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CNN Live At Daybreak

Busting Filibusters?; Putin Address

Aired April 25, 2005 - 05:30   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: Good morning, and welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist used a huge Christian rally as a platform to criticize Democrats for blocking a vote on President Bush's judicial nominee. Frist videotaped his comments for the rally called "Justice Sunday: Stop the Filibuster Against People of Faith."

High gas prices will likely dominate talks between President Bush and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah today. The two are meeting at Mr. Bush's Texas ranch. The president is expected to ask the prince to boost his country's oil production.

One day after his formal installation, Pope Benedict XVI is meeting with religious leaders at the Vatican. He's also seeing pilgrims who came from his homeland of Germany to attend his inaugural mass.

Bright lights moving across the sky triggered a flurry of frantic phone calls in the northeast. The lights apparently came from a meteor shower. It was seen as far north as Portland, Maine and as far south as Long Island. People got very disturbed at this, Chad, they thought it was a UFO.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, probably part of the Pie Puppet Meteor Shower (ph). We don't hear about them very often, because it's kind of irregular. But once you do fly through that little bit of debris up there in the sky, you can get some pretty large meteors flying. And they obviously saw them there.

Remember that one that was five or six years ago, they caught them on tape from one of the football games and we couldn't figure out where -- everybody thought it fell in their backyard. It ended up being in New York or something like that. But kind of the same kind of thing, just kind of one random, probably the size of a golf ball, but it didn't make it all the way down we're probably thinking.

Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome. COSTELLO: More now on our top story. Democrats say Bill Frist and Christian conservatives have gone too far. The Senate majority leader's videotaped comments to an evangelical Christian rally are drawing fire. The Sunday rally was called to protest Democratic filibusters of President Bush's federal court nominees. Critics say Frist blurred the line between church and state by taking part in this.

In the meantime, Frist is rejecting charges that he's engaging in radical Republican politics. In his comments to the Christian rally, he said he's just urging his Senate colleagues to do their job.

We now take you "Beyond the Soundbite" this morning to hear what Frist had to say firsthand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL FRIST (R), MAJORITY LEADER: Americans elect their senators to vote on the people's business. That is a senator's job, to vote. If the senators were not prepared to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities, then why are they here in the first place?

Right now there are 46 vacancies on the federal bench. Four of the appeals court vacancies are in the region that serves my home state of Tennessee. These four nominees have been waiting a combined 13 years for a vote on the Senate floor, 13 years. Either confirm the nominees or reject them, but don't leave them hanging, don't leave our courts hanging, don't leave our country hanging.

If the nominees are rejected, fine, that's fair, at least rejection is a vote. Give those nominees the courtesy and the respect of a vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right, it's time to read some e-mail. We wanted you to hear the whole thing so that you could better respond to our e- mail question, Frist & "Justice Sunday": religious exploitation or political partnership? Is this a right topic to bring in front of millions of Christian conservatives? And of course this was broadcast from a huge mega church in Kentucky.

So, take it away -- Chad.

MYERS: Carol, I have one from Dan (ph) in L.A. Our forefathers fled many lands to find a place to worship as they choose without having it rammed down their throats by the state. Any nation that increasingly seeks guidance from God lacks faith in itself. No wonder the world hates us.

COSTELLO: This is not signed, but I'm going to read it. He says we're not the 19 hijackers on September 11, "people of faith." "People of faith" is a useless and harmful locution. People who think like me, the only way to think, is what it amounts to. And do the faithless have no rights? MYERS: I got one from Greg (ph) in Las Vegas. I'm totally lost. The government forces a judge to remove the 10 Commandments from the courtroom and now those elected officials are using religion to push their agenda. Whatever happened to the separation of church and state, or does that really only apply when it meets a particular need for a particular group?

COSTELLO: The filibuster is a guarantee that both sides find a compromise that all of America can be happy with. Frist and his fundamentalist partners are exploiting good religious people in an attempt to force their extreme beliefs on the entire country. That's from Sarah (ph) from Long Island, New York.

One more.

MYERS: OK, go ahead.

COSTELLO: You don't have any more?

MYERS: Well he gave me a rap and I sat it down, so go ahead. Sorry.

COSTELLO: OK, this is from Jeff (ph) in Seattle. No matter what you think about Frist cozying up to the evangelical right wing, one has to wonder how some of these overtly partisan churches can be exempt from taxes when they are the religious equivalent of the Swift Boat veterans.

