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CNN Live At Daybreak
Pilot's Remains Found; Lynndie England Enters Guilty Plea in Prison Scandal; Michael Jackson Trial
Aired May 03, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, two Marine Corps jets embark on a mission over Iraq in bad weather. It is a disaster in the making. We'll take you live to Baghdad for details.
Plus, echoes of the Cold War. Russia and its nuclear arsenal, some numbers that may surprise you.
And the runaway bride. Is Jennifer Wilbanks and supporting cast ready for primetime?
It is Tuesday, May 3. This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News," the U.S. military says a Marine Corps pilot has been killed in the possible collision of two F18 jets over Iraq. Both planes from the carrier, USS Carl Vinson, went down in bad weather. Searchers continue to look for the pilot of the other plane. The Navy says it does not appear the planes were hit by hostile fire.
Another step forward for Iraq. A new Iraqi government is expected to complete the naming of outstanding ministry post this morning. After that the new government will be officially sworn in.
Got brakes? If you own a GM pickup or a sport utility vehicle you might not. The government has launched an investigation into possible problems with the antilock brakes in more than one million of those GM vehicles. The model years in question are from 1999 through 2002.
And guess what this is. No, it's not Canada or Alaska. It's the Texas Panhandle. A freak spring snowstorm left almost five -- five inches of snow, Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, right on the I-40 corridor there.
COSTELLO: What is happening this spring?
MYERS: Where you can get that 72-ounce steak out there in Amarillo, Texas. And if you eat it all, you still get it for free.
COSTELLO: I bet you've done it, too.
MYERS: I have not. Not even close, Carol. (WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Well, at least we're not alone in our misery.
MYERS: That's correct.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We have more now on our top story. We just got word out of Iraq this morning that the body of an American pilot has been found.
Let' head live to Baghdad for the latest and CNN's Ryan Chilcote.
Ryan, bring us up to date.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we'll start at the beginning. The U.S. military saying they lost contact with two Marine pilots late last night. They had taken off from an aircraft carrier and were flying somewhere over Iraq when this contact was broken. These two pilots were flying F18s -- they're also known as Hornets -- when the break in contact happened.
Now, the U.S. military says they're not prepared to conclude exactly what happened there. However, they are saying that there are no indications that there was any hostile fire, that these planes were shot down. And Navy officials are telling us that they believe the two aircraft may have collided midair because of bad weather.
Now, we have subsequently learned that one of those pilots was killed in that apparent crash. The U.S. military saying that his body has been recovered. However, the search continues for the second pilot. His status is unclear at this point. The U.S. military says they're also looking for the wreckage of those two aircraft -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Ryan Chilcote live in Baghdad this morning. Thank you.
Iraq's first democratically elected government is set to be sworn in later this morning. The incoming prime minister has been struggling today to find a Sunni Arab to fill the vacant defense ministry post. The Shiite majority government partially filled open cabinet seats last week, but the Sunnis, who largely boycotted the January 30 vote, are underrepresented in parliament.
There has been no letup in the insurgent attacks in Iraq. They escalated following last week's election of a new cabinet. By the end of the day, a total of eight car bombs had killed at least 13 Iraqis and wounded 50 others. More than 100 Iraqis have died since Thursday's cabinet was picked, and an American soldier was also killed when a roadside bomb blew up near his patrol south of the Baghdad airport.
Turning to another hot-button issue, Social Security reform. A new poll out shows a lot of you are not convinced that President Bush's reform plan is the right one. But that isn't stopping the president from pushing his overhaul. This afternoon he heads to Canton, Mississippi, for a Social Security talk at a Nissan factory.
That new CNN-"USA Today"-Gallup poll asked people, "Who do you trust more on Social Security?" Forty-six percent of those polled say they trust the Democrats, 36 percent say the Republicans.
And what about the president's overall job approval rating? The numbers are close. Forty-eight percent approve of how he's handling his job, 49 percent disapprove. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Some blunt words from Vice President Cheney about Social Security. At a town hall meeting in Smyrna, Georgia, Cheney says the system has to be fixed before it becomes a train wreck. Cheney pushed the president's plan for personal retirement accounts as one solution. But he also suggests the administration is open to other ideas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have in the course of the debate this year said, look, let's come together as a nation on a bipartisan basis, Republican and Democrat alike, let's have this debate, let's start putting ideas on the table and see what various options and possibilities might be. And there are a whole wide range of options out there. And let's engage in a national dialogue and let's solve this problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The meeting drew some protesters who gathered outside. Some of them say the administration is using the Social Security debate to distract people from the war in Iraq and unemployment.
