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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview With Televangelist Benny Hinn; Pope Culture; Pope's Power

Aired April 07, 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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The preparations have been made for the pope's funeral. But where will he finally be laid to rest? Let's take a look.
The pope will be placed in a cypress coffin that will set on the steps of St. Peter's during the funeral mass. He will then be moved inside and placed in a sealed zinc coffin, and then into an oak coffin. The pope will be entombed in the crypt underneath the floor of St. Peter's Basilica.

His marble crypt was once used by Pope John XXIII, who was moved to another tomb at St. Peter's in 2000. I want the graphic to catch up with me here. It's an amazing place, the Vatican.

As you know, there are a lot of disappointed people in Rome today. Tens of thousands came to see the pope's body only to be turned away because it's become too much to handle. But the fact so many came to pay respects to this religious man is fascinating.

Let's head live to Vatican City and televangelist Benny Hinn.

Good morning, Benny.

BENNY HINN, TELEVANGELIST: Good morning.

COSTELLO: When you see so many...

HINN: Hello, Carol.

COSTELLO: Hello. Thank you for joining us. When you see so many standing in line for seven, eight hours, what are these people searching for?

HINN: Well, they are searching for answers. People are very hungry for God. And this is a very moving moment for me. I just attended a special service, a memorial service here in the Vatican. I was moved to tears as I saw people hungry for God. And this is a very, very special day in the history of Christianity, where you see the hunger for God so intense, worldwide, Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, let me ask you this, Benny. Alessio Vinci, our correspondent, talked to many of these pilgrims standing in line. Most say they do not attend church or follow the church's teachings. Might this event change that?

HINN: Well, I believe it's going to, you know. You see what's going on, on earth today, the troubles, the questions, the fears that people have. And I think there's a change happening. And what this dear pope, Pope John Paul II has done is he has made us aware of the fact we need God. And like I said, to see these crowds here and what's happening here, just once again, is such a clear, clear sign that people around the world are turning to God by the millions.

COSTELLO: But you know what, Benny? I would suppose that many people reach into organized religion and take what they want from it and discard the rest. Don't you believe that will...

HINN: I'm sorry, say that again, dear.

COSTELLO: They sort of, like, belong to an organized religion, but they sort of pick out the pieces they want to follow, and they throw the rest away. Don't they still do that?

HINN: Well, of course, they still do. I mean, you're going to always have that. But please understand, we are living in a day that we've never seen like before. I was just in Bangalore, India. I had seven million people show up to my meetings. I didn't think I'd see that happen. Or in the Philippines, 3.5 million.

Look, whether there's organized religion or not, Jesus Christ said he is coming back to earth. And before his coming, he's making the world aware of his power. And we're not really going to be able to stop that.

COSTELLO: Benny, will you be in the special mass tomorrow and the funeral service at all?

HINN: No, ma'am. I was invited to attend the special memorial service that was held this morning, but I will not be in the special service tomorrow. I'll be here, but I'm just so glad I came for this morning's meeting, just to honor the memory of this great pope that has really touched my life as well as millions.

COSTELLO: Televangelist Benny Hinn joining DAYBREAK this morning. Thank you, sir. We appreciate it.

While dignitaries...

HINN: Thank you.

COSTELLO: You're welcome.

While dignitaries pay their last respects to Pope John Paul II, CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas recalls the pope's rock star qualities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER (voice over): He was as comfortable on the world stage as any rock star.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He could pack an audience. He could pack any coliseum. And I think he's the first pope that really understood the power of media events.

VARGAS: In fact, he was the first multimedia pope. He wrote eight books and several CDs. In 1982, he launched the Vatican TV Center to broadcast religious material worldwide. Media coverage of his global travels helped turn John Paul II into a pop icon.

And this pope seemed to have an affinity for other pop icons. He asked Bob Dillon to play for him, and he met with U2 front man, Bono, who was working to help reduce debt in poor countries.

BONO, SINGER: He put my glasses on, made a very, very devilish face, and he was funny. I think this pope accomplished a lot in his going out to the world.

VARGAS: In 1987, he met with members of the Hollywood community and urged them to create positive and uplifting content. While at ease with entertainers, he sometimes found himself at odds with them.

Offended by Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video, the Vatican sought to ban her from performing in Italy.

Singer Sinead O'Connor infamously tore up a picture of the pope on "Saturday Night Live."

Despite his occasional conflicts with the secular world, he was also someone who could take delight in break dances.

