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CNN Live Today

GOP Backpedaling; Refinery Plan Reaction

Aired April 28, 2005 - 11:31   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news. Georgia police in a news conference this hour say they have no evidence in the disappearance of a bride-to-be. Thirty- two-year-old Jennifer Wilbanks vanished Tuesday night when she went jogging in suburban Atlanta. Detectives are bringing in bloodhounds today, trying to retrace her steps.
Today marks a milestone in the formation of a new Iraqi government. The national assembly has approved a list of cabinet members for the transitional government, but the job is not done. Four major positions were filled only temporarily while talks go on to reach a compromise.

George Tenet says "slam dunk" were two of the dumbest words he ever said. The former CIA director was speaking yesterday at a college in Pennsylvania. Says he now regrets that remark to President Bush in December, 2002. The president had asked Tenet about the evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, to which Tenet replied, it was a slam dunk case.

Texas A&M already had a barnyard full of cloned animals to its credit. Until now, it didn't have a horse. This colt, though, was born March 13th. Researchers at the school created the embryo from the skin cells of a champion horse in Europe.

The House that passed a bill that would make it illegal to transport a minor across state lines to get an abortion. Supporters say the bill is necessary because some states don't have parental notification laws. On the third try, the House legislation is expected to make it to the Senate.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was among those voting last night in favor of rescinding controversial new ethics rules, a little irony, because he could be the one with the most to lose or gain, depending on how you see the story.

Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry has details on the GOP backpedaling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How was that conference?

REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: It was a great conference.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is why Republicans retreated. The ethics questions swirling around Tom DeLay were taking their toll on the majority leader and his party.

REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: You guys better get out of my way. Where's our security?

HENRY: Back in January, Republicans changed the ethics rules to make it harder to launch investigations of misconduct. Democrats allege this was an attempt to shield DeLay.

Speaker Dennis Hastert insists the changes were meant to protect all members. But he acknowledges the only way to end the controversy is to restore the old rules and let the ethics panel investigate whether DeLay let lobbyists pay for overseas trips.

REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Right now we can't clear his name. The media wants to talk about ethics as long as we're at a stalemate. That's all that is in the press today, is the ethics stalemate. We need to move forward. We need to get this behind us.

HENRY: In private, other Republicans are even blunter. One lawmaker said he's worried the Democratic line of attack that Republicans were being arrogant may be effective because there's some truth to it. But there could be political fallout for both parties as the scrutiny of DeLay has a ripple effect.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers are scurrying to amend their own travel records. And staffers flocked to a closed-door refresher course on the ethics rules this week.

JASON ROE, HOUSE REPUBLICAN AIDE: You know, I think in a political sense, absolutely, everyone is concerned that this thing is ratcheting up the partisanship in Washington. But I think everyone is a little on edge about what we're going through right now.

HENRY (on camera): Republicans are the ones who are on edge now because they're not sure how the Tom DeLay investigation will end up. But they're vowing to retaliate by pushing for investigations of top Democrats.

Ed Henry, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And then there is the other enduring drama on Capitol Hill. It's over in the Senate where some of President Bush's judicial nominations still face the threat of Democratic filibusters.

CNN's Kimberly Osias tracks that for us -- Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, it's an issue that seems to be going on and on and on. Filibuster back on the table again today. This time two of President Bush's judicial nominees are up for a vote. But we will probably never get that far. That's because Democrats have been using the filibuster to block some of the administration's judicial nominees. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist wants to invoke the so-called nuclear option, changing current Senate rules to acquire a simple majority, to confirm the judges instead of the current 60 votes needed to overcome Democratic objections and the use of the filibuster.

The two judges Bush wants to see appointed to the federal level today are Terrence Boyle II (ph), and William Pryor. Here's a little bit of a thumbnail sketch of their careers so far. Terrence Boyle, currently he's a chief judge in North Carolina with the U.S. eastern district court. He's been a federal judge since 1984. Prior to that, he held a number of jobs as a private attorney, and at one point worked on the Hill for Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina. President Clinton refused to renominate Boyle during his eight years in office.

