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CNN Live At Daybreak
Electing a New Pope; Tom DeLay Fighting Back
Aired April 18, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, 115 men prepare to cut themselves off from the world to select a new leader for Catholics around the world.
Plus, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ethical issues -- how he's fighting back.
And going full speed ahead on the World Wide Web. Intel introduces a new computer chip that could make today's wireless technology a thing of the past.
It is Monday, April 18.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Also this hour, we'll track the whereabouts of that wayward whale in the Delaware River. Has he made it to sea yet?
But first, stories now in the news.
The process to choose a new pope has begun and it started with prayer. One hundred fifteen Catholic cardinals ended their mass celebration within the last 15 minutes. They're now preparing to take part in the Conclave to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
There is serious concern this morning over the shutdown of one North Korean nuclear plant. The potential for plutonium harvesting exists when a plant shuts down completely. North Korea says the plant has been stopped for routine cleaning.
A New York bound cruise ship was forced to dock in South Carolina after being battered by one massive wave. Four people were injured and the ship did sustain damage.
And Amtrak's high speed Acela train is limping back into action after brake problems were discover last week. One trail will run this morning from New York to Washington, and then from Washington to Boston this afternoon. For more information, you can contract Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or log onto amtrak.com.
To the Forecast Center now -- good morning, Chad. CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
That won't be enough to keep those people happy.
How was the cherry blossoms in D.C.? Were they gone?
COSTELLO: They were gone.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: You were right, they were gone.
MYERS: Just a week too late.
COSTELLO: It was still beautiful down there.
MYERS: Sure, of course. But they know when to put that cherry blossom festival. I mean it's pretty much every year the blossoms come out, the pollen comes out, all that kind of stuff, so.
Hey, good morning and welcome back.
Glad you're here this Monday.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Up first this hour, prayers and solemn reflection as 115 cardinals gather in Rome to choose the new pope.
Let's head live to the Vatican now and CNN's Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci -- good morning.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
I am here on the ground in St. Peter's Square, where already, as you can see behind me, thousands of people have already gathered. It is a busy time for the Vatican. Of course, not just tourists and pilgrims. There are also people eagerly awaiting the results of that very important election here. People here are telling us it's so historical, they do not want to miss. And even if they are here on trips and on travel they had already planned before the pope died, of course, they want to take an opportunity to be here in the square when that announcement comes.
I'm going to step out of the way here to show you a little bit of St. Peter's Square. As you can see, thousands already gathered here. They are actually trying to make their way inside the basilica, where they can pay their last respects, of course, to Pope John Paul II, buried in the grotto there. And, of course, they will know the result of the election once the chimney (AUDIO GAP) up in the Sistine Chapel up there. And, of course, black smoke means there is no pope and white smoke means, of course, that there is a pope.
This is an old tradition dating back to the end of the 19th century, when there was a reunification of Italy and the Vatican, of course, was separated and the pope considered himself a hostage, if you want, of the Vatican, could not come out. This whole area was actually considered a no man's land. And so the pope, to communicate his election, or the cardinals to communicate the election of a new pope, would use the smoke.
This time around, to avoid any confusion, they'll be using also the bells. As you can see here on the left hand side of the St. Peter's Basilica, these, there are several bells here, seven of them, as a matter of fact. The biggest one, the large one, known as the Campanon (ph). It's a huge bell, about 20,000 pounds and about eight feet wide.
And, of course, once the announcement of the pope has been made, we'll see the senior cardinal, dean, emerging from the main balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square, where already red drapes are already being set up.
As you can see probably there, a group of American tourists. There's a big American flag there waving in the foreground. There, of course, the cardinal dean will announce the very important word that everybody is waiting for, and that is "Habemus papam!", "We have a pope!" And that is when the new pope, when he will be selected, will pronounce or will deliver his first blessing that will be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the city of Rome and, of course, to the world -- Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: We'll be awaiting their decision.
Alessio Vinci live at the Vatican this morning.
Thank you.
Once again, the search for a young girl in Florida has turned up a lifeless body and a sex offender suspect. David Onstott faces arraignment this morning on charges he killed 13-year-old Sarah Lunde. Police say he admitted to choking the young girl to death in her home. Sarah Lunde's body was found in a pond not far away from where she lived.
Onstott's admission comes almost exactly one month after sex offender John Couey confessed to killing Jessica Lunsford.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: Couey and Onstott could have went to prison for one to five years and just maybe both of these children would still be alive today. Because I'm telling you, it's making me sick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: It's making a lot of people sick.
