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CNN Live At Daybreak

Monaco's Monarch Dead at 81; John Paul's Secret Cardinal to be Revealed?; Peter Jennings Diagnosed with Lung Cancer

Aired April 06, 2005 - 05:32   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: Good morning to you, welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the New," Monaco's Prince Rainier died overnight. He was one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs and had been hospitalized for several weeks. Prince Rainier died of heart, lung and kidney failure. He was 81. His son Albert is heir to the throne.

That river of mourners continues to move through Rome's streets, flowing into St. Peter's Basilica. An estimated 1 million people viewed Pope John Paul's body during the first 24 hours it lay in state.

Another step forward in Iraq. Just about two hours ago, the Iraqi transitional national assembly elected a Kurd as president. It also chose a Shiite Muslim and Sunni Muslim as his two vice presidents. And a note about the elections: Saddam was allowed to watch it on television if he wanted to.

Preliminary jury selection starts today in the trial of the accuser bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. Around 500 prospective jurors from around Alabama will fill out jury questionnaires. Rudolph is accused of bombing a Birmingham women's clinic as well as several bombings in Atlanta.

To the forecast center now. Good morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I can't believe that trial hasn't gone on yet.

COSTELLO: It's been a long time, hasn't it?

MYERS: Just like, come on! Oh well, anyway, not too get in trouble.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about the illustrious reign of Europe's longest serving monarch. For that, we're joined in London by Charles Mosley, who's the editor of Debretts.

Good morning, sir.

CHARLES MOSLEY, EDITOR, DEBRETTS: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Prince Rainier had been ill for a long time, hadn't he?

MOSLEY: Yes, several weeks now. It wasn't entirely unexpected. In fact, it's almost these days as if one should go to work with a black tie in your back pocket just in case another head of state dies.

COSTELLO: I know, it's been a sad time in the world, hasn't it? Tell us about the time of his death. Were his children around him?

MOSLEY: As far as we know, they were not. I cannot say, but at 6:57 I think in the morning, I guess they were trying to get some sleep. You can't, of course, predict a death that's been, as it were, so long in the arriving as this one.

COSTELLO: We know that some -- we know that relations between Prince Rainier and some of his children were strained. Was Stephanie there at the hospital?

MOSLEY: We don't know that yet. There's no report of her. She is standing, of course, to run away to the circus and with circus performers. But that's not surprising because the family comes from a long line of people involved with show business. Rainier's grandmother was said to be a cabaret performer. And further back in the early 19th Century, Prince Florestan was an actor at the Paris Comic Theatre, and his wife was a dancer. So this marriage with Grace Kelly isn't quite as revolutionary as people made out at the time.

COSTELLO: You know, that's what most Americans know about him. They know that he married Grace Kelly, a very beautiful American actress, and they know that his children were in the tabloids a lot but. But what did Prince Rainier -- what will his legacy be as it applies to his country?

MOSLEY: He transformed it into effectively a tax haven. He increased its land area by 20 percent. Now it's not a big place at the best of times, but 20 percent is still pretty hefty. The trouble is, of course, he may have overdone it by attracting all these very, very monied people, some of them with extremely shady connections. Monaco was once described by Noel Coward as a "sunny place for shady people." He may have stored up trouble for his successor.

COSTELLO: Which is Prince Albert. I was going to say, is he going to carry that same tradition?

MOSLEY: I would have thought so. He can hardly back out now. His chief task, I would have thought, is to regulate that inflow of very, very big money and make sure that it is properly clean.

COSTELLO: Charles Mosley, thanks for enlightening us this morning. We appreciate it.

We want to go to the Vatican now for more on a mystery left behind by Pope John Paul II. Father Thomas Reese is editor of America magazine.

Good morning, Father.

REV. THOMAS REESE, VATICAN ANALYST: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Can you tell us what you know about a possible secret cardinal appointed but never named by the pope?

REESE: Well, this has been a practice of the church during the 20th Century when communist countries would not allow a bishop to be named, a cardinal. And so the pope would appoint one in pectore, "in his heart." And he would only become public if they could get permission from the government or if things changed and allowed it to be made public.

So we presume that if there was a cardinal elected -- appointed in pectore, in the pope's heart secretly, then it's probably someone from communist China. That's our best guess.

