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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bush Overseas; Iraq War; Pulpit Politics

Aired May 09, 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, President Bush and other international leaders in Red Square mark the end of a dark period in world history.
Plus, separating church and state or politics and morals? Did one North Carolina Baptist preacher go too far?

And "American Idol" in the classroom, and you can get college credit for it.

It is Monday, May 9. This is DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costelllo, along with Chad Myers.

"Now in the News," the celebration in Moscow's Red Square ended just about 90 minutes ago. Presidents Bush and Putin talked politics earlier in their visit, but today was reserved for the big parade celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany 60 years ago.

Two U.S. Marines are dead after a five-hour firefight with insurgents. It happened near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. Two insurgents also confirmed dead.

A fierce offensive is going on right now against insurgents and so-called foreign fighters in the Anbar province in western Iraq. A U.S. military statement says U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors are involved in the offensive which so far has resulted in 75 enemy killed.

Call him controversial, but you soon might be calling him Mr. Ambassador as well. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says John Bolton's nomination to be U.N. ambassador will likely make it to the Senate floor this week.

And, of course, there's NASCAR. Chad is on vacation this week, but maybe he's watching from home. I'm sure he is.

As you can tell, it was an ugly weekend at Darlington for defending Nextel series champ Kurt Busch just the first lap here. He also got into trouble with NASCAR officials for bad language and for throwing a water bottle that hit an official. Not a good idea.

To the forecast center. Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning.

Thanks for being here.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, thanks for having me here, Carol.

COSTELLO: We love having you here.

MARCIANO: Oh, yes, Chad is a big NASCAR fan, actually.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MARCIANO: I'm not sure if he watched that race. Didn't he get -- wasn't he in trouble, Johnson (ph), last weekend, too? I've got to check up on my facts.

COSTELLO: Yes. I don't know. I don't think so.

MARCIANO: Nice to see you on this -- nice to see you on this Monday, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: See you.

COSTELLO: The banners, the salutes, all the gladhanding in Moscow is over. President Bush and the first lady, but let's see what's come out of the president's overseas trip so far. Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, is in Moscow this morning.

Hello, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Carol.

Well, you know, if you close your eyes and then open them really quickly, you would swear that you were back in 1945. That was when the allies, along with Russia, defeated Nazi Germany. Now 60 years later, a big parade on Red Square.

They had antique cars and trucks and modern Russian soldiers dressed in their uniforms. And soldiers dressed in uniforms from back in World War II.

But most importantly, there were the men and the women -- and many of them are now in their '80s -- who fought in that war. At this point, now they're old. But then, they were young men, young women. Sometimes boys and girls who fought in this war.

And then in the reviewing stands, the leaders of 53 countries from around the world, including the leaders of the countries that were at that point enemies. Namely, Germany, Italy, Japan; they were all there on the reviewing stand, too.

And very prominently featured was President Bush, right next to Vladimir Putin, sitting there. Their conversation, by the way, taking place most of the time in English, because Vladimir Putin has been boning up on his English. And they -- they were together much of the day. There have been disagreements between these two men, especially over the issue of what the Bush administration alleges are rollbacks in democracy. But for that moment, at least, they seemed to be set aside.

But Carol, they'll be popping up again. Because as soon as President Bush leaves Moscow, he is setting for Georgia, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Remember, that was the scene of the Rose Revolution. And that is something that Vladimir Putin has made very clear he does not think was a positive development. In fact, he has actually called some of those people's revolutions illegal -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. You know, Vladimir Putin also made some interesting comments on "60 Minutes" on Sunday in talking about chipping away at the democracy in Russia. He was asked about appointing regional leaders instead of having them elected.

Putin insisted it was not a move away from democracy. And he pointed to the U.S. electoral college. He says, "You first elect the electors, and then they vote for the presidential candidates. In Russia, the president is elected through the direct vote of the whole population. That might even be more democratic."

So it doesn't sound like he's going to, I don't know, improve democratic reforms anytime soon in Russia.