Friends of the Lunde family and the community who searched for her for days gathered in a Ruskin, Florida church on Sunday to remember the teenager. In other "News Across America" now, a mystery in Pennsylvania. Police there are still searching for clues in the disappearance of a leading prosecutor. District Attorney Ray Gricar was last heard from on Friday. Police found his car near an antique market about 45 miles from his home, but say they found no signs of foul play or other clues inside the car.
A candlelight vigil held at the Oklahoma City national memorial to remember victims of the Holocaust. The ceremony began 10 days of events planned to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Tomorrow will mark 10 years since that tragic event.
And tonight, CNN's Aaron Brown hosts a special edition of "NEWSNIGHT" from Oklahoma City. Survivors give their account of the attack on the eve of the anniversary. "Day of Terror: Remembering Oklahoma City" comes your way at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
When DAYBREAK continues, we head back to Rome for a look at what happens today if the cardinals do not vote, or, even more importantly, what if they do?
And what makes some Democrats point their fingers at Tom DeLay? A look at the majority leader's career, especially his recent time in the spotlight.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:09 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
An unregistered sex offender charged with the murder of Florida teenager Sarah Lunde has an arraignment less than two hours from now. Police say David Onstott confessed to choking the 13-year-old to death in her home on April 10.
In money news, the world's financial leaders met over the weekend to discuss the impact of high oil prices. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also discussed ways to help erase the debt built up by the world's poorest nations.
In culture, Amityville number two was number one at the box office over the weekend. The remake of the original "Amityville Horror" pulled in just over $23 million.
In sports, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Yankees again, completing a weekend sweep. The loss keeps the Yanks in last place in their division and prompted some harsh words from George Steinbrenner. The boss said enough is enough and told fans he's bitterly disappointed by the team.
Ooh, chilly words from the boss.
MYERS: They used the word "fuming" for Mr. Steinbrenner, in fact. We'll get to that story in a little bit, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: While you were sleeping, a shocking day in the Asian markets. See if your stocks took a turn for the worst.
And Tom DeLay, lightning rod of the Republican Party. Why is his past and even some of his own comments coming back to haunt him? We'll tell you when DAYBREAK continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: I know you've heard about this by now, but we've got the play by play. Maybe it's lightning reflexes that make Alex Rodriguez a baseball superstar. Anyway, it sure was quick thinking that made A-Rod the superstar of the McCarthy family.
Our Alina Cho has the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Patrick McCarthy is one lucky boy.
PATRICK MCCARTHY, YANKEE FAN: I saw my favorite baseball player on the Yankees and he just saved my life.
CHO: His favorite player...
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Alex Rodriguez.
CHO: Fans call him A-rod, New York Yankees star turned good Samaritan.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ, YANKEES THIRD BASEMAN: Right place, right time, I guess.
CHO: Rodriguez was out and about in Boston, Wednesday just hours before a game against the Red Sox when he noticed an oncoming car and a boy, Patrick, who was about to get hit.
RODRIGUEZ: So it was just one of those incidents that I put my arm in front of him and the car almost ran us both over.
CHO: Eight-year-old Patrick was stunned and star struck.
P. MCCARTHY: So I look up and I was like A-rod. Wow! And he was, like, "Are you OK?"
I was, like, "Yes, I am. A-rod, my name's Patrick McCarty and I want to play for the Yankees some day."
CHO: Patrick dreams of pitching for the Yankees. So does his father.
JOE MCCARTHY, PATRICK'S FATHER: How's that Mr. Steinbrenner? Strike three!
CHO: Patrick even plays for a little league team called the Red Sox. Yes, the Red Sox. You see, Patrick and his family live on Martha's Vineyard, not far from Boston, anti-Yankee territory. The McCarthys are Yankee fans because father, Joe, grew up in New York. It's not always easy. When the Red Sox won the World Series last year, Patrick's classmates let him know.
A. MCCARTHY: They kind of bugged me about like they won the World Series. And I just would say, like, who's won 26 World Series and who's only won six?
CHO: Now he has the last laugh. An instant celebrity, even recognized outside Yankee Stadium.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go Yankees, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go Yankees!
CHO: The McCarthys are here to take in two Yankee games and see their hero, Alex Rodriguez.
J. MCCARTHY: See, I followed Alex's career from Seattle to Texas. I've seen him play in All Star games and make brilliant plays. But this is his best catch ever.
