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American Morning
Key Spots in Iraqi Government Filled at Last; Searching for Clues in Georgia After a Bride-to-Be Vanishes
Aired April 28, 2005 - 08:00 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
There's a developing story out of Baghdad today that may change the future of Iraq. After months of fighting, key spots in that government filled at last. And now the big challenges still lie ahead.
Searching for clues in Georgia after a woman vanishes only days before her wedding. This morning, police telling us about a key change in their investigation.
And in the Michael Jackson case, astonishing testimony from his ex-wife. What does the prosecution do today?
We'll get to it on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Welcome, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, we're going to sort out what happened last night in the House of Representatives. Republicans reversing course on some key changes in the ethics rules. We'll take a look at the pressure they were under and, of course, what all of this means for Tom DeLay.
HEMMER: Also, we're thinking about retirement again today, aren't we?
O'BRIEN: I know I am each and every day.
HEMMER: A couple of years away.
O'BRIEN: Did I just say that?
HEMMER: Part four of our series --
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's contagious.
HEMMER: Yes.
We're looking today at the early days of retirement planning, when to get started, how much to save, what kind of payoff you will get in the end. Gerri Willis continues her series and takes us through the numbers.
Did I put a thought into your head, by the way?
O'BRIEN: You know, Jack and I have been talking about retirement ever since we started talking about this series.
CAFFERTY: That's right. Yes. I'm taping this thing. I got me one of those TiVo deals.
O'BRIEN: Taking notes during the segment. What do I need to do?
CAFFERTY: That's right.
CAFFERTY: Coming up in "The Cafferty File," some folks in Congress want us all to have more paid sick leave.
Metrosexuals are out and manly men are in. We will have some examples.
And only in the "Cafferty File," exploding toads.
HEMMER: Cool.
O'BRIEN: OK.
HEMMER: Do have video to back that up?
CAFFERTY: We've got pictures.
HEMMER: Excellent.
O'BRIEN: It's no good without the pictures.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
O'BRIEN: You know that.
Thanks, Jack.
HEMMER: First to the headlines.
And here's Carol Costello with those -- how are you?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It makes it very difficult to do these headlines after that, exploding toads.
HEMMER: Good luck.
COSTELLO: Thank you.
Good morning, everyone.
We start out with a very serious story out of Duluth, Georgia, that woman missing just days before her wedding. Police now saying the search for her has become a criminal investigation. Thirty-two- year-old Jennifer Wilbanks went jogging on Tuesday night and she has not been heard from since. Officials say they have very few clues in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. DON WOODRUFF, DULUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT: Based on the circumstances of her disappearance, according to the family members and friends, this is totally uncharacteristic of her. It's been suggested by some that she had premarital jitters. Family and friends completely dismiss that and say that this is totally out of her character.
And that being the case, we feel that, you know, there -- we have to classify it as a criminal investigation and proceed forward in that perspective.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Wilbanks' family is urging anyone with information in the case to come forward.
A prime time news conference for President Bush. The president is set to address the nation in a televised news conference tonight. Topping the agenda, his energy policy and more specifics about Social Security reform. Stay tuned to CNN for live coverage of the president's news conference. That begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The president is actually started to -- or, expected to start to speak at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
The Senate is debating a bill that would make it tougher for young girls to get abortions. The House voted Wednesday to make it illegal for an adult to help a minor cross state lines to get an abortion. Senators voted against similar bills in the past, but lawmakers from both parties say this time the bill is likely to gain approval.
And Congress is moving ahead with possible legislation to curb steroid use in sports. Officials from the National Football League testified before a House committee on Wednesday. Lawmakers hailed the NFL's testing policy, calling it tough but not perfect. The panel next turns to the NBA. So get ready for chapter three.
HEMMER: I can't wait until they get to golf.
O'BRIEN: There's a whole litany of sports to get to.
HEMMER: Seeing those 155-pound guys out there, yes.
COSTELLO: They don't have to worry about hockey because there is no hockey.
HEMMER: That, too.
O'BRIEN: Skip that.
Thanks, Carol.
HEMMER: See you, Carol. O'BRIEN: New developments this morning to talk about. The Iraqi parliament formed the country's first democratically elected government in more than 50 years.
With more on that this morning, Ryan Chilcote joins us from Baghdad -- Ryan, good morning to you.
This was obviously history making.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a clear step toward democracy today in Iraq, Soledad.
The national assembly, Iraq's legislative body, approving the proposed government with a decisive margin today. Iraq got its first, in almost 50 years, government to be formed on the basis of democratic elections, a real big victory there.
But where it fell short, I think, of expectations is that we actually only got a partial government. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the prime minister, was expected to name all of the ministers, all 36 of them, I should say, in this new government. But he didn't do that. He left four very key posts unoccupied and he said that he and his deputies will occupy them for the moment, until they can decide who gets them.
So a little bit of a delay in the process, but definitely a step toward democracy.
O'BRIEN: Ryan, outside of filling those key four posts, give me a sense of some of the other obstacles and the other challenges for this new government.
CHILCOTE: Sure. Some of the other big obstacles, I think, ahead of them will really be to win the confidence of the people that went to the polls on January 30. A lot of Iraqis are really disappointed in their politicians. They felt like they risked their lives by going to the polls on that first vote on January 30 and that their politicians really haven't delivered yet for them. Witness how long, three months, the three months it took to form this government.