DOUGHERTY: He's not stepping down. He's certainly making it very clear that he feels that Russia already is democratic, that it can certainly improve, and there are many things that he is working toward. But he really takes a lot of umbrage at the fact that the President Bush has been criticizing their level, where they are in democratic development.

And now the Bush administration is saying they're hearing the right words, but they're looking for the actions.

COSTELLO: Jill Dougherty live in Moscow this morning. Thank you.

Turning now to a current war, the fight for Iraq. Is the U.S. military closing in on the most wanted man in Iraq?

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's henchmen are getting captured one by one. And they are talking.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports on the latest capture.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: U.S. officials say they have captured the man who planned several bomb attacks that hit Baghdad April 29, part of a wave of rising violence. There is hope the arrest will bring them closer to getting Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born terrorist leader responsible for months of violence. Inside the U.S. military, growing worry about the deadly rise in car bombs and suicide attacks. U.S. officials now estimate nearly 300 Iraqi civilians and security forces have been killed in the last 10 days. But officials insist their information is getting better, that each arrest now gives them more intelligence and more tips about Zarqawi.

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, CENTCOM DEP. PLANNING DIRECTOR: That intelligence allows you to play in future operations, which after conducting those operations also give you more intelligence. It's a virtual cycle that is permitted us of late to take down a significant part of the Zarqawi network.

STARR: The latest arrest came in Baghdad a few days ago but was not immediately announced. Mohammed Hamza al-Zubaydi is described by the U.S. as a prominent figure in the Zarqawi organization.

When U.S. troops grabbed him, they got documents detail that April insurgents' attack against Abu Ghraib prison and plans to assassinate a plans to assassinate a prominent Iraqi government official in days ahead. The U.S. is not saying the name of that official.

The U.S. military also is trying to convince many people that Zarqawi is not 10 feet tall," in the words of one official. A U.S. military press release is taking the unprecedented step of detailing statements from Zarqawi's driver when he was arrested back in February. The press release saying the driver told interrogators, "Zarqawi became hysterical when he was trying to escape on February 20."

Of course there is no way for us to corroborate that information from the U.S. military.

Barbara Starr, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: In other news "Across America" this morning, in Columbus, Ohio, a judge declares a mistrial in the case of Charles McCoy. He pleaded innocent by reason of insanity to a dozen highway shootings that terrorized the area in 2003 and '04. One person was killed.

After four full days of deliberations, jurors could not decide if McCoy was insane. Prosecutors plan to retry him.

In Boston, the Red Sox hold a moment of silence for their team's chef. Thirty-year-old Bernie Logue died after falling from the sixth floor of a downtown parking garage. Officials say Logue's death appears to be an accident, but they are still looking into it.

In Washington, there has been an arrest in this brutal beating of an elderly woman captured on a security camera. James Dorsey will be arraigned today. Police say he knows the woman, an 83-year-old street vendor known to friends as "grandma." She was punched and kicked during a daylight robbery last week.

A dramatic weekend rescue off the North Carolina coast. A Coast Guard chopper had to hoist up two women after their sailboat ran into hurricane-force winds. The men say high waves knocked them overboard twice. The name of their boat? At Ease.

Do you want some fries with that? Either way, the city of Detroit wants a bite. Detroit is facing a humongous budget hole. I mean, it's millions, tens of millions of dollars in debt.

So it plans to ask voters to OK a two percent fast-food tax on top of a six percent state sales tax. Officials hope people won't mind forking over a few extra cents for their burgers and fries. The mayor says customers will barely notice the slight increase, but critics say poor people definitely will and that the tax unfairly burdens them.

And Rob, this is our e-mail question this morning, because we found it so darned interesting.

MARCIANO: It's a little weird. And there's many points to be made, for sure.

COSTELLO: Well, usually you tax things like beer and cigarettes, right?

MARCIANO: Yes. That's more of a sin tax. I mean, this is fast food. Granted, it might not be the healthiest thing to eat, but, like I said -- like you said, you know, the low-income folks probably get a fair amount of food from that.