The second guess is that it would be the secretary of the pope, Archbishop Dziwisz. It would be unusual -- well, it would unprecedented to have a cardinal as secretary to the pope, so some people think that maybe he was.

Now there is speculation that that's going to all be cleared up in the pope's testament and the documents that he left for the college of cardinals to be read after he died.

COSTELLO: When will we know? I know the cardinals are meeting again today. When will we know who this person is?

REESE: Well, if the pope gives the person's name in these documents that he's left for the College of Cardinals, then we'll know it after the cardinals find out. The cardinals may even have to do some consulting of some canon lawyers, because this is a first, that if this does take place.

Normally the cardinal would have to be announced before the pope dies for him to be able to go into the conclave. So this is one of the things the cardinals are going to have to figure out is if the pope does name him in these documents, will he be allowed to go into the conclave?

COSTELLO: Why is this significant?

REESE: Well, I think it's significant because if this is someone from China, of course, it would be very good to have someone from China as a member of the College of Cardinals and in the conclave.

Currently there are 117 cardinals under the age of 80 who will be electing the new pope. And of course, if there is another one who -- then we'll have 118 who will be able to vote for the pope. So now one vote, could that make a difference? I don't think so, but he will be able to be there and participate in the discussions and vote for the new pope if the College of Cardinals approves. COSTELLO: Father Reese, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning, we appreciate it. You can learn more about the pope's importance to the world plus get an inside look at the Vatican on our Web site. You know the address, cnn.com.

Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay facing more ethics questions, this time it's over a 1997 trip to Russia. The Washington Post reporting that DeLay's trip to Moscow was paid for by a lobbyist group.

The paper says, and I quote: "Interviews with those involved in planning DeLay's trip say the expenses were covered by a mysterious company registered in the Bahamas that also paid for an intensive $440,000 lobbying campaign." This would be the third such trip to be scrutinized in recent weeks.

In other news across America now, about 800 people crowded into and around a Florida church for a memorial service for Terri Schiavo. Her parent's, Bob and Mary Schindler, arranged the service. They wanted their daughter to be buried in Florida, but her husband, Michael Schiavo, will have her cremated remains interred in the family plot in Pennsylvania. The date of that funeral has not been set.

Some New York City police officers under investigation after they failed to find a missing delivery man. The man had been stuck in high-rise elevator for four days after delivering Chinese food. Police searched the building but they failed to find him. The man was extremely dehydrated, there he is, says he's fine now.

Los Angeles firefighters successfully rescued two teenagers who got caught in a flood control channel. Fast-rushing water trapped the boys, ages 13 and 17. They suffered only minor injuries. This was the third rescue from the area in the past month.

And the anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight" delivers a grim announcement to his viewers, coming up in about five minutes, you'll hear Peter Jennings talk about a very personal fight.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Monaco's Prince Rainier has died at the age of 81. The prince is credited with putting his tiny country on the map. He had also been married to actress Grace Kelly.

After two days of emotional testimony, Michael Jackson's trial is in recess today. Jackson's former maid testified she once found the singer and a young boy in the shower together.

In money news, Alan Greenspan expects hot oil prices to cool down. The Federal Reserve chief says energy markets are being strained right now. But he also believes oil supplies will grow and prices will decrease.

In culture, another celebrity enters the world of reality TV: Britney Spears and her hubby, Kevin Federline, are creating their own reality series mostly from home videos they shot themselves. It will reportedly air on UPN by the end of May. I just can't wait.

In sports, Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz has been a heck of a closer for nearly four years, but that was then. Tuesday he lasted only into the second inning in his first start, Florida Marlins 9, Braves zip.

Oh, that was a sad sight, Chad.

MYERS: That was kind of a sad start, but the Marlins are a good team, so it's not like he was playing some nobodies out there. But...

COSTELLO: Oh, but still.

MYERS: ... that wasn't a great first game for him.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MYERS: Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Of course, Chad, you heard about Peter Jennings.

MYERS: Yes, I did.

COSTELLO: That's just...

MYERS: Actually, I listened to him. He was very hard to listen to yesterday.

COSTELLO: Yes, his voice was really bothering him. I'm sure all of you have heard by now that Peter Jennings has lung cancer. He's 66 years old. Of course, he's the ABC "World News Tonight" anchor. He does plan to begin chemotherapy on Monday.