Interesting premise.

Well you know Bill Frist is talking about filibusters and that, of course, prevents a vote. You've heard the word used in perhaps abuse. But just exactly what is a filibuster? It's a 200-year-old tradition in the Senate. It gives 41 senators the right to hold unlimited debate on a nominee or issue. And it takes 60 votes to end the debate and hold a final vote.

Democrats have banded together to block votes on 10 of President Bush's judicial nominees while allowing votes on nearly 200. And this definitely isn't the first time filibusters have sparked tempers and strained patience.

As our national correspondent Bruce Morton reports, the long debates have had a colorful history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Originally, the Senate had unlimited debates. But in 1917, after a handful of senators successfully filibustered a bill to arm U.S. merchant ships, President Wilson charged that a little group of willful men have rendered the great government of the United States helpless and contemptible.

The Senate changed its rules. If two-thirds voted to cut off debate, voting for cloture it's called, debate ended. The Senate used the rule to end the filibuster against the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I.

In 1975, the Senate changed the number needed to invoke cloture down to 60.

Filibusters through the years. Jimmy Stewart was the good guy filibusterer in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

JIMMY STEWART, ACTOR: No matter what his race, color or creed.

MORTON: Huey Long of Louisiana did the gourmet version in 1935, offering recipes for potlucker, and that's what you cook the greens in, and fried oysters. Longest by an individual, South Carolina's Strom Thurmond in 1957: 24 hours and 18 minutes.

But the big one was the filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which ended segregation in the South. Relays of southerners spoke for 57 days. Senators sleeping in shifts, stumbling in from midnight quorum calls. But in the end, it passed and changed America.

Filibusters against judicial nominees? Yes. Republicans, when Lyndon Johnson tried to name Justice Abe Fortas as chief justice in 1968, a cloture vote failed. Johnson withdrew the nomination.

Majorities hate filibusters, minorities don't.

SEN. JESSE HELMS (R), NORTH CAROLINA: It's not a filibuster when you do it. It's a filibuster when the other fellow does it.

MORTON: In the House, majority rules unimpeded, debate always limited, up and down votes when the majority wants them.

The Senate was meant to be more deliberative. George Washington called it the saucer where passions cool. If the filibuster is abolished will that change?

DAVID BRODER, "WASHINGTON POST": The right of unlimited debate, though it's rarely been invoked, has been one of the distinguishing features of the Senate and it's one of the characteristics that sets it apart from the House of Representatives.

MORTON: Will they get rid of it? A test could come very soon.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, what's your idea of got to have it car? In four minutes, a growing number of you are choosing environment and efficiency over muscle.

Then at a quarter until the hour, Russians hear what their president has in mind for the next year.

But first, here's what else is making news this Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: Volkswagen's Jetta gets thumbs up in front and side crash tests. The insurance industry rated 15 midsized vehicles under $21,000. The redesigned 2005 Jetta received very good marks, the industry's highest rating. Side airbags with head protection are standard on the new Jetta.

Also receiving good ratings in front and side impact tests, the Honda Accord and Mitsubishi Galant. The Subaru Legacy received a good rating for head-on crashes but marginal in side impact tests.

Hybrid vehicles are flying out of dealer showrooms, so to speak. Sales nearly doubled last year as gas prices began soaring. Hybrids are powered by internal combustion engines but have batteries that are recharged while you drive and an electric motor. Major automakers are planning to introduce about a dozen new hybrids in the next three years.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

It's Japan's deadliest rail accident in more than 40 years. A commuter train went off the tracks this morning in central Japan. At least 50 people have been killed and more than 300 injured.

He helped negotiate Israel's first peace treaty with an Arab nation. Former Israeli President Ezer Weizman has died. He was 80. As defense chief in 1979, he played a key role in Israel's peace pact with Egypt.

In money news, are you getting too many tax breaks? A presidential panel says too many deductions and credits are complicating the tax system. But it also says convincing you to give up your tax breaks would be tough.

In culture, it's part of pop culture and it's worth more than $50,000, at least that's what an anonymous bidder paid for the microphone used by late night talk show host Johnny Carson until the '80s. Carson died in January.