President Bush's second nomination to the bench today, William Pryor, he's 41 years old. Currently he's the attorney general for the state of Alabama. Prior's been in that post since 1997. Before that, Prior worked as an attorney in the private sector, and it seems, Daryn, that a line in the sand has been drawn on this issue. Democrats say that any attempt to change the Senate rules is simply unacceptable, and it undermines the constitutional system of checks and balances. While Republicans say that the filibuster mechanism was never intended to apply to judicial nominations.

The Senate committee held Terrence Boyle's nomination over, and may get to William Pryor's later today. And I do say may. Senate Judiciary chairman Arlen Specter is pushing for that, since the Senate is on break all next week, but we will see -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kimberly Osias, live from D.C., thank you.

President Bush this hour is meeting with the president of Panama, Martin Torrijos. The talks are said to be focusing on free trade between Panama and the U.S. There are security issues on the table as well, especially involving the panama canal. The two presidents have one thing in common, Texas. Torrijos is an Aggie. He attended Texas A&M.

Live coverage -- good time to mention this for you -- of President Bush's primetime news conference tonight on CNN. You can see it at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific, during a special edition of "PAULA ZAHN NOW." Mr. Bush expected to open with comments about Social Security and high gas prices.

President Bush has proposed been using closed military bases to build new oil refineries.

CNN's Mary Snow looks at how that plan is faring among those in the oil industry, conservationists and consumers as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a New York man who says he pays about $70 to fill the tank of his Hummer, it's all about money. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, if it's going to lower the price of gas, I'm for anything that's going to lower the price of gas, you know.

SNOW: In San Francisco, some say it's the environment that's the deciding factor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For a short-term gain of refining more fuel, doesn't quite seem to be worth the tradeoff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just depends on where they're located, you know. Whatever's cool environmentally, it's OK with me.

SNOW: The last refinery built in the U.S. was in Louisiana in 1976, owned by Marathon Oil. An industry trade group says at that time there were 291 refineries. Now there are 149. And the National Petro Chemical and Refiners Association says it is interested in and supportive of the president's suggestion that surplus military property may be suitable for refinery construction.

One oil analyst says it's not going to happen any time soon because refineries haven't been profitable for companies.

JOHN KILDUFF, FIMAT: I think you're going to see reluctance on the part of the major oil companies to race out to any military base and build a brand new refinery from scratch.

SNOW: The Pentagon works with communities to provide plans to reuse land when a base is closed. But a senior Pentagon official tells CNN that the Pentagon will not have a role to build any plans for refineries at closed bases.

JOHN KINGSTON, PLATTS: This is something that I think sort of came right out of the blue. It sounds to me like it was dreamed up at a meeting of some federal officials. And it's actually sort of an intriguing proposal, because it takes care of a lot of the land-use issues, but it's not something that the industry has been clamoring for.

SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: The war in Iraq is number one topic Americans say they would advise President Bush about if given the chance. According to a recent Gallup survey, the message they have for the president, end the war, bring the troops home.

First Lady Laura Bush on the West Coast today. She is promoting education for children considered at risk for gang involvement and drug use. Our White House correspondent, Dana Bash, is traveling with the first lady. She had the opportunity for a one-on-one interview with Mrs. Bush, and she asked her about her soaring popularity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BASH: Mrs. Bush, I think you are well aware that your approval rating is 85 percent, but you might not be aware that, just to sort of put that in perspective, that's higher than the pope's was right before he died. So I guess my question for you is, why do you think your approval rating is so high?

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I have no idea. And I'm very flattered of course. But also I know that I have the opportunity to point out programs like this, and I think Americans like that. I know that Americans want to know how they can help.

BASH: During the campaign, you also did take on some pretty high-profile roles, campaigning for your husband, of course, talking about some other issues like the war in Iraq, like stem-cell research, and for example, the White House just finished a 60-day tour, trying to sell the president's Social Security reform proposal, something that polls show needs some help. So...

BUSH: Am I going to go on the road for Social Security?

BASH: Mean, why not take on issues that -- to use your popularity, for example, to help your husband, like you did during the campaign, on an issue like Social Security?

BUSH: Well, that's a very good question. Maybe I'll do that. But I'm having a really great time pointing out the programs I've visited for the last three days while we've been traveling here on the West Coast. And I think that's really where my expertise is. And I think it's really a better use of my time really.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Mrs. Bush has two public events today. One is in Alameda, California; the other in Portland, Oregon.