So they're going to need to win their confidence. They're going to need to create law and order on the streets and they're going to need to improve the economy.
And the second thing is they're going to need to bring some kind of national unity. And that means including Sunni Arabs. Sunni Arabs in this country largely feel alienated by the political processes and this new government is going to need to do everything it can, and says it already is, to try and include Sunni Arabs in the future, political future of Iraq -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, obviously lots to tackle for this new government.
Ryan Chilcote for us this morning from Baghdad.
Ryan, thanks -- Bill. HEMMER: Michael Jackson's ex-wife returns for a second day of testimony today in that trial in California. Debbie Rowe, one of the state's key witnesses, had some surprises yesterday for prosecutors when she took the stand on Wednesday.
Attorney Anne Bremner was in the courtroom.
She's back in Santa Maria, California this morning.
Anne, welcome back.
Good morning to you.
ANNE BREMNER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Thanks.
Good morning to you.
HEMMER: You say you were astounded by her testimony. I think the word you used was mind-boggling.
How so?
BREMNER: It was mind-boggling. She was called to basically corroborate the accuser's mother. And the prosecutors said in their opposite and to the court, when they argued that she should testify, that she did a rebuttal video in this case praising Michael Jackson after this Martin Bashir documentary where he was, you know, vilified in the press for saying he liked to sleep with young boys.
She said -- she was going to say she was scripted, that visitation of her children was held over her head, that this was coerced. And basically this would all support the false imprisonment and conspiracy charges, that Michael Jackson and his agents did the same things with the accuser's family.
Well, the opposite happened. She completely flipped. It wasn't backtracking. She was a complete unguided missile, flip-flopped and testified no one could tell her what to say, it wasn't scripted, she did it voluntarily. It was amazing.
HEMMER: There's that phrase again, Anne, unguided missile.
BREMNER: Nice.
HEMMER: You're using it for everyone.
BREMNER: I had said it yesterday.
HEMMER: You know, she...
BREMNER: You know, that's what this whole trial...
HEMMER: She also broke down on the stand, too. She was crying. It seems like everybody is crying when they take the stand.
BREMNER: Everyone's crying and everyone's unguided. It is the most remarkable case I have ever seen.
HEMMER: You mentioned this thing about being scripted or not. Here is part of what she said yesterday. "As Mr. Jackson knows, no one can tell me what to say. I speak my own mind. It was a cold interview and I wanted to keep it that way."
Why is this issue about a script or unscripted so critical at this point?
BREMNER: Because, it's really because of this, and it's kind of -- the family did this. They went out and they did this rebuttal video. The prosecutors didn't know about it -- or the police -- until late in the investigation. Once they found it, it was a huge problem for them because the family was praising Michael Jackson, crying tears, again, of joy about how much they loved him, calling him their savior, saying that he cured the accuser's cancer.
Well, that hurts the prosecution because how can they be saying all these wonderful things when they're falsely imprisoned, coerced, etc.?
So the accuser's mother said well, it was scripted, I was rehearsed, I -- nothing I said in there was true, but, you know, everything was scripted and I, you know, I had to say it.
So they have to show that it was scripted with other people. It's a huge problem for them because we've all seen it here in court so many times. It's 66 minutes long. And you'd have to be Meryl Streep to act that well. And it just doesn't work.
HEMMER: All right, here's another thing she said, Anne. She said yesterday: "I was excited to see Michael and the children." She continues to be reintroduced to them and to be reacquainted with their dad.
And Ted Rowlands, for CNN, last night, comes out of the courtroom and says she came across as a woman that wanted to be reacquainted with Michael Jackson.
If that's the case, did this completely backfire on the prosecution yesterday?
BREMNER: Yes. I was reminded of a title of an article on another trial called "Misfire In the Twilight Zone." You know, that's what it was. It completely -- it was a misfire and it backfired. And, you know, she looked at him, she smiled, she has a lot of feelings for him. And, you know, when he walked out yesterday, for the first time, he was carrying his own umbrella. I think he felt he had a good day.
HEMMER: Wow!
One more thing here. At the end of her testimony yesterday, which lasted about 40 minutes, they asked her whether or not she was truthful and she said, "No." And then testimony pretty much stopped there. What was she hinting at and is that where we begin today?
BREMNER: Yes. And, you know, interestingly, last night a group of us were out for dinner. We saw Debbie Rowe out at the Hitching Post, which is featured in the film "Sideways," with the prosecution team. You know, they're going to have to work with her today, you know, to get something that's salvageable in her testimony. But what she was talking about was his parenting skills. So we're not sure where that's going yet. But she's yet to say anything damaging to Michael Jackson.
HEMMER: More later.
Thanks, Anne.
Anne Bremner out in Santa Maria, California.
Thanks.
BREMNER: Thank you.
HEMMER: Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Ten minutes after the hour.
Time to take a look at the weather again this morning and Chad Myers -- hey, Chad, good morning to you.
A nice day here.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
O'BRIEN: How about for everybody else?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Save now or worry later? In a moment, tips on what young people can do to get ready for retirement, as our series "Never Too Late" continues in a moment.
O'BRIEN: And the pros of patches. We're going to take a look at the new variety of medicines that are more than skin deep.
That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Our "Never Too Late" series now.