In sports, New Jersey put a net over Shaquille O'Neal but it did not work. Miami's Dwyane Wade and Damon Jones combined for 62 points in the first round playoff game. The final: the Heat 116, the Nets 98 -- Chad.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed his administration's goals in a national address. His sixth State of the Union speech began less than two hours ago.

Our Jill Dougherty was watching it.

Jill, how does it apply to Americans?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well you know, Carol, there was a moment there where I thought that I was listening to President Bush. And the reason is that there were a lot of economic things that he was talking about that President Bush has said that he would like.

For instance, he said bring back all of that capital that you took abroad, the money that Russians have been taking out of Russia, bring it back to Russia and we'll just have a flat tax on it of 13 percent. Russians, by the way, already have a flat tax of 13 percent.

Then he said let's end the inheritance tax. Then he said let's reduce the statute of limitations from 10 years to 3 years on questions concerning the privatizations. Now that, of course, doesn't apply to the United States. But it was a very, what you'd have to say, a very liberal type of tax approach that Mr. Putin took.

And then finally he said tax authorities have no right to terrorize the people who pay the taxes.

Now another thing where you might not get as much comparison between the United States and Russia would be on the issue of human rights, democracy, et cetera. There has been a lot of criticism, and we've heard it.

In fact just last week from Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, who came here to Moscow, talking about that issue, media, et cetera. And Mr. Putin saying that Russia is already a democratic country. It is growing, it's changing, but as he put it, our main task is developing Russia as a free and democratic country. However, he said we're going to do it according to our pace and our interpretation of that.

And then finally just one last thing, Carol, remember those revolutions, like the Orange Revolution in Ukraine? It is a very hot topic here in Russia. The Kremlin concerned that maybe something like that could happen here.

And President Putin making it very clear that it is not going to happen here, if he can help it, that he does not agree that anything not legal should be used in order to change a government. And that if there were any type of attempt, they would take legal, but very strong action, against it -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's very interesting, because that was a peaceful demonstration. So what exactly is he saying, because part of a democracy is to protest?

DOUGHERTY: That is true. But what he's saying is it went beyond protest. It went to the point where the government was actually, basically, overthrown. You know Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, et cetera. He does not agree with the Bush administration. In fact, remember we asked Condoleezza Rice if this could be interpreted as fomenting revolution. She knocked that down and she said what's wrong with countries trying to throw off tyranny? But obviously Mr. Putin sees it differently.

COSTELLO: He certainly does.

Jill Dougherty, reporting live for us this morning, thank you.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, two toddlers are missing in Georgia, yet the search is abruptly called off, raising more questions than answers. More on that story when DAYBREAK returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: In news "Across America" this morning, mystery surrounds the disappearance of two Georgia toddlers. Authorities have temporarily halted a search for 2-year-old Nicole Cane (ph) and her 3- year-old brother, Jonah (ph). Police in Warrenton, Georgia, that's about 100 miles east of Atlanta, have questioned the mother. She reported the children missing late Saturday afternoon. Police plan a news conference at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

The next time you're in a large crowd, like around 150 people, consider this, 1 in every 138 people was behind bars between mid-2003 and the middle of last year. That's according to a new government report. The nation's inmate population grew at a rate of about 900 people per week.

Near La Crosse, Wisconsin, a gruesome job for the CSI people. Police are defrosting a body. This story began with a standoff Friday when police went to question a man suspected of shooting his neighbor. Philip Schuth surrendered on Saturday. Police then found a body in his basement freezer. The body is believed to be that of the man's mother.

Senior Pentagon sources say four top Army officers in Iraq have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Abu Ghraib Prison abuse scandal. The Army's internal investigation has not been released, but "The Washington Post" reports the only officer who will face discipline is General Janis Karpinski. Karpinski was the commander of the 80th Military Police Brigade. She's expected to get a reprimand for dereliction of duty.

Time to check our "Web Clicks" this morning, because we always care what you're clicking on to on CNN.com. What is getting your attention -- Chad?

MYERS: Fisticuffs, Carol, fisticuffs and snow.

COSTELLO: No fisticuffs, but it was a bench-clearing brawl, several of them...

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... at the Red Sox-Devil Rays game.

MYERS: They were playing beanball. They were throwing at each other and then they were hitting them out of the park right afterwards. Yes.

COSTELLO: Take a look at that.

MYERS: Mr. Ortiz was not pleased on a couple of...

