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American Morning
Girl Found Buried Alive; Deadly Attacks; Senate Showdown
Aired May 23, 2005 - 8:59 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: An 8-year-old girl is rescued in Florida after being buried alive. This morning, the police officer who found her tells the story.
Another deadly attack in Iraq. Just hours ago, a restaurant bombed in Baghdad. Dozens of casualties there.
And it's the last chance for a compromise in the battle over the filibuster. Senators prepare for a critical meeting on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, we begin our new series. It's about planning your summer vacation.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to talk about a number of things throughout the week. Amusement parks are out there, the family reunions. Oh, the family reunions.
Today we're talking about beating those high prices, though. So we'll get to that this hour.
O'BRIEN: I love those family reunions. We're doing one this year, too.
HEMMER: Nice.
O'BRIEN: Are you doing one, Jack? The Cafferty family getting together?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: No.
O'BRIEN: OK. Anything else you want to talk about?
CAFFERTY: Here in New York, there are 198 level three sex offenders. And when you talk about sex offenders, level three, that's the really pond scum, these guys. They're getting Viagra, and Medicaid is paying for it. That would be you and me.
If you have any thoughts on the sensibility of that idea, drop us a note, AM@CNN.com.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thanks, Jack. CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Let's get right to the headlines now with Carol Costello.
Good morning, again.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," President Bush hosts Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House this morning. During talks with President Bush, Karzai is expected to ask for greater control over U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. The two will hold a joint news conference in the East Room. CNN will have live coverage beginning at 11:00 Eastern.
A CNN "Security Watch" now. Starting today, more safeguards at U.S. ports. The Coast Guard will deny entry to ships arriving from seven countries which the U.S. has red-flagged for having poor security. The ships will only be allowed to enter if they can prove they've taken extra precautions. Among the countries as listed as not having adequate anti-terrorism measures, Albania and Madagascar.
Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
There is more relief at the gas pumps. The average price of -- the average price of gasoline fell six cents in the past two weeks, now down to $2.15 per gallon. Experts credit lower crude oil prices for the drop and say the downward trend is likely to continue a bit longer.
And two Florida teenagers are expected in court today to answer felony charges after a school bus brawl. The incident was caught on tape and was made public this weekend. It shows the bus driver grabbing one of the boys, who then apparently hits him back. The driver has been charged with a misdemeanor and suspended with pay, but officials say they are considering more serious charges after reviewing that tape.
We'll keep you posted.
O'BRIEN: Yes, pretty shocking videotape there.
Carol, thanks.
COSTELLO: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Buried alive. Amazingly, officials say an 8-year-old girl is now in good physical shape after she was found buried alive in an abandoned landfill. It all happened in Lake Worth, which is just down the coast from West Palm Beach in Florida.
Susan Candiotti has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The suspect's first name is the Spanish word for "miracle," but police say the miracle is that his alleged victim, an eight-year old girl, is alive.
SGT. DAN BOLAND, LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA, POLICE: That girl was put there to die. There's no uncertain terms that girl was put there to die.
CANDIOTTI: About seven hours after the suspect himself reported the girl missing in the middle of the night, searchers found her in an abandoned landfill a few blocks from where the girl was staying. One officer zeroed in on a dumpster filled with rocks.
SGT. MIKE HALL, LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA, POLICE: I jumped up on the ledge and there was a yellow recycling bin. The lid was flipped closed. I flipped it open, observed a large pile of rocks. And through the rocks, you could see a hand and a foot.
BOLAND: He started to yell. So we're trying to get her reaction, see if she was alive. And he didn't think she was at first. And it all...
CANDIOTTI: Did she make any noise?
BOLAND: No. And then all of a sudden, she moved a finger.
CANDIOTTI: Investigators were amazed the 80-pound girl was still conscious.
MIKE DRISCOLL, FLORIDA LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPT.: She was in a position that you wouldn't think someone could ever survive.
CANDIOTTI: The child, who's not being identified by CNN because of her alleged sexual assault, is said to be in good physical condition. Authorities say she identified her alleged attacker.
Seventeen-year old Milagro Cunningham is charged with attempted murder, sexual battery on a child under 12, and false imprisonment. He allegedly confessed. Police say he recently moved into the home where the little girl was spending the night with a woman described as a godmother.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert, even though they say Cunningham's kidnapping story was suspicious from the start, pinning the blame on three mysterious white men who beat him up, yet he had no injuries.
Family and friends of the girl felt emotions rocket from despair to unbridled joy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you, officer. Thank you.