We want to take you "Beyond the Soundbite" now. Here's what he had to say about his newly diagnosed illness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER JENNINGS, ABC ANCHOR: Finally this evening, a brief note about change. Some of you have noticed in the last several days that I was not covering the pope. While my colleagues at ABC did a superb job, I did think a few times I was missing out.

However, as some of you now know, I have learned in the last couple of days that I have lung cancer. Yes, I was smoker until about 20 years ago. And I was weak and I smoked over 9/11.

But whatever the reason, the news does slow you down a bit. I've been reminding my colleagues today, who have all been incredibly supportive, that almost 10 million Americans are already living with cancer and I have to learn from them. And living is the key word. The National Cancer Institute says that we are survivors from the moment of diagnosis. I will continue to do the broadcast. On good days my voice will not always be like this. Certainly it has been long time, and I hope it goes without says that a journalist who doesn't value deeply the audience's loyalty should be in another line of work.

To be perfectly honest I'm a little surprised at the kindness today from so many people, that's not intended as false modesty, but even I was taken aback by how far and how fast news travels.

Finally, I wonder if other men and women ask their doctors right away, OK, doc, when does the hair go? At any rate, that's it for now on "World News Tonight." Have a good evening. I'm Peter Jennings, thanks and good night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Just touches your heart.

You know, he also told his staff, Chad, that there would be days when he would be grumpy and then there would other days when he'd be even grumpier. It just depends on how he's feeling after those chemotherapy treatments, because as you know, sometimes it can make you really sick.

MYERS: So many companies out there trying to find cures for cancer, so many billions of dollars out there for the cure. Won't it be great in 10 years from now when the story is, oh, I have to go in, I have to get stem cell this or that and I'll be back in a couple of weeks. I hope that happens.

COSTELLO: Well, some forms of cancer they've great strides in, but lung cancer is nasty. So all of our best to Peter Jennings. And you know, the strange thing, everybody keeps saying, you know, Dan Rather is gone, retired, Tom Brokaw is retired -- actually, Dan Rather is not retired, he's doing "60 Minutes II" now, but Tom Brokaw is retired, and now Peter Jennings is ill. And who knows how much longer he'll be able to go on.

All right. In the the next hour of DAYBREAK we'll take you live to Birmingham, Alabama, where jury selection will start today for the accused bomber, Eric Rudolph. That story and much more still to come on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right. I asked you this question yesterday, Chad.

MYERS: Yes, go ahead.

COSTELLO: The most made-fun-of couple in world?

MYERS: Yes. I said Ben and Jen or something like that, I don't know what I said.

COSTELLO: No, you said, Madonna and Sean Penn.

MYERS: OK. Well, weren't they at the time? OK, no, the royals...

COSTELLO: Yes, back in the day.

MYERS: ... the royal couple is what you were getting to.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Charles and Camilla. Well, apparently people are taking bets on how long their wedding will last and...

MYERS: Oh, that's bad.

COSTELLO: ... how long their marriage will last. Isn't it? They're not even married yet. British odds makers have set some royal odds, and you won't believe what they're betting on.

Examples, they say the odds are 33-1 that Camilla will leave her prince at the altar.

MYERS: No chance of that.

COSTELLO: I don't think so either, 25-1 odds that Charles' son, Prince William, will lose the wedding rings.

MYERS: All right, maybe that's -- there's some fun in this. OK.

COSTELLO: Yes, it's not all really mean and nasty. And here's an out-of-this-world bet for you, just for you, Chad. The odds are 10,000-1 that airlines -- that aliens, rather, will land in Windsor on Saturday. Aliens will land in Windsor on Saturday.

MYERS: Blah, blah, blah. Maybe if it was Roswell, New Mexico.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: True. Did you get a load of Camilla's rock? You are about to look at a replica of the ring that Charles gave his bride-to- be. Take a look.

MYERS: Nice, nice.

COSTELLO: That is nice.

MYERS: That is CZ at its finest, baby.

COSTELLO: It certainly is. This is the cut price copy, it has become a British supermarket chain's fastest selling jewelry item. It's made from sterling silver and what else, cubic zirconia.

MYERS: I understand the "Titanic" thing. You know, like she had that thing around her neck, whatever it was, and they copied that, I don't understand this.

COSTELLO: Well, anyway, if you're interested in this, it costs 19 pounds and that's just over $36, for those of you can't convert fast this morning.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: Ebay.com probably.

