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American Morning
'Gimme a Minute'; Missing Bride-to-Be; Retirement Tips
Aired April 29, 2005 - 08:30 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. 8:30 here in New York on a Friday.
There are new developments in Georgia about the search for the bride-to-be. Police looking for any clue they can find as to what happened to Jennifer Wilbanks. She's 32, expected to go to the altar tomorrow, on Saturday. She's missing, been missing since Tuesday night. Police now wanting her fiance to take a lie detector test. He told police, I guess, late last night that he would give them be a answer by 1:00 this afternoon. SO more details on whether or not that will happen in a moment.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, the final part of our series on retirement. Today we're looking at new concept for retirement, by working. Basically, take a job you love for a lifetime. Some advice on that is coming up this morning.
HEMMER: All right. Cool story. First, the headlines. Back to Carol for those. Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm still thinking of taking a job you love for a lifetime.
HEMMER: Yes, you got one in mind?
O'BRIEN: It's right here. No?
HEMMER: You got the bird perch over there, Carol. Look at you.
COSTELLO: Yes, I could sit on my throne for a lifetime here on AMERICAN MORNING.
HEMMER: All praise be the queen.
COSTELLO: Thanks. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," suspected terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi is urging his followers to keep attacking U.S. forces. The message appears in an audio message reportedly from Zarqawi, posted on two Islamic Web sites. CNN is not able to verify this tape.
In Baghdad, in Basra, 11 bombing attacks in the span of just hours. More than 100 casualties reported so far.
And Russian president Vladimir Putin wrapping up his two-day visit to the Middle East this hour. Mr. Putin met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas earlier today, the visit taking place one day after Mr. Putin spoke with the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. The Russian president has offered to host a Mideast peace conference in Moscow. Israel is expected to reject that move.
In southern Florida, Denny's restaurant is facing a $28 million lawsuit, accused of comparing a group of customers to Osama bin Laden. Seven men of Middle Eastern descent claim they were denied service and kicked out of a Denny's in Florida city. The company says it investigated the claims and found no wrongdoing.
And in southeastern Minnesota, a woman is recovering in serious condition after being attacked by four of her boyfriend's tigers. It happened while she was helping him clean out their cages. Authorities are now testing the animals for rabies. The woman's boyfriend -- you see him here -- he's scheduled to appear in court today on charges in connection with keeping exotic animals.
I don't know that I would agree to help my boyfriend clean out his tiger cages.
HEMMER: It's time to find a new boyfriend.
COSTELLO: I know, wow.
HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.
President Bush last night covering a number of topics for an hour in his primetime news conference Thursday night. The president says his proposal for Social Security would increase benefits faster for low-income workers than for wealthier ones. Also, about the war on terror, the president says the U.S. is winning and Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda's terror network, has been quote, "severely diminished." As for Iraq, the president says, quote, "I believe we're making good progress." He would not commit, however, to a date for calling home American forces.
President Bush also giving a deadline to Congress to get the controversial energy bill on his desk by summer so that he can sign that bill into law. And he also took the chance to lay out his four- step plan for that. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Certainly, we must find innovative and environmentally sensitive ways to make the most of our existing energy resources. Third, we must develop promising new sources of energy such as hydrogen, ethanol or biodiesel. Fourth, we must help growing energy consumers overseas like China and India apply new technologies to use energy more efficiently and reduce global demand of fossil fuels.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: And there has been criticism from the president's choice, or for the president's choice, rather, for John Bolton, his choice to be the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Last night making a strong case why John Bolton should be approved by that Senate committee -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Some of the president's remarks are our topic this morning for "Gimme A Minute." The gang's all over the week's big stories. Let's begin with introductions this morning in San Francisco.
Jeff Katz. He's of KNEW Radio. Hey, Jeff, good morning to you.
JEFF KATZ, KNEW RADIO: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: In New York, Rachel Maddow of Air America Radio. Hey, Rachel, good morning to you.
MADDOW: Hi, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: And in Boston, where his Passover reality tour will end this weekend, Andy Borowitz of borowitzreport.com. Andy, as always, hey, hey, hey, nice to see you.
Let's get going. Jeff, we're going to start with you. Last night, the president proposing during his news conference that Social Security benefits for lower income Americans increase more than for higher earning Americans. The headlines this morning say Social Security is being cut. Headlines wrong, Jeff?
KATZ: Headlines are incredibly wrong. Social Security is not being cut. The headlines ought to be president endorses means testing, which means, frankly, it's going to be DOA when it gets up to the Hill. The Democrats are not offering anything in terms of alternatives. They're being obstinate, they're being obstructionists. The Republicans are worried about running for reelection next year. And despite the fact that it desperately needs to be reformed, I don't think we should look for any major changes.
O'BRIEN: Rachel, the president sounded optimistic last night, but listening to Jeff, wow, he doesn't -- sounds downright pessimistic. Don't the Democrats owe it to come forward with some kind of solution here?
MADDOW: Well, what President Bush has proposed is cutting $3 trillion from Social Security checks over 75 years. I don't think the Democrats should go along with that. I mean, President Bush wants the private accounts to be in there. Nobody wants those.