CANDIOTTI: The young girl discovered because of a police officer's instincts. BOLAND: It's because of him that child was found alive and well.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office says the teenager will be charged as an adult, and if convicted could face life in prison.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Lake Worth, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That 17-year-old suspect is scheduled to make his first court appearance today -- Bill.
HEMMER: Six minutes now past the hour. From Iraq today, want to get the latest on an especially violent and deadly day in that country. Our Ryan Chilcote is live in the Iraqi capital.
A string of car bombings across Iraq today. What are you tracking, Ryan?
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Well, it's turned out to be an exceptionally violent day here in Iraq after about seven to 10 days of a relative lull in the violence. We start in the Iraqi capital with the most recent and the most lethal bombing.
It was a car bomb that went off outside of a restaurant at lunch time. Apparently, the restaurant was packed with people at the time. The Iraqi police are telling us that it was a very lethal attack, killing at least four Iraqis, wounding another 113.
That, Bill, followed three other attacks involving both car bombers and suicide bombers today. We start just south of the city of Kirkuk. There, a suicide bomber in a car attacking a government building there, wounding at least 13 Iraqis, killing another five Kurdish soldiers guarding that building.
Then in the city of Mosul, another suicide bomber in a car. Again, driving into a crowd, wounding four Iraqis there.
And finally, a spectacular and a very sophisticated attack in the city of Samarra on U.S. troops. Two car bombers drove up to a U.S. military checkpoint outside of the base, blowing themselves up.
Then, as U.S. troops were responding to that, a third suicide bomber, this one on foot, wearing one of those so-called suicide bomber vests, walked up to the soldiers. They shot him, but before he died he was able to blow himself up, injuring four of those soldiers -- Bill.
HEMMER: Wow. Ryan, there's also this operation taking place in western Baghdad. Who is taking part and what's the -- what's the target there, Ryan?
CHILCOTE: Sure. It's being called Operation Squeeze Play. And effectively, it's just a cordon and search operation. We see lots of these in all of Iraq's big cities, and also in the Iraqi capital, but this one's a little bit different.
It's being billed as the largest U.S. military and Iraqi military joint operation in the capital to take place yet. One U.S. military official describing it as a cordon and search operation on steroids.
So far, we know that there are at least seven Iraqi battalions out there. That's about 2,000 Iraqi troops, a significantly smaller contingent of U.S. troops. They say that so far they've already detained some 285 suspected insurgents, though we know that a lot of times after they bring these people in and interrogate them, a lot of them are let go -- Bill.
HEMMER: Well, a very active day, as we pointed out. Ryan Chilcote, thanks, in Baghdad.
Here's Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, the battle over the judicial filibuster could come to a head in the Senate as soon as tomorrow, but moderates are working on a compromise. Will they get one in time?
CNN Capitol Hill Correspondent Ed Henry has the very latest.
Ed, good morning to you.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Just how likely do you think a deal is?
HENRY: A deal is getting less and less likely. As you mentioned, there are about a dozen moderates in both parties working frantically to come up with a deal to avert a nuclear showdown. But the bottom line is that time is running out fast, and, in fact, if a deal is not sealed by tonight, we're very likely to have nuclear war, at least in the political sense, on Tuesday.
And a lot of people on both sides of the aisle are saying that this could have short-term consequences for the president's agenda on Capitol Hill. If feelings are rubbed so raw, it's going to be hard for him to get almost anything else accomplished, including Social Security reform, but there also could be some long-term consequences for the 2008 presidential campaign.
Yesterday, speaking exclusively to CNN before he delivered a commencement address at George Washington University, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said he believes this is a naked power grab by the Republicans to try to end the use of the filibuster for judicial nominations. And he said he's very confident he has the votes to stop it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: I feel comfortable that there are six Republicans who will do what's right for the country. They will be profiles in courage. You know there's four of them, and there are a few others who are waiting in the wings. I'm confident they'll step forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who's the man with his finger on the nuclear trigger, says this is not about politics, it's about principle, restoring the principle of 214 years of presidents in both parties getting fair up-or-down votes on their judicial nominees.
But, in fact, politics also at work here. Because of this presidential campaign, even though it's three years away, this morning's "Des Moines Register" is reporting that conservative activists in Iowa, that critical caucus state for the presidential caucuses, conservative activists are circulating a letter congratulating and thanking Bill Frist and some other Republican lawmakers, like Rick Santorum and George Allen, potential presidential candidates, for supporting the nuclear option. And the letter is also warning people like Senate John McCain and Chuck Hagel that they better get on board for this nuclear option or they're going to face some consequences in the '08 campaign -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Very interesting. Of course we'll continue to follow that angle as well. Ed Henry for us on Capitol Hill.
