as they think it might be.
COSTELLO: Amy Buckman...
BUCKMAN: Reporting live from Trenton...
COSTELLO: Amy, Amy, don't leave us yet.
Don't leave us yet.
BUCKMAN: OK.
COSTELLO: Stick around, because we have some questions for you.
BUCKMAN: OK.
COSTELLO: And, Chad, I know you have some questions for Amy, as well. I just wonder, has this ever happened before to this extent in this part of the country?
BUCKMAN: Oh, just about. I was standing just across Route 29 here six months ago, in September, when the floodwaters were up to the level they're at right now. So what we're seeing now, even after the crest, is about the situation that we had here in September. So the people who live here have had a really bad string of luck.
MYERS: Amy, I was wondering, is there any type of flood retention wall in the area that did break? Or is this just the real Delaware River coming right up to these people's homes?
BUCKMAN: Well, there is a wall at the end of this street and beyond that you can see the Delaware River. And usually that wall is sufficient. We haven't had, before the September flood there hadn't been a really bad flood here since about the 1950s. But for some reason we've had two 50 year floods here in six months.
COSTELLO: You know what's interesting to me, Chad and Amy, you know, the water looks so high, but then it recedes rather quickly.
Where does it go?
MYERS: It goes out into the bay...
COSTELLO: So it goes back in?
MYERS: It goes back into the ocean, yes. It all runs downhill. And I get questions from producers all the time, Carol, is the water receding? Yes, in some spots. But if you are down river, in some spots it's still going up. And so it's hard to say, because the flood is a moving event. Up the Susquehanna or up the Delaware River they actually had their flood stage peak a couple of days ago. But then that water ran down into the Trenton area and so the flood stage finally peaked in Trenton just yesterday. And now the water runs out into the ocean and eventually, finally, out to the sea and it gets away from these people.
But, oh, look at how much damage it's done to those homes.
COSTELLO: Oh, it's just -- you know, just the smell left from water in your home, just to deal with that smell is enough.
Amy, a last question for you.
I would assume that the governor of New Jersey is going to ask for federal disaster aid?
BUCKMAN: Well, there are representatives from the state that are going to the federal government to ask for help, because all these people have been put up in temporary shelters at a local high school and the cleanup effort is going to run into the millions of dollars. And, again, this is the second time that they've had to go through this since September.
COSTELLO: Amy Buckman from Trenton, New Jersey, reporting for us live this morning.
Thank you.
MYERS: Thanks.
BUCKMAN: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: In other "News Across America" now, two more people have contracted a dangerous infection that has been linked to Florida petting zoos. Health officials say a total of 24 people, including 21 children, have come down with E. coli infections after attending one of three fairs across the state. Investigators are testing the animals to determine the source of these infections. Voters in Kansas decide today if same sex marriage should be legal. They're voting on a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The amendment also says that all other marriages are void. If passed, the measure would deny rights to people in civil unions and domestic partnerships.
Former Vice President Al Gore says he's launching his own cable television channel. It's called Current and is expected to be aimed at younger viewers. It'll feature short videos and movies produced by viewers when it launches August 1. It should be available in about 19 million homes.
Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
Martha Stewart and her company enjoyed a rebirth after her release from prison. Now another company is hoping to follow in Martha's footsteps by promoting the release of its namesake.
Carrie Lee joins us live to tell us more about that.
And this is a pretty famous guy amongst the young set.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He certainly is, Carol.
We're talking Steve Madden, also the name of the company. The shoe retailer is now advertising the release of Steve Madden, the former CEO, from prison. Sound familiar?
Well, Madden has been in jail since September 2002 for a stock fraud scheme. The company has taken out a series of ads with slogans like "a new meaning for the word springtime," "Steve returns spring 2005."
But the ads do not specifically mention where Madden has been. Madden, of course, no longer the company's chief, but his name is still used in a lot of the company's brands and he remains the creative and design chief.
Again, sounds familiar, right?
Madden's release date has yet to be announced. And, when he is released, he'll spend time in a halfway house. But it certainly seems that the company was paying attention to Martha Stewart's success after her release.
Carol, it really seems like there's no such thing as bad publicity these days.
COSTELLO: I have questions.
LEE: OK.
COSTELLO: From what I remember, Steve Madden was overcharging his customers for their shoes.
Wasn't that part of the allegation against him? LEE: You know, I don't know if that was actually the thing that got him into trouble. There was definitely a stock scheme involved, and that was really the nuts and bolts of it.
COSTELLO: The nuts and bolts?
LEE: But the company has, I think, continued to do pretty well. I mean you see the stores all over the place here in New York, anyway. So we'll see if they continue in that vein.
COSTELLO: And the other question I have is really, he's no Martha Stewart. I mean people don't know him as well as they do Martha Stewart.
LEE: Of course. Of course. And even though the company does have his name, the person and the name, he doesn't have the recognition Martha Stewart does. And he's not the whole creative force behind the company. It hasn't been built around Steve Madden, the person. It does keep his name, however, though.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
LEE: Yes.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee, thank you.
LEE: All right.
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