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American Morning
Slammed by a Blizzard in Early April; Congressman Tom Delay Under Fire Again
Aired April 11, 2005 - 07:00 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Slammed by a blizzard in early April. Parts of the West waking up to extreme weather and a dangerous day ahead.
Congressman Tom DeLay under fire again. Now are some Republicans ready to turn on their leader?
Plenty of emotion and some incredible shots making for an instant Masters classic. Tiger's major comeback on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING, with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome everybody.
Look who's back.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Welcome back. Terrific job reporting from Rome and Vatican City.
HEMMER: Thank you very much. What a week it was. And to be there, too. And it's not over, as it continues again today.
The cardinals getting ready to pick the next pope. Is a new distraction waiting for them in Rome? There is some anger and some controversy over one of their own. We'll get a report today on a difficult situation developing not just at the Vatican, but also in Boston, Massachusetts.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, the government going to get a guilty plea from accused bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. But are victims' demands for justice being ignored? We're going to talk this morning to a woman who was injured in one of the bombings.
HEMMER: As that continues, Jack Cafferty, good morning to you.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Amen on the coverage from Rome. Nice job over there.
HEMMER: Thank you.
CAFFERTY: The sharks are beginning to circle House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. And if you look closely at the dorsal fins, you'll see little R's on there, for Republicans. Members of his own party now calling on him to resign. We'll take a look.
O'BRIEN: Jack, looking forward to that. Thank you.
Well, it may be spring, but try telling that to folks in Colorado. They're going to be digging out today after a huge storm dumped a foot of snow on Denver, almost two feet in other parts of the state.
CNN's Sean Callebs live in Denver for us this morning.
Hey, Sean, good morning.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
When I moved out here, I learned a new phrase, be careful driving over the pass. Well, it came to fruition over the past 24 hours. A lot of whiteout conditions. Look at this, this is a pretty good example of just how deep the snow is in Denver. Just close to a foot. Very deep out here. Spring was just beginning to show her colors, but these blossoms on the trees, well, they're wilting, dying, not going to last long.
However, people are making the most of it. You can see out here on the grounds, just in front of the capitol a little snowman. People in Colorado are used to these kind of weather conditions, and so far, they're doing pretty well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: This is wild, even by Colorado's standards of rapidly changing weather systems. Nearly a foot of snow in Denver proper and a mere 24 hours before that, springtime temperatures.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So it was 70 degrees. We had on miniskirts, we had on tank tops, enjoying the weather. It was wonderful. And then today, I'm driving home, and there's cars that have done, like, 180s and rammed into the side of the highway.
CALLEBS: So they scraped, and scraped, and brought out the heavy-duty stuff to counter the spring storm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am prepared for it. I figured if I'm going out, I might as well, you know, not be miserable.
CALLEBS: And speaking of miserable, the legions stranded at Denver International Airport can vouch for that. The monitors tell the story -- canceled. United Airlines scrapped all its flights Sunday, as did most other major carriers. For hours, nothing coming in and nothing going out. Passengers only choice, simply sit there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the hotels are booked, and none of the shuttles are running. And earlier, none of the taxies were running.
CALLEBS: And even if they were, there were there was nowhere to go. While roads in Denver were passable, interstates crisscrossing the state were shutdown. (END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: This morning, we can tell you I-70 from Denver, all the way to the Kansas border, still closed. I-25, that runs north and south, was shutdown all yesterday. It has reopened, but higher elevations people are expected to use chains.
The airport somewhat of a nightmare still. They expect to have a full day of flights out there, but because of all of the delays yesterday, DIA, Denver International Airport, is warning people, don't go out there unless you have a confirmed seat.
And, Soledad, as wild as this weather looks, it is expected to be close to 70 on Wednesday. So it's not going to last long.
O'BRIEN: Oh, what a mess. All right, Sean Callebs for us this morning. Sean, thanks.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: About five minutes past the hour now. The church sex- abuse scandal casting another dark scandal in this week's mourning period for the pope. There is a group of Americans getting ready to protest later today outside St. Peter's in Rome, angry that their former boss and archbishop, Bernard Law, was given the honor of giving a special Mass for the pope.
Dan Lothian has more this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Boston Archdiocese is still reeling from the priest sex-abuse scandal which exploded three years ago. Some believe it is partly to blame for the closing of some 60 parishes, after millions of dollars in settlements were paid out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are mortgaging our future to pay the sins of the past.
LOTHIAN: Yesterday, critics continued to lash out at the church.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At every opportunity, they have said it's not about the money, but their actions prove otherwise.
LOTHIAN: And the actions of one man continue to draw fire. Cardinal Bernard Law was archbishop in Boston when the scandal broke.