Ed, thanks.
Let's take a look at the weather this morning. Chad Myers is at the CNN center, has the latest forecast for us.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Chad.
Well, "TIME" magazine has named the best 100 films of all time. What's the most recent film to make the cut? We'll take a look at the list ahead.
HEMMER: Also, Memorial Day this weekend, the unofficial start of summer just around the corner. Some tips today on surviving the ever- rising cost of vacation part one today in our series "Cutting the Price of a Family Vacation." That's next after a break here on a Monday edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Americans will be traveling in record numbers in the next three months. And so just in time for Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer comes our weeklong series, "Surviving Family Vacations." The average family of four will spend nearly five percent more on food and lodging this year.
Well, Pauline Frommer from Frommer's travel guides, has some tips on saving without skimping on the fun. Nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us this morning.
PAULINE FROMMER, FROMMER'S TRAVEL GUIDES: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Let's get right to it. Is it too late if you're starting now to look to get a deal?
FROMMER: No, absolutely not. There are many more last-minute deals out there than there used to be.
O'BRIEN: Overall, in a general area, what do you like as far as the family vacation goes that's really affordable?
FROMMER: Well, I think there's nothing better than our national parks. When you look at a Yosemite or a Grand Canyon, there's no places more gloriously beautiful. When you look at a president's home, or visiting Ellis Island, or the Mall in Washington, there are few places as educational. And they're so cheap!
You can get in for $15 or for free at some national parks. You'll camp for $15 a night.
People are worried that they're going to be overcrowded. It's not true. We simply have not seen -- seen the same visitor numbers since before 9/11.
In those days, we had about 287 million people a year visiting the national parks. That's down by 10 million to 15 million. So you will find a place at the campgrounds.
O'BRIEN: When you're looking for a nice scenic hike, you won't be...
FROMMER: No, you won't be surrounded by people.
O'BRIEN: ... surrounded by millions of others.
FROMMER: Especially if you go to the less popular parks.
O'BRIEN: Lots of people drive, of course. And AAA, I think the numbers for Memorial Day Weekend, 84 percent go by car. The good news is the price of gas declined, I think, six cents in the last two weeks alone.
FROMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Any other tips to make a road trip less expensive?
FROMMER: Well, it's still much less expensive if you look at two years ago, the gas prices then. So you've got to be fuel efficient. And you've got to look for the cheapest gas. And there's some good Web sites that will help you do that.
There's gaspricewatch and gasbuddy.com, which are run by volunteers who key in the cheapest gas stations in their areas. So you simply go online first and find out where you're going to be able to fuel up cheaply.
Also, you've got to remember what we learned in the '70s: drive the speed limit. Don't over-pack. Don't put anything on the roof rack, because that will really put -- cause drag on the car and make you less fuel efficient. Try and avoid jack-rabbit starts and stops.
All of these things will help you be more fuel efficient.
O'BRIEN: They really add up.
FROMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about renting a house. I mean, a lot of people do that for the summer. I think especially when you're talking about a family, you can save a decent amount of money.
FROMMER: Oh, yes.
O'BRIEN: Is it too late to start looking now for a house if you haven't wrapped it up?
FROMMER: You'd think it would be.
O'BRIEN: Right.
FROMMER: But it's not. According to the Vacation Rental Manager's Association, there are the nine percent more houses this year than there were last year.
O'BRIEN: Oh.
FROMMER: And last year there were more, seven percent more than the year before. So there's a real boom in vacation homes.
You can find them. There are last-minute deals out there. And you'll save 30 percent off of the cost of a hotel vacation simply because you won't be cooking all the -- I mean, you won't be eating out in restaurants all the time.
O'BRIEN: I could imagine, too, the longer you wait on a house, then the prices might start to drop as well.
(CROSSTALK)
FROMMER: It might. You may not be right at the lip of a lake, but you'll be able to find a house.
O'BRIEN: You can schlep all your stuff.
FROMMER: Right.
O'BRIEN: Let's go with some tips before we run out of time here. You say research online, that helps a lot.
FROMMER: Yes. Visit the journalistically-based sites. Go to your favorite newspaper or your favorite travel guide sites, such as Frommers.com. You'll find impartial information there. They're not trying to sell you a vacation.
O'BRIEN: Negotiate a better deal. You really can? The price is flexible sometimes?