Here is a follow-up to a story we've told you about. Army reservist Lynndie England admits that she could have said no before posing in those now infamous Abu Ghraib prison pictures. She made that comment after pleading guilty in the scandal.
CNN's Susan Candiotti has more on her comments and tells us what comes next for England.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For someone seen in so many of the notorious photos from Abu Ghraib prison, Private 1st Class Lynndie England seemed unusually camera shy as she came to court, her legal staff running interference like blocking backs. England pleaded guilty to seven counts, all involving photos that show her with naked Iraqi detainees who are being deliberately humiliated.
She said her then-boyfriend guard Charles Graner told her to pose for pictures like this. "I knew it was wrong," she said. The judge: "Then why did you do it?" "Because he asked me to." England said it was Graner and another guard who staged these scenes of humiliation and degradation. "Why?" asked the judge. "For their own amusement," she said. The judge: "Did you get any amusement out of it?" "Not really," England said. England said she gave in under peer pressure, a conceded "I could have said no" and left.
At the end of the day, England and her lawyers walked away without saying a word. A jury is to be seated for the penalty phase on Tuesday.
(on camera): Technically, the young Army reservist could face up to 11 years in prison. But under a behind-the-scenes plea deal, one source says her sentence could be limited to a little more than two years. If so, the public won't know until later in the week.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Fort Hood, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: In other news "Across America" now, Florida Governor Jeb Bush has signed the so-called Jessica's Law. The sex offender legislation calls for tougher maximum sentences for sexual abuse. The law also requires lifetime GPS monitoring for convicted sex offenders. It's named for 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, who was killed in March by a registered sex offender.
Police in Cincinnati found about 50 dogs living in filth in one area home. Fifty dogs. The owner says he just couldn't take care of them anymore. The dogs were taken away to shelters and put up for adoption. The owner will not face charges because police say the man did keep his dogs well fed.
A North Carolina woman says she found a fingertip in her custard. Her frozen -- I know -- I know what you're saying, here we go again. But wait a minute. The owner of the restaurant that sold the frozen dessert says an employee actually had his finger cut off by a kitchen machine over the weekend.
The owner says he wants to get the fingertip back to the employee. Why we don't know. The woman who found the finger wants to get a lawyer.
It has not been a good year for Pat O'Brien. First, the host of the celebrity gossip show "The Insider" entered a rehab clinic for alcohol abuse. And then some sexually explicit voice-mail messages he allegedly made surfaced on the Internet.
Chad, have you heard about this and Pat O'Brien?
MYERS: You know, I have not. I saw the e-mail question, and I didn't even know what it was all about. So go ahead, please.
COSTELLO: You just do not have your finger on the pulse of pop culture, do you?
MYERS: No. I don't care about these people at all, Carol. I care about NASCAR and my own little world.
COSTELLO: I know. I know. This is all over the Internet.
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: This man is also accused of sexually harassing people at work. In fact, there are allegations he actually licked the face of a coworker and grabbed at another.
But anyway, O'Brien is trying to make a comeback because he's blaming his problems on alcoholism. And he wants some help from Dr. Phil McGraw.
MYERS: All right.
COSTELLO: So he's going to go on the Phil McGraw show, "Dr. Phil"...
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... to sort of rehabilitate himself.
MYERS: I know Dr. Phil.
COSTELLO: OK. Dr. Phil was on "LARRY KING" last night, and this is what Dr. Phil had to say.
We don't have the sound bite.
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: Which sort of makes our e-mail question diminished, doesn't it?
MYERS: Well, I guess my question is, all these claims, are they substantiated? Are they proven or are these just claims?
COSTELLO: Let's just say he's not denying them.
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: He's going to go on "Dr. Phil." Dr. Phil said on "LARRY KING," "We're going to make him answer all of those allegations. It's a little tough love. And then maybe he can get his job back."
That does bring us to our e-mail "Question of the Day." So let's put it up on the screen again. Pat O'Brien: is "I'm sorry" enough? Actually, you know, the question should broaden out.
MYERS: I was going to say that.
COSTELLO: Does it matter what you do anymore? You just go on some talk show and say you're sorry and then everything's fine -- Chad. MYERS: Carol, I'm not sure. Because you know what? Maybe I need to read a little bit more background about what these messages were, who they were to. Was he the boss of the people that he was making these claims to?
You know, I don't know. I don't know the whole story. So I need to get that and I'll have...