COSTELLO: No, you know it's a shame, but I always find these really exciting. There's Trot Nixon. In fact, they're blaming him for everything. He was ejected. Out of there. Francona was ejected. I think LaRouso (ph) was ejected.

MYERS: Yes, yes, all the managers were ejected as they came charging across. Base brawl.

COSTELLO: Look at them, they just push each other. It looks like they're pinching one another.

MYERS: I'm pretty sure I don't want to be in the middle of that pinching, though, that's, no.

COSTELLO: But I don't see any punches thrown. No, I think baseball is a very strange sport in some ways, but exciting games to watch that's for sure.

The next thing, the next most popular thing you're clicking on to on CNN.com, the weather.

MYERS: There was no base brawl in Detroit.

COSTELLO: No.

MYERS: In fact, there was no baseball...

COSTELLO: Exactly.

MYERS: ... because of the snow. Fourteen inches, Carol, in some spots. WGW here out of Cleveland, a lot of snow coming through in some of these areas as well.

Tell you what, it's still snowing in Cleveland, still snowing in Pittsburgh. And they are cleaning up, because you know what, some of the branches now already had leaves on them. So as the snow was piling up on those early blooming trees, you can see the leaves on those trees, they are bringing down power lines to tens of thousands of people up there.

COSTELLO: I wonder how that will affect the blooming trees? No flowers this year.

MYERS: You know temperatures never really got too much below 32. Even right now, it's snowing, but it's 34, so we'll see. Snow is a good insulator for those buds, actually.

COSTELLO: Well that's a nice way -- you are glass half full this morning.

MYERS: Well my coffee is empty, so I better go get some more. COSTELLO: OK, thanks.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: Another hour of DAYBREAK in the gate. Do you know how to get what you want? Coming up in the next hour, one expert will join us to talk about the art of negotiation.

We're back with more DAYBREAK in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Some fiery words from columnist Frank Rich about the congressional showdown over President Bush's court nominees. Rich writes in "The New York Times" about the "Justice Sunday" rally that was held by Christian conservatives to protest Democratic filibusters of judicial nominees. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist drew fire from Democrats for his videotaped comments supporting the rally.

This is what Rich writes in his column. "The real 'Justice Sunday' agenda lies elsewhere. As Bill Maher summed it up for Jay Leno on the "Tonight" show last week: 'Activist judges' is a code word for gay." He goes on to say, "Anyone who doesn't get with the program, starting with all Democrats, is damned as a bigoted enemy of 'people of faith.'"

We wanted to know what you thought of Bill Frist in his videotaped comments and "Justice Sunday." Frist and "Justice Sunday" was the question, religious exploitation or political partnership?

You got some -- Chad?

MYERS: Got one from Marguerite Payne (ph) in Seattle. First's actions were not only religious exploitation for political purposes but it's downright scary and dangerous. Separation of church and state was a basic principle of our founding fathers for a good reason. I think we only need to look at Iran to get a good idea why.

COSTELLO: This is from Andre (ph) from San Antonio. He says to answer your question, the religious group that Senator Frist spoke is an example of a political partnership. The group is a constituency, just as any group is, and Senator Frist was simply asking for the group's help in getting Democrats back to the table to stop blocking the president's judicial nominees.

MYERS: I got one from John (ph) in Little Rock. It says the last time religion ruled the world and politics it was called the Dark Ages -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We really didn't get many in support of Senator Frist, did we?

MYERS: Not really, not yet this morning, yet. But as soon as we say that, then they'll come flying in in his defense,...

COSTELLO: Well I hope so, because I want to know the other side. I want to know what you think.

This is from Lynn (ph). She says -- where's Lynn from, Los Angeles. Frist's abominable performance -- it's a hard word to say -- in the service of religious bigotry and hatred simply marks one more step in his progressive pandering to the religious right at the expense of the Senate, all reason debate, the Constitution and ultimately the country. He has created an atmosphere so poisoned that the Senate may never be the same, using religion to spread hatred and intolerance.

Keep the e-mails coming, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

The next hour starts right now.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, handcuffed by police at the age of 5. We'll show you the tape. And then you decide has preschool come to this or did police go too far?

And stories about John Bolton's bossy demeanor are mounting. Will they destroy his career at the United Nations before it even begins?

And a little bit of idle chatter as America's favorite singing competition goes under the media microscope.