FROMMER: Yes. You know, the travel industry is jumping up and down now because they're predicting that there will be a 70 percent occupancy rate at hotels this summer.
O'BRIEN: Wow.
FROMMER: I look at that and see 30 percent of the rooms are going to be empty. Don't call the 800 number. Call the hotel directly, ask to speak with the manager. You will be surprised at how often they'll play let's make a deal.
O'BRIEN: You also say look outside the box, the hotel box. What do you mean by that? Where do you look?
FROMMER: Well, look at RV vacations, look at camping out, look at swapping your home and staying for free. There are so many other options besides hotels, and they can cut the cost of your vacation.
O'BRIEN: Time to be a little creative.
FROMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Pauline Frommer, nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us this morning and thanks for the tips.
FROMMER: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: We want to mention that tomorrow, the second part of our series is about surviving a family vacation with another family. I've done that. Industry experts call it "togethering." That's tomorrow right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
Ahead this morning, "TIME" magazine naming its top 100 movies of all time. You may not agree with some of the picks, though. We'll share them with you just ahead as we continue right here.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: It may be the picture of the day, other than the three of us here.
This 3-year-old boy in Indiana pulling off an amazing trip. He climbed into a toy vending machine at a Wal-Mart in Elkhart, Indiana, northern part of the state there.
He hung from the crane and played with the toys for an hour until they could get him out of there. His mom says the boy went home without any toys after firefighters removed the back of the machine to get him out.
That's one of those deals that the claw goes in and you try to erect it and get the little stuffed animal and pull it out.
O'BRIEN: She said no toys. He's like, oh, do you want to bet?
HEMMER: The machine never works anyway.
O'BRIEN: You're much more likely to get a toy that way...
HEMMER: Very true.
O'BRIEN: ... than trying to grab it with the crane.
HEMMER: I guess mom was on the pinball machine down the hall at the time.
O'BRIEN: If I fit, I would go that way, too.
CAFFERTY: Yes, but there are -- there are children in the world that you would be inclined to just leave there and go home.
HEMMER: Good morning.
CAFFERTY: None of -- on a much more serious topic, 200 level three sex offenders are getting free Viagra courtesy of the taxpayers in New York. Medicaid is paying for it.
Level three sex offenders, they've been convicted of everything from assaulting children as young as two, to raping women as old as 90. These are real eagle scouts, these clowns.
A 1998 federal mandate requires that state Medicaid pay for Viagra. The question is, should Medicaid be paying for any of these sexual potency pills such as Viagra?
Scott in Kentucky writes, "As it is now, erectile dysfunction treatments are not a necessity. However, Viagra is under consideration for cardiovascular problems. Like any other prescription, the responsibility remains with the physician."
Pam in New York writes, "The way I see it, Medicaid and Social Security disability pay for each individual whatever is necessary to have the best quality of life possible. Although I think it's wrong and wasteful, Viagra helps men and women maintain or regain a certain quality of life."
Sharman in North Carolina writes, "Yes, I thought sexual assaults were violent acts based on a desire for control more than for the purpose of sexual gratification."
So she apparently has no problem with Medicaid paying for this stuff.
And Reg weighs in with this from Ontario, "Want to know the true meaning of hypocrisy, Jack? Blue state senators Schumer and Clinton railing against this liberal drug policy as they're on their way to filibuster against Bush's conservative judges."
HEMMER: We could put that to Senator Schumer, can't we?
O'BRIEN: Sure. I don't know that I'd put it exactly that way, but we certainly could.
CAFFERTY: Reg is...
O'BRIEN: We know Reg.
CAFFERTY: ... probably a little -- not quite political correct.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
We'll get to that issue again with Senator Schumer when he joins us in a couple of minutes here.
Also, one of the most popular stories on our Web site right now, CNN.com, has to do with the season finale last night of "Desperate Housewives" on ABC. If you missed it, the show cleared up the mystery of who killed a woman buried in a yard. This was one of the final scenes right here, too, in fact. The knife went right through her.
O'BRIEN: A cliffhanger.
HEMMER: It was the narrator of the series, Mary Alice Young, but fans of the show say there are still many unanswered questions that are sure to be addressed in the next season. And there will be a next season. It's been hugely popular, too. And you've got to imagine the buildup for that thing when it comes back around will be enormous.
O'BRIEN: Yes. And they've got good cliffhangers this time around. It looks good.
Well, first lady Laura Bush's trip to the Mideast holy sites sparked some angry protest this weekend. Just what's her reaction to the demonstrations? Suzanne Malveaux's one-on-one interview with the first lady is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired May 23, 2005 - 8:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: An 8-year-old girl is rescued in Florida after being buried alive. This morning, the police officer who found her tells the story.