And on top of that, the businesses. It's kind of unfair to the businesses.

COSTELLO: Exactly. But we want to know what people out there think. Do you think there should be a fast food tax? Is that a good way to raise money to get you out of the budget hole?

E-mail us DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Coming up on DAYBREAK this hour, politics in the pews. A North Carolina preacher sermon has been drawing some fire and brimstone.

Plus, a lot of people are getting on the air lately, but not on the radio. We'll explain.

And do you like being an armchair judge when you're watching "American Idol?" Well, you can finally get credit for it, college credit. It's a college course, and we're talking about a pretty big- time university. We'll tell you about it.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning, May 9.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: The international market starting the week in negative territory. Tokyo's Nikkei down nearly 21 points. The London FTSE down around 16. The German DAX down more than 19 points.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

President Bush joined some 50 other leaders in Moscow's Red Square this morning. They're marking 60 years since the allied victory over the Nazis in World War II.

In Baghdad this morning, there's been a suicide car bomb attack at a police checkpoint. At least two are dead, nine wounded.

In money news, gas prices are falling. Eureka! A survey shows prices at the pump dropped another three cents over the past two weeks, making a total drop of 7.5 cents in the past month. And industry analysts expect the downward trend to continue.

In culture, Orlando Bloom is king of the box office this weekend. His battlefield epic, "Kingdom of Heaven," beat out the competition, earning $20 million at its debut.

In sports, a surprising win at the Wachovia Championship. Vijay Singh takes home the trophy after Sergio Garcia blew a six-shot lead. Singh beat Jim Furyk in the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff.

As exciting as golf can be, Rob.

MARCIANO: And there's been a number of dramatic finishes like that this year. And you hate to see somebody give up that lead.

Anyway, congrats to Vijay again.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Rob.

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

You know, it was just a big misunderstanding. So says the pastor of a North Carolina Baptist church.

Reverend Chan Chandler led the charge to expel nine church members who did not publicly declare support for President Bush and the GOP. Now, says Chandler, "No one has ever been voted from the membership of this church due to an individual's support or lack of support for a political party or candidate."

Well, that was yesterday. But the effects of Pastor Chandler's actions will not soon go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do know that no one has been voted out of this church for politics or for any other reason at this point. (END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the first sermon I've heard since October that politics wasn't mentioned in the pulpit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Holly Headrick of CNN affiliate WLOS in Asheville has more on this dispute.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM, EVANGELIST: I believe that as a minister I have a right to speak out on moral issues, because this is what god has called me to do. But I'm not going to stand for the Republican or the Democrat, or whatever. It's just -- it's god's stand.

HOLLY HEADRICK, REPORTER, WLOS (voice-over): Reverend Franklin Graham says a pastor was wrong to force people out of East Waynesville Baptist Church for their political stance. Chan Chandler excommunicated nine members this week who supported John Kerry in November's election.

He claims his actions weren't political. But here's a sermon from last October.

PASTOR CHAN CHANDLER, WAYNESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH: The question then comes in the Baptist church, "How do I vote?" Let me just say this right now, if you vote for John Kerry this year, you need to repent or resign.

You have been holding back God's church way too long. And I know I may get in trouble for saying that, but just pour it on.

GRAHAM: For a church to -- to say you have to support one or the other, I don't know where the pastor was coming from on that. It sounds a little -- a little interesting.

HEADRICK: Former members say because they're Democrats Chandler insisted they support abortion and homosexuality. Graham believes politics is being confused with morals.

GRAHAM: Abortion is not a Republican and it's not a Democratic issue. This is a moral issue. It's a sin against God.

Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, God is God. And he is not -- he doesn't show political favoritism.

HEADRICK: The law mandates separation between church and state, and church and politics.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it is a freedom that we all have to worship as we please and to vote as we please. This is a free country. HEADRICK: Franklin Graham's advice, stay true to their faith no matter where they worship.