COSTELLO: Exactly. When we come back on DAYBREAK, your thoughts on rising gas prices, oh, you have great thoughts this morning. We will read your e-mails next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right. It's time to read some e-mails. And they've been flying in this morning. We've been asking you at what point do you stop driving? I mean, when gas prices reach $3 a gallon maybe?

MYERS: Right.

COSTELLO: What are people saying, Chad?

MYERS: Well, you know what? A lot of people are saying they just came back from Europe and gas prices are $4, $5, and $6 a gallon out there.

COSTELLO: You know, I hate when people say that. We don't live in Europe, we live here.

MYERS: Well, maybe it's because they tax their gas in Europe and we don't tax it nearly as high. Charles...

COSTELLO: Yes, but I don't care what price the gas costs are in Europe, do you really? Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. I'll stop now.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: Charles, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)-by-the-Sea (ph): "Change my habits? What do you folks think we're doing out here, just driving around for fun? Good grief. We only drive when necessary, for rudimentary functions of life right now. Gas prices are way too high" -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Exactly. This is from Terry (ph) from Fayetteville, North Carolina: "Seventy cents per gallon is my limit. I have three bicycles and have been laughing at the suckers in this gasaholic (ph) nation for years. The price will probably have to go to $5 per gallon before bicycle safety improves due to reduced traffic."

MYERS: Yes. I'll tell you what, riding a bicycle outside, you're taking your life in your hands. It's so scary out there. Americans just don't look for pedestrians, nor do they look for bicycles out there. Be careful, please.

Otherwise, Bonnie (ph) in Kingston (ph) says: "Add the high insurance rates, the cost of repairs, and regular upkeep to my car, my goodness, the gas seems to be nothing. I think just complaining makes us feel a little less guilty." COSTELLO: Oh, I know, I love complaining. I love complaining about everything, as you know.

This is from Sheverta (ph): "We will soon be leaving Florida, $2.27 a gallon, heading back to Canada for the summer, $3.50 U.S. a gallon. I think the van will be driven into the garage and left there, that's about as high as we can go."

It's signed, "Florida Snowbird," actually, so there you have it.

The next hour of DAYBREAK starts right now.

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 6, 2005 - 05:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, welcome to the second half hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the New," Monaco's Prince Rainier died overnight. He was one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs and had been hospitalized for several weeks. Prince Rainier died of heart, lung and kidney failure. He was 81. His son Albert is heir to the throne.

That river of mourners continues to move through Rome's streets, flowing into St. Peter's Basilica. An estimated 1 million people viewed Pope John Paul's body during the first 24 hours it lay in state.

Another step forward in Iraq. Just about two hours ago, the Iraqi transitional national assembly elected a Kurd as president. It also chose a Shiite Muslim and Sunni Muslim as his two vice presidents. And a note about the elections: Saddam was allowed to watch it on television if he wanted to.

Preliminary jury selection starts today in the trial of the accuser bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. Around 500 prospective jurors from around Alabama will fill out jury questionnaires. Rudolph is accused of bombing a Birmingham women's clinic as well as several bombings in Atlanta.

To the forecast center now. Good morning, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I can't believe that trial hasn't gone on yet.

COSTELLO: It's been a long time, hasn't it?

MYERS: Just like, come on! Oh well, anyway, not too get in trouble.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about the illustrious reign of Europe's longest serving monarch. For that, we're joined in London by Charles Mosley, who's the editor of Debretts.

Good morning, sir.

CHARLES MOSLEY, EDITOR, DEBRETTS: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Prince Rainier had been ill for a long time, hadn't he?

MOSLEY: Yes, several weeks now. It wasn't entirely unexpected. In fact, it's almost these days as if one should go to work with a black tie in your back pocket just in case another head of state dies.

COSTELLO: I know, it's been a sad time in the world, hasn't it? Tell us about the time of his death. Were his children around him?

MOSLEY: As far as we know, they were not. I cannot say, but at 6:57 I think in the morning, I guess they were trying to get some sleep. You can't, of course, predict a death that's been, as it were, so long in the arriving as this one.

COSTELLO: We know that some -- we know that relations between Prince Rainier and some of his children were strained. Was Stephanie there at the hospital?

