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CNN Live At Daybreak

North Korea Nuke Test; Conflicting Conclusions; Virtual Junkies

Aired May 02, 2005 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

The White House is consulting with governments in Asia after North Korea apparently tested a short-range missile that landed in the Sea of Japan. State Department is using Pyongyang to continue its moratorium on ballistic missile tests.

Her own attorney calls her the poster child of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. About five hours from now, Private Lynndie England is expected to plead guilty to reduced charges of the Abu Ghraib scandal.

Australian Douglas Wood appears in a videotape. He's been taken hostage in Iraq and urges Australia to withdrawal its troops from Iraq. The prime minister, John Howard, is standing firm. He says no withdrawal.

In Baghdad, there have now been four car bombings today. Word of the fourth came to us just a few minutes ago. At least 13 are dead, another 23 wounded. The head of Baghdad's commando forces escaped one of the blasts.

The 32-year-old Georgia bride-to-be, who sparked a nationwide hunt with her disappearance last week, could still face charges. That is if authorities determine Jennifer Wilbanks planned her three-day disappearance in advance.

To the Forecast Center and -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we were talking about that. And if you want to chime in, CNN.com/DAYBREAK, give us your opinion of all that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Time now for our CNN "Security Watch." North Korea's nuclear capability is back on the front page after they apparently test fired a missile into the Sea of Japan. This test comes less than a week after a U.S. intelligence official testified that North Korea could hit the United States with a nuclear device.

CNN's Elaine Quijano has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Confirmation of Japanese news reports came from White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

ANDREW CARD, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: It appears that there was a test of a short-range missile by the North Koreans and it landed in the Sea of Japan. We're not surprised by this. The North Koreans have tested their missiles before.

QUIJANO: It may not be a surprise, but coupled with concerns over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, it does cause worry.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Every time they run a test that advances that technology, it's a concern.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: It's additional very discouraging evidence that this administration's policy towards North Korea is failing.

QUIJANO: Under President Bush's policy, the U.S. has not talked one-on-one with the North Koreans about their nuclear program. Instead, the U.S. is counting on North Korea's neighbors, especially China, to pressure Pyongyang into taking part in six-way talks.

CARD: We have to work together with our allies around the world, especially the Japanese, the South Koreans, the Russians and the Chinese, to demonstrate that North Korea's actions are inappropriate.

QUIJANO: But the talks have been stalled for nearly a year. And some say it's time to re-evaluate.

LEVIN: Of course we have to work on a common strategy with our allies. But that is no excuse not to talk directly with the North Koreans. It has led to real failure in these policies. The nuclear threat is increasing from North Korea as a result.

QUIJANO: News of the missile test comes just days after Vice Admiral Lowell Jacoby, the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, said he believed the North Koreans have the capability to arm a missile with a nuclear device. But Pentagon officials quickly played down that statement.

(on camera): And after Pyongyang called President Bush a Philistine last week, the president's chief of staff fired back, saying North Korean President Kim Jong Il is not a good person, not a good leader, and accusing his government of bullying the world.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Italy is expected to pick apart U.S. conclusions on the shooting of an Italian agent by American troops in Baghdad. The U.S. has cleared its forces of any wrongdoing in the incident. But Italy sees things very different and it's coming out with its own report today.

Let's head live to CNN's Jennifer Eccleston. She's live in Rome.

Good morning -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

That's right, as you mentioned, the United States government and the U.S. Army has cleared American soldiers from any wrongdoing in the shooting death of an Italian security agent, Nicola Calipari, and recommended no disciplinary action should follow.

Now let's give you a little background on this. Calipari and another Italian intelligent agent had just secured the release of Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist who was held hostage in Iraq by insurgents for over a month. They were then driving Giuliana to the airport when they came under fire at a U.S. military checkpoint, at which point Calipari, who was shielding the journalist, was then struck and died.

Now the U.S. investigation concluded that the vehicle had failed to reduce its speed as it approached the checkpoint. They say it was travelling around 50 miles an hour. The soldier who fired acted in accordance with the rules of engagement, said the report. That it warned the approaching vehicle to slow down with flashing lights and fired at the engine only when the vehicle failed to stop.