Let's take a look at stories making news overseas this morning. Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Israel today for talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This is the first visit by a Kremlin leader to Israel. Putin is proposing a Mideast peace conference in Moscow this fall. And he's urging Iran to assure the world it won't build a bomb. Russia has provided assistance to Iran's nuclear program.

In Europe, Georgia's president is getting a look at the flood- damaged regions in the one-time Soviet republic. Days of heavy rains caused river rivers to burst their banks. Hundreds of people had to flee their homes. Floods have also hit Romania and the Balkan states.

Hold on to your breakfast. Police in Peru have rescued 4,000 frogs that may have been destined for the blender. Yes, some Peruvians think that frog shakes enhance sexual performance. I wonder what your stomach thinks about that. It is illegal in Peru to sell Amazon wildlife.

All right then. In Hamburg, Germany, toads are exploding -- hundreds of them. And scientists can't figure out what is causing the toads to swell up like a balloon, and then they pop. They have tested pond water. They've even examined the toad body parts. So far, they have ruled out a bacteria, virus and a fungus.

That takes care of our frog and toad stories today.

Coming up, a page-turner you might see on the beaches this summer, but it also has a spiritual bent. I will talk with the author, Neta Jackson, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Crime and romance. A long-lost love. Long-held secret revealed. It might sound like an episode of Desperate House Wives, but these are stories from the Yada Yada Prayer Group series, the hot topic at Bible-study groups all around the country. The Yada Yada Prayer Group get real, as the latest novel in the series inspired by a real-life Bible study. The author, Neta Jackson, joining me now from Chicago.

Neta, good morning.

NETA JACKSON, AUTHOR: Good morning, Daryn. It's great to be with you.

KAGAN: It's good to have you here.

First, let's talk about Yada Yada. When I hear Yada Yada, I think Seinfeld. So how does that work into a prayer group?

JACKSON: Well, you know, a lot of people accuse me of being a Seinfeld fan, but I've never actually seen a Seinfeld episode before. Actually, the word is a Hebrew word that's found in the scriptures.

KAGAN: Interesting.

JACKSON: And it means -- it has a sense of intimacy. It means to know and be known in a very intimate way. It's used between husband and wife. It's used between our relationship between us and God. So, that's -- and of course, I heard it used to mean, just, whatever. So I thought that would be a fun title for, you know, a group of women who are getting together, but then expose the deeper meaning -- have them discover it and discover how it applies to their relationships.

KAGAN: Yeah, that kind of intimacy is, I think, something a lot of people are looking for. So you have this thing. You write this page-turner. You know, you got the old boyfriends. You got love. You got crime. But you have incorporated prayer into that. How do you come to that place?

JACKSON: Well, the story is actually about 12 very ordinary women who get thrown together at this women's conference. And they're assigned to a prayer group. And it's very awkward for them, because they don't know each other. It's, you know, they're from different --

KAGAN: We know. We've all been there. Yeah. In that kind of -- we've all been in that situation where you're like, what am I doing here? I don't know anybody. Exactly, uncomfortable.

JACKSON: Right. And especially, they're from all different walks of life, different cultures. But things happen during that weekend that -- and they begin praying for one another. And they realize they can't just walk away from that weekend and act like they'd never known each other before.

KAGAN: So it's that bond.

JACKSON: So they decide to form a fray (ph) group. Yes. They begin to form a bond.

KAGAN: And this is on thing I think is so interesting about what you've done here, because I think people in the entertainment world think most people just live in the secular world. And then people in the religious world don't really acknowledge that we live in a secular world. But your books kind of bring together the two worlds, which is really where I think a lot of people are living.

JACKSON: Absolutely. I mean, the women in my novels come from all different walks of life and all different levels of their spiritual experience. But I think the important thing is that they come alongside one another and hold each other up. And even when they step on each other's toes, they've got that common bond about their faith.

KAGAN: Well, the book is "The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real." That's this time around. It is a series, and people all around the country discovery it, discussing it. It's book groups. We wanted to have you on because it's a hot thing. Neta Jackson, thank you.

JACKSON: Thank you, Daryn.

KAGAN: We have our own little meeting here of the women. Carol Lin in.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: I learned something new. Yada Yada -- language of intimacy.

KAGAN: How about that?

LIN: Never knew that.

KAGAN: Something a lot of people would like to have in their lives.