O'BRIEN: Andy, we're going to give you the final word after the bell. Easy for me to say.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Soledad, I was very unhappy with the president's press conference, because it preempted the O.C.
O'BRIEN: Let's turn to the fight over the filibuster. Rachel, we're going to give you this one first. What is wrong with giving every senator one hour to make their point? Isn't that plenty of time?
MADDOW: The filibuster is there to give some minority rights to the minority party in the Senate. Listen, the Republicans don't have the votes to kill the filibuster. If they did, they would have voted on it by now. Instead, they're trying to make the Democrats look obstinate by offering these awful deals on the filibuster. We'll kill the filibuster and you get this pile of lint. Why are you saying no? You're the party of no! It's a ridiculous plan.
O'BRIEN: Jeff, ridiculous plan or not.
KATZ: Listen, the Democrats don't need any help looking obstinate. It's the one thing that they're able to do in Washington on a fairly consistent basis. These judges, these judicial nominees, deserve an up-or-down vote. But you have folks like Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid. They can't say hello in an hour. So they're not going to go along with it.
O'BRIEN: Andy, could you filibuster in an hour? Wouldn't that be a good limit for you?
BOROWITZ: You know, John Kerry can actually make his case in ten minutes. It just seems like an hour.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about a case that has been in the news, the Michael Jackson case. Jeff, we're going to throw this one you. Debbie Rowe, supposed to be a great witness for the prosecution. Oops, maybe in hindsight, not so great for the defense. Too early to say, though, who's really winning this case?
KATZ: Well, I think we're all losing this case. It's just amazing. It is a freak show that continues. The prosecutor seems to have missed that one day in law school where they tell don't ask questions unless you know the answers. But it's entertaining, I suppose, but with a wide variety of victims. So it continues to be a freak show.
O'BRIEN: Rachel, freak show or entertaining, at least?
MADDOW: Neither. I mean, I'm just shocked, absolutely shocked that something weird has happened at the Michael Jackson trial. You know, that their relationship might have been somehow strange or something we don't understand. This whole story just makes me want to stick pins in my eyes.
O'BRIEN: Andy -- OK, ignoring that visual in our little minds -- are you shocked, too, as Rachel is?
BOROWITZ: You know, it's out of control. This week, Michael Jackson actually dangled one of his lawyers from a balcony. It was so bizarre.
O'BRIEN: Rachel, what do you think was the undercovered story of the week?
MADDOW: The state of Florida has gotten an emergency court order to stop an a pregnant 13-year-old from having an abortion. They're saying that she's too immature to make this medical decision, and so therefore they're going to force her to give birth and raise this child. If this case does not shock the pro-choice majority in this country into action, I do not know what will.
O'BRIEN: Jeff, what do you think we missed this week?
KATZ: Well, we missed the fact that apparently terrorism is no longer an issue, porous borders are no longer an issue, the economy's no longer an issue, because the House of Representatives has turned its attention to something incredibly vital, very important to America. That's the efficiency of ceiling fans. So the same folks that gave us low-flow toilets that don't work want to combine them with ceiling fans that don't work. It ain't a pretty picture.
O'BRIEN: Aw, you're starting to sound like Jack Cafferty. Andy, what do you think we missed this week?
BOROWITZ: Well, there was a very moving moment at the end of that press conference last night -- I don't know if you say this -- where President Bush blew a kiss to Prince Abdullah. That was very, very sweet.
O'BRIEN: And we end on that note. Guys, thanks so much. Have a terrific weekend. We'll see you back here next week.
MADDOW: Thank you.
HEMMER: Now 21 minutes now before the hour.
Police in Georgia examining e-mail on three different computers from the home of a missing bride-to-be. 32-year-old Jennifer Wilbanks last seen Tuesday night, apparently as she went out for a jog.
And Tony Harris is live again. Duluth, Georgia. Any leads today, Tony? Good morning there.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Nothing yet, but I can tell you, just as I look over here to my left a little bit, police from Duluth, the police department here in Duluth, are getting into vehicles right now, presumably to continue the search this morning. But you're right, you're talking about basic investigative elements right now, checking the cell phone records and checking the e-mails. We certainly hope that the authorities here know more about this investigation than we do. We trust that they do.
Because I got to tell you, on the ground here, it's a little frustrating, because there is very little new information to tell you about this case. As you mentioned, Bill, we're talking about 32-year- old Jennifer Wilbanks, bride-to-be, scheduled to be married tomorrow. Tuesday evening, she walked out of her home to take a run and she simply disappeared.