The report also noted that Italy had not informed U.S. officials about the rescue mission, saying -- quote -- "prior coordination might have prevented this tragedy."

Now, as you said, Italy is expected to release their version of events today, saying that the vehicle was in fact not speeding. Of course this is coming from Italian media reports because that report is expected to be issued later on this evening. They said the vehicle was not speeding.

They said that there was not ample warnings given to the driver. And that comes from the two survivors who said that the flashing of warning lights actually coincided with the firing on the vehicle. The Italians are also expected to say that the scene of the crime was not preserved as a crime scene. And as a result, the evidence there was tampered.

And finally, we are expected to be told that the Italian officials had told U.S. forces in Iraq about the rescue operation some 25 minutes before the shooting incident had occurred.

Now of course the American report, while calling the shooting a tragic accident, said that Nicola Calipari was in fact a hero, and they sent their condolences to his family. But again, they say that no U.S. soldiers should be held responsible for what is being called a tragic accident -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well will there be any long-term ramifications to this as far as relations between Italy and the United States go?

ECCLESTON: Well there's been much speculation in the press here about any sort of repercussions of the relationship of the shooting on the relationship between the Americans and the Italian government. Of course Italy a strong supporter of the U.S. operation in Iraq. They have some 3,000 soldiers there.

And Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been at pains to say that the relationship has not suffered as a result of the differences in opinion over this investigation. He said the relationship with the United States is still very strong and that he intends to keep forces in Iraq as long as it needs to be there. That is to say as long as the security situation in Iraq needs to have coalition forces, including Italian forces, on the ground.

But of course there are many opposition candidates here in Italy opposed to the presence of Italian troops in Iraq. They were opposed to it even before the shooting. So there is this give and take here about whether or not there will be long-term damage. In effect, we don't know, as a result, right now whether or not this disagreement will affect the long-term relationship between Italy and the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Jennifer Eccleston, live in Italy this morning, thank you.

Still to come, it's been a long run for the Barone family, but the gang says goodbye this season. We get an invite to one of the farewell parties and we'll bring you along.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has a new steroid proposal. It's basically three strikes and you're out for good. The new rules would mean suspensions of 50 games, 100 games and a lifetime ban for third time offenders. The current policy allows for a lifetime ban after five positive tests. But some players aren't so sure a change is needed.

Dodgers catcher Jason Phillips says "Put me on the record as saying that's ridiculous. I mean, until they can come up with a list of banned substances. They still don't know what you can buy over the counter and what you can't buy, and come up positive or negative on a drug test..." Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves called the proposal "a little unfair." He says "to take a third of the season away, it's a lot of money to a lot of players. I've got a feeling Mr. Selig is feeling a lot of pressure to crack down."

And the Dodgers Jeff Kent says "I'm all up for a quality program.....But I think the stiffer the policy, the better chance of it to be more of a deterrent."

The players union plans to respond this week.

It is a video game that can take you to an all-time high, but family groups say it's just a bad trip.

CNN technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg takes us online.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smoke crack and become a crack shot. Take speed and run down the bad guys. Drop acid and the world melts around you, enemies become devil-headed cartoons.

In the first person video game "Narc," you play a cop busting drug dealers. Except in this game you can virtually take the drugs you confiscate, and they can even enhance your performance.

SCOTT STEINBERG, VIDEO GAME REVIEWER: If I want to pop a Quaalude, it's going to improve my vision. So I'm going to be able to actually pause the game here and zoom in and see who's hiding down the corner. The problem is if I do this too often, I'm going to develop an addiction.

SIEBERG: Addiction can lead to withdraw. But unlike real life, a few clicks on the game controller and your character kicks his habit.

STEINBERG: Look at that, we're clean just like that.

SIEBERG: But you don't have to take drugs in the game, illicit activity is a matter of choice, says game reviewer Scott Steinberg.