COSTELLO: He was the lead host of the show.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: And then he made these -- these taped obscene messages to women outside of his workplace, but they involved threesomes and kind of disgusting sexual scenarios.
Anyway, we want to know what you think. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
Still to come on DAYBREAK this hour, lingering friction between Italy and the United States. What started as a joint investigation in Iraq has gone separate ways.
Also, who talked to whom? That's the question as prosecutors get set to wrap up their case against Michael Jackson.
And it toils all day and it never complains. It's not Chad.
Just kidding, Chad.
One of the hardest working animals in the world gets its due.
Now here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning, May 3.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Mixed markets right now around the world. Tokyo's Nikkei down more than six points. The London FTSE up nearly 44 points. And the German DAX is up just over 2.5 points.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
The U.S. military has found the body of one pilot whose plane went missing over southern Iraq. The search continues for the pilot of a second Marine Corps F18 that took off from the USS Carl Vinson. Military officials believe the two planes collided.
The man suspected of being the BTK killer is expected to enter pleas today. Sixty-year-old Dennis Rader faces 10 counts of first- degree murder. A spokesman says he is expected to plead innocent.
In money news, the Fed is expected to raise a key interest rate again today. The quarter-point jump would bring the federal funds lending rate to 3 percent. That would be up a full two percentage points since last June.
In culture, "Harry Potter" fans start marking your calendars. The fourth film, "Harry Potter and the Goblin of Fire," is scheduled to hit the big screen on November 18. The first three films have grossed a combined $2.6 billion worldwide.
And in sports, the Dallas Mavericks moved ahead for the first time in their seven-game series against the Houston Rockets. The Mavs held on to win game five, 103-100, and now hold a 3-2 lead in the series -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes, but not without controversy. One of the shots had the -- the player out of bounds. And it was -- he got fouled, and the ref -- officials didn't get it. Oh what a mess that game was, Carol, at the very end.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.
The defense is about to take over in the Michael Jackson case. Prosecutors plan to wrap up today. They've been using telephone lines to try to connect the dots in the alleged conspiracy.
CNN's Rusty Dornin has details from the Santa Maria, California, courthouse.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Michael Jackson, the time to go on the offense draws near. For the prosecution, it was a day of who talked to whom and when. All decide to convince the jury that Jackson conspired to hold the accuser's family hostage.
The jury heard hours of testimony regarding a flurry of phone activity by Jackson's team in California and Florida in February and March of 2003. There were 64 calls on February 6. That's the same day that the now-infamous Martin Bashir documentary aired in the United States.
There were another 83 calls on the day the accuser's family allegedly fled the Neverland Ranch. There was another spike in calls the day the accuser's family taped a rebuttal video that portrayed Jackson in a positive light.
JIM MORET, LEGAL ANALYST: If the prosecution is trying to show that Jackson's involved in a conspiracy in order to make this rebuttal video, then essentially everybody in Hollywood is guilty of a conspiracy when they make a P.R.-type of video, too. So they really haven't shown any sinister motive. The fact that there's a lot of activity doesn't in and of itself prove that there's a criminal conspiracy. DORNIN: The defense argued that no one could prove that Michael Jackson himself was involved in any of those calls. The jury also learned that one of Jackson's advisers, Mark Shaffield (ph), cashed two checks for $1.5 million. Jurors were never told what the money was used for.
Yet to come? A financial expert expected to testify Michael Jackson was in dire financial straits. Prosecutors say that was his motive to keep the family captive because Jackson couldn't afford anymore bad publicity.
(on camera): Sources tell CNN the prosecution's final witness is likely to be Rudy Provencio. He is a business associate of Jackson's close adviser, Mark Shaffield (ph). Prosecutors hope that Provencio can implicate Jackson directly in the alleged conspiracy.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Santa Maria, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Still ahead on DAYBREAK, do Jimmy Buffett and Warren Buffett share more than the same last name? Could they be related? That story's just ahead.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday, May 3.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
COSTELLO: I just wish I had a big beach ball.
Here's a question for you. Did you ever wonder if singer Jimmy Buffett and billionaire Warren Buffett were related? They kind of look alike. Not really.
Anyway, Warren Buffett's sister has been wondering that very thing. She is proposing that the two take a DNA test to see. Both Jimmy and Warren say they are willing to take the test. It seems the two friends already call each other "Uncle Warren" and "Cousin Jimmy."
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: That's cute.
MYERS: That is.
COSTELLO: Guess what was the topic of late night television, Chad.
MYERS: Let me see. Pat O'Brien?
COSTELLO: No.