JOHN KING, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He did not defend the children, he defended the church.
LOTHIAN: Law, who was named in hundreds of lawsuits filed by victims, was accused of protecting pedophile priests, like the one Gary Bergeron says sexually molested him when he was in sixth grade.
GARY BERGERON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: The man doesn't understand what's been going on in, you know, the lives of thousands of men that were abused. I think he still doesn't understand what the effects have been on our lives.
LOTHIAN: According to church documents, when complaints came to Law's attention, he knowingly shuffled dozens of priests accused of abuse from parish to parish. Law acknowledged doing just that with Father John Geoghan -- Geoghan, who was convicted on two counts of child rape and later died in prison.
But when the scandal first became public, Law condemned the press, instead of the priests.
CARDINAL BERNARD LAW, CATHOLIC CHURCH: Let's call down God's power on the media.
LOTHIAN: In the wake of the scandal, Law resigned. But a short time later Pope John Paul II appointed him archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. Although a largely ceremonial position, some abuse victims saw it as a slap in the face.
AKEXA MCPHERSON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He was not stripped of anything; he just left town.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do I as a victim begin to heal, seeing this? I can't.
LOTHIAN: Now, Law's role presiding over one of the nine funeral masses for the pope is again opening deep wounds.
BERGERON: I think he still doesn't understand the immense amount of damage that needs to be repaired before it's safe for him to come out into the public.
LOTHIAN (on camera): The church has apologized for the sins of the fathers. As for Cardinal Law, he declined to talk about the abuse scandal in a recent television interview. Saying only that, quote, "All of us deplore in our own lives and in the lives of others a failure to live out the message of Christ."
Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Also, Cardinal Law scheduled to begin that mass at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time in Italy -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, another all-time high for gas prices. The average price at the pump is up to $2.29 a gallon. Drivers in Newark, New Jersey are getting the best deal at $2.06. Prices, though, in Bakersfield, California, soaring to $2.62 a gallon. Prices in Chicago and Seattle are approaching also $2.50 a gallon.
The good news, though, is that experts say prices have just about peaked. On the other hand, they've said that before.
If you're in the market for a new minivan, there are expert recommendations. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted crash tests to determine which models offer the best protection. The new Chevrolet Uplander was among the best performers, leading a pack of GM minivans that have dramatically turned their crash-test performance around. The other models that made the grade, the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna -- easy for me to say -- and the Ford Freestar. Also, the Mercury Monterey and the Nissan Quest.
HEMMER: Now to the greens. A dramatic finish to one of the year's biggest sporting events. Tiger Woods again claiming his stake as the world's best golfer. From Augusta, what a finish it was Sunday.
Here's Patrick Snell this morning on the follow-up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a double win for Tiger Woods at the Masters. Simply, he beat Chris DiMarco in a one-hole playoff. But Woods also claimed victory over the doubters who questioned his skills after he failed to win in 10 straight majors.
TIGER WOODS, MASTERS CHAMPION: To have, you know, all the criticisms and people think I should, you know, retire from the game, I was hitting it so bad for the past year. What are you doing revamping your swing? Well, it worked out pretty good. And to go through all that, to go through a, I'm not going to be good after I get married, and silence that.
SNELL: This was perhaps the last time Woods would stroll the same Augusta fairways with Jack Nicklaus, who bid farewell on Saturday. With his ninth career major, Woods once again said hello to his pursuit of Nicklaus' record 18.
WOOD: It's pretty cool to go out and play the way I did this week. I hit some beautiful golf shots this week. And to do that in a major championship setting and do that when it means a lot, it's pretty cool to be able to do something like that.
SNELL: Woods being fitted for a green jacket is a familiar sight. But missing from Sunday's celebration was his father, who was in Augusta, but too ill to make it to the course.
WOODS: Every year I've been lucky enough to win this tournament, my dad's been there to give me a hug. He wasn't there today. I can't wait to get home to see him, to give him a big bear hug. Thank you.
SNELL: Patrick Snell, CNN, Augusta, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: How many times do you think we're going to see this shot on 16?
O'BRIEN: We've already seen it twice. We're only 11 minutes into the show. There you go, another time. Never looked like it was going to go in. HEMMER: Absolutely stunning. And the way his ball was placed at the back of the green, all the announcers are saying, oh, my gosh, this is going to be so difficult for him to even get close.
O'BRIEN: It looks like it stops.
HEMMER: Gets one more revolution.
O'BRIEN: There it goes.
HEMMER: Wow.
O'BRIEN: He's got a long way to go, though, to match the...
HEMMER: Jack Nicklaus won it six times, ties Arnold Palmer with four.
