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American Morning
At NASA, What is Causing Concern Over Safety of Shuttle?; 'Extra Effort'
Aired April 29, 2005 - 09:30 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. 9:30.
Hello.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi.
HEMMER: 30 more minutes.
O'BRIEN: Well, we've been open for business for two-and-a-half hours. They're just catching up with us.
HEMMER: Sure have.
We also expect to learn a lot more today from NASA on what is causing all the concern over the safety for the shuttle. Discovery was set to launch in May. Now that will not happen. Miles is standing by to tell us why in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Also the little leaguers of Madison, Connecticut, they say have a serious message about steroids they want to deliver, not only to the big league players, but also anybody who plays the game. We'll talk to them this morning as well.
HEMMER: Time to listen up, too.
Carol Costello has the headlines. Hello over there.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you guys. Good morning to all of you.
Now in the news, President Bush takes his message of Social Security reform to Virginia today. He'll be leaving the White House shortly to attend a discussion at a community center in Falls Church, so he's traveling far. The president pushing for private investment accounts under the retirement plan. It has been met with fierce opposition by Democrats.
Former Senator Zell Miller is in stable, but guarded condition this morning at a hospital. Miller was admitted Thursday night after feeling faint after a speech in Gainesville, Georgia. According to his wife, Miller has been suffering flu-like symptoms for a few days now. The 73-year-old retired senator dismayed his party by endorsing President Bush and giving the keynote speech at the Republican convention last year.
Turning the American Dream into a big, fat fraud. Two men who said they found more than $75,000 worth of antique money buried in a backyard have been arrested. Police say the men -- oh, geez. Police say the men may have stolen the cash from a house where they were doing some roofing work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JOSEPH SOLOMON: The only thing we could figure out is all of the excitement brings you fame, and they got caught up in all of that when they started the story to cover their tracks. And personally, if it was me, I wouldn't have gone on national TV. I would have dumped the money somewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: No! Both men face charges, including receiving stolen property and conspiracy. They're set for arraignment today.
And a happy ending for Eloise and the Plaza Hotel. Eloise is of course the fictional 6-year-old who has roamed the halls of the Plaza Hotel fort last five decades. It seems she might get the boot once the hotel converted its rooms into condominiums, but the new owner says Eloise will always have a home and is giving Eloise her own suite.
HEMMER: An upgrade.
O'BRIEN: For just $1.9 million for 1,000 square feet.
HEMMER: It can be yours.
COSTELLO: Well, Eloise has made enough years over the years to really afford that.
O'BRIEN: And she's 56 years old now by my math.
HEMMER: She's good PR, too.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: NASA also holding a news conference next hour about the latest setback for the shuttle program. The first shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster is now being delayed for months because of continuing security concerns.
CNN's Miles O'Brien broke the story on Thursday. He has the latest today. What do you have, Miles? Good morning.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
It's now been about 27 months since the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry, killing all seven astronauts aboard, and NASA is a very busy, tense place as engineers try to dot all of the i's and cross all of the t's in preparation for the first flight after Columbia, the flight of Discovery. Now they have a lot of lingering concerns about the shuttle's external fuel tank, which of course as you'll recall, this takes you back to January 16th, 2003. Foam leaving that external fuel tank, hit the leading edge of Columbia's wing, causing that fatal breach which ultimately led to the disintegration 16 days later.
Now at the top of their list are concerns about ice. That tank is filled with liquid hydrogen and oxygen, about a half-million gallons worth. It's very cold, and that is why it is covered with that foam in the first place. There are some spots on the tank where the ice remains a problem. I want to show you, if you can take a shot of this model here, I'll try to point it out right here, there's a pipe, an external pipe, which goes down the whole bottom portion of the tank, and right at this portion right here, there's a thing they call bellows, and ice has built up there. And as you can see, it's not a very good place. If ice were to fall off there, it could very well hit the leading edge of the shuttle's wing, or tiles underneath, which are very important to its safe return.
Take a look at some testing video which NASA has done in the course of this grounding period. That is ice about the size of a thimble hitting the area around the leading edge of the wing, and that blackened or darkened area there is significant damage, so much damage that it could have caused the loss of the shuttle.
So ice can easily cause a fatal breach in the heat shield. You want to be very concerned about it.
The ice issue is among a series of issues that has concerned engineers, all of them relating to falling debris around that external fuel tank. There's also a sensor or two inside the tank which may need to be replaced.
Bottom line here, to address all of these concerns, perhaps install a few heaters to take care of that ice problem, they will roll the space shuttle back to that cavernous vehicle assembly building, and NASA will not be able to launch before June 3rd, when their daylight launch window closes. It's important, according to NASA, to launch by daylight and still rendezvous at the International Space Shuttle. They want to be able to see the space shuttle as it flies into space in case some debris falls off.