MYERS: No. Runaway bride?
COSTELLO: You got it.
MYERS: Runaway train.
COSTELLO: That's what it's turning into.
MYERS: Oh, man.
COSTELLO: Let's check out our "Late Night Laughs."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: I want to tell you something right off the top here. I am feeling great -- no.
(APPLAUSE)
LETTERMAN: And here's why: the police picked up my runaway fiancee in Albuquerque over the weekend.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, TALK SHOW HOST: Boy, it was cold last night. Wasn't it chilly?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really cold, man.
LENO: It was cold last night. You know, I tell you -- I tell you, my feet were colder than a Georgia bride headed for New Mexico.
(LAUGHTER)
LENO: Pretending to be kidnapped to avoid getting married. Guys everywhere are going, "She's a genius."
(LAUGHTER)
LENO: "Why didn't we think of that?"
So she could be charged with filing a false police report, lying to authorities, and letting nearly 600 crab puffs go bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: There are a few updates to that story. Police officials held this news conference yesterday.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: And apparently the city of Duluth wants her or her family to repay the $60,000 it cost for police to conduct this manhunt for her.
MYERS: Right. Right.
COSTELLO: And...
MYERS: They said the dinner alone for the 600 people was going to be over $100,000.
COSTELLO: Oh, you mean for the wedding itself?
MYERS: For the wedding that didn't happen.
COSTELLO: Oh, her poor parents. And the guy, the fiance...
MYERS: They're not really poor.
COSTELLO: Well, no, they're not. The fiance -- well, her parents are not well off, but the fiance's parents are.
MYERS: Oh, OK.
COSTELLO: That's how I understood it. Anyway, he still wants to marry her.
MYERS: Maybe they need Dr. Phil. Maybe that's another special right after Pat O'Brien.
COSTELLO: I think you've got something there, Chad.
MYERS: Primetime. It's ratings week.
COSTELLO: It certainly is. We're going to get to Dr. Phil in just a moment. But first, it's time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener."
He's a mascot for the 44th annual Burro Festival...
MYERS: Ooh!
COSTELLO: ... in Otumba, Mexico. Events of the festival include a burro race through the city and a costume parade. The town holds the annual celebration to honor the work -- the work ethic and stubbornness of the small donkey.
Police in San Diego follow a speeding pickup truck for several miles before the driver hits one too many other vehicles. The chase began when people complained that the driver was playing music too loud in his truck. But the chase ended with a police dog shredding the man's pants.
Watch this. Can you see it?
MYERS: Yes, but you can't hear what the police...
COSTELLO: Oh!
MYERS: ... were saying. The police saying, "Get on the ground," and he won't. Why did they let him go? I don't know. COSTELLO: Yes, why did they let that dog -- anyway, the man did get on the ground. He is unhurt, as far as we understand it. And he's been placed under arrest.
It's time to read some e-mail. I'm actually going into my e-mail box right now.
We were talking about Pat O'Brien on the redemption tour. He's been accused of sexual harassment at work, he's been to rehab for alcoholism. He's out now. And he apparently called several women out there, wanting to perform some sexual acts with them, although he is a married man.
MYERS: I see.
COSTELLO: So he wants his job back, so he's going to go on "Dr. Phil." It's going to be a primetime special. Dr. Phil was on "LARRY KING" last night, and we do have that sound bite for you now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PHIL MCGRAW, "THE DR. PHIL SHOW": His life is being on the air. And I don't really think he can go on the air until he answers questions about his conduct, his values and his beliefs. I think he said and did some things that it wasn't just, gee, they found him drunk one night. I think he did some things that are highly offensive to the sensibilities of most Americans in general, and women in particular.
And to just go back on the air and say, well, I've been gone awhile but glad to be back, I think people will say, you know, wait a minute. What about all of this stuff? You said this, you did this, you evidenced this. What about all that?
I think people want those questions asked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: There you have it. And we did get a few e-mails. Actually, we got about 100 right now.
This is from a woman in Ohio named Lori (ph). She says, "Howard Stern has been playing Pat's recorded messages for the last couple of weeks on his show. They are hilarious. Someone sent them to him from a 1-900 number he called talking about drugs and sex."
So this is all over the place, Chad.
MYERS: Yes. Lisa from Arizona says, "No, he needs to experience the natural consequences of his bad behavior, then earn respect for his next job, just like any other person would have to."
COSTELLO: Well, it will be interesting to see what Dr. Phil's ratings are like in that primetime special, huh?