O'BRIEN: Overall tournaments, 18.
HEMMER: On the majors, yes, you're right about that.
Chris DiMarco didn't go quietly, though.
O'BRIEN: No.
HEMMER: Tied on 18.
O'BRIEN: Didn't crumble.
HEMMER: Great tournament.
O'BRIEN: It was fun.
HEMMER: Well, still to come this morning, the latest dispute in the Mideast could mean tension in Texas: why insiders say President Bush and Ariel Sharon are in for some tough talks ahead. We're going to take you live to Crawford this morning.
Also this morning, a plea bargain for accused serial bomber Eric Robert Rudolph, why one victim agreed to the deal, even though she says it does not fit the crime. Her story as we continue on a Monday morning here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: In the wake of the kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford in Florida, there are new proposals in that state for stricter sex-offender registration. Lunsford was taken from her home in February. And now new legislation aims at keeping closer track of registered sex offenders through methods such as tracking devices and increased information sharing.
Also, law enforcement sources telling CNN that John Couey, the man accused of killing her, told police he buried her alive. Police also say, though, they're trying to confirm several details in his story. Jessica's father is scheduled to talk about these developments at a press conference a bit later this morning -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: On Wednesday, Eric Robert Rudolph is expected to plead guilty to a series of bombings in Georgia and Alabama in the 1990s. The plea lets him escape the death penalty, and he'll serve instead four consecutive life sentences without parole.
Emily Lyons is a nurse who was severely injured in one of the bombings. She and her husband, Jeff Lyons, join us this morning.
Thanks for coming in to talk to us. Appreciate it.
You knew this option was on the table, the four consecutive life sentences. I'm curious to know your reaction now that it's a done deal.
EMILY LYONS, WOUNDED IN 1998 BOMBING: Disappointment. I guess for the past seven years that's all I've thought about was the death penalty was the appropriate punishment for something that was so horrendous.
O'BRIEN: Some have said -- and certainly the prosecutors have said -- well, it's worth the tradeoff, because essentially, it's a deal: information for a shortened sentence, essentially not having to face the death penalty, though some say it could be a slam-dunk kind of case.
Do you think it was worth the tradeoff?
JEFF LYONS, WIFE WOUNDED IN 1998 BOMBING: I believe it was the thing to do. We had a very strong case against him, but, of course, going before a jury is going to Las Vegas; you never know what can happen. And it was just unthinkable he not be found guilty. Though we had a strong case, we didn't want to take the chance. The dynamite was part of it. You don't want to reward a terrorist by giving in to their demands, but at the same time, there was basically a town that was in danger, and we just couldn't let that happen either.
O'BRIEN: When you said the dynamite, you're talking about 250 pounds of dynamite that were found.
J. LYONS: That's right.
O'BRIEN: Give me a sense of how much dynamite that is. It doesn't really sound like that much to me. How much was used in the bombing that injured, Emily?
J. LYONS: About five pounds. He actually took the dynamite out of the wrappers and molded it, but it looked like he used four to six sticks and a stick weighs about a pound. So you're talking about 50 times what hit Emily.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about the search for justice, Emily. This book is from seven years ago. And can you see this? This is Emily. I mean if you guys can take a tighter shot. This is your face. And you said that she looks good in this picture, because this is from six weeks after the bombing. J. LYONS: That's correct.
O'BRIEN: Give me a sense of what you've been through. You're going to have your 20th surgery?
E. LYONS: Right. Just a long seven years, physically. It's been a lot of rehab, a lot of surgeries, a difficult emotional time. It's a roller coaster in our life.
O'BRIEN: Outside of the shrapnel injuries to your face, what other injuries have you had to have surgery for?
E. LYONS: My face was all cut up. My body was burned on the front part. My hand was broken, my leg was broken, had to have skin grafts, muscle grafts. Just...
J. LYONS: Lost an eye, eardrum was ruptured, legs were shattered. You know, the list goes on.
O'BRIEN: What do you want to say to Eric Robert Rudolph when you have an opportunity in court to speak your mind? Will you take that opportunity?
E. LYONS: I hope we're given that opportunity. I would like to tell him he failed. I've said that all along from week five that he failed. He accomplished nothing in any of the bombs. I would like the people in this country, the judge, to see what this person took away what he was capable of doing, and to inform the country.
O'BRIEN: Do you think there's any value in bringing it up, too, the point where someone who was so rabidly antigovernment essentially makes a deal with the government to avoid the death penalty. Do you think that somehow sort of pours water on his movement? Is that an upside as well in this deal?