Baby boomers aren't the only ones worried about retirement. Young adults are watching their parents' struggles and vowing to start planning earlier.
But are they following through? CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't hate this kid, even though he's got more money saved for retirement than you do.
CHRIS LAHIJI, 21-YEAR-OLD FINANCIAL ANALYST: What I try to do is I try to save at least $1,000 to $3,000 a year from my income. And I put it in either mutual funds, bonds, stocks or right now I've just established a Roth IRA.
WILLIS: Financial analyst Chris Lahiji is just 21 years old.
LAHIJI: I know that when I turn 50 or 60 years old, I want to have a pretty nice nest egg. So when my kids are all grown up, they won't be asking me for any money and me and my wife can be enjoying our little villa right by the beach.
WILLIS: If Chris is making you feel a little guilty, well, relax. Not every 21-year-old is investing for retirement, even if they should be. A recently released study by MetLife found that nearly half of young workers between the ages of 21 and 30 haven't even begun to plan or save for retirement.
Some students at New York University know they have a long way to go.
HIRO TAKEI, 21-YEAR-OLD NYU STUDENT: I see saving for retirement as something about ten thousand and a half steps away.
WILLIS (on camera): What do you mean? It's like so far off in the future, you can't even think about it?
TAKEI: Yes. Like my parents are in their 60s and I personally feel like they've just begun to like realize that Social Security has a problem and here I am at 21 and I'm looking at my parents and I feel it's still their problem.
WILLIS (voice-over): Although he might not be saving yet, other students we talked to say they are, because they worry that the safety net their parents enjoyed might not be there when they need it, or it might not be enough.
NEERAV JAIN, 22-YEAR-OLD NYU STUDENT: I don't think that Social Security itself has the high return that I'm basically looking for. I think if I go off and I do it on my own, you know, I could invest it better than, you know, the government itself.
LOLA RUBENSTEIN, 22-YEAR-OLD NYU STUDENT: If it continues in the direction that it's going right now, it quite possibly could be extinct. And in that situation, I think we're going to be in trouble.
WILLIS (voice-over): Our financial whiz kid says the most important thing these young people can do is make sure they don't spend all the money they make, so they'll have it later on. LAHIJI: Spending is the easy part. Me and you can go on Fifth Avenue and probably spend $150,000. I'll buy some Gucci underwear for $300. That's no problem. But we can't do that.
TAKEI: I'm still trying to find a job to retire from before I start worrying about retirement.
WILLIS: But the message may be sinking in.
TAKEI: I don't know, maybe I should start rethinking this whole thing and care more about it.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
O'BRIEN: So, if you're in your 20s and you haven't even started saving yet, you are in better shape than somebody, say, in their 50s. But you still have lots of work to do.
Here are some of Gerri's tips.
The most important thing is to get in on the program. You can start by signing up for a 401K. Just start saving and don't be too conservative. Focus on growing the money you put away. Try to increase the purchasing power of it so you can actually maintain your lifestyle when you reach retirement age. The way you do that is by investing primarily in stocks, with a small proportion in bonds.
Another good idea, have your savings deducted directly from your paycheck. That way you don't even notice the money that you're putting away.
And be consistent. Don't keep changing what you set aside.
Tomorrow we're talking about green jobs for life -- how to pursue what you really love doing and how it pay off.
You can find much more about our retirement series on our Web site, cnn.com/am -- Bill.
HEMMER: Soledad, in a moment here, more of that expose that threatens to rock America's most popular reality show. We keep hearing about these bombshell accusations involving "American Idol." But does the truth match the hype?
That's next after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.
Let's get right to the Question of the Day.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, ma'am.
President Bush holding a prime time news conference tonight. He's going to talk about energy, among other things. In a speech yesterday, he said the U.S. needs more nuclear power plants and more oil refineries. He suggested using closed military bases to build new oil refineries. Permits for the last nuclear power plant built in this country issued in 1979. And it's been three decades since we've built a new oil refinery, as well.
The question this morning is this: will new oil refineries and nuclear power plants solve the U.S. energy problems?
Paul in Japan, where we are on in prime time, by the way.
HEMMER: Prime time.
CAFFERTY: Is that right? You were over there.
HEMMER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: AMERICAN MORNING is on in prime time.
HEMMER: Yes. It was (INAUDIBLE).
CAFFERTY: "Why is it taboo in America for any leader to even hint at the most logical and far-sighted solution to the energy problem? Have the president suggest to Americans that they drive a little bit less, drive smaller cars and set their heaters and air conditioners at a lower level."
Sandy in Vermont writes: "The real reason for the lack of production is the oil companies don't want to build new refineries because they'd have to build them according to the new EPA standards. And nuclear power plants generate nuclear waste. That is a real problem when it comes to disposal, not to mention a lovely target for terrorist attacks."
Minda writes: "Two important sources of energy that are being overlooked are the heat underground and the push and pull of the oceans. These sources are available now and do not pollute our environment."
I don't know how you power your automobile with the push and pull of the oceans, but...
John in Florida writes: "Building new refineries is like giving Jack a facelift. It won't work. We can continue to patch up our old Edsels. We need to try a new approach."
O'BRIEN: Just a little, just like that.
HEMMER: He's so bored by that, aren't you?
O'BRIEN: It takes off 15 years.