A. MCCARTHY: What I would like to say is a future Hall of Famer saved a future Hall of Famer.
CHO: Crisis averted, opportunity of a life time.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That's a well spoken kid. He has a future. You'll hear more from A-Rod's biggest fan coming up later this morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
Stock market investors took a hit last week.
What caused the pain and can we expect it to continue -- Carrie Lee joins us to tell us more.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, it was a bad week for stocks last week. We saw a lot of selling across-the-board. The Dow fell 3.6 percent, 381 points. The Industrials saw the worst week in stocks in over two years.
A couple of things causing the declines. A lot of people are wondering this. First of all, high oil prices. We've talked about this many times on this show. This has an effect on not only consumers in the way of high gas prices -- that puts a crimp on consumer spending -- but also on corporate America. They have to pay for higher oil prices, as well. So every company is facing these higher costs.
Also, of course, we have corporate earnings. We've seen some recent weakness lately. IBM down over 8 percent last week, and that is in the Dow, as well as very important to the technology sector. So on Friday we had IBM causing some concern for stocks, as well.
Also, rising interest rates. We've talked a lot about this. The Federal Reserve, led by Alan Greenspan, is in the process of raising rates. They're raising rates to curb inflation, rising prices. Inflation is another worry for investors.
So what can reverse this trend? Well, the corporate profit reporting season really heats up this week. So we'll see if we get some up side action here. Companies may be posting some better than expected results.
Carol, we'll hear from Dow component 3M this morning. But I have to say, futures are looking weak once again. So selling is really, unfortunately for the bulls, has been the big name of the game lately.
COSTELLO: It's pretty nerve-wracking right now.
LEE: It really is. It really is. We have stocks at the lowest level of the year and, you know, short-term profits might come out with some better than expected news. But other than that, nothing really bullish in sight.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee, thank you.
LEE: OK.
COSTELLO: The Norwegian Dawn will sail again this afternoon despite being hit by a rogue wave over the weekend. Did you hear about this? It's not quite the Poseidon adventure, but enough to scare the willies out of hundreds of cruise passengers.
Our Denise Belgrave picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DENISE BELGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not what cruising is supposed to be.
JAMES FRALEY, NORWEGIAN DAWN PASSENGER: It was pure hell. BELGRAVE: James Fraley says that was the scene aboard the Norwegian Dawn, as the ship struggled through severe weather.
FRALEY: We're talking 47 foot waves hitting the 10th floor, knocking Jacuzzis on the 12th floor overboard, people sleeping in hallways with life preservers on, just, just pure, pure pandemonium. BELGRAVE: Karen Hogan and her family decided to take a cruise on their first vacation because her husband isn't comfortable flying. Hogan left this message on her mother's answering machine.
KAREN HOGAN, NORWEGIAN DAWN PASSENGER: We have been in 42 foot swells for 24 hours. There's damage to our ship. People have been hurt. It's been a nightmare. BELGRAVE: Norwegian Cruise Lines has not yet responded to CNN's calls.
But their Web site did say the ship was hit by a freak wave that caused two windows to break, flooding 62 cabins. Four passengers were reported hurt with cuts and bruises. It also said: "The safety and integrity of the ship was in no way compromised by this incident."
That may be so, says Fraley, but he says people were being thrown around like rag dolls. Fraley says he and his wife got off the ship early because his wife was scared to death.
FRALEY: My wife and myself, we were celebrating our honeymoon, called our loved ones, because we thought that -- it was the end. You have a lifetime of memories now destroyed. It's not going to cut it. BELGRAVE: Passengers say they've been offered a free trip as compensation. But that's an offer some may find easy to decline.
Denise Belgrave, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: OK, the rogue wave, estimated at 70 feet high, hit half way up the 14 story tall ship. Eyewitness accounts of the damage vary, but here's what another passenger, Carla Burgess, told CNN's Carol Lin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLA BURGESS, CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER: ... took over that ship and tossed it around like it was a piece of feather, like it was a feather. It was horrible. Children were screaming. We were all in our life jackets. We didn't know what was coming next.
When we were going through all of this, they offered free drinks. Free drinks! Can you before that? They want people drunk while we're going through all of this mess? And then they offered 25 percent off of your next cruise. Who wants to go on the next cruise? I sure don't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Whoo!
After inspection, the Coast Guard pronounced the vessel shipshape. It's back in New York and scheduled to sail again this afternoon.
I want to bring in Chad because...
MYERS: Yes?
COSTELLO: A seven foot -- seven story high waves don't happen every day.
MYERS: No, the...