GRAHAM: Our faith is not in a man, it's not in a building. Our faith is in the lord Jesus Christ.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That was Holly Headrick of CNN affiliate WLOS with that report. And some of those ousted church members now say it's Chandler who should be cast out.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, 25 years later the man convicted in the Atlanta area child killing has his case reopened. Will DNA evidence free him? We'll have more on that story ahead.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time for a DAYBREAK "Eye Opener."

If you think cows are docile, look at this. These are Herens cows found only in one part of Switzerland and known for having strong and combative tempers. Oh, tempers, indeed.

Every year since 1922, the community where they're raised has a queen's fight. The grand winner this year? A cow named Hefty. No word now if a cow named Coke (ph) is appealing the decision.

Half a world away in central Colombia, scientists are digging up the skeleton of a young woolly mammoth. The scientists say they've also found an ancient manmade tool in the area. Two adult mammoths were found in the same (INAUDIBLE) sediment just about 30 years ago.

In Japan, here's one way women can avoid men who go around groping them on crowded trains -- that was a cruel thing to say. But anyway, maybe that's a big problem in Japan. Starting today, Tokyo's subway system has a women-only car.

MARCIANO: Well, you know, they get -- it's very crowded over there on the subways, Carol.

COSTELLO: It's crowded here, too.

MARCIANO: You've just got to keep you hands in your pockets, I guess. That's the safest bet. Well, that's good. Good. That's good.

COSTELLO: Yes.

Nine private railways and subway trains have special women-only sections, and it only happens during morning rush hour. And then you have to like, you know, ride with men in the same car the rest of the day.

We're asking this e-mail question this morning and no one's responding.

MARCIANO: Yes, nobody is...

COSTELLO: Maybe people don't like the e-mail question. So we're going to pimp it again.

MARCIANO: I'm a little shocked at some of the other things we -- some of this spam we get in that mailbox, though. I didn't realize our filters would allow that stuff to pass through.

COSTELLO: It's mighty interesting, isn't it?

We're asking the question this morning, should there be a fast food tax? Detroit is like way in a budget hole and the mayor is proposing this new plan. So why not tax fast food?

MARCIANO: Why not...

COSTELLO: Why not put a two percent tax on fast food, in addition to the six percent tax that's already there?

MARCIANO: And I'm sure there's some sort of income tax in Michigan.

COSTELLO: Oh yes.

MARCIANO: So why don't they just spend less? Oh...

COSTELLO: Oh, yes. You mean, why don't they be fiscally responsible and...

MARCIANO: Why don't they be fiscally responsible?

COSTELLO: ... in city government?

MARCIANO: Yes.

COSTELLO: Oh, come on. That's too hard.

MARCIANO: Just tax my Big Mac? Are you kidding me? That's un- American.

COSTELLO: It seems like it. But we want to know what you think this morning. So DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And if you don't feel like answering that question, please e-mail us so we don't feel so alone.

MARCIANO: It's very lonely.

COSTELLO: Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK.

Blogging is so passe. The new thing, podcasting. We'll tell you what the heck that is later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: 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," soldiers in the streets, and canons booming. It's not a war; it is a celebration. This morning, President Bush joined other leaders in Moscow's Red Square to mark the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany.

In Baghdad, this morning a suicide car bomb went off at a police checkpoint. At least two are dead, nine wounded. There's been a deadly surge in violence over the past few days.

A fierce offensive is going on right now against insurgents and so-called foreign fighters in the Anbar Province in western Iraq. A U.S. military statement says U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors are involved in the offensive, which has so far resulted in 75 enemy killed.

He's drawn fire. Now John Bolton could finally draw a vote. His nomination as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. could go to the full Senate this week. Critics say Bolton is hostile to the United Nations and verbally abuses subordinates.

And you'll be able to save a few more cents at the pump. Gas prices actually fell another three pennies over the past two weeks, continuing a downward trend. The average price per gallon now, $2.21. Still pretty -- still pretty pricey, but better.