HEMMER: Do you have more?
CAFFERTY: He's right, it won't help. You've got to go far more than that. HEMMER: You know, the big key in all this is hydrogen, but that's like 50 years away, even if you can develop it to the way that you can extract energy from it. They say you can get the power of the sun if you can transmit the -- if you can pull the power out of hydrogen and put it in your car, your home, etc.
O'BRIEN: I think it needs to be a...
HEMMER: There will be no more concerns for oil.
O'BRIEN: There needs to be a multi-pronged approach. I mean I think everybody sort of has a nugget of it. But you can't just build more refineries. At the end of the day you've got to have the oil to refine.
CAFFERTY: But the problem is, from where this old man sits at the end of the bench here...
HEMMER: Who's that?
CAFFERTY: ... we are doing nothing, nothing revolutionary or new. Nothing.
O'BRIEN: Right.
CAFFERTY: Oil refineries and nuclear power plants have been around for half a century. We're running out of oil. We've got to try something else. And I don't see any national priority when it comes to doing something different, doing something new.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Good stuff, Jack.
Thanks.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: If you missed it last night, and I know you did, "American Idol" is trimming down the finalists. Yes. "Idol" contestant Constantine -- is it Maroulis?
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you -- voted off the show last night. One of the judge's Paula Abdul, consistently called him one of the favorites to win. She was so distraught she was speechless.
CAFFERTY: Maybe she was having an affair with him.
HEMMER: During the final song -- easy -- she went over and hugged his mother and sobbed. Constantine -- he's from Brooklyn, New York; he's here from Brooklyn -- told fans he would keep on rocking. His band is called "Pray for the Soul of Betty." They just landed a recording deal.
CAFFERTY: You know, but there is talk in the tabloids and stuff that Paula's been messing around with the contestants on that program.
HEMMER: Well, you know...
O'BRIEN: And, in fact, that is our next story to tell you about.
"Idol" fans are certain to get another dose of shock next week. It won't have anything to do with those voting results.
"SHOW BIZ TONIGHT'S" David Haffenreffer reports on a behind-the- scenes bombshell that is about to be exposed by a rival network.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV's mega hit is about to get rocked with a bombshell claim.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the television special that claims you'll never watch "American Idol" the same way again. ABC started airing this advertisement this week, promoting "Prime Time Live's" special, "Fallen Idol." Details of exactly what's in the special report are sketchy. ABC is not talking. Fox has no comment. 19 Entertainment, nothing either. That's the company that created "Idol."
The prime time show could be juicy. ABC is airing the special next Wednesday, putting it right in the middle of the important May sweeps period, where the networks pull out all the stops to get ratings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's been promised is not an explosive expose, but explosive claims. Maybe some of the judges play favorites both behind-the-scenes and in front of the scenes, as well. But, you know, this isn't really a shock. This is a show that is designed from the get go where you can stack the deck.
But I have a feeling that at the end of this thing, the "American Idol" juggernaut will be just as powerful as it was before the expose played.
HAFFENREFFER (on camera): We may not know much about the show, but one thing we do know is that ABC is moving this episode from its usual Thursday night slot to Wednesday. Wednesday also happens to be "American Idol" night on Fox.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL," COURTESY FOX TELEVISION)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were just under like the almost the whole song. I don't know, it's just never quite...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a coincidence. They changed the scheduling. Of course, you know, it's a sweeps stunting practice, pure and simple. But, you know, as we look at what ABC is doing, we shouldn't forget that this kind of stuff goes on across-the-board. You take the success of "American Idol" and you use it for your own network's purposes. And I'll bet you that that report gets a higher rating than most of the prime time reports get from ABC throughout the rest of this season.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL," COURTESY FOX TELEVISION)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The stars come out for the idol.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): "American Idol" continues to be red hot in the ratings. More than 24 million people watch the remaining six contestants duke it out. Whatever the prime time special reveals, it probably won't do much to "Idol's" ratings. Numbers didn't dip earlier this season when someone put the wrong phone numbers on screen for three contestants. It also came out unscathed after the media learned that contestant Scott Savol was arrested and charged four years ago with hitting his girlfriend.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
O'BRIEN: Some details about what that "Prime Time Live" special might be about.
The "L.A. Times" reporting that it's likely to focus on claims by two "American Idol" -- or, "American Idol 2," rather, contestant Corey Clark that he had an affair with "Idol" judge Paula Abdul. Whoo! Clark is reportedly trying to sell a tell-all. But guess what? He's got a book. Abdul's lawyers apparently have sent ABC a letter warning them not to air those allegations. So all that means even more people will tune in to see the special.
CAFFERTY: Has anybody asked Paula if she's been fooling around with the contestants?
HEMMER: Hey, now. Hey, hey, hey now.
CAFFERTY: I mean wouldn't it be, I mean you just go to her and say Paula...
HEMMER: It's a prime time show now...
CAFFERTY: ... we've got this rumor around that you've been messing around with these people backstage.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: I mean what's the deal?
O'BRIEN: I have not had that opportunity.
CAFFERTY: It seems like the question of the day.
HEMMER: Thank you.
If you are -- it might be, Friday.
O'BRIEN: Tomorrow.
HEMMER: If you're tired of popping pills, maybe you could try a patch. In a moment, you might be surprised today to learn that there are a number of choices out there for all kinds of things.