J. LYONS: Well, and of course, the government will have control of his every move for the rest of his life, so that does have to mean something. On the other hand, you know, there's two sides to every story. The other side is, with this plea, he basically told the government the sentence that he was going to accept. So again, he still had some control.
O'BRIEN: A win, but not quite a victory. Emily Lyons, Jeff Lyons, nice to see you this morning. Thanks for coming in to talk to us. We appreciate it -- Bill.
J. LYONS: Thank you.
HEMMER: About 20 minutes past the hour now. In a moment here, Andy's back "Minding Your Business." And why some cars actually cost more used than they do new. Andy has the answer, in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. Believe it or not, some buyers are paying more for a used car than new one. And if you're one of them, here's Andy Serwer to tell you a bit more, "Minding Your Business."
Good morning.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Bill. Good to see you back.
And of course the big business story these days is gas prices, how it's affecting our wallets and how it's affecting all sorts of businesses. Take the car business. The hottest car out there these days is Toyota's Prius, the hybrid car that gets incredible gas mileage. Well, get this, people are so anxious to get their hands on one, that they will pay more for a used one than a new one. Why is that? Because if you get a used one, you don't have to wait two to six months to get your hands on one; you can buy one right away. And if you're interested, you can go to eBay and get one maybe delivered in a couple days.
They're going for about $3,000 more than the list price. List price, between $20,000 and $26,000. Interesting story in "USA Today" if you want to check it out.
Let's talk about the markets last week. We bumped up just a little bit. We'll take it. Nasdaq right around 2,000. 1999, they're buying like it's 1999 down there in the Nasdaq.
One stock we're going to be watching this morning, though, speaking of the car business, is Ford. After the bell on Friday, they said that their business is not doing well at all. They're going to be making $900 million less this year than they thought a couple months ago. Why? Jaguar. We talked about that earlier. Health care costs, steel prices up. But analysts say really the problem is really flagging demand for their product, particularly SUVs, people a little bit wary of buying cars that don't get great mileage.
HEMMER: Is it Jaguar or Jag-u-ar.
SERWER: Well, Jack and I talked about this. And it is Jag-u-ar today, but it used to be Jaguar.
CAFFERTY: Yes, back when they were great cars they were Jaguars. What are they, $29,000, $30,000. And it's just, all the cache is gone from the car. It's like calling it a Fer-ra-ri.
SERWER: That really doesn't work, does it?
(LAUGHTER)
SERWER: You're welcome.
O'BRIEN: Scan-dal is the focus.
SERWER: Yes, scan-dal. CAFFERTY: Tom DeLay -- Republican colleagues begin turning on House majority leader Tom DeLay. On Sunday, Rick Santorum, the number three ranking Republican in the Senate, said DeLay needs to explain his conduct to the public. Worst than that, Representative Christopher Shays says DeLay ought to hang it up, calling on him to resign as House majority leader.
DeLay was admonished by the House Ethics Committee last year. But new reports are out now, calling into question three trips he took funded by special interest groups, $500,000 in campaign payments to his wife and daughter, and connections to a guy called "Casino Jack," Jack Abrahamoff, one of Washington's best-paid lobbyists, who's currently under criminal investigation.
DeLay says these reports are nothing but seedy attempts launched at him by House Democrats. Note to Tom DeLay: Christopher Shays is a Republican.
The question is this, should Tom DeLay resign as House majority leader? He's becoming a liability in terms of -- next year is an off- year election year, and there'll be a lot of Republicans running for Congress for the Senate and House, and they're beginning to feel a little uneasy, depending upon how these allegations pan out against...
O'BRIEN: Everybody will support you till you start bringing 'em down.
SERWER: Right.
O'BRIEN: And then they won't.
SERWER: And Chris Shays is a powerful Republican, too.
CAFFERTY: Yes, he is, absolutely.
HEMMER: But he's been a thorn for Tom DeLay for some time, too.
SERWER: A little personal stuff, maybe?
HEMMER: Not necessarily an ally.
CAFFERTY: It's -- allow us to go out on a limb here and say it's over for him.
SERWER: Wow.
CAFFERTY: Just a thought.
HEMMER: Branch is getting heavy.
CAFFERTY: I've been on it before.
HEMMER: Yes, he has.
CAFFERTY: What makes me nervous when is I look over and see you with a saw. HEMMER: I'm the one that puts the net out below the trees. I'll cut you and I'll catch you.
O'BRIEN: There's much more AMERICAN MORNING ahead right after this short break.
Ahead on "90-Second Pop," Camilla finally ties the knot with Prince Charles. But can she win the hearts of the commoners?
Plus, the rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated. Is Tiger's win at the Masters the start of something bigger? That's later on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired April 11, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Slammed by a blizzard in early April. Parts of the West waking up to extreme weather and a dangerous day ahead.