MYERS: Yes. COSTELLO: All right. We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired May 3, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, two Marine Corps jets embark on a mission over Iraq in bad weather. It is a disaster in the making. We'll take you live to Baghdad for details.
Plus, echoes of the Cold War. Russia and its nuclear arsenal, some numbers that may surprise you.
And the runaway bride. Is Jennifer Wilbanks and supporting cast ready for primetime?
It is Tuesday, May 3. This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News," the U.S. military says a Marine Corps pilot has been killed in the possible collision of two F18 jets over Iraq. Both planes from the carrier, USS Carl Vinson, went down in bad weather. Searchers continue to look for the pilot of the other plane. The Navy says it does not appear the planes were hit by hostile fire.
Another step forward for Iraq. A new Iraqi government is expected to complete the naming of outstanding ministry post this morning. After that the new government will be officially sworn in.
Got brakes? If you own a GM pickup or a sport utility vehicle you might not. The government has launched an investigation into possible problems with the antilock brakes in more than one million of those GM vehicles. The model years in question are from 1999 through 2002.
And guess what this is. No, it's not Canada or Alaska. It's the Texas Panhandle. A freak spring snowstorm left almost five -- five inches of snow, Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, right on the I-40 corridor there.
COSTELLO: What is happening this spring?
MYERS: Where you can get that 72-ounce steak out there in Amarillo, Texas. And if you eat it all, you still get it for free.
COSTELLO: I bet you've done it, too.
MYERS: I have not. Not even close, Carol. (WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Well, at least we're not alone in our misery.
MYERS: That's correct.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: We have more now on our top story. We just got word out of Iraq this morning that the body of an American pilot has been found.
Let' head live to Baghdad for the latest and CNN's Ryan Chilcote.
Ryan, bring us up to date.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we'll start at the beginning. The U.S. military saying they lost contact with two Marine pilots late last night. They had taken off from an aircraft carrier and were flying somewhere over Iraq when this contact was broken. These two pilots were flying F18s -- they're also known as Hornets -- when the break in contact happened.
Now, the U.S. military says they're not prepared to conclude exactly what happened there. However, they are saying that there are no indications that there was any hostile fire, that these planes were shot down. And Navy officials are telling us that they believe the two aircraft may have collided midair because of bad weather.
Now, we have subsequently learned that one of those pilots was killed in that apparent crash. The U.S. military saying that his body has been recovered. However, the search continues for the second pilot. His status is unclear at this point. The U.S. military says they're also looking for the wreckage of those two aircraft -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Ryan Chilcote live in Baghdad this morning. Thank you.
Iraq's first democratically elected government is set to be sworn in later this morning. The incoming prime minister has been struggling today to find a Sunni Arab to fill the vacant defense ministry post. The Shiite majority government partially filled open cabinet seats last week, but the Sunnis, who largely boycotted the January 30 vote, are underrepresented in parliament.
There has been no letup in the insurgent attacks in Iraq. They escalated following last week's election of a new cabinet. By the end of the day, a total of eight car bombs had killed at least 13 Iraqis and wounded 50 others. More than 100 Iraqis have died since Thursday's cabinet was picked, and an American soldier was also killed when a roadside bomb blew up near his patrol south of the Baghdad airport.
Turning to another hot-button issue, Social Security reform. A new poll out shows a lot of you are not convinced that President Bush's reform plan is the right one. But that isn't stopping the president from pushing his overhaul. This afternoon he heads to Canton, Mississippi, for a Social Security talk at a Nissan factory.
That new CNN-"USA Today"-Gallup poll asked people, "Who do you trust more on Social Security?" Forty-six percent of those polled say they trust the Democrats, 36 percent say the Republicans.
And what about the president's overall job approval rating? The numbers are close. Forty-eight percent approve of how he's handling his job, 49 percent disapprove. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
Some blunt words from Vice President Cheney about Social Security. At a town hall meeting in Smyrna, Georgia, Cheney says the system has to be fixed before it becomes a train wreck. Cheney pushed the president's plan for personal retirement accounts as one solution. But he also suggests the administration is open to other ideas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have in the course of the debate this year said, look, let's come together as a nation on a bipartisan basis, Republican and Democrat alike, let's have this debate, let's start putting ideas on the table and see what various options and possibilities might be. And there are a whole wide range of options out there. And let's engage in a national dialogue and let's solve this problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The meeting drew some protesters who gathered outside. Some of them say the administration is using the Social Security debate to distract people from the war in Iraq and unemployment.
