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CNN Live At Daybreak
Eric Rudolph Plea; Identity Theft; Silicone Breast Implant Issues; English Only in West Virginia
Aired April 13, 2005 - 06:29 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: Eric Rudolph agreed to a deal that will keep him from going to death row, but today he has to live up to his end of the bargain and plead guilty.
CNN's David Mattingly joins us live from Birmingham, where Rudolph is expected to arrive in court in less than two hours.
Good morning -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
When Eric Rudolph walks into court today, everything is expected to go according to a very prearranged script. Rudolph will plead guilty to bombing an abortion clinic here in Birmingham. That happened back in 1998. Then, he will go to Atlanta, where he will plead guilty to three more bombings, including the bombing of Centennial Olympic Park back in 1996.
Now, this all came about because of a deal that was worked out with prosecutors in recent weeks. Rudolph agreed to plead guilty and reveal the location of explosives he had hidden in western North Carolina. Authorities went to five locations that he pointed out. They found 250 pounds of explosives. They also found one large bomb that they later detonated.
Now, in exchange for all of this, Rudolph escapes the death penalty. He will instead get life in prison at a federal super-max prison in Colorado, the same facility that houses other domestic terrorists, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.
But that's not going to happen right away, Carol, because Rudolph won't be formally sentenced today. That's going to happen at a later date. That is the time that we could hear statements from Rudolph and some of his victims. But today, no such drama is expected; just the first step in a pretty prearranged pattern that will put Rudolph away for quite some time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, it will be interesting to find out why. Have we had any hint? Because he bombs an abortion clinic, h e bombs a gay bar, and then he puts a bomb in Centennial Park at the Olympics. It will be interesting to find out how all of those things are connected.
MATTINGLY: That is the one major lingering question. Why? And that is the one question that he has not answered yet. And we don't know if he ever will. But like we're being told that the later court appearance, he will have the opportunity to speak, and maybe then that's why we'll find out what was on his mind, what he was possibly thinking when he carried out these bombings.
COSTELLO: David Mattingly live from Birmingham this morning. Thank you.
We've been talking, too, about this all morning: a database breach at LexisNexis. It's even bigger than the company first admitted. The data broker now says personal information on 310,000 people nationwide may have been stolen. That's nearly 10 times more people than first thought.
LexisNexis, in case you didn't know, compiles and sells information on you, like where you live, your driver's license and your social security number and what you buy. All of this follows an incident at data warehouse ChoicePoint back in February. The company admitted that it had inadvertently given the identity of 145,000 of its customers to thieves.
Now, the Senate is taking on the issue of identity theft with a committee hearing today. We want to talk about that with CNN Radio's John Bisney.
Good morning -- John.
JOHN BISNEY, CNN RADIO: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, what are they going to be talking about?
BISNEY: Well, just that. How do you stop this flow of information illegally out to potential data thieves? And there are a number of possibilities.
The legislation they've been talking about, most of them require the consumer to be notified if there is any breach. Now, you know, that doesn't do you a lot of good in retrospect. But nevertheless, that's what that bill would do.
Also, legislation is possible that would restrict the use of social security numbers to cut down on the problem from that angle. And states are looking at this legislation as well.
COSTELLO: Well, you know -- I don't know. The legislature has been talking about controlling the Internet for such a long time, and it really hasn't come up with any answers. Should we expect something different this time?
BISNEY: Well, I think it will help around the edges. But, yes, as long as there are computer hackers and there are databases, presumably they will find ways to get through it. And in some cases, this was not hackers. It was people who were posing as phony investigators, as legitimate users of this information.
So, you know, the criminal element will always be with us, but I think Congress clearly sees this is a major problem. It's affected somewhere in the neighborhood of maybe a million Americans over the past couple of years. Fourteen major breaches in the past year alone.
So, it's got Congress' attention, and they're determined to do what they can.
COSTELLO: We'll see what happens. CNN Radio's John Bisney joining us this morning. Thank you.
After plenty of emotional testimony on both sides of the issue, an FDA advisory panel has voted against approving silicone gel breast implants made by one company. Now, another company will make its case today on why its implants should be allowed back on the market. The agency doesn't have to follow the panel's advice, but it usually does.