That's ahead after a break on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired April 28, 2005 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
There's a developing story out of Baghdad today that may change the future of Iraq. After months of fighting, key spots in that government filled at last. And now the big challenges still lie ahead.
Searching for clues in Georgia after a woman vanishes only days before her wedding. This morning, police telling us about a key change in their investigation.
And in the Michael Jackson case, astonishing testimony from his ex-wife. What does the prosecution do today?
We'll get to it on AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Welcome, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, we're going to sort out what happened last night in the House of Representatives. Republicans reversing course on some key changes in the ethics rules. We'll take a look at the pressure they were under and, of course, what all of this means for Tom DeLay.
HEMMER: Also, we're thinking about retirement again today, aren't we?
O'BRIEN: I know I am each and every day.
HEMMER: A couple of years away.
O'BRIEN: Did I just say that?
HEMMER: Part four of our series --
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's contagious.
HEMMER: Yes.
We're looking today at the early days of retirement planning, when to get started, how much to save, what kind of payoff you will get in the end. Gerri Willis continues her series and takes us through the numbers.
Did I put a thought into your head, by the way?
O'BRIEN: You know, Jack and I have been talking about retirement ever since we started talking about this series.
CAFFERTY: That's right. Yes. I'm taping this thing. I got me one of those TiVo deals.
O'BRIEN: Taking notes during the segment. What do I need to do?
CAFFERTY: That's right.
CAFFERTY: Coming up in "The Cafferty File," some folks in Congress want us all to have more paid sick leave.
Metrosexuals are out and manly men are in. We will have some examples.
And only in the "Cafferty File," exploding toads.
HEMMER: Cool.
O'BRIEN: OK.
HEMMER: Do have video to back that up?
CAFFERTY: We've got pictures.
HEMMER: Excellent.
O'BRIEN: It's no good without the pictures.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
O'BRIEN: You know that.
Thanks, Jack.
HEMMER: First to the headlines.
And here's Carol Costello with those -- how are you?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It makes it very difficult to do these headlines after that, exploding toads.
HEMMER: Good luck.
COSTELLO: Thank you.
Good morning, everyone.
We start out with a very serious story out of Duluth, Georgia, that woman missing just days before her wedding. Police now saying the search for her has become a criminal investigation. Thirty-two- year-old Jennifer Wilbanks went jogging on Tuesday night and she has not been heard from since. Officials say they have very few clues in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. DON WOODRUFF, DULUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT: Based on the circumstances of her disappearance, according to the family members and friends, this is totally uncharacteristic of her. It's been suggested by some that she had premarital jitters. Family and friends completely dismiss that and say that this is totally out of her character.
And that being the case, we feel that, you know, there -- we have to classify it as a criminal investigation and proceed forward in that perspective.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Wilbanks' family is urging anyone with information in the case to come forward.
A prime time news conference for President Bush. The president is set to address the nation in a televised news conference tonight. Topping the agenda, his energy policy and more specifics about Social Security reform. Stay tuned to CNN for live coverage of the president's news conference. That begins tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The president is actually started to -- or, expected to start to speak at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.
The Senate is debating a bill that would make it tougher for young girls to get abortions. The House voted Wednesday to make it illegal for an adult to help a minor cross state lines to get an abortion. Senators voted against similar bills in the past, but lawmakers from both parties say this time the bill is likely to gain approval.
And Congress is moving ahead with possible legislation to curb steroid use in sports. Officials from the National Football League testified before a House committee on Wednesday. Lawmakers hailed the NFL's testing policy, calling it tough but not perfect. The panel next turns to the NBA. So get ready for chapter three.
HEMMER: I can't wait until they get to golf.
O'BRIEN: There's a whole litany of sports to get to.
HEMMER: Seeing those 155-pound guys out there, yes.
COSTELLO: They don't have to worry about hockey because there is no hockey.
HEMMER: That, too.
O'BRIEN: Skip that.
Thanks, Carol.
HEMMER: See you, Carol. O'BRIEN: New developments this morning to talk about. The Iraqi parliament formed the country's first democratically elected government in more than 50 years.
With more on that this morning, Ryan Chilcote joins us from Baghdad -- Ryan, good morning to you.
This was obviously history making.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a clear step toward democracy today in Iraq, Soledad.
The national assembly, Iraq's legislative body, approving the proposed government with a decisive margin today. Iraq got its first, in almost 50 years, government to be formed on the basis of democratic elections, a real big victory there.
But where it fell short, I think, of expectations is that we actually only got a partial government. Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the prime minister, was expected to name all of the ministers, all 36 of them, I should say, in this new government. But he didn't do that. He left four very key posts unoccupied and he said that he and his deputies will occupy them for the moment, until they can decide who gets them.
So a little bit of a delay in the process, but definitely a step toward democracy.
O'BRIEN: Ryan, outside of filling those key four posts, give me a sense of some of the other obstacles and the other challenges for this new government.
CHILCOTE: Sure. Some of the other big obstacles, I think, ahead of them will really be to win the confidence of the people that went to the polls on January 30. A lot of Iraqis are really disappointed in their politicians. They felt like they risked their lives by going to the polls on that first vote on January 30 and that their politicians really haven't delivered yet for them. Witness how long, three months, the three months it took to form this government.