Congressman Tom DeLay under fire again. Now are some Republicans ready to turn on their leader?
Plenty of emotion and some incredible shots making for an instant Masters classic. Tiger's major comeback on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING, with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome everybody.
Look who's back.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Welcome back. Terrific job reporting from Rome and Vatican City.
HEMMER: Thank you very much. What a week it was. And to be there, too. And it's not over, as it continues again today.
The cardinals getting ready to pick the next pope. Is a new distraction waiting for them in Rome? There is some anger and some controversy over one of their own. We'll get a report today on a difficult situation developing not just at the Vatican, but also in Boston, Massachusetts.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, the government going to get a guilty plea from accused bomber Eric Robert Rudolph. But are victims' demands for justice being ignored? We're going to talk this morning to a woman who was injured in one of the bombings.
HEMMER: As that continues, Jack Cafferty, good morning to you.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Amen on the coverage from Rome. Nice job over there.
HEMMER: Thank you.
CAFFERTY: The sharks are beginning to circle House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. And if you look closely at the dorsal fins, you'll see little R's on there, for Republicans. Members of his own party now calling on him to resign. We'll take a look.
O'BRIEN: Jack, looking forward to that. Thank you.
Well, it may be spring, but try telling that to folks in Colorado. They're going to be digging out today after a huge storm dumped a foot of snow on Denver, almost two feet in other parts of the state.
CNN's Sean Callebs live in Denver for us this morning.
Hey, Sean, good morning.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
When I moved out here, I learned a new phrase, be careful driving over the pass. Well, it came to fruition over the past 24 hours. A lot of whiteout conditions. Look at this, this is a pretty good example of just how deep the snow is in Denver. Just close to a foot. Very deep out here. Spring was just beginning to show her colors, but these blossoms on the trees, well, they're wilting, dying, not going to last long.
However, people are making the most of it. You can see out here on the grounds, just in front of the capitol a little snowman. People in Colorado are used to these kind of weather conditions, and so far, they're doing pretty well.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: This is wild, even by Colorado's standards of rapidly changing weather systems. Nearly a foot of snow in Denver proper and a mere 24 hours before that, springtime temperatures.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So it was 70 degrees. We had on miniskirts, we had on tank tops, enjoying the weather. It was wonderful. And then today, I'm driving home, and there's cars that have done, like, 180s and rammed into the side of the highway.
CALLEBS: So they scraped, and scraped, and brought out the heavy-duty stuff to counter the spring storm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am prepared for it. I figured if I'm going out, I might as well, you know, not be miserable.
CALLEBS: And speaking of miserable, the legions stranded at Denver International Airport can vouch for that. The monitors tell the story -- canceled. United Airlines scrapped all its flights Sunday, as did most other major carriers. For hours, nothing coming in and nothing going out. Passengers only choice, simply sit there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All the hotels are booked, and none of the shuttles are running. And earlier, none of the taxies were running.
CALLEBS: And even if they were, there were there was nowhere to go. While roads in Denver were passable, interstates crisscrossing the state were shutdown. (END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS: This morning, we can tell you I-70 from Denver, all the way to the Kansas border, still closed. I-25, that runs north and south, was shutdown all yesterday. It has reopened, but higher elevations people are expected to use chains.
The airport somewhat of a nightmare still. They expect to have a full day of flights out there, but because of all of the delays yesterday, DIA, Denver International Airport, is warning people, don't go out there unless you have a confirmed seat.
And, Soledad, as wild as this weather looks, it is expected to be close to 70 on Wednesday. So it's not going to last long.
O'BRIEN: Oh, what a mess. All right, Sean Callebs for us this morning. Sean, thanks.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: About five minutes past the hour now. The church sex- abuse scandal casting another dark scandal in this week's mourning period for the pope. There is a group of Americans getting ready to protest later today outside St. Peter's in Rome, angry that their former boss and archbishop, Bernard Law, was given the honor of giving a special Mass for the pope.
Dan Lothian has more this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Boston Archdiocese is still reeling from the priest sex-abuse scandal which exploded three years ago. Some believe it is partly to blame for the closing of some 60 parishes, after millions of dollars in settlements were paid out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are mortgaging our future to pay the sins of the past.
LOTHIAN: Yesterday, critics continued to lash out at the church.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At every opportunity, they have said it's not about the money, but their actions prove otherwise.
LOTHIAN: And the actions of one man continue to draw fire. Cardinal Bernard Law was archbishop in Boston when the scandal broke.
JOHN KING, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He did not defend the children, he defended the church.