Another deadly attack in Iraq. Just hours ago, a restaurant bombed in Baghdad. Dozens of casualties there.
And it's the last chance for a compromise in the battle over the filibuster. Senators prepare for a critical meeting on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, we begin our new series. It's about planning your summer vacation.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to talk about a number of things throughout the week. Amusement parks are out there, the family reunions. Oh, the family reunions.
Today we're talking about beating those high prices, though. So we'll get to that this hour.
O'BRIEN: I love those family reunions. We're doing one this year, too.
HEMMER: Nice.
O'BRIEN: Are you doing one, Jack? The Cafferty family getting together?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: No.
O'BRIEN: OK. Anything else you want to talk about?
CAFFERTY: Here in New York, there are 198 level three sex offenders. And when you talk about sex offenders, level three, that's the really pond scum, these guys. They're getting Viagra, and Medicaid is paying for it. That would be you and me.
If you have any thoughts on the sensibility of that idea, drop us a note, AM@CNN.com.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thanks, Jack. CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Let's get right to the headlines now with Carol Costello.
Good morning, again.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," President Bush hosts Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House this morning. During talks with President Bush, Karzai is expected to ask for greater control over U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. The two will hold a joint news conference in the East Room. CNN will have live coverage beginning at 11:00 Eastern.
A CNN "Security Watch" now. Starting today, more safeguards at U.S. ports. The Coast Guard will deny entry to ships arriving from seven countries which the U.S. has red-flagged for having poor security. The ships will only be allowed to enter if they can prove they've taken extra precautions. Among the countries as listed as not having adequate anti-terrorism measures, Albania and Madagascar.
Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
There is more relief at the gas pumps. The average price of -- the average price of gasoline fell six cents in the past two weeks, now down to $2.15 per gallon. Experts credit lower crude oil prices for the drop and say the downward trend is likely to continue a bit longer.
And two Florida teenagers are expected in court today to answer felony charges after a school bus brawl. The incident was caught on tape and was made public this weekend. It shows the bus driver grabbing one of the boys, who then apparently hits him back. The driver has been charged with a misdemeanor and suspended with pay, but officials say they are considering more serious charges after reviewing that tape.
We'll keep you posted.
O'BRIEN: Yes, pretty shocking videotape there.
Carol, thanks.
COSTELLO: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Buried alive. Amazingly, officials say an 8-year-old girl is now in good physical shape after she was found buried alive in an abandoned landfill. It all happened in Lake Worth, which is just down the coast from West Palm Beach in Florida.
Susan Candiotti has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The suspect's first name is the Spanish word for "miracle," but police say the miracle is that his alleged victim, an eight-year old girl, is alive.
SGT. DAN BOLAND, LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA, POLICE: That girl was put there to die. There's no uncertain terms that girl was put there to die.
CANDIOTTI: About seven hours after the suspect himself reported the girl missing in the middle of the night, searchers found her in an abandoned landfill a few blocks from where the girl was staying. One officer zeroed in on a dumpster filled with rocks.
SGT. MIKE HALL, LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA, POLICE: I jumped up on the ledge and there was a yellow recycling bin. The lid was flipped closed. I flipped it open, observed a large pile of rocks. And through the rocks, you could see a hand and a foot.
BOLAND: He started to yell. So we're trying to get her reaction, see if she was alive. And he didn't think she was at first. And it all...
CANDIOTTI: Did she make any noise?
BOLAND: No. And then all of a sudden, she moved a finger.
CANDIOTTI: Investigators were amazed the 80-pound girl was still conscious.
MIKE DRISCOLL, FLORIDA LAW ENFORCEMENT DEPT.: She was in a position that you wouldn't think someone could ever survive.
CANDIOTTI: The child, who's not being identified by CNN because of her alleged sexual assault, is said to be in good physical condition. Authorities say she identified her alleged attacker.
Seventeen-year old Milagro Cunningham is charged with attempted murder, sexual battery on a child under 12, and false imprisonment. He allegedly confessed. Police say he recently moved into the home where the little girl was spending the night with a woman described as a godmother.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert, even though they say Cunningham's kidnapping story was suspicious from the start, pinning the blame on three mysterious white men who beat him up, yet he had no injuries.
Family and friends of the girl felt emotions rocket from despair to unbridled joy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you, officer. Thank you.