So, let's check in with our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, to find out more.
So, it's denied one company's wishes to put these things back on the market. So, another company is going to lay out similar evidence or different evidence?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to be different evidence, Carol, because it's a different company. It's done different clinical trials. But, of course, they are going to face a tough road if you look at what this FDA advisory committee decided to do yesterday. They say that Inamed, a company which wants to market sort of a new generation of silicone breast implants, and this advisory committee said no, they just didn't feel secure about the safety of these new implants.
Now, you'll remember silicone breast implants were taken off the general market 13 years ago. And, again, this company said that theirs were better, were new and improved.
But let's go over what some of the risks are in the first place with these implants, why scientists and doctors are concerned. The risks are rupture and infection, and also that once you have them in there, it can make mammograms difficult to read, concerns that doctors would miss a cancer that could be in the breast.
Now, it's very interesting. The Institute of Medicine has found that silicone breast implants are not likely to cause cancer, immune diseases and neurological problems. May women testified to this FDA committee that they had contracted those problems because of the implants. And in the end, the Institute of Medicine said no, we don't think that there is a link there.
But, now the FDA advisory committee said, well, even if those aren't the issue, the problems with rupture, the possible problems with infection, that was enough to make them say no -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK. Well, we'll be listening to the hearing again today.
You heard Chad mention the word "pandemic" and about this 1957 flu strain that the WHO is warning. Fill us in on that. What's going on here?
COHEN: Carol, this is really such a bizarre story. There was a lab that was responsible for sending samples of viruses out to other labs to see if those labs were able to do the kinds of tests that are necessary. So, it's sort of a test for thousands of other labs in 18 countries to see if they were able to handle viruses. And they were supposed to send out a harmless virus, but by mistake they sent out the 1957 flu virus, which killed millions of people.
And now, these labs are supposed to destroy this virus. It's not thought that there's any threat to public health. These are labs that know what to do with the virus. They're used to handling them. They know they're not supposed to take it out of the building. They know how to destroy them.
So, there's not any threat here. But, of course, it does make you think, gee, how could someone make a mistake like that? Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, that was my first thought. Elizabeth Cohen live in Atlanta for us this morning. We appreciate it.
A Senate committee votes today on the nomination of Lester Crawford to be FDA commissioner. Observers say his nomination will likely stall in the full Senate over Plan B, the so-called morning- after pill. However, Crawford is expected to be confirmed eventually.
New details are emerging about a plot to attack financial targets here in the United States. So, let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning -- Bill.
HEMMER: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.
As you mentioned, the fed is charging three men in connection with scouting U.S. financial targets for a possible terror attack. Authorities say the plot was in the works for years. Is it possible, though, Carol, it's still happening today, even though the indictments came out this week? We'll ask the man in charge. U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Comie (ph) is our guest this morning.
Also this morning, the mother of Michael Jackson's accuser is expected to take the stand this week, possibly today. But could the skeletons in her past prevent her from testifying? There's this ongoing debate outside that courtroom in Santa Maria, Carol, as to whether or not she will ever take the stand. And if she does, how will the defense go after her? And how long will she be on that stand? That's what kind of keeps this case interesting again today. So, we'll look at that this morning with Jeff Toobin -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I see a vicious cross-examination.
HEMMER: Yes, I think your crystal ball is telling you exactly right.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: See you later. All right.
COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, Nike is naming names and places. You may be surprised to find out where they employ the most people, and it isn't here in the United States.
And guess who is about to stock up diapers? I know what you're thinking. Stop it.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." Corporate and responsibility aren't two words we hear used together a lot lately. It's so sad.
Carrie Lee tells us about one company, though, that's doing its part.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It feels like this is every topic we talk about. But we're talking about Nike. You know the company has faced years of criticism over working conditions in its overseas factories. Well, Nike is doing something about it. They're not running from these concerns.
Nike is now disclosing the names and locations of over 700 of its factories. Activists say this move could help control employee abuse, and that's because independent auditors could observe the working conditions there.