The next daylight opportunity to reach the space station will be July 12th. So that's the delay. NASA is obviously being extremely cautious on this particular flight after the loss of Columbia -- Bill.
HEMMER: Caution is the word. That story, too, to be highlighted.
Miles, thanks. Keep us posted. Miles O'Brien at the CNN Center.
Now Soledad O'Brien.
O'BRIEN: Thanks. Tomorrow is opening day for little leaguers in Madison, Connecticut. But this season the uniforms are going to be a little bit different. Players, some of them at least, will be sporting a patch on their sleeves that pitches an anti-steroids message.
Joining us this morning, Coach Wally Grigo, who came up with its idea, his son, Sam, who's nine years old, and Tom Banish (ph). He's the president of Madison's little league.
Gentlemen, all of you, nice to see you.
Wally, why don't we start with you, if I may, why did you want to bring the issue of steroids down to the level of 9 to 12 years old? Aren't they a little bit young to be discussing this stuff?
WALLY GRIGO, LITTLE LEAGUE COACH: Not at all. We just figured that silence was not an option, that we're sending the boys out on the field in replicas of Major League uniforms, as you can see Sam wearing here. And in effect, we're saying their role models, major leaguers are role models for our kids. And with all of the revelations of steroid abuse in Major League Baseball, we just felt that it would be hypocritical not to take a stand, and really irresponsible.
O'BRIEN: Tom, were people receptive when it was decided whether would be this patch on all, at least older kids' uniforms?
TOM BANISH (ph): Not initially. We had to talk about it, and we really had to draw the conclusion that it was because of the uniforms and the relationship between that and the kids that we felt it was important.
O'BRIEN: There was also a turning point, wasn't it, when some high-schoolers were arrested and charged with selling steroids at the local high school. Wally, what exactly happened there?
GRIGO: Well, some high school boys made a mistake. They came back from vacation in Mexico, and they were selling steroids in school.
But it's important here that, as a community, we need to take ownership of this problem, not point fingers, not try to be accusatory, and have a very serious conversation as a community about what to do about this problem, and this steroid patch hopefully will get people in town talking in a constructive way about what we can do as parents, as coaches to solve this problem.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Sam, I want to ask you a couple of questions. I know you're 9 years old and you are a hugantic sports fan. You're going to be wearing the patch of course on opening day tomorrow, right?
SAM GRIGO, LITTLE LEAGUE PLAYER: Yes, I am going to wear the patch on opening day.
O'BRIEN: What message do you think you're sending, outside of the no steroids? I mean, is there a big message you're trying to send to everybody?
S. GRIGO: Not really a message. My dad is trying to send a message, not me. I'm just wearing the patches, because I want to help him send the message.
O'BRIEN: Do you and your dad talk a lot about steroids? You know, I mean since you watch all of the sports? Go ahead.
S. GRIGO: Yes, every time my dad finds an article about steroids, I read it, and he just tells me everything about the article after I read it.
O'BRIEN: Wally, before we run out of time here, I want to ask you, if this is going to be voluntary for everybody. I mean, as your son said he's wearing it because he really supports you. What about the kids who feel like they don't necessarily support it?
W. GRIGO: Well, it is a voluntary program. It's an iron-on patch. This is what it looks like. And parents, what we hope is every parent sits down with their child and has a conversation about, is this important to you? What do you think should be done? And just to get parents and kids talking about this. And the younger the better.
O'BRIEN: Voluntary, Tom or not voluntary?
BANISH: No, it's totally voluntary. Nobody has to wear the patch if they don't want to. We've issued them to every 9 through 12- year-old player, but the only the ones who want it have to put it on.
O'BRIEN: Well, tomorrow, as we said, is opening day. We'll see how it goes. Gentlemen, Wally, and Sam and Tom, I thank you for your time this morning. Good luck, by the way, in your game tomorrow.
TOM: Thank you -- Bill.
W. GRIGO: Thanks a lot, Soledad.
HEMMER: Thirty years ago today, the last Americans left Vietnam, after Saigon fell to the communist north. A Vietnamese man now living in America still remembers those back home, as well as America's newest veterans from the war today in Iraq.
Barbara Starr this morning has this week's "Extra Effort."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thirty years later, a thank you to today's veterans of war in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are very honored to have you here tonight. STARR: From a man who worked with American Marines as an interpreter long ago in Vietnam. Ca Van Tran left when Saigon fell 30 years ago, and came to the United States penniless.
CA VAN TRAN, VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANT: I work as janitor, clean the mall, mop and pick up trash and things.
STARR: Now he owns this restaurant and is thanking today's veterans with a special banquet.
STAFF SGT. MICHAEL MARINKOVICH, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: I thought, like, it was awesome. I was surprised that -- I mean, it was a Vietnamese community, I didn't really expect them to be so, you know, putting out their hand to give us, you know, clap for us and give us support.