Hi, Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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Aired May 9, 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, President Bush and other international leaders in Red Square mark the end of a dark period in world history.
Plus, separating church and state or politics and morals? Did one North Carolina Baptist preacher go too far?

And "American Idol" in the classroom, and you can get college credit for it.

It is Monday, May 9. This is DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costelllo, along with Chad Myers.

"Now in the News," the celebration in Moscow's Red Square ended just about 90 minutes ago. Presidents Bush and Putin talked politics earlier in their visit, but today was reserved for the big parade celebrating the defeat of Nazi Germany 60 years ago.

Two U.S. Marines are dead after a five-hour firefight with insurgents. It happened near Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. Two insurgents also confirmed dead.

A fierce offensive is going on right now against insurgents and so-called foreign fighters in the Anbar province in western Iraq. A U.S. military statement says U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors are involved in the offensive which so far has resulted in 75 enemy killed.

Call him controversial, but you soon might be calling him Mr. Ambassador as well. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says John Bolton's nomination to be U.N. ambassador will likely make it to the Senate floor this week.

And, of course, there's NASCAR. Chad is on vacation this week, but maybe he's watching from home. I'm sure he is.

As you can tell, it was an ugly weekend at Darlington for defending Nextel series champ Kurt Busch just the first lap here. He also got into trouble with NASCAR officials for bad language and for throwing a water bottle that hit an official. Not a good idea.

To the forecast center. Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning.

Thanks for being here.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, thanks for having me here, Carol.

COSTELLO: We love having you here.

MARCIANO: Oh, yes, Chad is a big NASCAR fan, actually.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MARCIANO: I'm not sure if he watched that race. Didn't he get -- wasn't he in trouble, Johnson (ph), last weekend, too? I've got to check up on my facts.

COSTELLO: Yes. I don't know. I don't think so.

MARCIANO: Nice to see you on this -- nice to see you on this Monday, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: See you.

COSTELLO: The banners, the salutes, all the gladhanding in Moscow is over. President Bush and the first lady, but let's see what's come out of the president's overseas trip so far. Our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, is in Moscow this morning.

Hello, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Carol.

Well, you know, if you close your eyes and then open them really quickly, you would swear that you were back in 1945. That was when the allies, along with Russia, defeated Nazi Germany. Now 60 years later, a big parade on Red Square.

They had antique cars and trucks and modern Russian soldiers dressed in their uniforms. And soldiers dressed in uniforms from back in World War II.

But most importantly, there were the men and the women -- and many of them are now in their '80s -- who fought in that war. At this point, now they're old. But then, they were young men, young women. Sometimes boys and girls who fought in this war.

And then in the reviewing stands, the leaders of 53 countries from around the world, including the leaders of the countries that were at that point enemies. Namely, Germany, Italy, Japan; they were all there on the reviewing stand, too.

And very prominently featured was President Bush, right next to Vladimir Putin, sitting there. Their conversation, by the way, taking place most of the time in English, because Vladimir Putin has been boning up on his English. And they -- they were together much of the day. There have been disagreements between these two men, especially over the issue of what the Bush administration alleges are rollbacks in democracy. But for that moment, at least, they seemed to be set aside.

But Carol, they'll be popping up again. Because as soon as President Bush leaves Moscow, he is setting for Georgia, the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Remember, that was the scene of the Rose Revolution. And that is something that Vladimir Putin has made very clear he does not think was a positive development. In fact, he has actually called some of those people's revolutions illegal -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. You know, Vladimir Putin also made some interesting comments on "60 Minutes" on Sunday in talking about chipping away at the democracy in Russia. He was asked about appointing regional leaders instead of having them elected.

Putin insisted it was not a move away from democracy. And he pointed to the U.S. electoral college. He says, "You first elect the electors, and then they vote for the presidential candidates. In Russia, the president is elected through the direct vote of the whole population. That might even be more democratic."

So it doesn't sound like he's going to, I don't know, improve democratic reforms anytime soon in Russia.