So where do we stand right now? Well, there is intense interest in her fiance. That is John Mason. And he has a decision to make. That is whether to submit to a polygraph test. It's standard in this kind of investigation, as you know. Here is Chief Randy Belcher, just an hour ago, on AMERICAN MORNING, taking on that very question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF RANDY BELCHER, DULUTH, GEORGIA POLICE DEPT.: We requested Mr. Mason to submit to a test yesterday. He's stated at the beginning of the investigation that he would voluntarily submit to a polygraph, but he did advise us yesterday that he would let us know today by 1:00 as to whether he'd take the test or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So we'll wait for that. A couple of items found in the search yesterday, Bill. Two sweatshirts, a pair of sweat pants in three different cities in the area. And these cities are in close proximity to one another, but we can tell you that a sweatshirt was found in the city of Cumming, Georgia, in Forsythe County, which is certainly outside of that extended five-square mile radius that's been the intense focus of the search. Once again, we can tell you that police here in Duluth are mobilizing to continue to search today.
And one other note about the items found yesterday. We don't know at this point whether any of those items belong to Jennifer Wilbanks.
HEMMER: Tony, what do you know about the relationship the Wilbanks family had, and their relationship with the community?
HARRIS: Well, I've got to you something, from all accounts, this is a well-loved, well-liked couple here. I got to tell you, on the way to this location, talked to you this morning, Bill, I stopped at a little convenience store, gas station convenience store, and the clerk behind the counter was just torn up about this. He told me that this is a woman, Jennifer Wilbanks, that he saw three times a week in his store. By all accounts, Bill, a well-liked couple in this community.
HEMMER: Tony Harris working the story in Duluth, Georgia. Tony, thanks for that.
The other day, we were told winds were kicking up in Georgia and throwing off the search a little bit. Looks like a decent day so far, based on the weather we saw in the picture with Tony Harris.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Here's a little bit of a shocker. A former CEO accused of looting his company is actually taking the blame for something. Andy's "Minding Your Business," just ahead.
HEMMER: Also, wrapping up our series on retirement. Meet some baby boomers who say it's never too late to find your dream job. A new twist in a moment here, as we continue after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Now to our series, "Never Too Late." Imagine getting paid for doing what you love and providing for a successful retirement all at the same time. For some people, there are second acts in life.
Personal finance editor Gerri Willis has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: What if you could get paid to do this the ret of your life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to put my fingers in there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want to jump in.
WILLIS: That's exactly what Joan Coukos did some four years ago when she left a successful career as a commercial banker to pursue her full-time love, chocolate.
Coukos dipped into the chocolate business at first, learning the ropes and the recipes. Her banking colleagues thought she was crazy.
JOAN COUKOS, OWNER, CHOCOLAT MODERNE: I would notice at the end of some of our meetings, that they'd have very worried looks on their faces.
WILLIS: Pushing the cynics aside, she used her savings to start Chocolat Moderne, investing her money in culinary training and supplies for her workshop.
(on camera): you took money most people think of as the nest egg and really gambled it.
CUOKOS: Yes.
WILLIS: Has it work for you?
CUOKOS: Yes, it's really, I think I've made -- I've been more successful than I thought I would be.
WILLIS: Chocolate, she believes, is both a passion and a profession she can follow into a successful retirement.
CUOKOS: There will always be something new and exciting to do.
WILLIS: Passions, say the experts, is exactly what later-in-life workers are looking for. Well, that and, of course, the money.
Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners, authors of the book "Don't Retire, Rewire," say the two are a natural match.
JERI SEDLAR, AUTHOR, "DON'T RETIRE, REWIRE": Start with any interest that you might have, or if you ever found yourself saying, one of these days I'll -- or if I had the time, I'd -- because it's an interesting of yours and you don't know up front where it might lead you. But that can work in conjunction with your skills and your competencies.
WILLIS: Billy Schlosser moved from technology consulting into producing music videos for children. He brought his whole family on board. Making the move required some careful financial planning to get their business started, including refinancing that I mortgage. It looks like their $400,000 investment is about to pay off.
BILLY SCHLOSSER, FOUNDER, "LAUGHING PIZZA": There's always going to be a new 5-year-old, every year, who would like to listen to this music, and it can be used in any number of ways. So we look at it as building our retirement portfolio while doing this.
LISA MICHAELIS, FOUNDER, "LAUGHING PIZZA": It sound corny, but really comes from the heart. So when you're looking for that thing, you don't have to look very far. You know, it's almost better if you just do the thing that you absolutely love.
WILLIS: Like Coukos, who developed a taste for her chocolate business.
CUOKOS: I was never someone who thought who really thought about, oh, I can't wait until I'm 59, 60 or 62 so I can, like, retire and sit on a golf course or something. I mean, I just never...
WILLIS (on camera): You have to do what you love.
CUOKOS: Yes, I have to do what I love, and I love to work, and I love to work at something that's challenging and creative.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Well, here are some of the Gerri's tips to help you make the transition into the next phase of your career. Make sure you have the financial resources to get started. One of every three new companies fails within two years. That's according to the Small Business Administration. The major reason is money.
Also, make sure there's a demand for your service or your product. You might want to test drive it as a hobby before you move to it full time.
HEMMER: Next, some people don't have successful career options because they haven't kept their skills up to date. So if you don't know how to do something, hire somebody to teach you or take some courses.
Also, make sure the Rolodex is current and that you stay in contact with people in your field who can help you. You can find more of Gerri's tips on our Web site, CNN.com/am.