COSTELLO: What do you think caused this?
MYERS: Well, they call them rogue waves. It was in very rough weather, one way or the other. There was a very large storm off the North Carolina coast. We showed you on Friday that storm blowing rain and a lot of wind for the golfers down there at Hilton Head and also even from Myrtle Beach back down.
This spin was going on for days. And almost like a hurricane or a tropical storm because it wasn't that strong, but a tropical storm that just wouldn't move for a few days. The waves kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And the normal waves that this boat was in, they were in 17 to 18 footers before the rogue wave hits. And there are rogue waves across the Atlantic Ocean all the time, Carol. And there is no explanation yet for -- just one storm that, one wave that kind of keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And as the wind continues to push it, it just turns into this rogue wave. And there's, it could be one or two. It could be a series of them.
COSTELLO: And I would suspect, if you're the ship's captain and you're out in the middle of the ocean -- I don't know how far out they were...
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: ... but there really isn't anything you can do, is there?
MYERS: No. It was actually, it was night, as well, so you couldn't really see this wave coming.
A lot of ships have been capsized over the years because of rogue waves out there. Obviously not this ship, because it was so big.
COSTELLO: Yes.
MYERS: But think if that was just a 45 foot sailboat that got hit by a 70 foot wave. And maybe there were some sailboats out there we don't know about.
COSTELLO: I don't think we'd be talking to any passengers this morning.
MYERS: True.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We're going to take a short break.
You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It is a day filled with history, tradition and the promise of the future. The process for choosing a new pope has begun. In about four hours, the cardinals take an oath of secrecy. And then around 12:00 Eastern, the Conclave will officially begin in the Sistine Chapel.
Joining me now from Rome, John McCaffrey, a Vatican insider.
Welcome to you.
JOHN MCCAFFREY, CATHOLIC HISTORIAN: Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: You've been a student of the Vatican and its workings for such a long time.
Set the mood for us.
MCCAFFREY: We've just had a wonderful liturgy and ceremony here in the basilica of St. Peter, the mass to begin the Conclave officially, the proalegendo pontifica (ph). A hundred and fifteen cardinals who are cardinal electors, who are able to vote, will process this afternoon from the Hall of Benedictions into the Sistine Chapel and take their places.
Of course, there are other cardinals. There are some 40 more who are over 80 and cannot vote, but could be elected pope.
COSTELLO: Is this shaping up to be a clash of two outlooks, one centering on moral issues like right to life issues, and the other pointing more toward social issues, like helping the poor?
MCCAFFREY: It's tempting to think that way because that's what we're used to in secular politics. But it's not how the church thinks.
To quote Cardinal Maradiaga from Honduras, who spoke in his homily yesterday in one of the masses here in Rome, who said this isn't an election in the way we normally think about it.
I spoke to a couple of cardinals in the last few days who said first and foremost, they're going to try and choose a prayerful man of god. Of course, they've had, I think, 12 days now since the pope's death. They have met every day as a College of Cardinals, as a body of electors, in these general congregations. And they've actually talked to each other about what the issues are.
And although we know because -- well, we don't know because they're sworn to secrecy, but we do know because even cardinals talk. One cardinal told me that there had been a very moving intervention on Saturday in the meeting from an African cardinal who stood up and said we all have similar problems in our archdioceses around the world and in our countries -- AIDS, war, issues of social justice, poverty. But at the end of the day, we will choose a man that we believe the Holy Spirit has rested upon, who's prayerful, who's got great experience and who can get the added gifts that god will give to help him shoulder the burden.
No man is going to have the complete skills set. I think that's important to say. But some of them are better prepared than others.
COSTELLO: So the vote probably won't come today, but maybe tomorrow or the next day or the next day after that. We just don't know. But of course we'll keep an eye out.
John McCaffrey joining us live from Rome this morning.
Thank you.
We're going to take a short break.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, at the Vatican, the cardinals prepare to elect a new pope. Their day began with mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The 115 cardinals will go into seclusion at the Sistine Chapel to select the new leader of the Catholic Church.
China is refusing to apologize for widespread anti-Japan protests. Demonstrations in several Chinese cities intensified as the foreign ministers from both countries met in Beijing. Protesters oppose Tokyo's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.
The mother of Michael Jackson's accuser will be back on the stand when the trial resumes today. Jackson's attorney is set to begin the second day of cross-examination. The mother already protested to the judge once last week that the attorney was being too aggressive.
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Aired April 18, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, 115 men prepare to cut themselves off from the world to select a new leader for Catholics around the world.