STEINBERG: You can be a bad cop, you can be a good cop, but the thing is there are consequences. So I can beat up suspects all I want, I can go on a killing spree, if I need to. I can even use or sell drugs to the citizenry. The thing is, if I do it, there are random drug tests and I can get busted, I can develop addictions, or my fellow officers can come chasing me.

SIEBERG (on camera): This is the first time you can take virtual drugs in a video game. Now "Narc" is rated "M" for mature, that's a 17-year and older rating. But family groups that have fought against violent and sexual content for years says this new high in gaming is an all-time low.

DAVID WALSH, NATL. INST. ON FAMILY & MEDIA: It glorifies drugs and the fact that, you know, games are interactive technology, making them more impactful than a lot of other media. I think there are a lot of concerns about a game like this.

SIEBERG (voice-over): Publisher, Midway, turned down our request for an on-camera interview, but released a statement saying, "The players who choose to take drugs will face consequences; they will experience the highs and lows of this culture, but following this path will ultimately lead to failure."

WALSH: They do portray the extreme, you know, that the use of drugs can lead to bad outcomes and the game penalizes you for misusing drugs. But the flip side of that message is that some drug use actually enhances play. That's the glorification part. That's the dangerous message that, you know, drugs are OK, just don't overdo it.

SIEBERG: But whether in moderation or abuse, drug use is one of many activities in the game. If you choose to just say no, well, you can always pick up a machine gun.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

She became the poster child for the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. Now Army Private 1st Class Lynndie England is expected to plead guilty today to reduced charges of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib. She could face up to 11 years in prison.

New concerns about North Korea's nuclear ambitions, North Korea tested what appeared to be a short-range missile Sunday. It landed in the Sea of Japan.

In money news, Alan Greenspan and his gang are poised to raise interest rates tomorrow. Experts predict a quarter point hike to help combat inflation. That'll bring interest rates on short-term loans to 3 percent.

In culture, the weeklong New Orleans Jazz Festival is a wrap. The Neville Brothers and Isaac Hays were among the featured acts in the Big Easy on the final day, which was Sunday.

In sports, the reigning NBA champion Detroit Pistons have a three-to-one playoff series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers after last night's 97-92 overtime win. Miami, New Jersey and Phoenix each won their first round series -- Chad.

MYERS: Hey, Carol, in the NHL playoffs, the greedy beat the filthy rich 6 to 5.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: Sure.

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

Still to come on DAYBREAK, the first lady takes some shots at her husband, and the audience loves it. We'll hear from Mrs. Bush after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: You know that might be a little hazy, but that's a cool shot.

MYERS: Yes, it was. And that's a long shot. I mean that's like six or seven miles from where that camera is to Lady Liberty there, so.

COSTELLO: That's why she looks so little teeny.

MYERS: Yes, just tiny.

COSTELLO: We're going to talk -- isn't that a cool shot? I love that.

MYERS: It is great.

COSTELLO: We're going to talk about the Correspondents Dinner again, Chad, just because I know you love it.

MYERS: Actually, everybody in the office is telling me that the first lady, Mrs. Bush, was so funny that we have to listen to some of this.

COSTELLO: We did. The White House Correspondents Dinner was this weekend, and Laura Bush took the stage, upstaging her husband. She let loose with one-liners. She stole the show.

MYERS: She looks fabulous.

COSTELLO: And she did. She looked just great.

So let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: I am married to the president of the United States. And here's our typical evening: 9:00, Mr. Excitement here is sound asleep. And I am watching "Desperate Housewives" with Lynne Cheney.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife. I mean if those women on that show think they're desperate, they ought to be with George.

One night after George went to bed, Lynne Cheney, Condi Rice, Karen Hughes and I went to Chippendale's. I wouldn't even mention it, except Ruth Ginsberg and Sandra Day O'Connor saw us there. I won't tell you what happened, but Lynne's Secret Service code name is now "Dollar Bill."

George always says he's delighted to come to these press dinners, baloney. He's usually in bed by now. I'm not kidding. I said to him the other day, George, if you really want to end tyranny in the world, you're going to have to stay up later.