LIN: Lots of news coming up on "NEWS FROM CNN." In fact, you talk about prayer. Prayer is out for a 32-year-old jogger. We are working on a number of stories here, including the search for this woman, who was supposed to be married on Saturday. She disappears just days before her wedding. Today, there are new developments in this investigation. We are live at the top of the hour with an update.

Also, President Bush prepares to hold a rare prime time news conference tonight in hopes of bolstering his Social Security and energy plans. We are going to take a close at what the president's sales pitch might be.

So, please watch for those stories next on "NEWS FROM CNN" at the top of the hour. But I'm going to hand it back to Daryn for now.

KAGAN: Don't go far. You go to work in about 10 minutes.

LIN: Right here.

KAGAN: Thank you, Carol. We have a lot more news coming up. In fact, we're going to be checking in on business news. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: (INAUDIBLE), you can get on board an airliner, span the globe, but once you get there, can you bridge the cultural gap? For your own online travel adviser, here's CNN's Veronica De La Cruz at the dot-com desk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: When visiting a foreign land, be careful what you say or do. A simple gesture could land you in a world of trouble. At cnn.com/travel, a few helpful tips.

If you're traveling through Asia, patting someone on the head is considered an insult. And in other countries, be careful when crossing legs or pointing with your index finger. Both gesture gestures can be looked at as just plain rude. Consult your guide book, which may have a chapter on the dos and dont's of etiquette. Travel experts say becoming familiar with a country's customs and etiquette will help give visitors a better experience when traveling abroad.

So before you pack your bags, take our online quiz. In which country is it considered faux pas to use soap or shampoo in a traditional bathtub? And how about this one? In this country, cutting the point of the cheese like this is considered bad form.

For the answers, log on and find out. And last but not least, a few words to the wise: hello, good-bye, please, and thank you. Check out this list of words that should be learned in the language of your destination.

Safe and happy travels from the dot-com news desk in Atlanta. I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: Which is a good sign that it's time for me to pack it up and move on out. Carol Lin will be in for Wolf Blitzer at the top of the hour. I'm Daryn Kagan, and I'll see you right back here tomorrow morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 28, 2005 - 11:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening now in the news. Georgia police in a news conference this hour say they have no evidence in the disappearance of a bride-to-be. Thirty- two-year-old Jennifer Wilbanks vanished Tuesday night when she went jogging in suburban Atlanta. Detectives are bringing in bloodhounds today, trying to retrace her steps.
Today marks a milestone in the formation of a new Iraqi government. The national assembly has approved a list of cabinet members for the transitional government, but the job is not done. Four major positions were filled only temporarily while talks go on to reach a compromise.

George Tenet says "slam dunk" were two of the dumbest words he ever said. The former CIA director was speaking yesterday at a college in Pennsylvania. Says he now regrets that remark to President Bush in December, 2002. The president had asked Tenet about the evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, to which Tenet replied, it was a slam dunk case.

Texas A&M already had a barnyard full of cloned animals to its credit. Until now, it didn't have a horse. This colt, though, was born March 13th. Researchers at the school created the embryo from the skin cells of a champion horse in Europe.

The House that passed a bill that would make it illegal to transport a minor across state lines to get an abortion. Supporters say the bill is necessary because some states don't have parental notification laws. On the third try, the House legislation is expected to make it to the Senate.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was among those voting last night in favor of rescinding controversial new ethics rules, a little irony, because he could be the one with the most to lose or gain, depending on how you see the story.

Our congressional correspondent Ed Henry has details on the GOP backpedaling.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How was that conference?

REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: It was a great conference.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is why Republicans retreated. The ethics questions swirling around Tom DeLay were taking their toll on the majority leader and his party.

REP. TOM DELAY (R-TX), MAJORITY LEADER: You guys better get out of my way. Where's our security?

HENRY: Back in January, Republicans changed the ethics rules to make it harder to launch investigations of misconduct. Democrats allege this was an attempt to shield DeLay.

Speaker Dennis Hastert insists the changes were meant to protect all members. But he acknowledges the only way to end the controversy is to restore the old rules and let the ethics panel investigate whether DeLay let lobbyists pay for overseas trips.

REP. DENNIS HASTERT (R-IL), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Right now we can't clear his name. The media wants to talk about ethics as long as we're at a stalemate. That's all that is in the press today, is the ethics stalemate. We need to move forward. We need to get this behind us.

