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A Second Vote at the Vatican; Marking the 10th Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing

Aired April 19, 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: New developments this morning. A second vote at the Vatican. Black smoke, though, signals there is still no new pope.
And marking the 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, which killed 168 people. A solemn ceremony of healing and remembrance on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING, with Soledad O'Brien at the CNN Broadcast Center in New York and Bill Hemmer reporting from Oklahoma city.

O'BRIEN: Good morning and welcome, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

Good morning, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Soledad, good morning from Oklahoma City. I'm Bill Hemmer. April 19, 2005. It is now ten years after the bombing of the federal building in the center part of the U.S., and this morning a ceremony to remember the 168 people who died that day. The vice president, Dick Cheney, speaks today. So, too, will the former president, Bill Clinton. And we will be here for that memorial ceremony. And also here to tell the story of Oklahoma City today. This is a town with enormous pride, and so many feel as if it is their duty to show the world how to recover. We will meet extraordinary people coming up this morning. Healing and remembering in Oklahoma -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thanks.

Also, the very latest on the conclave is ahead this morning. And then later, an incredible scene in a Rhode Island courtroom. The suspect, accused of killing a cop, brought before the judge badly bruised from injuries. His family's hysterical. Police, though, say there's another face that the public needs to see. That's ahead.

Mr. Cafferty, good morning to you.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

A growing number of pharmacists around the country refusing to fill prescription because they don't agree with what the medicine being prescribed is going to be used for. We'll take a look at where this is going and see what your thoughts are a bit later.

O'BRIEN: Interesting debate on that.

All right, Jack, thank you very much.

The 115 cardinals who are meeting behind closed doors have finished their morning session without choosing a new church leader. But there was a moment of great excitement in St. Peter's Square this morning. Black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney a little over an hour ago, about 10 minutes before noon Rome time. But when the noon bells rang, the crowd started to cheer.

The bells will go along with the election of a new pope. But the second round of balloting has ended without electing a new pope. Now the cardinals have begun a rest and lunch period. It is just after 1:00 p.m. in Rome.

The afternoon session begins at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. But two votes are expected in the morning and afternoon sessions. The cardinals will continue in this way every day until a new pope is chosen.

While we wait for news from here, our Vatican analyst John Allen is watching and waiting in Vatican City this morning.

Hey, John, good morning to you.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Hey, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Describe for us a little bit if you can the confusion when the bells were going off and the smoke, of course, at the very beginning sort of looked like it was white just for a moment before it turned into the black smoke. What exactly happened here?

ALLEN: Well, first of all, you need to understand it's been an overcast morning in Rome. So when the smoke began to come out, as has often happened in the past, it was sort of an indistinct gray. It wasn't entirely clear what was going on. And then it happened to coincide exactly with the noon hour here in Rome, when the Vatican bells typically go off to mark 12:00. And, of course, people have now been conditioned to expect to hear bells when the pope is elected. So there was, as you rightly said, this kind of eruption in the crowd, this sense that a pope had been elected. And then within just a few moments, the smoke turned a clear black and the bells faded away and it became clear that not yet.

O'BRIEN: You could tell from the cheering, the number of people who are gathered to watch all this. How unusual is this? Is this unprecedented in sort of the pope watching that happens whenever a pope is going to be elected?

ALLEN: No, I think what you get is a combination of sort of two crowds. I mean, one is the Roman crowd that, of course, has been through this before, and so knows what time of day to show up in the square to potentially see history in the making. And then, of course, you have a lot of tourists and pilgrims who are in Rome. I mean, this is, to some extent, peak tourist season in Rome. So a lot of people who happen to be in the city for Vacation plans and so forth knowing that a pope might be elected, wanted to turn out and be there just in case. And I expect you'll see the same kind of crowd this afternoon, and they'll continue to build until the moment comes.

O'BRIEN: Let's go through some of the issues that the cardinals are most likely discussing. We obviously don't know specifically what they're saying, but these issues are said to be the focus. The growing gap between the rich and poor, secularism, the relationship with Islam, decentralization. Of those four main issues, which do you think is the most important to the cardinals?