(LAUGHTER)

The amazing thing, however, is that George and I were just meant to be. I was a librarian who spent 12 hours a day in the library, yet somehow I met George.

People often wonder what my mother-in-law is really like. People think she's a sweet, grandmotherly Aunt Bea type. She's actually more like Don Corleone.

I'm proud of George. He's learned a lot about ranching since that first year when he tried to milk the horse. What's worse, it was a male horse. George's answer to any problem at the ranch is to cut it down with a chainsaw, which I think is why he and Cheney and Rumsfeld get along so well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: She was funny.

MYERS: She really was.

COSTELLO: And you know a lot of people are wondering whether she was trying to soften her husband's, you know, image or that of his administration's.

MYERS: Well I was kind of thinking he should be staying up later than 9:00. So that's what she was saying.

COSTELLO: But that's a well-known fact, he's always in bed by 9:00. But we're going to talk...

MYERS: And up by 4:00.

COSTELLO: Yes, probably so. But we're going to talk to a political analyst in the next hour to see exactly what were the reasons that Laura Bush took the stage and not so much President Bush, because it's tradition for the president to take the stage at that point and make some funnies.

MYERS: They were funny.

COSTELLO: I know you're not into this. It's OK.

MYERS: Well there were other things that we're going to show later, and she also said I'm the only one that can say nuclear. And there were some other great one-liners that we're still going to get to. COSTELLO: A lot of great one-liners, and we'll have them in the 6:00 a.m. Eastern hour of DAYBREAK. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: CNN "Entertainment Headlines" for you this morning.

An $1,800 fine and some community service for "American Pie" star Chris Klein. The actor pleaded guilty in California to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge. Klein was arrested in San Diego County in February. Authorities say his blood alcohol content was more than twice California's legal limit.

You soap operas fans might not know his name, but you know his work. Emmy Award winning writer and producer William Joseph Bell has died of complications of Alzheimer's. He co-created "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful." Bell was 78 years old.

And he wrote classics like "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Help Me Make it Through the Night." Singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Garth Brooks and other stars paid musical tributes to Kristofferson at last night's ceremony.

And you can get more entertainment news every night on "ShowBiz Tonight." That's at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on Headline News.

It is time to get to our e-mail "Question of the Day." I'm going to scoot my chair in here...

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: ... because I'm very far away from the desk for some reason.

We're asking a question about the runaway bride this morning. What do you think should happen to Jennifer Wilbanks? Should she be made to repay all of the police manpower hours it took to look for her or should nothing happen to her? Does she just need some counseling?

Take it away -- Chad.

MYERS: Peter (ph) from Vancouver, Canada says I have to say in a perfect world perhaps there would be neither runaway brides nor NASCAR. So he didn't want to hear any one of those stories this weekend.

Jerry (ph) from Fort Walton Beach says as many folk's wives and girlfriends that turn up missing lately, the media has become a tool for finding the kidnapped and the abducted. So throw the book at her for wasting everyone's time. Law enforcement has a hard enough time finding people that are actually missing.

COSTELLO: This is from Kirby (ph) from Macon, Georgia. The runaway bride should be charged with making a false report, just like anyone else. Obviously she needs some mental health counseling. She has a lot of relationship mending to do. The press should now leave her alone and let her heal. Because she knows, she says, the wedding isn't off, it's just been postponed.

I don't know -- Chad.

MYERS: I don't know.

COSTELLO: I'd think twice.

MYERS: Jack (ph) has a sense of humor this morning. She should be the host of a new reality program who don't want to marry your fiance? Give them 300 bucks and see how far they can get.

COSTELLO: From Tina (ph) from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Is it not against the law in each state to make a false report to 911? In my state, we either get jailed or have to pay a huge fine. She should have to dedicate some time to community service to pay those people back for their time.

MYERS: Yes, but she made the call before...

COSTELLO: You know we did get an e-mail that made a perfect point. As soon as she made that 911 call, she crossed the line, and that's when she broke the law.