So they're going to need to win their confidence. They're going to need to create law and order on the streets and they're going to need to improve the economy.
And the second thing is they're going to need to bring some kind of national unity. And that means including Sunni Arabs. Sunni Arabs in this country largely feel alienated by the political processes and this new government is going to need to do everything it can, and says it already is, to try and include Sunni Arabs in the future, political future of Iraq -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, obviously lots to tackle for this new government.
Ryan Chilcote for us this morning from Baghdad.
Ryan, thanks -- Bill. HEMMER: Michael Jackson's ex-wife returns for a second day of testimony today in that trial in California. Debbie Rowe, one of the state's key witnesses, had some surprises yesterday for prosecutors when she took the stand on Wednesday.
Attorney Anne Bremner was in the courtroom.
She's back in Santa Maria, California this morning.
Anne, welcome back.
Good morning to you.
ANNE BREMNER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Thanks.
Good morning to you.
HEMMER: You say you were astounded by her testimony. I think the word you used was mind-boggling.
How so?
BREMNER: It was mind-boggling. She was called to basically corroborate the accuser's mother. And the prosecutors said in their opposite and to the court, when they argued that she should testify, that she did a rebuttal video in this case praising Michael Jackson after this Martin Bashir documentary where he was, you know, vilified in the press for saying he liked to sleep with young boys.
She said -- she was going to say she was scripted, that visitation of her children was held over her head, that this was coerced. And basically this would all support the false imprisonment and conspiracy charges, that Michael Jackson and his agents did the same things with the accuser's family.
Well, the opposite happened. She completely flipped. It wasn't backtracking. She was a complete unguided missile, flip-flopped and testified no one could tell her what to say, it wasn't scripted, she did it voluntarily. It was amazing.
HEMMER: There's that phrase again, Anne, unguided missile.
BREMNER: Nice.
HEMMER: You're using it for everyone.
BREMNER: I had said it yesterday.
HEMMER: You know, she...
BREMNER: You know, that's what this whole trial...
HEMMER: She also broke down on the stand, too. She was crying. It seems like everybody is crying when they take the stand.
BREMNER: Everyone's crying and everyone's unguided. It is the most remarkable case I have ever seen.
HEMMER: You mentioned this thing about being scripted or not. Here is part of what she said yesterday. "As Mr. Jackson knows, no one can tell me what to say. I speak my own mind. It was a cold interview and I wanted to keep it that way."
Why is this issue about a script or unscripted so critical at this point?
BREMNER: Because, it's really because of this, and it's kind of -- the family did this. They went out and they did this rebuttal video. The prosecutors didn't know about it -- or the police -- until late in the investigation. Once they found it, it was a huge problem for them because the family was praising Michael Jackson, crying tears, again, of joy about how much they loved him, calling him their savior, saying that he cured the accuser's cancer.
Well, that hurts the prosecution because how can they be saying all these wonderful things when they're falsely imprisoned, coerced, etc.?
So the accuser's mother said well, it was scripted, I was rehearsed, I -- nothing I said in there was true, but, you know, everything was scripted and I, you know, I had to say it.
So they have to show that it was scripted with other people. It's a huge problem for them because we've all seen it here in court so many times. It's 66 minutes long. And you'd have to be Meryl Streep to act that well. And it just doesn't work.
HEMMER: All right, here's another thing she said, Anne. She said yesterday: "I was excited to see Michael and the children." She continues to be reintroduced to them and to be reacquainted with their dad.
And Ted Rowlands, for CNN, last night, comes out of the courtroom and says she came across as a woman that wanted to be reacquainted with Michael Jackson.
If that's the case, did this completely backfire on the prosecution yesterday?
BREMNER: Yes. I was reminded of a title of an article on another trial called "Misfire In the Twilight Zone." You know, that's what it was. It completely -- it was a misfire and it backfired. And, you know, she looked at him, she smiled, she has a lot of feelings for him. And, you know, when he walked out yesterday, for the first time, he was carrying his own umbrella. I think he felt he had a good day.
HEMMER: Wow!
One more thing here. At the end of her testimony yesterday, which lasted about 40 minutes, they asked her whether or not she was truthful and she said, "No." And then testimony pretty much stopped there. What was she hinting at and is that where we begin today?
BREMNER: Yes. And, you know, interestingly, last night a group of us were out for dinner. We saw Debbie Rowe out at the Hitching Post, which is featured in the film "Sideways," with the prosecution team. You know, they're going to have to work with her today, you know, to get something that's salvageable in her testimony. But what she was talking about was his parenting skills. So we're not sure where that's going yet. But she's yet to say anything damaging to Michael Jackson.
HEMMER: More later.
Thanks, Anne.
Anne Bremner out in Santa Maria, California.
Thanks.
BREMNER: Thank you.
HEMMER: Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Ten minutes after the hour.
Time to take a look at the weather again this morning and Chad Myers -- hey, Chad, good morning to you.
A nice day here.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
O'BRIEN: How about for everybody else?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Save now or worry later? In a moment, tips on what young people can do to get ready for retirement, as our series "Never Too Late" continues in a moment.
O'BRIEN: And the pros of patches. We're going to take a look at the new variety of medicines that are more than skin deep.
That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Our "Never Too Late" series now.
Baby boomers aren't the only ones worried about retirement. Young adults are watching their parents' struggles and vowing to start planning earlier.