ALLEN: Well, I think they're all terribly important. And it depends upon which cardinal you're talking about. If you talk to cardinals from the developed world, that is western Europe and the United States, most will talk about secularism, this kind of post- religious, post-Christian culture in the West that often turns a deaf ear to spirituality, how does the church engage it.

If you talk to cardinals from the south, on the other hand -- from Africa, Asia, Latin America -- they'll talk primarily about the social justice concerns, the kind of new world order that seems to be taking shape where people in the south often are the victims, and the need for the church to come up with a credible and detailed alternative to that.

O'BRIEN: I'm surprised, though, when we look at that list of the four most important, there are so many things I would consider to be of importance to the American church that don't make the list at all. For example, the issue of pedophilia in the American churches, birth control, female priests. I mean, you can kind go on and on. Why aren't those in the forefront of the important issues?

ALLEN: Well, in terms of birth control and women priests, I think most cardinals regard those as basically settled questions. And so while you're right, they're very much in the minds of Catholics and non-Catholics around the world, I don't think they're in play in this conclave.

On the issue of the sex-abuse scandals in the United States, I think most cardinals would put that set of issues under a larger heading, which is governance in the church, and the need for the next pope to take a look at the internal administration of the church, and perhaps on those kinds of issues to be more attentive to the sort of riding herds (ph), so to speak, on the bishops, to make sure they're doing their jobs. That, after all, was, to some extent, the heart of the crisis. You had bishops who were turning a deaf ear, turning a blind eye, in some cases, when they should have known better, not intervening. There's a sense that there wasn't enough accountability from the top, and perhaps the next pope needs to supply that to a greater degree.

O'BRIEN: Before I let you go, give me a sense of how long a conclave generally last.

ALLEN: Well, I mean, as i've been reminding everybody around the CNN center today, Papalucina (ph), that is John Paul I, was elected actually on the fourth ballot in 1978, which could mean the middle of this afternoon.

But, you know, historically speaking, conclaves somewhere between three, four, at the outer limit five days.

But of course, Soledad, the magic of this process and what makes it so fascinating is that it's simply impossible to predict. We'll just have to wait and see.

O'BRIEN: And you know we'll keep trying to predict it anyway, John, right?

ALLEN: Absolutely. That's what I get paid for.

O'BRIEN: That's right, CNN Vatican analyst joining us this morning from Vatican City.

Thanks, John.

Let's right to bill hemmer in Oklahoma City this morning.

Hey, Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Soledad, good morning again.

Ten years ago today, a blast tore through the heart of America, killing 168 and forever changing the great state of Oklahoma. Many believe America has looked to Oklahoma City to try and learn how to remember not those just who died, but also more critical, how the survivors are embracing their struggle in life today.

Kerry Watkins is the executive director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. She's my guest now here in Oklahoma City.

Good morning to you.

We'll be here for this memorial that will start in about three hours.

What's expected today, Kerry?

KERRY WATKINS, OKC NATL. MEMORIAL & MUSEUM: This morning is a time to pause, and remember and reflect, and also to move people forward. As we begin the second decade, to focus on the lives lost, also honor them as we move into the second decade.

HEMMER: I think that is a critical component, too, because so many tell us about the survivors out here and trying to make sure they are taken care of. Today will be very special when several kids who survived that day care center that day will read the mission statement.

WATKINS: You're going to hear from four children who, you know, it was miraculous they lived through the bomb, and they're going to read the mission statement of this institution and memorial. As they begin to read the words, I think people will understand the hope that we all have found through survivors.

HEMMER: Also, the family members will come down again today. So many tell us, it might get a bit easier in time, but still others will tell you that the 10-year is bringing out very strong emotions.

WATKINS: We've seen a little bit of all of it. The families have been an incredible part of that. You'll hear from nine different kids who lost a parent in the bombing as they begin to call the 168 names. These are all kids who gone on and used part of the college fund that was set aside 10 years ago, and to see the hope in these kids; and also to realize their parents have missed 10 birthdays or 10 seasons of ball games, I mean, it's heart rending.