HENRY: In private, other Republicans are even blunter. One lawmaker said he's worried the Democratic line of attack that Republicans were being arrogant may be effective because there's some truth to it. But there could be political fallout for both parties as the scrutiny of DeLay has a ripple effect.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers are scurrying to amend their own travel records. And staffers flocked to a closed-door refresher course on the ethics rules this week.

JASON ROE, HOUSE REPUBLICAN AIDE: You know, I think in a political sense, absolutely, everyone is concerned that this thing is ratcheting up the partisanship in Washington. But I think everyone is a little on edge about what we're going through right now.

HENRY (on camera): Republicans are the ones who are on edge now because they're not sure how the Tom DeLay investigation will end up. But they're vowing to retaliate by pushing for investigations of top Democrats.

Ed Henry, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And then there is the other enduring drama on Capitol Hill. It's over in the Senate where some of President Bush's judicial nominations still face the threat of Democratic filibusters.

CNN's Kimberly Osias tracks that for us -- Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, it's an issue that seems to be going on and on and on. Filibuster back on the table again today. This time two of President Bush's judicial nominees are up for a vote. But we will probably never get that far. That's because Democrats have been using the filibuster to block some of the administration's judicial nominees. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist wants to invoke the so-called nuclear option, changing current Senate rules to acquire a simple majority, to confirm the judges instead of the current 60 votes needed to overcome Democratic objections and the use of the filibuster.

The two judges Bush wants to see appointed to the federal level today are Terrence Boyle II (ph), and William Pryor. Here's a little bit of a thumbnail sketch of their careers so far. Terrence Boyle, currently he's a chief judge in North Carolina with the U.S. eastern district court. He's been a federal judge since 1984. Prior to that, he held a number of jobs as a private attorney, and at one point worked on the Hill for Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina. President Clinton refused to renominate Boyle during his eight years in office.

President Bush's second nomination to the bench today, William Pryor, he's 41 years old. Currently he's the attorney general for the state of Alabama. Prior's been in that post since 1997. Before that, Prior worked as an attorney in the private sector, and it seems, Daryn, that a line in the sand has been drawn on this issue. Democrats say that any attempt to change the Senate rules is simply unacceptable, and it undermines the constitutional system of checks and balances. While Republicans say that the filibuster mechanism was never intended to apply to judicial nominations.

The Senate committee held Terrence Boyle's nomination over, and may get to William Pryor's later today. And I do say may. Senate Judiciary chairman Arlen Specter is pushing for that, since the Senate is on break all next week, but we will see -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kimberly Osias, live from D.C., thank you.

President Bush this hour is meeting with the president of Panama, Martin Torrijos. The talks are said to be focusing on free trade between Panama and the U.S. There are security issues on the table as well, especially involving the panama canal. The two presidents have one thing in common, Texas. Torrijos is an Aggie. He attended Texas A&M.

Live coverage -- good time to mention this for you -- of President Bush's primetime news conference tonight on CNN. You can see it at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific, during a special edition of "PAULA ZAHN NOW." Mr. Bush expected to open with comments about Social Security and high gas prices.

President Bush has proposed been using closed military bases to build new oil refineries.

CNN's Mary Snow looks at how that plan is faring among those in the oil industry, conservationists and consumers as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a New York man who says he pays about $70 to fill the tank of his Hummer, it's all about money. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, if it's going to lower the price of gas, I'm for anything that's going to lower the price of gas, you know.

SNOW: In San Francisco, some say it's the environment that's the deciding factor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For a short-term gain of refining more fuel, doesn't quite seem to be worth the tradeoff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just depends on where they're located, you know. Whatever's cool environmentally, it's OK with me.

SNOW: The last refinery built in the U.S. was in Louisiana in 1976, owned by Marathon Oil. An industry trade group says at that time there were 291 refineries. Now there are 149. And the National Petro Chemical and Refiners Association says it is interested in and supportive of the president's suggestion that surplus military property may be suitable for refinery construction.

One oil analyst says it's not going to happen any time soon because refineries haven't been profitable for companies.

JOHN KILDUFF, FIMAT: I think you're going to see reluctance on the part of the major oil companies to race out to any military base and build a brand new refinery from scratch.