Plus, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's ethical issues -- how he's fighting back.
And going full speed ahead on the World Wide Web. Intel introduces a new computer chip that could make today's wireless technology a thing of the past.
It is Monday, April 18.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Also this hour, we'll track the whereabouts of that wayward whale in the Delaware River. Has he made it to sea yet?
But first, stories now in the news.
The process to choose a new pope has begun and it started with prayer. One hundred fifteen Catholic cardinals ended their mass celebration within the last 15 minutes. They're now preparing to take part in the Conclave to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
There is serious concern this morning over the shutdown of one North Korean nuclear plant. The potential for plutonium harvesting exists when a plant shuts down completely. North Korea says the plant has been stopped for routine cleaning.
A New York bound cruise ship was forced to dock in South Carolina after being battered by one massive wave. Four people were injured and the ship did sustain damage.
And Amtrak's high speed Acela train is limping back into action after brake problems were discover last week. One trail will run this morning from New York to Washington, and then from Washington to Boston this afternoon. For more information, you can contract Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL or log onto amtrak.com.
To the Forecast Center now -- good morning, Chad. CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
That won't be enough to keep those people happy.
How was the cherry blossoms in D.C.? Were they gone?
COSTELLO: They were gone.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: You were right, they were gone.
MYERS: Just a week too late.
COSTELLO: It was still beautiful down there.
MYERS: Sure, of course. But they know when to put that cherry blossom festival. I mean it's pretty much every year the blossoms come out, the pollen comes out, all that kind of stuff, so.
Hey, good morning and welcome back.
Glad you're here this Monday.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Up first this hour, prayers and solemn reflection as 115 cardinals gather in Rome to choose the new pope.
Let's head live to the Vatican now and CNN's Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci -- good morning.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
I am here on the ground in St. Peter's Square, where already, as you can see behind me, thousands of people have already gathered. It is a busy time for the Vatican. Of course, not just tourists and pilgrims. There are also people eagerly awaiting the results of that very important election here. People here are telling us it's so historical, they do not want to miss. And even if they are here on trips and on travel they had already planned before the pope died, of course, they want to take an opportunity to be here in the square when that announcement comes.
I'm going to step out of the way here to show you a little bit of St. Peter's Square. As you can see, thousands already gathered here. They are actually trying to make their way inside the basilica, where they can pay their last respects, of course, to Pope John Paul II, buried in the grotto there. And, of course, they will know the result of the election once the chimney (AUDIO GAP) up in the Sistine Chapel up there. And, of course, black smoke means there is no pope and white smoke means, of course, that there is a pope.
This is an old tradition dating back to the end of the 19th century, when there was a reunification of Italy and the Vatican, of course, was separated and the pope considered himself a hostage, if you want, of the Vatican, could not come out. This whole area was actually considered a no man's land. And so the pope, to communicate his election, or the cardinals to communicate the election of a new pope, would use the smoke.
This time around, to avoid any confusion, they'll be using also the bells. As you can see here on the left hand side of the St. Peter's Basilica, these, there are several bells here, seven of them, as a matter of fact. The biggest one, the large one, known as the Campanon (ph). It's a huge bell, about 20,000 pounds and about eight feet wide.
And, of course, once the announcement of the pope has been made, we'll see the senior cardinal, dean, emerging from the main balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square, where already red drapes are already being set up.
As you can see probably there, a group of American tourists. There's a big American flag there waving in the foreground. There, of course, the cardinal dean will announce the very important word that everybody is waiting for, and that is "Habemus papam!", "We have a pope!" And that is when the new pope, when he will be selected, will pronounce or will deliver his first blessing that will be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the city of Rome and, of course, to the world -- Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: We'll be awaiting their decision.
Alessio Vinci live at the Vatican this morning.
Thank you.
Once again, the search for a young girl in Florida has turned up a lifeless body and a sex offender suspect. David Onstott faces arraignment this morning on charges he killed 13-year-old Sarah Lunde. Police say he admitted to choking the young girl to death in her home. Sarah Lunde's body was found in a pond not far away from where she lived.
Onstott's admission comes almost exactly one month after sex offender John Couey confessed to killing Jessica Lunsford.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: Couey and Onstott could have went to prison for one to five years and just maybe both of these children would still be alive today. Because I'm telling you, it's making me sick.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: It's making a lot of people sick.