Once he filled cathedrals and was compelling enough to become the subject of a comic book.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Talk about a story. Talk about a hero. Talk about a drama. I mean, talk about life without editing it, this man just captures a lot of attention in his life and even now in his death.

VARGAS: Sibila Vargas, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Now let's head back live to Rome and Bill Hemmer.

Bill, the line has been cut off. Are people upset? Have you gotten a chance to talk to anyone about that?

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I tell you, the story is all over the place today, Carol. We were told the line was cut off last night at 10:00 local time, and we believe that to be the case last evening. However, we were just down there, just right around the Vatican, and we talked to a number of people who had just got in line maybe an hour or two hours ago, which tells us that people are still getting in the queue. However, the Vatican has said and Rome city officials have said that this church will be closed tonight at 10:00 local time here in Rome.

The idea seems to be this, Carol: If they tell people not to come, you will not see the huge numbers of people we saw lining up for the past four days. So, the line is thinner, but the line is not completely gone either. And we'll get you an update in a moment here on "AMERICAN MORNING."

We'll talk with the Red Cross today, how they're dealing with the influx of people coming to the city of Rome. There is one estimate out there, Carol, that says five million will pass through this city and Vatican City before everything is done with the funeral on Friday.

And also let you know, Carol, we're waiting at any moment now for the spokesperson for the Vatican to give us details on what was contained in the final will for Pope John Paul II. This is what we understand. There will be two versions, one in Polish and one in Italian. And as soon as that comes out, we'll pass it along to you. What's in it, we don't know. But we're all waiting to find out here at the Vatican -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I know. And I wonder if they'll release all of it or only part of it.

HEMMER: A good question. There was a report that came out about 30 minutes ago that says the document is about 15 pages in length. And what I find absolutely fascinating about this is that the pope started writing this will in 1979. He did it on his first trip as pontiff back to his native country of Poland. And you can only image the changes perhaps he made over the years and what sort of spiritual guidance will be contained in that will, what sort of possessions this pope may want to pass on to others. So, we'll know shortly here.

COSTELLO: We will indeed. Thank you, Bill.

Keeping the faith in spite of it all. Just ahead on DAYBREAK, the touching story of how a chance meeting with the pope changed one family forever.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Let's talk money now. The international markets are mixed at this hour. Tokyo's Nikkei down by 16 points, the London FTSE up by 19, the German DAX down by just a point, oh, just over 3.

It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." If you didn't go to an Ivy League university, do not worry. You can still become the CEO of a major company.

Oh, I like this, Carrie Lee.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's encouraging, right? It looks like you don't need to have a graduate degree from Harvard or Yale to become a chief executive officer. That's according to "USA Today." The paper reporting that only 11 percent of Fortune 500 companies are run by someone with an Ivy League education, and that's down from 16 percent a few years ago. And while companies used to go shopping for new CEOs in the Ivy League, recent corporate shakeups show that's no longer the case. Consider Hewlett-Packard's new CEO went to Baylor. Bob Iger, the new head of Disney, went to Ithaca College.

So far this year, 24 of the Fortune 1000 named new CEOs, and only one went to an Ivy League school. Last year, 99 of those companies named new heads. Only one had an undergraduate degree from an Ivy.

So, it seems as if other schools have caught up perhaps in terms of prestige and reputation.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, I think there is something else at play here. I think that if you feel you're the underdog, you fight more.

LEE: That's true. It can make you hungrier.

COSTELLO: You have more ambition.

LEE: It can make you hungrier.

COSTELLO: That's right.

LEE: And consider Michael Dell and Bill Gates, two of the most successful executive heads, neither of them even graduated from school. They both dropped out. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. Dell dropped out from the University of Texas.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

LEE: Yes.

COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures.

LEE: Futures are looking good. So, we could see some more gains after three days of wins for the major market indices. Alcoa, one of the Dow components, the first Dow component to report profits for Q1 last night beat the Street by a penny per share in terms of profits. The stock gained over 2.5 percent last night. We'll see what it does today.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Carrie Lee.

LEE: Sure.

COSTELLO: Speaking of money, this year's Master champion will pocket more than a million bucks. But before they award the green jacket, Mother Nature must cooperate. We'll take a look at the weather picture. And, of course, Chad's microphone problems will be all sorted out, so he'll be with us, too. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:42 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning. More than two million mourners have already passed by the body of Pope John Paul II. The public viewing will end later today, so that preparations can be finalized for tomorrow's funeral.

Convicted white supremacist Matthew Hale has been sentenced to 40 years in prison. Hale had been found guilty of trying to arrange the murder of federal judge Joan Lefkow.