STARR: But there is much more to this story. On a trip to his homeland he saw what the physical ravages of war did to his countrymen. Tran began an organization, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped. He has raised more than $3 million to deliver 84,000 wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and other devices to the people of Vietnam.
CA VAN TRAN: War victim, or land mine victim and mostly just soldiers that fought alongside of us, our allies, were crawling around, begging and things, on the street.
STARR: One man in his village had lost both legs.
CA VAN TRAN: He was walking around with two piece of wood, and he covered, you know, the bottom with rubber.
STARR: Now this refugee of the war so long ago wants the disabled from America's latest conflict to know their sacrifice today is appreciated.
CA VAN TRAN: We have come so long that we can help them, you know, at the beginning.
STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Well done.
In a moment here, Andy has the best advertisements from 2005. We're not even half way there yet either. Back in a moment here. "Minding Your Business," after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: That's Constantine. He's going to find another place to sing, folks. "90-Second Pop" on a Friday, starring B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "Us Weekly." Good morning, B.J.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Good morning to you.
HEMMER: Have you seen the pictures yet, by the way? More in a moment.
Amy Barnett from "Teen People."
Amy, welcome back.
AMY BARNETT, "TEEN PEOPLE": Thank you.
HEMMER: And a first-time panelist, Kyle Smith, "New York Post" film critic and author of a book called "Love Monkey."
What is "Love Monkey?"
KYLE SMITH, "NEW YORK POST' MOVIE CRITIC: It's a comic novel. You've got to read it.
HEMMER: All right. Well, we'll check that out. First, Tom Cruise is cruising with Katie Holmes.
SMITH: Absolutely.
HEMMER: What kind of sham is this, by the way?
SMITH: Only Tom Cruise would try to be the biggest story out of Rome this month. Wednesday night, Tom Cruise is seen holding hands with Katie Holmes at a premiere in Rome. Thursday, they were shown kissing in front of the photographers. I think Monday they're due to have their first baby. You'll recall back in 2001 when Tom Cruise had a little movie called "Vanilla Sky." All of a sudden he and Penelope Cruz were a big item. Now it's he and Katie Holmes just as the 60-day mark approaches for "War of the Worlds," in which his co-star is about 9 years old, so he can't be dating her.
HEMMER: So, "Batman" begins June 16. June 29 is the "War of the Worlds," right? I'll say it right next time.
SMITH: "Batman" begins. It's the new Katie Holmes movie. And she needs a little boost, too.
HEMMER: How gullible do they think we are?
BARNETT: It's just a little suspicious, I have to say. I mean, it's a little convenient that this odd couple found love just a month before the media blitz for their two blockbuster summer movies.
HEMMER: Don't you think so?
BARNETT: I mean, it's ridiculous. And Katie Holmes, you know, she is sort of trying to resuscitate her "Dawson's Creek" career. I mean, it's a little obvious.
HEMMER: I think B.J. is buying a little bit of this, aren't you?
SIGESMUND: Well, I was...
HEMMER: Look at you over there.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
HEMMER: You are gullible America.
SIGESMUND: I watched them, and I was, like, wow, they are so great together. Look at that. No, I mean, I've been amazed at how quickly the general public has said this looks a lot like a publicity stunt. I mean, usually, it's media people that say that.
HEMMER: I think we're all getting a little smarter as we go through this.
Let's talk about the great American soap opera, and that is "American Idol." Paula is crying, Constantine is gone. What's going on?
BARNETT: It's kind of crazy. And I have to say, I mean, after just -- one week earlier, when she denied in "People" magazine that she's not on drugs, and she's also facing all of these accusations from former "American Idol" contestant Corey Clark that they were having an affair -- that they had an affair when he was on the show, for her to sob like a crazy person on the show over the heartthrob being voted off was maybe not the best timing.
HEMMER: Did you say they had an affair?
BARNETT: I am saying...
HEMMER: Is that what you just said?
BARNETT: No, no, no. All I know is that Paula obviously cares about the contestants, particularly the attractive male ones, if you believe Corey Clark.
HEMMER: Put that statement on a string, Amy, and pull it back in.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: I like the things that we learned this week about Bo Bice, thanks to our friends at thesmokinggun.com. First of all, his real name is Harold. Secondly, he, up until now, said that the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to him was falling off the stage. Well, we all know now that he has an arrest in his past for cocaine possession, and it's just amazing the things that come out about "American Idol."
HEMMER: It's the synergy here, isn't it?
SMITH: I don't know what the big deal is about Constantine in the first place. This guy was going to bring rock to "American Idol?" Hello, why don't you try to bring Julie Andrews to a Metallica concert.
HEMMER: What did he say? I'm going to keep rocking, right? What's the name of his band?
(CROSSTALK)
BARNETT: Well, you know, actually, a record label is going to bring out his band's pre-"American Idol" album, so actually they will all do well off of this, I think.
HEMMER: Oh, so we shall we see.