Nike admits that some factories it works with have harassed employees and forced them to work overtime and even denied workers access to toilets and water. Experts say this is the first time a major apparel manufacturer has voluntarily disclosed its factory list. Most of the plants, by the way, are in China and other Asian nations.
So, a horrible story in some ways, Carol, but at least Nike is doing something about it, trying to open up...
COSTELLO: Are they going to give their own employees a raise?
LEE: Well, we'll see about that. We'll see about that. I know. Think about how much it costs to put together a running shoe, and then the sticker price, oh, you know they're making a lot of money. But, anyway, at least they're doing something about it.
COSTELLO: True, true. We should give them kudos for that.
LEE: That's right.
COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures.
LEE: Futures are looking a little bit lower for today's session. Of course, this is the week the big corporate profit reporting season kicks off.
One stock to watch is going to be Apple. Wall Street is expecting profits to more than triple from the year-ago period. The iPod, of course, is very successful. And we'll see what they do tonight after the bell.
COSTELLO: We'll keep an eye on it. Thank you, Carrie.
Other lawmakers have done it. So, why is there so much hubbub in the mountains of West Virginia as lawmakers plan to make English the official state language? Coming up, I'll talk to a reporter covering this controversy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
It will be a busy day for Eric Rudolph. He appears in two courtrooms in two cities to plead guilty to a total of four bombings. The plea deal spares Rudolph the death penalty.
In money news, Wal-Mart wants to make up for some of the wildlife habitats that are lost when it builds one of its humongous superstores. The company is now pledging $35 million to buy land for a priority wildlife project, and that will happen sometime during the next 10 years.
In culture, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, will be home to the world's largest permanent indoor sculpture. This is a model from. This isn't it. Artist Richard Sara (ph) is working on a steel piece that will be more than 430 feet long. It will weigh 1,200 tons. That's a big sculpture.
In sports, the Boston Celtics busted Philadelphia 105-98 to control the Atlantic Division. Paul Pierce (ph) scored 27 points for the Celtics, moving them closer toward clinching the division title. Five games remain, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, good, because then maybe it will be football season. That means winter is coming, and I don't want that either.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Monday, April 18 is the next big date on the calendar for the cardinals in Rome. But what's happening during the next five days is quite interesting for people closely following the process of choosing a new pope.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.
Yes, you're absolutely right. Next Monday is the date when the cardinals begin the conclave, the process of picking the next pope. But there is already, many say, some unofficial politicking going on. CNN's Vatican analyst John Allen is going to join us live from Rome. We'll talk about the private discussions that are already under way between those cardinals.
Also this morning, we're going to meet Deborah Voigt (ph). Voigt is a world-class soprano. She was fired, you might recall, by London's Royal Opera for being overweight. Well, since then she's lost more than 100 pounds. She underwent gastric bypass surgery. We're going to talk about the procedure and what she's doing right now.
That's ahead this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING" at the top of the hour. Carol, we'll see you then.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Soledad.
Speak English. That's what the lawmakers in one state voted for, even though some of them didn't realize it.
And from diva to diapers, the stork is on the way for this princess of pop. The happy baby news when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Oftentimes on DAYBREAK, things stir our interest. This morning, it's the idea that English should be our official language. It may soon be the law in West Virginia. It's one of the most popular stories right now on CNN.com.
Now, keep in mind, just 2 percent of the population in West Virginia is from another country. Maybe their broken English is bugging people there.
We want to know more. So, joining us live from Charleston, West Virginia, is Erik Schelzig.
Good morning, Erik.
ERIK SCHELZIG, WV ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER: Good morning.
COSTELLO: Tell us about this law -- this proposed law, I should say, because the governor still has to sign it.
SCHELZIG: That's right. It all started on the last night of the legislation session here on Saturday. And in this sort of mad flurry of bills moving back and forth between the House and the Senate, one bill was amended to include this language that English would be the official language of West Virginia. Now, the bill...
COSTELLO: Legislators are saying that -- some legislators say they didn't even notice it was part of this bill, because the bill had to do with park land.
SCHELZIG: That's right. It had to do with how many members of the Board of Parks and Recreation the municipality could appoint. So, not immediately obvious that that has anything to do with what language West Virginians should speak.