In money news, April 15 is getting closer. But be careful. The IRS says it will go after tax cheats with a vengeance. The Justice Department is offering its help to prosecute tax crimes. Last year, tax-related prosecutions were up a whopping 57 percent.

In culture, if you're looking for good eats, head to the Big Apple. The James Beard Foundation has announced its nominees for the best in the food biz. New York City dominates the categories of best chefs and best new restaurants.

In sports, former sports star Bo Jackson has filed a defamation lawsuit over claims that he used steroids. A Los Angeles-area newspaper printed a story claiming that Jackson's career-ending hip injury was caused by steroid abuse. Bo is seeking damages and a retraction from the paper. Bo knows lawsuits, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I guess so. Bo knows.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: So much has been said about Pope John Paul II's ability to connect with everyday people on a deep life-changing level. Our Marie Hinojosa introduces us to one family who experience the Holy Father's special blessing, and she tells us how it changed their lives.

BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Barbara Giriat and her 30-year-old son, Cary, are coming from yet another doctor's appointment. Cary has cerebral palsy and mental retardation. He can't speak or fend for himself. But in 1993, Cary was chosen to receive communion from the pope at the youth rally in Denver. His mother was there, too.

BARBARA GIRIAT, CARY'S MOTHER: He touched my face. Tears were streaming down my face, and then he gave me communion.

HINOJOSA (on camera): And what was that?

GIRIAT: No words were exchanged, of course, because he was -- you know, it was a sacred moment. He was giving out communion. But it was like -- you know, it was almost like him saying, you know, great job. You're doing a great job.

HINOJOSA (voice-over): The communion with the pope 12 years ago changed Barbara's life. GIRIAT: You know, we've been over hurdles, but we get through them all now. We get through them all. You know, it's been a lot of tough times in our lives, but we've got through them. From then on, things just got easier for me.

HINOJOSA: Within a year of the pope's blessings, Cary made a huge breakthrough. At 20-years-old, he was finally able to feed himself.

GIRIAT: I'm going to go down to church. Go down to pray? Do you want to go down and say a prayer for the pope?

HINOJOSA: Last week, when Barbara and her son discovered the pope was ailing, they went straight to their church to pray.

GIRIAT: He's very sick now. Are you going to say some prayers for him? Pray that God won't make him suffer? Do the sign of the cross.

HINOJOSA: Unable to pray out loud, Cary showed his faith through his movements.

GIRIAT: I'm lighting this candle for the pope.

HINJOSA: This prayer was for the pope who touched him and blessed him just the way he is.

Barbara and Cary mourn this pope, who reached out to the disabled long before he became disabled himself. Now, they focus their hopes on the next pope.

GIRIAT: We're praying. We're just praying, you know, hoping that, you know, the next pope will continue on, don't let things go backward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Maria Hinojosa reporting.

Let's head back live to Rome to check in with Bill Hemmer. We are awaiting new word from the Vatican on the pope's will.

Good morning -- Bill.

HEMMER: Hey, Carol, good morning again.

As we continue, I want to take our viewers down to the main area of St. Peter's Square down behind me. Carol, you will see thousands of chairs now set up and in position for tomorrow's funeral. And the numbers are extraordinary. We continue to talk about that and the number of leaders who have gathered here in Rome. You'll see four kings, five queens, 70 presidents and prime ministers tomorrow.

And we're starting to get this idea now. When the dignitaries now go to St. Peter's Basilica later this evening after the pilgrims are turned away essentially, when the doors close, there will be some incredible images, Carol. Imagine this: the Hindu leaders and the Buddhist leaders from around the world coming here and paying their final respects to Pope John Paul II. That is just a small example of the images that you will see later tonight here from the Vatican.

At the top of the hour, Carol, it's quite likely we'll get more details on the will that the pope has left. He worked on it for 25 years. It should be pretty interesting, too, once it is revealed, and we do anticipate to hear more from the Vatican regarding that.

Delia Gallagher is lines up for us today. John Allen is back again today. And we'll also talk with the Italian Red Cross. They have a critical job right now with the masses coming into Rome, making sure they're taken care of, they have enough food, they have enough water, and all of those details that come down to the very fine minute details for taking care of the people who have come to Italy.

See you at the top of the hour as our coverage continues live from here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Bill.

One of the biggest events in golf is scheduled for this weekend, but there is one thing that could put the whole event on hold. Straight ahead, the Masters versus Mother Nature.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Another beautiful day in New York City on tap today. It is 6:51 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.