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Aired May 2, 2005 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

The White House is consulting with governments in Asia after North Korea apparently tested a short-range missile that landed in the Sea of Japan. State Department is using Pyongyang to continue its moratorium on ballistic missile tests.

Her own attorney calls her the poster child of the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. About five hours from now, Private Lynndie England is expected to plead guilty to reduced charges of the Abu Ghraib scandal.

Australian Douglas Wood appears in a videotape. He's been taken hostage in Iraq and urges Australia to withdrawal its troops from Iraq. The prime minister, John Howard, is standing firm. He says no withdrawal.

In Baghdad, there have now been four car bombings today. Word of the fourth came to us just a few minutes ago. At least 13 are dead, another 23 wounded. The head of Baghdad's commando forces escaped one of the blasts.

The 32-year-old Georgia bride-to-be, who sparked a nationwide hunt with her disappearance last week, could still face charges. That is if authorities determine Jennifer Wilbanks planned her three-day disappearance in advance.

To the Forecast Center and -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we were talking about that. And if you want to chime in, CNN.com/DAYBREAK, give us your opinion of all that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Time now for our CNN "Security Watch." North Korea's nuclear capability is back on the front page after they apparently test fired a missile into the Sea of Japan. This test comes less than a week after a U.S. intelligence official testified that North Korea could hit the United States with a nuclear device.

CNN's Elaine Quijano has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Confirmation of Japanese news reports came from White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card.

ANDREW CARD, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: It appears that there was a test of a short-range missile by the North Koreans and it landed in the Sea of Japan. We're not surprised by this. The North Koreans have tested their missiles before.

QUIJANO: It may not be a surprise, but coupled with concerns over North Korea's nuclear ambitions, it does cause worry.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Every time they run a test that advances that technology, it's a concern.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: It's additional very discouraging evidence that this administration's policy towards North Korea is failing.

QUIJANO: Under President Bush's policy, the U.S. has not talked one-on-one with the North Koreans about their nuclear program. Instead, the U.S. is counting on North Korea's neighbors, especially China, to pressure Pyongyang into taking part in six-way talks.

CARD: We have to work together with our allies around the world, especially the Japanese, the South Koreans, the Russians and the Chinese, to demonstrate that North Korea's actions are inappropriate.

QUIJANO: But the talks have been stalled for nearly a year. And some say it's time to re-evaluate.

LEVIN: Of course we have to work on a common strategy with our allies. But that is no excuse not to talk directly with the North Koreans. It has led to real failure in these policies. The nuclear threat is increasing from North Korea as a result.

QUIJANO: News of the missile test comes just days after Vice Admiral Lowell Jacoby, the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, said he believed the North Koreans have the capability to arm a missile with a nuclear device. But Pentagon officials quickly played down that statement.

(on camera): And after Pyongyang called President Bush a Philistine last week, the president's chief of staff fired back, saying North Korean President Kim Jong Il is not a good person, not a good leader, and accusing his government of bullying the world.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Italy is expected to pick apart U.S. conclusions on the shooting of an Italian agent by American troops in Baghdad. The U.S. has cleared its forces of any wrongdoing in the incident. But Italy sees things very different and it's coming out with its own report today.

Let's head live to CNN's Jennifer Eccleston. She's live in Rome.

Good morning -- Jennifer.

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

That's right, as you mentioned, the United States government and the U.S. Army has cleared American soldiers from any wrongdoing in the shooting death of an Italian security agent, Nicola Calipari, and recommended no disciplinary action should follow.

Now let's give you a little background on this. Calipari and another Italian intelligent agent had just secured the release of Giuliana Sgrena, the Italian journalist who was held hostage in Iraq by insurgents for over a month. They were then driving Giuliana to the airport when they came under fire at a U.S. military checkpoint, at which point Calipari, who was shielding the journalist, was then struck and died.

Now the U.S. investigation concluded that the vehicle had failed to reduce its speed as it approached the checkpoint. They say it was travelling around 50 miles an hour. The soldier who fired acted in accordance with the rules of engagement, said the report. That it warned the approaching vehicle to slow down with flashing lights and fired at the engine only when the vehicle failed to stop.