COSTELLO: So, if the governor signs it -- and he may -- English will be the official language of West Virginia. What does that really mean?
SCHELZIG: Well, it's hard to say. As you pointed out, there isn't very many non-English speakers in this state. What supporters say is that it would allow agencies not to have to publish any documents and materials in any language other than English. We're having a hard time finding out whether any agencies already do that in the first place.
COSTELLO: Well, something struck us. I mean, does it mean that if you don't speak English that an employer has the right not to hire you?
SCHELZIG: There's nothing in the language of the bill that says anything about that. All it says is that it provides that English is the official language of the state. I guess it remains to be seen how that happens and how that works in practice.
COSTELLO: Well, we were struggling to get behind the point of this still. And I want to explore this some more. I mean, are some legislators in West Virginia afraid that immigrants coming in will destroy the culture of America?
SCHELZIG: Again, it's not something that we've really heard too much about. There's a group in Washington called U.S. English that lobbies for this sort of language to be sort of laws in various states. If the governor here in West Virginia signs this bill, West Virginia would actually be the 28th state to have such laws on the books.
COSTELLO: So, do you think the governor will sign it?
SCHELZIG: It's not clear. His spokeswoman has said he hasn't read the bill yet. He doesn't know. But one thing that does hint toward what he might do is that when he was as state senator back in 1987, he sponsored similar legislation that ultimately failed.
COSTELLO: We'll see what happens. Erik Schelzig reporting live for us this morning from Charleston, West Virginia. We appreciate it.
It's 6:53 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.
A controversial hunting proposal has cat lovers up in paws. We've been getting so much e-mail about this, because this was our e- mail question from 5:00 a.m. Eastern. A huge lobbying group has voted to allow hunters to kill feral cats just like skunks or gophers. The Humane Society calls the proposal cruel. We'll keep you posted.
Family members on the first female soldier killed in Iraq are packing up their home today. That's because tomorrow the "Extreme Makeover" crew will start building them a new home. Lori Piestewa died two years ago when her convoy was ambushed in Iraq. The not-so-secret secret is out. Pop singer Britney Spears' Web site tells it all. She is pregnant. Britney and her husband, Kevin Federline, got hitched last fall, and the singer claims she really, really, really wants to be a young mom.
Hi, Chad.
MYERS: It looks like she's going to get that option.
COSTELLO: What?
MYERS: She's going to get that option. It looks like she's going to get that opportunity.
COSTELLO: No turning back now.
MYERS: Hey, I tell you what, it is more work than you think. But you all know that who have kids.
It's time to give away a coffee mug, Carol, for today. We're kind of doing it a little early today. But everybody can get their mug questions in on time.
What vitamin offers relief from allergy symptoms? That answer was Vitamin C. And how many gallons of gas do Americans use per day? 3.5 a piece or 360 million is the correct answer.
Donna Soole from West Milford, New Jersey, had the right answer and was picked at random for today's DAYBREAK coffee mug.
Now here are your questions for today. What company's database was breached? This is all about the story about losing some information, private information. What's that company's name? And lawmakers in what state just made English their official language?
CNN.com/DAYBREAK, go there, the questions will be there for you. Click on it. Give us the answers. We'll give you a DAYBREAK mug tomorrow.
COSTELLO: Enough said. This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Stories "Now in the News."
After a quick trip to Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Afghanistan this morning. He's meeting with U.S. commanders and troops fighting the war on terrorism. In Iraq, Rumsfeld met with the newly-elected transitional president and prime minister.
Hundreds of pilgrims passed by the grave of Pope John Paul II this morning. The crypt underneath St. Peter's Basilica is now open to the public for the first time since the pope's burial.
Accused bomber Eric Rudolph is expected to plead guilty in a Birmingham, Alabama, courtroom just about two hours from now. He'll then be taken to Atlanta, where he will enter guilty pleas in three other bombing cases.
And the FDA has rejected at least one company's effort to end a ban on silicone breast implants. Another company will make its case today on why its implant should be allowed back on the market.