A Georgia judge will decide if a sheriff's report on last month's Atlanta courtroom shooting should be released. So far, no charges in the shooting have been filed against suspect Brian Nichols. He's being held on unrelated charges.

A 15-year-old school shooting victim in Minnesota is waking up from a medically-induced coma. His first words were, "I'm hungry." Doctors say swelling in the boy's brain is going down. He's one of 7 Red Lake students injured in the shooting rampage that left 10 other people dead.

Also today, the FDA considers lifting the ban on silicone breast implants. Two companies are asking the government to end the decade- plus ban on most gel implants. The FDA says questions about breakage inside the body are still unsettled.

The other item we'll be watching today is the Masters. Tee time for the first round is a little over -- it's a little over an hour from now at 8:05 a.m. Eastern. For a preview, let's head live to Augusta and CNN's Patrick Snell.

Good morning.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Thanks very much for joining us. Welcome to Augusta. Now, I have to say, the first three practice days here have been very, very good indeed weather-wise. And that's going to prove a big factor here this week. Pretty much unbroken sunshine. But that's not always been the case through the 2005 season. We have seen torrential downpours at times on the PGA tour, and that has often led to many events becoming pretty much jeopardized.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNELL (voice over): The game's top players will be hoping that this week, unlike so many others so far this season on the PGA tour, rain won't be a significant hindrance at a tournament that's already more than hard enough to win.

TIGER WOODS, THREE-TIME MASTERS CHAMPION: We're getting used to it. No, we really are. This year has been unbelievable. I guess the hard part is when you're stuck at the golf course for seven or eight hours and there's no word. You know, you've just got to sit there and try and find something to do, you know, for that long.

SNELL: The world's best player is looking for his first Masters' triumph since 2000. And once again, Vijay Singh's now intense rivalry with the likes of Woods, Els and Mickelson could well become a determining factor here at Augusta. But even the game's finest are reduced to boredom in the clubhouse when a downpour strikes.

WOODS: If you're at home, it's no big deal, because you can call in and say, you know, what's the update? No big deal. And they haven't made a decision. So, you keep calling them. But when you're at the golf course and you've been pulled off the golf course, you have to be ready to go at any given time. And you know you've got to sit there for a long time. That's the hard part. You know, a lot of guys get stiff and get bored, and I guess that's why we eat a lot.

ADAM SCOTT, MISSED CUT IN LAST MASTERS: It's been unbelievable this year. It's been a shame. It's ruined a lot of great events, L.A. being one, the Players another one, Atlanta. The match play, I mean, every week we've just been, you know, deluged with rain coming down. And it's ruined a lot of events, which is a shame. But hopefully we'll get a dry week this week.

STUART APPLEBY, TIED FOR 22ND IN LAST MASTERS: When you have this spasmodic season, it's very much at the start of this year. It does feel weird. When you're playing well, that's fine. Nothing seems to get in your way. But if you throw a break into that back to form or you're losing your form, it can be a disturbance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNELL: And the last tournament to be affected by the rain was, in fact, last Monday, the Bell South Classic in Atlanta, which was won by Phil Mickelson. And some worry for the players here, we are told that rain in the shape of thunderstorms as well are due to strike at some point later Thursday and possibly through Friday as well -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, but, Patrick, we have a meteorologist on tap for you to give you the exact forecast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MYERS: Patrick, I do have a question for you, though. I see Jack Nicklaus starting at 10:11 a.m. But I can't find Arnold Palmer's tee time. What happened?

SNELL: You're going to have to repeat that, I'm afraid, Chad. You're absolutely right. The rain is actually coming down now as we speak. But I think you mentioned Jack Nicklaus. We do know that the Golden Bear is definitely playing and hopefully, lasting more than two rounds, of course, in this buildup to this, the tragedy over his preparations, the death of his 17-month-old grandson, Jake. But he said his family was very keen for him to play, and that's exactly what he's going to do. Many, many thousands are coming to this venue alone just to see the Golden Bear in action.

MYERS: Oh, it sounds great. Ryan Moore, one of the amateurs, too, very happy to see him going to be in the field. He could really tear it up this year.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll have to watch and see.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: Thanks to both you. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Technically, we will not be here tomorrow, but our special coverage of the pope's funeral will begin at 3:00 a.m. Anderson Cooper will be along, Bill Hemmer, and a host of others. So, we're just going to give the name of the mug winner today, right?

MYERS: All right, here we go. The name of the mug winner, David Bergner of Sodus, New York. Good morning and you will get the DAYBREAK coffee mug in the mail today.