MOSLEY: We don't know that yet. There's no report of her. She is standing, of course, to run away to the circus and with circus performers. But that's not surprising because the family comes from a long line of people involved with show business. Rainier's grandmother was said to be a cabaret performer. And further back in the early 19th Century, Prince Florestan was an actor at the Paris Comic Theatre, and his wife was a dancer. So this marriage with Grace Kelly isn't quite as revolutionary as people made out at the time.

COSTELLO: You know, that's what most Americans know about him. They know that he married Grace Kelly, a very beautiful American actress, and they know that his children were in the tabloids a lot but. But what did Prince Rainier -- what will his legacy be as it applies to his country?

MOSLEY: He transformed it into effectively a tax haven. He increased its land area by 20 percent. Now it's not a big place at the best of times, but 20 percent is still pretty hefty. The trouble is, of course, he may have overdone it by attracting all these very, very monied people, some of them with extremely shady connections. Monaco was once described by Noel Coward as a "sunny place for shady people." He may have stored up trouble for his successor.

COSTELLO: Which is Prince Albert. I was going to say, is he going to carry that same tradition?

MOSLEY: I would have thought so. He can hardly back out now. His chief task, I would have thought, is to regulate that inflow of very, very big money and make sure that it is properly clean.

COSTELLO: Charles Mosley, thanks for enlightening us this morning. We appreciate it.

We want to go to the Vatican now for more on a mystery left behind by Pope John Paul II. Father Thomas Reese is editor of America magazine.

Good morning, Father.

REV. THOMAS REESE, VATICAN ANALYST: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Can you tell us what you know about a possible secret cardinal appointed but never named by the pope?

REESE: Well, this has been a practice of the church during the 20th Century when communist countries would not allow a bishop to be named, a cardinal. And so the pope would appoint one in pectore, "in his heart." And he would only become public if they could get permission from the government or if things changed and allowed it to be made public.

So we presume that if there was a cardinal elected -- appointed in pectore, in the pope's heart secretly, then it's probably someone from communist China. That's our best guess.

The second guess is that it would be the secretary of the pope, Archbishop Dziwisz. It would be unusual -- well, it would unprecedented to have a cardinal as secretary to the pope, so some people think that maybe he was.

Now there is speculation that that's going to all be cleared up in the pope's testament and the documents that he left for the college of cardinals to be read after he died.

COSTELLO: When will we know? I know the cardinals are meeting again today. When will we know who this person is?

REESE: Well, if the pope gives the person's name in these documents that he's left for the College of Cardinals, then we'll know it after the cardinals find out. The cardinals may even have to do some consulting of some canon lawyers, because this is a first, that if this does take place.

Normally the cardinal would have to be announced before the pope dies for him to be able to go into the conclave. So this is one of the things the cardinals are going to have to figure out is if the pope does name him in these documents, will he be allowed to go into the conclave?

COSTELLO: Why is this significant?

REESE: Well, I think it's significant because if this is someone from China, of course, it would be very good to have someone from China as a member of the College of Cardinals and in the conclave.

Currently there are 117 cardinals under the age of 80 who will be electing the new pope. And of course, if there is another one who -- then we'll have 118 who will be able to vote for the pope. So now one vote, could that make a difference? I don't think so, but he will be able to be there and participate in the discussions and vote for the new pope if the College of Cardinals approves. COSTELLO: Father Reese, thank you for joining DAYBREAK this morning, we appreciate it. You can learn more about the pope's importance to the world plus get an inside look at the Vatican on our Web site. You know the address, cnn.com.

Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay facing more ethics questions, this time it's over a 1997 trip to Russia. The Washington Post reporting that DeLay's trip to Moscow was paid for by a lobbyist group.

The paper says, and I quote: "Interviews with those involved in planning DeLay's trip say the expenses were covered by a mysterious company registered in the Bahamas that also paid for an intensive $440,000 lobbying campaign." This would be the third such trip to be scrutinized in recent weeks.

In other news across America now, about 800 people crowded into and around a Florida church for a memorial service for Terri Schiavo. Her parent's, Bob and Mary Schindler, arranged the service. They wanted their daughter to be buried in Florida, but her husband, Michael Schiavo, will have her cremated remains interred in the family plot in Pennsylvania. The date of that funeral has not been set.