Ahead this morning, a former CEO accused of looting his company actually takes the blame for something. Andy's got his story. He's "Minding Your Business" ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, welcome back.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Former Tyco head Dennis Kozlowski on the stand for a second day. This time, the prosecutors got after him big time. Andy Serwer is here, "Minding Your Business." Good morning. ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" COLUMNIST: Good morning, Jack. I think they scored some points, too.
Let's talk about the markets first of all, though. Yesterday a downer for investors. Stocks fell across the board. And you can see here, is April the cruelest month? I don't think it is. For investors, though, pretty darn cruel. And last trading day of the month, we have to be up 433 points on the Dow to get into positive territory for April. Even though futures are up, I am not thinking that we're going to quite get there.
Dennis Kozlowski cross-examined yesterday by prosecutors. And, you know, he did accept responsibility, as Soledad was mentioning earlier in the program, saying that yes, you know, I am responsible. Unlike Bernie Ebbers, who did not say he was responsible. But here, he said a couple things that I think -- that are very damning. "I absolutely agree the $25 million belonged on my W2. I just wasn't thinking." How is that going to play with jurors?
CAFFERTY: Let's see, Bernie Ebbers said he wasn't responsible and he was convicted. This guy says he was responsible. I wonder what will happen to him.
SERWER: Right. "I never, ever intended to commit any of the crimes I've been charged with." Message to the jury, with all apologies to the late Johnnie Cochran, if this is what he depicts, you must convict. That sort of worked. Got to give me a little credit there.
HEMMER: OK.
SERWER: Thank you.
HEMMER: This weekend is corporate Woodstock, right?
SERWER: It is?
HEMMER: Yes, it is. The oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, is...
CAFFERTY: Do they get naked and roll around in the mud and stuff?
SERWER: Well, that Warren Buffett might like that. Warren Buffett's kind of a risque guy. The billionaire is holding his annual meeting, Berkshire Hathaway (ph) in Omaha, Nebraska, this weekend, and the faithful flock and they get to talk and they have a lot of fun.
And to celebrate this year, there is a Warren Buffett version of Monopoly. And we have an edition here that maybe we can all play at 10:05. You can see right here. There's Warren Buffett right there and here's the board. And you know, he actually owns a lot of companies that people are familiar with these days. He owns Fruit of the Loom, Dairy Queen -- where is Dairy Queen? -- See's Candies, Justin Boots, and all manner of things. And here's the little pieces and there's the Geico gecko.
CAFFERTY: Is Dairy Queen on there?
SERWER: No, gee, it's not on there. He had a business relationship with them, Jack.
HEMMER: See's Candies?
SERWER: See's Candies.
HEMMER: Net Jets, what's that?
SERWER: Net Jets is the -- you lease the jets. You fly -- you know, corporate jets. That's it.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, sir.
SERWER: You're welcome.
CAFFERTY: Time for "The File."
Rush Limbaugh has lost a big round in court. Prosecutors are probably going to be able to scour his medical records. Florida Supreme Court refused to hear Limbaugh's request for a review of a lower court ruling that the seizure of his medical records was illegal. Authorities want to know if this guy was going from one doctor to the next to get multiple prescriptions written for painkillers. So far, Limbaugh has not been charged with the crime. His lawyers say they may appeal this to the U.S. Supreme Court. Rush will not be on the air today. He has a doctor's appointment.
SERWER: Serious?
CAFFERTY: Yes, I wouldn't make that up.
The Marshall (ph) Junior High School in Clovis (ph), New Mexico, locked down for two hours yesterday morning after someone reported seeing a male student carrying a suspicious item into the building. Adjacent streets were blocked off, law officers perched on rooftops with guns. The suspicious object was a 30-inch-long burrito. A student prepared the burrito as an extra credit assignment, wrapped it in foil and a white T-shirt to keep it warm, and the authorities went nuts. The school's principal, Diana Russell (ph), said she didn't know whether to laugh or cry when they found out, but overall, quote, she said, "We had a good learning day."
SERWER: Killer burrito.
CAFFERTY: And finally, California governor Schwarzenegger called on a Spanish-language television station in Los Angeles Thursday to take down its new billboards. The billboards identify KRCA TV's market as Los Angeles, Mexico. Schwarzenegger told a radio talk show the billboards were, quote, "extremely divisive." He went on to say, "I think the big mistake is that it promotes illegal aliens to come here and that's the last thing we need." Well, if you're so bothered by illegal aliens, Mr. Governor Schwarzenegger, why don't you come out and suggest to your friends in Washington that they enforce the federal laws against illegal immigration, instead of worrying about a radio station billboard? Just a thought.
HEMMER: Didn't he say something about the Minutemen working done there in Arizona? Praising their efforts, something similar to that?
SERWER: I didn't see that.
HEMMER: (INAUDIBLE) to be effective or something close to that. Thank you, Jack. Don't pass go.
Brad and Jen, Brad and Angelina. No longer the hot couple in Hollywood. Say hello to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Do you buy it? "90 Second Pop" has that, next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired April 29, 2005 - 08:30 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, everybody. 8:30 here in New York on a Friday.