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Aired April 25, 2005 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, and welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist used a huge Christian rally as a platform to criticize Democrats for blocking a vote on President Bush's judicial nominee. Frist videotaped his comments for the rally called "Justice Sunday: Stop the Filibuster Against People of Faith."

High gas prices will likely dominate talks between President Bush and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah today. The two are meeting at Mr. Bush's Texas ranch. The president is expected to ask the prince to boost his country's oil production.

One day after his formal installation, Pope Benedict XVI is meeting with religious leaders at the Vatican. He's also seeing pilgrims who came from his homeland of Germany to attend his inaugural mass.

Bright lights moving across the sky triggered a flurry of frantic phone calls in the northeast. The lights apparently came from a meteor shower. It was seen as far north as Portland, Maine and as far south as Long Island. People got very disturbed at this, Chad, they thought it was a UFO.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, probably part of the Pie Puppet Meteor Shower (ph). We don't hear about them very often, because it's kind of irregular. But once you do fly through that little bit of debris up there in the sky, you can get some pretty large meteors flying. And they obviously saw them there.

Remember that one that was five or six years ago, they caught them on tape from one of the football games and we couldn't figure out where -- everybody thought it fell in their backyard. It ended up being in New York or something like that. But kind of the same kind of thing, just kind of one random, probably the size of a golf ball, but it didn't make it all the way down we're probably thinking.

Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome. COSTELLO: More now on our top story. Democrats say Bill Frist and Christian conservatives have gone too far. The Senate majority leader's videotaped comments to an evangelical Christian rally are drawing fire. The Sunday rally was called to protest Democratic filibusters of President Bush's federal court nominees. Critics say Frist blurred the line between church and state by taking part in this.

In the meantime, Frist is rejecting charges that he's engaging in radical Republican politics. In his comments to the Christian rally, he said he's just urging his Senate colleagues to do their job.

We now take you "Beyond the Soundbite" this morning to hear what Frist had to say firsthand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL FRIST (R), MAJORITY LEADER: Americans elect their senators to vote on the people's business. That is a senator's job, to vote. If the senators were not prepared to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities, then why are they here in the first place?

Right now there are 46 vacancies on the federal bench. Four of the appeals court vacancies are in the region that serves my home state of Tennessee. These four nominees have been waiting a combined 13 years for a vote on the Senate floor, 13 years. Either confirm the nominees or reject them, but don't leave them hanging, don't leave our courts hanging, don't leave our country hanging.

If the nominees are rejected, fine, that's fair, at least rejection is a vote. Give those nominees the courtesy and the respect of a vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All right, it's time to read some e-mail. We wanted you to hear the whole thing so that you could better respond to our e- mail question, Frist & "Justice Sunday": religious exploitation or political partnership? Is this a right topic to bring in front of millions of Christian conservatives? And of course this was broadcast from a huge mega church in Kentucky.

So, take it away -- Chad.

MYERS: Carol, I have one from Dan (ph) in L.A. Our forefathers fled many lands to find a place to worship as they choose without having it rammed down their throats by the state. Any nation that increasingly seeks guidance from God lacks faith in itself. No wonder the world hates us.

COSTELLO: This is not signed, but I'm going to read it. He says we're not the 19 hijackers on September 11, "people of faith." "People of faith" is a useless and harmful locution. People who think like me, the only way to think, is what it amounts to. And do the faithless have no rights? MYERS: I got one from Greg (ph) in Las Vegas. I'm totally lost. The government forces a judge to remove the 10 Commandments from the courtroom and now those elected officials are using religion to push their agenda. Whatever happened to the separation of church and state, or does that really only apply when it meets a particular need for a particular group?

COSTELLO: The filibuster is a guarantee that both sides find a compromise that all of America can be happy with. Frist and his fundamentalist partners are exploiting good religious people in an attempt to force their extreme beliefs on the entire country. That's from Sarah (ph) from Long Island, New York.

One more.

MYERS: OK, go ahead.

COSTELLO: You don't have any more?

MYERS: Well he gave me a rap and I sat it down, so go ahead. Sorry.

COSTELLO: OK, this is from Jeff (ph) in Seattle. No matter what you think about Frist cozying up to the evangelical right wing, one has to wonder how some of these overtly partisan churches can be exempt from taxes when they are the religious equivalent of the Swift Boat veterans.

Interesting premise.