Here is a follow-up to a story we've told you about. Army reservist Lynndie England admits that she could have said no before posing in those now infamous Abu Ghraib prison pictures. She made that comment after pleading guilty in the scandal.
CNN's Susan Candiotti has more on her comments and tells us what comes next for England.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For someone seen in so many of the notorious photos from Abu Ghraib prison, Private 1st Class Lynndie England seemed unusually camera shy as she came to court, her legal staff running interference like blocking backs. England pleaded guilty to seven counts, all involving photos that show her with naked Iraqi detainees who are being deliberately humiliated.
She said her then-boyfriend guard Charles Graner told her to pose for pictures like this. "I knew it was wrong," she said. The judge: "Then why did you do it?" "Because he asked me to." England said it was Graner and another guard who staged these scenes of humiliation and degradation. "Why?" asked the judge. "For their own amusement," she said. The judge: "Did you get any amusement out of it?" "Not really," England said. England said she gave in under peer pressure, a conceded "I could have said no" and left.
At the end of the day, England and her lawyers walked away without saying a word. A jury is to be seated for the penalty phase on Tuesday.
(on camera): Technically, the young Army reservist could face up to 11 years in prison. But under a behind-the-scenes plea deal, one source says her sentence could be limited to a little more than two years. If so, the public won't know until later in the week.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Fort Hood, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: In other news "Across America" now, Florida Governor Jeb Bush has signed the so-called Jessica's Law. The sex offender legislation calls for tougher maximum sentences for sexual abuse. The law also requires lifetime GPS monitoring for convicted sex offenders. It's named for 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford, who was killed in March by a registered sex offender.
Police in Cincinnati found about 50 dogs living in filth in one area home. Fifty dogs. The owner says he just couldn't take care of them anymore. The dogs were taken away to shelters and put up for adoption. The owner will not face charges because police say the man did keep his dogs well fed.
A North Carolina woman says she found a fingertip in her custard. Her frozen -- I know -- I know what you're saying, here we go again. But wait a minute. The owner of the restaurant that sold the frozen dessert says an employee actually had his finger cut off by a kitchen machine over the weekend.
The owner says he wants to get the fingertip back to the employee. Why we don't know. The woman who found the finger wants to get a lawyer.
It has not been a good year for Pat O'Brien. First, the host of the celebrity gossip show "The Insider" entered a rehab clinic for alcohol abuse. And then some sexually explicit voice-mail messages he allegedly made surfaced on the Internet.
Chad, have you heard about this and Pat O'Brien?
MYERS: You know, I have not. I saw the e-mail question, and I didn't even know what it was all about. So go ahead, please.
COSTELLO: You just do not have your finger on the pulse of pop culture, do you?
MYERS: No. I don't care about these people at all, Carol. I care about NASCAR and my own little world.
COSTELLO: I know. I know. This is all over the Internet.
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: This man is also accused of sexually harassing people at work. In fact, there are allegations he actually licked the face of a coworker and grabbed at another.
But anyway, O'Brien is trying to make a comeback because he's blaming his problems on alcoholism. And he wants some help from Dr. Phil McGraw.
MYERS: All right.
COSTELLO: So he's going to go on the Phil McGraw show, "Dr. Phil"...
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... to sort of rehabilitate himself.
MYERS: I know Dr. Phil.
COSTELLO: OK. Dr. Phil was on "LARRY KING" last night, and this is what Dr. Phil had to say.
We don't have the sound bite.
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: Which sort of makes our e-mail question diminished, doesn't it?
MYERS: Well, I guess my question is, all these claims, are they substantiated? Are they proven or are these just claims?
COSTELLO: Let's just say he's not denying them.
MYERS: OK.
COSTELLO: He's going to go on "Dr. Phil." Dr. Phil said on "LARRY KING," "We're going to make him answer all of those allegations. It's a little tough love. And then maybe he can get his job back."
That does bring us to our e-mail "Question of the Day." So let's put it up on the screen again. Pat O'Brien: is "I'm sorry" enough? Actually, you know, the question should broaden out.
MYERS: I was going to say that.
COSTELLO: Does it matter what you do anymore? You just go on some talk show and say you're sorry and then everything's fine -- Chad. MYERS: Carol, I'm not sure. Because you know what? Maybe I need to read a little bit more background about what these messages were, who they were to. Was he the boss of the people that he was making these claims to?
You know, I don't know. I don't know the whole story. So I need to get that and I'll have...
COSTELLO: He was the lead host of the show.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: And then he made these -- these taped obscene messages to women outside of his workplace, but they involved threesomes and kind of disgusting sexual scenarios.