But are they following through? CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't hate this kid, even though he's got more money saved for retirement than you do.
CHRIS LAHIJI, 21-YEAR-OLD FINANCIAL ANALYST: What I try to do is I try to save at least $1,000 to $3,000 a year from my income. And I put it in either mutual funds, bonds, stocks or right now I've just established a Roth IRA.
WILLIS: Financial analyst Chris Lahiji is just 21 years old.
LAHIJI: I know that when I turn 50 or 60 years old, I want to have a pretty nice nest egg. So when my kids are all grown up, they won't be asking me for any money and me and my wife can be enjoying our little villa right by the beach.
WILLIS: If Chris is making you feel a little guilty, well, relax. Not every 21-year-old is investing for retirement, even if they should be. A recently released study by MetLife found that nearly half of young workers between the ages of 21 and 30 haven't even begun to plan or save for retirement.
Some students at New York University know they have a long way to go.
HIRO TAKEI, 21-YEAR-OLD NYU STUDENT: I see saving for retirement as something about ten thousand and a half steps away.
WILLIS (on camera): What do you mean? It's like so far off in the future, you can't even think about it?
TAKEI: Yes. Like my parents are in their 60s and I personally feel like they've just begun to like realize that Social Security has a problem and here I am at 21 and I'm looking at my parents and I feel it's still their problem.
WILLIS (voice-over): Although he might not be saving yet, other students we talked to say they are, because they worry that the safety net their parents enjoyed might not be there when they need it, or it might not be enough.
NEERAV JAIN, 22-YEAR-OLD NYU STUDENT: I don't think that Social Security itself has the high return that I'm basically looking for. I think if I go off and I do it on my own, you know, I could invest it better than, you know, the government itself.
LOLA RUBENSTEIN, 22-YEAR-OLD NYU STUDENT: If it continues in the direction that it's going right now, it quite possibly could be extinct. And in that situation, I think we're going to be in trouble.
WILLIS (voice-over): Our financial whiz kid says the most important thing these young people can do is make sure they don't spend all the money they make, so they'll have it later on. LAHIJI: Spending is the easy part. Me and you can go on Fifth Avenue and probably spend $150,000. I'll buy some Gucci underwear for $300. That's no problem. But we can't do that.
TAKEI: I'm still trying to find a job to retire from before I start worrying about retirement.
WILLIS: But the message may be sinking in.
TAKEI: I don't know, maybe I should start rethinking this whole thing and care more about it.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
O'BRIEN: So, if you're in your 20s and you haven't even started saving yet, you are in better shape than somebody, say, in their 50s. But you still have lots of work to do.
Here are some of Gerri's tips.
The most important thing is to get in on the program. You can start by signing up for a 401K. Just start saving and don't be too conservative. Focus on growing the money you put away. Try to increase the purchasing power of it so you can actually maintain your lifestyle when you reach retirement age. The way you do that is by investing primarily in stocks, with a small proportion in bonds.
Another good idea, have your savings deducted directly from your paycheck. That way you don't even notice the money that you're putting away.
And be consistent. Don't keep changing what you set aside.
Tomorrow we're talking about green jobs for life -- how to pursue what you really love doing and how it pay off.
You can find much more about our retirement series on our Web site, cnn.com/am -- Bill.
HEMMER: Soledad, in a moment here, more of that expose that threatens to rock America's most popular reality show. We keep hearing about these bombshell accusations involving "American Idol." But does the truth match the hype?
That's next after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.
Let's get right to the Question of the Day.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, ma'am.
President Bush holding a prime time news conference tonight. He's going to talk about energy, among other things. In a speech yesterday, he said the U.S. needs more nuclear power plants and more oil refineries. He suggested using closed military bases to build new oil refineries. Permits for the last nuclear power plant built in this country issued in 1979. And it's been three decades since we've built a new oil refinery, as well.
The question this morning is this: will new oil refineries and nuclear power plants solve the U.S. energy problems?
Paul in Japan, where we are on in prime time, by the way.
HEMMER: Prime time.
CAFFERTY: Is that right? You were over there.
HEMMER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: AMERICAN MORNING is on in prime time.
HEMMER: Yes. It was (INAUDIBLE).
CAFFERTY: "Why is it taboo in America for any leader to even hint at the most logical and far-sighted solution to the energy problem? Have the president suggest to Americans that they drive a little bit less, drive smaller cars and set their heaters and air conditioners at a lower level."
Sandy in Vermont writes: "The real reason for the lack of production is the oil companies don't want to build new refineries because they'd have to build them according to the new EPA standards. And nuclear power plants generate nuclear waste. That is a real problem when it comes to disposal, not to mention a lovely target for terrorist attacks."
Minda writes: "Two important sources of energy that are being overlooked are the heat underground and the push and pull of the oceans. These sources are available now and do not pollute our environment."
I don't know how you power your automobile with the push and pull of the oceans, but...
John in Florida writes: "Building new refineries is like giving Jack a facelift. It won't work. We can continue to patch up our old Edsels. We need to try a new approach."
O'BRIEN: Just a little, just like that.
HEMMER: He's so bored by that, aren't you?
O'BRIEN: It takes off 15 years.
HEMMER: Do you have more?