The report also noted that Italy had not informed U.S. officials about the rescue mission, saying -- quote -- "prior coordination might have prevented this tragedy."

Now, as you said, Italy is expected to release their version of events today, saying that the vehicle was in fact not speeding. Of course this is coming from Italian media reports because that report is expected to be issued later on this evening. They said the vehicle was not speeding.

They said that there was not ample warnings given to the driver. And that comes from the two survivors who said that the flashing of warning lights actually coincided with the firing on the vehicle. The Italians are also expected to say that the scene of the crime was not preserved as a crime scene. And as a result, the evidence there was tampered.

And finally, we are expected to be told that the Italian officials had told U.S. forces in Iraq about the rescue operation some 25 minutes before the shooting incident had occurred.

Now of course the American report, while calling the shooting a tragic accident, said that Nicola Calipari was in fact a hero, and they sent their condolences to his family. But again, they say that no U.S. soldiers should be held responsible for what is being called a tragic accident -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well will there be any long-term ramifications to this as far as relations between Italy and the United States go?

ECCLESTON: Well there's been much speculation in the press here about any sort of repercussions of the relationship of the shooting on the relationship between the Americans and the Italian government. Of course Italy a strong supporter of the U.S. operation in Iraq. They have some 3,000 soldiers there.

And Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been at pains to say that the relationship has not suffered as a result of the differences in opinion over this investigation. He said the relationship with the United States is still very strong and that he intends to keep forces in Iraq as long as it needs to be there. That is to say as long as the security situation in Iraq needs to have coalition forces, including Italian forces, on the ground.

But of course there are many opposition candidates here in Italy opposed to the presence of Italian troops in Iraq. They were opposed to it even before the shooting. So there is this give and take here about whether or not there will be long-term damage. In effect, we don't know, as a result, right now whether or not this disagreement will affect the long-term relationship between Italy and the United States -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right. Jennifer Eccleston, live in Italy this morning, thank you.

Still to come, it's been a long run for the Barone family, but the gang says goodbye this season. We get an invite to one of the farewell parties and we'll bring you along.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has a new steroid proposal. It's basically three strikes and you're out for good. The new rules would mean suspensions of 50 games, 100 games and a lifetime ban for third time offenders. The current policy allows for a lifetime ban after five positive tests. But some players aren't so sure a change is needed.

Dodgers catcher Jason Phillips says "Put me on the record as saying that's ridiculous. I mean, until they can come up with a list of banned substances. They still don't know what you can buy over the counter and what you can't buy, and come up positive or negative on a drug test..." Chipper Jones of the Atlanta Braves called the proposal "a little unfair." He says "to take a third of the season away, it's a lot of money to a lot of players. I've got a feeling Mr. Selig is feeling a lot of pressure to crack down."

And the Dodgers Jeff Kent says "I'm all up for a quality program.....But I think the stiffer the policy, the better chance of it to be more of a deterrent."

The players union plans to respond this week.

It is a video game that can take you to an all-time high, but family groups say it's just a bad trip.

CNN technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg takes us online.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smoke crack and become a crack shot. Take speed and run down the bad guys. Drop acid and the world melts around you, enemies become devil-headed cartoons.

In the first person video game "Narc," you play a cop busting drug dealers. Except in this game you can virtually take the drugs you confiscate, and they can even enhance your performance.

SCOTT STEINBERG, VIDEO GAME REVIEWER: If I want to pop a Quaalude, it's going to improve my vision. So I'm going to be able to actually pause the game here and zoom in and see who's hiding down the corner. The problem is if I do this too often, I'm going to develop an addiction.

SIEBERG: Addiction can lead to withdraw. But unlike real life, a few clicks on the game controller and your character kicks his habit.

STEINBERG: Look at that, we're clean just like that.

SIEBERG: But you don't have to take drugs in the game, illicit activity is a matter of choice, says game reviewer Scott Steinberg.