Some New York City police officers under investigation after they failed to find a missing delivery man. The man had been stuck in high-rise elevator for four days after delivering Chinese food. Police searched the building but they failed to find him. The man was extremely dehydrated, there he is, says he's fine now.

Los Angeles firefighters successfully rescued two teenagers who got caught in a flood control channel. Fast-rushing water trapped the boys, ages 13 and 17. They suffered only minor injuries. This was the third rescue from the area in the past month.

And the anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight" delivers a grim announcement to his viewers, coming up in about five minutes, you'll hear Peter Jennings talk about a very personal fight.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Monaco's Prince Rainier has died at the age of 81. The prince is credited with putting his tiny country on the map. He had also been married to actress Grace Kelly.

After two days of emotional testimony, Michael Jackson's trial is in recess today. Jackson's former maid testified she once found the singer and a young boy in the shower together.

In money news, Alan Greenspan expects hot oil prices to cool down. The Federal Reserve chief says energy markets are being strained right now. But he also believes oil supplies will grow and prices will decrease.

In culture, another celebrity enters the world of reality TV: Britney Spears and her hubby, Kevin Federline, are creating their own reality series mostly from home videos they shot themselves. It will reportedly air on UPN by the end of May. I just can't wait.

In sports, Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz has been a heck of a closer for nearly four years, but that was then. Tuesday he lasted only into the second inning in his first start, Florida Marlins 9, Braves zip.

Oh, that was a sad sight, Chad.

MYERS: That was kind of a sad start, but the Marlins are a good team, so it's not like he was playing some nobodies out there. But...

COSTELLO: Oh, but still.

MYERS: ... that wasn't a great first game for him.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MYERS: Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Of course, Chad, you heard about Peter Jennings.

MYERS: Yes, I did.

COSTELLO: That's just...

MYERS: Actually, I listened to him. He was very hard to listen to yesterday.

COSTELLO: Yes, his voice was really bothering him. I'm sure all of you have heard by now that Peter Jennings has lung cancer. He's 66 years old. Of course, he's the ABC "World News Tonight" anchor. He does plan to begin chemotherapy on Monday.

We want to take you "Beyond the Soundbite" now. Here's what he had to say about his newly diagnosed illness.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER JENNINGS, ABC ANCHOR: Finally this evening, a brief note about change. Some of you have noticed in the last several days that I was not covering the pope. While my colleagues at ABC did a superb job, I did think a few times I was missing out.

However, as some of you now know, I have learned in the last couple of days that I have lung cancer. Yes, I was smoker until about 20 years ago. And I was weak and I smoked over 9/11.

But whatever the reason, the news does slow you down a bit. I've been reminding my colleagues today, who have all been incredibly supportive, that almost 10 million Americans are already living with cancer and I have to learn from them. And living is the key word. The National Cancer Institute says that we are survivors from the moment of diagnosis. I will continue to do the broadcast. On good days my voice will not always be like this. Certainly it has been long time, and I hope it goes without says that a journalist who doesn't value deeply the audience's loyalty should be in another line of work.

To be perfectly honest I'm a little surprised at the kindness today from so many people, that's not intended as false modesty, but even I was taken aback by how far and how fast news travels.

Finally, I wonder if other men and women ask their doctors right away, OK, doc, when does the hair go? At any rate, that's it for now on "World News Tonight." Have a good evening. I'm Peter Jennings, thanks and good night.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Just touches your heart.

You know, he also told his staff, Chad, that there would be days when he would be grumpy and then there would other days when he'd be even grumpier. It just depends on how he's feeling after those chemotherapy treatments, because as you know, sometimes it can make you really sick.

MYERS: So many companies out there trying to find cures for cancer, so many billions of dollars out there for the cure. Won't it be great in 10 years from now when the story is, oh, I have to go in, I have to get stem cell this or that and I'll be back in a couple of weeks. I hope that happens.

COSTELLO: Well, some forms of cancer they've great strides in, but lung cancer is nasty. So all of our best to Peter Jennings. And you know, the strange thing, everybody keeps saying, you know, Dan Rather is gone, retired, Tom Brokaw is retired -- actually, Dan Rather is not retired, he's doing "60 Minutes II" now, but Tom Brokaw is retired, and now Peter Jennings is ill. And who knows how much longer he'll be able to go on.