COSTELLO: And everything will turn back to normal on Monday. Thanks for joining us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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Aired April 7, 2005 - 06:28   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The preparations have been made for the pope's funeral. But where will he finally be laid to rest? Let's take a look.
The pope will be placed in a cypress coffin that will set on the steps of St. Peter's during the funeral mass. He will then be moved inside and placed in a sealed zinc coffin, and then into an oak coffin. The pope will be entombed in the crypt underneath the floor of St. Peter's Basilica.

His marble crypt was once used by Pope John XXIII, who was moved to another tomb at St. Peter's in 2000. I want the graphic to catch up with me here. It's an amazing place, the Vatican.

As you know, there are a lot of disappointed people in Rome today. Tens of thousands came to see the pope's body only to be turned away because it's become too much to handle. But the fact so many came to pay respects to this religious man is fascinating.

Let's head live to Vatican City and televangelist Benny Hinn.

Good morning, Benny.

BENNY HINN, TELEVANGELIST: Good morning.

COSTELLO: When you see so many...

HINN: Hello, Carol.

COSTELLO: Hello. Thank you for joining us. When you see so many standing in line for seven, eight hours, what are these people searching for?

HINN: Well, they are searching for answers. People are very hungry for God. And this is a very moving moment for me. I just attended a special service, a memorial service here in the Vatican. I was moved to tears as I saw people hungry for God. And this is a very, very special day in the history of Christianity, where you see the hunger for God so intense, worldwide, Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, let me ask you this, Benny. Alessio Vinci, our correspondent, talked to many of these pilgrims standing in line. Most say they do not attend church or follow the church's teachings. Might this event change that?

HINN: Well, I believe it's going to, you know. You see what's going on, on earth today, the troubles, the questions, the fears that people have. And I think there's a change happening. And what this dear pope, Pope John Paul II has done is he has made us aware of the fact we need God. And like I said, to see these crowds here and what's happening here, just once again, is such a clear, clear sign that people around the world are turning to God by the millions.

COSTELLO: But you know what, Benny? I would suppose that many people reach into organized religion and take what they want from it and discard the rest. Don't you believe that will...

HINN: I'm sorry, say that again, dear.

COSTELLO: They sort of, like, belong to an organized religion, but they sort of pick out the pieces they want to follow, and they throw the rest away. Don't they still do that?

HINN: Well, of course, they still do. I mean, you're going to always have that. But please understand, we are living in a day that we've never seen like before. I was just in Bangalore, India. I had seven million people show up to my meetings. I didn't think I'd see that happen. Or in the Philippines, 3.5 million.

Look, whether there's organized religion or not, Jesus Christ said he is coming back to earth. And before his coming, he's making the world aware of his power. And we're not really going to be able to stop that.

COSTELLO: Benny, will you be in the special mass tomorrow and the funeral service at all?

HINN: No, ma'am. I was invited to attend the special memorial service that was held this morning, but I will not be in the special service tomorrow. I'll be here, but I'm just so glad I came for this morning's meeting, just to honor the memory of this great pope that has really touched my life as well as millions.

COSTELLO: Televangelist Benny Hinn joining DAYBREAK this morning. Thank you, sir. We appreciate it.

While dignitaries...

HINN: Thank you.

COSTELLO: You're welcome.

While dignitaries pay their last respects to Pope John Paul II, CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas recalls the pope's rock star qualities.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER (voice over): He was as comfortable on the world stage as any rock star.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He could pack an audience. He could pack any coliseum. And I think he's the first pope that really understood the power of media events.

VARGAS: In fact, he was the first multimedia pope. He wrote eight books and several CDs. In 1982, he launched the Vatican TV Center to broadcast religious material worldwide. Media coverage of his global travels helped turn John Paul II into a pop icon.

And this pope seemed to have an affinity for other pop icons. He asked Bob Dillon to play for him, and he met with U2 front man, Bono, who was working to help reduce debt in poor countries.

BONO, SINGER: He put my glasses on, made a very, very devilish face, and he was funny. I think this pope accomplished a lot in his going out to the world.

VARGAS: In 1987, he met with members of the Hollywood community and urged them to create positive and uplifting content. While at ease with entertainers, he sometimes found himself at odds with them.

Offended by Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video, the Vatican sought to ban her from performing in Italy.

Singer Sinead O'Connor infamously tore up a picture of the pope on "Saturday Night Live."

Despite his occasional conflicts with the secular world, he was also someone who could take delight in break dances.

Once he filled cathedrals and was compelling enough to become the subject of a comic book.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Talk about a story. Talk about a hero. Talk about a drama. I mean, talk about life without editing it, this man just captures a lot of attention in his life and even now in his death.