CANDIOTTI: The young girl discovered because of a police officer's instincts. BOLAND: It's because of him that child was found alive and well.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office says the teenager will be charged as an adult, and if convicted could face life in prison.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Lake Worth, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: That 17-year-old suspect is scheduled to make his first court appearance today -- Bill.
HEMMER: Six minutes now past the hour. From Iraq today, want to get the latest on an especially violent and deadly day in that country. Our Ryan Chilcote is live in the Iraqi capital.
A string of car bombings across Iraq today. What are you tracking, Ryan?
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Well, it's turned out to be an exceptionally violent day here in Iraq after about seven to 10 days of a relative lull in the violence. We start in the Iraqi capital with the most recent and the most lethal bombing.
It was a car bomb that went off outside of a restaurant at lunch time. Apparently, the restaurant was packed with people at the time. The Iraqi police are telling us that it was a very lethal attack, killing at least four Iraqis, wounding another 113.
That, Bill, followed three other attacks involving both car bombers and suicide bombers today. We start just south of the city of Kirkuk. There, a suicide bomber in a car attacking a government building there, wounding at least 13 Iraqis, killing another five Kurdish soldiers guarding that building.
Then in the city of Mosul, another suicide bomber in a car. Again, driving into a crowd, wounding four Iraqis there.
And finally, a spectacular and a very sophisticated attack in the city of Samarra on U.S. troops. Two car bombers drove up to a U.S. military checkpoint outside of the base, blowing themselves up.
Then, as U.S. troops were responding to that, a third suicide bomber, this one on foot, wearing one of those so-called suicide bomber vests, walked up to the soldiers. They shot him, but before he died he was able to blow himself up, injuring four of those soldiers -- Bill.
HEMMER: Wow. Ryan, there's also this operation taking place in western Baghdad. Who is taking part and what's the -- what's the target there, Ryan?
CHILCOTE: Sure. It's being called Operation Squeeze Play. And effectively, it's just a cordon and search operation. We see lots of these in all of Iraq's big cities, and also in the Iraqi capital, but this one's a little bit different.
It's being billed as the largest U.S. military and Iraqi military joint operation in the capital to take place yet. One U.S. military official describing it as a cordon and search operation on steroids.
So far, we know that there are at least seven Iraqi battalions out there. That's about 2,000 Iraqi troops, a significantly smaller contingent of U.S. troops. They say that so far they've already detained some 285 suspected insurgents, though we know that a lot of times after they bring these people in and interrogate them, a lot of them are let go -- Bill.
HEMMER: Well, a very active day, as we pointed out. Ryan Chilcote, thanks, in Baghdad.
Here's Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, the battle over the judicial filibuster could come to a head in the Senate as soon as tomorrow, but moderates are working on a compromise. Will they get one in time?
CNN Capitol Hill Correspondent Ed Henry has the very latest.
Ed, good morning to you.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Just how likely do you think a deal is?
HENRY: A deal is getting less and less likely. As you mentioned, there are about a dozen moderates in both parties working frantically to come up with a deal to avert a nuclear showdown. But the bottom line is that time is running out fast, and, in fact, if a deal is not sealed by tonight, we're very likely to have nuclear war, at least in the political sense, on Tuesday.
And a lot of people on both sides of the aisle are saying that this could have short-term consequences for the president's agenda on Capitol Hill. If feelings are rubbed so raw, it's going to be hard for him to get almost anything else accomplished, including Social Security reform, but there also could be some long-term consequences for the 2008 presidential campaign.
Yesterday, speaking exclusively to CNN before he delivered a commencement address at George Washington University, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said he believes this is a naked power grab by the Republicans to try to end the use of the filibuster for judicial nominations. And he said he's very confident he has the votes to stop it.
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SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: I feel comfortable that there are six Republicans who will do what's right for the country. They will be profiles in courage. You know there's four of them, and there are a few others who are waiting in the wings. I'm confident they'll step forward.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who's the man with his finger on the nuclear trigger, says this is not about politics, it's about principle, restoring the principle of 214 years of presidents in both parties getting fair up-or-down votes on their judicial nominees.
But, in fact, politics also at work here. Because of this presidential campaign, even though it's three years away, this morning's "Des Moines Register" is reporting that conservative activists in Iowa, that critical caucus state for the presidential caucuses, conservative activists are circulating a letter congratulating and thanking Bill Frist and some other Republican lawmakers, like Rick Santorum and George Allen, potential presidential candidates, for supporting the nuclear option. And the letter is also warning people like Senate John McCain and Chuck Hagel that they better get on board for this nuclear option or they're going to face some consequences in the '08 campaign -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Very interesting. Of course we'll continue to follow that angle as well. Ed Henry for us on Capitol Hill.