DOUGHERTY: He's not stepping down. He's certainly making it very clear that he feels that Russia already is democratic, that it can certainly improve, and there are many things that he is working toward. But he really takes a lot of umbrage at the fact that the President Bush has been criticizing their level, where they are in democratic development.

And now the Bush administration is saying they're hearing the right words, but they're looking for the actions.

COSTELLO: Jill Dougherty live in Moscow this morning. Thank you.

Turning now to a current war, the fight for Iraq. Is the U.S. military closing in on the most wanted man in Iraq?

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's henchmen are getting captured one by one. And they are talking.

CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports on the latest capture.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: U.S. officials say they have captured the man who planned several bomb attacks that hit Baghdad April 29, part of a wave of rising violence. There is hope the arrest will bring them closer to getting Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born terrorist leader responsible for months of violence. Inside the U.S. military, growing worry about the deadly rise in car bombs and suicide attacks. U.S. officials now estimate nearly 300 Iraqi civilians and security forces have been killed in the last 10 days. But officials insist their information is getting better, that each arrest now gives them more intelligence and more tips about Zarqawi.

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, CENTCOM DEP. PLANNING DIRECTOR: That intelligence allows you to play in future operations, which after conducting those operations also give you more intelligence. It's a virtual cycle that is permitted us of late to take down a significant part of the Zarqawi network.

STARR: The latest arrest came in Baghdad a few days ago but was not immediately announced. Mohammed Hamza al-Zubaydi is described by the U.S. as a prominent figure in the Zarqawi organization.

When U.S. troops grabbed him, they got documents detail that April insurgents' attack against Abu Ghraib prison and plans to assassinate a plans to assassinate a prominent Iraqi government official in days ahead. The U.S. is not saying the name of that official.

The U.S. military also is trying to convince many people that Zarqawi is not 10 feet tall," in the words of one official. A U.S. military press release is taking the unprecedented step of detailing statements from Zarqawi's driver when he was arrested back in February. The press release saying the driver told interrogators, "Zarqawi became hysterical when he was trying to escape on February 20."

Of course there is no way for us to corroborate that information from the U.S. military.

Barbara Starr, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: In other news "Across America" this morning, in Columbus, Ohio, a judge declares a mistrial in the case of Charles McCoy. He pleaded innocent by reason of insanity to a dozen highway shootings that terrorized the area in 2003 and '04. One person was killed.

After four full days of deliberations, jurors could not decide if McCoy was insane. Prosecutors plan to retry him.

In Boston, the Red Sox hold a moment of silence for their team's chef. Thirty-year-old Bernie Logue died after falling from the sixth floor of a downtown parking garage. Officials say Logue's death appears to be an accident, but they are still looking into it.

In Washington, there has been an arrest in this brutal beating of an elderly woman captured on a security camera. James Dorsey will be arraigned today. Police say he knows the woman, an 83-year-old street vendor known to friends as "grandma." She was punched and kicked during a daylight robbery last week.

A dramatic weekend rescue off the North Carolina coast. A Coast Guard chopper had to hoist up two women after their sailboat ran into hurricane-force winds. The men say high waves knocked them overboard twice. The name of their boat? At Ease.

Do you want some fries with that? Either way, the city of Detroit wants a bite. Detroit is facing a humongous budget hole. I mean, it's millions, tens of millions of dollars in debt.

So it plans to ask voters to OK a two percent fast-food tax on top of a six percent state sales tax. Officials hope people won't mind forking over a few extra cents for their burgers and fries. The mayor says customers will barely notice the slight increase, but critics say poor people definitely will and that the tax unfairly burdens them.

And Rob, this is our e-mail question this morning, because we found it so darned interesting.

MARCIANO: It's a little weird. And there's many points to be made, for sure.

COSTELLO: Well, usually you tax things like beer and cigarettes, right?

MARCIANO: Yes. That's more of a sin tax. I mean, this is fast food. Granted, it might not be the healthiest thing to eat, but, like I said -- like you said, you know, the low-income folks probably get a fair amount of food from that.

And on top of that, the businesses. It's kind of unfair to the businesses.