BARNETT: Yes, yes, exactly.
HEMMER: And by the way, don't believe the stuff with Tom and Katie. I'm not.
Kyle, nice to have you, man. Have a great weekend.
SMITH: Great to see you.
HEMMER: Amy, B.J., see you later -- Soledad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Bill.
Well, "CNN LIVE TODAY" coming up next.
Daryn, good morning to you. What you working on this morning?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad.
We have a lot going on. We'll take you live to Baghdad, the hunt for Abu Musab Al Zarqawi heats up. We're going to hear from the Al Qaeda terrorist and take you live to Baghdad for the latest.
And Tony Larussa, the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, he has collaborated on a book, gives unprecedented access behind the scenes of a Major League Baseball team. We'll talk steroids, we'll talk big money, egos and why he has a soft spot in his heart for shelter animals. He joins me had in the next couple hours.
O'BRIEN: Interesting. All right, Daryn, we'll see you then. Thanks.
Just after the break, Andy is celebrating the Andy, as in Andy Awards. Woo hoo! We'll explain ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Advertising's best recognized last night's -- at last night's, rather -- International Andy Awards. It's where Andy Serwer gives out -- no, it's not. It's actually...
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I wasn't even invited. O'BRIEN: I know, isn't that sad? But Andy Serwer's here to talk about it as he minds your business. Good morning.
SERWER: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You did not name this award, you have nothing really to do officially this award?
SERWER: No. No conflicts of interest at all, unfortunately.
Let's talk about the markets, first of all. Stocks trading up at this hour. As advertised earlier on this television program, the Dow is up 51 points. A couple stocks, tech stocks, moving up. Microsoft up two percent and Sun Microsystems up 15 percent. Reports this morning that company is going to take Sun Microsystems private. That would be very interesting. One of the bastions of Silicon Valley. Scott McNealy can go play some more golf, then, right, Scott?
OK, let's talk about the 41st Andy Awards downtown in New York last night. Advertising Club of New York handing out the awards across the globe to the best advertisements in print, television, online.
Here is the Grandy, which is the grand prize winner. It's an ad for Honda that ran in Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARRISON KEILLOR (singing): We'd like to know why it is so that certain diesels must be slow and twack and thrum and plom and hum and clatter clat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: This one?
SERWER: It's whimsical, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Oh.
SERWER: That's Garrison Keillor singing. I think Jack's getting a big kick out of this ad. It's just a little -- I think it's drug- induced. Look at this thing. It's like Sergeant Pepper's or something, isn't it?
O'BRIEN: Kind of odd.
SERWER: Yes, it's -- he didn't like it. I think you'll like this one more. I really liked this ad. This was an ad, a print ad that won an award for Bic Pen in France. Let's run this thing. Check it out. It's a still life, of course, and this is great. Now I hope you can see this. It's for Bic Pen. That's Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix signed that woman's -- and the reason why it's aged is because he did it a long time ago.
CAFFERTY: Obviously. SERWER: And she never washed, I guess?
CAFFERTY: I mean, just look at the picture.
SERWER: Bic -- see the point is there that Bic Pen, the ink stays for a long time.
O'BRIEN: And you liked that one?
SERWER: Soledad's shocked. Both Jack and I really liked it. Come on, Jack.
O'BRIEN: Oh, man.
SERWER: Side with me, here, guy.
O'BRIEN: All right, Andy, thanks.
CAFFERTY: There's a message in that ad.
HEMMER: Tell us.
SERWER: The ink lasts a long time.
CAFFERTY: No, I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to figure it out for yourself, young man.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: The "Question of the Day" is about the president last night calling for cutting Social Security benefits in the years ahead. Benefits are the more affluent, while preserving the benefits or maybe even increasing them at a greater rate for the poor among us. Is cutting benefits the way to solve the problem, is the question.
James in Missouri writes: "You betcha, Jack. If you're referring to cutting the benefits of the fat cats that control our government, all the corporate executives that keep shipping our jobs overseas, a cut in their benefits will make Social Security solvent by itself." Not quite.
Paul writes: "Bush' Social Security plan is worse than the so- called bankruptcy. It would pay less to hard-working citizens and essentially turn Roosevelt's great commitment to America and to Americans into a social welfare program."
Matthew in New Hampshire writes: "You're witnessing the beginning of the end of the Republican majority. Sit back and watch the GOP senators and representatives begin to distance themselves from the president as the mid-term elections draw nearer."
Join us this weekend for CNN's "In the Money." We'll look at how America's thirst for oil (INAUDIBLE) foreign policy and the way it affects Americans here at home, as well. Saturday at 1:00, Sunday at 3:00.
O'BRIEN: Well, I can't wait for that. Jack, thank you so much. A short break and we're right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: We got to run. Have a great weekend. Here's Daryn Kagan at the CNN Center. How are you, Daryn? Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Daryn.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 29, 2005 - 09:30 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. 9:30.