Ed, thanks.
Let's take a look at the weather this morning. Chad Myers is at the CNN center, has the latest forecast for us.
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O'BRIEN: Thanks, Chad.
Well, "TIME" magazine has named the best 100 films of all time. What's the most recent film to make the cut? We'll take a look at the list ahead.
HEMMER: Also, Memorial Day this weekend, the unofficial start of summer just around the corner. Some tips today on surviving the ever- rising cost of vacation part one today in our series "Cutting the Price of a Family Vacation." That's next after a break here on a Monday edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
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O'BRIEN: Americans will be traveling in record numbers in the next three months. And so just in time for Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer comes our weeklong series, "Surviving Family Vacations." The average family of four will spend nearly five percent more on food and lodging this year.
Well, Pauline Frommer from Frommer's travel guides, has some tips on saving without skimping on the fun. Nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us this morning.
PAULINE FROMMER, FROMMER'S TRAVEL GUIDES: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Let's get right to it. Is it too late if you're starting now to look to get a deal?
FROMMER: No, absolutely not. There are many more last-minute deals out there than there used to be.
O'BRIEN: Overall, in a general area, what do you like as far as the family vacation goes that's really affordable?
FROMMER: Well, I think there's nothing better than our national parks. When you look at a Yosemite or a Grand Canyon, there's no places more gloriously beautiful. When you look at a president's home, or visiting Ellis Island, or the Mall in Washington, there are few places as educational. And they're so cheap!
You can get in for $15 or for free at some national parks. You'll camp for $15 a night.
People are worried that they're going to be overcrowded. It's not true. We simply have not seen -- seen the same visitor numbers since before 9/11.
In those days, we had about 287 million people a year visiting the national parks. That's down by 10 million to 15 million. So you will find a place at the campgrounds.
O'BRIEN: When you're looking for a nice scenic hike, you won't be...
FROMMER: No, you won't be surrounded by people.
O'BRIEN: ... surrounded by millions of others.
FROMMER: Especially if you go to the less popular parks.
O'BRIEN: Lots of people drive, of course. And AAA, I think the numbers for Memorial Day Weekend, 84 percent go by car. The good news is the price of gas declined, I think, six cents in the last two weeks alone.
FROMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Any other tips to make a road trip less expensive?
FROMMER: Well, it's still much less expensive if you look at two years ago, the gas prices then. So you've got to be fuel efficient. And you've got to look for the cheapest gas. And there's some good Web sites that will help you do that.
There's gaspricewatch and gasbuddy.com, which are run by volunteers who key in the cheapest gas stations in their areas. So you simply go online first and find out where you're going to be able to fuel up cheaply.
Also, you've got to remember what we learned in the '70s: drive the speed limit. Don't over-pack. Don't put anything on the roof rack, because that will really put -- cause drag on the car and make you less fuel efficient. Try and avoid jack-rabbit starts and stops.
All of these things will help you be more fuel efficient.
O'BRIEN: They really add up.
FROMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about renting a house. I mean, a lot of people do that for the summer. I think especially when you're talking about a family, you can save a decent amount of money.
FROMMER: Oh, yes.
O'BRIEN: Is it too late to start looking now for a house if you haven't wrapped it up?
FROMMER: You'd think it would be.
O'BRIEN: Right.
FROMMER: But it's not. According to the Vacation Rental Manager's Association, there are the nine percent more houses this year than there were last year.
O'BRIEN: Oh.
FROMMER: And last year there were more, seven percent more than the year before. So there's a real boom in vacation homes.
You can find them. There are last-minute deals out there. And you'll save 30 percent off of the cost of a hotel vacation simply because you won't be cooking all the -- I mean, you won't be eating out in restaurants all the time.
O'BRIEN: I could imagine, too, the longer you wait on a house, then the prices might start to drop as well.
(CROSSTALK)
FROMMER: It might. You may not be right at the lip of a lake, but you'll be able to find a house.
O'BRIEN: You can schlep all your stuff.
FROMMER: Right.
O'BRIEN: Let's go with some tips before we run out of time here. You say research online, that helps a lot.
FROMMER: Yes. Visit the journalistically-based sites. Go to your favorite newspaper or your favorite travel guide sites, such as Frommers.com. You'll find impartial information there. They're not trying to sell you a vacation.
O'BRIEN: Negotiate a better deal. You really can? The price is flexible sometimes?
FROMMER: Yes. You know, the travel industry is jumping up and down now because they're predicting that there will be a 70 percent occupancy rate at hotels this summer.