COSTELLO: Exactly. But we want to know what people out there think. Do you think there should be a fast food tax? Is that a good way to raise money to get you out of the budget hole?

E-mail us DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Coming up on DAYBREAK this hour, politics in the pews. A North Carolina preacher sermon has been drawing some fire and brimstone.

Plus, a lot of people are getting on the air lately, but not on the radio. We'll explain.

And do you like being an armchair judge when you're watching "American Idol?" Well, you can finally get credit for it, college credit. It's a college course, and we're talking about a pretty big- time university. We'll tell you about it.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Monday morning, May 9.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: The international market starting the week in negative territory. Tokyo's Nikkei down nearly 21 points. The London FTSE down around 16. The German DAX down more than 19 points.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

President Bush joined some 50 other leaders in Moscow's Red Square this morning. They're marking 60 years since the allied victory over the Nazis in World War II.

In Baghdad this morning, there's been a suicide car bomb attack at a police checkpoint. At least two are dead, nine wounded.

In money news, gas prices are falling. Eureka! A survey shows prices at the pump dropped another three cents over the past two weeks, making a total drop of 7.5 cents in the past month. And industry analysts expect the downward trend to continue.

In culture, Orlando Bloom is king of the box office this weekend. His battlefield epic, "Kingdom of Heaven," beat out the competition, earning $20 million at its debut.

In sports, a surprising win at the Wachovia Championship. Vijay Singh takes home the trophy after Sergio Garcia blew a six-shot lead. Singh beat Jim Furyk in the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff.

As exciting as golf can be, Rob.

MARCIANO: And there's been a number of dramatic finishes like that this year. And you hate to see somebody give up that lead.

Anyway, congrats to Vijay again.

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COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Rob.

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

You know, it was just a big misunderstanding. So says the pastor of a North Carolina Baptist church.

Reverend Chan Chandler led the charge to expel nine church members who did not publicly declare support for President Bush and the GOP. Now, says Chandler, "No one has ever been voted from the membership of this church due to an individual's support or lack of support for a political party or candidate."

Well, that was yesterday. But the effects of Pastor Chandler's actions will not soon go away.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do know that no one has been voted out of this church for politics or for any other reason at this point. (END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the first sermon I've heard since October that politics wasn't mentioned in the pulpit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Holly Headrick of CNN affiliate WLOS in Asheville has more on this dispute.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. FRANKLIN GRAHAM, EVANGELIST: I believe that as a minister I have a right to speak out on moral issues, because this is what god has called me to do. But I'm not going to stand for the Republican or the Democrat, or whatever. It's just -- it's god's stand.

HOLLY HEADRICK, REPORTER, WLOS (voice-over): Reverend Franklin Graham says a pastor was wrong to force people out of East Waynesville Baptist Church for their political stance. Chan Chandler excommunicated nine members this week who supported John Kerry in November's election.

He claims his actions weren't political. But here's a sermon from last October.

PASTOR CHAN CHANDLER, WAYNESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH: The question then comes in the Baptist church, "How do I vote?" Let me just say this right now, if you vote for John Kerry this year, you need to repent or resign.

You have been holding back God's church way too long. And I know I may get in trouble for saying that, but just pour it on.

GRAHAM: For a church to -- to say you have to support one or the other, I don't know where the pastor was coming from on that. It sounds a little -- a little interesting.

HEADRICK: Former members say because they're Democrats Chandler insisted they support abortion and homosexuality. Graham believes politics is being confused with morals.

GRAHAM: Abortion is not a Republican and it's not a Democratic issue. This is a moral issue. It's a sin against God.

Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, God is God. And he is not -- he doesn't show political favoritism.

HEADRICK: The law mandates separation between church and state, and church and politics.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it is a freedom that we all have to worship as we please and to vote as we please. This is a free country. HEADRICK: Franklin Graham's advice, stay true to their faith no matter where they worship.