STEINBERG: You can be a bad cop, you can be a good cop, but the thing is there are consequences. So I can beat up suspects all I want, I can go on a killing spree, if I need to. I can even use or sell drugs to the citizenry. The thing is, if I do it, there are random drug tests and I can get busted, I can develop addictions, or my fellow officers can come chasing me.

SIEBERG (on camera): This is the first time you can take virtual drugs in a video game. Now "Narc" is rated "M" for mature, that's a 17-year and older rating. But family groups that have fought against violent and sexual content for years says this new high in gaming is an all-time low.

DAVID WALSH, NATL. INST. ON FAMILY & MEDIA: It glorifies drugs and the fact that, you know, games are interactive technology, making them more impactful than a lot of other media. I think there are a lot of concerns about a game like this.

SIEBERG (voice-over): Publisher, Midway, turned down our request for an on-camera interview, but released a statement saying, "The players who choose to take drugs will face consequences; they will experience the highs and lows of this culture, but following this path will ultimately lead to failure."

WALSH: They do portray the extreme, you know, that the use of drugs can lead to bad outcomes and the game penalizes you for misusing drugs. But the flip side of that message is that some drug use actually enhances play. That's the glorification part. That's the dangerous message that, you know, drugs are OK, just don't overdo it.

SIEBERG: But whether in moderation or abuse, drug use is one of many activities in the game. If you choose to just say no, well, you can always pick up a machine gun.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

She became the poster child for the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal. Now Army Private 1st Class Lynndie England is expected to plead guilty today to reduced charges of abusing detainees at Abu Ghraib. She could face up to 11 years in prison.

New concerns about North Korea's nuclear ambitions, North Korea tested what appeared to be a short-range missile Sunday. It landed in the Sea of Japan.

In money news, Alan Greenspan and his gang are poised to raise interest rates tomorrow. Experts predict a quarter point hike to help combat inflation. That'll bring interest rates on short-term loans to 3 percent.

In culture, the weeklong New Orleans Jazz Festival is a wrap. The Neville Brothers and Isaac Hays were among the featured acts in the Big Easy on the final day, which was Sunday.

In sports, the reigning NBA champion Detroit Pistons have a three-to-one playoff series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers after last night's 97-92 overtime win. Miami, New Jersey and Phoenix each won their first round series -- Chad.

MYERS: Hey, Carol, in the NHL playoffs, the greedy beat the filthy rich 6 to 5.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: Sure.

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

Still to come on DAYBREAK, the first lady takes some shots at her husband, and the audience loves it. We'll hear from Mrs. Bush after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: You know that might be a little hazy, but that's a cool shot.

MYERS: Yes, it was. And that's a long shot. I mean that's like six or seven miles from where that camera is to Lady Liberty there, so.

COSTELLO: That's why she looks so little teeny.

MYERS: Yes, just tiny.

COSTELLO: We're going to talk -- isn't that a cool shot? I love that.

MYERS: It is great.

COSTELLO: We're going to talk about the Correspondents Dinner again, Chad, just because I know you love it.

MYERS: Actually, everybody in the office is telling me that the first lady, Mrs. Bush, was so funny that we have to listen to some of this.

COSTELLO: We did. The White House Correspondents Dinner was this weekend, and Laura Bush took the stage, upstaging her husband. She let loose with one-liners. She stole the show.

MYERS: She looks fabulous.

COSTELLO: And she did. She looked just great.

So let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: I am married to the president of the United States. And here's our typical evening: 9:00, Mr. Excitement here is sound asleep. And I am watching "Desperate Housewives" with Lynne Cheney.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife. I mean if those women on that show think they're desperate, they ought to be with George.

One night after George went to bed, Lynne Cheney, Condi Rice, Karen Hughes and I went to Chippendale's. I wouldn't even mention it, except Ruth Ginsberg and Sandra Day O'Connor saw us there. I won't tell you what happened, but Lynne's Secret Service code name is now "Dollar Bill."

George always says he's delighted to come to these press dinners, baloney. He's usually in bed by now. I'm not kidding. I said to him the other day, George, if you really want to end tyranny in the world, you're going to have to stay up later.