Hello.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi.
HEMMER: 30 more minutes.
O'BRIEN: Well, we've been open for business for two-and-a-half hours. They're just catching up with us.
HEMMER: Sure have.
We also expect to learn a lot more today from NASA on what is causing all the concern over the safety for the shuttle. Discovery was set to launch in May. Now that will not happen. Miles is standing by to tell us why in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Also the little leaguers of Madison, Connecticut, they say have a serious message about steroids they want to deliver, not only to the big league players, but also anybody who plays the game. We'll talk to them this morning as well.
HEMMER: Time to listen up, too.
Carol Costello has the headlines. Hello over there.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you guys. Good morning to all of you.
Now in the news, President Bush takes his message of Social Security reform to Virginia today. He'll be leaving the White House shortly to attend a discussion at a community center in Falls Church, so he's traveling far. The president pushing for private investment accounts under the retirement plan. It has been met with fierce opposition by Democrats.
Former Senator Zell Miller is in stable, but guarded condition this morning at a hospital. Miller was admitted Thursday night after feeling faint after a speech in Gainesville, Georgia. According to his wife, Miller has been suffering flu-like symptoms for a few days now. The 73-year-old retired senator dismayed his party by endorsing President Bush and giving the keynote speech at the Republican convention last year.
Turning the American Dream into a big, fat fraud. Two men who said they found more than $75,000 worth of antique money buried in a backyard have been arrested. Police say the men -- oh, geez. Police say the men may have stolen the cash from a house where they were doing some roofing work.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF JOSEPH SOLOMON: The only thing we could figure out is all of the excitement brings you fame, and they got caught up in all of that when they started the story to cover their tracks. And personally, if it was me, I wouldn't have gone on national TV. I would have dumped the money somewhere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: No! Both men face charges, including receiving stolen property and conspiracy. They're set for arraignment today.
And a happy ending for Eloise and the Plaza Hotel. Eloise is of course the fictional 6-year-old who has roamed the halls of the Plaza Hotel fort last five decades. It seems she might get the boot once the hotel converted its rooms into condominiums, but the new owner says Eloise will always have a home and is giving Eloise her own suite.
HEMMER: An upgrade.
O'BRIEN: For just $1.9 million for 1,000 square feet.
HEMMER: It can be yours.
COSTELLO: Well, Eloise has made enough years over the years to really afford that.
O'BRIEN: And she's 56 years old now by my math.
HEMMER: She's good PR, too.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: NASA also holding a news conference next hour about the latest setback for the shuttle program. The first shuttle flight since the Columbia disaster is now being delayed for months because of continuing security concerns.
CNN's Miles O'Brien broke the story on Thursday. He has the latest today. What do you have, Miles? Good morning.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
It's now been about 27 months since the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry, killing all seven astronauts aboard, and NASA is a very busy, tense place as engineers try to dot all of the i's and cross all of the t's in preparation for the first flight after Columbia, the flight of Discovery. Now they have a lot of lingering concerns about the shuttle's external fuel tank, which of course as you'll recall, this takes you back to January 16th, 2003. Foam leaving that external fuel tank, hit the leading edge of Columbia's wing, causing that fatal breach which ultimately led to the disintegration 16 days later.
Now at the top of their list are concerns about ice. That tank is filled with liquid hydrogen and oxygen, about a half-million gallons worth. It's very cold, and that is why it is covered with that foam in the first place. There are some spots on the tank where the ice remains a problem. I want to show you, if you can take a shot of this model here, I'll try to point it out right here, there's a pipe, an external pipe, which goes down the whole bottom portion of the tank, and right at this portion right here, there's a thing they call bellows, and ice has built up there. And as you can see, it's not a very good place. If ice were to fall off there, it could very well hit the leading edge of the shuttle's wing, or tiles underneath, which are very important to its safe return.
Take a look at some testing video which NASA has done in the course of this grounding period. That is ice about the size of a thimble hitting the area around the leading edge of the wing, and that blackened or darkened area there is significant damage, so much damage that it could have caused the loss of the shuttle.
So ice can easily cause a fatal breach in the heat shield. You want to be very concerned about it.
The ice issue is among a series of issues that has concerned engineers, all of them relating to falling debris around that external fuel tank. There's also a sensor or two inside the tank which may need to be replaced.
Bottom line here, to address all of these concerns, perhaps install a few heaters to take care of that ice problem, they will roll the space shuttle back to that cavernous vehicle assembly building, and NASA will not be able to launch before June 3rd, when their daylight launch window closes. It's important, according to NASA, to launch by daylight and still rendezvous at the International Space Shuttle. They want to be able to see the space shuttle as it flies into space in case some debris falls off.
The next daylight opportunity to reach the space station will be July 12th. So that's the delay. NASA is obviously being extremely cautious on this particular flight after the loss of Columbia -- Bill.