To the forecast center now.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" 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 13, 2005 - 06:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Eric Rudolph agreed to a deal that will keep him from going to death row, but today he has to live up to his end of the bargain and plead guilty.
CNN's David Mattingly joins us live from Birmingham, where Rudolph is expected to arrive in court in less than two hours.
Good morning -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
When Eric Rudolph walks into court today, everything is expected to go according to a very prearranged script. Rudolph will plead guilty to bombing an abortion clinic here in Birmingham. That happened back in 1998. Then, he will go to Atlanta, where he will plead guilty to three more bombings, including the bombing of Centennial Olympic Park back in 1996.
Now, this all came about because of a deal that was worked out with prosecutors in recent weeks. Rudolph agreed to plead guilty and reveal the location of explosives he had hidden in western North Carolina. Authorities went to five locations that he pointed out. They found 250 pounds of explosives. They also found one large bomb that they later detonated.
Now, in exchange for all of this, Rudolph escapes the death penalty. He will instead get life in prison at a federal super-max prison in Colorado, the same facility that houses other domestic terrorists, including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.
But that's not going to happen right away, Carol, because Rudolph won't be formally sentenced today. That's going to happen at a later date. That is the time that we could hear statements from Rudolph and some of his victims. But today, no such drama is expected; just the first step in a pretty prearranged pattern that will put Rudolph away for quite some time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, it will be interesting to find out why. Have we had any hint? Because he bombs an abortion clinic, h e bombs a gay bar, and then he puts a bomb in Centennial Park at the Olympics. It will be interesting to find out how all of those things are connected.
MATTINGLY: That is the one major lingering question. Why? And that is the one question that he has not answered yet. And we don't know if he ever will. But like we're being told that the later court appearance, he will have the opportunity to speak, and maybe then that's why we'll find out what was on his mind, what he was possibly thinking when he carried out these bombings.
COSTELLO: David Mattingly live from Birmingham this morning. Thank you.
We've been talking, too, about this all morning: a database breach at LexisNexis. It's even bigger than the company first admitted. The data broker now says personal information on 310,000 people nationwide may have been stolen. That's nearly 10 times more people than first thought.
LexisNexis, in case you didn't know, compiles and sells information on you, like where you live, your driver's license and your social security number and what you buy. All of this follows an incident at data warehouse ChoicePoint back in February. The company admitted that it had inadvertently given the identity of 145,000 of its customers to thieves.
Now, the Senate is taking on the issue of identity theft with a committee hearing today. We want to talk about that with CNN Radio's John Bisney.
Good morning -- John.
JOHN BISNEY, CNN RADIO: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, what are they going to be talking about?
BISNEY: Well, just that. How do you stop this flow of information illegally out to potential data thieves? And there are a number of possibilities.
The legislation they've been talking about, most of them require the consumer to be notified if there is any breach. Now, you know, that doesn't do you a lot of good in retrospect. But nevertheless, that's what that bill would do.
Also, legislation is possible that would restrict the use of social security numbers to cut down on the problem from that angle. And states are looking at this legislation as well.
COSTELLO: Well, you know -- I don't know. The legislature has been talking about controlling the Internet for such a long time, and it really hasn't come up with any answers. Should we expect something different this time?
BISNEY: Well, I think it will help around the edges. But, yes, as long as there are computer hackers and there are databases, presumably they will find ways to get through it. And in some cases, this was not hackers. It was people who were posing as phony investigators, as legitimate users of this information.
So, you know, the criminal element will always be with us, but I think Congress clearly sees this is a major problem. It's affected somewhere in the neighborhood of maybe a million Americans over the past couple of years. Fourteen major breaches in the past year alone.
So, it's got Congress' attention, and they're determined to do what they can.
COSTELLO: We'll see what happens. CNN Radio's John Bisney joining us this morning. Thank you.
After plenty of emotional testimony on both sides of the issue, an FDA advisory panel has voted against approving silicone gel breast implants made by one company. Now, another company will make its case today on why its implants should be allowed back on the market. The agency doesn't have to follow the panel's advice, but it usually does.
So, let's check in with our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, to find out more.