LOTHIAN: Law, who was named in hundreds of lawsuits filed by victims, was accused of protecting pedophile priests, like the one Gary Bergeron says sexually molested him when he was in sixth grade.
GARY BERGERON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: The man doesn't understand what's been going on in, you know, the lives of thousands of men that were abused. I think he still doesn't understand what the effects have been on our lives.
LOTHIAN: According to church documents, when complaints came to Law's attention, he knowingly shuffled dozens of priests accused of abuse from parish to parish. Law acknowledged doing just that with Father John Geoghan -- Geoghan, who was convicted on two counts of child rape and later died in prison.
But when the scandal first became public, Law condemned the press, instead of the priests.
CARDINAL BERNARD LAW, CATHOLIC CHURCH: Let's call down God's power on the media.
LOTHIAN: In the wake of the scandal, Law resigned. But a short time later Pope John Paul II appointed him archpriest of St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. Although a largely ceremonial position, some abuse victims saw it as a slap in the face.
AKEXA MCPHERSON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He was not stripped of anything; he just left town.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do I as a victim begin to heal, seeing this? I can't.
LOTHIAN: Now, Law's role presiding over one of the nine funeral masses for the pope is again opening deep wounds.
BERGERON: I think he still doesn't understand the immense amount of damage that needs to be repaired before it's safe for him to come out into the public.
LOTHIAN (on camera): The church has apologized for the sins of the fathers. As for Cardinal Law, he declined to talk about the abuse scandal in a recent television interview. Saying only that, quote, "All of us deplore in our own lives and in the lives of others a failure to live out the message of Christ."
Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Also, Cardinal Law scheduled to begin that mass at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time in Italy -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, another all-time high for gas prices. The average price at the pump is up to $2.29 a gallon. Drivers in Newark, New Jersey are getting the best deal at $2.06. Prices, though, in Bakersfield, California, soaring to $2.62 a gallon. Prices in Chicago and Seattle are approaching also $2.50 a gallon.
The good news, though, is that experts say prices have just about peaked. On the other hand, they've said that before.
If you're in the market for a new minivan, there are expert recommendations. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted crash tests to determine which models offer the best protection. The new Chevrolet Uplander was among the best performers, leading a pack of GM minivans that have dramatically turned their crash-test performance around. The other models that made the grade, the Honda Odyssey, the Toyota Sienna -- easy for me to say -- and the Ford Freestar. Also, the Mercury Monterey and the Nissan Quest.
HEMMER: Now to the greens. A dramatic finish to one of the year's biggest sporting events. Tiger Woods again claiming his stake as the world's best golfer. From Augusta, what a finish it was Sunday.
Here's Patrick Snell this morning on the follow-up.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICK SNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a double win for Tiger Woods at the Masters. Simply, he beat Chris DiMarco in a one-hole playoff. But Woods also claimed victory over the doubters who questioned his skills after he failed to win in 10 straight majors.
TIGER WOODS, MASTERS CHAMPION: To have, you know, all the criticisms and people think I should, you know, retire from the game, I was hitting it so bad for the past year. What are you doing revamping your swing? Well, it worked out pretty good. And to go through all that, to go through a, I'm not going to be good after I get married, and silence that.
SNELL: This was perhaps the last time Woods would stroll the same Augusta fairways with Jack Nicklaus, who bid farewell on Saturday. With his ninth career major, Woods once again said hello to his pursuit of Nicklaus' record 18.
WOOD: It's pretty cool to go out and play the way I did this week. I hit some beautiful golf shots this week. And to do that in a major championship setting and do that when it means a lot, it's pretty cool to be able to do something like that.
SNELL: Woods being fitted for a green jacket is a familiar sight. But missing from Sunday's celebration was his father, who was in Augusta, but too ill to make it to the course.
WOODS: Every year I've been lucky enough to win this tournament, my dad's been there to give me a hug. He wasn't there today. I can't wait to get home to see him, to give him a big bear hug. Thank you.
SNELL: Patrick Snell, CNN, Augusta, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: How many times do you think we're going to see this shot on 16?
O'BRIEN: We've already seen it twice. We're only 11 minutes into the show. There you go, another time. Never looked like it was going to go in. HEMMER: Absolutely stunning. And the way his ball was placed at the back of the green, all the announcers are saying, oh, my gosh, this is going to be so difficult for him to even get close.
O'BRIEN: It looks like it stops.
HEMMER: Gets one more revolution.
O'BRIEN: There it goes.
HEMMER: Wow.
O'BRIEN: He's got a long way to go, though, to match the...
HEMMER: Jack Nicklaus won it six times, ties Arnold Palmer with four.
O'BRIEN: Overall tournaments, 18.