Well you know Bill Frist is talking about filibusters and that, of course, prevents a vote. You've heard the word used in perhaps abuse. But just exactly what is a filibuster? It's a 200-year-old tradition in the Senate. It gives 41 senators the right to hold unlimited debate on a nominee or issue. And it takes 60 votes to end the debate and hold a final vote.

Democrats have banded together to block votes on 10 of President Bush's judicial nominees while allowing votes on nearly 200. And this definitely isn't the first time filibusters have sparked tempers and strained patience.

As our national correspondent Bruce Morton reports, the long debates have had a colorful history.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Originally, the Senate had unlimited debates. But in 1917, after a handful of senators successfully filibustered a bill to arm U.S. merchant ships, President Wilson charged that a little group of willful men have rendered the great government of the United States helpless and contemptible.

The Senate changed its rules. If two-thirds voted to cut off debate, voting for cloture it's called, debate ended. The Senate used the rule to end the filibuster against the Treaty of Versailles, which ended World War I.

In 1975, the Senate changed the number needed to invoke cloture down to 60.

Filibusters through the years. Jimmy Stewart was the good guy filibusterer in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

JIMMY STEWART, ACTOR: No matter what his race, color or creed.

MORTON: Huey Long of Louisiana did the gourmet version in 1935, offering recipes for potlucker, and that's what you cook the greens in, and fried oysters. Longest by an individual, South Carolina's Strom Thurmond in 1957: 24 hours and 18 minutes.

But the big one was the filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which ended segregation in the South. Relays of southerners spoke for 57 days. Senators sleeping in shifts, stumbling in from midnight quorum calls. But in the end, it passed and changed America.

Filibusters against judicial nominees? Yes. Republicans, when Lyndon Johnson tried to name Justice Abe Fortas as chief justice in 1968, a cloture vote failed. Johnson withdrew the nomination.

Majorities hate filibusters, minorities don't.

SEN. JESSE HELMS (R), NORTH CAROLINA: It's not a filibuster when you do it. It's a filibuster when the other fellow does it.

MORTON: In the House, majority rules unimpeded, debate always limited, up and down votes when the majority wants them.

The Senate was meant to be more deliberative. George Washington called it the saucer where passions cool. If the filibuster is abolished will that change?

DAVID BRODER, "WASHINGTON POST": The right of unlimited debate, though it's rarely been invoked, has been one of the distinguishing features of the Senate and it's one of the characteristics that sets it apart from the House of Representatives.

MORTON: Will they get rid of it? A test could come very soon.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, what's your idea of got to have it car? In four minutes, a growing number of you are choosing environment and efficiency over muscle.

Then at a quarter until the hour, Russians hear what their president has in mind for the next year.

But first, here's what else is making news this Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: Volkswagen's Jetta gets thumbs up in front and side crash tests. The insurance industry rated 15 midsized vehicles under $21,000. The redesigned 2005 Jetta received very good marks, the industry's highest rating. Side airbags with head protection are standard on the new Jetta.

Also receiving good ratings in front and side impact tests, the Honda Accord and Mitsubishi Galant. The Subaru Legacy received a good rating for head-on crashes but marginal in side impact tests.

Hybrid vehicles are flying out of dealer showrooms, so to speak. Sales nearly doubled last year as gas prices began soaring. Hybrids are powered by internal combustion engines but have batteries that are recharged while you drive and an electric motor. Major automakers are planning to introduce about a dozen new hybrids in the next three years.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

It's Japan's deadliest rail accident in more than 40 years. A commuter train went off the tracks this morning in central Japan. At least 50 people have been killed and more than 300 injured.

He helped negotiate Israel's first peace treaty with an Arab nation. Former Israeli President Ezer Weizman has died. He was 80. As defense chief in 1979, he played a key role in Israel's peace pact with Egypt.

In money news, are you getting too many tax breaks? A presidential panel says too many deductions and credits are complicating the tax system. But it also says convincing you to give up your tax breaks would be tough.

In culture, it's part of pop culture and it's worth more than $50,000, at least that's what an anonymous bidder paid for the microphone used by late night talk show host Johnny Carson until the '80s. Carson died in January.

In sports, New Jersey put a net over Shaquille O'Neal but it did not work. Miami's Dwyane Wade and Damon Jones combined for 62 points in the first round playoff game. The final: the Heat 116, the Nets 98 -- Chad.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed his administration's goals in a national address. His sixth State of the Union speech began less than two hours ago.