So, it's denied one company's wishes to put these things back on the market. So, another company is going to lay out similar evidence or different evidence?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to be different evidence, Carol, because it's a different company. It's done different clinical trials. But, of course, they are going to face a tough road if you look at what this FDA advisory committee decided to do yesterday. They say that Inamed, a company which wants to market sort of a new generation of silicone breast implants, and this advisory committee said no, they just didn't feel secure about the safety of these new implants.
Now, you'll remember silicone breast implants were taken off the general market 13 years ago. And, again, this company said that theirs were better, were new and improved.
But let's go over what some of the risks are in the first place with these implants, why scientists and doctors are concerned. The risks are rupture and infection, and also that once you have them in there, it can make mammograms difficult to read, concerns that doctors would miss a cancer that could be in the breast.
Now, it's very interesting. The Institute of Medicine has found that silicone breast implants are not likely to cause cancer, immune diseases and neurological problems. May women testified to this FDA committee that they had contracted those problems because of the implants. And in the end, the Institute of Medicine said no, we don't think that there is a link there.
But, now the FDA advisory committee said, well, even if those aren't the issue, the problems with rupture, the possible problems with infection, that was enough to make them say no -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK. Well, we'll be listening to the hearing again today.
You heard Chad mention the word "pandemic" and about this 1957 flu strain that the WHO is warning. Fill us in on that. What's going on here?
COHEN: Carol, this is really such a bizarre story. There was a lab that was responsible for sending samples of viruses out to other labs to see if those labs were able to do the kinds of tests that are necessary. So, it's sort of a test for thousands of other labs in 18 countries to see if they were able to handle viruses. And they were supposed to send out a harmless virus, but by mistake they sent out the 1957 flu virus, which killed millions of people.
And now, these labs are supposed to destroy this virus. It's not thought that there's any threat to public health. These are labs that know what to do with the virus. They're used to handling them. They know they're not supposed to take it out of the building. They know how to destroy them.
So, there's not any threat here. But, of course, it does make you think, gee, how could someone make a mistake like that? Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, that was my first thought. Elizabeth Cohen live in Atlanta for us this morning. We appreciate it.
A Senate committee votes today on the nomination of Lester Crawford to be FDA commissioner. Observers say his nomination will likely stall in the full Senate over Plan B, the so-called morning- after pill. However, Crawford is expected to be confirmed eventually.
New details are emerging about a plot to attack financial targets here in the United States. So, let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning -- Bill.
HEMMER: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.
As you mentioned, the fed is charging three men in connection with scouting U.S. financial targets for a possible terror attack. Authorities say the plot was in the works for years. Is it possible, though, Carol, it's still happening today, even though the indictments came out this week? We'll ask the man in charge. U.S. Deputy Attorney General James Comie (ph) is our guest this morning.
Also this morning, the mother of Michael Jackson's accuser is expected to take the stand this week, possibly today. But could the skeletons in her past prevent her from testifying? There's this ongoing debate outside that courtroom in Santa Maria, Carol, as to whether or not she will ever take the stand. And if she does, how will the defense go after her? And how long will she be on that stand? That's what kind of keeps this case interesting again today. So, we'll look at that this morning with Jeff Toobin -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I see a vicious cross-examination.
HEMMER: Yes, I think your crystal ball is telling you exactly right.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: See you later. All right.
COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, Nike is naming names and places. You may be surprised to find out where they employ the most people, and it isn't here in the United States.
And guess who is about to stock up diapers? I know what you're thinking. Stop it.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's time now for a little "Business Buzz." Corporate and responsibility aren't two words we hear used together a lot lately. It's so sad.
Carrie Lee tells us about one company, though, that's doing its part.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It feels like this is every topic we talk about. But we're talking about Nike. You know the company has faced years of criticism over working conditions in its overseas factories. Well, Nike is doing something about it. They're not running from these concerns.
Nike is now disclosing the names and locations of over 700 of its factories. Activists say this move could help control employee abuse, and that's because independent auditors could observe the working conditions there.
Nike admits that some factories it works with have harassed employees and forced them to work overtime and even denied workers access to toilets and water. Experts say this is the first time a major apparel manufacturer has voluntarily disclosed its factory list. Most of the plants, by the way, are in China and other Asian nations.