HEMMER: On the majors, yes, you're right about that.
Chris DiMarco didn't go quietly, though.
O'BRIEN: No.
HEMMER: Tied on 18.
O'BRIEN: Didn't crumble.
HEMMER: Great tournament.
O'BRIEN: It was fun.
HEMMER: Well, still to come this morning, the latest dispute in the Mideast could mean tension in Texas: why insiders say President Bush and Ariel Sharon are in for some tough talks ahead. We're going to take you live to Crawford this morning.
Also this morning, a plea bargain for accused serial bomber Eric Robert Rudolph, why one victim agreed to the deal, even though she says it does not fit the crime. Her story as we continue on a Monday morning here on AMERICAN MORNING.
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HEMMER: In the wake of the kidnapping and murder of 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford in Florida, there are new proposals in that state for stricter sex-offender registration. Lunsford was taken from her home in February. And now new legislation aims at keeping closer track of registered sex offenders through methods such as tracking devices and increased information sharing.
Also, law enforcement sources telling CNN that John Couey, the man accused of killing her, told police he buried her alive. Police also say, though, they're trying to confirm several details in his story. Jessica's father is scheduled to talk about these developments at a press conference a bit later this morning -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: On Wednesday, Eric Robert Rudolph is expected to plead guilty to a series of bombings in Georgia and Alabama in the 1990s. The plea lets him escape the death penalty, and he'll serve instead four consecutive life sentences without parole.
Emily Lyons is a nurse who was severely injured in one of the bombings. She and her husband, Jeff Lyons, join us this morning.
Thanks for coming in to talk to us. Appreciate it.
You knew this option was on the table, the four consecutive life sentences. I'm curious to know your reaction now that it's a done deal.
EMILY LYONS, WOUNDED IN 1998 BOMBING: Disappointment. I guess for the past seven years that's all I've thought about was the death penalty was the appropriate punishment for something that was so horrendous.
O'BRIEN: Some have said -- and certainly the prosecutors have said -- well, it's worth the tradeoff, because essentially, it's a deal: information for a shortened sentence, essentially not having to face the death penalty, though some say it could be a slam-dunk kind of case.
Do you think it was worth the tradeoff?
JEFF LYONS, WIFE WOUNDED IN 1998 BOMBING: I believe it was the thing to do. We had a very strong case against him, but, of course, going before a jury is going to Las Vegas; you never know what can happen. And it was just unthinkable he not be found guilty. Though we had a strong case, we didn't want to take the chance. The dynamite was part of it. You don't want to reward a terrorist by giving in to their demands, but at the same time, there was basically a town that was in danger, and we just couldn't let that happen either.
O'BRIEN: When you said the dynamite, you're talking about 250 pounds of dynamite that were found.
J. LYONS: That's right.
O'BRIEN: Give me a sense of how much dynamite that is. It doesn't really sound like that much to me. How much was used in the bombing that injured, Emily?
J. LYONS: About five pounds. He actually took the dynamite out of the wrappers and molded it, but it looked like he used four to six sticks and a stick weighs about a pound. So you're talking about 50 times what hit Emily.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about the search for justice, Emily. This book is from seven years ago. And can you see this? This is Emily. I mean if you guys can take a tighter shot. This is your face. And you said that she looks good in this picture, because this is from six weeks after the bombing. J. LYONS: That's correct.
O'BRIEN: Give me a sense of what you've been through. You're going to have your 20th surgery?
E. LYONS: Right. Just a long seven years, physically. It's been a lot of rehab, a lot of surgeries, a difficult emotional time. It's a roller coaster in our life.
O'BRIEN: Outside of the shrapnel injuries to your face, what other injuries have you had to have surgery for?
E. LYONS: My face was all cut up. My body was burned on the front part. My hand was broken, my leg was broken, had to have skin grafts, muscle grafts. Just...
J. LYONS: Lost an eye, eardrum was ruptured, legs were shattered. You know, the list goes on.
O'BRIEN: What do you want to say to Eric Robert Rudolph when you have an opportunity in court to speak your mind? Will you take that opportunity?
E. LYONS: I hope we're given that opportunity. I would like to tell him he failed. I've said that all along from week five that he failed. He accomplished nothing in any of the bombs. I would like the people in this country, the judge, to see what this person took away what he was capable of doing, and to inform the country.
O'BRIEN: Do you think there's any value in bringing it up, too, the point where someone who was so rabidly antigovernment essentially makes a deal with the government to avoid the death penalty. Do you think that somehow sort of pours water on his movement? Is that an upside as well in this deal?