HEMMER: Caution is the word. That story, too, to be highlighted.
Miles, thanks. Keep us posted. Miles O'Brien at the CNN Center.
Now Soledad O'Brien.
O'BRIEN: Thanks. Tomorrow is opening day for little leaguers in Madison, Connecticut. But this season the uniforms are going to be a little bit different. Players, some of them at least, will be sporting a patch on their sleeves that pitches an anti-steroids message.
Joining us this morning, Coach Wally Grigo, who came up with its idea, his son, Sam, who's nine years old, and Tom Banish (ph). He's the president of Madison's little league.
Gentlemen, all of you, nice to see you.
Wally, why don't we start with you, if I may, why did you want to bring the issue of steroids down to the level of 9 to 12 years old? Aren't they a little bit young to be discussing this stuff?
WALLY GRIGO, LITTLE LEAGUE COACH: Not at all. We just figured that silence was not an option, that we're sending the boys out on the field in replicas of Major League uniforms, as you can see Sam wearing here. And in effect, we're saying their role models, major leaguers are role models for our kids. And with all of the revelations of steroid abuse in Major League Baseball, we just felt that it would be hypocritical not to take a stand, and really irresponsible.
O'BRIEN: Tom, were people receptive when it was decided whether would be this patch on all, at least older kids' uniforms?
TOM BANISH (ph): Not initially. We had to talk about it, and we really had to draw the conclusion that it was because of the uniforms and the relationship between that and the kids that we felt it was important.
O'BRIEN: There was also a turning point, wasn't it, when some high-schoolers were arrested and charged with selling steroids at the local high school. Wally, what exactly happened there?
GRIGO: Well, some high school boys made a mistake. They came back from vacation in Mexico, and they were selling steroids in school.
But it's important here that, as a community, we need to take ownership of this problem, not point fingers, not try to be accusatory, and have a very serious conversation as a community about what to do about this problem, and this steroid patch hopefully will get people in town talking in a constructive way about what we can do as parents, as coaches to solve this problem.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Sam, I want to ask you a couple of questions. I know you're 9 years old and you are a hugantic sports fan. You're going to be wearing the patch of course on opening day tomorrow, right?
SAM GRIGO, LITTLE LEAGUE PLAYER: Yes, I am going to wear the patch on opening day.
O'BRIEN: What message do you think you're sending, outside of the no steroids? I mean, is there a big message you're trying to send to everybody?
S. GRIGO: Not really a message. My dad is trying to send a message, not me. I'm just wearing the patches, because I want to help him send the message.
O'BRIEN: Do you and your dad talk a lot about steroids? You know, I mean since you watch all of the sports? Go ahead.
S. GRIGO: Yes, every time my dad finds an article about steroids, I read it, and he just tells me everything about the article after I read it.
O'BRIEN: Wally, before we run out of time here, I want to ask you, if this is going to be voluntary for everybody. I mean, as your son said he's wearing it because he really supports you. What about the kids who feel like they don't necessarily support it?
W. GRIGO: Well, it is a voluntary program. It's an iron-on patch. This is what it looks like. And parents, what we hope is every parent sits down with their child and has a conversation about, is this important to you? What do you think should be done? And just to get parents and kids talking about this. And the younger the better.
O'BRIEN: Voluntary, Tom or not voluntary?
BANISH: No, it's totally voluntary. Nobody has to wear the patch if they don't want to. We've issued them to every 9 through 12- year-old player, but the only the ones who want it have to put it on.
O'BRIEN: Well, tomorrow, as we said, is opening day. We'll see how it goes. Gentlemen, Wally, and Sam and Tom, I thank you for your time this morning. Good luck, by the way, in your game tomorrow.
TOM: Thank you -- Bill.
W. GRIGO: Thanks a lot, Soledad.
HEMMER: Thirty years ago today, the last Americans left Vietnam, after Saigon fell to the communist north. A Vietnamese man now living in America still remembers those back home, as well as America's newest veterans from the war today in Iraq.
Barbara Starr this morning has this week's "Extra Effort."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thirty years later, a thank you to today's veterans of war in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are very honored to have you here tonight. STARR: From a man who worked with American Marines as an interpreter long ago in Vietnam. Ca Van Tran left when Saigon fell 30 years ago, and came to the United States penniless.
CA VAN TRAN, VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANT: I work as janitor, clean the mall, mop and pick up trash and things.
STARR: Now he owns this restaurant and is thanking today's veterans with a special banquet.
STAFF SGT. MICHAEL MARINKOVICH, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: I thought, like, it was awesome. I was surprised that -- I mean, it was a Vietnamese community, I didn't really expect them to be so, you know, putting out their hand to give us, you know, clap for us and give us support.
STARR: But there is much more to this story. On a trip to his homeland he saw what the physical ravages of war did to his countrymen. Tran began an organization, Vietnam Assistance for the Handicapped. He has raised more than $3 million to deliver 84,000 wheelchairs, prosthetic limbs and other devices to the people of Vietnam.