HEMMER: In the museum behind you, there is a critical piece of the story that was brought here this past weekend, the axle on the Ryder truck. There was a serial number on there that tied Tim McVeigh to this bombing. What does the mean to the people of Oklahoma to have what some would consider the crown jewel, that piece of evidence, in the museum?

WATKINS: I think it's an important part of the story. It's kind of the key component of this story. It's the cornerstone of the piece we needed here, because this was what led McVeigh to his arrest and eventually prosecuted him. So I think it was important for to us have this in this museum. It tells a story.

HEMMER: Kerry, good luck today.

WATKINS: Thank you.

HEMMER: Kerry Watkins, executive director of the museum here in Oklahoma City.

As our coverage continues here, Soledad, we'll bring you some more amazing stories of those who reflect today and also look toward the future, a key component, as our coverage continues.

Back to you now in New York.

O'BRIEN: We'll looking forward to that, Bill. Thanks.

Zacarias Moussouai wants to plead guilty to involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks. That's according to today's "Washington Post." Moussouai was arrested the month before 9/11, charged two months after. He is the only person the United States has ever charged in the attacks. A judge will meet with him this week to decide if he is mentally competent to make that plea. He would reportedly still face the death penalty. Moussaoui tried to plead guilty once before, but then changed his mind a week later.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: In a moment, remembering the bombing with one of those left behind. In a moment here, a father who lost his daughter that day reflecting on the tragedy and how, years later, he was able to help the victims of 9/11. That's next. Our coverage continues in Oklahoma City right after this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY FLOWERS, OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPT.: As time goes on, people have a tendency to forget, and people have a tendency to move on with their lives and not look back. For me, obviously, having been there firsthand and being a part of seeing the things that I saw, it'll never change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Good morning again, everyone.

We are remembering the Oklahoma City Bombing this morning, 10 years now since the attack that took 168 lives. And Karen Howe Shepherd (ph) was one of the victims that day. Her father, Paul Howe, is my guest now here in Oklahoma City. Nice to see you.

PAUL HOWELL, LOST DAUGHTER IN OKC BOMBINGS: Nice seeing you, sir.

HEMMER: Does 10 years make a difference to you?

HOWELL: Yes, it really does. I mean, it gets better every year. It's still a little tough at times like this, but most of the time, you know, it's pretty easygoing, and just take life as it goes.

HEMMER: Tell me about your daughter.

HOWELL: Well, Karen was a very energetic young lady. She was 27 years old. She was married. Had two little girls, Gabrielle and Britney. They was 4 and 10 at the time. Very beautiful young ladies. She -- Karen used to work at the federal employees credit union. Started off in about four years, went from telephone operator all the way up to loan officer.

HEMMER: So she was rising quickly, wasn't she?

HOWELL: Oh, yes. She was rising quickly. She's the type of woman who had a lot of get up and go, and she wanted to do something, she did it.

HEMMER: Four years ago, you were in Terre Haute, Indiana for the execution of Tim McVeigh. You chose to witness that. What did that do for you in your own healing process?

HOWELL: Well, it was something I needed to see. McVeigh, he used to go in here all the time, and he would talk about, grow up, you know, it was collateral damage, forget it, and I knew the only way I could have any peace and my family could have any peace was to actually see that man die and just shut him up. And so I had to go up and look at him face to face and see if I could get any kind of remorse or anything, and nothing happened. HEMMER: During September 11th in New York City, and there's a lot of talk here in Oklahoma City, by the way, about the events in New York, Washington, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, you went there to help families that were going to ground zero.

HOWELL: That's correct.

HEMMER: From that moment and the help you offered there, what did you bring to New York?

HOWELL: I brought the hope that there is still life thereafter, that things will get better, and eventually they'll be able to do what needs to be done.

HEMMER: How often do you cry?

HOWELL: Oh, it just depends. It's when I'm talking about something like New York or my daughter or something like that, yes, the tears come.

HEMMER: What do you say to your grandkids? What do you want them to know about the mother that they no longer have?