CAFFERTY: He's right, it won't help. You've got to go far more than that. HEMMER: You know, the big key in all this is hydrogen, but that's like 50 years away, even if you can develop it to the way that you can extract energy from it. They say you can get the power of the sun if you can transmit the -- if you can pull the power out of hydrogen and put it in your car, your home, etc.
O'BRIEN: I think it needs to be a...
HEMMER: There will be no more concerns for oil.
O'BRIEN: There needs to be a multi-pronged approach. I mean I think everybody sort of has a nugget of it. But you can't just build more refineries. At the end of the day you've got to have the oil to refine.
CAFFERTY: But the problem is, from where this old man sits at the end of the bench here...
HEMMER: Who's that?
CAFFERTY: ... we are doing nothing, nothing revolutionary or new. Nothing.
O'BRIEN: Right.
CAFFERTY: Oil refineries and nuclear power plants have been around for half a century. We're running out of oil. We've got to try something else. And I don't see any national priority when it comes to doing something different, doing something new.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Good stuff, Jack.
Thanks.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: If you missed it last night, and I know you did, "American Idol" is trimming down the finalists. Yes. "Idol" contestant Constantine -- is it Maroulis?
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you -- voted off the show last night. One of the judge's Paula Abdul, consistently called him one of the favorites to win. She was so distraught she was speechless.
CAFFERTY: Maybe she was having an affair with him.
HEMMER: During the final song -- easy -- she went over and hugged his mother and sobbed. Constantine -- he's from Brooklyn, New York; he's here from Brooklyn -- told fans he would keep on rocking. His band is called "Pray for the Soul of Betty." They just landed a recording deal.
CAFFERTY: You know, but there is talk in the tabloids and stuff that Paula's been messing around with the contestants on that program.
HEMMER: Well, you know...
O'BRIEN: And, in fact, that is our next story to tell you about.
"Idol" fans are certain to get another dose of shock next week. It won't have anything to do with those voting results.
"SHOW BIZ TONIGHT'S" David Haffenreffer reports on a behind-the- scenes bombshell that is about to be exposed by a rival network.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: TV's mega hit is about to get rocked with a bombshell claim.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the television special that claims you'll never watch "American Idol" the same way again. ABC started airing this advertisement this week, promoting "Prime Time Live's" special, "Fallen Idol." Details of exactly what's in the special report are sketchy. ABC is not talking. Fox has no comment. 19 Entertainment, nothing either. That's the company that created "Idol."
The prime time show could be juicy. ABC is airing the special next Wednesday, putting it right in the middle of the important May sweeps period, where the networks pull out all the stops to get ratings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's been promised is not an explosive expose, but explosive claims. Maybe some of the judges play favorites both behind-the-scenes and in front of the scenes, as well. But, you know, this isn't really a shock. This is a show that is designed from the get go where you can stack the deck.
But I have a feeling that at the end of this thing, the "American Idol" juggernaut will be just as powerful as it was before the expose played.
HAFFENREFFER (on camera): We may not know much about the show, but one thing we do know is that ABC is moving this episode from its usual Thursday night slot to Wednesday. Wednesday also happens to be "American Idol" night on Fox.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL," COURTESY FOX TELEVISION)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were just under like the almost the whole song. I don't know, it's just never quite...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a coincidence. They changed the scheduling. Of course, you know, it's a sweeps stunting practice, pure and simple. But, you know, as we look at what ABC is doing, we shouldn't forget that this kind of stuff goes on across-the-board. You take the success of "American Idol" and you use it for your own network's purposes. And I'll bet you that that report gets a higher rating than most of the prime time reports get from ABC throughout the rest of this season.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL," COURTESY FOX TELEVISION)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The stars come out for the idol.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER (voice-over): "American Idol" continues to be red hot in the ratings. More than 24 million people watch the remaining six contestants duke it out. Whatever the prime time special reveals, it probably won't do much to "Idol's" ratings. Numbers didn't dip earlier this season when someone put the wrong phone numbers on screen for three contestants. It also came out unscathed after the media learned that contestant Scott Savol was arrested and charged four years ago with hitting his girlfriend.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
O'BRIEN: Some details about what that "Prime Time Live" special might be about.
The "L.A. Times" reporting that it's likely to focus on claims by two "American Idol" -- or, "American Idol 2," rather, contestant Corey Clark that he had an affair with "Idol" judge Paula Abdul. Whoo! Clark is reportedly trying to sell a tell-all. But guess what? He's got a book. Abdul's lawyers apparently have sent ABC a letter warning them not to air those allegations. So all that means even more people will tune in to see the special.
CAFFERTY: Has anybody asked Paula if she's been fooling around with the contestants?
HEMMER: Hey, now. Hey, hey, hey now.
CAFFERTY: I mean wouldn't it be, I mean you just go to her and say Paula...
HEMMER: It's a prime time show now...
CAFFERTY: ... we've got this rumor around that you've been messing around with these people backstage.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: I mean what's the deal?
O'BRIEN: I have not had that opportunity.
CAFFERTY: It seems like the question of the day.
HEMMER: Thank you.
If you are -- it might be, Friday.
O'BRIEN: Tomorrow.
HEMMER: If you're tired of popping pills, maybe you could try a patch. In a moment, you might be surprised today to learn that there are a number of choices out there for all kinds of things.
That's ahead after a break on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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