There are new developments in Georgia about the search for the bride-to-be. Police looking for any clue they can find as to what happened to Jennifer Wilbanks. She's 32, expected to go to the altar tomorrow, on Saturday. She's missing, been missing since Tuesday night. Police now wanting her fiance to take a lie detector test. He told police, I guess, late last night that he would give them be a answer by 1:00 this afternoon. SO more details on whether or not that will happen in a moment.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also this morning, the final part of our series on retirement. Today we're looking at new concept for retirement, by working. Basically, take a job you love for a lifetime. Some advice on that is coming up this morning.
HEMMER: All right. Cool story. First, the headlines. Back to Carol for those. Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm still thinking of taking a job you love for a lifetime.
HEMMER: Yes, you got one in mind?
O'BRIEN: It's right here. No?
HEMMER: You got the bird perch over there, Carol. Look at you.
COSTELLO: Yes, I could sit on my throne for a lifetime here on AMERICAN MORNING.
HEMMER: All praise be the queen.
COSTELLO: Thanks. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," suspected terrorist Abu Musab al Zarqawi is urging his followers to keep attacking U.S. forces. The message appears in an audio message reportedly from Zarqawi, posted on two Islamic Web sites. CNN is not able to verify this tape.
In Baghdad, in Basra, 11 bombing attacks in the span of just hours. More than 100 casualties reported so far.
And Russian president Vladimir Putin wrapping up his two-day visit to the Middle East this hour. Mr. Putin met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas earlier today, the visit taking place one day after Mr. Putin spoke with the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. The Russian president has offered to host a Mideast peace conference in Moscow. Israel is expected to reject that move.
In southern Florida, Denny's restaurant is facing a $28 million lawsuit, accused of comparing a group of customers to Osama bin Laden. Seven men of Middle Eastern descent claim they were denied service and kicked out of a Denny's in Florida city. The company says it investigated the claims and found no wrongdoing.
And in southeastern Minnesota, a woman is recovering in serious condition after being attacked by four of her boyfriend's tigers. It happened while she was helping him clean out their cages. Authorities are now testing the animals for rabies. The woman's boyfriend -- you see him here -- he's scheduled to appear in court today on charges in connection with keeping exotic animals.
I don't know that I would agree to help my boyfriend clean out his tiger cages.
HEMMER: It's time to find a new boyfriend.
COSTELLO: I know, wow.
HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.
President Bush last night covering a number of topics for an hour in his primetime news conference Thursday night. The president says his proposal for Social Security would increase benefits faster for low-income workers than for wealthier ones. Also, about the war on terror, the president says the U.S. is winning and Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda's terror network, has been quote, "severely diminished." As for Iraq, the president says, quote, "I believe we're making good progress." He would not commit, however, to a date for calling home American forces.
President Bush also giving a deadline to Congress to get the controversial energy bill on his desk by summer so that he can sign that bill into law. And he also took the chance to lay out his four- step plan for that. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Certainly, we must find innovative and environmentally sensitive ways to make the most of our existing energy resources. Third, we must develop promising new sources of energy such as hydrogen, ethanol or biodiesel. Fourth, we must help growing energy consumers overseas like China and India apply new technologies to use energy more efficiently and reduce global demand of fossil fuels.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: And there has been criticism from the president's choice, or for the president's choice, rather, for John Bolton, his choice to be the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Last night making a strong case why John Bolton should be approved by that Senate committee -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Some of the president's remarks are our topic this morning for "Gimme A Minute." The gang's all over the week's big stories. Let's begin with introductions this morning in San Francisco.
Jeff Katz. He's of KNEW Radio. Hey, Jeff, good morning to you.
JEFF KATZ, KNEW RADIO: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: In New York, Rachel Maddow of Air America Radio. Hey, Rachel, good morning to you.
MADDOW: Hi, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: And in Boston, where his Passover reality tour will end this weekend, Andy Borowitz of borowitzreport.com. Andy, as always, hey, hey, hey, nice to see you.
Let's get going. Jeff, we're going to start with you. Last night, the president proposing during his news conference that Social Security benefits for lower income Americans increase more than for higher earning Americans. The headlines this morning say Social Security is being cut. Headlines wrong, Jeff?
KATZ: Headlines are incredibly wrong. Social Security is not being cut. The headlines ought to be president endorses means testing, which means, frankly, it's going to be DOA when it gets up to the Hill. The Democrats are not offering anything in terms of alternatives. They're being obstinate, they're being obstructionists. The Republicans are worried about running for reelection next year. And despite the fact that it desperately needs to be reformed, I don't think we should look for any major changes.
O'BRIEN: Rachel, the president sounded optimistic last night, but listening to Jeff, wow, he doesn't -- sounds downright pessimistic. Don't the Democrats owe it to come forward with some kind of solution here?
MADDOW: Well, what President Bush has proposed is cutting $3 trillion from Social Security checks over 75 years. I don't think the Democrats should go along with that. I mean, President Bush wants the private accounts to be in there. Nobody wants those.