HOWELL: Well, that's the thing my ex-wife and I try to do all the time, is kind of let them know who she was, what she was, what she wanted to be, you know, try to encourage them to be the same way in a lot of respects. The oldest one, she's doing quite a bit like that. She's so much like her mother that it's scary sometimes just to see her walking down the street, you know.

HEMMER: Good memories, though, I would think?

HOWELL: Oh yes, it's good memories, you know. You got to have those good memories. But yes, they're coming along real good, and they're just going to be quite a bit like her.

HEMMER: Good luck to you today, Paul.

HOWELL: Appreciate it, thank you.

HEMMER: Thank you very much, Paul Howell, remembering his daughter.

When we come back here, we will also introduce you to a woman, the first victim in surgery that day on April 19th. When she emerged from the hospital, she went to raise millions of dollars to build the museum and memorial behind me. Her story as we continue in a moment, live in Oklahoma City on this AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

Gridiron fans gear up for some big changes. One cable network says it's ready for some football. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning. Hello. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Is it CNN?

SERWER: It would be great if we had football, right now in the morning.

A seismic move in the TV business, Soledad. After 35 years, Monday Night Football is leaving ABC and goes to ESPN, which, of course, is also owned by Disney. This is a good move for ABC, because they lose hundreds of millions of dollars on these games every year, even though they're very, very popular. That's because they've overpaid. This is the first big move by Bob Iger.

ESPN's Sunday Night game moves to NBC. And that game will be competing against ABC's "Desperate Housewives," if you follow. You think about this, really a hallmark television program with Dandy Don and Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford. That's Alex Karas (ph) there on the left. You know, just -- it was really a lot of fun to watch this.

Here's an interesting story, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle first tried to sell this idea to CBS and NBC. CBS said, no, we'll pass. This is in 1970. We have a show called "Gunsmoke" that we don't want to mess up. And NBC said, no, we'll pass, because we have a show called "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" that we don't want to mess up. So they went to the third-place network, that took the risk, and that was ABC.

O'BRIEN: And "Gunsmoke" gone.

SERWER: Well, it's in reruns.

O'BRIEN: "Rowan & Martin" gone.

SERWER: "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," occasionally you can see it in reruns.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. All right, thanks, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Question of the Day this morning. Hello.

CAFFERTY: Good morning.

A growing number of pharmacists are refusing to fill prescriptions related to contraception or abortion on moral grounds. It's called a pharmacist's right of conscience, and it's being questioned in at least 23 states. Some lawmakers are pushing for legislation that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions they disagree with. In Illinois, Governor Rob Blagojevich recently ordered pharmacists to fill any legal prescription for birth control without delay. The controversy's especially strong over the morning-after pill, which some pharmacists see as tantamount to having an abortion.

The question this morning is this, should pharmacists be allowed to refuse to fill prescriptions?

The e-mail address is am@CNN.com.

O'BRIEN: Really good question of the day.

CAFFERTY: You like that?

O'BRIEN: Yes, I do.

SERWER: And this is all about birth-control medication; this is not about others medications?

O'BRIEN: The slippery slope question, though. Where do you draw the line?

CAFFERTY: If you can refuse to fill this prescription, why can't you refuse to fill this prescription?

SERWER: I know. I think that's right.

CAFFERTY: And what's next, the checkout clerk at the supermarket not selling you donuts because it's bad for your cholesterol? I mean, come one, what is this nonsense? They're licensed by state to dispense medications that are prescribed by doctors. Just shut up and do your job.

O'BRIEN: I think I know where Jack stands.

Therefore, we will move along.

Let's go back out to Bill Hemmer. He's in Oklahoma City this morning.

Hey, Bill.

HEMMER: Hey, Soledad. Hey, good morning again.

In a moment, I want you to meet a special woman in Oklahoma City. She's a survivor of the bombing. And 10 years later, she's using the pain of that day to teach others so many important lessons, her amazing story as we continue live in Oklahoma right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING Quick News at CNN.com/am.