So, a horrible story in some ways, Carol, but at least Nike is doing something about it, trying to open up...
COSTELLO: Are they going to give their own employees a raise?
LEE: Well, we'll see about that. We'll see about that. I know. Think about how much it costs to put together a running shoe, and then the sticker price, oh, you know they're making a lot of money. But, anyway, at least they're doing something about it.
COSTELLO: True, true. We should give them kudos for that.
LEE: That's right.
COSTELLO: A quick look at the futures.
LEE: Futures are looking a little bit lower for today's session. Of course, this is the week the big corporate profit reporting season kicks off.
One stock to watch is going to be Apple. Wall Street is expecting profits to more than triple from the year-ago period. The iPod, of course, is very successful. And we'll see what they do tonight after the bell.
COSTELLO: We'll keep an eye on it. Thank you, Carrie.
Other lawmakers have done it. So, why is there so much hubbub in the mountains of West Virginia as lawmakers plan to make English the official state language? Coming up, I'll talk to a reporter covering this controversy.
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COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
It will be a busy day for Eric Rudolph. He appears in two courtrooms in two cities to plead guilty to a total of four bombings. The plea deal spares Rudolph the death penalty.
In money news, Wal-Mart wants to make up for some of the wildlife habitats that are lost when it builds one of its humongous superstores. The company is now pledging $35 million to buy land for a priority wildlife project, and that will happen sometime during the next 10 years.
In culture, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, will be home to the world's largest permanent indoor sculpture. This is a model from. This isn't it. Artist Richard Sara (ph) is working on a steel piece that will be more than 430 feet long. It will weigh 1,200 tons. That's a big sculpture.
In sports, the Boston Celtics busted Philadelphia 105-98 to control the Atlantic Division. Paul Pierce (ph) scored 27 points for the Celtics, moving them closer toward clinching the division title. Five games remain, Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, good, because then maybe it will be football season. That means winter is coming, and I don't want that either.
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COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.
Monday, April 18 is the next big date on the calendar for the cardinals in Rome. But what's happening during the next five days is quite interesting for people closely following the process of choosing a new pope.
CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."
Good morning.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.
Yes, you're absolutely right. Next Monday is the date when the cardinals begin the conclave, the process of picking the next pope. But there is already, many say, some unofficial politicking going on. CNN's Vatican analyst John Allen is going to join us live from Rome. We'll talk about the private discussions that are already under way between those cardinals.
Also this morning, we're going to meet Deborah Voigt (ph). Voigt is a world-class soprano. She was fired, you might recall, by London's Royal Opera for being overweight. Well, since then she's lost more than 100 pounds. She underwent gastric bypass surgery. We're going to talk about the procedure and what she's doing right now.
That's ahead this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING" at the top of the hour. Carol, we'll see you then.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Soledad.
Speak English. That's what the lawmakers in one state voted for, even though some of them didn't realize it.
And from diva to diapers, the stork is on the way for this princess of pop. The happy baby news when we come back.
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COSTELLO: Oftentimes on DAYBREAK, things stir our interest. This morning, it's the idea that English should be our official language. It may soon be the law in West Virginia. It's one of the most popular stories right now on CNN.com.
Now, keep in mind, just 2 percent of the population in West Virginia is from another country. Maybe their broken English is bugging people there.
We want to know more. So, joining us live from Charleston, West Virginia, is Erik Schelzig.
Good morning, Erik.
ERIK SCHELZIG, WV ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTER: Good morning.
COSTELLO: Tell us about this law -- this proposed law, I should say, because the governor still has to sign it.
SCHELZIG: That's right. It all started on the last night of the legislation session here on Saturday. And in this sort of mad flurry of bills moving back and forth between the House and the Senate, one bill was amended to include this language that English would be the official language of West Virginia. Now, the bill...
COSTELLO: Legislators are saying that -- some legislators say they didn't even notice it was part of this bill, because the bill had to do with park land.
SCHELZIG: That's right. It had to do with how many members of the Board of Parks and Recreation the municipality could appoint. So, not immediately obvious that that has anything to do with what language West Virginians should speak.