SNOW: The Pentagon works with communities to provide plans to reuse land when a base is closed. But a senior Pentagon official tells CNN that the Pentagon will not have a role to build any plans for refineries at closed bases.

JOHN KINGSTON, PLATTS: This is something that I think sort of came right out of the blue. It sounds to me like it was dreamed up at a meeting of some federal officials. And it's actually sort of an intriguing proposal, because it takes care of a lot of the land-use issues, but it's not something that the industry has been clamoring for.

SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: The war in Iraq is number one topic Americans say they would advise President Bush about if given the chance. According to a recent Gallup survey, the message they have for the president, end the war, bring the troops home.

First Lady Laura Bush on the West Coast today. She is promoting education for children considered at risk for gang involvement and drug use. Our White House correspondent, Dana Bash, is traveling with the first lady. She had the opportunity for a one-on-one interview with Mrs. Bush, and she asked her about her soaring popularity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BASH: Mrs. Bush, I think you are well aware that your approval rating is 85 percent, but you might not be aware that, just to sort of put that in perspective, that's higher than the pope's was right before he died. So I guess my question for you is, why do you think your approval rating is so high?

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I have no idea. And I'm very flattered of course. But also I know that I have the opportunity to point out programs like this, and I think Americans like that. I know that Americans want to know how they can help.

BASH: During the campaign, you also did take on some pretty high-profile roles, campaigning for your husband, of course, talking about some other issues like the war in Iraq, like stem-cell research, and for example, the White House just finished a 60-day tour, trying to sell the president's Social Security reform proposal, something that polls show needs some help. So...

BUSH: Am I going to go on the road for Social Security?

BASH: Mean, why not take on issues that -- to use your popularity, for example, to help your husband, like you did during the campaign, on an issue like Social Security?

BUSH: Well, that's a very good question. Maybe I'll do that. But I'm having a really great time pointing out the programs I've visited for the last three days while we've been traveling here on the West Coast. And I think that's really where my expertise is. And I think it's really a better use of my time really.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Mrs. Bush has two public events today. One is in Alameda, California; the other in Portland, Oregon.

Let's take a look at stories making news overseas this morning. Russian President Vladimir Putin is in Israel today for talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This is the first visit by a Kremlin leader to Israel. Putin is proposing a Mideast peace conference in Moscow this fall. And he's urging Iran to assure the world it won't build a bomb. Russia has provided assistance to Iran's nuclear program.

In Europe, Georgia's president is getting a look at the flood- damaged regions in the one-time Soviet republic. Days of heavy rains caused river rivers to burst their banks. Hundreds of people had to flee their homes. Floods have also hit Romania and the Balkan states.

Hold on to your breakfast. Police in Peru have rescued 4,000 frogs that may have been destined for the blender. Yes, some Peruvians think that frog shakes enhance sexual performance. I wonder what your stomach thinks about that. It is illegal in Peru to sell Amazon wildlife.

All right then. In Hamburg, Germany, toads are exploding -- hundreds of them. And scientists can't figure out what is causing the toads to swell up like a balloon, and then they pop. They have tested pond water. They've even examined the toad body parts. So far, they have ruled out a bacteria, virus and a fungus.

That takes care of our frog and toad stories today.

Coming up, a page-turner you might see on the beaches this summer, but it also has a spiritual bent. I will talk with the author, Neta Jackson, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Crime and romance. A long-lost love. Long-held secret revealed. It might sound like an episode of Desperate House Wives, but these are stories from the Yada Yada Prayer Group series, the hot topic at Bible-study groups all around the country. The Yada Yada Prayer Group get real, as the latest novel in the series inspired by a real-life Bible study. The author, Neta Jackson, joining me now from Chicago.

Neta, good morning.

NETA JACKSON, AUTHOR: Good morning, Daryn. It's great to be with you.

KAGAN: It's good to have you here.

First, let's talk about Yada Yada. When I hear Yada Yada, I think Seinfeld. So how does that work into a prayer group?

JACKSON: Well, you know, a lot of people accuse me of being a Seinfeld fan, but I've never actually seen a Seinfeld episode before. Actually, the word is a Hebrew word that's found in the scriptures.

KAGAN: Interesting.