Still to come this morning, a shocking police shooting overshadowed by what allegedly happened to the suspect afterward. That story's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 19, 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: New developments this morning. A second vote at the Vatican. Black smoke, though, signals there is still no new pope.
And marking the 10th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, which killed 168 people. A solemn ceremony of healing and remembrance on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: This is AMERICAN MORNING, with Soledad O'Brien at the CNN Broadcast Center in New York and Bill Hemmer reporting from Oklahoma city.

O'BRIEN: Good morning and welcome, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

Good morning, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Soledad, good morning from Oklahoma City. I'm Bill Hemmer. April 19, 2005. It is now ten years after the bombing of the federal building in the center part of the U.S., and this morning a ceremony to remember the 168 people who died that day. The vice president, Dick Cheney, speaks today. So, too, will the former president, Bill Clinton. And we will be here for that memorial ceremony. And also here to tell the story of Oklahoma City today. This is a town with enormous pride, and so many feel as if it is their duty to show the world how to recover. We will meet extraordinary people coming up this morning. Healing and remembering in Oklahoma -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Bill, thanks.

Also, the very latest on the conclave is ahead this morning. And then later, an incredible scene in a Rhode Island courtroom. The suspect, accused of killing a cop, brought before the judge badly bruised from injuries. His family's hysterical. Police, though, say there's another face that the public needs to see. That's ahead.

Mr. Cafferty, good morning to you.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

A growing number of pharmacists around the country refusing to fill prescription because they don't agree with what the medicine being prescribed is going to be used for. We'll take a look at where this is going and see what your thoughts are a bit later.

O'BRIEN: Interesting debate on that.

All right, Jack, thank you very much.

The 115 cardinals who are meeting behind closed doors have finished their morning session without choosing a new church leader. But there was a moment of great excitement in St. Peter's Square this morning. Black smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney a little over an hour ago, about 10 minutes before noon Rome time. But when the noon bells rang, the crowd started to cheer.

The bells will go along with the election of a new pope. But the second round of balloting has ended without electing a new pope. Now the cardinals have begun a rest and lunch period. It is just after 1:00 p.m. in Rome.

The afternoon session begins at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. But two votes are expected in the morning and afternoon sessions. The cardinals will continue in this way every day until a new pope is chosen.

While we wait for news from here, our Vatican analyst John Allen is watching and waiting in Vatican City this morning.

Hey, John, good morning to you.

JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYST: Hey, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Describe for us a little bit if you can the confusion when the bells were going off and the smoke, of course, at the very beginning sort of looked like it was white just for a moment before it turned into the black smoke. What exactly happened here?

ALLEN: Well, first of all, you need to understand it's been an overcast morning in Rome. So when the smoke began to come out, as has often happened in the past, it was sort of an indistinct gray. It wasn't entirely clear what was going on. And then it happened to coincide exactly with the noon hour here in Rome, when the Vatican bells typically go off to mark 12:00. And, of course, people have now been conditioned to expect to hear bells when the pope is elected. So there was, as you rightly said, this kind of eruption in the crowd, this sense that a pope had been elected. And then within just a few moments, the smoke turned a clear black and the bells faded away and it became clear that not yet.

O'BRIEN: You could tell from the cheering, the number of people who are gathered to watch all this. How unusual is this? Is this unprecedented in sort of the pope watching that happens whenever a pope is going to be elected?

ALLEN: No, I think what you get is a combination of sort of two crowds. I mean, one is the Roman crowd that, of course, has been through this before, and so knows what time of day to show up in the square to potentially see history in the making. And then, of course, you have a lot of tourists and pilgrims who are in Rome. I mean, this is, to some extent, peak tourist season in Rome. So a lot of people who happen to be in the city for Vacation plans and so forth knowing that a pope might be elected, wanted to turn out and be there just in case. And I expect you'll see the same kind of crowd this afternoon, and they'll continue to build until the moment comes.

O'BRIEN: Let's go through some of the issues that the cardinals are most likely discussing. We obviously don't know specifically what they're saying, but these issues are said to be the focus. The growing gap between the rich and poor, secularism, the relationship with Islam, decentralization. Of those four main issues, which do you think is the most important to the cardinals?