Anyway, we want to know what you think. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
Still to come on DAYBREAK this hour, lingering friction between Italy and the United States. What started as a joint investigation in Iraq has gone separate ways.
Also, who talked to whom? That's the question as prosecutors get set to wrap up their case against Michael Jackson.
And it toils all day and it never complains. It's not Chad.
Just kidding, Chad.
One of the hardest working animals in the world gets its due.
Now here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning, May 3.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Mixed markets right now around the world. Tokyo's Nikkei down more than six points. The London FTSE up nearly 44 points. And the German DAX is up just over 2.5 points.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
The U.S. military has found the body of one pilot whose plane went missing over southern Iraq. The search continues for the pilot of a second Marine Corps F18 that took off from the USS Carl Vinson. Military officials believe the two planes collided.
The man suspected of being the BTK killer is expected to enter pleas today. Sixty-year-old Dennis Rader faces 10 counts of first- degree murder. A spokesman says he is expected to plead innocent.
In money news, the Fed is expected to raise a key interest rate again today. The quarter-point jump would bring the federal funds lending rate to 3 percent. That would be up a full two percentage points since last June.
In culture, "Harry Potter" fans start marking your calendars. The fourth film, "Harry Potter and the Goblin of Fire," is scheduled to hit the big screen on November 18. The first three films have grossed a combined $2.6 billion worldwide.
And in sports, the Dallas Mavericks moved ahead for the first time in their seven-game series against the Houston Rockets. The Mavs held on to win game five, 103-100, and now hold a 3-2 lead in the series -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes, but not without controversy. One of the shots had the -- the player out of bounds. And it was -- he got fouled, and the ref -- officials didn't get it. Oh what a mess that game was, Carol, at the very end.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.
That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.
The defense is about to take over in the Michael Jackson case. Prosecutors plan to wrap up today. They've been using telephone lines to try to connect the dots in the alleged conspiracy.
CNN's Rusty Dornin has details from the Santa Maria, California, courthouse.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For Michael Jackson, the time to go on the offense draws near. For the prosecution, it was a day of who talked to whom and when. All decide to convince the jury that Jackson conspired to hold the accuser's family hostage.
The jury heard hours of testimony regarding a flurry of phone activity by Jackson's team in California and Florida in February and March of 2003. There were 64 calls on February 6. That's the same day that the now-infamous Martin Bashir documentary aired in the United States.
There were another 83 calls on the day the accuser's family allegedly fled the Neverland Ranch. There was another spike in calls the day the accuser's family taped a rebuttal video that portrayed Jackson in a positive light.
JIM MORET, LEGAL ANALYST: If the prosecution is trying to show that Jackson's involved in a conspiracy in order to make this rebuttal video, then essentially everybody in Hollywood is guilty of a conspiracy when they make a P.R.-type of video, too. So they really haven't shown any sinister motive. The fact that there's a lot of activity doesn't in and of itself prove that there's a criminal conspiracy. DORNIN: The defense argued that no one could prove that Michael Jackson himself was involved in any of those calls. The jury also learned that one of Jackson's advisers, Mark Shaffield (ph), cashed two checks for $1.5 million. Jurors were never told what the money was used for.
Yet to come? A financial expert expected to testify Michael Jackson was in dire financial straits. Prosecutors say that was his motive to keep the family captive because Jackson couldn't afford anymore bad publicity.
(on camera): Sources tell CNN the prosecution's final witness is likely to be Rudy Provencio. He is a business associate of Jackson's close adviser, Mark Shaffield (ph). Prosecutors hope that Provencio can implicate Jackson directly in the alleged conspiracy.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Santa Maria, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Still ahead on DAYBREAK, do Jimmy Buffett and Warren Buffett share more than the same last name? Could they be related? That story's just ahead.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday, May 3.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
COSTELLO: I just wish I had a big beach ball.
Here's a question for you. Did you ever wonder if singer Jimmy Buffett and billionaire Warren Buffett were related? They kind of look alike. Not really.
Anyway, Warren Buffett's sister has been wondering that very thing. She is proposing that the two take a DNA test to see. Both Jimmy and Warren say they are willing to take the test. It seems the two friends already call each other "Uncle Warren" and "Cousin Jimmy."
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: That's cute.
MYERS: That is.
COSTELLO: Guess what was the topic of late night television, Chad.
MYERS: Let me see. Pat O'Brien?
COSTELLO: No.
MYERS: No. Runaway bride?
COSTELLO: You got it.