JACKSON: And it means -- it has a sense of intimacy. It means to know and be known in a very intimate way. It's used between husband and wife. It's used between our relationship between us and God. So, that's -- and of course, I heard it used to mean, just, whatever. So I thought that would be a fun title for, you know, a group of women who are getting together, but then expose the deeper meaning -- have them discover it and discover how it applies to their relationships.

KAGAN: Yeah, that kind of intimacy is, I think, something a lot of people are looking for. So you have this thing. You write this page-turner. You know, you got the old boyfriends. You got love. You got crime. But you have incorporated prayer into that. How do you come to that place?

JACKSON: Well, the story is actually about 12 very ordinary women who get thrown together at this women's conference. And they're assigned to a prayer group. And it's very awkward for them, because they don't know each other. It's, you know, they're from different --

KAGAN: We know. We've all been there. Yeah. In that kind of -- we've all been in that situation where you're like, what am I doing here? I don't know anybody. Exactly, uncomfortable.

JACKSON: Right. And especially, they're from all different walks of life, different cultures. But things happen during that weekend that -- and they begin praying for one another. And they realize they can't just walk away from that weekend and act like they'd never known each other before.

KAGAN: So it's that bond.

JACKSON: So they decide to form a fray (ph) group. Yes. They begin to form a bond.

KAGAN: And this is on thing I think is so interesting about what you've done here, because I think people in the entertainment world think most people just live in the secular world. And then people in the religious world don't really acknowledge that we live in a secular world. But your books kind of bring together the two worlds, which is really where I think a lot of people are living.

JACKSON: Absolutely. I mean, the women in my novels come from all different walks of life and all different levels of their spiritual experience. But I think the important thing is that they come alongside one another and hold each other up. And even when they step on each other's toes, they've got that common bond about their faith.

KAGAN: Well, the book is "The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real." That's this time around. It is a series, and people all around the country discovery it, discussing it. It's book groups. We wanted to have you on because it's a hot thing. Neta Jackson, thank you.

JACKSON: Thank you, Daryn.

KAGAN: We have our own little meeting here of the women. Carol Lin in.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: I learned something new. Yada Yada -- language of intimacy.

KAGAN: How about that?

LIN: Never knew that.

KAGAN: Something a lot of people would like to have in their lives.

LIN: Lots of news coming up on "NEWS FROM CNN." In fact, you talk about prayer. Prayer is out for a 32-year-old jogger. We are working on a number of stories here, including the search for this woman, who was supposed to be married on Saturday. She disappears just days before her wedding. Today, there are new developments in this investigation. We are live at the top of the hour with an update.

Also, President Bush prepares to hold a rare prime time news conference tonight in hopes of bolstering his Social Security and energy plans. We are going to take a close at what the president's sales pitch might be.

So, please watch for those stories next on "NEWS FROM CNN" at the top of the hour. But I'm going to hand it back to Daryn for now.

KAGAN: Don't go far. You go to work in about 10 minutes.

LIN: Right here.

KAGAN: Thank you, Carol. We have a lot more news coming up. In fact, we're going to be checking in on business news. Stay with us.

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(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: (INAUDIBLE), you can get on board an airliner, span the globe, but once you get there, can you bridge the cultural gap? For your own online travel adviser, here's CNN's Veronica De La Cruz at the dot-com desk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: When visiting a foreign land, be careful what you say or do. A simple gesture could land you in a world of trouble. At cnn.com/travel, a few helpful tips.

If you're traveling through Asia, patting someone on the head is considered an insult. And in other countries, be careful when crossing legs or pointing with your index finger. Both gesture gestures can be looked at as just plain rude. Consult your guide book, which may have a chapter on the dos and dont's of etiquette. Travel experts say becoming familiar with a country's customs and etiquette will help give visitors a better experience when traveling abroad.

So before you pack your bags, take our online quiz. In which country is it considered faux pas to use soap or shampoo in a traditional bathtub? And how about this one? In this country, cutting the point of the cheese like this is considered bad form.

For the answers, log on and find out. And last but not least, a few words to the wise: hello, good-bye, please, and thank you. Check out this list of words that should be learned in the language of your destination.

Safe and happy travels from the dot-com news desk in Atlanta. I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: Which is a good sign that it's time for me to pack it up and move on out. Carol Lin will be in for Wolf Blitzer at the top of the hour. I'm Daryn Kagan, and I'll see you right back here tomorrow morning.

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TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com