CA VAN TRAN: War victim, or land mine victim and mostly just soldiers that fought alongside of us, our allies, were crawling around, begging and things, on the street.
STARR: One man in his village had lost both legs.
CA VAN TRAN: He was walking around with two piece of wood, and he covered, you know, the bottom with rubber.
STARR: Now this refugee of the war so long ago wants the disabled from America's latest conflict to know their sacrifice today is appreciated.
CA VAN TRAN: We have come so long that we can help them, you know, at the beginning.
STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Well done.
In a moment here, Andy has the best advertisements from 2005. We're not even half way there yet either. Back in a moment here. "Minding Your Business," after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: That's Constantine. He's going to find another place to sing, folks. "90-Second Pop" on a Friday, starring B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "Us Weekly." Good morning, B.J.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Good morning to you.
HEMMER: Have you seen the pictures yet, by the way? More in a moment.
Amy Barnett from "Teen People."
Amy, welcome back.
AMY BARNETT, "TEEN PEOPLE": Thank you.
HEMMER: And a first-time panelist, Kyle Smith, "New York Post" film critic and author of a book called "Love Monkey."
What is "Love Monkey?"
KYLE SMITH, "NEW YORK POST' MOVIE CRITIC: It's a comic novel. You've got to read it.
HEMMER: All right. Well, we'll check that out. First, Tom Cruise is cruising with Katie Holmes.
SMITH: Absolutely.
HEMMER: What kind of sham is this, by the way?
SMITH: Only Tom Cruise would try to be the biggest story out of Rome this month. Wednesday night, Tom Cruise is seen holding hands with Katie Holmes at a premiere in Rome. Thursday, they were shown kissing in front of the photographers. I think Monday they're due to have their first baby. You'll recall back in 2001 when Tom Cruise had a little movie called "Vanilla Sky." All of a sudden he and Penelope Cruz were a big item. Now it's he and Katie Holmes just as the 60-day mark approaches for "War of the Worlds," in which his co-star is about 9 years old, so he can't be dating her.
HEMMER: So, "Batman" begins June 16. June 29 is the "War of the Worlds," right? I'll say it right next time.
SMITH: "Batman" begins. It's the new Katie Holmes movie. And she needs a little boost, too.
HEMMER: How gullible do they think we are?
BARNETT: It's just a little suspicious, I have to say. I mean, it's a little convenient that this odd couple found love just a month before the media blitz for their two blockbuster summer movies.
HEMMER: Don't you think so?
BARNETT: I mean, it's ridiculous. And Katie Holmes, you know, she is sort of trying to resuscitate her "Dawson's Creek" career. I mean, it's a little obvious.
HEMMER: I think B.J. is buying a little bit of this, aren't you?
SIGESMUND: Well, I was...
HEMMER: Look at you over there.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
HEMMER: You are gullible America.
SIGESMUND: I watched them, and I was, like, wow, they are so great together. Look at that. No, I mean, I've been amazed at how quickly the general public has said this looks a lot like a publicity stunt. I mean, usually, it's media people that say that.
HEMMER: I think we're all getting a little smarter as we go through this.
Let's talk about the great American soap opera, and that is "American Idol." Paula is crying, Constantine is gone. What's going on?
BARNETT: It's kind of crazy. And I have to say, I mean, after just -- one week earlier, when she denied in "People" magazine that she's not on drugs, and she's also facing all of these accusations from former "American Idol" contestant Corey Clark that they were having an affair -- that they had an affair when he was on the show, for her to sob like a crazy person on the show over the heartthrob being voted off was maybe not the best timing.
HEMMER: Did you say they had an affair?
BARNETT: I am saying...
HEMMER: Is that what you just said?
BARNETT: No, no, no. All I know is that Paula obviously cares about the contestants, particularly the attractive male ones, if you believe Corey Clark.
HEMMER: Put that statement on a string, Amy, and pull it back in.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: I like the things that we learned this week about Bo Bice, thanks to our friends at thesmokinggun.com. First of all, his real name is Harold. Secondly, he, up until now, said that the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to him was falling off the stage. Well, we all know now that he has an arrest in his past for cocaine possession, and it's just amazing the things that come out about "American Idol."
HEMMER: It's the synergy here, isn't it?
SMITH: I don't know what the big deal is about Constantine in the first place. This guy was going to bring rock to "American Idol?" Hello, why don't you try to bring Julie Andrews to a Metallica concert.
HEMMER: What did he say? I'm going to keep rocking, right? What's the name of his band?
(CROSSTALK)
BARNETT: Well, you know, actually, a record label is going to bring out his band's pre-"American Idol" album, so actually they will all do well off of this, I think.
HEMMER: Oh, so we shall we see.
BARNETT: Yes, yes, exactly.