GRAHAM: Our faith is not in a man, it's not in a building. Our faith is in the lord Jesus Christ.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That was Holly Headrick of CNN affiliate WLOS with that report. And some of those ousted church members now say it's Chandler who should be cast out.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, 25 years later the man convicted in the Atlanta area child killing has his case reopened. Will DNA evidence free him? We'll have more on that story ahead.

You are watching DAYBREAK for a Monday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time for a DAYBREAK "Eye Opener."

If you think cows are docile, look at this. These are Herens cows found only in one part of Switzerland and known for having strong and combative tempers. Oh, tempers, indeed.

Every year since 1922, the community where they're raised has a queen's fight. The grand winner this year? A cow named Hefty. No word now if a cow named Coke (ph) is appealing the decision.

Half a world away in central Colombia, scientists are digging up the skeleton of a young woolly mammoth. The scientists say they've also found an ancient manmade tool in the area. Two adult mammoths were found in the same (INAUDIBLE) sediment just about 30 years ago.

In Japan, here's one way women can avoid men who go around groping them on crowded trains -- that was a cruel thing to say. But anyway, maybe that's a big problem in Japan. Starting today, Tokyo's subway system has a women-only car.

MARCIANO: Well, you know, they get -- it's very crowded over there on the subways, Carol.

COSTELLO: It's crowded here, too.

MARCIANO: You've just got to keep you hands in your pockets, I guess. That's the safest bet. Well, that's good. Good. That's good.

COSTELLO: Yes.

Nine private railways and subway trains have special women-only sections, and it only happens during morning rush hour. And then you have to like, you know, ride with men in the same car the rest of the day.

We're asking this e-mail question this morning and no one's responding.

MARCIANO: Yes, nobody is...

COSTELLO: Maybe people don't like the e-mail question. So we're going to pimp it again.

MARCIANO: I'm a little shocked at some of the other things we -- some of this spam we get in that mailbox, though. I didn't realize our filters would allow that stuff to pass through.

COSTELLO: It's mighty interesting, isn't it?

We're asking the question this morning, should there be a fast food tax? Detroit is like way in a budget hole and the mayor is proposing this new plan. So why not tax fast food?

MARCIANO: Why not...

COSTELLO: Why not put a two percent tax on fast food, in addition to the six percent tax that's already there?

MARCIANO: And I'm sure there's some sort of income tax in Michigan.

COSTELLO: Oh yes.

MARCIANO: So why don't they just spend less? Oh...

COSTELLO: Oh, yes. You mean, why don't they be fiscally responsible and...

MARCIANO: Why don't they be fiscally responsible?

COSTELLO: ... in city government?

MARCIANO: Yes.

COSTELLO: Oh, come on. That's too hard.

MARCIANO: Just tax my Big Mac? Are you kidding me? That's un- American.

COSTELLO: It seems like it. But we want to know what you think this morning. So DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And if you don't feel like answering that question, please e-mail us so we don't feel so alone.

MARCIANO: It's very lonely.

COSTELLO: Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK.

Blogging is so passe. The new thing, podcasting. We'll tell you what the heck that is later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: 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," soldiers in the streets, and canons booming. It's not a war; it is a celebration. This morning, President Bush joined other leaders in Moscow's Red Square to mark the World War II defeat of Nazi Germany.

In Baghdad, this morning a suicide car bomb went off at a police checkpoint. At least two are dead, nine wounded. There's been a deadly surge in violence over the past few days.

A fierce offensive is going on right now against insurgents and so-called foreign fighters in the Anbar Province in western Iraq. A U.S. military statement says U.S. Marines, soldiers and sailors are involved in the offensive, which has so far resulted in 75 enemy killed.

He's drawn fire. Now John Bolton could finally draw a vote. His nomination as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. could go to the full Senate this week. Critics say Bolton is hostile to the United Nations and verbally abuses subordinates.

And you'll be able to save a few more cents at the pump. Gas prices actually fell another three pennies over the past two weeks, continuing a downward trend. The average price per gallon now, $2.21. Still pretty -- still pretty pricey, but better.

Hi, Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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