VARGAS: Sibila Vargas, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Now let's head back live to Rome and Bill Hemmer.

Bill, the line has been cut off. Are people upset? Have you gotten a chance to talk to anyone about that?

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I tell you, the story is all over the place today, Carol. We were told the line was cut off last night at 10:00 local time, and we believe that to be the case last evening. However, we were just down there, just right around the Vatican, and we talked to a number of people who had just got in line maybe an hour or two hours ago, which tells us that people are still getting in the queue. However, the Vatican has said and Rome city officials have said that this church will be closed tonight at 10:00 local time here in Rome.

The idea seems to be this, Carol: If they tell people not to come, you will not see the huge numbers of people we saw lining up for the past four days. So, the line is thinner, but the line is not completely gone either. And we'll get you an update in a moment here on "AMERICAN MORNING."

We'll talk with the Red Cross today, how they're dealing with the influx of people coming to the city of Rome. There is one estimate out there, Carol, that says five million will pass through this city and Vatican City before everything is done with the funeral on Friday.

And also let you know, Carol, we're waiting at any moment now for the spokesperson for the Vatican to give us details on what was contained in the final will for Pope John Paul II. This is what we understand. There will be two versions, one in Polish and one in Italian. And as soon as that comes out, we'll pass it along to you. What's in it, we don't know. But we're all waiting to find out here at the Vatican -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I know. And I wonder if they'll release all of it or only part of it.

HEMMER: A good question. There was a report that came out about 30 minutes ago that says the document is about 15 pages in length. And what I find absolutely fascinating about this is that the pope started writing this will in 1979. He did it on his first trip as pontiff back to his native country of Poland. And you can only image the changes perhaps he made over the years and what sort of spiritual guidance will be contained in that will, what sort of possessions this pope may want to pass on to others. So, we'll know shortly here.

COSTELLO: We will indeed. Thank you, Bill.

Keeping the faith in spite of it all. Just ahead on DAYBREAK, the touching story of how a chance meeting with the pope changed one family forever.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Let's talk money now. The international markets are mixed at this hour. Tokyo's Nikkei down by 16 points, the London FTSE up by 19, the German DAX down by just a point, oh, just over 3.

It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." If you didn't go to an Ivy League university, do not worry. You can still become the CEO of a major company.

Oh, I like this, Carrie Lee.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It's encouraging, right? It looks like you don't need to have a graduate degree from Harvard or Yale to become a chief executive officer. That's according to "USA Today." The paper reporting that only 11 percent of Fortune 500 companies are run by someone with an Ivy League education, and that's down from 16 percent a few years ago. And while companies used to go shopping for new CEOs in the Ivy League, recent corporate shakeups show that's no longer the case. Consider Hewlett-Packard's new CEO went to Baylor. Bob Iger, the new head of Disney, went to Ithaca College.

So far this year, 24 of the Fortune 1000 named new CEOs, and only one went to an Ivy League school. Last year, 99 of those companies named new heads. Only one had an undergraduate degree from an Ivy.

So, it seems as if other schools have caught up perhaps in terms of prestige and reputation.

COSTELLO: Well, you know, I think there is something else at play here. I think that if you feel you're the underdog, you fight more.

LEE: That's true. It can make you hungrier.

COSTELLO: You have more ambition.

LEE: It can make you hungrier.

COSTELLO: That's right.

LEE: And consider Michael Dell and Bill Gates, two of the most successful executive heads, neither of them even graduated from school. They both dropped out. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard. Dell dropped out from the University of Texas.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

LEE: Yes.

COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures.

LEE: Futures are looking good. So, we could see some more gains after three days of wins for the major market indices. Alcoa, one of the Dow components, the first Dow component to report profits for Q1 last night beat the Street by a penny per share in terms of profits. The stock gained over 2.5 percent last night. We'll see what it does today.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Carrie Lee.

LEE: Sure.

COSTELLO: Speaking of money, this year's Master champion will pocket more than a million bucks. But before they award the green jacket, Mother Nature must cooperate. We'll take a look at the weather picture. And, of course, Chad's microphone problems will be all sorted out, so he'll be with us, too. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:42 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning. More than two million mourners have already passed by the body of Pope John Paul II. The public viewing will end later today, so that preparations can be finalized for tomorrow's funeral.

Convicted white supremacist Matthew Hale has been sentenced to 40 years in prison. Hale had been found guilty of trying to arrange the murder of federal judge Joan Lefkow.