All right. In the the next hour of DAYBREAK we'll take you live to Birmingham, Alabama, where jury selection will start today for the accused bomber, Eric Rudolph. That story and much more still to come on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right. I asked you this question yesterday, Chad.

MYERS: Yes, go ahead.

COSTELLO: The most made-fun-of couple in world?

MYERS: Yes. I said Ben and Jen or something like that, I don't know what I said.

COSTELLO: No, you said, Madonna and Sean Penn.

MYERS: OK. Well, weren't they at the time? OK, no, the royals...

COSTELLO: Yes, back in the day.

MYERS: ... the royal couple is what you were getting to.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Charles and Camilla. Well, apparently people are taking bets on how long their wedding will last and...

MYERS: Oh, that's bad.

COSTELLO: ... how long their marriage will last. Isn't it? They're not even married yet. British odds makers have set some royal odds, and you won't believe what they're betting on.

Examples, they say the odds are 33-1 that Camilla will leave her prince at the altar.

MYERS: No chance of that.

COSTELLO: I don't think so either, 25-1 odds that Charles' son, Prince William, will lose the wedding rings.

MYERS: All right, maybe that's -- there's some fun in this. OK.

COSTELLO: Yes, it's not all really mean and nasty. And here's an out-of-this-world bet for you, just for you, Chad. The odds are 10,000-1 that airlines -- that aliens, rather, will land in Windsor on Saturday. Aliens will land in Windsor on Saturday.

MYERS: Blah, blah, blah. Maybe if it was Roswell, New Mexico.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: True. Did you get a load of Camilla's rock? You are about to look at a replica of the ring that Charles gave his bride-to- be. Take a look.

MYERS: Nice, nice.

COSTELLO: That is nice.

MYERS: That is CZ at its finest, baby.

COSTELLO: It certainly is. This is the cut price copy, it has become a British supermarket chain's fastest selling jewelry item. It's made from sterling silver and what else, cubic zirconia.

MYERS: I understand the "Titanic" thing. You know, like she had that thing around her neck, whatever it was, and they copied that, I don't understand this.

COSTELLO: Well, anyway, if you're interested in this, it costs 19 pounds and that's just over $36, for those of you can't convert fast this morning.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: Ebay.com probably.

COSTELLO: Exactly. When we come back on DAYBREAK, your thoughts on rising gas prices, oh, you have great thoughts this morning. We will read your e-mails next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right. It's time to read some e-mails. And they've been flying in this morning. We've been asking you at what point do you stop driving? I mean, when gas prices reach $3 a gallon maybe?

MYERS: Right.

COSTELLO: What are people saying, Chad?

MYERS: Well, you know what? A lot of people are saying they just came back from Europe and gas prices are $4, $5, and $6 a gallon out there.

COSTELLO: You know, I hate when people say that. We don't live in Europe, we live here.

MYERS: Well, maybe it's because they tax their gas in Europe and we don't tax it nearly as high. Charles...

COSTELLO: Yes, but I don't care what price the gas costs are in Europe, do you really? Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead. I'll stop now.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: Charles, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)-by-the-Sea (ph): "Change my habits? What do you folks think we're doing out here, just driving around for fun? Good grief. We only drive when necessary, for rudimentary functions of life right now. Gas prices are way too high" -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Exactly. This is from Terry (ph) from Fayetteville, North Carolina: "Seventy cents per gallon is my limit. I have three bicycles and have been laughing at the suckers in this gasaholic (ph) nation for years. The price will probably have to go to $5 per gallon before bicycle safety improves due to reduced traffic."

MYERS: Yes. I'll tell you what, riding a bicycle outside, you're taking your life in your hands. It's so scary out there. Americans just don't look for pedestrians, nor do they look for bicycles out there. Be careful, please.

Otherwise, Bonnie (ph) in Kingston (ph) says: "Add the high insurance rates, the cost of repairs, and regular upkeep to my car, my goodness, the gas seems to be nothing. I think just complaining makes us feel a little less guilty." COSTELLO: Oh, I know, I love complaining. I love complaining about everything, as you know.

This is from Sheverta (ph): "We will soon be leaving Florida, $2.27 a gallon, heading back to Canada for the summer, $3.50 U.S. a gallon. I think the van will be driven into the garage and left there, that's about as high as we can go."

It's signed, "Florida Snowbird," actually, so there you have it.

The next hour of DAYBREAK starts right now.

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