O'BRIEN: Andy, we're going to give you the final word after the bell. Easy for me to say.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Soledad, I was very unhappy with the president's press conference, because it preempted the O.C.
O'BRIEN: Let's turn to the fight over the filibuster. Rachel, we're going to give you this one first. What is wrong with giving every senator one hour to make their point? Isn't that plenty of time?
MADDOW: The filibuster is there to give some minority rights to the minority party in the Senate. Listen, the Republicans don't have the votes to kill the filibuster. If they did, they would have voted on it by now. Instead, they're trying to make the Democrats look obstinate by offering these awful deals on the filibuster. We'll kill the filibuster and you get this pile of lint. Why are you saying no? You're the party of no! It's a ridiculous plan.
O'BRIEN: Jeff, ridiculous plan or not.
KATZ: Listen, the Democrats don't need any help looking obstinate. It's the one thing that they're able to do in Washington on a fairly consistent basis. These judges, these judicial nominees, deserve an up-or-down vote. But you have folks like Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid. They can't say hello in an hour. So they're not going to go along with it.
O'BRIEN: Andy, could you filibuster in an hour? Wouldn't that be a good limit for you?
BOROWITZ: You know, John Kerry can actually make his case in ten minutes. It just seems like an hour.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about a case that has been in the news, the Michael Jackson case. Jeff, we're going to throw this one you. Debbie Rowe, supposed to be a great witness for the prosecution. Oops, maybe in hindsight, not so great for the defense. Too early to say, though, who's really winning this case?
KATZ: Well, I think we're all losing this case. It's just amazing. It is a freak show that continues. The prosecutor seems to have missed that one day in law school where they tell don't ask questions unless you know the answers. But it's entertaining, I suppose, but with a wide variety of victims. So it continues to be a freak show.
O'BRIEN: Rachel, freak show or entertaining, at least?
MADDOW: Neither. I mean, I'm just shocked, absolutely shocked that something weird has happened at the Michael Jackson trial. You know, that their relationship might have been somehow strange or something we don't understand. This whole story just makes me want to stick pins in my eyes.
O'BRIEN: Andy -- OK, ignoring that visual in our little minds -- are you shocked, too, as Rachel is?
BOROWITZ: You know, it's out of control. This week, Michael Jackson actually dangled one of his lawyers from a balcony. It was so bizarre.
O'BRIEN: Rachel, what do you think was the undercovered story of the week?
MADDOW: The state of Florida has gotten an emergency court order to stop an a pregnant 13-year-old from having an abortion. They're saying that she's too immature to make this medical decision, and so therefore they're going to force her to give birth and raise this child. If this case does not shock the pro-choice majority in this country into action, I do not know what will.
O'BRIEN: Jeff, what do you think we missed this week?
KATZ: Well, we missed the fact that apparently terrorism is no longer an issue, porous borders are no longer an issue, the economy's no longer an issue, because the House of Representatives has turned its attention to something incredibly vital, very important to America. That's the efficiency of ceiling fans. So the same folks that gave us low-flow toilets that don't work want to combine them with ceiling fans that don't work. It ain't a pretty picture.
O'BRIEN: Aw, you're starting to sound like Jack Cafferty. Andy, what do you think we missed this week?
BOROWITZ: Well, there was a very moving moment at the end of that press conference last night -- I don't know if you say this -- where President Bush blew a kiss to Prince Abdullah. That was very, very sweet.
O'BRIEN: And we end on that note. Guys, thanks so much. Have a terrific weekend. We'll see you back here next week.
MADDOW: Thank you.
HEMMER: Now 21 minutes now before the hour.
Police in Georgia examining e-mail on three different computers from the home of a missing bride-to-be. 32-year-old Jennifer Wilbanks last seen Tuesday night, apparently as she went out for a jog.
And Tony Harris is live again. Duluth, Georgia. Any leads today, Tony? Good morning there.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Nothing yet, but I can tell you, just as I look over here to my left a little bit, police from Duluth, the police department here in Duluth, are getting into vehicles right now, presumably to continue the search this morning. But you're right, you're talking about basic investigative elements right now, checking the cell phone records and checking the e-mails. We certainly hope that the authorities here know more about this investigation than we do. We trust that they do.
Because I got to tell you, on the ground here, it's a little frustrating, because there is very little new information to tell you about this case. As you mentioned, Bill, we're talking about 32-year- old Jennifer Wilbanks, bride-to-be, scheduled to be married tomorrow. Tuesday evening, she walked out of her home to take a run and she simply disappeared.