ALLEN: Well, I think they're all terribly important. And it depends upon which cardinal you're talking about. If you talk to cardinals from the developed world, that is western Europe and the United States, most will talk about secularism, this kind of post- religious, post-Christian culture in the West that often turns a deaf ear to spirituality, how does the church engage it.

If you talk to cardinals from the south, on the other hand -- from Africa, Asia, Latin America -- they'll talk primarily about the social justice concerns, the kind of new world order that seems to be taking shape where people in the south often are the victims, and the need for the church to come up with a credible and detailed alternative to that.

O'BRIEN: I'm surprised, though, when we look at that list of the four most important, there are so many things I would consider to be of importance to the American church that don't make the list at all. For example, the issue of pedophilia in the American churches, birth control, female priests. I mean, you can kind go on and on. Why aren't those in the forefront of the important issues?

ALLEN: Well, in terms of birth control and women priests, I think most cardinals regard those as basically settled questions. And so while you're right, they're very much in the minds of Catholics and non-Catholics around the world, I don't think they're in play in this conclave.

On the issue of the sex-abuse scandals in the United States, I think most cardinals would put that set of issues under a larger heading, which is governance in the church, and the need for the next pope to take a look at the internal administration of the church, and perhaps on those kinds of issues to be more attentive to the sort of riding herds (ph), so to speak, on the bishops, to make sure they're doing their jobs. That, after all, was, to some extent, the heart of the crisis. You had bishops who were turning a deaf ear, turning a blind eye, in some cases, when they should have known better, not intervening. There's a sense that there wasn't enough accountability from the top, and perhaps the next pope needs to supply that to a greater degree.

O'BRIEN: Before I let you go, give me a sense of how long a conclave generally last.

ALLEN: Well, I mean, as i've been reminding everybody around the CNN center today, Papalucina (ph), that is John Paul I, was elected actually on the fourth ballot in 1978, which could mean the middle of this afternoon.

But, you know, historically speaking, conclaves somewhere between three, four, at the outer limit five days.

But of course, Soledad, the magic of this process and what makes it so fascinating is that it's simply impossible to predict. We'll just have to wait and see.

O'BRIEN: And you know we'll keep trying to predict it anyway, John, right?

ALLEN: Absolutely. That's what I get paid for.

O'BRIEN: That's right, CNN Vatican analyst joining us this morning from Vatican City.

Thanks, John.

Let's right to bill hemmer in Oklahoma City this morning.

Hey, Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Soledad, good morning again.

Ten years ago today, a blast tore through the heart of America, killing 168 and forever changing the great state of Oklahoma. Many believe America has looked to Oklahoma City to try and learn how to remember not those just who died, but also more critical, how the survivors are embracing their struggle in life today.

Kerry Watkins is the executive director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. She's my guest now here in Oklahoma City.

Good morning to you.

We'll be here for this memorial that will start in about three hours.

What's expected today, Kerry?

KERRY WATKINS, OKC NATL. MEMORIAL & MUSEUM: This morning is a time to pause, and remember and reflect, and also to move people forward. As we begin the second decade, to focus on the lives lost, also honor them as we move into the second decade.

HEMMER: I think that is a critical component, too, because so many tell us about the survivors out here and trying to make sure they are taken care of. Today will be very special when several kids who survived that day care center that day will read the mission statement.

WATKINS: You're going to hear from four children who, you know, it was miraculous they lived through the bomb, and they're going to read the mission statement of this institution and memorial. As they begin to read the words, I think people will understand the hope that we all have found through survivors.

HEMMER: Also, the family members will come down again today. So many tell us, it might get a bit easier in time, but still others will tell you that the 10-year is bringing out very strong emotions.

WATKINS: We've seen a little bit of all of it. The families have been an incredible part of that. You'll hear from nine different kids who lost a parent in the bombing as they begin to call the 168 names. These are all kids who gone on and used part of the college fund that was set aside 10 years ago, and to see the hope in these kids; and also to realize their parents have missed 10 birthdays or 10 seasons of ball games, I mean, it's heart rending.