Our Jill Dougherty was watching it.

Jill, how does it apply to Americans?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Well you know, Carol, there was a moment there where I thought that I was listening to President Bush. And the reason is that there were a lot of economic things that he was talking about that President Bush has said that he would like.

For instance, he said bring back all of that capital that you took abroad, the money that Russians have been taking out of Russia, bring it back to Russia and we'll just have a flat tax on it of 13 percent. Russians, by the way, already have a flat tax of 13 percent.

Then he said let's end the inheritance tax. Then he said let's reduce the statute of limitations from 10 years to 3 years on questions concerning the privatizations. Now that, of course, doesn't apply to the United States. But it was a very, what you'd have to say, a very liberal type of tax approach that Mr. Putin took.

And then finally he said tax authorities have no right to terrorize the people who pay the taxes.

Now another thing where you might not get as much comparison between the United States and Russia would be on the issue of human rights, democracy, et cetera. There has been a lot of criticism, and we've heard it.

In fact just last week from Condoleezza Rice, the Secretary of State, who came here to Moscow, talking about that issue, media, et cetera. And Mr. Putin saying that Russia is already a democratic country. It is growing, it's changing, but as he put it, our main task is developing Russia as a free and democratic country. However, he said we're going to do it according to our pace and our interpretation of that.

And then finally just one last thing, Carol, remember those revolutions, like the Orange Revolution in Ukraine? It is a very hot topic here in Russia. The Kremlin concerned that maybe something like that could happen here.

And President Putin making it very clear that it is not going to happen here, if he can help it, that he does not agree that anything not legal should be used in order to change a government. And that if there were any type of attempt, they would take legal, but very strong action, against it -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's very interesting, because that was a peaceful demonstration. So what exactly is he saying, because part of a democracy is to protest?

DOUGHERTY: That is true. But what he's saying is it went beyond protest. It went to the point where the government was actually, basically, overthrown. You know Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, et cetera. He does not agree with the Bush administration. In fact, remember we asked Condoleezza Rice if this could be interpreted as fomenting revolution. She knocked that down and she said what's wrong with countries trying to throw off tyranny? But obviously Mr. Putin sees it differently.

COSTELLO: He certainly does.

Jill Dougherty, reporting live for us this morning, thank you.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, two toddlers are missing in Georgia, yet the search is abruptly called off, raising more questions than answers. More on that story when DAYBREAK returns.

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COSTELLO: In news "Across America" this morning, mystery surrounds the disappearance of two Georgia toddlers. Authorities have temporarily halted a search for 2-year-old Nicole Cane (ph) and her 3- year-old brother, Jonah (ph). Police in Warrenton, Georgia, that's about 100 miles east of Atlanta, have questioned the mother. She reported the children missing late Saturday afternoon. Police plan a news conference at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

The next time you're in a large crowd, like around 150 people, consider this, 1 in every 138 people was behind bars between mid-2003 and the middle of last year. That's according to a new government report. The nation's inmate population grew at a rate of about 900 people per week.

Near La Crosse, Wisconsin, a gruesome job for the CSI people. Police are defrosting a body. This story began with a standoff Friday when police went to question a man suspected of shooting his neighbor. Philip Schuth surrendered on Saturday. Police then found a body in his basement freezer. The body is believed to be that of the man's mother.

Senior Pentagon sources say four top Army officers in Iraq have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the Abu Ghraib Prison abuse scandal. The Army's internal investigation has not been released, but "The Washington Post" reports the only officer who will face discipline is General Janis Karpinski. Karpinski was the commander of the 80th Military Police Brigade. She's expected to get a reprimand for dereliction of duty.

Time to check our "Web Clicks" this morning, because we always care what you're clicking on to on CNN.com. What is getting your attention -- Chad?

MYERS: Fisticuffs, Carol, fisticuffs and snow.

COSTELLO: No fisticuffs, but it was a bench-clearing brawl, several of them...

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... at the Red Sox-Devil Rays game.

MYERS: They were playing beanball. They were throwing at each other and then they were hitting them out of the park right afterwards. Yes.

COSTELLO: Take a look at that.

MYERS: Mr. Ortiz was not pleased on a couple of...