J. LYONS: Well, and of course, the government will have control of his every move for the rest of his life, so that does have to mean something. On the other hand, you know, there's two sides to every story. The other side is, with this plea, he basically told the government the sentence that he was going to accept. So again, he still had some control.
O'BRIEN: A win, but not quite a victory. Emily Lyons, Jeff Lyons, nice to see you this morning. Thanks for coming in to talk to us. We appreciate it -- Bill.
J. LYONS: Thank you.
HEMMER: About 20 minutes past the hour now. In a moment here, Andy's back "Minding Your Business." And why some cars actually cost more used than they do new. Andy has the answer, in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. Believe it or not, some buyers are paying more for a used car than new one. And if you're one of them, here's Andy Serwer to tell you a bit more, "Minding Your Business."
Good morning.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Bill. Good to see you back.
And of course the big business story these days is gas prices, how it's affecting our wallets and how it's affecting all sorts of businesses. Take the car business. The hottest car out there these days is Toyota's Prius, the hybrid car that gets incredible gas mileage. Well, get this, people are so anxious to get their hands on one, that they will pay more for a used one than a new one. Why is that? Because if you get a used one, you don't have to wait two to six months to get your hands on one; you can buy one right away. And if you're interested, you can go to eBay and get one maybe delivered in a couple days.
They're going for about $3,000 more than the list price. List price, between $20,000 and $26,000. Interesting story in "USA Today" if you want to check it out.
Let's talk about the markets last week. We bumped up just a little bit. We'll take it. Nasdaq right around 2,000. 1999, they're buying like it's 1999 down there in the Nasdaq.
One stock we're going to be watching this morning, though, speaking of the car business, is Ford. After the bell on Friday, they said that their business is not doing well at all. They're going to be making $900 million less this year than they thought a couple months ago. Why? Jaguar. We talked about that earlier. Health care costs, steel prices up. But analysts say really the problem is really flagging demand for their product, particularly SUVs, people a little bit wary of buying cars that don't get great mileage.
HEMMER: Is it Jaguar or Jag-u-ar.
SERWER: Well, Jack and I talked about this. And it is Jag-u-ar today, but it used to be Jaguar.
CAFFERTY: Yes, back when they were great cars they were Jaguars. What are they, $29,000, $30,000. And it's just, all the cache is gone from the car. It's like calling it a Fer-ra-ri.
SERWER: That really doesn't work, does it?
(LAUGHTER)
SERWER: You're welcome.
O'BRIEN: Scan-dal is the focus.
SERWER: Yes, scan-dal. CAFFERTY: Tom DeLay -- Republican colleagues begin turning on House majority leader Tom DeLay. On Sunday, Rick Santorum, the number three ranking Republican in the Senate, said DeLay needs to explain his conduct to the public. Worst than that, Representative Christopher Shays says DeLay ought to hang it up, calling on him to resign as House majority leader.
DeLay was admonished by the House Ethics Committee last year. But new reports are out now, calling into question three trips he took funded by special interest groups, $500,000 in campaign payments to his wife and daughter, and connections to a guy called "Casino Jack," Jack Abrahamoff, one of Washington's best-paid lobbyists, who's currently under criminal investigation.
DeLay says these reports are nothing but seedy attempts launched at him by House Democrats. Note to Tom DeLay: Christopher Shays is a Republican.
The question is this, should Tom DeLay resign as House majority leader? He's becoming a liability in terms of -- next year is an off- year election year, and there'll be a lot of Republicans running for Congress for the Senate and House, and they're beginning to feel a little uneasy, depending upon how these allegations pan out against...
O'BRIEN: Everybody will support you till you start bringing 'em down.
SERWER: Right.
O'BRIEN: And then they won't.
SERWER: And Chris Shays is a powerful Republican, too.
CAFFERTY: Yes, he is, absolutely.
HEMMER: But he's been a thorn for Tom DeLay for some time, too.
SERWER: A little personal stuff, maybe?
HEMMER: Not necessarily an ally.
CAFFERTY: It's -- allow us to go out on a limb here and say it's over for him.
SERWER: Wow.
CAFFERTY: Just a thought.
HEMMER: Branch is getting heavy.
CAFFERTY: I've been on it before.
HEMMER: Yes, he has.
CAFFERTY: What makes me nervous when is I look over and see you with a saw. HEMMER: I'm the one that puts the net out below the trees. I'll cut you and I'll catch you.
O'BRIEN: There's much more AMERICAN MORNING ahead right after this short break.
Ahead on "90-Second Pop," Camilla finally ties the knot with Prince Charles. But can she win the hearts of the commoners?
Plus, the rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated. Is Tiger's win at the Masters the start of something bigger? That's later on AMERICAN MORNING.
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