HEMMER: In the museum behind you, there is a critical piece of the story that was brought here this past weekend, the axle on the Ryder truck. There was a serial number on there that tied Tim McVeigh to this bombing. What does the mean to the people of Oklahoma to have what some would consider the crown jewel, that piece of evidence, in the museum?

WATKINS: I think it's an important part of the story. It's kind of the key component of this story. It's the cornerstone of the piece we needed here, because this was what led McVeigh to his arrest and eventually prosecuted him. So I think it was important for to us have this in this museum. It tells a story.

HEMMER: Kerry, good luck today.

WATKINS: Thank you.

HEMMER: Kerry Watkins, executive director of the museum here in Oklahoma City.

As our coverage continues here, Soledad, we'll bring you some more amazing stories of those who reflect today and also look toward the future, a key component, as our coverage continues.

Back to you now in New York.

O'BRIEN: We'll looking forward to that, Bill. Thanks.

Zacarias Moussouai wants to plead guilty to involvement in the 9/11 terror attacks. That's according to today's "Washington Post." Moussouai was arrested the month before 9/11, charged two months after. He is the only person the United States has ever charged in the attacks. A judge will meet with him this week to decide if he is mentally competent to make that plea. He would reportedly still face the death penalty. Moussaoui tried to plead guilty once before, but then changed his mind a week later.

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HEMMER: In a moment, remembering the bombing with one of those left behind. In a moment here, a father who lost his daughter that day reflecting on the tragedy and how, years later, he was able to help the victims of 9/11. That's next. Our coverage continues in Oklahoma City right after this.

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JERRY FLOWERS, OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPT.: As time goes on, people have a tendency to forget, and people have a tendency to move on with their lives and not look back. For me, obviously, having been there firsthand and being a part of seeing the things that I saw, it'll never change.

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HEMMER: Good morning again, everyone.

We are remembering the Oklahoma City Bombing this morning, 10 years now since the attack that took 168 lives. And Karen Howe Shepherd (ph) was one of the victims that day. Her father, Paul Howe, is my guest now here in Oklahoma City. Nice to see you.

PAUL HOWELL, LOST DAUGHTER IN OKC BOMBINGS: Nice seeing you, sir.

HEMMER: Does 10 years make a difference to you?

HOWELL: Yes, it really does. I mean, it gets better every year. It's still a little tough at times like this, but most of the time, you know, it's pretty easygoing, and just take life as it goes.

HEMMER: Tell me about your daughter.

HOWELL: Well, Karen was a very energetic young lady. She was 27 years old. She was married. Had two little girls, Gabrielle and Britney. They was 4 and 10 at the time. Very beautiful young ladies. She -- Karen used to work at the federal employees credit union. Started off in about four years, went from telephone operator all the way up to loan officer.

HEMMER: So she was rising quickly, wasn't she?

HOWELL: Oh, yes. She was rising quickly. She's the type of woman who had a lot of get up and go, and she wanted to do something, she did it.

HEMMER: Four years ago, you were in Terre Haute, Indiana for the execution of Tim McVeigh. You chose to witness that. What did that do for you in your own healing process?

HOWELL: Well, it was something I needed to see. McVeigh, he used to go in here all the time, and he would talk about, grow up, you know, it was collateral damage, forget it, and I knew the only way I could have any peace and my family could have any peace was to actually see that man die and just shut him up. And so I had to go up and look at him face to face and see if I could get any kind of remorse or anything, and nothing happened. HEMMER: During September 11th in New York City, and there's a lot of talk here in Oklahoma City, by the way, about the events in New York, Washington, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, you went there to help families that were going to ground zero.

HOWELL: That's correct.

HEMMER: From that moment and the help you offered there, what did you bring to New York?

HOWELL: I brought the hope that there is still life thereafter, that things will get better, and eventually they'll be able to do what needs to be done.

HEMMER: How often do you cry?

HOWELL: Oh, it just depends. It's when I'm talking about something like New York or my daughter or something like that, yes, the tears come.

HEMMER: What do you say to your grandkids? What do you want them to know about the mother that they no longer have?