O'BRIEN: Wow.
FROMMER: I look at that and see 30 percent of the rooms are going to be empty. Don't call the 800 number. Call the hotel directly, ask to speak with the manager. You will be surprised at how often they'll play let's make a deal.
O'BRIEN: You also say look outside the box, the hotel box. What do you mean by that? Where do you look?
FROMMER: Well, look at RV vacations, look at camping out, look at swapping your home and staying for free. There are so many other options besides hotels, and they can cut the cost of your vacation.
O'BRIEN: Time to be a little creative.
FROMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Pauline Frommer, nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us this morning and thanks for the tips.
FROMMER: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: We want to mention that tomorrow, the second part of our series is about surviving a family vacation with another family. I've done that. Industry experts call it "togethering." That's tomorrow right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
Ahead this morning, "TIME" magazine naming its top 100 movies of all time. You may not agree with some of the picks, though. We'll share them with you just ahead as we continue right here.
Stay with us.
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HEMMER: It may be the picture of the day, other than the three of us here.
This 3-year-old boy in Indiana pulling off an amazing trip. He climbed into a toy vending machine at a Wal-Mart in Elkhart, Indiana, northern part of the state there.
He hung from the crane and played with the toys for an hour until they could get him out of there. His mom says the boy went home without any toys after firefighters removed the back of the machine to get him out.
That's one of those deals that the claw goes in and you try to erect it and get the little stuffed animal and pull it out.
O'BRIEN: She said no toys. He's like, oh, do you want to bet?
HEMMER: The machine never works anyway.
O'BRIEN: You're much more likely to get a toy that way...
HEMMER: Very true.
O'BRIEN: ... than trying to grab it with the crane.
HEMMER: I guess mom was on the pinball machine down the hall at the time.
O'BRIEN: If I fit, I would go that way, too.
CAFFERTY: Yes, but there are -- there are children in the world that you would be inclined to just leave there and go home.
HEMMER: Good morning.
CAFFERTY: None of -- on a much more serious topic, 200 level three sex offenders are getting free Viagra courtesy of the taxpayers in New York. Medicaid is paying for it.
Level three sex offenders, they've been convicted of everything from assaulting children as young as two, to raping women as old as 90. These are real eagle scouts, these clowns.
A 1998 federal mandate requires that state Medicaid pay for Viagra. The question is, should Medicaid be paying for any of these sexual potency pills such as Viagra?
Scott in Kentucky writes, "As it is now, erectile dysfunction treatments are not a necessity. However, Viagra is under consideration for cardiovascular problems. Like any other prescription, the responsibility remains with the physician."
Pam in New York writes, "The way I see it, Medicaid and Social Security disability pay for each individual whatever is necessary to have the best quality of life possible. Although I think it's wrong and wasteful, Viagra helps men and women maintain or regain a certain quality of life."
Sharman in North Carolina writes, "Yes, I thought sexual assaults were violent acts based on a desire for control more than for the purpose of sexual gratification."
So she apparently has no problem with Medicaid paying for this stuff.
And Reg weighs in with this from Ontario, "Want to know the true meaning of hypocrisy, Jack? Blue state senators Schumer and Clinton railing against this liberal drug policy as they're on their way to filibuster against Bush's conservative judges."
HEMMER: We could put that to Senator Schumer, can't we?
O'BRIEN: Sure. I don't know that I'd put it exactly that way, but we certainly could.
CAFFERTY: Reg is...
O'BRIEN: We know Reg.
CAFFERTY: ... probably a little -- not quite political correct.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
We'll get to that issue again with Senator Schumer when he joins us in a couple of minutes here.
Also, one of the most popular stories on our Web site right now, CNN.com, has to do with the season finale last night of "Desperate Housewives" on ABC. If you missed it, the show cleared up the mystery of who killed a woman buried in a yard. This was one of the final scenes right here, too, in fact. The knife went right through her.
O'BRIEN: A cliffhanger.
HEMMER: It was the narrator of the series, Mary Alice Young, but fans of the show say there are still many unanswered questions that are sure to be addressed in the next season. And there will be a next season. It's been hugely popular, too. And you've got to imagine the buildup for that thing when it comes back around will be enormous.
O'BRIEN: Yes. And they've got good cliffhangers this time around. It looks good.
Well, first lady Laura Bush's trip to the Mideast holy sites sparked some angry protest this weekend. Just what's her reaction to the demonstrations? Suzanne Malveaux's one-on-one interview with the first lady is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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