Friends of the Lunde family and the community who searched for her for days gathered in a Ruskin, Florida church on Sunday to remember the teenager. In other "News Across America" now, a mystery in Pennsylvania. Police there are still searching for clues in the disappearance of a leading prosecutor. District Attorney Ray Gricar was last heard from on Friday. Police found his car near an antique market about 45 miles from his home, but say they found no signs of foul play or other clues inside the car.
A candlelight vigil held at the Oklahoma City national memorial to remember victims of the Holocaust. The ceremony began 10 days of events planned to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing. Tomorrow will mark 10 years since that tragic event.
And tonight, CNN's Aaron Brown hosts a special edition of "NEWSNIGHT" from Oklahoma City. Survivors give their account of the attack on the eve of the anniversary. "Day of Terror: Remembering Oklahoma City" comes your way at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.
When DAYBREAK continues, we head back to Rome for a look at what happens today if the cardinals do not vote, or, even more importantly, what if they do?
And what makes some Democrats point their fingers at Tom DeLay? A look at the majority leader's career, especially his recent time in the spotlight.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:09 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
An unregistered sex offender charged with the murder of Florida teenager Sarah Lunde has an arraignment less than two hours from now. Police say David Onstott confessed to choking the 13-year-old to death in her home on April 10.
In money news, the world's financial leaders met over the weekend to discuss the impact of high oil prices. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also discussed ways to help erase the debt built up by the world's poorest nations.
In culture, Amityville number two was number one at the box office over the weekend. The remake of the original "Amityville Horror" pulled in just over $23 million.
In sports, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Yankees again, completing a weekend sweep. The loss keeps the Yanks in last place in their division and prompted some harsh words from George Steinbrenner. The boss said enough is enough and told fans he's bitterly disappointed by the team.
Ooh, chilly words from the boss.
MYERS: They used the word "fuming" for Mr. Steinbrenner, in fact. We'll get to that story in a little bit, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: While you were sleeping, a shocking day in the Asian markets. See if your stocks took a turn for the worst.
And Tom DeLay, lightning rod of the Republican Party. Why is his past and even some of his own comments coming back to haunt him? We'll tell you when DAYBREAK continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: I know you've heard about this by now, but we've got the play by play. Maybe it's lightning reflexes that make Alex Rodriguez a baseball superstar. Anyway, it sure was quick thinking that made A-Rod the superstar of the McCarthy family.
Our Alina Cho has the story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Patrick McCarthy is one lucky boy.
PATRICK MCCARTHY, YANKEE FAN: I saw my favorite baseball player on the Yankees and he just saved my life.
CHO: His favorite player...
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Alex Rodriguez.
CHO: Fans call him A-rod, New York Yankees star turned good Samaritan.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ, YANKEES THIRD BASEMAN: Right place, right time, I guess.
CHO: Rodriguez was out and about in Boston, Wednesday just hours before a game against the Red Sox when he noticed an oncoming car and a boy, Patrick, who was about to get hit.
RODRIGUEZ: So it was just one of those incidents that I put my arm in front of him and the car almost ran us both over.
CHO: Eight-year-old Patrick was stunned and star struck.
P. MCCARTHY: So I look up and I was like A-rod. Wow! And he was, like, "Are you OK?"
I was, like, "Yes, I am. A-rod, my name's Patrick McCarty and I want to play for the Yankees some day."
CHO: Patrick dreams of pitching for the Yankees. So does his father.
JOE MCCARTHY, PATRICK'S FATHER: How's that Mr. Steinbrenner? Strike three!
CHO: Patrick even plays for a little league team called the Red Sox. Yes, the Red Sox. You see, Patrick and his family live on Martha's Vineyard, not far from Boston, anti-Yankee territory. The McCarthys are Yankee fans because father, Joe, grew up in New York. It's not always easy. When the Red Sox won the World Series last year, Patrick's classmates let him know.
A. MCCARTHY: They kind of bugged me about like they won the World Series. And I just would say, like, who's won 26 World Series and who's only won six?
CHO: Now he has the last laugh. An instant celebrity, even recognized outside Yankee Stadium.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go Yankees, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go Yankees!
CHO: The McCarthys are here to take in two Yankee games and see their hero, Alex Rodriguez.
J. MCCARTHY: See, I followed Alex's career from Seattle to Texas. I've seen him play in All Star games and make brilliant plays. But this is his best catch ever.
A. MCCARTHY: What I would like to say is a future Hall of Famer saved a future Hall of Famer.
CHO: Crisis averted, opportunity of a life time.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That's a well spoken kid. He has a future. You'll hear more from A-Rod's biggest fan coming up later this morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."
Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
Stock market investors took a hit last week.
What caused the pain and can we expect it to continue -- Carrie Lee joins us to tell us more.
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, it was a bad week for stocks last week. We saw a lot of selling across-the-board. The Dow fell 3.6 percent, 381 points. The Industrials saw the worst week in stocks in over two years.
A couple of things causing the declines. A lot of people are wondering this. First of all, high oil prices. We've talked about this many times on this show. This has an effect on not only consumers in the way of high gas prices -- that puts a crimp on consumer spending -- but also on corporate America. They have to pay for higher oil prices, as well. So every company is facing these higher costs.
Also, of course, we have corporate earnings. We've seen some recent weakness lately. IBM down over 8 percent last week, and that is in the Dow, as well as very important to the technology sector. So on Friday we had IBM causing some concern for stocks, as well.
Also, rising interest rates. We've talked a lot about this. The Federal Reserve, led by Alan Greenspan, is in the process of raising rates. They're raising rates to curb inflation, rising prices. Inflation is another worry for investors.
So what can reverse this trend? Well, the corporate profit reporting season really heats up this week. So we'll see if we get some up side action here. Companies may be posting some better than expected results.
Carol, we'll hear from Dow component 3M this morning. But I have to say, futures are looking weak once again. So selling is really, unfortunately for the bulls, has been the big name of the game lately.
COSTELLO: It's pretty nerve-wracking right now.
LEE: It really is. It really is. We have stocks at the lowest level of the year and, you know, short-term profits might come out with some better than expected news. But other than that, nothing really bullish in sight.
COSTELLO: Carrie Lee, thank you.
LEE: OK.
COSTELLO: The Norwegian Dawn will sail again this afternoon despite being hit by a rogue wave over the weekend. Did you hear about this? It's not quite the Poseidon adventure, but enough to scare the willies out of hundreds of cruise passengers.
Our Denise Belgrave picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DENISE BELGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not what cruising is supposed to be.
JAMES FRALEY, NORWEGIAN DAWN PASSENGER: It was pure hell. BELGRAVE: James Fraley says that was the scene aboard the Norwegian Dawn, as the ship struggled through severe weather.
FRALEY: We're talking 47 foot waves hitting the 10th floor, knocking Jacuzzis on the 12th floor overboard, people sleeping in hallways with life preservers on, just, just pure, pure pandemonium. BELGRAVE: Karen Hogan and her family decided to take a cruise on their first vacation because her husband isn't comfortable flying. Hogan left this message on her mother's answering machine.
KAREN HOGAN, NORWEGIAN DAWN PASSENGER: We have been in 42 foot swells for 24 hours. There's damage to our ship. People have been hurt. It's been a nightmare. BELGRAVE: Norwegian Cruise Lines has not yet responded to CNN's calls.
But their Web site did say the ship was hit by a freak wave that caused two windows to break, flooding 62 cabins. Four passengers were reported hurt with cuts and bruises. It also said: "The safety and integrity of the ship was in no way compromised by this incident."
That may be so, says Fraley, but he says people were being thrown around like rag dolls. Fraley says he and his wife got off the ship early because his wife was scared to death.
FRALEY: My wife and myself, we were celebrating our honeymoon, called our loved ones, because we thought that -- it was the end. You have a lifetime of memories now destroyed. It's not going to cut it. BELGRAVE: Passengers say they've been offered a free trip as compensation. But that's an offer some may find easy to decline.
Denise Belgrave, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COSTELLO: OK, the rogue wave, estimated at 70 feet high, hit half way up the 14 story tall ship. Eyewitness accounts of the damage vary, but here's what another passenger, Carla Burgess, told CNN's Carol Lin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLA BURGESS, CRUISE SHIP PASSENGER: ... took over that ship and tossed it around like it was a piece of feather, like it was a feather. It was horrible. Children were screaming. We were all in our life jackets. We didn't know what was coming next.
When we were going through all of this, they offered free drinks. Free drinks! Can you before that? They want people drunk while we're going through all of this mess? And then they offered 25 percent off of your next cruise. Who wants to go on the next cruise? I sure don't.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Whoo!
After inspection, the Coast Guard pronounced the vessel shipshape. It's back in New York and scheduled to sail again this afternoon.
I want to bring in Chad because...
MYERS: Yes?
COSTELLO: A seven foot -- seven story high waves don't happen every day.
MYERS: No, the...
COSTELLO: What do you think caused this?