HOWELL: Well, that's the thing my ex-wife and I try to do all the time, is kind of let them know who she was, what she was, what she wanted to be, you know, try to encourage them to be the same way in a lot of respects. The oldest one, she's doing quite a bit like that. She's so much like her mother that it's scary sometimes just to see her walking down the street, you know.

HEMMER: Good memories, though, I would think?

HOWELL: Oh yes, it's good memories, you know. You got to have those good memories. But yes, they're coming along real good, and they're just going to be quite a bit like her.

HEMMER: Good luck to you today, Paul.

HOWELL: Appreciate it, thank you.

HEMMER: Thank you very much, Paul Howell, remembering his daughter.

When we come back here, we will also introduce you to a woman, the first victim in surgery that day on April 19th. When she emerged from the hospital, she went to raise millions of dollars to build the museum and memorial behind me. Her story as we continue in a moment, live in Oklahoma City on this AMERICAN MORNING.

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O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

Gridiron fans gear up for some big changes. One cable network says it's ready for some football. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning. Hello. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Is it CNN?

SERWER: It would be great if we had football, right now in the morning.

A seismic move in the TV business, Soledad. After 35 years, Monday Night Football is leaving ABC and goes to ESPN, which, of course, is also owned by Disney. This is a good move for ABC, because they lose hundreds of millions of dollars on these games every year, even though they're very, very popular. That's because they've overpaid. This is the first big move by Bob Iger.

ESPN's Sunday Night game moves to NBC. And that game will be competing against ABC's "Desperate Housewives," if you follow. You think about this, really a hallmark television program with Dandy Don and Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford. That's Alex Karas (ph) there on the left. You know, just -- it was really a lot of fun to watch this.

Here's an interesting story, NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle first tried to sell this idea to CBS and NBC. CBS said, no, we'll pass. This is in 1970. We have a show called "Gunsmoke" that we don't want to mess up. And NBC said, no, we'll pass, because we have a show called "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" that we don't want to mess up. So they went to the third-place network, that took the risk, and that was ABC.

O'BRIEN: And "Gunsmoke" gone.

SERWER: Well, it's in reruns.

O'BRIEN: "Rowan & Martin" gone.

SERWER: "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," occasionally you can see it in reruns.

O'BRIEN: Interesting. All right, thanks, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Question of the Day this morning. Hello.

CAFFERTY: Good morning.

A growing number of pharmacists are refusing to fill prescriptions related to contraception or abortion on moral grounds. It's called a pharmacist's right of conscience, and it's being questioned in at least 23 states. Some lawmakers are pushing for legislation that would allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions they disagree with. In Illinois, Governor Rob Blagojevich recently ordered pharmacists to fill any legal prescription for birth control without delay. The controversy's especially strong over the morning-after pill, which some pharmacists see as tantamount to having an abortion.

The question this morning is this, should pharmacists be allowed to refuse to fill prescriptions?

The e-mail address is am@CNN.com.

O'BRIEN: Really good question of the day.

CAFFERTY: You like that?

O'BRIEN: Yes, I do.

SERWER: And this is all about birth-control medication; this is not about others medications?

O'BRIEN: The slippery slope question, though. Where do you draw the line?

CAFFERTY: If you can refuse to fill this prescription, why can't you refuse to fill this prescription?

SERWER: I know. I think that's right.

CAFFERTY: And what's next, the checkout clerk at the supermarket not selling you donuts because it's bad for your cholesterol? I mean, come one, what is this nonsense? They're licensed by state to dispense medications that are prescribed by doctors. Just shut up and do your job.

O'BRIEN: I think I know where Jack stands.

Therefore, we will move along.

Let's go back out to Bill Hemmer. He's in Oklahoma City this morning.

Hey, Bill.

HEMMER: Hey, Soledad. Hey, good morning again.

In a moment, I want you to meet a special woman in Oklahoma City. She's a survivor of the bombing. And 10 years later, she's using the pain of that day to teach others so many important lessons, her amazing story as we continue live in Oklahoma right after this.

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O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING Quick News at CNN.com/am.

Still to come this morning, a shocking police shooting overshadowed by what allegedly happened to the suspect afterward. That story's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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