COSTELLO: So, if the governor signs it -- and he may -- English will be the official language of West Virginia. What does that really mean?
SCHELZIG: Well, it's hard to say. As you pointed out, there isn't very many non-English speakers in this state. What supporters say is that it would allow agencies not to have to publish any documents and materials in any language other than English. We're having a hard time finding out whether any agencies already do that in the first place.
COSTELLO: Well, something struck us. I mean, does it mean that if you don't speak English that an employer has the right not to hire you?
SCHELZIG: There's nothing in the language of the bill that says anything about that. All it says is that it provides that English is the official language of the state. I guess it remains to be seen how that happens and how that works in practice.
COSTELLO: Well, we were struggling to get behind the point of this still. And I want to explore this some more. I mean, are some legislators in West Virginia afraid that immigrants coming in will destroy the culture of America?
SCHELZIG: Again, it's not something that we've really heard too much about. There's a group in Washington called U.S. English that lobbies for this sort of language to be sort of laws in various states. If the governor here in West Virginia signs this bill, West Virginia would actually be the 28th state to have such laws on the books.
COSTELLO: So, do you think the governor will sign it?
SCHELZIG: It's not clear. His spokeswoman has said he hasn't read the bill yet. He doesn't know. But one thing that does hint toward what he might do is that when he was as state senator back in 1987, he sponsored similar legislation that ultimately failed.
COSTELLO: We'll see what happens. Erik Schelzig reporting live for us this morning from Charleston, West Virginia. We appreciate it.
It's 6:53 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.
A controversial hunting proposal has cat lovers up in paws. We've been getting so much e-mail about this, because this was our e- mail question from 5:00 a.m. Eastern. A huge lobbying group has voted to allow hunters to kill feral cats just like skunks or gophers. The Humane Society calls the proposal cruel. We'll keep you posted.
Family members on the first female soldier killed in Iraq are packing up their home today. That's because tomorrow the "Extreme Makeover" crew will start building them a new home. Lori Piestewa died two years ago when her convoy was ambushed in Iraq. The not-so-secret secret is out. Pop singer Britney Spears' Web site tells it all. She is pregnant. Britney and her husband, Kevin Federline, got hitched last fall, and the singer claims she really, really, really wants to be a young mom.
Hi, Chad.
MYERS: It looks like she's going to get that option.
COSTELLO: What?
MYERS: She's going to get that option. It looks like she's going to get that opportunity.
COSTELLO: No turning back now.
MYERS: Hey, I tell you what, it is more work than you think. But you all know that who have kids.
It's time to give away a coffee mug, Carol, for today. We're kind of doing it a little early today. But everybody can get their mug questions in on time.
What vitamin offers relief from allergy symptoms? That answer was Vitamin C. And how many gallons of gas do Americans use per day? 3.5 a piece or 360 million is the correct answer.
Donna Soole from West Milford, New Jersey, had the right answer and was picked at random for today's DAYBREAK coffee mug.
Now here are your questions for today. What company's database was breached? This is all about the story about losing some information, private information. What's that company's name? And lawmakers in what state just made English their official language?
CNN.com/DAYBREAK, go there, the questions will be there for you. Click on it. Give us the answers. We'll give you a DAYBREAK mug tomorrow.
COSTELLO: Enough said. This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.
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COSTELLO: Stories "Now in the News."
After a quick trip to Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is in Afghanistan this morning. He's meeting with U.S. commanders and troops fighting the war on terrorism. In Iraq, Rumsfeld met with the newly-elected transitional president and prime minister.
Hundreds of pilgrims passed by the grave of Pope John Paul II this morning. The crypt underneath St. Peter's Basilica is now open to the public for the first time since the pope's burial.
Accused bomber Eric Rudolph is expected to plead guilty in a Birmingham, Alabama, courtroom just about two hours from now. He'll then be taken to Atlanta, where he will enter guilty pleas in three other bombing cases.
And the FDA has rejected at least one company's effort to end a ban on silicone breast implants. Another company will make its case today on why its implant should be allowed back on the market.
To the forecast center now.
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COSTELLO: From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.
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