In money news, April 15 is getting closer. But be careful. The IRS says it will go after tax cheats with a vengeance. The Justice Department is offering its help to prosecute tax crimes. Last year, tax-related prosecutions were up a whopping 57 percent.

In culture, if you're looking for good eats, head to the Big Apple. The James Beard Foundation has announced its nominees for the best in the food biz. New York City dominates the categories of best chefs and best new restaurants.

In sports, former sports star Bo Jackson has filed a defamation lawsuit over claims that he used steroids. A Los Angeles-area newspaper printed a story claiming that Jackson's career-ending hip injury was caused by steroid abuse. Bo is seeking damages and a retraction from the paper. Bo knows lawsuits, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I guess so. Bo knows.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: So much has been said about Pope John Paul II's ability to connect with everyday people on a deep life-changing level. Our Marie Hinojosa introduces us to one family who experience the Holy Father's special blessing, and she tells us how it changed their lives.

BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Barbara Giriat and her 30-year-old son, Cary, are coming from yet another doctor's appointment. Cary has cerebral palsy and mental retardation. He can't speak or fend for himself. But in 1993, Cary was chosen to receive communion from the pope at the youth rally in Denver. His mother was there, too.

BARBARA GIRIAT, CARY'S MOTHER: He touched my face. Tears were streaming down my face, and then he gave me communion.

HINOJOSA (on camera): And what was that?

GIRIAT: No words were exchanged, of course, because he was -- you know, it was a sacred moment. He was giving out communion. But it was like -- you know, it was almost like him saying, you know, great job. You're doing a great job.

HINOJOSA (voice-over): The communion with the pope 12 years ago changed Barbara's life. GIRIAT: You know, we've been over hurdles, but we get through them all now. We get through them all. You know, it's been a lot of tough times in our lives, but we've got through them. From then on, things just got easier for me.

HINOJOSA: Within a year of the pope's blessings, Cary made a huge breakthrough. At 20-years-old, he was finally able to feed himself.

GIRIAT: I'm going to go down to church. Go down to pray? Do you want to go down and say a prayer for the pope?

HINOJOSA: Last week, when Barbara and her son discovered the pope was ailing, they went straight to their church to pray.

GIRIAT: He's very sick now. Are you going to say some prayers for him? Pray that God won't make him suffer? Do the sign of the cross.

HINOJOSA: Unable to pray out loud, Cary showed his faith through his movements.

GIRIAT: I'm lighting this candle for the pope.

HINJOSA: This prayer was for the pope who touched him and blessed him just the way he is.

Barbara and Cary mourn this pope, who reached out to the disabled long before he became disabled himself. Now, they focus their hopes on the next pope.

GIRIAT: We're praying. We're just praying, you know, hoping that, you know, the next pope will continue on, don't let things go backward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Maria Hinojosa reporting.

Let's head back live to Rome to check in with Bill Hemmer. We are awaiting new word from the Vatican on the pope's will.

Good morning -- Bill.

HEMMER: Hey, Carol, good morning again.

As we continue, I want to take our viewers down to the main area of St. Peter's Square down behind me. Carol, you will see thousands of chairs now set up and in position for tomorrow's funeral. And the numbers are extraordinary. We continue to talk about that and the number of leaders who have gathered here in Rome. You'll see four kings, five queens, 70 presidents and prime ministers tomorrow.

And we're starting to get this idea now. When the dignitaries now go to St. Peter's Basilica later this evening after the pilgrims are turned away essentially, when the doors close, there will be some incredible images, Carol. Imagine this: the Hindu leaders and the Buddhist leaders from around the world coming here and paying their final respects to Pope John Paul II. That is just a small example of the images that you will see later tonight here from the Vatican.

At the top of the hour, Carol, it's quite likely we'll get more details on the will that the pope has left. He worked on it for 25 years. It should be pretty interesting, too, once it is revealed, and we do anticipate to hear more from the Vatican regarding that.

Delia Gallagher is lines up for us today. John Allen is back again today. And we'll also talk with the Italian Red Cross. They have a critical job right now with the masses coming into Rome, making sure they're taken care of, they have enough food, they have enough water, and all of those details that come down to the very fine minute details for taking care of the people who have come to Italy.

See you at the top of the hour as our coverage continues live from here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Bill.

One of the biggest events in golf is scheduled for this weekend, but there is one thing that could put the whole event on hold. Straight ahead, the Masters versus Mother Nature.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Another beautiful day in New York City on tap today. It is 6:51 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.