MYERS: Runaway train.
COSTELLO: That's what it's turning into.
MYERS: Oh, man.
COSTELLO: Let's check out our "Late Night Laughs."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, TALK SHOW HOST: I want to tell you something right off the top here. I am feeling great -- no.
(APPLAUSE)
LETTERMAN: And here's why: the police picked up my runaway fiancee in Albuquerque over the weekend.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, TALK SHOW HOST: Boy, it was cold last night. Wasn't it chilly?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really cold, man.
LENO: It was cold last night. You know, I tell you -- I tell you, my feet were colder than a Georgia bride headed for New Mexico.
(LAUGHTER)
LENO: Pretending to be kidnapped to avoid getting married. Guys everywhere are going, "She's a genius."
(LAUGHTER)
LENO: "Why didn't we think of that?"
So she could be charged with filing a false police report, lying to authorities, and letting nearly 600 crab puffs go bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: There are a few updates to that story. Police officials held this news conference yesterday.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: And apparently the city of Duluth wants her or her family to repay the $60,000 it cost for police to conduct this manhunt for her.
MYERS: Right. Right.
COSTELLO: And...
MYERS: They said the dinner alone for the 600 people was going to be over $100,000.
COSTELLO: Oh, you mean for the wedding itself?
MYERS: For the wedding that didn't happen.
COSTELLO: Oh, her poor parents. And the guy, the fiance...
MYERS: They're not really poor.
COSTELLO: Well, no, they're not. The fiance -- well, her parents are not well off, but the fiance's parents are.
MYERS: Oh, OK.
COSTELLO: That's how I understood it. Anyway, he still wants to marry her.
MYERS: Maybe they need Dr. Phil. Maybe that's another special right after Pat O'Brien.
COSTELLO: I think you've got something there, Chad.
MYERS: Primetime. It's ratings week.
COSTELLO: It certainly is. We're going to get to Dr. Phil in just a moment. But first, it's time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener."
He's a mascot for the 44th annual Burro Festival...
MYERS: Ooh!
COSTELLO: ... in Otumba, Mexico. Events of the festival include a burro race through the city and a costume parade. The town holds the annual celebration to honor the work -- the work ethic and stubbornness of the small donkey.
Police in San Diego follow a speeding pickup truck for several miles before the driver hits one too many other vehicles. The chase began when people complained that the driver was playing music too loud in his truck. But the chase ended with a police dog shredding the man's pants.
Watch this. Can you see it?
MYERS: Yes, but you can't hear what the police...
COSTELLO: Oh!
MYERS: ... were saying. The police saying, "Get on the ground," and he won't. Why did they let him go? I don't know. COSTELLO: Yes, why did they let that dog -- anyway, the man did get on the ground. He is unhurt, as far as we understand it. And he's been placed under arrest.
It's time to read some e-mail. I'm actually going into my e-mail box right now.
We were talking about Pat O'Brien on the redemption tour. He's been accused of sexual harassment at work, he's been to rehab for alcoholism. He's out now. And he apparently called several women out there, wanting to perform some sexual acts with them, although he is a married man.
MYERS: I see.
COSTELLO: So he wants his job back, so he's going to go on "Dr. Phil." It's going to be a primetime special. Dr. Phil was on "LARRY KING" last night, and we do have that sound bite for you now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PHIL MCGRAW, "THE DR. PHIL SHOW": His life is being on the air. And I don't really think he can go on the air until he answers questions about his conduct, his values and his beliefs. I think he said and did some things that it wasn't just, gee, they found him drunk one night. I think he did some things that are highly offensive to the sensibilities of most Americans in general, and women in particular.
And to just go back on the air and say, well, I've been gone awhile but glad to be back, I think people will say, you know, wait a minute. What about all of this stuff? You said this, you did this, you evidenced this. What about all that?
I think people want those questions asked.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: There you have it. And we did get a few e-mails. Actually, we got about 100 right now.
This is from a woman in Ohio named Lori (ph). She says, "Howard Stern has been playing Pat's recorded messages for the last couple of weeks on his show. They are hilarious. Someone sent them to him from a 1-900 number he called talking about drugs and sex."
So this is all over the place, Chad.
MYERS: Yes. Lisa from Arizona says, "No, he needs to experience the natural consequences of his bad behavior, then earn respect for his next job, just like any other person would have to."
COSTELLO: Well, it will be interesting to see what Dr. Phil's ratings are like in that primetime special, huh?
MYERS: Yes. COSTELLO: All right. We're going to take a short break. We'll be back with more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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