COSTELLO: No, you know it's a shame, but I always find these really exciting. There's Trot Nixon. In fact, they're blaming him for everything. He was ejected. Out of there. Francona was ejected. I think LaRouso (ph) was ejected.

MYERS: Yes, yes, all the managers were ejected as they came charging across. Base brawl.

COSTELLO: Look at them, they just push each other. It looks like they're pinching one another.

MYERS: I'm pretty sure I don't want to be in the middle of that pinching, though, that's, no.

COSTELLO: But I don't see any punches thrown. No, I think baseball is a very strange sport in some ways, but exciting games to watch that's for sure.

The next thing, the next most popular thing you're clicking on to on CNN.com, the weather.

MYERS: There was no base brawl in Detroit.

COSTELLO: No.

MYERS: In fact, there was no baseball...

COSTELLO: Exactly.

MYERS: ... because of the snow. Fourteen inches, Carol, in some spots. WGW here out of Cleveland, a lot of snow coming through in some of these areas as well.

Tell you what, it's still snowing in Cleveland, still snowing in Pittsburgh. And they are cleaning up, because you know what, some of the branches now already had leaves on them. So as the snow was piling up on those early blooming trees, you can see the leaves on those trees, they are bringing down power lines to tens of thousands of people up there.

COSTELLO: I wonder how that will affect the blooming trees? No flowers this year.

MYERS: You know temperatures never really got too much below 32. Even right now, it's snowing, but it's 34, so we'll see. Snow is a good insulator for those buds, actually.

COSTELLO: Well that's a nice way -- you are glass half full this morning.

MYERS: Well my coffee is empty, so I better go get some more. COSTELLO: OK, thanks.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: Another hour of DAYBREAK in the gate. Do you know how to get what you want? Coming up in the next hour, one expert will join us to talk about the art of negotiation.

We're back with more DAYBREAK in just a minute.

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COSTELLO: Some fiery words from columnist Frank Rich about the congressional showdown over President Bush's court nominees. Rich writes in "The New York Times" about the "Justice Sunday" rally that was held by Christian conservatives to protest Democratic filibusters of judicial nominees. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist drew fire from Democrats for his videotaped comments supporting the rally.

This is what Rich writes in his column. "The real 'Justice Sunday' agenda lies elsewhere. As Bill Maher summed it up for Jay Leno on the "Tonight" show last week: 'Activist judges' is a code word for gay." He goes on to say, "Anyone who doesn't get with the program, starting with all Democrats, is damned as a bigoted enemy of 'people of faith.'"

We wanted to know what you thought of Bill Frist in his videotaped comments and "Justice Sunday." Frist and "Justice Sunday" was the question, religious exploitation or political partnership?

You got some -- Chad?

MYERS: Got one from Marguerite Payne (ph) in Seattle. First's actions were not only religious exploitation for political purposes but it's downright scary and dangerous. Separation of church and state was a basic principle of our founding fathers for a good reason. I think we only need to look at Iran to get a good idea why.

COSTELLO: This is from Andre (ph) from San Antonio. He says to answer your question, the religious group that Senator Frist spoke is an example of a political partnership. The group is a constituency, just as any group is, and Senator Frist was simply asking for the group's help in getting Democrats back to the table to stop blocking the president's judicial nominees.

MYERS: I got one from John (ph) in Little Rock. It says the last time religion ruled the world and politics it was called the Dark Ages -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We really didn't get many in support of Senator Frist, did we?

MYERS: Not really, not yet this morning, yet. But as soon as we say that, then they'll come flying in in his defense,...

COSTELLO: Well I hope so, because I want to know the other side. I want to know what you think.

This is from Lynn (ph). She says -- where's Lynn from, Los Angeles. Frist's abominable performance -- it's a hard word to say -- in the service of religious bigotry and hatred simply marks one more step in his progressive pandering to the religious right at the expense of the Senate, all reason debate, the Constitution and ultimately the country. He has created an atmosphere so poisoned that the Senate may never be the same, using religion to spread hatred and intolerance.

Keep the e-mails coming, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

The next hour starts right now.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, handcuffed by police at the age of 5. We'll show you the tape. And then you decide has preschool come to this or did police go too far?

And stories about John Bolton's bossy demeanor are mounting. Will they destroy his career at the United Nations before it even begins?

And a little bit of idle chatter as America's favorite singing competition goes under the media microscope.

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