So where do we stand right now? Well, there is intense interest in her fiance. That is John Mason. And he has a decision to make. That is whether to submit to a polygraph test. It's standard in this kind of investigation, as you know. Here is Chief Randy Belcher, just an hour ago, on AMERICAN MORNING, taking on that very question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF RANDY BELCHER, DULUTH, GEORGIA POLICE DEPT.: We requested Mr. Mason to submit to a test yesterday. He's stated at the beginning of the investigation that he would voluntarily submit to a polygraph, but he did advise us yesterday that he would let us know today by 1:00 as to whether he'd take the test or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So we'll wait for that. A couple of items found in the search yesterday, Bill. Two sweatshirts, a pair of sweat pants in three different cities in the area. And these cities are in close proximity to one another, but we can tell you that a sweatshirt was found in the city of Cumming, Georgia, in Forsythe County, which is certainly outside of that extended five-square mile radius that's been the intense focus of the search. Once again, we can tell you that police here in Duluth are mobilizing to continue to search today.
And one other note about the items found yesterday. We don't know at this point whether any of those items belong to Jennifer Wilbanks.
HEMMER: Tony, what do you know about the relationship the Wilbanks family had, and their relationship with the community?
HARRIS: Well, I've got to you something, from all accounts, this is a well-loved, well-liked couple here. I got to tell you, on the way to this location, talked to you this morning, Bill, I stopped at a little convenience store, gas station convenience store, and the clerk behind the counter was just torn up about this. He told me that this is a woman, Jennifer Wilbanks, that he saw three times a week in his store. By all accounts, Bill, a well-liked couple in this community.
HEMMER: Tony Harris working the story in Duluth, Georgia. Tony, thanks for that.
The other day, we were told winds were kicking up in Georgia and throwing off the search a little bit. Looks like a decent day so far, based on the weather we saw in the picture with Tony Harris.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Here's a little bit of a shocker. A former CEO accused of looting his company is actually taking the blame for something. Andy's "Minding Your Business," just ahead.
HEMMER: Also, wrapping up our series on retirement. Meet some baby boomers who say it's never too late to find your dream job. A new twist in a moment here, as we continue after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Now to our series, "Never Too Late." Imagine getting paid for doing what you love and providing for a successful retirement all at the same time. For some people, there are second acts in life.
Personal finance editor Gerri Willis has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: What if you could get paid to do this the ret of your life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to put my fingers in there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just want to jump in.
WILLIS: That's exactly what Joan Coukos did some four years ago when she left a successful career as a commercial banker to pursue her full-time love, chocolate.
Coukos dipped into the chocolate business at first, learning the ropes and the recipes. Her banking colleagues thought she was crazy.
JOAN COUKOS, OWNER, CHOCOLAT MODERNE: I would notice at the end of some of our meetings, that they'd have very worried looks on their faces.
WILLIS: Pushing the cynics aside, she used her savings to start Chocolat Moderne, investing her money in culinary training and supplies for her workshop.
(on camera): you took money most people think of as the nest egg and really gambled it.
CUOKOS: Yes.
WILLIS: Has it work for you?
CUOKOS: Yes, it's really, I think I've made -- I've been more successful than I thought I would be.
WILLIS: Chocolate, she believes, is both a passion and a profession she can follow into a successful retirement.
CUOKOS: There will always be something new and exciting to do.
WILLIS: Passions, say the experts, is exactly what later-in-life workers are looking for. Well, that and, of course, the money.
Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners, authors of the book "Don't Retire, Rewire," say the two are a natural match.
JERI SEDLAR, AUTHOR, "DON'T RETIRE, REWIRE": Start with any interest that you might have, or if you ever found yourself saying, one of these days I'll -- or if I had the time, I'd -- because it's an interesting of yours and you don't know up front where it might lead you. But that can work in conjunction with your skills and your competencies.
WILLIS: Billy Schlosser moved from technology consulting into producing music videos for children. He brought his whole family on board. Making the move required some careful financial planning to get their business started, including refinancing that I mortgage. It looks like their $400,000 investment is about to pay off.
BILLY SCHLOSSER, FOUNDER, "LAUGHING PIZZA": There's always going to be a new 5-year-old, every year, who would like to listen to this music, and it can be used in any number of ways. So we look at it as building our retirement portfolio while doing this.
LISA MICHAELIS, FOUNDER, "LAUGHING PIZZA": It sound corny, but really comes from the heart. So when you're looking for that thing, you don't have to look very far. You know, it's almost better if you just do the thing that you absolutely love.
WILLIS: Like Coukos, who developed a taste for her chocolate business.
CUOKOS: I was never someone who thought who really thought about, oh, I can't wait until I'm 59, 60 or 62 so I can, like, retire and sit on a golf course or something. I mean, I just never...
WILLIS (on camera): You have to do what you love.
CUOKOS: Yes, I have to do what I love, and I love to work, and I love to work at something that's challenging and creative.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Well, here are some of the Gerri's tips to help you make the transition into the next phase of your career. Make sure you have the financial resources to get started. One of every three new companies fails within two years. That's according to the Small Business Administration. The major reason is money.
Also, make sure there's a demand for your service or your product. You might want to test drive it as a hobby before you move to it full time.
HEMMER: Next, some people don't have successful career options because they haven't kept their skills up to date. So if you don't know how to do something, hire somebody to teach you or take some courses.
Also, make sure the Rolodex is current and that you stay in contact with people in your field who can help you. You can find more of Gerri's tips on our Web site, CNN.com/am.