A Georgia judge will decide if a sheriff's report on last month's Atlanta courtroom shooting should be released. So far, no charges in the shooting have been filed against suspect Brian Nichols. He's being held on unrelated charges.

A 15-year-old school shooting victim in Minnesota is waking up from a medically-induced coma. His first words were, "I'm hungry." Doctors say swelling in the boy's brain is going down. He's one of 7 Red Lake students injured in the shooting rampage that left 10 other people dead.

Also today, the FDA considers lifting the ban on silicone breast implants. Two companies are asking the government to end the decade- plus ban on most gel implants. The FDA says questions about breakage inside the body are still unsettled.

The other item we'll be watching today is the Masters. Tee time for the first round is a little over -- it's a little over an hour from now at 8:05 a.m. Eastern. For a preview, let's head live to Augusta and CNN's Patrick Snell.

Good morning.

PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Thanks very much for joining us. Welcome to Augusta. Now, I have to say, the first three practice days here have been very, very good indeed weather-wise. And that's going to prove a big factor here this week. Pretty much unbroken sunshine. But that's not always been the case through the 2005 season. We have seen torrential downpours at times on the PGA tour, and that has often led to many events becoming pretty much jeopardized.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SNELL (voice over): The game's top players will be hoping that this week, unlike so many others so far this season on the PGA tour, rain won't be a significant hindrance at a tournament that's already more than hard enough to win.

TIGER WOODS, THREE-TIME MASTERS CHAMPION: We're getting used to it. No, we really are. This year has been unbelievable. I guess the hard part is when you're stuck at the golf course for seven or eight hours and there's no word. You know, you've just got to sit there and try and find something to do, you know, for that long.

SNELL: The world's best player is looking for his first Masters' triumph since 2000. And once again, Vijay Singh's now intense rivalry with the likes of Woods, Els and Mickelson could well become a determining factor here at Augusta. But even the game's finest are reduced to boredom in the clubhouse when a downpour strikes.

WOODS: If you're at home, it's no big deal, because you can call in and say, you know, what's the update? No big deal. And they haven't made a decision. So, you keep calling them. But when you're at the golf course and you've been pulled off the golf course, you have to be ready to go at any given time. And you know you've got to sit there for a long time. That's the hard part. You know, a lot of guys get stiff and get bored, and I guess that's why we eat a lot.

ADAM SCOTT, MISSED CUT IN LAST MASTERS: It's been unbelievable this year. It's been a shame. It's ruined a lot of great events, L.A. being one, the Players another one, Atlanta. The match play, I mean, every week we've just been, you know, deluged with rain coming down. And it's ruined a lot of events, which is a shame. But hopefully we'll get a dry week this week.

STUART APPLEBY, TIED FOR 22ND IN LAST MASTERS: When you have this spasmodic season, it's very much at the start of this year. It does feel weird. When you're playing well, that's fine. Nothing seems to get in your way. But if you throw a break into that back to form or you're losing your form, it can be a disturbance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNELL: And the last tournament to be affected by the rain was, in fact, last Monday, the Bell South Classic in Atlanta, which was won by Phil Mickelson. And some worry for the players here, we are told that rain in the shape of thunderstorms as well are due to strike at some point later Thursday and possibly through Friday as well -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, but, Patrick, we have a meteorologist on tap for you to give you the exact forecast.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MYERS: Patrick, I do have a question for you, though. I see Jack Nicklaus starting at 10:11 a.m. But I can't find Arnold Palmer's tee time. What happened?

SNELL: You're going to have to repeat that, I'm afraid, Chad. You're absolutely right. The rain is actually coming down now as we speak. But I think you mentioned Jack Nicklaus. We do know that the Golden Bear is definitely playing and hopefully, lasting more than two rounds, of course, in this buildup to this, the tragedy over his preparations, the death of his 17-month-old grandson, Jake. But he said his family was very keen for him to play, and that's exactly what he's going to do. Many, many thousands are coming to this venue alone just to see the Golden Bear in action.

MYERS: Oh, it sounds great. Ryan Moore, one of the amateurs, too, very happy to see him going to be in the field. He could really tear it up this year.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll have to watch and see.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: Thanks to both you. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Technically, we will not be here tomorrow, but our special coverage of the pope's funeral will begin at 3:00 a.m. Anderson Cooper will be along, Bill Hemmer, and a host of others. So, we're just going to give the name of the mug winner today, right?

MYERS: All right, here we go. The name of the mug winner, David Bergner of Sodus, New York. Good morning and you will get the DAYBREAK coffee mug in the mail today.

COSTELLO: And everything will turn back to normal on Monday. Thanks for joining us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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