(LAUGHTER)

The amazing thing, however, is that George and I were just meant to be. I was a librarian who spent 12 hours a day in the library, yet somehow I met George.

People often wonder what my mother-in-law is really like. People think she's a sweet, grandmotherly Aunt Bea type. She's actually more like Don Corleone.

I'm proud of George. He's learned a lot about ranching since that first year when he tried to milk the horse. What's worse, it was a male horse. George's answer to any problem at the ranch is to cut it down with a chainsaw, which I think is why he and Cheney and Rumsfeld get along so well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: She was funny.

MYERS: She really was.

COSTELLO: And you know a lot of people are wondering whether she was trying to soften her husband's, you know, image or that of his administration's.

MYERS: Well I was kind of thinking he should be staying up later than 9:00. So that's what she was saying.

COSTELLO: But that's a well-known fact, he's always in bed by 9:00. But we're going to talk...

MYERS: And up by 4:00.

COSTELLO: Yes, probably so. But we're going to talk to a political analyst in the next hour to see exactly what were the reasons that Laura Bush took the stage and not so much President Bush, because it's tradition for the president to take the stage at that point and make some funnies.

MYERS: They were funny.

COSTELLO: I know you're not into this. It's OK.

MYERS: Well there were other things that we're going to show later, and she also said I'm the only one that can say nuclear. And there were some other great one-liners that we're still going to get to. COSTELLO: A lot of great one-liners, and we'll have them in the 6:00 a.m. Eastern hour of DAYBREAK. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: CNN "Entertainment Headlines" for you this morning.

An $1,800 fine and some community service for "American Pie" star Chris Klein. The actor pleaded guilty in California to a misdemeanor drunk driving charge. Klein was arrested in San Diego County in February. Authorities say his blood alcohol content was more than twice California's legal limit.

You soap operas fans might not know his name, but you know his work. Emmy Award winning writer and producer William Joseph Bell has died of complications of Alzheimer's. He co-created "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful." Bell was 78 years old.

And he wrote classics like "Me and Bobby McGee" and "Help Me Make it Through the Night." Singer/songwriter Kris Kristofferson has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Garth Brooks and other stars paid musical tributes to Kristofferson at last night's ceremony.

And you can get more entertainment news every night on "ShowBiz Tonight." That's at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on Headline News.

It is time to get to our e-mail "Question of the Day." I'm going to scoot my chair in here...

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: ... because I'm very far away from the desk for some reason.

We're asking a question about the runaway bride this morning. What do you think should happen to Jennifer Wilbanks? Should she be made to repay all of the police manpower hours it took to look for her or should nothing happen to her? Does she just need some counseling?

Take it away -- Chad.

MYERS: Peter (ph) from Vancouver, Canada says I have to say in a perfect world perhaps there would be neither runaway brides nor NASCAR. So he didn't want to hear any one of those stories this weekend.

Jerry (ph) from Fort Walton Beach says as many folk's wives and girlfriends that turn up missing lately, the media has become a tool for finding the kidnapped and the abducted. So throw the book at her for wasting everyone's time. Law enforcement has a hard enough time finding people that are actually missing.

COSTELLO: This is from Kirby (ph) from Macon, Georgia. The runaway bride should be charged with making a false report, just like anyone else. Obviously she needs some mental health counseling. She has a lot of relationship mending to do. The press should now leave her alone and let her heal. Because she knows, she says, the wedding isn't off, it's just been postponed.

I don't know -- Chad.

MYERS: I don't know.

COSTELLO: I'd think twice.

MYERS: Jack (ph) has a sense of humor this morning. She should be the host of a new reality program who don't want to marry your fiance? Give them 300 bucks and see how far they can get.

COSTELLO: From Tina (ph) from Fayetteville, Arkansas. Is it not against the law in each state to make a false report to 911? In my state, we either get jailed or have to pay a huge fine. She should have to dedicate some time to community service to pay those people back for their time.

MYERS: Yes, but she made the call before...

COSTELLO: You know we did get an e-mail that made a perfect point. As soon as she made that 911 call, she crossed the line, and that's when she broke the law.

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