Ahead this morning, a former CEO accused of looting his company actually takes the blame for something. Andy's got his story. He's "Minding Your Business" ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, welcome back.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Former Tyco head Dennis Kozlowski on the stand for a second day. This time, the prosecutors got after him big time. Andy Serwer is here, "Minding Your Business." Good morning. ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" COLUMNIST: Good morning, Jack. I think they scored some points, too.
Let's talk about the markets first of all, though. Yesterday a downer for investors. Stocks fell across the board. And you can see here, is April the cruelest month? I don't think it is. For investors, though, pretty darn cruel. And last trading day of the month, we have to be up 433 points on the Dow to get into positive territory for April. Even though futures are up, I am not thinking that we're going to quite get there.
Dennis Kozlowski cross-examined yesterday by prosecutors. And, you know, he did accept responsibility, as Soledad was mentioning earlier in the program, saying that yes, you know, I am responsible. Unlike Bernie Ebbers, who did not say he was responsible. But here, he said a couple things that I think -- that are very damning. "I absolutely agree the $25 million belonged on my W2. I just wasn't thinking." How is that going to play with jurors?
CAFFERTY: Let's see, Bernie Ebbers said he wasn't responsible and he was convicted. This guy says he was responsible. I wonder what will happen to him.
SERWER: Right. "I never, ever intended to commit any of the crimes I've been charged with." Message to the jury, with all apologies to the late Johnnie Cochran, if this is what he depicts, you must convict. That sort of worked. Got to give me a little credit there.
HEMMER: OK.
SERWER: Thank you.
HEMMER: This weekend is corporate Woodstock, right?
SERWER: It is?
HEMMER: Yes, it is. The oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, is...
CAFFERTY: Do they get naked and roll around in the mud and stuff?
SERWER: Well, that Warren Buffett might like that. Warren Buffett's kind of a risque guy. The billionaire is holding his annual meeting, Berkshire Hathaway (ph) in Omaha, Nebraska, this weekend, and the faithful flock and they get to talk and they have a lot of fun.
And to celebrate this year, there is a Warren Buffett version of Monopoly. And we have an edition here that maybe we can all play at 10:05. You can see right here. There's Warren Buffett right there and here's the board. And you know, he actually owns a lot of companies that people are familiar with these days. He owns Fruit of the Loom, Dairy Queen -- where is Dairy Queen? -- See's Candies, Justin Boots, and all manner of things. And here's the little pieces and there's the Geico gecko.
CAFFERTY: Is Dairy Queen on there?
SERWER: No, gee, it's not on there. He had a business relationship with them, Jack.
HEMMER: See's Candies?
SERWER: See's Candies.
HEMMER: Net Jets, what's that?
SERWER: Net Jets is the -- you lease the jets. You fly -- you know, corporate jets. That's it.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, sir.
SERWER: You're welcome.
CAFFERTY: Time for "The File."
Rush Limbaugh has lost a big round in court. Prosecutors are probably going to be able to scour his medical records. Florida Supreme Court refused to hear Limbaugh's request for a review of a lower court ruling that the seizure of his medical records was illegal. Authorities want to know if this guy was going from one doctor to the next to get multiple prescriptions written for painkillers. So far, Limbaugh has not been charged with the crime. His lawyers say they may appeal this to the U.S. Supreme Court. Rush will not be on the air today. He has a doctor's appointment.
SERWER: Serious?
CAFFERTY: Yes, I wouldn't make that up.
The Marshall (ph) Junior High School in Clovis (ph), New Mexico, locked down for two hours yesterday morning after someone reported seeing a male student carrying a suspicious item into the building. Adjacent streets were blocked off, law officers perched on rooftops with guns. The suspicious object was a 30-inch-long burrito. A student prepared the burrito as an extra credit assignment, wrapped it in foil and a white T-shirt to keep it warm, and the authorities went nuts. The school's principal, Diana Russell (ph), said she didn't know whether to laugh or cry when they found out, but overall, quote, she said, "We had a good learning day."
SERWER: Killer burrito.
CAFFERTY: And finally, California governor Schwarzenegger called on a Spanish-language television station in Los Angeles Thursday to take down its new billboards. The billboards identify KRCA TV's market as Los Angeles, Mexico. Schwarzenegger told a radio talk show the billboards were, quote, "extremely divisive." He went on to say, "I think the big mistake is that it promotes illegal aliens to come here and that's the last thing we need." Well, if you're so bothered by illegal aliens, Mr. Governor Schwarzenegger, why don't you come out and suggest to your friends in Washington that they enforce the federal laws against illegal immigration, instead of worrying about a radio station billboard? Just a thought.
HEMMER: Didn't he say something about the Minutemen working done there in Arizona? Praising their efforts, something similar to that?
SERWER: I didn't see that.
HEMMER: (INAUDIBLE) to be effective or something close to that. Thank you, Jack. Don't pass go.
Brad and Jen, Brad and Angelina. No longer the hot couple in Hollywood. Say hello to Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Do you buy it? "90 Second Pop" has that, next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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