HEMMER: And by the way, don't believe the stuff with Tom and Katie. I'm not.
Kyle, nice to have you, man. Have a great weekend.
SMITH: Great to see you.
HEMMER: Amy, B.J., see you later -- Soledad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Bill.
Well, "CNN LIVE TODAY" coming up next.
Daryn, good morning to you. What you working on this morning?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad.
We have a lot going on. We'll take you live to Baghdad, the hunt for Abu Musab Al Zarqawi heats up. We're going to hear from the Al Qaeda terrorist and take you live to Baghdad for the latest.
And Tony Larussa, the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, he has collaborated on a book, gives unprecedented access behind the scenes of a Major League Baseball team. We'll talk steroids, we'll talk big money, egos and why he has a soft spot in his heart for shelter animals. He joins me had in the next couple hours.
O'BRIEN: Interesting. All right, Daryn, we'll see you then. Thanks.
Just after the break, Andy is celebrating the Andy, as in Andy Awards. Woo hoo! We'll explain ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Advertising's best recognized last night's -- at last night's, rather -- International Andy Awards. It's where Andy Serwer gives out -- no, it's not. It's actually...
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I wasn't even invited. O'BRIEN: I know, isn't that sad? But Andy Serwer's here to talk about it as he minds your business. Good morning.
SERWER: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: You did not name this award, you have nothing really to do officially this award?
SERWER: No. No conflicts of interest at all, unfortunately.
Let's talk about the markets, first of all. Stocks trading up at this hour. As advertised earlier on this television program, the Dow is up 51 points. A couple stocks, tech stocks, moving up. Microsoft up two percent and Sun Microsystems up 15 percent. Reports this morning that company is going to take Sun Microsystems private. That would be very interesting. One of the bastions of Silicon Valley. Scott McNealy can go play some more golf, then, right, Scott?
OK, let's talk about the 41st Andy Awards downtown in New York last night. Advertising Club of New York handing out the awards across the globe to the best advertisements in print, television, online.
Here is the Grandy, which is the grand prize winner. It's an ad for Honda that ran in Europe.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARRISON KEILLOR (singing): We'd like to know why it is so that certain diesels must be slow and twack and thrum and plom and hum and clatter clat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: This one?
SERWER: It's whimsical, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Oh.
SERWER: That's Garrison Keillor singing. I think Jack's getting a big kick out of this ad. It's just a little -- I think it's drug- induced. Look at this thing. It's like Sergeant Pepper's or something, isn't it?
O'BRIEN: Kind of odd.
SERWER: Yes, it's -- he didn't like it. I think you'll like this one more. I really liked this ad. This was an ad, a print ad that won an award for Bic Pen in France. Let's run this thing. Check it out. It's a still life, of course, and this is great. Now I hope you can see this. It's for Bic Pen. That's Jimi Hendrix. Jimi Hendrix signed that woman's -- and the reason why it's aged is because he did it a long time ago.
CAFFERTY: Obviously. SERWER: And she never washed, I guess?
CAFFERTY: I mean, just look at the picture.
SERWER: Bic -- see the point is there that Bic Pen, the ink stays for a long time.
O'BRIEN: And you liked that one?
SERWER: Soledad's shocked. Both Jack and I really liked it. Come on, Jack.
O'BRIEN: Oh, man.
SERWER: Side with me, here, guy.
O'BRIEN: All right, Andy, thanks.
CAFFERTY: There's a message in that ad.
HEMMER: Tell us.
SERWER: The ink lasts a long time.
CAFFERTY: No, I'm not going to tell you. You'll have to figure it out for yourself, young man.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: The "Question of the Day" is about the president last night calling for cutting Social Security benefits in the years ahead. Benefits are the more affluent, while preserving the benefits or maybe even increasing them at a greater rate for the poor among us. Is cutting benefits the way to solve the problem, is the question.
James in Missouri writes: "You betcha, Jack. If you're referring to cutting the benefits of the fat cats that control our government, all the corporate executives that keep shipping our jobs overseas, a cut in their benefits will make Social Security solvent by itself." Not quite.
Paul writes: "Bush' Social Security plan is worse than the so- called bankruptcy. It would pay less to hard-working citizens and essentially turn Roosevelt's great commitment to America and to Americans into a social welfare program."
Matthew in New Hampshire writes: "You're witnessing the beginning of the end of the Republican majority. Sit back and watch the GOP senators and representatives begin to distance themselves from the president as the mid-term elections draw nearer."
Join us this weekend for CNN's "In the Money." We'll look at how America's thirst for oil (INAUDIBLE) foreign policy and the way it affects Americans here at home, as well. Saturday at 1:00, Sunday at 3:00.
O'BRIEN: Well, I can't wait for that. Jack, thank you so much. A short break and we're right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: We got to run. Have a great weekend. Here's Daryn Kagan at the CNN Center. How are you, Daryn? Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Daryn.
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