MYERS: Well, they call them rogue waves. It was in very rough weather, one way or the other. There was a very large storm off the North Carolina coast. We showed you on Friday that storm blowing rain and a lot of wind for the golfers down there at Hilton Head and also even from Myrtle Beach back down.
This spin was going on for days. And almost like a hurricane or a tropical storm because it wasn't that strong, but a tropical storm that just wouldn't move for a few days. The waves kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And the normal waves that this boat was in, they were in 17 to 18 footers before the rogue wave hits. And there are rogue waves across the Atlantic Ocean all the time, Carol. And there is no explanation yet for -- just one storm that, one wave that kind of keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And as the wind continues to push it, it just turns into this rogue wave. And there's, it could be one or two. It could be a series of them.
COSTELLO: And I would suspect, if you're the ship's captain and you're out in the middle of the ocean -- I don't know how far out they were...
MYERS: Right.
COSTELLO: ... but there really isn't anything you can do, is there?
MYERS: No. It was actually, it was night, as well, so you couldn't really see this wave coming.
A lot of ships have been capsized over the years because of rogue waves out there. Obviously not this ship, because it was so big.
COSTELLO: Yes.
MYERS: But think if that was just a 45 foot sailboat that got hit by a 70 foot wave. And maybe there were some sailboats out there we don't know about.
COSTELLO: I don't think we'd be talking to any passengers this morning.
MYERS: True.
COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We're going to take a short break.
You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday.
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COSTELLO: It is a day filled with history, tradition and the promise of the future. The process for choosing a new pope has begun. In about four hours, the cardinals take an oath of secrecy. And then around 12:00 Eastern, the Conclave will officially begin in the Sistine Chapel.
Joining me now from Rome, John McCaffrey, a Vatican insider.
Welcome to you.
JOHN MCCAFFREY, CATHOLIC HISTORIAN: Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: You've been a student of the Vatican and its workings for such a long time.
Set the mood for us.
MCCAFFREY: We've just had a wonderful liturgy and ceremony here in the basilica of St. Peter, the mass to begin the Conclave officially, the proalegendo pontifica (ph). A hundred and fifteen cardinals who are cardinal electors, who are able to vote, will process this afternoon from the Hall of Benedictions into the Sistine Chapel and take their places.
Of course, there are other cardinals. There are some 40 more who are over 80 and cannot vote, but could be elected pope.
COSTELLO: Is this shaping up to be a clash of two outlooks, one centering on moral issues like right to life issues, and the other pointing more toward social issues, like helping the poor?
MCCAFFREY: It's tempting to think that way because that's what we're used to in secular politics. But it's not how the church thinks.
To quote Cardinal Maradiaga from Honduras, who spoke in his homily yesterday in one of the masses here in Rome, who said this isn't an election in the way we normally think about it.
I spoke to a couple of cardinals in the last few days who said first and foremost, they're going to try and choose a prayerful man of god. Of course, they've had, I think, 12 days now since the pope's death. They have met every day as a College of Cardinals, as a body of electors, in these general congregations. And they've actually talked to each other about what the issues are.
And although we know because -- well, we don't know because they're sworn to secrecy, but we do know because even cardinals talk. One cardinal told me that there had been a very moving intervention on Saturday in the meeting from an African cardinal who stood up and said we all have similar problems in our archdioceses around the world and in our countries -- AIDS, war, issues of social justice, poverty. But at the end of the day, we will choose a man that we believe the Holy Spirit has rested upon, who's prayerful, who's got great experience and who can get the added gifts that god will give to help him shoulder the burden.
No man is going to have the complete skills set. I think that's important to say. But some of them are better prepared than others.
COSTELLO: So the vote probably won't come today, but maybe tomorrow or the next day or the next day after that. We just don't know. But of course we'll keep an eye out.
John McCaffrey joining us live from Rome this morning.
Thank you.
We're going to take a short break.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, at the Vatican, the cardinals prepare to elect a new pope. Their day began with mass in St. Peter's Basilica. The 115 cardinals will go into seclusion at the Sistine Chapel to select the new leader of the Catholic Church.
China is refusing to apologize for widespread anti-Japan protests. Demonstrations in several Chinese cities intensified as the foreign ministers from both countries met in Beijing. Protesters oppose Tokyo's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.
The mother of Michael Jackson's accuser will be back on the stand when the trial resumes today. Jackson's attorney is set to begin the second day of cross-examination. The mother already protested to the judge once last week that the attorney was being too aggressive.
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